WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
SERMON TITLE: THE MATERIAL, METHOD AND MOTIVE
SEPTEMBER 23, 2001 P.M.
“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.” JOHN 3:16-18
PSALMS 127:1 “EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOUR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT.”
THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT ARE LABORING IN VAIN. IT MEANS WHAT IT SAYS IN THIS VERSE. EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOUR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT. OFTEN TIMES WHEN GOD REFERS TO THE HOUSE HE’S REFERRING TO OUR SPIRITUAL HOUSE. WHETHER IT BE THE SPIRITUAL HOUSE THAT’S BEING BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD OR WHETHER IT BE THE SPIRITUAL HOUSE THAT DENIES GOD AND IS ON IT’S WAY TO A DEVILS HELL. THIS OLD BODY THAT WE’RE HOUSED IN IS JUST FLESH. DOWN ON THE INSIDE WE EITHER HAVE THE SPIRITUAL MAN THAT’S BORN OF JESUS CHRIST OR WE HAVE THAT OLD WICKED MAN THAT’S NEVER KNOWN CHRIST IN THEIR HEART AS SAVIOR. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THE BIBLE REFERS TO THE HOUSE I BELIEVE IT’S TALKING ABOUT THAT PERSON DOWN ON THE INSIDE. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. PAUL SAID THIS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: WE KNOW IF OUR EARTHLY HOUSE OF THIS TABERNACLE WE’RE DISSOLVED, WE HAVE A BUILDING OF GOD, A HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS.
I REMEMBER A TIME IN THE BIBLE WHERE THE LORD SENT ISAIAH OVER TO SEE A MAN NAMED HEZEKIAH. HEZEKIAH WAS LOST AND ON HIS WAY TO HELL AND THE LORD SENT ISAIAH OVER TO HEZEKIAH’S PLACE AND HE SAID THIS TO HIM: SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER FOR THOU SHALT DIE AND NOT LIVE. THEN HEZEKIAH TURNED TO THE LORD AND GAVE HIS LIFE TO THE LORD. SO OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD HOUSE IN THE BIBLE IT’S REFERRING TO NOT WHAT BUILDING WE’RE IN BUT THE HOUSE THAT YOU LIVE IN, IN THE OLD NATURAL BODY.
I REMEMBER THE SCRIPTURE WHERE JESUS SAID DESTROY THIS TEMPLE AND IN THREE DAYS I’LL RAISE IT UP. I DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND AT TONIGHT WITH GOD BUT I KNOW A GOD THAT KNOWS EXACTALY WHERE YOU STAND. MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE BUT GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. GOD KNOWS WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE SAVED. WHETHER OR NOT WE’RE RIGHT WITH HIM. IF WE’RE BACKSLID, OR LOST. WE CAN NOT HIDE IT FROM GOD. GOD KNOWS ALL ABOUT YOU.
TURN TO GENESIS 11:1-9 “AND THE WHOLE EARTH WAS OF ONE LANGUAGE, AND OF ONE SPEECH. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THEY JOURNEYED FROM THE EAST, THAT THEY FOUND A PLAIN IN THE LAND OF SHINAR; AND THEY DWELT THERE. AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER, GO TO, LET US MAKE BRICK, AND BURN THEM THROUGHLY. AND THEY HAD BRICK FOR STONE, AND SLIME HAD THEY FOR MORTAR. AND THEY SAID, GO TO, LET US BUILD A CITY AND A TOWER, WHOSE TOP MAY REACH UNTO HEAVEN; AND LET US MAKE US A NAME, LEST WE BE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. AND THE LORD CAME DOWN TO SEE THE CITY AND THE TOWER, WHICH THE CHILDREN OF MEN BUILDED. AND THE LORD SAID, BEHOLD, THE PEOPLE IS ONE, AND THEY HAVE ALL ONE LANGUAGE; AND THIS THEY BEGIN TO DO: AND NOW NOTHING WILL BE RESTRAINED FROM THEM, WHICH THEY HAVE IMAGINED TO DO. GO TO, LET US GO DOWN, AND THERE CONFOUND THEIR LANGUAGE, THAT THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER’S SPEECH. SO THE LORD SCATTERED THEM ABROAD FROM THENCE UPON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH; AND THEY LEFT OFF TO BUILD THE CITY. THEREFORE IS THE NAME OF IT CALLED BABEL; BECAUSE THE LORD DID THERE CONFOUND THE LANGUAGE OF ALL THE EARTH: AND FROM THENCE DID THE LORD SCATTER THEM ABROAD UPON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH.”
EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD IT, THEY LABOUR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT. YOU AND I CAN DO NOTHING THAT WILL GET US INTO HEAVEN. I REMEMBER READING ABOUT THE LAWYER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND HE SAID LORD WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MIGHT INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? OUR INHERITANCE INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST IS NOT BASED UPON WHAT WE DO. IT’S NOT BASED UPON OUR WORKS OR LABOR. IT’S NOT BASED ON HOW MANY TIMES YOU ATTEND CHURCH. YOU CAN ATTEND CHURCH FOR FORTY YEARS AND PUT YOUR MONEY IN THE OFFERING PLATE ALL YOU WANT TO BUT IT WILL NEVER GET YOU TO HEAVEN. SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD. FREE FOR THE ASKING. SOME PEOPLE HAVE IT IN THEIR MIND THAT JUST GOING TO CHURCH MAKES THEM A CHRISTIAN. I’VE GONE TO SOME CHURCHES AND MET SOME OF THE AWFULEST PEOPLE. THEY ATTEND CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY, GIVE THEIR TITHES, GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, COME UP TO THE ALTAR AND PRAY AND DURING THE WEEK THEY LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL. THAT’S NOT WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ALL ABOUT. YOU CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO FOR GOD. GOD WILL PICK AND CHOOSE AND THEN YOU’VE GOT TO BE WILLING AND OBEDIENT.
THESE PEOPLE AT THE TOWER OF BABEL WE’RE OF ONE LANGUAGE AND ONE SPEECH. YOU GET A LOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF BAPTISTS THAT’S OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THEY CAN TARE UP SOME THINGS.
NOTICE NUMBER ONE: THEY SAID GO TO, LET US MAKE BRICK. THEY WANTED TO TAKES SOME BRICKS AND BUILD AND REACH INTO HEAVEN. THEY WAS USING THE WRONG MATERIAL. YOU CANNOT USE WORLDLY MATERIALS TO GET YOU INTO HEAVEN. IT’S BY THE GRACE AND SALVATION OF GOD. IT’S NOT THE CLOTHES THAT WE WEAR OR THE MATERIAL THINGS BUT THE SPIRITUAL THINGS THAT COUNT IN OUR LIVES. YOU CANNOT WORK YOUR WAY INTO HEAVEN IF YOU TRIED. THE WORKS PART COMES AFTER THE SALVATION. SALVATION IS OF THE LORD.
YOU CAN PUT ON THE BIGGEST SHOW IF YOU WANT TO. YOU CAN TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR LOVED ONES THAT YOU’RE THE BIGGEST AND BEST CHRISTIAN THERE EVER WAS BUT IF YOU HAVEN’T GOT CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE YOU’LL DIE AND GO TO HELL. I CAN IMAGINE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE TO CHURCH ALL THEIR LIVES THAT HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HELL. IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW IF YOU’RE A BIBLE READER YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WHEN THAT GREAT DAY COMES. JESUS SEPARATED THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS AND IT SAID THOSE GOATS CRIED OUT TO THE LORD AND SAID HAVE WE NOT LABORED ALL THESE THINGS FOR YOU AND HAVE NOT WE DONE THESE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS AND GIVE OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS AND DONE GREAT THINGS FOR THEE? AND JESUS SAID DEPART FROM ME FOR I NEVER KNEW YOU. YOUR WORKS WILL NOT GET YOU INTO HEAVEN. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING SO HARD TO BE GOOD CHRISTIANS THAT THEY END UP BEING BAD CHRISTIANS. YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN? THE BIBLE SAYS TO HUMBLE YOURSELF IN THE SIGHT OF GOD AND THE BIBLE SAYS HE’LL LIFT YOU UP. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANT PEOPLE TO NOTICE THEM. THEY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT THEY’VE DONE. YOU CANNOT USE MATERIAL THINGS TO GET YOU INTO HEAVEN. WE ALL LACK IN CERTAIN AREAS DON’T WE? YOU REALLY WANT TO GET CLOSE TO THE LORD? GET IN THIS WORD. IT’S LIKE MY BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING. IT’S MY GUIDE BOOK. YOU KNOW WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT? PRAYER. PRAYER IS OUR CONVERSATION FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN. DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DON’T PRAY ENOUGH, YOU’LL AUTOMATICALLY FAINT. THAT’S WHAT IT SAYS IN LUKE 18:1. MEN OUGHT TO ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT TO FAINT. IF YOU QUIT GETTING ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAYING, YOU’LL AUTOMATICALLY FALL BACK. MOST PEOPLE DON’T PRAY BUT ONCE A DAY. WE OUGHT TO PRAY ALL DAY LONG. WE OUGHT TO GO ABOUT WITH A PSALM ON OUR HEARTS AND A PRAYER ON OUR LIPS.
BACK IN GENESIS 11:4 IT SAYS LET US BUILD US A CITY. HERE’S WHERE THERE PROBLEM WAS. THAT WORD US. WHAT WE DO ISN’T FOR US. IF WE DO ANYTHING, LET US DO IT FOR GOD. ANYTIME YOU LEAVE GOD YOU’LL NEVER GET ANYWHERE. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LEAVE CHRIST OUT OF THEIR LIFE. I GET SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE LIVING IN SIN. IN ROMANS 5 PAUL SAID WHERE SIN DID ABOUND, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND. GRACE WILL OVERCOME SIN EVERY TIME. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THESE PEOPLE AT THE TOWER ALSO USED THE WRONG METHOD. GOD WILL NOT COME SECOND IN YOUR LIFE. HE MUST BE NUMBER ONE. ISN’T IT PITIFUL HOW PEOPLE NOW A DAYS PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO SERVE GOD? THEY WANT TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO ATTEND THE HOUSE OF GOD. WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO COME TO CHURCH ONLY ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. IF YOU HAVE CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE YOU OUGHT TO ATTEND CHURCH EVERY DAY THAT YOU LIVE. I THANK GOD FOR THESE CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE ALWAYS PUT CHRIST FIRST IN THEIR LIFE. PETER AND PAUL WENT THROUGH AN AWFUL LOT WHEN THEY WALKED THIS EARTH. BUT THEY ALWAYS KEPT JESUS FIRST. WHEN PETER DENIED HIM THAT TIME HE LEARNED REAL QUICK IT’S NOT GOOD TO BE OUT OF THE WILL OF THE LORD. HE GOT STRAIGHTENED OUT REAL QUICK.
THINK ABOUT DANIEL WHEN THE KING CAME OUT WITH A DECREE THAT NOBODY COULD PRAY EXCEPT TO HIS GOD; A MOLTEN IMAGE. BACK THEN KINGS WORE RINGS WITH THEIR SEAL ON IT AND THEY’D STAMP IT WHICH MADE IT BINDING. DANIEL WENT TO HIS HOUSE, OPENED HIS WINDOWS, GOT DOWN ON HIS KNEES AND PRAYED TO GOD. IT DON’T MATTER WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU. WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT CHRIST THINKS ABOUT YOU.
THEN IN GENESIS 11:4 THE LATTER PART IT SAYS: LET US MAKE US A NAME. IT SEEMS LIKE THE BIGGER THE CHURCH GETS, THE BIGGER THE SIGN GETS. BUT I WONDER OUT OF ALL THOSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ATTENDING CHURCH HAVE CHRIST IN THEIR LIFE. JESUS SAID THIS: BROAD IS THE WAY, WIDE IS THE GATE THAT LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION. MANY THERE BE WHICH GO IN THERE AT BECAUSE STRAIGHT IS THE GATE AND NARROW IS THE WAY AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT. I BELIEVE THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THINKS THEY HAVE IT AND THEY DON’T. MY WIFE ATTENDED A LARGE CHURCH IN HER YOUNGER YEARS AND IN ORDER TO JOIN THE CHURCH SHE HAD TO SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER AND GET BAPTIZED. SHE SPENT MANY YEARS THINKING SHE WAS SAVED. BUT SHE WASN’T. BUT PRAISE GOD SHE’S SAVED NOW.
HOSEA SAID THEY SHALL GO WITH THEIR FLOCKS AND THEIR HERDS TO SEEK THE LORD AND THEY SHALL NOT FIND HIM FOR HE HATH WITHDRAWN HIMSELF FROM THEM. I’M NOT PUTTING DOWN OTHER CHURCHES. I’M PUTTING DOWN PEOPLE THAT DON’T TRUST CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR. EVERY CHURCH OUGHT TO HAVE JESUS’ NAME ON THE FRONT AND HIS SPIRIT ON THE INSIDE. YOU KNOW WHAT WILL MAKE A GOOD CHURCH? A CHRIST CENTERED CHURCH. WE OUGHT TO HAVE CHRIST AS THE VERY CENTER OF OUR CHURCH. YOU KNOW HOW THAT CAN HAPPEN? EVERYONE THAT ATTENDS CHURCH OUGHT TO HAVE CHRIST IN THEIR LIFE. IF YOU LIVE CHRIST DURING THE WEEK, WE CAN HAVE SOME GOOD MEETINGS ON SUNDAY. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ONE SINNER WILL DESTROY MUCH GOOD. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THEIR PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING THEIR NOT. YOU CANNOT PRETEND TO LOVE AN ALMIGHTY GOD. EITHER YOU HAVE HIM OR YOU DON’T. THE PEOPLE AT THE TOWER USED THE WRONG MOTIVE.
THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD EVERYTHING GOING THEIR WAY. BUT YOUR WAYS ARE NOT HIS WAYS. IT WAS BIG IN THEIR EYES. IT WASN’T AS BIG AS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS. VERSE 5 SAYS THAT THE LORD CAME DOWN. IF IT HAD BEEN BIG ENOUGH THE LORD WOULDN’T OF HAD TO COME DOWN. IN VERSE 7 IT SAYS: GO TO, LET US GO DOWN. YOU KNOW WHY HE SAID THAT? BECAUSE HE WAS REFERRING TO GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY GHOST.
IF YOU DON’T REALIZE YOU’RE LOST, HOW CAN YOU BE SAVED? AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS WHEN YOU KNOW HOW TO DO RIGHT FROM WRONG. AND WHEN GOD REVEALS TO YOU THAT YOUR LOST, YOU BETTER NOT TURN HIM AWAY.
YOU SAY PREACHER, I’M HERE IN CHURCH AND I’VE NEVER BEEN SAVED, YOU’RE GOING TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THE ALTAR IF CHRIST IS KNOCKING ON YOUR HEARTS DOOR.
I KNOW A MAN THAT WENT TO CHURCH AND THE PREACHER CALLED OUT HIS NAME DURING THE ALTAR CALL AND TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO BE SAVED AND THE DEACONS BROUGHT HIM UP TO THE ALTAR AND MADE HIM KNEEL AND TOLD HIM HE WAS SAVED. YOU SEE THAT MAN TODAY, HE’LL CUSS YOU OUT AND STILL TELL YOU HE’S SAVED. IF YOU’RE LOST, GOD WILL REVEAL IT TO YOU AND NOT TO THE PREACHER AND WHEN IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GET SAVED, YOU WON’T NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE YOU TO AN ALTAR, YOU’LL GO ON YOUR OWN. YOU CAN’T GET SAVED UNTIL THE LORD SAYS IT’S TIME. WHEN HE KNOCKS ON YOUR HEARTS DOOR, THAT’S THE TIME YOU NEED TO TURN IT ALL OVER TO HIM.
THEY USED THE WRONG MATERIAL. THE WRONG METHOD AND THE WRONG MOTIVE.
GODS WORD DOES NOT GO OUT VOID.
LET US PRAY: FATHER, I HAVE FELT YOU TUGGING ON MY HEARTS DOOR AND I ASK YOU LORD TO SAVE ME. TAKE ALL MY SINS LORD AND CLEANSE ME. I AM SORRY FOR ALL THE BAD THAT I HAVE DONE AND WITH YOU NOW IN MY LIFE AND WITH YOUR HELP I WANT TO LEAD A BETTER LIFE. I BELIEVE YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD AND THAT YOU CAME TO THIS EARTH TO DIE ON A CROSS, TO BE RESURRECTED THE THIRD DAY AND ASCENDED BACK INTO HEAVEN. FORGIVE ME LORD FOR MY WRETCHED LIFE AND I PRAY YOU’D MAKE ME WHOLE. IN JESUS NAME. AMEN
