The Pencil
Often times Jesus used commonplace things to teach great biblical truths.
In Luke 12 Jesus uses the Birds of the air and the Lilly’s of the Field to teach that God is in control and that he will take care of his children.
With that in mind I would like us to consider tonight the lessons that we can learn from an everyday object. By now you should have all received a pencil. At first glance it seems insignificant, but I believe that it has more to do with our Spiritual life than we may know.
I. The first thing that I notice is that it was designed for a purpose.
A. The purpose of the pencil is for writing down information.
B. We were also designed for a purpose.
i. God has a purpose for me
Romans 12:1-2 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 7:4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
1 Peter 2:5 And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are God’s holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ.
II. The next thing I notice is that it was purchased with a price.
A. Just as I spent money to give this pencil to you A price was paid for you.
B. We were purchased through the blood of a sinless Savior
1 Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ
I Corinthians 6 19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
III. Has a trademark that distinguishes it from all other Companies
A. Just like you can look at this pencil and know that it came from Office Depot
B. There are things that mark us as Christians that show that we are possessions of our creator.
1. Love John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
2. Faithfulness Revelation 2:10 ’Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
3. Being Zealous of Good works Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
C. We give an impression of the one whose mark we bear.
1. Just like if we were to sharpen these pencils and try to write with them only to have the lead break every time we put it on the paper, or the pencil will not be sharpened we would get a bad impression of Office Depot and their products.
2. People will look at us, our actions and reactions and get an impression of our master.
IV. As it performs its task it is used up.
2 Corinthians 12:15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.
V. It leaves a mark
A. As you move the pencil across your paper or your hand it will leave a mark .
B. We do the same
i. The people we come in contact with on a daily basis weather casual or a prolonged meeting will leave us a different person.
1. They will either be upset or mad because we treated them unfairly
2. Or they will leave us better because we showed them the Love of God.
ii. the question is the world a better place because of our lives?
VI. It’s the inside of the pencil that is most important
A. No matter how attractive it is a p0encil is useless unless it will write.
B. God tells us on several occasions that it is our heart that is important.
i. 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing if I do not have love.
VII. It can only erase it’s mistakes by bowing it’s head low.
Luke 18: 13-14 "The tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even look up to heaven. But he beat on his chest because he was so sad. He said, ’God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you, when this man went home, he was right with God, but the Pharisee was not. All who make themselves great will be made humble, but all who make themselves humble will be made great."’
Conclusion:
There are many similarities
But there is also a great difference.
The pencil must do whatever the owner decided.
God has given us a choice
Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
And the greatest difference is that you have a soul. The question comes tonight what will you do with your soul?
