Mirror, Mirror…
I Cor. 11:26-31
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MirrorMirror.html
II Cor.13:5—examine yourselves…
We find ourselves looking into a mirror quite often. After all, we all have to look at our refection in order to see how to make ourselves look better on the outside. We need to see how to shave, fix our hair, put on a tie, brush our teeth, put on make-up, teens have to get up real close to take care of problems which arise [then clean the mirror off!]…and in my case, I have to trim my eyebrows so that they don’t join together. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever stared at the person standing in the mirror and thought about whom that person really is? If you haven’t; you need to! That’s what Paul is asking the Corinthian church to do…to look at themselves and really look at who they are- on the inside. As we join together today to partake of the Lord’s Supper, God instructs us to “examine ourselves” and see if we are worthy to partake. The most important part of us we need to examine is our spiritual condition. I would like for us to look in the mirror and see inside the person staring back at us. I want us to learn how to examine ourselves by asking, “Mirror, mirror on the wall…”
The owner of a large warehouse was concerned about his profit margin, and he decided to make an on site inspection. He saw a young man leaning up against a wall apparently not working. The owner said to him, "How much do you make per week?" The young man said, "$320." The owner reached into his pocket and pulled out $320 and handed the man the money and told him, "You can leave. We don’t need you around here anymore."
As the young man walked away, the warehouse supervisor arrived and the owner asked him, "How long has that fellow been working for us?" The supervisor looked as the young man drove away and replied, "He doesn’t work for us; he was here making a delivery!"
Moral of the story: DON’T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS! Jumping to conclusions is hazardous because the chances of missing are great. And when it comes to your salvation, jumping to conclusions is eternally hazardous; because, the place where you land is where you’ll spend all of eternity.
Paul basically told the Corinthians to take the test. Undergo a spiritual examination. Just as we go to the doctor for a physical examination; we need to go to the Word of God for a spiritual examination.
The Word of God is likened many times to a mirror. We need it to help us see ourselves accurately.
Some Christians would have to say, “Mirror, mirror, on the shelf…” because that’s where their Bible stays mostly. Well, that will be ineffective!
Ill.—fun house mirror, Paris Hilton’s tin foil mirror in her cell, broken mirror, very small mirrors…all of these give us an inaccurate view, but God’s looking glass tells it like it is!
Ever looked in a mirror and got mad? Ever looked in a mirror and seen a pimple that didn’t use to be there?/a wrinkle that didn’t use to be there?/a chin that didn’t use to be there? It doesn’t do any good to get mad at the mirror, or the one holding the mirror!
But oftentimes people come to church and the mirror of the Word shows them something they don’t like, but they get mad at the mirror, or at the church, or at the one holding the mirror. I’ve been accused before of “preaching at” somebody. They say, you were talking to me. You aimed that at me…and what they’re talking about came right out of the expository text as we go thru the Bible verse by verse…only God can do what they were crediting me for! They think I’ve been reading their mail, but I haven’t, and yet God has been, so He sends them a message!
Don’t kill the messenger…get mad at the pimple, the wrinkle, etc. and do radical spiritual surgery as needed!
Many don’t want to be confronted w/ their sin/lack of obedience…just keep that mirror of the Word away from me…ignorance is bliss…if I don’t look into the mirror I don’t have to worry about what I look like!
Joke—mountain man from TN/never seen civilization, or a mirror/came upon a vacated campsite/people had left some food, supplies…and a mirror!/looked into it, and it scared him…I’ll be, a picture of my old pappy!/sentimental, wanted to keep it/tho’t wife wasn’t looking, hid it under the mattress/wife HAD seen!/when he was gone, she went and got it, looked into it!/startled her, too/said, so, that’s the old hag he’s been running around with!
I hope you’re here to see yourself as you really are…not playing church [a hospital for sinners, not display case for saints!]
If so, you’ll be at the altar sometimes here at church / you’ll be on your knees privately sometimes / your life will show a difference in both public and private!
Forgive me for being honest in my preaching…but don’t we pay the doctor to be honest? Or is it so he’ll say what we want him to?
“Doc, look me over, but if you find anything, DON’T tell me!”
joke—they never really have made a diagnosis for my little episodes I’ve been having. Finally my neurologist said, we just don’t know what it might be. I replied, I want a 2nd opinion / “ok, you’re ugly too!”
Then I paid him 80 bucks!
We have surgery and they cut on us, we “come to” and we’re in pain, and we pay them thousands…so why approach the Word differently? Don’t kill the messenger…rather, pay me thousands!
Paul is telling Christians to take the test. Because your eternal destination is not the only important thing…also your present situation.
Take the test. See if you are carnal or Christ-like. But first, see if you are lost or saved.
1. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WITH? Heart or Head?
Romans 10:9,10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
[don’t miss heaven by 18 inches!]
2. WHAT DO YOU TRUST IN? Grace or Works?
Ephes. 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Folks, we are living in a day when people think if my good out weighs my bad, then I’m going to make it. If that’s you my friend you are Biblically Dead Wrong!!! Our righteousness is as filthy rags. There is none good no not one.
Mercy/Grace is not what God pays you because you earned it; mercy is what God gives you because you need it!!!
3. HOW DID YOU FEEL? Humble or Proud?
When you received Christ how did you feel? Were you humble? Were you repentant? Or were you proud? Are you even to this day like the Pharisee who said ‘Oh God I thank you that I’m not like this tax collector…’ OR are you like that poor tax collector who said, "Lord, have mercy on me [the] sinner. He was humble and admitted, confessed that he was a sinner.
Listen, take the test, don’t guess. Don’t jump to conclusions before this communion.
No one should partake today unless they know they are saved. And you may have been saved for years, but are you right with God today? A stern warning appears in our passage today for those who have known sin in their life. Are you walking in obedience? Ask God right now to reveal to you any sins you need to deal with. [pause] Ok, what did He just bring to your mind? Let’s do business with God!
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MirrorMirror.html
