Just One Look
Isaiah 45:22
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/JustOneLook.html
"Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else."
Charles Spurgeon quoted this verse while testing the acoustics in a new sanctuary…he was later called to the bedside of a dying man. He had heard him from the balcony where he was working, and God used that to see the man get saved!
That man, like many today, was looking for something, and when a person is looking, God doesn’t hide, but makes Himself available, and one look is all it takes!
The eyes are the main gate we have leading to our minds, our imaginations, and our hearts. Just one look can be powerful and life changing.
Ill.—anyone here experience love at first sight? At the very least, it may have led to taking a second look. Some of you are considering taking a second look right now!
Consider the power of ‘just one look…’
Let’s take a quick trip thru the Bible and see ’just one look’ from beginning to end.
ill.--A little girl asked her mother, "How did the human race start?"
The mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children, and so all mankind was made."
Two days later, the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered, "Many years ago, there were monkeys from which the human race evolved."
The confused girl returned to her mother and said, "Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?"
The mother answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his."
I. JUST ONE LOOK CAN BRING CONDEMNATION.
A. EVE IN THE GARDEN. (GEN 3:1-6)
Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
She looked and she took…and she lost her place in the garden. She was deceived and just one look is all it took. Adam came along and saw what had happened…and he took a look at her, a look at the tree, and said, oh well, give me a bite, and he sinned with his eyes wide open…and just one look is all it took.
joke-- Speaking of Adam and Eve, someone has suggested that they had an ideal marriage. He didn’t have to hear about all the men she could have married--and she didn’t have to hear about the way his mother cooked.
B. LOT’S WIFE. (GEN 19:26)
God warned them not to look back (V.17) but she did and became a salt lick in the desert…and just one look was all it took.
And she wouldn’t even have been in that wicked city of Sodom except for the ‘look’ her husband gave in that direction when he selfishly chose the best land when given the choice.
C. ACHAN. (JOSH. 7:21)
God’s people were instructed not to take of the spoils of this battle. But Achan did in this progression: He saw, he coveted, he took. Taking was the disobedient action, but it all began when he ‘saw’. One look…and then he took!
D. DAVID & BATHSHEBA. (II SAM 11:2)
He saw, he lusted, he sinned. The lust of the eyes demanded he go further, and he started down a slippery slope.
ill.--Do you like water slides? Some are tame and fun, and some are a beast. I found out the hard way last summer when I was the only one in my family to go down the big one ... I should have known by the fact there were so few in line and how high up it was.
Temptation is like a huge water slide – you can turn round right up to the moment before you seek to satisfy your lusts, at which point it is too late and you need to deal with the consequences. David could have seen Bathsheba taking a bath, and turned away – but he chose to go down the slide.
James 1:15
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Lust-Sin-Death…the most dangerous form of LSD, and that’s how it happened for David, and a baby died as a result, among others.
Men are very visual creatures, and Jesus said we can commit adultery with just a look…so we must set up serious safeguards:
Job 31:1
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Men, we all need to make some covenants: The television, the computer, magazines, coworkers, neighbors, complete strangers!
Just one look can bring condemnation. Oh be careful little eyes what you see!
A good way to keep from going down the wrong path is not to even look in that general direction!
Proverbs 23:31
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Good news is…
2. JUST ONE LOOK CAN BRING JUSTIFICATION.
The children of Israel in the wilderness were being judged for their sin, griping, murmuring, and lack of faith, and God sent serpents to bite and kill them in judgment. (NUM. 21:8) But the Lord had Moses fashion a brass serpent on a pole to lift up high, and if only the people would look to that serpent they would live! [The serpent was a picture of Christ made sin for us!]
John 3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
And all who look to Jesus can live!
- DIDN’T SAY LOOK ON THE POLE.
- DIDN’T SAY LOOK TO MOSES.
- DIDN’T SAY LOOK BACK TO MIRACLE OF THE RED SEA.
They mustn’t look at the wrong thing…only looking to the serpent would spare their lives. Sadly, today:
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO A CHURCH
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO THE BAPTISTRY
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO THEIR COMMUNION
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO THEIR CONFIRMATION
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO WHAT MOMMA SAID THEY DID
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO A SAINT OR TO MARY
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO THEIR MORALITY
- MANY ARE LOOKING TO THEIR SINCERITY
But they look in the wrong direction unless they look to Jesus!
SONG:
LOOK TO THE LAMB OF GOD - LOOK TO THE LAMB OF GOD.
FOR HE ALONE IS WILLING TO SAVE YOU
LOOK TO THE LAMB OF GOD.
Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…
SONG: LOOK AND LIVE MY BROTHER, LIVE
LOOK TO JESUS NOW AND LIVE
‘TIS RECORDED IN HIS WORD, HALLEJUAH !
IT IS ONLY THAT YOU LOOK AND LIVE.
Condemnation, justification…
3. JUST ONE LOOK CAN BRING SANCTIFICATION. (MATT 17:8)
Matthew 17:8
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
Peter, James, and John, the ‘inner circle’ among Jesus’ disciples were taken aside to a high mountain where they saw the transfiguration of Christ…in other words, they saw Him in His glory, shining as the sun.
- They were never the same after this.
- They took their eyes off everything and everybody except Jesus.
- Moses and Elijah also appeared that day.
- Didn’t say they saw Moses. (law)
- Didn’t say they saw Elijah - (prophets)
- Doesn’t say they saw each other. (distraction)
- Good advice - "Keep your eyes off of people and on the Lord!"
- Who are we following, anyway?
- They saw their goal. (be conformed to His image)
- They saw their challenge.
- They saw the Truth.
- They saw the light.
Just one look was all it took to find real sanctification. And just as we find salvation when we look to Jesus, the Christian can then go on unto sanctification [going on unto holiness, being set apart from the world] when we take our eyes off of the temporary trappings of this life and keep our eyes on Jesus!
Ill.—When Peter walked on the water he began to sink when he ‘saw’ the winds and waves around him, but when he looked to Jesus he was alright!
What’s the first thing you look to each morning? Mouthwash? [wish your spouse did?] Coffee pot? Newspaper? …Restroom? Ok, after that?!
Psalm 5:3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Daily sanctification is just a look away!
Then enter your day, and look at it differently…
Philip. 2:4
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Matthew 9:36
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
John 4:35
Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
You’ll never see the other humans the same way again when you look at them thru sanctified eyes, as eternal souls that will live or die somewhere forever!
4. JUST ONE LOOK WILL BRING GLORIFICATION. (I JOHN 3:2)
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
- THE CURSE WILL BE LIFTED.
- THE POWER OF TEMPTATION & SIN WILL LOSE IT’S GRIP.
- ALL SICKNESS WILL BE ELIMINATED.
- DEATH WILL BE SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.
- DISAPPOINTMENT AND DISCOURAGEMENT WILL EVAPORATE.
- ALL LUST, GREED, MALICE, JEALOUSY, & HEARTACHE WILL BE GONE FOREVER.
Think of these last days we are living in…when reading the newspaper is like reading the book of Revelation!...
Luke 21:28
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Sing this with me:
“WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE WHEN MY JESUS I SHALL SEE
WHEN I LOOK UPON HIS FACE, THE ONE WHO SAVED ME BY HIS GRACE”
2 Cor. 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/JustOneLook.html
