(Psa 119:81-83) "For I am become like a bottle in the smoke..."
Years ago I helped clean out a house that had been burnt in a fire.
The dear lady for whom we were working asked us, that as we went through the rubble, to pull out anything that might be salvageable.
She had a collection of antique or unique bottles that were ruined in the fire, and she looked at each one to see if any could be saved.
She saved only a couple of them, most were destroyed beyond use.
As I read this passage I was reminded of that job and of the many things we pulled out of that fire.
I remember family picture albums and other personal items that were scorched and ruined.
> I remember the sad expression she gave each item before discarding them.
As I read this verse, I remembered pulling out all those unique bottles and bringing them to the woman for examination.
> The Psalmist had evidently seen something similar.
> Some suggest it was a wineskin...
Regardless of what kind of bottle, he saw an item ruined in the smoke.
> He was able to relate to this situation.
> He realized how his own life had become sullied and ruined.
> He had become "like a bottle in the smoke."
I. What Does it Mean to be Like a Bottle in the Smoke?
A. A bottle in the smoke has been through the fire.
1. This has been a very sorrowful 18 months.
2. I am talking about a people who have been through the fire
3. It was easy to tell that these bottles had been through the fire.
> The tell-tale signs were all over those bottles.
> They were black and sooty.
> They were oily to the touch.
> They were ruined beyond use.
> Anyone that looked on them knew instantly, These bottles had been through a fire.
4. You can see the tell-tale signs on God’s people.
> They walk slower.
> They stoop lower.
> They talk softer.
> They cry often.
> They seem to have a deeper perspective on life!
> Anyone that looks on them knows instantly, These people have been through the fire.
5. The Psalmist said: "I am become like a bottle in the smoke..."
> I have all the signs of one that has gone through the fire!
B. A bottle in the smoke becomes fragile.
1. A few of those burnt bottles broke the minute we picked them up.
> They were very brittle.
> Even the unbroken bottles had lost some of their strength.
2. When you have gone through the fire, often you come out very fragile.
> Have you ever consider how fragile life is already.
> Even without the strees of going through the fire, life is already fragile.
Psa 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Eccl 12:5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
Job 14:1-2 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3. Life is fragile and brief. Often too brief.
> But, when you have come through a fire it seems some of that life has been sapped out of you.
> It seems that life becomes more fragile; More frightening...
> The Psamlist said, "I am become like a bottle in the smoke!"
C. A bottle in the Smoke has little or no value.
1. Loses any potential for doing good.
> Who wants to put an ugly burnt bottle on display.
> That dear lady whose house we cleaned, didn’t keep but one or two bottles that she thought she could save.
2. Who wants to drink out of an old charred bottle.
> It is of no value for display, nor of any practical value.
> It can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
3. Sometimes the fire ruins a Christian’s potential for doing good.
> Often the fire will cause some to lose hope their faith.
> They find themselves unable to fully trust God again.
4. Some get so burned that they never regain the standing they once had.
> They are ruined beyond practical use.
> Only one or two bottles makes it through the fire, and can be reused.
> But, the vast majority never fully recover from the fire.
5. They find themselves too far gone to get back to God.
> They cry, I have been destroyed by the fire.
> I have no hope nor desire to go on. I’m so tired!
> "I am become like a bottle in the smoke!"
II. Three Things Happen When you Go Through the Fire.
A. You develop an OUTWARD problem.
1. It causes some to become bitter and angry and it hurts their relationships.
> They take out their bitterness over what has happened on those around them.
2. They develop a short fuse.
> They do and say things that they don’t really mean.
> They lose control of their emotions very easily.
You Develop an OUTWARD problem...
B. Develop an INWARD Problem.
1. It causes some to become discouraged, disillusioned, and even depressed.
2. Some feel that they have noone that they can turn to who really understands.
C. Develop an UPWARD Problem.
1. Some blame God for what has happened and either drop out of church or quit serving like they used to.
2. Or else they keep up appearances, but in their heart they have lost faith.
III. Could not God have Kept me from This?
A. God really does know what He is doing.
1. There is always purpose in the pain we experience here on earth (Rom. 8:28).
> AND WE KNOW...
> THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER...
> TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD...
> THAT ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE...
> We don’t always understand God’s purpose...
2. Someone once said, “Before God can use a man greatly, He must wound him deeply.”
> Before you can bless, you must bleed; before you can help, you must first hurt.
3. There is a clear pattern in the Bible that teaches us that brokenness precedes greatness:
> Before Abraham became the father of many nations, he and Sarah were childless.
> Before Jacob could be blessed, he was wounded by angel in a wrestling match.
> Before Joseph ruled Egypt, he was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and falsely imprisoned.
> Before Job’s estate was doubled, he lost everything he had, including his family, his fortune, and his future.
> Before Moses became the great deliverer, he lost his position, his possessions, and his popularity.
> Before Joshua conquered the Promised Land, he went through the wilderness.
> Before Samson crushed the Philistines he was blinded.
> Before David became king, he was renounced by his family, ridiculed by his foes, and rejected by his friends.
> Before Daniel could be used mightily, he had to spend the night in the lion’s den.
> Before Hosea became a powerful spokesman for God, his wife betrayed him and returned to prostitution.
> Before Peter preached 3,000 souls into the kingdom, he denied his Savior three times and went out and wept bitterly.
> Before Paul brought the gospel to the Gentiles, he was blinded on the Damascus road.
B. God wants us to learn to discern between what is important and what is unimportant.
1. Too often we miss the big picture, because all we see is our own little lives.
> After Wilbur and Orville Wright’s successful flight on December 17, 1903, they joyfully sent a telegram to their sister in Dayton, Ohio. The message read: "First sustained flight, 59 seconds. Home for Christmas."
> The sister, also elated, ran all the way to the newspaper office with the telegram. Laying the message on the editor’s desk, she announced, "I thought you would want to see this for tomorrow’s paper."
> Sure enough, the next day it was in the paper, but you had to look for it. The notice said, "Local bicycle merchants to spend Christmas at home."
> Can you believe it? One of the major events of the 20th century and the editor completely missed it.
2. That editor is not the only one.
> Many of us have a difficult time sorting through the events of life trying to understand what is important & what is unimportant.
> There is a story of a child who was raising a frightful cry because he had shoved his hand into the opening of a very expensive Chinese vase and then couldn’t pull it out again.
> Parents and neighbors tugged on the child’s arm, with the poor child crying louder and louder. Finally there was nothing left to do but to break the beautiful, expensive vase.
> Once broken, it became clear why the child had been so hopelessly stuck. His little fist grasped a penny which he had spied at the bottom of the vase and which he, in his childish ignorance, would not let go.
> For the sake of a mere penny, the expensive vase was lost.
4. Like that child we often fail to discern between what is important and what is unimportant.
> A man goes to work day after day, commits himself to a job and sacrifices his home life.
> And he fails to spend those precious moments with his family.
> Moments with the children are lost forever.
5. Sunday morning comes and the family stays at home while the church begins to hear the call to worship.
> Years later he wishes he had raised his children in church.
> Between what is important and unimportant.
> So many of the problems in our society stem from the fact that we are unable to judge between what is important & unimportant.
C. God uses brokenness to teach us to discern between what is important and what is unimportant.
1. We need to learn from the fire, not let the fire destroy us.
2. Fire is also used to temper and strengthen.
3. It is not the fire, but your response to the fire that makes the difference.
