Sermon Central
-
The Test Of Ought - My Legacy.
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 9, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: There is an unpopular word: OUGHT. Ought suggest we have a duty and responsibility to our church, our family and this nation. What are our spiritual obligations? What ought we to be faithfully doing?
THE TEST OF OUGHT --- WHAT IS THE LEGACY I AM LEAVING?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (This is a several part lesson.)
When I was a child we sang a song, Everybody ought to read their Bible, the Bible. The men and women, the boys and the girls, everybody ought to read their Bible. Everybody ought to praise the Lord, praise the Lord, the men and the women and the boys and the girls, everybody ought the praise the Lord. Etc. We would discuss: WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO… Today spiritual life has become optional: THERE IS NO “OUGHT!”
TODAY WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT FEELS THERE IS NO DUTY OR OBLIGATION TO ANYTHING. THE WORDS HAVE TO: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OR IT IS RESPONSIBILITY TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE --- REQUIRED OR EXPECTED TO JUSTIFY ACTIONS AND DECISIONS. HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO SOMETHING
*OUGHT: moral obligation, expected, required, obligation, necessity, BOUND duty, correctness, probable, desirable, should, need to.
*THOMAS AQUINAS SAID: THREE THINGS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE SALVATION OF MAN: TO KNOW WHAT HE OUGHT TO BELIEVE; TO KNOW WHAT HE OUGHT TO DESIRE; AND TO KNOW WHAT HE OUGHT TO DO.
*POPE JOHN PAUL SAID: FREEDOM CONSIST NOT IN DOING WHAT WE LIKE, BUT IN HAVING THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT WE OUGHT. TO DO WHAT WE OUGHT AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE WANT OR SHOULD.
WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE TO FIND: OUGHT APPEARS BETWEEN 100 AND 125 TIMES IN THE BIBLE. WE OUGHT TO KNOW THE VALUE OF A LOVING SACRIFICE AND GIVE THE BEST WE CAN GIVE. WE OUGHT TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
We need to conform to the life style that pleases Jesus. WE NEED TO SERVE OTHERS ---WALK --- TO PERFORM DUTY, TO HELP DO WORK, TO PRESENT FOOD OR DRINK, TO SUPPLY THE NEED, TO DELIVER.
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
WE OUGHT TO LOVE GOD AND ALL PEOPLE. GOD MADE US TO LEARN, TO LEAN AND TO LOVE. WE OUGHT TO LOVE IN FAITH, WORD AND DEED… LOVE IS MORE THAN A WARM FUZZY FEELING… WE OUGHT TO LOVE AS A CHOICE, AS ACTION AND TO REFLECT JESUS.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
WE OUGHT TO STAY IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER. OUGHT TO AND TALK TO OUR FATHER THROUGH HIS SON. PRAYER IS THE KEY TO OPEN HEAVENS PLANS FOR US.
WE FACE MANY CHALLENGES. LET US PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE CONSISTENT ATTITUDE OF PRAYERFULNESS. WE MUST, OUGHT TO BE IN PERSISTENT PRAYER, PRAYER CAN HELP KEEP US FROM FAINTING.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
WE OUGHT TO WIN SOULS, WIN THE LOST AT ANY COST.
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, WE OUGHT TO HELP THE WEAK. TO HELP THE WEAK MUST BE PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR US.
In any group there are those that run out ahead. There are those run as best they can. Then that are those that lag behind. We must try to keep the group in unity together.
*WEAK: TO LACK STRENGTH, no energy, no vigor, something that is feeble, fragile, lack intensity.
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
