Sermon #15 Series: Mark
Title: Some Matters Of
Personal Responsibility
Text: Mark 4:21-25
Readings: Office:
Ron Wood Auditorium: Bobbie
Estes
Subject: Personal Responsibility
Date: Sunday Evening - March 9, 1997
Tape # T-51
Introduction:
Our text this evening speaks about our
responsibility before God. It speaks about the responsibility of believers; and
it speaks about the responsibility of unbelievers.
We recognize, and the Word of God unquestionably teaches,
that salvation is altogether the work of God’s free grace in Christ. Every gift
and blessing of God which we enjoy now and hope to enjoy forever in heaven’s
glory is the result and work of grace alone. All spiritual benefits are
spiritual blessings, gifts of pure, free, sovereign grace.
Yet, the Word of God also teaches us
that every one of us is responsible for his own soul. You are responsible for
what you are, for what you do, and what you fail to do. I am responsible for
what I am, what I do, and what I fail to do. That is exactly what our Lord
Jesus teaches us in Mark 4:21-25.
Read those five verses with me.
Mark 4:21-25 "And he said
unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and
not to be set on a candlestick? (22) For
there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept
secret, but that it should come abroad.
(23) If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. (24) And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more
be given. (25) For he that hath, to
him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that
which he hath."
These sobering, pithy statements were
given immediately following our Lord’s parable about the sower. They are to be
understood in that context. They are short, pointed, barbed arrows, meant to
pierce the heart.
Proposition: Our
Savior is here warning us (He is specifically warning all who profess to be his
disciples, all who claim to be the children of God.) to make certain that our
faith is true faith and not the spurious faith of an unregenerate religionist.
Any casual reader of the New Testament
is aware of the fact that our Lord Jesus, in his preaching ministry, frequently
repeated himself. Numerous attempts have been made over the years to harmonize
the different accounts of his ministry by the gospel writers. Most of them
raise more questions than they answer and confuse rather than clarify.
The fact is - the best preacher who ever lived, the Son of
God, showed us by example that spiritual truths need to be often repeated and
pressed upon the consciences of men. Our Lord frequently preached about “not
putting the candlestick under a bushel,” the fact that “nothing is hid that
shall not be revealed,” the fact that “with what measure ye mete, it shall be
measured unto you,” and the danger of false religion. He made no apology for
preaching the same sermon many times, even to the same people, because the
truth of God never changes, though it is always fresh and new. The best message
is the oldest message, the one most repeated, and the one most constantly
needed. It is the message preached to fallen Adam in the garden and the message
preached to the fallen sons of Adam today, the message of redemption and
salvation by Christ the last Adam.
Divisions: Tonight,
I want us to hear this summary of one of our Savior’s powerful, powerful
sermons. Here the Son of God himself talks to us about Some Matters Of Personal Responsibility. He teaches us three
things in these verses. Here are three areas of personal responsibility.
1.
It is the responsibility of all who know the gospel to make
the gospel known to others (vv. 21-22).
2.
It is our responsibility to avail ourselves of the means of
grace afforded us by the providence and grace of God (vv. 23-24).
3.
It is our responsibility to grow in the grace and knowledge
of Christ (vv. 24-25).
I.
It Is The Responsibility Of All Who Know
The Gospel To Make The Gospel Known
To Others (vv. 21-22).
Mark 4:21-22 "And he said
unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and
not to be set on a candlestick? (22) For
there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept
secret, but that it should come abroad."
Our Lord’s language here is not
difficult to understand. No one with good sense lights a candle and then covers
it up. The purpose for lighting the candle is that it may give off light. We do
not turn on a floor lamp and put it in a closet. If you turn on a light it is
so that it might dispel darkness.
The meaning is this - If God almighty has been so gracious and
good to us as to give us the light of the gospel of his free grace in Christ,
he intends for us to hold forth that light in this world of darkness and death.
The Lord did not give us the light of
the gospel for our own benefit alone. He did not teach us the truth merely for
our personal gratification. If God has taught us, it is our responsibility to
teach others.
Each of us who know Christ are
responsible to make known to this generation the gospel of Christ. This is not
the work of preachers alone, but the work of all who know the Lord. If you have
received the gift of grace, it is your responsibility to carry that gift to
others (1 Pet. 4:10).
1 Peter 4:10 "As every man
hath received the gift, even so minister
the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
We would be worse than barbarians if
we had discovered a cure for a devastating disease but did not tell our
neighbors, politely excusing ourselves, saying to ourselves, “They wouldn’t
understand. They would just think I am a religious fanatic. I would not want
them to think I was proselytizing.” Nonsense! That is exactly what we are
supposed to do. I am here to make a proselyte out of every heretic who will
here me.
A. It is no
accident that our Lord here refers to us as candles.
Proverbs 20:27 "The spirit of
man is the candle of the LORD,
searching all the inward parts of the belly."
Regenerate men and women are candles
of God in this world of darkness, lit by the Father of lights. Yet, the
brightest candles are but candles, very poor, dim lights, compared with the Sun
of righteousness.
Matthew
Henry wrote, “A candle
gives light but a little way, and but a little while, and is easily blown out,
and continually burning down and wasting.”
B. I fear that
many who claim to be candles, lit by grace, put the light they say God has
given them under a basket.
They seem to manifest very little grace and minister even
less grace to others. They have plenty, but do little with it. In fact, though
there are exceptions to the rule, as a general rule, I have observed that those
who have the most and have the most ability to do good do the least for others.
I know many wealthy people who profess to know Christ, who seem very content to
watch a brother or sister endure hardship without a thought of helping.
Those who seem to be in the strongest health, possess the
greatest wealth, and have the greatest abilities usually do the least for
others. They imagine themselves to be very spiritual, but no one is better off
because of them. They are like candles burning in a basket. They burn to
themselves.
C. If we belong
to God, it is our responsibility to be his witnesses in this world.
Isaiah 44:1-8 "Yet now hear,
O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: (2) Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the
womb, which will help thee; Fear not,
O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. (3) For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods
upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon
thine offspring: (4) And they shall
spring up as among the grass, as
willows by the water courses. (5) One
shall say, I am the Lord's; and
another shall call himself by the
name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with
his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself
by the name of Israel. (6) Thus
saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there
is no God. (7) And who, as I,
shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed
the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them
show unto them. (8) Fear ye not,
neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."
Acts 1:8 "But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Those who are lit as candles, should set themselves on a
candlestick. We should improve all opportunities of doing good, as those that
were made for the glory of God and the service of others. We were not born for
ourselves. We are born of God and born for God, for the service of God, to make
known the light of the gospel of the glory of God.
D. Our Lord tells
us plainly that, though the gospel was hidden from the nations of the world in
ages past, it must be proclaimed everywhere, to all men in this generation of
grace.
Mark 4:22 "For there is
nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret,
but that it should come abroad."
1. Everything revealed in the Book of God was revealed to be
taught and preached publicly.
2.
It is the responsibility of every gospel preacher to
faithfully preach to eternity bound sinners all the counsel of God revealed in
Holy Scripture, keeping back nothing that is profitable for their souls.
II.
It Is Our Responsibility To Avail Ourselves
Of The Means Of Grace Afforded Us
By The Providence And Grace Of God
(vv. 23-24).
Mark 4:23-24 "If any man
have ears to hear, let him hear. (24) And
he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall
be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given."
I cannot state this made with
sufficient emphasis to express my deep convictions concerning it. Let me simply
make two statements under this second point of the message. But these two
statements, if you will hear and heed them, will be of immense value to you and
to all who are influenced by you.
A. Nothing in
this world is so needful, important, and beneficial to your soul as the
ministry of the gospel.
Our Lord says, “If any
man have ears, let him here.” You may think, “That is talking about
spiritual ears and spiritual hearing.” You are absolutely right. But I want you
to tell me how you are going to hear he gospel spiritually, if you do not hear
it physically.
The first step on the road to
conversion is hearing the gospel. This is God’s appointed means of grace for
the saving of chosen, redeemed sinners.
No one will ever be saved, no one will
ever trust Christ, who does not first hear the word of truth, the gospel of
their salvation accomplished by Christ. That is what Paul said to the Ephesians
(Eph. 1:13).
Ephesians 1:13 "In whom ye
also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Romans 10:17 "So then faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God."
James 1:18 "Of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures."
1 Peter 1:23-25 "Being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For
all flesh is as grass, and all the
glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower
thereof falleth away: (25) But the
word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is
preached unto you."
In this day when men everywhere decry
the preaching of the gospel as an antiquated thing, let us remember Paul’s
words: “Despise not prophesyings” (1 Thess. 5:20). His dying charge to
Timothy, and to every gospel preacher in this world was, “Preach the Word” (2 Tim.
4:2).
It
is by the preaching of the Gospel that…
·
The glory of God is
revealed.
·
Chosen, redeemed
sinners are regenerated and called by God the Holy Spirit.
·
Believers are
instructed in the gospel, edified, built up in the faith and sustained in this
world.
·
Our lives are molded
into the will of God, into conformity to Christ.
B. Not only is it vital that you
attend the worship of God in the public assembly of his saints, it is also
vital that you “TAKE HEED WHAT YOU HEAR.”
You see that in the first line of
verse twenty-four. Don’t you? “Take heed
what you hear.”
I hear people and hear from people all
over the country who willfully put themselves and their families under the
influence of pagan, Arminian, free will, works religion. They try to justify
themselves, saying… “We have to go to church somewhere. We must not forsake the
assembly of the saints.” … “The preacher says some good things.” … “I don’t pay
any attention to what they teach.”
You will be wise to hear this. “Take
heed what ye hear!” Our Lord was not just beating the air when he said
that. Mark was not just filling up space when he wrote it.
1 John 4:1 "Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world."
2 John 1:7-10 "For many
deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (8) Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we
have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. (10) If there
come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed."
1. If you care for your soul and care for the souls of those
under your influence (Wife - Children, etc.), do not subject them to the
influence of Arminian, free will, works religion to any degree, for any reason.
2.
If you care for your soul and care for those under your
influence, if you care for the worship and glory of God, addict yourself to the
ministry of the gospel.
·
Free Grace!
·
Substitution!
·
Redemption
Accomplished!
·
Imputed
Righteousness!
·
Effectual Calling!
·
Infallible Security!
III. It Is Our
Responsibility To Grow In The Grace And
Knowledge Of Christ
(vv. 24-25).
Mark 4:24-25 "… With what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more
be given. (25) For he that hath, to
him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that
which he hath."
In these two statements, our Savior is
telling s plainly that every one of us is responsible for his own soul. You can
back off from these two statements, and say, “That cannot mean what it seems to
mean. That is not consistent with good Calvinism.” You can do that, if you dare
so trifle with the Word of God. For my part, I want to hear what our Lord is
saying. Look at these two statements one by one, and we will be done.
A. “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and
unto you that hear shall more be given.”
Our Lord is telling us that God
measures out his grace to us in proportion as we measure it out to ourselves by
the use of the means he has given us. As I stated earlier, we know that
salvation s altogether by the grace of God. We know that both grace and our
growth in grace is God’s work. Yet, just as no man will be saved without
hearing and believing the gospel, no believer will grow in the grace and
knowledge of Christ except as he applies himself to the use of the means of
grace, the ministry of the gospel.
The degree to which a believe grows in
grace is set before us as being closely connected with his own diligence in the
use of means and his faithfulness in walking in the light God has given him.
The wise words of Solomon are applicable.
Proverbs 13:4 "The soul of
the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:
but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."
Proverbs 19:15 "Slothfulness
casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."
That person who grows in grace and in
the knowledge of Christ will always be found a diligent soul, diligent in
prayer, diligent in reading, diligent in hearing the Word of God. And the man
who is diligent in these things is usually diligent in other things. Yet, when
he thinks of himself, he would never describe himself in such terms.
The fact is, in this matter of growing
in grace, we generally sow what we reap. We are commanded to do it, because it
is something we are responsible to do.
2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in
grace, and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory
both now and for ever. Amen."
B. "For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that
hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."
Listen
to what John Gill said about this statement. “He that has Gospel
light and knowledge, and makes a proper use of it, he shall have more. His path
shall be as the path of the just, which shines more and more to the perfect
day. The means of grace and knowledge shall be blessed to him. Attending
constantly thereon he shall arrive to such a knowledge of the Son of God as to
be a perfect man in comparison of others…and shall come to the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ, shall grow up to maturity, and be a man in
understanding.” That is exactly what our Lord is teaching us here.
A. Those who have
the grace of God in truth shall have the grace of God in abundance.
Though the beginnings of grace in the soul are small, and
keep a saved sinner humble, in the end, the glory of grace shall be
indescribable.
B. As we exercise
faith in Christ and learn of him, we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ
by the power of his Spirit.
We do not get more holy, or make
ourselves more holy; but God’s saints do grow in grace.
·
In Faith.
·
In Love For Christ.
·
In Love For One
Another.
·
In Consecration To
The Lord.
C. Those who
faithfully give themselves to the cause of Christ shall be given greater
usefulness in the cause of Christ.
Let me give you another quote from John Gill
regarding this. Gill wrote, “He that has gifts for public usefulness, and does
not neglect them, but stirs them up for the profit of others, he shall have an
increase of them. He shall shine as a star in Christ's right hand, and appear
brighter and brighter in the firmament of the church.”
D. This last
statement also means that those who profess faith in Christ but do not possess
the grace of Christ shall, in the end, lose what they thought they possessed.
1.
Perhaps there is a reference here to Judas.
2.
Certainly, there is here a warning to you who have nothing
but a profession of faith, without the possession of grace.
He that has only a speculative notion
of the gospel and is without any experience of it will, sooner or later, lose
everything. In course of time his candle will be put out. His light will be
made darkness. He will drop and deny the truths he once held and relinquish the
profession he once made. He that has only counterfeit grace, a pretense of
faith, a false hope, and lip love, will, in due time, be discovered for what he
really is - A Hypocrite!
True
grace can never be lost, or taken away. But all pretensions of grace and
faith shall be an everlasting embarrassment and torment to the hypocrite.
Application:
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 "Be ye not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? (15) And what concord hath
Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and
I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, (18) And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty."
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God."