“THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW - Sermon Outlines. Org
“THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW!”
DEUTERONOMY 29:29
INTRO: Moses refers in v29 to “secret things”. The word “secret” there means
“hidden or concealed.” There are many things contained in the Word
of God that we could classify as “secret things.” These are things that
we just cannot understand or that our minds are incapable of finding
out. In the military many times soldiers are given orders or
commands to follow and not told why they must follow them. If they
ask why, they are told that info is on a need to know basis and they
do not need to know.
In our Christian walk there are many things we don’t understand.
There are questions that we have about the Bible that we cannot find
answers to. Many times we speculate and surmise about the how,
when, or why of God’s workings. But friends, let me give you
something this morning: the things we must concern ourselves with,
as God’s people, is not the secret things but the things we know we
MUST be doing! Many today get so caught up trying to figure out all
the mysteries that are contained in the Word of God that they lay
aside obedience to the Word! Many pious people would rather study
the Bible than practice what it teaches. An old man once said, "For a
long period, I puzzled myself about the difficulties of Scripture, until
at last I came to the resolution, that reading the Bible was like eating
fish. When I find a difficulty, I lay it aside, and call it a bone. Why
should I choke over the bone when there is so much nutritious meat
for me? Some day, perhaps, I may find that even the bone may afford
me nourishment." (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f.
Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Worldwide).
Folks, I want to speak on the subject, “Things We Need To Know.”
Mark Twain said, “Most people are bothered by those Scripture
passages which they cannot understand. But for me, the passages in
Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand. –
Mark Twain, Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 5. (Bible Illustrator For
Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology,
Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide). Note three things with me today:
(1) GOD’S RIGHT
DEUTERONOMY 29:29a—“ The secret things belong unto the LORD
our God…”
A. SECRET THINGS CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD. We must understand that
there is no comparison between our minds and the mind of the Lord. You
might as well try to put the ocean in a tiny cup as to try to fathom the mind
of God! God says in Isaiah 55:8-9—“ For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Friends, If we understood God we
should be equal to God. If we could explore the mysteries of this world we
could have made it. If we found no difficulties in the Bible we could have
written it. God cannot be grasped by the mind. If he could be grasped, he
would not be God. -- Evagrius of Pontus, "Eastern Orthodoxy," Christian
History, no. 54. (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright
1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).
Romans 11:33 says, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
finding out!” Some of God’s wisdom can be known, but not all! There are
things we will not find the answer to until we get to Heaven.
B. SECRET THINGS CANNOT BE UNVEILED. Note the words “belong to the
Lord.” God has a right to reveal what He desires and withhold what He
desires. There are some things that God sees which would unwise for
Him to communicate. “What God has thought proper to reveal, he has
revealed; what he has revealed is essential to the well-being of man, and
this revelation is intended not for the present time merely, nor for one
people, but for all succeeding generations. The things which he has not
revealed concern not man but God alone, and are therefore not to be
inquired after.” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary On the Bible. e-Sword. Version
7.6.1. Copyright 2000-2005. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).
God will not suffer man to have a knowledge of things to come; for if he had
prescience of his prosperity, he would be careless; and if understanding of
his adversity, he would be despairing and senseless. -- Saint Augustine, q
quoted in New Beginnings. Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 4. Friends, in
this way, the secret things which remain veiled are a blessing from God! I
am glad I don’t know what the future holds! I am glad I don’t understand
why trials come! Let it be enough for us that we know who holds tomorrow!
Let it be enough for us to know that God is control of all things even our
trials in life!
(2) GOD’S REVELATION
DEUTERONOMY 29:29b—“… but those things which are revealed
belong unto us and to our children forever.”
A. REVELATION COMES BY FAITH. We are encouraged to diligently seek
and inquire into the things which God has revealed! In fact, 2 Timothy
2:15 says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” “Those things
which are revealed…” come to us by faith. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians
2:6-14—“ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not
the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to
naught: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden
wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of
the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now
we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but
which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned.” Unless a person receives Christ into his heart and life he
cannot understand even the basics of the Word of God! The Holy Spirit
must illuminate the mind and influence the heart! “Faith is the vitamin
that makes all we take from the Bible digestible and makes us able to
receive it and assimilate it. If we do not have faith, we cannot get
anything.” -- A. W. Tozer in Rut, Rot or Revival. Christianity Today, Vol.
40, no. 5.
B. REVELATION CARRIES A RESPONSIBILITY. The things that God has
revealed unto us bear a great responsibility on our part. “If our faith is
something that really does not make a very big difference, if it is actually
not crucial that we or others believe, no wonder it seems boring to some of
our young. Anything we don't care much about can't be very interesting.
The things we do care about, however, we inevitably talk about.... If faith is
real, it seeks expression. It will communicate and profess. It will have the
energy of passion. -- John F. Kavanaugh in The Word Encountered.
Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 12. (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version
3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Worldwide). The Bible here says, “those things which are revealed belong
unto us and to our children forever…”. When something belongs to you then
you bear a responsibility to it. The word “belong” means “to be the property
of, to be a part of.” God has revealed certain things to His people. They
belong to them and to their children. What has God revealed? :
← THE TRUTH ABOUT SIN AND SALVATION. We know that sin is an affront and abomination to the holy nature of God. We know that apart from the righteousness of Christ no one will see the Lord! We know that salvation is the gift of God given by grace available to all. But that it can only be received by faith. We know that Christ died and rose again the third day for our justification. But the mystery surrounding the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior cannot be explained. Friend, you and I cannot understand these mysteries but we can accept that they are facts. We can receive Christ as our Savior and then tell others about His marvelous love and grace!
← THE TRUTH ABOUT SERVICE AND RESPONSIBILITY. The Bible gives us the express will of God for our lives. Friend, there may be then thousand things in this Bible you don’t understand but there is not one single command in this Bible of which a child cannot understand! And a willing child will obey! God’s Law has been revealed and communicated to us through His Word. They belong to us and to our children forever. The responsibility we owe to the Bible is not to explore the “secret things,” things we cannot know, but to follow the commands given by God that we do know! We should ask ourselves as we read God’s Word: 1) What is God’s will for me in this passage of Scripture? 2) What is God trying to show me? and 3) What does God require of me according to His Word? When we answer those questions then all that is left is submission to the will of God and obedience to His commands. If we fail to follow “those things which are revealed,” we sin (James 4:17). You can't understand all you read in the Bible, but you can obey what you do understand.
(3) GOD’S REQUIREMENT
iHi DEUTERONOMY 29:29c—“that we may do all the words of this
law.”
A. THE THINGS REVEALED MUST BE OBEYED. Because of God’s revelation
we are to “do all the words of this law.” In other words, there is not one
part of this Bible we which should not follow. Friend, hearing and reading
God’s Word will not be of any value if we don’t obey what God commands!
Matthew Henry wrote: “All our knowledge must be in order to practice, for
this is the end of all divine revelation, not to furnish us with curious
subjects of speculation and discourse, with which to entertain ourselves
and our friends, but that we may do all the words of this law, and be
blessed in our deed.” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible. e-
Sword. Version 7.6.1. Copyright 2000-2005. Rick Meyers. All Rights
Reserved Worldwide). What good is revelation without obedience? It is but
empty knowledge that deceives a person into thinking he is right with God
when he is not! James wrote in James 1:22-25—“ But be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a
hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his
natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into
the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
ILLUS: The Bible is not only, to be read, it is to be followed. An
old hunter in Michigan, when the country was new, got lost in
the woods several times. He was told to buy a pocket compass,
which he did, and a friend explained to him its use. He soon
got lost in lay out as usual. When found, he was asked why he
did not travel by the compass. He said he did not dare to. He
wished to go north, and he "tried hard to make the thing point
north but it wasn't no use; "'twould shake, shake right round,
and point southeast every time." A great many people fail of the
right direction in life for the same reason of the mishap which
befell our Michigan friend: they are afraid to take the Bible
and follow just as it points. (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version
3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights
Reserved Worldwide).
B. THE THINGS REVEALED MUST BE OUR ONLY GUIDE. Someone has
said, “Our human reasoning alone isn't enough to discern truth from error.
The best protection against deception is to know God's revealed truth, the
Bible. -- Ruth E. Van Reken, Christian Reader, Vol. 35, no. 2. Notice it
says, “that we may do all the words of this law.” It says, ALL not just parts!
It only should ALL of it be OBEYED but ALL of it should BE OUR ONLY
GUIDE! Instead of seeking out the counselors, the psychiatrists, and
philosophers, we need to just consult the WORD OF GOD! It contains the
answer to every problem because it is the mind of Almighty God! "God has
given us His Word, the Bible. Do you want to know God more deeply and
intimately? Do you want to discover His will for your life? Then read and
study the Scriptures daily." - Billy Graham, _Approaching Hoofbeats_, p.
42.
ILLUS: Wisdom is not gained by seeing the works of God. It is gained in
knowing the ways of God. When the Israelites were wandering in
the desert, they could only see the works of God. But, God allowed
Moses to see His ways. The Israelites were infatuated with God at
first. But when troubles came, their love affair with God quickly
died out. They began to murmur and complain. Moses saw the
wilderness from God’s perspective, however, and approached God
in humility and honor. As a result, God taught him to lead His
people out of darkness into light. Do you know the ways of God?
Have you learned to see life from His point of view? Or are you still
trusting in your view of life to get you through the hard times? –
Adrian Rogers (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f.
Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights
Reserved Worldwide).
Let us all proclaim, “For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our
guide even unto death.” (Psalm 48:14).
CLOSING: Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “I ask with all my strength what God is
trying to say to us through [the Bible]; since I have learnt to read
the Bible in this way it becomes more marvelous to me every day.”
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christian History, no. 32. What about you
friend? THE THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW: GOD’S RIGHT: “The
secret things belong unto the Lord…,” GOD’S REVELATION: “…those
things which are revealed belong unto us and our children,” and
GOD’S REQUIREMENT: “…that we may do all words of this law.”
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