Subject: The Christian (#10 in Sain’s filing system) 1/18/04 p.m.

THEY SEEMED BUT A FEW DAYS

Genesis 29:20

Introduction

1. Laban would not permit Jacob to work for free (Genesis 29:14, 15). Ironically,

Jacob was later charged with thievery (Genesis 31:1, 26) though Laban was the

one who was dishonest (Genesis 31:41).

2. Jacob had earlier tricked his brother, Esau (Genesis 27). Later in his life Jacob

was the victim of a similar plot (Genesis 29:21-27). It’s interesting to note that

Jacob’s name denotes the action of supplanting and undermining.

3. Jacob’s love for Rachel passed the time very quickly (Genesis 29:20).

4. This lesson will explore how one’s love for the world and the church affects

his or her perspective of time.

I. Love For The World

A. One’s love for the world (i.e. the things of the world) has a negative effect

on one’s view of time.

1. A love for the world have deceived many into thinking that if they are

not always “on the go” life will pass them by.

2. A form of worldliness has contributed to a false view of who and/or

what is “good.” Movies and t.v. shows are said to be “good” when

they are really filthy. We determine a man to be “good” if he is

charitable, involved in his community, and overall friendly. True

goodness, however, is only found in the Lord.

B. One’s love for the world leads one to fail to appreciate time (2 Peter 3:4).

This type of love causes many to put off working for the Lord.

C. Love for the world produces conformity (Romans 12:1, 2) and an over-

inflated view of one’s family (see Matthew 10:37).

II. Love For The Church

A. A love for the Lord’s bride, the church (Ephesians 5:23-26), is similar to

Jacob’s love for his future bride.

1. Love for Christ and His church puts life and time in perspective.

2. A love for the Lord can make a whole life of Christian service seem as

only our reasonable duty (Romans 12:2; Luke 17:10). The worldly

mind often entertains ideas of being “king of the world” and “having

the most toys,” while the one who loves Christ is content to play a

servant’s role.

B. A proper love for the Lord leaves one wishing he could do more for the

church.

Perplexing Facts

That human reasoning is capricious and often defies explanation can be easily demonstrated. Look at the following as only a handful of such fine examples that could be cited.

• We fine a man for dumping garbage in a public place but would pay the same man a huge sum of money for dumping mental garbage on the public.
• We force a man to clean up the filth on his property and to properly dispose of his garbage. This is a matter of law. At the same time the law protects a man and guarantees him the right to keep pornographic filth on the magazine racks of his store.
• We must isolate and quarantine a man who carries a disease germ, but we protect the rights and freedom of circulation of those who propagate filth, and who corrupt healthy minds and morals with all forms of unhealthy and immoral filth.
• It is mandatory to protect our children from all manner of disease. Inoculations are demanded, or children will not be permitted to go to school, and parents will be jailed. Yet the law demands that sexual perverts be given the opportunity to associate with and teach our children and that special courses be taught that expose them to all manner of sexual perversion.
• We lawfully prohibit the distribution of Christian literature in numerous places but cannot control the publication and distribution of pornography. We are forbidden by law to do so.
• We rise up in a rage at a processor who packages his goods carelessly and thus exposes people to danger of disease and yet many argue for the legalized sale of drugs for recreation. The drugs are by far the greater danger.
• We abhor the rape and curse the rapist while we glorify the styles and fashions which incite him. Even churches sponsor parties and activities where the human body is undressed and shown off to the opposite sex, where the body is wiggled and squiggled in every kind of sexually exciting way.
• We piously mourn the blind, the maimed, the mentally retarded who are innocent victims of venereal disease and yet we destroy all moral restraints which might help keep those diseases in check and under control.
• We count sacred the life of a snail darter, the baby seal, the whooping crane, and many other species of beings. Yet the same people are trying to force legislation which not only legalizes but would involve our government in subsidizing the slaughter of innocent little babies.

The list could be continued ad nauseam. However, these should be sufficient to validate the saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

--Don McWhorter