THE IMPORTANT THINGS

In the Methodist Church where I was raised, my best friend’s dad (the minister of the church) Rev. Richards used an illustration that I shall never forget. In honor or Rev. Bill Richards, I use his illustration in my sermon this morning :) Ironically, it was about a man on the Titanic. His job was to go around polishing the little brass doorknobs and fixtures around the ship. When the ship struck the iceberg and was in peril of sinking, the obvious thing to do was to abandon the task. But, as Rev. Richards asked, what if the man decided that his job polishing the doorknobs was more important? What doorknobs do YOU polish? What is REALLY important??

1) SALVATION

First of all, if you continue to live your life ignoring the loving hand of God that is offering you a “lifeboat” of salvation, you AND your “brass doorknobs”, big houses, fancy cars, and everything you work to achieve daily will be FOREVER LOST ! !

Isa 1:18-20

18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;

20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

(NIV)

2) “STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES”

Exod 20:8-11 (NIV)

8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

3) KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WORD

Hosea 4:6 (NAS)

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Once again I ask . . . What is REALLY important??

4) SPOUSE - One of the first things God created was the male & female of every species, particularly man. He caused them to pair off and trust, rely on and love each other for all of their days - its NO WONDER that satanic forces work so hard to diminish the importance of marriage, faithfulness to each other, and sexual purity - GOD’S BUILDING BLOCKS OF CREATION ARE FAMILIES ! ! ! Families build churches and communities, cities and communities build states, regions and NATIONS ! !

5,6,&7) JESUS CALLED THESE THINGS THE MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS OF THE LAW:

Matt 23:23 (NIV)

23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Conclusion: This mortal life DID hit an “iceberg” and IS GOING DOWN . . . NONE OF YOU HEARING OR READING THIS will live forever . . . you are all TERMINAL ! ! What is REALLY important???