Christian home & wandering

I'm sorry, but I'm going to bring you back to earth. Might read a verse in Proverbs chapter 27. Proverbs 27 and verse 8. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

The Lord will bless what we have heard and also this reading from his precious word. You know Spurgeon taught his students three things. Be simple, be sincere, be seated.

So I'm going to try to be simple. I trust I will be sincere and I'll try to be seated as quick as I could. Now I've come this afternoon with three things.

First thing I'm thinking about is this, the cause of wandering. The second thing I want to speak about this afternoon is this. The cost of wandering.

And the third thing we're going to consider this afternoon is the cure for wandering. So the cause, the cost, and the cure. But before I touch those three things, I want you to notice the verse.

The first thing I notice about the verse is this, there's a female. And the second thing I notice about the verse is this, there's a male. So this verse speaks about a female.

Remember it is her nest. And the verse speaks about a male, for remember it is his place. Now listen to the verse.

As a bird that wandereth from its nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. So I discover this, what the nest is to the bird, the place is to the man. Will I say that again? What the nest is to the bird, the place is to the man.

I'm a man that reads translations. Remember there's something wrong with every one of them. But I read translations.

I discover this, most translations, when they speak about the man leaving his place, most translations put it like this, home. So instead of the place, the translators say it is the home. Now, when I come to my Bible, I read about the home in three different ways.

And I'm going to mention the home in three different ways, and talk about the home in two different ways. First of all, the home. You remember what the Lord said to the man that had his dwellings among the tombs? I want you to go home to your friends, and I want you to tell them by lip, and I want you to show them by life, the great things that the Lord had done for thee.

So when I think about home, it's the place where you and I live. That's the first thought of home. The second thought of home is this.

You remember the words of Nehemiah in Ruth chapter 1? The Lord hath brought me home again empty. Bethlehem, Judah, the house of bread, the house of praise was home for Nehemiah. And then I come to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and I read a verse like this.

The revised reading, absent from the body, at home with the Lord. So the place where you and I live, that is home. The assembly where you and I gather, that should be home, and heaven in the Bible is spoken about home.

So I'm going to speak today about the Christian home. Our brother Dan Shutt last week beautifully brought before us the Christian home. And I want you to mark my words today.

The Christian home is the greatest attack of the devil, and the devil is going to attack your home, and the devil is going to attack my home. I want you to get this. My home does not take character from the assembly, but the assembly takes character from my home.

And what I'm stressing today is this. The better the home, the better will be the local assembly. I'm going to come to another translation.

I read God's Word's translation, I believe, every day in my life. There are things I like about it. There are things I don't like about it.

But I like what it says in Proverbs 27 and verse 8. Listen to it. As a bird that wandereth from his home, so is a husband that wandereth from his home. I'm going to say it.

I've been 63 years linked with God's assemblies. And I'm going to say this. I've heard things I wish I had never heard.

And I've seen things I wish I had never seen. You know what I've seen? And I'm not thinking just of the United States. I'm thinking of Canada.

And I'm thinking of the United Kingdom. And I've seen this. Men who were more gifted and godly than I'll ever be.

And those men fail being uptive in the work for God. And I'm thinking of Mr. Phillips' translation, 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let him that thinketh he standeth today take heed, lest he fall tomorrow.

Now, three things before I get to my subject. I don't know when I came up here. Three things should mark every Christian.

Right? First thing is this. God has a path for you to move in. God has a work for you to do.

And God has a place for you to fill. And you mark my words. You'll only be happy.

And you'll only be healthy. And you'll only be helpful. In the measure that you move in that path.

And do that work. And fill that place. Now, three things come to my mind.

Happy if it could be said of you. As it was said of the servant in Genesis 24. You remember what the spirit said about that servant in Genesis 24? I being in the way, the Lord hath led me.

Happy today if it could be said of you. What did we hear this morning? She hath wrought a good work in me. She hath done what she could.

And happy if it could be said of you. As it was said of David. You remember what they said about David? Today thou shalt be missed.

For thy seat shall be empty. You know, I never read about David's seat being empty. Listen to what I read.

And David's place was empty. I read about men that filled Moses' seat. They sat on Moses' seat.

But remember, they never filled Moses' shoes. Now, let's come to my subject very quickly. Let me say this.

We're either journeying or we're wandering. Right? Now, I always like to bring Christ into my ministry. I'm going to say this.

Christ never wandered. Well, the hymn book said he did. Wandering as a homeless stranger.

In the world his hands had made. The Bible makes it very clear that Christ never wandered. You remember the priest and the Levite in Luke chapter 10? Oh yes, the priest and the Levite, they're wandering.

But listen to what I read about the Samaritan. A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed. And remember, Christ never wandered.

Christ journeyed. Listen today to the words of the hymn writer. He whom the Father sent, journeyed with fixed intent.

In all the way he went, in Galilee, Christ was the right man. In the right place. At the right time.

Speaking the right word. And doing the right thing. Christ never wandered.

Christ always journeyed. Let's come to my three thoughts very quickly before I sit down. The cause for wandering.

You might say to me this afternoon. What really is the cause for wandering? You mark my words. When you and I forsake God.

When you and I disobey God. When you and I forget God. That's when we begin to wander.

Listen to the words of the hymn writer. If I forget him and wander away. Yet he doth love me wherever I stray.

But to his dear loving arms will I flee. When I remember. That Jesus.

Loved me. You know there are many fools in the Bible. And I'm not going to go through all the fools of the Bible.

But let me say this. Every fool in the Bible forgets God. Let me give you one.

You remember what Samuel said to Saul? Saul. You're a fool. Saul.

You have not obeyed. The commandments. Of God.

So remember. We disobey God. We forsake God.

We forget God. And that causes us. To wonder.

Remember Abraham wondered to Egypt. Remember Elimelech wondered to Moab. Remember Jehoshaphat wondered.

To Samaria. Great men. But those men.

Wondered. The cause. Of wondering.

Second thing I want to bring before you today is this. I want you to think about the cost of wondering. You turn to Psalm 107.

And you've got four pictures of Israel. Let me give you very quickly the four pictures of Israel. First of all.

They are prisoners in a cell. So there you have bondage. Then you have.

Fools in their folly. So there you have foolishness. Thirdly.

You have mariners on the sea. There you have danger. There you have suffering.

And if I was there you would have sickness. Because I'm no sailor. When the sea is raging.

Mariners on the sea. But you know the fourth thing I want to emphasize today is this. Wanderers.

In the wilderness. They wandered in the wilderness. Notice four things.

No place. That's the first thing. No provision.

That's the second thing. No power. That's the third thing.

And then no divine presence. That's the fourth thing. And I want to emphasize today.

That is the cost of wandering. Let's come to my last thought very quickly. You know what I believe? I believe what we preach to sinners.

We need to teach the saints. And you might say to me this afternoon. What do you preach to sinners? Listen to what you sometimes hear.

Life is short. Death is sure. Send the cause.

Christ. The cure. Now.

Very often three things mark a Christian. The first thing I'm going to say is this. Sometimes it's worry.

I wonder am I speaking to any today? And you're a worried person. Sometimes it's worry. Secondly.

And this is true no doubt about all of us. Sometimes it's weakness. And then of course thirdly.

Sometimes it's wandering. Now let me give you three things just before I sit down. God is the answer for worry.

Listen to two verses. Casting all your care upon him. For he careth for you.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord. And he shall sustain thee. It comes to my mind there are things that we have to do.

And there are things that we have not to do. We have to cast our care upon God. We have not to cast away our confidence.

But what do we do? It is God's will that I should cast my care on him each day. He also asks me not to cast my confidence away. But oh how foolishly I act when taken unaware.

I carry all my burdens. I cast away my confidence. And I carry all my care.

God is the answer for worry. Be careful. Be anxious.

Be worried for nothing. Philippians chapter 4. Secondly. You know Christ is the answer for our weakness.

I can do all things through Christ. Who continually poureth strength unto me. And then thirdly.

The Holy Spirit is the answer for my wondering. But remember the Bible says this. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess.

But be ye filled with the Holy Spirit. As a bird that wandereth from its nest. So is a man who wandereth from his place.