Wednesday night was scheduled to be the last night of revival with Brother Hutson. But we're extending it one more night. We've had such a wonderful time with him this week. I am really looking forward to tonight. I've become friends with one of his church members and she's afraid we're kidnapping him. LOL :P
Last night he preached from Titus 2:10 "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."
I have read Titus 2 many times but never pulled the points out Brother Hutson pulled out. When I read Titus 2 my mind's eye immediately will focus on verses 3-5. But in verse ten he speaks of adorning the doctrine of God.
Brother Hutson gave a great illustration about his mother's banana pudding vs his sister's banana pudding. He said he loves his mama's banana pudding. When she made it, she would serve it warm before it had time to set. He said it was so good it would just run all over the plate and they'd drink it up with a straw. But when his sister Sherry makes it she won't tell anybody because she wants to hide it in the fridge until it sets firm. Then she cuts it in little squares, peppers a little powdered sugar on the plate with a slice of banana and serves it. He said, "Now if you had never had either pudding, you would choose Sherry's because it had been adorned and made attractive." Another illustration he gave was he and his wife took one of his preachers and his fiance out to eat at an expensive restaurant that delivers your meals in courses. He was meeting this young girl for the first time. And he noticed that she was the only one not eating the $8 salad he had just bought. This salad had everything on it...dark green and light green lettuce, croutons, bacon bits, onions, peppers, shredded cheese, ranch, etc.. and it was really buggin' him that she wasn't eating it so he asked her "...how's your salad?" She never said anything but she turned her bowl a few times and then he saw it. A roach about three inches long sitting there in her bowl. Needless to say, not only was HER appetite ruined for that meal, but so was his and everyone else at the table.
The question is, do we adorn the doctrine of God and make it attractive for others? Or are we like a big roach on the plate that is going to turn the appetite for others?
I've seen some Christian roaches and they can really turn people off to the doctrine of God. Not only do they hinder the unsaved and ruin it for the next Christian that tries to witness to them, but they turn off other Christians around them too.
Those that walk around with a super spiritual attitude and try to associate their beliefs with their Pastor's family and other preachers they like will turn off those around them because they're Pharisees. They say they're disliked by the world and other Christians because of what they stand for. That's not true. If it were, those that they associate themselves with would be disliked by the same people that dislike them. Truth is, they're a cockroach on the plate of the doctrine of God.
I don't want to be a roach to the doctrine of God. I want to be that powdered sugar that makes people want what I have.
GREAT sermon last night!!
Here's a few of his points:
*Consistency ~ We adorn the doctrine of God when we stay the same.
*Compassionate Witness ~ Be a wise witness and a warm witness.
*Compelling Worship ~ Sinners should be uncomfortable in church. We adorn the doctrine by Scriptural worship.
A couple of his quotes last night:
*If it was wrong at one time, it's still wrong. The Bible doesn't change!*
*You will never be right with God until you are right with your Pastor.*
*No weeping = No reaping.*
*Worship is an act of will*
