CARROTS, EGGS, AND COFFEE BEANS

1. A story is told about a young lady who was having some personal problems.

2. Her father saw the difficulties and decided to help her.

3. Since the dad was a chef, he chose to present her with an illustration.

4. He brought his daughter into the kitchen and put three pans of water on the stove.

5. After the pots began to boil, the father started to put things into the containers.

6. He put some carrots into the first pan.

7. Eggs were slipped into the second.

8. The third had coffee beans poured into it.

9. The daughter wanted to leave the kitchen but she gritted her teeth and waited for her father to finish.

10. The items in the pots boiled for about 20 minutes and then dad turned off the burners.

11. The father took each of the items from the pans and put them into bowls.

12. He then asked his daughter what she saw.

13. She gave a typical teenage reply: carrots, eggs, and coffee beans.

14. Dad wiggled his finger and said, “Come closer. Take another look.”

15. The carrots had been softened, the eggs were hard, and the coffee beans smelled good.

16. The father then explained his point.

EACH OF THE ITEMS HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO, AND THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A PUN, HOT WATER.

A. Before going into the pot the carrots were rigid and inflexible.

B. After being boiled, they were pliable and soft. They lost their firmness.

C. Prior to being boiled, the eggs had been fragile.

D. After being exposed to the boiling water, the eggs became hard.

E. The coffee beans altered the water.

2. The three things that were boiled can be compared to Christians.

3. Most Christians start out like carrots.

4. A new Christian is excited, enthused, ready to live for the Lord.

5. Right after conversion most feel strong and full of life.

6. In the parable of the sower, Jesus expressed this by saying that the seed immediately sprouted (Mk. 4:5).

7. The commitment that is made does not always last.

8. As boiled carrots become limp and soft, so such happens to some Christians.

9. In other cases there is a different reaction.

10. Some are converted, but they do not live a very good Christian life.

11. After some time—days, weeks, months, years, something changes.

12. The faith that was so weak and uncommitted becomes like a boiled egg.

13. IF WE ARE LIKE A CARROT THAT HAS BEEN BOILED (WE ARE A WEAK AND LIFELESS MEMBER OF THE CHURCH), WE NEED TO REPENT.

A. God is not pleased with lifeless members of the church.

B. Christians are told to be “living sacrifices” (Rom. 12:1-2) who “renew their minds.”

C. We are to offer up a sacrifice continually (Heb. 13:15).

D. We are to be “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5).

E. In Jn. 15 Jesus said that He is the vine; His people are “branches.”

F. This analogy implies life, activity, and productivity.

G. If we do not bear fruit, we are “cut off” (verse 2).

H. The branches that are cut off are burned in the fire (verse 6).

I. We do not want to be like a carrot that is put into a pot of boiling water.

14. If we are like an unboiled egg, we are also in need of help.

15. God wants His people to be strong, committed, and active.

16. As we learned last week, each Christian is called to be a soldier.

17. If we are a soldier, we will strive to be like the coffee beans.

18. When the beans were boiled, they affected the water.

19. The beans changed the water, and changed it for the better.

20. THE BIBLE USES A WORD TO DESCRIBE A PROCESS THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

A. This word described the refining of metal.

B. Even now there are ways to separate precious metal from what is scrap.

C. Ancient people did a similar thing and they had a special word for it.

D. This word is found in several forms throughout the New Testament.

E. James used one form of this word in Jas. 1:3 to say that our “faith” is tried (KJV).

F. Our “faith” (Christian life) is “proven” (ASV rendering).

21. Peter used this same word in 1 Pet. 1:7.

22. Here the KJV says our faith is put on “trial.” The ASV says “proved.”

23. There are a lot of people who call themselves Christians.

24. How many who claim to be a child of God believe that their faith will be put on trial?

25. How many are convinced that their faith will checked out in the most thorough kind of way?

26. Every New Testament Christian should believe and expect this to happen to them.

27. The reason that I say every New Testament Christian is found in 2 Tim. 2:15.

28. A little while ago we heard this verse read.

29. Paul said to “give diligence.” The KJV says “study.”

30. In the first part of this verse we also have the word “approved.”

31. This is from the word group that ancient people used to describe metals that were tested.

32. God will insure that His people are thoroughly examined.

33. We are going to have our own personal pots of boiling water.

34. Our faith is going to be tried and tested.

35. 2 Tim. 2:15 tells us about one possible result.

36. We can be “approved unto God.”

A. This means that we can pass the test. Every single Christian can pass the tests that come.

B. It is possible to avoid being like the carrots that were boiled.

C. We can be like the boiled eggs in that we do not crack; adversity should toughen us.

D. The true beauty of the Christian life, however, is seen in the coffee beans.

E. The person who a Christian should help change the world.

F. When we are like the coffee beans or a hard boiled egg, we have God’s stamp of approval.

37. The tests that are given throughout our lives reveal who is and is not truly dedicated to God.

38. These times also have other purposes.

39. The word that is found in 2 Tim. 2:15 is used elsewhere.

40. One of these places is 1 Cor. 11:19.

41. This passage does not use the word in a favorable way.

42. As you are turning to the 11^th chapter of First Corinthians, I will give you another passage.

43. This is a good cross reference.

44. James used this same word in 1:12.

45. He said that the person who is “tried” (successfully tried), shall receive the “crown of life.”

46. We want to pass the tests so we can spend eternity with God, and share in what He has for His people.

47. This is the goal but not everyone is going to make it.

48. If you have found 1 Cor. 11:19 let’s read the verse – READ.

49. There were trouble makers at Corinth.

50. People were guilty of “faction” (“heresies,” KJV).

51. Paul said that these people would be “approved.”

52. The tests would show that these people were wicked and ungodly.

A. At the present time we use tests to determine what people know.

B. Tests are used to determine the abilities that people have or do not have.

C. God also has some tests.

D. The examinations from heaven show who is righteous and who is not.

E. God’s tests show who should be saved and who should be condemned.

53. The word that is used in Jas. 1:12 and 1 Cor. 11:19 is found elsewhere.

54. We want to look another of these passages – 2 Cor. 10:18.

55. Up to this point we have been exposed to several facts.

56. We know that God’s people will be tested.

57. We have determined that the tests can be passed.

58. It is possible to be “approved” in the sight of God.

59. It is also possible to be unapproved in the eyes of God and therefore unsaved.

60. From 2 Cor. 10:18 we learn something else about passing the test.

61. If you have found the 18^th verse of 2 Cor. 10, let’s look at it together – READ.

62. There are people who base their standard of right and wrong on themselves.

A. How many of us have met someone who said, “I am not a bad person?”

B. This statement makes a judgment.

C. The basis for this judgment is the person doing the speaking.

D. People set their own standard and then judge themselves by it.

63. At the end of 2 Cor. 10 Paul spoke of those who “approved” themselves.

64. These people came up with their own standard, applied it to their lives, and said, “I pass.”

65. It would be nice if for every test we took we could write all the questions.

66. If we make up an examination for our self, we should get every question right.

67. In the secular world we know that this approach to life is not realistic.

68. Yet, in the spiritual realm, this is exactly what we find.

A. People come up with their own standard and then examine themselves by it.

B. The New Testament says that this will not work.

C. God has given a specific system for us to follow.

D. He gave a system for Adam and Eve.

E. He had a system for the people during the time of Moses.

F. He now has a world wide system that began on the Day of Pentecost.

69. God will use this system to judge every person who is old enough to know right from wrong.

70. Each Christian ill be tested and tested severely.

71. The question is not, “Will we be tested?”

72. The when of our testing is also not the main point.

73. The main consideration is how will we respond to the examinations that we receive?

74. If we are like the carrots that were boiled, we will fail.

75. If we are like the hard boiled eggs, we could have done so much better.

76. Being like the coffee beans means affecting those around us for good.

77. Is this how we are trying to live?

78. Have we become a Christian?

79. How are we responding to the tests of our faith?