“I SHALL NOT WANT” (PSALM 23)
1.
Many of you know where
2.
In
3. This man’s name is Clyde Howlett. During the last months of the year,
4. Mr. Howlett picks up all “Santa letters” that come to the Evansville Post Office.
5. Then Mr. Howlett sends “form letters” back to children.
6. In reading about this arrangement, I came across a sample letter.
7. This letter was sent by a child and the letter ties into the lesson’s text. Ps. 23:1
8. In this passage David said- QUOTE.
9. Tonight’s sermon is about the expression, I shall not want.
10. Keep these words in mind as I read you part of the child’s Christmas letter.
11. [Santa, please send me] “A big barn, with stalls, puppy in my pocket hotel, Bryer horses, my own phone, and fencing (for my horses). I would also like carrots, sugar cubes, and apples for my horses.”
I. A LETTER LIKE THIS MIGHT MAKE US SMILE AND JOKE ABOUT A YOUNG PERSON’S WILD IMAGINATION.
A. Tonight I want us to concentrate upon a different thought.
B. I want to argue that very few people in America are satisfied.
C. For the most part, people are always desiring (wanting) something.
D. This begins early in life.
E. When children think that they are going to receive a gift(s),
F. They make it very clear that there are things that they want.
G. When children turn into adults, desires continue.
H. Scripture shows that adults have always wanted more and more.
I. This human trait is found in the Old Testament.
1) In Gen. 20, we read about Abraham, Sarah, and King Abimelech.
2) Kind Abimelech was married according to Gen. 20:17.
3) In spite of this, what did Abimelech want? Sarah.
4) Although this man already had at least one wife, he wanted another.
J. Another man who wanted something was Moses.
K. Scripture usually speaks very favorably about this great man.
L. However, there are places where Moses’ faults are given.
M. One of these places is Ex. 4. I will be reading from this chapter.
N. By the time of Ex. 4, Moses had seen the Egyptian oppression.
O. By the time of Ex. 4, Moses had killed the Egyptian who was beating the Hebrew.
P. Ex. 4 describes the time just before Moses and Aaron went to Pharoah.
Q. If you have found Ex. 4, let’s read v. 10. READ.
R. Moses was not an eloquent speaker.
S. Moses’ poor speaking ability created a desire.
T. This desire is found in v. 13. READ.
U. Moses said to God, “I want you to send someone else.”
V. This desire is much different from the Gen. 20 reference.
W. Although different, Ex. shows that even great men have wanted things.
X. Sometimes desires have involved shifting blame/responsibility.
Y. In other circumstances, the desire has been for wealth (power).
Z. In the book of Joshua, we read about a desire for wealth.
A. This desire is detailed in Josh. 7.
B. Prior to Josh. 7, there is information about the crossing of the Jordan.
C. The Hebrew people crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
D. Once the people came across the river, they were near Jericho.
E. Josh. 6 records how Jericho fell. It’s a positive chapter.
F. Josh. 7 is not so positive.
G. Josh. 7:1 says that a man named Achan “committed a trespass.”
H. God said to destroy the gold, silver, vessels of brass and iron.
I. Achan didn’t obey this instruction.
J. Josh. 7:20-21.
K. For a long time people have been struggling with wants and desires.
L. This was true during the OT era, and even in the NT era.
M. In regard to the NT era, there is the story of the rich farmer. LK. 12
N. This man desired the so-called “good life”.
O. He wanted to relax, be merry, and be surrounded with good food.
II. THE DESIRES THAT ANCIENT PEOPLE FACED HAVE NOT DECREASED OVER THE YEARS.
A. Think for a few moments about our society and desires.
1) Travel agencies do their best to create a desire for vacations.
2) Many agencies try to use cruise ships as a lure.
B. Society also tries to create wants and desires for:
1) Automobiles
2) Recreational vehicles
3) Electronics (cellular phones, camcorders, computers); then:
4) After people buy one of these products,
5) Desire is again created for newer and better machines.
6) The clothing industry tries to create desires and wants.
a). This is done by promoting certain labels and styles.
b). Sometimes desire is created by using special colors/fabric.
7) Desire affects people who work with tools.
8) When a new (better) tool is introduced, many say, “I want that”.
9) In this area, I can speak from experience.
10) Since they were introduced, I have wanted a cordless drill.
11) I didn’t have to have one, but they sure looked appealing.
12) About one week ago my desire was fulfilled.
C. Wants and desires creep up in just about every walk of life.
D. The desires we have more often than not boil down to greed.
E. We want more and more.
F. Our desires are intensified by American culture.
G. When we:
1) Turn on the radio or television
2) Read the newspaper or a magazine
3) Bypass the billboards as we come across town
4) Advertisers try to create want within us.
5) Often this tactic works.
III. DAVID WORKED TO FIGHT THIS KIND OF DESIRE. HE HAD SOME SUCCESS BECAUSE HE SAID, “I SHALL NOT WANT”.
A. In the NT we find that another man had success; his name was Paul.
B. Paul authored the famous words that are found in Phil. 4:11.
C. Tonight we might ask the question,
D. “How can we as Christians become more like Paul and David?
E. How can we help rid ourselves of desires and wants?”
F. Scripture provides some answers.
G. Before I close this lesson I want to give 5 more references.
H. The first one comes from Hebrews 13:5.
1) No living man knows who wrote Hebrews.
2) Some believe that Paul authored this book. Maybe he did.
3) I know that Heb. 13:5 parallels some of Paul’s other thoughts.
4) In Heb. 13, there is a lot of practical information.
5) After the writer said something about marriage in v. 4, he wrote:
6) READ/QUOTE.
7) Two things were enjoined upon these Christians and upon us:
a). Be free from the love of money. i.e.,
b). We are not to let a desire for money rule our lives.
c). The second instruction is: be content. Be satisfied.
8) The basis for these two things is: God will never leave us.
9) He is our rock, refuge, helper, savior, and our caretaker.
10) Heb. 13:5 suggests one way to increase our contentment.
11) We are to change our attitudes and be satisfied with what we have.
12) That means being happy with whatever we have, whether it’s a little or a lot.
13) For most, a change of outlook is difficult.
14) This change may be made a little easier by using 2 Pet. 3.
I. In this chapter, Peter tells us about how the world will end.
J. The apostle’s version of things is different from what many people think.
K. Peter removes all the guesses about the end of the world.
L. If you have turned to this chapter, let’s read v. 10. READ.
M. We can be content with what we have, because everything will be burned up.
N. All houses, cars, furniture, jewelry, tools, mechanical devices, etc.
O. Every last item will one day be incinerated.
P. If we know this fact, and we live our lives in view of this fact, we should be able to content ourselves with what we have.
Q. This knowledge, however, will not completely free us from desire.
R. Being in this body of flesh prevents us from being perfect.
S. The knowledge of 2 Pet. 3 should help us curtail wants and desires.
T. Another thing that can help us, is the information in Col. 2:3, 10.
1) What we need and what we should want is in the Lord.
2) If we know that we are in Christ, we should feel whole and work on being content.
U. Another text to help us comes from the last chapter in Hebrews.
V. Hebrews 13:14 is a text that talks about a Christian’s home.
1) This teaching is very important.
2) In our culture, not everyone thinks of home in the same way.
3) Some think of home as involving their mother and father.
4) In some circumstances, divorce makes for a split home.
5) For still others, home may be an orphanage.
6) Not a few call a grandparent’s residence home.
7) Let’s see what the Hebrew writer said about home.
8) QUOTE/READ.
9) We have no permanent home on this planet.
10) Earth offers “no abiding” (permanent) city.
11) No matter where we go, our home is in heaven.
12) Paul echoed this thought in Phil. 3:20- QUOTE.
W. If our home is in heaven, and this earth is a temporary stop,
X. Where should our interests and desires be focused?
Y. They should not be upon the earth.
Z. They should be as Paul described in Col. 3:2.
A. Christians need to have their homes and wants rooted in eternity.
CONCLUSION:
1. We as a people need to learn how to say, “I shall not want” in regard to what the world offers.
2. Being content with what we have is the course God wants us to follow.
3. If you are not content with what you have;
4. If you are striving for more and more with no end in sight;
5. Consider the passages that have been presented this evening.
6. Work on subduing the desires and wants that reign your life.
7. This is God’s will for you.
8. God also have a will for those who are not Christians.