NOTHING
The churches of Christ Greet You (Roman 16:16)
TEXT: MARK 8:36-37
1. I’ve been preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ since 1977.
2. During those 30 plus years I’ve preached on “something”
a. every time I’ve mounted the pulpit.
b. This morning, with the help of the Lord,
c. I’ve decided to preach on “Nothing.”
1. The Bible says in Genesis 1:1 (Quote).
2. In other words, “out of NOTHING God created everything.”
a. This is the only way to account for creation.
b. We have to begin with a self-existent Being
c. who created something out of nothing.
3. The evolutionist has to start with something.
a. Ask him where that something came from and he’ll begin to squirm.
b. We as human beings can rearrange and redesign, but we cannot create.
c. However, God can and did bring something into existence from nothing.
1. Another point from this short lesson on NOTHING is found in 1 Timothy 6:7 (Read).
2. Therefore vs. 6 says (Read).
3. Loved ones, since we can carry nothing out of this world,
a. then the purpose of our stay here is not a quest for the material.
b. The purpose of our stay is spiritual.
4. We must “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”
(Ecc. 12:13).
5. Our purpose here is to prepare for another life.
a. The prophet Amos told the Lord’s people of old to
b. “prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).
6. This world is a vale for soul making.
a. The temporary trials, troubles, and joys we experience each day of our life
b. are all working towards our eternal destiny in Heaven or in Hell.
7. Only what we do for Jesus will last.
a. If you lose sight of this, you will come up with nothing when you die,
b. because the material cannot be taken with you.
8. The Lord our God said it like this (Read Matt. 6:19-21).
1. But let’s consider another fact (Read John 15:5).
2. Someone will say, “brother preacher, I’m not abiding in Christ,
and I still live a good moral life.”
a. Well, my answer to that statement is,
b. “Morality minus Christ equals nothing” (Read John 15:4).
3. So you might truly be a moral person,
a. but you still cannot bear the fruit that pleases God
b. unless you abide in Jesus, the vine.
4. Christ is the Savior (Matt. 1:21).
a. He is the only WAY to the Father in Heaven (John 14:6).
b. His Gospel is the power of God to save your soul (Rom. 1:16).
c. So without Him in your life, you will stand at the judgment with nothing.
5. He built His church (Matt. 16:18) and the saved are in His church,
a. for “He is the savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23).
b. If you do not allow Him to add you to His church (Acts 2:47),
c. you will have nothing but a sin soaked soul leading you into eternity.
1. Now when we think about eternal life,
a. the Bible teaches that belief plus baptism equals salvation (Mark 16:16).
b. That’s just like saying one plus one equals two.
c. But what does one minus one equal? NOTHING.
d. Therefore, belief minus baptism equals nothing.
2. You say, brother preacher, I believe in Jesus…that’s why I come to worship on Sunday.
a. Well, we are glad you believe;
b. but when are you going to allow your faith to move you to obey?
c. Remember, belief minus baptism equals nothing.
3. You can believe in Jesus even until the day you die.
a. But if you haven’t obeyed Him by submitting to water baptism to get into Christ,
b. then you will die in your sins.
c. Jesus will only save those who obey (Heb. 5:9).
1. Along this same line, Acts 2:38 teaches that
a. repentance plus baptism equals remission of sins.
b. Again, this is just like one plus one equals two.
c. But remember, one minus one equals nothing.
d. Therefore, repentance minus baptism equals nothing.
2. Saul, the blood thirsty Pharisee who later became the soul saving apostle Paul,
a. believed and repented, but it still equaled nothing.
b. The preacher had to tell him, “Why are you waiting Saul, arise and be baptized
and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
3. This morning, if you believe in Jesus and have decided to turn from sin,
a. then why are you waiting?
b. Like Saul, you should arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,
c. calling on the name of the Lord.
1. Now, let’s say a few words of NOTHING to those who are already Christians.
2. Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Cor. 13.
3. Brethren, religious sounding words minus love equals nothing (Read vs. 1).
4. In the same way, faith minus love equals nothing (Read vs. 2).
5. But again, benevolence minus love equals nothing (Read vs. 3).
6. When you study your Bible you soon learn
a. that the first and great commandment deals with love (Quote Matt. 22:37-40).
b. When we love God we will keep His words (John 14:23).
c. And He has promised to bless those who do His commandments (Rev. 22:14).
7. Love will solve many problems in any congregation of the Lord’s church,
a. because fervent love for each other
b. will cover a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8).
1. Christians, “you are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savor…
it is thenceforth good for nothing.” (Matt. 5:13).
2. Salt seasons, saves, and preserves.
a. If you, as a child of God, have lost the qualities that make you salt,
b. then you are good for nothing.
c. Yes, some Christians can become good for nothing…
d, good for nothing church members – how sad!
1. What about the so-called wise people in this world?
a. Many of them do not realize that man’s wisdom minus God equals nothing
(Read 1 Cor. 1:19).
b. Learning must be mixed with God to be something (Read vs. 18, 25-27).
2. We need this teaching in the churches of Christ today.
a. We need to stop emphasizing secular training to the neglect of spiritual training.
b. Even a preacher can have two or three college degrees
c. and not know enough about the Bible to defend it.
1. But let’s draw this short lesson on NOTHING to a close with one more verse.
2. Please turn to 2 Cor. 6:10 (READ).
3. Having nothing – destitute – no physical possessions; yet, having all things.
a. Think about it church.
b. As a child of God, we may at times be sorrowful,
c. but we still are able to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 3:1-3).
4. We may be poor, but still able to make many rich.
a. Having nothing, but possessing all things in Christ.
b. This is just another blessed paradox of the Christian life.
5. Physically and materially many of us are not very well off.
a. But spiritually, we have all things
b. that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).
1. If you are not a Christian this morning, your soul is in danger
a. of spending eternity away from the presence of God.
b. If you lose your soul you have gained nothing in this life (Read Mark 8:36-37).
2. INVITATION