Classic Sermon Outlines (continued)
CLASSIC SERMON OUTLINES — Alexander Maclaren offices, partnerships perhaps, wealth and the like, or no, the profit lies in the work. Honest toil is the key to pleasure.
B. The Application to Intellectual Activity.
1. The intellect is a gift of God. Carry these principles with you in the — cultivation of that important part of yourself—your intellects. Some of you, perhaps, are students o aaaeees Se ange ae conscience of maki ai p making ei ena: we ehive to sWories asa Oeriica in ree one sith a swift brush on the plaster while it is wet. It sets and hardens in an hour. And men drift into habits which become tyrannies and dominant before they know where they are.
The Sluggard in Harvest
— Teese
SERMON TEN
THE CHARGE OF THE
PILGRIM PRIESTS
Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them... at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.
——BZRAIG 29
THE little band of Jews returning from Babylon had just started on a long pilgrimage and made a brief halt in order to get everything in order for their transit across the desert; when their leader, Ezra, taking count of his men, discovers that amongst them there are none of the priests or Levites. He then takes measures to reinforce his little army with a contingent of these and entrusts to their care a very valuable treasure in gold and silver and sacrificial vessels which had been given to them for use in the house of the Lord.
I. THE PRECIOUS TREASURE.
A. The Treasure of Ourselves.
FhoMmOneH TE Leger eros pl eclcnenenne te eae ure, of our own souls; the faculties — cmdacapasitiacegie (Ea areicatjieooen ecieinbamenia amet nae i ee hearts, your own understandings, wils c. 8, CONSCLET until they are weighed in the house of the Lord.
The Charge of the Pilgrim Priests
II. THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE TREASURE.
"Watch ye, keep them." I cannot do more than touch upon some of the ways in which this charge may be worked out or in its application for ourselves.
A. Unslumbering Vigilance.
First of all, no slumber; not a moment's relaxation; or some of those who lie in wait for us on the way will be down upon us and some of the precious things will go. While the rest of the wearied camp slept, the guardians of the treasure had to outwatch the stars. While others might straggle on the march, lingering here and there or resting on some patch of green, they had to close up round their precious charge; others might let their eyes wander from the path, they had ever to look to their care.
B. Lowly Trust.
Ezra said in effect, "Not all the = of PES can ee us; and we do not want them. 2 p unto the Lord." It was fitting that the seas sisilld carry the aks that
CLASSIC SERMON OUTLINES — Alexander Maclaren belonged to the temple. To none other guardianship but the guardianship of the possessors of a symbolic and ceremonial purity could the vessels of a symbolic and ceremonial worship be entrusted; and to none ti soangiee cee, min ve and untarnis ourselves pure and clean.
D. Constant Use.
Although the vessels which those priests bore through the desert were used for no service during all the weary march, they weighed just the same when they got to the end as at the beginning though, no doubt, even their fine gold had become dim and ee ee Se See
III. THE ACCOUNTING OF THE TREASURE.
And lastly think of that weighing in the house of the Lord. Cannot you see the picture of the little band when they finally reach the goal of their pilgrimmage; and three days after they arrived, as the narrative tells us, went up into the temple and there, by number and weight, rendered their charge and were clear of their responsibility?
A. The Encouragement of Anticipation of the Day of Accounting.
Oh, how that thought of the day when they would empty out the rich treasure upon the marble pavement and clash the golden vessels into the scales, must have filled their hearts with vigilance during all the weary watches, when desert stars looked down upon the slumbering encampment and they paced wakeful all the night.
B. The Joy of Anticipation of the Day of Accounting.
How the thought, too, must have filled their hearts with joy when _ they tried to picture to themselves the sigh of satisfaction and the sense of © a eet er oe ivorihandieg haniere ase tocea ane
The Charge of the Pilgrim Priests
CONCLUSION
Though it cannot be that you and I shall meet the trial and the weighing of that great day without many a flaw and much loss, yet we may say, "I.
Ved, alld a AD