Classic Sermon Outlines
ops and Fear Balanced
II. THERE MUST BE A BALANCED HOPE AND FEAR CONCERNING OUR TEMPORAL LIFE.
A. In Seasons of Prosperity.
I. Recognize the sovereignty of the Divine Providence. We are in His hands as clay is in the hand of the potter to be formed, unformed, newly formed as He pleases.
2. Recognize the vanity of the world. There are no pleasures here below that are lasting, but they are all dying things. They are as flowers which soon fade.
3. Recognize that we are undeserving and ill-deserving. We shall see a great deal of reason not to be confident of our creature comforts when we consider that we are not worthy of them and much less worthy to have them secured to us.
4. Recognize that trouble and changes should be expected. Keep up a lively expectation of troubles and changes in this changeable, troublesome world. They are good for us, lest we grow proud and secure and in love with this world.
5. Recognize the approach of death. Though the comforts we enjoy should not be taken from us, though we were ever so sure they would not, yet we know not how soon we may be taken from them.
B. In Seasons of Distress.
1. Hope in God's power. No matter how imminent the danger, He can prevent it; no matter how great the straits, He can extricate us out of them.
2. Hope in God's providence. Hope in the usual method of providence, which sets prosperity and adversity one over against the other; and when the ebb is at the lowest makes the tide to turn.
3, Hope in God's pity and compassion. God is gracious and merciful. He does not afflict willingly, but when there is cause and when there is need; and therefore He will not always chide.
4. Hope in God's promise. God has promised that nothing shall harm His followers (I Peter 3:13); all things shall work together for good to them