Emptiness

Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

0 ratings

· 507 views

Scripture stresses the emptiness of human life without God, and notes that Jesus Christ chose to empty himself in order to redeem humanity.

Notes

Transcript

Emptiness and creation

The world created to be filled

Is 45:18; Hab 2:14

Human life can be empty

Ruth 1:21 NASB95

“I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

Human words can be empty

Job 35:13 NASB95

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

See also Job 35:16; Is 16:6; Is 36:5; Is 59:4; Eph 5:6; 2 Pe 2:18

Human attempts at fulfilment are empty

Work does not satisfy

Isaiah 55:2 NASB95

“Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.

See also Ps 127:1–2; Ec 2:17; Ec 6:7; Hag 1:5–6

Pleasure does not last

Job 20:5 NASB95

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary?

Wealth does not satisfy

Ecclesiastes 5:10 NASB95

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.

See also Ec 4:7–8; Lk 12:15; 1 Ti 6:9–10

Material possessions are unreliable

Luke 12:18–20 NASB95

“Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

See also Job 8:13–15; Job 15:31; Ps 49:10; Ps 49:12; Ps 49:16–17; Pr 11:4; Ec 5:15; 1 Ti 6:7

False religion cannot save

Isaiah 57:13 NASB95

“When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land And will possess My holy mountain.”

See also Jdg 10:14; Is 44:17–18; Is 45:20; Is 46:7; Je 11:12; Ac 14:15

Emptiness as the result of sin

Micah 6:13–14 NASB95

“So also I will make you sick, striking you down, Desolating you because of your sins. “You will eat, but you will not be satisfied, And your vileness will be in your midst. You will try to remove for safekeeping, But you will not preserve anything, And what you do preserve I will give to the sword.

See also Le 26:14–16; Ps 78:32–33; Ho 4:10; Hag 1:7–9

God wants to remove the emptiness of people’s lives

1 Peter 1:18 NASB95

knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,

See also Ps 81:10; Jn 1:16; Jn 10:10; Eph 4:13; Col 2:10

Jesus Christ accepts emptiness in order to redeem humanity

Philippians 2:7 NASB95

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.