The Christian Duty to be Sober
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesSUBJECT: Self Discipline
TITLE: The Christian Duty to Be Sober
PROPOSITION: To teach that to be a Christian we must have the right attitude toward ourselves, and that we show this attitude, or the lack of it, in our actions.
OBJECTIVE: To cause those who show the wrong attitude by their actions to repent.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Titus 2:11-12
2. About the Text:
1) God’s grace teaches.
2) It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust.
3) It teaches us to be sober and righteous and godly.
4) Sober–Right attitude toward self. Righteous–right attitude toward fellow. Godly–right attitude toward God
3. About Sobriety
1) It is having self-control. (Illustration of the word used today. i.e. drunk vs. sober)
2) It is having the right attitude toward ourselves. Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think: but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.”
DISCUSSION: When we act soberly, when we exercise self-control, then we . . .
I. Control Our Minds
1. Why should we control our minds?
1) To prepare: 1 Peter 1:13 Note: Girding metaphor.
2) To love God: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, :and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37
3) To battle sin and Satan: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
a. We use our spiritual weapons to cast down wrong thoughts–Defensive.
b. We use our spiritual weapons to bring into captivity every other thought to be obedient to Christ–Offensive.
2. How do we control our minds? We control our minds by thinking on right things. Philippians 4:8
II. Correctly Use Our Bodies
1. We must use it in the service of the Lord. Romans 12:1 We must be willing to do both.
2. We must not abuse our bodies with earthly pleasures. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
1) Drugs
a. Alcohol
b. Tobacco
c. Illegal Drugs: Marijuana, Cocaine, L.S.D., Morphine, etc…
2) I object to drugs for the following reasons.
a. They are costly.
b. They take away time that you could use for the Lord.
c. They Damage the body.
d. They take control of the mind. I.E. they are addictive.
3) Illicit sexual activity.
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
b. 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”
c. Homosexuality is sin–Romans 1:26-27
3. We must care for our bodies by giving them the proper exercise, the proper nourishment, and the proper rest. We should not unduly hasten our death by engaging in the activities we listed above, but we cannot stop the course of time. And as Solomon said, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” Ecclesiastes 12:7.
III. Nurture Our Spirits
1. By faithful, steadfast, patient living our inward man is renewed. 2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
2. By being a living sacrifice and laboring for the Lord, we can have a building with God. 2 Corinthians 5:1-9
3. And then that spirit which has been nurtured and matured through the living sacrifice will be given back to God.
CONCLUSION:
1. 1 Peter 1:13 “Wherefore, girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
2. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
4. We must have self-control to be saved–we must be sober. We do this by…
1) Controlling our Minds
2) Correctly Using Our Bodies.
3) And thus, Nurturing Our Spirits!
5. Have you been living soberly?
1) If you are a Christian and have not, then you need to repent.
2) If you are not a Christian, then you need to learn about your own salvation.
3) Hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized.