FIVE WORD SENTENCE SERMONS
Dr. Walter L. Wilson
THE OX AND THE ASS
T here are some very peculiar and yet precious five-word sentences ih the Bible. One, of which I ana espe cially fond, is Isaiah 1 :3, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Why do you suppose the Holy Spirit would want that testimony, “The ox knoweth his owner,” included in Scripture? F irst of all, every time you read of an ox in the Bible, remember that this animal is sometimes likened to a Christian (or vice versa). The ass, meanwhile, typifies the unbeliever. In this portion, the prophet is contrast ing the two creatures. The ox is interested in the one who provides for him. The ass, however, only thinks of the food anyone will give him. People can easily train an ox to be a friend. It loves to be petted. In the first chapter of Job we learn of the oxen which were plowing. They were of use to their owner while the asses were merely feeding. This is strangely symbolic with people, too. How many just have the “gimmes” when they talk to God. They are inter ested in Him giving them health, strength, a happy home, a lovely wife, beautiful children, a nice car, the mortgage paid off, and the grass growing around the house. But seldom is a word of thanks or gratitude of fered. You see, we read here, “The ass knows his master’s crib.” How like the materialistic and atheistic people of the world. They are only in terested in physical sustenance and they do not take care in provisions for the soul. A man once called me asking that I pray for him to get well. I love to do that. I believe in prayer, and I have seen God do some wonderful and mir aculous things thereby. In this case, however, this person had not lived for God at all. He very seldom came to
church. He wouldn’t let his companion come regularly or his children ei ther. He just lived for the world, the flesh and the devil. Now, however, it was different. He had asked me to pray. He had a need. But I told him, “I won’t do it. There’s no use my praying. When you had your health and strength, God didn’t get anything from you. You didn’t care for Him. What good would it do? If you got well and strong again, what would you do then?” This brought him to the place of realization so that I could deal with him about his salvation. There was a woman who called me out to see her. She was very sick and TRIUMPH I would to lose the hard things from my life, The rocks o'er which I stumbled long ago. The griefs and fears, the failures and mistakes, That tried and tested faith and pa tience so. I need them now; they make the deep-laid wall, The firm foundation-stones on which I raise— To mount there from stair to high stair— The lofty towers of my House of Praise. only a miracle could bring her through. But, the Lord healed her. Two weeks later she was completely restored. While she had promised to serve the Lord and live differently, as soon as she got off her back, she had forgotten her vow to the Lord. It was about six or seven months later that she had another bad attack of the same trouble. Again she sent for me to pray for her. When I got there I said, “I’m sorry but I cannot pray for you, Louise. You told the Lord if you got well the last time you would serve 9
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