THE BAPTIST RECORD TEN MINUTE SERMON KNOW THYSELF 1. Boyd, Bowmar Aver Vicksburg, Miss. Church One of the greatest philosophers of all tims was Socrates ‘whose predominant. teaching to Tis pupils, ite aad, ‘waa tha: Know Thyself. ‘This was his philowphy of life. We must admit that it in mgood, sound doctrine wo far as it ‘oes. What better subject could one study thes ‘elf; and what more interesting subject. Tt is a Subject that every person should be well ac fosinted with Ignorance of self le inexcusable find a crime. Ignorance is bse ONLY when it is folly to be wise; and itis the part of wisdom to know self ‘An amusing scene is that of a little baby just beginning. to ait alone when he for the fies time finds his toca. How surprised and pleased he is when he grabs them and discovers that they are his own extremities. He is discov- fring self, and it takes a long time for him to find out all there is to be known about himself “I want us this morning to tar the search- tight on sel, We shall not need a telescope, but ‘2 miscroscope. Know thyself—know your limita tlona and. your poeaibilittes; know your weak nesses and your latent powers KNOW THYSELP IN LIGHT OF SELF What do we thik? That is what we are, or what we are to become. “As man thinketh in his heart, 20 J he." (Prov. 28:7). Are our thoaghts clean and. wholesome? Or are they hase and ow and impure What do we read oF what pletures do we see to feed var minds up. ‘out There fe an abundance of good, clean, ‘wholesome Uterature that ome may read during hia leisure hours, and some fow pictures of this nature, which are calculated to furnish food for ‘healthy moral growth. Then there ia an over Sbundance ‘of the opposite Kind—fithy, vile, obscene, sordid, foul and dirty upon which one ‘may tatinte his mind to the detriment of ‘his own well-being as well ax the moral safety of others. In other words, the good and the bad fare set before tx Which will we choose? Our hoice will determine what we are. The. hum: ming bird sucks the nectar from the flowers that’ are Kissed by ‘the dews of heaven, while the buzzard seeks low for the carrion, gulps i down and. seems to Tike ‘Agaln, what do we aspire to be? That is what we ate, oF what we thall be. How do we tend our leisure time and spare money? That ta what we are Know thyself in the light of self KNOW THYSELF IN LIGHT OF OTHERS Al men are one in origin and by nature. “God made of one every nation of men to dwell on All the face of the earth." (Aete 17:26). We are Skin, whether we will admit it or not, having Tike” apticudes,”Uitations end weaknesses as well as similar powers and pousibiliten, We are chips off the same block, as it were. So, we may know ourselves by what we know others to be. What others do’ we would do, to0, per- Tapa, in the same setting. ‘Picture in your mind the worst person you know or ever imew, in the lowest xtratum of human society likely, not ft to aasoclate with decent people. That is what we would be, to, perhaps under similar cieumatances and a ike environment. Let ts not put too mach conf {ence in self to think we can by our own power for superior qualities hold ouraciver above the low level to which ome have gone. But on the other hand, what others have done wwe can do also, doubtless. Think of the best or kreatest person you know or ever knew. That {is what you may be. It te within your reach, Te a fot unattainabl ‘Lives of great men all remind us ‘That we can make our lives sublime; And, departing, leave behind un Poot prints on the sands of time.” ‘Another has aaid that “genius ia the capacity of taking infinite pain” And John D. Toche- feller, Jt maintalng that “Genuine suscees ‘means simply doing the common things of life ‘uncommonly well” The eminence of success in the Christian life aa well as in every other en deavor is attained by “toiling upward in the hight” while others sleep. A most beautiful Christian character coupled with the greatest farthly joy ie within the reach of everyone who ‘rll mace the application and use the means at and. Others have attained it; why not you? Know thyself in the light of others. KNOW THYSELF IN LIGHT OF GOD'S ‘WORD From the Word of God we may know most bout ourselves. Physically, we are frail; Uke grass that groweth up and withereth; like = flower that fadeth away. “He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are dus.” (Pan. 108:14). The elements af man's body have been variously estimated by sclentista to be worth on the open market from twenty-five to teventy-five centa. Mighty che But on the other hand, God's Word reveals that man ie of infinite worth. More. valuable than many sparrows, yea, Uhan all the material universe. Man's redemption coat heaven tre mendously, not of corruptible things as silver fd gold, bat of the precious blood of Chris, the Blessed Son of God, a of a lamb without blemish and without spot TE teaches also that man is totally depraved by nature with a bent toward ain and a tendency to evil "The heart is deceitfal above all things, and is exceedingly corrupt; who ean know it?” Ger, 17:9). Asan illustration of man's down ward trend we read again in Genesis, aixth chapter, fifth verse: “And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only’ evil continually.” Let go, ‘man would not rise, but fall; not toward. God tand heaven, but in the opposite direction. The reason ls that he ie dead in trespagses and sin walking according to the prince of the power of the air, flflling the destren of the flesh and ft the mind” (Eph. 2:18). Yet quickened by the power of God and touched by grace divine we mortals are capable of attaining to the highest heights, oven of be coming lUke unto God in moral character and spiritual desire. Now power within ourselves can fffect the change nor accomplish the reruts But yielded to. the beneficent. influence of the Holy Spirit and eating ourselves on the ‘prom ines of God and our Tot in with the forces that make for righteousness, heaven alone knows the heights to be attained. Know thyself in the light of God's Word. KNOW THYSELF AND Gop One cannot know all about himeelf without knowing God. We may be somewhat acquainted with the creature without © knowledge of the Creator; but not a great deal And herein les the tragedy with many a person. The story is told that while Mark Twain was touring Burope there came an invitation while in Berlin to vait the Kaiser, ‘The litle daughter of the famed hhumouriat, after contemplating. the ‘missive. in speechless ave for a moment exclaimed: “Why, papa, if it keepa on this way there won't be any. body for you to get acquainted with but God!” (Of our great American hortculturst and per- hapa the world's greatest some one wrote: "He loved the garden, but he never met the Garden ex” How tragic, if Mr. Burbank never knew the great Gardener, the One who did the greater ‘Thurmdny, October 4, 1994 part of the almost unbelievable wonders with the fruits and flowers in California's manny slime! But it is just as great a tragedy for any ff us here today who might have considerable \cnowiedge of thls beautiful and wonderful word fand not know Him who put it all together and ope it going in all its harmony. Know thyself fd all there is to be known of all these won erful things. But with all thy knowledge rock to know God Get nequainted with Him, ‘and cultivate His acquaintance. It is to your interest,