Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

CHRISTIAN SURETY

1. Jacob and his family in need of food:
2. The ten Patriarchs:
   1. Went to Egypt to buy provisions for themselves and their livestock - Gen. 42:27; 43:24
   2. They soon found themselves in difficulty over their youngest brother.
   3. Judah becomes surety for Benjamin - Gen. 43:8, 9

1. Implied in our opening text:
   1. Our love and affection for our brother will lead us to become responsible for him.
   2. "I will be surety for him" -
      1. Abraham for his nephew and his family in Sodom - Gen. 14:11-16
      2. Moses for Israel - Ps. 106:23
      3. Paul for Onesimus - Philemon 8-14
      4. Judah for Benjamin - Gen. 44:18-32
      5. Christ for us - 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1-3
2. That means that we all make ourselves responsible for the safety of our brothers:
   1. ". . . of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever" - Gen. 43:9
      1. Jonathan for David - 1 Sam. 20:2
      2. Job for his family - Job 1:5
      3. Paul for the believers - 1 Cor. 9:19
   2. That takes love, born from above - 1 John 2:8-11; 4:8
   3. That was the motive of Christ in becoming surety for me - Gal. 2:20; Rev. 1:5
3. We will, if need be, step into the breach caused by sin:
   1. That is what Moses did for Israel - Ex. 32:32
   2. That is what Paul did for his son Onesimus - Philem. 1-14

1. It is the law of church relationship:
   1. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." - Gal. 6:2
   2. "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." - Gal. 5:14
   3. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." - Rom. 13:10
   4. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." - John 13:34
2. This new commandment is forcefully illustrated:
   1. In our Lord's story of the good Samaritan - Luke 10:33
   2. This relationship is explained by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans - Rom. 14:1-7
3. Furthermore, we find that our Lord's new commandment is implied:
   1. In the golden rule - Matt. 7:12
   2. In the sermon on the mount - Matt. 5:1-48
   3. In the two basic laws of life - Matt. 22:34-40
4. Christian surety:
   1. Is the goal of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To restore a loving relationship between men is the highest assignment the gospel places upon those who profess Christianity.
   2. "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." - 1 John 4:8
   3. ". . . he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blindeth his eyes." - 1 John 2:11
   4. Brethren, do you feel toward one another, as Judah felt toward Benjamin, his youngest brother?
   5. Has your relationship with Christ brought you into a new relationship with your neighbor?