Australia's Shame

[0:00] I wasn't sure what to call this sermon. I thought maybe I could call it the stupidity of sin. The stupidity of sin. So I speak about the shame of the nation of Australia.

[0:11] ! Of Australia as it is today. And it makes me think of this Bible verse Proverbs 14, 34. Righteousness exalteth the nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

[0:28] Just look at Australia today. We're a nation that should be ashamed. We're a godless land. The latest census results just last week show that nearly 40% of Australia claim no religion.

[0:44] No religion is the Australia's second largest religious group. It's kind of strange, isn't it? No religion is the second largest religious group after Christians. That's about 44%.

[0:57] And of course we know that Christians, the 44% who say they're Christians, I would say we know that real, born again, believing Christians is only a fraction of that.

[1:12] Sin is a reproach. Sin. It perverts, it pollutes a people. And Australia is a reproach. It's a disgrace.

[1:26] Sin is a reproach. As much as I'm sure we all love this land, we know it's a damned land. It's a damned people. Because it's largely an unbelieving land.

[1:40] And the Bible talks about righteousness and sin. And we're going to go to the book of Proverbs to see this contrast between righteousness and sin, between wisdom and foolishness.

[1:58] We're told basically there's two paths we can take. There's the wise way and there's the foolish way. And this is the theme of the book of Proverbs. Really, we're just touching the surface of it.

[2:11] I know some have said it's good to maybe read a proverb every day. Starting, you know, the first of the month, Proverbs 1, Proverbs 2 and 3.

[2:22] Because the whole book of Proverbs is jam-packed full of wisdom and learning of great value for our soul. And the wise way and the foolish way is the kind of theme of the book.

[2:36] We see in Proverbs 13, verse 20, Solomon says, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

[2:48] It's a choice, isn't it? We can walk with the wise or we can walk with the fools. It's telling us here there's two companies we can keep. We can choose wisdom or we can choose folly.

[3:02] Aussies can choose righteousness or sin. Sadly, we've taken the wrong path. We're an unbelieving nation. We've chosen the devil's road.

[3:14] And it's sad when you see where Australia is headed. People seem ignorant of the devil. Such that people commonly wear satanic symbols around their necks or even tattoo them on their skin.

[3:29] Satanic symbols. It seems crazy that they do. That people would actually choose to worship the very enemy of their soul.

[3:41] The one who wants to damn them. They would wear decorations to praise him. But they do. Many years ago, a Christian preacher, Colin Stock, told of a time in 1984 where a local pastor was driving along the seafront in Adelaide.

[4:07] And he saw some group of people kneeling in a circle on the beach. And he pulled over and he stopped to encourage them.

[4:18] And to his amazement, he found out that they were praying to Satan. This is our land. Australia. This is Australia. It's rotten.

[4:29] It's a cesspool of sin. We're a nation of fools headed to destruction. The average Aussie worships one way or the other, the one who hurts us.

[4:41] In not worshipping Christ, he's worshipping the devil. And our nation's destruction is assured. A companion of fools shall be destroyed. It's straight forward there, isn't it?

[4:54] And at the heart of our folly, of Australia's folly, is unbelief. We've rejected the God who's created us and will pay the deadly price.

[5:08] This is our nation's shame. Australia. Sin is a reproach. And this is the shame of Australia.

[5:19] This is the heart of it. Really, at the heart of it, it is a foolishness problem. Psalm 53, we read, verse 1.

[5:29] The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Corrupt are they and have done an abominable iniquity. There is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

[5:47] Every one of them has gone back. They are altogether become filthy. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. So here we see, really, the fool defined, don't we?

[5:57] The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They do not seek God. They deny God. Consider the futility of it. The waste. Of a vain, empty life without Christ.

[6:15] Australia is a godless land. Whole cities are being built with scarcely a thought of a church. It's interesting to read of local developments.

[6:26] They brag on about the shopping centres they're building and the hotels that they're furnishing with pokies. But scarcely a thought of a church, of an assembly place where God is worshipped.

[6:41] We see these institutions where the pokies are. Aussies gamble more than any other nation. It's vanity.

[6:54] New suburbs are springing up in this very area. Whole new suburbs. They're building sports fields. But there is no thought of the worship of God.

[7:06] And it seems most people care little for what is moral and right. Australia today. Australia today. Children are routinely killed in their mother's wombs.

[7:17] People see this somehow as a good thing. This is progress. They're rioting on the streets to keep this evil act going on.

[7:28] Entertainment is filled full of immorality with gore and violence. And we see them parading on the news in their get-outs of immodesty.

[7:43] Minds are filling up with brain-scrambling music full of obscenities and cursing. And stars parade around with little or no clothes on. Sodomites parade down our streets in front of our children.

[7:57] Sin is a reproach. Sin is a reproach to any people. Shame, Australia. Shame. Shame on us. Promiscuity and permissiveness is everywhere.

[8:10] Shameless obscenities. The perversion of sick and unnatural acts is taught to our children by the state. Our taxes are paying for them to be told of such foulness.

[8:25] There's a fouling up of what is pure and wholesome. This is Australia. This is our nation. And all the while, the evidence is staring people in the face of this creator that they mock, that they deny.

[8:40] Romans 1. We read of an instance here. Telling of the glaring evidence that man is confronted with every day.

[8:54] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made. Even his eternal power and Godhead.

[9:04] So that they are without excuse. Without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations.

[9:17] And their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Australia today. Australia today. Look at it. Unbelief.

[9:30] We've been dumbed down, desensitised, debased. And of course there's confusion everywhere. Masculine women and effeminate men. And no wonder, given what the Bible says, that the Satan is the author of confusion.

[9:47] There's actually a war on against the family. We must wise up to what's going on. It's the destruction of the family unit. And friends, at the heart of it, foolishness is there.

[10:00] It says they became vain. Their foolish heart was darkened. They professed themselves to be wise. But they're fools. And so, the average Aussie cares little for truth.

[10:12] The world is filled with foolishness. It's actually everywhere. You can get a degree in foolishness. We've accepted it all. All the lies. And we've needful militancy.

[10:25] I put to you. I would urge you that it's time to pray. To seek after God. To lay hold on God.

[10:36] I was thinking the average churchgoer isn't going to church. Let alone taking their faith seriously. There's a slackness that's prevailing. Surely, it seems God's hand is writing on the wall.

[10:51] The writing is on the wall. Is there any hope? Yes, thankfully there is. Thankfully there is. There's a real wisdom. We've seen sinners who approach.

[11:02] Righteousness exalts a nation. Thank God. There's real wisdom that comes from God. Amen. And this is the answer to Australia's shame.

[11:15] It's to know God. It's to know him. To put aside the foolishness of unbelief. And to believe. To trust him. It tells us of the right and where it is to be found.

[11:29] It reads, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Here's the starting point.

[11:40] To know, to fear him, to trust him. The fear of the Lord. That's the beginning. That's the starting point. In the search for true wisdom. We've lost that. The fool does not trust God with his life.

[11:53] And makes unwise decisions. But here is Australia's answer. This is the answer for every man and woman. The fear of the Lord is the beginning. It's the start of knowledge, of wisdom, of truth.

[12:07] Here is Australia's answer. Wisdom starts with God. And the whole book of Proverbs tells us of God's principles of wisdom. It tells us how to put it into action in our life.

[12:20] So I'd urge you, as your homework, if you like, to take this book, the book of Proverbs, and read it. Because wisdom, it comes by insight and instruction of knowing divine truth and applying it with the mind.

[12:36] We've got this urgent need of a reprogramming. Because we've been so programmed by this world, this conditioning, this wrong thinking.

[12:48] We need a mind shift to truth and righteousness, to right thinking. And it's going to take applied truth. The Bible contrasts wisdom and foolishness so much.

[13:01] It tells us that we should be wise unto that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil. Yet it seems most people are well informed about evil.

[13:16] They know what all the language means. All the unwise things. People know all about that.

[13:27] But there's an ignorance about the Bible. There's an ignorance about the knowledge of God. There's this prevailing philosophy called relativism.

[13:39] In other words, there's no such thing as right and wrong. Everything is relative. It all depends on your point of view. But the Bible is very clear that there are absolutes.

[13:50] There is absolutes. And we are answerable to this. about what is right. We are to be governed by what is right and true.

[14:03] And so we've almost got to unhitch our mind from the world and its thinking and hitch our mind to the word of God instead.

[14:17] To be governed by what is right. And to know the creator's purpose, the one who's made you. And his wisdom that he wants you to have.

[14:30] He calls us apply your heart to instruction. Your ears to the words of knowledge. We've got to want it. We've got to have that heart that wants to be applied to the word of God.

[14:45] To want to have ears to hear the words of knowledge. We've got to want it. Wisdom comes from God. And he wants us to have it. It's a wonderful promise.

[14:59] The Lord gives wisdom, it says. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. To me it's as if there's really two ways.

[15:11] Basically two paths. And we have to choose that different track. We have to change direction. It says the companion of fools should be destroyed. There's a pathway to destruction.

[15:28] I like to Bunyan's allegory where there's the city of destruction. Or there's the celestial city. The heavenly city.

[15:40] Are we going to the heavenly city? Or are we in the city of destruction? Are we headed that way? If we're headed that way we've got to get off the bus.

[15:52] And get on the road. And the Bible says answer not into the path of the wicked. Go not in the way of evil men.

[16:05] The companion of fools should be destroyed. We've got to realise who the fools are. Realise who the fools are. And not join them in their folly.

[16:21] But rather enter into the path of the wise. The Bible talks about the majority are headed to destruction. It says that there's a broad way that leads to destruction.

[16:34] But it says there's a narrow way that leads to life. We've got to take that road less travelled. We've got to be countered strange. We've got to be countered odd.

[16:45] Different. Such that we're not following the majority. We'll take that road less travelled. Generally it's a multitude that goes and does evil. Don't follow the multitude.

[16:56] Don't follow the crowd. Be willing to be that ultimate minority group who is a saved man and woman. Australia's shame is unbelief.

[17:11] Really it is. No religion. Unbelief. They don't even believe in something false. But yet the wise will depend on the Lord.

[17:25] It says a wise man will hear and will increase learning. A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. It's saying the wise will listen. The wise will tune in to these words of instruction.

[17:41] The gospel truth. The salvation message. The wise one will hear. They will listen. They are willing to listen and learn. As someone has said the world's full of information.

[17:53] They have called it the information age so called. There's so much knowledge and data and information but there's precious little wisdom. It's like it's been said you know we've got smart phones and dumb people and I know there's a big trend now to smart technology isn't it?

[18:13] You can even get a smart light globe. You know you can get smart things in your homes and they're calling them smart cities and Australia is a smart country. Well if Australia does not believe then Australia is dumb.

[18:29] Australia is a reproach. Australia is not smart because yeah they're fast asleep but thank God the truly smart thing to do is to trust Christ.

[18:46] It's the right thing it's the wise thing is to trust Christ it's to trust him. The fool will act like there is no God they'll deny him but it's foolishness yet the beginning of knowledge the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

[19:11] So this is the road we must take. I urge you today to this huge contrast between wisdom and foolishness between righteousness and sin to wise up to this the foolishness of folly of unbelief Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things and to know the wickedness of folly even of foolishness and madness so the philosopher here he writes of the stupidity of wickedness the wickedness of folly really the most foolish thing is to not believe the fool does not care to fear God every day they're living a life without him denying him it's folly it's folly but the opposite of wisdom is foolishness and Solomon sums it up of his lifelong search he says let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man the whole point of living is that you would know the creator who has made you it's the whole duty of man it's the conclusion of the whole matter life is about knowing him who's made you who's given you life it's the bottom line of life is to know the creator of your life the fear of God is a fountain of life so

[20:54] I urge you today to the wisest decision you can make is to trust in the Lord it's the wisest thing you can do with your life is to fear God who has made you one day you'll stand before him and give account Australia's shame is unbelief it's foolishness to not believe we've got a whole book full of wisdom the Bible and the book of Proverbs especially so of wisdom of foolishness of righteousness of sin of the path of life if you would find it it's Christ it's of what wisdom is it describes wisdom the wise we see no true joy the wise will control their tongue their temper the wise will be diligent in their work the wise will look after their health the wise will be honest and true the wise will heed

[22:07] God's counsels and so we see as it's summed up here in Proverbs 4 get wisdom get understanding forget it not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee wisdom is the principal thing it's the main thing therefore get wisdom get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding you know through life we acquire things we get things get wisdom get understanding this is the principal thing with all thy getting get understanding exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her she shall give to thine head an ornament of grace a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee so the point here in Proverbs 4 verse 5 get wisdom wisdom is not some airy fairy concept that we can only philosophize about the Bible says it's something we can actually have we can get wisdom and we can ask

[23:22] God for it there's a promise here that we can ask God if you lack wisdom it says James 1 verse 5 we can ask God for wisdom and God promises to give it James 1 verse 5 if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that give it to all men liberally and upbraid if not he doesn't withhold it and it shall be given him if you lack wisdom you can ask for it so true wisdom we can know by faith we can know God we can see the folly of unbelief we can go to the very source of wisdom the one who is the wisest is the maker himself we can go straight to him and get the wisdom from the one who is wisdom Christ is called wisdom in fact we could think in Proverbs when it talks of wisdom that it speaks of Christ so the choice is yours to choose wisdom to get wisdom and if you lack it you can ask for it and he will give it wisdom he will give you wisdom wisdom comes through faith it says the wise man builds his house on the rock it's the truth of God it's the faith in Christ but it says the backslider will be filled with his own way a backslider is filled with folly oh the folly of those who would neglect their soul there's so many false and compromising they're not taking spiritual truth seriously and no wonder we have churches that are dead or dying because the backslider the backsliding that is going on it grieves me when I know there is backsliding going on in our own church the neglect of spiritual things they don't care about the fear of God it's foolishness isn't it it's folly to trifle with eternal things and to take them carelessly judgment is coming people judgment is coming and what a shame it would be to come to the end of life's journey and to think that you're saved but you're not that would be a great tragedy wouldn't it to come to the end of life's earthly journey and say

[25:58] I am not saved that is the greatest folly to not be saved we've been talking about Australia's shame Australia's shame what a real shame unbelief it's foolishness isn't it the folly of unbelief the folly of backsliding the folly of coming to the end of life's journey and we are not saved when harvest time comes that multitudes who've rejected him will perish they'll die lost and go into the blackness of eternal hell torment realize the folly the folly of a God rejecting life friends harvest time is coming we've got to get off the bus as it were preacher

[26:59] Billy Sunday said hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his friends hell is at the end of a Christless life that God's gift is heaven God's gift is grace it's salvation and simply receive it simply receive it let go of your pride if you're rejecting God it's pride because at the heart is the heart of pride isn't it the fool has said there is no God they reject God because of pride it's foolishness unbelief unbelief has a foolishness to it friends these are telling words of our Lord that he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of

[28:04] God abideth on him there's no neutral position you cannot be neutral you must believe or you're under the wrath of God his judgment the key message of Proverbs is get wisdom or act and look like a fool and the large majority of people will say at the end of their life's journey we are not saved you must be saved you must be saved because all have sinned because of the wrath of God you must be saved because of the reality of eternal hell you must be saved salvation is a person who you can know no other person can save your soul no priest no cardinal no pope no saint you must receive Christ simply that receive him it's an act it's an active response as many as received him either you will receive him or you will reject him as many as received him it's got the sense of actively take him receive him take him for yourself take him for your saviour the bible calls this sort of message foolishness but they're the fools the cross is the ultimate truth that we all need to know this saviour his grace is the only means that we can receive his gift and now is the accepted time there's no toying with eternity because we have no guarantees of tomorrow today if you'll hear his voice harden not your heart harden not your heart one preacher put it like this god has given you this heartbeat this breath this moment in order to trust christ but there is no promise of another i beg you to do it right now and then claim him as your saviour righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people friends australia's shame is unbelief it's the ultimate foolishness to disbelieve and it's the highest wisdom to simply trust christ accept receive as many as received him he gave them that privilege to be his very children let us pray lord we thank you that your word is full of wisdom and really the ultimate is to fear you to know you to know you whom to know is life eternal lord we pray for our nation our land we know the ultimate sin is unbelief lord it's foolishness at the heart of it it's rebellion it's pride it's the vanity of vanities lord the emptiness of a christless life and it all ends in damnation and your wrath upon our heads lord yet we can know your saving peace lord we pray each one might know that trust help us lord not to take it lightly help us lord that we can reach our nation that will beckon those that are still on that bus to destruction to change their course lord to trust you to take the path of the wise to trust you lord to take that narrow way that you are the way the truth and the life lord

[32:04] that we that can trust you can know your everlasting salvation we pray for any here that have yet to confirm that trust that they'll not delay not not delay another day but get things straight now lord let them know you and let them trust you let them confess you we pray in jesus name amen