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TITLE:  Fable of the Pencil
TEXT:  2 Corinthians 3:1-2
PROPOSITION:  The pencil has several parallels to our spiritual lives.
QUESTION:  Which?
KEY WORD:  Parallels
SCRIPTURE READING:  Same

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Fable = short fictitious story with a spiritual or moral meaning.
  2. “The pencil maker took aside a pencil just before putting him into the box. He said, “There are some things you need to understand. Before I send you out into the world, you need to know these things, never forget them and you will become the best pencil you can be.”
  3. Here are some lessons that we need to learn from the pencil.

 

Our Purpose – Writing

  1. The pencil is created with a purpose – writing.
  2. We are also writing (influence and example) every day.
  3. Text – You are an epistle (letter) read by all men.

 

Nothing by yourself – In the Hands of others you can do great things.

  1. Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.”
  2. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ.”
  3. Pencil – can write poetry, or porn; ugly or beauty; truth or lie
  4. Depends on whose hand it is in

 

Imprint of maker

  1. Pencil – name of company, or some logo, and other information
  2. Genesis 1:27 – We are made in image of God

 

Inside is what counts

  1. Outside may be bright yellow, painted brightly
  2. BUT it is the inside that makes a pencil have value and worth

 

Different types of lead (heart) produce different results

  1. No. 2 = soft; 6H = hard, fine line drawing pencil
  2. Softer lead needs sharpening more often
  3. Hard heart, kind heart, evil heart, good heart

 

Outer shell (body) must protect the heart

  1. Just a stick of the graphite lead – break, easily damaged
  2. Body of wood protects and houses the lead
  3. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – You are the temple of God, do not defile the temple
  4. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Know you not that you are the temple of the HS
    Glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God’s

 

Correct your mistakes (eraser)

  1. Requires humility – bend over
  2. James 4:10 – Humber yourselves in the sight of the Lord

 

One many surfaces you will leave your mark

  1. Your job is to leave your mark on everything you touch
  2. We will leave an impression on all that we contact
  3. See poem below

 

The Gospel According to You

 

We are writing a gospel, a chapter each day.

By deed that we do, by words that we say.

Men read what we’re writing, whether faithless or true

Say, What is the gospel according to you?

 

 



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