TITLE: Junk Yards

TEXT: Psalm 40:1-3 ¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. ² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. ³ He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

PROPOSITION: Christians are recycled junk.

QUESTION: How?

KEY WORD: Descriptions

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. Camp song – “Down in the dumps I’ll never go, That’s where the devil keeps me low.” Boy – “What’s so bad with dumps? Lots of neat stuff there.”

2. Dump – now called a “sanitary landfill”

3. Garage Sale = One man's junk – another mans treasure

Reclaimed

1. Recognize their value and worth

2. Prodigal Son – from pig pen (Luke 15)

3. Many people are in junk yards – delinquent members, lost, discouraged

4. Make a list – think of ways to reclaim them for useful service

5. There is lots of neat stuff (people) to be reclaimed

6. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 ²⁰But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Redeemed

1. Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

2. Buy junk and make something good of it.

3. Redeem = “buy back” – Remember green stamps?

4. After seeing the worth – We must PAY THE PRICE.

5. Matthew 13:44 – parable of treasure hid in field

6. Boy with boat – made it, lost it, saw it for sale in store – “Twice mine – I made you and I bought you.”

Recycled

1. Newsprint, aluminum cans, Glass bottles, plastic, cardboard, motor oil

2. We are recycled to:

1. Ephesians 2:8-10 ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

3. Philippians 3:21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

4. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed