A Pig in a Blanket
(Sunday message for House Church and individual use: preached 12/5 – 12/11/2021)
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
(2 Peter 2:2)
Introduction: It does not matter who speaks the Word of God. God will still be God, and the Word of God will still be the Word of God. Liars have lied about what is written there. Manipulators have manipulated, deceivers have deceived: the Devil himself has quoted and misquoted. In fact, yes, even an animal: An ass has been recorded as speaking the Word of God.
“And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, ‘What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28)
- “There were false prophets among the people.” False prophets!
- “There shall be false teachers among you.” False teachers!
- “[They] will bring in damnable heresies.” Damning Heretics!
- “[They will deny] the Lord that bought them.” Hard Atheists!
- “[They will] bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Doomed!
- “Many shall follow their pernicious ways.” And dooming others!
- “By reason of whom [because of this] the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2:1-2) Living lying alibis against faith.
So yes, according to the first half of the following verse, verse three, here in this second chapter of the second epistle of Peter,
- “[They did this] through covetousness [i.e. wanting greater recognition, a larger church, a bigger offering, etc., etc. and so they used] feigned words [words that were simulated or pretended; insincere] to] make merchandise of you.” (2 Peter 2:3a)
Now, God, in the second half of the verse promises that their “judgement now or a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” Yes. Amen. But… what about you?
You may ask, and you should be asking, “But, what about me?”
Exactly! What about you? How are you handling this? You, throughout the great land of our nation, and especially those dwelling in the midst of our great cities: you who have witnessed, who have experienced such shenanigans, such foolery, such abuse from so-called prophets, so-named pastors, and self proclaimed preachers of God… How have you, and how are you responding to the too too many cases of false Christianity that you have seen (and harmfully experienced) in the false ministries of these false representatives of Our Lord who is, and still shall evermore be, in spite of them, “the way, the truth, and the life?”
- In the early church, in spite of these false preachers:
- One by one, Christians gave their lives for Christ; martyred, horribly killed by lions, and by bears, and by burnings, and with Paul himself actually returning to Rome and allowing himself to be tortured and then gruesomely crucified upside down: for Jesus! They lived a life and died, and lived again… for Jesus! for Jesus!
- In the medieval church: How was it in the medieval church? Ah, during the time of John Wycliffe, John Huss, and Martin Luther, and even during the time of Bloody Queen Mary of England, and even in opposition to the false Pope and false church which had misled so many during the early years of their life:
- Our faithful brethren looked steadfastly (beyond the Pope – beyond the vast earthly majority of people) to Jesus: to Jesus: to Jesus: and in doing so, though their temporal bodies were horribly tortured and painfully put to death, they lived and are alive today; living with the blessed Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World.
Yes, yes, and in the centuries ever since – in the midst of the unending attacks upon God’s people, in the threats and in the fights that have risen and fallen against great movements of God spearheaded by the Moravians of Count Zinzendorf, the Primitive Methodists of Whitefield and the Wesleys, the original Salvation Army of the Booths, and others (oh, blessed others) who have refused to pocket a slippery serpentine satanically-inspired readily available excuse to sin – and instead allowed God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to assist them in continuing to “come out from among them, and be … separate, [while touching] not the unclean thing. And thus, God has continued to “receive” his people from the midst of the world, and from the midst of the worldly false professors of the faith.
Ah, but then again we ask, “What of you?” This, now, is your time. The spotlight of history now comes to turn its light on you: on your life; on your path. O’ traveler traveling down “the broad way that leads to destruction”: Eternity has now stopped to watch: which… way… will… you go… now? Left? Right? Or straight ahead to Jesus?
And so, as perfectly designed to speak to the possibility of you turning out of the way, and not going on straight ahead, through that “straight way” up ahead “that leads to life” in the Savior… Yes, knowing that it would be natural for you in your fallen, ill-lived and ill led life to walk by your only hope: the Lord Jesus spoke this, and had it recorded to be read to you now: at this time in your life!
“But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:22)
The word of God is powerful. Let us not dare to take on more than you or we can bare. The phrase at the end of this sentence – is enough. These words from the second epistle of Peter the Apostle, recorded in the second chapter of the twenty-second verse: these words are quite possibly (oh, do not trifle with Our God who is said to be “a consuming fire”) – these words, this plea, this statement of a truth that must be immediately applied to your life, these precious words are spoken by Him, by the the Lord who was tortured, bloodied and crucified to pay for your sins. This plea, this possible last possibility to get through to your sin-sealed soul! This last plea for you to turn away from that popular position among the Hell-bound. These words from the Savior:
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:2)
Ready yourself, now! Prepare yourself, now! Open your heart to this plea from the Savior! Listen, earnestly. Humbly, receive. Surrender and reach up that you might be freed by this simple explanation of what Jesus said.
I. The pig is a pig.
“The sow,” (2 Peter 2:2)
“A pig is a young swine that is not yet mature.” (“What is the difference between a hog and a pig?” Almanac.com, www.almanac.com/fact/what-is-the-difference-between-a-hog. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.)
“The term pig … refers to younger swine not yet ready for market and weighing usually less than 82 kg (180 pounds), others being called hogs.” (“Pig: Mammal Group.” Britannica.com, www.britannica.com/event/Pig-War-1906-1909. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.)
And so you see, it is as it is. Jesus described you as a pig: an animal suited to symbolize your present situation in your sin.
II. The pig is in the blanket.
“The sow, after washing,” (2 Peter 2:2)
Somehow, you see, you have been slipped into being cared for by God’s people. Somehow, by circumstance or birth, here you are. Washed, and warmed, and tenderly cared for, though still in your sins, unsaved and unconverted: a pig, still a pig but now: a pig in a blanket.
III. The pig is a sow.
“The sow, after washing herself,” (2 Peter 2:2)
“[The] definition of sow [is] an adult female swine.” (“Sow: noun.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sow. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.)
And so we see that – the pig is not just a pig, it is a sow. The he, no matter what your gender may be in the flesh, before God, even a he who is a pig is in truth, a she who is a pig. A pig: a big fat nasty greedy utterly selfish and self-indulging mean fat old cruel nasty grunting pooping and peeing and poop-eating gruesome anti-social anti-Heaven crude woman of the world.
As it is written in 1 Timothy 5:6, “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”
IV. The sow slides out of the blanket.
“The sow, after washing herself, returns” (2 Peter 2:2)
And so you go back: the fat nasty effeminate sin-loving pig always goes back. A little religion, a little while (a little while too long) and back you go. Back you go to the world you are still part of: to the doom you are still damned with. The mark of Cain stays upon you. The call of Hell still calls you. You go back. You go back. “The sow [that fat nasty female pig], after washing herself, returns.”
V. The sow is a hog.
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow” (2 Peter 2:2)
“A hog is a swine weighing more than 120 pounds, but this term also is applied generally to all swine.” (Almanac.com)
You see. It was easy for you to go back – because you became too fat. You grew in sin. While living and growing in your false practices of your own personal brand of false religion, while pretending to be what you refused to allow the Savior save you to be – you grew too fat: too fat to hold until, finally, you became a full grown hog. No hiding what you are, from the world, anymore. You are now a full grown hog. “The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow.” Too fat to hold: your fat body slips out and “returns to wallow.”
VI. The hog slides in the mire.
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:2)
In the world. In the slop, and the slime, in the filth, and the drench, and the stench, and the waste, and the excrement of the world. It’s all yours now. You wanted it. You were always and already naturally suited for it: and now it’s all yours. The mire. The mire. “The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
Conclusion: You had washed yourself!
A. You cannot “wash yourself!”
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:2)
B. Only blood and only the blood of Jesus can wash you!
“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
C. He can wash you, sanctify you, justify you, convert you, now!
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
D. You have sinned, you have come short: come now and be made free: “by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus!”
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:23-24)
- “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
OUTLINE:
A Pig in a Blanket
(A Message to the Multitudes)
“The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:2)
I. The pig is a pig.
II. The pig is in the blanket.
III. The pig is a sow.
IV. The sow slides out of the blanket.
V. The sow is a hog.
VI. The hog slides in the mire.
Conclusion: You had washed yourself!
SCHEDULE OF SERVICE:
7:30 – 7:45 a.m.: Prayers
7:45 – 7:50 a.m.: Set up
7:57 – 8:02 a.m.: Opening Music Presentations:
O Holy Night – Céline Dion, 1998 (5:21)
8:05 – 8:15 a.m.: Comments on 2 Peter 3:9 (see below)
8:15 – 8:20 a.m.: Song before the message:
What Child Is This (Andrea Bocelli & Mary J. Blige (4:46)
8:20 – 8:50 a.m.: Sermon:
– A Pig in a Blanket –
8:50 – 9:00 a.m.: Happy Birthday, Uncle David! (Call if not present.)
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Suggested Viewing:
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Reading from 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”