WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.      1 John 5:19

 

And we know that we are of God, and whole world lieth in wickedness.

 

B.      We see this truth played out every day in our society:  immorality, lies, violence, crime, corruption, hate, lawsuits, divorce, wars, false teaching, division, murder, etc.

 

C.      In 1965, Burt Bacharach and Hall David wrote a song.

1.       Dionne Warwick.  Initially, she turned it down.  She said it was “too country” and “too peachy.” 

2.       Jackie DeShannon released it and made it very popular.

3.       Then, Dionne Warwick agreed to record it in 1966.  This is the version most know.

4.       The name of the song is:  “What the World Needs Now.” 

5.       The answer in the song is “love, sweet love.”  We agree with that, but believe “What the Word Needs Now” is a host of other things in addition to love.

 

D.     Let’s talk about the topic:  “What the World Needs Now.”

 

I.                    LOVE

 

A.      Love is the foundation of all relationships.

1.       Jesus said that the first commandment is to love God (Matt. 22:37-38), and the second commandment is to love one’s neighbor as themselves (Matt. 22:39-40). 

2.       James tells us that the “royal law’ is “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Jam. 2:8).

3.       Then there are Paul’s words found in 1 Corinthians 13:13.

 

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

B.      It is interesting that almost everyone will say that they love everyone.

1.       Deep down they want this to be true.

2.       The problem is they do not understand love.

a.       Love is more than a word.

b.       Love is a series of actions (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

 

Charity (Love)                                                            The World

 

1.       Suffereth long                                                         1.  Intolerant

2.       Is kind                                                                   2.  Mean          

3.       Envieth not                                                            3.  Envious

4.       Vaunteth not itself                                                  4.  Self-exaltation

5.       Is not puffed up                                                      5.  Haughty, arrogant

6.       Doth not behave itself unseemly                              6.  Indecent

7.       Seeketh not her own                                               7.  Selfish

8.       Not easily provoked                                               8.  Quick tempered

9.       Thinketh no evil                                                     9.  Plots and plans evil

10.   Rejoices not in iniquity                                           10. Takes pleasure in iniquity

11.   Rejoices in the truth                                               11. Lies and deceives

12.   Beareth all things                                                   12. Looks for every fault

13.   Believeth all things                                                 13. Worst construct on everything

14.   Hopeth all things                                                    14. Nothing another does is right

15.   Endureth all things                                                15. Will not suffer anything

16.   Never faileth                                                           16. Never present

 

C.      We make all kinds of excuses not to love another. 

1.       Paul tells us that without love we are nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

2.       Note, too, the opposite of love is hate.

3.       1 John 4:20

 

If a man say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar:  for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

 

II.                 CARE

 

A.      There are two definitions of care.

1.       Definitions:

a.       To have a regard for another. 

b.       To have a regard for another that expresses itself in action on the person’s behalf

2.       Example:  Homeless people

a.       We have a regard for them.  When we hear the word, we can picture one and feel sorry for him/her.

b.       We do not have a regard that expresses itself in action on the person’s behalf.

 

B.      What the world needs today are those whose care expresses itself in action.

1.       The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34)

 

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

 

2.       The Philippians for Paul (Phil. 4:10, 18)

 

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again…But I have all, and abound, and am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you…

 

C.      Care involves a lot of selflessness.

Care involves a lot of giving.

Care involves patience.

Care involves vulnerability.

 

D.     “Caring isn’t just a feeling — it’s a pattern of behavior that makes another person feel seen, safe, valued, and understood” (chatgpt, “Qualities of one who cares”).

 

III.              WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE

 

A.      This quality is tied to the previous one.  A person who cares is one who is willing to make a sacrifice.

 

B.      Sacrifice:

1.       A sacrifice is something important or precious

2.       That is given up

3.       For the sake of gaining something or allowing something to happen that is considered more important

4.       Verse (Eph. 5:2)

 

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

 

C.      Note that we described the sacrifice needed today as one that is “willing.”

1.       Willing:  cheerfully and eagerly compliant

2.       Sometimes we have to sacrifice, but we are not so willing (Ex., Simon of Cyrene, Matt. 27:32).

 

D.     Examples:

1.       Citizens of the U.S. during WWII

a.       Loss of life (407,316 death)

b.       Rationing of food and gas (1/2 pound sugar/week, and 3 gallons of gas)

c.        Women entered the work force

d.       Capped prices and wages

e.        Little recreation time and increased work hours

f.         Metal drives

g.       Victory gardens

2.       Jesus’ sacrifice was a willing sacrifice (John 10:18).

 

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This commandment have I received of my Father.

 

IV.               DIVINE GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION

 

A.      Jeremiah 10:23

 

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:  it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

 

B.      This is why God has given us His word.

1.       Psalm 119:105

 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

2.       Psalm 110:130

 

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.

 

3.       Proverbs 6:23

 

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.

 

C.      Examples:

1.       The patriarchs instructed their children.

2.       Moses instructed the children of Israel.

3.       The prophets instructed the nation of Israel.

4.       Jesus instructed the apostles.

5.       The apostles instructed the church.

6.       Philip instructed the Ethiopian eunuch.

7.       Ananias instructed Saul of Tarsus.

8.       Peter instructed the household of Cornelius.

9.       Aquilla and Priscilla instructed Apollos.

10.   Lois and Eunice instructed Timothy.

 

 

D.     What divine guidance provides:

1.       Moral clarity

2.       Pillars built upon the foundation of truth

3.       Inability to be led into the lies and errors of the wicked

4.       Less fragmentation of our important institutions

5.       Less reliance on man-made institutions built on human wisdom.

 

V.                 JESUS CHRIST

 

A.      Important passages about man’s need for Jesus Christ.

1.       John 8:24b

 

…for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

 

2.       John 10:9

 

I am the door:  by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

 

3.       John 14:6

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

4.       John 15:5

 

I am the vine, ye are the branches.  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.

 

B.      A life lived without Christ…

1.       Is a life lived in sin.

2.       Is a life lived without real purpose.

3.       Is a life lived without lasting value.

4.       Is a life lived without hope.

5.       Is a life the has only a little value in the here and now.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.      What the world needs now is:

1.       Love

2.       Care

3.       Sacrifice

4.       Spiritual guidance

5.       Jesus Christ

 

B.      What the world needs now is CHRISTIAN MOTHERS!  Why?  Because Christian mothers give these things to all who are in her house, especially her children.

 

C.      Spanish proverb:  “An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest.”

 

D.     Proverbs 31:

1.       “Who can find a virtuous woman?  For her price is far above rubies” (v. 10).

2.       “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:  but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised” (v. 30).