Parable of Association
Matthew 7:15-23
Illustration

Jerry went out to play in the barnyard and as he watched the pigs wallowing in the mud he seemed to envy the fun they were having and soon he himself first waded and then sat down slopping in the mud.

As some friends passed by, one said, "I see farmer Brown has another pig in his pen. He now has ten pigs."

But Jerry stood up indignantly and hollered, "Hey, I'm not a pig, I'm a boy."

In this day of social mixing and down to earth living there is still a real need for marking yourself for what you are.

It is often difficult to tell Christians from non-Christians because people fail to identify themselves and the pig likes to drag others down to his level.

There are some who say, "I can be a Christian without going to Church. I can be a Christian without being charitable. I can be a Christian and drink and gamble and do as I please. I can be a Christian without teaching or rendering any service." They are only deceiving themselves.

The kingdom advances on the shoulders and in the hearts of those who give themselves to Christ's cause.

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