The Nothings of Provision (Part 5) by Dr. Rod Mattoon

About this sermon

God has a purpose for our lives and that purpose is fulfilled in Christ. When a person is "born again," he begins a journey on a path that will bring honor and glory to God if he will dedicate himself to do the will of God in his life. To reject Christ or to reject God's will is a tragedy and leads to a wasted life. One night Canon Hay Aitken preached to a large audience in Bristol, England, on the text, "You must be born again." There in the congregation was a brilliant young man named Horatio Bottomly. He listened intently. He heard the preacher at the end of the sermon call all who were there to trust in the grace of Christ and to commit their lives to Jesus, and he knew the call was addressed to him, too. He was deeply moved, but he said, "Not now, I'll run my own life," and he did. He made a fortune and a name for himself as the champion of the people's rights. He was a lawyer; he exposed swindlers and prosecuted criminals with great vigor. When Bottomly was 63 years of age, this man who had exposed the crimes of others was himself convicted of a crime and sentenced to seven years in prison. While he was there, another man visited him and asked to pray with him. Bottomly said that would be fine, and in the course of the conversation, the other man told his story. He said, "Yes, many years ago, I was in Bristol, and I heard a preacher, Canon Hay Aitken, preach on the text: You must be born again. I was so deeply moved that I committed my life to Christ that night, and ever since then, Christ has been my all in all." Mr. Bottomly was silent for some time, and then he said, "I, too, heard that searching message. I, too, was deeply moved. I knew my need of Christ, but I rejected him." And then he said remorsefully, "A life without God is a wasted life." Oh, beloved, beware of careless squandering and waste of what God has provided for you. When we look through the Bible, we find that sinful or selfish living has a wasting effect upon our lives in three key ways. This 34-minute message deals with the effects of wasting your life and a challenge to be the best that you can be for Jesus Christ. It was preached on Sunday morning, February 13,2022, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church.