Them That Are Without – Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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Watch Part One here:
Watch Part Two here:

Them That Are Without

Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

Intro: I want to begin with a simple but profound statement. Everybody in the world fits into one of two categories: them that are within, and them that are without.

Those of us that are saved are privileged to be numbered with THEM THAT ARE IN.

Those of us that are IN – are…

In the Faith

  • 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;

In Christ

  • Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

In His Hand

  • John 10:28, 29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

In the Beloved

  • Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In the Way

  • Mark 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

In Heavenly Places

  • Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

In the Likeness of His Resurrection

  • Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Graffed In

  • Romans 11:17 “…being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them…”

In the Spirit

  • Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Jesus, while explaining the parables to the disciples in our text referred to the world as THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.

  • Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

Several things we can learn from this statement.

               A. There is a Distinction in their Identification – “…unto YOU it is given, BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT…”

               B. There is a Deliberation in their Instruction – “…unto YOU it is given…”

               C. There is a Deliverance in their Inclusion – “…at any time they should be converted and their sins forgiven…”

One of the saddest words in the Bible is the word “without.”

For weeks I have been meditating on this thought.

The longer I go, the more heartbreaking this phrase is to me.


We could look at a number of verses today that describe THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT STRENGTH

  • Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION

  • 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT A PREACHER

  • Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE

  • Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

However, I want to focus on several other passages of Scripture that expound on THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.

I. Them that are Without God are Them that are Without the Father

  • Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

They have a Father, but not THE Father.

John 8

  • 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
  • 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
  • 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

In the Old Testament, God said it like this:

Eli’s 2 sons:

  • 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

Nabal, Abigail’s husband:

  • 1 Samuel 25:17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

God is able to take THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT a Father and birth them into God’s family.

John 1

  • 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
  • 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
  • 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

What a blessing that we are not WITHOUT A FATHER!

  • 1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…

We are blessed to be recipients of:

  • His Protection
  • His Provision

Matthew 6

  • 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
  • 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
  • 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

II. Them that are Without Christ are Them that are Without Forgiveness

  • Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

There is no salvation; no forgiveness of sins FOR THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT Christ.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT Christ are without salvation because there is salvation apart from Christ!

  • 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.
  • Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Ephesians 1

  • 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
  • 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Because we are IN the beloved, IN HIM we have forgiveness of sins.

Them that are without Christ are without forgiveness.

Colossians 1

  • 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
  • 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
  • 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

III. Them that are Without Understanding are Them that are Without Focus

  • Romans 1:31 Without understanding…

Paul described the unsaved in a variety of ways that use similar terminology.

  • 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
  • 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
  • 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
  • 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood:
  • 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
  • 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

The unsaved have no idea what they are missing.

In our text – Mark 4 notice the context of what Jesus said and why He spoke in parables to begin with.

  • Mark 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to REVEAL truth.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT are in the dark; they are blinded; they are ignorant.

  • Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Paul described Israel in Romans 10:

  • 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
  • 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
  • 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Things that you and I see clearly are blurry, out of focus, a mystery to THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.

Ephesians 4

  • 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
  • 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

CONCLUSION: The good news is that salvation is absolutely free.

  • Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

The bad news is that those that reject Christ cannot be saved.

  • Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, andthat without remedy.
  • Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
  • Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Them That Are Without

Part 2

IV. Them that are Without the Church are Them that are Without Family

Intro: Those that are without the church are missing out on being a part of the family of God.

Paul referred to them that were without the church on multiple occasions.

The Bible gives specific admonition to the church pertaining our testimony to them that are without:

Them that are Without the Church are taken into consideration when dealing with:

1. The Pastor of the Church

  • 1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Them that are Without the Church are taken into consideration when dealing with:

2. The Practices of the Church

  • Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Them that are Without the Church are taken into consideration when dealing with:

3. The Pressures of the Church

Paul referred to his sufferings both within and without the church.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Them that are Without the Church are taken into consideration when dealing with:

4. The Purging of the Church

I Corinthians 5

  • 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
  • 13 But them that are without God judgeth.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT the Church are without:

A. The Communion of the People of the Church

Acts 2

  • 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
  • 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
  • 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
  • 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
  • 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
  • 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
  • 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT the Church are without:

B. The Comfort of the Prayers of the Church

Acts 12

  • 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
  • 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

James 5

  • 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
  • 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
  • 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Philippians 1

  • 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
  • 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT the Church are without:

C. The Correction of the Preaching of the Church

  • 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT the Church are without:

D. The Contribution to the Propagation of the Church

I Corinthians 3

  • 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
  • 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
  • 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
  • 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Being a part of the soulwinning efforts.

Being a part of world missions.

THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT the Church are without:

E. The Confidence of the Power of the Church

Acts 5

  • 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
  • 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
  • Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.