De Profundis - Out of the Depths
The sermon warns of the bitter and inescapable consequences of sin, and the dangers of pride and a life of senseless ease and excess.
William MacDonald emphasizes the inescapable consequences of sin, illustrating that while it may initially appear harmless, it ultimately leads to destruction and despair. He recounts the cautionary tale of a brilliant author who, despite his talents and success, succumbed to vice and faced a tragic downfall, highlighting the bitter reality of sin's grip. The sermon serves as a reminder that every action, even those hidden in secret, shapes our character and will eventually be revealed. MacDonald urges listeners to recognize the true nature of sin and its devastating effects on life and relationships.
Text
"He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption." Galatians 6:8
No one can sin and get away with it. The results of sin are not only inescapable, they are extremely bitter. Sin may look like a harmless kitty but it eventually devours like a pitiless lion.
The supposed glamour of sin receives wide coverage. We seldom hear the other side. Few leave behind a description of their downfall and subsequent misery.
One of Ireland's most brilliant authors did. This man began to dabble in unnatural vice. One thing led to another until he became embroiled in lawsuits and finally landed in prison, where he wrote the following:
"The gods had given me almost everything. I had genius, a distinguished name, high social position, brilliancy, intellectual daring: I made art a philosophy, and philosophy an art: I altered the minds of men and the colour of things: There was nothing I said or did that did not make people wonder ... I treated Art as the supreme reality, and life as a mere mode of fiction: I awoke the imagination of my century so that it created myth and legend around me: I summoned up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.
"Along with these things, I had things that were different. I let myself be lured into long spells of senseless and sensual ease. I amused myself with being a flaneur, a dandy, a man of fashion. I surrounded myself with the smaller natures and the meaner minds. I became the spendthrift of my own genius, and to waste an eternal youth gave me a curious joy. Tired of being on the heights I deliberately went to the depths in search for new sensations. What the paradox was to me in the sphere of thought, perversity became to me in the sphere of passion. Desire, at the end, was a malady, or a madness, or both. I grew careless of the lives of others. I took pleasure where it pleased me and passed on. I forgot that every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character, and that therefore what one has done in the secret chamber one has some day to cry aloud on the housetops.. .1 ended in horrible disgrace."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Consequences of Sin
- A. Sin cannot be hidden or escaped
- B. The results of sin are bitter and inescapable
- C. Sin can lead to destruction and despair
- II. The Allure of Sin
- A. Sin may seem harmless or glamorous
- B. The consequences of sin are often hidden from view
- C. Few people leave behind a description of their downfall
- III. The Dangers of Pride
- A. Pride can lead to a life of senseless ease and excess
- B. Pride can cause us to surround ourselves with negative influences
- C. Pride can lead to a waste of our talents and abilities
Key Quotes
“The supposed glamour of sin receives wide coverage. We seldom hear the other side. Few leave behind a description of their downfall and subsequent misery.” — William MacDonald
“I treated Art as the supreme reality, and life as a mere mode of fiction: I awoke the imagination of my century so that it created myth and legend around me: I summoned up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.” — William MacDonald
“I ended in horrible disgrace.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- We must be aware of the consequences of sin and take steps to avoid it.
- Pride can lead to a life of senseless ease and excess, causing us to waste our talents and abilities.
- Humility is essential for avoiding the dangers of pride and living a life of purpose and meaning.