Sermons and Outlines

Eze. 22:18-22 THE JOY OF LIVING IN GOD’S FURNACE

Intro: Israel is pictured as impure silver. They have allowed themselves to become

mingled with the world, and, as a result, they are no longer pure, but have become

worthless and weak. God is pictured as a refiner of metals. (Ill. The process.) God

is determined to rid them of their impurities and to mold them into His image. Israel

is facing the fierce judgment of Almighty God.

You and I also become alloyed, or mingled, with the impurities of the world.

When we do, we also lose our value and are weakened. However, unlike Israel, our

sins have already been judged at Calvary and were forever forgiven at the very

moment of salvation. If that’s the case, then why does it seem that so many of God’s

children are in the furnace? With Israel, it was a matter of Divine judgment. With

us, God is merely trying to see His image.

Now, it is no fun at all being down in the furnace of trouble and trial, but

God’s furnace can prove to be a wellspring of joy. Tonight, I want to preach for a

while about “The Joy Of Living In God’s Furnace.”

I. THE PLACE OF THE FURNACE

A. Ill. The metal - impure and worthless until exposed to the heat of the furnace

and the breath of the refiner.

B. God’s furnace is a place where our impurities are burned away.

1. The impurity of sin can get you in the furnace - Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:8

2. The weak alloy of casual service can also put you there - (Ill. Zealous - Tit.

2:14.)

3. The great love of the Father can place you there - 1 John 4:7-8 (Ill. His

desire for each of us is that we bear His image. His furnace is calculated to

burning off all the layers of dross and revealing the glory hidden within -

Ill. Jesus and the transfiguration - Matt. 17; Ill. Our own transfiguration -

Rom. 12:1-2.)

II. THE PAIN OF THE FURNACE

A. The furnace is a place of fire.

B. When God places us in the furnace, He is turning up the heat in our lives.

When this takes place, it is never pleasant. There is always something that is

lost! (Ill. The pain of loss and of God burning out the junk in our lives - Ill.

Joab 2 Sam. 14:28-32.) (Ill. God knows our heartstrings.)

C. The furnace is always a place of pain - Just ask Job - Chp. 1-2. (Ill. Lost

finances, family, fitness, and friends)

D. It hurts, but God always has as His purpose renewal and restoration. (Ill. Isa.

1:22-26) (Ill. He is always seeking you best interests - Rom. 8:28)

III. THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FURNACE

A. As hard as it may be to believe, the furnace is a place of privilege.

B. There are several reasons why this is true.

1. Only metals that can be used go into the furnace - Jer. 6:29-20

(Ill. The refiner won’t waste His time on metal that will never be profitable.

You see, when God has you in the furnace, He is seeing something in you

that He wants to bring out.) (Ill. The image of Jesus!)

2. The furnace reveals a side of the refiner that could not otherwise be

known. (Ill. The patience of the refiner.) (Ill. The 3 Hebrews in the fiery

furnace; Daniel in the loin’s den; Noah in the flood; Israel in the

wilderness; disciples in the storm; thief on the cross!)

3. In the ministry of the furnace, the refiner’s personal touch can be felt.

(Ill. Breath!) (Ill. Paul - 2 Cor. 12:7-9)

4. The furnace reveals the impurities in our lives - Ill. When things are

level and cool, often there are things that go unnoticed. The fire reveals

these things!

5. The furnace is temporary, the benefits are eternal - 2 Cor. 4:17; Rom.

8:18.

6. The furnace reveals our salvation - The lost are never tried in God’s

furnace! It is a privilege for the saints alone!

IV. THE PRIZE OF THE FURNACE

A. After the dross is removed, the refiner is able to His image reflected in the

metal. At this point, He can mold it into a valuable vessel of His own

choosing.

B. When you and I are passing through the furnace, we must be aware that when

we endure it, we will:

1. Reveal Him more clearly to a watching world - Matt. 5:13-16; John 14:9)

(Our will be a clear testimony.)

2. Be more valuable to His work - 2 Tim. 2:22; Pro. 25:4

3. Be moldable - (Ill. Jesus set the example for us in the Garden - Luke 22:42.

C. The furnace is painful and hard, but for the dedicated believer, the prize is

worth the price.

Conc: Are you in the furnace tonight? If so, just yield to the Father’s hand, allow

Him to finish His work. Then, be a vessel of honor for His glory. When these things

take place, you will know the joy of life in God’s furnace.