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Intro: Adam Clarke said about this passage: “I will not pretend to dispute with thee; thou dost everything
wisely and justly; we have sinned, and thou hast a right to punish; and to choose that sort of punishment thou thinkest will
best answer the ends of justice. We cannot choose; thou hast appointed us to captivity; we must not repine: yet, let not the
punishment be to the uttermost of the demerit of the offence; else we shall be brought to nothing-totally and irrecoverably
ruined.” Jeremiah speaks this in response to the reality that judgment is coming on the Jews is Jerusalem. He admits
that God knows best, but I am interested in verse 23. Man thinks he knows best, but it is not in him to direct his own steps.
Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25 both say, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the
ways of death.” Man has long tried to direct his steps to his own detriment. Adam did in the garden, and judgment
fell on him with all his decedents inheriting that same haughty sin nature. And ever since Adam man has tried to direct his
own steps, maneuver about his own sin, and measure up to and figure out God in his own way. But man is no match for sin, and
man’s way will end in death. Let me use a few examples: I. SAMSON TRIED TO OUT-MUSCLE SIN: Judges 13:24-25, “And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew,
and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
God moved on him and he was blessed, yet the very next verse, he began to direct his own path: Judges 14:1, “And
Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.” He sought after this
woman and married her, but he lost her before he ever even spent one day with his wife before he lost his home to a man that
was supposed to be his friend. You would think he would have learned, but in after fighting the whole nation by the help of
God, he spent the night with a harlot in Judges 16. In Judges 16:4 he began to date another Philistine woman named Delilah
who sold him out. Judges 16:20, “And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep,
and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.”
He came to a terrible end. There is not enough muscle to out-muscle sin! II. SOLOMON TRIED TO OUTWIT SIN: Ecclesiastes 1:12-14, “I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and
search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man
to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation
of spirit.” Sought wisdom and folly, built houses and ponds, planted trees, got servants, earned gold and silver.
Ecc 2:9-15, “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained
with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced
in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and
on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under
the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king?
even that which hath been already done. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise
man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to
them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise?
Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.” He tried to have wisdom enough to figure it all out, but in
all his wisdom, he fell into idolatry. He was like men today (II Tim 3:7). He learned, however, that serving God and obeying
him was ll that mattered. Ecc. 12:9-14, “And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people
knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable
words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened
by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many
books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,
and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” III. NEBUDCHADNEZZAR TO OUT-EARN SIN: Daniel 4, he had a dream about a tree that grew to the sky. It was powerful and rich. All the beasts pf the field found
shade beneath it. But it was cut down. The interpretation was that he was the tree, but would be cut down. He had a nervous
breakdown, but he realized that he could not order his own steps! Daniel 4:30-31, “The king spake, and said, Is
not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my
majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee
it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.” v.33, “The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:
and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown
like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.” He repented and turned to God. Dan 4:37, “Now
I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those
that walk in pride he is able to abase.” IV. DAVID TRIED TO OUT-MANEUVER SIN: II Sam 11-12. He tried to cover it up, thought it would be okay. But Numbers 32:23, “Be sure your sin will
find you out.” V. JONAH TRIED TO OUTRUN SIN:
God said go, but he ran from the Lord. He knew better than the Lord, but his sin took him to the belly of the whale. Proverbs
29:1 VI.
SAUL TRIED TO OUT-PIOUS SIN: Phil 3:4-12 “Though I might also
have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised
the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain
to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of
his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not
as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” But he found himself lying on the ground shielding his eyes saying, “Who
art thou Lord?” It is not in a man to direct his steps! Conclusion: As a boy reared in church, I directed my own steps. I did all the religious things. I put on the
face for others to see. But one night God arrested my soul and showed me that it is not in a man to direct his own steps!
SO, WHAT MUST I DO? Proverbs 3:5-6
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