Teacher: Michael Dale
Additional Scriptures:
1. Jesus’ parable on being exalted and humbled – Luke 14:7-14
2. The law of liberty through Christ – Romans 5:8
3. Doing for others is doing for Jesus. – Matthew 25:35-40
4. Abraham offered lsaac -Genesis 22:9-18
5. Rahab hid the messengers. – Joshua 2
6. Loving one’s neighbor as himself – Mark 12:31
7. God will not forgive the unforgiving. – Matthew 6:14
8. Jesus was made perfect through obedience. – Hebrews 5:8-9
9. Abraham, was called the “friend of God.” – 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8
<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning. Hey Eric, we’re missing a role lights here. There you go. I didn’t want you all to be able to miss my face. You know,<inaudible> That’s to say that another way, I think, want your day to be that good? Okay. We are in James chapter two, James chapter two.<inaudible> Hope everyone is doing well today.
We’re grateful for the presence of each and every one of you, especially a very large section, uh, dedicated to Eric and Holly and wishing them well since they’re staying here permanently. Oh, was I supposed to announce that yet We’re looking forward to today. Hope everyone can make it to the, to the graduation this afternoon. The announcements will include the details for that,
but if you can make it know that will be appreciated on everybody’s part. Let’s begin with a word of prayer gracious father in heaven. We bound before you at this time grateful for all of your many blessings, grateful for the, and the Liberty that you have granted to us to be able to come out and assemble today. The health that we have and the ability we have to be able to come together with one another and worship you in spirit and in truth,
study your word, pray to you. Sing songs of praise in your name, have communion with you and give, as we have been prospered, we are so mindful that this time of all those who, because of health concerns or because of an illness cannot get out and we are mindful of them and pray for their strength and their comfort as well. In this hard time,
we pray for our nation and we pray for its leadership that they might always look to your word for guidance and for strength and for a direction to lead this nation in righteousness, and that they will lift up right pounds, Lord. We pray for, uh, Eva’s sister-in-law and we pray that she will, uh, recover fully from the medical conditions that she is dealing with right now from the aneurysm.
And we pray that she will be able to come out of the hospital and that all will be well. We pray for her family for strength at this time, Lord, we pray for all those who were traveling, pray that they will have safety in their travels and come back to us, uh, safely as well. We’re mindful of Eric and Holly,
and we’re so grateful for the time that you have granted, uh, to have them in our presence, to labor with us and all the work that they’ve done. We’re grateful for Michael and Jessica and all the work that they do and continue to do. We pray for all the students at the school of preaching, who will be graduating this year, that they will go out into the fields that are widened to harvest that they will labor in your vineyard and that they will be blessed in those labors.
As they labor faithfully, all this, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. One of the things that I’ve probably said 150 times, and we’ll say probably a thousand more in the time, you know me is please. As you’re studying, ignore chapter divisions. James is writing to these Christians. He’s writing to these Jewish. Christians is his primary audience,
and he’s told them trials are a blessing and they should count them as a joy. He’s told them that being lifted up by God is a blessing and they should glory in it. He’s told them that being humiliated by God. The idea there is not being shamed, but brought lobe humbled. They should glory it. He’s told them that when they’re tempted to sin and then they choose not to,
they’re blessed. And he’s told them that every good and perfect gift comes from God. When we go through our lives and we look at our status in life, it may be what we want it to be, or it may not. We may be single and want to be married. We may be married and in misery, it can happen. Can you imagine what the marriage they have was like dry try putting Ahab in there as a righteous man,
and then have it married to jazz. A belt. Some men are in that condition and some women are in the reverse condition.<inaudible> We may have a job and hate it. We may not have a job and be desperately looking for one. But in every aspect that we go through, everything we could name and we could name thousands of them. Every time we run into a trial and a hardship,
we ought to be looking for, what does God want me to learn? And every time we run into a blessing and someone doing good to us or God giving to us, we ought to say, what does God want me to learn? And every time we’re tempted to sin and we see that temptation and we overcome that temptation. We ought to not just rejoice in it,
which we serve, certainly do. But we ought to ask ourselves, what does God want me to learn? And every time we do the opposite, when we’re tempted to sin and we fail, we ought to ask ourselves, what does God want me to learn In verse 21? He says, therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness,
the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. There’s the thing. He wants you to learn trials, go back to the word. Remember he talked about faith and wisdom, humility, or being lifted up. Go back to the word, temptation to sin, go back to the word. All these things. Point us back to the word because that’s where we find out.
What does God want me to learn? He says, but be doers of the word and not hearers. Only deceiving yourselves for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer. He is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets. What kind of man he was. When you ask in your mind,
in your life, when you overcome or when you fall and you endure and you go through and you repent, or you stay on strong and you can remain faithful. You ask yourself, what does God want me to learn? And then you don’t just hear the answer. You know, some of us will do this. I know this because I was a 19 person.
Someone will ask us, I have this computer problem. What should I do to fix it? And I’ll tell them what they should do to fix it. And they’ll say, Oh great. You ask them three weeks later. So how did it work out? I didn’t do anything with it. Thanks. That was a good use of my time. I appreciate that.
Why? Because you gave them the answer. They S they claimed they had a problem. They claimed they wanted a solution to the problem you gave them the solution. And then they just said, that sounds like maybe some work. I think I’ll just pass. It happens. You and I know it happens all the time. Yeah. God has presented us with the solutions,
but will we do anything with them? But then notice what he says for he observes himself, goes away to immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of Liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful here, but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue,
but deceives his own heart. This one’s religion is useless, pure, and undefiled religion before God. And the father is this to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. He said, all of these things, I’ve told you, remove yourself from evil and look into God’s law and do those things. And now we’ve moved out of the first chapter where he’s talking about our relationships to ourselves,
because he wants you to know your relationship to yourself. Your looking at yourself is going to determine how you look at others. And it’s going to determine whether or not you treat others the way you ought to treat others. Chapter two verse one should not be ever separated from chapter one verses 26 and 27, because he says, if you think you’re religious,
if you think by the way that word that’s translated, religious, there means to repair a breach to bring together. That’s what people use the word religion in so many bad ways, but the word for religion in the, in the original language in the Greek means to bring together, bring together who God and man, but he says, if you think your bringing togetherness is what it is,
is what it’s supposed to be. Then you better live it. You better actually do something with it. And that involves not just your relationship to God. It involves your relationship to man. The entire first and second chapter of James is one drawn out series of illustrations, illustrating two fundamental things. Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all my heart,
with all my soul, with all thy strength and all by mind and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. We’re on the second one. Now chapter two, verse one, my brother, and do not hold the faith of our Lord. Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with, and what’s that word? Partiality in the new King, James, what is it in the King James respect of persons before we go very far into this,
I wanna make sure that we don’t just jump to obvious conclusions. Like here is somebody walks through the door. They they’ve pulled up in a, in a Lamborghini. They’re dressed in a $4,000 suit. They have $4,000 shoes. They’ve got a $3,000 haircut. They walk in and we treat them like something special. And then we’ll go far, far, far to the other extreme and a homeless person walks in and that’s here,
but it’s a whole lot closer to home than that because you and I all know, we don’t meet those kinds of people every day in either direction. Some people in certain life situations and certain neighborhood, they do probably meet the lower end. But few of us are walking in the other circles. Now he is directly referencing the assembly when someone comes in,
but keep this in mind. There is a unchangeable separation from living like God and treating someone with respect of persons. I’m not going to go too far into that fault line because we’re actually going to talk about it some in the sermon this morning, but here’s what I want you to get. You cannot even hold faith. You cannot even grasp onto and maintain your faith while simultaneously treating people with partiality.
Now, you all have all seen the news and you are all fully aware that there is a very big conversation going on in our world about partiality, but here’s what we need to come to grips with. That’s not the only conversation about partiality that we need to be having in this world. You know, we treat or we teach partiality from the youngest of ages and we need to,
we need to be able to discern the difference between good judgment and partiality. What I meant by we teach partiality from the youngest of ages is go to any school and look at the clicks among the kids. And you don’t think they’re learning partiality from one another. Oh yeah. Oh, well, you didn’t buy your jeans at that place. So I’m not going to spend time with you.
And it doesn’t matter what color you are by way of skin. Oh, you, you, you’re a different kind of person than me that happens all the time. Race is just one way that our culture abuses this commandment and transgresses this commandment. But notice what he says. He says, but where do not whole earth use me, my brother, and do not hold the face of our Lord.
Jesus Christ. The Lord of glory with partiality. Here’s the, the, the fundamental piece of this. When you treat someone with partiality, when you become a respect of persons, you have dislodged yourself from a proper relationship with God, because you, at some point took your perspective away from I, nothing but his servant. When Jesus told his disciples,
you’re going to stand before Kings. And you’re going to stand before governors. And you’re going to stand before rulers. And you’re going to stand before the highest and the lowest of men. And no matter where you stand or who you stand in front of, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to preach the gospel of Christ. And he told those disciples before he sent out the 12 and before he sent out the 70,
you’re going to be told what you should say specifically to the 12. And he tells them, as he prepares to go back into heaven, it’s going to be given to you in that very hour. What you will say, you’re not going to have to dwell on it and consider it because guess what? You’re just the spokesperson. You’re just the servant.
That person who may have a great office is standing before your master. Therefore, you don’t need to show them or any partiality you show partiality to him. Okay? Now notice what he says. Verse two, for IPF, there should come into your assembly. So there’s our context in the assembly. A man with gold rings in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes.
Here’s one who’s rich. He’s finally dressed. Here’s one, who’s poor. He’s in rags. And you pay attention to the one, wearing the fine clothes and say to him, you sit here in a good place and say to the poor man, you stand there or sit here at my footstool. Have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges of with evil thoughts?
He says, You look back in your heart because your works, describe what’s inside your deeds reveal your inner thoughts. And he says, have you not become one who? And look at this term, judges, James writing here throughout the book, concentrates itself in bringing forward the old Testament into the new Testament, Christians life. We’re going to talk about the Royal law in this chapter.
We’re going to talk about a number of things, but one of the things that he brings in here that I think sometimes we just kind of skip over Is God said, you act like I commanded my judges to act One of the commandments to Moses. When he began to Institute judges is your judges. They can’t show partiality. They cannot give preference to a rich man who can do them good.
And they don’t give preference by the way, either. This is also in the old Testament to a poor man over a rich man, just because he’s poor. You see it would be just as simple as let’s just use this for a moment. It would be just as sinful for a man in rags to come in. And we say, you know what?
You go sit in the great seat because you’re poor. And a man who Dre is dressed in fine apparel to walk in. You go sit on the floor because you’re rich. We don’t like you. That’s still judging with partiality. That’s just as wrong Because either way, you’re not judging the person based upon their deeds, their actions, their obedience, to God,
their willingness to hear the gospel. You’re judging them based upon how they look. And either direction is evil and we’re plagued with both sides in our culture. But then notice what we read. He says, listen, my blood brethren has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him.
He says, God chose the poor. Now, does that mean that every poor person is going to hear the gospel? Nope. That’s not what he was talking about. What he’s talking about here is a stark reality seen in the life of Christ who wanted to spend time with Jesus, The poor, Those who were sinners, who did he eat with those who were sinners,
those who were tax collectors, those who were out, those who were rejected by society. Why? Because they were, and because having been cast out, having been rejected by society, they saw their need with clarity. And yet a rich person often can’t see the forest for the trees. He can’t see his need because he’s too busy looking in his riches.
He says, do or she used to be verse verse six, but you have this honored, the poor man do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts. Just, just one more argument to just pile on to this. James says, and by the way, Christians who typically do you get the most persecution from in Jewish society, the poor people or the rich person,
who’s constantly dragging you into the courts, trying to get you thrown out of the synagogue, trying to get you castigated out of society because you are following Christ. And yet that rich person comes in and you’re going to show him deference. But he goes on to say this. He says, if you really fulfill the Royal law, according to the scripture,
you shall love your neighbor as yourself. You do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors for whoever shall keep the whole law. And yet stumble. In one point, he is guilty of all four. He who said, do not commit. Adultery also said, do not murder. But if you,
now, if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Now this last section is one that I think because of the way it’s stated, generally just causes us to go wait a minute. If you transgress the law in one point, you’re now guilty of all. Notice what he says. He says,
so speak. And so do as to those who will be judged by the law of Liberty for judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy, mercy triumphs over. I heard a great illustration this week in regards to this passage in view of the, when you’re guilty of one, you’re guilty of all. Doesn’t mean if you commit murder,
God holds you accountable as an adulterer. That’s not what it means. Not because you’ve committed one sin. You’ve lied. Now you’re guilty of every sin. And none of it means you have become a transgressor of the law, no matter which of those sins you commit. And so here was the illustration of a cow in a field. We have a few farmers here today.
You have a cow in a field field, has a fence around it. At one point the fence, the cow breaks through the fence and goes outside the field. Did the cow have to break through every part of the fence to get outside the field? Nope. Just one is the cow now outside the field, no matter what part of the fence he went through.
Yes. And so you’re under the guilt of the law because you’re outside the fence. Not because you went outside of the fence at a particular point in the fence, but because you’re outside the fence, you transgressed went beyond the fence. So he’s saying, listen, you may say I don’t. And this is, this is the argument over in Romans chapter two.
I didn’t commit murder. I didn’t steal. I didn’t commit adultery. I didn’t do this. I didn’t do this. I didn’t do this. And Paul says, and yet you judge others unrighteousness, which makes you just as guilty as the person who did all those things, because you transgressed the law. Romans chapter three says for all, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
And that’s where we backed this straight back up to person walks through the door. They walk through the door and they’re dressed in riches and they’re a sinner and a person walks through the door and he’s dressed in rags and he’s a sinner. So how should we treat a sinner? Because the answer’s the same for both of them. We ought to treat them in such a way that they realize that their soul has far more value than how they’re dressed.
And that is true in every kind of definition you can apply to showing partiality that their soul is the only thing they have that is of utmost value. And their soul has more value than every other thing they possess. Which means what it means that poor man has just as much by way of valuable possessions is that rich man, because he possesses one soul.
Now he then says, what does it profit? What do you gain by this is his question. What does it profit? My brethren. If someone says he has faith, but does not have works. Can faith save him? This problem of partiality was one example. This is, this is an obvious illustration of an obvious problem that they are obviously having,
but it’s not the only one he’s saying take this and now we’ll apply it across the board too. I was instructed to do something by God and I’m ignoring it. Okay? That’s the point here? He says, what does it profit? My brother? And if someone says he has faith, but does not have works. Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What does it profit? You claim to have faith in God, you claim that God gives you your daily provision. You claim that God provides for you. No matter your status in life. And then you see someone in need and you do nothing.
Actually, you don’t do nothing. You say, may God bless you, but then refuse to be the blessing. That is what James is saying, Oh, you you’ve heard the word. You’ve heard what God told you to do. And you know that there’s should be a blessing from God, somewhere for everyone who’s in need. And yet you think it ought to be somebody else.
You know what? Somebody should help that person. Aren’t you, somebody there’s our problem. This happens in congregations. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen here a whole lot. Somebody will say, you know, somebody needs to fix that, that door hangs or that light’s not working or that the carpet over there is dirty or what got on the list. Somebody needs to fix that.
Aren’t we? Somebody? Oh, well, well that’s that, that, that, uh, well, the women will get after me. If I start messing with that. So I’m not going to, you know, we start going down the list of reasons and excuses. We don’t do what we ought to do, but how much more important are people?
James goes on to say thus, also faith by itself. If it does not have works is dead, but someone will say you have faith. And I have works. The response though is show me your faith without your works. And I will show you my faith by my works in your mind, step over to Hebrews chapter 11 and ask yourself, which one of the people in the hall of faith had faith.
Only none of them, or they wouldn’t have been in the list. Someone goes up to Noah. I have faith that the floods coming really because I’ve been talking to everybody and nobody believes me. I have faith of the floods coming. Okay, what are you going to do about it? Well, we we’ve got, we’ve got this section of the boat.
We could really use some help with this, this, Oh, no. I just believe that the floods coming I’m I’m not doing anything to prepare for it. And where’s that person when the flood actually comes outside the boat, why? Because their faith didn’t produce works. Now notice what he says. He says, but someone will say you have faith.
And I have works. Show me your faith without your works. And I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God, you do well. Even the demons believe and tremble. You say, I believe in Jesus. I believe there’s one. God. I believe in the Bible, go down list. James is saying great,
great, great, but you’re not going to do anything about it. Well, even the demons believe everything you said. Matter of fact, they have great assurance that God exists and the Jesus exists. And that the Bible has his revelation and that everything that was told about them in it’s going to come to pass. So how are you better than a demon?
He goes on to say, but do you want to know? Oh, foolish man, that faith without works is dead, was not Abraham. Our father justified by works. When he offered Isaac, his son on the alter, do you see that faith was working? Excuse me, do you see that faith was working together with his words and by faith,
excuse me. And by works, faith was made perfect. And the scripture was fulfilled, which says Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see them that a man is justified by works and not by faith. Only some will come to this passage to say, alright, but where we’re talking here about,
we’re not talking about saving faith, we’re not talking about faith that produces a need to be baptized and you’re baptized. And then you’re safe. We’re talking. Abraham was Abraham already had relationship with God. Okay. Before Abraham was told to go offer his son before any of that, uh, Abraham already had a relationship with God. So we’re not talking about saving faith.
You’re saved by faith only. And then you do these works. That’s what we’re talking about right now, because look at the next illustration. Likewise was not how’d the harlot also justified by works. When she received the messengers and sent them out another way, you might be able to make the fallacious argument that Abraham’s already saved. And the works we’re talking about here were works of obedience.
Not works that we’re obedient to salvation, but you certainly can’t make the claim about rehab. And just to make sure you can’t make that claim. How does James describe her? Rayhab the harlot. Now you go back into the account in the book of Joshua and you can read that old Testament word and you can read it and it can be translated in keeper.
And she probably was by the way, and it could be translated harlot, but this one can, this one can be translated. One way, harlot. Here’s a woman who you go back in the old Testament story. And she knows that God has given Israel this land. And she knows some thing about the God of Israel, because she’ll tell the spies that because she knows about how that God brought them out of Egypt and separated the red sea and brought them across on dry land.
She knows who God is. Does that mean she has any idea about all of the commandments and all of the covenants and all no, but 40 years ago, the God of Israel destroyed the Egyptian nation and brought that people out and brought them to the edge of Canaan and then took them into the wilderness. But she knew because it had been said they were coming back and their God had given them this land.
And based upon that faith, she acted you and I, as we look at our lives, we will often overcomplicate the issue of obedience. The issue of working based upon our faith. We’ll overcomplicate it because we’ll come up with a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t be as involved as we should be, or we shouldn’t do this thing. That is Rick right in front of us to do.
James question is here’s Ray Hab and she’s a pagan and she’s a center. And she is part of a Canaanite nation that has been condemned, judged, and sentenced to death. But she was a person who was willing to hear the word of God, believe what God had said and obey in doing something good for someone else. As a result, chapter one,
verse 26, if anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart. This one’s religion is useless, pure and undefiled religion before God. And the fatherless is this. And then he talks about how we treat those in need. These spies were in need. And she said, I’m going to do what is good,
protect them. Not because of who they are. Not because they could pay me to do it because I know who their God is. And they, and he is my only hope. So when you and I go through our lives and we look through choices and we look at opportunities and those opportunities staring us in the face. And sometimes those opportunities are people us in the face and we choose not to live out our faith.
Then we choose to remind ourselves that perhaps our faith is nothing real. Not because it has a problem, but because we claimed to believe it and then do nothing. Let’s go through the questions. Question. Number one, should Christians show partiality or favoritism to those who are rich in worldly goods? No question two. Why should a person be merciful to others so that they will have mercy?
Yes or no. Can a man’s faith save him if he has no works, no faith without works is dead. Let me go back and just say one thing, because I think I dropped the thought, didn’t come back to it on the issue of salvation, the issue of salvation and this passage are completely compatible. When you hear the word and faith is produced by the hearing of the word,
you then must act on it. And it is the obedience to God’s commandments on how to be saved, which by the way, the whole chapter that we just read was all about obeying God’s commandments. Okay. Beginning with religion and the commandment to do good to those who are in need, going to religion and obeying the commandment to not show partiality to Abraham,
obeying the commandment, to sacrifice his son, to Ray Hab, obeying the commandment, recognizing who, what God was doing. Faith produced obedience to the commandments and the commandment about how we’re saved is clear throughout the entire new Testament. Okay. So I just wanted to get that out and verbalize it in case I did a question five, how does an individual show his faith by his works?
Yes or no. Number six, do the demons believe in God? Yes. As a result of their belief, they blink tremble and old Testament Bible character who was called the quote friend of God was Abraham. All right, there are some additional scriptures and some additional details on the bottom of the page that you can study at your leisure. Thank you for your attention.
We will be dismissed until the worst power<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> good morning. Welcome to the Collierville church Christ Sunday morning worship service is great to see each and every one of our members. And we have lots of visitors here this morning because it is Eric and Holly’s last day with us bittersweet day, sad for us, but great for them because they’re going to go out into this world and do great things for God.
I’m sure that all the visitors that are here, we are glad you were able to make it and worship God with us today. And I would ask if you have the opportunity to please get a visitors card from on the Pew in front of you there and fill it out. So we have a record of your attendance with us today. Other announcements, uh,
want to welcome those that are unable to make it here because of the ongoing health concerns or personal health reasons that keep you at home. What we are glad that you are able with technology. We have the data to join us via live stream or the call in. We truly miss each and every one of you. And look forward to the day that we can all assemble again together to worship God,
please remember our sick Rodel and Dorothy Wilson, Joan Springer, she’s dealing with multiple problems. So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Ava Morgan’s sister-in-law K Fisher had open heart surgery a few days ago and is not doing too well from that surgery. So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and that entire family and your thoughts and prayers in the days to come.
The Memphis school of preaching and graduation is today. It’s over at the forest Hill church of Christ. The reception is from three to four this afternoon, that will be in the fellowship hall. Then the actual graduation ceremony itself will be at 5:00 PM in their main auditorium. If you’re able to make it, it would be a great time for us to come over there and re wish the Richardson family.
Well, a nationwide gospel meeting call continues to go this week. The flyers are out here on a table that is Monday through Friday. That will be the last week of that. And that’s at 9:00 PM that you can call in and listen to that. And a flyer out there lists who’s speaking each day on that, uh, Potter’s children home pantry I had him for the month of June is the dryer dryer sheets.
So if you have an opportunity, please get some of them, bring them in and put them on the cart, out in the back so we can give them to them the next time to come down here to pick stuff up. That’s all the announcements today’s service. Our song leader will be Eric Richardson. I will have the opening prayer. The Lord’s supper will be Terry Sanderson.
Sermon will be Aaron quotes are in our closing. Prayer will be Marie sprayer. Thank you. Good morning. Let’s turn number two. Page number six, eight, four will be on the overhead 684<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh, uh,<inaudible> uh<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh, uh,<inaudible> uh<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Let us pray.
God, our father in heaven, we come to you at this time, thanking you for another opportunity to do assemble here this morning, to sing songs of praise, your name, but most importantly, study another portion of your word so that we know how to properly serve you. As we go about our daily lives here on earth. God, we ask that you be with each of those six that are mentioned here this morning.
And we know also there are numerous ones that were not mentioned. We ask that you be with each and every one of them, their caretakers and their care providers and their families. And if it’d be your will restore them to a measure of health that they so desire so that they may come out one day and worship you again and serve you here on your earth.
God, we also ask that you, uh, be with those that are traveling, is there will be many amongst the congregation here this morning that will be traveling either this evening or tomorrow. And we ask that you provide safe journey to their destination. We ask that you pour your blessings out upon the Richardson family. We know that they will do great works for you.
And we ask that you help them. If they do run into struggles to give them the proper guidance so that they may bring the lost souls into your fold. Now, as we prepare to study another portion of your word, we ask that you help each and every one of us have open hearts and open minds. So we may understand the lesson that brother Aaron is going to bring to us this morning so that we made better our lives and our service to you here on earth.
We pray all this in your son jesus’ name. Amen. Prepare our minds for the Lord separate we’ll see. Number 383. Jesus. Keep me near the cross three, eight, three<inaudible> uh, across the, uh,<inaudible>. Uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh we’re uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> so, uh,<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> me.<inaudible><inaudible> uh,<inaudible> uh,
we were, uh, SPE, uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh, uh, God<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible>, uh,<inaudible> uh, or, uh, uh,<inaudible>, uh, We’re commanded in the new test, but, uh, to protect the Lord’s supper and the new, uh, first century church did this on the first day or the week and not just first day of one week every week.
And we will do that to this at this time. Let us pray. Our father who art in heaven. We thank you for this day and opportunity to have together around that table. We talked to you for this loaf, which represents the body of Christ. It would have broken on the cross that we might have for forgiveness of sin. We pray as we take a bit reduce on amount of plays in an eyesight and Christ name,
we pray, amen. Let us pray. We continue. I thank you father for this fruit of the vine, which represents the blood that was shed on the cross will wash away our sin. We pray as we, as we do it, we will do it in a manner plays in that side and Christ name. We pray. Amen. We’re also commanded to give back and as we have been blessed,
and they also did this on the first day of the week, and we’ll do that at this time. Let’s pray father who art in heaven. We thank you for the many blessings that you give us each day. We thank you for our jobs and our means of earning a living to support our families and to support the church here at Collierville. We pray that we will give back cause we are blessed and with a cheerful heart and crash plan,
we pray, I man has been a basket lift back on the back table, back there for you to put your contribution in. And, uh, so we won’t have to pass it around. And if you do that at your convenience, thank you. What the same number? 611, 611 heavenly sunlight.<inaudible> Jesus.<inaudible> uh, never can’t<inaudible> I am rich.<inaudible> Jesus is my shadow.
So around me, shadows up me<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh, I am rich<inaudible> he’s uh, Jesus is, uh,<inaudible> uh, uh,<inaudible> uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Our invitation song will be 943 and it will not be on the overhead. So please Mark that in your book. Number 943 nine four three, Our song before the lesson would be number 608 number 608.
Let us stand for this song and continue to be standing for the scripture. Reading number six, zero eight. He gave me a song. He took my burdens<inaudible> Oh, wonderful. So, Oh, wonderful song. I now can sing<inaudible> uh, Oh,<inaudible> anyway. He gave me a wonderful, wonderful song. I now can stick to it.
He gave me a wonderful, you gave me a song to sing up. Uh<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> a wonderful,<inaudible> wonderful. Uh, and some of these<inaudible> gave me a song to sing up. Uh<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> Our scripture reading will be Psalm 25, verse one through three Psalm 25, one through three to you. Oh Lord. I lift up my soul.
Oh my God. I trust in you. Let me not be ashamed, letting not my enemies, triumph over me and deed. Let no one who waits on you. Be ashamed. Let those be ashamed. Who deal treacherously without cause please be seated. Good morning. It is a joy and an honor. Pleasure as always to stand before you to proclaim God’s word.
It’s good to see each and every one of you here, especially good to have our many visitors, uh, and we’re grateful for their presence. Two weeks ago, we noticed Psalm 25 in the first four verses. And we noticed this declaration, this praise, this recognition from the Psalmus writer of his need for God, as well as his desire for God to direct his life.
And we, we concluded with verse four, where we introduced this thought the Psalmus writer says in verse four, show me your ways, Oh, Lord, teach me your paths. The Psalmist writer wants God to show him the direction to walk. Matthew chapter seven, Jesus said there are two paths. One of them is narrow and straight and hard. And few there will be who find it.
And another path exists, which many will find it’s wide. It’s broad and it’s easy to walk. And many, he said, we’ll go in there at that path, leads to destruction. So as we concluded our thoughts two weeks ago, where this Soma’s writer is crying out to God, show me your paths. We talked about the need to follow the path of the Lord,
the need to follow the instruction of the Lord. But what I want to do in this lesson is bring it down to a really practical level because it’s not just the reality that we ought to have God direct our lives, but we ought to look into his word and actually see how he has already directed our lives. Because individuals throughout the old Testament and new Testament requested God,
show me your ways. And then they were shown. So what we want to do in this lesson this morning, what you have in the handout, if you picked one of those up, or it was given to you is a series of passages that first and foremost in the first section will be words or descriptions of what God has already showed someone concerning his path.
And the second part are God’s ways. When we really begin to sum up, what does God say about his way of doing things who he really is? We’ll build hopefully a picture of God. That ought to be a picture of us going to begin in Genesis chapter 12 in Genesis chapter 12, Abraham is called by God. This is an interesting passage in many ways,
for many reasons, but I want to notice this particular idea, Genesis chapter 12 and verse one. Now the Lord said to Abraham, get out of your country from your family and from your father’s house to a land, I will show you God calls upon Abraham to not only obey him, but to trust him. He calls upon Abraham to obey him,
to have faith in his promises and to go the direction that he provides. One of the things that you realize when you look at the, uh, the people of Israel as they come out of Egypt, when you look at at Abraham is he’s there in the wilderness or he was he’s there as he’s there in Canaan. When you look at, uh,
Isaac and Jacob as well, when they’re in the land, but they’re so journeys, they’re going places. They’re staying for a while. Then they’re moving and God is directing them. We don’t always read. God said, go here. But we see every time they move, they build an altar and they worship the Lord in that location. God says here to Abraham,
get up and go. But he also says go to a land. I will show you. So we understand that when we ask God, show us your ways. The first thing we’re asking for is point us in the right direction. Direction is one of the things that we will find. God showed people, but then consider Exodus chapter 25, Exodus chapter 25 beginning in verse one,
we read here. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel. That they bring me an offering from everyone who gives it willingly with his heart. You shall take my offering. God tells the children of Israel. Remember they came out of Egypt and when they came out of Egypt, he said, you ask of your neighbors and those around you for possessions.
And they’ll give it to you. God plundered, Egypt by asking and as the children of Israel come out and come to Mount Sinai. As they reach Mount Sinai, they prepare to do these things, to build the tabernacle and to do the follow the commandments of God. And God tells Moses. You ask for the people to give you willingly and offering that will bring about the sanctuary of God.
Go down, go down to verse eight in verse eight, we read and let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you. That is the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings. Just so you shall make it. God says Israel, I want your heart. I don’t want you to give a certain percentage in this offering.
I don’t want you to give because someone’s forced you to, I don’t want you to give this way or that way. I want you to look in your heart and give it’s one of those passages where we find that finally, Moses had to tell the people stop giving. We’ve got enough, but notice here as well in verses eight and nine, that God said,
I want your heart, but I’m going to show you a pattern. I’m going to give you the direction of how you do what I’ve commanded you to do. And at the end of the verse nine, he says, just so you shall make it. He says, I’m going to give you a pattern and you’re going to follow it. And you’re going to follow it to the letter.
When we ask God to show us his ways and to teach us his paths, we better be prepared that when God presents us a pattern of how we are to live and how we are to worship and how we are to act and how, what role we are supposed to play in this life. And in his kingdom, we better be prepared to mold ourself to the pattern just so because God has already determined how he wants to use what our hearts produce.
So we see God showed direction. He showed pattern, but he also showed light Deuteronomy chapter one, Deuteronomy chapter one. And in verse 29, we read as Moses is going to rehearse in the ears of the second generation. He is going to rehearse what has gone before. And he’s going to tell them about what the first generation that came out of Egypt experienced.
And then we read in chapter one, verse 29. Then I said to you do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord, your God, who goes before you, he will fight for you. According to all that he did for you in Egypt, before your eyes and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord, your God carried you as a man,
carries his son in all the way that you went until you came to this place. Yet, for all that, you did not believe that the Lord, your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go in the fire by night and in the clown by day,
he says, you didn’t believe him. You didn’t do what he said to do. Yet. You saw him, you saw the manifestation of him in the fire at night, directing your paths in the cloud by day. You saw it, consider this idea as you’re looking for the ways of God and you’re searching for the direction to go. And you’re looking for the pattern to follow.
God had Israel watch day and night for the light, Joshua chapter five in this same regard, reveals this to us, Joshua chapter five. And in verse six for the children of Israel walked 40 years in the wilderness till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord to whom the Lord swore that he would not show them the land,
which the Lord had sworn to their fathers, that he should give us a land flowing with milk. And honey notice here in verse six, that God went and brought them around the wilderness because he wouldn’t show them. He wouldn’t show them what he had promised them because they wouldn’t obey his voice. Now step over to Nehemiah chapter nine, Nehemiah chapter nine.
And in verse 19, my fingers keep going right past Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter nine. And in verse 19, we read yet in your manifold mercies, you did not forsake them in the wilderness. Notice this here they are in the wilderness. They’ve gone to Sinai. They’ve been there. Sinai. They leave Sinai. They go up to the edge of the land of Canaan.
They refuse to go in. They’re rejected by God. He sends them out into the wilderness for 40 years and it could have been, it could have been, is there wandering in the wilderness that God just said, you know what? Just stay out here and die. I’m not taking you to the land anymore, but that’s not what happened. God’s presence was continually with them.
They weren’t in the promised land. They weren’t where they wanted to be. They weren’t going to receive the promise, but they still had his presence. He goes on to say in verse 19, yet in your manifold mercies, you did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day to lead them on the road,
nor the pillar of fire by night to show them light and the way they should go. Now, what was the condemnation in John chapter one in John chapter one, the condemnation concerning the people in Jesus’s day was they saw the light and they rejected it. They walked away from it. When you say to God, show me your ways. You better start looking for the light and you better start walking in the light.
First, John chapter one, as we walk in the light, the blood of Christ continues to cleanse us of our sins. So we need to be looking for the light. But first Samuel chapter 16, we also see another example of what God has showed someone in the past first, Samuel chapter 16. And in verse two, going down through verse three and Samuel said,
how can I go? If Saul hears that he will kill me now, what’s going on here? God saying, I’m rejecting Sol as my King over Israel. And I’m going to replace him and Samuel, you’re going to go anoint him and saying, you’ll says, how can I go? How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.
But, but the Lord said, take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint for me, the one I named to you, God tells Samuel, I’m going to show you who I want. I’m going to show you who the next King is going to be.
So here’s Samuel and he’s waiting for God to show him who the next King is. And he sees the oldest son of Jesse and he looks like a King. That must be it. And God says, no, I’ve rejected him. And the next one and the next one, and the next one on down the line until all the sons who are present for the sacrifice are eliminated.
Something that we’re told here is when Samuel sees what he thinks he’s looking for. God says, I don’t look on the outward part of man. I look on the heart. God showed Samuel that he places responsibility on individuals, not based upon their appearance, but their heart. God showed Samuel. The heart is what matters, but then consider second Chronicles.
Chapter 16, as we journey through the old Testament. Second Chronicles, chapter 16. Here’s what we find the days of EISA second Chronicles, chapter 16, beginning in verse seven. And that, that time Hannah nigh, the senior, came to Asia King of Judah and said to him, because you have relied on the King of Syria and have not relied on the Lord,
your God, therefore the army of the King of Syria has escaped from your hand. Here’s what’s going on. EISA was a good King. He didn’t always make the right choices. At one point in his time as King, he overcame an army of a million people because God delivered him. But then he was encroached upon by another army. And instead of going to God for deliverance,
he went to the King of Syria. So as a result of that, God’s going to rebuke him. And this is the sea or the prophet Hannah and I coming to do that. Verse eight. We’re the Ethiopians. That was the army of the million and the lube them not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen yet because you relied on the Lord.
He delivered them into your hand for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong. On behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him in this, you have done foolishly. Therefore from now on, you shall have Wars. Notice what happened. God said to EISA. I delivered you this first time and you should have relied on me because I show strength to those who are in need.
There was a time in the life of the apostle Paul, where he was plagued by trouble. We’re not sure what the trouble was, but he called it his thorn in the flesh. And he asked God three times to remove it from him. And God said no every single time, but he didn’t just say no. He told Paul in your weakness is my strength.
God showed strength to those who are weak, Psalm 16, Psalm 16. We find another example. As you go down this line of things, God has shown. You’re going to begin to see this picture of God and what he wants for us to formulate. Hopefully on this page for you, Psalm 16 and in verses 10 through 11 four, you will not leave my soul in shield,
nor will you allow your Holy one to see corruption. This is David and he’s writing. But as Peter in acts, chapter two reveals to us, he’s writing it prophetically, not about himself because Peter reveals it was an acts chapter two that the body of David is still here, still present with us. And it’s still in his tomb. But instead he’s writing this about the Messiah he says for you will not leave my soul in shield,
nor will you allow your Holy one to see corruption. You will show me the path of life in your presence is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Here’s the Messiah. Here’s Christ going to the cross and dying and relying on God, the father to show him the path of life. God showed life. And in that life, we’re talking about resurrection,
a new life by the power of God, but then consider chapter 25. As we loop our way back to this chapter later on in the chapter. And in verse 14, the Salmas writer declares this. The secrets of the Lord is with those who fear him and he will show them his covenants. God says, I want you to understand something. I’m going to reveal something to you.
That’s the idea of secrets there. That which is not revealed. The Samas writer is saying this, this God who I asked for me to show him, show me his ways, who I asked for him to teach me his paths. This God whom I fear this. God is showing me these secrets. What are these secrets? His revelation, but keep in mind something Jesus said,
as he was teaching individuals, that those who were, who had eyes, wouldn’t see, because they were blind spiritually. The revelation for us. Now, this wasn’t always true in David’s day, but the revelation for us is here. And if we have eyes to see, we can do exactly what Jesus said. He who has eyes to see, let him see.
But if we don’t first fear, God, we won’t keep his commandments. The revelation of God is in his covenants. In his promises. God is a God of secrets revealed in covenants. And we are to be those who understand and see those promises and live by them. But then Psalm 51, Psalm 51 in a Psalm of repentance and as song where there is a writer who is crying out to God to be made clean,
to be restored to righteousness. He says in verse 15, Oh Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall show forth your praise. So we go down a of things that God has showed people in the past. We don’t have to go very far before we find God showing them worship before God shows them to praise him. When we asked for God to show us the life,
where to live the path, where to walk, we better be making plans for worship because that path and that way goes straight through our praise of him. One thing, God didn’t show. Matter of fact, one thing God showed you must not do. This is in his EEQ Ezekiel chapter 33, God condemns Israel. ZQ chapter 33 beginning in verse 31.
God says, so they have come to you as people do. This is a common thing. You don’t have to look hard to find this not in as equals day and not today. So they have come to you as people do. They sit before you as my people and they hear your words, but they do not do them for, with their mouth.
They show much love, but with their heart pursue their own gain. Indeed, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear your words, but they do not do them. When the Psalm is writer says, show me your ways. O Lord teach me your paths.
You better believe that God expects us. If we’re going to express the same sentiment to not only be shown his ways, but to then implement his ways, because it is not enough to assemble together or to sit down with your Bible and think, wow, look at all of the wonderful poetry. Look at how this writer expresses this. So vividly. Think of all these wonderful things and these nuggets of wisdom,
all the while, all we really care about is ourselves. You know, if you wanted a pretty, pretty much a guaranteed path forward economically for your life, you could spend your entire life as a consultant for businesses by extracting the principles out of the book of Proverbs and just teaching them to business owners and you’d get paid a fortune. I know this because there’s a number of people out there doing it right now.
And you could do that for your own gain while never implementing a single one of them in your own life. But Jesus said, what does it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. So we’ve got a picture hopefully of what God’s already showed in the past. But now very quickly. I want us to go through a few passages about what God has showed us.
He is because remember the Psalmus writer, doesn’t just say, show me the path. He doesn’t say, show me the way he says, show me your ways. Teach me your paths. Genesis chapter 24. When you see a picture of God, when you understand who God is, the very first thing. If you go through all the old Testament,
you’re going to find this over and over and over again. You’re going to find the picture of God as a picture of kindness in Exodus, chapter 24. And in verse 12, we read this. Then the Lord said to Moses, come up to me on the mountain and I, and be there. And I will give you tablets of stone and the law and the commandments,
which I have written that you may teach them. Notice God wants to teach Israel his commandments through these commandments and judgments. Now go to chapter 40 verse 12 of the book of Exodus, chapter 40 and verse 12. We read. Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. And you shall put the Holy garments on air and then anoint them and consecrate them.
Then he may minister to me as priest. And you shall bring his sons and clothed them with tunings. You shall anoint them as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me as priest for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. Thus Moses did, according to all that, the Lord commanded him. So he did here.
The statutes here, the commandments here is the establishment of the priesthood to bridge the gap between a sinless people and their God. Turn to chapter 41. Wait, just a minute. I’m I’m in Exodus. One of y’all needed to point that out to me. Hey Aaron, you’re in the wrong book. Genesis chapter 41 in verse nine, get this right.
Genesis chapter 41. This builds on chapter 40, which I forgot to read because I read the wrong book. Joseph is in prison. He’s been put in prison and he has revealed the dream of the Butler and the Baker. And the Butler has been brought back to Pharaoh in Joseph told him, you show me kindness. You tell Pharaoh about me. You get me out of here.
Two years later, still hasn’t happened in chapter 41. And in verse nine, then the chief Butler spoke to Pharaoh saying, I remember my faults this day when Pharaoh was angry with his servant and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief Baker. We each had a dream in one night. He and I,
each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now there was a young man, a young Hebrew man with us. They’re a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us to each man. He interpreted according to his own dream and it came to pass just as he interpreted for us.
So it happened. He restored me to my office and he hanged him. Joseph asked for kindness, this man for God. And he said, I remember now today, my faults, because I failed to show kindness, turn back to Genesis chapter 24, Genesis chapter 24. And in verse 12, then he said, Oh Lord God of my master Abraham,
please give me success this day and show kindness to my master. Abraham. That one makes a lot more sense here. The servant of Abraham pleads on behalf of, of his master show, my master kindness. Why does he ask for kindness? Because he knows who God is because he knows that God is a God of loving kindness. And because he knows that God has made a promise.
You have the covenants and you have the laws and you have the promises and they come together in God’s kindness toward us. Romans chapter five. We’re told that while we were yet sinners, the God who gave us the laws and the commandments and the judgments whose laws we broke and who condemned us and judged us at the same time, showed us kindness by giving us his son,
but then consider Xs chapter seven. We see God as a God of kindness. We see God as a God of power and Exodus chapter seven. And in verse nine, we read beginning in verse eight, then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, when Pharaoh speaks to you saying, show America for yourselves, then you shall say to Aaron, take your Ron and cast it before Pharaoh and let it become a serpent.
God will proceed forth from this point and do miracle after miracle. After miracle, after miracle in front of Egypt and Pharaoh to declare his power God’s ways are ways of power. And you can read that all throughout the old and the new Testament, but turn to Exodus chapter 23, Exodus chapter 23. And in verse three, God says through Moses to his judges in Israel,
you shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute. God says you don’t show partiality. As a judge, we read this morning in our class in James chapter two about the fact that we are judges and we are not to show partiality. We are to be those who instead are just and show righteous judgment. I’d love to spend more time on that,
but we’re going to forgo it for the sake of time in numbers, chapter 16, numbers, chapter 16, verses three through seven. We see another attribute of God. We’ve seen his kindness. We see his power. We see the fact that he does not show partiality because he also commands us not to show partiality. But then we also see his holiness in numbers,
chapter 16, dealing with the rebellion of, of Cora and, uh, and day thin. And Abiram, and on we read in verses three through seven, they gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, you take too much upon yourselves for all the congregation is Holy. Every one of them and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?
Here’s their, their argument against Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s priesthood. And Moses’s leadership is all the congregations, Holly. So we can all be priests. We can all stand where we want to stand. Moses who gave you, right? So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face and he spoke to Cora and all his company saying tomorrow morning,
the Lord will show you who is his and who is Holy and will cause him to come near to him. That one whom he chooses, he will cause to come near to him. Do this, take sensors, Cora, and all your company put fire in them, put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow. And it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the Holy one.
You take too much upon yourselves. You sons of Levi. We know from the remainder of the account, that God would open up the earth and swallow them at declare who he claimed was really Holy and who was his man. And it would be Moses. But in first Peter chapter one, Peter draws forward. This idea of holiness and says, be ye Holy for God is Holy.
When Cora said all the congregation is Holy. Not just you, Aaron, not just you, Moses, he at the same time was signing his own death warrant because he was choosing not to be Holy before God Deuteronomy chapter seven. One attribute that offsets some of these others as we look at gong is seen here in this section because we’ve looked at kindness.
We’ve looked at power. We’ve looked at not showing partiality. We’ve looked at holiness, but there’s another one. And it’s judgment. Cause you don’t get God without judgment in Deuteronomy chapter seven, verse one. When the Lord, your God brings you into the land, which you can go to possess and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites,
the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites and the parasites and the Hivites and the JB sites, seven nations, greater and mightier than you. And when the Lord, your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them utterly and destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor make show mercy to them, nor shall you make marriages with them.
You shall not give them your daughters for their sons nor take their daughter for your son for, they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods. So the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy. You. Suddenly God tells Israel, you go into this land and you make no covenants and you show no mercy and you make no relationships with these people because they will turn you away from me and bring on you.
Their judgment. God’s not showing partiality here. God’s not showing partiality to Israel over the people in this land. God’s saying this people in this land, their time has run out. I gave them time to repent. I put Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in their land for hundreds of years. And they continued to get worse and worse and worse. They wouldn’t repent.
And now their time is up. You do not get God as a God of kindness, power, not part, not showing partiality and holiness, and then get to leave out judgment. Let’s get to the last one. We talked about loving kindness, which is Psalm 17. We talked about that a little bit in number one, but then Psalm 25.
Again, as again, we come back to this song. We are again, reminded that God is a God of revelation. God is a God of covenants. Let’s read through the portion of the Psalm from verse four to verse 15, show me your ways of Lord. Teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me for you are the God of my salvation on you.
I wait all the day, remember a Lord, your tender mercies, and your loving kindnesses for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. According to your mercy, remember me for your goodness’s sake. A Lord good and upright is the Lord. Therefore he teaches sinners in the way, the humble he guides in justice,
the humble he teaches his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies for your name. Seiko Lord. Pardon? My iniquity for it is great. Who is the man that fears the Lord him, shall he teach in the way he chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity and his descendants shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him and he will show them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord for, he shall pluck my feet out of the net. There is a danger. There is a danger encroaching upon the lives of every single one of us today. And it’s the danger of sin. It’s the danger of being entrapped by Satan,
his Wiles and his soldiers. But you and I have a choice. We have a choice that we can choose God. Instead, we can seek his ways and we can learn his paths and he will show us. He has shown us and he will pluck us out of disaster and into salvation if we will, but walk in his way. If you’re outside the body of Christ this morning,
you’re outside of that salvation. And it is found in only one case in one location in Christ, you enter into Christ by hearing the word of God and believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God. You enter into Christ by having heard that word and believed it repenting of your sins, because you can’t walk your way and God’s way at the same time,
having repetitive those sins, you must confess allegiance to Christ, confess the name of Christ and be immersed in water, buried in water for the remission of your sins, because God is a God of resurrection and you don’t walk in his light, stained in your old sins. You have to die to those sins and you have to rise to walk in newness of life.
If you’ve done that, then may your thought process every day. Be God, show me your ways, but then sit down with his word and find out what those ways really are. If you’re a member of the body of Christ and you’ve strayed from the path of righteousness or brought shit, public shame and reproach upon the church, you can come back.
We will pray with you and pray for you. If you have need of the invitation for any reason, why not come now as we stand in, as we sing, can you, uh, Uh, uh, uh,<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> and<inaudible> who drives? Uh,
let’s see, um, your, uh,<inaudible> and, uh,<inaudible> Thank Garren for his lesson, and we’re glad to have all of our visitors here with us today. Um, and we welcome everyone back on Wednesday. We will close with our number with our song 711. We’ll have our closing prayer number 711<inaudible>, uh, that, uh,
uh,<inaudible> uh, uh, uh,<inaudible> uh<inaudible> we<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> um, you<inaudible> and, uh,<inaudible> uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Oh, with me, Our father in heaven. We’re thankful for this time that we’ve had to assemble to worship the father in spirit. And in truth, we ask that you would be with us and you would be with our nation father.
As I go through this pandemic, I asked that you would watch over us and protect us and save us from it, asked that you would forgive us of our sins and help us to walk in that sight. Father, forgive us of our sins, help us to do that. We’ll have to come back at the next appointed time. These things were asked in Christ name and amen.
Ask that you’d be seated for a while. There’s going to be a shorter nap, but thank you. Having concluded our services on behalf of the congregation, going to ask Eric and Holly and the family, if they will please come up to the stage up here. This, this is the stage in spite of the fact that I’m good at preaching. I’m not good at speechmaking,
but we want you to know all five of you, how much you mean to us. We want to express to you a token of our appreciation for your work, the work that you’ve done in school, uh, Eric, you and I, and others who have talked through the last two years, know how many hours and nights you’re, you know,
studying in a way. And that’s a sacrifice, not just by you, but by the entire family, but we’re incredibly proud of you. We’re proud of what you’ve done while you’ve been here and how you’ve been a part of this congregation. And we want you to know every single one of you, that you will always be a part of this congregation.
This is just a card and something from the congregation, wishing you happy graduation, best wishes, and every good thought we could wish towards in your future and in your labors as they proceed forward, we love you and services are over, but please stand and give them a round of applause for their successful graduation. In spite of the fact, I asked them to get flunked.<inaudible> well,
it’s hard. This is really hard, but you’ve really loved it here. And we love you guys so much. This is tough for us to go home. We’re excited to go home, but it stuff because you guys am hate at home for us. And we are excited to come back and to see you guys as much as we can. And thank you so much for your love,
your support. You guys have really encouraged me and our family as we’ve gone through school, and it’s tough, but you guys were always there to encourage us. And I really appreciate that. Thank you so much. You were dismissed.
My Hey, there we go. Test one, two, Testing, one, two, Testing, one, two, Testing, one, two, testing, one, two, testing, one, two, testing, one, two, Testing, one, two testing testing one, two, testing, one, two testing.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> It is time for us to get started.<inaudible> we’ll do it this way.
We are in the book of James this evening. Hey, Eric turned me down, just a hair. One of my hair’s not want to Eric Halvorson’s please.<inaudible> Good to see everyone out this evening and hope everyone is doing well, continues to do well. And also a glad for those who are still at home, but doing well. And, uh,
those who are traveling in a way Eddie and, and the boys left Tuesday. So their multi-week journey has begun. So they’ll, they’ll be back, uh, probably around the beginning of July. So maybe a few days after that, but seeing the aunts, seeing the grandparents. So James chapter one is where our study will come from this evening. Let’s begin with a word of prayer Gracious father in heaven.
We bow before you at this time, grateful for this day that you’ve given to us in the life that we have the opportunities that we have to serve you. And we pray that we will diligently serve you throughout our lives. That we will look for opportunities to serve. And not only do the things that we are asked Lord, we pray that you be with those who are dealing with hardship.
Right now, we pray for many that have lost jobs. Others that have lost loved ones as a result of the things going on in the world today. And we pray that you will give them comfort and strength. We’re also mindful of those who may be dealing with longterm illnesses, and we pray that they will be able to have comfort in the hard times.
And the hard days have strength in the good days. We pray that you will be with those who are struggling spiritually, pray that you will give them strength, pray that they might seek that strength through your word and that they might make you their ally and their fortress. They might be held up by the power of your word, Lord. We pray that you’d be with us as we go throughout this period of study this evening.
As we look into this book that was penned by James, but ultimately came from you. Pray that we might put on those first century glasses and be able to understand in the words and the perspectives in which it was written, but also be able to understand it and apply it in our own lives. We pray that you forgive us when we sin and fall short of your glory,
help us to always strive daily, to walk in your, uh, acceptably in your sight. All this we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Pop quiz. Ha no, just kidding. Who is James? Most likely the James of this epistle is the brother of Jesus. Uh, we know of at least two James’s in the new Testament, which one of them was an apostle James,
the brother of John. Okay. But we know as well that Jesus had a half brother because he was the son of who Joseph. Okay. He was a half brother because he was of, uh, he was from Mary, but he wasn’t from the same father. Uh, and so a son of Joseph who knew Jesus knew about what Jesus claimed to be,
but did he believe Jesus was who he claimed to be at the beginning? No. Uh, and I’m not going back and looking at these passages because they’re all passages that we looked at when we were studying the book of John. Uh, but Jesus, his brothers did not believe him to be what he claimed to be at the beginning. And matter of fact,
during one of the feasts, they said, well, what are you doing here? Go and show yourself at the feast. If you are who you claim to be, go manifest yourself as a prophet would do. Don’t be a profit in secret if you’re a prophet. Uh, and so mocking him saying, you need to go do this, not understanding what they were saying.
So the indication of history tradition is that as the resurrection occurred and the church was established, one of, uh, one group of people that were converted, Jesus having risen from the dead Jesus, having, you know, done all of those things that he said he would do evidencing himself as the Messiah. One of those groups that was converted were his siblings.
There’s another indication that there’s another brother of Jesus who was an author of one of the books of the new Testament, which one might that be? Jude. Jude is also most likely a reference to Jesus’s half brother Jude. So yes Is involved. The assumption would have to be yes, but you also get this perspective that throughout his ministry, even Mary doesn’t comprehend.
And that’s the hard thing for you and me is we get to look at it and knowing the facts afterwards, it’s a whole lot harder when they’re living in the moment, looking at it, you know, and, and this is just, this was just the, the brother this, you know, um, and who knows did didn’t Mary and Joseph ever tell the brothers am,
by the way, this is how Jesus don’t don’t know. Don’t know I have no, no knowledge whatsoever. Um, it would make sense to us that that was the case. But, uh, nonetheless, uh, of course then again, you add into it of, of course all children always do everything and understand and believe everything their parents tell them.
So, uh, we’ll, we’ll just leave that one at that. Also bear in mind that James would have been younger than Jesus. Jude would have been younger than Jesus. How many years we don’t know, but if Jesus began his ministry at 30, that means they’re in their twenties or maybe late teens, depending upon how much distance there is between the brothers.
Um, so, you know, there’s, there’s that side of things as well. Okay. Uh, no, no, actually there, there is, I said there were two there’s three James, is that we’re aware because there are actually two apostles who are referenced as, as James, um, is, and this is coming off the top of my head,
but I believe James, the less has also won the one references Bartholomew. You might have to look that up, but, uh, but there were two apostles known as James James, the brother of John. And in one of the texts, we also have James the less, Well, he was the one they would think Ruth, right? That seems to be,
that seems to be James, the brother of Jesus. That was, that was at Jerusalem. Galatians speaks concerning him as, as a one who was in Jerusalem, also acts chapter 15. He’s referenced as one of the elders in Jerusalem. Um, so that those references in Galatians and acts 15 seemed to be the same. James who wrote this book,
Jane, I do not believe so. I think That references a different, different James among the apostles. Um, so James begins this a Pissle this letter with James, the half brother of Christ in the flesh. Nope. He actually begins it in a very similar way that Jude begins his epistle James, a bond servant of God and of the Lord,
Jesus Christ. James does not begin. If all, everything that we’ve said to this point is accurate and it is the half brother of Jesus. He doesn’t begin with his earthly relationship to Jesus. He doesn’t go, Hey, you need to listen to me because I’m no, no, he begins it with I’m a bond servant. And any of you that have siblings put yourself in that perspective,
I imagine you saying about your sibling, I’m their servant. And then think about what that would be when you were younger. You just wouldn’t have done it. But this, this maturity, this perspective to say, even if he was my half brother, it didn’t matter anymore because the higher relationship, the most important relationship was not their fleshly connection. It was their spiritual connection.
So he begins James, a bond servant of God and of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Lord he’s the master Jesus. He’s the savior Christ the translation in the Greek of crystals of Messiah from the old Testament. He’s the Messiah. James says to the 12 tribes, which are scattered abroad. Greetings is James writing to the Jews, the nation<inaudible>. It could be there.
There’s not really a definitive idea on exactly the timeframe of this. Uh, I’ve seen, I’ve seen numbers anywhere between, um, you know, 50, 80 all the way to, to later. And maybe some maybe suggest even earlier than that. But, um, based upon my reading, my research, I think we’re probably good, 20, 30 years into,
uh, you know, the, the establishment of the church. And this is probably after the dispersion, uh, that you read about in book of acts where they’re driven out because of persecution, the Christians are driven out among the other nations, but as we get into this, one of the things that we need to be clear about is who is James writing to,
and he’s not writing to the Jewish nation by blood. He is writing to Christians, predominantly Christians who were Israelites Jews, but he’s writing to Christians, but he dresses them as the people of God. You remember where Paul says that the real Israel isn’t fleshly Israel, but the real Israel is spiritual Israel. When John or when James uses this reference, the 12 tribes,
he’s not talking about the people living in Jerusalem or Judea or Galilee. He’s talking about the Christians everywhere. And he says to the 12 tribes, which are scattered abroad, greetings my brethren, count it all joy. When you fall into various trials, temptations, the King, James says he, he wants them to be joyous. He already begins with your scattered abroad.
Now they weren’t scattered abroad because they were all just out having a good time out on vacation. They didn’t end up scattered everywhere because everything was going well, why were they scattered abroad? Because of persecution. And in the midst of this persecution, he says, I’m writing to you. And I know what you’ve been going through because you’re scattered abroad. I know why you are where you are,
but know this. You need to count it all joy. As if to say you start, we’ve got that, that song, counter many blessings. And I’m afraid what we do habitually in our own lives is we count every good blessing. We count everything. We consider a blessing and not everything. The Lord considers a blessing. We count all the good things that make us happy.
And we think, well, if I counted all the bad things that make us upset, sad, frustrated, angry, you know, make our lives difficult. I I’d probably have to lower my joy count a little bit. James says, no. James says you count your trials among your blessings. He says, count it all. Joy. Tally it up on your joy meter as it were,
as these are good things. Now notice what he says. He says counted all joy. When you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. This word fall here is, is interesting. And I want us to comprehend. This is not James saying to people, you are ignorant and foolish and your ignorance and your foolishness has produced trouble in your life.
And you need to be happy about it. That’s not what he’s saying. The idea of fall here is, is much like, you know, we sometimes will talk about people who fall in love. They, they, they didn’t really do anything to get there. It just happened. Okay. Uh, James is saying, you didn’t put yourself in this position.
You didn’t travel into trials. You didn’t drive into trials. You didn’t pursue trials. You got trials dropped on you. And yet he says no, that these trials produce something. They produce the word patience here is<inaudible>. It is to stand up under something. As if to say you were going to bear a burden, thinking your minds of the,
uh, the priests bearing the Ark of the covenant, those, those posts, they would lift those posts up and they would carry them on their shoulder. They would Bayer the Ark on their shoulders as they would travel. They’re lifting it up. They’re bearing it up. That’s this word?<inaudible> Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh, first Peter one six is,
is again another idea here. So he says, knowing the testing, the trials, the difficulties produce something. Now in order to produce something, uh, you’re talking about a manufacturing process. You generally have to have energy. You’ve got to have effort. You’ve got to have all in a lot of situations. You’ve got to have heat. Peter uses that illustration when he says that the trying of your faith is like a fire,
which does what to gold refines it. But it here’s the thing. If you have a house burning down and there’s a really hot fire in the midst of it, and there happens to be gold jewelry in the midst of that fire, when the fire’s over is the jewelry refined. It may be melded, but it’s not refined. Why? Because care wasn’t taken in the midst of the fire to produce something more valuable.
It was destroyed by the fire. Instead you would actually have gold that has been inundated with things that aren’t pure gold. Something that is produced is intentional. You don’t look at the trials that you’re going through and say, you know what? I’m going to sit back and wait until God produces me into something better on the other side of this. No,
no, no, no. You’re involved. You’re active here. You’re making a choice to become better because of the trial, which is the active part in which you can find the joy. Notice what he says. He says, but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. Is this perfection, sinless perfection kind of perfection.
Is it? It’s another word here that we could use in the English complete or mature. He says, use this to grow up. Um, Eric has just gone through a, in class Keith Mosher’s series of lessons on the stages of faith. And one of the things that you will find is true in life is also true in your faith is generally catastrophe.
That moves someone to another level. It’s hardship that creates the opportunity for someone to become more mature in their understanding of God and in their growth. And so one of the things that you find here is he says you have to allow patience, endurance to work in you. What does that mean about the trial? Is it going to be a quick trial?
You know, they’re done finished. Whoo, glad I got out of that. Oh, if patients is going to be working and you’re going to be enduring, cause that’s what the word patients mean. If you’re going to be bearing up under something, you’re going to be burying up, bearing up under it for a while. This isn’t a, uh,
a drive through trial. This is life. But he says, if you lack wisdom, now he says, patients can have its perfect work. And in that patient, you can become complete. You can become perfect. You can become mature, lacking nothing. You allow God to do what he wants to do with you. And you’ll become mature. You become complete.
You’ll become one. Who’s lacking nothing. You can step over to the books of Peter and look at the Christian graces and see how endurance and patience falls into that growth, circular pattern there. But here he says, this work can happen, but it requires an integral piece. Uh, the, that has to happen. There there’s a necessary event or,
or substance that has to be in your life in order for this patience to produce completeness and its wisdom trials, plus endurance, without wisdom, doesn’t produce completeness. So he says, you can be without lacking, but if you are lacking, one of the things you need is wisdom. One of the things you need to endure trials is this wisdom. He says,
if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach. And it will be given to him, but let him ask in faith with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. This individual who asks wisdom from God. So you’re going to get it like Solomon,
you know, God asks Solomon, what, what do you ask, ask for what you will. And Solomon asked for what wisdom and God said, because you didn’t ask for riches and long life and all of these other things, I’m going to give those things to you. But I’m also going to give you wisdom. It’s not going to work that way for us.
We’re not going to wake up one morning and just have the wisdom to judge Israel. It’s not going to happen. We’re going to have wisdom because we have gained it intentionally. But this is one of those passages in the scripture where we get this comprehension that God’s actions are joined with our actions to produce God’s will because God is not going to give us wisdom.
Miraculously, God’s not going to open up our brains and just stuff wisdom in there. He’s going to expect something from us to gain that wisdom. And sometimes that’s going to in, I mean, all of that time is going to involve study because the entire book of Proverbs, which is kind of the, the, the old Testament counterpart to the book of James is they’re telling you here’s wisdom.
It’s crying out to you, but you got to show up and actually get some of it. It’s crying out to the fool too, but the fool’s going to ignore it. The fool doesn’t want to learn. We have a society. We have a culture, I think to some degree in some areas it’s changing. But we, we are really in opposition to failure.
I mean, we really look down on failure. We look at someone who has made a mess of their life. Maybe it’s because of something they did, or maybe it’s something. And, and, and we just, our culture looks down on them. You take someone who has started a business and then failed. They’ve gone under the, you know,
there’s a lot of people in that situation right now question, how many of them had a really any say in it whatsoever? None, but they’re still failures, right? Maybe they are by some people’s standards. But here’s the thing. The failure in reality, the person who’s a real failure is the same person. God calls a fool because it’s the person who will not receive wisdom will not receive instruction and will not grow from trials.
No one who goes through trials and in experience is a failure, but then grows and learns from it is a failure. They’re not a failure. They’re someone who’s growing. When we see a little toddler, just learning to walk and he’s holding onto the Pew. All of us, remember when Micah was at this stage, he’s at the running stage now,
but when he was at this stage and he’d hold onto something everywhere, he went and get two steps. And none of us looked at him as a failure. None of us thought he’s just never going to get it. He’s never going to walk because falling down didn’t equal failure. And we do that. We have that mindset naturally when we’re looking at a toddler,
but we don’t have that mindset when we’re looking at an adult, but we need to, we need to have the mindset that says falling once or twice stumbling, and then getting up that wasn’t failure. That was growth because it’s the getting up. It’s the going back. It’s the re-examining. Why did I fail? Why did I fall? What happened?
And how do I overcome it? Next time that produces growth. He says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach. And it will be given to him. The one thing that was brought out by a commentary or by a class that I was listening to on this, this aspect, it made a good point.
Since we’ve all, at some point had this situation where maybe someone we know a sibling or parent, whatever, uh, we’ve been in the experience where someone asked someone for some money, Hey, can I have 15 bucks? And the response has been what happened to the $15 I just gave you the other day. We’ve all seen it. We’ve all been,
it’s all happened. At some point, I gave you something the other day. What happened to that? If you had used that properly, you wouldn’t be coming back to me asking again, that’s here in this idea of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, God’s not going to be looking back at us. When we say, Lord, I need more wisdom and saying,
didn’t I didn’t. You ask me for wisdom yesterday. When is it? When is enough enough? That’s not, God, God gives liberally. God says, yes, here’s more. Yes, here’s more now careful. You might get some trials with that wisdom, what you need application and not just learning. So you’re, you might go through the ringer,
getting it, but God gives liberally. But he goes on to say for, let that let, not that man, suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. Why? Because he doubted he would receive something from God he asked, but he didn’t actually believe God would do it. Careful. If you ever pray to God and ask him for a million dollars,
you might get it. But guess what? Money is often a trial money is often in scripture described, described as a stumbling block. So careful what you ask for you might get it. Absolutely. Absolutely. It’s always going to come back to your faith. It’s always going to come back to your focus on God and not self here’s. The problem with the person who doubts.
He’s doubting God, almost invariably, because he’s doubting him self. And when you have someone who’s judging God by themselves, they’re never going to see God for who he is. They’re never going to see God for what he can do for them because they’re judging God by themselves. So this person’s unstable. James says he’s like a ship. That’s just being beaten by a storm.
It has in no control whatsoever of its destiny and it’s unstable. But he says he is, double-minded unstable in all of his ways. He’s of two minds. Then verse nine, he says, let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation. Sometimes God is going to come and he’s going to take a lowly brother. He’s going to take one who is humble in spirit,
but also humble in experience. And God is going to lift him up. But he also says, but the rich in his humiliation, God may take one. Who’s up here and bring him down. Guess what? Which one of those? The one who has experienced humiliation and the one who has experienced exaltation, which one of them’s the failure, neither one,
because both of them are servants of God. Catch onto this. He says, count it all joy. When you fall into various trials, grow from your wisdom. Don’t doubt God game in your faith and in your wisdom, through your endurance and through your patience. And then when life brings you changes, whether you’re going up as a humble man, or whether you’re rich and you’re going down to gain humility,
he said either way, you are one who can count it, all joy. It’s, it’s easy for a humble poor man to say, I’ve become richer and I’ve been exalted and I’ve been brought to a higher place and count it joy. It’s a lot harder for a rich person. Who’s become destitute to count it all joy. Unless his mindset is I haven’t moved one degree in relationship to my God.
See, this is where the perspective comes in. None of these changes that James describes here have anything to do with your relationship to God, but your faith and your wisdom and your endurance of trials has everything to do with your relationship to God. So then he says, let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field,
he will pass away for no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it Withers the grass. It flowers, it’s flowers fell it flowers fall, and it’s beautiful appearance parishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. This isn’t new thinking, this isn’t new, new revelation from God in the sense that God hasn’t told you this already go back and look at Proverbs,
go back to the book of Ecclesiastes. He’s you just had him summary form. The book of Ecclesiastes. He’s the rich man who does everything to gain his riches in his life. Does what ultimately dies and leaves it to somebody else. And Solomon looks at it and says, Anne, what happens to the rich man who does everything and all of his wisdom to gain all this wealth and die that leave it to,
to a fool who is his son? What point was it? Vanity of vanities all is vanity except serve God and keep his commandments. So then here we have this picture, beautiful flower comes out, buds. It grows, develops into this beautiful site that all of us appreciate. I don’t know anybody who looks at flowers and goes, except for people who maybe have dealt with flowers for a long time.
And all they see is the work. No way. He looks at flowers and goes, ah, those are just ugly. All of them everywhere in the world. They’re just ugly. Now. They’re not, we know better. What, how long do they last long? And yet God’s still in control. So the rich who’s bloomed in his riches like a flower.
And then it faded away. He can still glory in what has happened. So then in verse 12, he says, not only do you need to endure trials, not only do you need to come with grit, come to grips with the fact that life brings you changes. Sometimes you go up in physical possessions and sometimes you go down, but either way you stay humble and you glory in God and not riches.
He then says, bless it. As the man who endures temptation this temptation because King James says temptation both at the beginning of the, of the chapter. And here, this temptation is not the same as the first one, the trials of life or the first one, the temptation here is sin. And we’re going to get that. He says blessed is the man who endures temptation for when he has been approved.
He will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God for God, cannot tempt cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But each one is tempted. When he is drawn away of his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived,
it brings, gives birth to sin and sin. When it is full grown, brings forth death. There is a growth pattern, not only to spiritual success, completeness and perfection, there is a growth pattern to sin and you’re growing one of the two directions because there’s not a third alternative. You’re growing into center. You’re growing toward God. You’re not stagnant because life won’t let you be.
Every trial that you were in. Dewar brings you closer to God or pushes you away. And every temptation you endure either pushes you closer to God or pushes you farther away. How many of us, when we’ve been faced with the temptation to sin have said, I am blessed. No. Why can’t I get rid of all these temptations? You know,
sometimes that’s the way we are as Christians. Why can’t I get rid of all the temptations? Not why can’t I avoid sinning. We go through our lives, trying to walk around, avoiding temptation instead of looking at the temptation and going, I’m going to serve God. And every time I’m tempted and choose to serve God, I become stronger. I become closer to him.
Jesus didn’t walk around without temptations. And yet Jesus never looked at a temptation as being the same thing. As having committed the sin, Jesus looked at the temptation and said, I’m going that direction. A temptation is only a temptation when it’s something that you actually in some form or fashion want. And Jesus walked himself into temptations at times. Didn’t he?
I mean, he could have stayed away from the Pharisees. He could have eaten food for 40 days instead of fasting for 40 days. But he opened himself up to temptation by fasting for 40 days. And Satan came to him and said, you see those stones, go ahead, make them bread. He put himself in a place where he could be tempted.
Now I’m not advocating. Let’s go rush into temptation. No know Paul still says, flee, youthful us. Turn away from, tentation go away from tentation and pursue righteousness. But as you’re pursuing righteousness, guess what’s going to catch up with you temptation. And James says, bless it. As the man who endures again, stands up under those temptations.
Instead of giving into them, do not be deceived verse 16, my beloved brethren, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning of his own, will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
God brought us forth, birthed us by what brought us forth by the word of truth. But then he goes on to say so then my beloved brethren, let every man be Swift to hear slow, to speak, slow to wrath. We generally reverse all three of those slow to hear quick, to talk and quick to get angry. James says, don’t do that for the wrath of man does not produce Whoa,
wait a minute. Then we just have that produced word earlier. Endurance and patience produces perfection, but quick to wrath produces not righteousness. So then he says, therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness. The implanted word. If you are holding on to filthiness, if you are holding on to wickedness, you’re not going to receive the word of God because you’re holding onto something else.
He says, if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of Liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer of the word, but a doer of the work.
This one will be blessed in what he does. This is, this is Matthew chapter seven, verses 13, through the end of the chapter right here, all in summary form straight narrow way or a way that’s wide and broad and easy to walk. Few there be that, find it. Well, there’s going to be plenty who find this over here.
Then there’s the wise man who builds because he hears and he does something with what he hears. And there’s the fool over here who hears and goes away and forgets. We need to be mindful of these things and we need to see the lessons that are here. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart.
This one’s religion is useless. There’s more here than just someone who says I’m a, I’m a religious person and then uses profanity. There’s here. The person who claims to be religious and then is raffle. There’s your context. He’s talked about the one who is quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to wrath. And he comes up behind that with here’s your religious person.
They claim to be religious, but they don’t speak that way. He goes on to say pure and undefiled religion before God. And the father is this to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself. Unspotted from the world. You keep yourself, you want to, you want true religion. You keep yourself out of the world, which means you’re walking in the light.
You’re walking with God, you’re applying righteousness to your life, but then you also be worried about others. The fatherless, the widow, those who can’t provide for themselves, you do for others. Oh, wait a minute. It wasn’t a Jesus. Who said the greatest commandment in the law is I shall love the Lord. Thy God, with all my heart,
with all I sold with all, I strengthen all that in mind. Isn’t that? Keeping your cell phone spotted from the world because you’re at one with God. And then the second, like unto him, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There’s your true religion, James. Isn’t telling you anything. Jesus, didn’t already tell you. He’s just saying it in different words.
Okay. Let’s go through the questions. We’re out of time. Question one, a person should be a happy or be sad. When trials come his way, a happy, joyous question. Two. How can an individual obtain wisdom ask from God? How should he ask in faith without doubting? What has the Lord promised to those that love him and persevere under trial crown of life.
Lust leads to sin and sin leads to death. James did not say a person should be a quick to hear, be slow to speak. See quick to argue or D slow to anger. C quick to argue. Number six, the implanted blank is able to save souls. Word number seven, pure and undefiled. Religion is not a visit the orphans B.
Visit the widows. See only hear the word or D keep oneself unstained from the world. See, all right, thank you for your attention. We’ll have our devotional in just a moment.<inaudible> Good evening. Welcome to the Collierville Wednesday night Bible study. It is really good to see each and every one of you out tonight. And for those of you that were unable to attend,
I’m so glad that you were able to either call in or watch it via live stream. We miss each and every one of you that are unable to make it out. And we pray each and every day that you’re able to return to us as soon as possible. The worship God announcements for this evening. Please remember our sick and keeping your prayers, uh,
Rodel and Dorothy Wilson, Joan Springer. I asked Maria, you know what exactly is all going on with her? And there is several different things that’s going on with her right now. So the best thing is just keep her in your thoughts and prayers each and every day and pray that she can get back to a normal life and she’d come out and worship with us again,
enjoy life. Um, other announcements, uh, Memphis school of preaching graduation is this Sunday. The reception is from three to four, and then the graduation itself is at five o’clock. And that is all over at the forest Hill chapel and, uh, fellowship hall over there. Eric and Holly and the family will be here with us Sunday morning for Bible study and a worship service.
So if you are unable to make it over to the forest Hill graduation, you’ll bill to come over and say, your sad goodbyes them Sunday morning over here, cause we’re gonna miss each. And every one of you believe me more than you can ever imagine a reminder about the nationwide gospel, a meeting call that is every night at nine o’clock, Monday through Friday,
there is a flyer out here on the table. If you’re interested in that to see what topic and who is speaking on that topic each night, and then next week will be the last week of that Sunday. We’ll put out those flyers for that. Um, only other non-sports I have is, uh, it’s kind of an admin thing I have ordered and should be here tomorrow at my house,
a couple of big bottles of hand sanitizer, and we will keep them on a table out here. So don’t be afraid to use any hand sanitizer while you’re here. If you need it. We’ve got, I’ve got plenty of common anyway, because I’ve got a line on som. So I got some more common tomorrow. Uh, the Steven in Murray sprinters,
uh, leader, a song service, Aaron Cozort will have the devotional and I will have the closing prayer. Thank you, please marketing your book. Number 943, number nine four three 153. Number four, five three. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful.<inaudible> very deeply stained within sinking to rise. No more bottom master of the sea heard my despairing cry from the waters lifted me and I say,
ah, love lifted me. Love lifted me when nothing else could help. Love me. Love lifted me. Love lifted me when a thing else could have<inaudible> me, all my heart to him. I give ever to him cleaning and his blessing presence live ever. His praise<inaudible> love. So my, he answered true marriage. My soul’s best songs,
painful lobbying is to, to him be home long<inaudible><inaudible> when nothing else could help me. Love me. Love me. When nothing else could help<inaudible> souls and dangerous above Jesus, completely sane. He will lift you by his love out of the angry ways. He’s the master of the sea billows is well<inaudible> he you’re saying here wants to be be saved.<inaudible> love lifted me.<inaudible> when a hurting house good help.<inaudible><inaudible> when a hurting has good hell,<inaudible> Take your Bibles and open them to the book of James.
We studied in James chapter one concerning the joy of Tim of trials, the benefits of trials, the faith with which we need to ask God for that, which we desire the troubles of temptation and enduring temptation, and yet the need to endure temptation. And in chapter one, and in verse 21, he says, therefore, James brings together. These previous statements brings together with those statements.
The fact that God is the giver of every good gift. And so he’s placed before you a realization that trials and difficulties are gifts from God and the realization that you are even blessed when you endure temptation and then you with this picture of God, the giver and his ultimate gift is truth. He said in verse 15 or verse 18, excuse me of his own will.
He brought us forth by the word of truth. God made a choice. He made a choice about you and me because while we were still in our sins, Romans tells us we were enemies of God. There was nothing about us to be desired yet. When we were still in our sins, he sent Christ to die for us and his own will delivered the truth that saves our souls verse 21,
therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness, the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. The idea of implanted here is the idea of grafting, something in when you have a tree and you want to add to it or change it in some way, you graft in a piece to that tree. And over time and through a process,
I don’t understand that graft it in branch becomes part of the tree, but our bodies do the same thing. You’ve heard of a skin graft, take a piece of skin from one place, put it on another place. And before along the body graph, sit in, it makes it part of the original. That’s the word of God in our lives.
You’re not going to wake up one morning and just understand what God wants you to do. And it’s not going to come from inside you. There’s a whole new age, religion telling you the truth is inside you. Not unless you put it there because it’s not there naturally it’s there because it was taught to you. When Paul tells Timothy to think back concerning the things that he had been taught by his mother and his grandmother,
those things weren’t there naturally. They didn’t just happen. They were taught. But guess what? So as sin, we are imperfect naturally, but we are not flagrant abusive sinners naturally, that is also taught. And so he says, therefore, verse 20, because you have a choice because you as a human being, have a God that loves you enough to have it.
His will to give you his word. You have a choice. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. As if to say, if you chose not to go the other direction, you would stand in a tide and we’ve probably all done this. We’ve at some point, Ben at the beach, walked out towards the waves and caught a wave.
That was a whole lot bigger than we expected. Cause it doesn’t take long. I’m pretty, you know, in a windy day or whatever you’re going to, you’re going to be out a little wave coming in all little wave coming in and Oh, there’s a big one. And it catches you by surprise. Well, that’s wickedness. Oh, I’ll just dabble my feet a little bit and wickedness.
Oh, I’ll just add, well, my, my feet a little bit in this sin that sin, this thing over here, I know God said now do that, but he wasn’t really serious. That was no big deal. And Oh wow. Did you just see that happen? I never expect, I didn’t mean to be there. I didn’t plan on doing that.
And yet you did because instead of walking away from wickedness, as he talks about the man who endures temptation, not succumbing to it, not giving into it, but remaining faithful to God, you played with it. And then you were drowned by it. But instead he says, you can have that implanted word defend you from wickedness. If you choose to,
and it will save your soul. When Satan wanted to overcome Jesus with sin, he tempted him and tempted him and tempted him again. And every time he did Jesus overcame temptation with what the word, not because he got it out of himself in the same way, the new age theory proclaimed, but because he had put it there to be able then in temptation to bring it forth and make it his sword,
the fight, the battle of sin. Paul writes to us and says in Ephesians that the sword belongs to the spirit. And it’s the word of God. The sword that defends you and attacks saves you. So you and I, we make a choice. We make a choice every day. Are we going to play with sin and be overcome by it?
Or are we going to choose to walk a path of righteousness and allow the word of God to save our souls? But the only way Paul’s going to go into that or James is going to go into that. The only way you’re going to be saved by the word of God, if you’re not just a hearer, but a doer of the work and being a saved person is not a state of being.
It’s a work. It’s a place where you are a location in Christ, buddy. It’s a work that you must be doing. If you’re outside the body of Christ and living in a state of sin, you enter into the body of Christ. You are saved. Initially you are born again by the word of God, you say, well, wait a minute.
And I thought I was born again through baptism. You are, but you wouldn’t be baptized unless you were told to. And you’re told to, by the word that you hear, that produces faith and that faith brings forth more hearing. And that faith produces a change in your life called repentance. And that faith teaches you about Christ because you’ve heard about who he is.
Therefore you can claim allegiance to him and confess his name and that faith brought forth by that word tells you that when you are buried in baptism, in that watery grave, you rise up to walk in newness of life. It is that word that has brought forth newness of life. And now in your life as a Christian, you begin allowing that word to change you so that when you look in the mirror,
you see what God wants you to be. And you don’t forget that. Looking into the perfect law of Liberty ought to show you a reflection of yourself being what the perfect law of Liberty would have you to be. So my question for this evening is what do you see in the mirror? When you look in the mirror of the law of Liberty, do you see you in the law of Liberty or do you see a stranger looking back?
You have need of the invitation. Why not come as we stand in? As we say, have you<inaudible>, Are you a, so that sea King rat from the bird,<inaudible> my age.<inaudible> have you heard<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> here’s each time you cry, ah, understand your heart. Hey, eggs rise to from your, uh, new,
you know, my GE is new. You know, my friend, have you heard,<inaudible> Let us pray. God, our father in heaven, we come to you at this time, thanking you for another opportunity to assemble here or via the live stream or the call in to most importantly, study another portion of your word as Aaron. So eloquently put it,
it is your word that can save us and guide us in the right direction. And it is our desire that you help each and every one of us, understand your word and apply it to our lives. That we may better serve you here on earth. God, we also want to keep in mind those that are struggling with many different illnesses and ailments and ask it,
if it be your, will you restore them to a measure, the health that they so desire, we ask that you watch over those that are traveling and make sure that they get to their destination safe. And when they returned to us that they returned safely. And Lord, we also ask you for strength for each and every one of us in our everyday lives with all that’s going on in our country,
in the world at this time, because there are times that we are tried out there. Even if we’re just in a grocery store, we get tried by different things, help us see and act like Christians and be the shining light that you want us to be. We asked you guys garden, uh, direct us till we meet again. We pray all this in your son.
jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Class Speaker: Aaron Cozort
No Questions for this class
Sermon Speaker: Eric Richardson
Automated Transcript
<inaudible> It is good to see faces in this room. And it’s good to see all of you personally, but it’s good to just see faces in this room. Uh, no, it, I am so glad that everyone is back. Uh, today, everyone that is back today, we are, uh, looking forward to today’s lesson as well as a worship today.
And for those who are still at home, we are thinking about you and missing you and, uh, understand all of the reasons why you are still at home, but, uh, you’re in our prayers. And we’re glad that, uh, those who are here are able to be here. We’re going to be in second Kings chapter one in our class this morning,
second Kings chapter one, We’ve been studying Alijah and we are, is as second Kings begins. We’re approaching the end of Elijah’s life. Uh, now bear in mind that the book of Kings is how it would have originally been known. It was not the first Kings and second Kings, the way we think of it today, uh, Kings was a single book.
Chronicles was a single book. Samuel was a single book, but at that day in time, they would have been broken into separate scrolls because of their length. And so as a result of that over time, they just took on the names of here’s first Kings and second Kings. Uh, but we’re in second Kings. And to give you a frame of reference in the old Testament history and the other books,
if you were to go through the remainder of second Kings, you would be able to study the time periods of every major and minor prophet inside this, uh, one historical book. So the history of this book expands from the point of the life of Elijah all the way through all of the major and minor prophets, except had guy Zachariah and Malakai the last three books of the old Testament.
Okay. Those three, uh, minor prophets fall outside the time period of second Kings, but every other major and minor prophet, uh, you know, uh, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel Hosea, Joel Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, all of those are inside the time period of this one book. Okay. So that gives you some idea,
not only of the amount of time it covers in this book, but also the amount of the old Testament, prophetic books that are all in here for this is the history and those are the prophecies of this time period. Okay. Uh, so that’s important to kind of give you a frame of reference that Alijah becomes the beginning of the prophets. Okay.
That’s something that we’ve mentioned before, and that’s why Alijah stands in the new Testament as a representation of the profits, but Elijah’s ministry Elijah’s prophecy really is the foundational prophecies that will lead to the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. All of these others are going to work off of a foundation of the work of aligned Jew in confronting a nation that has completely departed from God.
And that’s what Alijah did in the Northern kingdom of Israel. He confronted the portion of the nation that had completely departed from God. And so many of the profits that would follow him would carry on that work both to the Northern kingdom and the Southern kingdom, because eventually the Southern kingdom would follow the same path as they had more wicked Kings coming time and time and time again.
Now there would be restorations in the Southern kingdom, the restoration of Josiah, the restoration of Hezekiah and others. But by and large, even in the Southern kingdom, the majority of the Kings were not good Kings. They didn’t follow God. They didn’t lead the people in righteousness and they implemented idolatry. So we begin in chapter one of second Kings and we read Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of a Hab,
who is Moab in relationship to Israel,<inaudible> Tennessee. That is correct. So by way of a map, they’re in the Southeast portion, uh, below Israel on the Southeast side of the dead sea, and you had something else, Incestuous relationship, Correct? They are related distantly, very distantly at this point to Israel. Uh, they were part of the descendants of lot Ammon and Moab were the descendants of lot through,
uh, the incestuous relationship he had with his daughters after, uh, the, uh, cities of, um, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. So these are descendants of lot. They’re kin folk to Israel, but most of the time they didn’t get along. Most of the time they treated one another as enemies, as opposed to anything else. So MOLAB is going to rebel against Israel because they had been brought under tribute by a Hab and by the Kings of the North.
So interestingly, they’re not under tribute to Judah, they’re under tribute to Israel because during this time, during the time of a habit, seems as though Israel had more of an influence on the surrounding area. The North did, then the South did. So Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. Now, a Isaiah Fell through the lattice of his upper room in some area and was injured.
Who’s a has IO,<inaudible> The son of a hub. If you remember the end of, of first Kings, a has Aja reigns in a Hampstead notice chapter 22, verse 51, a Zion, the son of Abraham became King over Israel in some area in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah and rain two years over Israel, he did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father in the way of his mother.
And in the way of Jeroboam the son of ni bat who made Israel to sin for he served bale and worshiped him and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done. So there’s an interesting statement here that generally, when there’s an evil King and then an evil son follows the evil King, it will be stated that the evil son followed in the steps of his father.
Yet we already know the predominant influence in the house of Ahab and Jezebel is an Ahab. And so here you have kind of a unique notation. He followed in the steps of his father and his mother in committing evil. And Jeroboam. So throughout this history, we’ve always been tracking back to Jeroboam the, the one thing you need to kind of capture as you read through first and second Kings is how many times God blames Jeroboam for starting it Step back and think of it.
Because when he’s, when God says he followed in the steps of he’s laying guilt on the person who started it, because it was Jeroboam who came in and changed the worship. It was Jeroboam who set up the calves that Dan and bear she, but it was Jeroboam who changed the priesthood. It was Jeroboam who changed everything about what they were doing and caused Israel to sin and led them down this path.
Now, Jaron Boehm didn’t do the evil that Ahab did. Jeroboam didn’t put the profits of God to death and have blood running in the streets because these people worshiped God Jeroboam didn’t do that, but he opened the door. He put the people on the path to this place. And so time and time and time again, his name is remind is God is reminding us.
This is the one, this is the King Who started it in the same way when someone does good. You’re constantly reminded of whom, Especially in the Southern kingdom, David You’re constantly reminded of David. He walked in the ways of David, his father. Why? Because David’s influence on the nation to turn them from the lifestyle of Saul, to following the Lord in decision making and in determinations,
where he would inquire of the Lord, he would do what’s right. He wasn’t perfect. He, by all means he was not impeccable, but this constant direction and drive in Israel and Judah to do what God said Is the contrast from Jeroboam who said, I’ll take what God’s going to give me the throne, but I’m not going to do what he said.
Okay. So, Hey, as IAH fell through the lattice of his upper room in some area and was injured. So he sent messengers and said to them go inquire of bale. Zeba the God of Ektron. Whether I shall recover a recover from this injury, where is Ektron? It’s a city<inaudible> Okay. So Akron is one of those coastal cities of the lands of the Philistines.
That was the location of one of the primary gods of the Philistines. You might remember that when the tab or net or sorry, when the, um, when the Ark of the covenant was taken by the Philistines during the days of, uh, Eli, who was a judge before Samuel Eli sons took the Ark of the covenant out to do battle against the Philistines because they thought if we take the Ark of the covenant and we’ll win,
and then the arc of the covenant was captured and the sons of Eli were killed and the Philistines took the Ark Mack, and they put it in the house of their God here in Akron Until all sorts of bad things happen. And God made it clear. You might have an idol, but I’m God. And so the people removed it from there. Well,
now here’s a King in Israel going this bad things happen to me going choir of the gods of the Philistines, whether or not I’ll recover, go to the house of this temple or of this idol and find out whether or not I will recover from this injury. God’s not going To let that one stand here is Israel. Here are the descendants who came out of Egypt,
of those who were, were passed through the red sea of those who saw the 10 plagues, those who experienced all of this and were given this land. And now they’re going to go inquire of the gods of the Philistines, whether or not they’re King Is going to recover. So notice what happens now, therefore the says, uh, Oh, excuse me.
Now, they’re uh, uh, verse three I’m to I’m skipping a verse. Then I knew something wasn’t right. But the angel of the Lord said to align to the Tishbite. Now this is one of those times that you get this reminder aligns as a prophet and Elijah doesn’t go unless Elijah sent, okay, well, the prophet’s job, their tasks were not to just roam all over talking all the time.
Their job was to be a messenger. Their job was to go when God said, go and to speak when God said speak. So the angel Lord tells aligned to the Tishbite arise, go up and meet the messengers of the King of some area and say to them, is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of bill Z bub,
the God of<inaudible>. Um, so I was just, just curious. Just want to find out, I just, just wondering, is it because there’s no God in Israel, Is this the problem? Are you missing a God? Now think about all the idols they have. The bale worship has come in. The worship have asked her office, come in.
All of these things are taking place. It’s not even the question. Are you missing Jehovah? It’s the question of, is there no God in Israel at all, Because that draws forward. The very idea of what Paul said to those in Athens, when he said, look at this, you have a God on every corner, but there’s only one that I want to tell you about.
It’s this one where you have the image made to the unknown God who you ignorantly worship him. I’ll declare to you because they could have gone to every street corner and inquired. If they were in the King’s position as to whether or not they would be recovered. And guess what? There wasn’t a single street corner with a single idle that could have given them an answer.
There was no God in Athens Because the only God that exists, they had ignored. So this question draws forward. Two things. Number one, they’re inquiring from the law, the wrong location and number They’re gods that they already have are worthless Because if the gods of bale and the gods of Aster off, if those gods could have answered the inquiry, he wouldn’t have sent messengers to the gods of Ektron.<inaudible> He sending messengers because the gods of his dad and the gods of his mom can’t answer him.
So his mentality is I’m going to go send to another God. Elijah shows up and says, wait a minute, isn’t there a God in Israel. So then notice what happens. Thus, as the Lord, you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die. So Elijah depart it. Now, remember going back to first Kings chapter 19,
I think it is. God told Ahab when Ahab did not destroy the King of Syria, when God did not. When God put that King’s life in his hand, as the prophet illustrated it and said, if this person escapes your life becomes forfeit for this prisoner and a have made a deal. Instead, Ahab let the King of Syria go. And then God said,
now your life is going to be forfeit. And the life of your people is going to be forfeit, a Hab humbled himself, as a result of that. And God said, the catastrophe, the calamity is not going to come on. You. It’s going to come on your descendants. Okay? So here we are in the life of a Habs descendant,
two years in injury happens and God’s message to his eye is you’re not getting up out of that bed. You’re going to die right there. So, Hey, Hosea is told this and his messengers are told this verse five, when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, why are you come back? Hey, has Zion knows how long it takes to get to the land of the Philistines?
And it’s clear. They didn’t make it out of Israel. Why? Because Elijah intercepted them and gave them the answer. They were looking for. Notice what they reply. So they said to him, a man came up to meet us and said to us, go return to the King who sent you and say to him, thus says the Lord. Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire a bill,
Z bub, the God of Ektron. Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die. Then he said to them, what kind of man was it? Who came up to meet you and told you these words? Just like John, the Baptist Elijah had a recognizable appearance. Okay. Elijah was one that you knew when Elijah was around Elijah didn’t look like everybody else.
And so when ASI hears the message and hears who it’s from Jehovah, His first question is, what do you look like? This guy who came up to you, okay, This person who gave you this message, this, this one who declared to you, this message from Jehovah, what did he look like? Cause you better believe a Hazai and knew what Elijah looked like.
There’s a good chance. A Hosea was there at Mount Carmel. When the 400 prophets of bale were defeated by God. There’s a good chance that a Hosea witnessed many times it Elijah coming before his father, What did he look like? So they answered him a hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist. And he said, It is Elijah. The Tishbite You remember when a hub saw Elijah after the three years of no rain and Elijah’s coming to him or Elijah’s there.
And he comes to Elijah and he says, is that you? Oh, enemy of Israel. Oh, troublemaker of Israel.<inaudible> His son had gained his own biases. His son had followed in the path of a Hab in believing that Elijah was the problem. And you See it as he addresses Alijah. But notice what else occurs? He said it is Alijah.
The Tishbite. Then the King sent to him, a captain of 50 with his 50 men. Who did he send to the God of Ektron?<inaudible> Messengers. Did he send the captain with 50 men? He send are, send an army. No. Okay. Not an army, not a platoon, not a division, not a squad. No.
He sent messengers Because he wanted information. Well, when he sends someone to Alijah, he doesn’t send messenger. He sent soldiers and the intent is going to be clear. A has, did not like the message. And a Hazara wants Elijah brought by force. So notice what happens. Uh, then The King sent the captain of 50 and his 50 men.
So he went up to him and there, he was sitting on the top of a Hill and he spoke to him, man of God, the King has said, come down. So aligned. You answered and said to the captain of 50. If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men Here in second Kings chapter one,
God. Yeah. Through Alijah confronts this captain and his men With the reality of their situation, they are using the reference, Oh man of God. As if you claim to be A man of God, But their authority comes from a King And God is going to make it clear through align Jah. You have missed who has authority in this land go all the way back to the time of Samuel in your mind.
When Samuel is told by Israel, we want a King And Samuel is disappointed, distraught, upset, because he believes they’ve rejected him as the judge in Israel. And God says, no, they’ve not rejected. You they’ve rejected me. And I’m going to give them a King. And then all of these bad things that they’re not expecting are going to come as a result of them having a King.
But ultimately here’s the point that’s being made The King. Isn’t the authority in the land, in the land. The prophet is the prophet speaks on behalf of the real King. But these men, these soldiers were the military power of the King who thought he was really in charge. And so a has IO wants to show he’s in charge. A has IO wants to prove that he can take a lie TJ’s life.
If he wants to remember what pilot asked Jesus, do you not know that I have the power to crucify you? Or I have the power to let you go. Here’s a governor. Who’s got the same misconception that his Aja had. He thought he was in charge. He, he had, he had the audacity to believe. He actually had a say And God’s going to make it clear you don’t,
God’s Going to make it clear. Hey, as Aja, you’re not in charge. You want to send from my messenger. You should ask. Yeah, Because he’s mine, not yours. He’s in charge, not you. And this is the dramatic shift that you see take place. When Kings were faithful, like David, God would work with the King.
The King would inquire of the Lord. And God would tell the King what to do. Moving forward from Alijah that ceases by and large, there is not a time throughout the remainder of the old Testament, where the King operates without a prophet. It becomes the prophet who is in charge. And the King is simply supposed to do the profits bidding because God is using the profit as his declaration,
all throughout the remainder of the minor prophets and the major prophets. All throughout that time, you’re going to find Isaiah going to Hezekiah, Isaiah, going to other Kings and telling them you need to do this. Jeremiah will go to the Kings and tell them, you need to do this. The others will go to the Kings. You need to do this.
And the Kings were responsible to follow it. Who gives the orders? The answer is the person who’s in charge And the profits were supposed to be the ones giving the orders, not the Kings. The Kings were supposed to follow the orders. So what you have here, when, because some people get into this and they’ll go, wow, this is terrible.
This is terrible. Elijah’s just some mean grouchy old man, prophet who who’s killing people left and right. No, he’s not. Yeah, Because remember the statement. If I’m a man of God, That’s an important statement because that statement declares. I don’t take my own actions. I do what God says. And the fact that the fire will come down from heaven,
declares that wasn’t Elijah’s decision. It was God’s the fire didn’t come out of Elijah. I mean, this isn’t star Wars where fire starts coming out of his fingertips. No, the fire comes from where Heaven. It’s God’s decision and it’s God’s choice. And Elijah’s declaring. I don’t make my own choices. I didn’t tell your King that he’s never getting up again.
God did. Okay. So notice what happens. So Elijah answered and said to the captain of 50, if I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you. And your 50 men and fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men. Then he that’s the King sent to him, another captain of 50 with his 50 men.
And he answered and said to him, man of God, thus has the King said, come down quickly. So Elijah answered and said to them, if I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men. And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him. And his 50. Again,
he, the King sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 men As captain. Ain’t no dummy. This captain knows he is. The third in line Did die. And he’s going to act accordingly. Notice what happens again. He sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 men. And the third captain of 50 went up and came and noticed the action and fell on his knees before Elijah.
Why is the captain there King’s orders. But who does the captain know is really in charge God and Elijah, because you don’t kneel before someone who’s not in charge. Just think about it all through history. What is it that you do when you walk in before someone thinking about it? Historically, when you walk in, before someone who’s in charge like a Monarch or a King,
You bow, you kneel. Why? Because it is a recognition of who’s in charge. The captain might be present before Alijah because his superior told him to be, But he knows his superior. Isn’t superior to Elijah. And here’s what you’re getting this, this, this whole event is supposed to direct our minds to who is in charge in Israel. And it’s not the one on the throne.
It’s the one who speaks for God, God. He fell down on his knees before Elijah and pleaded with him and said to him, man of God, notice the difference. Please let my life and the life of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight. As we go through this, you’ll notice the intent of the first two captains. Notice what happens.
Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties and their fifties, but let my life now be precious in your sight. And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, go down with him. Do not. So the rest of that phrase, be afraid of him.<inaudible> Read between the lines here. Wow.
God had already told Elijah what the first two captains of fifties orders were.<inaudible> Maybe we should do it this way. Yeah. You remember John, the Baptist who in the new Testament stands for Elijah. Remember? They were told Elijah is going to come again before the Messiah. And Jesus said in Matthew chapter 17, after Moses and Elijah’s meet with him on the Mount,
he tells the disciples. John was the Elijah who was coming. How did John die?<inaudible> He was beheaded by Herod<inaudible> Because he was imprisoned by Herod. When he told Herod something Herod didn’t want to hear<inaudible>. And these men were sent to go get Alijah. And the indication in the text by this statement from the angel Lord is these men were sent most likely to bring back just one appendage of Elijah.
Hey, Hosea did not want to have a conversation with Elijah. A Hosea wanted Elijah dead, And that’s why he didn’t send messengers. He could have had a conversation with Elijah. Anytime he wanted to send a messenger, Elijah would come to him. You send 50 men, 50 soldiers and a captain. You want him dead. First two came to kill him.
The second two came to kill him. The third one, the angel Lord said, you can go with him because he won’t take your life. So then notice go down with him, do not be afraid of him. So he arose and went down with him to the King. Then he said to him, Elijah to the King, thus says the Lord,
because you have sent messengers to inquire avails Z, Z bub. The God of Ektron. Is it because there is no God in his real to inquire of his word. Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die. So EY has Aja died according to the word of the Lord, which Elijah had spoken because he had no son,
Joe Horam became King and his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat King of Judah. Now here’s one of those times you’re going to find it a couple of times in the book of Kings, where you have two different Kings with the same name raining at the same time, the Joe Horam in the North is not the Jaguar I’m in the South,
but they’re both known as Jarrod. Now we all know multiple Peters. Tom’s John’s it. That’s just the way it goes. Sometimes you got two Kings on two Thrones, same name, that’s the case here, but I want to make one last point. And then we’ll conclude, uh, well, let me read verse 18. Now the rest of the acts of a Messiah,
which he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? So a ham lives, rains commits evil, Jessebelle commits evil, and a Hab will die. Jessebelle will die. Uh, ASI will reign in their stead, but the end of the, the lineage ends there, that lineage and, and I don’t,
I I’ve lost track. How many different lineages of Kings in the North we’ve lost already? I mean Jeroboam and his lineage has gone. And I there’s, there’s been, I think, five already, if not six. So now we’re back to a new lineage, a new line of Kings in the North, but here’s the point I wanted to make turn over to Ezekiel chapter 18.<inaudible> Zeke you’ll at chapter 18.
And if you’ve got a marker, put it there or put a finger there and also turn to Exodus chapter 20<inaudible> Chapter 18. The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, what do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying so here’s Israel’s proverb. Here’s the saying of the time, okay. The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
What’s that proper mean? It means we You’d never hear this in our world today. We are suffering because of the sins of our ancestors. We’re not doing anything wrong, but God’s causing us to suffer because of their sins. They ate the sour grapes, but the children of them are getting the effect of the sour grapes. So if you eat a sour,
grape, your teeth are set on edge. That, that feeling when of sourness, the parents ate the sour thing, but the children are getting the effect, okay? They’re saying, God, you’re not being just, you’re not being righteous because you’re doing something to us because of what our parents did. God’s gonna make that abundantly clear that that’s not true.
Notice. As I live says, the Lord, God, you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel, behold, all souls are mine. The soul of the father, as well as the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins Shall die. Yeah. But if a man is just and does what is lawful and right, if he has not eaten on the mountains,
nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbor’s wife nor approached a woman during her impurity. If he has not oppressed anyone, but has restored the debtor, his pledge has robbed. No one by violence has, but has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothing. If he has not exacted,
usury nor taken any increase, but as withdrawn his hand from iniquity and executed, true judgment between man and man, if he has walked in my statutes and kept my judgments, faithfully, he is just, he shall surely live. The declaration is we’re suffering because of the sins of our father. God says, no. If you were living the way I commanded you,
you wouldn’t be suffering. Not all, but because you’re living like your fathers, your suffering, like your fathers, ASI rained for two years, God told Ahab you’re going to commit an iniquity. And you did. You sinned against me and now your children are going to suffer. The fate that came from your sin. Some might say, well, that’s not fair.
It’s not fair that he has. I had died because Ahab sin, Oh, wait a minute, go to Exodus. Chapter 20 God just said in Ezekiel chapter 18, the soul that sins, it will die. The soul that is just before me, who lives according to the commandments and does what’s right. He’ll live. In other words, your fate,
isn’t determined by your father, unless you follow your father’s path. Exodus chapter 20 in the 10 commandments we read in verse three, you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them nor serve them for I the Lord, your God, M a jealous God visiting. And notice this phrase, the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations. Now, if we stop right there sounds like there’s a little bit of a contradiction between the law and Ezekiel, Because God says I’m going to take the iniquity of the first generation.
And I’m going to bring the judgment of that first generation, not just on the first generation, but the second and the third and the fourth generation. But that’s not the entire statement Of those who hate me. ZQ late teen and Exodus. Chapter 20 are the explanation for second Kings chapter one, because generation after generation, after generation of people who hated Jehovah were reaping the reward of their choices.
Oh, if they had repented, if a is, I had come to the throne and said, we’ve been living wrong, we’ve been doing it wrong. We’ve got to stop following these idols. We can’t follow in the path of my father and my mother. We’ve got to repent. We’ve got to turn around and guess who would have stayed on the throne guess who would meet dead?
He was dead because he didn’t repent. He continued in his father’s and mother’s sin. And God said, I’ll judge the one who sins. And if the generation that follows him comes in, the SA does the same thing. I’ll judge him too. And him too, as long as they keep committing the sin, until they repent, let’s go through the questions real quick.
And then we’ll close. Why was King a Hosea, Ahab son, sick Or injured?<inaudible> Fell. Fell through the lattice work from his upper room. When King ASIO was sick. He sent messengers to a Elijah, the prophet of God, or be bale. Zeba the God of Ektron to find out if he would get well be yes or no.
Did Elijah prophesied that King a Hazara would get well, Nope. Number four, the appearance of Alijah did not include a hairy garment. B a leather girdle warn about his waist or see wooden sandals. See number five. When King eight has Aja sent the captain of 50 men to align Joe, what was the meaning of the fire? Which consumed them.
Elijah was a man of God Showed that Elijah was a man of God. Why was the third captain? And his group of 50 sent by King ASI to Elijah not burned up<inaudible> Okay. Because he fell before him and sought for him to consider their lives precious or the, the converse of the previous one. They recognized he was a man of God.
So the main difference is they actually acted as though he was a man of God when the others didn’t why, sorry, number seven. Why did King a Hosea, the son of a Hab die? Because he saw it or inquired after a false God. All right. We are going to be dismissed. Um, just a, just a reminder observed social distancing,
stay six feet apart. Talk, get to see each other again. But, uh, also while you’re in the back, before you come back to your seats, get your, um, communion and your bread and the cup, uh, and place the contribution in the contribution baskets either now or as you leave. Uh, so be we will not have anyone going through the auditorium,
passing the plates or anything like that. So go ahead and take it, um, bring those things, those items to your seat, and just put them in the little trays that are in front of you, uh, for the time that is appropriate. Thank you for your attention.<inaudible><inaudible> Good morning. Welcome to the Collierville Sunday morning worship service.
It is so great to be back and to see each and every one of you here, you have no idea how much I missed each and every one of you and meeting here on Sunday morning to worship our God for those users that are watching us via live stream. It is great to have each and every one of you joining us and worshiping God this morning.
And if you are calling in it is great also that you are able to call in to worship with us, to praise our God announcements this morning. Please continue to remember our sick Ridell and Dorothy Wilson Jones Springer. Joan is suffering some migraines. Please keep Sylvia in our thoughts and prayers. She is with us this morning. She’s regaining her strength from her strokes that she had,
but continue to pray for her as always, uh, I’ve been asked to announce about the Collierville cares and the ladies Thursday, ladies, Bible class, those will not resume yet when we decide that they will be, uh, we will resume them. We’ll let everybody know that they will start meeting again, but for right now, there’s not a date or anything on that.
So keep that in mind that those two events will not happen as well as our second service. We are not planning on having a second service on Sunday, yet a symphony to the coats, art family, and the loss of their friend, Becky bind them. And also, uh, Lanelle Bowers. Who’s a friend of the Mosers her husband passed away from a heart attack this past Wednesday.
So please keep those folks in families, in your thoughts and prayers. At this time, the loss of loved ones. There’s a gospel meeting I at to get while church of Christ that starts today with Ray Peters. There’s a flyer out there on the back table, in the foyer that has the details on it. And that goes through Wednesday. And also we were brought in a flyer this morning from Tommy and Diana O’Neill.
That has a nationwide gospel meeting. That is a calling gospel meeting. It is five days a week. We already missed the first week of it. Cause we didn’t, weren’t aware of it yet, but it is going on every week in the month of June. And I have a flyer out there on the back table with who’s speaking each day, Monday through Friday,
it is at 9:00 PM and it has a call in and highlights. This week is Gary Collie will be on there Tuesday. And then on Thursday, BJ Clark from the Memphis school of preaching will be on there. And the next Sunday I’ll put out the flyer for the following week and the Sunday after that, I’ll put out the flyer for the last week,
but it is Monday through Friday. It is a call in conference call type thing only, but it is a nationwide Bible study. A Memphis school of preaching graduation is on the 21st. That’s two weeks from today. Eric Richardson, as you know, will be graduating that day. Uh, next Sunday we plan on Eric plans on preaching for us. So please,
if you can be here for that, because I don’t know what anybody else thinks, but I think he does an awesome job of preaching. Just like Aaron always does, but if you can be here next Sunday for that, that’ll be his last Sunday that he preaches for us. And the last day that him and his family will be with us worshiping and studying here will be on Wednesday evening,
the 17th of June for Bible study, because I said his graduation is on the 21st of June. The reception there at the forest Hill, uh, church of Christ is from three to four. The natural graduation ceremony is at five o’clock that afternoon. The pantry item for the choke Potter’s children home for the month of June is dryer sheets. And I do believe that is all of our announcements for today.
Our service this morning, Tim Boswell be leading our song service. Jay Shaffer we’ll have our opening prayer communion prayers will be Tommy O’Neil sermons going to be Aaron Cozort and closing prayer will be Terry Sanderson. Thank you.<inaudible> Good morning. Our first song this morning is going to be song number four, song number four. Walls would be on the screen To God be the glory.
Great things he has done so loved.<inaudible> man.<inaudible> uh, life gang that, Oh man. Oh man. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Rachel Wise. Oh, I’m too though.<inaudible><inaudible> right things here. Hi<inaudible> Oh,<inaudible><inaudible> uh, God the violent stuff and uh<inaudible> Oh man, man. And,
uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> three angel boys. Oh, to the father through Jesus stop.<inaudible> yeah.<inaudible> hi,<inaudible> Gray things. He has taught us gray things. He hi John. Hi John Gray.<inaudible> but<inaudible> hi here. And Greg Werribee, uh, Wanda rod transport when jeans, ah, sweet CE<inaudible> Let the people read. Nice.
Uh, um, to the father, Jean<inaudible>, the dog glory gray things he had. Mmm. Our next song this morning is going to be song number nine 24 nine two four. Yeah.<inaudible> I’m with, Uh, one It’s funny ma<inaudible> Uh, uh, uh huh. Well, I mean, Uh, uh, yeah, That’s me.
Mmm<inaudible> Uh, uh,<inaudible> Hi, Uh, like<inaudible> Josh. Mmm<inaudible> Nah,<inaudible> My so, huh.<inaudible> Blah talk too. The hers. Uh, it can<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible>. Mmm, Okay. Aye. Uh huh. Just Uh, uh, Yeah, no, ah, ah, ah, well<inaudible>, Uh, con yeah,
yeah.<inaudible> with And, uh, Uh, no, ma’am<inaudible> Uh, Hi, Uh, hi, Uh, Josh, Um, uh,<inaudible> side<inaudible><inaudible>, Uh, Um, a nine. Yay. Ah, I<inaudible>. She is<inaudible>. Mmm. Hi. Um, Mmm, like<inaudible> Yeah, Yeah.<inaudible><inaudible> Well,
uh, um, uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> The mass<inaudible><inaudible>. Mmm, Okay. Hi. Mmm. Uh, uh, I’m sure. Hi, um, uh, uh, uh, um, uh,<inaudible><inaudible> Hurry back. Yeah. Uh, I don’t know To be, Uh, yeah, uh, I, uh,<inaudible> Uh,
Okay. Mmm.<inaudible> Like, uh, Well now have our opening prayer, Almighty God, our father hallowed be thy name, Whether it is with humble hearts, we come before your throne and this hour acknowledging you as our creator and the creator of this universe. We’re so very thankful father that you saw fit to create us in your image. And we’re so very grateful that you provided through your son a way of our redemption from our sins,
that if we follow your words, we have that hope one day of an eternal life with you, We realized the tremendous sacrifice that you have made for that redemption and sending your son to this world to die a horrible death for, for the perpetuation of our sins. It is for those sins that we pray now that As we repent of them, we know that you were faithful to forgive them.
And we returned to them no more. We’re mindful also of the congregation that meets here. We’re so very grateful to once again, be able to assemble, to study a portion of your word, to sing songs of praise and to worship you. We’re also mindful of those among our number that have been sick, especially Sylvia with her strokes. We’re thankful for her return for Joan sprayer and her being able to be home and no longer plagued as heavily with the pneumonia that she once had.
And for those others that are suffering daily from the normal pains that they have acquired through a lifetime, bless each of them. And if it would be that wheel healed them and returned them to their normal state of health. We’re also mindful of those that have lost loved ones. Recently, we pray that you will comfort them as only you can. We’re mindful also father,
the turmoil that’s going on in this country. We pray that cooler heads will prevail that you bless our leadership with the wisdom to do what you would have us to do. And once again, we will be able to enjoy a reasonable measure of peace. As we go through the further exercise of this service, we pray that our worship to you will be in spirit and truth,
and we’ll be as sweet saver. We ask all these things in your son’s precious name, amen. They prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper this morning, we’re going to sing song one seven, six, 176. We’ll sing the first and second versus, and then we’ll sing the chorus and then we’ll sing the third verse. And the course, if you’re following along in the book,
that’s the way it’s written. If you’re following along in the screen, that’s the way we have it on there.<inaudible> no scene two. Uh, my<inaudible> him for, from your side to walk up on mass casualties, uh, and to being, um, uh, ah, of God, your gifts<inaudible> Yay. Chris AF a side<inaudible> Hey,
mass<inaudible><inaudible> man name. Uh, Right. And sack magnifies the, um, uh, Uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> I love<inaudible><inaudible> Oh, wash me. And<inaudible> my Jesus Christ. Uh, um, uh, Uh, I was, Uh, I should have a guy, but you ha<inaudible> Me too.<inaudible> Uh, Staff and,
And<inaudible> uh, uh, Uh huh. Uh ma’am uh,<inaudible> Sweet.<inaudible><inaudible> I love, uh,<inaudible><inaudible> uh,<inaudible> A wash me<inaudible> As per Ash. Uh, My jeez, uh, it’s Christ, uh, Mmm. Uh,<inaudible><inaudible> Near the 11th chapter first Corinthians first 26, Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he told them that as often as they ate this bread and drink of this cup,
that they were doing it to show the death of their Lord. Today, we have that same opportunity. He’d have this bread and drink of this cup, just, just ATM. Would you bow with me Or heavenly father? We thank you for this bread. We thank you that we have this opportunity to partake of it. We pray as we protect this bread,
that we might keep the name of our Lord in reverence and with the respect for the sacrifice he made for each one of us. As soon as the name we pray, amen.<inaudible> Our heavenly father. We continue our thanks for this cup that represents the blood of our savior. We pray that as we partake of it, we would do so in a humble and thankful manner.
This we ask in Christ our Savior’s name, amen<inaudible> But hell with me, our heavenly father, we thank you for all of the material blessings that you bestow upon us. We thank you for each and every daily blessing, the blessing of life itself, As we prepared to return them to the, a part of that, that we have been blessed with.
We pray that we would do so with a cheerful heart, we pray that these fonts might be used to glorify your name and to spread that word throughout the whole world this way, asking Christ our savior tonight. Hey man,<inaudible>, If you would like you can Mark the invitation song and the hymnal as song number seven 49, 749, but it will be on the screen.
Our next song was warning. However, will be book only, and it will be song number 664. So if you would please pull out your books, turn to song number six, six, four, and stand for the song before the sermon.<inaudible> We’ll sing all five verses. Hey<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Amen.<inaudible> Oh man. Mine<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> was<inaudible> Tech My hands<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Pause.
Uh<inaudible><inaudible> Yeah.<inaudible> I mean,<inaudible> Done Mia. A four. Hm<inaudible> My boy.<inaudible> Me.<inaudible><inaudible> for my And say<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for ’em<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> my<inaudible>. No, God, I wait.<inaudible><inaudible> And<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> shout<inaudible><inaudible> My, uh, by law. Aye.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> well,
The, Mmm<inaudible> Me. Oh, fine.<inaudible> Please be seated again. The invitation song will be someone number seven, nine, four that’s 794. Good morning. No, let’s try that again. Good morning. Okay. All right. It is good to see each and every one of you here and especially good to see each and every one of you here.
Uh, I know many of you have expressed. You’ve been seeing me, hopefully not in your dreams or your nightmares, but you have been seeing me, but I have not been seeing you. And it is good to see you take your Bibles if you will, and open them to Psalm 25. Just a note to say how much I appreciate it,
Tommy Laster. Okay. Even though he’s not here this morning, that’s part of why I’m saying it. Uh, he’s not here this morning. And, uh, for those of you, who’ve never sat in the sound booth and seen everything that he does during a service, especially now, and all the things that we’ve done during the Corona virus. Um,
he does a lot and when he’s not here, he is missed. So, uh, uh, I appreciate everything Tommy does. He, he works hard, works diligently in that. And, uh, I am grateful for his service, even though it is certainly something that’s, you know, as it were, uh, not seen by everybody. Uh,
even though we see the results of it behind us, Psalm 25 is a song that the words from the King James version unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul? Oh my God, I trust in you. Yay. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies. Triumph over me is a song we find in our song book.
It’s a song we’ve sung many times before And yet this song and the verses that follow after it, not all of them are in the song. Look though, uh, at least the first six verses should be, uh, our, our songbook, I believe has a shorter version of it, but this song expresses an emotion. It expresses a desire from this song writer,
this desire that the Lord be in charge of his life notice as he begins. And I’m going to read it from the new King James to you. Oh Lord, I lift up my soul. If I were to walk up to you this morning and hand you a blank sheet of paper, nothing written on it one way or the other, just a regular sheet of paper.
And I walk up to you and say, I’m entrusting this to you. I want you to take care of it. I’m going to hold you accountable for it. But I’m entrusting this sheet of paper to you. Would you consider that a weighty requirement? Would you, would you consider that something? I mean, there’s nothing mysterious about the page. It’s just one out of 500 in Hareem.
It’s just a piece of paper. There’s nothing important written written on it. There’s no value to it. It’s just a piece of paper. Would you consider a weighty responsibility in guarding the sheet of paper? No, because it doesn’t have any real value, But the Psalm is writer is saying, God, I’m lifting up my soul and placing it in your hands.
As if to say, God I am, and this is what he’s going to follow with. Trusting you with me. When you give something to someone, when you entrust someone with something, let’s say it’s a bank. You go into a bank, you go in there and you get a safety box. They give you a key. They go through their procedures.
They validate all the necessary information. You walk into a safe, you walk in with a key. You unlock that safety deposit box. You walk back out. Now, why is the safe there? Why not just a cardboard box in the lobby? Because you’re in trusting them with something. You wouldn’t put it in a safety deposit box. You wouldn’t put it behind lock and key.
You wouldn’t put it in a paid storage location. If it wasn’t worth something, you’re entrusting them with guarding something that’s valuable.<inaudible> Psalm. This writer says unto you a Lord. Do I lift up my soul? Jesus said, if a man were to gain the entire world and lose one single item, Everything he gained would have been worthless. And what was that one?
Single item, his soul, The most precious item you and I possess. The most precious thing we will ever possess is our own soul. And the Psalmist writer says, I’m giving it to you, God,<inaudible> To the, or to you. Oh Lord. I lift up my soul. Oh my God. I trust in you. Let’s go back to the illustration of the object that we’ve placed in the safety deposit box.
Which one are you more likely to trust the bank with the safety deposit box, with the box? They’re in a safe, with a great big door that closes that guards that keep everybody out in alarm system to alert someone. If somebody is tampering with something or Okay. Joe and his storage utility location down the street now, not, not this Joe.
This is the second time I’ve used Joe in an illustration lately. I need to find the different Fred and his storage location down the street. Now he’s got great locks. Yeah, But it’s just a storage building now. Which one are you going to trust? More? Fred who by the way, has key to every door And his storage location or the bank with a safety deposit box.
Well, most likely, unless some people are very paranoid and happened to know Fred real well, they’re going to trust the bank more because the bank is prepared for what might happen. Yeah. Here God is being, is being spoken to and the Solomon’s writer says I’m lifting up my soul because God, I trust in you. I can rely on you.
I know that you have seen What might come And you’re prepared for it. Yeah. But he goes on to say, let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me. The Psalmus writer when he places is trusting, God does. So knowing there’s a possibility of risk there In the world of finances, the majority of the world of finances is built upon two things,
interest and risk. The more risk, the more interest they charge. Yeah. Because the riskier, the investment is the more likely it is that you will lose what you’ve invested. Therefore the higher interest rate to guarantee you get paid back. Yeah. In this environment, the Psalm is writer is not considering God or risk. He’s considering his circumstances a risk because he has enemies.
He says, let me not be ashamed. Don’t allow an outcome. God, where I’ve trusted you. And I get a shamed as a result, I get a negative result. But instead protect me or allow me to triumph over my enemy. Yes. That you and I may go well. Okay. Uh, You know, as, as this Psalm of David is being written,
David had enemies inside the kingdom, outside the kingdom. He had people around him who ate from his own table who betrayed him. He’s got a different life than I do. Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn’t Turn to Romans chapter seven, Romans chapter seven.<inaudible> Paul in writing to the church at Rome makes it clear That they have enemies And their enemies are within.
Yeah. If you go to the previous chapters in the latter chapters of Romans, you’ll find the enemies are also without They’ve got enemies outside and inside their enemies on the inside are themselves. All of Romans chapter seven is written to declare that not only did people sin going in the previous chapters, not only did they fall short of the glory of God, chapter six or chapter three,
not only is the wages of sin death, but then chapter seven declares to us. Even if you wanted to quit sinning you, won’t Not that you won’t live in sin. You won’t do that if you’re a Christian, but you won’t end up getting to a point where you never sin. Okay. Paul makes it clear. Even when I don’t want to do what I know I shouldn’t do.
Sometimes I do it anyway. I sin and fall short of the glory of God. But then he says this verse 24, all Regine man that I am, who will deliver me deliver. When do you need deliverance? It’s when you’re in danger, You need deliverance. You need safety. You need rescue. That’s what that word there is. When you are in danger.
And he declares, Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death. Who are you in danger from The Psalm is writer writes and desires to not be ashamed because of those enemies that he has. But Paul writes and reminds us that sometimes we are our enemy. He says, verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God. But with the flesh, the law of sin, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh. But according to the spirit, We need to understand that the Psalmus writer’s expression of trusting God in spite of,
and because of his enemies, trusting God’s deliverance from his enemies is the same expression we ought to have concerning ourselves and our sin. God, I pray that through Jesus Christ and his blood and his sacrifice and your grace, that you’ll deliver me from my faults and the one who seeks to destroy me. Peter writes concerning Satan As a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour because there was a time when Jesus told Satan or told Peter that Satan desired to sift him as wheat,
Satan’s active, Satan desires your fall. And sometimes you are your own worst enemy. So the Salmas writer going back to Psalm 25 says to you, Oh Lord, I lift up my soul. I’m going to entrust to you all my God. I trust in you. Let me not be ashamed. Don’t allow me to fall. Don’t allow me to be,
to succumb to the evil. Don’t allow me to succumb to my enemies, but instead let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed. Let no one who waits on you. Be ashamed. Let those be ashamed. Who deal treacherously without. Cause When we place ourselves in the hands of God, when we put our soul in his hand, we need to recognize something.
We’re no longer in control in our lesson this morning and Bible class, we noticed the problem of a Hosea and his soldiers who thought they were in control and they weren’t. And yet here, the Psalm is writer says, let none be ashamed who wait on you.<inaudible> There are a few things in this life that annoying me as much as going to a doctor’s office at a scheduled time and waiting for three hours.
And I know I’ve experienced it far less than some who are sitting in this room. I don’t understand it. I can’t possibly comprehend how someone can be so bad at scheduling. Then they can set an appointed time and then be three hours late while they’re still in their own office. But if you’re the person sitting there for three hours, why are you still there?
The answer is because they have something you need that you can’t get without them. Whether that’s a diagnosis or a prescription, or just a scheduled time, you need a doctor or you wouldn’t be there. They have something you need. And as a result, you are waiting on them.<inaudible> Let none who wait on you. Now that idea of wait in this passage is a little bit different,
but there’s an aspect of reliance. You wait on someone who provides When a mother bird goes out and flies around to find food. And those young baby birds are sitting in their nest. What are they doing? They’re waiting on provision From the one who’s their provider. They’re reliant upon the one who can provide because they can’t provide for themselves. And so here you have the Psalmus writer expressing I’m entrusting something to you.
God, I trust in you. I know I won’t be ashamed. I know you can try it over my enemies and I will allow you. I will wait on you. I will rely on you to provide for me<inaudible> But he says in the midst of your provision, In the midst of you overcoming my enemies, Make sure that those who deal treacherously without cause are dealt with,
Because we all know that there are people in this world who, without any cause without any reasonable cause or justification or legal purpose will do harm to others. Sometimes they will do it only for their own gain or their own greed. So the Psalmus writer says, God, I’m in a fix. I’m in a, I’m in a place where I can’t deliver myself.
My enemies will overcome me, but I’m going to put my soul in your hand. I’m going to trust in you. I know I won’t be ashamed. Don’t allow me to be ashamed, Lao me, to overcome my enemies, provide for me. And while you’re at it, deal with my enemies.<inaudible> This expression begins Okay? With this heartfelt pleading and heartfelt handing over of one’s life.
But it’s not an expression that comes without a recognition of what’s required. You see, because we’re not coming to a bargaining table with the Lord. We’re not coming to a negotiation with the Lord where we say, God, I want you to do this, this, this, this, and this. And then I’m going to do this, this, this and this.
No, that’s not the way this works. The terms have already been set. We can come to the bargaining table and we can accept the terms Or we can accept the results of not accepting the terms. And the Psalmus writer knows this. That is why he says, I’m placing this my soul in your hands. I’m trusting you. And then he says in verse show,
verse four, shown me your ways. Oh Lord. Because the Psalmus writer knows It’s not enough To just trust in God. It’s not sufficient to just say, I’m going to Let God take control of the situation. It’s Not enough to simply declare God. I’m going to wait on you and trust you. And I know you will deliver me Though. There are many who live and operate their spiritual lives.
Exactly that way. They live their spiritual lives day in and day out with no concern for God, until there’s a problem. There’s a bad diagnosis or there’s an illness or there’s an injury or there’s this or there’s that. And then it comes time. Oh, I need to get with the Lord. No, That’s not the Psalmus writer. Psalmus writer says,
God, I trust you. God. I’m delivering my soul into your hand. And God in return shown me The way you want me to live. Show me your ways. Oh Lord, teach me your paths. God, if I’m going to entrust my soul to you, if I’m going to place my life in your hands, if I’m going to wait on you for deliverance,
I need you to tell me the journey Direction to go. I need you to instruct me in the proper way to live so that I am in accordance with your will. Matthew chapter seven, Jesus, We’ll say this in Matthew chapter seven, beginning of verse seven ask, and it will be given you seek and you will find knock and it will be opened Or what man is there from among you.
Who, if he has a son asks for bread, We’ll give him a stone. Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children? How much more will your father who is in heaven? Give good things to those who ask him, Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you do also to them for this as the law and the profits.
Jesus said, if you need something, if you want something, if you’re seeking something, ask it from the Lord, ask it from your father. Because even you evil and imperfect people. When your child comes to you and ask something from you, you don’t turn around and do evil to him. You do good to him. How much more so your God,
your father in heaven, who is perfectly good. How much more so will he do for you? And yet isn’t it interesting. He then turns that back on them and says, now if you want good done to you, do good to others. Yeah. And then he follows it up with verse 13. It’s not enough just to ask from God what you want.
It’s not enough just to plead for gone for what you’re seeking. And it’s not enough just to do good to others. He tells them there’s a path they have to walk. Enter by the narrow gate. Four wide is the gate. And broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads To life.
And there are few who find it, But where are false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are Raven. As wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from fizzles even so every good tree bears forth, good fruit, but a banned tree bears, bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear good fruit nor can a banned tree bear.
Good. Uh, a good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a band tree bear. Good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you shall know them.<inaudible> Jesus just said, ask for what you need. What does the Psalmus writer do? 20 chapter 25 verses one through four,
one through three. He asks for what he needs. And then he says, you do good to others. The end of verse three, he talks about those who deal treacherously without. Cause if he was dealing treacherously without cause to others, he would have condemned himself. So he’s already enacted in his life. What he desires to see from others to be done good too.
And then he says, show me your ways. Jesus says, Ask for what you want, do good to others. As you desire for them to do good to you and then follow The path of God. But he warns us. It’s not easy. It’s straight. That means difficult. It’s narrow. It’s hard. And few there will be who go in that path Because there’s profits.
Because there are those who will tell you, you don’t need to do that. You don’t need to live that way. There are those who will say when they see you living that way, that’s just ridiculous. That’s a antiquated. I can’t believe you do what that book says. But Jesus said in verse 21, not everyone who says to me, Lord,
Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my father in heaven. Show me your ways. Oh Lord, teach me your Paths. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name. And then I will declare to them.
I never knew you depart from me. You who practice lawlessness. God says You might claim to be servants of mine. You might claim to be following me, But you’re not living. According to my word. You’re not living according to my law. And Jesus concludes what we have termed the sermon on the Mount with this. Therefore, whoever hears these things of mine,
remember Solomon’s writer said, show me your ways, teach me your paths. So here, these people are there in the presence of Christ. They’re in the presence of Jesus. And they’ve heard his ways and they’ve heard about his path now, what will they do with it? He says, therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will like in him to a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house.
And it did not fall Four. It was founded on the rock. Wait just a minute. What are the Psalms writers say, God, I’m giving you my soul. I’m trusting you. Let me not Be at shamed. Let not the bad things fall on me. That would come. If I were directing my own life, Jesus said, this person heard my teachings and did my teachings obeyed my voice.
And when the hard times came, he wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t suffer catastrophe Because he did what I said. But he goes on to say, but everyone who hears these sayings of and does not do Them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell.
God deliver me. God, I’m trusting you. God, show me your paths. God teach me your ways. And then you’re taught the ways and shown the paths and you don’t follow them. The end result is that for which you ask, you will not find that for which you seek, you will not gain that for which you knock will not be open to you because the prereq was it of having those things you chose not to do.<inaudible> We are those who choose to follow God.
We are those who choose to rely on him. We are those who choose to trust in him that we will not be ashamed, that we will not stand condemned. Romans chapter eight, verse one, because we’ve been obedient to him. Oh, not because we called on his name. Not because we just said, Lord Lord. And when trouble sometimes came,
we said, well, I’m going to do what God says now, But when good times come, we forget he exists.<inaudible> I want to thank you. I know of a lot of congregations through the last few months where a lot of elders and a lot of congregations and a lot of men have struggled coming to the realization that they have members who,
when there was an opportunity to do nothing, did nothing. And when there was an opportunity to, again, begin doing something, continued doing nothing. They weren’t dedicated to the path of righteousness beforehand. They weren’t dedicated when it came time to come back either. And one of the things that makes me love this congregation so much Is your willingness to step up,
work, labor serve and obey God, whether it’s Convenient or not. Okay? Whether it’s easy or not, whether it’s difficult or not, Because it’s more important to you. Then you thank you. Jesus made it clear That if we don’t follow the path, The goal we seek ultimately will not be available to us. He also made it clear that God gets to determine the path and God gets to determine the entrance.
So the question is, how did God determine that we could enter into that kingdom? Because that’s where Jesus started. He said, enter in the kingdom. You enter into the kingdom by hearing the word of God and believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God because it’s his kingdom. Jesus came to build his kingdom, Matthew chapter 16, verse 18,
and his kingdom and his church have been established and they will not fall. And the Gates of hell will not prevail against them. And the keys to the church and the kingdom have been opened. And the apostles gave entrance to that kingdom in acts chapter two, when they told those people who had sin repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins,
Enter the kingdom, hear the word of God and believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Repent of your sins. Confess the name of Christ, Romans chapter 10, and be immersed in water for the remission of those sins. If you haven’t done that, the opportunity to do that is available today. Okay. But if you’re one who entered the kingdom and then saw that narrow path and decided the wide one seemed a little easier,
Come back, repent, turn around and come home. We will pray with you and for you, if you have need of the invitation, why not come now as we stand and as we sing,<inaudible> On to the, uh,<inaudible> Do I lift up my eyes? Mmm. Oh my God. Uh, Hi.<inaudible><inaudible> Oh, let me not being here.
Shame my piano. I mean, let’s try, uh, Oh Yeah. Nah, nah.<inaudible> On the beach.<inaudible> Yeah, none that<inaudible> On NABI<inaudible> Oh my Hi Dan.<inaudible> Oh, let me not be ashamed, but I know in my era now, I mean cry off of a<inaudible> Remembered. Uh huh. Nah. Since my<inaudible> Remember,
Uh, No sins of mine<inaudible> Oh my God.<inaudible> I trusted<inaudible> Oh, let me not be a shame. But my enemy is Toraja of a, Before a closing prayer, we’re going to sing song number four, five, zero 450. Yeah. For me by ball, start off gladness Scully me to cheer though on Andra<inaudible> no storm can.
Hi.<inaudible> seek and save the lost<inaudible> Holy message. I Nick light shout guy, me and a narrow<inaudible> mass, blah, and love come by name.<inaudible> when my heart hands bro. And when CNN grieve, ah, failed my soul<inaudible> gave me the precious where it’s by Jesus spoke and hauled out face to show by save knee. Give me the Bible.
Holy message. A shining light shall guide me and a narrow away crease, uptime promise and come by me<inaudible> Oh my staff saying<inaudible> she showed me the<inaudible> shall Bryce and that lamb follow a path up. Peace can show<inaudible> Holy message. A shining light child guy, me and a narrow<inaudible> mass. And I’ve come by and yay.<inaudible> yeah,
me<inaudible> or hold up that school and a five year up and gray. Show me a Lark from hat and shiny portal.<inaudible> Harley message. I need a lie child guide me and a narrow and Hey Perris, uptime, mass, and come by to kill my child.<inaudible> Yay. That was probably a father in heaven. We thank thee for this day and the opportunity we’ve had come,
we have had to come together to be with each other and to praise on nine. We thank you so much for the blessings that you give us each day. And we often forget that if it weren’t for you, we would have nothing. We pray that you would be with those that are sick and unable to be with us today. We thank you for the technology that we have in this day to put it over the air,
to them, to where they can enjoy hearing that word. We pray that you would be with our country. In this time, we pray that we can one day live in peace. We thank you for those that are pray that you would be with those that have lost love lungs. And we pray that you would comfort them. We pray that you would go with us now,
as we depart and keep us safe to, we met again in Christ name, we pray. Amen.
Automated Transcript
Good evening. We welcome to the Collierville live stream. This Is Hopefully going to be our last live stream without going back to normal, we plan on going back to normal, starting Sunday, we will have a morning Bible class morning worship, and then we will have Wednesday Bible class starting and starting Sunday. So we are excited about that and get everybody back back here and back to normal somewhat.
So we miss everyone tonight. We will start with a couple songs while I have a prayer, and then we’ll have our class to start out with. We will sing stand up for Jesus six 48. Stand up, stand up for jeez, uh<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> uh, uh, uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> a conflict and<inaudible><inaudible> Ye that I’m in a fam uh,
yeah, it’s done. Um, but<inaudible><inaudible> and street strict. Uh,<inaudible> stand up, stand up for Jesus. Uh, Shrive will not be, uh, there’s a noise a bat or the<inaudible> to, and that all of, uh, uh, uh, GRA uh, yeah,<inaudible><inaudible>, uh, King, uh, Laurie<inaudible> That will sing number.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen seven 22. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen. Let the beauty of Jesus peace.<inaudible> All this wonderful passion and<inaudible><inaudible> Oh, my bean ran fine. Uh, but Gene’s a speech<inaudible> And, um, has been so, uh,<inaudible><inaudible> Through<inaudible><inaudible> well, John and Rayvon<inaudible>, uh,
but Jesus be seen, eh, On, uh, John, uh, uh, mornings<inaudible>, uh,<inaudible> An example and jeans and<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh, uh, yeah, Jesus<inaudible> Let us pray. Our father in heaven. Great. And powerful is your name. We are thankful for you. We’re thankful for another day that we have to sing present to you to study from your word.
We are thankful for what you do for us each day. We were reminded of your love and care. As we go through each day, we pray that you be with our country at this time, pray that you be with our leaders, the decisions they have to make and pray that they look to you for strength. For, for wisdom. We pray that you be with the unrest that’s in our country at this time and pray that people will look at what they’re doing and the things that are going on,
and they’ll look to you and your word. We pray that we can be shining lights in our communities and help to spread your name and a life. That is great with being a Christian. We thank you so much for your blessings. Watch over those that are sick, that we’ve know of, that are on our minds and be with them and pray that they get better.
Better soon. Thank you so much for all you do for us in Jesus name. We do pray. Amen. Good evening. Glad to have all of you with us, both those who are present here this evening, and those who are with us online, uh, I want to apologize. We’re having a little bit of an issue between, uh,
the computer that does the PowerPoint and the computer that does the web stream, and they’re not talking to each other. So, uh, I guess they said it’s June, we’re gonna just have problems. So, uh, we’re gonna leave it at that and not blame it on anybody, especially myself. Uh, but we will, uh, hopefully get that fixed.
At some point we’ll be back with, with the slides and the PowerPoint on Sunday, first Kings chapter 21, we’re going to go through the questions. We, we covered chapter 21 in our study last week. Uh, and we’re going to start with the questions from chapter 21 tonight. And then we will go into chapter 22 and cover chapter 22 and it’s questions as well,
just to kind of make everyone aware. As far as the plans for Bible bowl, we are not going to play into having a Bible over any of the material that we’ve covered in this period of time. Uh, during the coronavirus, once all of our services go back to normal and our Bible classes start back to normal, we’ll pick up with that point and make that the beginning of the next Bible bowl or,
or the next quarter, whenever that material starts. Uh, so, so we’ll get further information on that. Uh, these lessons are online and they are on the website. If you’d like to have a copy of them, if you’ve missed some of them and you like to have a copy of them as a CD or a DVD, just let us know.
We’ll certainly be happy to get those to you, just so you can go through the material in first Kings chapter 21, question one, this is from less than one 83 in first Kings chapter 21, verse four. How did a have feel when they bought off would not sell him his vineyard by the palace? Of course we studied last week that, uh,
Ahab desired this vineyard that was there next to his palace. He sought it from neighbors and they refused. And When he reviewed, refused a have felt Solon and displeased, and he went and laid on his bed. First Kings chapter 21, verse seven, question two, who told Ahab that she would get the vineyard of neighbors for a Hab. The answer to that is Jessebelle first Kings chapter 21,
verses eight through 15. What deceitful manner to Jessebelle use to acquire name boss vineyard for a Hab. She first told the elders of the city to have a feast in Naples, uh, uh, recognition. And then they were to get false witnesses to come and bear testimony against name off. And as a result, he would be killed, described question four,
a Habs death as told to him by aligned to the prophet first Kings 21 verse 19 in verse 21, he said that dog, uh, Elijah said that dogs would lick up his blood in the place where neighbors died or where they looked up the blood of neighbor. First Kings chapter 21, verse 23, question five. What did Alijah tell a Hab about Jessa Bell’s death?
Elijah said that dogs would eat Jessebelle bell by the wall of Jezreel. It’s kind of interesting. You might remember just a few chapters back. Jazz bell was basically making a vowel that she would die. If Elijah wasn’t killed by the time the sun went down, well, this years have passed from that time until now. And yet Jezza bell is the one who would end up dead,
uh, and would be eaten by the dogs there by the wall of Jezreel questions. Six first Kings chapter 21, verse 25, who caused a ham to be so evil. The answer of course is Jessebelle. And then first Kings chapter 21, verse 29, after a Hab humbled himself before God, what did God say concerning his prophecies against a ham first Kings chapter 21 verse 29 says that calamity would come in the days of his son and not in his days because I,
uh, a Hab humbled himself. Alright, first Kings chapter 22, first Kings chapter 22. Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel, then it happened, or then it came to pass in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah went down to visit the King of Israel. And the King of Israel said to his servants, do you know that Ray moth in Giliad is ours,
but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the King of Syria. This is an interesting discussion that’s going on here. An interesting statement by Ahab here is the King of Judah Jehoshaphat, and he is a younger King and relationship to a house by way of age. He will also ultimately end up marrying the daughter of a Hab and Jesse rebel.
And that will spell a great deal of trouble for the Southern kingdom of Judah. But Jehoshaphat is here. He is a meeting with the King of Israel meeting with a ham, and Ahab says, you know, we’ve been hesitant to go up against and to recapture Raim off Gilliad. Now that’s an interesting statement because every time that Israel had done battle with Syria,
if you go back to the proceeding chapter, God had delivered them, But all of those actions were defensive actions. And so a Hab says, you know, Josh, we we’ve been, we’ve been hesitant to do this. Um, just, just because of the situation and, and he’s leading with this, he’s, he’s basically trying to get Josh fed to say,
well, I’ll help you. I’ll come to your I’ll join forces with you. And we’ll go back. And we’ll recapture this almost that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well, Syria was no friend to the Southern kingdom of Judah any more than it was a friend to the Northern kingdom of Israel. And so a have wants Jehoshaphat to come in and verse four.
So he said to Jehoshaphat, will you go with me to fight at Ramos Gilliad, Josh fat said to the King of Israel, I am, as you are my people as your people, my horses as your horses, This is not going to be a wise decision by Jehoshaphat. He is not going to make the right choice here. He should have decided that he wanted to know what the Lord had to say before he committed to going with Ahab.
Jehoshaphat’s will want to know what the Lord has to say, but he will commit himself first. There’s a good lesson there for us when we’re making decisions. When we’re entertaining a path in life, when we’re deciding how to move forward in business, in our homes, in every aspect of our lives, we need to go to God first and counselor. Second,
we need to agree with others who want us to do something after we’ve Sought the counsel of the Lord and his word first. And Jehoshaphat’s going to do that in the wrong order. So many times in the life of David, you remember, as we went through the study of David, we would read where David would be faced with a decision would be faced with an enemy would be faced with a problem.
And his first response was to inquire the Lord and Yehoshua fat needed to learn the lesson of his ancestor, David. But unfortunately in this instant, he instance, he did not. So he says, first, my people are, as your people, I’m with you. My horses are, as your horses will go with you. Also, Jehoshaphat’s said to the King of Israel,
please in choir for the word of the Lord today, perhaps this is naive itty on Jehoshaphat’s part. Maybe he is of the perspective that if he commits himself to a hub, but then a hub inquires of the Lord and the Lord says, don’t go. That may be a how won’t actually go. But the reality is, if that was his perspective,
if that was his belief, it was a fault perspective there. That was not based in reality because, Hey, how was not going to allow the Lord to determine his choice, but yet Josh fat says, Hey, look, we need to inquire about the Lord before we go and do this. Then the King of Israel gathered the prophets together about 400 men and said to them,
shall I go against Ramos, Gilliad to fight? Or shall I refrain? So they said, go up for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the King. Josh fat wants to know what the Lord has to say. So Ahab gathers together 400 prophets. Now we’re not specifically told in this text where these profits of bail or these profits of Astor off that remained that weren’t killed at Mount Carmel are these profits that have come along since the prophets of bale were killed.
We don’t know, but there is a clear indication in the text that these aren’t profits of Jehovah. If you’ll notice, at least in your English versions, most likely what you will have is every time the Lord wa a translation is given in reference to these 400 profits. It is used with a capital L, but it’s not all capitals. It’s not the word from the Hebrew language Yahweh.
It is not Jehovah. This is a Lord. This is the Lord in the sense of the one who they claim to be serving, but it’s not Jehovah. And the text is making that clear. The text, the writer here in first Kings is giving you a separation between them. And obviously the story we’ll give you one too. So they say,
uh, or the King of Israel Ahab says, shall I go up against Ramos, Gilliad to fight? Now, if you were these profits, You’ve got a couple of options. Number one, you can tell I have what he wants to hear, and they’re going to do that, but you’ve also got precedents behind it because every time Syria has recently been in battle with Israel,
the Lord’s delivered them. The first time that Ben hate ed came against, uh, uh, a held there in Samaria, God delivered Israel. The second time when they came back the next spring, and they did battle again, God delivered Israel. So why not sure the Lord is going to deliver you a third time? The Lord’s going to bring about success.
And Jehoshaphat said, is there not still a prophet of the Lord? And notice the difference there of y’all way of Jehovah? Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him? I appreciate these 400 profits that you’ve brought before us and their opinions. And they’re speaking on behalf of whomever. It is they represent. But,
um, uh, what about, what about Jehovah? Is there not a representative, a prophet still in the land who could inquire of him? Josh Fett knows the difference. Jehoshaphat is well aware of the idolatry in the land and the fact that a Habs not serving the Lord and that these profits are not speaking for the Lord. And Josh fat said,
is there not still a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him? So the King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat’s, there is still one man Mackay. I, the son of in-law by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he does not prophesize good concerning me. But evil Ahab says, yes, there’s one<inaudible>.
But I hate that guy. He never says anything good about me. Every prophecy he ever makes is evil. It’s doom. It’s bad news. Never a good word out of him. Now it’s interesting here. This is the first time we’ve been introduced to this prophet. We’ve read about Elijah. We’ve read about profits that are not good. Their names are not given,
but this is the first words that we’ve heard about this prophet. And yet he has a history with Ahab. He has been prophesizing for some time. We don’t know the, we don’t know the history, but it does give us an indication. Elijah was not the only prophet active in Israel, even with close proximity and access to the King. So this prophet is one who has prophesied before and Ahab.
Didn’t like it. As a matter of fact, we’re going to find out a Hab knows exactly where this prophet is located and how to get ahold of him. And we’ll see those details in a moment. But Jehoshaphat’s response is let not the King say such things Jehoshaphat’s will rebuke a Hab for his statements. Not in, in my mind here, not because of the prophet,
not because he’s speaking against someone, that’s, that’s supposedly a profit, but because that would be the same as speaking against the Lord. This is a rebuke against the one who the prophet represents being spoken of that way. Now verse nine says then the King of Israel called an officer and said, bring my kid. The son of Imola quickly, the King of Israel and Josh fat,
the King of Judah having put on their robes, sat each on his throne and a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria and all the prophets prophesied before them. So here they are. They’re out at the Gates. They’re there at a threshing floor. They’re probably a undercover. And the other people are around them. There’s enough room for people,
400 prophets to be coming before them and prophesying. And they’re there in their kingly robes and all of this great pomp and circumstances going on verse 11. Now, Rosetta KPI, the son, or Zedekiah the son of a Chine, a chin. Anna had made horns of iron for himself. And he said, thus says the Lord. Now notice there,
the Jehovah, he’s going to try and stand up and represent Jehovah here says, thus says the Lord with these, that being the horns, you shall Gore the Syrians until they are destroyed. Now. Isn’t it interesting that just in the previous chapter a have had every opportunity to destroy the Syrians. Ahab had the King of Syria boxed in and close surrounded,
and God had even told him, put this King to death. And yet here we are three years later and he’s still dealing with Syria. Why? Because he didn’t do what God said to begin with. When you don’t obey the Lord, when you don’t do what you have been commanded, you will reap the consequences year after year, after year, going forward for the choices you didn’t make,
right? The first time. And that’s what Ahab’s dealing with. So Zed Zedekiah comes and says, you’re going to Gore, uh, the King of Syria and the Syrians. And they are going to be destroyed before you and all the prophets prophesied. So saying go up to Ramos, Gilliad and prosper for the Lord will deliver you into the King’s hand.
Then the messenger who had gone to call my kid, spoke to him and said, now, listen, the words of the prophets with one accord, encourage the King. Please let your word be like the word of one of them and speak, encouragement. The representative of a house that goes to get my K. I says to him, before he comes to the King,
as you might imagine often happened, you know, you’re, you’re going to be brought before a King. You’re going to stand in front of a King more than one King. As a matter of fact, there’s a visiting King. There’s a, there’s a visiting head of state here. Let’s not embarrass the King. Okay? Let’s not do what you normally do.
Let’s say something encouraging. All the other prophets are telling him to go up. Just say something encouraging for once Mike AI, My K I said, as the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me that I will speak. We need to be careful in our own lives. Not to give deference to people who have stature, who have prominence, who have a place in this life and give deference to them over deference,
to speaking the word of the Lord, The apostles and prophets of the new Testament. So often we read about them praying for both<inaudible> So that when they stood before governors and Kings and judges and magistrates, when they stood before those who were judging them and had held their lives in their hand, that they would speak boldly, the word of truth. We need to be settled in our minds,
and we need to be settled in our lives. That when we stand before people of prominence, when we stand before them, just the same way we stand before anybody else that we’re going to speak God’s word and say what the Lord says and not just go along to get along. My kid says, I’m going to say whatever the Lord puts in my mouth And nothing else.
So then he came to the King verse 15, and the King said to him, my KPI, shall we go to war against Ramos Gilliad? Or shall we refrain? And he answered him, go and prosper for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the King. Sounds good. Right? He did what he was asked. They asked him,
say something encouraging, but there’s, um, there’s some sarcasm here, I think. And they have knows it. Even if the sarcasm wasn’t audible. I mean, if John<inaudible> had been sitting there and was sitting there and he, he might not have caught what my KPI was doing, but Ahab knew immediately Because my kid had a history of this watch a Habs response.
So the King said to him, how many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing? But the truth in the name of the Lord, Apparently sarcasm was a prominent tool for this prophet. There’s a history between Ahab and my KPI of my KPI coming and telling a, have exactly what he wanted to hear. And they have having to tell him now,
stop it and tell me the truth. Tell me what the Lord actually said. And so McKay. I will verse 17. Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, these have no master, let each return to his house in peace. God says, I saw Israel and they were scattered sheep.
Don’t get scattered. When a shepherd is present to do his work, They’re not all over the field. All over the mountain side, when a shepherd is present, well, the shepherd There represents the King. So the only reason the people are scattered is the King is dead. Notice. What he says is he continues on and the King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,
did I not tell you? He would prophesied would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. Then my K I said, therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne and all the hosts of heaven standing by on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, who will persuade Ahab to go up?
That he may fall at moth. Ghillean now remember Chapter 21 sets the foundation of this. You read this statement outside the context of chapter 21. And you miss the fact that the death sentence of Ahab has already been pronounced. God has already found him guilty of not doing what God commanded him to do, of being one who didn’t follow through with his responsibilities of not being penitent toward the Lord and not obeying the Lord.
And as a result, God has already told him your life Is forfeit. As judge, the sentence has all ready, been passed. Now we’re just bringing about the result as if the judge were to say, this man is condemned to death. And then he goes, and he sits on death row. And he finally goes to be put to death.
And he finally is put to death. There’s a time period that transpires well that’s, what’s been happening. A has been a dead man walking All this time, But here my KPI, Dick livers, this discourse about how this transpires And notice what happens. He says, I saw the Lord sitting on his throne first and foremost, notice that a hat might be sitting on his throne and Jehoshaphat might be sitting on his throne,
but there’s a Lord. Who’s sitting on his throne and all the choices these two Kings might make. We’ll never overrule the decisions God has made. They have no power By comparison to the Lord, but then consider as well that the hosts of heaven are present. And here are all the hosts of heaven. And, and God’s going to say, uh,
Uh, here he says, I saw the Lord sitting on the throne and all the hosts of heaven standing by him and on the right hand. And the Lord said, who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramos Gilliad. So one spoke in this manner and another spoke in that manner that is submitting ideas. How are we going to do this?
Now is some of this parabolic is some of this just illustration, uh, or, or vision of, of how these things would have transpired or did these literal, is this a literal categorization and history of events in heaven? I don’t know. This is just what my KPI was given to speak, but the indication is it’s, it’s literal. Okay.
That’s what the text is indicating from what my kid is saying. And so here we go. He says one spoken, another spoke. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, I will persuade him. The Lord said to him, in what way? So he said, I will go out and be aligned spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
And the Lord said, you shall persuade him and also prevail, go out and do so One comes forward and he says, I know how to do it. I’ll get his profits to tell him what he wants to hear. I’ll get his profits to tell him he’ll be fine. He can go up and he’ll be successful. Now some might get to two arguing that,
well, God shouldn’t cause people to lie. God’s never caused anyone to do what they weren’t already willing to do. God has instructed us many times to do what’s right, and we’ve done it. But God will allow a person and even allow circumstances to influence a person to do evil. If they’re already disposed to do evil, There’s a reality here that these profits were false profits,
and God’s going to use their evil to bring about his end. So then he says, you shall persuade him and also prevail go out and do so therefore, look, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these profits of yours. And the Lord has declared disaster against you. McCain says you have a choice, a helm. You have a choice who you’re going to,
uh, who you’re going to follow because God is going to tell you in advance. Okay? Now notice this, God put this lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets. They told them that these lions, but God didn’t let him just be deceived and go about not knowing. God then told the secret. It’s like the magician who does the magic trick.
But then before the reveal, he says, Oh, by the way, wait, wait, wait, let me show you how I did it. And he shows him how he did it. Then he does the reveal. Well, is there any lying man? No, God says, by the way, I, uh, I told all your profits to say this,
that may have been actually the first time they did what God said, but they, here they are. They’ve delivered this lie to you. And Oh, by the way, here’s the truth. And now, you know, now you know that they weren’t telling you what will actually come to pass. Now you have a choice. Ahab. You decide who you’re going to follow me or those profits.
So then Zeta KPI stands up in protest. Zedekiah the son of Shanaya or a cane, huh? Went near and struck, McKay I on the cheek and said, which way did the spirit from the Lord go for me to speak to you. He’s indignant. This couldn’t possibly be true. This couldn’t have happened. Matter of fact, if you claim,
you know what the spirit of the Lord is doing, why don’t you tell me as he hits him, which direction he went, when he left me and went to your house, went into you Mackay. I said, indeed, you shall see on that day, when you go into an inner chamber to hide. So the King of Israel said, take my KPI and return him to,
and the governor of the city and to Joe Ash, the King son, and say, this says, or thus says the King, put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction. Until I come in peace. The indication there of return Is he was probably in prison already. When he was went, when he was sent for and gathered to come to the King,
he was probably in prison. And now he’s being sent right back because they have, didn’t like his message this time, any better than he did the last time. So, Hey, how will send my kid to prison? And he will not send him there peacefully just to go sit in prison. He will send him with affliction. But my kid said,
if you ever return in peace, the Lord is not spoken by me. And he said, take heed. All you people he’s warning the people. This isn’t just a Hab he’s warning. Everybody present the Lord spoken and Ahab will not live through this confrontation Verse 29. So the King of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah went up to Ramos Gilliad.
And the King of Israel said to Jay Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into battle. But you put on your robes. So the King of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Hey, how Wiley’s not going to obey the word of the Lord. He’s not going to hear the words of the Lord, but he will just kind of maybe seek to hedge his bets just a little bit.
He’s not going to go into battle in, in all his kingly apparel or pro you know, announcing that he’s the King. He’s going to decide disguise himself, look like a regular soldier, but he’s going to encourage you hush. At night, you go out there and you look like the King. And so Josh will, so they will go into battle.
The King of Syria had commanded the 32 captains of his chariot saying fight with no one smaller. Great, but only with the King of Israel. He says to these captains, as you go into battle, you find the King of Israel. Now, here we are. We have the King of Syria whose, whose brother’s now with Ahab, right? He’s the King in the last chapter that Ahab allowed to live.
He’s the one that they said, we’re, we’re like kinfolk. And yet the King of Sirius says, you find the King of Israel and you don’t even mess with anybody else. You drive through the battle until you find him and you kill him three years. That’s how it long how long it took before that Alliance disintegrated. So the King of Israel sin,
or as King of sends out his men to go and to kill the King of Israel. So it was when the captains of the cherry at verse 32 saw Jehoshaphat’s that they said, surely it is the King of Israel. Therefore they turned the sign to fight against him and VAT cried out that being, he, he, he ran scared as it was.
And it happened when the captains of the chariot saw that it was not the King of Israel that they turned back from pursuing him. Now a certain man drew a bow at random and struck the King of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot turned around and take me out of the battle for, I am wounded.
The battle increased that day. And the King was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. Thus, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying every man to his city and every man to his own country. So the King died and was brought to Samaria and they buried the King in some area.
Ahab dies in battle, Not from the 32 captains of the chariots of the Syrian army, but a regular Archer at random shoots off an arrow, lets one fly in it kills, Hey, Hab, He’s propped up there in his chariot and he will die at evening. He will bleed out From his wound And as Israel scattered across the countryside. Yeah,
In disarray like sheep without a shepherd, Finally, the people will say to one another, let’s Go home And they’ll return to their own house In defeat. So the King died and was brought to some area and they buried the King in some area. Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of some area And the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed,
according to the word of the Lord, which he had spoken now the rest of the acts of a habit, all that he did the ivory house, which he built and all the cities that he built are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So Ahab rested with his fathers, then a Hosea, his son reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat, the son of A’s of EISA had become King over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab King of Israel. Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became King and he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was as a boy and the daughter of shield high. And he walked in all the ways of his father EISA he did not turn aside from them doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away for the people, offered sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the King of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of jihad fat, the Mike that he showed and how he made war are not, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and the rest of the perverted persons who remained in the days of his father?
EISA he banished from the land. There was then no King in Edam, only a deputy of the King. Josh fat made merchant ships to go to Ofer for gold, but they never sailed for the ships were wrecked at easy. And Gaber then a Hosea. The son of a Hab said to Josh fat, let my servants go with your servants in the ships.
But Jehoshaphat fat would not. And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his father, with his father’s in the city of David, his father then Jehovah from his son, rained in his place. A Hosea, the son of Abraham became King over Israel in some area in the 17th year of Josh fat King of Judah and rain two years over Israel,
he did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother. And in the way of Jeroboam the son of knee bat who made Israel sin for he served bale and worshiped him and provoked the Lord, God of Israel to anger. According to all that his father had done Two years, Two years is all that the son of a hobble reign,
because remember God said, because you humbled yourself at the end of chapter 21, I’m not going to bring about the calamity in your day. I’m going to bring it about in the day of your son. And God would an Ahab son would rain for only two years before he will die. That concludes first Kings Study of first Kings is of bountiful study.
It’s a very useful one. I’ve been joyed going through it with you. Let’s go through the questions. And then we’ll conclude When Jehoshaphat King of Judah question one and Ahab King of Israel decided to go to war together against Syria to recapture the city of Ramos Gilliad. What were the words of the 400 prophets of Israel? Their word was according chapter 22,
verse six, go up for the Lord will deliver you. What of McCain? The prophet of God. He described Israel as sheep without a shepherd because Ahab would be killed. According to my KPI, the prophet of God. Why did the 400 prophets of Israel speak bad advice verses 19 through 23, the Lord put a lying spirit in their mouth. Question three.
What did Ahab King of Israel do to my KPI for his prophecy, a rewarded him B sent him away. C put him in prison or D had him killed the answer is C put him in prison. Why did they have King of Israel? Disguise himself? When going to battle with Jehoshaphat at Ramos Gilliad Answer from, from the appearance of the text is to confuse Syria about who was King,
how was a Hab King of Israel killed? He was killed by a random Archer from Syria. What happened to his blood? His blood was licked up there by the pool in some area. Interesting point by the way, same place by all indications where the blood of a name off was licked up according to the prophecy of Elijah. But what’s going on while they’re cleaning out the chariot of the King and washing the blood out of the chariot.
Here are the harlots bathing. They’re not morning. They’re not worried about a Hub’s death at all. They have no thought for the King. Who’s dead, whose blood is being washed out right there by where they’re bathing. No concern. There’s a point I think there Nobody’s missing Ahab when he’s gone. Well then notice did Jehoshaphat King of Judah walk in the ways of God according to verse 43?
Yes, he did. Verse 44 while Jehoshaphat was King of Judah. Was there peace or war between Judah and Israel? There was peace. All right. Those are the questions. Appreciate your time and your attention during the study. Uh, we’re going to ask Eric to come and lead another song, and then we’ll be led in a closing prayer. Here we are.
But strain Pilgrim. Here we are. But strain pilgrims Five 37. We<inaudible>. Hey, Pilgrim Sierra path is often<inaudible> when we were seeing this West side, him John<inaudible> Name and June’s rise soon wellbeing. Our home.<inaudible> this smile of the blessed<inaudible>. Uh, is he a feet, uh, often weary on the Hills at thrown our way<inaudible> uh,
Oh, it’s within a, I say John, The roll lean rev. The shiny man June’s arise wellbeing.<inaudible> this smile.<inaudible> a long, Uh huh.<inaudible> fearful. Uh, the pilgrims<inaudible> but<inaudible> man. He was a sweet man. Uh<inaudible> boom. That’s shiny mansions rise soon Welby.<inaudible> the smile of a bus, a giver,
a long yay. Uh, Our gracious father in heaven, giver of life maker and creator of all that is and all that ever will be thank you for the day that you’ve granted to us. The breath of life that is within our bodies and the health that we have to be able to see another day, we pray for those that are going through difficulties illnesses.
At this time, we pray for those that are enduring through hardships that are caused by others. We pray for those that are enduring hardship because of sin. We pray that those in this world, in our local community here in Collierville and throughout the world will open your word. We’ll study. The truth will come to understand what your word is, telling them.
They might be obedient to you and find blessings, not only in this life, but in eternity. We pray for those who are dealing with illnesses and longterm difficulties in their lives. We pray that you give them comfort and strength to endure through the hard days. And may they always remain faithful to you until this life is over knowing that there is rest and hope and peace laying up and waiting for them.
If they’ve been faithful to you, we pray for the leaders of this country, leaders of our nation leaders, of our towns and our cities through the hardship that has come in the past months and the hardship that is still here, that they make wise choices and do what is right out of right heart. May they seek the wisdom that is in your word for how to pursue peace and encourage righteousness.
Pray for the leaders throughout the world, in every country that they might make decisions that will lead toward open doors of opportunity for the gospel to be spread. And the truth to be heard. We ask that you give us boldness to speak no matter who we stand before that we always determined to speak the truth, to speak it in love, but to speak it boldly,
say what your word says. We pray that we might be forgiven when we fall short of your glory and are willing to repent of those things and that your grace will continue to cover us through the blood of Christ, which washes away our sins. All this, we pray in Jesus name. Amen.
CLASS BEGINS AT 39MINUTES and 30 SECONDS
Automated Transcript
Hello,<inaudible><inaudible> Good morning. And welcome to the Collierville church of Christ virtual service. It is indeed a beautiful day and a beautiful day to worship our Lord. We have a few announcements that I would like to make before we start. First of all, um, Need to be aware that, uh, we will have a meeting Monday night, June 1st at six 30 here at the building with all the men to discuss the reopening of our services and our church.
So jot that down and make sure that you make yourself free for that time. The, uh, sick of our congregation. We need to remember Joan Springer. She suffering from pneumonia. Also Sylvia pass. She had a stoke stroke a couple of weeks ago and is doing well at home. And Joan Springer also seems to be doing some better Need to remember Ruby bread.
She is back home. She’s cancer free and cards can be mailed to her home address. And that is on the bulletin if you’ll pick that up, but, um, I can read it to you. It’s eight 24 West main st. Clinton, Illinois, six one seven two seven. The Potter’s children’s home item for the month of June is dryer sheets,
and you can drop them off and put them on the cart here by the four year Marissa Porter. That’s Jackie Ross’s brother has bone cancer and Corona virus. We need to keep him in our prayers. Eddie’s friend, Vicky Bayham, who is battling stage four. Lung cancer is now in hospice care and her mailing address is also on this. Mmm Mmm.
The sheet. So be sure and pick up one of those some before you go, that’s all the announcements. There are this morning, but I want to go over the order of service. Michael Dale will be leading our singing this morning and, uh, he also will have the hopening prayer. Eric Halvorson will be conducting the communion service. Aaron Cozort will be bringing the message and I will have the closing prayer.
Thank you for tuning in And thank you for being here.<inaudible> Psalm before our opening prayer will be number 736 to Christ. Be true to Christ. Be true To Christ<inaudible><inaudible> Uh, um,<inaudible> the conquest? Uh,<inaudible> To<inaudible><inaudible> Fuck He. Well<inaudible> And, uh,<inaudible> to<inaudible> To Christ.<inaudible> be true. He needs<inaudible> to stand,
uh, against, uh<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> to<inaudible><inaudible> Fuck He, well go away.<inaudible> And uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> To Christ.<inaudible> be true. And no,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> the<inaudible> To<inaudible><inaudible> Oh boy. He well go<inaudible> And uh,<inaudible><inaudible> through to<inaudible><inaudible> Please bow with me, Our great and glorious father in heaven.
How awesome you, we thank you for this time that we have to come together and sing songs of praise to you and lift up our voices in prayer and know that we are heard. We ask that you be with all of those who are mentioned in our announcements with their sickness and what their families, while they are dealing with the sicknesses of their loved ones.
We ask that you be with those that are at home and you keep them safe and keep us safe here at the worship. And we thank you so much for the Avenue that you’ve given us to be able to continue worshiping in such a time as this. We thank you so much for all of your many blessings Lord in your son’s name. Amen. A song to prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper will be years I spent in vanity Years,
I spent in vanity Years, I spent in van NTEN PRA right?<inaudible> my Lord was<inaudible> no knowing what it was for me. He died on<inaudible>. I’m sorry. No mercy. There was great. And grace was free, Paul God. And there was more to apply to me. Nah, my burden. So found the Liberty. Uh<inaudible> By God’s word at last,
my sin and<inaudible> to my guilty. So then pouring turn to<inaudible>.<inaudible> See. There was great. And grace was free. Oh God. And there was more to PLA Me. Nah, my bird and found Liberty. Uh<inaudible><inaudible> No I’ve game to Jesus. Everything. Hey nah, I gladly own him as my King. Nah, my rap shirts all can’t know me seeing a<inaudible><inaudible> No,
see there was great. And grace was free<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh<inaudible><inaudible> Oh, love that drew<inaudible> Oh, the grace that brought it to him, man. Oh the my team golf that God dance man. Uh<inaudible> No. See there was great. And grace was very, Oh God. And there was more to apply to me. Nah,
my burden<inaudible> uh<inaudible><inaudible> The apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians reminds the Corinthian church and us that we are to, as we assemble on the first day of the week, remember the ultimate sacrifice that God and his son Jesus did for us the center here on earth. And that was to give his life for us. Let us go to our God and prayer.
God, we come to you at this time, thanking you for sending your son Jesus here on earth to live amongst us and to teach us the ways that we need to live to be a Christian. But most importantly, for sacrificing your son on that cool cross at Calvary. And as we take this bread, which represents his body that hung on that cross for us,
let us do it in a manner that is pleasing to you. We do this through your son, Jesus name, Amen God, our father in heaven, as we prepare to take this fruit of the vine represents your son’s blood. That was shed for our sins. Help us to remember what that truly means that your son Jesus was sacrificed and he shed his blood blood that washes away.
The sins that man has. And man creates. We ask that we do this in a loving memory of your son and we are so thankful that your son did this for us. We pray this through your son’s name. Amen. We’d also like to take this opportunity at this time to give back as we’ve been blessed, God, our father in heaven,
we come to you thanking you for each and everything you do for each and every one of us. Every day as we live here on this earth, we know that everything comes from you and it is because of you that we have what we have. And as we prepare to give back a portion of what we’ve been so truly and ritually blessed with, we ask that you help each and every one of us do it with a cheerful heart.
We also ask that you help the men of the congregation here in Collierville make thoughtful, mindful decisions on how to use these funds that are given in your name to better the spread of the, your word and help the lost souls in this world to hear your word so that they have the same opportunity we do. And that is one day. Join you in heaven.
We pray this through your son, Jesus name. Amen.<inaudible> The song before the lesson will be the way of the cross. The way of the cross, I must needs go home by the way of the cross. There’s no other way, but<inaudible> Uh,<inaudible> side of the gate. A lie<inaudible> cross the way of the cross need<inaudible> No,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> I must needs go on.
And uh, blah, sprinkles went, Hey, save yours.<inaudible> If a climb to the Heights up where the all is at home with Uh huh<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> and it’s sweet to know<inaudible><inaudible> No,<inaudible><inaudible> Then<inaudible> to walk and nah,<inaudible> For my Lords. It’s calm. And I seek my home<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> It is sweet.<inaudible><inaudible> No,
The cross the, Oh, Whoa.<inaudible><inaudible> Always a remembrance or a reminder to myself to check and see if I turned it off or turned it on my way, the microphone, but it’s good to have some with us. Who’ve not been able to get out lately and be with us again. It is always good to have everyone who’s able to join us both in person and remotely.
And we appreciate your presence. Your time spent in worship with those who are, who you are assembled with and the time that you spent in spend in study with us, We began last week with a study about real Christians. We need in this world. Real Christians, Real Christians can be defined in many different ways, but in, in the study from last week and this week we’re defining it in six ways.
Real Christians are those who begin with real communication. We noticed last week that real Christians begin and end their Christianity with the word of God as the sole and single foundation for the truth that they follow. God’s word is truth. Jesus said in John chapter 17 in verse 17, sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth. And he’s speaking to the father,
Jesus declared the truth to be the word of. And so everything that makes a person, a Christian, everything that’s determined in their life by being a Christian is based upon the foundation of the word of God. Real Christians begin with real communication about a real savior who really lived and declared a real truth on how a person can be saved. And we need real Christians and we need that communication again today.
But after we considered the idea of communication, then we noticed first John chapter one, and we noticed, uh, going into first Thessalonians chapter one, the idea of real choices, the choices that make an impact, the choices that determine our eternal destiny, the choices that determine what we will be and how we will live, what we will strive for in what we will do.
Matthew chapter 16, verse 28 G or verse 26, Jesus made it clear that a person can choose whether or not they will have eternity with the father or whether or not they will seek to gain the world. But they generally speaking cannot do both. What will a person have if he gains the entire world and loses his own soul. But then we also thirdly,
spoke concerning real consequences because if we are to be real Christians, we understand there are real consequences to the choices that we make. There are consequences that come when we make the wrong choice, when a person sins and fall short of the glory of God, we notice that that person is in danger of the judgment that person has sin. And that person is standing condemned before God.
And if they do not change, they will stand before God stand before Christ in judgment condemned. And they will stand as one who will not have eternity in heaven as their home, because they did not make the right choice and choices have consequences. But we also noticed that if a person makes the right choice, there are still consequences to be considered. And that is where we’re going to pick up in our study.
Uh, today, as we notice this idea of a mid success and disaster, Okay, We need real Christians. Anyone who has seen the news of the last three or four days knows There’s success. And there’s disaster in this country Just yesterday, NASA and space X for the first time in a decade, launched men from this continent into space. And they did it not on a space shuttle,
but on a rocket that will be reused that landed safely and, and the rocket portion will, will go up again. And it is the first space travel by a human that has been on a, a rocket that was created, designed and owned by a private company and not a government. All of these things happen yesterday Right now. That’s that rocket,
if it hasn’t arrived already, I don’t. I forgot the arrival time that it was estimated for, with the space station, but that rocket is in outer space right now, headed towards the space station to dock. And to continue that mission, It was a success. I know people personally who traveled down to Florida to see it go up At the same time as that rocket yeah.
Carries people from this country into outer space, to look into the science and study different things that can only be studied outside this atmosphere and things that could be studied here, but are, but change when the atmosphere changes or when you’re outside of gravity, all of those things are being done. And yet at the exact same time in 30 plus cities around our country,
riots and protests, looting burning of buildings, burning of vehicles, all of it’s going on at the exact same time And amidst the success and disaster in our world today, we need real Christians. We need Christians that not only understand truth, not only understand choices, not only understand consequences, but we need Christians who understand the need for critical thinking. As we consider what God would have us to be as Christians,
God wants people who think critically about their world, about what he has told them, because we know this is true because God based our salvation on communication. And if you have communication without critical thought, without the ability to understand and truly examine what it is that God has said, you don’t have communication. If you take someone who says, I want to be told what to do,
but I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to dwell on it. I don’t want to put it in my heart and mind those people. Aren’t Christians. If you have someone who says, I just want to be spoonfed, everything I need to know. And I don’t want to have to give any effort into what it is. I’ve been told those people.
Aren’t Christians. Christians are those who begin with the communication, but go on to critical thought concerning that communication. Let’s go to Luke chapter 14, Luke chapter 14, Jesus speaks to the multitudes. We’re going to begin in verse 26. He has spoken to them through concerning the great pair or the parable of the great supper. Beginning in verse 15, going down through verse 24,
he has talked about humility. He has talked about their frame of mind, but in verse 26, he begins to talk about what it is, what Rick is required in order to be his disciple. And that’s what a Christian is. A disciple is one or excuse me, a Christian is one who is a disciple, a follower, a person who walks in the steps of Jesus Christ.
And he begins. If anyone comes to me, verse 26 and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters. Yes. And his own life. Also, he cannot be my disciple Notice. First and foremost, the Jesus put an exclusionary system in place. If you will not do what he has told you to do,
you are excluded from what he brought and offered to humanity. Jesus said, if you will not do this, if anyone comes to me and does not do this, they’re excluded from the benefits. He gave people a choice. He gave people the opportunity to think critically about what he was saying and critically about what he was offering. Intel told them that they have to choose to hate,
to love less. Is that word there to hate and love lash. That which belongs to this world In contrast to the next Something I want us to grasp here is sometimes people have a hard time with this passenger. They say, well, I don’t hate my father. I don’t hate my mother. I don’t, I don’t hate my brother. Yeah.
They’re misunderstanding what Jesus is saying. Jesus is placing things that belong to this world and he’s placing those in front of us and asking us, is this what you love? Is this what matters to you most? Because that, which you love is that what matters to you? Most Jesus said in Matthew chapter six, that a person cannot hold to money.
And God, at the same time, either he’s going to have to let go of one of them because he can’t hold onto both of them. And so Jesus here says, here is a father. Well guess what? In this life, that person is your father. But in the same way, in which God speaks marriage and speaks concerning the angels.
How that in heaven, that family relationship of husband and wife no longer exists. It’s an earthly relationship. The same is also true concerning the rest of these relationships. While we still will have an association with one another while we will still have a connection to one another. The relationship that comes by a husband and wife, giving birth to a child and therefore being their mother and father is not the same in eternity.
These are things that pertain to this life. And Jesus says, if you’re going to hold on to, if you’re going to love, if you’re going to not be willing to forsake your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your wife, your friend, And instead serve me. You cannot be my disciple. Now that takes some critical thinking.
That takes some examination in our hearts and minds to say, am I willing to do that? But he goes on to say this And whoever does not bear his name Cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Jesus makes it clear that there is that consequence that we talked about in the previous point, there is a consequence that comes when someone decides to put him on in baptism.
When someone decides to become part of the family of God. When someone decides to become a brother of Christ, when someone decides to be obedient to the gospel, they choose to pick up Cross. Now this statement was made in a time where even his own disciples are sitting there and they’re not grasping the meaning. They’re not getting the full picture. Jesus hasn’t hung on a cross yet.
Jesus, hasn’t gone to the cross yet. And Peter, even that very night will declare to Jesus. It’s not going to happen the way you say it will. And Jesus will say, get behind me, Satan. The cross was an image. They knew they understood. And they had seen people on them Cross, but they had not yet seen their Lord on the cross.
Jesus said, if a man will not bear his name Cross, He cannot be my disciple. So notice first and foremost, that Jesus sets in contrast This life and eternity. And he says, if you want to be my disciple, you’re going to have to choose. If you’re going to be a Christian, you have to choose eternity Over this life.
We need Christians that are critically or who think critically concerning that, which is eternally focused. But then if you begin in verse 28 and go down through verse 33, you’ll notice that they need to think with a focus on eternity, with truth. As the standard many will say, I’m focused on eternity. I’m living for God. I want to do what’s right.
I don’t want to be what God wants me to be. I don’t want thinking every day about living for God, living for Jesus, but they spend no time at all. Examining the truth. They spend no time at all. Examining what it is that God actually said. The Jesus actually said they want to live for their version of Jesus. Their version of God,
their version of the truth, but not the truth itself. Notice Jesus is for which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost. Whether he has enough to finish it less after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all who see it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish or what King going to make war against.
Another King does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000 or ELs while the other is still a great way off. He sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that. He has cannot be my disciple. Say Aaron, where where’s the,
where’s the standard of truth here. I’m confused. This is a parable about counting the cost. This is a parable about the odds against you. When you determined to be a disciple of Christ. Yes it is. But what standard do you use to examine what it will cost? See, this is the thing. When someone sets out to build a great house,
he might set out to build a tower or a great house and he can go examine what it’s going to cost because somebody has already built it. Somebody has come before him, who’s built a tower, who’s built a house and he can go talk to that individual and he can go talk to those builders. And he can say, what’s the rate going to be?
How much of the material is going to be, how much is this going to cost me? He has a standard by which to gauge his cost. The King who has 10,000 soldiers Who has seen his soldiers, who has trained his soldiers, who has examined his soldiers and tested his soldiers and knows their value, knows their training can then evaluate by looking at that other army of 20,000.
Do I have the power to go up against that army? It involves critical thinking. It involves examination and involves thinking about God’s word. What did God say? It would cost. Now Here in this passage, Jesus says, if you’re not willing to forsake everything and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. That’s good as an encapsulated thought. But if we go throughout the old and new Testament,
we can begin to see what it costs. Other people. We can see what it costs. Abraham. It cost him his home, his nation, his family, and all those places that he had dwelled in his life until he was 75 years old. And he departed and went into another country. It costs, uh, Daniel being willing to stand up and say,
I’ll die instead of forsaking your law. God I’ll die, but I will not desecrate myself. I will not go against the law. I will not file myself. I will do what God has told me to do. He looked at his life and said, if this is what’s forfeit to be obedient to God, then that’s what I have to give.
When we think critically about the word of God, we examine that. Jesus said, If you are not willing to forsake everything, You can’t be my disciple. Yeah. And yet Jesus never asked of us what he didn’t do Because Jesus left his home in heaven. Jesus left his place with God. Jesus lowered himself below angels and took on flesh and lived and died So that you and I might have salvation.
And do you not think that he first counted the cost Before he made that choice, But then consider as well in verses 34 35. Okay. Then when it comes to critical thinking and real Christians, Those Christians have to make an impact. Those Christians have to have an influence. Verse 34, Jesus says salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor,
how shall it be seasoned? Okay. And this statement that follows it Okay. Is interesting because I think we generally take the, the Matthew version of this quotation In this, in, in the sermon, on the Mount and maybe ignore this version. It is there it is neither verse 35 fit for the land nor for the dung Hill. But men throw it out.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear Jesus said this salt, that’s lost. Its savor, lost its value, lost its active property Either to season that, which is all that, which is his food or to preserve that, which might decay salt. This lost its capacity to function. He says, it’s not even affecting on the dung Hill.
You couldn’t even throw it on the refuse. And it had an impact on that. That’s how little it has value. Jesus says it’s worthless. It won’t affect anything. And a Christian who has no influence who will not affect anything is only that way because he’s not forsaken. Oh, Here’s the reality. When someone does what Jesus describes in the previous verses when he first sakes and loves less father,
mother, brother, sister, wife, husband, when he is willing to go through and count the cost before he takes on this task of being a disciple of Christ. When he does those things, he will not be without influence. He will stand in stuck such stark contrast to the world that he will always leave an impact. It is the individual who wants to be the disciple of Christ,
but doesn’t want to change. Doesn’t want to live. The life of a Christian does not want to bear his cross. That will never have an impact because while he may claim to be a disciple of Christ, he looks just like the world And lives just like the world. Now it’s interesting that here in the end of this chapter, as we have the chapter divisions in our English Bibles,
Jesus ends with he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear In all of this. Jesus encapsulates it right back to the standard of truth. And is it not interesting then in chapter 15 in verse one, then all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to hear him, Jesus told them you better count the cost. You better examine what you value in this life.
And you better be willing to cast it aside for eternity. And those who were the teachers weren’t interested. And those who were the righteous men weren’t interested. And those who were of the schools and those who were of the lawyers and those who were of the priests, weren’t interested<inaudible> But the publicans and the sinners, They said, wait a minute, I don’t have anything worth keeping because I’ve ruined my life.
They understood need, they understood loss. They understood what they didn’t have. And they understood that eternity Was something to be valued. The scribes, the Pharisees, they looked at what Jesus said and they despised it. And they despised the people who would hear him. We need Christians who are real Christians who think critically about eternity, who think critically about truth,
who think critically about having an influence, but then consider as well. Real Christians are people with real character. Now they may not start out that way. I want to make that abundantly clear that sometimes Christians start out very different than the way they end up. And they’re supposed to even a person who seems like a good person, the way the world views it.
A good person becomes a Christian. And if they are serious and they think critically about their life, they’re going to change. You don’t have a person who walks around in sin for years and decades, who immediately having walked out of the waters of baptism and says, well, I can guess I can go back to exactly the way I was not. If he’s counted the cost,
not if he’s examined eternity, not if he knows what it means to be a Christian, because he’s just laid a completely new standard on his shoulders to live in accordance with God’s will. But here were these individuals who were sinners. Here are these individuals who were tax collectors. Here are these individuals who were cheaters and liars and thieves. And they’re going to become people who have real character.
And they’re going to be those kinds of people because they’re Christians. Now we’re going to go to an old Testament passage. We’re going to examine this idea from an old Testament foundation, because in Psalm 15, the question is asked by the Psalmist who can abide in the house of the Lord. Now this question is asked speaking concerning the tabernacle speaking concerning the dwelling place of God speaking concerning the,
uh, the fellowship of God under the old Testament. But the answer hasn’t changed. If you go and take these things that we read of here, you can find every single one of them in the new Testament. They’re encapsulated though, right here in Psalm 15 in verse one Lord who may abide in your tabernacle. So here’s the, here’s the premise of the discussion in this Psalm,
in this song who gets to dwell with God Who may dwell in your Holy Hill, verse two. He who walks and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart. As the Psalmus writer begins notice he talks about the morals of an individual, the morals that make up the character of a person here. This person is one who walks uprightly. This is the idea of one who held himself upright,
who stands erect because he is not bowed down by sin. He’s not bowed down by shame. He’s not cowering because he’s doing evil. He’s not in the shadows because he’s doing wrong and seeking the life and the blood and the wealth of others. He’s standing upright. He who walks up rightly Okay, And works righteousness. It’s not enough to be one.
Who’s going to dwell with God. It’s not enough to just not do evil. Okay? It’s not enough to just not be out in the streets. Rioting last night and stealing and, and, and taking what belongs to others and burning down what belongs to others. It’s not enough to just not do that. Conversely, you have to work righteousness. There’s not just the things that we’re not supposed to be doing.
There’s the things that we are supposed to be doing, But he goes on and he says, he speaks the truth. This goes straight back to that idea of real Christians begin with real communication. That truth, that belongs to the word of God. He speaks it, but he begins notice in his heart. There are sadly those who speak the truth And yet don’t believe it.
Yeah. They speak the truth all day long, because maybe that’s where their paycheck comes from. They speak the truth because they want others to do something. You know, Jesus said concerning the Pharisees that they were, those who the people should listen to and do what they said. But his condemnation was that they would lay heavy burdens on the people, but wouldn’t use one little pinky to lift those burdens themselves.
They would speak the truth, but they wouldn’t practice it. This person begins by speaking the truth in his heart. But he goes on. He who does not backbite with his tongue nor does evil to his neighbor nor he takes, nor does he take a reproach up against his neighbor. This is an individual who looks at this evil. He looks at gossip and he says,
I’m not doing that. He looks at backbiting. He says, I’m not going to participate in that. He looks at one who takes up a reproach against his neighbor. And the idea here is he’s bearing false witness. He’s willing to stand up and lie against someone. Even though he knows it’s not true. That’s the kind of person God says, you’re not going to abide with me.
You’re not going to dwell on my house. But then in verses verse four, we have this individual who will bind with God has real character because he has a criteria. Not only for his morals, that is this book. He sets a criteria. He sets a standard and he lives by it. But he has a criteria for his influences, Not here,
meaning his influence on others. But those, he surrounds himself with those. He brings into his inner circle. Those, he listens to those. He wants to hear from when he’s making a decision, when he’s deciding a path forward, those he vets, he examines these individuals, whether or not they’re worthy of his attention. Notice in verse four in whose eyes a vile person is despised.
But he honors those who fear the Lord, Someone who says, you know what? I need somebody around me who says, yes. When I say, I want to do something. Now, if he has a counselor, who’s near him, who always says yes, when he wants to do something, is that person speaking the truth? No, he can’t be because none of us are right.
A hundred percent of the time. None of us are right all of the time. So if we want a yes, man, who always says, yes, we want a liar in our presence. If we want someone who tells us what we want to hear, instead of telling us the truth, we want a liar in our presence. And we honor that person with closeness and fellowship with us.
So many leaders, so many Kings, so many examples in the old Testament are found to be those who surrounded themselves with false prophets, surrounded themselves with evil counselors, surrounded themselves with people who told them what they wanted to hear, because they were only interested in themselves. But if we’re the kind of person God wants us to be, if we’re the kind of person who will bind with him,
we’re the kind of person who looks at a person like that and despises it. We’re looking kind of person who looks at one who does evil. And we despise the evil that they do. We don’t bring them close to us. Now that’s to be set in contrast and in view of, we’re also not to become the scribes and the Pharisees, the scribes to the Pharisees looked at an individual who was evil.
And they said, we despise the evil. That person does that. Person’s a sinner. We won’t go near them. We won’t eat with them. We won’t talk to them. We won’t teach them. We won’t help them. They are evil. Yeah. That wasn’t, Jesus’s consideration. There’s a contrast said here between the one who is willing to hear the word of God,
whose life is on the wrong path, but they’re willing to repent. And one who is in grained in that evil, and you’re not trying to help them out of it. You’re trying to stick with them in their evil. We are to be a contrast. That is the second part, but he honors those who fear the Lord. But then notice in verse the end of verse four,
and in verse five, there’s a third criteria for one who has real character. And that is his criteria for decision making. And this one’s not an easy pill to swallow. This is one that as, as human beings, as those who are very naturally somewhat self centered and focused on ourselves, this one’s not easy. As a matter of fact, I think this is one of the hardest commandments in all of scripture,
especially in the realm of business Because the Holy spirit inspires the Psalmus to write he who swears to his own hurt and does not change. What’s that mean? That means someone who, for instance, in a business transaction says, here’s the price of an item. Okay. And they make an agreement with someone that that’s going to be the price of the item.
And then they walk next door and have a conversation with someone and someone next door off For them twice. The amount of money. Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, wait, wait, wait, wait, um, let, let me go back over to this guy right over here. And we’ll we’ll renegotiate because now the D the price is double. No,
no, no. That’s not the kind of person who abides in the house of God. The one who dwells in the house and presence of God, the one who has fellowship with God is the one who swears To his own hurt and doesn’t change. He said, well, wait a minute, I’m going to lose money. I’m going to lose money on this deal.
The price has changed. The situation has changed. We need to renegotiate. I know The one who swears to his own hurt and does not change. Okay. You’d tell someone you’re going to do something. You tell someone you’re going to give them something. And then the situation changes And you don’t pull it back. Even if it hurts you to do it because your care and your concern is for the other person above yourself,
Your care. And your concern is your relationship to God above yourself. You know, remember Jesus spoke about people who would swear by the temple, But then they’d swear by the gold in the temple. And they’d consider the swearing by the gold of the temple to be of importance Than the swearing by the temple itself. And if you swore by the gold of the temple,
you were more bound to that promise than if you Just war by the temple. And Jesus said, let your yes. Be yes. And your no be no. He who does not put his out his money at your usery, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent command. In the old Testament law That among the Israelites, they were supposed to one who had much was to lend to one who had Little and was in need.
Okay. But there was a command and there was a strict regulation. You don’t charge them interest. Now in our financial society today, you’d have a hard time trying to find someone who’s going to take that deal. Wait a minute. I’m going to lend you money at no interest. Now contrast. Now you can see advertisements up one side and down the other for 0% interest right now.
Well, read the fine print. What does it say every day? You’ve got the loan. We’re calculating the interest, and if you don’t pay it off by that date, all the interest from day one till now gets hammered on you all at once. It’s not really a 0% interest loan. It’s a 0% interest loan if you pay it off in time,
But the interest is still being calculated. The commandment under the old Testament law for one Israelite to another is you land to one who has need, because they have need, and you don’t charge them extra. You lend because God has blessed. You see the person who does not put out his money at usury is one who knows it’s not his money. It’s God’s.
And he’s just the steward of it, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. So a real Christian is one who has, is one who thinks critically about God’s word and what it’s going to cost him to be a disciple of Christ, but also one who has a criteria for his morals, for his influence, for all of these other things,
but then consider as well. A six. Then finally, real Christian has real confidence. A real Christian is one who, because of the communication from God has real confidence, assurance and hope for eternity turned to Hebrews chapter 12 and Hebrews chapter 12. The Hebrew writer is writing in contrast to the Day and time of the Israelites. When they came out of Egypt,
when they came to Mount Sinai, and he’s going to set a contrast between the Israelites at Mount Sinai, as God spoke to them, notice the central focus of communication. God has delivered a message, and we’re going to see the Hebrew writer summarize their reaction verse 18 for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched. And that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words.
So that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. He draws a picture of Mount Sinai. Remember at the very beginning, when they approached Mount Sinai, God said, no one goes on the mountain. No one comes up Moses alone, you come up to me. But all the people, anyone touches the mountain,
they will die. And then God began. And in Exodus chapter 19 to speak to the people of Israel directly, and they saw the thunderings. They are, they heard the thunderings. They saw the lightning, they saw the fire. They saw the mountain, turned to Ash. They saw all of these things and they heard the voice of God. And they went to Moses and said,
make it stop. We are too afraid for God to be in our presence, to speak to us directly. You go up on the mountain, you get his word and you bring it back to us. And the Hebrew writer says we’re not Okay At the mountain Where we stand to hear God. And we see the thunder and, or hear the thunder and see the lightening and see all of these things and see the fire.
We’re not in that position. He says, verse 24, they could not endure what was commanded. And if so much, as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. Even Moses was afraid, but you have come to the Mount Zion And to the city of the living,
God, the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels, Okay? He says, you’re not coming to that earthly mountain of Sinai. You’re coming to Zion. You’re coming to the place of the kingdom. You’re coming to the spiritual mountain of God. He says to a general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God, the judge of all,
to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of the sprinkling that speaks better things than that. Of Abel. He says, you’ve come to a place to a mountain where their salvation, where there’s the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. You go back to chapter 10 and you’ll find the offering of Christ created the new and living way through the watery grave of baptism.
And that sprinkling, that purification that comes from a spiritual sprinkling of the blood of Christ over our sins, using the old Testament representation of the day of atonement. He says, you come to that place. You come to that kingdom. And when he goes on to say, see that you do not refuse him, who speaks for, if they did not escape,
who refused him, who spoke on earth much more? Shall we not escape? If we turn away from him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth. But now he has promised saying yet, once more, I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken and of the things that are made,
that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. What are the things that cannot be shaken, Eternal things. This is a contrast, just like Jesus’s statements. This is a contrast of this life versus the next, the things that cannot be shaken aren’t made with men’s hands. And they aren’t made out of this rock and dust and earth and universe. They are spiritual in nature.
He says, therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom, which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrew writer makes it clear that there’s hope there. Salvation. There’s grace. This is all been given by God. And it cannot be shaken. It cannot be destroyed.
It’s not like the kingdom that the old Testament Israelites received that then they gave up because they went back against God and God took it away and gone destroyed it. It’s not like that kingdom. It’s a kingdom that will never fall, But he says we still have to serve him. And then you go over to first Peter chapter one and connect the sprinkling of Hebrews 12 with a sprinkling here.
Because in first Peter chapter one in verse two, he speaks concerning these Christians and Peter writes. They are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the father in sanctification of the spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. We’ve got the second category of people here. We’ve got Christians and he says, blessed, be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to his abundant mercy has been gotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. He says you were once dead. You’ve been born again. And you’ve been born again to a hope, That real communication that came from God, the same God who spoke at Mount Sinai, the same God who is a consuming fire.
That real communication brought a message of hope. Okay? And he says to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God, through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed. At the last time in this, you greatly rejoice though. Now for a little while, if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold. That perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to praise honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love though, you do not see him yet. Believing you rejoice with joy, inexpressible, and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. We have real confidence as Christians, because we know there’s a kingdom that’s not been made with men’s hands. There’s a kingdom that we’re a part of. And we’re citizens of that is not a vis world and will never fall. And inside that kingdom is grace and salvation. And inside that grace and salvation,
we have a living hope on inheritance that cannot be taken away. Okay? And ultimately inside that kingdom, through the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, through the washing of water to wash away our sins, first Peter chapter three, verse 21, we have the salvation of our souls.<inaudible> Amidst the successes and disasters in the world. Today. We need real Christians.
We need Christians who have a foundation of truth, whose choices are choices, determined by God whose consequences they understand whose critical thinking causes them to examine what they face and move forward with God and serve him only Whose character cannot be shaken, cannot be disassembled by the world and its temptations. But instead they set a criteria for their morals, their influences for their choices.
And then they live knowing they have a confidence that this life is what’s most important, but they have a hope of blessedness of boldness to enter into eternity saved by the blood of Christ. If that’s not the kind of Christian you are, whether you’re here in this audience or somewhere else, listening to this message. If that’s not the kind of Christian you are,
You can change that today. If you are looking at your life and saying the disasters that occurred last night, pale in comparison to the sins, I’ve committed. That doesn’t matter because Christ offers you salvation and redemption and hope, but it’s only available through the word of God. It’s only available when the terms and conditions set upon that salvation offered by Christ are met,
and it’s only available when a person does what God says and stops doing what they say. You’re outside the body of Christ. You enter into the body of Christ. You enter into salvation. You receive that sprinkling of blood. Having heard the word by believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God by repenting of your sins, Romans chapter 10, confessing the name of Christ.
As Paul stated in that passage and being immersed in water for the remission of your sins. Being buried to rise up, to walk in newness of life, Romans chapter six, and then you begin walking the path of righteousness. You begin living the life we’ve talked about. Let me warn you. You better count the cost first because there is a cost for being a disciple of Christ.
If you’re outside the body of Christ, or if you’re a member of the body of Christ and you’ve turned away from him. If you’ve gone back to the world, if you’ve let go of that hope or you’ve changed your priorities, why not come home? If you have need of the invitation, the invitation is open here and now the invitation is open.
Every hour of every day, you can contact us. You can come and meet with us. You have need of the invitation. The invitation is open to you to be obedient to Christ. We appreciate your time and your attention. Now I’m going to turn the services back over to Michael<inaudible>. Before our closing prayer will be lift him up, lift him up.
Oh. To reach a mass is man up every day.<inaudible> An answer. Jesus gave a fuck. And by being lifted up from the earth, well, None<inaudible> Lift him. Uh, I have Tim Sterling speaks from it.<inaudible><inaudible> Mmm.<inaudible> from the, uh, well, Man<inaudible> Oh, the Whoa. There’s hungry for the being<inaudible><inaudible> up on them too.<inaudible><inaudible> daddy said.
Mmm. Oh man.<inaudible> Lift him.<inaudible><inaudible> Silly speak Stromae. Nah<inaudible>. And by being lifted up from the earth. Well<inaudible> Man.<inaudible> Lift him up. I live as a Christian<inaudible><inaudible> Then. And man, well gladly follow him. Who wants to have a<inaudible> Man?<inaudible> They have Tim, Uh, Lift him Speak Stromae.
Nah.<inaudible> Mmm. By being Lyft did, uh, from the, uh, well, Man,<inaudible> Let us pray. Heavenly father we’re indeed grateful for this privilege. We’ve had to assemble to study a portion of your word that Aaron has so eloquent, eloquently presented to us, help us to truly be the Christians that he has outlined for us.
As we prepare to depart, we’re mindful of those that were mentioned that were sick. We pray that you will grant them a speedy and complete recovery. Be with those that have lost loved ones, comfort them. As only you can, as we depart or mindful of our sins, we pray that you will forgive them as we truly repent and turn from him.
Bring us all back at the next appointed time. Last each of us, according to her several needs this, we pray in your son Jesus’s name. Amen.
