Falling Out Before Men? Or Falling Down Before God?
November 10, 2009 at 11:11 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: 1 John 4, 1 Timothy 2, angels, anitchrist, charismania, charismatic movement, Colossians 2, Ephesians 2, faith, fear of God, God's holiness, God's love, good works, grace, Holy Ghost, Holy Scripture, Holy Spirit, Jude, Lord Jesus, love of God, Luke 5, Peter, Philippians 4, raising the dead, reverence of God, revering God, saints, salvation by grace alone, Simon Peter
The sinful mixing of a little good with something bad to corrupt the truth of God is not something that is new. In the days in which the Holy Spirit was inspiring the Words which make up the New Testament, an “antichrist” spirit was at work spreading falsehoods. (I John 4:3)
For example, “good works” are, Scripturally, good things (Ephesians 2:10), but they do not save souls (Ephesians 2:8-9). Angels are worthy of respect (Jude v. 8), but they are not to be worshiped (Colossians 2:18). Likewise, it is a good thing to be a “saint” (Philippians 4:21-22), but we should never pray to them (I Timothy 2:5).
The devil, throughout history, has found fertile ground in subtly substituting man-based theories of righteousness for the God-centered Truth of Scripture. Even today, there are those who stand on proclamations of faith while invoking praises to themselves among their followers. These are those who shake out their coats, causing audience-members to swoon and faint as if overcome with the power of God. Some call down “healing” on the same followers week after week for the amusement of the crowds. Among such, the ability to raise the dead is thought to be proof of the highest level of faith.
Certainly Christ Himself has this power. However, the true measurement of faith is not an ability to impress men with spiritual gifts. It is the realization of our sin, compared to God’s holiness, while somehow yet receiving by faith the fact that He loves His true children unconditionally. The following passage of Scripture shows the attitude of the apostle Peter when he encountered Jesus Christ:
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Luke 5:5-8
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Luke 5:11
Give Him Your Heart
November 9, 2009 at 10:14 am | In Salvation | Leave a CommentTags: altar calls, eternal salvation, Good News, Gospel, heart, Jesus Christ the Sacrifice, Proverbs 23, rejection of self-righteousness, Salvation, salvation invitations, substitionary atonement, The Cross
Proverbs 23:26 says, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” This is the plea of an earthly parent to his child, but God may be saying the same thing to you today. Have you given the Lord your heart? If so, do you know when, where, and can you describe it in detail?
Maybe you never have. Maybe everybody you know thinks you’re a Christian, but you know you’re not, and God knows you’re not. Your sin has separated you from God. Jesus Christ took your sin on Himself, and He took the punishment for it in your place on the Cross. He was sinless and perfect, yet He was tortured and crucified and killed for every sin you and I ever committed.
The good news is that God accepted Him as the perfect and only possible sacrifice for sin, and showed His acceptance by resurrecting Him from the dead. He lives today, and you have only two choices: You must believe on Him, rejecting your own self-righteousness, or you must reject Him.
A Fake in the Grass
November 5, 2009 at 11:20 am | In Genesis | 1 CommentTags: 1 John 2, 2 Corinthians 11, Adam, Adam and Eve, angel of light, Bible lessons on Genesis, Bible study on Genesis, Billy Sunday, Billy Sunday quotes, blame-shifting, Book of Genesis, counterfeit, don't go into the light, Eve, father of lies, fig leaves, first sin, Garden of Eden, Genesis, Genesis 18, Genesis 2, Genesis 3, Genesis 4, God's grace, God's plan of salvation, God's Word, John 8, lessons on Genesis, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, near-death experiences, New Age, New Age Movement, original sin, parrots, plan of redemption, pride of life, Revelation 2, Romans 1, Romans 9, Satan, Satan's schemes, self-righteousness, serpents, snake in the grass, snakes, subtlety, Sunday School lessons on Genesis, talking animals, The Cross, total depravity, Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, tree of life
Satan can disguise himself, even as an angel of light. (II Corinthians 11:14). A while back there was a trend in pop culture whereby, when a person looked faint and started to keel over, an observer would jokingly say, “Whatever you do, don’t go into the light!” This was making fun of the commonality of so-called “near-death” experiences, where people come back to consciousness saying they saw a bright white light, which they believe represented the “after-life,” and that they felt drawn to it, but decided to “come back” for the sake of their loved ones or whatever. Knowing that Satan can disguise himself as an “angel of light,” maybe the warning not to go into the light is more prescient that most people realize.
In Genesis Chapter 3, Satan chooses to disguise himself as a serpent.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Genesis 3:1-2
We might wonder whether Eve should have known that serpents can’t talk. Was this her first encounter with a serpent? When my wife makes a bad decision because I’m not with her (which almost never happens), I think about Adam, and say, “If Eve would have stayed close to her husband, he could have told her, ‘That’s not a parrot, let’s get out of here!’”
Seriously though, Satan is a counterfeiter. He has a counterfeit righteousness. (Romans 9:30) He has counterfeit ministers. (II Corinthians 11:13-16) He has counterfeit believers. (II Corinthians 11:26) He has counterfeit churches. (Revelation 2:9) He even has counterfeit mysteries. (Revelation 2:24).
In Genesis 3:1 he first says, “Hey let’s discuss God’s Words – did He really say that?” He tricked Eve into following his example. Here is what God really said:
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 2:16-17
Here is Eve’s subtle alteration:
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Genesis 3:2-3
She subtracted from God’s Word. She added to God’s Word. Finally, she changed God’s Word. That’s what will happen every time we allow Satan to deceive us into questioning God’s Word.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Genesis 3:4
Changes to God’s Word invariably become direct contradictions to God’s Word. Satan questioned God’s Word. (Genesis 3:1) He denied God’s Word. (Genesis 3:4) He made up his own word. (Genesis 3:5)
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 8:44
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 1:25
Note the singular in Romans 1:25 – this is A lie and it is THE lie: you shall be like God. The “New Age” movement is not really “new.” It started in the Garden of Eden.
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 3:24
God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden for their own protection. For them to eat of the Tree of Life after disobediently eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil could have been disastrous.
The categories of sin set forth in I John 2:16 are all present in mankind’s first sin:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, [the lust of the flesh] and that it was pleasant to the eyes [the lust of the eyes], and a tree to be desired to make one wise [the pride of life], she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 3:6 (Bracketed phrases added.)
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Genesis 3:7
Even their very first attempt at self-righteousness – as useless as it was – was counteracted by the grace of God’s plan going into motion. I heard an illustration once of a tree being being stripped of its leaves by two people. God’s original plan for trees did not include stripping the leaves to make clothes. This stripped tree grows into a Cross. The sinners cower in fear, trying to cover themselves.
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:8
The sinners are trying to hide from God, which is useless. Aren’t all attempts at self-righteousness really attempts to hide from God that which cannot be hidden?
Now, picture Christ going up on this leafless tree – meant by men to be a symbol of death. He is crucified upon it. He makes an instrument of torture into a bridge of everlasting salvation, so the frightened ones can come to Him and be forgiven.
Notice that God is the One who comes looking for Adam and Eve – not the other way around.
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Genesis 3:9
Billy Sunday used to say that sinners can’t find God for the same reason criminals can’t find policemen – they’re not looking for them.
Here we see the first instance of blame-shifting:
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:10-13
There are three questions in Genesis which many of us need to be asking ourselves:
1. Where are you? (Genesis 3:9)
2. Where is your brother? (Genesis 4:9)
3. Where is your wife? (Genesis 18:9)
Who “KEEPS” Me Saved?
November 4, 2009 at 10:18 am | In Eternity | Leave a CommentTags: assurance of salvation, Christ the Savior, eternal life, eternal salvation, eternal security, Eternity, everlasting life, everlasting security, faith of Christ, faith of Jesus, God's grace, God's mercy, good deeds, good people, good thoughts, heresy, imputed righteousness, Isaiah 64, King James Version, Luke 15, New King James Version, once saved always saved, perseverance of the saints, Philippians 3, Romans 3, salvation of the Lord, self-righteousness, Titus 3
Some people have heard that they have to be righteous to go to Heaven. Therefore, they try hard to do “good deeds,” and to say “good words,” and to think “good thoughts,” and to be “good people.” When the idea that people can achieve “self-righteousness” is exposed to Scripture, however, only the most stubborn still hold onto the false belief that they can “save” themselves.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:10
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Titus 3:5
Hopefully, upon learning of the futility of attempted self-righteous salvation, the unbeliever will repent and call upon Christ the Savior. Even the angels in Heaven rejoice when this happens! (Luke 15:10) However, there is a strange thought circulating about, by which it is sometimes said that the salvation of the Lord, which comes by His grace through faith, can be lost, stolen, or rejected. In response to this strange thought, there is probably a nicer word than “heresy,” but I can’t think of it.
Let those of us who are born again, the elect of God according to His grace and mercy, remember that we did not save ourselves, and we are utterly incapable of “keeping ourselves saved.” Many modern translations of the Bible get a key phrase in Philippians 3:9 wrong. They say that righteousness is “through faith ‘in’ Christ.” The King James (not the New King James) Version hits the nail right on the head when it says that, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Emphasis added.)
Today, as I type this, I am found in Jesus Christ. I am righteous in the sight of God only because the righteousness of His dear Son has been imputed to me. The eternal continuance of this gift of righteousness is not because of my great faith. It is because of the wondrous, magnificent, awe-inspiring, unchanging, never-ending faith of Christ Himself.
Getting Your Feet Wet
November 3, 2009 at 1:34 pm | In BiblicalSwimming | Leave a CommentTags: Apostles, Biblical swimming, Biblical waters, deep water, Disciples, Ezekiel, Ezekiel 47, Ezekiel's vision, foot therapy, foot-washing, Genesis 18, getting your feet wet, God's grace, grace abounding, grace of God, Jesus the Servant, John 13, ovrecoming obstacles, Romans 5, spiritual swimming lessons, swim, swim lessons, swimmers, swimming, swimming in grace, swimming in the Bible, swimming in the deep end, swimming lesson, swimming lessons, water in the Bible, water temperature, waters to swim in, wet feet
There is a progression in Ezekiel 47 as God’s angel shows Ezekiel the marvelous waters flowing from the throne of the Lord.
And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
Ezekiel 47:3-4
The progression is upward and gradual. The waters reach Ezekiel’s ankles, then his knees, and then his loins.
When God wanted to show Ezekiel a picture of His grace in the form of great waters, He could have simply arranged for a great deluge to fall from above onto Ezekiel’s head. But He did not do this. Instead, the Bible has given us a great vision of God’s grace as a rising stream.
You may have seen someone approach a swimming pool or the shoreline at the beach, not yet knowing the temperature of the water. It is common on such occasions to see people testing the water with their feet. It is also common to see others sitting or standing in such a way that only their feet are getting wet. There is something reassuring and refreshing about cool water on our feet.
When Jesus demonstrated His great willingness to be a Servant to His Disciples, He washed their feet. (John 13:4-16) Jesus did this for a number of reasons. One of them may have been to demonstrate that feet would be important in the Apostles’ ministry. On these feet they would go throughout the world, spreading the Good News of the Kingdom. Therefore, their feet, prior to their holy errands, needed to be cleansed and sanctified. Another reason may have been to remind the Disciples of the refreshment that comes with being in the presence of Jesus. In the dry and dusty lands of Bible times, cool water on the feet was a very refreshing thing (and it still is even today!) In fact, the first time the word “feet” appears in the Bible, it is in reference to washing, rest, and refreshment. (Genesis 18:4)
For those who are weary from traveling in their own strength, but are a little wary of plunging head first into the deep end of God’s presence, God is patient to send His grace in a rising stream, so that new believers may first find refreshment and adjustment by going in ankle deep. Let us never make the mistake, however, of thinking that God’s grace is not deep enough to overflow the highest obstacles in our life.
…where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Romans 5:12
Eternal Destruction
November 2, 2009 at 9:21 am | In Biblical Violence, Eternity | Leave a CommentTags: 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Thessalonians 2, Biblical Violence, eternal, eternal death, eternal destruction, eternal life, eternal security, Eternity, everlasting, everlasting security, God's vengeance, Gospel of Jesus Christ, hell, hope, immutability, Lord Jesus Christ, mighty angels, once saved always saved, perishing, perseverance of the saints, Romans 3, Romans 4, security of the believer, violence in the Bible, when God condones violence
Some Bible words can be hard to understand. If you are going to get a grip on the idea of “propitiation” or “justification” (Romans 4:25, 3:25), you had better be prepared to stay up all night. There are other words, however, which are extremely self-explanatory. Take the word “everlasting.” Something that is “everlasting,” is something that…(all together now)…LASTS…FOR…EVER.
When God says something is everlasting, it may blow our minds a little. After all, most things in this world have a start and a stop, a beginning and an end. The sun comes up; the sun goes down. Plants spring up and grow; plants wither and rot. People are born; people die. In God’s realm of eternity, however, there is no true end or beginning. So while the conceptualization of “everlasting” may be difficult, the basic sense of it is not. This is a great encouragement to true Christian believers and a great condemnation to those who have rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Unbelievers will experience punishment forever.
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
II Thessalonians 1:7-9
However, believers have the assurance of knowing that their salvation may never be lost.
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
II Thessalonians 2:16
A Snapshot of the Lord’s Adolescence
October 30, 2009 at 9:12 am | In Biblical Parenting | Leave a CommentTags: adolescence, adolescence in the Bible, Biblical child-rearing, Biblical Parenting, centrality of preaching, child-rearing in the Bible, childhood of Jesus, children in the Bible, Christian behavior, Christian parenting, church conferences, church youth groups, guitar hero, house of God, Jesus in the temple, Jesus's childhood, Luke 2, parenting principles, preaching, principles for parenting, principles for parents, principles for rearing children, principles for training children, prolonged adolescence, teenager, teenagers, teenagers in church, what the Bible says about children, XBox, youth groups, youth ministry
[Before beginning today's post, I would like to point you to a site with a good plan for helping you read through the Bible in a year: bible-daily.org. There are some excellent posts there, as well.]
“Dad, can we go play in the youth building?” Billy (aged 12) asked his father, during a break between speakers.
“I’m sorry, son,” said Billy’s father. “We’re here to strengthen our faith in the Lord, and to learn from God’s Word.”
“But, Dad, we’ve been here for hours. We’ve sung, we’ve prayed, we’ve heard preaching. I’m bored with this conference.”
“Well, let me ask you something,” Billy’s father said. “Are you a ‘Christian?’”
“Yes.”
“Who are Christians supposed to act like?”
Billy thought for a moment. “Christ… Jesus.”
“That’s right, son. Now, I want you to read Luke Chapter 2, and tell me what Jesus was interested in doing at age 12.”
Does this exchange between a father and son sound familiar to us today? It probably doesn’t, but it should. If we profess Christ, then His life must be our example for Christian living.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
Luke 2:41-46
Jesus Christ, approaching what this world calls His “teen years,” was not interested in vain amusements, dabbling in youthful sin, or filthy entertainment. They did not have Guitar Hero for XBox in His day, but if they had, you can believe He wouldn’t have played it in the synagogue.
Our Lord’s affections were set on sitting in the house of God, among the elders of the church, listening to the Word of His Father.
Arise: Naboth’s Vineyard, Ahab’s Vice, and God’s Vengeance – Part 1
October 29, 2009 at 12:30 pm | In Bible Studies | 1 CommentTags: 1 Kings 16, 1 Kings 21, 1 Timothy 6, 2 Timothy 1, abortion, Ahab, Arise, Baal worship, Bible patriarchs, Biblical contentment, Biblical patriarchs, Biblical vineyards, burial, candy, contentment, devotion to God, environmentalism, following Jesus, foxes, hooking up, Israel, Jezebel, Jezreel, Job 13, King Ahab, Kingdom of God, lions, little foxes, love for God, love of God, Matthew 4, Matthew 8, Naboth, Naboth's vineyard, Numbers 36, Payday Someday, piety, pious, popularity, potentates, pouting, R.G. Lee, R.G. Lee quotes, Satan's schemes, schemes of Satan, Sidon, Son of God, sour candy, spiritually dead, stewardship, sweeter than the day before, temptation, Vance Havner, Vance Havner quotes, Warheads
To “arise” means to get up – to get moving – to stir, and to get busy.
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria…
Matthew 4:18-24
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Matthew 8:21-22
When Jesus got ready to recruit disciples, He had been preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God, but when he called disciples, He didn’t give much of a sales pitch. “Follow me,” He said. Have you ever wondered why they did it?
The answer, I think, lies not in the command “follow.” There’s no shortage of people who want to tell you what to do – to give you a command. The answer lies in the “Me” – that short little two-letter Word is more than just the direct object of the sentence. The ME is the King of Glory – the Son of God – the Prince of Peace – the God over all gods – the King over all kings – the Maker of Heaven and of Earth – the Alpha and Omega – the Author of Salvation.
They really didn’t need the “follow” to be convinced. All we really need is the “ME.” When you begin to understand the greatness of Jesus – His infinite worth – you want to – no, you have to – be with Him. And you put the Person – “Me” – together with the “follow,” and you’ve got a Person and a Path.
He says, “Arise.” If you want the “ME,” you’re going to have to go places. But it’s okay – because you’ll be going with ME.
The disciples followed, and it seemed great at first. Matthew 4 says Jesus did miracles. He healed the sick and fed the hungry, and gave sight and the ability to walk. And they became famous, and crowds followed, and people loved them – as if someone said, “Here, free candy – just for coming to church.” Most everybody likes candy. Why? Because it’s sweet. It doesn’t require much effort. It sort of melts in your mouth. But once in a while you get a surprise – a different kind of candy – the kind of candy that, when you say, “Hey, you’re giving me candy, I’ll follow you” – suddenly things turn sour.
Jesus says, If you’re going to follow Me, sometimes things are going to get sour. Sometimes you’re not going to have a bed or pillow or shelter. Sometimes you’re not going to be able to be loved by your family. Sometimes you’re not going to be able to do all the things you want, because you are a follower – and a follower follows a leader – and a leader is in charge – in command.
When a leader says, “Let’s go, you don’t have time to bury your father – let the dead bury the dead – we’re following hard after my Father now…” Do you spit it out? Give up? Too sour? Not what you bargained for? Or do you just keep sucking it up – knowing that one day things will be sweet again – sweeter than ever?
I hope – when things in your life seem too hard – too hard deal with the way a Christian is supposed to deal with them – the way the Bible says to deal with them – that you’ll remember this simple little lesson – you’ll remember Who you are following. Don’t shy away from doing the hard thing. Jesus – if you are really His – loves you even when you taste bad. He is worthy to be loved and followed through any circumstances, trials, troubles, and hardships.
I. The Pious Patriarch
Naboth was the owner of a vineyard in the little town of Jezreel. (A vineyard is a piece of land used for growing grapes.)
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
Numbers 36:7-8
Naboth, years later, was the patriarch of one these families in one of these tribes. A patriarch is the male leader of a tribe. Naboth’s vineyard had come to him, through his forefathers, directly from God. It was really God’s vineyard. Naboth was a steward over it for God, and for the good of those that God had placed into his care. Every one of us are stewards over the gifts God has given us, and we are to use these gifts to help others, so that God is glorified. Naboth had a command from God: Keep this land in your family. He had a blessing from God: You may enjoy this land.
We have every reason to believe that he did enjoy it. Perhaps in his own childhood, he had played there. Perhaps his wife’s family had worked and played in this vineyard. Perhaps Naboth and his fathers and sons had driven out lions and foxes from this vineyard. Perhaps Naboth enjoyed watching his own children frolic in the rows of grapes, and play in the soft fertile dirt. I call Naboth the Pious Patriarch because when there was a strong temptation to do what was easy, Naboth, instead of doing what was easy, did what was right. But he did so because of a devotion to God.
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
I Kings 21:1-3
Saying no to a king is a dangerous thing. Saying no to certain people today – saying no to certain things – can seem very dangerous to us. It can be very difficult. Someone might tell you the same thing Naboth was told: “Give up what God gave you, and you’ll get a fair price for it.” Or, “You’ll get something better in return.” How much more popular could you be with your friends if you would sell your purity – your devotion to God? How much more money could you make if not for having to attend, and serve in, church? How much more rest could you get? How many fun and entertaining things could you see and do?
Naboth said no. He didn’t say, “In my childhood I played here. My wife’s family worked and played in this vineyard. My father and sons have driven out lions and foxes from this vineyard. I love to see my own children frolic in the rows of grapes, and play in the soft fertile dirt.” He didn’t say all those things, but he could have. Instead, he let it be known that he feared God more than the king. He loved God more than men.
Do you love God more than men? That’s the question you’re going to have to ask yourself every time someone tells you to give up what God gave you, and you’ll get something better, or you’ll get a fair price. Will you sink down into the muddy pit of conformity? Or will you arise and say, “The Lord forbid it me.”
II. The Pouting Potentate
A “potentate” is someone with “power” – someone who is “potent:” a king, a ruler, an emperor. King Ahab is the “Pouting Potentate” in this account.
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
I Kings 16:30
… Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
I Kings 16:33
Ahab married the wicked Jezebel – from Sidon – and, at her prompting, instituted and encouraged the wicked worship of Baal among the groves. The worship of Baal involved sexual debauchery, child sacrifice, and worship of “nature” instead of God. It happened long ago, but it sounds very familiar today. It’s just that we don’t call it “sexual debauchery, child sacrifice, and worship of nature instead of God.” We call it “hooking up, abortion, and environmentalism.” R.G. Lee called Ahab “the vile toad who squatted on the throne of a nation.”
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
I Kings 21:4-6
Ahab, the King of Israel, who had lands beyond number, who had livestock, gold, jewels, money, orchards, palaces, servants, maybe 100 vineyards, was pouting like a spoiled little baby – or an over-indulged teenaged child – because he couldn’t have one little garden of herbs right where he wanted it!
Are we much better? Are we always wanting more? Do we worship things, or do we worship God? What is our energy devoted to obtaining? Clothes? Electronics? Cars? Nicer, more expensive luxuries? Or righteousness?
What could make the king of God’s Own people so depressed? As Christians we have access to the eternal riches of glory in Christ Jesus. And the wonderful thing is that God has made us stewards over everything He has given us, but He remains the Owner! The devil comes to you, and whispers in your ear – the way we will see Jezebel do it in Part 2 of this message – and he says, “Disobey God – just a little – and you can have this – you can enjoy that.”
But you say, “Devil, you can’t give me anything – because I have everything I could ever need or want in Christ Jesus!
He says, “Fine, you can’t be tempted with the promise of gaining something you don’t have – but I’ll take something away from you!”
And you say, “Go right ahead, I don’t own anything for you to take from me – this all belongs to God, not me.”
Vance Havner used to say, “What are you gonna do with a man like that?” You can’t give him anything because he has everything – and you can’t take anything away from him because he doesn’t have anything. You can’t head him off if you cut off his head!
I know the world laughs at this, but “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6) I know whom I have believed – though He slay me, yet will I trust Him! (II Timothy 1:12; Job 13:15)
Ahab should have been arising. Rising up to praise God. But instead he was sinking down into a bed of sorrows – discontent, grumpy, pouting.
In Part 2, we will see Jezebel enter the scene.
Promoted with Straight A’s
October 28, 2009 at 7:44 am | In Acts | Leave a CommentTags: action, Acts, Acts 20, announcements, assembly, attitude, Bible study Acts, Bible study of Acts, Bible study on Acts, Book of Acts, breaking of bread, Christian fellowship, church attendance, Church in Acts, eating in the Bible, Eutychus, fellowship, Good News, Gospel of Jesus Christ, midnight, patterns in Acts, Paul's preaching, report cards, straight A's, study of the Book of Acts, Sunday School lessons on Acts, Sunday worship
May the Lord grant our true Christian local churches sweet fellowship of the kind we see in Acts. In Chapter 20, we see a church meeting that got “straight A’s.” First of all, they had the right Attitude. They met on the first day of the week, because, in all things, they endeavored to put Christ first.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together…
Acts 20:7
Second, they Ate. The breaking of bread (enjoying a meal together) was common practice for these believers, and it also allowed them to observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.
…the disciples came together to break bread…
Acts 20:7
Third, they Assembled. How important it is for Christians to regularly attend church!
And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Acts 20:8
Fourth, they Announced the Good News. The preaching of God’s Word must be the central component of any church service.
…Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:7
Fifth, they saw the power of the Lord in Action. Wonderful blessings are often imparted to believers when they gather together in obedience to Scripture.
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
Acts 20:9-12
Start each week off right! Give God your first and your best by heading for His house each and every Sunday morning.
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