David - A Man After God's Own Heart - The Gospel of Christ

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David - A Man After God's Own Heart

OTS-5

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

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The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God was seeking a man ‘after His own heart.’ We learn in the Bible that, that was King David.
We're going to be thinking about one of the greatest men of the Old Testament. David is looked up to by many in the nation of Israel, still today, and by very many Bible students. What is it that made David such a great king? Why do we relate to him so well today?
These are questions that we'll consider in our study of the Old Testament lessons today.
As you think about King David, he is held up high in esteem by many because he was a man after God's own heart. I want you to listen to 1 Samuel 13:14.The scripture records, God's speaking to Saul, "But now your Kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
We read in 1 Samuel 16:7 and in Acts 13:22 that God was actually speaking about the one who had replaced King Saul ... King David. David was a man after God's own heart. David wanted to do what was right; prove all things; hold fast that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Although he made mistakes and was not perfect, David tried to pattern his life after the Holiness of God. Leviticus 11:44 and quoted in the New
Testament by Peter in 1 Peter 1:15 the Bible says "But as He who called you as Holy. Be Holy in all your conduct.” “Be perfect, for I am perfect or complete, for I am complete," Jesus said in Matthew 5:48.
So, when you think about the life of David. He's a man who tried to pattern himself after God and to live a life of Holiness. Which the Bible says, in Hebrew 12:14, "Without Holiness no one can see God." To live and to act and think like God and the Lord Jesus Christ thinks, is the motto for every Christian. We are to ‘walk in the footsteps of Jesus,’ 1 Peter 2:21. We should follow that great example: ‘who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin,’ Hebrews 4:15.
David tried to make his ways like God's ways. Although, we're not like God, Isaiah 55:7-11, God says "My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." We try to obtain and to achieve that level of Holiness in our lives. David was man after God's own heart because he tried to live according to the Word and the Will of God. Christians must do the same thing today. ‘Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ I want God's commands and God's Word to guide and to guard my life in every way. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:13, "But it's not in words in which you in wisdom speaks, but which the Holy Spirit speaks. That's what ought to guide and what we ought to live our life by.’ Thus, like the noble Bereans in Acts 17:11, we want to ‘search God's scriptures daily. To see if what we're doing is true to the Will of Almighty God.’
So, when you think about David, as a great king, as a pattern to follow, he tried to have the heart of God and to think, act, and to live as God would want him to live in every day. Isn't that what we ought to do as well? We're not perfect. Like David, we make mistakes. We want God to be on the forefront of what we think and the way we act and how we live our life. We want to ask ourselves: ‘What would God have us to do in these situations?’
Then, as you think about David as a man after God's own heart, David had the courage to conquer the giants in his life. Very likely, if you studied much of the Old Testament, you've studied 1 Samuel 17 where David there battles Goliath. Remember the scene and the setting. His brothers are out at war. David really isn't old enough or strong enough
(they think) or big enough to go to battle. In this battle against the Gentiles, there is a giant by the name of Goliath. Everybody's afraid of him. Every morning and at night, he talks to people of God and makes fun of them, as it were. Everybody shakes in their boots when Goliath does that. David goes out to visit his brothers and hears this giant taunting Israel and taunting God. David says (basically) "I'm not going to put up with it." He takes some armor and the armor doesn't even fit. He goes out to battle this great giant with a sling-shot and five smooth stones. He takes that sling-shot and sends one of those rocks right into the head of the giant. He falls dead there. David takes the sword and cuts off his head.
How could someone who's not even in the military, do something like that? Of course, we realize David did that with the help of Almighty God. He had the courage, first of all, to go out there and to face the giant, Goliath.
As I think about my life and we think about our lives, let's realize if we're going to pattern our lives after David we've got to have the courage to face those spiritual or physical giants in our lives. Of course, the greatest giant, the enemy of all, and that every one of us has to face every day is Satan. We need the courage of David with God's help and by the blood of Christ to face the Devil every day. No doubt he's a fearsome enemy. Like Goliath, the Bible describes him in 1 Peter 5:8. It says "Be sober, be vigilant, and be watchful. Your advisary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." The Devil is a fearful advisary just as Goliath was. I need the courage with God's help to face him and to overcome him every day.
The good news is that you can overcome the Devil. The Bible says in 1 John 4:4, "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world." Who's in the world? ‘The Devil is the prince of the world,’ John 8. He's described as the God of this world. He who is in Christ is greater than he who is in the world. The Bible tells us why in 1 John 5:4, "This is the victory we have, even our faith." So, yes, we can defeat the Devil.1 Corinthians 15:57 says "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." Right before that Paul says, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." So, we think about what God does through us, about the power that we have, and how God works victoriously in His children- in view of that, we don't need to cower or terror in the face of
Satan and temptation. We need the boldness to approach every day with God's help, God's grace and God's mercy. We can cast all our cares upon God; He cares for us.
The Devil has already been defeated. Jesus through death overcame him by the power of death and released those who all their lifetime were subject to bondage. Jesus dealt that death blow, Romans 16:20 and Genesis 3:15 to Satan on the cross. If I'm living in Christ and trying to walk in the light, 1 John 1:7, then friend, like Goliath there is nothing that is impossible with God and his children. We want the courage of David in our lives as we face the giants. Whatever that giant may be. It may not physically be Satan. It may be temptation. It may be disease. It may be sickness. It may be struggles or collimates that we face I this life. But, let's realize the one who is in us is greater than anything else, 1 John 4:4.
Then, as you think about the life of David, as a man after God's own heart, not only did David have the courage to conquer the giants in his life; David also knew how to deal with his enemies. They were enemies in the life of King David. One of the greatest of those was Saul- who should've been doing God's Will but he went astray. Saul began to do things his own way. He began to walk by his own pattern of life. God eventually will remove him as king. Saul is jealous of David. Saul is jealous of his battles and his fame, the fact that God is now working through him. On various occasions Saul tries to kill David, tries to quiet him, and tries to (again) get the people to follow after him. Yet, David never really acted out in his own vengeance. David would always put his trust in God. He would even go as far as honoring the position that King Saul held. He would always let God be the one to take vengeance.
As you think about your life as I think about mine, we’ve got to realize, if we're going to people after God's own heart, then we need to know how to deal with our enemies as well. There are enemies probably in everybody's life. We don't want them. We don't ask for them, but sometimes that happens. How do you deal with situations where somebody is opposed to good?
The Bible gives us advice on that. I want to share with you two passages that really offer support for the Christian in times like these. The first is found in Romans 12:20. Listen to what the Bible says on this subject. God says, "Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,
give him drink. For in so doing, you'll heap coals of fire on his head." How should the Christian respond to an enemy? We don't act out in vengeance. We're not going to start taking up arms and try to defeat them. We're not going to get ugly or mean with them. We do good. We try to help. We try to show the love of God in Christ in every way. Listen to what the Lord said in Matthew 5:44-45 as it relates to one's enemies. Jesus said it this way, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the just, and sends rain on the just and the unjust."
David didn't act out in vengeance; he put his trust in God. He let God take care of the situation. We want to bless and not curse. We want to pray for and help. We're not trying to make the situation more difficult. We're letting God work through us. Hopefully, by those actions, we soften people's hearts. We help them to see that we're really not their enemy. More than anything, the love, compassion and mercy of God can be shown through our lives.
As you think about principles in David's life that we can follow. Let's also realize that a man after God's own heart learned how to respect the authority of God's Word. In 2 Samuel 6, there's a very interesting scene. The people of God have now returned to take the Ark of God back. The enemies didn't want it because it kept cursing them. They're going to give it to them to bring the Ark of God back to the people of God. They do things a little odd there. "They take a new cart", the Bible says. They place that Ark on that cart and as they're entering a section of the land, a road called Nekon, threshing floor. The cart, as it were, hits a pothole (we might think of). Two men are on each side of it. Uzzah and Ahio are their names. As the Ark looks like it's going to fall Uzzah reaches out to touch and to stabilize the Ark of God. He drops dead right there on the spot. David doesn't know what to do. The text tells us he gets a little angry about it. David has to go home and think about this and figure out: what did we do wrong? What was the problem here?
Friend, it was a basic problem of not respecting the authority of God's Word. What do we mean by that? Direct your attention to 1 Chronicles 15, and let's get the rest of the story as it related to this event. 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, commenting on this exact event on bringing the Ark of God back David later said, "There because you did not do it the first time,
the Lord our God broke out against us because we did not consult Him about the proper order. So, the priest and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel and the children of Levites bore the Ark of God on their shoulders by its poles as Moses had commanded according to the Word of the Lord." You read the book of numbers and you read God's intricate details about transporting the Ark, and there was one approved way to do that. Nobody ever touched the Ark. They put two poles in its rings and in its side and the poles touched the Ark so four men as they carried that Ark. When you think about this transportation of the Ark. They did it all wrong. In 2 Samuel 6, no one was to ever touch it. They didn't have permission to put it on a new cart. When Uzzah touched that Ark and died that was because nobody respected the authority of God's Word. David said, "It happened because we didn't consult God about the proper order." David learned a hard lesson about respecting the authority about God and His Word.
We need to respect the voice and authority of God when God tells us how He wants things to be done. We learned from David that that's exactly what God wants us to do. Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatever you do in word or indeed do all in the name of or by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ." The scripture says in Revelation 22:18-19 we're not to add to nor take away from the things written in the Book. We're only to do what God tells us. Proverbs 30:6, "Do not add to His words, less He rebuke you and you be found a liar." We need to listen to the encouragement. 1 Corinthians 4:6, ‘we're not to go beyond what is written.’ When God tells us how to live our life that's exactly how God wants us to live it. When God tells us how we're to honor Him and worship Him today, that's exactly how God wants us to do that. There's no sense in trying to bring things in on the proverbial cart, as it were when God's already dictated in the Bible, how to live, how to worship, how to pray, and how a person needs to be saved. We need to learn that from David, if we want to please God, we need to ask God how he wants to be pleased, and the answer is found in his divine will.
Then friend, as we think about David as a man after God's own heart, let's also realize that David was big enough to confess and repent of sin when he found it in his life.
You're probably familiar with the story 2 Samuel 11:12. David at a time when kings ought to have been out at war is on the rooftop, and he sees beautiful Bathsheba bathing. Sin takes over his heart. He lust after
her. He desires to have her. He takes her, and has sexual relations with her. Eventually, she becomes pregnant. Her husband is also in David's army. They don't know what to do about that situation. So, they try to send him home from the battle to have relations with his wife so he'll think it's his kid. When that doesn't work, they send him to the forefront in the battle. They draw back from him and he's, ultimately, killed in battle. So, you have adultery, lying, cheating, and murder. All those things occurred because David let sin reign in his heart.
As you remember, Nathan the prophet comes to David with that sad story about that one little ewe lamb and how some traveler came to town and wouldn't take of his own but he took from the man's one lamb. That broke David's heart and he said, "Whoever the man is, bring him here, he's going to pay for that." Nathan looked at him and said, "You're the man, you're the one who had plenty of others; you're the one who had wives you could've taken from and you took this one man's wife that he loved. We're talking about you, you're the man." What'd David do? As king of Israel, the most powerful man in the world. What did David do? He said, "You're right. I've sinned." David was big enough to confess and to repent of his sin. There's a man after God's own heart. Someone who when they see sin in their life, is willing to change. We need that same attitude today. The Bible says this in 1 John 1:7-10, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, that's good, we got fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin we make god a liar and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all inequity.”
Simon in Acts 8 serves as an example of this. Simon sinned after obeying the Gospel. Peter approached him and said, "Your heart's not right in the sight of God, you have neither part nor portion in this matter. I see that you're in the bond of inequity the Gaul of bitterness." Simon said, "Pray for me. That none of the things you've said will come upon me."
Our Lord said in Luke 13:3, "Unless you repent, you'll likewise perish." Peter preached in Acts 3:19 ‘repent and turn that your sins maybe blotted out. That seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.’
Sometimes today when someone confesses and acknowledges and repents of sins, we look and say, "Well, boy they really messed up. They
were really a bad person. Shame on them." That's not God's heart. The heart of God is one who is big enough to confess and repent of that sin and get his life back right with Almighty God.
Then friend, we learn a powerful lesson from the life of David, as well, on how to deal with death. David was not immune to heartache and heartbreak that came into his life. Much of it was due to the sin and the results of what happened with Bathsheba and God promised that would happen. The son who was born to that adulteress relationship doesn't last. The Bible records that that son actually dies. David makes a pretty powerful statement about death and life and things related to that. I want you to listen to it in 2 Samuel 12. I want you to hear what David says. It teaches us a great lesson about how to deal with life and death and matters that are extremely important. The Bible says this in 2 Samuel 12:22, "The servants come today but they question him about his demeanor." He said in verse 22, "While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live but now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back?" Listen to this statement, "I shall go to him, he shall not return to me."
When you think about death and you think about how to look at that, David did have the proper attitude here. David realized, he's not coming back to me, and I can't revive him. I can't bring him back. One day, I'll go to him. As we think about life and as we think about, maybe, the death of loved ones who are close to us. Let's realize the hope we live with in view of our loss, of their loss, in view of their death. The hope that we live with is this, one day we can go to them. One day we will be reunited in Christ all in the graves will one day come forth, John 5:28-29. The dead in Christ will meet him in the air with our loved ones, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. So, although we can't change the fact that every person's life ends in death, the good news is that's not really the end. Jesus said in John 11:24-25. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, he'll never really die. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Revelation 14:13 - Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15, as Paul said, "Pray to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
We ask you to think soberly and to think seriously about life and about whether we're following the heart of God. Are you like David? What a great king he was. Although, he wasn't perfect, he tried to pattern his life after the heart and the mind of God. Are we doing that today?
If you've never obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that's how you get your heart in line with the heart of God. Have you heard the message about Christ? Romans 10:17. Do you believe that Jesus really is the savior of the world? John 8:24. Would you be willing to repent of things in your life that are not right? Luke 13:3. Confessing the beautiful name of Jesus, Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned, Mark 16:16.
May every one of us be encouraged every day to try to be people after the heart of God who seek His Will, who try to live Holy lives, and try to encourage others to follow in the pattern of Christ.
May God help each of us as we strive to follow the heart of God each and every day.
Study Questions for: “Old Testament Studies Lesson 5: David”
1. What did God say about David in Acts 13:22?
2. According to 1 Samuel 13:14, why did Saul’s kingdom end and David’s begin?
3. According to Jeremiah 29:13, how should we seek and find God?
4. According to Leviticus 11:44 & 1 Peter 1:15 how are we to be? Why?
5. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, what should we do to show ourselves approved unto God?
6. According to 1 Corinthians 2:13, how is God revealed to us?
7. According to Hebrews 2:18, why is Jesus able to help when we are tempted?
8. How does 1 Peter 5:8 describe the devil?
9. How are we to deal with our enemies according to Matthew 5:44-45?
10. According to 2 Samuel 6 & 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, why did Uzzah die?

The Value of the Old Testament

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

Nehemiah 8: Keys to Successful Restoration

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

In the days of Israel, God had made a promise to His people that if they would not stop their idolatry; He was going to send them away into Babylonian captivity. In accordance with His promises, God did just that. He also promised to bring them out of that captivity into a wonderful restoration, based on the word of God. It's that restoration in Nehemiah chapter eight that we're going to be thinking about today that parallels what's necessary for a Christian and his life to be restored to almighty God. We want to encourage you to get your Bible, have it ready as we're going and open it to Nehemiah chapter eight as we're going to study this wonderful text, about the right heart that isn't necessary, for restoration with Almighty God. Let's turn our attention to the predicament that Israel finds itself in under the Old Testament. In Jeremiah Chapter 25 and in Jeremiah 29, God had made the promise to His people that if they did not amend their ways, if they did not stop their idolatry; God was going to send them into 70 years of harsh captivity under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Israel didn't stop, and as a result they went into harsh captivity. Along with the promise of captivity, God also made the promise and Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1 that once that 70 years was up, God would bring His people out of that captivity. According to His promise, by the hand of Cyrus, in the year 536 God did just that. It is this process of coming back to God, began was Cyrus working through Ezra and Nehemiah. They restored worship; they restored the temple. They restore their hearts to a right place with God. In Nehemiah chapter eight, where we're going to be studying today, there are some ingredients or some steps that are necessary to getting our heart right and to be restored with God like we ought to. Think about your relationship, each of us to think about our relationship with God and let's make sure that we're in the right place and restored to where we need to be with Almighty God. If not, let's consider what this text teaches us is necessary. Look in your Bible in Nehemiah Chapter Eight. Nehemiah 8:1 says, ‘When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. Now all the people gathered together as one man, in the open square that was in front of the water gate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Law of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel.’ Here you've got such an important and necessary step. If we're going to have restoration, I've got to be united with God and His people. To have a restored heart to God, you've got to be one; you've got to be unified. You've got to want unity with God and His people. This is so practical and so fresh, on the mind of the Israelites because for years they had been divided, over spiritual matters. The kingdoms had been divided, the Northern Kingdom and its tribes and the Southern Kingdom and its tribes, and then you have a remnant that’s holding true to the scripture. You also have a whole bunch of adulterous people. They've been splintered and divided for a long time and yet the captivity helped them to realize, they needed to be one with each other and one with God. If restoration is really going to take place, God's people must have a heart for unity. We must want that oneness with others and that oneness that God can give us that unity that we can have with God. In the Bible God has always wanted His people to have unity. Listen to Psalm 133:1. The Psalmist says, ‘behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ Does God want His people divided? No, God wants His people united. Did you think about the two words there that are used? Unity is both good and pleasant. There are some things that are good but aren't pleasant and then there's some things that are pleasant, but aren't good. Let me illustrate. There are some things that are good, meaning that they're good for you. One the doctor is good, getting the flu shot might be good but would you say that's pleasant? No, not really. Then there are some things that are pleasant, enjoyable but not necessarily beneficial. Candy for every meal, a chocolate pie for every meal might be pretty pleasant but is it good for you? No, now think about unity. Unity is good, beneficial, helpful, and pleasant. It's enjoyable. It's something every person should strive for in this life. We're told in Ephesians 4:3, to keep the unity of the spirit, spiritual unity and the bond of peace. 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul came down hard on the church in Corinth because there were divisions among them. Paul said, ‘Let there be no divisions among you.’ What's so powerful about unity? Do we realize that there's great strength in unity? I want you to listen to a passage, in the book of Ecclesiastes that helps us to understand this idea. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 the Bible says, ‘Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall one will lift up his companion but woe to him who is alone when he falls. He has no one to help him up. Again if two lie down together, they will keep warm but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him and a threefold cord, is not quickly broken.’ I can understand the strength and unity based off these principles and these ideas. If you take just one pencil, it is pretty easy to break that one pencilbut if you take that pencil and you multiply it and let's say you had 10 pencils with a rubber band around it, it is very hard to break that. Why? There's strength and there's power in unity. There's strength in numbers and that unity creates strength. We can encourage, uplift, and help one another. Another powerful aspect of humanity is unity actually proves to the world that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus prayed for it in John 17:20-21. ‘I pray that they all may be one, as you Father are in Me and I you that they also may be one in us.’ Now listen to the reason: ‘that the world may believe that you sent me.’ What does unity express? Unity between believers in Christ, Christians, is a powerful exclamation point to Christianity itself, it proves to the world. We'll stand up and do what's right no matter what because Christ is truly our all in all. When we think about having biblical restoration and the idea there in of being restored to God correctly, we've got to be diligent to strive to possess spiritual unity. That comes from following the oneness that God has set in the scripture. There is one Lord, one faith, one body, one baptism, and one God and father above all. All the ones that are mentioned in Ephesians 4:4-6, are necessary if we're going to have unity. God wants us to in the scripture. I want to direct your attention to another ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration found in Nehemiah 8:2-3.’ Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the 7th month. Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Watergate, from morning until midday before the men and the women and those who can understand,’ listen to this, ‘and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.’ Friend what ingredient is necessary, for biblical restoration to take place? There has to be a desire for unity-unity with God's creation and unity with God. There also has to be an attentive heart to the Law of God. They told Ezra, ‘go get the Book of the Law.’ Ezra went and got a Book of the Law. He stood and read from it nearly all day and the people stood there with an attentive heart, attentive ear, and listened to the word of God. They didn’t listen to what was public opinion, not what was popular, and not what would make people feel good. They didn't poll the audience and ask them what they wanted. They said, ‘Where's the Book of God? We want to hear the book of God.’ When they found the Book of the Law, their ears perked up and listened to what God had to say. They had an attentive heart to the word of God. The Israelites were so attentive to the word of God because they had lacked that for so long. In that captivity, 70 years of harsh Babylonian captivity, where were the Bibles then? Where was the scripture then? Where was their freedom to open the scripture and study it and expound upon it and read from it? Under captivity, that was a scarce thing because of the lack of their ability to have God's word in their life for so long. The only way today that we're going to have a real attitude of attentiveness to the word of God, is when we realize the great value of God's word. Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, ‘your words were found and I did eat them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.’ Part of the problem that we face today in our, industrialized world with printing presses and books everywhere is that there's mass availability to the Bible and yet, we take for granted how powerful it is and how attentive we need to be to it. It's readily available. I've got the freedom to read it anytime I want and yet so many times we just don't. Do we take it for granted? What a treasure and privilege it is. The word of God is so important because it's what saves our souls. The Bible says in James 1:21 that we're to ‘receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save our soul.’ What's going to save, men and women from being lost for eternity? The scripture is. Let's think about how powerful, important, and attentive we need to be to the word of God because of its great value. Do we realize and do we remember that the Bible contains the words of life? Not just words of lifethe words of life that which can help us to be saved and live the best life. Jesus had made some hard statements in John 6:63. Some decided they didn't want to follow Jesus anymore. Jesus turned to Peter and the rest of the disciples and he said, ‘Do you want to go away also here's your chance? Do you want to go away also?’ Peter turned to the Lord and said ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ John 6:68, the Bible has everything, all things for life and godliness. The word of God is able to completely equip us, for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:17. If you want to live the best life, you want to make sure that you're living in such a way, you can go to heaven. You want to live the full, complete, abundant life? The Bible contains the words of life. The Bible has the ability to edify us to build us up and help us to be closer to God. To the elders in Ephesus, Paul on the beach of Miletus says, ‘So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance.’ Among all those who are sanctified, are you going to be built up spiritually? You want to make sure that inheritance is yours and that you can grab hold of it and maintain it. It's the Bible that has the power to do that. We need an attentive heart to the word of God because it's God's word that helps us be convicted. We have sin in our life. None of us probably like to admit that or come face to face with it, but it's true. From time to time we all sin and fall short. You know what great value of the Bible is? It helps us to realize that and to get that out of our live. Acts 2:36 the Bible says, Peter stood up and proclaimed, ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, God's made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ The Bible says, ‘Those Jews who heard that and we're attentive to it, they were cut to the heart.’ What's that mean? The Bible pricked their heart. They cried out: ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Saul of Tarsus, who had gotten hardened by his zealous Jewish upbringing, is softened by the word of God. Acts 9 Saul is intent, on dragging men and women to prison persecuting them. Some of them might even die. He's presented with Jesus on the way to Damascus. When he realizes it's truth, his ears perk up. ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’ God's word is able to help us overcome sin. ‘Your word,’ the Psalmist said, ‘I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you,’ Psalm 119:10-12. If I've got a good working knowledge of the word of God and my heart is attentive to that, when I find my ways aren't what they ought to be, it encourages me. I want to get back right with all mighty God. Then of course the Bible has the power to help us to help us realize why we are here, where are we going, and where we'll end up. We realize I'm here as a creation of God, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7. I'm not going to be here real long. Life is but a vapor, James 4:14. We have 70 maybe 80 years, Psalm 90:10-12. One day I will stand before Almighty God. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and I'll give an account of how I lived my life. ‘It's appointed to man once to die and then the judgment.’ If I've listened to the word of God and I've lived my life by that, on that great day, I'll hear those wonderful words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ If I've turned a deaf ear to the word of God, then I'll hear the words: ‘Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.’ I want to have a mindset that desires unity with God and others. I want to have an attentive heart to God and His word. A third ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is great respect, in my life, for the word and the authority of Almighty God. Look in Nehemiah 8:4-5. The Bible says, ‘So Ezra the scribe, stood on a platform of wood which they had made for that purpose and beside him at his right hand stood Mattithiah, Shema and Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, Maaseih and at his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people.’ Now watch this, ‘And when he opened it all the people stood up.’ Why? After 70 years of harsh captivity, it finally dawned upon the Israelites how powerful and how much, they needed to respect the Bible. As that voice of God is opened before them, they stand up out of honor and respect for the word of God. We need today that same respect for God and His word. Do we realize that this book is the very voice of God speaking to us today? All scripture is breathed out by God, 2 Timothy 3:16. The pages in this book are not just ink and paper. It is God's message for me. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and God tells me in this book how He wants me to live. This is how we please God. Out of respect for almighty God, I want to respect the scriptures. I want to realize this is God's word, and I've got to live in harmony in such a way with it that one day I can bring honor and glory to almighty God in every way and in every occasion. As we think about God and we think about God's message and how to please Him and give glory and honor to Him in each and every way, that's what this is all about in every avenue and in every way. As we think about this idea, Nehemiah 8:6, I want to give us then another principle that will help us. Ezra blessed the Lord, the Great God. ‘Then all the people answered Amen, while lifting up their hands, they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’ What's necessary for biblical restoration, from Nehemiah 8:6? There has to be absolute worship for God with fear and reverence. Look at the people. They bowed down. The act of bowing one's face to the ground was a sign of reverence and fear and all of Almighty God. Exodus 3:5, as Moses is there with that burning bush, he bows down with his face toward the ground. Isaiah six, Isaiah feels humbled to be in the presence of God. Then of course, you have John in the book of Revelation. All of these exhibit this idea of one's face going down, representative of reverence or fear, for all mighty God in worship. If we're going to have biblical restoration, it's got to be based on respect for who God is and how God wants me to worship Him. There's a lot of seeming disrespect, for God in worship today. When you to look at some of the things that are done today, you've got so much that it makes light up what's going on. The people who are jumping around and hollering and jumping over pews and all this supposedly miraculous stuff that's going on that people are just trying to make a big show out of- it's almost like a carnival or a circus as it were today. We need to realize God wants us to worship Him in a way that brings glory and honor to His name and out of respect for Him not me. Out of respect for God, I want to worship Him the way He wants me to. God is a spirit. Here's what he says, “God is a spirit and those who worship Him, must worship in spirit and in truth.” Our attitude and the way we approach God, must give Him true honor and glory. Then a final ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is to come to the scripture and try to understand what God wants us to, based on His word, a proper understanding of God based on the Bible. Listen to Nehemiah 8:7-8. The Bible says also, ‘Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanah and Pelaiah and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law and the people stood in their place. They read distinctly from the book in the Law of God, and they gave the sense or the understanding and helped them to understand the reading.’ Here you've got people who studied the scripture a long time. Some of these people haven't for many years studying the Bible. What did they do to really understand the script? Did they get out and commentaries and give everybody's idea and taking an opinion poll? No- they read distinctly to them from the Bible. If we really want to have biblical restoration, let's turn people back to the word of God. Let's turn people towards the scriptures. Let's read God's word. Paul said in Ephesians 3:4, ‘you can understand the knowledge of Christ, when you've read these things, give attention to reading.’ We want to point people to the Bible to help understand it. If I want to understand the Bible, I want to let the Bible be its own best commentary. Then of course, I want to apply God's message to my life. ‘The things that you've heard and read and seen,’ Paul said, ‘these do and the God of peace will be with you.’ Too many times people are turned toward entertainment and what somebody somewhere who is a religious person says-let's turn people to the Bible. ‘Is there any word from the Lord?’ Jeremiah 37:17. That's how we're really going to be restored to all mighty God. Just like in the days of Nehemiah, how wonderful it was that they had the opportunity to get back right with God. Nehemiah 8 is such an encouraging scene because the people, regardless of persecution or what it takes, they're going to put God and His word above all else. We need that same attitude among the Lord's people today. May God help each of us to have the right heart for unity to look to the word of God and be attentive and respectful for what God wants, so that one day He'll call upon us as His children with words of encouragement and hope: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ May God help each of us to live in that way. Questions for: Old Testament Studies: Lesson 2 1. According to Psalm 133:1, what is good and pleasant? 2. According to Ephesians 4:3, we are to keep unity of what? 3. According to 1 Corinthians 1:10, there are to be no what? 4. How does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describe unity? 5. What did Jesus pray for in John 17:20-21? 6. In Nehemiah 8:2-3, what did the people have a desire to hear? 7. How is the word of God described in Jeremiah 15:16? 8. According to James 1:21, what can save our soul? 9. According to Psalm 119:10-12, what can help prevent sin? 10. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, where does all scripture come from?

Esau: Prince of Bad Bargains

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

A philosophy that was popular in the days of Christ and is extremely popular today is: ‘Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ This has long been the motto and philosophy of the Epicureans, and so many people adopt this materialistic, worldly-minded idea. One of the men in the Bible who did that was named Esau. Today we're going to talk about Esau and the bad bargain that he made. Esau will always be remembered for his bad bargain, his desire for immediate, instant gratification, and for embodying the motto: ‘let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ I want you to read with me the story of Esau. Then we're going to notice some very powerful lessons that men and women can learn from that. Genesis 25:20 the scripture records these words: ‘Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field and was weary. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I'm about to die. What is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and then he ate and drank, and arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.’ As we mentioned, nobody better exemplifies the instant gratification and the giving away of something important than Esau. The story of Jacob and Esau relates to us. The struggle of these two men, but some of it is a little maybe unique to us because of the idea of the birthright. The birthright, under the Old Testament, is something we're not as familiar with. It was a great blessing given to the firstborn to carry on the heritage of the father. The Old Testament birthright, which was only given to the firstborn male of the father, was a double portion of the father's inheritance that was promised to that child. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17, the firstborn got 2/3. If there were three children, he'd get 2/3 of that, and so, or if there were two children, he'd get 2/3 and the other would get 1/3. It wasn't split 50/50; he got the majority of everything that belonged to the father. So if there were $100,000, he might get 75,000 of that. If there were 100 acres, he might get 75 acres. It was the benefit given to the firstborn. We also learn from the Old Testament scripture that it was the firstborn who had the privilege of serving as priest for the family. This is exemplified under the patriarchal law in the life of Abraham. Abraham served as one who went to God, one on behalf of his own family, and of course Job exemplifies this as well. He offered sacrifice for his children. God spoke directly to Job. There was that great blessing that came along with being the firstborn, as well. Then, of course, there was a great deal of respect. Respect, recognition, and honor was given to the firstborn, regardless of who the father may have been, that was always along with that right. There was almost a sense of awe and reverence that was paid to the firstborn that might not have been given to the other children. Then the spiritual blessing as well of the father was placed upon the firstborn. Genesis 27:27, we can see that happening with both Jacob and Isaac and the children there. In fact, this may have been what was sought after the most, passing on that spiritual blessing given by God. Then, of course, anything the Bible says, anything that was the firstborn, the first fruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the flock, that was specially dedicated to the service of God, Exodus 22:29-31, and so to be the firstborn under the Old Testament was a great privilege and honor. As you think about that New Testament law that we're under today, there's so many similarities that go along with that, and parallels that Christians have. All Christians today have the blessing and the benefit of being a child of God, and that wonderful birthright. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is light." Jesus said, “You'll find rest for your souls.” As children of God, we are God's firstborn. We are the first fruits of Christ, 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Just like under the Old Testament, there are some parallels to the wonderful blessings that Christians have today as part of their birthright. Christians are promised a full portion of what God has given' to His people. We, like Esau, have that full portion of heaven itself. Romans 8:16-17, the Bible clearly teaches that we are the beneficiaries of God's promises of heaven itself. We're living in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is the promise He's promised us, eternal life, 1 John 2:25. I'm not looking' for land. I'm not looking' for numbers or dollars in a bank account. As a child of God, part of the great blessing we have is one day we can be recipients of heaven and all the wonder and splendor of that. As we think about this idea in relation to the Old Testament birthright, aren't Christians today priests in a spiritual sense? Revelation 1:6, we are a kingdom of priests, or kings and priests, to God. 1 Peter 2:9, we offer up spiritual sacrifices to almighty God, and so when we think about this idea, the praise of our lips goes up as sacrifice, Hebrews 13:15. We have that honor today, along with our birthright, to give praise and honor to God and to serve in that capacity. Then just as the Old Testament birthright meant that you wore the name and the honor and recognition of being the firstborn of someone, we today have the privilege and honor of wearing the name Christian, the firstborn of God's creation under the New Testament. What a blessing that is! Acts 11:26 says, they were called Christians first in Antioch. 1 Peter 4:16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name. Like under the Old Testament, part of the spiritual birthright today is, we are promised every spiritual blessing from almighty God. The Old Testament birthright meant that there were a host of blessings given down by the father, and it was even tied in a spiritual sense-but how much more today? Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ Jesus. I can be a child of God, 1 John 3:1. I can look up to heaven and pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ Matthew 6:9. We have the family of God to encourage and lift us up, 1 Corinthians 12:27. We've got forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and every blessing you can imagine, the Christian has so richly received. Like under the Old Testament, as part of my birthright I am, and you are, if you're a Christian, you are specially reserved and dedicated in service to God. What's the greatest commandment of all? Jesus was asked that question. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ That's what God wants us to do, and that's how He wants us to live our life in dedication to Him. In view of that, though, I want you to think about Esau and the great blessing of our birthright, today, as Christians. Think about what Esau sold out. Can you imagine, for a bowl of beans Esau sold his whole birthright? He sold 2/3 of the inheritance, the prestige, the honor, the spiritual blessing, and all of that, he sold out for a bowl of beans. Why did he do that? He may have been hungry. I'm sure he was. He'd been out hunting. He didn't have any luck. Maybe he was discouraged. You know what we learn about Esau most of all? Esau was shallow; he was very materialistic. He was worldly-focused. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau was profane, that is, he was worldly, selfishly, immorally focused. He sold out his whole birthright for a bowl of soup, or a bowl of beans. What a terrible waste, and what a terrible bargain that he gave into his brother to do that. This'd be like Bill Gates or Ross Perot giving everything he had for a Big Mac. Can you imagine selling out like that, just to satisfy instant gratification for your belly? Why did he do that? He wasn't thinking spiritually. He was thinking worldly. Let's take it a step further. Why do so many Christians and so many people who have all those spiritual birthrights and blessings that we talk about, why do so many Christians today sell their birthright for immediate gratification and lust of the flesh, which one day isn't going to amount to anything? How many people have given up Christ and been lost for eternity over some fleshly desire, instant gratification, whether it be of a fleshly, a sexual or immoral? How many people have given up something far greater than what Esau gave up on just to feel better for a little while? Are we really any different than Esau today? Why do sometimes people sell their soul to the devil for foolish things? I want you to think about some of the things that sometimes people make a bad bargain to the devil for their soul. Sometimes people sell out, and give up on all these spiritual blessings over worldliness, and materialism, and things of this life that one day aren't going to exist anyway. John said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.’ Why not? ‘For all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it's not of the Father, it's of the evil one, and the world and all that's in it is one day going to pass away.’ James 4:4, James said, ‘Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes themselves God's enemy.’ God says, ‘Come out from among them and be ye separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. How many people do we know that have sold out for things of this world? Let me give you a couple that really come to mind in the scripture. Do you remember a man who came to Jesus in Mark 10? This man probably had one of the greatest questions you could ever ask. ‘Good teacher, what do I need to do to go to heaven? What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?’ Great question. Wish there were more people asking that question. Jesus said, ‘Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery.’ ‘All these I've done from my childhood.’ ‘One thing ye lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, come follow Me.’ You know what happened in that context? The Bible says ‘that man went away sorrowful.’ Why? ‘He had great possessions.’ He let his stuff and the things of this world keep him from inheriting that spiritual birthright. How many people are doing' that today? We've got to have the finer things in life, and we've got to keep up with the Jones's. We've got to have all this materialistic stuff, worldly stuff, that one day isn't going to matter at all. When the earth and all that's in it is one day burned up with a fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:9-12- then what will all that stuff have mattered? Don't do like Esau and sell out over materialism and worldliness. Then there are also people who spiritually sell out their birthright for desires of the flesh, specifically sometimes people do that for sexual desires. I've known Christians and people in the body of Christ, and you probably have as well, who got caught up in some immoral practice with some woman or some man, or pornography, or whatever it may be, and they sold out over those things. The Bible clearly warns us to watch out for those things. 1 Peter 2:11, Peter said, ‘I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul.’ The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:4, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’ ‘Flee from youthful lust,’ Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:15, following. I've got to have that same armor up, that same guard up. Don't give in like Esau to some instant, immediate gratification of the flesh and lose your birthright over that. Then sometimes people allow sins of the body, or sins against the body, to cause them to lose their birthright. Alcohol, and drugs, and drunkenness- how many people have given in to that and sold out spiritually? The Bible says, ‘do not be drunken with wine,’ Ephesians 5:18. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,’ Proverbs 20:1. The picture is so clear in scripture of how harmful that is to the body. Drugs, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine, or whatever it may be- when people get caught up in that stuff, they're selling out. They're selling over their birthright, just as Esau did, for something that isn't really going to last anyway. We encourage folks today, as we think about these ideas and as we think about the spiritual nature of Esau, don't be like him. What if Esau had been different? What if he'd stood up to his brother? What if he had endured those temptations? The story would be a whole lot different. Here's the encouragement for every one of us today. Friend, you can stay faithful, you can endure those challenges, and you can be faithful until death. Don't let things in this life tempt you in such a way that it causes you to turn from almighty God. I've had some things in this life, some good things to eat. You think about what Esau was going through. He was hungry. He was facing a lot of challenges and difficulties, and probably things weren't going his way in life and that bowl of soup looked good in the moment. My grandmother on my dad's side probably made the best bowl of beans I've ever eaten. I'd sure like to have a bowl of beans and cornbread right now, and I imagine you'd probably think the same thing if you were really hungry. But the question you've got to ask yourself is: Is that worth what it'll really cost me in the end? I'm not talking about a bowl of beans. I'm talking about giving in to materialism, fleshly desires, giving in to drugs, or alcohol, or something like unto that and getting that immediate hit. Is that really worth what it's going to cost me in the end? I want you to think about this question Jesus asked. Mark 8:36:37. Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. ‘What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ If you bargain your soul over something like that, friend, you've made the worst bargain possible. On the Day of Judgment you're not going to trade something for your soul. If I've not lived right or done right, it won't matter how powerful, or wealthy, or how many pleasures I might have fulfilled. None of that matters. You know what matters? Did I love God? Did I put Him first? Did I endure suffering, and did I overcome? Those are the things that really matter. I want you to think about two men. One represents another bad bargain, and the other represents a man who suffered and did right. I want you to think about this first individual with me. We know him in the Bible as the rich fool. Luke 12:15-21. A lawyer comes to Jesus with a question. Jesus answers by giving an illustration of the foolishness of materialism. There was a man who had a great crop year, a man who, when he planted his seed, it just did so well and he excelled so much in his business that he didn't have anywhere to put the entire crop that produced. That's a pretty good problem, right? So he said, ‘Here's what I'll do. I've got so many crops, I'm going to have to tear down my old barns, build bigger barns so I can store it in.’ There is nothing wrong with business, having a good crop year, or preparing for the future. All that was good and well- until this happened: that night that man's soul was required of him. God said to him, ‘You fool. This night will your soul be required of you. Then whose things will those be whom you've acquired?’ And here's the point Jesus made: ‘So is he who is rich but not in godliness.’ What was the rich fool's problem? His problem was not that he was a good farmer. His problem was not that he was a good planner, a good manager, or a good business person. That man's problem was in all his planning and doing. In all his work, he forgot to take care of the most important thing- his soul. Then think about another man. Luke 16:19-31. You've got the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Rich man had it all. Lazarus is eating crumbs, the dogs are licking his sores, he doesn't have anything, and he's a poor beggar. Lazarus suffered; he had difficulty. He went through a lot of problems most likely in this life. He was hungry and hurting for a long time, maybe, even. What about on the other side? Lazarus turned out pretty good for him. He's in paradise; the rich man's in torment. He endured; he didn't let that cause him to sell out. He may have been poor physically, but he was rich spiritually. That's what we want to drive home. Don't be like Esau; don't sell out. Whatever we've got spiritually, what God has blessed us with- don't sell that out for some fleshly, immediate, instant gratification that could cost you your soul. Nothing is more important than your soul. Make sure that we're taking care of it above all else. If you're not a Christian, we especially want to encourage you to make sure to get right with God. Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe He is the savior of the world? ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by Him.’ Do you believe that? John 14:6. Do you believe it so much so that you'd be willing to repent and turn from sin and turn to God? Acts 3:19, Peter preached, ‘Repent, and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Would you confess the beautiful name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? Jesus said in Mark 16:16, ‘He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned.’ If you've never obeyed the gospel, then friend we want to encourage you to make the spiritual birthright of Christ yours. As a Christian, if you're not living like you ought to, friend, don't sell out your soul. Make sure and get it right, and let's each one of us live in such a way that our lives bring honor and glory to God. Questions for: Old Testament Studies-Lesson 3 1. According to Genesis 25:20, what did Esau sell his birthright for? 2. According to Matthew 11:28-30, where can we find rest? 3. According to Romans 8:16-17, what are we beneficiaries to? 4. How are Christians described in Revelation 1:6? 5. What does 1 Peter 4:16 tell us about Christians and suffering? 6. What is the greatest command? 7. What does Hebrews 12:14-17 say of Esau? 8. What does James 4:4 say of being a friend of the world? 9. What does John 14:6 say of Jesus? 10. According to Mark 16:16, who will be saved?