February 2, 2014
Evening Service

The Word of the Lord was very challenging this morning.  Each of us struggle everyday with the cares and temptations this world throws at us.  Through it all, we need do our best to be pleasing to our Savior.  All these trials are meant to build our faith and trust in Him and His promises.  Along our journey, we all come to forks in the road.  We are forced to make a choice.  We can choose to trust God and His Word or we can choose to follow our flesh.  The choices are not easy.  The ways of the world are VERY appealing to us, but we must give God our whole heart.  There is neither peace nor contentment in any other way of life.  Solomon tried every pleasure this world had to offer.  He explored every avenue to find contentment and came to this conclusion:

Ecc 1:12-14 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.  (13)  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it.  (14)  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

• Will our searching end with a different result?  Absolutely not!
• We too will find that all this world has to offer gives only a temporary contentment or satisfaction, but when it is over we are left only with emptiness (vanity).
• What will our choice be?  Look how Hebrews described Moses’ choice.

 

Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,

• When we choose to follow God, it is not always the easiest path.  It is not always what we would choose for ourselves, but it is the path to a “peace that passes all understanding” and a “contentment” no money can buy.
• I’m sure we all have a story of a situation along our journey where we had to choose and though the choice seemed difficult at the time we now can see how God’s ways led us to a better place than the alternative.

 

Luke 18:31-34  And He took the Twelve and said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  (32)  For He will be delivered to the nations and will be mocked and insulted and spat on.  (33)  And they will scourge Him and put Him to death, and the third day He will rise again.  (34)  And they did not understand any of these things. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

• Jesus faced choices just like we do.  He knew in great detail what His future held, yet He chose to fulfill God’s plan of salvation for us.
• Jesus finished strong.  He continued to teach and invest in these men right up until the last moment.  He redeemed the time He was given and stayed on task.
• Are we as we see His return drawing near?
• The disciples did not and could not understand fully the magnitude of what was about to transpire in Jerusalem.  They were warned, yet it was not until after the resurrection that the Holy Spirit was able to fully open their eyes and hearts to understand.
• There is nothing like “hands on learning.”  We can read about something in a book or be told about something, but until we experience it the full scope of comprehension is not reached.  ITT Tech is a good example.
• Jesus told them what was coming; then allowed them to experience it for themselves.
• He does the same with us.  How many times do we read something in the scriptures and think we understand it, yet do not put it into practice in our lives.  It is then perhaps later that we can look back and see God’s wisdom in action.
• It could be we are also like the disciples in that we have selective hearing.  We choose what we want to hear focusing on the good points and tend to ignore the things that we find difficult or do not want to deal with.  Sound all too familiar?

 

 2Ti 4:3-4 For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but they will heap up teachers to themselves according to their own lusts, tickling the ear.  (4)  And they will turn away their ears from the truth and will be turned to myths.

• We are not afforded the privilege to “pick and choose” what we want to believe.

 

2Ti 3:16-17  All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  (17)  that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.

• His Word is given to us for “correction, instruction in righteousness.”  It is to call us towards perfection and equip us to do His work.

 

2Pe 1:3 according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue,

• Nothing has been held back that we need.  The answer lies within this Book.

If it is not given, it is not needed.  It is up to us to read and study so we can walk the path God has mapped out for us and not get side tracked.

• Look how Paul exhorted the Thessalonian church on receiving the Word:

 

1Th 2:10-13  You and God are witnesses how holily and justly and blamelessly we were to you who believe,  (11)  even as you know how we exhorted and comforted and testified to each one of you, as a father to his children,  (12)  that you should walk worthy of God, who has called you to His kingdom and glory.  (13)  And for this cause we thank God without ceasing, that when you received the Word of hearing, of God, you welcomed it as the Word of God, not as a word of men, but as it is, truly the Word of God, which also effectually works in you who believe.

 

Jesus knows our future.  He is warning us to make the preparations needed to be ready to meet Him.  Are we listening?  Are we acting upon His Word?   James encourages us to:

 

Jas 1:22-25 But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  (23)  For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror.  (24)  For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like.  (25)  But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.

 

Lord give us the faith to believe Your Word and the courage to act upon it.