Tuesday, July 8, 2014

ARE YOUR EYES 'BAD'?

Are your eyes 'bad'? Have they been seeing things they shouldn't be looking at? So many sins that are listed in the Bible involve seeing something that we shouldn't have seen or seeing it in a way that we shouldn't have seen it. 

For example, King David in 2 Samuel saw something that he shouldn't have seen and when he saw it, he didn't turn away. 2 Samuel 11:2 (ESV)  It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. David saw a woman bathing and the text describes her as 'very beautiful'. This woman was not his wife (yet) but instead of turning away, he began to get curious about her. 

2 Samuel 11:3 (ESV)  And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Now, not only is his curiosity rising, but he has taken action being driven by his desire. The woman that he was desiring was the wife of one of his loyal soldiers who was out to battle but that didn't stop him. And not only that, but this woman was the granddaughter of one of David's counselors, Ahithophel (2 Samuel 23:34)!

2 Samuel 11:4 (ESV)  So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. David commits adultery with Bathsheba and then she goes home. Other than the ones that he asked about her and the messengers who went to get her, nobody else knows, right? They won't tell anyone, right? Isn't that how we think sometimes? We do something that we know we shouldn't and then we hope that we covered our tracks well? It didn't work out that way for David. The situation got worse...

2 Samuel 11:5 (ESV)  And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” Bathsheba is pregnant and her husband is away fighting in the king's army... wow, how can you cover that one up? You are right, you can't but David sure tried...

2 Samuel 11:6 (ESV)  So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. David's plan was to bring Uriah home and give him some time off so that he could be with his wife. When Uriah arrives, David tells him, "Go down to your house and wash your feet.” (2 Samuel 11:8) obviously hoping Uriah would spend some time with his wife but he didn't even go home. He slept at the doors of the king's house! When David was told the news, he asked Uriah why he didn't go home and Uriah answered faithfully, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” (2 Samuel 11:11 ESV) 

So then David revised his plan and got Uriah drunk (v.13) but he didn't go home that night either! Now before we go any further, look how far one look of lust has taken David and he's not done with this yet... not even close. His next step is setting Uriah up to be killed in battle and that way, no one would know his secret other than his accomplices. 2 Samuel 11:14 (ESV)  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15  In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” 16  And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17  And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Without knowing it, Uriah delivered his own death sentence. Now David was safe, right? Who is going to know?

2 Samuel 11:26 (ESV)  When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27  And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. Don't miss that last statement. God was not pleased with David at all. A lustful eye has lead David to adultery, deception and murder. All because he didn't look the other way. Guess what? This story isn't over.

God sends a prophet named Nathan to see King David and he tells the king a story about a terrible deed that has happened in the kingdom... a deed so harsh that it makes David furious and he says, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die," (2 Samuel 12:5 ESV). But here's the problem. David didn't know that the situation that Nathan was describing was symbolically pointing to the king. Remember that phrase we read earlier that said that God was displeased with David? David thinks he has covered his tracks and this horrific story that Nathan has just told has to be about someone else, right? But after declaring that whoever had committed that crime deserved to die, Nathan said to David "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8  And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9  Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ (2 Samuel 12:7-11 ESV) 

Busted! And not only was David busted, but more bad news was coming... "Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12  For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.” (2 Samuel 12:11-12 ESV) Judgment was coming and coming quickly. David had been caught and there was no way to cover this one up. So what does he do? He admits his sin but he still faces more bad news. 2 Samuel 12:13 (ESV)  David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14  Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die.” Perhaps you are wondering, "Why did the child have to die?'. I can't answer that one but I can tell you that God used this situation to create one of the greatest models for prayers of repentance found in the Bible. When you have sinned against God, this is a great model of attitude and approach to help you.

Psalm 51:1 (ESV) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 
2  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 
3  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 
4  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 
5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 
6  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 
7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
8  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 
9  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 
10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 
11  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 
12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 
13  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 
14  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 
15  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 
16  For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 
17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 
18  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 
19  then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. 

So please guard your eyes from being 'bad' but when they do see something they shouldn't or see things in way that they shouldn't, look at away and fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 

 

Monday, July 7, 2014

DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF YOU "GO TO" CHURCH?

How important is your church attendance? Before you answer, let me clarify that question. I am not asking you how important your church attendance is TO YOU. Instead I am asking how important is your church attendance to God, to your family and to your church family?

The word "church" first appears biblically in Matthew 16:18 (ESV)  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus is not describing a building made of brick and plaster, He is talking about THE church, the entire body of believers/followers of Jesus Christ. The actual word that Jesus said was not the English word "church" since He was a Jew. He used the word "ekklēsia" which describes "an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting" [Enhanced Strongs' Dictionary]. So the "church" that Jesus is talking about are those who assemble together as followers of Jesus Christ for worship, instruction, edification and instruction.

You will notice that this "church" or assembly is built upon "this rock" but what is that rock? It is the truth that Peter spoke in Matthew 16:16 (ESV)  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The church is built on the truth that Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of the living God... the one and only God... the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. [As a side note, the word "church" is used properly in describing THE church which is all of the followers of Jesus around the world or the LOCAL church which is the assembly that meets in various local locations.] 

So if you are not actively participating in your local church, you are in essence saying "I don't want to be a part of Your assembly" or "I don't believe that You are the Son of the living God". You may think that this last statement is extreme but think about it. If you are not actively participating in your local church, you are choosing not to be a part of that assembly. And if you choose not to be in that assembly, then do you really believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God because we are commanded throughout scripture to worship together, love one another, teach one another, warn one another and so much more. But how can that be done if your local church never sees you?

For example, read this passage from Hebrews...
Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

How can you obey that passage if you are not part of an "us"? How you stir up anyone or be stirred up by anyone to love and good works if you neglect your responsibility to be actively involved in a local church? Does it really matter if you "go to" church? Absolutely.

The second time that the word "church" is used in the Bible is found in Matthew 18:15 (ESV)  “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

Not only does the "church" belong to Jesus as shown in Matthew 16:18, but the church has a serious responsibility in this last passage. If person in sin refuses to repent and it has been reported to the church and he still doesn't repent, the church is to consider that person an outsider instead of a member of that church because of his rebellion. That person is choosing to remain in his sin instead of repenting and being forgiven by God.

There are plenty other references of "church" in the New Testament that you should look at such as these...


  • Acts 12:5 (ESV)  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 
  • Acts 14:23 (ESV)  And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 
  • Acts 20:28 (ESV)  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 
  • Ephesians 3:10 (ESV)  so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 
  • Colossians 1:18 (ESV)  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 


So does it really matter if you "go to" church? Yes it really does. If you have not been faithfully going to your church, would you please pray right now that God would forgive you and help you understand the importance of actively participating in your local church?

It really matter to God because you are being obedient to Him when you go.
It really matters to your family because they need to see you being obedient to God and growing in your faith.
It really matters to your church family. You need them and they need you.
So once more the answer is "Yes, it really matters if you go to church".