Sermon Nuggets week of March 22, 2010
Sermon nuggets -Mon March 22
Theme- Greener Grass
Verses- I Kings 21:1-6
1 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."
3 But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?"
6 He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"
Greener Grass
There was a young man at the movie theatre who went out to get popcorn. Returning he leaned over and asked the woman sitting on the aisle, “Did I step on your feet when I left?”
Ready to accept his apology smiled and said, “Why as a matter of act, you did.”
“Good,” explained the man squeezing past her, “Then this is the right row.”
There are a number of people that can only see their world through their own eyes. They are completely oblivious as to the concerns and considerations of others. We come in conflict very early in life. We do not always get our own way. We are born with an egocentric world that lack self discipline and real enjoyment.
If a person does not know how to control his desires he falls prey to the snares of lust, gluttony, intemperance, laziness and other vices.
Have you ever practiced the discipline of fasting? During this season many within liturgical churches practice Lent. It is an observance for 40 days to deny oneself of some thing they enjoy, or a habit they wish to change, as means of preparing themselves spiritually for Easter. Often it is not eating meat on Fridays or giving up smoking or desserts for that period of time. Many will chose to say no to some other pleasures which they enjoy, to reflect on how Jesus denied himself of his heavenly pleasures and even fasted in the wilderness before His public call and temptation by Satan.
It is not a bad idea to say no to your feelings of indulgence. It is good to deny yourself things that are fine just for the purpose of controlling your wants. It is part of learning to do what you know to be right even if you don’t feel like doing it. Cultivating discipline in the physical life helps us become discipline in the spiritual life.
We have been talking about Elijah for the past weeks. There are three more times that his name is mentioned in the Old Testament. Twice he comes as a prophet from God to give words of judgments to the King. Kings are seldom questioned or contradicted. One in such power finds it hard to say no to his desires and wants for his personal benefits.
As a background to this passage it has been six or seven years since King Ahab had seen Elijah. King Ahab desires some property that he does not own. He wants to make a garden from the adjoining land belonging to Nabath. But his neighbor does not want to sell for religious reasons and to honor his family since this was an inheritance from his ancestors.
Ahab is frustrated and mopes around the palace. His wife, the wicked queen Jezebel notices this. With his consent she uses her powers by committing a crime. Through lying, bribery and murder the king gets what he wants.
Not only is God a God of forgiveness but also a God of vengeance. Elijah serves to remind us of this through uttering judgments on the King and his wife.
Elijah speaks judgment upon this royal family.
It does us all well to think of areas of our lives where we need to confess and repent of sinful ways and desires.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues March 23, 2010
Verses- I King 21:4-7
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?"
6 He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"
7 Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
From Desire to Envy
The heart of the King moves from desire to envy. Naboth lives next door to one of the palaces. Ahab thinks it would be nice to have a vegetable garden and looks around and the grass is always greener on the other side. When he realizes this land he wants doesn’t belong to him he inquires about the possibility of getting it. There is some bargaining going on and rightly and fairly the King offers Naboth a better piece of land elsewhere or even money on a fair trade. So far there isn’t any problem. Wanting something you do not have is not necessarily a sin. We would never buy anything if that were the case. The acquiring of possession however seldom if never satisfies.
Naboth is one of the Jehovah worshippers it appears. Perhaps he was one who heard the might of God on Mount Carmel and returned to his faith in God. Maybe he was a secret follower all his life. Either way the context indicates he sought to keep the laws of the Lord. But for a vow made and family rights the property was more than just a piece of land it was part of a religious and family commitment to keep it.
Lev 25:23 taught, “The land must not be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are aliens and my tenants.”
When the land was divided at the time of Joshua various people claimed the land as from the Lord. Numbers 36:7 “So shall not the inheritance 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.”
Growing up in Detroit allowed me to see the difference of attitude about homeland. In a mobile environment people loved their homes, but it wasn’t a big deal to move. But I noticed out in the country when land was homesteaded by the early Swedish immigrants and farms have been part of the family for years there is a greater attachment and commitment of keeping it in the family. It is not uncommon for people to retire and return to their roots of the childhood or of the grandparents in Stanchfield.
Yet in Israel there was more that type of thinking since this land was not just for the sake of historic nostalgia. It was a gift from God to them. That is why there is fighting going on over the West Bank or Palestinians. The Jewish people reclaimed the land given back according to the laws of Leviticus and saying it is God given and we must buy, steal or force it back into our possession. So even though Naboth was offered better land he could not sell his rights.
He also had a right of protection to his property by the existing government. Ahab was King and even though he was cruel God ordained leadership and civil government to uphold the rules so to provide order and peace. Stealing by anyone’s standards is not acceptable. He was suppose to be protected by the laws of the land and even the King could do nothing about it. So Ahab couldn’t get what he wanted and envy resulted. He moped around.
Desire leads to covetousness and covetousness is a sin. He wanted his neighbor’s property. It did not belong to him. He was unable to buy or trade it. He had enough of his own but there is something about not having what you want that makes it more attractive.
Do you eve see that in yourself? Children are especially that way. Someone can’t have a bicycle or motorcycle or a new dress, or can’t go on a date and the mop and pout because they can’t get what they want. Not only that if someone else has it they feel envious. Wanting something that someone else has is breaking one of the 10 commands. Not just desires it, but starting to feel envy is also holding something against the other for having what we want.
Many adults do that also n a different level. Maybe it is something they cannot afford and they think about it until it affects their attitude. Many are wrapped up in personal possessions with disillusionment that if only I can have it, it will make my day but it never does because then there is something else they want and then something else and this desire is never satisfied.
Jezebel saw her husband in this mood. She comes up with a plan. Her standards certainly aren’t to protect he rights of the citizens. Her value system is what the King wants the King gets. It is a matter of power. The issue becomes bigger than a plot a land.
Pastor Dale
Sermon nuggets Weds March 24, 2010
Verses-
I King 21:7-13 Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city with him.
9 In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death."
11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed both God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
Envy to Sin
Growing up there was a controversy between private and public rights of land. If government deemed property worthy of public interest they could take someone land or property for a price. This principle is now called eminent domain. In the United States, it's limited by the Bill of Rights, which grants a right to due process of law and fair compensation when the government takes a person's property. A public purpose can include anything from building a new freeway ramp to declaring your soggy back acres a protected wetland.
Of course this can and is easily abused not only in public life but in private sectors as well. Many developers will force older people out of their homes “for the good of the community” sometimes for a fair price and often not. Desires turn into envy which turns into greed and falls into sin. Many are innocent victims whose rights and properties are stolen though for the books it is done in legal ways.
This story of Naboth’s land being taken comes after legal means have been exhausted so the King can get a vegetable garden. The queen sees Ahab moping around and tells him to cheer up she will get the land for him. Jezebel hypocritically proclaims a day of fasting. Although she personally denies the laws of Jehovah she uses this fast as means to falsely accuse Naboth. She instructs the elders of the city to set up Naboth so that two witnesses can testify against him claiming he cursed God and King That way he can be stoned to death and that is exactly what happened.
We are told citizens are guaranteed the right of a fair trial. The King’s family sideswipes the law and affect the whole city into a charade just so Ahab can get a vegetable garden Elders are willing to be bribed and follow the dictates of immoral and lying queen. Scoundrels and scum are more interested in money than lives. They lie in front of the tribune and claim to have heard him curse God and king, which he would never do. They publically keep the law by stoning him to death. He was an innocent victim. With Naboth gone the land was now available to King Ahab. Power over the innocent is achieved once again.
Desire turns to envy which turns into sin in order to get what does not belong.
King David committed adultery and in order to cover up his sin brings Bathsheba’ husband, an honorable and righteous soldier back from war so he could sleep with his wife and think the child was his. But out of duty to God and country he refused to sleep with his wife because of his vow during battle. David arranges he be put in the front lines and kills and then marries his widow and she has his baby.
Kings manipulate and kill people for their wants. This is what happened to Jesus. The High Priest Caiaphas wanted his innocent victim, sinless son of God killed and since Jesus did no wrong the best they could do was have two witnesses bribed with money to tell lies that Jesus committed something worthy of death.
History repeats itself over and again. The strong get their way at the expense of the weak. King Henry the 8th killed Sir Thomas More, a bishop, by false witnesses because he refused to acknowledge the Kings marriage after he divorced one of his wives.
There are many unfair stories of lying ad cover ups and even deaths to fill envious desires for material things. Powerful people use whatever means they can to get what they want and sin grows. There are many defenseless victims who lose houses, land, money property and even lives. It isn’t’ fair. But there is one who keeps the final books. There comes a day of reckoning. It is God who is the final judge.
Perhaps in a less dramatic way but no less sin stealing and cheating become means of acquiring things that do not belong to us. It can be as serious as stealing cars, snowmobiles or money. It can be as simple as lying on filling out our time sheet or income tax forms.
Influencing others to get what we want is common. To do so in deceitful and sinful ways results in activity opposed by God.
The Psalmist prays Ps 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Pastor Dale
Thurs March 25, 2010
Verses-I King 21:15-20 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead."
16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth's vineyard.
17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
18 "Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood-- yes, yours!'"
20 Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD.
Exposed
The Lord sends Elijah to this vineyard and there he meets with the King. Ahab is thrilled that he has the land finally for his garden. “So here you are my enemy” says Elijah.
Remember that earlier Jezebel was looking for Elijah to kill him. Notice the change of focus. “It wasn’t you who found me, but I have found you.” Who is looking for whom? Who is guilty and in hiding? Elijah is no longer afraid of the King or his wife. He met the Lord as we mentioned earlier and faith is strong again. We see God continues to use Elijah and his abilities to carry out the work. He is strengthened and there are tasks for him to perform
Vs. 20 Notice how he puts that, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. Sold yourself to evil. Bargained away his soul so to speak.
I was in a play called Dr. Faustus which is an old morality play from Christopher Marlowe. R. Faustus sells his soul to the devil for things of the world. He is about to die and Mephistopheles (Satan) allows him to live a few more years and during that time his finds a beautiful woman, gets lots of money. He achieves fame as a physician, acquires respected intelligence and wisdom. He becomes politically powerful. But the time comes when his days are up. In anguish we see him descending into hell.
There comes a time we are faced with our folly, our evil, our sin. There comes a times when we see life the way God sees it and self is uncovered. The lies are exposed. Our evil is seen for what it is. For some that time comes early like Denny Hecker, or Bernie Madoff, or Tom Peters. For others it isn’t revealed until folks stand before God but justice will prevail as God will have his way.
Many will do evil acts like Ahab. Many more will do selfish, prideful and greedy acts which ignore Christ. Our world is telling us a lie and too often truth is drowned out by lies.
There is another part of the story. Naboth was innocently killed. But that is not forgotten by God. He is omniscient. He is all knowing. He is the one who said “Vengeance in mine”. Does not a sparrow fall to the ground and the Father knows it?
Yes, there are innocent martyrs. Our hearts cry out, “unfair, unfair.” There were 3 million Jews gassed to death in Germany. Men women and children. There are churches burned in Nigeria with believers in them this month. There are drug lords in Columbia and Mexico killing journalist who will report against them. There are judges bribed to give verdicts in favor of the powerful and rich. There are bad police and greedy preachers.
I wish we could understand this with the eyes of the Lord and not eyes that are so focused on this world that we are blinded to eternal truth. When God promises us protection and care it is not necessarily protection and care from earthly powers. We may be beaten and slandered an lose law suits, and fired unjustly. That is not what we are protected from. The word say, “o not fear that which can kill your body, but that which kills both body and soul”
I would much rather be Naboth falsely accused and stoned to death than Ahab standing in a garden condemned by God. But few people understand that. They would much rather be Ahab the winner than Naboth the loser. Satan blinds their eyes and they sell their souls to evil. Sin must be reckoned with. Ahab stands condemned for his sin.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Friday March 26, 2010-
Verses I King 21:17-29
17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 "Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood-- yes, yours!'"
20 Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD.
21 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel-- slave or free. 22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.' 23 "And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'
24 "Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country."
25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
28 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
From Condemnation to Death
Nobody likes to hear bad news. Warnings to turn from sin before it is too late are not taken as good news. When Elijah confronts the King with his sin and the consequences of their actions Elijah had become his enemy and Ahab wanted him killed. Now this last time of meeting Elijah reveals again the sin of the murder of Naboth the Kings neighbor. There will be death and destruction to the household of Ahab.
The consequences for Ahab are dramatic however for his sins. He will lose all ties with the Kingdom. All his family will be killed and Jezebel will be killed. The dogs will eat her flesh. That is the worse public humiliation -instead of these vast tombs that kings and queens are buried in. But more than that, they lose their own soul.
To be out of eternal fellowship with the Lord is the worse of all consequences. That is exactly what happens. As we conclude the book of 1 Kings and read more into 2 Kings we see the drama played out. Within three years Ahab disguises himself as a common soldier and in battle an arrow flies and hits him between the folds of his armor. He suffers watching his men lose the battle. He loses his life and his body is lying in a pool blood. Surrounding his body are scavengers, not pets like we think, but more like the coyotes, curs lapping up the blood of Ahab.
Jezebel later is thrown from a balcony by her servants and her blood splattered all over the wall surrounding the palace and horses trample over her. The dogs came and ate away all her flesh so only the bones stood.
Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria, the capital of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. All had their heads put in a basket. Jehu, the commander of the armies, killed everyone who remained in the house of Ahab as well as all his chef advisors and close friends and priests leaving him no survivors.
We see the truth of the warning of James. “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15) This story is the illustration of the truth of the consequences of yielding to sinful desires.
There is however a glimmer of hope in the last 3 verses of this chapter. It shows Ahab for the first time in Scripture coming to repentance. He tears his clothes and humbled himself before the Lord. So God by his mercy relents and says the disaster to Ahab’s household will happen after he dies. We see the demise of his family in the stories of 2 Kings. The Lord’s judgment was delayed.
It was too bad that humility was only for a short time. If Ahab kept his promises things might have been different. There are consequences to sin. Judgment faces us all. When King David was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba there were consequences, but with his humility and repentance his descendents were established by the promise of God until the coming of Jesus Christ, who will reign forever.
Peter sinned and repented and used of God in dramatic ways to establish the church. Saul met the Lord and had a heart chance and God uses his writing today as Scriptures for our teaching and obedience.
The Lord’s promises for the faithful result in blessing by his mercy. For the one who continues in sin there is warning and then condemnation. This is a message of hope and of despair. Which shall it be? For God is faithful. And will right the wrongs.
I am reminded of the challenge of the words of Joshua when the nation was established in this new land. Deut 30:19 “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
Pastor Dale
