Sermon Nuggets Week of April 5, 2010
Sermon Nuggets Mon April 5-
Theme- Curses
Verses 2 Kings 2:16-25
Considering Curses
My chaplain supervisor at Hennepin Country General shared a situation which was very unusual. A few years earlier he was called into a case involving a young adult female who came very ill and not eating. The physicians did various tests to discover the source of the problem. They couldn't find anything physically wrong. They consulted with a psychiatrist and he didn’t have a salutation. They invited the Chaplain to visit with her and see if something might be discovered. He admitted it was a puzzling case.
Finally, her father suggested the reason may be a curse that her grandfather placed on her. It seemed that her grandfather, who lived in the Northern Minnesota woods, did not want her dating. One night she snuck out with a boy. Grandfather was so displeased he placed a curse upon her. Of Course, the physicians discounted that but every day she was getting closer to death.
One day in walked this character, described as being very dirty, very unkept, a long beard and long white hair. He went up to his granddaughter and gave some mumbo jumbo and left. The girl immediately took a turn for the better and was shortly released. Her condition and her recovery stumped the doctors.
It was not uncommon for superstition to be part of the beliefs of people that are somewhat unlearned and uncultured. There are also examples in other parts of the world of people practicing various curses and blessings. Maybe we are beginning more familiar with incantations since many in Haiti are involved with devil worship and witchcraft. Voodoo is practiced to call upon spirits and Voodoo dolls often come with curses on another. Some will be in much fear for those who have experienced their powers. Many missionaries will talk about overt evil spiritual powers that will inflict suffering and injury on others. People live in tremendous fear.
There are different meanings for the word, curse. Someone might have a handicapped and say he is cursed with this malady or illness. To feel afflicted about something can be thought to be a curse, even if it has no spiritual connotations. However, curse is the general word for calling down of evil on another. To swear is to use the name of God or of some holy person or thing as an exclamation to add force or show anger.
When Elisha begins his new ministry he is met with some challenges right away. From a prelude to not being accepted by the prophet students to problems the town is facing to being made fun of.
Change brings it’s own challenges. Not all things that someone does is necessarily the best even though God might use it. We are seeing today stories that relate to curses and the involvement of the prophet Elisha. The Scriptures are realistic-not only are they filled with the blessings and joy of God's mercy, but we are left with strong warnings and examples of God's judgments.
What are some of the circumstances and conflicts that you are facing these days? Do you see it has a curse, or circumstance that leads to ultimate blessing? What can be done to improve your response to what you cannot change?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues April 6
17 But they persisted until he was too ashamed to refuse. So he said, "Send them." And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.
18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"
The Curse of Change
Today I am thinking of the problem that surfaces too often in our society that is at the heart of the underlying problem for Elisha at the beginning of his ministry. The former prophet, Elijah, was well received and people did not want to follow the prophet of God. They wanted their old one back. It was God that decided a change was in order, not Elijah, nor Elisha. Change is hard for people. Change can be a curse that stops or resists what God seeks to do.
Very often because of unwillingness to change, or an inability to change or adapt, God has to remove leaders and replace them in order to bring in the new or fresh anointing and manifestation of his Spirit.
Luke 5:37-39 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.
And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"
Elijah didn’t die, God took him. Elisha was committed to the Lord; he was committed to learn from Elijah; he was faithful; he loved his teacher, his mentor, his friend. When the chariots of fire swept down and separated him from Elijah he responded in shock and cried out. He didn’t really want it to happen, even though he knew it was going to happen that he would be taken. But when reality set in Elisha was willing to take up the mantle. He was willing to take over the responsibility, not by his choice, but by the Lord’s appointment.
What happened when he went to face Elijah followers? They didn’t want to believe it. They didn’t want him as their leader. They didn’t believe him. They didn’t accept him. It was the curse of change. They didn’t want change but wanted Elijah back and couldn’t believe the Lord had taken him as Elisha said. .
What changes and what doesn’t? It is obvious the law of God did not change. The power of God did not change. Sin in the land did not change. The Word of God does not change. But the ways of God in that day did change. The culture changed and the person to lead them was different and did not do things the same way, even though God’s hand was on them both.
I’m not suggesting one was right and one was wrong, but their roles were different and the way the prophets responded were going to change. Change comes hard for many people. We like things the way it’s always been. There are churches which know the basics and stick with them. There are churches which in order to go with the times changes the very message and Word of God. There are people for whom even when the Spirit of God has left that group continue to control and manipulate their ways far beyond the will of the Lord. If we are going to be partakers of this fresh movement of God we must become adaptable.
Much of what we have become accustomed to in the church has been the designs of men, Godly men, Godly women but still just men and women used of God. But what ministered to people in cultural ways changes. Music changes, design changes, buildings change, dress changes, ways of teaching, technology, styles all change based on the people and their personalities, experiences and subculture. The ways of doing things in the urban areas are different than the ways of rural. Ways of different ethnic groups are not the ways of others. But even as independent farmers are forced to resign their way of life so do things change within our rural area. People move in and the ways of doing things change.
Unfortunately many times we become like the children of Israel and we become enamored with the things, or methods, or tools, that God has used and when he is through with them instead of giving them up and moving on we find ourselves worshipping them and losing the presence and the anointing of God. It is a concern that when God is finished with the tool, and has chosen other tools, rather than to let go of the old and receive the new we try to force the new into the old because we don’t want to change.
I do not like some of the change. I do not like some of the methods many younger people are using. I do like some of it. But what is far more important to me is the doctrine which does not change; the word of God which does not change; and the call of God on one’s life, not in terms of popularity, but in terms of truth. How that truth is communicated and celebrated is open to change with each new generation. Those who don’t recognize God in it will be like the sons of the prophets who could not accept that God was through with the old and went into the mountains to try and find Elijah’s body.
In other words trying to keep alive something and an anointing whose time is over. How do we know what God is done with, and what he’s doing now? The same way it’s always been: Where we see the movement of God and people’s lives are being changed for salvation, righteousness and good works, those whose passion for God and His Word is growing, then God is doing a good thing even if it is in news ways and with new people. Even if God used different methods in the past doesn’t mean it isn’t time for a change if it is of the Lord. Don’t hang on to what God has taken away.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds April 7, 2010
The Curse of Sin
After the people acknowledged Elisha as the prophet God choose, they brought before him the problem with the water in Jericho. Remember Jericho was the first city taken by the armies of Israel as they went into the Promised Land. When Joshua fought the battle of Jericho not only did he walk around the city once for 7 days, and 7 times on the 7th day, but at the sound of the trumpet, the walls fell down. Joshua 6:26 reads, "At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: 'cursed before the Lord is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city. At the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates."
The fulfillment of that prophetic curse was seen in I Kings 16:34 "In Ahab's time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid it's foundations at the cost of his firstborn son, Abriam, and then he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son, Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua, son of Nun."
The word of the Lord was spoken by his prophet and Jericho was cursed. Part of that curse apparently carried over to the bitter water. A school of the prophets were residing there now. They saw the miraculous power that Elisha demonstrated returning from the other side of the Jordan as he used Elijah's mantle and touched the river. They saw it part so he was able to cross on dry ground. The prophets realizing the Lord's power was with Elisha asked him to take away the curse of Jericho hoping that God would heal the water and allow the land to produce again.
Cursing was introduced in Genesis 3 as a result of sin. The curse of God was judgment against man's disobedience. It was in response to Adam and Eve's fall. It was the result of punishment when they did not heed God's warning to not touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So when they disobeyed there was judgment of God that fell in the worse way upon mankind. Adam was judged by being driven from the presence of God and from the relationships they enjoyed in Paradise.
There was a curse that came upon man and woman and the serpent, and later for the murder of Able, Cain was cursed and made to be a wanderer.
We all know the great theological treatise. "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the Kings horse and all the king’s men couldn't put Humpty together again."
Did you know that this rhyme is over 1,000 years old and had appeared in 8 differing European languages? It began as a riddle. It asked the question, "What, when broken can never be repaired, not even by strong or wise individuals? Regardless of how hard we try a broken egg can never be put back together again. We simply have to learn to live with the mess and consequences of its fall.
The sinful fall of man is the story of Humpty Dumpty. None of the Kings creatures can do anything about the fall, nor can any part of creation put man together as he was created. Adam and Eve are no longer perched on the lofty plane of paradise, but broken as a result of the fall. Because of sin our lives are out of control, changes come faster than our ability to cope. Broken eggs are an appropriate symbol.
Jericho now looked nice, but the problem lay in one of the most fundamental parts of any town or village. It had bad water, not just bitter, but also caused death and prevented the crops and the land from producing crops. Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks upon the heart.
Does Jericho become a symbol of so many people that we see..well adjusted happy, but underneath hurting, crying, and destroyed people because of sin and the effects of the curse of sin and not having fellowship with God has hindered the most joyful relationship they could possibly have. It is at the heart and unless the heart is pure and clean the whole stream is poisoned and the life is barren.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs April 8, 2010
21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'"
22 And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
The Cure of Sin�
The prophets of Jericho turned to Elisha in their need for fresh water. Elisha hears their request and gives them instructions to go and get a new bowl and put in salt. They do so. If God is the one that gives the curse (as he did through Joshua) then only God can give the cure. Elisha is his prophet now at this place in time, and gives instruction to the prophets who in turn demonstrate obedience and faith. This is a picture of how our curse is handled with God.
God provided for us the sacrifice for our sin. He took upon himself ways of making it right, by the grace of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again to give us forgiveness. When we hear the good news of salvation we respond to it by obedience and faith. We cannot do anything to earn our salvation. It is an act of God. We receive it,accepted it and trust it.
Juan Ortiz imagined the meeting Jesus had with Zacchaeus. Perhaps we might picture Jesus today coming up to Zacchaeus saying, "Well, it's so good to meet you. I would like to have a few words with you, sir, if I may. I mean could you possibly look at your calendar--after all I know that you are very busy man--but maybe I could have an appointment? Is there a time when it would be convenient?" Jesus never said anything like that.He looked up into the Sycamore tree and gave an order, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, I am going to your house today."
When you are Lord, you don't give people choices. Salvation is not a choice it is a command. Zacchaeus now had to decide what to do with the command. He had to obey it or disobey it. To obey means he had to acknowledge that Jesus had authority in his life. If Zacchaeus disobeyed he would be the authority in his own life. Would he be willing to turn from sin and follow Christ by faith? After they were eating Jesus said to Zacchaeus "Salvation has come to your house."
There may be some symbolic or prophetic meaning of the new pot and the salt of Elisha's request. Some suggest that the new pot represents the wineskins that Jesus is talked about in his parable. God makes us new creatures when we are forgiven by his grace. The salt perhaps symbolizes purity and preservation. That is the effect that we are to have on the world. We are to be pure and preserve righteousness for God's Kingdom.
Elisha goes to the source of the problem, not the lake, but the spring. He applies the salt to the spring water and the water is cured and purified and is preserved. The water and the land and the ground become good because the cause of the problem is solved. Elisha said "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'"
It was healed by the Word of God that Elisha met the desperate need of Jericho. How are we to find away of getting right down into the springs and motives of the hearts of men with transforming power and of changing their inward outlook and the attitude and ways of thinking?
Jesus offered a cure that could transform the heart of man. "He that believeth on me,' He said, 'out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' (Jn 7:38,39)
It is by grace that the waters were cured and the curse against Jericho was removed. It is by grace the curs of sin on our lives is removed because the requirement of God has been made. By faith we respond
and receive Him.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri April 9, 2010
Verses- II Kings 2:23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!"
24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.
The Consequences of Evil
This second story is a difficult one. It is related to the consequences of sin. It alludes to the spread of evil even among the young and the message of judgment and consequences for sin.
Elisha was God's prophet walking to the town of Bethel. That city was headquarters of idolatry in Samaria. On first reading this can appear to be a story that some naughty boys were calling him names. We might conclude that Elisha’s reaction was an over reaction calling a curse upon them and she bears appear and 42 youths are mauled.
Having read some commentaries the background leaves a different impression. I appears they are reciting the sentiment of people still choosing Baal over Jehovah. They might be liked to a mob of youth ready to do harm.
This past Monday Joshua, our host in India, showed me picture of the many churches and pastors he is training through his school. He should be a picture of one church and the second picture how it was burned to the ground by extreme Hindus. The last picture was how it was being rebuild.
I have talked to people who were beaten by mobs of extreme Hindus and justice was not done as the police did nothing. But God will avenge his own sooner or later.
According to some commentators the Hebrew word in this passage is more appropriately translated young men, not young children. It is believed they are around 14-20 years old. We would call them a teenaged gang today. It is a situation which implies some risk to the life of the prophet. Many of the violent crimes today are committed by young people 14-21 years. They are also seeing many crimes committed by younger children each and every year.
Also consider ‘God's anointed’ meant something. It was serious to attack such a person. When people ridicule and attack God’s anointed there will be consequences. My mind goes to the time when Jesus was facing the cross. They dressed him up as king and gave him a crown of thorns and bowed before him Hail, King of the Jews." They were not hailing him as King of the Jews they were making fun of God. The Bible teaches God will avenge those who have done harm to His anointed.
At Bethel they did not want the Word of the Lord. A story like this in the Scripture can serve to remind us that there is a grim element of judgment to those who reject the Word of God or seek to do harm to God’s anointed. Even the New Testament teaches us that if we will not receive the gracious ministry of blessing by which God seeks to cleanse and renew our lives, then the love and mercy of God which is freely offered to us either to accept or reject, either to honor or insult, is turned into its opposite and will bring judgment and damnation upon us instead of blessing.
Notice the consequence! Elisha called down a curse. The curse is honored by the Lord and some she bears come out of the woods and mauls the group. This serves to speak to us of judgment for sinful actions. God hates sin. These boys were responsible for their actions.
We live in a day when people do not own up to their own responsibilities. All the laws in the world will not change God. We say to ourselves things like "I'm only human." "Everybody does it," "This is the age we live in". "I did what I had to do." "Nobody's perfect." When you tell yourself those things then it is time for confession of sin.
One of the strange facts of the universe is that God will never tolerate sin, but he will forgive it. And when we are forgiven, it is as if our dark and moldy house has just had all its windows flung open to the June breeze.
We are under the curse unless under his offer of grace. We feel the effects of sin- that is the curse. We are offered the cure of sin that is forgiveness. If we reject it we will experience the consequences of our sin and that is the judgment of God.
I look forward to the day when the curse will be removed. But Jesus has removed it at the cross and makes justification available to all who repent and trust Him.
Pastor Dale
