Selected Scriptures
DATE: 13 Jan, 2001
PM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (Galatians 4:1-11)
A.
Do ever get scared? Remember being scared as a kid? Of a tree-branch,
scratching the roof of your house, or of the bully at school?
B.
We know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we ought to fear God
1.
Lev 25:17
2.
Eph 5:21
3.
1 Peter
2:17
4.
The
wisest men of the Bible, such as Joseph, Job, and others feared God.
C.
We ought
to know that we should not fear our enemies.
1.
Ps 56:4
2.
Num 14:9
D.
However,
most strangely, Paul does say here in Galatians 4:11, that he is afraid of
something – not for what they might do to him, but what they were doing to
themselves!
E.
It is
like a mother who watches her child do a "dangerous trick" and she
says to him, "You scare me to death!"
F.
In that
same way, some people do scare me to death. Some of YOU scare me to death. I'm
not afraid of danger you might do to ME, but I AM afraid of danger that you
might do to YOURSELF.
II.
Message
A.
People Who Reject Salvation Scare Me To Death
(2Cor 6:2; Mt 3:7; Heb 2:3)
1.
You ever
had someone say, “No thanks” to the Gospel?
a.
Time here
is so fleeting
b.
Torment
in hell is so fierce
2.
The last
person I want to hang around with, and be bosom buddies with is someone who has
no time for God, and no interest in His word!
3.
I can’t
understand why people would WANT to reject the Saviour – that scares me
a.
I used to
mock Jesus
b.
But when
I learned who He really was, and how much he loved me
c.
And the
price he paid for my sin, I realised how dumb it was to put off getting saved
any long!
4.
What
these folks need is someone who cares enough to stay at them until their dying
breath – it ought to scare you that your family members are going to hell,
that you co-workers, your neighbours!
B.
People Who Rebel Against The Spirit Of God Scare Me To Death
(Acts 7:51; Eph 4:30)
1.
How do
people rebel against the Holy Spirit?
a.
Rejecting His counsel – in the word of God
1)
You ever
had someone ask you what to do, and you tell them, and then they look at you,
and No thanks? People do it to God all the time! And it scares a pastor (Heb
13:17)
2)
That Book
says how to live – AMEN!
3)
That Book
tells us what God expects of us
4)
That Book
calms the heart, strengthens the confidence – it can make us Christ-like
5)
But when
we ignore preaching, and walk out of a church service, where we have heard
God’s counsel, and then rejected it – we are DUMB, and dangerous too!
a)
I preach
on right kind of eating, and people walk out and go on eating nothing but junk
food
b)
I preach
on what God says about our thought life, and then people go right back to their
filthy romance novels and TV programmes
b.
Resisting His work – making HOLY, not unholy
1)
When the
Holy Spirit works on your life, and puts you in situations where you are “in
the fire” so to speak, then don’t resist His refining
2)
I’m
talking about people who are angry at other Christians
3)
I’m
talking about Christians who murmur and complain all the time, and are rude to
other Christians
4)
Those
“other” Christians evidently are JUST WHAT YOU NEED
5)
People
who want “sweet” and “nice” preachers are crazy (2Tim 4:1-4)
6)
The Holy
Spirit does not work with a cheese-cloth. He works with a pick-axe, and shovel,
and HAMMER (Jer 23:29)
7)
People
who resist His work in and on them are dangerous
c.
Remain as they are – never allowing change to take place in their lives!
1)
This
scares me the most
2)
None of
us are what we ought to be
3)
But when
someone does not want to change, they scare me
4)
It is
like designing a building, and the winds come, and the force begins to bend the
building, but it won’t bend – the builder fears because it will all come
down unless it bends!
2.
To rebel
against the Spirit of God is to do three things
a.
Defy your
own Creator
b.
Despise
your own Comforter – to hate what will comfort and bless you
c.
Defile
your own conscience – makes your mind harder and harder
3.
Don’t
do it folks – NEVER, NEVER resist God’s Spirit
C.
People Who Rob God Scare Me To Death (Mal 3:8,9)
1.
God is
talking about tithing!
2.
Does
anybody know what it means to be “cursed”?
3.
Well, the
person who says, I don’t want to obey God – I can do better with my
finances, my way – is in danger!
a.
You curse
your own finances when you rob God
b.
You curse
your own family when you rob God – your pride, and stinginess badly affects so
many others!
c.
You curse
the family of God when you rob God – like Achan – he took what belonged to
God, and all of Israel hurt for it!
4.
No person
in this room finds it easy to give back to God what was His to begin with, but
there are some who have decided that it is SMARTER to OBEY God than to ROB God!
D.
People Who Run From Serving God Scare Me To Death
(Jonah 1:1-10)
1.
God calls
everyone to come to Christ for Salvation – that is clear
2.
God also
calls every to serve, do His will
3.
But then
why doesn’t everyone have a heart to just SERVE others?
a.
Because
of stupid pride
1)
They
don’t want to be real – want people to think they are above other people who
can clean a toilet or sweep a floor
2)
They
don’t want to be put out – think their time is more valuable than other
people’s
3)
They
don’t want to fail – well, that is a bit acceptable, but being a Christian
is about trusting God for the impossible – and it will only be a miracle when
anything good comes out of our lives anyway, so we might as well dive in!
b.
Because
of their salvation
1)
Not much
of a salvation if it doesn’t make you like JESUS
2)
Do you
realise that if your salvation doesn’t get you out to church, and out to the
lost, then you probably never got Jesus!
3)
Jonah’s
relationship with God only tolerated God in his life, it was not surrendered to
God and His will!
4.
People
who will not listen for God’s call, and will not accept God’s call, are
dangerous people to be around – see Jonah
a.
Because
it affects others – the men in the ship were in danger because of Jonah’s
disobedience to God’s call
b.
Because
it effects on your church – other Christians will lose heart when those who
know God call won’t answer it
c.
Because
of its effect on your children – your children will only see you as an out and
out hypocrite.
d.
Because
of its effect on your chastisement – YOU are going to reap man, because we
HAVE to be a team, with EVERYONE doing something for God! When only a minority
are actively serving, the church is like gangrene!
e.
Because
of its effect on your crowns in glory. There is no reward for laziness! Check me
out – there is NOTHING for those who won’t try and do what God tells them!
5.
What has
God called you to do?
a.
Go
soul-winning on Saturdays, or during the week?
b.
Start up
a Sunday School class for young kids?
c.
Help out
Brother Kevin with the teens?
d.
Start up
a Bible study with your neighbours?
e.
Take us a
musical instrument, and learn it so we have more music in church?
f.
To
PREACH? (Col 4:17)
III.
Conclusion
A.
What are
you afraid of?
B.
I hope
you fear letting God down with your life – not a defeatist attitude, but one
of determination to grow
C.
Don’t
1.
Don’t
Reject Salvation, offered here tonight, free
2.
Don’t
Rebel Against the Work of the Holy Spirit in your life
3.
Don’t
Rob God
4.
Don’t
Run from doing what God has called you to do!