Its more than a Ritual
Workers of Iniquity • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 4 viewsI don't want to be rejected of God for being a Worker of Iniquity but I want to be obedient to his WORD!!
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21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Workers of Iniquity!
Workers of Iniquity!
In this passage we find we find a group of people that could “Talk” a good game!!
But as we read this past week, it is those that do the WILL of the Father!!
God is way more interested in your Walk than your Talk!!
I’m a “GOOD” person
They were saying, “Look at all the good things that I have done”.
The devil loves the SOUP KITCHEN!! (and don’t save a soul)
But God is LOVE!
But God is full of mercy
God will SEE that I’m a good person
Yes (right now) you feel the love and mercy of the Saviour
And you cannot imagine a God of Judgement
But one of these days - He’s going to change seats
2 Pet 3:9 “9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
One of the first things he said when He began his ministry on earth!
Matt 4:17 “17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 2:17 “17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 13:3 “3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Repentance is a change of direction
Not MY WILL but Thy will be done!!
John 6:38 “38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
Iniquity is doing your OWN WILL and calling it Good!!
Iniquity is doing your OWN WILL and calling it Good!!
But it is not the will of the Father!!
Let’s examine and example in scripture
King Saul
King Saul
Let’s look at the “GOOD” that Saul thought he was doing!
In 1st Samual, chapter 13
the Philistines were gathered together to fight against Israel
they were as the sand of the sea in multitude
the people were distressed
they wanted to run away and hide
Life can throw us some difficult situations at time!!
Wait on the Lord!!
Wait on the Lord!!
But Saul was impatient!
the people were scattered
the Philistines were coming
I don’t see Samual anywhere
He was blaming everything and everyone else
8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
Wait on the Lord!!
Wait on the Lord!!
Stand Still and the Salvation of the Lord!!
How many times do we get out of the will of God because we take matters into our own hands!!
in prayer - we don’t wait!
in worship - we get too big of a hurry
in sacrifice
Wait on the Lord!!
Wait on the Lord!!
1 Sam 13:11 “11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;”
Saul tried to justify his “good deed”
Look I’m just trying to be good!!
Instead of waiting he took matters into his own hands!!
the people were scattered
It was a good thing to offer a sacrifice to God before a critical battle
But he did it the WRONG WAY!!
Like Saul, our true spiritual character is reveled under pressure!!
The method we use in our approach to God is critical!!
Just like Saul there are so many today that think they can substitute the ritual.
I’m faithful in my tithe
I’m faithful to the pew
I’m a good person
1 Sam 10:8 “8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.”
The Promise is there!!
Is 40:31 “31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.”
Wait on the Lord!!
Wait on the Lord!!
What kept the Kingdom out of Saul’s hands?
He lacked patience
1 Sam 13:11 “11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;”
He did not wait until the END OF THE DAY!!
Matt 24:13 “13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
How many are going to miss it because they don’t wait until “End of the Day”
His desire for popularity
1 Sam 13:11 “11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;”
His position with People was more important than his position with God
His desire to be elevated in the people’s eyes was more importance than obedience!
His dependency on the ritual
Bring me the burn offering
It’s not just in the sacrifice!!
If I just come up here and shout!!
But the true VICTORY is not there!!
But the true deliverance comes when you just obey & repent!!
It is still the death, burial & resurrection that’s going to get us out of here!!
The disregard of conscience
1 Sam 13:12 “12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”
When you begin to justify your action
And ignore your conscience!!
He knew the LAW!!
He knew he had no business offering sacrifice
He was not a priest!!
Iniquity is - I’m going to do it my way!!
Iniquity is - I’m going to do it my way!!
1 Sam 13:13 “13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.”
1 Sam 13:14 “14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.”
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
God is Long-suffering
God is Long-suffering
We find just a couple of chapters later
1 Samuel 15:1–3 (KJV 1900)
1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.
(I’m going to give you a 2nd chance Saul)
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
I’m thankful for a God of 2nd chances!!
Harken to my voice!!
I remember what old Amalek did!!
I want to to utterly KILL IT OUT!!!
God’s not willing that any should perish
The Kingdom of God is at hand!!
God’s not willing, that any should perish but that all men every - repent!!
True repentance is DEATH!!
True repentance is DEATH!!
It has to die!!
He said, I want you to Kill it out!!
Remember - according to the scriptures:
A Worker of Iniquity
Is doing your own will
instead of following after the Will of the Father!!
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Saul did not learn his lesson, this time God gave him clear instructions!!
He did not have to wait on them!!
Notice they said, “All that was good”
We can so easily convince ourselves that our actions are OK.
This is not bad, but this is good for me!!
We gloss over Sin to protect what we want!!
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Quit calling Good what God wants destroyed!!
The SAD thing is that Saul thought he had won a great victory over the Amalekites!
13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.
He honestly thought that He had done great and was proud of what he had done!
But God saw the Heart!!
The disobedience that was there!!
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
Saul was deceiving himself!!
Its easy to start believing they lies that we tell ourselves!!
You begin to believe your:
own lies
you deceive yourself
you alienate yourself from God!!
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
We are doing this for all the right reasons!!
What we are doing is Ok!
God is going to understand!!
Saul you did not learn your lesson from the FIRST TIME!!
It’s more than a Ritual!
Sacrifice is important - but its hollow if the heart is not right!
And its not done in an attitude of love and obedience!!
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.
Depart from me ye that work iniquity!!
Depart from me ye that work iniquity!!
What have we learned from today’s lesson:
Wait on God!!
Wait on God!!
Don’t be impatient
Wait on God!
He’ll send the WORD and it will be right on time!!
Not by WILL, but Thy will be done!!
Obedience is better than Sacrifice!!
Obedience is better than Sacrifice!!
Its not what I think it Good!
If God says to Kill it!!
Leave nothing to chance!!
Help me to kill out my rebellion
Help me to kill out my stubbornness
13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
The Sacrifice does not compensate for the disobedience in our lives!!
Notice the difference between David, “Which was a man after God’s own heart” and Saul!!
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
God help me to get rid of the iniquity in my life!!
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Today is the Day of Salvation
Today is the Day of Grace!!
I want to Harken to the Voice of God talking in my life!!
And I want to Kill OUT those things that are trying to destroy my life!!