The Need to Be A Hero
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The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
How do God’s people end up worshipping idols?
The Obstacle: The Need to Be A Hero
The Obstacle: The Need to Be A Hero
Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe.
However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.
1 Kings 12:26-33
1 Kings 12:26-33
We all feel the pressure to satisfy EXPECTATIONS to earn APPROVAL because we want our lives to have VALUE.
There is always more to do to satisfy or MAINTAIN people’s EXPECTATIONS.
You have to predict their expectations, satisfy them, and keep them satisfied.
The Reality
The Reality
People’s EXPECTATIONS are usually different from GOD’S. (v. 27)
If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”
Accepting someone’s EXPECTATIONS is a form of WORSHIP. (v. 28)
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
You cannot WORSHIP two MASTERS. One will always take PRIORITY. (Luke 16:13)
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.
The Art of Doing Nothing
The Art of Doing Nothing
Following God’s EXPECTATIONS sometimes means DOING NOTHING. (John 6:15)
After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
The only way to discern God’s EXPECTATIONS is to spend time WITH HIM.
God’s APPROVAL is a GIFT. So are his EXPECTATIONS. (Luke 3:22)
and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”