Rebelling against God’s Messenger
Notes
Transcript
Rebelling against God’s Messenger
Text: 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV 1900)
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…
Introduction:
* We have been dealing with the subject for the past two Sundays now “The Sin of Rebellion.”
* The first Sunday we examined the context of our text verse, the story of how King Saul rebelled against the Word of God, given to him by the prophet Samuel, by not fully obeying the Word of God.
* I proposed to you the idea that we, as New Testament believers, disrespect and rebel against the Word of God, just like King Saul did, when we disregard, disrespect, and fail to obey the Word of God completely.
* When we only partially obey the Word of God, the Bible, we open ourselves up to the judgment upon our lives just as king Saul did.
* Just as King Saul brought judgment down upon his own life, and just as king Saul suffered the consequences of his disobedience to the Word of God, so will we, as New Testament Christians, bring sorrow and troubles down upon our own head we only partially obey the teachings of the Bible.
* To only partially obey the Bible, the Word of God, is to rebel against the God who gave us his Word.
* Now, this morning I would like to open up a new discussion about the “Sin of Rebellion.”
* Not only will rebelling against the message of the Word of God bring judgment in the life of a Christian, but I would like you to see this morning that rebelling against the messenger by which God gives His Word, will also bring judgment, and great sorrow, to those who rebel against God’s Messenger.
* We find an interesting story in the Old Testament that kind of gives us an idea of how God feels about those who reject and rebel against His messengers in 2 Kings Chapter 2, and verse 23.
* Turn there with me if you will to 2 Kings 2:23, and let’s look at shocking incident in the life of God’s messenger, the prophet Elisha.
2 Kings 2:23–24 (KJV 1900)
23 And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord.
And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
* About 5 years ago, when we first came to this church, we had four or five kids that were giving Miss Debbie a hard time in Sunday school class.
* For some reason, which I don’t remember right now, Debbie couldn’t teach the class one Sunday, and I had to go back and teach the little buggers for Sunday school.
* I told the precious little ones I wanted to share a little Bible story that was about kids.
* I proceeded to take my text from- on no you didn’t preacher! Yep I sure did- I took my text from 2 Kings Chapter 2!
* When I finished telling the story about the little kids who were ate by a bear because they disrespected the messenger of God by calling him baldy, I didn’t seem to have any trouble with them for the rest of the class time!
* Now on a more serious note, two Sundays ago we looked at the rebellion of King Saul- Saul had only partially obeyed the Word of God.
* Last Sunday we looked at a major area where you and I as New Testament Christains fail to fully obey the Word of God also.
* We talked about how that the Word of God has set forth a “Chain of Command” for Christians to obey and submit to, in order to enjoy the full blessings of the Christian life.
Ephesians 5:17–21 (KJV 1900)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
* Here is the order of the “chain of command,” or the “chain of submission all Christians are commanded to follow as commanded in the Bible:
1). Every Christian man is to fully, willingly and wholeheartedly submit himself to the authority of the Word of God over his life.
2). The wife is to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit herself to the authority of her husband, who to her represents the authority of God.
3). Children are to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit themselves to the authority of their parents who represent the authority of God over their lives.
4). Employees are to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit themselves to the authority of their employers as we would if we were obeying the authority of God.
5). And today’s message, Christians are to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit themselves to the authority of the leaders that God has placed in their church.
6). Next Sunday, the Lord willing, we will see that Christians are to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit themselves to the authority of human government.
* Today’s message is “Don't Disregard, or Disrespect, God's Messenger.
I. We are commanded to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly, obey and submit ourselves to the authority of pastors.
* In the New Testament book Hebrews all Christians are commanded to obey and fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly, submit themselves to the authority of the pastors who have the rule over them in the church.
* According to the Bible, pastors are God’s messenger- God’s mouthpiece- and have been ordained by God to feed and care for His Churches.
Hebrews 13:16–17 (KJV 1900)
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:
for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
* Again in the book of I Timothy we see the same command to submit to the elders that “rule well.”
1 Timothy 5:17–20 (KJV 1900)
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
* And again in I Thessalonians all Christians are command to submit themselves to the “rebuke” or “admonishment” of the pastor of the church.
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (KJV 1900)
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
* In 1 Peter, Peter, who was also a pastor, told the churches that they were to submit to the authority of the pastors of their churches as they serve in the role as “overseers” of each church.
1 Peter 5 (KJV 1900)
5 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away
* The apostle Paul also Paul states in Acts chapter 20 and verses 26-28, that the Holy Spirit has made pastors, or elders, the “overseers” over the churches.
Acts 20:26–28 (KJV 1900)
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
II. When we fail to to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly, obey and submit ourselves to the authority of our Pastors, God’s messengers, the result will be the severe and quick judgment of God on our lives.
* Now I want to steer your attention to a passage in the New Testament book of Jude that lead us to an interesting story about rebelling against God’s messenger.
* Turn with me now to Jude and we will read beginning with verse 6.
Jude 6–11 (KJV 1900)
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not:
but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
* Now I want to call your attention to the phrase in verse 11-
and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
* What is the “gainsaying of Core?”
* This “gainsaying of Core” is here associated with 1) the rebellion of the angles who rebelled against God in the beginning of creation. (look at vs. 6)
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
* 2) This “gainsaying of Core” is associated with the rebellion of Sodom and Gomorrah as well. (Look at vs. 7)
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
* 3) This “gainsaying of Core” is associated with those in the Days of Jude who speak evil of “Dignitaries.” (Look at vs 8-9)
Note:
Now we know from elsewhere in the Bible, that this “Speaking evil of dignitaries” is speaking of Genesis chapter 6, where certain angels rebelled against God, and corrupted what they had been sent to do.
* They were supposed oversee and protect the human inhabitants of the earth, but instead the Bible said that they say the daughters of men, that they were fair, and they disobeyed God and took human wives.
Genesis 6:1–7 (KJV 1900)
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
* Now back to our passage in Jude. Look at verse 8- Jude is comparing some people in the church in his day to those rebellious angles…
8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not:
but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
* We see that all these men, and even angles, who rebelled against God’s messengers, end up facing the severe and quick judgment of God as a result of their rebellion.
1). First, Jude says of the Fallen Angles:
he hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
2). Secondly, Jude says of Sodom and Gomorrah:
They were set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
3) And finally, Jude says of the gainsaying of Korah that they “perished in the gainsaying of Core”
* In all three of these examples of rebellion given by Jude, they all faced the severe and quick judgment of God as a result of their rebellion.
* Turn with me now to Numbers chapter 16 and verse one and let’s take a closer look at this strange case of “the rebellion of core,” and how it relates to rebelling against “God’s Messenger.”
Illustration:
The Rebellion of Core
Numbers 16:1–11 (KJV 1900)
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron,
* Now the theme of the series of messages we are in is “The sin of Rebellion.”
* Week before last we talked about the rebellion of King Saul, against the authority of the Word of God.
* Last Sunday we talked about the rebellion of New Testament Christian families against the Bible’s instructions concerning our relationships to our families and employers.
* Now we are talking about the rebellion of New Testament Christians against the man of God, God messenger to the churches.
* Now in numbers 16 we have before us an Illustration of a group of people who rebelled against the authority and leadership of God’s man of the hour- Moses.
* A group of people, led by a man called Korah have rebelled against the authority of Moses.
* Korah was a cousin to Moses and his brother who God had appointed as the High Priest of the congregation of Israel.
* Now evidently, Korah was upset because he was not satisfied to just be one who cared for the things of the Temple, but he was jealous of those who were in the priesthood, and so Korah takes it upon himself rebel against God’s leader, Moses.
* Korah sets up a rebellion to challenge the rules that Moses had set forth as to who was eligible to be a priest.
and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
Numbers 16:16–35 (KJV 1900)
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. 30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them:
for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
* Now that my friends, is a Biblical illustration of how rebelling against the messenger of God, the one who God has set up in a place of leadership, results in the severe and quick judgment of God!
* My brethren, there is an ancient proverb found in the book of Proverbs that says this:
Proverbs 17:11 (KJV 1900)
11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
* I do believe that we have the perfect example in Korah, of one who has fulfilled this proverb, and has had “a cruel messenger sent against Him for sure!
* but that’s not all! Look what happened to the people who followed Korah in his rebelling against God’s man:
Numbers 16:41–50 (KJV 1900)
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
* I want you to notice in this example of a man’s rebellion against God’s man, that, just like the original rebel, Satan, Korah succeeds in puling many others into this rebellion with him- over 15,000 people!
Application:
* So what preacher? We see and acknowledge all that happened to those who rebelled against God’s messenger way back in the Old Testament, but what does that have to do with me?
* From time to time in the New Testament churches we see this same kind of rebellion against the man of God in the churches.
* This kind of thing is exactly what Jude was writing about in the book of Jude.
Jude 12–19 (KJV 1900)
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words,
having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
* Beloved this morning know that those who rebel against the messenger of God, God’s man who is the “under Shepard” of the church, the servant of Jesus- Know that these who rebel against God’s man are not led by the Holy Spirit!
* So what are supposed to do with this sermon preacher?
* Here is what to do…
* Stay away from those in the church who like Korah are in rebellion against God’s man!
* Determine not to get caught up in someone else’s rebellion against the preacher, and the messages God has laid on his heart!
* Shun, those talk behind your pastor’s back and criticize his preaching and his leadership!
* Be careful and watch yourself so you don’t get caught up in the sinful rebellion of an individual, or a group of individuals, who are angry with the pastor, or other leaders in the church!
* When you join in their rebellion, you will also join in their swift and severe judgment as well!
Proverbs 22:24–25 (KJV 1900)
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; And with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, And get a snare to thy soul.
1 Timothy 5:17–22 (KJV 1900)
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
* The Holy Spirit will not work contrary to the Word of God that gives God’s messenger His authority.
* Don’t let anyone talk you into rebelling against God’s Man!
Conclusion:
* We are all commanded as New Testament believers to fully, willingly, and wholeheartedly submit ourselves to the authority God has vested in his messenger.
* Let me remind you once again of the warning that the writer of the book of Hebrews gives us in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17:
Hebrews 13:16–17 (KJV 1900)
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:
for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
* Brother and sisters let us ever be mindful of the truth that those who rebel against God’s message of authority, the Bible, and God’s messenger that brings the Bible to you, your pastor, will sufferer the wrath of God like the Fallen angles, and Sodom and Gomorrah, and like Korah who rebelled against Moses.
* It’s all about rebelling against the authority of God in your lives,
Text: 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV 1900)
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…
and God’s man, your pastor, represents the authority of God in God’s chain of command.