Comfort for the Committed Follower

*Not sure if true*: For a period of about 15 years, Jesse James and his gang committed 26 holdups where they made off with approximately $200,000 and killed at least 17 men (many by Jesse’s own hand). Jesse James was one of the West’s most notorious outlaws.

And yet, very few people know that Jesse James was a very devout churchgoer. Why, shortly after he killed one man in a bank robbery James was baptized in the Kearney Baptist Church in Kearney, Missouri. Then he killed another man, a bank cashier, and joined the church choir and taught hymn-singing.

He loved to go to church but he couldn’t always show up on Sundays. On 2 Sundays he had to work.

He had a couple of trains to catch.

APPLY: If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Jesse James was a very good church member. I mean – he was baptized, sang in the choir, taught hymn-singing and was fairly regular in church attendance.

But, of course, he was also a thief and a murderer.

He had all the right moves… but all the wrong motives.

The Complaints of the Wicked (3:13-15)

-People with selfish hearts in service will be frustrated with God

Christmas gifts and small car

Their speech is in disrespect because their service is not out of a heart of worship, but of expectation. They are skeptics who believe that God owed them something. (It is doubtful that they are believers.)

They said it is vain to serve Him

They claimed there is no profit in serving Him

They seemed surprised that they didn’t get immediate pay off since they apparently went through the motions of appearing to have grief and sorrow over the sin of their nation but it was fake. But God always inspects the motives of worshipers to see if they are genuine. 1 Corinthians 4:5 “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts”

Most people would say spending time in the Word and taking it to heart would be a good thing. But in 2012 Rachel Held Evans “A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a liberated woman found herself sitting on a roof, covering her head, and calling her husband “Master.”

In this book she decided she would “take the advise of conservative Christians and take the Bible literally” So, she spent a lot of time in Proverbs 31.

In v17 she read that a good wife girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. So, she decided she’d lift weights.

In v21, she read that a good wife doesn’t fear snow because she covered her household with scarlet. So, she knitted everyone a red scarf and gloves.

In v24 she read that Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. So, she made a huge sign that said, “Dan is awesome” and went to sit underneath the “welcome to Dayton, TN” sign so everyone could see it.

Those who hated Christianity loved this book and Ms. Evans work because even though her action seemed good, I mean she went to the Bible and applied it! Her intentions were evil.

Now, the most ridiculous claim they made is that they have concern over the justice of God

The claimed that God blessed the arrogant and the implication of such a comment is that God is either too weak to stop the wicked, or not interested in clamping down on them. They are claiming that God has lied and will not, or cannot, keep His word.

The Conversation of the Righteous(3:16-18)

(v16) The Righteous will not be forgotten

The imagery stresses that God does not forget his own. He knows everything instantly and completely; and he never forgets anything. But more is being stressed here by the word “remembrance”. It goes beyond a simple recollection to mean “action based on the remembrance.” If God remembers his people it means he will do something for them on the basis of the covenant he has with them. He will spare them in the day of judgment because he promised them eternal life with him.1

This is obviously important: Who are these people? They are those who “think upon His name”. These people give the proper due to God in all their thinking as they esteem Him. Notice how it states that they don’t merely think on God, but that they think on His very name. The name of the Lord refers to His attributes. (His power, glory, wisdom, love, mercy, goodness, righteousness, grace, etc.) So, these people are not “good people”, they are true believers who value God as their prized possession. These are people who take inventory on what God is like a rest on the account of His character while facing the charges of this life on their faith.

(v17) They are His Personal Possession

This is stating that on the day of judgment God will spare His people. Why? Because the security of the Saints is based on the fact that they are His prized treasure as He has bought them with a price.

1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.” Have you ever thought about the fact that it wasn’t that you one day just randomly had a reaction of gases in your brain that caused you to love God, but that He first loved you, He paid for you, He pursued you, He wooed you and saved you. And, think about this, one day He is going to be just as happy to have you in Heaven as you will be to be there.

(Heading into last point) (v18) He will Reveal the Righteous and the Wicked

a. The “you” in this verse shows us that God is taking His finger and pointing at the wicked complainers as to say to them that the phonies will be exposed. (Turn to Matthew 13:41-43) 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Coming Judgment (4:1-4)

(v1) The Day and the Carnal

It will surely come

It will be a revealing time (3:18)

It will be a hopeless time

Notice the word “proud”. This comes from the word “zed” which emphasizes their attitude as self-sufficient, in no need of God; and this second phrase points out the result of this arrogance in that they life wickedly. Essentially they want no part of God or His laws and in response the text says they will be “stubble” which refers corn husks lying on the ground of an empty field. This, and the reiteration of the end of this verse, reveal that these people will have no hope, they will put up no fight, and all in all will be no bother to God. (Confront sinners: From the highest, most boastful branches to the things you have your roots dug into)

These proud people are those who think they don’t really need God, they don’t need faith, they have their good works but whatever works they have will not be enough to escape judgment.

(v2-3) The Day and the Committed

-Take note of the word “sun”, there is to be a connection made between the burning of the enemy and the “sun of righteousness”. He is both a healer and the One who brings heat.

It will be a time of healing and joy (v2)

It will be a time of victory (v3)

Application:

What are the motives of your worship?

In the midst of problematic times, what are your thoughts?

When Judgment Day comes, will you find judgment or joy?

Are you proud, or have you come to Calvary?