6 Words, 2 Sentences
Notes
Transcript
Fonzie
Fonzie
How many of you remember the TV show, “Happy Days”?
Set in Milwaukee in the 50’s
Teenagers hanging out at Arnold’s Drive In.
Ron Howard was Richie Cunningham
His dad owned a hardware store.
His friends, Ralph Malph, Potsie
The TV show, “Laverne & Shirley” spun off
This guy was the coolest guy on TV at the time. Maybe, the coolest guy in the entire country. He was fictional, but still...
His signature greeting:
“Eeyyy”
Arther Fonzarelli, aka Fonzie, aka The Fonz.
When you are known internationally by one name you have arrived.
All the girls loved The Fonz. All the guys wanted t/b, or at least be seen w/ The Fonz. Maybe some of his cool would rub off.
Who you hang out w/ matters.
Fonzie was perfect.
Never a hair out of place.
Bleached white T-shirt under his chic leather jacket.
Tight blue jeans, clean white socks visible above his polished black shoes.
So perfect, for the years the series was on TV, Fonzie never made a mistake. Well, except once.
And, b/c he never made a mistake, and had the rep to maintain, there was one thing he could not say. Physically, the words could not come out of his mouth.
Do you remember the episode?
He realized for the first time in his life he had made a mistake and needed to own up.
He had to practice. In fact, the entire 30-min episode he practiced and practiced but could not pronounce this word in this sentence until the very the very end.
What was the word in the sentence he could not pronounce?
“I was wrr....”
It was hilarious. Years into the series, we were used to The Fonz being perfect.
Even if he did something questionable, judgment would land in favor of The Fonz, b/c he never made a mistake. So, if he did it, it must be okay.
One of the elements that make comedy funny is the element of truth in it. It is always a little bit true and we can all relate to it.
This morning, I am here to tell you that if you can pronounce 6 words, formed into 2 sentences, used at appropriate times in appropriate ways it will transform your life.
You will breathe life into every broken relationship you have.
What are those 6 words in 2 sentences?
I was wrong.
I am sorry.
If you will apply these words, they may not change everything, but they will change enough to transform every relationship you have.
This comes from 1 Kings 21.
The situation begins when Ahab, the king of Israel, wants something that someone else had.
I Want...
I Want...
Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
Ahab sees Naboth’s vineyard and wants it for himself.
He’s the king. It’s not like he doesn’t already have plenty of vineyards and gardens. This piece of land would have been near the palace and he could see it all the time and the fruit that it produced.
He sees it all the time and he wants it.
And, it’s not like he didn’t make a good offer. It would have been a fair trade or cash.
Somebody knocks on your door and offers you $750,000 cash for your house. How fast can I say yes and sign that contract?
But, your kids have their heart set on inheriting your cabin and enjoying MP for years just like you have. And, you want them to.
Is it worth that?
Here’s the rub in that day. God had commanded that the land stay w/ each original family.
When Israel came into the PL assignments were made. This was 1 family’s land. That was the God’s law.
Land changed hands in that day.
If a family got into financial trouble and needed cash they could sell their land. First, they were to go close family.
If no one in the family could buy it, they could open it up to anyone.
But, the Sabbath laws included the year of Jubilee.
Every 50th year, all the land that had changed hands was returned to the original family.
Not in 50 years. The clock restarted in specific years.
That means, if you bought a piece of land from another family and it was in 9th year of the 50, you’d get to use it for 41 years.
But if it was bought in the 47th year, you’d only get it for 3. So, you’d pay less for it.
It’s going to be given back, by law, w/out any $ changing hands.
That way, the land always stayed in the original family’s possession.
Naboth was not hurting for $. His heirs were looking forward to inheriting that land. Above all that, God’s law forbade him from selling it to the king.
The king knew that.
Naboth rejected the king’s offer. So, the king went home sulked like a baby. It was a very childish reaction.
“He won’t let me buy his land” All whiney.
Self-centered, arrogant, childish, immature.
Not only is he whining about being rejected by the commoner, he has to go home and explain to his wife why he is crying.
Which is worse? Being rejected by the commoner; or having to explain to his wife why he was crying?
Abusive Authority
Abusive Authority
His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
What are you doing? What’s wrong? He acting like something horrible happened. Something way out of his control and tragic.
Someone close to him died, maybe.
So, he explains to her what happened.
This was her response:
Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. In those letters she wrote:
“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
Remember, Jezebel was not an Israeli, she grew up worshiping Baal and tried to get her husband to replace God w/ Baal.
Her culture was an authoritarian culture, where the leaders did what they wanted and forced the ppl to comply. They had no choice in the matter.
That is not the style of leadership that God called Israel to, nor us.
Jesus is our model of leadership and he came as a servant.
Some may see that as contradictory. But it is not. Leadership in God’s administration is to be the lead servant.
Head of household is to be the lead servant. Anticipate what the ppl under you care need and want and provide it before they have to ask. It’s the model of a shepherd.
A shepherd lovingly guides by serving his sheep’s needs. A rancher drives his cattle authoritatively.
Also, the Founding Fathers of our nation did their best to set up a gov’t, of the ppl, by the ppl, for the ppl, following what they believed were the freedoms taught in the bible and the leadership model of Jesus.
All were either Christian, or at least Deist. Deists bel in the God of the bible, bel the guidance of the bible is right, they just don’t bel in Jesus nor a personal relationship w/ God thru the blood of Jesus.
Our gov’t was patterned after God’s administration.
Not Jezebel’s priority.
She usurped the authority of her husband the king, used his signet ring to declare a fast. The ppl would have tho’t it came from him.
Only the king could do this. Usually on the advice of a prophet and only for emergencies and severe situations like a famine or impending war.
She used the law of God she liked. Like, requiring 2 witnesses to convict.
But she also usurped the authority of God by using this law deceptively so that she could justify putting Naboth to death.
Her scheme worked. The ppl of Jezreel feared Jezebel more than the feared God. They did what she commanded.
Naboth was framed, convicted, then stoned to death.
Once she found out her scheme had been carried out, she told her husband to go and get the land. The owner was dead and it was his for the taking.
It wasn’t. But he did it anyway. He was the king. Yet, he obeyed her.
He sold out. He sold his soul for plot of land so he could plant vegetables.
I don’t know any vegetable that is worth that!
W/ that, God sent Elijah to confront Ahab for is faithless disobedience. Not the first time.
Ahab didn’t like Elijah. Elijah probably wasn’t all that fond of Ahab. But, he was just God’s messenger.
Ahab messed up bad. This was the last straw. The Baal worship, rejection of God, whatever in the past. It all added up and this was it.
God had reached his limit and threw the book at Ahab. It was Elijah’s job to find him and inform him.
Sold Out
Sold Out
Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”
“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.
Ahab sold out. He sold his soul.
He sac’d godly principles for his evil desires. He wanted Naboth’s land for a garden.
To get it, he violated 3 of the 10 commandments.
He coveted his land. That is, he was obsessed w/ it. He bel’d he deserved it more than Naboth.
He murdered Naboth to get it.
Even then, Naboth’s heirs should have inherited it.
Ahab stole the land from his estate.
All so he could eat some fresh peas, beans, peppers, squash, potatoes, etc.
I love my wife’s garden and it’s produce.
It’s not worth selling my soul for.
Finally, God had had enough. Ahab wanted nothing to do w/ God so God decided to have nothing to do w/ him.
Grace that it took this much this long.
Ahab would be cut off from everyone else.
We get the cost of social distancing. No contact, conversation, support, encouragement, physical touch, nor defense.
Elijah goes on to say that both he and Jezebel will die in disgraceful ways and in disgraceful places.
Wild dogs hang out at the city dump and eat the trash that ppl throw out.
God said that the dogs will digest the remains of the king and queen.
His sons, descendants will never sit on the throne. They will all be destroyed and devoured. An ugly end.
Normally, the body of a king would be treated w/ honor. His life would have been celebrated. Then, buried in a tomb fit for a king. His wife, too.
We do the same for US presidents that die. Remember how we honored Ronald and Nancy Reagan. George and Barbara Bush.
They lie in state for days allowing adoring fans to pay their respects. The funeral speakers are among the most powerful in the world.
The procession to the cemetery is a somber, yet glorious celebration of their life.
But, in Ahab’s case, the consequences of his actions cost him dearly.
Make no mistake. Faith saves us. Faith in God would have saved Ahab, too. But, behavior matters.
Our actions grow out of what we believe. Even faithful ppl do bad things that God will discipline for.
And, the severity of Ahab’s actions called for severe consequences.
The good that came from this story is Ahab’s response. God, b/c of His grace, waited giving Ahab ample opportunity to repent, change his ways.
He didn’t, until the end. And b/c he changed his attitude and his ways, God changed His punishment.
Ahab finally showed contrition toward God.
Contrition
Contrition
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
When Ahab did not get his way before, he pouted like a child.
No doubt he was mad and sad that he didn’t get his way.
He was hurt Naboth didn’t agree to the deal.
It was hard that his wife didn’t respect him and usurped his authority.
A man who has an affair will be hurt, mad, sad that his kids and friends are all mad at him. And he can be sorry about all that.
That is just blaming them for being mad at him.
He’s the victim of their reactions.
But, it was his actions in the first place that brought all this about.
This time, Ahab took it like a man. He accepted responsibility for his own actions. He didn’t blame his wife, Naboth, God, or anybody else.
His attire reflected his attitude.
His behavior was based on his belief.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn.” And, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
This is what Jesus was talking about. Ahab mourned his spiritual poverty. He wept over his guilt. He owned his bad behavior.
A humble apology will go a long way in easing the consequences of the original bad act.
Some consequences cannot be avoided.
A conviction will always be on your record.
An affair may lead to a divorce that may never be reconciled.
But, these 6 words formed into these 2 sentences can help heal a fractured relationship, make you right w/ God, and ease some of the consequences.
I was wrong. I am sorry.
Don’t apologize for anything you did not do wrong. That only complicates things.
Don’t make your apologies conditional. “If I hurt you...”
Maybe I wasn’t clear.
Know what you did wrong. Own it. Do whatever it takes to make it right. Begin w/ a sincere apology.
Broken relationships may not be completely severed, just cracked.
A humble, well-worded, appropriately timed, apology will bring life and healing into a hurting couple.
It will totally change the outlook of a bad situation.
6 words, 2 sentences are among the most powerful things anyone can say to affect positive changed in their life.
Applications
Applications
Godly leadership
Godly leadership
If you want to lead ppl. If you want to influence ppl for good, serve them.
Know what they need and want and do it for them before they ask for it.
That was Jesus’ model.
Your kids, g-kids, church, community, friends.
To influence them for good, serve them.
Don’t sell out
Don’t sell out
There are desires inside all of us that to go and get them we will have to sell out and sacrifice godly principles.
Keep the principles as your highest priority.
James wrote (Jas. 4:1-3) that we fight b/c we don’t get what we want.
If we don’t get what we want, it’s b/c we haven’t asked God for it or our motives for wanting it are wrong.
If it costs you your character, your reputation, or one of your most important relationships then it’s not worth getting.
Let it go and hold on to what’s more important
Use these words
Use these words
This is the obvious application.
Be like the Fonz. Practice. “I was wrrr...”
Don’t apologize for anything you did not do wrong. But when you do, own it.
If you can pronounce 6 words, formed into 2 sentences, used at appropriate times in appropriate ways it will transform your life.
You will breathe life into every broken relationship you have.
What are those 6 words in 2 sentences?
I was wrong.
I am sorry.
If you will apply these words, they may not change everything, but they will change enough to transform every relationship you have.
Breathe life into broken relationships by using a humble apology, well-timed, well-worded, and appropriately place.