Does God Care How We Worship--Part Seven--Preaching/Teaching--Part Two

Introduction:

1. The second question that needs to be answered is...

A. Does God care about ignorance?

1. God desires that ignorance be put to silence.

1 Peter 2:13–17 NKJV

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

A. This is accomplished when we walk by faith.

2 Corinthians 5:5–8 NKJV

5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

1. Walking by faith is putting to silence the ignorance of foolish men by doing good.

1 Peter 2:15 NKJV

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

B. Walking by faith cannot be accomplish if one is ignorant of God’s word.

Hosea 4:6–9 NKJV

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. 7 “The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. 8 They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their iniquity. 9 And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, And reward them for their deeds.

B. Ignorance is dealt with in the Scriptures in much detail and God expects us to pay attention to the details.

2 Peter 1:5–15 NKJV

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

2. Does God care how we preach and teach?

Body:

1. Mercy is found when ignorance is lost.

1 Timothy 1:12–13 NKJV

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

A. Saving grace is only found when ignorance is lost.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

1. Faith only comes through knowledge of God’s Word.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2. The more faith we have in God the more mercy and grace He blesses us with.

B. If mercy and grace are dependent upon faith—does God care about ignorance?

C. If God cares about ignorance—does God care about how we preach and teach?

2. Strife is cased by ignorance.

2 Timothy 2:23–24 NKJV

23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

A. Strife is cased by ignorance when a person desires to have his ears tickled above hearing the truth.

2 Timothy 4:1–4 NKJV

1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

1. This happens when what sounds good to man is given priority above God’s Word.

Proverbs 14:12 NKJV

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

B. If God tells us to avoid strife by avoiding foolish and ignorant disputes then does God care about ignorance?

1. How could we possibly know what an ignorant dispute is if we do not know what God considers a relevant dispute?

2. Would a person need to be taught what a relevant dispute is?

Ephesians 4:25–27 NKJV

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

3. If a person needs to be taught what a relevant dispute is to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, then would God care about what we preach and teach?

3. Sin is a direct result of Ignorance.

1 Peter 1:13–16 NKJV

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

A. Sin separates us from God.

Isaiah 59:1–2 NKJV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

1. If sin separates us from God and is the result of ignorance then does God care about ignorance?

2. If God cares about ignorance then does God care about what we preach and teach?

Conclusion:

1. Ignorance is no longer tolerated by God...

Acts 17:30–31 NKJV

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

A. Then, we as the church need to be teaching people how to be ready for Christ’s return because He is only going to take His people home.

1. So does God care about how we worship in preaching and teaching?