When a leader falls, all are punished. In Judges 3, we read: So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites . Obeying God. First there was Mary. A Christmas sermon looking at the main characters in the Christmas story, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and the Magi, and how they followed and served God's purposes despite the consequences, difficulties, and hardships they faced. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. Those who serve will suffer. For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. (Matthew 2:2 NKJV). N It makes us into blamers. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. In fact well give no thought on what tomorrow may bring, but instead well seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness knowing that He will supply all our needs, Matthew 6:25-33. 2023 Insight for Living Ministries. I think well be amazed at the heart of those God saw fit to bless. "Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." And so regardless of the consequences they left their flocks and went searching for the Messiah, whom they found just as the angel declared. He does not holler from a distance and command his son to come into the house. Chuck is the chairman of the board at Insight for Living and the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus is entreating the Pharisees. "Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. I wonder if Mary put God on hold to weigh her options? For so many years I have been serving you." The elder brother represents the Pharisees and scribes who are standing by suspiciously and condemningly, while Jesus is eating with tax-gatherers and sinners. She served God by bearing His Son despite the consequences, and despite the adversity that was sure to come. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. Yes Lord Ill follow, but do I have to tithe? be merry with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has He came to him and said to him, There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. He came and hung out a help-available sign. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. The Consequences of Following False gods Oct 31, 2022 2 min read "You must not make for yourselves an idol that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land. But inside is the banquet of grace, and forgiveness, and fellowship with an all-satisfying Father, and an inheritance unfading, undefiled, incorruptible, kept in heaven for all who live by faith in grace and not by earning merit. After the son's bitter complaint, the father responds in verse 31, and his first words are all-important: "And he said to him, 'My child.'". Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord. And again, she bore his brother Abel. 'Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey--I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. Now at verse 25 the parable of the prodigal son takes a turn. Then Jesus told them this story: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep but loses one of them. Manifest Destiny (article) | Khan Academy Elijah had so many miraculous experiences, you'd think that he'd have unshakable faith. For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 'But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. 'Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.' 'Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.' But it shall come about, if you do not obey the, The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, , So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way. Try, What Small Groups Do Bestand What They Don't, The Power Of Choosing To Be A Touchable Leader. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. He lived in the house of the father and found no satisfaction from being with the father. Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. He goes himself. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.'" So let's see what Jesus shows us about these people and what he shows us about God's love for them. And it seems that the elder brother got it wrong. Paul not only told us what a servant could expect, he verified it with his own experience. "I have been serving you and I never passed over one commandment . "For so many years I have been serving you. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. And hopefully well come away with our minds made up to serve God in the same way. These were gifts only royalty could afford. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.'" But when you are tempted, He will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it.. Gods first commandment is You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3). When we follow false gods, it makes God angry. Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, What will you give me if I deliver him over to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. We do not want to suffer the same fate. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. But its what Jesus said, as He washed the feet of the disciples, that has tremendous significance as we look at the Christmas season and what lies beyond. So Joseph had no regard and took no thought to the possible consequences, but did what God commanded. And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. but: "This son of yours . Serving God Regardless of the Consequences. The Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. He does not send a servant to get him. And hopefully well come away with our minds made up to serve God in the same way. "Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. . Ask Him to give you more of a desire for Him. The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. Cant I do it my own way? For so devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for . The comparison looks like this: You see? Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 2:16 ), but this does not mean he . God is bigger than our sinful desires. They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be. If you get serious about being shaped into Christ's image, you'll have to learn to cope with the consequences of being a servant of God. He is entreating; exhorting; appealing to the son's heart. OpenBible.info being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. This was the accusation of the "Pharisees and scribes" in verse 2. Fear that our carefully laid out plans might get messed up. For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again. Curses upon food: "Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed" ( Deuteronomy 28:17 ). Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. To start saving items to a SermonFolder, please create an account. The soul who sins shall die. And so they knew when the command was giving to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and they knew the time was close at hand, so they searched the heavens waiting for a sign. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. 100 Bible Verses about Consequences Galatians 6:7ESV / 176 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the Because you have rejected the word of the, He has also rejected you from being king., But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the, As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the. Do I have to go over to their house? Serving God is not something that we should do out of obligation. For the Christian, complaining is . A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. 1.) Here are seven consequences of living a hurried life. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. You are very powerful and worthy to be praised and You created us to follow You and only You. . " By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return., To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. The words just jump up and minister to heart and soul. Does anyone see a trend here? We can serve God by: The consequences of not serving Him include: Dissatisfaction and Restlessness Lack of Joy Lack of Progress Poverty and Struggle Eternal Separation from God In what ways can we be of service to God? The Body of Christ: The Inconvenience of Serving God The Blinding Effects of Serving God 00:00 Download September 3, 1995 The Blinding Effects of Serving God Resource by John Piper Scripture: Luke 15:25-31 Topic: Christian Hedonism Subscribe Apple Spotify Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. Scriptures: Kyiv has made "steady gains" around the Russian-held city of Bakhmut as Moscow's soldiers struggle with "poor morale . What does the Bible teach about caring for older parents? E 'Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey--I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. And if they could have their party with their friends, they would take their goat and go. And what is the essence of that relationship? Thinking wrongly about our relation to God like this alienates us from the weak and sinners. God has equipped His children with everything they need to live victoriously, but many Christians miss out by falling into habits that disconnect them from God's power, perspective, and presence. The key words to show this are the words of the elder brother in verse 29: Look! And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If you say that, you're not getting it. Back to the shepherds! Then there were the shepherds who disregarded the consequences so they could see Jesus. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence;It takes away the life of its possessors. 4. Israel's Downfall (Joshua 23 - Judges 3) | Bible.org In another translation, it says that He will shower His favor upon your life. We need to let this Christmas be the turning point where we decide not only to follow Jesus, but also to serve God no matter what the cost may be. "All that is mine is yours"IF you will come in with the sinners. And God blessed them. I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. What Does the Bible Say About Consequences? - OpenBible.info "Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. Those who serve will suffer. The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? A Maskil of David. If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. That's what it means when he receives sinners and eats with them. Those who serve will suffer. When Leaders Fall, All Are Punished | Desiring God I As we prepare for Christmas I thought Id start up with where we left off during the Thanksgiving holidays when we looked at being grateful during the inevitabilities of life, and how to maintain the ministries graciously given by God. He promises to help us through theses temptations. So lets stop applying the brakes through a lack of trust, and move forward in the will and way of God. Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061. A Psalm of David. Wednesday Evening Bible Study Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. The Bible shows us what will happen to us if we turn to other gods. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Mary didnt sit down and reason it out, or weigh the good to the bad. Instead she gave herself to public shame so she could fulfill Gods calling on her life. As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Deuteronomy 10:12 says, 'Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.'. Not: "My servant." As an inheritance for a son, not a wage for a slave. The question is not whether the son really has kept all the commandments; the question is whether the father wants to be related to as commander to slave. The trip was very hazardous and would have taken quite a bit of time. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. If The Consequences of Following False gods blessed you, please consider supporting the ministry of True Christiam Magazine. . The one who commits adultery with a woman is, Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with, New Testament Claiming Old Testament Is Inspired, Israel Judgment of God Unbelief Complaints Consequences. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land. If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.. . Not: "When my lost brother came home . That means that if you're aware you should be spending more time with Him, He's . If you seek Him, He . I fear that at this point many might say, "It seems to me that the elder brother really has a legitimate complaint." 12 Bible verses about Not Serving God - Online Bible For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Joshua says, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord' ( Joshua 24:15 ). So many are so timely for me personally. We often and easily forget that God does not work by our schedule. "If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, and if it is. Therefore, with Christmas and New Years are right around the corner Id thought it appropriate to look at those within the Christmas story and how they, despite the consequences, served God.