CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN

^{[All quotes are from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted.]}

^{I Kings 11:1-5} King Solomon was obsessed with women. Pharaoh’s daughter was only the first of the many foreign women he loved—Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite. He took them from the surrounding pagan nations of which God had clearly warned Israel, “You must not marry them; they’ll seduce you into infatuations with their gods.” Solomon fell in love with them anyway, refusing to give them up. He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines—a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God. As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn’t stay true to his God as his father David had done. Solomon took up with Ashtoreth, the whore goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites.

 

^6-8 Solomon openly defied God; he did not follow in his father David’s footsteps. He went on to build a sacred shrine to Chemosh, the horrible god of Moab, and to Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites, on a hill just east of Jerusalem. He built similar shrines for all his foreign wives, who then polluted the countryside with the smoke and stench of their sacrifices.

 

^9-10 God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God’s orders.

 

^11-13 God said to Solomon, “Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I’m going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else. But out of respect for your father David I won’t do it in your lifetime. It’s your son who will pay—I’ll rip it right out of his grasp. Even then I won’t take it all; I’ll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem.”

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Clearly, Solomon disregarded God and chose the pleasures of sinful behavior instead. He put his love for women above his love for God! He willfully disobeyed and disregarded the God of his father, David!

AND THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES!  The nation of Israel would be divided as a direct result of Solomon’s sinful behavior! Yet, out of respect for David, God promised that Solomon’s heir would retain control over one of the twelve tribes. 

This was God’s declaration, and the following chapters give the details of these promised results. 

Let’s be clear: God is willing to forgive sin! He is not willing that any should perish! [II Peter 3:9]

However, we must often deal with the consequences of our sin!

This fact has been evident from the very beginning!

When Eve and Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God cast them out of the Garden – never to be allowed to return!

Now we can assume that forgiveness was an option, although we have no record of them ever pursuing it. But it is clear that the consequences of their sin were real and had a dynamic impact on the rest of their lives!

^{Genesis 3:22} …God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they’d been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of-Life.

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There are plenty of other examples of Biblical characters who had to suffer the consequences of their sin.

§  Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of his anger with the Israelites.

§  Samson’s remarkable, God-enabled strength allowed him to do incredible things, but his love for foreign women was his downfall and eventually brought about his premature death.

§  The children of Israel were chronic rebels and God eventually allowed them to be captured and carried away by the Assyrians and the Babylonians.

§  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in a short period of time on the night of Jesus’ trial. Although forgiven, imagine the reaction Peter had for the rest of his life when he heard a rooster crow!

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However, even though we may frequently suffer the consequences of our sin, God has promised us resources to assist us with the friction that these consequences create.

Consider Hebrews 4:14-16 [NASB]

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Never underestimate the power of God’s mercy and grace!

Jesus was tempted just as we are! He understands the power of our opposition! And He does not leave us without resources!

RECEIVING MERCY

The Hebrew word for mercy, chesed, signifies lovingkindness and covenant loyalty. God’s mercy is not earned; it is freely given out of His lovingkindness, even when people are unworthy or faithless.

RECEIVING GRACE

God’s grace is fundamentally His benevolence, love, and mercy extended to people who do not deserve it [that's us!]. It is not earned by human effort or good works but is a free gift from God, reflecting His loving character and generosity (Ephesians 2:8-9).

NOW – the above verse from Hebrews tells us that “…we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

As a result of this,…let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

SUMMARY

Even when we have sinned and are dealing with the consequences of our sin, we can still have hope because of the immeasurable goodness of a God who sympathizes with our weakness and – in spite of our sinful thoughts, words, actions – stands ready to offer us His lovingkindness [mercy] and patience [grace] to enable us to recover and restore His kingship in our lives! 

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Thanks be to God for His lovingkindness and faithfulness in rescuing us from the powerful influence of sin in our lives!

 

God sees us!

God understands our weakness!

God forgives us!

God restores us!

 

AND,

God offers us mercy and grace as we deal with the consequences of the dreadful impact of our sinfulness!

 

MAY GOD’S NAME BE FOREVER PRAISED!

AMEN!

ZACHARIAH AND ELIZABETH

An elderly woman - with a loving husband [he happens to be a priest] - who has never been able to become pregnant, suddenly, at an advanced age becomes pregnant and delivers a son!  Try to imagine the joy that Zachariah and Elizabeth experienced.  After all these years of being ‘the barren one’, she births a son in her old age! 

How many times did they cradle him between them in their bed and just marvel at his perfection?  Surely they must have giggled themselves to sleep on more than one occasion. 

Zachariah had prayed and prayed that this would happen.  Remarkably, he continued to pray about it even when Elizabeth was well past the years of bearing a child.  How’s that for faith? 

Then, one day when he was fulfilling his priestly responsibilities, an angel appeared to him in the sanctuary with a message:  “Don’t fear, Zachariah.  Your prayer has been heard.  Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you.  You are to name him John.  You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you – many will delight in his birth.  He’ll achieve great stature with God.”   [Luke 1:13-15a TM]

The angel continued:  “He’ll drink neither wine nor beer.  He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb.  He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.  He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics – he’ll get the people ready for God.”   [Luke 1:15-17 TM]

If you read this whole story, you’ll find that Zachariah – this priest, this man of prayer – doubted the report of the angel! 

Why pray if we don’t BELIEVE God can answer our prayer?  There are consequences that come as a result of doubting God!

Zachariah was unable to speak from that moment until after the baby was born and he – by writing – confirmed that the baby should be named ‘John’. 

In that moment, the Holy Spirit entered Zachariah and he prophesied and gave glory to God. 

“A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else.  Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, ‘What will become of this child?  Clearly, God has his hand in this.’”  [Luke 1:65-66  TM]

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Wouldn’t you love to live your life in such a way that your faith-filled actions stirred the whole community?  Imagine everyone in your community talking about you and your family and your faith-stand before the Lord!  Everyone around you marveling at the goodness of God in your life! 

Oh, c’mon, Hal, how is that going to happen?

“O ye of little faith.”  [Luke 12:28]

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS:

·         Cancer visits your home, but you persevere and continue to give glory to God instead of blaming Him!

·         You’re unable to get pregnant.  After tests and other attempts, you adopt children and raise a family to God’s glory!

·         You lose your spouse too early in life, but determine to go forward with joy rather than live in grief!

·         Your child wanders off the path and into a lifestyle that causes you pain.  But you persevere in prayer and keep loving that child! 

·         Downsizing causes you to lose your job!  You struggle, but call on God’s people to pray and you hold on with determination to see how God is going to resolve this crisis. 

·         Poor financial management finally becomes a crisis.  You call out to God, learn biblical principles and begin to practice generosity and discipline.

·         Depression keeps knocking at your door, but you develop a network of friends to pray for and with you as you place your trust in God! 

·         Loneliness nearly overwhelms you!  You begin to volunteer at the church and the local rescue mission and discover that there are people who are far lonelier than you!

You can write your own scenario!  It’s not the depth of the crisis you face, but the way you face the crisis that matters!   Zachariah screwed up at first, but then got back on track.  You can too!  Put your trust in God!  Look around!  Listen carefully!  Pray and then act!  God has a way for you.  AND PEOPLE WILL MARVEL WHEN THEY SEE HOW HE WORKS IN YOUR LIFE!

PERSECTUION UNDER NERO AND NOW

 [Adapted from William J. Bennett’s TRIED BY FIRE:  The Story of Christianity’s First Thousand Years]

In the middle of the first century, the apostle Peter wrote to a church suffering persecution.  He wanted them to understand that it was not for nothing.  He urged that “the trial of your faith (much more precious than gold which is tried by the fire) may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the appearing of Jesus Christ”  [I Peter 1:7 DRB].

The emperor at the time was a twenty-seven-year-old named Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.  According to the Roman historian Suetonius, Nero was known for his insatiable lust, avarice, and brutality.  For fun he would have innocent men and women bound to a stake.  Nero himself, clad in the skin of some wild animal, then would spring forth from a cage and attack them.

On the night of July 18, AD 64, a great fire erupted in the south-eastern end of the Circus Maximus, a popular area in the city for commerce and entertainment.  It quickly swept through the city, incinerating three districts and severely damaging seven others.  The fire raged for six days!  The Roman historian Tacitus vividly described the damage the fire inflicted on the city and the panic experienced by its inhabitants.  He uses terms such as: 

o   Terror-stricken women

o   Those feeble in age

o   Helpless children

o   Dragging out the infirm

o   Aggravating confusion

On this night, claimed Suetonius, Nero dressed in stage costume and sang a popular song about the burning of the mythical city of Troy.  He later built a palace on the site where the fire began.  Rumors spread that he had engineered the setting of the fire.  He looked for a scapegoat and found it in a group that had nothing to do with it – “a class of men given to anew and mischievous superstition.” 

Nero targeted the fledgling Christian community in Rome.  His vindictive purge was the first state-sponsored persecution of Christians in history.  Tacitus paints a sickening portrait of Nero’s persecutions.  Christians were arrested and forced – under threat of death – to confess to starting the fire.  Many were sentenced to death.  In the words of Tertullian:

Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths.  Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.  Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer.

Few Roman citizens loudly objected to the persecutions.  But eventually Nero’s outrageous and unjust administration eventually incited a rebellion and earned him the title of public enemy.  As his enemies closed in on his hideout in 68, he ordered one of his attendants to stab him to death.

But even such violence against Christianity did not – could not – stamp out the Christians.  Tertullian, writing in the third century, praised the Neronian persecution for causing the significant growth of the Christian movement! 

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Lord of the Church,

Strengthen Your people in the present persecution and in the greater persecution on the horizon!

Grant us the courage and faith to stand strong in the face of opposition!

                               Give us the determination to hold fast the confession of our faith –                                         EVEN IF IT COSTS US OUR VERY LIVES!

Renew our hope of Heaven and our persistence in the knowledge that it is real and will be our eternal home – if we stand strong in You!

And may the sacrifices made fuel a great revival of faith and consecration to the things of God!

For the Kingdom’s sake.  Amen!