December 10, 2023 - Radical Kindness
Notes
Transcript
“God is Good....”
“All the time.....”
We know this....we’ve heard this....
It’s TRUE - yet it’s Christian cliche...
We as Christians SPEAK these words, yet STILL....at times we struggle with fully embracing their truth...
And if WE AS CHRISTIANS can struggle with these words, clearly an unbelieving world will struggle as well...
Today - we’ll continue making our way through this book of 1 Kings...
And if you recall - last week - we saw Elijah - in NEED restoration!
He had let - FEAR - control him.
Fear of the world!
Fear of death!
If you remember - Elijah had just come off a GREAT VICTORY!!
He had EXPERIENCED the defeat of the 450 Prophets of Baal...
The SHOWDOWN between - the God of Israel - and Baal.
Well - Elijah was so CONFIDENT - that he actually MOCKED the prophets of Baal...
...As they called for Baal to come down and reign fire on the altar...
BUT NOTHING HAPPENED!
God then answered Elijah - God’s FIRE came down - and the people proclaimed - The Lord is God! The Lord is God!!
VICTORY!!
But then...
Jezebel - Ahab’s wife - threatened to KILL Elijah - and so FEAR overcame him.
He RUNS for his life...
And ends up making his way to Mount Horeb (Sinai) - where he is RESTORED by God.
When we look at the Kindness & Goodness of God - in relation to this...
We understand that God HELPS those who LOVE HIM...
BUT - that’s not the whole story!
Let’s go to our text today - to see a MUCH more - CRAZY kind of Love.
And I think we’ll see - -
How GOD USES Kindness and Goodness for His purposes...
so that we might also use this fruit of the Spirit the same way...
We’ll go ahead and pull out enough of Chapter 20 to give us the storyline…and then we’ll go from there.
1 Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it.
2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:
3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’ ”
4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”
5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.”
6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’ ”
So Ben-Hadad (King of Syria) sends word to King Ahab - to GIVE HIM all that he wished to have - gold, silver, wives, and children.
And at FIRST - Ahab complies - saying he would do that.
But then he calls for the elders...
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”
8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”
So Ahab ends up telling Ben-Hadad - basically - to go Kick-Rocks!
And so Ben-Hadad - tells his men - to get READY for Battle!
13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the Lord, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
19 So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them.
20 And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.
21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
Alright - What do we see here?
We see - God - being MERCIFUL…being KIND!
NOW - to WHO?
To AHAB!
You guys remember what we learned about King Ahab - early on?
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
WOW - Ok, so Ahab - was - the Worst of the worst!!
AND YET - God’s kindness - comes his way!
In THIS particular case - God’s kindness comes by way - of - VICTORY!
God allows Ahab to be VICTORIOUS!
God had DEFEATED the prophets of Baal…and the SIDE of Ahab -
YET - HERE - God allows Ahab to - WIN
WOW - God allows the WORST of the WORST - to win.
This is a - CRAZY LOVE...
SO FROM Here now - let’s dive into this CRAZY LOVE - this CRAZY KINDNESS!
So QUESTION - How does God DISPLAY His kindness/goodness?
SLIDE: The Radical Kindness of God - Displayed for All to See
The Radical Kindness of God
The Radical Kindness of God
In the very beginning, we read this:
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
And God said:
let there be light
And God said:
let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters
And God said:
let there the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place and let the dry land appear…Earth and Seas
let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed
And God said:
let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. The Sun and the moon
And God said:
let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth
And God said:
let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds - livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth
let Us make man in our image, after our likeness.
“And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good!”
Creation displays GOD…Creation displays His KINDNESS…GOODNESS - this CRAZY LOVE
7 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8 or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
LOOK around this says - Let Creation TEACH you about God - the creator of ALL!
Creation displays God’s power and divine nature
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Creation ALSO - displays God’s authority
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Creation ALSO - displays God’s faithfulness!
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Creation ALSO - displays God’s power
25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.
Creation ALSO - displays God’s wisdom!
27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
And so in the beginning, God created...and creation points to all that God is.
God has written "God" across the universe, that it might speak of Him.
SLIDE: Creation is a mirror, placed to reflect our thoughts and our worship back to the Person whose image Creation enables us to see.
Creation is a mirror, meant to reflect our thoughts and our worship back to the One creation enables us to see.
But Why?
Is it a GOOD thing that God created the Universe to POINT to HIMSELF?
Is it a GOOD thing when God displays His KINDNESS toward us?
We might say - YES of course....but why?
WHY is it a GOOD thing?
There’s a PURPOSE that His kindness POINTS to....
And we’re HEADING THERE today - in this sermon!
It’s the SAME purpose that God’s kindness toward King Ahab - had in our text today...
And so - God’s KINDNESS - has a purpose - and THAT PURPOSE - BEGINS with God DISPLAYING His kindness to us!
AND NOW - the next step...
SLIDE: The Radical Kindness of God: Drawing Mankind Through Common Grace
The Radical Kindness of God
The Radical Kindness of God
God DISPLAYS Himself in creation…
WHY?
...that He might - DRAW men to Himself....
So yes - The fingerprints of God are ALL around us - God’s kindness and Goodness are ALL around us...
God displays HIMSELF - that He might draw men to Himself...
WHICH MEANS - We display the KINDNESS and Goodness of God to those around US...
SO that THEY might be DRAWN to God!
So - the purpose of our Kindness and Goodness DISPLAYED to the world is NO DIFFERENT than the purpose of God’s Kindness and Goodness DISPLAYED to the world!
sacrificial kindness of Christ - sacrificial goodness of Christ...
BUT GOD doesn’t just display His kindness and Goodness....He let’s the world EXPERIENCE His kindness and goodness!
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
We see here that God’s Kindness and Goodness fall on both BELIEVERS and UNBELIEVERS...
Who in here today…is alive?
Well - how many unbelievers are out there right now....ALIVE?
LOTS! - why?
Because God gave them air to breathe today...
Because he allowed them to wake up this morning...
He allowed them to see the Sun today
Another chance at LIFE today...
Another chance to SEE Him in creation today....for what reason?
that they might SEE God in it - and worship Him FOR IT!
NOW - there are actually a MILLION different ways that God DISPLAYS His kindness!
A new job
A desired profession
An answered prayer
Healing
Dinner
And SOMETIMES - it’s a tragedy - that we end up realizing as God’s KINDNESS toward us!
So God can display - and does - display His kindness in Millions of ways…YET - IT’S GOOD!!
His Kindness and Goodness all around us - we’re BREATHING it in right now...
All of it meant to - DRAW us to God Himself...
4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
God’s KINDNESS is poured out on the UNJUST everyday, giving them ANOTHER chance ...
to see themselves for who they really are before God…NEEDING a Savior...
God desires that His kindness would confront the wickedness of man, and cause man to TURN to HIM...
Did you know that the ONLY way to come to GOD…is thru REPENTANCE…!
How is that?
Jesus says - I am the way, the truth, and the life…NO ONE comes to the Father but by Me.
Well what does it mean to come BY JESUS...
*the cross (have to acknowledge that OUR sin put Christ on the cross)
And so the only way to come to God is through REPENTANCE...
If there is no CONFESSION of sins, if there is no repentance, then there is NO coming to God...
And LISTEN - God’s KINDNESS and GOODNESS are meant to BRING US TO REPENTANCE!
Do you know anyone who owes their Salvation to YOUR kindness?
Is anyone in here’s salvation due, IN PART, to another person’s kindness?
If your salvation, is due, in part, to another person’s kindness toward you....please stand!
I’m standing here - let me tell you about it.
We used to have church at the YWCA in Southland...
I remember sitting in Children’s church one day - and I remember receiving Christ...
trusting in Him as my Lord and Savior!
The teacher in that class was Ron Wenzel...
He chose to get in the teaching rotation for children’s church...
…and he was teaching that day...
His kindness (Christ’s kindness in him) won me to the gospel that day...
And so - Is it important that you ENGAGE our classrooms?
YES - if you’re interested in Miracles!
Every NANOSECOND that goes by, for a heart that is WITHOUT Christ....is an eternity of UNDESERVED Mercy from God....
1 Nanosecond is to 1 second, as 1 second is to 31 years...
God’s LONGSUFFERING holds off His wrath....
Every day that goes by where the sun rises on the Evil of this world is an immeasurable mercy of God...
His unmatched KINDNESS on display - offering chance after chance…after chance...
....to those who don’t KNOW Him…in order that they might turn TO Him!
AND so that Kindness (His Kindness) displayed in Common Grace extended to all those who are lost...
…is meant to DRAW men to Himself....
…to draw men to REPENTANCE before God.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS....we come to the 3rd PHASE of God’s PURPOSE in His kindness....
God’s Kindness and Goodness, ultimately meant to DELIVER mankind - from what mankind deserves - DEATH...
SLIDE: The Radical Kindness of God: Delivering From Death to Life
The Radical Kindness of God
The Radical Kindness of God
We seen:
The Kindness & Goodness of God: Displayed through Creation
The Kindness & Goodness of God: Drawing through Common Grace
And now...
The Kindness & Goodness of God: Delivering From Death to Life
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Jesus Christ is the manifestation of the Kindness and Goodness of God...
v4
But when the kindness and goodness of God our Savior appeared, HE saved us...
The Kindness and Goodness of God referenced here as a “HE”...
HE delivered us...
HE saved us!
KINDNESS & GOODNESS - in the form of Jesus Christ - delivered us from the wrath of God...
But let’s think through this - and see how POWERFUL this kindness and this goodness really are...
27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.
28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Joseph here is sold into slavery…by his brothers.
BUT AS WE KNOW - that’s not the whole story!
Joseph ends up waiting 13 years, before he is delivered from prison in Egypt, and made 2nd in command...
But he later describes this situation this way:
18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph’s brothers wanted to commit EVIL against him…so they SOLD him into slavery...
But God wanted to commit GOOD to Joseph....so God had him sold into slavery....
SO THAT 13 years later, many people would be KEPT alive by Joseph...
Do you see how the KINDNESS and GOODNESS of God changes our perspective on life…with all it’s suffering and trials!???
It was for HIS GOOD that he was sold into slavery...
and waited for 13 years...
And so as we make our way through life - we MUST know...
It’s FOR MY GOOD that this is happening to me...
It’s for my good that this disease has come upon me...
It’s for my good that my car just broke down and i had to pay $600 to get it fixed...
It’s for my good that she broke up with me...
That I DIDN’T get the job...
that I DIDN’T win the superbowl...
that I’m going through this trial...
It is God’s KINDNESS and GOODNESS toward me that this suffering is taking place! - YES - EVEN suffering of our own...
BUT what about the tragedies we see in this world?
earthquakes
tsunamis
tornadoes
school shootings
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Most times we see tragedies like this and we say - How dare God do such a thing…!?
when instead we should be asking - why didn’t that building FALL ON ME?
Even the tragedies around us - the 9/11s of this world…are meant to turn us to - REPENTANCE!
GOD - in His mercy, REMINDS us that reality is coming for us...
And when we get to a point where we NOT ONLY say this .... but BELIEVE it and EMBRACE it...
we’ve been DELIVERED....
Delivered from our BONDAGE to this world…in HOPE of the next!
God CAME to AHAB today - and SHOWED Kindness to him..
God allowed His OWN love - to cover a multitude of SINS in Ahab’s life…up to that point!
And God’s PURPOSE - was so that Ahab would TURN to God - in REPENTANCE...
As DAVID had done…!
God wanted Ahab’s HEART…!
AND - this incident here where God allowed Ahab to win - wasn’t the only actof Kindness of God toward Ahab.
God helps him win the next battle against Ben-Hadad - that next Spring.
Did it help?
Did Ahab end up TURNING to God in repentance?
We’ll see....
What have we seen today?
We’ve seen:
The Radical Kindness of God:
Displayed for All to See
Drawing Mankind Through Common Grace
Delivering From Death to Life
And so this all now points to us:
Do i display the kindness and goodness of God?
sacrificial kindness: always considering others as more important
If so, is your kindness and goodness drawing people to see God?
does your kindness initiate conversations about God, with people who do not know Him?
If so, is your kindness and goodness delivering people from ultimate suffering / eternal suffering?
has your kindness DELIVERED someone from the clutches of hell?
has your kindness brought someone out of the grave and into the light of Christ?
it takes intentionality: to speak about Christ
Let’s pray