Rejecting God's Word Has Severe Consequences

1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Darkness is pervasive to the unregenerte mind. Darkness influences unbeliever's every decision and keeps them from seeing the real solution, which is Jesus Christ.

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Transcript

Announcements

AWANA Presentation that we had planned for today after service is postponed. We are planning on having it on Sunday, July 12.

Opening Prayer

The Plight of those who disobey God’s Word v.7b-8

1 Peter 2:7-8 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

If you reject Jesus Christ you have rejected your only hope of righteousness.

You have rejected the very gracious, merciful opportunity that God has given you to be made right with Him.

Now, what does Peter mean in the second half of v.8

First, we must note that in this verse the word destined is connected to stumble, not disobey.

They were not destined to disobey, they disobeyed so they stumbled.

And, this matches the testimony of Scripture...

Hebrews 3:16-19 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Disobedience to God’s Word leads to stumbling...

Disobedience to God leads to not inheriting the promises of God...

Which is what God has warned from the very beginning.

Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

So, if you do not heed God’s word you will stumble…every time.

Not heeding God’s word…Not heeding God’s word as relevant, wise, and the only way...

Not obeying God brings eternal death.

Now, I want to address something that the next point lays on us that implies a further description of unbelievers...

1 Peter 2:9b-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

So, what Peter is saying, along with droves of Scripture, is that before we were born again...

We were living in darkness.

So, all those who fall into the category of unbelief are in darkness.

Darkness is a biblical metaphor that describes false ideologies, false sense of security, false sense of unity, false sense of value or (self-righteousness).

If you are lost, you are believing the wrong things, and you are using ideologies and people as instruments to get what you want.

Your greatest interest is self...

And, without the new birth, belief in God’s revelation, and the guiding of the HS...

You cannot get it right.

You may stumble upon a truth, but you will eventually distort it for personal gain.

You may have truths peppered in your ideology, but they will be twisted and used for sinful purposes.

Satan did the same in the Garden of Eden when he tempted Adam & Eve with an anti-God ideology...

He had truths & half-truths with twisted purposes and sinful motives.

He did the same when tempting Jesus...

He used truths, but took them out of a righteous context and distorted them for sinful gain.

So, without the new birth, belief in God’s revelation, and the guiding of the HS...

You cannot get it right.

There have been so many attempts to fix the world with ideologies that are broken in and of themselves.

Just in American History there have been so many flawed ideologies that lead to attempted movements to fix humanity.

False Ideologies (Announce Q&A’s that will be ongoing)

In the climate of our culture today, I feel compelled to deal with some of the most upfront ideologies.

I have been praying that God would use me to be balanced and biblical.

So, I want to deal with some of the most prominent ideologies of our country...

And, ones that have had, presently have or are gaining a large following...

And have or are causing a great divide in our country while promising true solutions.

First, the KKK, or Klu Klux Klan

Some may say, “Why bring them up? Aren’t they pretty irrelevant?”

That’s the very point I want to make.

They used to be millions in number.

And, how many died under the false ideology they promoted.

How many did they kill? How many followers died hoping in the KKK?

And, not only did their ideology fail, but it never gave them what they need.

The KKK, held up the Bible to defend their actions...

It is/was anti-God and anti-Scripture...

They formed in the 1860’s

They called for the "purification" of American society.

Purification of what? Purification from ideas they disagreed with.

They were/are under the delusion that white people are supreme to all other people...

And that white people should rule over all other colors of skin...

Because, in their anti-Christian beliefs, white people are superior.

They have been against the abolishment of slavery, desegregation, and immigration of any kind.

They have used the guise of morality to push their immoral agenda.

Interestingly enough, the KKK was used by differing groups to achieve their own goals...

Even though, there may not have been complete agreement with each other’s individual group’s beliefs...

They used the power of the platform to achieve their goals.

Ironically, they only believe that white people are better if those white people believe the same as the KKK...

If you don’t they’ll kill you, too.

The KKK is reportedly only about 3,000 total members in the US.

Why would that be? Because it is an ideology that is immoral and against God’s prescription for His creation...

It is not a solution that will work. It does not have the power to bring in a Utopian Society.

Why did the KKK not work?

Because there is a vestige of the image of God remaining in all people...

And, eventually it becomes self-evident that it is not a proper solution to the world’s problem.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, but just as against Scripture is...

Black Lives Matter (the organization)(website regarding their beliefs & stance)

We are guided by the fact that all Black lives matter, regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status, or location.

We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.

We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.

We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).

We embody and practice justice, liberation, and peace in our engagements with one another.

Now, as Christians we cannot support an organization that promotes sinful living as positive and good for those who live such lives...

We cannot support an organization that promotes the abolishment of the family as God defines the family.

Any ideology that stands against God’s will for people should not be supported by Christians.

Furthermore, the thinking and ideology behind the statement goes further...

The co-founder, Patrise Cullors, said, recently, on video that the ideology behind BLM is Marxist...

She admits that the leaders, herself included, are trained Marxist...

So, the ideological foundation of BLM is Marxist...

This is an ideology that when fleshed out has killed millions and millions of people.

Stalin, Mao…many Marxist/Fascist leaders killed millions of people.

Marxism is:

Anti- property ownership

Anti-inherited wealth

Redistribution of wealth

Centralized control of banking, communication, and transport industries.

The State should own and control everything.

Now, who gets to make the decision of who gets what?

What is too much? What is not enough? What do you get to do for a living?

How can you support society? How much do you need to survive? Do you need to survive?

Are you a threat to society? Are you a critic of the culture? Are your beliefs dangerous?

Who gets to make those decisions on behalf of every one?

The State.

Who are the State?

Those in power with the military protecting their every decision.

Everyone who has tried Marxism, has failed miserably, without exception...

Soviet Union, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuala, Bolivia, Zimbabwe...

Every single one had economic collapse, terror, and famine.

Because the State is always the ones that wield the biggest stick.

Marx stated that the only way to bring Socialism in to power is to overthrow every existing social condition...

Overpower and overthrow all existing social conditions…?

Religion, Family, Personal Possessions, Freedom, Democracy

How? Force.

BLM, the organization, is for the forceful takeover of American Society to force their Marxist beliefs on society as a whole...

It’s intended to represent groups that really don’t agree with each groups individual ideology...

But, all groups seem to be using the larger platform to attain their individual group’s goals.

And, if you’re in one of the groups that they claim to represent...

But, disagree with them they will dismiss you in whatever way is necessary.

This is a huge ideology that is in the face of our culture...

And, being used to persuade our children that they can bring in a Utopian Society.

It will fail because it cannot deliver a solution to mankind’s ultimate plight.

What about Defund the Police vs. Back the Blue

Right now, this is raging in the headlines and the hearts of Americans is...

As Christians, we need to recognize that prejudice and partiality exists in the heart of all people...

And, we need to listen, and have conversations about the problems that exist...

Just because they don’t happen to me doesn’t mean they don’t happen.

And, we need to ask the question...

How we can help others to make sure true justice (not social justice) is appropriated to all people?

We cannot jump on the side saying abolish the police as if all police are bad...

And, we cannot jump on the side that says we support the police without any reform...

Even good cops admit that there are bad cops.

And, we should want accountability within the Police Force...

To ensure that bad cops are removed from their position...

And, hopefully, before they take someone’s life unjustly.

Derek Chauvin, the cop that killed George Floyd, had 17 Internal Affairs investigations on him as a police officer.

Recently, two cops fired in the Carolinas were recorded on duty as stating to each other that they couldn’t wait to start killing blacks.

So, do we need Police reform? Yes.

But, we also need police.

Without them, its just anarchy and the biggest group with the biggest sticks rule...

And, we actually leave multitudes of weak & vulnerable people at the hands of merciless bullies.

And for every bad cop there are thousands of good ones that want to serve & protect the people in an honorable way.

So, as Christians, we need to recognize the depravity of the heart in every situation.

We need to hear and listen.

We need to be extremely careful when choosing sides...

And, make sure that the side we land on is the biblically defended side.

But, we also need to know that Police reform is still not the answer to our ultimate need.

The most phenomenal Police Force on the planet will not usher in a Utopian society.

It will not remove our ultimate problem.

The bottom line is that there is no secular ideology that can fix the problem...

There is no secular ideology that can usher in a Utopian society.

The Republican Party, the Democratic party, the Libertarian party...

They all have problems and failures.

Now, as a Christian and a Pastor, its one thing for the unbelieving world to fall for these anti-bible ideologies...

But, why are so many churches promoting these ideologies?

I think many want to do right, but haven’t investigated and are responding with emotions rather than biblical principles.

I think some are trying to use it as a Church Growth program, by saying what is popular in the now to seem HIP.

I think some have abandoned the Bible and no longer regard the Bible and biblical principles as binding.

I think the idol of comfort rules our day and it is a lot easier to dispense worldly compassion than to hold people to a biblical standard.

The bottom line is this...

There’s Only One True Solution to Fix Humanity

Peter says something quite provocative, true...

He says, 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Allow me to acknowledge something as we make the biblical point here...

“Do Black Lives Matter?”

The answer is, of course the life of a black person matters.

It matters just as much as the life of a white person.

Christ died for all skin colors.

It grieved me when I saw the video of George Floyd being suffocated, begging for relief, and getting none...

All while handcuffed, hands behind his back, cops knees on his back and neck.

He died at the merciless hands of that particular police officer.

Does racism exist?

Let me say this first, I want to say this, just to be clear, biblically, we are all from Adam & Eve...

So, really there is only one race.

So, really, the more proper biblical term is “Prejudice” or “Partiality”.

Is there prejudice that exists in the heart of every person?

Always has, since the Fall, and always will in this life because of sin.

Partiality and prejudice exists in the heart of every person that has ever drawn breath.

As Christians, we are against any form of prejudice, especially any that may be alive in our own hearts.

But, as a Christian, I long for the headlines, instead of saying...

“A black man was murdered by a white cop.”

I would rather the headlines say...

“A man was murdered by a bad cop.”

Not because we don’t notice color...

But, because the color that we see should not heighten or lessen the sorrow we feel when someone loses their life.

Now, biblically, we can say with confidence that there are a multitude of ethnicities.

And, this is what is going to put us on the biblical trajectory of the only solution to mankind’s plight.

The Bible tells us this very thing about a multitude of ethnicities...

Revelation 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

So, the Bible recognizes that there are different nationalities, different tribes, people that speak different languages...

And, within that there are cultural things that cause different expressions of living life through culture and tradition.

However, as Christians, there is something different going on...

Colossians 3:9-11 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

As Christians, we may have different ethnic backgrounds...

But, we do not ultimately pledge ourselves to our ethnic background...

Our ultimate adjective to describe our self is not “white” or “brown” or “black” or “red”

Our ultimate, and highest priority adjective is Christian...

It supersedes our ethnic background.

It takes priority over our allegiance to any other adjective that may describe us.

And, no matter what color or ethnic background...

As Christians, we are first and foremost “Christian people”...

And, our allegiance is, first and foremost, to the Lord and His Word...

And His people, EACH OTHER.

I’m not first and foremost affiliated politically and my first allegiance is to my political party.

My first allegiance is to Christ and, therefore, other Christians...

Which is why v.10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; matters so much...

And, why adjectives other than Christian should not define what group we belong to...

Because we are not our own we were bought with a price.

Listen, to what Peter says…speaking of the purpose of our new belonging...

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Our ultimate message is NOT redemption in a political party or redemption by social/economical status.

That is the darkness that we have been delivered from...

We’ve been delivered from the alternative methods of redemption that Satan offers the world.

We’ve been delivered from ethnic prejudice.

And, we have been delivered to a true redemption.

We’ve been delivered by a true redemption.

We’ve been redeemed by a Savior who will institute a Utopian Society.

We have the gospel and the object of the Gospel as our Lord.

And, we have been called to bind ourselves to His message...

And, we are bound to proclaim to the world His excellencies...

And, His excellencies are mankind’s only hope.

As Christians, we are bound by the blood of Christ to maintain that the real solutions are always Scriptural.

We cannot just say Sola Scriptura claiming the sufficiency of Scripture.

We have to be bound to live that truth out.

We must weigh ideas against Scripture and reject ideas that disagree with Scripture.

We have to know and pin our hopes to the truth that...

The only solution is Jesus Christ, His gospel, His person, His work.

And all the ideologies that oppose Christian values are joining hands to bring Christianity down.

We must remember what the Apostle Paul says in...

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Listen, we cannot, should not, and are bound by Scripture to not look to any solutions that do not agree with Scripture.

We must bind ourselves to the sufficiency of Scripture.

We must bind ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what skin color or ethnic background.

We must seek to love our neighbors as ourself.

May God have mercy on us, His Bride.

Let us exude compassion & wisdom.

Let us listen, and be slow to speak.

Let us speak with clarity.

Let our clarity, when we speak be biblically informed.

Let us be humble, understanding our own depravity.

Let us not buy into secular solutions and recognize we already have the right solution...

And, His name is Jesus.

Closing Prayer

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