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Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times – Why We Might Be Weary and What We Can Do About It – Part 2

Christian encouragement from the Bible for difficult times is needed. This is part two of Pastor Scott’s discussion on why we might be weary and what we can do about it. Ecclesiastes 12:12 says, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” The Christian life is one of balance, and the news is one example of needed balance. We should be informed. We should know what’s going on and strive to have accurate information. We should study. But as verse 12 says much study is a weariness of the flesh and makes difficult times even worse. There’s a downside to too much news without the needed Christian encouragement. We need to be careful how much we’re consuming.

Christian encouragement from the Bible for difficult times is needed. This is part two of Pastor Scott’s discussion on why we might be weary.



Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book,  Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.



Table of ContentsSample Lessons for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesFamily Worship Guide for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesSermon Notes for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesLesson 1: God’s Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs.Lesson 1: God’s Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 1) untrustworthy.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 2) overwhelming.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 3) wearying.Lesson 3: we are the falling man.



Sample Lessons for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times

Note: Lesson 1 and Parts I and II of Lesson 2 are from Part I.

Lesson 1: God’s Word is like a:(Part I) Goad that directs (Ecc 12:11a; Psa 23:1, 80:1; John 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4; Matt 12:42).(Part II) Stake that protects (Ecc 12:11b; Psa 119:89; Isa 40:8; 1 Pet 1:24; Matt 24:35). Lesson 2: Man’s words can be:(Part I) Untrustworthy (Ecc 12:12a).(Part II) Overwhelming (Ecc 12:12b).(Part III) _________________ (Lam 2:18, 3:49-50; John 16:33). Lesson 3: We are the ______________ ______ (2 Thes 1:8-9; John 10:28).



Family Worship Guide for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times



Day 1: Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 and discuss: How is God’s Word like an ox goad? How is it like a stake? What verses can you think of that support this? How are man’s words untrustworthy and overwhelming? Where did Solomon say the words of the wise come from? Why is it important to know where wisdom comes from? Day 2: Read Lamentations 2:18, 3:49-50 and John 16:33 and discuss: Why was Jeremiah’s ministry so difficult, i.e. what did he experience and see? How are we affected by pictures, videos, and news? Why does the news follow, “If it bleeds it leads”? How and why is news wearying? What can you do to avoid being wearied by the news? Since Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation,” what does this mean for us regarding the news now and in the future? Day 3: Read 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 and John 10:28 and discuss: How are we like the falling man? How are we not like the falling man, or in other words, how can we avoid the despair he must’ve experienced even though we’re “falling” too? What awaits those who don’t know God? What does Jesus offer and how is it received? How can these truths give us hope despite the despair the world throws at us?



Sermon Notes for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times

A few weeks ago, I preached Part I, planned to preach Part II the following Sunday, but felt obligated to preach the sermons explaining what we were doing as a church.

With those sermons over I can preach Part II.

Since it’s been a few weeks I’d like to briefly review. I left the lessons from Part I in your worship guides.

Look at verse 9…

Ecclesiastes 12:9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

The Preacher is Solomon and we have many of his proverbs in the Book of Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise (referring to Scripture) are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.

Verses 9 and 10 discuss Solomon – the Preacher – who sounds really good:

He’s wise: he taught the people knowledge and created proverbsHe sought to find words of delight and he wrote words of truth.

So you’d expect him to say the words of the wise came from him, but he said they’re given by one Shepherd.

Who’s this Shepherd?

In the OT the shepherd is identified as God: Psa 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd.In the NT the Shepherd comes into focus and we see it’s Jesus: John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The greatest wisdom comes from Jesus, b/c despite how wise Solomon was in Matt 12:42 [Jesus said], “The queen of the South…came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here,” referring to Himself.

If you briefly look back at verse 11 the Shepherd’s wise words – or the Word of God – are fittingly compared w/ two shepherds’ tools: goads and nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to Lesson 1…

Lesson 1: God’s Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs.

Goads were long sticks w/ points on the end:

Shepherds used them to poke animals and move them in the right direction…just like God’s Word pokes us and moves us in the right direction.Goads stung…just like God’s Word can sometimes sting

Second, in verse 11 the wise words are compared w/ nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to the next part of Lesson 1…

Lesson 1: God’s Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects.

The nails firmly fixed are stakes shepherds used to secure animals who might wander off into dangerous territory

You can guess that animals wouldn’t like this, but it protected them…just like we might not like everything God’s Word says, but it protects us from wandering into dangerous territoryThe nails would keep the animals in place – fixed – and that’s what God’s Word does for us…it keeps us fixed.

Notice it says the nails are firmly fixed, which communicates that they’re unmovable, or unchangeable…just like God’s Word.

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, your word is FIRMLY FIXED in the heavens.

But unlike God’s Word, look what Solomon says about man’s words…

Ecclesiastes 12:12a My son, beware of anything beyond these.

When Solomon says these he’s referring to the words of the wise in verse 11 which is God’s Word.

So it’s as though Solomon says beware of anything beyond [God’s Word].

What is beyond [God’s Word]?

Man’s words!

So the question is…

Why would Solomon tell us to beware of anything beyond God’s Word?

Because man’s words can be untrustworthy…and this brings us to Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 1) untrustworthy.

Two of the most important factors for determining the value of information are:

Accuracy: if it’s inaccurate, how valuable is it?Second, if it’s unchanging: if you can’t trust information tomorrow, next week, or next month, how valuable is it?

The reason I mention this is much of the information we receive from man is untrustworthy b/c it’s inaccurate and changing.

The next part of Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 2) overwhelming.

Look at the second half of verse 12…

Ecclesiastes 12:12b Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Solomon’s point is there was a lot of information in his day and it was overwhelming.

If Solomon could say this – when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have – what would he say if he lived in our day?

And the new part for this morning…

Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 3) wearying.

We’re going to be talking specifically about the news and why it can be wearying.

This is the part of the lesson we’ve been building up to, b/c this is what made me want to look at these verses in the first place…the news can be very wearying.

Let me give you an account from Scripture that illustrates what Solomon is saying in Ecclesiastes…

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet b/c he watched Babylonians come and:

Attack JerusalemDestroy the templeDrag the Jews into Babylon

This would’ve been enough to cause anyone to weep.

He wrote about what he saw in the Book of Lamentations…and listen to what he said…

Lamentations 2:18 Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, YOUR EYES NO RESPITE!

He said the people would give themselves no rest b/c of all the horrors they saw.

Listen to these verses…

Lamentations 3:49 “MY EYES WILL FLOW WITHOUT CEASING, WITHOUT RESPITE, 50 until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees; 51 MY EYES CAUSE ME GRIEF at the fate of all the daughters of my city.

Jeremiah said his eyes were causing him pain – or grief – b/c of all the suffering he witnessed.

He was in a unique position…

Most people throughout the OT heard about the suffering others experienced. But Jeremiah witnessed it firsthand…and it really, really, affected him…it affected him mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically.

For most of human history people simply heard or read what happened:

There was a herald – or crier – who stood in the middle of the town square yelling the news. This was the closest to a local news station.People also heard stories from friendsThey might see paintings or drawings

Even when things sounded really, really bad there was always this encouraging thought that they couldn’t be as bad as they seemed. Things were being exaggerated for dramatic effect.

Now fast-forward 2,600 years…

In the 1820s photographs were developed. Suddenly, news could be accompanied by photos. Now instead of only hearing what happened, you could see what happened.

The saying is, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Whatever we see is going to be considerably more impactful than something we read or hear about.

This is why Jeremiah was so devastated in his day. He didn’t hear about what happened. He saw what happened.

Now fast-forward 120 years…

In the 1940s videos became prominent.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, how many words is a video worth?

Now people weren’t just hearing, reading, or seeing pictures of the news. They were watching videos of events.

Image how much that affected people?

And here’s the problem…

The common saying in news is this…

“If it bleeds, it leads.”

This is why so much of the news is crime, violence, and political division.

The news wouldn’t be that bad if it showed some number of:

Positive storiesEncouraging eventsUplifting accounts

But news agencies – more than anything else – are businesses, which means they want to make money…which means they’re going to report the news that gets the most views…which means they’re going to show bad news b/c it’s more popular than good news.

And here’s what you need to know…

All of this negative news has negative affects on us.

A study published in the British Journal of Psychology, found that the negative effects of watching bad news occurred after only 14 minutes.

This means you could be feeling fine, but you watch bad news, and within minutes your mood is ruined and you’re suffering the consequences.

Let me give you some examples that most of you will be familiar with…

Think of the Boston Marathon bombing.

During the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, two bombs detonated near the finish line of the race, killing 3 people and injuring several hundred others. Since this was a popular event, there were lots of videos available, whether from the agencies covering the event, or people simply recording w/ their phones.

Listen to this…

There was a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that found that people who watched hours per day of news covering the bombing had WORSE ACUTE STRESS SYMPTOMS than people who were present at, or near, the bombing site.

Think about September 11th…but I’d like to try a different approach…

Imagine someone told you, “Terrorists hijacked planes and flew them into the Twin Towers and the towers collapsed.” You would say, “This is horrible.”

Now imagine someone showed you a picture of the towers collapsing you’d probably be shocked and put your hand over your mouth.

Now imagine you watched videos of:

The planes crashing into the buildingsThe buildings collapsingAll the people on the ground running and screaming for their livesAll the fear and terror

How much worse would this be than hearing it described or seeing a picture?

This is why – if you’re like me and most people – you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing – not when you heard about the attacks or saw pictures of them, but watched videos of the horror…and you can probably remember the strong response they evoked.

I was living in Woodland, CA – yes I’ve lived in two different Woodlands in my life – and I was working nights at a distribution center for Target. So I wasn’t awake when the attacks took place in the morning. My mom called me and said, “You’ve got to turn on the news.”

I turned it on and I still remember the vivid videos.

And I watched them over…and over…and over.

I switched to another channel, and another channel, and another channel, and another channel, and they were all showing the same thing…b/c if it bleeds it leads.

Listen to this…

There were studies done following the September 11th attack revealing that watching repeated news coverage of the event triggered post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in viewers.

Why is the news so devastating?

We put ourselves in the places of the people:

We imagine ourselves standing at the end of the Boston Marathon when the bombs went offWe imagine ourselves trapped in the Twin Towers w/ flames climbing up and no way to escape

It is impossible to stay detached:

Our hearts start racingOur blood pressure risesWe’re filled w/ anxiety

This past week some police officers murdered a man named George Floyd.

I started to watch the video, but I had to stop b/c it was too much for me.

Why?

I imagined what it was like for him to be handcuffed, pinned to the ground, unable to breathe…feeling his life escaping his body.

Now the news of his death is followed up by all the videos of:

The riotingThe violenceThe flames from burning buildings

Katie was checking in on a woman in the church. She said, “How are you doing?”

The woman said – and Katie got permission for me to share this…

“I’m okay. I was crying this morning about George Floyd…and I watched a thing about Jeffery Epstein. Feeling like the world is a very dark and depressing place.”

This is what the news can create.

And there’s something that makes this even worse…

Since news agencies want the most dramatic stories they’re tempted to make things look worse than they are.

They’ll engage in what I call honest dishonesty…honest dishonesty.

Honest dishonesty is when people present facts – they’re honest – but they present them in such a way – often by leaving out important details – that lead people to inaccurate conclusions…which is dishonest.

Here’s something that happened recently…

On March 25th – which could be considered very close to the middle of the greatest fear associated w/ the Coronavirus – CBS News aired footage of a hospital in New York. The hospital looked crowded, overwhelmed, devastated, desperate. It was the kind of video that made you think if hospitals look like this across the country, the Coronavirus is going to bring about the end of the world.

Later it was revealed that it was footage of an Italian hospital. Since Italy was the most devastated country by the disease, they couldn’t have chosen a worse hospital to show everyone.

So…

In the middle of a crisis when people are already in a panic and the media needs to give accurate information, they show something sensational and deceiving.

Here’s what’s interesting…

You would think that because news makes people feel bad that they would want to avoid watching it, but the opposite is true. It can become addictive.

People will watch hours of it…even though it’s negatively affecting them.

Dr. Carole Lieberman is a psychiatrist who focuses on the media’s role in mental health disorders. She’s been studying the current crisis and she coined the term “coronavirus stress syndrome” to describe the anxiety and panic caused by the constant media coverage of the virus. She said…

“The more stressed a person is, the more their immune system is weakened, so this makes them more vulnerable to catching the Coronavirus. Therefore, watching round-the-clock news about the Coronavirus actually makes people more vulnerable to it.”

Let me get you to think about something…

When cartoons are on television, what do they advertise during the commercials? Snacks and toys…b/c that’s what appeals to the viewers: kids.

When football is on television, what do they advertise during the commercials? Alcohol and trucks…b/c that’s what appeals to the viewers.

When I was growing up, I remember every Sunday morning they would advertise all the starving children in third world countries. They knew if there’s one time people will be most inclined to give, it’s Sunday morning.

Now here’s the question…

When the news is on television, what do they advertise during the commercials?

Typically, it’s products for conditions that the news tends to produce.

Next time you’re watching the news, notice how many commercials there are for:

Anti-anxiety medicationCholesterol-lowering drugsWeight-loss solutions

Why?

These are all ailments worsened by elevated levels of anxiety and stress…which is what the news produces.

Let me tell you why this sermon is so important, and why it’s going to apply long after the Coronavirus and accompanying quarantine is in our rearview mirror…

John 16:33 Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.”

We live in a fallen world so there will always be something.

There will be more:

PestilencesPlaguesCatastrophesDisastersDeathsRecessionsDiseasesAs of right now I can add riot and looting to the list.

And as long as we have these events, there will be plenty of news covering them.

So let me give you three encouragements…

First, don’t watch the news late in the evening.

You don’t want to take that anxiety to bed with youInstead:Read the BibleListen to sermons or Christian musicSpend time talking with your family

Second, avoid too much news.

Notice I didn’t say avoid the news.

You’ve heard me say many times that the Christian life is one of balance, and this is another example.

We should be informed. We should know what’s going on and strive to have accurate information. We should study.But as verse 12 says much study is a weariness of the flesh.

So there’s a downside to too much news.

We need to be careful how much we’re consuming:Sometimes we need to practice social distancing w/ the news

There’s a lot changing week-by-week and sometimes day-by-day…but not hour-by-hour. I’m not going to legalistically tell you how much to watch, but I will say you don’t need hours per day to understand what’s going on.

My third and final encouragement…

Spend more time in God’s Word than you spend on the news.

The reason is that…

Whatever we feed ourselves influences us.

We have the opportunity to:

Feed ourselves man’s words, which are:UntrustworthyOverwhelmingAnd wearyingOr feed ourselves God’s Word, which is like a:Goad that directs usA stake that protects us

As I was reflecting on the news and why it can be so wearying, it occurred to me that it’s b/c of the absence of hope.

The stories wouldn’t be that bad if there could be some hope…but there never is.

I want to give you some…but first I have to give you the bad news.

Take your minds back to the Twin Towers for a moment…

There were people trapped above the fire. They couldn’t go down. Many of them made the last choice of their lives. They jumped.

From the top floors it was about 10 seconds for people to free fall.

There’s one horrific image that – maybe more than any others – is etched in people’s minds, and it’s simply known as “The Falling Man.”

A nameless man in a white shirt and black trousers who jumped. He’s frozen in that ten second period for millions of people to see him on the way down.

He was unable to save himself when he was trapped in the tower, and he was even more unable to save himself after he jumped.

He was in a free fall, completely powerless to do anything about his situation.

And this brings us to Lesson 3…

Lesson 3: we are the falling man.

We don’t know The Falling Man’s name, which allows him to be a terrible, fitting picture of all of us.

Brothers and sisters:

From the moment we’re born we’re in free fall.We’re hurtling toward our deaths and we’re completely powerless to save ourselvesWe can’t do anything improve our situations.Measured against eternity our lives are ten seconds.

And speaking of news, this isn’t even the worst news…

The worst news is this…

We deserve hell.

The falling man was hurdling toward the ground, but we’re hurdling toward a much worse fate and that’s eternal suffering and separation from God…

2 Thessalonians 1:8 Those who do not know God and…do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

But here’s the good news…

Christ will save us. He’ll reach out and grab us on our way down…

John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

We can receive eternal life.

This good news – or gospel – allows our despair to be replaced w/ hope.

This is news worth reading about in the Bible and meditating on.This is the kind of news that can fill our hearts with joy and peace instead of fear and anxiety.

Set your hearts and minds on this news.

If you are the falling man who has not reached out for the hand of Christ to save you, today can be the day of salvation. TODAY can be the day you stop falling toward eternal punishment and instead fall into the safe and secure hands of Christ.

Let’s pray.

Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the Flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12), and What We Can Do About It

In Ecclesiastes 12:12 Solomon said, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.” Solomon was making a point about the amount of information that was available, and how overwhelming – and [wearying] – it could be. In Solomon’s day information was mostly limited to books. In our day information takes many other forms. If Solomon could say this when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have what would he say if he lived in our day? The amount of information in our day is overwhelming and untrustworthy. Plant yourself in the Bible where “the words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed; they are given by one Shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:11).

Ecclesiastes 12:12 says, “Much study is wearisome to the flesh,” because the amount of information available is overwhelming.



Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book,  Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.



Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the FleshFamily Worship Guide for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the FleshSermon Notes for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the FleshLesson 1: man’s words can be (part 1) overwhelming.Lesson 1: man’s words can be (part 2) untrustworthy.Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs.Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects.



Sermon Lessons for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the Flesh



Lesson 1: Man’s words can be:(Part I) ________________________ (Ecc 12:12a).(Part II) ___________________________ (Ecc 12:12b). Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a:(Part I) ________ that ______________ (Ecc 12:11a; Psa 23:1, 80:1; John 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4; Matt 12:42).(Part II) __________ that ________________ (Ecc 12:11b; Psa 119:89; Isa 40:8; 1 Pet 1:24; Matt 24:35).



Family Worship Guide for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the Flesh



Day 1: Ecc 12:9-12, 1 Pet 3:15, 2 Tim 2:15, and discuss: According to Solomon, what causes much weariness to the flesh? How do we have a ready answer for those who ask of the reason of the hope we have? Whose approval should we be seeking when studying the Word of God? What is the danger of taking in input from the world more that input from the Bible? How does it affect our world view? Day 2: 2 Pet 3:18, John 14:26, Ecc 12:11, and discuss: What are we to grow in according to Peter? What did Jesus promise would help us to be guided into truth? How is this a benefit to us in a world so full of information? Where did Solomon say the words of the wise come from? Why is it important to know where wisdom comes from? Day 3: Ecc 12:11, Ps 119:89, Isa 40:8, 1 Pet 1:24, and discuss: How is God’s Word like an ox goad? What direction does the Bible point toward for hope and purpose? How does the wisdom of the world compete with the Bible? Why is the Word of God more relevant today regarding the pandemic than the latest news?



Sermon Notes for Why Much Study Is Wearisome to the Flesh

We’re going to contrast man’s words – in verse 12 – w/ God’s Word in verses 9 through 11.

But I want to look at what Solomon said about man’s words first, and then move into the discussion of God’s Word, which means we’re going to look at the verses out-of-order.

First look at verse 12…

Ecclesiastes 12:12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Solomon was making a point about the amount of information that was available, and how overwhelming – and [wearying] – it could be.

In Solomon’s day information was mostly limited to booksIn our day information takes many other forms

If Solomon could say this – when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have – what would he say if he lived in our day?

So here’s the truth…

There is no time in all of history that these words have been more applicable…and this brings us to Lesson 1…

Lesson 1: man’s words can be (part 1) overwhelming.

I want to give you an idea just how overwhelming.

Whenever someone sends an email, responds to an email, writes a blog, comments on a blog, posts on Facebook, responds to a post on Facebook, tweets, replies to a tweet, uploads a video, comments on a video, this creates data…and the amount of data we create each day is astonishing.

By 2025, it’s estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created each day.

Most of us – myself included – don’t know how much one exabyte is, say nothing about 463 of them:

A kilobyte is 1,000 bytes, or 1, with three zeroes after it.An exabyte is one quintillion kilobytes, or the number 1 with 18 zeroes after it…and that’s how much data we create each day.

To give that some perspective, it’s the equivalent of 212,765,957 DVDs of data…per day!

Many of us are almost creating our own DVD each day!

This past week I read an article on Forbes titled, “How Much Data Do We Create Every Day? The Mind-Blowing Stats Everyone Should Read.”

Let me share one quote…

“[The] pace [that we create data] is only accelerating with the growth of the Internet. Over the last two years alone 90 percent of the data in the world was generated. This is worth re-reading!”

So let me re-read it…

Over the last two years alone 90 percent of the data in the world was generated.

If Solomon lived in our day, here’s how he might write verse 12…

Of making many blogs…and podcasts…and online summits…and emails…and Facebook posts…and Twitter feeds…and interviews…and news stations…and Instagrams…and Snapchats…and LinkedIn feeds…and YouTube channels…there is no end, and much studying…and watching…and reading…and listening is a weariness of the flesh.

As helpful as all this information can be, there’s no end to it.

We could spend thousands of lifetimes and never feel like we’ve:

Read…Listened to…Studied…Or watched…

Everyone and everything we think we should read, listen to, study, or watch.

Now let me be perfectly clear…

The point is NOT that people shouldn’t have blogs, podcasts, books, watch the news, or post on social media.

The point is that the amount of information available can be overwhelming and – as Solomon said – wearying.

And there’s another important point…

It wasn’t that long ago that if you wanted to address a certain topic – or let’s say add data to the world – you had to have an amount of credibility. That’s the only way you could:

Get invited on a radio station to be interviewed…Get invited on a television show to give your opinion…Get a deal with a book publisher…

But now – within the matter of a few minutes – people can start a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel and act like an expert on anything…even if they have very little knowledge and no expertise.

Be patient w/ me while I share something that will illustrate the problem w/ the Coronavirus…it will take me a minute to get to my point, but I will get to it!

SEO is an acronym standing for “Search Engine Optimization.” It’s the science behind getting your product, whatever it is – a website, blog, podcast, image, book, video – to rank on search engines, and when I say search engines, I mean Google…b/c about 90% of searches take place on Google.

The idea is, if you’re on the second page of Google, you might as well be on the 20th page of Google.

Google uses algorithms that they keep secret to determine search rankings, and they change their algorithms to prevent people from gaming the system.

For example, keywords used to be a major ranking factor. Google would crawl websites, find the most prominent words and this would increase a page – or site’s – ranking for that keyword. Google figured if people mentioned a word often, they’re probably familiar w/ that topic.

When people learned this is what Google looked for when crawling websites, they started filling posts and pages w/ keywords they wanted to rank for. Maybe you’ve read something on the Internet and seen the same word, or phrase, repeated an awkward number of times. This is called, “keyword stuffing.”

Then Google changed their algorithms and penalized people for “keyword stuffing.” Suddenly people who were on the front page of Google found themselves on the 20th page.

In Google’s early years it focused almost entirely on relevance. Basically, Google tried to return search results that were the most relevant to the user.

But over the last few years, Google has been focusing on another major ranking factor, and that’s authority, or credibility:

If you write about sports, Google wants to make sure have some involvement in sportsIf you sell music products, Google wants to make sure you know something about quality musicIf you teach people how to do something, Google wants to make sure you have some experience in that area

Basically:

Google started wanting to make sure that people who discussed a topic had some idea what they were talking about.It’s almost like Google recognized how many people were talking about things…when they had no business talking about them.

Let me tell you about one specific core update to Google’s algorithms to try to return better, more reliable results to people…

In August 2018 they released one of their largest and most significant changes to their algorithms, and – as is the case every time Google changes their algorithms – there was a huge shakeup in the search rankings: highly ranked websites were suddenly dropped, and low ranking websites, were promoted.

But for this update, there was one area that was hit particularly hard. Listen to this…

Around 50% of all the sites that saw a loss of traffic were medical sites…and I’m using the term “medical” loosely.

Get this…

The update came to be known as “The Medical – or Medic – Update.” This wasn’t Google’s name for the update. This was title it received, b/c of how much it hurt all these sites.

Now here’s the question…

Why would all these “medical” sites be hit so hard by an update that focuses on authority and credibility?

Because as soon as Google started looking for authority – or credibility – these sites didn’t have any!

There were all these people talking about health and medicine…when they have no idea what they’re talking about. There is no shortage of people who think they’re experts on:

HealthSicknessDiseaseWell-beingNutrition

We should all think this is fantastic, b/c it’s one thing when you’re searching Google for advice on buying a car, but it’s another thing entirely when you’re searching Google to find advice for your sick child.

When I was growing up they discovered HIV. I remember how terrified people were wondering how they could and couldn’t get it from others. Since the first recorded case was in 1981, they’ve been studying the virus for almost forty years, continuing to improve the way it’s treated.

Now consider conservative estimates put the Coronavirus originating in humans at the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. This means doctors and scientists have been studying it for a few months.

When people claim to be experts on something that’s only been around for a few months, that’s almost a guarantee that they’re not experts.

This reveals one of the other consequences of people so easily sharing their thoughts and opinions: it provides an amount of information that isn’t just overwhelming, but is also untrustworthy…and this brings us to the next part of Lesson 1…

Lesson 1: man’s words can be (part 2) untrustworthy.

Do me a favor and look at verse 12 again…

Ecclesiastes 12:12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

When Solomon says these he’s referring to the words of the wise in verse 11 which, in context, is God’s Word.

To be clear, it’s as though Solomon says beware of anything beyond [God’s Word].

What is anything beyond [God’s Word]?

Man’s words!

So the question is…

Why would Solomon – under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – give us this warning to beware of anything beyond God’s Word?

Because man’s words can be untrustworthy.

Now think about this…

If Solomon gave this warning in his day, how much more applicable would it be in our day…when everyone can be an expert?

 So again, this is very applicable for us!

Consider this…

Two of the most important factors for determining the value of information are:

First, it’s accuracy: if it’s inaccurate, how valuable is it?Second, it’s unchanging nature: if you can’t trust information tomorrow, next week, or next month, how valuable is it?

The reason I mention this is much of the information we receive from man is untrustworthy b/c it’s inaccurate and it changes.

Le me provide three examples related to the current situation, although there are plenty more I could give you…

The first example is masks…

Let me ask: should we wear masks?

The answer is: it depends on the day.

If it’s before April 3rd, the CDC – the Center for Disease for Control – said not to wear masks.Then on April 3, President Trump announced that the CDC recommended wearing masks.

That’s weird isn’t it?

One day we don’t need masks.The next day they might save your life.

The second example is the economy…

President Trump has been predicting the economy is going to bounce back. Maybe he doesn’t have much credibility w/ you b/c he wants to be reelected, so let me tell you what a few other people said as well:

I read an article on Nasdaq.com titled, “ The Dow Will Bounce Back. History Tells Us When .” The article stated, “Many events have knocked the Dow down, and more often than not, it bounces back quickly.”Mark Cuban is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and an American billionaire, entrepreneur, and investor. He has “absolute confidence” the nation will return to its pre-coronavirus boom.

This sounds very optimistic about the economy recovering.

But listen to this…

Paul Singer is a multi-billionaire hedge fund manager and investor. In other words, he deals w/ the stock market for a living and does very well. In a Forbes article he said: “America could be facing the deepest recession since the Great Depression.”

This sounds very pessimistic about the economy recovering.

So here’s the good news and bad news:

The good news is if you want to find information that tells you the economy is going to recover, you canThe bad news is if you want to find information that tells you the economy is not going to recover, you can

And b/c of the amount of untrustworthy information available, this is pretty much the case w/ every topic you can imagine.

The problem is that if you want to learn about a certain topic:

There seems to be an equal number of qualified, educated, intelligent people on both sidesThe more you read, the more confused you becomeInstead of learning more about the topic, you learn that everyone disagrees.

And this causes the weariness Solomon describes.

The third example is toilet paper…

We’ve been convinced that the reason every store has run out of toilet paper, is b/c greedy, selfish people are hoarding it. This past week I read an article that argued it’s b/c so many people are at home, which means they’re aren’t going to the bathroom more…but they are going to the bathroom more at home…which means they’re using more toilet paper at home.

Here’s the issue…

The toilet paper industry is split into two, separate markets:

The commercial market, which is the toilet paper for public restrooms, such as those in workplaces, schools, restaurants, hotels, and airports. Because of the quarantine all this toilet paper is being unused.The consumer market, which is the toilet paper for people’s homes…and this is what’s missing from store shelves.

So you say, “Why can’t we use all the unused toilet paper from the commercial market in the consumer market?”

The answer is, b/c they’re different:

The commercial toilet paper used in public restrooms is on huge rolls, too big to fit on most home dispensers. The paper itself is thinner and more practical. It comes individually wrapped and is on huge pallets.The consumer toilet paper for homes is in brightly branded packs of six or 12…so you can feel like you’re buying pretty toilet paper.

I’m not really trying to educate you on toilet paper…although perhaps you found this interesting.

I’m trying to make the point that we can’t even figure out why we’re running out of toilet paper:

Is it b/c we’re selfish greedy consumers?Or is it b/c we have a supply chain and distribution issue?

So you say, “Okay, when the dust settles, years from now, we’ll be able to look back and see who was right and who was wrong about everything.”

History proves that this doesn’t happen w/ history!

People spend decades looking at the same information, but coming to completely different conclusions.

Here’s what’s probably going to happen when the quarantine is debated for decades to come….

On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Dr. Fauci – who has become the face of America’s response to the virus – predicted that up to 2000,000 Americans would die if drastic steps weren’t taken. Since then estimates have dropped considerably:

People in favor of the quarantine will say it saved tens of thousands of lives.People opposed to the quarantine will say, “See, the virus is no big deal. Hardly killed anyone. We didn’t even need the quarantine.”

Look back at verse 12. The second half of the verse says…

Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

First, let me be clear that this isn’t as literal as it sounds:

God isn’t discouraging us from reading anything but the Bible.There are plenty of wonderful Christian books that can help us grow.

So what is the point?

Solomon is saying we should make sure we don’t let any earthly books rob of us of the Bible’s wisdom. We don’t want to spend so much time reading other books – even wonderful Christian books – that we neglect God’s Word.

Let me use an illustration from when I used to be into weightlifting…

There’s a saying that “Muscles are made in the kitchen, not the gym.”

The idea is you break muscles down when you work out, and then you feed them – in the kitchen – to make them grow. There’s a lot of truth in this, b/c:

The difference between most weightlifters isn’t what happens in the gym, b/c most of them work out intensely.The difference is what happens in the kitchen…or how well they eat.

As a weightlifter, as soon as you learn that what you eat is super important, you go to your local GNC and spend hundreds – or thousands of dollars – on supplements. All the ads in magazines are filled w/ huge bodybuilders and you think you’ll look like them if you take the supplements they’re advertising.

But many bodybuilders track what they eat in journals and they’ll make these journals available online. When you look at them, you see they don’t use many supplements, b/c they need every edge they can get and they know whole food is better.

You’ll talk to the most successful bodybuilders in the gym and they’ll say the same thing. You ask them what supplements they’re taking, and you find out it’s hardly any.

They use supplements…but as supplements…to supplement their diets and cover the areas they have trouble meeting through whole food.

Then, typically, after lifting weights for a few years, you’ll stop spending so much on supplements and spend more on whole food.

Sometimes I feel like Christians follow this same journey…

We get saved and spend lots of time on Christian books and devotionals. As Solomon says of making many books there is no end.

Then, after we’ve been Christians for some number of years, we recognize nothing compares w/ God’s Word and we spend more time reading it.

The Bible is the whole food that should make up most of our diets.

There’s a place for Christian books and devotionals. Maybe we want to:

Learn more about a topicWe want to grow in a certain area

Then we buy a book to supplement our Bible reading.

Spurgeon said, “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.”

With everything happening w/ the Coronavirus this brings us to another temptation we face that can draw us away from God’s Word. Before I share it, let me make one qualification…

I’m all for trying – as difficult as it is – to be educated and informed:

I try to catch the White House briefings each day, and our governors briefingsI’ve read lots of articles about the virusI’ve been part of four webinars – and I’ll be part of another one this week – specifically for pastors discussing how to shepherd our congregations during this season

BUT…

There comes a point that we’re reading, listening, and watching TOO much, b/c

It’s become an obsessionAnd we’re neglecting God’s Word

So as your pastor, I just want to encourage you to examine:

How much time you’re spending learning about the virusAnd how much time you’re spending in God’s Word

Now all of us – myself included – are perhaps weary just thinking about all the overwhelming and untrustworthy information out there. So let’s read some verses that can encourage us to spend the time we should in God’s Word.

Look at verse 9…

Ecclesiastes 12:9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.

The Preacher is Solomon and we have many of his proverbs in the Book of Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes 12:10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

And here’s the important part…

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.

Verses 9 and 10 discuss Solomon – the Preacher – who sounds really good:

He’s wise: he taught the people knowledge and created many proverbsHe sought to find words of delight and he wrote words of truth.

So you’d expect him to say the words of the wise came from him, but he said they’re given by one Shepherd.

Who’s this Shepherd?

In the OT the shepherd is identified as God:

Psalms 23:1 The Lord is my ShepherdPsalms 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. We know who’s enthroned upon the cherubim: that’s God.

In the New Testament the Shepherd comes into clearer focus and we see He’s Jesus:

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.Hebrews 13:20 Our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep1 Peter 5:4 When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The greatest wisdom comes from Jesus, b/c despite how wise Solomon was in Matthew 12:42 [Jesus said], “The queen of the South…came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here,” referring to Himself.

I mentioned this earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again…

In verse 11 the words of the wise given by the Shepherd refer to the Word of God…b/c what Jesus said and taught is the Word of God.

If you briefly look back at verse 11 the Shepherd’s wise words – or the Word of God – are fittingly compared w/ two shepherds’ tools: goads and nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs.

Goads were long sticks w/ points on the end:

Shepherds used to use them to poke animals and move them in the right direction…just like God’s Word pokes us and moves us in the right direction.Goads were used to alert animals and wake them…just like God’s Word alerts us and – spiritually speaking – wakes us.Finally, goads sting…just like God’s Word can sometimes sting

The “sting” of God’s Word is especially evident regarding it’s teaching on trials.

Here’s what I mean:

We want to read that God will prevent trials, but instead we’re told they’re part of this life.We want to read that God will make trials easier, but instead we’re told He’ll give us the grace to endure them…which means they’re not going away. Basically, God says “I’ll help you handle the trial just the way it is.”We want to read that God lets us feel sorry for ourselves during trials…but instead we’re told to count trials as joy.

Here’s the main point I want you to see…

Man’s words are untrustworthy:

You don’t know whether they’re accurateThey might point you in the wrong direction.

God’s Word is like a goad that is trustworthy – and even though it hurts sometimes – it always point us in the direction.

Second, in verse 11 the wise words are compared w/ nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to the next part of Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: God’s Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects.

The nails firmly fixed are the nails – or stakes – shepherds used to secure animals who might wander off into dangerous territory

You can guess that animals wouldn’t like this, but it protected them…just like we might not like everything God’s Word says, but it protects us from wandering into dangerous territoryThe nails would keep the animals in place – fixed – and that’s what God’s Word does for us. It gives us a firm foundation.

Notice it says the nails are firmly fixed, which communicates that they’re unmovable, or unchangeable…just like God’s Word.

Psalms 119:89 Forever, O Lord, your word is FIRMLY FIXED in the heavens.Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.1 Peter 1:24 “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

Listen to what the Shepherd said about His words…

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

That’s pretty firmly fixed, isn’t it?

Unlike man’s word – which changes – God’s Word is firm and unchanging.

If you go anywhere else you’ll get tossed around, but if you go to God’s Word you’re going to find security.

My hope for you is that you’re being anchored in the Bible and not any of man’s words you’re reading, listening to, or watching.

We’re grounded in Christ if we abide in Him. Let me conclude w/ these verses…

Hebrews 6:18 It is impossible for God to lie, [so] we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Our hope is not in the next blog post, book, or article. Our hope is in Jesus who has entered the Most Holy Place on our behalf.

If you want to avoid being weary, remember this…

Solomon said the reading of many books wearies us, but reading God’s Word strengthens us.

Let’s pray.

Biblical Narratives Versus Imperatives – Commands in Scripture Have More Weight Than Stories

It is important to understand biblical narratives versus imperatives. Imperatives are commands while narratives are stories or accounts in Scripture that should not be given as much weight. Christians should build their theology with imperatives (or commands, such as Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, and Titus 3) supported by narratives (or accounts) versus the other way around.

It is important to understand biblical narratives versus imperatives. Imperatives, or commands, should have more weight than narratives.



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Table of ContentsLessons for Biblical Narratives Versus ImperativesFamily Worship Guide for Biblical Narratives Versus ImperativesSermon Notes for Biblical Narratives Versus ImperativesLesson 1: we don’t submit to sin.Lesson 2: Moses appealed to Pharaoh.Lesson 3: David appealed to Saul.Lesson 4: Esther appealed to the king.Lesson 5: let’s not waste this trial.



Lessons for Biblical Narratives Versus Imperatives



Lesson 1: We don’t submit ____ ______ (Exo 1:15-17). Lesson 2: __________ appealed to ______________ (Exo 3:18-19, 5:2-8). Lesson 3: __________ appealed to ________ (1 Sam 24:4-10, 26:8-25). Lesson 4: ____________ appealed to the ________ (Est 3:13-16, 5:1-2; 9:5, 13-14; Pro 21:1). Lesson 5: Let’s not __________ this __________ (Dan 9:13-14).



Family Worship Guide for Biblical Narratives Versus Imperatives



Day 1: Read Exo 3:18-19 and 5:2-8 and discuss: Do you see any similarities between the Israelites in Egypt and our current situation? Why did God send Moses to appeal to Pharaoh when He knew Pharaoh would disobey? What implications does this have for us? Day 2: Read 1 Sam 24:4-10, 26:8-25 and discuss: Why was David convicted when he cut off a corner of Saul’s robe? What application does this have for us? Why did it look like God would want David to kill Saul? Why wouldn’t he, and what application does this have for us? Was there a point at which David “disobeyed” Saul or at least wouldn’t go along with his request? What can we learn from this? Day 3: Read Est 3:13-16, 5:1-2; 9:5, 13-14; Pro 21:1, Dan 9:13-14 and discuss: How would you expect the Jews to respond when they learned they’d be slaughtered? How would you expect God to tell them to respond? How did Esther respond? What application does Pro 21:1 have to our current situation? How could we waste the trial we’re experiencing? How can we ensure we don’t waste it? What do you think God wants us to learn?



Sermon Notes for Biblical Narratives Versus Imperatives

On Wednesday, April 29th, the elders joined me in the sanctuary to share w/ all of you that at this point in time we feel led to submit to the government and appeal through letters, praying, and fasting. There might be a point at which we disobey, but we don’t believe we’ve reached that point yet.

We tend to project ourselves on others, and b/c if I was in your position I would want to know how my elders came to this decision, I felt like you’re entitled to an explanation. So I’ve been explaining how we came to this decision over the last two Sundays, and this morning will be the third and final message.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think another sermon on this topic is necessary. I feel like people are pretty settled where they are more teaching won’t be beneficial.

One thing I’ve shared w/ you is that there are godly people on both sides of this issue, and they can quote other godly people.

In the first sermon I told you that I’ve landed where I have b/c I think we should build our theology w/ imperatives – or commands – supported by narratives – or accounts…versus the other way around.

In other words:

We should look for imperatives, such as those found in 1 Pet 2, Rom 13, and Titus 2.Then see if narratives – or accounts in Scripture – support those imperatives.

When we talked as elders we found many narratives supporting the imperatives…and this helped convince us to go in this direction.

This morning we’ll look at some of these narratives, but b/c I want to conclude w/ this sermon, I can’t cover all of them that I’d like; therefore, I’ve simply chosen three.

Let’s begin w/ Exodus 1…

Exodus 1:15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.

This is similar to:

Daniel 6 when Daniel disobeyed authority and prayedAnd Acts 5 when the apostles disobeyed authority and preached

I wanted to briefly look at this account, b/c it comes to mind when thinking of disobeying the government, and b/c it gives me the opportunity to repeat a point that I’ve made at the beginning of each sermon…

Lesson 1: we don’t submit to sin.

Understandably when you’re talking about submission, you wonder how far it extends. I’ve said we’re submitting now, but that doesn’t mean we’ll submit forever.

The account w/ the Hebrew midwives is close to what happened in Nazi Germany when Jews were being murdered.

Understandably Nazi Germany keeps coming up, b/c that was a time to disobey the government and not submit to sin.

The idea is this…

“ The people who hid Jews were disobeying the government. The people who killed them were obeying.”

Nazi Germany – like the king of Egypt – was trying to murder people. But our government – at least so far – hasn’t asked us to murder anyone. If they do, we’ll disobey.

Look at Exodus 3:18…the context is God is speaking to Moses from the burning bush…

Exodus 3:18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

Pharaoh was the authority over the Israelites in Moses’ day, and instead of telling the Jews to rebel, God sent Moses to appeal to Pharaoh…and this brings us to Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: Moses appealed to Pharaoh.

At least four times that I could find in Exodus Moses requested that Pharaoh allow them to worship and serve the Lord…which gives this some similarities to our situation…

We’re requesting to open our churches to worship and serve the Lord.

Look at verse 19…

Exodus 3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.

It’s worth noticing that from the very beginning God told Moses that Pharaoh would not release the people.

So here’s what’s interesting…

God could’ve wiped out Egypt w/ the plaguesHe could’ve jumped right to the last plague that did cause Pharaoh to release the people

But instead, He first had Moses repeatedly appeal to Pharaoh.

And our plan is to repeatedly appeal to the governor to allow us to worship:

We sent one letter, and we plan on sending moreWe called for one day of fasting, and we plan on calling for more

Look at Exodus 5:2 to see what happened after Moses appealed to Pharaoh…

Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

I’m convinced many of our politicians don’t know God any better than Pharaoh did, but that didn’t change Moses’ need to appeal, and it doesn’t change our need to appeal.

Now watch something that could be very instructive for us…

Exodus 5:4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’”

Here’s what stuck out to me:

Moses appealed to PharaohHe was doing God’s willHe didn’t have to wonder if this is what God wanted…God told him this is what He wantedBut Pharaoh still didn’t let the people go.

Instead things actually got worse.

I’m mentioning this b/c:

Even though things weren’t going the way Moses wanted, it didn’t mean he was doing anything wrong.We’re appealing, and maybe it won’t go the way we want, but it doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong.

I mention this to encourage you, b/c as a pastor any time you invite your people to pray and fast you have this nagging concern that God might not answer the way we want or as quickly as we want…but we can still be in God’s will.

Let’s look at the second example by turning to 1 Samuel 24…

Here’s the background…

David and his men are on the run from Saul who’s trying to kill them. Saul unknowingly entered the cave David and his men were hiding in. Look at verse 4…

1 Samuel 24:4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

When David’s men saw him rise with his sword and move toward Saul, they must’ve thought, “This is it. Our exile is finally over. We can return home. We don’t need to be afraid for our lives anymore. David can become king and we can serve at his right hand…b/c God has delivered Saul into his hand.”

And here’s the thing…

It looked that way! This sounds exactly like something we might expect God to say to David.

Instead David cut off a corner of his robe.

Look at verse 5…

1 Samuel 24:5 And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

David was convicted just for this small act against The Lord’s anointed.

David did some things in his life that could cause us to wonder why he’s the Man After God’s Own Heart. I’m guessing this is one of the reasons: at least at this moment, he had such sensitivity to conviction.

1 Samuel 24:6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, The Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is The Lord’s anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

Now look at this appeal…

1 Samuel 24:8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is The Lord’s anointed.’

David calls him, “My lord the king.” He bowed to the ground. He paid him homage. This is a gracious and humble appeal that’s made even more impressive, b/c it’s being made to such an ungodly man…and this brings us to Lesson 3…

Lesson 3: David appealed to Saul.

Skip to chapter 26 to see the second appeal.

Here’s the context…

David and Abishai snuck into Saul’s camp when he was sleeping. While they’re standing next to Saul look at verse 8…

1 Samuel 26:8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.”

Once again, someone tells David it’s God’s will for him to kill Saul…and once again it really looked that way!

1 Samuel 26:9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against THE LORD’S ANOINTED and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.

David’s words encourage me, and here’s why…

While we’re submitting to and appealing to the authority over us, we can say what David said…and I’m not joking…

“As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.”

In other words, God can deal w/ any man who’s in authority. It’s not beyond His ability.

If God wants to remove any politician, such as Governor Inslee and replace him with Joshua Freed, or someone else, He can do that…but until then, unless we’re commanded to sin, God expects us to be like David and recognize the authority of the office.

We talk about walking by faith and trusting God, and this is what it looks like to do so.

Look at verse 11…

1 Samuel 26:11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against THE LORD’S ANOINTED. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them. 13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

Abner is Saul’s general, right-hand man, and the guy most responsible w/ making sure people don’t sneak into the camp at night, right next to Saul’s head, and steal his spear and jar.

Needless to say, he’s about to be embarrassed.

1 Samuel 26:15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord (referring to Abishai). 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, THE LORD’S ANOINTED. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.” 17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”

Now look at this appeal…

1 Samuel 26:18 And he said, “Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day that I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

Another gracious and humble appeal from David to an ungodly man.

Now here’s the question…

Wy didn’t David kill Saul when he had the opportunity…twice?

The answer is contained in the:

Nine times in these two chapters David calls Saul my lord and my kingAnd the seven times David called him The Lord’s anointed

David recognized Saul’s authority…and he recognized it came from God.

And many things make this more impressive than it initially looked…

David kept calling Saul The Lord’s anointed…but who else was The Lord’s anointed? David!David recognized Saul was king…but he knew God wanted him to be kingDavid knew God rejected Saul as king…but he still kept respecting his authority as long as he was kingDavid knew he couldn’t become king as long as Saul was king…but he wouldn’t remove Saul from being king.

Instead, he appealed to Saul and trusted God w/ the outcome.

Saul would’ve been a hard man to respect. If David didn’t respect him – and I wouldn’t fault him – he still respected the office Saul occupied.

When I was in Army ROTC – so before I was an officer – we would regularly go to the field for training exercises. After each exercise we’d have an AAR, or “After Action Review.” We’d talk about how the exercise went: whether it went well, or poorly, and what we could learn.

During one exercise the cadet who was in charge did a terrible job. During the AAR I shared my many observations about his performance. I half-expected one of the commanding officers to acknowledge what I said, and perhaps even compliment my great insights and deep understanding of military tactics.

Instead, LTC Brewer spoke up and ripped me apart in front of everyone. I don’t remember him saying one single thing about the cadet who was in charge, but he said plenty of things about me. It was humiliating…but I completely deserved it.

I still remember him saying, “Even if your commanding officer is terrible, you respect his office.”

You could listen to this story and say, “You’re talking about your military experience, but this isn’t the military.”

That’s true, but the Greek word for submit or be subject is hypotasso and it is a military term meaning, “to arrange troops under a commander.”

I don’t mention this story b/c LTC Brewer said something and I think we should do it.

I mention it b/c it illustrates what the NT commands, and what the OT supports through accounts – such as this one w/ David – that we should respect the authority of individuals in positions over us.

Now I want to show you something interesting. Look at verse 21…

1 Samuel 26:21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.”

Saul looks repentant. The problem is, he’s looked repentant before, so…

1 Samuel 26:22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against THE LORD’S ANOINTED. 24 Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Saul asked David to return – or come back to Jerusalem or come home as it’s translated in many Bibles. But the end of the verse says David went his way. He didn’t go w/ Saul, and he didn’t go back to Jerusalem.

Why not?

Last week we talked about combining faith and wisdom:

David had faith that God would protect himBut he combined that faith w/ wisdom

So he would NOT walk Saul’s spear back to him…probably the same spear Saul threw at David numerous times.…or have any of his own men bring it back to him. Instead, he asked for one of Saul’s men to come get it.

I’m not going to say David disobeyed Saul – b/c I’m not sure that it was really an order – but I will say this…

David didn’t trust Saul, and he didn’t do everything Saul wanted.He didn’t blindly or unconditionally submit to Saul.

Similarly, we shouldn’t blindly or unconditionally submit to authority.

I’ll use a hypothetical situation that has come up a few times – b/c sadly – I could see it happening…

“What if the government expected people to be vaccinated to go to church?”

There’s no way we would submit to this. We would disobey.

And if we need to disobey the government – let’s imagine another hypothetical situation – that I have to go jail for taking this stand – which I would be willing to do – and let’s say I go before a judge or anyone else in authority, here’s what I would like to be able to say…

“Up to this point, I have tried hard to obey laws even when I disagreed and questioned their constitutionality. We are not rebellious people. We are not trouble-makers. God commands us to live quiet, peaceful lives and that’s what we’ve been trying to do. We have worked to respect and honor the people in office as God’s Word commands. If you listen to my sermons – which are available online – you will see that I repeatedly told my church to submit to government, and I have told them that you have been working for our good, b/c that’s what Scripture says is the case. But this has gone too far, and now we must disobey.”

In other words, if we disobey – which we’re willing to do – we want the authority over us to recognize the lengths we went to obey, and that disobedience was a last – versus first – resort.

Let’s look at the third example by turning to Esther 3…the last historical book. The easiest way to find it is by turning to the left of Job and Psalms.

The context is the Persians are going to slaughter the Jews.

Esther 3:13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

The decree goes out to destroy, kill, and annihilate all Jews.

Skip to Esther 4:14 to see what happened next…Mordecai is speaking to Esther and he says…

Esther 4:14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

As I’ve said many times up to this point, there’s a lot of disagreement among godly people on both sides of the current situation, but one thing we can all agree on is that we must do something, so:

Just as Mordecai told Esther, “Hey, you’re a Jew; you need to get involved!”The application for us is we’re Christians, and we need to be involved.

We’ve gotten involved by appealing w/ letters, and praying and fasting.

Let’s think about something for a moment…

The major disagreement is about when to obey and when to disobey:

Everyone agrees we should obey authority sometimesAnd everyone agrees we should disobey authority sometimesI haven’t heard of anyone who thinks we should blindly and unconditionally obey all the time under any circumstancesAnd I haven’t heard of anyone who thinks we should disobey all the time under any circumstances as though we’re anarchists

So really it’s been a question of when to obey and when to disobey.

And I think everyone on both sides can agree that if the government was going to destroy, kill, and annihilate, that would be a time to disobey, right?

But here’s what’s interesting…

In Esther’s day it was a time to appeal.

Now I’m not saying that if the government ever said to destroy, kill, and annihilate that we would appeal versus defend ourselves.

But I am making the point that we’re considering examples of appealing versus rebelling, and this is a very dramatic one.

Because, what could Mordecai have told Esther to do, or tried to do himself?

Lead a rebellionStart a revolutionTell everyone to pick up arms and fight back.

They will do that later – and just hold on to that for a moment – but at this point he told her to appeal…and this brings us to Lesson 4…

Lesson 4: Esther appealed to the king.

Look at Esther’s response…

Esther 4:15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

This is the account that came up the most in our elder meeting.

Esther called for her people to fast while she appealed to the king, and so we called for our people – the church – to fast while we appealed w/ letters to our authorities.

Something making this even more fitting is fasting is associated w/ prayer and mourning, and:

We’re praying for this situationWe’re mourning that we can’t meet

Look at Esther 5:1…

Esther 5:1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

The Book of Esther is interesting in that there’s no mention of any of the typical important spiritual stuff, such as the Law, sacrifices, worship, and prayer. It doesn’t even say that Esther called for the people to pray. It just says she called for them to fast. We assume they prayed, but it doesn’t say that.

Most surprisingly, God Himself is never mentioned…but in a beautiful way, Esther is a book that doesn’t mention God, but instead shows God working behind the scenes in extraordinary ways…such as in verse 2 when it says [Esther] won favor in [the king’s] sight.

I’d say God gave Esther this favor, and we’re praying God gives us favor w/ Governor Inslee.

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

We have full confidence that God can bend the hearts of anyone in authority – whether President Trump or Governor Inslee – to His will.

Just to tell you what happened after this…

Esther went back to the king and asked if they could defend themselves and he granted it. Look at Esther 9:5…

Esther 9:5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

The Jews were able to defend themselves against their enemies, but – interestingly – they received permission to do so by appealing.

Now there’s one more place I’d like to show you. Please look at Daniel 9:13…the fourth prophet after Isa, Jer, and Eze.

Daniel 9:13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.

Daniel’s discussing the calamity that came upon the Jews – referring to their exile – and he’s afraid they haven’t done certain things they should’ve done as a result of this calamity.

Let me be clear about why this ministered to me…

We all want our lives to go back to normal – and I do too – but I know there are things God wants to accomplish through the calamity we’re experiencing…and this brings us to Lesson 5…

Lesson 5: let’s not waste this trial.

The Coronavirus and accompanying quarantine is a global calamity that has caused problems physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

The situation is bad enough, but one thing that would make it even more unfortunate is if we went through it and failed to learn what God wants us to learn.

And this seemed to be Daniel’s concern w/ his people regarding the calamity they experienced.

If we look at what Daniel wanted for the Jews, it reveals what God wants for us too.

The reason they’re the same is there are some foundational things God wants to accomplish in His people in every calamity.

Look back w/ me at verse 13:

Daniel 9:13 As it is written in the Law of Moses:

all this calamity has come upon us – or we could say the Coronavirus and quarantine and accompanying problems have come upon usyet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God – Daniel was concerned that his people had not sought the Lord like they should. I read this and suspect we haven’t prayed like we should. For my part, I know I haven’t.turning from our iniquities – this is a concise definition of repentance. Daniel knew that his people had not repented like they should, and I wonder: have we repented like we should?and gaining insight by your truth. – Danie knew his people should be gaining spiritual insight from God’s truth, which is to say the Word of God. How are we gaining insight? Where are we gaining it from? Are we clinging to the next Coronavirus update or are we clinging to God’s Word?14 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. – Daniel says God brought all this on his people b/c they hadn’t done these things. In Scripture, God typically brought plagues as a result of sin. Nobody should object if God brought this calamity on us b/c of our sin.

This is our final sermon explaining the elders’ decision, and I want to close by saying this…

Many people have said, “We’re being tested,” and I agree.

My hope is that:

We don’t waste this test by failing to learn what God wants us to learn.Instead, let’s try to pass this test by:Humbling ourselvesPrayingRepentingAnd seeking insight and truth from God’s Word.

So we can learn everything He wants us to learn from this.

Let’s pray.

Let Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)-Appealing Versus Rebelling-Part II

Romans 13:1 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” In this sermon Pastor Scott taught on Romans 13 and explained why the WCC elders feel led to submit to the government, and appeal, versus disobey. He also explains why the elders don’t think the government is telling us to sin.

Romans 13:1 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.” Pastor Scott explained why the elders will submit to government.



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Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for Let Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)Family Worship Guide for Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)Sermon Notes for Let Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)Lesson 1: we don’t submit to sin.Lesson 2: resisting authority is resisting God.Lesson 3: we must (part 1) think biblically versus emotionally.Lesson 3: we must (part 2) balance faith and wisdom.Lesson 4: quarantining the healthy occurred in scripture.



Sermon Lessons for Let Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)



Lesson 1: We don’t submit to sin (Dan 6:6-10; Jer 27:8-12; Acts 5:29-31, 40-42; 1 Pet 2:13-17). Note: This lesson is from Part I.Lesson 2: Resisting authority is __________________ ______ (Rom 13:1-2; 1 Pet 2:13; Titus 3:1).Lesson 3: We must:(Part I) Think ____________________ versus ______________________ (Rom 13:4).(Part II) Balance __________ and ____________ (Lev 13:1-3).Lesson 4: Quarantining ______ ______________ occurred in Scripture (Lev 13:4-6; Psa 91:6).Lesson 5: We submit because we __________ ______ (1 Pet 2:21-23, 3:5; Psa 20:7).



Family Worship Guide for Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)



Day 1: Read Rom 13:1-2; 1 Pet 2:13; Titus 3:1, and discuss: What other relationships involve submission? What application does our submission in these relationships have to our submission to government? Who was emperor when Paul and Peter told Christians to submit to authority? Why does resisting authority mean we’re resisting God? Why does Paul say the government is for our good?Day 2: Read Lev 13:1-3, Psalm 91:6 and discuss: Why are all of us tempted to think emotionally about the quarantine versus biblically? As Americans and Christians, discuss the two “laws” over us (the Constitution and the Bible) and our relationships to them. What does it mean to balance faith and wisdom? Come up with some examples of what it looks like to combine faith with wisdom, and faith with foolishness (i.e. “I let my kids play in the road, because I trust God to protect them”).Day 3: Read Lev 13:4-6; 1 Pet 2:21-23, 3:5; Psa 20:7, and discuss: In the Old Testament, why were people quarantined even when they were healthy? What application do you see this having for our current situation? Are you aware of any times in church history when Jews and/or Christians observed God’s cleansing commands and fared better than the rest of the population? How does faith help us submit, whether wives to husbands, Christ when He submitted, or us to government?Bonus: Read Leviticus 13-15 and look for the wisdom in the cleansing commands that were written 3,000 years before the medical community decided they were beneficial.



Sermon Notes for Let Everyone Be Subject to the Governing Authorities (Romans 13:1)

Two Wednesdays ago the leadership shared that at this time we feel led to submit to the government, and appeal through letters, praying, and fasting.

Last Sunday I began explaining why we came to this conclusion about submitting to government, and I’m continuing that explanation this morning.

Before we look at the verses let me remind you of the first lesson from last week…

Lesson 1: we don’t submit to sin.

I left this in your bulletins, so you don’t have this nagging question about how far submission to government extends. There is a point that we disobey, and I discussed that extensively in last week’s sermon.

But currently, we – the elders – don’t think we’ve reached this point, b/c we don’t think the government is telling us to sin. Later in this sermon I’ll share why I don’t believe the government is telling us to sin.

Let’s look at Romans 13:1…

Romans 13:1a Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.

This is similar to what we read last week in 1 Peter  2:13…

1 Peter 2:13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution

And it’s similar to Titus 3:1…

Titus 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities

Titus was a pastor. When Paul told Titus to remind them, he meant, remind his congregation to be submissive to rulers and authorities.

The only reason I can imagine Paul telling Titus to give his congregation this reminder is we must be reminded to be submissive to rulers and authorities.

And if there’s any time that we probably most needed to be reminded of this, it’s when we don’t want to submit to the government…which makes this particularly fitting, b/c I can’t remember another time more people wanted to disobey government.

The Greek word for be subject or be submissive is hypotasso (pr: who-puh-toss-oh). It means “to obey,” which is why it’s translated as obey elsewhere in the NT…

For example, Titus 2:5 commands wives to obey their husbands…

Titus 2:5 (NKJV) 5 [wives should] be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient (hypotasso)to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

John MacArthur said, “The Greek word [for be subject] was used of a soldier’s absolute obedience to his superior officer. Scripture makes one exception to this command: when obedience to civil authority would require disobedience to God’s Word.”…or would require sinning, which is why we said we wouldn’t submit to sin.

Hypotasso (pr: who-puh-toss-oh) is the same Greek word used to command wives to submit to their husbands:

1 Peter  3:1 Likewise, wives, be subject (hypotasso)to your own husbandsEphesians 5:22 Wives, submit (hypotasso)to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

The reason I mention this is the same word commanding wives to submit to their husbands is…

To be consistent, whatever we think it means to submit to government, we must also apply that to wives submitting to their husbands.

So if we say, “Well, I don’t think we need to submit to the government, I think we only need to show honor or respect,” then we must also say, “Well, I don’t think wives need to submit to their husbands, I think they only need to show honor or respect.”

Consider this verse…

Ephesians 5:24 Now as the church submits (hypotasso)to Christ, so also wives should submit (hypotasso)in everything to their husbands.

The marriage relationship is a picture of our relationships to Christ:

Christ is the husbandThe church is the wife

Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands the way we’re commanded to submit to Christ.

The reason I mention this is – again – to be consistent, whatever we think it means to submit to government, we must also apply that to our submission to Christ.

So if we say, “Well, I don’t think we need to submit to government, I think we only need to show government honor or respect,” then we must also say, “Well, I don’t think the church needs to submit to Christ, I think we only need to show Him honor and respect.”

Look at the next part of verse 1…

Romans 13:1b For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

The word For introduces the reason we should submit to governing authorities. Their authority is given by God.

Because God is sovereign – which is to say all authority belongs to Him – if people have authority, He gave it to them.

Listen to what Jesus said when He was before Pilate…

John 19:11 “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had BEEN GIVEN YOU FROM ABOVE.”

Pilate was an ungodly man. He turned Jesus over to be crucified. But Jesus made the point that even the authority he had was given by God.

This doesn’t mean that God is responsible for the sins of people in authority – they’re still responsible for their sins, such as murdering babies or perverting marriage – but it does mean the authority they abused came from God.

Let’s imagine something for a moment…

Imagine Paul wrote this when the Roman emperor at the time might not have been a Christian, but was at least a moral man.

What could we say?

“Well, Paul told them to submit, b/c the emperor was halfway decent. But we’re being told to submit to Governor Inslee and he’s way worse than the emperor in Paul’s day.”

Who was the emperor in Paul’s day?

Nero.

Over the last few weeks I’ve heard people say terrible things about Governor Inslee, usually to argue why we don’t need to submit to him. I’m not going to defend the governor, but I will say this…

Even if everything said about Governor Inslee was true, Nero would still be ten times worse….yet Paul still commanded believers to submit to his authority.

Since all authority is given by God, to resist authority is to resist God.

Look at the next verse…

Romans 13:2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

We’re resisting God when we resist the authority over us b/c He’s the One who put the authority over us…and this brings us to Lesson 2…

Lesson 2: resisting authority is resisting God.

You could say, “I don’t like your interpretation of the verse.”

I didn’t interpret the verse. I read it.

I don’t know how anyone could read these words without acknowledging that resisting the government is resisting what God has appointed…b/c that’s what the verse says.

John MacArthur said, “Since all government is God-ordained, disobedience is rebellion against God.”

Rhea has gotten old enough that sometimes we put her in charge. We tell the kids, “If you disobey her, it’s like you’re disobeying us.”

Why?

Because we gave her some of our authority.

Similarly, God put governments in charge, and when we resist them, we resist Him b/c He gave them some of His authority.

And let me tell you why I’m trying to make this clear…

It’s not b/c I’m trying to upset anyone:

I don’t have an agendaI don’t have an ax to grindI don’t even want to tell you this:I want to disobeyI want to preach to a full churchI want to see all of you again

But…

I care about you and the verse says those who resist [authority] will incur judgment:

I don’t want to bring judgment on myselfI don’t want to bring judgment on my familyI don’t want to bring judgment on my church

One thing I’ve heard many times throughout this situation is that:

We shouldn’t fear the virusWe should only fear God

Agreed!

And it’s my fear of God that makes me want to obey this verse and avoid judgment…and help you avoid judgment.

We often talk about a biblical worldview:

We say we want a biblical worldviewWe say we want to raise our church to have biblical worldviews

What does it mean to have a biblical worldview?

It means to look at the world around us – the people, decisions, events, and circumstances – and interpret them through the pages of Scripture.

But this is particularly difficult to do during this season, b/c of the emotions involved…and this brings us to Lesson 3…

Lesson 3: we must (part 1) think biblically versus emotionally.

The quarantine has become very emotionally charged for good reason:

Our lives have been changed dramaticallyWe know the quarantine negatively affects people financially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually…in that we can’t be w/ our brothers and sisters in ChristWe might not know anyone personally who has the Coronavirus, but we know plenty of people personally affected by the quarantine…b/c it’s affecting everyone

We’re told:

We can’t see loved onesWe can’t worship the way we wantSome people are told they can’t work

When our freedoms are affected this dramatically we – understandably – begin asking whether the government has the authority to do this.

Now based on this lesson, how should we evaluate what the government is doing?

With our emotions…or with Scripture?

If we want to have a biblical worldview – which I believe we do – we must set our feelings and emotions aside, and interpret what we’re seeing through Scripture.

And we need to do something else…

I’ve heard many Christians recently talking about the Constitution and what is and isn’t constitutional. I understand that b/c as American citizens, this is the law for our country, so it should definitely be taken into consideration.

And if you’re an American first, and a Christian second, then here’s the approach you should take:

You should study the Constitution and quote Articles and Sections from itYou should interpret the world around you through the pages of the ConstitutionYou should figure out what the Constitution says and do your best to hold to it

But…

If you’re a Christian first, and an American second:

You should be thankful for your American citizenship…You should be thankful for the Constitution

But:

You’re more thankful for your citizenship in heavenYou’re more thankful for the Word of God

So you take this approach:

You study the Bible and quote chapters and verses of itYou interpret the world around you through the pages of the BibleYou figure out what the Bible says and do your best to hold to it

As wonderful of a document as the Constitution is – and I do think it’s wonderful – I would like to think that the people I pastor would say even the Constitution is NOT the final authority for them…even on government.

Since Romans 13:1 says all authority comes from God, we should answer our questions about the government’s authority by looking to Scripture:

Scripture defines the government’s role for usScripture defines the range and limitations of the government’s authority

In other words, we can look to Scripture to see what the government should and shouldn’t do.

With that in mind, look down at verse 4…

Romans 13:4 for he (this is the government) is God’s servant for your good.

God established government b/c:

We’re sinful…We can’t govern ourselves…Without human government:We’d have anarchy and lawlessnessWe’d have Lord of the Flies

Therefore, government is for our good.

But let me point out the obvious, nagging argument…

Sometimes governments do not act for [our] good:

Sometimes governments act for their own goodSometimes governments act absolutely wickedly

We could have an entire sermon – or sermon series – on all the evils governments have done.

So the question is…

How do we know when the government is acting for good…or acting for evil?

Based on our lesson, we interpret the government’s actions through the pages of Scripture.

And here’s the question we’re all wrestling with…

Is the quarantine for our good?

Let’s look at Scripture to see.

Please turn to Leviticus 13…third book of the Bible…Gen, Exo, Lev.

These first verses are about infected people…

Leviticus 13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests,

Although many of your Bibles say leprous disease there’s an asterisk, b/c it’s referring to anything infectious or contagious.

Leviticus 13:3 and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean.

There’s no question that these people were infected.

Then:

They were isolated, or quarantined, and kept outside the campThey were kept away from the religious life of the nation.

Interestingly, this has similarities w/ our current situation:

We’re isolated from our brothers and sisters in ChristWith the church doors closed, we feel kept away from our religious lives

Let me address a common argument I’ve heard, and I want to say very clearly, that I think it’s reasonable…

“We should open the church doors b/c we have faith. By keeping the church doors closed, we’re being fearful, and faithless.”

These verses reveal the wisdom God wants applied…and this brings us to the next part of Lesson 3…

Lesson 3: we must (part 2) balance faith and wisdom.

Here’s what I mean…

Imagine parents who say, “We let our children play in the road, b/c we have faith God will protect them.”We wouldn’t say these parents have faith.We would say they’re foolish.Imagine people who say, “I don’t lock my doors at night, b/c I have faith God will protect me.”We wouldn’t say these people have faith.We’d say they’re foolish.Imagine people who say, “I need a job, but I just sit at home instead of looking for one, b/c I have faith God will provide one.”We wouldn’t say these people have faith.We would say they’re foolish…and lazy.

The point is…

It’s not just an issue of having faith versus lacking faith. It’s also an issue of being wise versus being foolish.

And as Christians, we should always choose the path of faith AND wisdom…and that’s what God demonstrates in these verses in Leviticus.

Notice He didn’t tell His people:

“You should keep the infected people in your midst and have faith that I’ll protect you.”“If you remove the infected people you’re acting in fear, and I’ve told you not to fear.”“If you trust Me, you won’t be afraid of getting infected…and if you get infected, simply trust that was my will.”

Instead, God wanted them to apply wisdom to the situation and take certain steps.

This is why…

In some parts of the nation when the weather gets particularly bad b/c of snowstorms or icy roads:

Churches close their doorsAnd even if the church is left open, some people decide to stay home

I don’t condemn these churches or people:

I don’t say, “They’re disobeying God. They’re fearful and lacking faith.”Instead, this is what the path of faith and wisdom looks like for them.

Similarly, some people in our church have said that if the government allowed us to open our doors, they would still watch the live stream at home and return at a later time.

As much as I would love to have these people at church, I wouldn’t condemn them and say, “They’re fearful and lacking faith.” Instead, this is what the path of faith and wisdom looks like for them.

Think about this…

Leviticus contains some commands for radical cleansing that were very difficult to obey…such as tearing down people’s homes!

Old and New Testament saints had had to embrace these commands by faith, b/c they had no knowledge of bacteria, viruses, and germs…and that was the case for millenniums until the invention of the microscope.

But when – by faith – they applied the wisdom from these commands, they benefited.

For example…

The Black Plague, also known as the Bubonic Plague, peaked around 1350, and killed up to 200 million people.

The Jews in Europe followed the cleansing commands in Leviticus. They:

Washed away germs…before they understood germsPracticed sanitationDestroyed clothing and itemsAnd practiced the quarantine commands that we’re reading about

By faith, they applied the wisdom in God’s Word…and they didn’t experience the same suffering, sickness, and death as the rest of the population.

Now here’s where this gets very interesting…

The main argument against the government’s actions sounds like this…

“The government is quarantining healthy people, but God only wanted sick people quarantined.”

The problem is, that’s not true.

Notice the first word of verse 4 is the word But – which is a word of contrast – b/c we’re moving from discussing infected people to discussing people who might be infected…or might not be healthy.

Look at verse 4…

Leviticus 13:4 But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears no deeper than the skin (which simply means someone has a mark that might be something or it might be nothing…it might be leprosy or it might just be a mark), and the hair in it has not turned white (which means they DON’T have the common sign of leprosy), the priest shall shut up the diseased person (it says diseased but it simply means the person w/ the mark) for seven days (even though there might not be anything wrong w/ them). 5 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up FOR ANOTHER SEVEN DAYS (poor guy is going on his 14th day of quarantine when there might not be anything wrong w/ him !). 6 And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day (or the seventh day of the second seven week of quarantine, or the 14th day), and if the diseased area has faded and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean (and then he can finally return to the people).

This is important…

These people were quarantined when there was only the possibility that they were infected…they could’ve been completely healthy…but they’re quarantined anyway.

I know some of you have John MacArthur Study Bibles. Let me read what he wrote on verse 2, and I could read plenty of other commentaries saying something similar…

“The symptoms described in verses 2, 6, 10, 18, 30 and 39 are not sufficient for a diagnosis of the clinical condition. For the protection of the people, observation and isolation were demanded for all SUSPECTED cases of what could be a contagious disease.”

In other words, if there was suspicion, or potential for infection, they were quarantined – even if they were healthy – b/c according to God, it’s better to error on the side of caution – or wisdom – than to allow an entire nation to become infected.

And this brings us to Lesson 4…

Lesson 4: quarantining the healthy occurred in scripture.

The White House put together their Coronavirus Task Force. I jokingly told Katie we could’ve saved a lot of time and money if the president would’ve had a Bible study on Leviticus 13-15.

It’s nice to see the recommendations the Task Force made to flatten the curve, but God said the same things to His people 3,500 year ago.

Some Christians are objecting to the quarantine, b/c they believe only those w/ confirmed infections should be quarantined. But:

That’s not the case in Scripture.That’s not the wisdom God shared w/ His people

Please hear me when I say this…

God gave Israel’s leaders the authority to quarantine based on suspicion and concern, and when I see God give Israel’s leaders the authority to do something I’m not going to object to our leaders doing something similar.

I understand this isn’t a perfect correlation…

You might be saying, “Okay, Pastor Scott it might be reasonable to put people outside the camp, but we’re all being put outside the camp, b/c we’re all being quarantined.”

I get it, but b/c of the circumstances, I don’t see a way around it:

Israel could look for skin diseases on peopleWe can’t look for the Coronavirus, b/c people can be infected and show no symptoms…but still infect others

Consider this verse…

Psalm 91:6 The pestilence that stalks in darkness.

This is a fitting way to describe the Coronavirus. It spreads invisibly and silently.

I know this is hard for people to hear, and I will be the first person to say it’s hard for understandable reasons…

Our government has a history of…

Overstepping their boundariesIntruding into the jurisdiction of the family and the church

So I understand why there’s suspicion when the government imposes on our freedom…and this quarantine has affected our freedom more than anything we’ve ever seen before.

But I also understand that we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to evaluate every situation according to its own merits…and as we look at this situation biblically, we see the quarantine having biblical support.

We might disagree w/:

The quarantine’s effectiveness…Whether it should be lifted…Whether it’s become worse than the virus itself

But we can’t argue that there’s no biblical precedent.

Now please hear me when I say this…

If I’m going to draw a line in the sand and tell my church:

“We will not do this. The government is way out of line.”I’m going to do that with:Murdering babiesDestroying biblical marriageAccumulating trillions in debtCreating a welfare start…Stealing from people through socialism…

All things the Bible condemns.

But I’m not going to do that w/ something – like the quarantine – that looks so much like something God told His people to do in the Old Testament.

And why is that?

Since:

Romans 13:2 says Whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.And since submission to government is commanded so clearly in Romans 13, 1 Peter  2, and Titus 3…

It is a very serious thing to lead the church to disobey the government, and I’m only going to do that when there’s clear conflict w/ God’s Word.

Now I need to address something else…

Jeff Durbin is the pastor of Apologia Church. I highly doubt that Jeff knows who I am, but I know who he is:

I have been blessed by his ministryI love watching his street evangelismI have been challenged – and convicted – by all he’s done to fight against the murder of babies…and recognize I would do well to follow his example

He preached a popular message titled, “Sermon to the Governor of Arizona.”

Considering he’s preaching that we should do the opposite of what I’m preaching, I feel obligated to share a few points…

He said…

“We will submit to civil government when it agrees w/ God’s Word. We will disobey civil government when it conflicts w/ God’s Word.”

I agree w/ this statement.

But when the civil government is telling us to do something that’s very similar to what God told Israel’s leaders to do, that’s not conflicting w/ God’s Word…that’s agreeing w/ it.

Last week and this week I said we submit to authority unless we’re called to sin, and I’m not going to say our government is telling us to sin when there’s precedent for their actions in Scripture.

Jeff also said…

“If you read your Bible just a little bit you’d know all the heroes in the Bible resisted authority.”

This is completely untrue.

Next week we’ll look at a few of the accounts that demonstrate godly people in Scripture typically appealed to authority – versus resisted – which is what led us – as elders – to want to appeal.

I don’t have time to discuss everything Jeff said, but if I was going to summarize his message in a sentence it would be this…

“I am not going to submit, b/c I disagree.”

Here’s the big problem w/ this argument…

Submission is in place entirely for when we don’t agree. If we agreed we wouldn’t have to submit.

So the question isn’t, “Do we agree w/ the government.” The question is…

“Is the government telling us to sin?”

I would say, “No.” Then we’re expected to submit.

Now let me share something else…

Because of some of the things we’ve discussed, such as:

Governments overstepping their bounds…Governments doing evil things…

I understand people saying:

I have trouble submitting to the government, b/c I don’t trust them.It would be easier for me to submit to the government if I could trust them.I do trust God…I just don’t trust the government.

But this is what I’d say…

We’re never expected to submit to people b/c we trust them. We’re expected to submit b/c we trust God…and this brings us to Lesson 5…

Lesson 5: we submit because we trust god.

I hope this sermon and last Sunday’s sermon conclude w/ two important points about submission:

Last week I said when we submit, we’re submitting to God, since He’s the One who commands us to submit.This week I’m saying when we submit, we’re submitting b/c we trust God, since He’s the One who commands us to submit

Let me give you some verses that make this point…

When Peter wrote about Jesus’ submission in 1 Peter 2, he said Jesus sets an example for us…and part of His example in submission was trusting God…

1 Peter  2:21 For TO THIS YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED, because Christ also suffered for you, LEAVING YOU AN EXAMPLE, so that you might FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued ENTRUSTING HIMSELF TO HIM WHO JUDGES JUSTLY (referring to His Father).

So Jesus set an example for us in His submission, and how was He able to submit?

By trusting His Father.

One chapter later, Peter discusses wives submitting to their husbands, and listen to what he says…

1 Peter 3:5 (NKJV) For in this manner, in former times, the holy women WHO TRUSTED IN GOD also adorned themselves, BEING SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS, 

Why did these holy women submit to their husbands?

Because they trusted their husbands?Because their husbands were perfect?

No, b/c they trusted God.

So let me be perfectly clear…

I’m not telling you to submit to the government by I trust themI’m telling you to submit to the government b/c you trust God…and b/c the government isn’t telling us to sin…they’re telling us to do something that looks like God told His people to do

And let me be clear about something else…

I don’t have any illusions about how these sermons sound to some…

I know what would sound heroic, faith-filled, and courageous is something like this: “Let’s defy the government. Let’s throw open the doors of our church. Who do they think they are?”I know the sermons I’m preaching sound cowardly, and faithless to some: “Submit to government, if you resist the government you’re resisting God.”

My point in sharing this is two-fold…

First, I want you to know I don’t like what I’m preaching. I don’t want anyone saying, “Pastor Scott says all this, b/c he loves our government.”

I’ve never preached any sermons in my life that I dreaded more than these. I know this isn’t popular. Every Sunday it’s like, “How many people are going to be upset this week?”

I’m not complaining. I’m just being honest.

The other reason I share this is simply to point out that…

I must trust God too, not just regarding submitting to authority, but regarding preaching the sermons that command us to submit to authority.

Let me close w/ this, which encourages me, and hopefully encourages you too…

1 Peter 2:23 says Jesus [entrusted] Himself to Him who judges justly.

The word for entrusted means, “to give into the hands of another.”

It’s the same word used in John 19:16 when it says [Pilate] delivered [Jesus] over to [the Jews] to be crucified….or put Him in their hands.

The word for delivered is the same word for entrusted.

The point is, just like Pilate put Jesus’ in the Jews’ hands, at the same time, Jesus was putting Himself in His Father’s hands.

Let’s let this be an example…

My encouragement for each of you – and for myself – is this…

Submit by putting yourself in the Father’s hands.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Let’s pray.

Learn to Trust God and Walk by Faith – Legacy by Design Interview

Christina Mangino interviews Pastor Scott LaPierre for the Legacy by Design show to help listeners learn to trust God and walk by faith.

Receive a FREE copy of Scott’s book,  Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .Visit Scott’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.





Christina Mangino interviews Pastor Scott LaPierre for the Legacy by Design show to help listeners learn to trust God and walk by faith.

Enjoy work, rest, and family as God intended. As a pastor, husband, and blessed father of eight, Scott LaPierre shares his wisdom of what successful marriages and families do differently: they walk by faith, trust God and do what He says.

When we think of walking by faith, our minds probably go to missionaries going overseas to serve in Third World countries or taking on some ministry that terrifies us. But in our day-to-day lives trusting God simply means putting our lives in his hands, letting him lead the way, and trusting that he is bringing about best end as we strive to be faithful. A good approach to the Christian life on this side of heaven is going through each day doing the things God wants us to do while trusting him to pick up the tab.

Pastor Scott shares some examples from his life about when God opened and closed doors for him to direct his steps. But he still had to go through those doors, which means he had to trust God and walk by faith. He didn’t know what was on the other side or how things would go for him in the future.

Pastor Scott explains that part of leading your family is leading them to do things they don’t want to do. Legacy by Design Do you desire a deeper relationship with your family? Make an intention to connect and just be together. You can only leave a legacy you’re LIVING.

Connecting families,
Christina Mangino

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This post is taken from my book, Work and Rest God’s Way, and the accompanying Family Guide. Get your copy today!

The Importance of Family Worship – Deuteronomy 6:7 You Shall Teach Them Diligently to Your Children

The importance of family worship is in the Old and New Testaments. Since families are at home together because of the Coronavirus, Pastor Scott recorded his family worship, modeling for other families what they can easily do too. The video includes them coming together at the table, singing worship songs, reading the Bible together, and praying for some requests.

You can jump to 5:50 if you want to see when we actually begin, but he left the first few minutes because he wanted it to be real. You can see how messy and loud the LaPierre family home is, even minutes before (and then during) family worship.

The importance of family worship is in the Old and New Testaments. Pastor Scott recorded his family worship, modeling for other families.



I discuss the importance of family worship at Marriage God’s Way Conferences. Have a Marriage God’s Way Conference in the privacy of your own home. Download and print the handout that’s given to attendees.Receive a FREE copy of my book,  Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .Visit my speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.



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The material from this post is taken from my book, Marriage God’s Way, and the discussion questions from the accompanying workbook. Get your copies today!

Table of ContentsNotes for the Importance of Family WorshipDeuteronomy 6:7a You shall teach them diligently to your children,Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.Genesis 18:19 (God said), “I have chosen him, that he may (direct) his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”Deuteronomy 6:7b and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.Deuteronomy 6:8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.Deuteronomy 6:9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.



Notes for the Importance of Family Worship

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The question isn’t, “Is God doing something good through this season of lockdown?” The question is, “What is the good God is doing through the Coronavirus?”

What do you think?

In a recent sermon I shared that we’re the busiest people. We work more hours per week than any other nation. This makes it harder for families to spend time together.

God has dramatically slowed us down, and put us together.

We had a ministerial it our church yesterday and two pastors observed how this can be a wonderful blessing.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics the average number of hours in a public school day is 6.64, and this doesn’t include the time spent walking, driving, or riding the bus to and from school. The average number of school days per year is 180, which adds up to a little under 1,200 hours per year. This means by the time public school students graduate high school they have spent over 15,500 hours away from their parents.

How are we using this time?

We’re jumping into the Book of Deuteronomy. Who wants to tell me what this book is about?

Deuteronomy 6:1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Where had these commands been written?

Deuteronomy 6:7a You shall teach them diligently to your children,

When it says You, who is it referring to?

The “You” is parents.

While I think some people might think the church is responsible with teaching children spiritually, God’s Word puts that responsibility on the parents’ shoulders.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

This verse is interesting because understandably with fathers working, mothers perform most of the teaching; therefore, how do we obey this verse? While mothers might deal with much of the day-to-day academics, it seems much of the (spiritual) training and admonition rests on the father’s shoulders.

I don’t get to sit back and say:

Mommy will do itShe has it under controlWhatever you need to learn about the Bible you can learn from herI’m too busy working to worry about teaching my children.



Genesis 18:19 (God said), “I have chosen him, that he may (direct) his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

This is exactly what God could say to every father: He has chosen (us) as fathers. He wants us to direct our children and our households that we may keep them in the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice.

Deuteronomy 6:7b and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

And this teaching is supposed to go on all the time, when you:

Sit in your house…Walk by the way…Lie down…Rise up. 

When I taught elementary school as soon as the bell rang I sent students home for the day, but as homeschooling parents educating is never done. God wants us teaching and discipling our children around the clock, every day, all day.

When I was an officer in the Army they told us, “You always have to have a hip-pocket teaching available.” Our uniforms had large pockets on our hips, and the idea is we had to have a teaching we could pull out at any moment to share with the soldiers.

So Mommy and I are supposed to look for teachable moments throughout the day.

What are some Bible topics that come up throughout the day for us to teach on w/ you?

Forgiveness, generosity, service, joy, appreciating God’s creation, etc.

As our children encounter day-to-day situations, we want to regularly say:

What does the Bible say about this?What does God’s Word tell us about this situation?How should Scripture direct our thinking regarding this decision?

You can tell that for Christian families, God expects the Word to be at the center.

When I used to be really into fitness, there was a big debate about cardio and the best time for it to take place. I think most people would say the most important thing is that it takes place.

The same w/ family worship.

While I might prepare messages in the future, for this study I deliberately didn’t prepare a message, b/c I wanted it to resemble our family worship as much as possible.

One good thing w/ the Coronavirus is it’s allowed many families to be together for parents to do this!

Deuteronomy 6:8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

The Jews took this literally. By Jesus’ day they made boxes for the verses called phylacteries.

I don’t take this literally, but I do think it means God’s Word should be always before us.

Deuteronomy 6:9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

And God’s Word should be around our homes. Hopefully we’re always seeing it.

When I taught elementary school, I found the teachers I worked with to be hardworking, and genuinely concerned about their students. They taught their students important academics, and they’re moral people who also taught an amount of character. In classrooms across the nation students learn important subjects like math, reading, writing, science, etc. as well as important morals: do not lie, cheat, steal, be kind, etc.

So what homeschooling parents need to consider is if we don’t move beyond teaching our children academics and morality, we’re not moving beyond anything public schools teach.

We need to make sure we’re teaching the Word of God and preaching the Gospel to you.

Practical application…

For husbands:One of the men in our church taught at one of our men’s breakfasts that we make two mistakes w/ family worship: we think too little or too much of it.Don’t have to prepare a sermon for it: the right balance, something you’re familiar with, but you don’t need to prepare a sermonThe power is in God’s Word to sanctify and cleanse your families For wives:Support, encourage, and respect your husbandYour husband doesn’t get to study God’s Word for a livingKatie does a great job supporting me w/ the kids and arranging her scheduleFor children:Be attentiveAsk questionsThank your father

While I choose portions of Scripture for our family Bible studies that I’m familiar with, I don’t develop in entire message.

Five Wonderful Examples of God’s Compassion

James 5:11 says, “You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” The Bible contains several accounts that depict God’s compassion and mercy… 1. Manasseh, King of Judah The wickedest king in the Old Testament. It seemed like there was no […]

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Communication in Marriage-God’s Way

What does it mean to, “communicate in marriage, God’s way?” What does it truly, and deeply mean? Why does communication in marriage matter? How does communicating in marriage, in the way God, the creator of all intended, solve many communication problems in marriage? If getting the answers to any of those questions to appeal to […]

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How to Talk With Your Kids About Drugs and Alcohol Using a Religious Perspective

There will come a time as a parent when you will have to talk to your children about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. You might wonder how to approach this subject if you’re living in a religious household. But there are tips for talking with your kids about substance abuse that use religious […]

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Is Work a Blessing or a Curse?

Most of us probably feel like we could have a good argument with ourselves about whether work is a blessing or a curse. Bob Black, an American anarchist and author, wrote in his essay, The Abolition of Work: No one should ever work. Work is the source of nearly all the misery in the world. […]

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