I
have often stated that the rules in the New Testament have been given
by Jesus directly or through the early church Apostles and prophets.
We
learn God’s will for many situations by
B1 What we must do
B2 What we must NOT do
B3 Principles on what we we must do
B4 Principles on what we must NOT do
B5 Examples of success and God’s blessing are what we are to do
B6 Examples of failure and God’s disapproval are what we are NOT to
do
Some
examples of failure and God’s disapproval are what we are NOT to do
B1 People influenced by money
C1 Balaam
D1 His story Numbers 22-24
D2 The result: Joshua 13:22 NIV In addition to those slain in
battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who
practiced divination.
D3 The warning
E1 2 Peter 2:15 NIV They have left the straight way and wandered
off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of
wickedness.
E2 Revelation 2:14 NIV Nevertheless, I have a few things against
you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who
taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food
sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
D4 A comment. God told Balaam not to go, not to curse them, and not
to take money from them, but Balaam did anyway. God refused to let
Balaam curse Israel. Balaam, evidently, so covetous for money,
instructed Balac to entice Israel with forbidden food and sex. He was
slain in battle and is given as an example of what not to do.
C2 Judas
D1 His story is in the Gospels. He spent 3+ years following the Lord
Jesus, seeing what Jesus did, and hearing what Jesus taught.
D2 Influenced by money. John 12:3-6 NIV Then Mary took about a
pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet
and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot,
who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this
perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's
wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to
help himself to what was put into it.
D3 The result: Acts 1:16-19 NIV and said, "Brothers and
sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit
spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide
for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared
in our ministry." 18 (With the payment he received for his
wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body
burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in
Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their
language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
C3 Ananias and Sapphira
D1 Their story and greed: Acts 5:1-2 NIV Now a man named Ananias,
together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2
With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for
himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
D2 The result: Acts 5:5, 9-10 NIV When Ananias heard this, he fell
down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
... 9 Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the
Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your
husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." 10
At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men
came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside
her husband.
D3 The warning: Acts 5:3-4 NIV Then Peter said, "Ananias, how
is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the
Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received
for the land? 4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after
it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think
of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to
God.
D4 A comment. They coveted, they lied, and they stole (they had
promised to give all the money). The motive evidently was to gain
admiration.
C4 Simon the Great
D1 His story is in Acts 8.
D2 His sin: Acts 8:17-19 NIV Then Peter and John placed their
hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw
that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he
offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so
that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.
D3 The result: Acts 8:20-24 NIV Peter answered: "May your
money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of
God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry,
because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you
for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are
full of bitterness and captive to sin." 24 Then Simon answered,
"Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may
happen to me.
B2 People influenced by sex
C1 Solomon
D1 The start of his reign:
E1 His story begins with his love for God: 1 Kings 3:3 NIV Solomon
showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions
given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and
burned incense on the high places.
E2 What he should have continued in: 1 Kings 3:5, 9-12 NIV At
Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and
God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." ... 9
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to
distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this
great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had
asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for
this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for
the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering
justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and
discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you,
nor will there ever be.
D2 The towards the end of his reign:
E1 His love for sex and women: 1 Kings 11:1-2 NIV King Solomon,
however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's
daughter--Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2
They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites,
"You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely
turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held
fast to them in love.
E2 1 Kings 11:4-6, 9 NIV As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his
heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the
LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He
followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the
detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of
the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father
had done. ... 9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart
had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to
him twice.
C2 David
D1 His general character:
E1 1 Samuel 13:14 NIV But now your kingdom will not endure; the
LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler
of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."
E2 Acts 13:22 NIV After removing Saul, he made David their king.
God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man
after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'
D2 His sin:
E1 His lust arises. He knows she is married: 2 Samuel 11:2-3 WEB And
it came to pass in an evening, that David arose from off his bed, and
walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a
woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not
this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the
Hittite?
E2 He rapes Bathsheba: 2 Samuel 11:4
WEB And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came
in to him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her
uncleanness: and she returned to her house.
E3 Sin has many consequences:
F1 She becomes pregnant: 2 Samuel
11:5 NLT Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was
pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, "I'm pregnant."
F2 He tries to cover up his sin by
ordering her husband murdered: 2 Samuel 11:15, 17 NLT The
letter instructed Joab, "Station Uriah on the front lines where
the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed."
... 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight,
Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite
soldiers.
F3 God knows and sends a prophet to
confront David: 2 Samuel 12:7-9 NLT Then Nathan said to
David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I
anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I
gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel
and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you
much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD
and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite
with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
F4 God punishes: 2 Samuel 12:10-12,
14 NLT From this time on, your family will live by the
sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your
own. 11 "This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have
done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will
give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go
to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will
make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel." ...
14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD
by doing this, your child will die."
D3 Today we know the principle: James 1:14-15 NLT Temptation comes
from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These
desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to
grow, it gives birth to death.
D4 Thankfully, David repented, that is, confessed his sin and never
did anything like this again. Psalm 51 and 2 Samuel 12:13 NLT Then
David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you
won't die for this sin.
C3 Jezebel (the New Testament person)
D1 Her position is prophetess.
D2 Her sin was in her teaching and action: Revelation 2:20 NLT But
I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that
Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead
my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat
food offered to idols.
D3 Her punishment and the consequences of sin: Revelation 2:21-23 NLT
I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from
her immorality. 22 "Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of
suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly
unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. 23 I will
strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am
the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person.
And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.
We
have principles of what we must not do. We must not let money and
physical pleasures influence our actions and cause us to sin.
Jude
1:24-25 NLT Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from
falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious
presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is
God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty,
power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and
beyond all time! Amen.
