Dan. 9:3-4; Jer. 25:8-14, Meeting the Present Crisis (4)

2)    The prayer, 9:3-19.

a)    The attitude of Daniel, v3-4a.

i)      First, Daniel turned his attention to God. This is what Solomon said would be necessary if they were to get out of their captivity: if they take thought in the land (1 Ki 8:47).

ii)   Then, Daniel did what was common when the praying was in a time of crisis: he fasted and put on sackcloth and ashes.  These are the signs of deep humility and sorrow or grief.  Think about this for a moment.  God is not “tricked” by our external appearance; He knows the heart.  So why do this?  It is for Daniel’s own sake, to affirm his own attitude. 

(1)                        This was common among exiles.  We see it in Daniel again in Daniel 10:2-3.  Mordecai did this when he heard of the plan of wicked Haman (that was certainly a “crisis”) and then Esther also fasted (4:1-3,16).  When returning from the captivity and desiring God’s protection Ezra called for a time of fasting (Ezra 8:21). Then, when he was made aware of the sinful marriages of God’s people, Ezra made a similar demonstration (Ezra 9:3-6) and again when he was ready to lead the people in repenting of this sin (Ezra 10:6).  Nehemiah, when he was told of the sad shape of Jerusalem, the “City of God,” “the Holy City,” also made a demonstration of humility and grief (Neh. 1:4), which was noticed by the king (Neh. 2:2).

(2)                        Appl: This is appropriate for believers today.  Jesus indicated this, saying that the time would come when His followers would engage in this serious type of praying (Matt 9:14-15).  The leaders of the Church at Antioch were doing this when God spoke to them to set apart Paul and Barnabas for their special ministry (Acts 13:1ff).  James sees this deep humility as proper in the context of our submission to God and drawing near to Him (James 4:7-10). 

iii)            The character of God, v4b. 

(1)                        At the same time Daniel was aware of his own need for God, he also set his focus on his God.  Every great prayer is high on praise for God.  And in my view, typically, prayer begins with praise.  But in the great prayers of Scripture, including this one by Daniel, they BEGIN with, are obsessed with, & END w/adoration!

(2)                        Remember that, as Solomon directed, Daniel is CONFESSING & REQUESTING.  He is not just coming to God for help.  He is making clear that the “crisis” was ultimately the result of the sin of God’s people.  With that in mind, see what Daniel remembers about God.

(i)   His greatness. v4. Two terms, “great and awesome.”  “Great” is all over the Old Testament.  In other, you can think of God as big, higher, longer, louder, more powerful, and so forth.  “Awesome” means He is to be feared.  We must come to grips with this.  We like to say, “I’m not afraid of God but I respect Him.”  I am pretty sure our definition of “respect” is lacking.  The reason is probably that we don’t have must of this in our society.  We are so set on our “rights” that we don’t see anyone as being so great that our hearts tremble in their presence.  No one has a “right” to cause us to fear that way.  Remember!  We are listening to Daniel, famous in his own time (Ezek. 14:20; 28:3) for his righteousness.  He was a great man.  But he knew God as “awesome,” to be feared.  Like Adam, who when he sinned, was afraid and hid.  Daniel knew himself and his nation to be sinners. 

There is so much more to say.  Lest you think you can never know God as Daniel knew God, let us remind ourselves that we have the Incarnate Son of God to gaze upon.  Daniel never had that.  By God’s grace and His Spirit you can know God and you can grow in that knowledge day by day.

Dan. 9:1-2; 1 Ki. 8:46-53, Meeting the Present Crisis (3)

Now, let us consider Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9.

1)    The setting, 9:1-2.

a)    1st year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent. 

i)      In other words, it was the first year of Persian rule.  The Medes/Persians replaced the Babylonians as the major power in the Middle East, having a kingdom that stretched as far east as India.

ii)   This “Darius” was the same king who threw Dan in lion's den. 

iii)            The year was 539-8BC.

iv) Darius a co-ruler of Cyrus ... "made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans".

v)    By our definition, this time would be considered a “crisis.”  From the online American Heritage Dictionary here is the first definition of “crisis:” A crucial or decisive point or situation, especially a difficult or unstable situation involving an impending change.  The end of the Babylonian rulers (recorded in Dan. 5, the feast of Belshazzar and the handwriting on the wall) brought in a new government.  Daniel had proven himself so as to rise to significant heights in the Babylonian government.  Now, what would the new government do with him?  We’re not saying Daniel was worried, just that this situation fits the definition of a “crisis.”

b)    The 70 years captivity is coming to an end.

i)      First carrying-away: 606BC.  If Daniel’s prayer and the change in government comes in 539-8 BC then it’s just 2 years (536BC) until the seventy years would be completed.  This is a critical aspect of the setting of this prayer.

ii)   What this means is that Daniel is moved to prayer by the results of his study of God's Word!  He read the prophet Jeremiah (25:11-12; 29:10).  He believed the word of God! 

(1)                        Application: People are generally moved to prayer by their need.  Daniel certainly was in a time of need, but what moved him to pray was the knowledge of God's will.  The Proverbs says, One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination (28:9).  Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). 

(2)                        Application: Daniel did not waste time praying for release from captivity when he knew it was NOT God's will. 

(a) Do you see the relationship of God's Sovereignty & man's responsibility?  Daniel prayed for what is promised. 

(b)            Are God's promises only good if we pray? What is the purpose of this prayer if God will do it anyway?  

(i)   Daniel is doing what Solomon said they were to do if and when they were in captivity.  They were to pray towards the temple (cf. Dan. 6:10; Daniel regularly did this), confessing their sins (repenting).  Then Solomon asked the LORD to hear this prayer and answer it, which the LORD said He would do (1 Ki. 9:3).

(ii)                        So Daniel is just following Solomon.  The fact that the time was drawing near might have encouraged Daniel as he realized the people in captivity needed to acknowledge their sins which had put them in their difficult situation.

Prayer must … there is no overstating this fact …must take place in the context of God’s word.  One book belongs in our “prayer closet” and that book is the Bible. 

1 John 2:15-27, Meeting the Present Crisis (2)

In the previous post we recorded some thoughts from my father, shared during WWII and the Korean conflict.  I shared those same thoughts with my church family in September of 2002, the Sunday before the one-year anniversary of  911, the hijacking of four commercial airliners, destruction of the Twin Towers in NYC, damaging of the Pentagon in Washington DC, and the loss of thousands of lives in those airplanes and buildings.  I want to share my thoughts, shared at the outset of a sermon that day, on the same prayer of Daniel in Dan. 9.

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1)    The present crisis:

a)    We are about to go to war against Iraq - maybe.

b)    Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear of some plot or the arrest of some terrorists, reminding us that terrible things may still be possible.

c)    This week we will see pictures again of 911.  We'll be reminded of tragedy as well as heroism.

d)    We've been at war for nearly a year now; and while a regime change has taken place in Afghanistan, that regime is a bit wobbly.

e)    Further the danger and fear of terrorism has not ceased. We're not sure that the major perpetrators have been brought to justice.  And it is evident that if they were, many more are there to take their places.

2)    What can be done so we can walk the streets safely w/o fear of nuclear or biological attacks?

a)    Some think a diplomatic answer is best.

b)    Others an isolationist answer.

c)    Most think it military.  But be honest, what does the removal of one dictator mean, for sure?  Can you really tell? No.

3)    We too believe...

a)    The problem is spiritual.  But …

i)      To simply say the problem is Muslims is to fail to recognize their need of the gospel.

ii)   To simply say the problem is Israel is to fail to recognize their need of the gospel & the true Christ.

iii)            To blame others is to fail to recognize our own sins, "a weakening of the consciousness of sin."

b)    The answer is found in prayer by God's people.

i)      Starting in Colossians (I had been teaching from Paul’s letter at the time): prayer is an essential element for those who are alive in Christ.  In Col. 4 Paul seeks prayer, and commends Epaphroditus who wrestles for them in prayer.

ii)   Further, here are some illustrations from several men of Israel alive during the times of the Gentiles.

(1)                        Daniel:

(a) Prayed daily and was honored by God.

(b)            Prayed for Israel restoration and was answered.

(2)                        Nehemiah:

(a) Prayed about Jerusalem's poor condition.

(b)            Prayed for an opening before the king.

(c) Prayed for unity in Israel to rebuild the walls.

(d)            Prayed for protection from Israel's enemies.

(e) ALL PRAYERS ANSWERED.

(3)                        Ezra:

(a) Prayed for safety in travel (would not ask for an armed escort bec. he had witnessed of God's greatness.) God answered!

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Before we look at Daniel’s prayer, I want to mention something I saw in comparing the two sermon introductions, my fathers and mine.  I notice that he didn’t share any illustrations of the crisis from the daily newspaper but I did.  I wonder why?  Perhaps it was because he knew that the newspapers were not the inerrant word of God.  Their perspectives and their choice of stories to share came from people steeped in the wisdom of this world.  Surely we must understand, that one of the goals of the media is to stir up people’s fears so they will want to spend more time listening to the media.  It serves their purpose.  And at the same time, they are promoting a perspective of current events that is part of the world system.  John’s description of the world fits the media as well as every other part of society: it's the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.  Something to think about!

1 Samuel 30:1-8, Meeting the Present Crisis (1)

The following was taken from the introduction of one of my father’s sermons on Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9.  He preached this sermon twice, using the introduction each time, once during World War II and again during the Korean conflict.  In the midst of those crisis this was his perspective, the perspective of a man who in my view walked closely with God.

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Today we face a crisis just as great, if not greater, than the one faced by Daniel.  This crisis is not national defense, it is not unemployment, it is not political.  It is a spiritual crisis.

What constitutes this crisis?

·       A weakening of the consciousness of sin.  This is true of both the church and the world.

·       The indifference to the claims of Christ and His cause on the part of vast numbers of church members.  It is difficult to enlist very many in real Christian service.  The terms "self-denial" and "sacrifice" are meaningless to a vast majority of church members.

·       A lowering of moral standards.

·       A dearth of passion for souls.  We don't think of people in terms of their eternal destiny.

·       Loss of positive faith in the essential truths of Christianity.

How is this crisis met?  The same way Daniel met his crisis: by prayer!

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I quoted this at the beginning of my sermon September 11, 2002, one year after the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City.  I plan to give you that introduction in the next post.  But for now, I want to be sure that we understand that my father’s solution to “the present crisis” was not simplistic or mere platitudes.  A study of the Old Testament bears out the truth that the first act in a time of crisis is to seek the LORD.  In those years of running from Saul and then in establishing the kingdom, David’s first response to a crisis was to “inquire of the LORD.”  Today’s reading gives you an example of this.  Other great Davidic Kings did the same: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah.  Each of these kings also had their failures when they sought to meet crises by compromising alliances.  But they also showed the importance of first seek the LORD.  Do you remember Jehoshaphat’s prayer, “we don’t know what to do but our eyes are on You?”  Or the time, after the wicked King Ahab had heard all his idolatrous prophets tell him to go to war, that Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD from whom we may inquire?”  How about Hezekiah, taking the letter from the Assyrian king and laying it out in the temple as he sought the LORD about the imminent danger? 

I am writing this because many people consider that we are in a time of crisis in the United States.  Furthermore, I am around people who are facing trials that they consider to be monumental crisis.  In each situation, national or personal, we believe God’s people need to be before the LORD.  But too often the solution for Bible-believing Christians seems to be military or political. 

Psalm 119:97-104 Mem: Walk in the Word of God, not according to man’s path.

This stanza begins with the words of one who is seeing Scripture at work in his life in very real ways.  “Oh, how I love Your law!”  I have felt that myself; I have seen it in believers young and old.  When the light comes on, the direction they seek is found, or the path is made clear, there is a deep joy in the heart that cries out, “I love this Book!”

The joy of the Psalmist centers around the clarity he finds in Scripture as opposed to the confusion he finds elsewhere.  God’s people know there are two ways: truth and falsehood (v104), good and evil (v101).  His enemies, his teachers, and the ancients (v98-100) are those whose wisdom is always lacking. 

Rather than following them and going astray the Psalmist has kept his feet from their way (v101).  He has not departed from God’s judgments (v102).  In fact, as strongly as he loves God’s law, with the same intensity he hates every false way (v104).  He has found the word of God to be completely satisfying (v103)

We should consider this ourselves.  The world’s teachers can be quite intimidating to be sure, given their status and power.  After all, the evil and false way is the way of destruction, Broadway Avenue on which most of our acquaintances travel (Mt. 7:13).  And those who travel that road are never happy about those few do-gooders who travel the narrow way of affliction (Psa. 123:3-4; 1 Peter 4:3-4).

In youth it is our peer group exerting pressure to walk with the majority in their pleasures.  In college it is the professor who has crafted a philosophy that denies God and exalts man.  In the workplace it is the successful entrepreneur whose proven track record in attaining wealth and power is the only path to follow.

And yet, do you feel the confidence of the man of the Word?  By God’s commandments, testimonies and precepts he cannot be touched by any of them.  The longer he lives the sweeter are God’s words.  They fit reality.  They keep him from trouble.  They give him success with his Creator for he is taught by God Himself (v102).

He will not be diverted.  The Scriptures are his meditation all the day.  He is confident as he walks the narrow path.  “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide” (Psalm 37:31).  Do you walk with this confidence?

Job 28:20-28, WISDOM vs. Natural Inclinations (2)

c)    What constitutes true wisdom?  Prov. 9:10; 3:7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom in the sense that all other wisdom is built on top of the truth that God is real and our Creator. We are accountable to Him.

d)    From Prov. 30:24-28, what four animals are illustrations of wisdom and in what way?  (Wisdom is so ingrained into the Creation that even the animals that live by instinct exhibit that wisdom.)

i)      The ant stores food for winter.

ii)   The rock badger is slow; thus, he makes his home in the rocks to avoid his enemies.

iii)            The locust goes by orderly groups though they have no leader.

iv) The spider (lizard), though insignificant, occupies significant places.

e)    Why is wisdom essential?

i)      Prov. 15:24: Wisdom leads away from sheol (the grave, hell).

ii)   2 Tim. 3:15: It leads to salvation.

f)    How hard must I be willing to work to gain wisdom (Prov. 2:2-5)?  We must be willing to be diligent, like someone who mines for precious metals.  We are talking about the same value as well as the same process of hard work.  This is not what the “sound-byte” conditioned American wants to hear.  But you have to find it (in Proverbs, for example); then you have to prove it by using it in various situations in your life.

g)    Where does wisdom come from?

i)      Job 28:20-28: It comes from the Creator.

ii)   Prov. 2:6-7; James 1:5; Dan. 2:21: These passages says the same.  The LORD gives wisdom (Prov., Daniel); thus we can pray for wisdom (James) as we seek to prove it in our lives.

iii)            1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:3: As we have noted already, Christ is wisdom to us.  We gain wisdom as we grow in our relationship with Him.

iv) 2 Tim. 3:15: Wisdom is found in Scripture.  Jer. 8:9 says that if I reject the word of the LORD then the “wisdom” I have is not actually “wisdom.”

v)    Prov. 1:2-3,6: Within Scripture, the book called Proverbs is a source of wisdom.

vi) Prov. 10:31: Righteous people are a source of wisdom.

vii)          Prov. 24:5-6: Further, “many counsellors” are a good source for wisdom.

viii)       Prov. 19:20: Reproof is a great source of wisdom.  Of course, you must be willing to accept reproof for that to work. 

Finally, commit Prov. 9:10 to memory and meditate on it from time to time.

Prov. 8:22-31, WISDOM vs. Natural Inclinations (1)

1)    Definition: Seeing and responding to life situations from God’s frame of reference.

2)    Scripture: Proverbs (all of it!); Ecclesiastes 2:12-17; Job 28 (esp. v20-28); 1 Cor. 1:17-2:16; 3:18-20; James 1:13-18; Matt. 7:24-27; 25:1-13 plus many other passages throughout the Bible.

3)    Underlying Principle: We must see life as God sees it because God created and sustains life (Prov. 3:19) and knows better than anyone how life should be lived (Prov. 21:30). 

Christ Jesus became wisdom for us from God (1 Cor. 1:30).  In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).  When 1 Cor. 1-2 speaks of the wisdom of God versus the wisdom of this world and the wise men of this world, God’s wisdom involves his plan from eternity, the plan that involved the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection.  You might think that this renders the book of Proverbs unnecessary for Christians.  If we have Christ, we have wisdom. 

However, that would be a serious omission in my view.  To begin with, in the above-mentioned NT passages you will see that the wisdom of this world is the wisdom that is in Proverbs.  The wise men of this world are a powerful demonstration of the fool and scoffer and other “workers of iniquity” in Proverbs.  Furthermore, we need to understand that Christ Himself is a fundamental ingredient of the wisdom of Proverbs.  Prov. 8:22-31 tells us that “wisdom” is actually built into Creation, put there by the wise Master-Builder (v30) who is our Lord Jesus.  Job also touched on this (Job 28:20-28), when he answers the question, “from where then does wisdom come?”  It comes from the Creator in His Creation. 

4)    Illustration: 1 Samuel 24:1-22.  When David was being chased by King Saul he had a couple opportunities to kill Saul.  The wisdom of man (natural inclinations) said “God has given you the opportunity to kill your enemy” (v4).  David said, “I cannot kill the LORD’s anointed” (v6).

5)    Bible Study:

a)    What are some identification marks of a fool?

i)      1 Cor. 1:21: He cannot know God (thus Ps. 53:1, he says there is no god; and Rom. 1:20-22, they seek after other gods).

ii)   Prov. 14:12: The fool’s “way” is the “way of death.”

iii)            Where does this “foolish wisdom” come from?  James 3:15: it is earthly, sensual (limited to what can be seen, felt, heard, etc.) and demonic.

b)     What are some identification marks of a wise person?

i)      Prov. 23:17-21: He doesn’t envy sinners (i.e. give in to peer pressure).  Rather, he fears the LORD.

ii)   Prov. 27:11: The wise person makes his parents glad.

iii)            1 Cor. 3:18: He seems foolish in the world’s eyes (cf. Agur, Pr. 30:2-4). 

2 Timothy 1:312, SINCERITY vs. Hypocrisy (4)

f)    To help apply this matter of “sincerity,” consider how sincerity (pure motives) relates to the areas mentioned in the following Scriptures.

i)      Luke 8:15; Rom. 10:6-10: The word of God is effective when received with a “noble and good heart.”  We are saved by believing in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead.

ii)   Matt. 18:5: Granting forgiveness must come from the heart, a pure heart. 

iii)            Matt. 22:37: We have not loved God with all our heart if that love does not come from a genuine heart with pure motives.

iv) Matt. 12:34-35: Our words ultimately come from our hearts.  It is not enough to speak words that make sense; they must come from a true heart.

v)    Matt. 6:2, 5, 16: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said our “religious” actions (giving, praying, fasting) must be carried out with a pure heart.  The primary issue is that they not be done just to be seen by others.

vi) Mk. 11:23: Doubt in the heart makes good sounding prayers null and void.

vii)          Acts 2:46: True unity in the fellowship of believers is carried out with “gladness and simplicity of heart.”  That last phrase means our hearts are not complicated with fleshly motives.  Our goal is not pride among the believers.  An illustration of this is Ananias and Sapphira in Ac. 5:1-11.

viii)       Rom. 6:17: The Roman believers were seen to be genuine in their faith because they “obeyed from the heart.”

ix) 2 Cor. 9:7: Giving is to be accompanied by Spirit-led purpose in the heart, not a decision made to satisfy the expectations of others.

x)    Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16: Our worship (singing) in the fellowship must come from a pure heart, not just to provide entertainment.  Words are important, and so is the heart of the musician.

xi) Eph. 6:5-6; Col. 3:22: How we do our job must be done with “sincerity of heart,” pleasing God, not just the boss.

xii)          Phil. 1:7: Service for others must be done with a sincere heart.

xiii)       1 Th. 2:4: Preaching must not be designed to please men but to please God.  Preparation and content must not only involve good study; it must involve communion with God.

xiv)        1 Pt. 3:4: A woman and her make-up needs to be sincere.  The prime issue is beauty on the inside, a chaste heart.

xv)          1 Pt. 3:15: Witnessing is not just quoting a “gospel presentation.”  It is sharing the good news from a heart set apart to God.

Space says we must just say sincerity is a key to assurance of salvation (1 Jn. 3:19-21), prayer (Ps. 66:18), faith (2 Tim. 1:5), love (1 Pt. 1:22; Rom. 12:9), behavior (2 Cor. 1:12) and handling the Word of God (2 Cor. 2:17).  Check out these passages on your own.  Then I suggest 1 Pt. 1:22 for memorization and meditation.

Psalm 119:9-16, SINCERITY vs. Hypocrisy (3)

e)    If the key to sincerity is keeping or guarding our hearts, how do we do this?

i)      The first step is to recognize that we do not naturally have a good heart.

(1)                        From Lk. 6:43-45, what kind of heart produces good things? A good heart.  What kind of heart produces evil things? An evil heart.

(2)                        In Mark 7:21-23 what are some things produced by the hearts of people? Evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an “evil eye,” blasphemy, pride and foolishness.

(3)                        Therefore, what kind of heart is found in each person (Jer. 17:9)?  A deceitful, desperately wicked heart.

ii)   Therefore, as the Psalmist said, we need God to create in us a clean heart (Psalm 51:10).  And that is the second things we must recognize: who must bring about this clean heart?  Who can change a man’s heart?

(1)                        Acts 16:14: The Lord opened up Lydia’s heart to the gospel.  We must hear and believe the gospel, the good news that Christ died for our sin and was raised that we might have a new life.

(2)                        Heb. 13:9: By grace God changes the heart.

(3)                        Psalm 51:10: God can “create in me a clean heart.”

iii)            Once a person receives Christ and has a new heart created within (is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5:17; has been born again, John 3:5-8; Titius 3:4-5) how do they keep the heart clean, pure and free from evil motives?  We must dwell in the Word of God and then yield our life to that Word.  Look at the results that come to those whose hearts are filled with God’s Word.

(1)                        Psalm 19:8: Their heart rejoices.

(2)                        Psalm 37:31: They will not “slide” (stumble, stray from the path).

(3)                        Psalm 40:8: They will delight to do God’s will.

(4)                        Psalm 119:11: They will not sin against God.

iv) From Heb. 4:12, how does the Word work to keep the heart free from evil motives?  It “divides between the intents of the heart” whether good or bad.  In other words, God’s word reveals what is so deep in our hearts that we might not see it without the amazing light of the Bible!

v)    What other truth from Scripture will help keep the heart pure?

(1)                        1 Cor. 14:25: Sound preaching from God’s word will build us up.

(2)                        Phil. 4:6-7: Prayer brings God’s peace which guards our hearts.  Our “new heart” should get stirred up when we are stepping outside of the will of God or following sinful intentions.

(3)                        Matt. 6:21: Think long on this.  Our “treasure” is what we long for, the thing for which we sacrifice.  We need to set our hearts on the things of God, His kingdom and righteousness (6:33).

1 Thessalonians 3:2-12, SINCERITY vs. Hypocrisy (2)

b)    In these passages who illustrates sincerity (or hypocrisy) and how do they do it?

i)      Luke 12:1 (see Matt. 23 for details on the “how”): Jesus spoke directly to and about the lifestyle of the religious leaders of the Jews.  A couple of ways they showed their hypocrisy were, a) 23:13, they closed the kingdom of heaven to others by their actions; b) 23:14, their long prayers were a pretense, not a true representation of their wicked hearts; c) 23:14, they encouraged others, especially widows who might not know better, to give all their money to the Lord, only to have it taken by the leaders own selfish purposes.

ii)   Prov. 5:3-4; 7:21: The adulteress speaks sweet words to seduce the stupid man, but following her has bitter consequences.

iii)            1 Thess. 2:3-12: Paul was a sincere servant of God.  He encouraged others to follow Christ and did not use guile or deceitful words to convince them.  His goal was to please God, not man.  Thus he didn’t flatter people or trick them into giving big offerings to him.  He, himself, did not make a big deal about his own financial needs, and didn’t ask the Thessalonians, who were young believers, for wages.  He genuinely loved them an thy knew this to be the case.

(1)                        In 2 Cor. 8:8 how did Paul tell the Corinthians they could prove the sincerity of their love?  The answer had to do with their giving to an offering, and they could give “sacrificially.”  If you read on, this is what Christ did.  We know He loved us because, though He enjoyed the riches of glory He became poor on this earth on our behalf.

c)    Sincerity requires a certain kind of balance.  For example, in the matter of hatred, what extremes musts be avoided (Prov. 10:18)?  On the one hand, don’t hide your hatred of others.  On the other hand, don’t let the hatred make you blow up in anger at others.  The sincere person acknowledges his heart and expresses his heart properly.

d)    What do these passages indicate concerning how to become more sincere and less hypocritical?

i)      Phil. 1:10: Paul prays for the Philippians believers that they will be people of integrity.

ii)   1 Peter 2:1: Peter calls for a definite choice to lay aside hypocrisy.  We must reckon ourselves dead in this area.

iii)            Prov. 4:23: Keep or guard your heart.  It is the source of all that we do.  So we must be careful what we focus on in our lives.

Matthew 6:1-18, SINCERITY vs. Hypocrisy (1)

1)    Definition: eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives.

2)    Scripture: Matt. 7:5; 15:1-9; Rom. 12:9; 1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 6:6; 1 Tim. 1:5; 5:22; Titus 2:5; Prov. 2:16; 6:12-13; 7:13-21; 10:6,10; 11:3; 16:30 plus all those in the Bible Study below.

3)    Underlying Principle: We must seek to act with unquestionable motives (be sincere) because God weights the motives of man and judges them accordingly (Prov. 21:2; 16:2; Ac. 1:24; 15:8; Rom. 8:27; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rev. 2:23).

a)    Let’s take a moment to speak on these passages.  Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.  Again, You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all.  God, who knows the heart.  God is He who searches the hearts.  He will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. 

b)    We understand that brothers and sisters in Christ need to be willing to carry out a ministry of rebuke and reproof with sinning family members.  But that ministry is insufficient to stop hypocrisy.  As the LORD told Samuel, in the anointing of David, man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.  The key to sincerity is not fear of what man can do but fear of God.

c)    It’s not just that we cannot see the heart of another person; it is also that people are great liars.  We can make ourselves look quite religious or holy.  We know that eventually the heart will be seen for what it is.  Jesus spoke to this issue often, as will be seen in our Bible Study section.

4)    Illustration: 2 Samuel 24:18-25.  David showed his sincere heart in that he would not sacrifice with that which cost him nothing. 

5)    Bible Study:

a)    A hypocrite seeks to conceal what is in his heart by putting up an outward front.  In the following passages what heart -condition is being concealed and by what outward front?

i)      Prov. 10:18: A person might hide their hatred with lying (flattering) lips.

ii)   Prov. 21:27: The wicked cover their wickedness with religious ritual.  In this case, the sacrifice is a good thing, but not while allowing sin in the heart without confession and repentance.

iii)            Prov. 24:11-12: We may excuse a “sin of omission” (something we should have done but didn’t) by saying “I didn’t know.”  Others will excuse us but God will not.

iv) Prov. 27:5-6; 28:23: Hatred, dishonesty and failure to lovingly rebuke a friend can all be covered over by “flattery.” 

v)    Prov. 30:12: An inflated “self-esteem” covers over a wicked person.  We live in that generation.

Psalm 119:89-96 Lamed: God’s word fits every situation forever.

Do you ever wonder if the Bible has something to say about issues that seem to be unique to our day and time?  If you haven’t wondered about it yourself, there has never been a shortage of those who have doubted the Bible's usefulness today, given the fact it is an ancient book.

This stanza seeks to dispel this thought.  It begins by affirming the timelessness of God’s Word: Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (v89). God’s word does not need to change; it is settled! The stanza ends by affirming the breadth of issues the Bible addresses: I have seen the consummation of all perfection. But your commandment is exceedingly broad (v96).  In other words, for all time, and for every situation, the word of God is profitable.

The verses in-between affirm the same.  A critical affirmation is made in v90-91.  God is faithful in all generations.  We think a lot about change when we contemplate the generations.  If those before us were believers, we may acknowledge how the Scriptures fit their lives.  But we may think the challenges of today exceed those of past years, thinking those were “simpler times”.  Then we may fear for our children or grandchildren as the world becomes increasingly more difficult.  But these verses make it clear: God is faithful to all generations, continuing specifically to this day.  

Verses 92-93 affirm the life-giving nature of Scripture.  As Jesus said to Satan: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4; cf. Deut. 8:3).  Because of all this, the Psalmist is committed to God’s testimonies, regardless of what the enemy throws at him (v94-95).

Heb. 4:12 claims the Bible is living; it contains living oracles (Acts 7:38).   Rene Pache (The Inspiration & Authority of Scripture) calls this the “eternal youth of Scripture” (p293).  “The revelations of old have lost nothing of their efficacy, being forever quickened by the divine voice which gets through to our hearts here and now” (p86).

Those who read the Bible on a regular basis can testify to the way that, in every context of life, wherever they are reading, they find Scripture to have something that fits the current issues of life.  What a wonderful Book.  It is God’s Word for all time, for every situation.  Seek His precepts in it daily and you will truly live.