Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP190051S
|
00:01 The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word,
00:03 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 00:07 It says, "To receive with meekness 00:09 the implanted Word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls. 00:13 And to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, 00:17 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is Ezra and Nehemiah. 00:29 Hello, welcome to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:32 We are continuing our journey in enjoyable, informative, 00:36 very educational journey in the Word of God. 00:39 You know, sometimes you think the Word of God is deep 00:42 until you get into books that you have 00:44 otherwise ignored 00:46 and Nehemiah and Ezra are very deep, 00:48 very committed books. 00:50 And they have calibrated our thinking about 00:52 many subjects that were not just important to them 00:55 then, but are very important to the church of the last days, 00:59 calibrating our thoughts like our last lesson. 01:01 And this lesson is entitled "Dealing with Bad Decisions." 01:06 Now when is a bad decision a good decision, 01:08 and a good decision a bad decision? 01:10 I'll answer that question later. 01:12 But before we go any further and have our prayer, 01:14 I'd like to introduce our panel. 01:16 Just think about that, mow that over in your mind 01:18 and I'll tell you when a bad decision 01:19 is a good one, 01:20 and a good decision is a bad one. 01:22 But to my immediate left is Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:24 Good to have you here, Kenny. Good to be here. Thank you. 01:26 I tell you, you're a man of fire, 01:28 enthusiasm and experience. 01:30 I appreciate you so much. Good to be here. Thank you. 01:32 Sister Shelley, the lady with many hats. 01:34 Brother John. It's lovely to be here. 01:37 You know, we've created a family atmosphere 01:40 with one another and our hearts are beginning 01:42 to understand each other more deeply 01:44 as we spend time in God's Word. 01:45 Good to have you here. Thank you. 01:46 It's good to be here. 01:48 Pastor John Dinzey, 01:49 my brother, my one time brother, 01:51 my Spanish brother. 01:52 Yeah. 01:54 Head of 3ABN Latino, and a man of the Word. 01:56 Good to have you here. 01:57 It's a blessing to be here again to study together. 02:00 Yes. 02:01 And I cannot forget the title I've given to Jill, 02:04 the List Lady. 02:05 Yes. It's good to have your list. 02:07 You are unique. You got that corner. 02:09 We're not going to try to even mess with it 02:10 because you do it so well. 02:11 God bless you, Jill. Thank you, Pastor John. 02:14 I love to study with each one of you. 02:16 I'm thinking, every time we get to Jill we say, here, 02:18 we get our pens out and start writing. 02:20 Am I right, Shelley? I see you. 02:22 But we want you to join us. 02:23 All you need is a Bible and a Sabbath School Guide. 02:25 That's it. 02:27 If you'd like to get a copy of that, 02:28 go to the following website absg.adventist.org. 02:32 Download a free copy or better yet, 02:35 look for a local Seventh-day Adventist Church. 02:39 Just walk in and say, I'm here to study God's Word. 02:41 And if you come in time for Sabbath School, 02:44 you'll be able to join us in this immersive Bible study. 02:48 But before we go any further, Shelley, 02:50 would you have a word of prayer for us? 02:51 Yes, I will. 02:53 Heavenly Father, we're ever grateful to You 02:55 for the gift of salvation and we thank You so much 02:59 for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for 03:01 Your Holy Spirit and Your Word. 03:04 And we pray now that Your spirit will 03:07 illuminate these words 03:09 as it comes from our mouth, illuminate our minds. 03:12 And give us ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says. 03:16 And, Lord, help us to put into practice the principles 03:19 we're studying, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 03:22 Amen. 03:24 Dealing with bad decisions. 03:26 Our memory text is Ezra 9:6, 03:29 and I'll read it in your hearing. 03:31 Ezra 9:6, "And I said: O my God, 03:36 I am too ashamed 03:38 and humiliated to lift up my face to You, 03:42 my God, for our iniquities 03:45 have risen higher than our heads, 03:49 and our guilt has grown up to the heavens." 03:52 What a place to be. Wow. 03:55 When you think about it, 03:56 and we study this in the past panel. 03:58 We have seen 03:59 and we read this in one of the books 04:01 I remember reading and I even repeating this 04:03 with my wife is Nehemiah Chapter 9. 04:06 How God outlined over and over His mercies, His patience. 04:10 And even when they fell into iniquity, he says, 04:13 "And yet You still fed them, You gave them water, 04:17 their clothing did not fall apart, 04:19 You provided them food, You defended them 04:21 against their enemies. 04:23 Yet, they did not obey, however You still love them." 04:29 And I thought to myself, what a God? 04:32 A God who regardless of our frailty 04:35 and sometimes our recalcitrance does not turn His back on us. 04:39 However, sometimes what we do brings a reaction. 04:43 So let's look right to Sunday's lesson. 04:47 Nehemiah's reaction. Nehemiah's reaction. 04:51 And we spent some time 04:53 in the Book of Nehemiah Chapter 13, 04:57 and Nehemiah's reaction, we've talked about this. 05:01 But for whatever reason, 05:03 the writer decides to reiterate this 05:05 because I think that the principles 05:08 that are communicated here are so vitally important 05:10 that they cannot be missed. 05:12 And what have we said in the past, 05:15 repetition is a great teacher. 05:18 That's good. Sure. So Nehemiah 13:23-25. 05:22 Once again diving into the situation, 05:24 the question is, what happened here, 05:26 and how do we explain Nehemiah's reaction 05:28 to the situation? 05:29 The writer says, since the children 05:31 didn't speak Aramaic, 05:33 the language used during the exile or Hebrew, 05:35 they couldn't understand the teaching from Scripture. 05:39 This was a real problem because the knowledge of God's 05:41 revelation could just be distorted or even disappeared. 05:45 So now since they didn't fully understand 05:47 and since some of those who came back from captivity 05:51 were not clear about what was happening. 05:53 It would seem as though Nehemiah was overboard. 05:56 You know, sometimes we react to things and people say, 05:58 do you have to be so extreme? 05:59 Yes. 06:00 Well, the mother might say, I just save your life 06:03 and being run over by a truck, is that extreme? 06:06 I just grabbed you. 06:07 Why do you have to grab me so hard? 06:09 You almost just got hit by 22 ton truck, is that extreme? 06:12 We sometimes don't see disaster speeding towards us. 06:16 And God's reaction sometimes seems to be extreme. 06:21 But when we stand on the sea of glass one day 06:24 we will praise God that His reaction was extreme. 06:29 But let's look at the reaction is in verse 23-25. 06:32 And the Bible reads in Nehemiah Chapter 13. 06:36 It says, here I am, 06:39 "In those days I also saw Jews 06:45 who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 06:51 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, 06:56 and could not speak the language of Judah," 06:59 isn't that amazing? 07:00 "But spoke according to the language of one 07:03 or the other people. 07:05 So I contended with them and cursed them, 07:10 struck some of them and pulled out their hair." 07:14 I tell you. This is serious. 07:16 This is a serious issue. 07:17 I just wanna let you know, 07:19 I'm not gonna follow Nehemiah's example, 07:21 except the Lord gives me a direct email. 07:24 But that hasn't happened yet in my church. 07:27 But it says, "And He made them swear by God, saying, 07:29 'You shall not give 07:30 your daughters as wives to their sons, 07:34 nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.' 07:39 " And when you think about this, 07:41 there's a clear injunction here. 07:44 And what the Lord was trying to clarify was, 07:47 you don't really understand the language 07:49 that the gospel is being communicated to you. 07:53 You're stuck in the language of your bondage. 07:56 You're stuck in the language of the people 07:57 that you are associated with. 07:59 You are now married to people whose language 08:01 is opposite to the language 08:02 where God has communicated His truths, 08:05 and you just don't understand. 08:07 So His reaction, when you think about it, 08:10 you probably ask yourself, could there have been 08:14 another way to make your point Nehemiah? 08:17 Well, we cannot question the sovereignty of God. 08:20 No. 08:21 And we didn't see 08:22 any backlash on God's part saying, 08:25 however I disagreed with Nehemiah's reaction. 08:28 It had to be to some... I think the... 08:31 Let me use the right word here. 08:33 The gravity of it was so detrimental that 08:36 if he didn't correct it there, 08:37 he felt that it would continue to go on. 08:40 So why was the reaction important? 08:42 Nehemiah spoke the covenant curses 08:44 upon those who had influences over the assembly. 08:47 And that was one of the keys. 08:49 The ones who had influence was leading them away from 08:53 what God wanted them to do. 08:55 So Nehemiah didn't curse the ones 08:56 that were participating, 08:58 he cursed the ones that were leading them astray. 09:02 And the same thing you find in Jeremiah 23. 09:05 Jeremiah, the Lord spoke against the prophets 09:08 who destroy and scatter the sheep of His pasture. 09:10 He spoke against the Jewish leaders 09:12 in the New Testament, who distorted worship. 09:15 Every time the situation called for, 09:18 and I use the word very carefully, a discipline, 09:22 the Lord spoke harshly. 09:24 When we follow Jesus as an example, 09:26 He never spoke harshly to the people, 09:28 but He always rebuked the leaders, 09:31 because the leaders left an indelible impression. 09:33 Yes. 09:34 You find here, look at Psalm 89:32. 09:38 Psalm 89:32. 09:39 Some examples you find in the Scripture. 09:41 Nehemiah followed... 09:43 And by the way, what Nehemiah did, 09:44 he followed the prescribed method of punitive punishment 09:48 for the offense. 09:49 There was a prescribed method already established 09:52 long before this time, he simply follow 09:54 the prescribed method for punitive punishment. 09:57 Psalm 89:32, "Then I will punish 10:01 their transgressions with the rod, 10:03 and their iniquity with," what? 10:06 Stripes. "With Stripes." 10:07 So there are times when, how do we say it? 10:10 Extreme situations call for what? 10:13 Extreme measures. 10:15 As my good friend Pastor Doug once said 10:17 and he said it many times, but he says, 10:19 "If your neighbor's house was on fire, 10:21 would you say, I don't want to wake them? 10:24 Don't bang so hard on the door." 10:26 No, we'll be thundering 10:28 our appeal as quickly as we can. 10:31 And that's why all of the messages 10:32 of the Three Angels of Revelation are first 10:36 and third are loud. 10:37 And eventually the call out of Babylon 10:39 becomes a loud call, a loud cry. 10:42 Extreme situations calls for extreme measures. 10:46 Look at Leviticus 26:27-28, another example. 10:51 Look at this. 10:52 The Lord makes it very clear, 10:54 He says in verse 27-28 of Leviticus Chapter 26. 10:59 "And after all this, if you do not obey Me, 11:02 but walk contrary to Me, 11:05 then I also will walk contrary to you in fury, 11:08 and I, even I, will chastise you 11:11 seven times for your sins." 11:13 Amen. 11:14 So when you think of the Lord, and why is all this happening? 11:17 You know when the Lord has our salvation at heart, 11:23 and He doesn't want to see us lost or to be destroyed 11:27 in the fires of destruction. 11:28 He is proportionate to the impact 11:32 is the proportion of His dealings with us. 11:36 He's shaking us into awake... 11:38 He's trying to wake us up and say, "You have no clue." 11:41 As I said to one person... 11:44 Somebody once said to me one day, "Well, 11:45 so what if I'm lost?" 11:46 I said, "You have no idea what you just said. 11:48 You have no clue." 11:50 That's true. 11:51 I said, "If I just decided to dash your entire apartment 11:53 with gasoline and drop a match and lock you in here, 11:56 would you say I was extreme? 11:57 They said, "I'll say, you lost your mind." 11:58 I said, "Well, what's coming, that's just a walk in the park 12:03 compared to what's coming. 12:04 You have no clue what's coming." 12:06 And when we ignore the voice of God... 12:09 Oh, the text that shut us me, Pastor Kenney, it says, 12:12 "When you ignore Me, when calamity comes, 12:17 I will laugh at your calamity." 12:19 And that's the strange act of God. 12:22 But look, as how He illustrates this. 12:28 Luke 12:47-48. 12:31 And here is the real issue. 12:34 "And that servant who knew his master's will," 12:37 that's the key. 12:39 "And did not prepare himself to do according to his will, 12:42 shall be beaten with many stripes." 12:45 Who's at fault? 12:47 He brought it on himself because of willing ignorance. 12:51 Verse 48, "But he who did not know, 12:55 yet committed things deserving of stripes, 12:58 shall be beaten with few." 13:00 Notice, God is a just God, He's a fair God. 13:03 "For everyone to whom much is given, 13:05 from him much will be required, 13:07 and to whom much has been committed, 13:09 of him they will ask the more." 13:12 So when you think of God, God is not a God that just 13:15 swinging a strap or swinging a switch or just, you know, 13:19 randomly executing judgment. 13:21 He wants those who know better to do better 13:24 and be a better example. 13:27 Amen. Amen. 13:28 Praise the Lord. What a good foundation. 13:29 Thank you. 13:31 Because now on Monday's lesson, 13:32 I'm gonna have to go into, you know, Nehemiah's reproof 13:36 and some of the things that's been explained already. 13:39 You know, Nehemiah laid hands on several things, you know, 13:42 he got them squared away. 13:44 But here, you know, the Word of God is good. 13:46 He sets example for us that you told us. 13:47 I'm gonna read Nehemiah 13. So I like two verses there. 13:51 Nehemiah 13:26-27. 13:55 I'm gonna deal with Nehemiah's reproof. 13:57 He said, "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? 14:01 Yet among many nations were there no king like him, 14:05 who was beloved of his God, 14:07 God made him king over all Israel. 14:09 Nevertheless even him did outlandish 14:13 women cause to sin. 14:16 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, 14:20 to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?" 14:24 So this is put here for a reason, 14:26 can subjects most people just they want to skirt around 14:29 and maybe not talk too much about. 14:30 But, you know, I've always been a believer 14:32 that if it's in God's word, then it's for us. 14:35 That's right. It has to be good for us. 14:38 Not always what people wanna hear 14:40 or what any of us may be, 14:41 but it's still God's word and we need to pay 14:44 close attention to it. 14:45 And notice there how he uses that word, you know, 14:49 deviating, you know, I dropped that down. 14:51 What do you do when you deviate from that 14:53 which God has said? 14:54 Didn't say turn your back fully, 14:56 just deviate from it. 14:57 The word deviate simply is a turning or going astray. 15:01 It means, just not going straight. 15:03 God wants us to go straight because strait is the gate, 15:07 that's what He tells us, that leads to where? 15:09 Eternal life. 15:10 You know, and narrow crocked 15:12 is one there's very few that go in. 15:15 He use the Solomon, I like that 15:16 because he gives an example. 15:18 So he uses Solomon here as an example of man 15:21 making bad decisions. 15:22 You know, how they might be made bad decision here? 15:25 His bad decision, one of many to be 15:29 such a wise man made one of many 15:31 of the choosing of a wife. 15:33 Now, well it's often said, 15:34 a woman can make or break a man, 15:36 you have to be very careful, 15:37 you know, and have good influence. 15:39 And a good woman there's nothing the Bible 15:40 said that beats a good woman. 15:41 As you know for a man who want a helpmate. 15:45 Now was a choice of a wife, 15:47 but with Solomon it was a choice of wives, plural. 15:50 He didn't stop at one, you know? 15:52 Seven hundred to be exact. And, yeah. 15:54 So Nehemiah said, you know, what he said, 15:58 he confronted the people over there and then he said... 16:00 And I like this because he said, 16:02 let's take an oath here. 16:04 We're not gonna follow after this. 16:06 Here's an example, but you don't do these things. 16:08 And so we're gonna take an oath, 16:10 you're not gonna find you. 16:11 He said, "Any strange wives." 16:13 That's kind of interesting that meant what? 16:15 That meant pagan, foreign, strange it says here, alien, 16:20 whatever might be as it were here in a good sense 16:23 that unless there of your nation, 16:26 your nationality was speaking where we can understand 16:28 language and all. 16:29 Don't go outside of Israel to find a wife. 16:33 Nehemiah calls Solomon's choice. 16:35 Listen to this. You say, it's just a choice. 16:37 I made a choice. I couldn't help it. 16:38 I fell in love. I did... 16:40 Well, because maybe 16:41 you're looking in the wrong places. 16:42 You know, end result spending time with people 16:44 you might fall in love with the wrong person. 16:45 So we had to be very careful to me 16:46 at least in the beginning here. 16:48 Nehemiah call Solomon's choice about strange wives. 16:51 In Nehemiah 13:26, he calls it a sin. 16:55 So was any different than when you were talking about 16:57 the other issues of truth of God's Word or the Sabbath. 17:01 Sin is a transgression of God's law. 17:04 God said, "Be careful about choosing you a wife." 17:08 God gave warning to King Solomon 17:11 in Deuteronomy 17:17. 17:13 I thought it was really interesting. 17:14 In other words, I liked this too, 17:16 because it's clear. 17:17 I always like black and white. 17:18 I like to get down to the bottom. 17:20 I like to know, I'm simple minded. 17:21 So I like to know. 17:22 And the Bible says, Deuteronomy 17:17, 17:24 "Neither shall he," talking about the king, 17:27 "multiply wives to himself." 17:31 Notice this, "That his heart turn," what? 17:34 "Not away." So what was it say? 17:37 Oh, you can't have multiple wives. 17:39 You shouldn't be to be careful about the choice of a wife, 17:42 even one wife, because she's liable too, 17:45 and not because she's bad, the man may do the same thing. 17:48 But it may turn our heart away from God. 17:51 So a choice of a mate's 17:52 very, very, very important, is it not? 17:54 It is. And here's poor... 17:57 I'll say it tonight, poor King Solomon, 17:59 he starts out with two strikes. 18:01 You know, you get in the ball game, 18:03 you got two strikes on you, you know, 18:04 you kind of feel bad, 18:05 you only got one attempt to make it. 18:07 So I think you follow what I'm saying here. 18:08 He started with two strikes. 18:10 First, he married more than one wife. 18:13 God told plainly, don't do it. He did. 18:16 Secondly, matters got worse. 18:19 He married a woman who was not a worshiper 18:23 of the true God. 18:24 This is very, very important that we understand that 18:28 we need to find someone, you know, 18:30 that agrees that loves we Jesus is willing to study 18:34 the Scripture together. 18:36 And so, yeah, the Bible simply doesn't it 18:39 over and over it gives the principles of it, 18:41 but does it not in Scripture, in 2 Corinthians 6:14, 18:45 "Be ye not unequally yoked together." 18:48 I've heard all, I've heard so many excuses. 18:51 Well, I just heard a lot of excuses, 18:53 I better leave it there, I'll be on a box before long. 18:55 Well, people will say that 18:57 when they move in this direction. 19:00 And I've always said sometime we move in the wrong direction 19:03 and there are feelings, there are emotions 19:05 and we fall in love and then pretty soon 19:07 we're not willing to risk that love for the cause of Christ. 19:10 And we're unequally yoked together 19:12 because one has promised, I will do better. 19:15 One has promised, I will find Jesus. 19:18 One has promised, well, I go to church with you honey. 19:21 Does that really ever pan out? 19:23 Sometimes, but most of the time it does not. 19:25 Because God said in His Word right here, 19:27 "Be careful the wife you choose 19:29 because I don't want her/him to turn you away from Me." 19:32 That's right. 19:34 The choice that we make is very, very important. 19:35 And then I think in 2 Corinthians 6, 19:37 it goes on verse 15. 19:39 Because the God tries us, impress on our mind, 19:41 what part hath He that believeth with an infidel? 19:46 That's right. What part does he have? 19:47 What is it about us 19:49 that sometimes we almost like, 19:54 you know, being around the wrong source. 19:57 Now, you say, "Well, I don't like that." 19:58 There's other people, they get there something 20:00 about being kind of out of their easy place 20:04 that they're used to being in and they see somebody else 20:06 looking like something or doing something 20:08 and they kinda like that. 20:10 But really what is this that draws together? 20:12 Shouldn't be, you know, if you're looking for a mate, 20:16 something that would draw you would not be Jesus? 20:18 It should be Jesus in them that's drawing us together, 20:21 we have things in common. 20:23 But, you know, the Bible 20:24 and then it goes on in 2 Corinthians 6, 20:27 it talks about in verse 17, "Come out of her, 20:31 My people and do not be partakers of her sins." 20:33 That's right. 20:35 There's a call to come out and to be what God says 20:36 that we need to be. 20:38 Remember the command, not to, you know, 20:41 intermarry was not based upon nationality. 20:45 It was not based upon people as it were. 20:49 It was based upon idolatry. 20:52 That's right. 20:53 It was based upon idolatry 20:54 and that's certainly one of the commandments. 20:56 And God said, now you be careful about your idols. 20:59 People are saying today, 21:00 they say it over and over and over. 21:02 I've talked to them, you've talked to them, 21:05 I would come to church, I would do because 21:06 I'm impressed that this is the right message. 21:09 I'm impressed. But my husband won't let me. 21:11 My wife won't let me. 21:13 One of these days, God's gonna eliminate that. 21:15 And He's gonna bring it to very close. 21:17 You're gonna have to make a decision. 21:18 If you say, I know what is truth and right. 21:20 But many are making that excuse right now, 21:22 I just don't know. 21:23 "Thou shall have no other gods before Me." 21:27 So we cannot choose anything over and above God. 21:30 And this count, you know, talking about strange wife, 21:33 again calling it a sin, you know, 21:36 and, you know, what? 21:37 They just didn't wanna change. 21:39 And God's calling us I believe today with our... 21:41 my whole heart. 21:42 I believe He's calling us to change. 21:44 To make changes, to come back to Him 21:46 before it is ever too late. 21:47 Idolatry, Acts of the Apostles, quickly 317 says this. 21:51 Paul warns that Corinthian Church, 21:53 and the course of us today, "By idolatry he meant 21:57 not only the worship of idols, 22:00 but self-serving, love of ease." 22:04 Now get down to it, 22:05 "The gratification of appetite and passion. 22:09 A religion that seeks 22:10 only to gratify self or the eyes, 22:14 or to gratify the ears, or the taste, 22:18 that sanctions of self-indulgence 22:21 is not the religion of Christ." 22:24 To me that just really covers a lot of things 22:27 and then I have to stop and really think about it 22:28 because it covers my eyes, it covers my ears, 22:31 it covers my choices. 22:32 And then God is calling us back to make 22:35 the right choice here, it's very important. 22:38 1 Corinthians 10, follows up with that just simply says, 22:41 you know, whether therefore you eat or what you drink, 22:44 or whatsoever you do, do what? 22:47 Do all to the glory of God. 22:49 This is what it comes down to intermarriage 22:52 with unbelievers and pagan goes back 22:55 to the beginning in Genesis Chapter 6. 22:57 I mean, you can go back it's always been there. 22:59 It's always been an issue. 23:01 You know, God's people went out 23:05 and found women that the Bible talks about 23:08 when you read there in Genesis 24. 23:11 It says, "God's people went out 23:14 and looked at other women because they look good." 23:16 Well, Lord have mercy. 23:18 What we need to do is get back 23:19 and look good at God's Word and see what God's Word says. 23:23 "Be not unequally yoked together 23:25 with unbelievers." 23:26 I wish we had more time because everybody does. 23:28 We go into what a real unbeliever 23:30 is as Seventh-day Adventist, we need to keep our eyes 23:32 and heart on the mind of Christ. 23:33 Have the mind of Christ and the Word of God. 23:35 Amen. Amen. 23:36 Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny. 23:38 I tell you so far, 23:40 the Lord is swinging those holy bats again. 23:44 Getting us in line and what I love about it 23:46 is as many as He love, He rebukes. 23:48 So we're gonna take a short break 23:50 and we'll be right back 23:51 for the remainder of our lesson. 23:53 Amen. 23:58 Ever wish you could watch a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel 24:01 again, or share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? 24:05 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com. 24:10 A clean design makes it easy 24:12 to find the program you're looking for. 24:15 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 24:18 so you can follow along. 24:20 Sharing is easy. 24:21 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 24:24 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 24:30 Welcome back to our lesson study. 24:32 And we are gonna continue on Tuesday with Ezra reacts. 24:37 It's interesting that we did Nehemiah first. 24:39 We're gonna back up to just to decade earlier 24:44 when Ezra reacted to this. 24:46 Let's look at Ezra 9:1-4, 24:52 facing the same problems that Kenny was just talking about. 24:57 So Ezra 9, says, "When these things were done, 25:02 the leaders came to me," this is the civil leaders, 25:07 not the religious leaders. 25:08 But the civil leaders are coming to Ezra saying, 25:14 "The people of Israel and the priests 25:17 and the Levites have not separated themselves," 25:22 we're gonna come back to that word, 25:24 "separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, 25:26 with respect to the abominations 25:30 of the Canaanites, the Hittites, 25:32 the Perizzites, the Jebusites, 25:34 the Ammonites, the Moabites, 25:36 the Egyptians, and the Amorites." 25:39 These were all pagan nations. 25:43 And then they say, "For they have taken 25:46 some of their daughters as wives for themselves 25:50 and for their sons, so that" in other words, 25:54 the result is "the holy seed 25:59 is mixed with the people 26:01 of those lands. 26:02 Indeed, the hand of the leaders 26:04 and rulers has been foremost in this trespass." 26:10 If you remember before, 26:11 the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, 26:15 the spiritual leadership had backslidden, 26:19 where actually along with the people even... 26:23 maybe leading, they were intermarrying 26:27 with pagan wives. 26:30 Well, now it's happening again. 26:33 The word separated means to be set apart for God's purpose. 26:39 It describes a special activity of God. 26:43 And we remember Aaron was separated as our priest, 26:49 the high priest. 26:50 He was consecrated and the Levites 26:53 were consecrated to holy things. 26:56 Israel was set apart 26:59 as being God's special treasure, 27:01 a holy nation. 27:03 They were His heritage. 27:05 They were to be spreading the good news of the gospel, 27:10 the Seed of Abraham was set apart. 27:15 God knew that it was from the Seed of Abraham 27:20 that the Messiah would come, 27:24 the Messiah who would be a light to all the nations, 27:27 who bear the iniquity of us all. 27:30 So let me be really perfectly clear, 27:33 and I think you made that clear as well. 27:36 When we're talking here about this sin of intermarriage, 27:40 it has absolutely nothing to do with race. 27:46 This is not racial at all. 27:48 As a matter of fact, Joseph 27:50 and Moses had foreign wives, right? 27:54 It is religious. 27:56 It is the intermarriage with the local Canaanite groups 28:01 that was forbidden in God's law. 28:03 Deuteronomy 7:4, God had told them. 28:06 He said, "They will turn your sons 28:09 away from following Me, to serve other gods, 28:13 so the anger of the Lord will be 28:15 aroused against you and destroy you suddenly." 28:18 He said, "Don't marry these pagans." 28:22 Deuteronomy 20:18. 28:24 God says, "Lest they teach you to do according 28:29 to all their abominations." 28:32 They were sacrificing children 28:35 to their pagan gods, He said, 28:39 "To the abominations 28:40 which they have done for their gods, 28:42 and you sin against the Lord your God." 28:46 So separation, God was not being 28:51 racially motivated. 28:53 Separation was to prevent apostasy. 28:58 Intermarriage with the pagans inevitably led 29:03 to worship of pagan gods. 29:06 And idolatry is an abomination to the Lord. 29:09 So from the time of Judges, the Israelites had been 29:14 intermarrying with pagan believers, 29:17 adopting their practices. 29:20 And this is what precipitated 29:22 this 70 year exile into Babylon. 29:27 Now, here they just returned from this, right? 29:30 And some of the Jewish people, 29:33 the priests, the Levites had already defected to this same 29:39 disastrous path of idolatry marrying, 29:43 intermarrying with pagan wives which would surely introduced 29:49 the idolatry to the next generation. 29:54 Even if they were strong enough, 29:56 you know, because usually children end up 29:59 following the mother, right? 30:01 So it happened in Ezra's day, 30:04 then it happened again in Nehemiah's day. 30:07 Idolatry remained a constant problem 30:11 till the nation of Israel quit intermarrying. 30:15 So Ezra 9:3-4, says this, 30:21 here's Ezra's reaction. 30:24 "When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, 30:29 and plucked out some of the hair 30:32 of my head and my beard, and I sat astonished." 30:36 So he's reacting strongly, you know, 30:40 the transgressors were ignoring the wrath of God 30:44 that had sent them into exile. 30:46 They're also ignoring the grace of God 30:49 that had brought them back from exile. 30:52 You know, God had been true to His character 30:56 and His covenant in restoring Jerusalem 31:00 and the people and the temple. 31:02 But now, after His love 31:05 and His mercy had spared the nation, 31:08 when they didn't do anything to deserve it. 31:12 Now they're doing the same thing. 31:14 So the people's ingratitude toward God 31:18 is just filling Ezra's heart with grief. 31:22 And he responds with actions that are associated with 31:28 repentance and mourning. 31:30 This is how they expressed sorrow for their sin. 31:33 They tore their clothes, they pulled the hair 31:36 from their head and their beard. 31:38 This was to be a sign of self abasement and humility. 31:42 And then it goes on with verse 4. 31:47 Ezra's sitting there astonished. 31:50 I mean, his heart's filled with grief. 31:52 And verse 4 says, "Then everyone 31:55 who trembled at the words 31:56 of the God of Israel assembled to me, 32:00 because of the transgression of those who had been 32:03 carried away captive, 32:04 and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice." 32:09 So those who trembled at God's Word 32:11 were those who were committed to keeping God's law. 32:16 They recognized the abomination, 32:21 they feared the Lord's judgment, 32:23 and they sat with Ezra, 32:26 till the gathering of the people 32:28 for the evening sacrifice. 32:29 When there surely would have been 32:31 a public prayer and confession. 32:34 So it goes on. 32:36 Ezra fasted, he lamented, he prayed, 32:39 we see this in verse 5, 32:41 in an effort to lead the leaders 32:46 and the people to repent. 32:47 So he's very much like Daniel and Nehemiah. 32:50 That's right. 32:51 He has this priestly prayer of intercession and confession 32:54 and he identifies himself with the people sin, 32:57 although he hasn't committed it. 33:00 But here's what he demonstrated by doing that. 33:04 He demonstrated and don't miss this point. 33:07 All right. 33:09 The sin of the few 33:12 could contaminate them all. 33:17 No one sins in a vacuum. That's right. 33:21 You cannot sin and only affect yourself. 33:26 First of all, you're sinning against the Lord. 33:28 But, you know, in commandments where it says, 33:31 "God is a jealous God, He visits the transgressions 33:35 to the second and third generation." 33:38 That used to trouble me because in Jeremiah, God says, 33:41 "Hey, I don't put, you know, 33:44 every man is responsible for your own sin." 33:47 But what I've learned is what God was saying 33:49 to the Hebrew mind. 33:51 The Hebrews live together in multiple generations. 33:56 So what God was saying is, "Hey, grandpa, you sin 34:00 and the consequences end up getting passed down 34:03 to all in your household, 34:05 going down several generations." 34:08 So we don't sin in a vacuum. 34:12 And Ezra recognized the seriousness of the sin, 34:15 He was weeping for them. 34:17 And God had been so merciful to them. 34:21 It was so amazing. 34:24 But his focus, he says, "Oh, Lord God of Israel, 34:27 You are righteous, for we are left 34:30 as a remnant as this day. 34:32 Here we are before You in our guild that 34:35 no one can stand before You because of this." 34:39 If the people received that justice they deserved, 34:43 no one could stand before God. 34:45 That's right. 34:46 Praise God that He gives us grace and mercy. 34:49 But Ezra's prayer moved the people to tears 34:52 and they turn to God for the gift of repentance. 34:55 Amen. Amen. 34:57 Well, moving on. I have the... 34:59 You have Ezra reacts. And now I have Ezra acts. 35:04 And so we move into Chapter 10 of the Book of Ezra. 35:08 And I would like to just read these verses 35:11 because they detail what took place 35:15 in a wonderful way. 35:17 "Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, 35:21 weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, 35:24 a very large assembly of men, women, 35:26 and children gathered to him from Israel, 35:28 for the people wept very bitterly." 35:32 Apparently, it is very apparent that the Holy Spirit 35:35 was working in the hearts and minds of these people, 35:39 that not only were they sense the guilt, 35:43 but they were weeping bitterly 35:45 because of what had taken place. 35:48 "And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, 35:50 one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, 35:53 'We have trespassed against our God, 35:55 and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land, 35:59 yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.' 36:03 " So in other words, God, 36:07 we believe God will extend to us mercy. 36:10 But we have to understand 36:12 that while God is willing to forgive sins, 36:16 it's not just that we have to confess sins, 36:17 we have to put away sin. 36:20 And this is where Chapter 10 comes in, 36:22 because there is the putting away of sin, 36:25 undoing what was done. 36:27 And so we move here into verse 3. 36:30 "Now therefore, let us make a covenant 36:33 with our God to put away all these wives 36:36 and those who have been born to them, 36:39 according to the advice of my master of those 36:42 who tremble at the commandment of our God, 36:44 and let it be done according to the law." 36:47 So these are people that understand God's commandment, 36:50 they know, they are wrong, 36:52 they know they have to take action, 36:55 and not let this continue. 36:57 Because as you said, it will draw their hearts 37:01 away from serving the Lord. 37:03 And this is what they wanna preserve, 37:06 their connection to the Lord and they want, 37:08 this is also a step that had to be taken to preserve 37:12 the connection with God for their children. 37:17 And so, verse 4, "Arise, 37:20 for this matter is your responsibility. 37:23 We also are with you." 37:25 In other words, we will support you. 37:27 And then it says, 37:29 "Be of good courage, and do it." 37:31 So Ezra listens to this, he sees the heart of the people 37:34 moved by their dedication. 37:37 And it says, verse 5, "Then Ezra arose, 37:39 and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites, 37:41 and all Israel swear an oath that they would do 37:43 according to this word. 37:45 So they swore an oath." 37:46 And now notice verse 6, "Then Ezra rose up from 37:49 before the house of God, and went into the chamber 37:52 of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, 37:54 and when he came there, he ate no bread 37:57 and drank no water, for he mourned 38:00 because of the guilt of those from captivity." 38:03 And this, he made it his own, he felt that, 38:08 he lived it in the sense of the guilt. 38:12 And so verse 7, "They issued a proclamation 38:16 throughout Judah and Jerusalem 38:19 to all the descendants of the captivity, 38:20 that they must gather at Jerusalem." 38:22 And this was such a serious matter, 38:25 that verse 8 declares 38:27 what action they were willing to take for those 38:30 that will not respond. 38:31 "And all that whoever 38:33 would not come within three days, 38:36 according to the instructions of the leaders and elders, 38:38 all his property would be confiscated, 38:41 and he himself would be separated 38:43 from the assembly of those from the captivity." 38:45 In other words, you have to be there. 38:47 This is a... What do they call meeting? 38:49 A mandatory. A mandatory meeting. 38:52 If you don't come, there are consequences. 38:54 Yes. 38:56 "So all the men of Judah and Benjamin 38:57 gathered at Jerusalem within three days. 38:58 It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, 39:01 and all the people sat 39:03 in the open square of the house of God, 39:04 trembling because of this matter 39:07 and because of the heavy rain," as well. 39:10 But they were there, despite the rain, 39:12 they were trembling 39:14 because this was a serious matter. 39:15 Yes. 39:16 And this was part of the reason why they went into captivity, 39:20 and they feared the consequence. 39:23 Yeah. 39:24 But they were truly repentant because of the way 39:27 all this process took place. 39:30 So Ezra the priest, verse 10, "Stood up and said to them, 39:33 'You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, 39:37 adding to the guilt of Israel." 39:39 Now, this is something that we must understand. 39:42 And that is that when sin is apparent, 39:46 it must be declared. 39:48 You have sin in this and you have 39:51 taken pagan wives, he then sugarcoated. 39:53 Right. 39:54 He then said, "Well, you know, it was, you're kind of weak, 39:57 the situation was, I understand. 39:59 No. 40:01 You have transgressed the commandment of the Lord 40:03 and you have added to guilt. 40:04 And so this is a serious matter. 40:06 And so, "Now therefore, 40:08 one, make confession to the Lord 40:11 God of your fathers, and do His will." 40:14 Action had to take place. 40:16 Not only confession, but action. 40:17 We have to confess and forsake our sins. 40:22 In other words, when we confess, 40:23 it's not like, "Okay, 40:24 Lord, please forgive me for this one. 40:26 And with the plan, I'm gonna do it again 40:28 soon as I get a chance." 40:30 It is an entire surrender to the Lord. 40:32 Amen. 40:34 You'd say, Lord, I have sinned against you, 40:37 and I don't wanna do this anymore. 40:38 Amen. 40:40 So this is a serious, serious thing. 40:43 Now listen, let's go over to verse 11. 40:47 We read verse 11, but let's read it again 40:49 because we need to connect it with verse 12. 40:51 "Now therefore, make confession 40:52 to the Lord God of your fathers, 40:54 and do His will, God's will, separate yourselves 40:57 from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives. 41:02 Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, 41:05 'Yes! 41:07 As you have said, so we must do.' 41:11 " And I have to praise the Lord 41:12 because of the commitment to do the right thing, 41:18 the right thing for the people of Israel. 41:20 They were a handful of people. 41:22 As you can read and you'll see 41:23 there were handful of people. 41:24 They said, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. 41:26 This is harsh." 41:28 And now I have to say this 41:30 because we as people living today, 41:32 we have to ask ourselves, man, that is really something, 41:34 they had to separate from their families, 41:36 they had to break up. 41:38 Wives, children, they had to go. 41:41 And please understand that those things that do you harm, 41:46 it may be painful to separate from them. 41:49 But is a necessity for the sake 41:52 of your connection with the Lord, 41:54 for the sake of your salvation, it may be painful. 41:56 For example, one of the hardest things 41:59 that I have heard for people to give up is cigarettes. 42:01 And when they understand 42:03 the Lord is leading them, alcohol, 42:05 drugs, it's hard to give those things up 42:08 because it becomes ingrained, it becomes part of them. 42:11 That's right. 42:13 But they understand, they have to give it up, 42:14 because there are consequences. 42:16 You're gonna get sick, you're gonna die sooner. 42:17 And so, it's a painful process, 42:20 and there's withdrawal, but to and thanks be 42:24 to the Lord because He gives us power to obey. 42:27 He gives us victory through the blood of the Lamb. 42:30 And so when the Lord calls us to repentance, 42:33 He gives us the power. 42:35 It is marvelous because we understand from the Bible 42:38 that the Holy Spirit leads us to repentance. 42:42 God was at work here, 42:44 there was trembling taking place. 42:47 They knew, they had to make a change. 42:50 And because of the conviction of the Holy Spirit, 42:54 they were willing to follow and do what God has said. 42:57 Yes. Now, notice here. 43:00 Time is quickly running away. 43:01 This as you have already mentioned, 43:04 involved elders, even priests. 43:08 And when the priests and pastors get involved 43:11 in doing this same sin as the people, 43:14 they're not gonna condemn these things. 43:16 They're gonna say, "Thou shalt not steal," 43:19 if they are stealing. 43:20 "Thou shalt not commit adultery," 43:22 if they are also doing it. 43:24 And if they say with their mouth, 43:25 but they are doing it secretly, God cannot bless that ministry. 43:29 So now let's move on to what had to take place. 43:35 Verse 18-19, "And among the sons of the priests 43:37 who had taken pagan wives 43:40 the following were found of the sons of Jeshua 43:43 the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, 43:46 Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah." 43:48 And this is the verse I wanted to get to. 43:51 "And they gave their promise 43:53 that they would put away their wives, 43:54 and being guilty, they presented a ram 43:57 of the flock as their trespass offering." 44:00 And this is found in Leviticus Chapter 4. 44:05 I guess so. 44:06 I'll limit myself in compensate. 44:08 But it says that, "When you find out 44:09 that you have sinned, 44:11 you're supposed to confess the sin in those days, 44:13 of course, they had to bring 44:15 an offering to the Lord, sacrifice that offering. 44:18 And then their sin will be forgiven, 44:20 pointing to the Lamb of God, 44:22 Jesus Christ that will be crucified for us, 44:26 so that we can be forgiven. 44:28 Amen. 44:29 And I thank the Lord that we see 44:30 the commitment of the people. 44:32 And so today we have to ask ourselves, 44:35 we have to do a self examination. 44:37 This was the guilt these people had. 44:40 What guilt do we have? What guilt do I have? 44:42 What's in my life that I must cut it off 44:47 by the grace of the Lord, put it away 44:49 and ask God to forgive, cleanse and give power to obey? 44:53 So I make an appeal. 44:55 What is in your life that the Lord 44:57 is calling you to put away? 44:59 Is it some sin, some secret sin, 45:01 is this some habit? 45:03 God can give you power, 45:05 confess and forsake through the power of the Lord. 45:08 Amen. 45:09 Thank you so much, Pastor Johnny. 45:11 I see the saw with the law of sowing 45:14 and reaping exemplified 45:16 as each one of you have been talking, 45:17 talked about in Galatians Chapter 6, 45:19 that if you sow righteousness, you sow repentance, 45:24 you sow obedience, 45:26 you will reap an abundant harvest. 45:29 But if you choose, by an act of your will 45:32 to walk in disobedient to the commands of God, 45:37 there will be consequences. 45:38 And those consequences in Ezra Chapter 10 are heavy. 45:43 I have Thursday's lesson, which is Marriage Today. 45:46 So what we're going to look at is, 45:48 does this even apply today, and how does it apply today 45:52 to marriages? 45:53 Aside from accepting Jesus, choosing a spouse is probably 45:58 the most important decision you will ever make. 46:01 Absolutely. 46:03 Because it has eternal consequences. 46:05 Yes. 46:06 Your spouse can impact you negatively. 46:09 Would that be accurate? Yes. 46:11 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Do not be deceived, 46:14 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' 46:17 " But your spouse can also impact you for Christ. 46:20 Absolutely. 46:22 I love Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, 46:26 so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." 46:30 From Ezra 9 and 10, and Nehemiah 13, 46:34 we see how seriously God took marriage, 46:37 especially the consequences of intermarriage 46:41 with the children of Israel with a pagan or an idolater. 46:47 Let's look at the New Testament, 46:48 what is our council today? 46:49 2 Corinthians. 46:51 Turn with me to 2 Corinthians Chapter 6. 46:53 Pastor Kenny, I think it was you 46:54 who referenced this a bit earlier, Verses 14-18. 46:58 Even today there is still the danger of being 47:02 unequally yoked. 47:05 What we would say today is a believer 47:08 with a non believer. 47:10 So we're in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. 47:12 That's right. 47:13 "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 47:17 For what fellowship has righteousness 47:20 with lawlessness? 47:21 And what communion has light with darkness? 47:23 And what accord has Christ with Belial? 47:27 What part has a believer with an unbeliever? 47:29 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" 47:33 Paul brings it to the same comparison, 47:36 believers with unbelievers 47:37 is the same thing as in the Old Testament, 47:39 believers with those who worship idols. 47:42 Going on, "For you are the temple 47:45 of the living God. 47:47 As God has said: 'I will dwell in them 47:49 and walk among them. 47:51 I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' 47:54 Therefore 'Come out from among them 47:56 and be separate, says the Lord. 47:58 Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. 48:02 I will be a Father to you, 48:04 and you shall be My sons and daughters, 48:05 says the Lord Almighty.'" 48:07 Amen. 48:08 Turn back to 1 Corinthians, we're gonna spend the balance 48:10 of our time in 1 Corinthians Chapter 7, 48:12 which is Paul's counsel 48:14 to those who are married to unbelievers. 48:18 1 Corinthians 6, we know the Corinthian church 48:22 was surrounded by a culture that 48:24 was steeped in sexual immorality. 48:28 The Roman world of that time, you can say moral conditions 48:32 were at an all time low. 48:34 The Christians in Corinth weren't 48:36 even shocked by immorality. 48:38 And in fact, they engaged in immorality. 48:41 1 Corinthians 5, and Paul's very clear that 48:45 what is not even accepted in the pagan Roman world, 48:49 they were engaging that in the church. 48:50 Yeah. 48:52 1 Corinthians 6, he has to tell them, 48:54 listen folks, sexual relationships 48:56 with the prostitute is wrong. 48:58 Now, you would think you wouldn't even 48:59 need to be told that, right? 49:01 But yet, they needed to be told that. 49:04 Paul wrote that the union of a Christian 49:06 with a pagan prostitute 49:07 has serious spiritual implications. 49:11 And now the Christians were wondering, 49:13 are we sinning if we're remaining married 49:15 to our unbelieving spouse? 49:18 That was the question 49:19 we see in 1 Corinthians Chapter 7. 49:21 Now the lesson brought this out. 49:23 I just wanna read one quote from the lesson. 49:26 It says, "Because we have no elaborate command in the Bible 49:30 and what to do with interfaith marriages, 49:31 it would be very unwise and run against the intention 49:35 of the text and its principles to insist 49:37 that separating from the unbelieving spouse 49:40 is the right approach. 49:41 And based on this account by Ezra," 49:43 which you referenced, Pastor Johnny. 49:45 "Ezra, Nehemiah situation was a onetime event 49:48 and according to God's will." 49:50 So in other words, we're not saying that today 49:53 we should have this separation 49:55 or this divorce take place 49:57 like they did in Ezra Chapter 10. 49:59 But let's see what is Paul's counsel? 50:01 And we're getting to a list. 50:04 We're looking at five principles, 50:07 five principles that we see here in 1 Corinthians 7, 50:10 on dealing with marriage to an unbeliever. 50:14 Principle number one, do not initiate divorce. 50:18 1 Corinthians 7:12-13. 50:21 Paul writes, "But to the rest," now who are the rest? 50:23 The rest are the believers if you read the context, 50:27 the believers who are married to a non believer. 50:29 So this is counsel specifically for those married 50:32 to non believers. 50:33 "But to the rest I, not the Lord," 50:35 meaning this is not a based on a direct command of Jesus. 50:39 I say, "If any brother has a wife 50:41 who does not believe, 50:42 and she is willing to live with him, 50:44 let him not divorce her. 50:47 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, 50:50 if he is willing to live with her, 50:52 let her not divorce him." 50:56 So in other words, if you are married right now 50:59 to an unbelieving spouse, don't initiate divorce. 51:03 Principle number two, the union with an unbeliever, 51:06 the marriage union 51:08 with an unbeliever can result in... 51:10 I call it fringe benefits to the believer. 51:14 This is what I mean. Okay. 51:15 1 Corinthians 7:14, "For the unbelieving husband 51:19 is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife 51:24 is sanctified by the husband, 51:26 otherwise your children would be unclean, 51:28 but now they are holy." 51:30 Think of Joseph. 51:31 Remember he was sold as a slave. 51:33 He was in Potiphar's household. 51:36 Now the Lord blessed Potiphar and his household, 51:39 not because of anything Potiphar did, 51:41 and not because he was a believer. 51:42 The Lord blessed him because of Joseph. 51:44 Joseph went into prison. 51:46 The Lord blessed those in prison, why? 51:49 Not because of the keeper of the prison 51:50 or because anyone was sanctified 51:52 or holy in the prison. 51:53 It was because of Joseph. 51:56 Think of Sodom, it would have been spared 51:58 if there had only been, what? 52:00 Fifty righteous people in that city. 52:03 Think of the people who would be blessed 52:06 because of Abraham's faithfulness. 52:09 So there are benefits to the unbelieving spouse, 52:13 for being married to a believer. 52:16 Number three, this takes it a step further, 52:19 seek to win the unbelieving spouse to Christ. 52:23 That is the ultimate goal to win the unbelieving spouse 52:26 to Christ. 52:28 1 Peter 3, 1 Peter 3:1-2, 52:31 this is counseled specifically to wives. 52:33 "Wives, likewise, 52:34 be submissive to your own husbands, 52:36 that even if some do not obey the word, they, 52:39 without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 52:44 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear." 52:48 Now, what is that saying? 52:50 That saying your attitude is important. 52:52 That saying when you don't even speak anything, 52:54 and when you're not even trying to say something 52:57 and convert your spouse by your actions, 53:00 by what you do and how you do it. 53:04 It impacts your spouse for Christ. 53:07 Now, unless you think, well, this only applies for wives 53:10 and most certainly applies for husbands 53:12 because 1 Corinthians 7:16, says, 53:15 "How do you know, O wife, 53:16 whether you will save your husband? 53:18 How do you know, O husband, 53:20 whether you will save your wife?" 53:23 Oh, boy. 53:24 Principle number four, 53:25 do not resist divorce proceedings, 53:29 if the unbeliever initiates it. 53:32 1 Corinthians 7:15, "If the unbeliever," 53:36 that would be the unbelieving spouse, 53:38 "if they depart, let him depart, 53:41 a brother or a sister is not under bondage 53:44 in such cases." 53:45 What does that mean? 53:46 Not under Jesus' prohibition on divorce. 53:49 "But God has called us to peace." 53:52 So we're called not to, if you're married 53:55 to an unbelieving spouse, 53:57 don't you be the one to initiate the divorce. 54:00 Show Christian kindness and love toward 54:03 your unbelieving spouse and pray for them 54:05 because God could win your unbelieving spouse to Christ. 54:10 But if your unbelieving spouse initiates divorce, 54:14 the believer may agree to it. 54:16 My, my. 54:18 Final principle number five, Trust God in your marriage. 54:22 Amen. 54:23 Trust God in your spouse's salvation. 54:27 2 Peter 3:9, "God is not willing 54:29 that any should perish." 54:30 "But that all should come to repentance." 54:35 You might feel right now that you're walking 54:37 in an unequally yoked marriage 54:39 and there might be darkness in your home, 54:42 there might be oppression in your home. 54:45 The Lord Jesus can walk beside you 54:48 in the midst of that. 54:50 He can bring light, He can bring gladness, 54:53 He can bring deliverance. 54:56 Trust God with your salvation, 54:58 but trust God with the salvation 55:00 of your spouse as well. 55:02 Amen. Thank you, Jill. 55:04 Thank you, Pastor Dinzey, Shelley, Pastor Kenny, 55:07 I'm gonna give you an opportunity 55:08 as you can see this lesson dealing with bad decisions. 55:12 Wow, it really pulled our coattail. 55:15 Let me give you an opportunity to summarize. 55:17 Okay. Good. 55:18 I found something I thought 55:19 it was good to all in a little book 55:21 called Adventist Home, 55:22 page 66 and 67, just a little paragraph. 55:24 But boy, just, it's really potent. 55:26 "Hundreds have sacrificed Christ 55:28 and heaven in consequences 55:30 of marrying unconverted persons. 55:33 Can it be that the love and fellowship of Christ 55:37 are of so little value to them that they prefer 55:40 the companionship of poor mortals? 55:45 Commitments and obedience to God 55:47 is the most important thing in our life. 55:48 And if we are in a mismatched union, 55:51 whether it is that with a spouse, 55:53 or even a business, you know, 55:56 what happens is you get close and then you begin to 55:59 compromise for the sake of unity. 56:01 But as Ezra said, "Hey, 56:04 if we got what we deserved, we wouldn't be here." 56:07 I just want to, 56:08 God is a God of justice and mercy, 56:10 but He is a God of grace. 56:12 Justice would be getting what you deserve. 56:16 Mercy would be getting what you don't deserve. 56:21 Grace is... Excuse me. 56:24 Mercy is not getting what you deserve, 56:28 but grace is getting what you don't deserve. 56:32 That's good. Amen. 56:33 Praise the Lord. 56:34 I just want to add because of the some people 56:39 that are listening to us and we're talking about 56:43 a believer married with an unbeliever, 56:45 because some people learn about Jesus 56:47 and they give their hearts to the Lord, 56:49 and they're already married, 56:51 and the other person does not wanna make that decision, 56:53 these things that Sister Jill spoke off very, very clearly. 56:57 Come to the point, but I want to caution 56:59 those especially young people 57:01 that are looking for a spouse, 57:04 take it to the Lord in prayer. 57:06 And do not seek to be married to an unbeliever 57:09 because as the Bible says, they will draw your heart 57:11 away from the Lord. 57:12 That's right. 57:14 They will draw your heart away from the Lord. 57:15 And so I encourage you to take this matter 57:17 of very important decision to the Lord in prayer, 57:20 that He will guide you and bless you 57:22 with the person that He knows will be best for you. 57:24 That's right. 57:25 I'm so grateful that our God uses the gentlest means 57:28 possible to get our attention. 57:30 Amen. Wow. 57:31 Dealing with bad decisions. 57:34 Now, the Lord desires that 57:35 we all even if we've made bad decision, 57:38 the Lord is the God of forgiveness. 57:39 Yes. Amen. 57:41 But His joy is found in 3 John 1:4, 57:42 "I have no greater joy than to hear 57:45 that my children walk in truth." 57:47 If you know what to do, 57:49 ask for God to give you strength 57:50 to live it to His glory. 57:53 Join us next time for lesson number 13, 57:56 entitled Leaders in Israel. 57:59 God bless you until we see you again. |
Revised 2019-12-19