Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 2 Study # 11
October 8, 2006
Lincolnton, N.C.
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Thesis: Beware of the practice of religion where there is no reality.
Introduction: The record by Luke of the situation in Nazareth at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult issues that mankind faces in this world. There is absolutely
nothing quite like being immersed in a given "God-speak" of heart and mind and having that religious bent be in total error. And, it is even of greater horror when that "God-speak" has a violent commitment to its accuracy because of its underpinnings in "words from God".
{Be aware that the level of violence is indicative of two facts: one, that the person who is violent is heavily invested in seeking status [Note Saul of Tarsus who, because he made it his goal to "advance beyond ... my countrymen" (Galatians 1:14), was the "chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15) by reason of his violence]; and, two, that the person who is violent is typically incredibly self-righteous and justifies his godlessness by "zeal".}
And, perhaps the greatest horror of all is when the "words from God" are actually found in authentic Scripture. Though it only takes a minor "tweak" to turn authentic words into apostate lies, it is not a "minor" thing for a man to be willing to make that "tweak". It is a manifestation of an apostate heart that has angrily turned from the only God there is to attempt to force itself upon the world.
Our study of the record of Jesus' words to the Nazarenes is fraught with the danger of the idea that what we are doing today is "only church" and Jesus' treatment of the Nazarenes is just a little squabble in a backwash in ancient history. But, our study is also filled to the brim with great possibilities of enormous, eternal good -- for we are studying the words of One Who was filled with grace and truth.
So, let us consider Jesus' references to two crucial historical events in Israel's ancient past.
- I. The Nature of Jesus' Words.
- A. "But I say to you..."
- 1. The background of what He is about to say is the "attitude" of the Nazarenes.
- a. On the one hand, they are ultra-sensitive to their own sins and refuse to allow anyone to address them..."Physician, heal thyself."
- b. On the other hand, they are ultra-sensitive to their own status in the eyes of men and will address any insult with angry hostility..."You are no prophet; You are simply the son of Joseph with an enlarged ego."
- 2. The information He is about to unload is "immutable doctrine".
- B. "...in truth..."
- 1. This is not like our "to be perfectly honest with you..."
- a. This smacks of a typical willingness to not be "honest".
- b. This implies that the only time for "honesty" is when something crucial is on the table.
- 2. This is, instead, a declaration that what is about to be revealed is to be understood as having no "wiggle room."
- a. It is not unlike "I say to you..."
- b. It is the use of redundancy for emphasis because people have a remarkable ability to simply not recognize the Truth when it is clearly before them. [Use Kerr's "I was saved, but I did not have the Holy Spirit yet" illustration.]
- II. The Content of Jesus' Words.
- A. The record of 1 Kings 17.
- 1. The record begins with the imposition of divine discipline upon a very religious, but glibly apostate, people who were "under covenant" to Yahweh, Creator-Redeemer of the world.
- a. In 1 Kings 16:33 the "king" of God's covenant people leads those people into the worst kind of provocation of Yahweh of any man before him.
- b. In Deuteronomy 11:16-17 Moses warned the covenant community what YWHW would do if they succumbed to such leadership.
- 2. The record records what happened when there was no dew, nor rain, for 42 months.
- a. There was a "great famine".
- b. People were dying by the truck-loads and the widows, and the children of the widows, were in the front lines of those who were perishing.
- 3. Jesus shows no sympathy for the "widows" of Israel.
- a. This does not mean that Yahweh had no "heart" for their plight; it simply means that He imposed judgment upon them without mercy.
- b. In the final analysis, a heart of mercy is only of value for those who wish to be forgiven; it is of no value to those with heads of solid bone.
- 4. The "salvation" of the widow in Sidon.
- a. 1 Kings 17:3 gives a hint as to "why Sidon?": Elijah's life is forfeit in Israel because everyone blames him for the famine and the lack of rain.
- 1) It is inevitably "your" fault when your behavior is making "my" life difficult.
- 2) The rule of thumb in this world is: never look in the mirror in your search for the cause of your sorry state.
- b. 1 Kings 17:13 demands that the widow "believe" in Yahweh's merciful willingness to provide.
- 1) The wicked, in their self-righteousness, would blame the prophet for his "me-first" attitude.
- 2) But, those with understanding would easily see that Elijah was not going to accept the kind of "easy-believism" we accept all day every day from the ungodly.
- 5. The "point": no one gets Yahweh's provision in the day of judgment who is unwilling to be genuinely believing.
- B. The record of 2 Kings 5.
- 1. It is set in the context of "godless hopelessness" as 5:1 and 5:7 both reveal.
- a. There is no cure for leprosy.
- b. There is no cure for leprosy.
- 2. It is about a "testosterone-ladened" warrior of the religion of Rimmon who can do anything but handle his leprosy.
- 3. But it is also about how the leprosy has driven a wedge of "humility" into the heart of this arrogant warrior.
- 4. And it is about how this "humility" not only leads to cleansing, but to clear-eyed understanding of what "salvation" always produces...two mule loads of dirt.
- III. The Point that the Nazarenes "Got".
- A. Jesus considered them apostate right in the middle of their synagogue.
- B. Jesus was not going to back up one bit, having lived among them for 30 years.
- IV. The Question We Face: "How am I any different from those Nazarenes?"
- A. Have I slipped into the easy believism of a worthless religion?
- B. Have I taken my two mule loads of dirt home with me?