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The
other day, I was walking down the street and I
fell into a big hole. The hole was very dark,
and it took me a long time to get out of it.
The next day, I was walking down the same street.
I knew the hole was there, but I still
fell into it. The hole was very dark, and it took
me a long time to get out of it.
The next day, I was walking down the same street.
I saw the hole and went to walk past. But
I was too close and I fell into it. The hole was
very dark, and it took me a long time to get out
of it.
The next day, I was walking down the same street.
I saw the hole and I walked carefully around
it.
But the next day... I walked down a
different street.
Turn to Proverbs 10:9.
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but
he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Think carefully about what this is saying.
Brethren and sisters, today it is my intention to
show you how to become an immovable object. But
before I can do that, I have to warn you about an
irresistible force. And that force is temptation.
Now, you might think that’s a strange thing to say,
because surely, it’s sin that’s the irresistible
force. You may have heard people talking about it.
Sin is a popular topic – because it’s a popular
pastime! You may have read things like “The
wages of sin is death”, and “For all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God.” You may have
first hand experience about the consequences of
sin in your own life. Well, speaking for myself,
I’m not really interested in sin.
I’m more into temptation. So that’s what
I’m going to talk about.
You know as well as I do, of course, that temptation
takes many forms. Sometimes we tempt ourselves,
and sometimes other people tempt us. Occasionally,
we are tempted by people we generally regard as
friends – or at least, friendly acquaintances. Very
often (though not always), our non-Christadelphian
friends are to blame. But why would they
tempt you to sin? What’s in it for them? Well, that
depends on the sin, doesn’t it? And it also depends
on the circumstances. And it also depends
on whether or not they actually knew that
they were trying to get you to sin. That’s lot to
think about – so just look at these ideas one by
one.
Firstly, when someone suggests something to you
that you don’t feel comfortable with, it does not
always mean that they are trying to make you sin.
This is true of people in the world, and it is true
of Christadelphians, both young or old. For example,
in Romans 14, Paul talks about how this can
happen in the ecclesia. In verse 2, he says “For
one believeth that he may eat all things: another,
who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth,
despise him that eateth not; and let not him which
eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath
received him.”
What’s Paul saying? He’s saying that people have
different standards and different ideas about what’s
acceptable to God. He points out that some
of these standards and ideas aren’t from the Bible
– God didn’t give them to us, we just made them
up ourselves. And he points out that setting extra
standards for yourself is OK, as long as your
standards aren’t lower than God’s. But he also
says that not everyone is going to think
the same way you do. Not everyone feels comfortable
with your idea of “the right thing”. Occasionally,
you may offend someone because you handled a situation
differently. They saw you doing the “wrong thing”,
while you felt sure that you were doing the
“right thing”.
Your reasons for having different standards, can
take many forms. For example, when you were young,
Mum and Dad probably said “These are the family
standards. That’s how our family does things.” As
you grew older, you questioned and examined
examined those standards carefully - and they still
felt right to you, so that’s how you do things today.
Alternatively, it may be that you’ve thought about
things which your family standards don’t necessarily
cover, and you’ve added your ideas to the standards
you were brought up with. Or, again, you might have
had an experience that changes your way of seeing
things - and so your ideas about what’s acceptable
and what’s not, will change on the basis of this
experience. But whatever your standards,
and whatever your ideas, one thing remains
true: you must always be able to show a reason.
That’s the most important thing. Because a reason
gives you purpose – it’s not just the explanation
for your behaviour; it’s also part of the goal.
When you can show people a reason, it’s as
if you’re saying to them:
- “This
is where I’m going."
- "This
is why I want to go."
- "And
this is how I’m going to get there.”
So now, think about your non-Christadelphian friends.
The way they think, speak and behave, is guided
by their standards and ideas - not yours.
And sometimes, they forget this... and sometimes
they don’t. Every now and then, they’ll suggest
something that makes you feel uncomfortable – and
they don’t really mean to. Sometimes, however,
they may want to wind you up a bit, and have some
fun – so they’ll challenge you to try their
standards. Their ideas about “the right thing
to do” and “the wrong thing to do”.
What’s in it for them? Well, a good laugh, perhaps.
They might get a kick out of watching you squirm.
Or they might have other motives – they know they’d
feel more comfortable with you, if only you’d feel
more comfortable with them. And, whether deliberately
or not, they’ll drag you down to their level of
behaviour and thinking. Later, they may claim that
they forgot you were supposed to be different.
And sometimes, that’s your fault, not theirs.
Because they can only forget that you’re
different, if they had first been told that you
are!
Hold that thought.
Ok, so that’s a brief look at temptation and pressure
from other people. I’ll be coming back to it later,
and showing you how to deal with it. But for the
moment, I’ll move on, to temptation and pressure
from another source – yourselves.
Turn to Romans 7:21.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good,
evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward
man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver
me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then with the mind I myself serve the law of God;
but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul has a problem. It’s a problem he shared with
all of us. There are times when you want
to serve God, and you may even start changing your
behaviour (for a while, at least), but sooner or
later, you’ll be worn out by the inner struggle
that’s always taking place. Now, this inner struggle
is obviously a good thing, because as Paul says,
it shows that your conscience is working hard to
keep you on the right track. But it does
create a certain confusion. You may question why
it is that you’re doing something – is it because
you really want to please God, or are you just keeping
the peace to avoid a lecture from your parents and
peers?
Sometimes, you might think to yourself “Well, my
conscience says that this is OK, and the apostle
Paul tells me that I’m allowed to follow my conscience
even if other people disagree with me, so I’ll just
go ahead and do as I like.” Occasionally, you may
decide that it’s not so much of a problem where
you go or who you’re with, but what you do once
you’re there – in other words, if you’re careful,
you can have a taste of both worlds, and still not
be accused of disobeying God.
Does this work? Well, no. In fact it presents
more problems than it solves. Instead of
making life clearer, it will only add to your confusion.
On the one hand, you’re trying to keep a clear conscience
and not offend God, but on the other hand, you’re
trying to get away with as much as you can. Christ
says that this is an impossible situation, for how
will you know when you’re trying to develop your
conscience, and when you’re just trying to indulge
yourself?
In Matthew 12:25, Jesus said “Every city
or house divided against itself, shall not stand”.
In James 1:8, the brother of Jesus said “A
double minded man is unstable in all his ways”.
In Revelation 3:16, John said that the ecclesia
of Laodicea will be condemned because it is neither
hot nor cold – it is weak and indefinite. God wants
us to realise that just because we’re allowed to
use our consciences, does not mean we’re allowed
to make it up as we go along.
Don’t be fooled, brethren and sisters – we’ll never
make it to the kingdom if our moral backbones have
the consistency of rubber. God’s looking for stones
to build his global ecclesia – stones fitly joined
together, and resting on the solid foundation of
Christ. Floppy people need not apply. And this is
where I’d like to examine temptation in more detail.
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. That’s
what we read in James 4:7. Turn it up if
you like, because I’ll be staying in James
for a while. The apostle is telling us that as long
as we genuinely fight against our natural impulses,
we stand a chance of prevailing against them. The
moment we cease to fight, we have lost.
It’s all a matter of self control, and knowing what
you’re capable of before you take up the challenge.
In James 1:12-15, we read"
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them
that love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted
of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth He any man:
But every man is tempted when he is drawn away
by his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth
sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death.
James is bringing up a lot of interesting ideas
here. But the one that I’d like to concentrate on,
is the fact that every man is tempted when he is
drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. What exactly
does that mean? Well, my understanding is that different
things appeal to different people. What tempts you,
may not interest me – and what I find tremendously
exciting, will probably bore you senseless.
I was made aware of this in a very practical sense
when, one day when I still lived in Tasmania, our
next door neighbours called on my twin brother and
I, and offered us some drugs. We declined. They
went back to their house, had a party, and got thoroughly
drunk. And there the matter ended.
Our neighbours had not been offended by our refusal,
but they made no further attempts to include us
in their lifestyle. They knew that we were Christians,
and they knew where we stood. Things might have
been very different however, if they had made an
offer that we were less likely to refuse. If it
had been a gift of stolen, untraceable money for
example, our answer may still have been “No” – but
perhaps a quiet “No”... a reluctant
“No”. A “No” that really meant “I want
to, but I’m not allowed...”
Not a very strong response. Not a very convincing
response. And certainly, a response that (quite
deliberately) leaves the door open for temptation
in the future. Because to people who don’t care
about God, a reluctant “No”, simply means “Come
back later when I’m not feeling so strong”. And
believe me – they will!
What I learned from this experience – and others
I have had – is that there is a great deal of truth
in the proverb “Every man has his price”. By that
I simply mean, “You can bribe anyone, as long as
you know what to offer."
Of course, the offer isn’t always money. It may
be other things – less obvious, but no less enticing.
It may the offer of an opportunity; a chance; a
place; a gift; a person – maybe even a relationship.
And curiously, you will sometimes find that the
thing which you thought you weren’t interested
in before, is actually quite appealing. Because
although the thing itself has not changed,
the circumstances under which it is being offered,
have. Perhaps there is more pressure on you
this time; perhaps you might think that you can
“get away with it this time”; perhaps you may wish
to try the experience “just once”; perhaps you may
think that you have something to prove to others,
or to yourself.
But this is dangerous ground.
Come with me to I Corinthians 10:12-14.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth
take heed lest he fall.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as
is common to man: but God is faithful, who will
not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Paul gives a strong warning here. He is concerned
because the Corinthians think that just because
they have a strong conscience, they can allow themselves
greater liberties - trusting themselves not to be
enticed by temptation. In other words, the Corinthians
are too confident; they’re not worried about
temptation because they really don’t think it will
happen to them. But they are wrong.
Paul goes on to say that all humans share
the same basic temptations, and that sooner or later,
we all make mistakes. Notwithstanding this,
he encourages us to look beyond the temptation
– he reminds us that God provides a way out of every
situation.
Sometimes we think differently. Sometimes we feel
that a temptation was inescapable – we could not
possibly have avoided it. And yet, Paul says
that we can escape temptation – so how should
this be done? My suggestion to you, brethren and
sisters, is that temptation arises with a situation
– and sin is the result of involving yourself in
that situation. You see, there are two basic approaches
to the problem of temptation. We can stand our ground,
and fight it out – or we can just run away.
And now I’d like to show you how these two methods
work...
The "Stand and Fight"
Method
Firstly, let’s assume that you’re in a situation
where temptation has arisen. If you think you’re
strong enough, you can stay where you are, remain
in the situation, and resist the temptation. What
are the advantages? Well, if you resist the temptation
once, it becomes easier to resist a second time
– and your example will be a great encouragement
to anyone who sees it. Not only that, but you may
win a personal victory that you’ve never won before.
Turn to I Samuel 24:3-7.
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where
was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet:
and David and his men remained in the sides of
the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the
day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold,
I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that
thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto
thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt
of Saul's robe privily.
And it came to pass afterward, that David's
heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's
skirt.
And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that
I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's
anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him,
seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
So David stayed his servants with these words,
and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But
Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his
way.
David is given an opportunity to kill his worst
enemy, and passes it up. Why? He’s has been hounded
by this man for months. Saul has chased him, divided
his family, driven him out of Israel, thrown things
at him, slandered his name and murdered the priests
who tried to help the man they knew
had been anointed king. David’s a hero! He doesn’t
have to put up with this! The humiliation, the
lies, the treachery, the destruction of his reputation
in Israel... surely God has sent him the one chance
by which all this can be wiped away - permanently!
He’s in that situation right now; it even came
to him, he didn’t go looking for it. Something has
to be done to resolve that situation – and it’s
all up to David. Can you imagine the men with him?
Can you imagine the pressure?
- The
men who appealed to his sense of duty:
“This man is a lunatic! Kill him and set
Israel free!”
- The
men who appealed to his sense of honour:
“It’s OK, David – we know you wouldn’t stab
a man in the back. Just tap him on the shoulder
and knife him as he turns round. Easy as.”
- The
men who appealed to his vanity:
“You’re twice the man he is! Now’s the chance
to show him who’s boss!”
- The
men who appealed to his warrior spirit:
“Come on, David – don’t be shy! Here’s a
sword – get it into him! Make him squeal!”
Can you imagine the confusion in David’s mind? This
was a golden opportunity to satisfy a burning hunger
for revenge, and at the same time, remove the man
who had abused his God-given authority. Surely,
surely the hand of Yahweh
was giving
him this chance!
And yes, that was ineed true. God had
given him this chance... which
is why he was so careful not to waste it by killing
Saul! Because David recognised that
here was an unavoidable temptation – a situation
thrust upon him. No chance to run away. A decision
had to be
made.
Let's stop for a moment and try to imagine how
David might have worked the problem out in his own
mind:
- Saul
is unfit to be king, and Saul is the enemy of
God.
- God
says that I must destroy His enemies.
- Samuel
has anointed me to be the new king, and God
has said that I will be.
- Therefore,
if I kill Saul, God’s promise comes true, and
He loses an enemy.
- But
Samuel also anointed Saul, on
God’s authority. And God says that it is a sin
to kill His anointed. Therefore, if I kill Saul,
God’s promise comes true, but only because I
disobeyed God to make it happen sooner!
- Conclusion?
God would not ask me to disobey Him, in order
to fulfil His prophecy! God needs no
help from me – and He’s not in the habit of
asking me to sin. That’s not how God works.
What David realised, is that that God doesn’t give
use problems that need to be solved by disobedience.
In fact, quite the opposite. He gives use situations
that require personal
sacrifice – giving up some pride; giving
up something valuable; giving up an opportunity
you’d been hoping for. And if you can do that, then
you’re in good company. Because David did this.
Not once, but twice. And he found that the second
time was easier.
You see, later, when he finds Saul asleep in the
valley, David doesn’t even worry
about how he’s going to act, and he doesn’t spend
his time arguing with himself. But he doesn’t avoid
the situation, either – in fact, he deliberately
involves himself. He steals Saul’s spear, and a
jug of water. He could do this, because he could
trust himself. He knew that having fought the temptation
once, he would win again. He had strengthened his
self control. I’ll bet it wasn’t an easy task.
But not everyone
is capable of facing every tempting situation, and
fighting successfully. Sometimes you’re not prepared.
Sometimes the temptation’s greater than you thought.
Often, you just didn’t know how you would react
in that situation, and you surprised yourself by
failing to resist. You’ve let yourself down. It
hurts.
Turn to Luke 22:55-62.
And when they had kindled a fire in the midst
of the hall, and were set down together, Peter
sat down among them.
But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the
fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said,
This man was also with him.
And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
And after a little while another saw him, and
said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man,
I am not.
And about the space of one hour after another
confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this
fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest.
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock
crew.
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And
Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he
had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice.
And Peter went out, and wept bitterly...
Oh dear.
This “stand up and take it like a man” business
is a lot harder than it looks. You see, Peter had
promised Jesus
that he would die for him! But when it came
to the crunch, Peter was the one who lived... because
the temptation to lie, and save himself, was far
greater than he’d expected. Yes, when the situation
arose, Peter decided to stay in it – and with all
the best intentions. He had hoped to make a stand
for Christ. He had hoped - like David - to stare
temptation in the face, and walk away in triumph.
To prove his self control to the world - and to
his Lord.
But he made a terrible mistake... he sat near the
fire. And the problem with fires is that they make
you hot. In fact, if you’re too
close, they make you uncomfortably hot. And the
longer Peter sat by the fire, the hotter he became.
Until finally, he wanted to move. And when he did
leave, no-one noticed... except the man who
died so that Peter might live.
The lesson for us? Know
what you’re capable of. Don’t bite off more than
you can chew. And that’s where the second
approach to temptation comes in. Whereas the first
approach is the bold, “Wait until you see the whites
of their eyes” method, this one is completely different.
I call it the “running away” method. Let’s see how
it works.
The "Running Away" Method:
Well, it’s fairly simple, really. Instead of involving
yourself in the situation and trying to change the
outcome, you remove yourself from the situation
entirely. Because if you were never there, you couldn’t
have done anything wrong. Easy to say, perhaps –
but is it easy to do? And are there disadvantages
to this method? Let's turn to Genesis
39:7-12, and find out...
And it came to pass after these things, that
his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph;
and she said, Lie with me.
But he refused, and said unto his master's
wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with
me in the house, and he hath committed all that
he hath to my hand;
There is none greater in this house than I; neither
hath he kept back any thing from me but thee,
because thou art his wife: how then can I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God?
And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day
by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie
by her, or to be with her.
And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph
went into the house to do his business; and there
was none of the men of the house there within.
And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie
with me: and he left his garment in her hand,
and fled, and got him out.
Joseph was a great believer in the “Running away”
method. And it worked for him – but why? Look closely
at the situation. What do you have here? An attractive
and strong-minded woman who’s accustomed to getting
her own way, and a quiet, handsome, God-fearing
young man. The woman knows what she wants, and she’s
not shy about saying so. The man knows that she’s
available, but he also knows that he’s responsible
for everything he does in God’s sight.
Potiphar’s wife makes every attempt to involve Joseph
in a situation that will drag him down to her level.
She deliberately creates opportunities for both
of them to sin. Whenever possible, she spends time
with Joseph – she looks for him, she watches him,
she hunts him, and she brings the temptation to
him. And at last, she throws
herself at him, hoping that his resistance has finally
broken down.
But look at the series of events, brethren and sisters.
Look at how Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph every
day, and followed him about. Look at how she ignored
his call to reason. Look at how she was always chasing
him. There’s the key, brethren and sisters – she
was always chasing him. Joseph was no fool!
He knew that you don’t have to chase something if
it always stays in one spot!
And I’m telling you, he was always
on the move! If she was inside
the house – he made sure he was outside,
cutting the lawn, where everybody could see him.
If she was outside
– he’d be inside,
dusting off the china, or vacuuming the lounge.
In other words, he was never
near her. She had to bring
the temptation to him, because he was
careful not to ask for it.
Now, please don’t misunderstand Joseph. It’s not
that he wasn’t interested
in women. I’m sure he was – in fact, his behaviour
confirms it. Because if he was never interested
in Potiphar’s wife, then
why was he always running away? Well
it’s very simple, brethren and sisters. Joseph knew
that God never tempts us beyond our resistance –
we do it to ourselves.
Sure, Joseph could have made his excuses to God:
- “Look,
I lasted for a month, what more do You want?”
- “How
could I know that it would get to this
stage?”
- "She
was always hanging around me, so what did You
expect me to do?”
Like David, Joseph knew what he was capable of.
Unlike Peter,
he never gave himself an impossible task. So while
Potiphar’s wife was busy creating situations, Joseph
was twice as busy avoiding them. He wasn’t the sort
of person who says “I’ll just see how much I can
resist." I’ll bet he had a fair idea of how much
he could resist, and he wasn’t stupid enough to
push that resistance to its limit.
So, what are the advantages to the “running away”
method? Well, it works. (That’s definitely an advantage!)
And it’s better than changing your mind when it’s
already too late to do so. And once you start using
this method, it gets easier and easier. But there
is a small problem – it involves a bit of sacrifice.
And the sacrifice required is none other than pride.
Because in order to use the “Running away” method,
you have to admit that in some areas, you have a
weakness. Or, to put it another way, you have to
be honest enough to say to yourself “If the situation
went this far, I couldn’t trust myself to just get
out of it”.
Let's consider another Bible character - Samson.
Samson was a big strong man, who didn’t believe
in the “running away” method. He knew what he was
capable of, and he believed that his self control
was enough to keep him out of trouble. You can read
about his astonishing lack of success in Judges
14, 15, and 16. Isn't it interesting
that Joseph spends a
few verses resisting Potiphar’s wife,
while Samson takes three
chapters to realise his mistake? Why
was that, do you think?
The answer, of course, is simple. Joseph avoided
situations, while Samson created
them. He spent most of his time saying “I’ll get
it right next time”. But one day, there wasn’t a
“next time”, because Samson died, remember? He didn’t
get a chance to try it all again...
By contrast, Potiphar’s wife spent most of her
time saying “I’ll get Joseph next time”. But one
day, there wasn’t a “next time”, because she lost
her temper with him, and God used the opportunity
to take Joseph away.
God knew that Joseph would be safer elsewhere –
and when you think about the fact the Joseph was
safer in prison than he was with Potiphar’s wife,
the old “Running away” method starts to look pretty
good!
What are the disadvantages to the “Running away”
method? Well, you have to swallow a bit of pride.
You have to admit your mistakes. You have to look
a bit foolish sometimes. You have to sound pious
now and then. And people might laugh. People might
think you’re weak. That’s up to them. But when you’ve
avoided temptation yet again, and they’re still
wrestling with the consequences of what they did
last year, who’s the weak one?
It’s a hard way, brethren and sisters. But very
often, it’s the only
way. And do you think you’ll be thanked
for it? Do you think people will look up to you
for it, praise you for it, congratulate you for
it?
Nope.
Well, some
might. Those who know what you’re going through.
Those who’ve done it before. Those who really understand
what you’re doing. Those who respect your principles
and admire your self control.
And God certainly
will, brethren and sisters. He’ll be immensely
proud. He’ll watch every
move you make, and not
one of your brave efforts will be missed.
Can you imagine anything better than having God
as a witness to all your successes..?
Some days, you feel disheartened. Some days you
feel as if you’re the only one who’s trying to maintain
a straight path through life. You’ve put your heart
into a week of sacrifice, devotion and sincerity.
You’ve suffered for your faith – but nobody seems
to care. In fact, things haven’t even improved.
And, which is worse, all the people around you seem
to be getting away with murder – and enjoying it!
Ecclesiastes 9
was written for occasions such as this. In it, Solomon
concludes that all human achievement is empty unless
it is performed in God’s service. And he says that
no matter what you do, and no matter how righteous
it is, the people of this world aren’t going to
take any notice, unless it directly involves them.
He says that the bad people in this world get away
with just about everything, so they do what they
like. (Because as far they are concerned, rules
are only made for people who keep them...) And the
good people in this world, the ones who are trying
to do the right thing, still have to put up with
the bad things of life.
But Solomon also
says this:
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and
his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that
it shall be well with them that fear God, which
fear before Him. But it shall not be well with
the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days,
which are as a shadow; because he feareth not
before God.
We can doubt this at times. It just doesn’t
seem realistic – or maybe it’s an exaggeration!
How can God be working for good in our lives when
our faithful service seems to go unrewarded, and
others profit at our expense?
Doesn’t God know?
Doesn’t God care?
Oh yes. He does. Look, I’ll show you.
In I Kings 19,
Elijah is on the run from Ahab and Jezebel. At first,
he has a head start, and he gets as far as Jezreel
before being discovered. That’s a journey of more
than seventy miles north from his starting point.
Then he doubles back – to Beersheba. That’s more
than a hundred miles south, but it’s still
not far enough. Finally, with the very last of his
strength, Elijah staggers a few extra miles into
the wilderness, where he confidently expects to
die. But God sends an angel to strengthen him with
food and drink. And Elijah travels for forty days
and nights, until he arrives at Mount Horeb. Here,
he speaks with God.
Elijah says “Look, I’ve had enough of being a prophet,
because the job is simply impossible. Ahab and Jezebel
have killed all the priests, converted the nation
to idolatry, and destroyed the altars, and now they’re
after me. I’m the only
one left in the whole nation who’s even trying to
be righteous.”
And God says “The only
one?”
And Elijah says “Yes, the only
one!”
And God says “So... you wouldn’t include the seven
thousand people who have not bowed to
Baal, then?”
And Elijah coughs, and shuffles his feet a bit.
And he says “Ah. Yes. Well *ahem* of course, that
would make me the seven thousand and first
person in the whole nation who’s even trying to
be righteous.”
And God says... "Exactly."
And after that, Elijah gets up, and goes back to
work. Because all of a sudden, life has come into
focus. Elijah’s got perspective. He’s just realised
that sometimes we can be self righteous without
even knowing it. And sometimes, we can forget that
we’re not the only ones. Instead of thinking about
ourselves, brethren and sisters, let’s think of
others. Let’s gain strength from the thought that
we’re all in this together.
At the beginning of my study, I told you that if
you want people to know that you’re different, you
have to tell them. I’d like to come back to that
idea, and examine it more closely. Because so far,
I’ve spent my time discussing the irresistible force
– temptation – and how you’re supposed to deal with
it. But simply knowing how to deal with a problem,
does not mean that you’re capable of doing so. You
may have the instructions – but do you have the
tools?
I’d like to talk about separation – and I should
point out that separation does not
mean isolation.
God does not require you to become a hermit. He
simply asks you to put some distance between yourself
and the things that will corrupt you. And as I’ve
already pointed out, if you spend a good deal of
your time avoiding those things, then separation
will come more easily to you. This separation business
needs to be taken seriously. Because it’s no good
saying one thing, and doing another. It’s no good
promising to change, if you never really do. And
you can’t blame anyone but yourself for the consequences
of failing to separate yourself from something that’s
bad for you.
Time for a history lesson.
There were two great opera writers in the 19th century.
Their names were Gilbert and Sullivan. They produced
superb music, but they disliked each other very
much. The only reason they continued to work together
was because they received enormous amounts of money
for it. And yet, their working relationship was
terrible, and it caused them both a great deal of
stress. They regularly insulted each other – in
fact, Gilbert once said of Sullivan “He is like
a man sitting on a stove, who complains that his
backside is on fire!”
I rather like that comment. I like it even more
for the fact that Gilbert didn’t seem to notice
that it applied just as much to himself, as it did
to his partner. And if Gilbert had read his Bible,
he would have discovered some useful advice in II
Corinthians 6:14.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?
Paul is no fool. He understands the need for separation.
He tells us about it quite plainly. But he also
introduces a new idea – being yoked together. A
curious thought. Sounds too much like work to be
enjoyable. What does it mean?
Well Paul is telling us that if you’re going to
get through life, you’ll need help. So choose it
carefully. And once you’ve found good help, keep
it close to you. He’s talking about people. He’s
talking about friends in the Christadelphian community.
Parents, brothers, sisters, members of the Youth
Group. People who work with you as a team. A strong
team.
I remember reading about a strong team. They were
three friends. Three young men of equal ability.
Someone was trying to make them do something that
would bring shame on themselves, and dishonour to
God. And you know, individually, they might not
have been capable of resistance. But Solomon says
that a three fold cord is not easily broken – and
these men proved him right. They were in a foreign
land – Babylon. They weren’t safely isolated from
worldly people – in fact, they were in the middle
of the king’s court. But they were separated. Separated
in the mind. Where it counts. And since their minds
controlled their actions, their behaviour was separated
from the behaviour of the people around them. Not
surprisingly, this is what led to them being thrown
into a furnace.
Out of which they walked.
Together.
Equally yoked...
Imagine for a moment, that you're currently
sitting in a large hall, full of people. (Let's
say 300+ - just for the sake of the argument.) They're
sitting in two equal groups, with an aisle down
the middle.
Imagine that I ask one of the people in the front
row of the right hand side, to stand up for a moment.
And then I invited everybody else to take a good
long stare at that person. They’re very
conspicuous, aren’t they? And oh dear, they look
rather embarrassed,
too. Because I’ve just separated them from the rest
of you. So all of a sudden, they’ve become different.
Not very nice being different, is it? Let’s give
them some company. See if that helps.
So imagine that someone else - from the back
row of the right hand side - to stand up as well.
Now we have two
people who are different. Conspicuous. Obvious.
Separated from us. And – which is more important
– isolated
from each other. Not very nice when the only person
who can relate to you is two hundred miles away,
is it? Let’s move things along a bit.
Imagine that the rest of the people on that row
to stand up. And everybody else is invited to stare.
You can even point at them, if you like – I
won’t be offended!
So we have a whole row of people now. Well, that’s
better than it was, I suppose. They can all be different
together. But they’re no match for the people sitting
down. The people who are comfortable. The people
who are in a better position. No-one stares or points
at them. They’re the normal
people. And they’re looking at this ragged group
of awkward people.
But not for long.
Imagine that everybody
on the right hand side of the hall, stands up -
and that once they've done so, they turn on
the spot, and look at the people on the left
hand side of the hall... who are still sitting down.
Well, that’s rather interesting, isn’t it? Because
suddenly, these people don’t look awkward any more.
And they’re separated
(from the people of the left hand side of the hall)
but they’re definitely not isolated.
And you know, I think that if anyone’s
going to be embarrassed, it’s these people on the
left hand side of the hall, sitting down. They’ve
suddenly become the different people. The people
in the uncomfortable position. Because right in
front of their eyes, a very small group just became
an army.
Now, if asked one of these imaginary people standing
up, to sit down,
what would the people on either side of him do?
Perhaps they'd sit down with him. Perhaps they'd
continue to stand. We don't know until we try.
And perhaps they
don't know, either...
Unity is strength. You’ve heard me say that before.
You’ll hear me say it again. I like saying it. It
is true. And it’s a truth that has held my
life together through some very dark times.
I called these people - the ones who are standing
up - an army. And that’s what they are. The apostle
Paul describes them in Ephesians
6:13. He says that they have the whole
armour of God. He says that they have the truth
at their belts and righteousness as a breastplate.
He says that their feet are covered with the preparation
of the gospel of peace, and that they carry the
shield of faith. He says that on their heads they
have the helmet of salvation, and in their hands,
the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
Paul was talking about the ideal soldier. The best
soldier in the world. And at that time, the best
soldier in the world was the Roman soldier. Because
he was the most disciplined. The toughest. The most
controlled. The one who was perfectly equipped for
any emergency.
The Roman soldier had a shield. And in certain situations,
he and the men with him, would use their shields
to create a formation known in Latin as the “testudo.”
In English, this word is translated as “tortoise.”
Because that’s what it was. The Roman legionaries
would make a square, and each man would overlap
his shield with the shield of the man next to him.
This was done on the front, and all four sides.
The men in the centre would hold their shields above
their heads, thus protecting those around them.
And suddenly, a collection of legionaries became
an immovable object.
But it didn’t end there. You see, the men in front
would now stick their spears out, and the entire
testudo would advance. Because you see, brethren
and sisters, what everyone forgets about the immovable
object is that just because nothing can move it,
does not mean
that it can’t move – when
it wants to.
And when an immovable object begins to move, it
becomes an irresistible force. In our case, a force
for good.
And a force for God.
A force that cannot be shaken from its path. A group
of brethren and sisters who - slowly but surely
- will make their way into the gates of Christ’s
kingdom. |
