Introduction
Hello. Welcome. Today, we will start a new sermon series about something that seems nearly all but lost in today's reality. “Self Responsibility.” I know, I know, the world always tells us that it is not our fault. We are not to blame. Simply, we are sick, we have a disease, society is wrong and has to change, the Bible is incorrect and has to change, or we simply do not understand why certain things are the way they are. We are also told that whatever we feel is good and healthy, everyone else has to accept whatever it is we say.
This is simply not true. Yet we see it all the time. Go into a school and gun down a bunch of kids? Well, A- It is the Gun Manufacturer’s fault. B- Parents are at fault for having the gun. C- It was those other kids’ fault for bullying the shooter. D- The shooter was not hugged as a child, the parents are religious, there was an earthquake, the stars aligned, the devil made them do it, whatever. Just do not blame the Shooter. It was not their fault.As we delve into this study, we will discuss the forthcoming topics.
Self-Responsibility: You ARE responsible for you.
Responsibility in Relationships: Yes, sometimes you ARE responsible for others.
Responsibility in Stewardship: You have this responsibility as a child of God.
Part A- Responsibility in obedience.
Part B- Responsibility in sowing the seed.
Part C- Responsibility in finance.
Today, we will start with what we do so well as children in the world: avoidance of responsibility. Let us pray.
“Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today giving you all the praise, glory, and thanksgiving we can, for everything we have, had, or ever will have touched, tasted, heard, seen, or even smelled. We thank You, Father, for life itself to life everlasting and all things in between. Please help us to receive Your Truth and Your revelations as we enter into Your Word today and always. In your precious and holy name, we ask and pray. Amen and amen!”
I have children. I have helped raise many children. Some by blood, and some by choice. Do you know what they all have in common? They lie. When something happens, and they fear getting into trouble, they lie. I say I have children, but sometimes I have more children than my wife gave birth to. Their names? Not me, I didn’t do it. I don't know. Talk about problem children. Man. They are always into something.
This is human nature. Sometimes, we never completely rid ourselves of this childish behavior. Even as adults, we lie, cheat, and blame others for our mistakes. We have even established an entire field of study called psychology that informs you and society that it is not your fault.
Now, do not misunderstand. I am not blaming psychology for all the errors of the world. I do understand that there is a need to talk to people when you are feeling stressed and or emotionally unwell. There is a benefit to this. However, one of the things that is left out more and more as time goes on is what we are discussing in this series, self-responsibility.
If you have your Bibles, turn to 1 Kings 13. We are going to start at verse 11
“Now, an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it. And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread."Stop here for a second. Now God told this man, and he will even repeat it, that he was not to eat or drink in the land where God sent him. Go back a little, and we read this
“And the man of God said to the king, "If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.” 1 Kings 31:18-10God said he heard it, turned down a King, and even started to do the right thing, including going another way. Verse 16
“And he said, "I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'"He heard. He understood. He was being obedient and following what God said. Until? In verse 18, he heard this from the man.
“And he said to him, 'I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him.”Wait, some would say that it is not the prophet's fault here. He was lied to. However, read this very carefully. The Prophet heard from God Himself. This false prophet told him 1- something that goes directly against what God said. Claims to be a “man of God,” even though He is lying to the prophet. Then says an angel told him. Not God. Right there, there should be enough to warn the prophet not to listen to the man but listen to God, yet, what did he do?
“So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water. And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back. And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD and have not kept the command that the LORD your God commanded you, but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'" And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. And as he went away, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body, and behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the road and the lion standing by the body.Was he lied to? Yup. Did he clearly hear and understand what God said? Yes. Yet, he decided to follow the creature rather than the Creator. He chose to follow man, not God. This is not new. Adam and Eve blamed others for their sin Genesis 3; they did not have to eat. They heard and understood God. Saul's refusal to fully obey God's commands in 1 Samuel 15 shows that he thought he knew better than God. Pontius Pilate attempted to wash his hands of responsibility Matthew 27; he could have released Jesus.
And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD spoke to him." 1 kings 13:11-26
If what someone tells you, it does not matter if it is the Pope, it does not matter if it is the President, It does not matter if it is your local Pastor, if it is not in here {Holding up the Bible} or it is contrary to this, {Holding up the Bible} say it with me, IT IS A LIE!. Highlight it, underline it, memorize it. If whatever, whoever, tells you it is not in the Bible, it is a lie. It is that simple.
The Bible says:
The Bible says:
1- Have no other gods before God? The world says, Any god will do. Or even better, no god at all.
2- Thou shalt not commit Idolatry. The world says, money and self are our idols. The Self Idol is an ever-increasing commonplace with the Internet. Look at me. Check out how many followers I have. I may even get paid if I have enough followers. What are they following you for?
3-Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. The world says, Keep that God stuff to yourself. He does not belong in society. God is nothing important to the masses.
4- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. The world says we live in a 24-7-7 society. You do not get to choose easily when you work or when you do not. Besides, even if you are off, Saturday is a fun day. A time of drinking and doing all those things you can't during the week.
5- Honour your father and mother. The world says the government can do it and has become the father in many households. We have turned away from our obligation and given it to others, including nursing homes.
6-Thou shalt not commit murder. The world says abortion and euthanasia are ok.
7- Thou shalt not commit adultery. The world says Who cares? It is nothing more than a piece of paper. Everyone has the right to marry anyone. If it does not work out? Who cares? No big deal. We even have TV shows based on people cheating.
8- Thou shalt not steal. The world says, Well, that all depends. If you are taking money from a millionaire to give it to someone who doesn't have much, that is cool. It's not fair that someone has millions and someone else has to struggle to pay bills.
9- You shalt not bear false witness. The world says, Seriously?
10- Thou shalt not covet. The world says, Lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead? All is ok. No big deal.
Homosexuality- Leviticus 18:1-5, 22-24, 29, Leviticus 20:13, Ezekiel 16:49-51, Romans 1:18-32, just to name a few. The world says it is good, and those who are should take pride in themselves.
Transgenderism- Deuteronomy 22:5, Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 11:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. The World says it is normal and children should be taught with or without parents' consultation and or agreement.
Pedophilia - Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-37, 2 Timothy 3:1-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-6. The world says, Age is just a number, and it does not matter anymore. Love is love, and people deserve to be happy.
As a child of God, and in reality even if you are not, you ARE responsible for your actions. This is what we will be talking about next week. Does the Bible make it clear? Yes. Join us, won't you, as we dive into this topic. God does have a lot to say about it.
May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless you and be with you always.
Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!
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