04/30/21 The Lord’s Anger With His People #1 — Lamentations 2:1-22 (ESV)

[My notes from a recent message] I don’t think I’ve ever heard a series of sermons from Lamentations. But that’s what our pastor is doing. And I’m filling in for him tonight. Somebody once said that a preacher’s job is to Comfort the Afflicted AND to AFFLICT the COMFORTABLE! Isaiah 55 says Proclaiming God’s Word ALWAYS accomplishes God’s purpose! So here goes… WARNING: There is NO GOOD NEWS in this chapter!

Each of chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 of Lamentations is a 22-Verse Acrostic based on the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In chapter 2, watch for God’s Attitudes & Actions, and the Reactions of the Hebrews & Jeremiah.

I. Their PREDICAMENT (2:1-17)

Repeatedly in the OT, the Jews scoffed at their enemies, “We’re God’s People in His Country in His City with His Temple! You can’t hurt us!” They refused even to consider that their troubles might be God’s punishment on them.

A. God Is Casting Off His People and Sanctuary (2:1-9)

v.1 How the Lord in his ANGER has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud! He has cast down from heaven to earth the splendor of Israel; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his ANGER.

Ch.1: DESOLATION; Ch.2: UTTER DESTRUCTION / Total Annihilation! God’s anger (2X) is like a dangerous storm cloud; cast down: active; not remembered: passive; splendor ≈ temple; footstool ≈ dwelling

v.2 The Lord has swallowed up WITHOUT MERCY all the habitations of Jacob; in his WRATH he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.

Swallow up: destroy, devour, eat; NO Mercy; habitations: house, pasture; wrath: outburst of rage; broken down: demolished; strongholds: fortified cities; kingdom… and rulers: nation(al identity) and individuals; Judah (Southern kingdom) as well as Jacob / Israel (Northern kingdom). STAY TUNED…

04/26/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #10 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Will YOU COMMIT to be a Godly Follower and Follow Our Godly Leaders into God’s Battle RIGHT NOW?

Will YOU STAND (or RAISE YOUR HANDS), Join Me and SAY To Our Pastors (AND Other Godly Leaders):

“DO AS YOU WISH. I AM WITH YOU HEART AND SOUL.” (1 Sam.14:7)

INVITATION: “FINALLY” (Means absolutely NOTHING when preachers say that!) Please stay tuned and pay attention for about 5 more minutes, The Most Important Moments of this entire morning!

Maybe You need to RENEW your commitment to FOLLOW our Pastors.

OR JOIN this Church, OUR “squadron” in God’s Army—Become part of the Solution, NOT the Problem!

OR Have YOU ever experienced a Divine Extreme Makeover? Currently 65% of Americans claim to be Christians. But, clearly, the true percentage is MUCH LESS. Jesus Himself said that FEW, literally VERY FEW, people are SAVED. What makes you think you are one of THE FEW, THE SAVED?

Every man, woman, boy and girl is born with a SIN Nature, a hell-bound sinner, a rebel, an enemy of God! And NO amount of self-control, restraint, church attendance and “good deeds” can change that! Most personal testimonies mention “I” several times: I went to church, I listened to the sermon, I got excited, I walked down the aisle, I shook the pastor’s hand, I got saved, I was baptized, I joined the church. BUT GENUINE SALVATION begins with GOD NOT I. Were you Drawn by the Spirit, Convicted, given Saving Faith by the Spirit, REBORN and Dramatically CHANGED by God, given a New Heart, New Spirit,  New Name, New Power, a New Life Purpose? Were you Remade by God into a Brand-New Creation? It’s NOT Do You Know Jesus; it’s Does Jesus Know You? Do you have a deep love for God, God’s Church and His People for reading and obeying His Word, the Bible, So excited that you love to tell others about Jesus?

Least Bit Uncertain about ANY? DON’T WAIT; SEIZE THIS MOMENT; TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION; DON’T GAMBLE WITH YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY FOR ANOTHER MINUTE. SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO JESUS THIS MOMENT AND BE SAVED! WON’T YOU DO THAT RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW?

04/23/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #9 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

1 Sam.14:15 (ESV) The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.

RESULT: A God-Ordained VICTORY! When Godly Followers Follow Godly Leaders into Battle, EXPECT God Almighty to Join the Battle!

4.PROVE (PUT it into PRACTICE in Your PERSONAL Life, Family, Job, Church)

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) OBEY your leaders and SUBMIT to them for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with JOY and NOT with GROANING, for that would be of NO ADVANTAGE to you. (Also Titus 3:1)

We’ve all heard: “Happy wife, happy life!” and “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” But what about: “Pastors Groaning, Members Moaning!” or “Unhappy Pastor, Church Disaster!”?

Recently I took a mighty swing at the golf course with my driver. There was a snapping sound and it felt like someone had kicked me in the back. The head of my driver had broken off. You can’t win at golf if your driver is broken. In the same way, churches can NOT win their battles if their Drivers—Pastors & Leaders—are broken!

In fact, surveys tell us that 85% of our Pastors want to QUIT! We are NOT bringing them JOY, Obeying and Submitting. Instead, MOST Pastors are GROANING and We are MOANING! And for the VAST MAJORITY of churches, it IS a DISASTER!

It’s NOT time to DEFY or DISCOURAGE Our Godly Leaders!

This NOT time for “Friendly Fire”—where Soldiers Shoot their Leaders!

It IS time to TRUST God and SUBMIT to Our Godly Leaders — to OBEY and Follow them! AND…

04/19/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #8 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

A Godly Follower Inspires OTHERS to Become Godly Followers!

HEBREWS: (Re-)UNITED; Became Godly FOLLOWERS!

Godly Followers (Re-)JOIN God’s Army and the Battle (1Sa.14:20-22);

OUR UNITY ENABLES and ENHANCES OUR EVANGELISM! (John 17:21, 23)

Unfortunately we Baptists are widely known for TWO things: FOOD and FIGHTING!? Brothers and Sisters in Christ. WE MUST STOP FIGHTING AMONG OURSELVES!

When WE are ONE, the World will be WON! (Rabbi Jason Sobel)

1 Sam.14:45 (ESV) Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day…”

Godly Followers REJECT Ungodly ideas and PROTECT their Godly Leaders from Ungodly people!

NT: The PHARISEES had MORE RESTRICTIONS than God (Sabbath: 613 ® 10K+); that made Jesus FURIOUS. BUT TODAY far too many churches seem to be trying to be MORE TOLERANT than God. But God told us very clearly in the OT and NT to HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE for UNGODLY WORDS AND BEHAVIOR. The PURITY and POWER of our witness and influence is at stake!

04/16/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #7 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

Godly Leaders INSPIRE Godly Followers!

ARMOR-BEARER: A Godly FOLLOWER …

1 Sam.14:7 (ESV) And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. DO AS YOU WISH. Behold, I AM WITH YOU HEART AND SOUL.”

WOW, WOW! READ that again! THAT lifts a Leader’s Heart!

A Godly Follower FOLLOWS His Godly Leader into Battle;

He does NOT Defect or Desert. He is NOT Derelict; He DOES his DUTY. He Trusts God; and He Trusts, Obeys and Follows his Godly Leader Enthusiastically, Immediately, Faithfully and Continually;

1 Sam.14:13 (ESV) Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and HIS ARMOR-BEARER AFTER HIM. And they fell before Jonathan, and HIS ARMOR-BEARER KILLED THEM AFTER HIM.

A Godly Follower Accepts NEW ROLES and TASKS from his Godly Leader. And…

04/12/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #6 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

Godly Leaders NEED Godly Followers!

Familiar Proverb: “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership!”? BUT my friend and mentor Dr. Elmer Towns says, “A Leader without Followers is just a Fool Taking a Walk!”

Godly Leaders need R-A-W Recruits: Ready, Available and Willing!

1 Sam.14:13 (ESV) Then JONATHAN CLIMBED UP ON HIS HANDS AND FEET, and his armor-bearer after him. And THEY FELL BEFORE JONATHAN, and his armor-bearer killed them after him.

Godly Leaders OVERCOME Daunting Obstacles!

Amos 3:7 (ESV) For the Lord GOD DOES NOTHING without REVEALING HIS SECRET To HIS Servants the PROPHETS.

Godly Leaders KNOW God’s PLANS!

OUR BEST HOPE IS FOR GOD TO RAISE UP GODLY LEADERS FOR US TO FOLLOW! And…

04/09/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #5 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

NOW, We’re READY for the Main Scripture passage: 1 Sam.14:6-23 !

3.APPLY (HOW Does It WORK?)

1 Sam.14:6 (ESV) Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It MAY BE that the LORD will work for us, for NOTHING CAN HINDER the LORD from saving by MANY or by FEW.”

WOW! READ that again!

WHAT? 1 Commander and 1 Armor-Bearer against an Army of 100K’s!?

Sounds like Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego in Dan.3:16-18.

1 Sam.14:8 (ESV) Then Jonathan said, “Behold, WE will CROSS OVER TO THE MEN, and WE will SHOW OURSELVES TO THEM…”

Jonathan’s Plan—Faithful or Foolhardy?! JUST ASK: IS IT GOD’S PLAN?!

JONATHAN: GODLY Leaders… Called by and Trust GOD 100%

They Know When, Where and How to March Forward; Attempt God-sized Projects; EXCITED, Confident; Minor Failures and MAJOR GOD-ORDAINED VICTORIES; And …

04/05/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #4 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

BACKGROUND (1 Sam.13) continued…

13:8-14 — Saul offered an unlawful sacrifice; Samuel announced that God had rejected Saul as king (and chosen a Godly Leader)!

SAUL: An UNGODLY Person — Called by and Trusts MAN (UNGODLY Decisions 4X+)

Casual, Carnal, Cultural Faith — Just Goes Through the Motions; Man-sized Projects; Confused, Afraid, Reluctant; Minor Successes and Great Failures

13:15 — Saul’s army had shrunk to 600 men! BAD NEWS!

BEFORE COVID, ~95% of American churches were in SERIOUS TROUBLE. Only 1 out of 20 churches NOT in Trouble. And NOW it’s MUCH WORSE! Experts say we should expect about HALF of those NOT now attending church (for whatever reasons) will NEVER RETURN! Sounds like BAD NEWS to me!

13:19-22 — ALL the Blacksmiths were Philistine! Saul and Jonathan had the ONLY Swords and Spears in ALL Israel! From “BAD TO WORSE!”

14:4 — Jonathan was between a Rocky (or Slippery: Bozez) and a Thorny (Seneh) Place! [ Two nearly vertical crags! ]

Today WE Americans, Christians, Baptists, and SBC members seem to be “Between a ROCK and a HARD PLACE!” Something needs to change—nearly everyone agrees. But WHAT? When it comes to God’s Church, I Suggest that the Truths of God’s Word, the Bible can NEVER be changed. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE is UP FOR GRABS, SUBJECT to CHANGE! We MUST EXPECT and EMBRACE CHANGE!

It’s TIME for CHANGE — Deliberate Change, Dramatic Change, Dynamic Change, DIVINE CHANGE!

TAP your WRIST (watch), then make a Triangle (~Greek letter Delta—for CHANGE) and say, “It’s TIME for CHANGE!” Repeat that with me. Again!

This is NO TIME for Maintaining the Status Quo; NO WAIT and SEE; NO TIME for that Most Pitiful Excuse, “We’ve Never Done It This Way Before!” (the Motto of the Dying Church!) IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE!

04/02/21 FOLLOW THE LEADER #3 (1 Sam.14:6-23)

1.READ (WHAT Does It SAY?) PLEASE, check it out for yourself!

2.EXAMINE (WHAT Did & Does It MEAN?)

BACKGROUND (1 Sam.13)

13:2 — BRAND-NEW King Saul chose 3,000 troops and assigned 1,000 to Jonathan, his young son and commander.

13:5 — The Philistines prepared to attack Israel with ~30,000 chariots, ~60,000 horsemen and “a multitude” of troops! [ NO word for “million” in OT Heb. or NT Grk. !? ]

HEBREWS: DIVIDED! In TROUBLE! (13:6-7) Scripture says they were HARD PRESSED, HIDING (in Caves, Holes, Rocks, Tombs and Cisterns); Deserting, Defecting, Scattering; ALL TREMBLING!

Jesus said, “… No city or house DIVIDED against itself will stand.” (Mat.12:25)

The Israelites were facing perhaps the MOST DESPERATE circumstances ever—even darker than those we face in America today!