Lord, I Know That What Your Word Says ... But

Preached at Living Stone Community Church

Standish, Maine on 15 August 2004 6:00 pm service

Please stand for the reading of God’s word.

[v.7] For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

[v.8] And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

[v.9] And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

[v.10] And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

[v.11] And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger:

[v.12] For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

[v.13] Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

[v.14] Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.

... you may be seated

I would like to use as a subject tonight:

Lord, I know what your word says ... BUT (repeat)

By a show of hands ... how many of you know right from wrong? By a show of hands how many of you ... who know right from wrong always do the right thing?

Not many ... Well, my question to you tonight is: why?

You see ... when we know right from wrong and we still choose to do wrong, then I believe that we suffer from one of two problems.

1. When we knowingly choose wrong, I believe that #1 we flat out don’t care about the consequences.

Well, if that shoe doesn’t fit you, then try this size.

2. When we knowingly choose wrong, I believe that we don’t care about the consequences or #2 we simply have no fear of authority.

Case in point ... how many of you have ever gone over the speed limit? I’m looking for some honesty here. Now the law, the authorities, regulates the speed, for your own belief, mind you. They determine the speed limit as XY & Z on certain highways, interstates, school districts, and residential areas ... and they have it posted up and down the highway. Yet and still [Oh, I’m preaching to myself] I speed.

Maybe they have it posted because they realized that most drivers suffer from short-term memory so they post the speed limit every so many yards to remind us just in case we forgot 100 yards later what the speed limit was.

I speed even though I know that “An average of 115 people die each day in motor vehicle crashes – that equates to 1 every 12 minutes.” Yet and still I speed.

Well I’m diagnosed myself as having one of two problems. Either I flat out don’t care about the consequences ... or I just simply don’t fear authority.

Well, some of you might be thinking that I’m being a little too far fetched... but let me help you to understand how I came to this conclusion. You see ... I diagnosed myself with this because I took my speeding a little further, went out, and bought myself a radar detector to help me break the law.

Now, how many of you have gone so far as to buy something or like the children of Israel, make something, to help you cheat, to help you disobey, to help you sin against God.

Ya’ll have to bear with me as I set this sermon up ... you see, while I was preparing, when the Lord put this Sermon on my heart ... I began to be convicted of some things that I was doing. Oh yes I was ... I don’t know if you understand this or not but before a preacher can preach to you ... he must first preach to himself.

So I’m preaching to myself right now ... you see, when I’m speeding it is as if I saying Maine State Police ... I know what your laws say BUT ... (1) I’m late for work, (2) I got to pick my daughter up from track practice. Maine State Police I know what your law says BUT I’m late for Sunday school; you don’t understand, I need to get to the grocery store.