Introduction
Looking at how young people are performing in schools, in their communities, and even where they live, everybody wants to do their own thing. Respect and following rules is something that has become obsolete!
Society has accepted the profane way lyrics of music is sung and how they perform before an audience. My mind goes back to the Super Bowl last year when Janet Jackson was performing and her blouse and bra was ripped off exposing her naked breast on worldwide television.
I know I’m not going to get many amen’s on this sermon because it’s going to get tight but it’s right.
In schools students think that they can say whatever they want, do whatever they want whenever they want and no one should say anything to them.
Children feel that parents should let them have their way to do just what they please. And just because we as parents don’t always see what you’re doing, you think you’re getting away with all those things that you know your parents have told you not to do but you do it anyway. I want to put a footnote here because I am going to revisit that point.
Development
I have two points that I would like to speak upon if I may.
Point Number One: Operate in Your Given Authority
Looking at the text there were two young men by the name of Nadab and Abihu. Now Nadab and Abihu) were the sons of Aaron. They were minor priest. Some books called them junior priest.
If we look at Leviticus 10:1 it says, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.
Now Nadab and Abihu had just been elevated to the priesthood. They were to assist their father Aaron. Being that they were Aaron’s assistants, they were to take directions specifically from Aaron. They were just beginning their walk into the priesthood.
This simply means that they were still in training and learning the order of the ceremony. It was forbidden for them to perform any of the religious ceremony without the strict guidance of their father.
Nadab and Ahibu are said to have each taken his censer. They both went and got censers (censers were ceremonial vessels or pans that will hold hot coals, embers, or tinder. You can read Exodus 25:38; 27:3, 23; 28:3 for further references.
Now to properly light the censer before the Lord, you had to light it from the fire from the altar, but because of ignorance and pride, they lighted the censers from the fire that Aaron used to boil the meat for the sacrifice. That made the fire in the censer unclean and displeasing to God.
Only Aaron was to perform this ceremony. Sometimes honor is often too much for our minds to handle because pride tends to cloud our vision. God required that incense was always to be burned by only one priest at a time, but here Nadab and Abihu go in to do this together.
Since they were both priest, their father was Aaron who had a lot of clout, they felt that they could do what they wanted. The honor got too big for their small heads.
Because of their ignorance and pride, it sifted them into the path of disobedience before God. They refused to operate in their given authority. They needed to stay in their lane. And since they refused to stay in their lane, they were disobedient to God.
When parents give their children parameters or privileges to operate in, that means that you are allowed to only do certain things. What do mean preacher? I’m so glad you asked that question.
If your parents allow you to go to the movies with your friends, that means for you to go to the movies only and to return home. When your parents send you to school, they expect you to do your best, go to all of your classes whether you like all of your classes or not, and to respect the authority over you. Your parents have lived long enough to know what is down the street and around the corner. That type of vision is called wisdom, which comes from living.
Exodus 20:12 says, Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
You young people haven’t lived long enough yet to be able to see down the street and around the corner. You can’t even see what’s on your nose.
Now when you operate in your given authority, you are in the will of God and you’re are staying in your own lane. What is your given authority as young people? Well, going to school and following the rules, being respectful to those in charge of you, and most importantly, obeying God.
Point Number 2: The Cost of Disobedience
The Bible says in Leviticus 10:2, So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
Disobedience carries a heavy price tag. That was a non-negotiable. With our actions comes accountability.
Now Nadab and Abihu were given the honor of assisting Aaron in the ceremony before the Lord. Sometimes honor is too much for the young minds. If honor cannot come with a quiet obedient spirit, it’s more of a curse than a blessing. Nadab and Abihu transgressed against God. They were telling God that he was not capable of the proper exaltation for them. They knew was best. Sounds like one of the tricks of Satan to me. Well preacher what do you mean? I’m glad that you asked.
Sometimes when young people are given privileges that they are not ready for, they take them for granted, they think that they truly deserve it plus some, and they begin to believe that they are more that what they are. They are in a false illusion of themselves.
And when you are in a false illusion, it puts you in a state of environmental unawareness. Well what do you mean preacher?
Environmental unawareness is when you are so much in being right, but actually you’re wrong, that no body and I mean no body can tell you anything.
I had a very painful experience with disobedience when I was in Junior High School. I was a student at the Clifton Park Junior High. My friends and I would cut across the railroad tracks, which was behind the school.
My friends and I would throw rocks at each other each and everyday. We would divide up into two teams and have rock battles. My mother found out what we were doing and she told me not to throw any more rocks.
I promised my mother that I wasn’t going to do that again. But the very next day, I was right back at throwing those rocks. As I threw my last rock I began to run. One of the boys on the other team called me, and as he called me he threw a rock in my direction and as I turned to answer him the rock hit me in the head just above my right eye.
If honor cannot come with a quiet obedient spirit, it’s more of a curse than a blessing. Nadab and Abihu transgressed against God. They were telling God that he was not capable of the proper exaltation for them. They knew was best. Sounds like one of the tricks of Satan to me.
Conclusion
Now just before I close, I want to revisit that statement that I said in the beginning about young people being disobedient and thinking that they are getting away with it because we as parents don’t see it.
Well, I hate to have to burst your bubble. There are angels in heaven that record everything you say, everything you do, and all the places you go. Whenever your parents tell you to do something and you take your time in doing it….hello… it’s being recorded.
All of those little curse words that you say under your breath, that your parents or guardians don’t hear. It’s being recorded. All of those places that you go that your parents tell you not to go it’s being recorded.
But I am so glad that God allows U-Turns. The same way he allowed me to make a U-Turn, he’ll do the same for you. What do you mean preacher?
I haven’t always been a preacher. I use to be out there at the clubs and the bars. My hangouts use to be Kitty’s Lounge on Greenmount Avenue, The Vulcan Blazzers, better known as the Fireman’s Lounge, and my favorite spot was the Gatsby’s. I was so popular there that I became a Gold Card Member.
But I’m so glad, that that man named Jesus….took that walk down the road called Golgotha to hang on that old rugged cross. He was hung high and streched wide for my sins and yours.
Because He died on that old rugged cross, whenever we get out of our lanes or just plan mess up we have a remedy.
That remedy is 1 John 1:9 and it says: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Praise be to God that we have another chance to confess and repent of our sins.
PRAISE GOD. PRAISE GOD.
