Text: Daniel chapter 5
Title: Don’t mess with God’s stuff
Introduction
1.Read v1-6
2.As I was thinking of a title for this sermon I was reminded of a certain state’s motto
3.The motto of the state of Texas
4.“Don’t mess with Texas”
5.Title: Don’t mess with God’s stuff!
In case there is any confusion about what is God’s stuff:
1.Everything is God’s stuff.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,” (Psalm 24:1)
“Everything was created by him and for him.” (Colossians 1:17)
Since everything is God’s stuff we are to be careful that we don’t mess with it!
This morning I want us to look at 4 specific things belonging to God – 4 things that people should never mess with.
The first thing belonging to God that people should never mess with is…
1. The Name of God
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” (Deut. 5:8)
•People mess with the Name of God when they misuse it.
There are a number of ways that people get to misuse the Name of God
1. People misuse the name of God whenever they use God’s name as a swear word.
I don’t need to tell you that this is a huge problem in our society.
“God” and “Jesus Christ” might be the top two swear words out there.
When we use the name of God as a swear word we blaspheme the name of God.
•To “blaspheme” means to use abusive speech against someone
•To “blaspheme” can also mean to wound another person’s reputation
For a person to use God’s name as a swear word is to use abusive speech against God
To use God’s name as a swear word is to wound the reputation of God.
If it hurts us to hear someone use God’s name as a swear word how much more does it hurt God?
Here is another way people misuse the Name of God.
2.People misuse the name of God whenever they use God’s name lightly.
We use God’s name lightly when we use it without thinking.
Have you ever prayed to God but your mind was really elsewhere?
Have you ever sung to God but your mind was really elsewhere?
That’s also a misuse of God’s name
It’s what you think about as you talk about God –that’s what God looks at.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain.” (Matthew 15:8-9)
3. People misuse the name of God whenever they use it for selfish reasons.
When I use the Name of God to indulge myself
We need to be very careful when we say “God told me to ...”
Or for that matter when we say “God didn’t tell me to ...”
There are serious consequences for messing with the name of God.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” (Deut. 5:8)
Just how serious those consequences were is best seen in Lev 24:15-16
“If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.” (Lev. 24:15-16)
Instead of grabbing the soap and water back then…they grabbed stones
Being found guilty of misusing the name of God brought a death sentence.
A second thing of God’s that people should never mess with is…
2.The Word of God
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:26-27)
We mess with the word of God when we don’t practice it
When we hear the word of God but we don’t heed the word of God
Why don’t more people practice the Word of God?
1.Because of Unbelief
People don’t believe the Word of God applies to our lives today.
People think it was written only for people who lived thousands of years ago.
You will never practice what you don’t believe in.
Did the rain stop coming down 2000 years ago?
Did the streams stop rising 2000 years ago?
Did the wind stop blowing 2000 years ago?
The analogy Jesus uses in Matthew 7:26-27 is just as applicable for the day we live in!
THE HOUSING CRISIS
2. People often don’t practice the Word of God because of Pride
Pride goes before a fall
Although the Bible contains God’s instructions for successful living; people would rather do things their own way.
3.People often don’t practice the word of God because of Sin
People don’t want to practice the Word of God because they don’t want to change.
•You have to change your foundation (from trusting in yourself to trusting God)
•You have to change your focus (from hearing to practicing)
The consequence for messing with the word of God is that people end up destroying their lives.
When the storms of life come (and they come to everyone) they have no solid foundation to stand upon.
The third thing belonging to God that people should never mess with is
3. The Son of God
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
People mess with the Son of God when they don’t remain in him.
To remain in Jesus SIMPLY means to continue to live in Him.
Why do people not remain in the Son of God?
They mistakenly try to live the Christian life in their own power.
They substitute “DOING” for “BEING”
What is the difference?
The entire Christian life can be summarized in three words that are found in Matthew 11:28
“COME TO ME”
I will give you rest
I will give you wisdom
I will give you strength
You can’t get all the rest, wisdom and strength you need in one hour on Sunday morning.
The consequence for messing with the Son of God is that we end up doing nothing for God.
“Without me you can do nothing.”
Finally the last thing of God’s that people don’t want to mess with is…
4.The forgiveness of God
“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus.” (Acts 26:17-18)
People mess with the forgiveness of God when they reject it.
Why do people reject the forgiveness of God?
There are three possible reasons why people reject the forgiveness of God.
1. Some people don’t believe they need the forgiveness of God.
How could some people believe they don’t need the forgiveness of God?
A. Their eyes are not yet open to their need for God’s forgiveness.
The reason their eyes are not yet open is because sin has blinded them to their need for God’s forgiveness.
B. They are still living in darkness. They are not yet living in the light
C. They are under the power of Satan
Being under the power of Satan doesn’t mean you always feel bad about yourself.
It can also mean that you always feel good about yourself.
“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:10)
Another reason people reject the forgiveness of God is;
2. Some people don’t believe they can have the forgiveness of God.
They know they need the forgiveness of God but they don’t believe they can have the forgiveness of God.
Although they want the forgiveness of God -they don’t believe God wants them to have it.
They are too bad!
The power of Satan is still active in their life!
The point is not to focus on our badness but on God’s goodness.
But God demonstrated his love for us in this while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
3.Still some people don’t know how they can have the forgiveness of God.
They know they need it…
They know God wants them to have it
They don’t know how to receive it.
“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus.” (Acts 26:17-18)
The answer is found in the very last 4 words.
Forgiveness is found only “By faith in Jesus.”
What must I do to be saved?
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
•Your eyes are open
•You turn from darkness to light
•You turn from the power of Satan to the power of God.
Let us pray
God we acknowledge today that we have not always treated your things rightly. We have misused your name. We have often not practiced your word. There are times we have forgotten to remain in your Son and we have rejected your forgiveness when we needed it the most.
We ask for your forgiveness today.
We ask that you would turn us back to you. We come back to your Name. We come back to your Word. We come back to your Son. We come back to your forgiveness.
We pray this in Jesus Name.
