The Unknown Self
(or "Who'd have thunk it'?")
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2 Kings 8:7—15
“Who’d ‘of thunk it?” or for the English majors. - "Who would have guessed it?"
That is what you hear over and over, every night as you watch the news... who would believe such a thing?
who would guess such a thing could happen?
who would have thought he/she could do that?
This is what you always hear after disasters. - especially MORAL.
Our scripture today is the quintessential example of such a moral disaster.
(((Read scripture)))
King Benhadad is very sick, and fears he is about to die... no one can seem to help him no medical, magical hope
He sends Hazael to the prophet Elisha to get a word from God,
"Am I going to die'?"
No need for this God when things are well serves false gods
false gods have failed him
Turns to God because he needs him
The prophet is not surprised to see him
he knows things are serious
I don't think he is angry that the king only seeks God in the time of need.
He is just glad for this chance to minister
Elisha tells Hazael two things.... GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
1. The king shall surely die.
2. But not of this illness.
Then Elisha CRIES
This is confusing to Hazael....
he is going to die, but not from this sickness?
what kind of death will he die if the prophet is crying?
Hazael asks, 'Why are you crying, my Lord?"
He is not prepared for the answer he receives.
Because of YOU!!
Then the prophet painted the most gruesome picture of assassination of the king seizing of the throne by treachery smoking cities devastated families butchered women slain children
In shock, Hazael drew back and cringed...
Is Thy servant a dog?
Who but an animal could do such a thing?
Is that what you think of me?
"NO WAY, JOSE"...you've got the wrong man.
But Elisha said. "There is no mistake, it will happen
THE LORD HAS SHOWN IT TO ME
Hazael returned to the palace, to give the message to the king...
"You will not die. .OF THIS ILLNESS
But, HE ONLY TOLD THE KING 1/2 OF THE TRUTH
Already a lie
Already a conspiracy
Already planning the dastardly deed
RELIEVED.... Benhadad went to sleep
As he slept... AFTER a long night of conspiracy by Hazael
A wet cloth over the face of the weak king...
it was easy
it was accessible
it was convenient to hide
IT WAS DONE
But, even as he stood there... towel in hands... he heard his own words to Elisha.
Is thy servant a dog?
Like Peter standing by the fire...
cursing, and denying... hearing the cock crowing
LESSON:
x"
1. Our IGNORANCE of our own selves.
We do not really know ourselves
the evil of which we are capable
We buy into the Humanistic belief that man is basically good and is on the way to becoming perfect... society will become a Utopia
Hazael drew back in horror and disbelief
NOWAY...
I could never...
other things, maybe, but THIS NEVER!!!!!!!
We believe that we could break commandments 1, 2, and 6 but NEVER 3, 5, or 8
YOU DO NOT KNOW THE EVIL THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF
The scripture says, “A man’s heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, no one can understand it.” Jeremiah 17:9
No one can even begin to imagine what evil and cruelty can come from it
2. THERE IS EVIL WITHIN US ALL JUST WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET OUT.
It is beneath the breast of the holiest saint
It is beneath the breast of the vilest criminal
>>>>>Speech by father of student at Columbine HS
On Thursday, May 27, 1999, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to speak to the House Judiciary Committee's Sub-committee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared to hear what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needed to be heard by every parent, teacher, politician, sociologist, psychologist and every so-called expert. These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. Following is a portion of the transcript:
"I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy. It was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs; Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question, "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand That God is what we need.
Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice and hatred to rush in and create havoc... What has happened to us as a
nation? We have refused to honor God and in so doing we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs, politicians immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal
and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws.
"Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre...
The real villain lies within our own hearts.
It is the BIG MEAN DOG inside you, fighting the small good dog
It wins more often than not
If we think it is not there, we are more likely to relax, leave the door open, and let it out.
3. PERSONAL DISINCLINATION IS NO GUARANTEE
It is no Guarantee, no insurance against future evil
If you had told ADAM that he would EAT "What am I, a Dog?"
SOLOMON IDOLATRY What am I a Dog??
DAVID ADULTERY What am I, a Dog??
PETER DENIAL What am I, a Dog??
JACK THE RIPPER MURDERS What am I, a Dog??
When you were 6 you had no desire to have an affair
When you were full you had no desire to sneak cookies
Just because you don't want to do wrong now, does not guarantee that you never will.
Be wise; recognize that the dog is in there even if it is asleep
4. DESIRES AND IMAGINATION LEAD TO THE EVIL
First comes the thought into the head
did Elisha give Hazael the idea? NO
Then, comes temptation...dwelling on it
playing it out in mind
The desire for the thing builds, and we imagine how to do it
It has already been done in our mind 10 times before we really do it with our hands
Hazael did it a dozen times and twenty different ways that night
When is the best time to get out of a car going over a cliff .
Before it goes over!!!
When is the best time to deal with sins?
before they become temptations
while they are just passing thoughts
Every imagination feeds the beast,
soon it is too big to stop
5. REPRESSED DESIRE IS NOT CURED
Oprah Winfrey said, “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.”
I would like to change that to say, "Sin is the product of desire meeting opportunity."
Many people have these desires constantly living, growing in their heads, yet they do not act on them.
Maybe they repress them...
Hazael repressed his that night.
Most of the time they are repressed simply because of lack of opportunity
But let the right opportunity arise, the perfect opportunity, and the dog is he can't be stopped
When the desire has grown and and the opportunity is there... The thing to be had becomes #1
right/wrong are secondary
THE DEED IS DONE
Then, later, afterwards, comes the question... How could I? Am I a dog?
APPLICATION
ACCEPT with fear and trembling the bibles warning that...
YOUR"HEART IS EVIL... YOUR IMAGINATIONS ARE EVIL... CONTINUALLY... AND SIN IS EVER CROUCHING AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART... SCRATCHING TO GET OUT.
"Let him who thinks he stands, TAKE HEED... lest he FALL!!
SET A WATCH OVER YOUR THOUGHTS/ INPUTS/
IMAGINATIONS
YOU are what you THINK
You are either FEEDING or STARVING the dog making stronger or making weaker
EXAMINE YOUR HEART
a. Your reaction to preaching... does it bore you?
trouble staying awake? trouble concentrating?
MAY BE... dog is so big, blocking light
dog is so loud, can't hear
spiritually dead... like trying to tickle a dead man
b. Your moral decline... Are you as spiritual as 2 years ago?
Do you read the bible as often? understand as well?
Does your prayer seem more personal?
Do you find self-confessing sin more/less often?
c. Your THOUGHTS... ones that embarrass you if we knew?
Are there ones that bother/ convict you IN THIS PLACE?
Are you More / Less spiritual than last year?
Should you discover that you have moved away from Christ…
that you have been tempted and tried
that you have guilty, hear the cock crowing
done what you never could imagine
If you are here today with sin and sorrow in your heart for the sinful things you have done.
If you have fallen flat on your face... Realize...
1. Jesus still loves you
2. He knew you would sin again.
3. That is why he died for those sins
4. He will not cast off
5. He will receive
6. All you have to do is CONFESS IT, and ASK for forgiveness
This sermon comes from a sermon entitled “The Unknown Self”, by G.E. MacCartney, in a book entitled, "The Protestant Pulpit”.
