AHAB: THE BORDERLINE BELIEVER
INTRODUCTION
A. POLICE HUMOR
1. On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the car several miles back?" To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"
2. COP: "When I saw you driving down the road, I guessed 55 at least." LADY: "You're wrong, officer, it's only my hat that makes me look that old.”
3. A tourist asks a man in uniform, "Are you a policeman?" "No, I’m an undercover detective." "If you’re under cover, why are you wearing a uniform?" "Because today is my day off."
4. We’re going to read about a guy who definitely needed to be arrested.
B. TEXT
30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kgs. 16:30-33
[God said to Elijah] “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” 1 Kgs. 21:29.
C. THESIS
1. We’re going to look today at a person who was a Borderline Believer. We’ll see that his lack of commitment made him easy prey for the devil. This caused him no only to be a loser in life, but a loser in death.
2. Let’s look at the evil he did, the good things he did, and finally what God requires of us. The title of this message is, “The Borderline Believer.”
I. THE EVIL THAT AHAB DID
A. GENERAL REFERENCES
1. “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him” 1 Kings 16:30
2. “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife” 1 Kings 21:25.
3. In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun. 1 Kings 16:34
B. HE BECAME A TERRIBLE IDOLATER
1. Ahab married Jezebel, a princess from Zidon, where paganism and its associated evil were rampant. Marriage to foreigners was, of course, forbidden by the LORD.
2. Not content with Jeroboam's golden calf cult, Ahab sponsored Baal and Asherah worship, introduced by his evil wife, Jezebel. Rituals of the Baal and Asherah cults involved detestable practices, including prostitution & homosexual prostitution, and human sacrifice of children.
C. HE DESTROYED WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH
1. The worship of Jehovah was outlawed. As a result of all this evil, God sent a famine through Elijah.
2. Then Jezebel set out to kill all the prophets of the Lord (1 Kgs. 18:4). It was so severe that Elijah thought he was the only one left.
3. Ahab added to all his other sins the murder of Naboth and his sons to get their vineyard property.
II. THE GOOD THINGS AHAB DID
A. HE COOPERATED WITH ELIJAH
1. As the result of Elijah’s prophesying a terrible famine that lasted 3 ½ years, Ahab became submissive to Elijah.
2. Ahab would probably have liked to lop off Elijah's head, blaming him for the famine — but he feared that if he did that, it might never rain again! It would only rain at his word!
3. At Elijah’s request, Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets and the men of Israel on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20).
4. Ahab saw powerlessness of the Baalite prophets and then watched as the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed Elijah’s sacrifice. He must’ve been effected, as all the rest of the nation was, by the spectacular sign from God.
5. Ahab allowed Elijah to kill the 450 prophets of Baal, and heeded Elijah’s advice to ride his chariot swiftly to Jezreel.
B. OBEYED THE PROPHETS OF THE LORD
1. In 1 Kgs. 20:13-21, the Syrian King Ben Hadad invaded. Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 1 Kings 20:13.
2. Ahab believed the word of the Lord and started the battle himself, sending in the junior officers under the provincial commanders as the prophet directed.
3. After Ahab’s obedience, God warned him through the prophet that Ben Hadad would return the next Spring to attack him, so he should begin making preparations now (1 Kgs. 20:22-30) which Ahab did.
4. In 20:28, God again promised Ahab victory and he went forth & defeated Ben Hadad. (Then he messed up, letting Ben Hadad live, and brought a rebuke from God).
C. REPENTED WITH SACKCLOTH & FASTING
1. After Ahab killed Naboth & his family, a prophet of God proclaimed that Ahab and Jezebel would pay for that sin by the extermination of their whole family (21:21).
2. “When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly” 1 Kgs. 21:27.
3. God said to Elijah, “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” 1 Kgs. 21:29.
D. JOINING WITH PIOUS JEHOSHAPHAT
1. Ahab undoubtedly portrayed himself as a “believer” to Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. He convinced Jehoshaphat that they were the same people, even persuading Jehoshaphat to marry his son Jehoram to one of Ahab’s daughters (a granddaughter of Jezebel!).
2. Ahab got Jehoshaphat to enter an alliance with him using prophets, supposedly of the Lord, to verify their battle plans (but Jehoshaphat detected the deceit).
3. God rebuked Jehoshaphat for entering this alliance; “Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you” 2 Chron. 19:2.
4. This is a warning to us not to become so close to ungodly people that we compromise. We will bring God’s wrath for them on us or bring our blessing from the Lord on them. God wants neither!
III. WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF US
A. DEFINITION OF BORDERLINE BELIEVER
1. Ahab was a Borderline Believer. What does that mean?
He had some of the characteristics of a believer, but he lived either on the border of believing or below it.
2. The tale-tell sign of a borderline believer is that they never get very far into Christianity; they always linger near the border.
3. Many people today are Borderline Believers. One day they’re living for the Lord, the next day they’re compromising.
4. In his book, “Real Followers,” Mike Slaughter identified 3 types of followers of Christ: Curious, Convinced, and Committed.
5. The CURIOUS FOLLOWERS are those who just like to check out what’s going on; to see the show. No decision, no contribution to anything.
6. The CONVINCED FOLLOWERS are convinced in their minds that Christianity is right. “I know I love her, I just haven’t decided to marry her.” The danger is, could change their minds!
7. HUMOR. A college man asked his girlfriend for a picture. She wrote an inscription on the back; “Dearest Tom, I love you with all my heart… more every day… forever & ever. I’m yours for all eternity! Love, Diane.” “P.S. If we ever break up, I want this picture back.”
8. The COMMITTED FOLLOWER will:
a. Make a difference d. Willing to Give
b. Make sacrifices e. Serve
c. Follow Jesus wherever.
B. TENDENCIES OF THIS CONDITION
1. Borderline Believers have the tendency to:
a. Take back their consecration to God -- which constitutes true conversion;
b. To leave their first love for Christ;
c. They withdraw from a state of total surrender to God and come under the control of a self-pleasing spirit.
d. They maintain an outward appearance of religion, but backslide in their hearts!
2. Most Christians live far below the level of Christian life they’re capable of living.
3. You must guard your identity in Christ or the enemy will steal it from you. You’re the righteousness of God in Christ. You’re chosen and loved.
4. We can't let the world define us. Throughout the O.T. God warned the Israelites, “Be careful that you do not forget…!” We must not forget what God’s done for us!
C. THE LIVING GOD WILL ALLOW NO RIVALS
1. He requires us to let go of all greater loves, to forfeit illicit pleasures, to surrender our wealth, to serve Him only, to gain a greater place in heaven;
2. He says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
3. “You’re either for Me or against Me!”
4. Why? There’s a war in progress between hell and heaven, and we must get on one side or the other!
5. Anything less than full commitment is not sufficient. God gave full commitment to us when He gave us His Son Jesus on the cross! He expects no less!
D. THE TWO CHOICES
1. Making a choice is unavoidable. Some of you haven't made up your mind yet.
2. It is high time you did; it’s a dreadful thing to stand midway between God and the devil, between heaven and hell -- when actually, the ground beneath you is about to fall into hell!
3. The Lord Jesus said, "He that is not with Me is against Me, and he who gathers not with Me scatters." This decision should be made at once. Every hour makes it more likely that you will make the wrong choice. Delay is dangerous, for it breeds a new disease -- trifling with God.
4. This decision shouldn't even be difficult. How logical is it to oppose the Creator who holds your life in His hands?
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families.
2. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
3. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.
4. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.
5. At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson's home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.
6. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion. Kenneth L. Dodge, Resource, Sept./ Oct., 1992, p. 5.
7. These men and women were NOT “Borderline Patriots!” They committed themselves and their lives to the cause of American liberty. Do you think it was worth it? Yes! Or we wouldn’t be free today!
8. We will never be free from the world until we fully commit to Christ. Will you make that commitment now?
B. THE CALL
1. What kind of Follower are you: Curious, Convinced, or Committed? Why don’t you take a deeper step of commitment?
2. Call to commitment & salvation.
