INTRO: Today I would like to introduce to you a model Christian that few know about. He is the second man in a sermon series entitled God’s Patriots making no bodies into some bodies. In the book of Kings we are introduced to the most wicked couple ever to rule Israel, Ahab and Jezebel, and within these texts we are introduced to two of the most popular prophets of this time period and to us the most recognizable prophets Elijah and Elisha. Within this mix we find this prophet Micaiah who comes out of nowhere to deliver a prophecy one in which fills in the missing pieces to the prophecy Elijah gave Ahab at Naboth’s vineyard. We are all know the story Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard and when he refused to sell it, Ahab like a spoiled child went home to cry to his wife Jezebel who has Naboth killed. Ahab goes to his new vineyard and is meet by Elijah who tells him that he and his wife are going to die. If you want more details then you read it in 21st chapter of 1st Kings. But today we want to focus and the man Micaiah and how from this brief introduction we can learn how to be a model Christian.
I. What’s in a name?
A. Names told you about that person it was a testimony to them, the Jews took name choosing very important. As seen in the case of John the Baptist.
1. Enoch “dedication”
2. Elijah “Yahweh is God”
3. Elisha “ God Saves”
4. Amos “ To Carry”
5. Hosea “ Salvation or Yahweh Saves”
6. Isaiah “ Jehovah is Helper or Salvation is of the Lord”
B. The name above all names.
1. Isaiah told King Ahaz in Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Which means God with us.
2. Other names are giving Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and End, and The Word of God.
3. We know Him as Jesus Christ Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
4. Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; (11) And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
II. Be thou Holy.
A. Micaiah means “Who is like Jehovah”
1. Moses and IAM
2. All in All God is Holy
a. Leviticus 11:44 For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
b. Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
c. Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
d. Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
B. That means we are to be Separate.
1. 1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.(16) For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
a. Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
b. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
a. Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. (26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:(27) Neither give place to the devil.
b. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
3. Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
III. Stand. 1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
A. Stand in on the Word. 1 Corinthians 15:1 ¶ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
2. Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
3. John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
4. John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
5. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
6. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
7. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
8. James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
9. 1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
B. Stand in Faith; Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 1 Corinthians 16:13 ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1. The just shall live by faith.
2. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
3. What is Faith; Hebrews 11:1 ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In the Greek the word for faith is pis’- tis which means Credence which is a mental acceptance as true or real.
4. And we all have faith for it says in the latter part of Romans 12:3 …God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Whether it’s the size of a grain of mustard seed or this church we all have it.
5. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
6. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
7. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
C. Stand in Trust to God.
1. Psalms 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
2. Psalms 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
3. Psalms 18:2 The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.
4. Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.
5. Psalms 118:8 [It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
6. Psalms 125:1 ¶ <<A Song of degrees.>> They that trust in the LORD [shall be] as mount Zion, [which] cannot be removed, [but] abideth for ever.
7. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
IV. Stand in your relationship.
1. The devil wants nothing more but for you to fall. Resist the devil and he must flee, for he comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
2. Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
3. Galatians 5:1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
4. For we cannot serve two masters. Joshua 24:15 ¶ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Conclusion: If you didn’t hear any thing that was spoken than please take this one word home with you “STAND”!!!
No matter what you’re going through stand don’t give up, but stand. For God will bring it all to pass just hang on to that unchanging arm of Jesus and He will see you through. I’d rather loss it all and gain Christ then to have it all and never know Him.
