WHEN FAULT IS FOUND—Luke 4:16-30
Traveler/Lost in desert of Saudi Arabia/He began walking—Thirsty—Feeling faint/Reduced to crawling/On the verge of passing out when he spies a tent about 500 yards in front of him.
Barely conscious, he reaches the tent & calls out, "Water..."
A Bedouin appears & replies sympathetically, "I am sorry, sir, but I have no water. However, would you like to have a tie?"
With this, he brandished a collection of exquisite silken neckwear.
"You fool," gasped the man. "I’m dying! I need water!"
"Well, sir," replied the Bedouin, "If you really need water, there is a tent about 2 miles south of here where you can get some."
The man summoned sufficient strength to drag himself to the other tent.
With his last ounce of strength he tugged at the door of the tent & collapsed.
Another Bedouin, dressed in a costly tuxedo, appears at the door & enquired, "May I help you sir?"
"Water..." was the feeble reply.
"I am very sorry sir, but you cannot come in here without a tie!"
The lost stranger forfeited a great deal because he found fault with the bedouin’s offer.
People forfeit a great deal when the find fault with God’s grace.
The synagogue of Nazareth despised the grace offered them in Jesus.
Religious people can find fault with God’s grace.
What is forfeited when God’s grace is rejected?
1—When fault is found we forfeit
PROPER/GODLY INFLUENCE(:16a)
Explanation:(:16a) Upbringing/Reared/Raised/Home/Background
“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; ...”
Joseph & Mary—Birth foretold—Prophecies ofSimeon & Anna—12yrs./In temple astounding teachers—John-the-Baptist—Baptism...
Prior association with the word of God &/or Jesus.
Argumentation:
2Tim. 1:5-6—“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, & your mother Eunice, & I am sure that it is in you as well. And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
Isa. 1:2-3—“Listen, O heavens, & hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, “Sons I have reared & brought up, But they have revolted against Me. “An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.””
Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16—“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; & he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac & Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect & builder is God.”....“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them & having welcomed them from a distance, & having confessed that they were strangers & exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
Illustration:
Kids taught to respect elders/ ‘Sir & Ma’am’/Proper Influence
Application:
?You Forfeited God’s INFLUENCE?
?You given up on godly influences in your life...
...on your Real Home?
?You FOUND FAULT with GOD’S GRACE?
2—When fault is found we forfeit
REST(:16b)
Explanation:(:16b)Sabbath
:16b—“...& as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, & stood up to read.”
“Sabbath”—cease from our work to focus on God’s work & service to Him.
Gen. 2:1-4—“Thus the heavens & the earth were completed, & all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; & He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day & sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created & made. This is the account of the heavens & the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth & heaven.”
Ex. 20:8-11—““Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “Six days you shall labor & do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens & the earth, the sea & all that is in them, & rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day & made it holy.”
Cain destined to be a vagrant & wanderer—No reat
Argumentation:
Heb. 3:7-11; 4:3, 6-7, 9—“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”....“For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”....“Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, & those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”....There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”
Mat. 11:28-29—““Come to Me, all who are weary & heavy-laden, & I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & humble in heart; & YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.”
Illustration:
United States/Mid-Late 1800’s/Fault found with govt. regarding slavery/Civil War/Rest Forfeited
Application:
?You Forfeited God’s Rest?
?You given up on Real Rest? It’s found in Jesus.
?You Found Fault with God’s grace?
3—When fault is found we forfeit
GUIDANCE(:17)
Explanation:(:17)
“And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, & found the place where it was written,...”
Written word of God
Argumentation:
Ps. 119:105—“Thy word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.”
Ps. 119:92-93—“If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Thy precepts, For by them Thou hast revived me.”
Heb. 13:7—“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; & considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”
Prov. 3:5-6—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Ps. 23:3—“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”
Acts 8:26-31—READ—“And when Philip had run up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, & said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up & sit with him.”
Illustration:
Hamster set up/Checked out numerous websites/Information/Didn’t want to forfeit Guidance
Application:
?You Forfeited/given up on/ God’s Guidance?
?You Found Fault with God’s grace?
CONCLUSION
Action:
When fault is found with God’s grace we forfeit
PROPER/GODLY INFLUENCE
REST
GUIDANCE
CHILDREN’S— ‘What’s Wrong With...?’
Presented 05/06/01am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
