"YOU CAN NOT..."
Isa. 55:6-11
INTRO. There was one thing for certain that I knew when I was a child. That was that when I had been caught in a misdeed and Mom or Dad came at me with the switch or belt, I had better not run. Oh, I knew I could out run them but sooner or later they would catch me and the punishment would be twice as harsh. Many of us will acknowledge that we cannot run from the law or hide from our own conscience yet we will think nothing about trying to hide, run, steal, trick, lie, betray, deny or avoid facing God. But if we can not run from the law, and many of our worst sins are known to our neighbors, then why do we think it is possible to conceal ourselves or our sins from He who sees all and knows all?
I. YOU CAN NOT HIDE FROM GOD.
(Prov. 28:13) -- "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper."
A. No sinner ever expects to get caught in his sin.
1. (ill) -- Men broke jail in Ohio and fled into Kentucky, were followed by 500 law officers in cars and helicopters. When caught they said, "We didn’t expect to get caught."
2. Time should convince us that we can not escape the judging hand of Almighty God.
B. The first act of sinful man was to try to hide from God. (Gen. 3:8) -- "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."
1. In their innocent and perfectly created state Adam and Eve had no reason to be ashamed of the nakedness of their bodies.
2. But once they had sinned against the commands of God then the once innocent became the corrupt container of a sinful soul. Their bodies had been created as the beautiful vehicle of a perfect and sinless soul but in sin the body became the broken cistern containing putrid waste.
3. They were ashamed of what they had done to God’s creation and tried to hide themselves from Him.
C. But no man hides from God. Not Adam and Eve and not you or me. Adam and Eve had to meet God and pay the consequences for their sins and so must you and I. God is too big for you to lose yourself in the crowd.
II. YOU CAN NOT RUN FROM GOD. (Psa. 139:7-10)
A. David’s point was that no matter where he might wander God would be there as a companion.
B. But many people have the idea that they can commit a sin and then get away before God can do anything about it.
1. Others think they can disobey the voice and will of God at random. Then they simply run when God begins to demand they pay the price of disobedience.
2. Jonah heard the call of God to do a certain job. The worst mistake Jonah ever made was in believing he could go to a place where God could not find him.
III. YOU CAN NOT STEAL FROM GOD.
A. Why is it that many Christians think they can rely on the grace of God to save them and see them through the trials of life and the pains of death and never feel they owe God anything in return?
B. Ananias and Saphira. It never occurred to them that they were lying to God, just to men.
IV. YOU CAN NOT TRICK GOD.
A. I have been preaching and pastoring churches long enough to know that there are a certain number of people who profess to be saved Christians which are not saved at all.
1. But they think that they can put on a hypocrites mask and fool the pastor, church members and everyone else. But they discount the all-seeing eye of God.
2. Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8) pretended to accept Jesus as his Saviour and followed after the apostles. But his mind and heart was on what he could make in the way of worldly gain out of the power the apostles had to cast out demons.
3. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. 6:7-8)
V. YOU CAN NOT LIE TO GOD.
A. Many have tried and failed. Why is it we will hesitate to lie to one another and not think a thing of lying to God?
1. For instance, many times we will commit sin if we think we are immune to discovery. "Nobody is going to see me. Why not have a little sinful fun?"
2. Like gambling in Tunica or drinking in Memphis where no one knows you; or swearing on the job where your fellow workers do not know you are a child of God.
B. Then lying to God with a pious face and sanctimonious attitude on Sunday. And when the preacher lists your sins from the pulpit you say in your heart, "What sin, I’ve done nothing wrong?"
C. Like Cain. (Gen 4:8-10) God knew Cain’s secret sin even though Cain lied to conceal it. God knows your heart too.
VI. YOU CAN NOT BETRAY GOD.
A. Balaam who told God he would do one thing and then tried to get around God and do another. (explain)
B. But no man can play footsy with Satan and be a true child of God "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4)
1. When a soul comes to God then he must be prepared to live for God and to obey the commands of God.
2. For a reason I can not understand, many of God’s children seem to think they can promise God they will do thus and so but they treat God as if He were some senile old man and they can either talk their way out or pull a fast one on God and get away with it.
3. Like Balaam, many Christians find it is soul satisfying to be a church member in good standing on Sunday but it pays big worldly dividends to be as sinful as the devil during business hours.
VII. YOU CAN NOT DENY GOD.
A. Everyone of us must face the consequences of our sins. Many times we will commit a sin even when we know without a doubt that it is sin and the penalty for that sin.
1. Peter -- Wept bitterly
2. You make a bad mistake if, for safety sake, monetary gain, friends and family or any other reason you try to deny God. "Be sure your sins will find you out."
VIII. YOU CAN NOT AVOID FACING GOD.
A. Phil. 2:9-11
B. Lost sinner, you may be thinking, "Death is a long way off. Even if what the preacher said is true I have plenty of time and I may come up with something and not have to worry about God."
C. Ahab and Jezebel - 15 years later God got them.
