Five Signs of Stubbornness Toward God
(adapted from a message preached by Dr. Dave Hartson)
June 1, 2003 Chester First Baptist, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A From Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Stephen Covey captured a great truth about authority. While on maneuvers, a battleship lookout noted a light in the dark, foggy night. After noting the light’s coordinates, the captain recognized his ship was on a collision course with the other vessel. The captain instructed, "Signal the ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees." The return signal countered, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees." The captain signaled, "I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees." The response was, "I’m a seaman second class, you’d better change course 20 degrees." By this time the captain was furious. His signal curtly ordered, "I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees." The reply: "I’m a lighthouse. You make the call." God’s authority is never changing, it’s always constant. Whenever a change of course is required we must make the correction from our end.
* The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey, 1989, p. 32-33
a The Captain was stubborn, but he hasn’t cornered the market on it.
b Sometimes stubbornness is good. Man/bread winner. Woman/protecting her kids from the wrong influences.
*Most of the time, our stubbornness can cause a plethora of other problems, especially when our stubbornness is directed towards God.
B Today’s message is "Five Signs of Stubbornness Toward God."
a 2 Chronicles 16:1-14 (Don’t put entire text in listening Guide.)
b Asa, King of Judah, severe stubbornness crippled his relationship with God. (ETS)
C Our stubbornness towards God can be terminal to our walk with Him. (ESS)
a I hope you’ll diagnose if your stubbornness towards God. (Objective)
b Who is showing signs of stubbornness towards God? (Probing Question)
T.S.: Lets look at five (5) signs that indicate you may be being stubborn towards God.
I The first sign that indicates you may be being stubborn to God is. . .
You chose to fix problems on your own rather than go to God with them. v:1-3
A God had given Asa peace for thirty-six (36) years.
a Baasha (King of Israel) had set up a blockade around Judah.
(Detrimental to the commerce, trade, travel of Judah)IL. Cuba Missile Crisis. Iraqi Freedom.
b Instead of Asa going to God, Asa went out on his own.
Went to a pagan king, Ben-hadad of Aram. Bribed him with church money to break his word/treaty with Baasha and to attack Baasha’s Israel.
Asa had a problem and he handled it all on his own! (STUBBORN)
B How many of us have problems we’re handling all on our own?
a "Look God how good I am, I can handle it without you!" Stubborn and PRIDEFUL!!
b An ancient Indonesian parable tells of a turtle who flew through the air by biting hard on a stick that was carried by two geese. The turtle was thrilled to take flight, but became increasingly troubled by comments from onlookers. Those who viewed the spectacle praised the geese for being so clever. The turtle felt he was the one who deserved attention and praise so he opened his mouth and shouted, "This was my idea." Pride is a destructive force that robs us of life.
T.S.: Stubborn people believe they can handle their problems all on their own.
II The second sign that indicates you may be being stubborn to God is. . .
You settle for less than the best just to say "I’ve done it." v.4-8
A Asa solved a immediate problem at the cost of a permanent solution.
a Asa’s stubbornness sacrificed long term (security, relief) for short-term (sanctuary, reprieve).
b The prophet of God, Hanani, told Asa don’t be so prideful about what he had accomplished.
v.7 "Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of you hand."
If you would have went to God in the first place, not only would you have whipped Israel, you would also have got Aram too!
* "You could have had the best, but you settled for less because your stubborn"
B How often do you settle for less than the best to say we did it rather than wait for God to give us the very best?
a If your anything like me, more often we’d like to admit.
b Patricia Christy. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident was standing in line waiting for food. She decided then and there that she was going to run as far away from this problem as possible. She boarded the first available flight and headed for a restful vacation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. She arrived just in time to experience Hurricane Iniki. Running your problems usually just leads to more problems.
III The third sign that indicates you may be being stubborn to God is. . .
You get angry rather than repent when confronted with the truth. (v.9-10)
A When King Asa heard the truth he was faced with two choices.
a The two choices (1) Repent. (Embrace the truth & ask God for help with future problems.)
(2) Rebel. (Angry/attack the messenger..& never admit that he, ASA, was the problem.)
b Asa heard the truth, threw the preacher in Jail and never saw his sin.
B We too have these same two choices when we hear the truth of God’s Word.
a Repent OR Rebel
b How many times do you leave the church thinking, "Man, that preacher is crazy; he doesn’t know what he’s doing."
(IL.) Some where in the last six months I’ve lost the gift of grace. I have about 3 minutes of grace to give you and then we have a come to Jesus meeting. I tell a person what their doing that draws glory away from God, steps to get back into His will. I’ve been amazed at how angry that makes people. (I’ve got thin spots in my armor too. In the last few weeks I’ve had to repent too.)
IV The fourth sign that indicates you may be being stubborn to God is. . .
You don’t want anything to do with God’s people. (2 Chron. 15:9, 2 Chron. 16:10b "And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time."
A When Asa’s heart was right with God he loved to hang out with God’s people.
a When Asa’s stubborn streak showed up, the first place he stopped going to was church!!!!
b He stopped hanging out with God’s people and in fact...actually treated them pretty poorly.
B We all know folks who don’t fellowship with God’s people like they should.
a They get mad at the pastor, Sunday School teacher, person down the pew...they stop going to church.
b May be a sign of stubbornness towards God.
V The fifth sign that indicates you may be being stubborn to God is. . .
You refuse to call upon God when there are no other options available. v.12
A King Asa got a debilitating case of the gout. (Remember the preacher he put in the stockade? )
a The doctors tried everything they knew to do and they couldn’t do anything for King Asa.
b You’d think he’d call in priests, believers...he didn’t. STUBBORN!!!
B What would you do if the doctors said, "There is nothing else we can do for you."
a Get on the phone and get people to pray for you. Intercede for you.
b Stubborn people say, "If God hasn’t helped me, I’m not going to start asking now."
Conclusion:
Asa, King of Judah, severe stubbornness crippled his relationship with God. Our stubbornness towards God can be terminal to our walk with Him.
A We’ve looked at five signs that indicate you may be being stubborn towards God.
(1) You chose to fix problems on your own rather than go to God w/ them.
(2) You settle for less than the best just to say "I have don’t it."
(3) You get angry rather than repent when confronted with the truth.
(4) You don’t want anything to do with God’s people.
(5) You refuse to call upon God wen there are no other options available.
B I hope you’ll diagnosis your stubbornness. (Objective)
a Some of you may not have any of these signs.....GREAT!!
Some of have more reason to be concerned. You have two or three signs.
b Choice? Can do something about your stubbornness or do nothing!!!
C Who is showing signs of stubbornness towards God?
a Scientists studied a native tribe in South America whose people have been dying prematurely for generations. After thorough investigation, the cause of premature death was determined.
The disease was transmitted by an insect that lived in the walls of their adobe homes. This new information presented several options.
They could move to another area where such insects don’t exist, tear down their homes and rebuild them,
use insecticide to rid their homes of the bugs, or,
continue as they have and die early.
b Surprisingly, these people have opted to remain as they are and do nothing about their problem.
Many of us behave similarly.
To save themselves, they know what they must do; instead, they opt to remain unchanged. They dug their own grave because they were STUBBORN!!
c (vv: 13/14a) Emphasis mine
[13] Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his fathers. [14] They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. . .
If you’re being stubborn toward God, your are digging your own grave.
Who is showing signs of stubbornness towards God?
***Notice: I have used Sermon Central Sermon for a very long time. If this or any of my sermons are similar to a sermon that is currently already on Sermon Central by another pastor or teacher....chances are I have used it. Actually, there is probably absolutely nothing in this sermon that hasn’t been preached before! If I used your sermon and haven’t given you credit, please write me and I’ll give you credit by name. I have in no way intentionally withheld credit to any work I’ve used/borrowed from. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF I HAVE "USED" YOUR WORK IT WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU HAD A SUPER SERMON! I prefer to preach with an outline and just rearranged your sermon. My intent is to make sermons relevant and easy for outline guys to use. If you use MY work, feel free to claim it. I do not care!!! Simply realize that I have borrowed from other preachers, too.
Mike Fogerson, Pastor, Chester’s First Baptist Church
