5000

I'm preparing a message on one of the most passages of scripture: "The Feeding of the 5000" in John 6:1-15. When preparing a message from a famous passage such as this is sometimes difficult because I begin to remember all the sermons, lessons, and illustration I've heard in time past. However, this particular study is becoming very enriching for me and I wanted to share some of my observations on the text thus far. Most of this information may never reach the sermon this week but it will soon or later.

• While a lot of attention is placed on the lad with a small lunch. The focused attention is not on the lad and his lunch but on what the disciple saw Jesus do with the lunch.
• The disciples learned from the miracle that God can be trusted with every care of the world, even hunger.
• The disciples learned that God cares about every detail of our lives: sickness, pain, and need
• The bread in Jesus' day was cheap food but for the people it was a gourmet meal. Don't complain about what God provides it may short circuit an even greater blessing. There was sufficient leftovers at the end of the miracle.
• This miracles teaches that a true is not an event but continuance. Jesus fed the 5000 and then sent them home satisfied and not empty handed
• "after these things ..." - this is the 4th miracle performed by Jesus. The disciples saw Him turn water to wine, raise a dead son, and heal a man at the pool of Bethseda who laid there for 38 years. Why is this significant? If we, Christians don't believe God's ability to do the impossible, who will.
• In Matthew, Mark, and Luke in their account of the miracle they mention "a lonely place". Why is it a lonely place with so many people there?
• The miracle is in the leftovers
• When following Jesus, He never sends you away empty handed
• "200 denarii isn't enough to feed so many people" is this a statement of good stewardship, being cheap or frugal, or recognizing reality?
• Lesson to learn: the reality of a situation can cloud your faith of the situation. When reality meets faith, faith will always when.
• God demands active participation when meeting the needs of others.
• Short on money, short on food, trust God He can still make it happen for you.
• Here's a biblical account of a 3 dimensional recession: physical - sick people in the crowd, spiritual - lack of faith, resources - not enough food or money.
• Life has many lessons and the best time to learn is when you're short on everything.
• Many people follow Jesus for all the wrong reasons but still get blessed. The text says "many followed Jesus because of the signs and wonders He performed"
• Was there anything significant about the ppl in the crowd of 5000? Yes, they were hungry.
• What dies the txt mean that Jesus had compassion?
• The difference between Jesus and the disciples in this story is that Jesus cared about the needs of others while the disciples wanted to send them away hungry.
• This story is truly a miracle but what can we learn practically from the miracle?
• This text also teaches us that the needs of people a great and too great for one person to handle.
• Spiritual bean counters are necessary in the work of the Lord. We should count the cost before moving ahead. There's really nothing wrong with bean counting.
• This text is also a lesson on vision. Vision will always exceed budget. However, God will make up the difference when the vision is in line with His will.
• "there's a lad here..." - a lad oftentimes refers to the age of person or even the maturity of person. The lesson to learn is God can use an immature person to be a blessing to the God's people.
• Jesus thought a plan through before asking how much money was in the account. True leadership thinks before it acts.
• This miracle has so many lessons to be learned:
  1. There's a lesson to be learned on faith2. There's a lesson to be learned on leadership3. There's a lesson to be learned on servanthood, sacrifice, stewardship4. There's a lesson on leadership and lay people relations5. There's a lesson on vision and church work6. There's a lesson on ministry and people relations
• The lad in his young age understood the significance of being actively involved in the ministry of meeting peoples needs. Don't count out what our young people understand about the ministry. Take what they have to offer no matter how small or large their contribution maybe. It's worth it!

This study was birth out of my message from last week on "Can We Live Again" from Ezekiel 37 the story of the valley of dry bones. Our church is faced with a huge monthly bill with few people resources resulting in few financial resources and all that goes along with it.

The feeding of the 5000 helps me as I remind myself of an observation in this passage:

Jesus teaches us a good lesson on leadership do not panik in what may seem as a stressful situation. Huge need to be met with little resources. God is able to make up the difference! And I believe it!

Can We Live Again - Ezekiel 37:1-14

As it were, the devil one day decided that he was going to have a yard sale and in this yard sale he would have for sale all of the weapons in his arsenal. And he would sale them to some sinister creature that would take his place. So he made the advertisement that his weapons were for sale.

Then one day walking up his drive way he saw a dark, hideous sinister creature looking at him and saying to him,” I want to be the next enemy of the world”.

The devil takes him through his yard sale and begins to show him all that he has for sale. As they begin to walk up and down the rows of tables they see on the tables weapons like
-covetousness
-lust
-worry
-envy

and as this dark sinister creature sees all of these things he says, “my goodness what wonderful and powerful tools these would be in my hands to stop the work of God in the earth and to keep the people of God from being what God would have them to be”.

But then the devil turns to this sinister creature with a smile on his face and says to him, “yes these weapons have been used wonderfully and yes of course they have accomplished the work that I have wanted them to do, but I want you to see the weapon I have used the most to bring down nations and to cause people to give up on serving God and to stop great things from happening in the world”.

As this sinister creature awaits wringing his hands anxiously to see what weapon that the devil is talking about, the devil reaches back in a corner and pulls out a weapon and written at the top of this weapon is the word, “DISCOURAGEMENT”.

The devil presents this weapon before him and says, “by this weapon I have toppled kingdoms, I have stopped people that were excited about the things of God and excited about serving God, I have stopped them dead in their tracks, by this weapon I have stopped people that have made a good start with God, I have made them to give up and lose hope and lose heart, by this weapon I have conquered and by this weapon I have overcome more than by any other weapon in my arsenal. And by this weapon you can well continue on the work that I have begun”.

I want to tell you, that the single greatest weapon that the devil has to use against the people of God is discouragement. The discouragement we see in the valley does not stem from the dry bones from a lack of faith that these bones can live again.

Picture the scene if you will, each Sunday, Ezekiel stands at the cliff of the valley opens his bible, reads his text, gives his topic of discussion, starts to proclaim the Word to silent, lifeless, and hopeless situation. He preaches hard each week, extends the invitation, and no one comes down the aisle. How discouraging can that be? And many of us pastors/preachers, we preach each week to dying and dead generation but no life has come. What do you do when it seems as if your work is non-productive? What do you when there's no life in a church and its members? What do you when you've tried everything possible and the bones don't come together? I'll tell what Ezekiel did, he stayed at the task he was assigned by God.

Many of us are discouraged in life personally and spiritually because we’re too busy looking at the condition of valley rather than the possibilities that can come out of the valley. Life would be so much better if we just learned to stop focusing on bad conditions and start focusing on the possibilities.

We must always keep in mind that, God specializes in breathing life into dead situations.

This may well be the devil’s weapon of choice, when we look at the lifeless valley but I declare what seems lifeless, dead, hopeless, and a waist of time is nothing more than an opportunity to see God work a miracle in our lives and church.

This text offers three (3) facts about the restoration life (Let me says also that these principles are universal. It applies to us individually but also to the church collectively):

I. The Power of God Restores Life – v. 1-3

The Prophet Ezekiel is taken to the valley of dry bones and God asks him the question: “Can these bones live?” God starts Ezekiel mission with the start of question just like Jesus did in John chapter 6 in the story of the feeding of 5000. In John chapter 6 Jesus asks His disciples; “Where shall we buy bread for these to eat?” However, the question was asked not because Jesus did not know what He was going to do. But He asks the disciples to test their in the midst of an impossible situation.

Understand church that before life can be restored, we must have the faith life can be restored. The hardest work in restoration is not the situation in and of itself but getting Christians to see the possibilities of life. I think there is another way of question the same question in a different way: “Do you believe there’s life in the valley?” Or, “Do you believe God can do anything?”

If you can’t get past this question, then that which is dead will remain dead no matter what you do.

(Footnote: Too many people in the church are working in the church but don’t believe that the church can live again.)

I like Ezekiel’s response the God’s question in v. 4: “O Lord God, You know.”

The Living Translation says: “Lord, you alone know the answer to that.”

Illustration: John 11: “The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead”

Point: God has the power to raise dead stuff.
____________________________________________________________________

II. The Proclamation of God’s Word Restores Life – v. 4-7

Ezekiel preached a message of hope in a hopeless situation.

And that’s what preaching is all about, preaching a message of hope; “All is not lost.” Just because the valley looks dead doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

If we’re going to see life being restored to the people of God and the church we must PREACH THE WORD. This text says that restoration starts with the preaching of God’s Word.

Point: The Word of God can change things.

Secondly, we must TRUST THE WORD OF GOD. It’s one thing to preach the Word of God but it’s a totally different thing to believe and trust that which is being preached.

Point: You can depend on God’s Word.
____________________________________________________________________

III. The Promises of God Restores Life – v. 8-14

What does God promise when life is restored? God promises complete restoration.

God promises unity – v. 7-8

God promises strength – v. 10

God promises freedom – v. 11-13

Point: It’s not over until God says its over.

My Lil Blk Book

In 1995, I purchased a little black book (and no it's the little black that people think of for men). This was (and still is) a very important book to me. It's not a book filled with phone numbers. Instead, it is a book filled sermon, bible study, and conference notes over the years. I remember sitting in a preaching class with Pastor H B Charles and he challenged us to never go to the pulpit without pen and paper, especially when you're not preaching. It was his belief that preachers should never stop learning of which I agree. So later that day I went to Word of Life Bookstore here Los Angeles and purchased my first lil black book.

This past Sunday as I was preparing for church, I pulled it out of my desk and began to flip the pages. Man, this is some valuable information. I have notes of sermons, bible study lessons, and conferences from some of the greatest pulpit speakers of our day, pastors/preachers such as: my pastor Richard D Sanders, H.B Charles Jr, Kevin Willis, Maurice Watson, Ronald Saunders, Dr James Borror, Henry Brown, Kelly Taylor, Darnell Dyson, Anthony Thompson, Barry Severe, R.A Williams, Lance Mann, Reginald Payne, Bishop Noel Jones, and so many others. Man, what preaching. teaching, and conversations.

Many of these guys voices will cease when they leave from earth and into glory. Many of them will not be heard of on a national stage of media, television, internet, radio, newspaper, book writing, commentary work, or anything. But they are some good pulpiteers for all to hear.

I value this book because its been a source of invaluable information. Whenever I studied a difficult text this book was used as a commentary. When needing to provide advice to someone, this book has been a source of information. When stuck in a preaching drought, this book has helped me through (in other words, yes, I preached some of these sermons before). When discouraged, this book has been my encouragement. This book has also taught me not to judge another preacher's message. People may deliver a message like I do but that doesn't mean that it wasn't for me at that time. I've taken some of these notes and validated what was said in the pulpit is accurate in biblical intepretation . Not for judging purposes but for learning purposes.

The point is that as Christians, we should never stop learning. And I find that as a preacher, I'm still learning about God, His church, His people, myself, etc. I will soon purchase another lil black book as the pages of this book has been consumed.

I encourage you who's reading this blog to purchase yourself a lil black book and take good notes when in worship, bible study, or wherever/whenever you feel it necessary to learn.

We Have Much To Be Thankful For

This weekend I will be starting a mini-series entitled “We Have Much To Thank God For”. This mini-series was inspired from our Wednesday night bible study lesson taught by Pastor Payne out of John MacArthur’s book “The Master’s Plan For The Church – The Internal Structure: THANKFULNESS”.

The point of these sermons is to challenge our membership to become thankful Christians based on things eternal and not on earthly temporal things. I believe the thankfulness of your heart will dictate your worship life and style. Therefore, if we worship primarily for houses, cars, a new job, a promotion, winning the lottery, a good marriage, well behaved children, etc then our worship life/style is exciting and wonderful. The flipside is that when things in life take a turn for the worse our worship life becomes dull, stagnant, un-exciting, and boring. We come to church with our heads hung low, heart heavy, and an unrealistic expectation of the pastor to preach something to make you feel good. Or, expect the choir to sing a song that makes you feel good. What a waste of time!

I want the members of our church to be true sincere worshippers that worships God with a heart of thanksgiving based on things of eternal significance.

I resist the temptation to preach on the goodness, grace, and mercy of God because I believe we, Christians, minimize God’s goodness, grace, and mercy to deliverance from trials, struggles, and pain. However, the passages I’ve selected will in one way or another cover all three (3).

Mini-series sermon outline:

- We have much to be thankful for in DANIEL 2:23 - Wisdom and Strength

"I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."

- We have much to be thankful for in Romans 1:8 – Be thankful for those who hang in there

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.

- We have much to be thankful for in Romans 6:17-18 – Changed Lives

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

- We have much to be thankful for in 1 Corinthians 15:57 – Victory over death

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

- We have much to be thankful for in Revelations 11:15-17 – The Return of Christ

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.


May God create within us a heart of thankfulness on things eternal!

Back To School Budget Shopping

(1) Take an inventory of your child's closet

(2) distinguish between wants/needs

(3) Spread Your spending - no need for sweaters in the summer

(4) Don't allow peer pressure to dictate your spending

(5) If all else fails be honest with your child and tell them you don't have it.

Lift Leadership in Prayer

Let me briefly walk you through the story here in Exodus 17 and then we will draw from it principles to practice.

On the journey to Sinai, the events taking place illustrate the Israelites need for Law. They complain angrily about food; yet God supplies meat and manna (Exodus 16:1-35). They quarrel with Moses and question God’s commitment yet God supplies water (Exodus 17:1-7).

Now Moses and children of Israel is faced with another challenge, the attack of Amalekites. This is the first fight on their way to the land of promise. The Amalekites seem to have attacked the Israelites in the same way and through the same motives that the wandering Arabs attack caravans which annually pass through the same desert. It does not appear that the Israelites provoked any reason for the attack, it seems that Amalekite army attacked them merely through hopes of plunder (to steal from them). In the most treacherous and dastardly manner, for they came from behind them to attack this weary and feeble group of believers. Attacking every person in the camp (children, women, young and old) taking all that they possess.

Isn’t life just like that sometimes, when the enemy comes to attack you’re not looking and unaware. He comes up from behind and attacks to steal your joy, your self esteem, your faith, your emotions, your money, your family, your children, your job, your success, your mind, and your zeal for God. He attacks you when your already struggling with God’s presence, power, and participation in your life. You’re wondering where is God in the midst of this? It’s at that moment when the enemy comes up from behind and attacks you.

Moses tells Joshua to choose several men and go out and fight the Amalekites. While in battle, Moses assures Joshua that he would be on the mountain with the rod of God in his hand. While Moses hands were lifted the Israelites were winning but when his dropped they started loosing. Hands lifted they’re winning, hands lowered they’re losing.

I do not understand, in a literal sense, how the lifting and letting down of Moses hands influenced the battle with the Amalekites, humanly speaking. It is, however, likely that he held up the rod of God in his hand as a banner to the people. It is recorded in the Exodus chapter 9 that hands lifted and spread out is a posture of prayer and supplication. The Jerusalem Targum says, “When Moses held up his hands in prayer, the house of Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands from prayer, the house of Amalek prevailed.”

The lifting of Moses hands in the battle signifies Moses spiritual strength to pray over the people of God while in a battle for their lives. However, what’s troubling in the story is that Moses’ hands become heavy and starts to drop signifying Moses physical and spiritual weakness.

The text says; “Moses’ hands became heavy!” Heavy meaning burdensome. The heavy is explained in various portions of OT passage as being described in the following:

- “…for the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 12:10

- “So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.” _ Genesis 41:31
- “Now the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 43:1

Moses hands becoming heavy was like a famine hitting the land, no more, it’s all gone! Here lies the reality of leadership, Moses had no more in him. Meaning there are times when leadership has reached its point where every part of his spiritual being has been exhausted.

Here’s something you need to understand about leadership, when God uses his power to touch lives with his power, it often leaves his servant drained and vulnerable.

Pastoral leadership is an endangered species and every pastor is at risk. Why, you ask?

Pastors have more responsibility
Pastors are more subject to temptation
Pastors are the biggest target for spiritual warfare
Pastors have more influence on others
Pastors have more visibility

Pastoral leadership is at risk and we’re seeing the attack on leadership greater today than ever before. Pastors are falling be the wayside. Losing their lives, families, money, ministry, self-esteem, credibility, and pulpit/personal influence because of the attack of the enemy when they’re weak and vulnerable.

Pastors are at risk and something must be done!.

This text provides the solution for a burden, vulnerable, and spiritually zapped leader, here it is:

LIFT LEADERSHIP IN PRAYER!

The text says that when Moses’ hands were heavy, Aaron and Hur came alongside of him, sat him on a stone, and stood to the left and to the right they lifted his hands.

What a beautiful scene! Pastor Moses is being lifted by the church. Translation, pray for your pastor!

Several years age while at Mt Sinai, Pastor H.B Charles taught a lesson in our Tuesday night bible study entitled; “The Responsibility of the Flock to its Shepherd”. It was a lesson instructing the members of the church to pray for their pastor. While studying this passage of scripture his outline came to mind and I want to use the same outline today to instruct the members of this church to pray for your pastor.

Let’s consider five (5) ways you can be a prayer shield for your pastor.

Ask God to give you respect for the office of pastor.

1 Thes. 5:12-13 (NKJV)
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, [13] and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

1 Tim. 5:17 (NKJV)
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.


Petition God to help your pastor be faithful to his divine calling


2a. Pastors are called to oversee the congregation

Acts 20:28 (NKJV)
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

2b. Pastors are called to set an example of godliness

Philip. 3:17 (NKJV)
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

2c. Pastors are called to preach and teach the bible.

2 Tim. 4:2 (NKJV)
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

2d. Pastors are called to develop godly members

2 Tim. 2:2 (NKJV)
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2e. Pastors are called to nurture the members of the congregation

1 Thes. 2:17 (NKJV)
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.


Pray that your pastor will use the right ministry tools

- True ministry is done with prayer

- True ministry is done with the Word of God

Acts 6:2-3 (NKJV)
Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. [3] Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;


Pray for the ministry team that supports the pastor

There are four (4) things that will sabotage a man’s ministry:

Ministerial laziness

A neglect of personal holiness

A Non-supportive wife

A uncooperative team of leaders


Pray for the specific needs your pastor has


™ Pray for his personal concerns

Brethren, pray for us – 1 Thess. 5:25


™ Pray for his family life

If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? – 1 Timothy 3:5


™ Pray for his physical/spiritual health

Meditate on these things; give yourself to them, that your progress may be evident to all – 1 Timothy 4:15


™ Pray for his pulpit ministry

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. – Acts 20:26-27


™ Pray for his pastoral leadership

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our suffering is from God – 2 Corinthians 3:4-5


What was the result of Moses hand being lifted by Aaron and Hur? The result is found in verse 13, “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword”.

Victory is given to the church when we keep our leader lifted in prayer.

Don't Touch the Tithe

Genesis 2:15-16-chapter 3

“One of the greatest missing teachings in the American church today is the reminder to men and women that nothing we have belongs to us.” - Gordon MacDonald

The American way of thinking is that we are self-sufficient and that we are responsible for all that we possess. The Bible provides a different perspective, of course: that we are merely the overseers of God’s earthly domain, responsible for taking care of His resources until Jesus returns. Getting people to understand and accept our role as managers rather than creators of wealth and resources is a crucial element toward encouraging good stewardship.
Scriptural Perspective

• Genesis 14:17-24 (Abraham acknowledged that his victory spoils were a gift from God).
• 1 Chron. 29:14-18 (everything is God’s; we watch over it on earth).
• Psalm 24:1-2 (everything belongs to God).
• Psalm 50:10-12 (God created, knows and owns everything that exists).
· 1 Cor. 4:2 (Paul exhorted those being trusted to prove themselves faithful).

However, there is another passage of scripture on the level of stewardship that we often times don’t see as a passage on stewardship or one as a lesson on tithing. This passage is recorded in Genesis 2:15-17.

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

What does it mean to be a steward? To be a steward is to be a manage of God’s divine resources. Understand that being a good steward is not that of being cheap, stingy, over-protective, and/or a numbers watcher. A good steward is a good manager for manager.

A man doesn’t decide to become a steward after he has been saved, nor after he begins to make good money. He is a steward—good or bad—when he becomes a Christian.

Stewardship in the Christian life demands that a man take good care of his financial affairs because he has been commissioned by Christ to manage those affairs for the Lord.

Stewardship is seen in how we manage our time, talents, and tithe. And the beginning account of scripture teaches us that God expects us to:

- Work: “tend and keep”
- Eat: “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat”
- Tithe: “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”

Here’s the underlining theme of the message we all need to get. As stewards of God’s divine resources make sure you don’t touch the tithe. I believe our stewardship is measured by how well we stay away from the tithe.


Well, let’s unwrap this text so that we can become better stewards (managers) of God’s divine resources.

I. The Call to Stewardship – v. 15

Understand that the book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is in Genesis that we read, witness, and believe that God spoke into nothing and created something. It is in Genesis where God forms the oceans, lakes, and land. It is in Genesis where we see God separate the moon and sun. It is in Genesis where we see God hang stars in the sky. It is in Genesis where we see God create the birds of the air, fish in the see, and animals on the land. It is in Genesis where we see God create man from the dust of the ground in God’s own image.

By the time we get to chapter 2 God breathes breathe into the nostrils of man. In verse 8 of chapter 2 we see God now creates a Garden which is named the Garden of Eden. In this garden, God placed 2 trees. One tree is the Tree of Life and the other Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and there where other trees in the garden as well.

Out of all the things we see in the Book of Genesis, we see a very important concept here. We see the concept of stewardship in the book of Genesis for in chapter 2 verse 15 the text says; “God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” The verse shows us a very important concept here that we cannot forget and miss. God places Adam in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. In other words, God places Adam in the Garden to manage that which God has created and given unto him. Here’s what we need to understand:

- Everything belongs to God

- Everything we possess is a blessing from God – v. 9

- God provides and sustains our every need – v. 10-14 – understand that no rain had come to water the garden. However, God provides and sustains the garden by allowing water to come from the ground to water the garden. What that means is that God can provide and sustain the stuff he places in your care.


II. The Command in Stewardship – v. 16-17


Chapter 15 of 1 Samuel reveals the developed flaws in Saul’s character that serve as warnings to believers today. Once humble, power made him so arrogant that he disobeyed God in the name of godliness. God regrets Saul and sends Samuel to call king Saul on the carpet. In verse 13 Saul feels as if he obeyed God’s command to destroy Amalek. Saul and the people of Israel pick the best animals to bring to God as an offering of sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) we read these words:

So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

The message that Samuel brought to Saul is the same message that God brings to us today; sacrifice and obedience is not the same thing. More than what you bring to God, God wants your obedience. See, if we get being obedience right, we won’t be fighting with God, the pastor, and/or church over how much we ought to give of our time, talents, and tithe. God wants you to obey Him!

There is a positive and negative command here for those who obey to voice of God:

Positive - Satisfaction – The text says; “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.” 1 Tim. 4:4 (NKJV) “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving…” See many of us are not satisfied with what we have because we’re not thankful for what we have.


Negative - Suffering – The text says; “If you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you will surely die”. Will a person physically die from being a bad steward? My answer is “I don’t know”. It is possible. Romans 6:16 (Msg) says – “You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” In other words, when we disobey God we open ourselves up to a life of suffering and pain which can lead to death physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Disobedience breeds consequences. But if you keep reading chapter 6 you will find out that while Romans 6:23 (Msg)
You work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

The only way out is to do what God tells us to do.


III. The Challenge in Stewardship – Chapter 3

The challenge of stewardship is seen in chapter 3.

First, the TEMPTATION – v. 1-5

As a little boy my mother would tell me over and over again, Clint don’t touch that, don’t do that, stay away from that. Don’t play with matches. Stay away from the electrical socket. Stay out of that field. And everything she told me to stay away from seemed like that’s what I wanted to do most. I heard her voice with the command of what to do and not do but challenge was trying to stay away from it.

The challenge in life is resisting temptation. We fight hard to resist all temptations of life but when it comes to our money we tend to be care-free. We give in to the temptation to spend what we know we don’t have, for things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like (and they don’t like us). The serpent tricked Eve into believing that her disobedience was the right thing to do. He made her to think that she will not die nor will there be any consequences for her actions. And that’s what temptation will do, it makes you think it’s the right thing to do even when you know it’s the wrong thing to do.

Second, DISOBEDIENCE – v. 6-8

The 2nd challenge of stewardship is just as important and vital as the first, disobedience. Yielding to temptation leads to disobedience. I’ve learned a new definition for disobedience, disobedience is being spiritually stubborn. Nehemiah chapter 9 describes this spiritual stubbornness during the time when scripture is being read and study and true revival takes place with the people Israel. As they confess their sins to God in response to the word of God, v. 26 of chapter 9 gives this description of stubborn disobedience;

"Nevertheless they were disobedient
And rebelled against You,
Cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets, who testified against them
To turn them to Yourself;
And they worked great provocations.

Here is what you need to understand about disobedience, disobedience is never rewarding! Throughout all of Scripture, you will learn that disobedience doesn’t bring any good to the one who disobeys. Nehemiah 9:27 says;

Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,
Who oppressed them;
And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven;
And according to Your abundant mercies
You gave them deliverers who saved them
From the hand of their enemies.


Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the text says their eyes were opened, they covered themselves, and tried to hide from God.

Disobedience is never rewarding!

Third, ACCOUNTABILITY – v. 9-19

God held the serpent, Eve, and Adam responsible for what took place in the Garden of Eden. The point is simple here, there is no escaping God’s accountability. He will hold you (and I) accountable for everything deed done good and evil.


Praise God that the story doesn’t end in Genesis chapter 3 with Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. And praise God that whatever was lost due to our disobedience can be restored. Here’s a few suggestions to help each of us get back on track with God on this issue of stewardship:

- Confess Your Sins - James 5:16A
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

- Pray Hard - James 5:16b - The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

- Be realistic (frugal) - Luke 14:28 (NKJV)
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--

- Stay away from people, things, and places that will tempt you to spend the tithe - 1 Cor. 15:33 (NKJV)
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."

My final suggestion, pray harder than the first time:

Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;Each victory will help you some other to win;Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you,Comfort, strengthen and keep you;He is willing to aid you,He will carry you through.

Let’s pray!