Sunday Sermons
Urge the Young Men - Part 2
Urge the Young Men II
The danger of fearing man’s opinion
“The fear of man brings a snare” (Proverbs 29:25). The fear of man ensnares in the sense that one’s actions are controlled or confined by the person who is dreaded. Security in the Lord removes intimidation by man. See John 12:42-43. The desire to please men locks us into transient and imperfect goals. “The proverb’s teaching is clear; wean yourself away from what other people expect and do what God expects” (Alden p. 204). Fearing the Lord—releases us from every other fear (Acts 5:29). This verse describes any situation in which one is anxious about not offending another person. “For example, someone might be afraid to oppose the unethical actions of a superior out of fear of losing a job. The verse tells the reader to do what is right and trust the outcome of Yahweh” (Garrett p. 233). “It is terrible to observe the power which it has over most minds, and especially over the minds of the young. Few seem to have any opinions of their own, or to think for themselves. Like dead fish, they go with the stream and tide. They dread the idea of going against the current of the times. In a word, the opinion of the day becomes their religion, their creed, their Bible, and their God. The thought, ‘What will my friends say or think of me?’ Nips many a good inclination in the bud. The fear of being looked at, laughed at, ridiculed, prevents many a good habit from being taken up”(Thoughts for Young Men, J.C. Ryle pp. 50-51). The fear of men has often been the cause of one’s downfall, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24);
Learn to say “No”
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent” (Proverbs 1:10). “Consider how unreasonable this fear of man is. How short lived is man’s hostility, and how little harm he can do you! ‘Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth?’ (Isaiah 51:12-13). And how thankless is this fear! No one will really think better of you for it. Never be ashamed of letting men see that you want to go to heaven. Remember the words of Jesus, ‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell’ (Matthew 10:28). Don’t worry what the world says or thinks: you will not always be with the world. Can man save your soul? No. Will man be your judge in the great and dreadful day of judgment? No. Can man give you a good conscience in this life, a good hope in death, a good answer in the morning of the resurrection?”(Ryle pp. 52,53).
· Saying “yes” to God enables one to say “no” when needed.
· Yielding to peer pressure may make things easier at the moment but even unbelievers do not respect the person who gives in.
· When you fear God you have no one else to fear. A respect for God keeps all other fears in perspective.
· Man is very limited in what he or she can do to us, “and after that have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4).
· Why do we feel at times so beholding to human opinion seeing that such cannot solve our problems, ease our worries, answer our biggest questions or save our soul?
Get a clear view of the evil of sin
“Fools mock at sin” (Proverbs 14:9). In contrast to wise men, fools mock at the idea of sin and guilt. To some people sin is a joke, an out-dated idea, and not for their generation. “When a fool sins, he makes fun of the idea of making amends for it” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 935). Fools give cute names to moral evil, “gay”, “alternative lifestyle”, “living together”, “significant other”, “compulsive behavior”, and so on. They also encourage others to join them (Romans 1:32). In addition, fools also mock at the idea of judgment and hell. “Think, moreover, of all the misery and sorrow that sin has caused, and is causing, to this very day. Pain, disease, death, strife, quarrels, divisions, envy, jealousy, malice, deceit, fraud and cheating, violence, oppression, robbery, selfishness, unkindness, and ingratitude, all these are the fruits of sin. It is sin that has so marred and spoiled the face of God’s creation” (Ryle p. 58). In addition, take a good look at how sin has twisted people. Solomon noted, “God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Every drug addict, hardened criminal and just plan mean person was originally created upright and good. Every man or woman presently on death row was once an innocent child, and remember, that sin if allowed can twist and pervert your thinking as well. “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11); “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9).
“Go up, you baldhead”: 2 Kings 2:23-25
Remember, that the word “young lad”, can refer to men in their teens and twenties (1 Kings 3:7). Hence, this group of kids probably is not a group of grade school children, but is more probably a gang of teenage (or older) thugs. Also in the city of Bethel was one of the calf-shrines that had been established by Jeroboam, this is a center for apostasy. The taunt, “go up, you baldhead”, may have been mocking the ascension of Elijah. Right here we have an official challenge to Elisha’s God-appointed ministry. Apparently they were saying something like, “Yea, go up to heaven, like your former master”, but in a mocking fashion, denying that such had happened to Elijah. It may have been something like, “Why don’t you also leave us—we don’t want you around any more than Elijah”. “The jeering ‘Go on up!’ may be a reference to Elijah’s translation with the sense of ‘Go away like Elijah’, perhaps spoken in contemptuous disbelief’” (House p. 260). These youths were typical of a nation that mocked God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets (2 Chron. 36:16). Many feel that this was an organized demonstration against the chief prophet of God as he passed through town. Elisha uttered a curse against these thugs and God immediately acted! Note, nothing is said about what Elisha said in the curse. It may have been something like, “May evil and calamity fall upon you”. Under the Law of Moses, God’s ministers were required to curse the disobedient (Deuteronomy 27:14-26). It seems to me that the two bears coming out and killing these thugs, was God’s idea. Here is God’s attitude towards youthful rebellion and defiance towards a man of God and the word of God (Proverbs 30:17).
While this event was shocking, it was actually a very mild warning to the nation of what would soon follow if things didn’t change in Israel. No wild animals could match the savage cruelty that would be heaped upon this hardened people by that specially prepared rod of God’s anger, the Assyrian army; and that rod would strike within four generations. The fact that these bears only tore up these youths was a manifestation of God’s grace!
Nothing is more important than your soul
“Your soul is eternal. You will live forever. The world and all that it contains will pass away—firm, solid, beautiful, well-ordered as it is, the world will come to and end. ‘The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it’ (2 Peter 3:10). The works of statesmen, writers, painters, architects are all short lived; your soul will outlive them all. No place, no employment is good for you, which injures your soul. No friend, no companion deserves your confidence, who makes light of your soul’s concerns. Do not forget this. Keep it in view, morning, noon, and night, the interests of your soul. Rise up each day desiring that your soul may excel, lie down each evening inquiring of yourself whether your soul has really grown. Remember Zenuxis, the great painter of old. When men asked him why he labored so intensely and took such extreme pains with every picture, his simple answer was, ‘I paint for eternity’” (Ryle pp. 63-64). “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). “Do you ask me what kind of friends you should choose? Choose friends who will benefit your soul, friends whom you can really respect, friends who love the Bible and are not afraid to speak to you about it, friends that you would not be ashamed of having at the coming of Christ. Follow the example that David sets for you: ‘I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts’ (Psalm 119:63). Remember the words of Solomon: ‘He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm’ (Proverbs 13:20)” (Ryle p. 75).
Young people can serve God
Satan has been very successful in convincing our culture that being young and being a Christian is an impossibility. One common excuse heard is that being young and remaining morally pure is too much to ask. “The world is only too ready to wink at youthful lusts. The world seems to take it for granted that young people must be irreligious” (Ryle p. 65). Yet the Bible is filled with the names of young people who did serve God. Moses, Daniel, Joshua, Joseph, Samuel, David, Josiah and Timothy. These men were not angels, they were human beings who had obstacles to overcome, trials to endure, lusts to deny, but they found it possible to serve God. “Will they not all rise in judgment and condemn us, if we persist in saying it cannot be done?”(Ryle p. 67).
Break off every known sin—no matter how seemingly small
A small leak that is not fixed can create a lot of damage and one small spark can destroy an entire forest. “Israel was commanded to kill every Canaanite, both great and small. Act on the same principle, and show no mercy to little sins. Well says the book of the Song of Songs, ‘Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards’ (2:15). You can be sure that no wicked man ever meant to be so wicked at his first beginnings. Young men, resist sin in its beginnings. They may look small and insignificant (a little lust, a little lie, a little compromise), let no sin lodge quietly and undisturbed in your heart. There is nothing finer than the point of a needle, but when it has made a hole, it draws all the thread after it. Remember the Apostle’s words, ‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough’ (1 Corinthians 5:6). Jeremy Taylor very clearly described the progress of sin in a man: ‘First it startles him, then it becomes pleasing, then easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then a way of life” (Ryle pp. 79,80). I would then add that after sin becomes a habit it eventually becomes a burden (Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”).
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net/mdunagan@easystreet.com
