Intro.
A. Beverly's Dad in WWII, had to undergo artillery shelling.
1. Every instinct is to get up and run (understandable, justified)
2. However, the command was, "stay in your fox hole!"
3 A friend, suffered panic and ran, killed by shrapnel
B. Reacting on the basis of instincts can be fatal
1. Purpose of basic training: respond to orders, not to instinct
C. Spiritual dangers
1. Artillery shells of error and sin falling around
2. Temptation to lash out, react to instinct (understandable, justified)
3. If we have been trained by Christ, we learn to obey instead of reacting to inst.
BIBLE EXAMPLES
I. Moses (Numbers 20)
A. Moses had every reason to be angry
1. God had liberated Israel from harsh slavery, given food, manifested Self on Sinai
2. Time and time again, murmuring
3. Now in wilderness of Zin, same complaining when no water evident (4,5)
a. God had taken care of them before, not taken into consideration.
4. God told him speak to the rock
B. Moses gathered the people (vs. 9)
C. Anger welled up in him, years of frustration (vs. 10,11)
D. What was his sin?
1. God told him to speak to rock and he hit it? Part of it, but more to it
2. Psalms 106:32,33 sin was "he spoke rashly with his lips")
a. "Must we (Moses and Aaron) fetch water for you?"
b. In his justifiable anger, forgot about God. Thought it all depended on him
E. Result? vs 12
F. Summary
1. Children of Israel in error? Yes, Did not justify his rash words
2. Needed rebuke? Yes, but not with arrogant attitude
3. Bottom life: Moses did not have faith: Though action was called for, he reacted to his own emotions, instinct instead of trusting in God's way.
APPLICATION: Today godly people can fall into same trap as Moses
G. We live in a permissive age.
1. It has Affected God's people!
2. Worldliness, loose attitudes, people confused when should know better.. Frustrating
H. God tells us that worldiness must be dealt with: Galatians 6:1
1. He also tells us how: "spirit of meekness" II Tim. 2:25,26 spirit of gentleness.
a. Golden rule
b. harsh language must be a last resort: electric charge to revive a dying heart
2. Frustration leads to overreaction
a. harsh, unfair language, insults
b. leaving God out of the picture: I've got to straighten everyone out
3. Problem: Not looking at God, reacting according to our instincts
II. Brethren in Corinth
A. Error: No discipline: (I Cor. 5:1)
1. Some congregations guilty today
B. Danger. Excessive harshness (II Cor. 2:6,7)
C. What was actually needed: Firm but loving discipline
D. Today the same dangers exist
1. No discipline: church filled with weakness, sin, Satan has field day
2. Harsh, excessive discipline: Nasty letters, vindictive attitude, name calling
3. Two extremes criticize each other: "weak," "no backbone," "harsh," "unloving
a. Both right and both wrong they've both missed it.
E. Problem: reacting to each other, not looking to God
EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY
I. "Faith alone," the reformation
A. Error: Salvation based on number of works: indulgences, candles, masses
B. Reaction: Martin Luther
1. Saw excesses, especially in collection of money for Saint Peter's Basilica
a. Tetzel: "When coin in box rings, soul from purgatory springs."
2. Luther rightly disgusted: His followers probably reacted more than he did.
a. Many came to believe that works have nothing to do with even the acceptance of salvation. (Faith, mental assent, only)
C. Truth: Salvation provided by God's grace, but He still gives conditions to accept it
1. illustrations: Naaman (2 Kings 5), Blind man (John 9)
D. Satan still reaping harvest of the overreaction of followers of Luther, rather than obedience
1. Error of Romanism need rebuking? Yes
2. Right in rebelling? Yes
3. But reacted instead of calmly looking to Jesus.
II. Formalism, Emotionalism
A. Error: cold, formal worship many mainstream denominations
1. ritualistic, left wing politics, no belief in heaven
B. Reaction: Frantic, disorderly worship: Early 1900s, revival 50s, early 80s
1. frenetic music, appeal to carnal instincts.
2. "Let yourself go," shrieking, jumping, applause, clapping
3. Everyone talking at once
4. They say, "It’s so much better this way than in the old church"
5. Were such individuals right to reject "formalism?" Yes Amos 4:21-23
6. However, in becoming disorderly in their reaction, they were not looking to God, but reacting to instinct
C. Truth: Sincere but orderly worship (I Cor. 14:40)
1. Must be sincere and heartfelt. If you're not ready to worship from the heart, please don't come!
2. But worship must be orderly and according to revealed will.
ONE MORE APPLICATION
III. "Negative preaching"
A. Error: All harsh condemnation
1. With some, every lesson, scathing denunciation of somebody, insults, name calling
2. Debate: a preacher told Wendell Wiser "one of us is going to hell"
3. Sarcasm, winning of audience at expense of love and good taste
4. Young preachers have reacted: "this is Ungodly," "not Gal. 6:1," "not II Tim. 2:24-26," "carnal," etc"
B. Reaction: No correction
1. Inoffensive pep talks, poetry, jokes, flowers "Milton Milktoast school"
2. No doctrine, "Preach man not the plan"
3. Worldliness, false doctrine allowed to run rampant
C. A war between two extremes
1. A calls B weak kneed "pussifooted", no back bone. The description is right
2. B calls A harsh, tactless, self-righteous, etc. That description is also right
3. Both are right in accusations against others, but both wrong in their own practice
4. They’re Reacting, looking at each other is not imitating Jesus Christ
D. Truth: Balance needed - Some rebuke when needed, some edification
1. II Tim. 4:2, Acts 20:27 Have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God
2. Sometimes those who are balanced and follow Jesus are accused by both sides
3. Good for preachers to look at outlines: congregations at study material
a. balance: should be lessons on hell, but also heaven
b. Gods justice but also God's mercy
c. Hating sin but also Compassion for sinner
d. Prayer but also rebuking error
e. controversial topics need to be dealt with: Institutionalism, marriage, divorce and remarriage, instr. music.
f. But also essential that we talk of love, mercy, peace, longsuffering
4. Reluctance to preach on any of these topics indicates reaction mode, instead of obedience mode.
Conclusion:
A. Danger: Look at each other, see weaknesses, react to each other. Don't realize we're not looking at Jesus Christ!
B. Like Moses, we will suffer consequences
C. Solution: Look to Jesus, imitate him obey him, deal with crises as He would have us deal with them.
D. This is why many do not obey the gospel. They see weaknesses of members
E. Don't worry so much about them: Obey God. Don’t react to men
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