Sermon Tone Analysis

Turning away from vain things

Turning away from vain things…

, “Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet.

He was crippled from birth and had never walked.

He listened to Paul speaking.

And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.”

And he sprang up and began walking.

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.”

Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet.

He was crippled from birth and had never walked.

He listened to Paul speaking.

And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.”

And he sprang up and began walking.

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.”

So pastor, "What are the consequences of the nations turning away from God?"

Well, says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”

The psalmist is speaking of the nation of Israel.

God chose Israel as the nation through which He would bring His promised Messiah; this is where Moses said in

, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen.”

This is where Malachi said in, ,“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction” And this where Isaiah said in,

, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.

For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.”

The Messiah promised to provide, bless, and protect the Israelites if they followed Him.

But the Old Testament gives us heartbreaking details of what happened when they turned away from Him and turned to vain things.

Israel’s history shows us some of the consequences that can befall a nation when its people turn away from God.

, “But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me.

None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.”

The same which was true then is true now, any nation that turns away from God will suffer the consequences.

Now there were promises made to Israel at that time that were not made to us.

For example, nations today are not promised bumper crops and healthy livestock if they obey the Mosaic Law, as it says in

, “Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.”

That promise was for Israel under the Old Covenant in the Promised Land—the blessing was specifically tied to the land of Israel (verse 11).

But many of the general principles found in Scripture are applicable to everyone who is now in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can learn from Israel’s history what generally to expect when nations honor the Lord and what generally to expect when they rebel against His commands and turn away to vain things.

As long as the Israelites honored the Lord, destroyed idol temples, and kept God’s commandments, the Lord was actively involved in their defense when other nations fought against them.

is the first and the prime example of the Lord as Defender for the newly formed nation of Israel.

As Moses led the people out of Egypt, Pharaoh and his armies raced after them.

The people were terrified and began to doubt whether Moses knew what he was doing.

But then “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid.

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.

The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still’” ).

What followed was the miraculous parting of the Red Sea

, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”

In contrast to this miraculous intervention, the Bible gives us examples of God refusing to intervene when destruction came upon Israel.

Second Kings, beginning in chapter 24, details the end of God’s blessing on Israel.

, “ The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign and carried off all the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the LORD had foretold.

He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths.

None remains, except the poorest people of the land.”

Why did this happen pastor?

Because God’s chosen people had defied the Lord, built idol temples, and filled their lives with fornication, murder, and adultery.

They had desecrated the temple and ignored the Law for generations.

God sent prophets to call them to repentance, but they would not listen and often killed those messengers.

, “As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

The Lord had warned them repeatedly, and, when they refused to listen, He sent judgment in the form of invaders who took them captive and destroyed their cities.

The once-great nation had been brought low and lost the blessings God desired to give it.

The general principle we learn from this is that sin brings negative consequences, especially when we turn to vain things.

, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

This is God’s warning to individuals and to nations that He will not be mocked.

We reap what we sow.

Many nations of antiquity are nonexistent now, having brought God’s judgment upon themselves for their sin.

Edom (), Assyria (), Sodom (), and Babylon () were all wiped out, according to the biblical prophets, for their evil before the Lord.

There remain no representatives of the Hittites (), Moabites (), or Philistines () due to their stubborn rebellion against the Lord.

God blessed Israel in prospering them when the people honored Him.

God had brought them into a land that was “flowing with milk and honey” ().

When they obeyed Him, He promised to provide all they needed and to protect their lives.

He cared that they lived peacefully and happily.

He commanded them to honor His Sabbaths so that they would have rest.

But, when Israel followed wicked kings into idolatry and harlotry, God sent famines and pestilence on the land that He loved ().

We learn from this that the Lord delights in prospering His loyal servants.

Material wealth is not proof that God is blessing a nation, since evil kings and countries prosper too.

But, when we honor the Lord and obey His commands, we reap the benefits of living honorably, morally, and honestly.

A nation that honors God’s laws reaps that benefit as well.

History shows that those that do not are often destroyed from within.

God gives us His laws for our own good.

He created us to fellowship with Him and walk in righteousness.

When we do that, we are living within the healthy boundaries He established and are protected from much of the heartache and catastrophe Satan devises.

But, when a nation turns away from the true God and becomes its own god, the Lord removes His protective hand and allows that nation to experience the world it has demanded.

shows us the progression of people and nations that have defied God and redefined morality, sexuality, and confused masculinity and femininity.

Homosexuality, unbridled lust, and idolatry are all part of God’s judgment on a nation that has turned away from Him and turned to vain things.

The good news is that God knows those who are His and promises to reward them, even when all others have turned away, He promises to save those who have turned away from vain things.