Sermon Tone Analysis

rmal'>DON’T FRET BECAUSE OF EVIL MEN (2)INTRODUCTION

| W -       Will of GodF -        Fret notR -        Rest in the LordE -        Enjoy GodT -        Trust in the Lord |

*Our topic*: /Don’t fret because of evil.

/ Last week we looked at five principles~/lessons from Ps 37:

Vs 1: Don’t fret – a command

Vs 3: Trust in the Lord & do good

Vs 4: Delight your self in the Lord

Vs 5: Commit your way to the Lord

Vs 7: Be still before~/rest in the Lord

 

We saw how David applied these principles when facing his wicked son Absalom

 

What characterises us when we fret?

q  We disobey God

q  We hinder the action of the Holy Spirit

v  Don’t walk in~/live by the Spirit

v  Don’t allow Spirit to lead us

v  Don’t produce the fruit of the Spirit, eg, joy, peace

q  We don’t emulate Jesus Christ; He is not formed in us

q  We are more easily led into temptation

v  We see evil people getting away with wicked deeds

v  “If these people aren’t paying taxes...

q  We have no testimony before the world

 

EVIL AROUND US

We live in a wicked world.

Recently there’s been a lot of focus on Zimbabwe, other African states, the ME, E Europe – here we see evil abounding, evil men prospering, the innocent suffering & dying, Christians afflicted

But we don’t need to leave our own borders to look for evil people prospering in the midst of poverty, suffering, deprivation, abuse, discrimination, fraud, corruption

Look at the headlines – here’s a few:

q  R2bn tender scandal

q  “Drunk judge” claims innocence

q  Whistleblower suspended

q  Party wants political settlement for Zuma

q  Corrupt civil servants defraud pensioners

q  Church told to apologise to homosexual

q  Krion pyramid scam...in which investors lost R1,7 bn.

”earlier a judge pronounced that the Prinsloo family were fraudsters, robbers, deceivers, gifted swindlers”

If you’re like me, such headlines have an affect – you want justice

But, remember Jeremiah’s question: Jer 12:1  “ LORD, …I must question you about matters of justice.

Why are the wicked so prosperous?

Why do dishonest people succeed?

And the Lord’s answer: (Jer 12:5)  "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?

If you are flustered, angry, fretting because of this small peril you’re experiencing, how will you persevere when severe trials come?

But over years I’ve asked the Lord to help me to deal with it – and He has by His grace.

How about you?

Does not mean we sit back, unaffected, apathetic, attitude:

q   If a sex shop opens in the local shopping complex in your suburb – do something!

q   If there’s corruption amongst the metro police, by taking bribes, write a letter to Metro Watch, or your councillor

Now it’s one thing to say obey Ps 37/: Don’t fret, Trust in the Lord/... but quite another thing to practice it.

Do you feel like God has left you alone in the world to deal with all the evil around?

What help is there for us?

Let’s look briefly at some spiritual resources, or that which should encourage us, /to live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way /(Col 1:10), and /make us eager to do that which is good/ (Tit 2:14)

LET’S FIRST SEE WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD HAS DONE

 

*1.

**Confidence in the sovereign purpose [sovereignty] of God*

God knows everything, He’s able to do anything, He has a plan, He will accomplish this perfectly, nothing will stop Him.

Every second of every day, God is completely in control.

Illustration: child who is threatened by bully – father nearby to protect

 

God’s plan for the world is clear from the Bible

q  He has provided salvation for all who repent

q  He has provided judgement & hell for those who reject Him

 

v  One day God is going to judge this evil world in righteousness & justice

v  Every semblance of evil will be judged; every person who has not called on the name of the Lord will be condemned –

v  Ps 37:2 ...for like the grass they [wicked] will soon wither [be cut down] and like green plants they will soon die away.

v  Ecc 8:13  But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

v  Co 6:9,10  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Those who belong to Him will be kept

(Joh 10:29)  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

v  In other words, don’t fret because God is able and faithful to keep you until that day.

v  It’s not a question of nothing happening to you: evil men may take all you have, slander, falsely accuse or kill you, but your salvation is secure.

v  What is more important?

Protecting the temporal things that will pass, or shining as a light for Jesus

 

If you are not a child of God