The Exception

Title of the sermon today, The Exception. Have you ever thought that you were the exception? Have you ever thought that you were the exception? No one has ever been tried as you're being tried. You are the exception. No one has ever had the thoughts, the perceptions, the persecution, the feelings, the experiences that you're having.

You are the exception. Or have you fallen, on the other hand, into the trap of believing that you can violate certain principles and laws and it will not affect you as long as everything else is so-called right in your life? In other words, as long as you continue to attend church, go through the form, or as long as you think you're doing the work of God, it's okay. You are the exception. Do you believe you can be Machiavellian in every way and yet serve God? You know what Machiavellian means? The ends justify the means.

That's what Machiavelli wrote, at least some say, in one of his works. Do you believe that you are the exception? Do the ends justify the means? God says in Psalm 33 and verse 4 that all of his works are done in truth. He doesn't do anything that's not in truth, according to Psalm 33 and verse 4.

Let's briefly catalog a few of the people in the Bible who thought that they were exceptions. Of course, Satan is a powerful spirit being, but he leads the pack, as you heard in the sermonette. Satan thought he was wiser, brighter than everyone else, including God. He was the exception. Adam and Eve thought they could decide right and wrong themselves. They were the exception. Cain thought that he was without sin. He brought a thank offering instead of an offering for sin.

He was the exception. Nimrod thought he could rule the world in a place of God. He built a tower and he founded Babel. Esau thought he could treat the sacred as profane. He was the exception. Achan thought he could steal secretly. When they went into Jericho, he secretly got a lot of different things.

Israel paid a dear price. The sons of Elihu and Samuel thought that because of their father's office, they could play the role of playboys. They thought that they were the exception. Saul thought he could please the people. After all, he was the people's choice to be king. He was the exception. Solomon thought he could marry idolaters. He was the exception. Gihazza thought that he could deceive Elisha. He was the exception. Judas thought he could betray Jesus Christ.

He was the exception. Ananias and Sapphira thought that they could deceive the Apostle Peter and keep back some of the monies that they got for selling their place. They were the exception. Diatrophies thought that he could gain the preeminence over John. You notice in all these cases, they thought they could.

Exceptions in society today, over 5,000 Americans a day try cocaine for the first time, thinking they are the exceptions. Cocaine is one of the most deadly addictive drugs ever concocted by men. On the first hit, as they call it, you can become totally addicted, and it can result in the first time, your death. Dozens of entertainers and athletes are dead at the hands, and a lot of people as well, because of these merchants of death, the drug pushers.

Thousands of homosexuals have aged because they thought they were the exception. Oh, it won't happen to me. Over 3,000 teenagers a day get pregnant in this country. That's over 1.4 million a year, each one thinking that she is the exception. Hundreds drop out of high school each day, thinking they are exceptions.

In some of the inner-city areas in this nation today, the dropout rate approaches 50 percent. And the vicious cycle in the inner cities continues. Thousands are locked up every day thinking they are the exception. Oh, they can get away with it. Hundreds cheat on their mates every day thinking they are the exception. And do any of us believe that we are the exception? Are we the exception in the way we observe the Sabbath? We have some kind of special license someone else doesn't have. So does Isaiah 58. Isaiah 58. Isaiah 58, verse 13. Isaiah 58, 13. If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath from doing your pleasure on My Holy Day and call the Sabbath the delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable and shall honor Him, the Sabbath honors God because He created us.

The physical creation, of course we attribute to God, and also the spiritual side of things. God set aside the Sabbath day and made it holy. He is also a spiritual creator in that we are to become new spiritual creations in Him.

And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways and finding your own pleasure and speaking your own words. Then shall you delight yourself in the Lord, and I will cause you to write upon the high places of the earth and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your Father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken in. Do any of us believe that we are at the exception in the way that we treat our families?

You know, there is what they call a private face and a public face. Some people in public, very loving and kind and all of that, and you think, anyway, they must have a great family relationship, great marriage. But is that really the way it is? Only in some cases do the mates know, or the children know. Do you think that you are the exception? Let's notice 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8. Notice what God says here concerning taking care of your family and your own.

But if you provide not for your own, and generally we think about this in physical terms, but more important, especially husbands being the head of the house, should lead the way in providing spiritually. Are you the spiritual leader, a husband in your home? Are you providing for the spiritual needs of your family? But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever and infidel.

Do you believe you are the exception in the way that you respond to the Word of God? We come here each Sabbath dutifully, and we sit and listen to a sermon. Does it make any difference in our lives, or are we just going through the form? Are we here really to learn, to be taught, to put it in practice in our lives? Notice Ezekiel 30, Ezekiel 33, verse 30. Hopefully this will never be written by or applied to any of us, but it is a warning. The Scripture is profitable for instruction, exhortation, rebuke, and all of that.

Paul writes to Timothy in Timothy chapter 3, 2 Timothy 3. In Ezekiel 33, verse 30, Also, you son of men, the children of your people, still are talking about you by the walls and the doors of the houses, and speak to one another, every one to his brother, saying, And people after services are on the way home, or through the week, they talk about, Well, what do you think about the sermon? What do you think they were getting at? What were they saying? Brother and I hope that we understand that we should be preaching the Word of God, and we should be striving to obey it. And they're saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the Word that comes from the Lord.

They come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them. Hopefully that will never be written of us, but it was written of Israel. Where with their mouths they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness. And lo, you are among them as a very lovely song, one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they hear your words, but they will not do them.

Brother, this is a sad commentary. We need to dedicate ourselves to make sure that this will never come to pass in our lives. And when this comes to pass, and unfortunately, as it says, lo, it will come, and it did come to Israel, because Ezekiel was in captivity when he wrote this, and he was writing back to the people there in the environs of Jerusalem. And of course, the Word of God is profitable for instruction reproof for all ages, as Paul writes, once again, 2 Timothy 3.

So, Brother, let's not take the words of God, and let's not try to read into everything that is said in a sermon as if it applies to a specific thing that we are interested in or concerned about. It is the Word of God. If it's the Word of God, it's the Word of God.

Now, I know that you can put different slants on the Word of God. Do you think that you are the exception in the way that you respond to your brother? And I think this is one of the most telling ones in 1 John 4, verse 16. And we have covered Romans 12 in recent times about being a living sacrifice and about keeping the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace and what Christ says to do with regard to those who persecute, abuse, and misuse you. If you're a brother of thin, you go to your brother, talk to him. It says in the Scripture, follow it all the way. And if he won't hear, then it says, treat him as a heathen and a public unbeliever. In 1 John 4, 16, and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us, God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. So are we dwelling in love, outgoing concern for one another? Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. Now, it's sort of a repeat of what is already said here.

Look back at verse 10. Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us, and sin is signed to be the propitiation of our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Now continuing in verse 20. If a man say, I love God and hates his brother, he's a liar. For he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from him that he who loves God loves his brother also. And we are our brother's keeper. Are we the exception to that? And there is a time to confront. There is a time to confront. Every day the hopes and dreams of scores of people throughout this nation, and young people especially, go up in smoke as they think that they are the exception. The exception to premarital sex, the exception to illicit drugs. We continually hear of young athletes and entertainers who have the fame and fortune within their grasp, and it goes up in smoke as they think they are the exception. And then we have these talk shows and we have these magazines that spend their time on the latest in and out of jail, of Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton or whatever, and people just eat that up. I don't understand it. How sick can we be?

But you see, all of us have the opportunity, not for fame and fortune in this world, but to rule and reign with God and Christ in the Kingdom of God forever. There is no comparison to be kings and priests in the Kingdom of God. Oh, it might be wonderful to be some kind of celebrity. I just read where, well, I heard it on television sometime yesterday that this Simon Cowell, who is no longer on American Idol, but anyhow, he has just built a $50 million bachelor pad.

Well, what's he going to do when he's six feet under? What's he going to do when he stands before the judgment seat of Christ? Well, we know about the Second Resurrection. Will we lose our focus and fall short because we think we are the exception. Are we treating the sacred as profane as did Esau when he sold his birthright?

Let's notice Hebrews 12 and verse 14. Here Paul talks about Esau. Hebrews 12 and verse 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled. I would say apathy and bitterness are the two main enemies of people falling away, as we call it. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled.

Lest there be any fornicator or a profane person as Esau. A profane person, profane means having to do with this world, loving this world. We talk about profanity having to do with cursing, but a profane person treats the sacred as profane, as worldly, as secular, as temporary. And that's what Esau did.

That's why it calls him a profane person, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For we know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Before the former pastor general went to Atlanta, Georgia in December of 1994, when he was to give the first time he gave his infamous sermon on really doing away with the Sabbath, he gave it first of all at Atlanta, then he went to Santa Barbara to the regional pastors conference, then he came to Pasadena on Christmas Eve, homecoming weekend December the 24th, 1994 in Big Sandy, and then the next week he gave it in Pasadena next Sabbath.

Before he went there that Friday morning, he called me. He said, I've got two of these done. I've got two sermons here. And they say that if I give one of them, Matthew 5, 17, think not that I'm come to destroy the law and the prophets, which had already given it, had already been sent out back in November.

And then, he said, I've got another one that if I give it, the other 50% will walk out. And he was testing me, as it were. And I said, I think you need to do what you're convicted of. What are you convicted of? And I had written him, and I had quoted 1 Timothy 6, 12. Let's go to 1 Timothy 6, 12.

In 1 Timothy 6, 12. All of us do well to take heed to this and the following Scriptures, beginning in 1 Timothy 6, 12. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life. Don't let anybody rest that from you. Don't do anything that would take that away. What are you really convicted of? Whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give you charge in the sight of God, who makes alive or quickens all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before upon his pilot, witnessed a good confession. That you keep this commandment without spot, unrebucible until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 17, charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, or trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Hold on to it as tight as you can.

Never let it slip. Oh, Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, placed in sacred trust. The calling that we have, I don't think we even begin to understand how sacred that is. It's surely more sacred than the birthright between Jacob and Esau. That birthright was a physical thing in this physical world. But God has given us the spiritual birthright to be inheritors of God and Christ in the kingdom of God, to live, to rule, and reign forever in the kingdom of God. Committed to your trust. God has entrusted us with this calling. He hasn't entrusted everybody in the world today, and it seems oftentimes we take it for granted.

What a sacred calling it is! By grace has he called you and I now. He has given us the opportunity to have the birthright. You know what Romans 8-17 says? Inheritors of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

He continues, avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science, falsely so called, which some professing have heard concerning the faith, grace be with you, amen.

But the pastor general at that time went to Atlanta and he gave sermon number 2, which in essence, leading the way in the Church of God, telling people in essence that the immutable spiritual law of God was done away with.

And you know basically much of the rest of the story. We continue to write that history, and we know what has happened in the wake of that.

As we see the many dozens of splinters scattered throughout the world.

After that sermon was given that day in Big Sandy, at that time the oldest granddaughter was 13 years old, and she came up and said, you know, three or four weeks ago, he said, just the opposite. The people who say that we're going to do away with the law, they've been eating poison mushrooms. That was a favorite expression. And she was almost in tears at that time. We must never forget that there is a spirit at work in the children of disobedience. And even after we are baptized, and even after we receive God's Spirit, let's go to Ephesians 5. And even after we receive God's Spirit, that Spirit is still at work.

I don't know what I said, but I want Ephesians 2. I think I said Ephesians 5. In Ephesians 2 and verse 1, never forget that there is a spirit at work, and it is the spirit of disobedience. It is the spirit of Satan the devil. And you hath he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, the wages of sin is death, wherein in times past you walked according the course of this world, according the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. I mean, why write about disobedience if there is no immutable spiritual law?

It is an absolute farcical tragedy, and a contradiction, oxymoron, anything you want to add to it that indicates contradiction, among whom also we all had our conduct in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Notice that it says in times past, young and old, we all walked according to the course of this world. The love and his mercy has called us and has granted us repentance. Why would we now treat the sacred as profane? The world tries to solve its problems by creating more programs, pouring more money into education and other social programs. Spending for education has increased every year since the days of Eisenhower. More and more money spent for education.

And as we spend more and more money for education, it's like the gap between that which we should be achieving and that which really we are achieving, as measured by test scores. Of course, test scores are not the ultimate measure of an education, but anyhow, falling behind the rest of the world.

And it seems the more money we spend on education, the more people we have locked up. We have more people locked up in any nation on earth. One out of thirty people are locked up in this nation. Or in some way, in the, quote, the criminal justice system. So they try to solve the world's problems through social programs, more money, and basically people to the world try to do away with personal responsibility.

There are three great movements in recent years, especially the past two decades. It started even before that in the sixties. But these movements, one, the sexual revolution, which really began in the sixties. Secondly, the sexual revolution. Secondly, the toleration of all lifestyles. Can I judge anybody? There are no absolutes. Existentialism is the philosophy of the day. Existentialism in the street language means do your own thing as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Now, what is the logical fallacy of do your own thing as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else?

Does there hurt anyone else for me to blow smoke in their face at the restaurant or any other public place? Does it hurt the members of your family to blow smoke in their face or to have a house that smells like a cigarette that's been snuffed out? Does that hurt them? Does it hurt the unborn fetus for the mother to drink alcohol or take drugs? Should I make that decision? Do your own thing as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. And so if that, the fallacy of that is you make the decision of what hurts somebody else.

And then, as usual, the government steps in and they begin to regulate every facet of your life. If you won't do it, then they step in and try to do it and you lose your freedom. Whereas if you just obey God as it says, the perfect law of freedom, you're going to have the problem in the first place.

If you were loving your neighbor as yourself. And then, political correctness, which protects the first two. Political correctness protects the sexual revolution. Homosexuality, you've got to have equal rights. And it goes on and on. Toleration of all lifestyles. If you're not politically correct, no matter how you try to dress it up, basically in this world, you are politically dead. And you won't be elected. The result is, and all of these people thinking that they are the exceptions.

Oh, we have reached, please turn to Isaiah 5, we have reached the age of enlightenment. See, one of the things that they try to do is to create programs that removes the consequences. So how are we going to deal with teenage pregnancy, with premarital sex? How are we going to deal with AIDS? Well, we've got to provide sexual and sex education. So now they are even having, teaching sex education in some schools in the first grade.

And then it goes on, showing graphic pictures and all kinds of things like that. And so then the next step is to provide them with contraceptives. We know they're going to, quote, do it, so we'll have that in hand. And it just goes on and on and on. And it was like we're all helpless. We can't do anything about it, as it were. And the only hope that any of us have is to have our focus on God in our homes, and first and foremost in our hearts.

In Isaiah 5, verse 18, Woe unto them that draw a niklty with cords of vanity and sins, as it were, with a cart rope, that say, Let him make speed and hasten his work, that we may see it, and let the counsel of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it. Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil, that put darkness for light and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

That's exactly what we have. And those three movements have greatly contributed to it. Sexual Revolution, the Toleration Movement, Political Correctness. Of course, there are other movements as well within that, and in addition to that, we have a very important movement.

Verse 21, Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight, woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine and men's strength to mingle strong drink, which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Therefore, as the fire devires the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be his rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel. And it goes on to talk about what God is going to do when he intervenes. Make no mistake about it. Obviously, judgment is coming. No matter what our circumstances are, we're all responsible before God in Christ for the course we take.

Social engineers think that if you create a perfect environment with perfect parents and teachers, that all the world's problems would be solved. We have some people in the church that miss one of the great lessons from man's experience in the Garden of Eden. What is that lesson? Adam and Eve were placed in a perfect environment with a perfect teacher, and yet they did not succeed. Adam and Eve's teacher gave them very clear instructions. We're all familiar with Genesis 2 verses 15 through 17, where God said, In the day that you eat thereof, you shall begin to die, speaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you take the barrogative to decide for yourself what's good and evil, it's going to result in death. Clear instructions, perfect teacher, perfect environment. There were two main factors, then, that legislated and awarded against their success. One, of course, they were created neutral. They had not sinned. Otherwise, God would be the author of sin, but they were created subject to vanity. What does that mean? That means that vanity, in this case meaning that which is temporary, that which lasts a short time, that which satisfies and satiates the senses immediately.

So they were created subject to vanity, and they were given free choice.

And secondly, they had to contend with the spiritual influence of Satan the Devil, as we have read from Ephesians 2 verses 1 through 3.

Let's notice Romans chapter 8, in conjunction with what I've just said here. Romans chapter 8 verse 19, Romans 8 and 19.

For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. Everybody out there is suffering, including the creation. There are vast areas of the oceans that are dead and the seas. Many of the rivers and streams are polluted. There are warnings posted along the Gulf Coast about eating the fish cut out of here. Or don't eat too many in so many different places because of pollutants and especially mercury. The earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who has subjected the same in hope. Our only hope is to become new creations and become spirit beings, because the creation itself also should be delivered from the bondage of corruption and to the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails and pain together until now. And brethren, when we are manifested, if we make it into the Kingdom of God, what a time that will be! And God begins to heal the environment and the nations.

And everyone will begin to walk in the way of the Eternal. Notice James 4, verse 4. Adam and Eve were created subject to vanity. They were given freedom of choice.

Of course, we know the encounter that they had with Satan the Devil, who said, You shall not surely die. Perhaps the greatest false teaching of all time is, of course, to say that God doesn't exist. But then when it comes directly, specifically, to an aspect of man, you shall not surely die to say that he has an immortal soul. Why would a great loving Creator God create a pure, good, immortal soul, put it in a body that is subject to sin and death, and then turn around and say, Save your soul? Well, the soul is already saved if it is immortal.

I mean, what do people think? People mainly think what they have been taught as they grew up, and most people today are not being taught anything.

They have no concept of God and Christ and what really the right way of life is. In James 4 and verse 4.

You adulterers and adulteresses know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, the Spirit that dwells in us, unless to envy, we have that weakness of the profane or subject to vanity.

But God created us in a neutral state and instructed us to follow Him. But He gives more grace. In other words, God has provided a way and you can overcome it. Wherefore He says God resists the proud and gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, He will flee from you, draw an eye to God and He will draw an eye to you. Clench your hands, you sinners, purify your heart, you double-minded. Be afflicted and mourn and weep, and let your laughter be turned to mornings and your joy to heaven. Just humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.

So Adam and Eve apparently thought that they were the exceptions. They took on the prerogative of God to decide right and wrong, and man's been doing that from that day forward. Except those who have been called in His marvelous light. We have the opportunity to walk in the perfect law of liberty.

How are we going to teach the world if we cannot get along ourselves and if we cannot follow what God says to do, to be reconciled one to another and to follow the steps of reconciliation and to lead in that process?

Adam and Eve went the wrong way. They thought they were the exceptions. So we see that new parents could do, and I know none of us have done, perfect jobs.

And even if our parents had done perfect jobs with us, we still have that abiding within us that is that we're subject to vanity. The carnal mind is enmity toward the law of God, not subject to it, and neither indeed can be. That's the Bible, Romans 8-7. But God is not the author of sin, and He made it possible for us to follow Him. He set the tree of life in the midst of the garden, but humankind had been making the wrong choices. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they developed what you would call a communication gap with God. Let's notice Genesis 3. This communication gap is one of the big problems in the world today. You know, you hear about the generation gap. You hear about the communication gap. Children talk about, well, I can't talk to my parents. Maybe I can talk to you, but I can't talk to my parents. One of the main things that causes children, especially if they have loving parents who try to guide them in the right way, one of the main things that causes children to get upset and want to have their own way is that the parents are saying, this is the way, this is the right way, listen to me. You ought to do it this way.

And they say, well, everybody else is doing it. Why can't I? I don't have any friends. I'm the only one that can't do this. Well, blessed are you if your parents are really teaching you in the right way.

Communication gap, Genesis 3.8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden, the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him, where are you? And he said, I heard your voice in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. Why was there a communication gap? Because he had sinned. In so many cases today, the children get turned off. They tune into the spirit of disobedience, thoroughly conditioned by the world. And they say, I can't talk to you. You won't let me do what I want to do.

In some cases, unfortunately, there are a lot of young people who fall, who did not do it premeditatedly.

They fell in with the wrong crowd, and things just happen, as they say. Perhaps it was an accident. Perhaps it was something else. And they pay for it for the rest of their lives.

Let's contrast two people in the Scriptures. Paul said that the things written in the Old Testament were for our example upon whom the ends of the world have come. Let's compare, compare, and contrast Solomon and David for a moment. A few minutes. Did Solomon think he could marry idolaters and remain faithful? Let's go to 1 Kings chapter 3 and verse 1. 1 Kings chapter 3 and verse 1.

1 Kings chapter 3 verse 1. Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter. First pop out of the boxes at work after he became king, he made an alliance with Egypt, took Pharaoh's daughter, brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end to building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed in high places. So even from the beginning, under the reign of Solomon, you had pagan worship going on because that's what it talks about. The pagans went to the high places and they built the groves. Remember what the grove symbolizes? The grove symbolizes fertility symbols, the male symbol. Only the people sacrificed in high places because there was no house built under the name of the Lord until those days. And Solomon loved the Lord walking in the statues of David, his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for there was the great high place. A thousand burnt offerings that Solomon offered upon the altar. In Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. And God said, Ask what you will and I'll give it to you. And Solomon said, You have showed unto your servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before you in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with you. And you have kept for him the great kindness that you have given his son to sit on the throne as it is this day. And now, my Lord, I have made you a major servant king instead of David, your father, or my father, and I am but a little child. I don't know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of people which you have chosen, the great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for the multitude. Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people that I may discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge this people, your people, and so great a people. And the speech please the Lord that Solomon asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because you have asked this thing, have not asked yourself for long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to your words. I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like a man. So God granted Solomon his wish, wisdom, great wisdom. God appeared to Solomon a second time. You go forward now to Kings 9. In Kings 9, verse 2, And if you walk in my ways, as David my servant walked in integrity of heart and uprightness, according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and judgments, I will establish the throne of your kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man to sit upon the throne of Israel. And then God goes on to warn him that if he doesn't, then he is going to be cut off. And you could read the rest of that chapter. But Solomon apparently thought that he was the exception. We come now to chapter 11.

Chapter 11, verse 1, And of course, in verse 9, He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and they turned his heart away from the worship of the true God. And of course, in verse 9, because his heart was turned away, and verse 10, Solomon and David had commanded him concerning the thing that he should not go after other gods. As a result of that, upon the death of Solomon, the kingdom was divided into the North and South Kingdom, with Jeroboam having the Northern Kingdom and Reoboam the Southern Kingdom. Solomon apparently never repented. I guess he believed that he could manage 700 wives and 300 concubines, and practice their religion, as well as serve God. Now, you contrast the reign of David with Solomon. Now, one might say that the David sins were greater than that of Solomon's, as far as the immediate result. But God looks on the heart, and he looks on the long-term effect to lead Israel into idolatry as the king of the nation.

We have seen leaders in the church lead people into idolatry. When you turn your foot away from the Sabbath, I mean, when you turn from the Sabbath, you put your foot on it, and you say the law of God is done away, you're going to go into idolatry.

You're going to go away from God. You know, it talks about in Revelation 2, the letter to the church of Ephesus. He commended them, the fact that they have tried those who say that they are apostles, and have found them to be liars. But, as we covered recently in the sermon, he goes on to say, But I have somewhat against you. You have left your first love. Repent and do the first works, or else I will come and remove the candlestick out of its place.

So, that relationship, doing the first works, I believe, is judgment, mercy, and faith, and having to do with the ministry of reconciliation. God wants us to walk together, reconcile.

And those who have the power, as it were, should lead the way. Husbands should lead the way in marriage. And whomever has the power should lead the way in reconciliation. So, some might say that David's sins are greater than Solomon, in the immediate sense. But the fruits, the general course, and direction of a person's life, will ultimately tell the story. God is more interested in what we are becoming than what we are just doing. David continually sought after God, and God forgave him when he sinned. Solomon, on the other hand, went continually away from God into idolatry. David's three great sins in the minds of people would be sinned with Bathsheba, adultery. Then, the premeditated murder of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba's husband. And then, the numbering of Israel.

When David sinned, he turned to God. Solomon sinned and turned to idols. David, from the beginning, sought God above all else. Solomon sought after the inventions of man, and we'll read about that in Ecclesiastes. And, at the same time, apparently thought he could serve God. Once again, thinking he was the exception.

To what turned to 1 Kings 15, verse 5, when God spoke of David, He said that only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, a great sin that God held David responsible for. And why did he do it? Because David, deliberately, premeditatedly, planned a man's death. In this case, David thought he was the exception. I'm the king! I have the power to send him to the front line and know he's going to get killed. That's what I want to happen to him. And he did get killed. 1 Kings 15 and verse 5. Because David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

So, in those other areas, the area of David numbering Israel is somewhat of an enigma to me, but this is what the Word of God says, and David is obviously going to be in live and resurrection.

When you compare David and Solomon's writings, I'm struck with one thing. David's writings center around seeking, searching, hungering, thirsting for God, like you heard in special music. As the deer pants for the water, so my heart pants after you. And that was the way of David's heart. Let's go to Psalm 42.

Read a couple of passages here about how David's heart is filled in the Psalms with the way he viewed God and his relationship to God. In Psalm 42, verse 1, as a heart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God? In Psalm 19, and I really love this one, Psalm 19.

About the time that I began to read the literature from the church somewhere in the early 60s, around 61, 62.

In the newspaper each week, they had a memory scripture, and one was Psalm 19.14. So I cut that out, and I pasted it on a little calendar on my desk. And there it was every day for me to read. So let's notice here Psalm 19, and this one, that other Psalm that we read was not... It doesn't say a Psalm by David, Psalm 42, but it surely is the way David was. But this clearly says a Psalm of David in Psalm 19, in verse 11, Moreover by them, that is through God's commandments and His words, His judgments, Is your servant warned, and in keeping them there's great reward, who can understand His errors? Cleanse you of me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.

Let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Then this great verse 14, Let the words in my mouth and the meditation in my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. And when we open our mouth, we could ask ourselves, are these words acceptable in the sight of God? Or are these my words that I'm speaking that He may take a damn view of? Of course, each one of us would have to judge for ourselves there. David prayed for correction. David asked God to reveal even His secret sins, and to keep Him from presumptuous sins. Now, on the other hand, Solomon's writings seem to be after the fact, knowledge after the fact. Now, what he writes is invaluable and very insightful, and it is the Word of God. But Solomon's method of gaining the knowledge was very painful and in the end disastrous. Let's go to Ecclesiastes. We'll hit a couple of places here to illustrate what I'm talking about, that his knowledge was to enlarge the degree experiential. Now, some people say that experience is the best teacher. Is experience the best teacher?

If experience is the best teacher, let's close the schools.

Let's not have instruction. Now, experience is a good teacher. You might really learn the lesson, but what's your problem with experience? It gives the test first and the lesson afterward. God would like for us to have the lesson, and then when we're tested, we have the foundation to fall back on so that we can pass the test. In Ecclesiastes 1, verse 12, I, the preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem, and I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven. This sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therein. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Now, in Solomon's writings, if you don't get anything else about Ecclesiastes, you just understand this. In effect, there is an ellipse in Ecclesiastes, which is this. All is vanity, vanity of vanities, and the ellipse would be apart from God. Apart from God, all is vanity. It's temporary. It's going to pass away. And so Solomon says, I tried it all, and I've discovered that it's all temporary. It's all vanity, apart from God. Of course, he closes with fear God and keeps the commandments. Notice further, chapter 2, verse 1. I said in my heart, Go to now, I will prove you with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. And behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad and of mirth. What does it? What good is it? I saw it in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet, acquainting mine heart with wisdom, and to lay whole on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, while they should do unto the heaven all the days of their lives. I made me great works. I built me houses. I planted me vineyards. It goes on through chapter 2, talking about all the experiences.

And then he would conclude, apart from God, it's all vanity. So you see in Solomon's writings, there was this experiential factor in it. Now you go to Ecclesiastes 11. Now there is some great instruction in the book of Ecclesiastes, and some great truths. But you see how Solomon came upon this knowledge to a large degree was experiential. In Ecclesiastes 11, verse 7, Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing. It is for the eyes to behold the sun. But if a man lived many years and rejoiced in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity. So in view of that, in view of the fact that Solomon said, Look, young people, I've tried it all. And I have come to this conclusion that apart from God, all is vanity.

Don't think that you are the exception. That is so terribly sad and disappointing that Solomon wound up the way he did. Verse 9, See in view of all that, Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you all the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes, but know you that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. They are temporary. They will pass away. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not and the years draw nigh when you shall say, I have no pleasure in them. Then he describes what it's like in growing old.

And then, verse 11, The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which is given from one shepherd, and further, by these my son, be admonished of making many books. There's no end, and much study is awareness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

So we see here that it's really better to listen to God, to be instructed of Him, to obey Him, to meditate on His Word, to think how you're going to respond, to listen to your parents, to listen to your teachers, to heed the Word of God, so that when the tests do come, and lo, they will come, that you will be prepared.

Solomon tried experience, and Solomon failed to heed or understand His own words in the end.

No matter how sin is committed, it will be exposed. If it's done in secret, it will be exposed. If it's done on impulse, eventually it will be exposed.

You can go through the Bible and chronicle all the, quote, great sinners. And no matter how sin is committed, it will be exposed. We cannot think and believe that we are the exception. We are in the fight for eternal life. We are not earthly promotion. We have to have our eye on the goal, as I said in the announcement. Let's, brethren, at this point, let's not lose our focus. We can serve God in whatever state we find ourselves.

The deepest, darkest dungeon, or from the highest mountain top, from the inner city to the countryside, from the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle, to the lush green mountains and tea plantations of Sri Lanka, to wherever it may be, in whatever state we find ourselves. No one can take away from us eternal life. If we lay hold on it, we don't let it slip. You know, God has a picture of us right now. If we are begotten sons of His, He knows us. He's long suffering, not willing that any should perish. We are being judged now. And God is trying to communicate with each one of us. He does every week, and more so if you study His Word. And so if you would hear His voice today, harden not your heart. Don't turn away.

You can view yourself as the exception if nothing happens immediately, just as Solomon did. Turn back a few pages here in Ecclesiastes 8 and verse 11. So many people fall into this trap because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily. Sometimes we get very impatient and think, I want God to intervene right now. I want them to get to what for, for what they're due. I mean, rest assured that judgment is coming. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Do what now? Turn to Romans chapter 14. We need to continually remind ourselves that every thought, every idea, every word, every experience, every perception and action has its effect. My thoughts, thoughts are the precursor of action.

And action is the precursor of character. There are a lot of different ways to state that, but you know, it begins with thought. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. And the Bible says, guard your thoughts, for out of them flow the issues of life.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So, once again, continually remind ourselves that every thought, every idea, every word, every experience, every perception, perception is not necessarily reality, but it's what we think reality is, and we want to check our perception to make sure that it's in tune with the Word of God.

So, every perception and every action has its effect. It's holding us up, edifying, comforting, exhorting, or they're destroying the very fiber of our being.

And we will each pay the price, the same as everybody else.

In Romans 14, verse 10, we begin. Romans 14, verse 10.

The peoples of the world now believe that they are the exception. But note this. Romans 14, 10, But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you set at nothing your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. The exception? There is no exception.