Sunday’s message at church was “Scorpions and Prophets Don’t Mix,” and it was really thought provoking for me. It was given on Ezekial 2, and I have been thinking of it since Sunday, and because it has stuck with me, it deserves blogging.
From Ezekial 2, we learn three lessons and are given two warnings.
The lessons are:
1. The initiative is the Lords - in those days no one wanted to obey, as they were rebellious, but God continued to send His prophets, which demonstrated a clear sign of His mercy.
2. The mission is the Lords - God is the one who sends (v. 2). He sent the Spirit for the prophet and then sent the prophet to the Isrealites. God calls those He wants to serve Him.
3. Message is the Lords (v. 4) - Listen to My message, and translate it.
The two warnings given:
1. There is pressure to change the message:
The message God gives does not depend on the audience, rebellious or not (v. 6-7). Don’t change the message according to the audience and try to make it “more user friendly” depending on who we are relaying it to, or according to our own personal image of God. We need to keep the message as He designed it, we are made in His image, not Him made in our image. He has to be the same as He says He is, and we have to transform, not us transform Him depending on our needs, or the needs of others.
2. There is pressure to change the messenger:
His message doesn’t depend on the results (v. 7), whether they listen or not. We are not responsible for the results. We are called to faith, not popularity, and our success is in spreading the message, not in the results of spreading it. There is a danger of changing the messenger (v. 8), don’t rebel like them. If ministering is hard and difficult, we may become tempted to change and assimilate to the group. Ezek 33:20-33, Ezekial became a laughing stock for Isreal, the people came to him but didn’t listen and do what he said. The pressure was there to change the messenger (Ezekial) to blend in with the people.
Do we hold a Biblical world view? How many people consult the Bible when they have questions in life? The statistic quoted was that only 9% of Born Again Christians have a “Biblical” world view, meaning that they consult the Bible when problems arise, to look to God’s Word for the answers and guidance. The other statistic was that only 49% of Pastors did the same. So, the question arises, where are the other 91% of Christians, or the other 41% of Pastors getting the answers to the questions or the guidance for the problems that arise? Culture? Oprah & Dr. Phil? Have we submitted to the pressure of the culture so much so, that many fail to search and stick to the Biblical answers that God has provided.
The audience is changing the message and the messanger, which leads to spiritual battles. We need to be careful not to let our culture shape us, and instead let the Bible. God defines the message. Come to the Bible for the answers to your life questions.
3 comments
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June 16, 2004 at 7:58 pm
Hal
Amen and Amen. Thank you for posting this.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Church in America and how it looks to me that we have allowed the message and the messenger to be changed by the World.
In fact I would say there are now two Churches in America. One who has adopted the wisdom of the world and forsaken Christ. And then another who either has repented of the falsehood or never allowed the message and messenger to change in the first place.
June 17, 2004 at 9:36 am
monica
This sermon really challenged me to consider all the ways in which I am tempted to change the message or change myself, instead of just relying on the Spirit within me to allign me with Scripture. What really got me thinking though is that I know I’m among the 91% of Chrisitans who fail to consult the Bible consistenly when problems arise. I’m pretty good on doing it for “the big things” but sometimes on the little things, it escapes me. I think I need to get rid of the “in general” Biblical world view I have assimilated to, and instead faithfully take up a true Biblical view. Know what I mean? : D
June 17, 2004 at 12:57 pm
Hal
Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Easier said than done, too. At least in my own experience.