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- Quck recap of whats going on this portion of Scripture
- Eli is the priest, two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. They steal the sacrifices that they aren’t supposed to. They sleep with women who aren’t their wives. Horrible Pastors kids. See- God had promised to bless the house of Eli, but it was predicated on obedience, and NOW he’s not being obedient, by allowing his sons to continue their behavior Eli goes to confront his sons, but his sons don’t listen and Eli doesn’t really push too hard God isn’t playing with these sons- he’s going to kill them for their disobedience Here’s a big problem- These young men aren’t just sinning against men, they are sinning against GOD The prophet comes to Eli- tells him of God’s judgment upon his house, and tells him that his house will not be well, and that life will not be good for him because of his disobedience he says. Fix it and you’ll be saved, don’t and you’ll be destroyed
What can we get from this story?
- How we live isn’t hidden from God
- Sin is never acceptable. It wasn’t acceptable in the Garden of Eden. It wasn’t acceptable in ancient Israel. Its not acceptable in your life today
- There is no where in the Bible where God goes easy on sin. No where.
- v 12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord
- The sons were in the temple- they were part of the sacraments. They were in with the priest
- But they were CORRUPT. They were BAD and God was watching!
- the sons may have been able to fool other people, fool their dad, but they couldn’t fool God
- Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- This scripture outlines the confrontation that God has with this family about their sin
- 17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
- Job 34:21 “For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.
- Like many parents, Eli wants the adoration of his sons more than he wants the adoration of God
- Wicked wicked wicked! And it must be dealt with
- God wanted to kill his sons! V 25 “Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.”
- Don’t miss this “they didn’t know the Lord” You cant fake it! Either you know God or not
- Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
- What does it mean to you?
- Where you at on the sin continuum? Either you’re oblivious to your sin against God, you’ve repented of it, or you’re in denial – Story of Cousin- DNA Doesn’t lie- Sin doesn’t lie
- Don’t miss this- they were in church, appearing right and inwardly and externally wrong!
- Just because Jesus saved you doesn’t mean that he turns from ongoing unrepentant sin that you continue in your life
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
- I have seen destruction come upon people who have attended this church because they entertained small sins and didn’t treat them as seriously as they should have
- You’ll answer to God for it! He’s watching! He isn’t going to tolerate it!
- Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
- Sin is sin against God
- 25 If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?”
- What Eli is saying to his sons is simple- Its easy to make things right with another person, but making it right with God after you’ve sinned against him? Yowza.
- The sons of Eli had a mindset that many people who live in sin have- what I’m doing only affects me, it affects no one else. I can continue in this because only God knows
- Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
- When you sin, you’re not just doing something wrong, you’re transgressing against GOD and he doesn’t like it!
- Eli tells his sons basically, if you sin against God, you have no intermediary- No one to advocate on your behalf. No one to go to God for you! And that’s a bad place to be!
- These guys KNEW better- Their dad was the priest- they worked in the temple
- Proverbs 15:10 Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, And he who hates correction will die.
- What does it mean to you?
- You better be watching the sin in your life.
- Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
- Some will say- man- why you got to be so hard? Whats the angle?
- 1 John 3:6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
- I know there are people in this church who get drunk, get high on marijuana, look at pornography, gossip, steal from work, lust, get angry, envy, fornicate, etc etc
- How do I know? Because when you continue in it, and don’t repent, it always comes out
- And its not a sin against me, or the church, or your friends, its against GOD (vs the people)
- John 3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
- Romans 6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
- We must respond to the warning
- 31 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
- This was a warning that God gave to Eli and Eli didn’t heed it- We’ll see their destruction in chapter 4, but they don’t heed the warning- Eli goes soft on his sons and they continue in their sin.
- Here’s the main issue- if Eli had responded correctly when rebuked for his sin, the judgment of God wouldn’t have come upon his house. He had a chance to make it right But he ignored the warning signs. He didn’t think it mattered and he let it go on for too long
- Ezekiel 3:20-21 READ Warn a man- or the blood is on your hands
- What does it mean to you?
- You must respond to the warning. If the word of God is convicting you and the Holy Spirit is imploring you- repent NOW- stop the sin NOW. Don’t entertain it.
- Acts 20:26-27 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocentof the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
- I am not going to stand before God and have to answer for not telling you that God is a holy God and that the sin in your life needs to be dealt with. It needs to stop
- You will end up like the sons of Eli if you continue in your sin. It will not go well for you
- Jesus warned cities, individuals, groups. He warned them of Hell and eternal separation from God if they wouldn’t do what he challenged them to do. (don’t minimize maximize- I’m going to DIE)
- God is love. No one loves you more than Jesus- NO ONE- and no one warned about the coming judgment of God and the truth of Hell more that Jesus.
- Respond to his pleading! (people always warn people about traffic- never warn about sin)
- Blessings follow obedience
- Don’t think that God won’t change the way he deals with you based on how you live
- Eli may have been a priest in the Temple of God- God may have made a promise to him, but his unrepentant sin was going to cost him dearly.
- 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
- What does it mean to you?
- Be obedient! As they said in Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
- Eli told his sons that there was no intercessor between their sin and God but YOU do have an intercessor! Jesus Christ! But you must COME To him. DO IT TODAY BE FORGIVEN
- Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
- Heb 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, BUT YOU MUST OBEY!!! YOU HAVE TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND BELIEVE IN JESUS
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Will a Christian suffer? Of course. The Bible promises it. But suffering under the weight of your own sinful thoughts and actions is not the suffering of the Bible that’s judgment of God
- Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient,You shall eat the good of the land;
- God has many promises for obedience in Scripture. Everywhere. Those who live in a constant state of Grace, continually staying in a state of repentance will experience the best of God
- Rev 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
- The time is NOW. Repent NOW. Not tomorrow- TODAY. LET JESUS SET YOU FREE
- Don’t be like the Sons of Eli- Don’t let your corruption be your destruction