[0:00] this evening. Passage in 2nd Kings chapter 6. Taking up the reading again at verse 15, 2nd Kings chapter 6 and verse 15.
[0:20] Page 373, verse 15. When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, Alas, my master, what shall we do? He said, Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then Elisha prayed and said, O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see. So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man.
[0:49] And he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all round. And Elisha. I sometimes hear young people singing a hymn called These Are the Days of Elijah.
[1:18] And sometimes I just wonder if we know what we're singing when we're singing that, because if they are the days of Elijah, I'd be pretty afraid. Elijah lived in a day when Israel was ruled by a most incredibly wicked king, and probably an even more incredibly wicked queen, Jezebel and Ahab.
[1:40] And some pretty awful things happened during that time. So I know what people mean when they sing that. They're talking about the thingy about the power of God. And there was a tremendous display of the power of God.
[1:52] But I certainly would not have liked to be living at that time. Elijah was a very powerful prophet. He was a very good man, a man who was faithful, a man who was sent by God, who was raised up by God.
[2:07] Before that time, it was no easy life for Elijah. Elijah was a person who knew what fear was all about. And no wonder the kind of king he had to contend with and the queen, the kind of society he had to live in and so on.
[2:23] No wonder he was a man who was very often afraid. And it was a very difficult life he had to live. This is not Elijah. This is his successor.
[2:34] This is the prophet that God raised up after Elijah. Remember, Elijah didn't die. He was taken up to heaven straight by God in a chariot of fire. And Elisha was the man who was left.
[2:47] The two of them worked together for a while. And then when Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha had to now pick up the responsibility of bringing God's word to the nation of Israel.
[3:00] Now, Elisha was a totally different man than Elijah. I would rather sing these are the days of Elisha, to be honest. Because Elisha was a man of healing, a man who brought healing.
[3:14] See, Elijah was, he had to bring God's judgment to Israel and to the king. But Elisha brought healing to the land.
[3:25] And you'll notice that more often than not, that there's a big difference between the kind of events that Elijah was involved in and the kind of events that Elisha...
[3:35] If you want to do a really interesting study with your Bible, read the life of Elijah and then read the life of Elisha and compare them. It's quite a comparison. Quite a comparison. You want to spend...
[3:46] A good way of spending a Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening, even tonight, go home and read the life of Elijah and the life of Elisha and compare them. And you see how God acted in one way in the day of Elijah and in another way.
[4:01] Elijah was God's judgment on the land. Elisha was God's grace on the land. You see, that's the way God is. God is the God of justice, perfect justice, but also the God of grace.
[4:15] And this is the day of Elisha. Elisha. But that didn't mean that there were no crises at the time of Elisha. This is one of them. That didn't mean there were no wars at the time of Elisha.
[4:26] This is one of them. There was the arch enemy of Syria, the neighboring country of Syria, that always took every opportunity to try and attack the people of Israel.
[4:38] Now, I want us to look at this passage here. You've probably read it before. And I want us to assume that it's absolutely factual. There are some people who would sneer and laugh at this kind of thing.
[4:50] It's one of these weird miracles in the Bible. I'm not going to have the audacity to laugh. This is where we're here tonight because we believe in God's word. And if you don't believe in God's word, then you don't.
[5:03] I don't know why you believe in any of God's word if you don't believe in all of it. You believe in the whole thing or believe in nothing. And so we're going to believe in all of God's word, even the bits, even the parts which are miraculous.
[5:15] And this is one of them. This is one of them. I'm not denying for a moment that it is unusual to have this kind of thing happening. But God is the God of the impossible and God of the unusual.
[5:27] And we believe in a miracle working God, a marvelous God. And if you know that God for yourself, then don't be surprised at the way in which he leads your life. God is full of surprises.
[5:39] He's the living God. And it's when we come to really believe in the Bible for ourselves. And we come to say, well, I don't care if I'm going to be called an idiot for believing the Bible.
[5:49] I don't care because it's worth it to me to believe and to trust and to know this living God for myself. And so it's amazing to know that today we are here to worship the same God as operated in this chapter.
[6:05] Same God. And he's capable of the same things, the same amazing events and the same power as Elisha. Now, that's the God that I want to serve. And I hope it's the God that you want to serve as well.
[6:17] I want us to see that there are five things in this passage. And we're going to just work our way through the passage looking at those five things. I want us to see, first of all, that there is a planning.
[6:30] That there is a planning on the part of Elisha. Now, let's just explain what I mean by that. Syria wanted to attack Israel. Samaria.
[6:41] And they didn't have satellite navigation systems in those days. There was no way in which an enemy could know where the best places were.
[6:53] And there was equally no way in which a country that was going to be attacked could know what direction the enemy was coming from. And so surprise was the key in any warfare.
[7:07] If you could surprise your enemy by turning up just in the place where they didn't expect you, then you're likely to do a lot of damage. And that was the tactic that Syria employed.
[7:19] It was a tactic that every enemy employed. In other words, they were choosing a particular location in Israel for them to focus on and them to come upon suddenly.
[7:30] And as long as Israel didn't know where they were going to attack, then they were likely to have a tremendous effect. Because it was surprise.
[7:42] There was only one problem with that plan when it came to Syria. And that was Elisha. Because somehow Elisha knew where Syria was going to attack.
[7:53] So it didn't matter how often the king of Syria took counsel with his privy counsel. And they were all sworn to secrecy. And they would choose a particular geographical city or place to attack suddenly.
[8:07] And they thought that because they were all keeping it secret amongst themselves. And nobody was to let slip the plan that Israel would know nothing about it. And they would be taken by surprise. But somehow or other, Elisha always knew where Syria was going to attack.
[8:24] And so he would send word to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel would gather all his forces. And they would be waiting there for him. They would be waiting for the army of Syria.
[8:34] So that when Syria got there, there was the army of Israel waiting for them. Not just once. Once would have been a coincidence. Twice might have been a coincidence. Third, fourth, fifth time.
[8:45] This cannot be a coincidence. So by this stage, the king of Syria was absolutely livid. And he had suspected that there was a traitor within his ranks. So he called his people together.
[8:57] And he says, which one of you is on the side of the king of Israel? There's got to be somebody letting slip what our plans are. Which one of you is it? And so despite the fact that the king of Syria was greatly troubled, his servants said, no, it's not that at all.
[9:17] Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom. Now, obviously, the Lord had been telling Elisha where Syria was going to attack Israel.
[9:33] And Elisha was then sending that word, that message to the king. And so the king was prepared for Syria when they would attack. And so Elisha knew. And so Elisha knew. The point here is this.
[9:45] That Elisha knew the importance of planning and strategy in the life of God's people. And I believe that one of the lessons in this passage is for us to be reminded of the importance of that same planning and strategy in God's people.
[10:03] Let me put it like this. Every time the Syrians planned an attack, Elisha knew where they would be and waited there for them. Now, there's an important principle for them.
[10:13] I know that God told Elisha where the enemy would come. But when we are facing our enemy as Christians, the enemy always chooses particular places in our lives because he knows that there we are most vulnerable.
[10:33] Isn't that the case? And we have to, we cannot just live from day to day not knowing where things are going to happen and where we're going to have to face the warfare that the Bible promises that we're going to be involved in.
[10:47] As Christians, we've got to be a lot more clever than that. The successful Christian is the watchful Christian. Remember what Jesus said to his disciples. Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation.
[11:02] And when we talk about Christian warfare, the Apostle Paul talked often about the warfare in which we're involved. Part of that warfare is knowing where our enemy is likely to strike us.
[11:15] And it's more often than not where we are at our weakest. The areas in our lives where we are at our weakest. These are the places where we have to plan and shore up and fortify and be ready for and concentrate on.
[11:33] It is part of the Christian life to know where these places are. And these areas are. These parts of my own personality in which I so often let the Lord down.
[11:47] My temper, for example. My anger, for example. My love of money, for example.
[12:03] My pride, for example. My tendency to allow unclean thoughts into my heart and into my head.
[12:15] I could go on. There are areas in my life and in your life where the devil will see his opportunity.
[12:26] And just like Elisha, I have to be saying, well, that's where he's going to strike next. That's where he's going to strike next. That's where he's going to strike. Or even if it's likely, then we are to be ready for him.
[12:39] The importance of strategy and planning in the Christian life. So, as we come together on a Sunday evening, we're going to be facing tomorrow, if God allows us and God spares us, the real world in which we have to live as God's people.
[12:54] We have to know how to read God's word so that we're helped and prepared for the real world. This is one way to be prepared for the real world. Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow?
[13:06] Our enemy wants to surprise us. We have to be waiting for him. The second thing I want us to say is this. Now, this story tells us because of Elisha's particular role, he was under particular attack.
[13:23] Look at what happened in verse 11. Once he calls, once the king of Syria calls his men to him, and they have this confab, and he threatens his men to tell him who is on the side of the king of Israel.
[13:34] And they say, no, none of us, but Elisha knows. All of a sudden, Elisha became the focus of the Syrians' attack. If they could take him out, then the kingdom of Israel could be given into their hands.
[13:47] So that their success was all down to their taking out, to their elimination of this one single individual, Elisha. His particular role in God's people brought him under particular attack.
[14:02] And I want to suggest to you that the same is true for a New Testament Christian. Because of your place in God's kingdom and your usefulness in God's kingdom as a person of God, a man of God, a woman of God, a man of prayer, and a woman of prayer, do you realize how effective you are as a woman or as a man of prayer?
[14:30] Elisha, how else do you think God was speaking to Elisha and showing him? Do you think that Elisha was going from one end of the day to the other without a thought of God?
[14:41] Elisha, it's obvious from this passage that there were very few times throughout the day that Elisha didn't think of God and wasn't conscious of being in his presence.
[14:51] That's the way we should be. We should pray that God will give us a continuous consciousness of his presence. The problem is that more often than not, we live most of the day without thinking about him.
[15:05] But when you are conscious and when you resolve in your own mind and determine in your own life, I am going to live for God. I'm going to put God first in everything that I do.
[15:17] You know what's going to happen? You're going to become the focus of attack. You're going to become the focus of the devil's attack because he knows that if he can take you out, then he can do a lot of damage.
[15:32] That's the second thing. Because of Elisha's particular role, the king of Syria decided if we take him out, then we've got the rest of it.
[15:43] We've won the battle. You might be saying tonight, well, who am I in God's kingdom? I'm a nobody in God's kingdom. There's nobody who's a nobody in God's kingdom.
[15:54] God has called us to commitment to him, to living for him, and to putting God first. The third thing I want us to see in this chapter is this, that the protection, the plan, the person, and now the protection.
[16:12] The protection of God is something we have to learn as well as discover. The protection of God is something we have to learn as well as discover.
[16:28] What happened? The king of Syria sent his SAS, his crack soldiers, down, and there was only, you can imagine the orders that they were given.
[16:39] Forget anyone else. We don't want to kill anyone else. Don't worry about anyone else. We're only going for this one man. He would have drawn a sketch of him, I suppose. He would have shown him, this is the man, perhaps giving a bonus to whoever was going to capture Elisha.
[16:55] Don't worry about anyone else. This is the man that you've got to concentrate on. Don't let him escape whatever else you do. So off they go, many of them.
[17:06] He sent their horses and chariots. Verse 14. And a great army. And they came there by night and surrounded the city, the city of Dothan, where Elisha, his house was. Then look at what happened in verse 15.
[17:18] When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, Alas, my master, what shall we do?
[17:32] And Elisha said, do not be afraid for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. I want us to picture this, what's going on. First of all, if you focus on the poor servant of Elisha, not exactly sure what his name was.
[17:45] Could have been Gehazi, but we're not told. But what we are told is that this particular individual had a lot to learn. Same as us. We have a lot to learn in the Christian life.
[17:57] And here is this man, and he's prone to panicking. Everybody's different in this respect. We're all different in the way we manage surprise when something happens in our life that we don't expect.
[18:11] Something bad that we don't expect. Something that comes upon us in an instant. Some of us go to pieces, don't we? Some of us manage it a little bit better than that. We can put a little bit more thought into how we're going to react to something.
[18:25] But even those who are more pensive and thoughtful, there are some situations, and you know in yourself that if you were to face those, you would go to pieces.
[18:36] Everyone has their breaking point, haven't we? And here is this man, and this is his breaking point. He has no idea what he's going to do. He can't run because the army of Syria has surrounded the house.
[18:47] There is nowhere he can hide. He's dead. He's finished. As far as he's concerned, he's a goner. It's only a matter of moments before he's going to be put to death. And, oh, my master, he said, what shall we do?
[19:01] And he goes into a complete panic. He's not able to think straight. All he can feel is the fear that he is experiencing. But Elisha is a different kettle of fish altogether.
[19:17] And Elisha says, Elisha's approach is completely different because he has experienced the Lord. And he is living, remember what I said before, with this constant consciousness of the presence of God.
[19:33] And when you are constantly, regularly conscious of the presence of God, you will be conscious of the power of God. And his might and his ability.
[19:45] But you'll also be conscious of the fact that God is on your side. If you are on the Lord's side, God is on your side. God is protecting you. And God is looking out for you.
[19:56] And nothing's going to happen to you until God says so. And whatever does happen to you will be at the permission of God. God is in control all the time. There is nothing happening that he doesn't know about.
[20:08] Not a single thing. Remember that as we go into an uncertain week. Who knows what we're going to wake up to tomorrow morning. Who knows? Here was this servant. It's a normal day for him.
[20:21] Opens the curtains and then disaster. Who knows? Could be me. Could be you. We don't know what we're going to face in the next week. But the question is, how am I going to face it?
[20:33] Am I going to go to pieces? Or am I going to remember? Perhaps we'll go to pieces at first. Perhaps I will. But then at some point, I hope shortly afterwards, we'll sit down and we'll say, Okay, hold on a wee moment.
[20:50] Let's decide who's in charge here. Let's decide the real situation. Now what we're looking at here is what it looked like on the outside and what the reality was.
[21:02] The servant saw only what he saw on the outside. Elisha knew what it was both on the outside and on the inside. Because Elisha knew that there was another dimension.
[21:14] A dimension that was far greater and far more powerful in which God was on the throne and he was ruling every event that took place. So there was ultimately nothing to fear.
[21:27] What the servant had to do was to have his eyes open. And I want us to stop for a few moments and to think once again about this dimension. I talked about it last week when we looked at the verse, Stored up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
[21:41] Heaven, remember I said that it was a dimension. It was another dimension that God had created as the place where he dwells. But there's a connection. There's a closeness between his dimension and the dimension that you and I live in this world.
[21:56] There's a closeness. Don't forget that. That there's a link between the two. And it's almost as if we live with one foot in one and one foot in the other. We should never lose sight of the fact that heaven is not far away.
[22:09] And here's the reality of it. There's a reality of it. And all it took was a prayer for the servant to suddenly see what he had never seen before.
[22:21] The only difference was that the servant's eyes were closed to it. He needed the eyes of faith. Elisha, I don't believe Elisha saw with his own physical eyes what he asked God to show the servant.
[22:35] What did he ask God to show? He asked him to show him that there were chariots of fire all around him. This was God's protection. He didn't see it until God lifted the veil off his eyes.
[22:47] And all of a sudden the servant, his whole life, his whole perspective was changed. And there are people here tonight and you need your perspective to be changed.
[22:58] You need to see the universe as God sees it. It's because you're living the reason you're not a Christian tonight is because your eyes have not been opened.
[23:10] And you haven't been made to see by the eyes of faith that there is a whole different scene in front of you. You're only seeing what's in front of you. You're living your life just for what you see and hear and feel in front of you.
[23:25] But if only you saw things from God's perspective. And the only way you can do that is by faith. That's what faith is all about. It's being able to see the world from God's viewpoint.
[23:36] To see the things that God has created in this world. You need the eyes of faith. Let me give you an example of what that means. During the summer I took my children to see Journey to the Center of the Earth in Aberdeen.
[23:50] Journey to the Center of the Earth. So it was one of these things you do with the kids and you go along and you don't know what it's going to be like. It's incredible. You know what makes it incredible? Because it's a 3D movie.
[24:02] It's a 3D movie. So the first thing you do is you go in and you're given this pair of spectacles. And they're the most ridiculous looking spectacles.
[24:12] You're just glad nobody else can see you. You put them on and you're sitting there and you see them. And the movie comes on. And it's incredible. I can only say you have to watch it to know what I'm talking about.
[24:25] It's incredible. You feel you're there. It's like being there. So I was playing around with these glasses half the time. I was taking them off. And when you took them off it was all a fuzz.
[24:36] You couldn't make out what was going on. It was just this awful horrible picture. As soon as you put your glasses on. Bang. Everything came to life. And it was like you were there.
[24:48] You could reach out your hand and you could touch the people there. And they could reach out their hand and touch you. It was incredible. And all of a sudden I began to think. That's what faith is.
[24:59] The most of the world are going about this world. And they don't have their glasses on. And so all you see is this fuzz around you. No wonder you can be skeptical and you don't believe this and you don't believe that.
[25:10] It's because you haven't got your glasses on. But the Bible tells us you need glasses. Now what I would do if I was you. I would listen to God's word and I would say. Well where can I get these glasses?
[25:24] There's only one place you can get them. And that's from God himself. And he says ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you shall find.
[25:36] Knock and the door shall be opened unto you. And I would love to think tonight. You probably don't even know what I'm talking about. I would love to think tonight.
[25:49] That you would go home. And you would ask the Lord. Will you please give me these glasses? Please give me these glasses.
[26:01] I need to see. I need to see. Don't expect visions. Don't expect spectacular things.
[26:11] But the way that God enables you to see. Is that he opens up your understanding. And he brings his word. He brings the gospel to life in front of you.
[26:22] So all of a sudden you see this great story. As no longer a story. But it's a reality. It's the reality that you need to get your head around. And you need to live.
[26:33] You need to discover that reality for yourself. And here is this man. This servant. And for the first time. In his whole life. He's seen. The presence of God around him.
[26:44] The chariots of fire. And he's seen the grace of God. And the power of God. What? What a discovery they ask. You know what? I'm going to say. Just something. Because the time is going.
[26:55] But there are Christians who lose sight of this as well. You know that. You see this is not just a message to those of you. Who haven't yet come to faith in Jesus. But it's a message.
[27:05] There's a message in this chapter. For those of us. Who've been on the road for perhaps years. Because the problem is. We lose sight of the reality. And you end up. You end up. And you know the Bible for yourself.
[27:17] You've heard it so often before. You sing the Psalms. The angel of the Lord encamps. And round encompasses. All those about that do him fear. And them delivereth.
[27:27] That rolls off the bottom. Or rolls off my tongue. I've learned it from when I was a boy. The angel of the Lord. Do I have any idea what that means? Do I really believe that?
[27:39] From day to day. Do I wake up in the morning. And not only say. The angel of the Lord encamps. But believe it with all my heart. The angel of the Lord encamps.
[27:50] And round encompasses. All those about that do him fear. Do I really. Do you really believe that? I reckon if you really believed it. And you lived it.
[28:01] Day by day. No matter what. It would make a huge difference. Massive difference. It would totally transform. The way we lived our lives. That's what made Elisha.
[28:13] The man that he was. That's what made Elijah. The man that he was. And Moses. The man that he was. Because these guys. They knew. They. They. They. They practiced.
[28:25] Somebody used this phrase once. They practiced. The presence of God. They practiced. The presence of God. God is not a being.
[28:35] Who's a million miles away. God is near. He is close to his people. And he's close to us tonight. And the thing he wants you to do. More than anything else.
[28:45] Is to trust in him. To come to him in faith. And to taste. And see. That God. Is good. Will you please. Will you please tonight.
[28:57] You don't have to let anybody else. Hear your prayer. Ask the Lord. To give you the glasses. That will show you. His kingdom. And his son.
[29:08] And his goodness. And his grace. And his glory. And to bring you. To. To know him. As your savior. I was going to talk about.
[29:22] The importance of prayer. I hope you recognize that. As we. As we read through that passage. Verse 17. Elisha prayed. And said. Oh Lord. Please open his eyes. Verse 18. He prayed again.
[29:33] The Syrians came down against him. Elisha prayed to the Lord. Please strike this people. With blindness. Verse 20. As soon as they enter Samaria. Lord. Open the eyes of these men. He does nothing without praying.
[29:44] Now if ever. There was a man. That knew. About the sovereignty of God. And how God rules. And reigns over every event. It was Elisha. You didn't need to tell him anything. He was. The. He was an expert theologian.
[29:56] Nobody. In the world. Knew. More about the sovereignty of God. Than he. And yet. There was not. A more praying man. Anywhere to be found. You see.
[30:08] Those who truly know. The sovereignty of God. Are those who. Are praying men. And praying women. And there is no use in saying. Well God is sovereign. Therefore. Why do I pray?
[30:19] That's the way. Our logic works. Our logic is flawed logic. It's not God's logic. We have to use God's logic.
[30:29] And God's logic is. Yes. I am sovereign. But you have to pray. Because my sovereignty. My power. Includes your prayer. That's the way it works.
[30:40] God's sovereignty. Includes. Our prayer. So we must be praying men. And praying women. We must know what it is. To come close to the Lord. Every day.
[30:52] In prayer. And to know what it is. To pray. Without ceasing. That's what the apostle says. The last thing I want us to look at. In this passage tonight.
[31:02] Is this. You remember what happened. The Syrians came down. Thinking that they had him in the bag. Elisha prayed. Lord strike. Like these men with blindness.
[31:13] They became blind. Totally incapable of doing anything. Do you know tonight. If you're not a believer. You're probably making plans.
[31:29] Plans for the coming week. Plans for the coming month. Who knows. I don't know. That's what we do with life. Isn't it. You're probably. Maybe one of these people. That says. Well life is only going to be. Lived once.
[31:39] I'm young. I still have my health. This is what I'm going to do. Making all these plans. But that plan. Does not take into account. The gospel. You have not.
[31:50] A single. You have not. A single intention. Of listening. To God's invitation. And to coming to faith. In Jesus. In other words. Your plans. Are leaving out. God altogether. Do you know.
[32:01] What you're doing. You're using. The. Your plans. All depend. On. What God. Gives you. From one moment. To the next. Like your sight. For example. Here were these men.
[32:13] And their plan. Was to capture Elisha. They were doing their job. Just like we do. Every day. That we do our job. But God doesn't figure. In our thoughts. And in our plans. They're doing their job.
[32:23] But you're assuming. All the time. That God's going to keep. Your eyes open. You're assuming. All the time. That your balance. Is going to be right. You're going to be on your feet. You're assuming all the time. Is that. That you're going to be able to speak.
[32:35] And then you're going to be able to breathe. You're using the very gifts. That God gives you. Every day. And you're planning your life. Without a thought of God. Now. Does that make sense?
[32:47] It doesn't to me at all. But that's what these men were doing. That's what so many people do. But here is what happened. Elisha. His last. His prayer was.
[32:57] To make them blind. So. They were dependent upon him. So he said. Follow me. He. And this is where. This is where the story becomes. Really amusing. Doesn't it? I don't mean that in a bad way.
[33:08] I mean that in a great way. You know what the Bible tells us? He that sits in heaven. Shall laugh. These enemies of God. That thought they had the whole thing in the bag.
[33:19] Thought they were in control of their lives. Within a second. They were out of control. Nothing was in control anymore. They had lost it. Elisha was leading them. Into. Into.
[33:29] The heart. Of enemy territory. And his last prayer was. Open the eyes of these men. When they opened their eyes. They got a bigger shock.
[33:40] Than the servant had got. It was the last thing. They ever wanted to see. And they thought. That they were in the last moments.
[33:52] Of their life. By rights they were. They were in enemy territory. They knew. That by the normal course of things. The king of Israel. As their enemy. They had tried to attack him. They had tried to attack him.
[34:04] Therefore. They could only expect. Death. As a certainty. Astonishingly. Instead of putting them to death.
[34:17] Elisha said. No. Do the opposite. Give them bread. Give them food. Give them water. These poor men must be hungry.
[34:27] And thirsty. After all their efforts. Send them home. As free men. And that.
[34:40] Is where the gospel. Comes into the story. Because in the gospel. God does not deal with us.
[34:52] As we deserve. And the reason why. Elisha told the king of Israel. Be kind to them. Is the same reason.
[35:02] That Jesus tells us. In Matthew chapter 5. To love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. So that you may be sons. Of your father in heaven.
[35:14] For if you greet only your brothers. What are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles. Do the same. In Romans chapter 12. The apostle Paul. Tells us. Bless those who persecute you.
[35:27] Bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. Never be conceited. Repay. Listen. Repay no one. Evil for evil.
[35:37] But give thought to do what is honorable. In the sight of all. If possible. So far as it depends on you. Live peaceably. With all. Beloved. Never avenge yourselves.
[35:48] But leave it to the wrath of God. For it is written. Vengeance is mine. I will repay. Says the Lord. To the contrary. If your enemy is hungry. Feed him. If he is thirsty. Give him something to drink for.
[35:59] By so doing. You will heap burning coals. On his head. Now why does Jesus tell us to do that? Why does Paul. You know why? Because it reflects. The way. That God.
[36:10] Has dealt with us. And we. As God's people. Have to live. In the same manner. And Elisha is telling the king. We are God's people. We're different. We don't.
[36:20] Repay evil for evil. Why? Because God has not repaid us. Evil for evil. God is a gracious God. And I want us to go home tonight. With that great truth.
[36:33] Embedded in our minds. That God. Is gracious. Do you know what gracious means? It means. G. R. A. C. E.
[36:43] God's riches. At. Christ's expense. Instead of. Condemning us.
[36:54] That's what we deserved. God. Sent. His only begotten son. Into the world. To give. His life. For us. And that's the gospel.
[37:11] Where sin. Abounded. And here's a chapter. In which sin abounds. There is nothing but violence. And threat. And hatred. In this chapter. But the Bible tells us.
[37:23] That where sin abounds. Then grace. Does much more. Abound. And I. Pray tonight. That you will come. To discover. This grace.
[37:34] The grace. Of God. The undeserved. Favor. Of God. For yourself. Let's pray. Amen. Amen. Our father in heaven.
[37:48] Once again. We pray. That you will bless your word to us. Lord. Your word is so thrilling. Even when we go back to a chapter. That's so obscure. And that means so little to us.
[37:59] When we read it at first. Then we discover. As we study it. And as we try to open it up. We discover. That there are things. Which are so relevant. To our lives. We pray.
[38:09] That you will come. In great power. And touch us. And show us. That there's more to come. That this is only the beginning. Of what God will show us. And has promised to reveal to us.
[38:20] In the person of Jesus. Show us that to serve you. We lose nothing. But we gain everything. Oh Lord God. We pray. That you will touch the hearts. Of those who need you tonight.
[38:31] Touch all our hearts. And encourage us. And strengthen us. For we ask in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. We're going to see.