An Unchanging Message to a Changing World | Part 1

As Christians we cannot strive for popularity.

We must strive for trip listen to Adrian Rogers. We have to stop running for popularity cognitive it is better to be divided by proof bed to be united in our I am not asking God's people to divide over incident when the great eternal values of the word of God or jettison them crucified upon the altar of conformity and cooperation. It is a sin against Almighty welcome to love featuring profound truth simply state author Pastor Adrian Rogers first Kings 22, tells the story of a prophet with an unchanging message to a changing world. After receiving counsel from 400 pandering profit. King Ahab and Jehoshaphat here from Kia. A true prophet of God. Rather than saying what they wanted to hear what Kia proclaims as the Lord liveth with the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. If you have your Bible turn first Kings chapter 22 as we hear five things we can learn from my Kia's bold response. Once again, here's Adrian Rogers with an unchanging message to a changing world.

What we have here is the story of a good man whose name was Jehoshaphat, but it was a good man would try to do a good thing wrong way. He got himself in league with an ungodly man whose name was Ahab, but rather than telling all 11 images read from the word of God beginning in verse one, and they continued three years without a war between Syria and Israel, and came to pass in the third year, the Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel and the king of Israel and by the way, the king of Israel was a wicked man in the king of Israel said unto his servants, know ye that Ray Martin deleted his hours and we be still and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria that is the Syrians have taken my rhyme of Delia about the US rose doesn't belong to them. It belongs to us why we disagree. Let's go get it back to me said verse 47 the Jehoshaphat will now go with me to battle to Ray mouth. Delia and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel. I am as thou art my people is like people. My horses as I horses, no prayer, no seeking the face of God. But here was a good man that made an unholy alliance a political alliance with a wicked man and he's about to read the consequences, so like many people today they plan they plot they agree.

And then after that they carried to God in prayer and ask God to rubberstamp their plans and so let's look in verse five and Jehoshaphat said in the king of Israel inquire. I pray the word of the Lord today.

Jehoshaphat give you a will to pray about the same. Remember, he's already made up his mind. He's already given his word. He's already entered into an alliance and any tries to get God to Robert Stanton so he says, less pray about it. We need a word from God. Now we king the wicked king whose name was Ahab. He had his court prophets. He had his paid pussyfooting pandering profits. There were 400 of them and he called them together. Notice in verse six and the king of Israel gathered the prophets together about 400 men and set under them shall I go against Ray mouth Delia to battle or shall I forbear and they said, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. Preachers speaking with humanity. At that time does the Fed knew something was really wrong when 400 bridges to together about anything and so he's doing a little nervous that he says up, I'm a little suspicious of this.

Instinctively, he knew that something was wrong and he said isn't there someone else that we can get other than these 400 and notice in verse seven and Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord. Besides that we may inquire of him. Now notice verse eight, and the king of Israel said to Josip that there is yet one man my Kia, the son of Emily, by whom we may inquire of the Lord God I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil and Jehoshaphat said let not the king say so.

That is king to Fama a chance. Let's hear what this 401st profit will say and so they asked him to prophesy. Let's go get my Kia Ahab said I had all my preacher around here.

He never says anything good to me. He never says anything good about me. He never prophesies good concerning glossy cotton packet is anything good to her for a bad man. This was God's man. McKay with a sinful McKay because Ahab needs Jehoshaphat, and he doesn't want to lose that cooperation.

So they sinful McKay go down to verse 13 I am the messenger that was going to call my Kia spake on to him say, behold, now the words of the prophet declared good unto the king, with whom one mouth. Let thy word. I pray they be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good. Now they go down to get my Kia and they send this envoy to pick him up and he begins to butter him up and he says now look McKay don't mess this thing up.

We got absolute unanimity 400 prophets and said we ought to go to war against Syria take Ray mouth Delia and don't you mess it up.

You make it unanimous.

You vote with the ministerial alliance. Now I want you to listen McKay is glorious answer and that sets the stage for everything else I have to say this next verse is the key to everything else. I want to say the answer that this man of God gave whose name was McKay has put steel in my backbone and I pray God that every man of God will resonate with the words of McKay. Look, if you will, in verse 14 and Machias said as the Lord liveth what the Lord say to me, that will I speak that's underscored in my Bible as the Lord liveth what the Lord say to me that will I speak it may not be pleasant but I'll say it. It may not be prudent, but I'll say it may not be pleasing but I'll say it may not be profitable but I must say I may go to jail and by the way he did. They may kill me, but I'll say it.

I may not get a promotion but I will say I will not be intimidated by the king. The king can put strings. Only you know the difference between a puppet and a prophet of puppet has strings on no man of God can have strings on him and so he said what God says to me that I will say now, here's the first thing it is better to be divided by proof them to be united in error.

It is better to be divided by proof then united in error. Now I must be very careful here because I want to say that unity is a wonderful thing.

And folks, we must do everything that we can do to keep the unity of our church and keep unity with all the brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 verse three to where to be endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and the Bible says the book of Psalms, behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity and we must do everything that we can do to preserve unity to bear and forbear but listen, it must only be the unity that the Holy Spirit can say amen to because the Bible says in Amos three verse three can two walk together except they be agreed that some things you just can't put together and there's no cook that is skilled enough to make a good omelette out about eggs.

You just can't do it unity.

Yes, unification and uniformity that sacrifice truth know I listen to the Scriptures second Corinthians chapter 6, beginning in verse 14, being not on equally yoked together with unbelievers. That's what Jehoshaphat was trying to he was trying to be unequally yoked together with Ahab and was an unbeliever. Jehoshaphat was a believer being not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what common core that means what agreement hath Christ with the Lyle be Lyle was the God of worthlessness and what part hath he that believe it with an infidel, and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols, for ye are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Not only is Jesus Christ the great unifier of all those who believe in him where Jesus Christ is also the great divider Jesus Christ is the most divisive person and his teaching.

The most divisive force that ever hit planet Earth is a lot of sentimental preaching about Jesus being the great unifier, but Jesus has caused more division than any other four cents creation. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 and following Jesus and of these words of Jesus.

They may surprise you think. Not that I'm come to send peace on her. I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man's foes shall be they of his own household and some of you could say that is true in my house ever since I gave my heart to Christ. There's been strife in my house is been a division in my house concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who value unity about truth have missed the spirit of Jesus. It is better to be divided by truth then united in error. Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation. He saw the arrow and Romanism and he came out against it, and here's what the mighty reformer said and I want to listen to. I do not want to know anything of peace and Concorde when the word of God is thereby lost and the word and eternal life and everything is forfeited is not right for me here to draw back and give way out of love toward you or toward any other man but before the word everyone must give way, whether he be a friend or an enemy for the Lord is not been given to us for the sake of external worldly Concorde or piece, but for the sake of eternal life. Don't talk to me, therefore, of love and friendship.

If the word and faith are to be compromised as what Martin Luther said.

We remember Martin Luther today.

He made a price.

He took a stand and watch what I call the Protestant Reformation was a great revival meeting. The Bible does not state he said that love brings us everlasting life. God's grace and all of the heavenly treasures, but the word brings them to us. I suppose the greatest preacher historian say that live outside of the apostle Paul was the great Charles Spurgeon. Here's what Charles Spurgeon had to say he said where union and friendship are not cemented by proof they are and hallowed Confederacy. Too bad Jehoshaphat didn't know this too bad Jehoshaphat. Some how join himself up with an unholy man. It is better to be divided by truth then to be united in our our unity is in Christ and Christ alone. Now again I want to say I am not asking God's people and good people to divide over incidentals, but when the great eternal values of the word of God or jettison and crucified upon the altar of conformity and cooperation. It is a sin against Almighty. Not only is it better to be divided by truth then united in Arabic number two it is better to speak the truth that hurts and then humans than to tell a lie that comforts and then kills these 400 man told Ahab a Jehoshaphat ally here was a lie that Ahab love to hear he love these pandering preachers because they told him what he wanted to hear rather than what he needed to hear and as a result fellow the great calamity.

Preachers need to stop trying to win popularity contest. I want to say it again, it is better to tell the truth that hurts and then heals than to tell a lie that comforts and then kills may have said I hate the message that this man brings. He saw a man who was his friend as his enemy former pastor this church.

Dr. Robert G. Lee used to say what he preached on hell, someone will call preaching about hell crew, but Dr. Lee used to say I'd rather be called cruel for being kind than to be called kind for being cruel, rough, true is better than polished falsehood levers immerses Ecclesiastes chapter 7 in verse five it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for man to hear the song of food. Some people today in our churches for hearing the song of fools. You know what is happening and some schools of church growth, church growth that is being studied in America and are saying I don't on Sunday morning, don't say anything that might offend don't preach own judgment.

Don't preach on hell don't preach on separation don't preach these things because if you do this generation of people will be turned away just talk to them in glittering generalities. As Amanda typifies that he is a well-known preacher in California is on many television stations, but I want you to hear what he said this is a quote taken from Christianity today. I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and hence counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crew uncouth and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.

The same preacher said my number one rule is that I don't want to do anything that would turn somebody all, so they will not be open to listening to my invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their best friend, my friend. People need a Savior they need to know that the lost. They need to know that the centers under the wrath of a righteous and holy God is not a popular message but it is better to tell the truth that hurts and then he better tell a lie that comforts and then kills I've told you of the sailors asked the chaplain this question. Chaplain, do you believe in hell. He said yes I do. Why do you ask my said.

For this reason, if there is a hell and you don't believe in it. We don't want you for chaplain and if there is no hell we don't need any chaplain. There is friend the wrath of God. My Kia refused to be bought all he refused to be intimidated.

He knew it's better to be divided by truth and united in error.

He knew it was better to tell the truth that hurts and then heals than to tell a lie that comforts and then kills. I don't believe that we ought to go out of our way to be rude to people but primarily it is not my job to fill the two.

It is my job to fill the pulpit to preach the word of God. It is better.

It is better to tell the truth that her's and then heals better tell a lie that comforts and then kills. Let me give it to you from the word of God. Proverbs chapter 27 verses five and six open review is better than secret love, faith, the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

What Ahab was receiving was 400 kisses from faithless prophets who never heard from God rather than hearing and wanting to hear the womb of a friend, a man who wanted to tell him the truth. The third thing is this, it is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie.

Ahab said concerning this man.

I hate him like if you will, in verse eight in the Kia bistro set in the Joss affair. There is yet one man McKay, the son of M law by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hated and I say this, that every man of God is not going to be love and I want to be love. I love to be love.

I don't like to be disliked, but it is better to be hated for telling the truth and the beloved telling a lot. McKay was a man of God, will have to be elected clergyman of the year. We have to stop running for popularity contest.

The apostle Paul would not give way when he talked to the Galatians and he told the Galatians that they were often doctrinal error, and then he said to them, he asked them this question.

Galatians chapter 4 and verse 16. Am I therefore, your enemy because I tell you the truth, I'm not your enemy because I tell you the truth, but sometimes somehow we think that those who tell us the truth.

Our enemies I was in my car in South Florida supposed to go to an engagement and I was on a very fine road and a good rental car had beautiful music and I it was wonderful. The sun was shining. McKay was running smoothly.

I'm praising the Lord driving along there listening to this music, but I got a suspicion that something was wrong. I wasn't saying the right signs that I needed to see that was to get me to my destination. So I ask a highway patrolman is this the way to thus and such a said Mr. you're headed the wrong way and you'll way away from where you are to be I will ask a question, was that man who told me I was on the wrong road was in an mirror frame. I mean I was enjoying myself on the wrong I'm in a way it was wonderful. He was afraid he didn't bring the good news he brought me bad news but had he not told me it would've been worse news. I did make my engagement because a man told the man on the wrong road and a good car listening to beautiful music on a sunny day you're headed the wrong way and I therefore, your enemy because I tell you the truth. McKay told the truth and they put them in prison on bread and water. Jesus told the truth and they crucified him. I had a woman in a former church called me on Monday.

She was a friend. She said pastor were you preaching me something I said Bertha I was shooting down in a hole if you were down in it.

I can't help it.

I loved her. She was wrong and she knew it. When I called home to be loved by everybody else, but the better approach of Jesus. When I called below by everybody else to bear the reproach of Jesus. That's a convicting word today is in will hear part two of this important message coming up on Monday.

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