Praise Chapel Of Anaheim

“The Man of God”
Pastor Albert Garcia

Sunday, June 7, 2009

TEXT: 1 Kings 13:1-34

INTRODUCTION:

I. A MAN OF GOD MUST SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD BOLDLY.

a. He must speak exactly what God says.

1. He is an ambassador for God. (He must not speak of his own but only convey that which God has said!)

a. 2 Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

b. The man of God was not afraid to speak God’s Word to king Jeroboam.

1. The king was backslidden.

a. He was leading Israel astray with idolatry.

b. The man of God confronted him with the Word of the Lord.

1. V 1-2 (Read!)

Eph. 6:20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

c. The apostle Paul told timothy that if he was to assume the office of a pastor he must speak the word without compromise.

1. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

II. THE MAN OF GOD MUST INTERCEDE OF BEHALF OF PEOPLE NO MATTER HOW WICKEDLY AND DISRESPECTFULLY HE IS TREATED.

a. The man of God interceded for King Jeroboam regardless of how wickedly and disrespectful he treated him.

1. (V 4-6) Read!

b. Moses interceded for God’s people when they mistreated him.

1. Israel spoke against Moses in the wilderness. (When they grew inpatient)

a. Numbers 21:5 “So they spoke againTt God. They also spoke against Moses. They said to them, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? Do you want us to die here in the desert? We don’t have any bread! We don’t have any water! And we hate this awful food!”

2. As a result of this God sent poisonsness snakes to bite them and Moses prayed for them!

a. Numbers 21:6-7 “Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people of Israel. The snakes bit them. Many of the people died. ⁷The others came to Moses. They said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

c. Ananias prayed laid hands on Paul the he might receive his sight even though Paul persecuted the church.

d. Jesus interceded for those who crucified Him from the cross.

1. Luke 23:24 “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”

III. THE MAN OF GOD SHOULD NOT BE PURCHASED.

a. King Jeroboan tried to purchase the man of God.

1. (V 7-10) Read!

NOTE: If the man of God can be purchased he will compromise the Word of the Lord in order not to offend those with money!

b. Judas Iscarriot was purchased. (He became worthless!)

c. The apostle Paul told Timothy that one of the qualifications of a pastor is that he must not be a lover of money.

1. 1 Timothy 3:3 “He must not love money.

d. The apostle Peter wrote that a pastor must not serve his flock for money.

1. 1 Peter 5:2 “Be shepherds of God’s flock, the believers who are under your care. Serve as their leaders. Don’t serve them because you have to. Instead, do it because you want to. That’s what God wants you to do. Don’t do it because you want to get more and more money. Do it because you really want to serve.

IV. A MAN OF GOD MUST NEVER DEVIATE FROM THE LAST WORD GOD GAVE HIM.

a. This man of God made this mistake.

1. (V 11-24) Read!

b. Sometimes disciples deviate from the last word their pastors gave them.

1. God did not speak to His people for 400 years for deviating from His word.

2. NOTE: If you deviate from the last word your pastor gives you, he will not give you a further word.

V. A MAN OF GOD SHOULD BE HONORED AND RESPECTED IN SPITE OF HIS SHORTCOMINGS.

a. This man of God was honored and respected in spite of his mistake.

1. (V 27-28)

a. The lion did not eat the man of God.

b. This was contrary to a lions nature.

c. There was honor set here from God.

2. (V 29-30)

a. The donkey was provided to carry the man of God to his burial place.

3. (V 31-32)

a. The old prophet honored the man of God in the presence of his sons.

b. Paul wrote to Timothy that a man of God is worthy of double the honor.

1. 1 Timothy 5:17 “The elders who do the church’s work well are worth twice as much honor. That is true in a special way of elders who preach and teach.

VI. WHERE THERE IS NO MAN OF GOD THERE IS NO RESTRAIN FROM SIN.

a. King Jeroboam went from bad to worse after the death of the man of God.

1. (V 33-34) Read!

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no message from God, the people don’t control themselves.

But blessed are those who obey the law.

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world.