Audio File: 

2012-01-15 AM - Ps Carel Berndt.mp3

Sermon Notes

Introduction

Christians must live spiritually wide awake and in constant expectation of Christ’s return, having all natural desires under Christ’s control.
Christ’s coming will be sudden, overtaking many who are in the midst of their carnal security and jolliness, and bringing them destruction from which there will be no escape.

Scripture:- 1 Thess 5.21

1. WHAT ARE YOU CLINGING TO?

Examples:-
—Lot’s wife clung to Sodom and Gomorrah
—10 Spies clung to the Egypt in them and could only see trouble in the Promised Land
—Korah clung to the rebellion in his heart as he rebelled against Moses  and paid with his life[Num 15]
—Samson clung to his disobedience
—Judas clung to money, deceit and betrayal
—Lucifer clung to pride

Meaning of the word Cling   Greek (kollao = glue) means literally to glue, cement, join or fasten together and thus to unite (someone with or to someone or some thing). To fasten firmly together.

• Kollao is used to describe joining oneself to another in a sexual union in (1Cor 6:16).
• Kollao can mean to attach oneself to a master in a job meaning to hire oneself out as a servant ("the prodigal son" in Luke 15:15).
• Kollao as used in Rom 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
o Keep yourself continually cemented or glued to that which is good (this will also be a good deterrent from evil!).
• One of the most familiar uses of cling=kollao is in the description of the marriage covenant, where the man is charged to leave and cleave…
• Gen 2:24  to "stick like glue"  to his wife

• Evil is like "Velcro" which fastens tight a shoe or a garment
• Sin will cleave like leprosy.
• Sin is like a leech,that sucks the spiritual "life blood" from one's soul!
John 8.34 Jesus answered them,  “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
• Abhor it continually!

2. WHAT FASCINATES the EYE is VERY QUICK to GAIN ADMISSION INTO THE HEART!

• See the tragic confession [noting especially the progression] of Achan in Joshua 7:19, 20, 21 =

• v20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

• "I saw...I coveted[desired]... I took...I concealed" -  The progressive pattern of many a secret sin.

• Eve's apple first pleased her sight and then prevailed over her mind and hand (Gen 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 which is culminates in Gen 3:6=
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate
>>>>Saw…..pleasant to eyes…took….ate.

3. SIN, LIKE PITCH, IS VERY QUICK TO STICK.

• Sin like pitch is very sticky and is hard to remove.

• JAMES 1.13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren

• PROGRESSION OF SIN [James 1.13]
1. when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
2. Then, when desire has conceived,
3. it(desire) gives birth to sin;
4. and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

• 1 Corinthians 6:17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him

• Deuteronomy 10:20 "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling (cleave = kollao) to Him,….

• How can I fear, serve or cling to God when my heart and life is clinging to sin, or the demonic, or hurt, or any other problem ?                                                                                                                                                           

• Christians attempt to serve their culture, God, and Mammon     Matt 6.24 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

• God upholds those who cling to Him [Psalm 63:8 My soul clings (cleave = kollao) to You; Your right hand upholds me.]

4. HE WHO HAS ENABLED US TO STICK TO HIM, WILL STICK TO US!

• King Hezekiah …..For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. (2Ki 18:6)

• Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. [2 Kings 3.1]

In light of the above contrast between two Jewish kings, it is surprising to read the record of the wisest king of Israel.

King Solomon….1 Kings 11.2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

Our souls should not cleave to the DUST/world   [Psalm 119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.]

CONCLUSION

The fruit from clinging to evil instead of abhorring it, turned Solomon’s heart away from God. Samson lost it.  Saul lost it.

• There can be no neutrality in the moral realm.

• Good and evil is a choice and Christians must take a clear an  indisputable stand against evil and stand for the good.

• Let your light so shine…….MATT 5.14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

• The Christian must cleave to what is good and not let go.

• AWAKE and let go of the evil you clinging to.

• Mat 20.28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

• Cleaving begins by becoming united (kollao) with Jesus Christ  (1Cor 6:17).