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WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-36

TEXT: "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." (Matthew 3:15)

I. ORDER OF RESPONSIBILITY

       A. You are not responsible for the whole world. Jesus Himself fulfilled that responsibility. Your responsibility lies within your own awareness and control.

       B. In Numbers 30:5, 8, 12-13, the responsibilities of a daughter or wife before the Lord, through a vow, could be nullified by the father or husband. Responsibilities are limited. Paul wrote to Timothy, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Timothy 5:8)

      C. Personal responsibility cannot possibly move out to an unlimited extend. You cannot be responsible for going to Asia or Africa if you have neglect your responsibility to provide for your immediate family in order to go to Africa. Perhaps God has led you to go to Africa. But the leading of God is not in question. The question is, "have you fulfilled your basic responsibility?" "First things first" is God's arrangement.

       D. If in our obedience we have God's priorities straight we will bring the glory and honor to Him which He intends. If these priorities are not in order we bring shame to Him. If a wife prophesies and disobeys her Godly husband, it brings shame to the Lord. If a husband preaches, but does not provide for his family it brings shame to the Lord. If a child is a helper at Church, but rebellious at home it brings shame to the Lord. We can do nothing for the Lord if we do not take care of first things first.  

      E. Obedience, and in its proper order, is God's prime concern in the lives of His Children. Thus He brings us under training in order to accomplish this. Training may first begin in natural and mechanical things. Once obedience is learned on this lower level then it is less difficult for God to get it moving on the spiritual level. The Lord uses our parents, pastors, and the Brethren to get obedience into us on the natural level.

       F. Chastisement is training. The Lord does not delight in chastening His children. He does delight in obedience. Thus He continues to chasten in order to bring us to a place of broad benefits. Through Abraham all nations become blessed (Galatians 3:6-9).

      G. God calls each of us to this same faithfulness that our lives may richly flow out to others throughout all ages to come. The far-reaching effect of our faithfulness in obedience is staggering even unbelievable. God train s us for this. We must learn to obey. For this reason we come to the school of obedience in the wilderness.

       H. Once we make proper progression along the lines of obedience we become responsible enough to begin to fulfill God's call into service. This is the time we receive our orders and direction to participate in the work of God. The call of God into service is upon every developed saint without exception.

       I. Paul exhorts us to, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11) The armor of God is not for the weakling. Not all believers are able for it. God is not going to call you into His active service unless there is some ability in you to fulfill that calling. I do not refer to natural ability, but rather the ability which God has been able to implant within you. The obedience and strength God instilled within us.

     J. The reason for the need of inner God-given ability and strength is the battle itself. Paul again gives us the reason, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12) Who are the wrestlers in "we wrestle?" They are not infants.

     K. Before Israel went in to posse the land they had training battles. In the wilderness they fought and defeated within forty-year period, about six kings. In Canaan Land they found and defeated 31 kings.

     L. King David was a man of war, but first he was trained. His first training took place in the sheep field. His second phase of training was on the battlefield with Goliath at a time when he was not yet able to handle armor. His third phase of training came when he was a renegade, on the run from King Saul. From there he went into full scale battle as king, with full armor, subduing kingdom after kingdom.

 

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

   A. In our training we sometimes feel as if we are in full scale battle. That intensity in training is necessary to prepare us. Some believers never succeed in their training. Therefore they never come into the fullness of the battle.