Greetings:
Scripture Passage:
“[1]Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. [2]But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3]He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. [4]Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. [5]Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. [6]For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Ps 1:1-6 Key v.1. NIV).
Prayer:
Introduction:
It’s 10 days into the New Year, and many of us are hoping that 2016 will be prosperous for us. Some of us have already made plans and taken advice from others. However, taking advice is something that we need to be careful about, because when you allow someone to give you advice about what to do or not to do, you’re allowing that person to counsel you. Psalm 1:1 states, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” ​There is good advice, and there is bad advice. There is advice from godly people and there is advice from wicked people. Today, my message to you is, God Wants You to Avoid the Counsel of the Wicked.
Body:
The Bible has many examples of people who followed the counsel of the wicked. In 2Chr 22, you can read the sad summary about the life of Ahaziah, one of the kings of Judah, who died from wounds he received in a war. It says, [2]“Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. [3]He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. [4]He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing (2Chr 22:2-4; 2Ki 8:25-29 TNIV).
1. Why did his mother, Athaliah encourage him to act wickedly? What was her background? She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, two people who were known for their wickedness (2Chr 21:6). As an Israelite, Ahab had not followed the counsel of the LORD, the God of Israel; instead, he worshipped idols and followed the ways of his wife, Jezebel, who was from another nation. Jezebel taught and encouraged her family to worship false gods, Baal and Asherah (1Ki 18:19). She was into witchcraft (2Ki 9:22). She planned the death of innocent people, such as Naboth, so that Ahab could get his property (1Ki 21), and she killed some of the prophets of the LORD. She was so wicked that even Elijah, a great prophet, was afraid of her and ran for his life (1Ki 18; 19; Also 2Ki), when she threatened him. Athaliah was like her parents, wicked, and this is why she counseled her son to act wickedly, to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, who saw everything they did.
· “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13 TNIV).
Eventually, they all died, but God is going to bring them back to life, resurrect them to face a judgment they cannot stand up to, and they will perish. Psalm 1:5-6 says, [5]“the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. [6]…the way of the wicked will perish.” After the judgment, their final resting place will be the lake of fire that never goes out, a place of endless agony prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 10:28; 25:34; Lk 12:5; Mk 9:43).
Like them and many before and after them, they would not listen when God sent His prophets to counsel and warn them. What the prophets said then still applies today:
· “Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” (Isa 29:15).
· “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin” (Isa 30:1; Ps 33:10-11; Jb 5:12).
2. God is the best Counselor: When you want advice, when you want to know which way to go, read the Word of God, meditate on it, pray to God, and seek counsel from those who are living godly lives. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” (Pr 16:3; Ps 3:5-6), because He already has a plan for your life.
· “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer 29:11).
· “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Ps 32:8).
God’s loving “plans to prosper you and not to harm you…to give you hope and a future” is in Jesus, His Son. The prophet Isaiah says,
· “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6; Isa 11:2).
Over 2000 years ago, when the time was right, God sent His Son into the world, and on Dec 25, 2015, less than three weeks ago; people all over the world were celebrating Jesus’ birthday. Many of us did this because we have accepted Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor and Savior. He is the way to God, He is truth, and He is the life (Jn 14:6). Through Him we are learning to praise God and live godly lives. As we confidently wait for our eternal future, we join the Psalmist in praise and say,
· [7]“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. [8]I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken (Ps 16:7-8).
· “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Ps 73:24).
Ask congregation to stand: Please stand.
Conclusion & Invitation to Discipleship: You have heard the Word of the LORD, the Sovereign life-giving Spirit who declares,
· “`As surely as I live…I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die…?' (Eze 33:111; 18:23 See also Joel 2:12; 1 Ti 2:4).
The consequences of following the counsel of the wicked extend beyond this life to an eternity of agony. God loves you and wants to give you something different, the best future there is, a future in His eternal presence, and only Jesus, His Son, can guide you to that prosperous future. Will you accept God’s love for you, today? The doors of the Church are open to everyone who wants to come forward and invite Jesus into your heart.
Benediction:
“May he [the Lord] give you the [godly] desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Ps 20:4).
(Sunday Morning Service, Jan. 10, 2016)