Sermon
The Deceptiveness of Sin - Pastor Daniel Batarseh
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Hebrews chapter 3. Verse 12 to 13.
Hebrews 3 chapter mention
-
Take care Brothers. Lester be in any of you.
-
An evil unbelieving heart. Leading you to fall away from
-
the Living God. but exhort one another every day, as long as it
-
is called today, That none of you may be hardened by the
-
deceitfulness of sin. Growing up in Canada when we
-
move to a new house in Middle School.
-
Part of one of the advantages of that was that we could now walk
-
to our school. But with that came, a whole new
-
level of Parental Guidance knowing that we were going to be
-
walking back and forth. Every single day, my parents
-
exhorted us. My parents warned us and maybe
-
you've heard These Warnings to if you've ever walked somewhere,
-
even if it was just a block son, make sure that before you cross
-
the street, you look both ways. Sun, even though it's a red
-
light and you have the right of way to walk, make sure you look
-
both ways before you walk son, make sure that if there's
-
anybody even if it's somebody from school, a parent from
-
school, they see you walking. And they pull over to the side
-
and say, get in my car and come with me.
-
You never do it. Maybe you've heard these
-
exhortations as well. But with those exhortations was
-
the fact that we heard it almost every single day, it was a
-
repeated warning and it almost became annoying, but here's the
-
reality, it worked. It worked.
-
Now, why would any parent warn their children in such a manner,
-
why would any parent take it to themselves to warn and to exhort
-
everyday for the safety of their children?
-
Very simple. Because love warns.
-
Love warns. True.
-
Love warns. And in the same way, the Bible
-
rather parents warned their children out of love of the
-
dangers, outside of the Four Walls of the home.
-
In the same way, our heavenly father through the scriptures
-
warned his children of the dangers of this very world
-
because love warns Paul says in Colossians 128 him, we Proclaim
-
warning everyone and teaching everyone that we may present
-
everyone mature in Christ. Iced warning and teaching.
-
Why? Because love warns.
-
And the Bible itself does not just warn us directly.
-
The Bible tells us in Hebrews to 3313 that we are to exhort one
-
another. To exhort means to strongly
-
urge. Or to strongly encourage someone
-
to perform a certain action. An exhortation can take a form
-
of warning or encouragement or Comfort or reproof depending on
-
what circumstances being addressed.
-
And so it's saying here that we ought to exhort one another.
-
Why should we exhort one another?
-
Well, firstly tells us to do it every single day.
-
That we are to encourage and exhort one another day by day
-
night by night. You think that's exhaustive but
-
it's because of the second part of the verse, that explains why
-
we are to exhort one another every day because sin attempts
-
to deceive us every single day, every single day sin is on a
-
mission to deceive. The people of God sin is on a
-
mission to bring war against the people of God.
-
That's why Peter says in First Peter 2:11 beloved, I urge you
-
as sojourners and exiles. To abstain from the passions of
-
the flesh, which war against your soul. whether you and I
-
want to believe it or not the passions of the flesh are at war
-
with us every single day and because of that the author of
-
Hebrews says exhorted exhort one another every single day lest
-
sin deceives, you and so one of the remedies of being mastered
-
over sin, Is walking alongside with Brothers and Sisters in
-
Christ that are willing to speak into our lives, so that our
-
hearts can remain soft towards Jesus.
-
That's why you don't miss church.
-
It is so important to meet with one.
-
Another, the Gathering of the Brethren is vital for the
-
purpose of our sanctification. You hear excuses all the time.
-
All these people that think they're so spiritual?
-
Well, I don't need to go to church.
-
Oh, really? Okay, let's go with that.
-
Train of logic. You might not want to go to
-
church. You might not feel like going to
-
church because you feel like you don't need it because you read
-
your Bible every single day because you watch so many
-
YouTube sermons. Okay, that's fine.
-
But what if somebody in the church needs you It's so selfish
-
to think that, you know, I don't need to go to church because I
-
mean, but what if somebody in church needs you?
-
What if somebody's encouraged by your presence?
-
What if somebody is encouraged by your words of wisdom?
-
What if somebody's encouraged by your prayers and your worship to
-
God? We cannot miss the Gathering of
-
the brethren for this purpose because it keeps our hearts
-
soft. And that's the very purpose of
-
this short message today, to lovingly warn of one specific
-
thing, the deceitfulness of sin, The purpose of this short
-
message is this is that if there is any sin creeping in your
-
life, that through the word of God, it would put it in the
-
spotlight. To lead us to repentance the
-
goal of this. Very short text is to bring us
-
to a place to identify the things that might be.
-
Seducing us into a certain lifestyle and by the grace of
-
God, we would cut it off before it leads us away from the Living
-
God. How does sin deceive us?
-
If sin had a voice, what would it say to you?
-
Number one, sin deceives people by convincing them.
-
That they can keep it in the dark.
-
Sin deceives people by convincing them that they can
-
keep it in the dark sin, has this subtle way of trying to
-
enter into your heart and cinch eyes to Mesmerize you to bring
-
it in a place where it resides in your heart.
-
Long enough, where you become hardened Where you're not soft
-
towards the things of God and where you're not convicted about
-
the things of God anymore, where you have no urgency for the
-
things of God anymore sin. Very rarely comes in a very
-
obvious way. No, no, it comes in a friendly
-
way, and it tries to convince you that you can actually hide
-
it from people. It convinces you to say you can
-
be one way in church and you can be a completely different person
-
at one in the morning in your bedroom and you could be a
-
completely different person at work.
-
And you can keep those different Lifestyles and their respective
-
circumstances and environments and nobody will know about it,
-
send deceives you and saying, yeah, you can look at that on
-
your phone because you can just delete the history.
-
Yeah, you can look at that on your computer because you have
-
the ability to just delete off your browser.
-
Oh yeah. You can talk like that about
-
somebody because it's just between you and another person
-
sin deceives, you and convincing you.
-
That you can keep it in the dark.
-
But here's the reality. You may be able to fool your
-
friends. You may be able to fool your
-
husband, you may be able to fool your wife, you may be able to
-
fool, even your spiritual leaders, but there's one person
-
you cannot fool, and his name is Jesus Christ.
-
Oh, you can't fool him because he sees everything and he hears
-
everything. You better believe it.
-
When you're in your car by yourself, you know who's in the
-
car with you. Jesus Christ, when you're on the
-
phone with somebody you know who's on the phone with you.
-
Jesus Christ, when you're talking in that room when nobody
-
else is in the room, you know, who's in that room?
-
Jesus Christ. It was Joseph.
-
Who said in Genesis, 39 9. When Potiphar's wife was
-
seducing him and he could have probably got away with it for a
-
long time. This young man had this
-
Revelation that so many Christians.
-
Do not have. How can I send?
-
This is exceedingly. Great wickedness against my God.
-
Joseph knew that though. There might have not been
-
anybody else in that house. There was somebody in the house
-
God almighty. And the Numbers Chapter 12, we
Numbers 12 chapter mention
-
see Miriam and Aaron speaking against their brother speaking
-
against his wife and speaking against his ministry.
-
And at the end of verse 2, there are these four crucial words
-
that changed the whole scenario as they're gossiping as they're
-
speaking against the man of God. It says this and the Lord heard
-
it, five words. And the Lord heard it.
-
And so this is a truth that you and I must rehearse every single
-
day. God sees me and God hears me.
-
Send deceives by trying to convince even Christians that
-
they can keep it in the dark. Secondly, sin deceives by
-
attempting to convince people that it has no consequences.
-
There's a story of this circus trainer who for years, would
-
entertain people by bringing a line into a cage and walking
-
into that cage with it and doing all these tricks and arousing it
-
and getting it to Roar and to stand up and to move its paws.
-
He's been doing it for years, it's all.
-
Although this thing was a lion is as though it was his friend.
-
It's co-worker. And people would come in by the
-
droves to watch this man. Perform these tricks with this
-
lion. And day in and day out.
-
This is how he made his money day in and day out.
-
It would perform well. Until one day at the age of 35.
-
This circus trainer comes in just like any other night.
-
And he performs these tricks with this lion and all for a
-
sudden without any warning, this line that he has trained with
-
for years on end suddenly pounces upon this circus trainer
-
and grabs him by the neck and dragged him around that cage,
-
until he lost all his blood. What he thought that he could
-
tame eventually turned on him. And so many people treat their
-
sin the same way, they think that if they can just tame it if
-
they can train it that it won't get out of control and they can
-
just go on with their life without any consequences.
-
But you better believe. That the wages of sin is death.
-
You better understand. That though you might have had
-
that habit in your life. I'm talking about his habitual,
-
so we're not talking about stumbling.
-
So we're talking about habitual sin, you might have kept that
-
sin in your life for a long time and not have seen any
-
consequences, but it's coming. Oh, it's coming.
-
You just give it time and it will bring the price.
-
So many people who are habitual liars and because they've told
-
white lies our whole life think that they can continue to lie
-
without any problem and get away with it.
-
And I myself have heard stories of people who have brought that
-
lying habit into their workplace.
-
And when they brought it to the workplace and attempted to use
-
it, they've been exposed by high-profile bosses and almost
-
lost their jobs because they thought they can get away with a
-
certain responsibility by lying. There are those who gossip even
-
within the church and they come with their little gossip group
-
and spread their venom in their poison to one another.
-
And they think that, as long as it stays within the group, it
-
doesn't affect the entire Community.
-
But what they don't realize is, they're only building
-
themselves, a reputation of others to see how untrustworthy
-
they are. And here's a just a little side
-
note. If the people you talk to gossip
-
with you, they most likely gossip about you.
-
Just keep that in mind next time.
-
And there are those. Who are married?
-
Married man, and married woman. We're entertaining thoughts and
-
moving towards flirting. And being inappropriate with the
-
opposite gender, because they want to try to fulfill a little
-
fantasy in their minds. When they don't realize that
-
they're being unfaithful. And here's a strong Godly
-
warning. That little fantasy that you
-
want to try to see come to pass, will turn into a nightmare
-
before you know it. Bible says in Hebrews 13:4, let
-
marriage be held in honor among all and the marriage bed be
-
undefiled for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous
-
Sin has its consequences. But sin tries to deceive you
-
thinking, there's no consequences in fact.
-
It tries to convince people that the pleasure it offers its
-
better and worth the consequences.
-
No, this people of God, the consequences of sin last way
-
longer than the pleasure it offers in the moment.
-
Lastly. Sin deceives people and
-
convincing them that they cannot have power over it.
-
There are genuine people with a genuine sin in their life and
-
they have given up on trying to fight that sin because they feel
-
and they've been convinced that sin has too much power over them
-
and people even verbalize this and said, you know what, I think
-
this is just a part of who I am. This is just something that I'm
-
just going to have to live with. I'm not going to pursue Purity
-
anymore as a single young, man. I'm not going to pursue
-
faithfulness anymore. I'm not.
-
Pursue pure speech. I'm not going to pursue this.
-
I'm not going to pursue Holiness because I just feel as though
-
this is who I am, maybe it's generational, maybe it's
-
something that I inherited, maybe some of them just have to
-
live with the rest of my life. That is a Lie from the pit of
-
Hell. That is a lie straight from the
-
mouth of Satan himself that you cannot have the power over sin.
-
The only way that you can not have the power over sin as if
-
you're not a Christian. But if you truly been born again
-
of the spirit of God, know this, that Jesus Christ did not just
-
die for the penalty of your sin. He died for you to have the
-
power over it. That's the gospel, that's
-
salvation, not that he just takes care of the consequences
-
of your sin. He takes care of the fact that
-
you can have power over it in this life.
-
And sin says, no, no. You're gonna have to live with
-
me for the rest of your days. When the Bible says, in First
-
Peter 2:24, he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree
-
that we may die to sin and live to righteousness.
-
By stripes we have been healed It is Romans 8:13 that we must
-
put this finger on and claim the promise of that those who live
-
according to the flesh shall die.
-
But by the spirit, You can put the death, the Deeds of the body
-
and live. By the spirit, God has given us
-
every resource possible to ensure consistent victory over
-
sin. That's a promise.
-
That's not something we just sing about and wish for it's
-
something that we can experience, don't believe the
-
lie of sin. Don't believe the flesh.
-
That tells you that you can stay the way you are.
-
You can stay defeated, you can stay depressed.
-
You can stay with those thoughts.
-
Believe the word of God. Saturate yourself with the
-
scriptures call Upon Jesus. To give you the Holy Spirit and
-
he'll do it. Sin deceives.
-
By trying to whisper to you, you know, you can keep me in the
-
dark, nobody needs to know about it.
-
Send the Seas were saying, you know, you can keep me.
-
You can tame me, you can train me and nothing will get out of
-
hand. And sin deceives by saying.
-
You know what you're stuck with me for the rest of your life.
-
But know this. That God's word, triumphs over
-
every lie and we cling to the word of God.
-
Exhort one, another daily. Lest you be deceived by sin.
-
Here's what we're going to do. We're going to respond right
-
now. If there's any area in your
-
life, the Holy Spirit through his word has pressed his finger
-
upon. Don't wait till the end of the
-
service. Right now.
-
For some of you maybe God has been warning you for a long
-
time. Or maybe God is warning you for
-
the first time? Regardless know this you must
-
respond. This is an extension of Mercy.
-
The Bible says this in Proverbs 28:13, whoever conceals, whoever
-
conceals his transgression will not prosper.
-
But he who confesses and forsakes it shall obtain Mercy.
-
Stop trying to hide it. Stop trying to bury it, it will
-
come out some way some time, but if you confess it and forsake it
-
know this, there is Mercy at the end of that God wants to extend
-
his mercy. God wants to extend forgiveness,
-
but it requires confession. You cannot conceal it.
-
You must confess it. If we confess our sin, he is
-
faithful and just to forgive us. Our trespasses and to cleanse us
-
from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins, it must
-
be done in confession before God can move in and do something
-
bow. Your heads with me, please.
-
And just right now in your own heart, before we even have
-
communion today, before we even hear the second part of the
-
message, another message by Pastor Rafiq.
-
There's no rush here. Ask the Lord to do something in
-
your heart. Humble yourself before the
-
mighty hand of God and he will exalt you.
-
Ask the Lord to remove that sin in your life that you've been
-
trying to hide conceal. For the next few moments, no
-
music, no distractions, just between you and God.
-
I would encourage you to pray what David prayed in Psalms 8611
-
teach me to know your truth that I may walk in your ways.
-
O Lord and unite My Heart To Fear your name.
-
May we ask the Lord for the fear of God, may we ask the Lord for
-
forgiveness, may we ask the Lord, not just for those things,
-
but for the power to overcome, any sin and every sin, claim his
-
promises in the next few moments and seek Him, ask him to change
-
you before you walk out of these doors.
-
He's faithful to respond. Father, we pray together.
-
As a family as a body have you as you've instructed us to
-
exhort one another every day? Lest we be caught up in the
-
deception found in sin? Father, we pray that we would
-
not be deceived. You would keep our hearts soft.
-
We pray for the fear of the Living God in our hearts.
-
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, there is no
-
wisdom apart from the fear of the Lord, as being the beginning
-
of it. Help us understand the fear of
-
the Lord is a Fountain of Life help us understand that the fear
-
of the Lord is the hatred of evil.
-
Help us understand that, those who fear the lord are to you at
-
the light. Give us a hatred for sin and
-
wickedness. Give us the ability.
-
To exhort one another to encourage one another to run
-
this race and help us understand that even in your rebukes and in
-
your warnings just like a loving parent.
-
Would you do it out of love? Because you care for us and, you
-
know, the dangers that come with the things that might try to
-
attract us. You know how we are easily
-
forgettable? Concerning the dangers that
-
await us, that there is an adversary of our souls that,
-
there's this flesh, that tries to convince us.
-
Otherwise, And so, father, we pray.
-
That you would have heard the confessions, in the hearts of
-
the people, and that you would empower the people to live holy
-
before a holy God. And Lord, let us leave here with
-
this Revelation that you are a God that sees, you are a God
-
that hears and we respond to that and reverence.
-
In your name we pray. Amen.
-
In your name we pray. Amen.