LEARN FROM THE PHYSICAL
1. Suppose a farmer took his tractor and started to plow in an area that was surrounded by concrete.
2. What would we say about a man who tries to plow on and over concrete?
3. In Amos 6 the prophet asked a similar question.
4. In the first part of the 12th verse he asked if “horses” would “run upon rock.”
5. This statement is a little outside my area of expertise.
6. I made phone call to someone in the area who is knowledgeable about horses.
7. After explaining what Amos said I asked her what she thought about horses running on rocks.
8. This
woman said, “I absolutely agree with that statement” (i.e. Amos
9. She said that running on rocks will bruise a horse’s feet.
10. Running on rocks forms abrasions.
11. This damage can last for weeks and in some cases it is permanent.
12. Running horses on rocks, especially unshod horses, was so dim-witted that no one did it.
13. In the 12th verse the prophet provided a second picture.
14. He asked who would plow “there” (in rocks) with oxen?
15. What man would work his farm animals to environment that was filled with big rocks?
16. Most of the fieldwork in this country is done with tractors.
17. This allows us to ask the question I posed at the beginning of this lesson.
18. What farmer would use his tractor to plow in an area surrounded by and filled with concrete?
19. Why did Amos talk about horses, plows, and oxen?
20. What did farming have to do with God, the Bible, and salvation?
21. The connection is this.
22. We know how things operate in the physical realm.
23. We know what everyday life is like. The same was true in the days of Amos.
24. Amos 6:12 says that if we understand the physical we should also understand the spiritual.
25. The people knew that having horses run upon rocks mattered. That was a bad thing.
26. No man in Israel was willing to take his oxen and run his plow over a bunch of rocks.
27. These Hebrews knew how the secular world operated.
28. However, they failed to apply their knowledge to the spiritual realm.
29. These people did the things listed in 12b.
30. They turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood.
31. Then they said, (5:14), “God is with us.”
32. These people said that in the physical real it mattered how they did things.
33. It mattered how they treated their horses.
34. It mattered where they plowed.
35. In the physical realm things needed to be done in the right way.
36. In the spiritual realm they said that things didn’t matter. There was a different set of rules.
37. God was a gracious and loving God who wouldn’t mind what they did.
38. These people believed that there the laws in the physical and spiritual realms were unconnected.
39. WE HAVE A SOCIETY FULL OF PEOPLE WHO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE SECULAR WORLD OPERATES.
A. Think about some of the signs in our world.
B. Some signs say, “handicap parking.” What does that sign mean?
C. How many reason, “The sign does not say, “If I am not handicapped I cannot park here.”
D. The sign specifies who has the right to park in that space and we understand that.
E. No one has any difficulty accepting this principle.
F. Amos 6:12 tells us to apply this same principle to the spiritual realm.
G. When we in the church do this people look at us like we are insane.
H. In Mk. 16:16 Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.”
I. The end of the verse says, “He that disbelieveth shall be condemned.”
J. No one has a problem with the handicap sign – “Handicapped parking only.”
K. What do people say about “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved”?
L. Many jump up and say, “The text doesn’t say anything about not being baptized?
M. Where does the handicapped sign say, “He that is not handicapped...”
N. The people in the days of Amos understand the physical but claimed to be confused by the spiritual.
O. This same claim is being made today.
P. The prophet said, “It won’t work. It doesn’t wash”
Q. “If we are smart enough to figure out the physical world, we know how the spiritual realm works.”
40. At different times within the church we speak about having authority for what we do.
41. We stress the need for having God’s stamp of approval on what we do.
42. When we tell others about the need for authority some look at us with perplexity.
43. Our stance on instrumental music makes some shake their heads.
44. Yet, if we were dealing with the physical realm people would agree with us.
45. Suppose that We want someone to contact us.
46. We tell them to call us tomorrow morning.
47. We specifically tell them to phone us.
48. We have given them a general time period (morning) and specific means of communication.
49. If we are serious about our request and the person does as we have asked they will phone us.
50. This is so simple it is almost a waste of time to make mention of it.
51. Amos 6 says that we must apply this principle in the spiritual realm. People don’t.
52. When it comes to music and New Testament worship God gave some instructions.
53. He said sing. He said, to use our lips (Heb. 13:15).
54. We are to worship God by signing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, Col. 3:16.
55. These commands are specific.
56. Though they are specific many offer worship that consists of singing and a musical instrument.
57. Sometimes the rationale for using man made instruments goes something like this.
58. “In the physical realm someone may ask us to call them.”
59. “Instead of calling them we send them an e-mail.”
60. “As long as contact was made the method didn’t matter.”
61. “The same is true with God. We wants to be worshipped and we may do that in a variety of ways.”
62. “As long as God is praised and worshipped the methods the way is unimportant.”
63. When we deal with people we approach instructions in different ways.
A. Some instructions are followed to the letter.
B. Other instructions are not followed too closely.
C. Someone may ask us to call but we send an e-mail.
D. In the world can vary from situation to situation.
E. What about God and His instructions?
F. The world teaches us that some instructions must be followed to the letter and others are flexible.
G. What does God say about His commands?
H. Many believe that God’s instructions come with some flexibility.
I. God may have said to sing, but He will not mind if people provide an instrumental accompaniment.
J. He said that people must believe and be baptized but baptism is not really necessary.
K. How do we know how carefully we must follow God’s instructions?
64. At least three passages in the New Testament answer this question.
65. These passages are Rom. 6:17; 2 Tim. 1:13; Heb. 8:5.
A. In Rom. 6:17 Paul said, QUOTE.
B. Paul spoke of a form of doctrine (teaching).
C. A study of the word translated form is revealing.
D. This same word is used in Jn. 20:25.
E. In this passage Thomas said I want to see the print (same word) of the nails.
F. When Jesus was nailed to the cross damage was done to His hands.
G. Thomas said, “I want to see the damage. Show me the marks.”
H. This was a pattern of damage done to the Lord’s body.
I. The same word is used in Acts 7:44 and I will read this passage.
J. This text describes the building of the tabernacle.
K. READ Acts 7:44.
L. God had a pattern for the tabernacle.
M. God said, “Make it according to the pattern; follow the blueprint; use my instructions.”
N. In the secular realm we understand how this works.
O. If we go to work in a factory and someone says, “Follow this pattern” we are supposed to do that.
P. Deviating from the pattern is breaking the instructions.
Q. In the Old Testament God told the people to follow His instructions..
R. In fact, Heb. 8:5 (which uses the same word as Acts 7:44, Jn. 20:25 & Rom. 16:17 says – QUOTE).
S. Under the Old Testament God did not allow His people to do things as they wanted.
T. God gave a specific pattern (design) for the people to follow.
66. We are not under that covenant.
67. What does the New Testament say regarding God’s instructions?
68. 2 Tim. 1:13 tells us. READ.
69. The KJV uses the word form; the ASV has pattern.
70. Listen to how Henry Thayer defined the original word.
71. “The pattern placed before one to be held fast and copied.”
72. The apostle told a preacher, “Here is a model. This is the way things are to be done.”
73. “Follow my directions. Do as I say.”
74. God means what He says. He gave us a specific way to do things and He expects us to follow it.
75. Yet, some are not convinced.
A. Insisting that we do things just like the model prescribes is called legalism.
B. Staying with the pattern makes some uncomfortable.
C. Those who call people to follow God’s pattern are labeled traditionalists.
D. It is said that we are staying with “old thinking.”
76. Creative explanations are offered in an attempt to deny the need to follow a pattern.
77. These explanations cause the blind to lead the blind (Mt. 15:14).
A. Who here has not seen a sign on a door that deals with authority.
B. Signs say things like, “no unauthorized entry.”
C. “Authorized personnel only beyond this point.”
D. “This is a restricted area.”
78. We know what these signs mean in the physical realm.
79. In the word of God we are also told about unauthorized entries.
A. God said that adding to and taking away from His word are unauthorized acts
B. We are authorized to teach and bind what is in scripture but nothing else.
C. Doing things that we have no Bible authority for is just like entering into a forbidden area.
D. It’s wrong. That area is off limits.
E. In so many cases people say, “I don’t understand the Bible.”
F. “I don’t know how to determine what parts apply to me and what parts don’t.”
G. Amos 6 says, “Look at the physical world.”
H. The last night of our meeting Melvin touched on this subject.
I. He suggested that we consider a combination lock.
J. To get that lock open we must follow certain steps.
K. There is a pattern that requires us to take specific steps.
L. Some destinations may only be arrived at by going one way.
M. We understand these things in the secular world.
N. When the Bible says there is one way and one church people say that cannot be.
O. In the spiritual realm people say we are “narrow minded.”
P. Melvin also suggested that people understand my wife, my house, my money, and my car.
Q. When it comes to Jesus saying “my church” people begin to scratch their heads.
80. The principles we use in everyday life are the same principles used in scripture.
81. In life we know that some commands are limited to certain people.
82. We understand that some commands are temporary or are limited to a certain class of people.
83. We also realize that some instructions must be strictly followed.
84. Other instructions are general in nature and we have the right to treat them more loosely.
85. If we as a group of people understand the physical but fail to apply this knowledge to the spiritual,
86. We will be destroyed. Amos 6:8-9.
87. A day of eternal destruction is coming.
88. The physical world tells us to prepare for calamities. The same is true for the spiritual.
89. Are we ready to meet the Lord?