August 4
2 Chronicles 36:1-4; 2 Kings 23:31-37; 2 Chronicles 36:5, Jeremiah 22:1-23, 26:1-24; 2 Kings 24:1-4; Jeremiah 25:1-14
Last year I gave the eulogy at my brother Donald's funeral. In the weeks that preceded this day, in preparation, I often sat with pen and paper and felt blocked. I continued to pray about it, but felt like I was forcing the words. Then, I could tell when the words were coming from the Holy Spirit, and not from me, because within 10-15 minutes practically everything came to me. Interestingly, after speaking about my brother's life, I spent the remainder of the time on our hope in Jesus Christ, as I presented the Good news or the gospel message. I'm not sure how this was received, as many had heard this in the past, and many did not appreciate it. Everything in the flesh seeks to soften the message so as to keep it pleasant and popular. But, this is not what we are commanded to do, no matter what the circumstance might be. Yes, be sensitive, but, no, don't compromise with the truth of the gospel message.
Our situations are often so much less dangerous as those who boldly proclaimed the truth in Scripture. We read in Jeremiah 26:2-3, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word. Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’" Notice God's instructions to His servant, Jeremiah, "Do not diminish a word". Was his message received well? We read in 26:8, "Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die!" Did he compromise then, after the threat of death? No! He would not compromise on God's message.
How about us? Do we compromise? It's only natural, as everyone wants to be liked. But when we compromise from the truth of God's message, it is sin. Softening God's truth, leaving out certain truths, redirecting conversations to deflect once conversations get uncomfortable are all ways of compromise. Should we be sensitive? Of course. There are also a multitude of ways to enter into the conversation, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, " and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." So it is with us, may we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we direct God's truth to varying audiences, but in the process, may we never toy with or compromise with the truth of the gospel message, salvation in the name of Jesus Christ, and no other.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: