LOOK UP! (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   We closed last week’s 1^st lesson with two verses.

1.    Psalm 121:1

 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

 

2.    Psalm 123:1

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

 

B.   We noted that these verses could have been the foundational verses to our lesson last week which was entitled:  “Look Up!”

 

C.   We enlarged on the idea that there are times in our lives as God’s children that we must look up.

1.    We must look up when we are tempted.

2.    We must look up when we are persecuted.

3.    We must look up when we find ourselves in tragedy.

4.    We must look up when God blesses our lives.

 

D.   The title of our lesson this morning is:  “Look Up! (2).”  Let’s investigate some other times that arise in our lives when we need to look up to God.

 

I.             WE NEED TO LOOK UP IN TIMES OF DECISION-MAKING

 

A.   Life is filled with decisions. 

1.    Some decisions are relatively simple.

2.    Others are much more difficult and impact our lives and the lives of others with whom we are associated.

3.    There are some decisions that impact our spiritual man.

 

B.   When decisions come into our lives, our answer should always begin with a look up to the heavenly Father. 

 

C.   The example of Esther.

1.    Haman had the king of Persian sign a decree stating that the Jews were to be destroyed on the 13^th day of the 12^th month, the month of Adar (Est. 3:13).

2.    Esther was already sitting upon the throne. 

3.    Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, made contact with Esther and informed her of the decree. 

4.    He issued a charge to Esther “that she should go in unto the king, and make supplication unto him, and make request before him for her people” (Est. 4:8).

5.    Esther had a decision to make.  At first, her eyes were focused only on the present. 

a.    There was a Persian law that said whoever entered into the presence of the king who was not called would be put to death unless the king held out the golden scepter to him (Est. 4:11).

b.    “…but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days” (Est. 4:11).

6.    When this was reported to Mordecai, he refocused her thinking.  He told her three things (Est. 4:13-14).

a.    She and her father’s house would not escape the destruction to be brought upon the Jews.  (She and her family were part of God’s covenant people).

b.    Enlargement and deliverance would arise to the Jews from another place.  (God was involved in the affairs of the Jews).

c.     “…and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Est. 4:14).  (It may have been that God’s providence had brought her to the kingdom for this very moment).

7.    With the right focus, Esther made the right decision (Est. 4:16).

 

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day:  I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law:  and if I perish, I perish.

 

D.   When we have to make decisions, we need to look up and consider God’s will for our lives.

1.    Decisions should not be based solely on popularity.

Decisions should not be based solely on profit.

Decisions should not be based solely on power.

Decisions should not be based solely on personal desires.

Decisions should not be based solely on promises of man.

2.    In James 4, there were some individuals who made decisions about their lives without involving God in them. 

a.    We make decisions about tomorrow not even knowing if tomorrow will be ours.

b.    “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we will live, and do this, or that.  But now ye rejoicing in your boastings:  all such rejoicing is evil” (Jam. 4:15-16).

 

II.           WE NEED TO LOOK UP IN TIMES OF DISCOURAGEMENT

 

A.   To be encouraged means that we have heart. 

To be discouraged means that we lose heart.

 

B.   It is not uncommon for God’s people to get discouraged.  There seems to be two main reasons we grow weary and become pessimistic.

1.    We listen to the naysayers. 

2.    We can only see the problems, the negatives, and the reasons why things cannot be done.

 

C.   There are many of God’s people who grew discouraged.

1.    Israel after the spies were sent into the Promised Land (Num. 14:1-5)

2.    Elijah when he was being pursued by the wicked Jezebel (1 Kings 19:4)

3.    The Jews who saw the smaller temple when they returned from Babylonian captivity (Hag. 2:3)

4.    The two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:21)

5.    The Hebrew Christians who were suffering mild forms of persecution (Heb. 12:4)

 

D.   When we are discouraged, we slowly mope along with our heads down and our arms and hands hanging by our sides.  What we need to do is look up!

1.    Look up to God for power and resources.

2.    Look up for answers and possibilities.

3.    Look up for victory, even in the face of defeat.

E.   Two examples:

1.    Joshua and Caleb before Israel (Num. 14:8-9).

 

If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.  Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us:  their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us:  fear them not.

 

2.    Hannah who was discouraged about not having a son, but looked up to God in prayer for a man-child (1 Sam. 1:11).

 

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

 

III.        WE NEED TO LOOK UP WHEN IN FEAR

 

A.   Fear involves a perceived threat and harm that comes from the threat.

 

B.   Fear will make us do many things contrary to God’s will.

1.    Surrender

2.    Compromise

3.    Be paralyzed

4.    Flee

 

C.   In the account of David and Goliath, the difference between the army of Israel and David involved where they were looking.

1.    Saul and his armies kept their eyes on Goliath.

2.    David’s eyes were focused upward on God.

a.    1 Samuel 17:37

 

David said moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…

 

b.    1 Samuel 17:45-46

 

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a  shield:  but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.  This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand…

 

c.     We are reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28.

 

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:  but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

D.   When in fear, we need to look up for these things.

1.    God’s power:  The same God who delivered the three Hebrew youths from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lion’s den, and Peter from prison can deliver us from our adversaries.

2.    God’s approval:  Stephen did not cower in fear before the Jewish counsel, and his courage was met with Jesus standing on the right hand of God as a witness to Stephen’s martyrdom, (Acts 7:55-56).

3.    God’s reward:  Jesus did not fear the Jews or the Romans.  He told the penitent thief that today thou shalt be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

IV.         WE NEED TO LOOK UP IN DEATH

 

A.   Death is a reality. 

Death will overtake us all. 

Every one of us have had to deal with the death of others in our lives. 

But, we do not enjoy discussing death.

 

B.   When individuals die, we look at:

1.    The dead body

2.    The casket

3.    The grave site

4.    The grieving family

5.    The changes that happen in the family

 

C.   When death comes, especially for the Christian, we need to look up.

1.    The presence of deity

2.    A life described by the word “eternal.”

3.    A new body that is incorruptible and spiritual

4.    A home Jesus calls a mansion

5.    The absence of sorrow, grief, and pain

6.    The absence of everything sinful

7.    The splendors of a realm called Heaven

8.    A reunion with loved ones and friends who have gone before

9.    The victory over all of our enemies

10.  A beginning described with such words as joy, peace, comfort, and praise.

 

D.   Two verses:

1.    God knows that which awaits the faithful when he dies (Ps. 116:15).

 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

 

2.    Paul understood the advantage and profit of death (Phil. 1:21).

 

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Satan will always try to keep us looking anywhere but up.

 

B.   For the Christian, however, the only direction he should be looking is up.

 

C.   Looking up

1.    Sets our sights on God.

2.    Lifts our spirits.

3.    Points us in the direction of what’s important.

4.    Gets our eyes off the things that are temporal.

5.    Reminds us of our real home.

 

D.   We must develop the outlook of the great patriarch by the name of Abraham (Heb. 11:9-10).

 

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.