(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

So if you remember last week we actually ended there verses 31 of chapter 6 31 through 35 kind of set up chapter 7 and that's when you had You know the the story of the two women Boiling their sons and they're crying out to the king and he rends his clothes and it says in chapter 6 verse 31 then said he said God do so more and also to me at the head of Elisha son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day and It talks about how Elisha was sat down in the elders and the king sends this messenger Elisha says hey here comes the messenger when he gets here hold him fast and you know I'm gonna have a talk with him and he said that's where that speech begins there in chapter 7 verse 1 So he's speaking to the king's messenger in chapter 7 verse 1 that had been sent unto him and it says then Elisha said hear ye the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour he sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria and The reason why that's significant is because of the fact remember in chapter 6 we read about this great Famine that's taking place where they're eating cat, you know They're eating doves dung and they're eating the asses head It's all being sold for a real high amount of money, you know silver pieces So this is why this is kind of a miracle that he's explaining here and that's why in verse 2 you have this Lord that was already sitting there with Elisha this so he's already there with him because again It says in chapter 6 verse 32 Elisha sat in his house and the elders sat with him So some of the more prominent men in the city people that were advisors to the king had gone to Elisha's house and were there when this messenger showed up and One particular Lord who sat with Elisha when he hears this prophecy that Elisha gives out saying hey tomorrow about this time You know, there's gonna be fine flour There's gonna be barley for sold in the gate of Samaria This one Lord that's sitting there on who's the king and on whose hand the king leaned, you know So this is a very important person. Someone is very close to the king himself So much so that the king leans on him That's the picture there that he's somebody that he would go to for advice and direction He answers the man of God Elisha and said behold if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be you know? So he's saying even if God were to open up the the windows of heaven right now with how it is Would this even be possible? So he's expressing his doubt in what Elisha had said and he said behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes But shall not eat thereof and you know this kind of gets replayed again here at the end of the chapter We'll come back to that. So that's kind of what's being set up here again reminding us of the fact that you know Samaria's being besieged and they're starving to death and notice in verse 3 We read about these four leprous men It says there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate and you know them being leprous They are basically outcasts of society and they basically have a death sentence, you know when you get leprosy It's really just a matter of time until that disease just takes your life and cuts your life off short so these four men who are leprous are just sitting outside the gate and They have this death sentence and then notice there at the end of verse 3 and they said one to another why sit here Why we sit we here until we die and this is a really great Question that I think we should all ask ourselves, you know this is something that Christians need to ask themselves when it comes to their service or lack thereof because While we might not be leprous why we might not have some disease that's going to take our life What we all have to understand is that we are all under a death sentence that we all have a limited time amount Excuse me a limited amount of time on this earth that it's only a matter of time till we die We like to think it's going to be many many many years in the future We would like to think it's going to be after we've lived a long and full life But the fact is is that none of us knows what shall be on the morrow You know we could die tonight. We could all be cut off very early We like these leprous men are under a curse of death whether it's at the end of our lives very late Or whether the end of our life becomes even sooner and they ask this question while they're sitting out there in the gate Why sit here we here until we die. This is something that Christians need to ask themselves from time to time You know some of us should ask ourselves this same question Why are we in life just sitting here and not doing anything? That's basically what they're saying Why are we just sitting here not doing anything you know and a lot of Christians? This is how they live their life They just they get saved and they just kind of sit, and they really don't do anything for God You know in fact. That's probably the case of the vast majority of saved people I Mean otherwise why isn't why aren't more works being done for God? Why aren't more churches filled? Why aren't why why why is false doctrine so not being refuted because there's so many Christians reading their Bibles I'll tell you why it's because there's not a whole lot of Christians reading their Bibles Why aren't souls being saved and massed because a lot of Christians in their life are like these four leprous men That are just sitting there and at least these men these lepers with really nothing to live for at least had enough sense to Ask the question. Why do we just sit here until we die you know and this is what Christians need to ask themselves Why are we just sitting here and not doing anything for God now obviously some of us would say well I am doing things for God and praise God for that But if we find ourselves to be one who's just you know Spiritually just someone who's just kind of sitting around at the gate not doing anything We need to ask ourselves the same question. Why do we just sit here until we die? You know and I want to answer that question I would like obviously it's it would be a litany of things to sit there and try and cover and There might be more specific reasons that are beyond my understanding of why some Christians Just sit there in the Christian life and don't seem to do anything for God, but I think there are some general answers There's some answers that might give some idea Why some Christians just sit there until they die and not do anything if you would keep something there of course and second Kings But go to Luke chapter 12 Luke chapter number 12 You're a lot of Christians today. They're just sitting around. They're just Slothful you know and we might be sitting there tonight and say well Not me you know I Do the Bible reading and I pray and I go out soul winning and I'm faithful to church And I do all these things that I'm supposed to do for God praise God for that you know But here's my advice to you is keep that going maintain that momentum Because it's a lot easier to keep things rolling when you've already got them rolling When you get out of church, it's hard to get back in church when you stop reading the Bible. It's harder to start reading it again When you memorize something and then you forget to remember it to retain it it gets a lot It's harder to Rememorize that same passage or whatever it is when you get out of soul winning and you get rusty It's harder to get back into it. You know if you're sitting that you know if you're out there tonight You're saying well. I'm not just sitting here around in the Christian life I am doing something praise God God bless you, but my warning to you is keep that momentum going But the fact is that there's many that would have to ask that same question. Why are we just sitting here I? Think I might have a few answers I Think one is you know probably just because of laziness You know because the Christian life is work it is discipline to get up and read your Bible It is discipline to pray and to go soul-witting it is discipline even to come to church albeit You know I don't see how it's that difficult of a thing to just come and sit in a church building That's air. You know has air conditioning But it is a discipline nonetheless to make yourself come down here and sit down and hear of the preaching word of God So why is it that some don't do it laziness? It's as simple as that. They just don't want to they're Distracted by other things that's another thing that keeps Christians. Just sitting around is The distraction the the love of other things the the cares of this world creeping in look there in Luke chapter 12 verse 35 It says let your loins be girded about and your lights burning You know the idea of letting your loins be girded I mean, you know girding up your loins that was something they would do to prepare for action You know they would curd up their their garments. They would tuck them in they would get ready to work That's what Jesus is saying here let your loins be girded about and your lights burning. You know get the light on What is he saying be ready for action? Don't be somebody that just sits there do something And he goes on in verse 36 and he ourselves liken to men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding That when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately And this is the idea that I want to get across here Is that the one the reasons you don't want to sit around and not do anything is that Jesus is coming back? That we are to be like men that wait for their Lord you know and this is something that Christians need to get through their head and They and they don't they they get lazy and they get distracted by other things You know and probably one of the most distracting things today is money That's probably something that distracts Christians more than anything is just making money You know and and I I heard I you know I was up in Tempe last night And I heard pastor Anderson say this he said this in a couple sermons I wholeheartedly agree with it. It would be letter. It would be better to just let your finances go to pot and serve God Than to just make your life all about getting your finances right making sure you make enough money and all those things it would be Better for you to just let all you know let your finances remain bad and continue to serve God Because here's the thing let's say you just stop serving God You just don't do anything you get distracted about just making money and getting your finances in order and making sure Everything's just the way you want it financially right You're gonna get to heaven and God's gonna pat you on the back for that think again God's gonna go. Oh, you know, what'd you do down there? Well, you know, I got six months of savings in the bank and What else did you do? Well, you know I didn't have any debt Okay, what else well, I had a pretty nice new car and look I'm not against any of these things But if these are the things that are gonna distract us from serving God I'd rather you know walk to church walk where I need to go I'd rather be up to my eyeballs in debt and get to heaven and say well I went soul-winning I didn't let that distract me. I went out there. I read my Bible. I got soul saved. I was in church I would rather do that and have God say well, you know, your finances were a bit of a mess But so what in eternity and look this is what we have to be in In it, you know it to not be people that just sit around and not do anything We have to be like men what that what wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding When he will return from the wedding That when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him and not just open up up to him like oh, he's here Let's go get the door. I mean immediately it's the idea that they're watching that they're waiting that they're looking for him and if we're not if we're not living in the reality that we're going to face Christ that we are going to See Christ that we are going to be in the presence of God at the end of our life Whenever that comes if we do not live in that reality We will not be men that live that like they're waiting for their Lord will be like men that are just sitting around just passing time and Hopefully, you know, you know what I'm trying to get anyone in that case to do tonight is to ask yourself Why sit we here till we die? Why are you just sitting there? He goes on and says blessed verse 37 are those servants for whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching watching Waiting very last saying to you He shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meet and will come forth and serve them And if he shall come in the second watch or come the third watch and find and find them So blessed are those servants who are the servants that are going to be blessed? The ones that are watching the ones that have are have their loins gird about the ones that have their lights burning The ones that are ready to open immediately the ones that aren't just sitting around until they die Those are the ones that are gonna be blessed In fact, so blessed that the Lord is going to gird himself and serve them for their service to him But you know what that tells me is that there's a whole other group of servants that aren't going to be blessed That aren't gonna have that honor Hmm look at verse 39 and this know that if the Goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would have come he Would have watched him not have suffered his house to be broken through Be he therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not Then Peter said unto him Lord speakest thou this parable unto us or even to all It's to all and I love Jesus doesn't really answer. He just keeps going you figure it out Peter Then the Lord said who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler over his house and to Give him their portion of meat and deuce season blessed. Is that servant whom is Lord when he cometh shall find so doing So being faithful being wise doing of a truth I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he hath You know the wise Stewart the faithful steward the one who's going to be doing something The one is not just going to be sitting around until they die doing nothing for God is going to be the one that is Made ruler over all that he hath He'll hear those words be thou over ten cities be thou over five cities But it's not going to be the guy this Christian that just spends his life just sitting around distracted lazy Of a truth I say unto you make him ruler over all that he hath verse 45 But and if that servants say in his heart my Lord delay at this coming day And shall begin to beat the men servants and the maidens and to eat and to drink and to be drunken the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and an hour when he's not aware and will Cut him in sunder and will appoint him in his portion with the unbelievers So there's two groups of servants both servants you got one group who is Going to be blessed because they're wise because they're faithful because they have their loins good about because the light is burning because they're doing They're not just sitting around until they die that's one group of servants But then you have this other group weren't you're gonna be rewarded in fact They're gonna be cut asunder and given their portion with the hypocrites and one characteristic of them Is that rather than doing something for the God what they do is sit around and they're drunken You know they're just distracted with the things of the world, and then they beat the other servants the good ones You know we could apply that and in the sense of you know Maybe where there's it a physical beating that gets told out we know a lot of times the Christians that are the most The ones that are doing the least for God are the only ones that could just look around at all the other servants just start to Pick them apart about all these little things But here's what's gonna happen to those people It says the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him in an hour when he is not aware And what cut him in sunder and will point him with his portion with the hypocrite with the unbelievers excuse me Now some people might say well, I'm not sure I'm not sure I'm not sure I'm not sure I'm not sure I'm not sure Now some people might read that say is he's saying they're gonna be unsaved That's not when he said because remember it's the portion of the unbelievers okay the portion That's what his portion is going to be the punishment of an unbeliever is hell Okay, but what is the portion of an unbeliever not their punishment? That's how but what portion of is an unbeliever gonna receive from God what portion he's gonna get nothing He gets nothing his punishment is hell, but the portion that he gets is nothing so this is what the the the slothful servants the Critical servants the drunkards the ones that beat the ones that aren't wise the ones that waste time This is what they'll get they'll have the same portion as some unbeliever in hell in the sense that they'll get nothing on That day they have nothing That's what it means that they are going to receive that portion with the unbelievers. I believe You notice he said there and will cut him in sunder, and I don't mean he thinks he's gonna cut him in half Although maybe that was the you know the analogy he was using But I believe there's what he's saying here is there's going to be a very sharp distinction between the wise and faithful steward and the Unfaithful steward there's gonna be a they're gonna be cut in sunder There's gonna be a distinction between those two, and I'm telling you right now. There will be an eternal Distinction between the faithful and unfaithful servants There will be a eternal distinction between the wise and unwise servants in heaven Don't get this idea that when we all get to heaven. It's gonna be some big communist You know get together up there. We're not a bunch of socialists in heaven. We're all gonna get an equal portion That's not what the Bible says You know some people are gonna be cut and sunder and be like oh those are those unwise servants. Yeah, they're saved Yeah, they have the righteousness of Christ, and they're sure glad to be there But there will be an eternal distinction throughout all of eternity We will know who has been the wise servants and who was not See why are you always getting after me about living for the Lord? Why are you always getting about after me about winning souls and come to church? You know let me tell you why it's because I don't want you to be that one That's been cut and sunder and sitting over in you know the lame-o party over there That's way in the back in glory. You know. Oh, where's he at when you could have been right up front? You could have had a great reward When you cut it you know if you had done something in the Christian life, that's why I preach these things That's why I'm always getting after it because of that eternal distinction go to James chapter number one James chapter number one The Bible teaches in Daniel tap Daniel chapter 12 and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake He's talking about the resurrection Some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting content and they that what be wise Is now we just read in Luke who then is that faithful and wise steward They that what be wise Shall shine as the brightness of the firmament And this isn't just flowery talk folks This isn't just some Baptist fairy tale that we dreamed up. This is what the Bible says The Bible says those that are wise those that are faithful the good Faithful steward who was about doing his Lord's work who was looking for his Lord who had his light burning who had his loins Good about and was looking for him and answered immediately was not just sitting around until he died that that individual Is going to shine as the firmament in heaven? And not everyone gets that and They shall turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever there'll be different. I'll be there will be Different levels of glory that we are rewarded with in heaven Some will be cut and sunder we're gonna you know, I don't I just don't want you to be the dim crowd. I Don't want that part of heaven where you know faithful word Tucson got together, you know, that's the that's the dimmer part of heaven You know, we should all strive to be that bright Shining star in heaven, but you know what? You're not gonna get that by just sitting around until you die That's why it says there in James chapter 1 verse 22, but be doers of the word and not hearers only doers It's not enough to just read it. It's not enough to come to church and hear it You got to do it be doers of the word and not here is only deceiving your own selves For if any be here of the word and what not a doer He is likened to a man beholding his natural face in the glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straight away Forget it what manner of man he was but who so looketh in the perfect law of liberty and continue it there in He being not a forgetful here, but a doer of the work. This man shall be blessed in his deed You know one reason why Christians just sit around and don't do anything It's because they're just lazy it's because they're just distracted it's because they got their priorities wrong I Think another reason why some Christians Might just not do anything is because of the fact that they have a feeling of inadequacy They just think you know, well, I just can't that's really soul winning is not my spiritual gift God couldn't use me in some way. You know, I I couldn't be a preacher. I Couldn't handle that, you know God, who am I and you know, it's this it's this Fake humility is what it is They might genuinely mean it but it's it's kind of an insincere humility. I Know already turned away, but you know in Luke we're reading he starts that whole passage by saying fear not little flock You know, we shouldn't be people who don't do things out of a sense of inadequacy or because we're fearful We just don't feel like we're up to the test. I mean good night in our story. God's using four lepers For outcasts in society for people that you know Others would have just walked by and never given the time of day to that's who God used The Bible tells us that God uses the weak things that God uses the base things that God uses those things which are not to confound the wise So that's not an excuse Going back to our story it says there in verse 4 if we say we will enter into the city Then the famine is in the city and we shall die and if we sit here we die also now therefore come let us fall Onto the host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die Look we're all gonna die folks Death certain whether we're doing this death is certain whether we're doing that Death is certain whether we're doing this no matter what you're gonna do in life. Eventually. It's gonna end and We might not we might think down here that the things of God aren't that important that's gonna last all about half a second As soon as you get there It's instantly gonna hit you like a ton of bricks. Whoops Should have listened the preacher should have done what the Bible said should have been a wise and faithful steward And look this this idea of not doing things because You're you don't feel like it's your calling or you know, it's you're just kind of inadequate in some way You know, that's that's not an excuse God's using lepers And the fact is is that you know, if we'll begin to do our part God will do his that's what you see in the story. Look there in verse 5 It says, you know, they come to their senses and say we're gonna die no matter what let's just see what it's gonna happen Who knows? Let's just give this a try verse 5 It says and they rose up and notice this in the twilight To go on to the camp of the Syrians and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria behold There was no man there. So they're going there just anticipating that they're gonna go to they don't know what's gonna happen They might kill us. They might let us live who knows But notice that he rose up in the twilight and they find that there's no man there verse 6 for the Lord had made the Host of the Assyrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horse horses Even the noise of a great host and they said one to another the Syrians Lo the king of Israel hath hired against us the king of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us So God, you know works this great miracle And you know, the the lepers are going there. They don't know what's gonna happen And look there what kind of a fight are they gonna put up against such a you know, formidable foe. They're not going to But notice that when they start to walk Towards doing something when they get up when they decide they're not just gonna sit there until they die and actually try to do something With their lives when they actually start to do that. God starts to move and God works a miracle for four lepers Who really, you know, and by all accounts It would probably be the last people you'd expect to accomplish anything let alone deliver an entire city from the Syrians and notice there again in verse 5 it says and they rose up in the twilight and Then they go down there and and it caught the Lord causes the host of the Syrians to hear this noise of chariots to hear This noise of horses to hear the noise of a great host to the point where they say that that the Israel have hired kings Against us and to come upon us and it says in verse 7 wherefore they what arose and fled in the twilight So it's this idea that as soon as they started walking towards the Syrians God moved They walk towards them and they say hey, let's get up and go in the twilight When do the Syrians hear this the these armies that? Coming or that God made sound like they were coming when does they finally this miracle start to work? This miracle start to work when do they hear that in the twilight? Not a moment before not a moment after as soon as they started walking towards doing something God started moving and look I don't care where you are in life right now I don't care if you're backslidden. I don't care if you haven't been serving God I don't care if your heart has grown cold to the things of God if you would just get a little Emberlet and if in your heart and if you would just take one tiny step towards God God would begin to move towards you I believe that I Don't believe any of us in this room can sit there and say well, I've just I'm just so far back I was just so way far away from the will of God. I'm just so far Removed from the things of God that there's just there's just no point in me coming back and trying That's not what we see in this story As soon as as soon as these four leprous men who were of honestly when it comes to you know physical strength worthless Get up and go and walk towards the very army that is besieging their city God begins to move towards them at the exact same time The Bible says in James, you know, I won't have you go back there But it says in James draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you And sometimes Christians sit there and they wonder why does God seem so far away from why does it seem like God's involved in my Life, why does it seem like God's blessing me and helping me and aiding me and giving me wisdom and knowledge and understanding? Why does it seem like there's just such a gulf between me and God? Because you don't want to draw nigh Your God is so far away from you because you're so far away from God That's the truth God is ready willing able and wanting To have a relationship and to bless and to guide and to lead every single one of his children But the stipulation is is that they have to take that step towards him That they have to draw an eye to him Let me give you a reason why you should you know a reason why you shouldn't just sit around on what God gave you Why you shouldn't just you know as the saying goes, you know stand on the on the promises while you're sitting on the premises Don't sit and what God gave you look there in verse 9 then said they want to another we do not well This is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace So if you remember the story in verse 8 they show up and they go into the first tent and they spoil it they eat They drink that's code and they go and hide the treasure and say it's good Let's go check this other tent out more of the same and then they kind of come to their senses and they realize hey this All of our kinsfolk all of our friends all of our family are back there starving. This isn't a good idea We should probably tell them about this They said one to another we do not well What do you mean you don't do well you're a leper and you just walked into the host of a great army Right after they fled after God did a great work for you and you're filling your belly And you got all the riches you got all the clothes you got all the garments you got all these things you got all this stuff What do you mean you're not doing well? We're saying we don't do well not because we don't have all these things but because this is a day of good tidings We have good news to tell And we hold our peace And we hold our peace If we tarry till the morning light some mischiefs will come upon us now now therefore come that we may go and tell the king's household You know don't just sit around On what God has given you and the fact is is that you know God has delivered every single one of us if we're saved God has scattered the enemy from us God has separated us from our sins will net we're not going to be defeated by death ultimately We're gonna live forever through Christ. We have eternal life We're not going to go to hell. We've been delivered from that great foe called death and hell But do we just sit around on that Well, we just sit with all of our deliverance with all the things that God has given us and do nothing with it That's what these guys come to their sense came to their senses to they say wait a minute We don't do good to just sit here And they went in there and then they said wait what we're doing now isn't good either I know we've been delivered, but you know what we have what good tidings Which is literally what the gospel means glad tidings of great. Joy. That's what the gospel is So couldn't every single one of us say today that we have good tidings we do as A matter of fact we have the greatest news anyone has ever heard and ever will hear that Christ saves That hell can be avoided that Jesus has done it all that he has died that he's been buried and he's been risen again And if we would just believe he would give us eternal life as a free gift. That's the greatest news anyone could ever hear But what are we doing with it? Sitting around in a tent looking at all our stuff Eaten Or we just are we gonna do something with that When there's people there's a city, you know, Samaria is just over the hill and they're starving and we've got the good news That the enemy has been defeated And He goes on and says if we tarry till the morning light some mischief will come upon us You know if we just sit around on our glad tidings if we just sit around on the good news Eventually, you know Christ is going to come that morning is going to break and there's going to be some mischief coming for some people It's gonna be too late for some people. They're gonna die and go to hell If we Terry now therefore come that we go and tell go and tell See we want everyone to come to us A lot of Baptist churches. That's what they want to do Now they just want to put on a show at church and preach a bunch of people down an aisle Rather than actually go and tell like Jesus said go ye into all the world Go and tell Go and tell who the king's household the king's household look if we would take these glad tidings that we have and Leave our comfortable little tent behind for a little while and go to a place where people need to hear it Go and tell people who are under fear of death who are under Bondage who are in some city spiritually speaking quaking and trembling and starving if we would go and tell them You know what? They would become they would become children of the king. They would become part of the king's household You know if we would go tell them we would be going and telling the king's household in a sense with me There's people out there that would get saved if someone would come and preach the gospel We why do you think we do what we do Why do you think we preach so much about soul? and why do we invest so much time and resources and effort and manpower into soul-winning and To going and telling is because we know and we believe that there's people that if they hear it will get saved Saved from what saved from hell And mischief is coming my friend And if we don't shine that gospel if our gospel beheaded is hid to them that are lost Goes on there in the story in verse 10 It says so they came and called under the port of the city and they told them saying We came to the camp of the Syrians behold. There was no man there neither voice of man But the horse is tied and ass is tied and the tent says they were And he called the porters and they told it to his kings at the king's house within And the king arose in the night and said unto his servants I will now show you what the Syrians have done done to us They know that we'd be hungry therefore They are gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field saying when they come out of the city And we shall catch them alive and get into the city The king doesn't believe He hears the story and says this is all a big trick. This is just a conspiracy. They're trying to get us to come out So that they can come and catch us alive You know, not everyone that we go and tell the news to obviously is gonna get saved You know, don't let that discourage you does that mean we shouldn't do it Does that mean we should just sit around and do nothing until we die? Of course not But notice in this, you know verses 13 and on we're just kind of explain how the rest of the story plays out. He says He goes on and says verse 13 and one of his servants and answered said Lord Let me take I pray the five of the horses that remain which are left in the city Behold, they are all the multitude of Israel that are left in it behold I say there are even all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed basically saying is I know we don't have very many But let me take them let us send and see let's go see if it's the way it you say it is They took their therefore two chariots and the king sent after the host of the Syrian saying go and see So the they come and they tell the porter the porter tells the king and and then this servant hears this but what I want to point out is the fact that there's somebody who doesn't pipe up in the story and It's that Lord on whom the Lord on whom the king leaned remember in the beginning of the story When Elisha is in the tent and he says about this time tomorrow They're gonna be eating wheat and barley and the gates of Samaria and the one guy says if the Lord opened the gates or the windows of heaven shall such a thing be And he says this time tomorrow thou shalt see it, but shall not eat thereof You know, this was that guy's chance to pipe up because remember this is somebody who upon whom the king leaned This is a counselor and we see him show up in the story. He's the one who gets appointed to guard the gate So he's back in the city. I believe when this is taking place You know, this would have chance to pipe up and say oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no These guys are telling the truth. I heard Elisha or Elisha say this You know about you know, I just earlier today just when I was down at his house and you sent the messenger down there He said that this would happen You know, but he keeps his mouth shut He doesn't say anything And it says in verse 15 so they sent out those horses it says in verse 15 and they went after them unto Jordan and low All the way was full of garments and vessels which are shearing to cast away in their haste I just love the picture of that. Let me just leave everybody with me And then they're in such a they're in such a fright to get away from what they think is this great army that they're like Lightening the load as they go. They're just throwing things in the way. Just like get it out. We got to get out of here I mean when God delivers God delivers all the way And the messenger returned and told the king Excuse me And the people went out and spoiled the tents the Syrian so a measure of fine flour were sold for a shekel and two measures Of barley for a shekel accorded the shekel And notice he gives us this detailing and he and he bookends it and ends the chapter with that same By fulfilling that that story that he had told in the beginning and the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have charge At the gate and the people trode upon him in the gate and he died as the man of God had said You know if we don't listen to what the Bible is telling us we don't listen to the preaching the word of God if we don't Pipe up and say something we don't listen to the preaching the word of God If we don't pipe up and say something when we have opportunity You know we're gonna suffer punishment in this life You know we're gonna be appointed on the gate if we just kind of say yeah Well, I know that's what the Bible says, but that doesn't really apply to me. Is it really gonna be like that? Elisha is that oh really is that really what's gonna happen to me hmm? You know but that that guy who had that attitude ended up getting appointed to the gate and getting trampled to the gate You know if we have that same attitude in life of just oh, yeah, well, I know that's what Elisha said I know that's what my parents said. I know that's what the preacher said. I know that's what the Bible said But is that really gonna happen to me? Don't be surprised when life is trampling you down in the gate Just like the man of God said That's what's gonna happen to you, and it's just so frustrating to see that happen to people You sit there you preach at him you warn them you tell them and then they just go off and it's like okay Just start the clock It's just a matter of time countdown's begun And he dies and it comes down to verse 2 18 it says it came to pass as It came to pass as the man of God had spoken the king saying two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine Follower for shekel shall be tomorrow about this time the gate of heaven shall be in the name of the Lord And the Lord answered the man of God and said now behold the Lord should make windows of heaven So it might such a thing be and he said behold thou shall see it with an eyes But shall I eat thereof so it fell out to unto him for the Lord the people trod upon him in the gate and he died Don't be surprised when exactly what you've been told is gonna happen happens You know if we're gonna spend the rest of our lives just sitting here until we die and not doing anything for God Don't be surprised when you get to heaven and it's just as I've described to you tonight Don't be surprised when you get there and those that have been faithful and wise And have been looking for their Lord's coming and those that have been doing something and not just sitting there Don't be surprised when they're shining as the stars in heaven when they're shining as the firmament And you look like a little Italian bulb nice and dim You look like a little Christmas light You look like a little Christmas light and some other brothers sisters over there like a spotlight Don't be surprised that it doesn't if it doesn't have out play out unto you exactly the way it was told you You know and obviously there's the practical reason of why It played out this way and why that happened specifically to that man It was to be as it was approved to those other lords. It was approved to the king It was approved to the people there in samaria that this was of the Lord that this wasn't just some coincidence That you know that God is the one that delivered them. The proof of that is is that elisha predicted this man's death And he predicted the abundance that they were going to have so that's the practical, you know interpretation there But you know, it's also serves as a warning to us Who disregard what we are plainly told in this life You know if we sit here till we die we'll die the same as the rest We're all going to die the difference will be in our portion after we die Is your portion going to be like that? Of those who have been cut asunder those who have been cut off from god those who have Are you know have no portion nothing? Is that what you're going to have in common? Are you going to have more in common with people in hell who have nothing than the people in heaven? Who have been rewarded and blessed? We're all going to die the difference will be what's our portion Are we going to be trampled by some throng As they go out and spoil an enemy that god delivered in their hand Look, we're all going to die and we're saved we're going to heaven But here's the fact is that some people In heaven are going to be very glad that they serve god there's going to be people that are in heaven that are just Astatic that are just over. That's not even the right word. Just over. I can't even describe it. They're going to just be Overflowing with joy just bursting that are just going to be so glad to be there and just nothing but rejoicing and praise And just and look everyone's going to be glad to be in heaven But some people are going to be there and be i'm saying i'm so glad I served god with my life I'm, so glad I did what the bible said i'm so glad I did it god's way There's going to be some people in heaven that say that and there's going to be other people in heaven And say boy, I sure wish I had Boy, I sure wish I had done that there's going to be some people are going to be very glad That they did and there's going to be other people who are going to be very sorry that they didn't let's go ahead and pray