Hebrews 12:1-3 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For
consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
The whole thing to remember is that sin can so easily overtake us. We are
examples to those around us. We should lay our every sin at the feet of Jesus
and let Him take care of them for us. We must be careful lest we leave God
for:
1. Knowledge.
2. Lust.
3. Rebellion.
4. Love of Money.
5. This Present World.
I. KNOWLEDGE Genesis 3:6,7 – And when the woman
saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and
a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes
of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Adam left God for Eve.
This was caused by knowledge.
A. Gen. 3:12, 17 - Adam told God he had left Him for the woman. He even
used the excuse of saying that God had given the woman to take God’s place
in his life.
1. I Tim. 2:14 - Adam wasn’t deceived, but knew exactly what he was
doing.
2. The woman was deceived.
B. I Cor. 1:22 - The Jews seek after signs, the Gentiles seek after
wisdom.
II. LUST II Sam. 11:1 - And it came to pass, after
the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David
sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the
children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. David
left God for Bathsheba. This was caused by lust. David
was approximately 50 years old when he was with Bathsheba. He, like us, should
know better, but he, like us, don't always do better.
A. There are all different kinds of lust.
1. Physical (sexual) lust.
2. Lust for power.
3. Lust for possessions.
B. Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes 5:8, which states, If thou seest the
oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a
province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest
regardeth; and there be higher than they.
1. I Kings 11 – Yet Solomon rebelled against God in the end of his
life by fighting Jeroboam as the next king.
2. If we do not continually have the Word of God before us, we soon
forget.
III. REBELLION Judges 16:4 - And it came to pass
afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was
Delilah. Samson left God for Delilah. This was caused by rebellion.
A. Numbers 2:6-21 - gives the requirements of a Nazarite.
1. abstinence from wine and strong drink,
2. refraining from cutting the hair off the head during the whole
period of the continuance of the vow, and
3. the avoidance of contact with the dead.
B. Delilah wasn't the first.
1. Judges 14:1 - Samson loved a woman of Timmath of the daughters of
the Philistines.
2. Judges 16:1 - Samson stayed with a harlot.
C. He rebelled against all three commands God gave him.
1. He wasn't to eat anything from the grape.
2. Or touch any unclean thing (stay away from the dead).
3. He shall not cut his hair because he is a Nazarite from his youth.
D. Judges 16:28 - And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord
GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this
once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two
eyes.
1. Before Samson died, he was completely sanctified.
2. He did not ask God to advenge him because the Philistines put out his
two eyes, but because he knew his looking to the wrong things led him astray
a little bit at a time.
3. Hebrews 11:32 includes Samson in the Lord’s "Hall of
Faith".
IV. LOVE OF MONEY Balaam left God for
money. The root of all evil is the love of money, not
money. (I Tim. 6:10)
A. The story is in Numbers 22-24.
B. II Peter 2:15 declares that Balaam loved the wages of
unrighteousness.
C. Jude verse 11 - Some have gone after the way of Cain, and ran greedily
after the error of Balaam for reward.
D. Lot went to Sodom and Gomorrah for money, power, and prestige. He lost
it all.
V. PRESENT WORLD II Tim. 4:10 - For Demas
hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto
Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Demas left God for
love of this present world. .
A. Looking to the present world is not living by faith.
B. Luke 8:14 - Some of the seed fell among thorns, which choke the work
and it becomes unfruitful.
VI. Conclusion: For what will you leave God?
A. Many people leave God for everything, rather than leaving everything
for God.
B. Hebrews 11 is full of people that have stayed with Christ, believed
His promises and will receive a crown of reward.