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Proverbs 29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

Proverbs 29:10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

Proverbs 29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Fulfilling The Great Commission

As Christians, we should love the lost. We should seek opportunities to tell others of Christ, of the glorious Gospel that saved us. Jesus commanded us:

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV) GO YE therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Word Study: The first two words translated “GO YE” is a Greek verb poreuō. The way we generally see it rendered is “GO, and teach”. That is, you should GO into the world with the intent of teaching. Technically the verb is an Aorist Passive Deponent Participle, to which you go “HUH”? But this is important. As a PASSIVE DEPONENT this should be rendered “HAVING GONE {into the world}”. What is Jesus saying? He is saying that where ever we are, where ever we find ourselves as Christ followers, we SHOULD BE LIGHT BEARING.

Matthew 28:19 (Young’s Literal Translation) HAVING GONE, then, disciple all the nations, baptizing them — to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit …

People ask me, “Pastor, how can I witness of Jesus in this dark world?”. The answer is very simple. Where ever you go, what ever you do, do not focus on how dark the world is. Focus on BEING LIGHT. You are the lantern, the flashlight, of Jesus. Jesus said this:

Matthew 5:14-16 (LSB) YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does [anyone] light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE. 16 LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN in such a way that they may SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Illustrate: How are we LIGHT? We uphold the truths of Scripture. I was recently reading a supposedly Christian magazine called “Common Good”. As I read through the magazine I did not see NOT EVEN ONE SCRIPTURE quoted. There was a lot of opinion, but no light. WE DO NOT POSSESS OUR OWN LIGHT. We were not there in the beginning, saying:

Genesis 1:3 (AP) Yahweh said, “Let there be LIGHT”, and there WAS LIGHT

God is the Source of Light. Not what you think, nor what your Sunday School Literature may suggest.

1 John 1:5 GOD IS LIGHT, and IN HIM is no darkness at all

James 1:17 {God is} THE FATHER OF LIGHTS … with Whom there is no variation or shadow

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION

God has revealed His Light to us through the Living Word of God (Jesus Christ) and the Written Word of God (the Scripture).

Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a LAMP to my feet and a LIGHT to my path.

Psalm 119:130 The UNFOLDING OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT; it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalm 43:3 Send out Your LIGHT and Your TRUTH; LET THEM LEAD ME…

As LIGHT we are to do good. Like Jesus, where ever we find ourselves, we are to allow the LIGHT of God – the application of Christ’s Word – to SHINE through us. People should see a difference in the Christ follower.

We Do Good And Speak Truth – But
Do Not Debate Or Argue

Proverbs 29:9 If a WISE man CONTENDETH {šāp̄aṭ} with a FOOLISH man, whether he rage or laugh, THERE IS NO REST {naḥaṯ}.

Who is “THE WISE MAN”? It is the person who both hears and does what the Bible says. Jesus said, “Everyone who HEARS these WORDS OF MINE and DOES THEM will be like a WISE MAN… ” (Matthew 7:24; Luke 6:47-49). Light must be seen. Faith must be displayed. You are no lantern in the darkness if people do not see God’s light in you. “BY THIS WE KNOW we have come to KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS” (1 John 2:3). A faith that does not shine is a dead lantern, of no use to anyone (James 2:17-26). The “FOOLISH MAN” is the lost person, the person who hears the Word of God but rejects Him.

Psalm 14:1 The FOOL says in his heart, THERE IS NO GOD

1 Corinthians 1:18 The WORD OF THE CROSS is FOOLISHNESS to the perishing

Word Study: Christ calls His people to – where ever they find themselves – to SHINE, to allow the Light of God’s Word SHINE from us. We are not called to CONTEND with the foolish. The word rendered “CONTEND” is the Hebrew šāp̄aṭ, which means “to attempt to govern, to act as law giver or judge over, to pronounce sentence on”. Believers, this does not mean that we should keep quiet about forbidden scriptural behavior! But it does mean that

We are not called to argue or fight with the lost person. We are only to TEACH them what Jesus said, what the Scripture dictates. When you challenge the “FOOLISH” person, whether they EXPLODE or LAUGH at you, “THERE IS NO REST”

Word Study: In the clause “THERE IS NO REST”the word for “REST” is not shalom butnaḥaṯ (pronounced nachath). This is the only place on Proverbs this word is used. The word means “to come down, to descend, to lower oneself”. The same word is used in:

Isaiah 30:15 (KJV) For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and REST {naḥaṯ} shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

You cannot argue or debate a lost person into Heaven. They must REPENT. They must COME DOWN from the gods they are following. They must admit error in their lives. You as a believer are to shine in the world, and in so shining perhaps attract those whose eyes are opened to the Gospel Light. To argue with or debate the lost person who loves darkness is to waste your time!

The Lost Are Not Good At Heart

Proverbs 29:10 The bloodthirsty HATE the upright: but the just seek his soul.

As we go being light, always understand that the darkness hates the light. How bad does the darkness hate us who are Christians? Very badly. There is no compromise with them. Look at how the religious but lost treated Jesus.

Matthew 12:14 The PHARISEES went out and plotted how they might kill Him.

Mark 3:6 the PHARISEES joined with the HERODIANS how they might destroy Him

The Pharisees were a Biblically conservative sect who saw themselves as both the representatives and the protectors of Judaism. They taught in local Synagogues, and were deeply committed to the Law of Moses. The Herodians were normally not aligned with the Pharisees, but were a political group who supported Herod’s rule over Israel, and cooperated with Roman authority. These two groups were enemies – until Jesus came along.

The Pharisees hated Jesus because He challenged their godless interpretation of the Law. The Herodians hated Jesus because He called people to enter the Kingdom of God, not Rome.

These two groups who were normally at war with one another came together to plot the death and destruction of Jesus. In Matthew 22:15-16 they joined together:

Matthew 22:15-21 (LSB) the PHARISEES went and took counsel together about how they might trap { Jesus} in what He said. 16 And they sent their disciples to Him, ALONG WITH THE HERODIANS, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. 17 “Therefore, tell us, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a tax to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 “Show Me the coin [used] for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.

The upholders of the Law of Moses and the upholders of the Law of Rome got together out of hatred for Jesus. The lost do not love Christ, nor do they love Christ followers. Add to the Pharisees and the Herodians, “the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put Him to death” (Luke 22:2). They despised Jesus, and despise the light giving Christ follower. Yet we are not to hate them.

but the JUST seek his soul.

Those who love the Lord shine for the Lord without fear, knowing that they hate us, but we love them. The Prophets were murdered by evil people (1 Kings 18:4, 13). When Christ was born, Herod murdered the babies of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16) trying to kill Jesus. Doing right is what we must do, regardless as to the hatred and the accusations. Jesus said:

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

There are many who profess Christ as Savior who never experience tribulation. My question would be, are you shining? Are you living for Jesus? Can others see Jesus in you?

We cannot argue or debate people into the Kingdom of God. We are called to SHINE, to focus on living for Jesus no matter where we are or in what state we find ourselves.

Illustrate: There was no greater Christian in the New Testament than Stephen. He was always reaching out and shining among the lost. Stephen was the first Deacon chosen (Acts 6:5) to minister to the widows. But Stephen also shined among the people (Acts 6:8), “doing great wonders and miracles among the people”. God will use you if you surrender to Him.

They murdered Stephen.

Acts 7:59-60 (KJV) And they {a synagogue, a Jewish Church – Acts 6:9} stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, LORD, LAY NOT THIS SIN TO THEIR CHARGE. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

And yet Stephen shined even as he died. “Father, do not lay this sin to their charge”. He wanted their souls saved. The lost want your soul as well – and if they can’t get it, they may kill you! The Prophet Elijah declared to God:

1 Kings 19:10 (LSB) I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, pulled down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Act First – Shine – Then Think Before you Speak

Proverbs 29:20 Seest thou a man that is HASTY IN HIS WORDS? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

You need to be careful with what you say around lost people. After God healed Hezekiah, an envoy came to his palace from Babylon. Rather than act cautiously, he assumed these people were friendly. They were not. We read:

2 Kings 20:13-18 (ESV) Hezekiah welcomed {the Babylonian Envoy}, and HE SHOWED THEM ALL HIS TREASURE HOUSE, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, ALL THAT WAS FOUND IN HIS STORE HOUSES. THERE WAS NOTHING IN HIS HOUSE OR IN ALL HIS REALM that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

We as believers are to try and win the lost to Christ, but we also need to remember that “the HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS and DESPERATELY WICKED” (Jeremiah 17:9). There were numerous times when our Lord Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 16:20 (LSB) Then {Jesus} warned the disciples that they should TELL NO ONE THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST. (see also Mark 8:30; Luke 9:21)

When Jesus healed a leper, we read:

Matthew 8:4 (LSB) Jesus said to him, “SEE THAT YOU TELL NO ONE; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

When Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 17:9 (LSB) And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “TELL THE VISION TO NO ONE UNTIL THE SON OF MAN HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD.”

Had the general but lost public realized Jesus was the Messiah, God Incarnate, they would have tried to make Him King by force as they did when He fed the 5000 (John 6:15). But Jesus said, “My time has not yet come” (John 7:6). The lost do not need another king to physically rule them, to sit on an earthly throne. The lost need the King of Kings to sit on the throne of their hearts. The lost need to surrender their presumed godship and self reliance, and turn their lives over to the Lord Jesus. Humans find it too easy to chase after the next fad, the next prophet, the next golden calf. As Jesus said,

Luke 17:21 … THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU

God’s rule begin with the heart. It is not about external religion, but an internal relationship with the God Who is greater than we are. People who do not know God need to see the professor of Christ to actually live for Christ. If we look just like the lost world, how can we appeal to the lost world? If we are as dark as the lost world, what do we offer? The answer is, absolutely nothing.

The world needs a heart ruled not by self, but by the Savior. Those who are lost despise the saved. “Why did Cain murder his brother? Because his own works were evil, and Abel’s works were righteous.” (1 John 3:12-13). The Bridges Commentary notes:

“Darkness cannot endure the light. The condemning light of godliness excites the enmity of the ungodly. They cannot bear the picture. Thus the bloodthirsty Ahab hated his upright prophets, and the Jews the holy Savior”

So what shall we do? We pray. We seek Christ’s face. We shine where we are, reflecting the light of Scripture in what we do. We tell those who will hear of the life changing, glorious Gospel. We do good even to our enemies in hope that they, too, will surrender to Christ for good.