Affirmation or Information
Isaiah 55:8-9

INTRO:
A number of years ago I was listening to a talk given by someone at our company and they started out this way. “Most people, when they ask you or me for help want affirmation NOT information. Most coaches, in the business world, understand the above statement and give their clients exactly what they want, a cheerleader. Somebody that makes them feel better about themselves.”

I was thinking about that and how true it is. People in our culture are far more interested in affirmation than they are in information. They are only looking for what already reinforces what they believe. Their preconceived ideas are what they want to believe. They don't really want to know what the facts are, what the truth is, or any new information.

I think that was an interesting observation. It's true that there are many people that are simply seeking affirmation and they're only going to listen to the things that seem to support their opinions. This is well known. Social media on the internet uses this in their design. When a person demonstrates an interest in something that is what they are going to see the most of. After all, it is reasoned, feeding a person what they are interested in, what their viewpoint is, will keep them connected.

We only seem to be interested in what backs up what we believe, rather than be willing to let the information and facts educate us and bring us to a full view on an issue. People are only interested in listening to what affirms what they already want to believe, even when they proclaim they are not.

There are some interesting views that people hold to, cling to I might say. I heard of a book written about a bicycle ride through West Africa. The author of the book is certainly was not a conservative but a number of people with him had an interesting viewpoint which the author found very frustrating when talking to them.

Most of them believe that the world is controlled by a few elite people, a few corporations and that the rest of us are just dumb followers, we've been conditioned. We only drive cars because they want us in cars. We only do the things we do because they have conditioned us to do those things. The author got quite frustrated. He argued “I think people drive cars because they like to drive cars”. “I don't think we're being duped into doing that”. He thought people have choices and people are not dumb followers. They are just people who are exercising their choices.

Then a number of them were talking about how the Russians are ahead of us in disarmament and in the search for peace. One of them said that China is ahead of us in reference to the environment and the author wondered “what are you talking about?” The author wrote this book in 1988 and he made an interesting comment, he says “of the people who got out of the Soviet Union when the wall was up, not a single voice was ever heard from anyone who escaped the Soviet Union telling about how wonderful it was there. They all said the exact opposite.

As he talked with these other people on the bicycle tour, he said there was no way to win an argument. No matter how much information he presented, reasonable information, his fellow bicycle riders were determined to believe what they wanted to believe. No amount of information would convince them otherwise.

I think today we probably see this most vividly in political issues today. People get frustrated and no doubt that is and has been a problem in the spiritual realm as well.

I. But I Think... It Seems to Me... Have you ever heard those expressions? I have and no doubt I have used them. Unfortunately one of the problems faced by mankind is that we tend to think that the truth is whatever sounds good or feels right to us at the moment. Yet, the Bible repeatedly warns us about that precise problem.
A. Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;” That is pretty clearly stated.
B. What about your own feelings? Proverbs 28:26 – “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” That sounds harsh doesn’t it? He who trusts in his own heart is a fool is a strong statement.
C. Here is one you have probably heard, Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” It seems to me... I believe... I think... I feel... but the end is the way of death. Interestingly this warning is repeated in Proverbs 16:25. Typically God doesn't repeat himself a whole lot word for word. I suspect this should lead us to understand that this warning is something we had better take note of. We know people sometimes miss things unless they are repeated two or three times.
D. Then there is Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” These verses define a foolish person as someone who says; my feelings and my opinion are the final authority for me. Their way is right in their own eyes and no one's going to convince them otherwise.
II. Reality is Often Far Different - Have you ever heard someone say; “well I don't see how God would ever have a problem with...” you fill the blank. But the truth of the matter is none of us have a clue about what God thinks on any topic, unless He reveals it in scripture.
A. One passage that really should catch our attention is Isaiah chapter 55: 8-9 – “8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'' says the Lord. 9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”. I think this passage is very helpful to us.
1. Isn't it interesting how he kind of hits two things? He says what I'm thinking is not necessarily what you are thinking and your ways can be completely opposite of my ways. We can not just assume that, “I don’t see a problem with this, therefore I don't think God would have a problem with it”, or “if I think its right then God must think its right”. God is telling us don’t make that mistake.
2. Next verse says; as the heavens are higher than the Earth so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. God doesn't say now and then I think a little higher than you. Now and then our paths might go separate ways. God says we're not even on the same page comparing what you think to what I think. We're not even on the same plane so don't think that; well yeah I know that God's thoughts are not my thoughts but I think I can make a reasonable guess about what His thought might be. Verse 9 says you can't even guess that.
B. In these verses in Isaiah God is talking to His people and in verse 7 God is telling the person who is not right with God that they need to “forsake their ways”, “forsake their thoughts” they are to “return to the Lord” and God will show mercy and abundantly pardon. Then God goes on in verses 8 and 9 to say this is because we don't think alike. We're not on the same page and you are the one who must change.
1. Isn't that a neat passage? It's not just you need to change your behavior. It's you need to change you're thinking—that leads to your behavior. Forsake your ways and forsake your thoughts. People don't often speak that way in our culture today.
2. You need to forsake your thoughts... What that means is you just need to clear your head. Like a garage or a closet, pull everything out and then pick up the Bible and let the Bible determine what you put back in.
C. Folks, looking back on when I became a Christian, and reached the point where I realized I had to pull out all my preconceived ideas, all my thoughts from things I had heard from other people, all of the rubbish about religion that society had given me, and I read the Bible—I didn't have a whole lot that went back in. (laugh)
1. I did find that there was a pretty big pile outside. OK we need to get rid of all this.
2. I strongly suspect that in our culture it's an abomination for God to say, forsake your thoughts. We think; my thoughts are sacred, my thoughts are holy. My thoughts are... and God says no your thoughts are only your thoughts. Your thoughts are limited. We're not even on the same plane with thoughts.
3. Here is a stumbling block that can keep us distant from God. The determination to hold onto opinions, feelings, and thoughts that are at odds with scripture.
D. The righteous person can not skip over Isaiah 55. There's something here for us. It is a warning, just because you're a Christian, doesn't mean that you can ever go on autopilot. By that I mean:
i. Autopilot would be; I’ve read the Bible through a couple of times in my life.
ii. I've heard more sermons than I can shake a stick at.
iii. I've gone to a whole lot of Bible classes.
iv. I've been going to church.
v. I really don't have to read and study the Bible anymore.
2. Unfortunately there are Christians that are thinking that way and actually people that have done that. I've read that, I've heard that I don't know how many times, I've heard a lesson on the parable of the sower or whatever it may be. I don't need to pick it up anymore. I don't need to look at the text anymore. Let's just go on autopilot. I know everything I need to know. I know everything in there.
E. The warning here in Isaiah 55 is that there is no autopilot that you can just activate. We always need to have that book open and be taking a look at the text even if you're very devout. We need to remember that we have not reached a point in life, even as a Christian, where we can say; I just know, that me and God are always on the same page.
1. Even after you're baptized you cannot just assume that's the case... you need to always ask, what does the bible say? Matthew 19:9 would be a classic example of that. “"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.''”
2. There were many that heard Jesus' teaching on marriage in Matthew 19 and at least some of the audience are very devout men, His disciples. Verse 10 When His disciples heard what Jesus said about marriage and divorce and under what situation you could actually put your wife away, the disciples said if the relationship of a man with his wife is like this it is better not to marry.
3. What a great example of My thoughts are not your thoughts. Even though they are very religious men and very devout men they are not on the same page, are they?
III. Testing the Reliability of My Feelings - We always have our mind on scripture.
A. I find a good test case is when you read 2 Samuel 6 for the first time. It is about Uzzah, about David moving the Ark of the Covenant and Uzzah reaching out and touching the Ark as the oxen stumbled when they went over the threshing floor. There's Uzzah, everyone's joyful, having a great time and it says the oxen stumbled. Uzzah just reaches out and it says the anger of the Lord burned against him. God struck him down for his irreverence and he died there by the Ark of God. David became angry.
1. Think back about the first time you read this, how did you feel? How did you react? Did you think, “What's the big deal here?” Or did you think; “Whoa, Isn't that a little bit of an over reaction on God's part? Or you could have been confused; Wasn’t that a good thing Uzzah was trying to do? Didn't he have good motivation and a good heart trying to keep the ark from being damaged? Did touching the ark really merit that sort of reaction? You're dead. How about just kind of a; Hey, don’t do that, remember that's the Ark of the Covenant.
2. I suspect the first time a lot of people read this they're; Whoa, oh that's not right. How many times have you read the Bible and maybe you've not said this, but you thought it; “That's not what I would do”. I think that's probably the first thing that popped into my mind when I read 2 Samuel - that's not what I would do.
3. But my thoughts are not His thoughts you know. You might say I just don't get it. Why is that so important? Aren't there much bigger issues? He was just trying to do the right thing. God isn’t like that today right? That's the angry god of the Old Testament. I don't believe in a God like that.
B. If you ask other people to read that passage, I think a number of people in the culture would say I don't believe in a God like that. To God it was a big deal because His instructions were clear. David later would rebuke the Levites who were supposed to know these things.
1. In fact some of them were actually in charge of carrying the ark, a certain family was. In the book of 1 Chronicles 15:2 – “David said, "No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.''”
2. Then it says in verse 13 – “For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
3. David is no longer angry. I strongly suspect that David might have been angry at the Levites though. David made some bad choices. He started by moving the Ark of the Covenant on a new cart. How did scripture say it was to be moved? It was to be born by men with certain poles fitted to the Ark. It's meant to be carried and it's only meant to be carried by specific individuals. David might have said to the Levites, you're supposed to know those things you're supposed to be the teachers in Israel.
C. If we don't respect God enough to follow him in some simple instructions, how are we going to get anything right? God’s instructions for carrying the Ark did not demand anything of them in the sense of a huge sacrifice. I mean these are Levites so that's their job, that's one of the things they're supposed to do. God did not ask them to do anything over the top and really hard. Will you just carry the Ark of the Covenant the way it's supposed to be carried?
1. Can God trust us to do the things that we are told in His word? In a like manner can God trust us to baptize in water? Can He trust us to keep it a burial? Immersion, can He trust us to do that?
2. Can He trust us to sing? I would say it is similar to when a wife asks her husband to go to the store for her. She says we need this and that and we need some hamburger. Along the this and that he brings home dark chocolate. He may bring home 78 percent of whatever he was supposed to get. “Its nice dark chocolate, but I can't trust you to get hamburger”.
3. I mean look at it from God's perspective. Exodus 25. He instructed them to make the Ark and to cast four rings to be installed on the four corners. Then God tells them to make poles and to put them into the rings so that the Ark may be carried by them. Exodus 25:15 – “The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.” Use the poles and carry it, can you do that?
4. If we can't submit to Him on such a basic level then He really can't use us.
D. Here's the deception, God can count on me for... the big things. We have a religious world full of qualifiers.
1. I don't think baptism matters to God.
2. I don't think the type of music matters to God.
3. I don't think the way the church is ordered matters that God.
4. I don't think the worship matters that God.
5. I don't think the name matters to God.
6. There's all this stuff that doesn't matter to God.
7. But hey, in the BIG things God, you can count me! I think that's very deceptive. What if carrying the Ark is a big thing? It looks like it was, doesn’t it?
E. What if baptism is a big thing? I don't think we even have to wonder whether or not baptism is a big thing. Ephesians 4:5 - “one Lord, one faith, one baptism;” It is obviously in the big thing category.
1. I would suggest to you that among big things are anything connected with the church. They have to be big things because it's the bride of Christ. That's a big thing. It's the household of God. It the pillar and the ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)
2. In this world here's where a lot of religious people are:
• I will submit when I agree.
• If I agree then I'll submit.
• I'll submit when I think it's important.
• If I think it's an important thing then I'll submit.
• But it's if I think it's important I will submit but it must be on my terms.
• I will submit when I am ready.
Sometimes here's where it's tempting for a Christian to go also.
F. I am fully convinced that there are any number of well-meaning, religious people, sincere people, in the world today that believe they're submitting to God, and what they don't realize it's submission on their terms. They're treating the Bible like a cafeteria. Walk through the line and you know, I'll take the salad with the pasta but I also want it with the little squares of Jell-O. I want this but I don’t want that. That's not the way it works. You're submitting on your terms you're not submitting on God's terms. You're picking and choosing what you think is important. If we still have a problem with texts like 2 Samuel 6 then what we're looking for is affirmation not information.
G. I believe a lot of us struggle with “I think”. We think that we have the innate right to hold an opinion on things that exclusively belong to God.
1. For example; are most people saved? That's an area where I don't have a right to have an opinion. No opinion is allowed there. What does God say about that? I know many people would say yes to the question are most people saved. In saying that they are affirming what they want to believe, but information says otherwise. If we said; narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it, that's information. Remember the flood?
2. What about; is hell eternal or real? I'm not allowed to have an opinion. For Americans not being allowed to have an opinion is like wait a minute that's not America, that's nuts. This is not an area of opinion, yet, many people today no longer believe that hell even exists in spite of clear information on the topic.
3. Look with me at the place in Matthew 8 where the Centurion is asking Jesus to come and heal his servant. Jesus responds “I will come and heal him” in verse 7 to which the Centurion responds, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my house.” You can read the rest on your own but I want to point out verse 12. Matthew records that Jesus had marveled at this show of faith by the centurion and said that those of other nations will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob and now in verse 12 He says; “But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness in that place there will be a gnashing of teeth.” To appreciate this we need to understand that the Jews have just been told others will sit down with Abraham—something they thought was their privilege. Now they are being told that those who are sons would be cast out. Remember a son is an heir; therefore a son of the kingdom is the man who is to inherit the kingdom, for the son is always heir; but now they are being told the Jews are to lose their inheritance.
4. The reason I brought this verse up is because here Jesus is not dealing with people who do not believe. These are the people that should have made it into the kingdom. They are people that should have made it to heaven. He's talking to a very religious, devout audience. People who expect the kingdom to belong to them. Indeed they were given the first opportunity to enter the kingdom when the gospel was preached. It was presented to them first as sons of the kingdom.
5. How does that apply to people today? There are very devout, sincere people who are in this aspect, sons of the kingdom. People that had a mom and dad that were both Christians. They were brought to services, they were taught about God, they heard the plan of salvation from an early age, and had great examples in loving parents. They were given great instruction. They should have made it.
i. In fact it was their job to get into the kingdom so that they could help people that did not have the advantages they had. They should have made it so they could be teaching and sharing with others.
ii. “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:” It doesn't seem like room for much opinion there.
H. If God had said that He was going to save everyone regardless of how they lived, that would be fine with me, after all, I am not the Creator. If God said that hell does not exist, that is okay with me as well. Yet, God has said the exact opposite. As Christians, we need to love truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12), rather than being in love with our own feelings or opinions about things.
IV. What about being saved - It is very popular today to say that in order to be saved all a person needs to do is believe in Jesus, or believe in Jesus and say the “sinner’s prayer”. Sadly, there are people who regardless of all the verses lined up that say otherwise, they are not willing to seriously look at or consider any passage or passages that mention any condition other than faith—that's affirmation. Rather than say; “I want the information”. Biblically there are a number of verses that link faith with salvation such as John 3:16, yet that is not all the information.
A. There are verses also that link repentance with salvation (Acts 2:38) and confessing Christ with salvation (Romans 10:9-10) and baptism with salvation (Acts 22:16 and 1 Peter 3:21). In fact, one of the verses that links faith with salvation also links baptism with salvation (Mark 16:16). The Bible even has a verse that specifically denies salvation by faith alone (James 2:24) and specifically affirms that baptism is necessary for salvation (1 Peter 3:21). By the way, there is not one single passage that teaches a “sinner’s prayer” prior to salvation. Once again, am I interested in having my opinions and feelings being affirmed or am I far more interested in correct information?
B. Here's an interesting thing that I find about how God put together the Bible, God put together the Bible in such a way that you can't study heaven without studying hell.
1. Why? Because most of the passages are the same passages. There are a few passages that are just about heaven but a lot of the passages that are heaven passages are equally hell passages.
2. If you were to say I'm only going to read the passages about heaven, there's going to be a number of references in those passages about hell.
i. Any study of faith is equally like that. I'm just going to study faith, okay, but any study of faith will also bring up repentance, confession, and baptism. Because many of those passages are of the same passages. “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved”.
3. Any study of love is equally going to bring up obedience. If you were to say I'm just going to get out a concordance and only look at the passages on love because I'm into love and I'm not going to look up any passages about obedience. Well I think you already know what's going to happen from our look at Romans 12. Many of your love passages are going to say something like “If you love me you'll keep my commandments”, and there you are with obedience
4. How about law? With God's law if you're going to say I only want to study marriage, I don't want to study divorce. How are you going to do that? Because many of the passages that are marriage passages, Matthew 19 Mark 10, Luke 16, Romans 7, First Corinthians 7, are equally divorce passages.
C. God says I'm not going to allow you just to go through and pick the little morsel that you want. You're going to have to look at everything in the passage.
V. Can I lose my salvation - Many say no, but the information says otherwise, yes. 2 Timothy 2:12 – “12. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 14. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17. And their message will spread like cancer. (now the writer gives an example) Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18. who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.”
VI. The Importance of Doctrine - Many people feel that God is rather lenient when it comes to doctrine. That churches can be wrong on doctrine or ignore it, and still be right with God. One church is as good as another. Yet, the information says otherwise:
A. Romans 16:17 – “... note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.”
B. 1 Corinthians 4:6 – “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes,(note this part) that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.”
C. How serious is this? Apparently very serious according to Galatians 1:8 – “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
D. We are clearly warned that there will be those who fail to listen to doctrine, 2 Timothy 4:3 – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;” What do you suppose these teachers are teaching? They are affirming the desires of the people.
E. John says in 2 John 9-11 – “9. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11. for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
F. So how important is it that we follow the Bible without modifying it with our opinion?
1. Deuteronomy 4:2 says: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you”
2. In Proverbs 30:5-6 halfway through the Bible says: “5. Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.”
3. When you're almost done with reading the Bible before reaching the end there's one more warning: “18. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19. and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19.

CONCLUSION:
Certainly, I must consider as I read the Old Testament, as I read the law, as I read the historical books, as I've read the prophet’s and the Psalms, and the Proverbs, as I read the Gospels and the epistles and finally the Book of Revelation that it's the same theme.
Don't mess with doctrine. Don't mess with God's Word.
I don't know of a single verse that says you've got a lot of leeway when it comes to properly applying and understanding God's word. I don't know of a single verse that even hints at that.

In fact in the book of Hebrews 2:1 we are told “we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” We need to really stay close to what Christ has revealed to us lest we drift away from it.

Speaking about the church they attend some people say I like mine. It fits my purposes. It affirms my opinions. But can you find it in the Bible? Is the plan of salvation espoused there that I find in the Bible? Can I find the worship? The Word? How about the organizational structure? Does it contain teachings and practices that you cannot find in the Bible? Does it omit and ignore a number of things that God commands? Would it pass the Jesus test? Would He say yes, that's my bride? Those are my people. Affirmation-vs-information. What are we after?

As a Christian we need to be someone who is always willing to grow, always willing to learn, always willing to look at the text one more time. The Book of Proverbs says; “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Do we see ourselves as wise and just? Never think I've got it all down, I've read it enough, I've studied it at enough; you haven’t. Never think I don't need to read it any more, you do. Never think I've heard enough sermons, I don't need to hear many more, I've gone to enough classes; you haven’t.

As a Christian we need to always be reading our Bible, listening and have an open and good heart. Have an honest heart and want to make sure of what is right with God. Whatever God says that's what we will do. Try not to ever be set in concrete. If we need to change, if we need to change our view, that we would be willing to change our view to what God teaches. Always learning, always growing, always simply just wanting the information, because at the judgment day God's not going be impressed if I name drop anybody. Jesus tells us we will be judged by His words.

Why did I do something? Because that's what scripture says. Why do I practice something? Because that's what scripture says. It is written.

We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins... If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church. Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to come to Christ and be buried with Him in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desire the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Reference Sermon: Mark Dunagan