Envy - Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. That should be the bedrock faith have so this week I want to use another word I want to use a word that got at least initially, you probably believe. When this doesn't apply to me that's normal. Anyone who suffers that has doesn't get a lot of income to do with the word and interest in is a pervasive and destructive emotion and it said are a hard issue for sure. It's much more greediest of God is me. That's what I joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work and that the reason for this series is Solomon in Proverbs chapter 4 said this above all else, guard your heart to an interesting thing above all else, guard your heart and the reason we have to do that is we have a tendency to focus on externals. God never does God never looks at what were doing externally in acts like that's important, he only looks at her heart issue that each of us have said to me, though we have no idea the destructive power of our own heart. We don't see it that way.

Jeremiah said that it is deceitful above all things and it's desperately wicked.

And lastly, Jesus said that everything we do all of our actions in all of her attitudes come from our heart so the first thing we looked at in this open-heart series was our guilt and I mean true guilt, the emotion that you feel when you know that you've done something wrong and I said at that time that I believe that guilt was a gift God gave mankind after the fall. In other words, after man fell.

We lived on a cursed planet we were sinful people and there's going to be a lot of reason that we feel in order to protect ourselves a certain amount of guilt, but obviously you can take that to a very excessive way.

I said to the solution for guilt was the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and what I meant by that is, Jesus didn't die just for your sin. Paul writes to the Romans.

Therefore, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ and so he not only died for my sin, but he died for my guilt and the reason that's important is this.

If I continue to hold onto my guilt and feel guilty about my past.

What I do is I reduce the effect of the death of Jesus Christ of my life. I don't want to do that and I don't think you would either.

And then after that I also said this is if you look at our guilt. I believe that we can't use it to define us. You can go to your past and see your failures and that's a reminder, but don't let your don't let your past go the fine you then last week we dealt with fear and I said that over 100 times in the word of God were told to fear not. So apparently God was extremely redundant trying to remind you and me. Don't be afraid. Whatever it is, don't be afraid. And yet we have a tendency to be very fearful. The disciples the whole time they were with Christ were fearful they get very afraid, and we see that over and over again in the word of God. Jesus talk to them about not being fearful they listen. So just like you do. But it doing about then Jesus demonstrated to them.

There's no reason to be fearful, you realize who I am. So he feeds 5000. He walks on water. He does all these things that look this is who I am. What don't be afraid. But then he test them at every single time he tested him they felt every single time test after test in a fail until they saw the resurrected Christ. Once they saw the resurrected Jesus Christ you never read about them fearing anything there never fearful again once they saw the resurrected Christ. They finally believed every word he said and I said at that time, as believers in Jesus Christ. You have to believe in the resurrection of Christ.

If you don't believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I can tell you this is not a Christian is just that simple.

Our faith is built on the resurrection of Christ.

That's what Paul said in fact, Paul said to the Corinthians. If Christ is not raised, then we should be the most pity people in the world because living for nothing. Now if you believe in the resurrection of Christ, that should be the bedrock faith you have that can eliminate fear in your life, your have to be afraid anymore. So this week I want to use another word and I want to use a word that at least initially, you're probably believe what this doesn't apply to me. And that's normal. Anyone who suffers that has that you see I'm doing with the word. It doesn't get a lot of income want to deal with the word envy, envy, it's interesting.

Envy is a pervasive and destructive emotion and it said are a hard issue for sure and it's much more greediest to God than it is to you and me.

That's what I find.

I want you to open your Bibles to Galatians chapter 5 in verse 19.

Galatians 5 and verse 19. Now when I think of envy, let me just say this envy has a fraternal twin right jealousy but jealousy and envy are different. You see, jealousy can be applied to something like somebody we may threaten something that I have that I become jealous of that you can see that in relationships of husband-wife and girlfriend boyfriend and things like that jealousy is part of it envies a little bit different envy. It's an attribute that we have when we see that other people have something and we wish we had. That's envy they have something we wish we had with Ahab. So here's what Paul says in 519 he says the deeds of the flesh are evident, aired on the works of the flesh are evident, it's easy to see now notice what he means by the works of the flesh, he said, immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions infractions, I think those are sins. You see, he said yeah that's the works of the flesh that sin. Notice the next word in 21.

No envying notice right after drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, not just a symbol of the sidewalk or someone always asked me after church and I want to save myself the time I but you mean if I do any of these I don't inherit the kingdom of God know because I know you're all doing those you see, and so my is not exactly what he means when he means is if you act out your flesh in a sinful way you will be described as a sinner, condemned by God. He says the same thing to the Corinthians.

What he means is this the description of you is not sinner. The description of you is believer you see a believer that's his description of you. I believer still have sin in our life but they're no longer there no longer viewed by God as a sinner there viewed by God as a believer up, turn to the verse 26 of the same chapter and notice how he ends this chapter he says let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. The same stop that, so he doesn't mean or they don't get to go to heaven. That's not was talking about at all, but he saying as a believer.

We need to stop envying one another.

And so it's pretty clear that envying is a sin not to send the word deal with go with me to first Peter chapter 2 first Peter chapter 2 now Peter is going to make an application here in the importance of the word of God in our lives but notice verse one. Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit, all hypocrisy and all envy and all slander, so Peter says you better put aside all envy, not as I said the problem that we have when it comes envy. We don't really see this big problem and it's in our heart. It's a thought issue to us.

You see, that's what the problem with envy is I really wish I had what they have. I really wish I wish I had kids behave like their kids, you know, I mean it can be almost anything you always envy something you want something and he said and he says, look, you gotta put that aside so envy is clearly a sin. That's where I want to start. Secondly, envy can consume you. Envy can bring about all other kind of issues in your life. Go with me back now to Genesis chapter 29 and then we just say what I'm going to say now about these chapters. If you're familiar with them.

You will be surprised if you're not going to shock. It's amazing how envy affects every bit of the character of the people involved here and this is the part get almost never expected this is the part where the nation Israel is going to be established.

Israel 12 sons are going to become the tribes of Israel. This is the beginning and everything that I'm going to say this morning is full of envy and full of sin. Everything there's there's nothing good in any of it. It's terrible what you see happen, but think of the nation's how how did Jacob get the blessing to be the head of the nation Israel. He deceived his father pure deception put something further on his arms and said he was Harry like Esau's father conceived well and blessed. It's an amazing thing.

Then Isaac tells him that what he has to do now is he has to go to put Donna ROM out of the land but Donna ROM is where Laban lives who is Jacob's mother's brother and he's going to go there and live in. That's kind of where we pick it up now when he's going there to go into the land. The Laban owns he comes to what and in verse 10 it said Jacob Saul, Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother and the sheep of Laban's mother's brother chicken one up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and water the flock of Laban's mother's brother. I think we got an after one star you three times you want to tell you this is his mother's brother.

Then Jacob kissed Rachel lifted his voice, and wept. And remember old cartoons on TV MCI to come out of the cartoon character. That's what happened, kissed her while while not noticing annoying about. He dislikes the way she looks.

And that's how shallow men can be just want you know that that's just met. He think this is it so what he ends up doing. He told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebecca's son. She ran toward her father and they work it out and it says in verse 16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the owner was Leah the name of the younger was Rachel Leah's eyes were weak.

Rachel's Rachel was beautiful in form and face see I didn't make this up.so exactly the way the Bible describes are now Jacob loved Rachel so he said I will serve you seven years.

Your daughter Rachel while babies how many of you in here and are sure your husband would enslave himself or seven years for you, just so he could marry. I mean, that's that's a commitment right he makes and I might be one of few good things that happen in these chapters, so verse 21 Jacob said the Laban give me my wife for the time is completed. I may go under. So for seven years and it's an interesting thing for seven years. He waits for this moment and then the old switcheroo occurs pitch black. They got tense. I goes into the honeymoon tent is been pretty excited. This is seven years of waiting and Laban's puts in the end of the tent. I don't know. I you would think you would want to get a better look, but he didn't and so he consummates his marriage to Leah, not the one you love nothing seven years to spend the night with Leah.

Okay, now he's he's Jenny Wiley and totally upset so he says why then have you deceived me like a princess was not our practice to admit that the younger daughter Mary before the second "if you told me that seven years ago is. It's all deceit. That's what this is all about. And so it says in verse 30, but Laban said it is not our practice to marry off the younger before before the firstborn complete the week of this one and will give you the other one to serve you for the next seven years, so it puts in 14 years for 14 years. That's a lot of years is what it is you go right by am in that sense and and so it says Laban also gave his made Vilna to his daughter and Rachel as her maid Mitch is so Jacob went into Rachel and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah and he served with Laban another seven years now. When the Lord had seen that Leah was unloved.

He opened up her womb. The Rachel was barren. Now this is everything in this culture, everything. If you're a woman and you're married, there's only one thing you want to do have a son because he's the only one I can inherit anything and so consequently this becomes an issue.

So it says then Leah conceived and bore a son and she named him Ruben firstborn any good diamond verse three and it says he was.

He said he has therefore given me another son is named Simeon. Then the next verse. Therefore I his name is Levi and then in the next verse it says therefore she named him Judah just for boyfriend of Rachel zero so it says in verse 30 now. When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children. She became jealous and outward really can be translated envious of her sister both apply but envious of her sister. She said give me children or else I die chick got mad at her and he said to her luck. I'm not God I'm doing my part, but I'm not.I can give you a son, well, she said, here's my made villa going to her that she may bear she said on my knees that through her.

I too may have children so she gamers made her made villa and as a wife and Jacob went into her. She conceived and born the son, and his name is Dan. I want to think about someone kinda guys Jacob to think about this.

All you could say was an accident that first night, his four sons.

There, the lid hidden lover now is good, have a son to handmade were Ceat. What's he doing he's what he hey look ladies, let's figure this out. Whatever.

I'll be fine. What it I'll do whatever is needed.

I mean come on, so Jacob could just keep going along with this, so Rachel's neighbor seven conceived again and bore my second son and this time she name he named him nothing and and so it says in verse 10 Leah is made so far, bore Jacob, a son. Then Leah said how fortunate she named him Gad Leah's made Zilpah bore Jacob a second son happy and my for the woman who called me happy.

I would name him Asher, you still gotta keep score here.

So now we have like we have sons.

The handmaidens sons. The woman he doesn't love at all and nothing else.

It so what's the deceit verse 14. Now the days of the wheat harvest.

Ruben went and found mandrake's in the field and brought them to his mother, Leah and Rachel said the Leah. Please give me some of your sons, mandrake's no, this little bit familiar, remember what Esau did.

Esau sold his birthright for what he was hungry man. I just want some porridge. I'm hungry. She does the same thing. She said there is a small matter for you to take my husband. She's resentful, she said, and would you take my son's mandrake's also Rachel said, therefore he may lie with you tonight if you return your son's mandrake's. Now Leah needs permission to sleep with her husband from Rachel and it turns out that way. So it says admin. The next verse he lay with her that night and Leah has another child and she named him Issachar. Leah conceived again and bore six on the Jacob called him Zebulun, after which bore daughter and named her Dina.

Now watch what happens now God remembered Rachel and God gave heed and opened up her womb, so she conceived and bore a son and said God is taken away my reproach and she named him Joseph saying.

May the Lord give me another son, settlor Joseph comes now think about this. Remember the story of Joseph and how his brothers Phil bottom you think you know why now you see others work. You gotta know why they hated him.

See, that's the only this is the only son he ever wanted and so all the others are not sons.

He wanted at all. So showing her character 3119. When Laban and going to share his flock. Then Rachel stole the household idols that were fathers in what way what the writer worshipers. These are not believers.

This is in part a vision is the beginning of Israel. These are all idol worshipers. So she stills him with interesting about it though as you go one and he said that them. Verse 31 of the same chapter. Then Jacob replied to Laban and said because I was afraid I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force, the one with whom you find your guides shall not live in the presence of our kinsman point out what is yours among my belongings, take it for yourself. For Jacob did not know that Rachel was stolen. Jacob just pronounce the death sentence on the only one he loved this whole story is against the way this is that's the way this is going to be now. This is quite interesting because they ask Rachel to read and she lives in Rachel. Rachel has no more character than Jake.

I want no one in the story has. I mean there's no listening to Pastor Bill give her on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time.

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