1 00:00:00,540 --> 00:00:01,600 I'd like you to open up to the 2 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,260 book of Acts, chapter five. 3 00:00:04,420 --> 00:00:07,060 I'd like to speak to you tonight on 4 00:00:07,060 --> 00:00:08,700 the issue. 5 00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,080 Of a hindrance in the Christian life that 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,160 I think is rarely recognized and is often 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,900 neglected, and it's the hindrance of broken vows 8 00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:22,920 before the Lord. 9 00:00:24,380 --> 00:00:27,440 We'll illustrate this tonight, this principle, by taking 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,159 a look at Ananias and Sapphira in Acts, 11 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,180 chapter five, verse one. 12 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,420 We read there, but a certain man named 13 00:00:37,420 --> 00:00:42,040 Ananias with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,300 and he kept back part of the proceeds, 15 00:00:45,740 --> 00:00:48,420 his wife also being aware of it and 16 00:00:48,420 --> 00:00:51,240 brought a certain part and laid it at 17 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,320 the apostles feet. 18 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,080 It was a time of great outpouring of 19 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,240 the Holy Spirit in the early church. 20 00:01:00,580 --> 00:01:02,200 Remarkable things were happening. 21 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,460 Thousands of people were coming to Jesus at 22 00:01:07,460 --> 00:01:07,900 a time. 23 00:01:09,220 --> 00:01:11,680 You had the day of Pentecost with several 24 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:12,140 thousand. 25 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,420 You had the preaching in Acts, chapter three, 26 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:18,060 after the lame man at the gate, beautiful, 27 00:01:18,180 --> 00:01:21,240 was healed and several more thousand came and 28 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,320 the work of God was deepening and multiplying 29 00:01:25,260 --> 00:01:26,300 extremely rapidly. 30 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,540 It was it was a remarkable outpouring of 31 00:01:29,540 --> 00:01:30,120 the Holy Spirit. 32 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,300 I wonder if the early apostles thought, I 33 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:34,940 mean, is it going to continue like this 34 00:01:34,940 --> 00:01:35,320 forever? 35 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,460 You know, I mean, every few weeks are 36 00:01:38,460 --> 00:01:40,660 we going to see a new group of 37 00:01:40,660 --> 00:01:42,880 two or three thousand come to Christ at 38 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:43,540 one time? 39 00:01:44,060 --> 00:01:46,180 And they thought, man, if this is how 40 00:01:46,180 --> 00:01:48,080 it's going to be, then I mean, the 41 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,640 whole world is going to be converted in 42 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:50,420 a couple of years. 43 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:52,820 Well, I don't know if they necessarily thought 44 00:01:52,820 --> 00:01:54,940 that it would continue at that same rate, 45 00:01:55,060 --> 00:01:57,940 but surely there was something remarkable going on. 46 00:01:58,020 --> 00:02:00,160 Now, there's a principle that we should know 47 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,680 about God's work is that whenever the Lord 48 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,280 begins to work in a mighty way and 49 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,520 the devil begins to work in a mighty 50 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:10,420 way as well. 51 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,880 As a matter of fact, sadly, there are 52 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,260 some people who have experienced this in their 53 00:02:15,260 --> 00:02:19,480 Christian life where they have dedicated themselves to 54 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,760 a season of extra service, extra commitment unto 55 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,860 the Lord, and they have felt a great 56 00:02:25,860 --> 00:02:28,680 deal of attack that has come into their 57 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:29,040 life. 58 00:02:29,380 --> 00:02:30,940 And so now they say, well, I'm never 59 00:02:30,940 --> 00:02:32,440 going to venture out for the Lord anymore 60 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,000 because I don't want to face that attack. 61 00:02:34,260 --> 00:02:37,140 That's a very foolish thing, because if you 62 00:02:37,140 --> 00:02:39,600 will trust in the Lord and weather through 63 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,340 that season of attack, Satan will back off. 64 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,460 Satan is a being who knows how to 65 00:02:46,460 --> 00:02:49,760 manage his resources and he will not put 66 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,700 his resources into areas that will be ineffective. 67 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,180 And so many times when we stand strong 68 00:02:58,180 --> 00:03:01,000 against the wiles of the devil and hang 69 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,860 in there against him, he will ratchet back 70 00:03:04,860 --> 00:03:07,800 his attack because he'll go put it in 71 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,620 an area that has more opportunity for success. 72 00:03:12,140 --> 00:03:13,880 Well, that's sort of getting off of our 73 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:14,360 theme here. 74 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,040 But what I want you to be aware 75 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,480 of is that when Satan began to focus 76 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,700 his attack against the church, first he started 77 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:26,380 doing it by stirring up opposition from without. 78 00:03:26,740 --> 00:03:28,680 That's what we find in Acts chapter four. 79 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:30,380 Peter and John were arrested. 80 00:03:30,780 --> 00:03:32,900 They were brought before the Sanhedrin. 81 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:36,140 They spoke with great boldness and Satan found 82 00:03:36,140 --> 00:03:40,040 that bringing attack from the outside against the 83 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:41,280 church didn't work at all. 84 00:03:41,820 --> 00:03:43,280 So he changed his perspective. 85 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:46,560 Now, he said, I'm going to work from 86 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,720 the inside of the church. 87 00:03:49,180 --> 00:03:50,840 And what he did was he worked through 88 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:52,980 these two people, Ananias and Sapphira. 89 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,000 Now, when you have these seasons of great 90 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,820 outpouring of the Holy Spirit and great advancement 91 00:04:00,820 --> 00:04:04,000 in the work of God, it's also a 92 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,260 time when you would expect God's people are 93 00:04:07,260 --> 00:04:09,060 tremendously generous. 94 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,960 I mean, spiritual things become so important to 95 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,540 them that material things aren't so important. 96 00:04:16,220 --> 00:04:18,540 And when they see somebody in need and 97 00:04:18,540 --> 00:04:20,260 they see that they have the things that 98 00:04:20,260 --> 00:04:23,020 they could help the other person, it's like 99 00:04:23,020 --> 00:04:24,620 nothing to go sell it and do it. 100 00:04:24,620 --> 00:04:27,860 It's just because spiritual things just have a 101 00:04:27,860 --> 00:04:31,220 much greater priority in lives when these great 102 00:04:31,220 --> 00:04:33,640 seasons of outpouring from the Holy Spirit happen. 103 00:04:34,460 --> 00:04:38,020 Well, they noticed Ananias and Sapphira did that 104 00:04:38,020 --> 00:04:43,140 one man named Barnabas gave a remarkable gift. 105 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,780 It was a large piece of land. 106 00:04:46,620 --> 00:04:49,940 And he sold the land, verse 20, excuse 107 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:52,060 me, verse 37 of Acts chapter four tells 108 00:04:52,060 --> 00:04:52,440 us this. 109 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,000 He sold the land and he brought the 110 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,400 money and he laid it at the apostles 111 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:57,540 feet here. 112 00:04:57,780 --> 00:04:59,240 This is for you, apostles. 113 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:00,680 Use it as you will. 114 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,220 Well, Ananias and Sapphira saw this and what 115 00:05:05,220 --> 00:05:05,740 did they do? 116 00:05:06,420 --> 00:05:09,840 It says they sold the possession and he 117 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:13,000 kept back part of the proceeds, his wife 118 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,240 also being aware of it and brought a 119 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,020 certain part and laid it at the apostles 120 00:05:17,020 --> 00:05:17,420 feet. 121 00:05:18,340 --> 00:05:20,020 Well, I have no idea what this piece 122 00:05:20,020 --> 00:05:21,080 of land was worth. 123 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,380 I have no idea what the possession had 124 00:05:24,380 --> 00:05:25,000 a value of. 125 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,040 Let me just throw out a number and 126 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,820 I could be way off in relating it 127 00:05:29,820 --> 00:05:30,620 to today's terms. 128 00:05:30,740 --> 00:05:33,140 But let's just say that the possession or 129 00:05:33,140 --> 00:05:35,500 the piece of land was worth fifty thousand 130 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:39,500 dollars and they sold it and they kept 131 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:41,520 back part of it and brought the rest 132 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,140 to the apostles. 133 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:45,120 Now, let me tell you, let's say you 134 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,620 had a piece of land or a possession 135 00:05:47,620 --> 00:05:50,000 of some kind, maybe a fancy car or 136 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,820 something, and it was worth fifty thousand dollars 137 00:05:51,820 --> 00:05:54,620 and you went out tonight and you sold 138 00:05:54,620 --> 00:05:57,660 that thing for fifty thousand dollars and you 139 00:05:57,660 --> 00:05:59,860 came and brought it here to the church 140 00:05:59,860 --> 00:06:01,540 and wrote out a check for twenty five 141 00:06:01,540 --> 00:06:04,460 thousand dollars and you kept twenty five thousand 142 00:06:04,460 --> 00:06:06,440 dollars and put it in an account for 143 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:06,920 yourself. 144 00:06:07,860 --> 00:06:09,740 Might I say, I don't think God would 145 00:06:09,740 --> 00:06:10,740 be displeased with that. 146 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:12,680 I don't think I would be displeased with 147 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:13,020 it either. 148 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:14,280 I mean, we would thank you for your 149 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:15,160 gift very kindly. 150 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,600 The problem wasn't that they kept back a 151 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,140 portion and that they gave a portion, the 152 00:06:21,140 --> 00:06:25,620 problem was that they gave others the clear 153 00:06:25,620 --> 00:06:27,840 impression that they were giving it all. 154 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,440 They came and brought the gift and either 155 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,020 specifically said or gave every impression that this 156 00:06:36,020 --> 00:06:36,660 was it all. 157 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,700 I surrender all is what they were saying, 158 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,360 but they weren't surrendering all. 159 00:06:41,940 --> 00:06:42,960 Now, how do we know this? 160 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,680 We know this from the civic word that 161 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,300 Luke used in writing the book of Acts, 162 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:50,720 where it says there, look again in verse 163 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,400 two, it says, and he kept back part 164 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,300 of the proceeds. 165 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,360 The specific ancient Greek word there that's used 166 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,440 for kept back, it means to misappropriate. 167 00:07:05,740 --> 00:07:08,460 It doesn't mean just to withhold something, it 168 00:07:08,460 --> 00:07:14,500 means to withhold something in a deceptive, stealing 169 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:15,520 kind of way. 170 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,360 And so what Ananias and Sapphira did was 171 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:19,720 they sold the land, let's say for fifty 172 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:20,120 thousand. 173 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,340 And I don't know in some way or 174 00:07:22,340 --> 00:07:25,080 another, they let everybody know that when they 175 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,620 brought that twenty five thousand dollar gift, we 176 00:07:27,620 --> 00:07:29,420 sold the land for twenty five thousand. 177 00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:32,560 And here it is where all along they 178 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,100 had the twenty five thousand that was left 179 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:35,960 over for themselves. 180 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,140 Now, I want you to notice something that 181 00:07:41,140 --> 00:07:43,940 essentially what they did when they did this 182 00:07:43,940 --> 00:07:48,160 was they broke a vow they made before 183 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:48,640 the Lord. 184 00:07:50,900 --> 00:07:55,420 Maybe they saw Barnabas's example of giving and 185 00:07:55,420 --> 00:07:57,500 maybe they were being touched by the Holy 186 00:07:57,500 --> 00:07:57,960 Spirit. 187 00:07:58,600 --> 00:07:59,820 You know, that piece of land that you 188 00:07:59,820 --> 00:08:00,900 have, you should do the same. 189 00:08:01,820 --> 00:08:03,560 You could see that happening in a meeting, 190 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:03,920 right? 191 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,780 I mean, you can just see, wow, this 192 00:08:06,780 --> 00:08:08,520 this man has done this. 193 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:10,520 I needed the Holy Spirit speaking. 194 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,060 I need to do the same thing. 195 00:08:13,340 --> 00:08:15,500 And so Ananias goes home to Sapphira, goes, 196 00:08:15,860 --> 00:08:17,560 God is telling me that we need to 197 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,860 sell that piece of land and give the 198 00:08:19,860 --> 00:08:20,620 money to the Lord. 199 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,160 And Sapphira goes white and she says, God 200 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,280 was speaking to my heart just the same 201 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:27,660 thing. 202 00:08:28,220 --> 00:08:29,220 Well, let's do it. 203 00:08:29,340 --> 00:08:31,120 And they call up the real estate agent. 204 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,120 And wouldn't you know, boom, there's somebody to 205 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,159 buy it right away and everybody's happy. 206 00:08:35,580 --> 00:08:37,820 And let's say they get the check, you 207 00:08:37,820 --> 00:08:39,500 know, or it gets deposited in their account 208 00:08:39,500 --> 00:08:39,940 or whatever. 209 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,659 And they think fifty thousand dollars, that's a 210 00:08:42,659 --> 00:08:43,200 lot of money. 211 00:08:44,540 --> 00:08:47,680 Wow, you know, we know God told us 212 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:50,200 to give him the money and we told 213 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:51,200 the Lord that we would. 214 00:08:53,020 --> 00:08:55,000 And we told the church that we would. 215 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:57,220 Man, let's not. 216 00:08:58,080 --> 00:08:59,980 I mean, nobody knows exactly how much we 217 00:08:59,980 --> 00:09:00,480 sold it for. 218 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,060 The church is going to be stoked to 219 00:09:02,060 --> 00:09:03,460 get twenty five thousand dollars. 220 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:04,700 So so let's do it. 221 00:09:04,740 --> 00:09:07,000 And essentially they made a vow to God 222 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,540 that they would sell the possession, give all 223 00:09:09,540 --> 00:09:10,020 the money. 224 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:11,620 But they didn't. 225 00:09:11,820 --> 00:09:14,760 They broke a vow before the Lord. 226 00:09:16,260 --> 00:09:17,240 I want you to see as well. 227 00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:21,380 That their vow was not only a private 228 00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:23,020 vow before the Lord. 229 00:09:24,140 --> 00:09:27,000 Yes, it was private, it was between them 230 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:28,500 and the Lord, but it was also public 231 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:30,480 because when they came and laid it down 232 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,040 at the apostles feet, their vow was made 233 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:33,360 public. 234 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:34,980 Well, we're giving this all to the Lord, 235 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:36,500 but they broke that vow. 236 00:09:36,820 --> 00:09:37,980 It was a public vow. 237 00:09:38,180 --> 00:09:39,320 It was a private vow. 238 00:09:40,180 --> 00:09:42,520 And might I say as well that their 239 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:47,120 vow was a voluntary act of consecration. 240 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,240 I don't read any arm twisting here. 241 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:51,980 I don't read any manipulation. 242 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,740 I don't read Peter walking through the congregation 243 00:09:55,740 --> 00:09:58,040 and saying, I need four people to sell 244 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,360 their land and to give their money to 245 00:09:59,360 --> 00:09:59,680 the church. 246 00:09:59,780 --> 00:10:00,760 Now, come on now, who's going to be 247 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:01,100 the four? 248 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:03,080 There's none of that kind of thing at 249 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:03,460 all. 250 00:10:04,060 --> 00:10:05,240 No manipulation. 251 00:10:06,180 --> 00:10:09,440 The only inducement that they had was the 252 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,900 power of a godly example. 253 00:10:13,020 --> 00:10:13,800 Barnabas's example. 254 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,820 This was no sermon on giving. 255 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,040 This was no pledge card passed around to 256 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:20,600 the congregation. 257 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,640 Their vow was a voluntary act of consecration 258 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:26,480 and they broke it. 259 00:10:27,620 --> 00:10:30,000 They made the vow privately and they broke 260 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:30,520 it privately. 261 00:10:30,740 --> 00:10:32,680 They made the vow publicly and they broke 262 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:33,420 it publicly. 263 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:36,040 So what is God going to do with 264 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,680 Ananias and Sapphira in regard to this broken 265 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:39,020 vow? 266 00:10:39,980 --> 00:10:40,420 Verse three. 267 00:10:42,220 --> 00:10:46,440 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled 268 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,120 your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit 269 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,420 and keep back part of the price of 270 00:10:51,420 --> 00:10:54,380 the land for yourself while it remained? 271 00:10:54,380 --> 00:10:55,400 Was it not your own? 272 00:10:55,780 --> 00:10:57,440 And after it was sold, was it not 273 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:58,120 in your own control? 274 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,820 Why have you conceived this thing in your 275 00:11:00,820 --> 00:11:01,140 heart? 276 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,420 You've not lied to men, but to God. 277 00:11:05,780 --> 00:11:08,760 Ananias, you told God you would do this 278 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:09,880 and now you didn't do it. 279 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:10,800 You lied to God. 280 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:17,720 You can just imagine how shocked Ananias was 281 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:19,940 because, you know, it's not like Peter heard 282 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:21,640 about this deal from the real estate agent. 283 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:26,160 This was divine communication. 284 00:11:27,140 --> 00:11:30,120 Communication to Peter by the Holy Spirit. 285 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,220 If you're talking in terms of spiritual gifts, 286 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,180 you would call this a word of knowledge. 287 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,860 This was supernatural knowledge for Peter. 288 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:39,940 There's no way he would have known this 289 00:11:39,940 --> 00:11:42,940 except that the spirit of God revealed it 290 00:11:42,940 --> 00:11:43,520 to him. 291 00:11:45,850 --> 00:11:49,810 Now, of course, God knew all about their 292 00:11:49,810 --> 00:11:51,250 broken vow, didn't they? 293 00:11:52,250 --> 00:11:54,670 Peter didn't know until God told him. 294 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:57,450 The other people in the church didn't know 295 00:11:57,450 --> 00:12:01,750 until Peter told them, but God knew from 296 00:12:01,750 --> 00:12:02,430 the very beginning. 297 00:12:05,710 --> 00:12:07,150 Now, can I start bringing this home to 298 00:12:07,150 --> 00:12:08,550 our life right now? 299 00:12:08,610 --> 00:12:09,710 And I mean, we'll do this as we 300 00:12:09,710 --> 00:12:11,090 continue to consider this. 301 00:12:13,350 --> 00:12:17,090 There are probably broken vows in your life. 302 00:12:18,430 --> 00:12:21,470 Promises that you have made to God either 303 00:12:21,470 --> 00:12:25,810 privately or publicly, and you've broken those vows. 304 00:12:27,580 --> 00:12:30,720 I suppose that when I first say that, 305 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:32,800 for some reason, the thing that kind of 306 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,840 pops into our minds immediately is wedding vows, 307 00:12:35,940 --> 00:12:36,160 right? 308 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,220 I mean, because that's normally where we would 309 00:12:38,220 --> 00:12:39,280 use the term vows. 310 00:12:40,140 --> 00:12:42,540 Well, if a person breaks their wedding vows, 311 00:12:42,900 --> 00:12:45,440 they've broken it before God, they've broken it 312 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,220 before man, and they've broken it publicly. 313 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,360 It's something that needs to be addressed, and 314 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,200 God knows about the broken vow. 315 00:12:55,460 --> 00:12:57,600 Have you ever had somebody make a promise 316 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,360 to you and the promise was important to 317 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:02,620 you for whatever reason? 318 00:13:03,100 --> 00:13:04,600 Maybe you're a little kid and your mom 319 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,420 or dad promised to give you something or 320 00:13:06,420 --> 00:13:06,960 do something. 321 00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:09,180 And looking back on it now, it was 322 00:13:09,180 --> 00:13:10,260 an insignificant thing. 323 00:13:10,460 --> 00:13:12,420 But back then it was an important promise 324 00:13:12,420 --> 00:13:12,880 to you. 325 00:13:14,180 --> 00:13:17,660 And when somebody breaks that promise to you, 326 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:19,780 it matters, doesn't it? 327 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:21,320 You care about it. 328 00:13:22,780 --> 00:13:25,280 Might I say the Bible tells us that 329 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:29,000 the vows we make to God are important 330 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:29,600 to him. 331 00:13:31,750 --> 00:13:34,970 Think of these common examples of broken vows. 332 00:13:36,390 --> 00:13:39,490 Lord, I'll spend more time in prayer. 333 00:13:41,010 --> 00:13:42,310 You broke that vow, didn't you? 334 00:13:43,630 --> 00:13:45,670 Lord, I'm going to intercede more for the 335 00:13:45,670 --> 00:13:46,790 Lord every day. 336 00:13:47,110 --> 00:13:49,150 I'm going to give you 15 minutes, 20 337 00:13:49,150 --> 00:13:51,410 minutes, half hour, whatever you said of intercession 338 00:13:51,410 --> 00:13:52,090 for other people. 339 00:13:53,650 --> 00:13:56,670 Lord, I'm going to do more devotional reading 340 00:13:56,670 --> 00:13:57,790 every day. 341 00:13:57,870 --> 00:13:59,010 I'm going to spend my time with you. 342 00:13:59,070 --> 00:13:59,610 Lord, I vow. 343 00:13:59,770 --> 00:14:01,950 I promise no more of this flaking around, 344 00:14:02,050 --> 00:14:02,230 God. 345 00:14:02,350 --> 00:14:04,430 Every day I'm going to spend that time 346 00:14:04,430 --> 00:14:04,800 with you. 347 00:14:06,940 --> 00:14:08,880 Lord, I'm going to get serious about studying 348 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:09,420 my Bible. 349 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,160 No longer just a quick verse here and 350 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:12,320 there. 351 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:13,900 I'm going to take some time out every 352 00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:15,920 week and sit down and dig into the 353 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:16,160 Bible. 354 00:14:17,780 --> 00:14:21,160 Lord, I I'm so ashamed that I'm not 355 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:22,300 a good witness of you. 356 00:14:23,540 --> 00:14:25,960 People mock you at my workplace and I 357 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:26,820 don't say anything. 358 00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:29,680 I have opportunities to speak up for you 359 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:31,560 at school and I don't say anything. 360 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:32,360 God, I'm so ashamed. 361 00:14:32,660 --> 00:14:33,800 Lord, I vow that I'm going to be 362 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:35,360 a more faithful, personal witness. 363 00:14:38,070 --> 00:14:39,890 Lord, I know that I don't give to 364 00:14:39,890 --> 00:14:40,850 you the way that I should. 365 00:14:41,030 --> 00:14:42,630 I know that I don't give to you 366 00:14:42,630 --> 00:14:44,090 of all that you've blessed me. 367 00:14:44,410 --> 00:14:45,130 I don't tithe. 368 00:14:45,190 --> 00:14:45,890 I don't give. 369 00:14:46,290 --> 00:14:48,050 Lord, I vow I'm going to start doing 370 00:14:48,050 --> 00:14:48,350 that. 371 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:52,520 Lord, I'm going to be a better example. 372 00:14:52,940 --> 00:14:54,360 Lord, I'm going to be more patient with 373 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:54,880 my children. 374 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:56,900 Lord, Lord, I'm going to start being pure 375 00:14:56,900 --> 00:14:58,120 in sexual things. 376 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,100 Now, all of those are common examples of 377 00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:03,680 vows. 378 00:15:04,900 --> 00:15:08,520 That any believer might make and any believer 379 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:09,640 might break. 380 00:15:12,310 --> 00:15:14,610 I think what's interesting about this. 381 00:15:15,850 --> 00:15:22,170 Is that Ananias and Sapphira seemed completely unaware 382 00:15:22,170 --> 00:15:25,150 that they had lied to the Holy Spirit. 383 00:15:25,850 --> 00:15:26,570 How unaware? 384 00:15:27,410 --> 00:15:30,010 Well, again, Peter said, again, look at verse 385 00:15:30,010 --> 00:15:32,970 four, while it remained, was it not your 386 00:15:32,970 --> 00:15:33,310 own? 387 00:15:33,450 --> 00:15:35,410 And after it was sold, was it not 388 00:15:35,410 --> 00:15:36,270 in your own control? 389 00:15:36,730 --> 00:15:38,430 Why have you conceived this thing in your 390 00:15:38,430 --> 00:15:38,730 heart? 391 00:15:38,930 --> 00:15:40,990 You have not lied to men, but to 392 00:15:40,990 --> 00:15:41,630 God. 393 00:15:42,390 --> 00:15:45,810 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and 394 00:15:45,810 --> 00:15:47,030 breathed his last. 395 00:15:47,630 --> 00:15:49,450 So great fear came upon all those who 396 00:15:49,450 --> 00:15:50,090 heard these things. 397 00:15:50,290 --> 00:15:51,130 I can imagine. 398 00:15:51,290 --> 00:15:51,470 So. 399 00:15:53,290 --> 00:15:55,710 He fell down dead in the church meeting. 400 00:15:57,290 --> 00:15:57,830 Dead. 401 00:16:01,140 --> 00:16:05,360 Ananias seemed to be overcome by such shock. 402 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,180 That it indicates he was totally unaware that 403 00:16:09,180 --> 00:16:10,480 he had lied to the Holy Spirit. 404 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:16,880 Later on, Peter says to Sapphira, how is 405 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,440 it that you have agreed together to test 406 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:20,980 the spirit of the Lord? 407 00:16:21,420 --> 00:16:22,900 Do you think if you were to ask 408 00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:25,100 Ananias and Sapphira, are you guys testing the 409 00:16:25,100 --> 00:16:25,720 spirit of the Lord? 410 00:16:25,780 --> 00:16:27,080 Are you provoking him? 411 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:28,720 Oh, no, not us. 412 00:16:29,020 --> 00:16:30,160 But they were, weren't they? 413 00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:34,980 You see, their sin was serious and it 414 00:16:34,980 --> 00:16:36,020 was dealt with seriously. 415 00:16:38,740 --> 00:16:42,620 There's another indication of these times of great 416 00:16:42,620 --> 00:16:44,420 outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 417 00:16:45,740 --> 00:16:49,600 It is often characteristic of these times that 418 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,640 sin is dealt with more seriously under these 419 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:52,960 times. 420 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:54,460 You know why? 421 00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:58,220 Because God is doing something remarkable and His 422 00:16:58,220 --> 00:17:00,480 Spirit is jealous to see it preserved. 423 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:09,480 I wonder how many people have great sin 424 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,540 in their life of broken vows and they 425 00:17:12,540 --> 00:17:15,500 are completely unaware of how serious it is. 426 00:17:16,619 --> 00:17:19,800 It's just yawn, yeah, you know, nobody's perfect. 427 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:22,099 Come on now, we all make promises and 428 00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:22,500 break them. 429 00:17:23,540 --> 00:17:24,660 Blah, blah, blah. 430 00:17:25,220 --> 00:17:27,920 They have no sense, they're like Ananias. 431 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,020 What do you mean I've lied to the 432 00:17:30,020 --> 00:17:30,580 Holy Spirit? 433 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,560 You mean when I vowed to read my 434 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,560 Bible every day and I didn't. 435 00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:38,760 You tell me I lied to the Holy, 436 00:17:38,820 --> 00:17:39,480 well yeah. 437 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:42,340 You told the Holy Spirit you'd do something 438 00:17:42,340 --> 00:17:43,800 and you're not doing it. 439 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:46,680 Now maybe you should have never made the 440 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:46,980 vow. 441 00:17:47,940 --> 00:17:49,500 But the bottom line is you made it 442 00:17:49,500 --> 00:17:50,760 and you haven't fulfilled it. 443 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,560 It's a broken vow before the Lord. 444 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,760 We can also say that their broken vow 445 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,660 was the result of a work of Satan. 446 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,980 You see that in verse 3? 447 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,520 Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your 448 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:09,900 heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? 449 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,360 Satan worked through a broken vow. 450 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:17,200 He wanted to attack and derail the whole 451 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,380 church into the corruptions of pride and vanity 452 00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:23,500 and a phony, egotistical image consciousness. 453 00:18:23,860 --> 00:18:25,740 And he tried to use broken vows to 454 00:18:25,740 --> 00:18:26,160 do it. 455 00:18:29,910 --> 00:18:32,470 See, Satan wants you to break your vows 456 00:18:32,470 --> 00:18:33,330 that you've made to the Lord. 457 00:18:33,550 --> 00:18:35,890 I think Satan tries to provoke us in 458 00:18:35,890 --> 00:18:37,090 two ways in these areas. 459 00:18:37,470 --> 00:18:39,190 First of all, he wants to provoke us 460 00:18:39,190 --> 00:18:41,070 to make foolish vows. 461 00:18:42,010 --> 00:18:46,810 Secondly, Satan wants us to break the vows 462 00:18:46,810 --> 00:18:48,230 that we've made before the Lord. 463 00:18:51,180 --> 00:18:53,720 Another thing I want you to see is 464 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:58,800 that Ananias and Sapphira broke fellowship with their 465 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:03,200 fellow believers when they broke fellowship with God. 466 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,640 In other words, let me put it to 467 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:08,120 you this way. 468 00:19:09,260 --> 00:19:11,580 Had Peter and the rest of the church 469 00:19:11,580 --> 00:19:12,820 lied to the Holy Spirit? 470 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:14,240 No. 471 00:19:15,180 --> 00:19:17,840 So here you have a group that has 472 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,440 lied to the Holy Spirit. 473 00:19:20,060 --> 00:19:21,760 And here you have a group that has 474 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,560 not lied to the Holy Spirit. 475 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:26,780 Had Peter and the rest of the church 476 00:19:26,780 --> 00:19:29,720 provoked the Holy Spirit and tested the Holy 477 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:30,020 Spirit? 478 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:30,520 No. 479 00:19:31,260 --> 00:19:33,100 So here you have a group that has 480 00:19:33,100 --> 00:19:34,940 provoked and tested the Holy Spirit. 481 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:36,560 And here you have a group that has 482 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:36,820 not. 483 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,240 Now, do you know what fellowship means? 484 00:19:38,300 --> 00:19:39,720 It means you're walking in common. 485 00:19:40,180 --> 00:19:41,460 It means you're walking in sync. 486 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:42,800 And now they're not walking in sync. 487 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:43,380 They're not walking in sync anymore. 488 00:19:44,140 --> 00:19:47,160 We often fail to see it this way 489 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:54,120 because, honestly, we often see fellowship purely in 490 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:55,840 social terms. 491 00:19:56,740 --> 00:19:59,040 We think of fellowship as just a social 492 00:19:59,040 --> 00:19:59,520 thing. 493 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,000 Well, I'm hanging out with people. 494 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,000 I'm fellowshipping with them. 495 00:20:04,500 --> 00:20:05,540 Not necessarily. 496 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,660 There's a lot of social fellowship in the 497 00:20:10,660 --> 00:20:14,220 church that never comes into the place of 498 00:20:14,220 --> 00:20:16,440 being spiritual fellowship. 499 00:20:18,530 --> 00:20:21,370 Hanging around with the guys, talking about the 500 00:20:21,370 --> 00:20:24,290 football games, that's not spiritual fellowship. 501 00:20:24,630 --> 00:20:25,950 Now, I'm not saying it's bad. 502 00:20:27,310 --> 00:20:29,050 You've just got to recognize it for what 503 00:20:29,050 --> 00:20:29,570 it is. 504 00:20:29,870 --> 00:20:35,330 It's not sharing of the spiritual life with 505 00:20:35,330 --> 00:20:35,770 one another. 506 00:20:35,770 --> 00:20:37,010 That's what fellowship is. 507 00:20:37,350 --> 00:20:39,630 It means to share, to have things in 508 00:20:39,630 --> 00:20:39,970 common. 509 00:20:40,370 --> 00:20:42,410 And when Ananias and Sapphira went off this 510 00:20:42,410 --> 00:20:45,350 way, they broke fellowship with the rest of 511 00:20:45,350 --> 00:20:46,330 the body of Christ. 512 00:20:47,930 --> 00:20:51,250 Couldn't we say that one of the great 513 00:20:51,250 --> 00:20:55,270 reasons why the body of Christ seems in 514 00:20:55,270 --> 00:21:01,650 many ways weak and fragmented and doesn't seem 515 00:21:01,650 --> 00:21:04,490 to make the impact upon the community that 516 00:21:04,490 --> 00:21:07,390 it seems that it should is because, in 517 00:21:07,390 --> 00:21:11,450 reality, there's just a lot more social fellowship 518 00:21:11,450 --> 00:21:13,250 than spiritual fellowship. 519 00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:16,410 And the reason why there's not much spiritual 520 00:21:16,410 --> 00:21:19,150 fellowship is because there's sin in the life 521 00:21:19,150 --> 00:21:21,770 of believers that keeps them from coming together 522 00:21:21,770 --> 00:21:23,670 and walking step by step. 523 00:21:23,770 --> 00:21:25,790 And a lot of that sin probably has 524 00:21:25,790 --> 00:21:27,050 to do with broken vows. 525 00:21:27,050 --> 00:21:32,030 I imagine that Ananias and Sapphira could eat 526 00:21:32,030 --> 00:21:34,090 together at the church potluck and have a 527 00:21:34,090 --> 00:21:36,290 great time and laugh and talk about the 528 00:21:36,290 --> 00:21:39,050 chariot races the other day in the city 529 00:21:39,050 --> 00:21:39,910 and all the rest of it. 530 00:21:40,090 --> 00:21:42,070 But they couldn't have spiritual fellowship with that 531 00:21:42,070 --> 00:21:42,270 group. 532 00:21:42,350 --> 00:21:44,110 No, because they weren't in spiritual agreement. 533 00:21:47,210 --> 00:21:49,850 Next, I want you to see that Ananias 534 00:21:49,850 --> 00:21:53,450 and Sapphira paid a price for their broken 535 00:21:53,450 --> 00:21:53,730 vow. 536 00:21:53,790 --> 00:21:55,130 Well, that's pretty obvious, isn't it? 537 00:21:55,930 --> 00:21:57,390 Ananias paid a price. 538 00:21:57,390 --> 00:21:59,510 If you want to go on, take a 539 00:21:59,510 --> 00:22:01,810 look at the price Sapphira paid. 540 00:22:02,310 --> 00:22:04,230 It says in verse 6, And the young 541 00:22:04,230 --> 00:22:05,990 man arose and wrapped him up and carried 542 00:22:05,990 --> 00:22:06,990 him out and buried him. 543 00:22:07,370 --> 00:22:08,950 Now, it was about three hours later when 544 00:22:08,950 --> 00:22:10,490 his wife came in, not knowing what had 545 00:22:10,490 --> 00:22:12,970 happened, and Peter answered her, Tell me whether 546 00:22:12,970 --> 00:22:14,330 you sold the land for so much? 547 00:22:14,630 --> 00:22:16,190 And she said, Yes, for so much. 548 00:22:16,330 --> 00:22:16,730 Boom! 549 00:22:16,830 --> 00:22:17,510 Broken vow. 550 00:22:19,450 --> 00:22:21,910 Verse 9, Then Peter said to her, How 551 00:22:21,910 --> 00:22:23,790 is it that you've agreed together to test 552 00:22:23,790 --> 00:22:24,710 the spirit of the Lord? 553 00:22:24,710 --> 00:22:26,470 Look, the feet of those who buried your 554 00:22:26,470 --> 00:22:28,330 husband are at the door, and they'll carry 555 00:22:28,330 --> 00:22:28,830 you out. 556 00:22:29,550 --> 00:22:31,590 Then immediately she fell down at his feet 557 00:22:31,590 --> 00:22:32,510 and breathed her last. 558 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:34,270 And the young man came in and found 559 00:22:34,270 --> 00:22:36,050 her dead, and carrying her out, buried her 560 00:22:36,050 --> 00:22:36,710 by her husband. 561 00:22:37,050 --> 00:22:39,470 So great fear came upon all the church 562 00:22:39,470 --> 00:22:42,570 and upon all who heard these things. 563 00:22:43,710 --> 00:22:46,130 Well, that certainly is paying a price for 564 00:22:46,130 --> 00:22:47,410 breaking your vow, isn't it? 565 00:22:51,970 --> 00:22:55,610 We plead with God for a great outpouring 566 00:22:55,610 --> 00:22:57,450 of His spirit upon the church. 567 00:22:58,770 --> 00:23:01,830 Knowing that these things can happen in times 568 00:23:01,830 --> 00:23:04,670 of great outpouring, maybe we should say tonight, 569 00:23:04,810 --> 00:23:06,490 Lord, we are thankful that you have not 570 00:23:06,490 --> 00:23:08,550 sent such a mighty outpouring of your Holy 571 00:23:08,550 --> 00:23:08,890 Spirit. 572 00:23:10,050 --> 00:23:11,390 Oh Lord, we want to see the day 573 00:23:11,390 --> 00:23:13,050 of Pentecost all over again. 574 00:23:13,170 --> 00:23:14,230 Do you want to see the day of 575 00:23:14,230 --> 00:23:15,950 Ananias and Sapphira all over again? 576 00:23:17,370 --> 00:23:19,250 What would happen if the Lord would strike 577 00:23:19,250 --> 00:23:21,110 down every person in this room who had 578 00:23:21,110 --> 00:23:21,790 a broken vow? 579 00:23:22,910 --> 00:23:24,430 I know they'd be carrying me out by 580 00:23:24,430 --> 00:23:24,930 my feet. 581 00:23:27,110 --> 00:23:27,870 Think about that. 582 00:23:29,690 --> 00:23:32,390 Now, we pay a price, even if it's 583 00:23:32,390 --> 00:23:33,410 not that dramatic. 584 00:23:34,050 --> 00:23:36,110 We pay one in our spiritual life. 585 00:23:37,070 --> 00:23:40,230 Let me read to you from Ecclesiastes, chapter 586 00:23:40,230 --> 00:23:42,330 5, verses 4, 5 and 6. 587 00:23:43,250 --> 00:23:45,190 When you make a vow to God, do 588 00:23:45,190 --> 00:23:47,590 not delay to pay it, for He has 589 00:23:47,590 --> 00:23:48,770 no pleasure in fools. 590 00:23:49,510 --> 00:23:50,710 Pay what you have vowed. 591 00:23:51,150 --> 00:23:54,130 Better not to vow than to vow and 592 00:23:54,130 --> 00:23:54,750 not pay. 593 00:23:54,750 --> 00:23:57,370 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh 594 00:23:57,370 --> 00:23:59,730 to sin, nor say before the messenger of 595 00:23:59,730 --> 00:24:00,930 God that it was an error. 596 00:24:01,530 --> 00:24:03,870 Why should God be angry at your excuse 597 00:24:03,870 --> 00:24:05,690 and destroy the work of your hands? 598 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,740 Let's say you want to go to the 599 00:24:09,740 --> 00:24:11,060 bank and take out a loan. 600 00:24:12,020 --> 00:24:13,760 You go to the bank and you fill 601 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:14,680 out the application. 602 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:17,540 And when they run your credit check, what's 603 00:24:17,540 --> 00:24:19,520 one of the first things they look at? 604 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,620 When they look at your credit record, one 605 00:24:22,620 --> 00:24:25,440 of the first things they take a gander 606 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,660 at is how you pay the loans that 607 00:24:28,660 --> 00:24:29,860 you already have. 608 00:24:30,780 --> 00:24:32,380 You already have some other loans out? 609 00:24:32,780 --> 00:24:35,960 Maybe a car, maybe some other kind of 610 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:36,660 consumer loan. 611 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:37,880 They want to know, are you making the 612 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:38,860 payments on those loans? 613 00:24:40,860 --> 00:24:43,820 Now, if you're not making the payments on 614 00:24:43,820 --> 00:24:47,160 the loans that you already have out, the 615 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:48,920 bank isn't going to look too favorably at 616 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:49,620 your credit record. 617 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:56,040 Many of us are like delinquent debtors who 618 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:59,240 keep coming back to God again and again 619 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:00,940 for an extension of credit. 620 00:25:02,940 --> 00:25:05,660 Maybe that's a reason why so many prayers 621 00:25:05,660 --> 00:25:06,400 are unanswered. 622 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,540 We come to God and say, oh Lord, 623 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:10,520 hear my prayer. 624 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:13,820 And God says, you've never cleared up this 625 00:25:13,820 --> 00:25:16,760 thing that you got wrong between you and 626 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:17,720 me a long time ago. 627 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,800 You want an extension of credit. 628 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,740 But you won't pay off the debts that 629 00:25:22,740 --> 00:25:23,760 you've already had. 630 00:25:25,510 --> 00:25:29,210 Listen to these words from Dr. J. 631 00:25:29,270 --> 00:25:30,110 Edwin Orr. 632 00:25:30,650 --> 00:25:34,370 He wrote in one book, until broken vows 633 00:25:34,370 --> 00:25:37,050 are mended, it is difficult to make any 634 00:25:37,050 --> 00:25:39,770 progress along the way of consecration. 635 00:25:40,410 --> 00:25:43,610 Before seeking a blessing from God, one should 636 00:25:43,610 --> 00:25:49,290 carefully consider in honest retrospect, one's previous dealings 637 00:25:49,290 --> 00:25:50,310 with deity. 638 00:25:50,890 --> 00:25:53,850 It is not enough that no offense was 639 00:25:53,850 --> 00:25:54,550 intended. 640 00:25:55,470 --> 00:25:58,070 It is not enough that no deceit was 641 00:25:58,070 --> 00:25:59,690 planned in advance. 642 00:26:01,730 --> 00:26:04,510 But do you think Ananias and Sapphira intended 643 00:26:04,510 --> 00:26:05,750 to offend God? 644 00:26:06,290 --> 00:26:09,570 Do you think that they attended to deceive 645 00:26:09,570 --> 00:26:10,150 God? 646 00:26:10,550 --> 00:26:12,090 That's not how their minds were thinking. 647 00:26:12,330 --> 00:26:14,170 They just wanted a little for themselves. 648 00:26:15,950 --> 00:26:18,170 See, it led to a broken vow and 649 00:26:18,170 --> 00:26:20,250 it was an offense to God. 650 00:26:20,250 --> 00:26:23,070 It was deceiving God. 651 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,680 Friends, there's a price to pay for our 652 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:29,360 broken vows. 653 00:26:29,540 --> 00:26:32,000 And I would say that for many, many 654 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,660 people, they mainly pay the price in arrested 655 00:26:36,660 --> 00:26:38,620 spiritual development. 656 00:26:39,940 --> 00:26:43,260 In other words, they're just not growing in 657 00:26:43,260 --> 00:26:44,680 the Lord the way that they used to 658 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:46,300 or the way that they could be. 659 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:53,870 Finally, looking at Ananias and Sapphira, let me 660 00:26:53,870 --> 00:26:56,530 say that characteristic of them is that the 661 00:26:56,530 --> 00:27:00,890 shock of being exposed was too much for 662 00:27:00,890 --> 00:27:02,450 Ananias and Sapphira. 663 00:27:03,610 --> 00:27:07,490 You know, for many Christians in compromise, their 664 00:27:07,490 --> 00:27:12,650 greatest fear is not in sinning itself, but 665 00:27:12,650 --> 00:27:13,870 in being found out. 666 00:27:17,380 --> 00:27:18,240 It's interesting. 667 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:19,840 I mean, if you could just take one 668 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,260 sin and I'll just pick something out of 669 00:27:22,260 --> 00:27:23,200 the hat, so to speak. 670 00:27:24,100 --> 00:27:27,260 Many men deal and struggle with the sin 671 00:27:27,260 --> 00:27:28,120 of pornography. 672 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,740 Well, there are many men who commit this 673 00:27:31,740 --> 00:27:36,640 sin and they're not terrified to commit the 674 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,580 sin, but they would be absolutely terrified if 675 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:42,720 it was known that they commit this sin. 676 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:44,340 Do you see the difference? 677 00:27:45,060 --> 00:27:49,220 The shock of being found out is far 678 00:27:49,220 --> 00:27:53,040 more terrible to them than the shock of 679 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,440 committing the sin itself. 680 00:27:56,890 --> 00:27:58,710 As much as anything else, I would say 681 00:27:58,710 --> 00:28:01,830 that the lesson of Ananias and Sapphira teaches 682 00:28:01,830 --> 00:28:05,390 us that we presume greatly on God when 683 00:28:05,390 --> 00:28:07,430 we assume that there's always time to repent, 684 00:28:07,710 --> 00:28:09,930 that there's always time to get right with 685 00:28:09,930 --> 00:28:11,510 Him, to get honest with Him. 686 00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:18,400 Let's turn back to Ecclesiastes chapter five. 687 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:21,080 Again, it's about in the middle of your 688 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:21,440 Bible. 689 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:26,460 You have Psalms, then Proverbs, then Ecclesiastes. 690 00:28:27,700 --> 00:28:29,360 Ecclesiastes chapter five. 691 00:28:29,980 --> 00:28:31,300 It speaks to us more. 692 00:28:31,420 --> 00:28:33,960 We've already read one segment of this. 693 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:35,820 I want to take a little longer look 694 00:28:35,820 --> 00:28:36,520 at this passage. 695 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:40,640 Again, Psalms, Proverbs and then Ecclesiastes. 696 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:42,600 Find your way to chapter five. 697 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:45,240 Take a look at verse one. 698 00:28:46,900 --> 00:28:49,500 Walk prudently when you go to the house 699 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:52,080 of God and draw near to hear rather 700 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:53,980 than give the sacrifice of fools. 701 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,620 For they do not know that they do 702 00:28:56,620 --> 00:28:57,040 evil. 703 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,560 Do not be rash with your mouth, nor 704 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:04,060 let your heart utter anything hastily before God. 705 00:29:04,500 --> 00:29:06,140 For God is in heaven and you are 706 00:29:06,140 --> 00:29:06,500 on earth. 707 00:29:06,620 --> 00:29:08,300 Therefore, let your words be few. 708 00:29:09,420 --> 00:29:10,800 I go down to verse four. 709 00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:14,660 When you make a vow to God, do 710 00:29:14,660 --> 00:29:16,600 not delay to pay it, for he has 711 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:17,800 no pleasure in fools. 712 00:29:18,780 --> 00:29:19,980 Pay what you have vowed. 713 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,500 Better not to vow than to vow and 714 00:29:22,500 --> 00:29:23,020 not pay. 715 00:29:23,740 --> 00:29:25,640 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh 716 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:28,120 to sin, nor say before the messenger of 717 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:29,300 God that it was an error. 718 00:29:29,740 --> 00:29:32,180 Why should God be angry at your excuse 719 00:29:32,180 --> 00:29:34,200 and destroy the work of your hands? 720 00:29:35,340 --> 00:29:37,540 We learn a few principles from this passage. 721 00:29:37,540 --> 00:29:40,080 First of all, we learn that it's better 722 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,040 to not make vows at all than to 723 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:43,520 make a foolish vow. 724 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:46,940 Isn't that often the problem we make? 725 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:50,140 We make a solemn vow before God and 726 00:29:50,140 --> 00:29:52,340 it's something that we really don't either intend 727 00:29:52,340 --> 00:29:56,220 to do or it's beyond our capability to 728 00:29:56,220 --> 00:29:56,360 do. 729 00:29:57,060 --> 00:29:58,520 And it's a foolish vow. 730 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:00,840 Now, here's the thing is what the writer 731 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:05,100 of Ecclesiastes tells us is that God will 732 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:06,980 hold you even to your foolish vows. 733 00:30:07,860 --> 00:30:09,060 I mean, a lot of times you just 734 00:30:09,060 --> 00:30:11,120 think that God is handing out mulligans in 735 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:11,360 heaven. 736 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:13,300 You know, do you know what a mulligan 737 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:13,680 is? 738 00:30:14,020 --> 00:30:16,460 A mulligan is a golf term where you 739 00:30:16,460 --> 00:30:18,540 step up to the tee and there you 740 00:30:18,540 --> 00:30:20,520 put the golf ball on the tee and 741 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:21,860 you go back and you take your swing 742 00:30:21,860 --> 00:30:23,840 back and whack, you hit the ball. 743 00:30:24,260 --> 00:30:26,140 And man, the thing's got a slice on 744 00:30:26,140 --> 00:30:27,960 it that just horrifies you when you watch 745 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:28,100 it. 746 00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:31,220 And the ball goes whoo and it just 747 00:30:31,220 --> 00:30:33,360 curves right over, you know, out of bounds 748 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,340 or into the water or something like that. 749 00:30:36,340 --> 00:30:37,660 And guys, a lot of times if they're 750 00:30:37,660 --> 00:30:39,920 playing a casual game, they'll say, well, I'll 751 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:40,600 take a mulligan. 752 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,400 And what that means is you count it, 753 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:43,340 it's just you never even hit it. 754 00:30:43,420 --> 00:30:44,580 You just tee it up again and hit 755 00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:46,180 the ball again and you don't even count 756 00:30:46,180 --> 00:30:46,660 a stroke. 757 00:30:46,860 --> 00:30:48,440 You don't count the penalty stroke for the 758 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:49,080 ball you just hit. 759 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:50,760 A mulligan is like a freebie. 760 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:52,920 Yeah, do over. 761 00:30:53,540 --> 00:30:54,860 A lot of people think that God in 762 00:30:54,860 --> 00:30:56,280 heaven just does the same kind of thing. 763 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:57,520 Oh, do over. 764 00:30:58,220 --> 00:30:59,420 Oh, I made a fool of that. 765 00:30:59,540 --> 00:31:00,000 I need to repent. 766 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:00,720 Do over. 767 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:02,600 God understands. 768 00:31:03,020 --> 00:31:03,460 Mulligan. 769 00:31:04,780 --> 00:31:06,400 That's not how it is before the Lord. 770 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:10,600 There is forgiveness for your broken bow. 771 00:31:10,820 --> 00:31:13,020 It's readily available in Jesus Christ. 772 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,200 But first of all, you need to come 773 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:17,660 to the Lord and confess and repent of 774 00:31:17,660 --> 00:31:17,900 it. 775 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:20,640 I might say another thing about this. 776 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,920 I've seen some people respond to this passage 777 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,440 in Ecclesiastes and say this. 778 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:28,120 Well, then I'll just never make a vow 779 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:28,760 before the Lord. 780 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,020 No, that's not the attitude. 781 00:31:33,060 --> 00:31:35,000 Vows can be good things to make before 782 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:35,360 God. 783 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:37,460 But it just means that you need to 784 00:31:37,460 --> 00:31:41,500 take them seriously and you need to fulfill 785 00:31:41,500 --> 00:31:42,420 them when you make them. 786 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:44,700 Let me put it to you this way. 787 00:31:45,460 --> 00:31:49,840 If you've broken vows, either repent of them 788 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:54,980 and keep them or repent of your foolishness 789 00:31:54,980 --> 00:31:58,280 and ever making the vow and seek God's 790 00:31:58,280 --> 00:31:59,200 release from the vow. 791 00:31:59,460 --> 00:32:01,500 Lord, this was a foolish vow. 792 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:03,580 Forgive me for making it. 793 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:05,420 Forgive me for breaking it. 794 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,200 And Lord, please excuse me from that vow. 795 00:32:08,900 --> 00:32:09,860 I listen. 796 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:11,220 God in heaven is merciful. 797 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:13,420 He looks at the heart of that child 798 00:32:13,420 --> 00:32:15,300 who's coming before them in sincere repentance and 799 00:32:15,300 --> 00:32:16,600 he says, I forgive you. 800 00:32:17,780 --> 00:32:19,460 God says, that was a foolish vow. 801 00:32:20,940 --> 00:32:22,480 You come to me in this humility. 802 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:23,840 I will not hold you to that vow. 803 00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:25,340 Let's sweep it out of the way. 804 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:28,980 I think you need to ask the question 805 00:32:28,980 --> 00:32:29,360 tonight. 806 00:32:29,940 --> 00:32:31,260 What are you going to do about your 807 00:32:31,260 --> 00:32:33,360 broken vows before the Lord? 808 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,540 It's a good measurement for your spiritual temperature. 809 00:32:38,180 --> 00:32:40,500 You know, you take your temperature to see 810 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:42,460 if you're sick or if you've got a 811 00:32:42,460 --> 00:32:42,720 fever. 812 00:32:44,220 --> 00:32:46,760 I would say that when you take your 813 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,600 spiritual temperature here and if you don't care 814 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,940 about your broken vows, that's a real coldness 815 00:32:52,940 --> 00:32:54,060 of heart before God. 816 00:32:55,140 --> 00:32:56,740 Your heart's cold before him. 817 00:32:58,980 --> 00:33:00,480 Your heart's hard before him. 818 00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:02,800 You made a promise to God. 819 00:33:03,020 --> 00:33:05,120 You broke it and you don't even care. 820 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,540 Well, what would you say of a husband 821 00:33:08,540 --> 00:33:12,320 who breaks his marriage vows before his wife? 822 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,160 You know, it doesn't bother him one bit. 823 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:16,640 Didn't care. 824 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:20,440 You'd say that is a cold hearted husband. 825 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:23,960 Well, if you don't care about the broken 826 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,040 vows that you've made before the Lord, then 827 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:28,940 it betrays a coldness of heart. 828 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:31,880 I mean, maybe for some of you tonight, 829 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,480 your prayer needs to be, God, I've got 830 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:35,100 a cold heart. 831 00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:36,440 Won't you touch me? 832 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:37,860 Won't you change me? 833 00:33:39,910 --> 00:33:42,230 If we don't care about our broken vows, 834 00:33:42,490 --> 00:33:45,470 it betrays a real lack of the fear 835 00:33:45,470 --> 00:33:46,510 of God. 836 00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:53,120 Last night, we were together with some other 837 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,580 folks and having a very nice evening. 838 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,160 And for some reason, we started talking about 839 00:33:58,160 --> 00:33:59,080 traffic tickets. 840 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,940 You know, how people get stopped for tickets 841 00:34:01,940 --> 00:34:03,400 or parking tickets or this or that. 842 00:34:05,300 --> 00:34:07,560 Now, let's say you get a traffic ticket. 843 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:09,100 You get it. 844 00:34:09,580 --> 00:34:10,480 Policeman writes it. 845 00:34:11,139 --> 00:34:12,340 And you just throw it in the glove 846 00:34:12,340 --> 00:34:13,440 box and forget about it. 847 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:15,960 You get notices from the court. 848 00:34:16,540 --> 00:34:17,520 You just forget about it. 849 00:34:18,540 --> 00:34:19,960 You can get away with that for a 850 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:20,340 while. 851 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:23,699 But as your glove compartment gets filled up 852 00:34:23,699 --> 00:34:26,860 with parking tickets, pretty soon you realize, I've 853 00:34:26,860 --> 00:34:27,780 got to deal with these things. 854 00:34:28,940 --> 00:34:30,440 I can't just ignore it. 855 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:32,320 I have to deal with these things. 856 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:33,960 And you go in and you deal with 857 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:35,040 them, painful as it is. 858 00:34:38,630 --> 00:34:42,230 Honestly, wouldn't you say that many Christians have 859 00:34:42,230 --> 00:34:44,929 more respect for the Department of Motor Vehicles 860 00:34:44,929 --> 00:34:46,949 than they do for the Holy Spirit of 861 00:34:46,949 --> 00:34:47,170 God? 862 00:34:49,650 --> 00:34:52,110 Because God's bringing conviction into their life. 863 00:34:52,330 --> 00:34:53,510 A parking ticket, if you will. 864 00:34:54,370 --> 00:34:55,389 God says, here's conviction. 865 00:34:55,530 --> 00:34:56,350 Now, you come and deal with this. 866 00:34:56,670 --> 00:34:57,890 They throw it in the glove compartment. 867 00:34:58,090 --> 00:34:59,130 Ah, forget about it. 868 00:34:59,950 --> 00:35:01,710 And God sends them something in the mail. 869 00:35:02,390 --> 00:35:04,090 You know, there they get convicted again when 870 00:35:04,090 --> 00:35:04,690 they go to church. 871 00:35:04,790 --> 00:35:05,970 And the pastor, you know, it's one of 872 00:35:05,970 --> 00:35:06,250 those things. 873 00:35:06,250 --> 00:35:09,650 The pastor was reading my mind, you know, 874 00:35:09,730 --> 00:35:10,330 in that. 875 00:35:10,650 --> 00:35:11,530 And what do they do with that? 876 00:35:12,070 --> 00:35:13,270 They throw it in the glove compartment. 877 00:35:13,350 --> 00:35:14,410 Forget about it. 878 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,080 And again, the way people respond to God, 879 00:35:18,140 --> 00:35:20,420 you'd have to say, honestly, they respect the 880 00:35:20,420 --> 00:35:22,640 Department of Motor Vehicles more than they respect 881 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:23,000 God. 882 00:35:24,620 --> 00:35:26,440 Because of the way they respond to conviction. 883 00:35:28,700 --> 00:35:31,260 So what do you do to restore broken 884 00:35:31,260 --> 00:35:31,600 vows? 885 00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:33,040 Let's say, man, that's me tonight. 886 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,060 I know I've broken vows. 887 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:34,900 What do you do? 888 00:35:35,500 --> 00:35:38,020 Well, let's take a look, finally, at Numbers, 889 00:35:38,180 --> 00:35:39,040 chapter six. 890 00:35:40,300 --> 00:35:42,440 Turn your Bible to Numbers, chapter six. 891 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,340 Now, it's interesting because we have the exact 892 00:35:48,340 --> 00:35:50,720 scenario here in the book of Numbers. 893 00:35:51,140 --> 00:35:54,820 The law of Moses deals with this exact 894 00:35:54,820 --> 00:35:57,280 issue of what to do when you've broken 895 00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:57,640 the vow. 896 00:35:57,740 --> 00:36:00,340 Now, the specific vow that they're dealing with 897 00:36:00,340 --> 00:36:02,980 here in Numbers, chapter six, is the vow 898 00:36:02,980 --> 00:36:04,080 of a Nazarite. 899 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:05,720 Have you ever heard of that term? 900 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:06,720 The vow of a Nazarite. 901 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,320 Well, the vow of a Nazarite was a 902 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:11,300 vow that you would take for 60 days 903 00:36:11,300 --> 00:36:13,600 or 30 days or 90 days. 904 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:15,720 And during that time, you would do certain 905 00:36:15,720 --> 00:36:16,200 things. 906 00:36:16,660 --> 00:36:18,420 You would regard it as a special time 907 00:36:18,420 --> 00:36:20,100 of separation unto the Lord. 908 00:36:20,460 --> 00:36:22,060 You would say, first of all, I'm not 909 00:36:22,060 --> 00:36:24,380 going to eat or drink anything that comes 910 00:36:24,380 --> 00:36:25,100 from the grapevine. 911 00:36:25,420 --> 00:36:27,800 No grape juice, no wine, no grapes, no 912 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:29,000 raisins, no nothing. 913 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:30,520 It comes from the grapevine. 914 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:31,520 I don't have it. 915 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:37,120 Secondly, you would avoid dead bodies and death. 916 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,380 Third, you would let your hair grow long 917 00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:42,440 for the length of the vow. 918 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,840 So if you took a two-month vow 919 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:47,480 of a Nazarite, you wouldn't cut your hair 920 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,520 for two months. 921 00:36:48,900 --> 00:36:50,040 And then at the end of the vow, 922 00:36:50,260 --> 00:36:52,000 you would cut your hair and you'd come 923 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,260 and bring it before the Lord and offer 924 00:36:53,260 --> 00:36:55,860 a special sacrifice to conclude your vow. 925 00:36:55,860 --> 00:36:57,940 Now, let's say you took the vow of 926 00:36:57,940 --> 00:37:00,660 a Nazarite and somebody fell down dead right 927 00:37:00,660 --> 00:37:01,220 next to you. 928 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:02,460 Then what do you do? 929 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:03,720 You broke the vow. 930 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:05,620 Maybe you didn't intend to, but the vow's 931 00:37:05,620 --> 00:37:05,980 broken. 932 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,120 That's the issue dealt with here in Numbers 933 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:11,020 chapter 6, beginning at verse 9. 934 00:37:11,140 --> 00:37:11,740 Take a look here. 935 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,880 It says, And if anyone dies very suddenly 936 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,440 beside him, he means the person who's made 937 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,020 the vow of a Nazarite, and he defiles 938 00:37:21,020 --> 00:37:24,020 his consecrated head, then he shall shave his 939 00:37:24,020 --> 00:37:25,500 head on the day of his cleansing. 940 00:37:26,020 --> 00:37:27,860 On the seventh day, he shall shave it. 941 00:37:28,780 --> 00:37:30,560 Then on the eighth day, he shall bring 942 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:32,700 two turtle doves or two young pigeons to 943 00:37:32,700 --> 00:37:34,760 the priest, to the door of the tabernacle 944 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:35,220 of meeting. 945 00:37:35,540 --> 00:37:37,900 And the priest shall offer one as a 946 00:37:37,900 --> 00:37:39,660 sin offering and the other as a burnt 947 00:37:39,660 --> 00:37:42,040 offering and make atonement for him because he 948 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:43,920 sinned by reason of the dead body. 949 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:46,720 And he shall sanctify his head that same 950 00:37:46,720 --> 00:37:47,160 day. 951 00:37:47,780 --> 00:37:50,080 He shall consecrate to the Lord the days 952 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:52,480 of his separation and bring a male lamb 953 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,620 in its first year as a trespass offering, 954 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,240 but the former days shall be lost because 955 00:37:57,240 --> 00:37:59,060 his separation was defiled. 956 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:01,620 So what do you do to restore a 957 00:38:01,620 --> 00:38:02,020 broken vow? 958 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:03,080 I think we have a pattern here. 959 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:04,560 The first thing you do is you humble 960 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:05,020 yourself. 961 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:06,920 That's what you did by shaving your head. 962 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,420 I know today some people shave their head 963 00:38:10,420 --> 00:38:11,760 as a fashion statement. 964 00:38:11,900 --> 00:38:14,380 They think, well, that's the look and so 965 00:38:14,380 --> 00:38:15,000 I want to have it. 966 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:16,800 It wasn't that way in ancient Israel. 967 00:38:17,220 --> 00:38:18,820 In ancient Israel, when you saw somebody with 968 00:38:18,820 --> 00:38:21,160 a shaved head, you said that man is 969 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:22,060 repenting of something. 970 00:38:23,660 --> 00:38:25,740 There's something spiritual going on in his life. 971 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:27,360 So that's the first thing you did was 972 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,000 you humbled yourself by shaving your head. 973 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:32,360 And might I say you humbled yourself publicly. 974 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:36,640 I would say that if the vow you 975 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:40,960 made was public in any way, you should 976 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:41,860 repent of it publicly. 977 00:38:41,860 --> 00:38:45,000 As a matter of fact, if you sense 978 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,460 in your heart that your broken vow has 979 00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:51,840 affected the spiritual life of others, that it's 980 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:53,620 held back the work of the church of 981 00:38:53,620 --> 00:38:55,600 Jesus Christ in some way, then you should 982 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:56,520 repent of it publicly. 983 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:00,160 You should be willing to stand before a 984 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:03,040 group just as this and say there's something 985 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:04,140 I'd like to tell you all. 986 00:39:05,220 --> 00:39:07,460 I broke a vow before the Lord and 987 00:39:07,460 --> 00:39:07,720 you know what? 988 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:09,860 I think it's really hindered my walk with 989 00:39:09,860 --> 00:39:12,220 God and I think that it's affected my 990 00:39:12,220 --> 00:39:14,600 fellow brothers and sisters in Christ because if 991 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:17,060 my walk with God isn't right, then that 992 00:39:17,060 --> 00:39:18,120 affects the body of Christ. 993 00:39:18,540 --> 00:39:20,280 I'd like to repent of my broken vow 994 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:21,760 and I'd like you all to know about 995 00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:22,060 it. 996 00:39:22,780 --> 00:39:24,800 So would you pray for me? 997 00:39:26,180 --> 00:39:28,480 What would you think if somebody did that? 998 00:39:29,180 --> 00:39:32,420 Right here tonight, would you think that filthy 999 00:39:32,420 --> 00:39:34,380 sinner removed them from my midst? 1000 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:36,260 You wouldn't think that for a moment, would 1001 00:39:36,260 --> 00:39:36,420 you? 1002 00:39:36,860 --> 00:39:39,760 You'd say, God bless that person. 1003 00:39:40,580 --> 00:39:43,280 God bless them for responding to the conviction 1004 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:44,140 of the Holy Spirit. 1005 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:46,440 And yes, I'll pray for them. 1006 00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:50,940 It's funny how differently we see ourselves and 1007 00:39:50,940 --> 00:39:51,860 how we see other people. 1008 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,340 Secondly, you need to look to your atoning 1009 00:39:56,340 --> 00:39:57,140 sacrifice. 1010 00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:59,600 After you humble yourself, you have to look 1011 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:00,800 to your atoning sacrifice. 1012 00:40:01,060 --> 00:40:02,000 And how did they do that? 1013 00:40:02,060 --> 00:40:03,460 Well, that was the whole turtle dove thing. 1014 00:40:03,460 --> 00:40:05,860 Bringing two young turtle doves or two young 1015 00:40:05,860 --> 00:40:06,520 pigeons. 1016 00:40:06,940 --> 00:40:08,200 You look to your atoning sacrifice. 1017 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:09,560 What's your atoning sacrifice? 1018 00:40:10,300 --> 00:40:11,960 Well, it's what Jesus did on the cross. 1019 00:40:13,380 --> 00:40:15,080 Say, Lord, I know that I humbled myself 1020 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:15,480 before you. 1021 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:17,120 Jesus, you paid for this sin. 1022 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:20,000 You paid for my sin of broken vows. 1023 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:21,300 Thank you, Jesus. 1024 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,120 Thank you that this removes my guilt, that 1025 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,460 it removes my shame of this broken vow. 1026 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,020 Thank you, Lord God. 1027 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:33,700 You know, your broken vow is a sin 1028 00:40:33,700 --> 00:40:36,980 of omission and it must be confessed as 1029 00:40:36,980 --> 00:40:40,140 sin before you can have a totally restored 1030 00:40:40,140 --> 00:40:41,800 fellowship with God and with others. 1031 00:40:42,780 --> 00:40:45,720 You say, Lord, Jesus cleansed me of this. 1032 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:50,280 And then fourthly, did you see what you 1033 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:50,800 need to do? 1034 00:40:50,900 --> 00:40:52,020 Finally, I should say. 1035 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:53,480 What do you do? 1036 00:40:53,980 --> 00:40:56,660 You start all over again. 1037 00:40:57,900 --> 00:40:59,660 You find that in verse 12. 1038 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:00,300 Take a look. 1039 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,700 It says, He shall consecrate to the Lord 1040 00:41:03,700 --> 00:41:04,720 the days of separation. 1041 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:06,100 Bring a male lamb the first years of 1042 00:41:06,100 --> 00:41:06,940 trespass offering. 1043 00:41:08,420 --> 00:41:11,120 But the former days shall be lost because 1044 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:12,480 the separation was defiled. 1045 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,500 In other words, start all over again with 1046 00:41:15,500 --> 00:41:15,940 your vow. 1047 00:41:17,500 --> 00:41:18,980 Okay, you took the vow of Nazareth. 1048 00:41:19,140 --> 00:41:20,440 You said, Lord, I'm not going to do 1049 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:21,700 these things for 30 days. 1050 00:41:21,820 --> 00:41:23,940 And after 10 days, somebody falls down dead 1051 00:41:23,940 --> 00:41:24,600 next to you. 1052 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:25,980 You know, a dead body falls on you. 1053 00:41:26,140 --> 00:41:27,700 Crazy circumstance or whatever. 1054 00:41:27,700 --> 00:41:29,100 Your vow is broken. 1055 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:30,580 You humble yourself. 1056 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:32,180 You humble yourself publicly. 1057 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:34,080 You look to your atoning sacrifice. 1058 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:35,740 And then you start all over again. 1059 00:41:36,780 --> 00:41:37,540 And that's what you should do. 1060 00:41:37,660 --> 00:41:40,960 Now, accepting, of course, if your vow was 1061 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:41,340 foolish. 1062 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:44,660 If it was a foolish vow that you 1063 00:41:44,660 --> 00:41:46,480 should have never made, then don't start it 1064 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:47,220 all over again. 1065 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:49,800 Just humbly ask God to release you from 1066 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:50,540 your foolish vow. 1067 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:52,660 But maybe it was a good vow that 1068 00:41:52,660 --> 00:41:53,000 you made. 1069 00:41:53,660 --> 00:41:54,600 Maybe it wasn't foolish. 1070 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:57,520 Maybe it wasn't beyond what you should expect 1071 00:41:57,520 --> 00:41:58,800 to consecrate yourself to, Lord. 1072 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:01,440 Well, then come back and say, Lord, I'm 1073 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:02,200 going to keep that. 1074 00:42:02,740 --> 00:42:04,680 Your Holy Spirit empowering me. 1075 00:42:05,020 --> 00:42:06,180 Me looking to Jesus. 1076 00:42:06,540 --> 00:42:08,080 I am going to keep that vow before 1077 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:08,300 you. 1078 00:42:10,370 --> 00:42:12,570 Finally, and I think that's a pretty clear 1079 00:42:12,570 --> 00:42:13,150 pattern, right? 1080 00:42:13,410 --> 00:42:14,150 Humble yourself. 1081 00:42:15,150 --> 00:42:16,270 Humble yourself publicly. 1082 00:42:17,350 --> 00:42:18,750 Look to your atoning sacrifice. 1083 00:42:19,510 --> 00:42:20,450 And start all over again. 1084 00:42:21,390 --> 00:42:23,890 Now, let me touch on one last thing, 1085 00:42:24,070 --> 00:42:24,690 and then we'll conclude. 1086 00:42:26,470 --> 00:42:29,130 What if I think I've broken vows, but 1087 00:42:29,130 --> 00:42:30,350 I can't remember any of them? 1088 00:42:31,370 --> 00:42:32,230 Are you like that? 1089 00:42:32,290 --> 00:42:33,570 That's kind of like I am. 1090 00:42:34,650 --> 00:42:37,790 It's like, man, who knows what promises I've 1091 00:42:37,790 --> 00:42:39,450 made to God that I haven't broken. 1092 00:42:39,750 --> 00:42:42,090 I know they must be out there, but 1093 00:42:42,090 --> 00:42:44,170 I can't think of any specific one. 1094 00:42:45,210 --> 00:42:46,150 So what do you do? 1095 00:42:47,410 --> 00:42:49,070 Well, you humble yourself. 1096 00:42:49,070 --> 00:42:52,050 You confess and you repent in general terms. 1097 00:42:53,310 --> 00:42:55,450 Lord, I know that I must have broken 1098 00:42:55,450 --> 00:42:55,930 some vows. 1099 00:42:56,030 --> 00:42:57,210 I mean, I just know I sense it 1100 00:42:57,210 --> 00:42:57,770 within myself. 1101 00:42:58,170 --> 00:43:00,170 I can't think of any one specifically, but 1102 00:43:00,170 --> 00:43:01,910 I just sense, Lord, this is me. 1103 00:43:02,270 --> 00:43:05,570 And so, Lord, I confess, I repent, cleanse 1104 00:43:05,570 --> 00:43:06,590 me of these things, Lord. 1105 00:43:06,830 --> 00:43:08,510 I just cleanse me. 1106 00:43:09,590 --> 00:43:12,650 But then ask God to show you. 1107 00:43:13,510 --> 00:43:16,490 Lord, is there a specific vow that I've 1108 00:43:16,490 --> 00:43:17,930 broken that you want to call to my 1109 00:43:17,930 --> 00:43:18,230 attention? 1110 00:43:18,230 --> 00:43:19,870 You know, if you ask God to show 1111 00:43:19,870 --> 00:43:21,010 you, he'll show you, right? 1112 00:43:21,890 --> 00:43:23,610 I mean, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. 1113 00:43:23,730 --> 00:43:25,270 Maybe he'll do it next week, but you 1114 00:43:25,270 --> 00:43:26,330 just be ready for it. 1115 00:43:26,490 --> 00:43:26,950 And when God. 1116 00:43:27,810 --> 00:43:28,210 Whoa. 1117 00:43:28,450 --> 00:43:31,270 I remember I did make that. 1118 00:43:31,390 --> 00:43:33,370 I did make that promise to God. 1119 00:43:34,270 --> 00:43:36,390 Oh, Lord, I'm so sorry that I didn't 1120 00:43:36,390 --> 00:43:37,150 keep that vow. 1121 00:43:38,090 --> 00:43:39,250 And then you think, was it a foolish 1122 00:43:39,250 --> 00:43:40,330 vow or was it a godly vow? 1123 00:43:40,510 --> 00:43:42,050 If it's a godly vow, you start all 1124 00:43:42,050 --> 00:43:42,790 over with it again. 1125 00:43:42,990 --> 00:43:44,310 If it was a foolish vow, you humbly 1126 00:43:44,310 --> 00:43:45,970 ask God to release you from it. 1127 00:43:46,890 --> 00:43:49,370 God will do that if you'll keep your 1128 00:43:49,370 --> 00:43:50,550 ears open to him. 1129 00:43:53,090 --> 00:43:53,510 Friends. 1130 00:43:55,010 --> 00:43:57,450 Why does Jesus want to talk to us 1131 00:43:57,450 --> 00:43:58,190 about these things? 1132 00:43:59,070 --> 00:44:01,350 Is it because he's angry with you? 1133 00:44:02,310 --> 00:44:05,150 And just likes beating up on you and 1134 00:44:05,150 --> 00:44:05,350 I? 1135 00:44:05,850 --> 00:44:08,850 No, no, a thousand times no. 1136 00:44:09,350 --> 00:44:13,610 Jesus, the humble, gentle servant, is here before 1137 00:44:13,610 --> 00:44:15,670 you tonight washing your feet. 1138 00:44:17,210 --> 00:44:18,950 And you know what the problem is? 1139 00:44:19,290 --> 00:44:20,610 Yeah, your feet are dirty. 1140 00:44:21,230 --> 00:44:23,270 But up under one of the toenails, there's 1141 00:44:23,270 --> 00:44:24,890 a real stubborn piece of crud. 1142 00:44:26,590 --> 00:44:28,450 And so he's kind of poking away at 1143 00:44:28,450 --> 00:44:31,130 it, you know, and cleaning it out. 1144 00:44:32,230 --> 00:44:35,810 And oh, oh, man, oh, don't worry. 1145 00:44:35,910 --> 00:44:37,090 I got to get this thing out. 1146 00:44:37,130 --> 00:44:38,790 It'll get infected if I leave it in 1147 00:44:38,790 --> 00:44:39,010 there. 1148 00:44:39,990 --> 00:44:41,790 Well, then cleanse my feet, Jesus. 1149 00:44:42,770 --> 00:44:43,470 Take it away. 1150 00:44:43,470 --> 00:44:47,270 The humble servant Jesus is before you tonight, 1151 00:44:47,730 --> 00:44:49,530 gently convicting you of sin. 1152 00:44:50,510 --> 00:44:51,930 And you say, well, it doesn't feel so 1153 00:44:51,930 --> 00:44:53,470 gentle inside of me right now. 1154 00:44:53,850 --> 00:44:54,630 Well, let me tell you something. 1155 00:44:54,750 --> 00:44:56,970 You want harsh conviction of sin from the 1156 00:44:56,970 --> 00:44:57,090 Lord? 1157 00:44:57,170 --> 00:44:58,350 Don't even be asking for that. 1158 00:45:00,070 --> 00:45:02,490 He's gently convicting you of sin because he 1159 00:45:02,490 --> 00:45:03,230 loves you. 1160 00:45:03,590 --> 00:45:07,450 Because he wants to take everything out of 1161 00:45:07,450 --> 00:45:10,210 the way that would hinder fellowship between you 1162 00:45:10,210 --> 00:45:10,490 and him. 1163 00:45:11,050 --> 00:45:13,230 And broken vows will hinder your fellowship. 1164 00:45:15,590 --> 00:45:20,510 You should confidently expect God to do great 1165 00:45:20,510 --> 00:45:24,110 things in your life when you set this 1166 00:45:24,110 --> 00:45:24,670 area right. 1167 00:45:27,220 --> 00:45:27,780 Let's pray. 1168 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:30,880 Father, we do. 1169 00:45:34,630 --> 00:45:36,990 We expect you to do great things in 1170 00:45:36,990 --> 00:45:38,630 our life, Lord, when we set these things 1171 00:45:38,630 --> 00:45:38,890 right. 1172 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:44,460 And, Lord, I stand before these people here 1173 00:45:44,460 --> 00:45:46,540 this evening, and I confess to them and 1174 00:45:46,540 --> 00:45:49,700 to you, Lord, that I've broken vows in 1175 00:45:49,700 --> 00:45:50,460 my life, Lord. 1176 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:55,200 I've broken vows made to you and made 1177 00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:55,740 to men. 1178 00:45:59,710 --> 00:46:00,470 Lord, I pray. 1179 00:46:03,150 --> 00:46:05,510 I pray, Lord, that if there's any specific 1180 00:46:05,510 --> 00:46:08,710 vow that you want to put your finger 1181 00:46:08,710 --> 00:46:10,250 on in my life, then, Lord, that you 1182 00:46:10,250 --> 00:46:10,910 would show me. 1183 00:46:12,530 --> 00:46:14,610 But, God, in humility I come before you 1184 00:46:14,610 --> 00:46:19,790 and I say, Lord, wash me clean of 1185 00:46:19,790 --> 00:46:22,730 this sin and help me to walk in 1186 00:46:22,730 --> 00:46:23,410 faithfulness, Lord. 1187 00:46:23,450 --> 00:46:25,310 I don't want anything to come between my 1188 00:46:25,310 --> 00:46:26,190 fellowship with you. 1189 00:46:29,140 --> 00:46:31,620 Make me more sensitive to sin, God. 1190 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:33,480 I want to be more sensitive. 1191 00:46:34,020 --> 00:46:36,920 I want to be more troubled when I'm 1192 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:42,060 not walking in the sink of fellowship with 1193 00:46:42,060 --> 00:46:42,260 you. 1194 00:46:45,020 --> 00:46:46,620 Bless you, God, for your great love. 1195 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:49,780 Move upon us now by your Spirit.