Death in the Pot!

TEXT:  2 Kings 4:38-41

INTRODUCTION:

A.    BACKGROUND.

        1.     Famine in Israel.

        2.     Succession of  Elisha - Gathering of the sons of the prophets.

        3.     The stew - poisonous gourd -

"Oh man of God, there is death in the pot!"

        4.     Elijah's solution.

B.    GREAT LESSONS - WE WANT TO CONSIDER THREE OF THEM.

I.     DANGER OF BEING DECEIVED BY APPEARANCES.

A.    SOMETHING MAY APPEAR SAFE, BUT ...( Prov. 14:12 ).

        1.     Consider Eve's sin( Gen. 3:1-8, 6 ).

        2.     Goliath's folly( 1 Sam. 17:41-49 ).

        3.     The warning of Jesus( Matt. 7:15 ).

B.    WE NEED TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND

        WRONG( Phil. 1:9-10 ).

        1.     We must exercise( Heb. 5:14 ).

        2.     And eat well( 1 Pet. 2:1-2;  2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

        3.     With the right attitude( 1 Cor. 2:14-16 ).

        4.     Always testing( Acts 17:11 ).

E.    WHEN WE HAVE DONE THIS, WE CAN SEE THE WRONG IN:

               Dancing, drinking, gambling, indecent recreation, immodest

                       apparel, language.

II.    ONE TOXIC INGREDIENT RUINS ALL THE GOOD.

A.    Gal. 1:6-9;  5:1-4, 7-9.  "A LITTLE LEAVEN..."

B.    WHAT DID NADAB AND ABIHU DO?( Lev. 10:1-2 ).

C.    WHAT ABOUT MOSES?( Num. 20:7 ).

D.    THE "SMALL" SIN OF ACHAN( Josh. 7:1-5 ).

E.    HOW MUCH POISON MAY WE ADD?( 2 John 9;  Rev. 22:18-19 ).

F.    EXAMPLES:  Instru., tithes, social gospel, rcreation, infant baptism.

III.    GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ALWAYS FOR THE BEST.

A.    DID PAUL HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS?

        ( 1 Tim. 1:12-15; Acts 23:1; 26:9-11 ).

B.    UZZAH LOST HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF GOOD INTENTIONS

        ( 2 Sam. 6:3-7 ).

C.    PETER SHOWED GOOD INTENTIONS IN CUTTING OFF

        MALCHUS' EAR.  HE WAS TO FIGHTING FOR JESUS.

E.    PEOPLE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS CAN BE WRONG

        ( Matt. 7:21-27 ).

V.   OBEDIENCE TO THE PROPHET MADE THE MEAL GOOD.

A.    PROPHETS ARE SPOKESMEN FOR GOD( Deut. 18:18 ).

B.    JESUS IS GOD'S SPOKESMAN TODAY( Heb. 1:1-2 ).

C.    SALVATION IS IN HIS WORD( John 6:68;  Rom. 1:16-17 ).

D.    BUT IT MUST REMAIN PURE( 1 Cor. 4:6;  1 John 4:6 ).

CONCLUSION:  HAVE YOU OBEYED THE LORD?