Well, we've had a great day together.
Wonderful meal together. Thank you so much for the
hospitality. That was extended and we're so
thankful for this opportunity to worship together.
I do know the challenge that is ahead of me when the belly is
full. The eyelids are heavy, but I
would just ask that you bear with me for a few moments as we
consider sour grapes. Now this expression sour grapes
As we use it today originates from one of Aesop's, Fables, the
story is told of a cluster of grapes that was hanging
dangling, over a wall, just Out Of Reach of The Sly Fox and that
fox junk that he jumped and he just couldn't get to the grapes.
And finally, he gave up turns away in exasperation in and says
Those Grapes are just sour. Anyway, and we use the
Expression, sour grapes based upon the concept that someone is
bitter and angry because things didn't turn out the way they had
hoped. And so, when things don't turn
out the way you'd want, and you kind of respond and arrogantly
or rationally in differently, We say, oh, that's just sour
grapes. But the expression sour grapes
as we use, it is really not how we find it in the Bible that
expression. Sour grapes originated long,
long time ago with the people of God, using the expression over
2,500 years ago, the nation of Israel had gone into captivity
by the Assyrians over a hundred years later.
The Sensational Southern nation of Judah.
The kingdom of Judah would be taken into Babylonian captivity.
And God is going to send prophets to communicate to his
people. During this period of Babylonian
captivity one profit that we know.
Probably the best is the the prophet of Daniel.
The Prophet Daniel was sent to communicate to Babylon to
Nebuchadnezzar that even though you've got God's people, you
don't have God even though you may have control of Of Judah.
You do not have control of judah's God.
And so his prophecy is preaching was really directed to the
world. But there was also another
Prophet, a contemporary of Daniel.
So somewhat and his name is Ezekiel.
His message was not targeted so much to the people of the world
as it was to the people of God. And his message was to the, to
the Jews that you are in captivity because of sin.
And you're not going to get out very quickly, it's going to
last, and this captivity, of course did last for 70 years.
But they had an expression, the people of God in captivity, they
had this proverb, they would use it.
Made themselves feel better, and here's what it said.
The word of the Lord came to me again, saying this is Ezekiel.
What do you mean? When you use this proverb?
Concerning the land of Israel saying the fathers have eaten,
sour grapes. And the children's teeth are set
on edge. You see?
The Jews were throwing themselves, a pity party, they
were in captivity and they were beginning to look at their
circumstances. And that began to try to
rationalize and justify themselves.
And they were actually blaming their circumstances on something
that their fathers had done. We're being punished because of
what our forefathers did, our fathers have eaten sour grapes
and yet the children's Teeth are set on edge so they were in
their pity party, basically, saying, look at what has
happened to us, it's really not our fault. that then, Verse 3,
as I live, says, the Lord God. You shall no longer use this
proverb in Israel. God says to the children of
Israel through through Ezekiel, I want you to stop saying this,
I want you to stop using this proverb.
Behold, All Souls are mine verse for the soul of the father, as
well as the soul of the son is mine.
The soul who sins shall die. Now throughout this chapter,
we're going to find that he uses the terms live and die over and
over again. I personally believe he's
talking about spiritual. Living and spiritual die.
The reason, I believe that it is spiritual in nature is that all
are going to die. Physically, but the soul who
sins will die. Spiritually.
But, regardless of how you interpret the concept and the
nature of death, The principle is the same.
That God is saying that you are going to be responsible and you
cannot, you cannot judge your situation based upon your father
Therefore your father's actions, your father's attitudes.
But ultimately yes, his soul is mine, your soul is mine and the
Soul who sins shall die. There's actually as we go
through this chapter, we're going to see five illustrations
that he is going to use and utilize to point out two
critical lessons. And I want to share those with
you for just a few moments and the lesson will be yours as we
go through Ezekiel 18. We usually focus on one or two
verses but when we look at the whole chapter we see there's a
critical Point being made that's going to illustrate some
application even for us today. The first thing we're going to
see in this illustration of five is he's going to point out a man
who does what is right. We're going to call him the
righteous man. And we know that is a righteous
man because the Bible refers to him as such if a man is just and
does what is lawful and right? What does he do verse 9?
If he has walked in my statutes and kept my judgments
Faithfully, he is just he shall surely live, says the Lord God.
Now, here's a man that's going to live.
Why is he going to live? Because he does.
What is right? He is a righteous man because he
considers What God Says and he listens and he obeys God's word.
And he does what is right in the sight of God.
He is going to live. Now, let me ask you, what kind
of a son do you suppose? A man like this is going to
produce Now if you're like me naturally, we are inclined to
think that a righteous man who obeys God and loves.
God is going to teach his son that he should obey God and
love. Love God.
And he most certainly does but just because he does, doesn't
mean that his son is actually going to follow in his footsteps
and so the next illustration is going to be of an unrighteous
son. As we see here in verses 10
through 13, Ezekiel says, if he that is the righteous man
bhagat's a son, who is a robber or a shedder of blood who does
any of these things and does none of those duties.
But has eaten on the mountains or defiled, his neighbor's wife.
This is a rotten, man. He is an ungodly man.
He is not. Obviously, considering the way.
Eyes Of God if he has oppressed the poor and needy robbed by
violence. Here's a violent man.
He's a he's got a righteous father but he is a violent son.
Not restored the pledge, lifted, his eyes to the idols or
committed Abomination, if he isn't exactly Usery and and take
an increase, shall he then live? He shall not.
Live. If he has done any of these
Abominations, he shall surely die.
And here's, here's the kicker. His blood shall be upon him.
Now. Here is a man that is the polar
opposite of his father. And we recognize that that
happens. Sometimes there are examples in
the Bible of this happening. Eli was a righteous and godly
man who had vile Sons. For Samuel to 12, Samuel was a
righteous and a godly man who had corrupted ungodly Sons verse
Samuel, chapter 8, verses two through five, but here in
Ezekiel 18, and verse 10, in spite of the fact that he had a
Godly father. And because of the fact that he
made poor choices himself that conclusion, in verse 13 is that
he is going to die and he will it will be his own fault, his
blood shall be upon him Now, here's another question.
You've got a son like that. A man like this.
What kind of a son, do you think this guy's going to have?
Now, you might think well of a guy that's described like this
obviously doesn't love God and doesn't care to teach his
children about God and he probably doesn't.
And therefore, what kind of a disadvantage would his son have?
If he is raised my father like this?
And so if you, if you are imagining like I would imagine
an unrighteous man having a son, he's going to be just as ungodly
and just as unrighteous as he will, if not more.
But that's not. What we see.
This man. Has a son.
Who is actually a righteous man? Here's what Ezekiel has.
I'm sorry. I have to click over here on my
phone. But Ezekiel says, if however, He
begets a son. This guy is going to be get a
son, who sees all the sins which is father has done and
considers. But does not do likewise.
He's watching he's watching dad and he's looking and he's
actually even considering what's he considering?
Whether or not. He should follow the same path
and he considers maybe he's tempted and contemplating going
that direction but he does not he actually Turns away and does
not do likewise who has withdrawn his hand from the poor
and not received usury or increase.
He's the polar opposite of his father but has executed my
judgments. And walked in my statute, he
shall not die for the iniquity of his father.
He shall surely live. So here we have the first three
illustrations teaching us the first lesson and the first
lesson is this every Person. Is responsible for their own
personal spiritual condition. Your own personal spiritual
condition. Usually in chapters 18 of his
Eco. We focus on verse 20 and 20 is a
powerful verse that conveys. This very thought this teaching
the soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear.
The guilt of the father, neither the father bear, the guilt of
the Sun that word guilt. There is very imperative for us
to understand the kind of the nature of This relationship and
we'll talk about that in a moment.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself
and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Everyone is responsible for their own.
Personal spiritual. Condition.
The Bible teaches. That we are all responsible for
our own choices and conduct. You know, this refutes the idea
that were born in sin it does not think this is a good passage
to help us understand that, we We are not born.
As guilty, Sinners inheriting, the original sin of Adam.
You know, there's a lot of people that believe that, that
when Adam and Eve sinned, that that original sin somehow is
transmitted and inherited and passed on to all of mankind.
But that's not what the Bible teaches.
And there's a number of passages that refute this and certainly
this one does, and when we're talking about the guilt now,
yes, there it's possible for us to sin and so sin, that we pass
on the consequences of our sin to other people, other people
can suffer because of our sins. If I choose to drink and get in
the car and drive down the road drunk, and I hit somebody and
kill somebody, they are Innocent, but they are suffering
because of my sin. This is not what's going on
here? The soul who sins shall die?
The son shall not bear. The guilt of the father.
Neither the father bear, the guilt of the Sun.
That means we are not held accountable.
For something that someone else has done our fathers or mothers
have done. And it refutes, this idea that
we inherit the guilt and thereby are held accountable for someone
else's sin. You know what else?
It refutes? Is the notion that who we are is
limited to who our parents are now.
I know, genetics are powerful and yes, you can see a mini
characteristics in a son that resemble.
Character character of the Father, the characteristics.
I should say of a father and I believe one of the strongest
influences on our lives comes from our parents.
There is a saying that thought like father like son or the
Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Proverbs, 26, or 5:40, says train up a child in the way that
he should go. And when he is old, he shall not
depart From it. Now, that is a proverb.
It is not a promise. And a proverb, of course, is a
teaching, a wise statement of how things generally turn out,
but they are, there are exceptions.
Even God, the most faithful loyal, the greatest of all
fathers, has wayward children. And so in Proverbs 23 and verse
22, when it says, drunkards become poor.
Usually, that's the way it turns out, but there are exceptions to
that rule aren't there. There are some well, Earthy
drunkards, but the point of Ezekiel chapter 18 is not to
diminish the power of Parental influence but rather to
demonstrate the power of personal choice.
Yes, here in three generations, Ezekiel illustrates, that's
possible for a Godly father, to have an ungodly son.
How is that? Because of the choice of that
ungodly son and for an ungodly son to have himself a Godly son?
How is that possible? Because of choice, it tells me
in spite of my upbringing or in spite of my circumstances.
Everybody has a choice of what kind of person they're going to
be and you may have the greatest Influence in your life you may
have had the greatest father the greatest mother the greatest
grandmother the greatest grandfather and you don't use
that as to your advantage you don't soak that up.
You choose to go a different path.
That's your choice. And you may have had.
The opposite where you've had parents, that weren't what they
ought to be. And you choose to be different.
You know, people like that I do. There are cycles that do not
have to continue. There are cycles of abuse that
don't have to be. There are cycles of addiction
that don't have to continue. There are cycles of rebellion
that do not have to be. And just because my father may
have had a certain disposition. That doesn't mean my course is
set. I love the story about Ben
Hooper. He was twice elected governor of
the state of Tennessee Ben Hooper.
But it was born in very sad circumstances, really?
When he was born many, many years ago, his mother was not
married. He was an illegitimate child and
so that brought a stigma a it brought an identification
abayas, a shame, and that day and age.
It was a terrible ugly thing for a child to be considered such a
an illegitimate child. Nothing whatsoever to do with
Is. Birth or who he was but that's
the way it was. The kids at school were mean, to
him ugly to him. The adults were mean and they
were ugly to him when he went to school, they ostracize them.
He had to eat lunch by himself. Many of the parents said, what
on Earth is a boy like that doing in our school, with our
kids at recess, he had to study at his desk.
He was just a loner, he was by himself, had no friends, had
really, no family. On Saturday, when his mother
took him into town, the adults gave him disapproving comments
and glares. Made her feel small and made him
feel even smaller and insignificant.
It was a tough existence one day he gets word that a young
preacher had moved into their Community, a new preacher in the
Hills there of Tennessee. And been Hooper started hearing
about what a great preacher he was and he was curious and he
would go and he would sit in and he would listen he go down to
That little building nestled into the hills of the Smoky
Mountains and he would listen, he would always arrive late and
he would leave early as to avoid the crowd.
But one week, even though he kept going back over and over
again. He got so caught up in the
sermon that he lost track of time and there he was found
himself with the service, dismissed surrounded by
everybody. And all of the sudden he feels
these hands on his neck as shoulder.
Turns around and there, he was staring right in the face of
that preacher. And the preacher asked him a
question that he wished. It was his worst nightmare, he
was just wanting to disappear. If the preacher said whose boy
are you And he didn't know what to say.
The preacher, no doubt. Detecting the situation.
Began to smile. And he says, I know.
I know the family you belong to. The resemblance is unmistakable.
You're a member of the family of God.
That's quite an inheritance boy and he slapped him on the back
side and said now go live up to your inheritance.
And Ben Hooper said he said. It was that day that he was
elected. Governor twice.
The state of Tennessee because it was on that day.
That he began to see himself. From a different point of view.
It's not who our parents are that.
Who we are her statement the other day?
We don't, we don't come from our parents.
We just come through them. We come from God.
And who we are and who we choose to be.
It's ultimately up to us. If we're wise, we will take the
good and we will learn and build on it.
And if we're wise, we will take the bad and we will, we will.
Learn from it. Emerson was 100% right when he
said what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny
matters. Compared to what lies within us.
I read about a study that was done.
On two young ladies who were grown in growing up, raised in
the same environment by an abusive alcoholic father.
And they were Setting down different points, different
times and the researcher was trying to kind of do a case
study of the situation, both of them lived in the same ordeal,
same situation, but one of them grew up and became an abusive
alcoholic just like her father. The other one grew up and became
a successful, professional lawyer actually.
And the researcher interviewing them, both ask the same
question. He asked the lady, who was an
abusive alcoholic. Why do you think you are the way
you are? And she said, because my father
was an alcoholic. What do you expect?
she asked and he asked that the lawyer Given your circumstance.
Why do you think you turned out so Successfully.
And her answer was because my dad was an alcoholic.
What would you expect? Some people use their
circumstance as stumbling blocks.
And others as stepping stones. Do you know, the ultimate
decision of what kind of person you will turn out to be the
choices that you make? If you are being raised by her
grandmother, that's Godly. That's wonderful.
Take advantage of that. Soak it up, Live It Up, enjoy
it. Don't take for granted. maybe
you being raised in a situation that Isn't so pleasant.
You know, the Bible doesn't talk about God having grandchildren.
Even notice that. It only speaks of children of
God. The reason the reason I suppose
it's because God expects every person to have their own faith,
their own relationship with him. It's not secondhand and the out
may come a time when you have to you may be living off of the
faith of someone else, but eventually you're going to have
to make it your own. Develop our own The proverb that
was so popular popular in the land of Israel, the children
have eat or the fathers have eaten, sour grapes but the
children's teeth are set on edge, they were casting the
blame, they were Shifting the responsibility and God said
enough of that. You will no longer use this
proverb in Israel. Everyone is responsible for
their own personal decision. Now I said five illustrations.
Here's the fourth. he shifts now from talking about this
generational, To this situational.
Where this wicked man. Lives a wicked life.
But some how some way he changes.
Now, listen, if a wicked man turns from him from all his
sins, which he has committed keeps all my statutes and does.
What is lawful and right? He shall surely live.
He shall not die. Here's a wicked, man.
That changes he repents and God says He's going to live.
He's not going to die. None of the transgressive
aggressions, which he has committed, shall be remembered
against him. All those sins that he's
committed all in his life, he turns to me.
God says, I'm not going to remember those things.
What a blessing. What a wonderful thing that is.
That you see a man. who can change and God will recognize
and judge him not based upon his past.
But upon his present. And the fifth exhibit.
Illustration is the flipside of that.
And that is a Godly, Man. Who changes?
Just as it's possible for a wicked man to turn from his sin.
It's actually possible for a righteous man to turn from his
righteousness and this is the point rather long longer verse
24, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and
commits iniquity and does according to all the
Abominations that the wicked men does, shall he live?
So for a righteous man, turns and does what the Wicked Man
does? Is he going to be Better.
She going to live. Not.
So all the righteousness which he has done, shall not be
remembered. Here's the flip side.
Just as the sin will not be remembered against that Wicked
Man. Who repents the righteousness
will not be remembered. For the righteous man who
Rebels. They shall not be remembered
because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin
which he has committed because of them, he shall die.
So, here's the second lesson. That's provided here.
Each individual is responsible. Not only for their personal
decision, personal condition. But their present spiritual
condition. not so much based upon what you have done in the
past, but what you do In the present.
Now, in a sense that is extremely encouraging.
But it is also. Extremely disconcerting.
It can be disturbing to think that a person might very well
live many years as a faithful and loyal servant of God and for
some inconceivable reason decide they're going to turn and do
what they want and not live that way anymore.
God tells us if a righteous man turns from God, God will not
remember all of those righteous Deeds, you know, sometimes we
hear somebody say the expression resting on your laurels.
You know that the ancient Olympiad where they would, they
would run the race and they would be given a crown.
They would be basically given a crown of laurels, you know,
this, this Shrubbery that would be placed on their brow.
And so these successful Olympic athletes would boast that all of
the trophies, they would be resting upon their Laurels,
their successes and their victories of the past.
And if we're not careful, we can do that.
Thinking of all of the success and all that, we've done all of
the sacrifice, all that we've lived and given up we rest on
that. And then we give up, can't do
that and maybe you've lived a life for the Lord for years and
years. You're not done yet, you're not
through yet. You can't give in.
Can't give up. Can't sit down, can't fall down.
Can't turn back. Keep going.
Keep moving when a righteous man turns?
Away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies in it.
This is what we're talking about the present State.
When you die in it. It is because of the iniquity,
which he has done that, he dies again.
What a wicked man. Turns from the wickedness, which
he commits and does. What is lawful in his, right?
He preserves himself. Ally this live, this refutes,
the idea that once you're saved, you're always saved a righteous
man can so turn away as to be lost.
If he dies in it, he will be lost.
He Ecclesiastes, 11 verse 13 or three, I believe in a very
poetic fashion Solomon. Says if a tree falls in to the
South or the North in the place where the tree falls, there it
shall I'll lie, the state. This is a figurative.
This is a metaphor for death, the state in which you fall the
state in which you die that seals the fate and will be
judgment, will be based upon that present.
Condition. Yes, the Judgment of our soul
will be based upon the present condition of our relationship
with God. Be thou faithful unto death and
I will give thee a crown of righteousness, Revelation 20
verse 10, be thou faithful, how long unto death.
And yes, that has a persecution context be faithful even in the
face of death by persecution or sacrifice.
And if it meant that certainly, it means be faithful until all
of your life is over. And so we have here, five
illustrations to lessons, the first reminds us that we're
going to be judged by our personal condition.
And the second reminds us that we're going to be judged based
upon our present condition and here's the conclusion.
Therefore whenever you hear the word therefore read it.
It's there for a reason, right? Hermeneutics want to want.
It's there for a reason, it connects Doctrine with Duty.
Usually, here's the duty, based upon everything, we've seen all
that we've learned there for I will judge you.
O House of Israel. I will judge you.
Don't worry about so much about what your dad did, what your
father did. I will judge you o House of
Israel. Everyone.
According to his ways, says the Lord God.
What do we do? Repent, and turn from all your
transgressions. So that iniquity will not be
your ruin cast away from you. All the transgressions, which
you have committed and get yourself a new heart, and a new
spirit for. Why should I for, why should you
die o House of Israel for? I have no pleasure in the death
of one who dies says the Lord. Therefore turn.
And live. No longer using that proverb in
Israel turn and live take responsibility.
And you will be judged upon your present and personal condition.
Lesson is yours this afternoon. If you're here and you've never
obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we invite you to come
believing in Jesus as the Son of God repenting of your sins,
repent, turn and live. You know that idea of
repentance. It's a it's a simple idea it's
more of a complex concept but it Elves with the change of it
begins there, the change of your mind, how you do, how you view
things and then what you do. And so repent for God, commands,
all men everywhere to repent and confess what you believe
concerning the Lord, Jesus Christ, with the heart man,
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation. If you believe that I am, he
unless you believe that I am, he you will die in your sins, Jesus
said, and then upon That confession be baptized to have
your sins washed away. If you have taken those steps
but you need the prayers of the church we invite.
You will pray with you and for you just simply come tonight
this afternoon while we stand in while we, we thank you for
listening to our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15
plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information or you would like to
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