International Gospel Hour

Jeff Archey: God sent Jesus as the messenger of love, but sadly many hated the messenger. Do you find that stunning, friends? God has always had in mind man's welfare and true peace that could be attained. Let's be reminded of that today with our study from the International Gospel Hour. Stay tuned.

Guest (Male): Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We're so glad you've decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God's word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archey, of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Let's listen now. Here's Jeff.

Jeff Archey: Thank you to our Jay Webb and greetings to all of you. It is so good to have you with us for our broadcast here from the International Gospel Hour. Dear friends, are you aware that people sometimes hate preachers? Is it because some preachers have an ugly attitude and do not present the gospel in love? I have absolutely no doubt that could be the case in some instances.

I have heard preachers who were belligerent and appeared to be angry with their audiences. Those preachers seem to be more interested in getting something off their shoulders than in teaching the truth. Such preachers ought never to be in any pulpit. If they do not love the people to whom they preach, they ought to be doing some other kind of work.

But if anybody in the world ever preached with the welfare of his audience uppermost in his mind, it was always the Lord Jesus Christ. But there were countless thousands of people who hated Christ. He told his disciples in John 15:18 and 19, "If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

You know, friends, we hear from time to time the phrase "hate the sin and not the sinner," and we submit that that is a biblical thought. Listen to Romans 5 beginning with verse 8: "But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."

Could one then hate a message yet love the messenger? Well, indeed, there are statements and positions that I do not like nor agree with. But, dear listeners, if I hate the person who said it, I would be violating the commands of God to love people and to have their best welfare at heart, and I would fail to be like my Savior. Again, let us think about these things today as we discuss the subject, Hating God's Messengers. And we're going to do so with a very special guest, if you will. So I'll be back in about 30 seconds.

Guest (Male): Hello friends, missed a broadcast of Are You Listening? You can find previous broadcasts at our website, internationalgospelhour.com, and we are on several podcast platforms. Maybe we are on your favorite podcast site. Just search for International Gospel Hour and you can find previous broadcasts. They are always there 24/7 for you to listen or even to download. And now, let's continue our study.

Jeff Archey: And now, friends, our special guest. Through his transcripts of lessons that he prepared and delivered through the International Gospel Hour, and this material that we have, we still have available to us. Through all of this, let's study a lesson from the late Winfred Claiborn. From 1995 to 2014, Brother Winfred was the voice of the International Gospel Hour.

And as in times past, I am honored to deliver a lesson from Brother Winfred today as we consider the subject, Hating God's Messengers. Ahab was unquestionably one of the wickedest kings Israel ever had, and besides that, he married Jezebel. On one occasion, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, the two tribes in the south, visited Ahab.

Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, "Did you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we are still and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria? Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." First Kings 22:2-4.

Jehoshaphat wanted to know if Ahab had consulted God's prophets. Ahab assured him that he had consulted all 400 of the court prophets. Those prophets assured him that he would win against Ramoth Gilead. For some reason, Jehoshaphat did not trust those prophets. He asked Ahab, "Is there another prophet of the Lord besides that we may inquire of him?"

Ahab responded, "There is yet one other man, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, by whom the way we may inquire of the Lord. But I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." First Kings 22:7-9. So Ahab sent a messenger to find Micaiah.

And the messenger said to the prophet, "Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth. Let your word, I pray you, be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good." And Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, what the Lord says unto me, that will I speak." So he came to the king and the king said unto Micaiah, "Shall we go against Ramoth Gilead to battle or shall we forbear?"

And he answered him, "Go and prosper. The Lord shall deliver it in the hand of the king." And the king said unto him, "How many times shall I make you swear that which is true in the name of the Lord?" And he, that is Micaiah, said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master, let them return every man to his house in peace.'"

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?" First Kings 22:13-18. Tragically, King Ahab was not the last ruler who objected to what prophets or preachers have to say. There are thousands of politicians and millions of other people who hate those who speak the word of the Lord faithfully.

It is not unusual for rulers to imprison or even to execute those who preach what they do not want to hear. Could that happen in the United States of America? The answer is very simple, it is already happening. There are places in our nation where preachers are not free to preach what they believe the Bible teaches.

Most Bible students are familiar with the conflict between Elijah and Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab wanted land which belonged to Naboth, a Jezreelite. Naboth did not want to sell his inheritance. He said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid it me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto you." Ahab acted like a spoiled brat.

He went to bed, turned away his face to the wall, and would not eat. Jezebel came on the scene and asked Ahab, "Why is your spirit so sad that you do not eat bread?" He told her that Naboth refused to sell his family's vineyard to him. To make a long story short, Jezebel arranged for men to testify that Naboth had blasphemed.

That meant a death sentence for Naboth. When Naboth was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, for he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead." So the Lord sent Elijah to Ahab and Jezebel, and the Lord instructed Elijah to say to Ahab in First Kings 21 beginning with verse 17:

"Have you killed and also taken possession? And you shall speak unto him saying, 'Thus says the Lord, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood, even yours.'" And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you because you have sold yourself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon you and take away your posterity."

"And will cut off from Ahab every male and female and him that is shut and left in Israel. And of Jezebel also spoke the Lord saying, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Him who dies of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat, and him that dies in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.' But there was none like unto Ahab who did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up."

It is hardly possible that anyone could hate God's messenger any more than Ahab and Jezebel hated Elijah. The only reason Jezebel did not murder Elijah was because she lacked the opportunity. Are there people in our world who hate God's messengers as much as Jezebel hated Elijah? Tragically, there are people all over the world who hate faithful gospel preachers or those who preach a message the people do not like.

So many people in the United States claim to be tolerant, but they are tolerant only of what they like. If the preachers expose their wickedness, they do not hesitate to persecute and even to execute those preachers. Dr. George L. Robinson's little book *The 12 Minor Prophets* characterizes the prophet Amos as the prophet of justice.

Amos lived in Judah among the two southern tribes. But God commissioned him to preach to Israel, the ten northern tribes. His message could hardly have been plainer. For example, the prophet wrote, "I have smitten you with blasting and mildew when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased. The palmerworm devoured them, yet have you not returned unto me," says the Lord.

"I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt. Your young men have I slain with the sword and taken away your horses. And I have made the stink of your camps come up unto your nostrils. Yet had you not returned unto me," says the Lord. "I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet had you not returned unto me," says the Lord. Amos 4:9-11.

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, was very angry with Amos. He sent a message to the king of Israel saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos says, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.'"

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, "O you seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, prophesy there. But prophesy not again anymore in Bethel, for it is the king's chapel and it is the king's court." Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit."

"And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me, 'Go, prophesy unto my people Israel and drop not your word against the house of Isaac.' Therefore thus says the Lord, 'Your wife shall be a harlot in the city and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword and your land shall be divided by line, and you shall die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely go into captivity from his own land.'" Amos 7:10-17.

It was a tragedy that the priest of Bethel objected to the preaching of the great prophet Amos. The Bible does not use the word hate of Amaziah's attitude toward Amos, but there could hardly be any doubt that he did hate God's messenger. Examining examples like the ones I have given you shows why Israel eventually lost its standing with God. We cannot hate and oppose God's messenger without having to suffer the consequences.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist was like Micaiah, Elijah, and Amos. John knew that King Herod had taken his brother Philip's wife and married her. Politically correct preachers of our generation almost certainly would have ignored what Herod had done. John the Baptist could not do that. Matthew 14:3 and 4 says, "For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him and put him in prison for Herodias's sake, his brother Philip's wife."

"For John said unto him, 'It is not lawful for you to have her.'" John's behavior would be comparable to a modern preacher standing before, well, let's think about one ruler of the past, Saddam Hussein, and telling him, "You are an adulterer." You know what would have happened. You also know that very few preachers would have had the courage to say that to Saddam Hussein.

Saddam Hussein hated anyone who objected to his ideas and practices, and not only did he hate them, yet he did not hesitate to kill them. The author of Hebrews describes Jesus as our prophet, priest, and king. In Hebrews chapter one beginning with verse one, "God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things."

"By whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Jesus would have never spoken in such a way as to stimulate hate toward him, would he?

Jesus said to his disciples, "If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you. Or because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

"Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no man did, they had not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." John 15:18-20 and verses 23-24.

What did Jesus say that caused men to hate him? After all, he was a loving son of the Almighty God. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John include a number of incidents that would lead men to hate Christ. I shall take the time to give you just one. Jesus said unto the Pharisees, "I know you are Abraham's seed, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you."

"I speak that which I have seen with my father, and you do that which you have seen with your father." They answered and said unto him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus says unto them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I have heard of God. This Abraham did not do. You do the deeds of your father."

They said unto him, "We were not born of fornication. We have one father, even God." Jesus said unto them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word." Now, friends, please listen carefully.

Jesus said to them, "You are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it." John 8:37-44. But did this kind of speech cause the Jews to hate Jesus Christ?

Surely nobody could hate one so loving and so concerned about the welfare of others. Why do you think they crucified him? They crucified Christ because of his manner of life and what he taught. His behavior and his words condemned their very thoughts and actions. When we are as faithful to God as Christ was, we should expect to be hated.

Because we live in a country that provides freedom of religion, we probably will not be killed for our beliefs and for our preaching. But you can rest assured there are people in this nation who would put us to death if they could. Our First Amendment rights to speak freely are being undermined on a regular basis. Is there any doubt in your mind that many of the Apostle Paul's listeners hated him?

You cannot read about Paul's preaching in the Book of Acts without coming to that conclusion. Do you remember that Paul was stoned for his preaching? Acts 14:19 says, "And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead."

We go to Acts 16 verses 19 and following, where Paul and Silas cast a spirit of divination from a young woman. "And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers and brought them to the magistrates saying, 'These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive neither to observe, being Romans.'"

"And the multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely." You know, many of the people of Philippi hated the Apostle Paul and Silas.

Dr. Thomas Warren, one of my graduate professors, and my friend Garland Elkins edited a book, *God Demands Doctrinal Preaching*, in 1978. One chapter in the book was titled "We Must Be Willing To Be Hated By The World And The Brethren," and it was written by Goebel Music. One might be tempted to think that Brother Music's chapter is an exaggeration.

But if you have listened carefully to our study today, you know it is right on the mark. I have never personally heard someone say, "I hate that preacher because of what he preached," but I have no doubt many people have said it. I must close our study with a few observations. Every preacher in the world has a sacred obligation to preach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

And surely there is not a preacher in the world who does not know where to find that truth. Even though there is a danger that we shall be hated, we have no choice but to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. We know we shall stand before God in the final judgment to give an account of our preaching. I do not want to hear the Lord say, "You knew the truth but you did not have the courage to preach it."

The Apostle Peter told his readers, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles or words of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever." First Peter 4:11. There is a temptation for preachers to speak on the easy and popular topics.

Who could object to a sermon on the topic, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so"? But woe to the preacher who discusses such controversial subjects as marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Many preachers have been fired because they preached on such controversial issues. What an absolute disgrace.

Well, dear friends, there we have a very thorough and wonderful job by our brother Winfred Claiborn. And how thankful we are for his stand and his position even then, and yet as in the days of Abel in Hebrews 11:4, he being dead, yet he speaks. We want to come back in just a moment with a few other thoughts of our study today.

But first, as we have discussed the matters of the word of God, surely we have piqued your interest in the things that be of God. You've chosen to listen to us today and we would love to send you a free Bible study course that's available by mail. You can do it in the privacy of your own home at your own pace. Here is our Jay Webb with further details of how you can receive our free home Bible study course.

Guest (Male): Friends, the International Gospel Hour offers for free a Bible study course available by mail. That's right, at your own pace you can study the Bible in your own home. It's free. Give it a try. Please call toll-free at 1-855-IGH-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, "Home study." That's it.

You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab and leave us the same information: name, address, and type "Home study" in the message box. We'll send it right away. Thank you always for listening to the things that be of God.

Jeff Archey: Dear friends, we always want to bring forth the truth as we study the word of God which is truth, John 17:17. Let us be in the spirit of Second Timothy chapter two around verse 22, when we are taught how the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle. We realize we will bring forth thoughts in our program that challenge the thinking of individuals.

We realize that when we bring forth some studies, we do have questions that arise that people find very strange, what they hear. We only ask that you take the Bible and the Bible alone and see what we are saying and to make certain that it is in accordance with the word of God. If not, we will do our best to make that right.

We are blessed here at the International Gospel Hour to have served the public for well close to 90 years as of this broadcast. Did you know that we are the second longest-running religious program, weekly program rather, in the history of radio? And we are the longest-running program in Churches of Christ. Let me give you a little bit more detail about our work at International Gospel Hour. And here is our Jay Webb with a very special thought from us here at International Gospel Hour.

Guest (Male): Since 1934, the International Gospel Hour has been heard over the radio and to God be the glory. We are blessed to remain on the air through gracious giving of congregations of Churches of Christ, faithful Christians, and devoted friends. That's why you will never hear us asking for money from you, our listeners. Our offers of material and study aids are absolutely free. We want you to grow in the knowledge of the word of God. Thank you always for listening.

Jeff Archey: And indeed, friends, we appreciate all of our listeners and we thank you always for listening. And again, you will never hear us request money from you, our listeners. Everything that we offer is absolutely free. So please give our free Bible study course a try. We would love for you to study the word of God along with us and we will be able to help you all that we can.

We want individuals to see the beauty of Jesus Christ and to believe in him as he commanded in John 8:24. To repent of our sins as he commanded in Luke 13:3 and 5. To confess him as he commanded in Matthew 10:32, as well as to also be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, to be saved as we see in Mark 16:16.

And to walk in the light as he is in the light, First John 1:7, and to be faithful unto death, Revelation 2:10. This is all provided by the loving Savior Jesus Christ, and we're thankful to share that with you today. Let's continue our studies together another time. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I'm Jeff Archey and, friends, keep listening.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God's word for his will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory.