DIFFICULT COMMANDMENTS

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" John 6:60
      1. This was said by many after Jesus had taught them regarding
         the bread of life. John 6:53-56
      2. They could not understand it because they were too carnally
         minded.
         a. We don't literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, but
            we eat, digest, assimilate Him by taking His word into
            our hearts.
      3. From that time, many of his disciples went home and no
         longer followed Him. John 6:66
         a. If we don't understand everything at first, it is no     
            reason to quit.
      4. Peter made a marvelous statement at that time. John 6:67-68
   B. As we search the Scriptures, we find a number of instances     
      where the will of God was particularly difficult to accomplish.
      1. Nonetheless, we see the determination of faithful people who
         dealt with very difficult commands.
      2. They give us strength and encouragement to carry out
         whatever God requires of us.

I. EXAMPLES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
   A. Isaiah 20:2-5
      1. Isaiah was not a backward nomad, but was a counselor to
         Hezekiah, a good king.
      2. Nonetheless, God commanded him to walk naked and
         barefoot as a sign to the people.
      3. He being an obedient man of God, did exactly as was
         commanded.
   B. Joshua 6:3-5
      1. Fortified cities were taken by these means - Ezek. 4:2.
      2. It made no sense whatsoever to simply march around a city
         to conquer it.
      3. Heb. 11:30 - They did what was commanded, trusting that
         the results would come.
   C. Jonah 1:1-3
      1. To go preach to the Ninevites was a hard command to Jonah
         because they were the hated enemies of the Israelites.
         a. The Ninevites were noted for their cruelty to their
            captives.
      2. Jonah wanted them dead! He didn't want to preach to them,
         because if they repented, God would be merciful to them.
         Jonah 4:2-3
   D. Hosea 1:2-3
      1. Hosea was commanded to take an adulterous woman as
         wife.
         a. As was expected, she was not faithful to her husband.
         b. The third child was named, "Not mine." Evidently, her
            baby was not Hosea's.
      2. God made a comparison of Hosea's wife to the Israelites.
         Hosea 2:5
      3. Later, after Hosea's wife had been used by her so-called
         lovers, she was being sold on the auction block as a slave.
         Hosea was commanded to go get her.
   E. Abraham - Gen. 22:1-18
      1. Gen. 22:2
      2. Without murmuring or complaining, Abraham set in his heart
         to do as commanded.
      3. We wonder how he may have felt when asked by Isaac -
         Gen. 22:7
      4. Abraham was ready to carry out God's command, thinking
         that God would take care of the matter. Heb. 11:17-19
   F. Here is an example of some who would not obey God. Jer. 42:1-3
      1. This was the remnant who had escaped being killed by the
         Babylonians.
      2. Jeremiah tells them, by the word of the Lord, to stay in the
         land and they would be blessed. Jer. 42:9-12
      3. They were hypocritical. Jer. 42:20
      4. They did not believe Jeremiah. Jer. 43:2-5
      5. They cleaved to their idolatry. Jer. 44:16-18
   G. In view of all these examples, are we also determined to       
      faithfully obey God?
      1. If we think that some command is too hard, do we think God
         wants us to simply disregard it?

II. SOME OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS HAVE A DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY IN    
   THEM.
   A. Don't retaliate. Matt. 5:38-39
   B. Love your enemies, and pray for them. Matt. 5:44
   C. Looking with lust is the same as adultery. Matt. 5:28-30
   D. Divorcing for any reason other than fornication is sin. Matt.  
      5:31-32
      1. How many times, as we try to teach God's laws on marriage,
         people say, "That doesn't seem fair!"
      2. I thought I had heard it all. However, recently a woman said
         she had to get a divorce from her husband (who was an evil
         man) because it was the only way she could get custody of
         her kids! 

III. SOME OF THE TEACHING OF THE INSPIRED APOSTLES ARE DIFFICULT TO  
   UNDERSTAND AND CARRY OUT.
   A. Some things are hard to understand. 2 Pet. 3:16
      1. Peter said they were hard, not impossible, to understand.
      2. Let us view those things as a challenge. When viewed as a
         challenge, the Scriptures will never be boring to us.
   B. It is hard at times in dealing with brethren who are weak      
      and/or have sinned. Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Thess. 5:14; Gal. 6:1;   
      James 5:19-20
   C. Withdraw from the disorderly. 2 Thess. 3:6; 1 Cor. 5:4
      1. This would become especially difficult when a family
         member is involved.
      2. It is easy to let this command slide because it involves
         emotional stress and difficulty.
   D. We need to be continually doing good. Gal.6:9; 1 Cor. 15:58
      1. A long life of faithful service to Christ will entail many
         difficulties, trials, and adversities, and adversaries.
         a. Our greatest adversary is the devil. Even his name
            "devil" (diabolos) means "prone to slander, slanderous,
            accusing falsely."
         b. He constantly temps us to evil and falsely accuses us
            before God.
      2. One of the easiest things in the world to do is to quit!
         a. Perseverance is not always easy.
         b. Persistence is for the strong, not for wimps and the
            faint-hearted.
      3. The Lord encouraged us toward faithful service. Matt.
         24:44-51

Concl.
   A. We don't let the difficulty of learning to ride a bike or to   
      drive a car deter us from the challenge.
      1. I heard of a young man who was very hesitant about learning
         to drive; he was already eighteen, and hadn't learned to
         drive.
      2. When I was asked what I thought about one of our girls
         dating him, "I think he is irresponsible."
      3. There is a story about a man standing on a crowded bus. The
         young man standing next to him asked, "What time is it?"
         The man refused to reply. The young man moved on. The
         man's friend, sensing something was wrong, asked, "Why
         were you so discourteous to the young man asking for the
         time?" The man answered, "If I had given him the time of
         day, next he would want to know where I am going; and
         then we would talk about our interests; and, if we did that,
         he would invite himself to my house for dinner; and, if he
         did, he would meet my lovely daughter; and, if he met her,
         they would both fall in love, and I don't want my daughter
         marrying someone who can't afford a watch."
   B. Let us not let the difficulties of living the Christian life   
      discourage us.
      1. Let us continue to meet the challenges as set before us by
         God.
   C. God requires faith, repentance, confession, and baptism.
      1. Repentance is not always an easy command. Sometimes it
         requires an entire new way of thinking.
      2. When the Lord calls on us to repent and change our lives,   
         let us meet the challenge.