"No Man's Land"
1 Kings 18:21
INTRODUCTION: The term "No Man's Land" is most commonly associated with the First World War although the phrase "no man's land" actually dates back until at least the 14th century. Its meaning was clear to all sides: no man's land represented the area of ground between opposing armies - in this case, between trenches. For newly arrived novice soldiers No Man's Land held a certain allure. Such troops were cautioned against a natural inclination to peer over the top of the trench into No Man's Land. Many men died on their first day in the trenches as a consequence of a precisely aimed sniper's bullet. The composition of No Man's Land could rapidly change as front lines shifted as a consequence of battles and actions. It was at its most static however along the trenches of the Western Front where from late 1914 until the Spring of 1918 the war was not one of movement but rather one of attrition.
If you look in a dictionary you will find references to this idea and also the following: "It is a place between acceptance and rejection."
No Man's Land was not however barren of activity. During nightfall each side would dispatch parties to spy on the enemy, or to repair or extend barbed wire posts. Reconnaissance missions were similarly common. Injured men trapped in No Man's Land would often be brought in under cover of darkness, as were corpses for burial. Consequently artillery shelling of No Man's Land was common, quickly reducing it to a barren wasteland comprised of destroyed vegetation, mud-soaked craters - and rotting corpses. Firstworldwar.com
The most dangerous place on any road is the middle!
Elijah had it right. He defined compromise for us in a biblical fashion -- to be divided in opinion, and action.
A woman getting onto a sky lift was given instructions that the moment the lift's chair touched her backside she was to sit down and lift her feet from off the ground. Instead when the chair came against her she sat down but was nervous about the height of the lift. Her hesitation caused her to keep her feet firmly planted on the platform. She wanted to see the magnificent view from the top of the lift but also wanted to be firmly attached to the ground. With her feet on the platform, the seat began to wind back and then like a slingshot hurled her off the platform causing severe injury to her legs and back. Indecision is a dangerous thing.
I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES REVIEWED
In the passage that we have read this morning, King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel had turned Israel to Baal worship. Because of their backsliding God sent Israel three years of drought and famine. They called upon Jehovah to deliver them, but continued to worship Baal. On top of Mt. Carmel, Elijah confronts Israel for their teeter tottering between a commitment to God and a life yielded to a false deity. He calls them to move off center and to decide whom they will serve. Just as in Elijah's day, there are many that are uncommitted and unaware that their indecisive straddling is hazardous to their spiritual health. There is a fable of a hungry donkey that was put between two bundles of hay. It looked at the one, then at the other, and could not decide which to eat first, till it died of starvation. Just about as foolish are those who halt between two opinions till they die in their sins. Let's examine the risks and dangers of being uncommitted, and the call to commitment. Gerald Flury
a. The crisis
Because of their backslidings God had sent a drought upon them that had now lasted for three long years. Crops were failing, cattle were dying, the streams and rivers were dried up, there was famine and its twin pestilence in the land, people were suffering and it was clear that the hand of Jehovah was against them.
b. Their conflict
Their problem was straightforward. On the one hand they knew that the drought and its effects were the direct result of the work of God and on the other hand they feared Ahab and Jezebel in particular. They dreaded Jehovah, and therefore could not totally abandon him; they feared the king and queen, and therefore thought they must embrace the religion of the state.
Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Revelation 3:15-17 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
c. Their conduct
Literally, "How long hop ye about upon two boughs?" This is a metaphor taken from birds hopping about from bough to bough, not knowing on which to settle. Perhaps the idea of limping through lameness should not be overlooked. They were halt, they could not walk uprightly! Adam Clarke's Commentary
II. THE CHALLENGE REVEALED
a. The urging of the prophet
Elijah urges them to choose between Jehovah and Baal. They must make a decision.
Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:"
Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
b. The urgency of his plea
"This day..." is the plea of the prophet. Is there a danger in delay? The answer is yes. It is true in almost every area of life. This is certainly true of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2 "(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"
ILL - Evangelist Paul Rader had often urged a banker in New York State to receive Christ, but the man would not make the decision. One day the preacher sensed that God wanted him to go immediately and speak to him again. So, he took a train to the town where the man worked, hurried to the bank, and found his friend standing in the doorway. "Rader," he said, "I'm glad to see you! I wrote a telegram begging you to come, but later changed my mind and didn't send it." "That's all right," said the evangelist, "your message came through anyhow by way of heaven." Under deep conviction of sin, the banker was impressed by Rader's earnestness and his special effort to reach him with the gospel, and within a few minutes, he accepted the Lord. In his newfound joy he exclaimed, "Did you ever see the sky so blue or the grass so green!" "Hallelujah, you're truly converted!", came Rader's response. "It's just like the song says, 'Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green, something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen." Suddenly the banker gave a strange gasp and fell over dead! He had been saved at the very brink of eternity. What if Paul Rader had delayed or failed to stress the banker's urgent need of turning to the Lord immediately? What if the banker had procrastinated on the decision as he had in the past? That man would have been lost.
c. The undertaking of the people
Notice the emphasis in the Prophet's challenge. It is either to follow God or follow Baal.
Arthur Pink, a theologian from another generation, talks against those who preach about Jesus as a savior from hell rather than a savior from sin. He explained that there are many who are dangerously deceived by this, because there are many who desire to escape the flames of hell, but have no desire to be delivered from their sins. I believe he is right. So many today think they can love God and still live in their sin. It cannot be done. You have to make a choice. It must be God or your sin. You can't have both. You can't love both. You have to die to your sin in order to come alive to God. Jesus stated an important kingdom principle with these words: (Matthew 16:24-25).
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it"
III. THE COMMITMENT REQUIRED
Art Turock, [Getting Physical (Doubleday)] made this distinction between interest and commitment. "There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."
George Barna, The Frog in the Kettle, (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990, 35.) "Commitment is viewed negatively because it limits our ability to feel independent and free, to experience new things, to change our minds on the spur of the moment and to focus on self-gratification rather than helping others. People willingly make commitments only when the expected outcome exceeds what they must sacrifice as a result of that commitment."
a. The decision
I read a story about a minister who preached his heart out one Sunday morning and on the way out after the service a man said, "Well preacher, you've given me something to think about!" The minister replies that just "...something to think about..." was not his purpose or goal in preaching. He insisted that he preached for action not for analysis! Paul was that kind of preacher!
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
b. The delay
Acts 24:22-27 "And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter. And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound."
c. The danger
Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
Conclusion: Remember what we said earlier? "The most dangerous place in the highway is the middle of the road!" Week after week the Holy Spirit deals with our hearts about the decisions God wants us to make and we delay, procrastinate and put Him off.
2 Chronicles 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
