“Are You Sold out or a Sell Out?”

 

Text: 1Kings 21: 1-4

And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.  And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, “Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house:  and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seems good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money”.  And Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my father’s unto thee”.  And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him:  for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers.  And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 

There’s a game show called “Let’s Make a Deal,” wherein selected members of the audience, referred to as traders is offered something of value and then given a choice to keep it or exchange it for a different item. The trader decides if they should leave with what they have or hold out for more? So, they have to say, “Deal or No Deal.”

In our daily lives we are “selected members” constantly faced with deal or no deal choices that can affect us for the rest of our lives. We make choices every day about friends, music, clothing, reading material, internet browsing, text messaging that may seem trivia. Our choices could change the course of our lives in a moment. Our decision about sex, drugs, or alcohol, can change our lives in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.

Your spiritual decisions are the most important of all. Will you receive Jesus Christ as your personal savior? Will you live a godly life? Will you place His will above yours? Will you pray and read your Bible and be a witness for Christ? All these questions are vitally important and it sometimes comes to a point you have to say “Deal or No Deal.”

Jeremiah 17:9 says, the heart (inner being that houses your desires, feelings and thoughts) is deceitful (guilty of misleading others) above all, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

Look! If someone desires something that belong to another be it your husband, wife, children, job, home, in this case, land, they will stop at nothing to get what they want even down to murder. This person is clearly labored a thief according to St. John 10:10, the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.

Do not accept the junk that Satan is offering you just for a moment of pleasure. You’re entitled to blessings and miracles. Do not accept the curses. All the blessings are yours, it’s your birthright.

Yes, life contains many choices! Yes, life has many difficulties! Yes, the choices we make with difficulty can either make or break the quality of our life. Here’s the thing, the problem with most people, including Christians, is not the problems themselves, but the choice we make when we face them. We need to decide early on if we are SOLD OUT to Christ, or a SELL OUT to the adversary for lack of commitment when faced with a problem.

Good preparation before problems can help prevent procrastination and pain on making good choices when the problem hit! That’s why 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us to be sober-minded, alert (watchful, guarded), because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about to and fro seeking whom he may devour. Satan knows your history better than you. When humanity fell into sin it was Satan that took over ruling the world illegally.

When you’re down and out, feeling alone, helpless, throwing a pity party, you are distracted and not thinking about your vulnerability and the dangers of Satan’s attack. It’s at that moment you’re standing in the spotlight for Satan to launch an attack. That’s the character of a lion. The young, sick, helpless, animals are the prime targets in his radar. Remember this, God is sovereign, all powerful, and infinitely Holy, and He hates sin. (Romans 1:18) And man’s wickedness, ungodliness, unrighteousness, and willfulness to hold the truth in unrighteousness is deserving of God’s wrath. But we’re given instructions in Colossians 3:5-6: Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry (image worship):  for which things sake the wrath of God, cometh on the children of disobedience.

Today’s text reveals the first step in the downward spiral of Ahab, King of Samaria, a type of devil, coveting Naboth’s vineyard, a type of Christian.

Coveting is when you desire or admire something belonging to someone else. It’s a form of idolatry, (Colossians 3:5), worship of goods or possessions.

It wasn’t so much as what Naboth did, but what he had, a vineyard. It was positioned adjacent to the king’s palace. Whenever the king went out on his chariot, his roaming eye fell on that beautiful vineyard with big clusters of grapes hanging in abundance everywhere. His covetousness grew from “I wouldn’t mind having a vineyard like that,” to envy. 

Envy includes resentment and is dangerous and deadly. Ahab, the king of Israel, has wealth, and all his possessions didn’t satisfy him. He resented Naboth having that vineyard until his desire became so intense that he approached Naboth with an offer to sell. I’m sure Ahab did not entertain the thought of rejection due to his status as king.  Who would refuse the king?

The king spoke unto Naboth, saying, “Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house. I will give thee the worth of it in money.” Spiritually, Ahab was walking in direct disobedience to the covenant of God. The Tenth Commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, male servant, female servant, his ox, donkey, not anything that is your neighbors” (Exodus 20:10).  Naboth said, “The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my father’s unto thee.” And after hearing God’s judgment Ahab went home to pout. Driven by anger and rebellion against God, he had a fit of rage when Naboth said, “NO SELL”. The same feelings that led to a career of power grabbing, drove Ahab to resent Naboth. Rage turned to hatred and led to murder.

Naboth wanted to uphold God’s laws. The Israelites had a strong sense of duty about their family Land. How many know that land is a family’s most important economic asset. It could be bought or sold, but not parental property. This vineyard had been passed down to him by his fathers. It had been in his family since Israel had been given possession of the Promised Land and been in his family for generations. It was more than his inheritance; it was his heritage. It was prime real estate. It was in the most elite neighborhood in town and nobody in Samaria had a better possession than Naboth.  His name means fruits; produce; germinate, to (make) flourish; also (of words), to utter; bring forth (fruit); make cheerful; increase.

This vineyard was not just a plot of land or a bunch of grapevines. This vineyard was God’s property (Leviticus 25:23), "The land shall not be sold forever; for the land is Mine, for ye are strangers and sojourners with me."  Naboth had full possession as caretaker to work and till this land. He was responsible to protect and assure this land continued to be passed down to his children and his children’s children.  He couldn’t sell property without the owner’s permission. God holds the deed. Do you know you can’t sell God? HE’S not for sell.

Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer thought that the “gift of the Holy Ghost” could be purchased with money, but after Peter ministered to him the word of the Lord, he had enough sense to repent and asked for prayer.

The word VINE symbolizes God’s providential care and steadfast love toward HIS people.  In the Greek, vine is from the root word am’pelos, meaning a vine (as coiling about a support).  It reflects the words of Jesus in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” Do you want life? Then remain attached to ME the source of life and you will produce “fruit.”  That’s a promise, because HE’S the Gardner who takes care of the branches.

Abide in the Greek is meno, meaning remain, stay attached, continue, abide or live, because the branch has life only if the life of the vine flows into it.

The grapes are a symbol for the good works and blood of Jesus and of something blessed, good and prosperous, wealth, abundance.

Jesus’ first miracle was at the Canaan wedding when HE turned water into wine. Isaiah 5:7: For the vineyard of the Lord of host is the house of Israel. That vineyard is the mission field where God’s chosen people are to work in HIS Kingdom and bear fruit.

Naboth was just one man, but he was a link in the chain of God’s inheritance. If he failed in his generation, the next generation would have nothing to inherit and nothing to pass on. So, he had been charged to protect what he had.

Guess what? He’s not the only link in Gods inheritance. We as His children are co-heirs with Christ, meaning, we as God’s adopted children share in the inheritance. What belong to Jesus belong to us.  John 17:22: And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one even as we are one. Romans 8:16-17: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

We too, have a vineyard to till and work, which is the Word of God. That’s why II Timothy 2:15, encourages us to study (stride, labor, be diligent) and not just read, to show our selves approved unto God.

The church you attend is prime real estate and the Word of God that’s preached and taught is precious possession. So, take advantage of what you’ve been given and don’t take your services for granted. Thank God for your Bibles, Pastors, and your salvation wherein you can learn to worship and Praise God for all HE’s given you.

As followers of Christ have been given the same charge as Naboth to care for and protect our vineyard. We’re responsible for making sure it’s well tended and fruitful by teaching and preaching the Kingdom message down to our children and their children’s children. So, take a good look over your vineyard today. Get in there, work it, protect it, and preserve it, so the next generation will have something godly to inherit. That’s how God set this thing up ….”to teach others,” and to produce fruit through the Kingdom message.   (II Timothy 2:2) And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Naboth, a man of God was presented with a royal opportunity to sell his land coming from none other than the King of Israel, which is in Samaria.  Oh, he could have accepted that reasonable offer, named his price, and would have had money in his pocket. It made sense on the surface, but Naboth saw beneath the surface and saw what was really going on.  But, when you’re SOLD OUT to God, your loyalty is with HIM. That’s why he used the sacred name “Lord” when addressing Ahab. For what shall it profit a man, to gain the whole world and lose his soul (Mark 8:36)?

Ahab couldn’t have cared less about whether Naboth’s land was heir-property or not. The devil doesn’t want you to prosper and Ahab’s motive was to plow up the grape vines by the roots. The root system absorbs the water and nutrients and anchors the plant to the ground. He wanted to destroy everything Naboth’s father had worked so hard to give him. Naboth was on the alert, because he knew the king sold out a long time ago by marrying Jezebel. The king’s offer was repugnant, distasteful, and destructive, erasing Naboth’s heritage. That’s why Naboth had no problem saying, “No Sell”.

There are a lot of people today that are selling out. They are taking the offer of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Know that the devil is out to destroy your vineyard. He will plow it up by the roots and erase your heritage if you are not aware of his tactics and unable to discern his presence. 

Many of the Ahab’s of religion are changing their methods and watering down their message. If you can’t stand and tell the devil, “I’m sold out,” then, you will “sell out.”

You are going to receive a lot of offers in your life. From the guy/girl who says, “If you love me you would”………..Don’t sell out!

To the so-called friends who say, “Oh come on, everybody’s doing it.” Everything that looks like an opportunity really isn’t. Don’t Sell Out!

Don’t sell out, regardless of who is doing the asking.  If you’re asked to do something that violates your mind or the Word of God, that’s not a friend.  (1Corinthians 15:33): Be not deceived:  evil communications corrupt good manners.

Don’t sell out just to please the crowd. Sometimes it’s better to stand alone than to stand with the crowd. Look! It was the crowd that cried “crucify him” the day Jesus died. It was just a few that stood by Him that day. Simply, refuse to go along. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat:  because strait (tight squeeze) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it .” (Matthew 7:13-14).

The “many” spoken of here in verse 13 is not “ungodly sinners”, but it’s the “many” that’s sitting on church pews on death row waiting for Jesus to come back and get them and take them to where God is.  The “few” are those that have grasped hold of the revelation truth that God is here, He is in us by the Holy Ghost.  Jesus “IS already come”!  We know that He “HAS come” already as Mary’s baby and the Heavenly Father has offered Him up as the Lamb slain to deliver us from sin, death, hell, and the grave.  (Isaiah 9:6): For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.  Mary Jesus’ mother gave birth to Him, but it was the Father that gave Him when He went to the Cross as a sacrifice. But Jesus is “not coming” as religion preaches:  (2 Corinthians 5:16): Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:  yea, though we have known (past tense) Christ after the flesh, yet NOW HENCEFORETH (from hereon) KNOW WE HIM NO MORE.  (Not after the flesh, we must know Him by the Spirit).  He “IS COME”, “present tense”!

·        1 John 4:2: Hereby know you the Spirit of God:  every spirit that confesseth that JESUS CHRIST IS COME in the flesh is of God:

·        Vs 3: And every spirit that confesseth NOT that JESUS CHRIST IS COME in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world.

I’m confessing to you today that “Jesus Christ IS COME (not coming out in the sky– but is come) in the flesh”, because He “is come” in you and in me!  When I see you I see Him and when you see me you see Him!  Why?  Because “we are His flesh”, “His bones”, “His body”!

·        Ephesians 5:30: We are members (mel’os) [limbs or parts of the body] of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones!

He “is already come” by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, and He dwells in our flesh body of which He is the “Head”! 

·        Colossians 1:18: And he is the head of the body, the church.

Jesus was “the man” that died on the Cross to deliver us, but when He got up, He was resurrected as “Christ”, which is a many-membered body!   So He couldn’t be Christ without us:

·        1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is “one”, and hath “many members”, and all the members of the “one body”, being many, “are one body”:  SO ALSO IS CHRIST!

Those that don’t confess this (that we are Jesus’ flesh body in the earth, called Christ), are those pointing up to the sky saying, “Any time now He can split the sky, come and get us and take us back with Him!"  This is that spirit of “antichrist” that’s working against God’s people to keep them from seeing the truth of who they are in God and who God is in them!  They’re caught up in “flesh worship” and not “spirit worship of Him”!  His flesh is no more except in you!  His “coming” is not some set day, but it is “continuous”!  He comes (manifests, appears) to you or somebody every day all the day long in whatever form you need Him to meet your needs.  He might show up in a neighbor, family member, or even a complete stranger, but it’s Him coming to your rescue.  (1 John 4:4): Greater is he that is IN YOU, than he that is in the world.

Back to Naboth, it doesn’t matter how good the offer sound—take time to weigh out the consequences. Every decision you make has consequences:  Galatians 6:7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall also reap.

You claim to be born again, Spirit filled followers of Christ, while at the same time constantly sowing to the fleshly sinful nature. It’s a mockery to God. Ask yourself, “Is it worth the consequences?” Some are short term, some lifelong, some eternal.

Many people are selling out.  Many, including Christians are taking the offer of the world (which includes religious order - vain deceit, traditions of men), the flesh, and the devil has nothing to offer in relation to the results of those things, but death.  (Romans 8:6): To be carnally minded (flesh minded) is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Many of the Ahab class (those married to the Jezebel’s of religion – the false church system) [preaching and teaching what the people want to hear and not what they need to hear], are changing their methods and watering down the message only to destroy your heritage and leave you with nothing to pass on to your children as the wisdom of God, divine health, eternal life, revelation knowledge, kingdom principles to “live” by.

Whatever the cost, let your first allegiance be to God!

 Naboth refused to sell his vineyard and because he said “No Deal”, he paid a high price. Regardless of who wants what you have, they are not worthy to take it. If you refuse to take the deals offered by those who would take what you have, you can expect to suffer. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2Timothy 3:12.

You may be talked about and overlooked. You may even miss out on a few of the events others may be enjoying, but, you’ll be the winner in the end.

Conclusion: Naboth was killed in order that Ahab have his vineyard, but God sent the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab, (1 Kings 21:17-24):  (vs 17) And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, (vs 18) Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:  behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.  (Vs 19) And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, “Hast thou killed and also taken possession?”  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, “Thus saith the LORD, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.”   Vs 23: And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.”  That’s exactly what happened.

Who really was the winner here? It was Naboth.

You see, Naboth kept God as his first allegiance and reveals the truth of Matthew

16:25: For whosoever desires to save his life shall lose it, but whosoever loses his life for MY sake shall find it.

Where do you stand today?

Have you sold the farm or vineyard?

Have you taken the deal and lost some things?

Have you been thinking about taking the deal?

If so, seek God for His guidance to help you say “No Deal!”

Will you obey Him in whatever He wants you to do?

What’s it going to be: “Deal or No Deal?”

Evangelist Brenda Hansley