LIVE | Learn From Others | 1 Kings 13:33-34

Devotional

Day 1: The Urgency of Turning to God in Our Need

In moments of heaviness, whether from sickness, financial strain, or relational brokenness, there is an immediate invitation to bring our burdens to the Lord. This act of coming forward is not about a ritual but about placing our trust in a God who hears and acts. It is a tangible step of faith, believing that He is both willing and able to intervene in our circumstances. We are encouraged to seek Him while He may be found, acknowledging our dependence on His power and grace. [24:40]

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, ESV)

Reflection: What specific burden have you been carrying alone that you need to bring to the Lord in prayer this week? How might you actively demonstrate your trust in Him to carry it for you?

Day 2: Heeding God’s Call to Obedient Action

A divine prompting can arrive unexpectedly, calling for immediate and obedient response. Such moments are not for delay but for decisive steps of faith, aligning our actions with God's voice. Water baptism stands as a powerful example of this—a public declaration of an inward transformation that should not be postponed. This obedience is a celebration of new life and a commitment to follow Christ without reservation. [26:03]

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you sensed a clear prompting from God recently that you have yet to act upon? What is one practical step you can take this week to move in obedience?

Day 3: Learning from the Warnings of Others

Scripture provides clear examples from the past so we might avoid the same pitfalls. The story of Jeroboam illustrates the danger of witnessing God's power and warnings yet refusing to turn from sinful patterns. His issue was not a lack of revelation but a heart that was proud and unteachable. God’s Word is given to instruct us, offering hope and a path away from destruction if we will humbly receive its correction. [54:36]

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:11, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a recurring pattern of sin or a specific warning from Scripture that you have been hesitant to address? What would it look like to humbly ask God to make you teachable in this area?

Day 4: The Destructive Progression of Unrepentant Sin

Sin, when left unchecked, does not remain isolated. It grows, affecting not only the individual but their family and community. What begins as a private refusal to repent can lead to public consequences, as sin matures and brings forth death. This progression is a sobering reality, but it also highlights the critical importance of addressing sin quickly and thoroughly through repentance. [01:06:18]

Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:15, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a seemingly ‘small’ sin in your life that, if left unchecked, could cause harm to those around you? How will you actively turn from it today?

Day 5: Choosing Life Through Repentance and Celebration

The call to repent is ultimately an invitation to choose life. It is a decision to turn from the path that leads to death and embrace the forgiveness and new identity found in Christ. This turn is not a somber end but a joyful beginning, celebrated through acts like baptism. It is a declaration that the old has gone and the new has come, resulting in a life of freedom and hope. [01:29:46]

I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19, ESV)

Reflection: What does the ‘new life’ of Christ look like for you personally, and how can you celebrate the freedom He has given you in a tangible way this week?

Sermon Summary

A sober call to humility and urgent repentance frames a sermon rooted in 1 Kings 13. Using Jeroboam’s story as a mirror, the exposition shows how clear revelation and repeated warnings can be squandered by pride and unteachability. Rather than ignorance, the tragedy of Jeroboam is presented as a willful refusal to learn: God had spoken, miracles and confirmations had occurred, and yet the king reverted to idol worship and non‑Levitical priesthood. That private stubbornness metastasized into corporate sin that ultimately cut off his house—a historical case study of how personal disobedience becomes communal destruction.

The preacher draws connections between the Old and New Testaments to underscore the pattern: Scripture preserves these accounts not to shame but to instruct, offering examples that correct and warn. Passages from Corinthians, Romans, Hebrews, and the Gospels are invoked to show that unrepented sin hardens hearts, escalates from one transgression to another, and enslaves its practitioners. Firsthand anecdote about family contrasts sharpens the warning—observing ruinous paths and godly paths should form resolve to choose teachability over repetition.

Practical invitations thread through the worship service: a time of anointing and prayer for needs, an open call to immediate water baptism for those moved to respond, and an exhortation to take repentance without delay. Congregational life is portrayed as a safeguard—leaders, disciplines, and mutual exhortation are means God uses to prevent spiritual hardening. Announcements about kingdom projects, discipleship groups, youth events, and upcoming gatherings frame mission and community as channels for both growth and protection. The service culminates in public baptisms that model immediate obedience and the rejoicing that follows genuine repentance, stressing that delaying repentance risks consequences no one chooses and none can ultimately avoid.

Key Takeaways

1. Learn before pride hardens you Humility is the precondition for biblical learning; the problem is rarely lack of revelation but refusal to be taught. When hearts harden, warnings cease to function as correction and instead become fodder for stubbornness. To practice faith is first to posture oneself as a learner under God’s word, allowing failure to instruct rather than to harden. [57:03]
2. Heed warnings; sin escalates Unrepaired sin rarely stays isolated; it compounds morally and socially, moving from private temptation to public deception. Scripture paints a trajectory where desire conceives, sin is born, and unaddressed sin matures into death-dealing consequence. Vigilant repentance interrupts that spiral; neglect accelerates it. [67:06]
3. Private choices affect generations Individual disobedience, left unrepented, infects households, institutions, and regions—private refusal becomes public destruction. The text shows how one leader’s choices redefined worship and destiny for an entire nation. The faithful must therefore weigh decisions not merely for personal benefit but for their ripple effects across families and communities. [81:34]
4. Repent now; don’t delay The urgency of repentance is practical and theological: delay permits sin to root and multiply, while immediate obedience aligns with the biblical pattern of instantaneous baptism and restoration. Public acts like baptism both signify and seal a turning that prevents “too late” from arriving. The call is to respond to conviction while the door remains open. [86:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:40] - Anointing & Prayer Invitation
[25:29] - Water Baptism Invitation
[36:33] - Congregational Blessing & Fellowship
[41:18] - Kingdom Builders Projects Overview
[45:47] - New Groups: Prayer & Discipleship
[48:23] - Youth Fine Arts Fundraiser
[49:15] - Annual Business Meeting Announcement
[50:48] - Kids Dismissal & Blessing
[53:23] - Sermon Introduction: 1 Kings Context
[57:03] - Main Exposition: Jeroboam’s Failure
[60:16] - Learn from Others: Teachability
[80:19] - Sin’s Consequences Explained
[86:37] - Call to Repentance & Immediate Baptism
[99:24] - Baptisms, Prayer, and Testimony
[110:53] - Closing & Lunch Details

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: 1 Kings 13:33-34 (ESV)
After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.

Observation questions

What specific actions did Jeroboam continue to do, even after receiving clear warnings from God?
According to the passage, what was the ultimate consequence for Jeroboam's house because of his actions?
The sermon described a contrast seen within a family, with one path leading to destruction and another to a godly life. [01:14:22] What were some of the destructive outcomes witnessed on one path?
What New Testament verse was cited to show that sin, when left unaddressed, grows from bad to worse? [01:07:20]

Interpretation questions

The passage says Jeroboam's issue wasn't a lack of revelation from God. If it wasn't ignorance, what was the root cause of his refusal to change? [01:02:55]
How does the concept of sin growing from a private choice to a corporate destruction, as seen with Jeroboam's house, apply to a local church community today?
The New Testament teaches that we are to learn from the examples of others. How can observing both godly and ungodly lives in our own families or communities provide instruction and hope, rather than just judgment or shame? [01:18:03]
What does it mean that sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death (James 1:15)? How does this process manifest in a person's life over time?

Application questions

Humility is the precondition for biblical learning; the problem is rarely a lack of revelation but a refusal to be taught. [00:57:03] In what area of your life might pride be hardening your heart to God's correction or the wise counsel of others? What is one practical step you can take this week to posture yourself as a learner?
Unrepaired sin rarely stays isolated; it compounds morally and socially. [01:07:06] Is there a "small" sin or pattern of disobedience you've been tolerating, thinking you can control it? What might be the next step in its escalation if it remains unaddressed?
Individual disobedience, left unrepented, infects households and communities. [01:21:34] Considering your sphere of influence (family, friends, coworkers), what is one way your private choices—either for good or for bad—could create a ripple effect on those around you?
The urgency of repentance is practical and theological: delay permits sin to root and multiply. [01:26:37] Is there a decision to follow Jesus or a step of obedience, like baptism, that you have been putting off? What is holding you back from responding to that conviction today?
God has given us a community of faith so that our hearts would not be hardened. [01:19:36] How can you more intentionally engage with your church family this week to both give and receive exhortation, helping each other turn from sin?
Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. [01:08:12] What habit or thought pattern feels like a master you cannot break free from on your own? How can you actively rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and the support of other believers to find freedom?

Sermon Clips

But the cool thing is when you read the New Testament, over and over again, it says, and they heard the word of the Lord. They believed and were saved, and they baptized him. And it just happened. Two weeks ago, the kids learned about Philip and the eunuch, where Philip preached the word of God to the eunuch, and he they were on a chariot while he was preaching to him. And he's like, hey. Wait. There's water right there. You wanna be baptized? And they just did it right then, right now. There was no class. There wasn't like a three year seminar or anything like that. [01:38:09] (34 seconds) #InstantBaptism

Welcome back into Jesus family. Said there's a lot of water that's gone under the bridge in those twenty five years. And one of the beautiful things about the kingdom of God is he takes all that away from you as far as the East is from the West. And scripture says that when we go into the waters of baptism, we die to that old life, and we're resurrected to new life in him. It's like being born again. [01:48:57] (31 seconds) #BornAgainLife

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LIVE | Learn From Others | 1 Kings 13:33-34 | Ascend Church