Mr. Jackson was a man who loved two things: he loved to play with his ten year old son, Randall, and he loved to drink.

Transcription

1 THEDANGERSOFEXCESS Introduction Mr.Jacksonwasamanwholovedtwothings:helovedtoplaywithhisten yearold son,randall, andhelovedtodrink. Onedayafterwork,backinthefallof1964,Mr.Jacksonstoppedoffasusualatthe cornerbarbeforeheadinghometoplaywithrandall butthistimehehadonetoo manydrinks.onhiswayhomemr.jackson scarstruckandkilledachildridingona bicycle.mr.jacksondidnotgettoplaywithrandallthatafternoon.hewentdirectly intothehouse,andsecludedhimselfintheatticuntilthepolicecametoplacehim underarrest. Having pleaded guilty to hit and run driving and driving under the influence of alcohol,hewassentencedtoprison.theauthoritiesdidletmr.jacksonattendthe funeral of the child whom he struck down. Yes, the young ten year old boy on the bicyclewasrandall. Our next topical study from the Book of Proverbs focuses our attention on the subjectofthedangersofexcess,especiallyexcessintheareaofdrinking. I.AvoidIndulgingtoExcess,BecauseoftheTragicConsequences (Proverbs23:29 35;Proverbs20:1;Proverbs28:7) Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who hasneedlessbruises?whohasbloodshoteyes? 30 Thosewholingeroverwine, thosewhogototastemixedwine. 31 Donotgazeatthewinewhenitisred, whenitsparklesinthecup,whenitgoesdownsmoothly. 32 Intheenditbites likeasnake,andstingslikeaviper. 33 Youreyeswillseestrangesights,and yourheartwillutterperversethings. 34 Indeed,youwillbelikehimwholies down in the middle of the sea, or like him who stretches out on top of the ship srigging. 35 Theyhitme, youwillsay, butiwasnothurt!theybeatme, butididnotfeelit!whenwilliwakeupsoicanfindanotherdrink? (Prov. 23:29 35) IncontrasttothefantasylandofT.V.advertising,Proverbs23:29 35describesthe actualresultsofexcessivedrinking. Verse 29 asks a series of questions. Who has woe? Who has troubles and problems financial, personal, and legal; problems at home, at work, problems withthelaw?ifyouturntodrinktoescapeyourproblems,beadvisedthatyou willonlycompoundthoseproblemsandaddtothem.thewaytodealwithyour problemsistotakethemtojesus, totakepersonalresponsibilityforthem, to take biblically prescribed action to address them, but not to take up a bottle!

2 Whohassorrow? Whoasregrets,anguishofheart,andguilt? Whohasstrife? Whohasargumentsandfightswiththeirspouse;conflictswiththebossand/or fellowemployees;andmaybeevenrun inswiththelaw? Whohascomplaints? Who hears complaints and hassles from their spouse or their boss? Who complainsthatnothingisworkingoutright;lifeatworkand/orathomeisfalling apart, it is coming unraveled, it is out of control? Who has needless bruises? Whenthedrunkenstuporwearsoff,yourheadisleftpoundingwithabadhang over,andyoubegintofeeltheachesandbruisesduetoinjuriessufferedthenight before: falling on your face in the gutter, getting into a fight at the bar, getting mugged in a back alley. Who has bloodshot eyes? As you look into the mirror, youareconfrontedbytheeffectsofdrinkuponyourappearance:youreyesare redandbloodshot.youcanseeforyourselfthatdrinkisbeginningtoclaimyour goodlooks,youryouth,yourlife. Verse30suppliestheanswertothesequestions. Thosewholingeroverthewine. Here is a reference to excessive drinking, overindulgence, going beyond moderation and self control to the point of intoxication. Those who go to taste mixedwine. Mixedwine isstrongerdrink;asonebecomesaccustomedtodrink, more is needed to have the desired affect; such a person is now heading in the directionofaddiction. Verses33 35describetheconsequencesofabusingdrink,drinkingtoexcess,and comingunderthecontrolofstrongdrink. Youreyeswillseestrangesights. You lose control of your rational faculties, you begin to hallucinate: misinterpreting what you see before you, misinterpreting reality in a dream like state of intoxication. Yourheartwillutterperversethings. Youwilllosecontrolofyour moral restraints; the evil of the human heart will be unleashed and begin to express itself: out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,thefts,falsewitness,slander (Matt.15:19.) Verse34goesontosay, Youwillbelikehimwholiesdowninthemiddleofthe sea,orlikehimwhostretchesoutontopoftheship srigging. Thatistosay,you will lose your common sense. You will cast all caution to the wind and do reckless,foolishthings.youwillputyourlifeinjeopardy,beingeitheroblivious towhatyouaredoingorbeingdeludedwithasenseofinvincibility.considerthe followingnewspaperarticle: LITTLEVILLE, Ala. A man lying alongside railroad tracks was struck by a trainthatseveredhisleftleg,arepeatofanaccidenteightyearsearlierthat costhimhisrightleg.thetrain sengineerspottedthemanalongthetracks withonelegdrapedoverarail,butcouldnotstopintime theincidenttook placenearthesitewherethemanlosthisotherlegin1986 Themanhad been drinking heavily both times he was hit (The Sheboygan Press, 5/19/94)

3 Theyhitme, youwillsay, butiwasnothurt!theybeatme,butididnotfeelit! You will temporarily become insensitive to pain; you may well come to view liquorasameansofescapingfrompainandfromproblems. WhenwillIwakeup soicanfindanotherdrink? Youmaywellbecomeaddicted,findingintoxication preferabletothestateofsobrietywithitsresponsibilities. Wineisamocker,strongdrinkisabrawler,whoeverisledastraybythemis notwise.(prov.20:1) Wine is a mocker. Strong drink causes a man to make a fool of himself; it will makeamockeryofyouifyouletit.furthermore,comingundertheintoxicating influence of strong drink, one loses control of his moral restraint and consequently by his speech and behavior he becomes a mocker of God and of godliness. Under the influence of strong drink, your heart will utter perverse things (Prov.23:33b).Undertheinfluenceofstrongdrink,Belshazzardidavery blasphemousthing: Belshazzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drankwinewiththem. 2 WhileBelshazzarwasdrinkingwine,hegaveordersto bringinthegoldandsilvergobletsthatnebuchadnezzarhisfatherhadtaken fromthetempleinjerusalem,sothatthekingandhisnobles,hiswivesandhis concubines,mightdrinkfromthem. 3 Sotheybroughtinthegoldengobletsthat had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles,hiswivesandhisconcubines,drankfromthem. 4 Theydrankwineand praisedthegodsofgoldandsilver,ofbronze,iron,wood,andstone.(dan.5:1 4) Strongdrinkisabrawler. Anotherconsequenceofcomingundertheinfluenceof strong drink is the loss of self control and the outburst of vicious and violent behavior. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise. A wise man not only exercises selfcontrol, he also avoids surrendering himself to those things that take an evil controloverhimandhisfaculties.drinkingtoexcess,comingundertheinfluence andcontrolofintoxicatingdrinkisthecourseofthefool. Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but whoever is a companion with gluttonsbringsdisgraceuponhisfather.(prov.28:7) Another consequence of overindulging and going to excess is the shame and disgrace it brings to your family. This is the opposite of the commandment to Honoryourfatherandyourmother.Wemustappreciatethefactthatouractions haverepercussionsthataffectnotonlyourselvesbutalsothoselovedoneswith whom we are identified. The Word of God as it is presented in the Book of Proverbs warns us to Avoid Indulging to Excess, because of the Tragic Consequencesofdoingso.

4 II.AvoidIndulgingtoExcess,ByHeedingGodlyCounsel (Proverbs23:31 32;Proverbs23:20 21) Donotgazeatthewinewhenitisred,whenitsparklesinthecup,whenit goesdownsmoothly. 32 Intheenditbiteslikeasnake,andstingslikeaviper. (Prov.23:31 32) Verse31warnsus, Donotgazeatthewinewhenitisred,whenitsparklesinthe cup, when it goes down smoothly. Do not let the enticement of the wine (or strongdrink)causeyoutosurrenderyourselftoitscontrol;althoughitholdsout thepromiseofenjoymentandescape,bewareofthehighpriceitexacts. Verse32warns, Intheenditbiteslikeasnake,andstingslikeaviper. Wemust look beyond the immediate allurement and take into account the effect it will produceoncewehaveyieldedourselvestoitsseduction itseffectiscompared tothebiteofapoisonoussnake:itislethal. Donotjointhosewhodrinktoomuchwineorgorgethemselveswithmeat; 21 fordrunkardsandgluttonsbecomepoor,anddrowsinessclothesthemin rags.(prov.23:20 21) Wearewarnedintheseversesnottoassociatewithsuchpeoplewhoaregiven toexcessivedrinkoranyformofoverindulgenceasalifestyle.thereason:that lifestyle of excess, of immediate gratification of the bodily desires, of selfindulgenceandlackofself discipline,leadstoruin.itwillleadtofinancialruin: drunkardsandgluttonsbecomepoor,anddrowsinessclothestheminrags (Prov. 23:21.) It will lead to moral ruin: Do not be misled, Bad companions corrupt goodmorals (1Cor.15:33.) May we be wise to observe the counsel of the apostle Paul given in 2 Timothy 2:22; Flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along withthosewhocallonthelordoutofapureheart (2Tim.2:22.) Anddonotbecomedrunkwithwine,whichleadstodebauchery.Instead,be filledwiththespirit 19 speakingtoeachotherwithpsalmsandhymnsand spiritualsongs,singingandpraisingthelordinyourheart, 20 alwaysgiving thanks to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for all things, 21 submittingtooneanotheroutofreverenceforchrist.(eph.5:18 21) In this New Testament passage there is a comparison made between being drunkwithwineandbeingfilledwiththeholyspirit.notethatinacts2:4,12 13 thosewhowerefilledwiththeholyspiritweremistakenlythoughtbysometo befilledwithwine: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them 12 Amazed and perplexed, the crowd

5 askedoneanother, Whatdoesthismean? 13 Some,however,mockinglysaid, Theyarefilledwithnewwine! (Acts2:4,12 13) Inbothcasesonenoticeablybecomesadifferentperson:youeithercomeunder the influence and control of strong drink or you come under the influence and controloftheholyspirit. In this passage of Scripture there is also a striking contrast between these two states. When one comes under the influence and control of strong drink, the perverseness of the heart is released and a demonic influence is present and exertingitself.noteagainthewarningofproverbs23:33b, yourheartwillutter perverse things. When one comes under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit, a divine influence is present and exerting itself. Note, for example, Acts 4:31, After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They wereallfilledwiththeholyspiritandspokethewordofgodboldly. Thecommandmentisthis: Donotbecomedrunkwithwine, Instead,befilled withthespirit. Howarewe,asChristians,toheedthiscommand?First,wemust realizethat,asachristian,theholyspiritispresentandresidinginourhearts: Nowbecauseyouaresons,GodsentforththeSpiritofhisSonintoourhearts,and he is crying out to God, Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6.) Second, we must release the controlofourlifetohim,asopposedtosuppressinghispresence.donotgrieve theholyspiritbyharboringbitterness, DonotgrievetheHolySpiritofGod,withwhomyouweresealedforthedayof redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and clamor and slander, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgivingeachotherjustasgodbychristforgaveyou.(eph.4:30 32) Do not provoke the Holy Spirit by giving someone or something other than Christfirstplaceinyourlife, You adulterous people, do you not know that friendship with the world is hatredtowardgod?anyonewhochoosestobeafriendoftheworldbecomes anenemyofgod. 5 OrdoyouthinkScripturesayswithoutreasonthattheSpirit hecausedtoliveinusenviesintensely?(jam.4:4 5) Do not quench the Holy Spirit through practical unbelief, Do not quench the Spirit (1Thess.5:19.) Third,wemustrelyupontheHolySpiritwhenweareconfrontedbytemptation ortrial: YoubelongtoGod,mylittlechildren,andhaveovercomethem,becausetheone whoisinyouisgreaterthantheonewhoisintheworld.(1jn.4:4)

6 ifbythespirityouputtodeaththemisdeedsofthebody,youshalllive.(rom. 8:13b) By the grace of God, let us Avoid Indulging to Excess, by Taking Heed to Godly Counsel.Donotallowyourselftocomeundertheinfluenceandcontrolofstrong drink,oranyothersinfullife dominatingpower.onthecontrary,yieldyourself to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill your life with His presence and have controloveryou. The example of Mr. Jackson is very painful to remember but it would be far morepainfultoforget,onlytorepeatitinyourownlife.