TEXT:  1 Kings 12:26-33

INTRODUCTION:

A.      BACKGROUND – REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM.  ISRAEL SPLITS.

B.      THE LAW STILL BOUND THEM TOGETHER.

          1.       Jeroboam seeks to sever the ties.

          2.       Establishes his own religious order.

C.      Rom.15:4;  1 Cor. 10:11.  WE CAN LEARN MUCH FROM THE ERRORS OF

JEROBOAM’S MAN-MADE RELIGION.

I.      ORIGINATED IN THE HUMAN HEART( vs. 26, 33 ).

A.      REALLY ONLY TWO RELIGIONS – GOD AND MAN’S.

B.      GOD’S WAY AND MAN’S ARE NOT THE SAME( Isa. 55:8-9 ).

C.      MAN HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DEVISE A SATISFYING OR ACCEPTABLE

          RELIGION( Jer. 10:23;  17:9 ).

D.      HE MUST REVEAL HIS WILL TO US( 1 Cor. 2:12-13;  2 Tim. 3:16-17;  2 Pet. 1:3 ).

II.     WAS FOR JEROBOAM’S OWN SELFISH ENDS( vs. 26-27 ).

A.      MAN’S SELFISH INTERESTS LIE AT THE ROOT OF EVERY FALSE WAY

          ( Rom. 16:17-18 ).

B.      THE PHARISEES WERE SIMILAR TO JEROBOAM( Matt. 23:1-7 ).

C.      PAUL’S WARNING AGAINST PREACHING FOR GAIN( 1 Tim. 6:3-5 ).

D.      DIFFERENT FORMS OF CARNAL GAIN.

III.    PRETENDED TO BE FOR THE OTHERS’ GOOD( vs. 28-29 ).

A.      “TAKE THE EASY ROUTE” ( Matt. 7:13-14 ).

B.      BUT ARE WE WILLING TO SACRIFICE?( Luke 9:23;  Rom. 12:1 ).

IS OURS A RELIGION OF CONVENIENCE?

IV.   IT CONTRADICTED GOD’S LAW( vs. 28;  Ex. 20:4;  vs. 31 ).

A.      THEIRS WAS A FAITHLESS RELIGION( Rom. 10:17 ).

B.      GOD’S WILL IS ALL IMPORTANT( Matt. 7:21 ).

C.      WE MUST “WALK BY FAITH” TO PLEASE GOD( 2 Cor. 5:7;  Rom. 14:23 ).

V.    IT WAS A SNARE TO OTHERS( vs. 30 ).

A.      THE CURSE PUT ON FALSE RELIGIONS( Rom. 16:17-18 ).

B.      TEACHERS HAVE A GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY( James 3:1;  1 Tim. 4:16 ).

C.      WE MUST BE CAREFUL( Matt. 18:1-7 ).

VI.   HIS RELIGION APPEARED ALRIGHT TO SOME.

A.      STILL HAD THE ALTER, PRIESTS, AND FEASTS( vs. 32-33 ).

B.      BUT WAS MERELY SEEKING THE PEOPLE’S LOYALTY.

C.      HIS RELIGION BROUGHT A CURSE( 1 Kings 13:1-3 ).

D.      MANMADE RELIGIONS HAVE A CURSE ON THEM TODAY

          ( Matt. 15:7-9;  13-14 ).

E.      EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS GOOD, ACCEPT NO CHEAP IMITATIONS

          ( Psa. 127:1 ).

CONCLUSION:  GOD’S RELIGION IS REVEALED!