Sermon: “Stubborn as a Mule”

        We don’t normally associate stubborn obstinance as a good thing and if someone were to say that you were stubbornly obstinate, it would probably be intended has a bad thing. The word stubborn means “having or showing dogged determination not to change one's attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so.” Some synonyms are strong-willed, pigheaded, difficult, inflexible, to name a few. Obstinate is very similar and means “stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so. Its synonyms are bull-headed, headstrong, uncooperative etc. Today we are not going to be looking at the negative side of these words but the positive side. Synonyms for these words also include uncompromising, persistent, persevering, unshakable, immovable, unbending, unyielding. One of the synonyms on the lists was stubborn as a mule. I am sure you have heard someone say you are a stubborn ass and I am sure it was probably not in the true sense of the word meaning donkey as the word ass also refers to “a stupid person or a rude word for the part of the body that you sit on.” Today our focus will be on the stubborn donkey / mule part of the saying. I will admit I have always heard that term being used but as I read a little bit about the donkey, that really isn’t true in the sense it is used. I was looking at the website for a donkey sanctuary and they said that there is a common misconception that the donkey is stubborn. They said “Why does this misunderstanding exist? This misunderstanding stems from three donkey characteristics: A stoic nature with very subtle body language, especially when showing pain or fear. A natural propensity to freeze when threatened or frightened. A strong sense of self-preservation. When these characteristics are combined, it can be easy to misinterpret a donkey’s refusal to complete an activity as stubbornness.” Another said, “A horse’s instinct is run away and move its feet if it feels frightened or threatened. Donkeys have some flight instinct. However, their flight response is not nearly as strong as a horse’s. So, in a situation where a horse might try to run away or escape, if a donkey feels threatened, frightened or confused, he might plant his feet and refuse to move. A donkey would rather spend some time thinking about and studying a situation, which earns him a reputation for being stubborn.” I am not sure how they corresponded with the donkey to find out what the thought process was unless the donkey was able to communicate. We will be talking about one such donkey in a moment.

        The bible has a lot to say about Israel’s stubbornness and obstinance but that is born out of rebellion against God’s word. Nehemiah 9:29 “You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’ Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.” Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; 2 who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge.” Israel, Judah, the Jews and now the church are stubborn and obstinate in this manner. This verse applies even to the church. Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’ 27 “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.”
        Throughout scripture God sent His messengers to speak to His people. Here in these verses we see two kinds of stubborn obstinance. The first is a rejection of God and the second is fearlessly proclaiming the word of God and holding on to it no matter what. Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 2:3 “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” He was also told Ezekiel 3:4 “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.” Here we see that stubborn obstinance is justified, as long as we stubbornly follow God’s word and not man’s words. 8 “But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” Jeremiah was also given this stubborn obstinance. God told Jeremiah 1:17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.”

        God made these men as stubborn and obstinate as the Israelites were, except this stubborn obstinance was what God called for. Not only did God call for it, but He also gave them foreheads harder than flint and made them fortified cities. They were told not to fear those they had been called to speak to, even when threatened with death. As scripture reveals, God’s people have not been very receptive to God’s word, so much so they would try to kill and kill God’s messengers.   “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Mark 12:1 “Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.” These farmers did not fear the owner and did as they pleased just as there is no fear of God in the church today and God’s message is still rejected.

        So back to the stubborn donkey. There is a lot in this passage but one thing that should stand out is the power of the curse but in the end God is in control just as we saw with Job when God allowed stan to destroy everything that Job had. In this passage we see a non-Israelite prophet who had immense power to bless and to curse. Numbers 22:2 “Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. 4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balaam was summoned to curse the Israelites but ended up blessing them much to the dismay of the king. Balaam’s reputation went before him. He was not a prophet of God but practiced divination for money. Having said that he would only curse or bless depending on what God would say. The king said Numbers 22:6 “For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” Balaam practiced divination for a price. The strange part of this is Balaam would do as God commanded him to do. Numbers 22:18 “Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.” 20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” 

        Even so Balaam was in it for the money, and this is where a seemingly stubborn donkey comes into play. Numbers 22:20 “That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” 21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.” Now remember what we found out earlier about donkeys; they will freeze when afraid. We also know that God looks at a person’s heart. Numbers 22:22 “But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.” Then Balaam was rebuked – by his donkey! 28 “Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. 31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. 32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.” 34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” 35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.” This stubborn donkey, though beaten, saved Balaam’s life.
        Balaam was an evil man and would later be killed. Joshua 13:22 “In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. Peter also talked about Balaam. 2 Peter 2:13 “They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” Balaam’s donkey feared God and refused to move even though his owner beat him and tried to get him to move. This donkey was not being stubborn and obstinate in a bad way, but in a good way and saved Balaam’s life. This little donkey shows us that when we stand before God we do not turn away, even when those around us are trying to get us to go in a direction we have not been called to go. God made Jeremiah “a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.” God made Ezekiel “unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint.” This donkey was not moving forward no matter what. So if someone calls you a stubborn ass and you are wholeheartedly following God’s word; take it as a compliment.
        We also saw this stubborn obstinance with Job. God had allowed satan to destroy Job to within an inch of his life, but God would not allow satan to kill Job. Job’s wife and friends all tried to get him to curse God, which of course was satan’s plan. Job 1:9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” Job was steadfast and refused to listen to his wife and friends. His wife said to him Job 2:9 “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Then his friends came at him, but Job refused to listen to their arguments as to why all this was happening to him. Earlier in the conversation with God and satan, Job 2:3 “Then the Lord said to satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” Job said Job 19:25 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes— I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job would not give up his integrity. He would say to his friends, Job 27:2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, 3 as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, 4 my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. 5 I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. 6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.” Yes people, even those close to you will come with their own thoughts and arguments as to why you should turn away from God, but having made sure God is directing your path based on His word, you remain stubborn and obstinate.
        Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah would also be stubbornly obstinate. Their unyielding commitment to God could have cost them their lives. Yes, we are told Romans 13:1 “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” During covid, churches were deemed non-essential, which sadly was true, but at no time were the churches told they could not proclaim the name of Jesus. Covid did expose the powerless church. Many were furious that they could not gather. They should have been more upset that there was no power to heal the sick. If the church did have the power they were supposed to have, the church would not have been deemed non-essential. When we are told to bow before a different god or stop proclaiming the name of Jesus, that is different. King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold. He then proclaimed that Daniel 3:4 “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah refused to bow to the idol and the king was furious. Daniel 3:13 “Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Babylonian names). So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?” The king then gave them a second chance to change their minds and even doubted any god could save them. 15 “Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” God would save them but like they said, even if he did not, they would never bow to the image. 

        Daniel would also remain stubbornly obstinate. Daniel 6:4 “The administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” They then tricked the king. 7 “the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel was then thrown into the lion’s den 23 “but Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”

        After Pentecost, Peter and John healed a man lame from birth. Acts 4:1 “The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.” They then 18 “called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

        The power of Pentecost changed these ordinary men into fearless disciples of Jesus who no longer feared man because they feared God. They would stand stubborn and obstinate and would not be moved even though they could be jailed or even killed as Stephen would later be killed. Stephen was another who stood like a wall and did not fear death. Isaiah 33:5 “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Psalm 62:1 “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Many in the church will not be moved but they are not standing on the true gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” Paul said to make sure you are following the right Jesus and the true gospel. Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” Many in the church are following other gospels and a different Jesus and in their deception and delusion, they are stubborn and obstinate but not for God’s word but for man’s word. Peter said 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" This is why it is crucial to test the spirits. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Standing firm on the doctrines and theology of your church is not the same as standing firm on God’s word, though it should be.

        So, if you are going to be stubborn and obstinate, make sure you fear God like Balaam’s donkey did. Make sure your zeal is for the right cause. Paul said Galatians 4:17 “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.” Be a stubborn and obstinate mule because you fear God but do not be stubbornly rebellious like Israel and Judah. Zechariah 7:11 “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. 13 “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. 14 ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’” If you are stubborn and obstinate and refuse to follow God’s word, repent because your eternity destination depends on it. John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” If you are following God’s word wholeheartedly and are seeking His face and waiting for God to dwell among us once again, so that His power and authority flows and His kingdom comes near, then remain stubborn and obstinate no matter what those around you are saying.  Don’t turn away because those around you want you to turn away from God’s word like Job. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.”

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    Rock Report by Pastor Paul

    Rock Report by Pastor Paul

    This is a blog that comes from my personal devotions each day. The Blog has replaced the Sermon section. There will also be the occassional food for thought.