Pig Is Pig

All right, last time we started looking at the pig. Pig is pig. And remember where we were coming from, I was afraid I did that.

! The change that took place in Ahasuerus, remember, in the character of King Ahasuerus, did not come about by improving Haman, you remember. And that's kind of where we're at in this pig is pig thing. It came by replacing him with Mordecai.

So again, it was not a question of reformation, but of substitution, literally an exchanged life. So that also was the Apostle Paul's persuasion, as he writes in Romans 7, 18, remember, he said, And then, of course, remember the church at Galatia was having problems with this as well, trying to satisfy the things of God with the power of the flesh.

So Paul writes to them in his letter to the church there. It says, Oh, you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians. That's, this is out of the Amplified, I believe it is. Yeah. Yeah.

Isn't that an amazing way to put that? Oh, quick. Come on. There we go. You silly, thoughtless, unreflecting, senseless Galatians, who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom, right before your very eyes, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified.

Let me ask you this one question, he says. Did you receive the Holy Spirit as the result of obeying the law and doing its works? Or was it by the hearing of the message of the gospel and believing it?

Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith? Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly, having begun your new life spiritually with the Holy Spirit?

Are you now reaching perfection by dependence on the things of the flesh? So that's where we were last week. Now, I put that in the wrong place.

We're going to do, I told you last week, we're going to do a little experiment here. All right, so put your imaginations to work here. You know, that we've come to say we've come to the place where we think the pig has been dealt an unjust blow here.

You know, that people think that because of its nature and so forth, that it loves to wallow in the muck and loves the dirt and all of those things, just because that's his character and his nature.

But we've come to think that's not the case. That's just a case of his environment and his education, his upbringing. That's why he does that.

So we decide to do a little experiment. So we call the family together, bring the spouse in, bring the children in and say, hey, we're going to do something here and we need your cooperation.

We're going to adopt a little pig. And we're going to make it part of our family. So we want you to treat it just as if we treat one another as part of the family.

And because we're going to we're going to prove our point here by doing this. So we go out, we buy this little piggy. All right. And we dress this little pig up in cute little satin shirt, either pink or blue, whether it's a boy or girl pig, you know.

And then corduroy pants as well. And we teach him some things. We teach him to wipe his feet when he comes in the door and teach him to sit at the table and to bow his head when we say grace over the meal and those type of things.

And when he gets time for bed, we teach him to put the blankets over him that we provided for him in the little bed that we've made for him.

So he is he is now part of the family. You know, bewildering to the pig itself, not really understanding what's going on.

He he acquiesces and just goes through the motions of doing all of these things. And as time goes along now, it seems like everything is going quite well.

Even the neighbors who, you know, at first thought we are really crazy for for doing this type of thing, begin to think, hey, this thing might be right.

It just may be working well. And so the pig is now part of the family and everything is going good. And we're looking at the point that we're just about to the place where we're going to be crowned successful in the experiment that we have begun because the pig is doing just well.

You realize what happens when we come to that thought in our minds, don't you? And that's what happens here. Somebody has left the front door open.

Little piggy's in the room in the house playing around. And as he walks across the front room floor, he gets the whiff of that nice, cool breeze that's blowing in through the open front door.

He catches a whiff of the freshly mown grass. And as he's slowly walking to where he was going, he catches a glimpse of the park that's right outside the door.

Ah. He comes to the point where he just can't resist. He's slowly walking to where he's going to be. So as fast as his little legs carry him, he scurries out that front door to our amazement.

And what does he do? He heads for the biggest mud bog that he can find. Velvet pants, satin shirt and all.

He's on his back, wallows in the dirt, lays on his back. His little curly tail is now sticking straight up like an antenna.

He's on his back, feet straight up in the air. And with all the strength he can muster, he hollers with his little squeaky voice, home sweet home.

I'm home. You know, you can't teach the pig not to be a pig, right? And that natural thing within that pig is going to tell him that mug bog's the best place that he could go.

Now, changing the environment, even educating the thing, train it as it will, little pink pants or blue, satin shirt or clean straw, pig is still pig.

All right? Still pig. So given half the chance, the nature of the beast is to get back to where it belongs. Now catch that. The nature of that thing is to get back to where it belongs.

I'm kind of enamored with some of the dog food commercials on television. You know, they started out by looking at the wolf and the wild wolf out there and his inner character and nature is to hunt and to devour.

Say, your dog's got the same thing within it. So as a result, you need this dog food. You know, kind of thing. The nature of the beast, if you will. And this, we all have found true in our own experience.

Now, it doesn't mean we bought pigs. All right? But we found that within our own life, haven't we? From time to time. That the nature within us has certain characteristics and those are not going to change.

The flesh within us has never ceased to love sin and it never will. So given half a chance, it too will get back to where it belongs and wallow in the muck.

So that's why the godliest of men know this quite well because they realize within them is the most terrible potential for evil.

So it's the godliest of men who know it best because it is the acknowledgement of that fact which is the secret to their godliness. They recognize that that's the case and so they do everything they know to do to prevent those things from happening.

So they've learned long since with King Ahasuerus and often by bitter experience that character does not change for the better by improving the flesh but rather by allowing it to be replaced by the Holy Spirit for pig is pig.

Now only the Holy Spirit can render its pernicious appetites inoperative. Realize with me there are characters in the scriptures that we know well that have had this same problem recognize that Abraham discovered that same thing when he went down to Egypt and ended up having to lie to Pharaoh.

Moses as well in the times that he tried to work on behalf of Israel spoke unwisely in some of the circumstances of his life.

Samson discovered that in the arms of Delilah the character was there. David when he sent Uriah to death committed adultery with Bathsheba and Peter then when he denied the Lord Jesus went out and wept bitterly.

All of these discovered that truth that there's that character lying within us that'll never change. I don't care how you dress it up how you paint it up try to make it behave.

Paul reminds us that this is what happened to Israel. God never intended to improve their lot under Pharaoh but he intended to exchange their land.

I like that statement. Alright? God intended to substitute Canaan for Egypt and in an exchanged land introduces people to an exchanged life.

Believing God enough to get out Israel did not believe God enough to get in. That still amazes me. Now I realize I realize the spirit of God did not dwell within those folks at that point in time.

But even even being able to see the tremendous things that God did that only God could do it was quite evident that he was the one that did that on their behalf they still lived in unbelief.

Alright? A man is a man. Like a pig is a pig. That's true. That's true. And in reality of all of that it shows us the depravity of the human nature.

How strong that is. When even in the very presence of God I mean God dwelt with them by the pillar of smoke in the daytime pillar of fire at night to lead them through the land they still lived in unbelief.

So that's the strength of the character and nature of the inner man or the sin nature if you will the flesh. Alright? Now instead they sought to establish a new way of life in the wilderness and experience nothing of the good things which God had provided for them in the land of promise.

So it's little wonder that their new life in the wilderness was thoroughly contaminated by those appetites which could only be satisfied in Egypt. Remember how many times they said would to God we were still in Egypt yeah they constantly waited to get back to where those appetites belonged.

So in that context Paul writes to the church at Corinth of whom this thing was so very true such a carnal church who evidenced so much of carnality in their behavior and in their practice of the Christian faith.

He says in 1 Corinthians 10 verses 11 through 13 Now these things happened to them speaking of Israel as an example and they were written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the ages have come therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you will be able to endure it so be persuaded of the wickedness of your own heart and then humbly confess it before God remember what Jeremiah said in chapter 17 verse 9 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it and of course the following phrase said God says I the Lord search the reins and try the heart so we cannot really know our own heart so never be shocked or dismayed at the amazing capacity for your sin that lies within you for this is the nature of your case so don't be surprised at the of what can proceed from you if we're not yielded to the spirit of God it's only when we're honest enough to face up to those facts that you will have on the other hand a big enough view of what the

Lord Jesus Christ came in the world to do for you and on the other hand the desire to let him do it so we've got to come to that recognition if we have not already of what lies inside of us and the propensity that's there toward ungodliness what's the old phrase a lot of people use oh but for the grace of God we would be in such and such a circumstance because there's not a one of us here that doesn't have a line within us a nature that has a propensity to most ungodly sins the Lord Jesus Christ wants to so very much to replace by his presence within you all your inherent potential for evil under the influence of the flesh he offers you instead all his limitless potential for good through the energy and power of the Holy Spirit good picture of of Ahasuerus King Ahasuerus replacing Haman and his influence in his life with the influence of Mordecai and the difference of life that there was for him in that so it can never be accomplished by putting

Haman through the beauty parlor it's only the gallows that he needs with the ring off of his finger and the rope around his neck so the conclusion to it all is what you've been waiting for blow the trumpets now spiritual new birth involves a principle of divine substitution and though you are to be persuaded of your inherent wickedness you are to be equally persuaded of Christ's inherent righteousness so again two points of the picture it's not just that we're dead with Christ but we're alive unto God we see our inherent wickedness but also have to be persuaded of Christ's inherent righteousness if that which is born of the flesh is flesh and pig is pig you can be equally certain that that which is born of the spirit is spirit and God is

God so what is so completely amazing is that God is prepared to be God in you not figuratively but factually boy if we if we could only wake up every day with that reality in our mind in our heart God wants to be God in me today and he wants to show himself as God to us and to those around us through our life and through our living so you can share his life and be transformed into his likeness 2 Peter 1 verses 3 through 5 say seeing that his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own glory and excellence for by these he has granted to us precious and magnificent promises so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust 1 John 3 8 through 9 he that committed sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the son of

God was manifested! destroy the works of the devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God be careful of the sin of the sin every act of sin has its origin in Satan of course it is his character incarnate but likewise then every act of righteousness has its origin in God because that is his inherent character so it is what Mordecai makes of you when Mordecai wears the ring it is the author of the act that its true character may be discerned so it's not a question of pattern but of parentage in this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil 1 John 3 10 says so it was to bring about a change in authorship that the

Son of God was manifested! The Lord Jesus came to get the wrong man out and the right man in so when the Lord Jesus died upon the cross he not only paid the price of your redemption but he put a rope around Haman's neck he then rose again from the dead and ascended to the father that he might come according to his promise and take up residence within you to live again on earth but clothed with your humanity that way boy think of that just a minute before we go on every place we go everything we do everything we look at Mike Jesus is there we're taking with us we take him with us so the character of our life is reflected in the presence of

Jesus within us so we must live that godly life that which is born of God is in you excuse me that which is born of God in you is Jesus Christ and it is he who does not commit sin nor can he for he is God so that's what John means when he says for his seed remaineth in him it is the divine seed it is the very nature of God himself and the nature that he wants to share with you through his son share the nature of Christ and you share his victory as we've mentioned before so you do not achieve it you simply receive it for Christ has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord and then that no flesh should glory in his presence that's not 1 Corinthians 1 30 verse 30 to 1 20 that's

I forgot the little double dots there 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 30 31 and then 29 it was the crucified Lord Jesus who put the noose around Haman's neck but if in your experience Haman is to be hoisted on his own scaffold then you need the risen living Lord Jesus at the other end of the rope it is he alone who by his Holy Spirit the greater Mordecai can put him and keep him where he belongs through his spirit you cannot carry out the execution but to you and to you alone belongs the moral responsibility of confirming the sentence of death now recognize this limited in the sovereignty by the law of faith which gives you the moral capacity to know him and to love him for yourself this is the decision which

God is waiting for you to make now we mentioned that earlier about the power of veto remember over the work of the spirit of God within us so we have a responsibility there we're not puppets on a string per se God gives us that that choice if you will are we going to really follow the spirit of God are we going to live according to the flesh that's why Paul is not in the book of Romans that says something to the effect that whoever you submit to that's your master you become servants to that that you yield to so it's our choice and decision who we're going to yield to consent to die to all Christ is and thank him for his willingness to make it real in your experience so then too we'll be able to say now I realize that I am not only am I in Christ but that

Christ is in me and I also realize there is no future basic issue to face all right I mean that settles it Christ in me Paul said that's the hope of glory!

Galatians 2 of may beset you dead to yourself and alive to God you will share the life of Jesus Christ and you will share his victory you will also share his compassion for the lost and become expendable for God in the service of mankind so to know Christ more fully to make him known will become the consuming passion of your soul in the face of death that duty might be done you will echo with

Esther of old if I perish I perish God take the consequences oh if there's nothing else we've learned through this I hope that sticks if I perish I perish God take the consequences and he will little poem written yes in thy name oh captain of salvation in thy dear name all other names above Jesus our righteousness our sure foundation our prince of glory and our king of love we go in faith our own great weakness feeling and needing more each day thy grace to know yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing we rest on thee and in thy name we go we rest on thee our shield and defender thine is the battle thine shall be the praise when passing through the gates of pearly splendor victors we rest with thee through endless days edith gilling cherry is the one that wrote that then i also put on there something i received i i saw in a book written by a w tozer that i just fell in love with prayer of his it says father i want to know thee what a statement yeah hopefully that is the desire of all of our hearts lord i want to know thee but my coward heart fears to give up its toys i cannot part with them without inward bleeding and i do not try to hide from thee the terror of the parting what a boy you know those things that grab a hold of us what is hebrews uh!

oh well nevermind yeah i come trembling but i do come that's the thing please root from my heart all those things which i have cherished so long which i have which have become a very part of my living self so that thou mayest enter and dwell there without arrival then shalt thou make thy the place of thy feet glorious then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it for thyself will be the light of it and there shall be no night there there is so much in that prayer there is you know i think we can sum it up by saying if god is god and all that god is within us does make any difference if it's rainy or sun shiny cold or hot god has got in us and we know that we see that and that's all we need that's no one that

David said the lord is my shepherd i shall not want i'll have need of nothing else amen amen all right now that be it question for you is there anything in particular that you can think of and i know it's been a little over four months we've been going traveling through this but is there anything in particular that that god really highlighted to you in the study i think it was the part i liked i say liked the thing that enlightened me the most was the point of we can hang haman but guess what haman's got sons and his sons we have to just keep after okay because otherwise we would feel like we've done it now yeah we've arrived yeah yeah all right thank you thank you anyone else i've thought off and on still about esther when the first time she walked into hazeros yeah and touched the scepter and then when all this came to pass the latter verses it said she went back in there again yes yeah she did not reach out and touch the scepter and i sort of see that first one is more of a desperation move of i'm not really confident but i need to come to you i want to come to you i need to confront you whatever and then the second time she went in she she understood more about her role that god had for her and she could face the flesh a little bit stronger a little bit more confident so i just see that as a growth in her yes good good yeah yeah very good very good boy it's always a continual growing process is it not yeah and and you know coming more and more into the image of christ and that comes when we yield to the spirit of god but boy again that's not an instantaneous thing per se it's a growing process and we never will completely come to be like christ until we go to be with him but it should be a progressive thing in our life and an attempt i hate that don't use that word attempt in our in our growth in desiring to become more like him day by day yeah anything else is there anything that comes to mind that hurt the most that kind of got you between the eyes letting hayman have too much control okay letting hayman have too much control all right anything else sometimes we don't know when we're being influenced by a hayman in our lives either and being more not becoming desensitized to what's being thrown at us from all these sons and grandsons the point that we don't even recognize it as sin anymore sometimes is a scary thought yeah yeah but that's something the spirit of god does as well is it not reveals those things to us and shows us and brings it to our attention so that we can deal with that adequately yeah you're right though comes you know you think about it we were born with the nature of sin and that's how we operated until that point in time where we trusted christ and were saved

and then the spirit of god came within us so the natural man is the default mode within us yeah we we really don't have to do anything for the flesh to take control we don't have to you know we don't have to make a concerted effort to yield to him I mean he's he's ready to jump on it if we just open the space for him to do that you know that's why somewhere in the scripture I forget who it was it says stop giving place to the devil and the literal idea there was you know that there are aspects of our life if we if we're weak in an area in our life and we open that door boy Satan will there it is there it is I almost thought I lost it since Sunday Satan will jump in there and do his best to influence the natural man within us to take control so yeah yeah

Jerry I had a thought here so many times I think in my Christian walk as there have been instances come up I say well I'm not going to get involved I'm going to save more of that it's not going to affect me at all I'm reminded of what you know what yeah like I told Esther you've got to get involved if you don't you're going to be brought up in this anyway so you need to step up and sometimes I think I don't step up and stand up when I should even though I say well it's not going to affect me but it will affect me in a whole run you know there's another statement he makes in there that to me is almost intimidating you know and in essence what he says is yeah he says in chapter four he said then

Mordecai commanded to answer Esther think not with thyself that thou shalt escape the king's house more than all the Jews so he's addressing her hesitation for if thou hast all together holdest thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement and delimberance arise to the Jews from another place yeah but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed in other words if you don't want to do it that's fine God will do it a different way he doesn't need you amen but there's there is a large benefit to obedience in essence is what he's saying here exactly yeah yeah yeah so you know how many times do we think all right God you called me to do this wow you know you just have to have me yeah it doesn't work that way does it yeah he's going to think that about yourself but I don't think about that yeah yeah yeah yeah

God will do it another way it's amazing how many things he has at his fingertips resources