Ignorance - Who Did Hinder You

Temple Baptist Church - 8-25-2024

Romans 1:13; Galatians 5:7

 

Introduction:

 

A.  This morning, I want to go back to our study on “Ignorance.”  Paul, writing to the Romans, spoke of the opposition that he faced.  Throughout his ministry, he faced foes from within and without.  I have heard it said, “The door of opportunity swings on the hinges of resistance.”

 

B.  When writing to the Corinthian church, he made mention of the opposition.

 

2 Corinthians 11:22-30  Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.  (23)  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  (24)  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  (25)  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  (26)  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  (27)  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  (28)  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.  (29)  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?  (30)  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

 

C.  Romans 1:13  Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

 

1.  I want to look at the phrase “let hitherto”.

 

Let – hindered, prevented, kept from.

 

Hitherto – until, up to, as far as.

 

2.  These two words show us that Paul was stopped but not permanently stopped.  He was just “hindered” for a while but would later continue as is told in his last recorded message to Timothy. 

 

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

 

D.  The Apostle Paul was possibly the greatest Christian example found in the New Testament.  Satan could not entice him to either compromise or quit though, later in life, a “messenger of Satan” was a continual “thorn in the flesh” that he had to bear.

 

1.  If Paul could be hindered, we can be hindered also. When writing to the Church at Galatia, Paul spoke of this.

 

Galatians 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

 

Galatians 3:1  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

 

2.  The Galatians knew the truth but chose to disobey it because of the legalists of that day.

 

3.  To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin comes into play.

 

4.  God’s children do not have to give into to hinderances!

 

E.  Paul fought a good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith!  God then gave Paul to us for an example of victory over hinderances.

 

F.  Now, a little disclaimer:  I am not the Christian that the Apostle Paul was by any stretch of the imagination and probably no one in this sanctuary is, but we too are hindered in our life as Christians.

 

G.  Satan is the definition of:  “If you can’t be good, be good at it!”  He cannot take our salvation away but does his best to hinder us in our example of Christianity before the world, our friends, and our families.

 

H.  Paul asked a question in Galatians as these precious people had soon wandered off course concerning obedience to the truth.

 

Galatians 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

 

J.  All of us here this morning fight personal battles as we endeavor to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, the question: “Who did hinder you?”  Notice with me the word “who” instead of “what.”  Too often our hinderances are the result of people and not circumstances though we are hindered by both.

 

K.  I am not trying to “hinder” you with this message but am warning each of us that we will face hard things and hard times in this world because it and Satan are still “seeking” to devour.

 

L.  “Who did hinder you?”  Who or what doeth hinder me?

 

1.  We are often hindered by our Flesh.  Romans 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

 

2. We are hindered by our Foe.  Zechariah 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

 

3. We are often hindered by Friends.  Job 2:11  Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.  (Well meaning maybe but still a hinderance.)

 

4.  We are often hindered by Family.  Matthew 10:35-36  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  (36)  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  (As tragic as it sounds, much resistance comes from loved ones.)

 

5.  We are often hindered by False Brethren.  2 Timothy 4:14-15  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:  (15)  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.  (Old Diotrephes in 3 John.)

 

3 John 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

 

6.  We are often hindered by False Teachers.  2 Peter 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  (A sign of these last days: heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.)

 

7.  We are often hindered by Faithlessness.  Matthew 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  (Do not get caught up worrying over the future of our nation, of our health, or our imaginations.)

 

Conclusion:  “Who hath hindered you?”