THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY OF THEM

Billy Joel’s 1977 song - Only the Good Die Young

Banned by the archdiocese of St. Louis. The minute they banned it, it starting shooting up the charts. Joel brought his tour to St. Louis in early 1978. He received death threats warning him against performing the song. He played it twice and got the whole audience to sing along.

There was someone in the Bible who died young because he was good – Abijah, son of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:12-13) - When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good.

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE OF WHOM THE WORLD IS NOT WORTHY?

TEXT: HEBREWS 11:13-16

1.    LIVED BY FAITH TILL DEATH (13) - All these people were still living by faith when they died.

2.    WELCOMED HEAVEN FROM A DISTANCE (13) - They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.

3.    LOOKING FOR A COUNTRY WHERE THEY BELONG (13-14) - And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

4.    THEIR FATHER IS PROUD OF THEM (16) - Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.