A Heart Grown Cold Series

A Heart Grown Cold

Griffith Baptist Church – 10/15/06

A.M. Service

Text: Revelation 2:1-7

Introduction:

As Christians, our lives get busy:

• Work

• Family

• Church

• Entertainment

• Education

We begin fine and continue to do the good works God asks of us

Somehow, those good works deteriorate into a rut

It is the habit of doing good only for the sake of saving face before other Christians.

We are the last to see our dreadful condition

Some do not want to face their coldness

They are constant gazers into a mirror they pay no attention to.

Where is your heart today?

Definite signs that our heart has grown cold:

1. When our desire for the world comes before God

A. What are your priorities in life?

i. Pleasures?

ii. Money?

iii. Work?

B. Hebrews 11:24-26 – 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

i. James 4:4 - You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

C. Command - Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

i. Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

ii. We need to change the way we think.

D. The more of heaven there is in our lives, the less of earth we shall covet.

2. When church becomes an inconvenience

A. The church is not made up of people who are better than the rest, but of people who want to become better than they are.

B. What traits characterized the early church? – Read Acts 2:42-47

i. Continually devoting themselves to – 42

a. Teaching

b. Fellowship

c. Breaking of bread

d. prayer

ii. Kept feeling a sense of awe – 43

iii. They were together – 44

iv. They shared with one another sacrificially – 45

v. They worshipped with: - 46

a. Gladness

b. Sincerity of heart

vi. They praised God – 47a

vii. People got saved en mass – 47b

C. Are any of these missing from you?

D. Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

E. God puts the church in the world; Satan puts the world in the church.

3. When lost souls no longer move us

A. We grow indifferent to the destiny of unregenerate man

B. How far removed have we become from these:

i. Jeremiah - Jeremiah 13:17 – But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.

ii. Jesus - Matthew 23:37 – O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

iii. Paul - Acts 20:31 – Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

iv. Paul, again - Philippians 3:18 - (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

C. Psalm 126:6 – He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

D. It isn’t urgent for us anymore – 2nd Corinthians 6:2 - For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

4. When the Bible loses its grip in us

A. A former park ranger at Yellowstone National Park tells the story of a ranger leading a group of hikers to a fire lookout. The ranger was so intent on telling the hikers about the flowers and animals that he considered the messages on his two-way radio distracting, so he switched it off. Nearing the tower, the ranger was met by a nearly breathless lookout, who asked why he hadn’t responded to the messages on his radio. A grizzly bear had been seen stalking the group, and the authorities were trying to warn them of the danger.