Becoming A Wholehearted Christian Series

FACING THE GIANTS

Becoming a Wholehearted Christian – Dealing with the Giant of Apathy

Colossians 3:23-25; Proverbs 3:5-6;Jeremiah 29:13-14

INTRODUCTION: In his six years of coaching, Grant Taylor has never had a winning season. Even his hope of a new season is squelched when the best player on his Shiloh Eagles decides to transfer schools. After losing their first three games of the season, the coach discovers a group of fathers are plotting to have him fired. Combined with pressures at home, Coach Taylor has lost hope in his battle against ear and failure.

However, and unexpected challenge helps him find a purpose bigger than just victories. Daring o trust God to do the impossible, Coach Taylor and the Eagles discover how faith plays out on the field, and off.

With God, all things are possible!

Today and for several Sundays afterward, we are going to glimpse at snippets of Coach Taylor’s transformation. He will face his giants, and we will face ours. The end result will be the buttressing of our faith, and the refreshing of our purpose before God.

I WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT APATHY

A Colossians 3:23-25 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

B Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

C Jeremiah 29:13-14 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

II THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING WHOLEHEARTED

A Half-heartedness produces apathy

B Half-heartedness produces bad attitudes

C Half-heartedness produces mediocre results

1 We live mediocre lives as believers

2 We produce mediocre results as believers

a Especially when God expects our best as believers

Need I remind you of Matthew 25, ……

Matthew 25:14-30 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 "The man with the two talents also came. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. ’Master,’ he said, ’I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 "His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "’Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’