Complacency Vs. Taking Risks

Aloha I Ke Akua Christian Fellowship

Senior Pastor Paul A. Kaiwi, Jr. MD

Sunday Morning Service 9:30 am

June 9, 2006

Complacency vs. Taking The Risk

Joke: Three psychiatric patients are eager to be released from the hospital, but the doctor has an examination of their judgment skills that must be passed in order for them to go home. One by one he takes them to the edge of a swimming pool without water and tells them to jump in or not. Take the risk or not. He shows them that the pool has no water, but he doesn’t tell them because they must choose on their own.

The first patient looks at the pool and jumps in without hesitation, hurting his ankle. The doctor tells him, “Sir, you failed the examination, and therefore you must stay another year before the next testing.” The patient left very sad.

The second patient walks up to the pool’s edge, thinks about it, then jumps in. He hurts his shoulder. Again the doctor says, “Sir, you failed the exam and must stay another year.” This patient also leaves sad and discouraged.

The third patient walks up to the pool’s edge, thinks for awhile, shakes his head and says, “No ways I’m jumping in.” The doctor jumped up with joy and said, “Sir, you have great judgment skills and therefore you are released from this psychiatric hospital.” The patient jumped for joy in excitement. Then the doctor asked the happy patient, “What made you decide not to jump into the pool?” To which the patient answered, “Oh, that’s easy. I don’t know how to swim!”

Current Statistics:

People may say, "My family is really important to me." Almost everyone would say that. Yet, statistics reveal that the average father in the U.S. spends 5 minutes a day with his children. We have become complacent with our time with family.

We might say, "Our health is really important to us." Yet, do we exercise? "No." Do we eat right? "No." The 2005 report on American obesity shows that 65% of all Americans are obese. Half of that, meaning 33% of all Americans are morbidly obese: morbidly obese means that they could suddenly die without any warning. We have become complacent with our healths.

Are we materialistic? "Oh,no! Everyone else is but we are not." Is our debt load getting bigger? Are we buying things that we cannot afford? Do we have credit card charges that we cannot pay? The 2006 statistics show 76% of Americans are in debt to credit cards alone, not counting car and house loans, and 96% of all Americans will retire in financial hardship (US Dept. of Health & Human Serv). We have become complacent in our finances.

Is God important to us? "Yes! 95% of Americans in the U.S. say, "God is important to me." Yet only 9% of Americans attend church, and only 2% of Americans are involved in any type of ministry. We are much too busy for God. We have become complacent with God.

-We are complacent & comfortable where we are, therefore we are unwilling to move and improve, unwilling to move closer to God.

Definition of Complacency:

A feeling of calm satisfaction with our own abilities or situations, that prevents us from trying harder.

Text: Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. 23 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It’s all right," he said. "I am here! Don’t be afraid." 28 Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water." 29 "All right, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. 31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. "You don’t have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" 32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.

Storm = crises, problems, trials, tribulations…

Boat = complacency, security, unwillingness to step out in faith.