Sermon Central
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It's Always To Soon To Quit
Contributed by Mike Holley on May 24, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: Winston Churchill addressing the graduating class of West Point walked to the podium and said "never, never, never, never quit" We should take heed as well in our ministry callings.
IT’S ALWAYS TO SOON TO QUIT
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
PEOPLE NEVER GET TIRED OF DOING GOOD THINGS................DO THEY?
Tending Garden - Early Spring\ August.
Dishes - Dull after 1st decade.
Mowing Lawn - Can’t wait till son gets old enough.
FACTOID> WE GET TIRED OF ANYTHING even if it’s GOOD & WORTHWILE!
Playing organ is vital to worship - Get tired & need vacation!
Sunday School - Get tired & need vacation!
Nursery (even most dedicated) - Get tired & need vacation!
^As commited, dedicated, christians how are we to handle our particular areas of ministry when we simply GET TIRED?^
^^FIRST LET’S ANSWER THE QUESTION: WHY DO WE GET WEARY?^^
A. PHYSICALLY TIRED \ EXHAUSTION
1. IKg. 18:30-34) - Elijah had had a busy couple of days
-. Went to Kings Court
-. Built an altar
-. Dug trench
-. Killed Bullock and arranged on altar
2. 1 Kg. 19: 4-9) Elijah thought that God had abandoned him and the world was against him.
- Wanted to die (not really)
^ELIJAH WAS WEARY IN WELL DOING BECAUSE OF EXHAUSTION^
B. EMOTIONAL CAUSES
1. Working hard without seeing results = DISCOURAGEMENT
DISCOURAGEMENT leads to DESPAIR.
2. II Thess. 3:10-13)* People were discouraged because others would not
do their share.
^When it seems as if you are the only person who cares, it is easy to
’grow weary in well doing!’^
3. Recent Crisis: Relocation, Loss of loved one, Pleasent experience that does not happen as expected.
^Weariness can occur as we try to carry on in spite of the circumstances.
C. SPIRITUAL CAUSED FOR WEARINESS IN WELL DOING.
1. Mal. 1:13)* People were merely going through the motions of worship
They were not spiritual or Emotionally involved with God.
^WHEN WE LOSE TOUCH WITH GOD, WE LOSE SENSE OF DOING A VITAL WORK FOR HIM.............EXAMINE THE STATE OF YOUR QUITE TIME TO SEE IF SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE LORD OCCUPIES THE "throne of your life"^
<<^JUST AS CHEMICAL IMBALANCES (the lack of; or overproduction of; ) CAN CAUSE CHANGES IN THE PHYSICAL AND BRING ABOUT: DEPRESSION - DISCOURAGEMENT - DESPAIR.
THE SAME IS TRUE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM. >>^
Trans Sent
"I want to offer to you tonight some thoughts I have on how to .....not become weary and if you are weary in well doing; How to become re-energized and have the fires re-lit."
I. Never Quit
A. Winston Churchill speech at West Point Graduation.
"Never, Never, Never, Never Quit!"
B. Will Rodgers,"You cannot defeat a man (woman) who will not stay down."
II. Paul said same thing in Gal. 6:9)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
HERE PAUL TALKS ABOUT THREE THINGS THAT IT WOULD DO US WELL TO REMEMBER
1. Privilege - 2. Peril - 3. Promise
A. PRIVILEGE - "Doing Good."
1. The essense of Christian Life & service are all about.
Matthew 5:16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Christians are BELIEVERS & BEHAVERS:
Christans do the WILL OF GOD and the WORD OF GOD for the GLORY OF GOD.
2. Jesus himself "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38)
When we are involved in ’Good Works’, we are following in the steps of the Master.
WE ARE NOT SAVED BY WORKS, BUT WE DO PROVE THE REALITY OF OUR SALVATION BY INVESTING OUR LIVES IN GOOD WORKS.
3. Doing good sometimes looked on as burden or Chore. LEADS TO:
BITTERNESS - CRITICALNESS - LOSS OF BLESSING (wood hay etc.)
-Praising is a privilege
-Salvation is a privilege
-Serving is a privilege (work while you can, tommorrow you might not be able to and you’ll mss the rewards of "WORKS"
^HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THE LORD?^
^SOME FOLKS WOULD ABSOLUTELY TRADE PLACES WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SERVE THE LORD WHERE AND HOW THEY ARE^
NO MATTER HOW MUCH SACRIFICE GOD CALLS US TO MAKE, WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT SERVING JESUS CHRIST IN ANY CAPACITY IS A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE.
B. PERIL - The danger of ’growing weary IN doing good.’
^Though we may get weary IN well doing we must never get weary OF the Lord’s Work.^
1. Weary IN
-When ministry gets to be a ’Drudgery’
- We cease to be JOYFUL Servants.
