LOSING JESUS IN A WORLDLY CROWD
8/12/07
TEXT: LUKE 2: 3952
INTRODUCTION: WE FIND IN OUR TEXT, HOW JESUS AT THE AGE OF 12, HAD GONE WITH JOSEPH AND MARY TO THE PASSOVER FEAST IN JERUSALEM.
AFTER A DAYS JOURNEY, THEY DISCOVERED HE WAS NOT WITH THEM.
A GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE WERE IN JERUSALEM, AND SOMEWHERE IN THAT GREAT CROWD WAS JESUS.
??? HOW COULD SUCH A THING HAPPEN? BY CARELESSNESS?
BY GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CROWD OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS (NOT SEEN SINCE LAST YEAR)? THE FELLOWSHIP ALONG THE WAY? ***
LET ME SHARE WITH YOU A SERMON TRUTH AND A SOLEMN FACT.
MANY TODAY, HAVE LOST SIGHT OF JESUS IN A WORLDLY CROWD.
1. BY CARELESS LIVING. 1 JOHN 2:15: LOVE NEITHER THE WORLD NOR THE WORLDLY THINGS.
1 THES 5:21: HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD.
NOTHING GREATER THAN OUR SALVATION. EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD WILL ONE DAY FALL AND PASS AWAY, BUT SALVATION IS ETERNAL.
2. BY WORLDLY INVOLVEMENT. 2 COR. 6:17: COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM (WORLDLY CROWD) BE YE SEPARATE, TOUCH NOT THE UNCLEAN THINGS, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD.
3. MANY LOST PEOPLE WOULD GET SAVED IF THEY WOULD TURN LOOSE OF THE WORLDLY WAYS AND LET GOD HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.
4. MANY BACKSLIDERS WOULD COME BACK TO THE LORD IF THEY WOULD SUBMIT THEMSELVES UNTO A HOLY GOD AND REPENT OF THEIR SINS.
I. MANY ARE HINDERED BY INFLUENCE OF THE WORLD.
JAMES 4:4: FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS ENMITY W/ GOD,
MAKES YOU OPPOSED TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.
(A) MANY HAVE LOST FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS BECAUSE OF SINFUL WORLDLY INFLUENCE.
1. SIN WILL DECEIVE YOU, SATAN WILL LURE YOU IN.
SIN BEGINS WITH THE GENTLENESS OF A LAMB, YET IT ENDS WITH THE DEADLY POISON OF A SERPENT.
2. SIN BEGINS WITH HARMLESS-NESS, YET IT ENDS WITH SWIFT DESTRUCTION. Phil 3:19
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
(B) MANY ARE LURED INTO SIN BY SATAN’S ONE -SIDED VIEW.
The good life, modern way, new society.
1. OLD STORY: “IT HURTS NO ONE BUT ME, IT’S MY BUSINESS.”
IT HURTS YOUR TESTIMONY AND THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH.
IT HURTS YOUR FAMILY AS WELL AS THE FAMILY REPUTATION.
IT HURTS THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
(C) MANY TAKE A TOUR DOWN SIN’S AVENUE ONLY TO FIND A DEAD END STREET WITH NO RETURN.
JAMES 1:15: WHEN LUST HAS CONCEIVED, BRINGS FORTH SIN, AND SIN WHEN FINISHED BRINGS FORTH DEATH. (ULTIMATE CHASTISEMENT)
II. MANY ARE HINDERED BY THE INTRIGUE OF THE CROWD.
1. SINFUL WORLDLINESS WILL DRAW YOU IN.
Gal 5:7-8
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8. That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
YOU WERE ON FIRE FOR JESUS WRAPPED UP IN HIS LOVE, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO CHANGE YOUR COURSE?
SIN WILL TAKE YOU FARTHER THAN YOU EVER INTENDED TO GO.
YOU CAN’T QUIT THE SINNING BUSINESS, YOU MUST BE DELIVERED AND THE DELIVERER IS JESUS CHRIST.
SIN BEGINS WITH A PLEASANT DREAM BUT ENDS WITH A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE.
(A) SIN ENTRAPS YOU, ENSLAVES YOU, (LIKE A SPIDERS WEB)***
ENTANGLEMENT BEGINS WITH SIN.
1. FIRST FAMILY (ADAM AND EVE) GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE ENTANGLEMENT OF SIN AND THE HUMAN RACE HAS BEEN PAYING FOR IT SINCE THEN. PERFECT ENVIRONMENT TO THE DEPTHS OF SIN.
(B) SIN PROMISES PLEASURE BUT DELIVERS DESTRUCTION.
(SATAN’S FALSE PROMISE TO EVE)
(C) SIN DESTROYS THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND PLEASANT.
WHEN ADAM AND EVE’S EYES WERE OPENED THEY SAW THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.
1. SATAN LIED TO THE FIRST FAMILY; HE STILL LIES TO YOU TODAY.
III. THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CROWD.
(LUKE 15, THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON)
SIN WILL KEEP YOU LONGER THAN YOU INTENDED TO STAY.
(A) SIN IS DECEPTIVE.
Prov 20:17
Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
1. WHEN ALL WAS GONE, THE PRODIGAL REALIZED HE HAD BEEN DECEIVED BY THE DEVIL, LIFE WAS THEN FULL OF MISERY LIKE A MOUTH FULL OF GRAVEL.***
(B) SIN IS POWERFUL. TAKE YOU TO THE BOTTOM BEFORE YOU EVEN REALIZE IT. (PRODIGAL IN THE HOG PEN)
(C ) SIN IS PERSUASIVE. CAUSE YOUR MIND TO BE DISTORTED.
1. THE TROUBLE IS NOT IN YOUR MIND, IT IS IN YOUR HEART.
2. GET YOUR HEART RIGHT WITH GOD AND YOU TROUBLED MIND WILL CLEAR UP.
(D) THE ONLY CURE FOR SIN IS DR. JESUS.
1. TURN IT ALL OVER TO JESUS, ALLOW HIM TO FORGIVE YOU, CLEANSE YOU AND BRING YOU SAFELY BACK HOME.
2, WHEN THE PRODIGAL SON CONFESSED OF HIS SINS, GOD TOLD HIM TO GO BACK HOME TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE.
3. SCRIPTURE SAYS: “WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF” (FULLY REALIZED HOW FAR DOWN SIN’S ROAD HE HAD COME.
I LIKE THE WAY ONE OLD PREACHER SAID IT:
HE DROPPED THE PAIL, JUMPED THE RAIL AND HIT THE TRAIL.
IV. THE HINDRANCE OF THE CROWD WILL INFLUENCE YOU.
LUKE 19 TELLS THE STORY OF ZACCEUS, WHO WANTED TO SEE JESUS, BUT COULD NOT SEE FOR THE CROWD.
(A) HE HAD TO GET ABOVE THE CROWD TO GET A LOOK AT JESUS.
1. AS LONG AS YOUR EYES ARE UPON THE WORLD, SATAN WILL BLIND YOU FROM SEEING JESUS.
(B) WHEN ZACCEUS GOT ABOVE THE CROWD HE SAW JESUS AND GOT SAVED.
1. WHEN YOU SEE THE NEED FOR CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE GOD WILL SAVE YOU.
2. WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE SINFUL STATE OF YOUR SOUL, LOST AND CONDEMNED TO HELL, YOU CAN THEN SEE YOUR NEED FOR SALVATION.
V. YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE WORLDLY CROWD BY THEIR LIFESTYLE.
FIVE (5) THINGS THE WORLD DOES NOT HAVE.
1. HAVE NO SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
2. THEY HAVE NO SPIRITUAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
3. THEY HAVE NO HOPE OF SALVATION OUTSIDE OF CHRIST.
4. THEY HAVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE THEM**
5. MOST IMPORTANT; THEY ARE WITHOUT CHRIST
(A) A CHRISTIAN CANNOT BE COMFORTABLE IN A WORLDLY CROWD. (OPEN SHAMELESS SIN, GOD’S NAME IN VAIN ETC.)
(B) A CHRISTIAN CANNOT BE CONTENT IN A WORLDLY CROWD
(HE WILL LONG FOR THE COMFORT AND FELLOWSHIP OF SAINTS.)
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NOT GIVE HIM REST.
CONCLUSION: VERSE 45: THEY WENT BACK TO JERUSALEM, LOOKING FOR JESUS, BACK WHERE THEY LOST HIM.
IF YOU HAVE LOST JESUS IN A WORLDLY CROWD, GO BACK TO WHERE YOU LOST HIM; GO BACK TO WHERE YOU BROKE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. BACK TO AN OLD FASHIONED ALTER.
