For 4 weeks we will be looking at the topic, “Bright Hope In Dark Days” and how we must be looking for the best way to be the brightest person in some else’s darkest place. I probably don’t have to convince you that these are dark days, but my hardest challenge is to convince all of us that theses are still the brightest days! When was the last time you sensed that you were the brightest spot in someone’s darkest place?
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Today in California, we have 4 types of people that need the most hope:
• Sorrow Ridden
• Addiction Driven
• Grief Stricken
• Dream Broken
Seated right next to you may be one of these individuals!
Which type best describes your past? Stop looking all righteous and pious - we’ve all been one or more of those described – and don’t forget that! Thank God for His grace and mercy!
Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once in darkness, but now are light in the Lord.”
2 Samuel 22:29 “The Lord turns my darkness into light.”
Most churches in California today are more a museum of tradition than a mosaic of transformation! A museum is a portrait of yesterdays buried on display while a mosaic is a portrait of brokenness beautifully on display. And all made possible because of light!
And that’s what FBC is all about and that is what every church in California should be all about!
Folks, there’s a wake up call ringing right now for California, and so far I think it’s gone unanswered! Is it possible that we’re asleep?
There’s a great story behind the birth of America – it was April 1775 and the British were coming! They came into Boston Harbor then the British got into small boats and their army crossed the Charles River and tried to attack Concord and Lexington. Everyone was asleep that early morning except for one – Paul Revere, he was awake and he knew what to do. He got on his horse and galloped from village to village crying out, “The British are coming, the British are coming!”
Candles were lit immediately in the windows of each house and the men put on their clothes and grabbed their muskets, these men were ready in a minute!
Those men went out ready to defend their homes, family and their new nation! Paul Revere sent out a message, a wake up call for all to hear and respond to! But there’s another war going on, an invisible war – and someone today needs to be a modern day Paul Revere, crying out to all Christians in California – “Wake Up!”
The enemy is upon us and we need to hear the alarm!
It is recorded in one Biography of Paul Revere, from his dairy that on April day in 1775, that he had just read the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:11-14 when he got the word that the “British are coming!”
Read Romans 13:11-12
The reason it’s so important for us to wake up in California is because it’s later than we think! The alarm has already sounded!
In our state right now, I don’t know what song describes us best, “I feel the earth move under my feat”, or “Burn baby burn!”
Church, we have a California Crisis before us!
1. There is Anarchy In California.
“Anarchy” = no law, but also confusion and disorder - Webster’s Dictionary
• U.S. first marriages divorce rate: 53.7%
• California first marriages divorce rate: 60.8%
• U.S. second marriage divorce rate: 75.1%
• California second marriages divorce rate: 80.8%
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• An estimated 1 million young Californians had a sexually transmitted disease in 2005, including 1 in every 4 young people in Los Angeles County. -CDC
• “1 out of every 4 California adults had not graduated from high school."
-California Dropout Research Project, August 2007 Study
Sacramento Bee, July 18, 2008 "California is failing our next generation as the doors shut for our young people to have a shot at a good quality of life. There is a sense of hopelessness with most youth in California."
In Redding California last year there was an attempted school shooting that Police stopped the morning the teen was going to kill 6 students including his girlfriend and 1 teacher. After being arrested, listen to what James Boyle only 17 said, “I worship Satan and find a thrill from it. At one moment I was a broken idiot and the next I was in complete control by Satan. I know he is real.”
Satanism is fast becoming the religion of choice for a lot of California teens. And one tool Satan is using is a popular national skating magazine that is published in San Francisco California. The magazine “Thrasher” is the #1 magazine among teen age skaters in America and Europe.
A comic strip in the magazine:
A smiley face of a little devil and another little imp with his horns on his head and a little fork in its hands – and it says, “Devil Man” along with my trusty sinka fan, “Flame Boy” - I want to make you a little offer Flame Boy, I want your soul.”
FB says: “But boss won’t they need souls if they are going to go heaven? That’s where I want to go when I die.”
DM says: “You are already dead that’s why you’re in hell. Heaven id not all that it’s cracked up to be, I know I used to live there.”
FB says: “You used to live in heaven, boss?”
DM says: “When I lived there I tried to make heaven a fun place but that just got me and my friends kicked out. After God kicked me out of heaven, heaven was never the same. First, they set up a bunch of dumb rules, and a dress code, it’s really quite boring now! Just look around here, there’s only one rule and that’s NO RULES! Even a dim whit like you can see that by far hell’s a better place to retire in.”
“So kids, to ensure your permanent place in hell, send me your soul today!”
At the bottom of this page is a contract to sign and it says, “Sign here and then you give me permission to take your soul to the devil for ever and for ever!”
Then the smiley little devil say, “I’ll be seeing you!”
Folks, there’s a California crisis and the alarm has sounded!
2. There Is Apostasy In California.
• In the U.S. 56% of “Christian” fathers do not go to church regularly.
• In California 67% of “Christian” fathers do not go to church regularly.
• In the U.S., 70% of 18-22 yr. olds drop out of church.
-SBC LifeWay Research, October 2007
• 62% of Americans do not believe in “absolute truth”.
• 68% of Californians do not believe in “absolute truth”.
-- SBC LifeWay Research, October 2007
Archbishop John Shelby Spong who is the leading visiting professor at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont California proves my point, “It’s time for intelligent Christians to grow up and admit that there is not a personal God of any kind on the receiving end of your prayers. It’s nonsense to speak of Jesus’ deity. No such thing as miracles, no sin, no moral laws, virgin birth and no historical event called the resurrection. The view of the cross as the sacrifice for sin is barbaric and based on primitive concepts of God.”
This man is an academic disgrace!!
2 Timothy 3:5 “Having the form of godliness, but denying its power - such people turn away.”
But never fear we stand on solid ground regarding our faith in the resurrection!
Sir Edward Clarke, a British High Court Judge, conducted a thorough analysis of the resurrection and came to this conclusion, “To me the evidence is conclusive and over and over again in High Court I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so compelling. As a lawyer, I accept the gospel evidence unreservedly as the testimony of truthful men to the facts that they were able to substantiate.”
3. There Is Antagonism In California.
Open hostility and opposition to Christianity in California! California is treating Christianity worse than Christianity in Russia or even Iraq! From the courtroom, classroom to the boardroom – angry antagonism exits like never before!
University of California officials adopted a policy last year which dictates that students educated with curriculum containing any reference to a biblical worldview will not be permitted to attend a UC school.
The university decision says that physics, American literature and biology textbooks by major Christian book publishers such as Bob Jones University Press and A Beka Book wouldn’t qualify for the basic requirements in the state because of Christian perspectives.
ACSI with over 1.1 million students worldwide is fighting this policy and Burt Carney with ACSI said, “UC officials confirmed that if the Scripture verses that begin each chapter were removed the textbook would likely be approved…"
Here’s the very university that talks about academic freedom. It’s very discriminating. They don’t rule against Muslim, Hindu or Jewish themes, only those with a definite Christian theme.
4. There Is Apathy In California.
Folks, California’s hope is in God and not the Govenator! Dark days are here because Christians in this state have forgotten to SHINE! Too many of us have rolled over and yawn in the face of God! How do I know there is apathy in this state?
• There are 33 million people in California without Christ.
• Nationally there exists 1 church for every 7,000 people.
• In California there exits 1 church for every 18,000 people.
James 4:14, 17 “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. He who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins.” NIV
So let’s take Paul at his 3-fold challenge seriously at FBC:
a. Wake Up. Vs. 11
Turn to your neighbor and say, “Wake Up!”
It’s a sad day when a church finally wakes up and finds their power gone. It happened with Samson lying in the lap of Delia!
b. Clean Up. Vs. 12a, 13
Turn to your neighbor and say, “Clean Up!”
Notice the 6 areas set in 3 couplets areas that keep us dirty…
Notice that these 6 sins are public and private! Let’s make sure we are clean before the lord and those that see our lives!
c. Dress Up. Vs. 12b
Turn to your neighbor and say “Dress Up!”
Notice “the armor of light” and the “Lord Jesus Christ” we must put on all of the Lord Jesus Christ!
• Direction - Lord
• Deliverance - Jesus Savior, healer
• Dominion - Messiah, Anointed
Listen, we have to get rid of the old clothes that belonged to our old life in the flesh! If king alcohol has your heart, put on King Jesus! If king cocaine has your heart, put on King Jesus! If king lust or gossip has your heart, put on King Jesus! Put Him on over your sorrows and sadness. Put Him on over your aches and pains! Put Him on over your failures and shame and watch hope overcome the dark days of your life!
You know – eternity is too long to be sleeping, when there’s a possibility that we can bring hope to someone’s life!
