Sunday Morning March 7, 2010
Bel Aire Baptist Church
Series: “Royalty” [#10]
FORGOTTEN CONCERN
2 Chronicles 28:1-27
Introduction:
Who here has got to the point that you just don’t care? It’s easier to get to that point then you think. Maybe you care, but it’s just about what others think. Maybe you feel like you are being pulled in 2 different directions. If that is the case, you will eventually go to one side or the other. You’re not going to be able to straddle the fence very long.
King Ahaz simply didn’t care about anything or anybody but himself. He didn’t follow the ways of the Lord, he made idols for worshiping the Baals, he burned sacrifices to these gods, (including burning his sons as sacrifice), and simply did everything opposite of his father.
Because of his evilness, God handed Judah and King Ahaz over to the Arameans, Israelites, Philistines, etc... Ahaz and the Nation of Judah faced defeat after defeat; but that didn’t change King Ahaz. His response was to call upon the Assyrian King for help. He took things from the Temple in order to pay off the Assyrian King, but that didn’t help. His next move was to offer sacrifices to the gods of Damascus because he had seem to think that they had helped the Kings of Aram defeat him. He then took all of the furnishings out of the Temple, closed the Temple, and set up alters on every corner in Jerusalem to foreign gods. God was angered by all of this.
Revelation 3:14-18 (NIV)
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
Evidence that you’re not concerned anymore is…
1. Lukewarmness.
In my over 15 years of restaurant experience I have learned that one of the #1 priorities in food safety is temperature. 40F-140F is known as the danger zone. When food is in this temperature range bacteria can grow and spread very quickly. You can’t see things like e-coli or salmonella but it can make you very sick or even kill you.
In my 11 years of pastoral experience I have learned that one of the #1 priorities in the Body of Christ is temperature. Luke-warmness is as dangerous to the spiritual body as e-coli is to the human body. The bacteria of sin and apathy will spread all over the body and we will not even notice. In fact, on the outside things may seem like they are going very well. The Church of Laodicea was basing their success upon human standards and Jesus was looking at the heart of the matter.
Evidence that you’re not concerned anymore is…
2. Growth of evil in your life.
The longer you allow your life to be in the danger zone the more potential there is for the bacteria to spread and do its damage. Here are several indications of spiritual bacterial growth and damage to the body.
> “Iron fist”. I’m the boss. Not even Jesus is going to tell me what to do.
> “Chicken liver”. Scared of the enemy.
> “Lock-Jaw”. Will not open your mouth and tell others about Jesus.
> “Sugary Sweet Heart”. Just keep everybody happy regardless of what is going on.
Revelation 3:19-20 (NIV)
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Evidence that you’re not concerned anymore is…
3. Refusal of the cure.
There is a cure to the problem of lukewarmness. It is repentance. Christ is standing at the door knocking and all you have to do is let Him in. Now I realize that this passage has been preached many times concerning salvation, but verse 19 indicates to us that this is talking about Christians. Hebrews tells us that God disciplines His children.
The major problem here is the fact that Jesus is on the outside of the Church and not the inside. The good news here is that we simply have to let Christ back into the Church. Once we humble ourselves and repent of our sins, then Christ forgives, forgets, and fellowships with us.
Conclusion:
Revelation 3:21-22 (NIV)
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
* If you are sitting here today hoping that someone sitting next to you or behind you is getting this sermon, you are probably lukewarm.
* If you think you got all of this figured out because you have heard a hundred sermons just like this one, then you are probably lukewarm.
* If you are thinking about what time it is right now, you are probably lukewarm.
* If you are mad that I would dare say these things, you are probably lukewarm.
* If you are agitated at someone and you can’t get them out of your mind, you are probably lukewarm.
* If you plan on not moving during this invitation and not changing, you are probably lukewarm.
* If you are more worried about lunch than that lost person God has put on your mind, you are probably lukewarm.
Humble yourself, repent, and let Jesus back in before He spits us out. Do you care anymore? Are you an overcomer? Overcomers are with Jesus. You choose: Hot or cold?
