Introduction:
In his book, The Yoke of Christ, Elton Trueblood quotes a letter from a school girl who probes the depth of her soul. She writes, "I’ve been thinking much this year about the importance of caring, of the passion of life. I’ve often realized that it takes courage to care. Caring is dangerous. It leaves you open to hurt and to looking like a fool. And perhaps it’s because they have been hurt so often that people are afraid to care. You can’t die if you’re not alive. And then who would rather be a stone? I have found many places in my own life where I keep a secret store of indifference as a sort of self-protection." That’s a penetrating insight -- a secret store of indifference. We’re to care, because Christ cared -- even though it means a cross.
Thesis: Let’s look at the principles contained in this passage
For instances:
All human need is a cry for help and we should answer for our own good.
No man is free to live an isolated life. We owe too much to those who have helped us in the past. We are too closely related to those who are around us to allow such an attitude.
1 Corinthians 12:25-26: its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
A mouse looked out through a crack in a farmhouse wall and was distraught to discover a mousetrap. When he went to tell his buddies, the chicken said, 'Sorry, pal, not my problem.' The pig said, 'I'll pray for you.' The cow was busy and said, 'Come back later.' Dejected, the mouse was left alone to handle his problem. That night, a poisonous snake got caught in the mousetrap and when the farmer's wife went to investigate she got bitten. She developed a raging fever, and everyone knows you treat a fever with chicken soup. So the farmer took his axe to the barn for the main ingredient! As his wife's condition deteriorated and neighbours gathered, he had to butcher the pig to feed them. Finally she died. So many people came to the funeral that he ended up slaughtering the cow to make dinner for them all. In the end, everybody lost!
Yes, but that is the church. These verses in Proverbs are probably talking about the heathen. Even so 1 John 3:17-18: If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. If it is within our means to help, why wouldn’t we whether they are a believer or not? How can we share the love of Christ if we are not willing to help?
Philadelphia Revelation 3:8: See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
The urgency of their needs should be a powerful plea to us.
We should have a special place for those “being led away to death” like abortion, sex slaves, drug addicts, those under persecution for their faith.
We should be concerned with those “staggering toward slaughter” Those who are being delivered unto eternal death. 2 Peter 2:19: They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
But for the grace of God go I
Look up Luke 10:25-37
If we are like the priest and Levite, we are guilty, unbrotherly, altogether unlike our Lord.
God knows our excuses and he knows most are not acceptable
We seldom refuse to help point blank. We would if... We will when...
We may claim that they should have known better.
Our lack of knowledge about the circumstances. Only knew a little (that’s enough)
We don’t have enough time right now.
We have never dealt with that kind of problem before. Don’t know the best thing to do.
These excuses might be alright with men, but they will not avail with God.
We need to warn them. Ezekiel 33:1-6
We need to snatch them from the fire when we can. Jude 22-23: Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
From Proverbs 24:11-12 it seems to say to me that these people knew something about it.
Sing a Little Louder- I lived in Germany during the Nazi holocaust. I considered my-self a Christian. I attended Church since I was a small boy. We had heard the stories of what was happening to the Jews, but like most people we tried to distance ourselves from the reality of what was really taking place. What could anyone do to stop it?
"A railroad track ran behind our small church, and each Sunday morning we would hear the whistle from the distance and then the clacking of the wheels moving over the track. We became disturbed when one Sunday we noticed cries coming from the train as it passed by. We grimly realized that the train was carrying Jews. They were like cattle in those cars!
"Week after week that train whistle would blow. We would dread to hear the sound of those old wheels because we knew that the Jews would begin to cry to us as they passed our church. It was so terribly disturbing! We could do nothing to help these poor miserable people, yet their screams tormented us. We knew exactly at what time that whistle would blow, and we decided the only way to keep from being so disturbed by the cries was to start singing our hymns. By the time the train came rumbling past the church yard, we were singing at the top of our voices. If some of the screams reached our ears, we'd just sing a little louder until we could hear them no more. Years passed and no one talks about it much anymore, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep. I can still hear them crying out for help. God forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians, yet did nothing to intervene." (Taken from internet http://www.internationalwallofprayer.org/A-010-Holocaust-Memorial-Day-Stover.html)
That's What Christians Do?
In 1973 the Supreme Court said it was OK to kill unborn babies. Since then, we have killed more than the entire population of Canada. And it continues. A woman's choice? It is called abortion. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. First it was in dingy, dirty theaters. Then, convenience stores. Then, grocery stores. Then on television. Now its in the homes of millions via the Internet. It is called pornography. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. They called it no-fault. Why should we blame anyone when something so tragic happens? Haven't they already suffered enough? Half of the marriages of America end this way. The children suffered. The family broke down. It is called divorce. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. At one time it was a perversion. We kept it secret. We secured help and hope for those who practiced it. Now it is praised. We have parades celebrating it, and elected officials give it their blessing. Now it is endorsed with special privileges and protected by special laws. Even some Christian leaders and denominations praise it. It is called homosexuality. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now.
It used to be an embarrassment. A shame. Now a third of all births are to mothers who aren't married. Two thirds of all African American children are born into a home without a father. The state usually pays the tab. That is why we pay our taxes, so that government can take the place of parents. After all, government bureaucrats know much better how to raise children then parents do. It is called illegitimacy. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. At one time it was wrong. But then the state decided to legalize it, promote it and tax it. It has ripped apart families and destroyed lives. But just look at all the money the state has raised. No longer do we have to teach our children to study and work hard. Now we teach them they can get something for nothing. We spend millions encouraging people to join the fun and excitement. Just look at the big sums people are winning. They will never have to work again! It is called gambling. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. Not long ago, Christians were the good guys. But now any positive image of Christians in movies or TV is gone. We are now depicted as the bad guys--greedy, narrow-minded hypocrites. The teacher can't have a Bible on her desk, but can have Playboy. We don't have Christmas and Easter holidays--just winter and spring break. We can't pray in school, but can use foul language. It's called being tolerant. Me? I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. Yes, all these things came to pass within 30 years. Where were the Christians? Why, they were in church. All these things are for someone else to deal with. Times have changed. Involvement had been replaced with apathy. But don't blame me. I didn't do anything. I go to church, the minister preaches, I go home. That's what Christians do now. (Taken from internet http://www.christring.org/thinkabout/christiansdo.htm)
There is coming a day of Reckoning! End of Proverbs 24:12
For some Godly condemnation Look up Matthew 25:41-45
For some Godly commendation Look up Matthew 25:34-40
James 4:17: Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
