Losing my Religion? "Scandalous"
Illus.
There is a story that tells about a man who was looking for work without any luck for many weeks. So he decided to take a break and visit the zoo. While he was at the zoo, he asked the zookeeper if they had any openings.
The zookeeper motioned the man over to a tree and whispered, "Our gorilla just died last night, and we’re expecting a group of children to come this afternoon. They will be very disappointed if they don’t get to see a gorilla. If you’re willing to get into a gorilla outfit and just swing around in the cage, I’ll pay you $10 an hour."
The man thought about the children, and he thought about the money, and then he said, "yes." So he got into the gorilla suit and entered the gorilla cage. Just then, the children began to file by. The man decided he was going to give the children a show by swinging on a tire. He swung so high, that he landed into the next cage, the lion’s cage.
Immediately the man in the gorilla suit began to scream and rattle the cage. The children also began to scream as the lion slowly approached the gorilla. When the man in the gorilla suit thought all was hopeless, the lion said, "Mister, you better shut up before we both lose our jobs."
Of all the creatures that God created...Only mankind has the capability
of dressing up and acting as something other than what God intended.
When I was growing up and also in my adult life… I was encouraged to believe that you should never want to miss a church service, because you never knew what you might miss.
And that has been true… Because I have been privileged to be present
through the years in the glorious presence of God in a lot of church services that those who were not present clearly missed out on.
And I am sure that's the way it is been down through the ages…
After all there were only so many present for the sermon on the mount…
And there were only so many present there on the day of Pentecost...
The same holds true the day the outpouring happened at Azusa Street…
And while there were 5000+ men, women and children there for the feeding
of the 5000....there was room for so many more that could've been there
and witnessed one of the greatest miracles we have talked about
for thousands of years
Mr. Stetzer. According to the Hartford Institute of Religion Research, more than 40 percent of Americans "say" they go to church weekly. As it turns out, however, less than 20 percent are actually in church. In other words, more than 80 percent of Americans are finding more fulfilling things to do on weekends.
Furthermore, somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 churches close their doors every year. Southern Baptist researcher, Thom Rainer, puts the estimate higher. He says between 8,000 and 10,000 churches will likely close this year.
Between the years 2010 and 2012, more than half of all churches in America added not one new member. Each year, nearly 3 million more previous churchgoers enter the ranks of the "religiously unaffiliated."
James 4:13-14 NKJ
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what isyour life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away
What this says in a nutshell is...society lives like there's no tomorrow
and the next thing you know, there's not..
life is like a vapor and the older you get...the more everyday you realize it
We've seen it happen down through the years...church's were vibrant,
they were staples in the community where needs could be met
and lives could be changed...they were real power houses!
And just like the children of Israel thought that they could manage on their own…
The next thing you know the people stopped coming regularly and thought that they could take care of their own needs and their own lives without having
to attend or go to church...
There will always be something else that appears to be more enticing
Or important to do...other than going to church
TBS not to for sake the assembling of yourselves together
We could blame it on the accuser… And that's..what..Society would like to do
this morning and I'm sure that many of you as I have done the same thing on
different occasions.
I believe that would be called no blame game...you know
as to the fact how it is not your fault and you somehow shift the blame
to someone else...or some other entity, that has nothing to do with it at all
I believe we would call that the zero responsibility clause...and human nature
likes to use that quite often..whenever it's needed for whatever reason
to affect the outcome of any situation…to make us all look better
Than what the truth is.
He, she, they, it, the dog, the cat, my sister...and while blaming those individuals may work here in this life for an excuse...
they will never hold water on judgment day in Gods courtroom
The fact is…God created each one of us with a Will...
and we all are responsible and accountable for ourselves
No matter whether we want to take responsibility or not!
Matthew 25:1-13 MSG
25 1-5 “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
7-8 “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
9 “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
10 “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
11 “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
12 “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
13 “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.
We all know… That the coming of the Lord is closer now than it has ever been
We see Bible prophecy on the nightly news…
We see it in the newspapers...
We see it and hear it at work…
It's happening right in front of our very eyes…
The world may not see it and I believe they don't want to,
By the accusers design...
but for those of us who are born again
and those of us who have heard the word..know differently
There are a lot of Christians this morning that know the truth...
That the coming of the Lord is near and still are not doing everything
They know...by living for the Lord
1 John 2:15-16 NKJ
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJ
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
James 2:18-20 NKJ
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[d] works, and I will show you my faith by my[e]works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead
(christians know this scripture...and for whatever reason they still sit idly
by and don't do what they know they should be doing)
Revelation 3:15-21 MSG
15-17 “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
18 “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, reallysee.
19 “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!
20-21 “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!
(Some have forgotten their calling...they've been called in every direction, but have forgotten the true calling they received the day that the Holy Spirit moved them to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour...the day they became born again!
And with that calling, came the greatest opportunity that has ever been given...the opportunity to tell others...friends, family, loved ones about the experience they have experienced...
So many have let and continue to let that opportunity slip through their fingers...but it's not to late...
it's not to late to still do something for the kingdom of God...there's still time to pick up the sword of the Lord...the Word of God...and be the conquerer you were created to be...)
1st Peter 1:3-5, 8-21 MSG
3-5 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.
(Isn't that what we all want? Isn't that what we all are looking forward to
Eternity in Heaven with God??
Yes?? Ok...
Well the way you achieve what God has for you...
is by being busy about doing what He has called you to do...
Being a Christian and about Spreading Gods Word on Salvation is the most exciting work you will ever have an opportunity to do...
and for doing it and keeping the faith you will be greatly rewarded...
not only in this life...but the life to come as well and so will the others you tell)
8-9 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.
10-12 The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah’s Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
13-16 So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”
17 You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.
(That's what the world is doing right now… That's what all those who are in and living of the world are doing right now....Sloppy Living!
Far too many have come to take the Gospel and this lifegiving message that Jesus brought to the world for granted...
they wonder about aimlessly as the virgins did in the parable that we read about earlier with no oil, or the oil in their vessel at a dangerously low level...
With JESUS return only minutes away, so to speak in Gods timing...
from the countdown to the rapture of the Church..
And the bible says..He's coming back for a glorious church
Don't you want to be part of presenting JESUS a "Glorious Church"
To be greeted by?)
18-21 Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
Illus.
John Stafford tells about an old well that stood outside the front door of their family farm house in New Hampshire. The water from the well was remarkably pure and cold. No matter how hot the summer or how severe the drought, the well was always a source of refreshment and joy. The faithful old well was a big part of his memories of summer vacations at the farmhouse.
The years passed and eventually the farmhouse was modernized. Wiring brought electric lights, and indoor plumbing brought hot and cold running water. The old well was no longer needed, so it was sealed for use in possible future emergencies.
One summer day, years later, John Stafford had a desire for cold, pure water. He unsealed the well and lowered a bucket for a nostalgic taste of the delightful refreshment he remembered. He was shocked to discover that the well that once had survived the severest droughts was bone dry! He asked local residents why their well had gone dry. He learned that wells of that sort were fed by hundreds of tiny underground rivulets which seep a steady flow of water. As long as the water is drawn out of the well, new water will flow in through the rivulets, keeping them open for more to flow. But when the water stops flowing, the rivulets clog with mud and close up. The well dried up not because it was used too much, but because it wasn’t used enough!
It's the same with the gospel message… It's up to us to keep spreading the message, to keep the flow of the Gospel message going..
And to live the life and embrace the opportunity of telling others about the greatest story ever told..
God has great plans for us all it tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 about the future and hope that He has gives and wants to prosper to all who believes
And the way that happens in our lives…
Is when God's plans become our plans
And our plans are the same as Gods plans...
And God loves it when two or more are joined together
For His Purpose!!
Amen??
Let's pray
