Introductory Comments
1. It may well be the most dangerous sin for both society and the church. It is so prevalent and accepted that we may not even think of it as a sin. It has become a way of life. In fact, if we do not commit this sin, people think there is something wrong with us. For we live in a world that says, "Relax, don’t get excited, keep cool."
2. Today we look at the deadly sin of sloth. And as we do we see how this deep sin is killing our society. But we also see how it has crept into the church and into our lives.
Teaching
1. What is sloth? Its not a word we hear very often. The Hebrew term can refer to a bow that is not strung or equipped with an arrow for action. This image is used to describe the people of Israel.
Psa 78:57 Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow.
Another Hebrew term refers to that which is difficult, heavy hindered and indicates foolish laziness or sluggishness. "I’ll do it if it does not take too much effort." Sloth can be called laziness, indifference, apathy, a pulling back emotionally from anything important.
2. Sloth can be described as many different things in our society. Henry Fairlie says that "Sloth is often expressed in this world under the polite name of "tolerance," but in hell it is called "despair." It is the sin that "believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die." Someone reminded me this week how people used to have many things that they were willing to die for. During WW1, young men would lie about their age in order to have to opportunity to fight or die for their country. Today they may still lie in times of war, but it would probably be in order to not have to fight or die.
3. We have become comfortable. We are so well off, so rich. Kind of reminds us of the church in Laodicea. It was a rich city - a financial center, clothing manufacturer and a medical center. They were so rich that all they wanted to do was enjoy what they had. 4. We become complacent. I have what I need, I don’t really need much more. As long as I am taken care of.
4. That is why work is seen as an evil today. Often no sense of fulfilment. Work to provide for pleasure. Can’t wait to get to the weekend. Thank goodness its Friday!
5. But the problem, as we said, is not just out there. It is right here. In our church and in our hearts. And that is what Jesus tells us in our passage today.
6. The church in Laodicea was slothful. They were lukewarm - complacent. Here was the faithful and true witness - the one who gave His life for them, the one who fought to the death, the one who was the ruler of all things. If anyone should inspire us to be hot in our faith and lives, it should be Him.
7. He comes to the church, He comes to us. And He says "I know you". I know that you have become indifferent and apathetic. You are lukewarm.
8. Would Jesus say that to you, to First Reformed Church? Are we on fire for the Lord or are we kind of going through the motions with little feeling or with as little effort as we can get away with?
9. This indifference is an attitude within us that affects what we do. The people in Laodicea had an attitude that they had arrived. We’ve done the work, now we need do no more. And their deeds reflected this. They failed to come to God for help. They did not need him.
10. This does not mean that they were inactive. They did do things, they did have deeds. But they were just going through the motions. To be indifferent means that we do not have the compassion and care of God in us. We may still be busy, but our motives may be wrong.
11. Why are we lukewarm? Do we think we have arrived? Or are there other reasons? As I look at myself or at you I see a number of reasons.
12. Perhaps you are burnt out. You are tired, have worked hard for the Lord and see no results or no solutions. To be burnt out means to feel trapped. I felt this way before I came here. My vision for the church had gone. I still did my work but I really did not care. My heart was not in it. I had no sense of purpose or mission. And I felt that way for a year. I could not go on that way and so I knew that I had to make a change.
13. Or perhaps you have become indifferent because of past hurts. You used to serve with passion and zeal, but you’ve had a few setbacks and battles along the way. And they took the life out of you. "What’s the use?" As one person told me, I’ve tried to be open in the past, but I got hurt. So we retreat back into ourselves and become spectators rather than participants. It is a lot safer that way.
14. Or perhaps we see the indifference in others. This week I am trying to get some data for the RSC budget. I needed to know how many members each church has. This is part of an annual report which each church is to send to the classis stated clerks by Jan. 31. I called the clerks on Monday, Feb. 16th and less than half of the churches across Canada had sent in their reports. Doesn’t take much work, we did report in consistory in early January. Easy for me to say "why should I care?" Have you ever felt that way? "Why should I care? No one else does? Why does someone else not do this?"
15. Are you indifferent?. Is your heart not into the work of God, His church and His people?
16. If you are, God says I know it. And I wish you were either hot or love, your compassion, your desire for God and the desire to serve Him have gone away. That you ask Him to come in.
23. For if He comes in, He will eat with us. He will come in and participate in our lives to changes us and renew us. And as he eats with us, we will eat with Him. We will participate or share in His holiness, His desire to glorify His Father, His love and compassion for others.
24. The only way to overcome spiritual sloth is to rub shoulders with Jesus, to let Him rub off on us. To spend time with Him and make Him the focus of our lives.
25. Not only will we overcome this sin, but we have the promise that one day we will sit on the throne with Christ. Christ overcame sin and death and so will we.
26. Friends, have you become apathetic, indifferent, lukewarm? If we could get rid of this sin, I wonder what God would do in us and through us. Would we be different? What would First reformed Church look like?
27. Let us ask God to renew us. To dig down and heal us of this terrible sin. Let us pray.
