I think it’s happened to all of us; we lay down intending to take a short nap, but we end up sleeping for hours. It only takes a little slumber for it to turn into a long sleep.
1. IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE SIN (I Corinthians 5:1-6)
Illustration: a student at a college who was allergic to peanut oil decided to eat a candy bar that had nuts in it. He didn't think it would affect him much. "I can handle it," he thought. But his allergic reaction was off the charts, and within a few short hours, he was dead.
Achan: stole a little (Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold)
Samson: broke the rules a little here and there
Ananias and Saphirah: told a little lie
David: took a little look at Bathsheba
If you give the devil an inch, he’ll take a mile. If you give him a foothold, he’ll step into your life and make himself at home.
So what do you do? You’ve let a little sin into your life, what do you do now?
Pro. 28:13-- “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
II Tim. 2:22-- “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Jam. 4:7-- “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Rom. 13:14-- “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
Don’t let a little sin into your life. If you feed it and nurture it, it will grow to become an unstoppable monster that will rule your life.
2. IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE FAITH (Luke 17:5-6)
Faith is the most important ingredient in the Christian life. Faith is required for salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8) Faith is required in order to maintain the right walk. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
(II Cor. 5:7) Faith is required just to please God. “But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6) How important is faith? Anything done apart from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23)!
The Christian life is like a roller coaster; it is full of its ups and downs. Every now and then there will be a straight path, a time of peace; but then the ride jerks you down and sideways again. My friend, the Christian life is not boring! If you go through life depending on yourself or anything else besides God, you will be let down; the ride will become painful instead of enjoyable. You cannot depend on your emotions; you cannot depend on your friends; you cannot depend on sheer luck; you must learn to depend on God! God is not up and down, He is a sure rock. “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psa. 62:2)
How much faith do you need to please God? Just a little. How much faith do you need to move a mountain? Just a little. How much faith do you need to make it through that trial? Just a little. Is it there? Do you have that faith? How difficult it is sometimes just to put a little bit of faith in God.
The disciples had this petition: Increase our faith. Christian, has your faith increased in the last year? If not, why? You only need a little faith, but God forbid that our faith should stay little.
It doesn’t take much faith to sit in the seat you’re sitting in. I wonder, do you have more faith in the seat you’re sitting in than you have in God? If you can’t trust God, you can’t trust anyone.
3. IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE SERVICE (Luke 9:12-17)
God has called us simply to distribute our talents; He will do the miracle. He can take a little and make it go a long way. If you are a member of this church, and you’re not involved in at least one ministry, I don’t think you’re right with God. God saved you to serve!
Eph. 2:10-- “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them.”
Faith without works is dead (James 2:20)
Phil. 2:12-- “...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Notice these key aspects of serving that you cannot ignore:
Serving takes Sacrifice
II Cor. 12:15-- “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; thought the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”
Phil. 3:7-- “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
What are you willing to give up in order to serve God? Will you give up some of your time? Will you give up time enjoying that hobby, or watching that football game? What will you sacrifice?
The greatest thing you can sacrifice to God is yourself!
Rom. 12:1-- “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Serve out of Love
II Cor. 4:5-- “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
II Cor. 5:14-15-- “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
Illustration: slave who was bought and then freed; she chose to serve her master
I Cor. 6:19-20-- “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Servants don’t make Excuses
There are plenty of people in the Bible that could have made excuses not to serve God:
-Moses was not eloquent
-David was too young
-Abraham was too old
-Joseph was a slave in a foreign land
-Noah was ignored
-Jonah was swallowed by a fish
-Hosea was married to a prostitute
-Hezekiah had a wicked father
-Ruth was a Moabitess
-Joash was a seven-year-old king
-Amos was a herdsman
-Peter was a fisherman
-Matthew was a tax collector
-Rahab was a harlot
-Daniel was taken from his country
-Jeremiah was cast into a pit
-Paul had a thorn in the flesh
Yet ALL of these people served God! What’s your excuse?
Servants are Dedicated
Phil. 3:14-- “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Acts 21:13-- “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
How dedicated are you to serving God?
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Constant watch is kept over this hallowed ground by dedicated soldiers; guards are changed every thirty minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. But not just anyone can stand on guard. These soldiers must commit two years of life to guard the tomb, and cannot drink a drop of alcohol for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform in any way. Their uniform must have no wrinkles, folds, or lint on them at any time; every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniform ready for guard duty. He must also memorize all 175 notable people who are laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, being able to state who they were and where they interred. At the end of the two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as a guard of the tomb. He must obey these rules for the rest of his life or give up the pin. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
And how much money do these guards receive for doing this incredible task? They receive nothing! They voluntarily do it out of the love, respect, and honor they have for their country and for their fellow soldiers. Nothing can stop them from standing guard; no storm, no dilemma; they are totally dedicated to the tomb. They know that this soldier has shed his blood for me, and has given his life for me, and I will faithfully serve for his sake.
Christian soldier, while we don’t have a tomb here that we can guard, let me remind you that there is a tomb across the sea, and it is an empty tomb! We do not serve a group of dead soldiers, we serve a living Savior! He shed His blood for you, and He gave His life for you; will you, as a soldier of the cross, faithfully serve Him? How dedicated are you to your Captain? He has called you to take up arms and serve faithfully in your position! Are you a dedicated solider, or a detrimental failure?
Is it worth it to you?
Rom. 14:12-- “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
One day you will stand before God. God will ask you, “What did you do with the talent I gave you?” What will you say?
We spend our lives making money, working a job, enjoying our free time, saving for retirement, for what? All for us. What have you done for God? What have you done lately that will not just last to your grave, but will last through glory? We don’t need more Christian pew-warmers; we need more Christian soldiers. Charles C. Luther penned these words which were put into a song:
Must I go, and empty handed,
Thus my dear Redeemer to meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Must I go, and empty handed?
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty handed go?
Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
O the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.
O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ‘tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
CONCLUSION
Christian, examine your life.
“A little leak will sink a great ship.”
Have you let a little sin into your life?
“Little is much when God is in it.”
Do you have a little faith? Has your faith increase in the last year?
“A little serving can go a long way.”
Are you involved in a ministry? Are you faithfully serving the Lord? What will you have to show God when you meet Him at the end of your life?
“What can I do? It’s just a little--it’s hardly anything.”
It may be little in the eyes of the world; but it is great in the eyes of God.
