SPIRITUAL DROPOUTS
TEXT: Gal 6:9
INTRODUCTION:
A. DEFINITION OF DROPOUT
1. A school dropout is a student who leaves a school for any reason except death before graduation or completion of a course of study and without transferring to another school.
2. A spiritual dropout is a Christian who leaves a church for any reason except death before completing their course on earth without transferring membership to another church.
B. SCHOOL DROPOUTS
1. How many of you know someone who dropped out of school?
2. Most of them don’t do very well in life.
3. They struggle at finding a good job.
4. They prevent themselves from getting a college education unless they get a G.E.D.
5. Getting a G.E.D. is difficult for many of them.
C. SPIRITUAL DROPOUTS
1. Many of us also know spiritual dropouts.
2. They do not do well in their spiritual life.
3. They struggle with their purpose in life and struggle with finding their proper place in life.
I. THE HAZARDS OF BEING A SPIRITUAL DROPOUT
A. WE NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR DROPOUTS
1. We keep an eye on the school dropout problem.
2. It’s important to us.
3. There are futures at stake.
4. There are lives at stake.
5. We also need to be aware of spiritual dropouts.
B. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL DROPOUTS
1. Jonah was a prophet who became a spiritual dropout when God sent him to Nineveh.
a. He tried to skip out and go to Tarshish.
b. He wound up in the belly of a great fish.
c. He finally repented and finished his course.
2. Elijah became a spiritual dropout because of a combination of exhaustion, loneliness, and fear (1 Kings 19).
a. He sat under a juniper tree and gave up.
b. He complained that he was the only one doing anything for God.
c. Not long after I came to Bosque Farms some similar things happened here. Someone from the Daycare told me that the Daycare was the only one doing anything. Someone from the Academy said, "The Academy is the only one doing anything." Someone from the Bus Ministry said, "The bus ministry is the only one doing anything."
4. John Mark was a spiritual dropout who later returned to his task and became a profitable and efficient servant of the Lord (Acts & 2 Tim. 4:11).
II. CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL DROPOUT
(A complete list is not possible)
A. WEARINESS
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
B. THE DIFFICULTY OF THE STRUGGLE
Eph. 6:10-11
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil.
C. AN IMPROPER DESIRE FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS
1 Tim. 6:5-10
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
D. UNWILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO MISTREATED US
Matt. 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
III. THE COST OF BEING A SPIRITUAL DROPOUT
A. THE PERSONAL COST
1. You suffer when you neglect God’s will.
2. GOD IS NOT looking for a reason to hurt you, but THE DEVIL IS!
3. When you walk out from God’s HEDGE OF PROTECTION guess who’s waiting!
4. The devil and his demons would love to lure you outside of God’s protection so they can spiritually beat on you.
B. THE COST TO OTHERS
1. Consider those who could have been blessed by your life and the ministry that you could render?
2. Consider how your family will be deprived and even robbed by your neglect to be the person that you are capable of being with God’s help.
C. THE COST TO GOD’S KINGDOM
1. Matt 9:37 "…The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."
2. The cost of becoming a spiritual dropout is entirely too great to pay.
3. We cannot afford to drop out and fail to finish our course for the Lord.
IV. PREVENTING SPIRITUAL DROPOUT
A. ACCEPT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF
1. Many people have the idea that God should do everything for them.
2. They get upset and dropout when God doesn’t do things their way.
3. A story is told about a man who used to live along the Mississippi River. A sheriff’s deputy came by in a patrol car and warned him that he needed to flee to higher ground because a flood was coming. He said, "The Lord will take care of me." When the water was about 4 inches deep another deputy came by in a jeep and said, "Come with me, there is a big flood coming this way." The man said, "The Lord will take care of me." Later another deputy came by in a boat and invited the man to come with him. The man said, "The Lord will take care of me." Finally, the flood was so high that the man had to climb up on the roof of his house to stay dry. Another deputy came by in a helicopter and said, "Climb in the helicopter. The flood is still rising." The man said, "The Lord will take care of me." The flood rose, the man drowned and he went to heaven. When he got to heaven he came before the Lord and said, "Lord, why didn’t you take care of me?" The Lord said, "I tried to take care of you. I sent you a patrol car, a jeep, a boat, and a helicopter; but you refused them all."
B. ACCEPT SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHERS
Recognize that God has saved you in order that you might be of service to others.
C. RESPOND TO THE INWARD WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. He seeks to lead you toward spiritual maturity.
2. The Holy Spirit is our Divine Comforter and Guide.
3. We need to be attentive to His leading in our lives.
CONCLUSION:
1. Jesus can help each of us become mature, competent, and productive Christians.
2. He came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10: 10).
3. This rich, full, significant life is possible only to those who continue to trust him and who cooperate with him as he seeks to lead us upward and onward.
