IT’S TIME TO GET STIRRED UP
2 Peter 1:13
Intro:
We as Christians do not get excited anymore about serving God. It seems all of our get and go has got up and went.
We can get excited about a basketball game, a football game, a baseball game or some other sport but we get "quite" in God’s house, like we do not want to disturb anybody.
We have set around long enough with folded hands; with a cold defeated spirit. It is time to get stirred up and get busy for the Lord, while we have time and opportunity.
We Need to Get Stirred Up About:
I. THE SAVIOR THAT LEADS THE WAY
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.
A. Excited about every day, week, hour - how great it is to be saved
1. How wonderful to serve Him
B. Exuberant, happy, joyful - praising His Name.
C. Experience new blessings every day.
1. Too often we praise Him for saving us, what has He done for you today?
II. THE SALVATION THAT IS LIFE GIVING AND WONDERFUL
2 Tim. 1:6-7
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
A. Eternal life, not piecemeal, part-time, patch-up but ETERNAL
B. Enjoyable life, not dead, dull, defeated, but LIVING LIFE
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
C. Exciting life in witnessing and reaching others for Christ
III. THE SIN THAT’S LEAVING MULTITUDES TOTAL WRECKS
Acts 14:1-7
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together in to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitudes of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them. They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
And there they preached the gospel.
RELIGIOSITY
A. Professors of learning that are spiritual morons.
1. A lot of what so and so said, but not much of "Thus saith the Lord".
B. Professional crooks in the field of religion deceiving millions.
1. Leading private, unknown lives, God says will be shouted from the rooftops.
C. Present day critics making fun of the Word of God.
1. Say sin is not a sin, nothing is black and white.
IV. THE STEWARDSHIP THAT LEAVES A GOOD WITNESS
A. Deeds as well as doctrines
1. All doctrines in world do no good if no actions to back them up
2. We need people who are grounded in the Word
B. Devotion as well as devices
Dedication and devotion to the task at hand as well as methods.
Methods no go if no one to carry them out.
V. THE SOULS THAT ARE LOST NEED TO BE WON
Acts 17:16
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
A. Blinded by the god of this world.
2 Cor. 4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
B. Blundering from one danger point to another
1. Going from sin to sin, new thrill to new thrill, looking for the void in their heart to be filled, for PEACE.
C. Branded for the furnace like cattle branded for the slaughter
VI. THE SENTENCE THAT LASTS AS WRITTEN
Isaiah 14:9
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming.
The soul that sinneth it shall die.
The wages of sin is death.
A. Life imprisonment never to see another free day
B. Lash of memory to torment them forever - every opportunity to have said yes to Jesus and did not.
C. Alone, never to be seen or known anymore.
VII. THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET THAT LIFTS TO THE WEDDING
1 Cor. 15:51-58
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy Victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not is vain in the Lord.
A. Look at the times - He may appear at any moment
CONCLUSION:
Peter went to stir up by remembrance the people of God in his day.
Today we must stir up one another by way of remembrance of the good things of God.
Tell what God has done for you.
Every day He blesses us beyond measure.
INVITATION:
Are you stirred up about Jesus today?
If not, you can be, if you will just ask.
He wants to fill us, give us everything we need but we have to be willing to be filled, to receive what He gives us.
Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved.
I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
stirdup.doc 3/1/2003
