ARE YOU DEAD
JOHN 11:14
INTRO:
A) DO YOU EVER NOTICE HOW PEOPLE TEND TO REACT TO DEATH
B) MOST OF THE TIME THEY WON’T EVEN USE THE WORD
C) WE SAY THINGS LIKE
1) WELL THEY PASSED AWAY
2) THEY’RE NO LONGER WITH US
3) THEY’VE GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD
D) BUT JESUS DIDN’T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH
E) HE JUST COME RIGHT OUT AND TOLD THE DICSIPLES
F) LAZARUS IS DEAD!
G) WELL YOU CAN’T BE MUCH PLAINER THAN THAT
H) YET WE STILL CRINGE AT THE THOUGHT OF IT
I) DEATH IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
J) BUT FOLKS IT IS A REALITY OF LIFE
K) WE DIE AND THAT’S JUST THE SIMPLE TRUTH OF THE MATTER
L) BUT WHAT IS DEATH:
1) DYING
2) THE END OF LIFE
3) EXTINTION
M) BUT THERE HAS TO BE MORE TO IT THAN THAT
N) DEATH IS THE LAST ENEMY
O) BUT I GUESS THE GENERAL CENSUS WOULD BE
P) I KNOW ITS COMEING BUT JUST NOT RIGHT YET
BUT FOLKS HOW YOU DIE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU EVER DO!
A) THE WORDS, DEATH, DEAD OR DYING ARE MENTION 1373 TIMES IN THE BIBLE
B) I KNOW BECAUSE I COUNTED THEM
C) JESUS SIMPLY SAID “THAT LAZARUS WAS DEAD”
D) AND I NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION TODAY:
E) ARE YOU DEAD?
A) NOW I KNOW THAT YOU AIN’T PHYSICALLY DEAD
B) BUT ARE YOU WALKING AROUND IN THIS WORLD SPIRITUALLY DEAD?
C) THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN DO TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE DEAD
YET THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN FIND OUT IF YOU ARE TRULY DEAD OR NOT IS TO FIRST FIND OUT IF YOU ARE ALIVE
SO WHAT MAKES US NOT DEAD:
I. DEAD MEN DON’T HAVE AN APPETITE:
A) WHEN A MAN IS DEAD FOOD NO LONGER MEANS ANYTHING TO HIM
B) YOU CAN HAVE FILET MIGNON WRAPPED IN BACON, STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS, BAKED POTATOES, SOUR CREAM AND CHIVES AND FRESH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM
C) AND YOU WON’T CARE.
D) DEAD MEN DON’T HAVE BIG MAC ATTACKS.
E) THEY DON’T CRAVE FOR FOOD.
F) PIZZA, ICE CREAM, BURGERS, FRIES, NOT EVEN CHINESE FOOD INTERESTS THE DEAD MAN.
G) YET SOMEONE WHO IS ALIVE
H) GETS HUNGERY ON A REGULAR BASIS
I) SOME OF US MORE THAN OTHERS
YET THE SYMPTOMS OF BEING SPIRITUALLY DEAD IS A LACK OF APPETITE
A) NOW LACK OF APPETITE FOR GOD DOES NOT MEAN A LACK OF APPETITE FOR CHURCH
B) THE PROBLEM IS MANY PEOPLE GET GOD AND CHURCH CONFUSED
C) YOU CAN HAVE AN APPETITE FOR CHURCH AND NOT FOR GOD
D) YOUR CHURCH APPETITE MAY BE BECAUSE YOU LIKE THE MUSIC,
E) OR PERHAPS THE PREACHING,
F) OR BECAUSE IT IS A SOCIAL OCCASION,
G) MAYBE IT ADDS TO YOUR PRESTIGE.
H) THERE CAN BE MANY REASONS WHY YOU LIKE CHURCH AND GOD MAY NOT COME INTO THE PICTURE AT ALL.
I) NO HUNGER FOR GOD INDICATES A LACK OF SPIRITUAL APPETITE,
J) WHICH IS USUALLY INDICATIVE OF SPIRITUAL DEADNESS.
ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO DIAGNOSE YOUR APPETITE IS TO WATCH WHAT YOU EAT:
A) I LOVE CHICKEN
1) I CAN EAT IT EVERY DAY
2) I CAN EAT IT COLD
3) I COULD EAT IT FOR BREAKFAST
4) AND OF COURSE YOU CAN TELL THAT I LIKE CHICKEN
5) BECAUSE I BECAME A BAPTIST PREACHER
B) YOU CAN TELL ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE LIKE BY THEIR APPETITES
C) YOU CAN TELL ABOUT A PERSONS SPIRITUAL CONDITION BY WHAT THEY’RE FEEDING ON
D) WHAT ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY FEEDING ON:
1) THE WORD OF GOD
2) OR THE IDIOT BOX
3) NOW I’M NOT SAY THROUGH YOUR TV OUT THE DOOR
4) BUT IT SOMETIMES AND USUALLY TAKES OVER AND KEEPS YOU FROM TIME WITH GOD
5) WHEN YOU ARE READING THE BIBLE YOU ARE FEEDING ON THINGS OF GOD
6) AFTER ALL THE BIBLE IS CALLED THE BREAD OF LIFE
SOME PEOPLE CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHY THEY DON’T GROW
AND IT’S JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON’T EAT THE RIGHT FOODS
YOU GOTTA HAVE AN APPETITE FOR GOD
II. DEAD MEN AREN’T ACTIVE:
A) STRANGE THING ABOUT DEAD FOLKS IS THAT THEY DON’T DO MUCH
B) NO MATTER WHAT LIFE WAS LIFE BEFORE WHEN YOU DIE YOU JUST DON’T DO ANYTHING
C) THE SAME IS TRUE ABOUT BEING SPIRITUALLY DEAD
1) SOMEONE ELSE WILL LEAD THE YOUTH
2) SOMEONE ELSE CAN MOW THE LAWN
3) SOMEONE ELSE CAN TEACH A CLASS
D) FOLKS I DON’T WANT TO POP YOUR BALOON AND BUST UP YOUR LITTLE PARTY
E) BUT GOD’S PEOPLE ARE ACTIVE PEOPLE
F) GOD’S PEOPLE ARE BUSY PEOPLE
G) BUSY ABOUT THE LORD’S WORK
H) THE FUNNY THING IS:
1) WE FIND TIME FOR WORK AT HOME
2) WE FIND TIME FOR GOING TO THE LAKE
3) WE FIND TIME FOR FOOTBALL
4) WE FIND TIME FOR THINGS WE WANT TO DO
I) BUT IF YOU ASK THEM TO COMMIT TIME TO MINISTRY,
J) “WELL PASTOR FAMILY COMES FIRST.”
K) WELL ACTUALLY IF THE TRUTH WAS KNOWN FAMILY PROBABLY COMES TWELFTH AFTER
1) WORK,
2) PLAY,
3) HOBBIES,
4) SCHOOL,
5) SPORTS,
6) TELEVISION,
7) FRIENDS,
8) YARD WORK,
9) , FISHING,
L) BUT GOD’S WORK DEFINITELY COMES AFTER FAMILY,
M) REGARDLESS OF WHAT RANK FAMILY ACTUALLY IS.
DEAD MEN AIN’T ACTIVE IN GOD’S WORK
III. DEAD MEN HAVE A LACK OF DIRECTION:
A) YOU KNOW THE FUNNY THING OF IT IS
B) THAT DEAD PEOPLE HAVE A LACK OF DIRECTION
C) MAINLY BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW WHERE THEIR HEADED
D) THEY USUALLY LAY WHEREVER THEY’RE PUT
E) SOMETIMES THOUGH WE ARE MOVING BUT WE’RE NOT SURE WHAT DIRECTION WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING.
F) IT’S LIKE WE’RE ALL GUYS WHO DON’T WANT TO ADMIT THAT WE DON’T KNOW THE WAY
G) AND WE CERTAINLY AREN’T GOING TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS.
H) BUT GUESS WHAT?
I) WE GOT TO.
J) MANY PEOPLE SENSE A LACK OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IN THEIR LIFE
K) BUT IT’S CAUSE THEY AINT ASKED THE WAY.
L) IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE GOD WANTS YOU
M) YOU GOTTA ASK.
N) THAT’S CALLED PRAYER.
O) GOD DOESN’T DIRECT DEAD PEOPLE
P) MAINLY BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE
IV. DEAD MEN DON’T LOVE:
A) FOLKS DEAD PEOPLE CAN’T EXPRESS LOVE
B) HOW DO YOU EXPRESS YOUR LOVE TO THOSE AROUND YOU
C) PEOPLE WE NEED TO EXPRESS LOVE BECAUSE THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN YOU CAN NO LONGER DO THAT
D) IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION JESUS SAID TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS:
I HAVE JUST THIS ONE THING AGAINST YOU: THAT IS THAT YOU DON’T LOVE ME OR EACH OTHER!
E) THAT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO HEAR FROM JESUS
F) I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IF WE WERE TO TRY AND FIND A SECRET WEAPON FOR REACHING PEOPLE IT WOULD BE LOVE.
CONCLUSION:
A) HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?
B) ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE?
C) IF THERE’S NO
1) APPETITE,
2) ACTIVITY,
3) DIRECTION,
4) OR LOVE
D) THEN IT’S PROBABLY TIME TO TAKE A SPIRITUAL PULSE,
E) AND I’D BET DOLLARS TO DONUTS THAT YOU WON’T FIND A PULSE AT ALL.
F) YOU HAVE EXPIRED, DECEASED, PASSED AWAY,
G) YOU’RE NO LONGER WITH US,
H) YOU’VE KICKED THE BUCKET,
I) YOU’RE DONE DEAD.
J) YOU MAY NOT THINK SO, BUT LIKE CHRIST SAID IN REVELATION 3:1
“…I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”
