Subscribe to our PODCAST here.Indifference- Remedy for
Remedy For Indifference
Intro.
A. Review: causes - creeping paralysis, form without substance (living), failure of spiritual leadership; effects - attitude toward the Bible, sin, the lost and personal growth.
B. That is the diagnosis - what is the remedy?
Body:
A. First recognize its effect upon Christ
1. He who calmed the storm, opened the eyes of the blind, healed all manner of diseases and raised the dead - also wept for His people.
2. Three times in N.T. says He wept:
a. Jn. 11:35 - home of Lazarus (Mary and Martha and others weeping)
b. Lk. 19:41 - “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it.” (Mt. 23:37)
c. Heb. 5:7 - “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.” (Mt. 26:37 garden of Gethsemane)
3. What is His feeling about the indifference of His people today?
B. Knowledge of truth remedies indifference - people do not do better, because not know better.
1. God’s people in Hosea’s day (Hos. 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me, Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”)
(Zeph. 1:12 Jerusalem said to have “settled in complacency (lees/dregs), who say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”)
2. Jews of first century - Rom. 10:1-3 “ignorant of God’s righteousness...”
3. Christians used to be referred to as “walking Bibles” - denominational people know that those in the church knew the Book!
4. Fifth and Highland (Abilene) - communion on Tuesday night - why not? Have not been taught respect for Bible authority - do not know how to establish authority (don’t know when to partake!!!).
5. Solution - read and study - Bible classes, home studies, spiritual publications (most do not subscribe to any religious publication). (The Sower - being sent; others are good.)
C. Zealous pursuit of what we believe (application in daily life)
1. Man said “you know there are two serious problems in our world today: ignorance and indifference.” Another said: “I didn’t know that, and I really don’t care!”
2. Eccl. 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”
a. The hand - instrument of work; whatever you find (indicates choice of acting)
b. Measure of work - with your might (Rom. 12:11 “Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58 “Be steadfast...always abounding...”)
Means six days - plus Sunday; when watched and when no one sees you, when you are young and not so young!
c. Motives - now is the only time - “no work, device (devising), knowledge or wisdom in grave...”
d. Starting to heaven on tombstone is risky - “Remember me as you pass by; as you are now, so once was I; As I am now, so you shall be, prepare yourself to follow me.” Tombstone in Ireland - someone scrawled “to follow you I’m not content until I know just were you went!”
3. Do right - do not be indifferent
a. Indifference seen in “don’t care attitude” - in store; knock something off shelf - walk on, in car, littering highways; in church building - candy crumbs, wrappers, gum stuck in carpet, under seats...At work - come late (stealing time), pilfering (stealing small sums of petty objects). (I would hate to go to hell for a box of crackers!)
b. “Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph. 6:6).
D. Be involved with others in the Lord’s work
1. Realize that collective success depends upon individual effort - ball team, work, home, church - each has a responsibility and the team fails when individual fails!
2. “Now all who believed were together, and had all things common” (Acts 2:44)...included “breaking bread from house to house” (v. 46).
3. Charles Swindoll suggested: “Church members are like porcupines on a cold winter night; the cold drives them together and the quills drive them apart! We needle one another, but we need each other!” Sometimes hard to know what to do with “needlers” - but if Christ died for them, we can cry for them!
4. Poet: “To dwell above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory. To live below with saints we know, That’s another story.”
5. Time is elusive:
When I was a child I laughed and wept - time crept.
When I was a youth I laughed and talked - time walked.
When I became a full-grown man - time ran.
When older still I daily grew - time flew.
Soon I shall be traveling on - time gone!
6. When one says “I don’t have time to study, worship, visit” etc. - he is telling the truth (all 24 hours are taken) — but it is not accurate - he does have 24 hours a day - just did not choose to use it for those purposes!
Concl. - Recognize that indifference still causes Jesus to weep, be serious about learning God’s word, be zealous in pursuing what you believe and be involved with others.
If I had met Him walking
By the blue Galilee;
Would He have stopped, I wonder
And then said “follow Me”?
And if He had, I wonder,
When I think it through,
How could I have followed Him
With so many things to do?
-Author Unknown
Intro.
A. Review: causes - creeping paralysis, form without substance (living), failure of spiritual leadership; effects - attitude toward the Bible, sin, the lost and personal growth.
B. That is the diagnosis - what is the remedy?
Body:
A. First recognize its effect upon Christ
1. He who calmed the storm, opened the eyes of the blind, healed all manner of diseases and raised the dead - also wept for His people.
2. Three times in N.T. says He wept:
a. Jn. 11:35 - home of Lazarus (Mary and Martha and others weeping)
b. Lk. 19:41 - “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it.” (Mt. 23:37)
c. Heb. 5:7 - “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.” (Mt. 26:37 garden of Gethsemane)
3. What is His feeling about the indifference of His people today?
B. Knowledge of truth remedies indifference - people do not do better, because not know better.
1. God’s people in Hosea’s day (Hos. 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me, Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”)
(Zeph. 1:12 Jerusalem said to have “settled in complacency (lees/dregs), who say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”)
2. Jews of first century - Rom. 10:1-3 “ignorant of God’s righteousness...”
3. Christians used to be referred to as “walking Bibles” - denominational people know that those in the church knew the Book!
4. Fifth and Highland (Abilene) - communion on Tuesday night - why not? Have not been taught respect for Bible authority - do not know how to establish authority (don’t know when to partake!!!).
5. Solution - read and study - Bible classes, home studies, spiritual publications (most do not subscribe to any religious publication). (The Sower - being sent; others are good.)
C. Zealous pursuit of what we believe (application in daily life)
1. Man said “you know there are two serious problems in our world today: ignorance and indifference.” Another said: “I didn’t know that, and I really don’t care!”
2. Eccl. 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”
a. The hand - instrument of work; whatever you find (indicates choice of acting)
b. Measure of work - with your might (Rom. 12:11 “Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58 “Be steadfast...always abounding...”)
Means six days - plus Sunday; when watched and when no one sees you, when you are young and not so young!
c. Motives - now is the only time - “no work, device (devising), knowledge or wisdom in grave...”
d. Starting to heaven on tombstone is risky - “Remember me as you pass by; as you are now, so once was I; As I am now, so you shall be, prepare yourself to follow me.” Tombstone in Ireland - someone scrawled “to follow you I’m not content until I know just were you went!”
3. Do right - do not be indifferent
a. Indifference seen in “don’t care attitude” - in store; knock something off shelf - walk on, in car, littering highways; in church building - candy crumbs, wrappers, gum stuck in carpet, under seats...At work - come late (stealing time), pilfering (stealing small sums of petty objects). (I would hate to go to hell for a box of crackers!)
b. “Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph. 6:6).
D. Be involved with others in the Lord’s work
1. Realize that collective success depends upon individual effort - ball team, work, home, church - each has a responsibility and the team fails when individual fails!
2. “Now all who believed were together, and had all things common” (Acts 2:44)...included “breaking bread from house to house” (v. 46).
3. Charles Swindoll suggested: “Church members are like porcupines on a cold winter night; the cold drives them together and the quills drive them apart! We needle one another, but we need each other!” Sometimes hard to know what to do with “needlers” - but if Christ died for them, we can cry for them!
4. Poet: “To dwell above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory. To live below with saints we know, That’s another story.”
5. Time is elusive:
When I was a child I laughed and wept - time crept.
When I was a youth I laughed and talked - time walked.
When I became a full-grown man - time ran.
When older still I daily grew - time flew.
Soon I shall be traveling on - time gone!
6. When one says “I don’t have time to study, worship, visit” etc. - he is telling the truth (all 24 hours are taken) — but it is not accurate - he does have 24 hours a day - just did not choose to use it for those purposes!
Concl. - Recognize that indifference still causes Jesus to weep, be serious about learning God’s word, be zealous in pursuing what you believe and be involved with others.
If I had met Him walking
By the blue Galilee;
Would He have stopped, I wonder
And then said “follow Me”?
And if He had, I wonder,
When I think it through,
How could I have followed Him
With so many things to do?
-Author Unknown