Jesus said: “Those who are well, have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:31)
In Peter’s first letter to us, he wrote: “Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and exiles, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles...” (2:11). He reminded us that as ‘obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts’ in the manner we once lived, that we should be holy as He is holy in ALL our conduct throughout the time of our stay here in fear’. (1:14-17)
That kind of has a serious tone to it, does it not? He describes this ‘war against our soul’. He speaks to how we should be holy in ALL our conduct and brings up this idea of our ‘temporal ‘stay here in’ should be lived in ‘fear’ (no, not that kind of fear). But is that language and tone we hear amongst other believers in our local churches today?
Paul writing in his second letter to the Corinthians exhorts them...”having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God”. (7:1)
Again, more sobering admonitions found in the book of Hebrews...”let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (10:24-25).
A few chapters before this exhortation was this: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (3:12-13). He adds at the end of that chapter how a generation of people fell short of entering this place of rest due to a lack of faith and obedience, then admonishing us to ‘fear, lest any of us seem to come short of it.” (3:18-4:1)
What did these writers of the NT seem to know or be aware of that we seemingly are not aware of?
Back in the early days of the church’s inception, Peter stood up declaring the whole counsel of God warning the multitudes with sobering words from Moses who talked of this ‘Prophet’ that God would raise up, (Jesus) and “every soul who will not hear that prophet in all things, whatever He says to you...will be utterly destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:22-23)
Need I say again...I only share with you what God’s word is declaring to us?
Paul revisits, for our benefit, how God dealt with a generation of His people back in the wilderness and how He was not pleased with most of them as they neglected so great a salvation. You might read through 1 Cor. 10:1-13 where He speaks to the judgements that fell on a rebellious people in several instances. Paul then weaves in words of warning suggesting these things happened to them as ‘our examples’ and ‘were written down for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (11)
We are warned repeatedly in the NT beginning with Jesus and then others to ‘not be deceived...brethren’. The message is clear...’brethren’ can be deceived. When we read “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away, (Heb. 2:1)...shall we accuse the early church fathers of ‘fanning the flame of unnecessary emotional panic’?
What did they know...that we seemingly are not ‘getting’?
Can we really ‘drift’ or ‘fall asleep’? The parable of the ten virgins that Jesus shared in Matt. 25 would indicate this is the condition of the church prior to His return to meet His bride. A bride, I might remind you, that will be found “holy and spotless and without wrinkle and blameless’? (Eph. 5:27). Does that describe the condition of the ‘church’ today? We should all be willing to admit that just because people meet in a building, they are not made ‘holy’ because there is a steeple on top of it.
The prophets Amos and Zephaniah spoke words of ‘woe and warning’ to those who are ‘at ease in Zion’ and have settled into complacency. (Amos 6:1; Zeph. 1:12)
Was Joel going overboard in his ‘sounding the alarm on the holy mountain’ (2:1) describing the condition of the land in his first chapter...using terms like ‘wake up’ (1:5) and talking of how an army of locusts were devouring the land. (1:4). I’m pretty sure he’s not talking about those flying insects either. In vs. 10-12 he describes how the fields are wasted and the vines have dried up and fig trees have withered as have all the trees of the field. In other words, there is no fruit. What did Jesus warn us would happen to all those trees and branches that bore no fruit and withered up? (John 15:6; Matt. 3:10)
When I cite passages from OT prophets, I do so at the encouragement of the NT writers who told us we would do well to hear what they had to say. (2 Pet. 3:1-2; Acts 3:24-26; Jer. 23:16-20)
Look what Amos wrote saying “Behold, the days are coming” says the Lord God, “that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water; but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (8:11). That kind of reminds me of what Paul warned Timothy of how the time would come when folks would no longer endure sound doctrine but would swarm to preachers who would ‘tickle their ears’ and tell them ‘smooth, pleasant things’. (2 Tim. 4:3; Isa 30:9-11)
So do you believe it is possible for a church to be lulled into a false sense of security and ease and comfort to where we ‘fall asleep’? Yet, be convinced they are really doing some great things for God? Would you care to explain what happened to that man in Matt. 7:21-23 ...or that church at Sardis that had a ‘reputation or name of being alive, but Jesus told them they were dead’? (Rev. 3:1)
So what if you admit it is possible that we as believers can settle in to ‘lukewarmness’ (Rev. 3:15-17) and actually ‘fall asleep’. That might explain why Paul warns us to ‘wake up’. (Eph. 5:14; Rom. 13:11-14).
Why would it be important to ‘wake up’? I think Jesus clues us in as to what happens when ‘men sleep’...as recorded in Matt. 13:25. And ‘enemy came and sowed tares’.
Going back to this theme of being in a ‘war’...that Paul clearly tells us is not a carnal or earthly war, but a spiritual one...(2 Cor. 10:3)...there indeed is a war for your soul. Any time God sows His seed/word in to your heart, what happens? Jesus shared in the parable of the sower some interesting insight. It was as if He was speaking in ‘code’, and then just told the disciples what it really meant. Look at Luke 8:4-12. He speaks about ‘birds’ swooping down to gather up seed that had fallen. But then Jesus tells the disciples what those birds really were...’the devil who comes to snatch the word out of their hearts lest they believe and are saved’. (11)
Do you think this could possibly happen to you?
Stop here for a moment and take in all that has been written down here this morning for you to read. I would venture to guess for some of you...it is resonating deep within your heart and soul and you are admittedly troubled, if not shaken. Perhaps you are sensing being ‘stirred awake’ yourself and are giving serious thought to what is here. I guarantee you, within the hour, you are going to face some major ‘distractions’ that will attempt to counter what your heart is feeding on here. And they won’t be a bunch of crows, either.
Paul told us in 2 Cor. 10:5 that we are to ‘bring in to captivity...every thought...to the obedience of Christ’. Remember, that same serpent who deceived Eve will creep in and whisper to you as well...”Has God really said?...That is not what He meant....”. (2 Cor. 11:2-3)
Is it any wonder that Paul declares God’s assessment of His people who declared: “The way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes”. (Rom. 3:7-18)
While some are hearing...many others continue to look puzzled or perplexed...not sure what all the seriousness is about. They are fine...everybody is fine...why all this talk of fear and holiness and urgency about ‘waking up’.
Once more...what healthy person stands in front of a busy hospital ER asking in a confused tone...”Why are you here?”
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