HOW NOT TO QUIT!!!
text- Titus 1:9-16
Introduction:
1. Titus was in a hard place. In out text verses, we see people who were hard to reach with the gospel or were going the different houses to subvert these homes so they verse 16, these people even tried to say they were saved. But the fruit of their lives revealed that there wasn’t any root change.
In chapter two Paul admonished Titus to remind the older women to behave themselves. They had been false accusers, given to much wine and had not been teaching good things.
2. I believe that Titus was ready to throw in the towel when he received this letter. You remember I have said from this pulpit many times that I was planning to stay here for 50 years, Lord willing. In the past three months, I have seen a large decrease in offerings, a decrease in attendance and a huge decrease in interest in the things of God, an increase in absenteeism without good cause and some people have left the church. I see more people sleeping in services. It seems that very few care if they even come. I have tried to encourage you. I have tried to shake you up. But nothing seems to been able to stop the down hill slide that we are on. Sunday morning two weeks ago, I came to a decision. I decided to resign. I told my family that we are going to candidate at some new churches. I was going to wait until after Homecoming to announce my resignation but I have decided to do it tonight instead. The entire week before I left on vacation, I wrestled with this tough decision. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who really cared about this church and its future.
It seemed that everywhere I turned, I was running into some roadblocks. I bought some songbooks at the Second Chance. In these songbooks were songs to encourage us in the Lord or trusting in the Lord. As I was reading my Bible for devotions, I would run into some verses along the same lines.
Then on the Thursday morning I was to start my vacation, I had a 30 minute break. I opened my briefcase looking for something to read when I ran across a newspaper that I had throw to the back of my briefcase. I was flipping through it when I found an article that was entitled "How not to quit". When I saw the title, I said to the Lord, "Okay, Lord, you have my complete attention." That sermon by a missionary changed my mind, challenged my heart and charged my soul.
I know that some of you are in the same boat I was in. You have decided to quit and cannot find a gracious way to do so. So I want to give you 14 reasons why I can not quit. I hope that this will do more for you.
1. I’M AFRAID OF WHAT GOD WOULD DO TO ME.
A. I fear God and his chastening. (BEEN THERE, DONE THAT AND DON’T EVER GO BACK)
B. I’m responsible for my call of life.
Psa. 118:18
[It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
C. There is a sin unto death and quitting could be my sin unto death.
2. I CAN’T QUIT BECAUSE I’LL BE MAD AT MYSELF IN A FEW DAYS.
Luke 15:17
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
A. It will be probably a decision of impulse.
B. It will be probably a decision of instability.
C. It will be probably a decision of insincerity.
3. I BELIEVE IN HELL.
If I would quit, there will be lots of people who would go to hell who would not have to go there if I didn’t quit.
4. I DON’T WANT TO DISAPPOINT OTHER PEOPLE.
A. I would not want to disappoint my Pastor.
2 Tim. 4:10
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,
B. I would not want to disappoint Bro. Ennis.
C. I would not want to disappoint my family.
5. I DON’T WANT TO BE UNGRATEFUL TO CHRIST.
A. He has given me salvation.
B. He has given me a home in heaven.
C. He has given me the best wife in the world.
D. He has given me three great boys. They may
not be the best behaved boys but they are mine.
E. He has given me a ministry.
6. I DON’T WANT TO QUIT BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO BE UNGRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED ME.
A. Folks at this church.
B. Mrs. Corbett’s daughter (Lizzie)
C. Folks at Bro. Ennis’ church.
7. I DON’T WANT TO TAKE OTHERS OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD.
Rom. 14:7
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
A. Someone always falls with you.
B. It could be a family member.
C. It could be one of you.
8. I DON’T WANT TO LOSE MY REWARD IN HEAVEN. 1 Cor. 3:11-15
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
A. No matter how small of a reward it is.
B. I want to cast crowns at the feet of Jesus.
9. I DON’T LIKE THE FEELING OF BEING A BACKSLIDER.
A. We are not as spiritual as we should be at all times.
B. We will be miserable.
C. Conviction will be a harder burden to carry.
D. You won’t want to be around Christians who are right with God. Neither will the worldly crowd want you around.
10. I DON’T LIKE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE IT IS HARD TO BE CLOSE TO GOD.
A. Hard to read God’s word.
B. Hard to pray. The heavens seem to be brass.
C. Can’t have the fellowship of God that I once had.
11. I DON’T WANT TO RUIN MY CHANCE TO DO GOD’S PERFECT WILL.
Being in God’s perfect will is the only place:
A. of joy;
B. of glory
C. of true happiness.
12. I DON’T WANT TO PUT MYSELF IN THE POSITION OF BEING TEMPTED TO GET INTO DEEPER SIN.
13. I DON’T WANT TO QUIT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT JESUS IS WITH ME MOST WHEN I AM DISCOURAGED, WHEN I’M DOWN AND WHEN I AM HAVING A TRIAL.
A. Discouragement should cause us to draw closer to God.
B. Trials should remind us that Jesus is not far off.
Ill. The disciples in the in a storm when Jesus came walking on the water.
14. I DON’T WANT TO QUIT BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO MISS THE BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW PROBLEMS AND OBSTACLES.
A. I am selfish for the blessings of God.
B. But we want smooth sailing and life isn’t that way.
C. I believe that God has a great work for this church and will reward us if we are faithful hold on longer.
