Sermon Central
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Reality Check
Contributed by Ron Hicks on Sep 15, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: What does it take to keep us going in the right direction, a reality check, an attitude adjustment, or a wake up call? Which will it take for you?
REALITY CHECK
There is three things that the Church needs this morning and that is;
1. A reality check (Refire and refocus on the things having eternal concerns. 2 Cor 13:55 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? We are the bride of Christ and our garment must be kept spotless and white. We’ve got to keep focused on personal growth, church, and evangelizing the lost.)
2. An attitude adjustment (Learn to humble ourselves again. 2 Peter 1:9 forgotten that she was purged from her old sins. We must follow His adjenda and not ours. We are building His kingdom and not ours.
3. God forbid, a wake up call (On a world level we have received several, but youdon’t want Him to have to get your attention because you just won’t listen.)
Hindsight is 20/20 (We say if only we had listened, or if only I had or hadn’t done this or that, on and on.)
Sometimes we get careless about the things that are so important.
Careless about:
1. Our health (experiencing a slow but premature death because of lack of control)
Phil 3:19
whose God is their belly,
2. Finances (our lusts is greater than our ability to pay back)
life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
3. Spiritual needs (lack of fellowship may be an indication of secret sin)
Isa 59:1-2
59:1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
We tend to be careless and unconcerned about the things that we think pose no immediate threat.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
What they failed to realize was:
1. the promise of his return
2. his attachment to what was his
3. his authority when he returned
They had several opportunities to shine, but they blew it.
3 what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Rom 13:11
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
