Jesus makes a very profound statement in,
Matthew 24:12 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.
Here Jesus is letting his
disciples know that evil will increase and those individuals who are not truly
committed God will grow cold in the love for God and they will find themselves
in the middle of sin separated from God. However those who have a genuine faith
will remain faithful to the lord until the end. Historically we have thousands
upon thousands of Christians who were willing to lay their life down for the
cause of Christ. In fact in the catacombs of Roman world contain thousands of
names and tombs of those who willing to suffer death than to renounce Jesus as
their Lord. They all made this decision individually.
One great biblical
example of such a person can be found in Acts 7 where Stephen choose to preach
the good news about Christ. Even when he was faced by the opposing Jews he
stood his ground and defended what he was preaching and ultimately he lost his
for his faith. Stephen was our first recorded Christian martyr but certainly
not the last.
I believe as we look at
the history of the church it seems to me that the church was at it strongest on
individual level during the 1st and 2nd century. Many
Christians during that time had to really rely upon God for their strength
because people were out to get them and had no problems torturing those who
claimed Jesus as their savior yet the church grew by leaps and bounds. It seems
that many times when Christians are under pressure the greater their
faithfulness is. However the less challenged Christians the less their faith
seems to be.
You see whenever things
are going well for God’s people they have a tendency to become very lax in
their service to God. We certainly know that is true from the many examples
that are found in the OT where when things start going good for the people they
fall away and do their own thing but when trouble comes their way then they
decide to become faithful to God once again.
This is one the things
the truly concerns me about the individual Christians today living in the
The reason I believe this
to be the case is because the more we provide for ourselves and take care of
our own needs the less we find ourselves relying upon God or caring as much if
others rely upon him.
This is why it is
important that we as individuals take upon ourselves to make sure that we are
not allowing our society and its mentality to cripple us into being less than
what we should be for God. Now we can certainly help each other out in staying
closer to God but we must never forget that ultimately we are responsible for
ourselves because no other individual can save us no more than we can save
them. This is why Paul says,
Galatians 6:5 For each one shall bear his own load.
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling;
As
individuals we should be doing our best to serve God and learn new ways of
bringing glory and honor to him. Unfortunately there are some Christians today
who do not believe in this concept. Instead to them all Christianity is about
is coming to church once or twice a week and half heartedly trying to live a
moral life. They will have one foot in the world and one foot on the side of
God and they are perfectly satisfied being there. This is what we would call
being complacent or the Bible likes to lukewarm and we all know what Jesus said
about those who were lukewarm.
Revelation 3:16
"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit
you out of My mouth.
I
believe there are many Christians in the church today that falling short of
their potential because they are moving toward being lukewarm. The church today
is great need for workers who are willing to do their part for God’s kingdom.
What Jesus said almost 2000 years ago is still true today. He said,
Matthew 9:37 "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the
laborers are few.
One
preacher made this comment, “The church where I preach is filled with willing
people – about 10 percent are willing to work, and the other 90 percent are
willing to let them”. Now you will find similar results at just about any
congregation you look at. There is always a small group of Christians who
really get serious about laboring for the lord but that should not be the case.
Instead every Christian that makes up the body of Christ should be willing to
what their capable of. You see on one hand God does not want us to be
complacent and on the other hand he doesn’t expect us to do more than our
ability he just wants us to do what we can. One of favorite stories in the
Bible that illustrates this point very will in found in,
Mark 14:3 And being in
Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came
having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the
flask and poured it on His head. 4
But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why
was this fragrant oil wasted? 5
"For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given
to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. 6 But Jesus said, "Let her
alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 "For you have the poor with
you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have
always. 8 "She has
done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for
burial. 9 "Assuredly, I
say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this
woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."
Here
we see Jesus recognizing this individual women for doing what she could. You
see Jesus knew the intent of her heart and because of selfless deed she would
forever be remembered as the women who did what she could by anointing Jesus
with the expensive perfume.
Another
thing should bring great comfort to us as individuals is the fact the God does
not show partiality nor does he compare us to others. God knows each and every
single one of us by name and by our hearts. He knows what each of us is capable
of doing and he knows when we fail to do things that we should doing. But you
God doesn’t care what we look like our how smart we are and he doesn’t have
some comparison chart out where he says well Bob had 3 times as much for me as
ole Jane over here. He doesn’t keep score but what he does do is he look at
each individual and what that are capable of doing. If you have more abilities
I believe God expect more out you than someone who has less. We need to realize
that we all different abilities and God just wants us do what we can.
Keeping
this thought in mind. It also important that we as individuals don’t compare
ourselves to others. The apostle Paul says this.
2 Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend
themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Notice
Paul is unwise to compare yourself to others. You see whenever we start
comparing ourselves to others it can produce 3 results.
1.
If we look at someone who is doing less than us we might become haughty and
start thinking how great we are because we are doing so much more than this
other Christians. This can also make us think that we are doing is great and
that we do not need to do any more when the fact may be that we are only living
up to half of our potential for the Lord.
2.
If we look at someone and we see that we are pretty equal with what they are
doing again we fool ourselves into thinking that we are doing what we can when
in reality the person we compared our self to may only have half the abilities
that we do.
3.
If we look at someone that is doing more than us and we cant fathom the thought
of doing the kind of things they do this will leave us feeling like we are not
worthy and will many times lead this individual throwing up their arms and
giving up.
This
is what can possible happen if we try to compare ourselves to others. So don’t
do this because doing so will take away from your individual responsibility as
a Christian.
The next thing I want to point is sin
of omission and commission. This simply means that we can sin by actively
engaging in something wrong and we can sin we fail to do something right.
James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and
does not do it, to him it is sin.
You
might have some Christians who are do very well of keeping themselves from
participating in wrong doings but some of these same Christian may not do so
well when it comes to doing thing that they should. Did you know that just
about every parable that Jesus taught on judgment condemns those who didn’t do
the right thing rather than those who were involved in wrong doing. Lets take a
look a just a few.
Our
first one comes from,
Matthew 25:1
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 "Those who were foolish
took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps. 5 "But while the
bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard:
'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 "Then all those virgins
arose and trimmed their lamps. 8
"And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for
our lamps are going out.' 9
"But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be
enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for
yourselves.' 10 "And
while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in
with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying,
'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12
"But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know
you.' 13 "Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is
coming.
This is great parable
that teaches us that we are individual responsible for being prepared to meet
our lord. You see these 5 foolish virgins sin was that they were not prepared. That had not taken the necessary
steps to have plenty of oil in their lamps. You see they failed to do what was
necessary. So if you want to lose you soul all you have to do is do nothing. Be
a Christian a not a do nothing religion.
Our second parable that
teaches that it a sin to fail to do what is right is very next parable after
the one we just read.
Matthew 25:14 "
For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who
called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 "And to one he gave five
talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own
ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and
traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 "And likewise he who had
received two gained two more also. 18
"But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his
lord's money. 19 "After
a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with
them. 20 "So he who had
received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you
delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides
them.' 21 "His lord said
to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a
few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your
lord.' 22 "He also who
had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents;
look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 "His lord said to him,
'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few
things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your
lord.' 24 "Then he who
had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man,
reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered
seed. 25 'And I was afraid,
and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what
is yours.' 26 "But
his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that
I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 'So you ought to have deposited
my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own
with interest. 28 'Therefore
take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 'For to everyone who has, more
will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even
what he has will be taken away. 30
'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Notice this one talent
men didn’t do anything wrong with the money nor did he lose the money that he
was given. So his sin was not for doing something wrong. His sinned because he
failed do something with his talent. How many times have we been blessed with
something from God and then we fail to use it. Well this is was this man was
doing and when it came time for the master to come back we can see very clearly
that this one talent servant was not pleasing to his master at all and the same
is will be true for Christians who simply bury their blessing and do nothing.
Another great example of
this is found in what Jesus says about the separation of the goats from the
sheep.
Matthew 25:31 "
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then
He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32
"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them
one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 "And He will set the sheep
on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand,
'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: 35 'for
I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in; 36
'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in
prison and you came to Me.' 37
"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You
hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 'When did we see You a stranger
and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 'Or when did we see You sick,
or in prison, and come to You?' 40
"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did
it to Me.' 41
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you
cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 'for I was hungry and you gave
Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 'I was a stranger and you did
not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did
not visit Me.' 44 "Then
they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45 "Then He will answer them,
saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of
the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "And these will go away
into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Again we see the concept
of people sinning because they did not
do that which was right. Jesus make the comparison between those who helped
others by feeding or clothing them to those who did nothing and to those who
did nothing they were going to separated from God forever and everlasting
punishment.
We could look at the
parable of the rich farmer who only thought of himself and building barns for
his crops. He failed to help others and was going to lose soul. Or we could
look a the story Jesus told about the rich and Lazarus where the rich man
failed to even share the crumbs from his table with Lazarus. Now their nothing
wrong being rich his sin was not doing what he should of done a servant of God.
So as you can see there
is a great need for each individual Christian to realize that we all have
individual responsibilities for the serving the Lord and that we can sin from
doing things wrong and we can sin for not doing thing that we should. We have
also learned that we should not compare ourselves to others and that God just
wants us to do what are capable of doing and we need to remember that he knows
our heart and what we are capable of doing. If we makes excuses of why cannot
serve God we might fool our brothers in sisters in Christ but we cannot fool
God himself.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive
the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good
or bad.
So I ask you this
morning, are you living up to your potential in your service to God or are you being
lukewarm? If today was the day that you had to stand before Jesus at the
judgment day would he well done good and faithful servant or would he say
depart from me lazy and wicked servant?
As you examine yourself
and your service to God and you see that you are not living up to your
potential then start making the changes in your life today that will make it
possible for you say with all confidence I have done what I could.