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Lights in a Dark World

This sermon explores the theme of apathy and challenges listeners to examine their commitment to putting God first and living a righteous life. It highlights the importance of being different from atheists and living with genuine faith, prayer, and a defense of our faith.

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Lights in a Dark World

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Presentation Transcript

  1. 2019 Theme Lights in a Dark World Philippians 2:15

  2. Seeking His Kingdom First (2) • Putting God First (2)

  3. Am I Apathetic? • Apathy – a lack of emotion or interest, indifference • An “I don’t care” attitude • Prevalent in society? Many too wrapped up in themselves • Can be a concern spiritually. Is God Really First?

  4. Am I Apathetic? • Apathy can cause decline in congregations – Sardis, Laodicea, Ephesus – Revelation 2 & 3 • Can leaven problems unresolved or not addressed • Can make brethren vulnerable to wolves Is God Really First?

  5. Am I Apathetic? • As Brethren, we are not immune • Ecclesiastes 10:18 • Proverbs 18:9 • It doesn’t take a wrecking ball to destroy a building – just neglect it and in time it will fall apart • Are we apathetic in our… ? Is God Really First?

  6. Am I Apathetic? • Warnings • Hebrews 2:1, lest we drift away • Romans 13:11 – high time to awake • Hebrews 3:12-13 – Beware, lest you be hardened • 1 Corinthians 15:58 - abounding • Titus 2:14 – zealous Is God Really First?

  7. Am I Righteous? • Righteousness – to be right. • Included in this is doing whatever is involved in being right. • Our goal is to be right before God – which means we do what is right in His sight! • Note: This is not meritorious action – Titus 3:4-5, rather it is about obeying God- Romans 6:16, Hebrews 5:9 Is God Really First?

  8. Am I Righteous? • God gets to set the standard - Romans 1:16-17 • Matthew 6:33, seek first the kingdom of God AND His righteousness • Romans 10:1-4 – we cannot set our own standard (cf. 1 John 1:8 – don’t lie to yourself) Is God Really First?

  9. Am I Righteous? • Is righteousness reflected in every area of my life? • Matthew 5:6, do I hunger and thirst after righteousness? • Romans 6:13, present your members as instruments of righteousness • 1 Corinthians 15:34, awake to righteousness • 2 Corinthians 6:14 – what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Is God Really First?

  10. Am I Righteous? • Is righteousness reflected in every area of my life? • Ephesians 6:14, put on the breastplate of righteousness • 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22, pursue righteousness • 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all scripture – instruction in righteousness • Titus 2:12, denying ungodliness, we live soberly, righteously, etc. Is God Really First?

  11. Am I Righteous? • We need to be continually asking, “Is this right before God?” • Is God pleased with me? • 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10:17-18, Hebrews 13:20-21, cf. Matthew 25:21 • Does this supersede my personal desires and interaction with others? Integrity, honesty, humility, etc. Is God Really First?

  12. What makes me different? • What is the worst type of atheist? • An atheist is one who denies the existence of God, Psalm 14:1 • BUT, are we “Christian atheists”? • Do we believe in Him, BUT we live as if we don’t? • Titus 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:5-7, Romans 1:20-23, 1 John 2:4 Is God Really First?

  13. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do I really trust God and live with hope? • The atheist doesn’t trust any god and sees no hope beyond this life • As Christians, do we live with genuine faith? Hebrews 11:1, 6, 13-16, Proverbs 3:5-6 – do we trust Him as we make decisions? Is God Really First?

  14. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do I pray as I should? • The atheist doesn’t pray. Facing death and uncertainty, who do they turn to? • As Christians, prayer is a privilege – 1 John 5:14-15, 3:22, Hebrews 4:14-6 – But, how often do we pray? With faith – James 1:6 Is God Really First?

  15. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do I defend my faith? • The atheist doesn’t have faith in God. He MAY engage in philosophical debate about God, but it doesn’t really matter.They spend their time challenging what we believers say about God, but they CANNOT make an affirmative case AGAINST him. • Most are adamant that they don’t have faith, but… Is God Really First?

  16. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do I defend my faith? • As Christians, do we defend God and His word? 1 Peter 3:15 – give a defense; Jude 3 – contend earnestly for the faith • Will I openly defend Him in public? Will I take the time to learn to defend Him and give answers to skeptics? Is God Really First?

  17. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Am I worldly minded? • The atheist only has this world. Any moral restraints are purely by choice (So how can they bind them?) • Christians ought to be “other worldly” Colossians 3:2, 1 John 2:15-17 – • But are we caught up in sinful conduct? Do we live for the now over the THEN? Is God Really First?

  18. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do we respect God’s word? • The atheist openly rejects God’s word. He may study it, but only to find faults and attack believers • They WILL point out hypocrisy and look for inconsistencies in God’s word with their moral views.Some mock Christians Is God Really First?

  19. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do we respect God’s word? • Clearly, as Christians, God’s word ought to be important to usRomans 1:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Is God Really First?

  20. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • But do we accept it as the standard for all that we do? Are we guilty of compromising or rejecting portions we don’t like? • Do we seek to reconcile it with worldly views (e.g. theistic evolution, moral views are outdated, etc.)? • Do we teach it but don’t live it? Is God Really First?

  21. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Do I live with a view toward eternity? • To the atheist, there is no eternity. All that is, is now. • As Christians, we know this is just the beginning. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Hebrews 9:27, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 • Do we live as if we have “all the time in the world”? Is God Really First?

  22. What makes me different? • Am I different from the atheist? How? • Could it be that we are merely PROFESSED believers? Is God Really First?

  23. Does the world see God is my priority?

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