★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki, Abuja
8th March, 2015
SERMON
* Topic: Ought to be Teachers
* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur
* Theme: Growing up in Christ
* Sub-Theme: Intentional Growth
* Text:
* Isaac Newton's 1st law of motion states that: "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."
* Isaac Newton made reference to "inertia" which is the resistance an object has to a change in its state of motion.
* Inertia is the tendency for an object to remain unchanged as long as nothing moves it (if it is static) or stops it (if it is moving).
* In order to overcome inertia, you have to apply force
* Force will make something that is static or still to start moving; and it will stop a moving object by applying/engaging resistance
* Many Christians have remained in the same condition since they gave their lives to Christ - They were experiencing "spiritual inertia".
* A person who becomes a believer is expected to grow to a level that he or she will become a teacher or mentor to others.
* Spiritual laziness is the main cause of spiritual inertia.
* Laziness may be defined as:
→ idleness;
→ sluggishness (or slothfulness);
→ procrastination;
→ carelessness;
→ forgetfulness;
→ negligence,
→ disorganisation.
* The features of Christians who are 'infected' by Chronic Spiritual Laziness (CSL) include the following:
1. They major on minor things; and minor on major things.
→ Earthly things should not be the major things for a Christian. Similarly, acquiring many educational degrees, building houses, having money are not as important as knowing God and having a personal relationship with Him
2. They are inactive over active; and active over inactive
→ There are things that believers are expected to be active in and some others that they are expected to remain inactive
→ Spiritually lazy Christians always reverse expected roles just to please themselves, not God
3. They are satisfied with dissatisfaction and dissatisfied with satisfaction
4. They value short term gains over long term gains
5. They do nothing about spiritual their spiritual condition
6. They undermine spiritual things
7. They don't want to engage in spiritually oriented activities (such as Bible studies, fellowships, prayer & fasting, evangelism, etc.).
8. They are afraid to engage spiritual things because they feel they are inadequate.
* E.g.. They prefer to 'contract' other people (like their Pastor) to pray for them on every single issue
☆ Symptoms of Chronic Spiritual Laziness (CSL):
→ Feeling sluggish to get out of bed to pray;
→ Too busy to read Bible and pray;
→ They are tired of coming to Church (especially for weekly activities);
→ They are perpetual late comers to Church;
→ They don't want to give offerings or tithes
→ They sleep during Church services, especially when preaching is in progress;
→ They are insensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit (the Comforter)
* Warning against Laziness
* It is better to know your condition (that is, your true spiritual state) so that you can diagnose it properly
☆ The Solution to Chronic Spiritual Laziness:
1. Study your Bible frequently and diligently (Joshua 1:8)
2. Pray fervently (James 5:16b)
3. Maintain a close relationship with God.
* God is more interested yon being with Him, Than you serving or doing things for Him (Luke 12:41-42)
4. Give frequently and generously for the work of God
* Your father's business is also your business and it must be your priority
5. Attend church Services regularly and on time
* Be doers of The Word, not Just hearers (James 1:22)
* Unless you deliberately apply 'force', your condition will remain unchanged
* You have to do something about your spiritual condition
* Personal discipline is the antidote for laziness
* You must make a definite commitment to overcome spiritual laziness in your life
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
PASTORS' CORNER
The writer of Hebrews had many things to say of Christ but the Christians were spiritually lazy. This is very sad but often, this is the deplorable condition obtained among many Christians today.
* The Symptoms of spiritual laziness are:
1. Feeling sluggish to get out of bed to pray
2. Very busy to read the Bible and pray
3. Being tired of coming to Church
4. Perpetually coming to Church late
5. Slack in giving offerings and tithes
6. Sleeping during Church Services
7. Insensitivity to the voice of the Holy Spirit
* Solutions to Spiritual laziness are:
1. Diligence in studying God's Word
2. Fervent in prayer
3. Maintaining close relationship with God
4. Spending time with God and his word
5. Giving generously for God's work
6. Attending Church regularly and on time
* Are you okay being a lazy Christian?
* Be determined to follow Christ no matter the matter!
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