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I am Rich |
Dear Brethren,
Jesus Christ foresaw an end-time state of mind
among the brethren that would pose a severe threat to His
Church. It is a condition of self-satisfaction that is
certainly extant during this last era of the Church –
the Laodicean era. There are those who suppose our worst trials
and tests are behind us. But, Jesus warned us not to be so
careless as to accept the status quo that would be moving away
from genuine Christianity. We need to be living our faith, and
taking Christ’s warning seriously.
Let’s not always assume that Christ’s warnings
are for somebody else. Jesus foretold of a time when He would
be on the "outside – knocking" offering to come in
among a people who did not recognize the need to return to a
zealousness from whence they had fallen. "Be zealous
therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation
3:19-20)
Jesus knew what the greater Church of God would
be like today. He knew that all the various groups would
possess an abundance of doctrinal materials, glossy and colorful
booklets, comfortable meeting places, electronic media capable
of reaching to the ends of the earth – He knew we would be rich
and increased with goods. He also knew that we would not be
actively living our faith to the full extent He expects of us.
Sometimes, we are hardly discernable from the world.
We have become a self-satisfied, smug, and
complacent Church. Complacent, in a spiritual sense, means a
satisfaction or contentment, to the extent of being pleased with
ourselves to the point of doing little or nothing – without
being aware of the inherent danger posed by complacency. We
have become so self-assured of our spiritual status that many of
us forget what kind of Christians we ought to be. We have
forgotten how to live our faith. We have forgotten how to
examine ourselves. The reason Jesus admonishes us to "hold
fast" is because He knows that there are those of us who are
not holding fast to the faith and truth once delivered to
the saints. "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Revelation 3:11)
A great danger to those of us remaining in God's
end-time Church is the tendency to become complacent.
Twenty-five years ago as the Philadelphian era came to a close,
in the years just after Mr. Armstrong's death, some members
noticed the watering down of basic Church doctrine before others
did. Some picked up on the subtle introduction of the Trinity,
or a distinctly Protestant flavor emerging in our literature.
Others noticed the de-emphasis, and later, the ridicule of
prophecy and Law keeping. How was it that many did not notice
any problems until the Sabbath, Holy Days and tithing were
attacked? Who among us realized that the first doctrinal change
was only the very tip of a gigantic iceberg, and that the Church
was careening headlong into apostasy? For those of us who
escaped the apostasy, we should be wide awake to dangers facing
the Church – especially, when Christ warned us in advance.
Jesus did warn us of our present complacency! The terrible
thing about complacency is that it prevents us from asking
ourselves the question, "Could I possibly be complacent?" Here
is a Bible definition of complacency:
"Because thou say, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not
that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and
naked." (Revelation 3:17)
At this critical time, how can we avoid every
hint of complacency? Jesus indicated that we would think that
we had all the doctrine, wisdom, and truth, and that everything
was fine – when, in fact, we would not be properly living our
faith. For some of us, complacency manifests itself in a smug
conviction, or worse, a gloating superiority that somehow we are
more virtuous, knowledgeable, or better positioned than other
brethren who ended up in another group.
Sometimes, hearing warnings over and over again
can cause us to become insensitive to the danger. We must
resist the tendency to be complacent. Christ is coming -
suddenly! "At midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the
Bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet Him." (Matthew 25:6)
There are many people who recognized the onset of
the apostasy and left in order to hold on to the truth, but
after escaping the apostasy, patted themselves on the back and
then soon grew complacent. Complacency is a form of self
deception. Some members have lost interest in prophesied end
time events, others have become too embarrassed to discuss them,
and still others do not want to consider the horrific events to
come that will interfere with their lifestyles. Even this
attitude was prophesied with a warning against complacency!
"But and if that servant say in his heart, My
Lord delays His coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants
and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The Lord
of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him,
and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder,
and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."
(Luke 12:45-46)
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and
cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
(Luke 21:34) "So then because thou art lukewarm [read
complacent], and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of
my mouth." (Revelation 3:16) It is high time we get back
to passionately and enthusiastically living our faith.
***
| Sermon: |
"I am Rich"
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