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The Church Moving Forward #2 – Enemies to Defeat

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Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon Outlines Tags: , , , , ,

INTRODUCTION:

Our Theme in this series of lessons – THE CHURCH MOVING FORWARD – is stated in Philippians 3:13-14

1. Paul believed in moving ahead – not falling back

2. He believed we should not be satisfied with where we are presently – but we need to be moving forward

B. With this in mind, consider how that the Lord’s church is described as a body, both in its life and its function

1. Romans 12:4-5

2. Bodies are designed to live, act, and to work

a. It is natural for the body to function in such a way that life today promotes life tomorrow

b. The same is true for the church – life today promotes life tomorrow

C. The body also has enemies that can damage or even kill it

1. Diseases

2. Accidents

D. Likewise, the church has enemies that can keep it from moving into the future

1. There are enemies that can damage/cripple the church

2. There are enemies that can kill the church

3. Therefore, we must be ready to fight these enemies if the church is going to move forward

E. If the Church is going to move forward we must realize that there are

1. Challenges to Accept

a. Making a difference in the world

b. Evangelizing our communities

c. Developing leadership

d. Abiding in the word of God

2. Enemies to Defeat

DISCUSSION:

A. THE ENEMY OF IGNORANCE

1. Ignorance comes in many forms

a. Isaiah 45:20

1) Here we have reference to the ignorance of the pagans who make his god out of a tree

2) Today ignorance in shown in many by their worshipping of nature, crystals, idols, ancestors, etc. – Ignorant Worship

b. Jeremiah 5:21

1) This is stubborn ignorance – refusing to listen God

2) Many today simple refuse to see-they refuse to hear

c. Hosea 4:1, 6

1) They were specifically ignorant of the word of God

2) This was going to destroy them … today as well

2. Ignorance is a real problem

a. Causes us to follow the wrong path …

1) Isaiah 59:8

2) There are many paths – but only one path to heaven

b. Causes us not to do right …

1) Amos 3:10

2) We can do no better than we know

c. Causes God’s wrath to come upon us _ Zechariah 7:11-12

d. Causes us to be lost _ Matthew 13:15

e. Causes us to please ourselves – not God _ Romans U10:3

3. How do we defeat this enemy?

a. Heed the words of the Psalmist _ Psalm 119:97

b. 1 Timothy 4:13

c. 2 Timothy 2:15

B. THE ENEMY OF UNBELIEF

1. Many do realize this, but unbelief is a problem for both the saved and the unsaved

a. John 8:24

1) This is a simple fact – people will die in their sins unless the believe in Jesus

2) It is a matter of life and death

b. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

1) It is a terrible thing to be blind – more terrible to be spiritually blind, to be plagued with unbelief

2) Satan can blind people to the glory of the gospel, and thus, groping in unbelief

c. Hebrews 3:12

1) Normally we think of the unsaved as being unbelievers

2) The Hebrew writer is here addressing his brethren

2. Unbelief can keep the church from moving forward

a. How might unbelief affect us?

1) If a person knows God’s word; and yet, does not believe it, what value will it be in their lives?

a) There will be no desire for obedience

b) They will see no need for obedience

2) Many, evidently, do not believe that God cares how they live

3) Some do not believe that God has a plan to save

4) Some do not believe that it matters how we worship

5) Evidently, many do not believe that it matters how committed we are

b. We should be like the man who cried out to Jesus

1) Mark 9:24

2) Someone once said, “Be great believers. Little faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls.”

C. THE ENEMY OF APATHY

1. A wife once asked her husband, “Do you think the world’s problems are caused by ignorance or apathy?” The husband replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

2. Apathy is very similar to the attitude expressed by the church in Laodicea, for which Jesus condemned

a. Revelation 3:15-16

b. They were lukewarm, they were lacking passion – they were unconcerned

3. The Bible very plainly condemns apathy and neglect:

a. Judges 5:23 – neglecting their duties … would not help God’s people … they were apathetic

b. Isaiah 32:9 – they were at ease, careless, apathetic

c. Jeremiah 48:10 – neglecting their duties

d. Amos 6:1 – at ease, apathetic

e. Matthew 7:26 – hears and does not

f. James 2:14 – faith without works cannot save

g. James 4:17

4. How does apathy destroy us?

a. Causes us to be lukewarm about the church – its purity, its doctrines, and its worship

b. Causes us to be lukewarm about lost souls

c. Causes us to be lukewarm about righteousness

d. Friends, apathy is an enemy of the church

D. THE ENEMY OF SIN

1. This is the most obvious enemy, but sin happens to people – don’t know, don’t believe and who don’t care

a. Ignorance, unbelief, and apathy all lead to sin

b. If the church practices sin, how can we remain the church?

c. Ephesians 5:25-27

2. Notice what the Bible has to say about the enemy of sin

a. Hebrews 12:1

1) A runner does not run a race hampered by weights

2) Sin hampers our Christian race

b. Hebrews 3:12-13

1) We need each other to help avoid having a heart hardened by sin

2) If it happens – sin will cause us to leave God

c. James 5:19-20

1) The error of sin can kill the soul

2) We need each other to stay on the right track

CONCLUSION:

A. For the church to move forward, we must recognize and defeat our enemies

B. Four great enemies of the church are: Ignorance … Unbelief … Apathy … Sin

C. These are all enemies that we can do something about.

D. Are you under attack today? FIGHT!!!

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