Untitled Sermon (1)
RESTORE ME • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 18 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Captain John Callender of the Massachusetts Militia was guilty of cowardice at the Battle of Bunker Hill. One of General Washington’s first duties, as he assumed command of the American forces at Cambridge, was to order the court-martial of Captain Callender. This is an infamous crime to a soldier, the most humiliating of all, so the captain was stripped of his commission and expelled in disgrace. However, there was another side to this man. In the meanwhile, something happened. He observed Washington, and later Callender reenlisted in the army as a private. During the Battle of Long Island, Callender demonstrated such conspicuous courage that Washington publicly revoked the sentence and restored him as an officer in his army.
There are many people that can relate to this story today. Have you ever been derelict in your duty? If we were truthful we would have to confess that even right now, in the midst of a worldwide crisis, many who are supposed to be on the battlefield have retreated from being faithful and obedient. And some have become so hard-hearted that they no longer are even seeking to hear what God has to say about their lives. The Bible chronicles the history of a people who went so far from God that one would doubt if they would ever get back to him. The Lord wants to teach us through his Word today that 1) it is possible to get so entangled in this world as to move away from the Lord and 2) off the battlefield. There are three things that help to contribute to it: 1) Complacency, 2) Apathy, and 3)Pride.
Let me define these terms and then tell you a story.
Complacency:
A self-satisfied state of negligence or carelessness, especially in relation to one’s personal situation.
SPIRITUAL COMPLACENCY:
See Zep 1:12; Heb. 12:25
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the men
who are complacent,
those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do ill.’
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.