Worship Service – April 11, 2021

 

Complacency – Part One

The Devil’s Workshop

 

Good morning, everyone! Let’s pray that God would open our hearts to hear and apply His Word this morning.

Complacency is defined as “self-satisfaction, especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.”

Complacency can be dangerous; I would say, being lulled into a false sense of security or dependence can be one of the most vulnerable places to be.

When we have known the Lord for many years and have studied His Word, gone to church, prayed, do devotions, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, our knowledge and experiences, many times, take us to a place of ho-hum, mundane routine that has little effect in applying God’s Word and living righteously.

Numbers 20:6-13 says:  Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah,[a] where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.

Now, at first reading, it would seem that Moses was doing exactly what God told him to do; however, because Moses had done this before, he was complacent in what God had instructed him to do. Instead of striking the rock as God commanded of him, he merely SPOKE to the rock. And what were the consequences of Moses’ complacency? He and his people were forbidden to enter the land, as it says in verse 12.

 

Complacency has consequences. Many times, they can be severe, as they were in the passage that we just read.

Complacency can lead us to disobedience, apathy, and willful sin, which is a transgression against Almighty God.

To illustrate this, if I pour what I think is water into a drinking glass without reading the label that actually says the contents is lacquer thinner, I can become very sick and/or actually die.

God calls us to be vigilant, watchful, and sober-minded. Turn with me to I Peter 5:8.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Deb and I each have a cat. If you have ever seen cats sneaking up on a mouse to catch it, you know what it looks like. They are motionless. Watchful. Waiting for just the right moment to pounce. When they do, they have captured their prey.

So it is with us, each and every day. We are vulnerable to Satan’s prowling in our lives when we are complacent.

Last week we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Just prior to His death and resurrection, Jesus asked the disciples to watch while He prayed. In Matthew 26:36-46 we find that while Jesus was praying, the disciples fell asleep. Once again, we see that complacency can lead to a ho-hum, mundane routine.

I would challenge each and every one of us to remain diligent and watchful, always aware of the higher calling that God has called us who know Him to. There has never been a greater time when we who have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus need to be on guard and attentive to things that happen each and every day in our country and in our world. The political climate, the pandemic, and the ever-changing morality issues can lull us into a complacent faith where we look more like the world than followers of the Lord Jesus. May God help us. Let us pray.

Dr. Alan Hickok, Sr

Listen To Audio: Service 04112021

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Pastor Joe will be on vacation for the next two weeks.  He will not be holding office hours on April 15 and 22.  Pastor Al Hickok will be available for emergencies.

Loose change offering, (coins & bills), goes to Local Mission

Sunday School starts at 8:30am with a study of the book of Galatians.  A good time to join us.

PW is putting gathering recipes for a church/community cookbook.   If you have a favorite recipe and would like to share it, it can be emailed to Bonne, or give it to her handwritten.

Men’s Breakfast 8:00 A.M. Wednesday April 21, 2021

Session meets 10:00 A.M. Tuesday April 27, 2021

Baby Bottle starts today and runs through Mother’s Day

PLEASE NOTE: We ask that you wear a mask as you ENTER and LEAVE the church.

Newsletter Deadline -  Tuesday April 27, 2021

If you are in the parking lot, PLEASE TUNE YOUR RADIO TO 89.5 FM TO HEAR THE CHURCH SERVICE. 

 

 

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