Eliminating Apahy

In our Wednesday night Bible class, we are going through the Book of Joshua. We are studying this book because it is the book that Lads to leaders is focusing on this year. The first half of the book of Joshua is a fascinating book with so many great stories that help us to see the awesomeness of our God.

In this book we read about God keeping his promise to Abraham by allowing the Nation of Israel to enter promised land of Canaan. Before they enter the land, we read of the story of Rahab and the spies. We read of the story where God’s people cross over the Jordan on dry ground similarly to how Moses and the people crossed over the Red Sea. We have the battle of Jericho where the people marched around the city for seven days and then they blew their trumpets, and the wall came down.

We read of the story and Achan and his family which is a good reminder that God expects his people to obey him.

We read about God sending hail stones big enough to kill the enemies of God and we also read about the miraculous day when the Sun stood still.

Of all the things that God did for His people, and all the miraculous signs and wonders that they witnessed one would expect that they would never loose the great zeal and passion to serve their God. One would think that for all that they had witnessed that they would never forget what God had done for them.

But unfortunately, as you know the Nation of Israel lost its zeal for and passion for God. They became time and time again apathetic to the things of God.

In our time together this morning I want us to spend some time talking about how we as Christ Centered Homes can keep from falling into the same trap that the nation of Israel found themselves falling into time and time again.

Our task for this morning is to answer the question how do Christ Centered homes eliminate spiritual Apathy.

Spiritual Apathy for me is not a word that I use on a regular basis, but it simply means to lack interest or to feel indifferent or to simply not care about the things of God.

Now before you jump to conclusions and say absolutely not, let me suggest that it is possible for even the sincerest Christian to become spiritually apathetic. Human emotions being as fickle as they are, can be overtaken by worldly things causing us to lose interest in things that are very important.

Regardless of whether you find yourself on fire for God or if you find yourself lacking interest in the things of God, no matter where you are we must all take steps to either prevent us from become spiritual apathetic or we must take measure to eliminate it because God does not approve of this type of mind set from his children.

For those that have a better memory than I do, you may remember that during the pandemic I preached to the camera a sermon about Spiritual apathy.

And in that sermon, we looked at how the Church in Ephesus was on fire for God, prompting Paul to say this to them in his letter. Eph 1:15-16

Ephesians 1:15–16 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

When Paul wrote the book of Ephesians around 60 AD the church at Ephesus was on fire for Christ. But unfortunately, just a few years later their enthusiasm and love that they once had for Christ had been lost. In just a few short years they had become spiritually apathetic. Listen to what Christ has to say to them in Revelation 2:1-5.

Revelation 2:1–5 ESV

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Christ says in verse 1-3 that you were once on fire for me but…. Verse 4.

Some 30 years after being very passionate about their faith and love they unfortunately had left their first love. Their passion had waned. They had become spiritually apathetic towards their love for Christ and his church. They seem to have just been going through the motions.

The reason I bring this example of a church becoming spiritually apathetic again is because I believe it is in the rebuke given by Jesus to this church that we find the solution to how we can eliminate spiritual apathy.

And what I would like to do is expound on this solution in our time remaining this morning. Notice the solution that Jesus gives in verse 5. Rev. 2:5

Revelation 2:5 ESV

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

In order to eliminate Spiritual apathy we must first remember from where you have fallen. Or if you currently are not experiencing apathy in order to keep it from taking over your families lives we must never forget where you once were.

God all the way back in the OT understood that this step was vitally important for the people of Israel to remember. I mentioned the book of Joshua as we began because God put things in place for them to try and help them not fall into this trap.

For example in Joshua 4 the people had just crossed over the Jordan and while the Ark of the Covenant was still in the middle of the river keeping the waters at bay, God tells Joshua to send 12 men one from each tribe, into the river to retrieve a rock that was to be used to set up a memorial.

And in verses 6 -7 God tells Joshua what this memorial is to represent.

Joshua 4:6–7 ESV

that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

What’s the purpose? The purpose of the memorial is so they don’t ever forget where they came from and what God has done for them.

Unfortunately this wasn't enough for them to keep from become Apathetic toward their God. Judges 2:11-13

Judges 2:11–13 ESV

And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.

Unfortunately for Israel even after witnessing miracle after miracle from crossing the Jordan to defeating their enemies in places like Jericho and Ai it still wasn’t enough to keep them from following after things of this world rather than staying Zealous for God.