are you dying spiritually

ARE YOU DYING

SPIRITUALLY

Luke 9:59-60 Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he

said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus

said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you

go and preach the kingdom of God.”

SPIRITUAL DEATHA. Sin brings spiritual death.

1. Spiritual death began in the garden of Eden because of sin - Genesis 2:15-17 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

2. Spiritual death continued in the Old Testament because of sin - Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.

3. Spiritual death continues in the New Testament because of sin - Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

B. How can we tell if we are dying spiritually?

I. THE STORY OF THE CROSS NO LONGER MOVES YOU

A. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

B. Acts 2:36-37 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

C. Are you so used to the gospel story that you no longer take it seriously?

D. If so, you need to remember where we were and what Christ did for you on that cross.

E. It’s a place you don’t want to return to.

II. YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVEA.Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that

you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

B.Ephesians 2:1-3 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

C.Is your love for Christ less now than it used to be?D.If so, you need to renew your love for Him.

III. YOUR ARE FOOLING YOURSELFA. 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 Let no one deceive

himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; 20 and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

III. YOUR ARE FOOLING YOURSELFB. Ephesians 5:1-7 Therefore be imitators of God as dear

children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7

Therefore do not be partakers with them.

III. YOUR ARE FOOLING YOURSELFC. Those who are deceived or deceive

themselves think they are spiritual but are not really.

D. They think they are saved but are not.

IV. THE CHURCH SERVICES BORE YOU

A. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

B. Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD."

C. We live in a world of excitement but we need to be consumed with the joy of the prospects of being in heaven with God for eternity.

V. YOU ARE NOT DOING WHAT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD

A. James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

B. James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

C. We must not grow weary in doing the will of God.

VI. YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN SAVING SOULS

A. Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

B. 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

C. Someone cared enough about you to share the gospel with you, shouldn’t you do the same?

VII. YOU FREQUENTLY MISS CHURCH SERVICES

A. Hebrews 10:24-31 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. >>>


28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.


B. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

C. The assemblies are designed to help strengthen you as a Christian. Your spiritual health is directly related to you involvement in the activities of the congregation.

VIII. WORLDLY THINGS ATTRACT YOU MORE THAN SPIRITUAL THINGS

A. Romans 8:5-11 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

VIII. WORLDLY THINGS ATTRACT YOU MORE THAN SPIRITUAL THINGS

B. 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

C. Worldly pleasures are only temporary and lead to hell, if we look back, we are not worthy of Jesus. Luke 9:62

IX. YOU ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH

A. Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; >>>


14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16

from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.


B. Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

C. Involvement in the work of the church helps you to grow spiritually and keeps you rooted and grounded in the faith.

HOW’S YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH?A. Are you spiritually alive? - 1 Peter 2:1-5

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

B. Are you spiritually dead?

HOW’S YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH?C. Are you spiritually dying?

1. Does the story of the cross still move you?2. Have you left your first love?3. Are you fooling yourself?4. Do the church services bore you?5. Are you failing to do things you know you

should be doing?6. Are you trying to save souls?7. Do you frequently miss church services?8. Are worldly things more attractive to you than

spiritual things?9. Are you participating in the work of the

church?

TONIGHT’S SERMONFIRST OF ALL (3)