We continue our mini-series: making sure we’re awake and alert, especially as we enter 2021. It’s easy to get complacent. Today we’re looking at another antidote to Christian slumber: the Cross of Christ. How can we snooze at the foot of the most awful event in history: with blood, gore, and all of humanities sin laid on Jesus!

Our passages today Isaiah 53:3-12 & 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Preacher: Ian Bayne, 17th January 2021

So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:6

Recap

We can become sleepy Christians if we:

1. doubt Christ’s return
2. doubt the certainty of death
3. live in comfortable and secure environments
4. are constantly frivolous and feasting

Difficulty and troubles are part of our journey as Christians.

The antidotes are:

1. Hold onto God’s Word: constant exposure to the light of God’s Word. Hang on to hope, anticipating with pleasure the gospel, and be assured of the power of the gospel.
2. Gossip the gospel: not bad gossip, but we should share and talk about the gospel.

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 17:9 ESV

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:25 ESV

The gospel is instructive: it preserves us, instructs us and heals us.

We are stronger together:

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 ESV

Today we’ll look at a further antidote:

The cross of Christ

To keep the cross of Christ before your eyes.

It’s impossible to go to sleep at the foot of the cross. It was a terrible place. Yet the disciples managed to snooze when Jesus was in danger:

And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

Matthew 26:43 ESV

Jesus was praying and sweating blood, and his disciples were asleep!
While they were snoozing them, they were not snoozing when Jesus was on the cross. There’s a sacrifice taking place.

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-

Psalm 22:16 ESV

Jesus quotes:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Psalm 22:1 ESV

Trust in Jesus. He died for our sins.

Trust in God and root out any idols that are competing with Christ.

Eddie Robinson, a soul singer said: “I give my all to you, all unto you my lord, because you gave all to me. You set my spirit free… If there’s more that I can give, show it to me…”

If you’re feeling sleepy or discouraged, do something for the Lord, do something for someone. You’ll be surprised at how quickly drowsiness is overcome.

See how Christ suffered and “let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

Resources

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