A Change Of Emphasis

I. Satan has many times caused God’s people to become unfaithful to Him – NOT because of their open aggression toward God – but merely a change in EMPHASIS

A. Satan CHANGED God’s words to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-5)

II. A Change in the world’s emphasis:

A. BEFORE = God IS real!

NOW = IS God real?

1. SAME elements…different emphasis

III. A Change WITHIN the Lord’s church

A. In my lifetime, we have gone from…

1. Flying around the world to flying to the moon

2. Counting on an abacus to personal computers to iPhones

B. The Lord’s church has gone from…

1. The largest growing religious body in the U.S. to zero growth, and negative growth (loss)

C. Why is it that technology has progressed so fast, and yet the church seems to be almost dormant in this country?

1. Our emphasis has changed!

a. We want better, faster, newer, things. We want instant information, and instant RELIGION

b. We aren’t willing to put out the time and effort necessary to become disciples of Jesus ourselves, much less go out and make more disciples.

D. We have…

1. The same Lord and head of the church (Colossians 1:18) “And he is the head of the body, the church.”

2. The same spiritual body (Ephesians 4:4) “One Lord, one faith, one body…..”

3. The same plan of salvation (gospel) (Romans 1:16)

4. The same blueprint for the church (New Testament) (Romans 6:17) (2 Timothy 1:13) “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and in love which is in Christ Jesus.”

5. The same terms of admission to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:41,47)

6. The same mission or purpose (Matthew 28:19-20)

E. Maybe we have the same elements → but a different emphasis

1. BEFORE = “Proclaim the word”

NOW = “Go hear a ‘good preacher’”

2. BEFORE = Cottage meeting, home Bible studies, etc.

NOW = PTA, “clubs”, ballgames, and social gatherings

3. BEFORE = “Learn of Christ and find joy”

NOW = “Play games and have fun”

4. BEFORE = We stood on the TRUTH

NOW = We just SIT on a pew

5. BEFORE = We suffered REPROACH for Christ’s sake

NOW = We don’t want to OFFEND anyone

6. BEFORE = We DEMANDED a “thus saith the Lord”

NOW = “Let’s FELLOWSHIP the denominations”

7. BEFORE = We preached “The Lord adds to HIS church”

NOW = Its “join the church of your choice”

IV. Either PROGRESS or DIGRESS

A. When a battle is fought, the soldiers have the choice of…

1. Progress (move forward)

2. Hold their ground

3. Retreat (digress = give up ground)

B. In the spiritual battle, we only have TWO choices…

1. Progress

a. Keep studying God’s word

b. Keep working in the kingdom

c. Keep doing what is right

2. Digress

a. Not do anything (James 4:17) “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

b. Retreat → GIVE UP principles…reject God’s truth

V. The choice is OURS concerning Christianity

A. We can side with Agrippa (i.e. – listen to Satan) (Acts 26:28) “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

B. We can side with Jeremiah (i.e. – listen to God) (Jeremiah 6:16) “Thus saith the Lord, ‘Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…”

What is your emphasis today? Is it Jesus and His church? Or is it your own desires and the world?