#Spiritual Life Matters
Introduction
Tonight’s topic is a heavy one so before I begin this sermon, Let us Pray.
There is a murderous trend that is happening across the world. The spiritual lives of thousands of young black, white, and brown people have been brought to an end.
I will start off this presentation with stories of young black men and women whose spiritual life was brutally cut short.
It started as a regular visit to the library, young Kurwin never knew that today would change the direction of his entire life.
Kurwin was meeting up with classmates to study and work on their major class project.
In the group was Candice, an attractive young girl, who used her good looks and sweet words to get anything she wanted.
Kurwin, was the church boy in the group, his parents were active in church and laid out strict rules for their children, which Kurwin, being a goody two shoes, tried his best to follow.
His Spiritual life was simple, do what his parents said and attend church every week. So far so good, 16 years and he has yet to have any major challenge… until today.
The group study session was difficult and one by one, classmates began to head for home.
Kurwin the diligent student, and Candice the cunning go getter, were left alone at the Library.
Candice knowing there was no way she could finish the assignment on her own, began seducing Kurwin to go home with her so they could complete it, in a more comfortable space.
Kurwin felt uneasy but he was the nerd of the class and was not used to so much attention from such a pretty girl.
Kurwin submitted to her and followed her home where he was convinced to trade his sexual purity for her assignment.
That evening, Kurwin lost his spiritual life, shot dead, never to be resurrected.He continued to trade his academic excellence for his innocence until he eventually lost both.
Carla was a song bird, ever since she was in Kindergarten she was known for her musical ability. She could sing, play the piano and guitar equally well.
No service at church was ever complete without a special performance by Carla. She was not only talented, but she was extremely willing. She would never turn down an opportunity to minister. Her fame grew far and wide, her YouTube channel grew to thousands of subscribers. At just 12 years old, her career was taking off.
Carla had a love for the feeling of being on stage, of sharing her message to thousands of people. She touched hearts and souls as her music reached new audiences.
By age 18, Carla caught the eyes of a big music recording agency. She had been reaching people at the local churches and concerts and through her YouTube channel, but the producer promised her that he could take her on tour across the world. Instead of just thousands of fans, she could have millions.
She would get prepaid flights to luxurious destinations and stay in expensive hotels.
There was only one thing she had to change. All her songs so far had been gospel music, the record label recommended that she switched to more inspirational music. She was hesitant at first, but he convinced her that she would be able to have a positive influence on a larger number of people than she could do just singing gospel music.
Carla agreed and started her journey to fame. Her first album was a hit and had millions of views on YouTube. She started touring and created an enormous fan base who called themselves the #carlaClan.
Her next album didn’t do as well as the first and it had her producers concerned that she was falling out of touch with the generation. The record label
threatened to end the contract if she couldn’t evolve her music.
Out of fear of losing her new found fame, she accepted the new deal and committed spiritual suicide.
That night she lost her spiritual life, dead on the spot.
It was a slippery slope of compromises, she was convinced to wear more skimpy outfits, have more raunchy lyrics in here songs, and change her personality to be more “fierce”.She had even greater influence, however it totally erased any positive influence that she had created in the past.
These are just two stories of bright young, spiritual minds that got caught in one of the deceptive traps that the devil has setup for young Christian teens.
Everyday young people are making the decision to end their spiritual life at alarming rates. It is time we make a stand against this and declare #SpiritualLifeMatters, #SpiritualLifeMatters
We may get opposition from the world, telling us that #AllLivesMatter.
#AcademicLifeMatters, #SocialLifeMatters, #ProfessionalLifeMatters, #FinancialLifeMatters, #EmotionalLifeMatters, #NutritionalLifeMatters #RelationalLifeMatters, #SexualLifeMatters.
I will never disagree that these lives matter. To be a complete and functioning human being, you have to grow and thrive in all areas, including academically, socially, professionally, financially, emotionally, nutritionally, relationally and even sexually.
THE PROBLEM THAT THE WORLD NOW FACES IS, THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN PUT ABOVE OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF BAD EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE RESULT HAS BEEN.
When we put academics, finances, relationships, and sex above our relationship with God, it is a formula for disaster.
The bible says
God is interested in all these aspects of our lives.The bible in 3 John 2 says: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
God wants to see his children prosper, but, we must hold fast in his promises by faith.
The popular verse says:
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL these things shall be added onto you.When we place our spiritual life as top priority, God promises to add blessings to all the other areas.
Brothers and sisters,
YOU CANNOT SERVE 2 MASTERS, YOU WILL EITHER LOVE ONE AND HATE THE OTHER, YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MONEY.
When our spiritual life is not the number one priority. It will be obvious by the decisions that we make.
In the previous stories, Carla and Kurwin made other things their masters. Serving other masters, IS IDOLATORY. Let me repeat that again, serving other masters, IS IDOLATORY AND we break the 2nd commandment.
Eventually we start obeying these Idols rather than God. (Don’t say Amen Say Ouch.)
Your financial life matters but if you have to steal to make more money, you are obeying money instead of God.
If you have to break sabbath to join DSS, the drug sou sou or any other pyramid scheme, you are obeying Money rather than God.
Sex life matters but if you have to fornicate or commit adultery, you are obeying sex instead of God. No good can come of this!
Academic life matters but if you have to study on sabbath to get good grades, or cheat on exams, then you are obeying school instead of God.
Tonight, I ask myself and You, yes you, Are there any idols in our life? What are we putting above God? What are we obeying instead of God’s commands? Is it worth putting our Spiritual life at risk?
Is it worth our salvation?
Let me ask a series of questions, so we can test where we stand with God.
I will fornicate if the person is really
I would lie if I knew would get away with
I will only break the sabbath if I have to
I don’t care what my parents say, I am still going to
I would kill anybody who ever
I would steal if the amount of money is
I pray and hope that we had nothing to fill in those blanks. I pray the answer to these questions was NEVER! I WILL NEVER!
But if you had an answer for the questions, all is not lost, there is still hope to save your spiritual life. Thank you, Jesus, there is still hope and grace and mercy.
Let’s rush over to the emergency room for emergency surgery.
<put on stethoscope>
<Person> Doctor, we have a flatline, I see no signs of life, what should we do? Do you have anything that could help.
<Preacher> Quickly, turn to Ezekiel 36:26 “The bible says; I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Thank God we have a new heart of flesh but most importantly, we have a new Spirit, I think we can save this spiritual life.
<Person> We have a heartbeat, but doctor, the heartbeat is very weak, I don’t know how long the patient can last on their own. Do you have anything else?
<Preacher>Yes turn to Psalm 51: 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Wow I’m getting good reading from the heart. You now have a clean heart and a renewed spirit. Not just any spirit, but this heart has been renewed by the holy spirit. The patient has committed to walk no longer in their own way but to live a renewed Spiritual Life.
<Person> We are getting great vital signs, all the readings are good but is seems the patient is still sleeping. Do you have anything else doctor?
<Preacher> Yes I do, let’s try a dose of John 6:63 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life.”
<Person> Doctor, it has been a moment since the last treatment and I am happy to report that the patient’s spiritual life has been fully restored. The patient is a wake, the spirit has given life through the word.
The patient is showing amazing signs of full recovery. The patient is now in daily study of the word of God. The patient prays without ceasing. The patient has repented of their former bad habits and has no intention of returning to such a critical state.
<Preacher> In the name of Jesus the patient spiritual life has been saved. Appeal:
Brothers and sisters we have access to the surgeon who can restore our spiritual
life.Have you been serving two masters?
Is your spiritual life laying on a stretcher?
Do you need restoration from Doctor Jesus to restore a new spirit within you?
Maybe your spiritual life was never a priority, you may have committed spiritual suicide years ago.
The Good news is that Jesus is the doctor that has resurrection power.
It doesn’t matter if you have been spiritually dead for four days, four years or even forty years.
You may be four years late but you are still on time. Today is an opportunity to get new life.
Jesus promises not only new life but abundant life.
Jesus restores not only your spiritual life but also your broken emotional life, your broken financial life, your broken sexual life, your broken academic life, and your broken relationships.
Come to the potter who wants to put all your broken pieces back together again. He sees the pain you have endured trying to fix it yourself. He says come, take the pillow and rest but you must give Him the case.
Today Jesus is saying to you; I will restore your spiritual life and your entire life will be transformed for the better.
Nothing else has worked in the past, try someone else. Try Jesus because your #Spiritual Life Matters!
