Get fired up for God!

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. We're talking about the people who have made a decision to kind of sit this one out. They've made a decision just kind of, just to drop out.

Or, put another way, they've kind of come to a place where they're just a little more neutral about things. They're not hot, they're not cold. Well, what effects does this have on a church? What effects does this have on other Christians?

Again, there's no neutrality. Well, what are some of the effects? Well, number one, it's a bad testimony. It's a bad testimony. It's a bad witness. Because your life then becomes a sermon to everyone around you that, hey, my faith is really not all that important.

And again, I don't think they feel like that, but that's kind of the way it seems. Or, you're like a big neon sign flashing, hey, I'm a Christian, but I don't really take it all that seriously. And it sends a message to everyone who's paying attention.

It sends a message to unbelievers. Well, even the Christians don't really care that much. Even the Christians aren't really listening to Jesus. Even the Christians, they say they believe, but it seems like they don't take it too seriously.

And you know who it really impacts? It impacts young people. It impacts young people and people who look up to you. They see this, well, if mom or dad don't seem to care, why should I? If grandma or grandpa don't seem to care, why should I?

And let me just make a few statements to parents. Because parents, you know you have influence over your children. I mean, nobody really argues with that. But then grandparents, you know, grandparents have a great deal of influence, more than they know.

And your grandkids will see, they'll see through you. They'll see if your faith is real and if you take it seriously. So let's get off the fence. Let's take it seriously. Let's get fired up. Let's be hot or cold.

Hot works better in this analogy. Let's be hot for the things of God.

Amen?

Here's some more advice to the congregation. Yeah, say amen.

You know what?

Don't just sit there like, okay. What time is it?

Is he done yet?

Again, if there's nothing of value being said, if that's how you feel, fine. That's your opinion.

But you know what?

If you agree with something, say amen. Let's get fired up about the things of God. Well, and here's another thing. When you're kind of lukewarm or neutral, it kind of discourages people who are all fired up.

It's like taking a bucket of cold water and just pouring it on them. Let me use this example. In 1 Kings chapter 18, verse 21, it says, this is Elijah contending with the prophets of Baal. It says, Elijah came to all the people.

Here's what he said. How long will you falter between two opinions? What's he saying? You can't remain neutral. How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. If Baal is God, follow him.

And you know what happened? It says, but the people answered him not a word. And after this, Elijah became so discouraged. He was the greatest prophet Israel had up until that point. But because of this event, he got so discouraged, he went to sleep under a tree.

And he said, Lord, just take my life from me.

Why?

Because Elijah at this point, as far as he can tell, he's the only one left who cares. Now that wasn't true, but that's how he felt. So, it's a discouragement to others who are hot or cold when you try to remain neutral.

And listen, we're not trying to be hard on anybody. We know how this is. Nobody promised the Christian life was going to be easy. Of course, living a non-Christian life isn't easy either. You have usually a lot of the same problems, more problems maybe.

But things, as a believer, things can wear you down. I think that happens to everybody. If it hasn't happened to you, it has or it will. But what's the point of a message like this? Not to make anyone feel bad.

Not to make anyone feel guilty. That's not the point. Why did Jesus say these words? He who is not with me is against me. What was the point of Jesus saying this? He wants people to be with him. He wants people to gather with him.

So, get off the fence. Make a commitment.

Get serious.

Start doing something.

You say, well, I already am.

Good.

You don't need this. You just need a reminder. But some people do. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. So, are we willing to make that commitment today? And you've already made the commitment. Are you going to make that commitment tomorrow?

And the next day? If not, you know, someone might think, well, I hear what you're saying. And I know that spiritual needs, you know, believing in Jesus and my eternity, my destiny after. I know this is important.

I hear what you're saying. But I'm just not really sure yet. I'm just not ready yet. I need a little more time. Or I believe it, but I'm not really willing to really serve the Lord or give my whole life.

I just need a little more time. You know, procrastination. You know what they say. So, I'll do it tomorrow. Well, yeah, tomorrow is always a day away. And it never comes. But do you realize by not making a choice, you've already made your choice by not saying yes.

In effect, you've said no. Even if you don't mouth the words, no, no, Lord. Even if you don't say that by your actions, you are saying it. There has to be an intentional act. There has to be an intentional act where you say yes.

The Bible says we are to call on the name of the Lord. That we are to confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. And if you do that and believe that God has raised him from the dead, it says you will be saved.

For whosoever calls on the name of the Lord, Romans 10, 13, will be saved. So, there has to be that intentional act of confessing, not just to yourself, to others.

Okay?

Confessing to others. I believe. And then you must say yes with your actions. So, make a decision now. Make a decision today. Start gathering with Christ today. Doing nothing or remaining neutral, quote unquote, is the same as saying no.

It's the same as scattering abroad. So, to be a partaker of the kingdom of God, a person must act. What's the Great Commission? The Great Commission gives three things. Jesus gives the commission to his disciples and the whole church, every believer, is to be a partaker.

Seeing that the Great Commission is carried out. What does the Great Commission say? That we are to make disciples of all the nations. That's number one. Number two, we are to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

And then number three, we are to teach them all things that Christ commanded. And that happens within a local assembly. So, are we all part and working towards the fulfillment of the Great Commission?

If you're not, you're not gathering, you're scattering. Some people partake by going to the mission field. That's not everybody's calling. Some people partake by preaching and teaching in the church. That's not everyone's calling.

Some partake by sharing their faith with people day to day. There are people that are not technically evangelists, but in their personal life, yeah, they are actually. That's the way it looks. There's some people that partake by giving.

There are some who partake in all these varieties of spiritual gifts. We need everybody to come together and work together. That's how ministry is effective when everybody is working together, exercising their spiritual gift.

If everyone's kind of just, yeah, okay. You're not getting anything done that way. So, we need to be hot or cold, gathering with the Lord. Now, let me use this illustration again. The myth of neutrality, there is no neutrality.

This illustration and some of the younger kids here, some of the younger kids can probably relate to this. If your mom or dad tells you, hey, can you please go clean your room? You don't need to go into your room and make it more messy to disobey.

You disobey by doing nothing, right? There's no neutrality. You either do what they ask. Anything else is disobedience, right? I mean, this isn't hard. There is no neutrality. The same is with Jesus. You're either doing what Jesus says or you're not.

It's that simple. You're either a child of God or you're not. Either God the Father is your heavenly Father. If he's not, who is your Father? You say, I don't like where that is going. I don't like the way that sounds.

Answer the question in your own mind. So, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, there is no neutrality. Someone could say, well, I don't believe any of this. Choose who you're going to serve, then. It's going to be somebody.

It will be somebody. All right, go to John chapter 1. We'll close here in John chapter 1. The myth of neutrality. Black and white. Again, not everything is black and white. This is John chapter 1, according to the New Testament.

Look at John 1, verses 11 and 12. Everybody falls into one of two categories. Talking about Jesus, it says, he came to his own. And his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right.

To become children of God. To those who believe in his name. I want to reiterate this point. That you are either a child of God. This is the common thing you'll hear. Some churches will preach this. That every human being is a child of God.

You're all children of God. Is that what the Bible says? You might believe that. There might be people who think that. Is that what Jesus taught? Is that what the Bible teaches?

No.

What did he say?

Verse 12. But as many as received Christ, to them the Lord gives them the right. To become children of God. If you're becoming a child of God, what does that mean? You were not a child of God before. So again, there must be an intentional act of believing.

Confessing the Lord Jesus with your mouth. And then as James chapter 2 says, you know, faith without works is dead. If you say you believe it, but then there's nothing else. There's no other evidence.

It's not real. So, this is black and white. Being saved versus being lost. Heaven versus hell. God versus Satan. Belief versus unbelief. Neutrality, at least in this regard, is a myth. You know what the devil wants to do?

He wants to cloud the issues.

Well, you know, you don't really know.

He could be on one side or the other. He doesn't want this clarity. Here is the main reason why you cannot remain neutral towards God. Because God has not remained neutral towards you. He loved this world so much that he gave his only begotten son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for your sin.

The scripture says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He isn't neutral toward you. Please don't be neutral toward him. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Coronet Church.

If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, morriscoronetchurch .com. We'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett.

Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.