FOUR DOWNWARD STEPS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Text: Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Intro: People fall aside from service for various reasons,

1. Demas loved the world 2 Tim 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2. Some give heed to seducing spirits; 1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
3. For some, the hold of sin is not broken, or is allowed to return 1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
4. Many cannot take 'hard' teaching and turn aside. John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
John 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
John 6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

What if none of these fit, and we still find ourselves drifting away and waxing cold? Perhaps the answer may be in these four steps downward.
They are: Excitement, Exhaustion, Exasperation and Expiration.

1. Excitement without content
(An exercise for the congregation) Everybody say "Amen" Now say it again and louder. Everyone is now awake and alert; everyone feels good, .....BUT ABOUT WHAT? This is excitement without content!
Now say AMEN to these great truths:

1. You are a sinner Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2. You were justly doomed to hell Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

3. Christ died to save your soul Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

4. You now have eternal life! Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

5. He allows you to serve Him!! Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

6. His Church will be here 'till He comes again!! Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

7. Her doctrinal Truths are more precious than any of the world's knowledge.

8. The blood of her martyrs is more precious than that of all the world's political battlefields.
Hold these truths fast and your excitement will grow with every bit of added knowledge from the Word of God!! AMEN AND AMEN!!

II Exhaustion This comes about from exercise without single-minded obedience.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Example: Two people come to church. One yawns through an endless boring sermon and is tired beyond measure at the end of the service. The other is alert, rejoicing and surprised, perhaps even a little disappointed, when the service ends so soon. The difference? Attitude! Mechanical, fleshly service will cause God's people to say as in Mal 1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
There is a vast difference in physical and mental weariness, and the body can endure far more when the mind is set on the task.

III Exasperation: From misplaced hopes and personal plans gone awry.

A. The example of the Emmaus road disciples; Luke 24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luke 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Some are disappointed when all problems don't disappear (If the Lord cares, why all the problems?)

B. Jesus tried to prepare us for the REAL world.
1. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
2. Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
3. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
4. Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

C. Real Bible-based hope will never let us down
1. We have sustaining Grace. 2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
2. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

3. We have the strength and comfort of Jesus' promises Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

4. We have the sure hope of the resurrection. Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

IV Expiration
2 Pet 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Who are these? Those who forgot these things: 2 Pet 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2 Pet 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2 Pet 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2 Pet 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2 Pet 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Challenge: Get excited about exercising these things and you will never be exhausted emotionally
or exasperated in your expectations! Instead of being expired you will be inspired and so, will rejoice in the abundant life!
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.