Five Miserable People 2021

Five Miserable People 2021 10 24

Revelation 3:14-17

 

 

1. Introduction (Contrast the passage we just read with 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.”)

 

1. I wish we all believed that verse! I find it hard sometimes, so I know there must be others who find it hard as well!
2. But Jesus tells us to Rejoice – to be of GOOD CHEER – in the face of any and all tribulation we may be going through
3. Today we’re going to look at five miserable people in the Bible, some of whom were saved and on their way to heaven. You’ve probably known people like this. I’ve known many. The Bible lets us study both why they were miserable, and the answers to their misery.
4. Christians ought to go on their way rejoicing! A man once said, “If a man’s salvation has not made him glad, it has made him nothing at all!”
5. Learning from these five miserable people can help us, and our own attitudes. The five kinds of miserable people are:

 

1. Those who are unsure of their Salvation
2. Those who are undisciplined in Prayer
3. Those who are unseparated from Sin
4. Those who are unwilling to witness for the Lord
5. Those who are uncertain of the Will of God for their life

 

1. Our message, today is about “Five Miserable People in Churches Today”

 

1. The Person Unsure of His Salvation is Miserable – (John 20:24,25 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.)

 

1. This was Thomas – one of the twelve disciples of Jesus the Messiah

 

1. Supposed to be a “believer,” yet was quite unsure Jesus was even alive after the crucifixion – just never settled the facts in his heart!
2. Should have been the happiest of men – that His Lord was alive, and had conquered sin and death – if anyone should have been excited, Thomas should have been!  Remember, he was there when Jesus said, John 10:17,18, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
3. But he was miserable – hiding away up in an upper room, unsure of anything that Jesus had said – why?

 

2. Many people are miserable because:

 

1. There is no change in their life (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.) – Needs to evaluate his salvation experience, and see if he or she was just “praying a prayer” or if they are really repenting, and trusting completely in Christ!
2. There is no supernatural love for other Christians in their heart (1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.)
   1. Most Christians need to re-evaluate their love for each other!If you do not have this love in your heart, are you truly saved?
3. There is no chastisement in their walk (Hebrews 12:6-8 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?). If you see yourself getting away with a lot of sin right now, it should make you wonder – make you afraid! You will always be miserable until your eternity is settled and in Christ’s hands!!!

 

3. People Confuse Conviction with Conversion. (HUGE PROBLEM!)

 

1. Conviction is merely spiritual awakening, when a person begins to be convicted of the fact that there is more to life than self-indulgence
2. People feel that since they care about going to church, and are interested in the Bible, and they love their neighbour, they must be a Christian
3. But that is just spiritual awareness, that is not conversion – the changing of the person
4. People are trusting their own “spirituality” instead of Jesus Christ
5. They still end up in hell with the devil!
6. What does the Bible really say about “Conversion?”

 

1. God’s word was written to CONVERT the soul (Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.)
2. All sinners need to be “converted” unto God (Psalm 51:12,13 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.)

• Conversion involves starting all over and becoming like a little child again (Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.) – that’s why it is called being Born Again!

1. Even the Apostle Peter needed conversion (Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.). He was a follower, but not changed
2. All the efforts of Paul and the Christians in the Bible was directed at one goal (Act 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.) – the Conversion of the Gentiles
3. Conversion is a complete transformation (Isaiah 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.). God compares what He was going to do to the desert, to what He wanted to do to the heart

 

4. Spiritual Awakening is only the first step (Acts 26:17,18 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.)

 

1. Look at the process of a person’s spiritual awakening:

 

1. People’s eyes have to be opened – they are blind by nature
2. People have to be redirected from darkness to light

• And they have to be informed that they can be free from the power of Satan (the natural man’s puppeteer) to the power of God

1. ALL so that they can be given the forgiveness of sins, and an eternal inheritance in heaven

 

1. The first three steps are all part of spiritual awakening, the convincing and convicting of the sinner of both the truth and his desperate need
2. That last step is the receiving of the free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23 …the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.)
3. The problem occurs when a person becomes spiritually aware of things, and becomes concerned about spiritual things, but never gets converted
4. Everything in a person’s life up to the time of their salvation is leading them to something called “repentance” – not penance, but a determined change of heart towards God
5. The sad things is, most people only get on the train of religion, but never find Jesus as their Saviour!

 

1. In simple terms:

 

1. Spiritual Awakening is an awareness that you need God
2. Conversion is a complete change, a transformation BY God

• Awakening is when a person begins to think they should start living better, or stop sinning, or go back to church, hug their wife and kids, put the drink down, start tithing, saying their prayers again, obeying the speed limit, etc.

1. Conversion is when a person is transformed from the inside out – changed BY the presence of God in their life (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.) – not by your own will power

 

5. The answer rests in settling your eternity based on:

 

1. The written words of God.

 

1. What does God say? – It’s not about your emotions! “I don’t feel anything,” or, “I don’t agree with your opinion,” or whatever is your reasoning! Find out what God said to do, and then, by faith alone, DO IT!!! Trusting that only GOD’S ways work!
2. What did Jesus promise you and me? Believe it, and live it!

 

1. The FINISHED WORK of Jesus Christ – no longer YOUR work! Believe that His blood completely paid for your sins!
2. A Christian is 100% sure of heaven because of Christ – period!

 

1. The Person Undisciplined in Prayer is Miserable – King Saul (1 Samuel 14:36-37  And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.   And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.)

 

1. One of the ingredients to Saul’s downfall was an undisciplined, disorderly prayer life – he often had to be reminded to pray, and then only prayed if he felt like it and only about what interested him, not about what God’s will might be
2. King Saul was a terrible king. His attitude towards God and towards others was dreadful – for the last 7 years of his life, all he wanted to do was to kill David.
3. He only prayed at desperate times – never developed a “walk with God”

 

1. He was Lazy in his prayer life. Not a priority – never see him up early to pray like David (Psalm 5:3   My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. ) or like Jesus (Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.)!
2. He was Last minute in his prayer life – always in final desperation!
3. He was Lost for words in his prayer life – didn’t really want to fellowship (open up his heart) with God. Just going through the motions (1Samuel 15:22,23 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.)

 

4. We were created to walk with God, and to fellowship with Him. It is in our nature to lean upon God. It is when we do not fulfil our design, that we become very miserable. The opposite to King Saul was King David!
5. What should the Christian’s walk with God be like?

 

1. A regular prayer time each morning – set aside and protected – people in this crazy world do meditation, and mental techniques: A Christian PRAYS!
2. A moment by moment choice to seek wisdom and strength from God (Josiah 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.)
3. A constant attitude of praise and thankfulness towards God for EVERYTHING – communing with God throughout the day, and night (Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.)
4. A desire to pray about EVERYTHING (1Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.)

 

1. When someone is ill – take time out right away to pray – even when they have run out of faith!
2. When things are going wrong, take time to pray, right then

• When things are great, stop and pray and praise God

 

6. When we are undisciplined in our prayer life, then our overall life will be miserable!
7. Prayer changes things! Especially your view on life!

 

1. The Person Unseparated from Sin is Miserable (1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.)

 

1. Two Examples:
   1. Lot (2 Peter 2:7,8 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)),
   2. and Solomon (1Kings 11:1 – 3 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;  Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.)
   3. They were Miserable because they lost fellowship with God
   4. They were Miserable because they lost their family
   5. They were Miserable because they lost their power

 

2. Who would want to spend their Christian life constantly grieving, hindering, quenching, and frustrating the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives?

 

1. Jesus Christ laid aside His power for a time to become man, like us. It was the power of the Holy Spirit that enabled Him to defeat every enemy and have joy in the face of such opposition – it is the same with you when you abide in Him!
2. It was the power of sin that ruined the wisest man ever (Solomon)

 

3. Sin will only ruin you (Romans 6:23a the wages of sin is death; James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.; )! May be fun for a while, but in the end, it will leave you ruined (Proverbs 20:17   Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.)
4. Do you know why some Christians are miserable and yet on their way to heaven? Because their sin is more important to them than God!

 

1. The Person Unwilling to Witness for the Lord is Miserable – (Jeremiah 20:7-9 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.  For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.  Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.; Romans 10:11   For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.)

 

1. The person who has been born-again, having accepted the gift of God’s saving grace through faith in Jesus Christ, will find it very hard NOT to open his mouth and tell somebody about it! You will have to work VERY hard to keep quiet… if you are saved!
2. We have bought the lie of the devil, just as Jeremiah did for a season, that we will be better off if we just keep our mouths shut about our relationship with Jesus
3. Jeremiah teaches us – you only will be miserable

 

1. All of his witnessing had only gotten him in trouble
2. But the minute he stopped passing on God’s words to the people, he became REALLY miserable – worse off

 

4. The happiest Christian alive is the one who has a clear conscience, and clean hands (Acts 26:2 Paul, in chains said, “I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:”) – clean from the blood of their family, and their neighbours, and their co-workers.

 

1. To have done what we know must be done releases us from guilt and shame (remember Peter’s misery after he has denied knowing Jesus 3 times)!

 

1. The Person Uncertain of the Will of God is Miserable – (Luke 10:38-42   Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.   And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.)

 

1. Martha just had at least 13 grown men show up at her home unexpectedly. It was evening, and she clearly didn’t know what to do for them. She began running around her kitchen trying to put together a feast, wearing herself out – and then Jesus helped her see that there was only one thing needful at that moment – get close to Him!
2. Sometimes, we are uncertain of God’s will, and unsure what our next steps should be.

 

1. We were sure of God’s will that we repent and trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour
2. We were sure of God’s will that we study the Bible
3. But we may not be all that sure of whether God has a mate for us, or just what job to get into, or whether we should move here or there or what we should be doing with our lives

 

3. They key is in knowing what God has clearly defined as right to do, and make sure that we are busy doing those things – and only then will we see His hand in directing our lives toward the other things
4. What is God’s clearly defined and expressed will? It is summed up in Mathew 6:33 where Jesus told us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”  It is called the “Narrow Way” in Matthew 7:13,14

 

1. That everyone, everywhere repent, and trust Jesus Christ to save them – the will of God for your life (2Peter 3:9)
2. That everyone, everywhere get baptized and join up with a Bible-believing church (Matthew 28:19)
3. That everyone, everywhere witness the gospel to everyone, everywhere (Mark 6:15)
4. That everyone, everywhere be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
5. That everyone, everywhere be thankful for everything (Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 5:19)
6. That everyone, everywhere be servants (Ephesians 5:20)
7. That everyone, everywhere suffer through every trial as CHRISTIANS (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3; 12:12; 2Corinthians 1:4)

 

5. If you put those principles in motion in your life (not just sitting there, waiting for a sudden revelation from heaven), it is guaranteed that you will find yourself in God’s time, right in the middle of God’s will, with the greatest peace of heart imaginable!

 

• Conclusion –

 

1. Thomas was Unsure of His Salvation, and was Miserable. He (like many of us) was miserable because:
   1. There was no change in his life (2 Corinthians 5:17)
   2. There was no supernatural love for other Christians in his heart (1John 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.)
   3. There is no chastisement in his walk (Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?).
   4. Are you trusting in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, or anything else?

 

1. King Saul was Undisciplined in Prayer, and was Miserable.

 

1. Miserable because he was:

 

1. Lazy in his prayer life. Not a priority
2. Last minute in his prayer life
3. Lost for words in his prayer life – didn’t really want to fellowship (open up his heart) with God. Just going through the motions

 

2. What should the Christian’s walk with God be?

 

1. A regular prayer time each morning – set aside, and protected
2. A moment by moment choice to seek wisdom and strength from God
3. A constant attitude of praise and thankfulness towards God for EVERYTHING – communing with God throughout the day, and night
4. A desire to pray about EVERYTHING

 

1. Lot and Solomon were Unseparated from Sin and were Miserable.

 

1. Miserable because they lost fellowship with God
2. Miserable because they lost their family (Psalm 106:35-37)
3. Miserable because they lost their power (2Timothy 2:21).

 

1. Jeremiah was briefly Unable to Witness for the Lord and was Miserable. The happiest Christian alive is the one who has a clear conscience, and clean hands – clean from the blood of their family, and their neighbours, and their co-workers. To have done what we know must be done releases us from guilt and shame (see Peter’s misery after he has denied knowing Jesus 3 times)!
2. Martha was Uncertain of the Will of God and was Miserable.

 

1. Don’t wear yourself out only doing what you THINK is good
2. Do the will of God – you know, the will that you thought you would not want to do!
3. You will never be happier!

 

1. How about YOU?