Falling Off the Cliff I. Introduction: Danger of getting too close to the edge of a cliff. a. Fiscal Cliff i. We ve been hearing for a couple of months about the fiscal cliff. 1. Expiration of many tax cuts 2. 1.2 trillion dollars worth of across-the-board cuts to domestic and defense programs ii. It was the belief of many economists that if something had not done, going over the fiscal cliff would have had detrimental effects on the U.S. economy. 1. Like falling off a cliff. iii. Of course, we all know that the government backed away from the cliff by hurriedly passing some stop-gap legislation. b. Cliff Illustration i. Picture of cliff ii. How close are you willing to get to the edge? 1. Are you willing to get all the way to the edge and look out over the water? 2. Are you willing to see how far you can step without falling off? iii. How close would you get if you are warned that you could die if you got too close? c. Spiritual Application i. Do we flirt with danger? 1. Play with fire? 2. Get too close to the edge? ii. In our illustration, the cliff s edge is sin and when you fall over the edge, it is almost certain death. 1. A few might be able to survive the fall and be able to be rescued back to safety, but for most the fall brings about death. iii. Many are tempted to get up to the edge of sin but are convinced they can handle it and won t fall over the edge. iv. We deceive ourselves. 1. James 1:14-16, But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fullgrown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 2. We can flirt with sin and not get burnt.
d. Today s sermon. i. Title, Falling Off the Cliff ii. What are some examples where we might get too close to the edge? iii. When are we dangerously close to falling off the edge? II. Covetousness a. Christians know the dangers of covetousness. i. Luke 12:15, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. 1. Followed by the parable of the rich man who had the attitude of eat, drink, and be merry. 2. Vs. 20, But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? ii. Jesus pointed out the senseless nature of the desire for physical things to the neglect of spiritual things. 1. Matthew 16:26, For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? iii. These are points that we know. 1. Should not covet. 2. Riches are temporary. 3. We need to focus on heavenly riches instead of earthly treasures. b. But do we struggle with the temptation of riches and covetousness? i. I think the answer is obvious. ii. Can covetousness and materialism lead someone away from God? 1. Like the example of Demas 2. 2 Timothy 4:10, for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world. iii. 1 Timothy 6:9-10, But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1. Paul points out how dangerous it is to desire to be rich or to love money. a. Drown b. Destruction and perdition c. Pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 2. But I want you to notice who he is warning.
a. He s writing to Timothy, warning him about these dangers. b. He points out that some Christians have strayed from the faith in their greediness. 3. So should it surprise us that we might struggle with this issue? iv. Jesus pointed out the difficulty of being rich and being faithful to God. 1. Matthew 19:23-24, Then Jesus said to His disciples, Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. 2. Notice it doesn t say a man who loves riches, but it says a rich man. 3. Why is it so hard? a. Because riches are easy to fall in love with. b. And what you love is what you end up serving. 4. Matthew 6:24, No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. c. Questions. i. How common is covetousness, greediness, and materialism? 1. I m guessing that most of you will agree that it is very common. ii. How many people will admit that they are covetous? 1. Probably not many. 2. I like having nice things, but I m not covetous. iii. Are you covetous? iv. What is so wrong with wanting things? 1. Because it takes away our focus. 2. To make it to heaven, we need a single-minded focus to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. d. Our biggest issue is that we want it both ways. i. We want to serve God, but we also want the things of the world. ii. As long as we can have our earthly treasures, we ll do everything else. 1. Like the rich young ruler. 2. Luke 18, he wanted to follow Jesus but he didn t want to give up his possessions. iii. We want to be a rich Christian.
iv. With those desires, we are walking dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. 1. At some point we are likely to slip and fall. 2. At the point when our love for things surpasses our love for God. III. Evil Influence a. The scriptures teach us about the danger of evil influences. i. 1 Timothy 3:2-5, And from such people turn away! ii. 1 Samuel 8:20, that we also may be like all the nations iii. Proverbs 22:24-25, Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. b. Paul s warns the Corinthians multiple times about this danger. i. 2 Corinthians 6:14, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 1. We need to have influence on non-christians. a. Jesus did. b. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. 2. But Jesus was not yoked together with them. 3. The Corinthians were guilty of too close of relationships with unbelievers which led them to partake of the sins of unbelievers, in particular idolatry. ii. Paul had warned the Corinthians earlier about the danger of these types of relationships. 1. 1 Corinthians 15:33, Do not be deceived, Evil company corrupts good habits. 2. In the context of the resurrection. a. Some believed there was no resurrection from the dead. i. Some among you. Vs. 12 ii. Some of the Corinthians. iii. Some who professed to be Christians. b. Paul is warning them about being influenced by these companions. i. Even Christians can be bad influences. 3. Listen to Paul s point in vs. 34. a. Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. b. In other words, WAKE UP.
c. Some don t have the knowledge of God. Close relationships with these people won t help you to do what is right. iii. Even earlier, Paul had warned the Corinthians about this same type of danger. 1. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 2. There was sexual immorality in the church. 3. Paul s point is that they could not continue to allow this behavior in the church. a. Why? i. Because it will influence others to do similarly. 4. The lesson is about evil influence. c. Falling off the cliff of evil influence. i. Back to our illustration. ii. We deceive ourselves by convincing that these relationships won t affect us. 1. How many times have we witnessed this happen with young people? a. Raised in a Christian home. b. Get involved with the wrong group of friends. c. And where does that take them? i. Over the cliff. ii. Extremely difficult to climb back up the cliff. 2. We ve also witnessed this happen with dating and marriage. a. A young Christian makes a habit of dating non- Christians. b. Ends up getting in a serious relationship with a non- Christian. c. And, 9 times out of 10, ends up going over the cliff and away from God. i. Extremely difficult to get climb back up the cliff. 3. I think you also see this in the workplace. a. A Christian works in a place with no other Christians. b. He spends more time around his co-workers than his family or his brethren.
c. He makes close friendships with non-christians who are involved in immoral activities. d. What happens? Eventually he falls off the cliff and engages in these activities. i. Extremely difficult to climb back up the cliff.