People Who Sleep In Church

TEXT: Acts 20:7-9

INTRODUCTION:

A. SOME PEOPLE SLEEP DURING MY SERMON! NOT GOOD, TAKE NOTES.

B. VARIOUS REASONS - NOT SINFUL- MAY INDICATE SIN( Heb. 5:11 ).

C. FIGURES OF SPEECH - "SLEEP" COMMON WITH VARIOUS MEANINGS.

I. SLEEP ASSOCIATED WITH LAZINESS( Prov. 6:6-11 ).

A. GOD'S DESIRE FOR US IS THAT WE WORK( 2 Thes. 3:10; Gen. 2:15 ).

1. To provide for our own( 1 Tim. 5:8 ).

2. To help others( Eph. 4:28 ).

B. LAZINESS MEETS WITH TRAGIC RESULTS.

1. Prov. 10:3-5. Frustration, poverty, shame!

2. Prov. 24:30-34. The field of the sluggard.

C. SO...( Prov. 20:13 ).

II. SLEEP OF IGNORANCE( Acts 16:23-29 ).

A. IGNORANCE AND SLEEP PARTNERS HERE. DISPEL HIS IGNORANCE

AND HE'S NOT SLEEPY ANYMORE. UNAWARE OF DANGERS OR

BLESSINGS.

B. BAD CONDITION TO BE IN.

1. Some are ignorant of God( Rom. 1:28 ). Some willfully.

2. Some are ignorant of God's plan( Rom. 10:1-3; 1 Tim. 1:13 ).

3. Some are ignorant of Satan's devices( 2 Cor. 2:11 ).

4. Leads to gross sin( Eph. 4:17-19 ).

5. Leads to judgment( Acts 17:30-31 ).

III. SLEEP IS THAT DULLNESS OF MIND THAT SETS ITSELF IN IMMORALITY.

A. Eph. 5:6-14. A CONDITION TO BE AWAKENED FROM.

B. 1 Thes. 5:6-10. CONTRASTED WITH SOBER WATCHFUL LIVING.

C. A CALL TO WAKE UP!( Rom. 13:11-14 ).

IV. SLEEP IS A LACK OF PREPARATION( Mark 13:33-37 ).

A. JESUS MAY COME( Mat. 24:36, 42-44 ).

B. YOU MAY DIE( James 4:13-14 ).

V. SLEEP ACCOMPANIES WEARINESS AND SORROW( Luke 22:44-45 ).

A. CHRIST'S PROMISE( Mat. 5:4 ).

B. PAUL'S PROMISE( Gal. 6:9 ).

1. We are God's choice( Phil. 2:12-13; 4:13 ).

2. We must have patience( Heb. 12:1-2 ).

VI. SLEEP AND SPIRITUAL DEATH( 1 Cor. 11:30 ).

A. SAINTS CAN FALL( Gal. 5:4; 1 Tim. 1:19 ).

B. THEY ARE ENEMIES AGAIN( Phil. 3:18 ).

VII. SLEEP CAN BE THE BLESSING OF REST.

A. IN THIS WORLD( Phil. 4:8 ).

B. AFTER THIS WORLD.

1. David( 2 Sam. 7:12; Luke 16:23 ).

2. 1 Thes. 4:13-14. Awake at the resurrection.