We can fall from grace
1. About 40 years ago my parents rented an old farm in the state of Illinois.
2. While mom and dad were busy on move in day, my sister and I began to explore our new surroundings.
3. Inside this large house was something I had never seen –a wooden box located in a bathroom.
4. I could see that something was at the bottom of this box but my arms were not long enough to reach it.
5. This box turned out to be a laundry chute – it allowed people to drop clothes from a bathroom to the basement.
6. Since the chute had been nailed shut with a board, I came up with a plan to get what was at the bottom of this box.
7. I decided to brace my feet against the sides of the box, grab the item, and then climb out of this strange container.
8. If the bottom of this box was not sturdy enough to support my weight, I felt like my plan would keep me safe.
9. I got into the box without difficulty but my feet slipped from the sides of this laundry chute.
10. I have never fallen so fast, so hard, and so completely in my life.
11. Before I knew it I was sitting on the basement floor of my new home.
THANKFULLY I WAS NOT INJURED BY THIS MISHAP; NOW, FOUR DECADES LATER, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THREE POINTS WHICH CAN ALL BE RELATED TO MY FALL THROUGH AN OLD LAUNDRY CHUTE.
FIRST, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO FALL. SECOND, THERE WAS A REASON FOR MY FALL. THIRD, THERE WERE SOME THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY FALL.
1) Other speakers have expressed appreciation for being invited to be part of this program and this is also true for me.
2) To those who invited me to come and speak, thank you.
3) To all who have helped make this day possible by cooking, cleaning, and doing other tasks, thank you.
4) It is always a joy to come and be part of this program.
5) When we look at life we know that it is possible to fall.
a) In the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm, people collapse day after day.
b) Some falls are gradual and others are immediate.
c) Some falls are relatively minor – we may be bruised and skinned up a bit, but we are basically okay.
d) Others falls cripple someone for life or result in death.
e) As we think about our topic, let’s bear in mind some basic truths about falling in the spiritual realm.
f) It is possible to fall, falling is frequently a process, and some do not fall as far or as hard as others.
g) We might also be helped by considering one other little detail.
6) Individuals can fall – we probably already know this – but so can congregations.
7) The place where we worship may have fallen in the past, it be falling right now, or fall in the future.
a) Our first passage for consideration this morning comes from the book of Revelation.
b) In the latter half of the first chapter we find some vivid descriptions of Jesus.
c) In Rev. 1:13 we find the Lord being described as someone who is actually “walking” somewhere.
d) Let’s start with this verse – Rev. 1:13 – READ
8) Jesus is described as “walking” among the “candlesticks” (some translations might say “lampstands”).
9) We may already know the book of Revelation is filled with symbols and this is helpful information.
10) At the end of Rev. 1:20 we are told what the “candlesticks” (lampstands) in verse 13 represent.
11) In Rev. 1:20 John said the candlesticks represent the local congregations of Christ’s church.
a) By combining Rev. 1:13, 20 we learn that Jesus is “walking” among the congregations of His people.
b) As a farmer walks in His field to inspect His crops, so the Lord is always in the middle of His people.
c) This fact tells us the Lord knows exactly what is going in the place where worship.
d) He knows the strengths and weaknesses of every local congregation that belongs to Him.
e) He knows every problem in every congregation as well as every good thing that is taking place.
12) Bearing this fact in mind, let’s look at the next chapter – Rev. 2.
13) Rev. 2:5 is the first verse to look at from this chapter – READ
a) This text is instructive for several reasons.
b) First, based on what has already been said, we know that a local congregation is being described.
c) Jesus said this congregation (Ephesus—verse 1) was “fallen.”
14) Can a congregation of Christ’s church fall? Yes!
15) There were “fallen” congregations in the first century, and people have not changed very much.
16) Today there are still congregations the Lord looks at and says: “You are fallen.”
17) It is a very serious matter when God looks at a single Christian or an entire congregation and says:
18) “YOU ARE FALLEN!”
19) When we come to our second point we will examine some of the reasons WHY people and congregations fall.
a) For now let’s look at something else found in Rev. 2:5.
b) After saying this congregation had fallen Jesus issued a command: “Repent.”
20) If we – individually or congregationally – fall, can we be restored? Yes.
a) The Bible says God does not want anyone (individually) to perish (2 Pet. 3:9).
b) We find a similar thing true for congregations – Christ wants all His churches to be right with Him.
c) The congregation in Rev. 2 had fallen, but it had not fallen so far that Jesus had removed it.
d) Notice again what the end of this verse says – “repent or else.”
e) The Lord said: Repent or “I will move thy candlestick out of its place.”
21) A congregation can “fall” in the sense that it is not completely pleasing to the Lord.
a) When a congregation come to this stage, it is “on the clock.”
b) God says a time can come when He will cut off a congregation that has fallen and will not repent.
22) What we see with congregations is also what we see with individual Christians.
a) We are going to continue to the book of Revelation, but we need to make a brief detour.
b) Let’s take a few moments to look at some information in the book of Galatians.
c) This book was written to a congregation, but we also seen an emphasis on individuals in this letter.
d) Things like the “fruit of the Spirit” were certainly responsibilities for individual Christians.
23) In the first chapter of the book we find these words – Gal. 1:6 – READ
24) The tense of the verb in this verse tells us this action was on-going.
25) Rather than having separated themselves from Christ, these Christians were in the process of apostasy.
26) At least some of the Christians who received this letter had not completely or fully fallen.
27) We see this point demonstrated again a little later – Gal. 5:7.
28) Here Paul spoke about those who were being “hindered.”
a) Just like congregations, Christians can enter into a state where they start falling away from Christ.
b) In many instances this process is one that begins fairly slowly.
c) Falling away from the faith may be like erosion…it takes place so slowly it is hard to see.
d) Then one day a Christian is like a man hanging on to a cliff with one hand or a few fingers.
e) Finally brethren slip from the cliff and are in a free-fall headed quickly headed to spiritual death.
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30) Staying with this same chapter but backing up a few verses – Gal. 5:4 – READ
31) I like the ASV rendering of this verse because “sever” is very clear.
32) Congregations and individual Christians can fall so far from the Lord they are literally cut off from Him.
SINCE WE KNOW THAT INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS AND CONGREGATIONS CAN NOT ONLY FALL BUT FALL SO FAR THEY ARE ACTUALLY CUT OFF FROM CHRIST AND SALVATION, WE MUST GIVE SOME ATTENTION TO THE MATTER OF “WHY PEOPLE AND CONGREGATIONS FALL.”
a) 40 years ago I know why I fell through a laundry chute.
b) I did something I should not have done.
2) This is the same reason why Christians and congregations fall, and often fall hard, fast, and far.
3) The Bible is full of people and groups that have done things they should not have done.
4) We could start our list of examples Adam and Eve and go on from there.
5) The first couple did something they knew to be wrong and they fell.
6) Those in the days of Noah also chose to do what was wrong and they fell.
7) Some might claim those in Noah’s day did not know right from wrong.
8) Since Noah is called a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5); those who died in the flood had been warned.
9) Those in Sodom and Gomorrah fell because they did things God had not authorized.
10) The nation of Israel had many failings and fallings because of its desire to choose sin over righteousness.
11) New Testament congregations also had various fallings.
a) I said we were going to return to the book of Revelation so let’s do that now.
b) Most know that John wrote to “seven congregations” and that these are listed in Rev. 2-3.
12) If we look at these seven congregations on a map, we find there were more than 7 congregations in this area.
13) 7 is a number that often describes completeness or fullness – our weeks consist of 7 days.
14) Jesus apparently chose 7 congregations to represent what congregations would be like throughout time.
15) These 7 congregations were real groups of Christians in real places.
16) The good and bad the bad in these congregations describes what most congregations will be like throughout time.
a) Let’s see what caused some congregations to fall as well as exposed them to the threat of being cut off.
b) We start with Rev. 2:4 – READ
17) The congregation at Ephesus had “left its first love.
a) John does not specifically describe what this “first love” was.
b) We may be able to interpret his thought by thinking about the relationships in our world.
c) What happens when two people fall in love? What feelings do people have when the love bug bites?
d) After a person falls in love, are things often the same 25 years later?
e) We know that many “fall out of love” – we see numerous cases of anger, and even divorce.
18) The Ephesians were still busy in the Christian life (verse 3), but it seems their motive had changed.
a) Perhaps they felt like they had to live the Christian life or Christianity was just a matter of habit.
b) When a person’s attitude or a congregations attitude is bad – they have probably started to fall.
c) Bad attitudes in the church as well as the Christian life are like a deadly disease to Christians.
d) If we do not want to fall, we must watch our attitude.
19) Rev. 2:14 was written to another congregation and it gives us another reason why some fall – READ
20) False doctrine causes people and congregations to fall.
21) The devil knows apostasy and falling go hand in hand and he does not hesitate to use this tool.
22) Another path to falling from a right relationship with God is found in Rev. 2:20 – READ
23) Immorality has caused God’s people to fall throughout the ages.
a) With the people we have here this morning I feel confident about making the following statement.
b) If we combined all our knowledge, this group could surely name 100 Christians who have fallen due to immorality.
24) If people and congregations do not fall for the preceding reasons, something else may get them.
25) Rev. 3:1 – READ
26) This congregation was apparently thinking all that mattered was a good reputation and they had that.
27) In some secular jobs, people may be able to survive on something like a reputation.
28) If this is our mindset in the spiritual realm, we are falling and may be very close to being “dead.”
29) If and when we start depending upon our reputation, we are on the road to apostasy.
30) The last congregation is one of the best known – Laodicea.
31) This church was “neither hot nor cold” – it was lukewarm.
32) When an individual or a congregation has a lukewarm commitment it is also in the process of falling.
33) Rev. 3:15 -16– READ
WE NOW KNOW THAT FALLING IS OFTEN A PROCESS, THAT FALLING INCLUDES INDIVIDUALS AND CONGREGATIONS, AND WHY FALLING CAN OCCUR. LET’S NOW TURN TO POINT 3: HOW DO WE PREVENT FALLING IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE AND IN THE PLACE WHERE WE WORSHIP?
a) We can answer this question by retracing our steps in Rev. 2-3.
b) Let’s start with Rev. 3:19 – READ
c) God is always examining His people, so we need to examine ourselves.
d) We need to be looking for deficiencies in our Christian life and in the place where we worship.
e) When we find shortcomings we need to “repent.”
f) If we want to avoid falling, we mus find and fix our spiritual shortcomings.
g) To avoid falling we must also choose to be a “hot” Christian and hot congregation (verse 16). Active.
2) Rev. 3:13 tells us we need to “hear” what the Spirit says through His word (all 7 churches were told to hear).
3) If we are not willing to hear (and by implication do what the Bible says), we are going to fall.
4) Rev. 3:12 tells us to be an “overcomer” (this word is associated with each congregation described in Rev. 2-3).
5) The word overcomer means we need to be a Christian and be truly active in the Lord’s service.
6) Those who let themselves “fall” and do not get back up are failures instead of overcomers.
7) Rev. 3:2-3 tells us to “watch” – this is another way we avoid falling.
8) We need to “keep God’s works to the end” (Rev. 2:26). Verse 25 says “hold fast” what is right.
9) If we avoid the “deep things of Satan” (Rev. 2:24) we take another step against falling.
10) We repeatedly work at avoiding immorality (sin), Rev. 2:20 and refuse to be involved with false teaching (2:14).
11) If we do not want to fall, we refuse to “Deny the faith” (Rev. 2:13).
12) If we are faithful to death – even to the point of being killed for Christianity (Rev. 2:10) – we avoid another type of fall.
13) We must “cling” to Christ and our first love (Rev. 2:4) if we want to avoid falling.
14) Falling physically is a terrible, terrible thing.
15) Falling spiritually can have eternal consequences.
16) May God help each one of us avoid spiritual collapse this day and throughout every day of our lives.
