MOURN FOR THERE ARE FEW MOURNERS
James 4:1-10
Introduction:
I want you to consider what is happening as we approach the end times. We are in the last days before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many signs that make us aware of the times. Among those is the change attitude toward the Word of God and His people.
Looking to the Word of God we see what God says about these changes and what they are. These changes ought to make us mourn for what is happening.
I. FOR THE REMOVING OF LANDMARKS
A. They have changed the bounds that God has set, Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”
1. God has set our boundaries in His Word, Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
2. God has set these boundaries for our good, Deuteronomy 6:2-3, “That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3- Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.”
B. The wrath of God will fall on those who remove the landmarks, Hosea 5:10, “The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.”
1. God’s wrath will swallow them up, Psalm 21:9, “Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.”
2. He that adds to or takes from the Word of God will suffer God’s wrath, Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19- And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
II. MOURN FOR THE CONTEMPT FOR AUTHORITY.
A. Men are spitting in the face of authority today, Proverbs 18:3, “When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.”
1. The wicked, Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”
2. The reproach those that stand for the truth, 1 Peter 4:4, 14, “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”
B. They make the Word of God ineffective, Mark 7:13, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
1. They corrupt the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 2:17, “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”
2. The handle the Word of God deceitfully, 2 Corinthians 4:2, “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
III. MOURN FOR THE PROFANENESS OF THE LAND
A. America is like the man in the gospel who had “a spirit of an unclean devil”, Luke 4:33, “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34-Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.”
B. There appears to be no repentance in the land, Romans 2:4-5, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5- But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”
IV. MOURN THAT THERE ARE SO FEW MOURNERS
A. God’s people seem to be in a slumber, Isaiah 29:10-11, “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11- And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:”
B. The world continues getting worse as it was in the days of Noah, Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
C. Even some churches are unconcerned, Revelation 3:15-16, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16- So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
CONCLUSION
Are we concerned that things are changing and that the Gospel is not being preached. Do we pray that God will use us to reach those that we love – our family, our friends or those that we work with?
Perhaps all we think about is ourselves and our pleasure and peace. God help us to mourn for the lost and pray that God will use us for His glory.