Several years ago, there was an article in the
newspaper about a schoolteacher in a city in Alaska who
lost his job because of his
lengthy record of being tardy for his classes. It was revealed that the
teacher
had a real problem about being hard to wake up in the mornings. His
wife related
that it was nearly impossible to awaken her husband. Instead of one
alarm
clock, several were used, but to no avail. Various methods were also
used to
arouse him from a deep sleep, but such were generally unsuccessful.
This
individual stated that his problem was inherited and was actually a
sickness. One
could not help but have some sadness in learning about his plight. But
on the
other hand, the story could be considered humorous except for the
seriousness
of the matter. I am reminded of the passage in Proverbs 20:13 that
reads, “Do not love sleep, lest you come to
poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with
bread.”
The ‘sleeping teacher’ is not alone. The church is
blessed with many ‘sleeping brethren’ who are very
difficult to arouse out of
slumber. I speak not simply of physical encephalitis. Spiritual
sleepiness is
quite often manifested by the outward actions. Take for example members
who
drag in late for the periods of Bible study on Sunday morning and
Wednesday
evening (that is if they come at all). If they treated their employers
in the
same manner that they treat the Lord, they like the teacher would be
fired from
their jobs. And there is the slothful singing of many Christians that
is
indicative of a drowsy heart. There were members of the church in
Corinth who
lived in such a manner and who manifested a very low interest in the
worship,
especially in the failure to rightly discern the body of Jesus while
partaking
of the Lord’s Supper, that Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:30,
“For this reason many are weak and sick
among you, and many sleep.” That is to say they were dead
spiritually speaking.
The spirit of Eutychus is still with us also (Acts 20:9). Jokingly we
often say
that after the preacher’s sermon there is a ‘great
awakening.’ How often have
you endeavored to get brethren to work, and they habitually drag their
feet. The
root of the problem is not so much a physical malady as it is a
diseased heart.
It is rank apathy and lethargy, that is, a state of drowsiness and
listlessness
brought on by a lack of concern for spiritual matters. The exhortation
given by
the apostle Paul in Romans
12:11
is “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord.”
I well remember the unique manner of one of my college
instructors in awakening students from their slumber during class. He
would
speak loudly the student’s name and then he would quote the
passage found in Ephesians
5:14, “Awake, you who sleep, Arise
from
the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
Brethren we need to know “that now it is high time to
awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first
believed.” Otherwise, it is most likely that many members
will be found lacking
on the Day of Judgment.
