The Church in Peril

THE CHURCH IN PERIL

Lamentations 5:9

We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

2 Timothy 3:1

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 Corinthians 11:22-27

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Definition of the Word “Peril”

Most standard dictionaries will give you these definitions of the word “Peril” as 1) A chance of harm, 2) Imminent danger, 3) Dangerous, 4) Deadly, and 5) To be in jeopardy. 

The definition of “Peril” certainly fits the world that we live in today.  Today there is much peril all around us.  The Bible makes it clear that the Church has always been in peril.

Examination of Our Texts

Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations.  Lamentations is a poem of the hardships of the people of Israel.  In this poem Jeremiah reminds us that the nation of Israel had to search for food, “with the peril of our lives” while they traveled through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  The time of the Sojourn was a “Perilous Time”, it was a very dangerous time, where the lives of the people were constantly being threatened.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to Timothy that the Last Days would be “Perilous Times”.  The Last Days certainly have proven to be a dangerous time, and as time goes by it will only get more dangerous.

The Church is “A Damsel in Distress”

Literature, both past and present, is filled with many examples of the “Damsel in Distress”.  The Church is the “Damsel” of Christ.  We are His Bride. 

If we could see the “Peril” that the Church is in by comparing it to the literary references of modern times, we would see the Church tied up on a railroad track with a train barreling down the track.

Like Penelope of literature, we are in peril!  Our life is in jeopardy!  We are facing imminent danger! 

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

What will we do?  We need to recognize the foremost perils that we face. We are in constant peril!  We are in danger!  At no time are we safe!  At all times we are in peril!

Our Foremost Perils

The Peril of Apostasy- We are facing the great danger of the false gospel.  False teachers, preachers, prophets, doctrines, bibles, churches, and even Christs abound.  There is much confusion over what to believe and where to go to church.  This is our single greatest threat.  There have been many that were once true that have been caught up in apostasy.  Apostasy is peeking into the windows of our churches!  Apostasy is stalking us!

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

The Peril of Lukewarmness- This is another great peril.  People are losing their burning heart for God.  They are growing lukewarm and some are even cold.  You and I are facing this peril.  Lukewarmness is sneaking up on us!  Lukewarmness is creeping up on us!  Lukewarmness is lurking around the corner!

 

Matthew 24:12

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Revelation 3:16

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

The Peril of Selfishness- Selfishness is becoming caught up in what you want so much that you forget that there are others that have needs and feelings.  This is the ultimate expression of worldliness.  Selfishness is taking over when we do not care for the feelings of others, when we are not touched by compassion for those in need, when we lose our burden for the lost, and when we are not willing to give to help out others in need.  Selfishness is lurking in the dark and watching us!

 

Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

The Peril of Worldliness- Worldliness expresses itself in materialism, the love of money, fashion, music, sports, entertainment, and even our careers.  We must be careful because worldliness is stalking us.  When we become more concerned for the world than the Kingdom of God then we are worldly.  Worldliness is stalking us!

 

1 John 2:15

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

The Peril of Character- When I say character, I am referring to a crisis of character that we are facing today.  People today do not feel the need to be honest, to tell the truth, to treat others fairly, to be faithful to their marriages and families, and to be polite and respectful.  This crisis of character is stalking the Church as well!  We must be on guard!

 

Colossians 3:12-15

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

The train is racing toward us down the track!  We are being pushed towards the edge of the cliff!  The stalker is sneaking up behind us with a knife!  The finger is pulling the trigger!  The snake is slithering toward us!  The dog is about to bite!  We are being chased and a root is up ahead for us to trip on!  The sun is setting and it is getting dark!  The music is reaching a crescendo!  We are in peril!

Our Hero Will Rescue Us from Peril

In all of the stories of peril there is always a hero that comes to the rescue the damsel right at the last minute.  We also have a hero!  Our hero will come to our rescue right on time!

 

Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Jesus is our Hero!  He rescues us from the train!  He catches us when we fall from the cliff!  He apprehends the stalker with the knife!  He takes the bullet for us!  He puts his heel on the head of the snake!  He chases the dog away!  He is our hero!

Jesus is our Knight in Shinning Armor!  Jesus is our Super Hero!  We don’t need a Superman or a Batman!  We have Jesus!  He is our Super Hero!

In all of these Cliffhangers there is always a hero that comes swooping in at the last second and rescues the Damsel!

Penelope Pittstop will always be rescued by her hero.

Nell had her Dudley Do Right!

Lois Lane had her Superman!

Jane had her Tarzan.

Olive Oil was always rescued by Popeye.

Princess Aurora will be rescued by Prince Phillip.

Mary Jane is always rescued by Spider Man.

Walker Texas Ranger always rescued Alex at the last minute!

Our enemy may have that sinister laugh, but we will always get the last laugh!

We are in peril!  But we also have a Hero!  The Bible is the story of the triumph of Good over Evil!  Good conquers evil in the end!  Our hero will show up in time to rescue us!  “Someday our Prince will come!”  He will swoop down on a cloud to gather His Church.  In the Second Coming He will ride a White Horse!  He is our Knight in Shinning Armor!