Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE CURSE OF MEROZ

1. Rarely has God employed such strong words to show His displeasure with some of His people:
   1. In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned against God, He cursed the ground for their sakes - Gen. 3:18, 19
   2. Moses enumerated the blessings and the curses to Israel - Deut. 28:
2. Deborah is the speaker for the angel:
   1. She was a natural leader, very gifted.
   2. She recounted the events leading to the victory God gave His people during the battle with the enemy.

1. The hour of great crisis:
   1. The context of Judges 5 shows that the battle between Israel and Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, brought on a great crisis for Israel and God's cause.
   2. There was visible danger that Israel would be subjected to brutal treatment and slavery if they lost the battle.
2. In the face of all this, the inhabitants were totally indifferent and inactive:
   1. They paid no attention to the crisis.
   2. They cared less to see Israel lose the battle.
   3. Their crime against God and His church was doing nothing while others laid down their lives on the battlefield.
3. All this suggests:
   1. That God's cause comes first - Matt. 6:33
   2. To be indifferent to His cause is high treason - that was the sin of Meroz!
   3. Here is a real lesson for all the members in the church of God; let us heed it!
   4. I have difficulty reading the curse pronounced upon Meroz and not be affected by its moral lesson.

1. We all are, by our very relationship to Christ, co- workers with God:
   1. He has identified with us in that He took the nature of the seed of Abraham - Heb. 2:14-16
   2. He gave Himself to save us from destruction - Gal. 2:20; John 3:16
   3. He has placed at our disposal the resources of heaven.
2. God has, therefore a right to use the redeemed in His battle with Satan:
   1. To fail the Lord in the hour of need is a sin that will bring swift retribution.
   2. The Sin of Meroz was a sin of total indifference to the cause of God.
3. That sin was a sin of inaction:
   1. We have no information why those people failed to come to the help of the Lord.
   2. But that does not remove the curse.
4. Let us note, briefly, the seriousness of inaction in the church of God:
   1. Souls may be lost because of our doing nothing.
   2. Our own indifference to the work of God, doubtlessly, discourages others to do their honest part.
   3. The real danger of inaction is that we will be lost just because we are doing nothing.
5. Why I bring this strong message to this congregation:
   1. We are about to enter upon a strong soul winning campaign in this community.
   2. We have, what we believe, worthy objectives to double the membership of this church.
   3. Some of you are planning on doing your part to make the effort a success.
   4. But I fear that there are some in this audience that have not, as yet, seen the seriousness of our undertaking.
   5. You may feel that it is up to the preacher and his associates to make the coming campaign a success.
   6. But will you believe that God wants every one of us to do our part to win in the effort? God help us.