““I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the LORD will do nothing to them, either good or bad.” (Zephaniah 1:12, NLT)
In the days of the prophet Amos, the rich were taking advantage of the poor. Court judges were being bribed. Foreign gods were worshipped in high places. Even religious leaders were falling away from God. Amos was sent by God to bring a message of God’s wrath. God was not only angry at the obvious sinners, but God was also angry with the average person who stood by and did nothing while all these sins were going on publicly. He proclaimed, “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion…. “ (Amos 6:1). It was no time in the history of God’s people to sit idly by while the faith was watered down, the truth was twisted, and God was dishonored. Judgment was pronounced upon those complacent people of faith. Less than forty years after Amos uttered these words, Israel was ravaged by war.
“Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain on the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. The second is rejection of things as they might be. “Good enough” becomes today’s watchword and tomorrow’s standard. Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course—downhill. They draw false strength from looking back.” (“Bits & Pieces”, May 28, 1992, p. 15). Christians who are complacent tend to say nothing when God is mocked. They look away rather than stand up for the faith. They walk away when the going becomes a little difficult. They are fair-weather Christians. If a person courageously stands up for God publicly, the complacent one will shoot the person down for daring to shake up the status quo or cause conflict.
In the book of Revelation, we are told that there were complacent Christians in Laodicea. Their faith was described by the apostle John of Patmos as “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16). God did not stand for it. God rejected them. The New Testament era Ephesian church was also criticized in Revelation. It too had the tendency to sit idly by instead of being faithful. John noted that these Christians “lost the love of God that they had at first” (Revelation 2:4). Their judgment was that they were “fallen” and “in need of repentance” (Revelation 2:5). Being complacent by backsliding or sitting idly by or doing nothing serious with your faith is reprehensible to God.
In the scripture reading from Zephaniah, included above, the rejection of complacency by God continues. Zephaniah proclaimed to the people of Jerusalem that God was going to search the city “and punish those who sit complacent in their sins” (Zephaniah 1:12). These followers thought God would not notice their little sins, their lack of spiritual backbone, their idle works. They were wrong.
I am very familiar with a church in a large city not too far away. It used to be a beautiful place of worship that held hundreds on a Sunday morning just fifty years ago. Then, the church got a series of complacent pastors. The congregation too became more and more unwilling to do things such as look for new members, lead engaging Sunday School classes, take on missions in the poor neighborhoods surrounding the church, or have spiritual retreats. The Pastor and congregation became more and more self-satisfied. They grew comfortable with their situation. As the pastor aged, so did the congregation. After two decades with the same pastor, the congregation began to settle for his usual sermons. They did not have the time to make up for the pastor’s lack of energy as he grew older. Today, that church is a museum, I kid you not! Now, people only come there to look at the past. There are no new Christians learning about God within its walls. The Sunday School rooms are so quiet you can hear a mouse skitter across the floor! What caused the church’s decline? Complacent people of faith who were content to sit on their laurels.
When was the last time you did something new and vital in the Spirit? How long has it been since you stood up for the faith and were noticed for your godly actions? The complacent are content to go to church and sit in a pew and take their faith no further. How about you? The complacent do not like those who shake up their world with a true revelation from God. The complacent may not respond well to a call for mission work. The complacent not only end up spiritually lazy, but they also suck the passion right out of the truly faithful. They are like a wet blanket on the actions of the Holy Spirit. Are you surrounded by complacent Christians? Have you become one? Is your church content to slowly die? Is your pastor too predictable?
Zephaniah attempted to shake the faithful out of their spiritual coma. It didn’t work. You too may be called by God to wake up those around you. I hope you get better results. Don't be surprised if God needs you to take action or go in a new direction. It's part of being in a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
“Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain on the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. The second is rejection of things as they might be. “Good enough” becomes today’s watchword and tomorrow’s standard. Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course—downhill. They draw false strength from looking back.” (“Bits & Pieces”, May 28, 1992, p. 15). Christians who are complacent tend to say nothing when God is mocked. They look away rather than stand up for the faith. They walk away when the going becomes a little difficult. They are fair-weather Christians. If a person courageously stands up for God publicly, the complacent one will shoot the person down for daring to shake up the status quo or cause conflict.
In the book of Revelation, we are told that there were complacent Christians in Laodicea. Their faith was described by the apostle John of Patmos as “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16). God did not stand for it. God rejected them. The New Testament era Ephesian church was also criticized in Revelation. It too had the tendency to sit idly by instead of being faithful. John noted that these Christians “lost the love of God that they had at first” (Revelation 2:4). Their judgment was that they were “fallen” and “in need of repentance” (Revelation 2:5). Being complacent by backsliding or sitting idly by or doing nothing serious with your faith is reprehensible to God.
In the scripture reading from Zephaniah, included above, the rejection of complacency by God continues. Zephaniah proclaimed to the people of Jerusalem that God was going to search the city “and punish those who sit complacent in their sins” (Zephaniah 1:12). These followers thought God would not notice their little sins, their lack of spiritual backbone, their idle works. They were wrong.
I am very familiar with a church in a large city not too far away. It used to be a beautiful place of worship that held hundreds on a Sunday morning just fifty years ago. Then, the church got a series of complacent pastors. The congregation too became more and more unwilling to do things such as look for new members, lead engaging Sunday School classes, take on missions in the poor neighborhoods surrounding the church, or have spiritual retreats. The Pastor and congregation became more and more self-satisfied. They grew comfortable with their situation. As the pastor aged, so did the congregation. After two decades with the same pastor, the congregation began to settle for his usual sermons. They did not have the time to make up for the pastor’s lack of energy as he grew older. Today, that church is a museum, I kid you not! Now, people only come there to look at the past. There are no new Christians learning about God within its walls. The Sunday School rooms are so quiet you can hear a mouse skitter across the floor! What caused the church’s decline? Complacent people of faith who were content to sit on their laurels.
When was the last time you did something new and vital in the Spirit? How long has it been since you stood up for the faith and were noticed for your godly actions? The complacent are content to go to church and sit in a pew and take their faith no further. How about you? The complacent do not like those who shake up their world with a true revelation from God. The complacent may not respond well to a call for mission work. The complacent not only end up spiritually lazy, but they also suck the passion right out of the truly faithful. They are like a wet blanket on the actions of the Holy Spirit. Are you surrounded by complacent Christians? Have you become one? Is your church content to slowly die? Is your pastor too predictable?
Zephaniah attempted to shake the faithful out of their spiritual coma. It didn’t work. You too may be called by God to wake up those around you. I hope you get better results. Don't be surprised if God needs you to take action or go in a new direction. It's part of being in a real relationship with Jesus Christ.