Gutter-Crawling Drunk
Jesus, in one of His messages to the disciples, warned them about being drunk on the cares of this life. I have used that text many times, in things I have written or preached over the years. It’s amazing when you look at a portion of scripture that you have read, and something else seems to jump out at you. That’s one of the reasons that the Word of God is called the “Living Word”. But that’s another sermon, so let me get back on track.
In Luke twenty-one Jesus was explaining to the disciples what would be the signs of His coming, and what was to take place just before this glorious event. He spoke of wars, earthquakes, storms, and a myriad of other things that would take place in that time. In fact, if you have watched the news, or read the newspaper, over the last couple of weeks, you just might begin to believe we are living in the last days! Everywhere you turn, there is trouble and turmoil. It’s not safe to walk the streets is most this country’s cities after dark. In fact, simply going to the local Wal-Mart can be dangerous to your health in some sections of town.
So often, we speak of the good old days. It seems as we get older, things in the past begin to look better than the day in which we live. I think much of what we use to evaluate the good old days, is based on the television and movie impressions of those days. Dad always wore a suit to work. Mom was always in her kitchen, every hair in place, wearing a cute little apron, baking a batch of cookies for the kids soon to come home from school. Everything was just so, so and perfect to boot. If you remember your childhood like that, you really weren’t there, or you came from a much different environment than that in which I grew up.
Even discussing the time in which Jesus lived, we think of it as peaceful and idyllic. No time clocks to punch, no surging oil prices, and no one cutting you off in traffic. But was it really that great? When Jesus said, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares”, in Luke 21:34, did they really have that many problems to deal with? Let’s think this through. Israel was under the control of a Roman Dictator. They had a high priest who was not of the priestly line and had been appointed by the Roman Governor. They could be kicked out of the church or stoned because of some infraction of the religious law, and on top of all that, they had to make a living in a dry and barren country where only the rich had any money. Cares of this life? Yeah boy, that had a few.
And Jesus has the audacity to tell them, don’t let things going on around you detract from the main thing. But not only the cares of this life, he said don’t let you hearts be overcharged (burdened) with surfeiting and drunkenness. Now I thought I had done all there was to do as a sinner, but I couldn’t remember ever surfeiting! In the Greek, the word means to have a headache from drinking too much. Holy Smokes, just when I thought I had confessed all my sins, now I have to repent of surfeiting!
Jesus gave them a warning. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the alcohol and parting lifestyle, physically and spiritually, and that day slip up on you because your senses were dulled by the physical and spiritual drink that suppresses the knowledge of walking properly before God. Paul spoke along these same lines in Ephesians five. “15. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”.
I am afraid sometimes, that there are many who call themselves Christians, who have become paranoid and fearful as they see things unfold around them, and they lose sight of what the Word of God says. Yes, judging by only the news media, things look bad in the world today. If all we had to go by was the evening news, we might just become so intoxicated by the cares of this life that we lose track of who and what we are. I know a number of people, some very close to me, who have found no way to cope but in the bottle and drugs. That is what Jesus cautioned about. That’s an easy solution on the surface, but it only leads to destruction.
When you begin to see these things come to pass, lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near. Don’t become one of those gutter-crawling Christians, so intoxicated by the things of life, that you fail to see that God has already revealed to us what is going to happen.
In the Wind
Double D