Eliminating Apathy
2 Samuel 11:1-5
INTRODUCTION:
We’ve all felt it at some point—that tendency to care less, to disengage, to go through the motions without passion or purpose. It’s called apathy—a state of indifference, a lack of enthusiasm, a condition where nothing really moves us anymore.
Apathy is dangerous in any area of life. It affects relationships, careers, and personal growth. But nowhere is it more destructive than in our walk with Christ.
Jesus spoke directly to this spiritual indifference when He addressed the church in Laodicea:
15 “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV)
Is there anything worse than a mouthful of “lukewarm” anything? The imagery is striking—Jesus is so repulsed by spiritual apathy that He says He will “spit” the lukewarm out of His mouth. He’s not indifferent to our indifference!
This message is a call to awaken from apathy—to recognize the symptoms of spiritual lethargy and to rekindle the fire of passion for Christ. Because a lukewarm faith is a powerless faith, and if we’re not careful, we can drift into a place where we are merely existing rather than truly living for Him.
So let’s examine how apathy creeps in, why it’s so dangerous, and how we can reignite a burning love for Jesus.
Yesterday Lori and I were at Barnes and Nobles, and I wanted a cup of coffee and she wanted a hot chai. And I have to say, her chai was so hot it nearly burned my tongue. But my coffee was just barely tepid. I drank it — but it wasn’t good! Just as a cup of coffee can be hot one moment and then lukewarm the next, so also can our passion for God and His presence drift into a state of “lukewarmness.” But Jesus warns us to not allow this to happen.
This morning, I invite your to turn with me to the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel as we discover an awful moment in the life of King David, when just such a shift took place within him. Look with me at chapter 11. It’s here that we find the story of that time when Israel’s army marched to the battlefield alone. They were at war — but their Commander In Chief was not with them.
Because of APATHY, David abandoned His calling. Instead, of leading his people, he sent someone else — while he stayed home.
In 2 Samuel 11:1, David settles for complacency over calling! If you’ve got your bibles — follow along as I read. It says,
1 “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” 2 Samuel 11:1-5 (ESV)
What an awful story. Its really the worst kind of story isn’t it?
It’s the story that magazines and newspapers and radio shows love to tell. But it’s just awful! It’s the story of demise. The story of failure and the abuse of power. It’s the story of sin’s effort to dethrone God’s King.
According to 2 Samuel 11 — it was springtime when kings go out to battle. But where was David? He wasn’t on the battlefield. He wasn’t leading his army. He wasn’t fighting the enemy. He was laying on his couch.
He may have been the first real “COUCH POTATO!”
And what a terrible thing to be known for. That’s not a term we use for leaders. It’s a term for the lazy. The slothful. The weak and selfish. But that’s what David had become at this point in his life.
There is a quote that says “Apathy comes before calamity.” Apathy and complacency are perhaps the most destructive heart conditions of all. And this sad story of sin and failure all happened because David welcomed APATHY into his life!
MESSAGE:
So, what can you learn from this story? What does this story teach you about standing strong and eliminating the monster of apathy? Well, it reminds you to:
1. NEVER ABANDON YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
David abandoned his assignment:
1 “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
EVERYONE HAS A DIVINE ASSIGNMENT TO ATTEND TO! For David it was to lead his nation in battle.
- If you’re married, then your divine assignment will include the guarding of your marriage.
- It will be to lead your family in faith.
- If you’re a parent — it will be to protect your children and introduce them to Jesus.
- If you own a business, then your assignment will include the governing of your business (and the way you handle your work)
- All of us have the divine assignment of guarding our reputation, and protecting our integrity, and strengthening our relationships with Christ and others.
If you lead a ministry or serve in a ministry — then you part of your divine assignment is to attend to that Minsitry with faithfulness and integrity and passion.
But whatever your calling or assignment — fulfilling that change with passion and enthusiasm!
Solomon said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 (ESV)
So, guard that sacred responsibility and never abandon your post. Be careful not to waste the opportunities to which God has called you and entrusted to you! In this story, we see that David abdicated his calling in exchange for his comfort. And this was sin. Apathy is sin! So, reject it!
Never allow the couch to replace your calling! Never abandon your assignment.
Secondly, this story teaches you . . .
2. NEVER ALLOW A BAD DECISION TO DEFINE YOU!
This story of David’s sin nearly DEFINED Him for all of History!
Fortunately, David didn’t stay there — he repented and return to the things of God. But this story reminds us to never allow a bad decision to define our lives. Instead, we should heed the words of the late Eugene Peterson and practice living our lives with “a long obedience in the same direction.”
The Bible tells us that David would ultimately be known as a “man after God’s own heart” —but in the wake of this awful failure, David struggled to rebuild his reputation.
Here’s the thing we must remember — sin can be forgiven, but its consequences are painful!
After a season of great success, David lost his appetite for leading and choose to skip out on His army. Remember, at this point in his life — David had everything:
- He had defeated Goliath.
- He had won the hearts of the people.
- He had ascended to the throne of Israel.
- He had established his kingdom in the land.
- He had secured Jerusalem as the capital city.
- He had defeated nearly all of Israel’s enemies.
- He had recovered the Ark of the Covenant (God’s presence) and brought it home.
- He had wealth, and homes, and wives, and children, and the envy of every one.
But in the wake of all of this success — he settled for the couch!
Never forget this:
Apathy often follows great success!
And what is true for an individual is also true for a local church. May we never settle on the couch of comfort (lest we begin our downward fall from God’s purpose). May we always be risk-takers, and faith-walkers, and dreamers. May we keep praying dangerous prayers and believing God for GREATER THINGS!
May we never cease to pursue His presence and become indifferent to the lost. May we always live up the the level of our calling and “celebrate God’s love by persuading people to become passionate followers of Christ!” (AMEN?!)
Well, look with me again at verse two. It says:
“It happened, late one afternoon . . .” 2 Samuel 11:2 (ESV)
What happened?APATHY HAPPENED! And David settled for the couchrather than his calling!
It—led to the worst moment of his life. It—was the most regrettable decision he’d ever make!
Everyone has an IT they’d like to forget! Those moments we wish we could erase from our past. We’ve all made bad decisions or reacted poorly, responded inappropriately, embraced apathy and acted with indifference. The thing is, we must leave them in the past and ensure that APATHY and those bad moments never enter our present of future.
And the way we do this is to guard our hearts and minds. Because sin first begins as a thought — or a wrong-desire. Those “IT” moments never just appear overnight. They first begin as a selfish thought that grows into ungodly desires. And when ungodly desires dominate our thinking — they lead us into sin.
James 1:15 says,
“…after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:15 (NIV)
- David didn’t get taken out in the shepherding fields when he was a boy fighting a lion or bear.
- He didn’t get taken out when he was a teenager on a battlefield having to fight single handedly against a nine-foot tall Philistine giant.
- He didn’t get taken out as a young man by his best friend’s dad who betrayed him and tried to kill him over and over again.
- And he didn’t get taken out by one of the many waring armies confronting him on the battle field.
No, he was taken out by an apathetic desire that led him first to the couch, and then to his roof-top (where he watched Bathsheba bathe). David’s sin first began as selfish thoughts and ungodly desires. Eliminate apathy at all costs! Don’t allow a bad decision to define you.
Lastly, this story teaches you to . . .
— Never allow a bad decision to define you.
— Never abandon your assignment.
And Lastly, this story teaches you to . . .
3. AVOID TEMPTATION AT ALL COSTS
The great tragedy of this story is that David failed to avoid the temptation. One sin led to another. Look again at verse 3-4:
3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.
One sin led to another. Listen, it’s always easier to avoiding temptation than it is to try and defeat it! An ancient chinese proverb says, ”He who would not fall, should not walk in slippery places’’ Martin Luther once said, ”If your head is made of butter, stay away from the fire.’’ Both of these statements affirm is a life of wisdom . . . avoid temptation at all costs.
What began with apathy in David’s life — ultimately led him to breaking nearly half the 10 commandments. He coveted his neighbor’s wife, he committed adultery, he lied about his sin, and he eventually murdered a man to cover it up.
That’s the snare of sin. So what should we do? God tells us to avoid it at all costs. Jesus put it this way, He said,
41 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV)
Temptations are real — and one of the worst is that of APATHY?
It is always tempting to trade in responsibility for laziness. Purpose for boredom. Or passion for indifference. But don’t do it! Resist that temptation — eliminate apathy at all costs! So how can we do that?
How can we protect ourselves from the tendency to become apathetic?
I’d suggest you build up your defenses and increase your strength and passion for God. One of the best ways to do that is to:
— Study God’s Word!
The psalmist writes, “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
A passion for God is really the opposite of spiritual apathy. And one of the best ways to become passionate about God and His Kingdom is to get to know Him more. No way to better accomplish this than to become familiar with His Word.
When Lori and I were dating I wanted her to know and love me, and so I wrote her LOTS of letters. I would fold them up and sometimes spray them with my cologne. I would stick pieces of Big Red chewing gum in them (because the commercial tag line for that gum was — “kiss a little longer”). Come on!
Listen, I wrote her because I loved her. And I wanted her to read my letters and fall passionately in love with me. AND SHE DID!
And what is true in the natural is also true in the spiritual. If you want to know God and fall passionately in love with Him, then READ HIS WORD!
Paul said,“Study to show yourself approved. A workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed.”
Another way to eliminate apathy from your life is to:
— Seek God’s Presence!
Practice the presence of God:
- Don’t be content to just know about God — pursue Him. Fill your mind with thoughts about Him. Meditate on what you’re studying in His Word.
- Sing songs of praise to Him.
- Speak to Him in prayer.
- Worship Him with your whole heart — not just empty words.
- Dedicate time to honoring Him. And if you feel distant from Him, I assure you He hasn’t moved away from you. But maybe you’ve pulled away from Him.
It could be that there is sin present in your life that needs to be confessed. If you’re a believer and you feel distant from God — ask God to search you and see if there is anything you’ve got in your life that needs to be removed. And if so, ask Him to cleanse and renew your passion for Him.
When David sinned, he felt separated from God too, and in Psalm 51 he wrote out his prayer of confession and repentance. And in verse 10-11 he said this:
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right[a] spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV)
— Devote yourself to Kingdom matters!
If you want to avoid apathy and living with a bored soul, then:
— Get involved in God’s work. For David, this was leadership. God had called him to lead and placed him on the throne of Israel to lead the charge in battle. But he chose to sit on the couch rather than stand up for God’s people. In essence, he abdicated his calling in exchange for comfort.And this was sin.
Don’t follow David’s example — fulfill your calling for the glory of God Become actively involved on the front lines of ministry — get involved, serve, volunteer, lead — give of your time and talents and treasures to the things of God. Don’t waste your life on yourself — invest it for the Kingdom of God!
— Surround yourself with the Godly people!
Be careful who’s voice you allow to speak into your life. The Bible says, “Guard your heart — for it’s the well-spring of life.” Be careful who you allow to speak into your heart.
- If you dating — don’t date those who don’t serve the Lord.
- If you are going into business with someone — don’t go into business with an unbeliever.
- And if you’re going to find a close friend — choose wisely.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (ESV)
Most of you know my two best friends throughout most of my life have been men of character (Stephen Morgan and Carlos Ramirez). But I’ve learned— if you surround yourself with and make your closest friends those who aren’t serving Jesus — they will influence you.
Thankfully, my two closest friends through my life are men who love the Lord and continue to sow good seeds into my life. They are men I can count on to hold me accountable. And I’ve found that accountability helps me avoid sin. And it will you as well.
When we are accountable to both God and man — we are empowered to overcome the temptation to sin — and the tendency to embrace apathy.
Do your life with others. Commit your way to Christ and then surround yourself with those who will build you up.
The wisdom writer tells us in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron . . . one person sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)
Closing
If we are going to live an abundant life in Christ — then we must eliminate apathy from our lives. We must make sure that Christ and His purposes always overshadow the couch within our lives.
And we must . . .
— Never abandon your spiritual callings.
— Never allow our poor choices to define us.
— And always seek to avoid temptation.
Prayer:
Would you bow your heads and pray with me as we close?
I never want to end our time without giving you the opportunity to surrender your life to Jesus. Ultimately, He is the answer to all of our struggles and problems — especially our sin problem. So, if you’re here today and you want to experience the wonder of salvation, would you pray with me today?
Heavenly Father, I am tired of living for myself and I don’t want to live another day without you. I confess that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I put my trust and faith in you Jesus. Would you forgive me and save me — and fill me with your Spirit. From this day on (as you give me strength), I will live for you!
In Jesus name I pray — Amen!
And now for the rest of us:
Lord we are so grateful for the stories faith like we’ve studied today, which remind us of who we are and to whom we belong. May we never succumb to the temptation to be indifferent or apathetic in our service to you. May we always live with passion and the pursuit of your presence. Help us to give our best to you and rely upon you to accomplish the purpose for which we’ve been called.
Help us as a church to grow in number and effectiveness. And make us a witness of your grace in this community, our city, and our world.
We pray this in Jesus name! Amen!