{"id":1319,"date":"2025-03-04T21:21:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T21:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=1319"},"modified":"2025-12-15T20:01:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T20:01:52","slug":"eliminating-apathy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/eliminating-apathy\/","title":{"rendered":"ELIMINATING APATHY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eliminating Apathy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Samuel 11:1-5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all felt it at some point\u2014that tendency to care less, to disengage, to go through the motions without passion or purpose.<\/em> It\u2019s called apathy<\/strong>\u2014a state of indifference, a lack of enthusiasm, a condition where nothing really moves us anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus spoke directly to this spiritual indifference when He addressed the church in Laodicea:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15\u00a0\u201c<\/em><\/strong>I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. <\/em>Would that you were either <\/em><\/strong>cold or hot! <\/em>16\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there anything worse than a mouthful of \u201clukewarm\u201d anything?<\/strong> The imagery is striking\u2014Jesus is so repulsed by spiritual apathy that He says He will “spit” the lukewarm out of His mouth. He\u2019s not indifferent to our indifference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This message is a call to awaken from apathy<\/strong>\u2014to recognize the symptoms of spiritual lethargy and to rekindle the fire of passion for Christ. Because a lukewarm faith is a powerless faith<\/strong>, and if we\u2019re not careful, we can drift into a place where we are merely existing rather than truly living for Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s examine how apathy creeps in, why it\u2019s so dangerous, and how we can reignite a burning love for Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 but it wasn\u2019t 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 \u201clukewarmness.\u201d But Jesus warns us to not allow this to happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s here that we find the story of that time when Israel\u2019s army marched to the battlefield alone. They were at war \u2014 but their Commander In Chief was not with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of APATHY<\/strong>, David<\/strong> abandoned His calling. Instead, of leading his people, he sent someone else \u2014 while he stayed home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2 Samuel 11:1<\/strong>, David<\/strong> settles for<\/strong> complacency<\/strong> over<\/strong> calling<\/strong>! If you\u2019ve got your bibles<\/strong> \u2014 follow along as I read. It says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u201c<\/em><\/strong>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<\/strong> 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. <\/em>3<\/em><\/strong> And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, \u201cIs not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?\u201d <\/em>4<\/em><\/strong> So <\/em>David<\/em><\/strong> 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. <\/em>5<\/em><\/strong> And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, \u201cI am pregnant.\u201d<\/em> 2 Samuel 11:1-5 (ESV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What an awful story. <\/strong>Its really the worst kind of story isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the story that magazines<\/strong> and newspapers<\/strong> and radio<\/strong> shows<\/strong> love to tell. But it\u2019s just awful! It\u2019s the story of demise<\/strong>. The story of failure<\/strong> and the abuse of power. It\u2019s the story of sin\u2019s effort<\/strong> to dethrone God\u2019s King.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to 2 Samuel 11<\/strong> \u2014 it was springtime<\/strong> when kings<\/strong> go out to battle<\/strong>. But where was David<\/strong>? He wasn\u2019t on the battlefield. He wasn\u2019t leading his army. He wasn\u2019t fighting the enemy. He was laying on his couch<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may have been the first real \u201cCOUCH POTATO!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what a terrible thing to be known for. That\u2019s not a term we use for leaders. It\u2019s a term for the lazy<\/strong>. The slothful<\/strong>. The weak<\/strong> and selfish<\/strong>. But that\u2019s what David<\/strong> had become at this point in his life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a quote that says \u201cApathy comes before calamity.\u201d <\/strong>Apathy and complacency are perhaps the most destructive heart conditions of all. And this sad story of sin<\/strong> and failure all happened because David<\/strong> welcomed APATHY<\/strong> into his life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MESSAGE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what can you learn from this story<\/strong>? What does this story teach you about standing strong <\/strong>and eliminating the monster of apathy<\/strong>?  Well, it reminds you to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. NEVER ABANDON YOUR ASSIGNMENT!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David abandoned his assignment: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u201c<\/em><\/strong>In the spring of the year, <\/em>the time when kings go out to battle<\/em><\/strong>, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the <\/em>Ammonites<\/em><\/strong> and besieged <\/em>Rabbah<\/em><\/strong>. <\/em>But David remained at Jerusalem.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EVERYONE HAS A DIVINE ASSIGNMENT TO ATTEND TO! <\/strong>For David<\/strong> it was to lead his nation in battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n