LET’S LAY IT TO HEART

Isaiah 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

·     The Prophet complains of the general neglect of people, to consider the loss of good and useful men, as a presage of evil: when God in mercy taketh away such, it should be a warning to us to look for evil to come.

Jeremiah 12:9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. 10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

·        Notwithstanding all these desolations, from which the land every where mourns, and which are so plainly the consequences of the people’s crimes, no man layeth it to heart, or considereth that these are God’s judgments; and that the only way to have them removed is to repent of their sins, and turn to God with all their hearts.

Matthew 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

·        Treated it with contempt, as a thing of no consequence: an exact representation of the conduct of sinners in regard to the gospel. Men are so engaged in their worldly employment, that they pretend they have no time to attend to religion. In Essence, what it comes down to is that : The world is, in their view, of more value than God.

LET’S LAY IT TO HEART

I.       THE DEPARTURE FROM EARTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

A.    FINDING THEIR SAVIOUR

B.    FILLING THEIR SHOES

C.    FORESEEING THE SIN THAT’S COMING

II.    THE DESOLATION WE SEE AROUND THE HOUSE OF GOD

A.    DIVIDING EACH OTHER

B.    DEVOURING EACH OTHER

C.    DEFEATING EACH OTHER

       REFERENCE VERSE: Galatians 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.13 ¶   

       For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the   

       flesh, but by love serve one another.14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this;

       Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed 

       that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall

       not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

III.  THE DISRESPECT THAT SINNERS SHOW TO THE GOSPEL

A.    POSITION MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GOSPEL

B.    POSSESSIONS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GOSPEL

C.    POWER MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GOSPEL

CONCLUSION:

1-WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS PERISH….LAY IT TO HEART

2-WHEN THE CHURCH SUFFERS…..LAY IT TO HEART

3-WHEN SINNERS REFUSE THE INVITATION….LAY IT TO HEART