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Ignite Church
Sunday Morning
Walking alongside people on their journey towards Christ!
Locations & Times
Ignite Church
1170 IN-229, Batesville, IN 47006, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
“What Just Happened?”
(Staying Alert, Staying Together, Staying Faithful)
POINT 1 — GOD STILL WARNS AND PROTECTS US
The bus nearly crashes.
This represents:
temptation
compromise
cultural pressure
spiritual attack
distraction
carelessness
Yet the bus avoids disaster.
God’s mercy intervenes.
Psalms 121:7-8 NIV
“The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
This was a promise of the Lord to the people of Israel…especially if they would obey his laws and keep his covenants.
So many times we don’t realize or appreciate how the Lord protects us from things.
There are accidents we never saw because God protected us.
There are disasters that almost happened.
There are marriages almost destroyed.
There are prodigals almost lost.
There are churches almost divided.
God keeps us - but sometimes we miss the His grace…
But even if we do…grace is not permission to become careless. We need to remember not to forget HIS PROVISIONS.
POINT 2 — DISTRACTIONS ARE OFTEN MORE DANGEROUS THAN ATTACKS
The bus was not destroyed.
The separation happened at the stop.
The danger came when everyone relaxed.
At the gas station:
people were shopping
people were wandering
people were focused on themselves
people assumed everything was fine
That mirrors the modern church culture perfectly.
Not everyone leaves God through rebellion.
Many drift through distraction.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
Jesus – talking to many questioning him, warns people of the last days…
Luke 21:34-36 NLT
““Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.””
Hebrews 2:1-2 NLT
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.”
“Nobody misses the bus accidentally in the spirit.
Drift always starts with distraction.”
POINT 3 — SOMETIMES PEOPLE FALL AWAY QUIETLY
Connection was lost.
Communication stopped.
By the time everyone noticed, distance already existed.
Here’s a spiritual reality – not only for those already fallen prey to this, but for us sitting right here:
people slowly stop praying
slowly stop attending
slowly disconnect
slowly compromise
slowly harden
And eventually people wonder:
“How did they get so far away from God?”
The answer:
It usually happened one distracted stop at a time.
Hebrews 6:4-6 NLT
“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.”
People were enlightened
tasted the heavenly gift
shared in the Holy Spirit
experienced God’s goodness
Yet still fell away. We don’t heed the warnings!
This is not describing unbelievers who never knew God.
The Hebrew writer is describing people who experienced Him deeply.
IN OTHER WORDS…THE WARNING!!!
· Salvation is not something to treat casually.
· The presence of God is holy.
· Grace is not permission to drift.
this passage is not trying to create hopelessness for repentant people; rather, it is a severe warning against hardened rebellion and continual rejection of God after truly knowing Him.
POINT 4 — WE MUST WATCH FOR EACH OTHER
Nobody noticed someone was missing.
The church cannot become so distracted that we fail to notice missing people
Galatians 6:1-2 NLT
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
“Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Luke 15:4 NLT
““If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?”
The church should notice when someone hasn’t gotten back on the bus.
We are not just called to make the trip ourselves.
We are called to help one another arrive.
Walking alongside people on their journey towards Christ.
POINT 5 — THERE IS STILL TIME TO RETURN
The purpose of warnings in Scripture is mercy.
God warns because He loves.
1 John 1:9 NLT
“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
The Shepherd still goes looking for sheep who missed the bus.
Here’a a hope in Jesus:
2 Peter 3:9 NLT
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
RECAP:
“The tragedy in the dream wasn’t the near collision. It was 2 other things.
1.The distraction of the one who missed the bus. Wasn’t aware of their surroundings – distraction kept them from getting back on the bus. Then, connection was lost.
2. Rhea, Kyra and I didn’t realize he was missing until we arrived at the destination. How selfish/easy is it for us to be so used to something being a certain way and going about our days - that we miss someone not being there?
I BELIEVE God is trying to show the church - you are still moving, still singing, still traveling…
but haven’t realized someone got left behind spiritually.
How distracted have we become?
FACT: everyone in this dream is accountable…nobody is off the hook.
STAY ALERT, STAY TOGETHER, STAY FAITHFUL!!!
(Staying Alert, Staying Together, Staying Faithful)
POINT 1 — GOD STILL WARNS AND PROTECTS US
The bus nearly crashes.
This represents:
temptation
compromise
cultural pressure
spiritual attack
distraction
carelessness
Yet the bus avoids disaster.
God’s mercy intervenes.
Psalms 121:7-8 NIV
“The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
This was a promise of the Lord to the people of Israel…especially if they would obey his laws and keep his covenants.
So many times we don’t realize or appreciate how the Lord protects us from things.
There are accidents we never saw because God protected us.
There are disasters that almost happened.
There are marriages almost destroyed.
There are prodigals almost lost.
There are churches almost divided.
God keeps us - but sometimes we miss the His grace…
But even if we do…grace is not permission to become careless. We need to remember not to forget HIS PROVISIONS.
POINT 2 — DISTRACTIONS ARE OFTEN MORE DANGEROUS THAN ATTACKS
The bus was not destroyed.
The separation happened at the stop.
The danger came when everyone relaxed.
At the gas station:
people were shopping
people were wandering
people were focused on themselves
people assumed everything was fine
That mirrors the modern church culture perfectly.
Not everyone leaves God through rebellion.
Many drift through distraction.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
Jesus – talking to many questioning him, warns people of the last days…
Luke 21:34-36 NLT
““Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.””
Hebrews 2:1-2 NLT
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.”
“Nobody misses the bus accidentally in the spirit.
Drift always starts with distraction.”
POINT 3 — SOMETIMES PEOPLE FALL AWAY QUIETLY
Connection was lost.
Communication stopped.
By the time everyone noticed, distance already existed.
Here’s a spiritual reality – not only for those already fallen prey to this, but for us sitting right here:
people slowly stop praying
slowly stop attending
slowly disconnect
slowly compromise
slowly harden
And eventually people wonder:
“How did they get so far away from God?”
The answer:
It usually happened one distracted stop at a time.
Hebrews 6:4-6 NLT
“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.”
People were enlightened
tasted the heavenly gift
shared in the Holy Spirit
experienced God’s goodness
Yet still fell away. We don’t heed the warnings!
This is not describing unbelievers who never knew God.
The Hebrew writer is describing people who experienced Him deeply.
IN OTHER WORDS…THE WARNING!!!
· Salvation is not something to treat casually.
· The presence of God is holy.
· Grace is not permission to drift.
this passage is not trying to create hopelessness for repentant people; rather, it is a severe warning against hardened rebellion and continual rejection of God after truly knowing Him.
POINT 4 — WE MUST WATCH FOR EACH OTHER
Nobody noticed someone was missing.
The church cannot become so distracted that we fail to notice missing people
Galatians 6:1-2 NLT
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
“Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Luke 15:4 NLT
““If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?”
The church should notice when someone hasn’t gotten back on the bus.
We are not just called to make the trip ourselves.
We are called to help one another arrive.
Walking alongside people on their journey towards Christ.
POINT 5 — THERE IS STILL TIME TO RETURN
The purpose of warnings in Scripture is mercy.
God warns because He loves.
1 John 1:9 NLT
“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
The Shepherd still goes looking for sheep who missed the bus.
Here’a a hope in Jesus:
2 Peter 3:9 NLT
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
RECAP:
“The tragedy in the dream wasn’t the near collision. It was 2 other things.
1.The distraction of the one who missed the bus. Wasn’t aware of their surroundings – distraction kept them from getting back on the bus. Then, connection was lost.
2. Rhea, Kyra and I didn’t realize he was missing until we arrived at the destination. How selfish/easy is it for us to be so used to something being a certain way and going about our days - that we miss someone not being there?
I BELIEVE God is trying to show the church - you are still moving, still singing, still traveling…
but haven’t realized someone got left behind spiritually.
How distracted have we become?
FACT: everyone in this dream is accountable…nobody is off the hook.
STAY ALERT, STAY TOGETHER, STAY FAITHFUL!!!