"While Men Slept"

Jesus once gave an explanation for the presence of weeds in a field of wheat in Matthew 13:25 — “while men slept.” While men slept, the enemy came and sowed weeds in the wheat. Similarly, in our country, "while men slept," abortion became an acceptable means of population control, homosexuality became an acceptable life style, sex outside marriage became common behavior, teenage pregnancy reached epidemic proportions (stats here and here), our society grew addicted to pornography and gambling (see article). Alcoholism and drugs became the number one health problem (stats and article) — "while men slept."

Individualism, pluralism, secularism, and apathy rendered American religion impotent, totally incapable of doing anything about our moral crises. No one seemed to know what was right and what was wrong. Most folks did not think there was any right or wrong, and those who did, did not seem to care one way or the other (Isaiah 5:20). So everyone did what felt good at the moment, or made them feel good about themselves (Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25) — "while men slept."

Beloved, it’s time we awaken out of our spiritual sleep! It is recorded that New Testament Christians “turned the world upside down” by preaching Christ (Acts 17:6). They went "everywhere" (Acts 8:4) — in the Jewish synagogues and in the market places (Acts 14:1; Acts 17:1-2; Acts 17:17; Acts 18:4; Acts 18:19) . They made a great impact on the world around them (1 Thessalonians 1:1-8) and as a result, thousands of thousands of people became followers of Christ — that was their number one priority and goal.

Will church historians write about the church in our day that, “while men slept,” America became a godless nation, forbidding the mention of God in our public schools and institutions? Will they say on our watch that our national motto, “in God we trust” became unconstitutional? Will they write while Christians slept, false religions dominated the airways — and like Israel of old, we abandoned God and worshiped our Baals? (Hosea 11:1-2).

The Lord calls us to, “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5:14).

May it ever be so!

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets