Do you sleep in church?

Did you read about the two pilots for Hawaii’s Go airlines that slept through their flight’s landing procedure and basically overshot their exit from the friendly skies? The FAA suspended them for the careless and reckless operation of an aircraft. The airline fired them.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the pilots fell asleep on the Feb. 13 flight from Honolulu to Hilo. The pilots failed to respond to nearly a dozen calls from air traffic controllers over a span of 17 minutes. After about 44 minutes into what is usually a 45-minute flight, the controller was finally able to establish radio contact with flight 1002.

By the time the pilots woke up, the plane had passed the airport by 15 miles. The pilots were able to reverse course and land their 40 passengers safely at Hilo International Airport.

Talking about falling asleep on the job! Falling asleep at the wheel is hazardous enough. I had a church member share one time about his experience with highway hypnosis. He drove from Michigan to Alabama and didn’t remember anything after passing through Indiana. Somehow he arrived safely.

And then there is falling asleep in church. Catching a nap in the house of God happens all too often. I heard about a man who fell asleep every Sunday about the time the pastor stood to preach. He’d start snoring and his wife would be so embarrassed.

One day the pastor made a suggestion. Bring some limburger cheese, and when he started settling into deep sleep, stick the cheese under his nose to help him come to.

The next Sunday, right on schedule, the husband fell asleep and let out a loud snore. The wife opened her purse, pulled out a bag, unwrapped some cheese stuck it right under his nose.

He got one whiff of that stuff, woke up startled and cried out, “Mabel, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Keep your stinking feet on your side of the bed!!!”

Mark Bartels told about the man who every Sunday would fold his arms, and hold his head a certain way, and drift off to sleep during the message. Only, this man had trained himself to listen for the phrase the pastor always used at the end of his sermon: “Please rise.”

One Sunday the pastor was preaching on hell, and the man was sleeping as usual. At one point, the pastor exclaimed, “If there is anybody in this room who wants to go to hell, please rise.”

At that precise moment, the man did rise. He noticed the other worshippers had horrified looks on their faces as they remained in their seats with all eyes on him. He and the pastor were the only ones standing.

He said, “Pastor, I don’t know what we’re voting on, but if you’re for it, I’m for it, too.”

There can be a danger to falling asleep in church. Eutychus discovered this the hard way. Paul was preaching his heart out in Troas and got long winded. Acts 20 relates that Paul was still preaching at midnight. The young man was sitting by a window on the third story, fell into a deep sleep and then fell out the window and died. Thankfully, Paul was able to bring him back to life.

Thank goodness God never sleeps on the job. He’s always awake and alert, acting on our behalf. Psalm 121:3b-5 reads, “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your protector.”

God doesn’t sleep, but what about His people? What about His church? Does our falling asleep spiritually keep us from doing what God calls us to do?

There’s an interesting statement in Jonah. God called Jonah to preach in Ninevah, and Jonah deliberately disobeyed God. He took a ship to Tarshish, but the ship found itself in a tremendous storm. While the mariners struggled with the raging sea, Jonah was down below fast asleep. The captain came down and shouted, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise and call on your God” (Jonah 1:6).

Are you a sleeper? Or are you spiritually alert and ready to spring into action for the Lord?

Sleeping in church....

Submitted by Cyclist on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 6:39pm.

not me. I'm too busy with the lights and sound system. Never a dull moment. In fact, I might have waken a few if the "trim" is too high which results in a very audible squeal. Of course everyone turns around and looks back at me.

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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

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cyclist

Submitted by Nitpickers on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 3:01am.

Do you play the long trumpets as the Pastor strolls down the aisle?

Are there elephants with riders also?

Do people shout "all mighty Caesar" on cue?

Does God hear you?

What about the closet prayer?

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Sleeping in Church

Submitted by muddle on Thu, 10/02/2008 - 6:21pm.

If you took all the people who sleep in church and lined them up end-to end.....
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...they would be a lot more comfortable.

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