Scripture Hebrews 12:1-3
What or who, is keeping
you from what you need to do?
Do you need
to get more occupational experience to get a better job? Do you need to get
more education to move up in your field? Do you need to be kinder to have a
better relationship with your parents? Do you need to get rid of sin to have a
closer relationship to Jesus? Do you need to get over your fear so you can ask
out him or her on a date? Do you need to stop doing certain things so you have
more time to help build God’s kingdom and this church? Do you feel drained all
the time and desire to feel a sense of peace? Are you chained to the past? Are
there things you are afraid to let go of? Has God painted a preferred future
for your life but your struggle with relationships, with your emotions, with
sin is keeping you chained down and you just need to experience the bumper
sticker theology that says: “Let go, let God!?” Then I say “Let it Go!”
What are the greatest struggles in
your life? There are three areas of struggle for most of us. 1) Struggle with
Guilt from Sin – relationship with God 2) Struggle with Pain from the past –
Relationship with others. 3) Struggle
with Potential – Not living as well as we should – our relationship with
ourselves.
First and most important struggle
1) Guilt
of sin – let it go!
Time and again, Israel got drug
down by its sin. God would always raise up a remnant who still desired to
follow him. We will let our sin drag us down and keep us from living the
abundant life described in John 10:10 “The
thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus comes that we might have life
and have it to the full.” God knows our struggles – Jesus experienced
temptation physically, mentally and spiritually – Matthew 4 – Jesus was tempted
in every way in the wilderness. 1 Cor 10:13 GOD’S WORD translation “There isn't any temptation that you have
experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps his
promises, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But
when you are tempted, he will also give you the ability to endure the
temptation as your way of escape.”
As the deacons come and prepare to
serve communion. I want you to answer – what is the greatest sin struggle in
your life? You need to know that Christ Jesus is ready to forgive you if you
confess to him – 1 John 1:9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let’s watch
and see how we can let go of sin and the guilt that comes with it?
Video:
Experience Life
**********************
2) Let
go of the pain from the past.
Have you been hurt in the past? Has there been an event or
circumstance or person that caused you great pain? Are you holding on to
bitterness that leads to anger or depression? Let it go!
When thinking
about that thing in your past, the two questions my pastor always asked: Dr.
Francis Hitch – “Who or What is in Control?” The empty tomb was God’s answer to
the bloody death tree called the cross. Everything indicated death had won -but
the entire time, God was in control. The other question to ask is “Who’s
problem is this anyway?” If you have not forgiven someone – something – or even
yourself, what good is it doing to hold on to it? Matt 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,
"Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?
Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but
seventy-seven times.”
The idea is not to forgive the same
person 490 times for various offenses, rather to forgive a person 490 times for
a single offense. You may have forgiven them for the offense today and have
forgotten you did that by tomorrow and need to exercise forgiveness again and
again. The multiplication of forgiveness is not for the offender but for the
one doing the forgiving. If they, or it, did the offending, who’s problem is it
anyway? Let it go!
************************
3) Let go of anything that keeps
you from attempting great things for God.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for
the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition
from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Let’s look at
a few people in our great cloud of witnesses.
VIDEO History
of Traders (People who traded their personal life for a life to serve
Jesus)
My power flurries through
the air into the ground My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around, and
one thought crystallizes like an icy blast I’m never going back, the past
is in the past!
Words from the popular 2013 Disney
animated movie “Frozen” and the song “Let it go” It is not a Christian song and
not every word fits with today’s message – but the heart of the song fits so
well and agrees with Phil 3:13-14 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind
and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
SONG:
Frozen by Alexis and Aralyn
RESPONSE
SONG Amazing Grace / Chains
No comments:
Post a Comment