Balanced Like Jesus

OPENING

More Like Jesus intro.

Reminder of Our Mission and Vision

Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known

A Church Where the Presence of God is Present

Come As You Are, But Leave Better Than You Came

Small Church - Big Heart

Strive To Be More Like Jesus

Romans 8:29 NKJV

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Live the way He lived.

Love the way He loved.

Serve the way He served.

Speak the way He spoke.

Think the way He thought.

Overcome the way He overcame.

Here is What it is Going to Take

Surrender to God

Separation from Sin

Steady Growth

Over the next couple weeks, as we make our way toward Easter Sunday, we are going to look at some examples from the life of Jesus and some ways that we can be more like Him. There is nothing more important than understanding what it means to be More Like Jesus!

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:52 NKJV

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

MESSAGE

Balanced Like Jesus

Introduction

The verse we just read comes at the end of the section of Scripture that describes one of the only events recorded in the Gospels of Jesus as a young boy.

Joseph and Mary, along with Jesus and the rest of their family, traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

Jesus was 12 years old.

When they had finished celebrating Passover, Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem to return to their home in Nazareth, but did not realize they had left Jesus behind!

They had one job! Don’t lose the Messiah!

They were traveling with a large group of friends and family and they assumed that Jesus was with the others.

Once they realized they had left Jesus “Home Alone” in Jerusalem they hurried back.

They were relieved to find Him ok, but shocked to find him in the Temple talking with the teachers of the Law.

When Momma Mary scolded Jesus for almost giving her and Joseph a heart attack, Jesus responds, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

The Bible says that Joseph and Mary did not really understand at the time what Jesus was saying.

But Jesus returned with Joseph and Mary to Nazareth and was subject to them, but Mary kept all of these things in her heart.

And then we arrive at Verse 52 that we read earlier: “52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Summary of Luke 2:52

This is just a short verse at the end of an incredible story about Jesus as a 12-year old boy. But it is packed with so much good stuff!

But I want us to take from this Scripture and what I want to share with you today is how Jesus lived His life in balance.

JESUS UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN BALANCE!

When Life is Out of Balance

You know what it is like when something is out of balance.

Have you ever had a tire on your car that was out of balance?

What about a ceiling fan? We probably have a couple around here.

What about your washing machine?

When something is out of balance, it doesn’t operate properly. That tire will shake and cause a bad vibration. That ceiling fan will wobble like crazy and make all kinds of awful noises. That washing machine will start walking down the hallway.

And if you ignore the signs and let it keep operating out of balance, it is going to be more than just a nuisance, it is going to start breaking down and falling apart. Before you know it, you’re going to have to make some repairs.

The same thing is true with our lives.

We need balance.

When we are out of balance, our lives do not operate properly.

We will wobble like crazy and make all kinds of awful noises.

And if we ignore it long enough our lives will start breaking down and falling apart. And before you know it, you’re going to have to make some repairs.

But if we will build our lives More Like Jesus. If we will get our lives in balance and learn to be Balanced Like Jesus, it doesn’t matter what life throws our way, we can stay focused and keep operating the way God designed us to operate. Why? Because our lives will be properly balanced.

We Need to Learn How to Be Balanced Like Jesus

That’s the title of our message today, “Balanced Like Jesus.”

Do you remember toys called Weebles? They are little toys with different characters that are shaped like an egg. They are heavier on the bottom than they are on the top. You can try to push them over, but they always stand back up again. The commercials from back in the 1970’s and their slogan used to say, “Weebles Wobble but They Don’t Fall Down.”

When Brooke was younger, she had this inflatable clown punching bag. You could hit that thing as hard as you wanted to and that creepy smiling clown face would just pop right back up again. You could never keep it down or wipe that smile off its face.

What we are talking about today is how to live our lives in such a way that when the devil tries to push us over or knock us down, it doesn’t matter how hard he hits us, we get back up automatically. And no matter how hard he tries, he can’t wipe the smile off our face. We might wobble, but we don’t fall down.

I started to title this message, “Watch Me Wobble.” But I figured I would either invite the wrong kind of dance moves in the church (I know we talked about David dancing before the Lord a couple weeks ago), or I would upset some of the religious Pharisees, so I settled with “Balanced Like Jesus.”

MESSAGE POINTS

In our Scripture Text in Luke 2:52, the Bible mentions four areas that Jesus was balanced and increased in during His earthly ministry:

In Wisdom

In Stature

In Favor With God, and

In Favor With Men.

And I believe that there are some lessons we can learn from the life of Jesus on how to achieve and maintain balance in our own lives.

In Wisdom (Mentally Balanced)

The Bible warns us that the battle for balance in our lives begins in the mind.

Our minds are a battlefield.

And we have to take authority of our thoughts.

We are encouraged in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

The devil knows to attack your mind first because:

As the mind goes, so goes the body.

As the mind goes, so goes your relationship with God.

As the mind goes, so goes you relationship with others.

IF THE DEVIL CAN GET YOUR MIND, YOUR THOUGHTS, OUT OF BALANCE, HE CAN GET YOUR WHOLE LIFE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOUR MIND IS CONSTANTLY FULL OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOU CAN QUOTE MORE LINES FROM YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE THAN YOU CAN SCRIPTURE VERSES, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOU MIND IS FILLED WITH EVIL THOUGHTS, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

The Bible tells us the kind of thoughts we should have.

Philippians 4:8 “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Psalm 1 tells us that if you want to live a blessed life, if you want to live a balanced life, you’ve got to fill your mind with God’s Word Psalm 1:1-2 “1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Jesus understood this. The Bible says “He grew in wisdom.” In knowledge. And not just random trivia facts. Not so that He could be a Jeopardy champion. Jesus grew in his knowledge and understanding of God and His Word so that He could stay balanced when the devil attacked.

I know it sounds crazy that Jesus would have to grow in knowledge of God and His Word, because He is the Word made flesh. But you’ve got to realize that Jesus did not come out of the womb spouting off the Beatitudes. He had to grow, He had to mature, He had to learn, He had to find balance in His life.

And the same is true for us. You and I are not born again and then just immediately filled with all the knowledge of God. We need time in His Word.

WE NEED TO GROW AND INCREASE IN WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD OF GOD EVERYDAY!

Colossians 1:9–10 NKJV

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Notice here as you begin to find that proper balance mentally, and start increasing in the knowledge of God, look what happens!

You start becoming more fruitful in every good work!

Psalm 1 says you will be blessed!

IF YOU ARE MENTALLY OUT OF BALANCE AND YOU WANT TO BE BALANCED LIKE JESUS, START FOCUSING ON GOD’S WORD!

In Stature (Physically Balanced)

As we’ve already mentioned, Jesus had to grow physically. He didn’t come out of the womb a grown man.

And Jesus had to learn to balance the ministry and the calling that God the Father sent Him to earth to accomplish with His physical needs as well.

Jesus understood that there were times that He was going to have to listen to the limitations of His body and take time to relax and recover.

God demonstrated the need for rest from the very beginning of creation. The Bible says that after God completed His creation on Day 6, He rested on the seventh day. And the seventh day became known as the Sabbath Day. And God knew some people would never take time to rest so He made it part of the Law that no work was to be performed on the Sabbath Day. It is intended to be a day of rest and recovery.

If you are not careful you can work yourself out of balance.

YOU CAN GET YOURSELF SO WORN DOWN PHYSICALLY THAT YOU CANNOT OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

IF YOU ARE SO TIRED AND WORN OUT EVERY DAY THAT YOU DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY TO PRAY, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOU ARE SO DOWN PHYSICALLY EVERY DAY THAT YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE READING YOUR BIBLE, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOUR FACE CONSTANTLY LOOKS LIKE YOU’VE GOTTEN INTO A BAD BATCH OF PERSIMMONS, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

Jesus knew He needed to have some balance in His life physically. There were many times mentioned in the Gospels that Jesus had to get away from His disciples, from the crowds, from the demands of His ministry, and spend time alone. There were times that Jesus had to take a break from ministering to others in order to let His Heavenly Father minister to Him.

And the same is true for us.

GOD CARES ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL WELLBEING JUST LIKE HE CARES ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL WELLBEING!

3 John 2 NKJV

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Eating healthy, exercising, getting the right amount of sleep are all important to maintaining a healthy balance. If you are not balanced physically, you’re probably going to find other areas of your life are out of balance too.

I know you know what I’m talking about. You drag in here on Sunday morning because your physical wellbeing is out of balance and you don’t feel like worshipping. You don’t feel like singing. You don’t feel like praying. Why? Because you’re out of balance. How do I know? Because I’ve been there many times myself.

IF YOU ARE PHYSICALLY OUT OF BALANCE AND YOU WANT TO BE BALANCED LIKE JESUS, START FOCUSING ON TAKING CARE OF YOUR PHYSICAL BODY SO IT CAN OPERATE IN THE WAY GOD DESIGNED IT!

In Favor With God (Spiritually Balanced)

Jesus had to stay connected to His Heavenly Father during His earthly ministry.

So many times Jesus just had to get away from everything and spend time alone with the Father.

Luke 6:12 “12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

If Jesus needed to spend time in prayer and spend time talking to the Father, how much more do we need to do the same?

Just like Jesus had to recharge His mental and physical batteries from time to time, He also had to keep His spiritual batteries full.

The same is true for us.

IN ORDER TO STAY BALANCED, WE’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD EVERYDAY!

IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED AS A CONTACT IN GOD’S PHONE, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF GOD HASN’T HEARD FROM YOU SINCE LAST SUNDAY, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOUR FOCUS IS ON EVERYTHING ELSE BUT GOD, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

Here is a prayer that Paul prayed over the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 3:16–19 NKJV

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Understanding the limitless dimensions of the love of Jesus toward us should encourage us to draw closer to Him.

James 4:8 “8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

IF YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY OUT OF BALANCE AND YOU WANT TO BE BALANCED LIKE JESUS, START FOCUSING FOCUSING ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND DRAWING CLOSER TO HIM EVERYDAY!

In Favor With Men (Relationally Balanced)

Jesus not only grew in favor with God, but He also grew in favor with people.

People were drawn to Jesus for various reasons.

Some just wanted to be healed.

Some just wanted the loaves and fish.

Some were just curious.

Some just wanted to find a way to discredit Him.

But there were many people who were drawn to Jesus simply because there was something different about Him and they wanted to know Him and learn from Him.

And I think one of the attributes of Jesus that drew people to Him was his genuine love and compassion.

Throughout the Gospels we read where Jesus “had compassion” on the people He came in contact with.

He fed a multitude with a boy’s sack lunch because He had compassion on them.

He healed many who were sick and afflicted because He had compassion on them.

He raised the dead back to life because He had compassion on them.

He turned water into wine at a wedding because…well because His momma asked Him to…but also because He had compassion on them.

Jesus demonstrated love throughout His ministry. He didn’t just talk about it. He demonstrated it.

And the greatest demonstration of His love is when He laid down His life for us on the cross.

Romans 5:8 “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 15:13 “13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

And Jesus has commanded us to love others the way that He loved us.

John 13:34 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Jesus told us to think of the all the OT commandments in terms of two: Love God and Love People.

And the cross is a picture of how these relationships are to be balanced.

The vertical member of the cross speaks of our relationship to God. It comes first.

The horizontal member of the cross speaks of our relationships with others. It must be attached to the vertical member and flow out of our relationship with God. Get the vertical relationship with God right and the relationships with others will be balanced.

JESUS KNEW THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE IN BALANCE, WE NEED HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER!

IF YOU ARE LIVING WITH UNFORGIVENESS TOWARD SOMEONE, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOU HAVE ZERO DESIRE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH SINNERS, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

IF YOU SPEND MORE TIME TEARING PEOPLE DOWN THAN BUILDING THEM UP, YOU ARE OUT OF BALANCE!

Will all of our relationships be perfect? Did everyone love Jesus? Did everyone treat Him with the dignity and respect He deserved as the Son of God? No.

But did Jesus let those people and those moments get Him out of balance? No. He stayed upright because His life was built upon something solid that could not be moved.

All of our relationships may not be perfect. Relationships with others may come and go. They may change. But we can stay Balanced Like Jesus!

IF YOU ARE RELATIONALLY OUT OF BALANCE AND YOU WANT TO BE BALANCED LIKE JESUS, START FOCUSING ON LOVING OTHERS THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT!

CLOSING

PERFECT BALANCE DOES NOT MEAN THAT EACH AREA WAS EQUAL OR THAT SOME AREAS WERE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS.

YOU’VE GOT TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE FOR YOUR LIFE. MY BALANCE POINT MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS YOURS.

BUT LIKE THE WEEBLES THAT WOBBLE BUT DON’T FALL DOWN…LIKE THE CREEPY CLOWN PUNCHING BAG…THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF STAYING IN BALANCE IS TO HAVE THE RIGHT FOUNDATION. AND FOR US, THAT FOUNDATION MUST BE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.

ALTAR CALL