It's Just a Pause

Intro:

Sometimes in life it seems like we are at a stand still. Sometimes it even feels like we are stagnant. With all the progress sometimes it feels like we are regressing. Like when legislatures punish and silence people like the Tennessee house instead of empowering and supporting voices on the margins. Even personally you have been seemingly stuck in position and looks as if you will never get promoted or move to a place that appreciates and supports your skills, gifts, and talents. Sometimes you can seem stuck at school. That one class you failed or that one test you seem to not have what it takes to pass. It can feel like that in sports. You are stuck in a position that fits the coach and the team, but does not seem to help you toward your future and destiny. Some may feel this way at home no matter how good you do it’s not good enough. No matter how much you sacrifice for your spouse and your children it seems like you going backwards instead of going forward. Even at church it happens. You seem stuck spiritually sometimes. You can’t move past an ideology or theology, because new stuff scares you and fear paralyses you. Sometimes preachers and teachers feel stuck. You teach on a subject, but no one either comes to here or sometimes they hear it and don’t live in it. I tell you sometimes I or We fell stuck. Do I have any witnesses in this church this morning. We feel stuck physically can’t lose weight no matter what we do. Stuck financially can’t make enough or save enough to save our lives. Stuck Spiritually still fighting the same demon for 20+ years. Somebody help me say Stuck! But I come to encourage somebody this morning to let you know that you may not be stuck you just me be in a pause! One of the major differences in stuck and paused is that stuck is due to mess but pauses come with purpose! Can I preach it like I feel it this morning?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Text Work:

It’s resurrection Sunday and if we don’t preach Jesus on this Sunday what are we doing??? Jesus dealt with pauses all of his human life. Again I reiterate that Pauses have purpose! Look at your neighbor and let them know there is a purpose for your pause! Before Jesus was even born there was a pause. The bible declares that when Mary had been shaken by the news of the messianic anointing in her belly from an immaculate pregnancy she ran to her cousin Elizabeth’s house. When she arrived the anointing on Jesus in Mary caused Elizabeth and his second cousin John the baptist to be filled with the Holy Ghost and two pregnant women had to pause and praise God, because both of them were pregnant with miracles both physically with John and Jesus and Spiritually in that Elizabeth was barren and Mary had not been with no body. So who else would God cause a pause with except someone who is going through what you are. I am so glad that God allows a pause!

Then there was pause that we celebrate as Christmas that caused the Star of David to sit still and the Magistrates and Shepherd to find the heavenly impartation into the earthly realm to give gifts and praise. To confirm that God is still God although Herod tried to stop it nobody can stop what God is going to birth in your life. No matter how they try to kill it or steal it what God has for you it is for you. Even though the enemy is looking for you thank God that the hotels were booked up and the motels were not available, because Jesus came to us low meek and humble in a manger. The entirety of creation had to pause at the magnificent Glory of Jesus and his birth. Somebody need to thank God for that pause!

After Jesus was born there were several pauses. Jesus after being circumcised as was there Jewish custom and grew in age he went to the Temple and at first played the student then he started teaching the teachers. They were all shocked, but Jesus forgot that he was still with Mary and Joseph. His parents was upset, because he paused to teach those in the Synagogue. So they fussed at him for staying too long and he had to let them know I am just pausing, but I must be about my fathers business. Say it was just a pause. Then Jesus pauses to get Baptized by John the Baptist and the heavens opened up and God spoke saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. This was a miraculous thing but it was just a pause. Then Jesus went to spiritual boot camp as was tempted by the devil 40 days and 40 nights all while fasting. He paused to directly defeat the devil to show us that we have power over temptation. Somebody say purpose in that pause. Then after boot camp Jesus paused and picked up some students that we call disciples and told them I will make you fishers of men. Started doing miracles and ministry. He paused to heal the sick, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, unstop deaf ears, cause the lame to walk, and set the captive of demonic forces free. He paused to visit a woman at the well, he paused to get Lazarus out of the grave, He paused to heal Peter’s mother in law. Paused to feed 5000. Pause to teach, preach, and demonstrate his power! One day he looked at his disciples and said I must go to Jerusalem. I must work the works of him who sent me. They tried to stop him and told Peter get thee behind me Satan, because a pause is not permanent. The pause is designed to get you to your purpose. He paused at the mount of transfiguration. He paused on Palm Sunday. He paused to whip folks and put them out of the temple. Now after he did this it was time for him to go, because when you disrupt what’s normal folks will want to get rid of you!

Close:

I almost done can you just pause with me for a few more moments. Jesus after cleaning out the temple knew that they were coming for him. Matter of a fact he was ready to be offered up. So he paused and had dinner with the disciples and gave them the new covenant, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Somebody say I am glad he paused! Then he paused to pray before the hour came for him to be arrested and the disciples couldn’t even pray one hour. Jesus prayed until sweat dropped like blood from his head. When he finished he said not my will but thine will be done! Judas came with the soldiers and they arrested our Lord and Savior. Peter got mad pulled his sword out and cut off one of the soldiers ears. Most of us would have made a run for it but Jesus paused rebuked Peter and Healed the soldiers ear. Thank God for the pause. They took Jesus beat him and mocked him then took him to the Sanhedrin court. Accused him of heresy because he told them what he was going to do. They then sent him to Pilate urging Pilate to sentence him to death so Pilate said I find no fault in this man. So the appealed to the district court, because it was Herod’s jurisdiction. Now Herod’s father was the one trying to kill him at birth so now the Jews think they have them and sat before Herod his soldiers beat and mocked him, but it was just a pause. Tell somebody it’s just a pause!

Then they sent him back to Pilate, because he was the only one who had the authority to sentence him to death. Pilate looks at all the church folks and said what’s wrong with yall. I examined him and found no fault neither did Herod what do yall want? They of course wanted him crucified after they just finished yelling hosanna. Can I pause for a moment and tell somebody watch folks who cheer for you only when it benefits them! When you don’t do what they want then they’ll be first in line to kill you. Preach Pastor Ron I am doing the best I can! So Pilate said I tell you what if you want him dead I will give you a choice. Jesus or Barabbas and the church voted to keep Barabbas knowing Barabbas was stealing insurrectionist and Jesus was innocent, but it was just a pause church. So they took my Lord and your savior. Put him in a roman jail. this is a bad pause church. The beat him unrecognizable. they whipped with the cat of nine tails and pulls hunks of flesh from his body. They mocked him and placed a crown of thorns on his head and blood came streaming down. The whipped him all night long. Got him up on Friday put a cross on his back and led him toward the hill called Golgotha the place of skull. Lord have mercy! When the cross got too heavy and Jesus stumbled and dropped it. There was a pause church because there was an Ethiopian by the name of Simon of Cyrene who picked up the cross and help Jesus carry it. Thank God for the pause. This pause lets us know that we need to carry our crosses and help those who are weak to make it there destiny! They Hung him High and Stretch him wide. While Jesus was in the clutch of death and on his was to Glory there was another pause. Two insurrectionist were hanging on both sides of him. One was smart mouthed and said if you are Jesus you ought to get us down and turn this joker out. The other one said shut up man he has done no wrong. We deserve our sentence but Jesus is innocent and then he looked at Jesus and said don’t forget about me when get into your kingdom and Jesus said I got you fam This day you will be with me in paradise. Look at somebody I am so glad that Jesus paused to give salvation while hanging on the cross. I feel like hollering church. After he hung there the Sun refused to shine the earth shook. The laughing stopped and he hung his head and died! but that’s not how the story ends church! Don’t miss your shout I got three more shouts. Here we go. The bible declares that they placed Jesus i a borrowed tomb. It was borrowed because you can’t put eternal things in temporary places! Jesus said I won’t be here long so just let me borrow a spot just for a moment! then the earth became silent at his death. Peter denied him and was hiding. His mother and the women were crying. The disciples were distraught and devastated, but Jesus in this pause went down in to Hadad and set the captives free. I am so Glad church that even in death Jesus was setting us free. Those that didn’t know him he preached to them into liberty. I don’t know who I am talking to this morning but it is never too late to give your life to Jesus. Somebody say yes! Once he finished in the lower realm. He laid there Friday night and all day Saturday then Saturday night, but on Sunday morning the bible says the angel rolled the stone away and He got up after pausing with all power in his hands. The power of life and death. Eternal power, deliverance power, salvation power, nation conquering power, economic changing power, Victorious power! Somebody say I know he’s alright