Playlist - wk 1

I hope you at least somewhat enjoy music, because today we are starting a new series called “Playlist.” For the next few weeks we will be taking popular songs and finding God’s truth in them. Even though these songs probably weren’t written with God in mind, He can still speak to us in subtle ways using some of the music we listen to. Essentially, what we will be doing is reclaiming some popular songs for God, and the next time you hear them they will be a reminder of God’s love for you.

As we get started today, I wonder how many of us have ever felt like quitting? You pour yourself into something and it begins to feel too big, so you get overwhelmed. You don’t seem to be able to move the needle, so you begin to feel discouraged. Hopeless. Have you ever felt like giving up on something that mattered?

I can definitely think of a few moments in my life where I was ready to walk away. That thought also makes me think about times where I didn’t quit. Times that I stayed the course and have been able to enjoy the blessings of something that I wouldn’t if I had quit.

I want to introduce today’s song with a quick story about one of those times. One of the most difficult things I have had to go through in my life was divorce. During that time I was ready to walk away. In fact, I had pretty much moved out of my house and was going to temporarily move back home and start over. I really didn’t even have a plan beyond that, it was just time to give up.

I remember having a real talk moment with God during all of that, and a powerful presence of peace washed over me. God made it clear to me that He wasn’t done. No matter how difficult this trial was, there would never be a moment when God would be ready for me to throw in the towel.

Life’s most meaningful times generally follow the most difficult trials. I had a close friend who said he wanted to move in with me. That friendship was and still is one of my most valued blessings. I started participating at Life Church and volunteering there quickly became another of my most valued blessings. Being there, serving others, serving with others, and being a part of that family was something I would never have experienced had I walked away.

In fact, one of the first things that happened when I started serving there was that I met the host team leader, who I already knew! He was someone I went to college with. Of all of the places for him to be, God had him at that church during that time in my life. He was responsible for encouraging me to join a life group, which is how I met Amy. All of these blessings and so many more would have never happened if Jesus didn’t give me a reason to stay.

I like the way one pastor put it, “If God was going to do something great, and you were the devil, what would you do? Are you going to let the devil talk you out of what God called you to?” Life’s most meaningful times generally follow the most difficult trials.

We are going to kick off this series with a song you have probably all heard before. This song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2017. It is called “Million Reasons” and today we are going to watch it performed by a worship leader named Brandon Frazier.

At one point in his life, Brandon had a million reasons to walk away on everything that mattered. At one point, instead of turning to the right place, he turned to alcohol. He became overly dependent on alcohol and it about ruined his life. When he had every reason to walk away, Jesus gave him one good reason to stay. Today we are going to listen to him sing this song out of his story…

[Play Song: Million Reasons]

If you are taking notes, this is our thought for today…

YOUR ENEMY WILL GIVE YOU A MILLION REASONS TO QUIT ON WHATEVER MATTERS MOST.

YOU ONLY NEED ONE GOOD REASON TO STAY THE COURSE.

We aren’t doing battle against people. It is a spiritual battle, against powers of darkness. That is our enemy, and our enemy is good at making you want to quit. You are going to want to quit on someone. Quit some dream. Quit some goal. You are going to want to quit something. Your enemy will give you a million reasons to quit what matters most.

Let’s look at some of the lyrics in today’s song…

You're giving me a million reasons to let you go You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show You're givin' me a million reasons If I had a highway, I would run for the hills If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still But you're giving me a million reasons

PRESSING ON WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP.

Today we are going to talk about pressing on when you want to give up. For those of you who have ever felt that way, buried under a million reasons to quit… Those who hear the voice of the enemy telling you it’s time to give up, when you know God wants you to keep going… I want to show you what Jesus said when He was faced with a million reasons to give up. The moment He pressed on when it would have been so much easier to give up.

Jesus was about to face the most difficult trial of His life. Soon, He would be tortured and murdered. In John chapter 12 He says this to a crowd of people…

John 12:23, 27a (NLT)

23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’?

There were a million reasons why Jesus wouldn’t want to go to the cross. We could sit here and describe in great detail what happened to give a few, and it still wouldn’t adequately describe the intensity of what Jesus suffered. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what He would suffer. He knew that His friends, Judas and Peter, would betray Him.

The physical pain of the torture, the humiliation of being naked and spit upon. The disgust of people mocking His father. Perfect and blameless one moment, then in an instant becoming the sin that would separate Him from God. Something indescribable that He had not experienced. Separation from the Father.

There were a million reasons to walk away, BUT He had one reason to stay…

John 12:27 NLT

27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!

Jesus didn’t come for the righteous, He came for the sinners. He didn’t come for the healthy, He came for the sick. Jesus came to set captives free. Jesus was willing to endure all of the hate, the pain, the hurt, the disappointment, feeling overwhelmed, feeling alone. Even though there was a million things screaming at Him to walk away, He stayed and endured them for one reason.

Back to the song for a second…

I bow down to pray I try to make the worst seem better Lord, show me the way To cut through all his worn out leather I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away But baby, I just need one good one to stay

It’s amazing what you can endure when you have a reason. Sometimes when I am riding my bike I feel like I have a million reasons to quit. Last week we rode 60 miles at the Wichita Mountains and by the time you get to Meers hill you feel like you have a million reasons to quit. That hill is steep! First gear, standing up, steep! Many people even walk up it. It also curves. Not only are you going up, but you have to navigate this thing with traffic all around you. You’re muscles start cramping and you start doubting you can do it, then someone on an electric bicycle passes you!

That ride is only 60 miles. I watched a video a few weeks ago about a guy who participated in a race that was 400 miles long. They raced their bikes down paved roads, dirt roads, gravel roads, and even grassy fields. This guy was trying to do it in under 24 hours, but finally had to take a 2 hour nap toward the end. The whole time he fought back all of the reasons that he should quit and focused on the one reason to keep going. He even thought that stopping to sleep would have ruined his ride, but he finished anyway. In the end, he still managed to finish in second place. When he crossed the finish line he was crying from the joy of the accomplishment.

It’s amazing what you can endure when you have a reason. Whether it’s waking up early to exercise, saying “no” to that chocolate covered chocolate cake with chocolate chips, going through scary and difficult medical treatments and surgeries, or meeting quotas and goals at work. When you have a reason it truly is amazing what you can endure.

There are millions of reasons to give up on your marriage. Millions of reasons to give up on that debt you’ve been slowly bringing down. Millions of reasons to walk away from the diet. You’ve been praying for a miracle, but there are a million reasons to give up on the battle with illness, family trouble, church, or God…

BUT… You have ONE REASON to continue. Jesus. How did He keep going? How are we supposed to keep going?

Hebrews 12:2–3 NLT

2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

Jesus just needed on reason to press through the pain. One reason to stay the course. What was His reason? YOU. You were the very reason He came. You were the joy set before Him! When you were lost, He left the 99 so that He could search for YOU. You were the ONE He searched for.

Jesus faced His most difficult trial for You. When humanity was at it’s worst, Jesus didn’t just stick it out and make it to the end… He was at His best! He asked the Father to forgive the ones who hurt Him. He cried out in victory that the task was finished. He called out to God, “Into Your hands I commit My Spirit!” He gave His life. The world was dark.

Three days after being buried in a tomb, the stone was rolled away and Jesus wasn’t there! He defeated death! He paid the penalty for our sins in full! He destroyed the works of darkness and crushed Satan under His feet! He endured the million reasons for the one and what followed was a great victory.

THE MOST MEANINGFUL TIMES FOLLOW THE MOST DIFFICULT TRIALS.

Jesus knew that there was life on the other side of His death. He knew it would take a death to have a resurrection. When you are ready to quit, remember that it TAKES PAIN TO HAVE PROGRESS. It takes a trial to have a testimony. It takes hurt to have a healing. It takes a struggle to have a story worth telling. Sometimes you have to endure the worst to experience the best!

Next time you find yourself praying for a miracle, or if you are there right now, remember Jesus. You may have a million reasons to walk away, but you will always have one good reason to stay.

Hebrews 12:2–3 NLT

There is a Christian rapper named Lecrae. In the Christian hip-hop world, he is one of the most famous. Even though his grandmother took him to church on Sundays, he was an atheist. When he was a child, he was abused by his babysitter and eventually began using drugs. He got into music as a therapy for the abuse and substance abuse.

At some point, these million reasons pushed him to the point of being in rehab. While he was in rehab he was either in group counselling or in isolation. While he was in his room, there was only one thing he could do to stay busy. Sitting on the desk was a small leather-bound Gideon Bible.

He opened the bible to the Book of Romans and began reading. He said, “It was like a blindfold fell off my eyes.” He had been celebrating things in his life that he should have been ashamed of, and ashamed of things that he should have been celebrating. As he read, he realized that surrendering to God was the key to receiving life.

The only thing they would let him have to write with was a crayon, so he took it and started writing everything God was saying as he read the Word. After rehab he lived a life of surrender. He surrounded himself with people who would lift him up and be there for him when he failed. He acknowledged that he is weak and in need of a savior. He knew that no power outside of God could save him. He no longer hid his imperfections to please people.

By surrendering to God, he was no longer ashamed. He was no longer a prisoner. He says, “For the first time in my life, I was free to live.”

The enemy will give you a million reasons to walk away, you only need ONE GOOD REASON to stay the course. A joy that is set before you. One reason to press on when you want to give up. On the other side of the difficult trial is something meaningful. Think of Jesus. Think of all that He endured. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of Jesus, then you won’t become weary and give up.

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