No More Excuses.....Get Your "But" Out of The Way!
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 15 viewsNotes
Transcript
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO MY DAUGHTER (NATALIE)....HAD MULTIPLE GAMES IN ONE WEEK....
- (TALK ABOUT THE “CONVENIENCE FEES” FOR TICKET ONLINE)
IT’S THE SAME WITH MOVIE TICKETS....(EXPLAIN)
WE LIKE THINGS CONVENIENT
WE LIKE TO HAVE OUT CAKE AND....WHAT???
EAT IT TOO
SOME OF US LIKE SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATES
WE LIKE DIET SODAS
SOME PEOPLE TAKE LACTAID JUST SO YOU CAN EAT ICE CREAM
WE LIKE SUGAR FREE, FAT FREE TREATS
OH COME ON…YEAH I’M TALKING TO YOU…LOL
SOME OF US EVEN LIKE CHURCH IN THIS WAY
WE LIKE LITE CHURCH
I CAME ACROSS THIS CARTOON WITH A BILLBOARD OUT IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH
WE JOKE ABOUT THIS BUT....
THE REALITY IS....
THIS IS THE STATE OF MOST OF OUR CHURCHES TODAY
GALLUP AWHILE BACK RELEASED A POLL THAT SAID....
OUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND CHURCH
ONLY 10% WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS COMMITTED
WHAT THIS MEANS IS...
ONLY 10% UNDERSTAND DOCTRINE AND THEOLOGY
THEY UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE SAVED
THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND WHY THEY BELIEVE IT
AND THEY ACTUALLY LIVE IT OUT
ONLY 10% DO THIS
A LUTHERAN PASTOR SAID THIS AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING....
HE SAID 90% OF OUR CHURCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
REQUIRE LESS COMMITMENT THAN THE KIWANIS CLUB
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE
MOST PEOPLE COMMIT MORE OF THEIR LIVES TO ATHLETICS AND SPORTS AND TRAVEL BALL AND CLUBS
THAN THEY DO TO THE CHURCH THAT FEEDS THEIR SOUL
SO WHAT WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING IS...
HOW WE AT TIMES…PUT OUR “BUT” FIRST
NOW THATS B.U.T.
IT’S EXCUSES RIGHT?
THIS IS WHAT WE WILL SEE THESE GUYS IN THE TEXT SAY THIS MORNING.
I’LL FOLLOW YOU…BUT FIRST
LET ME GO DO THIS
I’LL FOLLOW YOU BUT FIRST LET ME GO TELL MY PARENTS BY
I’LL FOLLOW YOU....BUT FIRST LET ME GO BURY MY FATHER
57 As they were traveling on the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 Then he said to another, “Follow me.”
“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
60 But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU THIS MORNING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COMMITMENT JESUS EXPECTS FORM US...
WHAT DOES HE EXPECT FROM US???
AFTER THIS I WANT TO IDENTIFY 3 BARRIERS
THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF US TRULY FOLLOWING CHRIST
WHEN JESUS SAYS “FOLLOW ME” HE DEMANDS IMMEDIATE WHAT???
OBEDIENCE
......OPEN IN PRAYER.....
OK I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE 3 BARRIERS THAT THESE GUYS GIVE US....
ok…..
I WANT TO SAY THIS ON THE FRONT END...
THESE DON’T APPLY TO EVERYBODY
THESE ARE CONTEXTUAL TO THE PEOPLE
AT THE END OF THE SERMON THOUGH....
I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO ASK JESUS...
“WHAT IS THE BARRIER FOR YOU IN YOUR LIFE
THAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK FROM GOING ALL IN!
IS IT RELATIONSHIPS
FINANCES
MISDIRECTED FOCUS
IS IT MISGUIDED EXPECTATIONS
WHATEVER IT IS
WE’RE GONNA DEAL WITH IT AT THE END
3 BARRIERS THAT HOLD YOU BACK
THE FIRST GUY HAD A PROBLEM WITH...
MISGUIDED EXPECTATIONS
IN MY HOME…IT’S THE EXPECTATION OF ME FROM MARIA
TO TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE (EXPLAIN HOW I EXPECT BRAYDON TO DO IT)
HERE IS THE THING
I DO TRY TO REMEMBER THE THINGS THAT SHE WANTS ME TO DO
BUT I GET SIDETRACKED AND I FORGET
SO THESE ARE MISGUIDED EXPECTATIONS THAT MARIA HAS
FOR ME TO DO THIS ONE THING IN THE HOME
THIS GUY IN THE TEXT HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM
HE THINKS JESUS IS THIS HIGH FLYING RABBI
WHO STAYS AT THE BEST WESTERN HOTELS
CRUISING FROM TOWN TO TOWN IN A LOW RIDING CHARIOT
WHO GETS OFFERINGS AT THE END OF HIS MESSAGES
THAT’S NOT JESUS…RIGHT
IN FACT, WHAT HE IS SAYING IS...
LISTEN…I DONT EVEN HAVE A PLACE TO SLEEP
58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
I WANT YOU TO GET THIS....
WHAT JESUS IS SHOWING US IS....
WE SHOULD NOT PUT OUR TRUST IN EARTHLY SECURITIES
WE KNOW THIS RIGHT?
YOU CAN’T PUT YOUR TRUST IN YOUR HOME...
SOME OF YOU KNOW THIS
MAYBE YOU’VE LOST YOUR HOME IN A FIRE
OR A FLOOD
YOU CAN’T PUT YOUR TRUST IN CLOTHES…WHY?
BECAUSE THEY DON’T LAST
YOU CAN’T PUT YOUR TRUST IN FINANCES
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY MONEY IN THE STOCK MARKET...
YOU KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE
CHURCH....WE CAN NOT TRUST EARTHLY THINGS FOR SECURITY
WHAT JESUS IS SAYING IS....
THE ONLY SECURITY WE HAVE
THAT WILL SPAN THE TIME OF ETERNITY
IS WHEN WE PUT OUR HOPE AND TRUST IN....HIM
ANYTHING ELSE WILL FADE IN COMPARISON
THIS IS THE LESSON THAT GOD TRIED TO TEACH THE ISRAELITE'S
ALL THE WAY BACK IN EGYPT
REAL QUICK LET’S GO BACK ABOUT 4000 YEARS TO WHEN
ISRAEL WENT FROM EGYPT TO THE PROMISE LAND
WHEN GOD MET THE NATION…WHAT HAPPENED IS...
THEY WERE DEPENDENT UPON PHARAOH
PHARAOH PROVIDED THEM WITH SHELTER
PROTECTION
HE PROVIDED THEM SECURITY
YES, THEY WERE SLAVES AND BRICK LAYERS WHICH IS A BIG DEAL
BUT IN A SENSE THEY HAD PROTECTION
THEY HAD SECURITY
THEY HAD FOOD AND SHELTER
WHAT WE SEE IS….
GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM...
HAS TO DISCONNECT THEM FROM PHAROAH
AND GET THEM TO BE DEPENDANT UPON HIM....HOW?
WELL IT’S CALLED A 40 YEAR JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
ANYBODY WALKING THAT JOURNEY RIGHT NOW…
WHY WOULD GOD CAUSE THEM TO STAY IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS?
WELL, PASTOR BECAUSE ALL THEY DID WAS COMPLAIN
YES, BUT.....IT’S DEEPER THAN THAT
HERE IS WHAT HE’S DOING...
GOD…WAS TRYING TO MOVE THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON PHARAOH
TO HIM....WHY
HE’S GONNA GIVE THEM WATER NOW
HE’S GONNA PROVIDE THE FOOD
HE’S GONNA PROVIDE THE SHELTER
AND BY THE WAY…HE SAID…
“I’LL LEAD YOU THROUGH THE DAY WITH A CLOUD AND WITH FIRE BY NIGHT
I WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE ENEMIES
I WILL CLOTHE YOU
I WILL HELP YOU
AND YOUR GONNA BE DEPENDENT UPON ME
UNDERSTAND THIS....WRITE THIS DOWN
WHEN GOD TOOK THE NATION OUT OF EGYPT....
HE NOT ONLY NEEDED TO GET THEM OUT OF EGYPT
BUT HE NEEDED TO GET EGYPT OUT OF THE NATION
OH MY LORD…..
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE’S WANTING TO DO WITH US TODAY
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION....
WHERE IS YOUR DEPENDENCE?
WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
FOXES HAVE HOLES
BIRDS HAVE NESTS
BUT I DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO LAY MY HEAD
ISN’T THIS IRONIC???
THINK ABOUT IT....
THIS IS THE MAN….JESUS...
WHO CREATED EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING THAT WAS CREATED AND IS CREATED
CAME THROUGH HIM
THE NESTS THE BIRDS SLEEP IN
THE DENS THE FOXES HIDE IN
IT’S ALL HIM
HE DOESN’T JUST CREATE THE WORLD
JESUS IN FACT OWNS THE DEED TO THE WORLD
IT’S HIS
YET JESUS SAYS…I HAVE NO EARTHLY POSSESSIONS
HIS WHOLE LIFE IS LIKE THIS
EVEN AT HIS BIRTH....
HIS PARENTS HAD TO BORROW A CAVE OR MANGER FOR HIM TO BE BORN IN
WHEN HE TRIES TO USE A COIN AS AN ILLUSTRATION
HE HAS TO BORROW A COIN FROM A PHARISEE
JESUS HAD TO BORROW A DONKEY TO RIDE INTO JERUSALEM TO FULFILL PROPHESY
EVEN AT HIS DEATH....HE HAS TO BORROW A TOMB TO BE BURIED IN
JESUS…WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL US???
‘LISTEN….
I WANT YOU TO FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THIS RIGHT NOW....
JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU TODAY....
THIS WORLD IS NOT YOUR HOME
SO STOP LIVING LIKE IT IS
WE SHOULD BE USING THIS WORLD AS A PREPARATORY SEASON FOR ETERNITY
JAMES SAYS IT THIS WAY....
LIFE IS BUT A VAPOR....IT’S SO TEMPORARY
YET MANY OF US LIVE LIKE THIS IS FOREVER
LISTEN TO ME....I AM NOT SAYING....
YOU CAN’T HAVE THINGS IN THIS WORLD
BUT THE QUESTION IS....
DO THE THINGS....HAVE YOU???
‘oh my lord….
ONLY YOU AND GOD KNOW THIS...
SO YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF AND ASK GOD
DO THE POSSESSIONS....HAVE ME
I LOVE WHAT DAVE RAMSEY SAYS....
“WE BUY STUFF WE DON’T NEED, WITH MONEY WE DON’T HAVE, TO IMPRESS PEOPLE WE DON’T LIKE”
THE PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST GUY IS THIS....
HE SAYS,
YES, I’LL FOLLOW YOU ANYWHERE....BUT AS LONG AS IT’S CONVENIENT
AFRICA…NO
DIFFICULT PLACES....NO
DRUG ADDICTION MINISTRY....NO
HOMELESS…NO I’M OUT
LISTEN TO ME CHURCH....
YOU AND I HAVE TO BE WILLING AS CHRISTIANS
TO SAY YES TO JESUS WHEN HE CALLS
WRITE THIS DOWN….
COMFORTABILITY KILLS THE WORKING OF THE SPIRIT
“MAN PASTOR….LIFE IS GREAT”
BE CAREFUL
BECAUSE IT’S IN THOSE TIMES THAT GOD WILL CALL YOU OUT
AND IN TO A DEEPER LEVEL OF TRUST
2. MISPLACED PRIORITIES
LET ME JUST SAY THIS IN MY DEFENSE....
I COME HOME WITH EVERY INTENTION OF TAKING OUT THE TRASH
OR DOING WHATEVER SHE NEEDS ME TO DO
BUT I GET SIDETRACKED
MY PRIORITIES ARE MISPLACED
SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS…RIGHT
THIS MAN WANTS TO FOLLOW JESUS BUT
HE ALSO WANTS TO BURY HIS FATHER
NOW…I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT....
REALLY JESUS???
I MEAN COULDN’T JUST LET THE MAN GO AND BURY HIS DAD
SEEMS LIKE A LEGITIMATE EXCUSE…RIGHT?
HERE IS THE PROBLEM....
WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHATS GOING ON HERE
YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS SIMPLY AN EXCUSE
JESUS IS SHOWING THIS MAN....
YOU CAN’T FOLLOW ME WITH DIVIDED LOYALTY
JESUS IS SAYING...
“YOU CAN’T FOLLOW ME AND THE WORLD”
YOU CAN’T HAVE ONE FOOT IN THE CHURCH
AND ONE FOOT IN THE CULTURE
YOU HAVE TO BE ALL IN
OH COME ON SOMEBODY…
D.T. LANCASTER WHO IS AN AUTHORITY ON THE JEWISH CULTURE...
LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT THIS...
“After the entombment of a parent, Jewish custom dictates an eleven month mourning period during which the surviving sons recite the Kaddish daily. At an appropriate length of time after the parent’s death. perhaps at the completion of eleven months someone opened the tomb, gathered the dead parent’s bones and placed them in a stone box (called an ossuary) which was stored in the tomb.
SO HERE IS WHAT THE MAN IS SAYING...
I’LL FOLLOW YOU BUT....
I’M GONNA NEED ABOUT AN 11 MONTH PERIOD AND THEN I’LL COME BACK
AND WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?????
THE KINGDOM IS TOO IMPORTANT…RIGHT
I HEAR THIS FROM TIME TO TIME....AND MAYBE YOU HAVE TOO.
LET ME CLEAN SOME STUFF UP FIRST AND THEN I’LL BE ABLE TO COMMIT
I’LL JOIN A LIFE GROUP ….
BUT FIRST LET ME JUST....(FILL IN THE BLANK)
I’LL COMMIT TO CHURCH BUT FIRST LET ME HANDLE SOME THINGS
LET ME ASK YOU THIS...
WHEN DO YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR?
DO YOU WAIT UNTIL YOUR WELL?
WHAT ABOUT THE GYM…DO YOU START TALKING ABOUT JOINING WHEN YOUR RIPPED
NO.....IT’S USUALLY WHEN YOUR OUT OF SHAPE
SO…WHY WOULD WE NOT COME TO JESUS (THE GREAT PHYSICIAN)
JUST AS YOU ARE????
WHEN JESUS CALLS US…HE DEMANDS OBEDIENCE
WRITE THIS DOWN...
DELAYED OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE
‘WOW….THIS IS GOOD
ILL FOLLOW YOU BUT FIRST LET ME.....
3. MISDIRECTED FOCUS
I LEARNED THIS FROM RIDING MOTORCYCLES
IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOOK WHEREVER IT IS YOU WANT TO GO
(EXPLAIN.... LOOKING THROUGH A TURN SPECIFICALLY)
MOWING THE GRASS IS THE SAME CONCEPT...
IF YOU WANT TO CUT A STRAIGHT LINE
YOU HAVE TO STRAIGHT AHEAD
OTHERWISE YOU GOT CROOKED LINES AND LOOKS TERRIBLE.
THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH PLOWING.....
WHEN YOU HAVE AN OXEN CONNECTED TO THE PLOW
AND YOUR CUTTING ROWS TO PLANT CORN OR WHEAT
YOU WANT TO CUT A STRAIGHT ROW BY LOOKING IN THE DISTANCE
JESUS IS USING THIS ANALOGY....HE SAYS...
NO ONE WHO PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK
IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE IS HOW
THE NEW TESTAMENT CONNECTS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
IT SHOWS US THE COHESION OF THE BIBLE
IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER
WATCH THIS…
JESUS CALLS THIS MAN AND THEN SAYS….
“NO ONE PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK”
WATCH THE CORRELATION IN THIS NEXT SCRIPTURE…
19 Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him. 20 Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”
“Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21 So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.
IN THIS PASSAGE WE SEE THAT ELIJAH TOLD ELISHA...
YEAH GO AHEAD…GO BACK AND TELL THEM BYE
WHAT DID JESUS SAY????
NO!
NOW....WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD JESUS NOT LET THIS MAN GO HOME AND TELL HIM PARENTS BYE.
HERE IS THE TRUTH I WANT YOU TO GET
LOVED ONES IN OUR FAMILY...
CAN SOMETIMES KEEP US FROM LABORING FOR THE MISSION OF CHRIST
OUR LOVED ONE SOMETIMES CAN BE .......
THE GREATEST HINDRANCE FROM US FOLLOWING THE LORD
ANYBODY IN HERE HAVE SOMEONE TRY TO TALK YOU OUT OF FOLLOWING JESUS???
NOW WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT???
BECAUSE JESUS SAID....
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
THIS IS IMPORTANT...
THE WORD “HATE” HERE DOESN’T MEAN...
ANGER OR HATRED
THE GREEK WORD USED HERE IS ACTUALLY...
MISEO
IT MEANS TO
to love someone or something less than someone (something) else, i.e. to renounce one choice in favor of another.
SO WHAT JESUS IS ACTUALLY SAYING IS...
I ‘Jesus’ NEED TO BE SUPERIOR TO YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER
I NEED TO BE SUPERIOR TO YOUR SPOUSE
I NEED TO BE SUPERIOR TO YOUR KIDS
I NEED TO BE…NUMBER ONE IN YOUR LIFE
…WORSHIP TEAM JOIN ME.....
I TOLD YOU WHEN WE STARTED THAT I WAS GONNA ASK YOU SOMETHING...
WHAT IS THE HINDRANCE IN YOUR LIFE
WHAT IS THE BARRIER THAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK
FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST
IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO NAME IT AND BE AWARE OF IT
FOR SOME, IT COULD BE ADDICTION
MAYBE A SEXUAL SIN
MAYBE IMMORALITY
MAYBE IT’S A RELATIONSHIP OR FINANCIAL ISSUE
MAYBE YOUR PRIDE KEEPS YOU FROM BEING CHRIST LIKE AROUND CO WORKERS OR FAMILY
THE CHALLENGE IS THIS.....
LET US COMMIT DAILY TO FOLLOWING CHRIST
WHY DO I SAY DAILY???
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS WAY MORE THAN A PRAYER YOU PRAYED YEARS AGO
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A DAILY SURRENDER TO GOD
THIS MEANS
YESTERDAYS SURRENDER NEED TO BE RENEWED TODAY
TODAY'S SURRENDER NEEDS TO BE RENEWED TOMORROW
HERE IS THE CHALLENGING PART…CHURCH....
THAT YOU MAKE THIS HUGE COMMITMENT FOR GOD...
AND MISS THE SMALL DAILY DISCIPLINED,
ROUTINE COMMITMENTS ON DAILY DISPENSING GRACE TO OTHERS
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT...
THIS LUXURIOUS, LOUD, BOISTEROUS KIND OF THING
THAT IS NOT THE KINGDOM OF GOD
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS...
THIS MUSTARD SEED, BEHIND THE SCENES MOVEMENT
AND WE ADVANCE THE KINGDOM…WATCH THIS
NOT BY BEING FLASHY
WE ADVANCE THE KINGDOM THROUGH.....HUMILITY
JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BOW YOUR HEADS RIGHT NOW
I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION TODAY.....
WHO DO YOU NEED TO GIVE AND DISPENSE GRACE TO???
WHO DO YOU NEED TO BLESS TODAY
WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO COMMIT TO TODAY?
WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO SURRENDER ???
WHAT IS HE CALLING YOU TO STEP OUT IN FAITH FOR???
WHAT IS HE CALLING YOU TO A NEW LEVEL OF TRUST IN???
YOU MAY BE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU’VE NEVER BEEN ALL IN.
YOU MAY BE LIKE ONE OF THESE MEN IN SCRIPTURE
WHERE YOU ANSWER IS YES
BUT ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE AN EXCUSE AS TO WHY YOU CAN’T
I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS MORNING...
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THAT CALL….
AND GO ALL IN FOR JESUS THIS MORNING
JUST RAISE YOUR HAND
(LET THEM ANSWER)
.........STAND TO YOUR FEET WITH ME.....
AS THE WORSHIP TEAM PLAYS.....
IF YOU RAISED YOUR HAND…
WOULD YOU COME AND LET US PRAY FOR YOU....
(IF NO HANDS RAISED, INVITE ANYONE TO COME FOR PRAYER)