Sermon Tone Analysis

Becoming a Champion in 2005:

 Lighten the Load

(Hebrews 12:1-3)

January 2, 2005

Sermon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone in a contest wants to win: be it a political race, a broad game, or first in line at Starbucks.

In athletic contests, like the Olympics, competitors will do whatever it takes to win—enduring countless hours of training, employing the best coaches, removing all distractions, discarding any excess, and seeking any avenue to gain an advantage.

While most compete within the rules, some athletes resort to illegal and illegitimate means to better their chances.

*I want us to start thinking of becoming Spiritual Champions in 2005.

*

 

A spiritual champion is one sold out to Jesus, straining to become more like Him.

The finish line of faith is a life that is more Christ - like today than yesterday.

Our goal is not perfection, but progress.

So, becoming Christ-like is not a sprint, it is not a dash, it is not a leisurely walk in the part or a hike in the desert.

Becoming Christ-like is like running a marathon.

And one of the key observations I have made about marathons is that they are run is the streets of the world.

And like a marathon we must take our Christ-likeness into the streets of the world.

It matters little how long you’ve been on the track; it matters greatly how far you’ve progressed from the starting line.

If you aren’t making progress what is holding you back?

Or if you haven’t yet into the race if you haven’t yet crossed over the line of faith and given your life to Jesus.

What is tripping you up in your spiritual journey?

What is slowing your progress toward Christ-likeness?

In other words, in the race set before you,

 

what would you and God say is presently keeping you from being the champion he would like you to be?

In your handout today there is a small area for you to list any thoughts that God may impress upon you as the morning and day go on.

I would encourage you to note them down.

Today we will be looking at a passage in which the writer.

The writer of Hebrews says, 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.

And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

Hebrews 12 begins with the word “Therefore.”

When you see the word therefore in the Bible you ask what’s it there for?

The “therefore” of Hebrews 12:1 is a reference back to Hebrews 11, the great hall of fame of faith.

The champions of Hebrews 11 have run the race victoriously and now encourage us to become spiritual champions, too.

The men and women of faith listed in Hebrews 11 were not perfect people.

Look at the list.

Noah was a drunk.

Abraham, a liar.

Samson, a person of passion.

Rahab, a prostitute.

Moses had a temper problem.

Gideon was distraught with fear.

David, an adulterer and murderer.

Not only were these people not perfect, they weren’t even close to perfect.

But they progressed toward the finish line of Christ-likeness.

These champions of yesterday testify to us today.

Noah is telling every drunk you can stop.

Abraham reminds every liar that you can tell the truth.

Samson acknowledges that God’s power can enable you to win over your passion.

Rahab informs you that you can break the chains of promiscuity.

Moses jogs your memory that with God’s help you can control anger.

Gideon testifies that you can face your fears.

And, David shows that you can overcome the worst things a human being can do.

I.

The Weights that Slows Us Down

 

Like the champions who have gone before us, we aren’t perfect either, we all carry a lot of weight with us throughout life that tends to get in the way of our spiritual progress.

A.

The Weight of Outright Sin.

Sometimes that weight is outright sin—things that we know are wrong but we have simply been unwilling to let go of them.

Outright sin entangles the feet so that the runner trips and falls, often repeatedly.

Many people have been tripped up in their efforts to be more Christ-like over bitterness, lying, envy, idolatry, and sexual sins?

B.

The Weight of Nagging Sin.

Sometimes that weight is nagging sin—things that we have tried to get rid of, but they keep coming back time and again, like a cancer.

Memories of past mistakes, bouts with addictions, wrongful habits that we can’t break are among the many nagging sins that get in the way our advancement

 

 

C.

The Weight of Distractions.

But sin is not the only thing that keeps us from being spiritual champions.

Sometimes those weights are things that are not necessarily sinful, but they are distractions that keep us from progressing spiritually.

The author of Hebrews also speaks of “laying aside every weight . . .

that so easily ensnares us.”

These are the many things in life that are not particularly sinful in and of themselves, but they have the potential to become weights that slow us down, hold us back, and get in the way our progress.

They are pursuits or activities like ambition, socializing, decorating, golf, Television, surfing the web, movies, music, talking on the phone too much, playing too many video games, or any other activity that would keep you from pursuing Christ-likeness.

Let me ask you again, in the race set before you, what would God say is presently keeping you from being the champion he would like you to be?

Is your weight addiction?

What do you think you can’t get along without?

We may condemn or pity the alcoholic and the drug abuser, but the truth is that we all tend to form addictions of some sort.

How jealously do we guard certain little habits?

Our paper in the morning.

Coffee on the way to work.

Uninterrupted time watching our favorite television show.

Addictions, large and small, gross or petty, can be overcome.

We can look to Noah who struggled with drunkenness.

He will tell you that our little “dependencies” are actually crutches; how can we run a race hobbling along on them?

Addictions weigh us down.

God says lose the extra weight.

Is your weight lying?

Lying seems such an inconsequential sin.

Who does it really harm?

You and God.

There are no little sins to God.

God despises dishonesty.

If you are struggling with tongue issues look at Abraham.

Abraham twice lied to a king by claiming his wife was his sister.

He was a deceiver and a liar, but he overcame it.

He was a man of faith who had to come to trust in God not only in his walk but also with his talk.

Foul mouths are dirty little weights.

God says lose the extra weight.

Is your weight passion?

Maybe you struggle with issues of your heart.

They come in the form of ambitions, prejudices, obsessions, infatuations, and zeal.

Passions are not necessarily evil, that is, until they get you off track and cause you to lose focus.