Make Heaven Crowded

Jesus showed us our purpose

Charlie Kirk’s memorial service was viewed by over 120 million people and counting.

Over 100,000 showed up to see it live - many had to go to the overflow venue when the original arena was maxed out.

I can only wonder since Charlie’s martyrdom, how many times his videos have been viewed?

I know I’ve watched several and prior to his death, I didn’t seek out his videos.

But after his death, I did.

His memorial service lasted more than 5 hours and in that five hours the gospel of Jesus Christ was presented over and over and over again.

In fact, according to what I’ve read, the only person that went political was President Trump, and that makes perfect sense.

The Vice-President of the United States is quoted as saying that he has spoken more about Jesus Christ in public in the last few weeks than he has in his entire career up to now.

A friend related to me that a foreign born relative of his said that America should be falling on its knees and thanking God that He has allowed Christian America to once again be the light that shows the entire world the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In our very own church, a young lady came a few weeks back and said, “I woke up and felt like I needed to go to church. And then I felt like I needed to come to this church.”

And so she did.

What caused this?

In 197 AD, a man by the name of Tertullian wrote a book titled, “Apologeticus.”

In it, he address the Romans that were persecuting Christians.

Tertullian said, “We multiply whenever we are mown down by you: the blood of Christians is seed.”

That quote over the ages has morphed to something that you’ve probably heard - and ever seminarian has heard:

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

For every drop of blood that Charlie Kirk bled, over 1,300 people heard the good news of Jesus Christ preached.

Every person that heard the good news, knew that Charlie was killed for his faith, not his politics.

He could not have his politics without his faith.

It’s the truth that we have exclaimed from the pulpit 100’s of times, if you can say you can separate your faith from your politics, you have no faith.

Faith is who you are.

Faith is your reason for living.

You are not a Christian politician, or a Christian businessperson or a Christian teacher or a Christian whatever if your actions are not driven by your faith.

You are either a fake, a poseur, or you are such a babe in the faith that you don’t know any better yet.

Charlie Kirk’s death has convicted so many Christians that they’ve been way too quiet about their faith.

And they aren’t wrong - we’ve been way too quiet and way to weak-kneed about Jesus for a long, long time.

But we also need a reality check.

You and I will not be like Charlie Kirk.

The vast majority of us will not be able to engage any and all comers to “prove me wrong.”

In fact, I’ve only met two people since seminary who think that way and with some work could pull that off.

One of them is Austin Ussery - his mind works that way and he has an extremely quick recall about a vast amount of things.

The other is a student that Austin coached to go to the Leavell College at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

From what I’ve seen of Kyle Gordon, his mind works that way too.

Maybe there are a few others that I haven’t been around enough.

But the rest of us - I fully believe we could study for a thousand years and never achieve that level of ability.

So does that make us failures or somehow less of a Christian?

Absolutely not.

Listen to me, we do not need to embrace a dream of what we think we SHOULD be.

We need to embrace a dream of what the Lord created us TO be.

The Lord defined the race Charlie Kirk was to run.

The Lord has defined ours as well.

And as He would providentially plan, our scripture today speaks all about that.

Turn with me if you will to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12.

While you look, let’s talk to the kids for minute.

Kids, one of the questions you are going to be asked over and over is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

And your parents and friends will have all kinds of dreams about your success and what it will look like.

But listen to me real carefully here ok?

If what you do isn’t for Jesus, you will be wasting your life.

I’m not saying you need to be a preacher or teacher, although some of you will.

What I am saying is, if you are an accountant, you must do your job for Jesus.

If you are a chemist or an engineer, Jesus has to be at the center of what you do.

And if you are an actor or an athlete, you have to do it for Jesus.

When you trust Jesus as your savior, He gives your life a new purpose.

That’s what we are going to talk about today.

Please listen as closely as you can.

As always, listen for me to talk about Jesus.

He’s the only reason I’m here and you know what?

He’s the only reason you are here too.

Now everyone, with your Bibles open to the book of Hebrews chapters 12, hear now the Word of the Lord from verses 1-3. Hebrews 12:1–3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Will you pray with me?

Dear Heavenly Father,

Through your Holy Spirit who Jesus sent to remind us and teach us about Jesus

Cause us to hear and see.

Don’t number us among those whose ears you close and eyes you blind.

Help us to see Jesus - Help us to be Jesus in everything we do.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You have your race

You are not Charlie Kirk.

He had his race given by God

You have your race given by God.

You were created by God to be here at this place for just such a time as this.

Listen to verse 1 again, Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

This is the big turning point in the book.

He’s been talking to a people who are going through some very hard times.

Just like today, it was ok to be anything except a practicing, believing Christian.

Oh today, it’s just fine to be a liberal Christian that uses words like justice and rights and inclusion and affirmation.

But it’s not ok to be a Christian that stands on the truth of the Bible.

That’s what got Charlie Kirk shot.

The Hebrews were living through just such a time.

Just as Mordecai coached Esther in the Old Testament, Esther 4:14 “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?””

Listen to me, you WERE created for such a time as this or you would not be here.

You will make it.

You will win.

You will do what the Lord has called you to do.

Quit worrying about striking out.

Start considering:

How to win your race

The Pastor has walked them through 11 chapters explaining why Jesus is better than any choice they could ever make

Until finally he gets here and says, “Therefore…”

Based on everything we’ve said, here’s what you need to do.

First, I know you know, because we’ve talked about, “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”

I like to think of all of those who have gone before us watching us from heaven, cheering us on to victory.

But that’s not exactly the image here.

I’m not convinced they are concerned about us at all

And really, do you want them to be?

Would you want your loved one who has had every tear wiped from their eyes, every pain healed, every heartache removed

Who sits at the feet of Jesus every day, who sees the saints, every day

Do you really want them to be looking back here at our petty spats and squabbles?

Don’t think of them as cheering us on.

Think of them as mentors

Think of them - we’ve studied this and you know it - think of them as regular people who

Some of them walked through hell on earth and yet what did they do?

They made it - they persevered, they conquered.

And they were no better than you.

For heavens sake, Samson was one of the most immoral acting men ever.

He was heaven’s wild child - whatever moral failure you are holding against yourself - your man Samson one upped you.

And yet, Samson is there.

When it mattered most, he saw his failure, he repented and he prayed for people to see God’s glory.

Samson made it - so will you.

Second, get your head on straight - success in part depends on you.

Hebrews 12:1 “…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely…”

If you are as old as me, you’ve seen sports uniforms morph over the years.

You young folks, go back and look at baseball and football uniforms - goodness, even tennis and gymnastics uniforms from fifty years ago.

We’ve gone from baggy, floppy uniforms to skin tight and light weight.

Why? Just to be provocative?

Nope. Athletes are laying aside every weight.

Now we don’t have a lot of time so I’m going to cut right down to some very personal stuff.

A lot of us - if not all of us - have a load of church hurt we carry.

Lay it aside.

Yes, things have happened.

Yes you were mistreated.

I suspect, if you are human, you did some mistreating yourself along the way.

Get over it.

You’ve not lived until you have someone you care for stand up in a member’s meeting and ask for your resignation.

You’ve not lived until you have someone that you have rejoiced with and cried with turn around and stab you in the back.

And anyone who has been in the church for any period of time has a story - every last one of us

Because the church is a place full of reforming sinners and some times we refer back to type.

Why am I saying this?

See the word “weight?”

One version translates that “lay aside every wound that has pierced us.”

Your ex-husband might have talked Jesus and walked the devil.

Your former pastor might have preached Jesus and laid hands on the ladies.

Pick a story - remember it - now, get over it.

Forgive whoever or whatever.

Turn them over to the Lord - let Him handle them.

Get over it - get your eyes on Jesus.

You are worthless to Him until you do.

And since it says “lay aside,” that means it is within your power to do so.

If you say you can’t, it’s because you have your eyes on you way more than you have your eyes on Jesus.

Erika Kirk forgave the shooter that took her husband away from her and her kids.

I suspect she’ll have to forgive him every time one of those kids cry for their daddy, or she has to take care of 3 sick kids at the same time

Or when she has to enroll them all in school

Or when she has to go to their weddings alone.

Lay aside.

Keep laying aside.

Let Jesus do the avenging - we don’t have time to waste.

Third, don’t you dare quit.

Verse 1 ends with “run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Did you hear that?

You didn’t set that race.

It was set before us.

Romans 8:29 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Do you remember us studying Romans?

Do you remember what predestined means?

It’s not a scary word at all - it simply means this: Everyone that the Lord has called to salvation, He’s made a plan for their life that will end up making them look as much like Jesus as they can.

That’s the race you are running.

God’s plan for you - no matter how humble you are or how proud, the result is the same

God’s plan for your life is for you to look like Jesus.

And listen to me, God doesn’t fail.

If you belong to Jesus, you’ll end up looking like Jesus.

You will make it.

Now we are running out of time, look at verse 2: Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

You’ve got to change your thinking

Listen to me - the problem with the religion that many of us grew up with is it was so focused on us.

Think about how we presented the gospel:

“If you will just pray this simple prayer, you will be saved and you will go to heaven when you die.”

Four times in that sentence we use the word “you.”

Our religion has been all about us individually.

What God is going to do for us.

How God is going to bless us, heal us, deliver us.

Taken to it’s absolute extreme is Joel Osteen’s book, “Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential.”

Listen to me, do you want to live your life at full potential?

Then drill down in verse 2 - looking to Jesus

Get your eyes off of everyone else - they are all flawed - every single last one of them, me and you included.

Look to Jesus.

Why?

Well, its pretty simple - He is the Founder and Perfector of our faith.

The founder is the originator - no one knows where the organization should be headed that the one who created it.

The word for perfecter is completion.

Jesus started it - He lived it like it was supposed to be lived, then He closed the deal.

His template is the only template.

His plan is the only plan.

If you want to live your life at your full potential, follow the only one who has ever lived life to it’s fullest potential.

Cause here is the kicker - this is what can give us the impetus to change our thinking.

In verse 2, the Pastor says, “…who [that’s Jesus] who for the joy set before him…”

And then the Pastor talks about what Jesus went through but now stop.

What was the joy set before Him?

Three things real fast.

Number 1 - Jesus’ joy was that the Father did what He promised Jesus he would do.

Never forget, Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine.

Jesus was required to have faith in His Father.

Jesus has to trust that when Jesus was martyred for the faith, that the Father would resurrect Him from the dead.

Jesus limited His divinity to preclude Him from raising Himself.

He had to have faith - just like we have to have faith.

And one part of Jesus joy was seeing that the Father did indeed do the powerful thing He promised.

I know some of you are going through horrible trials.

But I promise this is going to happen.

When the trial is over, you’ll look back and a warmth will wash over you as you realize your Heavenly Father did indeed deliver you.

You won’t have words.

But you will have unimaginable joy.

Number 2 - Jesus joy was that He was going home.

Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This earth wasn’t His home.

This earth isn’t our home.

One day, we’re going home.

We won’t feel out of place anymore and we won’t be worried about what might happen to us.

We will know - we’ll be sitting with Jesus.

I suspect there might be tears of joy as we realize that what God promised was done

That we have finally gone home and we will never leave again.

Number 3 - Jesus joy was that He didn’t go home alone.

Here’s the mindset change for us.

Yes we will go to heaven when we die - but the goal is not for us to go home alone.

The plan God has for your and my life is not just for us - it is for His church.

The Father started making heaven crowded with Jesus.

He’s continuing to make heaven crowded with us.

Can you imagine walking into heaven - listen, listen

Can you imagine walking into heaven and having Jesus say, “look behind you.”

And behind you is a crowd of people whose lives had been touched for Jesus because you followed Jesus as best as you could.

Heaven isn’t for you - Heaven is for us - and for as many of us as we can bring along with us.

Listen, chances are excellent you’ll never be Charlie Kirk.

But chances are excellent you will be who God planned you to be.

Make up your mind to be that.

Make up your mind to put aside everything that is holding you back.

Your fears, shyness, lack of confidence, church hurt, your arrogance, your pride, whatever it is

Dare to put it aside.

Dare to stand before Jesus and say, “You know what I am better than me

“And with all I can muster, I want to bring as many people with me to heaven as I can.”

Show me how.

And He will show you how.

Dear brother and sister, we can bring revival to FBC Gray, to Jones County and as far as the Lord will allow if we do our part.

Lay aside every encumbrance and sin - and then run for your life.

As hard and as fast as you can - looking to Jesus.

We’re going to see amazing things when we do.

Let us pray:

Communion

Jesus started the Lord’s Supper as he faced the cross.

But think about what He did.

Instead of focusing on Himself and the hardship He was about to endure.

He thought about those He wanted to take with Him.

All the way from the Apostles, to you and me.

We need to imitate Jesus, right?

The Apostle Paul said in

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We were reminded of this at our last Lord’s Supper.

Jesus essentially said, “Brothers and sisters, it’s going to get hard - harder than you could ever imagine.”

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

There is victory in Jesus.

And His victory is OUR victory.

Let us pray:

Would the brothers who are serving please come forward?

If you are born again believer baptized on the right side of your salvation, you are invited to join with us at the Lord’s table.

We look forward to Jesus’ coming again by coming forward to receive the bread and the juice as our profession of faith in Jesus.

We know this may be a little uncomfortable for some of you who haven’t chosen to follow Jesus yet.

We would ask you to enjoy seeing a family coming together with a single belief

And know that we are praying you will one day be a part of the family as well - we want to bring you home with us.

Please exit your pew to your left and come to the station closest to you.

The gluten free wafers are at __________ table.