Weighted Down

Introduction

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas

I went to Florida (drove)

Savannah, GA

Did anyone else have to travel a long distance to spend time with family?

When you drive for

One of the frustrating things about traveling long distance (besides sitting in a car for 16 hours) is having to deal with other drivers.

Just about everybody thinks they are an above average driver

Let me give you the 3 things that annoy me most when it comes to others driving habits that is going to tie into the message this morning

Sitting at a light or in traffic and person doesn’t move when they can because they are on their phone

Cuts you off in traffic

Sits in the left lane

The common denominator of these 3 habits is that they all slow me down.

Explain

Maybe you aren’t as quick paced as I am. I race the GPS.

Theres something about driving that makes you feel like you are in a hurry.

Even when I’m not in a hurry to get somewhere, I still get annoyed when I’m slowed down.

Maybe most of you are more relaxed than I am. I race the GPS.

Its not just driving though, we can tend to get annoyed with anything that slows us down.

Going through the checkout at the grocery store

Cashier makes a mistake

Your line is moving the slowest

Waiting in line at the drive thru at Chick Fil A and the line doesn’t seem to be moving

But there is one area of our lives where we can so easily be slowed down, and burdened.

Sometimes it goes unnoticed

At other times we may be aware of it, but aren’t all that concerned or possibly feel like we can’t do anything about it

I’m talking about our individual spiritual Christian journeys.

The Bible talks about our Christian journey as a race in a few different parts of Scripture.

I want to challenge and encourage us all with something this morning when it comes to your spiritual race as a Christian.

The Race

Lets read 3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

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, 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. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

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, 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.

We have this picture of a race

The author of Hebrews is encouraging us to lay aside the weights and sins that cling so closely, and run with endurance.

In other words, get rid of whatever is hindering your progress, or slowing you down.

In other

The thing about a race is that you want to get rid of as much weight as possible.

Anything that is going to hinder your progress or slow you down is to be ridden of.

When I ran track in high school, everything was bare minimum

Light weight shoes, and clothing (even in cold weather)

It would be ridiculous if I were to try and run with any added weight like a coat or backpack

Its believed

What is the weight in your life that is hindering you or slowing you down?

In 3 days we start a new year. Can you believe its 2020 already?

Every new year, millions of people make resolutions

A lot of times these resolutions are centered around doing something or adding something

Working out more

Eating healthier

Spending more time with family

Read more

Learn a new hobby

But I want to flip that, and challenge us on, what is something you need to let go of this year?

This is not just a news years thing, this is an evaluation that we need to always be making

What is something you need to let go of?

It doesn’t even have to be a bad thing

One Biblical commentary said it like this: “A winning athlete does not choose between the good and the bad; he chooses between the better and the best.”

List of weights:

A relationship (romantic or friendship)

This relationship doesn’t lift you up in Christ

Emotionally draining

Perhaps its making you cynical and negative towards people and life

Maybe its a thought pattern

I can’t do this any more

Will God really show up....is his grace really enough?

God doesn’t love me

God hasn’t forgiven me

Maybe its entertainment

That tv show causes lust to rise in you

It takes away from your time with God

That music further hardens your bitterness or anger

Maybe its a hobby

This hobby has replaced your first love in Christ

Maybe it is a sin

Something that you’ve struggled with for awhile, and you just need to finally get help and accountability

And lay down your pride in thinking you can fight it alone, and finally just tell someone about it.

Maybe its an emotional hurt or pain

That you need to bring up again or wounds that you need to reopen whether in conversation with a counselor of a pastor, so that you can get the proper healing you need

Enough is enough, I’m going to pursue wholeness

Maybe its unforgiveness

You know this thing has been killing you and your family, but you’ve just wanted to hold on to it, and you are watching it tear you apart.

It’s time to let it go

Now this may seem extremely heavy and hard, but I love how the author of Hebrews sandwiches this between two very encouraging realities

Cloud of witnesses (read vs 1)

Chapter 11 was all about the OT heroes of faith (Moses, Abraham, Abel, Gideon, David, Rahab, Samuel, etc…)

We have a testimony of people who held to faith, even though they never saw what they were hoping for.

It may feel like you can’t make it, but here are a bunch of people who have!

But what’s more encouraging is what comes in vs 2

And this is the only way that we are going to have endurance for this race

Jesus (read vs 2, 3)

Jesus will finish what he started

He is the founder of our faith, and he is the perfecter

says

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

He is also our prime example of finishing strong

for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...

Even Jesus got through the most difficult time of his life, by looking ahead to the joy that was before him

The time when sin and death would be defeated and man would once again be restored in relationship to God

He endured the cross, despised the shame

Consider this so you don’t grow weary, or fainthearted.

Whatever it is that we need to let go of in our live, it is possible, whether it is a very practical thing, or a spiritual thing.

1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary 4. Paul’s Self-Control (9:24–27)

Paul’s point is that, like the runner, the Christian must give of his best.

But I want to show you another reason to run with all your strength and might, and endure to the end.

ESV

We are going to look at one other passage of Scripture that talks about a race

Here’s what Paul is saying:

The goal was to serve Christ and win lost souls.

He said “I do all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

“I’m not just running this race for myself, I am running it for others!”

The goal was to serve Christ and win lost souls.

It’ s important to note that this race is not about running to be saved.

The Christian does not run the race to get into heaven, you and I are in the race because we have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ!

But this is what this is telling us:

You are someone else’s example of the Christian life…You and I are the avenue that God uses to reach others for Him

Whether your friends, kids, parents, coworkers..the pace you set in your Christian race and the life you live is being modeled for someone else.

So Paul is saying you have to be disciplined....is there something that is hindering you, which in turn could hinder others?

These runners that Paul is referencing, had to take an oath for ten months of training

They had a strict self-denying diet

Refrained from wine or pleasant foods

Endured cold and heat and very laborious discipline

And all for what?

So that they could win a perishable wreath.

If people sacrifice that much to win something so trivial, isn’t it worth disciplining ourselves and letting go of certain things for the sake of eternal rewards?

Paul even takes it to the next level

Maybe its not even a sin or a personal weight that you need to let go of…maybe its a personal right.

But you are letting go for the sake of the gospel

Why are you here? After God saved you, why didn’t he just take you to be with Him?

It’s because you have an incredible calling and purpose beyond just surviving until you finally get to be with Him in glory.

We have such a high calling!!!

What is something that you need to let go of this year, so you can position yourself to run this race in the best way possible as an example to those you have influence over in your lives?

I want to end this message with a time for reflection.

So we are going to do something a little different than what we usually do.

We are going to softly play some music in the background and put on the screen, and lets sit and reflect for a few minutes this incredible call we have in our life.

I want you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal some things that you maybe need to let go of. We all have them.

And know this…that there is grace and strength to accomplish what He asks of us.

Lets take a few minutes of silent reflection, and then I’m going to come up and close us in prayer.

Philippians 3:12–16 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

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, 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. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 ESV

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eleven: Stay in the Running! (Hebrews 12)

What are the “weights” that we should remove so that we might win the race? Everything that hinders our progress. They might even be “good things” in the eyes of others. A winning athlete does not choose between the good and the bad; he chooses between the better and the best.

Paul’s point is that, like the runner, the Christian must give of his best.

1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary 4. Paul’s Self-Control (9:24–27)

Paul’s point is that, like the runner, the Christian must give of his best.

1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary 4. Paul’s Self-Control (9:24–27)

The strenuous self-denial of the athlete as he sought a fleeting reward is a rebuke to half-hearted, flabby Christian service. The athlete denies himself many lawful pleasures and the Christian must similarly avoid not only definite sin, but anything that hinders spiritual progress.

Morris, L. (1985). 1 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 7, p. 138). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 9

Every candidate had to take an oath that he had been ten months in training, and that he would violate none of the regulations (2 Ti 2:5; compare 1 Ti 4:7, 8). He lived on a strict self-denying diet, refraining from wine and pleasant foods, and enduring cold and heat and most laborious discipline.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Be Wise about … Personal Priorities (1 Corinthians 9)

The Christian does not run the race in order to get to heaven. He is in the race because he has been saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Be Wise about … Personal Priorities (1 Corinthians 9)

In order to give up his rights and have the joy of winning lost souls, Paul had to discipline himself. That is the emphasis of this entire chapter: Authority (rights) must be balanced by discipline. If we want to serve the Lord and win His reward and approval, we must pay the price.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Be Wise about … Personal Priorities (1 Corinthians 9)

This crown is given to those who discipline themselves for the sake of serving Christ and winning lost souls. They keep their bodies under control and keep their eyes on the goal.