LAYING ASIDE 2020 WEIGHTS IN ORDER TO GROW IN 2021

END OF THE YEAR SERIES: LAYING ASIDE 2020 WEIGHTS LIVE FREE IN 2021

The theory behind a close-out sale (opening illustration)

- Not just to get rid of something

- But to make room for something else.

The year is almost over and while we know not what awaits us in the new year, it almost feels like you can breathe now, as a nation, as a world. This tough year, is closing out.

Thrust of the series: Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:1–2 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.

Matthew 1:18 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:19 ESV

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

Matthew 1:20 ESV

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:21 ESV

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:22 ESV

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

Matthew 1:23 ESV

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

SERMON TITLE: CLOSING THE GAPS

SERMON ILLUSTRATION

1. This time of year usually filled with gatherins and family – loud. Sometimes you’d step away for a brief moment of quiet. You love the gathering but, you long for a season of quiet.

2. But what happens when quiet is not good? When silence is debilitating and defeadning

a. Couple had been going to counseling to deal with the chronic issues in their marriage

b. They argued all the time and it often seeped into the sessions with the counselor.

c. One day the wife wanted to speak with the counselor

i. We don’t argue anymore

ii. Counselor: that’s good, right?

iii. All I know is that even when we argued I sensed that he cared

1. Now, he is silent and that is scary

END OF SERMON ILLUSTRATION

Ever been there in your marriage or friendships?

Well, at this point in human history God has been silent: It is the time known as the intertestamental period BUT also known as The 400 Silent Years!

For 400 years God did not speak:

HE WAS SILENT

AND IT WAS SCARY

WHY WAS GOD SILENT: INDIFFERENCE TO HIM

The Jewish people were

mistreating their wives

marrying pagans

They had stopped tithing

the priests were negligent in their duties to the temple and failed to teach people the laws of God

THEY WERE NOT HONORING GOD AND THE LORD STOPPED SPEAKING: THIS MEANT

No prophet

THIS IS WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE AT THIS POINT IN HISTORY: WAITING FOR THE LORD TO SPEAK AGAIN.

THIS STORY IN MATTHEW IS THE WAY GOD CHOSE TO COMMUNICATE. IT IS THE WAY HE CHOSE TO END HIS 400 YEAR SILENCE. IT WAS THE WAY HE CHOSE TO DEAL WITH THE INDIFFERENCE OF MAN TOWARDS HIM.

JESUS IS BORN

BUT HOW IS THIS SPEAKING? IT’S THE BIRTH OF A BABY! HOW IS THIS ENDING THE YEARS OF SILENCE?

John 1:1 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

BUT JESUS - THE BIRTH OF THIS BABY - WAS NOT MERLY THE BIRTH OF A BABY; JESUS WAS GOD’S WAY OF CLOSING THE ETERNAL GAP THAT EXISTED BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

I. JESUS CLOSED THE GAP.

A. BUT WHO IS THIS JESUS WHO CLOSES THIS GAP?

1. He is God – His divinity

2. He is God with us – His humanity

IN OTHER WORDS, GOD CLOSED THE GAP BY IDENTIFICATION

ILLUSTRATION

a. When we are in an argument

b. When there is division

c. When there is a schism

d. All we want is for the other person to “identify” with our perception of this situation; to see it as we see it with the hopes that unity can happen when identification happens

ILLUSTRATION ENDED

B. BY THE BIRTH OF JESUS GOD IDENTIFIED WITH ME

WITH YOU. THAT IS INCREDIBLE

Think about it:

BUT

1. WHO ARE YOU- TRULY

a. Locate what is on your mind and you will find that it is often void of God

b. Locate what is in your heart and you will find that is rarely beats after him

c. Locate what are the longings of your soul and you will find desires and dreams that do not center on God

So, here again is the question: WHO ARE YOU?

YET

2. GOD DEMANDS

a. Mind loyalty

b. Heart loyalty

c. Soul loyalty

BUT HERE WAS THE PROBLEM:

WHAT HE DEMANDS AND WHAT WE GIVE PAINTS A PORTRAIT WITH A GAP THAT IS INFINITE

YET, TOTALLY OUT OF LOVE – HE CLOSED THAT GAP IN CHRIST

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

NOW HE DIDN’T JUST CLOSE THE GAP, NO, THAT WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH

THE ONE WHO CREATED THE GAP NEEDED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR CLOSING IT

SERMON ILLUSTRATION

i. THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO WAS CHECKING OUT OF HIS DOCTOR VISIT AND UPON THE $400 BILL BEING PRESENTED THE OLD MAN SAID THAT HE HAD NOT ENOUGH TO PAY IT.

ii. THEN A YOUNGER MAN, WHO WAS BEHIND HIM, READY TO CHECK OUT, STEPPED IN FRONT OF THE OLD MAN AND TOLD THE LADY THAT HE WOULD PAY THE BILL

END OF SERMON ILLUSTRATION

NOW,

THE OLD MAN MADE THE BILL

THE BILL WAS IN THE OLD MAN’S NAME

BUT THE YOUNG MAN, WHO HAD THE ABILITY PAID A BILL THAT DID NOT HAVE HIS NAME ON IT.

YOUR SIN

HAS PRODUCED A BILL WITH YOUR NAME ON IT

IT’S YOUR BILL BECAUSE ITS YOUR SIN

OH, BUT THERE IS SOMEONE WHO WAS BEHIND YOU – 2000 YEARS BEHIND YOU – WHO WENT BEFORE YOU TO THE CROSS AND PAID YOUR BILL

PAUL SAID COLO 2:13-14

Colossians 2:13 ESV

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

Colossians 2:14 ESV

by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Canceled: FOR YOU ITS CANCELED BUT JESUS PAID IT

ST. AUGUSTINE: “COMMAND WHAT YOU WILL BUT SUPPLY WHAT YOU DEMAND”

Here is what the Christmas message to us is: God closed the gap - don’t open up back up.

II. WE NEED TO CLOSE OUR GAPS

c. What’s wrong with many of us is that we have a gap with God.

Jesus closed the gap between me and God so I could be saved and to that we say and sing hallelujah, BUT… some people feel distant from God and estranged from God as empty as it relates to God, not because He didn’t close the gap, but because we created another one with our selfishness and with our sin: so, this Christmas, as we celebrate the Gap God closed in Jesus, let’s close the gaps we created.

So you can be able to sing on this Christmas season with a new sense of wonder that ole R&B spiritual “And this Christmas will be very special Christmas for me but only if you close the gap: “if you close the gap”

IF 2021 CAN COME CLOSE TO BEING A FRUITFUL YEAR FOR YOU AND I WE MUST CLOSE THE GAPS THAT OUR INDIFFERENCE HAS CREATED OVER THE YEARS WITH THE LORD. WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE FOLLOWING GAPS:

1. The Compromising gap

2. The Prayerless gap

3. The Giving gap

4. The Racial gap

5. The Salvation gap