Unhindered
Hall of Faith • Sermon • Submitted
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Last Sunday we ended our time together talking about throwing off the weight...
This morning let’s continue with that thought.
Many people today are dealing with heavy loads of anxiety.
Many have trouble sleeping because they cannot stop thinking about all that needs to be done.
May you are there:
maybe your family life is stressing you out.
some have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders
anxiety is more than a spiritual issue
Wherever you are I believe God wants to take away the weight you have been carrying.
If you can learn to hand it over to him, it would change the way you run the race.
Can you imagine feeling strong - loose - free!
You would no longer be under the strain of the burden!
It is not an easy thing and I get that.
The weight feels too real, it pulls you down all the while pressing you into submission.
It is heavy.
It consumes your daily thoughts
Eventually it can take over your mind
What began as a simple tiptoe around thoughts turned into a heave sprint in ten pound ankle weights.
You are tired, worn, plain exhausted and you feel like giving up.
Take a look at our text this morning:
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,
As the Christian community grew, followers of Christ felt stressed out and overwhelmed.
Jesus’ disciple Peter, who was once a fisherman and now a leader, wrote a letter to the new Christian community. He felt to write them as they faced the prospect of arrest and execution under the Emperor Nero.
Peter begins the letter by addressing his leaders in verse 1 as “God’s elect exiles scattered throughout”.
They had been driven out of their homes.
Many lived as refugees
they had lost their jobs
possessions were seized
they were separated from friends and family
that’s a lot of weifght to carry as they run the race that is outlined in Heb. 12.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When we look at the early church here we know their legs are tiring.
They don’t know how much farther they can go under this kind of stress
Here is what Peter says to them
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Take note of this for those who are overwhelmed to the breaking point these words may seem insulting, oversimplified or even ignorant.
But let me ask you this:
What if you really believe the last part of this verse - God of all creation cares about you!!!!
No matter if you see this verse as lame or powerful depends on what you believe about God.
Do you believe He cares?
All of us go through doubt and trust me there are well documented moments that Peter doubted.
Mark 4 helps us get a better understanding.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Jesus and His disciples are in a boat and He instructed them to go to the otherside of the lake.
A huge storm comes on them
Waves start splashing into the boat
Many of the disciples were fisherman who had experienced a few harsh storms
This storm was unreal
The disciples were terrified - that’s what the Bible teaches us!
In the middle of the storm the disciples find Jesus sleeping on a cushion in the stern of the boat.
He is taking a nap!
Panicked - Peter and the disciples start shaking Jesus trying to wake Him up. Wake up! Wake up!
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
Don’t you care??
Have you ever asked God a question like that?
Don’t you care God?
If you care why did you allow this?
Why did you allow this bad thing to happen?
Don’t you care that you are drowning?
in debt?
in bitterness?
in loneliness?
Peter and the disciples struggle to believe that God cares because they are doing what we often do:
that is measure God’s concern for us by how hard it is raining.
Transfer the Weight
Transfer the Weight
Cast your anxiety on God!
When we hear the word “cast” we often think of fishing and with Peter being a fisherman why wouldn’t we?
We may have thought he is using what he knows to describe what we need to do with our anxierties.
But hold on
When you cast a line out then you reel it in
It always comes right back to you!
But in this instance cast is not used in this way.
The word cast here is used in the same context in scripture one other time and is translated as “TRANSFER” more literally “TRANSFER THE WEIGHT”.
Some people talk about just letting the anxiety go.
Open up your hands and release your anxiety.
Imagine laying down on a bench holding up a weighted bar - letting go would not be a good idea.
Peter does not say simply release it!
He says “TRANSFER IT!”
Let God carry the weight that has been holding you back and keeping you down
Different Weights
Different Weights
What are you holding onto that you need to transfer to God?
This morning we need to take inventory of things that bring you anxiety.
What causes you to question God or wonder where God is at the hardest times in our lives?
Our head spins with possibilities.
It spins with the things that we are facing.
We wish Jesus would just show up and tell us what to do. To make it all better!
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
A lot of our anxieties fall into the category of tomorrow.
We need to remind ourselves not to borrow from tomorrow to take it one day at a time.
We can loose ourselves in the dizziness of possibilities - Don’t go there!
This can dramatically decrease your worry inventory.
These days there can be things that trigure panic and fear
Social media
Current events
Constant tweets
News updates
Texts
There needs to be an off button for “Anxiety alerts”
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
Most anxiety comes from situations and people we don’t control.
It is like being on a battlefield without armor or weapons which equals High risk and no where to turn.
Peter makes it clear you are taking on even more weight as you run the race.
You are slowing down, panting, wanting to give up.
God wants you to travel light and to get there faster.
People tend to quote scripture as a stand alone statement or Christian platitudes or cliches. This is not the way to encourage or dismiss anxiety.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
What we need to do is put these verses together.
“Cast your anxiety” to the back end of the thought.
Humble yourselves … casting your anxiety on Him.
Pride vs. Humility
Pride vs. Humility
When we humble ourselves by casting our anxiety on Him.
When we cast our anxities on Him we humble ourselves.
Peter makes the connection that can be difficult pride and anxiety.
Pride can make us self centered - the more I focus on those things the more anxious I feel. The more self centered I am the more concerned I am concernced about my own pleasures, desires and comfort.
Pride refuses to ask for help.
So much anxiety results from refusal to humble ourselves and ask God or anyone else for help.
Have you ever asked anyone to help you?
How easy is it?
So often we think asking for help is weak or we can’t do it because of pride.
Have you gotten on your knees and asked for God’s help?
When was the last time you did that?
Don’t think of it as an admission of defeat. Think of it as an anxiety transfer.
PRIDE that word has so many facets!
Pride makes demands and keeps us awake at night going over them.
Humility acknowledges our control is limited - it surrenders those things to God.
Pride tries to take control
Humility trusts that God cares.
He is capable
It transfers the weight over to Him!
Pride makes us defensive, selfish, stubborn, jealous, critical.
Peter gets it - He says cast our anxiety on God by coming humbly before Him.
Conclusion:
How?
Make the connection - acknowledge and confess pride and its danger.
When we worship - we humble ourselves.
Worship is a powerful antidote to anxiety
Worship and worry are not capitable with each other.
Worship and worry cannot coexist
When we worship God - we are reminded of His greatness, power and we naturally begin to cast the weight of your anxieties on Him.
When we pray and ask God for help we do just that.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
He does not just tell us to pray about it.
He tells us how to pray.
Prayer that casts the weight of anxiety on God is prayer that is full of thanksgiving and supplication.
Have you ever prayed about your anxiety then a few minutes in you feel your anxiety level increasing?
You think this is not working.
In our prayers we often tell God about our anxieties but never get around to telling our anxieties about God!
When our prayers are filled with thanksgiving we are telling our anxieties what we have to be thankful for.
Anxiety has been a way of blinging us to God’s blessings but thanksgiving opens our eyes.
It is a proactive way of attacking our anxieties.
Fill your prayers with supplication telling your anxieties to God - telling them that God is on our side and can carry that weight.
Don’t just tell God your anxieties tell your anxieties about God.
Some may say you don’t get the weight - it’s just too much - No one can carry it!
It’s heavy for me and wearing me down or it is not big enough to deal to bother God.
Pain is pain
Weight is weight
God does not compare it or be bothered by us.
You are His loved one and He adores you.
He sees you
He sees your struggle, your brokenness, and your anguish.
His heart aches because yours does.
He has tenderness and compassion for you.
He desires to take your weight from you.
He desires you FREE!
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Remember times when you kids are so small, so independent.
I remember times when we would travel and the girls were so small. They would want to carry everything in their arms because they were big girls.
They had toys, blankets, bags. Their arms were stogged but they were determined to carry it.
As they walked we knew they were tired. We knew the load was awkward and heavy. We would ask them if we could help. No they would say so determined and proud.
Then all of a sudden… can you take this toy… this bag… this blanket. They are staggering with sleep. We are all too happy to help them because we love them. Because they are our precious babies.
Then they look up with those beautiful eyes and we ask are you coming? They then ask Daddy will you carry me too?
There is nothing that fills our hearts than to scoop them up into the safety of our arms, so happy to carry them. Carrying the weight of our girls and their baggage was more of a joy than a task.
The load you are carrying has become too havey in your life. The anxieities have weighed you down long enough. Let it go, give it up. God sees the load you carry, why are you holding onto it.
Why don’t you let Him carry that for you?
