"Unencumbered For Eternity"
Sermon On the Move • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsThe early church grew because they didn't allow the things they had to slow them down. Acts 2 specifically talks about possessions, but many Christians need to surrender other parts of their life to the Lord. Being unencumbered for eternity means surrendering everything to Jesus.
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“Church on the Move”
“Unencumbered for Eternity”
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This morning we are continuing our series titled “Church on the Move.”
As we have worked through this series, I have spent a lot of time preaching on the establishment of the church.
We started by going back into the Gospels. I set up the scene starting with Jesus telling the disciples that there would be a church, telling them the purpose of the church, the need to wait for power, and then the birth of the church that came with the outpouring of the Spirit that endued them with power.
From there Peter preached a powerful message that cut the hearers to the heart. They asked the question, “What must we do,” to which Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the lord our God calls to Himself.”
3000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED!
3000 PEOPLE IN A SINGLE DAY, AT A SINGLE EVENT!
THAT MY FRIENDS IS REVIVAL!
THAT IS DEAD BONES COMING TO LIFE!
THAT IS OLD THINGS PASSING AWAY, AND ALL THINGS BECOMING NEW!!!
THIS EVENT WAS SO REVELATORY TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE THAT THERE LIVES WERE CHANGED TO THE POINT THAT THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES SHIFTED!
THEY NOW SPENT THEIR DAYS BEING THE CHURCH!!!
Last week we looked at the basics… we looked at the Biblical Formula For Success.
DAY BY DAY!!!
Day by Day they kept doing the right things!!!
They prayed, they studied, they fellowshipped…
DAY BY DAY!!!
Day by day they helped meet the needs of the community!
Day by day they looked at their own materialism or their excesses, and they parted ways with the things they didn’t need, so they could help the next person out!
I said last week that most scholars say that this was a temporary act that was helping out those that were staying in Jerusalem form other cities or countries.
The charity was extended, so that those that wanted to grow in their new-found faith had the means to stay in the hub of the newly founded Church.
I didn’t spend much time on that last week, but I am going to dive into that a little more today.
Let me start with a question…
How many of you have ever had to move from one house to another as an adult?
How many times did you take more stuff with you than you needed to?
I have told on myself before, but I’ll do it again…
More than a few years ago I lived in Columbus Ohio. While I was up there I got into woodworking. One aspect that I really enjoyed was called “INTARSIA.”
Intarsia is an art where you take a picture of say an Owl. Then you cut random pieces of different wood, different colors, different grain patterns etc. that are different thicknesses to form a somewhat 3 dimensional picture.
Long story short to do that kind of woodworking you need lots of different kinds of wood.
SO, I had all of this wood. When I moved to Arkansas, I took the wood with me. I stored that wood in a rented storage building for quite awhile. Eventually, I moved to a place where I had room to store it, so I moved the wood there. Kristi and I sold that place and moved to a new house, but in the process I moved the wood to her dad’s shop where I had some equipment available to do some woodwork.
I finally got a shop setup at our new house and moved the wood there.
Then we moved from Fifty Six to Leslie, SO I moved that wood along with a bunch more wood I had accumulated to Leslie.
Then we moved here and…yup you guessed it, the wood followed us to Missouri.
As a matter of fact, I rented a U-haul truck primarily to that wood and a few other things from Lelsie to Greenfield.
Can you imagine the amount of time and money I spent hauling WOOD?
Not just wood, but the same wood!!!
Now, How many of you have things in your life that are hauling around?
Things that cost you more time and more money than they are worth.
Things that are keeping you from being everything God has called you to be?
How many of you have baggage, whether literal stuff, or mental and emotional baggage, that is keeping you from fulfilling your role in the Kingdom?
Keeping with the theme of “The Church on the Move” How much more effectively can the Church Move when it isn’t encumbered or overloaded with a lot of extra stuff???
What would life look like if we were “Unencumbered for Eternity?”
What would life look like for us personally and the church corporately if we had such a loose grip on our STUFF (physical, mental, or emotional), that we were willing to give up our possessions, our preferences, or our positions, what if we were actually willing to die to ourselves, so that someone else could grow closer to the Lord.
That’s asking A LOT, but that is what Jesus requires.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
As the disciples continued steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine, they were clinging closely to the words of Jesus. They were emulating His life and His teaching.
In Acts 11:26 it says,
Acts 11:26 (ESV)
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
This word literally meant Christ followers or Little Christs. The people saw them to be so intimate with the One known as Jesus the Christ, that they mockingly called His followers by a similar name!
While it was meant as an insult, they considered it one of the greatest compliments…as we should today.
The disciples had heeded to His instruction in such a way that they were recognized by their fruits.
For the next few minutes, I want to look at some of the things we could stand to give up, for the benefit of another.
I want to look at how we can be “Unencumbered for Eternity.”
I want to talk about ways that the Church can not only gain, but Maintain Momentum.
I WILL WARN YOU AHEAD OF TIME. THIS SERMON SHOULD COST YOU SOMETHING.
I AM QUITE LITERALLY GOING TO BE CHALLENGING EACH OF YOU TO GIVE SOMETHING UP!!!
I. (Possessions) Own Your Stuff, But Don’t Let Your Stuff Own You
a. The Rich Young Ruler Matthew 19:16-22
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
b. Following Jesus is Greater than Any Possession we could ever “OWN”
c. Clinched fists can’t receive God’s Blessings
d. Often times God will call us to give up something, so He can give us something better
II. (Preferences) Remember, Your Opinions Are Yours
a. Romans 14:13-23
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
b. My Opinions can slow down the progress of another believer’s progress.
c. My “opinions” can prevent an unbelievers from coming to Jesus
d. We must surrender our opinions to the Mind of Christ
e. Too often we allow our pride to keep us from surrendering our opinions to others 1 Peter 5:7-8
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
III. Give your grief to Jesus
a. Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
b. Most of us get stuck in the worst part of the grieving process. We get stuck in the guilt, anger, and depression. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT PAST THE DEPRESSION IS ACCEPTANCE AND HOPE.
IV. (Position) Forgive, Quickly and Completely
a. Matthew 18:21-22 with the following story Paraphrased
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
b. Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
c. The heart of the issue!!!
V. Say Goodbye to the Sin That Slows You Down
a. Hebrews 12:1-2
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.
b. The Problem With Sin is it separates us from God
c. The Gospel (good news) is that Jesus dies to wash away the sin the slows us down and separates us from relationship with the Father.
Going to be “Breaking Bread” together
Open Communion, BUT WE ASK THAT YOU ARE A CHRIST FOLLOWER!!
Warnings against eating unworthily 1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Prayer for salvation
Communion
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.”
Ed Todd Pray
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.