Sunday Morning August 12, 2001 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs, New Mexico
Series: Finding Freedom From Sin #2
LIGHTEN THE LOAD
Hebrews 12:1
Introduction:
1. Have you ever run a race? I am sure most of us have run in a race at some point in our life. If you want to see the best foot races, you would need to watch the Olympics or some sort of a World Class Race. If you watch these types of track events, you will notice that these athletes have several things in common.
a. They not only plan on finishing the race, but their goal is to win the race.
b. They are strong and in good shape.
c. They are well prepared mentally and physically for the race.
d. They run light. Things that are not necessary do not weight them down.
e. They run in the race regardless of the conditions. It does not matter if it is hot or cold, windy or rainy, sunny or cloudy. It does not matter if they do not feel very well.
2. As Christians, we too are in a race.
a. Are we running to finish the race?
b. Are we running to win the race?
c. Are we in good spiritual condition?
d. Are we well prepared?
e. Do you run in the race regardless of the conditions or are you sitting down and resting right now?
3. The focus on this sermon this morning is in how to run the race without carrying extra weight.
a. We do not run a strong race because we are weighted down by sin.
b. We become slow and have no endurance.
4. We need to lighten our load. Turn with me to Hebrews 12:1.
“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.”
5. Let’s examine three things this morning about the weight factor of this race:
a. Extra Weight
b. Losing Weight
c. Light Weight
I. Extra Weight
Isaiah 59:2
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
Colossians 1:21-23
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”
A. The Problem
1. Sin separates us from God.
2. We become so distance from God that we feel that God is not there.
3. Sin, because it causes us to love the world, eventually leads us to hate God.
B. The Solution
1. God has reconciled us by putting Jesus to death.
2. He put all of our sins on Jesus.
3. Jesus removed our sin that prevented us from having a relationship with God.
C. The Results
1. The death of Jesus Christ tells us that God has done something about our sin problem.
2. The results are that we who have been reconciled to God are holy, without blemish, and free from accusation.
2 Corinthians 5:21
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
3. Sin weighs us down and will slow us down and make us tired, very quickly.
II. Losing Weight
Hebrews 12:1
“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.”
A. The Problem
1. Sin hinders.
2. Sin easily entangles us.
3. Imagine running a race and you have a 50 lb. sack on your back and your hat has slipped over your eyes a little bit and as you are running from that big dog behind you, you realize that your feet are wrapped up in something. What’s going to happen? That’s right, you will fall and fall hard.
B. The Solution
1. Throw off those things that hinder and entangle you.
2. You see what the solution is? Get rid of that sin.
3. If you are addicted to alcohol, what is the first thing you must do physically? Get rid of all of the alcohol you have. If you don’t, when you are tempted, the problem will be too easily available. This means you have to throw it off. God will not make you take that load of sin off your back. You have to make that decision.
C. The Results
1. You will be able to run down a path that you can clearly see the problems and avoid them.
2. God will be back in charge.
3. You will be back on the path to victory.
III. Light Weight
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
A. The Problem
1. We don’t always want to get rid of some of those sins.
2. We don’t always want to run in the race.
3. Another word for all of this is APATHY.
B. The Solution
1. Apathy is a sin. The solution is to repent.
2. Throw that sin off and leave it to God.
3. It is unneeded baggage that has already been paid for.
C. The Results
1. When we are lighter, we will run faster.
2. We will run with more endurance.
3. We will stay in the race.
Conclusion:
1) Paul told Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
2) I would ask you this morning, are you still in the race or have you fallen to the weight of sin and have not gotten back up?
3) If you have fallen, look up. Jesus is there to pick you up. Remove that sin and confess it to God.
4) I pray that at the end of your life you can too say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
