In reading “Just Like Jesus” by Max Lucado, I ran across a term that I feel is hindering many families, churches, ministries and individuals themselves.
Max calls it – “Stuckitis”
Stuck meaning – trapped
Ititis – meaning – a six letter word you tag on the end to sound impressive.
He says attacks of “stuckititis” are limited to people who breathe and typically occur somewhere between birth and death. It manifests itself in irritability, short fuses, and a mountain range of molehills.
While we could make light of this subject, the fact is, call it what you want but many people feel “stuck” or “trapped” in certain situations. Things are going great until something happens that causes it to go sour.
· How many of you have been hurt by someone?
· How many of you have been let down?
· How many are still dealing with things in your life, in church or at work because of what someone else did to you?
What was going good is now turned to bad because you feel trapped in a place where you have to make a decision. This decision determines your outcome.
Your action determines what kind of person you really are.
· The type of Christian you really are.
· The type of faith you really have.
· The type of love you really have in your heart for others
· The type of love you have for Christ
I was happy. Things were going great. But now because of “YOU” I am stuck here. All because of “YOU” I am no longer happy. I now have to deal with the pieces that you left behind.
There are three actions that people will take to get rid of “Stuckititis”. Those actions are what we are going to talk about in this message.
1. Flee – “to get out of dodge”
This could be in the form of “divorce”
This could be in the form of “finding another church”
This could be changing jobs every two months
Simply put: Running away from the problems at hand.
---------------------
1994, Alabama reported 26,116 divorces / U.S. = 1,191,000
People who got so fed up that they gave up.
---------------------
The National Runaway Switchboard is an organization that takes calls and helps kids who have run away or are thinking of running away. They report:
1-out of every-7 kids (between age 10-18) will run away
1-3million runaway and homeless kids are living on U.S. streets
Why are the kids running? Because they see adults (their examples) running away from their problems at work, at home, at church. Something happens that we don’t like? WE RUN!
(ex. Forrest Gump – kids throwing rocks – “Run, Forrest Run”
in another scene, his Jenny had left him. So he started running. He ran for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours.)
1st Kings 19
We read of a man named Elijah. Leading up to this chapter, Elijah had ordered the siege of prophets of Baal and had them killed. When we get into chapter 19 it opens with Jezebel proclaiming that she will do the same him “by this time tomorrow”.
Read v.3 – So Elijah ran.
Elijah forgot v. 46 in the previous chapter were the Bible said that the “hand of the Lord was on Elijah”. God had things under control but Elijah got scared.
He was ready to give up. Read v.4 – “Take my Life”
· I am done, I am finished
· This is too much for me
· I didn’t ask for all of this
· Life is not fair
· God doesn’t care about me or I wouldn’t be in this mess
v.9 – God ask Elijah what He is asking you:
What are you doing here?
You are not where I had you
You are not where I told you to be
You are not in my will
Many of you are faced with problems that seem unfair, they seem too much to handle.
Realize:
1. God is with you
2. God loves you
3. God is in Control
- Running is not the answer.
Problems you hope to escape by running away are replaced by other (sometimes bigger) problems of life.
2nd Corinthians 12:10 – Paul says:
“I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak – I am made strong”
What was he talking about?
v.9 – Paul says that “the power of Christ is perfected in my weakness”.
You don’t realize what God can do for you until you have gone as far as you can go on your own. That’s when God takes over and realize that you have a powerful God who loves and keeps you.
Fleeing from responsibilities and problems is not the answer.
2. Fighting –
Houses become combat zones, offices become boxing rings, churches become battlefields and tension is a way of life.
We wonder why we have a hard time keeping our kids from fussing and fighting:
Pennsylvania (Basketball) — A parent body-slammed a high school referee after he ordered the man’s wife out of the gym for allegedly yelling obscenities during a basketball game. The referee was treated at a hospital for a concussion and released after the Feb. 6 attack.
Kentucky (Basketball) — During a fifth grade little league game in Adair County, one players father (and a teacher for the school district) physically confronted the game official during half-time after the official ejected several players (Fifth graders) for a fight that broke out during the first half of the game.
Kentucky (Baseball) – Roger Bratcher, a father of a T-ball player was briefly jailed after an outburst against an umpire during a game involving 5- and 6-year-olds.
Ohio (Football) — More than 100 people rush the field and five adults are charged with assault for attacking a high school football official as the crew leaves the field following a state playoff game. The crowd became angry when the officials called back an apparent game-winning touchdown due to a holding penalty with four seconds remaining. (November 2000)
Does it have an effect on our kids?
Tuesday, 15yr. Old, Ken Bartley, Jr. entered Campbell County Comprehensive High School where he shot and killed Asst. Principal, Jim Pierce.
So you tell me if it has an effect on our kids. Believe it or not, they will copy your actions in everything. From how you talk to how you handle adversity.
Christ had a disciple who took matters into his own hands.
Matthew 26 we read of how Peter took his sword and cut off the ear of a high priest slave. Jesus said:
“Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.”
Exodus 14:14 – Moses declares:
“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent”.
Fighting your way out of your situation is not the answer.
If we don’t flee from the situation and if we don’t fight our way out, then how do you suppose we get out of this trap that we are in.
Keep in mind:
We have been hurt bad
We have been let down
We have been left alone
We have been trampled…
So how do we change that?
Read John 13:1-5
It has been a long day with the Passover in Jerusalem. It’s hot. It’s dry. The disciples are a long way from home. Cool water would be refreshing. The disciples file in and take their place around the table. Once every one is seated, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment.
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords takes upon himself the role of a servant. Not just any servant but the task He was about to do was for the lowest of all the servants.
Hours before He is to be crucified, Jesus is showing his disciple how much He loves them.
· He knows the future of His hands that is now washing the feet of the disciples.
· He knows that within 24hrs they will be nailed to a cross.
· He knows the feet He is washing will not be defending his cause.
· Some will run, some will hide.
One pair of feet won’t run. One pair of feet won’t abandon Him because they will never make it that far. Judas will abandon Him that very night at the table.
No where in the Bible does it say that Jesus washed all the disciples’ feet except for Judas.
What a picture. The Son of God raising the feet of His betrayer and washing them in the basin.
Within hours, these men will bow their head in shame. We know about two about of them:
· Judas will turn him over to be crucified
· Peter will deny him, not once but three times
Where’s the rest?
Matthew 26:56 - “…then all the disciples left Him and fled.”
Mark 14:50 – “They all left Him and fled”
And Jesus knows this while He sits on the floor and washes their feet. He forgave them before they ever committed the sin. He offered mercy before they ever needed it.
But you don’t understand the hurt I have
They let me down
I lost all respect for them
I can’t stand to even look at them
The thought of what they did upsets me
Jesus gave us an example: Not to go around and literally wash each other’s feet. There’s a bigger message here:
He is calling us to forgive and serve even those that hurt us.
You’ve been hurt.
You’ve been let down.
You’ve been taken advantage of.
Eph. 4:32 – “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Matt. 6:14 – “For if you forgive men of their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
I am stuck in this situation and I have not where else to go.
I can either: FLEE, FIGHT, or FORGIVE!
Read 2nd Timothy 4:14-17
You can’t forgive on your own, you have to have the Lord’s help!
