Lightweights
This weekend I heard another message that had me leaving church with a knot in my throat and a lot to think about. Pastor Mike is preaching through Hebrews 12 in a series called “Our Fight With Sin.” This weekend was Part 3–Reconsidering how hard we’re willing to fight. Hebrews 12:4 says
“In your struggle with sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
The first point was this: Admit we’re “lightweights.” We get nasty e-mails or a rude look from someone and we’re all up in arms with the martyr’s syndrome. Yet, Scripture is full of stories of lives who said “no” to sin and “yes” to righteousness and paid a high price to do so.
Hebrews 11:36-38 gives a somewhat jarring reality check to our reaction to our own pain for the faith as it testifies to the price paid by our first century bothers and sisters in the faith–
“Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about om sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated–the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.”
That is intense. In fact, I can’t even fathom my life this way. I can make so much drama about having “one of those days” and come home at night saying, “Does everything have to be so hard?!” These Christians had to pay a high price to stand up for their faith and we fold at the idea of having to speak the gospel to a relative or long-time friend. “They might reject me!” we say. How sad. This isn’t the example set by so many of those before us.
We’re too busy to read our Bible’s, too ashamed to evangelize and we complain about having to be at church another night of the week…we have not resisted the worldly temptations for comfort and ease nearly as hard as we need to. Do we even know what resisting to the point of “shedding blood” means? This Sunday it was brutal to just say, “Yeah, I’m a lightweight,” but I’m eager to step up the resistance of temptation in my life and take choosing to be holy seriously.
September 19th, 2007
Wasn’t that an AMAZING sermon. I was so admonished and encouraged at the same time! I am a lightweight, for certain. I pride myself on the unrighteous things I do NOT do, but I forget to look at how I am lacking in proactively doing the right thing, regardless of the cost to me. Our culture certainly prizes comfort, which is so contradictory to what we, as pilgrims in this world, should expect. I am so glad Pastor Mike ended with a reminder of the strength, comfort and help we can receive from the Holy Spirit!
September 19th, 2007
I finished “Jesus Freaks” the night before I heard this sermon. I had taken notes from the book and copied down some of the amazing quotes from amazing servants of God. I read over them Saturday morning and was wondering just how I was going to be able to apply what they went through to my every day life. Then, I got to church and heard that sermon and realized it was speaking right to my questions from just that morning. I was astonished! God is so good. I want to review the notes and the questions on the back to really get this into my head and be able to apply the truths of how my life should look and to keep perspective on my “lightweight” situation. I have to say that it was also good for me to hear as a Pastor’s wife…how easily I complain about the sacrifices of our schedule…what a LIGHTWEIGHT!
September 19th, 2007
Thanks for this post, Christa! I didn’t “like” hearing Pastor Mike suggest it - but agree what the impact of hearing it and then being uncomfortable while I dwell on it for a week will do. It IS uncomforatable to think about giving to the point of shedding blood. It IS uncomfortable to think about what I lightweight I really am. However, it has challenged me to really evaluate how seriously I have taken the sacrifice that Christ made for me. Do I really fully understand what it took to make that sacrifice, or do I accept the general principle of what He did but quickly move on because the whole concept makes me uncomfortable? If Christ was willing, why do I hesitate at the prospect of emotional or physical pain?
September 19th, 2007
I have always wanted to be a light-weight, but not quite like Pastor Mike was suggesting. What a powerful sermon and a great reminder that we need to rethink our “sacrifices” for God, and perhaps rename them as something other than “sacrifices”.
September 24th, 2007
Hey Christa,
Would you mind commenting on my new blog? I have to have it for one of my classes and I have to get people that know me pretty well to comment on it. Would you mind?
It was so nice to see you a week ago. Hopefully, we will be able to catch up even more soon!
September 27th, 2007
Christa,
Absolutely LOVED your WBS wed morning talk…especially liked the “pearl”&”faith”comparison.
You did an excellent job.
Thankyou,
tamra litz
I found your blog from Haley’s blog….
October 1st, 2007
Hi Christa, Wanted to let you know I’ll be there in 9 days. Email me if you want to get together. I think I’ll be free during the day Oct. 15th and 16th.
Thanks, Wendy