Letting Go

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the first Sunday in Lent, the 21st of February, 2021, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today is the 1st Sunday in Lent, the Christian season when we reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us, all that He gave up for us.  We at least try to put ourselves in the wilderness where Jesus spent the first 40 days after His baptism fasting and being tempted by Satan.  We know we can’t resist all the devil’s temptations like Jesus did, but we can symbolically fast.

Many folks will give something up for Lent, as a form of fasting.  It must be something meaningful, though, something that it will be a personal sacrifice to let go of.  But Jesus expects more of us, more of a sacrifice from those who would follow Him.

Please listen and follow along to what Jesus tells us as recorded in the Apostle Luke’s Gospel account, from chapter 9, verses 23 through 27 and 57 through 62, and I’ll be reading this from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? 26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”

57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head.”

59 He said to another person, “Come, follow Me.”

The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow You, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”

62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

--Luke 9:23-27, 57-62 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for offering us entry into Your kingdom if we would only believe in Your Son Jesus, follow Him and serve Him.  Please help us understand what it means to truly follow Jesus, what we must be willing to sacrifice for Him, to let go of so we can better serve Him.  Help us to be more worthy of the great sacrifice He made for us.  And Father, please keep us safe from the Satan’s traps and from those who do his bidding.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and purpose in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Show us each what we need to let go of, and then help us do just that.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

British Protestant preacher and author John Henry Jowett once said:  "Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing."

There is definitely a price to pay for true commitment.  Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence.  Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families.  Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died.  Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.  Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army.  Another had two sons captured.  Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.  Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy.  He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.

At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson's home for his headquarters.  Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home.  The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.  John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.  Their thirteen children fled for their lives.  His fields and mill were destroyed.  For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished.  A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.

Yes, those are extremes, but such is the cost of being fully committed to a cause.  Without these men risking everything, the American Revolution would have failed and accomplished nothing.

What do we risk for the cause of Christianity?  What are we willing to give up, to let go up, that we might better serve Jesus and advance the kingdom of heaven?

All those early patriots lost so much for their cause.  They lost homes, estates, fortunes, even family.  They let go of their earthly treasures so that future generations could live freely, out from under the heel of tyrants and kings.  Their heart was in service to their children and their children’s children, to generations yet to be born.

Perhaps they remembered what Jesus once told us during His Sermon on the Mount.  Listen to what our Lord said about treasures as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in chapter 6 of his Gospel account, verses 19 through 21…

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

--Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  What we hold in our heart will clearly indicate what is most important to us.  And God can see into our hearts.  What does He see when He looks inside us?  Does He see some idol we cherish, something we refuse to let go of, or does He see a kind of reflection of Himself?

Last week we talked about love and saw that we show God our love by loving others and seeing to their needs, keeping them in our prayers.  We saw that love was unconditional, sacrificial.  Well, family, what are we willing to sacrifice for our love?  Jesus gave His all for us because He loves us.  What are we willing to give up for Him?  What will we let go of to follow the One we call our Lord?

Now, let’s understand that not all sacrifices have to be of physical things.  We don’t necessarily have to let go of any or all of our resources, or even our time, unless of course those things become an obsession for us.  The Apostle Paul has a few ideas to share that we may not have considered before.  Listen to Paul’s instructions in chapter 4 of his letter to the Ephesians, the church in Ephesus, verses 31 and 32…

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

--Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT)

There are earthly treasures we can give up in our service to Christ, but there are also other holds onto this world that we can let go of.  What about fear, hatred, and distrust?  Can’t we give up favoritism, bias, and prejudice?  Shouldn’t we let go of our misplaced love of things?

We need to let go of worldly things and bad habits that we cling to, because they will not last.  We need to be kinder to one another, more tenderhearted and compassionate, more forgiving or our flaws and mistakes.  As believers, God has forgiven us of our sins because of the sacrifice Jesus made.  Can’t we sacrifice our bitterness, rage, and anger so that our Lord’s sacrifice means something?

Family, Lent is the perfect time for letting go of all that holds us to this world, for taking up our cross and truly following Jesus.  Let go of anger and hatred.  Let go of fear and distrust.  Let go of obsessions over money or power or over what other people may have or be doing.  As Jesus said, we must give up our own way before we can walk with Him.

Letting go is hard to do, but with God’s help we can rid ourselves of those things that keep us tied to this life.  Let’s set our focus on the things of heaven and let go of the things of earth.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God, our Savior and our Redeemer.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Father God, You want nothing more than for us to be ever closer to You.  But our desire for things of this life here on earth keep us apart from You, even if just a little.  Thank You, Father, for showing us what we need to do to be more righteous in Your eyes.  Thank You for sending Your Son to teach us, and to show us by His example.  Father, please help us let go of our grasp on this life.  Help us see that what You have in store for us is far better than anything this world can offer.  Help us give up everything that keeps us from truly following Your Son.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more faithful and true, putting all our trust in You and Jesus, and seeking Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, during Your life and ministry on earth, You possessed little of what man might consider earthly treasures.  Nothing of this life, not even Your mortal life, held You or kept You from doing the will of our Father God.  Thank You, Jesus, for setting an example for us to live by and for instructing us in how we should walk in order to follow You.  Please, Lord, help us do as You command us.  Help us more closely reflect Your life.  Help us let go of our earthly desires and striving more to serve You.  And Jesus, please help us keep our focus on the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer us.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.