Stuck In The Middle…

This sermon can be heard here.

“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song left unsung,” is attributed to Henry David Thoreau in “Walden”.

Many of us go through life without ever really understanding the emptiness inside. What is it that we’re missing?

Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am stuck in the middle with you

Are you living in that place in the middle, stuck in the valley between the mountains?

If you are serious about living this life with Christ, do you act like it? Can people tell by your actions that you are striving to be like Him?

We’ve all made mistakes in the past. I’m sure, many of us, things that we’re too ashamed to admit. Can you believe that God knows those things already, but he still loves you. Jesus died to give you a second (or third, or…)chance! Are you going to let that have been in vain?

When we look to combat those mistakes, Paul gives us a command. I’m going to share Eugene Peterson’s version from The Message because it’s easy for people to understand.

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ — that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life — even though visible to spectators — is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too — the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

Colossians 3:1-4 The Message

If our true self has died and been grafted to the cross with Jesus we should be living in a way that represents that. Why? Because we know that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. If we don’t believe that how do we think we’ll be able to overcome anything, let alone death?

Are we true followers of Christ or just admirers of him? Do you believe that he is the son of God and that he was crucified, rose from the grave, and arose to heaven to prepare a place for us? If so, we need to look higher than this earthly place we are in right now! We should be looking toward heaven. Get out of the middle that you’re stuck in and run the race God has set before You!

He loved us first!

Keep your minds on heaven. You can’t seek what you never think about! Some earthly things are evil — the worship of money for example. What you have comes from God. Oh, you worked for it and it’s yours? Think again. Who gave you the gifts that allowed you to land your job? What if God decided to take it all away, where would you be then?

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3 NIV

Right now we are hidden from the wrath of God because we are protected by Jesus, if we are living our lives with him. In the future we won’t be hidden because Christ will reveal us as sons and daughters of God. We’re in the valley right now and we are prone to wonder -squirrel- see what I mean?

All of the good stuff is on the top shelf. We need to let Christ lift us up who we can focus on these things! The world may not think much of us because of our past. But, we need to be like Jesus and leave the tomb. Take off the dead man clothes and the weight of the chains that holds us down. Jesus is a chain breaker, he blows them up!

You aren’t your past! Leave the garbage behind and walk away.

You aren’t your past. Never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t seek advice from!

Jesus didn’t stay in the grave because he had much left to do. He taught and served many in his remaining days on earth.

Live the resurrected life!

This is not our home. Our treasure is in heaven.

Jesus said, “Follow me!”

You are a miracle. So was the resurrection! There’s more for you, grab it!

I enjoy the time I spend going over the sermon notes that I take each Sunday morning. But when the sermon is made available, I like to post a link here in case you want to listen to it. I always get more out of the sermon when I hear it more than once. I take notes, because I learn that way, but listening reinforces what I heard the first time. I hope that this blog post helps you!

In Faith,

Pam