Out of the Graveyard

Welcome to the radio ministry at Cleveland church in Henderson. Marco is to make Christ visible Clearview is a place of genuine worship with ministries for all age groups and all people. For more information, visit us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online at Clearview B. See.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor items worth you reach a message titled out of the graveyard. Hopefully will awaken us to come out of the graveyard of excuses and inspire us to step out into the new year with Jesus Christ. If you have your Bibles with you, turn to Luke chapter 9 were still in our series on the life of Christ.

Luke chapter 9 verses 57 onwards and would you stand together for the reading of God's word. Now it happened, as they journeyed on the road that someone said to him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head when he said to another follow me.

But he said Lord, let me first go and bury my father. Jesus said to him let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and preach the kingdom of God that this is the time of the year when people make resolutions New Year's resolutions to change their lives to break some habit to maybe start a new a good habit.

According to some surveys about 70% of the resolutions are broken by the end of January. Unfortunately it's really bad when it comes to spiritual resolutions things like I want to follow Jesus Christ in this year. I would obey him.

I want to trust him more. I want to read my Bible and pray, serve in church when it comes to those matters, I don't think it even last until the end of January.

Maybe the end of the week and people forget. Hopefully today's message is going to help us come out of the graveyard of excuses and start living start living the Christian life. God wants us to live another passage we just read took place in the early part of Jesus's ministry multitudes of people were coming to him somewhere coming to hear the word of God somewhere coming for the miracles somewhere coming for other reasons, but they were coming by the droves and it seemed like everyone wanted to follow Jesus Christ.

And then we come across this passage and become to realize not everybody there was as interested in following Jesus Christ as we may think. In fact, this three-part encounter tells us that most people hesitated had second thoughts and never follow Jesus Christ.

Sadly, not much has changed.

Even today, even right here this morning at 815. There are people all over this congregation who are saying yeah I need to follow Jesus Christ more, but for one reason or another you will go back to your old lives there. People here are the way. Sadly, you are saying now.

I want to stay just the way I am nothing really has changed both masking this morning. How many people do you know personally who did not get to see this day how many people do you know in public, who did not get to see this year. Why did God allow you to see 2017 and if you believe that if you believe that this is a gift from God that God has given you the opportunity to face 2017. Are you going to live for him are you going live for yourself again this morning as we walked to this message. I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will help you to come out of the graveyard of excuses to come out of the grave of comfort and obligations in one last glance, those of the grays we can look at this morning and start living the life God wants you to live. Let me ask you again are you buried somewhere in the graveyard of excuses.

What resolutions have you made is all we were up late. We were celebrating all we have a great time. What resolutions have you made spiritually. I can promise you.

95% of people sitting here this morning right this moment have made absolutely no resolution. Your living on borrowed time. God is giving you an opportunity in your say thank you God. But live for me again.

The question this morning is what excuses are you using to keep you from going forward with Christ and by the way, before you can leave the graveyard of excuses to follow Christ. You have to come out of the grave of sin and death. That's the first grave you have to come out of heavy come out of that great.

Are you say so this morning were going to look at three common graves in the graveyard of excuses based on the encounter that Jesus had with these three individuals three graves grave number one is the grave of comfort, grave of comfort. Listen again to verse 57.

Now it happened, as they journeyed on the road that someone said to him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go.

Now, at first glance, the speaker looks like an eager disciple God. I want to go with you wherever you go.

I don't care where you going I am going with you, Jesus knew his real intention. Apparently this was a young man because Matthew tells us that he called Jesus teacher Rabbi this was a young man who was approaching Jesus as a rabbi in those days, and even in some settings today.

A rabbi would gather young followers around him the job of the father wars were simply to take care of their masters need. It was a low risk job. Minimal sacrifices and obligations. All they had to do was say rabbi what he wants to do today.

Well I want you to go and work on the mules and maybe find us a place to stay tonight and do this and that will get me the tour go get me the scroll.

That's the job that's it. Once that is done all they do is to stand around and dissuade let the rabbi talk with the people come maybe do a little better crowd control.

That's about it. They had to do these things, but the sacrifices were minimal.

Just be there in their daily necessities were taken care of.

Don't have to worry about food, clothing and shelter because people give money to the rabbi and you live off of that Jesus saw the intention of this young man. It would've been very easy for him to say all right, come on, join the team of just connect yourself or somebody in and learn from them and to just be busy does do something just help out and and and that's it.

Jesus didn't do that. Instead, he abruptly challenged this young man's assumption about being a disciple.

Listen to what Jesus said to him. Very strange. He said foxes have holes and the birds of the nest have of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head to get almost to the young man going.

I never heard back from a rabbi before we talk about you. Please don't misunderstand this, Jesus was not calling this young man to leave his sleep number bed. He was not calling him to abandon his Tempur-Pedic pillow you what I mean by that he was not say okay to follow me.

You have to renounce the world and all the material comforts of life and wander around live under a tree like a hermit. You may have to use it a rock for a pillow.

It's going to get in uncomfortable folks. If that were the case, all of us are in trouble because you follow Jesus Christ gonna go home and sell your house so everything become a knapsack and follow Jesus Christ wherever he goes. By the way some people did that.

Is that what Jesus meant no this was not a call to renounce the material comforts of life. This was a call to an uncomfortable life.

When Jesus was really telling this young man is this, do you really understand what it means to follow me to follow me. You have to live in on comfortable life. It was not as much about physical comfortable beds and pillows in a house this was a whole different kind of discomfort. Previously, it may be comfortable for you to tolerate some old sin in your life but if you follow me, you have to give that up are you with me.

This was not about beds and pillows and living on the street and on the park benches or somewhere out in the jungle.

This was a call to a whole different kind of uncomfortable life.

Previously it was okay for you to hold onto some old habit.

I don't know what your habits are. But you know what those destructive habits are in your life previously was okay but if you follow Jesus Christ you have to give that up previously was comfortable to hold onto some garage in your life against somebody every morning you get up and you nursed a grudge. It feels good. It gives you passion it gives you your drive.

You know that a lot of people even here this morning who live off that grudge. Some, but something someone said to them when they were little boy or something happened to them when they were grown person somebody mistreated them every day as they are getting ready to go to the job you also go to this job. The job of holding a grudge. But if you follow Jesus Christ. You have to let go of that grudge and say I am willing to be vulnerable willing to be what Christ wants me to be. I'm not going to hide behind this grudge previously. It was comfortable to live by some old dreams and old desires in your life but if you will follow Jesus Christ. You have to give those up and take on his dreams and his desires. In go on and on.

What Jesus was telling this young man is following me will not be comfortable.

I get is not about beds and pillows is not having about having a roof over your head. This was about the uncomfortable life. The lonely sometimes painful tough disappointing life where you have to do things differently than you did before following Jesus is not easy you know that following Christ is not easy. Many times you have to give up your right to fight back you know what they're done to me.

I have the right to do it back what you can is just not what Jesus wants you to do well everything the world is run over me I just got a let people say what the know it's not that the point is this. Sometimes you have to let God take over and let him bring justice, but in my relationship and my marriage and mop the way my husband talked with the way my wife talks to me with I have to do I have to do well you can do that and I know that's comfortable but if you follow Jesus Christ.

You have to be obedient to him, and that's not an easy road. Which one do you want following Christ is not comfortable.

Many people want to follow Jesus as long as it is comfortable. They want an easy life with minimal changes responsibilities and sacrifice here.

We gotta feed all the hungry not arty what the churches these days don't do anything or not they want to follow the charge that's that's out there helping. How much do you put in the offering plate well right now.

I got nothing.

You know what I'd do if I win the lottery for job interview church you have a house. I've heard that Helen tells that if you ever win the lottery. We one fine hide nor hair of you be gone. You see, we want that comfortable, easy life with minimal sacrifices and obligation the follow Jesus wherever he goes, as long as is not to cause and ask you this morning. Are you willing to take the uncomfortable way.

In 2017 in your marriage in your daily life in your work in your community.

Are you willing to take the uncomfortable way.

This is not a call to give up the comforts of life and the finer things of life that you see you can have all those things and still miss the mark. Are you willing to live the life of sacrifice. The first grave that God calls us out of is the grave of comfort but here's number two is the grave of obligations. Listen to verse 59 then he said to another. This time Jesus is initiating the call. He said to another, follow me. But he said Lord, let me first go and bury my father again. At first reading that sounds like a strange request. Was this man's dad like dad waiting for the funeral. Not really. I mean if you been in charge of new heard messages on this Sunday school lesson.

You know this is not what was happening to me with the man was really saying was that my father is up in age. I need to be there for him. Once God calls them home and I have cleared of the family business divided of the inheritance. More than likely was an older brother. Then I'll follow Jesus Christ outcome after you first let me. You know, see my dad all the way to the end. By the way, this was a delusion because what this man was saying was a common excuse follow you when things settle down when things settle down others too much going on I know I want to follow Jesus right now just don't have the time for that.

Jesus saw through it, let me ask you this morning. What you think would happen after his father died while he would have to get the family together and divide the inheritance.

Now I've been a pastor for 18 years. Not every funeral, but many funerals I have seen the tension even before they get to the graveyard know the tension is over who gets the money I can recognize it right away that is so obvious it may be people who are in no way down there on the social and financial strata of life or their people who are man they are up way up there. I have seen in both areas and the tension begins at people think I don't know funny thing, I don't know so I can't stand around I was gonna pretend like I really don't know but I can barely your mad and your mad at them. Gotta be something that, and sooner or later someone will come to me and say prodrugs will let you know. Pray for us like yeah sure, absolutely. They will volunteer more information on ladder want to know anymore they will tell me is like well so and so, you naughty within a speaking to me right now because they want this in this way and I don't know what to say. I just know one thing your parents would not be happy right now.

Jesus saw through this and he knew that going home and just seeing his parents last rock doing the lies last rise is not the end because more than likely things one workout somebody would call unfair and like it happens in many places. What happens, it ends up in the court pretty much is over now. You spend the rest of the next for five years. Whatever fighting it out. Listen to what Jesus says to this young man. He said to him, led to head bury their own dead. Sounds kind of insensitive doesn't a Jesus saying that you you let your dead family members bury your dead father or find some someone else, you go and preach the kingdom of God is a question, do you think Jesus was actually suggesting that this man ignored his duty to his aged parents would like to know the answer that yes now don't misunderstand, this was not about dishonoring your parents are not showing up for the funeral not helping out in their old age.

What Jesus was saying to this man was simply this. Don't let the trivial or the essential concerns of life keep you from following me many a few few were truly honest this morning. You have put your spiritual life on hold right now what you have said is not Jesus I meet one day when a busy season of life.

One day I will follow God right now just too much going on.

What would Jesus say to you, follow me now let the dead bury their own that you follow me posted was not about being disrespectful to your parents are not being there for them what he was telling him. Don't let obligations keep you from obeying me in her life never settles down a been a pastor for almost 2 decades now, I've seen a whole generation grow up and move on. What I've heard is things like after the children grow up pastor. We will get involved after the kids grow what happens after the kids grow up to go to college and I gotta work two jobs to pay for them or something else or something crazy, they'll do you like well I got a haggis once once we get this behind us.

What happens after that to get married and go well I gotta pay for the wedding. I do all these once all this is not what happens after that they bring more back home right is called grandkids.

Praise God for grandkids right life never settles down and when you think okay it's all done go all my bad. The doctor called me up and he said this and I gotta run some tests. I never expected to be going through this now some sickness and disease comes over you go well I don't know what is going to take it easy right now. Life will never settle down mad something to that Satan will always put something on your plate. People always keep something that you will be occupied with, rather than following Jesus Christ. Something always will be there in amazing the Jesus the son of God, you got right to the point, he said, let the dead bury the dead, you follow me, when now, but I don't know what stage of life you are you might be a young person you might be a senior dog you might be sick. You might be well it doesn't matter what stage in life today is the day.

Don't wait for things to settle down. Grave of comfort, grave of obligations, but here comes the last one. The grave of one last glance this in verse 61, another also said the first one set off while you are right wherever you go. The second one. Jesus said, come follow me as I gotta go take up my family. That's hard. One says himself Lord. I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell, who are at my house now again on this first reading.

This sounds like a reasonable request is in it. Let me go home and tell by my family.

I mean after all, they can be worried about me where my going grandma going to be in six months to a year. Let me just kiss my wife and kids, my friends, my parents and then I will follow you. Nothing bad about that is it.

Everything bad about the world is full of people saved or lost, who took that one last glance.

Remember lots wife.

As she was leaving Sodom. She looked back.

The Bible says she turned into a pillar of salt.

People have tried to wonder what exactly happened to her. She actually turned a pillar of salt. Or did she proverbially turn into a pillow. Who knows. I believe she actually turned a pillar of salt. Bottom line is she couldn't go forward this morning and ask you a question are you taking that last glance you, this is what you will see that one last look some of you will see pain. Some of you are taking the one last glance at what you see our regrets.

Things that you wish you had done differently. Man I wish I was there were for my wife. I wish I was there for my children. I wish I was there for my pair. I wish I had done things differently and I can't leave until I fix that some of you seen failures, places and situations in your life where you messed up and you feel like you to mess up again so that one last look keeps you from going forward. I can maybe not right now. Some even see disappointed faces. People in their lives who are hurt because you are following Christ and what I found. It's very strange, but sometimes the people who oppose you the most when it comes to following Jesus Christ is your family there many people when they start come July go to church, do this about why you doing that your different you changed just to hang out. We spent time together.

Family time. There is no more family. Are we on the church all the time, the family time is called control they want to ride their with you instead of following God to feel threatened. What did Jesus say to this man listen to what he said in verse 62 Jesus said to him, no one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Many years ago I preached on this passage in a farmer in our church came to me and said you know when he was farming with the mule.

He was told. Don't you ever look back. Always find your point and keep walking towards that point.

If you look back the lines will be crooked if you keep your eyes up at a point you will have straight lines. Sometimes the people who keep you from looking forward his own family. This is not lost people is not your enemies. Get your own family. That said, you can go any further. What Jesus said in Luke chapter 14 verse 26 Jesus says if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple and that crazy, you gotta love Jesus so much. It almost seems like you hate your family listen to Matthew 10 again Jesus says do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring a peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father. I think about my own dad. He lost it all because he followed Jesus Christ and daughter against her mother and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. Verse 37 he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find I can go on and on. Here's a question this morning. Are you living in the grave of one last glance in your life and what God has for you. Stop looking back you so I don't need to look back, sometimes with gratitude.

Yes, different don't you need to look back and know where you come from. Sure, but if looking back is keeping you from going forward. It's time to stop looking back start living God has some wonderful things for you in 2017. Do you believe that God has great things in store.

Following Jesus Christ is not to say I'll do whatever you notice about the good things God has God has some of you got has relationship in 2007. Some of you got has a new profession a new job.

God has a ministry God has so much but you are stuck in the graveyard. Following Jesus Christ is the best thing that can happen to you this morning. Trust God.

Following him is not a road of sorrows is a road of sacrifices, but a sorority blessing. Once again thank you for joining us today. The question again is are you in the graveyard of excuses today. Listen to the voice of your Savior calling you to come out of the grave and live again. For more information visit us online at Clearview B.

See.org and for today's sermon notes my blog site@avedonshaw.com