Move Forward and Don’t Look Back
All Scripture taken from the New Living Translation
We are going to take some time and talk about how to get ahead in life spiritually… This message fits everyone.
For some of us this might be a bit of a wake-up call… And for others something that we say, “This is exactly what is needed to give me that extra push to move forward, not just in my faith, but in life, following Jesus as my lead.”
Romans 13:11-14: 11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
This passage is all about the character of a believer… Integrity and character…
And the commitment it takes to represent Jesus… To be a Godly person!
Time is running out… Wake up… For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…
As each day passes us by in life, time is running out… We are getting that much closer to meeting Jesus, face to face…
I want to get a little fancy today and use some Greek to add some context to this passage…
In the Greek, Paul is talking about a “Kairos” moment… Kairos is a critical moment in time when something is achieved… A “Kairos” moment can be a turning point in time when history was made or changed…
And in the context of this passage a “Kairos” moment is when a person realizes a change needs to be made so they can carry out their God intended purpose here on earth.
This is why there is a sense of urgency that we live lives that represent Jesus well.
Colossians 1:13-14: 13For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, 14who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
How many of us have forgotten who we once were before God rescued us and brought us into His kingdom?
Sometimes we take our salvation for granted… And this can cause us to slip into dark habits thinking it’ll be ok, I can handle this… It’s just this one time…
My prayer is that today is a “Kairos” moment for each of us… For this church as a whole!
That today is a day that will go down in history that we recognize God calling us into a deeper relationship with Him…
That Jesus is calling us to a higher level of integrity and accountability with Himself and with those around us…
And that the Holy Spirit is calling us to be a people who live by convictions, so we have a wider influence for the Kingdom.
All of what we’re talking about hinges on one action… Commitment…
So how do we do this? How do we become not just a person of our word when committing to be the person God created us to be…
But how do we become a person of God’s Word, committing our lives totally to Him and all He wants to do through us?
We are going to look at a guy by the name of Joshua… Joshua was Moses’ successor, as he led the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses passed away.
Israel is well established as a nation, and now Joshua’s days are coming to an end.
So, he calls the people to gather and he challenges them to renew the covenant they made with God long ago…
Joshua 24:1: Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So, they came and presented themselves to God.
Joshua then proceeds to give a summary of the history of how God called the Israelites to be His chosen people and some of the miraculous things God did along the way for them…
And then he says this…
Joshua 24:14-15: 14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
This is part of Joshua’s farewell address… In verse 29 we see Joshua goes on to be with the Lord at the age of 110!
You can see Joshua is giving the people a choice… As he is challenging them to renew their commitment and dedication to God…
To live a life of integrity and to be an example of what a Godly life looks like.
You see for the people to worship God as a congregation… To stay true to Him and to worship Him corporately, as a body of believers…
There must be a heart posture of worshipping Him privately and individually… Our private lives need to be in order according to God’s ways, God’s Word…
You’ll notice Joshua urged the people to get rid of the idols, the gods, some of them were still worshiping…
He knew there was still some darkness among them, and they needed to be in one accord with God in heaven!
This challenge of Joshua’s rings true to this day… As it holds an eternal truth…
And that is this… The church is only as strong as its commitment to Jesus…
For each one of us… How committed to Jesus are we as individuals? Because that determines how committed to Jesus we are as a body of believers… As a church!
Joshua’s challenge was this… To have influence in the land as a people, each person must be committed wholeheartedly to God… There must not be anything standing in between them and God!
To reap all the blessings God wants to pour into us… We must put Him first!
For us, the question then becomes, how engaged are we as individuals in our relationship with Jesus… Is there anything keeping us from being fully engaged?
Because this determines the influence we have in the world around us as a church.
Is the Kingdom of God fully represented in all its glory through us as a body of believers…
Or do we need a “Kairos” moment to wake us up?
To make a difference and move forward in the Kingdom we must be intentional…
It’s 100% up to us on making this choice… Nobody else can make it for us…
Joshua 24:15: But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.…
Choose today whom you will serve… Today… Not tomorrow or next week…
But today… Joshua is drawing a line in the sand here… Which tells us there is a sense of urgency in choosing God!
In Romans chapter 13 the Apostle Paul spoke with a sense of urgency as well
Romans 13:11: This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
Here’s the deal… We are going to serve somebody… If it isn’t Jesus, then it’s going to somebody or something else…
Jesus warned us in Matthew chapter 6 that we cannot serve two masters… We will hate the one and love the other… And in this case Jesus was talking about the love of money and possessions…
What is getting in between you and Jesus… Is there something keeping you from being all you can be in Jesus?
Choose today who you will serve… And let’s move forward as individuals so together we can move forward in the Kingdom as a body of believers…
This type of a decision… When we choose to lay things down for the sake of our relationship with Jesus… For the sake of being all we can be in the Kingdom…
It becomes a generational decision…
Joshua 24:15: … But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua is telling the people… You must make the choice… Right now, today, who will you serve?
And he tells them, “As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua is holding himself accountable for the spiritual responsibility of his household… For the values they’re going to live by… And for the God they are going to serve…
When the husband serves his wife and leads his family with all the integrity and character of a godly man (According to Ephesians chapter 5) …
When He leads them by the convictions of God’s Word… That life lived will last for generations to come…
So, the people then respond to Joshua by replying in verse 16…
Joshua 24:16: The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods.”
And they continue with the story of how it was God who rescued them from Egypt, and went before them, and conquered their enemies…
But the people still had idols of gods in their homes that they were worshiping…
And in verse 23 Joshua tells them…
Joshua 24:23: “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
And the people replied…
Joshua 24:24: The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey Him alone.”
Mankind has not changed… We openly worship God as an assembly of people… But allow ourselves to get caught up in the idols of the day… The gods of the day that so easily trap us…
2 Kings 17:15: But the Israelites would not listen… They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them.
The Israelites got caught up in pagan rituals, pagan spiritual practices… And began following the spiritual examples of others…
Listen, we are either setting the example for others… Or following the example others are leading us by.
Jonah 2:8: Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
Modern day translation could be, “Those who follow their sinful desires turn their back on all God’s mercies.”
1 John 5:21: Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
Whatever it is that is getting in the way of our relationship with Jesus blocks the mercies of God in our lives…
It’s good from time to time to evaluate what is in our life… And it’s best to do this with someone we can be accountable to…
We don’t have to be perfect people… We’ll never be perfect… But we must listen to the Holy Spirit’s convictions when it comes to something getting in between us and Jesus…
Remember, satan comes as an angel of light… He comes as something familiar and friendly… He traps us with lies so clever they sound like the truth!
King David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was as messed up as a person could be… But every time he messed us, he came back to God…
He knew it was God’s grace and mercy that would rescue him over and over…
So how do we continue to move forward, not looking back toward the desires of who we once were, or what we once were involved in?
2 Corinthians 5:17: … Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
As believers it’s good to remind ourselves that we are no longer the person we once were… Even when we mess up… That’s not who we are anymore…
So, the sooner we get it figured out and get back on our feet the better off we’re going to be… Jesus will leave the 99 just for you!!
As we bring this message to a close…
Colossians 3:1-5a: Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
How do we press into a “Kairos” moment and move forward in our faith, move forward in life without looking back?
By setting our sights on the realities of heaven… Things of the things of heaven, not the things of earth…
This is how we break the grip of idolatry in our lives… This is how we break the grip of sin in our lives… This is how we learn to forgive and love unconditionally…
Matthew 6:33: By seeking first the Kingdom of God above all else and living righteously…
Colossians 3:12-15: 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
This is how we starve the desires of our old nature (Colossians chapter 3) …
This is what keeps us close to Jesus and gives us the will to stand against who we once were and the desires that are trying to drag us away from a Godly foundation.
Nobody said it was going to be easy… But the starting point is an intentional lifestyle in which we treat others in the same manner Jesus treats us…ut as for me and my family we will choose the serve the Lord!
The Gift
Here is a true story about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town in Tennessee.
His house was in a poor area of the community. A church had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The kid came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. The bus pastor asked if his parents were home, and the small boy told him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn’t believe what the kid said and asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same answer, and the bus pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus pastor asked the kid, “Where do you go to church?” The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, “I’ve never been to church in my whole life.” The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the child’s house. “Are you sure you have never been to church?” he asked again. “I sure haven’t,” came his answer. Then the bus pastor said, “Well, son, more important than going to church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?”, and then proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy. The young lad’s heart began to be tenderized, and at the end of the bus pastor’s story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, “You bet!” The kid and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the kid up for church the next morning. “Sure,” the nine year old replied.
The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights off. He let himself in, snaked his way through the house, and found the little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother and helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a donut for breakfast on their way to church. Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before. The church was a real big one. The little kid just sat there, clueless of what was going on.
A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men prayed and the kid, with utter fascination, watched them walk up and down the aisles. He still didn’t know what was going on. All of a sudden, like a bolt of lightning, it hit the kid what was taking place. These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn’t find a thing to give Jesus. By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and, with a broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed down the aisle behind him. And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and forth, all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.
Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it. As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, “Jesus, I don’t have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!”
– Author Unknown –
10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Fourth of July
One Founding Father thought we were celebrating on the wrong day, but that hasn’t stopped Americans from pulling out all the stops on July 4.
The Fourth of July is packed with backyard barbecues and plenty of fireworks. With more than 200 years of history and tradition behind it, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t know everything about America’s Independence Day. From the true story behind the signing of the Declaration of Independence to some staggering hot dog statistics, here are 10 things you might not know about the Fourth of July.
- The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4 (or in July at all).
- The first Fourth of July celebrations weren’t much different from today’s.
- Eating salmon on the Fourth of July is a tradition in New England.
- Massachusetts was the first state to recognize the Fourth of July.
- The oldest annual Fourth of July celebration is held in Bristol, Rhode Island.
- The shortest Fourth of July parade is in Aptos, California.
- There are around 15,000 Independence Day fireworks celebrations every year.
- Americans eat an obscene number of hot dogs on the Fourth of July.
- Americans also spend billions on food to celebrate the Fourth of July.
10.Three presidents have died, and one was born, on the Fourth of July.
The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4 (or in July at all).
It might make for an iconic painting, but that famous image of all the Founding Fathers and Continental Congress huddled together, presenting the first draft of the Declaration of Independence for a July 4, 1776, signing isn’t quite how things really went down. As historian David McCullough wrote, “No such scene, with all the delegates present, ever occurred at Philadelphia.”
It’s now generally accepted that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on the Fourth of July—that’s just the day the document was formally dated, finalized, and adopted by the Continental Congress, which had officially voted for independence on July 2 (the day John Adams thought we should celebrate). John Hancock and Charles Thomson signed early printed copies of the Declaration to be given to military officers and various political committees, but the bulk of the other 54 men signed an official engrossed (finalized and in larger print) copy on August 2, with others following at a later date. Hancock (boldly) signed his name again on the updated version.
The first Fourth of July celebrations weren’t much different from today’s. After years of pent-up frustration, the colonies let loose upon hearing the words of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Military personnel and civilians in the Bowling Green section of Manhattan tore down a statue of King George III and later melted it into bullets; Philadelphia patriots used the king’s coat of arms as kindling for a bonfire; and in Savannah, Georgia, the citizens burned the king in effigy and held a mock funeral for their royal foe.
Independence Day celebrations began to look a bit more familiar the following year, as the July 18, 1777, issue of the Virginia Gazette describes the July 4 celebration in Philadelphia:
“The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Every thing was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal.”
There were even ships decked out in patriotic colors lining harbors and streamers littering city streets. Modern Independence Day celebrations have stuck pretty close to the traditions started in 1777.
Eating salmon on the Fourth of July is a tradition in New England. The tradition of eating salmon on the Fourth of July essentially began in New England as a coincidence. During the middle of the summer, salmon was abundant in rivers throughout the region, so it was a common sight on tables at the time. The dish eventually got lumped into the Fourth and has stayed that way ever since, even with the decline of Atlantic salmon.
To serve salmon the traditional New England way, you’ll have to pair it with some green peas. And if you’re really striving for 18th-century authenticity, enjoy the whole meal with some turtle soup, like John and Abigail Adams supposedly did on the first Fourth of July. (You can still be a patriot without the soup, though.)
Massachusetts was the first state to recognize the Fourth of July. Massachusetts recognized the Fourth of July as an official holiday on July 3, 1781, making it the first state to do so. Congress didn’t even begin designating federal holidays until June 28, 1870, with the first four being New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This decreed that those days were holidays for federal employees.
However, there was a distinction. The Fourth was a holiday “within the District of Columbia” only. It took years of new legislation to expand the holiday to all federal employees.
The oldest annual Fourth of July celebration is held in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Eighty-five years before the government recognized the Fourth of July as a federal holiday, one tradition began that continues to this day. Billed as “America’s Oldest Fourth of July Celebration,” the town of Bristol, Rhode Island, has been doing Independence Day right since 1785. The festivities began just two years after the Revolutionary War ended, and 2024 will be its 239th anniversary. Over the years, the whole thing has expanded well beyond July 4; the town of about 23,000 residents now begins to celebrate the United States on Flag Day, June 14, all the way through to the 2.5-mile July 4 parade. What began as a “patriotic exercise”—meaning church services—has morphed into a cavalcade of parades, live music, food, and other activities.
The shortest Fourth of July parade is in Aptos, California. The Fourth of July parade in Aptos, California, is just a hair over half a mile long. Taking up two city blocks, and measuring just .6 miles, this brief bit of patriotism features antique cars, decorated trucks, and plenty of walkers.
There are around 15,000 Independence Day fireworks celebrations every year.
Fourth of July celebrations in New York City. According to a 2017 American Pyrotechnics Association projection, around 15,000 fireworks displays occur for the Fourth of July holiday (even if some aren’t exactly on July 4). Though pricing varies, most small towns spend anywhere from $8000 to $15,000 for a fireworks display, with larger cities going into the millions, like the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular that averages more than $2 million. Not everyone enjoys the show, though. Fireworks can be particularly stressful for pets, so make sure you’re prepared to keep them calm.
Americans eat an obscene number of hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Americans consume about 150 million hot dogs while celebrating Independence Day. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, that number of dogs can stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times. In 2018, Joey Chestnut scarfed down 74 of those franks, breaking his own world record. That year, Chestnut won the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition for the eleventh time. He won again in 2019, noshing on 71 wieners. In 2020, the reigning champ yet again broke his own world record, devouring 76 wieners. He will not appear at the 2024 event.
Americans also spend billions on food to celebrate the Fourth of July. Many American celebrate the holiday with a BBQ. Last year, the National Retail Federation predicted Americans would spend around $9.5 billion on tasty treats to celebrate the Fourth of July. This included food and other cookout expenses, averaging out to about $93 per person participating in a barbecue, outdoor cookout, or picnic.
Three presidents have died, and one was born, on the Fourth of July. You probably know that both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826—50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. They’re not the only presidents to have died on the Fourth, though; James Monroe—the nation’s fifth president—died just a few years later on July 4, 1831. Though the holiday might seem like it has it out for former presidents, there was one future leader born on Independence Day. The country’s 30th commander-in-chief, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, 1872.
