Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. I know your passage, but. Um how it deals with our subject is Um So powerful, let's put it that way.
Brother Frank read our passage in Hebrews chapter 12. You're very familiar with this passage, but we want to talk about it in the light and the perspective. Of resentment. I want you to notice, first off, in verse one of Hebrews chapter 12. And tonight's subject is the weight.
of resentment. The weight. of resentment. Resentment can be such a weight on our life, it will impede. Um overpower.
It will wear us down. emotionally Then mentally than spiritually then physically. You know, when a person gets out of church. That's a physical removal. The heart and the mind left a long time before that.
Things wear us down. And God believes in it so much, He's told us about it.
So let's look at it tonight. I want you to notice first, we're given a command, and you've got to look at these first three verses as it sets us up for the rest of this passage. And number one, tonight, I want you to see we're given the command to let us lay aside, let us lay aside. Aside. Look at verse 1.
Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Let's stop right there because I talked about it a little bit this morning. What does this mean, preacher? Who are these? What is this great cloud of witnesses?
Is this people in heaven watching us? Whatever the case might be. And can I be honest with you? We just don't know for sure. Everybody you'll talk to has their opinion about it.
Every preacher you'll talk to will tell you how they've preached it over the years. But I will be honest, though, what I do know is that we do have a great cloud of witnesses.
Some believe it's literally the people you're around right now. I mean, that literally, because you have people watching, lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset you.
Some people believe that this is people in heaven. You say, well, preacher, you got water right there. What I got right now is not washable. What goes in has to come out.
So I'm trying to see who I wanted to come out at. Miss Salter looks like she's like, no, I'm just joking. And. It's gonna get there. Just don't worry about it.
Just give me some time. And my wife made fun of me in my lead balloon comment this morning, and I was like, you know. Lead balloon, and it's true. And we were talking in the car about it. I made a statement, they must not have been very popular.
Lead balloons to say, happy birthday, gunk, kind of a thing. But anyway, we were talking about that in the car. Lay aside what?
Well, we have a great cloud of witnesses. Could be heaven, could be earth, could be both, whatever the case might be. But notice what it says. Lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us.
Now, I've preached and taught this so many times. There's two things mentioned here, weights and sin. Both can be a problem. A sin can be a problem to your life, and weight can be a problem to your life in a sense that there might be something that's not sinful, but doing it can impede your race just as much as if you've sinned. And you've heard it, but there's new people.
So let me just make sure. Let's take an Olympic runner. If the night before a race, an Olympic runner goes out and gets drunk, parties all night, whatever, and he's got his competition coming in the morning, he is not going to be able to perform like he normally would because of sin. But if that Olympic runner got to the start line the next day and he hadn't gone out partying, drinking, anything like that, but he gets to the starting line and he puts a big weighted belt and puts big boots on and an overcoat and all kinds of things, well, he's not going to win the race either.
Now, there's nothing sinful about those things. But their weight. And so, what God says is: listen, you've got a job to do, you've got a race to run, so you have got to lay aside. Not just those sinful things. That should be a given.
God, we already know that. But you've got to lay aside those things that might not necessarily be sinful. But they would be a weight to you.
So he says, we've got to lay aside some things. Notice, secondly, he says, let us run.
So in verse 1, he says, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Let me say first, he said, run, not win. He did not say that we are to win the race that is set before us. Listen, God has already won the race. You and I have got to be very careful, and I know that you know this because I've taught it, but I want you to listen very, very closely.
God said the whole purpose of your life is to keep running, not to win anything. If you won it, you would get the glory. God says, I've already won it.
So, you run it so that people can see you running it, and that will glorify Christ. Because he's the one that won it. You see, when they see you continue to run, even though bad things happen and trials happen and circumstances happen, that brings glory to God.
So he says, listen, you're going to have to run this race with patience. And that means this, that if you're going to stick to it, you're going to have to be patient.
Now here's what usually makes you impatient. When something happens, and if you think you've got to win it, you've got to accomplish it, this is in your power or your strength, everything that happens is going to frustrate you and you're going to become impatient and you're going to want things to change and you're going to get mad when God doesn't change the things that you want changed. But in light of the fact that God's already won the race, we don't have to win anything. It's not about us. It's not about our accomplishment.
It's about his accomplishment and it's about our being faithful to him. That should make you patient. Listen to me, every time a trial happens in your life, you've got to remember: this is God's race, not mine. If this slows me down, that's God's doing. If this changes things, this is God's race.
This isn't about me. I don't have to win it. God just told me to keep running.
So, whatever happens, just keep running. Whatever comes along your way, just keep at it. Stay faithful. And God gets the glory through that. Notice number three, He says, Let us lay aside, let us run.
Notice third, let us look to Jesus.
So now look at verse 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross So let's look at this first.
So he is the author and the finisher. That statement right there tells you you don't have to win the race, you only have to run the race because he is the author and the finisher. Race is over. Results are in. All you got to do is keep running.
We've already won. Because he didn't just start it. On the cross, he finished it. Everybody with me so far say amen.
So he said he's the author and the finisher. That means it's finished. The race has already been won. And how did he win the race? It said he endured the cross.
So here's the whole point. If he can endure the cross. Surely in your race you can endure adverse circumstances. Surely you could endure, surely I can endure some things. If he was willing...
to endure the cross. Look at me. He endured the cross. to finish the race.
So you and I should endure hardness. as a good soldier. of Jesus Christ. Because what he endured won the race for me. He did what I couldn't do.
I couldn't save myself. But because he endured the cross.
So you got it so far.
So it means this: that I've got to lay aside some things. Because this isn't about me, it's about him.
So, I've got to lay aside some things in my life, or I'm not going to be able to function for Christ like I should. I'm not going to be able to finish my race like I should. I'm not going to be able to endure like I should because of weight, because of sin, because of all these things.
So, I've got to lay aside some things. I've got to run. Let us run with patience. I've got to look unto Jesus because when things get hard, I need to get my eyes on Him, and that reminds me that He's already won this, it's already done, He's already given the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. But notice this last one.
He says lest Ye be wearied.
Now this is interesting. Look at verse 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. Lest ye be wearied and faint. Where?
In your minds. Wearied. Faint. Where? in your mind.
So that means this. We've got to remove anything that hinders. We must be patient because God's already won. We must keep looking to Christ and endure. And we must battle against Satan exhausting our minds.
And this is where resentment Enters the picture. Resentment or bitterness. bitter feelings that continue to come up. can literally hinder Your race. Resentment can become a Wait.
Yeah, but preacher, the reason I feel this way is because this person did this. Yes, what they did, listen to me, get this. What they did was sin. But what you're doing has become a weight. Right hard.
It's good. It's good. Good night, Bob. Only those with young children will understand that. Look at me.
What did he say? You got to lay aside the sin and the weight. And oftentimes, when a person or an individual or people sin against us. If we allow that to turn into resentment, It becomes a weight. in her life.
So he deals with it. Listen, if you're going to get over this resentment, you're going to have to look to Jesus. The author and finisher of our faith. What do you mean, preacher?
Well, if I'm gonna be able to get past this resentment because this person did this to me, if I look to Jesus, I'm reminded, oh, he endured the cross. Who did that to him? You did. Who made Jesus go to the cross? I did.
Aren't you glad he doesn't resent us? Do you get it? He is saying this: Listen, if you don't look to Jesus, if you look at your circumstances, you're going to constantly feel like you're the victim and everybody's done this to you. But you need to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. And by the way, who, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross.
Oh, by the way, guess who did that to him? You did. We did. And he doesn't resent us. In fact, he loves us.
The weight. of resentment. So he begins to deal with it in verse Fourteen. He says this. Follow peace.
With all men. And holiness. without which no man shall see the Lord.
So let's dig in here real quick tonight. First thing he says is to pursue peace. Follow peace. With all men. Remember, the Bible is powerful, but what it doesn't say is what it does say.
He did not say, create peace with all men. He didn't even say maintain peace with all men. He didn't say accomplish peace with all men. That means it would be our job. But the Bible also says As much as lieth in you.
Live peaceably with all men. But before it says that, it has this little phrase that says, if it be possible. As much as lieth in you, live peaceably. What is God saying? Listen, you are to pursue it.
You are to do everything in your ability to create peace between you and an individual, to do what you can, but sometimes it is not possible. But our life should be covered with following peace. pursuing it. Look at me. Let me just, let me put it this way.
What you want to make sure is that the lack of peace is not because of you. As a Christian, you've got to make sure the fact that the reason you don't have peace isn't you. That's where we get into.
Well, now. It's become a weight. Because we're the one Blocking peace.
Something to think about. He says, pursue beast. Notice second, he says, set God's standard. Set God's standard.
Now, look at the verse. I want you to get this. We're going somewhere, though. Look at verse 14. Follow peace with all men.
and holiness. What is holy? God's holy. Holiness is us living and aspiring to God's standard. Holy means to be set apart.
That means this, the standard in our life shouldn't be my best. The standard in my life ought to be his best. You see, if you and I start setting the standard, our standards are going to be pretty low. If I now decide whether or not a person deserves me trying to make peace with them, guess what? I'm going to continue to lower my standard according to my feelings.
There'll be no direct line. There really will be no standard. You know, there's certain things in this church. Not everybody, this might not float their boat, or they might not necessarily. ascribe to this particular standard.
But you know there's certain things in this church that if we don't have a standard somewhere, then that means we have no standard at all. From the Bible we use to the music we have and all those things. Listen, if the standard is relative, we're going to be all over the place.
So at some point there has to be a standard. And so here's what he says here. Listen, your job is to pursue peace. but also to pursue holiness. God's standard.
If you're constantly pursuing your standard, you're going to constantly fall short. But he says this: if you're going to follow peace. And you might say, well, that person doesn't deserve it.
Okay.
Well, then, let's just say you need to follow holiness. And that's going to change things. You know, the whole thing that came out, what would Jesus do?
Well, in a sense, that's a good question. What would Jesus do? That is following his standard, not your standard. And here's what I've found when it comes to resentment. You can justify your feelings all day long if you want to.
Any of us could. But when it's God's standard. That changes everything. He says, pursue peace, set God's standard. Notice, thirdly, he says, rely on God's grace.
Now, here's the biggie. Look at verse 15. looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God. Oh, this is good. Please get this.
Notice what he is saying: if any man fail of the grace of God. What does that mean? If any man fail, of the grace of God.
Well, it's a very clear principle, and here's what I want you to understand, and I love this.
Sometimes If your brother or sister fails in the grace of God, by doing something to you you can then fail in the grace of God by how you react to it.
So, you and I, when it comes to resentment, when it comes to getting rid of weights and sin and all those things in our life, look at me. What has to happen is for you and I to fully rely upon God's grace. Jesus brought God's grace. Jesus gives us access to God's grace. It's literally God's riches.
Everything that God has, we have access to now by Jesus Christ. It's called grace because we didn't earn that or deserve that. That was given to us by Jesus Christ. If any man fail means to fall short. In the Greek here, this word fail means to fall short.
If any man falls short of the grace of God, which means this, we've got to be very diligent, looking diligently. Because there's going to be a lot of things that are going to happen in your life to harm you, to wound you, to hurt you, to bother you, to all these things. And you've got to look very diligently. You've got to put a lot of work into this. And you can't just be lazy about this, or next time you turn around, you're going to resent people left and right.
What happens is, I've got to rely on the grace of God. God's grace is bigger than what anybody has done to me. Are you there? God's grace is bigger than what they did to you. God's grace is bigger than what they said about you.
God's grace is bigger than how they took advantage of you. And because of that, if I allow something that is not as good or big or great as God's grace, if I allow that, to become bigger in my life than God's grace. I've got things confused. Look at me. Whatever somebody does to you should not be as big to you in your life as God's grace.
God's grace is greater. then all my sin. Look at me, you say preacher. I just can't get beyond it. Then what you're saying is God's grace isn't big enough.
And that's just not true. God's grace is bigger than you. It's bigger than them. And it's bigger than what they did to you. You say, well, preacher, if I get beyond this, if I even start thinking about trying to forgive and whatever else, it's just like them getting away with it.
They don't deserve that. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, you're absolutely right. They don't deserve that. But here's the whole point. If you decide to move on, forgive.
All those things. What you're saying is God's grace is so big. and so wonderful. That it's bigger to me. Than what you did.
What you and I have got to make sure is that we don't fail. of the grace of God. We've got to make sure that we don't fall short of that. That's the standard now. When God's grace is bigger, then it should be able to overcome and overshadow what's happened.
in your life.
So you and I need to understand how big How great. How vast. God's glory. Grace. Here's We must pursue peace.
We've got to set God's standard. Remember, he set it up with the first three verses. You listen, you gotta lay aside the weight. And what you're feeling, and what your emotions, and how this is bothering your life, continues to impede against what God is trying to do. God says, You're going to have to lay this aside.
And how do you do that? Looking unto Jesus. Grace is bigger. He's the author and the finisher. He's bigger and greater and better than what those individuals did to you or said about you or the circumstances that have happened to you.
Notice number four. This is a big one. Don't neglect the roots. Look at verse 15. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you.
So let's just divide this up. We're talking about resentment, and here he is describing, using literally an illustration to describe to you how resentment can work. It is a root of bitterness that every time you think you have it overcome, it's going to come right back at you.
So let's look at this statement systematically. Number one, he says, root. of bitterness. Can I tell you something about roots? You don't see them.
Roots are where? Below the surface. Roots aren't always out for everyone to see. Roots are often on the inside, underneath the surface. Nobody else sees them.
But here's what's challenging a lot of times for in a marriage, let's say a husband and a wife. One of the, either the husband or the wife might be dealing with real deep roots of resentment, but the husband or the wife can't see them. Here, one might be hurting, and they want the other mate. They want the mate to understand and help, but that mate can't see them. Because it's roots of bitterness.
It's roots of resentment. It's become a weight. Roots are under the surface. And guess what I have found out? You can kill the tree.
But if you haven't killed the root You didn't really kill the tree. Am I right, Ray? Ray will know. Mean trees are part of Ray's life. Can I tell you something?
I come up with my own concoction and I'll go kill weeds. And that's a lie. I make them brown for a while. Then they come right back. If you and I are not careful, listen, you and I can neglect the roots because we don't see them every day.
They're not always out for us to see and everyone else to see. But he said this, lest any root. Notice what he says here. Of Bitterness. Root.
Bitterness.
So bitterness has roots. And that's what's challenging here. He says, you're going to have to lay aside every weight. You got to lay aside some things in your life, but What becomes really hard is what you need to lay aside. is rooted in your life, rooted in your mind, rooted in your emotions.
And it's not, it's a root of bitterness. Notice what he says thirdly, he says, springing up.
Now, notice the verse. You've heard me teach on this before, but let me just explain to those who we might not have covered this passage with, lest any root of bitterness springing up. It does not say, lest if any root springs up. You notice in the passage he never says that it may or may not spring up. He tells you it's going to spring up.
Lest any root of bitterness, when you let the root stay there, it's going to keep springing up. What the verse is saying is if you leave a root of bitterness there, You can't control it. You can cut it down for a little while, but it's going to come out again.
So here's what happens. If you have a root of bitterness, it is going to spring up. It doesn't mean that you can, in your life, get to the point that I've controlled my bitterness and it doesn't bother me anymore. That's impossible. If the root is still there, It's going to spring up.
It says lest springing up, not lest if it springs up. It's going to. And Matt, can I tell you something? When resentment is there, it's going to spring up. It's just going to, something's going to push that button, something's going to touch that nerve.
And, buddy, it's going to spring up and it's going to come out. Notice what he says here: lest that bitterness springing up trouble. Who? Trouble. You.
Here's what's interesting. When you and I allow a root of bitterness in our life, guess who it hurts? You. Listen, if Scott Tucker offended me, hurt me, wounded me, I've been bitter at Scott, resentful of Scott, and I'm driving down my car and driving my car somewhere, and all of a sudden I start thinking about it again, and it just gets me mad, and bitterness just springs up. Guess what Scott's doing right now?
It's not like all of a sudden Scott's like, well, I sense the force. Ha ha ha ha ha. Daniel's hurting right now because I wounded him and Let me just stop my life, and I need to get down and just wallow in the mud because woe is me that I've done that damn. Oh, no, no, no, no, guess what? Scott's gonna go on with what he's doing in life.
When that bitterness springs up in your life, guess who's going to hurt you? It doesn't hurt the person that did it to you.
So that means that's why it's a weight. Because when it weighs you down. It didn't weigh the person down that hurt you. It's not hurting their race. It's hurting yours.
But then he makes this last statement. This is number five. And I want you to get this, please. Remember, this is not just about you. The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ.
It is our desire for you to know him personally. Would you take a moment to hear this to-day? Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans 3:23 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, We're not good enough to obtain God's glory.
or to get to heaven. Because of that sin carries the penalty of death. Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life for the through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin, or the payment of our sin, only equals death and separation from God.
But it's only through God's gift salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept Him as our Savior. Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ. by faith as your Saviour.
Romans 10.9 says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing that Jesus is the only way. and calling upon his name. Bible says whosoever that's anyone can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved.
Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this. Would you accept Christ as your Saviour? If you have any questions, please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at Crowin Baptist Church. Dot com.
or visits that person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day. God bless you. Mm-hmm.
