Weight Loss – 3

Weight Loss – 3

Subject – You Have Die to Live

By Rick Welborne

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
²  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
³  For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 

--You have to die to live. Pastor Rick, we don’t even like the way that sounds. It sounds like we have to be sacrificial and willing to endure pain and suffering. Exactly.

--Think about the task of becoming what you want to be in the area of losing weight. Unless you have chosen just to take a pill, it will definitely cost you a lot of effort to lose weight.

--I’ve told this story before but let me remind you once more. After church, a man, probably a little younger than me came up and wanted to talk. Not unusual, but he wanted to talk about getting in shape. How can I?

--First, you probably need to change your diet. Eat more fruit, veggies, and salads. No! I don’t like salads. Okay, you need to do more cardiovascular exercise…run, walk, bike, swim. No! I hate that stuff!

--Can I just lift weights? Yes, but you will only be making muscle stronger under a layer of fat, you will probably not be in better health or shape. I see it all the time at the gym.

--Losing weight usually means death. It hurts and it takes sacrifice and discipline which a lot of people do not want to go through. When my triglycerides were 730. Don’t change your lifestyle, take a pill. I said no!

--People who are serious about losing weight or really getting in good shape look like they are trying to kill themselves. They sacrifice the pleasures of certain foods and they exercise like their lives depend on it. Moses.

Hebrews 11:24-26 (NKJV)
²⁴  By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
²⁵  choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
²⁶  esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

--Being a Christian or being a disciple of Jesus Christ all comes down to choices doesn’t it? Moses chose to suffer affliction…wow that sounds bad to us now but it is definitely still God’s way. We die to live.

--If you are going to lose some weight or become a true disciple of Jesus Christ it will happen because you have made the tough choices to die to yourself. Do you really want to be a disciple?

1. What the Apostle Paul Said About Dying to Live.

--I believe one of the most profound things that Paul said about living a disciplined and sacrificial life can be summed up in this simple verse:

1 Corinthians 15:31 (NIV)
³¹  I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

--Here we find in scripture a truth that can help us be a true disciple of Jesus Christ and a truth that can help us get in the shape of our lives. 

--Most of the programs that are out there for getting in shape are short term or time limited but Paul is talking about something totally different. 

--I agree that systems like P90X can absolutely kick your rear-end for 90 days but what happens after the first 90 days is crucial. If you will maintain what you have gained, you have to continue. 

--That’s why event driven changes never last without some type of follow through. Explain please. You can have a great service, or a series of services (we call revival), but if we don’t die daily, it never lasts.

Beware of Revival by Michael Amico - There is nothing soothing about revival. Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin. Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”. Revival often takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. There is nothing soothing about revival. Revival often scorches before it soothes! Revival burns before it blesses! Revival eliminates before it edifies! Revival hurts before it heals! Revival empties before it fills! Revival breaks before it builds! Revival breaks everything in its path! Revival breaks pride, programs, prejudices, and platforms! Revival makes demands, real demands! Revival demands painful repentance! Revival demands painful sacrifice! Revival demands painful commitment! Revival demands ambitious evangelism! Beware of revival! Revival is not all preachers and teachers have made it out to be.  Let me suggest that the next time you pray for revival, you first of all count the cost.

--Wow, Pastor, that sounds almost like death! It is the kind of death the Apostle Paul was talking about. Without there being the willingness for us to die every day, revival is only a dream.

Key – What is needed in our lives and what is needed in our church is not event oriented programs but is a lifestyle change!

--I am afraid that if we are not willing to die to ourselves daily we will never arrive at the destination that Paul did before he gave his life for Christ.

2 Timothy 4:5-8 (NKJV)
⁵  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
⁶  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
⁷  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
⁸  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

2. What Jesus Said About Dying to Live. 

--If you think the Apostle Paul was tough about dying daily, there is a really good chance that you will not want to hear what Jesus had to say. Just as a reminder of what the writer of Hebrews said in our text today:

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
¹  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
²  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

--Who for the joy that was set before Him…what could be joyful about dying? Bought salvation for all mankind and He was able to return to His Father and to spend eternity with Him at His right hand. 

--Could it be possible that when we are willing to die to ourselves (to die daily) that we could be the means of someone’s salvation and at the end of it all, be able to spend forever with God. What did Jesus say?

Mark 8:34-38 (NKJV)
³⁴  When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
³⁵  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
³⁶  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
³⁷  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
³⁸  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

--In our selfish world it almost sounds like Jesus must be kidding in verse 34…If you want to follow Me, be one of my disciples, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me. 

--We live in such a “me-centered world”. We take selfies in a ridiculous number, we have IPhones, IPads, and it is definitely all about us. But deny yourself, Jesus must be speaking figuratively for sure.

--Take up your cross. Now I understand that…I wear a cross around my neck, I have cross earrings, I have a cross tattoo, and I have crosses all around my house. Jesus was talking about death…dying to ourselves.

--Have you ever thought about the idea of wearing a cross is really no different than in our day wearing a necklace with an electric chair or hypodermic needle on it. I am not opposed to you wearing crosses.

--Crosses should remind us of two things…Jesus dying on the cross for us and His call to us to die daily. For us here in America we are only being asked to die to ourselves not literally like Jesus and Christian martyrs. 

--Because everything I do leans toward missions I can’t help but believe the reason some do nothing for missions or only give a small token is because they are not willing to die to themselves. 

--The words to verse 35 blow my mind when it comes to dying to ourselves…For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 

--Just living for yourself you become a dead man walking but dying to yourself, denying yourself, and following Jesus, you find what living is all about. 

3. Let’s Lose Some Weight…Let’s Die to Ourselves.

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)
¹  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

--I hope all of you (who want to) will lose some weight and get in better shape in 2024 but more importantly, I hope you learn to lay aside the weight and sin that keeps you from being a Christ follower…a disciple.

--We are surrounded by people every day who are witnesses of us living a sacrificial life or watching us take care of number one. Our family is watching, where we eat they are watching (example of the 4 men praying).

--To be a true disciple of Jesus you have to die daily, you have to deny yourself, take up your cross, and you have to follow Jesus. 

--Come on, Life Church! Let’s Have Some Weight Loss!