take a load off

Guest speaker: Pastor David McIntosh-Peters from Salem Baptist Church.

Text: Hebrews 12:1-3

Tom Woodward, Contributing Writer

As believers, we carry our sins and struggles each day like life’s baggage and weight. Throughout the world, it’s a heavy burden just to be a follower of Christ. In the U.S., non-believers may consider us strange, but we don’t face severe persecution - it’s a comfortable culture. Pastor David shared a report from Open Arms Ministry, revealing over 360 Million instances of Christian persecution. In 2022, 6,000 believers were killed for their faith throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In the Hebrews passage, scripture tells us that there was a crowd of witnesses before us, giving us many examples of how to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus because He endured the cross for our sin’s weight. As Pastor David exclaimed, “He’s got you!”

In Hebrews 11, Pastor David illustrated the amazing testimony of spiritual leaders in history that had enduring faith – by faith and through faith. These men and women were a cloud of witnesses that wandered the earth, and many didn’t receive the promises of their faith until they entered Heaven, people like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Moses. Pastor David mentioned people who persevered in their faith for things they hoped for in the form of God’s promises. These include grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and neighbors. They took their weight off and fixed their eyes upon our Lord Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Pastor David told the congregation that this journey wasn’t easy. We will be scattered. The pastor referenced John 16:32-33, a quote from Christ Jesus, “I am not alone … In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In 1 John 4:4, we are assured that we will overcome our challenges because Christ is in each of us. We will strengthen our faith, but let’s take off the extra weight and lay it down. Jesus carries our baggage for us.

Discussion Questions

What heavy things keep you up at night or keep you from moving forward in life?

Was there one recent added weight that was the tipping point that you couldn’t carry any longer without Jesus’ help?

What promise from God gives you hope for greater things to come?

In the crowd of witnesses in your life, who is the greatest example of running the race with eyes fixed upon our Lord, soaring to new heights, not tied down by life’s burdens?

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Worship Set: Graves into Gardens l God of the Promise l Jireh l Good Grace