Embracing God's Grace in Every Moment of Life

We are all so different—just like the many ways people eat an Oreo—but there are deep similarities that unite us, especially in how we experience time: our past, our present, and our future. God, who is triune, has woven this threefold pattern into creation and into our lives. We live in these three time zones, and each one can become a source of baggage that weighs us down. The past can fill us with shame and regret, the future with anxiety and worry, and the present with the temptation to procrastinate or live in denial. Yet, God’s Word reveals that He is the God of yesterday, today, and forever. He is present in every moment, offering us peace for our past, grace for today, and hope for our future.

Too often, we carry baggage from our yesterdays—old wounds, failures, and guilt that God never intended for us to bear. Like Adam and Eve, we try to cover up or hide, but shame and guilt have no proper place in us. If we don’t let God transform our pain, we end up transmitting it into every area of our lives, adjusting ourselves to accommodate brokenness rather than letting God heal us. The call is to let go, to say goodbye to what’s behind, and to reach forward to what God has ahead. This is not two separate actions, but one movement—like a trapeze artist letting go in order to grasp the next bar.

We also tend to bring tomorrow’s worries into today, trying to control what only God can handle. Worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. And sometimes, we live in a fantasy of the future, always planning to change “one day,” but never actually stepping into obedience or transformation. Grace is only available in the present. God gives us daily bread, daily mercies, and daily grace. The only way to change our future is to respond to God’s grace today.

Jesus models this perfectly. He was never in a rush, never anxious about tomorrow, always present in the moment. When He raised Lazarus, He showed that faith for the past or the future is not enough—He is the resurrection and the life right now. God steps into our pain, our baggage, and our brokenness, not as a distant observer, but as one who feels with us and for us. The invitation is to let go of the baggage, to trust that God’s grace is sufficient for this moment, and to walk in the freedom He offers—today.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Three Time Zones of Life: Our lives are shaped by our relationship to the past, present, and future. God is present in all three, but we often get stuck carrying baggage from one into another. True freedom comes when we recognize God’s presence and provision in each time zone, allowing Him to bring healing to our past, strength for today, and hope for tomorrow. [03:54]
• 2. Letting Go of Yesterday’s Baggage: Shame, guilt, and unresolved pain from the past can weigh us down and distort our present. We were not created to carry these burdens. When we let God transform our failures and wounds, we are freed to receive His grace for today and to move forward into the future He has for us. [17:48]
• 3. The Futility of Borrowing Tomorrow’s Troubles: Worrying about the future robs us of the strength and grace available for today. We are not called to control tomorrow, but to trust God’s provision and sovereignty. Grace is given for the present moment, and when tomorrow comes, God will meet us there with new mercies. [24:07]
• 4. The Illusion of “Someday”: Many of us live in the fantasy of a future where we finally become the person we want to be or do the things God is calling us to do. But change and obedience can only happen today. The future version of ourselves is an idol if it keeps us from responding to God’s grace in the present. [26:40]
• 5. God Steps Into Our Pain: God is not distant from our suffering or baggage. He enters into our brokenness, feels what we feel, and offers to carry our burdens. The cross is the ultimate demonstration that He has taken our baggage upon Himself, and the invitation is to let go and trust Him with it, walking in the freedom He provides. [44:32]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:36] - The Oreo Analogy: Our Differences and Similarities
• [01:53] - The Three-Dimensional World and Time
• [03:10] - The Three Time Zones: Past, Present, Future
• [05:11] - The Lord’s Prayer and Time
• [07:07] - Travel Stories and the Baggage Metaphor
• [10:48] - The Reality of Baggage in Our Lives
• [12:05] - Hebrews 12:1 and Laying Aside Hindrances
• [13:19] - Baggage from the Past: Shame and Guilt
• [18:59] - How Unresolved Pain Shows Up in Life
• [21:31] - Saying Goodbye to the Past
• [23:24] - Worrying About Tomorrow
• [25:21] - The Trap of “Someday” and Future Fantasies
• [27:19] - Living from Today’s Grace
• [30:29] - The Manna Principle: Daily Provision
• [34:17] - Jesus and Lazarus: Faith for Today
• [38:47] - Letting Go of Baggage
• [39:29] - The Story of the Patient and the Doctor
• [44:32] - God Steps Into Our Pain
• [45:56] - Responding to God’s Invitation
• [46:36] - Prayer and Declaration of Freedom

Bible Reading

Hebrews 13:8 (ESV) — > Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

2. Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
> Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

3. Matthew 6:34 (ESV)
> Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Observation Questions

1. According to Hebrews 13:8, what does it mean that Jesus is the same “yesterday, today, and forever”? How does this connect to the idea of God being present in all three “time zones” of our lives? [03:54]
2. In Philippians 3:13-14, what does Paul say is the “one thing” he does? How does the sermon explain this as a single movement rather than two separate actions? [22:12]
3. What does Jesus teach about worry and the future in Matthew 6:34? How did the sermon describe the effect of bringing tomorrow’s worries into today? [23:24]
4. The sermon used the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis to talk about shame and guilt. What did Adam and Eve do after they sinned, and how does this relate to the baggage we carry from our past? [16:31]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says that God is present in our past, present, and future, but we often get stuck carrying baggage from one time zone into another. Why do people tend to hold onto shame from the past or worry about the future, even when God offers freedom? [13:19]
2. Paul’s instruction to “forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead” is described as one movement, like a trapeze artist letting go to grab the next bar. What does this analogy reveal about the process of letting go and moving forward with God? [22:12]
3. The sermon mentions that grace is only available in the present moment. Why is it dangerous to live in the fantasy of “someday” instead of responding to God’s grace today? [26:40]
4. How does the story of Jesus raising Lazarus show the importance of faith for today, rather than just for the past or the future? [36:46]

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about “baggage” from our past—shame, guilt, and unresolved pain. Is there a specific memory or regret from your past that you find yourself carrying into your present? What would it look like to let God transform that pain instead of just managing it? [17:48]
2. Sometimes we try to control the future by worrying about it. What is one area of your life where you are borrowing tomorrow’s troubles and letting it steal your strength for today? How can you practice trusting God with that area this week? [24:07]
3. The idea of “someday” can keep us from obeying God today. Is there something you’ve been putting off—like forgiving someone, joining a group, or taking a step of faith—because you’re waiting for the “right time”? What is stopping you from doing it now? [26:40]
4. The sermon said, “If we don’t let God transform our pain, we end up transmitting it into every area of our lives.” Can you think of a way that unresolved pain or shame has affected your relationships or decisions? What is one step you can take to invite God’s healing into that area? [18:21]
5. Jesus modeled being fully present, never in a rush or anxious about tomorrow. What is one practical way you can slow down and be more present with God and others this week? [34:56]
6. The story of the doctor and the patient showed the power of someone stepping into another’s pain. Who in your life might need you to “step into” their pain or burdens with them? How can you show up for them in a tangible way? [44:32]
7. The sermon ended with a call to let go of our baggage and walk in freedom. What is one thing you want to leave behind today, and what is one thing you want to reach for in your walk with God? [46:36]