Embracing New Life: Letting Go and Moving Forward
Summary
In the weeks leading up to Easter, we are reminded of the significance of this pivotal moment in history. Easter is not just a date on the calendar; it is a kairos moment, a time when the kingdom of heaven draws near, inviting us to step into a deeper relationship with God. This season is an opportunity for restoration, where God can bring people back to life in various aspects—relationally, emotionally, eternally, and spiritually. As we prepare for Easter, we are called to pray with expectant, faith-filled hearts, believing that God will do great things in the lives of those we invite to join us.
Reflecting on our past can often hold us back from experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus offers. Like the Apostle Paul, who once persecuted Christians but found new life in Christ, we are encouraged to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Our past, with its regrets, sins, and shame, can become a prison if we allow it to define us. Instead, we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, who makes all things new, and to run the race set before us with perseverance.
To move forward, we must make intentional decisions to let go of the past and focus on Jesus. This involves choosing freedom over bondage, faith over fear, gratitude over regret, purpose over passivity, and intimacy with Jesus over everything else. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's purposes and find true joy and fulfillment in knowing Christ. As we partake in communion, we are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for us, and we are invited to break ties with our past and embrace the new life He offers.
Key Takeaways:
- Easter as a Kairos Moment: Easter is a time when the kingdom of heaven draws near, offering a unique opportunity for restoration and new life. It is a moment to invite others to experience the transformative power of God. [00:00]
- Letting Go of the Past: Holding onto the past can hinder our ability to see Jesus and experience His grace. We are encouraged to forget what lies behind and focus on the new life that Christ offers. [19:14]
- Choosing Freedom and Faith: We must choose freedom over bondage and faith over fear, trusting that God has a greater purpose for our lives. This involves letting go of past regrets and stepping into the future with confidence. [41:31]
- Focusing on Jesus: Our focus determines our direction. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can run the race with perseverance and find true joy and fulfillment in knowing Him. [32:10]
- Embracing New Life in Christ: Communion is a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. It is an invitation to break ties with our past and embrace the new life and freedom that He offers. [46:45]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Invitation to Easter
- [02:00] - Kairos Moments
- [03:30] - Expectant Prayer
- [05:00] - Psalm 126 Reflection
- [06:30] - Restoration at Easter
- [08:00] - Personal Confession
- [10:00] - Holding Onto the Past
- [13:17] - Metaphors of Nostalgia
- [15:00] - The Weight of the Past
- [19:14] - Forgetting What Lies Behind
- [22:37] - Focus on Jesus
- [25:26] - Treasures and Trash
- [28:46] - Letting Go of Sin
- [32:10] - Straining Forward
- [41:31] - Five Key Decisions
- [46:45] - Communion and New Life
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Philippians 3:13-14
- Psalm 126:1-3
- Hebrews 12:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. In Philippians 3:13-14, what does Paul mean by "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead"? How does this relate to the idea of running a race? [19:14]
2. Psalm 126:1-3 speaks of restoration and joy. How does this passage connect with the theme of Easter as a time of restoration and new life? [02:00]
3. According to Hebrews 12:1-2, what are we encouraged to do with the "sin that so easily entangles"? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about letting go of the past? [25:26]
4. The sermon mentions "kairos moments" as times when the kingdom of heaven draws near. How does this concept appear in the Bible passages discussed? [03:30]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Paul's past as a persecutor of Christians influence his message in Philippians 3:13-14 about forgetting the past and focusing on Jesus? [19:14]
2. In what ways does Psalm 126:1-3 illustrate the transformative power of God that the sermon describes as available during Easter? [02:00]
3. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to "run with perseverance." What does this suggest about the nature of the Christian journey, especially in light of the sermon’s emphasis on perseverance? [32:10]
4. The sermon discusses choosing freedom over bondage and faith over fear. How do these choices align with the biblical call to focus on Jesus and let go of past regrets? [41:31]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a past regret or failure that you find difficult to let go of. What steps can you take this week to begin releasing its hold on you and focus on the new life Jesus offers? [19:14]
2. Easter is described as a "kairos moment" for restoration. Who in your life could you invite to experience this transformative season, and how will you approach them? [02:00]
3. The sermon encourages choosing gratitude over regret. Identify one area of your life where you can practice gratitude this week, even if it’s challenging. How might this shift your perspective? [43:45]
4. Consider the distractions that keep you from focusing on Jesus. What is one practical step you can take to minimize these distractions and fix your eyes on Him? [32:10]
5. The sermon talks about the importance of community in our spiritual journey. How can you engage more deeply with your small group or church community to support your walk with Christ? [28:46]
6. Reflect on the idea of choosing purpose over passivity. What is one specific action you can take this week to actively pursue God’s purpose for your life? [43:45]
7. Communion is a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. As you partake in communion, what past ties do you need to break, and how can you embrace the new life and freedom Jesus offers? [46:45]
Devotional
Day 1: Easter as a Kairos Moment
Easter is a time when the kingdom of heaven draws near, offering a unique opportunity for restoration and new life. It is a moment to invite others to experience the transformative power of God. This season is not just a date on the calendar but a kairos moment—a divinely appointed time when God’s presence is especially near. During this period, believers are encouraged to step into a deeper relationship with God, allowing Him to restore and bring new life to various aspects of their lives, whether relationally, emotionally, eternally, or spiritually. As Easter approaches, it is a time to pray with expectant, faith-filled hearts, believing that God will do great things in the lives of those we invite to join us. [00:00]
"For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:10-11, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life can you invite to experience the transformative power of God this Easter season? How can you pray for them with expectant faith today?
Day 2: Letting Go of the Past
Holding onto the past can hinder our ability to see Jesus and experience His grace. We are encouraged to forget what lies behind and focus on the new life that Christ offers. Reflecting on our past can often hold us back from experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus offers. Like the Apostle Paul, who once persecuted Christians but found new life in Christ, believers are encouraged to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Our past, with its regrets, sins, and shame, can become a prison if we allow it to define us. Instead, we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, who makes all things new, and to run the race set before us with perseverance. [19:14]
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV)
Reflection: What past regret or shame are you holding onto that you need to release to Jesus today? How can you begin to focus on the new life He offers?
Day 3: Choosing Freedom and Faith
We must choose freedom over bondage and faith over fear, trusting that God has a greater purpose for our lives. This involves letting go of past regrets and stepping into the future with confidence. To move forward, intentional decisions must be made to let go of the past and focus on Jesus. This involves choosing freedom over bondage, faith over fear, gratitude over regret, purpose over passivity, and intimacy with Jesus over everything else. By doing so, believers align themselves with God's purposes and find true joy and fulfillment in knowing Christ. [41:31]
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where fear is holding you back from experiencing freedom in Christ? How can you choose faith over fear today?
Day 4: Focusing on Jesus
Our focus determines our direction. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can run the race with perseverance and find true joy and fulfillment in knowing Him. Reflecting on the past can often hold us back from experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus offers. Like the Apostle Paul, who once persecuted Christians but found new life in Christ, believers are encouraged to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Our past, with its regrets, sins, and shame, can become a prison if we allow it to define us. Instead, we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, who makes all things new, and to run the race set before us with perseverance. [32:10]
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV)
Reflection: What distractions are keeping you from focusing on Jesus? How can you intentionally fix your eyes on Him today?
Day 5: Embracing New Life in Christ
Communion is a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. It is an invitation to break ties with our past and embrace the new life and freedom that He offers. As believers partake in communion, they are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for them, and they are invited to break ties with their past and embrace the new life He offers. This involves choosing freedom over bondage, faith over fear, gratitude over regret, purpose over passivity, and intimacy with Jesus over everything else. By doing so, believers align themselves with God's purposes and find true joy and fulfillment in knowing Christ. [46:45]
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you embrace the new life and freedom that Christ offers today? What steps can you take to break ties with your past and live fully in the present?
Quotes
And it is an invitation to Easter. That is coming up in a few short weeks. And this is one of those prime times where we just want to say, hey, this is the most intense, the most important week of history. And it's what we're remembering. It's what we're living out year after year after year. And we want to invite all of us to step more fully in. But it also might be a time. There are these moments where God is, like, drawing near to people. Scripture calls them kairos moments, where Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It's drawing near. Step into it. [00:00:00] (35 seconds)
You are not your past. You're not your failures. You're not your worst moment. In Christ, Mike talked about this last week, you are made new. In Christ, you're made new. What that is, it's an intentional turning of our will, our decision, of saying, I'm not going to fix it. I'm not going to focus and chase after this anymore. I'm going to turn around and in a moment, doesn't remove all the consequences of this, but we are made new and he gives us a new future, a new hope. [00:19:56] (37 seconds)
Fix our eyes on Jesus and run toward the life that he is calling us into. So how do we do that, though? How do people, including me, that get so focused, so fixated on the past, actually turn around and start to focus on Jesus and see him and walk into the life that he's calling us, the freedom that he's calling us into, instead? How do we turn our focus from the past to what lies ahead? [00:21:19] (24 seconds)
Forget the past. Don't dwell on it. Don't live in it. Don't obsess over it. Don't have it at the forefront of your mind. Paul says, if you want to see Jesus, if you want to live into the freedom of the life that he offers you, forget the past. Stop living there. Stop obsessing and fixating on that. He's not saying erase the past. He's saying we stop letting it define us. [00:22:04] (30 seconds)
See, I'm doing a new thing. Jesus said, see, I'm doing a new thing. He's on the cross and he said, I'm making everything new. Forget the past. If we're too focused on what's behind, we miss the new thing that God is doing. This box, right? This suitcase, it's full of things. I'm not saying they're bad. They're not. Some things are treasures. There's treasures in here. And to be honest with you, there's some trash. There is. There's some absolute pieces of garbage in there. [00:23:08] (39 seconds)
We forget that, and we turn, and we focus on Jesus instead. This is what Hebrews 12 .2 says. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus. This is actually where we got the name Daily Focus. It's our daily text message that goes out that's just some scripture. It helps us keep focused on Jesus every day, even if only for a moment. And we go, you know what? Today, God, new day. I'm going to focus on you. Daily Focus. [00:32:44] (27 seconds)
Choose freedom over bondage, the prison of the past. Number two, choose faith over fear. Even when it's uncertain, when you don't know what it's going to look like, just trust. I'm going to walk with Jesus because that's the best place I could be. Number three, choose gratitude over regret. Look forward with joy instead of backward with sorrow. Thankful for what we've got. Thankful for what happened. [00:43:04] (29 seconds)
The bread represents Jesus's body broken for you. The cup, the juice, it represents Jesus's blood that was shed for you for the forgiveness of sins and the promise of hope and healing and freedom and joy that actually sent him to the cross. That's what Hebrews 12, verse 2 and 3 says, that Jesus, for the joy set before him, endured the cross. Do you know what the joy set before him was? Yes. Let's say that the joy set before him, you, me. [00:45:40] (35 seconds)
Would you break off the ties, the entanglements of sin that weigh us down, that hold us back so that we can walk freely with you? We want to see you today. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for healing. Thank you for restoration. Thank you for freedom, and thank you for joy. As we receive and find it in you, you are our greatest value. You are worth it all. Thank you that you thought we were worth your life. [00:47:39] (32 seconds)
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