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The Beautiful Letdown
Matthew 11:25-30 (the message) 25 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. 26 Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work." 27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen. 28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30 Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Children’s Devotion… Today, you guys get to have a lesson on being salt and light… last week you saw me eat something horrible up here… sand and way to much salt on cold eggs… It was gross! But you know what happened? That whole day… the salt was in my mouth! It was there! Flavoring each conversation, making me thirsty while I walked around this community hanging door hangers… This week, there’s no food! Just this box… (A beautiful box full of nothing… or is there more?)
SERMON We live in an uptight world! Running from here to there, trying desperately to be significant, have the cool things, to look good, to impress! We are uptight… and even get uptight about being uptight! It’s crazy! The world offers numerous ways for us to deal with this craziness. Check out the self-help section of your local bookstore Yahoo returned 2,730,000 websites concerning self-help… You’d think with all this help we’d have it together… but we don’t… Today we are going to introduce you to “The Beautiful Letdown”… What a name for a ReGrand Opening sermon… We’re supposed to impress you, “wow” you, and make you want to come back! Instead we offer “The Beautiful Letdown.” Now "Letdowns" come in two forms: § One-word letdowns… When we ARE “letdown” or when we LETDOWN others, (tell of my being a letdown this week!) and § And two-word let downs… When we "let down" or lower our walls, when we get honest with others and ourselves. We are going to talk about both of these letdowns today… and then we’ll look at The Beautiful Let Down… It’s a let down God wants us to discover and embrace… It’s hard, but real… like the picture on the front of the bulletin… But first we’re going to hear a tune from a rock and roll band from San Diego, Switchfoot…Their newest album, The Beautiful Letdown contains a song by that name… Jon Foreman wrote this about the song, Physics tells us that everything on this planet will fail us eventually. Trust someone, fall in love; your scars will tell the same story. Entropy, pain, beauty, love, hope… mix them together and call it living. The choice that remains is where we go to find meaning and truth. The biggest failures and disappointments in my life have led me to look beyond what money or power or friends can buy. When you’re face down at the very bottom of who you are, and there is no formality or pretense to cling to, all your masks fall off. In this broken place, our lives can be seen for what they are, no more no less; we are ourselves. The question is this: What happens after the twin towers in our lives fall? Do we become bitter and hateful or does redemption come into focus? I’ve been on both sides… only one is beautiful. Have you been there? Chose the Beautiful Let down! The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot
It was a beautiful letdown We need a Beautiful Let down! 1. Letdown #1 - It's Not All About You! 11:25-26 - Matthew (11:25) At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. (11:26) Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. a) What Jesus says here goes against the mantra of mankind... "It's all about me, about how I look and act! How well I get it or make people think I’ve gotten it!" So often it seems that our lives are wrapped up in getting it right... or wrong… b) But Jesus' prayer says that what he has is for the babies... the ones who look at the world with eyes of amazement! Willing to embrace the grace and wonder of God! i) He says this in verse 25, and then he says it is really good in verse 26. ii) That's a bit of a letdown... at least for those of us who have our degrees or have worked hard to "get it right." (1) It goes against our valuing system... "It's all about me!" (2) But most of us, when we are honest, are looking for a way out, we just don't want to admit it... WE'RE UPTIGHT! (a) We are waiting for the race to settle down, (b) For life to get easier, (c) For the pressure to be taken off... (3) Some of us just drop out, and give up on life... on others and ourselves. Our "letdown" draws us into the dark and lonely places. c) We’ve all found that to be true at least a few times in our life… Switchfoot described it this way:
It was a beautiful letdown i) I have my crash and burn days, the days of loneliness, brokenness… weary and burdened… ii) This world doesn’t’ offer the answers… and when I try to find the answers in what the world offers me, they never do! iii) It’s so simple to realize this… the truth of it stares us in the face… it’s a letdown… a beautiful letdown… It’s not about me… or you… or my circumstances… 2) Let Down #2 - It’s All About Jesus! (11:27) "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (See also Colossians 1:16-17, …in Him all things hold together!)a) It’s not about me, about us getting it, doing it right, pasting on the smiles and looking cool!!! All things are Christ’s… He’s in control!
We are a beautiful letdown Did you notice whose picture was up there for that slide? US! i) This is US! Admit it… we are a beautiful letdown. Painfully uncool, the church of the dropouts, the losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools. But loved by Jesus… ii) And because we are loved by Jesus, really loved by Him, we can let down! Let down all those walls! (1) We build so many walls in our lives, to protect us, to shield us from the danger outside… we are so uptight! (2) And yet in our uptight wall building we find ourselves alone with the danger! Running in circles, eating ourselves alive! b) Jesus knows us and he knows the answer! He knows because He and the Father are one… they are in perfect relationship with each other… They are ONE! i) And this oneness all comes together here… (1) God is Jesus, so Jesus can give Real Life to us! (2) He has the power and the desire… c) It’s not about me getting it! It’s about me being given it… i) It’s all about Jesus! And letting Him become my Beautiful Let Down! ii) He has all things under control… Let down before Him! You need a Beautiful Let Down! 3) The Beautiful Let Down! (11:28) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.a) So often we think our lives are all about resolutions! About getting things done… being successful or making people think we are! i) It’s a horrible thing we do to ourselves… chasing after the stuff that will never make us really happy ii) Are you tired, weary and hungry... is there a part of you that is saying, '”Is this all there is?
Ah, Easy living, you're not
much like the name iii) It isn't easy living that Christ offers us, it is real life, life that led to the cross, the pain and agony, and even loneliness that bought and paid our way into a relationship with God... He doesn’t say, “get it all together, and once you’ve reached the minimum requirements, you can come… b) He simply says, “Come to me…” Let down to me… i) I know you’re tired, you’re weary and burdened… let it down ii) And “Come to me…” (1) But that’s so hard; we have so much invested in ourselves! (2) So much stashed away and hidden: good and bad stuff. iii) Lynn and I got a beautiful let down recently, it came in the form of a twenty foot long dumpster… we threw so much away… (1) There’s so much we need to get rid of, and Jesus says come… give it to me, “I will give you rest… (a) Not two weeks in the Caribbean… (b) But real rest for your souls... eternal rest! You don’t belong here… you don’t belong here… (2) Will you give it up? Will you let down? Lay before Him the junk, the sin in your life, that’s bugging you right now, it might be big, it might be small… but it’s still keeping you from where you were meant to be… We ALL need a Beautiful Let Down! (Prayer of let down) c) And now take Jesus up on His offer… (11:29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (11:30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."i) Eugene Peterson quotes it this way, “29 Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30 Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." ii) The song of grace played its way through the cross... (1) What a let down Jesus experienced! Taking upon Himself all of our sins! (2) And yet that very letdown lifted us up! Jesus became a Beautiful Let Down, giving us the place to drop our defenses and enter into a relationship with God based on what He did and not what we do! (a) Our lives are a journey, right now filled with ups and downs… some of them overwhelming… (b) But Jesus takes care of that…he offers us and helps us learn the “unforced rhythms of grace.” He let’s us find music and joy even in the worst of times and situations. iii) So will you accept and live with this beautiful letdown… the one that lifts us up and makes us just what God wants us to be! We need a Beautiful Let Down! Will you let Jesus lift you up?
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