Moving Past Your Past

Notes
Transcript
Opening
Acts 3:20 ESV
20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,
Introduction
Have you ever felt stuck? Probably it involves a car and snow—or a car and car trouble..
But the “stuck” I am talking about is the stuck that happens in your spiritual or emotional life. The feeling that you are unable to get past a certain hurt, or failure, or problem.
And, sometimes, you may feel that you actually were able to overcome—and then someone or something pushes you right back to the feelings of fear, helplessness, and frustration.
This morning I want to give you a message of hope—straight from the Word of God.
I want to tell you that God has a plan for your life—a plan that will lead you to confidence, peace, and joy.
God wants you the Move Past Your Past. To move forward with God, we need to let go of those things in our past that hold us back.
There is a man by the name of Simon Peter, and he lived in a small fishing village in the Middle East—over 2,000 years ago.
The Bible talks about Simon Peter—one who worked along side Jesus and was one of the first leaders in the early church.
Simon was a lot like you and me. I was a hard worker—but not a perfect man. He has witnessed the power of God as Jesus healed people. But he also experienced failure.
We begin our like at Simon Peter when he met Jesus.
Text
Matthew 4:18–20 ESV
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Transition
There is something very important in this story. Jesus gives them an invitation—an invitation to follow Him.
Point 1

An invitation requires an answer—Jesus is calling you! What do you say?

Experiencing genuine change and transformation in our life begins with Jesus—with His invitation to follow Him.
So, my question to you this morning is simply: are you following Jesus? Or, maybe putting it differently: Who are what are you following?
Following Jesus indicates means leaving the old life behind.
But sometimes living those things—good and bad—may be difficult. Sometimes there is that “something” that keeps us from experiencing a life set free.
It does not mean that Christ’s work on the Cross is insufficient—but it means that we are unwilling to let those things go.
Paul writes about it to the church in Philippi. He writes about the power of knowing Jesus—the power of the cross and of the resurrection. Then he writes:
Transition
Philippians 3:12–14 NLT
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Our journey in Christ means we need to keep our eyes (our minds/hearts) on Christ alone.
Point 2

Keep your focus on main thing: Jesus is Lord and Savior.

In 1918, Helen Howarth Lemmel received a Gospel track entitled “Focused.” In this track, she came across these words: "So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness."
This inspired Helen Lemmel to write one of the best known hymns of the church.
Turn your eyes about Jesus//Look full in His wonderful face//and the things of earth will grow strangely dim//in the light of His glory and grace.
Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV
1 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, 2 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.
Our gaze, our attention, our focus, our priorities, our whole life needs to center on Christ.
He is our Lord and Savior—the rescuer and sustainer of our soul.
He is the forgiver of sins—the restorer of life—the help in time of trouble—the hope that gives us strength.
NOTHING can help like Jesus. AND NOTHING can take that truth away! NOTHING—BUT if our gaze begins to drift away from Him.
What if your focus is not on Jesus?
For Simon Peter, His gaze, His focus drifted toward the fear of arrest and death. He allowed discouragement (Jesus arrest and trial) to hinder His trust in Christ. Peter, a man who promised to stand with Jesus abandoned Him.
John 18:17 ESV
17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”
It is the low point of Peter’s life—a betrayer, a lier, a hypocrite, a failure.
Have you allowed discouragement to diminish your focus on Jesus?
Transition
Something has happened that has challenged your faith and trust in Jesus.
Present discouragement
Past failure
Even past success (feeling like the best days our behind you)
You might feel trapped—an inability to move on—to move forward and upward.
What can turn this around—and help you move in the right direction again?
Point 3

The Gospel is all about reconciliation and realignment. Live in God’s promises.

1 Peter 5:10 NLT
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
God promises to restore you.
God promises to support you.
God promises to strengthen you.
God promises to establish you.
But not for your own agenda—but for God’s purpose. And, what does God want to do through us? MAKE DISCIPLES (Matthew 28:19-20).
Peter knew this first-hand. Following the resurrection, he still will struggling with the fact that he denied Jesus three times. Would Jesus forgive him—and restore him.
At a breakfast on the beach, Jesus invited Peter for a conversation.
John 21:15 NLT
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Conclusion
Moving past your past requires the work of God.
We have a responsibility too:
Follow Christ (and His call).
Keep Jesus the Center of your life (Lord and Savior).
Live in God’s promises.
Your past failure or even your past successes will not define you—but your present relationship with God defines you—and will guide your future.
Acts 3:19 ESV
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
Questions for personal reflection and group discussion
What are ways that our past negatively impacts our lives today?
How can reviewing, reflecting, and renewing our relationship with Jesus change the way we view past hurts and failures?
How can our faith in Jesus (as Lord and Savior) serve to release us from discouragement and doubt?
What promises in God’s Word to you lean on to sustain you in life?
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