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Poured Out | Run
We have all experienced the innate reaction of our fight or flight reflex
- Desire to run away or step up and fight
- Our way of dealing with threats and danger
We have a similar natural response to something else in life
- We RUN FROM DANGER but RUN TO TROUBLE
This is because of something called our…
SIN NATURE
Let’s break that down
So first, what is sin?
SIN: Going against the law of God; Rebellion against God
1 John 3
4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him, there is no sin.
Nature: Something that is natural or innate
Sin Nature
The fact that we have a natural inclination to sin; that given the choice to do God’s will or our own, we will naturally choose to do our own thing.
That shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us
This idea is CENTRAL to the Biblical worldview
It all started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
- They choose to seek their own way instead of God’s
- They choose to rebel against God, and all of humanity has suffered that consequence
Each person is born into this nature
As David wrote…
Psalm 51:4
Behold, I was brought forth in guilt, And in sin my mother conceived me.
Again, NO PARENTS ARE SHOCKED!
This is THE great problem in the world
- We can never build a utopia
- We are always our own worst enemies
The significance of this is that SIN has a pretty severe consequence
Romans 5
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind because all sinned
Adam and Eve did not ONLY introduce SIN to the world, but ALSO DEATH
- Didn’t take long — Their own son killed his brother
And just so no one can claim innocence, Paul makes it very clear when he says…
Romans 6
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now back to the fight or flight topic
We have a natural response to run away from PHYSICAL DANGER, but an equally natural response to run to MORAL DANGER
This is really important to know
- This is the reason why so many of us end up in the same messes time and time again
- You wouldn’t keep running to a bear that physically mauled you, but you do run to the same decisions that maul your life/relationships/hopes/dreams/future
Last week we started this series called “Poured Out”
- The idea is we are called to POUR OUT OUR LIVES FOR THE MESSAGE OF JESUS
Sin acts like a PLUG or A CAP
- It limits or stops you from pouring your life out
Think practically
- When you are in a mess, the last thing you think about is “How can I help someone else?”
- I need someone to HELP ME!
And our enemy Satan knows that he can limit your potential by keeping you capped off…
- Distracted from your purpose
- At arm’s length of your healing
We are taking a look at a letter Paul wrote to a Young Leader named Timothy
- This was one of the last letters Paul wrote before dying for the message of Jesus
- Timothy was a spiritual son of Paul – Paul was a mentor
Paul is giving Timothy direction on how to NOT ONLY live in a BROKEN world but navigate his OWN BROKENNESS
2 Timothy 2
22 FLEE from youthful passions, and PURSUE righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Paul understands that there is a pull to unhealthy passions
- We must ACTIVELY run away
This means MINDFUL CHOICES OF WHAT WE PURSUE
What does he mean by “YOUTHFUL PASSIONS?”
1 John 2:16
16 For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Lust of the FLESH
- Sexual desire
Lust of the EYES
- Coveting, jealousy, never having enough
Pride in One’s Possessions
- Titles, Achievements, Self-gain
Paul is trying to help Timothy and us understand that these things are what we NATURALLY WANT
- They feel more natural than not taking part in them
- That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised as Christians when not Christians take part in them
We must be on guard ourselves
Paul doesn’t just give a warning but also a WAY OUT
2 Timothy 2
22 FLEE from youthful passions, and PURSUE righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
He says to RUN to these things
Run to Righteousness
- Right – ness
- Being in right-standing with God and Others
- Make decisions that are right, not twisted, not double-minded
Run to Faith
- Trusting in the Goodness of God
- Trusting in His word and promises
- Trusting His love for you
- Trusting in His version of your future
Run to Love
- Sacrificial love
- Self-giving love
- Pure and holy love
- Love that gives life
- Love that makes better
Run to Peace
- Peace with those who hurt us
- Those who differ from us
- Peace with our enemies
- Peace with our families
- Peace with our neighbors
Run to Those who Call Upon The Lord
- To those who can encourage
- Those who can help guide in Godly wisdom
- Those who trust in God
- Those who are saturated in the Spirit of God
To have the capacity to pour out your life, you must have something to Pour
- Sin empties us — Only leads to death
- Run to the things of God that give LIFE!
Doing this will give you so much that you can’t help but pour your life out