ROADBLOCKS

Well, you know there is a spiritual connotation to this sermon called Roadblocks, and we're going to get right into it in just a bit. See you in a moment.

With that being said, let's go right to our words of life, our word of God, indisputable. We're starting with that fourth gospel, the only one that's not a synoptic or similar gospel. That is the book of John. You have Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then number four, it is the gospel of John. We're gonna ask you to turn to the 16th chapter, and we're gonna read two verses, verses six and verse seven. We're gonna give you a little bit of time. can't live just a little bit to give you time to get there.

And I'm hoping that you're there by now. If you're not, we'll go ahead and put the font up on the screen. John chapter 16, starting at verse six, are reading is as This is Jesus talking to his disciples. And he says, sorrow has filled your heart because I have said these things. And then these things that he's saying to the disciple, he's telling them, hey, I'm about to leave. I'm going back to my father in heaven now.

So because I have said these things to you, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper, the Holy Spirit, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. May the Lord add a blessing, a huge blessing, to those that intend to do, not just hear, but those that intend to hear with the intent of doing. Lord, add a blessing to those that have purposed in their heart to do your holy work.

word the title of this week's message is entitled roadblock roadblock if i defined it as just defined as a barrier it could be a blockade it could be this hindrance or even a distraction it's an obstacle that obstructs or diverts one from where they desire or need to be As we perform our exegesis and we take apart the text and we interpret it as what that text meant back then before we can bring it up to today, understand that the disciples, they were becoming overwhelmed at this thought of

Jesus's departure as he foretold his impending death and resurrection. Now, they didn't expect the going away death message because understand their thinking was hold up this is the messiah there's no way this is happening to us right now but jesus starts to explain the work of the holy spirit and his work could only occur only by the departure of Jesus.

And so, the disciples, if Jesus departed and the Holy Spirit came to do His work, the disciples would then have a personal, constant, indwelling of God's Spirit within their hearts. Instead of relying on Jesus to be there physically with them, they would have God's personal, constant, indwelling Spirit within their heart. But of course, if Jesus remained physically present with them, Jesus understood. Their spiritual growth would be hindered.

They would not have been able to experience the depth of a relationship with God that Jesus had. And so Jesus had to get them to understand that his sacrificial death, his resurrection, that would allow Holy Spirit to nurture their relationship with God. It would allow the Holy Spirit to mature them spiritually and finally, and do them with God's power for the work of spreading the gospel message. And so Jesus informed the disciples and I'm going to paraphrase right now.

He basically says, I will not be a hindrance to your spiritual growth. your power, and the relationship that you must now have nurtured by the Holy Spirit. I will not stand in your way of the Holy Spirit's work in your lives. You need God's Spirit, and I must go away so that I can send Him to you. So paraphrase, Jesus lovingly reassures his disciples prior to his death and resurrection, I will not be a roadblock to your spiritual development.

So now, as we transition from the lesson that Jesus taught the disciples, here's our summary challenge for today's message, and here we go. Is there anything or is there anyone in our lives that stands in the way of, or is an active barrier, an obstruction, or a hindrance to the personal relationship that God desires to have with each of us through Jesus' sacrifice and now Holy Spirit's desire to live within our hearts as he promised the disciples.

Is there anyone, is there anything that's a barrier, a hindrance, an obstruction, i.e., a roadblock. This roadblock, it could be a person. It might be a religion. It might be an ideology that seeks to replace an intimate, daily, personal walk, a relationship that God wants with each one of us. It might be a weakness. It could even be, excuse me, it could even be us in our very own way hindering a more intimate walk with God via his indwelling spirit that Jesus promised.

So the disciples were promised, we are promised as well. So let's delve into our applicable point of today's message, roadblocks. Here's point number one. Salvation was Jesus's work. Maturation of others is Holy Spirit's work, not ours.

This is the perfect time to examine if we are hindering somebody else's walk with God by placing expectations upon others that require a God, i.e. Holy Spirit's help, b it requires time it requires spiritual maturity it requires biblical growth by understanding so on and so forth and again before the preacher or the teacher preaches and teaches you have to eat the message first and i can find me in point one all day because sometimes I tend to get frustrated, and it can't be just me, but if it

is, Lord, help me. You all pray for me. Sometimes I get frustrated when people don't act or do when I know they know better. You know the words. but you're just going to continue to do. And in a way, I don't want to say I'm acting as judge, but I get frustrated and maybe I am. And for that, I'm like, Lord, forgive me. I'm sorry. But sometimes it's just, I think we expect people to act the way we would act. We expect people to do what we would do and that's not right.

And so I kind of had to say, Lord, that's me in some areas. I'm going to get that cleaned up with your help. I need your help. We need to stop putting these expectations on people that only Holy Spirit, it is His job to mature the Holy Spirit in others. Salvation was Jesus' work, but maturation, spiritual maturity, biblical growth, that takes time, that takes understanding, but most of all, that takes God's Holy Spirit. That is Holy Spirit's work. That is not mine. That is not ours, okay?

Jesus called the disciples as well as us. Understand, he called us fishers of men. And to put that another way, all we are to do when it comes to eternal souls, he expects us to cast bait by sharing the gospel. In other words, just throw the line out there. Put the gospel message out there. Just cast bait. It is Jesus who catches the fish. If I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto me.

Jesus said, I'm the one that symbolically catches the fish, and it is now Holy Spirit's job to clean up a human heart, i.e., the symbolic fish. That's not our job. And this is where we make so many mistakes. I know I have been guilty. We think it's our job to cast bait. to catch the fish and to clean the fish. And that just is not so. And here's what that might sound like in today's vernacular, demanding a certain dress appearance, or before you come here, you gotta do, you gotta look like.

There might be rules and rituals attached to coming to Jesus, but Jesus never required these of anybody. He just said, whosoever will. So right now, let us prayerfully consider in point number one to apply to ourselves this week. Lord, are my expectations, are my requirements, is there any ideology? Is there any upbringing of my 53 years? Is it anything in religion? Am I simply being a roadblock to somebody who simply wants a relationship with you? You didn't go to the cross, Lord. for religion.

You didn't go to the cross. Jesus didn't go to the cross for rules, for rituals. So Lord, help me to repent. Help me to move out of the way. If that's me, Lord, help the preacher. Because salvation, that's your work. Maturation is Holy Spirit's work, not ours. Here's our next point as we go forward into the message roadblock. Point number two, we should identify personal roadblocks that hinder our developing relationship with the Father. Jesus got up early in the morning.

He just, I had to prioritize is what Jesus basically with his actions told everybody. And we need to understand there is nothing, there is no one person, place, or thing that should be prioritized over Holy Spirit's daily role in bringing us closer to God. Absolutely nothing. But here's what we'll do at times. We'll become unequally yoked. We know we're not supposed to be married to somebody that they don't even believe like we believe. Well, that is literally a roadblock that we've set up.

We might neglect the prioritization of routine, quiet time with God to strengthen that relationship. That's a roadblock. Think about what any relationship requires. Time, listening, talking, just intimacy. We've got to strengthen that relationship, but quiet time, eh, not a priority. That's a roadblock. We'll sometimes even burden others to be. I just talked about that in point number one. We'll burden others to be what only Holy Spirit can be to us. Here's some more.

Our careers, our goals, the corporate ladder of success that many strive for. How about the kids' extracurricular schedule of activities? They all have their proper place, but they become flashing roadblocks when our schedules override our spiritual growth time.

due to a lack of set aside devoted intimate this is me and you lord speak to my heart let me know where i am and you where i need to mature where i need to grow i need to hear a word when we don't prioritize that and our schedules override that time that's a roadblock um think about what any healthy relationship requires and possesses like we talked about just We got to learn each other. We got to listen to one another. That's time together. That's any relationship.

Commitment, loyalty, trust, attentiveness, dedication. God is no different when it comes to a relationship with him. But I understand everything that I just mentioned to strengthen that relationship, that intimate walk with the Lord. That is Holy Spirit's job. to produce in us the desire to prioritize and develop our relationship with him. And so it is imperative that right now, let's honestly inspect our lives for any excuse that we can utter that usually takes precedence over.

It becomes that roadblock that can stunt our fellowship time with God. We're all guilty. Lord, help me. There are times that I need to get better at, I'm not so busy, nothing in my schedule should take priority over my prioritized intimate time with the Lord. I don't need to put up any roadblocks when it comes to my relationship with the Father. Am I black? Am I white? Am I a dollar? Am I light? Am I a fling? Am I small? Do I sing? Or am I salt? Am I a day? Or am I a play?

Or would you say, I am the way? Church, who does the world say that I am because of? And as we conclude our message, here is our final point. And frankly, it's always the reason that we preachers and teachers are supposed to preach. and teach. It's the only reason we're supposed to preach and teach. Point number three, Jesus is the only one that God has authorized to remove eternal roadblocks. Understand this, this is always the most important point of every message or sermon.

My job is to take you to the cross. Eternity is in view for all of us. If I don't take you to the cross, I have wasted a lot of time, and God will hold me accountable for that. As he will every preacher and teacher. I do understand the different roles. Pastor, evangelist, preacher, teacher. I get it. But the only reason we have been gifted, get back to the basics. Stop giving everyone icing. That's everything in the church and religion. Give people the cake. You can eat icing all day.

You'll end up malnourished and pretty much sick. But if you can eat a cake without icing, we might need to get back to giving people the most important thing. The cake is Jesus. Everything else can work with him. He is the cornerstone on which the gospel has been set. Giving everybody everything else. I don't care if we're talking about rituals. I don't care if we're talking about time. None of that matters. Give people Jesus the cake. Icing can be done away with.

You can enjoy a cake all day without icing. Understand point number three. He is, Jesus is the only one God has authorized to remove eternal roadblocks to him. You have a friend or somebody that says, no, I heard somebody say, no, there are many ways to God. Speech! Hit the brake. No, there are not many or alternative ways to God. That's a roadblock. Unbelief, that's a roadblock. And here's one that troubles me greatly. Sometimes, we've all heard this phrase, action speaks louder than words.

Well, if we love our family, we should risk getting on their nerves, getting them ready for eternity by giving them Jesus. Cast bait. Now, we don't control if they accept it, but continually cast bait. They can't be saved unless a preacher preaches or teaches. And we do get it. There's rebellion everywhere. But families that enable, and they will not tell you that you are in eternal danger if you keep gambling with your life by neglecting God's offer, they are roadblocks to you. Family.

Friends, anybody can become a roadblock, hindering the eternal future that God desires for each one of us. But guess what? Love never forces anyone to do anything, but you can be sure about this. Love will warn when necessary. Understand, Jesus did not die on our behalf to make heaven the goal. This comes from an unnamed author, but get what he says next. Jesus died to prepare each of us to spend forever in the presence of his Father. That's deep. And guess what?

Holy Spirit is now carrying that work out in each believer. If you have yet to accept Jesus as the only one able to secure an intimate relationship with God eternally after death, Satan has blinded your eyes with a symbolic roadblock that Holy Spirit wants to remove at this very moment. Here's the only thing you have to pray. It's a simple prayer. Dear God, I acknowledge my need for Jesus because I have spent a lifetime in sin, diverted from a relationship with you by Satan's roadblocks.

But Lord, I believe that Jesus' promise to the disciples, that extends to me as well.

Jesus died, He rose for me too, and I will confess with my mouth that my relationship with God is secure only because of Jesus and Holy Spirit's current work in my heart until I reach your presence if you have prayed that prayer with me it is the best day of your life i am happy for you heaven is rejoicing because you have made the decision you have with holy spirit's help him touching you today you have destroyed and knocked down and gotten out of your way satan's symbolic roadblock And you

have formed a relationship with God through Jesus, who has never lost one that he has started a relationship with. And now it is Holy Spirit's job. He will perfect that which concerns you. His loving kindness endures towards us forever. We are the work of his hands. And that is something to shout and be glad about. Celebrate that, all right? Well, that's it for my time this week, but next week, Same pastor, same words of life, which is God's indisputable word.

This is Pastor Mark, and we're taking you out of here with our song of the week as we look forward to you joining us again next week, be it the podcast or the broadcast. Next week, God be willing. We love you. We'll see you later.

Bye. I could say Been holding on but do you miss me Life is going astray It's hitting different and oh so deeply Been trying to figure it out What left behind is supposed to be about I know you're finding your home But I'm wishing heaven had a phone Left behind Been running round like I'm doing just fine Oh, I wonder if you can see I'm letting go of all that belonged to we Sometimes I just let it out All the years and they ask what I'm crying about Wish I could leave it alone That's why I'm

wishing heaven had a phone What you doing right now? Do you think of me and is that a loud thing?

I wonder if you still care I'm over here and you're way up there If I could call you up I think I'd say that I'm never ever hanging up Cause I'm still running from home That's why I'm wishing heaven had a phone to God every day through Christ alone he hears me as I pray so don't put God on the line spirit's right here and he's a friend of mine today I'm just missing you it matters hell bout doing life without you make it make sense to me cuz way up there there I'm tired of being so strong That's

why I'm wishing that heaven had a phone Just got the words of a song So many years and you're all I'd ever known Wish I could leave it alone Been trying to live since the day God brought you home I can't accept that you're gone That's why I'm wishing Evan had a phone