Hebrews 12_ 1- 3      Cut the Clutter

Rev. David Holwick  I

First Baptist Church

Ledgewood, New Jersey

March 17, 1996

Hebrews 12:1-3


CUT THE CLUTTER



  I. Our lives are filled with clutter.

      A. The danger of being overwhelmed.


         Have you ever been "splashed"?

         I'm not talking about having water splashed on you in or near

            a swimming area.

         "Splashing" was the word used for what occurred often in the

            1990 "locker room wars" of the Chicago Bears.

         The smaller defensive backs and huge defensive linemen engaged

            in a good-natured but weighty battle of intimidation.

         Following an exchange of verbal assaults, the big guys would

            try to circle and isolate one of the defensive backs or as

               they called them, the "Brat Pack."

         On most occasions, the smaller, faster defensive backs were able

            to strike and quickly escape.

         But if they were captured, they paid a huge price.


         Defensive back David Tate, who weighed 180 pounds, was once

            splashed.

         He was dropped to the ground and the 300 pound William

            "Refrigerator" Perry collapsed on top of him.

         Then 270 pound Richard Dent, 275 pound Dan Hampton, and 270 pound

            Steve McMichael jumped on top -- 1,115 pounds of pain.

         "It hurts," said David Tate.

            "I don't think they know how heavy they are.

         Once you've gotten 'splashed,' you avoid it at all costs --even

            if it means backing down."


         Have you been "splashed" recently?

         Splashing is a great picture of the overloaded lives most of us

            are experiencing.

         It's not surprising the March 6, 1995, issue of Newsweek had

            a cover story entitled, "Exhausted."

                                                                    #3592


      B. It only gets worse.


         Dr. Richard Swenson has written a book about it.

         He says the spontaneous tendency of our culture is to

            unceasingly add detail to our lives:

         ... one more problem, one more commitment, one more expectation,

                one more one more debt, one more change, one more job,

                   one more decision.

         We must now deal with more 'things per person' than at any

            other time in history.

         Yet we can comfortably handle only so many details in our lives.

         Exceeding this threshold will result in disorganization or

            frustration.

         Overloading occurs whenever the requirements upon us exceed that

            which we are able to bear.


         For example, camels are able to carry great loads.

         If, however, a mere straw is placed on a camel maximally loaded

            down, its back will be broken.

         The back is not broken by the proverbial straw, it's broken

            by overload."

         "Centrum" vitamins sells lots of drugs by portraying a candle

            burning at both ends.

         But we need more than drugs to solve the over-commitment problem.

            We need to make some big changes in our lives.

                                                                    #3593


      C. I am an expert on this topic.

          1) My desk has material on it that needs to go in my computer.

              a) Some of it has been there for three years or more, and

                   the pile is 8 inches high.

              b) Yesterday I did some light cleaning and found the cat's

                   rabies certificate - we needed it four months ago.

          2) This is one sermon where I can't practice what I preach.

              a) But I want to.

              b) Wouldn't you like to simplify your life, too?


II. Setting limits.

      A. One reason for burning out is we want to have it all.

          1) Activities are good, so we pile them on.

          2) Material things are good, so we accumulate more and more.


          In his book "Timelock," Ralph Keyes makes an interesting

             comparison.

          "Many working couples feel that two paychecks are essential to

             support a minimal life style.

          This is often the case.

          But compare what's considered "minimal" for a middle-class

             life today with one just a few decades ago.

          The average starter home in this country has more than doubled

             in size since 1950, from less than 900 square feet to more

                than 1,800 square feet.

          A vintage Levittown house measured 800 square feet.

          By 1990 the median size of a new American home was 1,850 square

             feet.

          That's a lot more home to pay for, even if housing prices and

             mortgage rates hadn't gone up.

          It's also a lot more space to furnish, clean, and maintain.


          Inside our larger homes, we consider far more items 'standard'

             than our parents did.

          A second bathroom (or more) is a given.

             It used to be a luxury.

          So was air-conditioning, wall-to-wall carpeting, and a remodeled

             kitchen.

          When it came to conveniences, our parents may have had one

             vacuum cleaner, a toaster, a blender, a washer and dryer, a

                refrigerator, and perhaps a freezer.

          The average house had one, or at most two, phones (which were

             seldom used to make long-distance calls).

          Most middle-class Americans owned a single black-and-white

             television set, a record player, and a radio or two.

          Wardrobes were far more limited.

          And if they included sneakers with a name on them, that name

             was usually Keds.


          Now look about your own home.

          Most likely it includes more than one color television set,

             wired for cable.

          ... VCR.  Stereo.  CD player.  Tape deck.  Several radios.

             A few telephones, at least one of them cordless.

          An answering machine.

             Probably more than one vacuum, including a Dustbuster.

          Coffeemaker.  Microwave.  Perhaps a Cuisinart.

             Maybe a computer.  Garage door opener.  Power tools.

          Designer clothing.  Brand-name sneakers all around."

                                                                    #3594

              a) We don't have to have two incomes - we choose it.

              b) And by choosing it, we have to trade-off.


      B. Jesus sets some limits for us.

          1) Simple lifestyle rather than extravagance.

          2) The need for rest and "getting away from it all."  Mark 1:32-37

          3) Put God first, and set priorities accordingly.     Matt 6:31-33


      C. Figure out realistic limits for yourself.

          1) Even in church, you have to make choices.

          2) If you burn out, you are no good to anyone.

          3) Learn to say "no."


III. Identify the clutter in your life.

      A. Home.

          1) Cleaning piled up to wazoo.

          2) Activities that overlap.


      B. Office.

          1) Try to do everything, even what others can do.

          2) Perfectionism can lead to paralysis.


      C. Soul.

          1) The clutter no one sees - until it's too late.

          2) Sin is one of the most destructive forms of clutter.


             It was 1884.

             The New Orleans Cotton Exposition wanted to make an even

                bigger splash than the Centennial Exposition in

                   Philadelphia a few years before.

             And New Orleans did come up with something never seen before.

             All the ladies oohed and ahhed over an exotic water flower

                with an orchid-like bloom that came from Venezuela.

             Even the name sounded good--the water hyacinth.

             Thousands of lady visitors sneaked little slips of the plant

                into their handbags and took them home, praying they would

                   take root in some spot of their own damp Louisiana yards.


             The prayers were answered.

             Before many years, it became evident that the water hyacinth

                was not only going to survive--it might even take over

                   every water channel in the South!

             Soon rivers and canals were solid water hyacinths from bank

                to bank.

             A little too late, horticulturists found that each plant

                produces a thousand little water hyacinths every 2 months!

             Because pieces break off and float down the river, they can

                even transplant themselves with no help at all.


             What a profound parallel to the way sin comes into our lives.

                A simple phone call.

             A drink at a party.

             Growing resentment over a tiny slight.

             A callused attitude toward people with less opportunities

                than you or I have.

             Such small, insignificant things.

                But watch out when they take root.

             The human heart is fertile soil for everything that is

                twisted, distorted, evil.

             Every student of human behavior knows it is true.

                                                                    #2200


IV. Cut the clutter.

      A. Concentrate.

          1) Focus on what's important.  Prioritize.

          2) Don't get distracted by trivial matters.

          3) Emphasize your strengths/gifts.       Phil 3:13; Eph 5:15-17


      B. Delegate.

          1) Moses and appointment of judges.               Exod 18:13-24

          2) [Origin of deacons/trustees.   (not used)      Acts 6:1-6

          3) If you try to do it all, no one else can help.

              a) (teaching our kids to do chores.)

              b) (Chores Celeste has left for me during her vacation.)


      C. Eliminate.                                         Heb 12:1

          1) There are times when you just have to make a clean sweep.

              a) Jesus whipping merchants out of temple.

              b) Giving up drinking, marijuana, or TV.

          2) Simple things like having a yard sale.

              a) (Erasing computer games from my harddisk.)


  V. Start now.

      A. Procrastination is the brother of clutter.


      B. Bible calls personal reorganization "repentance."

          1) God doesn't just want to save you.

          2) He wants to re-order your life.



Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick

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