—Home Church Sermon— The story is told of a police officer who pulled a car over that was driving 20mph.
He had been following and observing the car for several miles before pulling it over.
The car was not swerving, as someone intoxicated or
impaired in some way may have driven it.
It did not seem to be having any kind of car trouble
that the officer could detect.
It was simply traveling at an “unsafe speed”.
It was going too slow, not usually a common situation
when an officer pulls a car over.
When the officer asked the driver why he was going so
slow, the elderly man said that he saw the sign that
said 20 – so he kept it at 20mph.
The officer said, “That is the number of the highway, not the speed limit.”
The driver said, “Oh, that explains why everyone was passing us.”
One of the passengers in the back seat said with
frantic eyes and hands still shaking said,
“We just got off highway 121.”
If you haven’t heard that one before,
It is a cute story.
If you have heard it before, and many of you have,
then the ending did not surprise you.
Either way, we all drive our cars, (I mean our lives)
in that way don’t we?
At times and in different lanes of life’s highway
we seem to be driving either TOO SLOW or TOO FAST
We may even be doing both at the same time in
different areas of our lives.
Either way, they are both “unsafe speeds”.
Let’s view my message today like a police officer that
has just pulled us over for our own good,
keeping in mind that police officers are
our friends not our enemies.
It reminds us of our need to SPEED up in certain areas
of our life, as well as to SLOW down in others.
We hear a lot about our need to SLOW down in life
and even the need and STOP and smell the roses.
We also hear about our need to SPEED up
and to stop procrastinating.
Nike’s advertising points to this need with the simple
phrase, “Just Do it”.
Here are some self-reflective questions
(Inserting the word “SPEED up” for each as well).
Q: Where in your life do you need to SLOW down?
Q: Who wants you to SLOW down?
Q: Why do they want you to SLOW down?
Q: Why do you disagree with them?
If you agree with them, why are you not SLOWING DOWN?
God’s word addresses the need for both speeding up
and slowing down where appropriate
always in balance.
Here are a few of those verses:
(Where do these verses apply in your life and how can
they help you to “appropriately”
speed up or slow down in a healthy way?)
Balance is important
“Everything should be done in a
fitting and orderly way.”
[That is “balance”]
-1 Corinthians 14:40
That speaks to balance and includes
how quickly or slowly we should be
doing things as well.
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments (Slowing down or Speeding up) because
they are not as humble as they should be
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in
Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
[or to be held onto with a steadfastness not to want to let go for fear of loss]
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on the cross.”
-Philippians 2:5-8
Q: What SLOW down or SPEED up changes are you
not making because of the fear of
some kind of loss?
Remember that all godly changes ADD good things to
your life. They don’t take them away.
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they are
comfortable with life as it is
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I
have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of
the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and
count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”
-Philippians 3:7-8
Q: Are you willing to SLOW down or SPEED up,
(putting up with some temporary discomfort that
comes with adjustments in life)
in order to improve your life and be a better godly
influence on others.
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because others may not like the
changes that have been made
“For what credit is there if, when you sin and are
harshly treated, you endure it with patience?
But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you
patiently endure it; this finds favor with God.”
- 1 Peter 2:20
[Always remember that God’s blessings will always
outweigh any harsh treatment that you may get
from others as a result of your
“Doing the right thing”.]
“For it is better, if God should will it so, that you
suffer for doing what is right rather
than for doing what is wrong.
-1 Peter 3:17
[Always please God rather than people.]
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they seem too hard
“In the world you have tribulation,
[Life WILL be hard]
but take courage;
I have overcome the world.”
[Jesus overcame every difficulty in life,
and he will help you to as well.]
-John 16:33
“With God I CAN leap over a wall.”
- 2 Samuel 22:30
“I CAN do all things through Him
who strengthens me.”
- Philippians 4:13
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they don’t focus on Jesus
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of
witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every
encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame,
[Jesus lived at the appropriate speed in his life,
always SLOWING down and SPEEDING up as needed
with the end in mind of dying on the cross to forgive
us of our sins.
Even on the night that he was betrayed, he SLOWED
down and went away alone in the Garden of
Gethsemane to prepare for the cross the next day.]
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. For consider Him who has endured
such hostility by sinners against Himself,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
-Hebrews 12:1-3
[We can be inspired by Jesus and countless others
who have used His strength to SPEED up and SLOW
down where needed. This inspiration can come from
the, “great cloud of witnesses surrounding us” at
the beginning of the verse above.]
Q: Who can you look to as a good example of
properly managing the SLOW downs and
SPEED ups needed in their life?
Think about possibly asking them,
“How they do it.”
Never give up
“Not that I have already obtained it or have already
become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold
of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid
hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and
reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 3:12-14
[Hang in there and do not give up because we never
actually ever arrive at a perfect balance.
Think of it this way;
We are rarely ever balanced.
We are always balancing.
So, don’t let the imbalances of the past suck all of
the energy and desire to press on to a better, more
well-balanced future.]
God will always help you.
“With God all things are possible.”
-Matthew 19:26
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who
began a good work in you will perfect it
until the day of Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 1:6
[God is always helping you and will continue to help
people “until the day of Christ Jesus’s” 2nd coming
at the end of the world.]
God will help you in areas where you do not have confidence or are timid.
“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline.”
- 2 Timothy 1:7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known to God. And the peace of God, which
surpasses all comprehension,
[Beyond your imagination]
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute,
if there is any excellence and if anything worthy
of praise, DWELL ON THESE THINGS.”
- Philippians 4:6-8
[Don’t let negativity rob you.]
[Thinking about these positive and beneficial things]
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
-Matthew 6:24, 33-34
“I have learned to be content in whatever
circumstances I am.”
- Philippians 4:11
[Note: “Learning” takes time, and hard work]
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the
things that are on earth.”
- Colossians 3:1-3
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they don’t realize that Satan is
tempting them every day either, not to want
to change, or not to think that they need to
slow down or speed up.
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary,
the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering
are being accomplished by your
brothers and sisters who are in the world.”
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they are worn out
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest. [are you being worn out
from trying to be perfect and please everybody?]
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.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
-Matthew 11:28-30
Some people don’t make the necessary speed
adjustments because they are worn out from being
self-condemning (possibly from perfectionism)
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not
judge, [Are you too harsh on yourself?] and you will
not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.
-Luke 6:36-37
[In areas that you have sinned, you are forgiven by Jesus.
In areas that you have not sinned but have been too
tough on yourself, there is nothing to forgive, but
you may experience burn out from thinking that you
have sinned- this can be exhausting]
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is perfected in weakness.”
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell
in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses,
with insults, with distresses, with persecutions,
with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Corinthians 12:9-10
[It is precisely when you think/feel like you CAN’T
make the proper speed adjustments to slow down or
speed up, that with God’s help you actually
are strong enough.]
Prayer:
Lord, help me to speed up or slow down
where and when I need to.
And help me to do so in a balanced way.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
Pastor Dave
Word of Life Church
17525 W. Bell Rd.
Surprise, AZ 85374
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