Seasonal · Sermon 3 of 3

Letting Go and Moving Forward

Isaiah 43:16-19; Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; Luke 9:61-62

You cannot hold the past and embrace the future at the same time

Main Point

God is always doing a new thing, but we cannot step into it while clinging to what was. This year requires both courage to let go and faith to trust that what God has ahead is better than what we're releasing.

Application Ideas

What are you clinging to that God is asking you to release? It might be a broken relationship, a failed plan, a version of yourself that's no longer alive, a comfortable pattern that's no longer serving you. Letting go is not passive; it's an active choice. This week, name what you're holding and consciously, prayerfully release it. What would become possible in your life if you truly let it go? Practically speaking, what's one action step you can take toward this release—a conversation, a boundary, a decision?

Discussion Questions

Why is it so hard to let go of the past? What are we afraid we'll lose? How does Jesus model letting go—of His reputation, His safety, His life? What's the difference between healthy closure and bitter resentment? How do we know when we're meant to persevere through difficulty versus when we're meant to let something go? What does it look like to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for us'?

Detailed Sermon Outline

Introduction

Isaiah 43:16-19 contains one of the most difficult and beautiful invitations in Scripture: 'See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.' But notice what comes right before it: 'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.'

You cannot hold the past and embrace the future at the same time. Your hands are full. And God is asking: will you open them? Will you release what was so you can receive what will be?

I. Identify What You're Holding (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The writer of Hebrews says, 'Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.' Before you can run forward, you have to identify what you're carrying that's weighing you down.

It might be a broken relationship you keep revisiting, hoping for a different ending
It might be a failure you've never forgiven yourself for
It might be a version of yourself that's no longer alive—a dream that didn't materialize, an identity that no longer fits
It might be anger at God for not protecting you from pain

II. Understand the Cost of Holding On (Luke 9:61-62)

A man said to Jesus, 'I will follow you, but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.' Jesus replied, 'No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.' This seems harsh until you realize: looking back will prevent you from moving forward. You cannot drive while looking in the rearview mirror.

Holding onto bitterness poisons every new relationship you form
Holding onto shame prevents you from stepping into the person God is calling you to be
Holding onto a dead dream prevents you from seeing the living one God has for you now

III. The Art of Letting Go (Philippians 3:13-14; Psalm 40:1-3)

Letting go is not passive. It's an active, sometimes painful choice. Paul writes, 'One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.' Notice the action: forgetting and straining. It takes effort.

Name what you're releasing. Don't try to deny it or minimize it. Acknowledge the loss.
Grieve it. If it mattered enough to hold onto, it deserves to be mourned when you release it.
Give it to God. Consciously place it in His hands. Say: I am letting this go, and I am trusting You with what comes next.
Be prepared to choose again. Letting go is not one-time. When you find yourself reaching for that past again, consciously choose to release it again.

Conclusion

God is not asking you to deny that the past happened or to pretend it didn't hurt. He's asking you to stop living in it. To open your hands. To release the weight so you can run the race He's marked out for you.

This year, what is He inviting you to let go of? Ask Him. Wait. Listen. And then, with courage and faith, release it. A new thing is springing up. Don't miss it because you're still looking backward.