The Weight of the World | Crossroads Young Adults

Hey, my name is Jordan. I have the honor of serving as the director for Young Adults, and I'm just excited that you're here. I met a lot of people outside the atrium, even in this space beforehand, and pretty much all of you told me the same thing, is that you're here for the first time. So thank you. You said no to some other things to be here. I honor you for that, and like Hannah said, you're in the right place tonight. What you just saw there is a trip that our Young Adults group took this past year. I believe it was in May or so, maybe June, and essentially what happens is a team of about 20 people leave here, they head to Nicaragua, and they serve local people through partnering and relationships, but also through digging trenches so that neighborhoods and villages that do not have access to clean water can actually have access to something that you and I take for granted every single day. It is absolutely life-changing. Now here's what I need you to hear. We've got like 10 spots left for this trip that's happening in May of 2026. I'm leading the trip, spoiler alert, and so I'm personally inviting you to be on this trip. Registration closes in just a few weeks, so you need to get signed up. There's going to be information in the atrium after our time for how to get signed up and locked into this trip. So that's my spiel on Go Nicaragua. If you've never been out of the country, never been on a mission trip, even if you have, this is the spot for you. We'd love to have you. Okay. I don't know about you, but growing up, I was a little bit of what I would consider a walking paradox. I had two sides to me.

I had a sporty side. I grew up playing sports, grew up playing hockey for most of my life, transitioned over and played soccer, had the opportunity to play soccer in college. I was in the gym, lifting weights, was doing the classic middle school, high school, college athletics thing. I also had this other side of me that was kind of like the nerdy, quirky side. I was into books and reading. I actually enjoyed studying for some of my classes. I found them to be interesting. Growing up, I was into video games, I was into computers, I was into technology. Figuring out how all of it worked was super fascinating to me. And I remember actually being in a class in high school where we talked about Greek mythology and I remember actually being locked into it. We were reading books like the Iliad and the Odyssey. Anybody know what I'm talking about? In here? A couple of you? Crazy, epic adventure books, and I was like, yo, this is kind of dope. I actually like this. The characters are cool and there's crazy stuff going on. And I remember being like, wow, is it okay for me to like this? Now I remember this one story from Greek mythology of a guy named Atlas. Now the story of Atlas is that this guy, well he wasn't a guy, he was actually a titan, and he led a revolt against the Olympian gods in Greek mythology. Now bad news for Atlas, the titans lost, the Olympian gods won. And the curse and the punishment that Atlas received from King Zeus was that he was cursed with carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. That was his punishment. He was not able to rest, he was not able to escape, he was not able to pass the burden or the weight onto anyone else.

He found himself in a lose-lose situation. Option one, he can suffer holding the weight of the world on his back for eternity. Or option two, if he gives up, he will be crushed by the weight of the world and destroyed forever. Over time, the story of Atlas has become popularized, not so much for its story but more for the phrase that is now common in society. You've heard it before, when someone feels stressed out, when they feel tense, when they feel overwhelmed, they say, man, it just feels like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. Now I have something I need to share with you. Sometimes I get a little bit stressed out. I do. Not proud of it. I'm only human. I get stressed out just like you do. And I carry my stress in my shoulders. Sometimes I'll be typing on the keyboard and all of a sudden my shoulders rise up and they're almost touching my ears. I don't even realize that I'm doing it, but days are long, conversations are difficult, life gets messy, and I just get tense. I was at the chiropractor a few weeks ago, and every single time I'm at the chiropractor, my doctor's like... Bro you good? It's feeling a little tense up there. It's feeling a little bit tight. I just carry an accumulation of stress and it all rests right here. I know I'm not the only one but the weight that I feel and internalize actually overflows and manifests itself externally as being stored pressure in my body. I hold the weighty things in my life in my shoulders. I actually have a suspicion that it's not just me. I actually believe that many of us, come with me for a second, many of us live life like Atlas. Some of us find ourselves in a very unique life stage feeling like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Can we talk a little bit about some of the weight that you might be carrying as you enter this space right now? You might feel like you're carrying the weight of expectations. Could be

expectations from your parents. It could be expectations that you've placed onto yourself. It could be expectations from a coach. You feel the weight of expectations like I've got to live up to the expectations that people have placed onto me. Some of you feel like you're carrying the weight of making decisions about your future. Some of you are dating. You're trying to figure out is this the one? Is this going to happen? That's a forever decision. That feels really big and scary. Some of you are trying to make financial decisions, career decisions, major change. Decisions, am I going to move? Am I going to go there? Are we going to break up? Like there's future big life decisions and you feel the weight. Some of you feel the weight of managing your image. There's this image that's been carefully curated. It might be a social media thing. It might just be a real life thing for how people perceive you or believe that you are or how you appear or how you dress and there's an image for you to carry that rests on your shoulders. Some of you feel like you're carrying the weight of just not being in control of things that you want to be in control of and it stresses you out that you're not able to control things that you wish you could control. I find myself in that position often. Some of you feel like you carry the weight of being strong for your family. Like just holding it together for the fam. Something went down, a relationship was severed, times were tough, Thanksgiving, your crazy uncles dropped the political like thing and you're like, okay and you're like, dude, I just gotta be strong and hold it together for the family, for my mom or for my dad or for my grandparents or for my younger brother or sister. Like they need me and I feel the weight of managing that. Some of you carry the weight of the 24-hour news cycle and it's the first thing you see when you wake up, it's the last thing you see before you go to bed, your midday doom scroll is just, oh another one, okay another thing, oh wait is there another war, wait what's happening now in the political, like it just dominates your mind and there's anxiety and stress about future things because of what you perceive to be dramatic in the present. Some of you feel like you carry the weight of feeling alone, of battling temptation, of carrying secrets that no one else knows about. Man, some of you just feel like I'm carrying the weight of the holidays on my shoulders, the weight of the holidays on my shoulders and like Atlas, it actually feels like you're in a lose-lose. I can try my best to keep holding the weight up or it feels like at some point in time I just don't know if I'm gonna be able to hold it any longer. I don't know if I'm gonna get tired of carrying this and eventually I'm gonna snap. I'm gonna break. I just can't do it anymore and the pressure is gonna crush me. When we feel trapped,

when we feel overwhelmed, when we feel stressed out, when we feel anxious in over our heads, we usually ask questions like this, is it ever gonna end? Is anybody out there experiencing the same thing that I'm experiencing? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? How long am I gonna have to hold on to this thing? Is the weight gonna go away? Is it gonna get any lighter? Can anyone help me carry the weight? Can anyone help me carry it? Anyone out there help me carry the weight? Now, 700 years ago, 700 years, sorry, not years ago, 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the book of Isaiah in the Bible was written. 700 years before the story of Jesus, a prophet named Isaiah writes a book to God's chosen people, that's the Israelites. And this was a time in the history of the Israelites where they were rebelling against God and they were choosing to do their own thing. It wasn't working out very well for them. And so in this moment, many of them have lost their way. They've become distracted. There have been wars, confusion, hopelessness, apathy. The Israelites have chosen to turn away from God and now they're actually experiencing some of the consequences of that as they've sought out new ways of finding fulfillment and satisfaction. And so Isaiah actually writes to them in his book and he says, hey, I just need to tell you guys something. Like, I'm just a messenger, you just need to know something. There are going to be consequences for choosing to rebel against the ways of God.

Like, I'm just telling you, there's gonna be consequences. And he actually tells them what's gonna happen. In the first few chapters of Isaiah, he says, invaders are gonna come from foreign territories and they're gonna capture you. You're then going to be exiled into slavery and Isaiah describes this in the first few chapters as a time of darkness and despair. Darkness and despair. But then in Isaiah chapter nine, we actually get a glimmer of hope in the story. Isaiah foretells of a savior that is coming in the future to save them. He writes 700 years before Jesus entered the world as a baby and this is what he writes in Isaiah chapter nine starting with verse two. Remember the context here. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest like warriors dividing the plunder. You will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned.

They will be fuel for the fire. Isaiah says there's gonna be a time when darkness becomes light. There's gonna be a time where slavery becomes freedom. There is going to be a time when the people were mourning and weeping, but they're gonna be dancing and rejoicing. So the question that I think about when I read that is like that all sounds great. How's it gonna happen? Darkness to light, slavery to freedom, mourning to rejoicing. How is it gonna happen? And then the next verse reads this. I'll tell you how it's gonna happen. A child will be born to us. A son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. He will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all of eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of heaven's armies will make this happen. So Isaiah actually tells the people that their freedom and their rescue is going to come from a baby. He predicts that 700 years before the coming of Jesus. And the very first thing that he says about the Savior

is that all authority, all ruling, all power, all decision making, all responsibility, the government, it's gonna belong to him and it is actually going to rest on his shoulders. That's what he says. All of that is gonna rest onto the shoulders of Jesus. He says his reign and his rule, it's different than any other previous king. Any other ruler, dictator, president, like get rid of all that stuff. The new ruler. is gonna rule with fairness and justice. And the peace from his rule is never going to end. So Isaiah essentially looks at the people of Israel and he says, for far too long, you guys have been trying to carry this on your shoulders. Be in control of things. Do your own thing. Strong arm and willpower your way through life. Choose to rebel against healthy authority because you believe that you know better. Like you've tried to do all of those things. It's not working for you. And then he says, there's actually gonna be a savior and his shoulders are actually positioned and created to hold this. His shoulders are different. They can actually carry the weight. And so the birth of Jesus is not just the birth of a child, it is the birth of a new hope.

Jesus is described here as a savior who has four names attached to his identity. Four names that are attached to his character. It's actually what we see that sets him apart as someone who is able to carry the very thing that crushes us. I wanna walk through these four names of Jesus with you and then here's my heart. Here's my hope and my prayer for every single individual in this room is that you can identify and latch on to one or more than one of these names of Jesus. And you can leave here tonight with some hope that someone is actually able and willing and ready to help you carry the weight. Number one is wonderful counselor. Wonderful counselor. Jesus entering the world brings us the perfect healer, guide and source of wisdom. That's the wonderful counselor. And so if you feel right now like you lack direction in your life, if you feel confused about the next thing, maybe you just feel like there's no hope for the future at all. The wonderful counselor knows all things, holds all things and restores all things. And he actually, believe it or not, hears you, he listens to you, he's been in your position and because of that he knows the direction and plans

and path that you should actually take as you step into your future. And in a world of bad advice, the wonderful counselor actually leads with wisdom and guidance into a transformative life. John 16 says that he's trustworthy to hear and guide us into the truth. Jesus can carry the weight in your life because he knows all things, he restores all things and he's the wonderful counselor. Number two, Jesus is the mighty God, the mighty God. Some translations of the Bible use this word Emmanuel. Emmanuel just means God with us. God actually becomes a person. And so we believe that Jesus isn't almost like a God or like 90% like God, no, no, no, we believe he is God, he's the mighty God, he's God with us. And so for those who feel weak, powerless, tired, burned out, stressed out, broken, the mighty God, this is good news for you, he has limitless strength and ability and power. He's not capable of failure, there's nothing that's too heavy for him, he doesn't get surprised or caught off guard or overwhelmed, he doesn't get tired or weary. Jesus can carry the weight in your life because he is all powerful and he is not capable of failing. Jesus is the mighty God. Number three is the everlasting father.

Jesus is the wonderful counselor, the mighty God and the everlasting father. The coming of Jesus into the world means for you and me that he brings protection, love and care just like the perfect father does. If we feel alone, if we feel ignored, if we feel invisible, if we feel unworthy, unwanted, unsafe, embarrassed, inadequate, Quit, the everlasting Father showers us with his love, with his care, with his grace, and he showers us with the pride of a father who looks at us and does not only love us when we live up to standards or expectations. No, he always is faithful to give us his unconditional love. And I never have to wonder what type of dad Jesus is gonna be. I don't ever have to wonder because he's perfect in his protection, his discipline, and his care as the perfect dad is. His character does not change and he can carry the weight because his care and protection are perfect and they don't end. John 14, Jesus says, if you've seen me, you've seen God the Father. He's the everlasting Father. Number four, the Prince of Peace. The coming of Jesus into the world brings us a peace and a rest in the midst of whatever type of uncertainty and chaos and life circumstance that you've been handed.

If you feel anxious, worried, depressed, if you feel scared, out of control, life is chaotic, I don't know what's going on, the Prince of Peace gives us a hope that provides deep rest for our souls. He keeps his promises and he provides us with a peace and security that the Bible says goes beyond things that we can understand as humans. Matthew chapter 11, Jesus actually says, come to me if you carry a heavy burden because I will trade you for rest. And I want you to hear tonight that Jesus can carry the weight because he saves us from the power of sin and he gives us security for our future. Here's the good news. It's not a lose-lose situation anymore. And so if you've entered the room tonight thinking, are my only two options just suffering through carrying the weight or eventually letting it crush me? Like, is that all I've got to work with here? I want you to hear tonight that the birth of Jesus, the coming of King Jesus actually provides you with a third option. A third option is you can place the weight of this onto his shoulders. Whatever that thing is, you can place the weight of this on his shoulders.

The wonderful counselor tonight, he's ready and willing to hear you, comfort you, and to guide you into the truth. Tonight, the mighty God is ready and willing to put his power on display in your life, even in your weakest moment. Tonight, I believe that the everlasting Father is ready and willing to protect you and care for you as his son or daughter. Tonight, the Prince of Peace, he's ready and willing to make good on his promise to provide you rest for your soul. My hope for you tonight is that you can receive the gift of Jesus and you can latch on to one of these names this season. That's my hope, that you receive the gift and you see that he is ready and willing for you to transfer weight onto him. He's here, and that's what he's inviting you to do. I wanna read you just one more section from the Bible that talks about Jesus before we wrap up. The beginning of the book of Isaiah talks about the birth of Jesus. The end of the book of Isaiah, remember, this is 700 years before Jesus is even here. The beginning talks about his birth, the end of Isaiah talks about his death. It was not only predicted that he would come as a savior, it was also predicted that he would die, and not just that he would die,

because you go, well, yeah, everybody dies. Let me read to you what is described as the specific way that he would die. 700 years before Jesus was ever here, Isaiah 53, starting in verse three. This tells the story of Jesus' final days, some of his entire life, wrapped up into a unique summary here. He was destroyed. despised, and rejected, a man of sorrows who was acquainted with the deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and we looked the other way. He was despised and we didn't even care. It was our weakness that he carried. It was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought that his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins, but he was pierced because of our rebellion. He was crushed for our sins. He was beaten so that we could be whole. He was whipped so that we could be healed. And all of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We've left God's path to follow our own, yet the Lord laid on him the sin of us all. He was oppressed, he was treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he didn't even open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away,

and no one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream, but he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong, he had never deceived anyone, but he was buried like a criminal. He was put in a rich man's grave, but it was the Lord's good plan to crush him and to cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's good plan will prosper in his hands. Some of you might be thinking, wait a minute, didn't you just teach a whole message? About how Jesus can carry the weight? Like, isn't that what you just talked about? Like, Jesus is strong enough and has authority to carry the weight in my life? And didn't you just read something else right there that seems to contradict that, that seems to say that Jesus was actually crushed by the weight? Like, so which one is it? Can he hold the weight? Or is he crushed by the weight? Is he strong enough? Or is he actually not strong enough? The Bible says that all people, not just the Israelites, have chosen to rebel against God and to go our own way.

Because of that, we've fallen short of perfection, and because sin separates us from God, the Bible actually says the payment, or the wage of sin, is actually death. That means that sin is going to crush someone. Sin's gonna crush somebody. And actually, the Bible says that sin's supposed to crush me. It says that sin's supposed to crush you. It has to crush someone, but Isaiah 53 says that the weight of the sins of the world were placed upon Jesus. And the weight of sin that was meant to crush me actually crushes him instead. Jesus in my place. Jesus was not crushed by the weight because he was incapable of holding it up. It had nothing to do with his power, with his authority, with his ability. Jesus was crushed by the weight of sin because he chose to put himself in my place, to put himself in your place so that you could live free. That's the exchange that Jesus offers for you tonight, and he did not stay dead long. The Bible says that three days later, he rose to life, showing once and for all that he had victory, power, and authority over sin, but not just sin, even death itself. Now Jesus reigns as the one true king with justice, with peace.

His reign is never ending. I just want you to see tonight that if sin stays on your shoulders, it will crush you. If sin stays on your shoulders, it will crush you. But if sin is. transferred onto the shoulders of Jesus, Jesus will crush sin. That's the invitation tonight. That if sin stays on you, you will be crushed. But if sin can be transferred onto the shoulders of Jesus, he will squash it. He will rise again and he will hold the government, all authority, all decision-making, all control, all responsibility, he will hold the weight. Tonight, there's an opportunity for some of you here to surrender, maybe for the very first time, the weight of sin in your life. It's actually a moment, a created environment just like this for you to go, you know what? I actually want to accept this free gift of grace and forgiveness from Jesus that I believe could change and transform my life. Are you telling me that I don't have to pay for that thing and that Jesus will go in my place? Yes, that's what I'm telling you. And in a moment, there's gonna be some volunteers around this place that would love to pray with you and walk with that decision alongside of you, like right now.

Some of you in the room, you just needed a moment and some space tonight to latch on to some of the identity of Jesus. Like this season, you just needed a glimmer of hope. And I pray that tonight you can take hold of wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. Prince of peace, you can hold onto that thing and there's gonna be an opportunity for you as well to receive prayer and for prayer volunteers to actually walk you through a great exchange where you get to hold weight as you're prayed for and then you get to transfer the weight to somebody else and walk out lighter and freer than you came in. Jesus wants to bring you peace and healing tonight. So I'm gonna pray over you. Our band's gonna sing a few songs. I'd love you to engage with those, but also don't miss a moment to receive prayer. There's power in it. There's healing in it. There's freedom in it. And so if you wanna make a decision to surrender your life to Jesus, to give him the weight, if you just need some prayer tonight to release weight, to transfer weight, then I invite you to step to the sides in a moment to pray with a volunteer and they'd be happy to do that. Let's pray, Jesus. God, we're grateful to be in your presence.

God, I thank you tonight that you're speaking clearly to us, that you're here and you're inviting us. You're not shaming us. You're inviting us to give you the weight. So Lord, tonight, whatever the weight is, would you help us identify it? Would you give us the boldness to stand up and to address it? Would you give us the humility to receive prayer and blessing? And Lord, would you allow us to walk out in freedom, light, because of who you are? We love you. We thank you. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.