Running the Race

Sunday July 29, 2012

What happened in worship: We commissioned the mission team, sending them off to Kentucky with a blessing. Our children helped to bless our "Giving Dolls" before they set off on their adventure, too. Our child who had the box this week tried to stump me by bringing in a remote control helicopter (well...that's what I call it, it has a special name) He told us that when the helicopter gets out of range from the remote it crashes, and that was our lesson today, that the same thing happens to us when we get out of range from God.

Text: Hebrews 12:1-3; Isaiah 50: 4
Sermon: "Running the Race"

Google Image from Babler State Park in Wildwood, MO

            If you were here last week, you may remember just how much I love the Olympics.  Hopefully you also recall how I suggested that we just might glimpse God’s glory on earth in the celebration of the opening ceremonies. Particularly in the community that is represented in the parade of nations. Well, today’s passage is part of its parade of nations, so to speak. The verses we just heard from Hebrews is part of a larger passage, one that culminates with Jesus as the exemplary model of faith. However, just before this, beginning in chapter 11, we are reminded of other faith heroes as the author tells the story of our faith fathers and mothers. Or, in keeping with the Olympic theme, the author tells the story of each athlete, highlighting their faithfulness by telling of the trials and suffering they overcame. It is as if the announcer is introducing each athlete as they march into Olympic Stadium.  A who’s who parade of Christian athletes who endured their own race. Beginning with Abel’s faithful sacrifice that cost him his life. Then Noah, who built an ark and endured the flood which destroyed all else. Then Abraham and Sarah make an appearance, the father and mother of Israel, who suffered childlessness until old age. Moses makes an appearance, as the announcer recalls how he led the Israelites out of slavery, only to endure years in the wilderness, never to make it to the promised land. Several prophets come next, enduring the scorn of entire nations. Then the announcer welcomes in all those who were martyred for their faith, those who literally endured death for their faith. Finally, of course, we come to where our reading began today in chapter 12, with the announcement of the host nation, with the example of Jesus, our Lord and Savior and King, who only came to that honor after taking on the weakness of human flesh, and enduring temptation, rejection and disgrace. Who came to sit at the right hand of the throne of God only by enduring the worst humiliation and pain, as he faced death on the cross.

            Yes, there you have it, our very own parade of nations. A witness so great that the author expects that this reminder of those who have gone before, will be a source of encouragement to us today. That we might be inspired by the faithful endurance of our ancestors. Verse three actually calls us to “consider this, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” But, I wonder about these words. It seems to me, that sometimes hearing what other people have accomplished only leaves me incredulous. I might be inspired, but I might also be overwhelmed by the accomplishment that I am left wondering how they did it, not how I might do it too. Or better yet, this list of faithful ancestors almost leaves me tired just thinking about it.

           Sort of the reaction that I had two wonderful friends of mine in Atlanta. They were a husband and wife raising three young children, while both attended seminary full time. The husband also pastored a church that was an hour drive each way from school. It made me tired just thinking about it.

            It’s the same reaction I have when I think of my own dad who worked two or three jobs for most of my life to support our family. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

            Or, having heard other people’s stories, even some of your stories. Stories of brokenness and recovery. Of loss and struggle, of single parenthood and caregiving. Stories of burdens overcome. I am in awe of the perseverance, the faith that it surely takes to press on, the love, the dedication, the whole-hearted effort. But often times, it still makes me tired just thinking about it!

            Which is why I have always wondered how recalling such stories of struggle, of challenge and suffering and endurance would possibly help me from getting tired and losing heart.You see, when we remember that the same oppression and suffering and injustice that plague us, plagued our ancestors, it is easy to become discouraged, to be overwhelmed the struggles ahead when it seems nothing is changing for the better. We can get worn out by the race that lies ahead.

            But this passage calls us to the very opposite. This passage calls us to remember the endurance of others, not to be tired just thinking about it, but so that we may not grow weary and lose heart. For this passage calls us to consider Jesus. It does not say fix your eyes on the opposition Jesus faced, or on the struggle of the witnesses around us. It calls us to consider the witnesses themselves, to consider Jesus himself. We are called to fix our eyes on the finish line, not on the race. Sure, you can’t see the finish line without seeing the race, too. Just like we can’t focus on Jesus without remembering the suffering. But, this passage calls our attention to Jesus, to the finish line, because that is our hope for perseverance. That is what keeps us going when we are tired just thinking about it.

            We fix our gaze on Jesus because He is the finish line. He is the pioneer, the trailblazer, of our faith. He was the first to finish the race, to achieve perfection and to sit in honor at the right hand of God’s throne. In paving the way, conquering death for us all, Jesus broke through the finisher’s tape, opening the way for all believers to come behind Him and achieve victory, too. Jesus opened the way for us to all glimpse the glory. So we focus on Jesus to be renewed in faith, confident that because of Him, we have a race that will end, and will assuredly end in victory!

            The most glorious thing about this victory, is that we can all achieve it. That is why we have such a great cloud of witnesses, instead of a single victor cheering us on. So many others have gone before us. Faithful witnesses from Scripture, from history, from this community, from this congregation, from our own loved ones. All gathered to cheer us on in support of our race.  Not just cheering on the one that has the best chance of winning, or the hometown hero, or the underdog. For as Christians, we all have the same guarantee of victory if we continue in faith. So the witnesses flank the road all around us. Ready to uplift us with an encouraging word, or to share their own story as a measure of solidarity.

            How do we persevere then in this race that lies before us? How do we lay aside what hinders us and put away our sin? One Ocean Insight that our children learned at Vacation Bible School answers this question for us. We persevere by not relying on our own understanding. As Psalm 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”And so, we fix our eyes on Jesus and consider Him.

            Or as we heard earlier from Isaiah, sometimes we persevere because someone else knows has the word that will sustain us when we are weary. It’s no surprise, if we can’t glimpse the glory alone, we sure can’t get there alone either! As the stories of the witnesses remind us, faith takes endurance. Sometimes it takes so much endurance that it makes us tired just thinking about it. Like when trauma blows us off course, or comes like a roadblock in our lives. Or when sin and evil become hurdles that trip us up. It is in these moments especially that we remember that we don’t run alone. It’s like the poem, “Footprints in the sand” when the man talking to God looks back at his life and asks why there are only one set of footprints during the most difficult days and God responds that it was during those times that instead of walking beside the man, he picked him up and carried him.

            That is what we do for one another, too. Like at this year’s state track and field meet when a distance runner’s endurance gave out 20 yards from the finish line. An opponent behind her, wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders hoisting the fallen runner as they walked together across the finish line. We may not always be literally carrying one another, but we do support each other in so many ways. With meals, cards and visits during a difficult time. Today we supported our mission team in hopes of adding to their endurance as we sent them off with a blessing. With generosity and care, with presence and prayer we support one another as we all seek to endure the race before us. In fact, whether we lift up each other by name or not, we support one another every week when we pray the Lord’s prayer. For, we don’t pray, “my father” and we don’t ask for “my daily bread, or for forgiveness of my sins, or for personal deliverance from evil.” Instead, we pray to “our Father,” asking for OUR forgiveness, for OUR protection, for OUR provision. Even if we mutter this prayer in our rooms alone, still we offer it on behalf of every believer running the same race. We offer it even for those who are too tired or hurt or lost to pray this prayer for themselves. In that prayer, we truly fix our eyes on God. In that prayer we direct everyone else to consider the finish line of God’s glorious kingdom that Jesus made open to us.

            So even when just thinking about the race before us makes us tired, we can offer the old familiar prayer to persevere in faith. We can fix our gaze on Jesus and listen to the roar of the witnesses cheering us on, as we endure the road ahead together.