Message: Living By Faith Every Day
Sunday, October 25, 2009
UMC-SC- John D. Landis Pastor
There are probably a number of people here today who would rank one of their greatest experiences in life as being at a stadium watching their team win the championship. Perhaps it was the Tigers winning the world series or U of M, or MSU taking the national championship. Some of us are not going to forget that this year Swartz Creek had a winning season after 20 some years of a losing record. There is a certain excitement and thrill at the stadium that grabs all of us. The writer of the Hebrews had seen this in his day too. There were arenas all over the Greek and Roman world with Olympic sports and other games. He used the stadium image to make a strong point.
He said that we as Christians are on the field and there is this enormous crowd watching us. Who is watching us? It is the heroes of the faith he talked about in chapter 11. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1a Now I don’t know how all that works, but somehow God gives people up in heaven a view of what is going on down here. I have had some moments when I felt as if loved ones gone on were watching me, maybe you have too. I think they are cheering us on.
Some of us here have been on sports teams and you know what it is like to hear the roar of the crowd, the surge of excitement, and the adrenalin rush you get. Having a crowd makes any sport exciting. It leans towards boredom if only about 10 people are there. The athlete needs to know that their effort is appreciated. We are the same way. Whether it is sports or life, we want to know that someone notices, that we are appreciated and making a difference. I know how much all of us need affirmation, and I do my best to let people know about it when they give of themselves in acts of service, in their job, in sports and of course ministry. I hope you do the same.
I was watching a fall pre-season college baseball game a few weeks ago. I noticed the chatter going on. I said to my daughter you know baseball has its own language. You’ve heard them humma humma humma, hum baby, get em out now one two three. Every single person that does a great thing is praised on the field and in the dug-out. Even when someone messes up other players say ok ok, that’s alright lets get back in the game, we’ll do better next time. The sign of a great team is when there is support for every player on every play. We are a team too.
The Sunday school teacher needs to know that their lesson was helpful, the singer needs to know that their song was beautiful, the custodian needs to know that church looks good, the youth needs to know that their work project is important, the tons of volunteers around here need applauding. We all need to know that we are making a difference. And our purpose for living should be to live for God in such a way that we are making a difference. Every person here can touch someone else and bring hope and healing. What we do everyday in our faith walk does have an impact. Every day you and I are in the arena of life. Here is what I think God wants us to do.
I. Live Your Live As If Everyone is Watching!
Not only is there a cloud in heaven but there is a cloud of people around us everyday who are watching what we do, how we live, and what we say. Either we will live with good deeds and good words that honor God, and bless others or we will fail to make the goal. When we stand in the grocery store and people are getting antsy waiting in line, with 20 or 30 people backed up in the lines there is a crowd watching. You might have an opportunity to help an older lady, pick up something that has dropped, and say a kind word when others are tense.
We are always looking for the big opportunity to let our light shine, but such a simple thing as the way you drive through a parking lot can show people you are a caring person. People are usually in a hurry. If you are willing to let people walk through before you park, give someone else the right space, wave and smile it is a witness. I have seen people shouting and yelling at one another at the gas station because they were competing for the same space. If as believers we give up our rights God can give us an opportunity to let our light shine. But if you are mean and ornery it could just be to a person who has visited our church. They might say I will not go back there again.
You and I have an opportunity to score a goal for God every day with acts of service, random acts of kindness, prayerful thoughts, and kind wishes to others. When you are at home, seize the moment with your kids to show special love. Youth and children show special appreciation for what your parents have done. When we come to worship and give a friendly handshake, when you ask someone how are you, or when you promise to pray for someone, you are making a huge difference in someone’s life. Just common everyday faith mixed with love can make you a powerful instrument for God.
In the movie Radio, it tells the story of a young man, James Robert Kennedy who became the hero of the town of Anderson, South Carolina. Though he was mentally handicapped, he showed so much enthusiasm for the game of football and kindness to the people of the town, that he became the most famous citizen. One teacher said, “It doesn’t matter how bad your day is going, he comes up and gives you a hug and says ‘I love you’ and the bad day is washed away.” His life has drawn numerous ovations.
Just simple everyday living with faith, before the cloud of witnesses around us can change the world. We can be a bright light for Jesus Christ. When we live out our faith daily with kindness and love people go home and say you know that Fred and Janet they are really special people. They just lift you up and they really beam with the love of God. Now we do not want to receive the applause of others just for ourselves, but to honor our Lord. In ways we don’t understand heaven is watching too. Jesus I know for sure is watching you. When we live as we should others see Jesus in us and Jesus says well done thou good and faithful servant. The principle is so simple, but sometimes it is so hard. The writer says that often there are things weighing us down, keeping us from live freely for God. There are heavy things we carry, burdens and baggage. So we have to…
Lay Aside Everything That Slows Us Down.
The track runner uses the lightest shoes he can find. The hiker, carries only the most necessary items in the back-pack. If we are going to run the race and to walk the walk we have to remove anything that hinders us. I remember in high school track having a training day in a rainy and snowy spring. It was so cold we wore sweat suits. But as we ran the snow and rain sloshed up on our pants. By the time we finished 12 laps of 400 yards each, my sweat-suit had gained what felt like the weight of a bowling ball. I was in pretty good shape, but I after that work out I could not move for about ½ hour.
The bible says that the weight and encumbrances that hold us back is sin. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely. Hebrews 12:1b. What is holding you back, pulling you down? Are you still carrying hurts of the past? Are you thinking folks are against you because of the way people treated you in the past. Maybe they are not. Are you holding on to some resentment of what a person said or did to you and now it is this giant load on your back and you can hardly take a step without thinking about it. Let it go. Forgive them. Give them to God.
Often what is holding us back from the race is our own faulty thinking our own wrong attitude. And amazingly it is not always the big stuff, but it is the attitude we carry around with us everyday on the small stuff. It is how we react to the day to day stress that determines the direction of our day. How do we respond when someone is late? What happens when something you have done does not work out so well? What is your reaction when things go wrong?
On the journey, life is full of bumps in the road, cracks in the pavement, and twists on the highway. Can we count the blessings in the midst of the little stuff that goes wrong? Can we look at the big picture and not sweat the small stuff? Shake off that baggage. Sometimes when you end up on what seems to be the wrong path it ends up leading you to something better then what you had hoped for.
The writer says that some things so easily entangle us. Just as a cross-country runner has to watch getting entangled in obstacles, sometimes our life’s circumstances get us entangled. The work place can be very difficult. Mangers don’t understand what we do. Jobs are given that have impossible time limits. It can work on your blood pressure. It can give you ulcers. We cannot always change what is expected of us at work, or the difficult environment we are in, but we can change our preparation for the day. We can change our environment after we leave. We have to accept that some things are far from perfect. Let God handle it. When we do that we get rid of that baggage or entanglement that is tripping us up.
Thirdly if we are going to run the race we must realize when things go wrong that…
God is Seeking to Teach us Something.
The writer uses the word discipline. We had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live?…He disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness. Hebrews 12:9,10
One of the most important places that we learn how to have love, patience and understanding is in the family. Families share home, food, money, time, clothing, and sleeping hours. Sometimes there is a conflict about how money is to be spent, how time is to be used, and how we communicate with one another. We have to learn to hear the others viewpoint that is different then ours with patience. Sometimes it feels like we are losing ground. Then we have to trust God. We feel a type of discipline.
We have to trust that God is teaching us and those that we love. The frustrations can be so deep that any change appears to be hopeless. You may not be able to change a family member or friend no matter how hard you try. But all things are possible with God. Someone told me this week that their young adult child who was very irresponsible and immature was a changed person after they went on a mission trip. They learned so much more responsibility. Some-times all we can do is be a light and pray and trust God to change someone in another setting. But being a light and praying is sometimes what is most important.
And when we get weary we can’t give up. The bible says that we are to straighten the drooping arms and make straight paths for your feet. When a runner gets tired the arms start to drop, and their feet start to falter. There must be a conscious effort to lift the arms, and to keep the feet on the right path on the track. You and I sometimes have to make a decision to give more effort when it seems like we just can’t. I ran the 440 yard race. There was a point when we got about ¾ ‘s of the way around the track when your body was screaming I can’t keep this up. I am so tired, my arms are drooping and my feet are faltering. And I have to make a decision. Am I going to go down deep and summon something that I don’t even know if it is there or not and finish the race strong. Or will I fade?
Well there was this guy at the ¾ mark who knew the race and would stand there to encourage you. He would say to me and all the other runners ok, now you can do it, give everything you have got, and you will win this race. Of all the people in the stands, I looked for this guy. The amazing thing is I did not even know him, but when he would speak those words a warm feeling would come over me. I would give everything that I had. We won many races in the mile relay. I think it is Jesus that is in the great crowd of spectators, speaks to us when we want to give up. We have tried everything we know… He says don’t give up, I am with you I will help you. Sometimes He may even have to run the race for us.
The writer of Hebrews says…
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2,3 We must…
IV. Look to The Example of Christ
In the race we are to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the one that called us to the race, He is the author of our faith. He is also the one who will see us through. He will perfect us, He will help carry the burden. Jesus won the victory for us. He received the prize and now we can also. You know if you have a track team with a champion runner, he can often win the meet for the whole team. He can run the race so fast that no one can beat him. He can make up for the losses on the relay team. He will get first place in everything he does. That is our Jesus. He ran faster and harder then anyone.
Jesus defeated all the competition. Now we are victors through Him. You cannot win by yourself, but you can win with Him. Are you trying to do it by yourself today, forgetting His strength, and not listening to His encouragement. When you feel like giving up, think of what Jesus endured on the journey. He put up with the failure of others. His disciples were always letting Him down, but He kept on praying for them and hoping in the work of the Holy Spirit. He put up with people who twisted what He said, and spoke evil against him all the time. He endured those who ridiculed His work. Finally they nailed Him to the cross.
The bible says we have not endured on the journey as much as He did. So let Him strengthen you when you are misunderstood, when people judge our motives wrongly, and when those around you fail. Like Jesus, endure the cross that you are given. Look to the joy laid before you in your reward in heaven. God will elevate you and bless you when you endure and trust Him, when you do the right thing.
