2007 Book of Hebrews Series –
“Re-Run”
Hebrews 12:1-3
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – September 9, 2007
Prayer Introduction: My wife thinks I’m strange – for a lot of reasons. One of which is that I can watch a favorite episode of a TV show or a movie again and again. She is not this way. Many people are “one and done” people – I’ve seen it, let’s move on. But we all agree it is good to read the same portions of God’s Word again and again. As the Holy Spirit bears witness to the perfect word of God, our lives are transformed from a passage we’ve read again and again.
This
morning’s sermon is a re-run. Well sort of. It was on Rally Day 2003 – as we
celebrated this church’s 200th anniversary – that we looked at
READ
I. Verse 1 – Re-Run (v.1)
Let’s begin with a verse 1 Re-Run. In 2003, we focused on that first word, “Therefore” – asking “What’s it there for?” It points back to Hebrews chapter 11 – the Hall of Faith – which we looked at in the last four sermons. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses”
On Bicentennial Sunday in 2003 we reflected on the great cloud of witnesses who led the ministry of the Curwensville Presbyterian Church for the first 200 years of our history and committed ourselves to continuing that ministry.
Last year we focused on the key to continuing that ministry – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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.”
We called it the Marathon of Faith, with the constant need to throw off – to repent and call others to repent – of the sin that so easily entangles. Sin does not keep us from doing ministry – sin presents the opportunity for ministry.
Because sin so easily entangles – or as it is translated in the ESV – “clings so closely” – ministry is the constant battle against sin and temptation. The old adage is, “Opportunity only knocks once, but temptation knocks the door down.”
Last year I mentioned talking with a church member who had been neglecting the means of grace for quite some time. They appreciated my concern and said that it wasn’t a problem with me; they were simply going through a difficult time – they wanted to reassure me that they hadn’t lost their faith and would come back to the church when they were ready.
That person still hasn’t come back, and most likely will not until we embrace the battle against sin as our ministry.
Let’s ask it this way? How do we define success in ministry? If we were honest, we would admit that we count success by counting the number of people participating. Nickels & Noses – how much money is being given and how many people are there?
But this is not how God measures success. The Lord is looking for faithfulness. Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7).
A church member who repents from his neglect of participation in the life of the church and is restored brings rejoicing in heaven. A sinner who stares temptation in the face and says, “No” brings rejoicing in heaven. Notice that perfection isn’t the goal. It is the mini, daily, victories that bring rejoicing.
In order for this to happen, we must work together. Each of us is a community project. Notice that all of the pronouns in these verses are plural. God does not expect us to do this alone; He expects us to do this together.
WE are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, so let US throw off sin and let US run the race marked out for US. The race is marked out for us.
Christianity is a team sport. One person repents, but does so with the team’s help; just as one person scores the touchdown, but certainly doesn’t do it on his own. We are on the Offensive Line – blocking Satan’s would be tacklers.
Who are you blocking for? Who is blocking for you? If you are running on your own – you’re going to keep getting sacked for another loss in yardage. This is why people almost never return to church if they are left alone.
Who isn’t here right now that needs a blocker? Get off the bench and help them get through the open hole. The first step may be realizing that we are not on defense. We’re on offense.
II. Verse 2 – Re-Run (v.2)
Let’s move on to a Re-Run of verse 2. In 2003 we fixed our eyes on Jesus as the one who makes it possible for us to repent and call others to repentance. We reflected on the Session minutes from March 15, 1851 in which the Session asked Rev. Miles L. Merwin to preach on missions and to visit every member to make sure that every member was fully participating in the joyful work of the church.
This is not the pastor’s job alone – as we have seen in verse 1. It was the followers of Jesus who asked, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” and Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 24:43-44).
Jesus doesn’t say, the pastor should go do these things; but all of us. In fact, I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks. What ministry will you do in the next two weeks? Who will you visit?
Last year, in looking at this verse, we fixed our eyes on The Perfecter of Faith. The person who says they will come back to the church “when they are ready” almost never comes back. Why? Because the very thing they need to “be ready” is here, and they are not here to get it. What they need, is what we all need, to keep our focus on Jesus.
Jesus is
called both the author AND the perfecter of our faith. Jesus is not only the one
who authors our faith – starting it; He is also the one who perfects our faith –
finishing it.
Receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is not the end; it is a new beginning. The Men’s Bible Study this past Tuesday looked at a blog written by Jonathan Leeman – from 9 Marks Ministry. In it he notes that we cannot understand the need for discipline unless we first understand, rightly, the gospel and conversion.
Many misunderstand the gospel to say, simply, God loves you and sent his Son to die for your sins. This is not the gospel. The authentic gospel calls us to respond. Charles Spurgeon said it very well – “It will not save me to know that Christ is a Savior; but it will save me to trust him to be my Savior…” and to follow him as our Lord.
Did you hear about the man that decided to buy a chainsaw? A logging foreman sold him a used one that he guaranteed would cut down 100 trees in a single day. A week later, a very unhappy man came back to report that the saw must be faulty because he could only cut down 8 trees per day. The logger looked at the carburetor. He checked the gas and the spark plug. He commented that he couldn't find anything wrong. He then grabbed the saw, pulled on the starter cord, and the chain saw promptly went "BZZZZZZZZZZ." The man who had bought the saw jumped and cried out, "What's that noise!"
Don’t miss the power. The truth – Jesus – has come to set us free. To change our lives.
I was away last Sunday on study leave, working on the class I took this summer – “The Dynamics of Biblical Change.” God sent his Son in order to change our lives. God is here, now, in order to change our lives. Are you coming to the cross, daily, to receive the power of God to repent and believe?
III. Verse 3 – Re-Run (v.3)
So let’s do a Verse 3 Re-Run. In 2003 we anticipated the excuses, “It is too difficult…we don’t want to drive people away…I don’t know what to say…there are some people who will never come to church…” Verse 3 was one of our memory verses in 2003 – “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Last year we called it the Motivation of Faith. Anyone who is going through a difficult time should pause to think upon Jesus. You think your life is hard, consider how hard it was on Jesus. You think discipline is going to hurt, consider it from Jesus’ perspective – who says, “This hurts me more than you.” Jesus endured the cross in order to set us free from sin – to give us faith and keep us on the path of righteousness.
Calvin Miller says, “Many Christians are only ‘Christaholics’ and not disciples at all. Disciples are cross-bearers; they seek Christ. Christaholics seek happiness. Disciples dare to discipline themselves, and the demands they place on themselves leave them enjoying the happiness of their growth. Christaholics are escapists looking for a shortcut to nirvana. Like drug addicts, they are trying to "bomb out" of their depressing world. There is no automatic joy. Christ is not a happiness capsule; he is the way to the Father. But the way to the Father is not a carnival ride in which we sit and do nothing while we are whisked through various spiritual sensations.
We all struggle with sin, that’s why Jesus came. When you feel like giving up, realize what Jesus gave up for you.
I conclude every sermon, by saying, “May the truth set you free.” What does that mean? It raises the paradox that we are only free when we are bound – to Christ. An athlete must be willing to discipline his body in order to be free to excel on the field. A Christian must be willing to discipline his life in order to be free to glorify and enjoy God.
Church discipline is what we need when our personal discipline breaks down – as it will do because of our sinful nature. When we lose our focus on Christ, and all that he has done for us as the motivation of faith, we need the church to come alongside us and remind us.
How cruel it is to
leave someone in a condition of sin and misery.
Why would we abandon someone caught in a sin? Why would we forsake someone who has wandered off? Thanks be to God that he didn’t do that to us; but instead sent His Son to rescue us.
May we remember what Jesus has done for us, and remind one another of His love. May we go to those who most especially need to be reminded. And…
MAY THE TRUTH SET US FREE – AMEN!