Celebrate: Run On Hebrews 12:1-3 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants I hope you were able to make it last week. We had a wonderful time. It was good to have everyone together. It was good to see some people that maybe we haven t seen in a while. It was good to celebrate. And we have a lot to celebrate, don t we? One hundred fifty years is a long time. Ours is but one small slice of that. During the service last week I contemplated that 150 year marker. There is no one alive today who was a part of things when this congregation started. Many generations have come and gone. There have been countless numbers of people who have distinguished themselves with a strong faith and a willingness to serve. We stand on the shoulders of giants, don t we? I know you have heard me say that before, but it really is true. In just the short time I have been here, and yes seven years is a short time relative to the150 years this church has been in existence, I have been privileged to have known some of the most dedicated, faithful people I have ever been around. Their presence is deeply missed. Just a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated the life of R. J. Bontrager. He was as strong a visionary as I have ever met. Earlier this year we buried Jo Price. She greeted folk who walked into this building for over 40 years. Hers was a winsome personality if there ever was one. Peg Back taught the children of this church and beyond for years. Her creativity and compassion affected hundreds of young lives. The list of those faithful saints that precede us is long and distinguished. Again, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Jim Criswell And speaking of a giant, allow me introduce Jim Criswell. He is sort of a living legend around here.
When Wesley Village honored him as a hero, saint, and legend, they knew what they were doing. I have asked Jim to share a word about some giants he knew at Centenary. I m confident that in hearing what he has to say you ll be clearly inspired. A Great Cloud of Witnesses The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 12:1, talks about a great cloud of witnesses and this on the heels of a long list of Old Testament heroes who blazed the trail of faith. The writer of Hebrews every desire in writing about those heroes was to encourage those reading about their own faith. Times weren t so easy for them. In the midst of that the writer of Hebrews knew that the only way for them to persevere was to keep the faith and focus clearly upon Jesus. Reading a quick word about such people as Abraham, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets had to encourage them to no end. I m sure they thought to themselves, If they persevered, so can we. When we think of these saints and the many others of the faith that precede us, we should be encouraged as well. Persons like Peter and Paul, Silas and Timothy, James and John, Lois and Eunice inspire us to no end. Luther and Calvin, Wesley and Whitfield, Joan of Arc and Mother Teresa have blazed a trail of faith that extends to this day. Those who precede us even at this church provide great encouragement. In considering this great cloud of witnesses we not only consider their wonderful witness, but the ways we are challenged to carry on. I have enjoyed as I know you have the Olympic track and field events this week. There have been any number of sub-plots that have gotten a lot of press.
German marathoners Anna and Lisa Hahner, identical twins, crossed the finish line holding hands as a show of their love for one another. Abby D Agostini and Nikki Hamblin in the feel good moment of the Olympics helped one another up after a scary fall while competing in the 1500. Hamblin said after the race, That girl is the Olympic spirit right there. Americans Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali, and Kristin Castlin swept the 100 meter hurdles, a first for any country. Our women s 4 x 100 relay team dropped the baton in the prelims, only to have another chance at proving themselves after a foul was substantiated. Passing the Baton When it comes to track and field events there are none quite as uncertain as the relays. Just ask our men s 4 x 100 relay team. Having the fastest runners is no guarantee of success. The baton has to be successfully exchanged every time. Some of the best runners in the world have failed at what at first glance seems like the simplest of tasks. Passing the baton is as important, if not more important, than the running. The running is only part of the race. Passing the baton takes tremendous amount of practice and a great deal of teamwork. When it comes to a relay, passing the baton is the thing. In considering the great cloud of witnesses before Christ and after, those who are Methodist and of other faith traditions, even those who have been a part of the 150 years of our own church, successfully passing the baton is critical to the race we run. While we are talking a great deal about the history of our church over these weeks of celebration, it s our future we re really concerned about. Our future is set as the baton of faith is successfully passed from one generation to another. The old adage, Christianity is only one generation from extinction, rings pretty true.
How Best to Run the Race Every runner who has run at the Olympics this week has run with some sort of strategy in mind. Their training is important and, in fact, is a part of the strategy. Somewhere along the line though, that runner and his/her coach will have to decide on how best to run the race. The writer of Hebrews offers that sort of strategizing in regard to the Christian life. Running Together Right off what is written in Hebrews 12:1-3 is written in first person plural. The race is to be run together. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. The race is best run together. Every once and a while, particularly during track season, I will see groups of young people running together. They run as a team. Those who are faster encourage the slower runners. Those who are slower give those who are faster the opportunity to lead. When the race is run together everyone benefits. Everyone grows. Everyone wins. Not to be lost in the mix for us is the great company of all those who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor. While they may be gone from us their faith and commitment provides tremendous inspiration. As they ran, so we are encouraged to carry on. Running Unencumbered In running the race set before us, it is best that we do so unencumbered by those things that seek to weigh us down. No runner runs effectively weighed down with unnecessary baggage.
An Olympic runner, for instance, would never think of running with his/her backpack. Those runners are sort of striped down, if you will to the very essentials needed to run effectively. We carry around way too much baggage while at the same time expecting to be fruitful in our Christian walk. The writer of Hebrews calls on us to lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely. He says this right out of the gate. We can t expect to get very far clinging to the same old things that bother us. We ll never get anywhere thinking we can prosper in the faith while holding on to the sin that so permeates our lives. Even before the race is started, letting go becomes a matter of first order. Confession that leads to forgiveness is the only thing that will break the hold of sin upon our lives and in that freedom we will be able to run like we never have before. We will be like runners who have had a 100 pound weight lifted from our shoulders. Running with Perseverance I have found that running, as much as anything, is a matter of perseverance. I have been asked many times when the topic of a running a half marathon comes up, How do you do that? It s very simple, You do it one stride at a time. Staying at it is critical for any who wish to run the race set before them. When it comes to running, there is always the temptation to pull up. I don t care how good of shape you re in. Staying at it though, has its rewards. And so it is for the Christian life. Running Well-Focus In regard to running, keeping your eye on your goal will motivate you more than anything.
For the runner, it might be weight loss, release of stress, comradery with other runners, or just a general feeling of well-being and accomplishment. For some runners, it might even be the pursuit of Olympic gold. For the Christian, the sort of race the writer of Hebrews talks about has as its goal Jesus Christ. Jesus is both the reason for our faith and its focus. Jesus is the very reason we do what we do. He is the beginning of our faith and the very one who carries us forward to a brighter day in this life and the next. Jesus is the one who leads the way. He suffered the indignity of the cross, yet was raised in glory. Jesus is the one who leads the way. He runs right alongside us, regardless of the course set before us. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we are able to run like we never thought we d ever be able to. This past Wednesday Justin Gatlin competing in the prelims for the 200 meter dash pulled up near the end of the race, briefly taking his eye off the finish line. He was just a couple of strides away and thought for sure he had qualified. We finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the very goal of our faith, Christ Jesus our Lord. Keep on Keeping on Surrounded by saints, oblivious to everything but our goal, and always in the company of the One who runs before us we are readied for the race ahead. When it comes to Centenary, it s been that way for 150 years. With God s help, it will be that way for another 150. Eugene Peterson puts it well in his paraphrase The Message, Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we re in. Study how he did it because he never lost sight of where he was headed. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over the story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through.
That will shoot adrenaline into your souls. So Centenary on your mark, get set, go!