church

INI
Palm Sunday
March 24, 2013
Ascension Lutheran Church, Tacoma WA
Paul Naumann, Pastor

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE
Hebrews 12:1-6

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus
our Lord. Amen. The passage to which God directs our attention this morning
is found in the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, beginning with
the thirteenth verse, as follows:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run
with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest
you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to
bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which
speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves
He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." This is the Word of
God.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, to whom we today sing our hosannas and at
whose feet we lay our palm branches, Dear Fellow Redeemed,

As I'm sure you noticed, the way I addressed you just now drew some parallels
between ourselves - Christians in the 21st century - and the people who lined
the road to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday. They sang hosanna then; we sing
hosanna today. They decked the way with palm branches; we deck our church
with palm branches. But l don't want to draw that parallel to sharply. Why not?
Because there are some aspects of that Palm Sunday crowd that I hope are not
similar to us. For instance, I don't think we'd want to emulate their faithfulness,
would we, because they weren't very faithful. In fact it's a crowning irony of
Palm Sunday that many of the same people who shouted 'hosanna!' that day
were, by the following Friday, shouting something completely different:
"Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" If a person wanted to put it in terms of running a
race, I guess you'd say that those Jerusalem crowds were sprinters, not
marathoners. They started out of the gate fast, but in less than a week they had
run out of steam.

Many things have changed in the 20 centuries that have passed since the time
of Christ, but running isn't one of them. Running is pretty much the same now
as it was then. That's why our text for this morning is so easy to understand.
Because the writer to the Hebrews knew that everyone could identify with what
it takes to be a runner. Even those of us who perhaps haven't run for quite a
long time can easily understand that a sprint isn't the same as a mile, and a mile
isn't the same as a marathon. For a longer course, endurance is needed. And the
course our text speaks of today is a marathon called the Christian life. If you've
been confused or saddened by painful trials in your life recently, if you've felt
weighed down and encumbered by daily cares and concerns, if you've
sometimes even felt like calling it quits and giving up your Christian race, then
the writer to the Hebrews has some encouragement for you today. Consider
with me the theme:

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE
Here are three tips for running it:

I. Lose the weight.
II. Learn from champions.
III. Don't quit.

In the previous chapter, chapter eleven, the writer to the Hebrews has been
talking about some of the great spiritual heroes of the Bible. People like Noah,
Abraham and Moses. People who ran the race and won, who successfully
endured great trials and difficulties in the course of their lives as believers, and
triumphed in the end. Keeping in mind that great cloud of witnesses, he says,
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Let's recognize that our
Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint, and let's run it with endurance. And
the first key to building endurance is obvious: lose the weight!

Everyone knows that, of course. Excess weight isn't just bad for athletes, it's
bad for anybody. Did you know that obesity puts a person at 50% higher risk of
cancer? It brings a 70% higher risk of diabetes, and pretty much doubles the
danger of high blood pressure and heart disease. And those are serious
conditions. But you know what’s even more serious? -The spiritual risk
involved when your Christian life gets weighed down and encumbered by things
that don't belong there. Our text says, since we are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Lay aside every weight. In other words, Don't let peripheral things detract
from, and distract you from, the main thing. Alexander the Great learned that
the hard way. In the 4th century B.C., his army was advancing on Persia. At one
critical point, it appeared that his troops might be defeated. The soldiers had
taken so much plunder from their previous campaigns that they had become
weighed down and were losing their effectiveness in combat. Alexander
immediately commanded that all the spoils be thrown into a heap and burned.
The men complained bitterly, but they soon came to see the wisdom of the
order. One historian wrote, “It was as if wings had been given to them—they
walked lightly again, and victory was assured."

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE. So let me ask you
this: what baggage is weighing you down? What material things are you allowing
to encroach on your life as a Christian and distract you from the main thing?
Which possessions, which hobbies, which relationships even, are you allowing
to come between you and your Savior? Our text says, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us. And "ensnares" is an interesting
word - it's a word that means: something that cleverly places itself around your
feet and entangles you, tripping you up. Do you have sins like that? Pet sins
that you have a hard time giving up? Lose the weight! Get rid of those things.
It's not safe to keep them around! John says in his first epistle, Do not love the
world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world-- the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-- is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of
God abides forever. -- 1 John 2:15-17.

We have to admit that we've at times been far too cozy with the sinful ways of
the world, much too weighed down with the cares and pleasures of this life. So
how do we solve that? Where do we look for the power to change our lives, to
slim down - spiritually - and run the kind of race God wants us to run?
Remember: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE, and the
second key to running it is: learn from champions. The writer says, let us run
with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame.

“Looking unto Jesus.” As I mentioned, the writer speaks in chapter 11 about all
the Old Testament champions of faith – people who ran the race, who often
endured great suffering, and emerged triumphant. And they are champions -
heroes we can look up to and take inspiration from. But how did they do what
they did? Well, says the writer, they had a Champion, too. They believed in the
promise of a Savior. They looked forward, in faith, to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of
God who would one day arrive to take away the sins of the world.

He's our Champion, too. He’s the one we need to direct our attention to.
“Looking unto Jesus.” And that Greek verb there is quite revealing, too,
because it’s very comprehensive word. It’s the Greek word for ‘tunnel vision,’
really. It doesn't just mean to look at something. It means ‘intensely focusing on
one object to the exclusion of everything else.’ And the point is quite clear: the
Bible says that as we live our lives we are to focus our main attention on our
Champion Jesus Christ, and not let all the other things in our lives distract us
from that.

And once again, unfortunately, that's exactly where we fall down, isn’t it? In
fact we’re all too easily distracted from our Lord Jesus and from our Christian
duties. We’re supposed to learn from Christ, but if you’re like me you may
sometimes feel like you're getting older and older but you haven’t learned
anything! You know you ought to spend time each day in prayer, and you intend
to pray, but…time passes, the phone rings, things come up and you just don’t
do it. You intend to read the Bible, but you never get around to it. There’s that
person at work whom you intended to talk to about Jesus, but you got
distracted and one thing led to another, and before you know it it’s six months
later. And the biggest distraction, of course, the one that most interferes with
our Christian endurance race the most, is sin. You probably feel like the Apostle
Paul was reading your mind when he wrote, I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform
what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the
evil I will not to do, that I practice. – Rom 17:18-19. Or as the Bible puts it
even more simply, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

But the text says, look unto Jesus, focus on Jesus. And remember: we focus on
Jesus not just as an example to follow, though He is that. But primarily as the
champion who endured incredible suffering for us, in order to redeem us from
our sins! During this Lenten season we’re reminded again that Jesus went
through a lot more suffering than any of us ever will – suffering we can’t even
imagine. He is the “author and finisher of our faith” – He showed us how to
begin the race of faith, how to endure, and how to end in triumph. But how did
He do it? Why did He do it? What was the goal that helped Him endure? Our
text tells us. It was for the joy that was set before Him. He could see the glory
that waited on the other side of the cross. The thing that kept Him going was
the joy of redeeming you from your sins. It was the sheer joy that He must have
felt already that first Palm Sunday. The joy of knowing that, if he could make it
though this week, if he could endure the betrayal and the mockery, the scourge
and the crown of thorns, and the cross, if he could only finish the race…you
would be free! You would be free.

That was His goal. And He succeeded. He finished His race in victory! The
writer says, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. Lent isn’t over yet – we still have the somber
memorial of Good Friday to observe, one more day of sober reflection and
repentance. But we know where we’re headed, don’t we? We know what comes
in seven days – Easter, and the triumph of the open tomb. That empty grave of
our Savior is the joy that is set before us, it’s the joy that helps us endure. For it
proves something once and for all – it proves that God the Father accepted His
Son’s sacrifice for the payment of our sins. Paul said, Jesus was delivered for
our offences and raised again for our justification. – Rom 4:25. As sure as Jesus
rose from the dead, you have been justified, declared not guilty, an heir of
eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ!

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE. If you want to run the
race, you need to lose the weight and learn from champions – especially your
great Champion Jesus Christ. But there’s something else that’s so obvious you
might overlook it at first, and that is: don’t quit. Don’t quit the race! It’s
important to understand the origin of your obstacles and challenges, and to let
God help you overcome them, rather than allowing them to overcome you.

Our text says, For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners
against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You
have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. Don't quit! If you're
tempted to be discouraged by the hostility of the world around you toward your
Christian faith, then consider Jesus. He endured far more hostility than you'll
ever see. By His suffering He has justified you! You are going to make it in the
end! Don't quit!

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE, a race that often
includes trials and hardships. Things that hurt, things that (if we don't
understand where they come from) can bewilder and discourage us. The writer
to the Hebrews says, don't be discouraged. Don't quit! You have forgotten the
exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the
chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He
receives." You parents, ask yourselves: would a loving father or mother ever
neglect to discipline their child? Never! It's an essential part of raising healthy
children. And that's exactly why our Heavenly Father allows trials and suffering
to come into our lives. To discipline us, to draw us closer to His side, to make
our faith stronger. It's a sign, not of God's disfavor, but of His favor and His
love for His children. So don't be discouraged by trials and suffering - be
encouraged! It means God loves you! Don't quit!

A Christian writer named George Matheson once said that it’s harder to run
with patience than it is to sit with patience. He wrote, “To lie down in the time
of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength;
but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to
work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a
deep anguish in your spirit and still perform your daily tasks.” Once again on
this Palm Sunday our God reminds us that our race is not a sprint. THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ENDURANCE RACE. So lose the weight, learn
from champions and don’t quit. And one Day, by the grace of God, we will
offer our palms and sing our hosannas in the very presence of our Savior
himself. We will be able to say with the Apostle Paul, I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to
me. AMEN.