With a Pep in His Step
Notes
Transcript
Intro
The Amazing Race
Last week we started our marathon.
We prepped for our run
Remember last week we talked about keeping our eyes on Jesus - not Goofy - who is the pioneer and perfecter of the faith
We are settling into our pace now, ready to run for the long haul
Yay! If it were really a race and I had to run, I would be getting ready to throw up by this point, right before I collapse and die
Running ain’t easy
It challenges every single muscle, every organ, all my hair, everything
So why am I doing this again?
It is natural to question ourselves, even after we have made the decision to go.
Why am I subjecting my body to this brutality, this hardship?
But we have to go! Keeping our eyes on Jesus...
Body
Let’s look at scripture and see what it says about this run again
1 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, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Observation
What do you observe?
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I see JOY
The emotion that Jesus feels running his race
What is joy?
I see obstacles/hurdles:
cross
shame
Those hurdles were not something to avoid but part of the race that he was JOYFULLY running
I see a time to sit down. YAY for a break in running!!!
He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
What does this mean to you?
There is a finish line
A reward for a race well run
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
good fight, finished race, kept the faith - and then a reward
Which the Lord - righteous Judge - with Jesus sitting beside Him - will reward us - all of us!
Jesus found joy in His run that takes him to a place - the throne of God where He sits and waits for us to reward us. That gives Jesus Joy!!!
Application
So how do we apply this to our life?
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I decide to have joy
Yes at moments I will throw up as I am still trying to get my pace, sometimes I will trip over my shoe laces and mess up my face. But I get up and keep going - Joyfully - with a pep in my step, noticing the hurdles ahead but keeping the pace to run thru them. Knowing that there is a finish line up ahead and a face I have been so longing to see - Jesus
Something happened in me between Mason and Sam
Went back to the doctors, things were way worse. The doc called and said it was time to consider other options (adoption) I hung up the phone.
As I sat, something began to rise in me. God had a plan, yes. I was keeping my eyes on him, yes. I was trying to watch for hurdles, yes. But Joy, it began to rise in the midst of this terrible phone call. I knew something doctors did not know. I was running a race, following the very healer and provider. I got on the phone again and called a different doctor, one to do a blood test, to confirm that indeed I was already pregnant. You talk about Joy
Prayer
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