From the Flames to the Clouds

Introduction

"Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” What a significant statement? Usually pertaining to the reality that where there are negatives or unpleasantries made about a person there is good reason for it. In line with the statement “If is quacks likes a duck it is a duck”, this age old adage conveys that the consistency of the cause and effect chain reactions of one’s life create narratives of their character. You don’t become a duck unless you’ve done some duck-ish things. You don’t smell like smoke unless you’ve been in some smokey situations. But is it bad to be duck-ish? Is it bad to be a little smokey? In recent years we’ve heard the terminology “fire”, “lit”, and “litty” being used to describe the overwhelming appreciation for a item or experience. It may appropriate the uniqueness of these things thus deeming it acceptable and admirable.

I guess in this sociocultural ecosystem of authenticity and individuality, being duck-ish and smokey aint that bad. The status quo seems more lame and unacceptable that blazing ones own trail and charting one’s own course. It is not far off to imagine that maybe we are here in this space and at this time because some duck-ish and smokey people came before us and are yet calling us to continue in the act of blazing and charting.

Often in sermonic expression of this text there is a gaze at the race but only a glance at the clouds. Today, I believe it is important for us to take some time and daydream at the clouds while preparing to continue to run this race because I believe the fire on the track to run can be ignited by the appreciation of the clouds.

Recognize that clouds were once flames

The cloud of witnesses

Gladys Merritt Ross, who, on Good Friday, March 30, 1923, convened a group of young teach­ers from Jersey City Normal School in Jersey City, New Jersey to discuss the idea of forming a sorority. With the foundation of youth, education, and service, eight women, Gladys Merritt Ross (Mother Founder), Julia Asbury Barnes, Ella Wells Butler, Marguerite Gross, Florence Steele Hunt, Edna McConnell, Gladys Cannon Nunery and Mildred Morris Williams, came together to form this professional organization of women in the field of education. Today, there are 146 chapters represented across 5 U.S. regions and 5,000 sororal and affiliate members among 400 disciplines. This highway of achievement was blazed by the flames ignited in one lady that spread to form flames in 7 other young ladies who were motivated to make a difference in the world. We can’t forget their sacrifice as it serves as the blueprint for our success.

**look up clouds in the biblical imagery dictionary

There are people up in the stands of your life, cheering you on because they recognize your value and impact because they created the lane for you to have impact.

This building (Hilton Lincoln Centre) was built around 1982 and there’s probably a cornerstone somewhere that confirms that. I would imagine that

From Gerald Alley (one of the general contractors of the Lowes Hotel in Arlington) In any building design, there is a need to service the a void. There are individuals that come together to build a product that they may never stay in themselves, but they build it with excellence to serve the people who are going to experience their labor for years to come. Honoring that construction would be considering what the building is used for. (Housing people to gather as they travel from one point to another - convenience and accessibility) In a practical sense, that may mean being considerate of the way you keep the room, treating the staff well, leaving a great review, and continuing to patron that hotel. In a higher level, honoring that labor seeks to replicate the purpose of the construction...convenience, access, and comfortability. How are you creating or contributing to avenues of convenience, access, and comfortability for those even coming after you?

How do you acknowledge those who have gone before you?

Those who have gone before you don't necessarily want you to do exactly what they've done, they just want you to do something that matters! How do you operate in the presence of those who have blazed the train you are running?

Recognize that flames must be isolated from vacuums (verse 1b)

The writer says that those who are running the race must lay aside every weight and sin that clings closely to them.

*from Matthew Henry

Every weight, that is, all inordinate affection and concern for the body, and the present life and world. Inordinate care for the present life, or fondness for it, is a dead weight upon the soul, that pulls it down when it should ascend upwards, and pulls it back when it should press forward; it makes duty and difficulties harder and heavier than they would be.

The sin that doth so easily beset us; the sin that has the greatest advantage against us, by the circumstances we are in, our constitution, our company. This may mean either the damning sin of unbelief or rather the darling sin of the Jews, an over-fondness for their own dispensation. Let us lay aside all external and internal hindrances.

While weights condition us to run the race and blaze the trail, they are not designed for us to run the race and blaze the trail. They may help condition us, but they do not help accelerate us.

Key points about fire and vacuum:

No oxygen: A vacuum is completely empty, meaning there is no oxygen present to support combustion, which is the chemical reaction that creates fire. (No room to breathe)

Combustion process: For fire to exist, a fuel needs to react with an oxidizer (like oxygen) to produce heat and light. 

No gas molecules: In a vacuum, there are no gas molecules to participate in the chemical reactions needed for burning. (No catalysts for ignition)

As this organization is about the advancement of education, let me present some global barriers to education that serve as vacuums. From GlobalCitizen.org’s 2019 article by Phineas Rueckert.

Lack of funding - Only 20% of aid for education goes to low-income countries, according to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). But it costs an average of $1.25 a day per child in developing countries to provide 13 years of education.

No teacher or untrained teachers - Globally, the UN estimates that 69 million new teachers are required to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030. To offer every child primary education, 25.8 million school teachers need to be recruited. Meanwhile, in 1 out of every 3 countries, less than three-quarters of teachers are trained to national standards.

No classroom - In Malawi, for example, there are an average of 130 children per classroom in first grade. It’s not just a lack of classrooms that’s the problem, but also all the basic facilities you would expect a school to have — like running water and toilets.

Lack of materials - In Tanzania, for example, only 3.5% of all sixth grade pupils had sole use of a reading textbook. In Cameroon, there are 11 primary school students for every reading textbook and 13 for every mathematics textbook in second grade. 

Exclusion of children with disabilities - Despite the fact that education is a universal human right, being denied access to school is common for the world’s 93 to 150 million children with disabilities. In some of the world’s poorest countries, up to 95% of children with disabilities are out of school.

Being the “wrong” gender - Over 130 million young women around the world are not currently enrolled in school. One in 3 girls in the developing world marries before the age of 18, and usually leaves school if they do.

Living in a country in conflict or at risk of conflict - In total, 75 million children have had their education disrupted by conflict or crisis, including natural disasters that destroy schools and the environment around them. Less than half of the world’s refugee children are enrolled in school, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

Distance from home to school - For many children around the world, a walk to school of up to three hours in each direction is not uncommon 

Hunger and poor nutrition - It is estimated that around 155 million children under the age of five are estimated to be stunted. Stunting –– impaired growth and development that children experience from poor infection, and inadequate stimulation –– can affect a child’s cognitive abilities as well as their focus and concentration in school.

Expense of education -

The overarching item that holds us from the success of running the race and blazing our trail is sin. Jesus tells us to consider those who have less than us and to ignore them is to go against God’s commands. Dont perpetuate the vacuums, eradicate them!

Who and what are the vacuums in our lives? How can we impact the world to address these vacuums?

How do we get the guidance and strength to lay aside these weights? next verse

Recognize that flames must be fed (verse 2)

Think about your favorite meal. I know you can probably see smell and taste it. But now I want you to think about the nutritional value of that meal. Often, the meals that we enjoy the most may not be the healthiest for us. So while it may be good to us now, it may not be good for us in the long run. Our flames must be fed with what makes us better and what makes our communities better. The best source of sustenance for us is Jesus.

The writer says to look to Jesus who is the source and perfecter of our faith.

 “The Greek word for ‘looking’ is a much fuller word than we can find in the English language. It has a preposition in it which turns the look away from everything else. You are to look from all beside to Jesus. Fix not thy gaze upon the cloud of witnesses; they will hinder thee if they take away thine eye from Jesus. Look not on the weights and the besetting sin-these thou hast laid aside; look away from them. Do not even look upon the race-course, or the competitors, but look to Jesus and so start in the race.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus is the one who originates our story of faith by being the object of our faith. Jesus is also the one who refines our faith. Jesus is the starting point and the finish line of our faith and the only way we can start and finish the race of catching and continuing the flame is through the roadmap Jesus has set before us. Life has obstacles, but Jesus has the blueprint for being victorious.

Philippians 1:6 “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

Your flame has an origin and your flame has a destination...