The Goal of the Journey
Notes
Transcript
Handout
This Spring we have started a series of messages “Life is a Journey”.
We have been following the life of Abraham, who was a man of faith, failures, and fear, but at the end of the day, He was viewed not in his failures or fear, but rather his faith.
Today, we have in our services 2 graduates, Daniel Haynes and Lauren McGarrah. These two young people are one step closer to leaving the responsibility and security of their parents and beginning to live life more independently.
Sadly, we have worked ourselves out of a job. Hopefully we have prepared them for this endeavor, through our words, our actions, and our trust and obedience of Jesus Christ.
Today, I want to break away from the Old Testament and head over to the New Testament where we find a summary of “Living a Life of Faith”.
This passage is found in
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
These verses begin with an inference, “Wherefore”, a conclusion based on the evidence presented.
The evidence is the champion of God found in chapter 11. The evidence presented is one of great hope.
God is not going to judge us on our fears.
God is not going to judge us on our failures.
God is going to judge us on our FAITH.
You have an entire life before you. You have so many choices that you will have to make. You will have many problems that you will face. But you will always have Jesus.
Both of you to my knowledge and my privilege to baptism both of you and hear your professions of faith rejoice this morning that you are not going into this wicked, evil, sin struck world without Jesus Christ.
As a parent and as a pastor I can find comfort in this fact alone.
However, I want to take these verses this morning and encourage you and hopefully equip you with some words of God that guide you as you continue your journey in life towards an eternity with a Holy and Infinite God.
The first thing I want you to notice today is:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
You Pinpoint Your Purpose.
You Pinpoint Your Purpose.
and your purpose is different from anyone else. You have your own course or path.
Let me just remind you right from the start, You are not running in order to get to heaven.
Heaven can only be obtained by trusting in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and obeying Him through His death and resurrection.
Heaven is not the goal at the end of the race.
Salvation is not the goal at the end of the race. Salvation is the gift that puts you in the race.
Both of you have your course, you have different paths, and different futures. But both of you as believers in Jesus Christ should have the same goal.
It is not how fast or how slow we run. The goal is that we finish the course.
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
If we are not on the course or path, then we are not in a competition either.
Some people spend more time worrying about other people’s race than focusing on their own.
We have all had the “If I had the talent”
“If I had the money”
“If I….”
“if I am running their race, then I am not running mine”
Are you pursing your purpose?
If not, you are sinning against yourself, against the church, and you are disappointing the angels and you are rebellious against God.
You have a purpose to pursue.
but you also have
You Perform the Preparation.
You Perform the Preparation.
Look back at verse 1
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Notice, first of all, you must
Lay aside the Weight.
Lay aside the Weight.
Life is not a sprint. It is a long journey.
When thinking of longevity, you want as little as possible weight to carry.
Weight in the Greek is not something that is sinful he deals with that after weight.
A weight is anything, good or bad, that burdens you, or holds you down.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Money as we found out last week can be a blessing or a burden.
Spouses can be a blessing or a burden.
Expedient leads to another word, expedition. An Expedition you are going somewhere.
Something may be good but if it doesn’t speed you on your way, or boost you on your way, then you need to leave it alone. Lay it aside.
The world tricks us into acquiring all this baggage that is great stuff but it slows us down and hinders us from doing what needs to get done.
Good things become Bad things when they keep you from the BEST things.
For us older Christians, we need to lay aside some things. For you graduates, be very careful what you pick up. Remember, every decision is a seed sown for a harvest or consequence.
Only carry the best things in order that you may move swiftly and freely. Unhindered or bound.
A rain coat is great on a rainy day, but on a sunny day it is hot and cumbersome.
The 2nd part is
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Now, the author mentions sin.
Lay aside the Sin.
Lay aside the Sin.
How many have prayed for faith?
Do you know the reason that people do not have more faith than they have?
Sin!
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Unbelief is not a mental sin; it is a moral sin. It doesn’t come out of the head; it comes out of the heart. “Beware, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief.”
That’s why you can pray all day long for faith but you will never have more faith until you repent.
Repentance in the Bible is always before Faith.
Remember, Abraham had failures, but after every failure, he repented, return to the Lord, Worshipped Him with an altar and then his faith was strengthened.
Get rid of the excess weight, and lay aside every sin.
Thirdly
You Pay the Price.
You Pay the Price.
Lets go back to verse 1
You have a Purpose:
You have Preparation: and
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Patience is not the ability to thread the needle or attach line to the hook. No,
Patience literally means endurance.
Patience is bearing up under some load, some challenge.
There is no easy way to Christianity.
There is no quick way to Christianity.
There is no cheap way to Christianity.
No, living for God is a long, hard, expensive journey. You have to attack the race with all of your heart.
It has to be your driving passion and you have to stick with it.
Christianity and faith is a full-time occupation.
You can’t get up in the morning and walk away from Christ or set him aside.
If you graduates look around, you will see people that have quit running. They have set their life on cruise control, they have pulled back on the throttle and look where we are heading right now.
If we stop running, then we will lose our race.
Jesus bowed his head on the cross and said it is finished.
The Apostle Paul told Timothy he had finished his course right before he was martyred.
Do not quit.
Do not slack up.
I don’t care how great or comfortable you get, never stop running or you will lose.
There is a price to pay.
but look at verse 2 before you become too discouraged.
Because
You Peer on the Promise.
You Peer on the Promise.
God will never ask you to do anything without first making you a promise.
2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Listen, in case you missed it.
Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith.
That is the promise.
Author = leader, originator, example.
Jesus is the example of our faith.
Jesus is the originator of our faith.
Look to Jesus for your faith.
All these men and women in chapter 11 have become our heroes. however, everyone of them have had their faults, failures, and fears.
But there is one. Amen!
Fix your eyes on Jesus!
Jesus is not only the author of your faith, the one that fired the gun beginning your race but He is also your goal.
He is the goal we are running toward.
Keep you eyes on Him and your faith will grow.
Lay aside the weight, lay aside the sin, that so easily besets us. Fix your eyes on Jesus. literally, “look away from everything else” and look at Jesus.
Trust and Obey Jesus Christ.
Lastly, by the authority of the Word of God, with every promise, there is a prize.
You Prepare for Prize.
You Prepare for Prize.
2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What was the Joy set before Jesus Christ?
It was not the beating, it was not the mocking. It was not the crucifixion. The prize was the resurrection.
The prize was sitting down at the right hand of God.
That is why he was able to endure the cross. That is why he was able to despise the shame.
Daniel, Lauren, Donny, Eric, Phillip.
Jesus is our example.
Jesus is our champion.
He is the one that endured the cross, he is the one that despised the shame and He is the one that is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
He received the “Joy”
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
Listen to me very carefully and we are about to give an invitation and go celebrate but first let me ask you a question.
When you die and go to heaven, are you going to take somebody with you. or will you go to heaven alone?
A life of faithfulness that leads people to Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith is the only thing we achieve in this world that will be carried to the next world. You guys are starting early in your race.
However, there are some of us nearing the end of our race. However, it is never too late as long as we are alive to repent and start running. Abraham was 100 years old before he saw really his first prize of promise. Isaac, his son.
How are you running?
Who are you looking to?
