Battle of the Mundane

Introduction

Many of you know that a couple weeks ago, I became a first time Father.

My son William was born on June 15th

With his birth, has come the expected realities of raising a newborn

Poopy diapers

Sleepless nights

New found wonder and joy

But there is one thing that has been a bit more intense than what I thought it would be....before I tell you what that is, let me give you a little context about myself.

I am a very cautious person

I’m always trying to anticipate the bad so that I can prevent it, or be prepared for it

Scoping out landing zone when shingling a house

I’ve never broken a bone, because I don’t typically do things that are super risky

When planning for an event, I’m usually the pessimist that can anticipate what could go wrong.

When married got life insurance, when I had a baby, started my will.

I’m a very cautious person

Now throw a newborn into the mix....here is the thing that has been more intense than I though it would be: the “everything is trying to kill my baby syndrome”

In other words....I’m on constant high alert for anything that might harm my child....I’m extra cautious.

I think all parents go through this somewhat

Driving 40mph on the interstate when bringing your baby home for the first time

You get a little anxious over what you don’t know, because it’s all new.

My poor wife....I don’t know how many times over the past couple of weeks I’ve asked her, “Is that normal” or “Are you sure this is ok?”

The baby tremors or stutters on a breath....Is that normal?

The baby loses a little bit of weight at the pediatrician appointment…Is that normal?

Putting the baby in the car seat....Are you sure that’s not too tight?

Baby starts hungry crying…Are they ok?

How do we know if he’s eating too litte…or too much?

Every time I wake up in the night, pausing and looking at the baby to make sure he is still breathing.

Being on high alert is exhausting ...but I also know that this is a phase....not just a newborn phase, but specifically a first-born child phase.

Many people by the time they get to their 2nd or 3rd child....they can break their arm and it’s like “they’ll be fine.”

Eventually we all settle into this space called the mundane.

Mundane means: characterized by the practical or ordinary; lacking excitement, or dull.

The unknown will become known

The out of the ordinary will become the new normal

Heightened senses will begin to dull a bit

The excitement of newness will begin to wane

And it’s in this new space where a battle begins…what I call the battle of the mundane.

And it’s not because mundane is bad in and of itself, the battle comes in how we respond to it.

When things are new, fresh, and exciting, we tend to be more intentional, purposeful, alert, aware, prepared, etc...

Starting a new job might be exciting, but over time…it’s just another job

The new pair of shoes, you are so careful not to get any scuff marks or grass stains, eventually just becomes another pair of shoes.

That new Iphone thats exactly the same as the last iphone you had, but it now has a fifth camera lense on the back is exciting at first, but eventually it’s just another phone.

Being married in your first year, versus the 10th year.

Story of taking out the trash

The battle of the mundane is found in trying to maintain a sense of importance, intentionality, purposefulness, when the excitement wears off.

Because the mundane can become the breeding ground for apathy.

Apathy - lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

Now when you’re talking about an iphone or a pair of shoes.....it’s not that big of a deal.

But it really matters when we’re talking about things like raising our kids, our marriage, our love for other people, and most importantly, our Christian life.

The battle of the mundane is the most important in our Christian life.

Becoming a Christian, being involved in ministry, reading the Bible, praying, being a part of a church community can be super exciting at times, but even that can settle into the space of the mundane....we get used to it.

“The Christian life is never boring.”

I’ve been a Christian for many years, and I’ve been bored plenty.

“Being a Christian/working in ministry is an adventure.”

Aboslutely, but not always.

I’m in full time ministry, and let me tell you....coding the American Express casrd charges every Friday is not an adventure.

Going through the logistics of planning for an event is not an adventure.

Now...Excitement doesn’t necessarily equal fulfillment.

Excitement is shallow....fulfillment is depth.

I may not have had this constanst high of excitement in my Christian life, but I am fulfilled in it…and I wouldn’t want anything else.

But even though I find a great sense of fulfillment in being a Christian, I will still face the battle of the mundane.

The Race

Hebrews 12:1-2 illustrates the battles, trials, and temptations we face with a race.

Hebrews had two primary purposes: to encourage Christians to endure, and to warn them not to abandon their faith in Christ. These warning passages appear throughout the book

The author encourages his readers to remain faithful to Jesus, by showing them the superiority of Jesus and the New Covenant in contrast to the Old Covenanant and old sacrificial system (how people became acceptible in the sight of God).

He’s saying don’t go back to an inferior way

He encourages them to:

Continue to endure the persecution and trials of life

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (talking about the models of faith that have gone before us) let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Weights

let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely

Get rid of anything that is going to slow you down.

A habit of sin

a good thing that is keeping your from a better thing

The Race

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

Some suggest the word “race denotes “conflict” (so patiently endure the conflict. trials, temptations, etc…)

Many times when this passage is talked on, the “running with endurance” has to do with facing trials, conflicts, persecution, etc...

Which we have to endure those things as well....but I believe there is a more sublte type of battle that requires endurance....and that is the battle of the mundane, or apathy.

This is where discipline comes in

I ran track in highschool....I ran the 800 meters.

For me, the worst part of the race was right in the middle

Start of the race is exciting

The end of the race…you are almost done.

The worst part of the race was right in the middle.

I’m far enough removed from the start that the initial adrenalin has worn off.

And I’m far enough removed from the end, that it was easy to lack proper motivation

Many times in life we hear about the importance of starting well, or finishing well, but how you run in the middle determines how you will end.

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

In his commentary on this passage, the Great Theologian Charles Spurgeon said this:

This is a soul weariness against which we must resolutely fight. It comes to many good workers and shows itself in different ways. Some think the work less important than they did at the first; others fear that their part of it will prove an utter failure. This is heart weariness. But it is a pity to faint just when the time is coming to reap.

run with endurance the race that is set before us....and here is the motivation

The Motivation

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus is the reason we keep going forward

He is our prize

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

He is our example

He is the founder and perfecter of our faith…he has gone before us

I love what Pastor Warren Wiersbe said on this:

Our Lord went through many trials while on earth. What was it that helped take Him through to victory? “The joy that was set before Him” (v. 2). This was His goal—the joy of presenting His church before the Father in heaven one day.

“Consider Him!” “Look unto Jesus!” These words are the secret of encouragement and strength when the race gets difficult. We need to get our eyes off of ourselves, other people, and circumstances and get our eyes on Christ alone.

Keeping Jesus at the forefront, keeps us oriented, reminds us what we are living for...and guards us against the apathy that can breed in the mundaneness of life.

Pastor W. W. - His battle against sin took Him to the cross and cost Him His life. Most of us will not run on that course; it will probably be our task to live for Him, not die for Him.

There is something so profound about that observation.

When analyzing people’s dedication to Jesus, the question often asked is “Are you willing to die for Him?”

Our task is to live for Him

Living for Christ can be harder at times than dying for him.

I would die for my wife and son:

without condition

without hesitation

without complaint

without reserve

But how do I live for them, by the way that I serve them?

Far too often I’ve served conditionally

I’ve hesitated to be the first to apologize

I’ve complained or moped when having to sacrifice

I’ve been selfish with my time and attention.

When the rubber meets the road, life happpens, consistenly living for something can be more challenging than dying for it.

We are all martyrs in a way…some are martyrs of death, every Christian is a martyr of living.

Because when we live for Jesus....that means we have to daily die to ourselves, in submission to his Lordship over our life.

If you can live for Jesus by dying to yourself daily, in the everyday, ordinary, mundane, times of life when it doesn’t feel inspiring, exciting, and motivating (that middle portion of the race), you’ll physically die for him if it ever came to it.

Because how you run in the middle, will determine how you end.

We are going to end service today by looking to Jesus through partaking together in communion

Communion

Why we do communion

Communion is a time for followers of Jesus to reflect, remember and celebrate all that Jesus has done for us.

This is the “looking to Jesus” part in Hebrews 12

This is the prize we run for talked about in 1 Corinthians 9

This is the motivation for not growing weary in doing good in Galatians 6

Take time to remember– at how Jesus died for us on the cross. Gave us forgiveness of sins, and new life.

1 Corinthians 11:23-27- The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Take time to reflect on how he is continually filling our lives with His love, His grace and His mercy.

Take time to look forward to the day where we will be with Him in eternity.

We are going to go into a time of communion

If you are joining us online, feel free to grab some crackers and juice, or whatever you have at home.

For those here in the room…as you walked in the doors of the sanctuary this morning, we had little communion cups available for those who wanted to participate.

If you did not grab one or you missed it on the way in, and you would like to participate, they are still available at the back of the sanctuary by the doors

....feel free during the song to go and grab one

Communion Order

The worship team is going to play some instrumental music

During that time, spend some time in personal reflection and prayer.

When you are ready, at any time during that song, feel free to take your communion

Then Pastor Pavel will come and pray for us.

Salvation

If you’re in this room, and you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ....I want to give you a chance to do that.

A - Admit you are a sinner, there is an issue in me that I can’t fix on my own. I’m completely dependent on the grace of God.

Admitting does’t require you to be perfect, it requires you be honest.

B - Believe that God provided that Grace when Jesus died on the cross he paid my sin debt.

C - Confess him as Lord that is in charge of your life from this point on. You let him lead your life

Salvation Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus I believe you're the son of God. I believe that on the cross you took my sin, my shame, and my guilt, and you died for it. You faced hell for me so I wouldn't have to go. You rose from the dead to give me a place in heaven, a purpose on earth, and a relationship with your father. Today Lord Jesus I turn from my sin to be born again. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, the Holy Spirit is my helper, and heaven is my home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sources

The footrace was one of the longest and most significant events in the Greek games (compare Phil 1:30; Col 2:1; 1 Thess 2:2; Heb 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7).

John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Heb 12:1.

Donald Guthrie, Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1983), 251.