Back in Saddle

So its been over a year since I blogged! I thought it might be time to get back on the wagon. I recently preached my first sermon to a group of guys who are also trying to hone their preaching skills. It was a 20 minute sermon on Hebrews 12:1-2. I'm going to hit a few of the points on the blog on the next couple of days. First here's the text: :

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 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here is what I hope you can glean from the text over the next couple of blogs: The author of Hebrews gives us tips on how to "win" at life. How to look back at our lives when we get to the end and marvel at all the things God used us to do.

The "therefore" that verse 1 begins with asks us to look back at the preceding section of scripture. In chapter 11, the author (most likely Paul, but he is not specifically named in the letter as the author) talks about the heroes of the faith as recounted in the old testament. He names many of them and shows by faith in God and His promises what was accomplished through their lives. With that in mind, the first sentence gives us the first secret to winning: look back at the those who have won the race and emulate their faith.

The reason they won the race is not because of any innate ability, dogged determination, or supreme intellect... its because they had enough faith to listen to God and do what He said. God many times communicates to us a message that is nonsensical. God's miracle's work not through reproducible acts, but through the faith to believe what He tells us. For instance, Moses split the red sea with a staff, can you pick up a stick in the YMCA parking lot, walk inside, hit the pool with it and part the waters? Of course not, don't copy Moses' actions, emulate his faith! Does marching around a heavily fortified city seven times and then shouting and blowing trumpets seem like a successful battle plan? Of course not, but God had ordered Joshua to have the Israelites do this, so He could fight their battle for them.

God has provided us ample evidence of his faithfulness, but unleashing his power rests in our capacity to listen and believe what he says. Look at those who came before us and learn from ability to believe God and see Him move in and through their lives.