The Christian Life
Ecclesiastes 3:1 Hebrews 12:1-2
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and
let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12: 1-2)
Barbara was adamant that she was to receive a Christian burial. So this morning, I invite you to reflect with me for a few moments on the Christian life.
Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews is sometimes called the “roll call of faith”. The chapter begins by stating that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Then the author recounts all of the heroes and heroines of the Hebrew religion who lived by faith. Then the opening words from chapter 12 form the summation – the “therefore” of chapter 11. What the person of faith now should do because of all of those saints who went before is this:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12: 1-2)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. We are not the first generation of Christians. We are blessed to have the witness of countless generations of saints who have gone before us – the great cloud of witnesses – which show us the faith. For us, as for Barbara, that cloud of witnesses includes the apostles and prophets, theologians and missionaries, members of our personal families, saints of the church, brothers and sisters in faith – the great cloud of witnesses includes ALL of the saints. Our Christian lives are not unique. We are not the first. We are but the latest in a long line of faith. And from these witnesses we receive not only our faith, but also a holy fellowship that extends beyond time and beyond the grave. My friends, even today, as we are gathered in memory and in worship, we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Think of it!
Being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, then, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. We live in an era that treasures individuality and personal choice. The greatest gift of another era might have been love. It is claimed that the greatest gift of this era is the freedom to choose to do whatever you want to do, whenever and however you want it.
But, you know, we don’t get to choose all things in life. Much of life is dealt to us. Given to us. Not all of our life choices are made by us. Some are made for us. We do not always choose whether we will marry. It is not always our choice where we will work or what we will do. For As Ecclesiastes wrote, so long ago, For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. That is, there are seasons to life which we do not control. Sometimes, we simply have to run the race that is given to us, and do the best we can in THAT race. For sometimes we have a calling that is not of our own choosing.
So it is, in the Christian life, surrounded by the witnesses of the faith, we run, we live with perseverance, that life set before us. looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Jesus as pioneer and perfecter points to the two dimensions of richness we have in Jesus. First, Jesus is the MODEL of LIFE. In Jesus we see not only how God loves us, but also how we should live. How we should treat one another. How we can relate to God. How we can grow within God’s grace. Jesus is the model, the trail blazer, the pioneer who has gone before us to show us the way to God and the way of life with God.
But Jesus is not only our model. Jesus is also the PERFECTOR of FAITH. Jesus shows how it is to be done. And Jesus is the MEANS for how it can be done. In Jesus Christ God acts for us so that we might act for God. In Jesus Christ we have the assurance of God’s love for us, empowering us to love God and neighbor. In Jesus Christ we have the victor – the perfecter of faith – through whom God has conquered even death. In Jesus Christ, we are cemented to God, and joined with all of the saints of the past and present.
Dear friends, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12: 1-2)
This is the word of God. This is God’s word to you. This is God’s word for you. AMEN.
R. Charles Grant
Bon Air Presbyterian Church
Richmond, VA
March 13, 2007