Following Until The End
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 27th March 2021
Passage: Hebrews 12:1-3
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 One of the major disappointments for me over the last year of COVID-19 restrictions has been
00:00:06 --> 00:00:14 on two occasions, a half marathon that I was preparing for was cancelled, but I had done
00:00:14 --> 00:00:22 all the preparation. I had did three months of gruelling preparation. I had run the 22.1
00:00:22 --> 00:00:29 kilometre distance twice while training, and it was very hard, and it was particularly difficult
00:00:29 --> 00:00:37 when those events were cancelled. It was particularly difficult doing the 22.1 kilometres by myself.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:43 It was especially hard to keep pressing on when I hit that wall of physical and especially
00:00:43 --> 00:00:51 mental exhaustion at about the 17 kilometre mark. As we open up the book of Hebrews at the end of this
00:00:51 --> 00:01:00 vision series, the letter to Hebrews pitches the Christian walk, the walk of Christian discipleship,
00:01:00 --> 00:01:08 the journey of Christian discipleship, as a running race. It's a running race, a long running race,
00:01:08 --> 00:01:17 a journey that the first recipients of this letter were struggling with. Hebrews 11 and 12 are crucial
00:01:17 --> 00:01:23 for us to understand the message of Hebrews. You see, Hebrews is written to a bunch of Christians
00:01:23 --> 00:01:31 who are on this road of journeying with Jesus, seeking to follow him, but who had settled into the world
00:01:31 --> 00:01:39 and started to drift through life without focus, without vigilance, and without energy. At the beginning
00:01:39 --> 00:01:46 of the letter, chapter 2 verses 1 and chapter 3, the writer declares,
00:01:46 --> 00:01:56 we must pay more closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift from it. And then he writes,
00:01:56 --> 00:02:00 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
00:02:00 --> 00:02:11 So the writer here is dealing with the disease of drifting, of neglect. It had crept into this church,
00:02:11 --> 00:02:19 and these Christians are growing careless, spiritual lazy, and negligent. Chapters 11 and 12
00:02:19 --> 00:02:28 are written to motivate his friends to keep the faith, to keep pushing forward, pressing on,
00:02:28 --> 00:02:36 to keep running the race of discipleship. And they are written for us too. And so with these verses,
00:02:36 --> 00:02:43 these three verses, we close out our vision series for this year and of our launch of our ministry
00:02:43 --> 00:02:50 intent over the next five years. The key objective, as you've heard already and several times throughout
00:02:50 --> 00:02:58 this whole series, is to see 65% of St Paul's identifying much growth in faith through this church by the
00:02:58 --> 00:03:07 end of 2025. That is, we as a church want to run in such a way that the majority of us are growing as
00:03:07 --> 00:03:17 disciples of the Lord Jesus. The majority of us are growing in confidence in God. So here's where I want
00:03:17 --> 00:03:23 to head today. Three challenges, they're there in the St Paul's app. You want to grab that and open up.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:29 Number one, run the race of faith. Number two, run it well. Number three, run to the finish and get the
00:03:29 --> 00:03:35 prize. So first of all, run the race of faith. To get to Hebrews 12, you've got to go through 11. So
00:03:35 --> 00:03:44 let me just launch into 11 a little bit. Hebrews 11 is known by some as the faith hall of fame.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:52 What the writer does in chapter 11 is he overwhelms the readers with a list of those who have run the
00:03:52 --> 00:04:01 race before them and got to the end, got to the finish line. And he sweeps through the whole Old
00:04:01 --> 00:04:06 Testament, starts with creation. He mentions the faith of Abel and the faith of Enoch and Noah.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:13 And when he reaches Abraham, he just slows down and takes a little bit of time to focus on the faith of
00:04:13 --> 00:04:20 Abraham. He says that Abraham left everything behind that he had in order to go to a land that
00:04:20 --> 00:04:25 he knew nothing about. He picked up everything and walked away to a new land. And he did that because
00:04:25 --> 00:04:30 God called him to do it. He had faith and he had confidence in God. He lived out his days in a foreign
00:04:30 --> 00:04:38 land without the support of family and friends and his tribe because he had faith in the God who had
00:04:38 --> 00:04:45 promised him a better future. When he was very old, God promised that he would in fact have a son.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:52 It was unthinkable he was that old. But Abraham had faith that what God said, that God had the power to
00:04:52 --> 00:04:58 pull it off and a son was born. And after his son Isaac was born, God said the unthinkable to him
00:04:58 --> 00:05:06 and told him to sacrifice this son to God. And Abraham was willing to do it because God was the
00:05:06 --> 00:05:13 one who called him to do it. Even though it seemed like total insanity. He was willing to do it because
00:05:13 --> 00:05:20 he had the faith in the God who had called it. He knew that God could even bring him back from the
00:05:20 --> 00:05:26 dead if that's what was needed. The other significant figure here where he slows down and focuses on
00:05:26 --> 00:05:32 demonstration of great faith is Moses. He's a man whose life was characterized by faith in God,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:38 despite how hard it got. His faith meant giving up what would have been a wealthy and a comfortable
00:05:38 --> 00:05:46 life in the palace in Egypt. His faith meant that he was often very alone in his leadership of God's
00:05:46 --> 00:05:52 people. And the examples of faith from then on throughout the Old Testament, it just doesn't end.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:57 The writer gets to the end where he goes, you know, like, you know, for time I've got to do
00:05:57 --> 00:06:03 just a flying summary of all the highlights. Goes to verse 32. And what more shall I say? I do not
00:06:03 --> 00:06:07 have time to talk about Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and the prophets
00:06:07 --> 00:06:12 who through faith conquered kingdoms, admitted to justice, gained what was promised, who shut the
00:06:12 --> 00:06:18 mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames and escaped the edge of the sword whose weakness was
00:06:18 --> 00:06:23 turned to strength and it became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back
00:06:23 --> 00:06:28 their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they might
00:06:28 --> 00:06:35 gain a better resurrection. In other words, there's no shortage of incredible examples of faith.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:43 And this list here in Hebrews 11 is amazingly diverse collection of people and demonstrations of
00:06:43 --> 00:06:49 faith. And what marks each of them out is that they had faith in God. They had total confidence in God.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:58 It was faith in God despite what he was calling them to do. See verse 36? Some faced jeers and
00:06:58 --> 00:07:03 flogging while others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were put
00:07:03 --> 00:07:09 to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:15 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in
00:07:15 --> 00:07:23 the ground. What's also remarkable about this chapter is that it doesn't just give us examples
00:07:23 --> 00:07:30 of people of faith. It also gives us insight into what their faith actually is, what faith is.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:36 And there's three things. The first is that faith is not something that exists independently.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:43 It's not something that you achieve independently. It's not something you can buy from a supermarket
00:07:43 --> 00:07:51 shelf or something like that. Faith is always faith in. Faith is a word that gets used even today in our
00:07:51 --> 00:08:00 secular age. It's not uncommon for someone who perhaps doesn't believe in God to say, well, you just have to
00:08:00 --> 00:08:05 have faith. When they've got no other answers, no other solutions, unsure of what the future is,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:12 you've just got to have faith. And when the word faith is used like that, what they really mean is,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:20 I'm crossing my fingers and I'm just hoping the best. Wishful thinking. And so in our secular age,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:31 faith is regarded as the opposite of facts. In public debate, faith is seen as the opposite of reason,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:39 logic, science, and facts. It's the opposite. So when you want to reject the research,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:50 you just have faith is what you have. But biblical faith is not what you have when you don't have
00:08:50 --> 00:08:59 rationality and facts. That is not the Bible's view of faith. And it's not the kind of faith that we
00:08:59 --> 00:09:08 see demonstrated consistently in the scriptures. When the Bible refers to faith, it always refers to
00:09:08 --> 00:09:20 faith in something. It is trusting in the facts. It is stepping out with logic and reason. It is
00:09:20 --> 00:09:26 agreeing with the God who has revealed himself and the way things actually are.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:35 The faith that these Old Testament people had was faith in God.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:41 This is faith in the God who made the world. This is the faith in the God who has consistently
00:09:41 --> 00:09:45 proven himself to be good and right and true.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:54 It's faith in the God who is powerful and able to achieve his purposes and proven again and again
00:09:54 --> 00:09:59 and again to do so. This is faith in the God who is able to save.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 This is faith in the God who does what he promises.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:13 How do we know? How do we know that at the end of the Christian life, there is a resurrection
00:10:13 --> 00:10:21 hope and there is life forever? Because historically in this world, Jesus rose from the dead.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 Historical fact.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:31 That's how we know. The one who was dead has come back alive and promises the same for those
00:10:31 --> 00:10:36 who run the race of discipleship. It's faith in that historical fact.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:45 Biblical faith is faith in God. The second thing that we notice here is that real faith
00:10:45 --> 00:10:49 shows itself in actions despite the consequences.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:54 All the people mentioned here in Acts 11 had a faith that caused them to act.
00:10:55 --> 00:11:04 Noah had faith in what God said about flooding the earth and dealing with sin and he built,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 therefore, he built a really big boat.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:18 Abraham believed God and he picked up his family and he moved to a foreign land, a promised land.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:28 Moses trusted God, so he gave up the life in the palace with Pharaoh and he led God's people out of Egypt miraculously.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 He confronted Pharaoh.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:36 With each one of these people, their faith in God was a faith in the God who spoke,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:43 who shaped what, and this God shaped what they did and how they lived and that is what genuine faith does.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:47 That is, faith is not some inner feeling.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:54 Faith is confidence in the God who's revealed himself, of who God is, what he says, and what he does.
00:11:55 --> 00:12:01 Faith is based on that knowledge and experience of God's faithfulness that results in God's confidence.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 Faith is based on that knowledge and experience of God's faithfulness.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 Faith is based on that knowledge and experience of God's faithfulness.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 Faith is based on that knowledge and experience of God's faithfulness.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:16 The final thing we see here is that faith always looks forward to the future with hope.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:22 That's the definition, in fact, of what we're given, what faith is, in chapter 11, verse 1.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:30 Now, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:34 This is what the ancients were commended for.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 That is, faith is not, I just hope it works out, I really hope it works out.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 How can you be sure and certain?
00:12:42 --> 00:12:46 Because you have confidence in the God and what he's promised.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Because he's got a track record of coming through.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 Let me just say it one more time.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:08 That is why communing with God in his word four or more a week is so, so crucial for us growing in faith.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 You don't build God confidence.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:22 You don't grow in faith unless you are being reminded again and again and again and again and again and again and again.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:30 How great and awesome and trustworthy he is and how he consistently fulfills his promises throughout history.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:38 Unless you've got your face in the Bible and seeing that consistently, you don't grow in faith.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:49 Secondly, the second thing here is to run the race of faith well.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:54 Following a clear demonstration of lived-out confidence of God from those in the past,
00:13:54 --> 00:14:02 the writer then here calls these Christians with a challenge in chapter 12, verse 1.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:12 The word therefore at the beginning of chapter 12 connects the history lesson with the application.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:19 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:25 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles
00:14:25 --> 00:14:29 and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:33 Now, I'm of the view that Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 to 3,
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 is the application for the whole letter of Hebrews.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 That is, that therefore, at the beginning of chapter 12,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:45 is not just about chapter 11, it's about the whole first 11 chapters.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:54 And I think that the main take-home action point of the whole book of Hebrews
00:14:54 --> 00:15:01 is that three-letter command in verse 1,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 run, run.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:10 Everything else supports it, explains it, gives motivation for it.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:15 Run the race of faith which has been set before you.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 Run it.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 Endure, persevere, run, fight, be alert, be strengthened,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:24 don't drift, don't neglect, don't be sluggish, don't stroll, don't meander,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:29 don't wander aimlessly, don't take your eternal security for granted.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 Run, as in a race with a finish line,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:37 with everything for eternity hanging on you crossing that finish line.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 Run.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 Run the race of faith.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:51 Follow Jesus in everything on the basis of Jesus' spectacular death and resurrection and ascension.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:57 Show your confidence in God in the way the saints of Hebrews did
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 and just lived it out.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 And to do that well,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:09 we have to heed the two instructions which are in verse 1.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 It says,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 Let us throw off everything that hinders
00:16:13 --> 00:16:18 and the sin that so easily entangles.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 Take the last one first.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 The easiest definition of sin
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 is attitudes and actions
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 where we choose to live life our way
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 without reference to God.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 And contrary to modern thinking,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:39 the life of sin does not result in freedom
00:16:39 --> 00:16:43 it actually results in enslavement.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 You are not set free.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 You are not liberated.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 Sin entangles.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 It coils around you like a python
00:16:53 --> 00:16:57 and it constantly requires you to sacrifice for it.
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 Constantly.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 It trips you up.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 It enslaves you.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 It sends you crashing to the pavement
00:17:06 --> 00:17:10 in the same way that if you decided to go on a run
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 with your shoelaces tied.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 You could, you know,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 crawl along for a bit.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 As soon as you try to put some pace up,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 bang, you are face planted onto the pavement.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:28 So don't ever think that it won't happen to you.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 Don't ever think that you've got your sin under control.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 As 1 Corinthians 10, 12 says,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 if you think you are standing firm,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 be careful that you don't fall.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:45 But city is not just high profile failures.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 It is insidious and it's subtle.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 A secret habit.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:58 It's a character trait that you have just got comfortable with.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 Anger.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 Grumbling.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 Greed.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 Gossip.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 Judgmentalism.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 Selfishness.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:14 The Puritan Thomas Watson urged followers of Jesus
00:18:14 --> 00:18:18 to develop what he called a holy hatred of sin.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 We must develop this if we're going to run the race
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 of perseverance well.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:29 But we're also instructed here to lay aside
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 not only the sin which entangles us,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 but also it says everything that hinders.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:39 That is, every weight, every obstacle.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:43 Things that in themselves may not be sinful.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 But they do slow us down.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:52 So last year when I was training for a half marathon,
00:18:52 --> 00:18:56 I didn't wear what I'm wearing this morning.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 In fact, when I went for a 5K run yesterday morning,
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 I didn't wear what I'm currently wearing this morning.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 And this passage calls us,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 if we're going to run the race of faith well,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 we have to strip off.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 We've got to take the layers off.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 It says here,
00:19:13 --> 00:19:17 get rid of everything that is going to slow you down.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 Everything that hinders.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:25 Quite literally what that means is every single weight.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 One translation puts it like this.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:34 Let us strip off everything that hinders us.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:38 And the imagery in the first century Palestine is striking.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:41 And the imagery that the writer the Hebrews picks up here
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 is very striking.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45 Because it is used,
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 this language is used in the first century
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 for athletes running in Olympic Games.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:55 And what runners in the Olympic Games in the first century did
00:19:55 --> 00:19:58 was that they ran literally naked.
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 And...
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 Oh no, sorry.
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 I do want to preach again.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:14 They got rid of anything that held them back.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 Anything that hindered them.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 Every single weight.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 Everything that weighed them down was stripped off.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 And Christians are called to do the same metaphorically.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 Do exactly the same.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 Now, let me be clear.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:32 This command here is absolutely revolutionary.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:35 Absolutely revolutionary.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 This is very helpful for the religious person.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 This is very helpful for the legalist amongst us
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 who wants to live by boundaries and rules and stuff like that.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 Because what it does is it shows us
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 that the fight of faith,
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 the race of the Christian life,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 is not fought well
00:20:53 --> 00:20:57 by asking what's wrong with it.
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 What's wrong with this?
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 What's wrong with that?
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 But...
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 But...
00:21:01 --> 00:21:06 by asking another question as well.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 Is it in the way?
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 Is it slowing me down?
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 Is it in the way of greater faith,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 greater love,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 greater purity,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 greater courage,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 greater humility,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 greater patience,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 greater self-control?
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 Is it a sin
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 is one question to ask,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 but it's not the only question they ask?
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33 We must also be asking the question
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 of everything in our life and our lifestyles.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 Does it help me run?
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 Is it in the way?
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 Is it weighing me down?
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 I've been mightily helped
00:21:48 --> 00:21:51 by having my very categories in life changed
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 in this way,
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 in the way I live.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 And I commit it to you.
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 Do not ask.
00:21:57 --> 00:22:00 Do not ask of your music,
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 your movies,
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 your parties,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 your habits,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 your friends,
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 your hobbies,
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 your career,
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 your retirement,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 your relationships,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 your investments,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 your everything.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 What's wrong with it?
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 But ask the question,
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 does it help me run the race?
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 Does it help me run for Jesus?
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 Hebrews 12 verse 1
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 is a command
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 to look at your life,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 to think hard about
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 what you are doing,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 to get ruthless
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 with what stays
00:22:23 --> 00:22:25 and what goes.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 We are reminded here
00:22:26 --> 00:22:29 that of a simple lifestyle
00:22:29 --> 00:22:32 to strip back our lives
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 and to be uncluttered
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 as disciples of Jesus
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 and travel light.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 And so here's what I'm suggesting.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 Pick a day,
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 half a day,
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 a few hours,
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 whatever it takes.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 Get away by yourself.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 Get away from the house.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Get away from the phone.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 Get away from the TV,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 the radio,
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 the chores.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 Get away from other people.
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 Get away from work.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 Take a Bible,
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 a pen,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 and a piece of paper
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 and plan your run with Jesus
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 for the next year
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 and between now and 2025.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 And on that piece of paper,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 put two columns.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 One at the top
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 called entangling sins.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 These are the idols of your heart.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 These are the treasures
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 that are pushing Jesus out
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 from being the treasure
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 of your life.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 Things like approval of others,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 materialism,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 my work,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 my family allegiance,
00:23:19 --> 00:23:21 being an idolized parent,
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 being in control,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 having power,
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 comfort,
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 achievement,
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 religion,
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 individualism,
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 image,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 suffering,
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 helping others.
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 Whatever it is,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 it's an idol of your heart.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 And note on the other column
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 the weights,
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 the encumbrances,
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 the seemingly innocent things
00:23:44 --> 00:23:48 that are not condemned explicitly
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 but you know
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 are holding you back
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 in the race of faith
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 of love and strength
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 and holiness
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 and courage and freedom.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 Note the ways
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 that you make subtle provision
00:23:59 --> 00:24:01 for these hindrances.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 The computer games,
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 the hidden alcohol,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 the chocolate,
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 the television,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 the movies,
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 the work,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 the hobbies,
00:24:09 --> 00:24:12 the mobile phones,
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 the novels,
00:24:13 --> 00:24:16 the people who weaken you.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 What you'll notice
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 is that one or two
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 of those columns combined
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 you'll discover
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 they are the things
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 that are stopping you
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 from doing four or more.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 They're the things
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 getting in the way
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 of you pursuing Jesus more.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:40 Note the times
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 that are wasted.
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 Note the time
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 that's thrown away.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 When you've made
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 all those notes
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 pray your way
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 through them
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 and formulate
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 a plan
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 of dismantling
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 those hindrances
00:24:55 --> 00:24:58 and resisting
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 those sins
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 and breaking
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 the old,
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 old habits
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 that you've become
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 really comfortable with.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 Then share it
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 with your community group.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 Some of what you've resolved
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 and get them
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 to pray for you.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 Find someone
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 who you can trust
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 and ask them
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 to check in on you
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 and support you
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 as you deal
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 with those things.
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 Let me just...
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 Today...
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 In other words,
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 you can walk
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 out of this building
00:25:32 --> 00:25:35 and you can easily
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 just drift.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 Right from now
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 you can drift.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 Don't drift.
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 Even today
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 don't drift.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 Don't drift
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 from this moment
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 right now
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 what's being preached
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 in God's word
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 into Sunday afternoon
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 and forget it.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 Don't drift.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 Don't even drift today.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 Don't meander.
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 Don't wander.
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 Run today.
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 Don't drift away.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 Before this day
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 is over
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 choose
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 that moment
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 where you're going
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 to run your plan.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 Plan your run
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 with Jesus.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 Thirdly,
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 run to the finish
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 and get the prize.
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 As we run
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 the race of faith
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 we are surrounded
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 by this great cloud
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 of witnesses
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 cheering us on.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 Literally
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 a great host
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 of people
00:26:20 --> 00:26:23 a multitude
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 who have run
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 the race
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 and have crossed
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 the finish line
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 and received
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 the prize.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 And these people
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 are not just spectators
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 they are overcomers.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 Each bear witness
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 to the hardship
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 and the triumphs
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 and to the final prize.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 But there is one.
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 There is one
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 amongst all
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 that cloud
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 of witnesses
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 that we must
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 transfix our gaze on.
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 Verse 2
00:26:46 --> 00:27:05 The term
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 to fix our eyes
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 on Jesus
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 is a term
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 that literally means
00:27:11 --> 00:27:13 to look away
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 from everything else.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:18 to be transfixed
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 to look away
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 from everything else.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 This is a firmly
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 fixed gaze on Jesus
00:27:24 --> 00:27:27 as if success
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 is totally
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 dependent upon him.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 And Jesus
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 in amongst
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 this great cloud
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 of witness
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 is the perfect example.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 He is our forerunner.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 First of all
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 in the Garden of Gethsemane
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 he had complete
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 confidence in God
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 and he says to God
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 not my will be done
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 but yours.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 Secondly
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45 his faith translated
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 into actions.
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 He was willing
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 to endure the cross.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 Thirdly
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 his faith
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 was based
00:27:49 --> 00:27:51 on what lay ahead
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 the future hope.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 It says
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 for the joy
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 set before him
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 he endured
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 the cross.
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 But he is more
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 than just
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 an example
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 of faith.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 He is the author
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 and the perfecter
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 of our faith.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 That is
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 he's not only
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 the one who
00:28:10 --> 00:28:13 is amongst
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 the cloud of witnesses
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 he wrote the book
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 on what genuine
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 faith is
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 and
00:28:16 --> 00:28:18 he's completed
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 it for us.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 He's the one
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 who brings
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 our faith
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 into being
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 and he finishes
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 it for us.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 Jesus'
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 entire life
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 was the embodiment
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 of trust
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 in his father.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 Where we fail
00:28:34 --> 00:28:36 every day
00:28:36 --> 00:28:38 he didn't.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:40 he perfectly
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 obeyed.
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 He lived
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 the perfect
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 life
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 that we
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45 never can live
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 and he trusted
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48 God all the way
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 to the cross.
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 He died the death
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 that we should have
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 died.
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 His obedience
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 took him to the cross
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 of shame
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 the shame
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 that we should have
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 received
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 the rejection
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 that we should have
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 received
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 for our
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 imperfection
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 for our
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 meandering
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 and dawdling
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 and wandering
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 or taking
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 different paths
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 in life.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:07 And he did that
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 so that we could
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 receive the accolades
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 and the praises
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 if we have run
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 the race
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 in perfect
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 obedience.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 Friends,
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 it is so
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 essential
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 for your
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 discipleship
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 that you
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 always have
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 the gospel
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 in front of you.
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 You know,
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 this 525
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 is not about
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 you pulling
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 your socks up
00:29:29 --> 00:29:29 and trying
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 a bit harder.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 It's about
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 growing
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 in faith
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 in Jesus
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 Christ.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 God
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 confidence.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 Our tendency
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 is to look
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 at the list
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 of names
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 in Hebrews
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 chapter 11
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 and we
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 pass them
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 on the board
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 of heroes
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 of the faith.
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 And they
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 are.
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 And yet
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 even Abraham
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 and Sarah
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 failed God
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 often.
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 Rahab
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 was a
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 prostitute.
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 Jacob
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 was a
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 schemer
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 and a
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 deceiver.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 Samson
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 was constantly
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 falling
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 to sexual
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 temptation.
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 He did
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 not think
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 with his
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 brain at
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 all.
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 All men
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 and women
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 of faith
00:30:09 --> 00:30:11 but every
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 single one
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 of them
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 deeply
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 floored
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 with clay
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 feet.
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 They all
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 wavered
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 and they
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 did it
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 often.
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 Hebrews
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 11
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 is a
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 catalogue
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 of
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 imperfect
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 saints
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 who made
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 many
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 serious
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 mistakes
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 grace
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 but they
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 all
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 finished
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 the
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 race
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 with
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 faith.
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 Even
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 Samson
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 in the
00:30:37 --> 00:30:37 end
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 finished
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 the
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 race
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 in
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 faith.
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 They
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 received
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 God's
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 free
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 gift
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 of
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 forgiveness
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 and
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 grace
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 and
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 they
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 finished
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 the
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 race.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 They
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 might
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 have
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 suffered
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 consequences
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 for their
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 failures
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 but by
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 God's
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 grace
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 they
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 finished
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 the
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 race.
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 These
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 imperfect
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 saints
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 like
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 the
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 rest
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 of
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 us
00:30:55 --> 00:30:58 were
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 in
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 fact
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 the
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 joy
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 that
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 was
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 set
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 before
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 Jesus.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 That
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 is
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 his
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 future
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 joy
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 the
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 joy
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 that
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 was
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 set
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 before
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 him
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 the
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 joy
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 that
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 meant
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 he
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 scorned
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 the
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 shame
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 of
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 the
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 cross.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 What
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 was
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 that
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 joy?
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 Let
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 me
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 quote
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 biblical
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 scholar
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 Leon
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 Morris.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 He
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 looked
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 right
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 through
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 the
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 cross
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 to
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 the
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 coming
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 joy
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 the
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 joy
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 bringing
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 salvation
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 to
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 those
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 he
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 loved.
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 That
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 was
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 his
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 joy.
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 You
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 and
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 I
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 are
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 his
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 joy.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 His
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 victory
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 is
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 the
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 guarantee
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 of
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 our
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 victory.
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 His
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 joy
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 is
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 our
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 joy.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 All
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 of
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 us
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 who
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 are
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 disciples
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 are
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 part
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 of
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 his
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 reward.
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 He
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 has
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 given
00:31:40 --> 00:31:42 us
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 the
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 gifts
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 to
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 ensure
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 that
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 we
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 finish
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 the
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 race
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 too.
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 We
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 have
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 his
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 word.
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 As
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 we've
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 been
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 reminded
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 through
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 this
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 series,
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 we
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 have
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 his
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 word,
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 his
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 presence
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 every
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 step
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 of
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 the
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 way
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 in
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 his
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 spirit.
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 We
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 have
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 fellow
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 runners
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 to
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 spare
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 us
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 on
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 when
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 we
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 hit
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 that
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 emotional
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 wall,
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 that
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 spiritual
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 wall,
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 but
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 more
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 importantly,
00:31:59 --> 00:32:01 we
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 have
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 the
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 cross.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 His
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 cross,
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 where
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 he
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 crossed
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 the
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 finish
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 line,
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 and
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 he
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 guarantees
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 our
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 prize.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 Jesus
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 saves
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 us,
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 and
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 he
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 gets
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 us
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 started
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 on
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 this
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 journey.
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 That's
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 what
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 we
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 saw
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 right
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 at the
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 very
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 beginning.
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 We
00:32:17 --> 00:32:17 began
00:32:17 --> 00:32:17 this
00:32:17 --> 00:32:17 series
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 with
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 Jesus,
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 the
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 one
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 who
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 rescues
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 us,
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 brings
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 us
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 from
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 the
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 paths
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 of
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 life
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 that
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 we
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 have
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 followed,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 the
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 broad
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 ways
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 that
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 lead
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 to
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 destruction.
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 He's
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 brought
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 us
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 back
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 onto,
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 by his
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 grace,
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 onto
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 this
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 pathway
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 of
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 Christian
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 discipleship.
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 We
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 discover
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 he's
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 just
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 not
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 the
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 beginning
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 of it.
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 He's
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 the
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 enabler
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 for
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 the
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 whole
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 journey.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 He's
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 the
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 one
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 who
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 is
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 there
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 with
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 us.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 He's
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 at
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 the
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 end.
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 He's
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 the
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 goal.
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 He's
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 the
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 prize
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 of
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 the
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 life
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 of
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 Christian
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 discipleship.
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 The
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 race
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 of
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 the
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 Christian
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 life,
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 the
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 journey
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 of
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 discipleship
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 does,
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 however,
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 require
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 perseverance
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 from us.
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 That's
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 what this
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 Bible
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 passage
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 is
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 calling
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 us
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 to,
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 to run
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 with
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 perseverance.
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 We
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 must
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 persevere
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 if we
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 are to
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 finish
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 and
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 receive
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 the
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 prize.
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 For
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 you
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 young
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 people
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 in
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 the
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 room,
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 put
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 down
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 your
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 phones
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 and
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 listen
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 to
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 this.
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 especially
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 young
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 people,
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 everyone,
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 because we're
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 all marinating
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 in the
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 same
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 culture,
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 but for
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 young
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 people
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 especially,
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 you
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 exist
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 in a
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 culture,
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 in an
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 era,
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 in a
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 time and
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 space,
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 where you
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 value the
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 quick fixes.
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 Maximum
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 results with
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 minimum
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 effort.
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 We
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 exist in
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 a culture
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 where we
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 are
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 flippant.
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 We
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 flip from
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 one thing
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 to the
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 next
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 thing,
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 one
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 promising
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 solution
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 to the
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 next
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 promising
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 solution.
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 We
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 shift
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 from
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 church
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 to
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 church.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 Our
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 culture
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 encourages
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 what
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 American
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 writer
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 Gore
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 Vidal
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 once
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 described
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 as a
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 passion
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 for the
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 immediate
00:33:52 --> 00:33:54 and the
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 casual.
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 We
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 are easily
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 bored,
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 we are
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 easily
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 distracted,
00:34:01 --> 00:34:03 and we
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 cannot
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 grow in
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 faith and
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 persevere in
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 Christian
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 discipleship
00:34:06 --> 00:34:08 if that
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 culture
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 that we
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 marinate in
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 dominates
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 our
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 outlook
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 on life.
00:34:16 --> 00:34:18 The best
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 description
00:34:18 --> 00:34:20 that I
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 can have
00:34:20 --> 00:34:22 of the
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 Christian
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 life
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 comes from
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 atheistic
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 philosopher
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 Friedrich
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 Nietzsche.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:28 He
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 saw
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 Christian
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 discipleship
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 with
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 absolute
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 clarity
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 even
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 though
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 himself
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 was no
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 friend of
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 Christianity.
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 He wrote
00:34:38 --> 00:34:40 it is the
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 necessity
00:34:40 --> 00:34:42 of long
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 obedience
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 in the
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 same
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 direction.
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 Nietzsche,
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 what insight.
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 Unfortunately,
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 you didn't
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 live it.
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 it
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 powerfully
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 describes
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 the
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 pathway
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 of
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 Christian
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 discipleship.
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 This is
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 the life
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 of meaning
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 and purpose.
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 This is
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 the life
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 as God
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 intended.
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 Do not
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 chase
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 pale
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 imitations.
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 Do not
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 be
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 distracted
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 by
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 shadows.
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 Persevere.
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 We may
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 reach the
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 finish line
00:35:12 --> 00:35:14 limping
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 or leaping.
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 We may
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 even
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 collapse
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 over the
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 line,
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 but all
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 true
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 disciples
00:35:20 --> 00:35:22 will make
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 it.
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 such is
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 the grace
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 of the
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 Lord
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 Jesus
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 Christ.
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 But we
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 will cross
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 the finish
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 line
00:35:29 --> 00:35:31 because of
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 the means
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 that he
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 has given
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 us.
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 And we
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 will cross
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 the finish
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 line
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 more strongly,
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 more purposely,
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 with greater
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 joy, with
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 greater anticipation
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 as we fix
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 our gaze
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 more and
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 more on
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 the Lord
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 Jesus
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 Christ.
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 The key
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 objective for
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 Follow 25
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 is to see
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 65% of
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 St.
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 Paul's
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 identifying
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 much growth
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 in faith
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 through the
00:35:55 --> 00:35:55 ministry of
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 this church.
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 That is the
00:35:56 --> 00:35:58 majority of
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 us growing
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 more and
00:36:00 --> 00:36:00 more in
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 confidence in
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 God in
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 the next
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 five years.
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 Oh, my
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 goodness, how
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 I would
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 navigate the
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 complexity of
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 life if I
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 was far more
00:36:10 --> 00:36:10 confident in
00:36:10 --> 00:36:10 God.
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 Young
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 people,
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 you've got a
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 whole life ahead
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 of you.
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 You will
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 navigate the
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 complexity of
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 life in this
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 world fundamentally
00:36:20 --> 00:36:22 more easily
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 as you grow
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 in confidence
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 in God.
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 Our vision
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 is about
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 what we are
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 seeking to
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 do as a
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 church over
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 the next
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 five years,
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 but fundamentally
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 it's about
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 you.
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 You, the
00:36:37 --> 00:36:37 individual.
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 Don't sit
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 back and go,
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 well, you know,
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 we've been to see
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 what happens in
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 the next five
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 years, see
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 where the
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 leadership goes
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 and how we,
00:36:45 --> 00:36:47 this, this is
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 about you,
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 this is about
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 your journey,
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 your life,
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 your faith in
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 the Lord Jesus.
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 This is about
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 you growing in
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 confidence in
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 God.
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 This plan is
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 about your
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 journey with
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 Jesus.
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 So don't
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 meander from
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 this moment.
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 Don't drift.
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 Don't wander.
00:37:08 --> 00:37:10 This plan is
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 about your
00:37:11 --> 00:37:13 next step
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 in faith.
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 So what is
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 it?
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 That's it.