Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP210814S
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00:11 Well, hello and welcome to our second service here
00:14 at Pioneer Memorial Church. 00:15 Just want to welcome all those watching online 00:17 from wherever you are right now. 00:19 Really glad we could worship together today. 00:22 Also excited to welcome all those joining us here 00:25 in Berrien Springs, Michigan. 00:27 Now it's time for our call to worship. 00:29 Comes to us from Psalm 67:1-5, 00:33 and we're actually going to read it responsively. 00:36 The Bible says, "May God be gracious to us 00:39 and bless us and make his face shine on us 00:44 so that Your ways may be known on earth, 00:46 Your salvation among all nations. 00:50 May the peoples praise You, God. 00:53 May all the peoples praise You. 00:56 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, 00:58 for You rule the peoples with equity 01:01 and guide the nations of the earth. 01:04 May the peoples praise You, God, 01:07 may all the peoples praise You." 01:10 Let's pray together. 01:14 Father, we want to live out the words 01:17 of that scripture right now, 01:20 as we continue worshiping and praising 01:23 the everlasting King. 01:25 So to that end, Father, thank You for blessing 01:28 and being with each person online, 01:30 each person here. 01:31 Physically, our eyes are on You, 01:33 and we thank You in the name of Jesus. 01:35 Amen. 01:52 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! 01:57 O what a foretaste of glory divine! 02:03 Heir of salvation, purchase of God 02:09 Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood 02:14 This is my story, this is my song 02:20 Praising my Savior all the day long 02:26 This is my story, this is my song 02:32 Praising my Savior 02:35 All the day long 02:38 Perfect submission, perfect delight 02:43 Visions of rapture now burst on my sight 02:49 Angels descending bring from above 02:55 Echoes of mercy, whispers of love 03:01 This is my story, this is my song 03:06 Praising my Savior all the day long 03:12 This is my story, this is my song 03:18 Praising my Savior 03:21 All the day long 03:24 Perfect submission, all is at rest 03:30 I in my Savior am happy and blest 03:36 Watching and waiting looking above 03:42 Filled with his goodness 03:45 Lost in his love 03:48 This is my story, 03:51 This is my song 03:54 Praising my Savior 03:57 All the day long 04:00 This is my story, 04:03 This is my song 04:06 Praising my Savior all the day long 07:49 Wonderful, merciful Savior 07:55 Precious Redeemer and Friend 08:01 Who would have thought that a Lamb 08:05 Could rescue the souls of men 08:10 Oh, You rescue 08:13 The souls of men 08:18 You are the One that we praise 08:23 You are the One we adore 08:29 You give the healing and grace 08:33 Our hearts always hunger for 08:39 Oh, our hearts always hunger for 08:49 Counselor, Comforter, Keeper 08:55 Spirit we long to embrace 09:00 You offered hope when our hearts had 09:06 Hopelessly lost the way 09:11 Oh, we hopelessly 09:13 Lost the way 09:18 You are the One that we praise 09:23 You are the One we adore 09:29 You give the healing and grace 09:33 Our hearts always hunger for 09:39 Oh, our hearts always hunger for 09:49 Almighty, infinite Father 09:55 Faithfully loving Your own 10:01 Here in our weakness You find us 10:07 Falling before Your throne 10:11 Oh, we're falling 10:14 Before Your throne 10:18 You are the One that we praise 10:24 You are the One we adore 10:30 You give the healing and grace 10:34 Our hearts always hunger for 10:40 Oh, our hearts always 10:43 Hunger for 10:47 You are the One that we praise 10:53 You are the One we adore 10:59 You give the healing and grace 11:03 Our hearts always hunger for 11:09 Oh, our hearts always hunger for 11:15 Oh, our hearts always hunger for 11:32 Our scripture reading 11:33 is from Hebrews 12:1-2. 11:39 "Therefore, since we are surrounded 11:41 by such a great cloud of witnesses, 11:44 let us throw off everything that hinders 11:47 and the sin that so easily entangles. 11:50 And let us run with perseverance 11:53 the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, 11:57 the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. 12:01 For the joy set before him he endured the cross, 12:04 scorning its shame, 12:05 and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 12:27 Lord I come to You 12:31 Let my heart be changed, renewed 12:36 Flowing from the grace 12:39 That I've found in You 12:49 Lord I've come to know 12:52 The weaknesses I see in me 12:58 Will be stripped away 13:03 By the power of Your love 13:10 Hold me close 13:14 Let Your love surround 13:19 Me 13:21 Bring me near 13:25 Draw me to Your side 13:32 And as I wait 13:36 I'll rise up like the eagle 13:42 And I will soar with You 13:45 Your Spirit leads me on 13:48 In the power of Your love 13:56 Lord unveil my eyes 13:59 Let me see You face to face 14:04 The knowledge of Your love 14:08 As You live in me 14:17 Lord renew my mind 14:21 As Your will unfolds in my life 14:26 In living every day 14:31 By the power of Your love 14:38 Hold me close 14:43 Let Your love surround 14:47 Me 14:50 Bring me near 14:54 Draw me to Your side 15:00 And as I wait 15:04 I'll rise up like the eagle 15:10 And I will soar with You 15:13 Your Spirit leads me on 15:16 In the power of Your love 15:23 Hold me close 15:27 Let Your love surround me 15:34 Bring me near 15:38 Draw me to Your side 15:45 And as I wait 15:50 I'll rise up like the eagle 15:55 And I will soar with You 15:58 Your Spirit leads me on 16:01 In the power of Your love 16:07 And I will soar with You 16:10 Your Spirit leads me on 16:13 In the power of Your love 17:04 Amen. 17:06 Thank you, Jamieson and Jason. 17:11 Power of your love. 17:12 Boy, we needed that wrapping up a summer 17:14 and on the cusp of a brand new year. 17:18 And I got to say before we pray 17:22 and dive into this morning's teaching. 17:25 I'm so proud of Andrew and Josh. 17:29 I'm just really proud of you guys. 17:33 Your testimony, 17:34 and we just got a Reader's Digest version of it 17:38 a moment ago, 17:39 but your testimony is going to be used 17:41 by the mighty spirit of Christ to turn other lives around. 17:45 We need young men 17:49 who have testimonies about Jesus. 17:51 We need young men 17:53 who have a relationship with Jesus 17:55 and are absolutely unapologetic. 17:59 I am a radical follower of Christ, 18:02 and I invite you to join me. 18:04 So if you're a young man in this space right now, 18:07 you got it twice this morning. 18:09 And the Spirit is tapping 18:11 on your consciousness and saying, "Come on, 18:15 let's go, you and me." 18:17 By the way, that's true for young women. 18:19 God bless the young women in our midst right now, 18:22 and a whole bunch are on their way. 18:23 Everybody's coming back. 18:25 Can't believe this summer's over, 18:27 but God's still on the throne. 18:29 And if God's on the throne, I'll wear a mask. 18:30 Okay, I don't want to wear a mask, 18:32 but if God is on the throne, I'll wear that mask. 18:37 And as I told the folks in first service, 18:38 this too shall pass. 18:39 Hallelujah. 18:41 It'll pass. 18:42 Oh, God, the power of Your love 18:45 let me rise like an eagle. 18:48 That's what we needed to hear on the cusp of a new year. 18:51 Not yet. 18:52 It's not the new year yet. 18:53 Some are still here, but here we are. 18:57 Word of God is front and center now. 19:00 Hide this voice and all the other distractions, 19:03 have your way to the max. 19:06 So that like Josh and Andrew, 19:08 we can acknowledge that we belong 19:12 to the Lord, Jesus Christ, 19:14 and whose name we pray. 19:16 Amen. 19:18 Did you know that the last time 19:19 Japan hosted the summer Olympics in Tokyo, 19:23 I was a little 12-year-old brat running around that city? 19:27 At the time, it was the largest city 19:29 on the planet. 19:31 Today, it is still the largest city 19:33 on this planet. 19:35 And I'm going to tell you this. 19:36 I wasn't just a 12-year-old kid, 19:40 I was an unbaptized 12-year-old kid. 19:43 And the reason I know that is because the next year, 1965, 19:47 I got baptized in the Harajuku Central Church, 19:51 which I tell you the truth was, 19:53 and still is less than a half mile walk. 19:56 Come on, less than a half mile walk 19:57 to the iconic 1964 Tokyo Olympic pavilion. 20:03 Like a pagoda, an iron roof that just twirls into the sky. 20:07 Now I got to also remind you, if you're my age and older, 20:11 that the star of the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 20:15 was a kid named Don Schollander, 20:17 only six years older than me. 20:18 So he was 18 at the time, and he ran away with... 20:21 He swam away with four gold medals. 20:24 Wow. 20:26 He was ending... He ended up being 20:27 christened the most successful athlete of the 1964 games 20:32 and all of Japan celebrated. 20:34 And by the way, in the same city, 20:35 57 years later to the month, 20:40 another American named Caeleb Dressel 20:44 swims away with five gold medals. 20:46 So Tokyo and the Olympics 20:48 had been good for American swimmers. 20:52 But in 1964, I remind you, 20:55 it was very different than in 2021. 20:57 Tokyo went bananas over the fact 20:59 that they'd been asked to host the Olympics. 21:02 Because if you subtract 20 from 24, 21:04 you'll get the year, and that's 1944. 21:06 And in 1944, Japan was a pariah on this planet. 21:09 So to become the poster child of the great Olympics 21:13 was a big deal, and they pulled out every stop 21:15 and it was an unforgettable event. 21:19 But what a difference COVID-19 can make. 21:22 Shut down the 2020 Olympics. 21:25 Almost shut down 2021. 21:28 The NHK, the big corporate communication 21:32 giant in Japan, they did a survey in July. 21:37 Nearly two thirds of the Japanese 21:40 were not persuaded the game should go on. 21:43 So they came that close, but because of COVID, 21:47 everybody knows the protocol. 21:50 Government forbade any foreigner 21:53 to enter the country 21:56 for the sake of the games or anything else. 21:59 The same government forbade any Japanese spectators 22:02 from sitting in $3 billion worth of new stadiums 22:06 that are now empty. 22:08 Unbelievable. 22:10 Here's a picture of the Tokyo stadium. 22:14 That's the city of my birth. 22:15 I was born... So I'm kind of proud of this, 22:17 but born in that city, 22:18 35 to 37 million people in one city. 22:21 Go figure. 22:22 And that beautiful stadium was empty. 22:25 Although athletes knew it was empty, 22:27 we all knew it was empty, but you know what? 22:31 Kudos to my Japanese cousins. 22:37 Through the master use of graphics, 22:39 they were able to put black and white creations 22:42 in all the seats. 22:44 And so in the unlighted areas, it looked like 22:46 the entire stadium was full of people. 22:48 You go, but we knew the difference. 22:52 Yeah, it was too bad. 22:54 Let's go this morning to another Olympic stadium. 22:58 We'll go 2 millennia back. 22:59 That's 2,000 years back. 23:01 We'll go to Athens. 23:04 Oh boy, the stadiums back then were certainly different. 23:06 And I've stood in some of those amphitheaters. 23:08 We're talking about hard rock, not Hard Rock Cafe, 23:10 but there's a hard rock stadium. 23:12 Because it's just solid rock and it goes up and then back, 23:15 up and then back, and up and then back. 23:16 In fact, let me... 23:18 Here's one of the stadiums, an amphitheater. 23:20 You see that? 23:21 All stone, all stone. 23:23 People crowding it way up here in the bleachers. 23:25 They even have bleachers back then. 23:27 And everything's happening down there, down here. 23:28 It might be wrestling. 23:30 Who knows what kind of sport? 23:31 The Olympics, by the way, go back to 776 BC. 23:35 So we're not talking about some fresh, new upstart games here. 23:40 The writer of Hebrews knows all about this, 23:44 and he writes the opening line of Chapter 12. 23:48 And I'd like to invite you to go 23:49 to Hebrews Chapter 12, will you? 23:51 Hebrews Chapter 12. 23:54 I'm in the New International Version. 23:56 Thank you, Debbie, for reading it, 23:57 and thank you ladies for leading in the music today. 23:59 That was beautiful. 24:01 I could listen to you all day long. 24:05 Hebrews Chapter 12, NIV verse 1. 24:10 "Therefore, okay, the writer of Hebrews, 24:12 he knows about this picture. 24:13 Therefore, since we are surrounded 24:16 by such a great cloud of witnesses." 24:19 Amphitheater, see all the way around. 24:22 "Surrounded as we are, 24:23 let us throw off everything that hinders 24:25 and the sin that so easily entangles. 24:28 And let us run with perseverance 24:31 the race marked out for us." 24:34 I want to tell you something, folks, 24:36 that verse has the Olympics written 24:38 all over it. 24:39 Doesn't it? 24:41 I mean, here is the stadium. 24:42 It's an amphitheater. 24:43 And who is filling the stadium? 24:45 How does the author put it? 24:46 He says, "This stadium is filled with people 24:49 like a great cloud." 24:51 And some people think the cloud means 24:52 these are people that have already gone to heaven. 24:54 Wrong, wrong, wrong. 24:56 In that day when the writer wrote Hebrews, 24:58 cloud meant the way of describing a large throng. 25:02 We would say a crowd of people. 25:04 But back then, they would say a cloud of people. 25:06 These aren't people that had gone to heaven. 25:08 No, these are people. 25:10 Well, it turns out they are dead, 25:14 but they are a vast throng of witnesses. 25:18 Whoa, whoa, whoa. 25:20 Peter O'Brien, the Australian commentator 25:23 that demonstrative such a great... 25:26 Speaking of such a great throng. 25:28 That demonstrative such a great is emphatic 25:31 and draws attention to the number and magnificence 25:34 of that assembly. 25:36 We're talking about 25:37 what we would call them today's superheroes. 25:39 I mean, that's what we would call them. 25:41 They were not superheroes. 25:42 They were just average men and women, 25:44 and children like you and me, and Enoch, and Rahab, 25:48 and Gideon, and Abraham, and Sarah, and Moses. 25:52 They're called... The writer calls them witnesses. 25:55 And the Greek word for witness is martus. 25:59 Martus means anybody 26:01 who observes something take place 26:04 and then turns around and reports 26:06 what he or she observed. 26:09 Martus. 26:11 But when the writer is writing this 26:12 in the Christian circles of the Roman Empire, 26:15 the fledgling church. 26:18 In those circles, the word martus began to refer 26:23 and be recognized as a way to describe those, 26:26 who at the cost of their lives, 26:29 have now borne witness that Jesus is Lord. 26:33 Say Caesar's Lord or you're dead. 26:35 Jesus is Lord. 26:37 Gone. 26:39 Martus. 26:40 From whence comes the English word, martyr. 26:44 That's who's in that cloud. 26:47 They're there sound asleep in Christ, 26:50 but the memory of them... 26:53 In fact, the chapter ends... You got to see this. 26:56 So here's verse 1 of 12. 26:57 Just go back, go back up to verse 35. 26:59 This is Hebrews 11. 27:01 This is the Bible hall of fame. 27:02 Talk about superheroes as what we think of them as, 27:04 the Bible hall of fame, the Bible hall of faith. 27:07 No, we think they're all just, you know, easy-peasy stars. 27:11 No, they're not. Watch this. 27:13 This is at the end of the hall of fame listing. 27:16 Women received back their dead raised to life again. 27:20 There were others who were tortured, 27:22 refusing to be released 27:24 so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 27:27 Some face jeers, some face flogging, 27:31 some faced even chains and imprisonment. 27:33 They were put to death by stoning. 27:36 They were sawed in two. 27:37 They were killed by the sword. 27:39 They went about in sheep skins and goat skins, 27:42 destitute, persecuted, and mistreated. 27:44 And the greatest line in this entire hall 27:46 of fame chapter is the next one. 27:48 The world of whom the world was not worthy. 27:53 This planet was not worthy to have 27:54 men, women, and children 27:56 who would pay that higher price 27:59 to stand up for what they believed. 28:01 And I want to tell you something, 28:02 this culture, this society is not worthy. 28:05 It's not worthy to have the Andrews 28:07 and the Joshes in this space. 28:10 This society that mocks the existence of God, 28:13 that laughs off the notion of a Savior, 28:17 that lives by the motto eat, drink, 28:19 and be married, for tomorrow we die, 28:22 of whom this society is not worthy. 28:25 People like you and these boys who just got baptized, 28:30 of whom the world is not worthy. 28:33 They wandered in deserts, they wandered in mountains, 28:36 living in caves and in holes in the ground. 28:39 These were all commended for their faith, 28:41 yet not one of them received what had been promised. 28:44 That cloud is not them already having gone to heaven. 28:46 No, no, no. 28:47 They haven't even received what's been promised. 28:49 Why? Because God has a plan. 28:51 He's planned for something better for us, you, and me, 28:53 and them, so that only together with us 28:57 and them would they be made perfect. 28:59 Isn't that amazing? 29:01 God says, "I'll wait till everybody's ready. 29:02 And we'll all... 29:03 We'll have the party together." 29:05 The huge welcome home party and everybody will be there. 29:10 Man, I got to move to an altar call right now. 29:12 I want to be in that party, don't you? 29:14 Put your hand up. 29:15 I want to be in that party when they bring all... 29:18 When the saints come marching in. 29:20 Oh, I want to be... 29:22 I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in. 29:26 Yeah, me too. 29:29 So the whole purpose of this Bible hall of fame, 29:31 hall of faith chapter, 29:33 it is to spur the likes of you and me 29:37 so that no matter how difficult, 29:39 no matter how painful the ordeal turns out to be, 29:42 we will not quit. 29:43 We will not back out. 29:46 You hear what I'm saying? You know what I mean? 29:48 We will not stop and say, "No further, no further." 29:53 I know a lot of us complain about COVID-19. 29:57 I hate these masks. 30:00 Vaccination, ah. 30:05 We complain about how inconvenient life 30:07 has become for us. 30:09 And then we read the last five verses of Hebrews 11 30:11 and we say, "My Lord, what am I bellyaching about?" 30:16 Those last five verses, as the author of Hebrews say, 30:19 "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hush your mouth. 30:22 You ain't seen nothing yet, kids." 30:26 And guess what? He's right. 30:28 We got darker days coming. 30:30 You're bothered by a little mask? 30:32 You haven't seen anything. 30:34 You haven't seen anything. 30:37 That's what this hall of fame, hall of faith, 30:40 and then the first lines of Chapter 12 30:42 are to steel us up, are to iron in the soul 30:47 so that when it comes, we're not wimping out. 30:49 We're not running away. 30:51 Mask or no mask, we're not leaving. 30:59 Therefore, since we are surrounded 31:01 by such a great cloud of witnesses, 31:06 let us throw off everything that hinders 31:09 and the sin that so easily entangles. 31:13 Now I'm telling you something you already know, 31:15 but I want to reinforce it. 31:16 No Olympic runner that you watched, 31:18 and we watched the Olympics. 31:20 No Olympic swimmer that you saw, 31:22 no Olympic athlete in Tokyo, 2021 31:25 kept on their warm up suit. 31:30 The cameras would track them 31:31 coming into the track and field. 31:32 They'd have that warm up suit on 31:34 and they'd be loosening around, loosening up, 31:36 but the moment would come when all of that comes off. 31:38 They're stripped down to almost nothing. 31:42 Those swimmers they'd come out, 31:43 and they just peel off that stuff. 31:45 There goes my warm suit, 31:47 get into this pool, splash that water. 31:49 Okay, bring it on. 31:51 Let's go. 31:53 And by the way, kudos to those young Norwegian women 31:56 beach volleyball players who said, "You know what? 32:00 We're not going to wear those skimpy bikinis 32:02 that have been decreed by a group of corporate men 32:04 sitting in an office somewhere saying, 32:06 'We got to increase our ratings. 32:07 Let's have the women in bikinis.'" 32:10 "We're not going to do it," they said, 32:12 "We're going to wear something that covers us. 32:15 We'll be fine." 32:17 And I want to say in Norwegian to those girls, 32:19 "You go girls, you go." 32:24 And as an aside, and I think this probably 32:26 was not on the mind of the author of Hebrews. 32:30 But as an aside, 32:32 you women who are here listening right now, 32:36 watching somewhere, 32:37 you're going to have to stand up 32:38 and speak for yourself like those Norwegian girls. 32:41 Don't let this culture turn you into a gaping object. 32:44 Don't let this culture corrupt you into thinking 32:50 that if you dressed with as little as possible, 32:53 you're going to win the heart of a guy, 32:54 you're going to win the heart of a man. 32:55 You will not. 32:57 You may win their eyes, 32:58 but you won't win their respect. 33:01 Follow the Norwegian girls. 33:02 I'm proud of them. 33:06 Let us cast aside anything. 33:09 What is it? Anything, everything that hinders. 33:11 Anything, the sin that so easily entangles. 33:14 And isn't it interesting we say, what sin? 33:16 He doesn't say. 33:18 Why don't you tell us what sin? 33:19 Because he says, "I don't have to. 33:21 You already know. 33:22 The moment you see a sin that entangles, 33:23 it came to your mind." 33:25 "That's the sin," he says, "I'm talking about." 33:27 I'm talking about taking the warm up suit off 33:31 so that you can run this race 33:33 without anything getting caught in your legs 33:35 and causing you to stumble, fall, and lose a race. 33:41 Whatever it is, take it off. 33:44 Whatever's in your life right now, throw it out. 33:47 You don't need that to win this race. 33:49 In fact, it'll kill you if you keep it on. 33:53 Boy, he doesn't mince any words, does he? 33:55 He doesn't have to tell us what it is. 33:56 I know. 33:57 We know. 34:02 Therefore, since we are surrounded 34:04 by such a great cloud of witnesses, 34:06 let us throw off everything that hinders 34:08 and the sin that so easily entangles. 34:10 And let us run with perseverance 34:12 the race marked out for us. 34:16 You see that word, race? 34:17 Here's... This word... Where is it? 34:19 Where is it? Come on. 34:20 Race, right here. 34:21 In the Greek, it's A-G-O-N, agon. 34:24 Agon. 34:25 Just put a Y on it and you know the American word, 34:27 the English word. 34:28 What's the word? 34:29 Agony. 34:31 The word agony is based on the races. 34:33 It's what you go through when you're just breaking down 34:37 for that last burst, agony. 34:41 Now some of you guys remember ABC's Wide World of Sports. 34:44 You had to be about my age. 34:46 Yeah, you had to be about my age. 34:48 For 37 years, they had a very successful season 34:51 on television, Wide World of Sports. 34:53 And the renounced sports caster, 34:55 some of you will remember him, Jim McKay. 34:57 He would read a script 34:59 as various clips are taking place, 35:01 as different sporting activities. 35:04 And in that opening sequence, he would tout these words, 35:07 "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." 35:11 And when he said the agony of defeat, 35:13 the little video clip in that opening montage 35:16 was always the same. 35:18 It was of a ski jump skier. 35:20 So he goes down. 35:21 You know the ski jump, you go down 35:22 and then you go up this thing, 35:24 and you're just leaning forward, leaning forward. 35:25 And you think the guy's going to fall over 35:26 and just leaning forward, leaning forward. 35:28 And you're dropping, dropping. 35:29 He had that day, when the cameras were rolling, 35:33 a spectacular wipe out. 35:35 He survived. 35:36 It happened in Oberstdorf, Germany. 35:38 And just as that wipe out takes place, 35:41 Jim McKay says, "The agony of defeat." 35:44 Well, the agony is the agony of sports. 35:47 It's the agon of the race. 35:55 When Hebrews calls the race an agon, 35:59 that is a strong hint. 36:01 As the previous ending of Chapter 11 36:05 has already reminded us, 36:07 that the race you and I are in... 36:09 I know you didn't get to pick to be in this race, 36:11 but it's the one you and I are in. 36:12 It is no picnic in the park. 36:14 I'm telling you. 36:16 This thing is full bore, it is high octane, 36:19 it is a run for your life to the finish line. 36:21 So let us run. 36:22 How's this go here? 36:24 So let us run with perseverance. 36:26 Do you know what that word perseverance means? 36:28 That word means you don't quit. 36:30 You do not quit. 36:31 Don't quit. 36:33 Do not give up. 36:34 This race is going to be... 36:35 It's going to test you to the metal of your soul. 36:38 And there are going to be days when you say, "I'm quitting." 36:41 In fact, there's some of you 36:42 who are feeling that way already 36:44 and the summer isn't even over, 36:45 and the school year hasn't started. 36:46 And you're already thinking to yourself, 36:49 "I'm not going to make it. 36:50 It's just not going to be possible." 36:52 You're already considering giving up. 36:55 You're thinking about throwing in the towel, 36:56 and there's another sport metaphor for you. 36:58 You're thinking about throwing in the towel. 37:00 I quit. I can't do it. 37:01 It's too big. It's too hard. 37:03 You cannot quit. 37:06 You cannot quit. 37:09 It's the agony of the race. 37:10 Of course, it's tough. 37:11 Of course, it's hard. Guess what? 37:13 It was supposed to be. 37:15 The race you're on right now, 37:17 I'm going to prove it to you beyond the shadow of doubt, 37:19 it was supposed to be tough. 37:21 Watch this. 37:23 There's one other line I want to draw 37:24 to your attention here. 37:25 Look at this other line. 37:27 The race marked out for us. 37:29 Now this is technical language that the Greek readers knew. 37:33 Because the race masters used to do this, 37:35 they would decide, okay, 37:36 this year's race, where's it going to be? 37:38 And so they would sit down together 37:40 and they would plan. 37:41 They would chart a course. 37:42 Not to be sadistic and create just this killer of a course, 37:47 but they would create a course for two reasons. 37:51 Reason number one, they wanted to test and display 37:53 the abilities of the runners. 37:54 They want the throng, 37:56 the cloud of people in that stadium, 37:58 they want them to say, "Look at this, 38:00 look at what she has built up. 38:02 Look what he's doing." 38:03 Number one, that's what they wanted. 38:05 And number two, they wanted to assure the athletes, 38:08 "Hey guys, there is a finish line, trust me. 38:11 The masters of the race have designed it." 38:13 There is a finish line. 38:14 You are not forgotten. 38:17 And on some tangent that will never come to an end, 38:20 there is a finish line, so don't quit. 38:22 Don't you dare quit. 38:24 That's why they did it. 38:25 Guess what? 38:26 Somebody else, capital S Somebody, 38:28 called the master of the games himself 38:32 has come down to you. 38:33 Because notice this, 38:34 it's been marked out for you and me. 38:38 He's looked at your life. 38:40 The master, whose own feet have been down the pathway 38:44 as he designed and tested your race course. 38:48 And by the way, don't you to be looking at me. 38:50 I can't be looking at you, 38:51 because the race you're running is not the race I'm running. 38:54 We are on different courses. 38:56 We have a different race in front of us. 38:58 Same finish line, but different courses. 39:01 And by the way, that capital S Somebody, 39:03 the master of the games, he knows who you are. 39:06 The maker of all things loves and wants you. 39:09 He wants the very best for you. 39:11 So He designs a course 39:14 that is going to bring out your very best. 39:16 It's going to be painful. 39:17 It's going to feel like you're going to lose. 39:19 It's going to create agony in your soul, 39:21 but this course will make you shine for Him. 39:23 And so He's designed it 39:25 because you need this skill now. 39:26 You have no idea, junior, what is coming ahead. 39:30 I do. 39:32 You need this gift now. 39:34 He has designed the course specifically for you, 39:37 specifically for you and me. 39:40 Wow. 39:42 So don't give up. 39:43 Don't change courses. 39:45 Don't say, "You know what? I don't like this course. 39:46 God, I'm on another... I started another race." 39:49 You can't. 39:50 You can't. 39:52 Stay on the course. 39:53 I've designed it for you. 39:57 Therefore, since we are surrounded 39:58 by such a great cloud of witnesses, 40:00 let us throw off everything that hinders 40:02 and the sin that so easily entangles. 40:04 And let us run with perseverance 40:06 the race marked out for us, 40:08 fixing our eyes on Jesus, 40:11 the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. 40:13 I love that word, pioneer. 40:15 One of my favorite words in all the English vocabulary, 40:19 and Jesus gets the name. 40:21 He's the pioneer. 40:23 This is the Pioneer Memorial Church. 40:25 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, 40:27 the pioneer and perfecter of the faith. 40:28 For the joy set before him he endured the cross, 40:32 scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand 40:35 of the throne of God. 40:38 Wow. 40:41 Fixing our eyes on Jesus. 40:43 I'm telling you what? 40:44 I got to share this with you. 40:45 There are three different translations here, 40:47 but I love all of them. 40:49 We just read, this is the new NIV, 40:50 fixing our eyes on Jesus. 40:52 Here's the old NIV, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. 40:55 And just this spring, 40:57 the new New American Standard Bible, 40:59 it's called 2020, but it's actually... 41:01 It came out in 2021. 41:03 I like the way they render it, looking only at Jesus. 41:08 Ain't that something? 41:09 Looking only at Jesus. 41:13 I find that compellingly beautiful. 41:15 Just look at Jesus. 41:17 Come on, I don't know 41:18 what you're thinking about right now, 41:19 but for the last seconds that you and I are together, 41:21 just put Jesus in your mind. 41:23 If you have a hard time doing that, 41:24 just look at the big rose window above my head. 41:26 He's sitting on a cloud. 41:27 He is coming soon. 41:29 Just look at Jesus for a moment. 41:30 Looking only at Jesus. 41:34 A few weeks ago, I pulled out Dietrich Bonhoeffer's 41:36 wonderful short book, Life Together, 41:38 about building Christian community. 41:41 And as I'm reading it, 41:42 he stresses the importance of beginning each day 41:45 with some quiet time alone in the Word. 41:46 But it's the way he expressed it, 41:48 that just made a believer out of me. 41:49 And I said, 41:51 "With my New American Standard Bible, 41:52 I'm going to try this method." 41:54 And so I'm trying it right now. 41:55 I've only been trying it for a couple of weeks, 41:57 but let me share with you his words. 41:59 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 42:00 the who at 39, crossed his finish line. 42:04 Because you're going to cross the finish line 42:05 either at your death, 42:07 or at the return of Jesus. 42:10 That finish line is in front of you. 42:12 You don't know how close that finish line is. 42:15 And that's why quitting now, 42:17 quitting now, that is impossible. 42:20 Never, never give up. 42:25 He was 39 years old 42:26 when he crossed the finish line. 42:27 Dead. 42:29 Radical young disciple of Jesus. 42:32 Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, "In our meditation, 42:34 we ponder the chosen text." 42:35 So you choose whatever text you want. 42:36 And nobody's telling you 42:38 what you got to read in the Bible. 42:39 I decided with my new New American Standard Bible, 42:41 that I would start with the story of Jesus. 42:43 So I start with Matthew, 42:44 and I've been working over for a week and a half 42:47 now just verses 18, 19, 20, and 21. 42:50 But that's his method. 42:51 Just go a word at a time. 42:52 There's no rush. 42:54 In our meditation, we ponder the chosen text 42:56 on the strength of the promise, 42:58 that that text that you've chosen has something 43:00 utterly personal to say to you for this day 43:04 and for our Christian life. 43:06 It is not only God's word for the church. 43:08 You say, "Well, this Bible is just a church's book." 43:10 No, no, no, no, no, no. 43:12 But that book, God's Word 43:13 is God's Word for you and me individually. 43:17 Come on, you can do this, watch. 43:20 And now, by the way, he says, 43:22 "This is the very reason why we begin our meditation." 43:24 So this is a good idea. 43:25 Every morning, we begin our meditation 43:27 with the prayer that God may send His Holy Spirit to us 43:30 through His Word, 43:31 and reveal His Word to us and enlighten us. 43:33 So whenever you open the Bible, you already knew this, 43:35 but I just remind you, always say a prayer, 43:37 "Spirit, I know you're here 43:38 because this is the book you inspired. 43:39 I need you to speak to me. 43:41 There's a word here. 43:42 I don't even know yet what that word's going to be, 43:44 but use it to communicate your directions 43:46 for my race today. 43:48 I humbly pray." 43:50 All right, so you prayed a prayer. 43:52 Now he's going to give three of these. 43:54 He says, "It's not necessarily what you think." 43:56 And I like these three. 43:57 Number one, it is not necessary 44:00 that we should get through the entire passage 44:02 in one meditation. 44:04 A lot of people say, "Well, I've started here. 44:05 I got to get it done." 44:06 No, no, no, no, no, stop with one word. 44:08 You got one word, then stay on that word. 44:10 Who knows what that word is going to do? 44:12 Number one, it is not necessary 44:14 that we should get through the entire passage 44:15 in one meditation. 44:17 Number two, it is not necessary 44:18 that we should discover new ideas in our meditation. 44:22 Often, this only diverts us and feeds our vanity. 44:25 Now I'm in a room full of people 44:26 that for their careers, 44:28 they teach the Bible. 44:30 I can see him. 44:31 They teach the Bible. 44:32 And sometimes when they have worship, 44:35 it's just really, "Oh, I got to find something new. 44:36 I mean, I have to go and... 44:38 I'm gonna stand in front of the students here 44:39 and in a few hours, I can say, 44:40 "You know, when I was reading the Bible this morning..." 44:42 And I need something really radical. 44:44 Watch what Bonhoeffer says, "No, no, no, no, 44:46 we don't have to discover something new 44:48 in our meditation. 44:49 Often, this only diverts us and feeds our vanity." 44:54 He says, "Relax. 44:56 This is not show and tell for your class. 44:58 This is show and tell you and Jesus alone. 45:01 You have nothing to report to anybody. 45:03 Not your spouse, not your kids, not your roommate, 45:06 not, nobody. 45:07 This is you and me." 45:10 It's not necessary that we have to discover new ideas. 45:13 And above all, finally, number three, 45:15 it is not necessary that we should have 45:17 any unexpected extraordinary experiences in meditation. 45:21 Oh, God, I have such a critical need right now. 45:24 Would you please write on the wall 45:27 as you did in Daniel 5? 45:29 Never pray that prayer 45:30 because when God writes on a wall, that's bad news. 45:33 You do not want God writing on your wall. 45:34 Don't ever ask Him to write on the wall. 45:37 It's judgment. 45:39 You just say, "God, just make it clear in here." 45:42 That's all you have to say. 45:43 Don't ask for the wall. 45:44 Above all, it is not necessary 45:46 that we should have any unexpected 45:47 extraordinary experiences in meditation. 45:50 No, sir, this can happen. 45:52 It can happen. 45:54 "We're not ruling it out," Bonhoeffer's saying, 45:56 "It's just not a sign 45:58 that the meditation period has been useless." 46:00 Man, nothing great happened today. 46:03 Well, sometimes I eat the breakfast of champions. 46:06 That's Wheaties. Did you know that? 46:07 Wheaties. You want to grow up and be strong? 46:09 Eat Wheaties. 46:10 It's the breakfast of champions. 46:12 But sometimes, I eat it 46:13 and it's just soggy corn flakes in warm milk. 46:18 It's just bad. 46:21 You don't have to have a gourmet meal 46:23 every time you sit down to be alone with Jesus. 46:26 It might be soggy Wheaties today, but who cares? 46:28 You're alone with Jesus. 46:30 Something will be there in your heart, 46:32 and you don't even see it or sense it. 46:34 It's okay. 46:36 It's not a sign that you just wasted your morning. 46:39 No. 46:40 Seek God, not happiness. 46:41 So I like that. I don't know what he's quoting. 46:43 Seek God, not happiness. 46:44 This is the fundamental rule of all meditation. 46:48 Just seek God. 46:51 Just look for God every morning. 46:53 Is that hard to do? No. 46:54 In fact, let me summarize it. 46:55 Number one, pray for the Holy Spirit. 46:57 Number two, read slowly through God's Word, 46:58 word by word. 47:00 We've already dealt with that. 47:01 Number three, trust God to bring a personal word 47:02 from you from His Word today. 47:04 That's it. 47:05 What are you, 13 years old? 47:07 It's perfect for a 13-year-old. 47:08 Maybe you're 12. It's perfect for a 12. 47:10 In your teens? 47:11 Perfect. 47:12 College student? 47:14 Look it, the point is it works for everybody. 47:17 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. 47:22 I watch one of the runners 47:24 in the most famous of all races. 47:26 It always is because the winner of this race 47:29 is declared for four years 47:31 to be the fastest human being on this planet. 47:34 It's the men's 100 meter dash. 47:37 It happens in seconds. 47:39 I don't know, it's... I forgot to look it up, 47:41 but it's just fast. 47:43 So here are these eight runners. 47:45 This is going for the gold now. 47:47 They're all there. 47:48 They're not in the blocks yet. 47:50 They're kind of wandering around, 47:51 and the camera's zoomed in on one of the runners. 47:53 I don't even remember who it was. 47:56 Camera's zoomed in, and I'm telling you the truth. 47:58 I'm looking at that face, 47:59 and it is as if the face 48:01 is looking 1 million miles away. 48:06 Did you ever talk to somebody 48:07 and it's clear they're not in your space? 48:08 They're anywhere near you, they're a million miles away. 48:11 And that man's, that young man's face was a... 48:14 The eyes are a million miles away. 48:16 There's some vision. 48:18 There's some vision he's keying in on, 48:20 and he's looking straight into that vision. 48:22 And in a moment, they're going to say on your mark. 48:24 And he's going to be down on those blocks 48:26 and he'll wait for the retort, 48:28 electronically signaling their race has begun, 48:31 but he's far away. 48:33 What's going on? 48:35 He's fixing his eyes on the goal. 48:41 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. 48:43 We have to do the same. 48:45 Take a look at Jesus. 48:46 Just take a look at Jesus. 48:48 And by the way, when the author of Hebrews says, 48:49 "I want you to concentrate on Jesus." 48:51 What part of Jesus' life 48:52 does he ask us to concentrate on? 48:53 Let's fix our eyes on Jesus, 48:55 the author and finisher of our faith. 48:56 Who for the joy set before him... 48:58 Here it goes. Endured. 48:59 That's the same word as perseverance. 49:01 He endured the cross, scorning its shame, 49:06 and sat down on the right hand of God 49:08 and the throne of the universe. 49:11 The author is saying, "You want high octane, 49:16 help for your race? 49:18 Look at Jesus when He runs His race." 49:21 Because it is at Calvary... Ladies and gentlemen, 49:23 it is at Calvary when we watch slow mo, 49:25 slow the camera down, slow the camera down. 49:27 You got to watch this. 49:29 He's going to cross the crimson finish line. 49:30 It is at Calvary, 49:32 and when He crosses that finish line, 49:34 He throws His head up 49:36 and He calls out to the universe, 49:39 "It is finished. 49:42 It's over. 49:44 I won, I won. 49:48 I finished the race." 49:50 And because He finished His race, 49:53 He can help you finish your race. 49:56 He can help me finish my race. 49:58 My race isn't over and neither is yours. 49:59 Don't you ever give up. 50:01 I don't care what is going on in your life right now. 50:03 The crucified master of the games 50:05 has already set up your course. 50:07 He has already walked the course. 50:09 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 50:11 Look full in His wonderful face. 50:14 And the things of earth will grow strangely dim 50:16 in the light of His glory and grace. 50:19 He's already gone the way and look at this, 50:20 Desire of Ages. 50:21 I'll end with this. 50:23 The way to heaven is consecrated 50:24 by the Savior's footprints. 50:26 The path, the race course, 50:27 may be steep and rugged, and it is, 50:29 but Jesus has traveled that way. 50:31 The course that you rode, he's already been there. 50:34 His feet had pressed down the cruel thorns 50:36 to make the pathway easier for you and me. 50:39 Every burden that we are called to bear, He himself has borne. 50:43 Hallelujah, amen. 50:46 He has walked this, He has run this course 50:50 ahead of you and me. 50:52 And because He finished the race, 50:53 we can finish it. 50:57 One more time. 50:59 So let us fix our eyes on Jesus. 51:02 You know what I wish? 51:06 I know it's on the cusp of a new year, 51:07 but I wish we in this congregation, 51:13 and we on this campus, 51:14 and all of us are running right now. 51:17 We're running to beat the band. 51:19 We've given everything we have doing it, 51:21 and feels like we're not making any forward progress. 51:23 I understand. It's agony. 51:26 But I wish that out of the races 51:28 we are running together, 51:31 somehow the word would be seen in you 51:34 and be seen in me. 51:37 Boy, he's a guy. 51:40 He knows Jesus. 51:42 He knows Jesus. 51:45 She knows Jesus. 51:47 I mean, can you tell it? 51:50 The world has fallen all around her, 51:53 coming down and her eyes are still fixed 51:58 on Jesus. 51:59 Since mine eyes 52:03 have looked on Jesus, 52:06 I've lost sight of all beside. 52:10 So enchained my Spirit's vision, 52:14 gazing on the crucified. 52:17 I don't know who wrote it, but for several years now, 52:21 I've memorized that little verse. 52:27 What if every morning, you and I went to this book 52:29 that's all about Jesus 52:30 from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22:21, 52:35 and we took a moment or two gazing? 52:39 Jesus fixing our eyes. 52:42 Let us look closely 52:44 only at Jesus. 52:48 I do want to end with an altar call, 52:50 and I want to ask you 52:52 if you would be willing to join me. 52:54 The new year hasn't even started yet, I understand, 52:56 but join me in saying, "You know what? 53:01 Holy Father, I choose, 53:05 by Your grace, 53:08 for the race ahead, 53:10 I choose to fix my eyes on Jesus." 53:14 Anybody want to send that prayer to heaven? 53:15 Just send it with me. Raise your hand. 53:17 The angel beside you, the Spirit knows. 53:20 I choose this new year to fix my eyes, 53:25 to turn my eyes on Jesus. 53:28 Ladies, come. 53:30 We want to do just that as we listen to you sing 53:33 that beautiful chorus we know so well. 54:11 O soul are you weary 54:15 And troubled 54:19 No light in the darkness 54:22 You see 54:26 There's light for a look 54:28 At the Savior 54:32 And life more abundant 54:36 And free 54:41 Turn your eyes upon 54:45 Jesus 54:48 Look full in His wonderful 54:53 Face 54:56 And the things of earth 55:00 Will grow strangely 55:04 Dim 55:07 In the light 55:09 Of His glory 55:12 And grace 55:18 Through death into life 55:21 Everlasting 55:25 He passed and we follow 55:28 Him there 55:32 Over us sin no more hath 55:35 Dominion 55:39 For more than conquerors 55:42 We are! 55:47 Turn your eyes upon 55:51 Jesus 55:55 Look full in His wonderful 55:59 Face 56:03 And the things of earth 56:07 Will grow strangely 56:11 Dim 56:13 In the light 56:15 Of His glory 56:18 And grace 56:25 Turn your eyes 56:29 Upon Jesus 56:34 Look full in His wonderful 56:39 Face 56:43 And the things of earth 56:48 Will grow strangely 56:53 Dim 56:56 In the light 56:59 Of His glory 57:04 And grace 57:15 I want to take an extra moment to thank you for joining us 57:17 in worship today. 57:19 It's by the continuous support from viewers like you 57:21 that we're able to bring you this program. 57:22 Today, I want to invite you, though, 57:24 to share with us how this ministry has blessed you. 57:27 I get inspiring notes, emails from viewers, 57:29 literally all over the world, telling me, Brother Dwight, 57:31 God has been blessing me this way, 57:33 He's been doing this. 57:34 I would love to hear from you as well. 57:36 Just visit our website. 57:37 You know it, newperceptions. TV 57:40 and click on the contact link at the top of the page. 57:42 Send me a note. 57:43 Let me know what God has been doing 57:45 right now in your life. 57:47 Once again, thank you for being with us today. 57:49 I hope you join us right here next time. 57:52 And until then, 57:53 may the God of grace journey with you every step of the way. |
Revised 2021-10-21