PERSEVERANCE
By Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer jerry@schmoyer.net
http://india.christiantrainingonline.org/
INTRODUCTION
WINSTON CHURCHILL – “Never give up… Never give up.”
MY LIFE PHILOSOPHY – TURTLE and RABBIT
Poster n my wall many years – THE RACE IS NOT ALWAYS TO THE SWIFT BUT TO THOSE WHO KEEP ON RUNNING.
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE!!! Hebrews 12
Heb 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
perseverance = faithfulness
TRANSITION
Look at Heb 12:1-3 – learn about perseverance
CHALLENGE GIVEN 3b
WE TEND TO GET WEARY AND QUIT
not grow weary and lose heart. 3b
written to Jewish bel who lost everything, about to DISCOURAGEMENT great problem among Christians
“Heartbreak Hill.” In the Boston
TRANSITION
RUNNING METAPHOR used by writer
GET RID of anything holding you back
DON’T QUIT, keep going
KEEP EYES ON THE GOAL, Jesus
I. LET US THROW OFF 1b
A. EVERTHING THAT HINDERS
Heb 12:1 let us throw off everything that hinders
RUNNER: heavy clothing, heavy shoes, etc.
SPIRITUALLY – OK things but slows up spiritual growth
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
Fear of rejection, failure
Lust for things and pleasures God says ‘no’ to
Pleasing people around you
Laziness that keeps from meaningful daily devotions
Not study Bible, learn; Not attend church
Greed for money, things
Focus on appearance
Using opposite sex to meet needs
Wrong priorities – too busy (examples)
Bad habits
TRANSITION
So we need to throw off whatever holds us back
And what tangles us up
B. SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES US
the sin that so easily entangles,
RUNNER: long robe tangled up in, etc.
SPIRITUALLY – NOT OK what keep us from growing, trip up
WHAT IS TRIPPING YOU UP IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
‘Favorite’ sin you don’t want to let go of
Secret activity you know is wrong
Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness
Disobedience, something you know God wants you to do
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FALL DOWN?
Eric Lindell (Chariots of Fire) won 440 after falling down
TRANSITION
RUNNING METAPHOR used by writer
THROW OFF
Anything holding you back
Anything tripping you up
DON’T QUIT, keep going
II. LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE 1c
A. EACH MUST RUN A RACE
the race
life is a RACE: from here to goal, finish line
PAUL uses that analogy from the Olympics often
Takes focus
Takes determination
Takes self-discipline
Takes training and practice
Life not a PICNIC, panic and fuss when things get hard
Life is a RACE – against self, sin, world, flesh, Satan
MARATHON RUNNER fall, crawl to finish
GOD DETERMINES the course of your life
Where born, gifts & personality, strengths and weaknesses,
B. EACH MUST RUN THEIR OWN RACE
marked out for us
Each have DIFFERENT RACE to run
Different obstacles, challenges, difficulties
FINISH LINE same: God’s glory, being more Christ-like
CROSS COUNTRY in HS – flags marking course
TEMPTATION: think our life so much harder than anyone else!
Different, but not harder or easier
RACE NOT EASY: obstacles in way
Tired, weary of keeping going
C. EACH MUST KEEP RUNNING
Run with perseverance
NOT run with speed
BUT run with perseverance
Why the TURTLE beat the RABBIT
NOT some times doing great in Christian life, growing, praising,
Other times act no different than those not Christians
BUT steady, consistent, faithful
TRANSITION
RUNNING METAPHOR used by writer
THROW OFFAnything holding you back
Anything tripping you up
DON’T QUIT, keep going
FOCUS ON THE GOAL
III. LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS 2
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
RUNNER looks ahead,
NOT at other runners
NOT at scenery
NOT at conditions, weather
NOT at self, how feel, tired, etc.
BUT at goal
Or get off track and wander in wrong direction
Or stop running entirely, sit and rest
JESUS must be our reason for living, our goal
2 Corinthians 5:7 We live by faith, not by sight.
FOCUS ON JESUS, not self, etc.
Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory
TRANSITION
Several important truths about Jesus in this verse:
A. HE IS THE AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH
the author … of our faith,
AUTHOR of a paper, book knows it better than anyone
Copyright rights to it
JESUS knows the Christian life better than anyone else
Jesus knows US better than anyone, even us
HE STARTED the Christian life in us so He is in control of it
TRANSITION
STARTS our faith and oversees it
ENSURES ITS GROWING TO MATURITY
B. HE IS THE PERFECTOR OF OUR FAITH
perfecter of our faith,
So He can get us thru everything
Won’t quit, give up – carry us through to end forever!
BECAUSE HE IS THE AUTOOR & PERFECTOR OF OUR FAITH we are motivated to persevere
TRANSITION
We are to persevere keeping our eyes on Jesus
He is the BEGINNING of our faith, the one in charge of it
He is the FINISHER of our faith, bringing us to maturity
He is the EXAMPLE for our faith
C. HE ENDURED THE CROSS
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men
EXAMPLE OF: keeping eyes on goal
Perseverance no matter what
He paid for it all
He knows what it is like
No matter what we face, Jesus knows it, He understands it.
There was a joy set before Him through which He endured the cross – the joy of the Lord was His strength and it is ours.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE CROSS
Keeps everything else in perspective
Example for us
Goal for us
What He did for us more than what we do for Him!
D. HE IS SEATED AT GOD’S THRONE
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
VICTORY through perseverance
Race doesn’t last forever, soon over
Then joy, victory, blessing with Him
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS to keep a steady course in life
CLIMBING MT – keep eyes on point to reach
CHALLENGE FULFILLED 1bff
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
James 5:10-11 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
CONCLUSION