It was my son’s first triathlon, and it… was… a… killer! A mile swim, followed immediately by 25 miles on a bike, then, with no rest, a 6 mile run to finish it off. And, as the run went on, it seemed like it was going to finish him off. The question had changed from how fast would his time be to whether he would be able to finish. The last mile was the most difficult. As he was making his way along, another runner came up beside him. “Hey 23,” he said, referring to my son’s age – every runner’s age was marked on his or her calf. “I’m twice as old as you.” Nothing more needed to be said. Both knew what he meant. A 46 year old was keeping pace with a 23 year old. My son dug deep and picked up the pace. Still, the man stayed with him. Then, he said, “I have a daughter your age. I bet she could beat you.” My son summoned his last reserves and sprinted as fast as he could to get out in front of the man. Although he couldn’t keep the pace up, at least he finished ahead of the man. My son didn’t think the man was being boastful, but instead, was pushing him to run his best. Isn’t it amazing how much better we are with others around us? Our text reminds us this Memorial Day Sunday that we are not alone in our race of life. Let’s read Hebrews 11:32 – 12:3. (Read)
What would you say? What would be your encouragement to fellow Christians fearing persecution? Hebrews 10:32, 33 cuts right to the purpose of the letter to the Hebrews. (Read) The threat of suffering hangs over the people receiving this letter. They have lost heart. They are considering giving up on Christ and returning to their Jewish faith, where there would be no persecution. Like pioneers on the American prairie who abandon their sod huts because the soil was too rocky to make a go of farming, these Christians were on the verge of abandoning their faith.
How to help them? The author of Hebrews directs their attention straight to Jesus. Jesus is not just a good man, or a moral teacher of values. Jesus is more than a high priest – the best a human can be. He is, as Hebrews 7:26 explains, “Holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself.”
Jesus substituted his life for our lives, so that instead of our dying forever, we might live. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice that stands for all time for all people who choose to live no longer for themselves, but according to the directions of Jesus Christ. So, Hebrews tells us, Jesus is like a precious jewel. Even in tough times, we don’t throw away the jewel, for only Jesus can save, now and for eternity.
Then, Hebrews offers another real help. It parades before us heroes of the faith from the Old Testament who hung on their trust in God which enabled them to endure. Abraham and Moses are obvious examples, but there are others. Picking up with verse 33: People, “Who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises….” referring to King David who conquered other nations, ruled justly and received from God the promise that he and his descendents would be king, too, even down to the Messiah.
Who, “Stopped the mouths of lions” –referring to Daniel who refused to stop worshiping the one true God and was thrown into the lions’ den for his faith; yet, he was rescued.
Who “Quenched raging fire” – surely referring to Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They also refused to give up their faith under persecution. When they were brought to trial before the king, their response became classic, repeated by others down through history, including the commander of the British army trapped at Dunkirk by the German Nazi army. “Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you that we will not serve your gods….” (Daniel 3:17, 18)
All these are heroes of the faith, who “won strength out of weakness” – like Gideon, who with just 300 “put a (whole) foreign army to flight.”
Women received their dead by resurrection – like the widow of Shunem, whose son the prophet Elisha restored to life (II Kings 4:35, 36)
Other heroes are mentioned, not all from the Bible, some from popular traditions; “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life.” They understood God was faithful and would bring them into his kingdom. “Others suffered mocking, scourging, chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawn in two, killed with the sword. They went about in skis of sheep and goats” – here we might think of Elijah and John the Baptist. “Destitute, afflicted, ill-treated – of whom the world was not worthy….”
There is a common theme of hanging on to faith, even during tough, tough times, times similar to the New Testament readers, times similar to our century as well.
“All these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised.” They trusted in God, but Christ had not yet come. They had to wait for our time, the time of Christ. We live in the age of Christ. We have received the fullness of the promise of God, Jesus Christ, his only Son.
Therefore, it says, “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” Those who have gone before us can encourage us to endure. And, above all, look to Jesus who is the greatest example of trust in the heavenly father, enduring to the very end and experiencing resurrection on the other side of death. As he endured hostility, so Christians undergoing persecution can use him as their example to hang on as well.
All these great heroes of the faith, big and small give us encouragement to endure in this life. We would do well to read their stories in the Bible and learn from them. They are the cloud of witnesses which surround us and encourage us. Like crowds that line the way during a race, they cheer us on; clapping for us, yelling for us, “You can do it.” They give strength to running that goes beyond the physical. This cloud of biblical witnesses can lift our spirit and give us endurance to run the race of life. What a blessing, if we will take their examples to heart and allow them to encourage us.
There are other heroes, too, people in our lives as well who can encourage us. For me, I think of my great-grandfather who rode in a covered wagon. His life example still speaks of a pioneering spirit and personal courage. My grandfather, who took out a second mortgage on his home during the great depression to meet payroll for his business. He still leaves a legacy of commitment and compassion that endures. A mother who left an influence about the beauty of the arts and seeing the many gifts God has bestowed. There are others as well, who go beyond family. From one hero still living, I learned the importance of visionary living. From another, a quiet and confident faith that beckons me forward, and from another, a love for the scriptures.
All of us have heroes, living and dead. Each of us has our own cloud of witnesses who call to us, encouraging us to endure and to follow their examples. Memorial Day Sunday and Monday can be days of remembering, truly remembering and learning from those who have gone before us. Think, for instance, about family (show SLIDE 1), those closest to you. It may be a living member of our immediate family, or a family member now deceased. We shouldn’t forget to include our children, for they can teach us as well. One of my children talked about a book she had been reading by Christian author John Ortberg, who talked about the importance of learning patience. He recommended choosing the longer line in the grocery store or K-Mart, to learn patience. My child reminded me quite recently about John Ortberg’s comment on patience when I was driving in heavy Jersey traffic. Our children, of any age, can teach us, if we are willing to listen. So, we can think about what we can learn from our immediate family and how they have influenced us. Then, we can also include relatives, living and deceased. What is their legacy we have learned from them? On to friends, neighbors, co-workers. Then, other examples; people we do not know personally, but who still serve as examples to us, such as Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea,” who has built over a hundred schools in Afghanistan. Each of us has a cloud of witnesses that speak to us with their lives. By taking time to hold them in our minds this Memorial Day, we can find fresh encouragement to persevere, to keep striving towards a personal characteristic, or a Christ-honoring goal, or a time in our lives when we need to hang on to faith in Christ to pull us through. We are not alone. Our cloud of witnesses has left us a legacy.
But, that is not the end of the line. We can leave a legacy to others as well. We can be an encouragement to those who know us and those who love us. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has produced a T.V. ad that visualizes leaving a legacy. A child in a stroller loses her stuffed doll on a crowded sidewalk. A pedestrian passing by stops to give it back to her. Another person sees that act of kindness and on the way out of a coffee shop, moves a customers mug back from the edge of the booth table where it could be easily knocked off. Another person notices that legacy act and later helps a man who has fallen down in the rain. A pedestrian who noticed later holds an elevator door open for another person as the door was about to close. On it goes. Little acts that leave a legacy. There are many ways our lives can be legacies. Others can look at us and be influenced to persevere, to hang on, to extend themselves, to re-consider Christ in their lives… in so many ways, we become part of the cloud of witnesses for others.
So, remembering Memorial Day not only includes our cloud of witnesses, but considers how we can leave a legacy for others (SLIDE 2) Consider this statement: “I can leave a legacy of _____ and _____. What are one or two aspects you can be an encouragement for others; one or two ways you can make a positive impact on those around you. How would you answer that one sentence. How you answer may shape your legacy.
Not later, not when it’s convenient, or when we feel like it, but now, before the moment passes, before the day ends, before it’s too late, before it’s too late. We can do something now. Time is important.
Let’s fix the importance of time visually in our minds. Here’s a picture of a fresco famous around the world. (show SLIDE 3) It’s part of the stunning art work by Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Pretty amazing considering this was the first time Michelangelo ever painted. He was trained to be a sculpture. This was his first painting commission. (SLIDE 4) He painted it over 500 years ago, and yet the colors remain vibrant, powerful, despite 500 years of candle smoke and smog build up. It has lasted because Michelangelo did not paint this on canvass. He painted it on plaster. The wall, or ceiling in this case, is covered with a plaster made from a mixture of lime, water and sand. The chemical reaction of the plaster locks the artist’s paint right into it, creating a chemical bond. But, here’s the thing. It must be done relatively quickly, before the plaster dries. Once it is dry, there is no more bond.
We think of legacies as something we leave when we die. But, legacies are built during a life-time, little acts repeated over the days, months and years. What legacy will you leave for Christ to those around you; not later, but now, before it is too late? Happy Remembering Day today. Happy Legacy Day.