Monday, August 19, 2013

August 17-19, 2013 Text: Hebrews 12:1-3 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude “FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM!”


PENTECOST 13
August 17-19, 2013
Text: Hebrews 12:1-3
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

“FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM!”
1.     Jesus endured the cross.
2.     We fix our eyes on Him.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV) 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.”

          Motivation. It’s the why behind what people do. For instance some grown men who make it sound like the really enjoy lying on the couch watching movies or playing video games will push their bodies to the limit, work out for hours and allow other grown men to publicly berate and belittle them all for the chance to become an NFL football player. On the negative side the teen heroin addict is so motivated to get another fix that he will do the unthinkable and steal from his parents and grandparents and raid his friends parent’s medicine cabinet. Some motivations can be very powerful. Today in God’s Word the Holy Spirit gives a peek into the heart and mind of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lets us see some of the why behind what Jesus did.
          But let’s start with the what. We are told that Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame.” Here we are reminded of what Jesus did to become the author and perfecter of our faith. That’s another way of saying Jesus is the one who did it all from A to Z, from first to last. He’s the starter and finisher. He got no breaks. It was all on Him. But for Jesus that meant the cross. I think we’ve all heard as least somewhere the horrors of the means of execution called crucifixion. Jesus endured that on top of being roughed up by the Roman soldiers, scourged and pounded on the head with a crown of thorns. Hopefully we all know that the physical pain was the easy part and the most severe pain was being separated from God as He was punished for the sins of the world causing Him to cry in agony “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The writer to the Hebrews asks us to think of yet another aspect, the shame and disgrace. Maybe we think of the fact that those crucified were left naked, hanging on a cross near the entrance to the city for all who passed by to heckle and jeer. If only that were all there was to it. Jesus bore the shame of sin, all sin. You know the shame of your sins. You know how it feels when you are caught and your sins are laid out there for everybody to see. Jesus experienced the shame of everyone’s sins. He hung before God as the 13 year old boy who bludgeoned his grandma to death with a hatchet and hammer. He hung there as the Cleveland Creep who kidnapped and brutalized women. On the cross Jesus was the drug dealer, a liar, a murderer, a rapist, a molester. We could go on and on but let’s not. Jesus had all of that shame attached to Him and He scorned it. He said, “Bring it on!”
          Why did He do it? Why was the holy Son of God willing to do that? “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.” For the joy set before Him. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. It gave Him joy. It made Him happy. Not enduring the pain. Not taking on the shame. Winning souls. You. Me. With Him forever. Jesus had you in mind when He was on that cross. You were so worth it to Him. The thought of having you in heaven gave Him such joy He scorned the shame.  So that Jim Guenther and the rest of Lois’ family could have comfort in the midst of  sorrow and know that death actually meant life, that gave Jesus such joy He scored the shame. That’s why He did it. That’s why the cross and its shame was worth it to Him. For the joy set before Him.
          Knowing why Jesus did what He did motivates us too. We respond to the joy of Jesus and we fix our eyes on Him. Just like God’s people in the past needed to. At the time the letter to the Hebrews was written some of the Jewish Christians were thinking of leaving Jesus and going back to Old Testament living just as if Jesus had never come. It was getting a little tough to live as a Christian back then. The Holy Spirit had the writer to the Hebrews remind them of all their heroes of faith in chapter 11, believers who had come before them and needed to keep the faith especially when things weren’t going so well. He wrote, 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.”
          We fix our eyes on Jesus. A picture is being used of a runner in a race. The runners need to fix their eyes on the finish line. We fix our eyes on Jesus. The runner throws off everything that hinders. Imagine trying to run a race with winter boots on, or your winter coat. Some of you may know that at our church picnic I wore a winter parka into the dunk tank because the water was so cold. Then some naughty, naughty children legally and through blatant cheating dunked me again and again. That coat got so heavy. I had to take it off. It was hindering me from climbing out of the tank. What is there that hinders you, that takes your eyes off Jesus? Are there some earthly goals, career highlights, more important to you than Jesus? Throw them off. They are not worth it. Are your eyes fixed on things that won’t last? Hold them up next to Jesus, their glory fades. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
          Then there is the sin that so easily entangles. Another word picture. Ever try running with your shoelaces tied together? Doesn’t work so well, does it? We need to learn to look at sin that way, as something that is going to trip us up. The Devil has a nasty sneaky way of getting Christians to think that some sins aren’t so bad, they are little or normal. He wants to trip us up. And so when you as scared of some punishment or what someone will think of you he tempts you to lie. And you do. And that lie breeds more lies. It becomes a way of life for you. You are entangled in a web of lies. Your eyes are not on Jesus. Or maybe you play that little comparison game. You want someone else’s popularity, or their things or their spouse. You become discontent with your own. It eats at you. You think about it. Pretty soon you’re charging yourself into debt, you’re flirting, you’re tearing down another’s reputation, you’re cheating on your taxes, you have nothing to give to Jesus as a thankoffering. You are entangled. Your eyes are off Jesus. All of that started with a “little” sin. Throw it off.
          There is a better way. Fix your eyes on Jesus and run with perseverance the race marked out for you. Veteran parents will tell you that parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. You are in it for the long hall. So you don’t judge by the day or even by the year but by the final product. Veteran soldiers of the cross will tell you the same thing. Life as a Christian is a marathon, not a sprint.  It is in the tasks of daily living that your faith needs to show and that matters much more than the short lived firework display of the day you made your confirmation vows. As our other readings made clear following Christ will get you opposed. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Fix your eyes on Jesus. He endured opposition from sinful men. We will too. The Lord has not revealed the future of true Christianity in America to us. He hasn’t shown us what’s going to happen to people like us who hold to Bible truth no matter what. Do you think we will face opposition from sinful men when we continue to say there is salvation only through  Jesus, that sex is to be reserved for marriage, that gay marriage is not marriage and is abominable to God? I think so. Are going to grow weary and lose heart? Like the Hebrew Christians will be tempted to join churches where the going isn’t quite so tough? Not if we keep our eyes on Jesus who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.
          That was His motivation. Let’s have it be ours too. We have the right to be joyful now. Jesus lives. Jesus rules. But the best joy is certainly to come. We get to be with Jesus and finally understand just how special we are to Him. Don’t throw it away for a short term easier path. No matter what you are going through right now, whether your life of following Jesus is easy or hard, fix your eyes on Jesus. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross for you. Amen.

Monday, August 5, 2013

PENTECOST 11 August 3-5, 2013 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:18-26 “FROM MEANINGLESS TO MEANINGFUL”


PENTECOST 11
August 3-5, 2013
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:18-26

“FROM MEANINGLESS TO MEANINGFUL”
1.     Everything really is meaningless without Jesus.
2.     Everything becomes meaningful with Him.

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:18-26 (NIV  1984) "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

          Sometimes it’s nice to learn from other people’s mistakes. Sure, it’s true that often we learn best from our own mistakes but isn’t it nicer to learn to watch your speed by passing the other guy who’s stopped with flashing lights behind him? Isn’t it better for you to remember that snow driving is slow driving by seeing the other guy fishtail or spin out rather than yourself? Today we get a chance to learn from someone else’s mistakes. Actually we get to learn from a teacher. Not just any teacher but a man who calls himself the Teacher, the one God used to write the Bible book of Ecclesiastes. Many people believe this teacher to be King Solomon because of the way the Teacher identifies himself as the son of King David, a king himself, living in Jerusalem and having great wisdom and great wealth. What do we get to learn? How to avoid being meaningless.
          The Teacher had found life to be meaningless. "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."  That’s one of the main thoughts of this entire book. The Teacher then went on to describe how he had tried to find happiness, meaning in life by pursuing earthly wisdom and learning and when he learned it all. He was still feeling empty. Meaningless. Then he tried to find meaning by pursuing pleasure. First he tried neutral pleasures, laughter and entertainment, building projects and gardens and parks. He amassed great wealth and tried sinful pleasures of all kinds. He summed it up this way in chapter 2:10-11 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
In our text the Teacher contemplated something that takes up a good portion of our lives, working and acquiring things. “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.” I guess that about sums it up. You work hard all your life. You save and take care of your things. You die and someone else gets your things. They may not value them like you do or take care of them. You can be frugal and save money and your heirs might waste it. That's  it. Life is meaningless.
Or it can be. We probably haven’t gone down all the roads to meaningless that the Teacher did but you can recognize the times we have been there. You know how when you make a purchase and you got a great deal and how good you felt? But that feeling doesn’t last. Kids, remember that toy you had to have for Christmas, or that video game you had to have? Still using it? Oh yeah and how about that work thing. If all there is to life is an endless cycle of working to pay bills and keep your head above water and stress about things all night, life is meaningless. Working hard and saving up and building things only to have the next generation ruin and waste it all is meaningless. The Teacher is right. Everything is meaningless.
Or should we say, he was half right. Everything can be meaningless. But it doesn’t have to be and should not be for people like us. What will make the difference? Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus. “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” Did you catch it? “Without him who can find enjoyment.” Without whom? The Savior God. The Lord. In Old Testament times the Teacher, or Solomon, simply knew their Savior as the LORD, the powerful God how saves and promised to send a Savior. We know that Savior is Jesus Christ. While everything really is meaningless without Jesus everything becomes meaningful with Him!
There is more to life than eat drink, work and die. There is eternal life. Life on earth can seem meaningless because it is messed up by sin. Our loving heavenly Father does not want us stuck in a sin filled world so when Adam and Eve messed it up by sinning and we continue to mess it up with our sins God stepped in with a new plan. Let this home go to pot and give us a new one. We generally call that heaven. We can’t get there on our own. We don’t belong there as sinners. We need to be cleansed of our sins so God planned and promised and fulfilled the sending of Jesus who lived for us and took our sins away and gives to every believer in Him the gift of eternal life in heaven. That’s coming but it changes now. Now everything for us believers is meaningful. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.” Knowing Jesus is your Savior, that heaven is your home, that Hell is real and where those who don’t believe in Jesus condemn themselves to changes everything about this life and it becomes meaningful. Take eating. It is meaningful because I get to express my thanks to the Lord for providing. I can realize that He is strengthening me physically to do what I need to do to provide for my family and be a witness where I am at. Take work. With Jesus I see it as a mask for God to provide, something for me to do my best at because it’s for the Lord. I can look for opportunities to talk about Jesus. Just a couple of weeks ago I got that opportunity at the credit union service center just because my checking account says “Pastor Timothy Spaude.” How about your legacy? If God blesses you to have more than enough instead of fearing what you leave behind is meaningless you can make sure you entrust it to those who will use it to honor God by taking care of your family or funding Gospel work so people believe in Jesus and are saved instead of lost forever in Hell. With Jesus everything becomes meaningful.
          There’s an old Gospel Hymn that says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” Try that sometime and see how everything is kept in perspective and meaningful with Jesus. That present you really wanted, that video game you had to have, that great bargain you got…hold it up next to Jesus. See how it shines next to Him and you’ll be able to enjoy it in a meaningful way. A temporary joy as a blessing from Jesus. The illness you have, that ongoing problem in life, the not enough money existence…hold it up next to Jesus and watch the sting of it grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.
          When my folks were still stuck living here rather than in heaven poor Chris had to listen to some Timmy stories way too many times as they got older including this one. It’s the one where I was the last of the 8 urchins left at home. All the rest were in school. My mom was scrubbing the floor with one of those squeeze sponge mops in the old metal All bucket. She had paused and being the nice little boy that I was, I was going to help her. So I took the mop and promptly spilled the whole bucket all over the floor. My mom was exasperated. At which point I was reported to say, “Mama, that wouldn’t have happened if Jesus hadn’t let it.” Now we can talk about my theology there another time, but what’s a spilled bucket of wash water compared to your child expressing trust in Jesus? “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” Everything’s meaningful with Him. Go and live life to the full. Amen.