Well, hello and welcome
to our second service here
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at Pioneer Memorial Church.
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Just want to welcome
all those watching online
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from wherever you are right now.
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Really glad we could
worship together today.
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Also excited to welcome
all those joining us here
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in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
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Now it's time for
our call to worship.
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Comes to us from Psalm 67:1-5,
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and we're actually
going to read it responsively.
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The Bible says, "May
God be gracious to us
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and bless us and
make his face shine on us
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so that Your ways
may be known on earth,
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Your salvation
among all nations.
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May the peoples praise You, God.
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May all the peoples praise You.
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May the nations be
glad and sing for joy,
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for You rule the
peoples with equity
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and guide the
nations of the earth.
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May the peoples praise You, God,
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may all the peoples praise You."
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Let's pray together.
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Father, we want
to live out the words
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of that scripture right now,
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as we continue
worshiping and praising
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the everlasting King.
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So to that end,
Father, thank You for blessing
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and being with
each person online,
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each person here.
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Physically, our eyes are on You,
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and we thank You
in the name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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Blessed
assurance, Jesus is mine!
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O what a
foretaste of glory divine!
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Heir of
salvation, purchase of God
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Born of his
Spirit, washed in his blood
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my Savior
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All the day long
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Perfect
submission, perfect delight
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Visions of rapture
now burst on my sight
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Angels
descending bring from above
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Echoes of
mercy, whispers of love
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my Savior
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All the day long
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Perfect
submission, all is at rest
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I in my Savior
am happy and blest
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Watching and
waiting looking above
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Filled with his goodness
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Lost in his love
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This is my story,
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This is my song
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Praising my Savior
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All the day long
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This is my story,
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This is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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Wonderful, merciful Savior
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Precious Redeemer and Friend
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Who would have
thought that a Lamb
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Could rescue the souls of men
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Oh, You rescue
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The souls of men
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You are the One that we praise
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You are the One we adore
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You give the healing and grace
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Our hearts always hunger for
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Oh, our hearts always hunger for
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Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
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Spirit we long to embrace
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You offered hope
when our hearts had
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Hopelessly lost the way
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Oh, we hopelessly
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Lost the way
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You are the One that we praise
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You are the One we adore
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You give the healing and grace
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Our hearts always hunger for
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Oh, our hearts always hunger for
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Almighty, infinite Father
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Faithfully loving Your own
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Here in our weakness You find us
00:10:01.30\00:10:07.20
Falling before Your throne
00:10:07.24\00:10:11.67
Oh, we're falling
00:10:11.71\00:10:14.04
Before Your throne
00:10:14.08\00:10:18.91
You are the One that we praise
00:10:18.95\00:10:24.65
You are the One we adore
00:10:24.69\00:10:30.53
You give the healing and grace
00:10:30.56\00:10:34.93
Our hearts always hunger for
00:10:34.96\00:10:40.64
Oh, our hearts always
00:10:40.67\00:10:43.54
Hunger for
00:10:43.57\00:10:47.81
You are the One that we praise
00:10:47.84\00:10:53.62
You are the One we adore
00:10:53.65\00:10:59.25
You give the healing and grace
00:10:59.29\00:11:03.79
Our hearts always hunger for
00:11:03.83\00:11:09.70
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:11:09.73\00:11:15.60
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:11:15.64\00:11:21.61
Our scripture reading
00:11:32.19\00:11:33.86
is from Hebrews 12:1-2.
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"Therefore,
since we are surrounded
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by such a great
cloud of witnesses,
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let us throw off
everything that hinders
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and the sin that
so easily entangles.
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And let us run with perseverance
00:11:50.74\00:11:53.01
the race marked out for
us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,
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the pioneer and
perfecter of our faith.
00:11:57.85\00:12:01.18
For the joy set before
him he endured the cross,
00:12:01.22\00:12:04.32
scorning its shame,
00:12:04.35\00:12:05.75
and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God."
00:12:05.79\00:12:09.42
Lord I come to You
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Let my heart be changed, renewed
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Flowing from the grace
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That I've found in You
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Lord I've come to know
00:12:49.33\00:12:52.47
The weaknesses I see in me
00:12:52.50\00:12:58.31
Will be stripped away
00:12:58.34\00:13:03.48
By the power of Your love
00:13:03.51\00:13:07.48
Hold me close
00:13:10.79\00:13:14.86
Let Your love surround
00:13:14.89\00:13:18.99
Me
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Bring me near
00:13:21.70\00:13:25.80
Draw me to Your side
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And as I wait
00:13:32.54\00:13:36.75
I'll rise up like the eagle
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And I will soar with You
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Your Spirit leads me on
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In the power of Your love
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Lord unveil my eyes
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Let me see You face to face
00:13:59.57\00:14:04.81
The knowledge of Your love
00:14:04.84\00:14:08.24
As You live in me
00:14:08.28\00:14:14.25
Lord renew my mind
00:14:17.65\00:14:21.02
As Your will unfolds in my life
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In living every day
00:14:26.33\00:14:31.67
By the power of Your love
00:14:31.70\00:14:35.67
Hold me close
00:14:38.94\00:14:43.04
Let Your love surround
00:14:43.08\00:14:47.32
Me
00:14:47.35\00:14:50.02
Bring me near
00:14:50.05\00:14:54.16
Draw me to Your side
00:14:54.19\00:14:57.16
And as I wait
00:15:00.80\00:15:04.87
I'll rise up like the eagle
00:15:04.90\00:15:10.61
And I will soar with You
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.48
Your Spirit leads me on
00:15:13.51\00:15:16.34
In the power of Your love
00:15:16.38\00:15:20.35
Hold me close
00:15:23.62\00:15:27.76
Let Your love surround me
00:15:27.79\00:15:31.76
Bring me near
00:15:34.86\00:15:38.93
Draw me to Your side
00:15:38.97\00:15:41.90
And as I wait
00:15:45.67\00:15:50.01
I'll rise up like the eagle
00:15:50.05\00:15:55.72
And I will soar with You
00:15:55.75\00:15:58.55
Your Spirit leads me on
00:15:58.59\00:16:01.42
In the power of Your love
00:16:01.46\00:16:07.26
And I will soar with You
00:16:07.30\00:16:10.27
Your Spirit leads me on
00:16:10.30\00:16:13.57
In the power of Your love
00:16:13.60\00:16:19.57
Amen.
00:17:04.95\00:17:06.29
Thank you, Jamieson and Jason.
00:17:06.32\00:17:11.13
Power of your love.
00:17:11.16\00:17:12.69
Boy, we needed that
wrapping up a summer
00:17:12.73\00:17:14.80
and on the cusp
of a brand new year.
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.23
And I got to say before we pray
00:17:18.27\00:17:22.34
and dive into this
morning's teaching.
00:17:22.37\00:17:25.64
I'm so proud of Andrew and Josh.
00:17:25.67\00:17:29.94
I'm just really
proud of you guys.
00:17:29.98\00:17:33.55
Your testimony,
00:17:33.58\00:17:34.92
and we just got a
Reader's Digest version of it
00:17:34.95\00:17:38.45
a moment ago,
00:17:38.49\00:17:39.82
but your testimony
is going to be used
00:17:39.85\00:17:41.22
by the mighty spirit of Christ
to turn other lives around.
00:17:41.26\00:17:45.43
We need young men
00:17:45.46\00:17:49.00
who have
testimonies about Jesus.
00:17:49.03\00:17:51.73
We need young men
00:17:51.77\00:17:53.44
who have a
relationship with Jesus
00:17:53.47\00:17:55.37
and are absolutely unapologetic.
00:17:55.40\00:17:59.64
I am a radical
follower of Christ,
00:17:59.67\00:18:02.64
and I invite you to join me.
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.55
So if you're a young
man in this space right now,
00:18:04.58\00:18:07.32
you got it twice this morning.
00:18:07.35\00:18:09.35
And the Spirit is tapping
00:18:09.38\00:18:11.92
on your consciousness
and saying, "Come on,
00:18:11.95\00:18:14.99
let's go, you and me."
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.23
By the way, that's
true for young women.
00:18:17.26\00:18:19.86
God bless the young
women in our midst right now,
00:18:19.89\00:18:22.16
and a whole
bunch are on their way.
00:18:22.20\00:18:23.93
Everybody's coming back.
00:18:23.97\00:18:25.30
Can't believe
this summer's over,
00:18:25.33\00:18:27.14
but God's still on the throne.
00:18:27.17\00:18:28.97
And if God's on the
throne, I'll wear a mask.
00:18:29.00\00:18:30.64
Okay, I don't
want to wear a mask,
00:18:30.67\00:18:32.37
but if God is on the
throne, I'll wear that mask.
00:18:32.41\00:18:37.01
And as I told the
folks in first service,
00:18:37.05\00:18:38.41
this too shall pass.
00:18:38.45\00:18:39.78
Hallelujah.
00:18:39.81\00:18:41.15
It'll pass.
00:18:41.18\00:18:42.52
Oh, God, the power of Your love
00:18:42.55\00:18:45.49
let me rise like an eagle.
00:18:45.52\00:18:48.72
That's what we needed to
hear on the cusp of a new year.
00:18:48.76\00:18:51.19
Not yet.
00:18:51.23\00:18:52.56
It's not the new year yet.
00:18:52.59\00:18:53.93
Some are still
here, but here we are.
00:18:53.96\00:18:57.57
Word of God is
front and center now.
00:18:57.60\00:19:00.87
Hide this voice and
all the other distractions,
00:19:00.90\00:19:03.64
have your way to the max.
00:19:03.67\00:19:06.31
So that like Josh and Andrew,
00:19:06.34\00:19:08.34
we can
acknowledge that we belong
00:19:08.38\00:19:12.91
to the Lord, Jesus Christ,
00:19:12.95\00:19:14.32
and whose name we pray.
00:19:14.35\00:19:15.98
Amen.
00:19:16.02\00:19:18.12
Did you know that the last time
00:19:18.15\00:19:19.62
Japan hosted the
summer Olympics in Tokyo,
00:19:19.65\00:19:23.66
I was a little 12-year-old
brat running around that city?
00:19:23.69\00:19:27.86
At the time, it
was the largest city
00:19:27.90\00:19:29.60
on the planet.
00:19:29.63\00:19:31.10
Today, it is
still the largest city
00:19:31.13\00:19:33.17
on this planet.
00:19:33.20\00:19:35.34
And I'm going to tell you this.
00:19:35.37\00:19:36.71
I wasn't just a 12-year-old kid,
00:19:36.74\00:19:40.28
I was an
unbaptized 12-year-old kid.
00:19:40.31\00:19:43.85
And the reason I know that
is because the next year, 1965,
00:19:43.88\00:19:47.48
I got baptized in the
Harajuku Central Church,
00:19:47.52\00:19:51.49
which I tell you the truth was,
00:19:51.52\00:19:53.09
and still is less
than a half mile walk.
00:19:53.12\00:19:56.26
Come on, less
than a half mile walk
00:19:56.29\00:19:57.89
to the iconic 1964
Tokyo Olympic pavilion.
00:19:57.93\00:20:03.20
Like a pagoda, an iron roof
that just twirls into the sky.
00:20:03.23\00:20:07.77
Now I got to also remind
you, if you're my age and older,
00:20:07.80\00:20:11.37
that the star of the
Olympics in Tokyo in 1964
00:20:11.41\00:20:15.34
was a kid named Don Schollander,
00:20:15.38\00:20:17.15
only six years older than me.
00:20:17.18\00:20:18.51
So he was 18 at the
time, and he ran away with...
00:20:18.55\00:20:21.22
He swam away
with four gold medals.
00:20:21.25\00:20:24.69
Wow.
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.05
He was ending...
He ended up being
00:20:26.09\00:20:27.86
christened the most successful
athlete of the 1964 games
00:20:27.89\00:20:32.16
and all of Japan celebrated.
00:20:32.19\00:20:34.43
And by the way,
in the same city,
00:20:34.46\00:20:35.86
57 years later to the month,
00:20:35.90\00:20:40.50
another American
named Caeleb Dressel
00:20:40.54\00:20:44.14
swims away with
five gold medals.
00:20:44.17\00:20:46.51
So Tokyo and the Olympics
00:20:46.54\00:20:48.54
had been good for
American swimmers.
00:20:48.58\00:20:52.68
But in 1964, I remind you,
00:20:52.71\00:20:55.48
it was very
different than in 2021.
00:20:55.52\00:20:57.82
Tokyo went bananas over the fact
00:20:57.85\00:20:59.29
that they'd been
asked to host the Olympics.
00:20:59.32\00:21:02.39
Because if you
subtract 20 from 24,
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.29
you'll get the
year, and that's 1944.
00:21:04.33\00:21:06.49
And in 1944, Japan was
a pariah on this planet.
00:21:06.53\00:21:09.93
So to become the poster
child of the great Olympics
00:21:09.96\00:21:13.07
was a big deal, and
they pulled out every stop
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.80
and it was an
unforgettable event.
00:21:15.84\00:21:19.61
But what a
difference COVID-19 can make.
00:21:19.64\00:21:22.54
Shut down the 2020 Olympics.
00:21:22.58\00:21:25.38
Almost shut down 2021.
00:21:25.41\00:21:28.12
The NHK, the big
corporate communication
00:21:28.15\00:21:32.89
giant in Japan, they
did a survey in July.
00:21:32.92\00:21:37.89
Nearly two
thirds of the Japanese
00:21:37.93\00:21:40.23
were not persuaded
the game should go on.
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.23
So they came that
close, but because of COVID,
00:21:43.26\00:21:47.44
everybody knows the protocol.
00:21:47.47\00:21:50.84
Government forbade any foreigner
00:21:50.87\00:21:53.61
to enter the country
00:21:53.64\00:21:56.41
for the sake of the
games or anything else.
00:21:56.44\00:21:59.05
The same government
forbade any Japanese spectators
00:21:59.08\00:22:02.18
from sitting in $3
billion worth of new stadiums
00:22:02.22\00:22:06.82
that are now empty.
00:22:06.86\00:22:08.92
Unbelievable.
00:22:08.96\00:22:10.29
Here's a picture
of the Tokyo stadium.
00:22:10.33\00:22:14.20
That's the city of my birth.
00:22:14.23\00:22:15.56
I was born... So I'm
kind of proud of this,
00:22:15.60\00:22:16.97
but born in that city,
00:22:17.00\00:22:18.73
35 to 37 million
people in one city.
00:22:18.77\00:22:21.54
Go figure.
00:22:21.57\00:22:22.90
And that
beautiful stadium was empty.
00:22:22.94\00:22:25.71
Although athletes
knew it was empty,
00:22:25.74\00:22:27.64
we all knew it was
empty, but you know what?
00:22:27.68\00:22:31.81
Kudos to my Japanese cousins.
00:22:31.85\00:22:34.72
Through the
master use of graphics,
00:22:37.89\00:22:39.69
they were able to put
black and white creations
00:22:39.72\00:22:42.52
in all the seats.
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.23
And so in the
unlighted areas, it looked like
00:22:44.26\00:22:46.49
the entire stadium
was full of people.
00:22:46.53\00:22:48.76
You go, but we
knew the difference.
00:22:48.80\00:22:52.83
Yeah, it was too bad.
00:22:52.87\00:22:54.80
Let's go this morning
to another Olympic stadium.
00:22:54.84\00:22:57.97
We'll go 2 millennia back.
00:22:58.01\00:22:59.44
That's 2,000 years back.
00:22:59.47\00:23:01.28
We'll go to Athens.
00:23:01.31\00:23:04.01
Oh boy, the stadiums back
then were certainly different.
00:23:04.05\00:23:06.05
And I've stood in some
of those amphitheaters.
00:23:06.08\00:23:07.98
We're talking about hard
rock, not Hard Rock Cafe,
00:23:08.02\00:23:10.19
but there's a hard rock stadium.
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.22
Because it's just solid rock
and it goes up and then back,
00:23:12.25\00:23:14.99
up and then back,
and up and then back.
00:23:15.02\00:23:16.69
In fact, let me...
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.06
Here's one of the
stadiums, an amphitheater.
00:23:18.09\00:23:20.23
You see that?
00:23:20.26\00:23:21.60
All stone, all stone.
00:23:21.63\00:23:23.13
People crowding it way
up here in the bleachers.
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.33
They even have
bleachers back then.
00:23:25.37\00:23:26.97
And everything's
happening down there, down here.
00:23:27.00\00:23:28.70
It might be wrestling.
00:23:28.74\00:23:30.07
Who knows what kind of sport?
00:23:30.11\00:23:31.87
The Olympics, by the
way, go back to 776 BC.
00:23:31.91\00:23:35.61
So we're not talking about some
fresh, new upstart games here.
00:23:35.64\00:23:40.15
The writer of
Hebrews knows all about this,
00:23:40.18\00:23:44.95
and he writes the
opening line of Chapter 12.
00:23:44.99\00:23:48.16
And I'd like to invite you to go
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.52
to Hebrews Chapter 12, will you?
00:23:49.56\00:23:51.49
Hebrews Chapter 12.
00:23:51.53\00:23:54.23
I'm in the New
International Version.
00:23:54.26\00:23:56.56
Thank you,
Debbie, for reading it,
00:23:56.60\00:23:57.93
and thank you ladies for
leading in the music today.
00:23:57.97\00:23:59.63
That was beautiful.
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.00
I could listen
to you all day long.
00:24:01.04\00:24:02.40
Hebrews Chapter 12, NIV verse 1.
00:24:05.87\00:24:10.25
"Therefore, okay,
the writer of Hebrews,
00:24:10.28\00:24:12.41
he knows about this picture.
00:24:12.45\00:24:13.95
Therefore, since
we are surrounded
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.05
by such a great
cloud of witnesses."
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.82
Amphitheater, see
all the way around.
00:24:19.85\00:24:22.12
"Surrounded as we are,
00:24:22.16\00:24:23.49
let us throw off
everything that hinders
00:24:23.53\00:24:25.56
and the sin that
so easily entangles.
00:24:25.59\00:24:28.16
And let us run with perseverance
00:24:28.20\00:24:31.43
the race marked out for us."
00:24:31.47\00:24:34.74
I want to tell
you something, folks,
00:24:34.77\00:24:36.10
that verse has
the Olympics written
00:24:36.14\00:24:38.24
all over it.
00:24:38.27\00:24:39.61
Doesn't it?
00:24:39.64\00:24:40.98
I mean, here is the stadium.
00:24:41.01\00:24:42.34
It's an amphitheater.
00:24:42.38\00:24:43.71
And who is filling the stadium?
00:24:43.75\00:24:45.21
How does the author put it?
00:24:45.25\00:24:46.58
He says, "This
stadium is filled with people
00:24:46.61\00:24:49.18
like a great cloud."
00:24:49.22\00:24:50.99
And some people
think the cloud means
00:24:51.02\00:24:52.72
these are people that
have already gone to heaven.
00:24:52.75\00:24:54.36
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
00:24:54.39\00:24:56.52
In that day when the
writer wrote Hebrews,
00:24:56.56\00:24:58.79
cloud meant the way of
describing a large throng.
00:24:58.83\00:25:02.43
We would say a crowd of people.
00:25:02.46\00:25:04.00
But back then, they
would say a cloud of people.
00:25:04.03\00:25:06.63
These aren't people
that had gone to heaven.
00:25:06.67\00:25:08.04
No, these are people.
00:25:08.07\00:25:10.41
Well, it turns
out they are dead,
00:25:10.44\00:25:14.01
but they are a vast
throng of witnesses.
00:25:14.04\00:25:18.91
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:25:18.95\00:25:20.28
Peter O'Brien, the
Australian commentator
00:25:20.32\00:25:23.12
that
demonstrative such a great...
00:25:23.15\00:25:26.25
Speaking of such a great throng.
00:25:26.29\00:25:27.99
That demonstrative
such a great is emphatic
00:25:28.02\00:25:31.23
and draws attention to
the number and magnificence
00:25:31.26\00:25:34.30
of that assembly.
00:25:34.33\00:25:36.10
We're talking about
00:25:36.13\00:25:37.73
what we would call
them today's superheroes.
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.33
I mean, that's
what we would call them.
00:25:39.37\00:25:40.97
They were not superheroes.
00:25:41.00\00:25:42.34
They were just
average men and women,
00:25:42.37\00:25:44.81
and children like you
and me, and Enoch, and Rahab,
00:25:44.84\00:25:48.51
and Gideon, and
Abraham, and Sarah, and Moses.
00:25:48.54\00:25:52.05
They're called... The
writer calls them witnesses.
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.12
And the Greek word
for witness is martus.
00:25:55.15\00:25:59.52
Martus means anybody
00:25:59.55\00:26:01.02
who observes
something take place
00:26:01.06\00:26:04.16
and then turns
around and reports
00:26:04.19\00:26:06.29
what he or she observed.
00:26:06.33\00:26:09.83
Martus.
00:26:09.86\00:26:11.20
But when the
writer is writing this
00:26:11.23\00:26:12.87
in the Christian
circles of the Roman Empire,
00:26:12.90\00:26:15.74
the fledgling church.
00:26:15.77\00:26:18.07
In those circles, the
word martus began to refer
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.98
and be recognized as
a way to describe those,
00:26:23.01\00:26:26.28
who at the cost of their lives,
00:26:26.31\00:26:29.68
have now borne
witness that Jesus is Lord.
00:26:29.72\00:26:33.15
Say Caesar's
Lord or you're dead.
00:26:33.19\00:26:35.42
Jesus is Lord.
00:26:35.46\00:26:37.56
Gone.
00:26:37.59\00:26:39.03
Martus.
00:26:39.06\00:26:40.40
From whence comes
the English word, martyr.
00:26:40.43\00:26:44.77
That's who's in that cloud.
00:26:44.80\00:26:47.14
They're there
sound asleep in Christ,
00:26:47.17\00:26:50.71
but the memory of them...
00:26:50.74\00:26:53.07
In fact, the chapter
ends... You got to see this.
00:26:53.11\00:26:56.24
So here's verse 1 of 12.
00:26:56.28\00:26:57.61
Just go back, go
back up to verse 35.
00:26:57.65\00:26:59.71
This is Hebrews 11.
00:26:59.75\00:27:01.08
This is the Bible hall of fame.
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.45
Talk about superheroes
as what we think of them as,
00:27:02.48\00:27:04.29
the Bible hall of fame,
the Bible hall of faith.
00:27:04.32\00:27:07.49
No, we think they're all just,
you know, easy-peasy stars.
00:27:07.52\00:27:11.26
No, they're not. Watch this.
00:27:11.29\00:27:13.50
This is at the end of
the hall of fame listing.
00:27:13.53\00:27:16.13
Women received back their
dead raised to life again.
00:27:16.16\00:27:20.10
There were others
who were tortured,
00:27:20.14\00:27:22.54
refusing to be released
00:27:22.57\00:27:24.14
so that they might gain
an even better resurrection.
00:27:24.17\00:27:27.44
Some face jeers,
some face flogging,
00:27:27.48\00:27:31.18
some faced even
chains and imprisonment.
00:27:31.21\00:27:33.75
They were put to
death by stoning.
00:27:33.78\00:27:36.05
They were sawed in two.
00:27:36.08\00:27:37.85
They were killed by the sword.
00:27:37.89\00:27:39.89
They went about in
sheep skins and goat skins,
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.99
destitute,
persecuted, and mistreated.
00:27:42.02\00:27:44.09
And the greatest
line in this entire hall
00:27:44.13\00:27:46.63
of fame chapter is the next one.
00:27:46.66\00:27:48.56
The world of whom
the world was not worthy.
00:27:48.60\00:27:53.50
This planet was
not worthy to have
00:27:53.54\00:27:54.90
men, women, and children
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.84
who would pay that higher price
00:27:56.87\00:27:59.07
to stand up for
what they believed.
00:27:59.11\00:28:01.14
And I want to
tell you something,
00:28:01.18\00:28:02.51
this culture, this
society is not worthy.
00:28:02.54\00:28:05.85
It's not worthy
to have the Andrews
00:28:05.88\00:28:07.48
and the Joshes in this space.
00:28:07.52\00:28:10.89
This society that
mocks the existence of God,
00:28:10.92\00:28:13.52
that laughs off
the notion of a Savior,
00:28:13.56\00:28:17.06
that lives by
the motto eat, drink,
00:28:17.09\00:28:19.33
and be married,
for tomorrow we die,
00:28:19.36\00:28:22.10
of whom this
society is not worthy.
00:28:22.13\00:28:24.97
People like you and these
boys who just got baptized,
00:28:25.00\00:28:30.21
of whom the world is not worthy.
00:28:30.24\00:28:33.48
They wandered in deserts,
they wandered in mountains,
00:28:33.51\00:28:36.58
living in caves and
in holes in the ground.
00:28:36.61\00:28:39.51
These were all
commended for their faith,
00:28:39.55\00:28:41.55
yet not one of them
received what had been promised.
00:28:41.58\00:28:44.09
That cloud is not them
already having gone to heaven.
00:28:44.12\00:28:46.22
No, no, no.
00:28:46.25\00:28:47.59
They haven't even
received what's been promised.
00:28:47.62\00:28:48.99
Why? Because God has a plan.
00:28:49.02\00:28:50.99
He's planned for something
better for us, you, and me,
00:28:51.03\00:28:53.66
and them, so that
only together with us
00:28:53.70\00:28:56.97
and them would
they be made perfect.
00:28:57.00\00:28:59.40
Isn't that amazing?
00:28:59.43\00:29:01.07
God says, "I'll wait
till everybody's ready.
00:29:01.10\00:29:02.47
And we'll all...
00:29:02.50\00:29:03.84
We'll have the party together."
00:29:03.87\00:29:05.44
The huge welcome home party
and everybody will be there.
00:29:05.47\00:29:10.18
Man, I got to move to
an altar call right now.
00:29:10.21\00:29:12.71
I want to be in
that party, don't you?
00:29:12.75\00:29:14.08
Put your hand up.
00:29:14.12\00:29:15.45
I want to be in that
party when they bring all...
00:29:15.48\00:29:17.99
When the saints
come marching in.
00:29:18.02\00:29:20.86
Oh, I want to be...
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.22
I want to be in that number
when the saints go marching in.
00:29:22.26\00:29:26.86
Yeah, me too.
00:29:26.90\00:29:29.40
So the whole purpose of
this Bible hall of fame,
00:29:29.43\00:29:31.33
hall of faith chapter,
00:29:31.37\00:29:33.87
it is to spur the
likes of you and me
00:29:33.90\00:29:37.37
so that no matter how difficult,
00:29:37.41\00:29:39.14
no matter how painful
the ordeal turns out to be,
00:29:39.17\00:29:42.28
we will not quit.
00:29:42.31\00:29:43.95
We will not back out.
00:29:43.98\00:29:46.48
You hear what I'm
saying? You know what I mean?
00:29:46.51\00:29:48.18
We will not stop and
say, "No further, no further."
00:29:48.22\00:29:53.82
I know a lot of us
complain about COVID-19.
00:29:53.86\00:29:57.79
I hate these masks.
00:29:57.83\00:30:00.86
Vaccination, ah.
00:30:00.90\00:30:02.43
We complain about
how inconvenient life
00:30:05.50\00:30:07.70
has become for us.
00:30:07.74\00:30:09.07
And then we read the
last five verses of Hebrews 11
00:30:09.10\00:30:11.21
and we say, "My Lord,
what am I bellyaching about?"
00:30:11.24\00:30:16.71
Those last five verses,
as the author of Hebrews say,
00:30:16.75\00:30:19.38
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, hush your mouth.
00:30:19.41\00:30:22.82
You ain't seen
nothing yet, kids."
00:30:22.85\00:30:26.29
And guess what? He's right.
00:30:26.32\00:30:28.39
We got darker days coming.
00:30:28.42\00:30:30.26
You're bothered
by a little mask?
00:30:30.29\00:30:32.36
You haven't seen anything.
00:30:32.39\00:30:34.53
You haven't seen anything.
00:30:34.56\00:30:37.93
That's what this hall
of fame, hall of faith,
00:30:37.97\00:30:40.34
and then the first
lines of Chapter 12
00:30:40.37\00:30:42.74
are to steel us up,
are to iron in the soul
00:30:42.77\00:30:47.08
so that when it
comes, we're not wimping out.
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.74
We're not running away.
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.11
Mask or no mask,
we're not leaving.
00:30:51.15\00:30:52.55
Therefore, since
we are surrounded
00:30:59.22\00:31:01.62
by such a great
cloud of witnesses,
00:31:01.66\00:31:06.53
let us throw off
everything that hinders
00:31:06.56\00:31:09.30
and the sin that
so easily entangles.
00:31:09.33\00:31:13.07
Now I'm telling you
something you already know,
00:31:13.10\00:31:15.00
but I want to reinforce it.
00:31:15.04\00:31:16.37
No Olympic
runner that you watched,
00:31:16.40\00:31:18.14
and we watched the Olympics.
00:31:18.17\00:31:20.01
No Olympic swimmer that you saw,
00:31:20.04\00:31:22.01
no Olympic
athlete in Tokyo, 2021
00:31:22.04\00:31:25.91
kept on their warm up suit.
00:31:25.95\00:31:30.02
The cameras would track them
00:31:30.05\00:31:31.39
coming into the track and field.
00:31:31.42\00:31:32.75
They'd have that warm up suit on
00:31:32.79\00:31:34.12
and they'd be
loosening around, loosening up,
00:31:34.16\00:31:36.93
but the moment would come
when all of that comes off.
00:31:36.96\00:31:38.86
They're stripped
down to almost nothing.
00:31:38.89\00:31:42.30
Those swimmers they'd come out,
00:31:42.33\00:31:43.80
and they just
peel off that stuff.
00:31:43.83\00:31:45.83
There goes my warm suit,
00:31:45.87\00:31:47.54
get into this
pool, splash that water.
00:31:47.57\00:31:49.80
Okay, bring it on.
00:31:49.84\00:31:51.34
Let's go.
00:31:51.37\00:31:53.91
And by the way, kudos to
those young Norwegian women
00:31:53.94\00:31:56.48
beach volleyball players
who said, "You know what?
00:31:56.51\00:32:00.38
We're not going to
wear those skimpy bikinis
00:32:00.42\00:32:02.42
that have been decreed
by a group of corporate men
00:32:02.45\00:32:04.65
sitting in an
office somewhere saying,
00:32:04.69\00:32:06.05
'We got to increase our ratings.
00:32:06.09\00:32:07.42
Let's have the
women in bikinis.'"
00:32:07.46\00:32:10.06
"We're not going
to do it," they said,
00:32:10.09\00:32:12.49
"We're going to wear
something that covers us.
00:32:12.53\00:32:15.30
We'll be fine."
00:32:15.33\00:32:16.97
And I want to say in
Norwegian to those girls,
00:32:17.00\00:32:19.33
"You go girls, you go."
00:32:19.37\00:32:24.21
And as an aside, and
I think this probably
00:32:24.24\00:32:26.24
was not on the mind
of the author of Hebrews.
00:32:26.27\00:32:30.25
But as an aside,
00:32:30.28\00:32:32.85
you women who are
here listening right now,
00:32:32.88\00:32:36.22
watching somewhere,
00:32:36.25\00:32:37.59
you're going to have to stand up
00:32:37.62\00:32:38.95
and speak for yourself
like those Norwegian girls.
00:32:38.99\00:32:41.12
Don't let this culture
turn you into a gaping object.
00:32:41.16\00:32:44.66
Don't let this culture
corrupt you into thinking
00:32:44.69\00:32:50.17
that if you dressed
with as little as possible,
00:32:50.20\00:32:53.03
you're going to
win the heart of a guy,
00:32:53.07\00:32:54.40
you're going to
win the heart of a man.
00:32:54.44\00:32:55.77
You will not.
00:32:55.80\00:32:57.14
You may win their eyes,
00:32:57.17\00:32:58.51
but you won't win their respect.
00:32:58.54\00:33:01.04
Follow the Norwegian girls.
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.78
I'm proud of them.
00:33:02.81\00:33:04.15
Let us cast aside anything.
00:33:06.85\00:33:09.45
What is it? Anything,
everything that hinders.
00:33:09.48\00:33:11.55
Anything, the sin
that so easily entangles.
00:33:11.59\00:33:14.36
And isn't it
interesting we say, what sin?
00:33:14.39\00:33:16.62
He doesn't say.
00:33:16.66\00:33:18.26
Why don't you tell us what sin?
00:33:18.29\00:33:19.63
Because he says,
"I don't have to.
00:33:19.66\00:33:21.00
You already know.
00:33:21.03\00:33:22.36
The moment you see
a sin that entangles,
00:33:22.40\00:33:23.73
it came to your mind."
00:33:23.77\00:33:25.10
"That's the sin," he
says, "I'm talking about."
00:33:25.13\00:33:27.37
I'm talking about
taking the warm up suit off
00:33:27.40\00:33:31.37
so that you can run this race
00:33:31.41\00:33:32.97
without anything
getting caught in your legs
00:33:33.01\00:33:35.41
and causing you to
stumble, fall, and lose a race.
00:33:35.44\00:33:41.18
Whatever it is, take it off.
00:33:41.22\00:33:44.35
Whatever's in your life
right now, throw it out.
00:33:44.39\00:33:47.72
You don't need
that to win this race.
00:33:47.76\00:33:49.69
In fact, it'll kill
you if you keep it on.
00:33:49.72\00:33:53.13
Boy, he doesn't
mince any words, does he?
00:33:53.16\00:33:55.03
He doesn't have to
tell us what it is.
00:33:55.06\00:33:56.40
I know.
00:33:56.43\00:33:57.77
We know.
00:33:57.80\00:33:59.13
Therefore, since
we are surrounded
00:34:02.74\00:34:04.27
by such a great
cloud of witnesses,
00:34:04.31\00:34:05.97
let us throw off
everything that hinders
00:34:06.01\00:34:07.98
and the sin that
so easily entangles.
00:34:08.01\00:34:10.55
And let us run with perseverance
00:34:10.58\00:34:12.95
the race marked out for us.
00:34:12.98\00:34:16.32
You see that word, race?
00:34:16.35\00:34:17.75
Here's... This
word... Where is it?
00:34:17.79\00:34:19.12
Where is it? Come on.
00:34:19.15\00:34:20.49
Race, right here.
00:34:20.52\00:34:21.86
In the Greek,
it's A-G-O-N, agon.
00:34:21.89\00:34:24.06
Agon.
00:34:24.09\00:34:25.43
Just put a Y on it and
you know the American word,
00:34:25.46\00:34:27.20
the English word.
00:34:27.23\00:34:28.56
What's the word?
00:34:28.60\00:34:29.93
Agony.
00:34:29.96\00:34:31.30
The word agony is
based on the races.
00:34:31.33\00:34:33.60
It's what you go through
when you're just breaking down
00:34:33.64\00:34:37.04
for that last burst, agony.
00:34:37.07\00:34:41.44
Now some of you guys remember
ABC's Wide World of Sports.
00:34:41.48\00:34:44.85
You had to be about my age.
00:34:44.88\00:34:46.21
Yeah, you had
to be about my age.
00:34:46.25\00:34:48.18
For 37 years, they had
a very successful season
00:34:48.22\00:34:51.29
on television,
Wide World of Sports.
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.29
And the renounced sports caster,
00:34:53.32\00:34:55.19
some of you will
remember him, Jim McKay.
00:34:55.22\00:34:57.29
He would read a script
00:34:57.33\00:34:59.39
as various clips
are taking place,
00:34:59.43\00:35:01.10
as different
sporting activities.
00:35:01.13\00:35:04.07
And in that opening sequence,
he would tout these words,
00:35:04.10\00:35:07.34
"The thrill of victory
and the agony of defeat."
00:35:07.37\00:35:11.41
And when he said
the agony of defeat,
00:35:11.44\00:35:13.88
the little video clip
in that opening montage
00:35:13.91\00:35:16.85
was always the same.
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.21
It was of a ski jump skier.
00:35:18.25\00:35:20.08
So he goes down.
00:35:20.12\00:35:21.45
You know the ski
jump, you go down
00:35:21.48\00:35:22.82
and then you go up this thing,
00:35:22.85\00:35:24.19
and you're just leaning
forward, leaning forward.
00:35:24.22\00:35:25.55
And you think the
guy's going to fall over
00:35:25.59\00:35:26.92
and just leaning
forward, leaning forward.
00:35:26.96\00:35:28.42
And you're dropping, dropping.
00:35:28.46\00:35:29.92
He had that day, when
the cameras were rolling,
00:35:29.96\00:35:33.13
a spectacular wipe out.
00:35:33.16\00:35:35.20
He survived.
00:35:35.23\00:35:36.70
It happened in
Oberstdorf, Germany.
00:35:36.73\00:35:38.63
And just as that
wipe out takes place,
00:35:38.67\00:35:41.30
Jim McKay says,
"The agony of defeat."
00:35:41.34\00:35:44.67
Well, the agony is
the agony of sports.
00:35:44.71\00:35:47.88
It's the agon of the race.
00:35:47.91\00:35:51.78
When Hebrews
calls the race an agon,
00:35:55.55\00:35:59.55
that is a strong hint.
00:35:59.59\00:36:01.16
As the previous
ending of Chapter 11
00:36:01.19\00:36:05.19
has already reminded us,
00:36:05.23\00:36:07.16
that the race
you and I are in...
00:36:07.20\00:36:09.23
I know you didn't get
to pick to be in this race,
00:36:09.26\00:36:10.97
but it's the one
you and I are in.
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.53
It is no picnic in the park.
00:36:12.57\00:36:14.47
I'm telling you.
00:36:14.50\00:36:15.97
This thing is full
bore, it is high octane,
00:36:16.00\00:36:19.01
it is a run for your
life to the finish line.
00:36:19.04\00:36:21.51
So let us run.
00:36:21.54\00:36:22.88
How's this go here?
00:36:22.91\00:36:24.25
So let us run with perseverance.
00:36:24.28\00:36:26.25
Do you know what that
word perseverance means?
00:36:26.28\00:36:28.65
That word means you don't quit.
00:36:28.68\00:36:30.32
You do not quit.
00:36:30.35\00:36:31.69
Don't quit.
00:36:31.72\00:36:33.05
Do not give up.
00:36:33.09\00:36:34.42
This race is going to be...
00:36:34.46\00:36:35.79
It's going to test you
to the metal of your soul.
00:36:35.82\00:36:38.63
And there are going to be days
when you say, "I'm quitting."
00:36:38.66\00:36:41.26
In fact, there's some of you
00:36:41.30\00:36:42.63
who are feeling that way already
00:36:42.66\00:36:44.00
and the summer isn't even over,
00:36:44.03\00:36:45.37
and the school
year hasn't started.
00:36:45.40\00:36:46.74
And you're already
thinking to yourself,
00:36:46.77\00:36:49.00
"I'm not going to make it.
00:36:49.04\00:36:50.37
It's just not
going to be possible."
00:36:50.41\00:36:52.37
You're already
considering giving up.
00:36:52.41\00:36:55.14
You're thinking about
throwing in the towel,
00:36:55.18\00:36:56.75
and there's another
sport metaphor for you.
00:36:56.78\00:36:58.71
You're thinking about
throwing in the towel.
00:36:58.75\00:37:00.25
I quit. I can't do it.
00:37:00.28\00:37:01.62
It's too big. It's too hard.
00:37:01.65\00:37:03.85
You cannot quit.
00:37:03.89\00:37:06.86
You cannot quit.
00:37:06.89\00:37:09.19
It's the agony of the race.
00:37:09.22\00:37:10.56
Of course, it's tough.
00:37:10.59\00:37:11.93
Of course, it's
hard. Guess what?
00:37:11.96\00:37:13.76
It was supposed to be.
00:37:13.80\00:37:15.63
The race you're on right now,
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.00
I'm going to prove it to
you beyond the shadow of doubt,
00:37:17.03\00:37:19.07
it was supposed to be tough.
00:37:19.10\00:37:21.60
Watch this.
00:37:21.64\00:37:22.97
There's one other
line I want to draw
00:37:23.00\00:37:24.34
to your attention here.
00:37:24.37\00:37:25.71
Look at this other line.
00:37:25.74\00:37:27.08
The race marked out for us.
00:37:27.11\00:37:29.21
Now this is technical language
that the Greek readers knew.
00:37:29.24\00:37:33.21
Because the race
masters used to do this,
00:37:33.25\00:37:35.25
they would decide, okay,
00:37:35.28\00:37:36.62
this year's race,
where's it going to be?
00:37:36.65\00:37:38.69
And so they
would sit down together
00:37:38.72\00:37:40.06
and they would plan.
00:37:40.09\00:37:41.42
They would chart a course.
00:37:41.46\00:37:42.79
Not to be sadistic and create
just this killer of a course,
00:37:42.82\00:37:47.90
but they would create
a course for two reasons.
00:37:47.93\00:37:50.97
Reason number one, they
wanted to test and display
00:37:51.00\00:37:53.50
the abilities of the runners.
00:37:53.54\00:37:54.87
They want the throng,
00:37:54.90\00:37:56.30
the cloud of
people in that stadium,
00:37:56.34\00:37:58.11
they want them to
say, "Look at this,
00:37:58.14\00:38:00.88
look at what she has built up.
00:38:00.91\00:38:02.54
Look what he's doing."
00:38:02.58\00:38:03.91
Number one,
that's what they wanted.
00:38:03.95\00:38:05.28
And number two, they
wanted to assure the athletes,
00:38:05.31\00:38:08.15
"Hey guys, there is a
finish line, trust me.
00:38:08.18\00:38:11.25
The masters of the
race have designed it."
00:38:11.29\00:38:13.56
There is a finish line.
00:38:13.59\00:38:14.92
You are not forgotten.
00:38:14.96\00:38:17.36
And on some tangent that
will never come to an end,
00:38:17.39\00:38:20.46
there is a finish
line, so don't quit.
00:38:20.50\00:38:22.23
Don't you dare quit.
00:38:22.26\00:38:24.07
That's why they did it.
00:38:24.10\00:38:25.43
Guess what?
00:38:25.47\00:38:26.80
Somebody else,
capital S Somebody,
00:38:26.84\00:38:28.94
called the master
of the games himself
00:38:28.97\00:38:31.97
has come down to you.
00:38:32.01\00:38:33.51
Because notice this,
00:38:33.54\00:38:34.88
it's been marked
out for you and me.
00:38:34.91\00:38:38.48
He's looked at your life.
00:38:38.51\00:38:40.25
The master, whose own
feet have been down the pathway
00:38:40.28\00:38:44.72
as he designed and
tested your race course.
00:38:44.75\00:38:48.06
And by the way, don't
you to be looking at me.
00:38:48.09\00:38:50.13
I can't be looking at you,
00:38:50.16\00:38:51.49
because the race you're running
is not the race I'm running.
00:38:51.53\00:38:53.96
We are on different courses.
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.26
We have a different
race in front of us.
00:38:56.30\00:38:58.57
Same finish line,
but different courses.
00:38:58.60\00:39:01.50
And by the way,
that capital S Somebody,
00:39:01.54\00:39:03.34
the master of the
games, he knows who you are.
00:39:03.37\00:39:06.91
The maker of all
things loves and wants you.
00:39:06.94\00:39:09.38
He wants the very best for you.
00:39:09.41\00:39:11.25
So He designs a course
00:39:11.28\00:39:14.75
that is going to
bring out your very best.
00:39:14.78\00:39:16.35
It's going to be painful.
00:39:16.38\00:39:17.72
It's going to feel
like you're going to lose.
00:39:17.75\00:39:19.39
It's going to
create agony in your soul,
00:39:19.42\00:39:21.02
but this course will
make you shine for Him.
00:39:21.06\00:39:23.86
And so He's designed it
00:39:23.89\00:39:25.23
because you need this skill now.
00:39:25.26\00:39:26.59
You have no idea,
junior, what is coming ahead.
00:39:26.63\00:39:30.63
I do.
00:39:30.67\00:39:32.00
You need this gift now.
00:39:32.03\00:39:34.07
He has designed the
course specifically for you,
00:39:34.10\00:39:37.24
specifically for you and me.
00:39:37.27\00:39:40.51
Wow.
00:39:40.54\00:39:42.58
So don't give up.
00:39:42.61\00:39:43.95
Don't change courses.
00:39:43.98\00:39:45.31
Don't say, "You know
what? I don't like this course.
00:39:45.35\00:39:46.68
God, I'm on another...
I started another race."
00:39:46.72\00:39:49.38
You can't.
00:39:49.42\00:39:50.79
You can't.
00:39:50.82\00:39:52.15
Stay on the course.
00:39:52.19\00:39:53.52
I've designed it for you.
00:39:53.56\00:39:54.89
Therefore, since
we are surrounded
00:39:57.53\00:39:58.89
by such a great
cloud of witnesses,
00:39:58.93\00:40:00.50
let us throw off
everything that hinders
00:40:00.53\00:40:02.13
and the sin that
so easily entangles.
00:40:02.16\00:40:04.77
And let us run with perseverance
00:40:04.80\00:40:06.33
the race marked out for us,
00:40:06.37\00:40:08.57
fixing our eyes on Jesus,
00:40:08.60\00:40:11.11
the pioneer and
perfecter of our faith.
00:40:11.14\00:40:13.34
I love that word, pioneer.
00:40:13.38\00:40:15.91
One of my favorite words
in all the English vocabulary,
00:40:15.94\00:40:19.65
and Jesus gets the name.
00:40:19.68\00:40:21.88
He's the pioneer.
00:40:21.92\00:40:23.25
This is the
Pioneer Memorial Church.
00:40:23.28\00:40:25.85
Fixing our eyes on Jesus,
00:40:25.89\00:40:27.26
the pioneer and
perfecter of the faith.
00:40:27.29\00:40:28.89
For the joy set before
him he endured the cross,
00:40:28.92\00:40:32.73
scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand
00:40:32.76\00:40:35.80
of the throne of God.
00:40:35.83\00:40:38.77
Wow.
00:40:38.80\00:40:41.07
Fixing our eyes on Jesus.
00:40:41.10\00:40:43.04
I'm telling you what?
00:40:43.07\00:40:44.47
I got to share this with you.
00:40:44.51\00:40:45.84
There are three
different translations here,
00:40:45.87\00:40:47.88
but I love all of them.
00:40:47.91\00:40:49.24
We just read,
this is the new NIV,
00:40:49.28\00:40:50.78
fixing our eyes on Jesus.
00:40:50.81\00:40:52.15
Here's the old NIV, let
us fix our eyes on Jesus.
00:40:52.18\00:40:55.65
And just this spring,
00:40:55.68\00:40:57.25
the new New
American Standard Bible,
00:40:57.29\00:40:59.92
it's called 2020,
but it's actually...
00:40:59.95\00:41:01.69
It came out in 2021.
00:41:01.72\00:41:03.26
I like the way they render
it, looking only at Jesus.
00:41:03.29\00:41:08.03
Ain't that something?
00:41:08.06\00:41:09.46
Looking only at Jesus.
00:41:09.50\00:41:13.00
I find that
compellingly beautiful.
00:41:13.03\00:41:15.64
Just look at Jesus.
00:41:15.67\00:41:17.04
Come on, I don't know
00:41:17.07\00:41:18.41
what you're
thinking about right now,
00:41:18.44\00:41:19.77
but for the last seconds
that you and I are together,
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.34
just put Jesus in your mind.
00:41:21.38\00:41:23.21
If you have a
hard time doing that,
00:41:23.24\00:41:24.58
just look at the big
rose window above my head.
00:41:24.61\00:41:26.25
He's sitting on a cloud.
00:41:26.28\00:41:27.62
He is coming soon.
00:41:27.65\00:41:28.98
Just look at Jesus for a moment.
00:41:29.02\00:41:30.59
Looking only at Jesus.
00:41:30.62\00:41:34.52
A few weeks ago, I
pulled out Dietrich Bonhoeffer's
00:41:34.56\00:41:36.86
wonderful short
book, Life Together,
00:41:36.89\00:41:38.93
about building
Christian community.
00:41:38.96\00:41:41.33
And as I'm reading it,
00:41:41.36\00:41:42.70
he stresses the
importance of beginning each day
00:41:42.73\00:41:45.17
with some quiet
time alone in the Word.
00:41:45.20\00:41:46.70
But it's the
way he expressed it,
00:41:46.74\00:41:48.37
that just made a
believer out of me.
00:41:48.40\00:41:49.74
And I said,
00:41:49.77\00:41:51.11
"With my New
American Standard Bible,
00:41:51.14\00:41:52.74
I'm going to try this method."
00:41:52.77\00:41:54.34
And so I'm trying it right now.
00:41:54.38\00:41:55.71
I've only been trying
it for a couple of weeks,
00:41:55.74\00:41:57.45
but let me share
with you his words.
00:41:57.48\00:41:59.41
Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
00:41:59.45\00:42:00.78
the who at 39,
crossed his finish line.
00:42:00.82\00:42:04.15
Because you're going
to cross the finish line
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.62
either at your death,
00:42:05.65\00:42:07.66
or at the return of Jesus.
00:42:07.69\00:42:10.09
That finish line
is in front of you.
00:42:10.13\00:42:12.76
You don't know how
close that finish line is.
00:42:12.79\00:42:15.30
And that's why quitting now,
00:42:15.33\00:42:17.13
quitting now,
that is impossible.
00:42:17.17\00:42:20.67
Never, never give up.
00:42:20.70\00:42:25.01
He was 39 years old
00:42:25.04\00:42:26.37
when he crossed the finish line.
00:42:26.41\00:42:27.74
Dead.
00:42:27.78\00:42:29.21
Radical young disciple of Jesus.
00:42:29.24\00:42:32.28
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
writes, "In our meditation,
00:42:32.31\00:42:34.15
we ponder the chosen text."
00:42:34.18\00:42:35.58
So you choose
whatever text you want.
00:42:35.62\00:42:36.95
And nobody's telling you
00:42:36.99\00:42:38.32
what you got to
read in the Bible.
00:42:38.35\00:42:39.69
I decided with my new
New American Standard Bible,
00:42:39.72\00:42:41.62
that I would start
with the story of Jesus.
00:42:41.66\00:42:43.22
So I start with Matthew,
00:42:43.26\00:42:44.59
and I've been working
over for a week and a half
00:42:44.63\00:42:47.13
now just verses
18, 19, 20, and 21.
00:42:47.16\00:42:50.10
But that's his method.
00:42:50.13\00:42:51.47
Just go a word at a time.
00:42:51.50\00:42:52.83
There's no rush.
00:42:52.87\00:42:54.47
In our meditation, we
ponder the chosen text
00:42:54.50\00:42:56.44
on the strength of the promise,
00:42:56.47\00:42:58.54
that that text that
you've chosen has something
00:42:58.57\00:43:00.88
utterly personal to
say to you for this day
00:43:00.91\00:43:04.91
and for our Christian life.
00:43:04.95\00:43:06.55
It is not only
God's word for the church.
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.85
You say, "Well, this
Bible is just a church's book."
00:43:08.88\00:43:10.65
No, no, no, no, no, no.
00:43:10.69\00:43:12.02
But that book, God's Word
00:43:12.05\00:43:13.82
is God's Word for
you and me individually.
00:43:13.86\00:43:17.43
Come on, you can do this, watch.
00:43:17.46\00:43:20.03
And now, by the way, he says,
00:43:20.06\00:43:21.96
"This is the very reason
why we begin our meditation."
00:43:22.00\00:43:24.27
So this is a good idea.
00:43:24.30\00:43:25.63
Every morning, we
begin our meditation
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.04
with the prayer that God
may send His Holy Spirit to us
00:43:27.07\00:43:30.07
through His Word,
00:43:30.11\00:43:31.44
and reveal His Word
to us and enlighten us.
00:43:31.47\00:43:33.38
So whenever you open the
Bible, you already knew this,
00:43:33.41\00:43:35.18
but I just remind
you, always say a prayer,
00:43:35.21\00:43:36.98
"Spirit, I know you're here
00:43:37.01\00:43:38.35
because this is
the book you inspired.
00:43:38.38\00:43:39.78
I need you to speak to me.
00:43:39.81\00:43:41.15
There's a word here.
00:43:41.18\00:43:42.52
I don't even know yet
what that word's going to be,
00:43:42.55\00:43:44.22
but use it to
communicate your directions
00:43:44.25\00:43:46.82
for my race today.
00:43:46.86\00:43:48.82
I humbly pray."
00:43:48.86\00:43:50.19
All right, so
you prayed a prayer.
00:43:50.23\00:43:51.99
Now he's going to
give three of these.
00:43:52.03\00:43:54.16
He says, "It's not
necessarily what you think."
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.53
And I like these three.
00:43:56.56\00:43:57.90
Number one, it is not necessary
00:43:57.93\00:44:00.54
that we should get
through the entire passage
00:44:00.57\00:44:02.77
in one meditation.
00:44:02.80\00:44:04.14
A lot of people say,
"Well, I've started here.
00:44:04.17\00:44:05.51
I got to get it done."
00:44:05.54\00:44:06.88
No, no, no, no,
no, stop with one word.
00:44:06.91\00:44:08.24
You got one word,
then stay on that word.
00:44:08.28\00:44:10.15
Who knows what that
word is going to do?
00:44:10.18\00:44:12.31
Number one, it is not necessary
00:44:12.35\00:44:14.42
that we should get
through the entire passage
00:44:14.45\00:44:15.78
in one meditation.
00:44:15.82\00:44:17.15
Number two, it is not necessary
00:44:17.19\00:44:18.85
that we should discover
new ideas in our meditation.
00:44:18.89\00:44:22.46
Often, this only
diverts us and feeds our vanity.
00:44:22.49\00:44:25.56
Now I'm in a room full of people
00:44:25.59\00:44:26.93
that for their careers,
00:44:26.96\00:44:28.63
they teach the Bible.
00:44:28.66\00:44:30.03
I can see him.
00:44:30.07\00:44:31.40
They teach the Bible.
00:44:31.43\00:44:32.77
And sometimes
when they have worship,
00:44:32.80\00:44:35.00
it's just really, "Oh, I
got to find something new.
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.64
I mean, I have to go and...
00:44:36.67\00:44:38.01
I'm gonna stand in
front of the students here
00:44:38.04\00:44:39.37
and in a few hours, I can say,
00:44:39.41\00:44:40.74
"You know, when I was reading
the Bible this morning..."
00:44:40.78\00:44:42.11
And I need
something really radical.
00:44:42.14\00:44:44.05
Watch what Bonhoeffer
says, "No, no, no, no,
00:44:44.08\00:44:46.75
we don't have to
discover something new
00:44:46.78\00:44:48.48
in our meditation.
00:44:48.52\00:44:49.85
Often, this only diverts
us and feeds our vanity."
00:44:49.88\00:44:54.39
He says, "Relax.
00:44:54.42\00:44:56.16
This is not show
and tell for your class.
00:44:56.19\00:44:58.39
This is show and
tell you and Jesus alone.
00:44:58.43\00:45:01.76
You have nothing
to report to anybody.
00:45:01.80\00:45:03.57
Not your spouse, not
your kids, not your roommate,
00:45:03.60\00:45:06.43
not, nobody.
00:45:06.47\00:45:07.80
This is you and me."
00:45:07.84\00:45:10.67
It's not necessary that we
have to discover new ideas.
00:45:10.71\00:45:12.97
And above all,
finally, number three,
00:45:13.01\00:45:15.21
it is not
necessary that we should have
00:45:15.24\00:45:17.25
any unexpected extraordinary
experiences in meditation.
00:45:17.28\00:45:21.18
Oh, God, I have such a
critical need right now.
00:45:21.22\00:45:24.75
Would you please
write on the wall
00:45:24.79\00:45:27.09
as you did in Daniel 5?
00:45:27.12\00:45:29.36
Never pray that prayer
00:45:29.39\00:45:30.89
because when God writes
on a wall, that's bad news.
00:45:30.93\00:45:32.99
You do not want God
writing on your wall.
00:45:33.03\00:45:34.90
Don't ever ask Him
to write on the wall.
00:45:34.93\00:45:37.23
It's judgment.
00:45:37.27\00:45:39.53
You just say, "God,
just make it clear in here."
00:45:39.57\00:45:42.00
That's all you have to say.
00:45:42.04\00:45:43.41
Don't ask for the wall.
00:45:43.44\00:45:44.87
Above all, it is not necessary
00:45:44.91\00:45:46.37
that we should
have any unexpected
00:45:46.41\00:45:47.94
extraordinary
experiences in meditation.
00:45:47.98\00:45:50.35
No, sir, this can happen.
00:45:50.38\00:45:52.41
It can happen.
00:45:52.45\00:45:54.08
"We're not ruling it
out," Bonhoeffer's saying,
00:45:54.12\00:45:56.79
"It's just not a sign
00:45:56.82\00:45:58.29
that the meditation
period has been useless."
00:45:58.32\00:46:00.59
Man, nothing
great happened today.
00:46:00.62\00:46:03.83
Well, sometimes I eat
the breakfast of champions.
00:46:03.86\00:46:06.13
That's Wheaties.
Did you know that?
00:46:06.16\00:46:07.56
Wheaties. You want to
grow up and be strong?
00:46:07.60\00:46:09.16
Eat Wheaties.
00:46:09.20\00:46:10.67
It's the breakfast of champions.
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.10
But sometimes, I eat it
00:46:12.13\00:46:13.47
and it's just soggy
corn flakes in warm milk.
00:46:13.50\00:46:18.67
It's just bad.
00:46:18.71\00:46:20.98
You don't have to
have a gourmet meal
00:46:21.01\00:46:22.98
every time you sit
down to be alone with Jesus.
00:46:23.01\00:46:26.05
It might be soggy
Wheaties today, but who cares?
00:46:26.08\00:46:28.65
You're alone with Jesus.
00:46:28.68\00:46:30.92
Something will be
there in your heart,
00:46:30.95\00:46:32.85
and you don't even
see it or sense it.
00:46:32.89\00:46:34.62
It's okay.
00:46:34.66\00:46:36.73
It's not a sign that you
just wasted your morning.
00:46:36.76\00:46:39.16
No.
00:46:39.19\00:46:40.53
Seek God, not happiness.
00:46:40.56\00:46:41.90
So I like that. I
don't know what he's quoting.
00:46:41.93\00:46:43.33
Seek God, not happiness.
00:46:43.37\00:46:44.77
This is the fundamental
rule of all meditation.
00:46:44.80\00:46:48.54
Just seek God.
00:46:48.57\00:46:51.07
Just look for God every morning.
00:46:51.11\00:46:52.97
Is that hard to do? No.
00:46:53.01\00:46:54.34
In fact, let me summarize it.
00:46:54.38\00:46:55.74
Number one, pray
for the Holy Spirit.
00:46:55.78\00:46:57.11
Number two, read
slowly through God's Word,
00:46:57.15\00:46:58.68
word by word.
00:46:58.71\00:47:00.05
We've already dealt with that.
00:47:00.08\00:47:01.42
Number three, trust God
to bring a personal word
00:47:01.45\00:47:02.78
from you from His Word today.
00:47:02.82\00:47:04.55
That's it.
00:47:04.59\00:47:05.92
What are you, 13 years old?
00:47:05.95\00:47:07.29
It's perfect for a 13-year-old.
00:47:07.32\00:47:08.66
Maybe you're 12.
It's perfect for a 12.
00:47:08.69\00:47:10.13
In your teens?
00:47:10.16\00:47:11.49
Perfect.
00:47:11.53\00:47:12.86
College student?
00:47:12.89\00:47:14.23
Look it, the point is
it works for everybody.
00:47:14.26\00:47:17.90
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
00:47:17.93\00:47:22.00
I watch one of the runners
00:47:22.04\00:47:23.97
in the most famous of all races.
00:47:24.01\00:47:26.88
It always is because
the winner of this race
00:47:26.91\00:47:29.18
is declared for four years
00:47:29.21\00:47:31.65
to be the fastest
human being on this planet.
00:47:31.68\00:47:34.32
It's the men's 100 meter dash.
00:47:34.35\00:47:37.12
It happens in seconds.
00:47:37.15\00:47:39.09
I don't know, it's...
I forgot to look it up,
00:47:39.12\00:47:41.06
but it's just fast.
00:47:41.09\00:47:43.36
So here are these eight runners.
00:47:43.39\00:47:45.56
This is going for the gold now.
00:47:45.59\00:47:47.33
They're all there.
00:47:47.36\00:47:48.70
They're not in the blocks yet.
00:47:48.73\00:47:50.07
They're kind of
wandering around,
00:47:50.10\00:47:51.43
and the camera's zoomed
in on one of the runners.
00:47:51.47\00:47:53.23
I don't even
remember who it was.
00:47:53.27\00:47:56.34
Camera's zoomed in, and
I'm telling you the truth.
00:47:56.37\00:47:58.34
I'm looking at that face,
00:47:58.37\00:47:59.77
and it is as if the face
00:47:59.81\00:48:01.78
is looking 1 million miles away.
00:48:01.81\00:48:06.11
Did you ever talk to somebody
00:48:06.15\00:48:07.48
and it's clear
they're not in your space?
00:48:07.52\00:48:08.85
They're anywhere near you,
they're a million miles away.
00:48:08.88\00:48:11.89
And that man's, that
young man's face was a...
00:48:11.92\00:48:14.42
The eyes are a
million miles away.
00:48:14.46\00:48:16.79
There's some vision.
00:48:16.83\00:48:18.29
There's some
vision he's keying in on,
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.63
and he's looking
straight into that vision.
00:48:20.66\00:48:22.76
And in a moment, they're
going to say on your mark.
00:48:22.80\00:48:24.43
And he's going to
be down on those blocks
00:48:24.47\00:48:26.33
and he'll wait for the retort,
00:48:26.37\00:48:28.80
electronically
signaling their race has begun,
00:48:28.84\00:48:31.47
but he's far away.
00:48:31.51\00:48:33.91
What's going on?
00:48:33.94\00:48:35.74
He's fixing his
eyes on the goal.
00:48:35.78\00:48:41.02
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
00:48:41.05\00:48:43.75
We have to do the same.
00:48:43.79\00:48:45.32
Take a look at Jesus.
00:48:45.35\00:48:46.69
Just take a look at Jesus.
00:48:46.72\00:48:48.06
And by the way, when
the author of Hebrews says,
00:48:48.09\00:48:49.66
"I want you to
concentrate on Jesus."
00:48:49.69\00:48:51.06
What part of Jesus' life
00:48:51.09\00:48:52.43
does he ask us
to concentrate on?
00:48:52.46\00:48:53.83
Let's fix our eyes on Jesus,
00:48:53.86\00:48:55.20
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:48:55.23\00:48:56.60
Who for the joy
set before him...
00:48:56.63\00:48:58.03
Here it goes. Endured.
00:48:58.07\00:48:59.43
That's the same
word as perseverance.
00:48:59.47\00:49:01.64
He endured the
cross, scorning its shame,
00:49:01.67\00:49:06.41
and sat down on
the right hand of God
00:49:06.44\00:49:08.51
and the throne of the universe.
00:49:08.54\00:49:11.48
The author is saying,
"You want high octane,
00:49:11.51\00:49:16.62
help for your race?
00:49:16.65\00:49:18.42
Look at Jesus
when He runs His race."
00:49:18.45\00:49:21.09
Because it is at
Calvary... Ladies and gentlemen,
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.36
it is at Calvary
when we watch slow mo,
00:49:23.39\00:49:25.69
slow the camera
down, slow the camera down.
00:49:25.73\00:49:27.86
You got to watch this.
00:49:27.90\00:49:29.23
He's going to cross
the crimson finish line.
00:49:29.26\00:49:30.90
It is at Calvary,
00:49:30.93\00:49:32.27
and when He
crosses that finish line,
00:49:32.30\00:49:34.77
He throws His head up
00:49:34.80\00:49:36.74
and He calls
out to the universe,
00:49:36.77\00:49:39.44
"It is finished.
00:49:39.47\00:49:42.41
It's over.
00:49:42.44\00:49:44.55
I won, I won.
00:49:44.58\00:49:48.82
I finished the race."
00:49:48.85\00:49:50.49
And because He
finished His race,
00:49:50.52\00:49:53.96
He can help you
finish your race.
00:49:53.99\00:49:56.12
He can help me finish my race.
00:49:56.16\00:49:58.23
My race isn't over
and neither is yours.
00:49:58.26\00:49:59.93
Don't you ever give up.
00:49:59.96\00:50:01.30
I don't care what is
going on in your life right now.
00:50:01.33\00:50:03.63
The crucified
master of the games
00:50:03.67\00:50:05.50
has already set up your course.
00:50:05.53\00:50:07.37
He has already
walked the course.
00:50:07.40\00:50:09.14
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
00:50:09.17\00:50:11.24
Look full in His wonderful face.
00:50:11.27\00:50:14.28
And the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
00:50:14.31\00:50:16.38
in the light of
His glory and grace.
00:50:16.41\00:50:19.15
He's already gone
the way and look at this,
00:50:19.18\00:50:20.52
Desire of Ages.
00:50:20.55\00:50:21.88
I'll end with this.
00:50:21.92\00:50:23.25
The way to heaven is consecrated
00:50:23.28\00:50:24.62
by the Savior's footprints.
00:50:24.65\00:50:25.99
The path, the race course,
00:50:26.02\00:50:27.36
may be steep and
rugged, and it is,
00:50:27.39\00:50:29.72
but Jesus has traveled that way.
00:50:29.76\00:50:31.33
The course that you
rode, he's already been there.
00:50:31.36\00:50:34.10
His feet had pressed
down the cruel thorns
00:50:34.13\00:50:36.77
to make the pathway
easier for you and me.
00:50:36.80\00:50:39.67
Every burden that we are called
to bear, He himself has borne.
00:50:39.70\00:50:43.54
Hallelujah, amen.
00:50:43.57\00:50:45.97
He has walked this,
He has run this course
00:50:46.01\00:50:50.31
ahead of you and me.
00:50:50.35\00:50:52.01
And because He
finished the race,
00:50:52.05\00:50:53.88
we can finish it.
00:50:53.92\00:50:57.65
One more time.
00:50:57.69\00:50:59.19
So let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
00:50:59.22\00:51:02.79
You know what I wish?
00:51:02.82\00:51:06.06
I know it's on the
cusp of a new year,
00:51:06.09\00:51:07.50
but I wish we in
this congregation,
00:51:07.53\00:51:13.07
and we on this campus,
00:51:13.10\00:51:14.44
and all of us are
running right now.
00:51:14.47\00:51:17.27
We're running to beat the band.
00:51:17.31\00:51:19.67
We've given
everything we have doing it,
00:51:19.71\00:51:21.04
and feels like we're not
making any forward progress.
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.41
I understand. It's agony.
00:51:23.45\00:51:26.61
But I wish that out of the races
00:51:26.65\00:51:28.75
we are running together,
00:51:28.78\00:51:31.25
somehow the word
would be seen in you
00:51:31.29\00:51:34.52
and be seen in me.
00:51:34.56\00:51:37.39
Boy, he's a guy.
00:51:37.43\00:51:40.53
He knows Jesus.
00:51:40.56\00:51:42.80
He knows Jesus.
00:51:42.83\00:51:45.20
She knows Jesus.
00:51:45.23\00:51:47.64
I mean, can you tell it?
00:51:47.67\00:51:50.61
The world has
fallen all around her,
00:51:50.64\00:51:53.34
coming down and her
eyes are still fixed
00:51:53.38\00:51:58.18
on Jesus.
00:51:58.21\00:51:59.55
Since mine eyes
00:51:59.58\00:52:03.45
have looked on Jesus,
00:52:03.49\00:52:06.32
I've lost sight of all beside.
00:52:06.35\00:52:10.43
So enchained my Spirit's vision,
00:52:10.46\00:52:14.03
gazing on the crucified.
00:52:14.06\00:52:17.93
I don't know who wrote
it, but for several years now,
00:52:17.97\00:52:21.94
I've memorized
that little verse.
00:52:21.97\00:52:27.34
What if every morning,
you and I went to this book
00:52:27.38\00:52:29.48
that's all about Jesus
00:52:29.51\00:52:30.85
from Genesis 1
to Revelation 22:21,
00:52:30.88\00:52:35.15
and we took a
moment or two gazing?
00:52:35.18\00:52:39.25
Jesus fixing our eyes.
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.12
Let us look closely
00:52:42.16\00:52:44.53
only at Jesus.
00:52:44.56\00:52:48.63
I do want to end
with an altar call,
00:52:48.66\00:52:50.87
and I want to ask you
00:52:50.90\00:52:52.23
if you would be
willing to join me.
00:52:52.27\00:52:54.64
The new year hasn't even
started yet, I understand,
00:52:54.67\00:52:56.87
but join me in
saying, "You know what?
00:52:56.91\00:53:01.64
Holy Father, I choose,
00:53:01.68\00:53:05.15
by Your grace,
00:53:05.18\00:53:08.92
for the race ahead,
00:53:08.95\00:53:10.65
I choose to fix
my eyes on Jesus."
00:53:10.69\00:53:14.12
Anybody want to send
that prayer to heaven?
00:53:14.16\00:53:15.76
Just send it with
me. Raise your hand.
00:53:15.79\00:53:17.73
The angel beside
you, the Spirit knows.
00:53:17.76\00:53:20.50
I choose this new
year to fix my eyes,
00:53:20.53\00:53:25.17
to turn my eyes on Jesus.
00:53:25.20\00:53:28.70
Ladies, come.
00:53:28.74\00:53:30.54
We want to do just that
as we listen to you sing
00:53:30.57\00:53:33.14
that beautiful
chorus we know so well.
00:53:33.17\00:53:36.08
O soul are you weary
00:54:11.91\00:54:15.42
And troubled
00:54:15.45\00:54:19.05
No light in the darkness
00:54:19.09\00:54:22.42
You see
00:54:22.46\00:54:26.03
There's light for a look
00:54:26.06\00:54:28.73
At the Savior
00:54:28.76\00:54:32.93
And life more abundant
00:54:32.97\00:54:36.34
And free
00:54:36.37\00:54:41.11
Turn your eyes upon
00:54:41.14\00:54:45.25
Jesus
00:54:45.28\00:54:48.85
Look full in His wonderful
00:54:48.88\00:54:53.49
Face
00:54:53.52\00:54:56.89
And the things of earth
00:54:56.93\00:55:00.73
Will grow strangely
00:55:00.76\00:55:04.60
Dim
00:55:04.63\00:55:07.00
In the light
00:55:07.04\00:55:09.47
Of His glory
00:55:09.50\00:55:12.51
And grace
00:55:12.54\00:55:18.38
Through death into life
00:55:18.41\00:55:21.22
Everlasting
00:55:21.25\00:55:25.35
He passed and we follow
00:55:25.39\00:55:28.62
Him there
00:55:28.66\00:55:32.29
Over us sin no more hath
00:55:32.33\00:55:35.70
Dominion
00:55:35.73\00:55:39.37
For more than conquerors
00:55:39.40\00:55:42.90
We are!
00:55:42.94\00:55:47.38
Turn your eyes upon
00:55:47.41\00:55:51.71
Jesus
00:55:51.75\00:55:55.32
Look full in His wonderful
00:55:55.35\00:55:59.75
Face
00:55:59.79\00:56:03.39
And the things of earth
00:56:03.43\00:56:07.16
Will grow strangely
00:56:07.20\00:56:11.03
Dim
00:56:11.07\00:56:13.57
In the light
00:56:13.60\00:56:15.90
Of His glory
00:56:15.94\00:56:18.87
And grace
00:56:18.91\00:56:21.88
Turn your eyes
00:56:25.08\00:56:29.15
Upon Jesus
00:56:29.18\00:56:34.19
Look full in His wonderful
00:56:34.22\00:56:39.53
Face
00:56:39.56\00:56:43.87
And the things of earth
00:56:43.90\00:56:48.27
Will grow strangely
00:56:48.30\00:56:53.24
Dim
00:56:53.27\00:56:56.48
In the light
00:56:56.51\00:56:59.48
Of His glory
00:56:59.51\00:57:04.02
And grace
00:57:04.05\00:57:10.03
I want to take an extra moment
to thank you for joining us
00:57:15.86\00:57:17.83
in worship today.
00:57:17.87\00:57:19.20
It's by the continuous
support from viewers like you
00:57:19.23\00:57:21.07
that we're able to
bring you this program.
00:57:21.10\00:57:22.90
Today, I want to
invite you, though,
00:57:22.94\00:57:24.44
to share with us how
this ministry has blessed you.
00:57:24.47\00:57:27.08
I get inspiring
notes, emails from viewers,
00:57:27.11\00:57:29.64
literally all over the world,
telling me, Brother Dwight,
00:57:29.68\00:57:31.78
God has been
blessing me this way,
00:57:31.81\00:57:33.21
He's been doing this.
00:57:33.25\00:57:34.58
I would love to
hear from you as well.
00:57:34.62\00:57:36.02
Just visit our website.
00:57:36.05\00:57:37.39
You know it, newperceptions. TV
00:57:37.42\00:57:40.19
and click on the contact
link at the top of the page.
00:57:40.22\00:57:42.46
Send me a note.
00:57:42.49\00:57:43.83
Let me know what
God has been doing
00:57:43.86\00:57:45.59
right now in your life.
00:57:45.63\00:57:47.26
Once again, thank you
for being with us today.
00:57:47.30\00:57:49.86
I hope you join us
right here next time.
00:57:49.90\00:57:52.03
And until then,
00:57:52.07\00:57:53.40
may the God of grace journey
with you every step of the way.
00:57:53.44\00:57:56.77