Sermons from Moorpark Presbyterian Church

Keep on Keepin’ On

by Janet Loughry

Hebrews 12:1-4

February 4, 2001

I don’t know about you, but I thought I was full of energy and enthusiasm on January First. Maybe I wasn’t, but I thought I was. Then January Second hit, then the Third and the Fourth and on. In some ways January hit me like a ton of bricks. I found I was fast becoming weary. This is both hard to think about and to admit because I remember saying in my December 31^st sermon, that we are to turn to Jesus. And so I did.

In December we talked about the first part of this Hebrews 12 passage. Today I’d like to focus on the next part of God’s Word from Hebrews 12.

There are different kinds of weariness! Most of us at one time or another know what it feels like to be physically exhausted. Tired to the very bone, as my grandmother would say. This kind of exhaustion can come from running a marathon or walking a mile; from bike riding, working in the garden or around the house or for some of us, shopping for groceries.

There is also a mental exhaustion that perhaps fewer of us have experienced. Nonetheless, when it hits we make mistakes. We are unable to think clearly. We are unable to take in, sift through and use anymore information.

Then there is the feeling of being overwhelmed when our emotions have reached that tethered line This is like a dog tied in the back yard that runs full speed ahead toward whatever it sees, only to be yanked back when the end of the line has been reached. When we need it the most we are yanked back. We have no more to line.

I would like to add another area that can cause weariness. That is, doing the right thing! Things like not cheating, even when absolutely no one would ever find out; witnessing and sharing Christ with others. There can be a weariness from working hard to maintain important relationships in your life. Staying in, working on and praying through a difficult stage in your marriage - honoring that commitment that should last a lifetime. Saying "Yes!" to and being committed to the call of serving as Elder or Deacon, or being connected through a ministry team in another way. Even praying friends, children and spouses into a life with Jesus can cause us to be weary.

I read about a man by the name of George Muller who began praying for 5 of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth person was saved. Muller persevered in prayer for the fifth friend until his own death. Throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping and praying that his friend would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded. Soon after Muller’s funeral his last friend was saved.

Even though we do not know Mr. Muller’s every feeling, we do know he persevered, whether he felt like it or not. There are times we do not feel like persevering in doing what we know is right in our Christian walk. We tire of the weary waiting. We might begin to think, "What’s the use anyway? Are my prayers and Christian faith doing any good? What’s the point? What good is doing good doing?"

When we are ready to give up, the writer of Hebrews tells us "to consider the One who endured such hostility..." That is Jesus was mocked, assaulted, flogged, forsaken/ rejected, handed over by a traitor, imprisoned, falsely accused and then killed. We are to consider that One, so that we may not grow weary or lose heart."

I would not be surprised if your are thinking, "All that sounds like pretty good reasons to me to grow weary, to lose heart AND to quit." But the author does not stop there. The author continues by telling us that this same One who now has victory over death, is now sitting at the right hand of the throne of God! That is awesome! Can you picture it? Sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. So you see there is a pay off! A heavenly payoff!

Later in this passage, in verse 4, it also seems like the author is saying: "Hey, you think you’ve got problems - look at the others. They are being persecuted to the point of torture and even death. So buck up! Don’t give up! Keep on keepin on!"

In some ways that is exactly what the author was and is saying. The readers of the original letter had not suffered to this extent as yet. I would venture to say that most of us have not suffered, because of our faith in Jesus, to the extent of shedding blood, nor obviously death.

But you and I have NOT been promised any easier road to travel. We have not been promised a less painful path. There will be tough times throughout the Christian life. Yet knowing all this with your mind and even your heart, does not make your own reality any less real.

Nonetheless, we are called to persevere and endure. This instills in us a hope that delivers us from that feeling of despair that nothing we do matters. It enables us to tackle even the most menial job, or 52 years of prayer, in faith, with vigor.

There is a remarkable story of a United States B-17 bomber, that flew a bombing mission over Germany in the latter days of World War II. The bomber’s own plane was hit several times by shells and flak, with some of the hits directly in his plane’s fuel tank. Miraculously, his bomber did not explode. When he landed, eleven unexploded 20-millimeter shells were taken out of his fuel tank!! The shells were dismantled, and to the amazement of everyone, all were empty of explosives. Inside of one shell was a note written in Czech. Translated, the note read, "This is all we can do for you now."

You see, a member of the Czech underground, working in a German munitions factory, had omitted the explosives in at least eleven of the 20-millimeter shells on his assembly line.

How that worker must have often wondered if the quiet work he was doing to subvert the Nazi war effort was going to make any difference whatsoever to the outcome the war. What a wonderful day for him and the others to see answered prayer on liberation day.

It is a glorious day when we see our prayers answered. It is wonderful when we can actually observe a change because of our perseverence and endurance in a relationship. We are blessed by being able to see and experience a little bit of that "heavenly payoff" here on earth. Yet, the truth remains. We often do not know what difference our Christian walk and consistent effort is making. It makes a difference to God!

The Apostle Paul talks about the resurrection in I Corinthians. Near the end of chapter 15 Paul reminds us: "Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immoveable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord."

Ours is not a life that is a short dash to glory. Rather our Christian faith is a distance race. A distance race that requires perseverence and endurance in doing the right thing. That is the life with Jesus. He is your source of strength. Even when your world has turned upside down and you are weary to the very bone, Jesus gives you your ability continue and not quit. Jesus is your good reason to keep on keepin on.