But don’t we each, at one time or another, in one or more of these areas, or other areas, find it difficult to stick to our original commitment...to carry through?

Do we do much better in our spiritual life? We truly do want to spend regular time with God, reading and studying the Bible. However, we often end up spending maybe five minutes reading it. Perhaps a few more minutes we spend praying - and that stretched out over the day. Often those prayers are rushed and asking God for something - perhaps, more time. We know we really do feel better when we are on track with quality time alone with God. But is that how we spend our time?

Wow! Nothing like beginning a sermon, especially one on encouragement, on a downer!

But you see, during the weeks leading up to Easter many of us participated in small groups and reading The Purpose Driven Life. Quite a few of you have shared with me a new or renewed commitment to reading your Bible, participating in a small group, discovering your purpose and area of ministry and mission. Whatever the level of spiritual high that has begun, we want to keep it going. We are told to keep it going.

Yet we know we cannot replicate what happened in those two months, or what Dave mentioned last week, “...when our faith was once red hot.” However, we do want to sustain the momentum, or commitment that we have. I know that it is true that some people's feelings, commitment and interest last only as long as the emotion, or spiritual high, of the actual experience. For others, when following God gets hard, or when a crisis hits or some unexplained circumstance comes, rather than go on, they will choose to pick a seat on the sidelines. For all this, for all I’ve just said, I so appreciate the Prayer of Confession we prayed on April 4: In part we prayed, “...For brief faith that fades in trouble, for enthusiasms that fizzle out, for hopes we parade but not pursue, have mercy on us.” I believe it is good and right that we call on God to forgive us our shortages and shortcomings. However, we also ask God to help us in our living out our Christian life.

We ask God because the Christian life is not a consistent mountain top existence. It is not meant to be. Life is lived down in the trenches where people, stress, pressures and jobs are found. We are aware the Christian life is a long journey, with long hills, tough and winding roads. But it is also has the plateaus where can get our second wind. The writer or preacher of the book of Hebrews knew how difficult life was then, and would be for us now. That writer shares with us about a group of people who are similar to us in thought and situation.

The first century Christians came from a Jewish background. They have met Jesus! They have gotten off to a great start. In fact, the writer at one point says to these Christians, "Don't ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ....when your faith was ‘red hot’. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrific suffering. Don't forget." But now, they are in danger of going back to their old ways of thinking, living and worshiping. There is pressure from the outside to go back and embrace Judaism and to turn their back on Christ.

So the writer of Hebrews tells them and us how to live out this Christian life and finish well. We are told we will find strength from those who have gone before. The writer of Hebrews begins Chapter 12 by saying: "Therefore we are surrounded by this huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith." We are pointed back to the previous chapter. That is the roll call of the faithful. It is a long list of some familiar names and some not so familiar names of people who have one thing in common. They have an unswerving faith and belief in God. They would never quit or walk away from their commitment to follow God. Like us, just because they followed God, did not mean they were going to live a life of comfort or a life of prosperity. God called some of them to leave their families and go to a foreign land. Sometimes they were ridiculed for their beliefs. For them, their faith often meant sacrifices, hardships and for some death. All of those who were listed, were still living by faith, clinging to a firm commitment to follow God, even when they died. They ran with endurance. God thinks so highly of these people that He listed in Hebrews 11, that He says of them, "The world was not worthy of them."

So when you feel yourself spiritually drifting, read about the passion of David because David will testify it is worth it. And when you are fearful to obey God, read the story of Abraham and Isaac. When you think the Christian path God has you on seems unreasonable, even preposterous, read about Abraham and Sarah and the promise God was to fulfill through them. If you think you’ve heard God’s command or call on your life and the word “ridiculous” comes to mind, read about Noah and the simple faith that God knew what He was talking about. These and others are witnesses to the life of faith and perseverance.

But, you know what? Great people of faith are not limited to those listed in Hebrews 11. Today for us to live well the life of faith, we cannot do it alone. There are great people of faith right here, sitting next to you. There are others who are involved in your small group with you, or in a group waiting for you. Participating in a small group and regular participation in worship and Sunday School, are at least three places where we learn from those people with faith. Where we learn the basics of the Christian life and grow in our walk with the Lord, and encourage one another and hold each other accountable.

And the writer of Hebrews go on to give us another key to live well and finish well. We will need to put off that which trips us up. We are told to, "Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress." I know that you know that in virtually every kind of athletic event, excess weight it not good, unless you are a sumo wrestler, then it's fine. As spiritual athletes we are to have no habits that hamper our movement and effectiveness for Jesus. A couple of years ago, there was a man in London who participated in the London marathon. Records indicate that it was the slowest marathon ever in history. Lloyd Scott finished in 5 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds. You see, unlike other runners who were wearing running shoes, nylon shorts and a tank top, he was wearing a diver's suit with a full, metal helmet. He did it as a fund raiser. But what a great picture of many of us in the Christian life. We are in the race. We are in the Christian walk, but we are weighted down.

So there are two kinds of things that we need to let go of that trip us up or slow us down. Number one, let go of ungodliness. We are to let go of sin. One of the things that happens when we read the Bible is that it brings us face to face with our own feelings and shortcomings. We see the darkness and ugliness that is in us. Sometimes it's painful, but it is for our own good. We are to let go of those things that we know are wrong. As we read the Bible and devotional books, or we participate in a small group, or we listen to somebody share, or we come to a Sunday service and Sunday School, the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit points out areas in our lives that are not pleasing to God. In fact, I am convinced there are some here who are feeling a bit uncomfortable, right now, because we know exactly what that area is. The Holy Spirit is bringing it to mind and heart, right now. We know it's wrong. We know it hinders our growth. We know it affects our relationship with God and others. But we haven't let go. Maybe it's some addiction, or a deceitful business practice. Or you have a heart that is hardened to those in need. Or maybe you're entertaining a flirtatious relationship and you need to let it go. Perhaps it is the way we respond to or interact with others. All these, and other things will hinder our relationship with God. The reason He says to let these things go, is not to try to hold back life's pleasure from us. Rather He knows that those things will destroy us. They will keep us apart from Him.

There is a second kind of weight. We are to let go of the unnecessary. Now this one is a little more subtle, because it is not necessarily sin. Whew, aren’t you glad? It may not be a moral compromise, but it just keeps us weighteddown from our spiritual progress. It could be something as “simple” as life being so full, therefore, there really is no time or energy left to pursue a relationship with Christ. Having too many irons in the fire, could look like having your kids in six different extracurricular activities. There's no time for spiritual instruction in their lives or growth opportunities in yours. It could be hours wasted in front of the TV, unless it's something spiritually enlightening like Average Joe or the Bachelor.

Then also, to live the Christian life, we will have to choose to persevere until we cross the finish line. The writer of Hebrews tells us: "Let us run with endurance this race that God has set before us." Down through the ages, and it is no less true in our generation, greatness has often been defined by the ability to persevere and overcome obstacles.

Take these examples from history. . . . A memo from MGM shortly after Fred Astaire took his first screen test: "Can't act, slightly bald, can dance a little." Some one said of Vince Lombardi. "He possesses minimal football knowledge." Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper for lack of ideas. Thomas Edison's teachers gave up on him and this is their evaluation: "He is too stupid to accomplish anything." Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and his teacher called him hopeless as a composer. The point is that in life, God, yes, God, is far more interested in how we live and how we finish than how we begin.

And finally, more than any one thing, to live the Christian life well, we must keep a singleminded focus. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. In our every day life, what would that look like? Well this much is for sure, it will not happen by accident! In fact, implicit in the word "focus" is the idea of concentration and intention. While life is a marathon, we cannot develop spiritual intimacy on the run. Yet the pace of life around us continues to accelerate. We cram everything we can into every hour we have. We are addicted to speed.

Did you know that when you get on the elevator and you push the doorclose button, that in almost all elevators, it really doesn't do anything. Its only function is to give you the distraction of thinking you're making progress because ten seconds is an eternity when you're standing in the elevator. There is a restaurant in Tokyo that doesn't charge you for food. You are charged only for the amount of time you're at the table. We've now moved into a generation where we embrace this thing we love called "multitasking". I know of one person here who has two televisions that can be viewed at the same time if she stands at a certain spot. So she puts her exercise video in one with the volume turned down. And she watches the morning news on the other with Katie and Matt. And now, as a result of our commitment to multitasking, not only hotel rooms, but now the homes we build we have telephones phones placed right in the bathroom, to say nothing of the fact that we take our cell phones in there. Seriously, is that a room where we really need to multitask?

You see, this insatiable need for speed is setting us up for a monumental spiritual struggle. Because speed, hurry and activity drain our souls. When we live a purposedriven life, we no longer live for our own agenda, but we now live for God. Part of what that means is to persevere over the long haul. That is, we are to be ruthless about getting rid of things in our life that weigh us down and distract us, and steal the passion that we once had for Christ. We are to live the surrendered life.

When we look at the life of Jesus we see He was not encumbered and He was not in a hurry. He always had time for the Father and time to be alone. If we are going to keep our focus on Jesus, we must surrender all. Then we will have the time to be alone in His presence, to hear Him. To hear God and know God, we must create space in our life. We must create moments in our day, when we can be alone, undistracted in His presence. Those times will not only help us grow, but they will replenish and nourish our soul.

You know people will walk away and we will be let down in life, and sometimes life will become overwhelming, the decision needs to be made now. Make the decision in advance to surrender. Make the decision in advance that you are going to keep showing up and keep serving, and keep proclaiming the gospel and keep going and growing in Christ, as long as the Lord gives you breath. Because there will be some hard days. There will be some times when God seems distant. It is not in those times that you need to decide, "Am I going to follow or not?" “Am I going to persevere, or not?” Decide now. The writer of Hebrews said to the first Century Christians, and to us, "Do not turn back, keep pressing on." And at some point, we have to step up and say, I am casting my lot. I have made my choice. With this one and only life, I am following Jesus Christ. And I'll stay at it until I reach the finish line. I'm not following because of the blessings. I'm not following because I think it's the formula for the “good life.” I follow Jesus because He is who He says He is. And where else would we go? He alone is the source of life.