A Prayer for the Day Lord, help me to focus on Jesus. Remind me of my destination - heaven. Keep me aware that this is not my own doing - but rather a gift of grace, free and undeserved. Help me to follow Jesus and be encouraged by those traveling with me. Amen. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + A Pastoral Message More Than Survivors # 8 Hebrews 12:1-3

Where Are You Headed in Life? Fix Your Eyes on Eternity with Jesus!

The joke is told that the reason that Moses and the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years is that even back then men refused to stop and ask for directions.

I heard of a family that started off on vacation from Chicago. When they approached St. Louis, they flipped a coin. If it was heads, they would head south to Florida. If it was tails, they would head west to Phoenix. It was heads, so they went to Florida. That may be quite an adventure, but it is a rather haphazard way to live.

Too many people are just as haphazard with their lives and eternity. They let the chance circumstances of life determine where they go and where they end up. There is little or no prayer and planning as part of the process. Jesus has something better in mind for us. He promised in John 10:10:

“I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.”

Therefore, we ask:

Where are you headed in life? What is your destination? Who are your traveling companions? Who is your guide?

Our text today from Hebrews gives us three important guides for life:

1. Know where you are going. 2. Know your travel companions, and 3. Follow your most important travel companion – Jesus.

Know where you are going. There is more to this life than this life. This life is only a beginning of a life that lasts forever. Heaven is our final destination. It is not determined by a flip of the coin. God is not standing up in heaven flipping a coin: heads - he goes to hell, tails - she goes to heaven.

God had a much better plan. John 3:16-17 assures us

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!”

Jesus went to the cross and bore the full weight and punishment of all of our sins in order that we might be restored to a relationship with the Father and spend eternity in heaven. Jesus not only died for us – He also rose for us and he has gone on ahead to prepare the way for us. On the night before his own death, Jesus shared with the disciples as recorded in John 14: "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going." (v.1-4)

We are headed to the heavenly mansion that Jesus himself has prepared for us. That is our destination. It is a gift of grace - a free and undeserved gift. When life is tough and everything seems to be going against us, it is important that we remember that by faith we are headed to heaven with the Father. There is more to this life than this life. The best is yet to come!

This does not mean that we abandon this life and give up trying to help make this a better place for those who are struggling. Heavens no! In fact, just the opposite is true. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote:

“If you read history, you will find the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next…Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

As we journey though this life, headed in faith toward eternity, it is important that we know our travel companions. We are not alone on this journey or struggle. In fact, Hebrews 12:1 assures us that…

“Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us!”

Try to picture this in your mind. Soldiers’ Field in Chicago is full. You are running the race of life. Everyone in the stadium is cheering you on. They are not busy buying hot dogs. They are watching you with the same intensity as if it were the last 10 seconds of the game. The home team has the ball. It is fourth and goal. A touchdown wins the game, the season and the title. Anything less and the team loses. It is with that concentration and intensity that the crowd is watching you. They know your name. They know your pain. They know your struggles. They even know your shortcomings. Yet they are all cheering you on. Because, they also know your hopes, dreams and potential. And most of all they know your coach, your guide, your savior – Jesus. That is the picture the writer of Hebrews paints for us. That stadium is full of all the saints of all times. They are on your team. They are your travel companions.

We are not alone in this struggle. We are not alone in this journey. Even when the way is tough and lonely, God is with us and all the saints of all times are also with us cheering us on to the end. With that in mind, the writer of Hebrews encourages us…

“And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.” (12:1)

Do not ever give up! Hang in there. Keep going. Keeping running. Keep fighting the fight. Then some day we can say along with St. Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7:

“I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful.”

We can do that when we follow our most important travel companion – Jesus. Hebrews 12 tells us

“We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete…So keep your mind on Jesus… Then you won't get discouraged and give up.”

Jesus is with us. When times are tough, Jesus is with us. When times are great, Jesus is with us. When we are healthy, Jesus is with us. When we are sick, Jesus is with us. When we succeed and prosper, Jesus is with us. When we fail and land on tough times, Jesus is with us. Whether we have money in the bank or are down to our last dollar, Jesus is with us. Whether our relationships are thriving or falling apart, Jesus is with us. When we make good choices and even when we make bad choices, Jesus is with us. At all times in life, good and bad, Jesus is with us. How do we know? Because he has promised to be. Among his last words to his disciples before his ascension, Jesus promised:

“I will be with you always.”(Matthew 28:20)

Always. No exceptions. No qualifications. No fine print. Just the promise…

“I will be with you always.”

Not only is Jesus with us, He leads us. He gives direction for our lives. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Like David in the 23rd Psalm, we too can testify of Jesus:

“You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.”

Peter discovered that when he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was even able to walk on water. However, when he lost his focus and concentrated instead on his present circumstances, he sank. Don’t be distracted by the cares, worries and troubles of this life. They will only cause you to sink. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust Jesus.

If you want to be more than a survivor, if you want to thrive spiritually, then keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust him. Follow him. Love him. Serve him. Amen.

Glen VanderKloot

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), November 10, 2002

Answers

Thank you, ML

-- David (David@excite.com), November 10, 2002.