Faith United Presbyterian Church

When Will and I lined up to run the Bix a couple weeks ago - we were surrounded by about fifteen thousand others - a great cloud of racers - if you will. Some of those runners would finish the seven mile race - before I hit mile two. Others were probably still running - or walking - when we were well on our way to Wisconsin. That's the nature of the race - a great cloud of runners - with a great difference in ability.

Nevertheless - there is a wonderful camaraderie. As we lined up - rain pouring down - lightning and thunder in the distance - nary a disgruntled word was to be heard. Though surrounded by strangers - and maybe a couple of family and friends - we laughed - we joked - we waited and we tried to stay loose - as more and more of the fifteen thousand plus - filled in the spaces along the three block starting area.

Some were there to run personal bests. Others were just hoping to finish. Some were from the Quad Cities. Others had traveled great distances to be there. Men and women - young and old - but we were all in this together. That's the nature of this race - a great cloud of runners - different in so many ways - yet who share a unity of spirit.
The wonderful spirit of the Bix is witnessed in countless ways - the sea of fans and volunteers along the route - handing out water or ice - the children giving high fives - or folks just cheering us on - and - the other runners - looking out for one another - especially when it's hot and humid- offering a word of encouragement as the race and our stamina winds down - or who look after runners who have special needs.

About a third of the way into the race - a couple of wheel chair runners caught up with me. Each one had about three or four guys running in front of them - to clear a path in the crowd. I don't know - if they had planned to do this - or if their help was spontaneous. Either way - they were a great help to the wheel chair runners - and were a great witness - to the wonderful spirit shared by so many who run the race.

My friends - this is a great illustration for the church. This is what church is meant to be - a great cloud of witnesses - different in so many ways - looking after each other - supporting each other - cheering each other on - as we live the life of faith - because of the unity of Spirit we share.

As a child - from about third grade through junior high - my church attendance was pretty sporadic. Vacation Bible School - Christmas - Easter - and a few Sundays in between. Why? It was easier for my mom to stay home - than put up with my shenanigans.
In contrast - in the twenty-five years that Margie and I have been married - there have been about five Sundays - when our family hasn't been in church somewhere. Now some would argue - it's a lot easier to be in church every Sunday - when you are paid to be here. There is probably some truth in that. It is also true that it is easier to have your family in church - each Sunday - when mom and dad share that desire.

However - in my case - there was also a conversion of heart. Because of a great cloud of witnesses - I came to realize - except on rare occasions - it is simply not an option for our family not to be in church on the Lord's Day. It is simply who we are created and called to be as people of faith. Frankly - with all the life choices children have to make - at a much earlier age than I had to - I can't imagine how hard it is to raise a family - without the support of a faith community.

This seed - that I was created and called to worship - was planted - when I was a child - even as I kicked and screamed and refused to go to church. On the rare occasions when my mom could get me to church - the ladies of the church - my Sunday school teachers - the minister's wife - would mount a coordinated attack. "Oh Billy - it is so good to see you." "Oh Billy - we really miss you at Sunday school." "Oh Billy - I hope you will come back next week." It was horrible! I never felt so guilty in my life!

Then one day - I realized - they were not making me feel guilty. I was guilty! I was the one who refused to go to church. Even at that young age - though I tried to fight it - I knew in my heart that my place - on a Sunday morning - was to be in worship. I was guilty! These ladies of the church were simply bearing witness to the fact that God loved me no less.

They were reminding me of who I was created and called to be. They were part of the great cloud of witnesses - looking after me - supporting me - holding me accountable and calling me back to the life of faith. For these ladies - it wasn't simply about getting Little Billy to go to church. No - these ladies wanted Little Billy to join them in becoming part of that great cloud of witnesses - bearing witness to the love of God - we have come to know in Jesus Christ. They were being - what the church is meant to be.

Our reading from Hebrews is a continuation of a larger section of the letter - which praises the life of faith. By faith - God's people passed through the Red Sea - and left their old life - their slavery in Egypt - behind. By faith - the armies of the Israelites laid siege to the city of Jericho - and claimed the Promised Land. By faith - Rahab - the Canaanite harlot - great, great grandmother of King David - and Jesus' great grandmother - 30 generations removed- By Faith - Rahab sheltered Joshua's spies in Jericho - and did not perish.

This is followed by a litany of other people of faith - Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets - Elijah and Elisha - and their achievements in the faith. According to the scriptures - some - conquered kingdoms - administered justice - obtained promises from God - shut the mouths of lions - quenched raging fires - escaped the edge of the sword - won strength out of weakness - became mighty in war - put foreign armies to flight.

Women - too - were part of this great cloud of witnesses and participated in these extraordinary achievements. This part of our reading ends with a recounting of the incredible hardships and costly suffering they endured for the sake of their faith. I won't read the list again - but the things they endured for the sake of their faith are almost unimaginable for us today.

Though the recent tragedy in Afghanistan reminds us there are yet martyrs for the Christian faith - few Christians - today - will endure such a fate. Most of us will not have the opportunity to serve in countries - where our lives will be on the line because we are Christians. So - if not martyrdom - what is the example offered by this great cloud of witnesses?

While most of us will not be conquering kingdoms - shutting the mouths of lions - or parading around in animal skins any time soon - we are called to follow their example - in part - that we might serve as witnesses to our present age and the future generations. But what is it - they are bearing witness too? Jesus Christ - the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God."

This great pageant of the faithful - names that will resound for eternity - and those whose names we have never known or already forgotten - this great cloud of witnesses all direct our attention to Jesus Christ - the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Following their example - we are to join the race - we are to live the life of faith - as our own. Laying aside every weight and sin that hinders us - we are to run with perseverance the race - which God has set before us - looking to Christ as our example.

Here is where many preachers stop. Jesus Christ - the pioneer and perfecter of our faith - and the faith of all who have come before - is presented as the pattern for our faith and life. They would have us live like Christ. What a wonderful thought! What a wonderful thought!
Apart from the fact that most of us are unable to imitate Christ's life and faith - apart from the fact we are incapable of following Christ's example - this would be a fine place to stop. However, A better alternative - I believe - is to preach Christ - not as our example - but as our hope. Christ is the one who has gone before. Christ is the one who perfects our faith.

As wonderful as their achievements were - no one in the great cloud of witness - lived the life of Christ. Though they were commended for their faith - none received the fulfillment of God's promise of salvation through their works.. Only Christ - the one who went where no one had ever gone - the cross - only Christ, the one who lived - perfectly - the life of faith - only Christ - has taken his seat - at the right hand of God.

If Christ - alone - is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith - and all who came before were incapable of living such a life - why would we expect anyone - who came after - to be capable of living such a life? Yet - if the race we are to run is not the race Christ ran - what is the purpose? Though we may fail - should we not at least strive to live like Christ?

The longer I live the life of faith - and try to encourage others to do so - as well - I realize - we are incapable of willing ourselves to live Christ-like lives. We are incapable of willing ourselves to follow Christ's example. Those wonderful occasions where it seems we have gotten it right - those transforming moments when the love of God is revealed in something we have said - or done - are not our doing at all. They are purely a gift of God's grace. Though incapable of living as the people they were called and created to be - this great cloud of witnesses did live the life of faith. With Christ as their hope - they lived in the hope that God's promise of a new creation - God's promise that they and the world would one day be as God had created them to be - would be fulfilled. They lived their lives - some extraordinary - others not so - trusting God's Word - seeking God's will - and running - faithfully - the race God had set before them.

Jesus Christ - the pioneer and perfecter of the faith - was - not so much the pattern for their lives - as the assurance they did not live their lives in vain. In the same way - Jesus Christ - who endured the shame of the cross for the joy to come when God's promise is fulfilled - is our hope that we - too - might live the life of faith - joining that great cloud of witnesses - in proclaiming to generations yet to come - the hope in which we live - the hope that one day - the world - and all therein - will be what God has promised we would be.

People of faith - may we be what we - the church - was meant to be - the people - the great cloud of witnesses - that proclaims this good news to the world.