Title: Endure the Cross
Contents
The life of a believer is a 'life of faith'. The writer of Hebrews describes this life of faith as a race (match, running). At the racetrack (stadium), the players who compete and the spectators cheering for and watching them harmonize, adding to the excitement. The text says that there are those who watch the runners of the faith, and these are the runners' witnesses. Witnesses must put their name and honor on the line and prove only facts that are not ashamed of their conscience and reason. Just as there are more spectators and cheering groups than any other racer in any race, it is said that there is a “great crowd” of witnesses of believers. The fate of the match is determined by the testimony of this witness. I will stand before God. Some of you may be taken up as witnesses. You too will stand before God on the last day, and there will be people who will stand in the witness stand at that time. On that day, the place should be a place to laugh together, not an uncomfortable and painful place. What is the secret to being successful in this race of faith? Two things.
One, you have to take off the two and run.
① You have to take off the heavy thing and run. - To compete as an athlete, you must start by building your body, establish a basic posture, and do your best in training. And if you say that you want to run in a blanket, fresh shoes, and clogs on the day of the race, you are insulting the person who conducts the match or the person who will run the race with you that day. Likewise, before we stand at the starting line in our faith life, there is something we need to take off, and the burden that weighs on our shoulders and weighs on our backs must be removed. What would it be? It is 'sin'. We must overcome the inexorable sins, obey them, and run lightly. (1 Corinthians 9:27) Sin is not a necessary evil, but it is not a mana and must not exist. These may threaten or deceive us. That's why it's useless. You have to take it off and run.
② Take off things that are easy to get entangled in and run. - We need to remove the factors that deteriorate our faith or take away the thrill and joy of our faith. Although it has been a long time since they have practiced faith, there are people who still cannot break free from old habits and old habits and live as old people. We need to think deeply about what kind of glory God will receive and how God's righteousness will be realized through that person's life. It is wiser than trying and trying to overcome temptation to cut off the grounds of temptation by stopping the things that are easy to be tempted in advance.
Another thing is that there is something to look out for.
① Who is he? It is 'Jesus'. The secret to doing well in the race of faith here (the world) is to run while looking at Jesus who is there (heaven). Jesus He Is your company? Who are you? It is the ‘Lord of Faith’ (not Lord, Apke-source, root). And he is the 'perfecter'. He is the one who warms up. So there is hope. Even if we are deficient, inexperienced, broken, and dirty, He has the power and authority to make us perfect, so that we will reach our final destination and be righteously sealed according to the standards and standards of the Lord.
② Look at how he (Jesus) bought himself.
“For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame.” Jesus, whom we must look and run, endured the cross - He endured suffering and shame. For “to obtain the joy that is before him (after suffering and shame)”, the cross is ‘death’. The cross is carried only by those who die. Here, ‘to endure’ means ‘to accept’. It means accepting death. And being unaware of shame doesn't mean you're not ashamed of it, it's not that you're not ashamed of it.
There is a reason to accept the cross given to us and carry it without shame.
This year, on Holy Sunday, the Lord asks us: “Do you take up your cross and follow me?” What would you say? Aren't you ashamed and ashamed to put down your cross and live? Aren't you going to live with the fear of dying? Then let's listen to the counsel of the writer of Hebrews. “Look at Jesus” (:2) “Think of Jesus” (:3) If we can endure the shame and look straight at Jesus who bore the cross, there is no problem with the cross we have been given. If we can embrace in our hearts Jesus, who silently walked for the joy that is set before us, regardless of shame, the cross we bear will not be heavy, difficult, or difficult.
(Conclusion) I hope that this year's Passion Sunday will be the starting point for us to bear the shame in front of us and walk while looking at and thinking of Jesus, who bore the cross for the joy in front of him.