Seeing God Clearly- Mark 9:2-9

Seeing God Clearly
PRAY
As I read this scripture I want you to put yourself into this scene- it is Jesus- with three of his disciples- who were close friends- and they saw and felt and experienced something incredible
So as this scripture is being read- try to visualize yourself there- what do you see- what do you feel? If it helps to close your eyes- do it.
Jesus had just been teaching his students- his disciples that he would have to suffer and that he would even have to be killed- Peter scolded Jesus and then Jesus said to Peter- Get behind me Satan- this is the story that sets the stage for our scripture
Mark 9:2-9-- 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured (metamorphized) before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Hard scripture to relate to- I mean I read about these guys- Elijah- Moses and Jesus- but I’ve never gone up to Kamiak butte and hung out with them- I have gone up to Kamiak Butte to hike and read scripture- But not once did Jesus transform into a very, very bright white
And then to boot- Father God’s voice booms in- "Hey this is my kid- I love him so much- it would be good if you paid attention to him."- an amazing scene- its just not something that I have had happen in my life much
But on the other hand this is a scripture that we totally relate to- Things happen in our life that we can’t control- sometimes a beautiful change happens- and we want to do the Peter thing- we want to catch and bottle the feeling and stay on that mountain forever- and then before we know it- the honeymoon is over- the mountain top experience has ended and the daily grind has begun again
Peter didn’t want this experience to end- it was the original and ultimate mountain top experience [Illustration]
Many people can have mountain top spiritual experiences at Christian church camp- I can remember I was the speaker for young campers a couple of years ago- It was the very first session and I had just been talking for only a couple of minutes- and a little voice cried out "is this ever going to end"-
Sadly for them my speaking session would end and they would have to endure time on the beach- [very tongue in cheek here]
What I am trying to get at is- don’t dismiss this scripture to quickly as one of those stories thats cool and shows us that Jesus is truly the Son of God- But it has nothing to do with my life- Peter James and John came into the presence of the living God- they saw people who were once dead- and now were alive- and this is our story- "we once were lost but now are found"
I had a teacher that taught me- miracles aren’t as other worldly as we think- that they are actually quite natural- maybe the way nature would be if our history and present as human beings wasn’t so rebellious and destructive-
Jesus in this story went from amazing teacher guy- to an amazingly bright teacher guy
The story was a fast forwarding of Jesus’ ultimate destiny- the three disciples saw that Jesus’ real destiny was a glorious one- even though he had just taught them that he would have to suffer and die- his destiny was bright- shockingly bright and glorious
Jesus was wise- that goes without saying- And he knew his students/disciples were going through a life changing process- a metamorphasis- just as he was- Maybe he wanted to give them a glimpse of the end of the story- a little foreshadowing-
What disciples can learn from seeing God clearly
Life change- Life is full of change- we all started off as infants- we all needed someone to feed us and clean us- We all go through changes
Becoming a Christian- is an important life change. When we embrace that Jesus Christ is the true Son of the Living God- things change- maybe slowly for some, more quickly for others- I remember my friends calling me at college after I had told them I had decided to really follow after Jesus with my life- they were like, "But you can still party with us." My answer was, "Well I can hang with you- but honestly I don’t want to do the things that I used to do." They weren’t impressed by my personal metamorphasis they took it as a judgment of them- We try to tell people what we experienced- why we are the way we are- some accept- love em- some will not- love em just the same.
Faith is not about formulas- it is a relationship with the real- tangible living God.
God is closer than we think- there is more to life than we can see- I can’t see my wife’s feelings- does that mean they don’t exist- I can’t see my future- does that mean God hasn’t given me a calling to do?
I could give you every week- 3 to 5 steps of how to be closer to God- but what it gets down to is you God is so close to you right now- and we just don’t see it- our God is wildly in love with us- he is closer than our own breath- God is here with us and in between us- on our good days- on our worst days- on our boring normal days- God is closer than we realize- so faith is not a bunch of formulas that get you to a point where you have a God you understand- and because you understand him you can be close to him and "" Experience God- no faith is trusting that the God beyond understanding is doing everything to be in relationship with you- his son was birthed into time- His spirit was given to dwell in and between us. I am all for learning- all for reading- if you know me- you know that- but hear this- Reading don’t get you to God- Understanding don’t get you to God- Nothing you do gets you to God- God is already here- just give up- We don’t get to God- God gets to us- and Daily, Daily, Daily- we have to give up our pretensions- our guilty pleasures our ways of avoiding God- and just embrace him- that he’s here
God’s not a concept- God is not an idea- our for crying out loud he’s right here in us and between us and all around us- God is begging us to see that life is more than about what we can see and control- it is about trying to see life as God sees life and therefore giving God control-
Seeing God clearly- is dangerous- it changes things. We realize God’s love for us- but we realize he loves a starving child in Sudan or Nigeria or Congo- just as much as he loves. I dare you to read the words of Jesus and keep your life exactly the same. Lent is starting this Wednesday- we are having an Ash Wednesday service- What if each of us took the next six weeks- to dare God and say "God I dare you to help me see you more clearly"- our end of the bargain is that we will read at least one of the gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke or John- have prayers of silence. I dare you to read a gospel, I dare you to spend time in silent prayer- I dare you to come to Wednesday evening services
Jesus is not impressed by religious know it alls- we know that because of his encounters with the pharisees
he is not impressed by mere church attendance- it might be crazy and old fashioned to say it- but Jesus is interested in you CHANGING- in living life differently- in seeking to find our how to love God with all you heart, soul mind and body and love your neighbor as yourself. He wants you to transfigure from someone who asks "What does it mean to love God with all my heart soul and mind and love my neighbor as myself" to a person who says "Show me how to do it" God can’t change our nation and redeem the world- with folks who go to buildings once or twice a week to gather religious knowledge- but God can and has and is changing the world through people who give up finding God- and let God find them- people who change not for change sake and not to be better than some one else- but because once they have seen God’s reality there’s no turning Back-
it all caught up with Peter- all the Jesus stuff finally sunk in- and he gave up controlling God- and he let God control him- he let God use his tongue to preach to thousands- and the resurrected Jesus- gives Peter a prediction of the future– the valleys he will have to face
John 21:18- I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
Seeing God clearly- a God who forgave his greatest betrayal- Seeing this Jesus- changed Peter- he became a reckless addict and dealer of love- so much so that it got him in trouble with the empire- and he was killed for it.
God can change the world with people who are recklessly addicted to spreading love and goodness in this world- one day at a time- one neighbor at a time. People who have been to the mountain- and are willing to live in the valley
God is daring us to see more clearly- are you willing to take the dare?
If you need help with this I am here for you- If you are just starting out- please talk to me or fill out a piece of paper and hand it to me.
I dare you to stare at God and remain unchanged.

Mark 2:1-12- There’s a hole in the roof!

Mark 2:1-12- There’s a hole in the roof!
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
We see this is kind of like a church gathering. News is out about this Jesus- he is a teacher with authority- admired by John the Baptizer and he heals people- even lepers. People are going to Peter’s home because Jesus is there preaching- there are many reasons to go to a friends house, but getting a chance to hear and see Jesus would be pretty high on my list.
After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up."
"That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?"
"Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it will be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen."
People see church in all kinds of different ways- is it a place where we go to hear a loud-mouth shout opinions- are we going to be around people- or do we get together to be close to Jesus- to heal each other’s wounds- and take care of one another. I believe this stories speaks straight to some of these issues and much, much more- If you want to follow along in your sermon outline...
Faith of Friends:
It is important to have individual faith- an individual trusting, personal relationship with God- and even just a mustard seed is enough for this relationship to grow
Verse 5: "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
- but sometimes in life situations there is a need for more- for faith of friends. Individual faith- isn’t enough- we are not called to be islands all by ourselves- we are called to be in communities of faith- groups, families, local church- communities that together trust in God
The friends of the paralytic worked so hard to get that hole in the roof
They didn’t care if they looked foolish- possibly fifty people there- [largest excavated home is 18 feet]
May have been a staircase to the roof- made of dried mud- very hard
I want friends like them- I want a church like them- that when I need it- they will carry me- they will break walls- roofs- they will take me to God
"The best time to make friends is before you need them."
You may be called to be a friend of faith for someone in your life- it may be your sacred duty to carry your friend- with other friends helping- and dig through whatever mud and barrier you have to get them to Jesus. They may be paralyzed by alcoholism, gambling, sexual immorality, anxiety, addiction- whatever it maybe- your faith may be called upon to carry them to our Lord
But lest we grow proud- there will be times when we are the paralyzed one- when we are so hurt, broken or lost- that are friends will need to grab us and for our own good take us to the feet of Jesus. Many of us have had these experiences- of our friends faith carrying us through dark and difficult times. Thank God for friends of faith
Don’t go through life without friends of faith- Don’t go through life not being a friend of faith. This is a beautiful lesson from this story.
Having a "God Break-through"
Put yourself in the crowd- you would be looking up at some guys digging through a roof
There would be mud and dirt and sticks falling on the crowds
crowds= church, people who are curious, who are listening but also in the way of people trying to get to Jesus
hole in the roof= a little faith goes along way- the faith of the friends is what Jesus saw and he healed the man- saying "your sins are forgiven" because of the faith of the friends. The friends are breaking through a barrier to get to Jesus.
Ceiling= a temporary barrier to Jesus
Why go through the roof rather than ask the crowd to move? 1. Because the crowd has a choice and the ceiling does not. 2. The crowd may not want to touch a paralyzed person- Who knows?
Didn’t the friends do what Jesus did? They busted through a barrier for their loved one- isn’t that what God in Jesus did? Came out of heaven in order to save his loved ones?
what a shock to the crowd- he went from blasphemer to healer!!!
Why does Jesus say "your sins are forgiven?"- This is the priority of Jesus’ mission- to tell people that God has come to forgive them of their sin- of any behavior that they believe blocks them from being a good person. Forgiveness of sin is more important than any physical healing. Physical healing is a great blessing in this life. But God did not come to earth just to physically heal several hundred folks in Israel and Samaria- no he came to break the barriers between humans and God- to bury all our sins in the depths of the sea. Jesus shows his true mission here- is the freely given forgiveness of all our sins- past present and future.
There’s a hole in the heavens
Isa 64:1
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains would tremble before you!
- And the heavens were torn open when the Son of God was born into this world.
God has torn through the heavens to be with us- because God believes that we are worth saving- God even believes that the world will be redeemed by His spirit living in and through us
Faith is tearing through the walls and roofs of our lives so that we can get to this God - so that we can get our friends to this God
We need God in our lives- just as much as that paralyzed man did- maybe we can’t see it- but we are all sick and in need of God’s healing
There’s a hole in our roof- There’s a hole in heaven- God loves you so much that he sent his one and only son so that if you believe in you will live in the everlasting life- We are saved to live a life full of goodness and love here on earth- a life that will not end when we die- because there is a hole in the roof- and our friend Jesus will carry us home.

Running in Circles- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Pray-
Running in Circles- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
A little exegesis: Paul is writing to Corinthians- who are more knowledgable on athletics- than him- They were the greeks- the inventors of the olympics- And locally they had a competition in Corinth every two years. So, Of course they knew that in a race all the runners run-
He was using an image that they had likely seen with their own eyes
Though this may seem like a simple metaphorical teaching- an athletic metaphor- there are some greek words here that are deeply philosophical- the words for the crown that will \ last- which is sometimes translated into english as "incorruptible"- and the same root word is used to describe the crown that will rot and not last forever. When this word is used in the OT- in its negative sense it is used to say something was "Wasted" "thrown to a pit" The word is phthartos- a "ph" followed by a "th"-
Aristotle and Plutarch- and others- used this word to talk about what is really real- is the cosmos phthartos or aphthartos? With or without immutable- unchangeable- eternal value.
Pretty heavy words. Paul has a way of practicing what he preaches- earlier in this chapter he explained that he made himself a slave to everyone in order to win a few to Christ- Here he is demonstrating that- he is simultaneously communicating to a person who thinks in athletic metaphors- and the person who speaks philosophical language- which, coincidentally, were two of the biggest past-times in Corinth. Athletics and Philosophy. Paul spoke in a way others could understand.
The word translated "disqualified"= is adokimos- it can also mean untested- untrained.
As a church- and as individuals- are we sharing our faith in ways that people who have never had a relationship with Christ can understand? Sometimes we fall into using church-language- and we don’t think about if we are truly communicating. We say things we understand- but have we stopped to think if we are communicating in a way others can understand?
When people come to church- do we treat them with respect and be joyful- or do we say things like "I can’t believe my eyes..." or "Why are you in church?- what are you doing here?"
That’s just rude and sloppy. Communicating like that tells me that a person needs to train their tongue and become a bit more disciplined.
Communicate healthily on purpose- say good and right things- not just the easy joke. Say- "I’m so glad you’re here." "It’s good to be with you in worship."
Our teens use a lot of negative humor- and they know- because I am always hounding them about it. I slip into this too. It is communicating laziness. We try to be closer to each other by putting each other down- as if that really makes someone feel good.
So take a lesson from Paul- choose words wisely. Train your mind and your mouth to work for God.
My research: My "Pole Position" experience. I wanted to run a race this week- to give myself a real-life reminder of what being in a race is all about. I thought long and hard about this, like for at least 15 minutes- and then I decided I would play a video game. A racing video game. "Pole Position"- created in good old 1982.
I learned- or was reminded of several things from my race experience:
There are all kinds of signs to tell you what’s coming
You can’t drive without aiming
I was much better the fourth time I played- than the first time. Persistence has everything to do with effectiveness.
Sometimes your going to fast and there are too many things around you to take time to look at the signs.
When you just got it figured out and are going full speed ahead the course takes a sharp turn- you end up having to start all over again.
On the second level of Pole Position- there are more obstacles- the longer you play- the more difficulties you encounter- surprise puddles and oil slicks
I played later with a group. Sometimes this added fun to the experience- sometimes it just added distraction.
Eventually its always game over
In this game you drive on a track- going on the same route- over and over again. All for the hope of getting on the high score list.
My game experience and my study of these verses led me to three important points- on this race for Christ
We need proper training- 2. We need to run with aim and 3. We need to have the right motivation- the right prize.
Training- What is proper training?
I joined a health club one year, they had a weight-loss guarantee, I spent about 200 bucks. I didn’t lose a pound. I asked for a refund. They turned me down. Apparently the deal is you have to actually go to the club, for it to work.
Well that’s not a true story= well its partly true. I have joined clubs in the past and followed through for a while.
But some of us treat our Christian life this way. We join the club, maybe pay the dues- but never really buy into the actual life change. Reading scripture- being convicted and changing. Praying- is training. Worship- is training. Being there for someone else in their suffering is training.
When I hear statistics like churchgoers are just as likely to abuse their spouses as non-church folk– it makes me wonder if folks are really training. When I read things like, 80% of Christians believe Jesus hung out with the poor- but only 2% of this 80% hang out with poor folks- I wonder what’s wrong. What’s wrong with me?Are people really giving up their lives and asking God to reshape them- re-form them into who they were meant to be- or are we just part of a club? I really hope it’s the firs option. We want to be real people for God not just members of a club.
The church is not a club- it is a way of life- it is people committed to living life like Jesus wants them to live. Its an ongoing race. We believe we are the body of Christ- that God has given us His Spirit and that we are the hope of the world- we don’t believe this out of arrogance- because we are more right than others- we believe this because- Jesus loves us and asks us to train to be like him- and therefore as Jesus did, we love others.
Running with aim- Now believe it or not I ran cross country back in the day. 5 kilometers in length. Each course was different. Whether it was on a golf course, in a city park- or whatever- our Coach would take us on a pre-race ritual. One thing we always did, usually the day before- was a line-of-sight walk through. We would walk the course and look for the shortest distance between points. Our coach would say things like, "When you turn by this tree- aim for that post out there in the distance and run straight at it." So we would walk from that point to the next point and sometimes we would find a chuck hole or a puddle- and he would say remember that’s here- aim around that puddle.
We turn a lot of corners in life- changes happen that we expect- and changes happen that we don’t expect- good and bad. But Paul is telling us when you turn a corner- get your head up and look at where your life is heading- don’t let the corners in life throw you off the course. Find your aim- keep on track. Don’t run aimlessly. Which as a Christian means- keep loving your God- keep loving your neighbor and enemy- keep sharing, forgiving and serving. Keep praying and studying. Don’t get off the course and start running some other race- We are the body of Christ- the hope of the world, Why did God save you and me? we weren’t saved just so that we could have a really good time at church or a really moral family- God saved you and me- because God believes that He can love the world through us and we must run through life with that aim in mind.
The Prize- There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him. An angel hears his plea and appears to him. "Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you." The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules. The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him. The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.
Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter. Seeing the suitcase, St. Peter says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!" But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought pavement!!!???"
- funny- but what if there is no heaven?
What really matters? What really is our prize? Would you still be a follower of Jesus if there were no threat of hell and no promise of heaven?. Right now is what really matters. This life- we are to run our guts out- in this life. In this race we are running we are gathering up treasures- that don’t take up any space except in our heart- treasures that won’t rot- treasures of love, of kindness to one another- of acting justly in this world, being honest with ourselves and each other.
There is a heaven- an eternal- everlasting life of love- promised by God- to those that become his followers. But heaven starts here- and now- We pray- "Lord may your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven"- that is our treasure- we get to bring the construction crew of heaven on earth- we get to be about building God’s kingdom- starting right here and right now. That is our prize- as people in love with the Son of God and through this God’s love and by loving our neighbors and enemies we get to touch heaven- even though we are just running around earth. We get to touch heaven! We run in circles and are made of dust- get to build the eternal.
We’re not just running- we’re dancing- God has take our wailing our mourning- and given us purpose and promise that does not end with this life- can you see this God? Run to him. Run to him.

Running in Circles- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Pray-
Running in Circles- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
A little exegesis: Paul is writing to Corinthians- who are more knowledgable on athletics- than him- They were the greeks- the inventors of the olympics- And locally they had a competition in Corinth every two years. So, Of course they knew that in a race all the runners run-
He was using an image that they had likely seen with their own eyes
Though this may seem like a simple metaphorical teaching- an athletic metaphor- there are some greek words here that are deeply philosophical- the words for the crown that will \ last- which is sometimes translated into english as "incorruptible"- and the same root word is used to describe the crown that will rot and not last forever. When this word is used in the OT- in its negative sense it is used to say something was "Wasted" "thrown to a pit" The word is phthartos- a "ph" followed by a "th"-
Aristotle and Plutarch- and others- used this word to talk about what is really real- is the cosmos phthartos or aphthartos? With or without immutable- unchangeable- eternal value.
Pretty heavy words. Paul has a way of practicing what he preaches- earlier in this chapter he explained that he made himself a slave to everyone in order to win a few to Christ- Here he is demonstrating that- he is simultaneously communicating to a person who thinks in athletic metaphors- and the person who speaks philosophical language- which, coincidentally, were two of the biggest past-times in Corinth. Athletics and Philosophy. Paul spoke in a way others could understand.
The word translated "disqualified"= is adokimos- it can also mean untested- untrained.
As a church- and as individuals- are we sharing our faith in ways that people who have never had a relationship with Christ can understand? Sometimes we fall into using church-language- and we don’t think about if we are truly communicating. We say things we understand- but have we stopped to think if we are communicating in a way others can understand?
When people come to church- do we treat them with respect and be joyful- or do we say things like "I can’t believe my eyes..." or "Why are you in church?- what are you doing here?"
That’s just rude and sloppy. Communicating like that tells me that a person needs to train their tongue and become a bit more disciplined.
Communicate healthily on purpose- say good and right things- not just the easy joke. Say- "I’m so glad you’re here." "It’s good to be with you in worship."
Our teens use a lot of negative humor- and they know- because I am always hounding them about it. I slip into this too. It is communicating laziness. We try to be closer to each other by putting each other down- as if that really makes someone feel good.
So take a lesson from Paul- choose words wisely. Train your mind and your mouth to work for God.
My research: My "Pole Position" experience. I wanted to run a race this week- to give myself a real-life reminder of what being in a race is all about. I thought long and hard about this, like for at least 15 minutes- and then I decided I would play a video game. A racing video game. "Pole Position"- created in good old 1982.
I learned- or was reminded of several things from my race experience:
There are all kinds of signs to tell you what’s coming
You can’t drive without aiming
I was much better the fourth time I played- than the first time. Persistence has everything to do with effectiveness.
Sometimes your going to fast and there are too many things around you to take time to look at the signs.
When you just got it figured out and are going full speed ahead the course takes a sharp turn- you end up having to start all over again.
On the second level of Pole Position- there are more obstacles- the longer you play- the more difficulties you encounter- surprise puddles and oil slicks
I played later with a group. Sometimes this added fun to the experience- sometimes it just added distraction.
Eventually its always game over
In this game you drive on a track- going on the same route- over and over again. All for the hope of getting on the high score list.
My game experience and my study of these verses led me to three important points- on this race for Christ
We need proper training- 2. We need to run with aim and 3. We need to have the right motivation- the right prize.
Training- What is proper training?
I joined a health club one year, they had a weight-loss guarantee, I spent about 200 bucks. I didn’t lose a pound. I asked for a refund. They turned me down. Apparently the deal is you have to actually go to the club, for it to work.
Well that’s not a true story= well its partly true. I have joined clubs in the past and followed through for a while.
But some of us treat our Christian life this way. We join the club, maybe pay the dues- but never really buy into the actual life change. Reading scripture- being convicted and changing. Praying- is training. Worship- is training. Being there for someone else in their suffering is training.
When I hear statistics like churchgoers are just as likely to abuse their spouses as non-church folk– it makes me wonder if folks are really training. When I read things like, 80% of Christians believe Jesus hung out with the poor- but only 2% of this 80% hang out with poor folks- I wonder what’s wrong. What’s wrong with me?Are people really giving up their lives and asking God to reshape them- re-form them into who they were meant to be- or are we just part of a club? I really hope it’s the firs option. We want to be real people for God not just members of a club.
The church is not a club- it is a way of life- it is people committed to living life like Jesus wants them to live. Its an ongoing race. We believe we are the body of Christ- that God has given us His Spirit and that we are the hope of the world- we don’t believe this out of arrogance- because we are more right than others- we believe this because- Jesus loves us and asks us to train to be like him- and therefore as Jesus did, we love others.
Running with aim- Now believe it or not I ran cross country back in the day. 5 kilometers in length. Each course was different. Whether it was on a golf course, in a city park- or whatever- our Coach would take us on a pre-race ritual. One thing we always did, usually the day before- was a line-of-sight walk through. We would walk the course and look for the shortest distance between points. Our coach would say things like, "When you turn by this tree- aim for that post out there in the distance and run straight at it." So we would walk from that point to the next point and sometimes we would find a chuck hole or a puddle- and he would say remember that’s here- aim around that puddle.
We turn a lot of corners in life- changes happen that we expect- and changes happen that we don’t expect- good and bad. But Paul is telling us when you turn a corner- get your head up and look at where your life is heading- don’t let the corners in life throw you off the course. Find your aim- keep on track. Don’t run aimlessly. Which as a Christian means- keep loving your God- keep loving your neighbor and enemy- keep sharing, forgiving and serving. Keep praying and studying. Don’t get off the course and start running some other race- We are the body of Christ- the hope of the world, Why did God save you and me? we weren’t saved just so that we could have a really good time at church or a really moral family- God saved you and me- because God believes that He can love the world through us and we must run through life with that aim in mind.
The Prize- There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him. An angel hears his plea and appears to him. "Sorry, but you can't take your wealth with you." The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules. The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him. The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.
Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to greet St. Peter. Seeing the suitcase, St. Peter says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!" But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought pavement!!!???"
- funny- but what if there is no heaven?
What really matters? What really is our prize? Would you still be a follower of Jesus if there were no threat of hell and no promise of heaven?. Right now is what really matters. This life- we are to run our guts out- in this life. In this race we are running we are gathering up treasures- that don’t take up any space except in our heart- treasures that won’t rot- treasures of love, of kindness to one another- of acting justly in this world, being honest with ourselves and each other.
There is a heaven- an eternal- everlasting life of love- promised by God- to those that become his followers. But heaven starts here- and now- We pray- "Lord may your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven"- that is our treasure- we get to bring the construction crew of heaven on earth- we get to be about building God’s kingdom- starting right here and right now. That is our prize- as people in love with the Son of God and through this God’s love and by loving our neighbors and enemies we get to touch heaven- even though we are just running around earth. We get to touch heaven! We run in circles and are made of dust- get to build the eternal.
We’re not just running- we’re dancing- God has take our wailing our mourning- and given us purpose and promise that does not end with this life- can you see this God? Run to him. Run to him.

Mark 1:29-39 "A Solitary Place"

Pray
Mark 1:29-39
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages-so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
V.35 This is a good verse to memorize: Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed
He didn’t just get up- he got up before the sun.
He didn’t just get up- he left the house
He didn’t just get alone- he prayed
During a January revival an evangelist asked the people in line what they needed.
One man's requested prayer for his hearing. The evangelist spit on his finger, put it in the man's ear, prayed for him and asked him, "How's your hearing now?"
He said, "I don't know - it's next Tuesday."
Point #1- Listening to God helps us listen to people
We are called to be people who are light in people’s times of darkness- love in the midst of despair. But we can’t do this very well- if we don’t take care of ourselves- we will not be as good of listeners and supporters as we could be.
Sometimes- when we may attempt to bring healing or comfort to a friend or family member- but we haven’t taken the time to really listen to them- and we are out of practice listening to people- because we haven’t practiced listening to God. It is all very related
I confess to you- this is a big place where I fall flat on my face-
You see I have this phone... Illustration- a cordless phone that has to charge every five minutes- it needs to be connected to its power source.
To make a real difference- I have to be real with God- being honest with God- takes time and for me usually solitude and silence- when I have laid my soul before God- accepting His forgiveness- then I am enabled by His grace to enter the world as a person set on serving, loving, forgiving.
Point #2- Jesus had a busy schedule- Do you have a busy schedule? Look at how busy Jesus is in this section- he can relate.- the eight hour work day did not apply to Jesus!
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went ....
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark
Are you getting this? He went from Synagogue- to Peter’s family’s house, healed- crowds came- healed some more- into the late night- and then got up early.
So why didn’t he sleep in? Didn’t he deserve to sleep in? Surely he did and probably some days he did sleep in. But He also needed to reset his direction- to take time to reflect- to listen to Father God and figure out what he should do next.
If he had slept in- there would have been people right at the door asking him to heal and he would have had his schedule determined by the crowds.
He knew he had to be faithful to God.
Jesus needed time alone- and Let’s be honest we’re not Jesus
Being fully present to someone isn’t automatic- let alone being available to crowds- we have a lot of distractions- to be fully present with people we need time with God.
You can’t really be good for someone else if you don’t do self-care. This is important for pastors too- I don’t have some kind of automatic spiritual transmission that makes everything go smoothly in life.
Each of us every day have Different Moods- and we have Different Personalities- Different seasons in our life- Different Circumstances that come up= these cause Different reactions to people
For example- if the Seahawks lose- a terrible circumstance- I will likely react by not wanting to talk about it- and wanting some time alone. If they win I will likely want to celebrate- run to a football field somewhere and tear down the goalposts with 200 of my closest friends.
My point- we’re not Jesus- but Jesus and us have something in common
Sometimes we want to be alone
Sometimes we want to be in the public
Sometimes we want to celebrate
Sometimes we don’t know what we want
So even though we are not Jesus- His life can teach us about our life
We need time with God to improve our connectedness
Life is connectedness- since Adam and Eve- the story has been about us and how we disconnect ourselves from God, from Nature, from family- and the consequences are horrendous at times- so how do we keep these healthy connections. By prayer- real, gut level, honest prayer. This will lead us to be real, gutsy honest, authentic people. What better thing is there to be than authentically yourself?
Jesus went into nature to talk to God- but he was also in the synagogue.- Connecting with creation and with people.
We need time with God so we can know our life purpose
Do you know why you are here?
For Jesus there was difference in being popular and getting his message out. He chooses not to stay in a place where he already made a difference- even though they say, "Everyone is looking for you." He wants to go to other villages- "so I can preach there also." It wasn’t about knowing everyone- it was about getting His message out.
Jesus knew his mission. What is your life mission?
Are you here to be a godly parent- grandparent- aunt or uncle? Maybe you are called right now to be the best student you can be and show others that be a child of God can be a very good thing
Are you called to action in our community- to helping others- to praying for others- there are endless possibilites for callings- but for sure God has placed something for you- in this season of your life- whether you are 7 or 7 decades old- God always something beautiful for you to do- if we would only spend time and listen to Him
We have choice:- to have a life where we spend time solitary with god or to be lonely-
Disconnected from God- we are spiritual beings- we are made to be in relationship with God
we were built to have a personal relationship with God- we are never alone- but if we deny this part of ourself- we will be missing out on something, we will be lonely.
If you have not made that decision yet- to walk with Jesus Christ- personally- I urge you today to consider it- with God you are never alone, never without purpose, you are connected- you are made whole
If you want to be more of a whole person- don’t leave this place today- without saying to God- I need you- I want to live life as I was meant to- as a child of God.
Ps 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God"
Repeat. There is one God- and God loves you- be still before our God- seek God out- and you will find a God that has been looking to be with you. With God- when you are alone- you are never alone. This is good news. Amen.