How Far For Faith? Isaiah 5: 1-7; Hebrews 11: 29-35, 39-40; 12:1-2
In the mid 1990s, the Very Reverend Nathan Baxter was the Dean of the Washington National Cathedral. He preached a sermon at the height of the war on drugs fervor which unsettled the congregation. This is the story he told. A person asked why the drug dealers had so much power over the children of the day. The drug dealer says, “When he wakes and walks to school, I’m there. When he gets off the bus and comes home, I’m there. When he comes out to play before dinner, I’m there. When he’s upset and his parents are working too much to care, I’m right there on the corner, listening to him.
Every day of this kid’s life, he sees me, he talks to me, he hangs out with me and my group of friends. Eventually, he becomes one of us, cause we are what he sees on a daily basis. What are you going to do about it? The answer is nothing. Sometimes, my friends, we don’t realize who has the influence in life.
Last week we talked about the legacy we leave as we plant seeds today which look towards tomorrow. The scripture we look at today asks the question, “How far are you willing to go for faith, for justice, and for God’s righteousness in this world. There are two concepts which leap of the pages of this Hebrews chapter and the examples it provides: influence and resolve.
Let’s talk about influence. In Hebrews 11:39, we see the summation of all the examples of faith, “All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith.” The beginning of chapter 12 also talks about this great cloud of witnesses and Jesus, who is the author and perfector of faith. You as a person, and we as a church, are influenced by those who have gone on before us and left this indelible mark on our lives. Sometimes when I pray, I hear almost exact wording to what my grandfather would say. When I listen and counsel, I follow the pattern left by my friend and mentor, DeLys. And I cannot tell you how many times I have uttered the phrase, “Oh good heavens, I have become my mother.”
Who in our lives has shaped us, molded us, counseled us, and taught us many of the ways we understand and live our faith? Who in our lives spoke words of hope and wisdom which encouraged us, lifted us up, or at times even made us mad enough to push us to something new and powerful? Influence leaves a mark on us, and our influence leaves a mark on other and on the community where we live. Sometimes that influence is powerful and positive, like the great cloud of witnesses who have shaped us, encouraged us, and kept us close to our love of Jesus and hope in him. Sometimes influence produces bitter grapes like Isaiah describes.
The good news is that we don’t always have to agree in order to find the best aspects of a person’s influence on us. There are some points of theology and practice of my childhood faith I no longer follow as education, experience, and reading the full context of the Bible have taught me better. But I know my faith would not be where it is without their prayers, teachings, love, and influence. So, what influence do we leave? When we join the great cloud of witnesses ourselves, whose life will we have touched and changed in a holy and powerful way through our faith, our love, our prayers, and our service to the community in this life?
The second idea we need to look at is resolve. In verses 32-35 of Hebrews 11, we read stories of faith and resolve—of Gideon, Barak, David, Samuel, and so on and the miracles which include narrow escapes from death. In the verses not included in our reading, it talks about the suffering and martyrdom of the early church. But most importantly, each of these people are examples of those who held their resolve in the face of adversity.
It is the same challenge issued by the dealer in Rev. Baxter’s story: I’m here influencing your kids. What are you going to do about it? In Isaiah 7, we read the example of the vineyard destroyed for its bitter grapes. The moral of the story is found near the end: God expected a crop of justice, but instead, oppression was found. God expected to find righteousness, but instead, cries of violence were heard. In times of injustice, violence, oppression, and unrighteousness, we hear that same challenge, “What are you going to do about it?”
Hebrews tells us of people of faith who stood their ground with firm resolve and used their influence for what was good and holy. They were one with Christ and they sought to bring that influence of Christ’s love, grace, and redemption into a time and place where injustice and violence reigned. Resolve doesn’t require hostility, anger, or anything else of that nature. It requires us to commit ourselves to doing what is holy and right, even if what is around us does not.
It is resolve which has sustained our ministry here. A few of you who were here in 2006 and 2007 recall a minister who told you that you were done, and it was time to close this church. In a way I’m grateful for that shock and bluntness. It made the folks here so mad that they got all riled up and were filled with resolve that this church would not close, period. That made the job of pastoring here to find new and different ways of growing, doing ministry, and being the church much, much easier. I often tell folks that there is a strong resolve here to be the church and to live God’s calling in every way we can find to do it.
As people of God, we must use our influence and our resolve to do what is right and holy in this world. That doesn’t mean taking over politics, fighting a culture war, or engaging in some worldly battle. Jesus spoke words of hope and truth to the people and the Pharisees, but he never launched a political campaign to join the Sanhedrin, nor did he seek a Roman appointment to win sway. Influence and resolve are not found in control.
Who feels your prayers each day? Who gets a card from you when they are struggling? Who hears you speak of how your faith has impacted and helped you? Who hears the stories of how you’ve overcome life’s struggles? Who sees you unashamed to love and care for others—even those who are broken, hurting, and outright irritating? Who sees you take up your cross daily to follow Jesus? Influence and resolve don’t require a pulpit or a microphone. Instead, God works most strongly in and through our committed hearts and our willing spirits.
Worship Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1928708617327444