Happy New Year everyone!
I feel like 2024 went by so incredibly fast and so much happened – it’s incredible how much can change in a year. And as we get ready to embark on a new year, I always feel like it’s time for me to take a moment to reflect on where I’ve been and to process where I’m going. How did I show up this last year? What do I feel good about – where do I wish I’d done things differently – how have a pursued God – where have I left him out – when did I listen and obey – when did I ignore? Just a moment to take stock. I feel like that’s the easy part – looking back on where I’ve been – the more difficult task is anticipating what is to come. I can certainly learn from what has been but how do I prepare for what’s next? It’s easier to prepare for what you know is to come.
I’m taking on a new role at Grace – I can kind of wrap my head around that and get ready.
Maggie is finishing HS and looking toward college.
Annie is applying for grad schools.
2 graduations this spring. Moving kids this fall.
I can kind of prepare myself for those things – it’s the unknown – the unexpected that is a little tougher.
The surprises – good and bad – that you don’t see coming.
How do we find the endurance to meet whatever faces us this year?
Endurance is the ability to withstand hardship and adversity. Stamina – the ability to get up and stand tall and keep going even when life is hard and broken and painful.
To pull yourself up even when it hurts.
The word endurance is used a lot when talking about sports – it was even used as one of the definitions – I think of the word endurance a lot when I think of cross country. Maybe it’s because I have a runner in the family – but cross country is an endurance sport – you’re running on different terrain every time – and it’s long race – and it’s a secluded sport – you’re running with others but it’s a solo activity – it takes mental toughness and physical stamina. And you can’t just go do it – it’s something you have to prepare for.
Anyone out there a runner? You are just a different type of person – there is something unique about runners – the discipline it takes – the effort.
I hate it –
And I hate it because I’ve never trained for it. I’ve never disciplined myself to work at it and practice and build up my stamina.
mini marathon
I paid for not being ready.
I didn’t have the endurance.
Not when it comes to running.
Do I have it when it comes to my life? Am I prepared to face the challenges of life head on and to endure the hardships that follow? Have I disciplined myself in a way that makes it possible for me to wait or persevere or remain steadfast when the world seems to be against me?
The last 4 years have been a true test of that. Becoming a pastor, the deaths of both parents – hardships with family – broken relationships – I have had to endure – the only other option was to fall apart and never get out of bed again.
I now know to expect the challenges and the hardships – it’s just part of living in a broken – sin-filled world. I know 2025 is going to have its own unique set of obstacles but how can I – how can we be better prepared to meet them?
We’re going to figure that out in the next 5 weeks as we start the year off with our sermons series Endurance. We’re going to spend this entire series in the second part of the NT as the early church was facing many obstacles of its own and the NT authors were giving them guidance in how to endure and stay steadfast in their mission even when facing what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles.
Which is why the Greek word hypomonē shows up 32 times in the letters of the apostles. Hypomonē can be variously defined as “patience,” “perseverance,” “waiting,” “steadfastness,” and “endurance.” Regardless of how you translate it, in each of these passages it is what we are called to do.
And we’re going to kick it off today looking at what the Apostle Paul has to say in the book of Romans. And we’re going to be focusing on the section in Romans 5 verses 1-5 – page __________ in your bibles.
First let me pray.
Saul has the conversion and becomes Paul – goes around sharing the good news, gaining followers and setting up churches – he then stays in contact with these churches thru letters – this is his letter to the church in Rome – written probably later in his ministry – he knows a lot and has been thru a lot and had a lot to say – and it is a divided church
He has 2 purposes in this letter
Become unified
Staging ground so he could take the good news farther west
In the first part of this letter he is reminding them of the good news – the gospel of Jesus that is for everyone – Jews and gentiles – we are all trapped in sin and that only thru God’s righteousness has the world been rescued thru Jesus – we don’t rescue ourselves by obeying a bunch of laws – and the desired outcome is the creation of the faith based multi-ethnic family of Abraham that God promised
When you have faith and trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus you have:
New status – forgiven and right with God
New family – the family of God – God’s people
New future – your life is transformed
What does that transformed life look like?
You are now part of a new humanity and this is what that new humanity is
Romans 5 verse 1
5 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Take that in for just a moment – the phrases just in the first section of this passage
Made right in God’s sight by faith
Peace with God
Undeserved privilege
Confidently
Joyfully
Sharing God’s glory
These are the ancient promises of God that are coming true for the Roman church and for us
God welcomes us into a personal relationship with him – mere mortals in relationship with God the creator
Because of our faith in Jesus we have been made right with God and we have peace and privilege
We have peace with God – sin was the issue between God and humans and Jesus made us right in God’s eyes – we are forgiven – we have peace with God
Undeserved privilege is the idea that we have the right to approach – we have 24/7 access to the temple – the presence and power of God himself
When God created humanity – Eden – this is what he intended – human existence was us and Him – in communion together – all the time and when you profess your trust in Jesus you are beginning the restoration back to what was intended – freedom to be exactly who he created us to be – that is incredible
· I don’t have to prove I am worthy of God’s love.
· God is my friend.
· The door of access is permanently open to Him.
· I am free from the “score sheet” – the account is settled in Jesus.
· I spend more time praising God and less time hating myself.
But it’s more than that – when we are reconciled to God we have relationship to Him but we are also called to be part of the work to restore the rest of humanity – to enter into the work that God is already doing – to heal the world and return it to Eden – what was originally intended – that’s why we talk about the broken places – it is because of entering into this restoration and reconciliation work with our creator
That’s why Paul says in verse 3
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
We can rejoice – we have a choice
We can rejoice when we run into problems – not because of our problems – not at our problems – but when we encounter them
I think the NLV puts it mildly by saying problems and trials – in some translations it says tribulations or sufferings – it’s not easy stuff he’s talking about and Paul knows what he is talking about – he has faced severe suffering and tribulations
Paul knows that as Christians – entering into the work of healing brokenness alongside God – we will experience hardship – we will experience trials – we will feel pain – that is part of living in the world we created as opposed to what He intended – God never said we won’t face problems – he just promised to be there with us – Jesus said it himself in Matthew 6:34
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
We will have troubles - We will face adversity – how we face it is the testament
And Paul goes onto say we have to face it with endurance
Hypomone – endurance
Bravery/effort – not passive
And each virtue builds on the other – your endurance builds your character and your character builds your hope
But how? How do you build this endurance?
A runner doesn’t go out one day and just run 14 miles without any training – well maybe some have but they’ve paid the price – remember the mini I did
No a runner builds up their endurance by training thru discipline
Annie gets up by 6:30 every morning – she has her routine – and she follows it meticulously – she has a training plan – she’s not just throwing things out there – and she has built up to this place – starting in 6th grade – she eats a certain diet – she runs a certain amount of miles – she gets the right kind of sleep – she rests when she needs to – she stretches - she listens to what her body is telling her and that has built in her what she needs to be a great runner
Strong heart – muscles – stamina
And she has faced plenty of stress and tribulations and injury
But she goes right back to the plan – she knows what works and she can stand strong on that even when facing pain or hardship
It is the same in our spiritual journey – we build our endurance by sticking to our disciplines – we spend time with God – silence and solitude and prayer
(my sabbatical)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6
We study the word
We go to church and invest and serve
We invest in spiritual community
We find people to disciple us
We disciple others
We find our calling and we enter into the work God has for us to do to restore hope to others
We praise and worship and adore
We take advantage of the undeserved privilege we have of a personal relationship with our savior
And we build off of what he has already done – where we have seen him at work – where we have heard his voice – when we have encountered and experienced his presence in our trials – we remember and reflect
(Take a moment now to think of this past year and do just that – what did you face – what trials – stresses – tribulations – hardships – and where did you see God in it – where did you experience his presence – where was your hope restored)
That is where our endurance is built and out of that work comes deep character – thru those disciplines we build our humility and integrity and kindness and patience and peace and joy
Thru her work Annie became a runner
Thru our work we become more and more like Jesus as our character is strengthened and built
And thru that character we have hope
Because our hope is built on a solid rock not sinking sand
That’s why James says in chapter 1 verses 2-3
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
We can build our endurance thru our trials and this will lead to great hope – a hope that will not disappoint
Verse 5
5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
In some translations it says God’s love is poured out – it is not a trickle – God pours his love into us and our awareness of this love is equivalent to our awareness of the Holy Spirit in our lives – he gives us the Holy Spirit out of his deep love for us
Jesus says in John 14:26
26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
The spirit in us changes who we are – it is our guide – our teacher – our compass – we are changed because of the spirit’s work in our lives
Romans 8:5
New Living Translation
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
Romans 8:9
New Living Translation
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
The spirit opens our eyes and our hearts to just how deep the father’s love is for us – not only do we gain the HS when we surrender our lives but we have to live in the spirit – we have to walk in the spirit – we need to have full awareness of the spirit in our lives – and that comes thru the character that is built as our endurance increases – it all works together – we understand how deep and wide God’s love is for us thru our walk in the spirit that is deepened as our endurance grows and our character is built – and when we grasp his deep love we have deep hope – our endurance – hypomone – builds our hope
Endurance = character = hope
There is no doubt we are going to face trials – tribulations – we are going to have pain – and hardship and stress – how we face it – how we embrace it is the key – we can move into 2025 with confident hope that God is with us and for us and loves us deeply – there is true hope in that.
I want us to move into 2025 feeling like this.
Show Video
Strong and confident in God’s deep love for us and the hope that brings – because we have built our endurance to a place where we are steadfast and patient and meeting our trials with perseverance and strength and resilience.
Hebrews 12:1-3
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
Don’t be weary – don’t give up – you have hope.
Bring on 2025.