"Go for the Goal: Focus and Reach"
Hebrews 12:2-4
Introduction
A lot has been said about the focus that Michael Phelps has had in order to win 8 gold medals at the 2008 games. I saw him last week on the interviews an he said that he had a very strict schedule and now he was looking forward to simply enjoy Beijing and the rest of the games.
The ability to focus—to stay centered, to bring to bear intense concentration (#40178)—is a key factor in Olympic competition. That’s true when the actual time of the event arrives, but it’s also the case in the days and weeks and months leading up to when the games are held.
Champions are marked by this ability to focus. This task, this challenge, this calling is not something casual. It truly epitomizes who they are. Gold medal winners are not like the Iranian boxer Ali Kazemi who was disqualified at the 1992 Barcelona games because (can you believe) he had forgotten to bring his boxing gloves! That same year, 1992, Canadian yachtsman Hank Lammens was disqualified for not remembering to bring his life jacket. And did you see just the other night, a Russian gymnast was disqualified for starting her vault routine before she got the green light.
Focus is a factor that comes to us now in our current series about going for the gold spiritually speaking. Christians who determine to be exemplary in their relationship to the Lord have a certain focus. Let me re-read Hebrews 12:1–4.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses" 1)—Believers with a "go for the gold" mindset Remember the Witnesses. Have you acted yet on the recommendation that you discover a hero from the past who can push you in your walk of faith?
Back to Scripture—"Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress" (Message 2)—Believers with a "go for the gold" mindset Remove Any Hindrances. Have you learned to act quickly when temptation occurs? To immediately say no to the devil, like Jesus did? In the two weeks since I preached on this topic, have you discovered that there is actually greater pleasure in overcoming sin than there is in giving in to it?
Scripture again—"And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us" (Message 3)—Believers with a "go for the gold" mindset Run with Perseverance. Perseverance. Early on you need to realize that going for the gold will not be easy. Then you no doubt agree that any expectation of being a winner will require great discipline. Your mindset will be one of putting the welfare of your team ahead of personal pain, and you must exercise faith at all times that this is something you can do. Have you worked further on your spiritual game plan?
This Week’s Response
Now, let me read verses 2–4: W
e do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.Message 4—Believers with a "go for the gold" mindset Reach for the Goal. They keep their eyes on the prize; they focus on Christ.
How-to
I have two suggestions I’d like to offer on focusing our faith. Both have been time-tested and proven effective—the first for many centuries, the second for over a hundred years now.
Suggestion 1: GOOD MORNING AND GOODNITE —learn to make Christ your first thought and last thought of the day. Upon awakening, train your mind to go immediately to Jesus. This could be through a song.
"Love him in the morning when you see the sun arisin’;
Love him in the evening cause he took you through the day;
And in the in-between time when you feel the pressure rising;
Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay."
I learned this song as a teenager and I still remember its words today—some thirty five years later. Isn’t that amazing? What is more amazing is the truth the song speaks.
I’ve encouraged you to get acquainted with some of those heroes in what our Hebrews passage calls "the great crowd of witnesses." Listen to this magnificent awakening prayer from St. Patrick of Ireland (377–400 ad). I’ve cut some of the lines just because of length.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill.
Afar or anear,
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
Of the Creator of creation.
Do you see his focus? Sense his centering for the day? Hear the intense concentration? Feel the fire? Learn to make Christ your first thought of the day—and also your last thought as the day comes to an end.
For many of you, what I’m suggesting is elementary. Others, who have not made it a habit to pray in the evening before retiring, might need a few suggestions as to what to do. Well, don’t make things more difficult than necessary. Understand, you won’t be praying like St. Patrick in the next week or two. So, before you get in bed, or when you stretch out on your Sealy PosturePedic or your water bed, simply start talking to the Lord, OK?
If you get done and haven’t fallen asleep yet, pray slowly.
So, focus on the Lord at both ends of the day. Now here’s a way to remain more Christ-focused throughout the day.
Suggestion 2: W.W.J.D.?—As the 1800s came to a close, a minister named Charles Sheldon wrote a book that has sold multiple millions copies. Even today it continues to be popular. In His Steps is a fictional story about a pastor and his people in a church probably not all that unlike this one, where the lives of many were profoundly touched by an unusual incident that you saw portrayed earlier in the video clip. What happened next I’ll read to you.
The story continues with the pastor preaching the following Sunday.
The appearance and words of this stranger in the church last Sunday made a very powerful impression on me. I am not able to conceal from you or myself the fact that what he said, followed as it has been by his death in my house, has compelled me to ask as I never asked before "What does following Jesus mean?"
I am not in a position yet to utter any condemnation of this people or, to a certain extent, of myself, either in our Christ-like relations to this man or the numbers that he represents in the world. But all that does not prevent me from feeling that much that the man said was so vitally true that we must face it in an attempt to answer it or else stand condemned as Christian disciples. A good deal that was said here last Sunday was in the nature of a challenge to Christianity as it is seen and felt in our churches. I have felt this with increasing emphasis every day since. . . .
What I am going to propose now is something which ought not to appear unusual or at all impossible of execution. Yet I am aware that it will be so regarded by a large number, perhaps, of the members of this church. But in order that we may have a thorough understanding of what we are considering, I will put my proposition very plainly, perhaps bluntly. I want volunteers from the First Church who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly for an entire year, not to do anything without first asking the question, "What would Jesus do?" And after asking that question, each one will follow Jesus as exactly as he knows how, no matter what the result may be. I will of course include myself in this company of volunteers, and shall take for granted that my church here will not be surprised at my future conduct, as based upon this standard of action, and will not oppose whatever is done if they think Christ would do it.
Have I made my meaning clear? At the close of the service I want all those members who are willing to join such a company to remain and we will talk over the details of the plan. Our motto will be, "What would Jesus do?" Our aim will be to act just as He would if He was in our places, regardless of immediate results. In other words, we propose to follow Jesus’ steps as closely and as literally as we believe He taught His disciples to do. And those who volunteer to do this will pledge themselves for an entire year, beginning with today, so to act.
What would Jesus do? As significant decisions are made through the week make that your focus, a way of centering your thoughts, the point of concentration, your brush with sacred fire.
Believers with a "go for the gold" mindset reach for the goal. They keep their eyes on the finish line as they strive to become winners. They remain Christ-focused. Notice the word remain. This is not something you toy with for a week and then quickly forget. All along I have been saying that champions are not made overnight. What I’m sharing with you in this series is their mindset—their way of thinking, which marks them until the prize has eventually been won.
More specifically, that means you make Christ your first and last thoughts of the day until the practice becomes almost an automatic reflex. And you regularly ask, "What would Jesus do?" whenever such questioning is appropriate.
Conclusion
I believe I detect in some of you real championship material, spiritually speaking, with eyes on fire for your Lord!
What do you think it would feel like to win a gold medal? What do you think it would feel like to win seven? Well, in the 1972 games in Munich, American swimmer Mark Spitz did just that. In his first event he won the 200-meter butterfly. A few hours later he swam the anchor leg in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. In the next three days he took gold medals in the 200-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly as well as anchoring the 4x200-meter relay. Understandably, he was getting tired. His next event was to be the 100-meter freestyle, and he asked the coach to pull him out of the event so he could be fresh for the final medley relay. One of his teammates had actually recorded a faster time coming into the Olympics. His coach told him that if he didn’t compete in the 100 he would be out of the relay and people would say he was a "chicken" for not facing his rival. So he swam, beating his rival by several feet and setting a world record. In fact, in addition to winning 7 gold medals at Munich, he also set 7 world records in the process! Understandably, he was dubbed "The Golden Boy" and later even received the Sullivan Award as the outstanding male athlete of the year.
Can I let you in on a secret? If you keep yourself focused on Jesus, in time you yourself will become more and more like him. That’s what the race is all about. Olympic runners run for a gold medal. We, on the other hand, run our race to hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Listen to this testimony of someone whom I believe ran it well. He was a young African pastor, and this note was found tacked to the wall of his house.
I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of his. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And when he comes for his own, he will have no problems recognizing me. My banner will be clear!