Don’t Blink on Jesus/The Heart of a Champion
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· 6 viewsWhat does it take to have the heart of a champion? The bible tells us what it takes.
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Introduction
Introduction
This is championship Sunday where the Baltimore Ravens will meet the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC championship. Today at 3pm, we will stand against a formidable opponent who will scheme, plot, plan to keep you and I from our destiny.
There are some fundamental lessons We need to learn if we are to have a heart of a champion.
What is a champion?
CHAMPION The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary Heb. gibbôr, 1 Sam. 17:51; elsewhere “mighty man”). The Heb. phrase, rendered “champion” in 17:4, 23, literally is a “man between the two,” a go-between, a challenger. So Goliath went between the armies of the Hebrews and Philistines, as the champion of the latter.
Goliath was the Philistine champion who was a Go-Between the Hebrews and the Philistines.
Yes he was 9ft tall, loud and boisterous, arrogant and disrespectful of his opponent, but like all paper champions, they will go down.
Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
People will always anoint their champions even before they become true champions.
The media consistently conduct themselves this way.
They always anoint the ones even before their time. They always assume and anoint themselves a champion.
Boxer Jack Dempsey tells us, “ a champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.
Just like today, We will see other champions like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed who just like Heb 11 have been through this. They testify about the reality of believing in something greater than themselves and they have been honored in the ring of honor……Well, Heb 11 is the ring of Honor and they are there to cheer on the people of God who is in the battle right now……these are the cloud of witness…They testify to us that we can be a champion too if we believe in Jesus by faith…
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.
Let go of your baggage, its our time to run the race God has for us..Guilt slows you down, Doubt slows you down, fear slows your down, sin trips you up, you’ll never be a champion if your practicing sin. You cannot fornicate and expect to win? You cannot be shacking up and think god is going to reward you? You have spent more money on the Lottery than tithes and offerings.
No baggage , No fear, Just believe and start running……
Tony Evans- To worry is to question God’s integrity, which is the opposite of believing Him.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
This is about the power of faith! do you believe that no matter where your in your life right now, that you can grab hold of God promises and see it in your life or your children lives?
To have the heart of a Champion, you have to believe in Jesus
Point 1- Don’t Blink! “Looking”
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
He is our Champion ! So don’t blink
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
BDAG- looking means to: to direct one’s attention without distraction, fix one’s eyes
Lamar says he’s locked in on a Superbowl…focused
If you blink you might miss something……
We need to be locked in on Jesus why?
He is the author- the initiator, the originator- archegos- founder of faith
and He is the finisher/perfector - teleiotes-one who brings something to a successful conclusion. Its only used here in this verse.
So the translator calls Him Champion of faith because He is the initiator and the finisher…He finished well…That makes Jesus our Champion of faith!
John Trapp
The less a person strives for himself, the more God will be his champion.
Jesus did the will of His Father , that makes Him a Champion/ He died for you and me , That makes Him a champion.
Point 2 The Joy of enduring faith
When you believe in something greater than yourself, Joy will carry you through the struggle.
The trophy was named after the former Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi who died of cancer in 1970. He led the Packers to win their first two Super Bowls before passing away and the decision was made by the NFL to honour his legacy. As Lombardi once said, “Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing.”
Many have gone through multiple surgeries to get back on the field because they were focused on the joy of winning a Lombardi. to even to get to this current point, many players have suffered and loss so much.
Question: What made Jesus go forward even when he struggled with a moment of hesitation?
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
definition of Joy……
Dictionary of Bible Themes 8283 joy
A quality or attitude of delight and happiness, which is ultimately grounded in the work of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Among the many situations in which joy is experienced, Scripture recognises as supreme being accepted in the presence of God.
hypomeno- endure; await; wait upon, remain
Jesus shows us how we can endure the struggles of life with joy…
Joy is not about happiness, but its about knowing that greater is on the other side. God is on the other side of this.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Jesus was looking at the Throne while he was enduring and struggling down here. He could see it even inthe midst of His struggle. …The Heart of a Champion will keep you looking at the Throne of victory even in the struggles dwon here.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
whatever your lacking down here, Jesus will fill you. when we see him we will be like Him….…
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
This is Joy……He is a Champion , so will we..so long as we .
Point 3- Endure and don’t Quit
There are times we feel like quitting.
there are times when we want to stop, to cease, relenting.
Some battles are so difficult and challenging…
quitting is a mindset according to verse #3
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
We take it into consideration; reckon it so, calculate,
Many have quit on God this year……when we look and see the prosperity of the wicked and were suffering??
Psalm 73 speaks about this thought, this mindset……
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Look at what happened in Psalm 73.16-17
When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end.
When you know whats going to happen to the wicked, your enemies, it should make us change our mindset on quitting on God.
Don’t be discouraged while your in the fight, endure to the end……
Charles Spurgeon
He giveth power to the faint.
James Montgomery Boice
It is not under the sharpest, but the longest trials, that we are most in danger of fainting.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; And to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Celebrate:
Its the 12th chapter of Hebrews…Its been 12 years…and if we don’t quit, well win our third Lombardi….…Its our time……You gotta want to be a champion if you want to be like Jesus. You gotta want it , you gotta take it by faith..do you believe its your time to be a champion
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Each verse tells us to endure v1 ( Endurance to start the race, v2 (Jesus is the champion who endured , v3 don’t quit while your in the race…
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