Mount Vernon Church
Heavens Pep Rally
(Hebrews 12:1)
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. KJV
Introduction: How many of you have ever been to a High School pep rally? What is the purpose of a pep rally? Isn’t it to get the players pumped up for the game? What goes on at a pep rally? It’s the fans screaming and yelling and cheering on their team.
Picture if you will a large stadium and on the home teams side is a large crowd. As a matter of fact the stadium is packed, every seat is full. There is no more room. You are walking into the stadium from the locker room and you begin to hear the crowd as they begin to yell encouragement to you. All the sudden you began to feel inside of you a great since of confidence. You begin to say, “I am going to win. I can do it.” The adrenaline begins to pump and as it does you start thinking that you could charge hell with a water pistol. You are ready. The Living Bible puts it this way.
12:1 Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. TLB
We have a great crowd gathered today in heavens grandstand cheering us on. Who are some of these men women of faith that are cheering for us? In the previous chapter we are told who these great men and women of faith are. So if we are being cheered on by these faithful men, who are they and what are they telling us today? Go with me in your mind and let’s pick out some of these individuals and see what they are telling us. We look up in the stands and who do we see first cheering us on?
1.)Enoch: (Hebrews 11:5)
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. NIV
a.) Spend time with God. (Genesis 5:24)
24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. NIV
b.) To walk with God brings great pleasure.
Isaiah 61:10-11
10 Let me tell you how happy God has made me! For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and draped about me the robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. TLB
c.) To walk with God brings prosperity.
Deuteronomy 5:33
33 Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
2.)Noah: (Hebrews 11:7)
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. NIV
a.)Don’t be afraid to work for God though it looks discouraging. (job overwhelming.)
b.)Don’t be afraid though people make fun of you.
c.)Don’t be afraid though people may not listen to you.
3.)Abraham: (Hebrews 11: 8-10)
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. NIV
a.)Go ahead take a leap of faith. (Stand on His promises.)
b.)God has a place for you if you just follow.
c.)Don’t hold anything back from God. (His son Isaac.)
d.)Nothing compares to being called God’s friend.
4.)Moses: (Hebrews 11:24-29)
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. NIV
a.)Don’t worry about your past.
b.)Remember it’s all about the blood.
c.)Don’t doubt God in the face of adversity.
d.)Wondering in the desert with God is better than being in the palace without Him.
5.)Stephen: (Acts 6:12-15; 7:1-2; 51-54; 59-60)
12 This accusation roused the crowds to fury against Stephen, and the Jewish leaders arrested him and brought him before the Council. 13 The lying witnesses testified again that Stephen was constantly speaking against the Temple and against the laws of Moses.
14 They declared, "We have heard him say that this fellow Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and throw out all of Moses’ laws." 15 At this point everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!
7:1 Then the High Priest asked him, "Are these accusations true?"
2 This was Stephen’s lengthy reply: "The glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Iraq before he moved to Syria,
51 "You stiff-necked heathen! Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your fathers did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One-the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 Yes, and you deliberately destroyed God’s laws, though you received them from the hands of angels."
54 The Jewish leaders were stung to fury by Stephen’s accusation and ground their teeth in rage.
59 And as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!" and with that, he died.
TLB
a.)Stand for Jesus against the odds
b.)Stand against sin.
c.)Your choice to make Hero or a has been?
Conclusion: These saints and many more are in heaven right now cheering you on. These great men of faith want you to succeed. They have been were you are and they know what it takes to be victorious in your walk. Did these men stumble and fall? You bet they did. But they found the strength to get up and try it again. They had no quit in them. How about you today?
