Sermon Preached at Igreja Presbiteriana no Jardim América
May 7, 2006
Hebrews 12:1-2

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Thank you. Thank you for sharing your lives, your homes, your meals, your joys and your sorrows with us. And thank God for ten years at IPJA. This weekend we have raised our Ebenezer with worship, praise, and thanksgiving. We have prayed, sung, and laughed together. Thank God for ten years at IPJA.

You know that the preacher always has the best view in the temple. You see just one of me and I see two hundred of you. I see the faces of old friends and new friends. I see children, youth and adults. In fact, I see a great cloud of witnesses.

Of course, the words, “a great cloud of witnesses” are from Hebrews 12. In Hebrews 11, we hear the names of some of those in the great cloud, men and women who lived by faith. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and many others.

May we add some more names to the list of witnesses? To Abel we add Ademar, to Enoch we add Maria, to Noah we add Robson, to Abraham we add Kelly, to Sarah we add Sergio, to Isaac we add Nilcéia, to Jacob we add Adriano, to Joseph we add Nilda, to Moses we add Paulo, to Gideon we add Vivian, to Barak we add Arilson, to Samson we add Luiza, to Jephthah we add Ivan, to David we add Cristine, to Samuel we add Edvan.

Look around you. Look around this room. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses! This great cloud of witnesses is here to remind us of all the God has done in ten years. Thus far has the Lord helped us!

Tomorrow our celebration will be finished. When we remember this weekend, we will think of the Ebenezer of praise and worship that we raised. Tomorrow we go back to our homes and our jobs and our schools – whether they are in Belo Horizonte or Beaver. There will be no time to rest tomorrow.

What a marvelous celebration we have had during these four days, but we cannot stay here. Tomorrow will arrive whether we are ready or not. We cannot stay between Mizpah and Shen. We have to go forward. IPJA cannot remain at May 7, 2006. IPJA must go forward.

Noah was not finished with his work when pounded the last nail into the ark. His work had just begun. There were animals to bring aboard the ark. Moses was not finished with his work when the last Israelite was safe across the Red Sea. His work had just begun. He needed to lead the people to the Promised Land. David was not finished with his work when he had slain Goliath. His work had just begun. There were other victories to be won and a kingdom to build.

IPJA is not finished with its work after ten years. God still has much work for IPJA. “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”

IPJA has a race to run and the race is not finished. It is a race that is not only for you at IPJA. It is for us at Park Church, as well. For six years IPJA and Park Church have been running the race together and I hope that we will run together for many more years. Where will that race take us and what will we see along the way?

After Noah had finished building the ark, he brought the animals onboard so that they would be safe in the flood that was to come. This building is like the ark of Noah. It is a safe place from the rains that sometimes threaten to flood all of our lives. Rich and poor, young and old, Americans and Brazilians, we all need a safe place. Just as Noah went and found the animals to take on his big boat, so we must go and find those men and women, children and youth who God is calling to the safe place of his love and grace. Maybe not elephants, giraffes, and kangaroos, but there are brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors who you must bring to this safe place.

After Moses had led the children of Israel across the Red Sea, he still had forty years to lead them through the wilderness to the Promised Land. There were laws to teach and lessons to learn before they entered a land flowing with milk and honey. Like Moses and the children of Israel in the dessert, IPJA has a responsibility to teach the children of your families and of this neighborhood about the laws and the ways and the love of God. We are a long distance from the Promised Land and the children have much to learn. My friends at IPJA, please continue to teach the children of Jardim America about the God who loves them.

After the young man David killed the Philistine giant Goliath, there was still much to do for the “man after God’s own heart.” There were battles to fight and a kingdom to build. Like David we still have battles to fight and a Kingdom to build. We must fight the enemies of poverty, ignorance, addiction, abuse, and unemployment. There is a battlefield just outside the gates of this building. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:13-18)

We have run a long way in ten years, but the race that is set before us is a marathon and we still have long way to go. As Noah, Moses, and David, we will be tired at times, discouraged at times; we will make mistakes at times. But we must not quit. If IPJA is to win the race that God has set before her, she must “keep her eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

My friends at IPJA, happy 10th anniversary. We have raised our Ebenezer, saying “Thus far has God helped us!” Now there is a race that is set before us. It is a long race and a very difficult race. Sometimes we will be tempted to abandon the race. But as Hebrews says, “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”

As I look around this evening, I see a great cloud of witnesses, and not only those seated in their chairs. I see Noah, Moses, David and others. I see friends of IPJA in Beaver, USA, and other places. I see some of this community who have run the race and received their crown. And since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”