This Week's Sermons

Sermons for the Month
Keeping Your Heart in Shape
DATE: July 12, 1998
SERVICE: Pentecost VI
TEXT: 1 Timothy 4:7; Matthew 22:34-37
"To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
The tour de France boasts of being one of the most grueling tests of human endurance in the world. Bicyclists climb over mountains, race over roads through France, mile after mile, hour after hour, day after day. Only the strong survive. You don't TRY to compete in the Tour de France. You TRAIN for it. And if you don't train, you don't make it, let alone compete for the prize.
Would you agree with me that this race we call "human life" is much less like a sprint and much more like a marathon? Like a Tour de France? Why do people give up on life? Why do many give up living and instead just go through the motions of breathing? Indeed, why do some people even go so far as to ridicule those who do? From where I sit, it appears most people don't give up because they lack knowledge. They don't give up because they lack money, or skills. Most people give up on life because they just plain lose heart. The race is too long and the heart simply gives out.
Today as we continue our series "Building a Healthy Heart," we're going to talk about how we can train for the marathon, how we can train for this Tour de France called life. Over the mountains, on the long roads, through the storms, day after day. How we can be healthy and enjoy life the way God intended.
Turn to your bulletin and 1Timothy 4:7. The apostle Paul, the sage, the wise leader, speaks to Timothy his dear friend—this young man. He shares words what he wants everyone to know. He says, "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance." What I'm talking to you about now, Timothy, is absolutely true. "Train yourself in godliness. For while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
Paul draws upon a very familiar term and image of his day. He talks about physical training. He says, "Physical training is of some value." The Greek word that is translated here as "Physical Training," also means gymnasium or gymnastics. In other words, Paul is conjuring up an image for Timothy of something very popular in his day. In Timothy's culture, the gymnasium was actually the place of "worship" in the ancient Greek world. People spent hours and hours at the gymnasium. The educational system was founded around gymnastics. Greek statues symbolize the importance of exercise in those days. The Greek Olympics were another symbol of that which we carry on today.
Paul is saying, "That's good. We need to work out. We need to exercise and take care of our bodies. But that is of just SOME value. Let me share with you what has eternal value. Spiritual exercise. Growing deep within."
Then Paul takes us even a step further. For this word, gymnasium, if we look closely at it, is also a metaphor that describes a type of Christian in Paul's day and in ours. There were among them certain Christians who did everything they could outwardly to impress others or to impress God. We might call them "spiritual gymnasts doing spiritual gymnastics." In verse 3 we see a little picture of what Paul's talking about. He says, "They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods." Marriage forbidden, abstinence from food, two of many ways that these particular type of Christians felt would help them make a better impression on God. We see that today. People choosing outward forms to make an impression on other people. On God. We are hoping that somehow that if I do this or that or I don't do this, I will impress God and earn God's greater favor.
It reminds me of a young Colonel in the army during the Gulf War. He was promoted. He had his own office in a tent. He was setting up his office space, trying to get it all right. He was so proud to be a Colonel. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a young private walk in. Well, he wanted to make a good impression on this private so he spun around, picked up the phone and as the private walked closer, he turned his back on the private and said, "Yes, General Schwartzcoff, yes, yes, I thank that's an excellent plan. Yes, and thank you for asking my opinion, Norm. We'll stay in touch. Good bye." Click. He spun around to the private and said, "Yes, private. What do you need?" The private very sheepishly said, "Well, sir, I just came to hook up your telephone."
We can strain and strive in our faith to produce outward signs that will maybe make a good impression on others. But Paul invites us to something so much more wonderful. He invites us to a life of true authentic faith. Authentic spirituality that is not based on my efforts, my outward actions, but is a matter of the heart. It is growing in faith. It is believing that yes, truly we serve a living God who deeply loves us. He proved that by dying on the cross to show us care and concern. It is growing in faith and confidence that, yes, God will be there with us and shine through us to others. That is true faith. True spirituality. True Christianity. True godliness. Paul invites us to that today.
I would like us to take a few moments to think about building a healthy heart…building authentic Christianity in our lives…to imagine that we're joining together for a workout. We are going to walk through four steps of workout. Don't worry. I'm not going to make you stand up and do any exercises. Instead I would like to talk about four ways we can deepen our spiritual journey.
1. First, we fuel up. Fueling up in our spiritual journey is feeding on God's word—the Bible.
Last week I shared with you my exercise routine. But I left out one important detail. As I drive in my car to the fitness club, I bring with me one of these fitness bars. These bars are supposed to help me exercise better. They give some fuel in the middle of the exercise.
I call these miracle bars. First of because it's a miracle if I can get this wrapper open. Secondly, it's a miracle if I can chew it—a little bit like cardboard with chocolate on the outside. But most importantly, it is a little bit miraculous because I do notice after about 30 minutes of exercise, instead of loosing my energy and fatiguing, I feel a surge of energy and I can go on and on…for at least another 30 seconds!
Fuel is so important to our exercise. Marathon runners know that. They know how important nutrition is to keep us strong and healthy. So it is in our Christian life. The reading, the study, the growing in God's Word is like a fuel that energizes us like nothing else.
Now I imagine there are a few folk here who enjoy reading and studying God's word. Let me see a show of hands of folk who enjoy reading and studying God's word. Any one brave enough to tell us what benefit you receive from reading and studying God's word?
2. We fuel up. Then after we fuel up we warm up.
Warm up is prayer. When I exercise I spend at least five maybe ten…seconds warming up, stretching my muscles. And my muscles pay for it! When I don't warm up with some stretching, my body doesn't work like it's intended. But when I warm up, I focus my body for what it is about to do.
Prayer does just that. As we pray we tune in our spirit—our deepest being—to God. Tune into God's ideas, to God's imagination, to God's decisions to help us. We tune into God. We focus. We warm-up to God. That's why Luther prayed two to three hours every day. And on days when he was exceptionally busy and he knew there was a great stress coming on…he spent four to five hours in prayer. Because he knew how important it was to tune in, to warm up, to get connected with God. Prayer does that.
Anyone want to share about what prayer means to them. What do you get out of prayer?
3. We fuel up. We warm up. Then we pump up. We can pump up by giving our faith away.
Wilma Rudolph was number 20 out of 22 children. She was born prematurely and almost died in childbirth. At 4 years old she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever. They thought she was going to die. In that process, her left leg became completely paralyzed. They put a brace on her leg. At age nine she took the brace off and began to limp around. By age 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk. The doctors said it was an absolute miracle. Also at age 13 Wilma decided to become a runner. She ran in her first race. Last place. For several years in every race she ran—last place. All her friends and family said, "Wilma, don't give up!" She didn't give up. She kept running. One day she actually won a race. And we all know that this woman, who almost died at birth, and who almost died at 4 years old, and who should still have a brace on her leg, won three gold medals in the Olympics.
There is a secret to exercise—when we use what we have it grows. We might think, "I don't have much to give." "In sharing my faith with others, I'm not articulate." "I don't feel I have the talents and gifts that others have." But God has given every one of you at least one spiritual gift, a special gift for the building up of his kingdom. He's given you a message. We share that with others. When we give our lives away and invest it in the lives of others, we grow! The muscles stretch and get stronger. When we give food to someone in need, when we talk to a neighbor about Jesus or invite them to church, when we teach Sunday School and teach little children, our faith grows! We might hear the pragmatic voice say, "Don't do it." But others said to Wilma, "You can do it. You can do it."
It is more tempting for me, instead of exercising physically, to be a couch potato and watch a football game on TV. But I know that once I get out there and I do that exercise, I feel so much better. I feel myself getting stronger. I invite you not only to fuel up, to warm up, but to pump up by giving your faith away.
4. Finally, we can rest up.
If all we ever did were fuel up and warm up and pump up, our muscles would fatigue. They couldn't take it. Healthy exercise also requires rest. We need rest to stay healthy. Not only physical rest but deep spiritual rest. That's why Jesus said to his disciples, who were so busy caring for others, "Come away. Come away to a quiet place to rest." He didn't say, "Come away, let's study some more. Come away, let's work on our prayer life." He said, "No, let's come away and just rest."
We all need that. That's why God ordained a sabbath. A time that we need not focus on the concerns of the rest of the week. We can take a step back and rest.
What helps you rest? When you think of deep inner rest. I'm talking about more than just physical rest—taking a nap. What helps you! What do you do that helps you come away feeling refreshed and re-energized? Would anyone share that? Maybe you have something that would help someone else.
We fuel up by reading, studying God's Word. We warm up through prayer. We pump up as we give our faith away. We rest through quiet solitude—a rare quality these days. But the purpose of this is not just for us.
Paul says very clearly. "To this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hopes set on the living God who is the savior of all people. Especially those who believe." Paul's goal in exercising his spiritual life was not to impress others. And, it was not to build himself up. It was that he could know this living God and God's incredible love for him. And then he could pass that on to others.
Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple Computers. His company was growing so rapidly that he desperately needed to find an executive to help him survive. He found a man named John Sculley, the CEO of Pepsi Cola. He took John out to dinner. He wined him and dined him. He tried to make a good impression. He took him to the top of the highest apartment building overlooking Central Park. Yet, Steve felt like he was getting nowhere with John. So in desperation, Steve finally looked at John in the eye and said, "John do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want to do something that could change the world?" Well, that knocked the wind out of John's sails and certainly it changed his life, because he did then leave Pepsi Cola to work for Apple Computers.
Like John, each of us has deep in our hearts a yearning. A God-given yearning to change the world. To make a difference in this world. That's what Paul is striving for and toiling for as he says to grow spiritually not for himself but that he might touch others more than any computer could touch the world. Touching another life is the most important thing you could EVER do!
God invites us to fuel up, to warm up, to pump up, and to rest up because we serve the living God. The impact we make on others has a ripple effect. We touch one life which touches another life which touches another life who touches another life—and it changes the world for now and eternity.
I invite you to join with me today to make a new commitment to grow in our faith, our trust, and confidence in the Lord knowing that he helps
Walk on with conviction -- keep believing in the way, the truth and the life that is Jesus Christ.
AMEN