Pastor’s Corner

A great cloud of witnesses

The 11th Chapter of Hebrews in the New Testament recounts the lives of many heroes of faith who continue to be remembered as part of our Hebrew-Christian spiritual heritage. Beginning the list are such persons as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, followed by Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets.

Chapter 12 of Hebrews then begins with these two verses - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer 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 ofthe throne of God.”

Unlike some cultures, Christians do not practice ancestor worship, but we do hold fathers and mothers in faith in high esteem and respect, as well as honoring our earthly fathers and mothers and remembering others who give memorable service in our community and national life. Almighty God has revealed himself in significant ways through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and other biblical persons.

We do not worship those persons, since worship is for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but we esteem and respect them as persons in whose lives the Divine will and work has been made known to God’s people throughout the long years of human history.

Memorial Day is soon approaching, and many community cemeteries will be scheduling Decoration Days and Memorial Services, remembering especially those who have given their lives in their country’s military service, and also those veterans who survived their war-time service and are laid to rest in our community cemeteries. We also remember and honor those who are our beloved ancestors, friends, and community leaders. I believe these memorial observances are very worthy of our support and participation as followers of Christ. Memorial services are a way that we acknowledge that great cloud of witnesses whose lives inspire us to reach for noble goals together, to share authentic, caring lives while we live on earth, and to aspire to the Christian hope of everlasting life in Jesus Christ.

Scripture speaks of that great multitude of godly people who have gone on beyond this life as a great cloud of witnesses. While they have passed from our midst in this world, their lives and their faith continue to speak to us, to inform us, to lift up God’s saving work on our behalf through Christ Jesus, to point us to worthy purposes and priorities for our living, to share understanding in our difficulties and sufferings, to encourage us as we meet life’s challenges and heartaches and to comfortus in the living hope and love that we experience in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus. The Scripture also speaks of those who have gone on ahead of us as surrounding us. There is an essence of their lives that remains present for us.

We are not alone and desolate in the challenges and trials of our lives. We experience the potentials and the weights of life as a people surrounded by a noble spiritual fellowship of those who have walked this way before us, who have honorably struggled and suffered and achieved. Their witness is for our understanding and our encouragement.

Their example and their faith is empowering to us as we follow their lead, laying aside the discouragement and sins that drag us down, and expectantly looking to Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith.

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Church, Pages 2 on 05/25/2011