First Lutheran Church
October 23, 2022
2 Timothy 4:6-8 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that 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 sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 15:4-5 [Jesus said,] Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
Sermon
The Great Relay Race
Pastor Greg Ronning
In today’s readings, St Paul encourages us “to finish the race,” “run with perseverance,” “the race that is set before us.” It used to be that every time I heard these words, I would automatically picture the Olympic Marathon race. I would imagine this runner, perhaps 20 miles into the race, in that moment when the body is starting to break down and give up. And then, somehow, despite the pain, they are able to summon some kind of great strength, an inner passion, drawing upon a tremendous will to overcome, enabling them to push past total exhaustion, discovering that “second wind” that would suddenly propel them back into the race, past their opponents, and on to victory! I’ve always imagined that this was the race, “the race set before us,” the race of faith that St. Paul was exhorting us to run, the lonely iconic struggle of the Marathon runner.
However, that all changed about ten years ago when I heard a sermon in which the “the race set before us” was described as a “relay” race! Up to that point I had never thought of that option. And if you think about it, it makes total sense. Of course it’s a relay race, we don’t run the race alone, we run with “a great cloud of witnesses,” we run with Jesus, “the pioneer and perfector of our faith,” and we run with each other, the Holy Community, “abiding” in the Church, the Body of Christ fleshed out in this world. Faith is not a race we run on our own, it’s a community race. We are not called to be Marathon Runners, but members of the Relay Team!
So, what’s the difference between a Marathon and a Relay Race?
First of all, and most obviously, as I have already alluded to, the relay race is a team sport. That’s very different than the lonely marathon. You can’t win a relay race on your own! It takes every member of the team, doing their job, playing their part, to complete the race. In team sports you learn to rely on your teammates. In the relay race you place your hand back to receive the baton and you trust it will be there. In the relay race you take the baton, run your lap as fast as you can, and then pass the baton forward to your teammate, who is trusting that you will be there with the baton.
The relay race image reminds us that we are not called to run the race of life alone, it reminds us that faith is not an individual event, it reminds us that we need each other, it reminds us that I need you and you need me. Faith is lived out in Christ, in community, in relationship with the whole body of Christ. Faith is not about simply accepting Jesus as your “personal” savior, it’s not solely about you and Jesus, it’s about you and me, the people who have gone before us, and Jesus! In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us, “I am the vine; you (the plural you, you all) are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” Faith is not a solo marathon race, it’s a community relay race! Faith is lived out in the plural, you simply cannot do faith alone.
Which brings us to the second big difference between a marathon, (or any solo race,) and the relay race, - “The Baton!” This is the part always makes me nervous when I watch a relay race. You win the race by carrying the baton forward, one racer at a time, till you cross the finish line. If you drop the baton, miss the exchange, don’t do the exchange in the right time and space; you can’t move forward, you can’t finish the race, you can’t win the race. The baton must be carried forward.
If you’re an Olympics fan you probably know that “passing the baton” is something that American teams have struggled with over the last few decades. Despite having some of the fastest runners in the world, despite our depth at sprinting we have not won a gold medal in the 4x100 relay race in ages. And we’ve had our chances, chances that were ruined when the baton was dropped or mishandled, or the baton exchange was done too early or too late. Passing the baton is not easy, there is little to no room for error, it’s a blind exchange, communication is crucial, - and you must do it while sprinting as fast as you can. It takes a lot of practice and discipline, without those two things, it’s a problem. And that seems to be the American problem, we can run fast on our own, but we don’t run well as a team.
Which brings us to the race that you are now running, “the race set before us,” the race this is our faith, our life. This morning, once again, we are reminded that we run this race, “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses,” the saints who have gone before us, the ones who ran the “relay leg” before us. They passed “the baton” on to us, they passed on to us gifts, talents, wisdom, tradition, resources, the things that make up good and faithful life.
Who are the saints, who makes up that “great cloud of witnesses,” in this portion of the race that is your life? My parents and grandparents handed me a baton of “faith,” a football coach handed me a baton of “discipline and dedication,” and a professor in college passed on a “passion” for life.
Now I want you to stop and think for a minute about the saints who passed something on to you, and what it was that they passed on to you, and how it has made a difference in the race of your life. Remember their name, sum up what they gave you in a word or two. (Time for Reflection)
Now I would like to invite you to partake in a little relay race. I want us to take a few minutes passing this baton back and forth to each other, and as you receive it, I invite you to name aloud one person and in one word the gift they passed along to you. (Time for passing the baton)
Thank you for sharing
Last Sunday Pastor Jennifer preached about “legacy,” the things that we hope to pass on or pass down; the things that are important to us, our values, our passions, the fruit of our talents, our time, and our resources. So now I invite you to prayerfully consider your legacy, the baton that you hold, the baton you will pass on to somebody else, as they continue to “run the race set before us.” As you think about these things, we will once again pass the baton around the sanctuary, from one to another, reminding us that faith is about giving and receiving, making a good exchange, running the race set before us. When it comes time for you to hold the baton, I invite you to silently pray and consider your legacy, what it is you are being called to pass down.
Thank you again for participating.
And we didn’t drop the baton. Once again, we are so thankful to have with us today, Lisa Higginbotham, our relay coach, who is here to help us learn the art of passing the baton. We are reminded that the key to running the great relay race is the baton exchange. (And perhaps we’re not so good at doing that?) So, we need a coach! Just as important as the legacies you received in your life, is the one that you will pass on to others. May your legacy be a blessing!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,…”
Amen