ALL SAINTS DAY Sermon
Hebrews 12: 1-9
Tom Faggart

Today we celebrate All Saints Day. The morning lesson brings it all together for us and places it in theological perspective. We are as an endurance runner competing in a race. As we run there is a gallery cheering us on. This is no ordinary gallery. It is composed of dead people. Those people who have gone before us are pulling for us to succeed in life.

During the early days of the church the unseen world of the spirits was very real. The Devil and his hosts were believed to be the source of the ills which beset the human race. Stories were abroad of those who had sold their souls to the Devil. Equally vivid were those forces and (holy) spirits which were opposed to evil. Indeed, a major contribution of Christianity was the belief that humans need not be subject to the demons.  They could be protected from them. Through Christ their victims could be delivered from evil spirits. Since in his crucifixion Christ had triumphed, the presence of the cross was believed to be effective against the mischief of the allies of darkness.  Many stories were told of the cross's potency as a guard against them. The angels of God were also real to believers. The saints, in whom grace had triumphed, were revered. Not only by their good works had they added to the treasury from which the Church might draw; but their aid was ever present.

In the service of Holy Communion the church has always taught that   unique were the mystical properties of the service. When we commune ; the heavenly church spiritually joins the present church .  Those who have passed on are all about us.  "We are encompassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses."

Let us think together on the implications for this doctrine for us today.

I. WE SHOULD DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE BELIEF THAT WE DO NOT TRAVEL ALONE! THERE IS A HEAVENLY HOST PLUS OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY PULLING FOR US.

Last year an article was written concerning the Athletic Arenas which were the most difficult for the opposition. In the Atlantic Coast conference in Football Clemson was listed as the most difficult, and in Basketball, Duke University. The reason being in both cases the fans. Clemson overpowers the guests with noise. Duke's Students try to antagonize the opposition by psyching them out. And of course there is a lot of noise.

These arenas are difficult because the home team has a whole cloud of like minded people cheering them on. The crowd becomes the sixth man on the basketball team, and the 12th on the football team. Some say they are worth from 5 to 10 points in basketball, and a touchdown in football. In a close contest the difference in victory and defeat.

If, you have ever been part of such an experience you understand the point I'm making. When you know, really know that you have someone pulling for you, and supporting you to the max ... most people perform a little bit better than their norm.

This is precisely what Peter implies in our lesson of the morning. Just think as we go about life we are not alone. There is a cloud of heavenly witnesses cheering us on to do our very best.  They are pulling for us.  Believe this and you will never be alone.

No one can run our race for us. However, they can cheer us on.

II. THERE ARE CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS HELPFUL IF WE ARE TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE. Cast off all weights AND SINS and run with perseverance the race that is before you.

Peter sees the Christian life as that of an Endurance runner. If you have watched them run on T.V. you know they have as little on their bodies as possible. This is true of clothing, and weight.

Everyone who finishes feels they win. They know they have completed the course. That alone is enough for most runners. Others are running for the prize.

Weight is a runners handicap. In a horse race a few pounds can make a great deal of difference. This is true also in an automobile race. Those who who are in the race of life know what the weight of jealousy, anger, hate, past sins can do.   They make for an unhappy person.

During the War of 1812 the U.S. had an outstanding sea Captain in the person of John Paul Jones. He took vessels much smaller than the men-o-war vessels of Great Britain and won the war at sea. He did it by making his vessels extremely fast. Anything above the sea that was not there to make the boat go faster was taken away. Nothing that would stop the forward thrust of the vessel was on the deck. His smaller, trim vessels could out sail the larger clumsy vessels of the enemy.

It is important to note that an athlete is successful on what they can do. No one else can run for them. No one can excuse them from the race. They can't play on the emotions of others and be excused for running slower. The only thing another person can do is give moral support. Everyone is in there to give it everything they could.

Let Christ help you put aside all the weights that would slow you down.  He will free you to run this race with joy,  and expectation.

III. Finally Peter deals with the greatest fear of the people of that age. That was the fear of uncontrolled evil. They felt evil lurked about in the shadows waiting to destroy them during the event.

This seems to be true of many ancient civilizations.

We had a new neighbor in Swansboro. I saw this strange looking stick at the edge of the walkway to the front door. From it is several ribbons blowing in the wind. I asked my neighbor what it was. Oh, she said, It's my spirit stick. It keeps the evil spirits away. I worked with the Hopi Indians several years ago. All of them have one at their front door.

The ancient Christians were the same way. Don't worry about evil, said Paul ... look to the cross. The act of Christ on the cross will take care of the evil.

It is no coincidence that in the horror movies when there is an evil spirit, or someone possessed with an evil spirit is taken in a tussle that the star always wants a cross. Thats the only thing that will protect them.

This may be the reason the cross is so prominent in the church. Some churches have them on the steeple, and behind the altar.  In the presence of these symbols we feel that we are in the presence of God.

Are you running your best? Or are your kin who have gone on before ashamed of the way you are taking your Christian responsibility?

O ALMIGHTY GOD, WHO HAST CALLED US TO FAITH IN THEE, AND HAST COMPASSED US ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES; GRANT THAT WE ENCOURAGED BY THE GOOD EXAMPLES OF THY SAINTS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR
BROTHERS/SISTERS WHO HAVE PASSED ON TO THEIR REWARD IN THE PAST YEAR, MAY we PERSEVERE IN RUNNING THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, UNTIL AT LENGTH, THROUGH THY MERCY, WE, WITH THEM, MAY ATTAIN THAT ETERNAL LIFE PROMISED THROUGH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.