1 Corinthians 1: 8 “Developing Tenacity” Aug. 25, 2019
Rev. Jerry W. Krueger Boardman First United Methodist Church
What is tenacity? Webster’s dictionary explains tenacity as “mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.” Having tenacity is a good thing. It means you are resolute, stubborn, & determined; all of these are admirable qualities when speaking of our faith lives.
In 1964, Nelson Mandela defended himself against charges of attempting to overthrow the South African government. For three hours in a Pretoria court, he articulated his reasoning for opposed state sponsored apartheid. He concluded with these words, “I have fought against white domination, and fought against black domination. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” That became Mandela’s “I am prepared to die speech.” Mandela served 26 more years in prison, and four years after his release, was elected president of South Africa. Mandela was tenacious, and unrelenting in his beliefs, as we need to be in our faith lives.
Sometimes following God’s direction in our lives comes down to tenacity, a willingness to believe that a persevering sprit will prevail.
I Googled people who were tenacious, who endured setbacks, being told they could not succeed or achieve. People like Walt Disney, the author J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Elvis, Thomas Edison, Einstein, Abe Lincoln, Michael Jordan, and Stephen King.
Paul the Apostle encountered push back from a prophet named Agabus, as Paul prepared for his third missionary journey. Agabus took Paul’s belt and tied his hands and feet. He proclaimed to Paul and others, “thus says the Holy Spirit, this is the way that the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the gentiles.” (Acts 21: 11)
But Paul says, “The Lord’s will be done.” (Acts 21: 13-14) Paul is tenacious, unmoved, essentially telling Agabus and the others, “I don’t take the warning as a sign to change course.” Instead, Paul gives his “I am ready to die speech.”
Paul was about 53, which was old for that time. He must have been growing weary of setbacks. He’d escaped angry mobs in Damascus, Jerusalem, got arrested in Philippi, endured church squabbles, and parted ways with Barnabas.
Many of us in our lives face push back, and we may ask, “How much do I really have left?”
In your call, in your place of service, in pursuing your purpose to follow God, do you ever feel like the road is too long and steep? That the wear and tear, has worn and torn? It’s not that you can’t physically do the tasks, it’s not lack of energy or stamina, it’s more serious. Your heart has begun to check out. Your passion seems to be fading. It’s not that you can’t continue; you’re just not sure you care to continue.
With all he’d endured, what kept Paul’s passion strong? What enabled him to say, “I am ready to not only be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus?”
Paul keeps his spiritual ears trained to heaven. He listens intently for God’s voice and remains obedient to God’s instruction.
Paul’s ‘life calling” is derived from following Jesus’ call. His embrace of that original call keeps him from getting distracted.
In the baseball movie “The Rookie”, a true story about Jim Morris who at age 36 got out of the minors and pitched at the professional level for two years. During a minor league slump, he reconnects with his passion, just playing baseball. Not trying to make it, just playing.
In the Book of Revelation, the church at Ephesus is mentioned and the angel commends the church members for their ability to endure and not grow weary. But the angel issues a warning to the church too, “you have abandoned the love you had at first.” (Rev. 2:4)
Preventing weariness, the warning seems to say, relates directly to what first moved your heart in service to Christ.
You know in my role as pastor, doing lots of administrative paperwork, going to meetings, preparing to teach Bible study, going on hospital visits, and even writing sermons every week can wear me down. Sometimes conflicts, disappointments, and pastoral care issues can sap my energy. But taking time to read, reflect, fast, pray, be totally in God’s presence, and being with likeminded Believers is restorative.
I guess we search at times for that WHY in our own lives. Why we do what we do.
So, what is your first love? Teaching, working with your hands, volunteering, what do you recall doing when you received that surge of energy that comes with knowing God is using you?
Tenacity requires something of us. It’s leaning into our faith. It’s not just a blind leap into the unknown. Faith requires us to assess where we have come from in the past, and spotting the times when God intersected our lives, and acknowledging that.
Tenacity in our faith and faith life is powered by the belief that while you may not see the evidence of the difference you are making daily, one day you might. I give blood regularly and wonder where the blood is used. The American Red Cross sent me a text this week saying my August 2nd donation had gone to a man in Indiana who needed it during surgery. Wow! What I did made a difference in another’s life. One day, we will have the best hindsight of all as we see from the heights of heaven and know exactly how God used our faith.
In our purposeful lives, it is important to rely on faithful people in our circle. They offer support, rest, encouragement, a listening ear, and a safe place to download thoughts. Having a tenacious faith requires of us that we remember who we belong to, Jesus Christ.
As a kid, when I would go out with friends, my Mom would always say to me, “Remember who you are. Remember we love you.”
God through Jesus Christ, the Father, and Holy Spirit, repeatedly affirm that we are deeply loved by God. That love is a gift from God, through Christ. Christ’s life altering gift of sacrifice for YOU, is for you. Christ lives for you, walked to the cross for you, was crucified for you, and was resurrected for you.
Nothing we can ever do is worthy of earning that gift, but it was freely given to you at great cost. Christ died in your place so that you would not have to.
Christ offered his life for each of your lives. Whether it’s a bit messy or seemingly all put together, Christ died for you so that you would not perish.
Remember your spiritual DNA. You come from good and holy stock. The conclusion of Paul’s life can be summed up in Acts 28: 30-31. Paul, “welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all the boldness and without hindrance.”
Paul was tenacious in his purposefully lived life. He was faithful to the end, and I pray you will be too.
In the name of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
