Passion

There are few things that embody the word "passion" like an Olympic athlete. The drive they have! That focus of purpose. A sense of direction and the strength of desire to reach a goal and a desired outcome. Can the same be said of us?

Look at this picture of Michael Phelps. Would you say he has a passion? I would. Look at that face! Look at his focus. He's not looking to the right or to the left. He is focused on his goal and nothing is going to get in his way or keep him from accomplishing his mission.

Have you ever seen the movie Passion of The Christ? Why is the word "passion" used when talking about Jesus? Surely, He could not have had a desire to die on the cross and endure a savage beating. Surely His passion was not to suffer, to be humiliated and spat upon, mocked and ridiculed!

Wrong.

As much as it was Michael Phelps passion to be the best swimmer in the world, the passion of Jesus was far deeper and meaningful. The passion of Christ was to the death. Jesus' passion was to obey the will of His Father. He sacrificed everything for Him.

Do we have that kind of passion in our worship? In our serving others? Do we have that kind of passion in our jobs or in our relationships. No. But what if we did?

Look at both pictures of these men. See any similarities? Both are men. Both have an intense expression on their faces. Michael is in a pool of water. Jesus is in a pool of His own blood. Each of them has their arms outstretched to accomplish their mission. Both inspire others by their accomplishments. But that is where the similarities end.

While Michael Phelps earned a few gold medals and got his name printed in a record book some place, his passion is about something he accomplished of a personal nature. Jesus accomplished WAY more than any mere human could ever even think about.

Jesus has a passion for two things. He had a passion for His Father in heaven. The other thing He had a passion for, and STILL has a passion for, is for you and for me. He sacrificed Himself so that we might have life. He sacrificed Himself because He had a passion to do His Father's will. Even though it cost Him His life.

Jesus accomplished for us what we could NEVER do for ourselves. He took OUR place on that cross, dying for OUR sins.

The question that eats at me, that should eat away at EVERY Christian, is How have we repaid Him for His passion? What have we done to honor our King, whose passion was not for Himself but for God and for others. May each of us wrestle with that question. And may we answer it with passion.

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” - John 6:35-40

Passion - An Olympic Rugby Player

Eddie

Have you been watching the 2014 Olympic games from Sochi, Russia? I think lots of people have. There have been many interesting stories and some really exciting and close competitions.

Like hockey! I missed watching the hockey game between the United States and Russia but the following day many people were talking about it at work and on the news, just how exciting it was. Overtime! A shoot out!! And we won!!!

Many great stories are coming out of these Olympic games. But there have been many sad stories as well. Unfinished hotel rooms, toilets installed but the actual pipe was missing, drinking water that looked more like a glass of beer than water.

Every Olympic games has its share of happy and sad stories to tell. Stories that inspire and stories that make us wonder. Back in 1972 at the Munich games for example, 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer were killed by a group of Palestinian activists. A sad story indeed.

This morning I would like to talk to you about a happy story - a story of the Olympic spirit and one former Olympian - a ski jumper named Eddie Edwards. This guy competed back in the 1988 Calgary games. He wasn't very good. As he would say later, he was Great Britain's first, and probably last, Olympic ski jumper.

His story was much like that of the Jamaica bobsled team. Underdogs to say the least. Never expected to win. But everyone seemed to love them anyway and they developed a following. Same with Eddie, who, mockingly, became known as Eddie The Eagle.

When Eddie made a jump the whole crowd cheered, not because he set a record but because he actually survived! Some in the sport actually shunned Eddie because he was detracting from the actual champion ski jumpers. And all he did was believe he could do something and then actually set about doing it.

Eddie's "Olympic Spirit" reminds me of what it's like being a Christian these days. We are persecuted for our faith. Shunned by the secular world and liberal ideology. Yet we continue on worshiping Jesus, despite all the negativism and attacks on our faith.

America loves an underdog and we Christians are definitely that. But unlike Eddie The Eagle, we are not lifted up as heroes by the world in which we live. But we DO get to win in the end. The following is a pep talk of sorts from the apostle Paul to a young Christian named Timothy. It could easily have been read to Eddie Edwards before his first Olympic jump. Each of us should take it to heart when we face persecution in this world that loves to crown champions. The following is a letter to underdogs everywhere.

Final Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all." - 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Eddie The Eagle Interview