For the Sake of the Joy – Today’s scripture is from the letter to the Hebrews, and the Rev. Will McLeane, our Pastor of Spiritual Formation, is preaching. He begins by asking us to recall times when we were in the midst of something and suddenly wondered why we are doing what we’re doing, and what’s the end of all of it? The writer of Hebrews is addressing a community that is experiencing that kind of questioning, perhaps because of their questions about following Jesus. The letter has many references to figures of faith in the Hebrew scriptures as examples in the face of difficulty, such as Abraham who was summoned to leave his home, land, and people and travel to a place he did not know. Will gave some personal examples of such, as he had felt the pressure of being the lead runner in a 4x800-meter relay. Another example was that of a cyclist at the head of a peloton in a bicycle race, that leader not only dealing with the headwinds, but the cyclist’s aerodynamics actually pulling those behind along. In this sense, Jesus, as our example, pulls us through. Jesus overcame the cross and will carry us through life and into the joy of the saints. The first two verses of Hebrews 12 offer that challenge to “lay aside every weight” and persevere in the race, looking to Jesus who endured the cross and is our leader, calling us to care for others, study scripture, gather for worship, and experience the fulness of Christ’s joy.