This week we are going to be looking at Hebrews 12:4-29, especially verses 14-17.  Today, I want to talk briefly about finishing the race.  In this month at St. Matthew’s, we’ve been talking about stewardship and finding out place in the life of the church.  We are called in this season to stay the course, keep being faithful.  

Today, you have a place in the faithfulness of the kingdom.  Your gifts, your talents, your efforts, they matter. We are less without you.  You matter.  It may seem too much or too great, or too much effort.  It may. But you matter.  And as we’ve talked this week, that Christian growth, that faithfulness, that holiness, that’s what Jesus is driving us towards. That is where that path is calling us to. We need it, the body needs it.  That holiness matters. 

But you can’t do it by yourself. I can’t do it by myself. We need each other.  We need the faithfulness that you give and that I give. And I need you to help me be faithful.  You need me to be faithfulness.  We need each other.  

As we approach our time of commitment with our stewardship here at St. Matthew’s (you can still take part – learn more here – https://www.stm-umc.org/stewardship) – no one person determines the faithfulness of a church.  We all do. We all have a part to play.  We all have a role.  We each matter. 

Today, if you are part of St. Matthew’s, we need you!  You matter.  

No matter what church you are part of, your church needs you!  You matter.  

We need each other. We can do it.  Stay the course. Be faith.  Through His grace, we got this. 

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