Text — Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of  the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God

Robin and I spent two weeks in Maine this summer.  In the place we rented, I found a copy of the book The DaVinci Code on the end table.  I’d heard a lot about it; I picked it up to give it to try, and kept going right to the end.  It’s a very action-packed, fun book.  It really a modern-day mystery-thriller version of the search for the Holy Grail, which is a legend going back at least to medieval times.

The Holy Grail is the cup, the chalice, that Jesus used to serve the wine to his disciples at the last supper, but in the book The DaVinci Code the Holy Grail is a secret, hidden message about the truth of Jesus that the forces of evil attempt to keep hidden.  I’ll come back to the DaVinci Code later.

Another thing that happened on vacation was there was a television set, and while I usually keep the television off on vacation, this was the week of the Democratic Convention, so I watched a few of the speeches.

Now I don’t mean to pick on the Democrats, because the Republicans do this too.  (In fact, Ronald Reagan proved to be a master of this when he ran on the promise to cut taxes, increase spending, and balance the budget which, at the time, was a scandalous $20 billion in the red.)  One very appealing message that voters love to hear, is that all things are possible.  John Edwards now is the bringer of this sunny message, and I like John Edwards myself.  At the convention he said, essentially, that there’s nothing we can’t do, or can’t have, if we want it bad enough, come together, and get to work.  Dreams are made to come true. 

This isn’t just in politics.  You hear this from television preachers.  You hear it from motivational speakers.  You can have wealth, you can have happiness is every part of your life if you just believe in yourself or learn to think a new way, or act a new way, or follow a program, or buy a product.  There’s an ad: “You haven’t lived until you can say ‘that’s my Jaguar.’”

In the case of politics, the formula is: elect us.  You’ll be safe.  You’ll be better off.  Your taxes will be low, your income will rise.  Cancer will be cured.  There will be world peace.  Children will be smarter.  The weather will improve.  Your lawn won’t grow any weeds.

There was one politician who didn’t make such promises.  This was 1984 after Reagan’s plan resulted in deficits up in the $100s of billions.  Walter Mondale said, “I’ll raise taxes.  And so will my opponent.  I’m telling you in advance.  He won’t.”

This was a rare moment of political honesty, and you remember how Walter Mondale was rewarded:  He won two states out of fifty.  And Ronald Reagan raised taxes.

We all like to hear about the power of possibility.  And I believe that a lot of this motivational speaking and preaching does help people.  How you think, what you envision, and daring to pursue your vision, does make a big difference. 

If we can’t imagine being different, or doing something new, we never will be different or try something new.  I’m not against the power of positive thinking.  I’m for it.  I also believe that, once in a while, someone, somewhere, ought to say, as a reminder, that while all things may be possible, all things are not ours to have.  We can’t have it all.  We can’t have everything we want if we only believe it and work hard.

Everything that goes wrong isn’t a lack of imagination or a personal failing.  Every disappointment isn’t because we didn’t believe hard enough or work hard enough or think the right way.  We could all do better.  We probably are to blame for a lot of our misery.  But we’re not to blame for all of it. 

This point I’m making is a very subtle point, but an important one, a Christian one. 

The Holy Grail, in the medieval legend, and in the book the DaVinci Code, represents the holy relic, or the hidden message, that will be The Answer.  This will bring heaven on earth.  The Holy Grail is a metaphor:  There is something we can find, something we can lay our hands on, that will give us everything we hope for.  The Holy Grail could be the dream career, or the perfect romance, or the perfect family, or more money, or another drink … People look in a lot of places for that magic formula, the magic pill.

The idea is: There is something in the world, something we can lay our hands on, and if we can just get it, we’ll finally be all right; we’ll find the peace and joy we long for, the peace and joy that must be possible because other people look like they have it.  People in those ads, laughing and talking on their new cell phones seem to have it.

We’ve even had glimpses of it ourselves.  We really have.  And then we think, if we can have a glimpse of it, we must be able to nail it down, and contain it, and keep it.

We all search for some kind of Holy Grail.  We dream dreams to keep us going.  They’re necessary.  When I was a small boy learning to throw a football, it was difficult.  I imagined myself as a professional quarterback.  That kept me trying.  When I practiced the piano, I imagined myself in front of a huge audience.  It kept me practicing, at least for a few years..

Our scripture lesson today lists some great things done by faith.  Israel escaped from slavery in Egypt.  Samuel and David had great careers as leaders.  Daniel shut the lion’s mouth.  Prophets raised the dead. 

But then it says in verses 39-40:  “Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better …

This is astounding to read.  These heroes of the faith didn’t see their dreams come true.  It wasn’t God’s intention that they come true in fullness.  God had another plan, a better one.  The Holy Grail is a noble aspiration, but it’s not ours to find.  It’s not supposed to be found.

In the church we are baptized into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus did amazing things.  He opened up many frontiers of possibility.  But his life was not exactly the model of a successful life — not just because he never owned a Jaguar.  He died on the cross.  He was abandoned by his friends.  Was that because Jesus didn’t think positive thoughts?

All life includes victory and failure, joy and disappointment, good luck and bad luck, fairness and unfairness.  A certain amount of this isn’t in our control.  It’s just the way it is.

The Christian faith is a way to be honest and make peace with that tension.  And making peace with that tension is wisdom and salvation.