Hebrews 12:1-4 The Race set before us

 

INTRO: There are many METAPHORS  that the Bible likens the Christian life to; 

A) Soldiers in a Battle / Farmers sowing seed  / Boxers Boxing

Students in a school -

 

B) But the one of the most common METAPHORS & Probably the easiest to relate to is that we are RUNNERS IN A RACE  

1)     All of us have had some experience in running / racing / jogging /We have all done some type of  running

 

C) Personally I have always hated running – especially distance runs / Never understood people who enjoy it / But I got into once / for a Day

1)   Rocky Movie Highschool – Next morning gray sweats / Beanie 

4am run – pitch dark – Pack of dogs / Running ended that morning

 

One morning – driving to work down OCSD BLVD – saw 3 different runners

A)First guy – gray T-shirt –grey gym shorts – regular tennis shoes- trudging along in agony – looked like it / pain on face  /

 

B) This guy was hating every minute of it  why did I eat that extra piece of cake last night / should have said no to that 8 piece of Pizza

 

C) 2nd was this lady – sweat pants sweat shirt – also regular tennis shoes – she was doing one of those walk run kind of things –

1)   where – she was moving head like this /  Arms were moving like

     running – legs were bent – but the speed was – mild walk

 

D) I Thought – God bless here – at least she is out here / HONK

 

 

 

3rd Guy: WELL He was a runner: JUST TELL  – nylon shorts / tank top / expensive light weight running shoes – Bounce in his step –

A)His whole appearance, the  pace/  the bounce Portrayed the attitude I LIVE TO RUN –I enjoy running – I am out here – because I want to be

 

B) Which person describe your life as a Christian Runner in the Race Set before us ?  How is the race going ?

 

C) / Now some of you here today are NOT IN THE RACE of faith / haven’t started – Haven’t received Christ as your Savior & Lord

     1) Today is your day to begin

 

Some of you have had one to many set backs / discouragements & disappointments – you have QUIT RUNNING

a) The Lord wants you to get back in the race today/ start running again

 

B) Some of you are  NOT SURE WHY RUNNING or WHAT YOU ARE RUNNING FOR  just trudging along / lost FOCUS / PURPOSE

1)    The Lord wants to Restore to you today – that Joy of your salvation/ Give you focus direction / that you might Run well / Run to Win

 

C) Some of you are in the race / YOU LOVE TO RUN – but you are Running just to Run

 1) & the Lord wants to give you a greater vision of the Goal /

 

This morning I want us to Consider 4 things about THE RACE SET BEFORE US & how the Lord wants us to run /

A) #1 -  What kind of race are we in? When I Ran in School /  I loved sprints /series of short 100, 50 yard dashes then rest .

 

B) You run really hard for a short period & then you take a break / grab a soda – I can handle that/Well the Christian life is not a series of Short Sprints 

1)   The Christian race is more of a Marathon!/ It is constant & on going/ - up hills, down hills, Mts., valleys  ( Joe wind at back vs in face hills)

 

C) Now there are those believers who’s Christian life reflects a Series of Sprints – Run hard for a week / 2 or 3 / stop – too tough /

  1) Stop rest / take a break / back to the old life - / Then after time – back in the race again / Life is marked by constant Up & downs /  no consistency!

 

D) The Christian must understand that this race we are in is not a series of sprints but more like a Marathon / on going / constant

 

E) Now that doesn't mean that we are to pace ourselves / but the analogy is meant to communicate the seriousness of the run / In it for the Long haul

1)    The Long distance runner / runs all yr. long / every season / in all kinds of weather / over many different types of Terrain

 

Now we are told here in our text that there is a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us / Who are they

A)I believe that they are the hero’s of the faith listed in Ch.11/ they are witnesses not so much in the sense of being on lookers / But Examples

 

B) Their lives TESTIFY to us that this Race of Faith can be run /

.  1) They have proved by their testimony, that the life of faith is the only life

        to live. this race is worth running!!!!!

 

C) So first of all we need to Realize that the Race is a Marathon race / long distance / over the course of our entire lives day after day / night after night

 

2nd thing Consider is why are we running – what is the goal?

A)Is it to get to heaven? No! going to heaven or a person's salvation is based upon one thing/believing in Jesus Christ as Savior & Lord His finished work

 

B.)    The race is about experiencing the fullness of your Christian walk

          Experiencing all that the Lord has for you!

 

Paul in Phil 3 - describes to us what the goal is - v.7-14.

 

 

Two things mark for us the Goal!

A.)1st is That I might know Him! / Lay aside all – to Know Him / gain Him grow in my Understanding of Him /  So much of Him to know!

 

B) Paul viewed the Knowledge of Christ as a Treasure Chest w/ No bottom He would keep digging & digging / wealth upon wealth  

  1) So the 1st goal to get closer to Him

 

C) The 2nd he mentions in V.14 - Press toward the Prize of  the upward call - what mean! He is speaking of heaven!

  1) Understand we are not running in order TO GET TO HEAVEN    - but we are         running FOR HEAVEN   That is when race is over!

 

D)In Bible times in Roman races/ 1,000's of people would jam Roman Coliseums watch runners run in

  1) Finish line the emperor would sit on throne and runners would     run to

      him / there they would receive their prize!

 

E) Our emperor is waiting at finish line/ That is where the prize is Our Crown / It is at the  finish line where we will hear "Welcome - well done"  

1)    So the Purpose of our Running is to get closer to Heaven & to one day receive from Him that Crown / that Prize the reward of our running

 

3rd How are we to run :  Note 3 things

A)#1 We are told to Lay aside the Weights & the Sin…………

 

B) One of the greatest problems runners face is weight.

  1) Several years ago the winner of a recent Olympic gold medal for the 100 meters came to our country for an invitational track meet.

 

C) He was considered the world’s fastest human being. But when he ran the preliminary heat, he did not even qualify.

1)      In an interview afterward he said the reason was simple. He was overweight. He had trained too little and eaten too much.

 

D) What was interesting was He had not gained a great amount of weight, but it was enough to keep him from winning—even from qualifying.

 

What about you - Have you gained some weight spiritually that is hindering you from running like once did younger in your walk

A) Weights are things that we can add to our lives that hold us down / things that impede our progress or burden down our hearts

 

B) Weights are things that are not necessarily sins / nothing in the Bible that says don’t do this or have that – But they can become sin for us

1)   If they keep us from running the way that God wants us to

 

C) Weight of MATERIALISM:  Added more & more stuff to your life that has slowed you down

1)   Now your Bills are High / indebt / because you have been trying to live above your means / Stressed out / Fatigued

 

D) If you find yourself burdened down by the weight of materialism / I ask you this Question is it worth it?  Like Being Sluggish in your walk?

1)   Don’t you miss the days when you were freer to seek the Lord & to serve the Lord ? -  Get rid of the stuff / Lose the Weights (T. Baker)

 

There is the Weight of Conformity

A)Happens when you allow things back into your life that God had clearly showed you it needed to Go – be done away w/!!! TV / Movies/ Hobbies

 

B) Things that have caused you to spend more time playing / less time Running – Pursuing worldly – Entertainment / than heavenly pursuits

 

C) WEIGHTS of bitterness & Anger : Holding on to attitudes that are weighing you down / impeding progress / stifling growth

 

D)We cannot win if we are weighted:. Unloaded, we shall find the race

taxing all our powers; but weighted, we shall be doomed to failure.

 

So we are to Lay aside the weights / But also the Sin 

A.)    Some Christians try to run with secret sins - nobody knows -      where I am at - what doing. wrong!   Athletes & Drugs/ sin will find you out !!!

 

B) Adultery / Drugs / Pornography / Compromise - / the devil will use those things to ensnare you again / trip you up enslave you

     1.)     rip you off - lose joy, energy!  Strength - down and defeated

 

C) Mathematics of sin always the same - add to sorrows; subtract        joy; multiply problems; divide your heart

1) Solution: repent!! Lay aside / turn from the sins / turn to the Lord  / get

    right with God!/    We cannot win heaven and wear sin.

 

D) SO #1 we are to lay aside the weight & the Sin

 

#2 We are to Run w/ endurance

A)The word Endurance speaks of a steady determination to keep going.  It means continuing even when everything in you wants to slow down or give  up.

 

B) High school Basketball practice w/  COACH MATTHEWS

   1) Christian life is filled w/ Mt. Tops & Valleys  go from one to the other – sometimes the valleys can seem long – everything inside of us wants to stop 

 

C) Run w/ endurance means we keep on going / Many of the Hebrew Christians to whom      this letter was written had started well

     1.)     They had seen signs and wonders, they were thrilled with their new

           lives in the Lord!

 

D)But the newness began to wear off, problems began to develop       and they began to lose their enthusiasm and their confidence

     1.)     They began to backslide / I see that happen time and time again!

 

E) There is a lack of endurance in the Christian Church today / We are soft too many people quitting walks / marriages/ ministries

 1) We are called to run W/ ENDURANCE

So - Run laying aside weights and sin - endurance - #3 Run w/ our eyes on the Goal – Run  Looking Unto Jesus

A)Kids are funny to watch run – Some are preoccupied w/ themselves / looking at their shorts their shoes / their form ( not very fast)

 

B) Others are preoccupied w/ how everyone else is running – run looking all around – who is in front / who is behind

1)   Some are Preoccupied w/ Who is in the stands – Mom / Dad – crooked runners

 

C) The Children of God can be the same way – there are those who are preoccupied w/ themselves /

  1) Am I running ok – are my feet landing in the right place

 

D) Some Christians are so  self consumed – wondering how they are doing or always concerned w/ their needs – No progress

 

Others Preoccupied w/ how everyone else is running – I can’t believe so & so did you see what they did

A)Learned a big lesson – Jr. high relay race – Anchor my team – good friend Alan Renshaw Anchor of the other team – our lead – kept looking for Alan

 

B) Pretty soon I was looking at Alan because he passed me up

1)   Listen worry about your race not everyone else’s –

 

C) Peter told how he was going to die  – What about him / Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

 

Others are preoccupied w/ the stands – They are looking around to see who is watching them

A)When it is Christian bro / sis – watching they are seeking to perform real well

 

B) When it is unsaved friends  they tone it down a bit ( Chameleons)

   Understand – Jesus is always watching – He is the goal

C) Chairs in the High school group – ( set up months  Richard Cimino – someone has been blessing me – setting up the chairs - )

  1) I wanted to tell him so bad it is me

 

D) But I wasn’t doing it for Richard – Jesus put it on my heart – I was doing it for Him / We are to Run LOOKING UNTO JESUS

 

The Greek word for “looking” is a much fuller word than we can find in

the English language.

A)It has a preposition in it which turns the look away from everything else. You are to look from all beside to Jesus.

 

B) Not looking at myself / other runners or in the stands / not to look at the weights & sins that have been laid aside /

1)   Not even looking at the difficulty of the Course –

 

C) We are called to look off from everything that we have ever relied upon in days gone by, and say to our souls, “None but Jesus.”

  1) We must have a single eye and a single hope.

 

CHS Spiritual runners, make a covenant with your eyes that you will look only to him who is the great end of all your running! Looking unto Jesus means life, light, guidance, encouragement, joy: never cease to look on him who ever looks on you.

 

RUN LOOKING UNTO JESUS Now To help us, the apostle describes the mark to which we are to look to  in 3 ways.

 

B)“Look unto Jesus,” first, the Author of faith; 2ndly Finisher /3rd Pattern

 

C) First, of all we are to look to Jesus as THE AUTHOR OF FAITH.- He is the Starter of our Faith- It began w/ Him /

  1) Who for the Joy set Before Him ………. Cross …..

 

C) You must see Jesus as  the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of….

D) You can not even begin this race heavenward - Until see that you are a Sinner in Need of a Savior / Sin separates / Sin leaves doomed .

 1) The apostle would have us view the Lord Jesus as the starter of the race.

 

E) Anyone here this morning who is about to start the Race for heaven? 

1)   Understand that is where it begins – Jesus Author of our Faith / Nothing you do to earn it / Gift from God – obtained thru Faith

 

But now, 2ndly  we must look to Jesus as THE FINISHER OF FAITH.

A)As Jesus is at the commencement of the course, starting the runners, so he

is at the end of the course, the rewarder of those who endure to the end.

 

B) When the race is over, Jesus will appear as the finisher of faith by coming

forward to crown you with his own right hand.

1)   One glimpse at our Glorified King upon the throne cause our feeble knees to be filled once again w/ Strength

 

CHS The sight of the crown removes all weight from our crosses. The race

ceases to be severe when we see Jesus enthroned. I see him to-day at the

end of the course holding out the wreath to me, and saying, “He that shall

endure unto the end, the same shall be saved

 

 

Let us next consider Jesus as THE PATTERN OF OUR FAITH.

A)As the Model Runner Jesus is both our Example & Our Inspiration

 

B) As our example – we see His Motivation in Running the race in the Phrase – Who for the joy set before Him ……….

1)   Jesus lived to Please & to Glorify His Father in Heaven

 

C) When Jesus cried from the Cross – It is Finished – It wasn’t a Cry of defeat or frustration / it was the Cry of a Victory

1)   Crossing the finish line – It was Done – He had accomplished the mission / He had finished the Course

 

D) His Joy was pleasing His Father – and His Joy was the thought of You & Me in Heaven w/ Him

1)   Those two things need to be our Motivation – Please our Father who is in Heaven & to influence souls for Heaven

 

As our Inspiration Jesus Endured the Cross / the shame –

A)The Word is Hupomone – doesn’t mean to basically make it by – but to Conquer – Jesus Conquered

 

B) His carrying the Cross for us / His dying on the Cross for us – Is our inspiration to carry the cross for Him

1)   He Hung in there for us – So that we could Hang in there for Him

 

C) He lives to inspire us w/ Power from on High to Live & to walk as He would Desire

 

Are You in the Race – Start today – faith in Christ

 

 

Have you given up – Recognize what Jesus did for you – What He still is doing – Get back in the race – allow Him to help you

 

 

 

Trudging along in agony – Remember why you began – what the Motive to Know Him & to Run w/ Heaven in View – Eternal Perspective

 

 

 

Running to Run – Start Running to Win – To Glorify God w/ each step and to Influence others along the way

A)Lady – No way / Guy – not Fun /  The Runner – Wow I wish I could run like that – Contagious