Do I listen to Jesus?

The Race we run

Hebrews 12: 1-3.

Pretend with me that you are a runner. Your plan to run 5 kilometers in a race, the positioning you get at the end of the race is not important to you however the idea of finishing, or even finishing a the place you want to finish is important.

I am going to come back to this alot this message so keep it on the front of your mind.

“You want to run a race and finish it”

Every person who wants to run a race needs to train, we talked about that last week but here is the thing about training, if you train by yourself you will have a void of motivation. You will not have anyone to compete against.

You’ll need a trainer, or a coach.

This idea of running is actually not uncommon in the bible, Philipi was a city that was recgonized for its role in hosting olympic style games and sports.

However Hebrews 12 and that is where we are going to settle for the next two weeks talks about this race two in a different way.

Philipians and the write Paul talks about run this race with endurance and we will get there in Hebrews but listen to how the author; who is unamed because we don’t know them writes to a group of Jewish believes and encourages them to follow Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

So coming back to this race,

The running, the training and the course is what we call discipleship. A disciple is some who runs the race; that being life.

Our running and keeping instep, our motivation and endurance all speak to our life with Jesus we must not be hesitant to run the race, nor should we lose pace or run off course.

However you, the race runner, are a believer in Jesus.

You are here today at Parkview because you see the importance of Jesus in your life. Your action in attending a worship gathering is a step forward in this race of life to finish on pace.

However each one of us can attest to the facts that this life is not always easy. We find that life throws a wrench at us sometimes. but we are called to keep running.

Lucky for us:

We are surrounded by encouragement

That is why it is said we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, the author of Hebrews literally give us a list of witnesses that are encouraging us to keep on faithfully running this race.

I encourage you read hebrews 11 and you will see that you are not in this alone.

Faithfulness is like a runner running a race. If you choose to be a disciple of Jesus you must know that you are not running down the street where nobody cheers but you actually have this great cloud of witnesses, the church that is cheering you on.

*Lean over to your right and tell them keep running*

But liets keep reading becuase first we know that we must keep strong in this life, that we must not give up and keep running with endurance;

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This whole race idea shifts here,

See discipleship is not the matter of running a race of faith by yourself, you got a coach! a trainer!

Every person who wants to run a race needs to train, we talked about that last week but here is the thing about training, if you train by yourself you will have a void of motivation. You will not have anyone to compete against.

You’ll need a trainer, or a coach; Jesus.

Fix your eyes on Jesus in your race, becuase he knows you, he will keep you in pace and he will encourage you to pick it up if he deems you as ready.

Have you ever heard of a pace bunny?

A Pace bunny is someone who runs the race at a set pace, so that you can follow them or run beside them and achieve that time for the race.

Jesus is like a pace bunny but better.

He is someone who you can watch so that you know exactly where to go,

His pioneering is the pace bunny where he will go there and set the tone of what discipleship and faithfulness looks like

Jesus is a Pioneer: He knows what it’s like

Jesus has already lived this life, he already has been a “Christian” as he is the Christ. We have someone to run the race with that went through this life, who understands the pains and joys and knows how to hold a faith through that.

Jesus is the Perfecter of Faith: He knows what to do

Jesus perfected this life and faithfulness, like I said he ran this race of life but he knows the perfect stride the greatest pace. Jesus knows how your life will go but he is letting you choose if you want to be coached through it.

Hebrews 12:3 NIV

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Like I said he perfected it, he knows what to do that is why we call him coach. Jesus has the vision for you, Jesus has the vision for me, Jesus has the vision of us as a church. However in the day to day live he is running with us and we can use him as a personal trainer, or a coach, “Am I keeping in step”

But in the real questions:

Jesus am I following you the way you call me to?

Jesus where am I going next in my relationship with you?

Jesus where do I struggle in my faith?

Jesus how are you teach, or training me today?

If we treat Jesus as someone who sets the pace then We follow him.

If we treat Jesus as someone who coaches us We are in step with him.

I challenge you not to be someone who JUST follows Jesus, that can be easy to follow when someone else takes the steps before you. However Jesus is not just someone to follow, He invites you into partnership, he calls you to move with him. Jesus does not want followers like on facebook or instagram, Jesus wants partners.

Discipleship is defined as:

A personal follower of Jesus, but is that enough to just follow Jesus?

Is it enough just to know of Jesus? right, that’s always our question can I just take the Bible and it’s teachings and know of them, by no means is that enough.

The God we run our race with

Hebrews 12:4-13.

Listen to this next passage and don’t be mislead in thought when you read a heading like “God disciplines his Children”

Hebrews 12:4–6 NIV

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

We must know that when God gives us discipline it is because we chosen as children of God.

Parents in the room you’ll know this, why do you discipline your child? it is because you want to be grow. Grow in morals, in their self discipline.

You are not choosing to raise children but rather you are racing adults, the difference is that you teach these things that they might live a good life because of their up bringing.

When it comes to the spiritual life with Jesus it is the same principle, that if you receive discipline it is so that you would be disciplined, not for the sake of punishment or bad action but rather you would be better, and more like Christ.

That is why the author continues with Hebrews 12:7

Hebrews 12:7 NIV

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

Discipline is to make your faith stronger and if again come back to the race illustration, if you are not discipline in your faith race how would it end?

My definition of discipleship is defined as

A disciple is someone who runs with Jesus and follows his coaching

as you can see I am all in on this running metaphor, because its a trial, a disciple chooses to be with Jesus in this race that is life. However it is never the understanding that you’d just be following him, not he is a coach and is beside you through this life and it is up to us to actually listen to what he says, he directions and his advice for better faithfulness.

Jesus will call you to some of the hardest choices to make, He does this to lead you to greater outcome, not to discipline you for his enjoyment, never! He deeply loves you as a father loves his children, so you must know that as you keep in step, that every movement must be with the knowledge that God loves you even as you trek in dark valleys or reach major heights.

If you follow his coaching that is where you will see your life of faithfulness go from a steady pace to a personal record.

Jesus knows where you need to Grow

His way is so much better then our ways, just as his development play for your life is better then you know, and thats even when you feel its hard.

Listen to the author of Hebrews as we contiune:

Hebrews 12:8–10 NIV

If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

Your hardships bring out the best of you.

If you are being tested through hardship look at it as a grow curve to faithfulness. Your hardship is not to punish but to give you grow, and Jesus knows exactly how you need to grow in that hardship, that you would achieve growth in a gifting, or in a fruit of the spirit. But this is only if you push into the hardship and see it as something to endure and grow in.

If you have kids you know you want them to be excellent members of society, hey can I be real with you all for a moment, we all have high exceptions on our kids, so our discipline models that because even if they achieve a portion of that vision we set on them they are in great hands.

God is seeking the same thing for you, that even if you acheive such a small peice of growth in the hardship that you would become more then you were yesterday.

back to the race metaphor, that your strides would be longer, that your breathing would be less laboured, that you would win the mental game of the race.

Jesus is trying to make you more like Him

So that hardship is a piece of him on the cross, that you would just let God have his way more in your life. That in hardship you would see God calling you to be more than yourself.

We all want that, to be more that me.

The Choice

Therefore strengthen

However it is a choice that you will have to decide.

Hebrews 12:12–13 NIV

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Lets start with verse 12: why strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees; its about posture, running is a whole body process, if you run with arms down your working against your body, same with your back if you lean forward you will work more to not fall forward.

Discipleship is a whole being process, it takes all of you. The physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. You have to choose to commit your whole self not your half self. If you think this is just spirituality I want to convince you otherwise, Following Jesus in discipleship is a complete calling, not a 1/4th call.

You must be willing to pull together all peices of your life for Jesus to coach.

Pull up your arms, prepare your knees. because this calling is for all of you to listen to Jesus. He has authouity in all areas but you must choose to listen to him, if he corrects any aspect of who you are that means you need to work on it, not just keep on in faith with a limp or weak spot.

We are whole beings, and Jesus wants all of us.

Jesus wants all of you

Because you have a choice to make level paths for your feet, not letting something drag or running on uneven ground as a way to ignore Jesus’ calling and teaching but rather to grow and become better.

See listening to Jesus is a personal thing; even if you are called by Jesus to serve others he is working within you, this last verse throws me for a loop as it just to a outward expression, but it’s exactly who Jesus is.

How can someone lead other disciples to Jesus without being in a good relationship with him to begin with?

How can the blind lead the blind, how can the fool deliever wisdom.

The sending call from this passage is not a direct call to go out into the world and multiply, it’s first get right in your relationship with Jesus, make sure your in step with him before you bring restoration to those who are out of step.

If you want Jesus to multiply you must first multiply Jesus in your life.

So how do you multiply in Jesus this coming season;

Step into scripture.

You need to know what God has already said for you in this faith journey, this is like the rules to the race. Scripture is a timeless instruction for your growth with Jesus, but it is up to you to know the guide.

Step into listening prayer

I have talked about this before, but you really need to stop and listen to Jesus, if we said he is a coach you need to catch yourself and listen to the coach, not just talk over him.

Step into hardship, not out of it

If you run from every time God is trying to disciple you through discipline you’ll never see big growth. you’ll just avoid the pain for status quo saying; “God I don’t want to go into the deep end, I will stay in the shallow”

Step into discipleship (with both feet)

In peice with the last one, if we never choose to go all in on being a disciple of Jesus then we will never see full results, we are only ever going to scratch the surface of what Jesus really has planned.

You have have choice, the choice to keep the pace you run the faith race today, or to go deeper in the commitment that you give Jesus.

Ultimately that’s for you to decide, but I hope you at least consult Coach Jesus.

So, I made our question today in to a fun but also catchy tag;

Do you listen to Coach Jesus?