Running the Right Race (2)
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Good morning! It is an honor to be bringing the word this morning. I’m grateful for to give Pastor John a break after this last series! And what a series it was! Pastor John spent seven weeks walking us through seven different ways that we sabotage our faith. We saw how to acknowledge the ways we sabotage and also how to prevent and protect ourselves and our walk with Jesus! Week one we learned that holding onto our past can sabotage our faith and John reminded us that “Your best day is always ahead of you and God wants you to pursue that.” Week two we talked about isolating ourselves from others and how instead of living alone, we need to actively participate in the Body of Christ that we are a part of. Week three we focused on self talk and lies and we were reminded that In Christ, we are the way God sees us, not how we see ourselves. Week four the topic was living by consumerism instead of faith, and we learned that we need to wrestle with the World’s idea of more more more, and instead learn to trust in God and be content with his power to provide. Week five we talked about quitting and how we can never grow our faith if we give up. Week six we discussed worry and fear and how by remembering how good God has been can make us certain of his continued grace in our lives. Finally, last week, John taught us that “whatever” really isn't good enough when it comes to our relationship with Jesus, and our faith can only grow if we are active and working to learn more about Jesus and his Word. I’m not sure about you, but the last seven weeks have a been a real challenge to me and my relationship with Jesus. I thought it fitting to close pastor appreciation month with saying thank you to my pastor. John, thank you for faithfully proclaiming the Word. I and many others here are grateful to God for a leader who strives to point us to Jesus.
Now you may be wondering why I went over each week of the sabotage series, and the reason is because it flows into our new series so well! Today, we are kicking off a series called, “Running Life’s Spiritual Race.” Now, when I say the word race you may have a different picture pop into your head. Some of you see the Coca-Cola 600 down in Charlotte. Some, if you like Formula one like I do, see Verstappen dominating the field. Some of you crazy people see a 5k or a marathon. No matter what you envision, a race is a race. a group is going from one point to another point as fast as possible, and the fastest one wins. So, what does that have to do with Jesus? Let’s start by taking a look at our theme verse for this series. Let us read this out loud together.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Here Paul is writing to the Philippian Church and he charges them to do all things without complaining and disputing… now that's another sermon right there that i am not going to get into, but some of us need to really memorize that verse over the next four weeks. He charges them this so that he will know that he did not run in vain. Now let’s unpack that just a bit. Paul says that the the actions of the church of Philippi will show him that he has not run in vain. He needs to know that they are truly following God, no longer doing what the world is doing. Well if you look over in acts, Paul in essence planted the church in Philippi. He lead people to Jesus and taught them how to follow Him. Then he ventured on his way. So when he says that he has not run in vain he is saying that if the Church he served is growing and faithfully following Jesus, then the work that he did was successful and not wasted. So to Paul, His race was his service to God! So if we look back at the title, “Running Life’s Spiritual Race,” its crucial for us to understand the race if its possible for us to run in vain!
Transition This leads me to ask us 3 questions this morning, and my prayer is that after this morning, you will be able to answer these three questions for yourself.
Are You Aware of the Race?
Are You Aware of the Race?
If you have your Bible we are going to be hanging out in Hebrew 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Here in verse one of chapter twelve, the believers are told to run the race set before them. This race is a metaphor for life as a whole and the things that we do for Jesus in this life specifically. Now the question is, are you aware of the race. Let’s go back to our imagination for a moment. I cannot tell you what NASCAR race is this weekend. I don't even know if there is a race this weekend, but you know who does, the drivers and their pit crews. I love Ethan, but I don't know exactly when his next race is, but he does. I could not be bothered by the next great marathon, or bike race, or triathlon, or even a turtle race, because I am not a part of the race. I am completely unaware of those races because I do not make them an intimate part of my daily life. I am outside of the race, and at best, I am a spectator, but to those inside the race, everything is pushed away and they are acutely focused on the task before them. They know every single detail about the race.
I heard this one time and it would be pretty funny, imagine at the next Olympics they had the worlds greatest runners lined up on the track and then next to them they had Doug. Now Doug is an average american male. Doug is 41 years old. His apple watch tells him he averages 5300 steps a day and he tries to walk with his family at least 3 times a week. He favorite food is pizza. He is 5’11” and weighs 215lbs. The last time Doug ran was after the dog broke off the leash and he had to rest his back for a whole week. Doug was given an all expense paid trip to watch the Olympics, but it was a trick to show how different the average man is compared to an Olympic athlete. Now back to the Olympics, Doug is lined up next to the competitors and the starting shot is fired. Doug loses the mile race by 6 minutes.
Whats the difference between Doug and the competitors? Doug wasn't aware of the race. The Olympic athletes spend every waking hour preparing their bodies and minds to run at the highest level. Doug never practiced. Doug never even stretched.
Friends, verse one tells us clearly that there is a race that has been set before us. We are in a race right now, we are not fans or spectators, but participants, so let’s not be like Doug and understand the race.
The first thing about the race we need to understand is that it has been set before us. When someone places their faith and trust in Jesus they are given New Life. This New Life is what is being compared to as a race. In salvation, Jesus, as your new Lord and Savior, sets before you a life defined by himself. The race is not something we or anyone else designs for you, it is set by God. Each of our races is different. I cannot run your race and you cannot run mine. We are called to each run the race that is set before us.
We each have a specific course mapped out for us, and the course for each runner is unique. Some are relatively straight, some are all turns, some seem all uphill, some are a flat hiking path. All are long, but some are longer. But the glory is, each of us (no exceptions!) can finish the race “marked out for us.” I may not be able to run your course, and you may find mine impossible, but I can finish my race and you yours. Both of us can finish well if we choose and if we rely on him who is our strength and our guide! -R. Kent Hughes
The second thing we need to understand about the race is it calls for endurance. We are called to run this life with endurance. It is a journey that will take our entire lives. We cannot quit the race, we cannot slack off. We must run with endurance. Yes, life will be difficult. Yes, there will be days when our we feel we cant carry on, but through Jesus’ strength we can!
Now you may be asking, Austin, how do we run the race? That’s a great question and I am so glad you asked. If Jesus is the one who designed the race before us, then we need to spend time with him to know where to go and what to do! We must spend time in His word. All throughout Scripture are teachings on how to live and act as Paul says, “blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Moreover, in scripture we see stories of men and women who ran the race well and others who did not and we can learn from them. As we spend time with God in prayer and study He reveals to us the path we are to take. Look at this verse from psalm 119.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
If we are to be like Paul and not run our race in vain then we must be aware of the race and know the one who set it before us!
So the first question is, are you aware of the race?
Are You Aware of the Finish Line?
Are You Aware of the Finish Line?
The second question this morning is are you aware of the finish line?
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
As Paul was nearing the end of His life he told Timothy that he had finished his race by keeping the faith.
In any and every race, there is a finish line. Some measure of distance or end goal, but always a mark of completion for the race its self. This finish line helps the runners train and prepare for the challenge. For example, and 100m sprinter and a marathon runner do not train the same because the finish line is different. In our race, the finish line is heaven. Let me be clear, the finish line is not to have a great family, the best job, or the most impressive collection of things. Our race is not the “rat race” of this world. Our accomplishments and titles mean nothing 100 years from now and compared to eternity, well. Our finish line is heaven, where we will see the One who laid out our race face to face. The finish line dramatically changes how we run the race. If the finish line is happiness, then my race will be dictated by my emotions and desires. I will turn off the path every time it gets hard and uncomfortable. If the finish line is success, then my race will be controlled by whichever short-cut gets me a bigger wagon of stuff to pull on my journey. If my finish line is pride then I will run 100 feet and hold a Facebook live press conference about my incredible skills. In this race that Jesus has given to you, the finish line is heaven.
Listen to Revelation 21:1–7 “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son…” The place where Joy abounds and fear is no more. The place where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more suffering, no more death. Our Finish Line is a King reigning in perfect love for all of eternity. If you are running toward anything else, then I have to warn you, its not the finish line, and it will not satisfy you when you get there.
Are You Aware of the Prize?
Are You Aware of the Prize?
The third question ties into the second question. Are you aware of the prize?
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
Again Paul talks about the race of life but He reminds us that there is a prize in every race. Sometimes it is a metal, sometimes a trophy, but there is always something that the winner obtains for his victory. Life’s Spiritual Race is no different. The Prize of our race is to hear our Savior say,
Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
21 ...‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
The Prize is trading a broken and dying body for one that is perfect and imperishable. The Prize is no more fighting against sin and shame. The Prize is no more tears and sorrow in the darkest of nights. The Prize is being fully known and fully loved by a king who gave everything to have you. Nothing on this earth can compare to the prize awaiting those who finish the race, but the key point is we have to finish the race.
Application
Look at what Paul tells the church. Run that you may obtain it. He challenges us that the way we run matters. Like we talked about last week, “whatever is not good enough.” Sitting down and quitting wont finish the race. Running away from the difficult parts of the journey wont finish the race. Getting lost in the woods looking for treasure wont finish the race. Running the race with endurance is what we are called to do. Look earlier in Hebrews
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
We are not those who shrink back, but we run forward toward the finish line!
Let me close with this story.
In 1981 Bill entered the Pepsi Challenge 10,000-meter race in Omaha, Nebraska. Surgery ten years earlier for an aneurysm in the brain had left him paralyzed on his left side. Now, on that misty July morning, he stands with 1,200 men and women at the starting line.
The gun sounds! The crowd surges forward. Bill throws his stiff left leg forward, pivots on it as his foot hits the ground. His slow plop—plop—plop rhythm seems to mock him as the pack races into the distance. Sweat rolls down his face, pain pierces his ankle, but he keeps going. Some of the runners complete the race in about thirty minutes, but two hours and twenty-nine minutes later Bill reaches the finish line. A man approaches from a small group of remaining bystanders. Though exhausted, Bill recognizes him from pictures in the newspaper. He is Bill Rodgers, the famous marathon runner, who then drapes his newly won medal around Bill’s neck. Bill Broadhurst’s finish was as glorious as that of the world’s greatest—though he finished last. Why? Because he ran with perseverance.
That determination, unhasting and unresting, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on, and which refuses to be deflected. Obstacles will not daunt it; delays will not depress it; discouragements will not take its hope away. It will halt neither for discouragement from within nor for opposition from without. (William Barclay).3
It is quite within the reach of every one of us to manifest positive, conquering patience—putting one heavy foot in front of the other until we reach the glorious end. The race is not for sprinters who flame out after 100 or 200 or 400 meters. It is for faithful plodders like you and me. Fast or slow, strong or weak—all must persevere
Pray.