Running the Race Ran Before Us
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Today is a day we spend reflecting on those who have gone on before us, the legacy they left, how they used that dash on their tombstones
George Jones once reflected well those he followed when he sung:
Who's gonna fill their shoes
Who's gonna stand that tall
Who's gonna play the Opry
And the Wabash Cannonball
Who's gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you
Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes?
As times goes on I think the answer is pretty bleak for the context Jones was asking in
But we can help but to ask that of those who have gone on before us, who is going to fill their shoes?
Those who have gone on before us we are not called to fill their shoes, they had a purpose God called them to, not you. But we are to follow the example of the one they walked with
We are called to give God our heart and soul that we may get to a lost and dying world
Read Hebrews 12:1-2 and tell them to mark Galatians 5
Great Cloud of Witness
Great Cloud of Witness
Therefore
a small detail but it reveals to us who this great cloud of witness is
The list of people mentioned in chapter 11, OT heroes, the list includes people such as:
Abel
Noah
Abraham
Jacob
Rahab
Samson
David
What do we see in this cloud of witness?
A time period of 3,000 years
Imperfect people united by a perfect God
Why do I say all this?
So often we say or hear people say they just don’t make them like they use to, I don’t know whats going to happen when all this generation has passed
Has the world gotten more wicked? Yes but the world should not dictate how God’s people behave.
This list seen saw nations rise and fall (even nations drown), but through it all people of faith remained and God worked through them despite their shortcomings
The same God is still alive and working today, the same God who worked in these guys lives, is the same God who worked in the lifes out there in the graveyard, and he is the same God working in your lifes.
If you want to run the race like the heroes of the OT, the heroes out there, you have got to be willing to lay aside the weights and sin holding you back
To Run Well
To Run Well
The writer here uses the analogy of running a race. If you are in a competitive race, you want to do everything you can to minimize obstructions, I mean I am not going to win any races wearing this. Believe it or not I use to me one of these crazy runners that liked long distances and wanted to do fast as possible. When I did that I didn’t have this on all i had on was a short pair of running shorts because I wanted nothing slowing me down
How can you be better equipped to run well?
What is hindering you?
Some of us it is a Sunday suit
cannot get pass the traditions
cannot get outside your circle
faith does not go beyond Sunday
Galatians gives us some hindrances
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Leading up to this section of fruit, Paul makes a running reference
ultimately we are responsible for how we respond to others, ultimately we are responsible for who we let hinder us
Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality
What secret computer habit you got?
How often you let your thoughts linger on someone rather than your spouse?
Have you had behaviors to dishonor the marriage bed?
idolatry
What do you treat with more importance than God?
May not necessarily be something sinful, but it becomes sinful when you elevate it to a place higher than God
It becomes sinful when you let it occupy more mind space than the word of God, some of you live in fear because Fox news or CNN news
Some of you think a politician is going to rescue this nation because these are your idols
If the word of God occupies your mind more, you will realize you are not called to live in what ifs, that God is faithful even in the fall of nations, you realize that a political will not save the nation, you realize that the United States is not the center of God’s word
sorcery
horoscopes, ouji boards, superstitions
Trying to control your own fate by your own controls, trying to manipulate
enmity and strife
You have hostility in your hearts, that you need to let go of by forgiving, now you called to do what is right by trying all in your power to make things right
you got anger you need to let go of, the longer you hold anger the tighter the grip the devil gets on you
jealousy and envy
Comparison trap has you stuck in a rut, you are called to live where God has put you, not where he has put others
fits of anger
a lack of self control that cause you to act contrary to how God has called you
rivalries and dissensions and divisions
Falling into competing with one another, rather than walking in unity
thinking too highly of your opinions, dividing over things that don’t matter
The church is not yours, but God’s. it is not Burger King, you don’t get to have it your way
Church is not consumerism, but to be discipled in the word
Let us stop treating church like shopping for a car, with what features is going to make us and our kids more comfortable
drunkenness and orgies
Some of us let the pleasure of this world hinder us, we want hings to numb our senses so we can relax and enjoy life, my friend that is not enjoying life that is missing out letting your pleasure being connected to a material substance, walking close with God is how we deal with the stress of life. Walking with God is how we find joy in the day to day
How many of us gather with others to crack open a cold one on a regular basis?
How many of us discuss the Word with others on a regular basis?
Any of these things will hinder revival in your heart, you want to see revival address these issues in your life and stop pointing fingers everywhere else on what can be wrong
If we want to run well the things of Galatians 5:22-23 need to be evident in our lives
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
These are the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruits, meaning they are connected, how you are in one impacts your ability in the rest
You lack in patience then you lack in love
Enduring the Rough Terrain
Enduring the Rough Terrain
Endurance requires intentionality
Intentionally laying aside things
Intentionally getting in the word
Looking to Jesus
Our focus has to be on him and again we have to be intentional to focus on him, we live in a world competing for our attention
Joy set before him endured the cross
That sounds crazy joy and cross
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
We endure things in this world because of our hope that lies in eternity. We live the way we do not based off of our circumstances but based off of who He is
despising the shame
Joy gives us strength to persevere
Put your pride down
Outroduction
Outroduction
How are you going to us the dash God has given you?
Are you going to waste the dash dashing from worldly pleasure to pleasure?
Or are you going to use it well to run the race set before you?
What will be the cloud of witness you leave the day you are laid to rest?