Run Your Race of Faith Well in 2025 (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Running my first 5K well…kind of.

In 2008, I set a New Year’s resolution to run my first-ever 5K race by the end of the year. I lived in Bristol, Texas's tiny but intimate community, which had more goats than people. We resided in a small parsonage by the church and the community cemetery. The driveway around the cemetery was approximately a quarter mile. If I ran twelve and a half laps around the cemetery, I could train with the correct miles for my race. It was somewhat paradoxical for me to run around the cemetery. I couldn’t help but look at the gravestones and see many people's lives summed up by a dash between two dates. That dash represented a timeline of how long they lived and how they lived. I could not escape the severity of life's brevity and its meaning as I ran out of breath with each lap.

Fast-forward to June of 2008. I registered for the Hennepin Hustle in Moline, IL. It was a balmy bright Midwestern summer morning. The race started at 8 am. I arrived at 7:30 am to confirm my registration and receive my race number, which was 194. Many racers swarmed around the starting line as the start time grew closer. There were all kinds of people ready to hustle. There were children under ten years old and elderly runners in their 80s, men and women of all ethnicities, mothers with their strollers, and fathers with their headbands. Oddly enough, even my father-in-law joined in at the last minute just for fun and won his age division. It was a beautiful sunny day to race, and there was much excitement in the air. You could feel the electric energy zip through the crowd as the starter raised his gun, shot into the air, and began the race.

I was solid for about one hundred yards. My adrenaline kept me with the pack for about thirty seconds. Then, my lungs, my side, and knees felt the reality of what I had signed up for. At that moment, I learned that racing is exhilarating at the beginning and the end. The stuff in the middle—the dash, if you will—is grueling, mundane, and uncertain. I started strong, but I wasn’t sure I would finish. I got nervous when I heard an elderly woman yell at me, “To your left, to your left,” which I guess was code for “Get out of the way. At that moment, I quickly realized that in mile one of my 3.1-mile race, I was not running to beat anyone or come in first place. I was running to finish. If I was going to finish, I needed to run the race well.

I had to focus on my breathing and pace myself. I needed to hear the cheers of bystanders urging me press on to the finish line. It was important for me to run my own race, not to compare myself to someone who uses the 5K as a warm-up for a marathon later that day. I needed to keep my eyes on the prize and conserve my energy without worrying about the obstacles in my path. I was certain that God set me on this race, and I had to trust that He would see me through to the end.

Brothers and sister, what the 5K race taught me in 2008 is similar to what the writer of Hebrews is teaching us this morning in our text, Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

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, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

The dash between your birth day and your death day signifies the race God has called you to run. Although some seasons in life feel long and drawn out, you can count on your life being brief in light of eternity. However brief your life is, God is giving you the opportunity to make it count, to run your race of faith well. I would like to assume everyone at FBCL, upon their death, when they cross the finish line into heaven, want to hear Christ say, “Well done good and faithful servant. You ran the race well. Come into the kingdom an receive your reward.”

Our question this morning is how do we do it? Well, that is the main idea of the teaching this morning:

Inspired by faithful saints, run the race of faith well by eliminating distractions and focusing on Jesus, the exemplar and completer of your faith.

We need to flesh it out so we can understand it better. There are two main points. Each point needs to be elaborated by three sub-points to help us feel the weight of what it means to run the race of faith well. God willing, we will journey through this text for the most of the month of January. However, let us begin in verse one with the power of encouragement as it relates to your race of faith.

Christian, be encouraged to run your race of faith well (Hebrews 12:1)

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

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,

I remember telling once of my coaching friends that I signed up to run a 5K over the summer. He said something along the lines of, “Why would you do that on purpose?” I chuckled, but he was serious. Running a race, any race, is difficult. To run the race of faith well, you need to be aware of two hard realities.

Hard Reality 1: Running the race of faith is a fight.

First, running a race can feel like quite a challenge! When I participated in my 5K, I definitely felt the strain. My body was sore from all the movement and the bumps of the ground, especially when it had those ups and downs. I even experienced a side stitch because my breathing wasn't as steady as I wanted. It was tricky to find my rhythm, particularly when others were overtaking me. But you know what? The Christian race of faith is much like that too!

John Piper is helpful as he paraphrases Paul’s description of the fight of faith. Paul helps us understand this hard reality when he reflects,

“My life has often felt like a battle and a race. Holding onto my faith has been quite a journey. Trusting in God’s promises (Romans 4:20) and walking in faith with the Son of God (Galatians 2:20), resting in the gentle embrace of Jesus (Matthew 11:28), and choosing to worry less (Philippians 4:6) has felt like a lifelong challenge. At times, nothing has seemed easier (Matthew 11:30) and yet nothing has been harder (Matthew 7:14) than finding contentment with God and all that He offers me through Jesus (John 6:35). Every moment, with the grace I’ve been blessed with (1 Corinthians 15:10), I’ve fought the good fight and persevered in this race of life.” (Piper, John. 2007. Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.)

Running the race of faith not only requires intentional discipline of your mind, body, and soul, but also a gritty kind of faith that leans heavy of the soverign goodness of God, especially when the path you are running is filled with fear and hardship. Your faith in Christ, as well as the church as a whole, requires you to fight.

Hard Reality 2: Temptation to simply “go through the motions.”

The second hard reality is the temptation to merely go through the motions. This behavior can be described as meaningless coasting, taking the path of least resistance, failing to challenge the status quo, or simply existing within the church. If the church were a 747 airliner, then going through the motions would be akin to gliding.

Earlier in the letter, the writer of Hebrews signals something has been off about his hearers faith. One of the themes of the letter is warning. In chapter 2, he warns about neglecting their salvation. In chapter 3, he warns to not let unbelief deceive them. In chapter 5:12, the writer rebukes their lack of growth and maturity,

Hebrews 5:12 ESV

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

In chapter 10, the writer warns them to not forsake the assembling of the saints as some them were prone to do (Hebrews 10:25). That is, they had a habit of missing church. A few verses later, the author of Hebrews calls them to Hebrews 10:32-33

Hebrews 10:32–33 ESV

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.

At some point in their Christian walk, the readers of Hebrews stopped running the race well. They were not flying the airplane, but were gliding.

Jesus tells us that the path on which we run the race of faith is narrow, uphill, and extremely difficult. Very few find and follow it. It would be all too easy for us to veer off and seek an easier path to run, especially if you’ve been running a long time. Longevity can be a danger to legacy churches like FBCL.

In 1856, Litchfield had 100 dwelling houses. By 1857, the population grew to between 600 and 700 people. God saw fit to use a few passionate believers such as W.D.H Johnson, to start the First Baptist Church of Litchfield. We have been around for almost 170 years. That is a long time to run.

It’s so easy in an old church, like ours, to feel tired and start to go “through the motions.” Sometimes we can get caught up in just maintaining ministries or programs, or we let our attention to doctrine, theology, and evangelism fade to the peripheral of our mission. How easy is it to let our guard down against stifling the Holy Spirit by relying on routines that feel lifeless or obligatory. We have to recognize how real that danger is if we are going to run the race well. FBCL cannot afford to glide. 747 airliners are meant to fly, not glide. If an airliner glides, it eventually crashes; and so it is with the church, and quite frankly, so it is with your faith. (I am grateful to John Piper for this thought on coasting and longevity. See above sermon.)

To keep pushing forward in your journey of faith and to avoid gliding, it’s important to feel encouraged while also being mindful of your steps. First and foremost, allow yourself to be uplifted as you wholeheartedly embrace the race of faith. But how does the writer of Hebrews tell help you see the power of encouragement? He says listen to the saints who’ve finished well before you.

Being encouraged by the saints who finished well before you (1a).

The writer of Hebrews uses the metaphor of running a race to describe the Christian faith. Within that metaphor, he says,

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…

It was common in Roman culture to go to an arena and watch athletic competitions. The Roman Coliseum was built for such a thing. The word (nephos), which means “cloud” was also used in classical Greek as a metaphor to describe a large amount of people. In Rome, sixty five thousand people would fill the Roman Coliseum to witness athletic competitions, such as races. The athletes were surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. But who are the witnesses in verse 1?

This verse has multiple layers. Within the metaphor, the writer of Hebrews uses the word "martyron," which means witness or testify. The English word "martyr" is derived from this root. A martyr is someone who demonstrates their commitment to an ideology by giving their life. The “therefore” at the beginning of verse one suggests that the author does not only have “spectators” in mind. He is addressing individuals who, on one hand, watch and cheer, while on the other, testify with their lives as a witness to how to run the race of faith. He is alluding to the faith of the saints in chapter 11.

The writer of Hebrews has already referred to faith in the previous chapter,

Hebrews 10:39 ESV

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

As William Lane notes in his commentary, faith is not a formal definition but rather a recommendation and celebration of the faith that leads to attaining life. In the context of Hebrews 10:39, faith is a steadfast faithfulness to God and to the promises of his word. Faith is sure of a kingdom we cannot see and convinced of the promises of a Messiah we have never physically met (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is a response to God that believes he exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Faith has been the primary means we experience God since He kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden.

Richard Lawrence rightly observes, “in Heb. 11 the writer does not argue: he shows. Again and again he points out that it was “by faith” OT heroes and heroines accomplished great things (Hebrews 11:4–35). Even more, those who by human standards failed, and suffered or even lost their lives, were all “commended for their faith” (Hebrews 11:39).”

Who are these faithful saints who surround us, cheering us, and testifying to us remarkable faith?

Hebrews 11:4–35 (ESV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God… 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised… 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth….16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

Hebrews 11:36–37 ESV

36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

These beautiful faithful saints of the past, saints whom the world is not worthy to have (Hebrews 11:38), testify to us how to be beautiful faithful saints in the present. They are cheering us on and inspiring us to live faithfully to King Jesus.

They call the eleventh chapter in Hebrews the Hall of Faith, rightly so. These saints are to be applauded and imitated for their faithfulness. Sometimes we look at these saints and feel like we could never attain their kind of faithfulness, as if they are super saints. Dear brother or sister, if this is you, be encouraged. The saints in chapter eleven were not perfect saints.

Noah was pretty solid for 120 years or so as he believed God before the flood, through the flood, and briefly after the flood. But it was not long after the flood he got so sloppy drunk that he passed out naked in his tent allowing his son Ham, to humiliate him.

Abraham was pretty solid for a while, until he listened to his impatient wife who told him to sleep with her servant, who gave birth to a son who was not God’s choice for the covenant. Furthermore, out of fear for his own life, he compromised the promise of the covenant by offering up his wife to a king’s harem not once, but twice. His son, Isaac, did the same thing.

Moses was a great man of faith, until he struck the rock twice, putting himself on the same plane as God. God’s rebuke of Moses was so strong that he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

There is not a single person, male or female, on that list who had perfect faith, and yet God deemed it fitting to include them in the Hall of Faith for us to look to as examples of how to run the race faithfully. So, if it's not perfect faith that is required, what is it?

Their faith was not flawless, but their perseverance was unwavering. They never stopped running the race. They fought the good fight and strived for the promise of a better land, a better hope. There was no coasting or going through the motions.

What motivated them to persevere? They looked forward to “something better promised for us.”

Hebrews 11:39–40 ESV

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

They eagerly anticipated the ultimate glory: the resurrection of the body, the reign of the Messiah on earth, the full restoration of everything, and the beautiful reversal of the curse of sin. In the latter part of verse 40, the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” Our journey to perfection won't be complete until everyone crosses the finish line together.

The Ripple Affect of Encouragement

Regarding encouragement, think about concentric circles, such as the ripple of waves from a rock dropping into a pond. At the center is God’s desire for your to be encouraged to run the race faithfully. The first ripple wave of encouragement to reach the shores of your heart is the strength from the faithful saints before you. Their lives are shining examples of what faith looks like during the race, and they cheer you on, inspiring you to keep moving forward.

The second ripple wave of encouragement landing on the shores of your heart is looking ahead to the ultimate glory of the new heavens and new earth. Just as the saints before us eagerly awaited the final glory, we too should look forward to the day when all things will be joyfully submitted to Jesus’ loving rule.

A third ripple wave of encouragement to crash onto the shores of your heart are the lives of the saints outside of chapter eleven. The cloud of witnesses stretches across generations, reaching us today. Dive into Christian biographies! Discover how John G. Patton, the Scottish missionary, bravely left his home to share the gospel with cannibals in the New Hebrides Islands in the South Pacific. Spend time learning about George Müller, the remarkable man who, through prayer alone, helped liberate the streets of Bristol, England, of over 100,000 orphans. Müller will inspire you to pray fervently and encourage you to offer radical, Christ-centered, God-honoring, Spirit-empowered prayers that reveal God's incredible glory. Biographies of faithful brothers and sisters in the past are a well-spring of encouragement for us to draw deeply from to hydrate our souls to keep running the race.

Finally, one last ripple wave of encouragement is the present gathering of saints, cloud of witnesses, right here in our church community. The writer of Hebrews specifically tells his readers,

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Your presence in this church truly makes a difference in the faith of others. By being involved in our church community, you inspire those around you to embrace love and do good works. Your unwavering faith motivates everyone to continue running the race of faith with joy and determination. It's important for you to be here every Sunday that you can—not just for your own growth, but for the encouragement and strength of those around you.

Regarding encouragement, A.W. Tozer wisely says to us,

“That Christian is a happy one who has found a company of true believers in whose heavenly fellowship he can live and love and labor. And nothing else on earth should be as dear to him nor command from him such a degree of loyalty and devotion.” A. W. Tozer The Set of the Sail, 22, 23.

Last Friday morning, Barb Butts went home to be with the Lord. Barb was a unique, even eccentric woman who made her presence known whenever she walked into a room. But I will tell you, I cannot count how many times she walked into a room with someone she invited to church, or she gave a ride to the hospital, or some stranger she told the gospel. Barb was a faithful member of our church family. She committed to being here as often as she could, and she served in whatever capacity we would offer to her.

I cannot express how often the members of this church have inspired me to continue running the race. Whether it's receiving an unexpected message of encouragement on a tough day, sharing fellowship on someone’s couch in the comfort of their home, discussing God’s answers to prayers in the foyer, or holding the hand of those taking their final breaths, these moments have all motivated me to persevere in my race of faith. I could not do it without the church, and neither can you.

In 2025, I want you to run the race well by being encouraged by all the saints, past and present. I want to feed that encouragement by challenging you to take responsibility for your church. What that means is, your commitment to be here for sake of those around you, to be a witness who cheers others on while their own life testifies of the hope you have in the promise of the resurrection and final glory.

Laying aside all hinderances (1b). (Hebrews 12:1)

The writer of Hebrews

Running the race God set before you (1c).

Christian, run the race of faith well by fixing your eyes on Jesus the exemplar and completer of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Three reasons why we look to Jesus to run well.

Jesus is the exemplar and completer of your faith (2a).

Jesus used joy to endure the cross and despise its shame (2b).

Jesus finished the race well, and now sits at the right hand of the Father (2c).