Crossing the Finish Line

Introduction

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 KJV 1900

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Body

When she looked ahead, Florence Chadwick saw nothing but a solid wall of fog. Her body was numb. She had been swimming for nearly sixteen hours.

Already she was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. She had managed to finish that swim in a record time, 16 hours and 22 minutes on August 8, 1950. Now, at age 34, her goal was to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to Palos Verde on the California coast.

On that Fourth of July morning in 1952, the sea was like an ice bath and the fog was so dense she could hardly see her support boats. Sharks cruised toward her lone figure, only to be driven away by rifle shots. Against the frigid grip of the sea, she struggled on – hour after hour – while millions watched on national television.

Alongside Florence in one of the boats, her mother and her trainer offered encouragement. They told her it wasn’t much farther. But all she could see was fog. They urged her not to quit. She never had . . . until then. With only a half mile to go, she asked to be pulled out.

Still thawing her chilled body several hours later, she told a reporter, “Look, I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land I might have made it.” It was not fatigue or even the cold water that defeated her. It was the fog. She was unable to see her goal.

Two months later, she tried again. This time, despite the same dense fog, she swam with her faith intact and her goal clearly pictured in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind that fog was land and this time she made it! Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the Catalina, eclipsing the men’s record by two hours!

Throughout every person’s life, an individual may have one, or many goals, that they set for themselves. There are many kinds of goals. Whether they are short term, long term or just temporary, the important thing is that we stay consistent, focused and keep our eyes on the goal. There are times when attaining a goal may be easy or other times when it seems like a goal is far, far away and we will never be able to reach it but if we don’t lose heart and keep working hard, a goal can be accomplished.

Excerpt from www.mygoodtimestories.com

We have goals, both short-term and long-term

Some of those goals may seem easy to accomplish

Others may seem hopeless and completely out of reach

Goals of getting married and raising a family

Goals of getting a successful career

Goals of getting your first car / first home

Goals of graduating high school

When I was young, I knew it would take forever for me to finish out the school year

When I was a bit older I knew it would take forever for me to graduate and get out of school altogether

And there was no way I could ever see myself as an adult. Married? With children? No way!!!

When we determine that something is important to us, we begin to pursue it with vigor and gusto

We’re excited at the prospect of its accomplishment

We look forward to the benefits we’ll enjoy from getting to our desired goal

But when it’s not realized in the time frame we expected it to be realized in, we begin to lose our initial excitement.

Some of us can get frustrated

Some of us can get disillusioned or even depressed

A few of us are able to look at the situation, make course corrections as needed, stay encouraged, and keep moving toward our goals

As time goes on and the goal is still not realized, we’ll fall into two distinct categories

Most will eventually give up and we’ll rationalize why we’re giving up

It really wasn’t as important a goal as I originally thought

It’s just not worth it to me. Too much work for too little payout

I have moe urgent matters to attend to right now

A few will preserver through the frustration and the disappointments to finally achieve success.

“Nothing worthwhile is ever easy”

God gives us promises and we seem to follow the same pattern

We receive the promise with joy and excitement

It doesn’t come to pass right away and so we begin to doubt

Did God really promise me this?

Is God really going to do this thing He promised?

“Don’t doubt in the darkness what God told you in the light”

We keep waiting and we keep praying and we keep believing and yet it seems like nothing happens

What are we suppose to do with this?

Many examples in scripture of the promise delayed

Noah

Abraham

Moses and the children of Israel

David

Daniel

John 6:60–68 KJV 1900

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Two camps

Those that turned away - their expectations were shattered! “This is a hard saying! This is not how I thought it would be!”

Those that stayed - Their expectations were shattered! “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

Luke 11:9–13 KJV 1900

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

God promises that, in the end, you will receive your answer

He also promises that the answer you receive will not be a distortion of the request, but He will meet your actual need.

Luke 18:1–6 KJV 1900

1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

We cannot give up on the one yard line

We cannot give up a half mile from shore

Who knows how close your answer is?

God has given this church promises, He’s given your family promises, He’s given you promises. Stay faithful. Keep believing that they will come to pass.

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 15:51–57 KJV 1900

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11 - Some died having received NOT the promise

Hebrews 12:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Sometimes it can seem like too hard a thing to continue living for God

First, this is far easier than not living for God

Second, The price, whatever that may be, is so very worth it

Thirdly, lets take for our example of faithfulness to God in the midst of adversity, Jesus Christ

We’re so close now, don’t quit serving Jesus Christ so close to the finish line

Luke 9:62 KJV 1900

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.