Finish The Race

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, 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.

THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US

OUR GOAL IS NOT TO SIMPLY LIKE JESUS; BUT RATHER TO BE LIKE HIM

WE ARE CALLED TO ENDURE

Eliud Kipchoge

World Record Marathon- Official 2:01:39; Unofficial 1:59:40

13.1mph for 2 hours

Surrounded by pace setters

[SLIDE] WHAT IS SURROUNDING YOUR LIFE?

WITNESS VS WEIGHT

We’re all surrounded by something

WHY IS THE IMAGE A CLOUD?

QUICKLY: MYSTERY AND REVELATION IMAGERY

Play on words in the Greek

NIV translation clarity: Easily Entagnles

PUT OFF NOT PUT UP WITH

As long as you are comfortable with sin and temporal things you won’t change.

I can pick on myself: I’ve lost weight and I’ve put it back on. When I see my Dr, he doesn’t give me a plan for how to put up with the weight gain, he gives me a plan for how to put it off!

WHAT YOU PUT UP WITH WILL EVENTUALLY PULL YOU DOWN

This is a great tragedy in life, especially within the Church.

If I have one goal in this life, it is to finish the race.

The picture in Hebrews is not that one person runs faster than the other:

One person is so resolved to run the race that their trials and suffering only make them stronger.

The other person does all they can to avoid the suffering because it looks too heavy and it has crowded them out and weighed them down so much that they cannot move.

SOMETIMES IT’S NOT WHAT WE PUT UP WITH BUT WHAT WE ARE PUT THROUGH

Trials are an opportunity for joy, but they are still trials.

Have you ever had the wind kicked out of you?

It seems so easy to run the race until there’s a death in the family.

It’s so easy to run until all of your plans.

VULNERABLE MOMENT

It goes back to the big question from last Sunday:

[SLIDE] JESUS I KNOW YOU SAVED ME, BUT WILL YOU SUSTAIN ME?

READ HEBREWS 10:35-36 ESV

Hebrews 10:35–36 ESV

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

[SLIDE] THE GOOD NEWS IS NOT THAT ALL OF OUR PLANS WORK OUT; THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ALL OF GOD’S DO.

[KEYS OUT]

OUR FREEDOM IS FOUND IN OUR FOCUS

Looking to Jesus

Founder = Captain

The Holy Spirit empowers every believer to endure

THE GOOD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS EVERY DAY

This life is not all there is.

The Kingdom of God is rapidly advancing toward the Day of the LORD.

What are you focused on today?

READ 2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8 ESV

2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

I WANT YOU TO FINISH THE RACE

Put off the weight of disappointment and discouragement

Put off the sin

Put off the easy button emotional fixes

Let your life bare witness to the faithfulness of God

PRAY

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