(Running The Race)

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Hebrews 12:1-3

The Nature of the race

1)  Unlike most races we think of this race is an extreme endurance race, this race is not a short sprint, it's not a 10K, in fact it is not even a marathon, it is a lifelong run.  Look in 12:1 "we are to run with patience"  This run requires the greatest of all patience for it is a life long run.  It is a run that will last not an hour, not a day, not even a week or year, but rather a lifetime!  You see this race is unimaginable in length and in fact is a race that requires patience and perseverance.  That is the nature of the race.  Extreme ~ Lifelong ~ Marathon.

2)  There is a course to be followed.  Like any race we just can't run on the path of our choosing, but rather on the path of God's choosing.  Notice again in verse 1 "run the race that is set before us".  I have heard people say if I just had a life like Larry or children like Tom, or a wife like Fred.  My dear Brother, Jesus has set the race that is before you, that is the race you are to run.  Although we are all running our race is not the same, our race is tailor made for us by the living God to bring glory and honor to Himself.  This race and this race alone is our course we are to run.
 

Guidelines to Finish This Race

Prior to opening up this point I would like to make something crystal clear.  We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.  We are in Christ and Christ is in God.  We have been given eternal life and we shall never perish.  Nothing, Nothing,  Nothing, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.  All things are working together for our good.  So I do not ever mean we can loose our salvation, but I do mean if we are not running, it may be we are not saved.  So as we look at guidelines for the race this is not to so that we can like a big check sheet mark of the columns and prove we are saved, for the scriptures are clear salvation is of the Lord, and God's Spirit will bear witness with our Spirit that we ar e children of God.  Rather I give these points as God's guidelines on the race we are to run, so with great patience and endurance as Christ works in us to will and to do His good pleasure we are to run the race set before us.

1)  Notice again in verse 1 "we are to lay aside every weight".  Now weights within themselves are not bad.  Runners practicing for a race might wear weights to strengthen their legs, yet on race day, not so.  There they will have the lightest shirt, the lightest shorts, the lightest shoes, no extra weight, but indeed anything that might slow them down is removed.  It is the same for you and I some things in our life might not be bad within themselves but they might be slowing us down, they might be unneeded weight.  May we ask the Lord to show us these weights that we may put them aside.  Again I don't know what may be slowing you down, I only know for me.  But I bet you have things that may be slowing you down, let's today ask God for the grace to lay them aside.

2)  Notice again in verse 1 this race requires that we "lay aside the sin which doth so easily beset us".  In the Greek the definite article is not used, this verse might better be read, "and lay apart sin which so doth easily beset us".  In either case weather God has in mind a besetting sin, or sin in general, may we must heed the warning ~ lay apart sin brothers and sister it besets us, as the Greek word implies it wraps about us like long garments, it shortens our stride, it wears us out.  Like the unneeded weight, we must lay aside the sin that so hinders our running.  How about you, how about me, is their a sin that is hindering your running today, has it like a long garment wrapped about your legs, have you given place to the devil and now it seems he desires a bigger place.  My friends might today by the grace of God you and I afresh lay apart the sin with it seems so easily raps about us.

3)  We are to remember that God has given us a host of witnesses who give testimony on how the race is to be run.  We are to run the path that Jesus has set for us, but we are to run the race in the same method as all those great saints we read about in chapter 11.  Notice again in verse 1 "we are compassed about with this great cloud of witnesses".  We have all these men and women of the Old Covenant who are our witnesses of how we are to run.  Oh they can't tell us our path, only Jesus knows our own path, but they can show us how we are to run, they can show us the nature of our run.  Like it is said of Moses in Hebrews 11:26 we must esteem the reproach of Christ of greeter riches than the treasures of this world.  Like Moses we are to forsake this world seeing what is invisible rather than what is visible.  As we look at these witnesses how long has it been since you have heard their testimony through the pages of the scriptures?  An hour, a day, a week, a month?  How can we learn of these who witness how to run the race of faith if we never hear their testimony?  How can we live a victorious life ignoring the testimony of those who have gone before us?  I dare say we cannot!

4)  We are to fix our eyes on a particular point and run with perseverance.  Not the finish line a few short yards away, nor some point off in the distance, but notice in verse 2 "looking unto Jesus, the Arthur and finisher of our faith".  Have you ever ran a great distance, you start setting your eyes on points far away and as they get close you pick a new point, or a short race where you set your gaze on the finish line.  Here God is telling us to fix our gaze upon the Son of God Himself.  Set our focal point on Him and run, looking unto Jesus.  Again I would ask where are your goals set?  Are they set on Jesus or has the world tricked you, are you goals and your gaze set on things of this world.  Let's be honest it's easy you know, the world lures us in, and deceives us.  May today we all with great enthusiasm turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and like the song writer we will find that the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.  Like all runners we are not to look back, not to look to our left or our right, but keep looking unto Jesus.

5)  Not only are we to look to Jesus, but we are to consider Jesus.  As trials come we are to think on Christ.  We live in a world that is not content, and Satan peddles this every chance he gets.  But if we are to finish this race we must consider Jesus, for it is only their we will find true contentment regardless of our situation.  If we fail to consider Jesus it is obvious from the context we might faint in the way.  We might run out of grit prior to the finish.  So my brother and sister have you considered Jesus this week, have you considered what He bore on your behalf, have you considered how he endure the contradiction of sinners for you?  Have you considered he endured the cross despising the shame, I say again despising the shame for you.  Consider Christ lest you get weary and faint in your mind.