"STEPS FOR STAYING IN THE RACE" 

                                                            HEBREWS 12:1 - 3 

 INTRODUCTION:

          NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE ARE WE PROMISED THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS GOING TO BE EASY.  IN FACT, OFTEN THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE, JOHN 16:33.  YES, DIFFICULTIES WILL COME AND TRIALS WILL CROSS OUR PATHS AND OFTEN, WE WILL BE TEMPTED TO QUIT ON GOD AND DROP OUT OF THE RACE.

          THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS IS COMPARING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TO A RACE.  HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT A 100-YARD DASH.  INSTEAD, HE IS REFERRING TO A MARATHON.  A RACE THAT REQUIRES ENDURANCE AND PREPARATION.

          IN A DAY WHEN RUNNERS SEEM TO BE DROPPING OUT ON EVERY HAND, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS EASY TO BE DISCOURAGED ABOUT OUR OWN RACE.

          WHEN TRIALS COME, THERE MAY BE THE TEMPTATION TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE AND LET OTHERS DO THE RUNNING.

          I WANT TO SHARE SOME STEPS THAT ARE GIVEN IN THESE VERSES THAT WILL HELP YOU AND I RUN THIS RACE WE ARE IN TODAY.

          I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU MAY BE FACING AS YOU RUN YOUR ACE.

          I DO KNOW THAT DOING THE THINGS REVEALED IN THESE VERSES WILL HELP US ALL TO BE RUNNERS WHO ARE PLEASING TO THE LORD.

          MY GOAL IS THAT WHEN WE REACH THE END OF THIS RACE WE MIGHT SAY WITH THE APOSTLE PAUL, "I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH," 2ND TIMOTHY 4:7.

          LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THESE "STEPS FOR SAYING IN THE RACE".

            STEP 1: CONSIDER THE SAINTS, VERSE 1A

          AS THE AUTHOR BEGINS THIS CHAPTER, HE DRAWS OUR ATTENTION BACK TO CHAPTER 11.  THERE THE AUTHOR MENTIONED MANY OF THE GREAT HEROES OF THE FAITH.

          THESE PEOPLE ARE THE "GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES" THAT SURROUNDS US AS WE RUN THE RACE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

          LET'S EXAMINE THREE TRUTHS ABOUT THESE WITNESSES THAT CAN GIVE US ENCOURAGEMENT AS WE RUN OUR RACE.

          A.  THEY HAVE RUN THEIR RACE!

          THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO RAN THE RACE THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN.

          THEY DID NOT RUN PERFECTLY, BUT THEY RAN AND DID NOT QUIT UNTIL THEY FINISHED.

          THEY ENDURED UNSPEAKABLE PAIN AND SUFFERING, STILL THEY RAN.

          IN DOING SO, THEY STAND AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND A CHALLENGE TO THE REST OF US.

           B.  THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD!

          THESE PEOPLE RAN THEIR RACE AND NOW THEY ARE ABLE TO REST IN THE FATHER'S PRESENCE.

          BECAUSE THEY RAN WELL, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD.

 NOTE: AGAIN WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO RUN FOR THE LORD.

 WHEN THE RACE IS OVER, WE WILL GO TO BE WITH THE LORD!

 WHERE WE WILL RECEIVE THE REWARDS EARNED DURING THE COURSE OF OUR RACE, 2ND TIMOTHY 4:8.

            C.  THEY HAVE REVEALED THAT GOD IS RELIABLE!

           THE GREATEST ENCOURAGEMENT THAT WE CAN RECEIVE FROM THESE SAINTS IS THE FACT THAT THEY ARE PROOF POSITIVE OF THE RELIABILITY OF THE LORD.

 NOTE: IF GOD TOOK CARE OF THEM, HONORED THEIR FAITH, SUSTAINED THEM, KEPT THEM, USED THEM, BLESSED THEM, AND GOT GLORY FROM THEIR LIVES, THEN HE WILL DO THE SAME IN YOUR LIFE AND MINE.

 NOTE: WHEN THE BIBLE CALLS THEM WITNESSES, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE WATCHING EVERY MOVE WE MAKE, IT DOES MEAN THAT THEY ARE WITNESSES TO THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

          WHAT IT MEANS ALSO IS THAT THEY RAN THEIR RACE AND SO CAN YOU AND I.

            STEP 2:  CONSIDER SELF, VERSES 1B-2A

          A.  WE MUST MAKE PROPER PREPARATIONS!

          WHEN THERE IS A RACE TO BE RUN, THE WISE RUNNER MUST MAKE CAREFUL PREPARATIONS.

          THE SAME IS TRUE IN A SPIRITUAL RACE!

          WE WILL NEVER REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL FOR THE LORD UNTIL WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE PREPARATIONS AND SACRIFICES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR RUNNING THE RACE.

     1. LAY ASIDE ALL WEIGHTS

          THIS REFERS TO A RUNNER MAKING SURE THAT ALL EXTRA WEIGHT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR BODY.

          IN THE SPIRITUAL ARENA, THIS REFERS TO ANYTHING THAT HINDERS OUR WALK WITH GOD.

 NOTE: IT SPEAKS OF THINGS THAT ARE INNOCENT IN AND OF THEMSELVES, BUT THEY SLOW YOU DOWN IN THE CHRISTIAN RACE, THEY ARE WEIGHTS AND THEY MUST GO.

          THE LIST OF THESE THINGS COULD BE ENDLESS, BUT A FEW ARE:

     SEEKING ENTERTAINMENT INSTEAD OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNING WITH GOD.

     SEEKING POSSESSIONS AND THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD INSTEAD OF SEEKING GOD.

     GIVING OUR ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE MUSIC, TELEVISION SHOWS, SPORTS EVENTS, MOVIES, VIDEO GAMES, CELLPHONES, COMPUTERS, ETC. THAT DO NOT FOCUS OUR MINDS ON THE LORD.

          THESE THINGS MAY HAVE THEIR PLACE IN OUR LIVES BUT MUST NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THINGS OF GOD.

          IN SHORT, THIS REFERS TO ANYTHING THAT DOES BUILD US UP IN OR MAKE US STRONGER IN THE LORD.

          ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT BUILD US UP IN THE LORD, IS A WEIGHT AND A HINDRANCE AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OUR LIFE!

     2. LAY ASIDE ALL SINS

          THE AUTHOR ENCOURAGES HIS READERS TO GET RID OF "BESETTING SINS".

          THIS REFERS TO SINS WHICH CLING TO, DISTRACTS, ENTANGLES AND TRIPS UP THE CHRISTIAN RUNNER.

 NOTE: THERE ARE MANY SINS THAT COULD BE MENTIONED AT THIS POINT, BUT THE IDEA IN THIS VERSE IS THAT PARTICULAR SIN WHICH TRIPS YOU UP.

          YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE WEAK!

          THERE ARE SINS THAT DO NOT TEMPT YOU AT ALL, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SINS THAT ARE A CONSTANT SOURCE OF TEMPTATIONS.

          WHATEVER THAT SIN IS, IT MUST BE STRIPPED OFF AND AVOIDED AT ALL COST.

          IT CAN ENTANGLE YOU, TRIP YOU AND PREVENT YOU FROM FINISHING YOUR RACE IN GOD'S WILL, ROMANS 6:12.

          B.  WE MUST RUN WITH PATIENCE!

          THE PICTURE HERE IS OF A RUNNER SETTING IN FOR THE LONG HAUL.

          HOWEVER, IT IS NOT A PICTURE OF SETTING BACK AND WAITING TO SEE WHAT WILL COME OUR WAY IN LIFE.

          IT IS AN ACTIVE WORD THAT SPEAKS OF A PERSON WHO HAS A SPIRIT IN HIM OR HER THAT STANDS UP AND FACES THE TRIALS OF LIFE

 NOTE: A PERSON THAT IS ABLE TO FACE THEIR TRIALS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE LORD HAS BROUGHT IT TO THEM FOR THEIR OWN GOOD AND FOR GOD'S GLORY, ROMANS 8:28. 

 NOTE: THIS MERCY TEACHES US THAT THE CHRISTIAN RUNNER HAS ENDURANCE.

          THEY HAVE A LITTLE GRIT!

          THEY STAND STRONG IN THE LORD AND RUN THEIR RACE, 1ST CORINTHIANS 15:58.

 NOTE: NOTICE THE WORDING "THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US".

          THIS CHALLENGES US TO REMEMBER SOME THINGS:

     WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN RACE TO RUN!

          THAT IS, YOU CANNOT RUN IN MY LANE AND I CANNOT RUN IN YOURS.

           I AM CONVINCED THAT THE CAUSE OF CHRIST HAS BEEN GREATLY HINDERED BY PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO RUN IN THEIR OWN LANE AND THEY END UP HINDERING EVERYONE AROUND THEM.

     WE ARE NOT IN COMPETITION, BUT WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM!

          MY JOB IS NOT TO OUTRUN YOU, MY JOB IS TO RUN FOR JESUS, THE RACE THAT HE HAS PLANNED FOR ME TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

     OUR COURSE HAS BEEN INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED!

          THE RACE YOU ARE RUNNING HAS BEEN PREPARED JUST FOR YOU.

          THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS RUN OUR RACE TO THE BEST OF OUR GOD-GIVEN ABILITY.

          C.  WE MUST GUARD OUR PRIORITIES!

          NOTICE THAT VERSE 2A TELLS US THAT WE ARE TO RUN "LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH."

          WE ARE TO USE JESUS AS OUR FOCAL POINT WHILE WE RUN THE RACE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY GOD.

          JESUS RAN HIS RACE AND HE RAN IT WELL.  HE FINISHED THE COURSE THAT WAS LAID OUT FOR HIM.

 NOTE: WHILE WE RUN, WE MUST NOT LOOK AT THE OTHER RUNNERS.  DOING SO WILL CAUSE DISTRACTION AND DEFEAT.

          OUR EYES ARE TO BE ON THE ONE WHO STARTED US ON THIS RACE.

          OUR EYES ARE TO BE ON THE ONE WHO WILL GREET US AT THE END OF OUR RACE.

            STEP 3:  CONSIDER THE SAVIOR, VERSE 2B-3

          AS WE RUN THIS RACE AND LOOK TO JESUS, THE AUTHOR GOES INTO TELL US SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT HIS RACE THAT WE ARE TO LOOK TO THAT WILL HELP US AS WE RUN THE RACE WE HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED.

     A.  CONSIDER HIS RACE!

          HIS WAS A HARD RACE THAT BEGAN IN POVERTY AND ENDED IN PAIN ON A CROSS.

          HIS WAS A RACE THAT LEAD HIM THROUGH HATRED, BITTERNESS, OPPOSITION AND THE DESIRE TO SEE HIM DEAD.

          HIS WAS A RACE IN WHICH HE NEVER FALTERED, HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE GOAL AND HE NEVER QUIT RUNNING UNTIL THE GOAL HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.

 NOTE: WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING, JUST LOOK TO JESUS AND CONSIDER THE RACE HE RAN FOR YOU AND ME.

     B.  CONSIDER HIS REASON!

          THE BIBLE TELLS US HERE THAT JESUS RAN "FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM".

          WHERE IS THE JOY IN GOING TO A CROSS?

          WHERE IS THE JOY IN DYING LIKE A COMMON CRIMINAL?

          WHERE IS THE JOY IN BEING REJECTED BY PEOPLE YOU LOVE?

 NOTE: FOR JESUS, THE JOY WAS IN DOING HIS FATHER'S WILL AND IN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN HE FINISHED HIS RACE!

          FOR JESUS ALSO, THE JOY WAS THE DAY OF REDEMPTION THAT WOULD BRING ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:

     1.  THE SALVATION OF ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE.

     2.  THE DAY WHEN HE WOULD BE IN HEAVEN WITH THE REDEEMED OF THE AGES.

     3.  THE DAY WHEN HE WOULD RECLAIM THE GLORY HE HAD SHARED WITH THE FATHER FROM ETERNITY PAST.

     4.  THE DAY WHEN THERE WOULD BE A NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH WHERE ALL THE REDEEMED WOULD BE WORSHIPING THE FATHER.

     5.  THE DAY WHEN SALVATION WOULD BE COMPLETED, SIN FOREVER DESTROYED.     SATAN FOREVER BANISHED!

 NOTE: THAT IS WHY JESUS RAN HIS RACE!

          JESUS WAS ABLE TO LOOK PAST THE CROSS.

          JESUS WAS ABLE TO LOOK BEYOND THE SHAME.

          JESUS WAS ABLE TO LOOK BEYOND EVERYTHING HE WOULD BE CALLED UPON TO FACE IN THIS WORLD AND HE WAS ABLE TO SEE ME AND YOU (ALL THOSE WOULD BELIEVE).

          JESUS RAN HIS RACE FOR US!

 NOTE: WE NEED TO COME TO THE PLACE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK BEYOND THE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE AND ENVISION THAT DAY WHEN WE TOO WILL BE HOME WITH THE SAVIOR.

          OH, WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE!       WELL GLORY!     THAT WILL, OR SHOULD, GIVE YOU A SECOND WIND TO BE ABLE TO RUN YOUR RACE WITH PATIENCE!

     C.  CONSIDER HIS REWARD!

          JESUS RAN WELL AND WHEN HE FINISHED, HE SAT DOWN WITH THE FATHER ON HIS THRONE!

          YOU SEE, JESUS KNEW WHERE HE WAS HEADED!

          THAT MADE IT A LITTLE EASIER TO RUN THE RACE.

 NOTE: THE SAME IS TRUE FOR YOU AND ME AND ALL BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS.

          WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO GET A HEAVENLY VISION, IT MAKES THE RACE MORE BEARABLE.

          IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE ANYWAY!

     D.  CONSIDER HIS REWARD!

          VERSE 3 TELLS US THAT JESUS ENDURED MUCH TO FINISH HIS RACE.

          HE SUFFERED MUCH MORE THAN YOU AND I CAN GRASP!

 NOTE: JESUS ENDURED UNTIL THE END SO THAT WE MIGHT BE SAVED.

          WHEN WE FEEL LIKE GIVING UP WE SHOULD COMPARE OUR SUFFERINGS WITH HIS SUFFERINGS.

          JESUS STANDS AS OUR EXAMPLE!

          THEREFORE, LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US!

          CONCLUSION:

          HOW IS YOUR RACE PROGRESSING?

          DO YOU NEED ENCOURAGEMENT?

                    IF SO I PRAY THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE YOU ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO ON FOR JESUS.

          LET ME CHALLENGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!

          STOP LOOKING AT OTHERS!          STOP LOOKING AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES!

          GET RID OF THOSE EXCESS WEIGHTS!          STRIP OFF THE BESETTING SINS!

           EVERY RACE HAS HAD A STARTING POINT AND A FINISH LINE:

                         SALVATION IS THE STARTING POINT.

                         ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN IS THE FINISH LINE.

           TO WIN THE RACE YOU MUST SETTLE IN YOUR HEART AND MIND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO FINISH THE RACE.

          THE BELIEVER HAS A HIGH CALLING OF GOD, A CALL FROM HEAVEN AND A CALL TO HEAVEN, PHILIPPIANS 3:14.

          AMEN!