The apostle Paul loved sports. I think that if he were alive today, he would have some favorite teams, and to at least some degree, he would keep up with them. I say that because, he refers to sports all the time as he writes. One of his favorite sports must have been cross country or endurance running. He always talks about it.
This passage in Hebrews (although not written by Paul) likens the Christian life to a running who is running a race. Let’s read the passage together.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB95)
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
But, notice before we go any further that the race is not a sprint. He tells us to run with endurance. It is probably a little longer - a distance run.
I learned the difference between a sprint and a longer distance run when I was in high school. I had gotten involved with running track, but I didn't know much about it. The coach asked me the first day what I would like to run. I had no idea, and that is what I told him. He smiled and told me to try the 400 meter run. Now, you should know that the 400 is not really long distance. It is "middle distance." It seems short - it is just one lap around the track. Well, the whistle blew and I took off. I wash pushing hard. I was sprinting as fast as I could. I pulled way out into the lead. It almost seemed funny to me that I was so much better than all the others. I figured it was probably the first time for everyone. After about 3/4 around the track I started to question whether or not this was a sprint. By the time I reached the finish line I was sure it wasn't! Every other person in the race passed me in the last 20 meters, and I barely even crossed the line. I was dizzy, stumbling, and sick! I laid down on the ground for the rest of the practice, having learned the difference between a sprint and long distance.
I want you to think about the Christian life as a long distance race.
- Are you really in the race? I don’t know all of you as well as I would like. Maybe some of you have never really begun the race. Maybe you are just here to watch.
- If you are in the race, are you actually running? Your life is a race. No, you are not competing with other Christians, but you are competing against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Are you running? Are you working hard at it? Or, are you walking the race like you would walk through a mall, casually looking at everything…and if you are like some girls I know, content to live your whole lives there?
- Have you attempted to run the race as a sprint? Perhaps you have tired out.
You are running a race. You are not supposed to be walking a race. We are not casual about it. You are running a race. You are not jogging until you get tired. We don't determine how long we want to run. The length of the race is determined by God. We are supposed to work hard. We are supposed to strategize to win.
How should we run with endurance? What does that look like?
The writer of Hebrews describes for us what it means to run the race with endurance. He gives 3 bits of advice to help you run the race with endurance:
1. Look at those that have gone before you.
Read verse 1. The writer says, “therefore.” He asks his readers to remember what he has discussed in chapter 11 because it is the reason for this exhortation and those to follow. Chapter 11 lists many men and women that ran the race with endurance. They were faithful to God in spite of various difficulties. Some difficulties were smaller – some greater. But, they were all faithful.
One thing that always helped me when I ran was 'running in a pack.' I hated running by myself. When running by myself, I would always tell myself that I couldn’t make it. I would convince myself that I should run a smaller distance or at a slower pace. But, when I ran with a group. I thought to myself, “If all of these weirdoes can do it, so can I.” You may think sometime, I am getting tired of doing right. I don’t know if I can keep this up. I don’t know if I want to keep this up. Read the OT. See what saints of God have gone before you. Know that they had the same God then as you have today, and be encouraged. It is reasonable that you can run the race, because so many have run it before you. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendego ran the race. They were young; they did it. So can you. If you are struggling with how to deal with your brothers and sisters when they treat you unfairly, read the story of Joseph. He is a real person that ran the race.
2. Get rid of extra baggage.
You need to get rid of extra baggage.
Hebrews 12:1 (NASB95)
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
There are two types of baggage that you must lay aside: ecumbrances and sins.
Anyone who is serious about running will attempt to lay these aside. If you saw a man at the start of a race with a suitcase in his hand, what would you think? You can be sure he was making no attempt to win the race. In other words, he is not in a race. He is running with those that are racing. He is merely playing a game.
We are to lay aside encumbrances. When referring to a runner this would include extra clothes, extra weight, etc. A good runner will have a careful diet. He will work hard to maintain his weight because he is trying to win. While he may be permitted to enter a race having eaten a full diet of Twinkies, yet he knows that he would never win if he tried such a thing.
What extra clothes are you wearing that keep you from really competing? We are not talking about sinful things. He is going to mention that in a minute. What things being good in and of themselves are slowing you down? These things will be specific to each person. It may be that your friends are slowing you down. Obviously, having close friends that are unbelievers is sin. That goes in the next category.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NASB95)
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
Maybe you are hanging around particular friends that are Christians, but don’t live like it. Maybe they are dragging you down.
Maybe it is the TV that drags you down. Maybe you waste too much time with it, or you watch things that the Bible tells you not to.
Maybe your job drags you down. It certainly isn’t wrong to have a job, but some jobs can drag you down. If you have a choice, what will you choose?
Maybe going to a certain place drags you down, or participating in a certain activity. Are you running in the race? Do you make any effort to lay aside encumbrances?
We are also to lay aside is the sin that so easily entangles us. This seems strange that he would even mention this. Yet, people do sometimes think that they can be pleasing to God without giving up their sin. This is wrong.
Is there a particular sin in your life that you are not really hating? Is there sin that you like to play with? One that you don’t really think is that bad?
You came to church today. I will assume that for most of you, you wanted to come. Your parents brought you, but you would make an effort to come even if they didn’t. For you, are you trying to please God by coming to church without trying to forsake your sin?
If there is a sin that you struggle with, you must make every effort to give it up. This may include asking your parents for help. It may include asking me or Tiffany or the Weidman’s. Will you give it up?
Are you running in the race? Do you make any effort to lay aside encumbrances and sins?
The 3rd bit of advice for running the race with endurance is...
3. Focus on Christ.
Hebrews 12:2-3 (NASB95)
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When you run in a race, your focus is important. You cannot look at the people behind or beside you. Your focus must be right. In your Christian life You must run the race focusing on Christ. You may find that you try to live the Christian life without focusing on Christ. Realize with me right now that this is stupidity. If you don’t understand Christ, read about Christ, think about Christ, thank God for Christ, trust in the work of Christ, think like Christ, serve Christ, and look like Christ, then why would you every call yourself a little Christ?! That’s not a harsh statement directed only towards you; that is for me too.
Focus on the fact that he is the Author of your faith. He is the Originator. That is that word that we used last week.
He made your faith start. You must always remember that. When you see evidence of your faith, you must remember that Christ gave you that faith.
Focus on the fact that Christ is the Perfecter, Completer, or Maturer of your faith. When you start to become discouraged because you can’t be as faithful to him as you would like, remember that Christ will complete your faith.
Focus on Christ as the pattern for you to follow. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Follow His pattern.
Hebrews 12:2-3 (NASB95)
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Christ was not distracted with the present. He was preoccupied with the future. He looked to the joy in the future – being with His Father, have the task completed, providing redemption for those He loved.
Do you ever think about he future, or are you preoccupied with the present? Do you want only what feels good now, thinking nothing of the future consequences?
- Do you save money?
- Do you give into pleasures immediately?
- Do you give into peer pressure easily?
How much time do you spend thinking about heaven? Do you consciously attempt to lay up treasure in heaven? List some passages that describe heaven and your future inheritance. Read through one everyday until you finish the list. Make a list of ways that you can lay up treasure in heaven today. Check off those things as you complete them.
Christ was not a servant of pleasure. His life was ordered by the will of His Father. Before He did something, he considered the will of His Father. What rules your life? Do you just do whatever feels right at the moment? Or, do you determine what the Father's will is, and then get busy doing it?
Conclusion
How are you doing in THE race? Have you been distracted? Have you forgotten that it is a race? Christ ran the same race. He won! You can too - because He promises to run it with you!
