The Greatest Runner Series

In 1968, the country of Tanzania selected John Stephen Akhwari to represent it

in the Mexico City Olympics. Along the racecourse for the marathon, Akhwari

stumbled and fell, severely injuring both his knee and ankle. By 7 p.m., a runner

from Ethiopia had won the race, and all the other competitors had finished and

been cared for. Just a few thousand spectators were left in the huge stadium when

a police siren at the gate caught their attention. Limping through the gate came

number 36, Akhwari, leg wrapped in a bloody bandage. Those present began to

cheer as the courageous man completed the final lap of the race. Later, a reporter

asked Akhwari the question on everyone's mind: "Why did you continue the race

after you were so badly injured?" He replied: "My country did not send me 7,000

miles to begin a race; they sent me to finish the race."

Such was the spirit of Jesus. He came into this world, not just to start a race to

reach the goal of providing salvation from sin, but to finish that race and make it

to the cross where he would pay the price for man’s redemption. Anyone can start

a race, but the key to being a winner is to finish what you start. Adam and Eve had

the best start ever, but they fell along the way and did not finish the race. Judas

had a marvelous start, but he let himself get ensnared by Satan and dropped out a

loser. This story is repeated over and over again, and many who start good end

poorly, for they do not continue. They lack the one thing crucial for being a

winner, and that is perseverance. Nobody can be a finisher without perseverance.

The word means “to hang in there.” It is a refusing to give up even when you want

to call it quits because of fatigue. This is a major theme of the book of Hebrews,

and all of the Bible, because it is the only way to be a winner.

We are to look to Jesus, for he was the greatest finisher ever. He never gave up

running for the sake of winning the race for our sake. He is not only the author,

that is the beginner, of our faith, but he is the finisher of our faith. He was a

finisher because he never gave up. Michael Lampkin puts it so eloquently:

"They Pierce him in the side, But he Kept on running.

They Whip him with 39 stripes, But he Kept On running.

They Smote him with the palm on their hand, But he kept on running.

They said that he wasn’t the Son of God, But he kept on running.

He Could have given up, But he kept Running.

He Could have Come Down From The Cross, But He Kept On Running."

"Yes My Brothers and My Sisters Don’t Give Up, Just Stay In The Race.

Don’t Give In, Just Stay In the Race.

Don’t Throw In The Towel, Just Stay In The Race.

You May Fall By The Wayside But Just Stay In The Race.

So what if they Talk About You, Just Stay In The Race.

So what if Folk Misunderstand You, Just Stay In the Race.

You Might Be About To Lose Your Mind, But Just Stay In The Race.

You Might Feel Like You are By Your Self, But Just Stay In The Race."

This is one of the key messages of the book of Hebrews. The Hebrew Christians

were being strongly tempted to give up on following Jesus. The persecution was too

much, and they could retreat back to Judaism and escape much of the suffering it was

costing to follow Jesus. The constant plea of this book is don't do it. Don't give up on

Jesus, for there is no better one to follow. There is only loss when you give up on

Jesus. He is the best and the greatest in every possible way, and it is folly to give up on

the best. Jesus is not only the Savior, but he is also the greatest example of running the

race of life without giving up when the going got hard. "When the going gets tough the

tough get going," fits Jesus perfectly. He was tough, and so all the power of Rome, and

all the power of Judaism, and all the power of Satan combined could not get him to

give up. He ran all the way to the goal line, and He said before he died, "It is finished."

It was no easy race Jesus had to run. He had obstacles all along the way. Satan

offered him an easy out by just bowing to him, but he refused to take that option.