Let’s Run
Opening: Hebrews 12: 1-2 from the Message
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God
Hebrews 12: 1-2 (KJV)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Anytime I hear the word run lately, my calves tense up, my back tightens, and my mind says “watch TV.” If you think about it there’s just something about the word run that doesn’t make us feel good. I even wondered if the title of my message tonight might create a mass exodus for the door. Recently, there has been a big move towards running for exercise. I started running about two or three months ago to get exercise. I definitely had some limitations. My ankles were hurting before I even put my socks on, after a couple of tenths of a mile I felt like the family had joined me on my back, and most days I wanted to quit before I started. I’ve persevered and the “joy” of running is slowly coming to me. I’ve noticed less aches, more energy, and better times. But this scripture is speaking of a race we should run that’s not a 5K, but instead life. There are a few points I’d like to make concerning this scripture.
“Let’s is made of five characters. L, E, T. ‘, and S
L is the limitations we face. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us
First, the responsibility is placed on each of us in this portion of the scripture. Let us lay aside. To lay something aside is to place it out of the way, to ignore it, to decide that it is not important. Second, weight and sin were intentionally separated in this text. We sometimes read them almost simultaneously. A weight is not necessarily a sin, but instead something that can easily lead to sin. A weight is anything that hinders our race. There are things we do as Christians that hinder our run even though these things in and of themselves are not wrong.
For example, although khakis, a nice coat, or a good pair of hunting boots are great, these things would be a hindrance to a runner. In our Christian life there are numerous and diverse weights. We all know those hindrances in our lives. Perhaps you are wearing the hindrance of an unhealthy friendship. We need people in our lives that build us up. We need those that sow seeds of encouragement, not discouragement. Maybe you are wearing a coat of idle entertainment. Football on TV is great until we neglect our responsibilities. Maybe you have boots of an unhealthy habit on. Cell phones, facebook, twitter, and the entire virtual word are great until we become unattached with reality.
E is the engagement piece. And let us run with patience
Just as the 5K runner we have to have a mindset to finish the Christian race. We know there will be obstacles along the path, but we must have a mindset of perseverance. The race is long and often difficult. We will stumble and sometimes even fall, but we must finish the race.
Let us be able to say as Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
T is the task at hand. The race that is set before us
The most important race any of us will ever participate in is the Heaven race. We can reflect on others before us and how they ran it. We can observe those fellow Christians among us and how they run their race. We can read how people in the Bible ran their race. We can gain confidence from all these people, but we must run our own race.
1 Corinthians 9:24 says “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
In a Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown laments to his friend Linus, “Life is too much for me. I’ve been confused from the day I was born. O think the trouble is, we’re thrown into life too fast. We’re not really prepared.” “What do you want” Linus asks, “a chance to warm up first?”
In most instances we don’t get a chance to warm up, but we can practice.
So how do we ensure success in our Heaven race?
The apostrophe in “Let’s” takes the place of the letter U (you). Do me a favor point to yourself and say you. We all need to get “you” out of the picture and replace it with Christ. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame
See Jesus is the author and finisher of our race. He has written our course and has prepared the way for us to finish our race. Jesus is our ultimate example to observe. He emptied himself of all weights that would hinder his progress. In the final stages of His race, He faced death, Hell, and the grave. He finished His race and He won!
S is Christ’s success. He is victorious. He has taken His place in Heaven. And is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We have a source of strength that is tried and true. Christ’s success in life was no accident. His victory over sin was not a matter of luck. It was the race set before Him. God, the Father, came to Earth as God, the Son, with a race before Him. The race He ran and won changed mankind forever.
In closing, let’s look at some great patriarchs of the Bible. Each had flaws, but each was used by God to accomplish great things. The lives of these people represent some very long races, some difficult races. However, they fought the good fight. They finished the race. Through Christ they won their race.
• Noah once got drunk, but he entered a covenant with God. We often see this promise written across the sky, a rainbow which signifies the Lord will never destroy the earth again by flood.
• Abraham was too old, but He became the Father of many nations.
• Timothy thought he was too young, but faithfully served with Paul as a preacher of the Gospel.
• Jacob was a liar, but became the Father of Israel
• Joseph was a daydreamer, but he was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
• Moses was a murderer, but was chosen to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.
• Gideon was a “scaredy cat”, but led an army of three hundred men in defeating the Midianites.
• Samson was a womanizer, but with great strength given to him by God he killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an animal
• David was an adulterer and murderer, but he was the first King of the united Israel.
• Elijah was suicidal, but he called down fire from heaven to show God's power.
• Isaiah thought of himself as unworthy, but prophesied that a child would be born who would be called "Immanuel," which means "God with us."
• Jonah ran away from God, but because of Jonah’s warning the people of Nineveh repented of their sins.
• Peter denied Christ, but was with Christ on the mountain during the Transfiguration and at Gethsemane.
God has a race for every person in this church to run. If you’re lost he’s waiting for you to join the race. It’s time for you to get engaged in the race. Let’s run! Maybe you are already in the race, but you’re carrying unnecessary weight. Lay that weight aside. Let’s run! Maybe you’ve been running the race without a true purpose. Ask God what’s the race He has for you. Let’s Run! Get the “you” out of the picture. Put Christ in and allow His power to work in you. Let’s run!
