Run With Perseverance!

For four years, Derek Redmond had dreamed of winning the 400 meter sprint at the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Spain. He could see himself standing on the medal platform receiving the gold for his native Great Britain. Derek breezed through the qualifying heats and made it to the medal round. When the starter pistol sounded it looked like Derek Redmond would indeed win the gold medal he was seeking. But then, in an instant his dream became a nightmare. Derek fell to the ground with a torn hamstring. The race continued but all eyes were on Derek as he struggled to his feet and began to limp around the track toward the finish line. A hush fell over the stadium. Race officials tried to help him, but an angry Derek waved them off. Tears ran down his face as disappointment mixed with pain. Then one of those “Olympic moments” developed. A man jumped from the stands and began running to Derek Redmond. The man was his father. Jim Redmond put his arm around his son. He told him, “Son, you don’t have to do this.” “Dad,” Derek responded, “I’ve got to finish this thing!” The crowd rose to its feet as father and son crossed the finish line together.

In a sense Derek Redmond’s painful struggle was meaningless. The race was over. He had lost his chance to win any medal, much less a gold medal. But in another sense his effort was full of meaning. Today more people remember Derek Redmond than the runner who actually won the gold medal at that Olympics. Across the world people seem to have respect and admiration for someone who overcomes adversity and finishes a race.

Today in our sermon we will consider what it takes to overcome adversity and finish a different kind of race. In our second Scripture lesson, from the letter to the Hebrews, we heard a description of our lives as followers of Jesus compared to running a race. We are going to focus on Hebrews 12:1-6 for our sermon. Listen as I read those verses again. (Read text.) For the theme of our sermon let’s use just three words from our text. May each of us receive the encouragement to:

“RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE!”

I. Let God’s grace energize you

II. Let God’s discipline train you

Although we don’t know who wrote the letter to the Hebrews the verses we are looking at give us a powerful hint as to who the author might be. In five other places in the New Testament the Apostle Paul compared the life of a Christian to running a race. In Acts 20 the Apostle Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus, “24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” In 1 Corinthians 9 he also wrote, “24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Twice in his letter to the Galatians the inspired Apostle made the same comparison between faith and running a race. And finally as it was becoming clear to him that his days on earth were coming to an end he wrote to the young pastor Timothy, “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” With the image of running a race in mind may we all be encouraged to run the race of faith. We find our motivation and training in God’s undeserved love for us. His grace energizes us. His discipline trains us.

I.

Even though they couldn’t see them with their physical eyes the writer assured the Hebrews that there was a huge crowd cheering for them as they ran the race of faith. Referring back to chapter eleven he wrote, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Who was in that “great cloud of witnesses”? All the believers who had run the race of faith before them were included among those who were to serve as motivation for the Hebrews to run their race. The author of this letter started with Abel’s faith-filled sacrifice to God. He went on to mention Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. As we might expect Moses was included in the list of the heroes of faith as well as many others not so well known. In the end all those who had run the race of faith before were witnesses to God’s grace and his faithfulness.