Bible Studies

THE GREATEST RUNNER PART 2

by GLENN PEASE
02/09/22
Free to Share

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

Based on Heb. 12

Races were one of the chief attractions of the ancient world. Large crowds would come together to watch athletes display their skills in running. The New Testament compares the Christian life to a race because many of the same virtues that made a great runner are essential for becoming a great Christian. Like a great runner, the Christian needs to discipline his body and his mind. He needs to prepare and practice, and he needs to learn to endure and persevere to the end. The Christian is running for the glory of God, and so it is important that he run well and give a good testimony for his sponsor. We are to do all that we do on the highest level of our capability, for we are to aim to win, and this calls for the full dedication of our lives

We are expected to be winners. Paul wrote in I Cor. 9:24, “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.” The word for run here, and in our text, and in 16 other places in the New Testament is the Greek word trecho. This was the word used to describe the greatest heroes of Greek culture, for they were the winners in the Olympics. They were the Greeks idea of the ideal of humanity. This word is used in the Greek Old Testament to describe the amazing run of Elijah in I Kings 18:46 where he outran the chariot of Ahab. It was a supernatural run. The verse says, “The power of the Lord came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.” The word is used in the Old Testament for running in warfare, and to bring good news. In II Sam. 18:19 we read, “Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”

Running played a role in the ministry of the Prophets, for they were to run with the message of God. It was a way of saying the message was important and urgent. Hab. 2:2 says, “Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.’” God wants His word to move fast and get to people in time. We read in Psalm 147:15, “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.” It is God’s will that we run swiftly in obedience. Psalm 119:32 says, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” We are all to be runners for God, and this means prompt obedience and a sense of urgency to get His message to others. We are not just running to win a race for self-glory, but to make a difference in the lives of other by example, and by getting the Word of God to them. Running takes in the whole of what it means to live a life of obedience to God.

That is why Paul used the word trecho so often. Beside the I Cor. 9:24 quoted above, he also wrote in I Cor. 9:25-27, “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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” In Gal. 2:2 he wrote, “I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” Then in Gal. 5:7 he wrote, “You; were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”

He uses trecho again in writing to the Philippians in 2:16, “As you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on; the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” It is clear that Paul saw his whole ministry and life service as a race, and his goal was to run it well and be a winner. He expected all believers to do the same, and run the race with their eyes on Jesus. All of his letters were designed to encourage believers in the race. He joined the host of the faithful in Heb. 11 in cheering us on as we run. We need this encouragement for the race is hard, and there is always the temptation to give up and stop running.

Did Jesus need the encouragement of the crowd of witnesses? I am sure He did, for he had human emotions, and He needed the support of examples. He knew His Bible and how so many of the faithful of the past had to suffer greatly to be loyal to God. These Old Testament biographies had to mean a lot to Jesus. We sometimes think that because He was the Son of God He would not need resources to give comfort and encouragement. But this does not fit the facts of His humanity. He needed the comfort, not just of the angels, who had never endured the weaknesses of the flesh, but the comfort of men and women of the flesh, who with all their weaknesses still kept faithful to God. They never gave up, and He needed those examples to cheer Him on in the race. If they could do it, so can I would be the normal way of thinking. Jesus was disappointed when the disciples did not watch with him when He prayed in Gethsemane, for He needed their support. He had the same need we all do to know we are cared for, and someone is cheering us on.

We seldom to never think about it, but Jesus needed the encouragement of the stories of Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses, and the many others in Heb. 11. He knows we need them as well, and that is why they are recorded. Jesus is our greatest example, but we all know we cannot be just like Jesus, for He was without sin and fully obeyed God’s will all His life. This greatest example of perfection can leave us feeling hopeless, for we cannot live up to it, but we can live up to the level of the many heroes of the past. They stumbled and fell and went off the track, and yet by persevering they still ran a good race. We can do that too.

Jesus is our greatest example, but He is more than that, for He is the coach who runs alongside as we run the race of life. When we fall or falter, He gives us encouragement, for He forgives and picks us up and gets us back on track. As long as we acknowledge Jesus as our coach we will never drop out of the race, for He will never let us, but will make whatever provision it takes to keep us going.

The word race is the Greek word agona from which we get agony. This is an important thing to take note of, for we tend to associate the word agony with defeat. The agony of defeat is a part of our language because of a famous sports program on television that portrayed the great blunders in sports that revealed just how painful defeat can be. But here we have the agony of victory. In other words, it is not only painful to fail in running the race, for even victory can be very painful. This is realism, for even the winner may have pains that last a long time, for it giving his all to win he pushes himself to the limit, and sometimes injures himself. Winning is not pain free, but can be very costly in pain. There is the thrill of victory, to be sure, but we dare not minimize the agony of victory, for it leads to the superficial view that if we are being successful in our run for Jesus we will not suffer. This false view leads many to drop out of the race when they experience great pain in being faithful in following the way of Christ. To avoid disillusionment we need to see that the race is agona, and this implies the potential of pain.

Kenneth Shaw tells of a race course he had to run. “Cross country runners race over various surfaces and terrain. Race courses are seldom flat, smooth, or straight, and they can be called anything but easy! I have one particular course in mind. It featured uneven ground, large steep hills, numerous curves, roots that might cause you to stumble, and its path was not clearly marked.” Those who want to run and be winners without any pain are not being realistic. They are like the women in the Boston marathon. It was written of her, “She came across the finish line to cheers and puzzled faces. It was later found out, that this woman had taken a cab across town and then jumped on the marathon course ahead of all the other runners and then just trotted in the last mile or so to win the race. Of course, once this was discovered, she was stripped of her prize and it was given to the woman who had really won, the woman who had followed the course as it had been laid out.” That is how the first verse here ends, “the race marked out for us.” In other words, we have a course that has been designed just for runners who desire to be winners for the glory of God. It is not a mystery that we have to figure out. It is not across a plain or desert, or through a jungle. It is a path that is clearly marked out so that we know the way and the goal. That is what the Bible is all about. It is the map we are to follow to stay on track and reach the goal God desires for us to reach.

Knowing the way and the goal does not make the race a snap, however, for it can be hard to stay on the track even when we know where it is. Satan puts clouds in front of us, or mirages that tempt us to go off from the proper way. It can often be uphill and exhausting to follow the right path. We might often be like the woman in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. She came into the stadium limping and in great pain. She was exhausted and the officials could see she was experiencing fatigue as she became slower and slower. They asked her if she wanted help and she waved them off because she did not want to jeopardize her chance to finish the race. She was in agony, but she persevered to the end and came across the finish line on her own. The crowd roared in cheering approval for one so determined to run with agony in order to be a winner. I think it is safe to say that nobody can ever be a winner who does not experience some agony in running persistently the race for the prize of God’s best in Christ.

Part of the agony of being a winner is what you have to give up just to be an effective runner. You have to give up all that hinders you in running. This is agony because we love some of the weights that we carry that slow us down. Those who want to be winners do not carry extra weight anywhere to impede their progress. They wear clothing with the least wind resistance, and some even share their heads to reduce drag of any kind. In the ancient world they even ran naked to reduce all possible resistance of the wind. They literally threw off everything that hindered, and that is the goal of this text, for nothing is to be held on to that keeps us from running our best. You do not have to be a very deep thinker to see how agonizing this is, and that is why we seldom run with the highest efficiency. It is just too agonizing to give up all that hinders. It is hard enough to give up just most of what hinders.

It is of interest to note how the different analogies of the Christian life are paradoxical. When it is seen as a race it is the taking off of all that hinders, but when it is warfare that is the analogy, then it is a matter of putting on all the armor of God. We are to clothe ourselves with heavy equipment and take a shield to protect us from the fiery darts of the wicked one. In warfare we are to get loaded up with garments of protection. In running we are to take off everything we can in order to run swiftly. You do not see naked soldier going into battle, but you do see naked runners, for swiftness in the name of the game, and not protection.

It is easier to throw off the many sins that we know are clearly a hindrance to the race. They are the conspicuous sins that make one clearly a part of the world scene. We can do a fairly good job of keeping these heavy weight off, but there are so many hidden sins that nobody can see that are much harder to cast off. The attitudes of envy and jealousy, and the feelings of lust and greed, and a host of such invisible sin cling to us, and we have pleasure in them because they are invisible. Nobody knows the inner person, and so we can hide our secret sins. These hinder our race, however, and it becomes an agony to even bother to try and rid ourselves of them. It is not like trying to run in a snowmobile suit, which everyone could see is being a plain fool. We can cast that burden off with no problem, but getting rid of the negative feelings we have toward others can be so difficult that we choose to run with this burden rather than go through the pain of dealing with them and getting rid of them. 

You will notice that the text calls for us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. It does not say to pray for God to cast them off for you. It is a personal responsibility, and not one where we can pass the buck on to God or anyone else. We have to do the throwing off, for we alone know all the things that hinder us from being the best possible runner. God knows, but He is not going to do for you what you need to do for yourself. You are the runner and it is your responsibility to be in the best possible shape for the race. The text implies that we have the freedom to choose to do so. We can do what the text says to do. We can throw off all that hinders, and because we can, we will be held accountable for doing so. This is a process that never ends, for we never know when we will pick up some burden that is a hindrance. Someone may do something to us at any time that will lead us to resentment or bitter anger that slows us way down in the race. There is no end to the task of staying in shape to run swiftly in obedience to God. There is no once for all practice and exercise that makes us fit to run for the rest of our lives. We need to be in constant training to be in good shape.

Jesus is our role model, for He lived a human life in the midst of a sinful people with a perfect record of running at His best every day of His life.

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE

JESUS IS OUR ENABLER

JESUS IS OUR ENCOURAGER

Winners are winners because they have

A GREATER PERSPECTIVE ON THE PAST.

A GREATER PERSEVERENCE IN THE PRESENT.

A GREATER PERSON IN THE FUTURE. Becoming like Jesus.

LEARN FROM LEADERS

LIGHTEN THEIR LOAD

LOOK TO THE LORD

PERSPECTIVE

PREPERATION

PERSEVERANCE

PRIZE

There are two types of people: Those who run and those who should. "Winning is not everything, but the effort to win is." 

The word "looking" means to look exclusively, to fix your gaze upon. It means to look away from all else, to give your complete attention to that which is before you. We are not to let anything distract us from following Christ – the Author and Finisher of our faith.

“All of heaven is involved in the "great salvation," which is being accomplished under the administration of Christ Jesus. Inactivity has no part in God's "eternal purpose." Jesus said His Father was working, and He was also working (John 5:17). The angels are intensely active, "sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" (Heb 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit has been sent "into our hearts, crying Abba Father" (Gal 4:6). The Lord Jesus Himself "always lives to make intercession for" the saints (Heb 7:25). There is no room for passivity or inactivity in the Kingdom of God. When it comes to our personal involvement in salvation, the "God-has-done-it-all" hypothesis falls to the ground. There is no such thing as a salvation in which the ones being saved are uninvolved! Noah built an ark! Abraham went into Sarah! Joseph built storage houses for grain in Egypt! Israel went through extensive preparations in their deliverance from Egypt! David fought Goliath! In all of these cases, those being delivered DID something in faith. It was God Who saved them, to be sure. Yet, they were themselves involved in the process.

The book of Hebrews is calling believers into aggressive involvement with God. It summons them from the outer court into the "holiest of all" into communion with the Most High. Taken seriously, it will develop a disdain for spiritual idleness and lack of growth. It awakens the soul to the jeopardy of retarded response to God, a lethargic posture, and the embrace of ceremonial religion. Faith cannot sleep, and hope cannot rest!

Thus, the Spirit has reminded us of the faithful before us--those filled with faith. They were noted for what they DID--all of them. Read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews again, and let the record of doing saints sink down into your heart. You have not forgotten, have you? Elders "obtained a good report," "Abel offered unto God," and Enoch "pleased God." Noah "prepared an ark," "Abraham obeyed," and Sarah "bore a child." "Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau," Jacob "blessed both the sons of Joseph," and Joseph "gave commandment concerning his bones." Moses parent "hid" him in an ark they prepared, Moses "chose to suffer affliction," and Israel "passed through the Red Sea." The walls of Jericho were felled with a "shout" from the believing Israelites, and Rahab "hid" the spies. Faith enabled its recipients to "subdue kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." The notion that we can do nothing in the matter of our salvation contradicts both the nature and revelation of that salvation.

This activity, however, is prompted and enabled by faith, not fleshly abilities. It is God Who "works in us, both to will and to do of His own good pleasure," but He does not do it without our involvement. It is that involvement that brings Him glory! This is the case because it contradicts every form of human reason and ability. Not a single accomplishment recorded in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews could have been wrought apart from God! Equally true, none of them were wrought without the participation of the individuals involved.

We see here the importance of biography of winners in the faith. We need to read of their lives and their endurance through all the trials of life in order to be encouraged to press on, and especially the life of Jesus. Reading biography is a vital part of growth. We are not to be discouraged by the greatness of those who have gone before, but to be encouraged because they are examples and they are witnesses of what can be done by faith. "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Rom 15:4, NKJV).

The imagery is that of a great amphitheater, with the arena of the runners, and the tiers upon tiers of seats rising up like a cloud. Unlike those attending a mere game, however, these witnesses, or testifiers, remain. They are like a boundary around us. They form a circumference, and are among a gallery of witnesses that even include the holy angels, who themselves camp round those fearing the Lord (Psa 34:7).

While the angels protect and minister to believers (Psa 91:11; Heb 1:13-14), the faithful who have gone before us testify to us. They do not do so person-to-person, but through the record of their faith. Their lives provide a resounding confirmation of the effectiveness of faith. It is as though they were shouting to those struggling in the good fight of faith, "You can make it! Run! Fight! Don't give up! God is with you! Consider us! Consider us! We went through fire and water, and made it to the other side! We did the impossible! Divine power was given to us because we willed to believe God! Do not look at the circumstance, but to the Lord! O, we need to hear them!

Jesus affirmed the present existence of those who died in the faith. "But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken" (Mark 12:26-27). God will not raise those who are inactive or do not exist, but the living. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have left this world, but they have not ceased to be! We know this is the case because an extensive dialog the "rich man" had with Abraham from the very regions of hell (Luke 16:23-30). Abraham also "comforted" Lazarus, who suffered in this world (Luke 16:25). Peter, James, and John saw "Moses and Elijah" speaking with Jesus on the "holy mount" (Matt 17:3; Luke 9:30).

We are told of martyrs who presently are conscious, active, observant, asking questions, and receiving answers. "I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed" (Rev 6:9-11).

The "rich man" who died and lifted up his eyes in torment knew about his brothers upon the earth. He sought their welcome from the region of the damned. Do you remember his words? "Then he said [to Abraham], 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'" (Luke 16:27-28). Abraham himself had some awareness of things upon the earth. He answered the rich man. "'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead'" (Luke 16:29-31). Think! Both Moses and the prophets lived a considerable time AFTER Abraham. He knew nothing of either when he was in the world. Yet, he was fully aware of them on the other side.

No person, therefore should think it strange that we could be surrounded with a "great cloud of witnesses" who are intensely interested in race to glory we are running. If the rich man could be interested in his brothers in the world, why could not departed saints have a vital interest in the warfare of fellow believers in the world? Are we not told that we have come into fellowship with a family with representatives in "heaven" as well as the "earth" (Eph 3:15)? Is it not written that we are "COME . . . to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven . . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb 12:22-23)?

“You look around and see people who are young and strong; fleet of foot; no arthritis, gout, or rheumatism. They're all wearing running clothes and state-of-the-art running shoes. They have that confident look in their eye as they stretch out their legs and practice their explosion out of the starting blocks. Would you even bother?

St. Paul tells the Corinthians and us, "Run in such a way as to get the prize" (1Co 9:24b). But the competition is so formidable! Just look around you. The pope that has made a great difference in our world. Billy Graham has invited more folk to receive Jesus than anyone else in history. Mother Teresa has shown us a devoted love we can hardly imagine. Countless saints, great and small, easily outstrip our meager efforts.

Racing involves the total person.

With our minds we focus on our support.

With our hands we cast off all that hinders.

With our feet we run with perseverance.

With our eyes we focus on the guide and goal.

I RECOGNIZE YOUR SUPPORT-ENVIRONMENT

We’re not alone. We are surrounded by all those who have gone before us and who have completed the race in Christ. They are described as a cloud. This is meant to describe the sheer number of witnesses surrounding us. They are a great throng. This is a dense crowd that encompasses us. It’s as if they stand there to witness to the fact that we are running a victory lap. We run with steady perseverance, but we run the course these same martyrs have run; in fact the very race Christ has run. It leads to victory. And so we are spurred on. Just picture yourself running towards the winning post and the crowd is urging you on.

They are spectators who have already been in the race and have finished the course like Paul.What’s encouraging to note is that these were all human beings, just like us. They had their strengths and weaknesses, just like us. They were sinners, just like you and me. They also had the promises of God, just like us. That’s what made them strong and enabled them to persevere. We are not alone because the faithful in heaven stand with us as a testimony to God’s faithfulness.

II. RECOGNIZE YOUR SIN---------ENTANGLEMENT

Have you ever tried to run a marathon while carrying a couple of bowling balls? Sounds silly, right? So, we’re encouraged to travel light, to get rid of the excess baggage. Again, I’m reminded of my recent trip to the airport. The new rule is one carry-on bag per passenger. That means if you are used to cramming three or four bags into the overhead compartment, you’re going to have to get rid of a few, you won’t pass the security check. You’ll have to check that extra baggage at the ticket counter. It will slow you down, and probably cause confusion and frustration.

They reason that as long as something is not sinful, then it is perfectly acceptable in their life. But that is like saying that as long as a device or article does not make me trip in a race, its all right to carry it. Notice that the scriptures teach us that if we want to win the Christian race, we have to do more than just remove sin from our lives.

Ephesians 4:22 . You can't run to the race of Christ carrying the old man of sin on your back.

Matthew 11:28-30 . Some try to continue to carry the load of guilt and remorse for sin. But Christians are to lay down the guilt when they lay down the sin.

Matthew 18:6 . Don't try to run to heaven dragging along the millstone of offense. If you have hurt or offended a brother, don't carry that sin another day. If you have brought another to sin by your malicious deeds or words, then lay that sin down by making it right.

It is not so much that they contradict the Word of the King. Rather, they tend to detract from the goal, tempting the individual to make this world primary. These "weights" are personal matters, and thus are not precisely defined. Their identity requires the assessment of the hearer more than the writer.

The way leading to life is "strait (difficult) and narrow" (Matt 7:14). It will not allow for a lot of excess baggage. For one rich young ruler, his possessions proved too weighty for him to follow Jesus (Matt 19:16- 22). For another, wrapping everything up at home stood between him and discipleship (Luke 9:61-62). For Judas, thirty pieces of silver proved too large a weight to allow entrance into life (Matt 26:15-16). For Esau, a desire for food was a "weight" that disqualified him for the inheritance (Heb 12:16). Whatever makes it more difficult to run the race is a "weight." If it impedes your progress, it is a "weight." Things require attention and commitment that belong to God alone are "weights." Such things deplete your spiritual energy, but offer no corresponding spiritual value or resources.

And what are we to do with such "weights?" We are to "lay aside every weight" (KJV, RSV, NASB). The NIV reads "throw off everything that hinders." The word translated "lay aside" or "throw off" is apoqemenoi (ap-ot-eeth'-ay-mee), which means throw off, to be done with; take off. It is a strong one, and is not to be seen as a casual activity. In this form, it is used three other times in the Apostolic writings. (1) "Therefore, putting away lying . . . " (Eph 4:25). (2) "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness . . . " (James 1:21). (3) "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking" (1 Pet 2:1). The language suggests deliberation and firm resolve. This is not something done rashly or in haste. Our perception of the nature of this race, together with the recollection of the saints who have gone before us, will compel us to discard what hinders us.

We are also to "lay aside . . . the sin which doth so easily beset us." The NKJV reads "the sin which so easily ensnares us." The RSV reads, "sin which clings so closely," while the NIV says "and the sin that so easily entangles." While it is true that sin in general "easily entangles," this text is speaking more specifically. Each of us have areas of especial vulnerability--areas where Satan can more easily make inroads into our thinking. For Achan, it was the sin of covetousness (Josh 7). For Ananias and Sapphira, it appeared to be pride and misrepresentation (Acts 5). From the etymological viewpoint, the word euperistaton (yoo-per-is'-tat-os) means standing around, i.e. a competitor, thwarting in every direction. The picture is that of a lion, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting. The imagery is extended in Peter's solemn warning about Satan. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet 5:8).

III. RECOGNIZE YOUR SAVIOR---ENCOURAGEMENT

Peter walked on water until he took his eyes off of Jesus - He lost his focus. Jesus is also why we run the race. {1 Peter 2:21] says, "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you leaving you an example to follow in his steps."

{Ephesians 5:1-2] states, "Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love just as Christ also loved you, a gave himself up for us."

In [Philippians 3:14] Paul writes, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Now, to check in that extra baggage means you have to know where to go. You have to read the signs, follow the course, and get in the proper line. That’s precisely why our faith- race has marked out for us, so we don’t get confused and frustrated. It also implies is that someone has already traversed the course for us. We’re told exactly who has blazed this trail: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
Christ Jesus has already run the race set before us, and he shows us how to get rid of the excess baggage. He tells us to check it on him. Jesus became flesh to furnish our salvation. He is the one who has authored our faith. He’s also the one who brings our faith to perfection in heaven. From the beginning to the end, Jesus is the object and cause of our faith, giving us something to believe and the faith to do so.

We have perseverance, because Jesus first persevered. He carried our excess baggage of sin, claiming it as his own. He did so by carrying the cross of torture and disgrace for us. That was no easy load, but Jesus held up under it. And the joy Jesus found in completing our salvation far outweighed the shame he suffered.

No wonder we can look to him and continue to find encouragement and source of strength. When our feet feel like lead and we think we can’t take another step, when our hearts are heavy and we feel like giving up, look to Christ. Realize that we can continue to give him our sins. He has claimed our baggage and checking it as his own. Everything he did was to redeem us. And just think of where Jesus is right now. We’re told that he “sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus didn’t do this because he was too exhausted, or incapable of finishing. It’s just the opposite. Jesus is at his Father’s right hand because he is victorious. He won the race, marking the course as he went along. And he is in the position of authority, to offer himself as a source of continual strength as we persevere. All of this is possible because Jesus is seated in glory. He is ruling over all things in our lives. He is in control.

That means we look to Christ Jesus and find complete satisfaction. We look to him and find forgiveness of sins. We look to him and find resurrection hope. We look to Christ and see that the race is clearly marked. It is marked by the cross and empty tomb. And so, when we look to Christ, we find the strength to cast off the sins that entangle us because Jesus has conquered sin’s power and influence. He’s removed the curse and guilt --the power and hold -- sin would have over us. He’s cleared away the stumbling blocks that would get in our way, marking the course. When we look to Christ we see that heaven is ours. The goal is in front because God’s grace is behind; his forgiveness holds us up and keeps us running. God’s grace strengthens us to pick up the pace and lengthen our stride on the track to heaven.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus

What happens to people when they look somewhere else but to God, or when they take their eyes off of God and put them somewhere else?

1-Adam and Eve-What happens when they took their eyes off God and on to a fruit? They sinned.

2-Cain-What happen when he took his eyes off of God and on to his brother? He killed Able.

3-The world-What happen to mankind when they took their eyes off of God and on to their own selfish desires? The flood came and everyone died except those in the ark.

4-Lot’s wife-What happen when she took her eyes off of God and looked back to see Sodom? She became a pillar of salt.

5-Moses-What happen to him when he took his eyes off God and tried to help the Israelites his own way? He killed an Egyptian.

6-Israelites-What happen to them when they took their eyes off of God and on to their circumstance? Wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

7-Samson-What happen to him when he took his eyes off of God and on to a woman? Tricked by Delilah, and captured by the Philistines.

8-Saul-What happen to him when he took his eyes off of God and on to doing his own will? He is rejected as king.

9-David-What happen to him when he took his eyes off of God and on to Bathsheba? His son dies and he almost lose’s his kingdom.

10-Disciples-What happen when they took their eyes off of God and on to their circumstance? They deny and abandon Jesus.

What happens to people when they fix their eyes upon God?

1-Noah-His family is saved.

2-Abel-He lives with God forever.

3-Abraham-He became the father of a great nation.

4-Joseph-He became a mighty man in Egypt and helped his family.

5-Moses-He lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.

6-Samson-He regains his strength and kills the Philistines.

7-David-Becomes king and defeats his enemies.

8-The disciples-They took the gospel to the world.

9-Steven-Saw the Glory of God.

10-Paul-Preached the gospel in prison and out of prison.

When we turn our eyes to Him, He gives us a "holy tenacity" that I think He modeled in His own life. In the wilderness after he had been baptized. He went and fasted for 40 days. He must have been hungry and here comes the devil. He challenges Jesus to turn some rocks into bread, Jesus sticks to God and quotes Scripture. Again Satan challenges Him, and again He quotes Scripture. The third time Satan just asks Jesus to bow down and worship him. Again Jesus was persistent and quoted Scripture. Then it says that Satan left until an opportune time.

Jesus was persistent in sticking to His purpose, bringing glory and honor to the Father. God calls for us to be persistent, He has given us the greatest example of holy persistence in His Son, Jesus Christ. Will you answer that call? Will you be like Jesus and be persistent? Will you look to Jesus for your persistence? Persistence is rewarded.

I. THE DREAM TO WIN

“Those who will compete in the Olympics want it and want it so bad that they can taste it. They know what it’s like to bend their heads to accept the Gold because they’ve already done it a million times in their mind. Bob Richards Olympic Pole Vaulting Champion summed it up when he said “I won it, at least five million times. Men who were stronger, bigger and faster than I was could have done it, but they never picked up a pole, and never made the feeble effort to pick their legs off the ground and get over the bar.” Now we all know that Bob Richards didn’t win the Gold five million times or even the silver or bronze. Well at least not where we could see. But he won in his mind.

II. THE DESIRE TO WIN

“Everything that we will ever accomplish in this life begins with a desire to see it a reality. Whether it’s your family or career or your relationship with God it all begins with a desire.

And so in order to begin our spiritual journey, the journey that Paul refers to as a race we need to have a spiritual desire and with that comes the promise of God in His word, Jeremiah 29:13 If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.
The story is told that a young man came to Aristotle and said that he desired knowledge. Aristotle led him to the beach and into the water. When they were waist deep the philosopher grabbed the young man and plunged him under the water and held him as he struggled. When Aristotle released the student he told him, “When you desire knowledge as you desire air you won’t need anyone to teach you.”

A strong desire will make you get rid of what hinders that desires fulfillment.

During the 80’s with the flashy Los Angeles Lakers headlining the NBA, warm-up suits became a serious fashion statement. People would pay very big dollars to buy a genuine Laker warm-up suit. But always when the Lakers played, they took off their warm-up suits before they took the floor. Because playing with long pants and jackets, while considerably fashionable would have been a hindrance.

In Jules Verne's novel The Mysterious Island, he tells of five men who escape a Civil War prison camp by hijacking a hot air balloon. As they rise into the air, they realize the wind is carrying them over the ocean. Watching their homeland disappear on the horizon, they wonder how much longer the balloon can stay aloft.

As the hours pass and the surface of the ocean draws closer, the men decide they must cast overboard some of the weight, for they had no way to heat the air in the balloon. Shoes, overcoats, and weapons are reluctantly discarded, and the uncomfortable aviators feel their balloon rise. But only temporarily. Soon they find themselves dangerously close to the waves again, so they toss their food. Better to be high and hungry than drown on a full belly! Unfortunately, this, too, is only a temporary solution, and the craft again threatens to lower the men into the sea. One man has an idea: they can tie the ropes that hold the passenger car and sit on those ropes. Then they can cut away the basket beneath them. As they sever the very thing they had been standing on, it drops into the ocean, and the balloon rises. Not a minute too soon, they spot land. Eager to stand on terra firma again, the five jump into the water and swim to the island. They live, spared because they were able to discern the difference between what really was needed and what was not. The "necessities" they once thought they couldn't live without were the very weights that almost cost them their lives.

Letting go of what hinders will enable us to give God our undivided attention. You must let go of what hinders if you want to experience the presence of God. If you look up this word "entangling" in the Greek dictionary you find this definition: "cleverly placing itself around in order to exert tight control." That’s what sin does. It cleverly wraps itself around me in order to exert tight control.

III. THE DETERMINATION TO WIN

“There Has To Be A Start. At some point the desire has to turn to action. We can talk all we like about wanting to do something but until we take that first step all we are doing is talking. At some point the desire and the dream has to be turned into action. And that that can’t be done without knowing the eventually cost. For the athelete it will mean years of commitment, training and sacrifice.

2000 years ago the Greek writer Epictetus made this statement “So you wish to conquer in the Olympic games, my friend? And I too, by the Gods, and a fine thing it would be! But first mark the conditions and the consequences, and then set to work. You will have to put yourself under discipline; to eat by rule, to avoid cakes and sweetmeats; to take exercise at the appointed hour whether you like it or no, in cold and heat; to abstain from cold drinks and from wine at your will; in a word, to give yourself over to the trainer as to a physician. Then in the conflict itself you are likely enough to dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust, or to be severely thrashed, and, after all these things, to be defeated.”

It is also true of life, if your desires and dreams have any hope at all of becoming a reality there has to be a start. If you want to be the best anything at some point you will actually have to start doing it. If your dream is to be a great painter then you will need to lift the brush to the canvas, if your dream is to be a great writer then you will have to set the pen to the paper.

“And so you have the desire, the dream and you start but the race isn’t over it’s not enough to start the race You Have To Be Ready To Finish. It’s not enough to start toward the goal, if you are going to achieve it then you must finish. I wonder if we will ever know the number of people around the world who started along the path to Olympic Gold? People who had great dreams and great desires and great intentions but somewhere along the line they got a bad case of quititis. It would be wonderful if once you started the race it was easy to finish the race, but that isn’t always the case. But the race does have to be finished. There are no Gold medals given out to those who quit.

NEVER GIVE UP

“Don’t quit, even if you’re hurting don’t quit. Here’s a little spiritual advice from Shaquille O’Neal “This is a tough game. There are times when you’ve got to play hurt, when you’ve got to block out the pain.” Well maybe Shaq was talking about basketball, but it applies to Christianity. Paul said something similar in 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit.

The analogy of the race gives us a word picture of the starting line and the race itself but the most important part of the race is the finish. It doesn’t matter how fast you start if you don’t finish. The difference between this race and any other is that it’s not who finishes first, second and third it simply who finishes. David Scott who ran the triathlon for the states said this “If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just to finish the race -- it’s up to you.”

Here is the promise of God’s word Galatians 6:9 So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. We will reap a harvest of blessing, if we don’t give up. So where are you at today? Are you seeking? Are you looking to fill that God shaped vacuum that he has placed in your heart. Have you started? Are you on the verge of quitting? Don’t. 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

Jesus was the greatest for he faced the greatest test of opposition and never gave up until he reached his goal. Vv2-3. Fix your eyes on Him, for you cannot make it without His example of determination. He did this for you, and it will motivate you to be determined to never give up.