October 21, 2020 THE RACE SET BEFORE YOU
Hebrews 12:1-2 “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,”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”
In Hebrews 11 Paul is reminding us of our deep roots as followers of Jesus Christ; we have a connection with believers of the past-believers who sought God, who lived by faith, who saw miracles, and who often died for their faith. Paul is making the point that we do not live isolated lives, but are a part of the body of Christ and that body has a rich heritage. Seeing our self as living a private life, ‘doing our own thing’ is a small view of life. There is something much bigger than ‘our’ life-and it’s worth pursuing and that is what the race that is set before us is all about. We must be alert to the misrepresentation of grace that says that all that matters is that we are ‘under the grace of God,’ ‘what we do is not that important’ and ‘one day we will be in heaven.’ Our choices matter; our beliefs matter; our actions matter; our words matter; our life matters. God calls every believer to run the race that is set before us. The gospel that God gave to us is the race; to run, to live according to the gospel is our race. When our spiritual eyes are opened, we see that we cannot take the gospel of God lightly, but see it as our life. All believers have a common race to run, but we also have an individual race to run-a race that no one else can run for us. Each of us have unique opportunities to be expressions of the gospel-whether it be in the home, at work, with our neighbor-or wherever. Running the race is not about making my life better or more comfortable, but about being light and about being God’s representative in my sphere of life. It’s a high calling-but an awesome rewarding calling when we respond to the call. To run our race, we need to be trained by the word of God and we need personal discipline when it comes to living according to the gospel. Life is not about what we want to do, but about what God wants-and what He wants is for us discover our true identity in Him, to know His love, and to walk in His ways. We are called to be trained and to be disciplined, but we cannot run the race that God has for us in our own strength; knowing God as He has revealed Himself to be, results in us running the race. Running the race is about death to self, encouragement, truthfulness forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, being expressions the love of God, preferring others first, faithfulness, courage-and all things that honor our Father God. Let us not be lackadaisical when it comes to running the race that is set before us; let us not disqualify ourselves. We have a rich heritage and we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves-we must take the baton and run our race.
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Blessings, Buddy
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