christian living

m00700

TITLE: THIS RACE IS FIXED

READ I Sam. 17:38-49

OUTLINE:

I. RUNNING FAITHFULLY

II. RUNNING EASILY

III. RUNNING SINLESSLY

IV. RUNNING PATIENTLY

In our Scripture reading we read of David slaying the giant. I once heard an evangelist go through this story with great gusto and and great emphasis and great action.

He ended the story from Goliath's perspective. As the stone hit him in the head he said, "That's the first time anything like that ever entered my mind."

I wanted to read that particular account because it sets the stage very nicely for our discussion this morning. David went out to meet the giant in the power of the Lord. He had a very big job on his hand and he went as best prepared as he could. He went knowing that his God would make up the differences between himself and the job that God had set before him.

I would like for you to think for the time before us about the job that the Lord God has given to you to do. I would like for you to think through a few thoughts and compare the job He has given you to do with the job that you are now doing.

Please turn with me to Heb. 12:1 for a few moments. "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." Heb. 12:1-2

I. RUNNING FAITHFULLY

"WHEREFORE SEEING we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,"

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is full of examples, from the Old Testament, of great men of God that walked before the Lord with great faith and were able to accomplish great and mighty deeds for their God.

In light of all they did, and in light of the fact that they may be gathered around watching us run our own race or walk our own walk before God - in light of their observation, and in light of their great example we ought to run our race as they did!

We need to take a few moments to decide just how they ran their race.

They did it by faith. "The just shall live by faith,” according to Habbakuk, Romans, Galatians and Hebrews.

The writer of Heb. introduces the "FAITH CHAPTER" with the verse, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Heb. 10:38

According to that verse the writer of Hebrews will have no pleasure in the man that does not live by faith.

You may want to find some application in that verse. As people that walk by faith we ought not have pleasure in those believers that do not live by faith.

On the other side of the coin those that aren't walking by faith shouldn't be upset with those that are, when they confront them with their wrong.

How are you running your race this week, this month, this year?

Are you living by faith or by self?

The time in which I went to Bible college was a time in church history when "living by faith" was the common topic for study.

The church goes through cycles of teaching - we had the Holy Spirit cycle - we had the spiritual gift cycle - we had the any rule is legalism cycle - we had the feel good cycle -we had the be friendly in church cycle - I grew up spiritually in the live by faith cycle.

It was Biblical - still is Biblical and I saw it for what it was - truth, so we as a couple adopted the life style before the Lord.

Live by faith - God will take care of you - trust God - He won't let you down. We did - we didn't carry life insurance, we didn't carry medial insurance (couldn't afford it anyway) and lived - trusting God to provide.

We even went to school not knowing where tuition would come from. We went through many years of school - God provided. We went through many years of life and didn't need the life insurance, we went through many medial problems and God provided, we had two children and God provided.

Then, guess what. I found out many of my teachers had owned their own homes, had life and medical insurance and had retirement plans and investments. They were preparing for their future - not allowing God to plan it for them.

What hypocrites! I struggled with feelings for a long time then I found this passage - I had lived Biblically and did so before a cloud of heavenly witnesses. What my teachers lived like was irrelevant, I live before witnesses and God not man!

IN ADDITION TO LIVING BY FAITH THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS ADDS A FEW EXTRA ITEMS OF INTEREST TO HELP US RUN OUR RACE.

We are to run easily.

II. RUNNING EASILY

"let us lay aside every weight,"

Our sons were great fans of cross country races and loved to go running when they were in High School. One of the main things that concerned me with their running however, was the cost of shoes and uniforms. The school supplied the uniforms but the boys had to supply the shoes.

The uniforms are made of very light materials so that they do not tire the runners. They are also very close fitting so that the material does not flop in the breeze and create drag when they run. It is also very slick to lessen the drag.

Some, when referring to my baldness suggest that maybe I'm being prepared for long distance running.

The shoes that I mentioned are not just ordinary tenneys! They are special running shoes. They are designed to be durable yet very light. You wonder, when lifting one up, how they can charge anything for them. They are many times lighter than regular old tennis shoes.

The cost is what really hurt! They cost in the $45 and up range. The really good ones were way out of the $45 range and that was many years ago.

The point to be made is this: AS A RUNNER YOU WANT TO HAVE NOTHING THAT IS GOING TO SLOW YOU DOWN. THE REASON FOR RUNNING IS TO COMPLETE THE RACE AS VICTOR! Anything that will slow, should be set aside!

This race is set before each and every one of us to be run. We are to run it with the greatest speed with which we are able.

THE NEAT THING ABOUT THIS RACE IS THAT ALL OF US THAT RUN WILL BE VICTORS IN OUR OWN RIGHT!

What are some of these weights that trouble us in 199.. America?

1. II Tim. mentions that the soldier does not allow himself to become entangled in the affairs of this life.

Read II Tim. 2:4

The question might come to mind as to what the "affairs of this life" might be.

It might mean the money of this life.

It might mean the desires of this life.

It might mean the cars of this life.

It might mean the homes of this life.

It might mean the clothes of this life.

It might mean the opposite sex of this life.

It might mean the occupations of this life.

It might mean the vacations of this life.

It might mean the attractions of this life.

IN SHORT - ANYTHING THAT THIS LIFE HAS TO OFFER THAT CAN SLOW US IN THE RACE THAT GOD HAS SET BEFORE US!

If we allow ourselves to become sidetracked in our thinking and our work, to the things that are not in God's plan for us then we are weighing ourselves down with things that the Lord did not desire us to worry about.

2. Worry may enter into this area of weights. If you don't have all that you need to do the job, that God has set before you then you may decide to take things into your own hands and worry about it.

God knows the race that He has placed you in, so don't you think that He knows what you need, to run that race!

He will provide as you have need to run the race in His time!

Indeed, that may relate to one of the other items in our outline - "RUN PATIENTLY.” We will see this shortly.

Worry can really tie you up in knots and eliminate any effectiveness that you might have for the Lord's work!

It can take you out of what you should be doing for days if you allow it to. Just allow yourself to start thinking of your problem and it will become worry very quickly.

The term weight is "onkos" - Strong's # 3591 - and this is the only occurrence in the New Testament. Vine mentions of it, "a bulk or mass; hence, metaphorically, an encumbrance, weight."

Don't allow ANYTHING to become a hindrance to your race!

We are to run faithfully, easily and now sinlessly.

III. RUNNING SINLESSLY

We all know that we cannot be sinless, however the goal of every believer is to be as near sinless as is possible.

"and the sin which doth so easily beset us,"

It seems from the way the writer puts it, there can be a slowing down of the person by getting entangled in things, yet it seems to be different than being slowed by sin.

It would seem that if we are dabbling in the things that we have mentioned we may not be in sin, yet if we continue we will be in sin.

Or is it that the encumbrances and the sin are the same thing?

I wondered about which it might be so checked some commentators for their thoughts.

It would seem from what I read that there certainly is a distinction between weights and sins.

Newell quotes a man by the name of Ridout concerning the topic of weights (p 400 footnote): "We often hear, alas, the question: What is the harm or the sin in my doing this or that thing; engaging in this business, or indulging in that pleasure? The question is answered just here. Is the thing a weight, or is it a wing? Is it that which speeds you on your course or does it hold you back?... Weights are not necessarily external: they are first of all in the heart."

We might surmise from this that the weights are things that are causing us to be slowed in our hearts and minds. The sins then would seem to be those outward acts of rebellion toward God be they sins of the heart, mind or body.

Newell mentions concerning the term "easily,” it "is a Greek word often translated plausibly, and meaning literally, "well-standing-around.” The sin that we are discussing is, "well standing around." It is always standing by for us to become involved in.

Vine relates the term to a garment. Our clothing surrounds us - is easily accessible. This sin is near. (euperistatos)

We don't have to go out looking for it - it will be right handy!

We should also probably notice that the weights would tend to slow us in our race while the sins would probably stop us in our race.

Sin may or may not always stop us completely and take us out of the race permanently, but it may be that it will seriously hinder our race for a period of time - even stop our running for a time.

A very good friend of ours in Bible college was living by faith as we were. In his second year of college he began to worry about finances. He knew God was supplying their every need. However he decided he needed to help God and began thinking and planning - he became weighted down.

He spent more and more time planning and thinking and less time on study. He finally had a plan. Take a year off - work like mad and make himself financially stable and return to school.

He bought a business - dropped from school and started gaining financial security. He never returned to school, he lost his business, was deep in debt and he separated himself from his friends.

Don't weigh yourself down with God's duties!

The first time I met him I was sitting by a world map. He walked over to it pointed to the map and said that is where God is going to take me. He has called me to minister to the ________ Indians.

He never went. His race was stopped cold by weights of material things.

It should be remembered also that there are certain situations that will keep you from completing your race. For example a pastor that has allowed himself to commit adultery. His ministry is stopped cold. The consequences will hinder his race for his entire life from that point forward.

Not only are we to run faithfully, easily and sinlessly, but we are to run patiently!

IV. RUNNING PATIENTLY

"and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

This phrase must have been placed here for Stanley L. Derickson!

I have always been waiting for things to happen. I have spent more time looking forward with anticipation than I have spent in preparation for the race.

I looked ahead to getting to high school.

I looked ahead to getting out of high school.

I looked ahead to getting into the Navy.

I looked ahead to getting out of the Navy.

I looked ahead to getting married.

DON'T YOU DARE PUT WORD'S IN MY MOUTH!

I looked ahead to getting into college.

I looked ahead to getting out of college.

I looked ahead to getting into graduate school.

I looked ahead to getting out of graduate school.

I looked ahead to getting into the ministry.

NOW I LOOK AHEAD TO THE RAPTURE! Looking "forward to" is acceptable as long as it doesn't hinder our present service.

I looked ahead to everything that was ahead and wasted a lot of time and energy LOOKING.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE ANTICIPATION, TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE PREPARATION!

Don't get ahead of the Lord as He leads you in your race!

Don't even try to figure out ways of getting to your destinations quicker. God may choose a slower path than you would because He knows that you have need of experience or further education.

HE KNOWS THE PATH THAT HE WANTS YOU TO TAKE, SO WHY NOT LET HIM LEAD YOU THROUGH THAT PATH FOR HIS HONOR AND GLORY.

Have you noticed this race is fixed? Yes, I will repeat that last phrase for you.

HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS RACE IS FIXED?

If we follow the Lord faithfully, unweighted, sinlessly and patiently then we will automatically be victors!

We don't have to worry about finding the pylons that direct the runner around the course - He will lead us every step of the way.

In one race that one of our boys was running in, the coach had taken them through the course beforehand so that they would understand just where they were to go. That might have been foolish to some, but as our son was running in the race some of the fellows ahead of him turned a way that they weren't supposed to, and were disqualified. They hadn't followed the rules. Our son ended up in the top group because of the failure of others, to run the course that was set.

GOD WILL LEAD US AROUND THE COURSE THAT HE HAS SET!!

We need to prepare by setting aside the weights and sins. Then all we have to do is run as fast as we can - as fast as He has enabled us!

He has done everything but move our feet for us. Our only response is to prepare and run and He will do the rest!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. I found a description of the games in Corinth that relates well to our study.

(From Accents "THE WAY INTO THE HOLIEST" teacher manual page 83.)

"The winners were immortalized. The rules were strict. Every contestant had to be a freeborn man. He had to certify that he had trained for a prior period of ten months. He must be morally clean. Preceding the contest, the athletes were paraded around the arena by a herald who cried out, asking whether the audience could accuse the contestant of any crime, wickedness, slavery, or depravity of life.

"In the ancient contests, each participant was announced by name and country. The winner was crowned with a garland of laurel or parsley, and upon his return home the city received him with great ceremony."

This is similar to our text. We are to lay aside weights and sin and then run.

Can you imagine being lead around the aisles of the church by someone asking if the people could tell of any problems in your life?

2. The tenses of this verse are also very interesting. The verse could read as follows: Having put away the weights and the ever present sin, let us keep running the race that God is setting before us.

The verse assumes you have put weights and sin away and are now ready to run.

God is involved in the course of the race and this involvement as well as our running is in the present tense which indicates that we are to continue running as He continues to lead us.

3. We certainly can't do all this in our own power even though the Lord has made it so very easy for us already.

In verse two we see how we can accomplish all this that God has asked us to do.

"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."

He is our supreme example in how to run the race that God has set before us!

We are to live our life as He lived His.

OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO:

Be as faithful as He was.

Be as unweighted as He was.

Be as sinless as He was.

Be as patient as He was.

Follow your example! Run as He ran!

4. I don't know what race God has set before you, but you do.

I don't know where you are in that race, but you do.

I don't know if you are even running, but you do.

I don't know if you are weighed down, but you do.

I don't know if you are in sin, but you do.

I don't know if you are being patient in your race, but you do.

BUT YOU DO!

AND SO DOES GOD!

I TRUST THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT!

May we all take time today to assure ourselves and our God that we are running the race that He has set before us as faithfully, unweighted, unsinning and patiently as we can.

May we always look to Christ for the ability to do all that we can, and should for our God!

It is a most lamentable thing to see how most people spend their time and their energy for trifles, while God is cast aside. He who is all seems to them as nothing, and that which is nothing seems to them as good as all. It is lamentable indeed, knowing that God has set mankind in such a race where heaven or hell is their certain end, that they should sit down and loiter, or run after the childish toys of the world, forgetting the prize they should run for. Were it but possible for one of us to see this business as the all-seeing God does, and see what most men and women in the world are interested in and what they are doing every day, it would be the saddest sight imaginable. Oh, how we should marvel at their madness and lament their self-delusion!

If God had never told them what they were sent into the world to do, or what was before them in another world, then there would have been some excuse. But it is His sealed word, and they profess to believe it. Richard Baxter (from http://www.bible.org on the internet)

You do as He leads and you win.

The race is fixed.