RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!
Chapter 12:1-4
The Scriptures often visualize the Christian life by using many illustrations and figures of speech. As we read the Bible we must do as Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:7: "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this."
The Christian life is pictured as - Warfare; a wrestling match; boxing match; slavery; a farming operation; a marriage; a father/son relationship. (2 Timothy 2:3, 6; Ephesians 6:12; 6:10-17; 1 Corinthians 9:26; Romans 6:18; 7:25)
A Race of Faith
In this lesson we looked at how the Christian life is a "race". Paul compared the Christian life to a race on several occasions:
"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." (1 Corinthians 9:24)
"You were running a good race." (Galatians 5:7)
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)
After completing the great chapter on faith (Chapter 11), the author of Hebrews starts Chapter 12 by referring to the Christian life as a "Race of Faith": "...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." (v. 1)
In the Greek, the word for "race, struggle, or contest" is agon (with a long "o"). Sound familiar? It is the root of our word "agony". Meditate on that for a minute and it should help you better understand the difficulty of living the Christian life. It is not easy. That is why it requires your total commitment.
Run Forrest, Run!!!
In the movie Forrest Gump, Forrest was required to wear leg braces after a doctor diagnosed him as having a crooked spine, although he had strong legs. In a clip from the movie, I showed Forrest being chased by bullies wanting to beat him to a pulp. As Forrest responds to Jennie's cries to "Run, Forrest!!", he awkwardly attempts to flee, hobbling down the dirt road. While straining to run, suddenly, the braces on his legs start to break off. Once they are off, he "runs like the wind", escaping the three thugs on bikes. From that point on, Forrest said, "If I was going somewhere, I was running!"
What better illustration is there for us to visualize the effort and urgency for us to RUN!!!
So what are we running from? We are running from "the sin which so easily entangles us..." (v. 1) You are running from the enemy (Satan). You are running "for your life".
What are you running to? Paul said, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." (Philippians 3:12). We are running the race of faith to bring God glory. Our prize is to finish well and to finally be joined with Christ in our heavenly home.
The outline for Sunday's lesson:
1. Event – “…the race that is set before us.” (Marathon, not a sprint). It is a race of endurance. We are not to sit around, but to put forth every ounce of energy. "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria." (Amos 6:1)
2. Encouragement – “…we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (those mentioned in Chapter 11 who ran with faith and endurance). They are not watching us, cheering us on. They are our witnesses because they have finished the race.
3. Encumbrances – “…let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily entangle us…”
- 1 Peter 2:1: Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. The smallest of sins holds us back. We all have particular weaknesses. Those are the sins which "so easily entangle us..."
- The worst weight when running a “race of faith” is unbelief or doubt.
4. Example – “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.”
- Baseball player (Batter and Fielder) keeps eye on ball
- Football player (QB and Receiver) keeps eye on ball
- Track runner keeps focused on finish line not those behind him.
Philippians 3:12: "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it [the prize]. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,"
5. Exhortation – When you get weary and faint… (v. 3) “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Who is in the race? If you are a believer, you are in the race!
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