Baptist Fellowship Church

Running for the Prize

Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews talks about the Christian faith as an endurance race likened very much to a marathon. Unlike a sprint with its burst of energies, the marathon requires Discipline, Determination and Drive. These are the exact terms one would use of our devotion to the Lord and this devotion ultimately also determines our impact.

Satan does not want us to finish this race. There will be ups and downs and discouragements. One may even stop and fall out of the race and that is what Satan would want to happen to us.

In Hebrews 11, we see the heroes of faith. They were witnesses to God; they were not onlookers but they were all participants of this endurance race. They had received their reward in heaven. 2Ti 4:7-8 speaks of the crown of righteousness that Paul sought to obtain. It is not just for him but everyone who has run the race and endured to the very end.

Do we fail in our race if we step out of it for a time to recharge? If recharging means giving quiet time to contemplate and meditate in God’s word, then stepping out is like a runner who stops to eat and drink in the marathon. Is this true in our Christian race of faith?

In this race, we must put aside every weight or encumbrance because in this endurance race of faith, we should carry as little sinful baggage as possible. Such baggage saps our energy, creates loss of enthusiasm, and loss of focus. There are some problems that do not take up our time but still cause us to lose enthusiasm and focus. These include attitude and motive problems, conflict of interest, misplaced priorities, hurtful habits, unforgiving spirit, and unhealthy relationships.

Sin should also be placed aside because it will sap one’s energy. Unconfessed sins affect a person mentally, spiritually and physically. In effect, a guilty conscience affects concentration in this race.

We must run the race with patience. Endurance races require pacing ourselves, keeping our focus and making sure our energy lasts us throughout.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus prevents us from falling out of the race. Fixing our eyes on Jesus means taking our eyes off ourselves, it means trusting that He is for us and trusting Him when sinners wrong us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is the key to not grow weary and lose heart.

Is this the basis by which we stay focused? We sometimes deviate from our path losing sight of Jesus in what we purportedly do for Christianity.

A runner must be in the best of condition to complete this race. A healthy body, a temple of the Holy Spirit, and a Word and Spirit-filled mind is the best condition that one can get into to run this race of faith. We must remember that each of us runs a different race but with the same goal. Each of our races has been individually designed by our sovereign God.

Mr and Mrs ET Chua

This entry was posted on Friday, December 28th, 2007 at 10:00 pm and is filed under Sermons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.