Running With the “In” Crowd!… Our Marathon of Faith
Hebrews 12:1 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,
THE RACE SET BEFORE US…
From Day 1 of Creation God spoke into being His plans. Plans that were made for us… “Let us make man in our own image”. Plans that did not change EVEN when we tried to cheat God out of His and His alone, RIGHTEOUS PLACE.
Our sin, with the help of our enemy, tore us away from our created land and we have been in a race against him and our sin nature ever since. A race back to our Creator and his Kingdom.
A cloud of witnesses surrounding us… (those who came before us without benefit of Instagram or Facebook)
By Faith… (Hebrews 11)
Abel… offered a better sacrifice than Cain (who couldn’t have cared less what God wanted)
Enoch… pleased God for he believed God Is and sought Him above all others
Noah… heeded God’s warning and prepared an ark
Abraham… obeyed God’s GPS for his life
Sarah… considered God faithful in His promises
By Faith…
Abraham offered up Isaac (his only begotten son – a familiar song)
Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau with things to come
Jacob as he was dying blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshipped God
Joseph saw a future exodus and made arrangements for his bones to go along
Moses was hidden in plain sight by the Pharaoh’s daughter – gave up pleasures of sin in the palace – left Egypt – returned to his Jewish roots of faith – led the people through the Red Sea on dry ground and watched Egyptians drown on the very same path
Walls of Jericho fell after being encircled for seven days
Rahab, the harlot, did not perish for she welcomed God’s spies in peace
Gideon – Barak – Samson – Jephthah, David – Samuel – the prophets, who By Faith…
Conquered kingdoms… performed acts of righteousness… obtained promises… shut the mouths of lions… quenched the power of fire… escaped the edge of the sword
From weakness were made strong… became mighty in war… put foreign armies to flight…
Women received back their dead by resurrection;
A MARATHON of Faith… the race, which once started, must be run to FINISH LINE through faith alone. They didn’t have the testimonies of the WINNERS like we have!
And others experienced mocking and scourging, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned… they were sawn in two… they were tempted… they were put to death with the sword;
They went about in sheepskins… in goatskins… being destitute… afflicted… ill-treated
(Men of whom the world was not worthy) – wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground
By FAITH… a belief that transcends every should’ve, would’ve, could’ve… an altar upon which every desire, every wish, every HOPE is ready to be sacrificed upon… a foundation so secure that fulfillment of all promises made, is unquestioned! THY WILL will BE DONE! A faith powered and sustained by THE WORD of God!
Are you breathless yet?
All these, having gained approval through their faith, did NOT receive what was promised, BECAUSE God had provided something better FOR US, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)
God planned and peopled this race of faith, so that, THE REST OF US would not be left behind! God did not wish for ANY TO PERISH without a Savior!
Now it’s our turn to RUN OUR RACE of faith…
Line up at the starting line – Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Wearing His colors – Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Ready to run – laying aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us
The nations are watching – a cloud of witnesses surrounding us
Running with ENDURANCE…
Need a little winning strategy? A little body building? A little practice running?
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road (no endurance generated here). The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away (not much in the way of staying power). And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (endurance yes but ends in discouragement). And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty (race winning, crowd cheering athletic fruit!). (Matthew 13:18-23)
We are Running with the “In” Crowd…
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.
Our Marathon of Faith… Back to the Promised Land… Running BACK to God!
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
We have what it takes!
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
RUN WITH FAITH!
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible