Running the Christian Race

Sermon notes from Sunday 12 March 2017 by Rev Caldwell Darragh

Hebrews 12 verses 1 - 3 - Running the Christian Race

In chapter 11 we see the athletes who ran the race well for the Lord.  Hope you are in the Christian race today.  Thank God for knowing the joy as God`s word is preached across the world.  It is possible for many to enter into the Christian race well.

The conditions for entering into this race.  There is a starting point for evey race.  If he wants to receive the crown at the end he must start at the same point as everyone else.  "I have fought the good fight, I have run the course."  He was talking of a starting point in his life.  There is a starting time as well - athletes cannot say "I am not feeling good at the moment I will start later on, I will do it in my own time."  That is the way some people talk.  "I will get right with God sometime."  We need to keep in mind it is not our time.  "There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted." (Ecclesiastes 3 verse 2)  When God`s spirit talks to us we need to know what we need to do.  It is God`s time.  If the Lord is prompting you to get something done then it is time for you to do it.  30 years ago there was a time when God`s work should be founded.  There came a moment in the divine purpose of God that the building should be started.  That is God`s timing.  "Come now let us reason together" says the Lord.  There was a time when Paul started out - at midday on the road to Damascus.  Are you able to look back to a time and place?  Maybe not sure of the time or hour but that is not the important thing.  If we know Christ that is the most important time.  The farmer is not concerned with what time the lambs are born during the night, he is more concerned about them being alive.

The instructions laid down.  We can lay the weights that would get us into down, lay our sins at the feet of Christ - "casting all our care upon him for he careth for us."  "Come unto me and I will give you rest."  There are weights that hold us from making that spiritual progress in our life.  "Let us lay aside every weight"  That includes the habits people have, grudges, bitterness.  We are told in this passage that we have got to leave these things down.   Thank God we have a wonderful message to share with the world, to share with those who have burdens.   To help them gaze at the cross and feel the burden coming off their back.  It is good to know there are those around you who care.  Maybe you need to share it with someone.  God doesn`t want us to leave under these weights.  He tells them to cast them aside.  If you saw an athlete lining up to run for the gold with a suitcase in either hand, overcoat on you would say there is something wrong with that person.  They have so much baggage.  There is a lot of baggage around today.  We can carry it around and not be prepared to lay it down.  "Let us run with patience"  Husbands be as patient as you can with wives and visa versa and be patient with everyone else too.  Young lives are spoiled today because haven`t been prepared to wait on God`s way and timing to do a thing.  God is good and he is faithful to perform what he wants in our lives.  The athlete also needs to watch the diet.  To eat what gives him strength for the race.  Christians cannot live on TV programmes and questionable books.  We have to feed on the living word.  Feed your soul.  You can become spiritual skeletons.  Let you soul delight in fatness.  The further the athlete goes the weaker they become.  For the Christian athlete the further they go the stronger they become.  That is why you can visit a man or woman on their deathbed, saved for years who are dying in the comfort and peace of God.  They have run the race and have no fears or regrets.  Psalm 84 verse 7 "they go from strength to strength".  That is what God wants us to do, to go forward in strength not fear.  The Psalmist said "every time I am afraid I will trust in God."  Paul to the Galatian church "ye did well what did hinder you?"  Are you running as well as you did 5 years ago?  If you are not a committed Christian today there are obstacles, blockages in your way, difficulties you get through, situations to get over, battles and struggles.  God gives the glory.  If the athlete is running and there are those on the side booing him or cheering him he cannot let any of that distract him from going forward.  When you find difficulties God still leads us on.  What is the purpose of the running of this race?  Galatians 1 verse 15 part of the purpose is to reveal Christ to the world, reveal Jesus to my workmates, children in my class.    It is also to reach the great destination.

The reward -"henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, not to me only but to all who love his appearing."  "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."  The one who ran the race from glory to Bethlehem, to Calvary and on to glory.  "I press toward the prize of the calling of Christ."  Are you in the race today?  Do you look back and say "yes there was a start", can point to a starting time and place, with the help of God have been obedient to him and can say "I continue to this day."  Paul said "let us press on."  Let`s never despair, live above the feelings for victory is there.