RUN THE RACE (Heb 12:1,2)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
A look at this verse reveal……
1. Our Christian life is compared to race
2. A race is marked out for us
3. We face hindrances to move forward
4. Sin entangles and slows us down in our race
5. There will problems & persecutions
>>> Warning against falling away
>>>Godly faith
>>> Heroes who accomplished
>>>Victories and hardships
1. Our Christian life is compared to race
2. A race is marked out for us
3. We face hindrances to move forward
4. Sin entangles and slows us down in our race
5. There will problems & persecutions
>>> Warning against falling away
>>>Godly faith
>>> Heroes who accomplished
>>>Victories and hardships
Therefore……connects with the previous verses in chapter, 10, 11, etc
In Heb 10: 26, 27… we read a warning
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of
the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of
judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of
the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of
judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
In 11th Chapter we read lot of success stories- about many excelled in life
through faith
Definition for faith in Heb 11:1.....Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
through faith
Definition for faith in Heb 11:1.....Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Then we read about many pillars of faith
11: 4…Abel
11:5…Enoch
11:7…Noah
11:8-12….Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…excelled in life through faith
11:23-29….Moses…chose & used by Him
11: 29-31….How God led His chosen ones victoriously
11: 32-38….Victories by different leaders and hardships faced by them
11: 4…Abel
11:5…Enoch
11:7…Noah
11:8-12….Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…excelled in life through faith
11:23-29….Moses…chose & used by Him
11: 29-31….How God led His chosen ones victoriously
11: 32-38….Victories by different leaders and hardships faced by them
In 11:33-38 we read about lot specific victories and also hardships faced
because of faith
1. Who through faith conquered kingdoms,
2. Who shut the mouths of lions,
3.Those quenched the fury of the flames,
4. Those who turned their weaknesses to strength
5. Those who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
6. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
because of faith
1. Who through faith conquered kingdoms,
2. Who shut the mouths of lions,
3.Those quenched the fury of the flames,
4. Those who turned their weaknesses to strength
5. Those who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
6. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Also
1. Those who were tortured, persecuted and mistreated
2. Those faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
3. Those who were put to death by stoning
4. Those who were sawed in two;
5. Those who were killed by the sword.
6. Those wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
This list highlights the mighty works of God through people who believed and
also hardship faced by those people for believing in Him.
1. Those who were tortured, persecuted and mistreated
2. Those faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
3. Those who were put to death by stoning
4. Those who were sawed in two;
5. Those who were killed by the sword.
6. Those wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
This list highlights the mighty works of God through people who believed and
also hardship faced by those people for believing in Him.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
- Motivation that we can do well as there are many successful winners around us.
- Look at those finished well and gain inspiration.
- Direction to define our focus in Christian life- to count the cost of discipleship
FIVE POINTS
1. Let us Run
2. Let us set aside that hinders us in spiritual life
3. Let us get out of sin that entangles
4. Let us run with perseverance..not giving up
5. Let us run focusing on Jesus
1. Let us Run
2. Let us set aside that hinders us in spiritual life
3. Let us get out of sin that entangles
4. Let us run with perseverance..not giving up
5. Let us run focusing on Jesus
LET US RUN
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You
need milk, not solid food!
- Call to move forward and keep goingCall to move upward and forward in Spiritual life
- Call to move towards maturity.
- Call to grow in spiritual life
- Wants us to keep our spiritual life active
- When we are stagnant, we will not have the interest to seek Him, His ways and will.
- When we are stagnant, we think that we know what we need and show self sufficiency.
- When we are stagnant, our spiritual life will be very passive…being superficial
- When we are stagnant, we will show interest in serving God.
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You
need milk, not solid food!
Heb 6:1,2 ….. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about
Christ and be taken forward to maturity
Christ and be taken forward to maturity
Christian life is a process……three stages of salvation
…Justification, Sanctification, Glorification
>>> Growing in holiness, inner transformation
…Justification, Sanctification, Glorification
>>> Growing in holiness, inner transformation
We have indwelling Holy Spirit… He leads and transforms us step by
step…..causing inner transformation ….affecting outward lives- words, actions
and interactions
step…..causing inner transformation ….affecting outward lives- words, actions
and interactions
When we grow in Christ, we gradually win over the carnal nature in us.
- Analyses your weakness and strengths……
- Self examination & repentance from wrong doings.
- Take spiritual life seriously and get involved.
SET ASIDE ALL HINDRANCES OR THE THINGS THAT PULL YOU
DOWN
When we move forward …. there will be many things that discourages and
distracts, pulling us down
DOWN
When we move forward …. there will be many things that discourages and
distracts, pulling us down
- For David, the lustful look pulled him down
- For Saul, self pride and disobedience pulled him down
- For Gehazi, the lust for money pulled him down
- For Moses, impatience pulled him down
- For Judas Greed pulled him down
Some things that can hinders us
1. Being occupied by the cares of life.
2. Being driven by lust
3. Improper relationships (Psalm 1)
4. Not spending time with God
5. Self righteous and pride
1. Being occupied by the cares of life.
2. Being driven by lust
3. Improper relationships (Psalm 1)
4. Not spending time with God
5. Self righteous and pride
It is important to evaluate our spiritual if we are growing in Spiritual life
Col 1:9,10….Paul’s prayer for believers
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all
the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a
life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every
good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
1 Pet 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you
may grow up in your salvation,
Ph 1:6 He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day
of Jesus Christ.
>>>> Starting and growing Ph 1:5
Col 1:9,10….Paul’s prayer for believers
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all
the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a
life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every
good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
1 Pet 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you
may grow up in your salvation,
Ph 1:6 He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day
of Jesus Christ.
>>>> Starting and growing Ph 1:5
God is willing and able to make us grow in Him…We need to cooperate
with Him
with Him
- To grow in Him is a process
- To grow in Him is a choice
- To grow in Him needs conscious efforts
- To grow in Him needs determination
Growing in life would refer to
- Seeking and knowing His ways, word, will etc
- Life obeying to the leading of the Holy Spirit
- Growing in inner strength to overcome temptations
- Growing in patience to bear trials
- Spending more time with God
- Spending more time for God.
- Growing in Christ likeness
RUN WITHOUT GIVING UP
James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
in nothing.
2 Tim 3: 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
in nothing.
2 Tim 3: 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
Patience is an important virtue for us
- We lose patience when we are tried
- We give up when we are tried
- We loose faith when we face loss, failures, problems
- We may question His existence and care for us in case of difficulties
- Esau lost his birth right because of impatience. Israelites ended up committing
- idolatry when they lost patience to wait for Moses.
- Moses lost the entry to Promised Land because of impatience.
- Saul lost his kingship because of impatience.
- The road of impatience always leads to spiritual disaster.
- Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years to receive the promise of God.
- Joseph waited 13 years to reach God intended palace from pit.
- Job was a wealthy man. He lost his crops, property, cattle, servants and his children. He waited patiently for the fulfilment of the plan of God in his life.
When we endure hardships patiently, we can receive the God intended blessings in our life.
1. Set aside all hindrances or the things that pull you down
2. Do not be under the slavery of sin
3. Take the spiritual life seriously and run
4. Run without giving up
5. Run to win focusing on Christ
1. Set aside all hindrances or the things that pull you down
2. Do not be under the slavery of sin
3. Take the spiritual life seriously and run
4. Run without giving up
5. Run to win focusing on Christ
LAY ASIDE SIN THAT ENTANGLES YOU
How do we get entangled in sin? It all begins in our hearts.
How do we get entangled in sin? It all begins in our hearts.
Mark : 7: 21-23 “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the
heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas,
murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas,
murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
1 John1:8 If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves
Romans 6:11-14 ...Consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do
not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. For sin will have
no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.
not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. For sin will have
no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.
- Not easy to get rid of Sin
- Ensnared, driven and addicted
- Influence from habits & relationships
