We are called to run the race of faith with endurance
We must first ask the question 'are you on the team?'
Paul is writing the letter to those how love
Jesus, who are adopted into His family: "let us" (12:1)
Are you on the team?
The image of an amphitheater with a great could of witnesses
Moses, Noah, Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, Rahab
This image was very familiar to the Greeks
Looking Back
Looking back at other athletes and learning from their experience
We should look back, learn and take encouragement from all that have gone before us
Some people look back to historical figures like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther, Bobby Chartlon
Some people look back to religious figures like William Tindale, Bishop Riddley, John Know
Perhaps some of the New Testament Christians looked back to Old Testament people like Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, David
Through faith these people subdued kingdoms - Deborah - worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions - Daniel - quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, because valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens (11:33-34)
Examples of specific biblical characters
It is important to have people that have gone before and overcome, as well as having those running alongside us
We look back and take confidence
Looking Forward
You must keep looking forward during a race
The bible speaks of those who have started a race, but have looked back
They come to church but stop altogether
They start to follow Jesus but then give up
Lot's wife looked back and suffered the consequence
Demas started the race but looked back and fell behind
We must be careful how we run, we must have our eyes on the finishing tape
Phil 3:14 - "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"
Paul had to leave things behind and look forward
There are things that we need to leave behind and forget, we must strive to move forward and look upward
Looking Forward...
We need to lay aside every weight
They are neutral things in our lives, not sinful things
All things are permissible, but not all things are lawful
Things can become all consuming, all dominating
Too much leisure can be a burden
Too many worries and concerns
Friendships, hobbies
We need to lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares us
Col 3:8 - "you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth."
These words are written to Christians
As Christians we still have the old nature in us which we need to put behind us
Col 3:5 - "Therefore put to death ?your members which are on the earth: ?fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ?which is idolatry."
We need to Run with endurance
We must not be in fits and starts
It is a marathon, running little but little, going on and on
We seek to live in holiness and to please God
Looking Up
We look to The Lord Jesus (12:2)
We look to The Lord Jesus who went to the cross
This was a terrible thing not because of the physical cruelty or because of the shame
This was a terrible thing because He was going to the cross to take our punishment, to take our sin
He preserved for the joy set before Him, knowing that we might saved through His actions
We don't run this race on our own, He runs along side us
We look to Him was we prayer, read the Bible, walk with Him, come to church
Summary
Are you on the team?
If so, look back, look forward and look up to Jesus
