[Biblemat] A) RUNNING THE RACE SET BEFORE US

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article that recently came my way:

RUNNING THE RACE SET BEFORE US

     "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with pat-
ience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus the
Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consid-
er Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Heb.  12:
1-3).

     The Hebrew writer had just concluded listing the great men of faith in 
chapter 11.  He begins the 12th chapter by re-
ferring to the life before us as a race.  He gives several import-
ant points for us to remember as we run the race (our life)
that is before us.

     The Great Cloud Of Witnesses: -- The great cloud of wit-
nesses of our race are those that the writer referred to in the
11th chapter.  He reminds us of how these great men of faith
had run their race.  Each had run carefully and according to
the Will of God.  This should behoove us to be careful how 
we run and to run the race by the rules that have been given
to us in God's Word.

     Lay Aside The Weights And Sins: -- Anyone tht begins to 
compete in a contest will put off any weights that will hinder
them in their participation of that event.  In the same way, as
children of God, we must lay aside any encumbrance that will
impede our running the race and seeking first the kingdom of
God (Matt. 6:33).  Our hindrance in service to Him may be our
job, hobbies, or people tht we associate with.  Regardless of
what our weights are, we must lay them aside in order to run
the race and endure to the end.  We must have faith in God
and allow His revealed word to direct us through this race
in which we are running.  When we lack faith and transgress
God's Law, then we sin (1 Jno. 3:4).  If we will rid ourselves of
the weights of sin, our faith will help us to not turn away from
the faith we should possess as God's children.

     Reminder For Us As We Run: -- Patience: -- The writer first reminds us 
to run with patience.  Patience here is the idea that in this race we must have 
endurance and perseverance.
We must be faithful, and true, to our service regardless of what obstacles we 
may have in this life.  It is going to take 
effort to live in this life and not be turned to the side.  Without
patience in the race, the glorious prize will be forgotten and
we will not remain faithful when the hard times come.

     Look To Jesus: -- We are also told that it is necessary to
look to Jesus.  If we are going to gain the prize we must keep
our minds set on Jesus.  This is the same idea that Paul had
in mind as he said, "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching 
forth unto those things which are before.  I press toward the mark for the 
prize of the high call-
ing of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:13,14).  Paul makes it
clear that as he is running the race, he forgets the things of
the past and looks forward to the things tht are before him.
As Christians in the race, let us determine that we are not
going to look back at all the problems and hindrances there
may have been and will be during the race, but look to "Jesus, the Author and 
Finisher of our faith."

     Endurance: -- As we look to Jesus, the Hebrew writer re-
minds us of the endurance of Christ two different times.  In
verse two, he tells us that Christ endured the cross.  Jesus
willingly gave up His life upon the cross that we might receive
the forgiveness of our sins (Matt. 26:39).  Paul said concern-
ing the death of Christ that "He became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).  Jesus suffered and 
died a cruel death upon the cross.  By doing this, Jesus en-
dured the cross in obedience to the Father's Will.  In verse
three, the writer mentions Christ's endurance among those
that falsely persecuted Him.  In our lives, there may be times
that we will suffer som persecution, but we must remain faith-
ful to God if we are to obtain the prize.  Jesus was faithful to
the end, even though it meant His own death.  We are promis-
ed  that if we are faithful to death we will receive the crown of
life (Rev. 2:10).  It may be tht we are never faced with giving
up our lives for the faith.  But our disposition should be that
if it were necessary, we would be willing to die.  Commitment
is stressed when the writer tells us to "look to" and "consider
Jesus"  in the life that He lived.

     Why?: -- The Hebrew writer then gives us the reason why
we should remember Jesus while running the race.  It is so
that those running the race do not become "wearied and faint
in your minds."  Fainting along the way is a problem for many.  Life is not 
easy and there are many trials and tribulat-
ions that we must face.  But if we continue to look to Jesus,
keeping our eyes focused upon Him, we can say with Paul,
who looked unto Jesus: "For I am now ready to be offered
and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Hence-
forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and
not to me only, but all them also that live His appearing" (2
Tim. 4:6-8).       ---- David A. Cox in Gospel Power, Vol. 13, No.
50, Dec. 10, 2006.
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