HOW TO STAY IN THE CHRISTIAN RACE

Text- Hebrews 12:18-28

As we study these last few verses of Chapter 12 it is important that we keep them in the proper context.

Paul is still speaking to those early Christians who had entered the Christian race.

In verses 1-17 he described how to run the Christian race in order to receive their full reward.

Knowing how to run is very important, but it is no good if you decide to drop out.

That’s what these verses are all about.  They are a warning about dropping out of the race.

Paul wants to encourage these believers to stay in the race.  He wants them to know how to endure the rigors of the Christian race.

Ours is not a 100 yard sprint.  It is a life long marathon.  It is not easy to run a marathon and along the way you might be tempted to drop out of the race and give up.

In 1968, the Olympics were held in Mexico City. The last runner to finish the marathon was a guy from Tanzania. During the race, he had broken a leg. He'd stumbled, he'd been hurt badly, he was bruised, beaten up, and he was bloodied. Long after everybody else had finished the race, and in fact as the stadium quickly emptied - there were only 7,000 people left - around 7:00 in the evening, as it was getting dark, he entered to do his last lap and finish the marathon. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. Later on he was asked, "Why didn't you quit when you were hurt and bruised, bloody, discouraged Why didn't you quit?" He gave a classic answer. He said, "My country did not send me 7,000 miles around the world to start the race, but to finish it."

In Hebrews 12:14-17 we were given a classic example of a quitter. Esau.

He is called godless and immoral. He traded what was precious in God’s sight to satisfy his hunger. He gave his birth right for a bowl of beans! Don’t miss the point here. If you give up your faith for anything, and I mean anything, you are godless and immoral. So Jacob got the blessing and when Esau came to get it, he couldn’t.

Esau illustrates the person who is driven by passions of the flesh instead of lead by the Spirit of God. The Christian who quits trades the glory of the cross for the crumbs of the flesh. Don’t do it! Don’t give in to hardship, submit to it as discipline from God. You’ll be so glad you did.

I love the song that says: “God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to fail, and scan his works in vain. God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.”

How do you stay in the Christian race?  How do you keep from dropping out?

Here in this passage Paul gives us three encouragements that can help.