Fit To Run A Marathon

Let's begin our worship now. We're singing firstly tonight in Psalm 95.

Psalm 95, that's the Scottish Psalter version on page 357. The tune is Gainsborough,

and we're singing verses 1 to 6. Come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us, everyone,

a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation. Psalm 95 and verses 1 to 6. If you're able to

stand, please stand for the singing.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us, everyone, a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation.

Let us, before his presence come, with praise and thankful voice,

let us sing songs to him with praise, and make a joyful noise.

For God, a great, God, a great King, above all God's genius.

Depth of the earth, a great King, above all God's genius.

The world's greatest已經 is.

But heaven is true.

And earth Deusnen, though he cannot share,

the earth is themost hope for our salvation.

The Lord is good.

Ma Spirit is one of us who Ruth is also the full cultivate,

of her happiness is the highest Solomon's treasure.

In the spacious sea he longs, for he the same day they make.

The dry land also from his hands is warm and worshiping.

O come and let us worship him, let us dwell down with all.

And on our knees before the Lord, our Mater, let us whole.

Let's unite now in prayer. Let's call upon the Lord together.

Amen.

Your greatness, your majesty, your power.

The fact that you are our creator, the creator of the universe.

The way that we owe to you that worship that we owe to none other but to you.

And we thank you tonight, Lord, that we come together in this way to praise the Lord,

to come together to hear his voice in the scriptures speaking to us.

We pray that that will be a reality for us.

That your Holy Spirit, Lord, will speak to us through your word.

That our minds and our hearts may be further enlightened and moved.

That we may be furthered in our knowledge of you, in our commitment to you, and deepened in our love for you.

We ask, O Lord, that as we come into your presence, we may know that you are with us, that you are with your people as you have promised to be.

We give thanks, Lord, that you have made a dwelling place for yourself in the hearts of your people.

And we ask, Lord, that we may be conscious of your inward presence.

That we may be conscious of that working of your Spirit in our hearts.

So that we may be furthered in our knowledge of you.

And that we will know that we are on that path that is heavenwards.

We pray, gracious one, that you would give us then at the close of this year in our experience.

To know that your years do not fail.

That you are indeed the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And that you are the great God who presides over the passing of what we know of as time.

You dwell in heaven.

You dwell upon your throne.

You rule over all that you have created.

Nothing happens without your will.

And we give thanks, O Lord, that that extends to all the things that affect us from day to day.

And even over the workings of evil and of darkness, too.

O Lord, our God, we come once again humbly before you.

And pray that you would enable us to exalt your holy name.

Bless us here, each one of us and each of the homes and families we represent.

We ask, Lord, tonight that we will know your blessing as we enter into a new year.

We thank you, Lord, as we look back over the year that has now passed.

We thank you for your goodness to us.

We thank you for the mercies that you have shown toward us.

For the many ways, Lord, in which you have dealt with us, not according to our sins,

but in your grace and mercy.

And we pray, gracious one, that these will follow us into this new year as we shortly anticipate entering into it.

We ask that your gospel will be blessed.

And blessed increasingly to us.

Lord, we long for days when not only will we ourselves be revived in our inward soul,

but when our community around us will come to know the voice of God,

the voice of the Son of God speaking to us and bringing many souls to life,

bringing people to know you and to follow you and to love you and to serve you in this world.

O Lord, our God, we lament the way in which we find our generation to be so much in denial of the things of your truth

and so much given to elevate those things which we know are offensive to you.

Lord, be merciful to us, we pray, as a people.

Be merciful to us as we confess our sinfulness before you,

our need of your acceptance and forgiveness and cleansing and our being established in your ways.

Lord, we pray for a heart that will prize your truth as we meet with people from day to day.

Help us to communicate to them how we love the Lord and how we value his grace and his salvation.

And enable us, we pray, Lord, to continue to bear before you the world in which we live,

in all its need, in all its darkness, in all its departure from God.

O Lord God, we pray that we ourselves will, in this year that is before us,

come to develop increasingly as a people who will be known as a people who love the Lord.

Grant your blessing, Lord, to each one of us.

We thank you that whatever our need is tonight, you are able to deal with us powerfully and efficaciously

and in a way that will enable us to marvel at the work of your hand.

We bless you for your manifold grace that is designed, Lord, to meet us in all the variety of our need.

And we pray that as we express these concerns and prayers and petitions before you,

Lord, we pray that as we go on in life that we will be all the more determined to be your people

and to be known as your people in the world.

Remember, we pray tonight those who have different problems in their own experience,

different providences that cause them distress and pain.

We remember those who come to the end of this year, O Lord,

thinking back over the loss of loved ones in the year that's gone by,

or even in previous times.

We know that this time of year is very poignant for those who look back upon such circumstances.

We pray for those who presently mourn the passing of loved ones too.

Lord, we remember those tonight who will look forward to having funerals in these days to come.

Lord, we pray that you would bless them as they anticipate this,

and we pray that you would strengthen them and encourage them during this time.

We pray for those who are ill at this time.

We pray, Lord, for those who are seriously ill.

We remember them before you.

We pray that all our illnesses, whatever magnitude they may be of,

may be a reminder to us, O Lord,

that we are closer to eternity tonight than we have ever been,

and that we will leave this world at some point of your own appointment

and come to face you as our judge.

And we ask, Lord, that our hearts may be solemnized,

and yet that we may rejoice in your salvation as we think of these great issues.

Bless, we pray then, those who are laid aside in illness at this time,

those who have received and are receiving treatment,

those who are in hospital, those in our care homes,

those who tend to their needs.

We thank you, Lord, for all who have, over this past year,

and continue to deal with us in our times of illness,

times of bereavement and sorrow,

and all other types of need as well.

Lord, we give thanks for your goodness

in continuing to provide us with these resources,

and we pray that they will continue with us into this new year also.

Bless us, we pray, as a congregation.

We thank you for all that you enable us to do,

for all that you have enabled us to take part in this year that has passed.

And over the past year, Lord,

we ask your blessing to accompany everything that has been done

with regard to our young people and our children

and all who have come to various activities and courses,

as well as attend the worship services of the congregation.

Remember then, we pray.

Grant that your own blessing will come in days to come

to be seen as a blessing upon your word,

a blessing of the gospel to our souls.

Hear us now, we pray.

Continue to bless the world in which we live with all its troubles.

And we pray, Lord, that tonight we see violence and war

and deprivation and famine,

so many things that trouble people from day to day,

so many things that people have to live with,

the trauma in their lives compared relatively to ours.

Lord, be merciful to us as human beings.

Oh, Lord, send forth your light and your truth.

And may your gospel advance throughout the world

and create peace, we pray, where there is war.

And create, we pray, for yourself a people

who will reflect and glorify your great name.

Hear us now, we pray, for we ask it all,

seeking pardon and cleansing from all our sins.

For Jesus' sake, amen.

Let's continue to sing praise to God.

We're singing this time in Psalm 119.

Psalm 119.

You'll find that on page 167 of the psalm books.

Psalm 167, the verses marked 161 to 168.

The tune this time is rocking him.

Psalm is throughout this.

Psalm, as you know, is in very different ways

speaking about his appreciation for God's Word

and how he applies that Word of God

to his own circumstances.

Sometimes circumstances like in these verses

where he's facing falsehood

and people misrepresenting him and so on.

So he's saying here that he nevertheless

has found and finds great peace

with those who love God's law.

So Psalm 119 at verse 161.

Though rulers hound me without cause,

my heart fears nothing but your word.

For in your promise I rejoice

like one who finds great spoil, O Lord.

And so on down to verse 160 to God's praise.

The rulers hound me with a ghost.

My heart fears nothing but your word.

For in your promise I rejoice

for in your promise I rejoice

like one who finds great spoil, O Lord.

All falls to die upon a day.

With all my heart I love you, Lord.

I praise you seven times and eight.

For your commands I hold it all.

For in peace of those who love you, Lord.

They will not stumble in the way.

I wait for your salvation, Lord, and your commands I will obey.

I will, O say, your standards, Lord, my love for them is great and true.

Your laws and reasons I obey, for all I wait are known to you.

I'm going to read now from God's Word.

The reading this evening is from the letter to the Hebrews.

The letter to the Hebrews, beginning at chapter 11 and verse 32.

And we'll go on reading into chapter 12, down as far as verse 11.

So that's Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 32.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

As you know, this has been a great list in this chapter of those who have lived by faith.

And the chapter lists some of the activities that they engaged in through faith, how they came to know the blessing of God as they came to trust in him.

And in verse 32, he comes towards the end of his list, where he says,

What more shall I say?

Some were told?

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned.

They were sawn in two.

They were killed with a sword.

They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him, who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted.

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons.

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.

But what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them.

Shall we not much more be subject to the father of spirits and live?

For they disciplined us for a short time, as it seemed best to them.

But he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant.

But later, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

And so on, may the Lord follow with this blessing, that reading of his word.

Before we turn to words at the beginning of chapter 12 there, let's sing again in Psalm 34.

Psalm number 34.

And that's again in the Sing Psalms version on page 41.

To tune Evan.

The tune is Evan.

We'll sing verses 12 to the end of the Psalm, 12 to 22.

Does anyone delight in life and long to see good days?

Then keep your tongue from evil speech, your lips from lying ways.

Depart and turn from evil's paths and practice what is right.

Desire to know the way of peace.

Pursue it with your might.

The Lord's eyes are upon the just.

He listens to their plea.

The wicked he rejects and blots from earth their memory.

The righteous cry.

The Lord responds and frees them when distressed.

The Lord draws near the broken heart and rescues the depressed.

And so on through to the end of the Psalm.

From verse 12.

Does anyone delight in life?

Does anyone delight in life?

And long to see good days?

Then keep your tongue from evil speech,

Your lips from lying ways.

Depart and turn from evil past and practice what is right.

He's tired to know the way of peace.

Persuive it with your might.

The Lord's eyes are upon the just.

He listens to their plea.

The wicked he rejects and blots from earth their memory.

The righteous cry.

The Lord responds and frees them when distressed.

The Lord draws near the broken heart and rescues the depressed.

From all that happens and blots of the just.

The Lord will set him free.

The Lord's eyes are upon the broken heart and broken down well in.

The wicked are condemned today.

All those who make the just.

God saves his soul.

The wicked are not broken.

The wicked are not broken.

For in the Lord may trust.

God saves his soul.

Amen.

Amen.

Please turn with me now to Hebrews chapter 12.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

Hebrews 12.

Hebrews 12.

We'll read again from the beginning.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfection of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,

and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

And then verse 3 begins,

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself.

Well, we're very familiar in our day with various kinds of stadia.

A stadium where certain activities, sporting activities usually take place.

We're familiar with spectators crowded round the sides of the stadium.

And with the activity, whether it's a game of football or athletics or whatever taking place in the stadium,

where the competitors take place and the crowd, the surrounding crowd,

is involved in some way or other, supportively or otherwise, with those who are actually taking part.

We're all familiar with that as we see it very often on our TV screens and maybe even attend as well.

And that's the kind of imagery, as you know, that's behind these verses and other verses in the New Testament,

especially Paul uses the same kind of imagery,

which seems that he and the writer to the Hebrews here borrowed from what they saw happening in their own day

with regard to athletic contests of various kinds in various stadia.

And borrowing from that and using that imagery to present us with aspects of the Christian life,

both the individual Christian and also the collective life of the church,

and how in the likes of this passage, we are ourselves encouraged to actually run a particular course of life

in a particular kind of way, running the race that is set before us

and doing it looking unto Jesus, running the race with endurance, looking unto Jesus.

Now, if we take it that the crowd of witnesses here refers to,

especially those who are mentioned in the previous chapter,

he's gone through the list there of individuals that are named at different points in history

and how they lived by faith in God and how through faith they were enabled by faith to do certain things

for their own benefit, but sometimes very often for the benefit of many others besides.

And that as he uses here the imagery of the stadium,

the imagery includes those in chapter 11 as the surrounding crowd, if you like,

who have gone before those who are participating and now sit as watching and coming to be spectators

of those who continue to actually are involved in, let's say, in the races.

They're talking about a race, so let's just leave it at that.

They're engaged in a race of some kind.

And the practice in those days in the Greek games, we're told, by those who look into these things,

we're told that the practice was that if you are running races,

certainly in the major competitions of the day,

that once you finished your race, you didn't disappear from the stadium,

you actually then went and took your place amongst the crowd of spectators.

And that happened all the way through the various races that were being followed through in the stadium

until the final race was over and those who finished that race then took their part

to have placed with the spectators as well.

And then when it was all finished, the prizes would be given out

to those who had actually won these competitions.

And if you bear that imagery in mind, it helps us, I think,

to understand some of the phraseology and some of what's being said here

and helps us then to apply that to our lives as well as individuals

and to the Christian life in particular.

And if you look at verse 2 here, it's much more to do, I think,

with what you would call a marathon rather than short sprints.

There would be all types of races in those games, of course, like there is today.

But the language here is really a language that suits a marathon.

And a marathon really suits as an image of the Christian life more so than a short sprint,

because that's really what the Christian life very often is like and very often feels like as well.

It's the kind of race in which you have a long distance to travel before you reach the end.

Of course, our lives vary in terms of how many years we live and all that sort of stuff.

But nevertheless, the kind of thing a marathon is really fits the imagery that he has here of running the race that's set before us.

So if we keep these points in mind, there are two things especially that are brought out in the passage for our attention.

The first is a laying aside.

There are certain things he mentions as laying aside.

Let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

Things which are to be laid aside or put off in order to run effectively and efficiently with a view to winning the race.

That's in the ordinary sense.

But in a spiritual sense, we'll see that's also important.

That's the first thing, a laying aside.

And then secondly, he speaks of a looking ahead.

Let us run with endurance looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

who is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

So there is a laying aside and a looking ahead as part of the Christian race,

of the race that we're engaged in as believers in this life.

And of course, as we come to the end of a year,

we're very conscious of events that have taken place in the year that's gone by.

People who belong to our families, to the congregation, who are no longer with us,

passed away over the course of that year.

And you can say in a sense that all of those whom we've known in life,

and especially those who were known and known by us as Christians,

committed to God and witnesses to Him in this life,

they are for us in a sense a crowd of witnesses.

They are spectators of our race as we run it,

because they've gone before us.

They've taken their place now in the spectators, as it were.

And they're now, we're at least mentally conscious or spiritually conscious,

that we've seen them running their race.

And we're following them.

And we're seeking to follow in the same way as they did the Lord Jesus Christ.

So he says, let us lay aside.

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

as we think of those who've run their race, who've gone before us,

who lived a consistent Christian life,

and as they were people that we looked forward to meeting with,

and shared fellowship with, and admired, and looked to,

and saw as our examples,

seeing we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

When you think of an athlete, especially an athlete in serious competition,

you can't imagine at any time, let alone nowadays,

an athlete seriously entering into a marathon or any other type of race

and not being prepared before for it.

Preparing beforehand and preparing even at that day itself on the occasion.

You don't find them actually coming to take part in a race

without laying aside their outer clothing,

anything that's going to be too heavy,

and clothing themselves with the lightest possible fabrics,

including running shoes and everything else as they are nowadays,

and so that you would find every advantage possible in doing that

in order to actually try and make sure, as far as possible,

that you were giving everything to winning this race if you could.

And that's important for us spiritually, as we'll see, as well.

It would be absolutely futile for an athlete to come to face a marathon

or any other race,

and to think that they could neglect the basics of preparation,

and hope meaningfully to take part in that race.

Because the basics of preparation mean training in a proper way,

being sure to actually have the right sort of diet

so that they weren't encumbering themselves with problems

when they began the race.

And, of course, the clothing, as we've said, important as well.

So he really is saying, let us lay aside every weight.

In other words, every impediment,

everything possible that we can know of

that would prevent us effectively running the Christian race.

Let us lay aside every weight,

whatever it is that's a weight, that's a hindrance to us.

And remember, there are hindrances for all of us,

not just outwardly, but also inwardly as well in our own soul.

Every weight, every impediment, including our minds.

Remember 1 Peter 1, verse 13,

1 Peter 1:13

uses the kind of phrase,

then, gird up the loins of your mind

in the old translation of it.

And that goes back, indeed, to the days in which Peter lived,

where long garments were commonplace.

And if you're running a race,

and if you're running quickly,

think of Elijah, for example,

running after the contest on Mount Carmel,

he girded up his garments,

and he ran with his full might.

And so, if you really wanted to run

and not be tripped up in the process,

you gathered up your garments,

you tied them under your belt or something,

not in professional races,

or races such as envisaged here,

but even in the ordinary course of life,

running effectively meant,

don't let your garments hang loose.

Tie them up.

Be sure they're effectively bound.

And he's using that language with regard to the mind.

Peter is,

gird up the loins of your mind.

Prepare your mind properly for action.

And that's the same idea that you've got here.

Let us lay aside every weight.

Have we prepared our minds aright

to run the Christian race?

Are we engaged in the Christian race meaningfully

with a view to actually running effectively

in following Jesus,

in being servants of Jesus?

Have we geared up the loins of our mind today

in coming to worship him?

Have we stopped to prepare

so that we can benefit from

being together as worshipers of God?

Are we preparing for this new year,

God willing,

that will shortly be entered

in a few hours' time

by girding up our minds,

by actually stopping to take stock

of what is it in my thought processes?

What is it in my attitude?

What is it in the way that I think

or not think?

Have I become flabby in my thinking?

Have I actually stopped concentrating

to the extent I should

on the things of God?

Let us lay aside every weight.

And then he goes on,

and the sin,

the sin or sin

which clings so closely.

Now this has given rise

to very many different kinds of opinions.

If you consult commentaries,

you'll find there's all sorts of opinions

over the years

as to what's meant by sin

which clings so closely to us.

Some people think of this

as a particular sin

which is individual

to every person.

We all, I'm sure,

have a sin or sins

that we find ourselves

more prone to

than other sins

or than other people even.

And some commentators say

that you take this as being

whatever sin

you're most liable to fall into,

what sin you're more prone to,

that you would actually use it

in that sense.

And that would make sense

in the context as well.

But I think it's better

just to take it.

You notice here in translation,

it doesn't have the definite article.

It's not the sin.

It's sin which clings so closely.

And I think it's better saying

if you think of laying aside

every weight

as a reference in general

to the principle of the thing,

he's now coming to the more specific

and he's saying

whatever is a weight

or a hindrance to us

will always have sin behind it,

will always be based upon

the workings of sin,

the sin that's so very much

with us still in this life.

Lay aside every weight

and you might say

and particularly give attention

to sin which clings so closely.

You think of your TV monitor

or your computer monitor

and so often you've got to wipe it

because dust clings to it.

You have to cling it.

It's got that static attraction

which attracts dust to it

and you've got to actually

clean it from time to time

or at least we're meant to clean

from time to time.

And sin is like that.

Sin clings so closely to us.

It's just such a part of our frame

as fallen sinners.

It's with us every day.

It's there.

Even forgiven sin,

even forgiven sinners,

people who are Christians

who know that their sin

has been forgiven,

they're still very conscious

of going through life

and running this race

and still they find this sin

at times clings so closely to them.

It's something that's attached to them

just like cling film attaches itself

to a bowl or to a plate.

And you've got to lay aside

sin which clings so closely.

You've got to have that kind of mindset.

That's where the mindset comes in as well

that we don't neglect looking inwardly

and stop and ask ourselves,

am I really taking account of sin properly

in my life?

Am I coming with it to God

in such a way that seeks grace from God

to just detach this sin and myself

from this sin as I go on?

So the task is to lay aside this daily.

That's what you find

throughout the New Testament

you're very much aware of the fact that

as doctrine is set out by Paul

and by Peter

and the writer to the Hebrews here,

it's always followed by imperatives

for our behavior.

In other words,

Paul would be saying,

seeing such and such has happened,

seeing you are justified now

by faith in Jesus Christ,

seeing you have been renewed

by the Spirit of God

or language like that,

therefore,

don't give your bodies to sin.

Don't give yourselves over

to the service of sin.

And that's the pattern all the way

through the New Testament.

And that's what is before us

in this verse as well.

Because we are surrounded

by so great a cloud of witnesses,

because we're running seriously

this Christian race,

this race that's going on

until we enter into eternity.

Therefore,

lay aside every weight

and sin which clings so closely.

And then he says,

let us run with endurance

the race that is set before us.

Now here's the positive

perseverance side of it,

if you like.

Perseverance is one of the great doctrines

that the Bible teaches us of.

Perseverance in terms of

depending on God's grace,

certainly to work through us,

but nevertheless,

there's a responsibility

laid upon ourselves

to persevere in the life

that we follow as the life of faith.

Life of trusting in the Lord,

the life of serving the Lord.

It's not a very easy exercise necessarily

to just find out

where the side that God is involved in

in terms of the grace

that He gives us

and the responsibility that's ours

to carry forward

our life and our actions

and so on,

but it's there.

And the two things fit together.

It's not one or the other.

And so,

he's saying,

let us run with endurance,

with perseverance.

Endurance,

you could sometimes,

in the meaning of the word nowadays,

you could think that

what he's saying

is just to have a sort of

passive, stoic kind of approach

to your problems

or to your difficulties

or your challenges

and just sit and endure them

and have to put up with them.

Well, that's not what the word is saying.

It's a very positive word.

It's an active word.

A word that means

we actively persevere.

We actively persevere

in the race

in which we are now running.

Remember how Paul

wrote to the Philippians

where in his testimony

of his own life

as he set out

before the Philippians

in the Philippians

in chapter 3

verses 13 and 14 especially.

He's saying,

well, from verse 12,

not that I've already obtained

or I'm already perfect,

but I press on

to make it my own

because Christ Jesus

has made me his own.

Brothers,

I do not consider

that I have made it my own.

He doesn't mean by that

that he hasn't yet accepted Christ,

but since he accepted Christ

or Christ came into his life,

he's been reaching forward,

as he says in the following verses,

to the prize of this

high calling of God in Christ

to finally obtain

that wonderful terminus

of glory with Christ,

of heaven.

So he's saying,

brothers,

I do not consider

that I have made it my own.

In other words,

I'm not yet there,

but one thing I do,

forgetting what lies behind

and straining forward

to what lies ahead,

I press on towards

the goal for the prize

of the upward call

of God in Christ Jesus.

Now the language

he's using there

is the language

of athletics.

I press on,

and you can see in athletics

just especially

in the final lap of a race,

even a marathon

after all of these miles,

those who are participating,

especially as they're coming

near the finishing tape

and especially

if they're in the prospect

of winning the race,

they'll stretch themselves forward,

they'll strive forward,

just put everything into

these last few strides

to reach the tape.

And Paul is saying,

that's what I'm doing.

Even at this stage of his life,

it's been over 20 years

since the Lord came

into his life,

but he says,

this is what I do.

I'm pressing on

toward the mark.

I'm stretching forward

to the finishing tape.

I'm making sure

that as far as I can

in dependence on God,

I'm nevertheless

putting every effort I can

into this race

that I'm involved in.

And what he's saying here,

what the writer here

is saying in Hebrews,

is saying,

let us run

with perseverance,

with endurance.

You know,

athletes speak about,

especially athletes

who do long distance running

and marathons especially,

they use phrases

such as hitting the wall.

And I often wondered

what that meant.

And if you look up

what that means,

of course,

if you Google it,

like everything else,

nowadays you'll find

an answer to it.

Hitting the wall

is the expression

that athletes use

for a stage in the race,

usually around

the 20 mile mark,

it seems.

I've never done it,

so I don't know.

But around 20 miles,

they begin to feel

this tremendous

strain on their body.

Their energy

is just being sapped.

And that's why it's called,

it's just like hitting a wall.

They just,

even your brain

just wants to give up.

And you've then got to just

adjust yourself

in a different way

so as to try and get through

the moments,

the minutes in which

that's happening

and then just continue

with your race.

So when you hit the wall,

you remember your training,

you slow down for a bit perhaps,

because the problem is

that the stuff

in your muscles,

glycogen I think it's called,

which is stored

in your muscles,

it's being used up

as you run a marathon.

And you come to a point

where it's almost depleted

and that's when you begin

to really hit the wall.

And you have to spend

a bit of time

adjusting to that

so that you then begin

to draw energy

from fat reserves.

I'm just going by

what I'm told.

I have no idea

myself personally,

but this is what

apparently is the case.

And so,

in the Christian life,

there are some times

when you just hit the wall.

When your mind

wants to give up.

When you say,

I didn't realize

the hill was going to be

this difficult to climb.

I didn't realize

the route was going

to take me

in this direction.

Why is it so difficult

in my life

as I see it

compared to what

I see others?

Their race seems

to be much easier.

And now I'm beginning

to find that

this is so challenging,

more than I expected,

that really

you feel like

just

your energy

is being sapped.

and you begin

to think,

well,

should I just

give up at this point?

And it's vital then

that you've done

the training beforehand.

I'm talking here

about athletics again.

When you hit the wall,

it's comforting to know

you've done all the training,

you've taken all

the right nutrients,

you've actually made sure

from that point of view

that you're ready

for the moment

when you hit the wall.

And so it is

in the Christian life.

Because when you come

to hit the wall,

it'll be really comforting

to know

that you have followed

the Lord,

that you've been

using His Word,

that you've been

praying to Him,

that you've been

in the company

of other Christians,

that you've taken

their counsel,

that you love to be

in their fellowship,

that all of that

is behind you

and undergirding you

as you come

to hit the wall.

Because it'll strengthen you,

and especially

the grace of God,

to go through

those moments

and on into

the rest of the race.

Let's run,

he says,

with endurance,

the race that is

set before us.

And when he says

set before us,

I think he means

by that the race

has been set for us.

We haven't chosen

the course ourselves.

Those who run

in a marathon

don't get to choose

which course

they actually

take part in.

They don't choose

which direction

the course takes.

They don't determine

how many hills

and how many hills

they have to climb,

how many they have

to come back down again,

how many straights

they're beyond.

They don't get to choose.

That's all chosen

for them.

There's the map.

Get on with it.

That's your race.

You have to keep

to the course

set out for you.

And it's difficult

in the Christian life

to accept

that the race

course

has been set

for us by God.

sometimes

it's not easy

to accept

why certain things

take place

in our experience.

But you've got to

come back again

as an athlete

comes back

to the training

and to the preparation

for the race.

So you come back

to thinking,

well,

who is in charge

of my race?

Who has set

the course?

What wisdom

has devised

this course

for me?

What strength

do I rely on

to go through

with the rest

of the course?

And of course

that takes you

back to God

and takes you

back especially

to Jesus

as we'll see

in a minute.

You lay aside

every weight

and sin

which clings

so closely

and you run

with endurance

the race

that is set

before us.

So tonight

and as we enter

into a new year

we each have

our race

set out for us.

It's not for us

to say,

why don't I have

the same course

set for me

as others have?

The wisdom

of God,

friends,

has set

the course

of life

and it is faith

that accepts that

and trust

in the Lord

accepts that

and goes on

with the race

that He has

set out for us

because His grace

will always be

sufficient for us

to finish

that race.

But not only

is there laying aside

there is also

looking ahead

and as soon

as He said that

the race

that is set

before us

let's run it

with endurance

looking to Jesus.

Looking to Jesus

the founder

and perfecter

of our faith.

And what He means

of course

is looking

while we're running

the race

we're looking

to Jesus

we're looking

up to Jesus

we're looking

to the one

who's at the end

of our course

waiting to meet us.

And what do we

look for?

What kind of look

does He mean

here looking

to Jesus?

Well I think

He explains

that or enlarges

on that

in verse 3

Consider Him

who endured

from sinners

such hostility

against Himself.

Consider

is a very

significant word

in the context

and in the letter

to the Hebrews

in fact

it really means

to study

carefully

means to give

all your attention

to

means to give

your mind

this where the mind

again comes in

be mindful

of this

give all your mind

as far as possible

to this

consider Him

looking unto Him

looking considerately

unto Him

looking studiously

to Him

looking in a way

that really

seriously reckons

with who He is

and where

as well as

what He has done.

And so you'll find

the same thing

you see in the

previous runners

in verse 11

if we can call them

chapter 11

call them that

look at verse 10

there in chapter 11

you'll find there

that Abraham

is mentioned

as a man

who lived by faith

he was looking

forward

to the city

that has foundations

whose designer

and builder

is God

and then Sarah

she herself

received power

to conceive

when she was

past age

since she

considered

Him

faithful

she gave

her mind

carefully

to who God

was

and what her

relation to Him

was

verse 11

you'll find

that emphasis

there

she considered

Him

faithful

and then

verse 15

if you go

forward to

verse 15

you'll find

a similar

emphasis

there

if they had

been thinking

these people

who had

left their

homeland

had left

the place

where they

were living

if they'd

been thinking

of that land

from where

they had

gone out

they would

have had

opportunity

to return

but as it

is they

desire

a better

country

that is

a heavenly

one

they make

it clear

that they

are seeking

a homeland

they're

considering

carefully

where they're

going as well

as where

they've come

from

and then you

go forward

to verse

19

whereas

Abraham

having been

commanded

by God

to offer

up his

son Isaac

says

he considered

that God

was able

even to

raise him

from the

dead

same word

again

he considered

he studied

carefully

he gave

a mind

to it

and then

finally

verse 26

speaking of

Moses

and all

of this

is of course

within the

workings

of faith

he considered

the reproach

of Christ

greater wealth

than the

treasures

of Egypt

for he was

looking to

the reward

this is what

he said

by faith

he chose

rather to be

mistreated

with the

people of

God

than to

enjoy

the fleeting

pleasure

of sin

how

why could

he

how could

he

for he

considered

the reproach

of Christ

he thought

upon the

reproach

of Christ

his mind

was on

what it

was to

suffer

for Christ

and he

said

this is

actually

especially

in the

outcome

of it

it's a

far

greater

treasure

than I

would ever

have had

if I'd

stayed in

Egypt

as a

Egypt

he

considered

it

you see

faith

and the

way that

this chapter

11 runs

into or

flows into

chapter 12

where we're

thinking about

running this

race

take all of

that with

you and

it means

that faith

faith that's

mentioned up

through this

chapter

faith that

flows into

the race

in chapter

12

what is

faith

is it

just a

leap in

the dark

as some

people accuse

us of

doing

as Christians

nowadays

people will

say

why don't

you start

using your

minds

why don't

you just

accept the

science

why don't

you keep

not that there's

anything wrong

with much

of the

science

but the

accusation of

those who

reject the

gospel and

reject living a

life of faith

why don't you

actually open

your mind

to reality

why don't

you give

your mind

why don't

you think

properly

why don't

you actually

give your

mind to

things other

than just

the

the

unlikelihood

of the

things that

are mentioned

in the

bible

the miraculous

the

supernatural

the

incarnation

the

resurrection

of christ

just

just put

that aside

and open

your mind

to the

other

possibilities

how do

you respond

to that

you respond

to it

in the

way that

hebrews 11

responds to

it in

chapter 11

verse 3

by faith

we

understand

it doesn't

say by

understanding

we come

to believe

it says by

faith

we understand

that the

world was

created by

the word

of god

it wasn't

by chance

it wasn't

through a

process of

evolution

it wasn't

from the

beginning of

a speck

in which

there was

a massive

amount

of power

which then

exploded

of its

own accord

god

created

the universe

god

created

all that

exists

and by

faith

we

understand

these

things

to be

so

faith

isn't

a leap

in the

dark

faith

isn't

just

launching

out

not

knowing

what

to

expect

or

where

you're

going

I

know

faith

is

running

a race

that's

been set

for us

by god

looking

unto

jesus

considering

jesus

studying

jesus

living

in fellowship

with jesus

praying

to jesus

speaking

to him

daily

trusting

in him

having

him as

your

friend

knowing

him as

your

companion

that's

what

faith

is

that's

the

kind

of

life

that

faith

sets

about

and

what

do

we

see

when

we

look

to

jesus

by

faith

well we

see

who

he

is

you

could

say

three

facts

i'm

going

to

just

finish

by

mentioning

them

i've

got

time

to

really

enlarge

on

them

but

what

do

we

see

when

we

look

to

jesus

when

we

look

at

himself

especially

when

we

consider

him

we'll

see

who

he

is

he

is

the

founder

and

perfecter

of

our

faith

he's

the

one

who

sets

it

the

one

who

finishes

it

he's

the

pioneer

the

word

is

as

he

went

out

in

chapter

2

verse

10

he's

the

pioneer

of

our

faith

he

went

out

and

opened

this

course

for

us

he

devised

this

course

he

set

this

course

and

he

did

it

at

the

cost

of

his

to

have

gone

into

this

course

and

we

follow

him

and

he's

the

finisher

he's

the

one

we

meet

at

the

end

of

the

course

he's

the

one

who

comes

to

us

and

says

either

well

done

good

and

faithful

friend

or

God

forbid

for

you

and

for

me

that

he

should

say

depart

from

me

I

never

knew

you

but

he's

the

author

and

finisher

he

is

the

beginning

and

the

of

our

faith

who

he

is

then

how

he

ran

his

race

who

for

the

joy

that

was

set

before

him

he

endured

the

cross

despising

the

shame

he

had

a

race

to

run

a

race

set

him

by

God

the

father

a

course

which

took

him

through

to

the

cross

of

Calvary

and

to

the

grave

followed

by

his

resurrection

from

the

dead

that

was

the

course

that

was

set

for

our

he

ran

that

race

and

for

the

joy

that

was

set

before

him

for

that

which

awaited

him

at

the

end

of

his

course

especially

that

doesn't

mean

there

was

no

joy

in

the

course

as

he

went

through

with

it

in

this

life

remember

he

psalm

40

mentions

words

that are

prophetic

of

Jesus

then

I

said

to

do

your

will

I

have

come

it's

written

of

me

in

the

scroll

I

have

come

to

do

your

will

oh

my

God

and

it's

mentioned

here

in

Hebrews

as well

as it's

quoted

in

Hebrews

in

chapter

10

and

verse

7

where

the

quotation

is

that

he

has

come

to

do

his

will

that

he's

taken

delight

in

doing

the

will

life

you

have

taken

no

pleasure

in

burnt

offerings

and

sin

offering

then

I

said

behold

I

the

we

can't

anyway

the

devil

did

his

utmost

to

deflect

him

to

make

him

leave

that

path

that

route

that

God

has

set

out

for

him

you

remember

in

the

temptations

I

know

the

time

is

gone

but

let

me

just

again

remind

you

of

this

when

the

devil

came

to

tempt

him

in

the

wilderness

he

was

tempted

for

these

40

days

or

fasting

for

these

days

at

the

end