THE RACE

1:44 My hair, Fellowship Church, and definitely my accent. My friend did coach me before the marathon. And he's told me several things. And if you haven't run a marathon before, would you lift your hand if you run a marathon? Okay, okay, great. Praise the Lord, man. I'm glad you're still here. Glad you're still alive. My friend told me, he said, Ed, run your race at your pace. He said it's going to be tempting to look to the right, to look to the left, to get all caught up in the hype and the emotion and to start out too fast. He said the problem is you're going to crash. Run your race. Remember, you're not comparing yourself with someone else. I don't know about you, but that's a temptation I have, especially in the world of athletics.

2:41 You know, you're running and you see someone and you're like, oh, I'm in much better shape than him. And he's just blowing by you. I mean, just flying. And then to make matters worse, I was running about the, you know, 15th mile marker. I'm feeling really good. And a young mother pushing a baby in a stroller. She passed me so fast. I still have wind burn. So it's, so it's very humbling. So he told me that just, just run your race at your pace. Then he taught me how to take curves and, and, you know, we're running on throughout the city of Houston and these different venues and things. And he said, don't think about the bands that we're playing. And he said, definitely though, let me tell you something else. He said, take water at every station. It's so important to, to keep yourself hydrated. And I said, yeah, that's good. Then he said, follow the training schedule that I've, that I've given you. Okay.

3:42 and I did that. He said, let me tell you one more thing. It's kind of a negative thing, but it's going to happen. You're going to hit the wall. I said, hit the what? He said, no, you're going to hit the wall. I said, what do you mean the wall? He said, well, your body will completely break down and you'll want to stop. And I was thinking to myself, well, you know, I've played a lot of sports and I've gone through a lot of stuff and I'm thinking to myself, wall, what wall? There's no such thing as a wall. So the day the race begins, the crack at the starter pistol. And, you know, I noticed something. You're not really in the race until you break the plane of the starting line. So I broke the plane of that. I'm running. I'm feeling good. Feeling really good. And 10 mile marker. You know, I see Lisa, Lee Beth. Hi, honey, you're doing so great. I know.

4:33 Thank you. And I'm running and running and running. and I'm just feeling really, really good. I'm thinking to myself, this marathon stuff's overrated. I mean, I'm running, you know, a sub four hour pace. So I'm thinking this is gonna be good. And then about the 19th mile marker, my toes started saying, ouch. My quads started saying, help me. my lungs started saying, I can't take it anymore. Oh my gosh, I said, I'm hitting the wall. This is the wall. I sincerely wanted to quit. isn't that true about your life and mine? We're running this race.

5:32 You know, life's a race, correct? And we're running it in some way, shape, or form. We hit the wall, maybe a marriage dilemma, maybe a problem with a child, maybe the loss of a loved one, maybe a financial setback. That's real, isn't it, in life? I mean, I hate to say it, but you're going to hit the wall. What do you do when you hit the wall? our great God gives us, you ready for this, marathon advice. God knew and knows that life is a marathon. He wants us to run his race, but here's the deal. His race is the grace race. Would you say it with me? His race is the grace race. So yeah, theoretically, metaphorically, you can say life is a marathon, life is a race, but what Paul's talking about is on a holy nether level. This is a race only reserved for those who are citizens in heaven.

6:53 so yeah you can say yeah i'm running the race it's the rat race or whatever you want to say but no no no no this context is about the amazing race the specific race the unique race that god has for you you were made for it i'm made for it you have a specific race that only you can run I have a race that only I can run. So why would I compare myself with someone? The moment I compare myself with someone, I've lost my uniqueness. So Paul tells us, the apostle Paul, because sports, I mean, sports was a big thing back in Christ time. Did you know that? Sports was huge. I mean, athletes, they were like revered. Have you ever heard of that? So there were like the Olympic Games. That was on Mount Olympus.

7:47 There were the Pythian Games. That was in Delphi. There were the Isthmanyan Games in Corinth. So they had these big games, these track events staggered so the rich and the famous, the jet setters, could go from one to another to another. I thought it was fascinating because you couldn't participate, for example, in the Olympic Games unless you were a Greek citizen. I mean, you could be the greatest athlete in the world, but if you weren't a citizen, sorry, you can't compete. Then I studied that runners who would actually win, oh, they had a life of ease. I'm talking about huge money. When they walked in town, you know, rose petals on the ground in front of them. Poetry was written about them. Music was written about them. I mean, it was like, if you won, that was like the ultimate.

8:43 So the Apostle Paul goes, all right, I want to give you, based on sports, this metaphor, I want to give you a race strategy, a strategy that works. And see, this is God's strategy. Why? Because the Apostle Paul, filled by the Holy Spirit, wrote these words. I want you to know there are four elements, four elements of running this amazing race that God has for us. And you've seen collectively the 35-year race at fellowship. It's been ridiculous, but there are four elements. The first one is encouragement. If you're going to run a race, Paul says, if you're going to be and do what God wants you to be and do, you've got to delight in the encouragement of others. Now, this verse is exciting.

9:35 Hebrews chapter 12, verse one. Therefore, remember when you see therefore, ask what is therefore. Paul says, therefore, since we have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Now, he's talking about Hebrews chapter 11. He's talking about the hall of fame, which is really the hall of faith. He's talking about the fact that those matriarchs and patriarchs who've gone before us are in heaven right now. cheering you on and cheering me on. And to top that off, those people in our lives, our loved ones, like our daughter LeBeth, who are in heaven right now, they are cheering us on. It's a standing ovation that never sits down. Is that unbelievable?

10:27 so Paul says that should give us great encouragement so I look back on my friend and I look back on his advice and in essence he was telling me this here's what he was saying and here's what Paul was saying if you're in the marathon keep on running I don't know if you heard me if you're in this race if you're a citizen of heaven Keep on running. There are three groups of people here. First group will be those here who aren't in the race. You're not a citizen of heaven.

11:10 God's paid the fee for you. Jesus did by his blood, the ultimate prize. There's a race t-shirt waiting for you. You're gonna be clothed in righteousness. You've got to either receive it or not. if you receive it, if you become a citizen of heaven, you're in the race. That's your first step. Some of you have never, ever, ever made that step. And I'm going to tell you something straight up. Your life will never, ever hit on all cylinders until you make the step. I don't care how much money you have. I don't care how much sex you have. I don't care how much fame you have. I don't care how much fortune you have. It's not going to happen. Oh man, Ed, I don't believe that. Oh yeah. Well, I've, I've, I've lived now 64 years. I've met a lot of people, just the people I've interviewed here. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Only God's way works. 35 years ago, a small group of marathon runners helped us start Fellowship Church. Would you stand, please?

12:09 Remain standing. I think now would be a good time for a standing ovation. What do you think? I think now would be a good time to say, unbelievable. I think now would be a good time to say, keep on running. I can't hear you. Keep on running. Unbelievable. please be seated. 30 families in Irving, Texas,

12:50 a rented facility. Our offerings were maybe $1,000 a Sunday. We had nothing. But no, we had everything. Jesus. because Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. So all of these people, and some have graduated to heaven, have been encouraging one another and praying for one another. And you have said in so many different ways, keep on running. Keep on running. If you've ever served in the parking crew, would you stand for a second? If you've served in the parking crew, remain standing. And let's say one, two, three, keep on running.

13:43 Are you ready? Keep on running. Please be seated. If you've ever been a greeter or an usher or a part of our VIP area, would you stand? You know what to say. What? Keep on running. How about the children's ministry, the student ministry, the preschool ministry? Have you ever served there? Stand your feet if you have. Keep on running. How about a Lasso Ranch? Have you ever been there? Have you ever, not just been there, but have you ever served there? Stand if you would. One, two, three. Keep on running. How about our C3 conference that brings in thousands of people from around the world? leaders that we train. If you help in C3 Conference or serve there, stand to your feet. Let's say it together. Oh, now, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Guys, guys, I've seen you at Cowboy Games.

14:49 I've seen you at NASCAR. I've seen you at professional wrestling. And you're gonna give God that weak stuff? One, two, three, keep on running. Please be seated.

15:10 Man, we waste our worship, don't we? We come here so tired, just kind of like, hey man, I did my deal. I checked my box. No, no, no, no. Running is proactive. It's not passive. The Christian life is movement. It's going somewhere. And if you're not going somewhere, you're missing it. So we have people here and you've never ever crossed over the line and become a participant in the marathon. You can make that decision by simply saying, Jesus, I believe you paid the ultimate fee. You died on the cross for my sins. You rose again on the third day. And I believe, God, that you did what you did through Jesus. I ask you, Jesus, to come into my life. You'll be forgiven.

16:04 And then you'll be clothed in that race T-shirt, as I said earlier, the righteousness of Christ. And you, my friend, now are in the marathon. All right, I'm in the marathon. You're going to stop after one step? Really? Many here need to become participants in the marathon. Second group would be those who've stopped. For some reason, you're just like, man, I'm just stalled out. I have an injury. And when I was running the race, I saw people in different stages of suffering. Some were sick. Some were carted away by ambulance. Others kind of lost their equilibrium. It was really kind of strange. You know how hot Houston can get.

16:59 It's kind of disturbing. Why have you stalled out? really I mean this is just from me talking this is the Holy Spirit of God using my voice box why why have you stopped oh man I used to man I used to invite people to fellowship church man and I used to serve and I used to give Coinciden chart needs high shift speed graph High Los Angeles Requiem syn swing distance contradiction So that means, if you want to think about the whole time thing in the marathon, I have time to invite people like I've never invited them before, to serve like I've never served before, to give like I've never given before.

18:13 Hmm. others here you're just a consistent runner you know you just run and yeah you might slow down now and then but you just as we say grinding it out man and that's part of the Christian life but I want you to lean into the encouragement of God delight in the encouragement of God. But there's something else, some more race advice that the apostle Paul gives us. Remember, we're redeemed to race. We need to deal with encumbrances. We're gonna have encumbrances as we run this race. Hebrews 12 one says, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us.

19:08 Now I want you to check this out. an encumbrance is not a sin. Say that with me. An encumbrance is not a sin. No, an encumbrance could be something that's fine. It's, you know, neutral, you know, it's, it's okay. Now a sin is obviously committing cosmic treason before God. And we'll talk about that in a second. But what I'm talking about now is the encumbrance. If you're an athlete, especially back again, And Paul's thinking about these incredible races. The athletes would lift weights, you know, and they have these weight vests on and all this stuff to make them faster. Right before the race, they would strip to the lightest gear possible so they could run the race. he said, those things are encumbrances. An athlete's not gonna run with 20 pound dumbbells, a marathon?

20:06 An athlete's not gonna have some trench coat on and combat boots. No, no, no, no, no, no. Just the opposite, an encumbrance. What is an encumbrance? Golf. Hunting. Club sports. Travel. vacation home whoa yeah yeah yeah those things are great if you're involved in them or have them awesome but here's where encumbrances are dangerous here's where encumbrances can become sin all of a sudden you find yourself on a golf course and churches at a distance you're going on that hunting trip or fishing trip again you're traveling all around to watch your son or daughter play soccer or basketball or whatever at the expense of what?

21:17 can I tell you how many families I've talked to, fragmented families, whose lives are totally wrecked because they took the lure of club sports? hydroplaning in their marriage, disenfranchised from their kids. And they come to us wanting help. And we're here to help. But hey, wake up and smell the espresso. You've got to deal with encumbrances. And the Greek word is ekos, which means a weight. several years ago, Lisa and I were traveling internationally. I think we were going to Australia.

22:10 And I just speak a bunch of times over there. So, you know, you're packing and thinking about what to take. man, Lisa, this, this suitcase is too heavy. I mean, they're going to, they're going to reject it. And she goes, well, man, my suitcase, I said, Lisa, I'm embarrassed to tell you this because I like clothes more than Lisa. My suitcase was heavier than hers. So I said, let's just weigh them. So we weighed them on the scale we have in our bathroom. Brutal. Mine was like 15 pounds over the limit. Hers of course was under the limit. So you know what I had to do? I had to throw out a bunch of stuff. That is what the Apostle Paul is saying. If you're going to discover this ultimate life, the ultimate race, you got to throw out a bunch of stuff. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 12 tells me, and it tells you, I have the right to do anything, you say, but everything is not beneficial. I mean, not everything is beneficial. And this word beneficial literally means expedition. So anything that drags you down from this expedition, this race needs to be thrown out. So encumbrances can become sin. What are the sins we're dealing with. Three sins, basically self, pride. I mean, that's my biggest problem. Obviously sin, and then Satan. I mean, Paul's definitely being straightforward, isn't he? So we need to delight in encouragement, deal with the encumbrances. And then there's another one.

24:00 we need to be devoted to endurance. Hebrews chapter 12, verse one again, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. You're gonna face persecution. Let me say it again. If you're a student, if you're a single adult, if you're married with 2.3 kids, if you're a grandfather with seven grandkids, you will face persecution. The Bible says we will suffer in this marathon. It's just, it's just, it's just part of it. So we have to understand the, the beauty of endurance because endurance is literally crashing through quitting points. And it is, it is something we have to, to understand that our race is unique and our pace is unique. It's not like the race that others are running outside of Jesus. That's very, very important. You know, there's, there's also a prize. I mean, a crown, the Bible talks about this at the end of this race that, that the Lord wants to give us. And let me just throw in this verse for extra credit.

25:24 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away. the number one thing that keeps me and keeps you from running that ultimate marathon is unbelief. Because see, this is a marathon of faith. It's unbelief. Have you ever thought about the pattern in the Bible, the pattern? Just follow with me for a second. There's a pattern in scripture. God says grace and peace. Then say peace and grace. He says what? Grace and peace. we experience the grace of God, then we have the peace of God. Then he says, believe and get baptized. Don't just get baptized. No, no. And then believe. No. He says, believe the pattern and get baptized. You have a problem with unbelief. You have a problem with faith. You have an issue with faith. I do. I struggle each and every day. I'm a fellow struggler.

26:23 so repentance and faith do you see the progression grace peace belief baptism repentance you turn and faith and faith that is what we need in this hour as we deal with encumbrances as we deal with sin and as we're crashing through quitting points. So we need to be encouraged, delight in encouragement. We need to deal with encumbrances and those entanglements. We need to be devoted to endurance. We've got to have endurance. It comes from the Lord Jesus. And then we dial into engagement. Man, I'm dialed in. I painted a picture years ago when I was preaching. It was on an Easter and I called it self portrait. I came up here, started painting and everyone thought it was a picture of me, but it was a picture of Jesus. It's in our source bookstore. I love the painting, not because I'm a great artist, but I love it because the Holy Spirit allowed me to paint the eyes of Jesus in a unique way. And I was up here under pressure.

27:37 It just happened. Jesus is the answer. When I keep my eyes focused on Jesus, when you keep your eyes focused on Jesus, that's what Paul is driving at. He's saying, fixing our eyes on Jesus, read it there, the author and perfecter, the beginning and the end of our faith. For the joy set before him, and here's the word again, he endured, right? He endured the cross and sat down. Tell him I dropped the mic, the cosmic mic, right hand of God. And now we know that Jesus lives to make intercession for us. We know that those who are in heaven are one with Jesus. So as I said earlier, those in heaven are praying for you. They're encouraging you, not just your loved ones.

28:34 I'm talking about people like Abraham, Joshua, Moses, Deborah, Ruth, Simon Peter, and also Jesus. who do you have your eyes on? Who are you looking at? The answer is Jesus, because, again, I'll say, time is running out.

29:05 Time is running out. God wants you to be a champion runner and to get this ultimate reward. The Bible calls it a crown. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 19 says this. Now I want you to think about what is the ultimate prize? Okay, we know heaven is the ultimate. And next Sunday, I'm beginning a teaching series on heaven. It's funny, we talk a lot about it, but we don't know about it. And most of what we say about it is folklore and it's not biblical fact. The Bible talks a lot about heaven. And I'm going to spend more time in heaven than I am here. So I'd better know what the other side is like and what it's about. And it's going to be exciting and thrilling and it will build some serious faith. So I'm not talking about heaven right now, okay? I'm talking about I'm running this race.

30:01 And then I finish the race. And again, God knows I'm not going to be perfect. He knows you're not perfect. But by his grace at his pace, then we receive this crown. What is that crown like? Well, I did some digging. This is extra credit. First Thessalonians chapter two, verse 19. It says, for what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus. When he comes, it is what? You. What does that mean? It means that we have an opportunity in this race to take as many people as possible to heaven and those people by God's mercy that we take to heaven will be our crown.

31:08 I mean, can you imagine you're showing up in heaven and you see someone that God's given you the ability to lead to Christ? Can you imagine saying, hey, I want you to meet my Jesus. I want you to meet my Lord. Thank you. it doesn't get better than that.

31:32 And if that is not you, you are missing it. And you will be miserably disappointed. God wants to save us from disappointment. He wants to save us from this consternation. So he's encouraging us. He's saying, hey, I'll give you the ability to deal with those encumbrances in those sins. I'll give you Holy Spirit-fueled endurance. I'll help you keep your eyes focused on Jesus. it's been a fun day, but I left you hanging about the marathon. I never told you if I finished it or not.

32:25 You have no idea. Did I quit? I mean, I hit the wall. Remember that? My toes, ah. My calves, help me. My quads, free me up. What I didn't tell you was, my friend, And Wayne Long, right before the race said, hey, Ed, see this white tracksuit I have? I go, yeah, man, it looks cool. He said, you're going to hit the wall. And I'll be there at the 20 mile marker to pick you up and run the last 6.2 miles of the race with you.

33:05 I'm thinking, man, this is serious. is. So I'm running, 20 mile marker, everything in my body saying quit, quit. And I remember looking to my left and look at this picture here. And I see someone dressed in all white. He began to encourage me to help me through the cramps and my aches and pains to take the curves. and I began to run faster and faster and faster. And the last 6.2 miles, I ran sub six minute miles. Yeah, whatever. We hit these walls, don't we, in life? I've got great news for you. There's someone in white who wants to run with you, who loves you, who paid the price for you to even get in the race.

34:11 His name is Jesus. And he's telling you and me, keep on running. Let me hear it again, church. Keep on running. Let's pray. I want to pray right now for group one. If you've never, ever, ever given your life to Christ, if you've never become a citizen of heaven, you can make that decision right now by saying this, the same prayer that I've prayed with many people as they become a part of this race. Just say, God, I admit to you that I'm a sinner and I repent. I turn from my sins and I turn to you. By faith, I believe, God, you sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins to rise again. And right now, I give you my life, come into my life.

35:09 And the moment you said that, Christ has come into your life. All of your sins, past, present, and future are forgiven. And he's given you that raised t-shirt that is his righteousness. So when God looks at you, he doesn't see a sinner struggling in some race. No, no, no. he sees someone in the race of grace who is walking and running in the righteousness and with the righteousness of Christ.

35:40 That's my first prayer. The second prayer is gonna be for those here who are still like maybe stalled or stopped. Hey, Lord, I'm thankful they're in the race, but for some reason, the entanglements, for some reason, the sin is keeping them away from really running. Yeah, in the past they did one, two, and three, but they've kind of faded. And it's time to step up like you've never stepped up before in this race. Because time is limited. I mean, Lord, I believe our time is limited, but the time on earth, I mean, earth's clock is ticking down. others of us here who are running gracefully. I just ask God for an extra measure of power and strength fueled by your Holy Spirit we thank you for a great church I thank you just for being able to be a part of it I thank you for all the people here and may we never be the same over the next 35 years in Jesus name we pray Amen Amen.