Endure the Race

This statement reads, “In the drama of life some scenes will be tragic and trying. Those who desire to build a better tomorrow are to look beyond what is to what can be through a people who are dedicated to God’s benevolent and gracious will.” (Hobbs, My Favorite Illustrations, 195).

Today, this is just what we will do with this final sermon in our series on Doing Hard Things.

The hard thing today is enduring the race.

This race we run is full of challenges and struggles.

It is full of pain and difficulties.

It is one though that we do not run alone.

Each of these points will be examined in the next few minutes because we need strength to make it through.

Today we will examine two different sections of Scripture.

The first section is in 2 Timothy 3:10-13 and 2 Tim. 4:5-8.

But mark your Bible’s at Hebrews 12:1-3 as well.

In 2 Tim. 3:10-13 we read...

2 Timothy 3:10–13 ESV

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Persecution.

This is a word we do not like and that some banty about for attention.

But it is true that believers will be persecuted.

Paul tells us that in this race we run...

Godliness Will Bring Pain

Paul suffered much during his ministry.

He went into the ministry knowing from the start that he was going to suffer.

We read this in Acts 9:16 “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Ananias received a command from the Lord to go to Paul and tell him what Christ said.

This is part of the command.

Paul knew he would suffer and suffer he did.

He endured because God is worth it, he saved Paul when Paul was as lost and wicked as one could be, and God carried Paul through it all as we read in verse 11.

We also see in this that we will suffer too.

If you live for the Lord and live that out where people see this, people will insult you, attack you, mock you, shun you, and even hate you deeply.

Paul tells us why this is in verse 13.

The evil people and imposters, false teachers in the church, get worse and worse.

The culture loves those who support their desires and passions.

Many false teachers never speak ill of sin but approve of it and even celebrate it.

When we stand against that false nonsense, we are standing against not only those outside the church, but also many in the church.

Not that those in the church supporting this are part of the body, but they are in the church.

We will face struggles and difficulties from all fronts.

But that is okay because just as the Lord rescued, preserved, Paul, He will do the same for you.

The Lord is for you and He is with you and because of that you can endure the pain that will come.

Stand boldly for the Lord and allow Him to preserve you and keep you, because He will do this and so much more when you stand with truth and not culture.

When we do we will do what Paul says in the next section.

In 2 Tim. 4:3-8

2 Timothy 4:3–8 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Endure sound teaching, endure suffering, fight the good fight, look to the prize of Christ, and finish the race.

These phrases can be boiled down to...

Keep Running to the Goal

Again, Paul tells us to endure suffering, but there is the inclusion of enduring sound teaching.

Why did Paul say this?

Because sound teaching is the truth taught.

It is not the fun or outrageous ear tickling sermons that many preach.

It is not the fun and elaborate shows many churches have gone to.

It is pure truth which changes your lives because it impacts you in the pet sins we all have.

Sound teaching must be endured because in sound teaching we learn what God desires and what He is against.

We learn life and sometimes this can be tedious.

But when we endure sound teaching we will endure suffering and not drift off into myths.

We will be better able to endure suffering when we know the truth because we will be sober-minded and when sober-minded we understand what is happening.

We realize that suffering is what happens to those who speak truth.

Back in 2021 in Loudon County Virginia at the school board meeting a father named Scott Smith was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct when he brought accusations up that the school district was covering up the rape of his daughter by a biological male who claimed to be a female.

The US government even tried to weigh in and say that this man was an example of parents run amock and why there needed to be restraints against what parents could be involved with in schools.

The man was arrested and sentenced to ten days in Jail. That was then changed to nothing if he had one year of good behavior.

This led to a group of journalists to investigate forcing the school to face the accusations which were absolutely true.

The school knew of this and had transferred that male to another school where he raped another girl.

Yet, the father had been arrested and sentenced, persecuted if you will, for being bold and telling the truth.

This man suffered for the truth but he would not stop because the truth is worth it.

Paul tells us to stand for and with the truth never backing down but fulfilling our ministry.

Your ministry as well as mine is to share the truth with People.

The truth is that Jesus is the Christ and the only way of salvation and living in sin is unacceptable to God.

Keep fighting the good fight because there is a prize for all who are faithful and continue running well.

Look to the Lord’s coming as your strength.

Again, we can’t do this on our own power but you can by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in you.

He is who will give you strength and embolden you.

Let Him fill you and flow out of you.

Christ will carry you through all suffering when you have suffered for Him. He is faithful.

You are not alone in suffering.

Look at Heb. 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

1 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, 2 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. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

What this text tells us is to look back at chapter 11 and all those faithful followers.

They are a group of encouragers of those who suffered well for the Lord.

We have them and we know because of them and this text that...

Endurance is Found in Christ

The Christian life, though compared to a race, is not a game.

It is warfare.

We are in a battle and we will feel pain and attacks.

When this occurs, look to Christ.

He has the answers and hope.

He gave us His word and others to help us along.

Look there. Pray. Get connected.

Stand together as one because we are one.

But to run well and fight well we are to lay aside all weights or encumbrances that weigh us down.

These can be something otherwise good but that have become bad, like a friendship, an association, an event, place, habit, pleasure, entertainment, or even an honor you have received.

Set aside needless baggage that weighs you down.

But only you know what encumbrance you have.

Only you can lay that aside and get up and get back in the race.

But it is not only the needless encumbrances we need to lay aside but any sin that clings closely to us.

If we are stained by a sin that we will not release, that again only you know what that is, we will not be able to run and fight well.

Picture it like this, when we try to carry groceries in, carry a child, unlock the door, and hold an animal out or in, we really struggle.

Lay some of that aside and get back in.

If we do not, if we try to run dirty we will be like the Olympic athlete Ben Johnson in the 88 Olympics.

Johnson ran in the 100 meter dash in the 88 Olympics. In this race, he set an amazing record in the 100-meter dash—a 9.79-second finish.

It was said that this record would stand for a hundred years.

But in less than a hundred hours it was.

Johnson ran dirty. He had a sin clinging closely to him that he did not lay aside. He tested positive for stanozolol steroids.

He tried to run the race with a grievous sin and he was stripped of his title and gold medal.

We must, and we can, lay aside all sin that we know of to run well and endure suffering.

Enduring to the end is hard but it is possible when we submit to Christ and let Christ carry us through.

He set the path for us.

He cleared the way if we will just stay in that path.

Do not look around at the scenery around you, the culture.

Do not remove your eyes from Christ and what He has set for us.

Just like running look where you are going and not behind you or around you because when we do that we fall.

Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith and He is the one who will carry us through.

He is the one who made it possible and He will make the way possible for us.

It will require hard things, which are trusting Christ and ignoring the hate of culture.

This takes discipline of faith in Christ alone to maintain this path.

Remember what Paul said about the reward awaiting all who persevere–Nothing of eternal value can be won without endurance and discipline.

Endurance requires discipline and loyalty. Being loyal to Christ will give all you need for your race.

It will because He has already ran the path we are on.

He has made the way.

Just stay on this path with Christ, keep ahold of His hand, never let Him go, and He will guide you through everything.

Just stay where He says and you will run well.

Just as He knew God had something far better as we see in verse 2-3, He endured.

This path is what He has laid for you, whatever path of struggle or pain you are on, endure the sufferings and sacrifices you make here because in Christ there is something far better awaiting you.

Are you Mocked? Jesus says, so was I my beloved.

Are you scorned? Jesus says, so was I my beloved.

Have you been beat? Jesus says so was I my beloved.

Have you been abused? Jesus says, so was I my beloved.

Are you afraid? Jesus says, so was I my beloved.

He knows the sufferings you are in or will be in and He is there to guide you and hold you.

He endured so you could endure.

As verse 3 ends, “so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

Jesus suffered and endured through the misery inflicted by sinners so that we may not grow weary.

He is with you and He will carry you through.

Give it all to Him and trust Him to carry you.

He died for you, I believe He will be your strength when you can’t continue.

Trust Him and rest in Him and see how well you run the race then.

Conclusion

Running well is your choice.

We have the option to stay faithful and look to Jesus or look away and at the concerns we have or the culture and falter.

When Leonardo da Vinci was painting his masterpiece, “The Last Supper,” he sought long for a model for his Christ. At last he located a chorister [a choir boy] in one of the churches of Rome who was lovely in life and features, a young man named Pietro Bandinelli.

Years passed, and the painting was still unfinished. All the disciples had been portrayed save one—Judas Iscariot. Now he started to find a man whose face was hardened and distorted by sin—and at last he found a beggar on the streets of Rome with a face so villainous, he shuddered when he looked at him. He hired the man to sit for him as he painted the face of Judas on his canvas. When he was about to dismiss the man, he said, “I have not yet found out your name.” “I am Pietro Bandinelli,” he replied, “I also sat for you as your model of Christ.”

If you were given a chair in da Vinci’s painting, in whose place would you be sitting today—Judas’ or Jesus’? The path you choose to travel in life determines which place you will end up. (Practical Illustrations: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, 81.)

Endure the race. You Can Endure the Race with Jesus leading the way.

Stay on the path he laid.

By His power you can stay godly in the face of suffering.

You can keep running toward the goal.

You can because Endurance is found in Christ.

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