THE AMAZING RACE                                                                  EAST BAY FELLOWSHIP

(Series, #1)                                                                                                                  April 6, 2008

ARE YOU IN THE RACE?

TEXT: Heb. 12:1-3

INTRODUCTION

· Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in

such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict

training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will

last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly…

                                          1 Cor 9:24-26 (NIV)

WHAT MAKES OUR RACE AMAZING IS:

1) THE SPECTATORS ARE ALL FORMER PARTICIPANTS

· One commentator describes this word as referring to “the great amphitheater with the arena for the runner and the tiers upon tiers of seats rising up like a cloud.” (Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament)

· The word for “witnesses” here is the word from which we get our English word

     “martyr”.

2) EACH OF US HAS OUR OWN RACE TO RUN

· The words “marked out” come from two words that basically mean to set something down in front of someone.

· The race is about accomplishing our assignment.

3) EVERYONE WHO FINISHES WINS

· Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands

firm to the end will be saved.                     Matt 24:12-13 (NIV)

· He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord

Jesus Christ.                                                1 Cor 1:8 (NIV)

CONCLUSION

· “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!  When we all see

Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!”   Hymn, Hewitt/Wilson