Children can be dismissed for children's church. Selena. Take your Bibles if you would. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12 and we'll we'll continue there. We started last week.

Hebrews chapter 12 on running running the race. Think one of Ashley's kids has a fever again this morning, riots. So if you'll keep them in your prayers, I know she'd appreciate that. Hebrews chapter twelve one and two. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, we we thank you for your word. We thank you for your son who gave his life for us. We thank you for the privilege of being your children.

And, Lord, we we thank you for the opportunity to to glorify you here this morning. Lord, we we pray that you would be with those who have needs. They are many. But, Lord, we specifically remember David family today and pray that you would lift him up. Give him grace, wisdom to his doctors, and strength to his body.

We pray that you would be with Vern who's in the hospital and quite ill, that you'd be with Judy as well and that you would raise him up and deliver him from this. We pray that you'd be with Bonnie's nephew, Luke, who is struggling with cancer and and not doing well. We pray Lord for his parents and for him that Lord you would intervene. Lord, for Ashley's kids and others in our church that are still ill and can't be with us today. We pray for their soon recovery.

We thank you, Lord, that you are a God of great power and mercy and love. You are the great physician. We appeal to you now, and we appeal to you also that you would open up our hearts and minds and make us whole altogether. If there be one here today that is yet to receive Christ as savior, there is an illness, Lord, so to speak, that they have of which you have the cure, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and we pray that they would receive your gift of mercy today. In Jesus' name, do pray.

Amen. The race. There is a race according to the writer of Hebrews. A race that we as children of God are a part of, involved in, participants in. That race is the pursuit of Christ, the pursuit of God and His favor and reward.

This is the only one in the end that will matter. All those gold medals hung around all of those athletes in the end will count for nothing. But there is a crown awaiting those in heaven who have served the Lord faithfully and run their race with patience and zeal for the Lord, their savior. This is the race that matters in light of eternity and the one that is sadly ignored, even to some extent by his children. Philippians chapter three thirteen and fourteen, Paul writes, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do.

Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul says there is a there is coming a day when God is gonna call me before him. And what does Paul hope to hear? Well done, thou what? Good and faithful servant.

And he press he keeps his eyes fixed on that on that prize because that is the one that will matter in the end. First John two fifteen through 17. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world.

And the world passeth away in the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth, what? Forever. If you live for the things of the world, then you will suffer great loss. What does it profit if a man gains the whole world and loses his own what? And loses his own soul.

How sad is it for the child of God who has gained eternal life and forgiveness and an opportunity to serve his God to stand one day empty handed? And at the judgment seat, watch it all go up and, what, in smoke. Only the things we do for God will, what, last. All of those things we amass, those toys, those bank accounts, even those homes, as sadly many thousands are going up in smoke in California today. They are only for a time.

They will not bring eternal joy. You cannot take them with you. We who have come to Christ in faith for eternal life and salvation from sin are now indeed the children of God and have entered the race of life for who? For Jesus. We have stepped out onto the track, a new track for Christ.

We have a new life in Christ, a new purpose to glorify God. And like those who have gone before us, we have our opportunity today. They have their opportunity in their day. We have our opportunity in this day to make a difference in the world for Jesus, to be salt and light. And we need to get busy and get focused and not waste the time that God has given us.

If you're given a job to do, you have a place of employment, and they give you a project. The project has a what? A deadline. And it needs to be what? It needs to be finished.

And if it's gonna be finished, you need to get what? You need to get busy. We this life has a deadline. You don't know when the deadline is, but the deadline is coming. And the project needs to be what?

Finished. And while there are other projects that we have to do, there is one all important project, one all important master that we serve. And we need to be busy and get busy serving him before the time has passed us by. I don't know about some of you, but by nature, I am a procrastinator. Procrastinator.

I tend to get real motivated when the thing is due tomorrow. I have a difficult time getting motivated weeks in advance. And I'm afraid some of us try to treat the Lord that way in the mission that we've been given. And we're all focused on the temporal things, and we just put off the eternal things till tomorrow. But as the days pass me by and I get a year older and another year older, time is going by.

What do we have to show? What time do we have left? We must not just let it fly by. One day, we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive our reward when our race is over. Will there be a crown awaiting us that we may lay at his feet?

As Paul declared to Timothy, as Paul encouraged Timothy to stay the course as well. Second Timothy four seven and eight, Paul writes, he's awaiting his execution at this point. And thus Paul writes to Timothy, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.

Hence, there henceforth, there is a laid up a crown for me, a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing, that are looking with their eyes fixed on the appearing of the Lord on the day that we will stand before him and live their lives in light of that day. No, we're not perfect and God knows we're not perfect. And Paul was not perfect either. Yes, sometimes there are sins we have to confess. There are things we have to change.

There are there are regrets that we have and things that we have messed up, but praise the Lord, his mercies are new what? Every morning in his compassions, they fail not. We can't do anything about yesterday, but we can do something about tomorrow and the next day and the next day till the day comes when we, as Paul, till our race is is finished. And hopefully, we can say with such assurance as he did, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course.

I have kept the faith. If that is to be so, we must cast aside some weights and sins which will hinder us in our race that we talked about last week, sins we must confess and deal with rather than allowing them to linger and fester and pull us down. And other weights which we must cast aside, which we are tempted to to cling to and hold on to because we think I just can't can't make it without you filling the blank. What is it that you can't make it without? And that thing is not Jesus?

What is it? Is it a an earthly relationship that maybe isn't one that is beneficial, edifying the Bible word, that maybe needs to be let go. Maybe the pursuit of money and prestige, maybe bad sinful habits, addictions. You can live without that. Doesn't say it'll be easy to let it go.

But I can do all things through Christ who what? Strengthens me. Hobbies that take up too much of our time. Aspirations that are not in keeping with his. Fears, fear of men, of failure, phobias, fear of safety, fear of humiliation.

Whatever your fear is that keeps you from serving the Lord with keeps you from getting in the race. Hurts and offenses, we all have them. Are we going to keep them around? Are we going to let them go? Failures, regrets, past sins.

If we're going to move forward, we need to shed some of the what? Some of the baggage because you're not going to run a race very well if you're carrying four suitcases. And in Christ, you don't have to carry them, do you? Come into me all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. I I will take your yoke upon me, Christ says.

Just let me have it and quit holding on to it. Sometimes we find it awful hard to run the race because we're just holding on to too many things. Let them go. In this verse, Paul declares that there are things such as these which we must put behind us, things that he needed to put behind him to let go of so we can run the race in what? In front of us and not the one behind us.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I I second guess myself too often. When you're second guessing yourself, you're often trying to run the race that's already passed. We need to run the race that's won in front of us. We need to quit looking back, and we need to look forward. Along with letting go, we must keep our eyes on the prize before us and on the savior who has blazed the trail before us.

You don't have to cut the trail. The trail's already been cut. The savior will run it with you and he's there with you. He'll strengthen you. But you need to get in the ballgame.

You need to turn your eyes forward and quit looking back. As Paul declares in Philippians three, the key is not looking back, but the key is looking forward, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are what? Before. Yes. There are lessons to be learned from the past which we must not forget.

That's true. Yes, there are blessings in the past which we should still be reminded of and be grateful for. The Lord was concerned that the Israelites would forget those things that he had done for them once they got in the land and and had it easy. And guess what? He was right.

That's what they did. There are lessons we have learned that we must not forget. There are blessings that we have been given that we must continue to be grateful for. Yes. But we cannot live in the past.

You cannot live in the past. We must look to tomorrow. We must cast aside the weights, accept God's forgiveness and grace, and move forward. We must not rest on our laurels, reliving the blessings and triumphs and joys of the past. It's good to remember them sometimes, but you can't what?

You can't live there. You must live in the in the present and keep our eyes fixed on the what? On the future in Christ that we have, on the future opportunities. There were many successes in Paul's ministry, but he never was satisfied with the last city in the ministry and the church that he planted there and the souls that were saved. No.

He didn't just go back home and say, okay, boy, I did really good. Look at all. I'll just. No. He got up and he neck he went to the next what?

He went to the next city until God stopped him and put him in the position we find him in second Timothy and says, it's time you're coming home. But until then, kept looking what? Forward. Now now looking forward changes at different times in our life and as we change, we get wiser in some areas and weaker in others and but as long as we're here, there's still something for us today and tomorrow. We can remember the lessons we have learned from the past.

We can be grateful for the things that God has done, but we must not be comfortable to just be satisfied with that. As Paul, we must keep looking forward, looking to Jesus Christ. We must learn to look to Jesus to pursue the joys of today and tomorrow looking to him as we're told here in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse two. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. How do we run this race with patience?

You know, it's got bumps in the road. At times, it seems like, yeah, there's there's obstacles that just get thrown up in your path. It seems like you're running and you're not going anywhere. How how do you keep running the race when you take three steps forward and then and then you find yourself you took two steps back? With patience.

With faith, as we look to who? As we look to Jesus. Jesus did not make a mistake in saving your soul. He has a purpose in it. He has a plan for you.

He has a ministry even this day, this week, this year. Look to him. Unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our what? Of our faith. Look to Jesus who procured our faith, our salvation by his obedient death on the cross.

Look to him. Who willingly submitted himself to the will of his father in all things. Look to Jesus. You want to see patience? Look to Jesus.

Who is the author and the finisher of our faith, who who has provided us the opportunity because he ran his race. Look to him who has blazed our trail and will run with us, who has saved our soul. Look to him who endured such contradiction of sinners, that is endured such mocking and humiliation, suffered such physical pain and torture at the hands of those that he looked down at from the cross and said, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus was looking at some of those who had nailed his feet and hands to that cross. Jesus was looking at people that were down there mocking and making fun of him.

Those who were gambling for his robe as they poked fun at the royal robe of the king of the Jews at the foot of his cross. And yet, this Jesus said, father, forgive them for they know not what they do, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame. He wasn't he was not going to be overcome. He endured it for us. Yes, we will find at times the race will push back.

We must not we must continue undeterred as our savior and finish the course as Paul did. In Acts chapter 20 I don't have it up here on the screen. It'll take me a minute to turn. In Acts chapter 20, the apostle Paul was being told over and over again, don't go to Jerusalem. Bad things are gonna happen when you get he was taking the offering that he had amassed for the church of Jerusalem.

And and they were saying, don't don't go there. You're the suffering's awaiting you. And there's what Paul had to say in Acts twenty twenty four. But none of these things move me. What does that mean?

None of these things are going to stop me. They they don't cause me to to to stop and go, oh, oh, better not do that. None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And Paul was determined that the Lord wanted him to to preach that gospel one more time in Jerusalem and Paul said, yes, I know suffering's coming but I'm going. I'm going.

Our savior came to this earth knowing why he came, to suffer and die on a cross for our sins, to rise again from the dead, to provide a way of salvation for those who would be his kindred because he became one of us. So he endured the cross. Matthew and Luke record Christ's words when he said, take up your cross and follow me. Now our cross will never be as heavy as his for he carried this with sins of the what? The world on his cross.

Too many times we just wanna set our cross down, kinda piddle around smelling the roses. We need to pick it back up. We must keep our eyes on the prize. The end goal is Jesus who followed through faithfully to the end for the prize, his exaltation in our salvation until the day of our high calling and well done in crowns that we can lay at his feet. Philippians two nine through 11, wherefore God also hath what?

Highly exalted. Verse eight says, became obedient unto death even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Why did he endure all of that? He endured the cross and despised the shame.

You look to the phrase above it, who for the joy that was what? That was set before him. Part of that joy is you. You were his joy. You were his reason he endured that cross, followed by the exaltation at the right hand of the father and is set down at the what?

At the right hand of the throne of God. He looked to eternity. He looked to the real prize. And we need to realize, and it's it's difficult because we put a lot of stock in what these eyes see, and what those eyes can't see comes hard for us. But faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things, what, not seen.

And by eyes, through eyes of faith, we can see the prize that's before us that's awaiting us in heaven and eternity and live our lives in light of that and get get in the race. Pick up our cross and follow him because there is a prize awaiting us at the end. Because as Jesus Christ was exalted, we who are in Christ are exalted, what? With him. We must keep our eyes on our great example and follow in his steps.

Steps of love and humility, steps of sacrifice and service, steps of holiness and peace. While the world swirls about us, we must remember that with Christ in the vessel, we can smile at the storm, We can rest in his promises. We can stay undeterred by the failures of the past, not distracted by the pleasures of the world or the fears of tomorrow and step forth in faith, keeping our eyes on who? On Jesus. Take our eyes off of Jesus, we start looking around at all the craziness going on around us.

We allow the pleasures of the world to distract us and the fears of tomorrow to weigh us down, and suddenly our legs get heavy in the race and we start running out of breath and things get difficult, We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember Peter? Peter was in a boat, and they saw Jesus out walking on the water. At first, they thought he was like a ghost or spirit or apparition or something. They all got scared, then Jesus said, no, it's me.

And when they realized it was him, what did Peter ask To come to him. He wanted to walk on the water. He wanted to come out to the savior. And Jesus said, yes. Sure.

Who are we pursuing? What is this race? We're pursuing who? Jesus Christ, being conformed to his image. It's a good pursuit.

And so Peter got out of the boat and he began to walk to Christ. And then he took his eyes off of who? He took his eyes off of Jesus and he looked around and he looked at the waves and all of a sudden, entered in and doubt, and he began to what? He began to sink. Now praise the Lord.

Even when we fail, who's still there? Jesus is still there. Jesus reached down and pulled him up out of the water as he's pulled us out many times. He'll never leave us nor, what, forsake his children. He'll always be there.

But we need to learn a lesson from Peter and quit looking at the waves and keep start looking at who? The savior. Quit quit quit being all all caught up in the things of this world, and remember that there is a world to come and a prize to be won, crowns that we can lay at the feet of our savior. This we must do and not fall apart in self pity or despair, shun reality for a fairy tale or a bottle or a joint. If we are to run the race with success as Paul did, we must keep looking forward unhindered by the past, looking to Jesus not only as our great example but our great provider through whom we can do all things, endure all things, bear all things, believe all things, accomplish all things that he calls us to do, and be grateful in all things, even the bumps in the road.

Yes. Tomorrow, we can be better in some way. Tomorrow can be better in some way than yesterday despite life's changes and setbacks and frailties and sorrows. But you need to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. You need to trust him.

He is able, and he has something for us tomorrow. Galatians six nine, it says, be not weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we want, if we faint not. So don't faint. Yes. He knows it's hard, but he's there.

He loves you. He'll still be there. So don't give up on tomorrow because Jesus is there. Look to him. Sad to say more and more in our world are doing that very thing.

They're giving up. Even professing believers in some cases throwing in the towel and ending their race the wrong way. And many have no hope for they have not Christ, but you do. They see no race laid out before them, but you should. They know of no prize awaiting them at the end, but you do and I do.

And it's the arms of Jesus. It is the well done, thou good and faithful servant. It is crowns we can lay at his feet. We need to do our best to help others to see eternity and enter the race through faith in Christ. We need to get our act together so they will see that running this race is not a burden, it's a what?

It's a joy. You know, when I look at those people who run-in the Olympics and look at all they go through, To me, that is not a joy. I I was never blessed with endurance from the time I was born. My legs cramp up a 100 yards into whatever. That doesn't seem like a joy to me, but you know it is a joy to who?

It's a joy to them. They enjoy it. They they're working for a while for a prize that they long to see. They're pursuing something. And even if they don't get on the top step, they move up in the ranks, if they they beat somebody, if they get a faster time than they did yesterday, it brings them joy.

And and they, as Paul says, for a temporal crown, we have an eternal crown. And though the world look may look at us like we look at the the marathon runner in the Olympics and say, that looks like torture to me. It's a joy if we keep our eyes fixed on who? Fixed on Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. Yes.

That cross was a burden, but that cross was also joy. He looked forward to what was on the other side, and we can too. We need to get ourselves get over ourselves and get moving for Jesus who did so much for us. Will you join me in asking God to help you to do a better job this year, keeping our eyes on the prize and on the savior? Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for your word, an opportunity to to be challenged by it today. And pray, Lord, if there's someone here that is not in the race, They're looking at it from from the outside. They don't know you. They have yet to have their sins forgiven. Pray, Lord, they come as we sing this hymn of invitation.

We can show them through faith in the Lord who died on the cross for their sins, who ran his race so that they could be saved and become the children of God and be granted eternal life in him. I pray they'd come as we sing this hymn. And for us, Lord, today who know you, who are in the race, but, Lord, know that we have allowed ourselves to be distracted by so many things. Lord, we pray today that you would help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, that you would forgive us of our our failures in that regard, that we would leave here today with a renewed commitment by your grace and in your strength to finish the course that is set before us. Not to live in the past, but to look towards the future and the joys that are there for us in Jesus Christ our savior, tomorrow and on into all eternity.

In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen. Take your hymn books