Scripture Passage
Worship Video
Worship Audio
Sermon Script
Our life is a race. It is not a sprint. It is a marathon.
Scripture often uses this metaphor. We run wholeheartedly toward the finish line in the distance.
St. Paul described his life in this way—
I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
Anyone can begin the race.
We are full of energy and strength. Our excitement for the race reflects in our movement.
Starting is easy, no problem. So is finishing.
What is difficult is the middle part. When our muscles begin to tire and get sore. When our motivation and resolve to win begin to wane.
When the finish line seems so far away, and we begin to doubt whether we will make it anymore.
Yes, everyone may start the race at the same time. But it is in the middle that some stop running altogether. They give up.
In order to finish the race of our life, we need to be resilient. In order to be resilient, we need to stay focused.
I realize that the temptation to give up is most powerful when we get distracted.
It is not necessarily when we are tired and exhausted. It is when we start losing our focus.
In other words, it is when we see people around us giving up. It makes us go, “Why am I trying so hard?” It gives us a convenient reason to do the same thing ourselves.
Some of us just got back from Sioux Valley. There, the temptation to give up is everywhere.
Young people especially struggle with it. They see others giving up, and see no reason to go on either. Finishing high school and going to university isn’t common.
Giving up has many different faces. Settling for what is easy and popular. Isolating oneself from others. Maintaining the status quo. Running from one thing to the next. Going through the motions, without dreams or passion.
God has given us one unique life to live. God desires that we live this life meaningfully, to the fullest. In order to do that, we need faith.
Today’s passage is the second half of the well-known passage on faith.
It speaks of the ancestors or the ‘heroes’ of the faith. All those that went before us.
It starts with Abel and goes through the all the recognizable names in the Old Testament (Noah, Abraham, Rahab, Gideon, David). It details their accomplishments as well as the difficult challenges they faced.
It all begins with the definition of faith—
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
But the Hebrews writer wasn’t interested in talking about faith for its sake.
He wasn’t concerned about speaking about it in an abstract way. He had a greater concern at heart.
The early Jewish Christians were wavering in their newfound faith. Christianity was heavily persecuted.
They were losing confidence in Jesus’ return. The old days being in Judaism seemed much better.
Some were seeing others leave the faith. They were thinking of doing the same as well.
In that sense, today’s passage is both a plea and an encouragement. To stay focused and not throw in the towel in the face of hardship. To remind them that their running was not in vain.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us… (Hebrews 12:1)
In times of challenges, we may feel lost and isolated. We may only see the reasons to give up the race we are in.
But let us remember that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.
Just as there are those who gave up along the way, there are also those who did not give up. Those who fought and kept the faith. Those who did not waver and persevered to the end.
Today’s passage ends with this verse—
…looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Focus your eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of faith.
The Greek word for perfecter is ‘teliotes’. It means one who finishes or completes something. That was Jesus.
Jesus did not live an easy life. He ran the most difficult race of all. Yet, even in the midst of difficulties, he did not give up.
Even when everyone deserted him, he did not follow them. He went to the cross, all alone.
Yet along the way, Jesus also wavered. We see that in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He asked that his cup be taken away. He was overwhelmed by what lay ahead of him.
But even in the darkest hour of his life, he looked to God. He left everything in God’s hands.
This was his prayer—
He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me, yet not what I want but what you want.” (Mark 14:36)
Jesus focused on God, and he regained his focus in life. He said confidently, “Rise! Let us go!”
My friends, while running our race, we will get distracted. Things will get us down.
What others do and say may influence us negatively. We will feel weak and lack all conviction about our future.
Don’t let yourself be carried away by those distractions. That is a part of our journey.
Instead, look to Jesus and focus on him. Make that a spiritual practice. Looking to the Lord in faith.
God will grant us the faith we need. There is the faith we have, and the faith that God gives us. Faith that God gives completes our faith.
In God, we will find the strength to keep going.
But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Earlier this month, there was a 2025 Canyon Ultra Marathon. The marathon involved a 63-km race through the rugged terrains of Tarahumara mountains in Mexico.
The winner of the women’s division was someone that no one had expected to win. Her name was Candelaria Rivas Ramos. She was of an Indigenous descent.
The other participants had their support team and their running gears for the marathon. She arrived alone and in her traditional skirt. She ran the race in simple sandals that was a part of her culture.
She ran and walked nonstop and in 7 hours and 34 minutes, she finished 1st place.
Candelaria’s win wasn’t just her personal triumph over the challenging conditions. It also represented one person’s victory over a system that often overlooks those without resources, fame, or funding.
She did not let any of those things get in the way of her running and finishing the race. She was focused, all the way to the end.
I pray that this can be our life.
Life that does not bend easily under hardship. Life that does not lose sight of what is important. Life that perseveres to the end, with God’s help.
I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
To me, that is a beautiful life. Life that shines brightly and brings glory to God.
That is the life of faith in the resurrection.
Leave a Reply