Running the Race of Life with Perseverance
Summary
In today's message, we explored the theme of running the race of life with perseverance and how it impacts our relationships. We began by discussing the importance of prioritizing the person, pausing before responding, and planning good questions in our interactions. Our goal is not to impress others but to bless them, making them feel valued and drawn out in conversations. This sets the stage for our main topic: releasing relational blocks to run freely and strengthen our relationships.
We turned to Hebrews 12, where the author encourages us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. This passage emphasizes the need to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy. Holiness is not about adopting a strange demeanor but about becoming more like Jesus, removing anything that makes Him feel unwelcome in our lives.
We shared a story about Russ Cook, a British endurance athlete who ran over 9,900 miles across Africa. His journey taught us the importance of running light, shedding any unnecessary weight. Similarly, in our spiritual race, we must get rid of anything that hinders our growth and relationships. This includes not only sin but also emotional baggage and past hurts that affect how we interact with others.
We reviewed our series on staying connected, highlighting the epidemic of loneliness and mental health issues in our society. The first step to overcoming these issues is being adopted into God's family through faith in Jesus. This adoption gives us countless brothers and sisters and a sense of belonging that lasts forever. We also discussed practical ways to follow through on Philippians 2, emphasizing the importance of humility and considering others above ourselves.
The message then focused on the practical steps we can take to release relational blocks. We identified three common responses to relational issues: denial, ignoring the problem, and blaming others. These responses prevent us from growing and becoming the best version of ourselves that Jesus desires. Instead, we should take responsibility for our growth, seeking to remove anything that hinders our relationships.
We provided several resources available through the Grace app, including discussion questions and notes from the series. We also mentioned various classes and retreats designed to help individuals identify and release relational blocks. These include the Making Peace retreat, sexual integrity groups, and counseling services. These resources offer practical steps to help us grow and become more like Jesus.
We concluded by emphasizing the importance of making every effort to live in peace and be holy. This involves not only removing sin but also addressing any emotional baggage or past hurts that affect our relationships. We encouraged everyone to spend time in prayer, asking Jesus to reveal the next steps in their journey and to seek guidance from trusted friends or family members.
In summary, running the race of life with perseverance involves shedding anything that hinders our growth and relationships. By prioritizing others, pausing before responding, and planning good questions, we can bless those around us and make them feel valued. Through faith in Jesus and practical steps to release relational blocks, we can become the best version of ourselves and strengthen our relationships.
Key Takeaways:
1. Prioritize the Person: In our interactions, we should focus on making others feel valued and drawn out. This involves prioritizing the person, pausing before responding, and planning good questions. Our goal is not to impress but to bless others, leaving them feeling enriched by our presence. [46:59]
2. Run Light in Life: Just as endurance athletes shed unnecessary weight to run effectively, we must throw off everything that hinders our spiritual race. This includes not only sin but also emotional baggage and past hurts that affect our relationships. By doing so, we can run freely and grow stronger in our faith and relationships. [44:49]
3. Make Every Effort to Live in Peace and Be Holy: Holiness is about becoming more like Jesus and removing anything that makes Him feel unwelcome in our lives. This involves making every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy, as our relationships and spiritual growth are deeply interconnected. [48:52]
4. Take Responsibility for Your Growth: We often respond to relational issues by denying, ignoring, or blaming others. However, true growth requires taking responsibility for our actions and seeking to remove anything that hinders our relationships. By doing so, we can become the best version of ourselves that Jesus desires. [55:24]
5. Seek Guidance and Resources: Practical steps to release relational blocks include utilizing available resources such as discussion questions, classes, retreats, and counseling services. By seeking guidance and taking intentional steps, we can grow in our faith and relationships, becoming more like Jesus and strengthening our connections with others. [01:05:08]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[17:34] - Introduction and Announcements
[23:53] - Communion
[42:29] - Story of Russ Cook
[44:49] - Running Light in Life
[46:59] - Prioritizing the Person
[48:52] - Make Every Effort to Live in Peace and Be Holy
[55:24] - Taking Responsibility for Growth
[01:05:08] - Practical Steps and Resources
[01:08:54] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
- Hebrews 12:14 (NIV): "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
- Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV): "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Hebrews 12:1-2, what are we encouraged to throw off, and why? How does this relate to running the race of life? [48:23]
2. What does Hebrews 12:14 say about the relationship between peace, holiness, and seeing the Lord? [48:52]
3. In Philippians 2:3-4, what attitudes and behaviors are we instructed to adopt in our interactions with others? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on prioritizing the person? [46:32]
4. What story was shared about Russ Cook, and how does it illustrate the concept of "running light" in our spiritual race? [43:19]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "throwing off everything that hinders" in Hebrews 12:1-2 apply to both sin and emotional baggage? Why is it important to address both? [48:23]
2. What does it mean to "make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy" as stated in Hebrews 12:14? How can this effort impact our relationships? [48:52]
3. How does valuing others above ourselves, as instructed in Philippians 2:3-4, help in overcoming relational blocks? What practical steps can we take to implement this in our daily lives? [46:32]
4. The sermon mentioned three common responses to relational issues: denial, ignoring the problem, and blaming others. How do these responses hinder personal growth and relationships? [55:24]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your recent interactions. How often do you prioritize the person, pause before responding, and plan good questions? What changes can you make to ensure you are blessing others in your conversations? [46:32]
2. Identify any "weights" or "sins" that are hindering your spiritual race. What steps can you take this week to begin shedding these hindrances? [48:23]
3. Think of a relationship where peace is lacking. What specific actions can you take to make every effort to live in peace with that person? [48:52]
4. Consider a time when you responded to a relational issue with denial, ignoring, or blaming. How did that response affect the relationship? What could you have done differently? [55:24]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of seeking guidance and utilizing resources for personal growth. What resources (e.g., classes, retreats, counseling) are available to you, and how can you take advantage of them to address relational blocks? [01:05:08]
6. How can you incorporate the principles from Philippians 2:3-4 into your daily routine to ensure you are valuing others above yourself? What specific actions will you take this week to practice humility and consider others' interests? [46:32]
7. Spend time in prayer asking Jesus to reveal the next steps in your journey. What did you sense during this prayer time, and how will you act on it? Who can you share this with for accountability and support? [01:04:30]
Devotional
Day 1: Prioritize the Person
In our interactions, it is crucial to focus on making others feel valued and drawn out. This involves prioritizing the person, pausing before responding, and planning good questions. Our goal is not to impress but to bless others, leaving them feeling enriched by our presence. By doing so, we create an environment where people feel heard and appreciated, which strengthens our relationships and reflects the love of Jesus.
[46:59]
Bible Passage: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you were more focused on what you wanted to say rather than truly listening. How can you prioritize the person in your next interaction to make them feel valued?
Day 2: Run Light in Life
Just as endurance athletes shed unnecessary weight to run effectively, we must throw off everything that hinders our spiritual race. This includes not only sin but also emotional baggage and past hurts that affect our relationships. By doing so, we can run freely and grow stronger in our faith and relationships. Running light allows us to focus on what truly matters and to live a life that is pleasing to God.
[44:49]
Bible Passage: "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." (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one piece of emotional baggage or past hurt that you are carrying. What steps can you take today to begin shedding this weight and running your spiritual race more freely?
Day 3: Make Every Effort to Live in Peace and Be Holy
Holiness is about becoming more like Jesus and removing anything that makes Him feel unwelcome in our lives. This involves making every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy, as our relationships and spiritual growth are deeply interconnected. By striving for peace and holiness, we create an environment where God's presence can dwell and where our relationships can thrive.
[48:52]
Bible Passage: "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14, ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make peace? What practical steps can you take today to pursue peace and holiness in that relationship?
Day 4: Take Responsibility for Your Growth
We often respond to relational issues by denying, ignoring, or blaming others. However, true growth requires taking responsibility for our actions and seeking to remove anything that hinders our relationships. By doing so, we can become the best version of ourselves that Jesus desires. Taking responsibility means acknowledging our faults and actively working towards personal and relational growth.
[55:24]
Bible Passage: "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a recent conflict or relational issue. How did you respond? What can you do to take responsibility for your part and seek growth in this area?
Day 5: Seek Guidance and Resources
Practical steps to release relational blocks include utilizing available resources such as discussion questions, classes, retreats, and counseling services. By seeking guidance and taking intentional steps, we can grow in our faith and relationships, becoming more like Jesus and strengthening our connections with others. These resources provide the support and tools needed to address and overcome relational challenges.
[01:05:08]
Bible Passage: "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14, ESV)
Reflection: What is one resource or form of guidance you can seek out this week to help you address a relational block? How can you take the first step towards utilizing this resource today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Anybody who runs distance, really of any sort, you learn a couple of lessons. And one of those is that you run light, right? Like, you're not carrying, unless you're, like, training, you're not carrying extra weight. You're not going, like, you know, what if I wore a backpack and just had, you know, extra whatever, you know. You're like, no, I want to run free. I want to, it just makes sense. And so when the author, one of the authors of Scripture talks about the race that you and I have been called to run, it's not a surprise that the same wisdom is given, that when you want to run the race of life, you need to sometimes get rid of stuff in your life." [44:05]
2. "We all have our habits and idiosyncrasies and hurt that we bring into, you know, our life. We carry weight from the past. If you could see, if we could see each other with our emotional baggage, you'd be like, you know, we're walking like this. Like, we're going to the picnic tomorrow, and you know, and I'm carrying all this, hopefully I've released a lot of that, but we all have stuff that we carry. We carry weight. And it impacts our relationships." [52:19]
3. "Success is not about career. It's not about how much money you have. It's not about achievements, your own or your children, or whatever kind of enjoyable experiences you might rack up in life. What matters most to God and what gives the greatest sense of fulfillment is when you begin to love God with all your heart, and you begin to love the people around you in a way that honors him." [50:07]
4. "I began to rewrite my life. I began consciously to say nice things to people, to let them know that I appreciated and liked them. I tried to act warmly. I began to hold my tongue when I had something to say that might be construed as critical or snobbish. And I hated it. It felt horribly unnatural. I despised having to watch my words, having to mull over every interaction and see whether I'd handled it well and got my message across. Why couldn't I just be myself? The old, nasty self. I believed that acting sincerely was enough. Now I felt that I was acting insincerely, putting on an act. My changes did bring noticeably better results, though. People told me I was different. They told me I seemed warmer, happier. People opened up to me. People sought me out. I liked those differences." [01:01:03]
### Quotes for Members
1. "A lot of people will deny, you know? Your spouse or friend takes a risk, and they bring up a way that they think you could do better in relationships, and you're like, that's just who I am. I mean, I've always been like that. Come on. And we deny that it's an issue. Secondly, we ignore the problem. You admit that you could do better. You could be better. But you just don't take any action. And the people around you feel helpless because they can't change you. The only person who can change you is whom? Is you. That's it. And the third one is we blame. You know, I mean, come on. It's like the family I grew up. I mean, my dad was like that. My brother's like that. You know, it's just who I am. I can't help it. I mean, just blame my, blame somebody. And here's the problem with all three of those, deny, ignore, or blame. Is that we miss out on a strategic opportunity to grow and to become the best version that Jesus wants us to be." [55:24]
2. "Your friendships will never be stronger than the person that you bring into that relationship. So what are you willing to do to make every effort? Every effort to become the person that Jesus wants you to be. Here's the great news. You don't have to do it alone. It says here that keep your eyes fixed on whom? Jesus, the pioneer, like the beginner, and the perfecter of our faith. And he's going to be with you every step of the journey. And here's what another scripture says. The one who calls you is faithful and he will what? He'll do it. He'll do it. He'll complete his work in you if you stay cooperative in his hands." [01:08:54]
3. "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. So the author's comparing my life, your life to a race. And he says, I want you to run well. And in the process, he goes, I want you to make every effort. That's an interesting word study, but you know, if you look at that little phrase, make every effort, it's nine times in the New Testament, twice in this book of Hebrews. And we're given two things here to make every effort. He says, first of all, every effort to be holy. It's an expression of my love for God, right? That I want to become more and more, holiness is not some kind of weird, ethereal, like you start talking like this all the time or whatever. It just means that your life looks more and more like Jesus. You get rid of stuff that hurts that, and you begin to ask him to shape you and to make you more like him." [48:52]
4. "We said these three things. Would you say them aloud with me? You ready? Prioritize the person, pause before responding, and plan good questions. And we said that our goal is not to impress others, but to bless them, right? I want a person to walk away from, from the conversation going, you know what? I feel value when I'm with them. Like they draw me out and they, today we want to talk about how do you release relational blocks? How do you run free so that your relationships can grow stronger?" [46:59]
5. "Friends, the Bible's challenge is consistent. You and I have a key role in our growth. Like, it's going to be uncomfortable. It might feel unnatural. We might go, I don't really know. This is like. But over and over again, the Scriptures give us. I've listed some in your notes. It says, like, walk in the Spirit. Get rid of sin. Work hard. Put off your old self. Grow in grace. Flee evil desires. And here in Hebrews, make every effort. Right? That's on me. That's on you. I can't ask someone else to make me grow. It's what kind of decisions am I willing to make. And here's the good news. When you have a relationship with Jesus, His Spirit comes inside of you. And He empowers you. You cooperate with His shaping work in your life." [01:02:26]
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