Run The Right Race

10th Sunday after Pentecost – C (Proper 15)                                     LSB #’s 677:1-5, 664, 677:6-8
Text – Hebrews 12:1
 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closely, & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 
 
RUN THE RIGHT RACE
 
 
“Stay in your lane” has become a popular phrase.  You might use it to critique someone you think is acting outside their authority.   An umpire might say to a pitcher who’s trying to call balls & strikes, “Stay in your lane.”   A parent or teacher might use the phrase when a child is getting a little too demanding, “Stay in your lane.”   
In the world of track & field, if you’re running a race in one of the sprint or hurdle events, a lane is assigned to you.  In order to run the right race, you can’t just be the fastest runner.  You also have to stay in your lane.  If you don’t, you may be disqualified even if you finished with the fastest time.  Running the lane you are assigned is running the right race. 
In track & field that’s easy to understand & accomplish even if you are not very fast.  Living life in a broken & twisted world, with a weakened & corrupt mind, makes it difficult to determine if you are running the right race.  Deciding what career path to follow, which employer to work for, what city & state to live in, can be complicated. 
There are many different factors that play into making good decisions,  but the chief factor looming over them all  is that we cannot know what the future holds.   Often, things move along in a predictable & mundane manner.   Yet, often, Murphy’s Law kicks in & totally unforeseen events throw all our plans out the window. 
From a Christian perspective, it helps to realize that what we call Murphy’s Law isn’t just happenstance, or bad luck.   It’s a secular saying which ignores a spiritual reality. St. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  Murphy’s Law is describing what Satan & sin have done to God’s once perfect creation.  You & I struggle to run the right race because Lucifer is actively working, not just against us, but to destroy us. 
Even our weakened & corrupt mind resulted from Satan’s attack on God’s once perfect creation. Yet, the author of Hebrews encourages us   to look at the circumstances of our lives with more than just our physical sight.  The reading begins with the words, “By faith Abraham.”  Then it moves to, “By faith Isaac… By faith Jacob… By faith Joseph… By faith Moses…” 
Ending with, “By faith Rahab,” the author concludes, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closely, & let us run with endurance  the race that is set before us.”  (12:1 ESV) 
Because of Satan & sin & death, that race is challenging & difficult under the best of circumstances.  Under the worst it can be unbearable.  The only thing separating you & me from the unbearable is the faith in Jesus that God’s Spirit has created in us.   For that reason, the children of God gather in their Father’s house to have their faith in Jesus strengthened. 
I’m not saying the effect is minor, but there is only one thing that gives Satan his hold upon us – our sins.  Jesus has already paid for every one of them & all He asks is that we bring them to Him.   Then, He erases them so that Satan can no longer enslave us.   It is here that we lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closely, through our words of confession:
“I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins & iniquities…”  Some people object to the language, saying they are neither poor nor miserable.   If the sin of this world does not make you miserable, it’s difficult to understand how you can possibly know Jesus.  Even the great Apostle Paul confessed that he was the chief of sinners.  None of us are any better than he.  So, we bring our sins to Jesus & He erases them.  All our iniquities   are taken up by Christ on the cross, & when we believe that Satan is left with no hold upon our souls.  He doesn’t give up easily.  Though even the Devil knows that our sins are paid for, he continues to whisper his lies into our ears.  That’s why Hebrews reminds us of the great cloud of witnesses in heaven. 
They too lived in this broken & desolate world.  They too fought against the lies of Lucifer.  They too fought against the hopelessness of a physical world, daily being eaten by moth & rust.  That was hammered home for me in the final weeks of my mother’s life, when all the things of this world, that were hers, were reduced to the volume of four plastic bags. 
If that reality doesn’t make you miserable, how do you know Jesus?  How can you run the right race?  The world would have us chase after all the possessions of earth; to chase after all the pleasures of this world, that are here today & gone tomorrow.  Eventually, that reality, what we see with our physical eyes, comes home to roost for everyone. 
Then, where do you turn?  What hope can you find amidst the rubble of this fallen, war scarred world?  It’s to that realization that the prophet Jeremiah writes, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future.  (29:11 NIV) 
People naturally run races to win, or to challenge themselves to do better than last race.  Races are often run against the clock even more than against other runners.  God calls us to run an entirely different type of race.  This race is more like a game of Simon Says & Jesus is Simon.  We run the right race by keeping our eyes on Jesus the founder & perfector of our salvation. 
In the big picture, Jesus has already run the race for us.  He has conquered sin, death & Satan.  Now, God has prepared good works in advance for us to do.  All He asks of us is that we run in our lane, the lane He has already prepared individually, for each one of us.  In that race, we fix our eyes on Jesus because He never takes His eyes off of us.  He never falters from exhaustion as we do when reaching the end of our race.  There are believers here, maybe every Sunday, who feel like giving up, dropping out of the race  & just being done with it all. 
The struggle & striving of the athlete portrays our ongoing repentance, spiritual revival & reliance upon the Lord for the preservation & upbuilding of Christian faith & hope.  Everyone of us needs encouragement not to drop out of the race in despair or in rebellion, but rather to continue running with patience & endurance. 
Though we don’t know what our future is here on earth, we do know who it is that holds that future.  It is Jesus & He has plans to prosper you & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future.  We can rest in His almighty power to bring it about.  Amen. 
 
 
 
 
Run the straight race through God’s good grace; life up your eyes, & seek His face.   Life with its way before us lies; Christ is the path, & Christ the prize. Cast care aside, lean on your guide; His boundless mercy will provide.   Trust, & enduring faith shall prove Christ is your life & Christ your love.      Faint not nor fear, His arms are near; He changes not who holds you dear;   only believe, & you will see that Christ is all eternally.  Amen.  LSB 664:2-4.