A Good Conscience Toward God

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-10-2025

1 Corinthians 10:1-4

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Chapter 10 begins with the word “Moreover,” which indicates a continuation from chapter 9. This is important because Paul emphasizes that the Corinthian believers, who were already saved, should continue living a holy life of service as they run their individual races for Christ.

 

B.  I believe that three things are taught in 1 Corinthians 10:1-11: 

 

1.  Verses 1-4.  A history lesson concerning the Nation of Israel.  The Corinthian Church knew some of Israel’s past, but not all of it.

 

2.  Verse 5.  An admonition to not do as Israel did, and therefore, what happened because Israel disobeyed God.

 

3.  Verses 6-11.  A stark warning to the Corinthian Church not to fall into the same condition and also suffer the consequences along with us who now live.

 

C.  It is interesting that the Holy Ghost used the word “baptized” in verse two. 

 

1.  Baptism was a New Testament rite, a public confession of salvation that expressed the believer’s oneness with the Gospel. 

 

2.  There is no mention of baptism in the Old Testament because there was no death, burial, and resurrection of Christ yet to be fulfilled.

 

3.  Baptism means to immerse or submerge. 

 

D.  When I baptize a new believer, I use these words: “Upon your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, I baptize you, my brother/sister/son/daughter, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Buried in the likeness of His death and raised to walk in newness of life.”  This comes from two portions of Scripture:

 

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  (19)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Romans 6:1-6  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  (2)  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  (3)  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  (5)  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  (6)  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

E.  Paul gives this example of Israel’s baptism “unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” to the Corinthian believers.  Israel, after God had opened the Red Sea, chose to cross to the other side in faith that God would protect as well as lead them.  They could have just refused to go into the deep (I can only imagine how scary that scenario looked to the people of Israel) and returned to Egypt, a type of the world. 

 

F.  Baptism is a public confession of faith in the finished work of the Gospel and a dedication to follow Christ.  I Peter calls baptism “the answer of a good conscience toward God.”  The phrase “a good conscience” appears five times in the New Testament, each time referring to our life after salvation.  The best Biblical definition of baptism is this:

 

1 Peter 3:18-21  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:  (19)  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;  (20)  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  (21)  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

 

G.  The word “Moreover,” ties chapter ten to chapter nine.  In chapter nine, Paul stresses the importance and blessing of living for Christ to these new believers. “A good conscience toward God!”

 

1.  “A good conscience toward God” will lead and protect the believer during the most challenging times, the deepest valleys, and turbulent seas of life!  If God did this for Israel, God would do the same thing for you!

 

1 Corinthians 10:1-2  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  (2)  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

 

a.  No matter how difficult the task ahead seems, you can trust and follow God.  No matter how powerful the enemy, in Job’s darkest hour, a time when he did not understand what God was doing and saw no easy fix or way out, Job said:

 

Job 23:10-12  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  (11)  My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.  (12)  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

 

b.  The Christians’ life is one of faith, not sight. 

 

2 Corinthians 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

 

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

2.  “A good conscience toward God” will feed you both physical and spiritual food. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:3-4  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  (4)  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 

a.  God can meet our physical needs.  Manna from heaven was their food for 40 years in the desert, sufficient for their entire journey to Canaan. 

 

1)  Manna from heaven, angel’s food!  Psalms 78:23-25  Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,  (24)  And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.  (25)  Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

 

Matthew 6:30-33  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  (31)  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

2)  Water from the Rock.  Moses spoke to the Rock, and God brought forth an artesian well.  Psalms 78:15-16  He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  (16)  He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

 

Ephesians 5:25-27  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  (26)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  (27)  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 

b.  God can meet our spiritual needs.  Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

1 Peter 2:2-3  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  (3)  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

 

3.  “A good conscience toward God” will ensure that God will be there with us and for us through thick and thin, hard times and good times.  We need to understand that God would have gone on without them if some had turned back.

 

1 Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 

a. Israel was protected both front and back.  The pillar of cloud and fire led them and protected them.

 

b.  The Rock that was Christ followed them.  For 40 years, Jehovah God, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, led, fed, and protected a rebellious nation.  Talk about the goodness of God?    Now, look at these Corinthian believers along with us at the end time.

 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

Conclusion: Let us study Bible history so as not to repeat the mistakes of those who have gone before us. The philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  Though not Scripture, it is Biblical.

A Psalm of Praise

Temple Baptist Church - 12-7-2025

Psalm 138

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Psalm 138 is Davidic.  King David was both a warrior and a worshipper.  He understood how to fight, but he also knew how to worship.

 

1.  The Lord taught David to fight - Psalms 144:1-2  A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:  (2)  My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

 

2.  The Lord taught David to worship through His Word, His Spirit, His instruction, His presence, and through the valleys and mountains of his life.

 

3.  The Davidic Psalms, for the most part, have to do with troubles, trials, deliverance, and praise (worship). 

 

4.  The value of trials and tribulations.  I know that none of us like the hard, unexplainable times when trouble comes our way, but these trials are necessary to strengthen us spiritually and cause us to call upon God for help.

 

1 Peter 1:6-9  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  (7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  (8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:  (9)  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

 

5.  “If need be” are the key words here.  “Trial of your faith … might be found unto praise and honour and glory.”  The Lord taught David to worship during the hard times, which inspires these Psalms, and encourages us to do so also.

 

B.  In verse two, which we looked at last week, we find David’s worship based upon the Word of God.

 

Psalms 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 

C.  In light of this verse, we find that Psalm 138 is one of wholehearted praise!  It is a beautiful declaration of wholehearted thanksgiving and confidence in the Lord. It is a Psalm written from a heart overwhelmed by God’s mercy, truth, and faithfulness. In these eight verses, David lifts his voice in praise—not because life is perfect, but because God is faithful.

 

D.  This Psalm teaches us how to praise, why to praise, and how to trust God when life becomes overwhelming.  With that thought in mind, let us break the Psalm down into its parts.

 

1.  Verses 1-2.  David’s Praise For Who God Is.

 

Psalms 138:1-2  A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.  (2)  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 

a.  David’s praise was not mechanical (repetitive or liturgical, just something that needed to be done).  Too often, God’s people go through the motions.  Someone said that we just “got good at it!”

 

b.  David’s praise was not half-hearted.  “I will praise thee with my whole heart”  His heart and mind were stayed upon the Lord: His greatness, His goodness, and His grace.

 

c.  David’s praise was in the right place, the place where God chose.  “I will worship toward thy holy temple.”  We can certainly worship the Lord everywhere we go and that is a great thing, but so many are not faithful to “the assembling of ourselves together” and become more of the “as the manner as some is”.

 

d.  David’s praise was because of who and what the Lord is.  His lovingkindness, faithfulness, reliability, and integrity.

 

2.  Verse 3.  David’s Praise For What God Did. 

 

Psalms 138:3  In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

 

a.  God Responded. David remembers a time when he cried out and God answered. “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me.”  The Lord named Ishmael, “The God Who Hears,

when Hagar was banished.

 

b.  David Strengthened.   “And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”  God did not remove David’s problem; He strengthened David for the task at hand.  God is a refuge and very present help in time of need.  You may get some help from the world, but only God can strengthen your heart.

 

3.  Verses 4-5.  David’s Prophecy of Praise.

 

Psalms 138:4-5  All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.  (5)  Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

 

a.  When will the kings of the earth praise God?  David prophesies of the end-time when all nations will bow down and worship God.

 

b.  Why will the kings of the earth praise God? “When they hear the words of thy mouth.”  The Word of God can humble nations while exalting the poorest of sinners.

 

c.  How will the kings of the earth praise God?  “Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

 

4.  Verse 6.  God’s Love for His People. 

 

Psalm 138:6  Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

 

a.  God’s in infinitely high, yet immeasurably humble.  Philippians 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

b.  Almighty God became sin for us.  Philippians 2:6-7  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  (7)  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

5.  Verses 7-8.  God’s presence with, and protection of His people.

 

Psalms 138:7-8  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.  (8)  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

 

a.  God revives us when in trouble.  Psalm 138:7a Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me…”  Though not if!  Problems will come, but God will strengthen. 

 

b.  God will protect us in trouble.  Psalm 138:7b … Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand… and thy right hand shall save me.

 

c.  God will perfect us.  Psalms 138:8a  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me …

 

d. God will never forsake us. Psalm 138:8b … thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

The Prophecy of The Seed of The Woman - Part 1 - The Seed of The Woman

Temple Baptist Church - 12-7-2025

Matthew 1:18-25; Genesis 3:15-16

 

Introduction: 

 

Genesis 3:15-16  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  (16)  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

 

A.  What about the coming of the Messiah?  The most prophesied event in the Bible is that of the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  The first man was given this blessed hope in Genesis 3:15, four thousand years before His birth. 

 

1.  He was and is the Hope of mankind.  The promised Savior!

 

2.  He was and is the Hope of Israel.  The promised King!

 

3.  He was and is the Hope of the Church.  The Promised Eternal Bridegroom!

B.  The Old Testament saints looked forward to the coming of the promised “Seed” with as much anticipation as the New Testament saints look back to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with exaltation. 

 

1.  The Jews still place notes into the “Wailing Wall” and pray for the promised Messiah, realizing that He is their only Hope! 

 

2.  We, as New Testament saints, look back with thrill and wonder that God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place.  God help us never to lose that!

 

C.  There are literally hundreds of prophetic verses (324) that detail the first coming of Christ, beginning with the “seed of the woman,” and her offspring, Israel’s Messiah.  Each of these verses is filled with precise specifics, not general ones.  Not a single prophecy, given thousands of years before His arrival, failed!

 

When you use the mathematics of probability and statistics to analyze these prophecies, the likelihood of all of them coming true is nearly beyond human comprehension. The odds of any one person fulfilling just 8, not 324, Old Testament prophecies are astronomically low, calculated as 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 ( in .

 

Ill.  The state of Texas covers 268,820 square miles.  The odds of just 8 prophecies being fulfilled by the coming and life of the Messiah and our Saviour are like covering that 268.820 square miles with 18 inches of silver dollars. Placing one marked silver dollar anywhere in Texas, underneath the 18 inches, blindfolding a man, and letting him roam over 268,820 square miles, he would need just a single pick to find the marked coin!

 

If just eight prophecies only have 1 in .   Probability, what would 324 fulfilled be?

D.  What a blessed, wonderful Book the Bible is! What a wonderful God our Heavenly Father is! What a wonderful Savior!

E.  I want to look at prophecies of the Coming of Christ, “The Seed of The Woman.”

 

1.  The Foundational Prophecy of the Seed.  Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

a.  This is often called the Protoevangelium (Proto-evangelium), a theological term meaning “the first gospel” or “the first announcement of the good news.” Protoevangelium comes from Greek proto = first; evangelium = gospel.

 

b.  A miraculously born Redeemer.  There has never been nor ever will be a conception without the seed of man being involved.  A virgin birth!

 

c.  Genesis 3:15 specifically states that the “seed of the serpent” would bruise the heel of Messiah on the cross, and the seed of the woman would one day crush the serpent’s head—Christ’s triumph!

 

2.  The Precise Lineage of the Seed.  The coming of the Messiah narrowed down.

 

a.  Eve.  Genesis 4:25  And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

 

b.  Abraham.   Genesis 12:2-3  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  (3)  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 

c.  Judah.  Genesis 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

 

d.  David.  2 Samuel 7:12-13  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.  (13)  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

 

e.  Mary.  Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

 

Luke 1:26-27  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,  (27)  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 

f.  The Holy Ghost.  Matthew 1:19-20  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.  (20)  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

 

3.  The Suffering of the Seed. 

 

a.  The Prophecy of the Cross  Isaiah 53:6-11  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  (7)  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  (8)  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  (9)  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.  (10)  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  (11)  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

 

b.  The Performance of the Cross.  John 19:17,30  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha … (30)  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

 

c.  The Price of the Cross.  Philippians 2:6-8  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  (7)  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  (8)  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

d.  The People of the Cross.  Colossians 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

 

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Running Your Race

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-3-2025

1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Introduction:  Along with our text, I want to read these corresponding verses.

 

Hebrews 12:1-2  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  (2)  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.

 

A.  In our text for tonight, Paul likens the life of the child of God to a race to be run. 

 

1.  When we think of racing, our minds often go to NASCAR. Typically, such a race is long, 400-500 laps.  I am not a great NASCAR fan (NASCAR is an acronym for Non-Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks), so I often cheat when watching one of their long races. 

 

2.  The only thing that matters is the last 10 laps or so.  There is an old saying, “I said all that to say this.”  The last 10 or so laps, “said all that to say this.”  The winner is not the one who started in the lead, as there are numerous lead changes over that distance, not to mention the crashes that can occur along the way. 

 

3.  Not every race car that starts will finish, nor will every race car be first.  BUT it is vital for every driver to “finish!”  The same with running a Marathon, which is a standard distance of 42.195 kilometers or approximately 26.2 miles.

 

4.  Thus, it is with the Christian’s life as not everyone will come in first place, but everyone needs to finish their own particular race.

 

5.  I once ran distance races but never ran against another competitor.  I ran against the clock and my endurance.  An old saying that works here is “You do you!”  My race, my distance, my endurance, my body, my time are mine, not yours!

 

B.  The word “race” is only found 4x in your Bible.  Twice in the Old Testament and twice in the New.  In these four mentions, we see biblical guidelines for running “the race that is set before us.”  In these four mentions of “race,” we find:

 

1.  We find Strength.  Psalms 19:5  Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. (Our race requires strength.)

 

2.  We find Chance.  Ecclesiastes 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.  (We do not know what lies ahead for each of us.  Our race requires endurance.)

 

3.  We find Prize.  1 Corinthians 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  (Our race requires results.)

 

4.  We find Individuality.  Hebrews 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  (Our race is personal.)

 

C.  There are several things mentioned in our text that define each of our races.  These are essentials for running and finishing.

 

1.  We See Participation – Saved people only!  “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all?” 

 

a.  “All.”  Like it or not, you began your race of life in one of two places, but all are on the Start.  This race becomes much easier when we understand that God saved us to serve, not to be served.  We saw that last week.  Not every believer runs their race because they either think it is unnecessary or unimportant. 

 

b.  In worldly races, you see a handful of participants with 100,000 observers.  In days gone by, we had the 70/30 rule, 75/25 rule, and 80/20 rule, and now we have the 90/10 rule.  The 90/10 rule means that 10 percent of believers do 100 percent of the work, while 90 percent do relatively nothing.

 

2.  We See Positioning – Starting Blocks or Starting Line.  Starting Blocks, if you do not intend to run far or for long.  Starting Line, if you are in it for the long haul.  The starting blocks have been laid, but not all intended runners place their feet in them.  When we get saved, the “gun” sounds and the race begins.

 

3.  We See Potential – There is a prize to be won because there is work to be done.  God intended every member of the Church to do their work according to the talent given to them.  God has given to each of us a peculiar work to be done for the completion of the whole building of God.  Not all have the same measure of faith or opportunity, but ALL have a work to do within the body of Christ.

 

4.  We See Preparation – Hebrews 12:1 – “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.”   Before starting the race, weights and sins need to be laid aside.  Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.”  Laying aside weights means temperance, while laying aside sin means holiness.   There is much pre-race preparation, such as diet, exercise, and endurance-building.  Here, we find the importance of a holy, separated life in God's sight.

 

5.  We See Patience – “and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  Running the race but leaving the results to God.  We do our work and trust God to do His.  Life’s race is a long one with many ups and downs.  Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed.  Too many hit a rough place in the road of life and quit.  Hang in there!

 

a.  The Enduring of Patience - Romans 5:3-4  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  (4)  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

 

b.  The End of Patience - James 1:2-4  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  (3)  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  (4)  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

 

6.  We See Prize. 

 

a.  We See A Perpetual Duty.  “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of or faith”

 

1)  In Christ, we find our Salvation.  Hebrews 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

 

2)  In Christ, we find our Strength.  John 15:4-5  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  (5)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 

b.  We See A Personal Delight– “who for the joy that was set before him”

 

1)  The Joy of our Life - 1 Peter 3:10-11  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:  (11)  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

 

2)  The Joy of our Lord - Nehemiah 8:10  Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

 

c.  We See A Permanent Desire.  “endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”

 

1)  Our Present Problems - 2 Corinthians 4:16-17a  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  (17)  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment …

 

2)  Our Permanent Pleasure – 2 Corinthians 4:17b-18  worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

7.  We See a Perilous Possibility.  “lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”  “Castaway” means to be disapproved, put on a shelf, to become unusable!