Peak Performance

Hebrews 12:1-3
Do you remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? It is probably one that you learned from your childhood. The story is found among the collection of Aesop’s fables. The rabbit was faster than the turtle, and, in arrogance challenges the turtle to a race to demonstrate his superiority, but the rabbit’s overconfidence is his undoing as he stops along the course to take a nap. When he awakes, he learns that the much slower turtle has persevered and managed to cross the finish line first. This story illustrates what the Bible says in 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."

David shouldn’t have defeated Goliath, logically speaking, but God’s help made the difference. The walls of Jericho, Gideon’s army, Elijah and the 950 prophets of Baal-- throughout Scripture, we see unlikely challenges between unmatched foes and repeatedly we see that the expected victor fails, while the faithful overcome.

That is the point that is made when we come to this text; we find ourselves in the position of David. We are in the spotlight and much is riding on us. We have a race to run.

I. CONSIDER THE WITNESSES-
Throughout the previous chapter, the Bible speaks of those champions of the faith
Many of the Old Testament people are named, but then the list is left open-ended
They achieved their race by faith in God.
None of them were perfect and none of them had an easier race than we do
But they ran their race and have taken their place in the stands to run no more
They watch on as the baton has shifted to our generation
As we are running the race set before us, we may feel that we are at a disadvantage
We see aspects of their race and may wish for a different course, but we have to run this race
Yes, there were things that were easier about some of their courses and things harder
We have our own advantages and disadvantages
These witnesses are not present to judge but to cheer us on
They are reminders that the race can be won by faith
Remember the study we just concluded in 1 John?
1 John 5:4-5 "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
We are able to endure and persevere just as they did by keeping our eyes on Jesus
The saints of old are the home team, but there are others in the stands
Paul says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses the fill the arena of our life
Among them there are the unsaved who are watching the way that we run
They are looking for the faith that allows us to endure, that faith we claim
There are younger believers who have just begun their race and they are watching us
They are looking to our example just as we look to the example of the former saints

II. CONSIDER THE WEIGHT-
Runners today use weights to strengthen their muscles for a race
Paul’s words indicate that this was also an ancient practice for runners in training
But no one wears the weights to the race
Paul tells us that there are things that we must sacrifice for the sake of the race
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well;