Sermon Central
-
Torch Races!" Job 6:8-13 Key Verse(S) 9:". . . ... PRO
Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 27, 2005 (message contributor)
“Torch Races!” Job 6:8-13 Key verse(s) 9:“. . . that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!”
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how quickly you run the race; just that you finish. Everyone has bad days; days which like any other days start out all right but somewhere along the way a bit of sand or a patch of ice has an unforeseen role to play and crash, what started out fine ends up a disaster. Run as hard as you can and you still can’t seem to get out of last place. Perhaps when days like this raise their ugly heads there is only one practical course to take, dropping out of the race and saving the effort for another time.
The Greeks, well known for their competitive spirit, invented the art of competitive running. There were many races that were run during the course of their frequent Olympic competitions. We are familiar with the marathon and high hurdles as well as the myriad of short course races they also ran. But there was one race which held periodically outside of the Olympic competition that was as highly regarded perhaps even more so than all the other competitive races. This race was called the torch relay. The race which spawned the modern day Olympic torch race and ceremony, often took place in the streets and alleys of Athens. Ten or twelve men would assemble before the city fathers, each carrying a torch, a simple bound bundle of twigs inset in a hollow containers. The twigs were coated with tar and then, one by one, each torch was lit from the same flame. On their marks, the runners were sent out as a group and guided along a course that had been laid out among the city streets on which obstacles and barriers had been placed. The object of the race was to cross the finish line with your torch still lit. You could not stop and put the torch down or prop it anywhere. You had to hold it high and run with as much integrity as possible. In this race the victory seldom went to the fastest or the strongest. This was a race that depended upon timing and rhythm. To keep that torch lit required the ability to hold it properly, shielded from objects along the route and held away from the wind. If you ran too fast, you might put out the flame. If you ran to slow, the tar might burn up completely before you reached the finish line. If a runner’s torch flamed out, there was no relighting it. He was forced to drop out. The winner of the race was the first man to cross the finish line with his torch still lit. Winning was, therefore, dependent upon endurance, not speed.
Job was a man involved in a very similar race. God had put numerous “objects” across his path. He handed Job a torch, his earthly lot that must be regarded even when it has become a burden, and put him to the run. In the...
Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Looking Back, Looking Forward PRO
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 28, 2002
LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Hudson Taylor founder of China Inland Mission) used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us’ and the second, ‘The Lord will see to it or provide.’ One looked back ...read more
-
What God Says PRO
Contributed by Paul Decker on Dec 1, 2002
WHAT GOD SAYS In the Spring of 1924, Jack Sundine was a four-year-old kid, standing in a line with his father inside the White House, waiting to meet President Calvin Coolidge. As they neared him, Jack noticed that he said something to each visitor as they shook hands. Soon, the thrilling ...read more
-
Howard Hendricks Tells Of A Mentor Who Changed ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 14, 2004
Howard Hendricks tells of a mentor who changed his life in his book Iron sharpens Iron. Howard was from a broken family, and said, "I could have lived, died and gone to hell without anyone bothering to care." However, a man named Walt from a tiny church in his neighborhood cared about reaching nine ...read more
-
If God Intended Man To Live On Bread, Why Didn't ... PRO
Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 31, 2002
‘If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?’ And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He prefers that we till the soil ...read more
-
Peter T. Forsythe Was Right When He Said, "The ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 30, 2002
Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, "The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master". Warren W. Wiersbe, The ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Plantados En La Casa De Jehova Series
Contributed by John Cuentas on Aug 13, 2011
Una hermosa reflexion acerca de la importancia de permanecer con la familia plantados en Dios para florecer.
-
A Church That Is Alive
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Dec 12, 2015
A sermon examining the church that is alive and moving forward for Christ.
-
How To Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up Series
Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 15, 2020
In this message as we look at the life of the prophet Jeremiah we will learn some powerful truths that will help us to keep going when we feel like giving up.
-
Don't Bury It Yet
Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Jan 13, 2020
There are times when there seems to be a disconnect between our walk with God and the outcome of our prayers. Sometimes circumstances can seem to contradict the fact that God is watching over our lives and guiding its events for our good.
-
Recharging Your Batteries
Contributed by Mark Suter on Sep 16, 2006
How to reenergize our souls, minds, and bodies
