On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first man in history to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. Within 2 months, John Landy broke the record by 1.4 seconds. On August 7, 1954, the two met together for a historic race. As they moved into the last lap, Landy held the lead. It looked as if he would win, but as he neared the finish he was haunted by the question, “Where is Bannister?” As he turned to look, Bannister took the lead. Landy later told a Time magazine reporter, “If I hadn’t looked back, I would have won!” The Christian life is compared to an athlete competing in a race. Christians must forget those things that are behind and reach forward to what’s ahead (Philippians 3:12-13). We can’t make spiritual progress by looking back; we must run the race that is set before us! Notice things necessary for running the race successfully.
Crowd
In any sporting event, the crowd plays a major role in the level of enthusiasm and encouragement. While running the Christian race, we are blessed with “so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews12:1). The list of faithful followers of God in Hebrews 11 make up an arena of redeemed who have already finished the race and now, by example, cheer on the runners. Encouraging and exhorting one another is a worthy task (Romans 14:19; Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25).
Coach
While running the Christian race, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). He is the “captain of our salvation” (Hebrews 2:10) and the coach of our Christian race. He is our example (1 Peter 2:22) and guide (1 Corinthians 11:1). His words will judge us on the final day (John 12:48), and He is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). Things going on around us and within us could cause us to fall, but if we concentrate on the up-lifted Savior, He will draw us unto Himself (John 12:32). Jesus is our Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20).
Cooperation
The Christian race is not a competitive race; it is a cooperative one. Christians are running alongside each other. Such is the significance of the phrase in Hebrews 12:1, “let us run… the race.” When a Christian falls, Paul said, “ye which are spiritual, restore such an one” (Galatians 6:1); James said, “he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death” (James 5:20), and Jude said, “and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” (Jude 23).
Course
The path we travel makes all the difference in our destination. Jesus spoke of the “broad” and “narrow” paths (Matthew 7:13-14). Swift travel means very little if our landing is off. We serve either “sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness” (Romans 6:16). We must travel the “path of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3), the only right path. Paul told Timothy that he had “finished his course” (2 Timothy 4:7). We all have a path to travel, a course to run. Like Jesus (John 19:30), Paul finished his work and anticipated an eternal reward (2 Timothy 4:8).
Crown
The reward for finishing the Christian race in not a corruptible crown, but an incorruptible one (1 Corinthians 9:25). Jesus and James called it a “crown of life” (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12); Paul called it a “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8), and Peter said it is a “crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). Jesus wore a crown of thorns (Matthew 25:29) so we could wear a “crown of rejoicing” (1 Thessalonians 2:19). Let us “press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “So run, that ye may obtain.” Jesus is at the finish line of the Christian race, waiting to reward us with the crown of eternal life. Let us confidently run this race (1 Corinthians 9:26) and strive to be “worthy of the vocation wherewith ye have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).
