Participants:
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000725S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:06 Sermon #B725 - "It's a Marathon, not a Sprint" 00:21 Dr. Byrd: It's a marathon, not a sprint. 00:23 We just finished watching the Olympic Games from Tokyo and I don't know about you, 00:27 but I love the Olympics. Does anybody else love the Olympics, 00:30 from the opening ceremonies to the ending ceremonies to everything in between, 00:34 I love the Olympics. 00:35 But, you know, I really like the Olympics toward the end 00:38 because it's at the end that it's track and field race time. 00:42 Nothing wrong with basketball, nothing wrong with volleyball, 00:44 nothing wrong with swimming, 00:46 but I love track and field races to see Allyson Felix win her 11th medal, 00:54 to see those three ebony brown sisters from Jamaica place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 100 meters. 01:02 Y'all don't hear what I'm saying? 01:04 To see both the American men's and women's teams win gold in the 4 by 400 relay races, 01:10 to see the long-distance marathon run which brothers 01:14 and sisters from the motherland always win, to see all of this. 01:18 It conjures up feelings of energy and excitement and enthusiasm. 01:22 I love the Olympics. Does anybody else love the Olympics today? 01:27 But it's in our text that the writer of Hebrews talks about a race 01:33 and he uses this metaphor because, in early Roman times, races were popular. 01:38 All of these races, at these races, big crowds would come. 01:43 People come from everywhere to the flock and see the race and the runners. 01:50 But notice in the text, the text does not tell us, 01:52 the writer does not tell us in the book of Hebrews what type or kind of race it is. 01:57 The writer does not say whether it's a sprint or a marathon. 02:02 The writer just says " a race". 02:03 Everybody says race. And while all races aren't the same, 02:07 there are some preparations similarities for any race. 02:10 Quickly now, number one, any runner will tell you that if you're going to run a race, 02:14 you got to get rid of those things that will slow you down. 02:17 You got to get rid of those things that are holding you back. 02:21 You got to get rid of burdens. 02:22 You got to get rid of baggage.[?]. You got to get rid of weights. 02:25 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 02:27 You've got to let it -- let them go. 02:29 If you look at runners today, if you watch the Olympics like I did, 02:33 most of them wear only a shirt, a pair of shorts, and a pair of shoes. 02:37 And the shirts, the shorts, 02:39 the shoes are specifically made light in weight so they don't hold the runner down. 02:45 You will never see a runner with weights 02:47 strapped around his or her ankles at the starting block. 02:50 You will never see a runner run with weights around his her ankles. 02:54 They will never run with this extra load because they know they won't win. 02:59 The text says, "Let us lay aside." 03:02 Every weight that so easily besets us that means, 03:05 lay aside those sins, those obstacles, 03:09 those impediments that you're most prone to 03:12 that would hinder you in running the Christian race. 03:15 Get rid of any evil thought, evil action, evil habit, or relationship. 03:20 Fear, get rid of it. Envy, get rid of it. Jealousy, get rid of it. 03:23 Lust, get rid of it. Bad habits, get rid of it. Mess, get rid of it. 03:27 Confusion, get rid of it. Gossip, get rid of it. 03:31 That's why you got to be careful who you hang with 03:34 because you can't keep holding on to negative people that weigh you down. 03:38 Every time you get off the phone with them some folk, you just feel heavy. 03:40 Does anybody know what I'm talking about? You say it's a beautiful day outside. 03:44 Yeah, but it's supposed to rain in an hour. 03:46 I'm really doing well in class but the semester is not over. 03:49 These are folks that will drain you with all that negativity. 03:53 They will suck the very life out of you. 03:56 Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about 03:58 because when you see these folk coming, you run. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 04:02 You see them looking at you, you look the other way. 04:04 You see their number or name on caller ID and you say God's not in that. 04:08 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 04:09 Whatever is weighing you down, don't hold onto it, 04:13 but get rid of it. 04:15 Stop holding onto weights in your life that is causing you to be burdened down. 04:18 And let me throw this in, you can't run with weights from 20 years ago. 04:23 You can't hold on to a grudge on somebody for 20 years. 04:26 They've gone on with their life and you're still running around in circles 04:29 talking about what they did to you. 04:32 You had better understand, some of you right now, 04:34 you can't move on to your next because you won't let go of your ex. 04:37 I wish I had a witness in this place. Get rid of the weights. 04:41 Number two, runners must train. Runners must what everybody? 04:45 They must practice, they must train, they must exercise. 04:47 Runners must prepare for a race. 04:49 The runners in Hebrews, they did this and runners do it today. 04:52 No one wakes up and says, I want to run in the Olympics. 04:57 No, runners must train and this training doesn't take place in one day. 05:01 This training takes place over time. It doesn't take place overnight, it takes time. 05:06 Runners of the Christian race must also prepare over time. 05:08 They must practice overtime, prepare over time, exercise overtime, train overtime. 05:13 Read your Bible, pray every day. 05:15 You'll grow, grow, that let your Bible forget to pray, you'll shrink, shrink, shrink. 05:19 Runners must train. 05:22 Then number three, good runners endure. 05:27 Now, remember, the writer of the Hebrews is not specific about the race in Hebrews 12. 05:33 The writer doesn't say if it's a marathon or a sprint. 05:38 The writer just says, run the race with patience. 05:44 Now, in my holy hypothesis, in my own eisegesis, not exegesis, 05:50 but eisegesis, I don't think the writer in Hebrews 12 is talking about a sprint 05:57 because the writer says, let us run with patience, the race that is set before. 06:04 Y'all don't hear what I'm saying? 06:06 And if you're running in a sprint, you're running fast. 06:10 But if you're running in a marathon, you've got to pace yourself. 06:15 If you're running in a marathon, you have to have patience. 06:19 Are you hearing what I'm saying, everybody? 06:21 Life's journey is not a 100-yard dash, 06:24 but it's more like a marathon and in a marathon, 06:28 you have to endure. You will have some ups and downs, but you got to endure. 06:35 You'll be talked about but you got to endure. 06:39 You'll be persecuted, but you have to endure. 06:42 You have some disappointments and defeats, but you'll have to endure. 06:47 Even if the race is long and hard, you still have to endure. 06:52 Even if the race is difficult and draining, you still have to endure. 06:57 You have to run in the good times, you have to run to the bad times 07:01 because the race is not given to the swift or to the strong, 07:04 but to the one who endures until the end. Let me tell you this. 07:08 Good runners know how to endure. 07:11 In fact, good runners know how to take a licking and keep on ticking. 07:14 Are you hearing what I'm saying? I'm learning in my life. 07:17 You know, we talked about southwest region. 07:19 I'm learning in my life that God is preparing you now for something 07:22 that you're going to have to deal with later on. 07:24 God is preparing you now for something you can't handle right now, 07:28 but in time as you endure, you're going to be able to handle it. 07:32 You see, as I've matured and as I've grown, there's some stuff that I deal with now, 07:38 then if I had not gone through some stuff back there, 07:41 I wouldn't be able to deal with it up here. 07:44 Somebody knows what I'm talking about. 07:46 Somebody knows what it means to have gone through some stuff 07:51 and that God brought you through, 07:53 that God was preparing you. 07:56 That God was pruning you, that God was arranging you, 08:01 that God was rearranging you, that God was molding you, that God was shaping you, 08:09 that in your light, sometimes you had to go through the fire. 08:12 You had to go through the flood and in case you didn't know, 08:16 fire is going to fall in your life. [Congregation: [Amen] 08:19 Dr. Byrd: Fire is going to fall in your house. Fire is going to fall on your job. 08:23 Fire is going to fall on young people in your classes. Fire is going to come on you. 08:28 Cry yourself to sleep, wanted to quit your job, wanted to get in your car, 08:36 drive away and never come back. Anybody ever been there? 08:39 Felt like you were a failure, felt like you wasted your life, 08:44 felt like your time was in vain, 08:46 but I'm here to let somebody know under the authority of God 08:50 that God has not forgotten you. 08:52 You've got to endure. Anybody can sing Christian songs when the sun is shining. 08:59 You see, it doesn't take much faith to give God glory when all your bills are paid. 09:05 You don't have to be real strong and shout hallelujah 09:08 when everything is going well in your life. 09:11 But when the bottom falls out, when sickness comes, 09:16 when your children break your hearts, 09:18 when trials and troubles come, when your health starts to fail, 09:23 when persecution comes, just because you're trying to do the right thing, 09:27 it then is your faith that kicks in to let you know, 09:30 God is a very present help in the time of trouble. 09:35 You got to endure. Let me tell you something, 09:37 if you're going to go through an earthly hell, you got to keep going. 09:40 I'll say if you're going to go through an earthly hell, you got to keep going. 09:43 Don't stop, keep going through. You got to endure. 09:47 You all know the story I've told you here before. 09:49 A woman went to see the pastor said, "Pastor, I'm going through it. 09:53 I'm going through a divorce." The pastor said, "Praise the Lord." 09:57 The woman then said, "Pastor, I'm going through sickness." 10:00 The paster then said, "Thank you, Jesus." 10:03 The woman then said, "Pastor, I'm going through downsizing on my job." 10:08 The pastor then said, "Hallelujah." 10:10 The woman looked at the pastor said, "Pastor, you're making a mockery of me. 10:14 Pastor, you're making fun of me. I just told you, I'm going through it. 10:20 I'm going through a divorce. I'm going through sickness. 10:23 I'm going through the loss of my job and you're talking about praise the Lord, 10:28 thank you, Jesus, hallelujah. Pastor, what's wrong with you?" 10:31 The pastor said, "Lady, you said you were going through. 10:33 You weren't there to stay." Are you hearing what I'm saying? 10:36 [Congretation: Clapping] 10:37 Dr. Byrd: You've got to endure, you've got to go through, 10:41 you've got to keep on running. 10:44 And let me give you some good news and some bad news about endurance. 10:48 Can I give you good news and bad news? Let me give you the bad news first. 10:51 The bad news is this. 10:53 The bad news is, you may not get out of trouble right away 10:58 and I've also learned that trouble doesn't have to be long to feel long. 11:04 But can I give you the good news? The good news is, he will show up.[Congregation:Clapping] 11:12 Dr. Byrd: The good news is, he will come through, 11:18 and just because he hasn't come through already 11:21 doesn't mean he's not coming through at all because the Lord will make a way. 11:27 Let me tell you something about endurance. 11:29 Endurance requires discipline. 11:32 The same discipline that it took to get some things out of your life, 11:37 is the same discipline that's going to take for you to be patient. 11:41 All right, let me help you here. 11:43 Unless you've had a bypass, gastric bypass surgery or lap band procedure, 11:50 nobody loses weight overnight. I don't care what anyone tells you. 11:56 Oh, you lost weight. Oh, yes. I have just been drinking water. 11:59 No, no, no. I tried it. Come on. Say, Amen, all right? 12:05 You have to work at it. 12:07 You have to exercise. You have to, yes, drink water but you have to diet, 12:13 you have to stay off sweets, you have to endure it. You can't eat past six o'clock. 12:19 There are some people who would like you to believe that they lost weight overnight. 12:23 They want you to believe that it was abracadabra 12:25 that they had some special anointing or something. 12:28 [Congregation: Laughing] 12:29 Dr. Byrd: But I'm here to tell somebody, this thing is day today. 12:35 You're going to cry sometimes. You're going to be hurt sometimes. 12:40 You're going to be alone sometimes. You're going to be talked about sometimes. 12:45 You're going to be criticized sometimes. 12:48 You're going to be lied on sometimes. 12:51 You're going to be up late in the midnight hours sometimes, but you've got to endure. 12:56 This race requires endurance. This race requires patience. 13:01 You've got to make up in your mind that regardless of how bad it gets, 13:05 I'm not going anywhere until I get the promises of God. 13:08 So in this race, number one, you better lay aside those weights. 13:11 Number two, in this race, you better train, and then number three, in this race, 13:14 you better have some endurance because it's a marathon, not a sprint. 13:20 But let's not limit this metaphor of a race to the individual Christian life, 13:27 but let's take it to the corporate collective life of the church. 13:33 Now, remember, in a marathon, things don't happen all at once. 13:39 But in the marathon, you have to endure. 13:43 In a marathon, you have to be in it for the long haul. 13:48 And any season preacher, any of these season preachers up here will tell you 13:54 that ministry is not a sprint. You don't develop ministry DNA overnight. 14:03 Ministry is a marathon. Now, don't get it twisted. I was talking individual. 14:08 I'm talking collective church now. Just because ministry is a marathon, however, 14:13 doesn't mean you don't have to be intentional 14:16 and focused at the beginning in early part of the race. 14:19 Because if you're not focused at the early part of the race, 14:22 you'll find by fall behind and you won't reach your goal at the end of the race. 14:27 But what you start in the race, you got to keep doing in the race. 14:33 What you start, you must finish. 14:38 Ministry at the Oakwood University Church is not a marathon 14:45 but it is a marathon rather, it's not a sprint. 14:49 Specifically, the creative, innovative, seeker-sensitive, 14:54 holistic ministry for church members and community residents alike, 14:58 seniors and students alike, traditional and contemporary alike, 15:04 seniors and children alike, virtual and impersonal alike, 15:08 must continue because it's a marathon, not a sprint. 15:16 Somebody's going to get us in a minute. Let me try this way. 15:19 Gospel music and anthem music is a marathon, not a sprint. 15:30 Utilizing the Hammond organ and the Rogers organ is a marathon, not a sprint. 15:39 The aeolian singing in this church 15:42 and dynamic praise singing in this church is a marathon, 15:48 not a sprint. 15:50 Students worshipping with church members 15:53 and church members worshiping with students is a marathon, not a sprint. 16:00 Public evangelistic campaigns are a marathon, not a sprint. 16:07 Opening church businesses like the barbershop 16:10 and the food market are marathons, not a sprint. 16:15 Church school supports is a marathon, not a sprint. 16:21 Speaking against voter suppression and social injustice is a marathon. 16:26 It's not a sprint. 16:29 Social justice campaigns and leading merchants downtown are a marathon, not a sprint. 16:37 Giving clothes away, having water drives, offering COVID vaccinations, 16:42 providing COVID tests are marathons and they are not a sprint. 16:49 Amplifying children's ministries, 16:53 providing youth ministries is a marathon, not a sprint. 17:00 Increasing media ministry offerings, building media ministry is a marathon. 17:10 It's not a sprint. 17:13 What you start, you have to finish. What you have begun, 17:21 you have to continue because ministry is a marathon and not a sprint. 17:32 And although the runners may change sometimes, 17:36 although the batons have to be passed sometimes, 17:41 the goal of the marathon is still the same. 17:45 Win the race. 17:48 There are some things, friends of mine, I must confess 17:51 that I will never finish, but God will give it to my offspring, 17:55 my daughters, my grandchildren, my grandchildren's children. 18:00 There are some things that my great grandparents and my grandparents never finish, 18:07 but God gave it to me. He gave it to my brother. He gave it to my sister. 18:12 He gave it to my cousins. My grandparents would have long to live to enough -- long enough 18:18 to see a black man in the White House. 18:21 But God, let me live to see it that house that was built by slaves. 18:29 But one day, the son and the daughter of slaves lived 18:34 in that house that was built not for them, 18:38 but it was built by them. God didn't let my grandparents see it, 18:44 but God let me see it. 18:47 There are some, Eric Ward, who wanted to see an academy built, 18:52 but God didn't let them see it, but God, let me see it. 18:57 There were some who wanted to see a family life center, God didn't let them see it, 19:03 but God let us see it. 19:06 There were some who wanted to see an international television ministry 19:10 based at the Oakwood church, God didn't let them see it, 19:14 but God let us see it, and should the Lord delay his coming. 19:18 [Congregation: Clapping] 19:20 Dr. Byrd: There may be some things we don't see 19:23 but our children and our children's children, 19:27 they're going to see it because ministry is a marathon. 19:32 It's not a sprint. 19:36 Some plant, some water, but God gives the increase, 19:43 and Oakwood as I take my seat, you've got to finish this marathon. 19:50 Continue what's been started. 19:53 Remember that your personal life 19:55 and the corporate ministry of this church are marathons, 19:58 not sprints, but I don't know about you. I'm in it to win it. 20:04 How do we win the race? I'm so glad somebody asks. 20:09 The writer of Hebrews tells us what the winning formula is for the race. 20:14 He says looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. 20:20 In other words, friends of mine, Oakwood, 20:23 all we've got to do in this race is keep our eyes on Jesus. 20:27 [Congregation: Clapping] 20:28 Dr. Byrd: Because if I look at you, I'll get distracted. 20:32 If I look at myself, I'll get discouraged. 20:36 If I look at other folks, I'll get disheartened. 20:39 But when I look at Jesus, I get delighted. Keep your eyes on Jesus. 20:48 In the Greek, the word also hears signifies captain or leader, 20:53 but the reference here in Hebrews 12:1 seems to be the judge in the games 20:57 whose business it was to admit the contenders 20:59 and to give the prize to the conqueror. 21:02 Jesus, in this text, is represented here as the presiding officer. 21:07 He admits the contenders and he also gives the prize to the winners. 21:12 He's the judge under whom and whose by whose permission 21:16 and direction according to the rules of the heavenly race, 21:19 we are permitted to enter that race, commence the race, 21:22 and he is the finisher by awarding the prize, 21:25 which consummates the runners at the end of the race. 21:29 All Jesus says is be faithful unto death and I can win this race 21:36 because all I've got to do is keep my eyes on Jesus. 21:42 Not you, not me, not your husband, not your wife, 21:50 not a friend, not a co-worker, not the church, not the conference office, 21:59 but keep your eyes on Jesus. My soul's getting happy right now. 22:05 But I got to hurry up and finish. 22:07 But let me tell you something, all the failures in the Christian Life 22:11 can be traced to losing our focus and taking our eyes off Jesus. 22:17 Taking your eyes off Jesus is the most dangerous thing you could ever do in your life 22:22 and paradoxically, it's also the easiest, but don't you let anything, 22:29 don't you let anyone distract you from the ultimate prize which is Jesus Christ. 22:35 And I don't know about you, but I'm looking at Jesus, 22:40 the author, the finisher of my faith. 22:45 I will lift up my eyes until the hills from which cometh my help, 22:51 my help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 22:57 I will bless the Lord at all times. 23:01 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 23:05 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. 23:09 Oh, come and magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 23:16 I once was young, but now I'm old, but I've never seen the righteous forsaken, 23:21 nor his seed begging bread. The Lord is my light, my salvation. 23:28 Whom shall I fear? 23:29 The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid. 23:33 Lose the weights, train, endure and keep your eyes on Jesus 23:40 because life is a marathon, not a sprint. 23:44 Church ministry is a marathon and not a sprint. Oakwood, we've come too far. 23:54 [Congregation: Clapping] 23:57 Dr. Byrd: We've come too far to turn back now. 24:05 And I can't go back. You can't go back. We can't go back to the way it used to be. 24:19 Before his presence came and it changed us. In your personal life, you can't go back. 24:30 I'm looking at some of the people I baptized. Dott stand to her feet. 24:33 Dott you can't go back to the way it used to be. 24:40 You've been changed, healed, frees, delivers. Somebody, you found joy. [Congregation: Amen] 24:55 Dr. Byrd: You found peace. You found grace 25:02 and you found favor which means no more chains. 25:08 No more fear. My past is over because right now is the moment. 25:20 Today is the day I've been changed. You've been changed. We've been changed. 25:35 This church has been changed and we can't go back. 25:42 You're not who you used to be. You're not the man you used to be. 25:47 You're not the woman you used to be and you can't go back. 25:56 You all know, sing it. 25:58 [Choir: I've been changed, healed.] Dr. Byrd: Freed. 26:07 [Choir: Freed.] Dr. Byrd: Deliver. 26:11 [Choir: Deliver.] Dr. Byrd: I found joy. 26:14 [Choir: I found joy.] Dr. Byrd: I found peace. 26:20 [Choir: Peace.]Dr. Byrd: Grace. 26:23 [Choir: Grace and favor. I've been changed.] 26:34 Dr. Byrd: Has anybody been healed? 26:36 [Choir: Healed.]Dr. Byrd: Freed. 26:39 [Choir: Freed.] Dr. Byrd: Deliver. 26:44 [Choir: Deliver.] Dr. Byrd: I found joy. 26:47 [Choir: I found joy.] Dr. Byrd: I found peace. 26:52 [Choir: Peace].Dr. Byrd: Grace. 26:56 [Choir: Grace.] 26:59 Dr. Byrd: And favor. 27:00 [Choir: And favor.] Dr. Byrd: And right now... 27:05 [Choir: Right now is the moment.] 27:08 Dr. Byrd: Today... 27:09 [Choir: Today is the day] Dr. Byrd: I've been.. 27:13 [Choir: changed.] Dr. Byrd: I've been changed 27:16 [Choir: I've been changed.] Dr. Byrd: I have waited. 27:20 [Choir: I have waited] 27:22 [Choir: for this moment to come and the moment it comes]. 27:26 [Choir: and I won't let it pass me by] 27:35 [Choir: I won't go back.] 27:38 [ Choir: I can't go back, to the way it used to be 27:44 before your presence came and changed me.] 27:51 [Choir: I won't go back.] Dr. Byrd: can't 27:53 [Choir: I can't go back, to the way it used to be, 27:59 before your presence came and changed me.] 28:05 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:10 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:14 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 28:17 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 28:23 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:32 [END] |
Revised 2022-01-27