(Breath of Life Theme Music) 00:00:01.80\00:00:06.90 Sermon #B725 - "It's a Marathon, not a Sprint" 00:00:06.94\00:00:21.15 Dr. Byrd: It's a marathon, not a sprint. 00:00:21.18\00:00:23.92 We just finished watching the Olympic Games from Tokyo and I don't know about you, 00:00:23.95\00:00:27.22 but I love the Olympics. Does anybody else love the Olympics, 00:00:27.26\00:00:30.76 from the opening ceremonies to the ending ceremonies to everything in between, 00:00:30.79\00:00:34.10 I love the Olympics. 00:00:34.10\00:00:35.60 But, you know, I really like the Olympics toward the end 00:00:35.63\00:00:38.13 because it's at the end that it's track and field race time. 00:00:38.17\00:00:42.07 Nothing wrong with basketball, nothing wrong with volleyball, 00:00:42.10\00:00:44.84 nothing wrong with swimming, 00:00:44.87\00:00:46.44 but I love track and field races to see Allyson Felix win her 00:00:46.47\00:00:53.98 11th medal, to see those three ebony brown sisters from Jamaica place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 00:00:54.02\00:01:02.96 100 meters. Y'all don't hear what I'm saying? 00:01:02.99\00:01:04.66 To see both the American men's and women's teams win gold in the 4 by 400 relay races, 00:01:04.69\00:01:10.53 to see the long-distance marathon run which brothers 00:01:10.57\00:01:14.17 and sisters from the motherland always win, to see all of this. 00:01:14.20\00:01:18.61 It conjures up feelings of energy and excitement and 00:01:18.64\00:01:22.91 enthusiasm. I love the Olympics. Does anybody else love the 00:01:22.94\00:01:27.32 Olympics today? But it's in our text that the writer of Hebrews 00:01:27.35\00:01:33.05 talks about a race and he uses this metaphor because, in early Roman times, races were popular. 00:01:33.09\00:01:38.73 All of these races, at these races, big crowds would come. 00:01:38.76\00:01:43.87 People come from everywhere to the flock and see the race and 00:01:43.90\00:01:50.57 the runners. But notice in the text, the text does not tell us, 00:01:50.61\00:01:52.64 the writer does not tell us in the book of Hebrews what type or kind of race it is. 00:01:52.67\00:01:57.48 The writer does not say whether it's a sprint or a marathon. 00:01:57.51\00:02:02.02 The writer just says " a race". 00:02:02.05\00:02:03.72 Everybody says race. And while all races aren't the same, 00:02:03.75\00:02:07.19 there are some preparations similarities for any race. 00:02:07.22\00:02:10.83 Quickly now, number one, any runner will tell you that if you're going to run a race, 00:02:10.86\00:02:14.63 you got to get rid of those things that will slow you down. 00:02:14.66\00:02:17.83 You got to get rid of those things that are holding you 00:02:17.87\00:02:21.07 back. You got to get rid of burdens. 00:02:21.10\00:02:22.77 You got to get rid of baggage.[?]. You got to get rid 00:02:22.80\00:02:25.77 of weights. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:02:25.81\00:02:27.14 You've got to let it -- let them go. 00:02:27.18\00:02:29.44 If you look at runners today, if you watch the Olympics like I 00:02:29.48\00:02:32.98 did, most of them wear only a shirt, a pair of shorts, and a 00:02:33.01\00:02:37.32 pair of shoes. And the shirts, the shorts, 00:02:37.35\00:02:39.32 the shoes are specifically made light in weight so they don't hold the runner down. 00:02:39.35\00:02:45.26 You will never see a runner with weights 00:02:45.29\00:02:47.20 strapped around his or her ankles at the starting block. 00:02:47.23\00:02:50.23 You will never see a runner run with weights around his her 00:02:50.27\00:02:54.07 ankles. They will never run with this extra load because they know they won't win. 00:02:54.10\00:02:59.74 The text says, "Let us lay aside." 00:02:59.77\00:03:02.74 Every weight that so easily besets us that means, 00:03:02.78\00:03:05.95 lay aside those sins, those obstacles, 00:03:05.98\00:03:09.65 those impediments that you're most prone to 00:03:09.68\00:03:12.62 that would hinder you in running the Christian race. 00:03:12.65\00:03:15.46 Get rid of any evil thought, evil action, evil habit, or 00:03:15.49\00:03:20.03 relationship. Fear, get rid of it. Envy, get rid of it. Jealousy, get rid of it. 00:03:20.06\00:03:23.10 Lust, get rid of it. Bad habits, get rid of it. Mess, get rid of 00:03:23.13\00:03:27.30 it. Confusion, get rid of it. Gossip, get rid of it. 00:03:27.34\00:03:31.64 That's why you got to be careful who you hang with 00:03:31.67\00:03:34.48 because you can't keep holding on to negative people that weigh 00:03:34.51\00:03:38.01 you down. Every time you get off the phone with them some folk, you just feel heavy. 00:03:38.05\00:03:40.82 Does anybody know what I'm talking about? You say it's a beautiful day outside. 00:03:40.85\00:03:44.75 Yeah, but it's supposed to rain in an hour. 00:03:44.79\00:03:46.79 I'm really doing well in class but the semester is not over. 00:03:46.82\00:03:49.89 These are folks that will drain you with all that negativity. 00:03:49.92\00:03:53.06 They will suck the very life out of you. 00:03:53.09\00:03:56.10 Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about 00:03:56.13\00:03:58.03 because when you see these folk coming, you run. Are you hearing 00:03:58.07\00:04:02.34 what I'm saying? You see them looking at you, you look the 00:04:02.37\00:04:04.77 other way. You see their number or name on caller ID and you say 00:04:04.81\00:04:07.98 God's not in that. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:04:08.01\00:04:09.78 Whatever is weighing you down, don't hold onto it, 00:04:09.81\00:04:13.58 but get rid of it. 00:04:13.62\00:04:15.15 Stop holding onto weights in your life that is causing you to 00:04:15.18\00:04:18.49 be burdened down. And let me throw this in, you can't run with weights from 20 years ago. 00:04:18.52\00:04:23.09 You can't hold on to a grudge on somebody for 20 years. 00:04:23.12\00:04:26.70 They've gone on with their life and you're still running around 00:04:26.73\00:04:29.80 in circles talking about what they did to you. 00:04:29.83\00:04:32.43 You had better understand, some of you right now, 00:04:32.47\00:04:34.90 you can't move on to your next because you won't let go of your 00:04:34.94\00:04:37.51 ex. I wish I had a witness in this place. Get rid of the 00:04:37.54\00:04:41.48 weights. Number two, runners must train. Runners must what 00:04:41.51\00:04:44.98 everybody? They must practice, they must train, they must 00:04:45.01\00:04:47.68 exercise. Runners must prepare for a race. 00:04:47.72\00:04:49.42 The runners in Hebrews, they did this and runners do it today. 00:04:49.45\00:04:52.89 No one wakes up and says, I want to run in the Olympics. 00:04:52.92\00:04:57.16 No, runners must train and this training doesn't take place in 00:04:57.19\00:05:01.10 one day. This training takes place over time. It doesn't take place overnight, it takes time. 00:05:01.13\00:05:05.97 Runners of the Christian race must also prepare over time. 00:05:06.00\00:05:08.94 They must practice overtime, prepare over time, exercise overtime, train overtime. 00:05:08.97\00:05:13.34 Read your Bible, pray every day. 00:05:13.38\00:05:15.01 You'll grow, grow, that let your Bible forget to pray, you'll shrink, shrink, shrink. 00:05:15.04\00:05:19.41 Runners must train. 00:05:19.45\00:05:22.48 Then number three, good runners endure. 00:05:22.52\00:05:27.19 Now, remember, the writer of the Hebrews is not specific about the race in Hebrews 12. 00:05:27.22\00:05:32.99 The writer doesn't say if it's a marathon or a sprint. 00:05:33.03\00:05:38.90 The writer just says, run the race with patience. 00:05:38.93\00:05:44.14 Now, in my holy hypothesis, in my own eisegesis, not exegesis, 00:05:44.17\00:05:50.45 but eisegesis, I don't think the writer in Hebrews 12 is talking 00:05:50.48\00:05:57.85 about a sprint because the writer says, let us run with patience, the race that is set 00:05:57.89\00:06:04.46 before. Y'all don't hear what I'm saying? 00:06:04.49\00:06:06.09 And if you're running in a sprint, you're running fast. 00:06:06.13\00:06:10.50 But if you're running in a marathon, you've got to pace 00:06:10.53\00:06:15.67 yourself. If you're running in a marathon, you have to have 00:06:15.70\00:06:19.24 patience. Are you hearing what I'm saying, everybody? 00:06:19.27\00:06:21.08 Life's journey is not a 100-yard dash, 00:06:21.11\00:06:24.91 but it's more like a marathon and in a marathon, 00:06:24.95\00:06:28.58 you have to endure. You will have some ups and downs, but you 00:06:28.62\00:06:35.56 got to endure. You'll be talked about but you got to endure. 00:06:35.59\00:06:39.29 You'll be persecuted, but you have to endure. 00:06:39.33\00:06:42.76 You have some disappointments and defeats, but you'll have to 00:06:42.80\00:06:47.57 endure. Even if the race is long and hard, you still have to 00:06:47.60\00:06:52.61 endure. Even if the race is difficult and draining, you still have to endure. 00:06:52.64\00:06:57.85 You have to run in the good times, you have to run to the 00:06:57.88\00:07:01.12 bad times because the race is not given to the swift or to the 00:07:01.15\00:07:04.42 strong, but to the one who endures until the end. Let me 00:07:04.45\00:07:08.36 tell you this. Good runners know how to endure. 00:07:08.39\00:07:11.79 In fact, good runners know how to take a licking and keep on 00:07:11.83\00:07:14.36 ticking. Are you hearing what I'm saying? I'm learning in my 00:07:14.40\00:07:17.33 life. You know, we talked about southwest region. 00:07:17.37\00:07:19.57 I'm learning in my life that God is preparing you now for 00:07:19.60\00:07:22.64 something that you're going to have to deal with later on. 00:07:22.67\00:07:24.87 God is preparing you now for something you can't handle right 00:07:24.91\00:07:28.68 now, but in time as you endure, you're going to be able to 00:07:28.71\00:07:32.75 handle it. You see, as I've matured and as I've grown, there's some stuff that I deal 00:07:32.78\00:07:38.15 with now, then if I had not gone through some stuff back there, 00:07:38.19\00:07:41.46 I wouldn't be able to deal with it up here. 00:07:41.49\00:07:44.53 Somebody knows what I'm talking about. 00:07:44.56\00:07:46.39 Somebody knows what it means to have gone through some stuff 00:07:46.43\00:07:51.00 and that God brought you through, 00:07:51.03\00:07:53.74 that God was preparing you. 00:07:53.77\00:07:56.10 That God was pruning you, that God was arranging you, 00:07:56.14\00:08:01.38 that God was rearranging you, that God was molding you, that God was shaping you, 00:08:01.41\00:08:08.98 that in your light, sometimes you had to go through the fire. 00:08:09.02\00:08:12.62 You had to go through the flood and in case you didn't know, 00:08:12.65\00:08:16.26 fire is going to fall in your life. [Congregation: [Amen] 00:08:16.29\00:08:19.36 Dr. Byrd: Fire is going to fall in your house. Fire is going to 00:08:19.39\00:08:23.90 fall on your job. Fire is going to fall on young people in your classes. Fire is going to come 00:08:23.93\00:08:28.94 on you. Cry yourself to sleep, wanted to quit your job, wanted to get in your car, 00:08:28.97\00:08:36.14 drive away and never come back. Anybody ever been there? 00:08:36.18\00:08:39.41 Felt like you were a failure, felt like you wasted your life, 00:08:39.45\00:08:44.42 felt like your time was in vain, 00:08:44.45\00:08:46.76 but I'm here to let somebody know under the authority of God 00:08:46.79\00:08:50.26 that God has not forgotten you. 00:08:50.29\00:08:52.66 You've got to endure. Anybody can sing Christian songs when the sun is shining. 00:08:52.69\00:08:59.00 You see, it doesn't take much faith to give God glory when all your bills are paid. 00:08:59.03\00:09:05.57 You don't have to be real strong and shout hallelujah 00:09:05.61\00:09:08.11 when everything is going well in your life. 00:09:08.14\00:09:11.11 But when the bottom falls out, when sickness comes, 00:09:11.15\00:09:16.22 when your children break your hearts, 00:09:16.25\00:09:18.85 when trials and troubles come, when your health starts to fail, 00:09:18.89\00:09:23.56 when persecution comes, just because you're trying to do the 00:09:23.59\00:09:27.56 right thing, it then is your faith that kicks in to let you 00:09:27.60\00:09:30.93 know, God is a very present help in the time of trouble. 00:09:30.97\00:09:35.44 You got to endure. Let me tell you something, 00:09:35.47\00:09:36.97 if you're going to go through an earthly hell, you got to keep 00:09:37.01\00:09:40.71 going. I'll say if you're going to go through an earthly hell, you got to keep going. 00:09:40.74\00:09:43.85 Don't stop, keep going through. You got to endure. 00:09:43.88\00:09:47.15 You all know the story I've told you here before. 00:09:47.18\00:09:49.15 A woman went to see the pastor said, "Pastor, I'm going through 00:09:49.18\00:09:53.25 it. I'm going through a divorce." The pastor said, 00:09:53.29\00:09:57.26 "Praise the Lord." The woman then said, "Pastor, I'm going 00:09:57.29\00:10:00.60 through sickness." The paster then said, "Thank you, Jesus." 00:10:00.63\00:10:03.10 The woman then said, "Pastor, I'm going through downsizing on 00:10:03.13\00:10:08.00 my job." The pastor then said, "Hallelujah." 00:10:08.04\00:10:10.81 The woman looked at the pastor said, "Pastor, you're making a 00:10:10.84\00:10:14.81 mockery of me. Pastor, you're making fun of me. I just told you, I'm going through it. 00:10:14.84\00:10:20.48 I'm going through a divorce. I'm going through sickness. 00:10:20.52\00:10:23.95 I'm going through the loss of my job and you're talking about 00:10:23.99\00:10:28.09 praise the Lord, thank you, Jesus, hallelujah. Pastor, what's wrong with you?" 00:10:28.12\00:10:31.39 The pastor said, "Lady, you said you were going through. 00:10:31.43\00:10:33.90 You weren't there to stay." Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:10:33.93\00:10:36.00 [Congretation: Clapping] 00:10:36.03\00:10:37.17 Dr. Byrd: You've got to endure, you've got to go through, 00:10:37.20\00:10:41.60 you've got to keep on running. 00:10:41.64\00:10:44.01 And let me give you some good news and some bad news about 00:10:44.04\00:10:48.31 endurance. Can I give you good news and bad news? Let me give you the bad news first. 00:10:48.34\00:10:51.48 The bad news is this. 00:10:51.51\00:10:53.85 The bad news is, you may not get out of trouble right away 00:10:53.88\00:10:58.49 and I've also learned that trouble doesn't have to be long 00:10:58.52\00:11:04.23 to feel long. But can I give you the good news? The good news is, 00:11:04.26\00:11:12.80 up.[Congregation:Clapping] he will show Dr. Byrd: The good news is, he will come through, 00:11:12.83\00:11:18.01 and just because he hasn't come through already 00:11:18.04\00:11:21.24 doesn't mean he's not coming through at all because the Lord 00:11:21.28\00:11:27.22 will make a way. Let me tell you something about endurance. 00:11:27.25\00:11:29.28 Endurance requires discipline. 00:11:29.32\00:11:32.75 The same discipline that it took to get some things out of your 00:11:32.79\00:11:37.53 life, is the same discipline that's going to take for you to 00:11:37.56\00:11:41.00 be patient. All right, let me help you here. 00:11:41.03\00:11:43.13 Unless you've had a bypass, gastric bypass surgery or lap 00:11:43.16\00:11:50.61 band procedure, nobody loses weight overnight. I don't care what anyone tells you. 00:11:50.64\00:11:56.58 Oh, you lost weight. Oh, yes. I have just been drinking water. 00:11:56.61\00:11:59.71 No, no, no. I tried it. Come on. Say, Amen, all right? 00:11:59.75\00:12:05.29 You have to work at it. 00:12:05.32\00:12:07.76 You have to exercise. You have to, yes, drink water but you 00:12:07.79\00:12:13.90 have to diet, you have to stay off sweets, you have to endure it. You can't eat past six 00:12:13.93\00:12:19.13 o'clock. There are some people who would like you to believe that they lost weight overnight. 00:12:19.17\00:12:23.77 They want you to believe that it was abracadabra 00:12:23.81\00:12:25.84 that they had some special anointing or something. 00:12:25.87\00:12:28.58 [Congregation: Laughing] 00:12:28.61\00:12:29.91 Dr. Byrd: But I'm here to tell somebody, this thing is day 00:12:29.94\00:12:35.38 today. You're going to cry sometimes. You're going to be 00:12:35.42\00:12:40.69 hurt sometimes. You're going to be alone sometimes. You're going to be talked about sometimes. 00:12:40.72\00:12:45.89 You're going to be criticized sometimes. 00:12:45.93\00:12:48.33 You're going to be lied on sometimes. 00:12:48.36\00:12:50.97 You're going to be up late in the midnight hours sometimes, but you've got to endure. 00:12:51.00\00:12:56.04 This race requires endurance. This race requires patience. 00:12:56.07\00:13:01.54 You've got to make up in your mind that regardless of how bad 00:13:01.58\00:13:05.01 it gets, I'm not going anywhere until I get the promises of God. 00:13:05.05\00:13:08.02 So in this race, number one, you better lay aside those weights. 00:13:08.05\00:13:11.12 Number two, in this race, you better train, and then number three, in this race, 00:13:11.15\00:13:14.22 you better have some endurance because it's a marathon, not a 00:13:14.26\00:13:20.96 sprint. But let's not limit this metaphor of a race to the individual Christian life, 00:13:20.96\00:13:27.84 but let's take it to the corporate collective life of the 00:13:27.87\00:13:33.14 church. Now, remember, in a marathon, things don't happen 00:13:33.17\00:13:39.38 all at once. But in the marathon, you have to endure. 00:13:39.41\00:13:43.42 In a marathon, you have to be in it for the long haul. 00:13:43.45\00:13:48.32 And any season preacher, any of these season preachers up here 00:13:48.36\00:13:54.23 will tell you that ministry is not a sprint. You don't develop ministry DNA overnight. 00:13:54.30\00:14:03.14 Ministry is a marathon. Now, don't get it twisted. I was talking individual. 00:14:03.17\00:14:08.48 I'm talking collective church now. Just because ministry is a 00:14:08.51\00:14:13.68 marathon, however, doesn't mean you don't have to be intentional 00:14:13.72\00:14:15.98 and focused at the beginning in early part of the race. 00:14:16.02\00:14:19.45 Because if you're not focused at the early part of the race, 00:14:19.49\00:14:22.56 you'll find by fall behind and you won't reach your goal at the 00:14:22.59\00:14:27.86 end of the race. But what you start in the race, you got to keep doing in the race. 00:14:27.93\00:14:33.50 What you start, you must finish. 00:14:33.54\00:14:38.47 Ministry at the Oakwood University Church is not a 00:14:38.51\00:14:45.21 marathon but it is a marathon rather, it's not a sprint. 00:14:45.25\00:14:49.82 Specifically, the creative, innovative, seeker-sensitive, 00:14:49.85\00:14:54.39 holistic ministry for church members and community residents 00:14:54.42\00:14:58.76 alike, seniors and students alike, traditional and contemporary alike, 00:14:58.79\00:15:04.20 seniors and children alike, virtual and impersonal alike, 00:15:04.23\00:15:08.60 must continue because it's a marathon, not a sprint. 00:15:08.64\00:15:16.51 Somebody's going to get us in a minute. Let me try this way. 00:15:16.54\00:15:19.88 Gospel music and anthem music is a marathon, not a sprint. 00:15:19.91\00:15:30.49 Utilizing the Hammond organ and the Rogers organ is a marathon, 00:15:30.53\00:15:39.57 not a sprint. The aeolian singing in this church 00:15:39.60\00:15:42.67 and dynamic praise singing in this church is a marathon, 00:15:42.70\00:15:48.14 not a sprint. 00:15:48.18\00:15:50.51 Students worshipping with church members 00:15:50.55\00:15:53.65 and church members worshiping with students is a marathon, not 00:15:53.68\00:16:00.49 a sprint. Public evangelistic campaigns are a marathon, not a 00:16:00.52\00:16:07.30 sprint. Opening church businesses like the barbershop 00:16:07.36\00:16:10.90 and the food market are marathons, not a sprint. 00:16:10.93\00:16:15.24 Church school supports is a marathon, not a sprint. 00:16:15.27\00:16:21.18 Speaking against voter suppression and social injustice 00:16:21.21\00:16:26.95 is a marathon. It's not a sprint. 00:16:26.98\00:16:29.08 Social justice campaigns and leading merchants downtown are a marathon, not a sprint. 00:16:29.12\00:16:37.19 Giving clothes away, having water drives, offering COVID 00:16:37.23\00:16:42.86 vaccinations, providing COVID tests are marathons and they are 00:16:42.90\00:16:49.67 not a sprint. Amplifying children's ministries, 00:16:49.70\00:16:53.11 providing youth ministries is a marathon, not a sprint. 00:16:53.14\00:17:00.88 Increasing media ministry offerings, building media ministry is a marathon. 00:17:00.92\00:17:10.03 It's not a sprint. 00:17:10.06\00:17:13.60 What you start, you have to finish. What you have begun, 00:17:13.63\00:17:21.37 you have to continue because ministry is a marathon and not a 00:17:21.40\00:17:32.11 sprint. And although the runners may change sometimes, 00:17:32.15\00:17:36.69 although the batons have to be passed sometimes, 00:17:36.72\00:17:41.26 the goal of the marathon is still the same. 00:17:41.29\00:17:45.26 Win the race. 00:17:45.29\00:17:48.10 There are some things, friends of mine, I must confess 00:17:48.13\00:17:51.07 that I will never finish, but God will give it to my 00:17:51.10\00:17:55.80 offspring, my daughters, my grandchildren, my grandchildren's children. 00:17:55.84\00:18:00.91 There are some things that my great grandparents and my grandparents never finish, 00:18:00.94\00:18:07.02 but God gave it to me. He gave it to my brother. He gave it to 00:18:07.05\00:18:12.05 my sister. He gave it to my cousins. My grandparents would have long to live to enough -- 00:18:12.09\00:18:18.13 long enough to see a black man in the White House. 00:18:18.16\00:18:21.60 But God, let me live to see it that house that was built by 00:18:21.63\00:18:29.70 slaves. But one day, the son and the daughter of slaves lived 00:18:29.74\00:18:34.61 in that house that was built not for them, 00:18:34.64\00:18:38.71 but it was built by them. God didn't let my grandparents see 00:18:38.75\00:18:44.02 it, but God let me see it. 00:18:44.05\00:18:46.99 There are some, Eric Ward, who wanted to see an academy built, 00:18:47.02\00:18:52.23 but God didn't let them see it, but God, let me see it. 00:18:52.26\00:18:57.83 There were some who wanted to see a family life center, God didn't let them see it, 00:18:57.87\00:19:03.74 but God let us see it. 00:19:03.77\00:19:06.27 There were some who wanted to see an international television 00:19:06.31\00:19:10.01 ministry based at the Oakwood church, God didn't let them see 00:19:10.05\00:19:14.12 it, but God let us see it, and should the Lord delay his 00:19:14.15\00:19:18.65 coming. [Congregation: Clapping] 00:19:18.69\00:19:20.39 Dr. Byrd: There may be some things we don't see 00:19:20.42\00:19:23.32 but our children and our children's children, 00:19:23.36\00:19:27.30 they're going to see it because ministry is a marathon. 00:19:27.36\00:19:32.37 It's not a sprint. 00:19:32.40\00:19:36.04 Some plant, some water, but God gives the increase, 00:19:36.07\00:19:43.85 and Oakwood as I take my seat, you've got to finish this 00:19:43.88\00:19:50.22 marathon. Continue what's been started. 00:19:50.25\00:19:53.09 Remember that your personal life 00:19:53.12\00:19:55.26 and the corporate ministry of this church are marathons, 00:19:55.29\00:19:58.89 not sprints, but I don't know about you. I'm in it to win it. 00:19:58.93\00:20:04.33 How do we win the race? I'm so glad somebody asks. 00:20:04.37\00:20:09.50 The writer of Hebrews tells us what the winning formula is for 00:20:09.54\00:20:14.44 the race. He says looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. 00:20:14.48\00:20:20.58 In other words, friends of mine, Oakwood, 00:20:20.62\00:20:23.42 all we've got to do in this race is keep our eyes on Jesus. 00:20:23.45\00:20:27.22 [Congregation: Clapping] 00:20:27.26\00:20:28.39 Dr. Byrd: Because if I look at you, I'll get distracted. 00:20:28.42\00:20:32.23 If I look at myself, I'll get discouraged. 00:20:32.26\00:20:36.13 If I look at other folks, I'll get disheartened. 00:20:36.16\00:20:39.23 But when I look at Jesus, I get delighted. Keep your eyes on 00:20:39.27\00:20:48.01 Jesus. In the Greek, the word also hears signifies captain or 00:20:48.04\00:20:53.25 leader, but the reference here in Hebrews 12:1 seems to be the 00:20:53.28\00:20:57.02 judge in the games whose business it was to admit the 00:20:57.05\00:20:59.42 contenders and to give the prize to the conqueror. 00:20:59.45\00:21:02.16 Jesus, in this text, is represented here as the 00:21:02.19\00:21:07.86 presiding officer. He admits the contenders and he also gives the prize to the winners. 00:21:07.93\00:21:12.77 He's the judge under whom and whose by whose permission 00:21:12.80\00:21:16.10 and direction according to the rules of the heavenly race, 00:21:16.14\00:21:19.01 we are permitted to enter that race, commence the race, 00:21:19.04\00:21:22.68 and he is the finisher by awarding the prize, 00:21:22.71\00:21:25.15 which consummates the runners at the end of the race. 00:21:25.18\00:21:29.02 All Jesus says is be faithful unto death and I can win this 00:21:29.05\00:21:36.19 race because all I've got to do is keep my eyes on Jesus. 00:21:36.22\00:21:42.73 Not you, not me, not your husband, not your wife, 00:21:42.76\00:21:50.71 not a friend, not a co-worker, not the church, not the 00:21:50.74\00:21:59.05 conference office, but keep your eyes on Jesus. My soul's getting 00:21:59.08\00:22:05.22 happy right now. But I got to hurry up and finish. 00:22:05.25\00:22:07.16 But let me tell you something, all the failures in the 00:22:07.19\00:22:11.79 Christian Life can be traced to losing our focus and taking our 00:22:11.83\00:22:17.27 eyes off Jesus. Taking your eyes off Jesus is the most dangerous thing you could ever do in your 00:22:17.30\00:22:22.84 life and paradoxically, it's also the easiest, but don't you 00:22:22.87\00:22:29.61 let anything, don't you let anyone distract you from the ultimate prize which is Jesus 00:22:29.64\00:22:35.45 Christ. And I don't know about you, but I'm looking at Jesus, 00:22:35.48\00:22:40.72 the author, the finisher of my faith. 00:22:40.76\00:22:45.79 I will lift up my eyes until the hills from which cometh my help, 00:22:45.83\00:22:51.87 my help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 00:22:51.90\00:22:57.07 I will bless the Lord at all times. 00:22:57.11\00:23:01.54 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 00:23:01.58\00:23:05.68 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. 00:23:05.71\00:23:09.55 Oh, come and magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his 00:23:09.58\00:23:16.12 name together. I once was young, but now I'm old, but I've never seen the righteous forsaken, 00:23:16.16\00:23:21.93 nor his seed begging bread. The Lord is my light, my salvation. 00:23:21.96\00:23:28.00 Whom shall I fear? 00:23:28.04\00:23:29.44 The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid. 00:23:29.47\00:23:33.94 Lose the weights, train, endure and keep your eyes on Jesus 00:23:33.98\00:23:39.98 because life is a marathon, not a sprint. 00:23:40.02\00:23:44.15 Church ministry is a marathon and not a sprint. Oakwood, we've 00:23:44.19\00:23:54.30 come too far. [Congregation: Clapping] 00:23:54.36\00:23:57.30 Dr. Byrd: We've come too far to turn back now. 00:23:57.33\00:24:05.17 And I can't go back. You can't go back. We can't go back to the 00:24:05.21\00:24:19.12 way it used to be. Before his presence came and it changed us. In your personal life, you can't 00:24:19.15\00:24:30.37 go back. I'm looking at some of the people I baptized. Dott 00:24:30.40\00:24:33.70 stand to her feet. Dott you can't go back to the way it used 00:24:33.74\00:24:40.21 to be. You've been changed, healed, frees, delivers. Somebody, you found joy. 00:24:40.24\00:24:55.49 [Congregation: Amen] Dr. Byrd: You found peace. You found grace 00:24:55.52\00:25:02.13 and you found favor which means no more chains. 00:25:02.16\00:25:08.24 No more fear. My past is over because right now is the moment. 00:25:08.27\00:25:20.85 Today is the day I've been changed. You've been changed. We've been changed. 00:25:20.88\00:25:35.70 This church has been changed and we can't go back. 00:25:35.73\00:25:42.30 You're not who you used to be. You're not the man you used to 00:25:42.34\00:25:47.18 be. You're not the woman you used to be and you can't go 00:25:47.21\00:25:56.58 back. You all know, sing it. 00:25:56.62\00:25:58.29 [Choir: I've been changed, healed.] Dr. Byrd: Freed. 00:25:58.32\00:26:07.66 [Choir: Freed.] Dr. Byrd: Deliver. 00:26:07.66\00:26:11.43 [Choir: Deliver.] Dr. Byrd: I found joy. 00:26:11.47\00:26:14.87 [Choir: I found joy.] Dr. Byrd: I found peace. 00:26:14.90\00:26:19.97 [Choir: Peace.]Dr. Byrd: Grace. 00:26:20.01\00:26:23.91 [Choir: Grace and favor. I've been changed.] 00:26:23.95\00:26:34.72 Dr. Byrd: Has anybody been healed? 00:26:34.76\00:26:36.12 [Choir: Healed.]Dr. Byrd: Freed. 00:26:36.16\00:26:39.03 [Choir: Freed.] Dr. Byrd: Deliver. 00:26:39.06\00:26:44.07 [Choir: Deliver.] Dr. Byrd: I found joy. 00:26:44.10\00:26:47.27 [Choir: I found joy.] Dr. Byrd: I found peace. 00:26:47.30\00:26:52.21 [Choir: Peace].Dr. Byrd: Grace. 00:26:52.24\00:26:56.21 [Choir: Grace.] 00:26:56.24\00:26:59.15 Dr. Byrd: And favor. 00:26:59.18\00:27:00.22 [Choir: And favor.] Dr. Byrd: And right now... 00:27:00.25\00:27:05.05 [Choir: Right now is the moment.] 00:27:05.09\00:27:08.16 Dr. Byrd: Today... 00:27:08.19\00:27:09.22 [Choir: Today is the day] Dr. Byrd: I've been.. 00:27:09.26\00:27:13.50 [Choir: changed.] Dr. Byrd: I've been changed 00:27:13.53\00:27:16.60 [Choir: I've been changed.] Dr. Byrd: I have waited. 00:27:16.63\00:27:20.37 [Choir: I have waited] 00:27:20.40\00:27:22.90 [Choir: for this moment to come and the moment it comes]. 00:27:22.94\00:27:26.34 [Choir: and I won't let it pass me by] 00:27:26.37\00:27:35.65 [Choir: I won't go back.] 00:27:35.68\00:27:38.55 [ Choir: I can't go back, to the way it used to be 00:27:38.59\00:27:44.33 before your presence came and changed me.] 00:27:44.36\00:27:51.30 [Choir: I won't go back.] Dr. Byrd: can't 00:27:51.33\00:27:53.84 [Choir: I can't go back, to the way it used to be, 00:27:53.87\00:27:59.91 before your presence came and changed me.] 00:27:59.94\00:28:05.91 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life 00:28:05.95\00:28:10.22 broadcast. We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 00:28:10.25\00:28:14.82 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 00:28:14.86\00:28:17.36 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 00:28:17.39\00:28:23.10 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 00:28:23.13\00:28:32.44 [END] 00:28:32.47\00:28:47.49