As the song said "I'm in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush until life is no fun, all I've really got to do is live and die but I'm in a hurry and I don't know why."

People everywhere are suffering from a terrible sickness.

Hurry Sickness: "the continuous struggle to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

Paul when talking about the Christian life says…

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

You may say, See, I knew I was supposed to be running a race!!!!

God wants me to be busy…go, go, go….do, do, do

We are to run a race……… but what does that race look like? 

The Christian race has order, purpose, and direction.

-        He knows where He is going and directs himself that way

Once you put your life in Jesus’ hands, He hands you some running shoes and a map.

Shoes to get you moving, a map to tell you where to go.

EPHESIANS 5

8.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

Because we no longer live for ourselves, it is important that we…

10.  and find out what pleases the Lord.

Our life is not our own, we must…

15-17.  Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

How do we run the Christian Race?  How do we live the Christian life?  What is God’s will for how we are to live our life? 

Hebrews 12:1-3.  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

1.  Take off the ankle weights

Hebrews 12:1a. let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,

“Laying aside weights” may refer to removing artificial weights used in training but not in races, but more likely it refers to the Greek custom of stripping off clothes to run unencumbered. The image would represent anything that would hinder his readers from winning their race.

-        First thing we need to do is repent of the sin that keeps us from running the race well. 

-        Sin always messes things up.

o       God cannot bring order and direction to our life when we allow sin to get in the way and mess things up.

o       Sin complicates, entangles us

§        We often work twice as hard to keep living in such a way that allows sin to remain in our life

-        repent of the sin in your life, get rid of the sin in your life and you will be set free, free to run the race with greater ease

o       People who come to me looking for solutions to problems that are because of sin in their life will never find a solution until they get rid of the sin. 

o       There is only one solution for sin:  To repent and go the other way.

2. Get out the road map

-        it is ok to ask for directions

-        it is insane to think you can get from a to be without a map

o       (and yet we do that with the Christian life)

Hebrews 12:1b. and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

The Bible is our road map.

Matthew 7:24-27 tells us to build our life on the rock.  The rock Jesus was talking about are His words.

Psalm 119:105.  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

-         His word will guide us on the path of life

What are some things the Bible tells us to do?  What is the path already mapped out before us?

Matthew 22:36-40.  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'^[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Matthew 28:19-20.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

As a church:

Acts 2:42.  They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

As a leader in the church:

1 Timothy 3:4-5.  He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)

Exodus 20:8-11.  (4^th commandment) says “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”

The Word of God needs to take priority over everything else in our life.

3. Follow the compass

The compass is Jesus

Hebrews 12:2a.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

2 timothy 2:4.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.

-        Jesus is our commanding officer

Ecclesiastes 3:11.  “…He has also set eternity in the hearts of men…”

-        Running after anything else will not satisfy that inner desire.

Matthew 6:25-34 tells us to not be distracted by the worries of this world but to seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added to us.

Matthew 6:20.  store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

the average American spends up to 80% of his or her waking hours
making money, spending money, or worrying about money

However for at least $2million, people responded they would do
these things for money:
a. (25%) Would abandon their entire family
b. (23%) Would become prostitutes for a week or more
c. (16%) Would give up their American citizenship
d. (16%) Would leave their spouses
e. (10%) Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free
f. (7%) Would kill a stranger
g. (3%) Would put their children up for adoption

 The point is that our race is not run for things of this world.  When we chase after things of this world, we find ourselves overrun, worn out, and burned out.

2 Corinthians 4:18.  tells us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Once we get our priorities straight, we can let go of a lot of the junk that is filling up our lives.

How do we get to the point where we can start running the race?

 Remember Mary and Martha?

Luke 10:38-42.  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"  41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

-        Martha was on the go, go, go

-        Mary sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what He said

Luke 10:42.  only one thing is needed

Martha needed a time-out!

A. Take a time-out

Mark 6:30-33.   30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." 32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Even Jesus took time-outs.

Get off the marry-go round, walk away and sit down.

Call a timeout. A timeout is when we stop our activity, regroup and remember what the game plan is.

"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10

God spoke to Moses in a still, quiet voice.

Stop doing long enough to listen…instead of. “Hurry up God, tell me what to do?”

Did you ever wonder why God gave us a day of rest?  Part of it has to do with a regular need to seek his face and see if we are on the right path.

B. Take some notes

-        Find out what God wants you to do and do it. 

Romans 12:2.  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-        Start your days and weeks by asking God, “What do you want me to do today?”

This is especially true when it comes to the church as a whole…

Romans 12:6.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

1 Corinthians 12.  One body many parts

We often can not rest because we are doing things we do not have any business doing

If we stop doing the things we do not have the gifts to do, God will provide (most likely He already has) the people we need to do what needs to be done

If we limit our weeks and days to doing just the things God wants us to do, we will find that we have plenty of time to rest. 

Galatians 2:20.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. We died to self to live for Him

Remember our life is not our own.  Let us live it for him and do what He tells us to do.

Stop the marry-go round.  Get off.  Get right.