Today, I want to talk about running the race to live like Jesus. Biblically, running a race is a metaphor for living the Christian life so we can change and live more like Jesus. But before I get into that, in my preparation for my sermon this week, I enjoyed going back and researching the life of a famous runner named Steve Pre-Fontaine. As a runner myself, I love his story!! Steve was an American long-distance runner who was born in 1951 in Coos Bay Oregon. The first athlete to sign with Nike, Steve was a relentless long-distance runner, who was known not just for winning, but for the fearless way he ran—setting an incredible pace from the front. He once said, “My opponents may beat me, but they will have to bleed to do it.” He wasn’t afraid of pain—he saw it as part of the price of giving his all. From 1973 to 1975, he set long-distance records in almost every long-distance category. In the 1972 Olympics, Steve ran a spirited race, but in the last 10 meters was completely gassed and worn out and ended up placing 4th in the 5,000 meters run. As disappointed as he was, his resiliency, his ability to move on from a setback, gave him a newfound enthusiasm for running, and even continued to train for the 1976 Olympics. Unfortunately, Steve’s racing career was tragically cut short by a car crash. His career remains a picture of grit, perseverance, and heart. In the same way, how can we as disciples with grit, perseverance, and enthusiasm live a life that is more like Jesus? Let’s talk about what the Bible says about running a race, and living a life, for Jesus Christ.

Interestingly, the Christian life is characterized as a race by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament 4 different times including today’s text. Remember, racing for Jesus is a metaphor for living for Jesus, a topic in which Paul had a lot to say. Philippians 3:13-14 tells us the race for Jesus is not an easy one “Forgetting what is behind, and training for what is ahead, I press on towards the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul writes that, like in racing, there is a prize involved: “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” In Galatians 5:7, Paul gets on to the church in Galatia, asking them ““You were running a good race (i.e living a good life). Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?”-Galatians 5:7. For the Apostle Paul, rich applications for living a life for Jesus were found in running a race. As Global Methodists, and more importantly as followers of Jesus, living life is too serious to pass over. I don’t know about you, but I want more of Christ in my life so I can be a great husband, Dad, and leader, and I think you feel the same way about your life! Let’s slow down and take a closer look at the text in Philippians from different angles, so we can transform and live the life God has called us to live.

To begin with, living the Christian life requires a short memory: “Forgetting what is behind, and training for what is ahead, I press on towards the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 3:13-14. The context is that Paul laid out what he was good at in Philippians 3:1-6, but then said “I compared all things lost for the sake of Christ.” Paul was not only moving on from his accomplishments, but also the people he hurt in those accomplishments. He tells Timothy, years after his first encounter with Jesus that he was the “chief of sinners”-1 Timothy 1:15. Commentators have made the comment that this insight revealed something interesting about Paul: He knew his past wasn’t great, but because of Jesus, he could live and move on in spite of it. I know that in my own life, I often spend time agonizing over decisions made and what I should and should not have done. Paul’s counsel from the Holy Spirit to Himself increasingly becomes my own: “Forgetting what is behind… I press on to know Jesus.” The sooner I repent, learn from it, and move on, the better off I am, and the more Jesus is glorified. When it comes to having a short memory for Jesus when things go wrong, our nation’s history has a story worth mentioning.

Born in Boston Massachusetts in 1931, a young man lived a successful life at an early age and served briefly in the Marine Corps. By 1968, this man became a top aide to U.S. President Richard Nixon as his special counsel and was known as Nixon’s “hatchet man.” In 1971, now an adult, this man authored the 1971 memo listing Nixon’s major political opponents, later known as Nixon’s enemies list. A quip that “He would walk over his own grandmother if necessary” mutates into claims in news stories that this adult had boasted that he would run over his own grandmother to reelect Nixon. This man resigned from the Whitehouse in 1973, and got caught up in the Watergate scandal and was eventually convicted of obstruction of justice. In 1974, he went to prison—a public fall from power and respect. But, in 1975, he was released from a federal prison camp in Alabama where he served seven months. He promises never to forget the men he has left behind. This man began his first program, which brought a small group of federal prisoners to Washington for a religious retreat under the guidance of Fellowship House, which exists today as a ministry for prisoners. His name was Chuck Colson. Think of it, a former prisoner serving other prisoners for and with Jesus! Colson’s quote illustrates what Paul is saying about forgetting what is behind and moving ahead for Christ beautifully: “The great paradox of my life is that every time I walk into a prison and see the faces of men and women who have been transformed by the power of the living God, I realize that the thing God has used in my life is not my success, my achievements, or my awards. What God has used most in my life is my failure.” It is not easy, but moving forward after a failure can open riches for Jesus that we have never considered before. Don’t be ashamed of what God has brought you through. “Forgetting what is behind.. I press on to know Jesus.”

Next, the Christian life can not be lived alone: Forgetting what is behind, and training for what is ahead, I press on towards the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 3:13-14. The Greek word for training is the same word used in Hebrews 6:1 that encourages the church to train and “move on to maturity.” In other words, be the type of Christian who exercises their spiritual muscles for Jesus. That takes a couple of things. Paul knew that exercising spiritual muscles for Jesus will take being challenged by mentors, friends, and others who have been there before to encourage, help, and push him (and you!) to be transformed into the image of Jesus. For example, in Colossians 4:6 he mentioned a “dear brother in the Lord” and a “servant of Jesus” who can encourage the hearts of the church, who likely had encouraged Paul in the past.

Training also means not to be afraid to read the scriptures, or the sermons of famous preachers like Methodist founder John Wesley, or the reformers in the church like Martin Luther. Training for what is ahead is to be mature for Christ is rooted in relationships and reading from the scriptures and teachers in the faith. Let me tell you the story about a man who believed this is true. John Stott (1921–2011) was a brilliant Anglican pastor, theologian, and a key leader in the global evangelical movement. Early in his ministry, he was known for his intelligence, drive, and powerful preaching. But in his 30s and 40s, something changed. Though active in mission, writing, and preaching, John began to sense a deep personal need for more relational depth and biblical formation. A turning point came when a close friend challenged him about being so focused on ministry that he was unintentionally neglecting deep relationships—with people and with God. He also felt a growing conviction that knowing the Bible intellectually was not the same as being formed by it spiritually. That would require getting around other people and prioritizing time with Jesus, not just working for Him. John began to slow down, prioritize intentional friendships, invest more time in mentoring younger leaders, being challenged and encouraged by friends and other leaders, and immerse himself in Scripture not just as a scholar but as a disciple. He began each morning in prayerful Bible meditation and solitude. This “training in maturity” helped John live his life well. In his later years, his life changed—not just in impact, but in character. He became known not only for his knowledge, but also for his humility, gentleness, and love for Christ.

What are you running towards? I trust you are running towards Christ. Our hope is, as we run towards Him, Christ is also in us, which the Apostle Paul calls “our hope of glory”-Colossians 1:27. Is anything from your past bothering you as you race with Him and towards Him? Can you move on from things behind? Are you seeking to be challenged by Godly relationships, and reading other Christian’s who are living or have lived the Christian faith? So as you run, run with purpose—laying aside every weight, embracing God’s grace, and run your race with others who push you closer to Jesus. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.