In the 2016 Summer Olympics a man by the name of Matthew Centrowitz won the gold medal in the men’s 1500. He was the first American to do so since 1908, finishing with a time of 3:50 flat. 1500 meters is a little under a mile, so it sounds like a fast time, right? Perhaps you’d be surprised to know that Matthew’s time of 3:50 was actually the slowest winning time in almost 85 years.

Which was quite astounding really. It seems like we see amazing progress year after year as athletes continue to get better, stronger, faster, and bigger. So what happened that year in the 1500? One reporter put it like this, “Many wondered, why did the other runners let the pace go so slowly? Surely some of the runners on the field could have set a faster pace…but here was the problem: no one wanted to lead."

THE WORD

Do 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. Everyone 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. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I often told my students at the beginning of the school year, when it comes to being a light in the world you have two choices: be a PACE-SETTER or a PACE-SETTLER.

In racing being a pace-setter can be difficult. It means you get out front of the pack, you become the target, and you risk tiring out towards the end. But settling for the pace someone else sets can mean not only losing the race, but in Matthew's case losing years of competitive growth in the sport and ultimately allowing the sport to decline. It means you could have done better but failed to push yourself.

Choosing to submit our loves to Jesus in a world that worships the self-image and champions self pleasure over self-denial is the peak form of pace-setting.

SPIRITUAL WALK VS. SPIRITUAL RACE

We often refer to our faith as a walk. "How is your walk with Jesus?" "I feel like my spiritual walk is at a stand still." "We need to walk out our faith." While there's certainly nothing wrong with that (I do it quite a bit), the Bible more often compares our faith to a race.

Which makes sense; after all racing was the sport of the day at the time of the New Testament. While today every American pastor seems to have a repertoire of football analogies, races were the sport of the ancient Roman world. And much like today, arenas were built, crowds were drawn, and athletes were idolized as competition took center stage.

4 WAYS OUR FAITH IS A RACE, NOT A WALK

1. A RACE INVOLVES MULTIPLE COMPETITORS AND MULTIPLE ENCOURAGERS

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

In ancient Rome they often referred to the upper sections of the arena as "the cloud" because of how high the seats were. The writer of Hebrews uses this imagery to depict the many faithful who have gone before us and are now cheering us on in our race. While our faith is not a competition, it is also not run in isolation.

In any race, the biggest crowd of bystanders is always within the last leg, closest to the finish line. It's at this point in the race that the runners are in need of encouragement the most in order to finish strong. Spurring one another on and encouraging one another in the faith is an integral part of our spiritual life. The local Church is our team and all of Heaven is cheering us on.

Part of what makes runners perform better on race day is the amount of people running around them and the environment of being among so many who cherish the sport. In the same vein, someone recently explained to me that the reason car dealerships always build next to each other is because, statistically, they sell more cars when they do. So it makes sense that our faith is best lived out in the company of others who are doing the same.

2. A RACE IS DIFFICULT

1 Corinthians 9:25-26

Everyone 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. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

Our faith is one lived out from rest. Jesus has done the work and we are recipients of His grace which we cannot earn. However, our faith results in works that He prepared in advance for us to do and the race we are called to run is one in which He is running before us. Bottom line, the life He calls us to is not easy.

In greyhound racing I'm always fascinated by the mechanical rabbit they use to lure the dogs out into pursuit. The rabbit has to go at just the right speed: fast enough to stay ahead of the pack, but slow enough so as to not drain their hope of capture.

Jesus is our perfect example. He calls us to a life that is radical and yet practical at the same time. He promises us struggle and difficulty as well comfort and joy. How can that be? Simply because the hardest things in life are often the most gratifying. In long distance running, athletes refer to having a "runner's high," the phenomenon of feeling extremely satisfied after running an incredibly long and challenging distance. It's in the midst of difficulty that we discover our destiny. It's in the midst of suffering with Christ that we truly understand the value of Christ.

3. A RACE IS HEALTHY

Philippians 3:14

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I often hear people say, "I really need to start running." To which my response is, "Why?" I think a lot of people have this idea that getting in shape or being healthy means you have to run. Running is certainly great for your heart but it's horrible for your knees! It's also not always very effective for losing weight (which is typically what people desire).

The reality is, there are tons of different ways to be healthy, stay in shape, or lose weight. So I encourage people don't run unless you enjoy it! Running can be a miserable thing if it doesn't bring you joy. Here's what I'm getting at: everyone is different, so discover what makes you come alive.

When it comes to our faith, discovering who Jesus is coincides with discovering who we were made to be. Our identity is revealed in Christ and when we come to know the gospel, we come to know our true purpose. People often look at those greyhounds or racing horses and think, "those poor animals; having to run in these races and live this kind of life." But those animals were made for this! What would make them miserable would be to put them in a fenced-in backyard and take them on walks once a day. They were made to run and so were you and I in Christ!

Philippians tells us we have an upward call, not an inward call. The call of Jesus on our lives is to pursue, advance, and proclaim the kingdom of God. When we fail to do that, not only does darkness prevail in the world, but our purpose lies dormant and we live unfulfilled.

4. A RACE HAS THE END IN MIND

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Acts 20:24

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

When Jill and I go on walks with the kids around our neighborhood we never know how long (or short) it may last. Our kids always start out so excited, wanting to bring a scooter or a bike, getting their "running shoes" on, etc. But inevitably we often end up either carrying all the things they gave up on or carrying the kids themselves because "their legs were too tired." There are days we make it around the whole neighborhood and there are days we hardly make it down the street before we're turning back.

A walk has no definitive goal or end, but a race has a finish line. When you set out to race, you set out to finish and that means taking serious stock of what can go with you and what can't. You make sure to remove any and all obstacles that may keep you from the most important goal: reaching the finish line.

Following Jesus is not aimless. He is going somewhere and He's leading us there too. This race ends where eternity begins and that means that ultimately it is a very short one. As Paul told the Galatians, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?" (5:7) so we must ask ourselves if the race we began in Christ is still the one we're running or have we bowed out to some lesser goal.

CONCLUSION

Walking with Jesus makes for a sweet poem, but this life is seldom poetic. Remember, you were made to run, and anything less will never satisfy you. Get back in the race and set the pace for the people around you.