Reaching the Finish Line

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Reaching the Finish Line

 

Today we’ll start the lesson by reading from Paul’s first letter to the brethren in Corinth.

I Corinthians 9: 24 - 27

 

In this passage, Paul illustrates the Christian life as both a race and a boxing match. We all know that in every athletic competition that there is an ending of the game. This ending results in either a victory or a loss by those who are competing.   That is why this is such a fitting metaphor for the life of a Christian. This is because God has planned bigger and better things for us. First, however, we must win the victory of this life. In today’s lesson, we are going to discuss the finish line in the life of a Christian.

 

Some Christian people live in abject fear and dread of the finish line. Keeping with Paul’s metaphor, what runner dreads finishing the race and winning the reward? No runner in an actual race fears or dreads the finish line. However, many in the Christian race seem to dread the finish line. The attitude of some people about finishing the game of life is that they want to add more miles. They don’t want it to finish. What this all boils down to is a fear of death. Look at something Paul wrote.

II Timothy 4: 6 - 8

 

Does Paul sound like he fears death? No, he sounds like he welcomes the finish to his life. We should not fear death. In fact, we are told at least 365 in the Bible that we should not have any fear at all of anything. Some people will say that a person not having what they call a healthy fear of death is simply someone with a death wish. However, having no fear of death does not mean that we have a death wish.

Ephesians 5: 29

 

In fact, being afraid of what awaits us at the end of the race often keeps us from enjoying the things we have in life. Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. It is the owner’s manual for being human. He writes that we should enjoy the time we have been given here.

Ecclesiastes 3: 9 - 13

Ecclesiastes 5: 18 - 20

Ecclesiastes 9: 9 - 10

 

If we live in fear of what is to come, are we truly enjoying the good things God has provided for us? We are all headed to the same finish to our race.

Ecclesiastes 9: 2

 

So why live in fear and dread? Do what God said and enjoy what He has blessed us with while we are still here. As long as we keep in mind the only reason we exist at all.

Ecclesiastes 12: 13 - 14

 

We all entered the Christian race to finish it. No one forced us to enter this race. It is a race we all chose to enter. No one forced us to believe and obey the Gospel. We had to actively choose to do that. When we did, we entered the Christian race. The whole point of entering a race is to win it, but in order to win a race, we have to finish it. If we don’t intend to reach the finish line, why did we bother to enter the race in the first place? In the Christian race, like in a real race, the finish line should be a source of joy and not of fear.

II Corinthians 5: 1 - 5

Philippians 1: 21 - 24

Hebrews 12: 1 - 2

 

We should not be afraid of the finish line, because the finish line means we finally get to rest. Our rest as Christians does not come until after the race.

Revelation 14: 13

 

Until the Christian race we have entered is over, we must give it all that we’ve got. We don’t get to rest or take time off while we are involved in this race. There are no days off. There are no vacations. If we are not totally committed in this race, we will not win in the end. 

I Corinthians 9: 24

 

The eternal rest that lies ahead of us is what will make all of our efforts worthwhile. Our rest days, our vacation days, all come after we cross the finish line.  We can read of the faithful anticipation of this rest in Hebrews.
Hebrews 11: 13 - 16

 

We should not fear the finish line, because finishing this life begins another one. Finishing the Christian race does not finish our existence. There is another one awaiting us if we finish victorious. What lies ahead for the Christian who finishes the race of life with a victory? 

Revelation 21: 1 - 7

Revelation 22: 1 - 5, 14, 17

 

While we are still alive, we should be developing the desire to forge ahead to the next thing. That next thing is eternal life. 

 

We should also remember that everyone who finishes the Christian race victorious is united. The race tends to separate us at times. Some people finish it before we do. Some will finish it after we are gone. 

 

While we will feel sadness for those who have finished before us, it should not be allowed to overwhelm us and affect our status in the race. 

I Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18

 

We all have many faithful Christian friends who have finished the race ahead of us. We should look forward to seeing them all again one day. I can think of many. I was going to name a few here, but didn’t want to leave anyone out. Anyway, rest assured that we will all be united again on Judgment Day in Heaven if we run this Christian race to a victorious finish. So what is there to fear about the finish? What is there to dread about the conclusion? Not a single thing as long as we have lived that faithful life in service to Him.

Revelation 2: 10

 

Hopefully, we have all seen how important it is to reach the finish line in this Christian race. We should remember to not fear what will come to all of us eventually. Instead, we should pursue it with everything that we have. That’s because if we lose in this race, we will have lost everything for all eternity. So we must run the race in such a way that we can obtain eternal life. We do this by remaining faithful to Him after we have obeyed the Gospel.