Some Things That'll Make You Run - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Feb 4
- 7 min read
Some Things That’ll Make You Run!
1 Corinthians 9
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Intro: There are several reasons why people run.
1. For Health – to lose weight, improve cardio; boot camp/conditioning
2. For Horror – fear triggers flight; from disasters; attackers; animals (Joke about the running shoes)
3. For Help – to get help or to go help somebody; every second counts; urgency
4. For Hope – to win a race; for recognition; for the satisfaction of overcoming the odds; for a prize
This is the type of running we find in our text.
· 1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
In our text we see several things about Paul’s analogy of the race.
A. The Expectation of the Runner – he knows why he’s running!
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
B. The Experience of the Runner – he knows what he’s doing!
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
C. The Example of the Runner – he knows others are watching!
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
The Bible is clear – every Christian is in a race.
But sometimes the race gets weary.
All through the Bible, we find people running for a wide variety of reasons.
Here are some things that will make you want to run, even if you’re weary from the race!
I. The Refuge of the Strong Tower
· Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
I love this verse!
I don’t see the one running as just a person running FROM something; but also running TO something.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
As Christians, when we are attacked for our faith, our walk, our fear of God, we don’t have to panic.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower – run into it!
There is safety for the child of God that is not ashamed of Him!
No hesitation; no shame; no regrets; no second-guessing on the behalf of the child of God.
His name is a high tower – RUN INTO IT!!
II. The Reproach of the Scorners
1 Samuel 17
· 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
· 51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
David had heard enough.
The blasphemy and the reproach had driven him past the point of caution.
There was nothing else to be said or done.
The God he loved and the people of God had been reviled and reproached for the last time.
When he saw the Philistine, he didn’t hesitate or walk. He hasted and ran!
I don’t know about you, but when I see scorners reproaching God’s people – THAT MAKES ME WANT TO RUN!!
III. The Return of the Strays
Luke 15
· 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
· 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
· 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
· 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Imagine the pain, heartache and the many prayers that have been offered up for this wayward son!
Long, sleepless nights. Tears. Fasting. Many meals with an empty place at the table.
No word. No news. No idea where he is. Just day after day, looking up the road.
Waiting. Hoping. Searching. Praying.
And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him.
His father had been looking up that road for a long time. All day. Every day.
And now he sees him.
His heart filled with love and compassion. Not anger. Not bitterness. Not judgment; just compassion.
And guess what Daddy did? He took off running!!
Seeing people that have left and come back broken and hurting – THAT’LL MAKE YOU WANT TO RUN!!!
IV. The Restoration of the Suffering
Acts 3
· 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
· 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
· 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
· 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
· 11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
Here is a man that has been crippled from the day he was born.
The Bible says he was lame from his mother’s womb.
He had been carried his entire life. Had never taken one step on his own.
The best he could do was beg for alms from those entering the temple.
The man of God reached down, took him by the right hand, and lifted him up.
The Bible says immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.He leaping up for the first time.
He stood for the first time.
He walked for the first time.
He entered WITH THEM into the temple – for the first time – walking, and leaping and praising God.
He got so excited he started hugging Peter and John – right out in public!! (vs. 11)
Word spread and people RAN TOGETHER unto them on the porch.
When you see someone’s life radically changed by the power of God – THAT’LL MAKE YOU WANT TO RUN!!
V. The Resurrection of the Savior
John 20
· 1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
· 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
· 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
· 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
For three days, they had been hiding.
Afraid. Wondering what was going to happen to them.
Wondering how there Master could be taken from them like that.
I cannot imagine the conversations that they had; whispering in fear and anxiety.
Then Mary shows up and tells them that the tomb was empty.
THAT’LL MAKE YOU WANT TO RUN!!!
VI. The Receptiveness of the Seekers
Acts 8
· 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
· 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
· 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
· 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
· 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Here Philip was – preaching in many villages in Samaria.
Then an angel comes to him and tells him to go to the desert.
We have no record that Philip had any idea why he was supposed to go there.
Here is a man of God – a Spirit-filled deacon that had just witnessed the martyring of his fellow-deacon, Stephen.
No doubt his mind was filled with thoughts of that, and the sorcerer that had tried to buy the Holy Ghost. (vs. 18)
And then he looks up and sees a man in a chariot, reading the scroll of Isaiah.
Then the Holy Ghost told him to join himself to that chariot.
THAT’LL MAKE YOU WANT TO RUN!!!
Conclusion: So next time you get weary in the race and think about quitting, remember – we have plenty to run for!
