On The Course But Not In The Race | Hebrews 12:1–2 | Pastor Levi Lusko

It's one of those statistics that you can't lock down. At least I haven't been able to, but you will see it online. And it goes like this. 90 to 95%, and you'll see it both ways. 90 or 95% of people will never again sprint after turning 30 for the rest of their lives.

Now, of course, how do you lock down such a thing? But if you think about it, when was the last time you sprinted? You're like, I sprint all the time. No, I'm not talking about jogging. I'm not talking about running. Sprinting by definition is the fastest your body is capable of going.

I.e. that's what life is like when you're seven. You know what I'm saying? My assistant, his son got new shoes and he was telling me about he's like, "I got new shoes." And I like like Pastor Kyle used to get for his son. Uh, I was I was this kid just dad shaming up here.

Nice boots, son. And the the son says back, "This is the only pair of shoes I have. Good grief. If that isn't fatherhood, nothing is that. I've never seen anything quite like it." Um, so Miles has these new shoes and I said, "Miles, Miles, cool shoes." And he goes, "You know how fast I can run in them?"

Cuz when you remember that when you're a kid, you're just thinking like new shoes means I'm going to be like fast like lightning, right? You know what I'm saying? like you just sprinted all the time. So if you think about it, those of you who are over 30, when was the last time you sprinted?

And that's the reason why so many fathers, maybe moms too, probably mostly fathers though, end up at like the the the picnic for their kids where the dad's there, the all the all the kids are there and there's somehow like a foot race, right? And and the dads think, "Oh, I got this still.

I I I I'm" and they tear a hamstring, you know? Like it's like tail as old as time because if you don't use it, what do you do? >> Lose it. >> And if you don't sprint and then all of a sudden you try to, it's like when Samson said, "I shall tear these cords like I did at other times, but he didn't know the spirit of God was gone."

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. He tried to use it, not knowing he had lost. He tried to flex. He tried to sprint, not knowing it wasn't there anymore. So, it's an interesting untrackownable thing to think about. What happens when you don't utilize the ability to sprint and what does that do to you?

Bring that thought with you, that imagination with you into a Bible study where we're going to discover what scripture has to say about the subject of eternal rewards as we come to the conclusion of a series of messages called it's about time. We've been entering into this new year trying to talk about how to get past what's holding you back.

And so now we need to shift to our future shift to our our our ultimate future, the finish line of life and and to think about and to ask the question, are we properly leveraging the motivational power that God wants there to be for us of the eternal wards that he has for us?

And the big idea and before we go any further to this message is this. You're not dead yet. So don't stop sprinting. Come on. You're not dead yet. You're not there yet. So, don't stop sprinting. Title of my message is on the course but not in the race.

On the course, but not in the race. Here's what the author of Hebrews says, the 12th chapter. He says, "Therefore, we also," someone say, "we also." >> We also, >> he's talking about you. He's talking about me. He He's telling us how to see ourselves. And he says, "We also, since we are surrounded, it's happening right now, by a great cloud of witnesses, let someone say us." >> Us, >> lay aside every weight and the sin which, this is the scary part, so easily ins snares us.

When did you stop running? I didn't even know. I got snared up. I got tripped up. I I didn't see the snare. That's the point. Hunters camouflage snares so that the rabbit running by or the school running by doesn't even realize it's got something attached to it to keep it from running.

The snares that easily snare us. The weights that grab hold of us. All of a sudden, we're we're running, but we're holding all this stuff. It's hard. How do I run a race holding all the Why why do runners cut weight? Why do why do fighters cut weight, right?

They they they get down to nothing, to fighting weight, to running weight. And let us run with endurance the race that is set before who? Before who? Before who? Us. Not talking about Bible characters or professional Christians. He's talking about every spiritfilled, bloodbought son or daughter of the King of Kings.

You and I are meant to see ourselves as running the race of faith. How? Looking unto Jesus. the author and finisher, the alpha and omega, the originator and perfector. He's the whole kitten kaboodleoodle baby of our faith. Who for the joy set before him, he had a race to run and he ran it with joy.

He despised the unpleasant parts of it. He despised the shame of the cross. He despised and endured what he had to do to get. It wasn't pleasant what he had to do as he ran his race. But he ran his race looking unto the finish line, the joy set before him, despising the shame and enduring the cross.

And what did he do? He sat down. Because when you when you're done running, you get to sit. Praise God. When you're when your race is over, you get to sit down. But not until then. You sit down at the right hand, he did of the throne of God.

Can we thank the Lord for his word today? Can we thank God for the power? I had the most bizarre experience once. It was it was not too long ago. I was in Miami on a preaching assignment. Was going to minister to a bunch of pastors who had who had gathered there and I was going to minister in a in a local church and and so uh you know I woke up.

I had gotten a good seven hours of sleep was rested and and it was a stressful thing getting there. You know I had to fight through there was no storm in Florida but there was a storm everybody everywhere else in in America. Well, now that I think about it, Montana didn't get one either.

So the whole country except for Miami and Montana was was covered in snow and frozen. We had to fly through Minneapolis to get there. That was crazy. It was 20 below zero in in Minneapolis. Uh the it was so cold. Someone goes, "How cold was it?" >> They said that the engines just froze solid on the airplane.

Literally like we we would try to take off, but one of these engines is frozen solid. So we're just going to try and thaw it out a little bit. I was like, "What? This is what what what world are we living in?" Yes. And so eventually the the frozen engine gets unfrozen.

They pumped enough air through it to get it going. And we we take off and you know get to Miami. And so it was kind of stressful the whole thing. And and when I when I woke up the day that I you know was going to be ministering all day, three different services and three different campuses and and the whole deal.

Um I was like I need to run to clear my mind. And so I I put my running clothes on and I'm so excited I get to run outside and it's not 20 below zero. And I it was was so creepy though because all the roads were cordoned off around my hotel.

All the roads were just blocked off. There's police everywhere, cones everywhere, and not a soul inside. No cars on the road. And I I went up to a police officer. I said, "What's going on?" He goes, "What are you doing?" I was like, "I'm going to run." He goes, "Well, run on the road, please."

And it's the course marked before you. And I go, "What do you mean? It's Miami Marathon today. This is the course for the Miami Marathon." I go, "Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm not registered for a marathon and in no shape to attempt it. I just wanted to get 3 to 5 miles at my leisurely 9 to 10 minute pace, bro.

He goes, "We'll run on the road." I go, "No, no, no. I'll just run on the subway." He goes, "Why? We we we cut the whole road out for runners today. You're a runner. Enjoy the road." And I was like, "I guess I will." And like tried to like, you know, stretch my quads for a moment, start my watch, and I just start running down the middle of this road.

It was it was so weird. All the police are just standing idly by waiting for the marathoners to get here, watching me slowly run, judging me. And then I came to the first aid station and they were offering me cups of water. I can't take your water. I said, I'm not a real marathoner.

I'm just I'm just a recreational runner. And they were like, it's okay. It's for you. And and so I did. And I felt guilty as I drank it. and and I kept going and then I got to a first section of fans and they were in lawn chairs.

They had been up all day to cheer on the runners and so they started cheering me. I said, "Stop. Keep your cheering. It's not for me. You don't mean it. You wouldn't cheer if you knew." You know? So I'm like trying to talk them out of cheering for me.

Then I got to a section of people who had bongo drums. Giant. This is Miami in v in Amy. They were trying to run me on like trying to accelerate my pace. And I'm not going to lie, the pace did get to me. I felt myself a little like conga stronger, you know, and and then I started to feel a little good, you know, a little too good as I began to run.

And then that's when it happened. >> Yeah. >> A bunch of police on motorcycles passed me. I should have stopped and got off the road right then, but I didn't know any better. Then a pickup truck with a giant LED scoreboard telling the time of the runners passed me.

And that was when the race leader passed me. a man from Kenya who looked like he had never had a French fry in his entire life with shorts so high they told all the secrets. This man passed me like I was standing still and I realized this is the man leading the way on the Miami Marathon.

He passed me and and here's the worst part. A couple minutes goes by, another guy passes me, then another guy passes me. Still early race leaders. These are really, really fast, you know, runners, like world blistering, you know, whatever. These are going to be in the newspaper tomorrow, kind of human beings.

Okay, here's what happens next. The turnaround point was only 2 miles ahead. So, as I'm still jogging along, they all turn around and the entire thing happens again. I was so mortified. I immediately got off. I just walked back to my hotel. I can't do this. I can't I can't do this anymore. cuz I didn't like the feeling of being on the course but not in the race. >> According to Hebrews 12, if you are in Christ, you today, beloved, are on the course.

You're on the course that is set before you. It terminates in the ticker tape parade and the ribbon crossing as Jesus Christ with his nails scarred hands is urging you on trying to keep you focused on him. Eye contact on him as you run this race. Hopefully with endurance, hopefully shaking off all the weights that the devil tries to get you to hold as you run.

Hopefully trying to kick free of all the snares and and jump over all the puddle. He hopefully you're hearing the cheering on of all the angels and the saints who have gone before you whose races are over who can't do a thing. The number they put up is the number they put up and they are saying go.

You ladies and gentlemen are on the course. >> But my question to you is are you in the race? two very important truths that we need to let sink in and they are these. Number one, God wants to reward you. You can't do anything about that. That's what he wants.

And the second is the devil wants to steal your reward. I want you to absorb these truths. I'll show you in scripture where they where they come from, the idea, and but I want you to sit with both of them. Now, obviously, the devil, we get it. He's the worst, isn't he?

What's his problem? He's read the end of the book. He knows he's going to hell and he's got a bad attitude about it. So, that's his problem. And he figures if that's where he's going, misery loves company. He wants to pull down everybody that he can along the way before that happens.

It's like, you know, if you ever seen at a pool party when someone is going to get thrown into the pool, at first they fight it. They fight it. Then when they realize it's inevitable, what do they do? Their plan shifts. It's not stop this from happening. It's bring as many people in with me as I can cuz misery loves company, right?

Have you ever been that person being thrown in? Once you know you're going in, you don't care who you get a hold of. I will hold on to old ladies, little babies. If I'm going in, you're coming in, too. You know what I'm saying? That's the devil. That's everything you need to know about the devil.

He can't do anything about where he's going. And so, he's trying to hurt God's heart by hurting people God loves. And if he can't keep you from going to hell, he'll try and keep you from taking anybody in with you to heaven. He'll try and keep you back from your effectiveness.

So, Satan, John 10:10, does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. Jesus has come that we may have life and life more abundantly. So the devil's goal in your race is to sabotage the effectiveness of it. If he can get you sleeping by the wayside like the hair, thinking, "Oh, I'm so quick.

I ran. I I did so good at early on." When I when I first started walking with God, look how fast I was. Now he gets you to sleep, right? He does not want you to do what that tortoise had the good sense to do. Just to keep chugging.

Just keep chugging. Just keep chugging as quick as you can. As quick as you can. You see what I'm saying? The upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I want to lay hold of all that God lay hold of me for. He does not want you to live that way.

He wants you to think, what's the hurry? What's the urgency? We can always get around to it, right? The devil wants to steal your reward. What about God? I think this one, actually, I think we understand that one. I think the first one's actually harder for us. God, what's your comfort level with this?

Wants to reward you. That there's an incentive program in the life of the believer. I've seen a lot more people push back on this kind and I don't know why. I think maybe we feel like it's carnal that God would be trying to coax out something in us that would would would like that we would like that and it would be bad that we would like that.

It's it's naughty to want God to reward you. And I get it. If he didn't declare to us specifically, it would be weird for us to come up with that on our own. But let's just let Jesus speak for himself. Sound like a plan. Revelation 22. Behold, I in red letters, Jesus says, am coming quickly.

And look at it. My reward is with me to give to everyone according to his word. >> Huh? Huh? Huh? What's this going to look like? We don't have to even try and imagine it. In fact, it tells us 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

You cannot escape, beloved, your appointment where you get to find out what Jesus thinks of your performance in the race. We will one by one, not in groups, not grading according to the curve. We will stand before the piercing flaming eyes of Jesus who will see through to the thoughts and intents of the heart and we will find out whether he thought our time on the course was worthy of praise or not.

Now that you are sufficiently scared, I will tell you this is not a judgment about whether or not you get to go to heaven. that is already decided at the cross. In fact, the Bible tells us explicitly there are two different judgments. Not one person will be at this 2 Corinthians 5:10 judgment so-called the or or called the bema seat judgment because the Greek word for judgment seat is beimma.

Okay, this judgment is a judgment where only Christians. That's why Paul said for we must all appear before the bema seat. Not one non-Christian is ever referred to in connection to the beacy judgment of Christ. Non-Christians have a different judgment. That's in Revelation 20. It's called the white throne judgment.

And every single person standing in the white throne judgment, the end of their story is what the Bible says is hell because their names are not found in the book of life. So never will you find in scripture a Christian at the white throne judgment and you will never find a non-Christian standing at the beam of seat judgment.

But I think just because we're not going to be standing in the bad one, the white throne one does not mean we should just well then it's great. There's just grace then I'm just say oh yay, right? Because there is a judgment coming with Jesus where we get to what?

Find out whether or not we receive the rewards that he wants to give us. Now, let me deal with the whole idea of like what what it's bad to want a reward. It's bad to want something from God. I just want God. That's that's enough. That'd be fine if he didn't tell you and lay out a system for you to receive one.

As a father, sometimes I incentivize my children, hey, here's some things you can do. And if you do, guess what? Here's what I'm going to do for you. Now, imagine if they said, "No, Dad. I don't I don't want any all that. I don't want any reward from you."

And I would say, "Were you not listening when I said I want to give you one? I want to do this, but I want to see you participate." You see what I'm saying? I'm I'm trying to get you to partner with me, son. I'm trying to get you part partner with me.

I want you to rise up to do the hard things, knowing it's in my heart to bless you. It's in my heart. And if you don't do those things, you're going to keep me back from being able to do what I long to do for you. You see what I'm saying?

So for us to go, I don't really like all that. That's not that's not spirit. I just want God. That's enough for me. Just me and God. What are you listening to the words that are coming out of his mouth? I want to reward you. I'm going to tell you what I thought.

You're going to stand before me and and we're going to find out together. Did you rise up to the things that I You see what I'm saying here? >> He wants to. It longs to bless you. So, what what I'm really trying to say is you are not saved by good works.

Important. You hear that? >> But you are saved for them. >> Scripture says we are saved for good works. Now that we're saved, we are opened up to a life of good works. And that's a huge distinction. Not saved by him, but you are certainly saved for them.

And when we stand, according to second Corinthians chapter 5, before Jesus at the running at the at the finishing line of faith, when we stand before him now, there's going to be two piles. He's going to reduce your entire life to two piles. One pile that's good. What does good mean?

Rewardable. Rewardable. a performance that can call you onto the podium to have a bronze ribbon put upon your neck and an anthem plate out to cause you right you see what I'm saying something rewardable that's good according to his eyes my rewards with me will I get to give it to you we're going to find out is it in the good pile the other pile is bad but that in the Greek does not describe something evil or sinful but just some simply something worthless something disqualifiable okay so what goes into the worthless pile anything in your life not rewardable.

So all of my time on Tik Tok, I guarantee you is going into you. You see what I'm saying? That's just any time in our lives we spent with our bloodbought lives that we have now, every ticking away second, every hour, every 24 of them every day. It's an amazing thing, right?

And and anything that I did with my whole life when it's reduced down to his thoughts on it that is not rewardable, simply put was just wasted time is what he is going to just discard. And the Bible says he will be saved. The person will be saved, but as though through fire because the fire will cause all of that to just poof, it's gone.

The the piercing eyes of Jesus, poof, gone. Vast amounts of my life, poof, gone. Oh man, that whole day poof. Nothing done with eternity in mind. Nothing done with the pleasure of the f the I, you know, just how how did you spend last week? How did you spend two months ago?

How do you spend what's your screen time? Like all those sorts of things. Poof. Poof. Save. He's saved though. but as through fire, but there's nothing rewardable in that pile. Does that make sense? Okay. Now, you go, Levi, if the good gets rewarded and the worthless just is gone with the blazing eyes of Jesus, but I'm safe still cuz my salvation wasn't based on me.

It was based on Jesus. It just got placed on me when I believed in him. What about all my sin? When I stand before Jesus is the beacy, judgment according to 2 Corinthians 5:10. And there's all this sin in my life. Where does that go? Oh, he doesn't even see it in that moment. >> Amen.

Yeah. >> Because of the cross. >> Because of the cross. Because of the cross, it's been canceled out. Because of the cross, it's been strucken from the record. Because of the cross, he in that moment won't even have a ability to see your sin. Why? Because he, the Bible says in the Old Testament, when you believed, put it between his shoulder blades.

You might not ever heard it that way. You just heard cast it behind his back. The actual Hebrew is he pinned it between his shoulder blades. Let me ask you a question. What today is between your shoulder blades? I don't know. I can't see it. And neither can you.

Do you Can you Can you just take a moment and thank God your sin? Where's all your sin? Why can't he see your sin? Why can't he see it? Where'd it go? It's between his shoulder blades. He put it He put it behind his back when that whip went across it before he died on the cross.

And when God comes to look at your life, he'll see plenty of worthless he can't reward. and he'll see tons of things that he's excited about that he'll get to praise and all the sin is behind his back and he'll never judge you for it because he already settled that on the cross and it would be double jeopardy to make two different people pay for the same crime. >> And the two primary analogies for the Christian life in scripture are the athlete and the warrior. the two most common New Testament language pieces that that that that's utilized to get us to understand what is being a Christian like.

Well, it's like someone competing in an athletic competition and it's like someone who's on a battlefield for their king. And do you know what both of those have in common? Well, one thing they have in common is this. If they were successful in what they set out to do, they all received a crown for it.

Any warrior coming back would be given a laurel wreath. Would be given acknowledgement. They performed well on the battlefield when they came back to their capital city as well. Uh the origin of the Olympic Games and the origin of the Ismian games which took place in and around Corinth, they both had this idea of getting a crown on your head if you were successful at what you did.

And so we can deduce that the Bible is promising for us as a as a in connection to our eternal rewards if we fight the good fight. If we run the good race, we can receive a crown from our father. And not even just one potential crown. In fact, the New Testament tells us there are five different crowns.

I want I want to show you I'm going take you a quick tour uh throughout the New Testament to show you the five different crowns that you potentially could be in the running for. Today, the first is what's called the crown of the victor. The crown of the victor is an imperishable crown.

The imperishable crown 1 Corinthians chapter 9 says is for everyone who competes in the prize is temperate in all things. That's the istmian games. That's the Olympic games. A person focused on that kind of a crown, a perishable crown. Oo, they're tempered in all things. Oh, they will cut the skin off their chicken breast.

It's already the healthy white meat. But no, no, we got to get this the only good tasting part off this thing, right? They're tempered and all. We're all going to go hang out. You want to go watch a movie? Ah, I'm focused. I'm getting up at 4:00 a.m.

I I've been given decades of my life. That that person who wants to win a perishable crown, a crown you don't even get to keep forever because there's a new athlete coming at the next Olympic Games who's going to take that crown away from me. >> But what about us?

We do it for a in an imperishable crown. >> The crown of the victor. Now, we don't have time to go into it, but in the rest of the passage, Paul uses this idea. who's going to be in the running for this kind of a crown of self-control.

A life for Christ where self-control is fostered and where you tell your body regularly, I don't have to do what you're telling me to do. Cuz the devil and the world around you and your flesh is saying, "Whatever you feel, do. Whatever you feel, do with your sexuality.

Whatever you feel, do. Your desires are your destiny. Your desires are your identity. If you feel it, do it. It's bad to repress it. You see what I'm saying? But for the person following Christ who says, "Hey, I can feel a thing and not do a thing because I'm under new management.

I'm under the management of the Holy Ghost. I can choose to honor God even though I'm being pulled and almost sometimes torn in two." Now, you can live your whole life for Christ just sinning and and and sexually giving into your urges and making a mess and and and plenty of people do that and are still headed to to heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ, but are not having any mastery based on the Holy Spirit over their flesh.

And guess what? They will not get a crown. They will not get a crown. This crown goes to the person who buffets their body and makes it their slave. Who tells their body, "Hey, guess what? I'm not just going to do whatever you tell me to do. I'm going to live a life of holy worship.

I'm going to live a life unto the king. Okay? That is a person who's tapping into discipline. And I'm telling you something, there is a correlation between how you treat your physical body and how you treat your soul. All right? Uh that's why scripture says bodily exercise profits a little bit.

Why did I run that day in Miami? Because I'm telling you, if I don't run, then I find it easier to let that lack of self-control slip into other areas of my sanctification. If I let my eating go, if I let my running go, all of a sudden I find myself just lazier in other regards and it slips into this way.

So I find reminding my that's one of the reasons we fast as a church together. We're coming up on it during the Lent season moving towards Easter. We participate in what Jesus people have been doing for 2,000 years. We take a season and we we give ourselves over to holiness.

We take a season and we give ourselves over to consecration. and we can see something and want to eat it and go, I could eat that when I'm choosing not to because that self-control moves over to other areas because listen to me, fasting is a key to to to running the race of faith like we're meant to.

Why? Hey, they don't call it slowing. >> I want to run fast. I want and I find coming off that fast, I find there's self-control available to me in other areas when the enemy comes. I don't have to fast, but I get to fast by feasting on his presence and setting aside food and drink for a time because then I'm more focused.

You see what I'm saying? It wakes me up. It splashes water on my face. It allows me to be in the running for a victor's crown. Secondly, there's a crown of suffering. There's a crown of suffering. This is the crown of life. The Bible calls it in James 1.

We're told, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation. For when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Okay. Revelation also refers to this crown and clarifies that the highest level of this crown would go to a martyr.

Okay. Someone who is given the choice between death or denial of Jesus Christ. And they say, "Oh, I would way rather die than deny him." This is the person who is at the the tip of the blade of the crown of life, the crown of suffering. For they chose to not love their life to the end.

But that's not the the the fullest extent or the totality of the story because any kind of suffering or affliction, you know, you maybe you get made fun of at school or amongst a peer group or a friend group for your faith and your convictions and following Jesus Christ. your ability to not let that deter you, your ability to be mocked for the case of Jesus or or to go through any hard thing or any suffering that comes your way as you're following him.

And your response to that can qualify you, it would seem, for this crown of life, which gives us an entirely different way at looking at life's hardships, doesn't it? >> What does the devil want for you whenever you suffer? Follow Jesus, and this is the thanks I get.

He wants you to curse God and die. He wants He wants your response to suffering to be a dialing down of your faith. But Paul told the church at Philippi, "Hey, guess what, guys?" They were going through it. Okay? He says, "Guess what? To you," this is one of the verses that got me through when our daughter went home to be with Jesus and I spent the whole day.

She died writing a sermon. to you. It has been granted. He said to not just believe in Jesus, but God is going to let you suffer for his name. And the way he says it seems wild. Guess what, guys? God's going to let you suffer. And he says it like like that's like they should be like, "Yay!"

You know, >> why do they not feel yay? Why did I not feel Why do you do not feel yay when you suffer following Jesus? Here's why. Here's why. It hurts. And we forget that we're in an upside down kingdom where blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Blessed are you when people curse you out and revile you for Jesus's sake. You're the lucky ones. He's giving you a shot at a crown called life. The crown of suffering. And how do you walk worthy of that crown?

You face the crap that comes at you and you praise him anyway. You go through the difficulty and you don't t you don't dial down your faith. You turn it up to 10. You say, "My pain is my microphone and the more it hurts, the louder I'm going to get."

And though he chooses to slay me, I'm going to follow him. I'm going to honor him. Oh, I wish I had a church who could walk through hell but keep their eyes on heaven. Who could say to me it's been granted. I'm the lucky one. I'm Macarios in the Greek.

I'm blessed. and highly favored because I'm going through stuff I don't understand right now, but I'm gonna keep my eyes on my my savior. >> That that's what he's saying. Blessed are you. You get the crown of life because you went through nonsense. And so some of you right now, I'm giving you tools to think about your life differently.

You've gone through a lot of hard things. God has opened up for you many levels. God has opened up for you like side quests. You know what I mean? To to get these crowns you didn't even know were a possibility. That's how you you're to view every hardship in Christ Jesus.

Number three, I hard moving on because I feel the Holy Spirit on that. But number three is soul winner. The crown of the soul winner. This is what's called the crown of rejoicing. Simply put, according to first Thessalonians, people we have led to faith in Christ, like Paul to the church at Thessalonica, are to view those people saved under their ministry as a part of their crown of rejoicing.

You see what I'm saying? Paul says, "Is it not even you, my crown of rejoicing, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming for you are our glory and our joy?" This is radical. This means anytime you play a part in someone coming to know faith in Jesus Christ, they become connected to your eternal reward on some level.

Okay? So Paul was able to participate in the church as Thessalonica getting planted and getting born and tons of people getting saved. And he knows that when he gets to heaven, they're going to be wanting to hug him and and thank him. Not just him, his entire ministry team.

Not just him, but everybody who funded his entire ministry team. Not just him, but Luke who wrote down the exploits of his ministry team. Not just everybody who prayed for and encouraged. Paul has a whole Romans 16 where he talks about his mama. It wasn't even his real mom.

It was an adoptive. She gets thanked for the You see what I'm saying? You get a crown when you are in any way connected to the salvation of a soul. >> Wow. >> Wow. the crown of rejoicing because someone in heaven wants to invite you over for a cappuccino because you live not just for Tik Tok and dollars and what purse you get to wear and how big your boat is, but you live for souls to go there.

You fought to keep running that race. You kept your eyes on the prize and God says, "I can't wait to give you this crown." And there's some people going to church today going, "Am I getting blessed enough? We get to be preaching the gospel into two prisons today and sending the gospel around the world today.

I'm telling you something th it's not about us, right? This is this is a we want to be a church fighting for the soul winner's crown >> stranded in sin finding life and liberty in Christ or we die trying. That's that's that's what's that's what we're nailing up on the wall around here.

All right. Then there's the crown of a shepherd. If I play my cards right and don't blow it, I may get one of these. Bible calls this the crown of glory. It's the pastor teacher crown, but it's connected to the chief shepherd. And let me promise you, that's not me. 1 Peter 5:4, when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. >> Okay, listen.

The chief shepherd has these sheep dogs. That's that's me. And that's every pastor that works here at this church. And that's every small group leader leading a fresh life small group. And that's every impact team leader who's shephering under the chief shepherd. The job of a shepherd is lead, right?

The job of a shepherd is to keep things decently and in order in the worship experience. The job of the shepherd is to to know what God's doing and to call people out and to keep people in line and to keep people on mission and to keep people pursuing the job of the shepherd is to instruct well and to lead well and not just impart the gospel, but impart our very lives.

And any shepherd serving under the chief shepherd who rules well has to look forward to the chief shepherd giving the crown of glory to them. This is leadership. When you lead, you lead people, right? You're you're you're move and and you can lead well and you can lead badly.

And we'll find out when we stand before Jesus, every undersheperd will find out what the shepherd thinks of our leading. Is it about did we was it about us? Was it about us taking from the flock? Or was it about us doing what the chief shepherd did, putting on the the the towel and getting out the basin and washing feet?

Because Jesus said, "True greatness is not being lord of all. I had all that. I I humbled myself and came down to be slave of all. This is greatness in God's house." So there's the crown of glory. And then there's lastly, number five, the crown of readiness. The crown of readiness is what the Bible describes as the crown of righteousness.

And this is promised to anybody who is excited and living in light of Jesus's return. This is 2 Timothy 4:8. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, the day you should all have circled on your calendar.

Martin Luther said there should only be two days on your calendar. Today and that day. today and that day. Everything else is just a detail, right? Today and that day. Today and Jesus coming back day. >> And if you live that way, you get the crown of righteousness.

Not just to me, Paul said. And don't think it's just about Paul the Apostle. He says to all who have loved his appearing. And if you love it, you live in light of it. If you love it, you're giving towards it. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving.

And if you love it, resource and time and attention and energy are focused and flowing towards that thing. Do you love his appearing? Or are you like that engine in Minneapolis that day? >> Can't fire up because it's too cold. The Bible says that before Jesus Christ returns, the love of many will grow cold.

Can't fire up. Can't fly. Can't go down the tarmac. Can't get to Miami. Cold. There will be a falling away before Christ comes. Simultaneous to that outburst of revival. Young people coming in their calling. We're seeing it our in our world today. We're seeing Gen Z on fire for Christ.

We're seeing young men and young women rise. But but simultaneously to that, there's going to be more crossed arms, more don't get too excited. Don't I've been there. I remember in the 70s, people thought Christ was coming back. I remember 88 reason Jesus was coming back in 88.

Yan mele. Okay. You want to live that way? You're just fulfilling Jesus's prophecy, telling us his return is coming closer. I want to be hot for Christ. I want my engines blazing. I want to be ready. And I want him coming back and me saying, "What took you so long?

I loved your appearing." Right? Let's stay active in our faith >> until the finish line. You get the crown of readiness. Now, these are the five crowns the Bible talks about. And guess what? Many theologians believe they are not meant to be interpreted as the only crowns, just examples of the kind of thing that he's looking to bless in our unique situations.

Other people believe that there are degrees within these crowns. In fact, we don't even have to postulate about that because Paul tells us pretty specifically that if you get one of the good rewards, there's actually gold, silver, no precious stones. You read your Bible, read your Bible, read your Bible.

It's gold, silver, and precious stones. Okay, so there's there's this that was I I got you so hard. I spent all week studying. You didn't. That's not your fault. Okay, but listen. Gold, silver, precious stones within what's rewardable. That means to say you can get one of the crowns, but is this maybe not the highest level you are capable of receiving.

All right? So, so I'm just saying there's a spectrum within these crowns. And I want you to be motivated by them because Jesus wants you to be motivated by them. And I want you to remember what does the devil want? >> To steal your potential. I was coming back from a preaching trip.

And um No, no, it wasn't even a preaching trip, was it? No, it wasn't. It was another It was a very important trip, but not a preaching trip. And I was coming back and I had a layover in Paris. Uh and I've had one other time to go to Paris.

It was also on a layover and it was also uh there's a lot of things about that trip. That trip that it was the Olympics were starting the next week. It was the worst time in the world to visit Paris. I just wanted to go to the Lou with our layover and I couldn't because the Olympics were they were only letting dignitaries in, you know, like the the prince of Saudi Arabia or whatever, right?

So, us common folk couldn't get into the Lou that day. So, the next layover I had in Paris, I was so excited to see see the lube. First thing I did when I found out that was the itinerary Delta gave us, I booked tickets to go to the Lou for me and my daughter.

I like, "We're going to the Lou, honey. We're going to see the Mona Lisa, right?" And uh and would you believe it, the same day we got to Paris, that breakin happened October 19th, the thief broke in. They they they put a ladder truck at the at the window and and and literally broke in a window with the angle grinders, broke open a display case, and stole a crown. the crown jewels of France.

And so they they closed the entire museum and we show up with our tickets and they're like, "Yeah, you can't come in. It's a it's a crime scene. Uh the Jeanie have taken control with Interpol of the entire facility and CNN's broadcasting over here and BBC News is broadcasting over here and some French guy is and and and I was like, you've got to be kidding me.

First the Olympics and now this." And so we just got a croissant and went on our way. I didn't get to see art that day because the thief broke in and stole. >> If you're living like God wants you to live, the Bible says you are his workmanship. >> Yeah. >> You are his masterpiece. >> The unique combination of crowns that you are capable of receiving following Jesus, it's meant to be a tapestry of art that's amazing and unique to you. the combination of gold and silver and precious stones in the arignment.

It will be like no other crown. It'll be like the the the snowflake. It'll be like your fingerprint. The unique It's like, "Wow, what what did God do through you? It's the sto." You see what I'm saying? >> But the thief wants to break in and steal your crown.

That's why you got to do these four things. It's so important. This we're moving towards the end. Number one, you got to remember. You got to remember. Don't fall asleep. Wake up by what? remembering. I did a little word search this week. I asked the Bible, I went to the Bible and I found how many times is the word remember used.

And how many times is the phrase do not forget used? I lost count after 200. >> Remember the Sabbath. Keep it holy. Remember the Lord. Remember the Lord your God. Remember God who brought you out of Egypt. Remember remember. Do not forget the Lord. Do not forget all his benefits.

Do not forget what God did. If you do that, then this is what's going to happen. And then we were given a whole meal built in for the church to remember the wounds. It's the only meal he gave us. It's one of only two sacraments we've been given.

Baptism and communion. 50% of the ordinances of the church is all about us not forgetting. Why? Here's the epiphany. We forget. >> We forget. And forgetfulness is the enemy of faith. The shortest sermon Jesus ever gave is three words. Remember Lot's wife. >> She was meant to be running forward.

And she did this. And guess what? You can't run forward looking backwards. >> Turned into a pillar of salt. If you stop remembering, if you stop running forward looking under Jesus, you start looking at other things. You forget. You forget how good you have. All of a sudden, now you're all over here.

You're lost over here. You'll end up salty. >> Salty. What are tears made out of? >> Water and salt. The Bible says when the judgment is over, he will wipe tears away from our eyes. And then we will enter into eternal glory and joy. I think the tears he has to wipe away from our eyes are when we get a glimpse of his goodness and we realize what we could have done.

And we will want so badly to go back and live this life over, but we will not be able to. You will be salty on that day if you don't remember. Billy Graham is dead. Charles Wesley is gone. Warren Wearsby not here. Ruth and Esther and and and Fanny Crosby, all of Helen Kell, all these greats who have come before us, they're dead.

The baton is in your hands. Remember, remember, remember. And then attention. Attention. Attention. Pay attention. Second thing you got to do to the Holy Spirit and what he's speaking to you today, pay attention to the signs of the times. They are dropping like flies. The Bible says, this is Jesus speaking.

Be on guard. Be alert. You do not know when that time will come. Pay attention. Be on your toes. Every day at school, every day at at work, driving, everything you're doing, just pay attention. What's God doing? What's God doing? How can this be a part of what God wants for me?

How do I keep my eyes on Jesus? There are no normal days. There are no normal people. There's just today and that day and everything else is a barrier to our faith. Third is calling. You have a unique calling. Paul said, "Make sure you walk worthy of the Ephesians 4:1 calling.

You have been called with." Okay, this is where I get to tell you, you're not racing against me. You're racing with me. We're all on the course together, but you're not racing me. It's not like, well, how much is Levi doing? Okay. How much is this person doing?

How much is my neighbor doing? Okay. Well, I seem to be doing more adequately than they. No. Wait, wait, wait. You have no idea what they were given. You have no idea the gifts they had. Someone could be doing far less from a bulk tonnage perspective, but be doing far more.

Cuz God doesn't call you to do what you can't, just what you can. And if he entrusts you with a little, he wants you to use that little for his glory. Jesus was the most blown away by a poor widow who put two mites in the box. Not the big wigs who had lots that they gave cuz they didn't give according to their riches.

They gave out of their riches. God's asking us to give according to what we've been given. So, you're not benchmarked by how fast I'm running and neither me to you. What is your unique calling? And are you fulfilling your calling? And then effort. When we talk about being a soldier and being an Olympian, we better talk about effort.

Did you see the cross country uh skiing in the Olympics? That's the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. Johannes Clabo, he's got seven medals. He finishes the race uphill. Look at the footage. This guy, this is not >> subminute mile uphill wearing skis. I've never seen anything like it.

Does this seem like an accurate depiction of you following Jesus today? Cuz some of you are some of you are like, "Pastor KFC, I I don't know like what you see what I'm saying. Some of you need to get in the game. Some of you need to wake up because time is short.

And I'm not loving for not getting in your face a little bit about that because you're going to come find me in heaven somewhere and be furious that I didn't tell you. Why? If you knew if you knew, listen, Paul says you're an Olympian, so act like it, but running the race of faith. >> Don't just be on the course, beloved.

Stay in the race. Remember, attention, calling, effort, race. >> Paul said, "Run hard." Paul said, "Run fast." Paul said, "Size eternal life." The life you were called to. The life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. Now, as we close, I must address the elephant in the room.

Motive. >> Motive. There you go. >> You can do a bunch and it all becomes worthless if the motive's wrong. >> Meaning your motive was to be seen by people. Jesus said it's only for God. So if you're doing it to flex, if you're doing it because everyone can see how fast you are, how high you are, how spirit you are, how how I'm too righteous for my shirt, right?

That's that's not that's not going in the rewardable pile. So enjoy it. Jesus said that's that's all the reward you're getting if you do it to see be seen by people. Okay. Second elephant in the room. If it's not flexing, then we're obviously not going to walk around heaven with our crown stacked high.

You guys see what I did? Oh yeah. Marty for my faith, bro. You know what I'm saying? Like if we're not going to do that, then what's the point? Can we just be saved and love a little and do something? No. No. No. No. No. No. Revelation 4.

Revelation 4. Let's close here. Let's close here. Revelation 4. There's a group of elders standing around the throne of God. They've got a bunch of crowns. So clearly they live well like we ought to. And what did they do with them? The Bible says, Revelation 4:10, the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created." >> The benefit of earning a crown is so that in this moment and every chance and opportunity you get, you get to cast the crown before his feet.

Yes. >> And I don't want to be there and have nothing to cast. >> I don't want to be standing before him and just be going, "Wow, it's so cool of you to die for me so I could be here. That's awesome how you bled out." Cuz the word for crown is Stephanos.

Stephanos. Stephanos of life. Stephanos of of of of rejoicing. Stephanos of glory. There's only one time the word Stephanos occurs in all four gospels. One time. And it's in connection to the crown of thorns that Jesus wore upon his head. The only crown he wore on this earth was a crown of pain.

And so I want to keep my eyes on that. Getting every crown potentially available to me to thank him so I can declare before him, this is this is my thanks. This is my thanks to you. President Teddy Roosevelt left the White House in 1909 and chose to go to Africa on a big game hunting trip.

When he arrived back in New York City on a boat, there were estimated 1 million people who gathered around the dock to cheer for him as he arrived triumphantly back into the country. dignitaries were there. The press was there. Every newspaper in the country was documenting this triumphant returning president.

There was an elderly retired missionary couple on the same boat that day coming back from decades serving the Lord anonymously in Africa. They were there on the boat when everyone got in line to shake Teddy's hand and no one got in their line. And when the boat pulled in and they saw the millions of people cheering Teddy on, there was something in the heart of that man that broke.

And he realized to his wife, he said, 'I don't want to be bitter, but can you believe we gave all of our lives to serve the Lord in Africa? And and here this this president who's amazing, don't get me wrong, but he has the cheering masses for his homecoming and we literally have nobody.

They had to find their way to a hotel by themselves. And she said, "Well, talk to God about it, honey. Talk to God about it, honey. I don't know what to say. We did what he told us to do." He got he got more discouraged as the night went on and he kept talking about she said, "You need to go talk to God about it, honey."

So, finally, he listened to his wife and went into the bedroom and shut the door and he came out not too long afterwards and he was completely a different person. And she said, "What happened?" He goes, "I talked to God about it." She said, "What did you tell him?"

He said, "I was told God I was confused why we would serve him with our whole lives and and no one would be there to recognize it." He said, "What did God say?" She said, "I felt like God put his hand on my shoulder and just simply said, 'You're not home yet. >> You're not you're not home yet.

Oh, oh, you're confused why no one's cheering you on. No, there's no homecoming. You're not home yet." And I say to you, Fresh Life, neither are you. So, don't stop sprinting. So, don't stop sprinting. Come on, we got to run. We got to fight. Come on, let's stand up to our feet.

Come on, let's stand up to our feet. Heaven, help us to run. Heaven, help us to to not get not get distracted, to not get motivated by each other, but to run. We talked about the white throne judgment. The Bible says those in that line, their names are not written in the book of life.

Their end is the lake of fire. Let me tell you, Jesus does not want that to be your story. And if you're here and you've not trusted Christ for salvation, or you're here and you're just religious but not saved, today is your day to trust in Jesus to enter into eternal life to have the promise of heaven and rewards for you.

But it starts with the nails guard hands of Jesus. Will you receive salvation from his hands? He wore the crown for you. If that's you I'm describing and you would say, "I need to receive Jesus. I need to be saved. I need to be set free." Can I just ask right now that you would pray with me?

I'm going to pray a prayer. I want you to pray out loud after me. Say this to God. He'll hear you. Church, say it with us. >> Dear God, >> Dear God, >> I'm sorry for my sins. >> I'm sorry for my s >> I thank you for the cross. >> Thank you for the cross >> and the resurrection. >> I turn to you in faith. >> Be my Lord and my Savior.

Lord, >> thank you for new life. >> I give you mine. >> In Jesus name.