Keith Battle - Keep Running - Part 1

The series is called «Keep Running.» So, let me just get into it. If you have a Bible, turn to Hebrews chapter 12. If you have a Bible—whether it’s an electronic version or a print copy—the reason I would like for you to do that is because I want you to see what God said too. I want you to see it and be able to discover the wonderful truths in the Word of God. I’m going to read verses one through four from the New Living Translation, and my focus today will be on verse one for part one.

Now, it is our custom to stand for this part of the service as we read the Word of God. So, if you are physically able to stand without harm to yourself, please do that now. There are many reasons why we stand. The scriptures tell us that they stood in the Bible in the book of Nehemiah when the Word of God was read. I thought about this in the context of chivalry and being a gentleman. If some men are sitting around a table at a restaurant or dining area and a woman approaches the table—either from the restroom or just coming to join them—what are all the men supposed to do? In case you didn’t know, that’s what we are supposed to do: stand out of respect for the woman who has arrived at the table.

And I’m saying, if that’s the right thing to do for a woman, how much more should we stand when God is coming to His table to feed us today? We stand and say, «Welcome to this table; feed me.» Because let me tell you something, I don’t know about you, but even though I teach this word, I need God’s word in my life. I need it; this is not an option for me. I’m too nasty, too cantankerous, too raunchy, too evil, too wicked. I know I’m your pastor, but I have all those qualities too, and I know I’m not alone. I bet you are too. How many of you, without the Word of God, would just be a complete hot mess? I’m talking about needing God’s Word to just shut your mouth. I’m not the only one, right? There are people saying, «God, shut my mouth up with Your word. Make me nice. Help me stop giving the finger to people. Help me stop the road rage; make me nice to people I don’t like.»

God’s Word has that kind of power in your life, and anything that has that kind of power, I want it in my life. I’m willing to stand up because I know God’s going to speak. I stand up because I don’t want to miss anything you’re saying today. Let the man say something I need! Amen? Amen. That’s why we stand. It’s out of reverence.

Let me read this before I keep you too long. It’d be nice if you all stood the whole time like me, just so you know what it’s like. Amen? This is standing up the whole time. Verse 1 says, «Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.» Look at somebody next to you and say, «Stop tripping!» The race God has set before you—could it be that you are running the wrong race? We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus. He’s the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now, He is seated in the place of honor by God’s throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people, so you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

I want to go back to verse one for a little phrase there to set the topic up. It says at the end of verse one, «And let us run with endurance.» Somebody say, «Keep running!» You may be seated. One of the first spiritual mentors I ever had in my life was a man named Mike. Do you remember Mike? Michael Good, as a teenager, had one of the most committed walks with Jesus that I’d ever seen. The fact that he was so dedicated to God at such a young age was so impressive to me.

In fact, one of the ways you discover what you’re supposed to do in your life is when you see it. When you see it, you don’t just admire it; you want it. Like, «I want to do that. I want to be that.» He made me want to be closer to God. Everybody needs that in their life to inspire your faith; you need someone who has walked with God to inspire you. When I was younger, I looked at people who were womanizers, pimps, and hustlers, and in my flesh, that’s what I wanted because those were the people who were lauded in the community. But in the Kingdom, that’s not lauded; that’s not right.