Hello, my friends. This is Pastor Wesley and thank you for joining us here at the Light of Christ Christian Church for today’s message. Lord God, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts, oh God, be acceptable to you. It’s in the name of Jesus we pray today. Amen. Our reading today comes from the twelfth chapter of Hebrews verse one. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin was so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Thanks be to God for his word. Thanks be to God for his word. I don’t know if you’ve ever watched the movie called Seabiscuit, but this particular movie is one of several horse stories that teaches usa few things about life. And in this particular movie, we have this horse, this this little horse who’sstature and demeanor are atypical and unimpressive to all of the people in the elite horse worldand all the horse breeders of the day. And on top of that, his owners, they, they, they, they, this horse existed in an environment in which the training techniques were really quite cruel and harsh. The public dismissed the horse and they didn’t think he was worth anything in the world. And so eventually, Seed Biscuit, he He became a wild and bitter and a horrible horse that lashed out at everybody. And so, of course, everybody naturally deemed him worthless. It was at this point that he was sold for a small amount compared to how valuable he really, really was. And so as the movie proceeds, the new owner, who was a wealthy auto salesman, he hires an experienced trainer to work with Seabiscuit. And the man who hires, who he hires is also an outcast in the racing world, nobody would hire him.And so we have this outcast trainer and this beaten down outcast horse. Yes, quite a combination. And this particular trainer, he has his hands full with this rebellious stallion, but he patiently and painstakingly watches and begins the training of the horse. As he watches the horse closely, he looks at the horse as he runs around the track and He realizes that the horse is running without heart. This is the problem. He saysthey’ve got him so screwed up and running in a circle that he’s forgotten what he was born to do. He just needs to learn how to be ahorse again. And so to help this horse remember how to be a horse, hetakes him out to the grassy, open fields, back to the place where space was plentiful and the restrictions were just one little fence. Back to the horse’s first love, wild rebellion. And by doing this, they awaken within the horse.
a fresh spark of purpose in his heart. And of course, we find this quite fascinating. The movie that comes out to be a really, really extraordinary ending. He goes on to become a champion that ran like the wind. And my it’s really, really quite interesting and quite great to see this happen. You should catch it. Seabiscuit. But my friends,there have been times in my life, in my own personal life, when I myself have become so focused on my limitations and distractions and doubts and losses that I have failed to see my possibilities. I failed to see my possibilities. There were times when I’ve fixed my choices and my habits on waysthat weren’t life-giving, if you will, but were leading to death, if you understand what I’m saying. And then there were times in my life when I lost sight of what true vision is, what the true vision is, which is God’s awesome purpose for my life, which is to worship him and seek him and honor him and obey him so that he might be glorified in and through every race that I run. Have you ever been to this place? Are you there now? You see, for the horse Seabiscuit to run with the power and passion that he was made to run with, he needed to remember that he was a wild stallion. And my friends, I believe the same is true today for you and me. To live the lives that we were born to live, our vision must cast beyond the restrictions and obstacles that we face in life. Our vision must be fixed on the one who designed us to worship with wild abandon and to live with wild freedom, if you will. My friends, we were born to be wild. wild for Jesus, wild with purpose, wildly surrendered to the will of God, wildly obedient to God’s commands, wildly led by the power of the Holy Spirit that work within each and every one of us. Oh, and let me read that text in Hebrews again. It says, therefore, since we are surrounded by so a great cloud of witnesses, let us set aside, lay aside every weight and sin which easily clings to us so closely. And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder, the author, the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what’s lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Oh, thank you. Thank you, God, for your word. Now, my friends, we have to reach beyond, reach beyond all that the world throws at us. We must remember.
who we are, whose we are, my friends. As we go from here today this week, I want you to take this particular text and meditate on it.I want you to meditate. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what part of it you can take and strengthen yourself with. And then ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes. Open your eyes to see and remind you of who you are, who you really, really are. And then go to the word of God and see who God says you are and rest and run and run the race based on who God say you are. Not who the world says you are, not using the world as a standard, but using the standard of our holy God. Oh Lord, thank you. My friends, we’re all created to join God in an amazing work in the world. God created us to live with abundant joy and courage and influence, but not the courage and influence of the world. God offers his grace for each and every failure. He offers his love that shatters hate. He offers his peace that soothes the turmoil. He offers us comfort, my friends, that we may experience more faith. Hallelujah. Oh, Lord God, we thank you. Lord God, even now, we thank you for promising restoration. for promising redemption and for the renewal for all who call upon your name. Lord God, help us to look beyond our failures ,our challenges, and our limitations to your abilities and healing power and to your boundless love. Lord, by your vision, let us rest in your vision, Lord. Lord God, we ask right now that you empower us to live in the wild freedom of your grace and in the center of your plan. We desire to be obedient, God. So even now, Will you move us by the power of your Holy Spirit to seek you more earnestly and honestly, to look beyond what the world throws at us and to hold onto your hand, to rest in you, knowing that if we seek you first, Lord, all the things that you desire for us shall be added. We love you, God. We praise you. We worship you in the spirit of your holiness. It’s in the name of Jesus, we pray today. Amen.
