There ought to be an aggressiveness to the Christian life.

There ought to be a competitiveness to the Christian life insofar as you fight thing. First of all, come to Christ, get over

the fence, get in the race and when you're in it, man, run it. Welcome to Grace to you with John MacArthur. I'm your host Phil Johnson. You may know what it's like to dust off some old running shoes

and work on getting back into shape. Though at first your pace may be slow and

your endurance poor, you start to see improvement as you stick with your

training and over time you get stronger and stronger. With that imagery in mind,

stay here as John MacArthur looks at the parallels scripture draws between running a race and

living the Christian life.

It's a practical lesson from John's continuing study titled The Power of Faith.

And now here's John.

If you'll turn in your Bible to Hebrews, chapter 12,

I want to talk to you about the first four verses.

Hebrews chapter 12, versus one to four,

one of the great texts in the Bible, one of the most familiar, one

of the simplest really, and yet one of the most profound.

And I really just want to remind you of some very wonderful truths and wonderful realities

that flow out of this great text.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which

does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before

him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne

of God.

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