GRACE TO OUTRUN OTHERS IN THE SAME RACE
TEXT: John 20:1-4 KJV 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.
A Christian life is described in the Bible as a race. The race started from the moment of conception. According to Biology, inside the seed of the man are millions of potential candidates and as soon as they are deposited, they begin to race. Only one is permitted to hit the mark. That one that ran and hit the target is no other person, but you seated in this auditorium.
1Co 9:24 KJV Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
The moment a child is born, he continues this race. That is why if you observe very well when a child begins to crawl and is able to get up, he wants to run. He runs to follow the parents.
It is this running to catch up that takes the child to kindergarten, nursery, primary schools, and other schools. How do I know they are running in school? At the end of the term, they will come home with a sheet of paper called report cards. The card is an indicator of how fast or slow, semi fast or semi slow the child is.
In the text that we read, the disciples of Jesus were informed of the good news of the resurrection of Messiah. This week, may you receive good news in Jesus name.
Peter and John on hearing the news ran out in order to confirm the story of Mary. However, the writer of the story says that the other disciple called John out ran Peter. If you read the story very slowly, Peter started first before John joined him and at the end, he outran Peter. This year you will outrun them in Jesus name. They may have started ahead of you but after this encounter, the grace of God will enable you in Jesus name.
How was John able to meet up and out run and Peter and arrive first?
The Greek word used for “outrun” there is “tachion”
Phonetic: takh’-ee-on
more swiftly, more quickly, more swiftly, that is, (in manner) more rapidly, or (in time) more speedily: – out [run], quickly.
John ran more quickly forwards
As a matter of fact, he was the writer of this book and every detail there. He said he arrived first. This year, you will arrive ahead of your competitors in Jesus name.
Most likely John was younger than Peter because the Bible called them partners when Peter had an overflowing fish catch. Partners are more or less of the same age, group, etc.
Luk 5:7 KJV And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
John was younger and lighter of foot than Peter, so strength was an advantage. Love impelled both and gave wings to their steps; but John ran more quickly forwards than Peter, whose consciousness of guilt, especially after his bitter repentance, hardly restrained his running, as little as it withheld him, John 20:6, from stepping before John.
Another reason I assumed was that John had always called himself the disciple who the Lord loved. And when you hear that something good has happened to your beloved, there is a kind of adrenalin that flows into your blood to make you run. It was an advantage.
So in life, there are people that are advantaged to run quickly; they went to very good elite schools, were exposed to very good teachers, born with silver and gold spoons in their mouth, they are connected to commissioners, senators, the presidency and are where they are today because of such connections. Some have gotten inheritance from their late parents; some are also naturally gifted and smart. All these equip and make people run faster in life. They can use these to outsmart and run you.
Ecc 9:11 KJV I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
So, if you are not in those categories that I have listed, welcome to the club. We are many like that. The question is how do you then compete favourably in life and get the reward? Life is competitive. If they advertised for a position or two, thousands of applicants will apply and many of them will come with the advantage of a degree, complimentary cards, etc. How do you compete?
At this point, I got exhausted. I don’t know about you. But as I searched out the scripture because the Bible has said we find hope in the scripture.
Rom 15:4 KJV For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
As I went through the world, I saw a competition. One person was advantaged very well and just like where we read started ahead of the other person but along the line something happened. Join me as we look at this account in 1 Kings 18: 45-46
1Ki 18:45-46 KJV 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
The Bible says while Ahab was already running to go to Jezreel, the hand of God came on Elijah, he adjusted his clothes, put himself together and started running too. He got to Jezreel first. Even though Ahab was riding on the best chariot available, Elijah came first.
The hand of God is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the grace of God. It is a divine enabler.
This is what I need in life. I used to console myself in those days. I am not competing with anybody; I am just on my own. I discovered it was not true. Even when you are trying to be on your own, someone somewhere is competing with you. When I realized that, I changed my mindset. Even the Lord Jesus, this is what the Bible says about him:
Heb 1:9 KJV Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
The word “fellows” there in Greek is “metochos.” It means partners or partakers. He was anointed (which always talks about the Holy Spirit) above His fellows who are fellow kings, spirits beings like angels but whoever they were He was above them all.
John arrived first; Elijah arrived first, that same grace, ability, divine enabler will make you arrive first. It will speed you up, cause you accelerate higher and move faster. Are there people that are getting married this year? You will arrive first. Are there people taken in and giving birth this year? You will arrive first. Are there people gaining admission or graduating with good grades, you will arrive first. Are there people competing for a position or job, or opening? You will arrive first.
When I am talking about “outrunning”, I am not talking of running marathon dash or 100m senior men, rather I am talking about achieving more than others. I am talking of becoming a point of reference in your trade and occupation. Achieving more than your fellows, competitors, partners, colleagues, etc.
A very good case study was the Apostle Paul. Paul said he achieved much more than all the other apostles put together. He listed his achievement here:
2Co 11:23-27 KJV 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
How was he able to do this?
1Co 15:10 KJV But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Here grace is not “undeserved favour”. It is much more than that. It is personified. Paul was saying It was not through my own power or wisdom that I performed these things, but through the Divine influence which accompanied me.
This is better explained in his letter to the Colossians.
Col 1:29 KJV Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
The Greek word used for “working” is “energeia” it is a noun while the one used for “worketh” is “energeo” which is a verb.
Phi 4:13 KJV I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The word “strengtheneth” is “endunamoo” It means to empower, endue with strength, enable and make strong. It all talks about divine ability and influence.̄I can do all things through Christ which infuses strength into me.
God worked energetically in St. Paul, and he wrought energetically with God. The summary is that it was the grace of God which is divine enabler, ability of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of grace Heb 10:29.
Where are the first arrivals? Let us pray Luke 1: 35.
Luk 1:35 KJV And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
What are the things we must do in order to outrun others?
1. We must press towards the goal
Phi 3:14 KJV I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
2. We have to lay aside excess baggages
Heb 12:1 KJV Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
3.We must be disciplined.
1Co 9:25 KJV 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.
1Co 9:27 KJV 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.
Prayers:
The Holy Spirit comes upon me, rest upon me, overshadow me.
Lord Jesus infuse me with ability, energy, wisdom, grace, idea, capability and strength. Even Sarah receive strength to conceive.