I really don't want to shock you, but I will say this anyway. I am not a big fan of running. I mean I will do it if I have to, if I am playing basketball or something like that. But I really don't like running just to run. And I guess that's pretty obvious.

I used to run. I used to train quite a bit when I was playing sports in college. In fact, in the summer, I would run along the sand dunes on Lake Michigan. I didn't really care for it then, but I had to be in good shape and the reward would be helping my team win. I had a goal and I thought about it all the time that I was running. I don't have that goal anymore and it shows.

This is a good reminder for us a Christians. If a Christian loses sight of the goal, he or she will become spiritually unfit. God's Word urges you today to Keep Your Eyes on the Goal! The Christian's life is like a race. We run the race to cross the finish line and receive the prize. The prize we receive is the gift of eternal life in heaven. That is the goal. Keep your eyes on the goal.

1. The Prize has been awarded by grace

Verse 24 of the sermon lesson says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in a such a way to get the prize." How are you running the race?

A few years back I had the chance to watch my nephew play soccer. There were two boys on his team that really stood out. These two boys played the game completely different from one another. One of the boys would kind of jog around the soccer field. He was not like the other players, who were interested in the game. He would run one way and then the other, zigzagging across the field with no purpose at all, with no idea where the soccer ball was. In fact, at one point he actually stopped in the back of the goal, (he was not the goalie) and watched a puppy playing off to the side for about two minutes. He had no idea what was going on. This boy gave a half-hearted commitment.

Then there was the other boy. He must have been the star of the team. He ran with purpose. This boy darted to the ball and hustled back to play defense. He looked like cheetah chasing down his prey. He was focused and he ran and ran and ran. He gave a total commitment.

So which Christian are you? Are you giving a half-hearted commitment to your Christian race. Sadly some of you do run the race half-heartedly. You come to God's house when it is convenient; when it works into your schedule. You choose to pick up the Bible or go to Bible class only when you are lost or confused. You come around when you need something.

Some of you run with half-hearted commitment to one another. You are nice to people when it suits your purposes. Otherwise you backstab and gossip and try to hurt others with your words and actions. Some of you seem to work at being petty and selfish.

Some of you run half-heartedly when it comes to God's house. You see the work that needs to be done right here and yet you wander off to leave it for someone else. God's house needs attention, but with half-hearted commitment these major projects fall by the wayside.

Some of you run with half-hearted commitment when it comes to the mission of the church, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. You become more concerned with things you have done here or the money that you have given than about the preaching and teaching of the gospel to lost and hurting souls.

How are you running the race - with a half-hearted commitment or with total commitment? We must all confess that we have run half-heartedly. We, sinners, don't deserve the prize at the end. Praise be to God that the prize has been awarded by grace! Grace is God's undeserved love for sinners. We don't earn the prize but God gives it to us because His only Son, Jesus, gave us his total commitment.

Jesus ran the race in our place and won the prize. Christ won the victory for us with his death on the cross and with his resurrection from the dead. With God all things are possible. And the proof is in Jesus. He won and thus we win forever.

The Bible never says that we do anything to win the prize of eternal life ourselves, but it is clear that the prize is waiting for us only because of Jesus. Jesus gives us the prize in spite of how we run the race. Listen again to verse 25, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it get a crown that will last forever." Keep focused on the "crown of life." This crown is not like the crowns of leaves that the Olympians wear when they are victorious. This crown lasts forever and God gives us this awesome prize out his pure grace. Jesus made a commitment to us that will last forever.

2. The race is run with God's power

And that is why we make a commitment to Jesus. Some people wonder, "If God gives us the prize already, why should we run the race at all? Why should we struggle?" The answer is clear. We are committed to running the race because Jesus was committed to us. We love Jesus because he first loved us.

It is hard though. It is a struggle. Everyday, we have to get back up and run. When athletes compete sometimes they run into physical struggles. When this happens, they often rely on others. Doctors get them back in the game. Massage therapists relieve their aching muscles. They take vitamins and consume energy drinks.

When Christian's struggle running the race, the only thing that will carry them across the finish line is the power of God. The Christian's race is run with God's power. You can trust that power. You can depend on it.

God's power comes from God's promises found in Scripture. He says, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Jesus tells us, "Surely, I will be with you always, even to end of the age." As you run this race, hold on to all the promises given in the Bible. Never let them go. God is on your team and God always wins.

Today, I challenge all of you. Be world-class spiritual athletes! Don't be like the kid who wanders around staring at the puppy. Keep your eyes on the goal and run the race like you were meant to. Go into strict training. The Apostle Paul said that he beat his body and made it his slave so that he would not be disqualified from the prize.

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven." Obey God in your life. Subdue the impulses of your sinful nature. Don't let sin run you. Run your race in obedience to God. Get rid of all sin's baggage that weighs you down. When you obey God, you can run free. That is the first part of your strict training.

The second part is remembering what your goal is. Don't get spiritually fat and lazy. Stay sharp and focused on the goal of heaven. Don't forget what you are running for! If you want to be a world class spiritual athlete, keep your eye on the prize.

And finally, as you are running, be what God has made you. If you are Christian, act like a Christian. Love God. Worship him. Tell people about him. Love one another. Speak well of each other. Help each other out. Christians are meant to be world class spiritual runners. Don't set the bar low for yourself. The race is run with God's power. And God's power let's us set the bar high.

There are some very good runners in our congregation. They could really teach us how to run a race. There are many skills that can be learned. The same goes for spiritual running. We all can be taught a lot about it from Jesus. So be in God's Word every day so that you can run your race. Be in God's Word every day so that you can keep your eyes on the goal - heaven. Amen.