The Race Set Before Us--mmebs 7

The Race Set Before Us 1

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The Race Set Before Us Chapter 6 Drawing on God’s Grace

Going the Distance by God’s Grace 3

Drawing on God’s Grace

Going the Distance by God’s Grace

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Revelation 13:5-10 The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.

Let everyone who has an ear listen: If you have to be taken captive, into captivity you go; if you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

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Revelation 13:5-10 The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.

Let everyone who has an ear listen: If you have to be taken captive, into captivity you go; if you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

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Revelation 14:9-12 Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

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Revelation 14:9-12 Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

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Isaiah 40:30-31 NRSV Even youths will faith and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faith.

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Jeremiah 32:38-41 “They shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.”

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Jeremiah 32:38-41 “They shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.”

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Thesis of Chapter 6 God promises to sustain until the end those who are genuinely part of the people of God (TRSBU, 246). 12

Four Witnesses: Testify that God promises to sustain until the end those who are genuinely part of the people of God. 13

Four Witnesses:

Peter. John. Jude. Paul. 

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Peter

1 Peter 1:5 (NRSV)

By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 15

John

John 6:37-40 (NIV)

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 16

Jude

Jude 20-21 (NASB) Jude 24-25 (NASB) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. 17

Paul

Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 18

Paul

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 19

Conclusion We must finish the race to obtain the prize. No believer who quits the race halfway through will receive the prize. We cannot deceive ourselves with the thought that disobedience and faithfulness are idle matters. When we see what is at stake we tremble (and well we should), since many have gone before us who have been heedless of divine warnings. Yet we also may feel intimidated when we consider our own resources in finishing the race. We keenly realize that our strength is slight and our willpower inadequate. At this juncture in the race we take courage from the promises of God. He pledges that all those who are called and chosen will obtain the prize. He will provide the strength needed to finish the race. He will fortify our weakened knees and faltering resolve so that we do not apostatize. We will most certainly obtain the crown that is set before us, for the same God who propelled us onto the racetrack will complete the good work he has started. He is faithful to us as his covenant people, and thus we receive strength and encouragement to continue our journey to the heavenly city (TRSBU, p. 267). 20

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