Message given during "Racer's Church" by Wayne Strout as Co-Chaplain at Dirt Trackin Show 2014, York , PA
As racers, our goal is to “get
into” the “A Main” feature race of the night. In other words to “qualify” for the most
important part of the event. We first must run
in the Heat race to which we are assigned, running against many opponents and
having to overcome the challenges of that competition in order to finish well enough
to “get into” or “qualify” for the Main Event.
In many ways, the Heat race
illustrates real life.
The Bible even uses a similar illustration in scripture, Hebrews 12 where we are reminded: “And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Yes, the Bible acknowledges that racing is a part of living! Our lives, in fact are the “race God has set before us”!)
In real life, the Main Event is everlasting life in Heaven with God. And, what we do in our daily lives is all about our “running with endurance the race God has set before us”. In real life here on Earth, our daily lives are our running the Heat race in order to qualify for the Main Event.
So how do we finish well
enough in the Heat race of life in order to “qualify” for entrance to Heaven?
That’s what the wonderful “Gospel” or “Good News” is all
about. God himself came to Earth as a
man, God’s Son, by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He allowed himself to
suffer pain and death. He then caused himself to be raised from the dead and
ascended into Heaven. This is the famous scripture, John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much
that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will
not perish but have eternal life.”
In order to “qualify”
for the Main Event and get into Heaven, having everlasting life with God, all
you need to do is “believe in Jesus Christ” and follow him. Jesus said as is written in scripture, Matthew
11: 28-30 “Take my yoke upon
you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find
rest for your souls; For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. “ and
in John 10:11, 7-28 Jesus says “I am the
good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep“ and “My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me. I give eternal
life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my
hand.”
So to “qualify” we must “accept, believe and follow”. Accepting and Believing is the first step.
Following is what, as believers, we are expected to do in order to “qualify”—“running
with endurance the race God has set before us”---in other words---the rest of
our lives here on Earth.
Does that mean we have to be “religious”????
No…it means that we have to have a “personal relationship
with God”, “believe and follow Jesus” and live our lives according to the two
most important and simple commandments:
Love
God with all our heart…and do our best to please him as we would our loving
Father.
Love
one another here on Earth, as Jesus loved us when he sacrificed himself on the
Cross.
