Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
There are a lot of people in our neck of the woods who like to hunt and fish, something that seems to be quite the common recreational activity up here, but sometimes there are a few folks who will spend their spare time preparing an old vehicle to run in a demo derby. They will take an old junker and try to get it running as best as they can, and then fix the frame with whatever extra scrap metal that they have laying around. They might even put a coat of paint on it, complete with the names of a few local sponsors on the side. Although it might not look very pretty, it really doesn’t matter, because ultimately, this is a competition where they will smash up their vehicles until they simply don’t function any longer. Usually you will find these events at county fairs and festivals, and they have been known for their flying debris and spectacular crashes. But in order to win the final prize, you must be the last car running, which is only going to happen by protecting your vehicle from being completely destroyed.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ is a serious undertaking, a race that we must strive hard to win. You are going to have to face some bumps and bruises as people persecute you and try to knock you down. We must also protect ourselves by keeping away from all of the sinful temptations in this world that will try to damage our faith. In every competition there are going to be some winners, and there are going to be some losers, but in order to win this demo derby, we must endure all the way to the end, even if it means that we are the last man standing.
Ephesians 6:13 (KJB) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
There can be a lot of entries in a demo derby, and people will pack the stands in order to watch who is going to win the competition. The other competitors will try anything they can do to put your vehicle out of commission, circling around like vultures and trying to hit you when you aren’t looking. Although some of the competitors are young and inexperienced, a seasoned demo driver knows what to expect because he has been through these events before. He’s been hit, he’s been t-boned, and he has endured the constant aggravation of many other drivers. When we become a Christian, we are going to have to endure the same types of sufferings, surrounded by wicked wolves who will attempt to destroy your soul. But when these persecutions come, (and they certainly will), we must look at the veteran and author of our faith, Christ Jesus the Lord. He endured such sufferings as an example to each of us, that by His Holy Spirit, we are capable of enduring the same things too!
Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJB) 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, 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. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Most of the competitors in a demo derby are simply not going to make it all the way to the end, simply because they were not prepared for the suffering that they were going to have to go through! A lot of the green recruits get behind the wheel thinking that everything is going to be fun, right up until the moment they get hammered by another vehicle. All of a sudden they realize that they might have to deal with whiplash, muscle pain, and even more serious injuries like broken bones or head trauma! When you enter a derby, you have to expect that there is a good chance that this is going to happen to you, and the same thing is true of all those who sincerely enter the Christian Life.
Mark 4:16-17 (KJB) And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
Many people are just not going to make it to heaven, simply because in the end, they really didn’t sign up for what the Christian Life demands.They were expecting love, peace and joy, but the facts are that you are not going to be on the receiving end of these qualities from people who are living in their sins. This is because once you choose to follow Christ Jesus and His teachings, you are going to be surrounded by the wicked, the cruel, the hateful, the persecutors, the false accusers, the unmerciful, and the liars. Like wrecking your demo car, their one main purpose is to put you out of commission by trampling out your message of truth, and pounding your sincere and kind heart into the dust. Most of this is going to begin with your relatives, in-laws and even your own spouse who will betray you, speak evil about you, and then stab you in the back when you aren’t looking. But what’s the old saying? No pain, no gain! Beginning the race of faith is just like getting into a demo car, because you need to think about what you are doing before you even put the key into the ignition. You must be ready for the pain and suffering that we have to deal with from time to time, otherwise you simply aren’t going to last.
If people are going to climb Mount Everest, then they will have to endure suffering.
If someone decides to swim the English channel, they will have to endure suffering.
If you are ever going to win a triathlon, you must be ready to endure suffering.
Those who think the Christian Life is a piece of cake better think again, because it will require fighting against the current, striving against all odds, and enduring right to the very end!
Matthew 24:11-13 (KJB) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
There will be a lot of people who eventually turn their ears from the truth, while many others are going to shipwreck their faith. But if you want to win the prize of eternal life, it might just come down to you against the world. Just make sure that when all of the dust settles, you are the last man standing, because that’s how races are won, and how victors are crowned, and it’s the only way to win, out at,..……..
…….The Demo Derby
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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