Michael Patton shared this parable called “The Parable of The Race.”
“In a town of ultimate boredom called Mundane, there was a great announcement. It was the announcement of a race. A great race that all could enter. A race that would rescue them from boredom. Most people did not believe that such an event would be held in Mundane so they scoffed. Others immediately prepared with great enthusiasm and joy.
Both the scoffers and the enthusiasts arrived at the appointed place on the day of the race. The scoffers sat and watched while the others prepared to run by stretching and making sure their shoes were tied. They lined up looking ahead with the intensity, fear, and excitement that accompanied such an event.
The gun sounded and off they went. Yet something very curious and unexplainable happened. They all stopped running after they had passed the starting line. Not only this, but they acted very peculiar. One person fell on his knees crying, thanking God that he crossed the starting line. Others gave each other high fives and hugs shouting, “Hooray, we are now race runners, we are now race runners.” Some shook hands and congratulated each other. One group relaxed and complemented one another on how well they crossed the starting line. Five or six others all gathered together and formed a prayer circle. They prayed that others would cross the starting line as they had.
Many others wanted to experience this joy so they decided to start the race as well. They were immediately stopped by the well-wishers who had started before them. They decided to stay as well. After a few days, there were people handing out pamphlets along with a certificate to all those who crossed the starting line. The pamphlet told them that once they had started the race they were guaranteed to finish. The certificate was to recognize their achievement in finishing the race even before they finished. It became very high on the agenda of all the race runners to make sure that people who had started knew of their assurance of completion. So much so that there was a printing press built right at the starting gate which produced millions of the pamphlets.
After a few months, there were so many who had crossed the starting line that they decided to build a town right there. They called this town “Starting Line Village.”
The spectators were confused. “I thought a race had to be finished,” they said to one another. They interviewed the people of Starting Line Village. “Why did you start the race and not continue?” they would ask. This made the people of Starting Line Village very uncomfortable. They would immediately show their certificate saying that they were guaranteed to finish. When people would encourage them to run the rest of the race, they would be ridiculed for not trusting the pamphlet. They were called legalists and were accused of trusting too much in their own ability to finish the race rather than the words on the pamphlet.
Finally, many of the watchers in the crowd became fed up with those in Starting Line Village and decided to run the race themselves with the intent to finish. They refused the certificates and left the people of Starting Line Village to hand out the pamphlets alone.”
Comments: This parable speaks volumes, know what I mean? Especially concerning so many within Christendom. We tend to get people so pumped up and excited about starting the race that we forget to also encourage them to continue running and most of all, cross the finish line.
Here is what we normally do. At the end of the year, we look at our stats – How many people raised their hands to receive Jesus as their Savior? 1420 decisions! Awesome! How many baptism? 1043 water baptisms! Way too cool!
Getting people to start the race is awesome, but what if we were to ask this question: How many of the 1420 decisions, i.e. those who started the race, how many of those are still running? The answer: "We just don’t know." Why? Because we got no follow up program in place to keep track of such people and if we did, such a program would take away significantly from the positive number we had to begin with.
You see, we seem to go away with such a lofty attitude that “Wow, so many people are being saved!” We are pros when it comes to helping people cross the “starting line” but just how effective are we in helping those same people continue running long after they started all the way up to completion?
This is what Luke said of Jesus while He was busy preaching and teaching: 22And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem.23And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them, 24"Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able – Luke 13:22-24 NASB).
The disciples ask, “Lord, why are there just a few people being saved?” Now why would the disciples ask this sort of a question? Here are some possible reasons:
First, a great multitude that had once been following Jesus had subsided to a faithful few (see John 6:66). Second, although great multitudes came to hear Jesus, the Lord’s message on counting the cost (or don’t cross the starting line if you are not intending to finish the race) had dwindled them down to size (cf. Luke 14:25-33). Third, Jesus Himself had stated that only a “few” will find the narrow way (Matt. 7:14; Luke 13:24).
Jesus clearly taught that scores of people will cross the starting line, but only a few will end up finishing the race they started. Those who do are the ones who are truly saved.
Jesus uses a very interesting word in Luke 13:24. He said, “strive” to enter the narrow gate. The word signifies a great conflict and struggle. Jesus was not suggesting salvation by works or effort, but in order to fit and continue on the “narrow road” of life, one must struggle against pride, a natural love for sin, and the world’s opposition to the truth.
Think about it. We are often times obese with regards to our pride, our love for sin and our natural inclination to go after strange teachings. Jesus said, “If you are going to find the narrow road and begin to walk on it, then you must be able to wrestle fervently all through your journey with pride, sin and error. And if you are not willing to wrestle or strive against these things, then you will not finish the race.”
Well, what happens if I don’t finish the race? Look at what Jesus said in verses 25-27 of Luke 13: 25"Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'
26"Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets';
27and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.'
Notice closely verse 26: “We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets.” Jesus says in verse 27, “That wasn’t Me!”
Folks, this is horrific, when you think about it. Imagine fellowshipping with Jesus and listening to Him teach, and then finding out in heaven that it wasn’t Him during those times?
You say, “How can I know for sure?” Simple: When you cross the starting line, DON’T STAY THERE! CONTINUE RUNNING UNTIL YOU REACH THE END!
Jesus will meet you at the starting line, but then He will take off and lead the rest of the way. If you or I do not follow and stay in step with Him, but decide to build our comfort living by staying at the starting line, then we will have disqualified ourselves from the race.
Paul encourages the Corinthians:
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5)
The author of Hebrews says:
“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” (Heb. 4:1)
In Revelation, it is only those who overcome who are promised eternal life:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Rev. 2:7; emphasis mine)
James speaks about a faith that does not save:
“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (Jam. 2:14)
Remember in the parable of the soils in Matthew 13, there are three types of seeds that sprout (start the race), but only one truly takes root (finishes the race).
