February 18, 2001    “Ready to Run” 

 A Pit Row Sermon For AWANA Race night

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

This is a devotional thought for the AWANA 500 race, which is a pine wood derby. 

Heb. 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Are you in the race?  The human race?  The AWANA Race?  The Race with the Lord in serving him on a daily basis? 

Every Race has some very important components?  What are components?  Components are parts or players or racers.  Each AWANA car here has different parts to make it a whole complete car.

 Here are the parts to the AWANA 500 race. 

1. Racers.  Join in the race.  To be in this race you have to be an AWANA and you have to have a car to race.  To be in the human race you have to be born and live in this world.  Then you are a human being.  To be in the Christian race you have to become a Christian.  To become a Christian you desire to be saved from your sin and desire to serve the Lord in this life and the life to come. 

2. Track.  You couldn’t have an AWANA race without a track to run the cars on.  Without the track you would never be able to compete or to know when you were finished.  The track takes you were you want to go and lets you know when you get there.  It gives you direction and helps you by keeping you on the right track.  What happens when we get off the track?  You will probably crash.  We have to stay on tack in the human race and the Christian race.  The Bible is our guide or our track for the Christian race and the human race.  It helps us to know where were we are and were we are going.  It keeps us on track.  How can you know you are on track?  By reading the Bible and letting the Lord guide you through what he says in the book. 

3. Gravity.  Without gravity your AWANA car would never run, but we depend on gravity to keep us going down the road.  What is gravity?  No one knows for sure, but we know what it does.  Gravity is one of the laws of God that keeps us from flying off of the planet and into outer space.  Gravity holds things together.  Without it we couldn’t live here without some type of special protection.  The Bible verses we read tonight tell us to consider Jesus who endured the death of the cross.  He died so that we may live.  This is one of God’s laws that keep us from flying off in the wrong direction.  Without the gravity of God’s love for us we could never live forever.  But with the Lord we can we can live the abundant life.  As you run your race tonight, remember the parts of the race and how they affect your daily life as a Christian in the Race of the Lord.  Racers, Start your engines!