Running Your Eternal Race Nick Bowlin | River Church Frankfurt

-Doctrine is so vital
- What you believe is important
- We are eternal beings
- Living in a temporal world
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
* Not all judgement is bad
* Many rewarded settlements as an outcome of a case
* My job to make sure you win your case
* You win your case by running your race
* May you finish well
Hebrews 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1 Corinthians 9: 24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
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,
Hebrews 12:2 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.3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.


* Setup up guards for lives
* The the bowling alley
* Have accountability
* My wife, my mentors, the Word
1. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus (The Finish Line)
* Scripture: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV)

* Key: Keep your focus on Christ, not on distractions or temporary trials. He is both the starting point and the finish line of our race.

2. Run with Eternal Purpose, Not Aimlessly
* Scripture: “I therefore run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NKJV)

* Key: Be intentional and strategic in how you live, pray, serve, and give. Live every day with eternity in mind.
3. Lay Aside Every Weight and Sin
* Scripture: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)

* Key: Remove anything that slows you down spiritually—unnecessary distractions, habits, or attitudes that hinder your walk.
4. Run with Endurance (Even When It’s Hard)
* Scripture: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)

* Key: Endurance means consistency through trials. Don’t quit when it’s uncomfortable—keep pressing forward.
5. Discipline Yourself Spiritually
* Scripture: “Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things… I discipline my body and bring it into subjection…” (1 Corinthians 9:25, 27 NKJV)

* Key: Just like athletes train daily, we must exercise spiritual discipline through prayer, fasting, studying the Word, and obedience.

6. Run Lawfully (Stay in Your Lane)
* Scripture: “If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” (2 Timothy 2:5 NKJV)

* Key: Stay faithful to God’s Word and avoid shortcuts or compromise. God rewards obedience, not just effort.

7. Press Toward the Prize
* Scripture: “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14 NKJV)

* Key: Keep pushing forward despite resistance, knowing that the eternal reward far outweighs temporary struggles.



8. Run to Win Souls, Not Just to Finish
* Scripture: “He who wins souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30 NKJV)

* Key: Our race isn’t just about personal salvation—it’s about bringing others with us. Evangelism fuels eternal impact.



9. Don’t Compare Your Race to Others
* Scripture: “Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone…” (Galatians 6:4 NKJV)

* Key: Focus on your lane. God measures faithfulness, not speed or flash. Comparison is a distraction from your assignment.
10. Keep Your Eyes on the Crown, Not the Cost
* Scripture: “They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV)

* Key: Remember the eternal reward—a crown of righteousness, life, and glory that never fades. (2 Timothy 4:7–8)