The Great Royal Race

Transcription

1 Bible Edition The Great Royal Race Summary It was time for the beautiful princess Elizabeth to be married. Charming Simon and the strong, handsome Thomas came to ask her hand in marriage. And then there was John, the handsome but not-so-flashy commoner whom Elizabeth had first noticed helping an old man get his wagon out of a muddy ditch. Not sure about the true character of her three suitors, Elizabeth had them run a race to reveal what they were really like in difficult situations. Tempted by distractions planted by the wise king, two of the three runners failed to keep their eyes on their goal. But the commoner John stayed focused on the beautiful princess he passed the test of the Great Royal Race. This inspiring story by Carl Sommer shows how goal setting, perseverance, and loyalty will bring success. Main Virtues Citizenship/Caring/Community Service Other Virtues Appreciation, Assertiveness, Caring, Commitment, Compassion, Courage, Courtesy, Diligence, Initiative, Integrity, Kindness, Loyalty, Obedience to Parents, Patience, Perseverance, Positive Mental Attitude, Purity, Respect, Self-Discipline, Self-Reliance, and Temperance Doing Good to All Obligation of Parents to Teach Their Children Obligation of Children to Obey Their Parents Dating and Friendship Seeking Advice from Parents Being Thankful Greed Pride Working Diligently Leads to Success Perseverance Keeping Your Eyes on the Goal Obtaining Our Heavenly Goal Questions Contents

2 Doing Good to All The day John and the princess first met, he was covered with mud. He was helping an old man get his wagon out of a ditch. The princess asked those nearby, Who is this man? They said, His name is John. He is a good man always helping someone. What a reputation to have. Luke 6:27-28 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. * Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Additional verses: Luke 6:29-36; Titus 3:8; Hebrews 13:16; 3 John 1:11 * The check is a recommended Scripture to teach the particular lesson. All verses are from the New King James Version Obligation of Parents to Teach Their Children From early on Elizabeth s mother had taught her. The Lord commands parents to teach their children. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. [19] Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 2 Timothy 3:15 And how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Additional verses: Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 4:9, 6:7; Psalm 78:3-6 2

3 Obligation of Children to Obey Their Parents Since the Bible commands parents to teach their children, God wants children to listen to their parents. Elizabeth was wise in that she listened to her parents. Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; Proverbs 6:20-21 My son, keep your father s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. [21] Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his father s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. The Great Royal Race Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: [3] that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Additional verses: Exodus 20:12; Proverbs 3:1-2; Proverbs 4:1-15; Proverbs 15:5; 1 Timothy 3:4 Dating and Friendship From early childhood Elizabeth s mother had taught her, You are a wealthy princess, and many men will want to marry you. Be careful, and choose your prince wisely. The queen would explain, Seek a man of good character one who will honor and respect you. Such a man will never ask you to do anything wrong. You must find the one who truly loves you. Then it will not matter to him whether you are rich or poor, sick or well, a princess or a peasant. The princess listened to her mother s wise advice about dating and friendship. Believers should not be dating unbelievers. If you want a happy life, follow these biblical principles about dating and friendship. Deuteronomy 7:1-4 When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, [2] and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. [3] Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. [4] For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. 3

4 Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? [15] And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? [16] And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [17] Therefore Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. [18] I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Additional verses: Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 19:14; Proverbs 31:10; 1 Timothy 5:14 Seeking Advice from Parents Elizabeth had a problem. She wondered, If I choose a prince, how can I be certain he really loves me? Perhaps he wants only to be rich and famous. At last she decided, I ll ask Father. He ll know what to do! Again Elizabeth made a wise choice by going to her father and asking for advice. Proverbs 4:1-2 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; [2] For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law. Proverbs 4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. [21] Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; [22] For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. The Great Royal Race 4

5 Proverbs 15:5 A fool despises his father s instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent. Additional verses: Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 5:1-2; Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs19: 20; Proverbs 23:19 Being Thankful After Elizabeth s father gave his advice on how to determine a true lover, she thanked him. We should be thankful when someone does something for us. Psalm 103:1-4 A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! [2] Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: [3] Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, [4] Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Luke 17:11-19 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. [12] Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. [13] And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! [14] So when He saw them, He said to them, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. [15] And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. [17] So Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? [18] Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? [19] And He said to him, Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well. Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, [20] giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Additional verses: Psalm 107:20-22; Romans 1:21; Colossians 3:15 5

6 Greed Simon was greedy. When he heard about the race to see who would marry the princess, he said, If I win, I ll become a wealthy prince! Simon s main interest was money, and marrying the princess was a way for him to gain wealth. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 12:15-21 And He said to them, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. [16] Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. [17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops? [18] So he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry. [20] But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? [21] So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: [2] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Additional verses: 1 Corinthians 5:11; Colossians 3:5-6; Hebrews 13:5 Pride Thomas was proud and wanted to show off as a ruler. He said, If I win, I ll be famous! Then he stuck out his chest and bellowed, For I...will be the next king! Thomas s primary interest was in promoting himself, and marrying the princess was a means to achieve his goal. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. The Great Royal Race Proverbs 16:5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. 6

7 Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. [26] Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. [27] And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Additional verses: Proverbs 29:23; Daniel 4:37; Matthew 23:11-12; 1 Corinthians 13:4 Loyalty John said, I ll marry the most lovely and kind person in the world. John was loyal, and not like greedy Simon who was interested in becoming wealthy, or like Thomas who was interested in becoming famous. John had the right motive about marrying the beautiful princess. 1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day. 1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Additional verses: Joshua 1:16; 2 Samuel 20:2; 1 Kings 11:4; 1 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 20:3; 1 Chronicles 12:38; 1 Chronicles 29:18; Psalm 78:8-9; Hebrews 10:38; James 1:6-8 Working Diligently Leads to Success Simon, Thomas, and John trained hard for the race. Whether pouring rain or searing heat, the suitors ran...and ran...and ran. They knew that to be successful they had to be diligent and work hard. Proverbs 10:4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. The Great Royal Race 7

8 Proverbs 12:11 He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. Proverbs 13:4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. Additional verses: Proverbs 12:24, 14:23, 21:5; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Timothy 2:15 Perseverance Thomas and Simon were much faster runners than John, but John purposed in his heart, I may not be the fastest, but I m going to try as hard as I can. Learning to do your best and persevering are important traits of the successful. Daniel 1:5-8 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. [6] Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. [7] To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. [8] But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 10:35-36 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. [36] For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: Additional verses: Ephesians 6:10-18; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 1:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17; James 1:12 8

9 Keeping Your Eyes on the Goal When Simon and Thomas saw the valuable gold coins, their hearts beat with excitement as they quickly picked up the gold. But not John. He did not miss a step. His heart was fixed on the kind-hearted princess. Greedy Simon and Thomas were easily sidetracked from their goal of winning the race to marry the princess. If you desire success, you must learn to keep your eyes on the goal. As Christians, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not let the attractions of the world keep us from doing the will of God. Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. [25] And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. [26] Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. [27] But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Philippians 3:8-14 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; [10] that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, [11] if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [12] Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. [13] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [14] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Additional verses: Luke 9:59-62; Luke 8:14; Galatians 5:7; Colossians 2:8 9

10 Obtaining Our Heavenly Goal John the commoner had persevered. He never lost his focus on the prize of marrying the princess. So we as Christians have a prize waiting for us. We need to persevere and never lose our focus of pleasing the Lord in everything we do. Serving Christ and being welcomed in heaven is the ultimate victory. Don t settle for less. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. [14] Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:32-33 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. [33] But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Additional verses: Matthew 25:31-46; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 1:3-6 Questions 1. What kind of person was the princess? The princess was kind and gracious the delight of the kingdom. 2. Name the three suitors of the princess? The three suitors were Simon, Thomas, and John. 3. What did Simon desire? Simon desired to be a wealthy prince. The Great Royal Race 4. What kind of person was Simon? Simon was greedy. He wanted to become rich. Simon s main interest was money. The Bible says, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). 10

11 5. What did Thomas desire? Thomas desired to become the next king. He would ride a white horse and parade through the towns. Then all the people would rush from their homes just to catch a glimpse of him. 6. What kind of person was Thomas? Thomas was proud. He wanted to show off. The Bible says, When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom (Proverbs 11:2). 7. When did John and the princess first meet? John and the princess first met when he was helping an old man get his wagon out of a ditch. 8. What kind of person was John? He was a good man, always helping someone. What a great reputation to have. The Bible says, Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). 9. When Elizabeth was a child, what did her mother begin to teach her? Elizabeth s mother taught her, You are a wealthy princess, and many men will want to marry you. Be careful, and choose your prince wisely. The Bible commands parents to teach their children, and children are to obey their parents. God s Word says concerning parents training children, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). And concerning children obeying parents, Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord (Colossians 3:20). 10. What kind of man did Elizabeth s mother tell her to look for? Elizabeth s mother said, Seek a man of good character one who will honor and respect you. Such a man will never ask you to do anything wrong. You must find the one who truly loves you. Then it will not matter to him whether you are rich or poor, sick or well, a princess or a peasant. A Christian should date only a believer. The Bible says: Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14). 11. What did Elizabeth wonder about her three suitors? Elizabeth wondered, If I choose a prince, how can I be certain he really loves me? Perhaps he wants only to be rich and famous. What a wise decision. Elizabeth did not let the emotion of dating stop her from examining her suitors. Elizabeth was interested in finding the true character of her suitors. 12. Where did Elizabeth go to seek help? Elizabeth went to her father. Elizabeth was wise; she went to her parents for advice. The Bible says, Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days (Proverbs 19:20). Notice also that Elizabeth thanked her father for his advice. 13. What did Elizabeth tell her three suitors? Elizabeth told her three suitors, His Majesty, the King, has planned a race. It is a test of true love. The winner of the Great Royal Race shall be my prince. 11

12 14. What did greedy Simon say he would do if he won the race? Simon said, If I win, I ll become a wealthy prince. Simon s main interest was money, and marrying the princess would help him get wealthy. 15. What did proud Thomas say he would do if he won the race? Thomas said, If I win, I ll be famous! 16. What did kind-hearted John say he would do if he won the race? John said, If I win, I ll marry the most lovely and kind person in the world. Simon and Thomas were selfish. They were thinking about only themselves. Unselfish John was thinking about only the princess. 17. How hard did Simon, Thomas, and John train for the race? Simon, Thomas, and John all worked hard to win the race. Whether pouring rain or searing heat, the suitors ran...and ran...and ran. They knew that to be successful they had to be diligent and work hard. If you want to become successful, you need to do the same. The Bible says, He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich (Proverbs 10:4). 18. Where did the king, queen, and princess sit for the Great Royal Race? The king, queen, and the princess sat in the Royal Grandstand. 19. It was true that Thomas and Simon were much faster than John, but what did John purpose to do? John purposed in his heart, I may not be the fastest, but I m going to try as hard as I can. Learning to do your best and persevering is one of the most important traits of those who are successful. You may not be the one who is the best, but you can purpose in your heart to try your best. Often those who try their best are the ones who become successful. The Bible says, But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself (Daniel 1:8). 20. What did the first servant do when he spotted the runners? The first servant threw out three golden coins. 21. What did Simon and Thomas do when they spotted the valuable coins? Simon and Thomas quickly picked up the coins. 22. What did John do concerning the coins? John did not miss a step. His heart was fixed on the kind-hearted princess. Each Christian is in a race. As Christians, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not let the attractions of the world keep us from doing the will of God. The Bible says, Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2). 23. When they came to the final turn, what did the runners see on the ground? The runners saw three more pieces of gold that were much larger than the others. 24. What did Simon and Thomas do when they saw these large pieces of gold? Simon and Thomas dove for the gold. Then they wrestled and argued for the third piece of gold. 12

13 25. What did John do when he saw the gold that was larger than the others? John never even looked at it. He kept running and running. John kept his eye on the goal of winning the race. 26. Who won the race? The commoner won the race. John persevered. He never lost his focus of the prize of marrying the princess. So we as Christians have a prize waiting for us. We need to persevere and never lose our focus of pleasing the Lord in everything we do. This is what the Apostle Paul said, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). 27. In all the towns and villages, what reputation did Simon and Thomas have for losing the race? Simon and Thomas were known as the foolish ones. 28. John s friends said to him, You weren t born to rule. What happened to John in the end? John became a very wise and great king. Never let your friends discourage you from your dreams. Set your goals high, and then pursue them. The road may be difficult, but many successful people have overcome many obstacles on the road to success. Above all, make pleasing the Lord your highest goal that s true success. 13