Episode Overview

Episode Title: On The Course But Not In The Race
Podcast: Fresh Life Church
Host: Pastor Levi Lusko
Date: February 16, 2026

Main Theme:
Pastor Levi Lusko explores the biblical concept of "eternal rewards"—the idea that Christian believers are not only saved by grace but also called to run life’s race with energy and purpose, mindful of rewards God intends to bestow at the finish line. The sermon, inspired by Hebrews 12 and several other scriptures, is both a wake-up call and a motivational charge: Are you merely present on the course of life, or are you truly in the race, running to win?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Analogy of Sprinting and the Race of Faith

• Opening Illustration (00:01)
  • Levi starts with a statistic: 90-95% of people never truly sprint after age 30, drawing a parallel between the physical and spiritual realm.
  • "You're not dead yet, so don't stop sprinting." (Levi Lusko, 06:12)
  • Are you still "sprinting" in your faith, or have you unconsciously slowed to a jog or walk?

Hebrews 12: Running with Endurance

• Scripture Focus (07:25)
  • Christians are called to run the race set before them with endurance, laying aside weights and snares.
  • "We also… let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us… Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
  • Emphasis on running light—free of unnecessary burdens or distractions.

Pastor Levi’s Miami Marathon Story (14:00)

• Levi relates a personal story about unintentionally running on the Miami Marathon course, receiving water and cheers, but ultimately realizing "I was on the course, but I wasn’t in the race."
• "I didn’t like the feeling being on the course but not in the race." (17:42)
• Analogy: Many Christians are on the spiritual "course" but not actively engaged in the race.

Eternal Rewards and Motivation (21:00)

• Two Central Truths (22:40)
  1. God wants to reward you.
  2. The devil wants to steal your reward.
• Misunderstandings about rewards in Christian life are addressed. It is not carnal or selfish to desire reward when God Himself has ordained it.
• "You are not saved by good works, but you are saved for them." (39:12)
• There will be a judgment (the "Bema Seat"), not about salvation, but about rewards for how we lived as believers (see 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Piles at the Finish Line: Rewardable vs. Worthless (44:02)

• All life's actions are sorted into "rewardable" (good) or "worthless" (bad, not meaning sinful but unproductive for eternity).
• Quote: "Poof, gone. Vast amounts of my life, poof, gone. Oh man, that whole day, poof. Nothing done with eternity in mind." (48:00)

The Fate of Sin and Grace (52:00)

• Sin is not visible at the Bema Seat for believers—it's been placed "between his shoulder blades" (behind Jesus’ back) due to the cross.

The Five Crowns (Rewards) in the New Testament (55:00)

1. The Crown of the Victor (Imperishable Crown)

• For self-control in the Christian life. (1 Corinthians 9)
• "A life for Christ where self-control is fostered… I'm under new management. I'm under the management of the Holy Ghost." (58:20)

2. The Crown of Suffering (Crown of Life)

• For enduring trials and temptations, even unto martyrdom. (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)
• "Blessed are you. You get the crown of life because you went through nonsense." (1:07:00)

3. The Crown of the Soul Winner (Crown of Rejoicing)

• For helping others come to faith in Christ. (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
• "Anytime you play a part in someone coming to know faith in Jesus Christ, they become connected to your eternal reward…" (1:13:45)

4. The Crown of the Shepherd (Crown of Glory)

• For faithful leaders and shepherds. (1 Peter 5:4)
• "The job of a shepherd is to instruct well and to lead well… And any shepherd serving under the Chief Shepherd who rules well has to look forward to the Chief Shepherd giving the crown of glory to them." (1:17:00)

5. The Crown of Readiness (Crown of Righteousness)

• For loving and longing for Christ’s return. (2 Timothy 4:8)

• "Martin Luther said there should only be two days on your calendar: today, and that day." (1:19:00)

• There's an implication that these crowns could have degrees (gold, silver, precious stones—see 1 Corinthians 3) and may only represent types or categories, not exhaustive.

The Devil as Thief: "Stealing Your Crown" (1:22:00)

• Illustration: Missing the Louvre because a thief stole a crown from the display—the enemy wants to rob you of your eternal masterpiece.
• "The unique combination of crowns that you are capable of receiving… is meant to be a tapestry of art that's amazing and unique to you." (1:25:15)

Four Ways to Stay "In the Race" (1:27:22)

1. Remember:

   • Keep recalling God's past faithfulness; built-in reminders like Communion exist for this reason.
   • "Forgetfulness is the enemy of faith…if you stop remembering, if you stop running forward looking under Jesus, you start looking at other things." (1:29:00)

2. Attention:

   • Stay awake and alert to the Holy Spirit and the spiritual reality around you.
   • "Be on guard. Be alert. You do not know when that time will come." (Mark 13:33) (1:32:00)

3. Calling:

   • Discover and run in your unique, God-given calling—not comparing with others, but using your specific gifts for His purposes.
   • "You're not racing against me, you're racing with me…God doesn't call you to do what you can't, just what you can." (1:35:40)

4. Effort:

   • Run and fight with genuine exertion, like an athlete or soldier. Don’t coast.
   • "Some of you need to wake up because time is short, and I'm not loving for not getting in your face a little bit about that." (1:38:00)

Motive Matters (1:41:20)

• Even good deeds can be worthless if done for wrong reasons (to be seen by others).
• "You can do a bunch and it all becomes worthless if the motive's wrong… It’s only for God." (1:41:40)
• The goal is not to parade crowns in heaven, but to cast them at Jesus’ feet (Revelation 4:10-11).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "You're not dead yet, so don't stop sprinting."
  (Levi Lusko, 06:12)

• "Are you in the race?"
  (Levi Lusko, 19:14)

• "God wants to reward you. The devil wants to steal your reward."
  (22:40)

• "You're not saved by good works, but you are saved for them."
  (39:12)

• "Poof, gone. Vast amounts of my life, poof, gone… Nothing done with eternity in mind."
  (Levi Lusko, 48:00)

• "The only crown Jesus wore on this earth was a crown of pain."
  (1:45:00)

• "You're not home yet." (Story of the missionary couple, 1:47:30)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:01 | Opening: Sprinting analogy, Hebrews 12 intro | | 14:00 | Miami Marathon story | | 19:14 | "Are you in the race?" | | 22:40 | God’s desire to reward; Satan’s desire to steal rewards | | 39:12 | "Saved by grace, for good works" | | 42:00 | The Judgment Seat of Christ (“Bema Seat”) explained | | 55:00 | The Five Crowns | | 1:07:00 | Crown of Suffering, Enduring Trials | | 1:13:45 | Crown of the Soul Winner | | 1:17:00 | Crown of Glory (Shepherd) | | 1:19:00 | Crown of Readiness, Loving Christ’s Return | | 1:22:00 | Devil as Thief: Louvre illustration | | 1:27:22 | Four steps: Remember, Attention, Calling, Effort | | 1:41:20 | Motive: Deeds done for recognition are worthless | | 1:45:00 | Crowns cast before Jesus: The only crown Jesus wore | | 1:47:30 | Missionary story: "You're not home yet." |

Conclusion & Tone

Pastor Levi’s delivery is passionate, engaging, and often humorous, employing vivid personal stories and practical theology. The tone is both convicting and encouraging: a call to action for Christians to live with spiritual urgency, purpose, and awareness that there is a race to run and precious rewards at stake—not for pride, but for the joy of honoring Jesus with the “crowns” won in faithfulness.

Final Charge (1:48:00):
"Don’t stop sprinting… Heaven help us to run, to not be distracted, to keep running until we’re home."

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode is a clear, compelling challenge to not grow passive, but to engage each day and calling with intensity and spiritual vision—remembering that life’s true finish line comes with both accountability and an opportunity to honor Christ with every ounce of effort and love you invested while on earth.