The Bible many times compares our Christian life to a race. The question is: How do we run that race? How do we complete the race that God has laid out for us? How do we run our race well? Hebrews 12, gives us great insight into how to run and finish our race well.
Hebrews 12:1-3 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 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he 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 sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1 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. Literally, let us run with perseverance, and endure the race that is laid out before us. God lays out a specific race for every believer. Your race is not my race. My race is not your race. Each believer’s race is unique to them and their situation (gifts, Talents).
However different some of our races may be, He does call every believer to persevere, to finish his or her particular race well.
Today my goal is to serve and praise Jesus, tomorrow is the same…praising Jesus all the way to my last breath.
So how do we do that? How do we remain faithful to Jesus until our last breath? How do we run with perseverance the race that He laid out for us?
LEARN FROM THE WITNESSES
Study the men and women of faith. Let their lives teach, instruct and inspire us to remain faithful to Jesus even when life gets hard or the situation seems impossible.
Vs1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” (Names) These were not spectators in the stands, watching others run the race.
These are the called men and women of The Hall of faith, who bear witness to the grace and power of God, which sustained them not only in life but in death as well. These people are inspiring!!
And remember, These were people just like you and me, who depended on God to give them unbelievable victories and bring them through some very difficult times. As a result, they were able to run the race God marked out for them. (OT)
NT-John Baptist–Paul, Timothy, Apostles, Stephen, Mary Magdalene……(You are inspiring!)
Who inspires you to keep going? Who inspires you to run and finish your race well? Learn from them, and if you cannot think of anybody right now, then let the heroes of Hebrews 11 – inspire you.
If you want to run your race well, Learn from the witnesses. Because these witnesses testify to the goodness and faithfulness of God!
THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS
Shed those things that slow you down and trip you up. Take off anything that weighs you down. In life, these are items that are not necessarily sinful, just things that slow us down in our forward progress, and our spiritual growth.
The enemy of our souls has a plan. His plan is to keep us so busy with non-essential items because he knows they take away from the essentials in our lives. Too much time on social media takes time away from real relationships with real people, especially our own families. Too many scheduled activities in the week sap your energy to do those things that are really important in life: things like time alone with the Lord, reaching out to a neighbor, or doing ministry.
None of these items are necessarily “bad” in and of themselves. They’re just “hindrances” They’re just weights that wear you out and slow you down. They keep you from running with perseverance the race God laid out for you. So if we want to our race well, we need to identify and throw off those things; take off anything that weighs us down. (LAZY)
Our choices are not always between right and wrong, sometimes it’s between good and best. Between something that may hinder us and something else that may not.
THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES
Literally, “throw off THE sin which clings so closely,” so as to trip us up. Anger, Pride, unforgiveness, Apathy. (Interest-concern-Enthusiasm)
When I read this text I believe there is a particular sin the author has in mind; The entire last chapter was all about faith; and in that context, the author could be pointing to the sin of unbelief (lack of faith). Unbelief’s brothers-doubt & Fear
We need to believe God, and believe in his promises…how important is it that we believe?
When we believe, we can be certain of what others cannot be certain; we can see what others cannot see; we can hear what others cannot hear; we can know what others cannot know; therefore, we can do what others cannot do.
When we believe God, we run our race well; but we get tripped up when we don’t believe. When doubt and fear cling so closely to our souls, we stop moving forward; we stop growing.
So take it off! Take off the unbelief-Doubt-Fear and run your race in faith!
If you want to run your race well: Learn from the witnesses-Throw off all that Hinders-The Sin That So Easily Entangles, and run with perseverance.
Vs2 ..,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Focus on Jesus! Gaze at your Savior. We can only run our race well as we look to Jesus and have our eyes locked on Him. He is our focus, our inspiration, and our example. This also implies a definite looking away from other things. Look ahead! Where is He?
pioneer and perfecter of faith: Jesus is not only the author of our faith; He is the finisher of it also. Philippians 1:6 “..He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Jesus is with us at the starting line and the finish line and yet in us all along the way of the race that He sets before us.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame: Jesus didn’t regard the cross itself as a joy. But Jesus could look past the horror of the cross to enjoy the joy beyond it. The same mentality enables you and me to endure as well.
Jesus was able to endure the ordeal of the cross because He understood the good that would come of it — the good of a forgiven, redeemed, rescued people washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, honoring God for all eternity.
The picture I see here of Jesus (the author and finisher of our faith) is He blazed the whole trail all the way to the top, He has shown us how to do it. And today He invites us all to follow Him with confidence, totally secure in the path He has opened up for us.
Because Jesus blazed the trail, we too can take up our cross daily and follow Him, all the way to the joy of our heavenly reward! If you want to run your race well, Fix your eyes upon Jesus. Then sat down at the right hand of God
Hebrews 12:3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When you find yourself facing a hard trial, screaming in your heart, “I can’t do it! I can’t do it!” Remember everything Jesus went through all He endured…(explain) there we’ll find the courage to keep going.
If we want to run and finish our race well, learn from the witness; throw off the hindrances; the sin that entangles us; fix our eyes on Jesus and this will help us from growing weary and losing heart.
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