Hebrews 12-1-2 Running the Race 12_27_20

Hebrews 12:1-3Running the Race

2020 was a very difficult year and as we move on to a new year we have hopes that it will be a new start, but there isn’t much evidence that 2021 will be any different. Perhaps things get better but perhaps they want. Running the race is not for a certain time span but from the starting gate to the finish line, our eyes should be set upon the finish line of our lives instead of the time span of year to year. Thus I study for this sermon, “Running the Race.”

Observations

Vs. 12XLet us lay aside (Verb) ἀποτίθημι [ap-ot-eeth´-ay-mee] cast off, lay apart (aside, down), put away (off).Let us run(Verb)τρέχω [trekh´-o] to run or walk hastily course, run.

Vs. 1&23xSet (Verb) πρόκειμαι [prok´-i-mahee] to be present (to the mind) Set (Verb) καθίζω [kath-id´-zo] set; intrans. to sit (down); to settle (hover, dwell):—continue, set, sit (down), tarry.

Vs. 1Race (Noun) ἀγών [ag-one´] an effort or anxiety:—conflict, contention, fight, race. STRUGGLE, FIGHT

Vs. 2Looking(Verb)ἀφοράω [af-or-ah´-o] to consider attentively:—look.Determined/see

Vs. 2Endured (Verb) ὑπομένω [hoop-om-en´-o] bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere:—abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind.

Vs. 2Despising (Verb) καταφρονέω [kat-af-ron-eh´-o] to think against, i.e. disesteem:—despise

Perfecter

Author

Easily Ensnaring

Weight

Witness

Cloud

Exegesis

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, 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.

The opening word in this pericope “wherefore” (therefore in current translations, NASB, ESV, CSB, NKJV) tells us to look back at what has just been said. When this word is seen in Scripture the reader should always ask, “What is it there for?” This word takes us back to chapter 11 as we have been told about the witnesses or those faithful ones who endured as though receiving the promise of God during their life span. However, as A.T. Robertson explains, the context should be taken back to Hebrews 10:19 which in his assessment is the beginning of this train of thought. Our author writes that because of Jesus’ sacrifice those of faith may now enter ‘heavens” Most Holy place with confidence because of His blood which is the final sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice and the eternal sacrifice which through trusting in Him we can be in the presence of God through new life through our True High Priest.

This author believes Hebrews 10:22b-23 is the key to understanding much of this pericope. Through faith, Jesus’ sacrifice has perfected us (10:2&14) body, mind, and soul. Not that we are perfect yet but that wehave been cleansed of our guilt in mind, body, and soul. Therefore we can stand in confidence with a clean conscience because WE KNOW JESUS MADE US CLEAN! Therefore, we hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise (10:23). The issue surrounding the audience was the sufferings for their faith which caused them to contemplate returning to Judaism. But, Hebrews 10:38 says, my righteous ones will live by faith, But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.(Hab.2:3-4).

Hebrews 12:1-3 is the climax of this full pericope, the author speaks of a cloud of witnesses. These witnesses are the examples of the faithful ones in Chapter 11. The word cloud of vs 1 is nephos, which refers to not one well defined cloud but a huge mass of clouds which gives the idea of such a multitude that they are beyond numbering. In Hebrews 11, the author lists 16 names of the faithful who endured, then mentions an unnamed “plethora” of witnesses as well. These witnesses are used due to their loyalty and endurance which bears witness to the possibilities of the life of faith.

There is a word picture or imagery that our author is using that we must not over look. It is an athletic contest. During this time athletic contests were a popular part of the culture. History attests to the importance of these events especially in Greek cultures, in fact, the art work of this time shows us the importance that athletics played in culture, Greek statues were most often of a fine physical being with great muscles and often times in the nude. This imagery would not be missed by the reader. But, athletic competitions were also popular in Palestine during the first century. The author tells the Christian that a race has been set before them. What is this race and what is its track? I often hear people say, “I’m ready for this year to be over with” (2020) as if everything that has happened will disappear all because a new year has begun. This race is not one of miles, nor one of days, weeks, or a year but a race that encompasses the Christian life. Once saved you enter this race and it is a race that continues until you die. “The race that is set before us,” this is not one you enter voluntarily; God has entered you into this race Himself. The wording here is important, in the Greek the word most often used for race is dromos but this is not the case in Hebrews 12:1. The Greek word agon is used which is the word that we get agony from. This is a serious race one not to be taken lightly. The object of this race is to please God and every runner is expected to win. But life has its complications, its trials, its difficulties and something that I learned a longtime ago is the greatest hindrance to finishing a race is in fact you. The most important lessoned I learned in the Army is that your mind will quit long before your body will. Our author says don’t stop, don’t draw back (10:38), hold on to the confession of hope without wavering because God is faithful.

The author teaches to run with endurance and shed everything that would stop us or slow us down. Lay aside means to put down or take off that which hinders you or weighs you down. He uses the phrase every weight which is the Greek word onkos which refers to a bulk or mass. The concern of the Greek runner was not simply whether something was immoral or moral, but rather how it would affect his race. Thus the enemy of the best is not often the worst, but the good. This must be understood in context, the weight and sin that “so easily besets us” means the sin that has encircled us. Beset, means to “surround and cleverly encircle and ambush,” It speaks of a loose fitting robe that would trip the runner up, slow him down, or get him off course.

While in Germany training we were put through their P.T. test which included among other things a swim test of a couple of kilometers. One soldier stripped down to nothing (NAKED AS A JAY BIRD) and jumped in the water started his laps, he won the race. Later we asked why he stripped down to the buff, his answer was in order not to be hindered. His P.T. Shorts caused more drag than he wanted so he shed them. This is the lesson for us, a runner doesn’t run with a trench coat on, or training weights around his ankles, nor does a MLB batter step to the plate with weights on his bat, neither should the Christian as he lives to complete his race. Theses weights, or sins could be seemingly harmless, in fact could be the good things in life yet they hinder progress; they could be material possessions, family ties, the love of comfort, they are anything which will distract you from the competition [for me it’s C.J.). In the Olympic races, there is no rule against carrying a supply of food and beverage, but the runner would never win the race that way.

The sin mentioned in verse 1 could be any sin but especially unbelief. This statement must be understood in the context. Remember, these Hebrew men and women were being persecuted and many may have falsely believed that this opposition was a sign of God’s displeasure making them become discouraged and tempt them to return to temple worship and its ceremonies. But chapter 10 says, these sacrifices could NEVER perfect the worshipper and Jesus taught the world will hate the Christian but the world hated Him first. The lesson of the witnesses is one of complete trust in the promises of God and complete confidence that the life of faith is sure to win.

The witnesses of Chapter eleven are great, they include the hall of fame of faith, one was the first to taste death though he was righteous, another hasn’t tasted death (Enoch), one labored 120 years building a vessel of salvation, there is Abraham the father of faith and Moses the great prophet, leader, and Law giver but there is One still much greater a witness than these hero’s pf the faith. It is Jesus!

The author tells us that the key to winning the race is looking to Jesus. The phrase “looking unto Jesus” in verse two is speaks of a steadfast, intent, and continuous gaze. It’s the idea of looking from afar with your eyes fixed on Jesus seated on the throne of God.

While in a race it is important to stay focused and to stay on course, looking to your right, left, and behind you will slow you down and could get you easily off course. I remember the importance of staying on course during land navigationaltraining; we would have several positions we would have to plot on a map then shoot an azimuth and make it to that exact position. The secret was to shoot a straight azimuth then fixate your eyes upon an object that was directly in line with that azimuth. Often times in the woods your reference sight is a certain tree, do you know what happens when you glance around in the woods and see all the other trees, you forget which tree was your reference, if you veer off course just a little then at a kilometer or greater you end up off course a lot and you never find the finish point.

Like wise in a race there are many runners, if you look at the racers to your left, right, and rear you lose focus and veer off course just a little adding distance and ultimately slowing your pace. In this Christian life it is necessary to keep our gaze on Jesus, as one scholar stated, “How easy it is to quit looking at Him and instead looking to the left or right! Perhaps behind us is another runner off to the left. And far ahead of us another runner to the right, this situation can produce both pride (seeing the runner to the left) and envy (seeing the runner to the right). Both are sin and slow us down! Instead we are to keep looking to Jesus.

Why is looking to Jesus so important, because he is the author and finisher of our faith! Not only is Jesus the object of our faith, the initiator of our faith, and the perfector of our faith but He is the only perfect example of faith. Everyone in Chapter 11 stumbled, Abraham though faithful sinned, he lied about Sarah, Moses though great was a murder, David though the king after the Lord’s heart was an adulterer. Only Jesus is the perfect example of faith.

Look at the course which Jesus took, from the hall ways of heaven to the feeding trough in Bethlehem, then a journey to Gethsemane and Calvary, then out of the tomb and back to heaven where all the redeemed of earth through faith will join Him.

Just as a race is set before us there was a purpose set before Jesus and joy waited Him at the gate. What was this joy? It is you and me, all the called out ones “His Ecclesia” that He will present to the father whole, perfected, and glorified at the right time. That’s why He endured the Cross, that’s why he endured the shame and once He finished the course He returned to His rightful place at the throne of God.

But why is important for us to understand enduring of the Cross. Our author said “he endured the cross.” In ancient time this was the most horrific death one could suffer, in fact crucifixion was so horribly brutal and grotesque that the Roman Government excluded Roman citizens from that type of capital punishment. Jesus suffered on the cross horribly, imagine the pain and discomfort as He would relieve pressure off his lungs by pushing up on His nail pierced feet, then from pain and exhaustion slump back on the cross where pressure would again force the air out of His lungs. He would then pull up with His nail pierced hands in an effort to relieve the pressure from His lungs so that He could take a breath, then from pain and exhaustion slump again to a breathless position. But, this wasn’t the worst He endured! He endured the penalty of every Sin of the entire world at once! Could we say, that an unredeemed sin suffers the wrath of God for His sin while Jesus endured the all the sin of every redeemed person who ever lived, was living, and would live in all the world. He endured! He trusted the Father as He prayed in the Garden, “not my will be done but thy will.”

Suffering and torment, He endured, the shame that was brought to one at the crucifixion He endured. This death as mentioned above was not for citizens but was reserved for the lowest of the low on earth. The thieves, the slaves, those who in the eyes of lords and kings of earth had no worth or value, the Lord of glory humbled, naked all but a mockery of a crown laid upon His brow, bloody and disfigured while bystanders stood closely by saying, “much good His trust in God is doing Him now…

He trusted the Father from the beginning to the end despite all He went through… but for what purpose, for you! His Joy. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. (Jude 24)

There is a race set before us by God and we are surrounded by many witness of Faith who lived a life according to the promises of God, though they never saw them they lived as though the promise had been given to them during their life span. Their goal was the coming Messiah ours is the Messiah who came. Fixate your gaze upon Him and finish your race strong, shed everything that hinders you from slowing down and halting, everything that will get you off course and run with endurance regardless of what the world through at you trust God to keep His promises and reach that finish line where Jesus will present you perfect and faultless to our God and Father.

???? If you want to be disappointed, look to others. If you want to be discouraged, look to yourself. If you want to be delighted, look at Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Running the Christian RaceWELL”

Intro: We will celebrate a new year in just a few days, and I have heard it said so many times “I am ready for this year to be over.” Well that’s what a New Year is right? A time to start over and do things differently, a time when you make resolutions to change for the better, as one wise comedian explained; A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other! Its true, 2020 was a very difficult year and as we move on to a new year we have hopes that it will be a new start, but there isn’t much evidence that 2021 will be any different. Perhaps things get better but perhaps they want. But for the Christian we don’t measure our Christian walk by miles or by days nor by years but from the starting points to the finish line.

CPS: Our eyes should be set upon the finish line of our lives instead of the time span of year to year pressing forward until the day we are presented by Jesus perfect and complete to the Father.

To run the Christian race well you should run without the hindrances of this world Vs. 1

To run the Christian race well you should run with your eyes fixated upon the Savior Vs. 2

Conclusion 1: You may have heard the story of John Stephen Akhwari, the marathon runner from Tanzania who finished last at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. No last-place finisher in a marathon ever finished quite so last.

Injured along the way, he hobbled into the stadium with his leg bloodied and bandaged. It was more than an hour after the rest of the runners had completed the race. Only a few spectators were left in the stands when Akhwari finally crossed the finish line.

When asked why he continued to run despite the pain, Akhwari replied, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish."

Conclusion 2: On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first man in history to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. Within 2 months, John Landy eclipsed the record by 1.4 seconds. On August 7, 1954, the two met together for a historic race. As they moved into the last lap, Landy held the lead. It looked as if he would win, but as he neared the finish he was haunted by the question, "Where is Bannister?" As he turned to look, Bannister took the lead. Landy later told a Time magazine reporter, "If I hadn't looked back, I would have won!"

Conclusion 3: Corrie ten Boom lived through the hellish life of Nazi concentration camps—a place where hope was lost for most people. She survived to tell her story of unfaltering faith and tight-fisted hope in God.She saw the face of evil up close and personal. She saw some of the most inhumane acts man can do to man. And when she came out of it all, she said this: "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest."