Looking to Jesus

The writer gave us many examples of a life pleasing to God in chapter 11. In chapter 12 he gives us the ultimate example of faithfulness. He tells us to look to Jesus. His intention remains the same. He wants to encourage his hearers to maintain their faith. You can see the writer has a pastoral heart. All the deep doctrinal truth he laid down in the beginning of the book was important but not enough. He wants these believers not only to know doctrines but to live a life of devotion to the Lord.

V. 1 “Therefore” refers to chapter 11. Let’s look at what he says about these people.

“Surrounded” One gets the idea of a stadium. This would be common in the culture of that day. The Romans had their coliseums.

Let’s be careful here. This doesn’t mean people in heaven are watching us. People in heaven are looking at Jesus. This is metaphorical language. But the language is important. It reminds us that those who have gone before us are concerned with our spiritual lives.

We might think of the Christian life as a relay race. The ones who “surround’ us are those who have already on their leg. They have finished their course. They are resting but also rooting for us.

“Cloud” That’s an interesting way to describe the believers who have gone before us. What insights can we draw?

The density of the believers. The word for “cloud” here refers to a mass of clouds. This isn’t a cirrus cloud. It’s not delicate and thin. This is a thick cloud cover. MANY have gone before us and finished this race.

The blessings that cloud brings. Jude 12 speaks of clouds without water. These are false teachers that offer no hope. These witnesses are faithful Christians whose life encourages us.

The shield they give from the heat. Clouds are a blessing on a hot day. These witnesses give us encouragement in our trials. When we face the heat of adversity, the life they lived brings us comfort.

“witnesses” We are encouraged by their faithfulness. They are witnesses to us. The truth is it is easier to press on when we know others have pressed on and succeeded.

We can look around at all the people who desert the faith.

We can remember those who did not desert the faith.

Ultimately, we look to Christ. Our eyes are on Him. But while our eyes are on Him our mind can meditate on other faithful saints:

Sains in the Bible

Saints in history

Saints in our own lives.

“the race that is set before us” This is our life.

Remember chapter 11.

All sorts of different people with different circumstances. Some delivered on earth, some not.

God is sovereign. He has complete control over your life. Your course may be more difficult than mine.

Let’s consider how we are to run:

With endurance. This is a marathon. This is not a 100-meter dash. Many start off well but abandon the race. It’s all about enduring. The word for race is “agone”. It’s where we get “agony” from. Don’t jump into the Christina life thinking it’s going to be easy.

It is agonizing. It is a fight. It is laborious. If the Christian life is not difficult you aren’t living it right. Our goal when we enter it should be to finish it.

With conditioning. “Lay aside every weight” “Weight” refers to hinderances. These are not necessarily sins. This is anything that keeps you from running the race in a way that pleases God. What may I need to lay aside?

Relationships

Habits

Hobbies

Mindsets

Laziness

I have been to several races. You never see heavy people in the race. Runners are notoriously skinny. Weight hinders them.

What may I be holding onto that keeps me from running properly?

We must have the discipline to remove things from our lives and keep them out.

Righteously. “sin which clings so closely”. When something clings closely to our legs it can trip us up. Runners normally wear very little on the legs. They run in short shorts.

Bottom line: Sin will make you fall. Try and run the race in sin and you will fall. Some insights:

It is embarrassing to fall.

It causes you to lose ground when you fall.

It requires energy to get up when you fall.

It can cause long-term injuries when you fall.

You are fooling yourself if you think you can live in sin and live for the Lord at the same time.

v. 2 “looking to Jesus” While we run this race we are to only look in one direction- toward Jesus. Where we look while we run is of extreme importance. Let me give you two places we should not look:

1) We should not look to ourselves. A runner cannot watch his/her feet when they run.

Our ego may hinder us. If our concern is ourself we will not do well. The faithful martyrs listen in chapter 11 did well because they loved the Lord more than they loved themselves. Our concern in life should be that we always be first, happy, the center of attention.

2) We should not look at other people. If a runner keeps looking back to see how well the other runners are doing, it’s not a good thing. How may we look at others?

In envy

In mockery

For validation

Because Jesus is the Founder and Perfecter of our faith we should look to Him.

“Founder” We believe because of Jesus. He did a work in our life.

“Perfecter” We will finish the race because of Jesus. He is at work in us.

He empowers us.

He encourages us.

Philippians 1:6 explains this: Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Jesus saved you.

Jesus is keeping you saved.

There is no one else to look to.

Let’s look at how Jesus is described:

He endured the cross. The cross was the culmination of all his suffering. He ran His race and it was harder than all of ours put together.

He despised the shame. His crucifixion was a shameful thing. The cross was not enjoyable to Jesus.

It was humiliating.

It was painful.

It was isolating from the Father.

It brought Satan temporary glee.

There was still a joy for Him.

“the joy that was set before HIm”

Fulfilling the Father’s will.

Saving us.

This was what brought Jesus joy. His obedience to the Father and His salvation for me and you.

Think of this: Jesus saving you brought Him so much joy He was willing to endure hell to do it.

“is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”. He finished His race. He is exalted. The right hand is the place of authority and favor.

He is seated because He is finished.

v. 3 “Consider Him” it means to ‘reckon up” Do some calculating. Think of all Jesus has done for you.

Think of all Jesus is. Add all of that up.

When you want to give up think of Him.

When you feel like quitting, reach out to Him.

Think of how Jesus was treated. He endured hostility from sinners.

The hostility of the religious leaders.

The hostility of the political leaders.

The hostility of the sins of the world.

When we think of all Jesus endured for us we are encouraged:

Not to grow weary.

Not to grow fainthearted.

Essentially this means to become exhausted. We grow this. A period passes when we are not looking to Jesus. Before we know we are spiritually exhausted. We are ready to give up, ready to quit.

When you are tempted to quit remind yourself that Jesus didn’t quit on you. He drank every drop in that cup!

Thoughts to Consider

1. Every faithful Christian who has died is proof to us that we can endure to the end as well.

2. We can be weighed down by things that are not sinful.

3. If you are living in sin, it is only a matter of time before you fall.

4. When our mind is on Jesus our heart will be in the race.