Run the race with Endurance

Intro:

*Office episode with the run for rabies* He’s all talk

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Context:

Before we go any further, let me just give you a little context of what is going on right here in the Letter to the Hebrews.

Author: Officially, we don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews. I suspect that it is Paul but could I’ve heard some good arguments for it being Barnabas or Luke. Some of the Reformers suggested that it was Clement of Rome that wrote Hebrews. We don’t know and it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that this is a deep and theological book and the truths that we can take away from it are incredibly relevant for us today.

Theme: The theme of the book is the superiority of Jesus:

He is the greater Revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2).

He is greater than the Angels (Hebrews 1:5).

He is greater than Moses and Joshua (Hebrews 3:1-4:13).

He is a greater Priest (Hebrews 4:14-7:28)

The life of faith in Jesus is a superior way of living (Hebrews 11:1-12:29)

But, why was the book of Hebrews written.

The Purpose of the Book of Hebrews:

The purpose of this letter is to encourage a group of first century Jewish Christians in a Gentile context who were being tempted to fall back into a Christless-Judaism because they were facing persecution. It was becoming hard to live as a Christian so they were facing a temptation to leave behind the gospel, with all the hardship that it brings in this life, for a life of ease and comfort.

Is this not true of the world that we live in today? How many people do we know in our lives that have totally walked away from Jesus?

In my own life, I was brought up in a very conservative, gospel loving-church with a very gospel-focused youth group. I had strong relationships with some guys that were on fire for Jesus. I remember going overseas with a lot of these guys and doing some really powerful ministry together. Fast forward however many years I’ve been out of High School and some of my friends who were once so on fire for Jesus are now out of the church and want nothing to do with him. Why?

Because it is easy to be a Christian in a echo-chamber, but as soon as we are out in the real-world, as soon as we experienced how much harder it is to live as a Christian than to not, we can face the temptation to choose the life of ease.

The cost of being a disciple of Jesus is something that we do need to consider because we are called to Matthew 16:24–26 him deny ourselves and to take up our cross and follow Him. Because whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for His sake will find it.

We will face difficulty while we follow Jesus. Hardship and trials. Even persecution. And I believe that it will get harder and harder to live as a Christian in this world.

Do you remember what Jesus taught in the parable of the wheat and the tears in Matthew 13? This is the parable with the farmer going out and planting the good seeds of the gospel but while he was sleeping, the enemy, the Devil, came in and planted weeds. Until harvest time, both the Wheat and the Weeds will grow together. Only at harvest time, when Jesus returns, will persecution and difficulty and suffering cease.

So, back to Hebrews chapter 12, if you are following along in your notes, this is the first thing:

Motivations for Suffering (Hebrews 12:1)

The first part of Hebrews 12:1 says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”

What does this mean?

In Hebrews chapter 11, immediately before our text for this morning, the writer of this letter goes through different profiles of obedience. Different people that we read about in stories in the Bible. I’ve heard some people call Hebrews 11 the Hall of Faith.

The great Cloud of Witnesses are the heroes of the faith that have come before us and the point that he is making is that these people that we read about in our Bibles are real people that had real struggles but they had faith that God is faithful in his promise and each of these people are examples to us on how to live out our lives with endurance.

Some of the names that he mentions are:

Abel for offering an acceptable offering to the Lord.

Enoch for walked with God and being so close to him that God just took him to Heaven without him dying.

Noah for building the Ark that saved him and his family and all of humanity.

Abraham - Genesis 22, the sacrifice of Isaac. Hebrews 11:19 “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”

Jacob

Joseph

Moses. I love what verse 25 of chapter 11 says about Moses. Hebrews 11:25–26 “choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

And the Rest - Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the Prophets

These are all people that we look up to as heroes. We read about them in the Scriptures and the Bible is a testament that the life of faith in the God of Israel is worth it. Yes, we are called to take up our cross. Just listen to the legacy the aforementioned from Hebrews 11:

The Legacy of the Great Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 11:33-38):

They were:

Tortured

Mocked

Flogged

They suffered Chains and Imprisonment

They were Stoned

Sawn in two

Killed with the Sword

Destitute, afflicted, mistreated.

Wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

From an outsider perspective, none of these things are worth exemplifying. But listen to what God thinks about those who are faithful to him through the suffering:

Hebrews 11:38 “of whom the world was not worthy”

When you are suffering and facing difficulty as a believer in Jesus the Messiah because of your faith, just know that the world is not worthy of you. Jesus said in Matthew 5:11–12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Listen to what the writer of Hebrews says about these suffering saints:

Hebrews 11:39–40 “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

We have something that our heroes from the Old Testament didn’t have. We have the fullness of the gospel. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the Atonement that faith in his completed work has done. We also have his Spirit living within us at all times. We get his heart and his mind.

There are also similarities between us and the Cloud of Witness:

We have not yet received what we have promised.

We are living the same calling of putting aside sin and enduring suffering.

The imagery that the writer of Hebrews is using here is that of a stadium and the stands are filled with all of the saints that have gone before us.

I love watching the Jaguars but this is a little different because 99% of football spectators have never played football before. We act like we have but really if we were put on the field it would just be sad. The imagery of Hebrews 12 is more like we are playing an important game of football while Peyton Manning is watching. And instead of our Biblical heroes being just spectators watching and examining our every move, their stories/witnesses of faith and endurance serve as encouragement and motivation as we live our lives.

This is why it is so important that we really get to know this book but let me be clear here, I do not believe that this passage of Scripture teaches that these Old Testament saints along with all of our departed loved ones are all gathered around and watching our lives.

The word for “Witness” here is μάρτυς which can mean:

a legal witness;

someone who shares what they have seen, known, or experienced; or

someone who has been killed (martyred) for their faith in Christ.

I think that in light of the context, I think that the third option is the correct. I think that the point of the Great Cloud of Witnesses is that we are to follow the examples of the saints that have gone before us. Examples for us to follow but in what way?

This is the second thing in your notes:

Lay Aside Every Weight

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Just like those who have gone before us, let us lay aside every weight and sin? *weight = hinderance*

What weighs you down? It could be a number of things:

Cares of this world. Things like our financial troubles or how stressful our jobs are. It could be

A sin that clings so closely. We all have different sin struggles. Different things that we keep running to instead of God. We, as fallen humans, are great at making idols to worship.

Run the Race with Endurance

The Christian life is not a sprint. It’s more of a marathon. We can easily forget *what it is like to be on fire for Jesus.*

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)

Example of Stephen’s martyrdom and how he endured suffering and persecution.

Although, we have all of our heroes in the audience, our eyes must remain on Jesus.