Run The Race!

Introduction

Theme of the Letter: Jesus is Greater!

FCF: In Athletics, school work, or any other strenuous activity. . . When you get tired. . . what do you do to help you push through the pain?

Key Point: We must run the race with endurance by looking to Christ’s example who is the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Hebrews 12:1–4 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. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

How can we run this race with endurance that is set before us??

Put Away Sin (v. 1)

All of the OT saints are observing our lives and watching our faith. The author paints the picture of a crowd of saints that are in a stadium observing us run and cheering us on.

He uses this analogy to refer to the Panhellenic games that the Hebrews would have been well aware of. . . a precursor to our modern day Olympics.

They have gone before us and proven themselves faithful and now it is our turn.

If we are to run the race with endurance, the first thing we must do is put away sin.

The command “to put away” communicates the practice of taking off a garment and laying something aside (Eph. 4:22).

Sin weighs us down and is like a heavy cloak that keeps us from running well. It “clings closely to us” which means it constricts and ensnares us.

Sin is deceitful and makes us foolish. . . it “entangles us” and trips us up.

We must take off the warm-up suit.

This is done through confession and repentance.

What sins are weighing you down and constricting you?

What sins are fatiguing you and preventing you to run with endurance?

What do you need to lay aside tonight at the foot of the cross so that you can run the race so that you may win?

Fix Our Eyes On Jesus (v. 2-4)

Once we have laid aside our sins that could trip us up, we must look to and keep our eyes on Jesus.

We must look to Jesus because he is the ultimate example for us to imitate and run our race of faith in the same way he ran his.

Jesus is the epitome and ultimate example of persevering faith. . . much greater than any of the OT examples that were mentioned in the last chapter.

He is the founder, pioneer, and originator of our faith.

Jesus has already ran this race of faith before us. He has already blazed the trail of victory for us to the Father.

Not only has Jesus initiated our faith but he has also perfected our faith by demonstrating perfect faith during his earthly life as a human just like us.

Jesus kept his eyes on the reward that was to come “for the joy set before him” and endured the cross.

Just as the OT saints looked ahead to the reward, Jesus looked ahead to the glory he would have with the Father after his suffering and death on the cross.

v. 3 also calls us to consider the endurance and suffering Jesus bore for us to prevent us from growing faint or weary.

Think about all the suffering, pain, and ridicule Jesus when through during his passion.

The Hebrews had not suffered to the point of shedding their blood and neither have we.

Do we seek to fight against the sin of apostasy so much to the point that we are willing to shed our own blood?

Compared to Jesus, any suffering we face in our lives will be very small. . . therefore, if he endured such hostility from sinners and endured, how can we not endure the suffering we face? Especially if his Spirit is in and with us to give us the strength to endure as Jesus did??

We must also look ahead to the reward that awaits us and endure the trials, pain, and difficulties we will face in running this race of faith.

Note the result of Jesus’ perfect endurance. . . glory and honor as he sits at the right hand of the throne of God. This glory and honor will be ours as well as Ephesians 2:6-7 says that we are actually seated now with Christ in the heavenly places. If this is where we sit now being in Christ. . . how can we not persevere in our faith?

Receive God’s Discipline as His Beloved Children (v. 5-11)

The third way we can run the race with endurance is through receiving God’s discipline as his beloved child.

The Hebrews were facing persecution for following Jesus. Their homes were taken away, they were not able to get work, and they faced the threat of imprisonment, physical harm, and even death.

Yet, the author says that these trials actually came from the hand of God.

This passage teaches us something about God. . . he is sovereign over all our circumstances and things that occur in our life.

Sometimes, for his glory and for our good, he disciplines us by allowing us to go through trials. . . but he does this so he can refine us and allow us to share in his holiness (v. 10).

James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5.; 1 Peter 1:7; Romans 8:28-29.

“The flowers smell sweetest after a shower, vines bear the better for bleeding, the walnut tree is most fruitful when most beaten. Saints spring and thrive most internally when they are most externally afflicted. Affliction lift up the soul to more rich, clear, and full enjoyments of God.” -Thomas Brooks

The author also says that the fact we are disciplined by the Lord is a blessing because it proves we are his children and that he loves and delights in us.

What loving Father does not discipline his Son or daughter?

This means that we can see even the difficulties and trials we face for following Jesus as good gifts from our generous Father!

Having this mindset will help us run the race of faith with endurance and not be discouraged when we face hurdles we must jump over. By being challenged with trials in our faith. . . our perseverance will ultimately yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness even though when we go through the trial, it is difficult and painful.

Enduring faith must look beyond the painful present to the fruitful future, grasping the reality of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen.

Do you view the trials you experience as gifts from God to make you more like Christ?

Pursue Holiness with the People of God (v. 12-17)

The fourth way we can run the race with endurance is by pursuing holiness with the people of God.

In v. 12-13. . . the author calls the Hebrews to strengthen and encourage those whose hands and knees are weak.

He quotes from Isaiah 35:3 that speaks of when Isaiah encouraged Israel to persevere in their faith for God would come again to deliver them from their enemies.

He also calls the Hebrews to make sure those around them continue to walk on the straight path. . . which refers to Proverbs 4:26-27. They must continue to walk according the commands of the Lord and not swerve to the right or to the left.

They must remove barriers in the race course that could trip up their friends.

If these “lame” parts of the body are not strengthened, then they will be “put out of joint”. . therefore, we must seek to encourage and strengthen those around us to continue to run the race faithfully so that their fatigued muscles will be restored.

Pursuing holiness means that we pursue peace with all people.

Holiness before God and peace with others are directly connected.

We cannot pursue holiness before God if we are not also pursuing peace with others.

Holy living must be practiced in community. . . for as Daniel shared last week. . . “holiness for holiness sake is idolatry.”

Verse 15 shows that every member of the body is important. If one person in the church fails to obtain the grace of God and does not persevere in the race. . . their bitterness will defile others in the body.

Think about it like a relay race. . . we are only as strong as our weakest link. Everyone is important!

Pursuing holiness means not gratifying our fleshly lusts and pursuing sexual holiness.

The author gives the example of Esau, who was the exact opposite of the OT saints listed in chapter 11.

Esau did not look ahead to the reward and endure but gave into his appetite and sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.

Esau gave into his fleshly lusts and committed sexual immorality by marrying foreign women who were not followers of Yahweh because he did not want to wait for a spouse among his people.

We must not give into our sinful desires but lay them aside and endure the temporary difficulty it may cause us so we can reap the eternal rewards that are laid up for us in heaven.

But don’t miss this. . . look at verse 14. . . the author says the reason we must pursue this holiness is because without it. . . no one will see the Lord.

Jesus said Only those who have “pure hearts” will see God (Mt. 5:8).

Positional holiness is always followed by practical holiness.

If we have been declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus, our hearts will be transformed by the Spirit and we will pursue holy living.

This means that if we are not pursuing holy living, we need to examine our lives to see if we are in the faith.

Response: Accept God’s Invitation to Hold Fast to His Unshakable Kingdom (v. 18-29)

So how must we respond to run this race of endurance that is set before us?

We must Accept God’s Invitation to Hold Fast to His Unshakable Kingdom.

Unlike the Israelites who could not endure the order and commands that were given to them from Mt. Sinai. . . we have a better Mountain. . . Zion. . . who which we are summoned.

In light of these glorious realities of being able to come into the presence of God through the blood of Jesus. . . we must not refuse this invitation. For if the Israelites were judged when they rejected God’s invitation when Mount Sinai was on earth. . . how much more will we be judged if we reject God’s invitation to Mount Zion in Heaven??

Like he did on Mount Sinai, God’s voice shook the earth. . . but the author. . . quoting Haggai 2:6, 21, says when Christ returns, he will shake not only the earth but all the heavens. This symbolizes how God will remove all the evil things on the earth and only his unshakable Kingdom will remain.

In response to this warning, we must continue to remain faithful and offer praise and thanksgiving with reverence to our God. . . because he is a consuming fire.

But. . .

We cannot run the race with endurance if we don’t lay aside any sin that would weigh us down. . .

What sins do you need to lay at the feet of Jesus tonight?

We cannot run the race with endurance if we don’t trust God with our circumstances and in our trials.

In what areas of your life do you need to trust God?

We cannot run the race with endurance if we allow our teammates to fall behind and give up in the race. . .

Who do you need to encourage this week that is struggling in their faith?

What relationships do you need to restore? Who do you need to reconcile with?

What areas of your life are you tempted to give into sinful desires that you must resist so that you can pursue holiness?

Ultimately, we must remember that if we are going to run this race with endurance and win the prize. . . we cannot take our eyes off Jesus.

For if we take our eyes off of him. . . if we reject his invitation. . . we will not be able to endure. . . and we will not escape his judgment.

Instead, we must look to Jesus because. . .

He is our example.

He is the founder and trailblazer of our faith.

He is the perfecter of our faith.

It is through his blood that are sins have been forgiven.

It is through his righteousness that we are made perfect.

It is by his grace that we will have the strength to endure trials and sufferings.

It is by his victory that we will also have the victory.

So, we MUST keep our eyes on him. . . and we MUST listen to him and not reject his invitation to hold fast to his Kingdom that cannot be shaken. . .

Let’s Pray. . .