Look to Jesus

Do you know one of the hardest things to overcome in the church is?

People graduate on to heaven, people move away, and people get frustrated with the church/pastor/leadership leave.

But do you know those above things are not the biggest struggle in the church today.

Have you ever known someone who was having symptoms of one sickness or another, but they just ignored it.

Maybe the family physician recommended a specialist (if they even went) but they thought they knew better.

Maybe they assumed if they just ignored the problem it would go away.

Maybe they felt some sort of self medication would help.

But in the end they never had their ailment checked and they eventually passed away.

This is not unheard of or even that irregular.

It also translates into the church and where we can get to both corporately and personally.

You see there are symptoms in the church and in the individual when we need to be renewed or refreshed.

Like the human body, the body of believers needs attention.

Today we begin a new series on “Seeking Renewal” and we want to begin by acknowledging the fact that this is an outflow of the series we just finished.

I like how the Bible Encyclopedia speaks about Renewal

Renew = “The regeneration or revitalization that God brings to His people and creation, as part of the process of redemption.”

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 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, 2 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.

Leave Alone Whatever Entangles

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

1 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, ...

Because of what we have spent three months talking about: these ladies and gentlemen who have a “faith that works.”

Their faith was a pragmatic faith, a revealed faith, a steadfast faith, a continual faith, and a living faith.

Today, our faith can be as theirs, but it requires a willing ness to leave alone the things that captivate our attention for the One who should.

“…A willingness to leave alone things that captivate our attention for the One who should...”

Notice how the writer describes the things that captivate us:

Weighty = impediment

Cling = easily ensnaring

Two verses I am reminded of here are: Proverbs 6:25 & Colossians 2:8.

Proverbs 6:25 (ESV)

25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;

Colossians 2:8 ESV

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

So often men are ensnared by the temptation of this life…maybe not enough to fully indulge in the specific sin, but enough to to captivate their thoughts.

The writer of Hebrews calls these things weighty and an equivalent translation to cling may be that things which become a barrier to honoring the Lord.

So first we “leave alone whatever entangles”… second we:

Live A Complete Life

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

1 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,

The word “marathon” comes for the story of a “Greek legend of Pheidippedes, a messenger who ran from the Plains of Marathon to Athens. He did this to announce the Greek victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The legend varies on whether he ran from Athens to Sparta first to seek aid, or whether he ran to Athens directly after the battle.

When the writer refers to this story, he delivers a connection to the footrace in the Greek games. It was one of the longest events and was considered of high importance.

Let us run with endurance = don’t quit, don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t give out, but finish.

Paul says it this way:

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Philippians 1:30 ESV

30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

In both instances, we see a faithful servant, an enduring servant, an unwavering servant.

WE are called to be a people who have surrendered ourselves to the King of Kings.

This is fleshed out when we:

First we “Leave Alone Whatever Entangles,” second we “Live A Complete Life,” and thirdly:

Have Eyes That Are Fixed

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, ...

The Greek literally says “fixing the eyes on originator and perfecter (finisher) Jesus”

So the idea here is to lock ones eyes onto Christ — to have them fixed is to adjust them to remain.

We might easily contrast this with the idea of one who might waiver.

One might think of someone who always thinks the grass is greener in another pasture.

Or one who might always think if i could just get this job or that job, this relationship or that relationship, this home or that home, this recognition or that recognition.

You see there is this momentary idea of the wandering person.

Life brings many opportunities for the wandering heart and the wandering eye, but the writer of Hebrews is calling us to be a people who have our attention fixed upon One, that is Jesus.

Why?

Jesus’

Example — He looked with joy

His Faith — He endured the cross

His Relationship — He is God the Son, but also part of the Trinity

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

2 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.

He is seated in the place of honor.

Because of Who He is, because of What He is, because All He Did.

Walking Away, But In...

Hold-- loosely to this life.

Keep-- the Faith.

Focus—on Jesus.