Lent Series 2025

Anticipate

Hebrews 12:1–6 NIV84

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

When someone want to succeed badly at something they will work hard and always keep their eyes on the goal or ambition that they have set before them!

Think of an athlete - Usain Bolt - (let’s watch a brief clip!) - who is a sprinter, training for the 100 metres. He trains hard; denies himself whilst he builds strength and resilience and perfects his running craft with the goal of winning that gold medal in the Olympic Games. This combines great endeavour, huge passion to succeed and his eye on the goal ahead!

You see him crouched in his running position on the blocks, waiting for the starting pistol to sound; eager to get going and bang, psyching himself up, with a supreme confidence that he can do this! Then “bang”, he’s off - rising from the blocks; straitening his torso, and getting into his rhythm before putting on the accelerators to hit maximum speed - his eyes firmly fixed on the finish line, anticipating winning - not second - winning!

That’s the image on my mind as I read these verses of Jesus - as He heads towards Jerusalem, anticipating the Cross and enduring the agony and shame He is motivated, determined and ready to fight every internal resistance; conquer every fear to do what He came to do - to die as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”(John 1:29), to win the prize of our salvation, to finish His race! - “for the joy that was set before Him”!

Here in our short Lenten series we have thought of two themes - repentance and anticipation:

Lent (beginning on Ash Wednesday and not counting Sundays) is a 40 day season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

As we approach Easter, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are at the heart of the Christian gospel, and Good Friday and Easter Sunday are two of the most significant celebrations of the Christian year. Lent invites us to make our hearts ready by repentance, to bring us to the anticipation of remembering the agony of Jesus' death and rejoicing in the glorious victory of Jesus' resurrection.

I. What did Jesus Anticipate?

We know that one of the main reasons for Christ’s Incarnation, captured so beautifully in the Christmas Carol “Hark the Herald, Angels Sing” is that he may be “born that man, no more may die; born to raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth”

What we don’t know is how early, Christ became conscious of it. Certainly the angels declared it to Mary his mother and his father Joseph - “You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins”(Matt 1:21) and the words of Simeon to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”(Luke 2:34-35).

As he was growing up he would have been taught the Scriptures at home and in the Synagogue, he would hear of the Messiah as predicted in the Prophets - would he have read Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53 or Micah 5:2 and understood that these spoke of Him; of His death and His coming resurrection?

And when He was 12 years old and went to Jerusalem with His father and mother and spent time in the Temple with the teachers of the Law, “sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” to the amazement of “everyone who heard him” and his parents who feared he was lost and asking Him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” and He responding, “Why were you searching for me?...Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” we read that “they did not understand”, showing that every detail of what was to happen to their Son had not been revealed to them - what he was saying to them.” but evidently be then, He knew! But also he was still discovering more and more as Luke says, “he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”(see Luke 2:41-52).

So, though we cannot know the exact age at which Jesus began to anticipate His death it is clear that as He aged, He had his eyes fixed on His approaching Agony and Death and the glory that would follow it:

Think of the Transfiguration - the disciples saw His glory with Moses and Elijah, who Luke tells us came to talk to him “about His departure, which He was about the bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem”(Luke 9:31) and the disciples enjoying the scene as a glimpse of something that lies beyond, that calls from a different and immensely more glorious reality. It is a reminder that we are destined for glory – that the path of faith ends in the transformation of our flesh into and like Christ’s glorious body!

Think of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday - How the “whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”(Luke 19:37-38) and when the Pharisees encouraged Jesus to rebuke His disciples for such enthusiasm, Jesus said “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”(v40) and then, “as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time of God’s coming to you.”(vs 41-44).

Think of Gethsemane - when he cried out, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”(Luke 22:42-44)

Never, for a single moment, was His departure; His suffering, absent from His thoughts as Hebrews 12:2 shows:

Hebrews 12:2 NIV84

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Or to use the prophetic language of Isaiah 50:6-7

Isaiah 50:6–7 NIV84

I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

Yet, in spite of this, He was always cheerful and determined and notwithstanding the horror of what was to come, He had joy in His heart at was “set before Him”.

And nothing could persuade Him to shrink from the cross; nothing could prevent Him travelling on the road that led to His joy for He knew as Isaiah 53 foretold , “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labour of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”(Isaiah 53:10-12).

But there is more that just anticipation of suffering here there is also anticipation of joy and so He was not cast down by the approaching Passion, He actually longed for it.

This verse says Jesus focused on “the joy” - the Greek has a definite article, indicating a specific joy. The joyous “finishing line” that Jesus was determined to achieve - “…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.” that was set before Him as He endured the Cross. Just like a runner focuses on the finish line, Jesus was looking forward to “the joy” of finishing.

As Jesus hung on the Cross, He anticipated His resurrection and its proclamation of victory over sin and death! He ancticiated the coming generations of mankind who would be saved because of what He was doing. He saw you, He saw me!

Jesus had His eyes of faith fixed on the empty throne at the right hand of the Father that was reserved for Him once His victory was complete. Upon that throne, all enemies would be His footstool, and He would commence the next part of His high priestly ministry to intercede for everyone who would ever come to Him in time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). - - “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”(Phil 2:9-11).

Jesus had His eyes, His heart, His mind, His will fixed on that highly exalted place. That was the joy set before Him. When sin and hell were defeated and Jesus was resurrected, that was the seat of authority He ascended into Heaven to occupy. And ever since that time, from that highly exalted position, Jesus has been serving as Lord of the Church and as the High Priest and Intercessor for every believer and because of that ministry we have hope of our eternal salvation - Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

II. What do you Anticipate?

What is the goal in front of you that keeps you motivated to move ahead even when things are difficult?

Without a purpose we give up! Without a goal set before us, we lose a reason to live!

If we are to be like Jesus we will have the goal of the “joy that is set before” us!

The joy of Heaven that is set before us!

The joy of Heaven and the joy of seeing Jesus, motivated Paul - Philippians 3:7-14, ‘But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

The gospel teaches us the importance of knowing exactly where you we are headed! We will one day be welcomed into Heaven by our Lord Jesus “Come you who are blessed of my Father…enter into the joy of your Lord”(Matthew 25:14.23).

Just think of what it will be like when you get there! Just think of what it will be like for you when you get there, - Revelation 21:1–5 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.””

And you can have this joy now! - the conviction even if you are suffering now, as stated in 2 Timothy 1:12 “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

2. The Joy of Sharing the Gospel and winning others for Heaven!

When Paul preached the gospel he was very aware of how despised it was by the Greeks and Jews alike - 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God… Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

The joy of seeing people converted to Christ and fitted for Heaven as a result of the preaching of the Gospel is the thing that helped him endure the shame of being despised and “slandered” treated as “the scum of the earth” for preaching the gospel! The Message Bible paraphrases Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:13 like this: “It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theatre in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We’re the Messiah’s misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around. Much of the time we don’t have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces, and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living. When they call us names, we say, “God bless you.” When they spread rumours about us, we put in a good word for them. We’re treated like garbage, the leftovers that nobody wants. And it’s not getting any better.”

But Paul endured it because He anticipated the glory that would follow. And so he charged Timothy as he still charges us in 2 Timothy 4:1–8 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

We can “endure” this can’t we? We can take up “the cross” when it comes to suffering for sharing the gospel? It will be worth it if it means taking with us to glory as many saved sinners as possible! - Psalm 126:6 “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”

LENT THEN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REMINDS US THEN OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ANTICIPATION!

What are you building with your life?

What keeps you motivated to train hard and keep your eyes fixed on the finishing line in this race of life? What is the joy that is set before you?

Are you making progress on the journey? Are you anticipating “the joy that is set before” you? - Progress is gained one step at a time; small steps perhaps but no matter how big or small the steps, you can know that you are inevitably progressing toward the goal that God has set for your life.

And, if your eyes have strayed from your goal, re-focus! If you have stumbled and fallen in the race and become entangled by “the sin that so easily entangles” then repent, pick yourself up, dust yourself down and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Don’t lose heart! Don’t be discouraged in the race - “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son…Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”(v13)

So today I want to encourage you to lift your eyes above and beyond the difficulties of this life and the hardship of running the race, looking beyond to the joy, the victory, and the fulfilment of what God has for you in Heaven!

Become like Jesus, in fixing your eyes on the “joy that was set before Him” and endure for the sake of that glorious inheritance - the taking of “many sons to glory”(Heb 2:10).

Make a fresh commitment to consecrate your life to the Lord to submit to His will for your life and move forward in obedience to the Lord’s voice, keeping your eyes fixed on the prize of forever being with the Lord. This is what will sustain you through the hard times and the challenges!

I know its hard, and sometimes it can seem overwhelming to live for God and to be faithful to Christ in this world but “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!”

“Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,

We're tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;

But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,

All tears forever over in God's eternal day.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,

We're tossed and driven on , no human help in sight;

But there is one in heav'n who knows our deepest care,

Let Jesus solve your problem - just go to Him in pray'r.

Life's day will soon be o'er, all storms forever past,

We'll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;

We'll share the joys of heav'n - a harp, a home, a crown,

The tempter will be banished, we'll lay our burden down.

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,

Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,

So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

(Esther K. Rusthoi (1940)