Session 1: Fix your Eyes (on Jesus)

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hindrance, barrier - onkos - weight, impediment

ensnares - skilfully surrounding, to prevent running

run -

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament τρέχω

to exert one’s self, strive hard; to spend one’s strength in performing or attaining something

endurance - patiently and steadfastly

keeping - to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something

or looking to Jesus

You can’t look at Jesus and everything else, you would begin to drift

if we ran a race and I told all of you to run to a different finish line, you would all run into each other and it would be chaos

pioneer - the one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor

author - prince-leader, captain of salvation

Acts 3:15 “You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.”

perfecter - the founder and completer, the source and perfecter

faith - trust and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined

the conviction

For the joy that lay before him, he endured

the joy - sitting at the right hand of God after making purification for sins to give repentance and remission of sins. the coming joy disarmed of its sting and present pain

It is Jesus’ joy to forgive you of all your sin

3 points:

To follow Jesus you have to set aside your sin

Run after Jesus with all your strength

It is Jesus’ greatest joy to forgive you of all your sin

Gospel invitation