Run into the New Year Looking at Jesus

Text: Hebrews 12:1–3(KJV)

INTRODUCTION

There are moments in life when the problem isn’t that we’ve stopped believing— it’s that we’ve grown tired of running.

Not enough to quit. Just enough to slow down. enough to get distracted. enough to carry things God never told us to keep holding.

Some of us didnt lose faith this year— but we may have lost focus.

we didn’t abandon the race— we just started running with extra weight.

And the danger of spiritual weariness is this:

it rarely announces itself loudly.

It shows up quietly— in dulled urgency, shortened prayers, postponed obedience, or in learning how to just survive instead of how to run.

That’s why the Holy Spirit speaks through Hebrews 12

not to believers that have quit completely — but that are running on fumes and that are in danger of fainting.

It is written to believers who have scars. People who have endured loss, pressure, persecution, and delay. People who are still standing—but barely catching their breath.

And as we stand on the edge of a new year, God does not ask us to run faster, be stronger, or shame us for being tired.

Instead, He lovingly calls us to run lighter, steadier and with our eyes fixed.

So tonight, before the ball drops and we bring in the new year the Word of God calls us to.....

I. CONTEMPLATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

“Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses…”

The writer begins by reminding us that we are surrounded.

not by critics.

but by witnesses

The word wherefore lets us know that what Paul is about to say, comes from what he just told them in Chapter 11.

that is the ones he is speaking about

the ones who endured hardship and still trusted God. the ones who fell down, got back up, and finished anyway.

And tonight, there are living witnesses in this church.

You are living proof that God keeps you. You are evidence that the enemy could not have you.

You didn’t make it because you were strong— You made it because God was faithful.

Lamentations 3:22–23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

It is good to remember where you have come from so that when the new storms of 2026 hit, you can look back and say, “God was faithful back there—therefore He will be faithful here.”

So, Paul said Contemplate on what God has brought you through:

and because of that you need to get rid of some things that could hinder you

II. CAST OFF WHAT’S BEEN HOLDING YOU BACK

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…”

Notice carefully:

the Scripture mentions weights and sins.

I believe the Holy Spirit put that there to remind us that not everything that slows you down is necessarily sinful.

Some things are simply heavy burdens.

Weights are distractions, unresolved pain,

habits that drain your strength or relationships that pull more out of you than they pour into you.

Think of it this way: When a runner trains for a marathon, they were weighted vests or belts

Why?

Because running without it becomes easier.

You could run the race with it, but you’d wear out sooner and your time would suffer.

weights are useful for training, but they were never intended to be carried in a race.

Why do we think we can run our race and still carry all these burdens.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

So Paul says: Lay it aside. Cast it off.

And then there is the sin that so easily besets us—

The recurring struggle. The private battle. The thing that trips us every time we try to move forward.

Hear me clearly: You cannot outrun what you refuse to lay down.

God is calling us into a new year, but He is also calling us to a break loose of the chains.

You don’t need another year carrying last year’s chains.

Paul, has said because of the things you have seen God do, you need to get rid of what is slowing you down,

so that you can...

III. COMMIT TO THE JOURNEY AHEAD

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us…”

The Christian life is not a sprint—it’s a race. not a fast race— but a faithful one.

If we are going to commit to the journey Paul tells us we first need to:

a. Run with Endurance

To run with patience means endurance.

Paul knew what it was to run with endurance:

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

running with endurance means staying steady when the excitement wears off.

It means trusting God even when progress feels slow.

then Paul says:

a. Run with Endurance

b. Run the Race God has Ordained

“..The race that is set before us.”

God already knows the hills, the curves, the obstacles, and the victories.

You’re not running a random race. You’re running a God-ordained one.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

So don’t compare your pace to someone else’s.

Just make sure you keep running your race

Paul says God has been faithful, so get rid of what can hinder you, commit to your journey,

...then he shows us how this is possible

IV. CENTER YOUR FOCUS ON THE ONE THAT MATTERS

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”

This is the key to everything.

a. Center Your Focus on the Front-Runner

You cannot run well if you’re looking everywhere else.

Looking at the crowd will discourage you

Looking at your feet will cause you to stumble

Looking at the course will overwhelm you

Looking behind you will slow you down

But the Word says: look unto Jesus.

Fix your focus. Center it. Don’t glance—fix.

The Greek word means looking away from everything else to stare steadily at one thing.

That tells us something:

Fixate on politics → you will become anxious

Fixate on failures → you will become ashamed

Fixate on comfort → you will become soft

Fixate on people → you will become prideful or discouraged

But if we fix our eyes on Jesus, we find inspiration and stability.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

He is the Author —He started your faith. He is the Finisher —He will complete it.

If Jesus started it, He can sustain it. If He called you, He will carry you. If He brought you this far, He’s not about to drop you now.

b. Because he is the one that has already Finished

“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.”

Notice the sequence:

Joy set before Him

Cross endured

Shame despised

Throne attained

Jesus did not so through suffering so he could finish

He went through suffering so you could finish

Why? to show us that it can be done.

The Christian life is not comfort now, crown later.

It is cross now, crown later.

Dont interpret hardship as abandonment.

Interpret hardship through Jesus.

What you fix your eyes on shapes what you love, fear, pursue, and become.

If we fix our eyes on Christ:

We gain perspective on suffering

We gain courage for obedience

We gain stability in uncertainty

We gain assurance that the end is secure

Some of you are running and you feel alone.

You look around and you think, “Am I the only one fighting sin like this. Am I the only one weary. Am I the only one struggling.”

Hebrews reminds us: fix your eyes— not on your problems, but the problem solver

not on resolutions—but on the Redeemer.

CONCLUSION

So, Hebrews reminds us of something we desperately need to hear tonight:

The Christian race is not isolation, silent suffering, or pretending we have strength

Christ has already:

Gone before us

Endured more than we ever will

Secured the outcome

Verse 3 says:

“Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Jesus is not at the finish line with a stopwatch critiquing your pace

He is the One who ran ahead, suffered for you, and now sustains you.

This race is not white-knuckled survival.

It is hope-filled perseverance.

as we step through a new year: I want to say

to the weary - Lay aside what hinders you

to the discouraged - Fix your eyes on Jesus—again and again

to the sinner call on the Only one that can get you through life

to all of us - Keep running

Final Exhortation

I leave you with this:

as you go through this new year

Run with patience.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Do not quit.

because Christ is faithful.

And He always finishes what He begins.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”