Called to Freedom: Looking Forward

INTRO

Good morning, guys

Over the last two mornings, we’ve been talking about this race we’re all running.

Day 1: We looked backward and saw a cloud of witnesses

people who ran before us and prove that God is faithful

Day 2: We looked inward and talked about weights and sins

- and how they slow us down and keep us from living free

Today, we finish by looking forward

Because at the end of the day, the Christian life is not sustained by how strong you are

it’s sustained by who you are looking at

TENSION

Hebrews 12:2 tells us exactly where our eyes are meant to be:

Hebrews 12:2 CSB

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.

That phrase “laying eyes on” means to fix your eyes

to stare at one thing so hard that everything else fades into the background

That said, let me ask you this…

When following Jesus gets hard, where do you usually look?

At yourself?

At your failure?

At your circumstances?

Or do you look to Christ?

TRUTH

Point 1 – Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

The author of Hebrews tells us that as we run the race, our eyes are not meant to drift

Jesus is:

the goal

the prize

the reason we’re running in the first place

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Keep your eyes on the prize.”

Hebrews tells us who the prize actually is…

Not success

Not comfort

Not approval

Jesus Himself is the prize

Freedom isn’t maintained by constantly checking your performance

Freedom is maintained by keeping your eyes on Christ

Point 2 – Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

Hebrews gives Jesus two titles that change everything:

He is the founder of our faith

and He is the perfecter of our faith

That means something really important:

You didn’t start this race

And you won’t finish it on your own

As founder, Jesus began the work of salvation in you

As perfecter, Jesus finishes the race for you

Philippians 1:6 CSB

I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

That means your hope is not in how consistently you run

Your hope is in how faithfully Jesus carries you

Point 3 – Jesus Our Example and Our Helper

Jesus isn’t just an example at a distance.

Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that He:

endured the cross

despised the shame

and now sits victorious

Jesus ran the race perfectly

He never stumbled in obedience

He never sinned

And instead of receiving the reward He deserved, He took the punishment we deserved

But here’s the beauty of the gospel:

Jesus doesn’t say, “Run like me and good luck.”

He says, “I will run with you.”

When you’re strong

He walks with you.

When you stumble

He lifts you up

When you feel like quitting

He carries you forward

Freedom lasts because Jesus is perfectly faithful, not because we are

APPLICATION

So here’s how I want you to respond today:

For believers:

Fix your eyes back on Jesus

Not on your past

Not on your failures.

Not on how well you think you’re doing

And remember:

Jesus is the reason you’re running, and He is the reason you will finish the race

For those who aren’t believers yet:

Freedom starts with looking to Jesus for salvation

He endured the cross so you could be free from sin

and finally step onto the starting line of faith

So what’s stopping you from looking to Him?