Hebrew 12_1-3 Run For Your Life

Secular:

• Heart of Paul
• Compelled
• UnderRower w/ msg
• Do not loose hope!
•  Heart of Jonathon
• 2nd Dimension Faith
•  Heart of Jesus
• Do not loose hope…

• Olympics… Karen Cockburn was 11 when she started training on the trampoline…
• Followed her coach…
• Jitters… struggles… success and failure
• On the day of competition… watched others fail
• Didn’t get sidetracked… leaned on what she knew and practiced…
• (Endured and Competed Well)

Biblical:

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Personal:

•  Many of you have been through greater trials… but being with Lorraine at Sick Kids with Carter on Friday brought back memories…
• When Josh was in the hospital
• Not as long…
• But oh the suffering
• Bit oh the helplessness
• But oh the boredom
• But we needed to be there… to go on… there was more than just us… get past the moment… look bigger…

Bridge:

• Abel was killed
• Noah was mocked
• Moses Frustrated
• Jesus was crucified
• Paul beaten and imprisoned
•  Why?
• Why not forget it…
• Because those who know Endure…
• Those who know run well…
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Body:

Keeping it Clean…

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

A)    Great cloud of witnesses…

• Abel….
• Enoch…
• Noah…
• Abraham…
• Sarah…
• Isaac….
• Jacob…
• Moses…
• Rahab….
• Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets

•  They knew how to run the race of faith… * They opposed Pharaoh and gave up the pleasures and priviliedges of his court. They passed through the Red Sea. Shouted down the walls of Jericho. Conquered Kingdoms. Shut the mouths of lions. Stood against the power of fire. Received there dead back by resurrection. Were tortured, mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, dressed in animal skins, were made destituted… all in the name of their faith…
• They stand a cloud of great witnesses…
• Not an audience grading our performance… or even as a cheering section…
• But as an example… as witnesses to a life of faith… faith in the God they so valiantly… boldly serve.

Before the great crowd of witnesses…

They Serve as an example… Inspiration

B) Let us lay aside those things that would detract us…Without encumbrances… without sin

•  Ever been in a hurry with your arms full…
• Load of towels when the phone rings…
• Load of groceries…
• Weigh you down… miss the call…
• Sin is the ball and chain in our life of faith…
•  You can’t win… you can’t even run when it drags you down…
•  In the Olympics… we have seen…
• the gear they race in…
• light weight
• aerodynamic
• as little an encumbrance as possible
• In our lives we know the burden of our sin…
• It undermines our ability to be close to God
• It infects our relationships
• It eats away at us…
• It stops us from being effective lightbearers… ambassadors for Christ
• It encumbers the church’s effectiveness….
• It is time to shed the weight of sin…
• Surrender and release it to God…
• It is time to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us…
• And Stop driving the agenda personally…
• It is time to live in Christ… and for Christ.
•  Without encumbrances…
• For the Love of your Saviour…
• For the Saviour’s Love for you…
• Live your Faith Free from Sin!
• Those who know endure
• Those who know run well

Keeping our Focus

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

•  Most People Aim At Nothing In Life...and Hit It With Amazing Accuracy 
•  We are at some level on a trajectory…
• Self…Wealth… Saviour
• Aimed somewhere in the future… * Do you know the game follow the leader…
• The premise is that you do what the leader does… act as they do, speak as they do…
• To win we merely need to follow the leader
•  Most kids in Grade 1 or even Kindergarten could explain follow the leader to us…
• Maybe we need to listen again…
• Maybe we need to follow our leader…
• “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”
•  Jesus is our perfect example in the Christian Race… He is the author of our faith…
•  Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin – shared experience
•  In Matthew we read that Christ was tempted by Satan… for food, for power… said no to Satan… said yes to God
• Even in the greatest challenge… Matthew 26:39 "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."
• And the Perfecter of our faith…
•  John 19:30 "It is finished!"
• Most People Aim At Nothing In Life...and Hit It With Amazing Accuracy… We need to follow the leader…
• There is a reason…
• who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
• What’s the joy...?
• It is the joy of bringing glory to God…
• It isn’t about us… nor is it about heaven…
• It is about doing what God has asked… because we believe in who He is…
• Often we get into… what can God do for me…
• What can the church do for me…
• We have got it so completely backwards…
• For the joy set before me… what can I do for my GOD!

Keeping Our Focus!!

Keeping our Faith

3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

• Anchor your faith in the good times… in fun… or even in fellowship… and you are going to get burned!!
•  Keeping the Faith… is about living a God first existence… led by the Spirit of God… despite the rough road…
• Consider what Christ endured to bring Glory to the Father…
• Did you know…
• It is not because Christ suffered that we serve Him…
• It is not because He died…
• It is not because He rose again…
• It is not because He is judge over our eternity…
• Christ showed us… revealed to us the Father…
• Who is worthy… who is awesome… who did not spare his son… who is the Creator…
• Who is worthy of all honour and glory and praise…
• We don’t worship God based on what He chooses to give us or not… but on who He is!!
•  Keeping the Faith is about knowing God and being led by the Spirit…
•  Failure to Know God or be led by him makes the struggle futile!!
• SMELL THE BARN
• Knowing God… seeing the goal… allows us not to grow weary
•  Not Loose heart
• Allows us to keep and strengthen our faith!!
• Those who know endure
• Those who know run well

Conclusion:

Keeping it Clean

•  Sin has got to go…
• No running the 100m with a backpack
• Gut wrenching heart breaking repentance…
• Streamline
• And run for your life!

Keeping our Focus

•  Most People Aim At Nothing In Life...and Hit It With Amazing Accuracy…
•  What are you aiming at…
•  Fix your eyes on Christ…
• 2 Cor 3: 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
•   Follow the leader…
• And Run for your life!!

Keeping our Faith

•  Is NOT about what we get…
• We are NOT kid’s at Christmas… rattling the divine gifts and promises under the tree…
• Our faith is anchored in who God is…
• If you know HIM… and Are led by His Spirit
• You will Endure and run well…
• You will run for your life…