Hebrews 12 1 3 Run For Your Life 192000
Run for Your Life!
Hebrews 12:1-3
If the Apostle Paul were alive today, he would probably read the sports pages of the newspaper and follow the progress of various teams and athletes. Why?
Because several athletic references in his letters indicate his interest in sports. --Of course, both the Greeks and the Romans were keenly interested in athletic contests, not only for their physical well-being, but also for the honor of their towns and countries. It was a patriotic thing to be a good athlete and to bring glory to your country.
The writer of Hebrews combined these two themes of athletics and citizenship in this important twelfth chapter. The atmosphere is that of the footraces in the arena. ..We can see the runners laying aside their training weights and striving to run their races successfully…. Some get weary and faint, while others endure to the end and win the prize. First the writer pictures the race (Heb. 12:1–13), and then emphasizes citizenship in the heavenly city (Heb. 12:14–29). In the minds of his readers, these two themes would go together; for no one could take part in the official games unless he was a citizen of the nation.
In the book The Vance Havner Devotional Treasury, the author wrote, "I shall never forget Dr. R.A. Torrey saying to me as a young preacher, 'Young man, make up your mind on one thing and stick to it.'" Havner comments, "The Christian life should be like a sword with one point, not like a broom ending in many straws. Such a single purpose forgets the past, reaches toward the future, and presses on. There is no time or place for side issues, diversions to the right or to the left. There is no place for hands on the plow with eyes looking back. Paul was a one-track man, but you can go a long way on the track!"
If you want to be distressed -- look within.
If you want to be defeated -- look back.
If you want to be distracted -- look around.
If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead.
If you want to be delivered -- look up!
Purpose: To be encouraged to persevere to the very end, as others have done.
Few moments in sports are more thrilling than watching our hero round the last turn, catch the approving roar from the stands, and lean forward into the winning tape. There is something about watching a good race that causes our blood to surge and makes us want to stand up and cheer.
Þ Perhaps that is why the Bible compares the Christian life to a thrilling race.
Þ Those who undergo the rigors of training in order to attain greater rewards, and so it is with the Christian life.
I. AS IN A RACE, WE ARE SURROUNDED BY MANY WITNESSES (HEBREWS 12:la, 2).
Coach used several techniques to get me to do my best. “Other students have done it, and so can you!” was one of his encouragements. “Just think of what it will do for you physically!” was another. “Now, watch the other kids—see how they do it!” was a third.
A. Perhaps you have witnessed one of those rare occasions when the first ones to finish a long race stand along the sidelines and cheer the others along to finish the race.
So it is with our Christian faith.
Look around at the winners! (v. 1a) The “great... cloud [assembly, mass] of witnesses” was introduced to us in Hebrews 11.
They are the heroes of the faith. It is not suggested here that these men and women now in heaven are watching us as we run the race, like people seated in a stadium.
The word “witnesses” does not mean “spectators.” --Our English word “martyr” comes directly from the Greek word translated “witness.” These people are not witnessing what we are doing; rather, they are bearing witness to us that God can see us through.
God bore witness to them (Heb. 11:2, 4–5, 39) and they are bearing witness now to us.
“I rarely read the Old Testament, except for Psalms and Proverbs,” a believer once told me. “Then you are missing a great deal of spiritual help,” I replied. I asked him to open to Romans 15:4 and read the verse aloud.
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
I then explained that “patience” means “endurance,” and that “comfort” means “encouragement.” “One of the best ways to develop endurance and encouragement is to get to know the godly men and women of the Old Testament who ran the race and won. If you are having problems with your family, read about Joseph. If you think your job is too big for you, study the life of Moses. If you are tempted to retaliate, see how David handled this problem.”
But let us not forget that watchful elder, patient teacher, or committed preacher
who helped shape our faith years ago.
II. WE MUST RUN WISELY BY THROWING OFF ANYTHING THAT WEIGHTS US DOWN (HEBREWS 12:lb).
A. Just as a runner would never compete wearing a heavy uniform, Christians must make sure that they are not weighted down with unnecessary baggage.
It is all too easy for us to become attached to the things of this world (1 John 2:15,16,17) “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will fo God abides forever.”
-------so we must constantly throw off those things that slow us down.
B. The author of Hebrews mentions two types of impediments that hinder our progress.
Þ Lust dilutes our devotion, while immorality destroys our witness.
Þ Pride creates divisions within the body,
Þ while gossip destroys the body from with-in.
Þ A quick temper drives others away from us,
Þ while hypocrisy drives them away from Christ.
All these sins and others, which entangle us all too easily must be thrown off if we are to run the race of the Christian life.
What hinders you from giving Christ your all?
Throw it off.
Reduce the things that weigh you down.
F.B. Meyer says, "Thousands of Christians are like water-logged vessels, they cannot sink; yet, they are saturated with so many inconsistencies, worldlinesses and little permitted evils that they can only be towed with difficulty into the celestial port.
III. WE MUST RUN DILIGENTLY TO THE END EVEN IF WE BECOME EXHAUSTED (HEBREWS 12:lc, 3).
A. What really matters is not how we begin the Christian life but how we end it.
As Jesus taught in the parable of the soils, the only reliable evidence of faith is the production of fruit.
Yet who among us has not felt the temptation to ease up when we grow tired of living the Christian life?
Þ We all become weary from opposition and the difficult work of Christian living.
Þ Yet God exhorts us not to give up.
B. Like Jesus, we should focus on the joy that awaits us instead of the struggles that we presently face.
What was it that enabled our Lord to endure the cross? Please keep in mind that, during His ministry on earth, our Lord did not use His divine powers for His own personal needs. >>Satan tempted Him to do this (Matt. 4:1–4), but Jesus refused. **It was our Lord’s faith that enabled Him to endure. **He kept the eye of faith on “the joy that was set before Him.”
From Psalm 16:8–10, He knew that He would come out of the tomb alive. (Peter referred to this messianic psalm in his sermon at Pentecost, Acts 2:24–33.)
In that psalm (16:11) David speaks about “fullness of joy” in the presence of the Father.
Also, from Psalm 110:1, 4, Jesus knew that He would be exalted to heaven in glory. (Peter also quoted this psalm—Acts 2:34–36.)
So “the joy that was set before Him” would include Jesus’ completing the Father’s will, His resurrection and exaltation, and His joy in presenting believers to the Father in glory (Jude 24).
Þ Jesus encountered far greater opposition than we will ever face, so we must follow his example and run diligently to the end.
If we do, we will receive a great reward that long outlasts our current weariness.
The Christian life is, in many ways, both a thrilling race and a grueling struggle.
Like them, we can finish our race successfully and win the prize (eternal life) that God has promised those who run well.
Þ Yet in order to do this we must run wisely and diligently, setting aside everything that slows us down as we doggedly press on toward the finish line that lies ahead.
The wind of God is always blowing -- but you must hoist your sail.
One of my favorite sayings I got off a soda bottle: NO DEPOSIT, NO RETURN. To me that means you'll get out of life about what you're willing to put in. All champions have made great sacrifices to win their victories. So when someone talks to me about their goals and dreams, I ask them one question: "What are you willing to do about it?"
*A whole bunch of folks claim that God is on their side.
*****In reality, that's not important at all. The real question is whether we are on God's side!
Since Christ is the “author and finisher of our faith,” trusting Him releases His power in our lives.
I could try to follow the example of some great athlete for years and still be a failure. But if, in my younger days, that athlete could have entered into my life and shared his know-how and ability with me, that would have made me a winner.
Christ is both the exemplar and the enabler!
As we see Him in the Word and yield to His Spirit, He increases our faith and enables us to run the race.
*****God longs to be with us, but he will not sacrifice his character to extend us cheap grace, a grace that does not call us to be like Him.
*******He's looking for believers who put their character where their mouth is.