Sermon Tone Analysis

Review: The writer of Hebrews is unknown.

There is no identification by name of this writer although comparisons of writing style has led some to speculate Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, and many others.

I simply conclude that it was written by the Holy Spirit.

The audience is clearly Jews who had adopted a new faith in Christ and their community in the early church.

As they faced persecution for that faith, the author spurs them on to hold fast to their faith in Christ no matter what trouble or pain it may bring upon you.

Christ is the center of this book and the overlying study and preeminence of Christ in this book points all of us to rest in Him for He is worthy of our worship.

The author spends the first 11 chapters showing how Christ is the promise of the OT Scriptures and devotion to him is devotion to God himself.

Beginning in verse 12, the theological focus turns to application as the community of believers are challenged to hold tightly to that belief in Christ as God in the flesh no matter the tough times that they face.

The author begins chapter 12 with a metaphor of the Christian life as a race, a race in which the believer must run effectively while keeping their sight focused on Jesus as their strength.

Paul uses this same picture throughout his epistles.

This afternoon, let us examine this race set before us and how we might run it well!

Chapter 12 begins with a transition from chapter 11 so let’s begin in Ch 11

What the writer is defining for his audience in chapter 11, is that a full devotion and trust in God and his promises is what brought about acceptance or approval for the OT saints.

As they displayed a confidence in God’s trustworthy name and word, their faith accounted to them their righteousness.

Spurgeon gives us a helpful illustration of faith in his commentary on Hebrews,

Suppose there is a fire in the upper room of a house and the people gather in the street.

A child is in the upper story; how is he to escape?

He cannot leap down—he would be dashed to pieces.

A strong man comes beneath, and cries, “Drop into my arms.”

It is a part of faith to know that the man is there; it is another part of faith to believe that the man is strong.

But the essence of faith lies in the dropping down into the man’s arms.

That is the proof of faith, and the real pith and essence of it.

The remaining verses of chapter 11 detail ways that OT Jews put their faith in God’s promises regardless of what they could see or understand fully about God’s plan.

They trusted God based on his character and his person as a faithful and good God.

Examples in chapter 11 include

the trust in God demonstrated by the offering of Abel

the relocation of Abraham

the sacrifice of Isaac,

the hope in Jacob for his sons,

the courageous trust of Moses’ parents,

Moses’ trust in YHWH over Pharaoh,

Rahab trusting God would care for her family,

and many more.

Now the writer begins chapter 12, by painting the scene of this great race for his audience to see!

The Scene of the Race (1a)

“Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”

Imagine that you are back in and around the Roman occupation in the early church.

You are familiar as a Christian with the Greek games that would be held in large coliseums or stadiums as we know them today.

The gladiator matches brought blood shed, the chariot races brought speed, the boxing matches displayed strength, and the foot races endurance.

We are not told in the context of this chapter what type of race was being referenced for the GK word stadia which was used elsewhere by Paul is not seen here.

This word in GK AGON is the root word that means to fight or struggle.

Used here it is simply a contest with the added command to run revealing that it is some form of foot race.

Look with me at Paul’s use of the metaphor of racing in the Christian life on earth.

You are there in a large stadium, some that held some 20, 30, or 50 people, but instead of the stadium filled with everyday civilians, all of the 30,000 attendees are former competitors.

They are now retired after suffering the pain on their bodies, the near death experiences in the ring, but they cheer on the contestants that day in a different way than a mere spectator.

They know that same fear.

They know that same pain and they cheer knowing the motivation that gives to the competitor.

This is the initial image painted by the author of Hebrews as he encourages these Christians in their walk of faith.

These are not spectators in the stands, they are those of a good testimony of faith in God and his promises, and they surround the body of Christ affirming what we are continually learning, that God’s promises are true and He is faithful in every way.

He also sets the scene by stating at the end of verse 1 that this is a race that is set before us.

Like I stated earlier, agon is a contest, fight or battle and it is the general term for a race between competitors.

It is also the root word for words like agonizomai which Paul uses in

But the writer, using the beauty of GK language makes us aware that the race which brings about a struggle for us, is a race that is set before us.

The divine passive is used here to direct our attention to God’s intentional calling of his people to salvation which includes the struggle in this new Christian life.

God has placed this before us, as the God of all creation and he guides us through this struggle.

The reality of the race as a struggle is why faith is the predominant theme of this section.

The Goal of the Race (1b)

Two commands surface in the second section of verse 1. Continuing with the idea of racing, the runner of the christian life is called to “lay aside every weight” and you can visually understand in your mind how difficult obstacles are to the runner.

The idea might have been cumbersome clothing that would hinder the movement of the runner or weights used for training that would be removed before a race.

I know athletes train for speed enhancement by using a small parachute that drags behind them, forcing them to push harder and faster as they build speed and muscle in their legs.

How odd would it in a championship race for that runner to come out to the starting line with his parachute on, dragging behind him as he races.

The writer identifies that weight as “sin that clings so closely” to us.

This is the very issue that trips us up and slows us from faithfully finishing the race of faith well.

The command is that “all weight” must be removed because it clings closely or entangles the runner from completing the course before him/her.

This falls perfectly in line with our recent sermon from Ezra about the Jews removing the weight from their lives that kept them from obedience to God’s commands.

It required a radical removal of sin to be faithful to God’s will for their lives.

Therefore, one goal of the race is to ...

Faithfully remove the sinful obstacles that stand in our path

Paul makes this connection in Col 3 which we have taught many times.

It requires the believer to PUT OFF/ PUT ON.

Removing those obstacles to the Christian race is the putting off of sin from our former lives....

Colossians 3:5–9 (ESV)

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices

Faithfully Run to the Goal line for God' glory

The PUT ON of this practice is to daily dress yourself with the promises of God and the truth found only in God’s word.

As you out aside those things that dishonor God, they must be replaced with those truths and practices that honor him.

Again looking at Colossians 3:10-17

For us to be faithful as runners in the race, both the putting off of sinful practice and the putting on holy habits is necessary.

This is what the writer of Hebrews means when he encourages his audiences to “run with endurance the race set before you.”

As a runner trains his body and mind for a race, there is technique in his running style.

There is equipment that is needed for him to run well.

There is a healthy diet that he/she must maintain.

There is a strategy to his completion of the race.

All of these things are intentional steps that must be committed to both mentally and physically for their to be success.

All of the race is accomplished not in any strength or ability that is in and of ourselves.

This is what makes our spiritual race in life different from that of the physical world.

The spiritual race is founded upon a work of God in us through the person of Jesus Christ.

He is the source of the race of this life and He is the source of power for our completion of that race.

Without him, we never make it to the starting line.

Hebrews 12:2

The phrase “looking to Jesus” is again a connection to the race where the runner is fixing his gaze on the goal line.

He is not looking at the other competitors for he might fall back into a runners pace with them.

He is not looking to the crowds cheering him on for his speed may be distracted by his pride.

Instead, he looks intently at the finish line.

Let’s be real clear that looking to heaven as the finish line for the Christian life can be the wrong motivation for the runner.

Heaven is a place described as leisurely and peaceful.