Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we
are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run
with endurance the race that is set before us,
Therefore,
connects what has just been said with what is about to follow.
Therefore, we also,
is
an invitation, for us to be part of what has just been said with what about is
to follow.
What has just been
said?
Hebrews 11. The Hall of Faith. All those amazing
testimonies of the exploits of the Hall of Faith heroes.
And we also are invited to be a part of
it!
So, the intro. to Hebrews chapter 12 is your very own
personal Hall of Faith RSVP!
Yeah, but Doug, that was written to the Hebrews, not
us.
True, it was written to the Hebrews, and, we also.
2
Tim. 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Before even thinking it only applies to males. Man:
ánthrōpos – the generic term for "mankind".
Therefore, “Therefore we also” includes we,
us, also.
The Holy Spirit extends His invitation multiple times
in this chapter. We see, “we” ten times, and, “us” seven times. NKJV.
Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...
Surrounded by what, by who?
A cloud, only used here, depicts a swelling
growing cloud, a (crowd in the cloud).
Witnesses,
from the Greek word “martus” from where we get our word, martyr. So many
witnesses for Christ were killed, the word martyr, came from the Greek word for
witness.
The faith heroes we surrounded ourselves with as we
studied Hebrews 11, are witnesses to us, not witnesses of
us.
There are no holes in the floor of heaven.
As nice as it sounds, it’s not Scriptural to think our
loved ones are looking down on us.
Witnesses testify.
If you’re in a court room, what do witnesses do?
Testify.
Repeatedly, through Hebrews 11 we’re told that the
lives of these witnesses are a testimony of living and
dying by faith.
By faith the elders obtained a good testimony.
Heb. 11:2.
By faith Abel offered a more excellent
offering and God testified of his gifts. Heb. 11:4.
Enoch had this testimony,
that he pleased God. Heb. 11:5.
All these obtained a good testimony.
Heb. 11:39.
The faithful who’ve gone before are examples to
us, not observers of us.
1
Corinthians 10:11
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have
come.
In context that is
talking about the opposite of the Hall of Faith Heroes, more like the Hall of
Shame.
The point is that the
Bible records testimonies of those who’ve gone before as examples to us.
The folks in heaven
are probably not gathered around a Cloud TV watching a reality show of “As the
World Turns.”
Therefore, since we
are surrounded by so many great examples of those who’ve gone before, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Christians, we are in an endurance race.
Not a race to finish first, but a race to finish well.
Not a race against others, but against the clock of our
lifespan.
The race set before you is an individual,
customized, one of a kind, endurance race.
Because it takes endurance, some compare it to a
marathon, which is a good comparison regarding endurance, but not distance.
A marathon is a long race, but our life is short,
whether a day or over a hundred years, it’s short. A vapor, a mist.
It all takes endurance.
A bull ride is only eight seconds, but it takes
endurance, every second out of the gate.
Hebrews
10:36
You are in need of endurance so that after you have done the will of the
Lord you will receive the Promise.
We have much to do:
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers
are few. Matt. 9:37, Luke 10:2.
There’s so little time:
John 4:35. Do you not say, ‘There are
still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at
the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.
There’s no time to waste. The fields are ripe and
ready.
We must diligently endure to finish the race set
before us.
There are those God has given you.
People on your
path that Jesus wants to
reach, through you.
Jesus our Grand example.
He had those God had given Him.
He only had so much time on this earth to finish.
He prayed about it like this in John 17: 4
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do... 6 “I have manifested Your name to the
men whom You have given Me out of the world. ... 9 “ I
do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me...
11...Holy
Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,
that they may be one as We are. 12 While
I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those
whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them
is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture
might be fulfilled. ...20 “I do not pray for these
alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that
they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in
You... 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom
You gave Me may be with Me where I am...
We each have an individual, customized, one of a kind,
endurance race.
How are you doing in your race?
Are you moving forward every step? Every day?
Have you taken a break?
Your race is like a bull ride. There’s no time for
daydreaming. The bull wants to buck you off, every second.
There’s no sitting still.
The current of the world is flowing downstream toward
the lake of fire.
The race set before you is to run against the current,
upstream.
To take a break is to drift down stream.
Have you gotten off course?
We only have so much time to complete the race.
But if we dilly-dally, don’t run at all, or if we wander
off and don’t stay the course—
Well, it’s my life, my choice. I’ll do what I want.
I’ll do it my way. So stay out of my way!
Sorry to hear that, but it’s your choice you can go to
hell if you want. You may not care about your own eternal soul, but do you want
to drag others there with you?
Your choices affect others, eternally.
If you don’t run your race, the one God’s set before
you, what will happen to those God has given you?
Will the Lord say to us as He said to Ezekiel: If
you don’t warn them, they will die in their sin, but their blood, I will
require at your hand. Ezekiel chapters 3 and 33.
Yes, we are our brother’s keeper.
Travel Light.
We are told to lay
aside every weight (encumbrance).
In a race you travel light.
No time for baggage.
Can’t carry collections
Our race is against time.
What takes our time?
Our hobbies are enjoyable, our toys are fun, they may
be fine and good...
But we’re in a race.
Do they carry us forward? Or are they an encumbrance, a
distraction, a weight?
We must be intentional, purposeful, about where we
invest our most precious commodity, time.
Do they rob our energy, fog our focus, steal our
time?
Are we spending our time, or investing
it in the harvest the Lord has set before us?
The harvest is ripe and ready and plenteous, but the
laborers are few.
Lord help us finish well, faithful
stewards of the harvest You’ve given us.
We’re also told to lay aside the sin that so easily
ensnares us.
The sin which so easily ensnares, besets, trips up and
entangles us, is the sin we like.
That’s the sins that look good for food, pleasant
to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise. Like we saw in the
beginning, in the garden, in Genesis 3:6.
Just one bite from the forbidden fruit damned the
entire human race and all creation.
We need to lay aside, cast away, turn from, run from,
every sin.
Not just the big ones. But especially the little ones
we like.
All sin separates
from God.
God is Light, sin is dark.
The two cannot dwell together.
How do we lay aside every weight, every sin?
How do we stay in the race, endure, not quit?
Great questions.
Actually, it’s never been done by anyone.
Well, none, but One.
Only Jesus, was able to endure every temptation, stay
the course, finish the race and not fall, not even once.
So, what are we to do?
Look to Jesus.
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
Our races are individual, we take different paths, but
the start and finish are the same.
Jesus is at the starting gate and the finish line. The
Alpha and Omega.
He sets us up, gives us life, plants in us a seed of
faith, has a plan and path for us to follow.
If we do, we win.
But before we’re three steps from the starting line,
we turn aside, fall down, trip over a hurdle, run off track going our own way.
The rest of our race, He’s knocking, calling, sending
folks across our path to turn us back on track.
Ultimately, it’s up to us which path we take.
But in the end, it’s back to Him.
Only difference is whether we meet Him cheering us
across the finish line, welcoming us to our new Home.
Or, we meet Him as judge, sentencing us to the eternal
tormenting home, created for the devil and his angels.
Run to Jesus, cast aside every weight, every sin, run
with endurance, don’t quit, look to Him.
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus as our Grand Example, looked beyond this life,
for the joy set before Him.
Your endurance race may not be so much fun to cross,
but don’t quit, don’t let go.
Hold on like a bull rider looking for the buzzer.
Keep your eyes on the Prize like the runner looking to
the finish line.
Like Jesus, who endured the cross, for you, so as much
as it depends on Him, He will see you in the victory circle on the other side.
No matter where you’re at, at this moment.
On the track moving toward the finish line.
Broke down, out of gas, stalled out, on the side of
the road.
Lost somewhere out in the woods.
Stuck in the mud, in some ditch, in someplace you
shouldn’t be, far from the straight and narrow race the Lord’s called you to.
No matter where you are, no matter how tired, how
lost, how broke down, if you hear and heed His call, there’s still hope.
You can finish well.
You can, look to Jesus.
You can endure the race set before you.
You can take up your cross and follow Him to the
finish line.
Where you can say as He said, “Tetelestai” meaning, it
is finished, or more accurately, “Paid in full.”
You can finish well, knowing beyond the shadow of a
doubt, that your sins have been paid in full, so when you see Him, you will
hear Him say, “Well done.”
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, we submit to you, completely,
in body, soul and spirit. Please help us run the race You set before us, with
purpose, wisdom and focus, looking to You, every step, every breath, so that of
all those You’ve given us, none are lost.
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer Requests:
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Hebrews 12:1-2
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