Enduring Life's Race

Enduring Life's Race |Hebrews 12:1-4 March 26, 2023 We are returning to the book of Hebrews this morning, chapter 12 and we'll cover the first 4 verses. Many years ago, when I was in high school, I was approached by Sgt. Gilbert with the US Army Recruiting office. At that point towards the end of my impressive 2.59 GPA High School career I still didn't know what I wanted to do when I left school, and since I came from a long line of Army veterans, it seemed like a good direction for me at the time. Unfortunately, I was concerned about basic training, as - believe it or not - I wasn't the most athletic teenager. My dad and I began "training" and it was during one of those training moments that I knew that the Army wasn't for me, and that was when we went running. I was - and still am - a terrible runner. However, I do have one victorious story about running - when I was in the eighth grade, I finished the required one mile run without stopping to rest - I was the second to last finisher, but I finished! Many people say that life is a journey, but the writer of the letter to the Hebrews is calling it a marathon - in so many words. Just like this marathon we call life, there are challenges along the way. So, what does the bible say about getting through this race we call life? Let's read and find out: 1 THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US ALSO LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND SIN WHICH CLINGS SO CLOSELY, AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, 2 LOOKING TO JESUS, THE FOUNDER AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. 3 CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED FROM SINNERS SUCH HOSTILITY AGAINST HIMSELF, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT GROW WEARY OR FAINTHEARTED. 4 IN YOUR STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN YOU HAVE NOT YET RESISTED TO THE POINT OF SHEDDING YOUR BLOOD Let's get right to it, here's the main idea of today's passage: To endure life's race, we must look forward to the finish line. "Therefore" is always an important word in the Scriptures, first it introduces a new section, but more importantly it connects the reader right back to the previous section. So, we know that this section is a direct call back to chapter 11, the great faith chapter of the Bible. So, what the writer here is doing is immediately directing the attention back to Jesus and His example. In the last chapter, the writer of Hebrews reminded his readers that even the Old Testament saints lived by faith. Those saints, as you may recall, had to endure a lot. So, the writer, continues this theme that Jesus and His example is even greater than their examples. So, the question I want to address this morning is this: HOW DO WE GET TO THE FINISH LINE? First, * By laying aside anything that is weighing us down (1) o The context of this phrase used by the author would have been familiar to this audience. They knew that when the runner trained, he would only be faster and more efficient if he shed any unnecessary weight. For these runners in these times, it meant some were even running in the nude. The writer is saying that in this marathon that we're running, we must put away any sin or anything else that may be slowing us down. Notice that he uses the term "clings to." Other translations use "easily entangles." The picture here alludes to a runner who gets caught up in his tunic as he is running. o We see the example of laying aside sin all throughout the New Testament. In Romans 13, Paul says to lay aside the works of darkness, and instead to put on the armor of light. In Ephesians 4, Paul says to put off the old self and deceitful desires and to put on the new, changed self. Later in the same chapter he says to put away falsehood. In Colossians 3, Paul again warns to put away anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk. Examples from James and Peter include much of the same, putting away filthiness, wickedness, envy, and slander. You see, everything that is put aside must be replaced with something else, something better, something that will help run this race more effectively. o Early in my career I suffered from chronic headaches that became debilitating to the point where I got dizzy, lightheaded, and even had what I called "white-outs" where all I saw was white. I saw a neurologist, and did some tests, took a scan of my brain - and, as suspected, they saw nothing - after several weeks of trying to figure things out, it turned out that I was likely over-stressed. You see, I was trying to take on more than I could handle. That's just like our sin, when we fill our lives up with sin, there's no room for Jesus - and it leaves us with a spiritual headache. o What's weighing you down? One of the first steps in laying aside these weights is to identify them. When we hold on to these things, the weight becomes too much. We need to identify those things, confess, and give them to the Lord. o Next, we get to the finish line ... * By running the race with endurance (1) o The term endured, or endurance is used three times in this passage. We see this same term used elsewhere to describe the process of patiently and expectantly waiting. It recognizes a slow-paced journey, one that has a prize worth waiting for in the end. o Paul reminds us of this prize in Philippians 3:14 when he says: 14 I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. o Imagine being in any competition and after just a few minutes, you decide to give up because things are not going your way. There was a great example of this past week. Monday night the World Baseball Classic semi-final game was on. I turned in on at the bottom of the ninth inning, and Japan was down by one run against Mexico. Up to that point Japan was scoreless through the first six innings, but guess what? They never gave up. They didn't stop playing or stop trying, they kept playing, eventually tied the game, then finally took the win off a walk-off double. o It's easy for us to give up when things get difficult. Maybe you have contemplated giving up when things just don't seem to get better. Guess what? It's not over yet. The race is not through. In those moments when we feel like it's too much, stop and ask the Lord, "what am I supposed to learn from this?" o Next, we get to the finish line ... * By looking to Jesus (2) o Verse 2 reminds us to look to Jesus. The word here means "to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on to something" or "to turn one's mind to a certain thing." So, why Jesus? The author says that Jesus is the founder and perfector of our faith. In other words, look to Jesus in which our faith depends on from start to finish. o I love the story of Jesus walking on water. Let's read the account in Matthew 14, starting with verse 22: 22 IMMEDIATELY HE MADE THE DISCIPLES GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO BEFORE HIM TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHILE HE DISMISSED THE CROWDS. 23 AND AFTER HE HAD DISMISSED THE CROWDS, HE WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAIN BY HIMSELF TO PRAY. WHEN EVENING CAME, HE WAS THERE ALONE, 24 BUT THE BOAT BY THIS TIME WAS A LONG WAY FROM THE LAND, BEATEN BY THE WAVES, FOR THE WIND WAS AGAINST THEM. 25 AND IN THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT HE CAME TO THEM, WALKING ON THE SEA. 26 BUT WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE SEA, THEY WERE TERRIFIED, AND SAID, "IT IS A GHOST!" AND THEY CRIED OUT IN FEAR. 27 BUT IMMEDIATELY JESUS SPOKE TO THEM, SAYING, "TAKE HEART; IT IS I. DO NOT BE AFRAID." 28 AND PETER ANSWERED HIM, "LORD, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER." 29 HE SAID, "COME." SO PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT AND WALKED ON THE WATER AND CAME TO JESUS. 30 BUT WHEN HE SAW THE WIND, HE WAS AFRAID, AND BEGINNING TO SINK HE CRIED OUT, "LORD, SAVE ME." 31 JESUS IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND TOOK HOLD OF HIM, SAYING TO HIM, "O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?" 32 AND WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE BOAT, THE WIND CEASED. 33 AND THOSE IN THE BOAT WORSHIPED HIM, SAYING, "TRULY YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD." o What happened when Peter took his eyes off Jesus? He sank! We give Peter such a hard time for this event, but he was the one who had the faith to walk on the water, and it was only when he took his eyes off Christ when he was no longer able to do so. o The lesson for us is clear. The writer of Hebrews is reminding us that Jesus is at the end of the race, waiting for us. When we take our eyes off Jesus, we begin to stray and slowly drift away. So, what does that look like for us? During those difficult stages in your life, where are you looking first? Do you deflect by heading to your social media page? Turning on the TV or news? Speaking to a loved one or a friend? None of these things are bad in and of itself, but we should be looking to Jesus first. In doing so, we keep our eyes focused on Him. o Next, we get to the finish line ... * By considering the example of Jesus (2-3) o The concept of considering Jesus was introduced in chapter 3. In the context that it is used, considering is to come to a decision through reason and careful deliberation, weighing all the options and evidence set before us. o When the writer speaks of the joy that was set before Christ, he is addressing the result of the shameful cross. You see, the cross was a shameful way to die. In fact, Roman citizens were forbidden to be crucified. This was the death of the lowest of criminals. They were on full display, ridiculed, beaten, and mocked. Particularly when we look at the example of the Jesus, who was innocent and sinless. Jesus knew that He had to die this death for us to have life. The joy wasn't the cross, but what was beyond that cross. In verse 3, we see that we too benefit from His death, He won, so that we don't have to grow weary or fainthearted. o A great example of this is found in Philippians 2 (5-8) where Paul says: 5 HAVE THIS MIND AMONG YOURSELVES, WHICH IS YOURS IN CHRIST JESUS, 6 WHO, THOUGH HE WAS IN THE FORM OF GOD, DID NOT COUNT EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED, 7 BUT EMPTIED HIMSELF, BY TAKING THE FORM OF A SERVANT, BEING BORN IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN. 8 AND BEING FOUND IN HUMAN FORM, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF DEATH, EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS. o Jesus not only paid the ultimate price, He gave the ultimate example for us. o Think about who you go to when you are looking for advice. Would you look to someone who has never had children for parental advice? Would you go to someone for financial advice if you knew they did not handle their own finances well? You want to find an expert in that field, right? o It is no different for the Christian. Jesus Himself had to suffer through the cross, so who better to look to when we suffer through life. What better example to follow, than the One who lived a perfect life. o Finally, we get to the finish line ... * By engaging in the struggle against sin (4) o The puritan preacher and theologian, John Owen, hinted that this verse reveals the reason for their struggles, sin. He stated that the author of the Hebrews used the illustration of the runner because it implies an opponent, and that the Christian's opponent in sin itself. o Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6:12 when he says: 12 FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES, AGAINST THE COSMIC POWERS OVER THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. o Paul is stating that our real battle is spiritual, not physical. o Returning to my example earlier of the headaches, if I decided to simply deny any connection to stress or over-extension, the severity of those headaches would have continued, and who knows how that would have affected me moving forward. I had to take the necessary steps to change the things in my life for relief. o Are you struggling with sin? Are you struggling through this race? If you answered yes, then you've taken the first step in battling against it. Now, we must repent, and turn away from the sin, and follow Jesus. We've seen this morning that to endure life's race, we must look forward to the finish line. We saw that the examples provided in chapter 11 prove to be historical witnesses to God's faithfulness, but more so, we are to look to Jesus, who is that prime example of endurance. Maybe this morning you are struggling through something. Have you shed that extra weight? Are you running this race with endurance? Are you looking to Jesus, who is standing at the end of that finish line? Are you looking at the example of Jesus, who won so we don't grow weary or fainthearted. Have you confessed and acknowledged that sin in your life is the real enemy? I love the reminders that we see from this passage. It clearly teaches us that the race must be completed, and we can run this race in one of two ways - with Christ or without Christ. For me, the choice is clear, but maybe today you are struggling with that choice. Imagine running a race with no prize. You're just running and running and running. That's what it's like running without Christ. The picture of this passage shows Christ at the end of this race we call life, but for those who have not confessed with their mouth that Christ is Lord, they will be running this life with no hope. With no prize. It will end in disappointment, in despair. Don't leave here today if you have not made that critical decision to confess Jesus as Lord. Let's pray. 2