Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Passage:

Main Idea: The Christian life is marked by endurance.

Introduction:

Transition: And so, we get to chapter 12 and look at the next piece of the puzzle.

READ 12:1-2

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.

Main Idea: The Christian life is marked by endurance.

Significant Words:

Word Study #1: Endurance

ὑπομονή (hypomonē), Noun, means to stand behind, stand firm in, hold fast.

Ø Explanation: Have you ever ran more than just a couple miles?

I try to run often.

Normally two to two.5 miles at a time.

Ø ¼ mile.

½ mile. 1 mile.

Ø However, I do have a motivation.

I have a hope.

That running and working out keeps my body able to keep up with three little ones the way it should.

That running and working out fights’ depression and lethargy.

That running and working out inspires me and teaches me discipline.

So, because I have this motivation, this want, this goal, I endure the hard days.

Maybe even missing my goal!

I rejoice when I overcome.

This is the picture that our author has in mind when he speaks of running a race.

One who has trained, signed up, and is running for his reward.

The word race does not connotate a passive luxury, it is grueling, demanding, and in need of the most discipline and determination.

We could even go a little further and describe this as a relay race.

There was a forerunner, Christ, and others that have gone before you, the saints, and now it’s your turn to run.

But what else does the bible say about endurance?

Come with me to to see Jesus’ words.

ENDURANCE

· Jesus’ Words/ : Enduring [suffering] gains eternal life.

· John’s Words/ & 14:12: ^^Same sufferings as mentioned above^^

· Contextual Words/ : Enduring [suffering] accomplishes God’s will and receives the promised peace in this life and the next

· Paul’s Words/ : Here we find the cycle of a Christian’s life.

If we did not endure suffering, the cycle would be broken, or stopped.

It would be a mark of illegitimate faith, or weak faith.

Summary – So, a Christian’s life is MARKED by endurance.

Note that we are not running against each other as Christians[2].

We are all running the same race, looking forward to the same goal.

We must know that we are running against Satan.

Satan and his minions will do anything they can to stop you from pressing forward delighting in the Glory of God.

Including but not limited to using any distraction, any whisper, any person, including your own mind, to turn your eyes away from Christ.

So, how do we endure?

1. Observation #1: Recall the example of the saints (v1a)

- Explanation: What better way to know how to act than looking to examples.

Chapter 11 gives us great examples of faith.

But we are to even exceed those.

- .

Specifically verse 40

- Illustration: 9-time gold medalist, Carl Lewis is one of the greatest runners of all time.

He earned four track and field goal medals in 1984 at the age of 23.

What drove Carl Lewis to such a zeal that he would endure such heavy training to win?

He wanted to be better than the 1936 four gold medalist, Jesse Owens.

Jeffrey Marx, who helped Lewis write the books "Inside Track" and "One More Victory Lap," credits a certain zeal for reaching the Olympic zenith: "Carl was a huge goal setter.

He would write goals and put them on the wall.

That's unusual for anyone, but especially for a kid at such a young age.

"Carl was probably the most locked-in young athlete in the history of any sport.

He had a tremendous ability to block out other things and zero in on where he wanted to go.

He was unbelievably focused on his hopes, dreams and desires."[3]

To endure in the race, we must learn from those who ran before us.

Setting goals, learning from their triumphs AND their failures.

2. Observation #2: Remove the hurdles (v1b)

- Explanation: Endurance requires activity.

Here we have two things we must be active to remove.

Weight is equal to something that holds us down by distracting us and dampening our enthusiasm.

Something that is unnecessary.

Most of the time it is a habit that we say, “what’s wrong with this”?

When we should be asking, “does it help us run”?

Sin is our disobedience to God.

There is a definite article in front of the word sin, which translates to “the sin”[4].

Probably meaning a lack of faith.

Every time we doubt God our feet are tied up.

Our race is jeopardized, and our cycle of Christlike living is hindered.

- Supporting Scripture: – We are able to be led astray from our faith by distraction and hardened by sin.

- Illustration: The Olympic runners practically run without anything on.

They have for centuries.

Checking weight is also daily routine for runners.

The runner cannot afford anything that might slow them down or hinder their speed!

We must remove that which keeps us from running.

Always being willing to comb our lives of the worthless.

Without a removable of weight and sin, you will collapse with exhaustion.

3. Observation #3: Remain focused on Christ (v2a-b)

- Explanation: If there were a picture or an example, we should look to on how to run the race well, we look foremost at Jesus Christ!

- Supporting Scripture: Go back to the beginning of the argument of Better Than.

Back to & 2. , he isn’t just a good example, he is the exact imprint of the Glory of God.

told us that He is our salvation because he was perfect through suffering.

&9, He was God’s son, but learned obedience through suffering and was made perfect!

And he gives us energy to run for he perfects our faith!

- Illustration: What would happen if carl Lewis were to fix his gaze on his feet?

What if he were to fix his gaze on the crowd?

The cloud of witnesses is not our focus, our own bodies are not our focus, Christ is our focus.

He is our author and our perfecter.

He is our strength.

4. Observation #4: Remember why you are running (v2 c-e)

- Explanation: Heaven was not Christ’s reward.

Christ ran for the Joy set before him of glorifying his father, he ran to sit next to the father as he accomplished His will.

- Supporting Scripture: – The Glory of God is what Jesus ran to do.

Even in dying, it was to Glorify God by accomplishing his will!

- Illustration: Carl Lewis had a goal he wanted to hit.