Let Us Run

David B. Fleming

Possessing God's Promises • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Hebrews 12:1–3

Joshua 1:11

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Running the Christian "race" using Joshua and the 2nd generation Israelites as an example.

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(Hebrews 12:1–3, NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

1. In the Greek Hebrews 12:1-3 is one long sentence.

a. Grammatically the main verb is “let us run” and all else in the passage is teaching us how to do that successfully.

2. The race being spoken of is symbolic of our Christian life and mission.

3. Joshua, an example of Christ, led the 2nd generation of Israelites as they ran their race, fulfilled their destiny, and took possession of the Promised Land.

4. Today we’re going to study what we need to do in order to run this race successfully by looking at Joshua and the Israelites.

I. The Race (Our Christian Life/Mission)

A. Running The Race Successfully Doesn’t Have To Do With Our Salvation; It Speaks Of Finishing Our God-Given Mission

1. τρέχω [trecho] Present Tense: to run; to exert one’s self, to strive hard; to spend one’s strength in performing or attaining something.

2. (Romans 9:16, NIV) It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

3. (1 Corinthians 9:24, NIV) ... Run in such a way as to get the prize. (i.e. your reward for finishing your God-given mission)

B. The Race We Are Called To Run Isn’t A Sprint Race But More Like A Group Marathon

1. Instead of competing with one another we are running together; united as one Body.

C. It Not About Winning ... It’s About Finishing Your Mission Together As A Body

1. v1 “the race marked out for us” reveals that God has already marked out the path; His plan for our lives; our destiny!

II. Running The Race Successfully (It’s All About Jesus!)

A. Put Your Faith In Jesus

1. It takes faith in Jesus to run the race successfully.

a. The “great cloud of witnesses” in Hebrews 12:1 were those, who by faith in the LORD, ran the race successfully.

(1) The “great cloud of witnesses” include all those mentioned in Hebrews 11, but many more!

(2) The word “cloud” may be used of a mass of clouds in the sky; but when it is used to emphasize a number it is used to describe a large mass of people.

(3) Thus, the “great cloud of witnesses” is speaking of a large number of people surrounding us, encouraging us on!

b. It was faith that enabled the 2nd generation of Israelites to run their race successfully.

(1) (Hebrews 11:30, NIV) By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

2. Our faith is not in a dead creed but in a risen LORD!

a. Joshua’s command for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River on the 3rd day was prophetic: The Resurrection Of Jesus

b. (Joshua 1:11, NIV) “... Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

3. The LORD is using the Israelites to teach us a valuable lesson:

a. 1st Generation Israelites: Their doubt led to disobedience and rebellion; they were disqualified from the race.

b. 2nd Generation Israelites: Their faith led to their obedience; they entered into and possessed the Promised Land!

B. Focus On Jesus

1. “Fixing our eyes on Jesus”

a. "fixing our eyes" (Present Tense / a continual work) speaks of looking at something or someone with your full attention and not allowing yourself to be distracted or diverted.

b. Get rid of every distraction, hindrance, and sin!

(1) (Hebrews 12:1, NIV) ... let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

(a) “let us throw off” is in Aorist Tense showing a definitive work! You do it once and don’t take it back!

(b) “hinders” literally means weight and refers to that which interferes with or delays action or progress.

(2) The more you focus on Jesus the more you will be willing to get rid of every distraction, hindrance, and sin.

2. The Israelite’s defeat at Ai reveals what happens when God’s people quit focusing on Jesus.

a. The Hebrew root of “Ai” means “trouble” and that couldn’t be more true!

b. (Joshua 7:4–5, NIV) ... So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.

3. A man named Achan coveted a few items that had been devoted to the LORD and stole them for himself.

a. (Joshua 7:21, NIV) When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

b. Achan took his focus off of the LORD and lusted after the things of this world.

(1) (1 John 2:15–16, NIV) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

(2) (Luke 9:25, NIV) What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

c. Focusing on other things instead of on Jesus is serious! It brought about Achan’s destruction!

(1) (Joshua 7:24–25, NIV) Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.

C. Be Faithful To Jesus

1. Faithfulness to Jesus has to do with finishing the race; finishing the work Jesus has given you to do.

a. The 2nd generation Israelites started the race successfully but they failed to finish the race.

b. The Israelites only took possession of part of what the LORD had promised to Abram and then to Joshua.

(1) (Genesis 15:18–20, ESV) On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

(2) (Joshua 1:4, NIV) Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

c. The LORD did His part, but the Israelites failed to fully possess all the LORD gave them. (It was a long and hard battle!)

(1) (Joshua 21:45, NIV) Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

(2) (Joshua 15:63, NIV) Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; ...

(3) (Joshua 16:10, NIV) They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; ...

(4) (Judges 1:21, NIV) The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem;

2. Faithfulness to Jesus requires continuous effort, patient endurance, and unfailing loyalty.

a. (Revelation 14:12, NIV) This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

III. Jesus Is The Supreme Example Of What It Takes To Run The Race Successfully

A. Jesus Exemplified True Faith, Focus, And Faithfulness

1. Jesus put His faith in God the Father, even in the hardest of times!

a. (Matthew 27:46, NIV) ... “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

b. (Luke 23:46, NIV) Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

2. Jesus stayed focused on His Father and His God-given mission.

a. (Luke 2:49, MEV) ... Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

b. (John 17:4, NIV) I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

3. Jesus was and forever will be faithful!

a. (Revelation 19:11, NIV) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. ...

B. In Conclusion: Let Us Embrace The Attitude Of Jesus

1. (Hebrews 12:2, NIV) ... For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, ...

a. If one “scorns” a thing, one normally has nothing to do with it, but “scorning its shame” means rather that Jesus thought so little of the pain and shame involved that he did not bother to avoid it. He endured it.

b. In the eyes of Jesus the results far outweighed the suffering!

2. (Heb 12:3, NIV) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

a. Consider what Jesus did, how He did it, what it cost Him, and the fact that He finished His mission!

b. This will help you from growing weary and loosing heart when the race (mission) really get hard, and the race long.

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