Theme: Narrow Road Series
Purpose: Perseverance in faith
This month we have talked about what it means to travel the narrow road. Jesus told us that broad is the path that leads to destruction, but narrow is the way to eternal life. For the believer that means several things. We said that the narrow road is:
1. Meant to be traveled light—we are to lay off our burdens, our bitterness and unforgiveness
2. Meant to be walked God’s way—our preferences & legalism vs. God’s direction
3. Not meant to be walked alone—we need to encourage one another by living it out, by being together
4. Meant for walking—not running, not trudging, not sitting—walking—we will look at this today
Let’s look at Hebrews 12:1-3
Hebrews 12:1 is jammed packed and although we are reading 3 verses today from ch.12, I am going to park on verse 1. Read it out loud with me, ready?
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a 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.”
The old adage that in Scripture, anytime you see a therefore, you ought to look to see what its there for is true here. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses… The writer of Hebrews is clearly referring to the heroes of faith that he has just spent all of chapter 11 describing. But as we read it together, did another thought hit you?
It did me. That thought was that it’s wonderful to have examples of faithful people who honored God, and I am glad for their faith. But as we read it together, it occurred to me that the writer of Hebrews knew that this letter would be read out loud, to a whole group of believers—probably in a house church—where the whole community of believers would gather to hear God’s Word and Worship and pray together.
It nails last week’s point that living the life of faith, being a Christ-follower is not supposed to be an individual, solitary experience. It is meant to be lived out in community—together with other believers. And since we are responsible to care for and encourage those around us, and since we belong to a larger body of Christ-followers:
1. Throw off all that hinders (burdens, bitterness, unforgiveness, busyness, the desire for wealth
2. Throw off the sin that entangles (some need repentance today and you know it—don’t let this opportunity go by to get right with God—He loves and desires a heart that is sorry for sin
And verse 1 finally says 3. Run with perseverance the race marked out for us
That’s where I want to focus our energy today. Perseverance. But let me deal with the end of verse 1 first. The writer of Hebrews says, run with perseverance the race marked out for us. In the context of a footrace in first century Israel as well as today, the race track would be marked so the runners would know where the boundaries of the track were. You would need to know the milestones so you could keep on track.
The writer of Hebrews wants us to know that those who finished the race well, see ch. 11, were the men and women who followed Christ with faith—believing that He could do amazing things in their lives, believing Him for miracles, having an amazing trust in God that nothing is impossible with Him leading the way.
But I think there may be an additional interpretation of the end of verse 1 that we should briefly look at. And that is, that there is a race marked out for you, and for me. God asks us to complete with perseverance the race marked out FOR US. Sometimes when things don’t seem to be going right in my life, you know the car breaks down, my parents are sick, my kids test my patience, there is more month than money to cover it etc., there are times when I go before God and like the Psalmist ask him, why Lord? Why me? And he seems to answer in my prayers, why not you? I will make my power enough in your life if you will trust me, if you will follow me, I will lead you out.
Not everyone will go the path that the Lord is leading me. I have certain sins that beset me that are not an issue for you. I have spiritual gifts that maybe you don’t have, and you have ones that I don’t have. In a sense, we have to work the race marked out for us—individually, while cheering the other racers on around us. And because there is a great cloud of witnesses who have already gone through similar experiences, with faith and trust in God—the writer encourages us to press on, to persevere.
And believer, the cloud of witnesses is even greater than that. Think of all the people depending on you to be a real Christ-follower. Think of your unsaved friends and family members who watch your life and wonder if it’s for show or for real. Think of your children as they watch your life, your habits and attitudes—and they wonder, will you be faithful? Will you show them how to walk with Christ with faithfulness?
Now as I said earlier, the Narrow Road is meant for walking. No offense to the writer of Hebrews who tells us to run with perseverance. Let me tell you about some misconceptions about the Narrow Road on which Christ asks us to follow him.
Misconception #1: We must RUN, always RUN!
There are those who think that they must always be leaping in their spiritual lives. They beat themselves up because they don’t have the passion they once had when they first came to Christ. They have settled in, and they think they have just settled for less. Somehow, these folks think, they have missed something. Why can’t they run all the time, getting ever closer to God? Why must we get tired in the midst of the race? These Christians feel guilty slowing their pace at all—thinking that God would surely smite them for doing any less than 130% all the time.
What I am discovering about my own spiritual life, and I hope those of you who find yourselves here, is what the Psalmist discovered in Psalm 23. You can turn there if you want, but listen to these familiar words, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he restores my soul.” Why would the Lord make me lie down if he wanted me to run run run all the time? God knows our limits. He knows we need to rest and catch our breath. He knows that we need time to re-charge with Him daily, and he relishes it. Think of the privilege Adam and Eve had as they walked with God in the garden daily—God pouring into their lives like that. Those who think than anything less than running in this spiritual life will find themselves feeling guilty and exhausted. Folks, the Narrow Road is meant for walking.
Misconception #2: As long as I’m on the road, I’m O.K.
Some folks think their position is much more important than their direction. As long as I am on the road, I’m alright. But Christian, the Narrow Road is not meant for sitting. The Narrow Road is not fitted with recliners. If you are sitting in the middle of the road, glad that God has allowed you to walk it, but not really interested in actually walking it, at best you are a speed bump and at worst a road block. Think about it. Being a Christ follower is not so much about getting a free ticket to heaven as it is developing a relationship, a friendship with Christ.
And you cannot be a follower if you decide to plop down and sit in the middle of the Narrow Road. And there are times, as I just said, that God makes us sit and take a rest. I am not talking about that. I am talking about the lack of desire for us to really follow the Shepherd. A lack of desire to really be obedient, to deal with the sins that beset us, the things that entangle our feet as verse one says.
The reality is that if we are determined to sit on the narrow road, we can’t lead anyone else can we? The Narrow Road is not meant for sitting.
Misconception #3: People are inspired by my trudging
Let’s be real this morning. No one loves to hear the faithful complain their way through life. Some Christians regularly rehearse their trials and problems and tack on a weak statement like, “but the Lord can handle it”. I wonder if they really believe it. Listen faithful martyrs of the faith, no one is inspired by your trudging on the narrow way. Other Christians are not inspired and neither are the people in your sphere of influence.
I think sometimes we actually discourage people we know who are not Christ-followers by the ways in which we handle the problems and trials life gives us. We fuss, fume and complain and trudge along the path, and show by our actions that our faith is small and our resolve is weak.
Don’t get me wrong, putting on a plastic smile, responding to ‘how are you’ with ‘fine—just fine’ when you are dying inside is stupid too. That’s when we need to connect with the body here, find someone with who you can talk and pray. Men, we need this kind of accountability. Not every temptation is sexual. We can be tempted with discouragement, with a lack of faith, with trudging along.
The Narrow Road is meant for walking. Jesus wants you and I to follow him—to persevere. He will make us rest once in a while when we need it, but by and large, he wants us to walk on—following Him. Not running, or we might get ahead of where Jesus is going, not sitting down just glad to be on the road, not trudging as if by being a martyr that would make anything better.
Jesus wants to build perseverance in us—sticking with Him even when it’s tough. Jesus promised that if we follow him, he won’t give us any more than we can bear. And He believes in us. He believes we can actually follow him—believes we can actually live like him—even one day in the presence of the Father. He believes that you can, with the Holy Spirit’s help throw off the weights that keep you from following him well, and the sin that entangles your feet. He believes in you this morning. But he asks you to walk with him.
I think of David Livingstone, the pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He ministered half blind. His kind of perseverance spurs me on. As I walk, I remember the words in his diary: Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart.
This morning, some of you need to adjust your expectations a bit. You need to realize that Jesus is not asking you to fun full tilt all the time and live with guilt and exhaustion. He asks us to walk.
Some of you may need to stand up. You have been sitting. You are glad Jesus saved you, but you haven’t moved one bit since you got on the road. Time to walk—time to follow Jesus. Time to see where he will lead you in your faith. Maybe that’s why you haven’t walked so far. You are afraid of where He will lead you. Maybe that’s what you need to confess this morning—that you have been the one calling the shots.
Some of you need to lift your chin and walk with confidence. It’s time to quit playing the spiritual martyr, and walk—filled with his encouragement, empowered by his strength. It’s time to walk with confidence and purpose.
Let’s pray.
