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, 2 LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF [OUR] FAITH, 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. 3 FOR CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED SUCH HOSTILITY FROM SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF, LEST YOU BECOME WEARY AND DISCOURAGED IN YOUR SOULS. (HEB 12:1-3 NKJV)
KEEP ON RUNNING
ONE YEAR AGO ON APRIL 15, 2013….A TRAGIC EVENT HAPPENED THAT CHANGED THE LIVES OF SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE….AND AFFECTED THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR YEARS TO COME. THIS TRAGIC EVENT WAS THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS…..THAT CLAIMED THE LIVES OF 3 SPECTATORS AND INJURED OVER 260 OTHERS. THE TRAUMATIC EVENT CAUSED SEVERAL PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR LEG….FROM THE BLAST OF THE EXPLOSION…..REQUIRING SEVERAL MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND TRAINING IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WALK AND GET AROUND AGAIN WITH ARTIFICIAL LIMBS. DESPITE THE HORRIFIC OUTCOME OF THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS…SEVERAL OF THE VICTIMS OF THIS EVENT……ASSEMBLED YESTERDAY ….MARKING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY…..STANDING TOGETHER…..PRESSING ON TO CONTINUE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES……SOME LEARNING TO DO THE BASIC THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED……SUCH AS STANDING UP ON OUR OWN…….WALKING…DANCING….AND RUNNING. SOME OF THE VICTIMS HAVE VOWED TO RUN AGAIN IN THIS HISTORIC MARATHON….AND MANY OF THEIR STORIES HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRATION ….WHEN FACED WITH OBSTACLES IN OUR LIVES…… INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THIS EVENT TO PARALYZE THEM….MANY HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP ON RUNNING….
THIS IS THE SAME MESSAGE THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL GIVES US IN OUR TEXT TODAY…… HE ENCOURAGES US ALL TO KEEP ON RUNNING…..THE RACE THAT GOD HAS PLACED BEFORE US….WHEN WE ENDURE DISCOURAGING TIMES IN OUR LIVE. THE AUTHOR WRITES TO THE JEWISH BELIEVERS OF JESUS CHRIST DURING A TIME WHEN THEY STRUGGLED WITH THEIR FAITH…..DURING A TIME WHEN THERE WAS TENSION AND DIFFICULTY IN THE WORLD ….AS THEY EMBRACED THEIR NEW CHRISTIAN FAITH. IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER OF HEBREWS…..KNOWN AS THE “FAITH CHAPTER”…..THE WRITER…GIVES US A LONG LIST OF WITNESSES…..AND THEIR TESTIMONY OF FAITH. IT IS IN THEIR FAITH….THAT THEY CONTINUED THEIR RACE THAT WAS SET BEFORE THEM……AND SEVERED AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WHATEVER WE MAY FACE IN LIFE….. TO KEEP ON RUNNING….AND BY FAITH….HE WILL GET US THROUGH. BY FAITH… WHEN WE ENDURE…..THE TEST……THERE WILL BE A TESTIMONY. THE APOSTLE PAUL USES THE METAPHOR OF AN ATHLETIC COMPETITION …..TO DESCRIBE OUR CHRISTIAN JOURNEY…… HE WAS THAT WE ARE TO RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. THIS IDEA OF OUR CHRISTIAN JOURNEY BEING COMPARED TO A RACE IS NOTHING NEW FOR PAUL. HE OFTEN USED THE SYMBOLISM OF AN ATHLETE….SO THAT OTHERS COULD RELATE TO WHAT WAS BEING SAID. THE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANS TO RUN A RACE. PAUL OFTEN PLACED HIMSELF…..AS A RUNNER WHO HAD A RACE TO FINISH…….AND NOTHING WOULD STOP HIM FROM FINISHING THAT RACE. WE SEE HIM REFERENCE THIS IN ACTS 20…. BUT THE ANCIENT GREEK WORD FOR RACE….MEANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WE SEE IT TODAY. RACE WAS USED TO DESCRIBE A CONFLICT OR STRUGGLE OF MANY KINDS. WE ARE TO RUN THIS RACE ….THAT WAS SET BEFORE US WITH ENDURANCE. WITHIN OUR LIFE….WE ARE TO FACE THIS RACE…..AND WE ARE TO ENDURE THIS RACE…..AND BY FAITH…..WHEN WE LOOK TO JESUS…..WE WILL FINISH OUR RACE………
THERE MAY BE TIMES IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE GET DISCOURAGED BY THE OBSTACLES THAT WE FACE IN LIFE. IN TIMES LIKE THESE LET US CONTINUE TO RUN THE RACE BEFORE US WITH ENDURANCE LOOKING TO JESUS WHO WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO BEGIN AND FINISH OUR RACE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE TEXT TODAY GIVES US THREE POINTS WE CAN GLEAN FROM…..TO ENCOURAGE US TO KEEP ON RUNNING……THE RACE THAT HAS BEEN SET BEFORE US…..
I BELIEVE THAT THIS TEXT TELLS US THAT…….. OTHERS HAVE ENDURED THE RACE THAT WE FACE…..
LET US LOOK AT THE A CLAUSE OF THE TEXT IN VERSE 1……”THEREFORE WE ALSO, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES…….
THE AUTHOR BEGINS THIS VERSE BY SAYING…..THEREFORE.....AS A CONTINUATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE ENDURING FAITH THAT IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 11….. ALL OF GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER FACED SOME OF THE SAME TRIALS AND OBSTACLES WE FACE …… AND BY FAITH…..THEY OVERCOME THEM ALL…. PAUL SAYS……”THEREFORE….. WE ALSO……. MEANING WE ARE GOING TO FACE THE SAME KIND OF STORMS….. WE ARE INCLUDED…..IN THE TESTING OF OUR FAITH…. WE ARE TAKING PART…..IN GOD’S NARRATIVE….. WE ARE ALSO….GOING TO FACE SOME STRUGGLES…… AND IF YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE SOME OF THE STORMS YOU HAVE FACED…..THESE PAST FEW DAYS……THESE PAST FEW WEEKS......MONTHS…..OR YEARS…… WHATEVER IT IS YOU HAVE FACED….OR ARE GONNA FACE….PAUL SAYS….”THEREFORE…WE ALSO…” WILL FACE WHAT THE CHAMPIONS OF FAITH IN HEBREWS 11 FACED….
BUT THEN WE SEE HERE THAT…..THE AUTHOR ENVISIONS A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES…..THAT SURROUND US…..THE CHAMPIONS AND FINISHERS OF THE RACE WE ARE IN…. LET ME SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE OUR HEAVENLY CHEERLEADERS…..THAT ARE ENCOURAGING US TO FINISH THE RACE SET BEFORE US…… PAUL PAINTS THIS PICTURE AS IF WE ARE IN A GREAT COLISEUM……FILLED WITH ALL OF THESE SPECTATORS….CHEERING US ON TO RUN OUR RACE…… BUT THESE ARE NOT JUST SPECTATORS…….THESE ARE FORMER PARTICIPANTS…… THESE ARE FORMER RUNNERS…..NOW IN GLORY……GIVING US HEAVENLY HIGH FIVES……..AND ENCOURAGING US……TO KEEP ON RUNNING……. THEY HAVE ENDURED THE RACE……THAT WE NOW FACE……. THEY HAVE BEEN VICTORIOUS……BECAUSE THEY KEPT ON RUNNING….THEY ARE NOW IN GLORY…….BECAUSE THEY RAN TO THE FINISH LINE… MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…..THE SAME PEOPLE FOUND IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 ARE
NO DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE …… THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THEM…THAT MAKES THEM A SUPER HUMAN…… BUT IS WAS BY FAITH….THAT THEY ENDURED WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH….. OTHERS HAVE ENDURED THE RACE THAT WE FACE….. IN THIS RACE THAT WE FACE IN LIFE…..IT’S NOT ABOUT TRYING TO FINISH FIRST…… CHRIST ALREADY WON THE VICTORY FOR US…….. IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING FAITHFUL AND FINISHING……IT’S ALL ABOUT ENDURING TO THE END….. IT’S ABOUT RUNNING TO THE FINISH LINE… SOMETIMES…..THERE ARE OBSTACLES THAT COME OUR WAY….THAT ARE HINDRANCES……TO OUR CHRISTIAN RACE. THEY GET IN THE WAY OF OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH…… THEY GET IN THE WAY AND DETER OR SLOW US DOWN FROM FINISHING THE RACE SET BEFORE US……. THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE PAUL WAS TALKING ABOUT IN REMAINDER OF VERSE 1….
THE B CLAUSE OF VERSE 1 SAYS……..” 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…”
I BELIEVE THAT THE TEXT TELLS US……THAT OTHERS HAVE ENDURED THE RACE THAT WE FACE…..
BUT ALSO….. “WE HAVE TO DISCARD OUR DISTRACTIONS…” THE AUTHOR SAYS WE ARE TO “LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENSNARES US….”
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS IN OUR LIVES……THAT ARE SLOWING US DOWN….IN OUR CHRISTIAN RACE… THERE ARE THINGS IN OUR LIVES…… THAT WE MUST DISCARD OF……..THAT ARE DISTRACTING US FROM WHAT GOD HAS FOR US….
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…….SIN CAN HOLD US BACK FROM GROWING SPIRITUALLY…. SIN CAN STUNT OUR GROWTH…. AND PREVENT US FROM GROWING THE WAY THAT GOD WANTS US TO GROW…….. THAT REMINDS ME OF WHAT IT TAKES TO GROW TOMATOES….. NOW I DON’T HAVE A GREEN THUMB……AND PROBABLY WOULD KILL A CACTUS…. BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO GROWING CERTAIN KINDS OF TOMATOES…..THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU NEED……. YOU SEE….WHEN YOU PLANT TOMATOES IN THE GROUND…….. CERTAIN VARIETIES OF TOMATOES…..NEED TO HAVE STAKES….THAT YOU PUT IN THE GROUND WITH IT… TOMATOES WHEN THEY GROW…..HAVE NO NATURAL WAY OF HOLDING THEMSELVES UP…… AND IF LEFT ON THEIR OWN……THE TOMATOES WILL VINE ALONG THE GROUND……. WHEN THEY VINE AND GROW ALONG THE GROUND……THE GROUND WILL STUNT THE GROWTH OF THE PLANT…….AND IT WON’T PRODUCE THE FRUIT….THAT IT WAS CREATED TO PRODUCE……BUT THEN ALSO…..WHEN THE PLANT IS ON THE GROUND……IT IS SUBJECT TO ALL KINDS OF INSECTS…..THAT CAN DESTROY THE TOMATO PLANT….. THE PLANT’S GROWTH IS STUNTED…..IT IS HINDERED….ON THE GROUND….. THAT IS LIKE SIN IN OUR LIVES……IF WE AREN’T MINDFUL……THERE ARE SINS OF THE WORLD…..THAT CAN EASILY ENSNARE US……AND PREVENT US FROM GROWING……
THAT IS WHY WHEN YOU PLANT CERTAIN TYPES OF TOMATO PLANTS…….YOU HAVE TO PLANT A WOODEN STAKE OR POLE…IN THE GROUND RIGHT NEXT TO IT…….AND WHEN IT BEGINS TO GROW….YOU TIE IT TO THE STAKE….AND IT WILL BEGIN TO PRODUCE FRUIT……IT WILL BEGIN TO GROW AND THE STAKE WILL SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE PLANT…..THE STAKE WILL PROVIDE A DIRECTION FOR THE TOMATO PLANT TO GROW IN……. THAT IS JUST LIKE US AS CHRISTIAN…..WHEN WE ARE CLINGING TO THE CROSS OF JESUS………WE WILL PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT…..WE WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY……PUTTING AWAY THE THINGS THAT CAUSE US TO SIN……. PUTTING AWAY THE SINS THAT EASILY ENSNARE US…….AND AS WE CLING TO THE CROSS….OF JESUS…… HE WILL PROVIDE THE DIRECTION IN OUR GROWTH……..HE WILL HELP US TO GROW UP SPIRITUALLY……
WE HAVE TO DISCARD OUR DISTRACTIONS…….THERE MAY BE SOME STRONGHOLD THAT IS KEEPING YOU BACK FROM YOUR RACE….. THERE MAY BE SOME HINDRANCE THAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK FROM HIS HEAVENLY PLAN FOR YOU…. BUT THE AUTHOR ISN’T JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SINS THAT HOLD US BACK…… HE SAYS ALSO TO “LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT…” THESE ARE THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT MY NOT NECESSARILY BE SIN……BUT IT IS HOLDING US BACK FROM RUNNING THE RACE….. IT MAY NOT BE A RIGHT OR WRONG CHOICE THAT WE ARE MAKING…..IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS HINDERING US….COMPARED TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT MAY NOT…..
LET ME SEE IF I CAN MAKE THIS PLAIN…. THERE ARE SOME OF US IN HERE…..THAT HAVE SOME BAGGAGE IN OUR LIVES THAT WE HAVE GROWN COMFORTABLE WITH IT….. WHETHER IT IS EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE FROM OUR CHILDHOOD OR FROM BAD RELATIONSHIPS…..THAT WE JUST KEEP CARRYING WITH US. SOMETIMES THAT BAGGAGE CAN WEIGH US DOWN….AND BECOME STUMBLING BLOCKS FOR US. BUT WE ARE USED TO THEM AND DON’T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE AND PAIN OF DISCARDING THEM. IT IS EASIER TO STAY STUCK IN THE PAST. BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN PRICKING YOUR HEART…… I DON’T KNOW WHO I’M SPEAKING TO IN HERE…. BUT THE LORD WANTS YOU TO DISCARD YOUR DISTRACTIONS….. LAY ASIDE THAT WEIGHT THAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK…… LET IT GO….BECAUSE IT IS STOPPING YOU FROM RUNNING YOUR RACE……
I REMEMBER GROWING UP…..AND ALL THROUGHOUT MY CHILD HOOD……I WAS INVOLVED IN COMPETITIVE SPORTS…..WHETHER IT WAS FOOTBALL…..BASKETBALL……BASEBALL OR TRACK…… MY PARENTS HAD ME INVOLVED IN SOMETHING…….
MY DAD WAS MY COACH FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I DID…… AND I REMEMBER TRAINING FOR TRACK….. AND ONE OF THE THINGS MY DAD WOULD HAVE ME AND MY BROTHER DO RIGHT BEFORE A TRACK MEET……WAS TO WEAR THESE ANKLE WEIGHTS….. AS A MATTER OF FACT…… I REMEMBER HE BOUGHT ME THESE ANKLE WEIGHTS FOR MY BIRTHDAY…. AND AS A KID……I WANTED A TOY…..I DIDN’T WANT THE ANKLE WEIGHTS……I REMEMBER IN MY MIND SAYING……WHAT WAS I GONNA DO WITH THIS…… BUT THERE WAS A PURPOSE…..
YOU SEE…..I WOULD WEAR THE WEIGHTS BEFORE THE RACE……. ALL DAY LONG …..JUST ABOUT UP UNTIL THE TIME I WENT TO THE STARTING LINE…… AND I WOULD TAKE THEM OFF……. AFTER HAVING THE WEIGHTS ON ALL DAY……WHEN IT CAME TIME TO RACE……MY FEET AND LEGS FELT LIGHTER……AND IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING ON AIR…… IT MADE ME RUN FASTER…..BECAUSE I DIDN’T HAVE THE HINDRANCE ANY MORE…….. NOW I’M NOT GONNA SAY I WON EVERY RACE BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAD THE ANKLE WEIGHTS ON……BUT I KNOW IT MADE FINISHING THE RACE EASIER…….
JUST IMAGINE IF I KEPT THE WEIGHTS ON DURING THE RACE…… MORE THAN LIKELY I WOULD HAVE COME IN DEAD LAST….. THAT IS WHY I HAD TO DISCARD THE WEIGHTS… SO THAT I COULD RUN…..
THE AUTHOR IS TELLING US HERE….WE NEED TO PUT DOWN….WHAT IS PREVENTING US FROM RUNNING THE RACE….. SO THAT WE CAN FINISH….SO THAT WE CAN RUN WITH ENDURANCE…
WE NEED TO DISCARD ALL OF OUR DISTRACTIONS……SO WE CAN RUN WITH ENDURANCE…. WITH DETERMINATION……WITH THE PATIENCE….TO MASTER AND OVERCOME WHAT IS PUT BEFORE US….
THERE MAY BE MOMENTS WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF OVERWHELMED BY YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. IT WON'T BE A RACE YOU'VE TRAINED FOR, IT MAY BE A RACE…..THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO FACE….. BUT IT WILL BE THE RACE YOUR IN. AT THAT POINT….WE HAVE TO MAKE UP OUR MINDS…..TO KEEP ON RUNNING……
WE ARE TO REMEMBER THAT……
OTHERS HAVE ENDURED THE RACE THAT WE FACE…..
WE HAVE TO DISCARD OUR DISTRACTIONS…
MY LAST POINT IS THAT WE NEED TO…….
FOCUS ON THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH
LET US LOOK AT THE TEXT IN VERSE 2……
2 LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF [OUR] FAITH, 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
THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION SAYS…… “FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS”…… WE CAN ONLY RUN THE RACE AS WE LOOK….AND HAVE OUR EYES FOCUSED ON JESUS CHRIST….. HE IS OUR HOPE……HE IS OUR INSPIRATION…..AND OUR EXAMPLE.
HE IS THE AUTHOR…..THE ORIGINATOR….CREATOR…..AND IT IS JESUS THAT GAVE BIRTH TO THE CHRISTIAN RACE….
BUT HE IS ALSO THE FINISHER…..THAT MEAN HE PERFECTED ……HE COMPLETED…..AND ACCOMPLISHED THE CHRISTIAN RACE…..
PAUL IS TELLING US THAT JESUS IS THE ONE THAT RAN THE COURSE OF LIFE PERFECTLY…..HE FINISHED THE RACE….WITHOUT STUMBLING…..WITHOUT SIN……ALWAYS OBEYING GOD THE FATHER…..
WE ARE TO FOCUS ON THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH….TO HELP US FINISH OUR RACE…… TO HELP US TO BE FAITHFUL…..TO HELP US……DISCARD OUR DISTRACTIONS…… TO KEEP US ON THE PATH TO THE FINISH LINE……
FOR HE ENDURED THE CROSS…..SO THAT WE WILL EXPERIENCE…..THE GLORIOU``S DAY OF REDEMPTION…….ONE DAY…..WE WILL BE IN GLORY…..WITH HIM……. WE HAVE TO KEEP ON RUNNING…… HE RAN THE RACE AND ENDURED…….AND NOW HE IS IN GLORY …….SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER…… HE RAN THE RACE….. HUNG HIS HEAD AND DIED ON THE CROSS…… ONE DAY…… ONE DAY……. WE’LL HEAR HIM SAY…….WELL DONE……..WELL DONE……..MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT……. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON RUNNING…… WE HAVE TO KEEP ON RUNNING…… FOCUS ON THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH……. KEEP ON RUNNING…….. OTHERS HAVE DONE IT…….KEEP ON RUNNING………. DISCARD THE DISTRACTIONS……..AND KEEP ON RUNNING…..
