The Walk Of Victory Series

THE FORWARD WALK – PART THREE

“THE WALK OF VICTORY – LOOK TO JESUS!”

HEBREWS 12:1-2 - ©LARRY L. THOMPSON (2003)

“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] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

INTRODUCTION:

Hebrews 12:1-2 may appear to be an unusual Easter text for this Resurrection Sunday but this scripture actually gives a complete outline of the Gospel and perhaps best explains what EASTER IS ALL ABOUT. In verse two we see the "Who, What, Why, and Where" concerning Jesus Christ our Lord and Risen Savior. Hebrews 12:2 focuses our attention on Jesus and explains; WHO HE IS, WHAT HE DID, WHY HE DID IT, AND WHERE HE IS TODAY.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Let’s begin this Easter Sunday by understanding our need to “Look to Jesus” in order that we might experience the FORWARD WALK OF VICTORY! I want you to close your eyes for just a moment and allow me to ask you one question: What is the greatest fear you face on this Easter Sunday? ANSWER:____________________

 You see for many today it is difficult to be overwhelmed with war in Iraq when you are facing war in your own marriage and you know something and someone will be destroyed if there is no victory.

 It is impossible for you be concerned about the potential outbreak of the SARS disease when your medical specialists have said you are facing a terminal illness.

 Few would have listed the national economy as their greatest fear when you have just been laid off from your job and are concerned about where your next paycheck will come from.

 Some of you would never think of saying your fear is another terrorist strike that would take away the lives of friends and loved ones when you are fighting the terrorist called loneliness as you feel you have no friends.

Whatever it was that you either wrote down as your greatest fear facing you this Easter morning or that you identified in your mind I want you to know that I have some really GOOD NEWS FOR YOU TODAY. I will share with you this morning how you can take the FORWARD WALK OF VICTORY.

The secret to this FORWARD WALK TO VICTORY is found in three simple words… LOOK TO JESUS!

I. LOOK TO JESUS BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS (Heb. 12:2a)

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

The text identifies him as the “The author and perfecter of our faith.” Jesus Christ is the CREATOR, SUSTAINER and COMPLETER of our life. Rev. 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

A. He is the AUTHOR of our Faith: Hebrews 11 gives references to a great cloud of witnesses this is, in part, the Old Testament saints that looked to Jesus before He was incarnated and ever came to earth in the humility of wrapping Himself in humanity. At this time in the Old Testament He was with the Father. He had given the promise to Abraham before that the need for a Savior was revealed in the garden. It was Jesus that the God of Heaven had promised to bless all nations of the earth. He is the Author and Creator of your life.

Here’s a simple question. If this watch breaks is my first inclination to get a screwdriver open it up and have hundreds of little pieces fall to the floor and then begin to put it back together in its proper place? The obvious answer is NO! You would take it back to the WATCH MAKER…However, if everything falls apart in our marriage many will go to people who have never had a successful marriage or who have had multiple marriages for our advice…then we wonder why we can’t find the happiness for which we are searching? The Answer is Look to Jesus because He is the Author of our Faith!

B. He is the PERFECTER of our Faith. In John 17:4 Jesus said that He had finished the work that the Father had sent Him to do. John 19:30 while on the cross he said, “It is Finished.” With those words He closed the book on faith. He did not close faith; He finished the glorious work of perfecting our Salvation and all that is left for us to do is to “be FAITH” trust and accept this work of grace. The tragedy is that so many of us want to PERFECT our eternal life with our own goodness. We look to ourselves for that perfection and the look is in vain. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God…there is none righteous, no not one.” So, Look to Jesus for He alone, is the one who can provide you the FORWARD WALK OF VICTORY THIS EASTER SUNDAY for HE ALONE is the AUTHOR and Perfecter of your life.