Thoughts From Hebrews 12:1 – Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

In the last of the reflections on Hebrews 12:1, we learn that Jesus is the focus of our eyes.  He is our sole purpose for the race.  Without Jesus there would be no race worth running.  In the process of running, there has to be a goal.  Runners running the race dream of the finish line and crossing the tape first and finishing the race triumphantly.  Our race is based on vision that is up rather than vision that is out. 

The writer to the Hebrews further defines Jesus as an example we can look to.  Jesus authored (literally pioneered) faith and He perfected it.   Without Jesus, there is no faith.  Even our faith is inspired by God. 
The faith is illustrated in its graphic entirety.  It was for the joy set before Him, our rescue.  If there was but one of us, He would have pursued us.  He endured the cross, despising its shame. 

What greater endurance could we have as a model than the God-man enduring a Roman cross and human punishment accompanied by divine punishment?  My God, My God, why have you forsaken me was His cry.  He rose in triumph and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father.  Jesus crossed the finish line and we can too. 

Thoughts from Hebrews 12:1 – The Race Objective

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin which so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

We are not just in any race.  We are in a race that is waged daily over men’s souls.  I regularly have to remind myself of that fact.  I would very nicely want to get into the routine of life without recognizing that there are only two things that matter – people and the word of God.  We had some longtime dear friends over Friday that we had not seen in a while until a recent wedding.  As I have gotten older the importance of gaining friendships is so much more important than it ever has been.  Today after our baseball game, I hung around with our team.  They have a post-game social event after every game and I usually skip out.  I am very comfortable competing between the “white lines” but it is work for me to actually be social.  However, since I know many of them may not know the Lord, it has become increasingly important for me to get to know them outside the “white lines”.  Given up to my carnal self, I would avoid all human contact and live on an island somewhere. 

So this race is not just any race.  It is defined by the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.   Our role in that Great Commission is unique to us.  God uses all sorts of divine appointments to give us a “custom race”.  I pray that I can run in such a way as to win the prize as Paul states.  It is interesting that Jesus marks the race, but He also gives us the means to win the race.  The stamina and strength are only truly possible with His life through me.   

Thoughts From Hebrews 12:1 – An Endurance Race

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin which so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Continuing down our theme of looking at the action statement coming from our wall of faith of Hebrews 11.  So far, we have looked at the encumbrances we all face as Christians which block our effectiveness for the kingdom.  Last week, we looked at the sin which can so easily entangle us.  Both of these involve removing hindrances to our effectiveness.  The next three blog posts involve the positive things we must do to be effective for the kingdom. 

Consider if we only removed the negative things that block us, we could still not be effective for the kingdom because we would not be active.  God wants us to be active.  Inactivity is as much a sin as the wrong activity.  We must run.  I do not like to run – I do it because I have to to stay in shape.  My joints creak and I will do anything to not do it.  I never got that runners high that others refer to.  My daughter ran the Chicago Marathon a few years back and while I admired her fortitude to do it, I have no personal desire to train for one.  However, I do run because it is a matter of being proactive in my desire for physical fitness.  However, when I run, I never regret it after I am done. 

It is a matter of perseverance, a matter of duty to my body.  Other translations state it as a matter of endurance.  It is a 10k race, not a sprint.  That means pacing oneself.  I remember watching my cousin when he was in 6th grade running a mile race.  He sprinted out to an early lead only to fizzle out and finish back from the leaders.  My stepfather taught me to start real slow in my running and work my way up to a faster pace.  We must conduct our Christian race by pacing our walk – doing the right things and doing them for a long period of time.  I just learned from a Larry Burkett conference I was listening to about the concept of 9:59 which means to spend at least 9 minutes and 59 seconds in the word every day.  Not an hour, not even a half-hour but a minimum of just under 10 minutes every day.  Do it consistently, every day.  I now spend time every day, even if just a few minutes meditating on and memorizing Scripture.  I find as I do this, the Spirit brings to mind the scripture at even the oddest times.  Finally, the discipline of praying every day.  I am still working on that one, but I am finally learning what it means to literally “pray without ceasing” as Paul teaches us.

So let us start our training to run with endurance.  Next week – the learning about the race God has set before us.

Thoughts From Hebrews 12:1 - Sin Which So Easily Entangles

Continuing down the thoughts from Hebrews 12:1.  Last Sunday, was the encumbrances which so easily distract us from serving God and having the faith of our hall of fame from Chapter 11.  This week is the focus on sin which so easily entangles us.  Encumbrances are things which are not bad in and of themselves, but can be distractions.  Sin are actions that or sometimes lack of actions that keep us from fellowship with the living God.  Paul says he does the things he hates to do (Romans 7:19).  It entangles him and prevents him from being everything God wants him to be.

I once had a phone cord that was always entangled.  Routinely, I would stretch it out, get the kinks out so I could actually use it more than six inches from the phone.  Inevitably however, within a matter of days, it was back tangled up again.  The phone cord just seemed to naturally gravitate to being all entangled again. It took constant effort to get it straightened out. So it is with sin.  Sin naturally entangles us because we are still natural sinners.  It does not seem a day that goes by that there is not a willful act of sin in my life.  Paul says he "when he wants to do good, evil is right there with me" (Rom 7:20).  But my inner being gives me the power supernaturally to overcome the sin which so easily entangles us.  I cannot overcome sin naturally, but supernaturally I can.  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ who gives the power to overcome this sin which so easily entangles us.  

Next week - the running a race with endurance.