Committed Till The End

Hebrews 12.1-3

Contents
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................................2

I. Remember the Witnesses (v.1a).............................................................................................................................2

A. Remembering the witnesses gives us encouragement.......................................................................................3

B. Remembering the witnesses gives us examples to follow.................................................................................4

II. Remove Any Hindrances (v.1b).............................................................................................................................9

A. Throw off stuff that encumbers.......................................................................................................................10

B. Throw off sin that entangles............................................................................................................................12

III. Run with Perseverance (v.1c)..........................................................................................................................15

A. Get in the game................................................................................................................................................15

B. Keep on going..................................................................................................................................................17

C. Stay on track....................................................................................................................................................18

IV. Reach for the Goal (vv.2-3).............................................................................................................................21

A. Focus on the Finisher.......................................................................................................................................23

B. Fix on the Fact of His Suffering......................................................................................................................26

Introduction

The author is writing to people who felt like giving up. These believers, for the most part,
had lost hope, but instead of falling at the feet of Jesus, they were falling away. The
church was getting older and believers were starting to drift because of persecution and
they had become spiritually lazy and negligent. These Christians were coasting but
didnt know how dangerous their condition was. We see this in Hebrews 2:1: We must
pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not
drift away.

As John Piper says, they were meandering in the crowd of life instead of running the
marathon. The believers, perhaps like some of us, had lost their spiritual edge. They no
longer believed that how they lived was all that important. Sure, they were going
through the motions, but their hearts were becoming hard. Hebrews 3:12: See to it,
brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the
living God. And as Hebrews 12:12 states, they were weak and wearing out:
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Do you feel like that
today?

Its into this situation that the church is implored to do four things that will make them
committed till the end

I. Remember the Witnesses (v.1a)

Heb 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses
Heb 12:1
THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth]

Lets look at this verse phrase-by-phrase.

Therefore Whenever you see the word therefore in Scripture, you should always
ask what its there for. In this case, it serves as an emphatic bridge strongly affirming
what was just written. In other words, based upon the lives of these believers, we must
remember and we must respond.

since we are surrounded The word surrounded means to be encircled tightly

and infers that there are people lying all around us.

by such a great cloud The word great means vast or so much and indicates
a quantity that is almost too numerous to count. There are so many people surrounding
us that it looks like a cloud. Interestingly, the author chooses a word that does not
describe one sharply outlined cloud but rather a vast, encompassing and overhanging
mass of cloud covering the entire visible space of the heavens (Vincents Word Studies
in the New Testament).

of witnesses The image of a great cloud of witnesses is not one of spectators

but rather of those who are testifiers of the truth as exhibited in the hall of faith in
chapter 11. The word witness is literally translated as martyr. We read about many
who were not victims of persecution but victors in the face of persecution, even as their
very lives were taken from them.

The writer is drawing on the image of the Olympic Games, with the stands filled with
those who have fought the good fight and run the race. This crowd that looks like a
cloud is up in the bleachers cheering us on and the numbers are so vast that they are
literally encircling us.

They Still Speak

One of most fascinating phrases in Hebrews 11 is found in verse 4 in reference to Abel:

And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. That reminds me of the man
who lived a rough life and didnt believe in God. One morning he opened the newspaper
and was shocked to read in the obituary column that he had died. He was really shaken
up so he called his best friend and said, Did you see the paper? It says that Im dead.
To which his buddy replied, Yes, I read thatand I know where youre calling from!

I dont believe that people who have died speak to us literally, but I do believe that the
message of their lives speaks loudly even after theyve left this earth. There are at least
two benefits in remembering the witnesses.

A. Remembering the witnesses gives us encouragement

When we focus on the faithful who have gone before us, we will be motivated to run the
race with energy. Its like home-field advantage when the stands are filled with friendly
fans who are cheering us on. While the Athens Olympics are exciting to watch on TV,
have you noticed all the empty stands for many of the events? Some of the athletes
have even mentioned that the sparse crowds have negatively affected their
performances.

An illustration of how ecstatic encouragement helps athletes compete took place on

Wednesday night when the American women broke an Olympic record in the 800-meter
freestyle relay. It was very exciting to watch as the first three swimmers cheered and
screamed for Kaitlin Sandeno when she swam the final lap. It was their encouragement
that helped them win the race.
In a similar way, the faithful who have gone before us have finished their part of the race
and are now cheering for us to complete our course. Actually, according to Hebrews
11:39-40, those who have finished their part of the relay will not win until we finish our
lap: These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what
had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only
together with us would they be made perfect. In a mysterious way, we are all
together, and believers who have died will not get the gold until weve all finished the
race. They will not be made perfect without us.

One of the most touching moments in the Sydney Olympics was when Eric
Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea swam in the 100-meter freestyle qualifying heat.
The 22-year-old African had only learned to swim the previous January, had only
practiced in a 20-meter pool without lane markers, and had never raced more than 50
meters. He was allowed to enter the 100-meter freestyle by special invitation of the
International Olympic Committee, under a special program that permits poorer countries
to participate. When the other two swimmers in his heat were disqualified because of
false starts, Moussambani was forced to swim alone. Eric Moussambani was, to use the
words of an Associated Press story, charmingly inept. He never put his head under the
waters surface and flailed wildly to stay afloat. With ten meters left to the wall, he
virtually came to a stop. Some spectators thought he might drown! The capacity crowd
at the Olympic Aquatic Center stood to their feet and cheered the swimmer on. After
what seemed like an eternity, the African reached the wall and hung on for dear life.
When he caught his breath and regained his composure, he said, I want to send hugs
and kisses to the crowd. It was their cheering that kept me going (from Dr. Bruce
Emmert, SermonCentral). As Christians, we have a cheering section encouraging us on
when we are tired and calling out to us to do better when we feel inept.

B. Remembering the witnesses gives us examples to follow

Were to remember the witnesses who came before because we are not the only ones
who have suffered. When we remember, well be encouraged. While the heroes of the
faith are cheering us on, and that helps us give our best, theres actually another aspect
of being surrounded by witnesses. As we study them closely, we can emulate their
example. If they finished, then so can you!

Lets not forget the faithful who came before us. The Olympic athletes in Athens
certainly have studied previous champions and want to emulate their example.

Swimmer Michael Phelps was very aware of what Mark Spitz accomplished in
the Munich Olympics in 1972 (if he forgot, the media would have reminded him!).
Spitz not only won 7 gold medals, but world records were set in each event!
What boxer isnt cognizant of the fact that as a light heavyweight Cassius Clay
(later known as Muhammad Ali) easily won a gold medal in the Rome Olympics
in 1960?
 Every gymnast dreams of following in the footsteps of Nadia Comaneci, who at
the age of 14, scored seven perfect tens in the 1976 Olympics. By the way, have
you seen the Adidas commercial where they have superimposed Nadia on the
uneven bars with 13-year old gymnast Nastia Luikin mimicking her every move?
This current athlete pushes herself to perform because she is inspired by a
legend from the past.

Likewise we are to replicate the faith of those who have come before us. Hebrews 6:12
makes this very clear: We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those
who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Once again the
Message offers a helpful paraphrase: Dont drag your feet. Be like those who stay
the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them. Are
you struggling with perseverance? Get to know Noah, who spent 120 years building an
ark. Dealing with discouragement? Observe Abraham, who wondered if God would
come through for him. Are you in a crisis situation? Journey with Joseph, who was sold
into slavery by his own brothers.

As I survey the way the witnesses of Hebrews 11 lived, there are at least three
examples that we can emulate.

1. They believed and they behaved by faith

They knew that in order to please God and grow as believers, they needed to exhibit
faith. Notice verse 6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those
who earnestly seek him. I counted 22 instances of the phrase by faith in this one
chapter alone. Here are just some of them:

By faith we understand

By faith Abel offeredby faith he was commendedby faith he still speaks

By faith Enoch was taken

By faith Noah built an arkby his faith he condemned the world

By faith Abrahamobeyed and went was enabled to become a father

All these people were still living by faith when they died

By faith Abrahamoffered Isaac

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau

By faith Jacobblessed each of Josephs sons

By faith Josephspoke about he exodus

By faith Moses parents hid him

By faith Moseschose to be mistreatedby faith he left Egypt

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea

By faith the walls of Jericho fell

By faith the prostitute Rahabwelcomed the spies

The Christian life is a life of faith. If youre not living by faith right now, perhaps youve
become too comfortable with your Christianity.

2. They did what they did with what they had

At first glance you might think that these individuals were super saints with no
problems or baggage. Think again.

Rahab was a prostitute. Philip Yancey God loves to use broken and imperfect people
to showcase his grace.

Gideon was filled with fear, insecurity, and even doubt.

Barak couldnt find the battlefield without his wife and waffled frequently.

Samson was high on pride and low on self-control when his fatal flaw led to his
downfall.

Jephthah came from a bad background, made a huge mistake, and ended up taking
the life of his own daughter to keep a vow he never should have made.

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah.

As we part the veil on history, and we look closely at each of these individuals, we can
find flaws, see some sin, and wonder why they are even called witnesses. Listen
carefully. The reason they are listed here as examples to us is because they are not
perfect, and neither are we. The key is that they believed and behaved with faith at
some point in their life, doing what they did with what they had.

Heres the good news. God doesnt expect us to measure up to someone like Samuel or
Ruth, as if they are the only ones who are champions. Not at all. If you have put your
faith and trust in Christ for salvation, God grades with grace, and as we follow the
example of these witnesses, we can all be winners and bring home the gold! In the
Olympics, giving your best is not always enough because you must be the best to win.
Its different with God. He wants you to do your best with what you have.

He looks at where you began your walk of faith.

He knows the obstacles youve faced.

He understands the advantages youve been given.

He applauds how far youve come.

You are not a failure for the rest of your life because of what youve done in your past, or
even how youve been living in the present. Its how you finish that counts.

Earlier this week, Paul Hamm messed up big time on his vault and actually fell into the
judges table. Everyone thought it was over for him as he went from first place to twelfth,
but he didnt let his failure become fatal. He stayed in the game, kept his eyes on the
prize and made an amazing comeback to gain the gold medal as the all-around mens
gymnastics champion. By the way, hes from Wisconsin!

God wants you to do the best with what you have. Dont let your past become prologue
to your future. Step out in faith right now. Verse 34 says that God specializes in taking
weak people and turning them into ones who are strong. Decide to follow Christ like
youve never done before. Its not too late.

3. Their faith led them through fire

We sometimes think that living by faith should make our lives easier. Actually,
sometimes they get harder. Listen to what some of them experienced: Others were
tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword.
They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and
mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and
mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground (Hebrews 11:35-38). When you
go through tough times, remember that you are not alone. Others have experienced far
worse, and as we look at their lives, we can see that the same God, who saw them
through, is with us today.

***Responses to Remember

1. What is God asking you to believe by faith?

Are you faced with something right now that is stretching you, or even wiping you out?
Decide to take God at His Word and believe what He has promised. Maybe God is
asking you to go beyond belief and to take a step in changing your behavior. What is He
asking you to do with what you know to be true? Is there something youve been afraid
of? Its time to step out in faith. Listen to those who are cheering you on. You can do it!
You must do it. GBCs financial situation we will proceed in faith

2. Work on being a witness to others.

One lesson from Hebrews 11 is that people from the past still testify today by the way
they lived back then. The other lesson is that you and I are called to be testifiers of truth
today. We do that by the way we live and by what we say.

Illustration

People are watching you. What kind of witness are you? When they look at you, what
do they see? What do they remember? Teachers, you are a living curriculum to your
students. Let me encourage you to find someone to mentor. Look for an individual that
you can pour your life into.

How long has it been since youve been a witness for Christ? If youre a Christian,
youre an ambassador. Its time to give people the message of Christ. What is the
Gospel according to you? As someone has said, You are writing a gospel, a chapter
each day, by deeds that you do, by words that you say. Men read what you write,
whether faithless or true. Say, what is the gospel according to you?

3. Pick a witness for encouragement and as an example.

Read through Hebrews 11 and ask God to lead you to a biblical character to study and
then read all you can about that individual. Maybe its Sarah or Gideon, Rahab or Noah.
Look up their name in a concordance and study each reference.

You might also want to pick an individual who is a modern-day witness. Extreme
Devotion. reading it will have our eyes opened as weve learned about Jesus own
disciples to modern-day martyrs. It has 365 stories, so that you can read one each day
as part of your Quiet Time. Just reading the Introduction is very compelling: Focus on
the faith contained in the testimonies of these courageous brothers and sisters.
Recognize that the same Spirit that dwells, or dwelt, in them dwells also in you, and
believe that you have the same measure of faith available to you in any extreme
circumstancefaith alone is enough

The martyrs in this book all share a common passion for God. It is this passion that
prevailed over their fears of the severe consequences of being caught sharing Gods
love with others. Perhaps part of their passion came from knowing the high price of
what they possessed. When faith costs us something, it becomes infinitely more
valuable (W Publishing Group, Voice of the Martyrs: 2001, pages ix-x).

Heres one story that really gripped me from Day 15. It was getting late and the Soviet
officer had beaten and tortured Paulus for many hours. We are not going to torture you
anymore, he said, smiling brutally when the Christian looked up. We will send you to
Siberia, where the snow never melts. It is a place of great suffering. You and your family
will fit in well.

Paulus, instead of being depressed, smiled. The whole earth belongs to my Father,
Captain. Wherever you send me I will be on my Fathers earth. The Captain said, We
will take away all you own. You will need a high ladder, Captain, for my treasures are
stored up in heaven. Paulus wore a beautiful smile.

We will put a bullet between your eyes, shouted the captain, now angry. If you take
away my life in this world, my real life of joy and beauty will begin, answered Paulus. I
am not afraid of being killed. The captain grabbed Paulus by his tattered prison shirt
and screamed into his face, We will not kill you! We will keep you locked alone in a cell
and allow no one to come see you! You cannot do that, Captain, said Paulus, still
smiling. I have a Friend who can pass through locked doors and iron bars. No one can
separate me from the love of Christ (page 15).

Post-it Hall of Faith

I wonder if theres a witness that youd like to induct into the Hall of Faith this morning.
Please take one of the post-it notes that weve included in each of the rows and write
down the name of someone that has been, or still is, a spiritual champion to you. Who is
it that you gain encouragement from? Whos an example to you? Maybe you need to
take several post-it notes because more than one person prods you to take the next
step in your faith journey. After writing down these names, Im going to ask you to get
out of your chair and put them up on one of the walls during our closing song.

II. Remove Any Hindrances (v.1b)

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles

let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that
sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us

This passage packs a punch because were supposed to throw off, or radically remove
two things since we are in a spiritual marathon. The idea is to launch these things as far
as we can throw them. James 1:21 captures the meaning: Therefore, get rid of all
moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent This idea is also illustrated in
Colossians 3:8: But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:
anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Lets look at these
two areas.

A. Throw off stuff that encumbers

The NIV says that we are to throw off everything that hinders. The King James
puts it this way: let us lay aside every weight. The New Living Translation reads,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down. The word can mean a hindrance,
burden, bulk or a mass, and carries with it the idea of something bending or bulging,
much like what my back is doing as I carry around this basket packed full of stuff.

This passage has one imperative, or command: RUN THE RACE! [Try to run across
platform with crate of stuff] This theme is sprinkled throughout Scripture and well
look more closely at running with perseverance next Sunday. Here are just two
passages:

Acts 20:24: However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish
the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me

1 Corinthians 9:24: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

We are to throw off anything that slows us down so we can run with speed. When
Olympic athletes compete, they get as streamlined as possible. Did you notice that most
of the swimmers vacuum-packed themselves into long-john style swimsuits? Runners
wear lightweight shirts, shoes, and shorts. In fact, in the first Olympics, they would wear
next to nothing because they didnt want anything to slow them down.

Im reminded of two men who were riding on a tandem bike going up a steep hill. They
were panting and perspiring as they neared the top of the incline. The first man said,
That was a tough climb. The guy in the back agreed and added, Yeah, if I hadnt kept
the brake on, we wouldve slid down that hill backwards!

Is there something, or someone, that is keeping the brakes on your spiritual growth? Is
there an obstacle or encumbrance that is slowing you down? Here are some common
ones [pull stuff out of basket]:

TV (entertainment)

Video Tape (escape)

Cheetos (food)
Newspaper (leisure)

Computer keyboard (work or play)

Book (education)

Beer can (alcohol)

Calendar (time management)

Bike helmet (sports)

Lottery Ticket (gambling)

Boom box (music)

Phone (relationships)

Piggy bank (money)

Car (possessions)

Packer Hat (no, that one is fine!)

In considering what may be slowing you down, its important to remember these three
truths.

The problem is often not what the weight is, but what it does to you.
The choice we have to make is often between what is good and what is best.
What is a hindrance to you might not be a hindrance for someone else.

On Wednesday night I watched the 110-meter mens hurdles. Athletes are allowed to hit
a hurdle, but since theyre weighted it usually slows the runners down and knocks them
off stride.

Thats what happened to four-time world champion Allen Johnson as he fell for only the
second time in his 13-year career. He clipped several hurdles early in the race, ran
square into the ninth one with his foot, and went under, rather than over, hurdle #10,
ending with a headfirst swan dive into the track.

You and I are faced with hurdles as well. Are you prepared to jump over them, or are
they in affect, slowing you down? When Allen Johnson was interviewed after the race,
he was still in shock and said, I fell down. I dont know why. Friend, the stuff that
encumbers will slow you done and may eventually lead to your downfall.
Notice that we are to throw off everything that hinders us from running the race. C.S.
Lewis was right when he said, The complacency of Christians is the scandal of
Christianity. What is it that is slowing you down? Are you ready to part with a habit that
is hindering your pursuit of holiness? Be severe about it. Throw it away. Chuck it. Get rid
of it. [Pick up some of the items and throw them on floor]

While its helpful to ask whether something that youre doing is wrong; you might want to
ask a second question: Does this activity or relationship help me run the race? Be
ruthless about what stays and what goes. I like what J. Wilbur Chapman once said, My
life is governed by this rule: Anything that dims my vision of Christ or takes away my
taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life or makes Christian work difficult is wrong
for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.

B. Throw off sin that entangles

If stuff encumbers by slowing us down, sin entangles by tripping us up [demonstrate

by tripping as I run in boots]. Notice the next phrase: Let us throw offthe sin
that so easily entangles The use of the definite article the before the word sin
would seem to indicate that there was a specific sin that was tripping up the early
Christians. The number one transgression addressed in the Book of Hebrews is the sin
of unbelief. Hebrews 3:19 says that it was a lack of faith that entangled Israel, robbing
an entire generation of the joys of the Promised Land: So we see that they were not
able to enter, because of their unbelief. Romans 11:20 states that they were
broken off because of unbelief One reason the author lists all the individuals in
Hebrews 11 is so his readers would not give up on God. As they looked at the list they
would be encouraged to believe, just like we are today.

The word sin in the original language means to miss the mark of Gods standards.
God has set up a target and when we miss the bulls-eye, we have sinned. Did you
catch what happened on Sunday night when Matthew Emmons, a gold-medal
sharpshooter with a commanding lead, inadvertently fired his last shot at an opponents
target? He was in first place but scored a zero, completely knocking him out of medal
contention.

His teammate, Michael Anti, who took silver, had this to say about Emmons: Hes the
best shooter that Ive ever seen. It must have been a mental error. Ive seen it happen
before but I cant believe it happened to him. Friend, you and I have fallen far short of
Gods standards for perfection. We have missed the target and scored a zero. And
sometimes we shoot at the wrong bulls-eye, comparing ourselves to others or erecting
our own standards. Hebrews 12:14 raises the bar: Without holiness no one will see
the Lord. Sin separates us from God.

Hebrews 12:1 provides a graphic description of something else that sin does: it easily
entangles. The word, entangle means to ambush, entrap, or encircle. Its the idea of a
competitor thwarting your every move. The picture is that of twine or weeds wrapped
around your feet so that you cannot run. [Try to run again] Tyndale refers to it as the
sin that hangeth on us. Thats helpful because the Greek literally means, What is at
hand or nearby, readily occurring. Psalm 9:15 captures the meaning: their feet are
caught in the net they have hidden.

A picture of how close sin is to us, and how eager it is to entangle us, took place on
Tuesday night when Perdita Felicien of Canada tripped in the womens 100-meter
hurdles, lost her balance, stumbled into the Russian runners lane, and wiped her out.

Sin is like that. Its right next to us and will take us out if were not watchful. Paul asked
a question to the Galatian church, trying to figure out what happened to their zeal for
Christ in Galatians 5:7: You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept
you from obeying the truth? Peter makes the point that if were not vigilant, and
become entangled in transgressions, our walk with Christ can be thrown off and we can
go backwards: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they
are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning (2 Peter 2:20). And
Genesis 4:7 provides a sobering reminder of how sin is prepared to pounce on us:
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have
you, but you must master it.

If dealing with hindrance hurdles focuses on separating what is good from what is
best; when were faced with entangling sins, we must make the choice between what is
right and what is wrong. When we know something to be sin, we must deal severely
with it by throwing it off. [Kick off boots and put shoes back on]

David Mains believes that most Christians have a signature sin, which is a sin that has
your name on it. It might be considered your fatal flaw, which is that area that gives
you the most trouble. He then mentions truths to think about when targeting this
signature sin

***Overcoming our Signature Sins

1. The battle is usually won or lost in the first 5 or 10 seconds youre

tempted.

The longer you consider the devils offer the more likely it is that you will lose. Use the
model of Jesus in the wilderness. When He was tempted by Satan on three different
occasions, He immediately responded each time in Luke 4 by saying, It is writtenit
is writtenfor it is written. Make the right choice right away, using the Word of God
as the sword of the Spirit to fight off Satan, sin, and selfishness.

2. There is greater pleasure in overcoming sin than there is in giving

in to it.
Lets be honest about sin. Its fun. In fact, sin is enjoyable. Thats why we sin. We read
this in Hebrews 11:25 where sin is referred to as pleasurable. But dont forget the last
part of the verse. Moses knew that sin was satisfying, but it was just for a short time.
The great taste in your mouth has a way of turning your stomach on edge. Friend, it is
much more satisfying to say yes to God than it is to succumb to sin. Listen to Psalm
16:11: You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in
your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. C.S. Lewis adds, It
would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-
hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is
offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum
because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far
too easily pleased (The Inspirational Writings of C.S. Lewis, Pages 299-300).

3. Sin will always take you further than you planned to go

Jesus said in John 8:34 that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Sin is no small
thing. The more we play around with it, the more in bondage we become. Proverbs
5:22: The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him
fast.

4. When youre tempted there is always a way out

Dont give in to the thought that you have no choice when it comes to sin. God has
made a promise to give you an escape route in 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation
has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let
you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will
also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Many of us give in to sin
way too easily. Hebrews 12:4 provides a strong challenge: In your struggle against
sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5. The only way to victory is through Christ.

You and I can have victory over stuff that encumbers and sin that entangles. Psalm
25:15 tells us where this victory comes from: My eyes are ever on the LORD, for
only he will release my feet from the snare. If you know Jesus Christ as your
personal Savior, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 is a tremendous encouragement: The sting
of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you look under your chair right now, you will see a piece of paper and a pencil. Could
you please pick up one of each? Id like you to write down one hindrance hurdle and
one signature sin. Please dont look at what your neighbor writes after all, he or she
might be writing your name down! No one is going to look at this. Dont worry; you dont
have to post it up on the wall. If you want to make sure no one sees what you write,
maybe you could just use an abbreviation or initials to record the stuff that is
encumbering you and the sin that is entangling you. When youre finished

Are you ready to repent of your sins and throw off all the stuff that is just slowing you
down? Are you ready to receive Christ right now? Dont commit the ultimate sin of
unbelief and be like those in Hebrews 3:19 who were not allowed to enter because of
their unwillingness to believe. Believe in your mind. Believe in your heart. And believe
as an act of the will, deciding today to give your life to Christ.

III.Run with Perseverance (v.1c)

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the
appointed course of the race that is set before us,

The first-century recipients of this book were struggling with some of the same things
we struggle with. They had tasted persecution and were tired of it and others had
become passive in their faith because everything had just become routine. Some
wanted to bail and others were just blah. Heres a key principle that Ive mentioned
before: the depth of our devotion ultimately determines our impact. Just as Olympic
athletes need determination to compete, so too, we will not just stumble into becoming
spiritual champions. It takes discipline and determination and drive. There are three key
training rules in this passage that we must put into practice if we hope to get a medal

A. Get in the game

The one imperative, or command, in Hebrews 12:1 is to run. The verb tense indicates
that we are to keep on running and the word itself means to move forward with haste.
This same word is used in Mark 5:6 where we read of the man in bondage who, ran
and fell on his knees in front of Jesus. In Psalm 119:32, David declared, I run in
the path of your commands; for you have set my heart free. In contrast, Jesus
taught that there are those who chase after things that wont ultimately satisfy in
Matthew 6:32: For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them. To what, or to whom, are you running today? One of my
favorite verses is found in Mark 9:15: As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they
were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

The Christian life is compared to a race that must be run:

Acts 20:24: However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish
the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me

1 Corinthians 9:24: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Philippians 2:16: In order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or
labor for nothing.

This seems pretty elementary but one must be in a race in order to win it. Actually,
Michael Phelps won one of his gold medals and didnt even have to swim in the finals to
get it. But it doesnt work that way in the Christian life. You wont win just because your
wife is saved and serving. You wont get holy just because your husband is. You wont
medal just because your mom is growing spiritually. You wont develop as a disciple just
because your dad is devoted to Christ. Christian growth does not happen automatically.
You must get in the game. I think the old 80/20 adage is true: 80% of ministry is done by
20% of the people. Friend, are you on the spiritual sidelines right now? Are you just
watching what goes on? Its time to get in the game.

I read a fascinating article in the Chicago Tribune a couple weeks ago about a new
book, which translated from French into English means, Hello Laziness. The author is
encouraging French workers to adopt a strategy of active disengagement, or
calculated loafing (8/15/04). The book is already a bestseller.

Are you loafing around instead of loving God with everything you have? Would
someone refer to you as a spiritual slacker? What are you doing with the time you have
left? According to Davon Huss, in a lifetime the average American will spend

6 months sitting at stoplights

8 months opening junk mail
1 year looking for misplaced objects
2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls
4 years doing housework
5 years waiting in line
6 years eating
13 years watching television (maybe I should throw the TV today?)

Time is ticking away. The Bible is clear in Colossians 4:5: make the most of every
opportunity. One paraphrase renders Psalm 90:12 this way, Teach us to number
our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.
(LB)

In his thirty years as a pastor, Rick Warren has concluded that the #1 thing that keeps
people from becoming what God wants them to become is their past. He then says that
there are two things that paste us to the past and keep us out of the game: guilt and
bitterness (REV, September/October 2004, pages 68-69). Guilt comes from things
youve done wrong and still feel bad about and bitterness comes from things others
have done to you. Friend, stop rehearsing your past. Dont allow your memories to
manipulate you. Release your regrets. Confess your sins and claim your forgiveness.
And forgive those whove wronged you. And then get back in the game. Thats exactly
what the Apostle Paul discovered in Philippians 3:14. Listen to the Message
paraphrase: Im off and running, and Im not turning back.

B. Keep on going

We are in a race of service and also of suffering. That leads to the second training rule:
were to run with perseverance, which literally means to abide under something. It
has the idea of cheerful endurance and is translated patience in some versions. I just
finished a captivating book called, Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton about life in
South Africa almost 50 years ago. I was struck by a couple sentences: I have never
thought that a Christian would be free of sufferingfor our Lord suffered. And I come to
believe that he suffered, not to save us from suffering, but to teach us how to bear
suffering. For He knew that there is not life without suffering (Buccaneer Books, Pages
222-223).

The Bible is filled with references to those who hung in there, of those who kept on
going when the going got tough. Here are six perseverance principles:

Look above and beyond circumstances. If we turn back one chapter to Hebrews
11:27, we learn that Moses persevered because he saw Him who is
invisible.
Focus on the reward. If we go back one more chapter to Hebrews 10:36, we
learn that theres a prize for perseverance: You need to persevere so that
when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has
promised.
Good things come to those who wait. Flip back a few more pages to Hebrews
6:15: And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was
promised.
The path to maturity runs through perseverance. James 1:4: Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything.
Rely on Gods help to hang in there. 2 Thessalonians 3:5: May the Lord direct
your hearts into Gods love and Christs perseverance.
Jesus applauds endurance. Revelation 2:2: I know your deeds, your hard
work and your perseverance.

Some of us have been knocked off stride by stuff that we never saw coming. One of the
best examples of perseverance from the Athens Olympics took place on the final day of
events, when the mens marathon was being run. Brazils Vanderlei de Lima was in first
place, just five kilometers from the finish line, when a man dressed in a red kilt, green
vest, long socks, and a beret, tried to tackle him. He was knocked into the crowd, losing
his concentration and rhythm.

Amazingly, de Lima was able to recover, get back in the race, and finish with the bronze
medal! The International Olympic Committee actually awarded him another medal for
demonstrating fair play and for finishing the race.

I suspect that some of you have been tackled by some trials as well. Like my nephew
you want to say, Thanks for nothin! Perhaps youve been nursing a grudge against
God or youre harboring resentment toward an individual or youre just plain mad about
a situation that has happened. Friend, you have a choice. You can remove yourself from
the race or you can keep on going. Later in Hebrews 12, the believers are urged to
strengthen their feeble arms and weak knees instead of giving up (verse 12).
Remember the witnesses that are cheering you on. When de Lima arrived home on
Wednesday he received a heros welcome and was greeted with shouts of, Its gold!
Its gold! Brothers and sisters, when we run with perseverance, well be welcomed
home to shouts of, Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21).

By 7:00 p.m. on October 20, 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics Stadium, it was starting
to get dark. The final Olympic marathon runners were cooling off. One hour later, as the
last few thousand spectators were preparing to leave, they heard police sirens and
whistles coming from the gate entering the stadium. As the crowd turned, they saw a
sole figure, wearing the colors of Tanzania, limping into the stadium. His name was
John Steven Aquari. His leg was bandaged and bloody because of a fall he had taken
earlier in the race. It was all he could do to limp his way around the track. The crowd
stood and applauded. With each step he gained strength from the cheers. His limp
became a walk, his walk became a jog, and finally his jog became a run. As he neared
the finish line, even though he came in dead last, the cheering made it seem like he was
finishing first.

In a later interview a reporter asked him the obvious question, You are badly injured.
Why didnt you quit? Why didnt you give up? Aquari, with quiet dignity replied, My
country did not send me seven thousand miles to start this race. My country sent me to
finish (Craig Brian Larson, Strong to the Finish, Preaching Today, Tape No. 155).

Friend, perhaps youve been hurt or youre hurting right now. Dont give up. Hang in
there. Keep going. Pray through the pain. In most races awards are given to the fastest.
But on Gods medal stand, prizes are given to those who simply finish the race. Listen
to these encouraging words from 2 Chronicles 15:7: But as for you, be strong and
do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. You can do it. You must do it. I like
what Ken Davis notes about this passage: A lot of people will try to convince you that
youre going to win the race. But God doesnt care who wins the race. In reality, were
all running the Special Olympics because were all challenged in some way. If we finish,
we win (From Refining Your Style by Dave Stone (2004), Page 87).
 C. Stay on track

Lets look together at the final phrase of Hebrews 12:1: the race marked out for
us. Interestingly, the word for race in Greek is agon, from which we get the word
agony. The race is not meant to be easy. Guys, its supposed to be agonizing to watch
mushy movies! This same word in the King James Version is translated fight in 2
Timothy 4:7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith. Notice that this race is marked out for us which means we dont get to
choose it. God has determined the race; our job is to run it and to stay on track. There
are two aspects of the race, or Gods will for our lives.

Gods Universal Will. God has marked out some parts that are for everybody.
Were to live out the Great Commandment and fulfill the Great Commission.
Were to keep the fire burning by practicing the presence of God and by living out
the spiritual disciplines. Cross Training will be studying these holy habits this
fall. Did you know that the average Olympian trains more than 7,000 hours for an
event that may last less than 60 seconds? Just as athletes discipline themselves
to achieve a goal; according to 1 Timothy 4:7 we are to train ourselves to be
godly.

The recent issue of Discipleship Journal profiles 8 disciplines in an article called

Soul Building (Issue 143, Pages 55-65).

Abstinence (from natural appetites)

Simplicity (taming the desire for possessions)

Stillness (being alone and silent in Gods presence)

Meditation (thinking carefully about Scripture)

Prayer (conversing with God)

Reticence (controlling the tongue by listening)

Stability (staying put)

Worship (focusing on who God is)

Nothing valuable ever comes without cost. As someone has said, There arent any
hard-and-fast rules for getting aheadjust hard ones. Another person put it this way,
You dont have to lie awake nights to succeedjust stay awake days. If you want to
go deeper in the disciplines, another helpful resource is a book by John Ortberg called,
The Life Youve Always Wanted.
Heres the rub. If we are not practicing self-discipline and growing in the spiritual
disciplines, God may bring suffering discipline into our lives. Listen. Hes not doing this
to punish but to restore. Its not retributive; its always redemptive. He loves us way too
much to let us go astray. He wants to get us back on track, and as C.S. Lewis has said,
pain is often His megaphone to get our attention. Notice Hebrews 12:11: No discipline
seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest
of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Rather than
being angry with God when he delivers discipline, we should be grateful because this is
His way of correcting harmful patterns and getting us back on track.

Gods Unique Will. The other way to stay on track is to run the unique race
marked out just for you. The Living Bible captures this in Hebrews 12:1: Let
us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. Just as
there are unique hindrance hurdles and signatures sins that are trying to slow
you down and trip you up, so too, you have a unique calling. Several months ago
we focused on how Jesus told Peter some pretty private things that had to do
with his future ministry and even how he would die. Peter seemed more
interested in what Jesus had in mind for his buddy John when he asked in John
21:21: Lord, what about him? Jesus rebuke is instructive for us: If I want
him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.
In other words, Jesus had a path for Peter and a job for John and He has a
unique assignment for each one of us. Have you ever noticed that sometimes our
dissatisfaction with life is directly proportional to our desire to run someone elses
race? Its the greener grass thing. Heres a good corrective to keep in mind:
The grass isnt greener on the other side of the fence. Its greenest where you
spend time watering it.

Friend, your race is uniquely yours to run. God has a plan and a purpose for your life
that only you can fulfill. And He wants to use you according to your SHAPE (spiritual
gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experiences). Rick Warren adds, Youre not meant
to run someone elses race, and theyre not supposed to run yours. If you dont run the
race that God intended for you, it wont get run! Ask God to reveal how he wants you to
run and then stay on track for the rest of your life. Without a race to run life doesnt add
up and so people give up. It was Billy Sunday who said, More men fall through lack of
purpose than lack of talent.

Its time to get in the game and to keep on going and to stay on track. Can I encourage
you to take the next step in becoming a spiritual champion? Its going to involve some
sacrifice and some discipline. Im going to list a number of suggestions.

What one or two things will you commit to do this week?

 Say yes to a ministry opportunity. Someone has said, There are a lot of
Christians who are doing nothing. But there are no Christians who have nothing
to do.
Find a spiritual mentor.
Get to know a spiritual hero from Hebrews 11.
Begin practicing the spiritual disciplines.
Rid your life of a hindrance hurdle.
Ask God daily for victory over a signature sin.
Make a relationship right.
Reach out to someone in need.
Master a book of the Bible.
Decide to be baptized.
Bow before Christ as your Lord and Savior.

The baton has been passed. Will you get in the game? Will you keep on going? And will
you stay on track? Gods counting on you, the champions from the past are cheering
you on, and the relay cant be finished without you. As we close this morning, Id like the
person sitting closest to the center aisle to reach under your chair and pick up the bowl
filled with little batons. Heres what I want you to do. Take one out at a time, turn to the
person next to you and say, Run with perseverance. Then, that person will turn and
say, Run with perseverance until all the batons are passed down the row. These are
designed to be put on your key chain as reminders.

IV. Reach for the Goal (vv.2-3)

Heb 12:2
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.
Heb 12:3
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you
will not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb 12:2
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and
the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its
Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the
prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the
shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1]
Heb 12:3
Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and
bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with
your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and
relaxing and fainting in your minds.
Our challenge is to make sure that the distractions of life do not slow us down or knock
us out of the race. The meaning of the phrase, fix our eyes has two aspects. We are
to look away from everything and look toward the one who should be everything to us.
We are to glance at the witnesses but we are to gaze at the winner. In the context of the
Book of Hebrews, we are to lock on to the Lord, not Moses or the Law, or anything else
for that matter. We see this in Hebrews 3:1: Therefore, holy brothers, who share in
the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest
whom we confess.

Even though Martha was a wonderful servant, in Luke 10:40-41, Jesus chastised her
because her serving was actually causing some spiritual slippage: But Martha was
distracted by all the preparations that had to be made Martha, Martha, the
Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing
is needed That one thing is to fix our eyes on Jesus. We are to be attracted to Him,
not distracted from Him. Sitting at His feet is more important than even serving. When
looking at the crowds one day, Jesus referred to them as weary and scattered
(Matthew 9:36, NKJV). I wonder if thats how He views many of us today. Were busy
but not better for it. Do you feel weary and scattered? Perhaps its because youve lost
focus.

This past Sunday night at Cross Training, our ministry to High School students, Pastor
Jeff had a student stand on a chair and everyone had to make eye contact with him.
This is how Jeff put it: They had to lock eyes with him. If they lost eye contact, even
for a second, they had to sit down. Milt was in the back with a megaphone screaming,
[See what you get to do if youre a leader?] there was music blasting, and on the screen
colors were swirling. That got most of them. Then two girls started running around and
screaming. That got a few more. We got down to about 6 students left. A couple actually
put their hands around their eyes, like blinders. We asked them how they could focus, in
spite of everything going on around them. The key was shutting out the distractions and
focusing on his eyes.

Maybe some of us should walk around with blinders on. I had a wonderful opportunity to
spend over three hours with my friend and mentor Ray Pritchard on Wednesday. As Ray
was sharing with me some of the things the Lord is teaching him, he spelled out what he
calls the principle of intentionality. This is how he put it in his sermon last week: The
principle of intentionality is living life on purpose, and not just drifting through one day
after another. Its so easy to go through a day, and be very busy, and yet come to the
end and say, What did I do today? Busyness is no guarantee that you are actually
doing anything important. Busyness may be a cover for a lack of purpose in your life.
Too many times we sit on the banks of the river while the current of life rushes right by
us

This relates to what we learned last week. Christian growth is not automatic. It takes
discipline, devotion, and determination. We must make choices throughout the day
about where we will set our minds and how we will set our schedules as Colossians 3:2
states: Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 1 Chronicles 16:11
says that we are to Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always and
1 Chronicles 22:19 establishes that we must be passionate about pursuing Him, not
passive: Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. We
need to become more like the Apostle Paul who said in Philippians 3:13-14: But one
thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press
on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus. Psalm 27:8 captures the importance of intentionality: Your face,
LORD, I will seek.

A young African pastor put his commitment to words. He knew the one thing to do
because he was gazing at the goal. This note was found tacked to the wall of his house
(quoted by Joseph Liddick, Wheaton Wesleyan Church; Wheaton, IL).

Im part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been
cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. Im a disciple of his. I
wont look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my
present makes sense, my future is secure. Im finished and done with low living, sight
walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane
talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity,
position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I dont have to be right, first, tops,
recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence,
walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my
goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide
reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away,
turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of
popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I wont give up, shut up, let up, until I
have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and
work till he stops me. And when he comes for his own, he will have no problems
recognizing me. My banner will be clear!

We must understand who Jesus is and then we must fix our eyes on Him at all
times. We must know about Him and then we must know Him personally. This
passage not only tells us what to do: were to fix our eyes on Jesus. Were told how to
do it as were given at least four descriptions of Christ to help us focus more clearly.

A. Focus on the Finisher

1. Christ the Captain

The NIV refers to Jesus as the author. This is a fascinating term in the Greek, made
up of two words, meaning to lead and the first. Put together, this title means, the
chief leader; one that takes the lead and thus furnishes the example (Hebrews in the
Greek New Testament, Wuest). One commentator says that this word has been given
a veritable splendour of translations (Barclay). Hebrews 2:10, in the King James
Version renders it pioneer.

In the Septuagint, which is the Greek Translation of the Old Testament, it is used to
describe heads of families, national leaders, military leaders, and captains. As an
adjective, it means that which begins or originates something. As a noun, it can refer to
the founder of a city. Barclay points out that this word has about it the quality of
preeminence and princeliness, the one who stands head and shoulders above all
others. Heres the cool part. According to him, this word regularly describes someone
who originates and initiates something into which others can followhe is the first to
do somethingand opens a way for others to enter into the same benefits and the
same greatness. He blazes the trail for others to follow.

Someone suggests that the best idea is that of a Roman Scout for an army. The scout
would go on ahead to determine the best way and make sure needs for food, water and
security would be taken care of. In the marathon motif from Hebrews 12, Hes the one
who prepares the road for the runner. Jesus has prepared the path. Hes crossed the
finish line and now is cheering you on. Will you fix your eyes on the Captain?

2. Christ the Completer

Jesus is not only the one who starts; He is the finisher. Hes the pioneer and the
perfecter; the captain and the completer. Look again at Hebrews 12:3: perfecter of
our faith. This is another phrase packed with meaning. Jesus will carry through
completely to the finish. It also has the idea of making something complete or perfect.
Many of you have Philippians 1:6 memorized. If you dont, may I encourage you to do
so? Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it
on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Jesus always finishes what He begins. Listen to these statements from the Gospel of
John:

4:34: My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

5:36: For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am
doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.

17:4: I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to
do.

19:30: It is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Theres another title given to Jesus in Revelation 22:13 that brings the names Captain
and Completer together: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega
is the last and the phrase itself denotes completeness and comprehensiveness. The
idea is that there is nothing lacking in Jesus Christ. Heres another beautiful truth. These
words, along with Captain and Completer, describe perfect continuity. The power of
Jesus is continuous, acting before history began, all through history, today, and forever.
As Hebrews 13:8 says, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Barclay
suggests something even more personal. The action of Jesus is continuous all through
the stages of our life birth, childhood, youth, adulthood and death nothing can
separate us from Him.

As you run, dont be distracted. Make Jesus the Captain and Completer your focal point.

3. Christ the Crucified

Look at verse 2 again: who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning
its shame The word for here is best understood as meaning, instead of. In
exchange for what Jesus had in heaven, He set this aside in order to accept the cross
and shame. When Jesus ran his race, He always kept the finish line in front of Him. His
route was lined with hatred and anger, with rejection and opposition, but He never
faltered. In fact, according to Luke 9:51, he resolutely set out for Jerusalem even
though He knew where this path would lead Him.

The cross did not happen accidentally to Jesus; He went willingly and joyfully to His
death because He knew what it would accomplish. Enemies really didnt take His life;
He gave it. Jude 24 tells us that Jesus is jubilant about presenting us before his
glorious presence without fault Jesus had the joy of obeying God in difficult
circumstances because He knew He would be raised from the dead, that He would
ascend and then be exalted. Whenever we say, like Jesus did, Not my will but yours
be done, we ultimately will experience joy as well.

Jesus endured the cross, taking the full brunt of pain and agony that came with it.
John Piper writes: No one has ever deserved suffering less, yet received so muchthe
only person in history who did not deserve to suffer, suffered mostif we had been
forced to watch, we probably would have passed out (Seeing and Savoring Jesus
Christ, pages 73-74). Jesus also scorned the shame, putting up with the slapping,
spitting, mockery, abuse, and the shame of public execution, a method reserved for the
worst of criminals.

Many of you have watched the Passion of the Christ movie as I have. I dont think Ill
ever get the scourging scene out of my mindand I dont want to either. This past
week, one of the guys Ive witnessed to over the past couple years, told me that his wife
watched the DVD and was moved to tears. I encouraged him to watch it as well
because it will help him see all that Jesus went through for us. He looked at me and
said, Ill watch it this weekend. I cant wait to talk to him and to find out what impact
this will have on his spiritual journey.

4. Christ the Conqueror

Jesus is our Captain, the Completer, and the Crucified. He is also the Conqueror. Look
at the last phrase of verse 2: ...and sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. The tense of the phrase sat down is in the perfect tense, meaning He has sat
down, and He remains seated. The work is finished. He will never have to arise and
repeat redemption. Jesus occupies the position of preeminence at the right hand of the
throne of God. He is both ruling and at rest. 1 Peter 3:22 states that Jesus: has gone
into heaven and is at Gods right hand-with angels, authorities and powers in
submission to him. Everything is subject to the Savior. The King has been coronated
and there is nothing outside of His sweet and sovereign control.

B. Fix on the Fact of His Suffering

One of our problems is that we dont lock our eyes on the Lord like we should. As a
result, our circumstances can become overwhelming, we can compare ourselves with
others and become intimidated or judgmental, and we can drop out of the race. Based
upon the four titles of Jesus that we just looked at, Hebrews 12:3 challenges us to
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not
grow weary and lose heart. The word consider is an accounting term which means
to be attentive, to reckon up, and consider by way of comparison. When were faced
with our own trials, when we contemplate Christ, and concentrate on what He did for us,
we know that He suffered opposition way more than we ever have, or ever will.

I pulled out an old book this week written by A.W. Tozer called, The Knowledge of the
Holy and reread the first chapter. I was struck by the very first sentence: What comes
into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us (Page 7).
What comes to your mind when you gaze on God? I was gripped with Gods glory this
week when I read Ezekiel 43:2: His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,
and the land was radiant with His glory. What thoughts do you have when you
consider Christ? This passage is telling us that if we focus on Christ as the Captain, the
Completer, the Crucified and the Conqueror, we will be able to stay in the race and run it
with perseverance. But, if we take our eyes off Christ, we will sink in the waves of
discouragement and fear, just like Peter did. Charles Spurgeon once said that it is what
Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.

Friends, listen carefully. According to this verse, one of the reasons you may be weary
and ready to give up is precisely because you have not been considering what Christ
went through for you. The phrase, grow weary and lose heart was a common
expression used of the exhaustion that marathon runners face. Aristotle used these
words of runners who relax and want to just collapse. The author of the Book of
Hebrews is telling believers that they are still in the race. We are to consider Christ so
that we will not grow weary and lose heart. How do you know if youre still in the race?
Is your heart still beating? Then youre in the race.

Several years ago I ran in my first and only 5K race. I was really eager to do this and
arrived early. My adrenalin was sky high. As other runners started showing up, I sized
up those around my age and thought I could beat most of them. When the race finally
started I took off in a sprint, leaving everyone else behind. But, after about two minutes,
I started to slow down and lose ground. I looked around at my competitors as they left
me in the dust. And then I looked ahead and saw a huge hill. It felt like I was running in
place as others cruised past me. My lungs were burning and my legs felt like rubber. I
was weary and wiped out and wanted to drop out. But because I wanted a free T-shirt, I
eventually stumbled to the finish line, coming in at the very end of the pack.

I wonder if some of you started out strong spiritually but now you feel tired and tuckered
out. Its time to get back on track. Consider Christ. Set your eyes on Him. Put your hope
in the Lord. Focus on the finish. When your attention wanders from His face, draw it
back quickly before other things capture your full devotion. If youre wiped out today,
allow Isaiah 40:30-31 to minister to you: Even youths grow tired and weary, and
young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Glance at the grandstands and remember the witnesses who are cheering you on but
gaze at the only one who can help you reach the goal. The list of names in Hebrews 11
that begins with Abel reaches a crescendo in chapter 12 with the name of Christ the
Captain, Christ the Completer, Christ the Crucified and Christ the Conqueror. He will
renew our strength as we consider Him and will carry us when we feel that we cant go
on. If youre winded and weary, maybe its because youve taken your eyes off Himbut
He will never take His eyes off you.

Spiritual Calisthenics

Let me suggest some spiritual exercises that will help us fix our eyes on Jesus.

Read through the Book of Hebrews or the Book of Colossians. These books
elevate the supremacy of Christ.
Do a slow read of one of the Gospels. Ask yourself these questions, What did
Jesus do? What did He say? How can I act this way in my life?
Start and stop your day with prayer.
Practice intentionality in all you do. It might help to ask this question, Why am I
doing this?
Listen to praise music in your car and at home. 89.5 has a blend of hymns and
traditional music and 104.7 provides contemporary music.
In the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, Britains Derek Redmon was running the 400 meter
semifinals when he tore his hamstring at the beginning of the race and fell face first onto
the track. Sports Illustrated recorded the dramatic events: As the medical attendants
were approaching, he waved them off as he crawled in utter agony, struggled to his feet
and began hopping toward the finish line. Up in the grandstands, a large man wearing a
T-shirt, tennis shoes and a Nike cap that said, Just Do It, barreled out of the stands,
pushed aside a security guard, ran onto the track and embraced Derek. That man was
Dereks dad.

He said to his weeping son: You dont have to do this. His son looked up and said,
Yes I do. To which his father replied, Well then, were going to finish this together. He
put his arm around his sons waist and Derek put his arm around his dads thick
shoulders and neck. They continued down the track side-by-side, the sons head
sometimes buried in his fathers shoulder. The crowd was at first stunned, and then they
rose to their feet and howled. Everyone then started weeping as the father helped his
child toward the finish line, finally crossing it together

When God the Father saw people in pain, He sent His Son from the grandstand of
heaven to help us finish the race. He is not only our example; He is our enabler. You
dont have to make it on your own. In fact, you cant go the distance in your own
strength. Your endurance will fail. Your stamina will stagnate. Consider Christ. Embrace
Him and allow Him to carry you to the finish line.

Invitation

Are you ready right now to fix your eyes on Jesus for the first time? Its time to look to
Him for salvation. Focus on Him for forgiveness. Turn to Him for eternal life. And then
run the race until He calls you home.