February 15 2009
Jesus: Start to Finish
Hebrews 12:1-2
In the most likely progression everyone knows that 12 follows 11 … and thus the writer of Hebrews while having taken us into the corridors of faith now brings to the point of exiting the hall and entering the race.
Hebrews 12 takes the baton of faith from the “exhibitors” now being handed off to the “exercisers” of faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
The writer encourages us to take one last look at the faith examples that surround us and then get in the race.
Some have suggested with the “great cloud of witnesses” that the likes of Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc are watching and rooting us on as spectators in the stands.
It sounds good, but to that we should say:
§ It is NOT positively or directly sustained by Scripture.
§ Faith is not a passive spectator sport … faith is always active
§ More than watchers these are “martyrs” of faith having died in faith … and though dead their faith witness lives on.
§ More than they looking at us the intent is that we look at them … their faith.
These people are not witnessing what we are doing; rather, they are bearing witness to us that God can see us through. – Warren Wiersbe
Ultimately we are exhorted to “look” at Jesus for our faith. From “start to finish” the writer has encouraged us to “fix your thoughts” on Jesus (3:1) and now to be “looking to Jesus”. (12:2)
The language is strong, like that of a running coach barking instructions to his runners … run smart, run controlled, lean forward, maintain your pace, pick up the pace, use your arms!
Why? Because we have all started something but not finished it. In this case we are not talking about household projects of honey-do’s that we might not complete.
Realize that our “faith” is always under attack. The objective of the enemy is get you and me to stop running the race of faith. And he is ruthless at it (steal, kill, destroy – John 10:10).
That’s why we have heard the strong exhortations to … pay careful attention … don’t drift away … don’t harden your hearts (deceitfulness of sin) … don’t fall short (of finish line) … grow up in maturity.
God intends to “stretch” our faith, whereas the enemy intends to “destroy” it. So the writer of Hebrews says … from start to finish:
The author turns the “spotlight” on his own community of faith … as he does ours to boldly suggest we do three things … strip down … start running and keep looking to Jesus. The third is predicated by the previous two.
1a. Strip Down … anything that keeps you down
§ Lay it aside … throw it off … strip it off … idea is get it off and get it out of the way … Ask youself, “Is this going to help me run the race for Jesus?”
Mark 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. (Blind Bartimaeus … you going to let a blind man out run you?)
§ Weight … not necessarily sin … good but not best … hinders, occupies our time to keep us from … what is most important … Jesus.
§ Sins … no parasite habits, desires, lusts, greed … that interrupts the progress of faith … contributing nothing and habitually taking advantage of my faith.
Some believe the author speaks to a specific sin. If we must point out a particular sin … it would most likely be the sin of UNBELIEF.
Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (see 3:19)
“Unbelief always assaults our position in Christ … as temptation is always an attack on what God has said.” - Donald Guthrie
But regardless of the sin … the fact is all sin hinders the progress of living by faith. Therefore, “The Christ-Follower must lay aside everything that hinders.”
1b. Start Running … the race before you
And let us run … This is the whole point of this text … RUN! Get to running the race. The idea is to exert some effort.
§ Endurance … a sustained effort … not the short burst … but a marathon of faith
I use to RUN a lot. In fact I use to enjoy running … but through the years I have digressed to the point of occasionally running. What happened? Truth is I QUIT running … oh I know it’s healthy and benefits the body, but … I just don’t run to much any more.
Galatians 5:7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
§ Set Race … marked out course … already run by Jesus (Heb 6:20, Forerunner … go before)
Psalm 119:32 I will run the course of your commandments for you shall enlarge my heart.
The first two imperatives are geared to get us to look at ourselves and thus prepare to run and then start running.
2. Finish with Jesus … Look Ahead
Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are called to look “to” Jesus … fix our eyes on His Person (God in the flesh), His Power, His Life Work … is to hold our gaze. We are look to Jesus and keep on looking to Jesus.
§ See Jesus: Founder & Perfecter … He is the foundation of our faith … the author & finisher of it … it takes faith to see Him as the A&F … He will complete us … so keep running!
NLT: We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
§ See Jesus: Enduring Endurance
ü Joy of Accomplishment (man’s salvation & justification)
ü Despising the Shame … thought more of us than Himself … disregarded the open shame & disgrace for the final outcome.
ü Seated Right … authority of divine nature
Keep your eye on the prize!
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
Let me read from THE MESSAGE … Hebrews 12:1-3
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Go home, get out paper and pencil … write down all the weights (not necessarily sin) that could be keeping you from running … then write down any know sins (unbelief, rebellion against God & His Word) … make note of people, places and things that are interrupting your progress to run.
Once you have done this … get away and pray … through each one to resolve, dismantle any weights … pray for victory over old habits to be broken … confess any know sin, and then resist the reoccurrence of them. Get an accountability partner … and pray with them … and then start RUNNING!
Run back to Jesus … and let Him show you again the race to RUN … start to finish.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Amen!
