Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3: For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Introduction

Next Sunday, we will celebrate our seventh year Church anniversary. Anniversaries are special days. It is a good time to reflect and look back on the times of serving the Lord together. Over the past seven years, by the grace of God, we have accomplished much of His mission: “striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Over these seven years, we have proclaimed the Gospel together through our lives and witness, have baptized believers, have received into church membership, and have partaken of the Lord’s Supper. As we celebrate our 7th anniversary, we thank God who has kept our church to be a place where His grace and truth have been revealed.

In this past year we have been tried severely, but despite this, today our Lord God has brought each of us in this church to make a positive impact for Jesus Christ. We still believe that God has many important things for us to do in the days ahead. Celebrating our church anniversary is not only a time to look back on the times of serving the Lord together, but also a time to start thinking and praying about God’s direction and guidance in our future. On our anniversary Sunday, I want us to think about what we are called to do in our individual Christian lives and as a local church. In Hebrews 12:1-3, we are given important and relevant exhortations about how we can run the race of faith God has planned for us.

This morning consider with me three important words to remember that would help us run the race and finish well individually and corporately, namely, Inspiration, Obstruction, and Preoccupation.

I – Inspiration

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Chapter 12 begins with the word, “wherefore.” This word connects it with chapter 11, where the writer lists a number of people who have been found faithful. Men and women of faith, such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samuel, etc. Men and women who “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:” (Hebrews 11:33-39)

What is the writer of Hebrews doing here? The writer of Hebrews is exhorting his readers to run with patience the race that was set before them. How? By reminding them that they are surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses.” Even though these faithful men and women are long dead and gone, they still speak.

Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

Abel and the many faithful witnesses, even though they are dead, yet still speak. Their testimony encourages us and inspires us to keep on keeping on, to run the race with patience. By the way, the cloud of witnesses also include our friends and loved ones who have gone ahead of us. By their faithful examples, they inspire us and motivate us to be faithful as well. As we run the race, the cloud of faithful witnesses are not only watching us but are cheering us on. When we remember these witnesses to God’s love by their deeds and words, we can almost hear their voices saying to each of us: “Don’t lose heart. Don’t quit.  It can be done. By faith, it can be done.”

II – Distraction 

The second word we need to remember as we run the race set before us is “obstruction.”

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

As we run the race of faith, we need get rid of all the distractions. We need to get rid everything which hinders in our race before God. There are many distractions in the Christian life which unless they are removed will hinder our progress and our effectiveness. And what are these distractions? They are weights and sin which easily distract us.

1. Weights 

What then are the “weights” that we should remove so that we might win the race? The “weight” or “burden” means something heavy that holds us back. If we see someone running a marathon, they wear a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and the lightest pair of shoes. The runner who seeks to win loses as much weight as possible without hurting performance. The goal is not to look pretty or fashionable but to finish the race. So a marathon runner wears clothing that is light and allows freedom of movement. No runner would actually run wearing the weights because they would slow him down. Excess weight can be the difference between victory or defeat! Likewise, when we run the spiritual race, we need to remove anything that will impede us and cause us to fall. We must remove anything and everything that hinders our spiritual progress. Some of these weights are not necessarily sinful and in fact some of these things may be “wholesome and good things”. But if they hinder our progress, distracts us, use up our energy, they have to come off. There are things that are not sinful, but they are not beneficial.

Paul talked about this in …

1 Corinthians 10:23, where he wrote, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”

There are things that are not sinful, but they are not good for us. There are things that are innocent, but they do not build up. If we want to be a Christ-honoring Christian, there are things we must give up to finish well. There are things that you will have to say “NO” to. There are sacrifices that you will have to make and things that you will have to go without. Choose what is great over what is good. Every day we need to examine ourselves through the word of God, the spiritual mirror and ask Him for His forgiveness. Are there things in our lives that slow us down or hold us back from running the spiritual journey? Lay them aside so you will be able to run faster and longer.

Another thing that slows us down on our running the race is …

2. Sin

If we are to make progress and really win, we must avoid the sin that easily besets us. Each one of us has their own weaknesses. Each one of us has a particular sin that so easily trips us up. Each one of us has a particular sin that so easily entangles us. But what is the sin that the writer of the Hebrews has in mind here?

The book of Hebrews focuses on faith. But the sin that easily besets us is unbelief.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13: But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Unbelief is sin. Faith means active belief and trust in God’s word. Unbelief is lack of faith and trust in God’s sure word. There is nothing that hinders our growth and progress more than unbelief.

One preacher says it this way, “… if there is one particular sin that hinders the race of faith it is unbelief, doubting God. Doubting and living in faith contradict each other. Unbelief entangles the Christian’s feet so that he cannot run. It wraps itself around us so that we trip and stumble every time we try to move for the Lord, if we try at all. It easily entangles us. When we allow sin in our lives, especially unbelief, it is quite easy for Satan to keep us from running.”

If we allow the sin of unbelief in our lives, we are like a runner running with his shoelace tied together. So, if we are to finish well in our Christian life, we must remove every weight and sin of unbelief which so easily distract us. By God’s grace and help, we must get rid of every weight which hinders our running the race well.

III – Preoccupation

Hebrews 12:2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3: For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

The writer of Hebrews says in verse 2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” The word “looking” in Greek has the idea of looking away from other things to focus on one object. Having given his readers a list of cloud of witnesses, the writer now directs their focus on Jesus Christ, the Author and the Completer of their faith. He calls them to fix their eyes on Jesus, the Source and the Completer of the believer’s faith. We are not even to fix our eyes on the cloud of witnesses, because understand that ultimately, the best help in the race of faith does not come from this cloud of witnesses. The writer of Hebrews said if we are going to run the Christian life with no distractions and not give up, we must look away from all that will distract. We must keep our eyes carefully focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the ultimate and supreme example of one who ran the race of life with patience and endurance.

Spurgeon comments on the word “looking.” “The Greek word for “looking” is a much fuller word than we can find in the English language. It has a preposition in it that turns the look away from everything else. You are to look from all else to Jesus. Do not fix your gaze on the cloud of witnesses; they will hinder you if they take away your eye from Jesus. Do not look at the weights and the besetting sin—these you have laid aside; look away from them. Do not even look at the racecourse, or the competitors, but look to Jesus and so start in the race.”  Then he goes on to say, “Looking to Jesus means life, light, guidance, encouragement, joy: never cease to look on Him who ever looks on you.”

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” We are to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ because if we take our eyes off Him, we are in serious danger! Do you remember the story of Peter walking on the water? When Jesus asked Peter to walk toward Him on the water, Peter was doing great as long as he kept his eyes on the Lord. But when Peter saw the wind, and focused on the storm, he was afraid and began to sink.

When we become weary and faint in our minds, keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ who endured the cross and despised the shame to save us. By frequently and steadfastly looking unto Jesus our faith would be strengthened, our love and our service for Him would be strengthened. Don’t look at your fellow Christian stumbling along. Don’t look at any great Christian that you admire. He might take you in a different path and direction. Somebody perceptively said, “Glance at the godly Old Testament examples, but gaze at the New Testament example of God in the flesh!” Fix your eyes on the Jesus Christ.

The eyes of a runner are very important to him. If he is to win the gold, he must keep his eyes on the finish line.  Christian, keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, He never takes His eyes off you.

Closing Thoughts

As you run the race, be encouraged from the example of those who ran the race in the past and how they finished well. Remember the cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 is saying to us “God can be trusted! Put your faith in Him and His Word and keep running the race!” Get rid of every weight and sin that slow you down and hinder your progress in the Christian life. But more importantly look unto Jesus Christ and fix your eyes on Him.

For those not in the Christian race, that is, you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, my exhortation to you is look unto Jesus Christ by faith. Do not look to Moses. Do not look to the law or the Ten Commandments, hoping by keeping the Ten Commandments will save you. The Ten Commandments was not meant to save anyone. It was meant to point you to the Saviour. Look away from the law, look away from yourself, look away from fellow human beings to save you. But look to Jesus Christ who is “the author and finisher of our faith.”  By faith, look to Jesus who endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for sinners. 

Look around and be distressed.

Look inside and be depressed.

Look at Jesus and be at rest.

Come to Him in repentance and faith. Come to Him confessing your sins. Come to Him relying only on His grace for your forgiveness and salvation. You may have been sinful and have been careless, but Christ is just waiting for you to call upon Him. He is willing and ready and able to forgive you and give eternal life and live with Him in Heaven forever.

God bless you and hope to see you in Heaven someday!

AMEN!