Strathalbyn Church of Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3 Theme: Consider Jesus. Sermon by Pastor David Williams.

Strathalbyn Church of Christ. 22 May 2022.

Today’s passage has 3 simple but vital messages

1. Consider their faith

2. Consider our faith

3. Consider Jesus.

1. Consider their faith

The previous chapter (Heb 11) lists some of the OT saints. By saints, I simply mean believers. The bible teaches that all believers in Christ are saints (e.g., 1 Cor 1:2). Looking at these past saints can help our faith, so the writer begins,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses … Heb 12:1

These saints are witnesses to us, not witnesses of us. Ie, they are not spectators cheering us on from heaven. Rather, their faith, their testimony is a spur to us now, to spur us on in our faith. Even from the grave they speak to us:

Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith, Heb 11:4.

As we read of their faith, we are encouraged to persevere. Abraham, for example, showed great faith:

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land, Heb 11:8.

Abraham took God at his word even at the cost of his own son

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him, Heb 11:17.

David was among those,

who through faith … escaped the edge of the sword … put foreign armies to flight, Heb 11:33.

But it wasn’t all “beer and skittles”. David was also

jeered at … oppressed and mistreated… hiding in caves and holes in the ground, Heb 11:36-38. David hid from Saul.

Some even lost their lives, but not their faith.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection … Heb 11:35.

The example of past saints encourages us. Nellie and Topsy Saunders were the first CMS missionaries from Victoria. Topsy was only 20 when she left for China. Both sisters were massacred in 1895. But rather than being deterred by this, dozens of single women then signed up to follow in their footsteps.

However, while saints can be a great example, they also have feet of clay. That great man of faith, Abraham flip-flopped between doubt and faith. He slept with Sarah’s servant Hagar and put Sarah herself at risk not once but twice. David murdered Uriah to cover up his adultery. Mary is held up by Catholics and Orthodox Christians for special veneration. In the Bible, Mary was commended for her faith but also rebuked by her son for doubting (Mk 3:20-21, 31-35). Even Mary had feet of clay. These ancient heroes of faith were all very human, and yet God used them. Moved by their example, it is good to take a stocktake of our own faith.

2. Consider our own faith.

We can follow the example of past saints by throwing off dead weights and sin and by running!

a. Declutter.

let us throw off everything that hinders, Heb 12:1.

The image given in this letter is of running a race. You can’t run with a heavy backpack. We can collect lots of junk – stuff that controls our lives; stuff that prevents us from doing the really important things. This junk is not bad in itself – but it needs to be thrown out – hanging onto it may even stop us reaching the finishing line. Marie Kondo has some weird ideas, but her essential message is declutter. Schumacher was a Catholic who said the same thing in Small is Beautiful. Keep life simple! Western Christians – I’m as much fault as anyone – we love our possessions. We can be real hoarders. Is your stuff stopping you spending time and energy on the really important things. Spending time with God. Quality time with spouse and family. Loving and serving your neighbour?

Do you need a mental declutter? Are you dwelling on things that really don’t matter? Are you still clinging on to some bucket list, or ambition that realistically you will never reach? Even worse, are you hanging on to hurts or grudges? Take some time out to do a stocktake. Come before God and ask him – where should I spend my time, my energies, what should I do with my possessions?

Our possessions and ambitions can be not just a dead weight but an idol. Look again at the saints. Abraham left his home and his people. Others

went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated…wandering about in deserts and mountains, Heb 11:37-38.

Do you know one of the biggest obstacles to people in the West serving on mission? It is our idolatry. Many Christians will not give up their possessions, their internet access, their favourite coffee shops – to serve in countries that lack these.

let us throw off everything that hinders

b. Repent

let us throw off the sin that so easily entangles, that clings closely, Heb 12:1.

In Texas there is a plant called Velcro weed. These plants look very flimsy but they cling to you. As you run through the bush, stems can trip you up, leaves are sticky, seeds cling and work their way into your skin. Sin is like that. It looks trivial. “I can push my way through that” you say. But it clings on until it grabs all your attention. It trips you up. It gets in the way. In the end, you have completely stopped any good work you were doing to pick out the grass seeds of sin. You cannot serve God while allowing sin to flourish. Do not think that you can control sin – keeping it safely corralled. It will end up controlling you. Are there sins that are getting in your way? Are there sins that I need to throw off? Resentments, ungodly attitudes, bad habits, secret sins? Do I need to decide – I will go that way no more. What is hindering you?

Herd mentality – the mindset of the group - allows sin to flourish. “That sin doesn’t matter – everyone does it”. No, every sin does matter. The western world is being drawn into a vortex of pleasure – we are a sex sodden society. We become blind to sin. What was once seen as evil is now celebrated. Sin has so seared the consciences of many that Paul’s words to the Romans ring true:

They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too, Rom 1:32.

The Gay Pride march comes to mind among many examples.

There is no point in condemning pagans for particular sins – the church needs to look at itself. Many Christians have compromised their faith – by ignoring God’s word and allowing sexual sins in the church. Last week, the national Anglican church considered a motion to support traditional marriage. I mention them because it is current, not because I’m singling out Anglicans. Every denomination has this problem. Although the motion received overwhelming support from laity and clergy, the bishops voted it down. Twelve bishops refused to vote in support of the teaching of Jesus on marriage (Mk 10:1-12; Mt 19:11-12).

In the west we worship the gods of sex and possessions and comfort. It can be hard to stand against the tide. This was a challenge for Noah and for Moses too. But they resisted. Noah was ridiculed for building his silly ark. He stood alone in that godless society:

By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith, Heb 11:7.

Moses too stood against the tide, choosing obedience instead of pleasure.

Moses chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin, Heb 11:25.

Come on friends, like Noah, like Moses,

let us throw off the sin that so easily entangles, that clings closely.

c. Run!

let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Heb 12:1.

How do we run? with perseverance.

The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong … Ecc 9:11.

It’s not the swift who win but plodders. Those who plod persistently and patiently.

You remember Cliff Young, the gumboot runner. At the age of 61, Cliff entered the Sydney to Melbourne marathon in his work boots. At the end of the first day with his slow, shuffling gait, Cliff was miles behind the pack. While the other competitors stopped to sleep for six hours, Cliff kept running, just as he used to when rounding up sheep all through the night. He took the lead and kept it, shuffling along without a sleep for five days.

Ever tried running in gumboots? It is hard work! Blisters, sweaty feet, heavy boots with clinging mud. It’s like the race of faith: loving that irritating neighbour. Being patient with self-absorbed teens, being kind to grumpy spouses, calling up that gossipy friend when all you want to do is take a rest. It is hard work. Just pain, perseverance and plodding.

Which race?

let us run … the race marked out for us – for you, for me.

It is your race – nobody else’s. Don’t compare yourself to others (Rom 14:12; Gal 6:4-5; 2 Cor 10:12). Bill Broadhurst has suffered a stroke leaving his left leg partly paralysed. He entered a 10-kilometer race. When the gun sounded, Bill forced his stiff leg forward. The pain seared up his ankle with each step. Hardly able to focus through the sweat and tears, he kept going. Some finished the race in 30 minutes. Two hours later, Bill made it to the finish line. Of the few bystanders who were still around, one came up to him. He was the champion, and he draped his own medal around Bill’s neck. Bill had come in last, but his race had been the hardest of all.

You may not be smart, or fast. You may think your efforts don’t amount to much. But don’t look to others. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Run the race that he has marked out for you. I don’t know your struggles. Your fears. Your faith. What you are capable of. But Jesus does. We often get it wrong as pastors and elders. We ask people to do something, to help out. That is ok – it’s the job of pastors, indeed of all –

to spur one another on to love and good works, Heb 10:24

– but its ok to say “no” too. You know the race God has marked out for you. So please don’t feel guilty for saying “no” to good things. We can’t do everything can we? So how can we run this race. How can we persevere to the end?

3. Consider Jesus.

Only one way to run:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, Heb 12:2.

Looking to others can encourage us in our race; self-examination helps us to run well, but above all, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. For he does what no-one else can do – he creates faith and he brings your faith to completion. He is both

the author and perfecter of our faith, Heb 12:2.

He is the start and the end of faith.

Jesus is the author of our faith. That is, he wrote the script – writing it in his own blood. He created faith by running that race before us. Like a pioneer who carves out a track through an unmapped jungle – he did the hard work. All who follow that road may face hardships, but nothing like he faced. Because he took the rap for our sins, we can know forgiveness. He is the one who gives us faith. So while others can encourage us, only Jesus can give us the gift of faith. Do you want to grow in your faith – then fix your eyes on Jesus, not on anyone else.

Those early Jewish Christians were in a quandary. They believed in Jesus, but what did this mean for their Jewish traditions. What of Moses. What of the Old covenant, the sacrifices, the temple and the priesthood? As we have seen in this letter to these Hebrew Christians is very clear. These traditions were never the end game in themselves. They were but shadows, copies and patterns (Heb 8:5; 10:1). They all pointed to something greater – to Jesus and his church of both Jew and Gentile. Moses and the saints of old are great examples of faith. But these Hebrews were called now to fix your eyes on Jesus, not on anyone else.

Catholics may look to Mary and the canonised saints to build their faith. Pentecostals may look for experiences and miracles and revelations. Some Christians try self-help remedies like meditation or therapy. But the one sure way to run the race of faith is

to fix our eyes on Jesus.

Jesus not only created our faith but is the finisher of it. He is the one who gives us the power to persevere. As Paul said,

I can do everything through him who gives me strength, Phil 4:13.

Uniquely, he has the power for help us for he

has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, Heb 12:2.

The joy set before him. What kept Jesus going?

for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, Heb 12:2.

The joy of bringing many children to glory, Heb 2:10.

There was joy in doing his father’s will, joy in setting the world to rights, joy in setting people free of sin, joy in defeating Satan and death, and joy in ushering in an eternal kingdom where peace will reign. We too can be inspired by this. The joy of that heavenly crown. The joy of knowing that as we serve God, he will use us so that others may come into his kingdom too.

So we are called on to

Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners,

so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart, Heb 12:3.

We want to endure to the end. But how, when so many things are stacked against us? When each year we are more tired, more discouraged, when illness and family problems arise? When we start forgetting things. How to endure? You won’t endure by beating yourself up, by trying to conjure up feelings of enthusiasm. Simply remember the truth. The truth of Jesus – of our Saviour, our Pioneer, our Lord.

When most discouraged,

Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners,

so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart.

Life may be tough for you, but think of Paul, at the end of his life, awaiting execution in a cold prison cell, abandoned by many. Yet Paul’s heart soared,

I am on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me … 2 Tim 4:6-8.

Lord Jesus, let us fix our eyes on you, this day and every day. In good times and hard times. In joy and sadness. Let us fix our eyes on you Lord Jesus that we may say at the end, with Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. In your name, Amen.

Source:

· Hughes, R. K. (1993). Hebrews: An anchor for the soul. Preaching the Word Commentary. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books.

Series: Hebrews

Topics: #Hebrews