Looking To Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith

 

Looking To Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith

 

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

 

(1) 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.

 

If we are to endure to the end, we too must be looking to the unseen Christ.

 

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) , Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

 

1.  Every Christian Must Run in the Race (Hebrews 12:1). 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,

 

Claud of witness are those Old Testament saints have finished their race.  Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and many others have already finished the race. They saw the finish line at death and crossed it in faith.  Multitudes have been a part of the same race.  They also crossed the finish line.  Now, it’s our turn as a Gideon.

 

Imagine for a moment that you are in a stadium and running 100-meter race and this above group is like a roaring crowd and they not only left us their example but are literally cheering for us sitting in the stadium as we run.  The sound is deafening (roaring)  as each believer today finishes the race.

 

 

1 A. Let Us Lay Aside Every Weight and Sin : The Christian life is an endurance race. Runners wear light clothing and light shoes.  A marathon runner would be foolish to drag behind him a fifty kilo weight while he ran.  It would slow him down tremendously and wear him out prematurely and the runner may not even finish the race.

 

The apostle compares this weight to sin.In the same way that dragging a weight behind us while running slows us down so sin keeps us from performing as we should.  His advice, cut loose.

 

1 B. Let Us Run the Race with Endurance: We are to run the race and set aside sin.  Also in this first verse, he tells us to run with endurance the race that is set before us,

 

In other words just like Moses had a race to run and Joseph had his race we too have ours.  Ours isn’t a race that is like anyone else’s.  Our race as with everyone else’s is a unique race.  Everyone’s life is different.  Our sovereign Lord has place each of us on a different course.  My race will not be like yours.  Some of the things I struggle with along the way may not be your struggles.  However the finish line and the strategy are the same.

 

Lay aside sin and look to the finish line.

 

Philip. 3:12-14 (ESV) Paul’s strategy was much the same. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  [13] Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Paul also shows us how to cut loose the sin that entangles us and weighs us down. By faith we are to realize we are dead to sin.

 

Romans 6:11 and 14 (ESV) :   [11] So you also must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  [14] For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

 

Many seek to look like athletes by imposing religion on themselves.  Some seek to look athletic by false humility or piousness.  However these self efforts are of no value when seeking to lay aside sin.

 

Exercising faith in Christ is the only way.Letting go of the weight of sin is easier if we love Christ more than we love sin. We can cut this stuff loose when we grab a hold on Jesus.

 

2.  Every Christian must Look to Christ (Hebrews 12:2-3 :if we read) founder and perfecter of our faith, endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

 

Runners are always challenged to not look back or behind them if they begin to hear footsteps.  This looking back often costs them a stride.  In a footrace one stride can be the difference in winning and loosing.

 

The apostle tells us to keep our eyes and concentration on Jesus.  If we are to look to Christ, we must look away from other things.  Taking our eyes off of Jesus is the same as looking back.

 

2 A.  Look to Christ as Others Have :-

 

We have learned through many examples in Chapter 11 how others looked to Christ. 

We should see Abel’s commitment to offer a blood sacrifice,

Noah’s example of perseverance as he looked to and trust God. 

Abraham believed God and he was counted with Christ’s righteousness.  Moses saw the One who is invisible and his life immediately was altered.

 

Once these saints by faith saw Christ, they never looked back.  That’s a good example for us.  Fix your eyes on Christ like the Old Testament saints did and never look away.

 

2 B.  Look to Christ the Author and Perfector of Our Faith

 

We are to look to Jesus by faith because our faith came from Him.

It originates with Jesus. 

Here’s a key if we are to run the Christian race with endurance.

we not only receive faith initially from Christ, but we receive faith daily from Christ. 

He is the founder and perfecter of our faith. 

Faith was originally created by Christ and distributed to His people. 

He then is working with us to perfect that faith. 

We should look to Him for faith and look to Him daily to have our faith perfected.

 

How is our faith perfected? 

Jesus works with us through the Holy Spirit. 

As we run the race of the Christian life, the Spirit of Christ supplies the necessary help to run and help to finish.

 

How do we access this spiritual strength?    Not by focusing on the Holy Spirit but by focusing on Christ the One He glorifies.

 

 

2 C.  Look to Christ and Imitate His Example of Endurance:- 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 look to Christ as the saints of old did. 

We look to Christ because He is the supplier of everything we need to run the race. 

Finally, we look to Christ because in Him we find a clear example to imitate.

 

He shows us how to endure hardship. 

When we enter into a difficult situation, don’t ever think the rest of your life will be as hard as the situation that you find to be difficult. 

By faith look to the promises of God.  Look past the challenge and see Christ seated on the throne. 

Look past the hardship a see the kingdom of God. 

 

Remember, we’re only on this earth for a while we must get ready for heaven.

 

Jesus looked forward and never looked back as His race led Him to the cross. 

Sometimes as we run the race we are led to places of struggle. 

We can always remember there is a Savior named Jesus Christ who endured more pain and heartache than we ever will. 

He kept running and finished His course. 

We too must endure as we run the race set before us. 

Look to Jesus and look away from all other things, and run. 

 

Run hard and run long listening to the cloud of witnesses cheering and seeing Christ as the finish line.

 

We are Gideon not by chance but by the will of God so let lus ook to the Christ the founder and perfector of our faith and RUN

 

GBU