The Race Set before Us – Week 21/22 / May 27th

by admin

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which so
easily ensnares us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us
looking unto Jesus…….”
Hebrews 12:1-2

The Book of Hebrews has many exhortations to wavering believers and most of these are punctuated by the words “let us”. For instance the writer states in chapter ten, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” and again, in the same chapter he writes “let us hold fast the confession of our hope” and “let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” There are many more of these “let us passages” and we would do well to find them and meditate upon them. It is worth noting from the outset that the writer states “let us” and not “let me!” Christianity is a community experience of Jesus’ life, power and presence. It begins with a personal commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior but the full reality of Christ’s life is brought to us in the assembled body of Jesus’ people. This is why the same writer also states “let us not forsake our assembling together as is the habit of some.” Sadly this bad habit of lone ranger Christianity has been appropriated by many Christians. They remain carnal and immature because of it!

So, the first few verses of chapter twelve remind us of the following:
1. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses
This means that millions of believers have gone before us in triumph and are now seated in a heavenly grandstand observing us as we now run the race of being Christ followers. I wonder what they think of us? The Author writes “we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses’; meaning that a vast company of saints are closely monitoring our progress. This is an awesome thought and it should spur us on to the finish line.

2. We are to run unencumbered
The purpose of this “race” is that we should all appropriate the likeness of Jesus. We can all finish this race together and thus we all become winners but we have to lay aside “every weight” and “the sin which so easily ensnares us.” A weight is a pursuit or hobby that gets in the way of our appropriate commitments to Jesus. There is nothing wrong with a “weight” but if it absorbs our time and energy to a degree that we neglect the kingdom of God in us and around us then it is a hindrance and we should discard it. Sin of course is that which offends God and we should never play around with it. Sadly, many Christians run with these hindrances in their lives and thereby disappoint God and often bring the fair name of Jesus into disrepute. We should take this exhortation very seriously!

3. We are to have endurance
Christianity is not for sissies! When we decide to follow Jesus we decide in essence to go against the prevailing culture and thinking around us. We become misfits and suffer ridicule and opposition and then we also have an internal enemy in the form of our fallen nature and we have to battle this daily. Moreover, we have a greater enemy in the form of the unseen powers of darkness and so we find ourselves grappling with evil unseen principalities as well. The believers addressed in this epistle were embroiled in this conflict and were in danger of turning back in defeat. They therefore required backbone or endurance. It strikes me that nothing has changed and we need to stir ourselves into action as we have at our disposal the great and mighty power of Jesus in us and around us. Endurance imparts spiritual muscle to us, it imparts faith and by it we appropriate the character of Jesus. Every Christ follower needs endurance!

4. We are to look unto Jesus
Jesus is the pattern, power and prize of our calling. As we focus upon Him our trials and difficulties subside in the revelation of Who He is. He is greater than all and so our “giants” become grasshoppers as nothing in this seen or unseen universe is greater, more powerful and more loving than Him. It is when we focus upon our problems, obstacles and difficulties that we so easily give way to discouragement and faithlessness. Look unto Jesus all the time and you will be an overcomer. John the Apostle had a revelation of Jesus that transformed, overwhelmed and amazed Him and so he was told by Jesus to send this revelation to the Seven Churches of Asia. Note; the revelation was not sent to individual believers but to the churches. We should therefore renew our corporate commitment to Christ, cherish His Body on earth and rejoice in His soon coming.
Dear friends, the hour is late and we must arise, shake off our spiritual snares and follow Jesus as never before. Don’t leave this as a mere thought or interesting perspective on scripture; do it and you will be blessed and filled with joy.

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

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