Consider Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3

October 28, 2001

 

Scripture often uses metaphors to help us grasp the realities of the Christian life. Our Lord compares the human heart to soil and the gospel to seed, so that we might understand the necessity of divine preparation of the heart, and the fruitful reception of the gospel for true conversion. Paul uses the hand-to-hand combat of wrestling to express the spiritual conflict we face, and how as Christians we must hold our ground before the onslaught of the adversary. The author of Hebrews brings his argument concerning faith to a great crescendo as he applies it by using the metaphor of a long-distance race. The Christian life is not a sprint in which the runner bursts out for a few seconds and then collapses at the finish line. It is a grueling distance race, a marathon, in which every ounce of energy, every act of training, and every detail engages us until we stand perfect in the presence of our Lord. How do we run this kind of spiritual race?

 

I find distance races to be fascinating to watch. So many times I have joined crowds at Shelby Farms to watch my son and other area youth run cross-country. For several months the runners prepare for the race by grueling training, running hills, and building endurance. Then race-day comes. A certain "game face" seems to overtake the runners as they concentrate upon every dimension of the race. The starting-gun fires and they surge forward, fighting to gain a position, and to avoid as much dust as possible. Meanwhile the crowd moves to a new location to see the runners pass through the woods and over the hills. Wild cheering takes place, urging the runners on even though their faces give the impression that energy is sapped and strength is fading. Determined, they persevere the distance of the course to complete the race, and cross the finish line.

 

If you are a Christian then you are in the race. And the "cloud of witnesses" cheers you on to finish the race. All the rest of us are shown to be constantly involved in running the race. Running the race requires the active exercise of our faith. That is where our writer has taken us, showing us that the Christian life is meant to be lived-or run, and every day with its multiplied demands, only call for greater endurance in the race. How do we apply our faith to the race of the Christian life? The race involves preparation, obligation, and continuation. Let us consider these, as fellow runners in the race.

 

I. Preparation for the race

 

I have often thought that the course at Shelby Farms looks so inviting. But I dare not attempt it without first making preparation. The Christian race requires preparation as well. Our writer has clearly demonstrated that we cannot enter the race without first being in relationship to Jesus Christ by faith. Unless we know Him as our great high priest, who has mediated the new covenant through the shedding of his blood, then we cannot participate in the race. At this point in his epistle our writer has explained the dimensions of the gospel over and over, and now he enjoins believers to run the race of the Christian life. What is involved in preparation?

 

1. Look

 

There is a clear connection between the narrative exhortations of chapter 11 and our text. "Therefore" is not your ordinary "therefore" that we find throughout the New Testament. Instead it intensively draws together into a climax the preceding argument. In the case of this passage, it is the argument that believers in every generation have lived by faith in the Lord. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval" (11:1-2). Then he concludes in verse 39-40, "And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect." Having been approved by God through faith in Him, our writer reminds us that this same kind of faith is still the only means God approves to enter into relationship with Him and walk with Him (11:6). So we are pointed back to those who have already completed the race to see that we too can run the race of the Christian life by faith: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, ...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." 

 

The language is vivid. There's no doubt that the "cloud of witnesses surrounding us" are those he has just described who faced all manner of difficulty through faith in the Lord. "Cloud of witnesses" was not an unusual term in the first century. It implied a great mass of people brought together in unity for a particular purpose. Our writer tells us that they are "witnesses," those who bear clear testimony to the faithfulness of our Lord who completes the work he begins in us (Phil 1:6). One writer suggests that the language might even refer to the relay race, with the "witnesses" being the ones who have completed their portion of the race and have passed the baton on to us. Now they stand "surrounding us," as though towering above us to cheer us on in the race. Like Abel, "through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks" (11:4) [Leon Morris, EBC, 133]. Their testimonies cheer us through the difficult days of opposition, persecution, and affliction. Those recounted for us in Hebrews 11 were not of the lot who just showed up for the race but did not run. They completed the race and found "approval through their faith" in the sight of God (11:39).

 

I recall some particularly difficult days through which I was passing in my own Christian race. I felt buffeted on every side, and wondered if I could maintain the endurance necessary for the race. I would sit in my bed at night and read George Whitefield's Journal, soaking up page after page in the life of that faithful witness, as he recounted those days in Britain and the American Colonies where he heralded the gospel in the face of great odds. Inevitably, after looking at Whitefield's witness I felt encouraged to press on for another day and to face another battle. Time and again, looking at the life of Joseph or Daniel or Martin Luther or William Tyndale or William Carey or Martyn Lloyd-Jones or Jim Elliot has encouraged me. They have joined that great "cloud of witnesses surrounding us," to give us a clear grasp of enduring the race by faith in the Lord. To prepare for the race we must look at the "cloud of witnesses."

 

2. Lay aside

 

In light of the "cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also [i.e., just like them] lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us." As we have seen throughout this study in Hebrews, faith demands action. Faith is not a passive wishful thinking, but a call to action in dependence upon the Lord. In this case, the call to action involves laying aside anything that impedes our progress in running the race of the Christian life. To "lay aside" is a word used of taking off one's clothing. The middle voice reminds us that it is an action that the believer himself takes rather than someone doing it for him. No one can lay aside for you the encumbrances and sins that hinder your Christian life-you must do it by faith. The present tense verb calls to mind that this process continues throughout our lives until we cross the Golden Shore. We must never think that we have totally arrived in maturity or in the work of sanctification.

 

Our pastoral writer gets specific: "let us lay aside every encumbrance." This word refers to something of mass or bulky. As for the runner, he would lay aside any extraneous clothing so that nothing would hinder his movement in the race. He would also keep his weight down and maintain leanness suitable for the race. This "encumbrance" may not at all refer to sin (though it is possible) but to the superfluous in our lives, those things that are not inherently evil or sinful but hinder us nonetheless in running the race, as we ought to run [Morris 134].

 

How do we know what to lay aside as far as encumbrances? Often we look at things in our lives, the music we listen to, the books we read, the things we watch, the entertainment that we enjoy, the hobbies we indulge in, and say, "What's wrong with it?" By that we do things that are perhaps not necessarily sinful in themselves and think that because we are not intentionally sinning then it is okay. We may even become rather smug and self-righteous in vindicating our actions. But instead we need to ask the question, "Does this thing help me to run the race of the Christian life more effectively?" "Does this encumber me in the race or help me to make progress?" There's nothing inherently wrong with a runner wearing sweat pants and a down jacket, but it will encumber him in the race! What are those areas in your life that perhaps are not evil, yet they have become an encumbrance to you making progress in running the race? We must "lay aside every encumbrance" so that we can "run with endurance the race set before us" [I'm grateful for some of these insights through John Piper's sermon on this text at www.soundofgrace.com/piper97/8-17-97.htm]

 

But we must also lay aside sin: "let us also lay aside...the sin which so easily entangles us." The terminology pictures something that wraps around the legs or arms of the runner and slows his progress, perhaps even trips him up. Is that not an apt picture of sin in the life of the Christian? We all identify with this picture. What are the sins that are entangling you right now? He is not telling us an impossible dream, but exhorting us to take action necessary to deal with our sin. To do this we must become earnest and forthright in examining our lives, and calling sin-sin in our lives. In recognizing sin we must hate it, be repulsed by it, and consequently agonize over its presence in our lives. With the old Puritan, Thomas Manton, we must agree, "My business is not to pleasure the flesh, but to please the Lord" [The Works of Thomas Manton, II, 419]. This is why our writer commands us to turn our eyes away from all other affections and look on Jesus Christ. For it is in seeing him, fixing our gaze upon him in all of his purity, that we begin to "hate[ing] even the garment polluted by the flesh" (Jude 23).

 

In evaluating the encumbrances and sins that entangle us, "Don't rise up against the Bible at this point and say, 'I can't change'," writes John Piper. "It is an assault on God if you read Hebrews 12:1 and go away saying: 'It can't happen. Hindrances can't be removed. Sins can't be laid aside.' God has not spoken this command for nothing. And this entire book is written to undergird these practical commands" [op. cit.].

 

II. Obligation in the race

 

I think one of the biggest dangers we face among evangelicals comes with the consumerist mentality that has shifted over to churches. Many professing believers think that the "race" is for others, those who really want to pursue an unusually high level of Christian living, but for the rest of us, we can coast. But we must keep in mind the focus of this epistle, written to ordinary Christians facing extraordinary circumstances. How were they to live as Christians when persecution loomed before them and their stability threatened by encroaching Judaism? Let me ask this question in a bit different way. How are you to live the Christian life in light of the changing and challenging circumstances going on right now? The media consistently portrays biblical Christianity in a poor light, and ironically goes out of the way to portray Islam as a peaceful, gentle religion. Threats of terrorism continue to capture headlines every single day, and people worry about just making it through the day. Economic instability casts doubt on plans for the future. We watch one nation after another clamp down on open Christian evangelism, and wonder if it might happen here. How are you to live the Christian life in the face of these things?

 

1. Run

 

You are not told to walk (not in this context at least) or to sprint or to creep along but "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." The word for "race" is properly considered as a "struggle" (Greek: agon, hence the English, agony). So when we think of the Christian life we must never think of something casual or passive or merely entertaining. We are dealing with an eternal life and death struggle! Yes, our race's finish was secured at the cross, but we are still commanded to "run with endurance."  My brethren, it is time to run! Some of you may be coasting or panting on the sidelines. It is time to run! Some of you may be complaining about the condition of the course. It is time to run! Some of you may be out of shape spiritually, and offering multiplied excuses for your lethargy. It is time to run!

 

What are you to run? You are to run "the race that is set before us." The use of the present participle reminds us that the course continually stretches out before each one of us. I think Kent Hughes is right, "We each have a specific course mapped out for us, and the course for each runner is unique" [Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. II, 160]. The terrain varies; the obstacles are different; the hindrances take different shapes and levels of intensity, but the reality is that each of us can finish the race because of Jesus Christ who has gone before us. Paul spoke of his own race: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (II Tim 4:7).

 

"Run with endurance," we are told. That word has been generously sprinkled throughout this epistle (10:32, 36; 12:7). It means that you patiently bear up under the load. It is the same word in the next verse used to describe our Lord at the cross, patiently enduring the agony of the cross. This means that being a Christian is not easy; you are called to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). Like Paul to Timothy, we are to suffer hardship with our brethren as good soldiers of Christ (II Tim 2:3). "Endurance" also means that we do not quit or give up. Some of you may be right at this point. Let me exhort you, if you are in relationship to Jesus Christ, then "run with endurance the race set before us." You can run because Christ has run before you.

 

2. Focus

 

When he makes what seems to be such an impossible demand (at least on many occasions), as our writer has done consistently throughout this epistle, he immediately turns our focus to Jesus Christ: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." This is not mysticism but practical Christianity. "Fixing our eyes" is a verb that means we must first turn our eyes away from what has had our attention and affections, and then focus upon Jesus Christ. Are there other things that have your focus, your affections? Are there other things that seem to have more importance for you than Jesus Christ? You must look away from those things and look to Christ. He must be the object of your devotion and the desire of your deepest affections.

 

How are we to fix our eyes on Jesus? Obviously we cannot do this physically. But we must see through the teaching of Scripture the full and wonderful revelation of Him. Our writer directs our attention to the endurance of Christ as he bore the judgment of God for us at the cross. While we somewhat glamorize the cross, it was not so in the first century. Crucifixion was shameful. Cicero called it "most brutal and hateful," and railed against the governor of Sicily who dared to crucify a Roman citizen [P. Hughes, The Epistle to the Hebrews, 524]. Just as we think of the electric chair or the gas chamber as shameful, even more so the cross was reserved for only the worst criminals in the empire. And yet the spotless Son of God "endured the cross, despising the shame," on our behalf. The whole message of the gospel must be part of our daily lives, focusing upon Jesus Christ who died the shameful death of the cross on our behalf. And how did he endure the cross? Notice what gave our Lord the strength to endure: "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross." Just as the race is set before us, joy was set before our Lord. The present tense of "set before" carries the idea of a joy that continues throughout eternity, a joy that he is still experiencing. The joy of completing the work the Father had given Him to do enabled our Lord to endure. The joyous thought of the complete satisfaction of his work on the cross and in the resurrection in "bringing many sons to glory" brought forth great endurance. And the knowledge that upon completion of his work he would sit "down at the right hand of the throne of God" kept him pressing on. Do you see what Jesus did? He was not bound by the experiences of the temporal but looked to the eternal joy at the end of his endurance.

 

Jesus Christ has set the stage for us. He is "the author and perfecter of faith," the one who begins our faith and the one who completes it. Here is the implication: since Christ endured the cross for the joy set before him, we can surely do the same as those in union with him. He who begins a good work in us will complete it (Phil 1:6). See the great satisfaction of Christ and find encouragement to keep enduring, knowing that Jesus has finished the work of your salvation, and even when things are most difficult, you can endure because Jesus Christ "endured the cross."

 

III. Continuation of the race

 

So let the race continue! Keep running since you have "the author and perfecter of faith" sitting "at the right hand of the throne of God" where he intercedes for you, and where he remains as the assurance that because of Him you can endure the race.

 

1. Consider

 

The Greek brings out the third verse strongly: "For consider such a One having endured with finality under sinners' hostility against Him, in order that you may not grow weary, your souls' losing heart." "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." The word "consider" demands meditation upon Christ. You are to give every consideration and thought to the way Christ endured the open hostility of sinful men without succumbing to sin or diminishing his joy. "Consider such a One," there is none like Jesus Christ. You cannot overfill your mind with thoughts on him. I think there is a sense that the writer personalizes the work of Christ regarding the plight facing these believers. They looked opposition, persecution, open attacks, and possibly death in the face. So he insists that they consciously meditate upon Jesus Christ, and his joyful endurance of the cross, so that they might be able to endure whatever comes their way.

 

In a very practical sense, here is where we find worship undergirding the whole race of the Christian life. In worship you are focusing and considering the Lord, looking upon every attribute, thinking upon every detail of his redemptive work, contemplating every promise, and living in the assurance of his blessed presence. What happens to the believer when he worships? He is ready to storm the gates of hell, to face any difficulty, to endure every trial. Worship, while offering the Lord the worth due to his name, transforms the Christian, and overflows into a divine means for enduring the race set before us. I would add to this the disciplines of meditation, Bible study, and prayer, for in each of these we are considering Him.

 

Do you desire to run the race with endurance, to not faint in weariness? Then I exhort you to "consider Him."

 

2. Faint not

 

These first century brethren faced a great danger: growing weary in the race and giving up. The wearying grind of consistent opposition, constant threats, and intimidation made them feel as though their backs were against the wall. So this wise pastor tells them what to do, "Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself," the same kind of things they were feeling, "so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." The original language suggests that coming to the place of weariness will result in a continual sense of fainting or losing heart. What wearies us? It is the constant barrage of opposition and difficulty along the race. But the way to deal with this is to continue in the race by considering Him. Let me put it like this: passionate worship and regular meditation upon Jesus Christ will sustain you in every situation, so that you will be able to run the race with endurance, and not faint.

 

Conclusion

 

Are you one who is weary and fainting? Or perhaps you are one who is lethargic when it comes to the race of the Christian life. Then take heart! See the cloud of witnesses urging you on. Deal with the encumbrances and sins that hinder your running, and run with endurance with your focus fixed upon Christ, and your energy buoyed by worshiping Him. Run the race with endurance to the glory of Jesus Christ.

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