Endure

As we approach Hebrews, 12, I want you to know that I really love this chapter, and so we are going to spend a couple of weeks on it. This morning, we are going to look at the first 13 verses this morning, and then next week we will finish the remaining 15 verses. So, with that, will you turn in your Bibles with me this morning to Hebrews 12 and we will read verse 1-13.

The word cloud used in this passage emphasizes a large, multitude. Another word would be “throng” – we saw some of those who make up this cloud in chapter 11. The last verse of chapter 11 reminded us how impressive this body of the faithful is. The picture painted for us is one of these faithful champions cheering on Christians who are now running the race of faith. It would be like Mark Allen, 6-time Iron Man Champion running next to Ryan Cash in the Spring Dash cheering him on, saying,“go Ryan! You can do it!" It should inspire us to know that we have these greats who have gone before us “witnessing” what we are doing. They are not spectators, but those who have completed the same race we are running in Christ. They have stood on the victor’s stand and received their eternal reward. Their lives, their stories and their examples should shout to us, “By God’s grace, you can run! By God’s grace, you can make it! By God’s grace, you can have life to the full in Christ!”

In light of their testimony we run – in light of their examples, we endure. How do we do it, though? The writer of Hebrews gives us the first of two exhortations in Hebrews 12. Remember at the root of exhortation is encouragement. It will require obedience and change on our part – but it’s not a negative - the results of our obedience to these exhortations will yield positive results.

So, this first exhortation is, “Let us throw off everything that hinders…” Again, the picture here is of a runner. Have you ever seen what runners wear? Not much. Thin shorts, thin lightweight tank top, lightweight shoes. Have you ever seen a well-trained runner? Through diet, exercise and training, they have trimmed off excess body weight – there’s less to carry – less resistance. They jettison anything that will get in the way of them being able to run freely. How much more then should you and I jettison our entangling sin? All sin needs to be put aside. Picture a runner with his feet caught in vines – picture a runner whose shorts have fallen down around his feet. He trips and falls – sin does the same to us in the race of faith. I should have titled the sermon, “Don’t Run with Your Pants Down” – but that may not have been a good idea. What did the old guy sing on American Idol? "Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground?” Anyway…
When we have thrown aside our sin, thrown aside our distractions, we are able to run with perseverance the race marked out for us – just like this cloud of witnesses ran their races. Isn’t it awesome to know that God has marked out our course? It has been marked out clearly for us through Jesus Christ. Jesus, too, has run this race and has given us the ability to reach the finish line. The superiority of His nature, the superiority of His sacrifice, the superiority of His Priesthood all give us the ability to “finish strong.” That is why these Hebrew believers, and now us, are being told to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Why? He is the author of our faith – He is the perfecter of our faith. Jesus Christ Himself is the “something better” we have that those who have gone before us didn’t have. To focus on the finish line is to focus on Christ. Abraham and Moses kept their eyes of faith focused on the eternal but invisible goal – you and I need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Jesus became the author and perfecter of our faith through His suffering. Verse 2 says, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The joy in part is being seated at His rightful position with the Father, but it is also in bringing God’s sons and daughters across the finish line into God’s presence. For that reason, He endured the cross. He endured pain, endured shame and death. This is the only place in the New Testament where we are told that Jesus endured the cross. The conclusion of Christ’s endurance was to be seated at God’s right hand. He now eternally resides in the presence of God, through His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, He has the ability to bring us eternally into God’s presence as well. We fix our eyes on Jesus, because He is the One that grace is available through. He has endured. He makes it possible for believers to have a successful completion to our race. Since Christ has endured and overcome, we, through Him can be victorious. We look to Him for our strength. We look to Him for our supply so that we do not grow weary and lose heart. With His help, we can make the finish line.
Beginning in verse four, the author begins to talk about discipline. He talks about the struggle with sin – but our struggle with sin, doesn’t compare to what Christ went through to conquer sin and death. The Hebrew Christians haven’t yet faced a martyr’s death – but they are in danger – danger of becoming discouraged. So the author reminds them with an exhortation from Proverbs 3:11-12. The original readers, and now us are being reminded that we are sons and daughters of God. God, as our Father, has the right to discipline us, so that we can endure to the end. Warren Wiersbe says, “Chastening [or discipline] is the evidence of the Father’s love. Satan wants us to believe the difficulties of this life are proof that God does not love us, but just the opposite is true. Sometimes God’s chastening is seen in His rebukes from the Word or from circumstances.” Gareth Cockerill says, “The preacher [the author of Hebrews] urges his hearers to endure the sufferings they face as formative discipline because of their status as sons.” All of us have had a father, an earthly father of some sort, and if he was good father, he had to discipline us. I did not have an earthly father who disciplined me – and let me tell you, now that I am a father, I understand and appreciate the difficulties my mom had to go through as single parent, but I understand a lot of what I missed in that critical relationship. If a child is left to himself, he will grow up selfish. My sons receive discipline from me, and one day, I hope they see that this not only proves that I love them, but it proves my diligence to them as their father. God’s discipline is proof that we are indeed His children. Our heavenly Father wants us to learn to revere Him, to obey Him, and be submissive to His will. We endure recognizing that God is instructing us and correcting us. That is the root concept of the Greek word that is translated as “discipline” – instruction and correction. Sports teams have coaches for a reason. Even individual athletes, like the ice skaters skating at the Arena the past week, have coaches – people who instruct, correct, train – people who discipline the athlete and hold them accountable so that they can do their best when the time comes. So we endure whatever suffering, whatever difficult circumstances we face, recognizing it as a form of discipline. We endure as sons and daughters of the Father. When we respond appropriately to God’s discipline, we experience His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy and we find rest in Him.
Discipline is not always pleasant – it is not pleasant either for the father or the children. How many times as a parent have we said or thought, “this hurts me more than it hurts you.” How many of us heard that as children? The Father does not enjoy disciplining His children, but the benefits are evidence of His love. And from that discipline comes a “harvest of righteousness and peace.” The KJV says it produces the “peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Willful rebellion ends, and the child enters a loving relationship with the Father. Discipline also encourages us to “exercise” spiritually. We can have self-discipline through the practice of Bible study, prayer and Christian fellowship. All of this leads to joy in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
The example of Christ and the certainty of God’s love for us should be an encouragement for us to endure the difficulties we face in this “race.” This morning, if you are here and you are in a difficult place - experiencing difficult life circumstances, facing difficult trials, may you experience the assurance and joy of the Father’s love for you. If you have committed your life to Him through Jesus Christ, you are His son – you are His daughter. Endure! Endure with confidence that God is going to produce in and through you a harvest of righteousness and peace.