Faith that Perseveres

All right, let's read from the Bible together.

We're reading from the New Testament.

! Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 to 3.

Hebrews 12:1–3

And we've been in a series on Hebrews 11,

but the logic of Hebrews 11 goes into the beginning of chapter 12,

and so that's where we are tonight.

And this is our final look at this series.

And this is God's Holy Word.

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,

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.

Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself,

so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted.

This is God's Holy Word.

Well, we turn tonight to those verses that Corrie read for us

at the beginning of Hebrews chapter 12,

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

as we conclude our series, our short series,

looking through Hebrews 11 and into 12.

Chariots of Fire was one of the finest,

most successful British films of the 1980s.

It's the story, many of you will know it,

the story of two sprinters, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams,

making their way, really, to success in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

It was a film that received, I think, four Academy Awards,

numerous other accolades.

And there's a scene in the film that depicts Eric Liddell falling early in a kind of 440-yard race.

It was in a Scotland-France athletics meeting.

The scene was filmed here in Edinburgh, just along Golden Acre.

And it was based on a real incident.

The actual race in which it happened took place rather in a triangular contest

between Scotland, England, and Ireland at Stoke and Trent, July 1923.

Liddell was knocked to the ground several strides into the race.

He hesitated.

He got up.

He pursued his opponents.

They were some 20 yards ahead.

He caught the leaders shortly before the finish line and collapsed as he crossed the tape.

Eric Liddell was not a man for giving up.

And as we've noted over the last few weeks,

chapter 11 of Hebrews was written,

And indeed, the whole of the letter was written to encourage really a group of Hebrew Christians

to press on in the way of faith and not to give up.

These Christians were finding the going tough.

Surrounded by much opposition and antagonism,

there was a real danger that some might throw in the towel

and return to their old pattern of life.

And so, here in these opening verses of chapter 12,

after that long list of Old Testament saints who traveled the way of faith,

a writer, in a sense, draws his argument to a close and makes his application.

That application will continue through Hebrews 12.

And in a sense, he wants us to understand

that all that he has been writing about

has been for us,

for you and for me,

as well as for the original readers.

Paul in Romans 15 verse 4 writes this,

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written in former days

was written for our instruction,

that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures,

we might have hope.

Hebrews 12, these verses were written for us tonight

to bring us hope and to bring us encouragement,

to help us endure in the way of faith.

Because sometimes that is what we need.

We need encouragement.

We need to be helped.

Opposition, bereavement and loss,

sinful mistakes, disappointments,

relationship problems,

family difficulties,

ill health.

All these things and many more

can often wear us down and cause us to despair.

We too, like these Hebrews of old,

live in challenging times.

It's easy for us to become tired or worn out

by the pressures of a world

that is hostile to our faith.

And sometimes that temptation to give up

or throw in the towel is very real.

Sometimes we can be tired and worn out

and feel our faith flagging.

And so, let's listen carefully

as our writer exhorts us

to continue in the way of faith.

Here's vital medicine, if you like,

for our souls,

for those times when we feel more like

giving up than going on.

And I want to highlight five things

from our text this evening.

I'm checking the clock at the back,

so I don't know if it's stopped or not,

but five things.

First thing,

there's a race set before us.

There's a race set before us.

Many of you will know this image,

running a race,

is an oft-used metaphor

drawn from the popular games

of the Greco-Roman world,

commonly used by many ancient philosophers,

Greek philosophers,

to illustrate the demands

of the moral and ethical life.

And in the New Testament,

Paul, in particular,

uses this image

to illustrate the demands

of Christian discipleship.

So, Paul uses it

in places like 1 Corinthians 9, 24.

He says,

Do you not know

that in a race

all the runners run,

but only one receives the prize?

So run that you may obtain it.

Every athlete exercises

self-control in all things.

They do it to receive

a perishable wreath,

wee and imperishable.

Galatians 5, 7,

he writes,

You were running well.

Who hindered you

from obeying the truth?

Philippians 2, 16,

he talks about

not running the race in vain.

And in his very final letter,

as he faces execution,

he describes himself

as one who has finished the race.

And here,

the author of Hebrews

picks up and develops

that self-same image

and exhorts his readers

in these opening verses

of chapter 12,

Let us run with endurance

the race set before us.

He's speaking about

this race of faith.

The idea is not

that we are competing

against one another

in this race,

but we're running rather

the race that God

himself has set before us.

In the race of faith,

we have our course to pursue.

The Christian believer

runs not along,

ultimately,

the route of his or her own choice,

but the route that God

has set before us.

When we become a Christian,

we are entered

into the race of faith.

It's a race,

I think the NIV puts it,

that God has marked out for us.

We do not determine

the length of this race

or the conditions we will face

as we run the race.

These matters are ultimately

in God's hands.

We are not captains

of our own destiny.

We are not ultimately

in control.

That is an illusion.

And yes,

sometimes there are

great and wonderful blessings

that encourage

and stimulate us

as we run this race of faith.

But on other occasions,

that's not the case.

Sometimes there's suffering

and loss.

Faith in Jesus Christ

does not guarantee

immunity from trouble

and distress.

Beware those

who say that it does.

suffering and pain

are not a sign

of the failure of faith.

At times,

that's quite the reverse.

And that is what

these Hebrew Christians

were discovering.

God has set

a race before us

if you're a Christian believer

tonight.

How are you running

the race of faith?

There's a race set before us.

Second thing,

there are witnesses

that surround us

in this race.

Therefore,

since we are surrounded

by so great

a cloud

of witnesses.

The use of the

athletic games metaphor

has led many

to conclude

that the great cloud

of witnesses

mentioned here

are in fact

a great crowd

of witnesses.

They believe

these witnesses

are like spectators

watching from the stand.

And there may be

something in that,

but I don't think

that is the dominant

picture here at all.

It is a cloud

of witnesses,

not a crowd

of witnesses.

These men

of women of faith

in Hebrews 11

are witnesses,

not of those

running the race

of faith now,

but rather witnesses

to God's great

faithfulness.

The Greek word

used here

is a word

from which we get

our word martyr.

In the race

of faith,

we are not alone.

There are those

who have gone

before us,

whose lives

bear testimony

to God's,

to God's saving

and keeping power.

And we are to

draw strength

from the faithful

testimony

of those

who have gone

ahead of us.

These men

and women

are not dead

examples,

they are living

witnesses.

though they

have died,

yet they

still speak.

And their

testimony

and witness

is this,

that the life

of faith

is worth it.

Sometimes,

and I imagine

that was the case

for these

Hebrew Christians,

sometimes the

kind of question

that confronts

us

as Christians

is,

you know,

is it worth it?

we may face

the challenge

to give ourselves

wholeheartedly

and completely

to God,

but we wonder,

will it be worth it?

And then we get

to catch a glimpse

of Abel

and his life

and witness

is that it is

surely worth it.

The commendation

of God

is worth

everything

and anything.

we may ask,

is it really

worthwhile

to walk

with God,

even if it

means there

are places

I can't go

and things

I shouldn't do?

And Enoch's

testimony is yes,

for the walk

of faith

leads to life.

We ask ourselves,

is the gospel

really true?

Is there

really a place

of protection

from the coming

wrath and judgment

of God?

And Noah

reminds us

that when the storm

of God's wrath

comes,

there is a place

of safety

for sinners.

And God

is slow

to reveal

His purposes

in our lives

when nothing

seems to be

making sense.

Is it worth

waiting?

Is it worth

persevering?

Is it worth

being patient?

And Abraham

stands and he

says yes.

Is faith

worth it

when it means

the loss

of wealth

or status

or career?

Moses

tells us

that it is

worth losing

even the

treasures

of an empire

to know

and serve

and worship

Jesus Christ.

And what

then about

suffering

and death?

The martyrs

rise,

their lives

testifying

that even

suffering

and loss

and death

are worth

it to be

found as

men and

women

in Jesus

Christ.

Here is the

church of

the past

speaking to

the church

of today.

Wonderful

solidarity

between God's

people down

through the

ages,

the communion

of saints,

the church

triumphant,

the great

company of the

redeemed,

leaning over the

ramparts of

heaven and

encouraging us

to stay on

course,

to stay on

track.

The dead

are not

dead to

us.

They are

alive.

They are

encompassed

about us.

This great

cloud is

there not

to applaud

us, but

to exhort

us.

Their

presence is

a summons

to run

the race

of faith.

That's why

it's so

important that

we are, as

we were

thinking this

morning,

students of

Scripture.

Yes,

sometimes we

can read

Christian

biographies,

and sometimes

one can feel

quite inadequate.

Often faults

and failings

are kind

of glossed

over.

It's not

the case with

Scripture,

is it?

Noah,

Abraham,

Moses,

David.

We discover

how patient

God was

with His

people of

old.

God's

strength

made perfect

amid all

their human

frailties and

weakness.

The biblical

record of

their lives

and their

achievements

confirms to

us that

persevering

faith is

always worth

it, because

it issues

in great

reward.

And this

great cloud

of witnesses

encourages us

then to

keep on

running the

race of

faith.

There's a

race set

before us.

There are

witnesses that

surround us.

Third thing,

there are

things that

hinder us.

Let us

also lay

aside every

weight and

sin which

clings so

closely.

Those running

the race of

faith must

be vigilant

in casting

off anything

that would

hinder their

progress.

Again, the

imagery most

likely borrowed

from the

rigorous discipline

and training of

those competing

in the ancient

athletic arena.

Contestants in

these ancient

games trained

under very,

very strict rules.

Thirty days

before the games

began, they

came together

under close

supervision.

They exercised

regularly.

They followed a

strict regime

in order to

be able to

compete.

Weight was

kept to a

minimum.

Anything likely

to impede

their progress

was cast

aside.

And the

idea here is

that the

Christian

disciple must

likewise throw

off or cast

aside anything

that might

slow him or

her down in

the race of

faith.

Those ancient

athletes carried

nothing with

them in the

race.

They ran

naked because

they didn't

want to be

held back in

any way.

And the

Christian must

travel light in

the race of

faith.

Our writer,

you'll notice,

mentions these

two things likely

to slow a

believer down in

this race.

And the first

of these is

what he calls

weight.

Lay aside,

he says,

every weight.

Of course,

there are

weights in

life that

have to

be carried.

Family and

work responsibilities,

maybe health

problems and

challenges as

we advance

in years.

That's not

what's in

view here.

In effect,

the weight

that's being

referred to

is the

weight of

an idol,

really.

The excess

baggage of

those things

that draw

from us,

that energy

and commitment

and love,

that should

be for

our Savior.

They restrict

our usefulness

for God.

They hold

us back

from making

progress,

from growing.

Hinder and

they handicap

us in making

it difficult

for us to be

effective

disciples of

Jesus.

forgiveness.

You know,

sometimes we

can hold

on to

things very,

very tightly

in the

Christian life,

good things.

Sometimes even

ministries,

we can hold

on to them.

Instead of

holding them

lightly,

we're grasping

them so

tightly.

Sometimes they

need to be

laid aside.

the love

of ease,

the desire

for respectability,

an excessive

fondness

for worldly

comforts.

How foolish

we can be

when we

pick up

these burdens,

these unhelpful

entanglements

that are likely

to trip us

up or

slow us

down with

their weight.

And then

the second

thing

mentioned

here,

of course,

is sin

itself.

which we're

told clings

so closely.

NIV, I

think,

puts it

the sin

that so

easily

entangles.

Sin is a

crippling

hindrance

to running

the race

of faith.

And the

idea here

is of

something

that would

trip up

the runner,

cause them

to stumble

or fall.

Sin is to

be put

away.

It's to

be thrown

off.

It's to

be discarded.

Running

the race

of faith

means

really

a

lifelong

struggle

or battle

with sin.

In the

race of

faith,

we're

constantly,

every day,

we are to

be throwing

off sin.

This is

what

Christians

of a

previous

generation

knew as

mortification,

putting

sin to

death.

We need

to understand

whether

we're a

young

Christian,

whether

we've been

a Christian

for many,

many years.

There is

no quick

fix in

dealing

with sin.

There's

no magic

wand that

we can

wave that

will eradicate

it.

And those

that peddle

such

experiences

and teachings

around the

churches

do

incalculable

harm to

the spiritual

well-being

of many.

Sinful

attitudes,

actions,

patterns of

behavior are

to be

continually

and ruthlessly

dealt with.

Sin is not

to be

cuddled,

it's not

to be

caressed,

it's not

to be

fondled,

it's to

be

discarded.

Remember

Paul writing

to the

Colossians,

Colossians 3

5,

he says,

put to

death

therefore

whatever

belongs

to your

earthly

nature,

sexual

immorality,

impurity,

lust,

evil desires,

and greed,

which is

idolatry.

And that

means there

are things

that have

to be

put off.

We actually

have to

do that.

They're not

going to

be taken

from us

in this

life.

Pornographic

images

need to

be put

away.

Programs

or films

that are

a stumbling

block,

maybe the

TV package

has to

be terminated,

the internet

or phone

account

restricted.

Remember

Jesus'

words,

and if

your hand

or your

foot

causes you

to sin,

cut it

off and

throw it

away.

And if

your eye

causes you

to sin,

tear it

out and

throw it

away.

Ah,

yes,

of course.

By itself

doing these

things is

never enough

to avoid

sin.

Because the

problem is

not on the

computer screen

or TV

or the

phone line.

Of course,

the problem

is in

the heart.

And that's

why just

saying no

is never

enough.

Self-discipline,

moral effort,

yes,

they are

required.

But on

their own,

they're never

enough.

We need

what Thomas

Chalmers called

the expulsive

power of

a new

affection.

Our hearts

have to be

taken up,

captivated,

enthralled

by something

bigger and

greater and

more wonderful.

Because the

ultimate

antidote to

lust or

pride,

selfishness,

is the

love of

Jesus Christ.

The love

that He

demonstrates

for us

on the

cross.

And that's

the one

thing that

God has

in a

sense in

unlimited

supply.

He alone

has the

love to

forgive and

the power

to forgive

our darkest

sins,

to satisfy

our deepest

desires.

And as we

will see in

a moment,

we need to

be looking

to Jesus.

He is to

be our

great desire,

our great

delight,

our first

and greatest

love.

There's a

race set

before us.

There are

witnesses

that encompass

us.

And there are

things that

hinder us

and need to

be put aside.

Fourthly,

there's an

attitude that

must characterize

us.

And let us

run with

endurance,

some

translations

perseverance,

the race

set before

us.

Again,

the race

in mind

here is not

a quick

sprint,

be over

in a few

seconds,

something more

akin to a

long-distance

race,

a marathon,

a cross-country.

And it's

this kind

of race,

of course,

that requires

perseverance

and endurance.

To finish

such a race,

race takes a

degree of

mental toughness,

takes focus,

takes determination.

And the

word here

used,

conveys this

idea of

pressing on

even as

things become

difficult,

like running

into a

headwind.

There's

resistance,

there's

opposition to

be faced.

These things

make progress

in the race

hard and

difficult.

Sometimes the

wind isn't

at our

backs.

We're not

always running

downhill.

I have a

memory from

many years

ago here

in Edinburgh.

I ran

in a

competition,

and it was

a national

boys'

brigade

cross-country

race.

I must have

been about,

I guess,

17 or

18 years

of age,

so that

wasn't

yesterday,

let me

tell you.

And the

course was

set on

Arthur's

seat,

and if

anybody knows

about cross-country

here in

Scotland,

they always

run it in

January.

That's where

it's always

run.

I have no

idea why

they do

that,

but it's

always run

in January.

So you

can imagine

the weather

was awful.

It was cold,

there was snow,

there was sleet

falling,

and we

had to

complete,

I think,

a couple

of laps

of this

course,

and I

remember

after the

first lap

of the

course,

as the

wind and

the snow

stung my

face and

my legs,

I can

remember it

so vividly,

I seriously

thought,

I'm just

going to

jack this

in.

I'm heading

for a

warm shower

before anyone

else gets

there.

I'm giving

up.

But I

didn't want

to

let the

rest of

the team

down.

I'd

started,

and so I

would finish.

I didn't

win a

medal,

I didn't

win a

prize,

but I

completed

the course.

And

sometimes

the race

of faith

is like

that.

It can

be hard,

it can

be uncomfortable,

tough and

testing,

it's

tempting

just

throwing

the towel.

But this

race,

in this

race,

we need

to have

the right

attitude.

We need

to take

the long

term

view.

It will

be a

test of

our staying

power.

On

occasions,

we will

have to

run

through the

pain

barrier.

We will

have to

keep on

going.

It's not

all going

to be

sunshine and

light winds.

We will

feel the

wind in

our face,

but we

will keep

on

keeping

on.

there's

a race

set before

us.

There's

witnesses

that surround

us.

There are

things that

hinder us.

There's an

attitude that

is to

characterize

us.

Fifthly,

that fifth

thing,

and the

most important

thing,

perhaps of

all,

there's a

person who

inspires

us,

looking

to

Jesus,

the founder

and perfecter

of our

faith,

who for the

joy set

before him

endured the

cross,

scorning its

shame,

is seated

at the

right hand

of the

throne of

God.

Where does

the strength

come from

to run

the race

with endurance?

Where do

we obtain

the resources

that we

need to

keep on

keeping

on?

Is it a

case that

we grin

and bear

it?

We try

harder?

We pull

our socks

up.

No,

the strength

that we

need comes

from only

one source,

and that

is from

Jesus

Christ,

the Alpha

and the

Omega,

the author

and finisher

of faith,

the one who

stands at

the beginning

and the

end of the

Christian life,

and indeed

at all

points in

between.

The verb

that's used

here is a

striking one.

It means

to look

away from

everything

else in

order to

fix the

eyes intently

on a single

object.

Away from

the spectators,

away from

the other

runners,

away from

the difficulties

of the course,

away even

from self.

Look

to

Jesus.

Moffat

translates the

verse very

helpfully,

with no

eyes for

anyone or

anything

except

Jesus.

It's easy,

so easy,

to become

distracted,

to fix our

gaze elsewhere,

to think that

progress in

the race of

faith is

really down

to us,

our abilities,

to think

that it's all

about how we

compare or

match up to

others around

us.

How many

Christians spend

their time

thinking about

others,

how they're

doing,

what others

think of

them?

Small wonder

that when

we fix

our gaze

elsewhere,

we find

ourselves

stumbling

or being

tripped up.

Small wonder

that when

we take

our eyes

of Jesus,

that we

begin to

run out

of steam.

Look at

the words

the writer

uses here

to describe

Jesus.

First,

there's a

Greek word,

archegos,

a word that

was used

in classical

Greek.

It referred

to the

great heroes

that founded

their ancient

cities.

Sometimes in

English we

might talk

about a

Founders'

Day,

reference often

to a

school maybe

or an

organization,

the Boys'

Brigade.

I remember

we always

had a

Founders'

Day parade

at the

end of

October

for

William

Alexander

Smith.

The

founder is

not only

the person

who started

the organization

or school,

they're the

person whose

example is

meant to

serve as

a model,

as a

stimulus to

those who

follow.

And yet

that word

can also

be used

in a

slightly

different

sense,

reflected

in some

other

translations

that

translate

the word

pioneer,

someone who

leads,

inspires others

to follow

after them,

a trailblazer,

someone who

goes ahead

and opens

up the way

for others

to follow,

like we

might think

of the

great

explorers

of the

past,

blazed

a trail

into

uncharted,

unmapped,

unknown

territories,

opening up

continents,

and others

followed after

them.

They were

pioneers,

they were

archegos.

Earlier in

the letter,

the writer

calls Jesus

the archegos,

the pioneer

of our

salvation.

But whatever

the idea

that we

take there,

the idea

is basically

the same.

The Christian

faith does

not originate

with us,

but with

Jesus.

He is the

one upon

whom our

faith is

founded.

We believe

in Him,

we trust

in Him,

we follow

Him,

we fix

our eyes

on Him.

He is

the one

who stands

at the

very center

of our

faith and

our lives.

It's

through Jesus

that we

come to

faith.

He is

the one

who establishes

faith in

our hearts.

Paul tells

the Philippians,

He who

began a

good work

in you.

And so we

mustn't take

our eyes

from Him.

The other

words that's

used here

in this

verse to

describe Jesus

is another

Greek word,

teleotin,

finisher,

perfecter.

It comes

from a

Greek word,

telos.

It means

the end

or the

goal or

the purpose.

The form

it has here,

it has the

idea of

completer,

the one

who finishes,

who completes

a job of

work.

Jesus finished

the work

that His

Father gave

Him to do.

On the

cross,

He cried

out,

it is

finished.

He is the

one who

brings faith

to

consummation.

And the

path that

Jesus has

set out

for us

does not

end or

finish in

a dead

end.

For the

joy set

before Him,

He endured

the cross

and scorned

its shame.

And there's

a great paradox

there,

isn't it?

The deepest

sorrow,

the highest

joy,

found in

that same

place,

the cross

of Jesus

Christ.

For

Jesus,

His joy

lay in

the redemption

of His

people,

in the

vindication

of His

Father's

righteousness,

in the

conquest of

Satan,

in the

drawing of

death's sting,

in the

bringing of

many sons

to glory,

in His

enthronement

at the

right hand

of the

majesty on

high,

all the

terrible

horrors of

the cross

swallowed up,

as it were,

by the joy

that was set

before Him.

Now He's

seated at

the right

hand of

the Father,

the race

over,

the struggle

past,

the victory

won.

And from

His throne

He looks

upon us

and He tells

us that

the way

is open,

open to

the guilty

and open

to the weak

and open

to the weary,

open to

sinners.

The way

to God

is now

guaranteed.

The road

has been

built,

and from

His throne

He beckons

us to

look,

to come

to Him

and to

trust Him.

Because it's

in looking

to Jesus

that we

begin the

Christian life.

It's in

looking to

Jesus

that we

continue

in the

Christian

life.

And it's

in seeing

Jesus

that lies

at the

end of

the Christian

life.

Christianity

is Christ.

And if

you want

to explore

the Christian

faith,

you must

consider

Jesus.

You may

want to

talk about

the dinosaurs

and the

age of

the earth

and the

problem of

evil and

all of

these things.

But ultimately,

if you want

to wrestle

and to come

to terms

with Christianity,

you have to

come to

terms with

Jesus Christ.

His life,

His teaching,

His claims,

His death,

His resurrection.

If you want

to grow as

a Christian,

you need to

keep looking

to Jesus.

Corrie was

reminding us

of that this

morning.

Puritan

Richard Sibbes

writes,

Hold your

eyes on

Jesus that

you might

develop a

stronger

appetite for

Him.

Maybe you're

someone who's

worried this

evening about

the future.

I meet lots

of people who

are anxious

about the

future.

Not just

their own

future,

the future

of the

nation,

society,

culture.

Jesus knows

the future.

He has

shaped it.

He's the

same yesterday,

today,

and forever.

Look to

Him.

Or maybe

you're fearful,

afraid,

afraid of

death.

Maybe you

wouldn't admit

that to

others,

but deep

down,

you're scared.

Jesus has

conquered

death and

drawn its

sting.

Fix your

eyes on

Him.

Look to

Him.

Maybe

you're

somewhere

tonight and

you're weighed

down with a

guilty conscience.

Things in

your past that

you think,

I could never

be forgiven

for that.

Let me tell

you that the

blood of

Jesus can

make the

foulest

clean.

The precious

blood of

Christ can

clean anything

and anyone.

Look to

Him.

Or maybe

you're

deeply

insecure,

driven,

your sense

of worth

bound up with

what you're

achieving or

doing,

never really

happy unless

you've got

this or that

or the other

thing,

and nothing

really satisfies.

Let me tell

you that Jesus

Christ is more

than enough to

satisfy the

deepest longings

of the human