Hebrews 12: 1-3
This was to be the final part in this series of tools of the Faith; I think there maybe another one or two of these sermons coming up yet.
In any situation where tools have been used there is often a need for a clean up. A time to get rid of the rubbish, to cast off all the junk and packaging that gets in the way, get the egg shells in the bin, maybe a time to throw out the extra screws that appeared while fixing the toaster or putting that kitset desk together.
With any job there is a time for cleaning up, now some people clean as they go. They do a bit of work and clean up as they go. At any stage they could leave the work site and you would not know that they had been there; these people are in my opinion amazing and rare. Others and this is the group that I am included in do the whole job making a horrible mess and clean up at the end of the job, their focus is on doing the job, not the mess that they are creating, but they also know that the job is not complete until the mess is removed. Then there are those who do the job make a mess and leave the mess for somebody else to clean up, these people often wonder why they are not asked back to do a job again. Then there are others who work in their own space who like this last group never clean up but somehow manage to survive in mess.
The writer of Hebrews had just given his readers in the previous chapter a run down on this great group of heroes of the faith, and here he was pointing out that in life his readers were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
Let’s have a look at Chapter 12 verse 1 and try to figure out why he wrote the way he did. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
The picture that was being portrayed here was one of a sports stadium. Imagine this the heroes of the faith all seated in the stands, looking down upon the Hebrew Christians, the race is about to begin. What was needed for the race to be run?
Firstly a little bit of history. The Hebrew Christians at this stage were mostly second generation Christians and some were wondering if it wouldn’t just be easier to revert back to their old Jewish roots, if the Christian journey was just too hard, you see there was persecution going on, though at this stage none of this group of Christians had been killed for being a Christian, it had happened elsewhere in the world.
Back to the stadium for the beginning of the race, right, they are warming up, the race is to begin in a few minutes. Yes we can see the athletes are taking off their track suits and are now just wearing the essentials for the race.
William Barcley worded verse one this way, “So then in the arena of life we are surrounded by a vast crowd of spectators. We must therefore, as an athlete strips for action, strip off every encumbrance and the sin that clings to us, and we must run with gallant determination the race which stretches in front of us.”
We have a picture of runners wearing just what is essential to compete in the race, they have shaken off everything that gets in the way of their best result. In Biblical times when it came to an athletics race they would have taken off their outer garments, their robes, belts if they were wearing armour or weapons these as well, until quite literally they would be running in their under wear, yip running in their undies.
In verse one there are two things that are mentioned that need to occur before the race can be run properly.
1) a)Remove all those things that hinder the runner. Those outer garments, how many of us enter the Christian race with things that hinder – the experience we have had of formal religion, the abuse that we have suffered at the hands of another or that we’ve dished out that now rides our conscience telling us what a terrible person we are, maybe it’s some painful thing that you’ve carried from childhood, that idea about yourself that says you’re not worthy, not unique, not loved by God, maybe it’s the addiction that calls us first thing in the morning before we listen for the voice of God, this is really a list that can go on and on. But let us throw off everything that hinders – cast it aside, it will only slow you down and wear you out. Cast off the rubbish.
b)While we are celebrating the whole mask mania holiday programme another thing that hinders people is the masks that they wear, not revealing their true selves for fear of what that self would show others, or that that self is not actually very nice, hard to run with a mask, it effects the vision, the breathing, the truth that might be found on the journey. Cast off the rubbish
c)The other thing that we will be slowed down by is the sin that we live in and with, those things that stop us seeing the race track clearly and running to the best of our ability, those things that get in the way of our relationship with God and our fellow athletes. The athletes of old were no different from today’s in that they watched what they were eating, they burnt off the extra fat, they made sure that they were mean lean racing machines.
Sin entangles, it causes us to trip, I don’t think that there’s much need to point out that from the faintly spoken swear word to the taking of another’s life we can find ourselves tripped on our sins lying face down at times, and while we lie there others run towards the finishing straight and the winners podium.
2) When we have cast off this rubbish, the hindrances, the sin, all cast aside we can then “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Imagine it; there you are, (start running) running light weight, no burdens, running at a good pace, able to run fast and fit, not carrying any injuries, able to run with more endurance than you’ve ever had before, and the good thing about this spiritual running is that you don’t need to be physically able – now compare this to the journey that you have travelled in life, remember this race is a long term event, you only get to run it the once. God has a plan for it.
If we cast aside the dross, the sin – that stuff that is common to all of man-kind, hard to believe it, but “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) , even the really nicely spoken, and the wealthy, the beautiful people, All!
We can then run to God’s plan, enduring, not being weary and falling behind. Because we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the rubbish no longer gets in our way.
You see the truth is that once again this comes down to relationship, relationship with God. If the things in our lives take our focus off the plan of God for us, we wander from the track.
Think about this; we are in the spiritual sports stadium once again, running with the bunch or hopefully out in front and there it is; at the side of the track that thing that makes us wonder, stumble, stop, pick it up, walk off in another direction.
If our eyes are on the finishing line do we see it, if our eyes are on Jesus do we see it? “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.”
He’s aware of our struggles; he sees where we are in our race with life. The truth is that only by keeping our eyes fixed on him can we finish well.
You may find this interesting; I once did this driving course called an anti-skid driving course. One of the really valuable learning’s that I got out of it was, that when you drive, you should drive with your eyes looking well ahead maybe a couple of hundred metres ahead, not on the car just in front of you because if an accident occurs you are more likely to avoid the obstacles on the road, travelling through the accident scene. Research had been done and those that focused on the obstacles were often found to drive straight into them. If you focus well ahead you still see the things just in front but you also see well beyond them, the path or road ahead as well.
As Christians we can take a lesson from this if we can focus on Jesus, the– “author and perfecter of our faith” we can see the track just ahead and also beyond. Jesus being our focus keeps the path ahead doable. (SBI)
How often in a day do your thoughts turn to Jesus, honestly? A couple of times, maybe at your quiet time, when saying grace before meals, an hour or so, half the day, all day, you might mention his name when you stub your toe. Depends on the day!
Here’s the author of Hebrews saying Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Jesus being our focus keeps the path ahead doable (SBI)
Then he points out that he endured the cross, scorning its shame, for the joy set before him. He sat down at the right hand of the Father.
3) We can consider him and the suffering he went through so that we can be free from the hindrances, the sin and in doing so; because of Jesus focus and our change of focus we will not grow weary losing heart and falling back into our old ways, the sin that causes us to stumble. Jesus being our focus keeps the path ahead doable (SBI)
So who is it that is in control of the circumstances we find ourselves in, who is it that is responsible to shake off this rubbish that stops us running free, the sin that trips us up, those masks that stop us being revealed that hinder us?
Initially as individuals we are the only ones who are aware, along with God of what those things are. It comes down to individual responsibility. But remember if we see someone struggling, we should offer a hand, a loving caring non-judging hand.
Be aware though that there are some who are content to live lives that are full of burdens, if they have never experienced true freedom from sin, never known what it is to run free on a path marked out for them. They may refuse your help.
The best that you can do for them then is to show them by example – run your track, light weight with your eyes fixed on Jesus!
Show them by your life that having Jesus as your focus has made it possible to run that spiritual race free from the rubbish, and that a different life is achievable.
As always in the Salvation Army there is a place here where people are invited to come and pray, maybe something that has happened today or something that has been said has touched a cord with you, maybe God is speaking to you. Just maybe there is some rubbish that you would like to deal with; we have a place of prayer etc…
Benediction:
May you go from here running light,
Your spiritual journey unhindered,
The rubbish cast to one side,
With your eyes fixed on Jesus, the path is doable!
Amen.
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