Hebrews 12

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector 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. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The cloud of witnesses the author references are the ones listed in the great hall of faith found in the previous chapter. In light of these, I am told to lay aside sin and run with endurance the race Christ set before me. I picture a runner taking everything off that could possibly slow him down so he might run the race well. Take off the backpack you are wearing. Remove the chain around your feet, the ropes that tie your feet together. It seems like what the author is saying is: Let it go! Let go of whatever it is that holds you back. Is it worth the price of your freedom to continue to hold on so tightly to it? This is one of the biggest lessons Christ has taught and is teaching me. I go back to the scene in Indiana Jones where Indiana is trying to reach for the cup of Christ, almost to his death. His dad tells him, "Indiana, let it go." This is what the author is saying. Let it go. Let go of the encumbrances and sin that entangle you. Let go of the things that hold you back from running the race well. I can run better, more freely, faster, and with less weariness when I lay aside those things.

What are some lessons from this passage? I want to consider at least four.

The first step to running the race Christ has before me is to consider those who have run it before me. Learn from their successes and failures. Look for those encumbrances and sin in my life that they too struggled with and held them back. This is a critical point. Sin likes to hide. It thrives in darkness and secrecy, even from the self. Looking at the lives of this cloud of witnesses will allow me to better see the potential pitfalls and danger zones. It will help me identify those things in my life that I need to let go. What made the great men of faith trip up? What areas of my life, especially as a man, do I need to be especially on guard against?

My response to sin, to these encumbrances, is what counts. David sinned sexually, Moses was angry and hit the rock, Abraham lied twice to Pharaoh about his wife. And yet one was a man after God's own heart, one was the meekest man to ever walk the earth, and one was the friend of God. It was not that these men of faith were sinless, but they were repentant. They let it go!

The second step to running the race well is to lay aside sin – this letting go process. In looking at the testimony of this cloud of witnesses, and the state of my own life, what are those encumbrances and sin that entangle me that I have identified? It is difficult to run the race with great burdens on my back. And yet I need to make sure that in my letting go that I am laying aside my encumbrances, not looking at what I think others should be doing. It is difficult to run a race when I am looking at what everyone else is doing. I am called to repent of my sin and lay aside my encumbrances.

The third step is to run this race with endurance. This is not a 50 yard dash, but a marathon of life. I am to run it with endurance, which means I don't start off at a full sprint, but pacing myself. The diligent practice of the spiritual disciplines, the patient pursuit of God, growing in intimacy with Him, day after day, will allow me to run the race with endurance. This is not to say that passion is bad. It is a wonderful thing. When I build a fire fast-burning items are needed to light the fire properly. But it is the logs, the slower burning objects, that provide the long-lasting heat and comfort the fire gives. The pursuit of God will place those logs on my fire so that it might endure.

And fourth, we run this race with our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. It does no good to run the wrong race. The finish line is Christ. He is where I want to be (in the presence of God) and if I am running with Him in my sights, I am running in the right direction. And I am running with Him as my encouragement. I fix my eyes on Christ with an intense force. I am to glue my eyes on Christ. Don't look around at others, look at Christ.

One encouragement in this passage is found in the words "author and perfector of faith". The author of Hebrews is saying that Christ not only designed it, but He built it! He wrote and played the song. He wrote, directed, and produced the movie. He did it all! The race can be run with endurance because it is running towards one Who has completed it and laid it out for us. Why would He give us a race we could not run? In His strength, we can!

1. Identify
2. Repent
3. Endure
4. Focus