How to make it to the end a winner
This week's verses are Hebrews 12:1-3:
Whenever someone shares verses with you that start with the word "therefore," you have to ask yourself what the context is. In our case this week, the previous verses are talking about persevering in faith even during persecution. So Paul, the guy writing, is basically saying "So, this is nothing new at all that people have a lot of troubles during the Christian life." Sometimes it's persecution, seeing your friends tortured and killed, discrimination, sometimes dreams and promises that take years to come to fruition, sometimes other things. There's no shortage of difficulty. Paul himself was beaten, attacked physically and spiritually, slandered, and eventually killed. He's a pro at this. So what's his advice?
Paul says to think of the Christian life like an endurance race. (I personally hate running, so I'll pretend he means a long hike or something instead.) He says to jettison anything that is holding you back. If you're running a marathon and your pants are too tight and you've got a backpack full of stuff you're not going to use during the race, what do you do? You get pants that let you move, and you throw away the heavy stuff you don't need. It's an endurance race. You need to be able to have strength for the long haul.
It's the same with our sin and bad habits. If there's something which weighs you down every time you see it, get rid of it! If something sets you off every time you encounter it, avoid that thing or find someone to help you with it. Is something which makes you angry or depressed or selfish or irresponsible going to help you stay strong in hard times? Probably not.
Everyone has a sweet sin they aren't in a hurry to drop. Maybe it's looking down on others, or complaining, or filling our schedule with so many things we haven't got time for God or the needy. Maybe there's an unhealthy relationship, or maybe there's certain types of people you just can't love or respect. There are as many sins as there are people, and you probably know your sin the best. But nothing that reduces the scope of who you can love or what you can give is going to help you win the race. Whatever is holding you back from living a responsible, loving, Christian life, deal with it in the interests of making it to the finish line.
Paul points to Jesus as the prime example of how to live that life. Jesus knew he had to go to the cross, and he took it like a man. He disregarded the shame of it. That's huge. How many of us, if we had to do something necessary but shameful, could disregard the shame and push through? There's a strength in that which most modern people don't have. Most of us would probably disregard the task rather than push through the shame. Shame caused Adam and Eve to hide themselves from the loving God who created them. It's one of the enemy's best weapons. But to Jesus, the end justified the cost and he pushed through to sit at the right hand of God. For the joy set out for him, he did what it took to become a champion. Our challenge is the same.
So Paul tells us to think about Jesus who had to endure such opposition from losers. Think about the life on the run, the slander and accusations, the betrayal, the beatings, the sham trial and public humiliation, and being nailed to the cross. Tell me, with all of your baggage, that any one of those things wouldn't make you crack? But Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. That means he's showing us the way. He's run the course already.
Whatever slows you down in your Christian walk, think of Jesus who disregarded the shame and did what was necessary to make it to the end. What do you have to do to get there? Is there a hill between now and then that you know is going to be difficult? Better get ready now. Ask God for help. Look to him for help and training. He's given us the path to the joy he has set out for us. And if we take his offer seriously, he'll help us reach the end a winner.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.
Whenever someone shares verses with you that start with the word "therefore," you have to ask yourself what the context is. In our case this week, the previous verses are talking about persevering in faith even during persecution. So Paul, the guy writing, is basically saying "So, this is nothing new at all that people have a lot of troubles during the Christian life." Sometimes it's persecution, seeing your friends tortured and killed, discrimination, sometimes dreams and promises that take years to come to fruition, sometimes other things. There's no shortage of difficulty. Paul himself was beaten, attacked physically and spiritually, slandered, and eventually killed. He's a pro at this. So what's his advice?
Paul says to think of the Christian life like an endurance race. (I personally hate running, so I'll pretend he means a long hike or something instead.) He says to jettison anything that is holding you back. If you're running a marathon and your pants are too tight and you've got a backpack full of stuff you're not going to use during the race, what do you do? You get pants that let you move, and you throw away the heavy stuff you don't need. It's an endurance race. You need to be able to have strength for the long haul.
It's the same with our sin and bad habits. If there's something which weighs you down every time you see it, get rid of it! If something sets you off every time you encounter it, avoid that thing or find someone to help you with it. Is something which makes you angry or depressed or selfish or irresponsible going to help you stay strong in hard times? Probably not.
Everyone has a sweet sin they aren't in a hurry to drop. Maybe it's looking down on others, or complaining, or filling our schedule with so many things we haven't got time for God or the needy. Maybe there's an unhealthy relationship, or maybe there's certain types of people you just can't love or respect. There are as many sins as there are people, and you probably know your sin the best. But nothing that reduces the scope of who you can love or what you can give is going to help you win the race. Whatever is holding you back from living a responsible, loving, Christian life, deal with it in the interests of making it to the finish line.
Paul points to Jesus as the prime example of how to live that life. Jesus knew he had to go to the cross, and he took it like a man. He disregarded the shame of it. That's huge. How many of us, if we had to do something necessary but shameful, could disregard the shame and push through? There's a strength in that which most modern people don't have. Most of us would probably disregard the task rather than push through the shame. Shame caused Adam and Eve to hide themselves from the loving God who created them. It's one of the enemy's best weapons. But to Jesus, the end justified the cost and he pushed through to sit at the right hand of God. For the joy set out for him, he did what it took to become a champion. Our challenge is the same.
So Paul tells us to think about Jesus who had to endure such opposition from losers. Think about the life on the run, the slander and accusations, the betrayal, the beatings, the sham trial and public humiliation, and being nailed to the cross. Tell me, with all of your baggage, that any one of those things wouldn't make you crack? But Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. That means he's showing us the way. He's run the course already.
Whatever slows you down in your Christian walk, think of Jesus who disregarded the shame and did what was necessary to make it to the end. What do you have to do to get there? Is there a hill between now and then that you know is going to be difficult? Better get ready now. Ask God for help. Look to him for help and training. He's given us the path to the joy he has set out for us. And if we take his offer seriously, he'll help us reach the end a winner.
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