Okay, Hebrews chapter 11 beginning in verse 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it, the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had taken him. For before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith, Sarah herself also received strength to conceive C, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. but now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.
And he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, in Isaac your seed shall be called, concluding that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith, Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones.
By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith, Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith, the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say?
For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted the bloodshed, striving against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons.
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him. For whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Amen.
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11–12:11
Well,
Introduction
here specifically in chapter 12, verses 1 to 11, the believers are encouraged to run the race of faith. What we have is a duty stated in verse 1, and then incentives given in verses 1 and 2. We're just going to look at that first incentive tonight. The specific command is found in verse 1, as I said.
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. That's the specific directive or the imperative that the apostle wants them to receive. And as I said, there's incentives surrounding it as to why or as motivation for the believer to run the race.
The Believer's Race: Duty Stated
So let's look first at the believer's race. The duty stated. Let us run the race that is set before us. This is something repeated over and over again in the book of Hebrews.
Remember that when we went through Hebrews, we dated it prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Not just we, but many, many people have seen that as the case. It was written while the temple and the mosaic legislation was still going on, and the believing Jews were being tempted to go back to Moses. The believing Jews are being tempted to leave Christ and go back to the temple and offer up their earthly sacrifices.
This is why the Apostle highlights the superiority and the supremacy of Jesus Christ. He is higher than the angels. He is higher than the prophets. He is higher than Moses.
He is the one in whom all the fullness of deity dwells bodily. And it is to Him that we are to maintain fidelity. So one of the recurring issues in the book of Hebrews is a constant emphasis on perseverance, running the race. As it is stated here, let us run the race that is set before us.
Perseverance as a Recurring Theme
Let's just rehearse these other areas in the book of Hebrews so we can get a feel for this theme. Notice in Hebrews 2.1, Hebrews chapter 2, verse 1. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. That's a problem.
We do not want to drift away. We don't want to leave Christ and go back to Moses. Not Moses because Moses is bad. I'm speaking about the temple and the sacrificial system and the Levitical priesthood.
Let us give the more earnest, or we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away. Notice in Hebrews 3.14. Hebrews 3.14, for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. And then again in chapter 4, verse 1, therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear, lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
And then again in chapter 4, 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. You see, the emphasis, the perseverance of the saint, the believer, the one who comes to Christ, must not turn back, he must not defect, he must not drift away, but rather he must press onward, he must go forward. Again in chapter 10 at verse 23. Chapter 10 at verse 23.
Us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And then again in chapter 10, verses 35 and 36. Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. So that when we get to chapter 12, verse 1, and the author says, let us run the race that is set before us, this is not a new theme.
This is not a new idea. This isn't like, wow, we never thought this to be the case. Rather, the entirety of the book is structured and calculated in such a way as to highlight the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the necessity of those who profess faith in Jesus Christ to follow him to persevere and to run with endurance those things, or to run with endurance the race that is set before us.
The Race Metaphor in the New Testament
This imagery, running the race, is laid out in the New Testament elsewhere. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verses 24 to 27. 1 Corinthians 9, verses 24 to 27. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Paul is highlighting the athletic games that go on in his context. Probably Paul sold his tents at these athletic games. Remember, Paul was a tent maker.
Where else or where better else to sell your tents than at the athletic games? Paul had seen his share of runners. He had seen his share of javelin throwers and shot putters and whatever other sort of competitors there were. He says these men are temperate in all things.
They get to bet on time. They get up early, they don't go out partying, they don't go out and get drunk, but rather they get up in the morning, they discipline themselves, they exercise, they eat right, they do all this stuff. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. What's the emphasis or the implication?
If they're going to fight, if they're going to labor, if they're going to exercise in this manner, certainly the Christian, the one who obtains an imperishable crown, does so in a manner consistent with those things of the kingdom. And then he highlights his own example in verse 26. Therefore, I run thus, not with uncertainty. Thus I fight, not as one who beats the air, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." He uses the same imagery in Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 to 14.
Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 to 14. not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, for getting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. You see, all of this imagery, the statement in Hebrews 12, verse 1, highlights this most important fact. The Christian life is not a hundred-yard dash.
Rather, it is a long haul, long course, however many years you have on this earth, you need to be faithful. Any fool can show up at church or at a revival meeting or a prayer meeting once. Anyone can do the right thing once. The Christian who is faithful to his Lord, who takes seriously this imperative of running with endurance the race that is set before us, sees the long haul, he sees the necessity of a steady pace all throughout using the means that God has given.
A.W. Pink says, the principal thoughts suggested by the figure of this race are rigorous self-denial and discipline, vigorous exertion, persevering endurance. The Christian life is not a thing of passive luxury, but of active fighting the good fight of faith. The Christian is not called to lie down on flowery beds of ease. but to run a race, and athletics are strenuous, demanding self-sacrifice, hard training, the putting forth of every ounce of energy possessed.
So the duty stated in Hebrews 12-1 is simple, let us run the race that is set before us.
Obstacles to Lay Aside
Secondly, however, there are obstacles that we need to contend with. In other words, we don't have the luxury of having a track that's been freshly raked. You see those dirt tracks that men run along. There's not speed bumps.
There's not boulders. There's not stones. There's not logs. Now, I understand there are certain races like those Ironman triathlons where they're going over logs and they're lifting stones and all that.
But for the most part, most runners in a race have a nice, smooth ground. That's not the way it is in the Christian life. If that's what you signed up for, you've probably figured out that that's not the way it is, right? When Christian lost the burden at the cross, there was another burden placed upon his shoulders.
That yoke of Christ comes with Jesus. difficulty and with trial. If the Son of God learns obedience through suffering, the sons of God certainly learn obedience through suffering. And the Apostle highlights two obstacles to lay aside in Hebrews chapter 12. The first thing he says is to let us lay aside every weight.
Let us lay aside every weight. Not every weight is necessarily a sin. Right? Not every weight is necessarily a sin.
But if it hinders us or keeps us from running this race with endurance, then we need to lay it aside. In other words, Matthew 13, 22. Jesus says, now he who receives seed among the thorns is he who hears the word. And the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful.
Now, certainly every believer has some degree of care in this world. Paul does not say all riches are necessarily evil in 1 Timothy 6. He tells Timothy to command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, but to share and to give and all those sorts of things. But riches and cares and other things can become a weight that holds us down in terms of running this race with endurance.
And if that's the case, we need to take it and we need to lay it aside. We want to make sure that we are not burdening ourselves unnecessarily. Sometimes people make lots of commitments that are legit, perhaps, until they start to impinge upon the means of grace. It's not wrong to be community oriented, it's not wrong to be politically minded, but when those things strip your soul away from the things that God has ordained for your good and for the running race that you have, then there's a problem.
Sometimes young families are stretched. They take their little kids and they put one in soccer and they put one in dance and they put one in You know, Cub Scouts, and they put one in whatever else there is. Underwater basket weaving. So on Sunday, they're shimmying these children all over the place instead of being in the house of God.
That is a weight that we ought to lay aside. Consider the racing metaphor. If a man wants to compete in a foot race, he will need to lay aside 50 extra pounds. I mean, come on, if you're going to run 26 miles and you're 200, it's probably better to get down to 150.
Why would you want to carry that extra 50 pounds at 26 miles? You're going to keel over and die. You want to lay aside that weight because it will keep you from running endurance that race. He will need to lay aside parties and nightlife in order to get the proper rest.
He will need to lay aside those things, though not sinful in and of themselves, would be things that serve as a weight to keep him from running effectively the race that is set before him. It's not always wrong to go out on a Friday night. if whatever it is you're doing is lawful. It is wrong if you should be up at five on Saturday in order to practice so that you can run effectively. That's the point of the apostle.
Let us lay aside every weight, those things that would weigh us down. The Christian engaged in this race may need to lay aside friends and acquaintances with whom he sins. Entertainment that provides a temptation to sin. Patterns or habits which tend towards sin.
And a mindset which is calculated to bring defeat instead of victory. That's the point. So we must lay aside every weight.
Laying Aside Ensnaring Sin
But notice, secondly, you must lay aside sin. this sin that so easily ensnares us. We must be actively laying it aside. Romans 8, 13. If by the Spirit you do mortify the deeds of the body, you will live.
We cannot run this race with endurance by cherishing sin, by harboring sin, by regarding sin in our hearts. I realize we all sin running this race. I understand that. But there are those who harbor it.
There are those who carry it with them in the running race. They have no desire to put it to death. They have no desire to disregard it. They have no desire to lay it down.
Such cannot be the case with the faithful as they run with endurance the race that is set before us. Philip Hughes said, one of the chief problems with the Hebrew Christians to whom this letter is addressed is that they have set out on the race, but after a good start are now slackening in the will to persevere. That's the emphasis. It's almost as if at this point he's saying, keep going, run, persevere, don't give up.
This is what is ahead. You need to lay aside these weights, you need to lay aside these sins which so easily ensnare us, and you need to keep going. He goes on to say, Their effort is decreasing, sin is holding them back, they need to recover their intensity of purpose to shake off the sluggish mood into which they have fallen to regain their confidence and their competitive spirit. This is a rallying cry to the people of God to put to death the deeds of the body and to run with endurance the race that is set before them.
So we have the duty, we have the obstacles to lay aside,
The Manner: Running with Endurance
the manner specified, thirdly, is with endurance. Now if you ask, what does endurance look like? Chapter 11. If you ask what endurance looks like, verse 2 of chapter 12, you see the same verb is applied to the Lord Jesus.
The same verb is fleshed out in the lives of all these godly people. You shouldn't be scratching your head at this point saying, what does he mean with endurance? Need I remind you what he just wrote? Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. What does that mean? It means they endured. It means they persevered.
It means they went and were faithful to the very end. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted.
They were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth, all of which bespeaks endurance. Perseverance.
You need to run with endurance the race that is set before us. The same word is used with reference to Jesus in chapter 12 verses 2 and 3 for obvious effect. Be like Christ. He endured these sufferings.
He endured these things at the hand ultimately of his Father. and then of ungodly men, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and has now sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." You see, the Christian is to be like-minded in that regard. He is to endure the way that Jesus Christ did, and these heroes in chapter 11 did. You notice what's predominant in chapter 11? What's the big deal there in chapter 11?
By what? By faith, it's not by words. Whenever you wonder how Jephthah and Barak and Samson and Rahab found themselves in Hebrews chapter 11, it's faith. It's not words.
They don't say, the author doesn't say, by words, Abraham did this. By words, Moses did this. By words, Enoch did this. By words, Abel did this.
It's by faith. It's by faith that we run with endurance the race that is set before us. This is perhaps one of the most difficult lessons in the Christian life. As O'Brien says, the race is not a sprint, but a long-distance race requiring resolute determination.
Now, when we speak of endurance, we need to highlight that this is Christian endurance. It's not the, I gotta do this because Jesus said to. No, it's, I get to do this because Jesus saved me. It's an endurance that is Christian in character.
It isn't stoicism. It isn't just the one who's got the resolute determination and grit. Farmers have a lot of resolution, determination, and grit. Any man that can be married to a piece of property and get up at whatever, oh, dark 30 every morning, and labor that way every day of the year, that's a man of determination and grit.
My hat's off to them. Good for them. Praise God they're our farmers so the rest of us can eat. But that's not what's in view here.
The endurance is a faithful, cheerful pursuit of those things that Jesus Christ has said we ought to pursue. We run with endurance the race that is set before us.
The Kindness of the Exhortation
And then the fourth thing I'd like to comment on is the kindness of this exhortation. It doesn't flow from this particular passage, but the fact that the apostle here is exhorting them again. The fact that the apostle has said in 2.1, in 3.1, in 3.14, in 4.1, in 4.15, in 10.23, in 10.35, in 10.36, in the fact that he is given this hall of faith in chapter 11, and he's come back to this statement again in chapter 12, verse 1, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, notice that he doesn't cut them off after chapter 1. There is long-suffering, there is patience, there is kindness in the exhortation itself.
He doesn't suppose they're gone. He doesn't suppose it's all over with. He doesn't say, well, you know, you've all shown yourself to be unfaithful wretches. you've shown yourself to be apostates, I am done with you. There is a kindness and a mercy that is conveyed in each and every of the exhortations that we find in the New Testament.
That God comes to encourage, that God comes to reprove, that God comes to chasten us, are all indications of His kindness. See, we read these things and we say, wait a minute here. Would your child say, wait a minute here, when you yell at him, don't put your hand on that knife blade. He's saying, you've offended my delicate sensitivities because you raised your voice at me.
No, if he's thinking properly, thank you, Father, you saved my finger. That's a kindness and a mercy, right? The fact that in chapter 12, verse 1, we are told yet again, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, that is evidence that God is good and long-suffering and patient. And Revelation 3.19 is a parallel that I have written in my notes here.
Revelation 3, the worst of the seven churches is Laodicea. There is no commendation spoken to them whatsoever. commendation, no commending. Well, the church in Sardis wasn't too far behind. Sardis and Laodicea got no commending, no good thing here.
Most of the epistles have commendation, this is good, and condemnation, but this is bad. A couple of them got no condemnation, just good, commendation. But these two got no commendation. Notice the church in Laodicea, verse 14. and to the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans right.
These things says the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." Now, for those of you who have never been here when we've studied this passage, the Lord is not saying it's better to be a cold-hearted, God-hating, rebel atheist or a hot-blooded, fiery Christian.
No, that's not what he's saying. He's not commending atheism. Cold is pleasant in the mouth. Hot is pleasant in the mouth.
Lukewarm is terrible, right? Unless you're like me. I don't mind lukewarm coffee. It's easier to drink it fast.
But for the most part, we like hot beverages and we like cold beverages. We don't like lukewarm. It's kind of nasty in the mouth. Jesus is not commending.
Either be a hot, fiery, on-fire Christian, or be just a wretched, God-hating atheist. At least I respect you. He doesn't respect atheists. He doesn't commend people who are rebels to his kingdom.
What is in view here, more than likely, is Hierapolis, a neighboring city, had hot springs. Colossae had fresh water, fresh, wonderful water. And by the time the water got to Laodicea, it was lukewarm, it was nasty. It didn't have the medicinal healing of hot springs, it didn't have the refreshment of the cold water, it was just icky in the mouth of the Lord Christ.
So he threatens to spew them out of his mouth. Now, don't miss the referent there, because in the old covenant, it was the land that would vomit out the inhabitants from its mouth. Christ now, speaking as sovereign Lord, says in verse 16, so then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. And if they were to ask the question, why?
Why would you threaten us this way? Verse 17. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing. and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Now, verse 19 is absolutely incredible to me. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. It's a mercy that Christ threatens to spew them out.
It's a mercy that Christ brings this weight and this heat upon them. He tells them, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Incidentally, verse 20 is not an individual evangelistic text.
This is not the Jesus standing at the door of your heart, knocking, and if you open up to him, then you will be saved. It's a promise made to a church. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.
It's communion and fellowship in the body. It's communion and fellowship in the corporate body of Christ's church. The idea that the sinner opens the door to Jesus is not taught in Revelation chapter 3 verse 20. I don't know if you've seen that painting before.
Jesus standing there at the door knocking. Feminine looking ancient Near Eastern man with his flowing robes and his flowing hair. Looks like he just had a big cup of tea and perhaps could be carrying a purse and going antiquing. He's about to knock on that door.
And if you look carefully at that door, there's no knob on Jesus' side. What's the implication? The knob is on the sinner's side and he has to open and let Jesus in. Well, if you understand the biblical imagery, Jesus brings a battering ram, and he blasts open the door of your heart, and he comes in, and he saves you to the uttermost.
Jesus drives a tank through the door of your heart, if I could be so crass, and demolishes every last vestige of your sinful, autonomous, Christ-hating rebellion. It is not an evangelistic text, but all that is an aside. Verse 19, ought to make us marvel. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
So, the duty stated, the obstacles to lay aside, the manner specified, and the kindness of the exhortation itself.
Incentives to Run
Now, there are two incentives given. Why should we do this? Or what is some motivation for us doing this? Obviously, verse 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
We'll probably look at that section, God willing, next Wednesday evening. I don't think anybody is going to report me to the Reformed Baptist police if we don't start Joshua next Wednesday. It's going to take a little time just to do the introductory stuff. But that is an obvious incentive.
Run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. But you see, he's already given us an incentive. In chapter 12 verse 1, therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. That is an incentive.
We are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses.
The Cloud of Witnesses Identified
Do not even begin to ask who are these witnesses, because we just read about them in chapter 11. The witnesses are those men and women of faith indicated there in Hebrews chapter 11. Those are the witnesses mentioned in our verse. Now, consider some of these persons.
Remember we've indicated by faith so-and-so did such-and-such. Well, oftentimes we think that we have it like no others. In other words, you don't know my trials, you don't know my difficulties, you don't know my hardships. You don't know the guy that I'm married to.
You don't know the girl that I'm married to. You don't know my parents. You don't know my children. You don't know my work situation.
You certainly don't know all of my physical distress and calamity. You just don't know that. I'm all alone. No one's ever gone it like I have.
So please, just let me be." Well, when we start surveying these men and women of faith, we'll see that they had interesting challenges of their own sort. Consider Abel. Do you think that the only time Cain was ever mean to him was when he bashed his head in to murder him? I suspect that Cain was probably a nasty brother.
I don't think a man just goes out of the blue, grabs a stone, and bashes his brother to death. More than likely, and I may be imposing on the tact, more than likely, however, there was some animosity. There were some struggles. There were some difficulties.
What about Enoch? We mentioned him, I think, two weeks ago. How long did Enoch live? 365. And he had sons and daughters, right?
If you and I, Terry, for 60 years, 70 years, and we run with endurance the race that is set before us, Jesus will certainly say, well done, good and faithful servant. 60 years, add 300 to that, and you've got Enoch. Day to day faithfulness over the long haul. What about Noah? Do not even begin to complain about society. in light of Noah.
The earth was exceedingly corrupt and filled with violence, such that God the Lord decreed to destroy the entire earth except Noah and his family. Now notice, not even all of Noah's family was converted. I mean, when they got out of the ark, there's some things that didn't look too good there, right? I don't think they were the godliest family on the face of the earth.
What about Abraham? You don't know what situation I find myself in. I think we need to read Hebrews 11, giving more attention to the details. You've been called and tried in your life?
Have you ever been called and tried to bring your son up to Mount Moriah and kill him for God? Abraham was a faithful man in the midst of a difficult situation. Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. Consider Moses.
I mean, we just went through the book of Deuteronomy. Can we feel some pain for brother Moses and what he went through? Talk about leadership challenges. Talk about trial.
Talk about difficulty. You see, this is the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. We have Rahab the harlot, who risked her life to betray her city state. I mean, for her to hide these spies, if she had been found out, they would have killed her.
Not the spies, Jericho. Jerichoans would have killed her. We have Gideon, we have Barrett, we have Samson, we have Jephthah, all who had their challenges, issues, and trials, and difficulties. We have David, we have Samuel, we have the prophets.
We have these triumphant heroes in 33 to 35, and we have these suffering saints in 35 to 38. You see, when we hear, therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, we need to understand that they are men and women like us. Men and women with the same sorts of challenges, and at times, a lot more difficult than you and I have possibly ever faced, or maybe we'll ever face. And this cloud of witnesses surrounds us.
The picture is one of an amphitheater. You've all seen an amphitheater before. It's a big theater. And what goes on in the base of that is what the people are watching.
And I think a lot of times we jump into this text, and that's our concept. This cloud of witnesses is watching us. This cloud of witnesses, we've got Abraham over here, we've got Moses there, we've got Enoch, and we've got Rahab, and we've got Jephthah, and we've got Barak, and we've got Samson, and they're all just sort of rooting for us, aren't they? Go Billy, go Ronnie, go whoever.
They're cheering us on. That's not what they're doing. That's not what they're doing.
Witnesses Testify, Not Cheer
Why do witnesses get summoned into a courtroom? Is it just to watch? Do they just watch the proceedings? No.
The witnesses come to take the stand and testify. The point of the passage is not, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, Abraham, Moses, David, cheering for us. No, Abraham, Moses, and David are the witnesses testifying of something that ought to move us to run with endurance the race that is set before us. Do you know what it is they're testifying of?
It's that God is faithful. That's the stress. We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, and their common theme, their refrain, is that God the Lord is faithful. Based on that reality, we are to run with endurance the race that is set before us.
When you read through chapter 11, when you study Abel, when you study Enoch, when you see Noah, when you go to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, When you go to Moses, when you go to the judges, when you go to the prophets, when you go to those suffering servants, the common testimony that each of these witnesses give is that God is faithful. That's the point of the passage.
The Testimony: God Is Faithful
Run with endurance because this great cloud of witnesses continues to tell you God is faithful. You don't look up there for Abraham to say, run, Jimmy. You look up there to see Abraham say, God is faithful. That's the stress.
That's the emphasis. That is what is going on in this particular passage. We are to look at these witnesses. We are to look at these testifiers.
We are to look at the various persons in the pages of Holy Scripture as an incentive so that we may run with endurance the race that is set before us. Now, we will be looking unto Jesus. We hear the testimony and see the witness of these other godly folk, but we are looking unto Jesus. Our eyes are fixed and rooted firmly upon Him.
But we are fools not to avail ourselves of this hall of faith. We are fools not to hear Jacob in Genesis 35 verse 3. We are fools not to hear Moses in Deuteronomy 1. 31. We are fools not to hear David in 2 Samuel 4, 9.
We are fools not to look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in that fiery furnace. What is the testimony of those men? Whether spoken or not, it is, God is faithful. Right?
That's the point. That's what we're being told here. We have Micah the prophet in chapter 7. We have Habakkuk the prophet in Habakkuk 3.
We have Paul the apostle continually with this refrain that God Most High is faithful. We have Paul's 11th hour testimony in 2 Timothy chapter 4. If you ever wonder, is it all worth it? If you ever doubt for a moment, Read, for I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing." We have the history of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. What's the testimony of Polycart before he's burned to death? God is faithful.
What's the testimony of Thomas Ott? God is faithful. What's the testimony of Christ's sheep? God is faithful.
What's the testimony of older brethren in your church? If you never talk to the older brethren, may I suggest you talk to the older brethren? If you never talk to the brethren who have gone through their share of suffering, their share of trial, their share of affliction, or their share of physical suffering, talk to them. What will be the current of the common refrain?
Yes, it hurt. Yes, it was hard. Yes, it was difficult. But this one thing I've learned.
God is faithful. You see, the assembly of the saints is absolutely crucial so that we can encourage one another with this testimony that God is faithful. That's the point of this hall of faith in Hebrews 11. It isn't to say Abel's a great guy, Enoch's a great guy, Noah's a great guy, Sarah's a great girl, Rahab's a great girl.
No, it's to say God is the great God over these people. That same God is your God. That same God has called you to be a runner in this particular race. And that being the case, hear the witness and the testimony of these witnesses, look always unto Jesus and run.
Don't play games, run. That's the bottom line here. That's the imperative. That is what is enjoined upon us.
Run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Application: Use the Means and Run
We need to actually run. The guy who plans his diet, the guy who lifts his weights, the guy who trains, but never runs. What's missing? The running.
You almost want to slap him and say, get to it already. OK, you can weigh out your daily nutritional requirements. Good for you. Now go run.
Christians do this. It's all this hesitancy. Run. Go to church.
Show up at every meeting of the church. Listen to sermons. Read books. Ultimately, read your Bible and pray.
Use the means that God has given. So many people say, I'm struggling in my running race, who aren't running? In order to run, you've got to, get this, run. The necessity of running the way that God specifies.
God defines for us what this run is to look like. God says, pray. God says, read your Bible. God says, go to church.
It really isn't rocket science. You ever met Christians? Oh, I'm having such a tough time in the Christian life. Why?
I just don't understand. It's not like we have to go study tomes of philosophy. It's not like we have to listen to a thousand sermons. It really is pretty simple.
Read this book and pray. Show up where God's people are. Encourage one another. Build one another up in our most holy faith.
And the necessity of keeping the prize before your eyes. There are two men in this context that are examples of this. Of course, Jesus. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.
Do you see what it says? Jesus was future oriented. There was joy set before him, the glory of God and the salvation of the elect. Because he kept that in view, he's able to endure the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
In other words, dear brothers and sisters, look to the prize. Run the race in such a way that you're going to have the prize. But it's not only Jesus, Moses is the same exact. Look at Moses back in chapter 11 at verse 24.
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Now, you realize what being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter meant, don't you? It meant wealth. It meant prestige.
It meant luxury. It meant lots of good things. But he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Notice what he chose, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.
Moses, would you rather have luxury, would you rather have Palace life, would you rather have all the riches that Egypt has? No, I'd rather suffer reproach with the people of God." He said, good on Moses, that's awesome, that's great. He sided with the people of Christ, yes. But notice what he did.
He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. In other words, he saw something as greater in his future. He saw something more valuable, more worthy, more excellent, and more supreme than all of the luxury of Egypt. When it came down to would you want Christ and His kingdom or Egypt and its treasures, are you kidding me?
I want Christ and His kingdom. That's the emphasis that we find in Moses and Jesus, clearly articulated, but it certainly undercuts the entire chapter. He's pressed on, not having received the full Lord promise, but nevertheless enduring, going forward, and persevering. We need to listen to their consistent testimony.
God is faithful. And we need to be that consistent testimony to those around us. Yes, we have suffering. We have trials.
We have difficulties. We have challenges. Not as an end in and of themselves, but we are a calculator. We are supposed to encourage others as well.
We're supposed to come alongside one another and say, you know, God took me through this valley, and it was difficult. But on the end and in the middle, I learned and I knew that God is faithful. That's the point of the passage. They're not up there cheering us on.
They're up there testifying that God Most High is indeed faithful. So let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Incentive number one, listen to this great cloud of witnesses who tell us God is faithful. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word and we thank you for this emphasis that we find so often in our Bibles. And we pray that you'd increase our faith, that you would increase our longing for heaven and things eternal. that you would give us more of a savor and more of a desire for those things connected to Christ and His rule and His reign than those things on earth. We just thank you God for your mercy and your grace. We thank you for the Gospel.
We thank you ultimately for our Lord Jesus Christ, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. He despised the shame and He has in fact sat down at the right hand of God Most High. We thank you for his life, his death, his resurrection, and I pray that you would go with us now, and we ask in Jesus' name, amen.