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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. Well, 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 
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. 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. 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. 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.