Hebrews 12:1 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,

Hebrews 12:1 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,

Lay Aside Every Weight Weight = Hindrance (Heb.12:1) Weight = Hindrance Not necessarily sinful, but not helpful (1Co.6:12) If desire is to finish - shed the weight! Key is DESIRE / VALUE (Mt.6:21) “Therefore…let us lay aside every weight…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Desire For Worldly Success Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Success Great in God’s mind or in man’s eyes? (Mk.10:43-45)(Jo.12:42-43)(Jo.5:44) Why is this a “WEIGHT”? Because you may have to lose “worldly success” in order to remain faithful to God (Mt.10:22-25) (1Co.4:11-13,16) “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant”

Desire For Worldly Success Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Success Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success God’s priority for the woman - “home keeper” or “home manager” (Tit.2:5) (1Ti.5:14) Women were created for this purpose (Ge.2:18) (1Co.11:9) (1Pe.3:1-6) (Pr.31) “Older women” should be “teaching” this! (Tit.2:3-5) “She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Pr.31:27)

Desire For Worldly Success Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Success Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success Priority is determined by the time and effort devoted to a task Women are being “weighed down” and torn apart at the seams trying to be “super-mom” and pursue things that are not their responsibility “lay aside every weight… and … run with endurance the race that is set...”

Desire For Worldly Success Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Success Pursue job at cost of God? (Jas.4:14) Does job regularly cause missed assemblies? (He.10:25) “Ox in the ditch”? (Lk.14:5) Get another ox! Most believe that there will be “a time” in the future when they will fully devote their lives (Js.4:14) (Lk.12:16-21, 42-47) “No one can serve two masters… he will be loyal to the one and despise the other” (Mt.6:24)

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Jas.4:4) Dating a non-Christian (1Co.15:33) Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Jas.4:4) Dating a non-Christian (Prov.12:26) The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Marriage of Christians To… Weights Which Hinder Us... Marriage of Christians To… Christians 112 Total 8 Left the Lord 104 Faithful 4 Divorced Non-Christians 149 Total 106 Left the Lord 43 Faithful 44 Divorced 26 Converted Mate 7% 71% 93% 29% 4% 30% 18% “Nor shall you make marriages with them… For they will turn your sons away from following Me” (De.7:3-4)

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Js.4:4) Dating a non-Christian (2Co.6:14) (1Co.15:33) Trying to become like the world (2 Co.6:17) Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Js.4:4) Dating a non-Christian (2Co.6:14) (1Co.15:33) Trying to become like the world (2 Co.6:17) We should be separate from the world so we can reach the world! (1Pe.3:15) “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Desire For Worldly Friends Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Worldly Friends The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Js.4:4) Dating a non-Christian (2Co.6:14) (1Co.15:33) Trying to become like the world (2 Co.6:17) We should be separate from the world so we can reach the world! (1Pe.3:15) Church should change world, not be changed by the world (Tit. 2:11-14) “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) Keep kids too busy to learn godliness? “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) Keep kids too busy to learn godliness? Self-indulgence of Samson (Judges 14:3) “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Judges 14:3 Then his father and mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well." “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) Keep kids too busy to learn godliness? Self-indulgence of Samson (Jud. 14:3) Esau (Heb. 12:16) vs. Moses (Heb. 11:24-26) “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Esau: Hebrews 12:16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Weights Which Hinder Us... Desire For Pleasure Or Fun Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5) Keep kids too busy to learn godliness? Self-indulgence of Samson (Jud. 14:3) Esau (Heb. 12:16) vs. Moses (Heb. 11:24-26) “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

Desire For Wealth Weights Which Hinder Us... Wealth is not evil - but the desire for wealth is a tremendous weight (Pr.23:4) (1Ti.6:9-10) (Lk. 12:15-21) Abraham (Ge.24:35) Job (Job 1:21) - rich and faithful May restrict path to Heaven (Mt. 19:24) May choke out the word (Mk. 4:19) “Labor not to be rich…for riches certainly make themselves wings.”

Why Lay Aside These Weights? In order to RUN (He.12:1) Like our examples (He.11:25-38) With endurance (He.12:1) Prepared for persecution (2Ti.2:4) In order to FINISH “Therefore…let us lay aside every weight…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

How Do We Lay Aside These Weights? Look to the AUTHOR and FINISHER His example (He.12:2) For the joy that was set before Him Endured the cross Despised the shame Sat down at the right hand of God His teaching (Mt.18:8-9; 10:37-39) His zeal (Mk.3:21) “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

Do You REALLY Want To Finish? Weight = Hindrance Not necessarily sinful, but not helpful (1Co.6:12) If desire is to finish - shed the weight! Key is DESIRE / VALUE (Mt.6:21) “For the joy set before Him”