TITLE: Enduring the Race of Faith TEXT: Hebrews 12: 1-3 THEME: To win the race of faith the believer should endure like Christ and others before us.

Hugh Latimer "Be of good cheer, Master Ridley. Today we shall light a flame in England that no one will be able to put out."

What is required for us to win the race of faith?

I.Throw off the weights that hinder us from running our race. (1)

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles...”

I.Throw off the weights that hinder us from running our race. (1) A. The past heroes of faith are watching us in our race.

Hebrews 11:1–2 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11 “And all these, having gained approval.”

I.Throw off the weights that hinder us from running our race. (1) A. The past heroes of faith are watching us in our race. B. What are things that hinder you?

I.Throw off the weights that hinder us from running our race. (1) A. The past heroes of faith are watching us in our race. B. What are things that hinder you? C. What are the sins that entangle you ?

Entangle Literally means to bind. Some of us are so bound by our lack of faith that we can’t run this race well. We’re clumsy, and we can’t run very far. It’s pretty tiring.

What is required for us to win the race of faith?

II.Run the race with perseverance. (1)

Hebrews 12:1 “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

II.Run the race with perseverance. (1) A. The word translated “race” is from the Greek word “agona” (agony ).

II.Run the race with perseverance. (1) A. The word translated “race” is from the Greek word “agona” (agony). B. Our course has already been determined.

I wonder if God ever looks down from heaven on his children, shakes his head, and says, “There goes old Wrong Way David. There goes old Wrong Way Susan…always running off in the wrong direction in their Christian life.”

What is required for us to win the race of faith?

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3)

Hebrews 12:2-3 “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) A. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) A.He is the author and finisher of our faith. B.Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) A.He is the author and finisher of our faith. B.Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross. C.Jesus sat down at the right and of God.

Hebrews 6:19-20 “And so you see, he endured the Cross; he despised the shame; he suffered all of that! And then on the other side of his suffering, he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God..”

Hebrews 6:19-20 “Having completed atonement, he rose from the grave, ascended to heaven, and he has sat down—he remains seated, he remains enthroned, and forever he reigns in heaven. Nothing can ever remove him, because he endured to the end for us.”

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) A.He is the author and finisher of our faith. B.Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross. C.Jesus sat down at the right and of God. D.The outcome of his race should encourage us.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) He is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross. Jesus sat down at the right and of God. The outcome of his race should encourage us. Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days in the wilderness, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) Jesus was tempted by the Devil for 40 days in the wilderness, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) When his own family thought he was crazy, he endured. When his early followers also misunderstood him, he endured. When those followers of his began to fall away, he endured. When those Pharisees told their lies about him, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) When those Sadducees connived in order to trap him, he endured. When Judas betrayed him for 30 measly pieces of silver, he endured. When he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, he endured. As the temple guard came and arrested him in the garden, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) As the temple guard came and arrested him in the garden, he endured. As all of his 11 disciples scattered like mice fleeing a sinking ship, he endured. As he went through the mocking and the suffering of six illegal trials he endured. As he watched Peter, with cursing, deny that he ever knew him, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) As he watched Peter, with cursing, deny that he ever knew him, he endured. As he heard the crowds crying out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” endured. As he experienced the trial before Pilate and saw Pilate wash his hands, he endured. When the soldiers mocked him, spat upon him, and slapped him, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) When they thrust a crown of thorns upon his brow in excruciating pain, he endured. When a Roman soldier raised his chain of horrors called a Cat o’ Nine Tails, he endured. When he carried that cross down the Via Dolorosa, outside of the city gate, he endured. As they laid him upon that cross on Calvary, he endured.

III.Focus on Jesus as the finish line. (2-3) As the two thieves who were crucified with him flung their invectives in his face, he endured. As the callous crowd around them called out, he endured. As Satan came against him with all his forces of hell on the cross, he endured. As God himself caused foul sewers of all our sin to be emptied upon him, he endured

Hebrews 7:25 “He ever lives to make intercession for us,” and one day the trumpet will sound, and again will he return and call us to glory to be with him. He endures.

APPLICATION The word endured is found in all three verses. With endurance let us run the Christian’s ultra-marathon—this is the focus of our author.

APPLICATION The word endured is found in all three verses. With endurance let us run the Christian’s ultra-marathon—this is the focus of our author. Consider him”—bear your mind on him, focus on him today, think on him, live the rest of your life with that look to him—“who endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”