1. GRATITUDE Endurance Hebrews 12

2. Review: Gratitude Challenge  Taught to be Sent  Lepers  Programming  Story Endurance

3. Review: Everybody has a story to tell…  Always be prepared to give an answer  With gentleness and respect  Expect "pushback"- choose love Endurance

5. 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 - Hebrews 12:1 Endurance

6. Therefore… Hebrews 11 Endurance

7. I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions… Endurance

8. …quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Endurance

9. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Endurance

10. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. Endurance

11. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. Endurance

12. These were all commended for their faith…- Hebrews 11:32-39 Endurance

13. By faith, some conquered and overcame By faith, some endured exile, torture and death Endurance

14. The issue wasn't what happened to them, but whether or not they held to their faith. The were "commended" for their faith. Endurance

15. Commended= martyrethentes- borne witness to (by God), implies approval Endurance

16. Which is more important- that things go well? Or that God is glorified? Endurance

17. 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... Endurance

18. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… Stadium full of elite athletes, all attested to by God Endurance

19. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… The Faith is linear and connected to those who came before Endurance

20. …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… Hinders= onkos- weight or load. Endurance

21. …let us throw off everything that hinders… Some things that are not wrong in themselves keep us from giving our best to Jesus. Therefore...? Endurance

22. …let us throw off everything that hinders… Some things that are not wrong in themselves keep us from giving our best to Jesus. Therefore... throw off those things Endurance

23. …let us throw off everything that hinders… Hinders= onkos- weight or load. Anything that keeps me from running well is a weight to be cast off Endurance

24. Comfort in the Philippines Endurance

25. …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… Entangles- “well around standing.” Literally- thwarting in every direction Endurance

26. …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… It is biblically impossible to walk in unrepentant sin in one area, yet faithfully follow God in every other Endurance

27. …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… As I throw off sin, I find myself more free in EVERY area of my life Endurance

28. …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… I would not be called to throw off these things unless God can and will empower me to do it! Endurance

29. The cloud of witnesses faced the same obstacles, yet persevered Endurance

30. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us… Endurance

31. Who marked it out? Endurance

32. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do- Eph. 2:10 Endurance

33. The goal of life:  Is not to find what I want to do and enjoy it  But to discover what God created me for and trust him to do it through me Endurance

34. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us… Why is it critical to view the faith as a long-distance race? Endurance

35. Anyone can be live off excitement or emotion for a while Maturity comes through commitment Endurance

36. Seed and Sower- only the seed that continued faithfully long- term produced fruit to God’s glory Endurance

37. What’s my commitment level? Endurance

38. BToL: I cannot separate my commitment to God from my commitment to the things of God Endurance

39. What’s my commitment level? Endurance comes through commitment Endurance

40. …fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith... Why is it important to focus on Jesus? Endurance

41. Fixing our eyes…  My goal determines my focus- and vice versa  Remembering Jesus gives me strength to carry on (Communion) Endurance

42. Fixing our eyes…  I can’t take direction from someone I’m not listening to Endurance

43. Jesus began our faith. He will complete it in us …he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus- Phil. 1:6 Endurance

44. 2 Examples:  The cloud of witnesses- gives hope  Jesus- empowers and directs Endurance

45. 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. Endurance

46. Joy? Endurance

47. Joy? Part of enduring is learning to look beyond the pain to the joy it brings Endurance

48. “But…people make fun of me!” “The people at work don’t invite Christians to parties and after-work gatherings” “My boss hates believers” Endurance

49. …endured the cross, scorning it’s shame…” Believers are the only people on the face of the earth who live our lives for a King who first give his life for us Endurance

50. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart Used by Aristotle of runners who relax and collapse after finishing the race Endurance

51. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood Endurance

52. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? Endurance

53. It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Discipline is a sign of love Endurance

54. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? Hardship is a form of discipline Endurance

55. “What did I do wrong?” “I’ve been in church, read the Bible, tithed, prayed before meals…” Endurance

56. God's discipline is never punitive, but correctional and formational For the believer, hardship always has a purpose. Our response determines whether the purpose is accomplished Endurance

57. If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline— then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Endurance

58. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! Endurance

59. They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness Endurance

60. God's discipline is formative, helping us become all he created us to be Endurance

61. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Endurance

62. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Endurance

63. Circus Endurance

64. Takeaways:  Do I allow hardship and temptation to cause me to feel isolated and "different"? Why? Endurance

65. Takeaways:  What weights/hindrances do I need to throw off right now?  Will I? Endurance

66. Takeaways:  Am I walking in unrepentant sin? If so, do I understand the cost- to Jesus? to me today?  Will I repent right now? Endurance

67. Takeaways:  Where is my focus? Why?  Do I see hardship as formational and therefore proof of God's love? Endurance

68. Q & A Endurance