Sunday Morning Bible Study

February 11, 2001

Introduction

In a recent NCAA cross-country championship held in Riverside, California, 123 of the 128 runners missed a turn. One competitor, Mike Delcavo, stayed on the 10,000 meter course and began waving for fellow runners to follow him. Delcavo was able to convince only four other runners to go with him. Asked what his competitors thought of his mid-race decision not to follow the crowd, Delcavo responded, “They thought it was funny that I went the right way.”

There’s a right way to run a race and there’s a wrong way.

Hebrews 12

:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,

wherefore – toigaroun – wherefore then, for which reason, therefore, consequently

so great – tosoutos – of quantity: so great, so many

compassed about – perikeimai – surrounded to lie around; to be compassed with, have round one.  Present participle

cloud – nephos – a cloud, a large dense multitude, a throng; used to denote a great shapeless collection of vapour obscuring the heavens as opposed to a particular and definite masses of vapour with some form or shape; a cloud in the sky

witnesses – martus – a witness

The author is referring to the many people he referred to back in chapter 11, those who learned to live “by faith”.

These were all people who learned to trust in God.  They learned to trust in what they didn’t see.  They learned to move, live, and act based on their trust in God and not in their circumstances.

Some had accomplished great victories through their faith, others were tortured and suffered because of their faith.

And they’re all watching.  They’re all up in the stands of heaven watching.

:1  let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

weight – ogkos – whatever is prominent, protuberance, bulk, mass; hence a burden, weight, encumbrance

lay aside – apotithemi – to put off or aside or away.  Aorist participle

beset – euperistatos (“well” + “around” + “stand”) – skilfully surrounding i.e. besetting

sin – hamartia – sin; to be without a share in; to miss the mark; to err, be mistaken; to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong; to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin; that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act

We are to put off the things that slow us down and the sins that tend to cling to us.

:1  and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

patience – hupomone – steadfastness, constancy, endurance; in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings; patiently, and steadfastly; a patient, steadfast waiting for; a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance

The author used this word in:

(Heb 10:32 KJV)  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

(Heb 10:35-36 KJV)  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. {36} For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

The same word translated “endured” in the next couple of verses (you might want to circle and connect them):

(Heb 12:2-3 KJV)  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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. {3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

This has been one of the main themes of Hebrews, learning to have patience, learning to endure, learning to stay clinging to Jesus.

1)  One of the keys to enduring is fellowship.

We need to have people around us that are close enough to encourage us, sometimes even giving us a little nudge to keep following Jesus:

(Heb 3:12-14 KJV)  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. {13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. {14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

(Heb 10:23-25 KJV)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) {24} And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

2)  Another of the keys to enduring is faith.

Hebrews 11 is all about learning to trust God even when we don’t see what is going on.  Example after example is given of the various men and women who trusted God and did what God wanted despite circumstances that should have told them to not obey.

(Heb 11:8 KJV)  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

3)  We’re going to learn a third key to enduring (looking unto Jesus) in the next verse.

let us run – trecho – to run; of persons in haste; of those who run in a race course; by a metaphor taken from runners in a race, to exert one’s self, strive hard; to spend one’s strength in performing or attaining something.  Present subjunctive

set before – prokeimai – to lie or be placed before (a person or a thing) or in front of; to set before; to be placed before the eyes, to lie in sight.  Present participle.

the race – agon – an assembly,; a place of assembly: especially an assembly met to see games; the place of contest, the arena or stadium; the assembly of the Greeks at their national games; hence the contest for a prize at their games; generally, any struggle or contest.  This is the root of the word translated “striving” in 11:4.  It’s the word (or forms of it) translated “fought” and “fight” where Paul says –

(2 Tim 4:7 KJV)  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Lesson

Keep going

Run the race.

Illustration

The Christian race is not a competitive event to see who comes in first, but an endurance run to see who finishes faithfully. It's like the experience of Bill Broadhurst, who entered the Pepsi Challenge 10,000-meter road race in Omaha, Nebraska.  Ten years earlier, surgery for an aneurysm is the brain had left him paralyzed on his left side. Now, on a misty July morning in 1981, he stands with 1,200 lithe- looking men and women at the starting line.  The gun cracks!  The crowd surges forward.  Bill throws his stiff left leg forward, pivots on it as his right foot hits the ground.  His slow plop-plop-plop rhythm seems to mock him as the pack fades into the distance.  Sweat rolls down his face, pain pierces his ankle, but he keeps going.  Six miles and two hours and twenty-nine minutes later, Bill reaches the finish line.  A man approaches from a small group of bystanders.  Bill recognizes him from pictures in the newspaper.  He's Bill Rodgers, the famous marathon runner.  "Here," says Rodgers, putting his newly won medal around Bill's neck.  "You've worked harder for this than I have."  Broadhurst had also been a winner.

Run the race in front of you.

Part of that is the same for each of us, to follow Jesus.

Some of it is different for each of us.  We all have different “races” ahead of us.

Don’t quit.

Sometimes a person is tempted to “quit” the race through suicide.  But suicide isn’t the way to finish the race.

You don’t know what is ahead.  Times may look hard now, but you don’t know what’s around the corner.

Illustration

The story of Joseph is in the last 15 chapters of Genesis.  Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers and ended up in Egypt.  He was falsely accused by his master’s wife and ended up in prison.  He was forgotten by those who could have gotten him out of prison.  He could have quit.  But in the end he had his moment and it all turned around.  He ended up becoming the second greatest man in Egypt.

:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;

looking – aphorao (“away” + “look”) – to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something

the author – archegos (“beginning” + “lead”) – the chief leader, prince; one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer; the author

finisher – teleiotes – a perfector; one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith

author … finisher –

(Heb 12:2 NLT)  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish…

One of the key ideas to understanding a life of faith is learning to understand the place of “seeing”.

Faith is all about learning to trust in something or someone you don’t see.

(Heb 11:1 NLT)  What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.

see – blepo – to see, discern

(Heb 11:3 KJV)  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

seen – blepo – to see, discern.  Unseen things are pretty important (like atoms and molecules).  They make up the things that we DO see.

(Heb 11:7 KJV)  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

(Heb 11:13 KJV)  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb 11:23  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

Moses’ parents made a choice of what they “saw”.  They choose not to “see” the king’s command, but they chose instead to “see” the value of their child.

(Heb 11:26 KJV)  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

he had respect – apoblepo – to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on some one thing; to look at attentively; to look with steadfast mental gaze

(Heb 11:27 KJV)  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

seeing – horao – to see with the eyes

(Heb 11:39-40 KJV)  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: {40} God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

having provided – problepo – to foresee; to provide

God “saw” something ahead that was better for us.  He saw Jesus.  Let God do the “seeing”.

Lesson

Endurance comes from focusing on Jesus.

You have a choice of what you focus on.

Illustration

(Mat 14:22-33 KJV)  And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. {23} And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. {24} But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. {25} And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. {26} And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. {27} But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. {28} And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. {29} And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. {30} But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. {31} And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? {32} And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. {33} Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

saw – blepo – to see, discern

Don’t be too quick to criticize Peter.  He at least had the faith to attempt to walk on the water.

But he began to sink when he got his eyes off of Jesus and put them on the wind and the waves.

What are you eyes focused on?

Are they on the One who has power over the wind and the waves?

Don’t look to Jesus thinking that He’s going to “stop” the wind and the waves.  That’s not the point.  That’s a false expectation.  God isn’t just a big “storm stopper”.

He didn’t stop the wind and the waves until He got Peter back to the ship.

After Jesus got a hold of Peter, He still had to teach Peter to trust Him during the storm.

:2  who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,

for – anti – over against, opposite to, before; for, instead of, in place of (something)

set before – prokeimai – to lie or be placed before (a person or a thing) or in front of; to set before; to be placed before the eyes, to lie in sight

Just as we have a “race” (12:1) that is “set before” (same word), Jesus has the “joy” set before Him.

This is speaking of Jesus looking forward to the joy He would one day have in saving us and being together in heaven, and He was willing to endure the cross for our sakes to achieve this.

Jesus gave us an example by looking ahead to the end of the race.  We look to the end of the race, looking to Jesus.

joy – chara – joy, gladness

endured – hupomeno – to remain; to tarry behind; to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee; to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one’s faith in Christ; to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments.  Aorist indicative.

cross – stauros – a cross

shame – aischune – the confusion of one who is ashamed of anything, sense of shame; ignominy, disgrace, dishonour; a thing to be ashamed of

despising – kataphroneo – to contemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of

Lesson

Jesus’ example.

Jesus looked ahead to the joy of heaven.  Jesus endured a cross.  Jesus thought little of the shame He had to take.

Imagine the insolence of the people who mocked Him at His death!  These were people created by God, created by Jesus.  These were people of whom Jesus could simply say “die” and they would.  But He didn’t.

(1 Pet 2:19-23 NLT)  For God is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatment. {20} Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing right and are patient beneath the blows, God is pleased with you. {21} This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. {22} He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. {23} He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

Follow in His steps.

:2  and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

set down – kathizo – to make to sit down; to sit down; to sit

I believe the author is again referring to Ps. 110:1, how Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, and how He is seated at the right hand of God.  He has finished His race and sat down, so we as the readers need to keep running until we get to the end of our race.

The author has gone to great length to show how Jesus has offered a better sacrifice, His own eternal life, His own blood.  Jesus is also a better high priest because He doesn’t need replacing, He is a priest “forever” after the order of Melchizedek, the One to whom David referred when he wrote,

(Psa 110:1 KJV)  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Now again, the author is referring to how Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God.  He has finished with His work of sacrifice, He is sitting.

:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

consider – analogizomai – to think over, consider, ponder

Him – toioutos – such as this, of this kind or sort  “Ponder on someone of this kind”

endured – hupomeno – to remain; to tarry behind; to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee; to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one’s faith in Christ; to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments.  Perfect participle.

sinners – hamartolos – devoted to sin, a sinner; not free from sin; pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked; all wicked men; specifically of men stained with certain definite vices or crimes

contradiction – antilogia (“against” + “word”) – gainsaying, contradiction; opposition, rebellion.  NAS – “hostility”; NIV – “opposition”.

Lesson

Enduring people problems.

People are one of the hardest things to endure.

Jesus faced a lot of junk thrown at him from people who didn’t want to follow Him. In reality, all the people that gave Jesus a hard time were “sinners”.  In fact, all the people that Jesus ever talked to were “sinners”.

He could have just said, “FORGET IT!!!”  He could have said, “Hey you Pharisees, stop giving Me so many headaches, wake up and smell the coffee!!” 

He could have said, “I don’t have to put up with this!”

Illustration

SECRET TO A LONG MARRIAGE

A couple was celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. Their domestic tranquility had long been the talk of the town. A local newspaper reporter was inquiring as to the secret of their long and happy marriage. “Well, it dates back to our honeymoon,” Explained the man. “We visited the Grand Canyon and took a trip down to the bottom of the canyon by pack mule. We hadn’t gone too far when my wife’s mule stumbled. My wife quietly said, “That’s once.” We proceeded a little farther when the mule stumbled again. Once more my wife quietly said, “That’s twice.” We hadn’t gone a half mile when the mule stumbled a third time. My wife promptly removed a revolver from her pocket and shot him. I started to protest over her treatment of the mule when she looked at me and quietly said, ‘That’s once.’”

Jesus could have easily quit in frustration at the stupid things people were saying, but He didn’t.

lest – “for the purpose of not”.  There’s a reason to be “considering” Jesus.  There’s a purpose behind it.

wearied – kamno – to grow weary, be weary; to be sick

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Re 2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

minds – psuche – breath; the soul; the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)

faint – ekluo – to loose, unloose, to set free; to dissolve, metaph., to weaken, relax, exhaust; to have one’s strength relaxed, to be enfeebled through exhaustion, to grow weak, grow weary, be tired out; to despond, become faint hearted

Lesson

Strength comes from looking to Jesus

Illustration

In the early morning hours of July 4, 1952 a powerful swimmer named Florence Chadwick attempted to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast.  The 21-mile swim through shark-infested waters began on a foggy morning.  Less than a half-mile from the finish, however, Chadwick had to be pulled from the water. Later she said she hadn’t been defeated by fatigue, but by the fog. “If I could have seen land, I might have made it.”  Two months later, she made it!  Again, fog limited Chadwick’s vision—but this time she overcame despair by keeping a picture of the coast in her mind.

Anyone who has faced adversity knows how Florence Chadwick felt as she struggled to swim on without being able to see the goal.  Hardship has a way of obscuring our spiritual vision.  The solution?  Focus on Jesus and think on him.