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. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 

The writer of Hebrews wants the best for his audience. He desires greatly their spiritual progress. To that end, he exhorts them, in the verse which serves as our primary emphasis today, ‘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.’ This is a clear and strong exhortation.  We often hear impassioned preachers, apply it with strong challenges. It is impossible to perform these things such as, ‘lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us,’ in the strength of the flesh because of our force of will or power of resolve. Such a self-focused emphasis merely sets us up for failure. How can we do these things and, ‘run with endurance the race that is set before us?’ The answer lies within the context. How did the heroes of the faith ‘subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises, and stop the mouth of lions?’ Simply put, they looked to Christ. How may we succeed in the same manner in which they did? Again, simply put, we look to Christ. All spiritual progress, and success is integrally related to the Person of Christ. There is no growth, no development, no sanctification, no holiness, and no endurance apart from ‘looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.’ Herein lies the secret of all spiritual progress, and successful spiritual living. It is Christ, first, last and always. 

Our most Glorious and Wonderful Savior, 
we look to You this day and every day,  
to enable us to do what we could never do in our own strength. 
Hold us up and make us strong and true. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

…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. 

Hebrews 12:2 

As we continue to dwell upon this text, we consider what the writer is urging us, as readers, to do. In due course of time, we intend to examine the practical implications of this urging. For the minute, in preparation for that, let us, please, consider this. We look to Christ, first as our Redeemer. Apart from His Imputed Righteousness, we have no acceptance with God. Beyond that, when it comes to matters of practical holiness, Christ is the quintessential ‘Christian.’ He is the Great Pattern of Holiness. Our text declares, ‘…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.’ Notice, please, the example which Christ sets. ‘Who for the joy that was set before Him,’ tells us that He took the eternal view. Christ had the larger purpose of God’s Providential End in view.  His Joy would be the redemption of all whom the Father had given Him. To that end, He ‘endured the cross, despising the shame.’ Christ willingly submitted Himself to every conceivable indignity, endured all the horrific abuse, gave Himself over to the cruelest of executions, all to the end purpose of completing the overarching Purpose of the Sovereign God. Although we, in no way, can hope to understand the complexities of all that God is doing in us, with us and through us, yet we may look to Christ, Our Great Pattern, to observe how He did. It is the contemplation of Christ, that leads to the imitation of Christ. 

Our Great and Gracious Savior, 
we rejoice that You have done all things well. 
You are the Divine Template, 
after which we may pattern ourselves. 
By the power of Your Holy Spirit, 
renew us in the whole person after the Image of Your Own Great Self. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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. 

Hebrews 12:2

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. 

Hebrews 11:13 

We stand in the line of a great and holy heritage. It is not a heritage of flesh and blood, but a heritage of faith. Christ is the gold and silver cable Who binds together this transcendent congregation. The text which we will consider in the next few days brings us to Christ to Whom we look while we seek to, ‘run with patience the race that is set before us.’ We cannot begin that contemplation without seeing Christ first as the Christ of the ancient saints. Hence, we set alongside our text a verse from the previous chapter. ‘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.’ This verse appears in the midst of the chapter we may call, ‘the Hall of the Heroes of the Faith.’ It points out to us that these people ‘died in faith, not having received the promises.’ Two verses earlier, in reference to Sarah, the wife of Abraham, it declares, ‘she judged Him faithful Who had promised.’ Who had promised? Genesis 19 shows us that it was Christ, appearing to Abraham in the plain of Mamre, Who had promised that Sarah would bear Isaac. From this, we conclude that Christ has always been the Hope of His people. Looking unto Jesus is not a new thing for the people of God. The ancient saints who were the heroes of the faith, all looked to Christ. We are merely continuing in the same vein in which they lived and died. The Christ, Who was the Christ of the ancient saints is our Christ as well. 

‘O, God our Help in ages past, 
our hope for years to come. 
Be Thou our Guide while life shall last, 
and our Eternal Home.’ 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning