“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Life is a long haul. It’s not easy. There are hard things that punctuate our days: work/labor, whether that’s being a student or working a nine to five job or raising children. There are worries and concerns about relationships or finances or the unknown future. There are those things that dog us unrelentingly, like past sins, regrets, wishes and plans that remain out of reach. And there are downright fears that often immobilize us: fear of failing, fear of rejection, fear that our good health might take a turn, or that death may come sooner than it should. These are all common to man. On the big screen (or the little one), life can be portrayed as easy and simple – things work out and everyone is happy. But real life isn’t always like that. Life is a long haul, and sometimes we just seem to be slogging through the mud.
There are many circumstances and happenings in life that threaten to distract our focus. The core truth of the Christian life is this: Christ Jesus shed His blood to redeem your life, to make you a child of God and open the gates of heaven to you. Through faith in Jesus your sins are forgiven and you wear the white robe of righteousness. You are headed for an eternity with God in heaven. But this mortal life, from cradle to the grave, is a long haul – sometimes a very long haul, and Satan, the world and our own flesh would distract us from the core truth if at all possible. They are masters at making the unimportant of the utmost importance, twisting truth into falsehood, and labeling falsehood as truth, They insist that this mortal life is our best life, and that life in Christ is some sort of “shadow,” elusive and unreal.
In difficult times, the temptation comes to doubt God’s love for us. “If He loves me, why won’t he help me? Why won’t He listen to my prayers?” The writer to the Hebrews encourages his Christian readers to “Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:13-14). Life is a long haul. Thank God that He has put us into a family called the Church. The Church is the body of Christ on earth. We are united together for a purpose. And part of that purpose includes the mutual care and encouragement we give to and receive from our brothers and sisters in the faith.
When we are tired, lonely, or low, when we feel God is not hearing the cries of our heart or has abandoned us, when we feel the burden of our failure and our sin, then our brothers and sisters in the faith remind of God’s Word in Hebrews 4, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
The Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, slog through the mud of this world with us. They “run the race” with us, encouraging us and reminding us that God’s promises are all fulfilled in Christ. They encourage us to keep our eyes on Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Hebrews chapter 11 mentions many in the Bible whose faith sustained them in the long haul of this life: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David, Samuel…. We could add to that list Stephen, Paul, Peter and the apostles, and all the martyrs throughout the history of the Church who were willing to lay down their lives, keeping their focus on Jesus, rather than be turned aside from running the race to the end. And the writer calls all of these a great cloud of witnesses. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller once told a story of being at a cross-country event in which one of his children was running. All the runners began in a big group behind a starting line, then took off running at the sound of the starter’s pistol. Soon they were all out of sight and the parents and spectators headed into the stadium to await the end of the race. After a time, the first runner entered the stadium, and the crowd began to cheer. More runners entered, and as the competitors circled the track to the finish line, the crowd noise increased as people encouraged their children across the finish line.
Pastor Wolfmueller describes the exhaustion of the runners after this grueling three-mile race. Then the crowd quieted down, but everyone held their seats. It seemed that not everyone had finished. After a few minutes, here came one final girl, plodding along, laboring mightily as she entered the stadium. But she looked up and saw the finish line and her coach waiting there for her, and everyone in the stadium stood up and started yelling and encouraging her, and the noise of the crowd was greater for this last girl than for the first-place winner. And she took a deep breath, and now she was running again and to the cheers of the crowd she finally crossed the finish line and fell into the arms of her coach.
Pastor Wolfmueller described how this image reminded him of the passage from Hebrews 12, that as we run the race set out for us through this life, we are surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses, the Church, cheering us on, giving us encouragement to remain faithful to the end. And, he says, when we cross that finish line, we collapse into the arms of Jesus. You can listen to his talk (45 minutes) here on Issues Etc.: https://podcast.issuesetc.org/44380702254.mp3. It is well worth the time!
We are indeed surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And I would add that these witnesses are not just cheering us on, but they witness to us of the faithfulness of our God. The world sees Peter crucified and Paul beheaded. It sees Christians mocked and persecuted. In the eyes of the world, the Christian has lost the race. But we see with the eyes of faith. We know how the story ends: “And they lived happily with their heavenly Father in great peace and joy for eternity!”
In these last days, keep your eyes on Jesus. Run the race with the encouragement of your brothers and sisters in Christ, and encourage them as well. Go to church and confess your sins and rejoice in the forgiveness poured out to you there. Receive the body and blood of Jesus. Hear the Word of God. Sing hymns of praise and thanksgiving. Pray to God and pour out your heart. He promises to hear every word. And remember that you do not run alone and you do not run in vain. Jesus is at your side. In confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that [you] may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
God give you His peace as you run the race.
Pastor