June 4 – Learning From Witnesses

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race…” – Hebrews 12:1 (ESV) 

 The word “therefore” is frequent in the Bible. When we come across it we find out what it is there for. This time it bridges a transition between Chapters 11 & 12 of Hebrews where is a list of deceased people whose lives witnessed the value and blessing of living by faith. The author of Hebrews is giving us reassurance that is drawn from the saints in the past who faithfully believed in the LORD God. We are encouraged to rid ourselves of sin because sin entangles us and inhibits our ability to live with endurance. We are all on a path that is a race of sorts, not against each other but against the wickedness of Satan who is set on causing us to stumble and fall and fail to reach our goal. The Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:13-14) explains this, and like him, we have a goal that we are straining forward to reach. A life pleasing to God. Therefore we are pressing on toward the goal God has set before us. Sin entangles us and misdirects us and causes us to miss out on the prize of blessings God has set for us.

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October 29 – Surrounded by Examples

“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,” Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

Context of our verse is important.  It follows chapter eleven where the author identified by name seventeen Old Testament believers and references many more who were also saved by faith in the word of God. These examples are witnesses to us of the truth. God has given this to us in the promises He gives to us. It is worthy to believe in God and in his promises to us. Yet, we face an enemy who works to distract us by loading us down with lies so that we forget those promises. The verse we have today tells us how to overcome this attack. Trust in the example of the witnesses who before Jesus Christ was born, lived, died and rose from the grave, believed in that promise to come and were saved and through faith declared righteous by God. By faith, we too can lay aside the sin which binds itself to us and weighs us down. Let’s get rid of that baggage, lay it aside, and we will have freedom to run the race with endure to the end. This is all accomplished by the grace of God alone – we have but to believe.

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May 21– 40 Days Past - Ascension Day

“And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”  - Acts 1:10-11 (NASB)

It has been 40 days. Forty days before this event recorded in our verse today Jesus Christ rose from the tomb where His lifeless body had been placed three days before. Crucified, Jesus died on the cross to pay the wages for the sins of all who by faith have believed in Jesus.  Jesus is standing on the Mount of Olives with his eleven disciples (Judas is no more). Jesus gives them a promise and a charge. Soon, He promises, the Holy Spirit will come upon each of them and with His power, they will begin to witness to the world all that Jesus has given them and all that the Holy Spirit will give them.  The disciples see Jesus ascend from where He stood.  They watch him rise until clouds obscure Him and they stared after Him.  What is our promise?  There are many in this passage but today we focus on what the angels said. They appeared while the disciples had their neck bent looking at the sky.  The promise was direct.  Jesus was coming back. He will come back exactly revers of the way they saw Him leave. A promise to look forward to.

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* Ascension Day is officially celebrated on a Thursday on the 40th day of Easter, or 39 days after Easter Sunday. Ascension Day in 2020 is May 21. 

January 30 – Persevere to the End

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1b-2a (NIV)

The book of Hebrews is a letter written primarily to people of Hebrew background to encourage those who were Christians to live by faith. Chapter 11 records a list of many people who had lived by faith during the time before Christ was born. They were Old Testament saints who believed God by faith. Chapter 12 reminds us that these saints are witnesses to our faith walk. We are encouraged in today's verse to maintain that faithfulness. Life is like a race. For each of us there has been a starting line. For each of us there will be a finish line. God has determined the beginning and the ending and he has things for us to experience in between. We each have a purpose and we have work to do for God. But we remember, we cannot run this race on our own. If we are going to do well, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, he is our example and it is our faith in Him that helps us finish this race strongly. Today and every day, let us keep looking at Jesus and not look away, he will help us persevere to the end.