Hebrews 12:1-3 Part 2

How do we run the race of faith well?

I.  Take encouragement from the faithful saints who preceded us.

II. Eliminate hindrances.

  a.  Put aside things that distract.

  b.  Put as the sin that entangles.

 

III.  Fix our attention on Jesus.

-fixing = aphorao = look away from one thing and concentrate on another

-II Pet 1:3, I Pet. 4:11, Eph. 1:19-20

   a.  He is the author and perfecter of faith.

-author = archegos = pioneer, author, leader

-I Pet. 1:20

-Jude 4-5,

-I Cor. 10:1-4

-perfecter = teleiotes = one who brings to the goal, one who brings to completion

   b.  He endured the cross.

     i.  Disregarding the disgrace of the cross.

-despising = kataphroneo = to think down on something, treat with contempt, look down on, think nothing of

    ii.  For the joy set before Him.

-John 17:4-5

-sat down = kathizo = to take one's seat; perfect active indicative

 

  IV.  Consider how Jesus endured.

-consider = analogizomai = to reckon up, to count up, reason with careful deliberation

     a.  He willingly endured the hostility of sinners.

     b.  Let His endurance enable us to not lose heart.

-grow weary = kamno = become weary, become discouraged

-lose = ekluo = (passive) to give out, become weary or slack

-O'Brien "When believers, who are still running their race, fix their eyes on Jesus and rely on Him for support and help, they know that He is the perfecter of faith who is seated at God's right hand, having endured the cross and shame for them. His exemplary fidelity is underscored so as to encourage them to persevere in faithfulness."

Hebrews 12:1-3 Part 1

Run the race set before us.

-run = trecho = run, exert oneself, make an effort, speed on

-How do we run the race of faith well?

 

  I.  Take encouragement from the faithful saints who preceded us.

1. Examples.

2. Witnesses

-witness = martus = one who gives testimony, witness, martyr

-I Cor. 9:24

 

  II.  Eliminate hindrances.

-race = agon = struggle, contest, race

-endurance = hupomene = patient endurance

-set before us = prokeimai = to lie before

-lay aside = apotithemi = to lay aside from oneself, be done with, take off

    a.  Put aside things that distract.

-encumbrance = ogkos = bulk, mass, weight, impediment

    b.  Put aside sin that entangles.

-so easily entangles = euperistatos = causing entanglement;

-Eric Liddell "The secret of my success over the 400 meters is that I run the first 200 meters as fast as I can. Then, for the second 200 meters, with God's help, I can run faster."

Hebrews 11:32-40 Part 2

I.  Through faith we conquer in the struggles.

-Through faith God enabled them to:

   a.  Gain great victories.

   b.  Be delivered from death.

   c.  Become strong through weakness.

 

  II.  Through faith we continue through suffering.

-Matt. 10:22-31

-Through faith God enabled them to:

    a.  Persevere in persecution.

-tortured = tumpanizo = torture, strike, pound, beat

-release = apolutrosis = release by payment of a price, redemption

-mockings = empaigmos = mocking, heaping sarcastic derision upon

    b.  Persevere unto death.

-tempted = peirazo = to make proof of, test

-I Kings 19:10

-Luke 9:24-25

    c.  Persevere in deprivation.

-Phil. 4:10-12

-(picture of Cappadocia)

-Bruce "They were outlawed as people who were unfit for civilized society; the truth was that civilized society was unfit for them."

-Matt. 8:20

  

III.  Through faith we are convinced of our salvation.

-gained approval = martureo = bear witness, testify; (passive)

-Bruce "Faith in God carries with it no guarantee of comfort in this world; this was no doubt one of the lessons which our author wished his readers to learn. But it does carry with it greate reward in the only world that ultimately matters."

Hebrews 11:32-40 Part 1

I.  Through faith we conquer in the struggles.

-Rom. 8:37

-Judges 7:15

-Judges 5:1-2, 31

-Judges 11:26

 

-Through faith God enabled them to:

    a. Gain great victories.

-conquered = kategonizo = to struggle against, to overcome, subdue

    b.  Be delivered from death.

-Dan. 6:10, 22

-Dan. 3:16-18

-edge = stomata = mouth

-sword = machaira = short 18-24 inch sword for hand to hand combat

    c.  Become strong through weakness.

-O'Brien "The point is that they were not mighty in and of themselves; rather through faith they became mighty in battle. 'Conflict did not weaken them, but was the occasion on which they became strong - an important idea for the dispirited listeners.'"

-II Cor. 12-7-10, 4:7-10, Eph. 3:16