THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US

Hebrews 12:1-13

Key Verse 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

In getting something done successfully, one key thing to remember is to put it into perspective. This is particularly true with our lives. You only get one chance in life. Therefore, there should not be many “oops.”  

Thankfully, the Lord God gave us the Bible which helps us to put our lives into perspective. The Bible shows us our lives here on earth from God’s point of view. In today’s passage he describes our life here on earth as a spiritual race.  Let us come to the passage and see what the author means by “the race marked out for us.” When we fully grasp the way today’s passage describes our life here on earth, we can have the correct view of our life. Then we will not fumble or meander here and there. Rather, we will have a good grip of the meaning, direction, and goal of our life. And as we run the race with this Biblical perspective in mind, we can finish the race and gain the winner’s prize. We can organize the author’s wisdom to win first place in this race with seven points:   

First, a great cloud of witnesses (1a) 

The first point for a prize-winning Christian to secure from first to last is to get into a spiritual winner’s club and have close fellowship with spiritual winners of the past. The first rule of thumb in getting anything done successfully is to get along with those who are masters in the area in which one desires to be a master himself. For example, if you want to make a lot of money, you need to get along with those who have actually made a lot of money. One person I know made millions of dollars by first finding a job at a golf club located in one of the richest areas in North America. He worked there in the club house as a sales clerk. His hourly wage was not that much: $7 an hour. But his purpose was not just to earn a couple thousand dollars a month as a salary. His aim was to get himself acquainted with as many rich people as possible. So, each time a sun-tanned, rich golfer visited the club house, he smiled big, said kind words to him, struck up a conversation with him, and then without exception asked him for his business card. In this way he collected hundreds of business cards from wealthy people. He soon quit his job and opened his own business. What kind of business did he open? A printing company making custom made paper products: custom designed envelopes in all different sizes, custom made papers with custom made letter heads, custom made folders, custom made business cards, custom made everything, and his clients were the golfers he got acquainted with at the club house. 

In the same way, in order for us to become successful in running the race marked out for us and finishing it successfully, even with the vision of winning first place, we need to get ourselves acquainted with those who have run the spiritual race marked out for them and who finished the race successfully. Who are they? Look at v. 1a. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…” Here “a great cloud of witnesses” refers to the heroes of faith described in Hebrews chapter eleven – Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, David, and so forth. 

The expression “a great cloud” indicates the existence of a huge number of spiritual winners. There are a lot more winners in God’s redemptive history than we think there are. In addition, the word “witness” indicates that each of them has his or her own success story to share. The times they lived in were not easy. The challenges were extremely difficult to meet. Yet, despite adverse circumstances they overcame all obstacles and won victories. They rose above the multitude. They proved themselves to be spiritual millionaires. 

This tells us practically that we should not look around ourselves and entertain negative thoughts such as, “Look, why is it only I that has to suffer like this?” This is particularly true during the summer season. After the semester is over and the vacation season starts, driven by wanderlust many are looking for fun opportunities. Because this has been the general trend, it sounds a very stupid thing for someone to commit himself to a spiritual program such as the Summer Bible Program at Downey UBF. Or when all others seem to be having their own fun time, it sounds foolish to continue to go to a college campus for fishing to find a Bible student and to teach the Bible. 

But we must remember that most likely the spiritual winners of the past, such as Noah, must have felt the same way. While others were doing what they enjoyed, Noah had to work on building the ark. He could have thought to himself, “Look, I don’t know when it might rain. Yet, I have been stuck with this stupid project. I don’t know what I am doing.” But he did not think that way.  By faith he believed that it would rain, and when it rained it was going to rain big time. In a sense, he lived like an ant that works hard during the summer so that when the winter season comes he might have something to eat. So please do not look around yourself too much. Shun away from spiritual losers, and get into the Bible and secure a membership in the spiritual winners’ club. Then make sure that you get yourself well acquainted with all the other members. Listen to their success stories. Find spiritual friends who love Jesus and struggle to do his will and have deep fellowship with them. 

Second, let us throw off everything that hinders…(1b)

The second point for a prize-winning Christian to secure is to make his body well prepared for the race (i.e., make his body “race-worthy” so to speak). When you go down to Long Beach, you can see a huge boat called the Queen Mary docked in a place nearby the Long Beach Harbor. There as you get onto the Queen Mary, you will find an upper deck where they maintain information of the ship. Check the information, especially about when the boat was originally made, or what features the engineers had to come up with in order to make the boat sea-worthy. As you enter the engine room you will see huge engines. You can also see other things like the rudder. This boat was designed to carry tons of cargoes and passengers through the Pacific Ocean. 

Our life is compared to a voyage through the Pacific Ocean. It comes with harms and dangers, waves and storms. So, before embarking on this journey, it is very important for us to make ourselves “sea-worthy.” 

The passage for today compares our life to a race, like a marathon. From a spiritual standpoint, more preparations are needed for the spiritual race of our life here on earth than for a marathon. A marathon has only a physical dimension. But the spiritual race of our life involves not only physical questions concerning what to eat or what to wear but also spiritual questions like, “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “Where am I going?”, “What is the purpose of my life?” Plus, our life comes with many enemies – enemies inside, enemies outside, visible enemies, and invisible enemies (and most of our enemies are invisible!) They are ready to jump out of nowhere to get us! They are ready to snatch us away to a dark dungeon, and finish us right then and there. Remember what Mr. Christian had to go through in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress?

This little observation then reminds us of the absolute need for us to prepare ourselves for the spiritual race marked out for us. 

For this very reason v. 1b says, “[L]et us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” Let us note here that this passage does not talk about making environments easy. It does not talk about the conditions that exist outside of our persons. Rather, the preparation that must be done is in regard to what is inside of us. The obstacles that are found inside then consist of two categories: everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. The first is a general, catch-all category; the second is specific, that is, sin. Here “everything” includes everything that hinders the race. Categorically, it includes paying more attention, concern, and fondness to what is physical than it deserves. The rich young man in Mark 10:21 is a good example. He had tons of money in his bank account. To have lots of money is not a problem. To be attached to it is a problem. So, when Jesus asked the man to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus, the man’s face fell. He went away sad, for he had great wealth. The “love” of the money he kept in his bank account hindered the race marked out for him. One sister I know had a dream to become a Hollywood movie star. It is not necessarily a bad thing per se to be a movie star. But after studying the Bible she learned that her dream might hinder the spiritual race marked out for her. She then gave up the dream. Now she is growing as a beautiful daughter of God. Another brother had a dream to be a rock star. But after studying the Bible he learned that the desire to be an American idol works as a hindrance to his spiritual growth in the Lord. Then he gave up his dream to be a rock star. He smashed his guitar. And now he is growing as an important partner of the gospel in this ministry. 

Another brother I know used to watch pornography. But after much struggle, he decided not to watch it any more, for it is a sin to watch pornography. Nowadays he has grown very stable. I pray that he would grow as a spiritual saint like St. Augustine. I also pray that he would lead group Bible studies for the summer Bible study program, teaching a few lessons under the title “The God of Isaac,” for throughout his life time, Isaac, the son of Abraham, never looked at women lustfully. He single-heartedly loved one woman, Rebekah, and one woman only.  

Third, let us run with perseverance (1c) 

The third point for a prize-winning Christian to hold onto is to not only start running but continue to run with “perseverance.” 

Look at v. 1c. “[A]nd let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The word “persevere” means “to  HYPERLINK "http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=persist" persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement.” The key point of the exhortation to run the race with perseverance is to encourage to stay in the race, keep running, and continue to do so until one finishes the race.

Towards the end of his life the Apostle Paul shared with his disciple Timothy what it is to run the race with perseverance, for he says in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 

I would like to talk about a friend of mine whom I have known for a long period of time.  Until he reached the age of 24, he had never heard about the Bible. God had mercy on him and sent him one of his class mates who invited him to a Bible study in UBF. Since then he has been in the Lord for over thirty years. But still he felt as it if it was just yesterday that he first heard about the gospel and began to study the Bible. One day, however, he visited All American Home Center to buy something. As he was checking out, he presented a credit card to the cashier. She then asked him for a picture ID. He gave her his driver’s license. She then took a good look at him, and then said, “Oh, you are a senior citizen. You are qualified for a ten percent discount. Every Tuesday we give senior citizens 55 years and above a discount.” To him it was good news and bad news. The good news was he saved about $4. The bad news was that people out there finally began to recognize that he is a “senior” citizen. What a sad discovery? 

In studying this Bible passage this friend of mine also realized that even without himself knowing it he already began to develop a so-called “senior citizen syndrome”. In the past he used to run (at least he tried to do so) the race bravely and manfully. But in the secrecy of his privacy, he was seriously thinking about “retiring” from running the race. Of course, he heard that this retirement spirit is the number one killer of Americans. But still he toyed with this idea. Please pray for this man, so that this man would know what it is to run the race with perseverance. 

 

Fourth, let us fix our eyes on Jesus (2a)

The fourth point for a prize-winning Christian to remember is to fix one’s eyes on Jesus. 

This is to ensure that we keep our spiritual batteries fully charged, so that we would secure enough strength and courage to run the race and finish it. 

Look at v. 2a. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” In my late twenties, right after the Vietnam War, the Korean government recruited a new batch of military officers to brace up against the possible invasion from North Korea. I was one of the officer cadets recruited by the government. I was then put through boot camp for Marine Corps officer candidates. The training lasted 19 weeks. One of the training programs included letting cadets run four miles a day in full armor. Before the daily run began the drill sergeant gave us an instruction on how to breathe. He said that after running one or two miles, there will come a “breakpoint” where you will feel as if your heart will soon burst and stop working. Then he said we would be better to breathe through our noses rather than through our mouths. 

Looking back I can see now that we can apply the same wisdom to the spiritual race marked out for us. That is, we need to know how to breathe in running this race. Our race will come with lots of stress. Specifically, it requires lots of faith. The question then becomes, “Where can we get faith?” and, “Where can we get the full supply of all the power and spirit needed to finish the race?” The answer is found in v. 2a. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” This passage indicates that the purpose of fixing our eyes on Jesus is to get all the help needed for the race. What kind of help does Jesus offer? He supplies us with the necessary courage and strength. 

Please note that Jesus is called the “author” and “perfecter” of our faith. The word “author” means faith originated from Jesus. This indicates that faith is not an optional item, but a must have item for us to carry in order to finish our life’s journey successfully to God’s kingdom. Jesus created the world and the people living in this world in such a way that it is only through each person fully trusting in him and depending on him that they can get themselves going. So, faith is never a luxury or an auxiliary item. It is a must have item. Without faith it is impossible for us to survive much less finish the race of our life’s journey. The title “perfecter” then suggests to us that even though we are imperfect, Jesus, who is the perfecter of our faith, makes us perfect, especially our faith. 

We find this to be true in the life of Abraham. God called Abraham at the age of 75. Abraham found God’s promises good and beneficial. He saw that he would lose nothing and gain everything. So, he believed and left his father’s household. He left his life security behind and went to the land God was going to show him. But he soon faced one difficulty after another. Famine hit him, money ran out, and he lost faith. He was then side tracked. Instead of living by faith in God, he went down to Egypt believing in the possibility of making a better living there. In this way his faith went through ups and downs. But each time he lost faith or each time his faith became broken, the Lord God visited him and restored him back to the life of faith. In the end, the Lord’s help paid off. Abraham’s faith became unshakably complete. He then passed the final exam in God’s school of faith. He graduated with A+. 

But Abraham did not graduate the school of faith as an honors student automatically. He was able to gain the honor because he kept his eyes on the Lord God. He did not look here and there. Because his eyes stayed fixed on the Lord, each time the Lord asked him to do this or that, he quickly obeyed the Lord. When the Lord asked him to come out of his tent, he came out. When the Lord asked him to look up into the sky, he looked up into the sky. When the Lord asked him to count the stars, he counted. When the Lord asked him to share a testimony, he shared one. In this way, as he fixed his eyes on the Lord, the Lord who is the author and perfecter of faith made his faith complete. With this faith Abraham found strength to obey God’s command. And he finished the race marked out for him with an A+. 

The point then is that it is when we fix our eyes on Jesus that we can get our spiritual batteries recharged. In other words, Jesus will enable our faith to continue to be strong. Then no matter what happens, we can still remain obedient to Jesus’ words. Otherwise as one or two difficulties arise, our batteries will soon wear out, and as we push ourselves further we will burn out and then drop out. 

In our practical lives, fixing our eyes on Jesus then is the same as the call to remain prayerful, so that in prayer we can keep ourselves connected with him who can provide us with a steady supply of all the spiritual energy necessary to finish the race. 

Fifth, for the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross (2b-3)

The fifth point for a prize-winning Christian to secure and never forget is the great reward that lies ahead after passing the finish line. 

What is the reward? Look at vs. 2b-3. “[W]ho for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” The Bible describes the rewards that await all believers after their life’s journey is over in many different ways, such as the kingdom of God, eternal life, or the commendation from the Master, “Well done, my good servant”. In the passage however the author of Hebrews describes the reward in its essential character, that is, joy. 

This joy is different from the regular joys we know. The regular joys like the joy of playing soccer and wining a game is only temporary. But the joy we have in Jesus is different. How is it different? Those who have God’s Spirit inside already know the answer. The joy the Holy Spirit gives is the purest joy. It is like fresh, living water percolating from subsoil. Through the Spirit King David experienced this joy and says in Psalm 16:9-11, “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” 

The joy we have in our hearts is only preliminary in nature. The full load of this reward is to be revealed to us at the time of Jesus’ second coming and after the resurrection of the believers thereafter. For this reason vs. 2b-3 exhort us to look forward to the true joy that is waiting for us. In this we can keep ourselves from becoming weary. We can take heart and continue to run the race to the finish. 

Sixth, in your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (4)

The sixth point for a prize-winning Christian to secure is to minimize and, if possible, to keep to zero the counter forces that come against him, resisting him from moving forward efficiently. 

In running a race such as a marathon one of the keys to finish the race effectively is to minimize resistance as much as possible. Unlike counter forces that are involved in a physical race, in a spiritual race the forces that resist one’s race are spiritual. In v. 4, the author of Hebrews names sin as the key force that resists one running the race. Look at v. 4. “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” 

How does sin resist the runner? First, it robs him of the joy he has in the Lord. Sin separates man from God who is the source of real joy. While joy works like a wind blowing from behind, gently uplifting the runner, sin works like a front wind blowing against him. 

The way for us to completely remove this resisting force is, of course, for us to completely die to ourselves and live fully with Jesus Christ so that it is virtually Jesus Christ and not we who live our lives. We say that this is an accurate interpretation because the expression “to the point of shedding your blood,” especially the word “blood,” does not mean that we should shed our physical blood to the last drop as Jesus did on the cross. If we do, we will die and not be in the race anymore (and it is of no use for us to shed our physical blood in putting to death the sinful nature within us. Jesus’ blood sacrifice is enough for us.) So, struggling against sin “to the point of shedding your blood” is not literal. It only means that we must die to ourselves, have all of our sinful desires crucified to the cross, and then rise again together with Jesus Christ. Then Jesus who gives the Spirit from above helps us to run the race, seamlessly even, despite hardships and difficulties along the journey.

Seventh, endure hardships as discipline (5-13)

The seventh point for a prize-winning Christian is to secure a clear understanding of God’s motive and purpose in sending hardships that come in his life. In vs. 5-13, we see words relating to discipline repeated ten times. Let us read this passage responsively. 

V. 7a is the key to understanding the passage, especially the meaning of discipline. Let us read v. 7a once more. “Endure hardship as discipline…” When hardship comes our way we often feel like complaining. For example, during the worship service you need to be seated in a hard chair for about an hour or even two in order to listen to God’s word. Then you may feel like complaining, saying, “Why do I have to suffer like this every Sunday?” or, “Why is Missionary Isaac Kim’s message so boring?” 

But each time you feel like complaining like this remember what v. 7 says: “Endure hardship as discipline.” The hard time in a hard chair is not just another hardship. (Then what is it?) It is an opportunity for you to get discipline. And the purpose of discipline is to produce a godly character. 

For this reason at the end of today’s passage the author of Hebrews says, “Make level paths for your feet…” This is a quotation from Proverbs 4:26. The main points of the book of Proverbs can be summed up with two words: wisdom and discipline. Wisdom is the ability to make a right choice between two opposite courses of action such as arrogance or humility, kindness or cruelty, eating or fasting. In order for wisdom to bear fruit in life, it needs discipline, for wisdom without discipline is like a man with an elephant’s head and mosquito’s legs. King Solomon is a good example. His wisdom was perfect. But unlike King David he did not receive training. He did not develop a godly character solid enough to resist evil temptations. What then can help man not only to be wise but also to become a man of character that enables him to make the right choice and stand on the side of what is right all the time? Discipline does the job.  For this reason each time hardship comes our way because of God’s word, we must be very thankful to God for it means a golden opportunity has come to you to build a godly character which is what qualifies you for the blessed life in God’s blessed kingdom! 

In conclusion, we learn that a prize winning Christian secures seven points. He does not hang out with a bunch of losers. Rather he spends time and stays with those who love Jesus and struggle to follow Jesus. He makes himself (particularly in his inner being) well fit for the spiritual race. He participates in the race meaning to finish it. He then maintains a steady gaze on Jesus, so that Jesus would keep him fully tuned and charged up spiritually. He looks forward to the prize ahead. He keeps resistance to a minimum. He capitalizes on hardships to shape a godly character in him. Then, when his journey is finished, he wins the crown of righteousness. He finishes his life with the character suitable for his heavenly citizenship. He is a winner of the race. This is the way for a Christian to understand one’s life here on earth. This is the right way to see a man’s life while in this mortal body. 

One word: the race marked out for us

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