Post on 18-Jan-2018
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Preserving Faith in the Mature HeartHebrews 12:1-2
Encouraged by Those BeforeThe struggling Christian is
surrounded by those who have been victorious
We can look to them and learn the lessons of their struggles
Maturity should bring a better perspective
“Since we have so great a
cloud of witnesses”
Addition by SubtractionThe Ancient Greeks laid aside
anything that would slow themWhatever makes this race
more difficult must be laid aside!
We must have an accurate value system
“Let us lay aside every encumbranc
e”
Addition by Subtraction“entangle” – skillfully surround“…reminds us of the ring of
wild beasts in the jungle that encircle the camp-fire at night each ready to pounce upon a careless victim” (Robertson’s)
We must not love that which would entangle us 1John 2:15-17
“the sin which so
easily entangles
us”
Run with EnduranceThe Christian life is a
marathon not a sprintEndurance – constantly,
perseveringly (Strong’s)This race is not part of our
lives it is our lives
“Let us run with
endurance”
Run with EnduranceWe must learn to focus on the
things which we can affect rather than those which we cannot
It is not for us to lay out the course, merely to run the race
The difficulty of the course is why we must remove all hindrances
“the race that is set before us”
Maintain your FocusThe marathoner must have
extreme focus throughout the race
“looking” – “to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something” (Mounce)
“Fixing your eyes on Jesus”
Maintain your Focus“the author” of faith – the
source or originator of faithJesus authored faith through
his atoning work“the finisher of faith” –
completer, perfecterJesus perfected faith through
His Priestly work as well as taking His throne
“Fixing your eyes on Jesus”
Maintain your FocusAll that Jesus did He did
looking forward to the completion of His goal
“despising” – literally to think little or nothing of something
Jesus was so focused on the result that the suffering was as nothing to Him
“for the joy set before
Him endured the cross, despising
the shame”