Aug 21, 2022 Preaching | Bro. Kidit Afable
As we run the race of life, we encounter obstacles and struggles along the way. In Hebrews 12, we are encouraged to finish well because Jesus has already paved the way. He himself finished the race, hence we need to fix our eyes on Him. There are 5 things we ought to do to enable us to fix our eyes on Jesus:
- Drop the baggage – We must get rid of obstacles and sin
The very first call to action is to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us. The warning for unbelief and drifting back to our old ways is a recurring theme in the book of Hebrews. For this reason, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard (the truth of God’s word), so that we do not drift away from it. We must therefore examine ourselves and ask – what obstacles and sins are preventing us from having greater intimacy with God? We must get rid of them and fix our eyes on Jesus.
- Run the marathon, not the sprint – We must run with endurance
The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a race of a lifetime that requires endurance, steadfastness, constancy, perseverance. Endurance means the deliberate purpose and loyalty to faith, never swerved by even the greatest trials and sufferings. As Billy Graham once said “becoming a Christian is the work of a moment; being a Christian is the work of a lifetime”.
- Have faith in the outcome – We must trust in the author of our faith.
The object of our faith is the personhood of Christ. Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith. He finished the work at the cross. We must trust in His personhood which proves we are worth His righteousness. Let us be inspired by His passion for us as it shows we are worth His sacrifice. Let us be assured in His position which tells us we are worth His kingdom. We must therefore run towards Jesus, as He is the entire point of the race, the very foundation of our faith and hope.
- Stay the course, no matter how difficult – We must embrace the discipline of a loving Father.
Do not lose heart, do not grow weary because Jesus already paved the way by finishing the race. Jesus has endured for our sakes. Remember what He had to suffer on the cross for us so He understands our pain and suffering. Yes the race of life is hard for us, but Jesus endured even more for our sakes. Sometimes we experience the discipline of God. But because He is a loving Father, he does this because He loves us, His children, in order for us to build endurance, so that we will finish the race, so that we can be with Jesus for eternity. His discipline is for our own good in order to share in His holiness so that we may be set apart for Him and that we may yield the fruit of righteousness. So it may be that the momentary struggle to stay the course is real, but so is God’s love for us that transcends all our pain and suffering. In the midst of struggle, we are meant to be people of hope, whose eyes are fixed on Jesus. God’s discipline helps us become more Christ-like and as we become more Christ-like, we are better equipped to finish the race.
- Focus on the core pursuit – We must pursue Jesus above all else.
In reference to the Genesis story of Esau, the first born of Isaac – Unlike Esau who deviated and took the crooked path, we must keep our path straight. Unlike Esau who pursued worldly desires, we must pursue peace with all men and sanctification. Unlike Esau who hardened his heart, we must not fall short of God’s grace. We should always go back to Him. Unlike Esau who allowed bitterness to take root, we must not let bitterness spring up. Unlike Esau who sold his birthright, we must never trade away Christ for anything. Never give up on Jesus. He never gave up on us. To quote Pastor Jay Jackson, “The only legitimate pursuit in life is the pursuit of Jesus Christ.”
In summary, do not live a life of regret. No matter where you are in your life today, it is never too late to fix your eyes on Jesus. Whatever your struggles are today, whatever season you are in, fix your eyes on Jesus.