1. 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 that is set before us,
2. fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who
for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.
Sometimes it’s the little words that surprise us the most. Read
those verses again and settle in your mind that it is not talking about you running a
race. It is talking about us running a race.
In fact, let me show you something in the chapter that precedes this
one. Who do you think this cloud of witnesses is that is cheering us on? If you guessed
angels, you’re wrong. If you guessed your dead relatives, you’re not seeing the
full picture.
Chapter 11 of the Book of Hebrews is called "The Faith
Chapter." The author recounts a number of Old Testament people who lived by faith.
What is really interesting to me is how the chapter ends. Let’s pick it up in verse
32.
32. And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
33. who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises,
shut the mouths of lions,
34. quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made
strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35a. Women received back their dead by resurrection;*
[It sounds great to following God, right? Where do I sign up? But
read on dear friend...]
35b. and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order
that they might obtain a better resurrection;
36. and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death
with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted,
ill-treated
38. (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves
and holes in the ground.*
[Now here is the clincher, the last two verses of Chapter 11.]
39. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did
not receive what was promised,
40. because God had provided something better for us [there’s that word
"us" again…], so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
This boggles my mind, but here is what it means. The cloud of
witnesses cheering us on, are these men and women of faith who died before God’s plan
for the world ended (so that may include your relatives, if they were men and women of
faith). The reason they are cheering us on is because they have a stake in what we do. In
other words, perfection (as described in verse 40 above) is never an individual thing. We
can become "perfect" in the biblical sense only as members of something much
bigger than ourselves. They gave their lives with the hope that you and I would join them
in living lives of faith in Christ. In other words, the perfection or completion of a life
of faith is that someday it will show fruit in the lives of those who will come later and
follow the example others set before them.
One day we will all be together in heaven and we will see that we
have completed one another through faith in Christ. Did you know that the apostles want to
meet you as much as you look forward to meeting them? And in eternity, there will not be a
problem of lack of time to get acquainted.
So now, back to you and this pornography thing. We are all pulling
for you to run with endurance. We are all pulling for you to open your eyes and see the
bigger picture. It’s not about you alone and your problem with sexual temptation.
It’s about living a life of faith that will make a difference in people who you will
influence but may never know in this life. How do I know this is so? The author and
perfecter of our faith, Jesus, is the one who will bring it about – it’s not up
to you and me, and that’s why we can talk about a perfect ending in spite of the
screw-ups each of us has made.
Let’s close with Paul back in that Roman jail. Philippians
3:13-14.
13. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.*
May this be our affirmation of faith today as well.