Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
12. Hebrews 12. While you're turning
there, just a reminder, next Sunday we'll have our regular
service Sunday morning, but we'll also have a special evening service. Brother Mike Walker will be coming
to preach for us. And with that, there's I think
there's a sign-up sheet up here. Still looking for nursery workers,
so. All right, Hebrews chapter 12. I want us to look this morning
at two verses of scripture. Just two verses. Look beginning
with verse one of Hebrews 12. Wherefore, seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us
lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."
Now this cloud of witnesses, who are they? If you look back
in the previous chapter, we read a little bit of Hebrews 11, But
many of those, we read of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Moses,
of Rahab the harlot. Scripture says they all obtained
a good report through faith, through faith. They're all examples
of those that died in faith. They died believing God. Wherefore,
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth
so easily beset us." Setting aside those things that would
weigh us down. And he says here, the sin that
doth so easily beset us. I've heard men attribute this
to a number of things, what this sin is. But I believe the majority of
them say this, this weight that so easily besets us, it's what's
talked about here. It's the opposite of what's talked
about here. Not faith, but unbelief. Unbelief. The great sin of unbelief. That was the charge against Israel. Remember that back in Hebrews
3, we read this a while back, but it says, But with whom was
he grieved with for forty years? Was it not them that had sinned,
whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom swear he that they
should not enter into his rest? Who was that to? that believed
not. Those who did not believe. They
could not enter in. The children of Israel could
not enter in because of unbelief. That was the problem. They did
not believe. Scripture says this, Take heed,
brethren, lest any of you an evil heart of what? Of unbelief. enter into any of us a heart
of unbelief in departing from the living God. Hebrews 4 says,
let us labor therefore into that rest lest any man fall after
the same example of unbelief. The children of Israel could
not enter in. They would not enter in for one
reason. They did not believe. Turn with
me to John, John chapter 3. Hold your place there in Hebrews,
but turn to John chapter 3. Look at verse 36 of John 3. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not, he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." God is angry That's what Scripture
says. I know that's counter to what
we see on bumper stickers going up and down the road, but Scripture
says God is angry with the wicked every day. Why is that? What's the source of that anger?
What's the reason for that anger? You know, one single trait made
Abraham the friend of God. What was said of Abraham? It
says he believed God. Abraham believed God. And one
single trait identifies sin. Scripture says this, the Spirit
of God is come and he'll convince the world of sin. How is that? Listen, here it is. They believe
not on me." That's it. He'll convince the
world of sin. This is the essence of sin. This
is the chief trait of sin. They do not believe. Those Pharisees, they asked this
question. They said, what shall we do? What can we do to do the
works of God? And he said this, this is the
work of God. This is it. Write this down.
This is the work of God that you believe on Him whom He hath
sent. That's the command. Believe on
Him. Believe Him. Lay aside every
weight. and the sin that doth so easily
beset us, and run with confidence the race set before us." I've had the chance to watch
a lot of races, had the opportunity to run in a few, but this one
thing, this is the thing I've always had in mind when watching
a race. It's the finish. Isn't that the
whole purpose of running a race? To finish? To cross the finish
line? Paul writing to Timothy, he said
this, he said, I fought a good fight. Then what did he say? I have finished my course. I've kept the faith. Let's read
on in our text. Here back in Hebrews 12, look
at verse 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. You know, there are so many things
in this world that catch our eye. So many things that we're
prone to look to. You know, David looked at the
size of his army. Remember that when he sinned
against God in numbering Israel? Nebuchadnezzar, he looked at
what he considered his kingdom. Remember that? He said, is this
not the great Babylon that I have built? That's what he was looking
to. Jeremiah 9, verse 23, we read
the words of the prophet Jeremiah. He says this, thus saith the
Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty
man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in
his riches. We're not to be looking to these
things. Would we do that? Would we do
that? What's the scripture say here?
Lay aside every weight. I've never seen anybody run a
race with a lot of extra stuff on. I remember one year we were
at the state cross-country tournament. It was freezing. It was absolutely
freezing. We had heavy coats and toboggans,
and we all, the spectators, we all hopped in the car and sat
there with the heater running, big heavy jackets on. We walk
out to watch the race, and the kids are dressed like they're
always dressed, laying aside. every weight. Psalm 34 verse
5 says, They looked unto him, and they were lightened, and
their faces were not ashamed. Who were they looking to? Looking
unto the Lord. Looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to the first few words
here from Hebrews 12 too. The first three words, looking
unto Jesus. Look to him. You know, when we look, we're
to look away from all that would distract us and look to him. Look to the
Lord Jesus Christ, not with this natural eye, but with the eye
of faith. That's what we read of all those
men back there and women back there in the Old Testament. They
hadn't seen the problem. They'd seen it far off, didn't
they? We look with eyes of faith. Turn with me to John chapter
6. John chapter 6. Look at verse 40 of John 6. This is the will of him that
sent me that everyone which seeth, seeth. Tell me how you see something
without looking. Everyone which seeth the sun
and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I'll raise
him up at the last day. To look to him by faith. and
see Him, to see the Lord Jesus Christ as my wisdom, as my righteousness,
as my sanctification, as my redemption, to see Him as all, and to believe
Him, to believe on Him with the heart. Over and over in Scripture,
we see this. Isaiah 45.22 says, look unto
me and be ye saved. all the ends of the earth, for
I am God and there is none else. There is no other. To whom should we look if we
would be saved? What's the answer? To whom must
we look if we would be saved? We look to Him. We look to Christ. The command, listen to this,
look. Look. How much effort does that
take? Look. Not work, not labor, not
serve. Like the Israelites of old that
had been bitten by that fiery serpent. What was the command?
Look and live. We read that, I believe, Wednesday
night. Look and live. Turn back to our
text, Hebrews 12. Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of
our faith, seeing the Son by faith and believing Him, resting in
Him. As one with the Father, that's
what Scripture says, one with the Father over all, God blessed
forever. Seeing Him as God's Christ, seeing
Him as Christ, that one sent of God, that one sealed of God, that
one full of grace and truth, blessed with the view of beholding
Him. What's that? Content with beholding
His face. beholding Him. We see Him as
the author and finisher of our faith. Faith is, listen, even
faith is the gift of God. That's clear in God's Word, isn't
it? For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of
yourselves. Faith is the gift of God. Saved, saved through faith. It's the gift of God. He gives
faith. Listen. I want to believe the
record that God has given concerning His Son. He's the author of our
faith. Scripture says this, He's the
Alpha and the Omega. He's the beginning and the end.
He alone, Christ alone is salvation. And by nature, it's not in us
to believe. By nature, we're a doubting people. Anybody ever tell you something
and the first thing you say is like, I just don't believe that,
right? By nature, we're a doubting people. Scripture says this though, for
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called. And whom He called, them He also
justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. It's by His grace, it's by the
Spirit of God that He leads us to believe. It's by his grace
that we do believe. For by grace are you saved through
faith. Don't we love that passage? For
by grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourselves
is the gift of God. Not of works, what's it say?
Not of works, lest any man should boast. He's the author of it.
It's all of, there's no co-author here. He's the author, it is
all of him. He's the object of our faith. Turn to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy 1, look at verse 8. Listen to Paul's words to Timothy. Verse 8, he says, be not therefore
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner,
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God, who hath saved us. Who did it? He did. Who hath saved us? Who hath called us with a holy
calling? Not according to our works, but
according to His own purpose and grace given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began. But now, right now is made manifest
by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished
death and has brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel, through his word. He's the object of faith. What
did we just read there? He saved us. Who did it? He did. Who called us? He did. According to what? His own purpose
and grace. He abolished death. He brought
life and immortality through the gospel. And Paul goes on
in verse 11 and he says this, he says, Whereunto I am appointed
a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles, for the which
cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed,
for I know." What do you know, Paul? I know whom I have believed,
and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which is committed
unto him against that day. It's all of him. He's the author
of faith. He's the object of faith, and
he is the finisher. the finisher of our faith. That's the one who brings it
to maturity. That's the one who completes
it. He said this, he said, I finished, the Lord Jesus Christ said this,
I have finished the work that you gave me to do. And he gives us. that which is
the goal of faith, the completion of faith, eternal life, the salvation
of his people. Ephesians 2 verse 4, but God
who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved
us even even when we were dead in sins. And He hath quickened
us together by Christ, by grace, by grace, and He hath raised
us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace and his kindness through Jesus Christ. He is the finisher of our faith. Look back again to Hebrews chapter
12, verse 2. Looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, What saves us? It's not my faith. Lord, I believe, help thou my
unbelief. It's not my works. It's not my
works of righteousness, which we've done. But according to
His mercy, He saved us. By the washing of regeneration
and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. It's not my name. Sometimes we get caught up in
a family name. That's not what saves us. Scripture
says this, there is none other name, none other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved. It's not my doctrine. Doctrine's important. We could
be spot on when it comes to doctrine. But listen, if I don't have Christ,
I don't have anything. It's Christ. It's not myself. Not my strength that will save
me. It's not my weakness that will
condemn me. It is Christ and Christ alone. Peter proved that true, didn't
he? Peter said, I'll never deny you.
But he did, didn't he? Paul said, I'm the chief of sinners. And you know, there are those
who are content with Christ being the author. They're willing to
make him the author. But in pride and conceit, They
will not acknowledge him as the finisher, the one who got the
job done. I ask you, how is it, those of
you to whom the Lord is saved, how did you first look to Christ? Was it not as a poor beggar? Did you not come to him as a
beggar? Like that man on the wayside, Jesus, thou son of David,
have mercy on me. Was it not as a helpless, friendless,
needy, condemned sinner? What's changed? What is it that
you now possess that would recommend you otherwise? The Lord Jesus Christ, he is
the author, and He is the finisher of our faith. Oh, I pray He would enable us
to be found looking, continually looking unto Him, that He'd cause
us to look to Him, to rest in Him, to believe Him. God's Word
declares this, neither is there salvation in any other. We're the circumcision, which
worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, having no confidence
in this flesh. Not looking to myself, not looking
to anything, but looking to Christ and Christ alone. Listen to these
words from Psalm 121. You're familiar with this passage
of scripture. David said this, he said, I lift
up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My
help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He, he
will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth Israel,
he'll not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord
is the shade upon thy right hand. The sun will not smite thee by
day nor the moon by night. The Lord will preserve thee from
all evil. He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord will preserve thy going
out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore. Looking, looking unto Jesus. He that planned our salvation. He that purchased our salvation. He that produced a salvation
in us. That one who preserves our salvation. He preserves salvation in the
hearts of his people and he's ultimately bring every one of
his sheep to perfection. An eternal salvation. You know,
if something's eternal, it's forever. God has given his people
an eternal salvation that can never be taken away, which can
never be lost. Well, let's read on here in our
text. Hebrews 12 to who for the joy, the joy of fulfilling the
father's will. He said, I finished the work
you gave me to do. Who for the joy, the joy of being
seated at the right hand of the majesty on high, for the joy
of saving his people. Every one of them. He said, I
will lose nothing. I'm not going to lose one. He
counted it He counted it all joy to redeem his people. You ever do something kind for
somebody and just be aggravated about it the whole time you're
doing it? Maybe you go mow the grass for somebody. You take
on a task, you do something, and you know it's the right thing
to do, but inside, kicking and screaming, the whole time. That's us. But that's not the
Lord Jesus Christ. He counted it joy. A joy. And in doing that, he endured
the cross and despised the shame. Christ, for the joy of redeeming
his people, he endured the cruel death of the cross. He was mocked. He was beaten. He counted that joy for his people. He treated the shame and humiliation
of the cross with contempt. The Lord Jesus Christ was accused
of blasphemy. He was mocked, he was made sin. All these things for his people. He ignored the shame and he was
victorious. How do we know he was victorious? The Lord Almighty God raised
him from the grave and he is ascended and seated at the right
hand of God. He endured the cross, he despised
the shame, and he is set down at the right hand of the majesty
on high. Our savior, our example for the
joy that was set for him. I pray in times of trial and
difficulty, He would enable us to endure. Just a little. To ignore mocking and to ignore
humiliation and continue in this, in faith. Continue looking to
Him. Turn with me to 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 5. Look at verse 10, 1 Peter 5 verse
10. But the God of grace, the God
of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by
Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect,
establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him, to Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Looking, looking to Him,
looking to the Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our
faith. Let me close by reading just
the last few words. I come across an article by Brother
Don Fortner here a while back. I think this is a good summary.
And it says this, it is looking unto Jesus alone that is salvation. Look to him. Look to Christ always
and for everything. in all circumstances, in all
conditions, in all experiences, both good and bad, look to Him and look to Him alone. Let us be found. Oh, I pray each
of us would be found looking unto Jesus until He comes and calls us home unto
death or in the resurrection at that last day. And listen
to this. Listen to what scripture says. It says, when he shall
appear, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher. of our faith. All right. Mike,
you come lead us in a closing hymn.