THE RACE OF FAITH - part 3
The journey to expose what the bible says concerning the race of faith as we started three days ago continues today. We have couple of texts to consider today. So let's go straight forward to our verse of the day. The verse taken from Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2. The bible says
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
Before we go today's verse as quoted above, I would like us to go back and highlight on something very important. For it's what leads to today's verse. We take that text from verse 1. Where the writer said
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)
Here we have the key word ENDURANCE
After stripping off every encumbrance and sin, we are told to run with endurance. Once thing that we have to take note of is that this word is not just added to the text to make it bulky. Biblical writers do not just play with words. They mean what the author intended them to mean. To run with endurance gives us how painful and difficult the race is. It's not a race that is won on a silver platter. This race demands tears and sweat. It deals with diligence and requires intense energy.
It demands ceaseless prayer and bible reading. Sometimes we'll have to fast just to win this race. For we know the price that's laid before us. The price of eternal crown in the presence of our Father. In other words, we have to remain under the challenge. We can't afford to lose this race for we have the encouragement from the cloud of witnesses, the Holy Ghost and the backing of our Father in heaven. What part does Jesus play in this race? That's what today's exposition is mainly based on. For we shall observe from our text for today the following
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
Therefore after doing away with all sin and encumbrance , we are told to run with endurance knowing that we have a Perfect and comforting gaze on the First Winner of this race, Jesus Christ our Master. How encouraging this is. It surpasses the clouds of witnesses. Even if the host of heaven is to be present now to cheer us, their encouragement will not match the one we shall gain from our Master Jesus.
He is our focus. Our gaze. Our perfect example. Oh how sweet the words are. Let's take a look again. It says looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
Don't you prefer your God and Savior as your comforter to the thousands of fallible men? Who is Elijah, who is Moses, Rehab and the rest? They are all feeble men and women with flaws. I am talking about the Perfect Man. The man who is the Perfect unblemished example for all. Won't you cast your gaze on him?
Let's observe this too from the gospel according to Matthew. He says
29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:29-30, ESV)
Peter was able to perform what Einstein could never understand. Pascal would spend eternity to understand how Jesus Christ and his servant Peter could walk on water and still remain unfruitful. It's beyond the reach of human brain. But it was done. Peter too walked on water. By what? By faith my dear reader. Not about magic or intel. But by faith in Jesus. His faith was strong enough to keep him walking on the water.
But when he lost focus on the Giver of faith, he begun to sink deep. That's what we gain when we look up to Jesus. He's the giver of Faith. Not just giver but also 'the founder and perfecter of our faith,. How comforting this is. Our Savior Jesus Christ is also the author and finisher of this faith he has given to us by grace. He perfected our faith when he fulfilled the whole law on our behalf. Think with me here. Why would our Savior allow a sinful man to wash him in Jordan?
Why should the perfect man allow himself to be baptised in water? Let's hear what He Himself said about his water baptism.
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15, ESV)
Did the unblemished Lamb of God needed baptism? No. But He needed to fulfill all righteousness for us. In order to perfect our faith in him. Why should we even gaze on Jesus Christ, let's see again from our text that
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
His race was not affected by anything on earth. Whether good or bad. His focus was perfectly on the glory ahead. It's reasonable to run a race with your gaze on the finishing line. For I've never seen a runner run a race whiles checking his watch or looking at his wife in the audience. No. He may love his wife but when it comes to this agonising contest of which he had trained for years in order to obtain the crown, he doesn't joke with it.
Let's listen to Paul's advice to his son in the faith. He said
3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. (2 Timothy 2:3-4, ESV)
Here Timothy is told to share in the suffering. Suffering is inevitable in the Christian walk. Show me a Christian who denies the reality of suffering for being a Christian and I'll show you a false professor. The bible promises persecution from the world. This is default due to our stance with the truth. We don't go to the world to be destroyed but our faith itself will call for it. Jesus was meek and lowly. But look at what came upon him. He was even accused of using an evil Spirit.
He was seen to be a blasphemer. His focus on the glory ahead of him led him to the most vicarious death in the world-death on a cross. But one thing kept him going, His focus.
Jesus Christ endured by 'despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God'. That's why He's seated at the right hand of his father ruling for eternity. And He's always calling us to come and rule with Him by going to the cross and believing in Him for the faith that he perfected so that we can endure in this race unto the end by focusing our gaze on Him.
Is there any encouragement more than Jesus Christ? Dear reader, come to him and he's ready to give you strength to continue this race. To those who've not started the race yet, He is ready to give you this faith to believe in his perfect sacrifice on the cross for your salvation. Won't you come whiles there is time to partake in this race where victory is assured? Ah friend. if I were you, I would run to him now and then.
How blessed I am for this word from the Holy Ghost. If you're blessed lemme hear from you in the comment section. I can't wait to hear from God once gain as we bring our series to an end tomorrow God willing. Stay blessed
For better understanding of this series, check the previous blogs from below
https://steemit.com/christian-trail/@gadol/the-race-of-faith-introduction
https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@gadol/the-race-of-faith-part-1
https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@gadol/the-race-of-faith-part-2
Thanks @gadol, our faith in the Lord will lead us to the salvation of mankind as we accept his cross and crown.
Upvoted &Resteemed
Bm
DETERMINATION (v.24). One can’t win a marathon with half-hearted effort. The runner must have a will to win, a strong resolve. It isn’t enough to be in the Christian race but rather, once entered, we must be serious in our spiritual life, do all we can for God’s glory. Recall, however, that our entrance into said race is NOT referring to our salvation. It is a call to make whatever sacrifice is necessary to win the incorruptible crown at the end. The most coveted prize of the Roman Empire was the “stephanos,” the laurel-like wreath crowned on the champion by a high official. Made of leafy greenery, the victor’s crown brought instant fame, tax-exemption, free education, and other privileges (Col. 3:24).
DISCIPLINE (v.25). In the ancient games, victory depended on the athlete’s meticulous training. Every runner trained under a strict trainer. Marathon runners were known to work out hard for years—lifting weights, running miles, regulating sleep, restricting their diet. Discipline means we must learn control and mastery of our own physical bodies, foregoing some pleasures & convenience, pursuing spiritual growth to succeed in the Lord. We must commit ourselves to the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life like serious Bible study, fervent prayer and serving (I Tim. 4:7–8). Urging for our full faithfulness, Paul writes, “Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (v.25b). If a pagan athlete would be that zealous as to win a fading crown and a moment of earthly fame, how much more must we be resolute to gain the incorruptible crown?
Wow. God bless you for your input. You deserve 100$ for this. 😂
Very inspiring series. God bless you
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