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[0:00] For 15 sermons now, we've been making our way through Faith's Hall of Fame in chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews. And we've seen men and women who accomplished amazing things.

[0:13] They obeyed difficult commands. They suffered difficult trials. They accomplished amazing things. And they did it all by faith. By faith.

[0:25] And today we come to the main attraction. In the Hall of Faith. The main exhibit. Indeed, all the other exhibits have been leading us up to this one.

[0:38] Chapter 11 has followed the timeline of history in a chronological fashion. Beginning at creation with Abel's faith and Enoch and Noah. And then the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph.

[0:53] And then Moses' parents. And then Moses and Joshua and Rahab. And then the judges. And then the kings represented by David.

[1:04] And then the prophets represented by Samuel. And then those people of God in the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments who lived under the leadership of the Maccabees.

[1:18] We've been following this great train of history. And it's brought us right up to him. Right up to him. Who is at the same time the great object of faith.

[1:33] And the greatest example of faith. Even our Lord Jesus Christ. This is where the scripture has been bringing us. This is where Hebrews 11 has taken us by the hand.

[1:47] And it brings us right now. Up to this great object and example of faith. And tells us never leave your eyes off of him.

[1:58] So we come to the therefore. You see that at the beginning of chapter 12. And we need to remember that chapter divisions were added later. It wasn't there in the original letter that was sent to these Hebrew Christians.

[2:11] Therefore. And it's answering the question, you see. What is... Why is Hebrews 11 therefore? Why is it there? What has been the whole purpose of Hebrews chapter 11?

[2:25] What's the great burden of this passage? The answer is... The need to persevere to the end. Only such will be saved.

[2:37] Not all who make a start finish the race. And so the writer to the Hebrews knows that. And talks about those in this letter who quit running and turned back.

[2:48] And he's concerned for these Hebrew Christians of the first century to whom he's writing. They all started out so well. We just read it. They suffered persecution for Christ's sake.

[3:01] In those early days they stood their ground in the face of suffering. Unmoved by persecution. Letting people take their possessions because they knew they had better ones in heaven.

[3:12] And they started out like a sprint. But the race was not a 400 meter dash. But rather a lifelong marathon. That just goes on and on.

[3:25] And the opposition came. Temptations and trials. The pull of the world. The persecution increased. The contrary winds.

[3:39] The uphill run. And it was all unrelenting. And they're feeling it. And their legs are getting heavy. And they're slowing down.

[3:54] They lost the spring in their stride. And they're not putting forth as much energy in the Christian life. They're not pursuing holiness and killing sin like they once did.

[4:07] The things of earth have filled their thoughts. They're not as heavenly minded. And some of them have even fallen into the habit of forsaking the meetings of the Christians for worship.

[4:19] They're growing weary. They're losing heart. They're slacking in the will to keep running. They're tempted to quit. Thinking how good it will feel just to stop running the race.

[4:33] To return to the way life was before we follow Jesus. And to find that easier way of living. That fits in with the world.

[4:46] And our own fleshly desires. Well the burden of this letter. And especially of this passage. Is to urge them not to quit. Run on. Persevere.

[4:57] And this was expressed before chapter 11. You see it there in verse 30. Chapter 10 and verse 36. You need to persevere. So that when you've done the will of God.

[5:09] You'll receive what he has promised. And then follows chapter 11. And all these examples of men and women who ran the race before us. They persevered to the end. And every one of them did it by faith.

[5:23] And now after these examples in chapter 11. We come to chapter 12. That begins. Therefore. Therefore. In the light of what you've just seen.

[5:35] Here's the concluding application. Here's what you need to do now. Let us. Run. With perseverance.

[5:47] The race marked out for us. That's the main verb in verse 1. Let us. There's the drumbeat of perseverance. Perseverance. That's the theme of this section.

[5:58] That's why there is a Hebrews chapter 11. A hall of fame. To move us. To persevere. In the race marked out for us. You see he's saying. Therefore since we're surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses.

[6:11] Let us run. We've seen how they ran. They ran the race. With perseverance. The race that was marked out for them. Now let us run the race that's been marked out for us.

[6:22] You may not have the race marked out for you. To leave your home. Or to build an ark. Or to be sawed in two.

[6:35] Or to shout down a wall. To march around wall. But there is a race that's marked out for you. And just as they ran.

[6:45] With perseverance. Their race. You need to run the race that's been marked out for you. Maybe that's the race of how to be a morally pure teenager.

[6:57] In an impure world. Maybe it's how to grow old. Gracefully. Thankful. Trusting.

[7:08] In the Lord Jesus. Maybe it's how to raise a family. Bringing them up in the nurture. And admonition of the Lord. Maybe it's how to run a business.

[7:20] With biblical ethics. When nobody else seems to bother about carving corners. How to glorify God. As a single person.

[7:31] I don't know what all the race is for you. But the message for you. In this whole study is. Let us.

[7:41] Let you. Let me. Now run our race. The race marked out for us. With perseverance. You see. They've already run. They've gone on ahead of us.

[7:52] Their race is finished. They ran all the way to the end. They're with the Lord now. And now you're down on the track. And I'm down on the track. So let us now.

[8:03] Like them. Run with perseverance. The race marked out for us. So I have to ask you. How are you doing?

[8:14] In the race. How are you running? You know. Some of you have just started out in the race. You've just. You've just got on the track. You've just become a Christian.

[8:25] And. And you're tearing down the stretch. Good for you. Bless God. You're in the race. Some of you are really moving. And it's a beautiful thing.

[8:36] Just to watch you run. To run the race. Looking to Jesus. And some of you are running into strong winds. And it's making every step painful. Right now.

[8:48] Some of you have hit a stretch in your race. That's going right uphill. Or into the wind. But you're moving. Forward. What a thing to see.

[9:01] Some of you are slowing way down. Some of you have let other things. Come into view. And are trailing off.

[9:14] Maybe even backsliding. Not making progress. How are you dear friend? In the race. The race that defines your eternity. Well the writer puts himself right into.

[9:27] This statement. He puts himself right down on the track. With us. And says let us. Let us therefore. Run with perseverance. The race marked out. And.

[9:39] If ever you hope to finish this race. If ever you hope to persevere to the end. You need to hear these two. And heed these two critical pieces of information. Instructions for running the race.

[9:50] Number one. Get rid of all hindrances. Number two. Keep your eyes on Jesus. How do you run the race with perseverance? Get rid of all hindrances.

[10:02] Keep your eyes on Jesus. Now. God knows that there are things along the race. That discourage us. And so he gives us encouragements.

[10:14] And encouragements. Are meant to spur us on. And one of the encouragements. That we've just had. Is. A whole chapter. Of a gray cloud of witnesses.

[10:26] Witnesses. All these examples. We've seen people running the race before us. We've been watching them. And listening to them. And learning from them.

[10:37] Since we. Are surrounded by such a gray cloud. Of witnesses. Have you ever seen athletes draw strength. From the encouraging cheers. Of the crowd.

[10:48] You know. They call it the home court advantage. They even give points for that. It's such an advantage. That the crowd. The home crowd cheering. It somehow makes a man.

[10:59] Find adrenaline. Or find another gear. To dig deeper. And to do more than he otherwise would do. And that's the picture here.

[11:09] We're down on the track. We're running the race. But here's this gray cloud of witnesses. Who have run the race before us. We've been bumping into them. Abel. Enoch. Moses. Noah.

[11:20] Rahab. Joshua. All these. That we met. In the scriptures. And. It's not so much that they're spectators.

[11:34] Watching us run. As. They are witnesses. Did you see that? A gray cloud of witnesses. Witnesses testify. They speak. They. They shout to us.

[11:45] Like Abel. Who. Though he is dead. Yet he speaks. How does he speak to us? Through the. The scriptures. Account. Of. How he ran. And he's. He's shouting to us.

[11:56] Keep running brother. Keep running. Yes. Yes. It may cause you to lose your life. But. But there's a resurrection. And I've made it.

[12:07] Now you keep running. And all these voices. They're witnesses. They're testifying. They're encouraging us. Not to lose heart. We trusted him. And he never failed us.

[12:18] We took him at his word. And it all happened. Just as he. He said it would. No. Is there shouting. You know. He said there'd be a flood. There was a flood. But he told us to make an ark. And. And in having built an ark.

[12:29] Our family was saved from the flood. Now you take him at his word. You keep running. We waited on him.

[12:39] And we found no one waits on him in vain. There's Abraham and Sarah. We waited. Go on waiting brother. Go on waiting sister. You can trust him with everything.

[12:50] Even your very life. Some of these martyrs are shouting to us. And you and I have even more in our cloud of witnesses than. Than Hebrews chapter 11. Because we have all the New Testament saints too.

[13:02] Don't we? Who have run the race and finished it. And we have all the. The church history saints. You might have some heroes from church history. That you. You see how they lived. And the manner of life that they lived.

[13:14] And you're trying to imitate their faith. You're being encouraged by them. I've got family members. In my great cloud of witnesses. Whose example seems to keep shouting to me.

[13:25] Don't dawdle John. Don't trifle. With earthly things. Don't waste your life on trivial pursuits. Live for eternal things.

[13:36] Live for the kingdom of God. The eternal souls of men. Work for the night is coming. When man can work no more. And that night might be sooner than you think John.

[13:48] Work. Serve. Love. Run on. Quicken the pace. And you too have folks in your cloud of witnesses.

[13:59] And their very lives that they've lived before you. Shout to you. And urge you. To persevere. In the race.

[14:09] Of life. No. He's telling us. Let them influence the way you run. Drink in that encouragement. And let us run with perseverance. The race marked out for us.

[14:23] Here's the two ways to run. The race with perseverance. First get rid of all. Hindrances. Since we have such a great cloud of witnesses.

[14:35] Encouraging us to persevere. Let us throw off everything that hinders. And the sin that so easily entangles. Everything. Every weight.

[14:45] Is the way that the old King James. Translates this word. Everything that hinders. A weight. A hindrance. As runners.

[14:57] In the Greek games. Prepared for their race. They had strict diets. And exercise routines. And what were they aiming at? They were aiming to rid their body of excess weight.

[15:10] They wanted to come to the starting line. Their trimest. Their best. They were throwing off even their body weight. And then when they came to the starting line. They stripped down to the very basics.

[15:23] And even then some. Anything that was cumbersome. Anything that was restrictive and heavy. That would hinder them from running their fastest speed. Was thrown off.

[15:36] Now what would you think if you came to the start of a running race. A marathon. And a guy standing there in his combat boots. And his heavy coat and scarf.

[15:49] Well you say. He's obviously not serious about running. He's not serious about this race. And of course that's what the Holy Spirit is saying to us here.

[16:00] Get serious. Christian. Get serious about running the race to win. Get rid of anything and everything that hinders your life of faith and obedience to God's word.

[16:20] Get rid of everything that holds you back from running all out in the way of holiness. You know those hindrances may not be something that's sinful in and of itself.

[16:32] It may be good things. It can be too much of a good thing that begins to hinder us. Such that it's impeding our progress in grace.

[16:46] It may be some things that even other Christians are doing without any trouble. But if you find it dulling your heart of love for Jesus.

[17:00] And dulling your desire to keep yourself pure. Or intruding into your desires to pray. Or interfering with your worship of God.

[17:11] Or your serving of God and his people. Throw it off. Throw it off. Is that not what we see in the testimony of scripture? That good things can become hindrances to us.

[17:27] Even idols. As they, like that proverbial camel, get their nose in the tent. And before you know it, the whole thing's in there. And we've given to something that is good.

[17:38] The place that only God should have in our lives. And in our hearts. And we're being told, whatever it is. If it's hindering the way you're running the race. Get rid of it.

[17:51] Now these things tend to creep into our lives without even noticing them. Because they don't come to us, sin. No, they come, good thing. Gift of God.

[18:01] And so, almost imperceptibly, that good things can become a hindrance to us. Without us even seeing it. So would you do something with me?

[18:14] Would you pray with me? Lord, search my heart. And show me anything that is hindering me from running the race the way you ran it.

[18:27] And by your grace, I'll throw it off. I'll deal with it. You see, it's hard enough to run this race with perseverance without bringing weights along.

[18:39] Without bringing things that hinder us along. And that's what we're being encouraged to throw off. But there's something else that we must throw off in the race.

[18:54] And it's sin. Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Some people have seen in this some particular sin in their life that always seems to entangle them.

[19:09] I don't know that that's intended here. We surely should not limit it to just one sin in our life. All sin entangles us. All sin hinders us from running the race as we ought.

[19:22] What sin does not hinder us? Unbelief, selfishness, pride, lust, fear of man, love of ease and laziness and greed. All these things hinder us from running the race.

[19:36] And if things that are not in and of themselves sinful can hinder our running, think what sin does. Sin stumbles us in the race.

[19:47] Sin is a fall. We're down for a moment in the race. Sin is a weight that will kill your stamina.

[19:59] It will trip you up. And its very nature is to lead you to depart from the living God and to quit the race altogether. Therefore, get rid of it. Get rid of it.

[20:11] There's no running with perseverance to the end of the race without mortifying sin, without killing sin. It would keep you. It would wear you down until you quit running.

[20:23] So deal ruthlessly with sin. And that's what these witnesses are saying to us. Come on now. Come on, run to the end. And anything that's hindering you, throw it off.

[20:36] Sin, good thing that's become an idol, throw it off. Run with perseverance. Because the glory waiting for you is worth it. And the person waiting for you is worth it.

[20:47] The Lord Jesus. That's the first instruction for running. If you hope to make it to the end. Throw off everything that hinders. And the second thing is, fix your eyes on Jesus.

[21:02] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Now here in Jesus, we have faith's ultimate object and faith's ultimate example.

[21:14] He's both. So make him your focused attention as you run. Even as a runner sets his sights on the finish line, on the goal line.

[21:24] It's important where your eyes are at as you're running this race. Make sure they're on Jesus and they don't move. Just lock them in there. And don't be turned aside.

[21:35] Now, all these other examples of faith are given to us to learn from. You see, we dare not think, oh, I'm just to look to Jesus so I'm not to learn anything from Abel or Abraham or Moses.

[21:53] No, that's not what he is saying. The very reason they're in our Bibles here in chapter 11 is that we might learn from their example of faith. That our faith might be strengthened to run.

[22:05] That we might imitate their faith. But you know, of none of them are we told to fix our eyes on them, are we? We don't read fix your eyes on Abraham.

[22:20] Fix your eyes on Rahab. Fix your eyes on Moses. No, but we do read that about Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

[22:32] Every step of the race is to be run looking to Jesus. Now, that's because as God, Jesus is the ultimate object of faith. He's the one to whom faith looks and on whom faith rests.

[22:49] Jesus is the one Abel looked to. Abraham looked to. Moses looked to. That promised seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent and set them free from his reign.

[23:03] That great I am who was before Abraham. That spiritual rock that accompanied Moses and Israel in the wilderness. That ever present help in trouble.

[23:15] You see, Jesus is the one. You see, Jesus is the Jehovah Jesus of the Old Testament. He is the everlasting one. He is the son of God without beginning or end.

[23:27] And when these Old Testament saints trusted in God, they were trusting in the son of God. God, the father, God, the son, God, the Holy Spirit.

[23:38] How did they run the race? Chapter 11, verse 27. Moses, as it says of all of them, it was by faith. They looked away from themselves to God.

[23:49] And it says of Moses, he persevered because he saw him who was invisible. And faith always looks away from self to God. And Jesus is God.

[24:00] And as God, he is therefore the ultimate object of your faith. You're to look to him. In a way that you don't look to Moses and Abraham and the rest. No, only he is the object of faith.

[24:13] And here's the secret to our perseverance. Because strength to persevere comes not by talking about faith. But rather by actually looking away to faith's object.

[24:27] God. In the person of his son. Jesus. So when you're in the midst of your trial. Right under the weight of some difficult command that God has given you.

[24:41] You look to Jesus for help. And you find that he's got grace to help you in your time of need. This is why we can only persevere as far as we are looking unto Jesus.

[24:59] It's from him we find help. And strength. And stamina. To run on. Notice he's described here as the author and perfecter of our faith.

[25:11] Besides being the great object of faith. Because he is God. He's also the source of our faith. The author of it. He authors our faith. He originates it.

[25:22] Faith is his gift to us. It comes from him. He began this faith in our hearts. Not only does he begin it. But he knows how to sustain it.

[25:33] And to perfect it. So Simon is coming into a great temptation. And Jesus says Simon. Simon. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.

[25:44] But I have prayed for you that what? That your faith may not fail. And when you've recovered strengthen your brothers. I've prayed for you that your faith not fail.

[25:56] Because Jesus. Is the perfecter of faith. He authored it. And having begun it. He will finish it. He will perfect it. And keep it. And sustain it to the end.

[26:07] So in Pilgrim's Progress. You have Christian. Coming into the interpreter's house. And there is a fire. Burning against a wall. And there's a man with buckets of water. Throwing it on the fire.

[26:18] But for all the water. The fire does not go out. And interpreter says come around behind. And behind the wall. There is a man secretly pouring in oil. Well. And that's a picture of how Jesus.

[26:31] Sustains the faith of his children. In the midst of all the trials. In which Satan's trying to put out our faith. You can't trust God. There is our Lord Jesus.

[26:44] The author and perfecter of our faith. Ministering to us. Praying for us. Giving us grace in our time of need. And because he himself suffered when he was tempted.

[26:55] He is able to help those who are being tempted. Our Jesus knows how to strengthen. And how to perfect our faith.

[27:06] You know that's a ticklish business. Strengthening and perfecting faith. You've got to put the guy through enough trial. To make him look up. With empty hands.

[27:17] And say I need help. Lord. Lord. But you can't give him too much. Or the faith will be put out. And our Lord has been this way before us.

[27:32] He's the great pioneer. And he. Our captain. Has blazed. The trial. This way before us. He's run this race. He's been here. And he knows.

[27:43] Our weakness. And so. He will not extinguish. Even a smoldering wick. He knows how to blow it. Into. A flame. Is there not encouragement.

[27:54] Having. The Lord Jesus. As the author and perfecter of our faith. Then look to him. When your faith is so weak. And when you're. You're being beaten down. By temptation and trial. Look to him.

[28:05] He has. Grace. For you. Faith. Is the non-negotiable requirement. For running the race. With perseverance. How blessed then.

[28:16] To have Jesus. As its author and perfecter. Faith. But Jesus is not only. Faith's ultimate object. As man. He is also.

[28:27] Faith's ultimate example. He. As I said. Has been here. He has run this race. Before us. Now all these. In Hebrews 11.

[28:38] Are Hebrews. Heroes of faith. Who in their trials. Fixed their eyes. Upon God. God. And upon his word. And so they were enabled.

[28:49] To obey. And to suffer. And to accomplish. Great things. But they're dim stars. Compared to the Lord Jesus. He is the man of faith. Par excellence. That's why I say.

[29:00] There's no chapter 12. In the original letter. The writer to the Hebrews. Is putting all these examples. And he's not done yet. At the end of chapter 11.

[29:10] He's now stepping. To the perfect example. Of faith. Jesus ran a perfect race. And he's being held. Before us. That's why we need. To look to him. Only he ran the race.

[29:22] Perfectly. Don't let your eyes. Off of him. Now. We found some of these. Old Testament. Men of faith.

[29:33] Were tried. By difficult commands. Abraham. Leave your home. And we wondered. Wow. What a challenge. Noah. Build an ark. 120 year project.

[29:46] Not a weekend. Okay. That means some things are on hold. But. I will do it. Hard commands to obey. But you know. None of them hold up. To the command.

[29:56] That God the Father. Gave to God the Son. When he said. You go. And be damned. In their place. You go. Go.

[30:07] As the only perfect man. And suffer the punishment. Of hell. That they would have suffered. Forever. And ever. And ever. And ever.

[30:18] What a command. And I want to know. What enabled Jesus. As man. To go to the cross. And to endure. The cross.

[30:28] And run his race. All the way to the end. What can support. The Lord Jesus. In. Under such a trial. And under such.

[30:40] A command. And. And the. Answer. Of course. Is what we've read. Over and over. And over. And over. In book. Chapter 11. By faith. By faith.

[30:52] By faith. And even so. By faith. Jesus. Was willingly. Obedient. Unto death. Even the death. Of the cross. Where he became.

[31:03] A curse. For us. It was by faith. I wonder if we think enough. Of the faith. Of our Lord Jesus. Jesus had a divine nature.

[31:17] And a human nature. He's one person. With two natures. Mystery. He's the God man. And it was as man.

[31:28] That he needed to exercise. Faith in God. The same way you do. As a man. As man. He had to trust. In his heavenly father.

[31:38] Just as you do. As man. He had to take God. At his word. At his promises. And believe. And act accordingly. Just as you do.

[31:51] And we don't have time. To show the many ways. In scriptures. That Jesus exercised. Faith. In God. His father. Faith for his daily bread.

[32:02] For protection. For strength. For patience. For endurance. For endurance. Under trial. For courage. In the face of fear. For wisdom. To know what to speak. The very words.

[32:12] That he spoke. He says. The father has given. He had to trust. In his father. For everything. Even as you and I. As his children. Must do.

[32:24] He lived his whole life. In unquestioned faith. In his heavenly father. Hebrews chapter 2. And verse 13. Carries the words. Of our Lord Jesus. When he said. I will put my trust.

[32:36] In him. That's faith. Putting his trust. In him. And of course. That was the issue. In Satan's temptation. In the wilderness. When Jesus hadn't eaten.

[32:47] For 40 days. And he's very hungry. And. Satan comes along. And says. Well you really can't. Trust God. For your daily bread. You've got to take matters.

[32:58] Into your own hands. Use your miraculous power. To change these stones. To bread. And Jesus refused. To do so. Choosing rather. To stand as a man.

[33:10] And put his trust. In God. His heavenly father. Who all he had to do. Was speak. And he would live. For man does not live. By bread alone. But by every word.

[33:21] That proceeds. From the mouth of God. I will trust him. I will wait on him. Oh you will trust. In your heavenly father. Then just come. And throw yourself. Off of it. If you're going to trust. You see the issue.

[33:32] Is his trust. And he trusted. The same way. That you have to trust. God. For your daily bread. He was running.

[33:45] Jesus. Was running. With his eyes fixed. On his heavenly father. And it's one of the reasons. Why in the gospels. We find him so often. In prayer. Martin Lloyd-Jones says.

[33:57] Prayer in many ways. Is the supreme expression. Of our faith in God. Because in prayer. We. We. Take the posture. Of needy.

[34:08] Dependent. Upon our father. Dependence on him. We look to him. By faith. We trust in him. To meet our needs.

[34:19] That's prayer. We believe he exists. And that he is the rewarder. Of those who diligently seek him. And that's what Jesus was doing. Every day. As he.

[34:30] His habit was. To rise early. And to be alone. With his heavenly father. Fixing his eyes of faith. Upon God. In that exercise of faith. Called prayer. And so he lived his life.

[34:42] Of faith. Perfectly. By looking. To God. In the same way. That we must. Live. And run the race. Looking. Unto Jesus.

[34:56] So. We don't have time. To look at all the ways. That Jesus faith. Is seen in scriptures. His faith. In looking to God. But we're given. The greatest.

[35:07] Example of his faith. The cross. Hebrews chapter 12. And verse 2. Here it is. It takes us.

[35:19] To the greatest. Test of faith. Where Jesus. Was to become sin. For us. And to be cursed. For us. Under his father's wrath. For us. And we're shown. How Jesus faith. Enabled him.

[35:29] To do that. To endure it all. To obey. That command. And to accomplish. So much. By it. How did he do it?

[35:42] It was for. For the joy. Set before him. Who for the joy. Set before him. Endured the cross. Scorning. Its shame. Here's the greatest. Act of faith.

[35:52] Ever. Think what he endured. The painful. And shameful. Death of the cross. Now crucifixion. Was. Roman torture. And he endured it. But Jesus cross.

[36:04] Was unique. Because it was not only. Men torturing him. But this was the only cross. On which God. Was.

[36:16] Tormenting his son. Giving him. The wrath. That our sins. Deserved. There the father. Laid on him. The iniquity. Of us all.

[36:26] All of his people. Their sins. Were put. Upon him. And then the father. Punished him. And gave him. What we deserved. And he endured it. He endured it.

[36:39] He didn't quit. Halfway. He didn't say. I'm coming down. Even though they. Taunted him. And told him to come down. And he could have called. Ten thousand angels. But it was not only.

[36:51] The pain of the cross. You know. The pain is not even mentioned. It's the shame of the cross. That's. Receives. Comment. Isn't it? He endured the cross. Scorning. The shame.

[37:04] Crucifixion. Was a punishment. Reserved for the worst. Criminals. And of course. By. Dying on a cross. Between two other criminals.

[37:15] What did it look like? But that he too. Was just one of them. A low down criminal. Who was getting what he deserved. The shame of it all. Punishment.

[37:27] So degrading. And so shameful. That no Roman citizen. Ever had to die. The death of the cross. They were exempt. But Jesus died it. And here he.

[37:41] Was hung up naked. To suffer torments. In front of others. And all alone. For he was forsaken. Even by his closest friends. His disciples. As if.

[37:52] To say. Even they. Even his friends. Don't want him. His father in heaven. Doesn't want him. His disciples. Don't want him. We don't want him. It's the shame.

[38:04] The shame. And there they. Heaped shame upon him. Mocking his claim. To be king. By pushing a crown of thorns. Into his head. Mocking his claim.

[38:14] To be savior. He saved others. Let him save himself. And will believe him. Mocking. Even his trust. In God. He trusts in God.

[38:26] Let him deliver him. Then. If he wants him. The shame. Of it all. You see. The race marked out. For Jesus. Led right.

[38:36] To an old. Rugged cross. The emblem. Of suffering. And shame. But none of the shame.

[38:48] Even comes close. To the shame. Of standing. Before his father. There. As sin. For us. Ever had a dream. That goes something. Like this. Where.

[38:59] You're invited. For some reason. Into the. The White House. And it's a black tie event. And. There you are. The. The table of honor. Alongside of the president.

[39:11] Everyone's decked out. And. And you're in cut offs. And a tank top. And flip flops. What a shame. What a shame. To be dressed like that.

[39:22] On such an occasion. And here comes Jesus. Before. The holy.

[39:33] Holy. Holy. Holy one. On Calvary. And he's dressed. In our sin. And he stands.

[39:43] Before the eyes. That are too pure. To look on iniquity. As the worst sinner. That ever lived. For he had all. Of our sins. On Jesus.

[39:53] Were laid. He bore them all. To the tree. The shame. The shame. Before his father. All that sin. In his presence.

[40:10] And yet. He endured the cross. Scorning. Its shame. He despised. The shame. He said. That's. That's like nothing.

[40:21] If somebody despises you. If somebody scorns you. They treat you as dirt. Don't they? They treat you as a nothing. And Jesus.

[40:32] All that shame. It's so huge. It's so mighty. It's so powerful. And he treats it. As if it's nothing. To turn him aside. From his father's will. He despises it.

[40:45] Shame. It's nothing. Doing what my father wants. My father. You see. His eye on his father. When we know something. Of the power of shame.

[40:57] Is what caused Peter. Three times. To say. I don't even know. Who Jesus of Nazareth is. There are times. That we keep our mouths shut. When we ought to open them. And speak a word for our savior.

[41:08] The shame. We know it's power. What is powerful enough. To just dismiss shame. As nothing. And to go on. Suffering it. Faith.

[41:19] Faith. Faith in what? Faith in the joy. That was set. Before him. It was for the joy. Set before him. That he endured the cross. And scorned its shame.

[41:32] The promised joy. Set before him. He looked away. From all that could be seen. And he fixes his eyes. On what is unseen. The joy of glorifying.

[41:44] His father. By finishing the work. That he gave him to do. And returning to his father. And not returning alone. But bringing many sons. To glory along with him.

[41:57] This was the joy. That was set before him. The joy of winning eternal salvation. For a multitude of people. From every tribe. And language and nation.

[42:08] The joy of having them be with him. Where he is. To behold his glory. That was the joy set before him. That his eye of faith. Laid hold on. And caused him to endure the cross.

[42:20] And scorn its shame. Faith. As we saw throughout chapter 11. Always looks to God in his word. Doesn't it? Noah had a word.

[42:31] Build an ark. A flood's coming. Abraham had a word from God. Go. Leave your homeland. I'm going to give you a land. That will be your own. There was always a revelation from God.

[42:44] That faith laid hold on. And took God at his word. And it was no different for Jesus. His faith. What word did he have. To cling to.

[42:57] Well the father had promised. That as a reward of his suffering. He would give him the nations. As his inheritance. And the uttermost parts of the earth. As his possession.

[43:08] Psalm chapter 2. He had promised. That his death. Would justify many. That by his death. Many would be made right. With God. Isaiah 53.

[43:19] That if he suffered. That God the father. Would raise him from the dead. And exalt him. To his own right hand. And it was by faith. In that revelation of God. In dozens of other passages. Think of all the.

[43:30] The verses in the old testament. That Jesus. Was pouring over. The promises. Of what the father. Would do for the son. If he obeyed.

[43:41] And was faithful. To the end. And by faith. In those promises. Jesus endured the cross. Looking forward. To that promise. Joy. Until he could shout.

[43:53] It is finished. And in the last act. Of faith. Could say. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. Say that took some faith. Didn't it? Into your hands.

[44:04] I entrust my spirit. I trust it to you. What was he trusting? He tells us in Psalm 16. I saw the Lord always before me.

[44:16] Because he is at my right hand. I will not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad. And my tongue rejoices. My body also will live in hope. Because you will not abandon me. To the grave.

[44:28] Nor will you let your holy one. See decay. You have made known to me. The paths of life. You will fill me with joy. In your presence. And with eternal pleasures. At your right hand.

[44:39] That was the joy. Set before him. It is all there. In scripture. God had spoken. To his son. And Jesus took his. He had his father's word. And that was enough.

[44:50] To keep him enduring. To keep him running. For the joy. Set before him. You see the power of faith. At Calvary. Nobody walked in the dark.

[45:02] More than Jesus did. At Calvary. The heavens grew dark. At noon. But there was an inner darkness. When God the father. Turned his face away. And here we had.

[45:14] God the son. Walking in the dark. He could not see God. Or feel God near. All he felt. Was his wrath.

[45:24] And his abandonment. All he saw. Was shame. And suffering. But with the eyes of faith. He was sure.

[45:35] Of what he hoped for. And certain. Of what he could not see. And by faith. He trusted. In the Lord. His God. And relied upon. His God. Unsupported.

[45:50] By anything. Seen. He set his eyes. Upon his father. Fixing them. On what was unseen. Because what is seen. Is temporary. But what is unseen. Is eternal.

[46:00] Suffering in shame. Temporal. Glory. Eternal. Cross. Temporal. Crown. Eternal.

[46:11] And indeed. He was raised. And sat down. At the right hand. Of the throne of God. Look at him. See him. Not only is the one. Who endured the cross. By faith.

[46:22] In what was promised. To him. But who emerged. From the empty tomb. And is in heaven. Seated. At the father's right hand.

[46:34] Yes. It happened. Just as the father. Had said it would. Psalm 110. Sit at my right hand. Until I make your enemies. A footstool. For your feet. Now do you see the application.

[46:45] For us then. How did Jesus. As the perfect man. The example of faith. Par epsilon. How did he live? By faith. In his father. And his word. How are you to run the race.

[46:58] Persevering to the end. By fixing your eyes on Jesus. Are you being attempted. To be ashamed of Jesus. And his word. In this wicked generation.

[47:09] Fix your eyes on Jesus. Who by faith. Endured the shame. Of the cross. To save us. And let us then. Go to him. Outside the city. Bearing the shame.

[47:20] That he bore. Let's go outside the city. Where he died. And stand with him. And be willing. To be ashamed. Not to be ashamed. Of Jesus. But to bear the shame. And reproach of the world.

[47:30] Along with Jesus. That's what Moses did. Remember. He chose. The disgrace. Of Jesus. More than the treasures. Of heaven. Let's go outside the city. With Jesus.

[47:41] Who bore the shame. For us. Are you being tempted. To cut corners. On God's commands. And not obey those. Hard commands. Things that you find. Hard. And grating.

[47:51] Against your flesh. Flesh. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Who by faith. Was obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross. Being tempted to live. For the things of earth.

[48:02] And find your joy. And things below. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Who live for future joys promised. Solid joys.

[48:15] And lasting treasures. None but Zion's children know. Now all these trials then. That we face in this life. They all have the tendency. To slow us down in running.

[48:26] And to lose heart. And to grow weary. So where do we find endurance. And stamina to run. By looking away to Jesus. Right in the middle of your day.

[48:38] You look away to Jesus. You start the day. Looking away to Jesus. You may not be halfway through the morning. And there's the problem. And you look away to Jesus. And all day long.

[48:49] You're looking unto Jesus. There's help for me. There's hope for me. And we live by faith upon him. And we find the strength that we need.

[49:01] Have your troubles brought you to look to Jesus? If so, they've done you good. They've done you good. See him. Not only as suffering and dying.

[49:11] But see him as now exalted at the throne of God. There at the right hand of God's throne. And he's there for us. Ruling all things.

[49:22] Over all things. For us. His people. Is that not encouraging to your faith? To run on. That even when it seems like this is chaos. There's no order to this.

[49:34] Jesus is reigning over your situation. See him there on the throne. He's there on the throne. Causing all things. To be worked together for the good of his people.

[49:48] He's there, you know, as our representative. He's the forerunner who ran the race before us. And his presence there means all of his people will one day be with him there. That they might be with him.

[50:00] And behold his glory. Consider him then who endured such opposition from sinful men. Lest you grow weary and lose heart in your race. The race that's been marked out for you.

[50:20] Did you get the therefore? Why the 15 weeks in Hebrews 11? That we, who are now on the track, might run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

[50:37] And how should we do it? Getting rid of everything that hinders. And fixing our eyes on Jesus. Let's pray. We thank you, our Father, that you know where we live.

[50:55] We thank you that the one at your right hand has been where we live. And has been tempted in every way like we are. And therefore he knows how to help us. In our troubles.

[51:06] In our temptations. Thank you that in looking to him. We are promised strength. And stamina. And the encouragement of our faith.

[51:20] Oh, then help us. Search our hearts, Lord Jesus. And show us anything that's hindering us from running the race like you ran it. And help us to fix our eyes on you.

[51:36] In the midst of our troubles. To find that encouragement that will put wind in our sails. And will encourage us to pick up the pace. And to finish well the race marked out for us.

[51:48]  Help us then. We pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.