Run Christian Run - [Hebrews 12:1-9]

The Call to Run the Christian Race with Endurance

What motivates you to keep on running the Christian race even in the midst of opposition? What keeps you from throwing the proverbial towel in when you've grown weary in running the Christian race? Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, who do you look to to keep running the Christian race with endurance?

Turn with me in your Bibles to the New Testament, the epistle of Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. I believe Pastor Mike has coined some of you Ruthies. Is that not correct? How many Ruthies we have here?

Next week we'll be returning to the drama, not to worry. But today, Hebrews chapter 12, beginning in verse 1. Verse 1 is the main point, the main thrust of this passage. Follow as I read. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and here's the main point, the main thrust, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. That is the major theme here in this text, running the race, running the Christian race. Notice, if you will, in our text in verse 1, the author says, let us.

He includes himself. What's so significant about that? It's not a competition. We're not competing against each other in running the Christian race. We are running the same race. Actually, earlier in the book, in Hebrews chapter 10, familiar verse, the author says, verse 24, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.

One another. Let us run. There's a sense of humility there. We're not in competition like other human races. We're in this race together. And notice in verse 1, he says, let us run. The verb there, run, is in the present tense.

It means it's a continuous action. It means that the Christian race is a lifelong race. This is not a sprint. This is a marathon. In essence, the author is saying, let us keep on running with endurance.

This is no Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, even in cold New England. This is no couch potato Christianity. This is running a lifelong marathon, the Christian race. And how are we to run? Verse 1, the author continues, let us run with what?

Endurance. This is a major theme in this section, endurance. Verse 3, he says the same thing, referring to Christ. Consider him who? Endured. Verse 7, it is for discipline that you have to endure. It's a Greek term, ipomone, which is taken from two words, to remain under.

It's the same root word that our Lord used in John 15. I'm the vine, you are the branches. Remain in me. To remain under the pressures of the Christian life and to be steadfast and to endure. Why are we to run this race with endurance?

Simply, our author says in our text, so we don't grow weary. Verse 3 again, consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Verse 5, have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. We run with endurance so we don't grow weary in this race. And the author says this is truly a race. It's the Greek term, agona, which we get the English term, to agonize.

It's an agonizing race. After all, it's a marathon. It's a lifelong race. For sure, there is joy in the Christian life, is there not? But the author's point here is to run this marathon with an agonizing attitude.

I'm going to date myself and maybe some of you. It's like the old Jim McKay of ABC Wild World of Sports, right? Some of you are smiling. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. But the other author here is not talking about defeat.

Back then, the race was a reference to the Greeks gathering together to see their countrymen battle it out in sports. And it had to do with strenuous effort and strict discipline. That's what running this race is all about.

Actually, the Apostle Paul in 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 10 uses the same Greek term where it's translated, fight the good fight of faith. The race is a fight. It's to be run with endurance. But notice also in verse 1, let us run with endurance the race that is what?

Set before us. We're not running away from something. We're running toward something. Paul said it best in Philippians 3, 13 to 14. One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. As we run this race that is set before us, we're running toward something, not away from something. Well, the author in this text, that is his major thrust to run with endurance, but he gives us here three biblical motivations.

And brethren, let me tell you in order not to grow weary and in order to run this race with endurance, you need to be biblically motivated. Let me walk you through these three biblical motivations for running the Christian race.

The Persevering Faith of the Saints

Number one, the persevering faith of the Saints. The persevering faith of the Saints. Verse 1, our author as we read begins, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. What are these clouds of witnesses?

Who are these? Well, the therefore forces us to chapter 11. Where in chapter 11, no less than 24 times, our author uses the term faith, by faith, by faith. Turn with me to the previous chapter, chapter 11.

Let me highlight some of these cloud of witnesses, their persevering faith. After mentioning Abel and Enoch, the author beginning in verse 8, I will read, says this,. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going.

Really? How was he going not knowing where he was going? He obeyed what God told him to do. That's persevering faith. Verse 11, by faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive even when she was past the age since she considered him faithful who had promised.

How was her faith persevering? Because she considered whom? God, who was what? Faithful. Jump to verse 17, as our author continues to talk about Abraham. By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. Persevering faith. Why? Because as verse 19 said, Abraham considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead.

Verse 24, by faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured at seeing him who is invisible.

Moses' persevering faith. Why? Verse 26, he considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. And the story goes on in verse 30, by faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms and forced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered, mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword, they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

Doesn't sound like couch potato Christianity to me. This is the Christian race, the persevering faith of the Saints. It's like IBS Old Testament History 101. But notice in our text, chapter 12, verse 1, our author describes them as being surrounded by these, a cloud of witnesses.

Some have said, because of the metaphor of sports, that they are like the spectators sitting in the stands, as if Moses and Abraham are up in heaven, cheering us on. Good job, Bob Andrezek, keep running the Christian race.

Really? The author earlier in the book said in Hebrews 4, only of God, and no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. That is why the psalmist said in Psalm 33, the Lord looks down from heaven, he sees all the children of man, from where he sits enthroned, he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth.

Only the Lord is looking down, not Abraham, only the Lord is looking down and everything is exposed to his eyes, not Moses. He alone is omniscient and omnipresent. Well, if that's not what it means, what does it mean?

It simply means that this chapter 11 is a testimony of their persevering faith. They're not looking at us, we're looking to them as examples of persevering faith to motivate us to continue to run the race with endurance.

To say, pastor, these are spiritual giants. I'm just your average Joe Schmoe Christian. I don't compare with those of Hebrews 11, isn't it after all called the hall of faith, the heroes of the faith? Maybe it's a misnomer.

The author is trying to say here is what God said to Joshua when Moses passed away. He said to Joshua, just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. These cloud of witnesses of chapter 11, God is saying to us in order to run with endurance the Christian race, as I was with Enoch, I will be with you.

As I was with Abraham, I will be with you. John MacArthur put it well, quote, we can run as well as they did. It has nothing to do with how we compare with them, watch this, but in how our God compares with theirs.

Because we have the same God, he can do the same things through us if we trust him, end quote. Remember as I read Hebrews 11, by faith they were considering whom faithful, who that could raise from the dead, God.

It's the object of their faith, the same God we have today. And in this first motivation, our author continues in verse 1, and he says, let us also, in reference to chapter 11, the saints, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

The term lay aside is in the Aorist tense, and it is significant because what he means by that, you must first do this before you run with endurance. Having laid aside every weight or encumbrance, having laid aside the sin which clings so closely, only then can you run with endurance.

The term weight is a Greek term, ongo, which where we get the English term oncologist. Like a tumor, it is a weight, it is an encumbrance. The athletes back then would train with bronze bands around their biceps and thighs for training for the games.

That is why the Greeks were so buff. Now you're awake. But for the race, they would strip themselves of these bronze weights because they would be an encumbrance to the run. Many have speculated what might the author mean with these weights?

He doesn't specify, as Lewis Johnson says, for example, it could be referring to the pleasures of life. The simple pleasures of life. Calvin said, possibly the lust of the flesh, worldly cares, riches.

John MacArthur, because of the context of the entire book of Hebrews, it's possibly referring to Judaistic legalism. But the point here, it's not something that's sin, that is separate, as we will see in a moment.

It's something that is helpful for training, but in the race, if it takes priority, it could be an encumbrance. So notice he says, let us also lay aside every weight, every weight. And he continues, our English text doesn't do it justice.

The Greek says, and the sin, which clings so closely, the definite article, the sin which clings so closely. And based upon the context, since he's taken us through chapter 11, therefore, these cloud of witnesses, that sin has to do with unbelief, doubting God, not trusting in him alone.

As Lewis Johnson said, quote, every sin is a product of the attitude of our heart. Whether it's faith or unbelief. Every sin, he said, is a product of our attitude toward God, whether faith or unbelief.

That is the fundamental nature of sin, unbelief. Unbelief is the root of all sin, he says. It shows itself in independence of God, selfishness and rebellion. Our author is saying, you want to run the Christian race with endurance, you must first lay aside the sin of doubting God and follow the example of these persevering saints, who by faith considered him who was faithful, considered him who is able.

The Premier Example of Jesus

Second motivation to run the Christian race, the premier example of Jesus, the premier example of Jesus. Verse 2, 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.

I asked a family member recently, why did Jesus live a full life of 33 years? Why not just come and be killed instantly and pay for our sin debt? Well, the person's response was, well, he needed to give us an example.

Okay, well, he needed to preach and teach, okay. But ultimately he came to fulfill the Father's will, is as the writer of Hebrew said throughout his entire book, to provide the once for all sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God and to live the perfect life that you and I could not in obedience to God's law.

After all, here in this verse, he even mentions the cross the only time in this epistle. He exhorts us in order to run the race is to look to Jesus. It's on that banner behind here in our church building, looking to Jesus.

What does that mean? It means two things. First of all, it means to look to Jesus exclusively. Only to Jesus, not to anyone else. Exclusively. The Greek literally means to look away from something, to look away from those things that will distract you from looking at Jesus steadfastly and intently.

And the runners in a race could be easily distracted by the spectators, by the crowd, by everything else, rather than focusing on the goal. The author is saying to run the Christian race, you've got to look away from everything else and look only to Jesus.

The expositor's commentary put it this way. We are to run this race with no eyes for anyone or anything except Jesus. It is he toward whom we run. There must be no divided attention. You see, looking to Jesus, it's not a passing glance.

It's a fixed gaze. Looking to Jesus is not a distracted look. It's a laser-like focus. It's exclusive. But not only do we look to Jesus exclusively, but secondly, we are to look to Jesus continually.

The verb form is in the present tense. It's a continuous action. Literally, the author's saying, keep on looking to Jesus. Don't look to him just for a moment. You're running a race, an agonizing race, with endurance.

So in order not to grow worry, keep on looking to Jesus. 17th century Puritan Thomas Wilcox put it best, quote, don't persist in looking upon sin. Look upon Christ instead and don't look away from him for a moment.

Look at Christ exclusively and continually. End quote. The author gives us two reasons why we are to look to Jesus, not only exclusively, but continually. The first reason is because of who Jesus is. Verse two, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

The founder, Greek, archegos, literally means the first one to take the lead, the pioneer, the forerunner. It's used elsewhere in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 2 .10. For it was fitting that he for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect.

And that is why the writer of Hebrews also says in Hebrews 5, verse 9, that Christ is the source of our salvation. He is the originator of our faith, the cause of it, the initiator of it. After all, we can't initiate anything as spiritually dead people in sins and trespasses.

And he sums it up in Hebrews chapter 6, verse 20, that Christ is the forerunner into the heavenly sanctuary. That is what it means for him to be the founder and author of our faith. But we have to look to Jesus because he's also the perfecter of our faith.

He is the one who completed the assigned task that he received from the Father of redemption. And that is why he could say, it is finished. It is similar to the title of Christ in the book of Revelation.

He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, the perfecter from beginning to the very end. That is why we are to look to Christ. We have these Old Testament saints who have a persevering faith that we are to emulate.

We have Jesus that we are to look to also. But Arthur Pink does a great job in describing the difference. He says, and I quote, the cloud of witnesses is not the object on which our heart is fixed. They testify of faith and we cherish their memory with gratitude and walk with a firmer step because of the music of their lives.

Our eye, however, is fixed not on many but on one. Our eye is fixed not on the army but the leader. Our eye is fixed not on the servants but the Lord Jesus. And he says we see Jesus only and from him we derive our true strength even as he is our light of life.

In all things Christ has the preeminence. He is placed here not among the other racers, but as one who instead of exemplifying certain characteristics of faith as they did, he is the author and finisher of our faith in his own person, end quote.

But we are to look to Jesus not only because of who he is, but secondly because of what he has done. Our text says it in verse 2, who for the joy that was set before him, he did what? He endured the cross.

The joy that was set before him, the joy of his exaltation, as we will see in a moment. That's why he was able to endure the cross. And the writer of Hebrews describes, even though this is the only time he mentions the term cross, the significance of the cross that Christ endured.

Hebrews chapter 7 verse 27, he says of Christ, he has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9 12, he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Hebrews 9 25, nor was it to offer himself repeatedly as a high priest enters the holy places every year with blood, not his own, for then he would have to have to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world.

But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He endured the cross once for all time and taken on the wrath of the Father for those who would believe in him.

And as a result, our author says in verse 2, after he endured the cross, despising the shame, is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. That is a position of authority. That is a position of power.

It's a position of it is finished. When the writer of Hebrews mentions this term, this phrase, he is seated at the right hand of God. It's always after the finished work of Christ. For example, Hebrews 1 3, after making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

Hebrews 10 verse 12, but when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. He endured the cross, fulfilled his assignment from the Father, and therefore he sat down at the right hand of God.

And the author continues in verse 3, as we are to look to Jesus. What does that mean? He says in verse 3, consider him, Christ, who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Consider him, consider him with intentional deliberation, accurately and distinctly. The author is saying, do this now. Give this your utmost attention. There's a note of urgency here. Consider him, because he endured from sinners.

Why? As we mentioned early, purpose clause, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Verse 4, in your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. He had just finished delineating the Old Testament saints and their persevering faith, how they suffered and how they died, some of them.

He's saying here to his audience, you have not gone to the point of martyrdom, so keep running the Christian race. He had actually said at the end of chapter 10 in Hebrews verses 32 and 33, he said, but recall the former days when after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction.

They had gone through suffering, they had gone through affliction, but as he reminds them in verse 4, not to the point of martyrdom. Therefore, look to Jesus, because he is the author and perfecter of your faith, because he endured the cross.

Look to him exclusively, looking away from everything else, and look to him continually. The third motivation our author gives us for running the race with endurance is from verses 5 to 11. I call this the purposeful discipline of the Father.

The Purposeful Discipline of the Father

The purposeful discipline of the Father. Brethren, did you know that your heavenly Father has a purpose and discipline you? As I read 5 to 11, notice with me how many times the word discipline is mentioned.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastises every son whom he receives.

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom the Father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

Beside this, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. How many times is discipline mentioned? Did you cast that?

Any numbers? Nine? Nine is good. It's actually nine in the English text, eight in the Greek. Actually, I have to tell you that this shared motivation for running the Christian race is my children's favorite passage in Scripture.

There are two reasons why God the Father disciplines us according to the text. The first reason is the proof of sonship, the proof of sonship, and that's verses five through eight. The term son is mentioned no less than six times here.

And notice how he begins verse five. Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? Well, let me tell you there's a disease in evangelicalism. You know what it is? Spiritual amnesia. Have you forgotten?

This is consistent throughout the whole Bible, all the end of the New Testament. In Deuteronomy 8, Jehovah God says to the people of Israel, When your vats are filled and you are multiplied, don't forget me who led you out of Egypt and don't grow a hottie as a result of it.

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, where he delineates the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, he said, I'm writing this to you as a reminder of the gospel. The Apostle Peter in 2 Peter chapter 3 said that the reason he wrote both of his short epistles was to remind them because we have spiritual amnesia.

But here, what have we forgotten? His audience, he says, you've forgotten what? The exhortation that God the Father addresses you as a son. And he continues by quoting from Proverbs 3, the Old Testament.

My son do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord. Have you regarded lightly the discipline of the Lord? His audience was, and that's why he said, don't regard it lightly. And he continues, nor be weary when reproved by him.

Why? For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and he chastises every son whom he receives. Question. Whom does God love? Well, you might say the whole world. Yeah, in the common grace kind of way, he loves everybody because he bestows blessings of weather, the sunshine, and the beautiful snow and he bestows fame.

And friends and food to enjoy. But the author is not talking about that here. He's talking about a special love that the father has for his own children whom he has saved. And how does he love him? Notice the text through both a preventive discipline and a corrective discipline.

The term discipline that I asked you to count eight or nine times in this passage is the preventive discipline. It's the term that means to educate, to train, or to nurture the sons, the children. But he also has a corrective discipline.

Verse 5, nor be weary, notice what it says, when reproved by him. It's the Greek term used of the Holy Spirit in John 16 when the Spirit says, Christ said the Spirit will convict. It's the same term used of Scripture.

2nd Timothy 316, all Scripture is breathed out by God and is useful for reproof. There's a corrective kind of discipline. And even in verse 6, it says in the second part, he chastises, literally the Greek term mastigi means to whip.

Your Heavenly Father loves you so much that he will discipline you both in a corrective and a preventive kind of way. And the author continues in verse 7. It is for discipline that you have to endure, watch this, God is treating you how?

As sons. Why are you surprised in other words? He addresses you as a son. He's simply treating you as a son. And he continues with a logical question. For what son? Is there whom his father does not discipline?

And climatically finishes in this section, verse 8, if you are left without discipline in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. The first purpose the father disciplines is to prove a person's genuine sonship in salvation in Christ.

And he does it out of love. The second reason he disciplines us, the purposeful discipline of the father, is because of progressive sanctification. Progressive Sanctification. Turn with me briefly to chapter 10, a couple of chapters earlier.

Verse 10, a little IBS theology class here. Chapter 10, verse 10. And by that will we have been, watch this, sanctified through what? Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Wait a second.

I thought sanctification was a lifelong process. How is it that we're sanctified through the offering of Christ on the cross? The author there in Hebrews 10 is talking about what's called a positional sanctification.

That God the Father has declared us holy through the offering of the body of Christ. But what he's talking about here in our text in chapter 12 is a progressive sanctification. Once we've been declared holy, now God is in the process as we run this Christian race to make us holy day by day from one glory to another.

Isn't it great? That's his purpose. The question is what should our response be? Our response should be to submit. Not because our hand is twisted behind our back. Okay, Lord, I guess I have to submit.

It is a willing submission. A willing submission. Because after all, what he's doing for us is motivated by his love for us. And he gives three arguments why we are to submit. The first one is in verse 9.

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of our spirits, literally in the Greek, and live? He uses the argument from lesser to greater.

From our earthly fathers to our Heavenly Father. And he says, look, our earthly fathers who are not infinite in their wisdom, far from it, and amens from children, no. But our earthly fathers who are finite in their wisdom, but seek to do God's will in training their children, yet we respected them for it.

If we did that, how much more shall we submit to our Father? It's the same idea Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7, 9 to 11. Which one of you, earthly fathers, if his son asked him for bread, will give him a stone?

Or if he asked for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more, there's the argument, lesser to the greater, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

We're to submit to our Father. Second reason we're to submit, he gives in verse 10. For they, our earthly fathers, disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them. But he, our heavenly Father, disciplines us, why?

For our good. Purpose, clause, that we may share in what? His holiness. This is progressive sanctification. God's goal is to make us holy, because ultimately, when we get on that side, we're going to see him as he is, 1 John 3, and we shall be like him.

But until that time, our Father, who loves his children, in his family, which he saved, will discipline us with a preventive means, and a corrective means, that we may share in his holiness. The third reason we are to submit, he gives in verse 11, as we conclude with this text.

For the moment, all discipline seems painful, amen? Rather than pleasant, but he doesn't end there. But, later, it yields a peaceful fruit of what? Righteousness. To those who have been, what? Trained by it.

That's discipline. That's nurturing. That's training. Doesn't seem pleasant at the time, but look, God, our Father, has a divine purpose, that we may share in his holiness. So it will result in the peaceful fruit.

Notice, it's not just fruit, it's the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Bethlehem Bible Church, my exhortation to you this morning is, run, Christian, run. Why? You have three biblical motivations. You have the persevering faith of the saints, to look to, as an example, not because they were just giants of the faith, but because their faith was in the same God that you and I have today.

You run with endurance, secondly, by looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. And you run with endurance, day by day, week by week, month by month, because your Heavenly Father loves you, and because of that, he will discipline you to share in his holiness.

You might be here this morning, and you're not even in the Christian race. Jesus said in John 6, verse 40, for this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life.

And I already described what kind of look this is. That means you have to look away from everything that you think is good in and of yourself, because actually, there is nothing good in and of yourself, even your goodness is as filthy rags.

That means you have to look away from your morality. That means you have to look away from your religiosity, in order to exclusively look to Jesus Christ for salvation. You can't just add Jesus to the mix.

So before you leave this building tonight, today, and as you put your head on your pillow tonight, make sure, for your eternal life, you are looking to none other than Jesus Christ alone. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word this morning.

We thank you for enlisting us in the Christian race, and it is a joyful race. But as we were reminded this morning, it is an agonizing race, that we are to run with endurance. And we thank you for the cloud of witnesses, that we can look to their persevering faith in the God who is able.

We thank you that we have Jesus, the founder and author and perfecter of our faith, that we are to look to exclusively and continually. And we thank you, Father, that you love us so much, that you will discipline us, so that we may share in your holiness.