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I want to invite you now to take out your Bibles, open them with me to the book of Hebrews. I want to ask your pardon on the mistake in the bulletin. That was my mistake. I put Hebrews chapter 11 and it actually says it on my notes.
But I promise we are not starting Hebrews 11 over. It took about a year and a half to get through it. I don't think we want to start over. So right now I would like for us to go to Hebrews chapter 12.
Hebrews chapter 12 and we are going to look at the first three verses. I will show you those in just a moment. If you are open to that portion I encourage you to. Study an entire book of the Bible on the major themes that are contained within that particular writing.
Such as when you read Romans which has the theme of God's being just and making unrighteous sinners holy. Or when you go to James and you notice that he focuses on the theme of ensuring that our faith is accompanied by works of righteousness.
Likewise the gospels all have themes. Each one focuses on a different aspect of Christ's life. Matthew shows that Jesus was the king of the Jews. Mark that he was a suffering servant. Luke that he was truly human.
And John that he was truly divine. And these are the great overarching themes which are found within each one of the books. Then when you begin to read through the books you see that not only does the book have an overarching theme.
But they also have major thrusts within the book. For instance often the writers of the New Testament begin with a very theological and doctrinal thrust. And then at some point in the book focus on the Old Testament.
However now beginning in chapter 12 he begins to focus his sights on the issue of Christian living. He begins to focus on what we might call our Christian walk. It's as if he's saying now that I've told you this.
Here is how you are to live in light of what I've said. Now that I've explained the doctrine. Now that I've explained the theology. Here is how you are supposed to live it out. And what's interesting is that mirrors the writing of the Apostle Paul most closely.
As an almost exact parallel can be found in the book of Romans. The book of Romans in the first 11 chapters is almost all doctrine. And then when you come to chapter 12 it shifts to a focus on application.
It's interesting that the same thing is here in the book of Hebrews. Chapter 12 we find ourselves dealing with application. In fact even the first metaphor which is used here in chapter 12. The metaphor of running a race is one that we're very familiar with because of the writing of Paul.
Paul is the one who often uses sports as a metaphor. He talks about boxing his body. He talks about all these different things. Sports metaphors were very big in the writing of Paul. And Paul is the one who used the metaphor of a race.
In the book of 2 Timothy. So we understand that is again certain. Anything the Bible doesn't say for certain we can't stand up and dogmatically declare. But yet at the same time it's interesting to believe that Paul did not write Hebrews.
In the book of Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 3. Paul says it was declared at first talking about the gospel. He says it was declared at first by the Lord. And it was attested to about Timothy. Someone who we know the apostle Paul was closely associated with.
So like in Romans and in other books of the New Testament. We here in the book of Hebrews have come to the point. Where the writer, whoever it is, is going to take us down the road of application. And the question is this.
How do we apply the first 11 chapters of Hebrews to our daily Christian walk? And that's the thrust that begins here in the beginning of chapter 12. With that let's stand and read the first three verses.
The translation actually makes a distinction between the second and third verse. But I think they go together. So this morning we're going to be looking at them as a whole. Verse 1. Since we are surrounded by sound message.
Here is all of this water crossed. I mean I'm just being honest. If I can't be honest with you who am I going to be honest with? I mean if Jane's wife were sitting right here. It might. Maybe you're a car.
Maybe you. Maybe it's your favorite. Whoever you are. I don't want to say a driver because I'll make him mad if I say the wrong person. I certainly don't want to say Jeff Gordon. But you know. When you're surrounded.
Listen to the metaphor. He says I'm from.