(A) Introduction

This short passage is one of the gems of the epistle to the Hebrews. It is a much loved and frequently quoted extract from this great letter. Like other very well known texts it is sometimes misused. For example it is very unlikely that the writer used the expression a great cloud of witnesses to mean a crowd of heavenly spectators. The word 'therefore' at the beginning of verse 1 links the witnesses to what has gone before. The writer has been calling up one witness after another to the achievements and triumphs of faith. He has done so to inspire the Hebrew Christians to run the race that is set before them. He is acting a bit like a football manager talking about the past exploits of a club's heroes to inspire his players as they go into a particularly important match or series of matches. The club's heroes are witnesses to what enthusiasm, commitment and self-belief can accomplish. A regiment may be justly proud of its history and regimental tradition may raise morale and help its members to fight with courage. Christians have a great tradition - we should hold our heads high and feel honoured to follow in the footsteps of so many witnesses to faith.

I must acknowledge that the simple but effective headings that I use below are borrowed from Raymond Brown's commentary on Hebrews.

(B) What we must reject

(a) The weights. Let us throw off everything that hinders.
What are the weights that an athlete in a long race might be tempted to carry that would be a hindrance:

(1) Life's necessities. An athlete might consider it sensible to carry a container of water or a package of food. In the course of a long race he will get thirsty and maybe even hungry. However to carry anything would make running the race that more difficult. It would impact on performance.

I am reminded of my younger brother's expedition. He planned to walk the South West Coastal Path as a retirement treat. He managed to persuade his wife to release him for six weeks of solitary walking. Philip looked forward to this holiday for months as he completed his career in the police service. After two days of walking my brother gave up. His rucksack was too heavy. It was packed with all the things he considered necessary for his trek. On the first day he over exerted him self and was so exhausted he started to hallucinate. He never even camped the first night. A police car picked him up and put him down outside a hotel. He started again next morning but he felt so bad that he took a bus to the nearest large town and caught a train back home. He was undone by the weight he carried.

Christians can be bothered over much by life's necessities. We think about what we need and must have and devote the greater part of our energies to getting and then keeping these necessities. Jesus does actually warn against being over anxious about essentials like food and clothing. Mt6v31 "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Jesus travelled light, Peter and John travelled light, Paul travelled light but most of us carry a fair amount of baggage. We are handicapped by our concern for material well-being. I have probably got more saved up than I need because as a single man I am concerned about providing for my old age. You might say that Jesus was not being realistic. It depends upon our priorities. My brother could have completed his expedition if he had ditched two thirds of his equipment after an hour of walking. How much do we want to complete the race and win the crown?

(2) Justifiable expectations. A marathon or cross-country runner could realistically expect some trouble and might consider carrying a first aid kit in anticipation of injury. I have certainly encountered hazards on a cross-country course - thorny hedges, barbed wire, slippery styles and frozen ruts.

Soldiers going into battle are kitted out with very heavy packs. The contents of those packs anticipate most eventualities. They may contain emergency rations, cooking equipment, a torch, a trowel, and so on. However if the fighting gets very tough, if the soldiers have to retreat for their very lives those packs will be jettisoned. When it really is a matter of life and death it is best to travel light.

We can be handicapped by our expectations. They can be so much useless baggage. Some Christians expect perfection from their leaders. They have unrealistic expectations of their fellow believers and get very hurt and demoralised when they do not live up to their ideals. Other Christians expect to be happy all the time - to live a problem free life with no pain and suffering. They are rapidly disillusioned in time of trouble.

(3) A full stomach. No athlete with any sense would run on a full stomach. It would be very self indulgent and foolish to feast before a race.

On one of my recent field trips to Walton on the Naze a small but friendly little boy called Lee came with a veritable sack full of food. He had enough provisions to feed us all! During the dinner break he ate and ate and ate. As we prepared to move off to do the afternoon's work Lee came up to me and said, "Mr Reed, I don't feel very well." A colleague led him away to the toilet. He wasn't at his best for the rest of the trip. His complexion was green, his stomach disturbed and his concentration fitful.

Self-indulgence affects our performance as Christians. We can spend too long on our pleasures. We can waste time watching the TV or reading the newspaper. Occasionally I will start to read a gripping novel - and read, and read, and read. By the time I come to my evening prayers it is very late and they are said in a very perfunctory way. To read for so long is undisciplined and self indulgent and damaging. The careers of so many sportsmen have been ruined by wild living. We too underachieve because we do not spend time keeping spiritually fit.

(b) The entangling sins. Let us throw off .... the sin that so easily entangles.v1.
We need to ask when might a runner wear clothes that are more of a hindrance than help. Here are three instances when this could be so:


(1) When we take too much care of ourselves. I still play hockey albeit for a veteran's eleven. I am well wrapped up. I wear gloves, tracksuit bottoms, three shirts... I think to myself, "Blowed if I am going to get cold". I think I might play better if I wore less!

We can become over concerned about our health. So often I have seen elderly Christians stop in on Sundays when the weather is inclement. Similar weather would not prevent them doing their shopping or getting their pension. It is no good easing up so much as we get older that we do nothing. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal6v9

(2) If we are too concerned about appearances. It is difficult to envisage well known figures like Mrs Thatcher or the President of the USA stripping off and wearing nothing more than shorts and singlet for a charity race. If they run at all they will wear more than that. Shorts and singlet are lacking in dignity. They do not make a statement - there is anonymity about them.

Some Christians trip up because they are too concerned about what others think and say about them. They worry about their reputation amongst the people that matter - the guardians of religious orthodoxy in the small denominations to which they belong. Others want to be well thought off by the trendsetters and liberal thinkers in their large denominations. We should be free of such worries. Just think how Jesus would have been hide bound by such considerations. Did he modify his message to keep the Pharisees happy or win the approval of the Sadducees? We should be anxious to win the commendation of Jesus and care nothing for the applause of men.

(3) If we are not taking the race seriously. We have all seen mothers take part in a sprint at their young children's sports day. Most mothers do not take the race very seriously. They run in flowing dresses, tight trousers, mini skirts, whatever! Runners dress up in all sorts of strange garb for the London Marathon. I have seen people dressed as Micky Mouse, a cardboard box and even a pantomime horse. The man who finished first was not dressed up like this!

We need to take Christianity seriously. It should be the major event in our lives. It is not a fun race for pantomime horses. Our course has been marked out for us We are expected to run well and finish strongly.

There are three points to note about how to run:

(a) There is nothing said about speed or style. I have watched many mile races on school sport's days. Some small scrap of humanity intent on his moment of glory goes off at a tremendous lick. At the end of the first lap the over optimistic runner is well out in front and gets tumultuous applause as he surges past his friends. As the misguided athlete starts the second lap he is already beginning to fade. By the third lap he is staggering along grey faced in the rear. The competitors who start at such a pace rarely finish. They retire weak at the knees and retching. The immature runner grows weary and looses heart.

We do not run to impress others; we run to finish. There is scant sympathy, little consolation and no prize for those who start well but do not complete the course.

(b) We must expect the course to be tough. There is no such thing as an easy long distance race. I used to loath the annual cross-country race at school. It took place at the wettest and coldest time of the year. My legs ached. It was not uncommon to lose a shoe in the mud as we ran through Muggy Warren's farmyard. There were gates to climb and fall over. Worst of all was the terrible tightness in the chest.

The Christian life is hard. We have only to read Paul's catalogue of sufferings in 2Cor11v16to29 to be convinced of this. What could be worse than to be in danger from false brothers. v26. This very day I received a letter that seeks to undermine my authority, service and membership of the church I have attended for 54 years. Disagreements about doctrine count for more in the opinion of some Christians than the fruits of your labours over the years. It is a hard thing when your fellow Christians try to force you out of your church. You do not feel like running. Your legs are leaden and your heart is not in it.

(c) Our main aim must be to complete the course. Faith brings us to the finishing line. Faith is vital because it keeps us believing it is worth finishing.

The Christmas before last I received a letter from an old pupil, Katie. She was in the final year of her training to be a teacher. Katie was rather fed up and disillusioned. She had almost decided to give up her course and go to work in an office in Ipswich. Her parents were trying to talk her out of it. This year I got another letter from Katie. She was teaching in the West Country and loving every minute of it. Katie was so, so, glad she had been persuaded to persevere and finish her course.

There is a satisfaction in finishing, there is a rest on finishing, there is a joy in finishing and there is a reward for all those who finish the course marked out for them.

(D) Where to look. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

This verse and Eph2v8 are both misquoted to mislead about faith. The phrase, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith is an inaccurate translation. The little word 'our' is not there in the original. A better version of the Greek would be, 'Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the leader and perfecter of faith'. Jesus is the exemplar of faith. No one had more faith or more perfect faith. He is top of the list of heroes of faith - the leader. We look to him to see faith at its best both in terms of its endurance and achievement.

We can look to him for support and encouragement:
(a) In times of suffering - he endured the cross.
(b) When everyone seems against us - Jesus scorned the shame of the felon's death.
(c) During periods of despondency - he wept over the hardness of heart of Jerusalem.
(d) When we are overcome with exhaustion and weariness - think of the demands made upon his time and energies.
(e) In the heat of temptation - he resisted unto blood striving against sin. v4. Jesus never gave in.
(f) If we ever feel that God doesn't care, that God is displeased with us and has withdrawn his blessing.

Jesus felt like that on the cross. He felt forsaken and abandoned. But after that ordeal and awful humiliation God raised him up and he is seated now at God's right hand. God did care; God was pleased with his dear Son; God did bless. The Father's approval was his joy. That is the joy set before us - our Father's, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Jesus has entered into his joy and so will we if we endure to the end