Moses: Hebrews 12:1-3
A Race We Are All In
Imagine this: You're standing at the edge of an ancient stadium, the kind where the best athletes of the ancient world once competed. The stadium is filled with a great cloud of spectators—witnesses, not from the present day, but from a past long gone, and yet their voices echo in your ears. They're not just watching; they're cheering for you. These witnesses are the giants of faith—Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses—all of them have run their own races, and now they are watching you, encouraging you on. The air is thick with anticipation. You've trained for this moment, but you know it won't be easy. The path ahead is steep and uncertain, and the finish line is still out of view. But the crowd, the "cloud of witnesses," doesn't want you to stop. They've been where you are, facing challenges that seemed insurmountable. And they made it to the end. Now, they're calling to you, "Keep going! Don't quit. We've been where you are, and God saw us through. He will see you through as well."
This, in essence, is the scene the writer of Hebrews paints for us in Hebrews 12:1-3.
The race we're in is not just our own; it's a continuation of faith that has been going on
for centuries, stretching all the way back to the great men and women of faith who
trusted God through every trial, just like Moses, Abraham, and the others. Now, we are
called to join that race—to run with the same faith, the same endurance, that they
demonstrated.
The Text
Hebrews 12:1–3 (NASB95)
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay
aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who
has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary
and lose heart."
Endurance and Focus
In this race, you begin to realize something as you stand at the edge of the track. To run this race, you can't carry everything with you. You look down and realize that your
backpack is heavy. It's filled with distractions, worries, and sins that you've been
carrying around—things that will slow you down. You need to lay them aside. The writer of Hebrews is clear: "Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us" (Hebrews 12:1).
The word "encumbrance" is an old-fashioned term, but it paints a clear picture. It's
anything that weighs you down or distracts you. Perhaps it's a lingering fear, a bad
habit, or the relentless pull of materialism or self-sufficiency. Just like a runner would
shed extra weight before the race, we're called to identify and lay down whatever is
slowing us down in our faith.
Then there's the sin. The "sin which so easily entangles us" is a reference to that
entangling force that trips us up over and over again. It's not just about mistakes or
slip-ups; it's about those persistent temptations or unhealthy patterns that threaten to
derail us. It's the sin that feels like it has a hold on us, slowing us down or preventing us from fully running toward God's promises. But here's the good news: you don't have to run this race alone. You've got the cloud of witnesses cheering you on. They didn't finish their race by their own strength. They looked to something beyond themselves. They looked to God's faithfulness. And we
can, too.
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
Now, as you prepare to start the race, something even more vital comes to mind: you
need to focus. You can't get distracted by the crowd or by the noise around you. And
just as in any race, the most important thing is not how fast you go, but how you finish.
This is where the writer of Hebrews encourages you to "fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2).
In the ancient world, runners didn't just compete for the prize—they were focused on
the finish line, the ultimate goal. And Jesus is the finish line. The word used for "fixing
your eyes" is ἀφοράω (aphoraō), meaning to look away from all distractions and focus
intently, or determined. In other words, don't look to the left or to the right. Don't be
distracted by others in the race or by the temptation to veer off course. Your focus must be on Jesus, the one who not only set the path before you but who also ran it perfectly.
Jesus isn't just our example. He's the ἀρχηγός (archēgos), the originator, the pioneer,
the one who blazed the trail. He went through the most challenging part of the race,
carrying the cross, enduring the shame, and finishing the work that needed to be done. His journey shows you the way. And more than that, He is the τελειωτής (teleiōtēs), the perfecter—the one who completes the race, who ensures we reach the goal. He doesn't just start us on the journey, but He walks with us every step of the way, perfecting our faith as we keep our eyes fixed on Him.
The Joy Before Us
You know, in the ancient world, athletes competed not just for personal glory but for the
honor of their cities. The prize they ran for was often a simple crown, but it was the
culmination of their effort and discipline. In Hebrews 12:2, the author reveals that Jesus "endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God" because of the joy set before Him. Jesus endured the agony of the
cross because He knew what awaited Him—the joy of fulfilling God's mission and
securing salvation for His creation.
This joy, the writer tells us, is why Jesus ran His race—and it's the same joy that awaits
us at the finish line. The writer is inviting us to look beyond our present struggles and
endure because there is a greater joy ahead. The joy ahead is being fully in the presence of God, of seeing the fulfillment of His promises, and of being part of His kingdom. That joy is why we keep running, even when the path gets hard.
Run with Endurance
So, here we are, standing at the start of our race. The cloud of witnesses surrounds us,
cheering us on, and the finish line is ahead—Jesus, the one who has gone before us,
waits there with open arms. The call is clear: run with endurance.
But what does that mean for us today? What is the one thing we need to do to run the
race well? The answer is simple but challenging: lay aside the weights and sin slowing
you down and fix your eyes on Jesus.
This week, take time to identify what is hindering you in your walk with the Lord. Is it an
attitude that needs changing? A habit that needs breaking or a fear that needs to be
overcome? Whatever it is, lay it aside. And keep your focus on Jesus, the one who
began the race and who will see us through to the end. Remember, faith isn't about being perfect. It's about trusting, confidence, and enduring. It's about pressing on despite the obstacles because the joy ahead makes it all worthwhile.
So, as you run this race, you're not alone. There is a cloud of witnesses cheering you
on, men and women who have run before us and finished faithfully. Like them, may we
keep our eyes on Jesus, who is both the path and the prize.
Citations:
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).
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