Josh Knipple gives us another wonderful message. Enjoy it, I know I did. Thx Josh.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV
This has always ranked up there as one of my favorite verses of Scripture, but for some reason even more so. Maybe it is the practicality of it, or the simple words found within that make it pretty simple to understand, but also so much depth to it that it still can challenge adults. You see, for me when I read Scripture I like to pick out simple words that I can understand and comprehend, look at this verse, it is filled with them. Here are just a few to mention; surrounded, throw, entangles, race… what words stand out to you. Then if you read it in other versions it mixes in words like trip, weight, strip and so on. I would encourage you now to take a few moments before I dive in to see what words stand out to you.
So this past Sunday I decided to do something a little different for our children’s time at Franklin St teaching on this verse. To start out I had our oldest son Eli and his buddy line up at the center aisle and told them they were going to race down the center aisle. Of course as two 10 year olds they started trash talking, already claiming victory before they even started. I then went on to explain to them that Scripture tells us our lives are like a race, running straight towards Jesus at the finish line. They were pretty pumped up and ready to go until I told Eli the only stipulation is that he has to carry his brother Silas on his back. “Dad, that’s not fair.” Then the countdown began, 3,2,1, go. As both boys took off running of course within 5-6 steps Eli tripped and fell face down with Aaron going on to win the race. You may be reading this going, yeah of course, we knew that was going to happen, he had weight on his back. Think about it with me now though, how many of us do the same thing when it comes to life. Jesus has set us free at the cross, yet for some reason we continue to carry the weight of our sin on our own backs, we keep picking it back up like dead weight. The author makes it very clear in this verse that we are meant to throw it, get rid of it. Again another simple word that I can comprehend quite well having 4 kids. Throw. If I tell them to throw something, automatically it turns into a competition of who can launch it the furthest. That is what the author here is saying, throw it, get rid of it. How many of us though maybe go to the altar, confessing a sin that hinders us, but instead of throwing it we keep it right within reach. Only to pick up that same habit or be tripped up again over and over because we allow it to remain in our lives. We want to be rid of it, but instead of going to the extreme of throwing it we allow it to linger.
What if Silas was riding his bike through the woods and kept hitting the same tree stump over and over causing him to fall. At what point would he learn to take a different route or ride around it. “A fool keeps doing things the same way over and over wondering why things don't change.” The author here uses the words “sin that easily hinders and entangles.” At what point do we identify the tree stump in our path that keeps tripping us and say to God, “I am choosing a different way, focused on you Lord Jesus.”
That last part of the verse is key to understand. Satan wants to continue tripping you, distracting you from running your life towards Jesus. You focus has to look up and see Jesus, allow Him, as the author and perfector to be your guide, to point out what is tripping you. Maybe it is time for you to take the weight off your back so you can run with “perseverance the race marked out for you.”
I hope this visual made you laugh a bit thinking about my kids tripping, falling, and then running full speed towards Jesus. One more thing as the verse started with “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses” know you are not alone in running this race.
Make it a Thoughtful Thursday! God is good….