August 5, 2016 will see the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known officially as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. Over the course of seventeen days, athletes from around the world, wearing their countries colors, will compete in 306 events in 28 sports. Having trained and exercised for many years, these athletes all come and compete, sometimes just for a few seconds, in hopes of winning a medal, preferably gold. There will be celebration in victory and agony in defeat. People from all over will fill the stands to watch their countrymen complete. Many more will watch on television from the comfort of their homes.
Hebrews 12:1 speaks of just such a crowd: “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.” This sounds a lot like the Olympic Games. Athletes train hard and build up their endurance, and when the race begins, they “lay aside every encumbrance” and “run with endurance the race that is set before” them. So the games that were held in that day are compared to the spiritual race of life which we must run.
The “cloud of witnesses” may be our fellow Christians. It may even include believers in heaven who have already finished the race. And just a thought, perhaps unbelievers are watching us run our race as well, to see if what we say about Jesus holds up in our own life. Do we live our life the way we claim? Is there any proof in our lives that Jesus is alive and well, and that He is guiding and protecting us? Just a thought, but that is what this passage is all about.
How do we run the race of life that is set before us? We “lay aside every encumbrance,” or we leave behind anything that holds us back from living our lives for Jesus. We “lay aside…the sin which so easily entangles us.” Confess your sin, repent, turn away from your sin, and turn to Jesus. That is what it means to repent. Then, follow Jesus and live for Him, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2a).
Your faith comes from Jesus and it is made perfect by Jesus. He is the One “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” (v. 2b). The joy before Him was your salvation. The way to provide it was the cross. Jesus died on the cross for your forgiveness. He rose from the dead to give you life, both abundant life now and eternal life in heaven. Everything comes from and rests in Jesus. That is why it is so important to keep “fixing (your) eyes on Jesus” every moment of every day.
Jesus must be at the center of your faith. Anything else is not faith at all. So look to Jesus by faith for your salvation, then keep your eyes fixed on Jesus at all times. That is the only way to truly follow Him. Amen.
