So Great a Cloud of Witnesses

Today is Memorial Day, so I thought a word from Hebrews 12:1-3 might hit the mark. Originally known as Decoration Day, it is a day when we decorate the graves, first of veterans who gave their lives for our freedom, then of all our loved ones who have passed on before us.

Ronald Reagan, in his inaugural speech as governor of California on January 5, 1967, said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." (blogs.e-rockford.com)

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends" (John 15:13). From the beginning of our existence as a nation men have laid down their lives for our freedom, living and dying by this verse. The ultimate example of course being the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By His death on the cross we receive our ultimate freedom, freedom from the eternal consequences of sin. And all because in Christ we are forgiven—the penalty paid!

Today is a day for remembering those who laid down their lives for us, their friends. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and it was first observed a few weeks later on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The South, however, refused to acknowledge that day until after World War I when the holiday was changed from honoring just those who died during the War between the States to honoring all Americans who died while fighting in any war. (sermons2liveby.com)

The best way to honor the men and women who died for us is to follow the three mandates of Hebrews 12:1-3. Because "we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" (v. 1a)... what witnesses? Most likely believers who have passed away and gone on before us to be an encouragement to us. It is not that they are sitting in some heavenly grandstand up in the clouds watching us; they are witnesses to the truth. They are examples of those who did what we must do—lay aside every hindrance to our daily walk with Christ.

We are to "lay aside every weight" or "every encumbrance" (v. 1b, NASB). A "weight" or "encumbrance" is simply a bulk or mass of something. It is not necessarily bad in itself. It can be perfectly innocent and harmless. But it weighs us down, diverts our attention, saps our energy, and dampens our enthusiasm for the things of God. (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1-7)

We are also to "lay aside…the sin which so easily ensnares us" (v. 1c). This is a call to action. We are to strip off every weight that slows us down. Jesus said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell" (Matthew 5:29-30). He is talking about getting rid of everything that hinders us from faithfully walking with God.

The key phrase of this passage is "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (v. 1d). Speaking to those who have professed Christ as Savior but have not gone all the way to fully walking with Him, the writer of Hebrews says, "Get in the race and begin living for Christ." To those who are already running, he says, "Do not give up! Run the race of your life in Christ with endurance."

So what will strengthen us to remain faithful when tempted to quit and give in to the pressures of the world around us? It is the thought of "Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself" (v. 3a). "Consider Him…lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls" (v. 3b). Don’t be discouraged. Remember Jesus and run with endurance the life of faith that is before you.

Run the race of a life of faith by "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (v. 2a). Remember, it was "for the joy that was set before Him," the joy of saving you, that He "endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (v. 2b). Keep your eyes on Him, and you will do well.

Hebrews 11 lists a number of heroes who lived and died courageously "by faith." Near the end of the chapter, the list makes a change from names of individuals to groups of believers whose experiences ranged from miraculous deliverance to torture and even death, because they refused to compromise their faith in God.

They remind us that the spiritual battle is not over. As we recall every sacrifice made on our behalf and every example of spiritual courage, let's determine to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and join the parade of faithful veterans of the faith.

Never forget that others have died so that we might live. But as you remember those who have gone before and think about the sacrifice they made, think also about our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life—our ransom, fully paid. Amen.

Jesus Is the Life

Listen carefully as you talk with people and you will soon understand how they view life. Listen carefully and you will discover that many people have no real understanding of life at all. Far too many people don't realize that without Christ you cannot understand what life is all about, because true life is found only in Christ.

John tells us that true life existed from the beginning in Christ: "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). To that Jesus adds, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

Until you understand this basic truth, you have no way of understanding life. Ephesians 2:1 says that apart from Christ you are "dead in trespasses and sins." Being "dead in sins" results in living life "according to the course of this world" (v. 2). That means living under the influence of evil, in disobedience to God. Such a lifestyle amounts to living "in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (v. 3a). It is not a life pleasing in God’s sight, nor will it be fulfilling in any way. It only brings the wrath of God upon you in the end. Paul said that we all "were by nature children of wrath" (v. 3b).

That is the key. None of us are any different. No one is by nature perfect and righteous. That is why Christ, who is perfect, had to die on the cross for us. The penalty we deserved, He paid. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). He gave His life that we might experience life in Him. Life as it was meant to be.

In Ephesians 2:4-5 Paul adds, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." He further explains, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (vs. 8-9). Christ died on the cross and rose again from the dead so that you could be forgiven of your sins. The end result is having life, both abundant and eternal, in Him.

God made us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (v. 10). We were created for a purpose: to live life in the way God meant for it to be. We are to be what God wants us to be. We are to live life after the example of Jesus Himself as found in Scripture. We are to be doing the "works" that He has prepared for us to do. We are not saved by our works. Salvation comes only by God’s grace through our faith in Christ. The works follow faith. The works are life as it was designed by God.

Paul goes on to say that "without Christ" you are "aliens" from God’s people and "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God" (v. 12). However, "in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (v. 13). If you believe in God and you have placed your trust, your faith, in Jesus and His cross, you are no longer a stranger to God living in a distant land. You are His and you will begin to experience life as He meant it to be. Follow Jesus and you will have life abundant, as well as life eternal. Amen.

Jesus Sets You Free

Past time again for a new post. Barb and I are headed north tomorrow for Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She has checkups every two or three months to make sure she is still cancer free so she can remain on the liver transplant list. So far so good. Keep praying!

Now, let's turn to the Word. "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all" (Luke 4:14-15). As Jesus began His ministry, He went around the region of Galilee in northern Israel, teaching in the synagogues (the Jewish place of worship). Before long, everyone was talking about Him and His excellent teaching. "So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read" (v. 16).

The passage He read was Isaiah 61:1-2, where Isaiah speaks of the Year of Jubilee, and the release of captives, and the return of the Jewish exiles from captivity in Babylon. All through the passage, Isaiah holds forth the hope of the coming Messiah, who will save them from their sins. Upon reading this Scripture, Jesus declares that this passage refers directly to Him: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (v. 21). There can be no mistake. Jesus claims Himself to be that Messiah, that Savior who has to come into the world. He proclaims Himself to be the very Son of God!

The people of Nazareth were ready to throw Him off a cliff as they rejected His claim outright: "So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff" (vs. 28-29). Of course they failed to do so: "Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way" (v. 30). Jesus just walked away. They could not touch Him.

Like these people, we too must consider for ourselves who this Jesus really is. Unlike these people, we must recognize that He is indeed the Savior of the world, our Savior, and we must receive Him as such. We must not reject Jesus in any way. Rather, we must follow Him every day by faith.

In verse 18, Jesus read, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor." Jesus’ life and ministry is uniquely marked by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. This is seen throughout His ministry by the many miracles of healing. He came teaching and preaching the truth of the gospel, that salvation is available to the poor and to all who are in need. Whatever your need, the answer is Jesus. Only believe, and you will experience that great gift of salvation in Jesus’ name.

He continued in verse 18, "He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind." Proof of His Messiahship is found in the works He performed. He came to heal, as Isaiah had prophesied. His was a ministry of deliverance. He came to heal spiritually and physically. He gave sight to the blind, healed the lame, cleansed the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf, and raised the dead, in addition to preaching the gospel to the poor (Luke 7:22). All of this gives proof that Jesus is the Savior.

The final words that Jesus read make clear His objective: "To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD" (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus came to set us free. He came proving Himself by doing the works of the Messiah according to Isaiah 61. He came specifically to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He came to set us free from our imprisonment to sin. We are the captives He came to release. We are the ones who are oppressed by sin. The "acceptable year of the LORD," the year of Jubilee, is now. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).  

Jesus came to set us free from sin. He has accomplished that very thing. Now what we must do is respond to Him in faith, receiving His free gift of forgiveness. Then we must be faithful to Him in all areas of life, following Him every day in prayer and obedience. Do this and your life will never be the same. Instead, it will be a life filled with peace and joy in the Lord. Amen.