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Hebrews
12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
This morning, man likes to think that he is unique. To a certain extent this is
true, as his fingerprints and DNA are one of a kind with him. No two people's
fingerprints are the same, even identical twins. Yet, man likes to think his
uniqueness extends also to his experience in the sense that "no one knows what
I've seen or what I've been through." When making statements to this effect, the
individual is revealing much about his thought processes, for the logical reason
to state such a thing is that he seeks justification with himself for his
behaviour as well as deterring any judgment that someone else might make against
him. After all, if no one else knows anything about this or has ever seen it
before - i.e. it is unique to me - then no one can possibly raise a judgment
against me for what I am doing. The simple point is that man's experiences
and/or problems are not unique to him (I Corinthians 10:13), and even if they
were, one does not need the experience to render proper judgment if they have
the proper measuring stick (Holy Writ) to pronounce the just and due course. (II
Timothy 3:16-17)
When it comes to our journey of life, we find then that not only are our fleshly
problems not unique to us, but our spiritual joys and hardships are not unique
to us either. Paul, in Hebrews 11, goes through a long list of people and
circumstances that were undergone by the individuals by/through faith.
Sometimes, their walk of faith led to a deliverance from the problem of life
(i.e. their lives were spared or bettered), and others were delivered from the
problems period (i.e. their natural lives ended to awake immediately in glory).
So, what is the conclusion of the lesson of these noble characters - witnesses -
of faith? Paul's conclusion is that we today are surrounded by such a cloud of
witnesses as well. Not only do we have the accounts of those that have gone
before us, but we have the fellowship of kindred and like minds here to help us
in our travels.
When we think of Christian fellowship, we think of a loving situation that Paul
later exhorts to continue. (Hebrews 13:1) While engaged in the warfare and race
of life, we have fellow soldiers and companion runners to be with us and
encourage us, strengthen our hands, and exhort us if necessary to more suitably
and better serve the One that we so love and honour. Therefore, man has no
reason to think himself alone or unique in his condition, problems, or shared
highs and lows. We have a cloud of witnesses that help us run. While I am not
fond of running, the Bible is plain that our course of life is much like running
a race (marathon race). It is not over in 100 meters, 200 meters, or even a
mile, but this marathon, instead of being a 26 mile course, is the length of our
natural existence here on this earth.
As mentioned earlier, I personally am not fond of running as I believe there are
really only two reasons to run: 1. chasing somebody, 2. being chased by
somebody. While my reasons are not all that spiritual, there is a kernel of
truth to this in that we should be resisting the devil - perhaps not running
from him - but fleeing from the lusts and other devices that he throws in our
path to stop us up. (II Timothy 2:22) Also, we should be striving to chase or
reach forward unto Christ in the example He has set for us and the path that He
has marked for us. (Hebrews 12:2, Philippians 3:12-14)
Yet, besides my two analogies above about fleeing from and pressing toward, what
other things are to be found in our verse to aid our running and race? As Paul
mentions, we have witnesses that help us to know that we are not alone and share
in our joys and sorrows. But, what else do fellow runners do for us? One of the
things that I learned quickly about myself was that my stamina needed help when
I first began to run. I was not given to be able to run all day without respite.
However, one of my P.E. teachers in school told me that stamina is helped when
we exercise our mouth while running. Whether it was singing, talking, or some
other use, just the exercise of the mouth and jaw muscles would help the body
run longer and farther. After a few experiments, I found my teacher's advice to
be sound and have since learned that the best way to increase the most longevity
in my runs is to talk with someone while running. The exercise of the mouth and
jaw take the mind off the hardness and grant liberty to the course.
Since we have fellow runners and companions, we have the ability to talk with
each other about how great things God has done for us and go longer, farther,
and stronger than we could without talking. Just having someone there running
with you is one thing, but talking with them while striding together increases
the endurance many fold. As my friends and I began trying to build our endurance
in running, we implemented this technique and found that our bodies improved
much faster in the course, and using this technique in our spiritual race, we
will grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ all
the more. (II Peter 3:18)
Paul also brings out the very easy to see illustration of weight. Paul equates
sin with weight on a runner. Therefore, as extra weight slows a runner down and
decreases his stamina and endurance, so sin will impede our spiritual well-being
and decrease our edification in our race. Those that know me well and for many
years know that a few years back I went through a "fat stage" in my life. While
in that position, I attempted to work some of it off one afternoon playing
racket ball and severely broke my ankle. After an immediate surgery, followup
outpatient surgery, and extensive physical training, the doctors and therapists
got it to almost the shape it was in before the accident. However, to do so,
they had to put two titanium pins in my ankle bone that are still there today.
During the course of my recovery, I lost a lot (but not all) of the weight due
to the intensity of crutching about combined later with physical therapy.
However, over time, I allowed the weight to come back and even moreso than
before. Yet, the difference this time from before was that the weight was felt
much more than before. With every increasing pound, my ankle cried out with
pain, and I could feel the pins every time I took a step. Therefore, I engaged
in a rigorous, long term weight loss plan to take the stress out of my ankle and
relieve the pain. With every dropped pound, the pain got less and less. With
every new milestone in the program, my ankle felt more and more "normal" like
the other one.
As we run together in life, sins are like little pounds that creep up on us at
every turn. Weight is much easier to put on than it is to put off (or keep off).
It seems to swell up so quickly, and the pain for a runner will be greatly
increased when the weight/sin level increases. However, with every milestone of
sin loss, we will feel closer and closer to the One that never sinned. As I walk
around now, I never think about which ankle has the pins in it, because my
current body weight does not manifest pain with each step. Our daily goal should
be to run in such a way that every step is aligned as closely as possible with
Christ's so that one looking on could not discern two different paths but simply
one path trod by two people.
Therefore, may our eyes be realigned upon the object of our affection, Jesus
Christ who bore the cross despising the shame thereof for the joy that was set
before Him. Some of His path is impossible for us to follow: enduring our
justice and the wrath of God for us. However, His path of example is one that we
should be striving for daily with as much joy as possible, as little sin as
possible, and extending as much encouragement as possible to one another for the
steps ahead.
Give me the wings of faith to rise
Within the vale and see
The saints above - how great their joys!
How bright their glories be!
Once they were mourning here below,
And wet their couch with tears;
They wrestled hard, as we do now,
With sins, and doubt, and fears.
I asked them whence their vict'ry came;
They, with united breath,
Ascribed their conquest to the Lamb,
Their triumph to His death.
They marked the footsteps that He trod;
His zeal inspired their breast,
And foll'wing their incarnate God,
Possess the promised rest.
Our glorious Leader claims our praise
For His own pattern giv'n,
While the long cloud of witnesses
Shows the same path to heav'n.
In Hope,
Bro Philip
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