The last time we considered Hebrews 12:1-2, we noted that this passage calls us to run the race well by doing four specific things: 1. Running by considering the cloud of witnesses. 2. Running by laying aside every weight. 3. Running by laying aside every sin. 4. Running with endurance by looking to Jesus.
We also noted two important things regarding the passage. First, if you are not a Christian, then you are not even in the race. And second, in this race you are not competing against fellow Christians, but you are running with them against the world, Satan and your own sinful nature.
This time let us focus on the first thing: 1. Running by considering the cloud of witnesses. Hebrews 12:1a, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses … .”
The author of the book of Hebrews is encouraging the disheartened and persecuted Christians at Rome to run the race of faith by looking at the various godly examples who ran their race faithfully. (See Hebrews 11).
Let us consider one example from these heroes of faith. Let us consider the witness of Noah. God told Noah that he is going to destroy the whole earth through the flood, and God commanded him to build an ark.
Noah ran his race of faith that was set before him by building the ark. It took him a long time to build the ark. Some say 50 years, others say it took 120 years. But the thing that matters the most is that Noah ran his race. He was faithful till the end.
Could you imagine the insults and the mocking that Noah had to endure? “Hey, Noah, what are you doing? Building an ark in the middle of the land?”
But nothing prevented Noah from being faithful to God. No one could stop Noah from finishing the race strong.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, the unbelieving world is going to mock us and will come after us so that they can prevent us from running our race. They would say to us, “You guys have been telling us that Jesus is coming again. It’s been 2,000 years according to your Bible and he still hasn’t come? Why don’t you instead of going to church on Sundays stay at home and do something useful. Maybe go to a sports game and have a life.”
Instead of focusing on their comments and getting discouraged or distracted, we should consider the cloud of witnesses before us. We should run the race of faith like they did.
By faith we believe Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. By faith we believe that Sunday is the Lord’s Day and that worshiping God with his people at his house is the best thing that we can do for the nourishment of our souls.
May we run our race well by looking at the heroes of faith in the past.
