Our text is going to be Hebrews chapter 12, the first two verses of this chapter. And you might remember that the last time we celebrated the Lord's table, we were also in this chapter, we were toward the end at verses 22 to 24. Since then, my mind keeps going back to this passage because it is so rich with gospel truth and truth that I think it's great preparation for us as we come to celebrate the Lord's table once again. In addition, verses 1 to 2 are the memory verses, the theme verses for the curriculum that we're using for our summer Bible club coming up. And the authors of the curriculum chose these statements because the whole week is going to revolve around the theme of the Olympics. And so since it talks about a race, and uses that kind of athletic imagery, makes a good way to keep before the children the central ideas of the gospel at this time of the year. Of course, the Olympics are starting off in London just a few weeks away, and I know that that is, for many people, something they look forward to, something they find fascinating, something they're drawn to, something they enjoy. And it's not just the competitions, and it's probably not even just your own country winning some gold medals. I think we find ourselves just in general inspired by the whole idea, by the great sacrifice that these athletes put forth in order to reach the prize, to reach the medal. And I'm sure that as we go through this time and watch the reports, we're going to be confronted with all kinds of stories once again about athletes who subjected themselves to just the most extreme training that the human body is capable of putting up with. But even beyond that, a lot of them have had to overcome a great deal of personal and circumstantial obstacles that have stood in the way of their competing at all. And it becomes a time to be just challenged on the human interest level to be inspired, because these athletes have persevered. They have developed and they have displayed endurance. I want to stress that word, endurance, not because of the Olympics, but because we understand that endurance is vital in order to reach any goal that is before us, not the least the goal of our sanctification and remaining faithful to the Lord through all of our lives. If we could fully know the history and the present circumstances of each person here, and what it is that they have endured through the course of their lives, and what it is that they are right now presently enduring, it might just change our perspective of them. What kinds of things might people have endured? I'm talking about people's difficult family backgrounds, perhaps ongoing tension within their family, other difficulties in relationships, financial strain, physical limitations and burdens, emotional turmoil, the weight of ministry responsibilities, besetting sins, maybe long-term consequences of poor choices that were made early on in life. And it takes a lot of endurance to keep going as a Christian when you are bearing up under pressure of that kind. In fact, I'm sure And for some people here, it has taken a lot of endurance to even come to our service this morning. And all of us regularly stand in need of renewing our endurance. Just think back on the last week. Did you ever feel like quitting some aspect of life this past week? Well, we are not alone because that was the feeling, that was the struggle that the recipients of this letter of Hebrews were also going through. As you know, in their case, they felt like abandoning Christ completely and going back to that which was at that time easier for them, at that time more comfortable and more familiar to them and had less consequences for their lives. And the message that the writer has to keep coming back to is a message about endurance. In fact, let me read you a verse earlier in this book. It just flat out tells them, you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised. Chapter 10 and verse 36. And coming to chapter 12 and verse 1, let's read that. He says, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, of course he's referring to there all of these Old Testament believers whose stories have been summarized in chapter 11, they are witnesses to us in this sense, that they testify to the reality of the faithfulness of God, they testify to the possibility of living your whole life and enduring in faith in the promises of God, and they are there witnessing to us. that these things are true that the writer is saying, that God is dependable, that if you will just trust Him and put one foot in front of another, relying upon the grace of God, you can endure as well. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which cling so closely, and here it is, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. And he really ramps up the exhortations. You might remember here in chapter 12, this chapter brings to a close and to a climax the main body of the letter, and it's all directed to the matter of endurance. Well, it's one thing to command endurance. Anybody, even in the world, can tell you just stick it out, put one foot in front of another, keep going. The question is, how do we motivate ourselves to develop that endurance? What is it going to be that's going to help us actually follow the command, let us run with endurance, the race that is set before us? Well actually this book gives all kinds of motivations for endurance. You have the kind of thing that's recorded in chapter 11. You have the helpfulness of human example, and that these real people, facing similar circumstances, were able to hang on in faith to God, and they were able to arrive at their destination. So that element of example, human example, is helpful, it is motivating. Of course, behind all of that are the promises of God. That's what they were believing. That's what fed their faith. That's what they embraced by faith. So the promises of God are motivations. You have as well what punctuates this letter again and again, and that is the tragic consequences of what will happen if you don't endure. In Hebrews, one of the things we remember about it is that it is a book filled not just with challenges to endurance, but with warnings as well. And that is designed to sober us up. And that becomes a kind of motivation to help us endure. I'm sure we could list out some other motivations that the author is going to use to encourage us to endure. But coming to chapter 12 and verse 2, he gives us what would have to be, on his heart, the chief motivation for endurance. The primary issue. the thing around which everything else revolves, and look at how verse 2 begins, looking to Jesus. Here is the greatest motivation, it is Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer. And of course, in these phrases that he has put together in this verse, he is reminding us of just a whole truckload of theology that he has been developing throughout this book as to the supremacy of Christ and his trustworthiness and his glory and the truthfulness of God's plan of redemption through him. And if you will trust him, that will enable you to endure. That's what he's getting at. It's really a summary of the thrust of the whole letter, not just endure, but endure looking to Jesus. In fact, that word looking is a participle, and probably the connection between it and the main verb in the sentence is that it is indicating the manner in which we endure. You could translate it this way. Endure by looking. In other words, it's the looking that is behind enduring. It's the looking that is the fuel leading to it. And it's interesting as well just to look at the word look here. It's really not the normal word for just beholding something. Because it's got a little preposition attached to it, meaning from, and literally this word means look away from. And then the object of your sight is Jesus. What's the idea? The idea is that in order to look to Jesus, at the same time, you have to look away from other things. Look away from whatever it is that is distracting you from a focused, a concentrated vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reality is that in order to concentrate sufficiently on Christ, We have to block certain things out of our minds. I don't know what it might be for you, but probably in view of the theme of this letter, the author is thinking of this, encouraging these people to look away from the difficulties of following Christ. Look away from your circumstances. Look away from your temptations and the obstacles and the problems in the way of your daily discipleship. Look away from all of that to Christ. I was looking at a nice picture the other day. It was set up with this feature that I'm sure you've seen, where the photographer can include a number of things in the background, but they're all fuzzy. And there's all of this in the background that you can make out what it is, but what is in the center of the scene is in sharp focus. Right? There's a blurred background and there's something right in the middle. You're aware of everything around, but you're not really concerned with it or looking at it. You are directed to just a portion of that picture because of how sharp it is. And that is what this writer is saying here. You're never going to forget the problems. You're never going to lose sight of them totally, the pain maybe isn't going to go away, but it's a matter of what you're dwelling on. Those things may be there and inescapable and in the background, but you need to look away from them and focus your gaze on the one thing in the center, the chief thing. looking to Jesus. That's our theme this morning. Now, what does that mean? What is it specifically that we are to focus on here by way of introduction? I'd just like to consider the next few words in this verse. He says, first of all, looking away from everything else to Jesus. Now why would that be important? Well, the reality is that there are any number of titles or names that could have been used to describe our Redeemer. And in keeping with one of the main points of this book, he uses what is our Lord's human name. Christ, that title, speaks to us of the Lord as the mediator between God and man, the Anointed One. He could have described him in terms of his deity, which he does in other parts of the letter. He could have described him in terms of any number of his works. And not to diminish any of that, but there is a special focus in certain parts of this letter that, look, Jesus was a real human being. That is what ought to come to mind when you hear that label for him, that personal name. It is his human name, Jesus. And without diminishing at all his deity, without somehow excluding that, without denying it, the writer I believe teaches us that there is a special ministry to the human soul, to reflect on the fact that our Redeemer was a real, a genuine human being. And he went through the same earth that we walk on, and the same earthly experiences and the same temptations and the same problems in life. And when the author says, look to Jesus, one of the things involved in that is recalling the genuine humanity of Christ and his sympathy with us as human beings living on this earth. And then he says, looking to Jesus, the founder of our faith. the founder of our faith. That word founder does convey the idea of he's the one who began it, he's the source or the origin of it, but again it's not your normal word for starting something. It also includes in it not just starting something, but being the first one in the whole line and development of it. He's the leader through it. That's why some are going to translate this term, the pioneer, or the trailblazer. It's not just that he came up with it, but that he actually did this himself as the first one, and we are following him. You might think of another word, the prototype, might get across the idea. He didn't just lay out the course to run, he actually ran it himself ahead of us. And then it says, he's not just a pioneer, he didn't just start it and run it, he actually finished the race. That's why it says, the author and perfecter of our faith. He completed the course. He reached the finish line. He reached the consummation of all of God's purposes for him on earth. He successfully completed what the Father called him to do. So, he started it, he walked through it, he finished it. He ran the whole thing himself. The author says, look to him. There's one other part, as he introduces Jesus in his verse, What is he the author and completer of? It says he's the author and completer of our faith. And in keeping with what the word faith has been emphasizing in this book, I believe he's talking there about the subjective side of faith. That is, the idea of actually resting in God, trusting in God, demonstrating faith. It isn't just that Jesus lived a full life on earth. But that in order to do that, and in order to obey the Lord and fulfill his mission, he had to live a life of faith. And he walked his whole life in dependence upon the Father. Have you ever thought about Jesus as somebody who displayed faith? Kind of an odd concept to get our minds around. Actually, in this book, back in chapter 2 and verse 13, the author had quoted Isaiah 8.17 as a description of the sentiment of Christ. And at that point he says, quoting Jesus, I will put my trust in him. Those aren't the words of men at that point. Those are words of Jesus referenced to the Father. I will put my trust in him. If you just think about some of the things we know about the life of Jesus, some of the ways in which he demonstrates faith, I think will stand out right away. Jesus, for example, devoted himself to meditating on the scriptures, and to teaching them to others. Meaning that he was persuaded that this was the word of God, and he believed it. He didn't doubt it, he accepted it. He had faith in that sense. Jesus prayed a great deal. Prayer is the expression of faith. It is the expression of dependence upon the one to whom you're praying. And throughout the course of his life, he is rising up early and he is praying, crying out with great tears, expressing his reliance upon the Father. He resisted temptation. To say no to something that's attractive to you, you've got to believe that whatever it is you're actually doing is the best thing. He's trusting the Word of God, and the Word of God said don't do that, do the other. In every respect, resisting temptation or carrying out every detail of the Father's plan, his submission to the will of the Father. This was all an outgrowth of faith in the Word and the character, the reliability of the Father. All those things require the very thing that this book is urging us to develop, enduring faith. Jesus is the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith. Now, let's try to put all that together before we move on here. When we're saying these things, it is not only that he is our example in those ways. You really wrestle to find a word to describe the point. He is our example. We're supposed to be like him, following his steps. But that could also be said about everybody in chapter 11. There's our examples. I don't think that's the main point that the author is getting at. Some of you might say, well, he's our inspiration. You behold his glory and you just find your heart stirred. Well, that's true too. There is an inspiration or an encouraging value to this. But again, that could be said about the Old Testament people that are recorded in chapter 11. They're supposed to inspire you to faith as well. So Jesus is our example. He's our inspiration. But what actually puts him in a totally different category from the people in chapter 11? It's not just that he's our example or our encourager. When it says he is the author and completer of our faith, the main point is this, that he is our enabler. He is our enabler. Here's the idea, I'm trying to paraphrase this, as though Jesus himself were describing this. Look, I've gone before you. I've crossed the finish line. If you will trust and follow me, you're going to finish too. I know the way. I have the resources that you need to succeed. I can guide you through this. I can give you strength. I have completed this thing and I am here to enable you to complete it as well. That's really the thrust of calling him the trailblazer and the completer of our faith. And to further drive that point home, the author is going to make some other comments about Jesus' experience as the author and the completer of our faith. And as the verse goes into the second half, we see three specific truths about Christ that we're to dwell on, that's involved in looking to Him in faith. What are these things? Let me just read the rest of the verse. looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. The first thing I want to say, based upon the first part there, who for the joy that was set before him, is this. Jesus focused. Here's one of the things that he did as the trailblazer and completer. He focused on the joy that was set before him to where that became an engine that drove him in endurance. You realize that? He actually had to block certain things out of his life. He could not overly concentrate on the immediate suffering and the experiences of his life on earth. He had to fill his mind with bigger things, and those bigger things were future. And those bigger things are described here in terms of joy. Who for the joy that was set before him, his gaze was fixed on future joy, and that was a huge part of what strengthened him to endure. Now maybe we don't normally think of Jesus in terms of joy, after all the Bible describes him as being a man of sorrows. And it is true, there was a great deal of sorrow and suffering, but on the other hand you want to remember this. that part of the fruit of the spirit is joy. And if Jesus is reflecting godly character to its perfection, then that would have to be part of his character. This idea of contentment or satisfaction derived from the things that really matter, not from the things necessarily you're experiencing in your circumstances. And this passage speaks of him as anticipating a future joy. He is embracing by faith joyful experiences that God had decreed for him in the future, and it's almost as though he started to taste them ahead of time. He entered into the future by faith. It was a real thing for him, even though it had not yet actually happened. That faith sustain him through the less than joyful circumstances that he would have to face. And so we ask the question, what joy are we talking about here? What exactly was it that he was anticipating, that he was savoring from the future, bringing the future into the present? What's going on there? Well, again, I'm sure we could fill out this list, make it a lot longer, but two things come to my mind. The first one, again, is quoted right in the book of Hebrews, and it is in Hebrews 10, verse 8, a statement of Psalm 40, put on the lips of the Messiah. He says at that point, I delight to do your will, O my God. That's the language of joy, the word delight, the pleasure, And where's it coming from? It is coming from the knowledge, I am doing the will of God. And when I get to the end of this thing, God will be totally pleased with me. I have a sense of that now in everything I've faced so far. But part of the joy that he looks forward to is the joy of simply doing the will of God and pleasing God. There are some other Bible verses about the joy of the Messiah. And let me just quote for you here one from the Old Testament. This is a famous chapter about the Messiah, chapter 53 of Isaiah. And it says this in Isaiah 53, verse 11. Out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied. There again is the language of contentment, of joy, of pleasure. He is going to be satisfied when he sees something. What's he going to see? Well, by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. He sees this long line of people that are like his spiritual defendants, that because of his substitutionary work on the cross, they are going to be declared righteous. And he looks ahead into the future to this mass of people And he embraces by faith and taste ahead of time the joy that he as a Messiah would experience every time a sinner comes to Christ. And on into eternity, people out of every kindred and tribe and nation praising him for his redemption. That future joy that he is anticipating is what drives him. I thought about a related passage here. This one just blows you away to think of how God views his people and the fact that he gets pleasure out of us as his sinful yet redeemed people. Zephaniah 3.17. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by his love. He will exult over you with loud singing. That's talking about Yahweh delighting in his restored people Israel, and certainly the same would hold for Jesus delighting in all redeemed sinners who come in faith to him. Jesus focused on that future joy, and because of that, number two, Jesus endured, right? The verse goes on to say, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. And that word cross stands for the whole complex of suffering that he had to face in accomplishing atonement. He didn't only face it, but he actually remained under the crushing burden of the whole thing until it was finished. That's what it means when it says he endured the cross. It would help us to tease that out a little bit and think about what it is that he actually endured through the cross. You can think about it in several categories. There was physical and emotional suffering. There were the six trials, the multiple beatings, the scoffing, the crown of thorns, the nails, the spear, But that wasn't all. There was what one might call social or relational suffering. The fact that he was betrayed by one of his own. That he was abandoned by the other disciples. What is mentioned here right after he endured the cross, and to explain that out a little bit, despising the shame. The utter humiliation of being exposed the way that crucifixion exposed people. and all of the wicked connotations of being somebody who had to be put to death in that way. And yet it says that Jesus thought little of it, despising it, meaning in his mind it was something little in view of the surpassing joy ahead. So you had physical and emotional suffering, you had the social suffering, and worst of all, the spiritual dimension, that the ultimate suffering was his enduring the abandonment of his own father, the one he was trying to please. Of bearing the weight of the infinite guilt of our sin. And the wrath of the father dispensed upon him infinite wrath, thought somehow zero down on him in a moment of time. These are the thoughts that are involved in Jesus enduring the cross. And friend, of all the truths that could move somebody to trust in Christ, perhaps there is nothing greater than contemplating his suffering. In no doubt, We know what it's like to be embarrassed when somebody does something really kind for us. What the author is trying to do here is to get us to consider just how low God our Creator stooped in order to make salvation available to us. These thoughts are supposed to melt the heart starting with the heart of any sinner who has not yet bowed before Christ in faith. This is part of what Paul talks about, that the goodness of God should lead us to repentance. And as we consider these things, what a great thing it would be if somebody here, who has not yet accepted Christ, thinking upon these things ends up concluding what the centurion did, truly this was the Son of God. Or like Thomas crying out, my Lord and my God. Jesus focused, Jesus endured, finally Jesus triumphed. The verse says, for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. alluding, of course, to the resurrection of Christ, but actually looking past that to something even greater. It's the fulfillment of another crucial Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah, Psalm 110, that he would actually be delivered from death so that he could be enthroned and placed in a position of authority over all humanity and deserving the worship, the adoration of all the globe. The way that it's worded here emphasizes that that position on the throne is something permanent. That's because he uses, in Greek, a perfect verb. I would translate it this way, he has been seated at the right hand of the throne of God. The point is, he is still there. His victory was so successful that now going on 2,000 years from our standpoint, he continues to be in that position of supremacy. That is just how successful he was in running the race. To this day, nobody, not all the forces of hell have been able to get him off the throne. And when the teens stand, they quoted a verse that I have here in my notes as to what he's doing on that throne even to this day. Able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. That is just how successful he was in running the race. And here again, we find this teaching that Jesus is our enabler. As he looks down on the agony of our race, he doesn't deny that it's an agony. In fact, the word translated raised in verse one is the one from which we get our word, agony. As Jesus looks down on us in our agony, here's what he says. I focused on the joyful prize that was before me. That is what helped me to endure unimaginable pain. But now I am and I have been on the other side. And from this vantage point, I am urging you to endure as well, and I'm extending to you all the grace and all the strength and all the energy and all the wisdom that you need to persevere. I'm just calling you to embrace these things by faith. It's coming from the hand of a Redeemer that loves you and has done all this out of love for you. You know, I was thinking about that in connection with the Lord's Table. I don't know what goes through your mind when you are waiting for the elements or partaking of the elements. Here is something to dwell on. Here is something to look upon. And just think about these simple statements regarding Christ. You are Jesus. You are the trailblazer and the perfecter of my faith. For the joy that was set before you, you endured the cross, despising the shame, and you have been seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Lord, help us as we partake of his table to have a greater taste of those great truths. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this revelation. I don't know who may have come in this morning. Perhaps outside of Christ, and I do pray that the lifting up of the cross would be the thing you use to attract them to simple faith, even this day. And I don't know who came in this morning discouraged and feeling like quitting. I pray that again the cross would be the thing that fuels their endurance and that you would enable them to look to Jesus. We pray in his name. Amen.