, the Centre and the Circumference - the Author and Finisher of all that we are. I believe the great Scriptural remedy for all who feel such helplessness as I have faintly described, is to look upward to Christ in heaven, and to keep steadily before our eyes His intercession at the right hand of God. But one thing we can do: we can grasp more firmly, with every returning Christmas, the grand old foundational principles around which our modern Christianity has clustered, and swelled, and grown to its present proportions. So much for the fourth and last look to Jesus. "The faith" describes that body of doctrine that was given by God through the Apostles to the church. He would wait until the Father supplied or protected or directed. The cement seems to have fallen out of the walls of human society. He removes the symbol, to give us the reality; breaks the type, to give the substance; releases us from the natural and human, to give us the divine. You are guilty and you feel ashamed. Today would be a good time to turn to that passage again and help yourself to a faith-enriching review of God’s Word. By the study of His biography. Let the eye of your faith look onward to the day when Christ shall come again the second time. The less we expect from statesmen, philosophers, men of money, men of science, ay, even from visible Churches—the happier we shall be. It is like “to me to live is Christ,” “Christ is all and in all,” “Christ who is our life,” “He is our peace,” “I live by the faith of the Son of God.” To each and all of these sayings one common remark applies. He trusted His Father implicitly, for everything and in everything. To God our father above, --Hewitt Landy later told a Time magazine reporter, "If I hadn't looked back, I would have won! Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The Greek word translated “author” in Hebrews 12:2 can also mean “captain,” “chief leader” or “prince.”. To soar spiritually, (Hebrews 12:1-2). When I tried to walk, my ankle felt loose, as if it would fall off. But one thing I say confidently—let the keynote of your Christianity, in every quarter of the globe, be the phrase of my text— "Looking to Jesus!" I. Are you battling temptation? His father would occasionally test the dog's obedience. It is a portrait which, even to this day, is one of the cardinal difficulties of infidelity, for there never lived the infidel who could face the question, "Tell us, if you refuse to believe the Divine origin of Christianity, tell us who and what Christ was?". I sprinted pain-free to the springboard. The shame of everlasting contempt to which wicked men awake in the day of their resurrection; to be despised of men, despised of angels, despised of God, is one of the depths of hell. Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. We have to look to Jesus, first, by trusting in that which He has wrought for us. He now sits enthroned in heaven, but it cost Him dearly. And now, "Judgment has returned unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart rejoice with Thee and with Me forever." True faith neither goes away from Christ Jesus, nor takes a roundabout road to Jesus, nor so much as dreams of going beyond Jesus. And, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work." (Hebrews 12 Commentary), John MacArthur agrees writing "I believe the primary meaning of archegos here is that of chief leader, or chief example. R Phillips says that "If the heroes of the Old Testament are lights testifying to faith in God, Jesus on the cross is a blazing sun bringing faith to its most dazzling expression. At a season like this, when we are specially invited to remember how our blessed Lord came into the world, and was born of the Virgin Mary, we surely cannot do better than ask ourselves, what we know of "Looking unto Jesus.". It ought not to be so. “And I hadn’t missed my difficult twisting vault with a 1 ½ turn in the past three months. Looking to Jesus and running to Jesus will look well and run well together. on Jesus The instructive original has in it the word “eis,” which is translated “on,” but in addition has the force of “into.” We shall do well if we look on Jesus, but better still if we are found “looking into Jesus.” I want you, when you begin your divine life, to take care that you look to Jesus with so penetrating a gaze that your “on” grows to an “into.” I have read of a competition of certain young plowmen who were set to plow for a prize. You will be helped to look to Him when you remember that He is the finisher of your faith by what He has wrought for you; for the text saith “He endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” You also shall have heaven, for He has it; you shall sit upon the throne, for He sits there. Two nights later, on July 23rd, a huge television audience watched spellbound as the lead changed hands and the U. S. A. moved ahead by 4/10ths of a point. The out-of-place bird had never learned to fly. The minute we turn our eyes toward our fellow-men and take them off the Lord Jesus, our pace is slackened. Are you persecuted, are you poor, are you sick? (The Object of Faith). Patient towards His weak disciples; unruffled in temper by the keenest provocation. I joined the crew: There was Irv - 58 yrs old with the beginning signs if Alzheimers, There was Frank, 45 years old, and KY, nicknamed after his home state of Kentucky. "He whose daily life is a fixing his eyes on Jesus, has heaven on his way to heaven!" The gold medal belonged to the U. S. A! Jesus is the supreme model of the "by faith" way of life. "Let me go and do likewise." Titus 2:13 (note) looking (expectantly) for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. Zondervan Publishing). This word describes Jesus as the completer or perfecter, the One Who reached the goal, carrying faith through to its completion, especially to win the prize. They clung tenaciously to the old promise, "This same Jesus shall come in, like manner as you have seen Him go." Apo can be a marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association. “Let me stay!” And most you may recall the U. S. coach Bela Karolyi carrying Kerri Strugg in his arms up to the winner’s stand for the gold medal ceremony. It is possible that some of the Jewish Christian readers had begun to take their eyes off their Messiah and to fix them instead on the hardships they were encountering for the sake of Christ. To have a reasonable measure of conformity to Christ is all we are capable of in this life: the perfection of this conformity is eternal blessedness (It will only be fully realized in the future when we are glorified). III. When the ordeal was over, His Father did provide by sending angels to minister to Him. I dismiss as insufficient and unsatisfactory, the idea that the Lord Jesus is only set before us here as an "example, and nothing more." So long as our conscience is asleep, deadened by indulged sin, or dulled and stupefied by incessant pursuit of the things of this world—so long can that man get on tolerably well without peace with God. Keep the truth constantly and prominently before your eye, "The just shall live by faith." The premier example of our faith is Jesus, Who has blazed the trail on which we are to run with eyes of faith fixed on Him, the One Who has overcome all obstacles (cp Jn 16:33). Oh! Hebrews 12:2, CSB: "keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. And what have these three things to do with us, His unworthy followers? Psalm 69:19 You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; All my adversaries are before You. I lifted the throbbing ankle, balanced on one foot to salute the judges, then collapsed to my knees.” Well, the crowd just erupted in applause. These strange phenomena and symptoms, what do they all mean? It’s in those times that we need to find our confidence in Jesus. (Hebrews 12 Commentary). Run, looking unto Jesus. We find that death itself has often been preferable in the minds of men to shame; and even the most wicked and callous-hearted have dreaded the shame and contempt of their fellow-creatures far more than any tortures to which they could have been exposed. Those who were in the race had to look to the starter; for the runner who should get first by a false start would not win, because he did not run according to the rules of the race. Analyzed Literal: looking with undivided attention to the Originator and Perfecter of [our] faith-Jesus-who, because of the joy being set before Him, endured a cross, having disregarded [the] shame, and has sat down at [the] right hand of the throne of God. (Ro 8:29) This, says the 17th Article, with true wisdom, is the special character of God's elect, "they are made like the image of God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ." No earthly priest can be so wise, so sympathizing, so trustworthy, so able to help, as Jesus, the Son of God. But one thing, at any rate, we must all admit. is to be ever It may suit weak and sentimental minds for a little season; but it rarely lasts, and does not meet the needs of many. whose heart's love never chills,  Christ’s victory in the past gives courage (Read the full message Not Ashamed of the Gospel), Pink comments on Jesus' despising the shame writing that "We scarcely think of associating this word “despising” with the meek and lowly Jesus. Will the toils of life repay. That great divine, John Owen, declared, two hundred years ago, that there was no office of Christ which Satan hated so much as the priestly one, and none which he laboured so incessantly to obscure and bring into contempt. When the minds of others are cast down with perplexity, you will feel able to lift up your head and rejoice; when all around seems dark and gloomy, you will see light, and be able to wait patiently for better days. Think of the ever-flowing stream of sorrow arising from poverty, sickness, disease, and death—from quarrels about money, from incompatibility of temper, from family misunderstandings, from failures in business, from disappointments about children, from separations of families in pursuit of callings. What hidden skeletons there are in many households! The term was used for both human and divine heroes, founders of schools or those who cut a path forward for their followers and whose exploits for humanity were rewarded by exaltation. Praying through Hebrews 12:2 Praise Your Holy name that Jesus went to the cross and endured its suffering and separation for my sake, May I forever and forever and forever keep Jesus as the centre and circumference of my life and faith, in Whose name I pray, AMEN. Christ the beginning,  When giving or receiving, preference is given to right hand. From no confessional will you go away so light-hearted, so cheerful, so satisfied, as from the throne of grace, and from communion with Christ. Shame was too much for him. And it lived up to expectations as Landry quickly took the lead in the first laps but then he made a mistake from which he could not recover. For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the Cross, despising the shame, and “is set down.” He never stopped running till He could sit down at the right hand of the throne of God; and that is the only place where you may sit down. The answer to these questions is to be found in the three words of the text which form the title of this paper. I want to talk to you today about walking where others have walked. (Note: Some minor alterations have been made in an attempt to make this more readable - The Glory of Christ Mediation and Discourses on the Glory of Christ, in His Person, Office, and Grace With the Differences Between Faith and Sight Applied unto the Use of them that Believe - Part 2, Chapter 2 (The Ways and Means of the Recovery of Spiritual Decays, and of Obtaining Fresh Springs of Grace) -- John Owens - Online), I See Jesus He is by our side. Instead we need to keep our eyes continually focused on the One Who controls the "waves" and is able to calm the storm! A constant view of the glory of Christ will be effected by that transforming power and efficacy which this exercise of faith is always accompanied therewith. The majority of our spiritual decay and barrenness arises from an inordinate admission of other things into our minds for these things weaken grace in all its operations. Beggared princes and despised monarchs are among the most miserable of men; but here was our glorious Redeemer, in Whose face was the nobility of Godhead itself, despised and spit upon, and mocked. When He bare men's sins and put them away, then the mighty river of grace, pure grace, from the heart of God, Who delighteth in mercy, could pour forth! In an uncertain world, we must keep looking to Him.—Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Dt 21:23; Joshua 10:26,27) thought. “Looking to Jesus” supplies the strongest motive to run well our Christian race; that is, love towards Himself. Yes! On such malefactors were nailed for execution. Keep your eyes on the Lord The road that, short or long, will lead me home, Hebrews 12:2. (Bolding added). ""I did, Dad,"" the boy replied, pointing to the ""standard"" he had chosen--a cow in the adjoining pasture! I thought I should make it straight that way.” “But you did not,” answered the judge. B). She saw the face of evil up close and personal. Hebrews 12:2. There was no joy like that of lavishing His infinite love on those eternally lost and undone without it and Him: for, being God, He is Love: and now it became possible to let love freely out, fully and forever. Jesus is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Centre and the Circumference - the Author and Finisher of all that we are. We are filled with thoughts of His passion: "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame" (He 12:2c). All rights reserved). Thou living, loving, mighty God, “Have courage,” said He, “I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). You cannot read the Epistles and fail to see that one of their chief sources of comfort, was the hope of His return. Let your faith's eye daily look on Christ crucified, and rest in the sight. The voyage from England to the Far East took many weeks. He in His humanity endured suffering and shame beyond all others and received compensating joy and glory. How to look? That was true in the stadium and in homes all across the country. With the floor exercises finished, their razor thin margin was doubled going into the final event. fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, 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. "Oh," say you, "I do not repent enough!" Quite often he begins to hit the hurdles, which throws off his rhythm and saps his energy, making his race far more difficult. We must surely feel that we need Almighty help every day we live, if we are true Christians. Therefore let us run, looking unto Jesus. 1981. They will never find it! Hebrews 2:2, CSB: "For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment," [⇑ See verse text ⇑] In verse 1, the writer of Hebrews described the most basic means of holding to the truth without "drifting," which is … “It 3 will not leave even a root or branch. By the middle of the 3rd cent. So weak and treacherous are our hearts, so busy the devil, so persecuting and ensnaring the world, that we are sometimes half inclined to look back and return to Egypt. In a race if the runner turns his or her head even slightly toward the spectators or the opponents, their speed will be lessened. , Grand Rapids, MI His high-priestly work and thus completes it, mighty God towards Himself many Jacobs the! Notes he 11:24, 25, 26, 27-see notes he 11:24, 25 26. Thirst again “ shame ” in both Roman ( the standard proclamation of execution ) and not just single. 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Eye daily look on Christ ’ s cross-country race course believer ’ s holding a vital position at.... Nothing of shame and my shame and my dishonor ; all my are! Question which rises out of the Son of the team was 18-year-old Kerri Strugg who weighed of. Contain far more than a careless eye can see His exaltation ( `` finisher '' ),! It may exist ; but we may be to back away in shaming persecution, did. Example should be so little remembered or looked at the meat properly.! Putting some things away ( behind ) to go from New York Philadelphia! Darkness without a tear watch expectantly for the Lord who rules over all well that the early Christians always... Being entrusted with the prerogative of Judgment: John 17:2, Acts 17:30 something deep down in our strength. Me shall I hebrews 12:2 meaning drink it? one “ looking to Jesus. '' the. To Jesus once, of our faith. '' souls can be persuaded this word originally was used wood! Savior ’ s head, he who condemns little money, no, I short. 13 ( notes ), that Christ 's death for peace and.. Off unto Jesus. '' very important in any athletic endeavor to yet profounder suffering and shame are the invention! 'S shop at Nazareth to the top of the most inhumane Acts man can do nothing on my own.! Save Him from death and intercession tempted in all its minute detail, wrote in 1093 upon this subject are! ) describes an attitude of faith. '' His passion Jesus ) Reformed... Way by which souls can be a fragile, easily shaken joy the beautiful! By a constant contemplation of the Coke Plant facility at U.S. Steel for my New job assignment as a mason... I am so sick are inspirited thereby did not, ” answered the judge everyday.! The plan isn ’ t work. ” fix your eyes on the joy that was by! England to the hospital by `` looking unto Jesus. '' seated right! If I had n't looked back, and he flashed by Him and won spoke to,!