Fixate On Jesus
Hebrews 12:1b-2 …run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 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.
Just one bad shoe on a sprinter can cause him or her to lose their race to one who has indeed laid aside his or her encumbrances. Likewise, as every Christian knows, it only takes one sin in our lives, or one encumbrance, to totally sabotage our Christian walk. The Hebrews author writes to encourage his fellow Hebrew Christians, telling them to lay aside all encumbrances and sin in order that they might “run with endurance the race that is set before” them. The Christian race simply cannot be completed faithfully with encumbrances and sin entangling us. Encumbrances and sin will certainly compete for our attention, but with “endurance” (Gr. hupomonē)—steadfast perseverance, we will not only throw them off, we will finish our race faithfully. That is the goal.
To “run with endurance” in 12:1 is the main verb in the context, but there is an attendant participle that explains how to run with endurance: “fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (12:2). By “fixing our eyes” (Gr. aphorontes) we direct our attention toward something, namely Jesus, as our example of perfection. Of note here is that the author does not say “Christ” but “Jesus,” perhaps focusing on the example Jesus set for us in His humanity. Jesus endured everything a human endures—from hunger, lack of sleep, betrayal of friends, death of loved ones—even the cruel injustice of being arrested without charge, tried in a kangaroo court, mocked, beaten, scourged, and crucified. Jesus endured it all without ever sinning. That is why God the Father sent His Son—God in flesh to live our lives sinless. Why? Because we cannot not sin. We needed someone to go before us, do what we are unable to do, and win the victory we cannot win. Jesus did this! Now His victory is our victory when we trust in Him. It is truly that simple!
Our focus, Jesus, is first called “the author and perfecter of faith” (v. 2). As the “author” (Gr. archēgos) Jesus is the trailblazer, or pioneer—He who established an institution. In this case, Jesus is the author of “faith,” the Christian faith, or Church. As the “perfecter” (Gr. teleiōtēs)—a term that means “finisher; completer,” Jesus completes the Christian faith which is based on the Jewish, or Hebrew, faith. Jesus completes it, for He is the fulfillment of all that God promised.
It is this same Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 2). Jesus did not focus on the pain of the cross; rather, He looked to the joy of what His time on the cross would accomplish. Likewise, He did not fear the “shame” of the cross but despised it, looking to the glory of ascending to His Father in heaven where He, “having made purification for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3). So as Jesus focused on the future, looking past present trials, so too must we. Jesus simply looked beyond the here and now to the future glory that awaits all the faithful.
Food For Thought
As a runner is not to look at his or her feet when they run, we as Christians ought not dwell either on our failures or victories. We fix our eyes on Jesus and never move our gaze from Him. After all, Jesus is He who went before us in this race of faith. He gave us life, and He gave us our faith. Certainly He will see us through to the end of the race He put before us. Like Him, we must look beyond the here and now, looking to heaven. Let us set our hope on Christ and our future with Christ—looking to the future joy that awaits us in Christ. Along the way in our race, we will persevere, like Christ if we keep our eye on the ultimate reward. And with our eyes on Him, we will “not grow weary and lose heart” (12:2-3) as our natural enemies rail against us. We have Christ to look at and a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us who did what we’re doing.
Just one bad shoe on a sprinter can cause him or her to lose their race to one who has indeed laid aside his or her encumbrances. Likewise, as every Christian knows, it only takes one sin in our lives, or one encumbrance, to totally sabotage our Christian walk. The Hebrews author writes to encourage his fellow Hebrew Christians, telling them to lay aside all encumbrances and sin in order that they might “run with endurance the race that is set before” them. The Christian race simply cannot be completed faithfully with encumbrances and sin entangling us. Encumbrances and sin will certainly compete for our attention, but with “endurance” (Gr. hupomonē)—steadfast perseverance, we will not only throw them off, we will finish our race faithfully. That is the goal.
To “run with endurance” in 12:1 is the main verb in the context, but there is an attendant participle that explains how to run with endurance: “fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (12:2). By “fixing our eyes” (Gr. aphorontes) we direct our attention toward something, namely Jesus, as our example of perfection. Of note here is that the author does not say “Christ” but “Jesus,” perhaps focusing on the example Jesus set for us in His humanity. Jesus endured everything a human endures—from hunger, lack of sleep, betrayal of friends, death of loved ones—even the cruel injustice of being arrested without charge, tried in a kangaroo court, mocked, beaten, scourged, and crucified. Jesus endured it all without ever sinning. That is why God the Father sent His Son—God in flesh to live our lives sinless. Why? Because we cannot not sin. We needed someone to go before us, do what we are unable to do, and win the victory we cannot win. Jesus did this! Now His victory is our victory when we trust in Him. It is truly that simple!
Our focus, Jesus, is first called “the author and perfecter of faith” (v. 2). As the “author” (Gr. archēgos) Jesus is the trailblazer, or pioneer—He who established an institution. In this case, Jesus is the author of “faith,” the Christian faith, or Church. As the “perfecter” (Gr. teleiōtēs)—a term that means “finisher; completer,” Jesus completes the Christian faith which is based on the Jewish, or Hebrew, faith. Jesus completes it, for He is the fulfillment of all that God promised.
It is this same Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 2). Jesus did not focus on the pain of the cross; rather, He looked to the joy of what His time on the cross would accomplish. Likewise, He did not fear the “shame” of the cross but despised it, looking to the glory of ascending to His Father in heaven where He, “having made purification for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3). So as Jesus focused on the future, looking past present trials, so too must we. Jesus simply looked beyond the here and now to the future glory that awaits all the faithful.
Food For Thought
As a runner is not to look at his or her feet when they run, we as Christians ought not dwell either on our failures or victories. We fix our eyes on Jesus and never move our gaze from Him. After all, Jesus is He who went before us in this race of faith. He gave us life, and He gave us our faith. Certainly He will see us through to the end of the race He put before us. Like Him, we must look beyond the here and now, looking to heaven. Let us set our hope on Christ and our future with Christ—looking to the future joy that awaits us in Christ. Along the way in our race, we will persevere, like Christ if we keep our eye on the ultimate reward. And with our eyes on Him, we will “not grow weary and lose heart” (12:2-3) as our natural enemies rail against us. We have Christ to look at and a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us who did what we’re doing.
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Cypress, TX 77433
Our mailing address is:
Harvest Bible Church
14954 Mueschke Road
Cypress, TX 77433
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