Let's begin our worship now. We're singing firstly tonight in Psalm 95.
Psalm 95, that's the Scottish Psalter version on page 357. The tune is Gainsborough,
and we're singing verses 1 to 6. Come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us, everyone,
a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation. Psalm 95 and verses 1 to 6. If you're able to
stand, please stand for the singing.
O come, let us sing to the Lord. Come, let us, everyone, a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation.
Let us, before his presence come, with praise and thankful voice,
let us sing songs to him with praise, and make a joyful noise.
For God, a great, God, a great King, above all God's genius.
Depth of the earth, a great King, above all God's genius.
The world's greatest已經 is.
But heaven is true.
And earth Deusnen, though he cannot share,
the earth is themost hope for our salvation.
The Lord is good.
Ma Spirit is one of us who Ruth is also the full cultivate,
of her happiness is the highest Solomon's treasure.
In the spacious sea he longs, for he the same day they make.
The dry land also from his hands is warm and worshiping.
O come and let us worship him, let us dwell down with all.
And on our knees before the Lord, our Mater, let us whole.
Let's unite now in prayer. Let's call upon the Lord together.
Amen.
Your greatness, your majesty, your power.
The fact that you are our creator, the creator of the universe.
The way that we owe to you that worship that we owe to none other but to you.
And we thank you tonight, Lord, that we come together in this way to praise the Lord,
to come together to hear his voice in the scriptures speaking to us.
We pray that that will be a reality for us.
That your Holy Spirit, Lord, will speak to us through your word.
That our minds and our hearts may be further enlightened and moved.
That we may be furthered in our knowledge of you, in our commitment to you, and deepened in our love for you.
We ask, O Lord, that as we come into your presence, we may know that you are with us, that you are with your people as you have promised to be.
We give thanks, Lord, that you have made a dwelling place for yourself in the hearts of your people.
And we ask, Lord, that we may be conscious of your inward presence.
That we may be conscious of that working of your Spirit in our hearts.
So that we may be furthered in our knowledge of you.
And that we will know that we are on that path that is heavenwards.
We pray, gracious one, that you would give us then at the close of this year in our experience.
To know that your years do not fail.
That you are indeed the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And that you are the great God who presides over the passing of what we know of as time.
You dwell in heaven.
You dwell upon your throne.
You rule over all that you have created.
Nothing happens without your will.
And we give thanks, O Lord, that that extends to all the things that affect us from day to day.
And even over the workings of evil and of darkness, too.
O Lord, our God, we come once again humbly before you.
And pray that you would enable us to exalt your holy name.
Bless us here, each one of us and each of the homes and families we represent.
We ask, Lord, tonight that we will know your blessing as we enter into a new year.
We thank you, Lord, as we look back over the year that has now passed.
We thank you for your goodness to us.
We thank you for the mercies that you have shown toward us.
For the many ways, Lord, in which you have dealt with us, not according to our sins,
but in your grace and mercy.
And we pray, gracious one, that these will follow us into this new year as we shortly anticipate entering into it.
We ask that your gospel will be blessed.
And blessed increasingly to us.
Lord, we long for days when not only will we ourselves be revived in our inward soul,
but when our community around us will come to know the voice of God,
the voice of the Son of God speaking to us and bringing many souls to life,
bringing people to know you and to follow you and to love you and to serve you in this world.
O Lord, our God, we lament the way in which we find our generation to be so much in denial of the things of your truth
and so much given to elevate those things which we know are offensive to you.
Lord, be merciful to us, we pray, as a people.
Be merciful to us as we confess our sinfulness before you,
our need of your acceptance and forgiveness and cleansing and our being established in your ways.
Lord, we pray for a heart that will prize your truth as we meet with people from day to day.
Help us to communicate to them how we love the Lord and how we value his grace and his salvation.
And enable us, we pray, Lord, to continue to bear before you the world in which we live,
in all its need, in all its darkness, in all its departure from God.
O Lord God, we pray that we ourselves will, in this year that is before us,
come to develop increasingly as a people who will be known as a people who love the Lord.
Grant your blessing, Lord, to each one of us.
We thank you that whatever our need is tonight, you are able to deal with us powerfully and efficaciously
and in a way that will enable us to marvel at the work of your hand.
We bless you for your manifold grace that is designed, Lord, to meet us in all the variety of our need.
And we pray that as we express these concerns and prayers and petitions before you,
Lord, we pray that as we go on in life that we will be all the more determined to be your people
and to be known as your people in the world.
Remember, we pray tonight those who have different problems in their own experience,
different providences that cause them distress and pain.
We remember those who come to the end of this year, O Lord,
thinking back over the loss of loved ones in the year that's gone by,
or even in previous times.
We know that this time of year is very poignant for those who look back upon such circumstances.
We pray for those who presently mourn the passing of loved ones too.
Lord, we remember those tonight who will look forward to having funerals in these days to come.
Lord, we pray that you would bless them as they anticipate this,
and we pray that you would strengthen them and encourage them during this time.
We pray for those who are ill at this time.
We pray, Lord, for those who are seriously ill.
We remember them before you.
We pray that all our illnesses, whatever magnitude they may be of,
may be a reminder to us, O Lord,
that we are closer to eternity tonight than we have ever been,
and that we will leave this world at some point of your own appointment
and come to face you as our judge.
And we ask, Lord, that our hearts may be solemnized,
and yet that we may rejoice in your salvation as we think of these great issues.
Bless, we pray then, those who are laid aside in illness at this time,
those who have received and are receiving treatment,
those who are in hospital, those in our care homes,
those who tend to their needs.
We thank you, Lord, for all who have, over this past year,
and continue to deal with us in our times of illness,
times of bereavement and sorrow,
and all other types of need as well.
Lord, we give thanks for your goodness
in continuing to provide us with these resources,
and we pray that they will continue with us into this new year also.
Bless us, we pray, as a congregation.
We thank you for all that you enable us to do,
for all that you have enabled us to take part in this year that has passed.
And over the past year, Lord,
we ask your blessing to accompany everything that has been done
with regard to our young people and our children
and all who have come to various activities and courses,
as well as attend the worship services of the congregation.
Remember then, we pray.
Grant that your own blessing will come in days to come
to be seen as a blessing upon your word,
a blessing of the gospel to our souls.
Hear us now, we pray.
Continue to bless the world in which we live with all its troubles.
And we pray, Lord, that tonight we see violence and war
and deprivation and famine,
so many things that trouble people from day to day,
so many things that people have to live with,
the trauma in their lives compared relatively to ours.
Lord, be merciful to us as human beings.
Oh, Lord, send forth your light and your truth.
And may your gospel advance throughout the world
and create peace, we pray, where there is war.
And create, we pray, for yourself a people
who will reflect and glorify your great name.
Hear us now, we pray, for we ask it all,
seeking pardon and cleansing from all our sins.
For Jesus' sake, amen.
Let's continue to sing praise to God.
We're singing this time in Psalm 119.
Psalm 119.
You'll find that on page 167 of the psalm books.
Psalm 167, the verses marked 161 to 168.
The tune this time is rocking him.
Psalm is throughout this.
Psalm, as you know, is in very different ways
speaking about his appreciation for God's Word
and how he applies that Word of God
to his own circumstances.
Sometimes circumstances like in these verses
where he's facing falsehood
and people misrepresenting him and so on.
So he's saying here that he nevertheless
has found and finds great peace
with those who love God's law.
So Psalm 119 at verse 161.
Though rulers hound me without cause,
my heart fears nothing but your word.
For in your promise I rejoice
like one who finds great spoil, O Lord.
And so on down to verse 160 to God's praise.
The rulers hound me with a ghost.
My heart fears nothing but your word.
For in your promise I rejoice
for in your promise I rejoice
like one who finds great spoil, O Lord.
All falls to die upon a day.
With all my heart I love you, Lord.
I praise you seven times and eight.
For your commands I hold it all.
For in peace of those who love you, Lord.
They will not stumble in the way.
I wait for your salvation, Lord, and your commands I will obey.
I will, O say, your standards, Lord, my love for them is great and true.
Your laws and reasons I obey, for all I wait are known to you.
I'm going to read now from God's Word.
The reading this evening is from the letter to the Hebrews.
The letter to the Hebrews, beginning at chapter 11 and verse 32.
And we'll go on reading into chapter 12, down as far as verse 11.
So that's Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 32.
As you know, this has been a great list in this chapter of those who have lived by faith.
And the chapter lists some of the activities that they engaged in through faith, how they came to know the blessing of God as they came to trust in him.
And in verse 32, he comes towards the end of his list, where he says,
What more shall I say?
Some were told?
Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned.
They were sawn in two.
They were killed with a sword.
They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 the throne of God.
Consider him, who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted.
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons.
My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.
But what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them.
Shall we not much more be subject to the father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time, as it seemed best to them.
But he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant.
But later, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
And so on, may the Lord follow with this blessing, that reading of his word.
Before we turn to words at the beginning of chapter 12 there, let's sing again in Psalm 34.
Psalm number 34.
And that's again in the Sing Psalms version on page 41.
To tune Evan.
The tune is Evan.
We'll sing verses 12 to the end of the Psalm, 12 to 22.
Does anyone delight in life and long to see good days?
Then keep your tongue from evil speech, your lips from lying ways.
Depart and turn from evil's paths and practice what is right.
Desire to know the way of peace.
Pursue it with your might.
The Lord's eyes are upon the just.
He listens to their plea.
The wicked he rejects and blots from earth their memory.
The righteous cry.
The Lord responds and frees them when distressed.
The Lord draws near the broken heart and rescues the depressed.
And so on through to the end of the Psalm.
From verse 12.
Does anyone delight in life?
And long to see good days?
Then keep your tongue from evil speech,
Your lips from lying ways.
Depart and turn from evil past and practice what is right.
He's tired to know the way of peace.
Persuive it with your might.
The Lord's eyes are upon the just.
He listens to their plea.
The wicked he rejects and blots from earth their memory.
The righteous cry.
The Lord responds and frees them when distressed.
The Lord draws near the broken heart and rescues the depressed.
From all that happens and blots of the just.
The Lord will set him free.
The Lord's eyes are upon the broken heart and broken down well in.
The wicked are condemned today.
All those who make the just.
God saves his soul.
The wicked are not broken.
For in the Lord may trust.
God saves his soul.
Amen.
Please turn with me now to Hebrews chapter 12.
Hebrews 12.
We'll read again from the beginning.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.
And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfection 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 the throne of God.
And then verse 3 begins,
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself.
Well, we're very familiar in our day with various kinds of stadia.
A stadium where certain activities, sporting activities usually take place.
We're familiar with spectators crowded round the sides of the stadium.
And with the activity, whether it's a game of football or athletics or whatever taking place in the stadium,
where the competitors take place and the crowd, the surrounding crowd,
is involved in some way or other, supportively or otherwise, with those who are actually taking part.
We're all familiar with that as we see it very often on our TV screens and maybe even attend as well.
And that's the kind of imagery, as you know, that's behind these verses and other verses in the New Testament,
especially Paul uses the same kind of imagery,
which seems that he and the writer to the Hebrews here borrowed from what they saw happening in their own day
with regard to athletic contests of various kinds in various stadia.
And borrowing from that and using that imagery to present us with aspects of the Christian life,
both the individual Christian and also the collective life of the church,
and how in the likes of this passage, we are ourselves encouraged to actually run a particular course of life
in a particular kind of way, running the race that is set before us
and doing it looking unto Jesus, running the race with endurance, looking unto Jesus.
Now, if we take it that the crowd of witnesses here refers to,
especially those who are mentioned in the previous chapter,
he's gone through the list there of individuals that are named at different points in history
and how they lived by faith in God and how through faith they were enabled by faith to do certain things
for their own benefit, but sometimes very often for the benefit of many others besides.
And that as he uses here the imagery of the stadium,
the imagery includes those in chapter 11 as the surrounding crowd, if you like,
who have gone before those who are participating and now sit as watching and coming to be spectators
of those who continue to actually are involved in, let's say, in the races.
They're talking about a race, so let's just leave it at that.
They're engaged in a race of some kind.
And the practice in those days in the Greek games, we're told, by those who look into these things,
we're told that the practice was that if you are running races,
certainly in the major competitions of the day,
that once you finished your race, you didn't disappear from the stadium,
you actually then went and took your place amongst the crowd of spectators.
And that happened all the way through the various races that were being followed through in the stadium
until the final race was over and those who finished that race then took their part
to have placed with the spectators as well.
And then when it was all finished, the prizes would be given out
to those who had actually won these competitions.
And if you bear that imagery in mind, it helps us, I think,
to understand some of the phraseology and some of what's being said here
and helps us then to apply that to our lives as well as individuals
and to the Christian life in particular.
And if you look at verse 2 here, it's much more to do, I think,
with what you would call a marathon rather than short sprints.
There would be all types of races in those games, of course, like there is today.
But the language here is really a language that suits a marathon.
And a marathon really suits as an image of the Christian life more so than a short sprint,
because that's really what the Christian life very often is like and very often feels like as well.
It's the kind of race in which you have a long distance to travel before you reach the end.
Of course, our lives vary in terms of how many years we live and all that sort of stuff.
But nevertheless, the kind of thing a marathon is really fits the imagery that he has here of running the race that's set before us.
So if we keep these points in mind, there are two things especially that are brought out in the passage for our attention.
The first is a laying aside.
There are certain things he mentions as laying aside.
Let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.
Things which are to be laid aside or put off in order to run effectively and efficiently with a view to winning the race.
That's in the ordinary sense.
But in a spiritual sense, we'll see that's also important.
That's the first thing, a laying aside.
And then secondly, he speaks of a looking ahead.
Let us run with endurance looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
So there is a laying aside and a looking ahead as part of the Christian race,
of the race that we're engaged in as believers in this life.
And of course, as we come to the end of a year,
we're very conscious of events that have taken place in the year that's gone by.
People who belong to our families, to the congregation, who are no longer with us,
passed away over the course of that year.
And you can say in a sense that all of those whom we've known in life,
and especially those who were known and known by us as Christians,
committed to God and witnesses to Him in this life,
they are for us in a sense a crowd of witnesses.
They are spectators of our race as we run it,
because they've gone before us.
They've taken their place now in the spectators, as it were.
And they're now, we're at least mentally conscious or spiritually conscious,
that we've seen them running their race.
And we're following them.
And we're seeking to follow in the same way as they did the Lord Jesus Christ.
So he says, let us lay aside.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
as we think of those who've run their race, who've gone before us,
who lived a consistent Christian life,
and as they were people that we looked forward to meeting with,
and shared fellowship with, and admired, and looked to,
and saw as our examples,
seeing we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.
When you think of an athlete, especially an athlete in serious competition,
you can't imagine at any time, let alone nowadays,
an athlete seriously entering into a marathon or any other type of race
and not being prepared before for it.
Preparing beforehand and preparing even at that day itself on the occasion.
You don't find them actually coming to take part in a race
without laying aside their outer clothing,
anything that's going to be too heavy,
and clothing themselves with the lightest possible fabrics,
including running shoes and everything else as they are nowadays,
and so that you would find every advantage possible in doing that
in order to actually try and make sure, as far as possible,
that you were giving everything to winning this race if you could.
And that's important for us spiritually, as we'll see, as well.
It would be absolutely futile for an athlete to come to face a marathon
or any other race,
and to think that they could neglect the basics of preparation,
and hope meaningfully to take part in that race.
Because the basics of preparation mean training in a proper way,
being sure to actually have the right sort of diet
so that they weren't encumbering themselves with problems
when they began the race.
And, of course, the clothing, as we've said, important as well.
So he really is saying, let us lay aside every weight.
In other words, every impediment,
everything possible that we can know of
that would prevent us effectively running the Christian race.
Let us lay aside every weight,
whatever it is that's a weight, that's a hindrance to us.
And remember, there are hindrances for all of us,
not just outwardly, but also inwardly as well in our own soul.
Every weight, every impediment, including our minds.
Remember 1 Peter 1, verse 13,
uses the kind of phrase,
then, gird up the loins of your mind
in the old translation of it.
And that goes back, indeed, to the days in which Peter lived,
where long garments were commonplace.
And if you're running a race,
and if you're running quickly,
think of Elijah, for example,
running after the contest on Mount Carmel,
he girded up his garments,
and he ran with his full might.
And so, if you really wanted to run
and not be tripped up in the process,
you gathered up your garments,
you tied them under your belt or something,
not in professional races,
or races such as envisaged here,
but even in the ordinary course of life,
running effectively meant,
don't let your garments hang loose.
Tie them up.
Be sure they're effectively bound.
And he's using that language with regard to the mind.
Peter is,
gird up the loins of your mind.
Prepare your mind properly for action.
And that's the same idea that you've got here.
Let us lay aside every weight.
Have we prepared our minds aright
to run the Christian race?
Are we engaged in the Christian race meaningfully
with a view to actually running effectively
in following Jesus,
in being servants of Jesus?
Have we geared up the loins of our mind today
in coming to worship him?
Have we stopped to prepare
so that we can benefit from
being together as worshipers of God?
Are we preparing for this new year,
God willing,
that will shortly be entered
in a few hours' time
by girding up our minds,
by actually stopping to take stock
of what is it in my thought processes?
What is it in my attitude?
What is it in the way that I think
or not think?
Have I become flabby in my thinking?
Have I actually stopped concentrating
to the extent I should
on the things of God?
Let us lay aside every weight.
And then he goes on,
and the sin,
the sin or sin
which clings so closely.
Now this has given rise
to very many different kinds of opinions.
If you consult commentaries,
you'll find there's all sorts of opinions
over the years
as to what's meant by sin
which clings so closely to us.
Some people think of this
as a particular sin
which is individual
to every person.
We all, I'm sure,
have a sin or sins
that we find ourselves
more prone to
than other sins
or than other people even.
And some commentators say
that you take this as being
whatever sin
you're most liable to fall into,
what sin you're more prone to,
that you would actually use it
in that sense.
And that would make sense
in the context as well.
But I think it's better
just to take it.
You notice here in translation,
it doesn't have the definite article.
It's not the sin.
It's sin which clings so closely.
And I think it's better saying
if you think of laying aside
every weight
as a reference in general
to the principle of the thing,
he's now coming to the more specific
and he's saying
whatever is a weight
or a hindrance to us
will always have sin behind it,
will always be based upon
the workings of sin,
the sin that's so very much
with us still in this life.
Lay aside every weight
and you might say
and particularly give attention
to sin which clings so closely.
You think of your TV monitor
or your computer monitor
and so often you've got to wipe it
because dust clings to it.
You have to cling it.
It's got that static attraction
which attracts dust to it
and you've got to actually
clean it from time to time
or at least we're meant to clean
from time to time.
And sin is like that.
Sin clings so closely to us.
It's just such a part of our frame
as fallen sinners.
It's with us every day.
It's there.
Even forgiven sin,
even forgiven sinners,
people who are Christians
who know that their sin
has been forgiven,
they're still very conscious
of going through life
and running this race
and still they find this sin
at times clings so closely to them.
It's something that's attached to them
just like cling film attaches itself
to a bowl or to a plate.
And you've got to lay aside
sin which clings so closely.
You've got to have that kind of mindset.
That's where the mindset comes in as well
that we don't neglect looking inwardly
and stop and ask ourselves,
am I really taking account of sin properly
in my life?
Am I coming with it to God
in such a way that seeks grace from God
to just detach this sin and myself
from this sin as I go on?
So the task is to lay aside this daily.
That's what you find
throughout the New Testament
you're very much aware of the fact that
as doctrine is set out by Paul
and by Peter
and the writer to the Hebrews here,
it's always followed by imperatives
for our behavior.
In other words,
Paul would be saying,
seeing such and such has happened,
seeing you are justified now
by faith in Jesus Christ,
seeing you have been renewed
by the Spirit of God
or language like that,
therefore,
don't give your bodies to sin.
Don't give yourselves over
to the service of sin.
And that's the pattern all the way
through the New Testament.
And that's what is before us
in this verse as well.
Because we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses,
because we're running seriously
this Christian race,
this race that's going on
until we enter into eternity.
Therefore,
lay aside every weight
and sin which clings so closely.
And then he says,
let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us.
Now here's the positive
perseverance side of it,
if you like.
Perseverance is one of the great doctrines
that the Bible teaches us of.
Perseverance in terms of
depending on God's grace,
certainly to work through us,
but nevertheless,
there's a responsibility
laid upon ourselves
to persevere in the life
that we follow as the life of faith.
Life of trusting in the Lord,
the life of serving the Lord.
It's not a very easy exercise necessarily
to just find out
where the side that God is involved in
in terms of the grace
that He gives us
and the responsibility that's ours
to carry forward
our life and our actions
and so on,
but it's there.
And the two things fit together.
It's not one or the other.
And so,
he's saying,
let us run with endurance,
with perseverance.
Endurance,
you could sometimes,
in the meaning of the word nowadays,
you could think that
what he's saying
is just to have a sort of
passive, stoic kind of approach
to your problems
or to your difficulties
or your challenges
and just sit and endure them
and have to put up with them.
Well, that's not what the word is saying.
It's a very positive word.
It's an active word.
A word that means
we actively persevere.
We actively persevere
in the race
in which we are now running.
Remember how Paul
wrote to the Philippians
where in his testimony
of his own life
as he set out
before the Philippians
in the Philippians
in chapter 3
verses 13 and 14 especially.
He's saying,
well, from verse 12,
not that I've already obtained
or I'm already perfect,
but I press on
to make it my own
because Christ Jesus
has made me his own.
Brothers,
I do not consider
that I have made it my own.
He doesn't mean by that
that he hasn't yet accepted Christ,
but since he accepted Christ
or Christ came into his life,
he's been reaching forward,
as he says in the following verses,
to the prize of this
high calling of God in Christ
to finally obtain
that wonderful terminus
of glory with Christ,
of heaven.
So he's saying,
brothers,
I do not consider
that I have made it my own.
In other words,
I'm not yet there,
but one thing I do,
forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward
to what lies ahead,
I press on towards
the goal for the prize
of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus.
Now the language
he's using there
is the language
of athletics.
I press on,
and you can see in athletics
just especially
in the final lap of a race,
even a marathon
after all of these miles,
those who are participating,
especially as they're coming
near the finishing tape
and especially
if they're in the prospect
of winning the race,
they'll stretch themselves forward,
they'll strive forward,
just put everything into
these last few strides
to reach the tape.
And Paul is saying,
that's what I'm doing.
Even at this stage of his life,
it's been over 20 years
since the Lord came
into his life,
but he says,
this is what I do.
I'm pressing on
toward the mark.
I'm stretching forward
to the finishing tape.
I'm making sure
that as far as I can
in dependence on God,
I'm nevertheless
putting every effort I can
into this race
that I'm involved in.
And what he's saying here,
what the writer here
is saying in Hebrews,
is saying,
let us run
with perseverance,
with endurance.
You know,
athletes speak about,
especially athletes
who do long distance running
and marathons especially,
they use phrases
such as hitting the wall.
And I often wondered
what that meant.
And if you look up
what that means,
of course,
if you Google it,
like everything else,
nowadays you'll find
an answer to it.
Hitting the wall
is the expression
that athletes use
for a stage in the race,
usually around
the 20 mile mark,
it seems.
I've never done it,
so I don't know.
But around 20 miles,
they begin to feel
this tremendous
strain on their body.
Their energy
is just being sapped.
And that's why it's called,
it's just like hitting a wall.
They just,
even your brain
just wants to give up.
And you've then got to just
adjust yourself
in a different way
so as to try and get through
the moments,
the minutes in which
that's happening
and then just continue
with your race.
So when you hit the wall,
you remember your training,
you slow down for a bit perhaps,
because the problem is
that the stuff
in your muscles,
glycogen I think it's called,
which is stored
in your muscles,
it's being used up
as you run a marathon.
And you come to a point
where it's almost depleted
and that's when you begin
to really hit the wall.
And you have to spend
a bit of time
adjusting to that
so that you then begin
to draw energy
from fat reserves.
I'm just going by
what I'm told.
I have no idea
myself personally,
but this is what
apparently is the case.
And so,
in the Christian life,
there are some times
when you just hit the wall.
When your mind
wants to give up.
When you say,
I didn't realize
the hill was going to be
this difficult to climb.
I didn't realize
the route was going
to take me
in this direction.
Why is it so difficult
in my life
as I see it
compared to what
I see others?
Their race seems
to be much easier.
And now I'm beginning
to find that
this is so challenging,
more than I expected,
that really
you feel like
just
your energy
is being sapped.
and you begin
to think,
well,
should I just
give up at this point?
And it's vital then
that you've done
the training beforehand.
I'm talking here
about athletics again.
When you hit the wall,
it's comforting to know
you've done all the training,
you've taken all
the right nutrients,
you've actually made sure
from that point of view
that you're ready
for the moment
when you hit the wall.
And so it is
in the Christian life.
Because when you come
to hit the wall,
it'll be really comforting
to know
that you have followed
the Lord,
that you've been
using His Word,
that you've been
praying to Him,
that you've been
in the company
of other Christians,
that you've taken
their counsel,
that you love to be
in their fellowship,
that all of that
is behind you
and undergirding you
as you come
to hit the wall.
Because it'll strengthen you,
and especially
the grace of God,
to go through
those moments
and on into
the rest of the race.
Let's run,
he says,
with endurance,
the race that is
set before us.
And when he says
set before us,
I think he means
by that the race
has been set for us.
We haven't chosen
the course ourselves.
Those who run
in a marathon
don't get to choose
which course
they actually
take part in.
They don't choose
which direction
the course takes.
They don't determine
how many hills
and how many hills
they have to climb,
how many they have
to come back down again,
how many straights
they're beyond.
They don't get to choose.
That's all chosen
for them.
There's the map.
Get on with it.
That's your race.
You have to keep
to the course
set out for you.
And it's difficult
in the Christian life
to accept
that the race
course
has been set
for us by God.
sometimes
it's not easy
to accept
why certain things
take place
in our experience.
But you've got to
come back again
as an athlete
comes back
to the training
and to the preparation
for the race.
So you come back
to thinking,
well,
who is in charge
of my race?
Who has set
the course?
What wisdom
has devised
this course
for me?
What strength
do I rely on
to go through
with the rest
of the course?
And of course
that takes you
back to God
and takes you
back especially
to Jesus
as we'll see
in a minute.
You lay aside
every weight
and sin
which clings
so closely
and you run
with endurance
the race
that is set
before us.
So tonight
and as we enter
into a new year
we each have
our race
set out for us.
It's not for us
to say,
why don't I have
the same course
set for me
as others have?
The wisdom
of God,
friends,
has set
the course
of life
and it is faith
that accepts that
and trust
in the Lord
accepts that
and goes on
with the race
that He has
set out for us
because His grace
will always be
sufficient for us
to finish
that race.
But not only
is there laying aside
there is also
looking ahead
and as soon
as He said that
the race
that is set
before us
let's run it
with endurance
looking to Jesus.
Looking to Jesus
the founder
and perfecter
of our faith.
And what He means
of course
is looking
while we're running
the race
we're looking
to Jesus
we're looking
up to Jesus
we're looking
to the one
who's at the end
of our course
waiting to meet us.
And what do we
look for?
What kind of look
does He mean
here looking
to Jesus?
Well I think
He explains
that or enlarges
on that
in verse 3
Consider Him
who endured
from sinners
such hostility
against Himself.
Consider
is a very
significant word
in the context
and in the letter
to the Hebrews
in fact
it really means
to study
carefully
means to give
all your attention
to
means to give
your mind
this where the mind
again comes in
be mindful
of this
give all your mind
as far as possible
to this
consider Him
looking unto Him
looking considerately
unto Him
looking studiously
to Him
looking in a way
that really
seriously reckons
with who He is
and where
as well as
what He has done.
And so you'll find
the same thing
you see in the
previous runners
in verse 11
if we can call them
chapter 11
call them that
look at verse 10
there in chapter 11
you'll find there
that Abraham
is mentioned
as a man
who lived by faith
he was looking
forward
to the city
that has foundations
whose designer
and builder
is God
and then Sarah
she herself
received power
to conceive
when she was
past age
since she
considered
Him
faithful
she gave
her mind
carefully
to who God
was
and what her
relation to Him
was
verse 11
you'll find
that emphasis
there
she considered
Him
faithful
and then
verse 15
if you go
forward to
verse 15
you'll find
a similar
emphasis
there
if they had
been thinking
these people
who had
left their
homeland
had left
the place
where they
were living
if they'd
been thinking
of that land
from where
they had
gone out
they would
have had
opportunity
to return
but as it
is they
desire
a better
country
that is
a heavenly
one
they make
it clear
that they
are seeking
a homeland
they're
considering
carefully
where they're
going as well
as where
they've come
from
and then you
go forward
to verse
19
whereas
Abraham
having been
commanded
by God
to offer
up his
son Isaac
says
he considered
that God
was able
even to
raise him
from the
dead
same word
again
he considered
he studied
carefully
he gave
a mind
to it
and then
finally
verse 26
speaking of
Moses
and all
of this
is of course
within the
workings
of faith
he considered
the reproach
of Christ
greater wealth
than the
treasures
of Egypt
for he was
looking to
the reward
this is what
he said
by faith
he chose
rather to be
mistreated
with the
people of
God
than to
enjoy
the fleeting
pleasure
of sin
how
why could
he
how could
he
for he
considered
the reproach
of Christ
he thought
upon the
reproach
of Christ
his mind
was on
what it
was to
suffer
for Christ
and he
said
this is
actually
especially
in the
outcome
of it
it's a
far
greater
treasure
than I
would ever
have had
if I'd
stayed in
Egypt
as a
Egypt
he
considered
it
you see
faith
and the
way that
this chapter
11 runs
into or
flows into
chapter 12
where we're
thinking about
running this
race
take all of
that with
you and
it means
that faith
faith that's
mentioned up
through this
chapter
faith that
flows into
the race
in chapter
12
what is
faith
is it
just a
leap in
the dark
as some
people accuse
us of
doing
as Christians
nowadays
people will
say
why don't
you start
using your
minds
why don't
you just
accept the
science
why don't
you keep
not that there's
anything wrong
with much
of the
science
but the
accusation of
those who
reject the
gospel and
reject living a
life of faith
why don't you
actually open
your mind
to reality
why don't
you give
your mind
why don't
you think
properly
why don't
you actually
give your
mind to
things other
than just
the
unlikelihood
of the
things that
are mentioned
in the
bible
the miraculous
the
supernatural
the
incarnation
the
resurrection
of christ
just
just put
that aside
and open
your mind
to the
other
possibilities
how do
you respond
to that
you respond
to it
in the
way that
hebrews 11
responds to
it in
chapter 11
verse 3
by faith
we
understand
it doesn't
say by
understanding
we come
to believe
it says by
faith
we understand
that the
world was
created by
the word
of god
it wasn't
by chance
it wasn't
through a
process of
evolution
it wasn't
from the
beginning of
a speck
in which
there was
a massive
amount
of power
which then
exploded
of its
own accord
god
created
the universe
god
created
all that
exists
and by
faith
we
understand
these
things
to be
so
faith
isn't
a leap
in the
dark
faith
isn't
just
launching
out
not
knowing
what
to
expect
or
where
you're
going
I
know
faith
is
running
a race
that's
been set
for us
by god
looking
unto
jesus
considering
jesus
studying
jesus
living
in fellowship
with jesus
praying
to jesus
speaking
to him
daily
trusting
in him
having
him as
your
friend
knowing
him as
your
companion
that's
what
faith
is
that's
the
kind
of
life
that
faith
sets
about
and
what
do
we
see
when
we
look
to
jesus
by
faith
well we
see
who
he
is
you
could
say
three
facts
i'm
going
to
just
finish
by
mentioning
them
i've
got
time
to
really
enlarge
on
them
but
what
do
we
see
when
we
look
to
jesus
when
we
look
at
himself
especially
when
we
consider
him
we'll
see
who
he
is
he
is
the
founder
and
perfecter
of
our
faith
he's
the
one
who
sets
it
the
one
who
finishes
it
he's
the
pioneer
the
word
is
as
he
went
out
in
chapter
2
verse
10
he's
the
pioneer
of
our
faith
he
went
out
and
opened
this
course
for
us
he
devised
this
course
he
set
this
course
and
he
did
it
at
the
cost
of
his
to
have
gone
into
this
course
and
we
follow
him
and
he's
the
finisher
he's
the
one
we
meet
at
the
end
of
the
course
he's
the
one
who
comes
to
us
and
says
either
well
done
good
and
faithful
friend
or
God
forbid
for
you
and
for
me
that
he
should
say
depart
from
me
I
never
knew
you
but
he's
the
author
and
finisher
he
is
the
beginning
and
the
of
our
faith
who
he
is
then
how
he
ran
his
race
who
for
the
joy
that
was
set
before
him
he
endured
the
cross
despising
the
shame
he
had
a
race
to
run
a
race
set
him
by
God
the
father
a
course
which
took
him
through
to
the
cross
of
Calvary
and
to
the
grave
followed
by
his
resurrection
from
the
dead
that
was
the
course
that
was
set
for
our
he
ran
that
race
and
for
the
joy
that
was
set
before
him
for
that
which
awaited
him
at
the
end
of
his
course
especially
that
doesn't
mean
there
was
no
joy
in
the
course
as
he
went
through
with
it
in
this
life
remember
he
psalm
40
mentions
words
that are
prophetic
of
Jesus
then
I
said
to
do
your
will
I
have
come
it's
written
of
me
in
the
scroll
I
have
come
to
do
your
will
oh
my
God
and
it's
mentioned
here
in
Hebrews
as well
as it's
quoted
in
Hebrews
in
chapter
10
and
verse
7
where
the
quotation
is
that
he
has
come
to
do
his
will
that
he's
taken
delight
in
doing
the
will
life
you
have
taken
no
pleasure
in
burnt
offerings
and
sin
offering
then
I
said
behold
I
the
we
can't
anyway
the
devil
did
his
utmost
to
deflect
him
to
make
him
leave
that
path
that
route
that
God
has
set
out
for
him
you
remember
in
the
temptations
I
know
the
time
is
gone
but
let
me
just
again
remind
you
of
this
when
the
devil
came
to
tempt
him
in
the
wilderness
he
was
tempted
for
these
40
days
or
fasting
for
these
days
at
the
end
of
which
the
temptations
came
with
all
the
power
that
Satan
could
muster
if
you
are
the
son
of
God
command
these
stones
to
be
made
bread
he
wasn't
suggesting
to
Jesus
that
he
wasn't
really
the
son
of
God
or
trying
to
get
him
to
believe
that
actually
he
wasn't
the
son
of
God
after
all
there
may
have
been
an
element
of
that
what
he
was
getting
at
especially
as
the
son
of
God
saying
you're
the
son
of
God
why
are
you
here
why
are
you
putting
yourself
willingly
through
all of
this
deprivation
through
all
of
this
suffering
why
don't
you
command
these
stones
that
they
be
made
bread
and
feed
yourself
and
finish
your
hunger
of
course
what
he
was
trying
to
do
was
to
get
Jesus
to
move
out
of
that
route
that
God
had
set
him
that
led
to
the
cross
the
root
of
suffering
and
shame
and
that's
why
he
came
to
him
in
the
third
of
the
temptations
to
say
showing
him
all
the
kingdoms
of
the
world
all
of
these
I
will
give
you
and
the
glory
of
them
if
you
will
fall
down
and
worship
me
what
was
that
saying
to
Jesus
it
was
the
devil
saying
to
him
look
you
don't
have
yourself
over
to
that
death
that
awaits
you
at
Calvary
I
can
give
you
all
the
glory
of
these
kingdoms
and
all
you
have
to
do
is
go
on
your
knees
and
worship
me
many
people
have
gone
to
a
lost
eternity
on
the
basis
of
that
lie
don't
you
be
one
of
them
that's
what
he
will
suggest
to
you
can
have
it
just
as
good
without
living
a
full
Christian
life
you
don't
need
to
actually
have
sufferings
in the
way
the
Bible
describes
the
sufferings
as
meaningful
in a
human
life
let
us
run
with
endurance
looking
unto
Jesus
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
these
Hebrews
were
faltering
they
were
beginning
to
slacken
they
were
giving
over
to
doubts
they
were
thinking
maybe
this
Christian
life
isn't
such a
good
thing
after
all
how
does
the
writer
address
that
well
in
different
ways
but
in
this
particular
passage
he
addresses
it
by
drawing
their
minds
to
the
Saviour
himself
and
when
you
feel
like
giving
up
or
even
if
you
feel
that
you're
drawing
near
to
that
stage
if
not
quite
there
go to
Jesus
think
of
Jesus
study
Jesus
consider
him
let
your
mind
dwell
on
him
and
ask
yourself
am
I
going
to
give
up
when
I
know
what
he
went
through
am
I
going
to
step
out
of
my
lane
when
I
know
he
didn't
do
such
a
thing
even
though
the
suffering
for
him
was
much
greater
than
mine
will
ever
be
laying
aside
and
looking
forward
and
as
we
enter
into
this
new
year
God
willing
in
a
few
hours
may
that
be
our
mindset
may
that
be
how
we
approach
a
new
year
that
we
lay
aside
every
hindrance
to
running
the
Christian
life
and
that
we
also
keep
looking
to
Jesus
that
especially
we
keep
looking
to
Jesus
the
author
and
finisher
the
founder
and
perfecter
of
our
faith
let me
say a
word to
anyone
who's
not
yet
in
this
race
I've
been
in a
way
assuming
that
everyone
here
is
taking
part
in
this
Christian
marathon
race
but
maybe
you're
not
on
the
route
yet
maybe
you
know
about
it
maybe
you've
heard
much
about
it
maybe
you know
many of
its
features
maybe
you
learned
about
it
since
you
were
a
child
but
are
you
running
it
are
you
in
it
have
you
accepted
him
have
you
come
to
him
with
your
sins
have
you
realized
your
deep
need
of
having
Jesus
as
your
savior
and
turning
to
him
and
accepting
him
as
he's
offered
to
you
freely
in
the
gospel
are
you
really
meaningfully
in
this
Christian
race
well
if
not
friend
why
should
you
enter
another
year
and
still
be
unsaved
why
there's
no logic
to that
is there
the only
logic
there is
to that
is the
illogicalness
of our
own
sinful
thinking
that we
can manage
without
him
we
can't
and
because
we
can't
let's
give
over
our
life
to
him
as
the
founder
and
perfecter
of
our
faith
let's
pray
eternal
God
we
do
give
thanks
for
every
way
in
which
your
word
directs
us
to
yourself
and
as
we
do
so
Lord
we
come
to
be
conscious
more
and
more
of
our
need
of
you
more
and
more
of
the
need
we
have
of
your
grace
to
run
throughout
the
course
of
our
life
and
we
pray
oh
Lord
that
you
would
enable
us
to
run
this
race
of
faith
to
do
so
perseveringly
to
do
so
believing
in
Jesus
and
looking
to
him
and
to
do
so
Lord
as
we
come
to
end
one
year
and
enter
another
with
a
greater
resolve
to
be
faithful
to
the
one
who
calls
us
bless
any
here
oh
Lord
who
are
not
yet
meaningfully
running
this
race
for
themselves
we
thank
you
that
they
are
here
we
thank
you
that
they
are
under
the
gospel
we
thank
you
that
they
know
of
the
way
that
route
is
set
out
in
your
own
word
bless
them
we
pray
draw
them
into
your
kingdom
be
merciful
to
them
and
in
all
of
these
things
glorify
your
great
name
for
Jesus
sake
Amen
let's
conclude
now this
evening
singing
in
Psalm
84
and
we're
singing
from
the
sing
psalms
version
that's
page
112
we'll
sing
verses
1 to
7
verses
that
speak
verses
5 to
7
especially
of
the
strength
that
God
gives
to
his
people
to
run
or
to
continue
in
the
way
that
they
are
going
onwards
towards
God
in
Zion
how
delightful
are
your
dwellings
O
almighty
Lord
to
me
for
your
courts
my
soul
is
yearning
in
your
house
I
long
to
be
heart
and
flesh
cry
out
aloud
for
the
true
and
living
God
singing
to
the
tune
Ottawa
these
verses
Russ
How delightful are your queries, O almighty are to thee.
On your course my soul is journeying, In your house I long to thee.
Heart and flesh my love, O'er the true and living God.
Even swallows find their dwelling, And the swallows find their dwelling,
Hear your altar, Lord Almighty, Where thy offspring may harvest.
Bless those who are born, They are ever praising God.
Bless thy, those who stand this in you, Those who have a children's mind.
Those of autumn rains we crash there, Swings in make us hail divine.
Strength and pleasing, Sigh on fire, They go on their way to God.
I'll go to the door to my left this evening after the benediction.
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, The love of God the Father,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you, Now and evermore. Amen.
Amen.
.