Young People's Group

LOOKING UNTO JESUS

by Pastor Mitch
July 27, 2014

The Problem Of Being Weary And Discouraged In Our Souls

Weariness and discouragement very often go together. When we become weary with the challenges and difficulties of life, we become discouraged easily. This was something that the writer of Hebrews had to address in his epistle.

“Lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” 
Hebrews 12:3

We can be so physically “spent” and tired about life and ministry that we feel like giving up. Very often, this can be due to the worries or distractions of life and the sins which so easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1). Young people, let’s seek not to allow them to affect our running the race of life well.

Keeping Our Eyes Fixed On Jesus

“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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 
Hebrews 12:2

The word “Looking” in the Greek means to “Look away from everything else”. It is the act of turning our eyes away from the worries and the sins of life (worthless things) and to setting our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is looking even deeper into His example and what it means to follow Him.

1. Jesus, The Author And Finisher Of Our Faith

The word “author” in Greek means “pioneer leader”. He is the leader who pioneered the way for His disciples to follow. The Lord Jesus is the One who shows us the way to go with reference to our faith in God. The word “finisher” in Greek means “completer” of our faith. The Lord Jesus is the perfect example of One who started in faith and the One who ended His faith well. Furthermore, the Lord God who began a good work within us will also complete it at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). We have every encouragement to make it if we only continue in faith by following our Saviour.

2. Jesus, The Perfect Example Of How To Endure In Faith

The Lord Jesus endured all that He had to go through on the cross because of the joy that He knew He would receive when His race on earth was over. The Lord Jesus was willing to go through all the shame that He would experience. He by the grace of God tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9). He is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne, rejoicing that He is in the presence of the Father.

Running The Race Of Life With Endurance

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” 
Hebrews 12:1

We have all the encouragement to succeed in the race of life and ministry. Hebrews 11 has a whole list of heroes of faith who made it in their faith because they exercised their faith constantly. This cloud of witnesses which is always around us should spur us on. If we do our part in setting aside our weights and the sins of life and not be trapped by them, we can focus on running the race well. The choice is up to us. We have everything we need in Christ to succeed, by looking at His example and relying on the grace of God daily as He did. Let’s run the race with endurance till the day we see our Lord Jesus face to face and rejoice greatly at the heavenly finishing line.

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