Hebrews 12:1-2--Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

​Hebrews 12:1-2 English Standard Version (ESV)
Listen:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Heb.12.1-Heb.12.2
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12:1 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, 2 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.

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Remember that when a passage starts with "Therefore" is is always pointing back to the previous passage or passages (sometimes the whole book to that point) to make some kind of conclusion based on the facts that have been laid out.  Whenever you see it in the Bible make sure you know what the "therefore" is there for (know the context of the passage, because it is building on a foundation, and you can get the interpretation completely wrong if you don't understand the context and foundation).

In this case, we have just finished talking about the Hall of Faith and all of the Old Testament and we assume some New Testament saints who lived by faith, but dies without seeing the object of their faith come to pass.  Specifically they believed in the coming Christ and the coming kingdom, but they saw neither in their lives.  However, they have received eternal life and are in heaven right now as witnesses to those things which have occurred and are watching us and seeing how we as those who have been given this new and better covenant that they longed for fare.

Because of this we should remember their example that has been set for us and we should be disciplined like an Olympic runner who throws off every unnecessary weight and encumbrance and run the race that has been chosen for us.  It is like all of heaven is in the grandstands watching the race that we are running to see if we too will be faithful to the end.

What is it that allowed them to stay faithful to the end and what can we learn from them to help us be faithful to the end?  They fixed their "eyes" on the Lord, Jesus Christ.  While they didn't know His identity at the time, they were absolutely certain that His coming was as sure or more sure than anything around them that could distract them....not wealth, or pride, or power, or the pleasures of this world.  Jesus Himself is the prize and the goal and for those who are faithful to the end by the faith that He gives us through the Spirit (for without Him, we can do nothing) will be greeted by Him as He welcomes us to the place He has prepared for us by saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." as He invites us in the eternal rest that we read about in chapters 3 and 4.

As we started off this blog series in the New Testament, Jesus is the author of the New Covenant, but He also is the one to execute it, bring it to completion, and execute judgment over it.  Therefore we need nothing else other than Him.  He has the words of life and we need not turn to anyone or anything else.