Hebrews 12:1–3 “The Race of Faith”

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• for King & Country – Fix My Eyes
• Cody Carnes – Run To The Father
• It Is Well – Kristene DiMarco

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Gizmo’s Daily Bible Byte – 347 – Hebrews 12:1 – Baggage and Burdens – Lesson for Kids
• Deep Cries Out – Bethel Music Kids | Come Alive – Song for Kids
• I Will Follow | Kids Worship | Lyrics and Actions – Song for Kids
• Pray About Everything (Philippians 4:6-7)| Kingdom Rock VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

After recounting the stories of heroes of faith who overcame suffering and finished the race set before them, the author now leads the readers to a conclusion using the conjunction “therefore.” The author urges them to “lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles” (v.1) and to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us” (v.1). The “weight” seems to refer to an outer garment. Sin is described as “entangling” because it becomes an obstacle that hinders progress in the spiritual life.

The author here imagines a scene from a colosseum competition. In the stands, a “great cloud of witnesses” is watching and cheering on the runners. By calling them “witnesses,” the author hints that he refers to the ancestors of faith listed earlier. Having completed their own race, each of them is now seated in the gallery, cheering for those who run after them. We, too, have a “race marked out before us.” Finishing that race is by no means easy. That is why we must run it “with perseverance.”

Just as a runner fixes their eyes on the finish line, anyone participating in the race of faith must fix their eyes on Jesus. The Greek word translated as “fixing our eyes” (v.2) is aphoraō, which means “to focus one’s eyes on” or “to fix one’s gaze.” Since it is used in the present participle form, a better translation would be, “Do not take your eyes off him for even a moment.” Jesus is the “pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Earlier, the author described him as “the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1). Our faith began with Jesus, who “endured the cross, scorning its shame.” He did this “for the joy set before him”—in other words, he endured the suffering because he foresaw that God’s plan of salvation would be fulfilled through it. By that faith, he rose and ascended and now sits “at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The phrase “such opposition from sinners against himself” (v.3) refers to the insults Jesus endured from the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem and the suffering he experienced at the hands of Roman soldiers. Jesus is the one who “endured it all.” The word “consider” means to “keep in mind and meditate upon.” If we do this, “you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

With this expression, the author implies that the readers are spiritually exhausted and physically worn out. Some are on the verge of falling away due to inner doubts, while others struggle due to external trials and persecution.

Meditation:

In Chapter 11, the author takes time to present such an extensive account of people of faith to encourage those who are on the verge of giving up the journey of faith due to internal doubts or external persecution. The author urges them to persevere and finish the race set before them, and he presents two sources of strength to help them endure until the end.

The first is to remember the encouragement of the witnesses who have gone before and completed the race of faith. Though to the physical eye, they may appear dead, through the eyes of faith, they are very much alive. They fill the heavenly colosseum, watching over our race and cheering us on. When we confess in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in the holy catholic church and the communion of saints,” we are affirming our connection with these ancestors of faith—those who now watch our race from the kingdom of God and support us with their invisible encouragement.

The other source of strength is to consider Jesus Christ. He, though the Son of God, came among us, descended to the lowest place, endured the most shameful insults, and suffered the most unbearable pain. If we remember that it was through his suffering that we were restored as children of God, then there is no insult or suffering we cannot endure. If we do not forget what he suffered and the promises he gave us through that suffering, we will never stop or fall away from our faith journey.

Faith is a long race. We do not yet know what kind of path lies ahead, how long we will need to run, or what obstacles may await us. We also cannot be certain how our hearts will change along the way. But one thing is clear: internal temptations and external trials will certainly come. In those moments, we must lift our eyes and remember the ancestors of faith who fill the heavenly colosseum, cheering us on. And we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. In fact, as long as we walk this path of faith, we must always keep these two truths close to our hearts.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for calling us into this glorious race. Today, we run toward you once again. Help us endure every temptation, trial, and suffering until we finish the race and take our place in the cheering stands of the heavenly colosseum. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Faith is like a race—it’s long and sometimes hard, but we’re not alone. We run with Jesus in front of us, showing the way, and the heroes of faith cheering us on from heaven. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can keep going, even when it’s tough.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • What helps you keep going when something is really hard?
  • If you were running a race, who would you want to cheer for you?
  • What does “fix our eyes on Jesus” mean in your everyday life?
• For Youth
  • When have you felt like giving up, and what helped you keep going?
  • What “weights” or “sins” are you tempted to carry that make your faith harder to live out?
  • How can you practice “fixing your eyes on Jesus” when life feels overwhelming or unclear?