Title: The Remedy for Weariness in the Christian Life (Part 1)
Meta: The book of Hebrews does not give changing your circumstances as being the solution for your problems, instead you are called to look to Jesus and run the course that God has set before you.
Tags: Hebrews,Suffering,weariness,encouragement,Run the race,Christian

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We're back in Hebrews this morning, Hebrews chapter 12.

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I've entitled my sermon, "The Remedy for Weariness in the Christian Life."

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This has to be part one.

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I simply can't cover everything I want to cover out of these first 4 verses but let's read them. (P)

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Hebrews 12:1-4, I'm reading from the English Standard Version (ESV),

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"Therefore, ('therefore' - that plugs us in to chapter 11, the chapter of faith.)

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses

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(all those witnesses from the preceding chapter,)

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let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,

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and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

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looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

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Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,

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despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself,

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so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted in your struggle against sin.

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You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

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(or, In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted

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to the point of shedding your blood.)" (P)

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Now I started thinking back to when I was first saved,

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when I was first reading Scripture, the parts of Scripture that I was really drawn to.

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And I'll admit that as a young believer,

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Hebrews was probably not one of the more attractive books in the Bible

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to which I tended to gravitate.

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And some of you might be able to say the same thing.

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I think there are several reasons why that was true, but one reason I think being this:

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This book was written for some people that were enduring some hardships,

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a hard struggle.

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And you know what? Until you get to the point in your Christian life

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where you have to endure a certain intensity level of pain, or stress;

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I mean, when you're living this Christian life

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and you once get to the point where you are shaken, or distracted;

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you get to the point in your Christian life where you wake up one day,

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and you recognize you lost your first love, you've strayed away;

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or you get hit by a trial of such intensity, it shakes your very foundations;

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or you suddenly enter a phase in your life

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where Satan comes to God and says, "I want to sift him,"

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and just like with Peter, God says, "Okay. Sift him."

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I think until you get to the point in your Christian life

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where the winds of hell blow against you,

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and the temptation to drift, the temptation to lay down is real,

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the book of Hebrews probably... (P)

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And you know, I've said this before,

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brother Don Johnson was just preaching the other night here in San Antonio.

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He said that when he first got saved,

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he thought the Christian life was going to be one baptism of the Spirit after another.

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But then something happened.

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And you know, a lot of times when we start the Christian life... (P)

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If the Christian life has been pretty easy for you so far,

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you probably have not come to the place yet where you appreciate

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the kind of arguing that you find in Hebrews.

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Those to whom this letter was written originally, I mean the original audience,

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(of course it's been written to us as well,)

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but that original audience, they had gotten to this point.

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They were there. Life was not easy.

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I mean, read verse 3, look at it,

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"Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself,

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so that - watch these words - you may not grow weary or fainthearted."

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And that verse may sound like our author is addressing those

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who are not already weary or fainthearted.

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He tells them to consider Christ. Why?

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So that they won't grow weary or fainthearted,

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as though they are not yet weary.

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And so as to not grow weary, they need to be thinking on Christ.

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That's how it sounds, right? (P)

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But if you just look down a little ways in verse 12, what do you find?

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This author full well knows that even though he talked that way,

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he knows these people are very much in the midst of some really hard things.

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He sees their condition - drooping hands, weak knees.

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Listen to verse 13, "So that what is lame may not be put out of joint

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but rather be healed."

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They've got something in their life that needs to be healed.

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They've got something in their life that is lame.

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They've got something there that's not right.

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And what he's afraid of is it's just going to be wrecked altogether.

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He's afraid that their health is bad but it's going to get worse

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to the place it's going to come out of joint altogether.

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And that, of course, is the air, the feel of the book of Hebrews.

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The danger is that they have been so put to it and their foundations are shaking,

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and drift is setting in, and immaturity at the same time,

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and the foundations are looking like they might give way.

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That's the situation that you have here.

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Falling out altogether. (P)

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And you know what? This is not uncommon.

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Because what you have there with the Hebrews,

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where you had people that the danger was that they were going to abandon Christ

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and go back to maybe some kind of formal, dead religion.

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That's always a danger.

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But look, if you look at the Corinthians, what was their danger?

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An antinomian lifestyle. Right? Just license to live it up.

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They were in danger.

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You continue down that road, it's destruction too.

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How about the Galatians? Their problem may have been more akin.

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The Colossians, maybe a little bit more akin to what you find in Hebrews. (P)

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I mean, to the Galatians, he was not mincing words:

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"Separated from Christ, fallen from grace."

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You stay on that road, that's destruction as well.

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It's not like it's uncommon for Christians to come up against something,

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some kind of distraction, some kind of difficulty, some kind of trial,

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some kind of pleasure, some kind of temptation that shakes us.

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It shakes us from those moorings in Christ.

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This is not uncommon. And I guarantee you this:

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God will see to it that before you finish this race, you will need Hebrews.

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And I have it on His authority that you will. (P)

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I mean, have you ever really thought about this verse?

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Don't turn to it but listen to it.

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The last verse in Phillipians chapter 1 reads this way,

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"It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ,

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you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake."

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It's been appointed to you. You're not getting away from it.

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You remember what the apostles said there in Acts 14:22?

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"Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

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And here's the thing: You don't go through the Christian life long

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before you get discouraged over the situation.

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Discouragement sets in about something.

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What? God's providence not working out just the way you want to.

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People that you want to see saved in your life, not getting saved.

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You wish you were further along in the Christian race than you actually are.

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You get these different things that come into your life.

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You wish your health could be better;

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or you wish that this could happen or that could happen;

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or we get weary.

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You just get weary from putting so much effort. (P)

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You remember Pilgrim's Progress? There was a Hill of Difficulty.

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You feel like you've been on a certain hill of difficulty for so long,

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and you're just getting to the point where you're about out of gas.

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It's like, "Where is the Lord? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

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You've been calling out, "How long, Lord, how long?

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I've been going up this thing for so long.

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I've never been on a hill of such difficulty for so long before."

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And you notice that when we get into these kind of situations,

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when our circumstances are like this,

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when we've endured lots of - whatever it is -

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resistance in your life, fightings in your life,

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when you're disappointed over where you're at spiritually,

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or you feel overwhelmed by the iron grip of sin in your life.

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You've been exposed to whatever powerful temptations

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to coast, or to drift, or to give up. (P)

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I mean, have you ever been there? I know some of you have.

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You feel like you get knocked down.

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The righteous man falls seven times, but what happens?

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He gets up every time.

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But you feel like that guy.

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You feel like you get knocked down, and you get up,

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and you get knocked back down again, and you get up,

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and you get knocked back down again.

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I remember in my lost days, I had an accident on a motorcycle and my knee was raw.

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I was in high school at the time, and I can remember I was in Drafting class.

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And I stood up, and this thing, I mean, it had hurt.

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It was on my knee, and my pants were always rubbing on the thing

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and blowing this thing open again.

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And there I was, and I turned,

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and the handle on that desk drawer caught it. Wam!

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The teacher could tell, my face must have just turned white.

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I could feel blood just pouring down my leg.

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Sometimes we feel like that. We feel like a sore that it just doesn't heal.

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Something in our life, it's like, this thing is raw

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and it just keeps opening up again and again and again.

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You have to think that's where these people were at.

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They were in this great struggle. (P)

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And the thing about it is, when we're in that kind of situation,

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if we are experiencing such circumstances in our life where this is true,

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we're discouraged, we're weak-kneed, we're drooping, we feel lame;

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if the circumstances don't change - now catch that -

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of course it's easy to feel better when the circumstances change.

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Sometimes that's where we're at, where it's just, "I'm not going to get out of this,

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I'm not going to quit being discouraged, I'm not going to quit..."

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Why? Because the circumstances are just the same.

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The same circumstances that caused me to be discouraged,

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caused me to be weary, caused me to be faint-hearted,

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caused me to want to give up hope,

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caused me to want to drift, they're still there. (P)

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And you find that when you come across people that are in that state,

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it's not real easy to get them out of that state.

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Why? Well, precisely because they are disappointed, frustrated,

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discouraged, struggling, weary, weak, suffering, tired,

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uncomfortable and all the rest, with their present circumstances.

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And those circumstances aren't changing.

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And here's the thing we need to realize:

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Hebrews never once in the 13 chapters here,

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not once does it say that the remedy to our drooping hands and weak knees

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is to be found in eliminating our present circumstances.

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I mean, never.

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You hear what I'm saying? We need to get this.

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This is key. (P)

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When you climb that hill of difficulty, you're struggling, it's difficult,

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you're being staggered, you're looking lame,

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you're tempted to drift and coast and slow down, lay down,

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Hebrews does not come along and put its arm around you, and say,

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"Well, the way out of all this is just to get off the hill."

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It doesn't say that to us.

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I mean, think with me.

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Our author says this to these folks, you remember back in chapter 10 verse 32.

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He says this, "I recognize that you have endured some really hard suffering.

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I recognize that."

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They had their stuff pillaged.

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They went through difficulty.

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There were circumstances in these peoples' lives that were tough.

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And it was like that sore.

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Just like the guy that just gets knocked down over and over.

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They are trying to weather this, and they're tired.

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It's easier to go back to Judaism.

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It's easy to not own Christ like this.

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It's almost like their face is against the grinding stone,

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and it's because of decisions they've made in their life that they are experiencing the pain.

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It's really easy to want to back off so that the circumstances change.

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Real easy to do that. (P)

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But you know, the author does not come along and say,

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"Well, the solution to what you suffer as a Christian

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is to get the thing that's making you suffer and to get it out of your life."

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He doesn't say that.

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In fact, do you know what he says to them?

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He says, "I know you have endured a really tough struggle."

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But then, look at chapter 12 verse 4.

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He doesn't promise that the road is going to get easier.

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He says, "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted

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to the point of shedding your blood."

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He is saying you haven't even suffered as much as you might suffer.

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You may not even be experiencing the worst of it yet.

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I have no promise for you that it's going to get easier, it may get harder.

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A lot harder.

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You may lose your own life. (P)

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Do you remember just prior to this in Hebrews 11:35-37,

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"Some were tortured, refusing to accept release

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so that they might rise again to a better life.

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Others suffered mocking, flogging, even chains and imprisonment.

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They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword."

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Brethren, this is so important to our comfortable, ease-loving,

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American, middle-class society.

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It really is, because we don't suffer well.

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We (I included myself in there).

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I mean, if the air conditioning cut out right now,

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it would only be 15 minutes before you'd be thinking, "Argh. When is he gonna quit?"

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If you were over there with Trevor Johnson, sitting in a 100-degree temperature and a 100% humidity,

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where if a grasshopper flies in, the kid will grab it off your shirt and eat it,

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you would be really happy to just not have 100% humidity. (P)

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We, typically, are of a mindset that the way out of our problems

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is to take the problem away.

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The way out of feeling uncomfortable when the air conditioning is broken

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is to get the air conditioning fixed.

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That's how we think.

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That's not how the author of Hebrews thinks.

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Now look, there's a place when you're being persecuted in one place to flee to another place.

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There's a possibility that we may be able to change the circumstances,

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and Scripture doesn't forbid that.

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But there are a lot of circumstances that you don't have any control over.

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And in fact, we're going to get to a place in the not too distant future

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where we're going to find out that God actually disciplines His people.

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You don't get away from that when God takes the rod to you.

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It may get a lot harder.

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You have not, I mean, we haven't even suffered what they suffered.

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They're like way up there from where we are.

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And even if you're where they are,

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he is saying there have been people that have been way up beyond you.

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You haven't even got to where they are yet.

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And, by the way, the supreme example in all of this,

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which we're not going to get too in-depth today, but it's Christ.

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Christ is the great example here and He did get that far.

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He did shed His blood.

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And so have others that have gone before. (P)

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You see, this isn't the remedy.

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Why focus on this?

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Because some of you have situations where, okay, loneliness in singleness.

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You think that the way out is marriage.

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Or, you are married but it's tough.

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You think the way out is a different wife, a different husband.

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You think the way out, "My husband needs to get saved."

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We have these trials, we have these difficulties.

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And we tend to think the way to run the Christian race undistracted

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is to get the circumstances taken away.

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But I want you to know that that is not God's lot for most of our lives.

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Now look, difficulties come and go.

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They ebb and flow. They rise and fall. I know that.

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But the solution to running the Christian life

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is not found in having your circumstances changed.

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That's not what this is all about. Not at all.

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The key to running the Christian race is not found there. (P)

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Remember Paul? "Lord, I have a thorn in my flesh.

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The way I figure it, the best way for me to run from here is to get that thorn gone.

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Would you please take it away?" (P)

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"No." (P)

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"Okay." (P)

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That's where at different times, like I say, you are going to need Hebrews.

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Because there's going to come a time when you're going to be made to suffer

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and God's not going to take it away.

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In fact, right over the next horizon, your suffering may intensify ten-fold

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from what you're enduring now.

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And when you ask God to take it away, He's going to say, "No.

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You have not yet resisted to the shedding of your blood.

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There's still a lot further that you could go." (P)

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The remedy to running the Christian life does not have to do with finding an easier course.

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It has to do with where your eyes are, not with where your feet are.

292
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Where your feet are has to do with your circumstances,

293
00:23:51,220 --> 00:23:53,817
where you find yourself in the course.

294
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But the remedy here is not concerning the feet, it's concerning the eyes.

295
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This is heart and soul, the most important matter concerning the Christian life.

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There is nothing more important.

297
00:24:13,487 --> 00:24:15,381
Although it's said different ways,

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00:24:15,382 --> 00:24:20,256
this is the heart, this is the thrust of all of the Bible.

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00:24:20,257 --> 00:24:24,482
This is the thrust of every one of the epistles.

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00:24:24,483 --> 00:24:29,928
In one way or another, it emphasizes this same thing.

301
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The heart of how to run the Christian race, the remedy is fixing our eyes on Christ.

302
00:24:38,928 --> 00:24:40,838
It's found in beholding Christ.

303
00:24:40,839 --> 00:24:43,563
And you can see it said two different ways here,

304
00:24:43,564 --> 00:24:46,684
it's said with two different verbs. (P)

305
00:24:46,685 --> 00:24:51,801
We're only going to look at the first verb right now.

306
00:24:51,802 --> 00:24:55,326
But you can see it right there at the end of chapter 1.

307
00:24:55,327 --> 00:25:02,928
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus."

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00:25:02,929 --> 00:25:08,555
And did you get that? "With endurance the race that is set before us."

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You know what that sounds like to me?

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The course gets set before you.

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00:25:14,526 --> 00:25:18,391
You don't determine it. It gets set there.

312
00:25:18,392 --> 00:25:23,961
And your course may be really difficult and may be really hard.

313
00:25:23,962 --> 00:25:27,229
And the whole thing is not to abandon the course.

314
00:25:27,230 --> 00:25:29,388
It's set before you.

315
00:25:29,389 --> 00:25:33,228
You have one responsibility with that course.

316
00:25:33,229 --> 00:25:37,613
Run! with your eyes set on Christ

317
00:25:37,614 --> 00:25:40,040
no matter what the course looks like.

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God has designed it.

319
00:25:42,307 --> 00:25:45,414
And for some, it's torture.

320
00:25:45,415 --> 00:25:49,307
Some, it's getting sawn in two.

321
00:25:51,605 --> 00:25:56,080
That's where we're at. We don't know what God is going to bring tomorrow.

322
00:25:56,081 --> 00:26:05,195
But know this: Through much tribulation we enter. (P)

323
00:26:05,196 --> 00:26:07,898
The thing to do is not to lay down.

324
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The thing to do is to get our eyes in the right place. Looking to Jesus.

325
00:26:13,299 --> 00:26:16,812
Hebrews 12:3, "Consider Him -

326
00:26:16,813 --> 00:26:23,119
different verb, but again the focus is on 'Him' -

327
00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:27,105
who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself

328
00:26:27,106 --> 00:26:29,553
so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted."

329
00:26:29,554 --> 00:26:30,574
Did you get that?

330
00:26:30,575 --> 00:26:35,945
How do I not grow weary or faint-hearted no matter what course is set before me?

331
00:26:35,946 --> 00:26:38,773
Consider Him. (P)

332
00:26:38,774 --> 00:26:44,497
Now, we're going to look at what it is in His life

333
00:26:44,498 --> 00:26:51,371
that we need to consider far more next time, Lordwilling.

334
00:26:51,372 --> 00:26:55,201
But nothing is said here about changing your circumstances.

335
00:26:55,202 --> 00:26:57,746
The race we're running will inevitably get harder,

336
00:26:57,747 --> 00:27:00,929
the temperature is going to rise, the hill is going to get steeper,

337
00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:03,428
the thorn in the flesh possibly sharper.

338
00:27:03,429 --> 00:27:09,158
The way to make it to the end victoriously has everything to do

339
00:27:09,159 --> 00:27:14,985
with where your spiritual eyeballs are aimed, not on your circumstances.

340
00:27:14,986 --> 00:27:21,006
Now let's look at this first verb: Looking on Jesus.

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00:27:21,007 --> 00:27:23,591
You can see that at the end of verse 1,

342
00:27:23,592 --> 00:27:31,005
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus."

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00:27:31,006 --> 00:27:36,006
Now, 'looking' is a verb participle, which means it's not the primary verb.

344
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It modifies 'run'.

345
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:40,117
Run! We need to run!

346
00:27:40,118 --> 00:27:48,668
Always run, we dealt with that before, with our eyes on Christ. (P)

347
00:27:48,669 --> 00:27:53,601
We are to run, looking to Christ.

348
00:27:53,602 --> 00:27:57,722
This verb participle 'looking' is very interesting

349
00:27:57,723 --> 00:28:03,378
because the author of Hebrews had a number of words that he could have chosen.

350
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But he chose a word that is very unique.

351
00:28:07,282 --> 00:28:16,455
Listen to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, defining the word 'looking', 'looking to Christ':

352
00:28:16,456 --> 00:28:25,937
"To turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something."

353
00:28:25,938 --> 00:28:35,894
The Friberg Lexicon says this, "Strictly to look away or to look from;

354
00:28:35,895 --> 00:28:41,622
hence, as giving attention to one thing to the exclusion of all else."

355
00:28:41,623 --> 00:28:50,535
It's almost like 'looking at one thing' comes out of this word only by implication.

356
00:28:50,536 --> 00:28:57,939
This is a word that has to do with turning our eyes away from everything else implied,

357
00:28:57,940 --> 00:29:01,563
to behold one thing.

358
00:29:01,564 --> 00:29:07,895
The Vocabulary of Greek New Testament says this word is defined as,

359
00:29:07,896 --> 00:29:13,972
"Look away from, to."

360
00:29:13,973 --> 00:29:18,801
I mean, the negative in this word is just as critical as the positive. (P)

361
00:29:18,802 --> 00:29:23,868
My point is just this: The author, by using this specific word

362
00:29:23,869 --> 00:29:26,062
instead of the others that he could have chosen,

363
00:29:26,063 --> 00:29:30,766
he's not only interested to show us where our eyes need to be,

364
00:29:30,767 --> 00:29:32,612
but to get them off of everything else.

365
00:29:32,613 --> 00:29:36,071
He's showing us our eyes need to get off the other things

366
00:29:36,072 --> 00:29:39,499
if you're going to look at Christ right.

367
00:29:39,500 --> 00:29:40,897
Sight.

368
00:29:40,898 --> 00:29:44,225
We're not like spiritual chameleons. Have you ever seen those guys?

369
00:29:44,226 --> 00:29:46,216
They got one eye up here and one eye down here.

370
00:29:46,217 --> 00:29:48,580
We can't do that. God didn't make us that way.

371
00:29:48,581 --> 00:29:53,336
You try to look at two things at once, it doesn't work.

372
00:29:53,337 --> 00:29:58,414
And our spiritual eyes are our mind.

373
00:29:58,415 --> 00:30:06,172
And the same thing, it does not allow challengers.

374
00:30:06,173 --> 00:30:12,717
We get absorbed with one thing.

375
00:30:12,718 --> 00:30:15,769
I mean, that's not to say we can't think about several things,

376
00:30:15,770 --> 00:30:18,152
but we get absorbed with one thing.

377
00:30:18,153 --> 00:30:20,888
We're wired that way. (P)

378
00:30:20,889 --> 00:30:28,439
Our spiritual eyeballs are our minds.

379
00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,299
And what happens? I mean, you can mark it.

380
00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:34,807
The reason why our spiritual life decays, why does it decay?

381
00:30:34,808 --> 00:30:37,355
Why does it wither? Why does it weaken?

382
00:30:37,356 --> 00:30:42,959
It's because we fill our mind full of other things.

383
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,542
When the mind is filled with Christ's beauty,

384
00:30:46,543 --> 00:30:51,983
I mean, when we're taken up with Him, He's in our thoughts,

385
00:30:51,984 --> 00:30:56,906
it necessarily requires you to look away from the other things.

386
00:30:56,907 --> 00:30:59,628
For you to get consumed with work, consumed with money,

387
00:30:59,629 --> 00:31:04,114
consumed with circumstances, consumed with all these other things,

388
00:31:04,115 --> 00:31:09,584
you're not going to be able to be consumed with Christ at the same time.

389
00:31:09,585 --> 00:31:11,009
You've got to look away. (P)

390
00:31:11,010 --> 00:31:14,814
Now look, I know that there are responsibilities that we have in life.

391
00:31:14,815 --> 00:31:16,318
I know there are things we have to do.

392
00:31:16,319 --> 00:31:17,908
I know God calls us to work.

393
00:31:17,909 --> 00:31:21,447
I know that there are things that are there.

394
00:31:21,448 --> 00:31:23,880
But those can't be the ruling passions.

395
00:31:23,881 --> 00:31:27,640
Those can't be the love.

396
00:31:27,641 --> 00:31:29,954
What we love, we think on.

397
00:31:29,955 --> 00:31:35,866
And this idea is that Christ needs to be filling the spiritual eyeballs.

398
00:31:35,867 --> 00:31:38,592
We need to be looking there.

399
00:31:38,593 --> 00:31:42,005
This is how our spiritual life gets revived.

400
00:31:42,006 --> 00:31:48,051
And how does it work? I mean, think with me about how it works.

401
00:31:48,052 --> 00:31:51,249
It's a mystery.

402
00:31:51,250 --> 00:31:57,392
Mystery means there are things about it we don't get, we don't see.

403
00:31:57,393 --> 00:32:01,525
But this we do know.

404
00:32:01,526 --> 00:32:05,723
And you need to recognize, I mean, if you could just see this.

405
00:32:05,724 --> 00:32:10,083
See Christ there.

406
00:32:10,084 --> 00:32:13,692
You're running this race, there He is.

407
00:32:13,693 --> 00:32:16,400
You're looking away from the things that are near at hand.

408
00:32:16,401 --> 00:32:18,073
You're looking to Him. (P)

409
00:32:18,074 --> 00:32:25,015
If you try to run a 100-meter sprint, try to do it looking at your feet.

410
00:32:25,016 --> 00:32:27,413
But you see, that's what happens.

411
00:32:27,414 --> 00:32:31,810
You're looking at your feet, you're looking at your circumstances.

412
00:32:31,811 --> 00:32:34,792
We can get really absorbed with these things.

413
00:32:34,793 --> 00:32:38,993
But imagine this, Christ is out there, your spiritual eyeballs,

414
00:32:38,994 --> 00:32:41,018
and follow the sight line.

415
00:32:41,019 --> 00:32:47,952
I mean, see that sight line as a conduit because that's what it is.

416
00:32:47,953 --> 00:32:53,890
Your sight line from your eyeball, your point of perception to Christ,

417
00:32:53,891 --> 00:32:58,443
that sight line is a channel.

418
00:32:58,444 --> 00:33:00,619
And how does it work?

419
00:33:00,620 --> 00:33:06,734
Do you recognize that God designed Christianity

420
00:33:06,735 --> 00:33:13,584
so that all of our treasure is found in Christ.

421
00:33:13,585 --> 00:33:18,768
All that we need. All the supply.

422
00:33:18,769 --> 00:33:21,735
I mean, have you ever read verses like this, Colossians 2:2,

423
00:33:21,736 --> 00:33:26,751
"Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures."

424
00:33:26,752 --> 00:33:29,901
In Christ is all.

425
00:33:29,902 --> 00:33:32,804
He is all in all to the Christian.

426
00:33:32,805 --> 00:33:36,889
He is the source of all the treasure. (P)

427
00:33:36,890 --> 00:33:40,465
John says it there in John chapter 1:16,

428
00:33:40,466 --> 00:33:46,570
"From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace."

429
00:33:46,571 --> 00:33:48,438
It is the fullness of Christ.

430
00:33:48,439 --> 00:33:54,959
He is the one and the only treasure house for the church and for the Christian.

431
00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:59,314
There is none else. God has designed it that way.

432
00:33:59,315 --> 00:34:04,351
When he talks about "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,"

433
00:34:04,352 --> 00:34:08,811
you got to remember the two words in there: "in Christ."

434
00:34:08,812 --> 00:34:11,574
In Christ - that's where they're all found.

435
00:34:11,574 --> 00:34:15,064
And you're not going to find them anywhere else. Nowhere else.

436
00:34:15,065 --> 00:34:17,832
And here is what happens, and this is the mystery,

437
00:34:17,833 --> 00:34:26,224
but when my eyes lock on Him, I gaze upon Him in admiration, in trust, in faith;

438
00:34:26,225 --> 00:34:28,785
when my eyes connect there,

439
00:34:28,786 --> 00:34:34,115
that sight line is a conduit to every single thing I need to successfully run this race.

440
00:34:34,116 --> 00:34:36,049
Everything! (P)

441
00:34:36,050 --> 00:34:39,258
Christ is the source of everything.

442
00:34:39,259 --> 00:34:41,720
He's the great Springhead. He's the Fountain.

443
00:34:41,721 --> 00:34:43,510
And from Him comes everything.

444
00:34:43,511 --> 00:34:46,647
And what happens? My eyes lock on Him.

445
00:34:46,648 --> 00:34:49,496
And I can't see it, I don't know how to figure it,

446
00:34:49,496 --> 00:34:55,888
it's mystical to me how that grace comes from Him in to me, but it does.

447
00:34:55,889 --> 00:34:59,169
And Scripture everywhere asserts this reality.

448
00:34:59,170 --> 00:35:01,529
It is with my eyes focused on Christ.

449
00:35:01,530 --> 00:35:05,021
And what happens the moment I take my eyes off Him?

450
00:35:05,022 --> 00:35:09,510
Conduit is broken immediately.

451
00:35:09,511 --> 00:35:13,526
Now I may not sense it.

452
00:35:13,527 --> 00:35:19,585
Oftentimes, we don't have any physical sensation that this takes place.

453
00:35:19,586 --> 00:35:27,023
In fact, very often, because of the last grace received,

454
00:35:27,024 --> 00:35:31,829
we can ride on it for a few days.

455
00:35:31,830 --> 00:35:36,314
But the new is not coming.

456
00:35:36,315 --> 00:35:42,723
That sight line has been broken, the channel's been broken. (P)

457
00:35:42,724 --> 00:35:46,696
Brethren, if you just go through Scripture

458
00:35:46,697 --> 00:35:49,928
and you start really paying attention to this,

459
00:35:49,929 --> 00:35:55,855
I mean, we find that in Him is all the fullness.

460
00:35:55,856 --> 00:35:59,131
In Him is the fullness of the Godhead.

461
00:35:59,132 --> 00:36:01,700
In Him is reconciliation.

462
00:36:01,701 --> 00:36:03,649
In Him is adoption.

463
00:36:03,650 --> 00:36:05,830
In Him is redemption.

464
00:36:05,831 --> 00:36:07,239
In Him.

465
00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:14,585
1 Corinthians 8:6, "Through Whom are all things."

466
00:36:14,586 --> 00:36:19,272
We have to be absolutely convinced of this reality that it's in Him, in Him.

467
00:36:19,273 --> 00:36:22,789
God has designed it so that the supply that I need, and you need,

468
00:36:22,790 --> 00:36:25,270
and our church needs to run this thing,

469
00:36:25,271 --> 00:36:28,484
the grace that we need to send out these missionaries,

470
00:36:28,485 --> 00:36:32,444
the grace we need to walk day by day, to strive in holiness,

471
00:36:32,445 --> 00:36:36,808
to live this life in love, to do what we are called to do,

472
00:36:36,809 --> 00:36:42,700
to uphold this Book, to be obedient to God, to walk in truth;

473
00:36:42,701 --> 00:36:46,834
all of it, all of the supply flows from Him.

474
00:36:46,835 --> 00:36:49,268
I mean, I was reading there in Revelation 22

475
00:36:49,269 --> 00:36:54,478
and it talks about this river that flows out of the throne of God and the Lamb.

476
00:36:54,479 --> 00:36:57,609
And I was just thinking, that is it.

477
00:36:57,610 --> 00:37:00,926
And here in this life, it's like God has designed it

478
00:37:00,927 --> 00:37:06,238
so that that sight line is the channel by which that river flows. (P)

479
00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:13,158
My eyes locked in upon Him, and here it comes, unsearchable riches.

480
00:37:13,159 --> 00:37:15,243
Unsearchable.

481
00:37:15,244 --> 00:37:20,660
I mean, can you see Him? It's like all this gloious, unsearchable riches.

482
00:37:20,661 --> 00:37:24,335
Just imagine.

483
00:37:24,336 --> 00:37:28,536
Sometimes you've seen maybe these pictures of treasure,

484
00:37:28,537 --> 00:37:32,002
or like a dragon's lair, full of treasure.

485
00:37:32,003 --> 00:37:39,695
You can just imagine all the sparkling millions and millions of sparkling dazzling diamonds,

486
00:37:39,696 --> 00:37:43,815
and rubys, and jewels, and pearls, and gems just coming forth,

487
00:37:43,816 --> 00:37:46,557
all manner of the most beautiful fragrances

488
00:37:46,558 --> 00:37:54,429
and the most beautiful treasure that you've ever imagined.

489
00:37:54,430 --> 00:37:59,577
And that's just all the supply and the graces and the beauties.

490
00:37:59,578 --> 00:38:03,637
Christ beautifying us with His own image. That's what happens.

491
00:38:03,638 --> 00:38:08,539
We connect eyeballs with Him, and such things flow from Him

492
00:38:08,540 --> 00:38:17,797
when we look to Him in faith, in love, in hope.

493
00:38:17,798 --> 00:38:20,734
Such things flow from Him.

494
00:38:20,735 --> 00:38:27,290
Such glory flows in that river that turns us into Him.

495
00:38:27,291 --> 00:38:29,985
I mean, into His likeness. (P)

496
00:38:29,986 --> 00:38:38,782
I mean, such things flow to us that His image becomes more and more burned upon us.

497
00:38:38,783 --> 00:38:45,629
Gazing upon Christ by faith, that fountain flows.

498
00:38:45,630 --> 00:38:50,457
The very beauty of Christ, the very preciousness of His Person,

499
00:38:50,458 --> 00:38:55,080
the beauties of His attributes, they flow from Him to us.

500
00:38:55,081 --> 00:39:07,235
This storehouse of treasure is unleashed and it imprints His image upon us.

501
00:39:07,236 --> 00:39:11,207
And you see, what happens is, it's not where our feet are.

502
00:39:11,208 --> 00:39:18,661
Our eyes outpace our feet. Our eyes are looking upon Christ.

503
00:39:18,662 --> 00:39:25,127
And in that way, such grace flows to us that it gives strength to our feet.

504
00:39:25,128 --> 00:39:30,585
Whatever mud we're sloshing through or hill we're climbing,

505
00:39:30,586 --> 00:39:35,628
it gives strength to our feet to run, and to run well,

506
00:39:35,629 --> 00:39:39,299
and to keep going, and to not become weary.

507
00:39:39,300 --> 00:39:46,679
Consider Him so that you don't become weary and lose heart, brethren, in this fight.

508
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,572
And what is it that we're not to look at?

509
00:39:49,573 --> 00:39:53,854
I mean, this looking to Christ has everything to do with the negative as well as the positive.

510
00:39:53,855 --> 00:39:55,249
Turning my eyes away. (P)

511
00:39:55,250 --> 00:39:56,800
Turning my eyes away from what?

512
00:39:56,801 --> 00:40:02,211
I mean, what are some of the things that are common distractions?

513
00:40:02,212 --> 00:40:04,924
Self.

514
00:40:04,925 --> 00:40:13,238
Oh, if there's ever anything that stands between my eyeballs and Christ,

515
00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:19,458
self is a notorious distraction.

516
00:40:19,459 --> 00:40:24,346
I mean, and I know it, I watch some of you.

517
00:40:24,347 --> 00:40:31,577
Some of us in this place, suddenly, you're flopping all over the place.

518
00:40:31,578 --> 00:40:36,350
You're running the race like a drunken sailor.

519
00:40:36,351 --> 00:40:40,796
And you go up and you start asking them,

520
00:40:40,797 --> 00:40:46,976
and spiritually speaking, they've been in the bathroom gazing at themselves in the mirror.

521
00:40:46,977 --> 00:40:48,313
They've been looking at their performance,

522
00:40:48,314 --> 00:40:49,908
and they've been looking at how well they've done,

523
00:40:49,909 --> 00:40:51,474
and they've looked at recent falls,

524
00:40:51,475 --> 00:40:53,519
and they've looked at this and they've looked at that,

525
00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:55,525
and they're examining themselves.

526
00:40:55,526 --> 00:40:58,534
And see what they've done? They've taken their eyes off of Christ

527
00:40:58,535 --> 00:41:03,271
and what they need to run this race in hope, in love, in joy.

528
00:41:03,272 --> 00:41:09,355
The thrill, the excitement, the adoration of Christ, it's dried up.

529
00:41:09,356 --> 00:41:14,979
Why? Because their eyes are not where they ought to be.

530
00:41:14,980 --> 00:41:18,670
And you got to get them off that. You gotta turn them away. (P)

531
00:41:18,671 --> 00:41:20,725
So often you've got the people that, you know,

532
00:41:20,726 --> 00:41:24,009
"Well, I'm looking at my faith and I'm lookin at..."

533
00:41:24,010 --> 00:41:25,360
Look to Jesus.

534
00:41:25,361 --> 00:41:26,728
"I'm looking at my repentance."

535
00:41:26,729 --> 00:41:28,426
Look to Jesus.

536
00:41:28,427 --> 00:41:36,488
The devil is a master at coming alongside, and saying, "Look at yourself!

537
00:41:36,489 --> 00:41:39,518
Look at what you just did.

538
00:41:39,519 --> 00:41:42,283
Do you think Christ wants anything to do with you?"

539
00:41:42,284 --> 00:41:44,292
And if you keep your eyes on yourself,

540
00:41:44,293 --> 00:41:47,511
you're going to start agreeing with the devil.

541
00:41:47,512 --> 00:41:53,850
But if you get your eyes on Christ, you say, "Wait a second."

542
00:41:53,851 --> 00:41:55,677
He's here telling you, "Look what you've done.

543
00:41:55,678 --> 00:41:57,475
You think Christ wants anything to do with you?"

544
00:41:57,475 --> 00:42:02,966
And you look at Christ and you say, "Well, when Peter fell,

545
00:42:02,967 --> 00:42:07,359
He seemed like He wanted a lot to do with Him.

546
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:12,443
And John says that when we fall, we have an Advocate with the Father.

547
00:42:12,444 --> 00:42:17,326
And I don't see that any of the Christians in there were perfect yet;

548
00:42:17,327 --> 00:42:20,171
and yet, Jesus was faithful to never leave them nor forsake them.

549
00:42:20,172 --> 00:42:25,494
That's what I see when I look at Christ."

550
00:42:25,495 --> 00:42:28,148
But when you look at yourself, you know what you're going to find?

551
00:42:28,149 --> 00:42:30,290
You're going to find failure.

552
00:42:30,291 --> 00:42:33,021
You're going to find fault.

553
00:42:33,022 --> 00:42:37,288
You're going to find reason to doubt.

554
00:42:37,289 --> 00:42:39,532
But that's not where your eyes should be.

555
00:42:39,533 --> 00:42:42,540
Your eyes should be on Christ. (P)

556
00:42:42,541 --> 00:42:46,701
It's Christ who saves. It's Christ who saves.

557
00:42:46,702 --> 00:42:51,846
And even though I can tell you about eyeballs and sight lines going to Him,

558
00:42:51,847 --> 00:42:54,062
remember this: It's Him that saves.

559
00:42:54,063 --> 00:42:55,501
It's not how well you look;

560
00:42:55,502 --> 00:42:58,551
it's not how well you've got that sight line established;

561
00:42:58,552 --> 00:43:01,688
but you just look at Him. You've got to look at Him.

562
00:43:01,689 --> 00:43:06,417
But it can be ever so weak, it can be ever so miserable and pitiful,

563
00:43:06,418 --> 00:43:11,174
and it can be just this slightest glance of your eyes over there

564
00:43:11,175 --> 00:43:13,929
in desperate need and help, don't trust in that.

565
00:43:13,930 --> 00:43:17,018
Don't look at yourself. Don't look at your eyeballs.

566
00:43:17,019 --> 00:43:18,637
Don't look at the sight line.

567
00:43:18,638 --> 00:43:21,981
You have to look at Christ. It is Christ who saves.

568
00:43:21,982 --> 00:43:27,038
It is Christ who is the Savior. It is Christ who is all.

569
00:43:27,039 --> 00:43:31,075
Don't look at your faith, your faith does not save you.

570
00:43:31,076 --> 00:43:32,984
Your merit is not found there.

571
00:43:32,985 --> 00:43:35,671
That only attaches you to Him who saves.

572
00:43:35,672 --> 00:43:39,002
The merit is in Christ. It's all in Christ.

573
00:43:39,003 --> 00:43:43,090
The storehouse is in Christ.

574
00:43:43,091 --> 00:43:49,563
And that's how we must run, not looking at self.

575
00:43:49,564 --> 00:43:55,411
The devil will tell you that you're running pitifully.

576
00:43:55,412 --> 00:43:59,476
He's going to say you're not running it as well as others.

577
00:43:59,477 --> 00:44:01,517
And you're going to start looking at your prayer life,

578
00:44:01,518 --> 00:44:05,985
and you start looking at where your own heart is at.

579
00:44:05,986 --> 00:44:10,720
You start looking at your feelings. (P)

580
00:44:13,193 --> 00:44:19,984
Brethren, it's all about what Jesus is, not what we are,

581
00:44:19,985 --> 00:44:25,038
that gives us the power and the vigour and the revival to run this race.

582
00:44:25,039 --> 00:44:32,390
And I'll tell you this, the devil wants your eyeballs anywhere and everywhere except on Christ.

583
00:44:32,391 --> 00:44:37,016
I mean, morality - oh yeah;

584
00:44:37,017 --> 00:44:41,452
spirituality - better believe it;

585
00:44:41,453 --> 00:44:46,017
even reading good books - be sure of it;

586
00:44:46,018 --> 00:44:49,525
even doing good things in the Christian life, and being involved with works,

587
00:44:49,526 --> 00:44:53,611
and being involved with ministry - you better believe it.

588
00:44:53,612 --> 00:45:01,497
Anything to distract you from Christ.

589
00:45:01,498 --> 00:45:06,407
He can't take a Christian out. Not the true ones.

590
00:45:06,408 --> 00:45:10,094
And I don't know if he actually knows the true ones.

591
00:45:10,095 --> 00:45:14,606
I don't know that he knows that.

592
00:45:14,607 --> 00:45:22,821
In fact, I rather suspect he knows, like we know, the indications of true Christianity.

593
00:45:22,822 --> 00:45:27,973
But I really think he's bent on their total destruction.

594
00:45:27,974 --> 00:45:30,707
But if he sees that the signs are very...

595
00:45:30,708 --> 00:45:35,416
He's seen this for 6,000 years or more.

596
00:45:35,417 --> 00:45:38,733
He knows the signs of God's people.

597
00:45:38,734 --> 00:45:40,678
And when he sees them, if he can't destroy you,

598
00:45:40,679 --> 00:45:43,348
I'll tell you this, he wants your eyes off of Christ

599
00:45:43,349 --> 00:45:49,811
because he wants to weaken you and make you as ineffective as possible.

600
00:45:49,812 --> 00:45:52,382
Lost or saved, he wants your eyes off Christ

601
00:45:52,383 --> 00:45:55,973
because there's life there, and there's power,

602
00:45:55,974 --> 00:46:00,513
and there's hope, and there's salvation. (P)

603
00:46:00,514 --> 00:46:03,248
Get your eyes off other men.

604
00:46:03,249 --> 00:46:05,911
You know, you're running along the race, and you look over at so and so,

605
00:46:05,912 --> 00:46:09,877
"Oh, they're running faster than me. I must not be saved."

606
00:46:09,878 --> 00:46:12,150
What do they have to do with you?

607
00:46:12,151 --> 00:46:13,858
That's like Peter and John.

608
00:46:13,859 --> 00:46:19,134
Here's Peter running along looking at John.

609
00:46:19,135 --> 00:46:27,575
And it's like Jesus had to wallop him upside the head, "You follow Me.

610
00:46:27,576 --> 00:46:31,017
Get your eyes on Me."

611
00:46:31,018 --> 00:46:33,400
Because what happens when you look at other men?

612
00:46:33,401 --> 00:46:37,206
Well, you look over at them, they're not running as well. Pride.

613
00:46:37,207 --> 00:46:39,654
Because you just got your eyes off of Christ.

614
00:46:39,655 --> 00:46:42,751
And now, you're giving opportunity to the flesh.

615
00:46:42,752 --> 00:46:44,760
You're making provision for the flesh.

616
00:46:44,761 --> 00:46:46,999
You got your eyes on brother so and so,

617
00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:50,462
and if you're outrunning him, now you're all puffed up.

618
00:46:50,463 --> 00:46:56,361
If you're not running as well as he is, now you're all discouraged.

619
00:46:56,362 --> 00:46:59,681
"If I can't run as well as them, then I don't want to run at all."

620
00:46:59,682 --> 00:47:03,767
Get your eyes on Christ. (P)

621
00:47:03,768 --> 00:47:06,211
And we've already talked about circumstances,

622
00:47:06,212 --> 00:47:09,440
but oh how often people look at their circumstances.

623
00:47:09,441 --> 00:47:11,273
They look at their circumstances.

624
00:47:11,274 --> 00:47:12,852
Again, let's use Peter.

625
00:47:12,853 --> 00:47:17,289
I mean, Peter, what's going on? You're walking on water.

626
00:47:17,290 --> 00:47:19,873
I mean, your eyes are glued on Christ

627
00:47:19,874 --> 00:47:25,860
and something is flowing from Him to you that makes you walk on water.

628
00:47:25,861 --> 00:47:32,378
But then he got to looking at his circumstances, got his eyes off Christ.

629
00:47:32,379 --> 00:47:34,098
And immediately -

630
00:47:34,099 --> 00:47:38,423
I mean, if there is ever a picture of the channel being broken.

631
00:47:38,424 --> 00:47:40,535
Immediately.

632
00:47:40,536 --> 00:47:47,743
You see, your problem is not eliminating the storm.

633
00:47:47,744 --> 00:47:55,091
The problem is keeping your eyes focused where they need to be.

634
00:47:55,092 --> 00:48:02,544
And brethren, just think about it.

635
00:48:02,545 --> 00:48:13,419
Here God designs Christianity, and He says, "Okay.

636
00:48:13,420 --> 00:48:17,882
The way that you're going to succeed in this race

637
00:48:17,883 --> 00:48:29,028
is to set your eyes on the most beautiful Object that there is.

638
00:48:29,029 --> 00:48:34,947
I want you to set your eyes on Him who is perfect excellence;

639
00:48:34,948 --> 00:48:40,355
on Him that is unparalled beauty."

640
00:48:40,356 --> 00:48:42,824
I mean, think, that's what God did.

641
00:48:42,825 --> 00:48:50,074
He said, "I want you to behold Him who is altogether lovely."

642
00:48:50,075 --> 00:48:54,385
I mean, does that sound tortuous that God would say,

643
00:48:54,386 --> 00:48:59,312
"And this is how you'll find strength and energy and help to run this race.

644
00:48:59,313 --> 00:49:08,725
I want you to behold Him who is altogether glorious to behold"? (P)

645
00:49:08,726 --> 00:49:15,010
And you need to remember that the author of Hebrews,

646
00:49:15,011 --> 00:49:18,464
when he starts the Hebrew letter,

647
00:49:18,465 --> 00:49:24,144
he gives us one of the richest chapters in all Scripture

648
00:49:24,145 --> 00:49:28,340
portraying the glories of Christ.

649
00:49:28,341 --> 00:49:31,645
There was rhyme and reason to why he did that.

650
00:49:31,646 --> 00:49:43,326
That's how the weak knees get strengthened, the drooping hands rise up,

651
00:49:43,327 --> 00:49:47,645
that which is lame gets healed.

652
00:49:47,646 --> 00:49:51,999
That's where it is. That's where it's found.

653
00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:56,785
And let's be honest.

654
00:49:56,786 --> 00:49:59,914
I mean, let's admit it.

655
00:49:59,915 --> 00:50:09,334
Other ways and other means have failed us again and again and again.

656
00:50:09,335 --> 00:50:16,191
You've not run better when you suddenly decided that,

657
00:50:16,192 --> 00:50:20,331
"I'm going to get my eyes off Christ and I'm going to take up a hobby.

658
00:50:20,332 --> 00:50:23,821
I'm going to take my eyes off Christ and I'm going to indulge in sports.

659
00:50:23,822 --> 00:50:27,854
I'm going to take my eyes off of Christ and I'm going to take up golfing.

660
00:50:27,855 --> 00:50:33,013
I'm going to take my eyes off Christ, and I'm... whatever."

661
00:50:33,014 --> 00:50:36,782
Common, it's failed us every single time.

662
00:50:36,783 --> 00:50:41,223
Every single time we've occupied our minds with something else,

663
00:50:41,224 --> 00:50:44,874
you have not done better.

664
00:50:44,875 --> 00:50:53,116
It's only set you in the mode to coast. That's all. (P)

665
00:50:53,117 --> 00:50:58,306
And so, here as I'm wrapping this up, I just think this:

666
00:50:58,307 --> 00:51:02,619
We need to all consciously, consciously,

667
00:51:02,620 --> 00:51:06,430
because remember, the eyeballs we're talking about here

668
00:51:06,431 --> 00:51:10,208
are our heads, our minds, our thoughts.

669
00:51:10,209 --> 00:51:13,375
This is where we look.

670
00:51:13,376 --> 00:51:23,696
And what we need to do is we need to get to where, with our spiritual eyeballs,

671
00:51:23,697 --> 00:51:29,244
we're tapping this treasure house, we're beholding the glories of Christ,

672
00:51:29,245 --> 00:51:32,688
we're contemplating the beauties of Christ.

673
00:51:32,689 --> 00:51:35,468
And that takes a conscientious effort.

674
00:51:35,469 --> 00:51:39,782
It's not something that's going to happen spontaneously without your effort.

675
00:51:39,783 --> 00:51:43,502
It's not something that's going to happen if you don't apply yourself.

676
00:51:43,503 --> 00:51:47,408
It's not something that's going to happen unless you prioritize your life.

677
00:51:47,409 --> 00:51:49,806
It just simply isn't going to.

678
00:51:49,807 --> 00:51:53,808
If you think, "Well, I'll get to that if there's opportunity,

679
00:51:53,809 --> 00:52:00,003
if there's extra time in my day," it's not going to happen. (P)

680
00:52:03,036 --> 00:52:06,229
So what do we do?

681
00:52:06,230 --> 00:52:11,797
I mean, if everybody in this church stepped up our efforts

682
00:52:11,798 --> 00:52:19,713
to take more time to behold Christ, it would be to the benefit of all of us.

683
00:52:19,714 --> 00:52:21,582
So what can we do?

684
00:52:21,583 --> 00:52:23,979
I mean, that's what I was thinking about as I got through this.

685
00:52:23,980 --> 00:52:29,632
Well, what we can do is, next time we can look at Christ all the more,

686
00:52:29,633 --> 00:52:38,796
because His example, His going to the cross is what the author wants to put before us.

687
00:52:38,797 --> 00:52:43,525
So next time we'll go there.

688
00:52:43,526 --> 00:52:47,872
What can you do?

689
00:52:47,873 --> 00:52:55,747
Well, you can see that the thing that the author of Hebrews wants set before our eyes is the cross.

690
00:52:55,748 --> 00:52:59,705
Have you ever thought about the Lord's Supper, the only ongoing ordinance?

691
00:52:59,706 --> 00:53:01,117
It's exactly that.

692
00:53:01,118 --> 00:53:05,181
Why? Because that's where our life is.

693
00:53:05,182 --> 00:53:09,093
That's where our health is. (P)

694
00:53:09,094 --> 00:53:10,686
You can determine this.

695
00:53:10,687 --> 00:53:15,761
I just recently, when I was trying to deal with things down in Laredo,

696
00:53:15,762 --> 00:53:24,558
I sat down and I met with a family that has not attended the Lord's Supper service

697
00:53:24,559 --> 00:53:27,812
the entire time they've been there.

698
00:53:27,813 --> 00:53:31,099
That's not taking the race seriously.

699
00:53:31,100 --> 00:53:33,576
And I would say that to you folks here.

700
00:53:33,577 --> 00:53:37,983
When we have the Lord's Supper, you should come desiring this very thing.

701
00:53:37,984 --> 00:53:44,309
It is an opportunity for me, along with the other brethren in a corporate way, to behold Christ.

702
00:53:44,310 --> 00:53:47,333
You should come with your hearts ready to sing.

703
00:53:47,334 --> 00:53:52,183
Have you ever noticed that our songs have a lot of Christ, a lot of glory?

704
00:53:52,184 --> 00:53:56,092
You come here on a Wednesday, "Lord, help me to see Christ in those songs."

705
00:53:56,093 --> 00:53:58,597
You come here on a Sunday. (P)

706
00:53:58,598 --> 00:54:02,107
How about this:

707
00:54:02,108 --> 00:54:15,309
Maybe some of you would consider memorizing like Colossians 1:15-19.

708
00:54:15,310 --> 00:54:18,820
That's not many verses.

709
00:54:18,821 --> 00:54:23,026
But what that does is, it fills your looking.

710
00:54:23,027 --> 00:54:28,535
It fills your sight when you are memorizing verses

711
00:54:28,536 --> 00:54:35,251
that just portray all this magnificient light of Christ.

712
00:54:35,252 --> 00:54:40,651
How about this, maybe some of you are more aggresive than that:

713
00:54:40,652 --> 00:54:45,570
the first 18 verses of John chapter 1.

714
00:54:45,571 --> 00:54:52,749
Maybe you're more aggressive: The first chapter of Hebrews.

715
00:54:52,750 --> 00:54:58,740
Psalm 22. Isaiah 53.

716
00:54:58,741 --> 00:55:00,263
And I'm serious.

717
00:55:00,264 --> 00:55:10,736
You should think seriously at least memorizing Colossians 1:15-19. At least.

718
00:55:10,737 --> 00:55:16,723
How about this: I mean, I just glanced through my library.

719
00:55:16,724 --> 00:55:19,572
You might think about reading one of these.

720
00:55:19,573 --> 00:55:23,587
"Love to the Unseen Christ" by Vincent.

721
00:55:23,588 --> 00:55:27,627
"Christ's Glorious Achievements" by Spurgeon.

722
00:55:27,628 --> 00:55:30,673
"The Heart of Christ" by the puritan, Goodwin.

723
00:55:30,674 --> 00:55:33,816
"The Love of Christ" by another purian, Sibbs.

724
00:55:33,817 --> 00:55:36,096
"The Glory of Christ" by Owen.

725
00:55:36,097 --> 00:55:38,898
"The Sympathy of Christ" by Winslow.

726
00:55:38,899 --> 00:55:42,315
"The Saints' Knowledge of Christ's Love" by Bunyan.

727
00:55:42,316 --> 00:55:46,981
"The Temptation of Christ" by Manton.

728
00:55:46,982 --> 00:55:49,768
"The Lord Our Shepherd" by MacMillan.

729
00:55:49,769 --> 00:55:52,523
"The Prayer Life of Our Lord" by McIntyre.

730
00:55:52,524 --> 00:55:55,592
"The Person of Christ" by Schaff.

731
00:55:55,593 --> 00:55:58,225
"Abide in Christ" by Murray.

732
00:55:58,226 --> 00:56:00,995
"The Cross" by Lloyd Jones.

733
00:56:00,996 --> 00:56:04,132
"Jesus Christ is Our Advocate" by Bunyan.

734
00:56:04,133 --> 00:56:07,478
And these are just some I had looked at in my library. (P)

735
00:56:07,479 --> 00:56:15,691
In fact, I was thinking, this book by Phillip Schaff, The Person of Christ,

736
00:56:15,692 --> 00:56:26,567
maybe those who are desirous, maybe we could get a discount rate.

737
00:56:26,568 --> 00:56:29,006
I know that Granted Ministries put that out.

738
00:56:29,007 --> 00:56:35,774
Maybe we could buy a case and we could seek to read one chapter a week.

739
00:56:35,775 --> 00:56:42,635
And every Wednesday, for maybe ten minutes in the prayer meeting,

740
00:56:42,636 --> 00:56:54,461
we can just share among ourselves about what we found there in that book.

741
00:56:54,462 --> 00:56:58,440
But you see, if we all make a conscientious effort

742
00:56:58,441 --> 00:57:02,323
to turn our eyes off some other things;

743
00:57:02,324 --> 00:57:11,439
you don't have to give yourself to prayer and fasting just when we do it as a church corporately.

744
00:57:11,440 --> 00:57:15,715
You could set aside a time where you're going to have a date with Christ.

745
00:57:15,716 --> 00:57:23,922
You do that with a wife or a husband if you want to encourage love and intimacy there.

746
00:57:23,923 --> 00:57:27,086
Have a date with Christ where you're going to sit down

747
00:57:27,087 --> 00:57:30,338
and you're just going to meditate on Hebrews 1.

748
00:57:30,339 --> 00:57:33,817
You're just going to set aside an hour out of the week where you do that.

749
00:57:33,818 --> 00:57:38,237
Conscientious effort to behold Christ. (P)

750
00:57:38,238 --> 00:57:43,065
And again, it's not going to be that you're going to feel something

751
00:57:43,066 --> 00:57:48,421
like taking your keys and sticking them in an outlet.

752
00:57:48,422 --> 00:57:56,307
But you guarantee it, God will see to it you will tap riches.

753
00:57:56,308 --> 00:58:07,272
And if you build that into your life consistently, over against those who don't,

754
00:58:07,273 --> 00:58:17,033
the day will come you will be miles ahead in this race for life.

755
00:58:17,034 --> 00:58:20,321
You will run firm. Hind's feet.

756
00:58:20,322 --> 00:58:22,358
Isn't that what we read about David?

757
00:58:22,359 --> 00:58:30,097
Psalm 18, He gives us feet that are stable in the rocky places.

758
00:58:30,098 --> 00:58:34,265
God does that.

759
00:58:34,266 --> 00:58:38,833
He so delights in His Son.

760
00:58:38,834 --> 00:58:45,444
When you lock your eyeballs on Him, that just so pleases Him;

761
00:58:45,445 --> 00:58:51,894
pleases the Spirit who came into this world to glorify Christ.

762
00:58:51,895 --> 00:59:00,179
God will flood you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

763
00:59:00,180 --> 00:59:04,324
They're found in Christ. (P)

764
00:59:08,204 --> 00:59:10,373
Let's pray.

765
00:59:27,221 --> 00:59:37,393
Lord, I pray, I could pray and I desire,

766
00:59:37,394 --> 00:59:40,003
Lord, may You persuade us of this.

767
00:59:40,004 --> 00:59:47,155
I'm sure the way Peter throughout his life,

768
00:59:47,156 --> 00:59:51,823
I'm sure he didn't walk on water and forget that soon.

769
00:59:51,824 --> 00:59:55,966
He remembered it.

770
00:59:55,967 --> 01:00:02,386
He remembered a lesson.

771
01:00:02,387 --> 01:00:16,368
He remembered that when his eyes beheld the Treasure of his life, Him who he loved,

772
01:00:16,369 --> 01:00:25,436
such help, such power, such grace was given to him that he could do the impossible.

773
01:00:25,437 --> 01:00:26,783
But his eyes turned away.

774
01:00:26,784 --> 01:00:28,456
What a lesson that was to him.

775
01:00:28,457 --> 01:00:34,131
And I pray that You would convince us and teach us just as soundly,

776
01:00:34,132 --> 01:00:39,632
just as stark ways about that reality.

777
01:00:39,633 --> 01:00:43,179
Oh, may we feel that reality.

778
01:00:43,180 --> 01:00:47,798
May you convince us overwhelmingly that other means

779
01:00:47,799 --> 01:00:51,135
and methods and modes have never worked.

780
01:00:51,136 --> 01:00:53,395
They have never worked.

781
01:00:53,396 --> 01:00:57,604
When we've given ourselves to anything, any new way, any new plan,

782
01:00:57,605 --> 01:01:06,792
it's just like what happened there in the Galatian church, the church at Colosse,

783
01:01:06,793 --> 01:01:11,190
anything that turned them away from Christ,

784
01:01:11,191 --> 01:01:14,567
Paul was so convinced it just would lead to their weakness

785
01:01:14,568 --> 01:01:17,119
and to their downfall, their destruction.

786
01:01:17,120 --> 01:01:22,223
Oh, may we be convinced just as the apostle Paul was, as Peter was.

787
01:01:22,224 --> 01:01:28,617
Lord, may you convince us that this is the heart and soul of Christianity.

788
01:01:28,618 --> 01:01:34,551
Lord, help us. Give us grace, please, to step it up.

789
01:01:34,552 --> 01:01:42,236
Lord, teach us this truth that it's not circumstances that we need to change to run well.

790
01:01:42,237 --> 01:01:48,354
It's just having our eyes looking to Jesus.

791
01:01:48,355 --> 01:01:51,833
Oh, we pray it in His name. Amen. (P)