Looking Unto Jesus

Hebrews 12:1-2
The Race of Faith
1 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,
2 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.

Our life and walk in Christ is like a race of faith. This race spans a lifetime covering the whole journey of life. To complete and finish this race, we must always keep our eyes on the goal.

What is the goal? The goal of our Christian faith is Christ in us, the hope of glory. This is the desire of God that we will be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Romans 8:29
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Salvation is the beginning of our spiritual journey. Sanctification is ongoing. Glorification is the finishing line!

 


God is transforming us daily from glory to glory into the likeness of His Son! By looking unto Jesus, He will help us to focus on Him, and not anything or anyone else! Whether we admit it or not, many of us have dreams and aspirations to become famous, rich and powerful. The person we want to become is often not Christ but some celebrities, billionaires or well-known pop stars, pastors or prophets! These "idols" of ours often set us on a different path or route that God does not intend us to walk.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Looking unto Jesus will require us to live our life for Christ and Christ alone! We must truly love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. A heart that is abiding in Him, and not wandering away from Him. A life that communes with Him daily as we journey through the ups and downs, the mountains and valleys, and the good and bad times! In our sweet communion and fellowship with Christ, we will remember Him, and give thanks for what He has done for us.

Luke 22:19
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

To have Christ living in us and molding us to become like Him, we must cultivate a personal and intimate relationship with our Lord. We must increasingly know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death so that we too may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:7-14
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

As we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with patience this race that God has set before us. Some of these men and women of faith watching us from the grandstands are unquestionably the countless heroes of faith listed in the previous chapter, namely Hebrews 11. They and many others that come after them bear witness, and testify to this truth that God is faithful in fulfilling all of His promises found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As they have completed and finished their race of faith, they are our godly examples to follow!

As they cheer and encourage us to press on faithfully, let us remove any thing that slows us down or holds us back. Let us put away those sins that bind themselves so tightly around our feet and cause us to slip, trip and fall.

All those worldly things that we once thought to be of great value and worth, we now throw all of them away so that we can put our trust and hope in Christ alone. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

In putting away all the worthless things in life including spiritual pride, self-righteousness and worldly achievements, we can have Christ, and become one with Him. Jesus is with us all the way in this race of faith. His presence will cheer, guide and guard us all the way!

Thus let us run faithfully with endurance this race that God has set before us. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, our Leader and Instructor. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Because of the joy that was set before Him, He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross. Now our Lord sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

As Christ has shown us His example, let us be willing to give up and denounce every thing that does not please Him. That's the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought Him back to life again. In doing so, we will find out what it means to suffer and to die with Him, and to become alive from the dead. Then we will live in the newness of life found in the resurrection of Christ.

As we are in the race, none of us is perfect until we are perfected to become like Christ at the end of the race! Let us place all of our energies and efforts to do this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead so that we can press on to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God has called us in Christ Jesus.

Thus let us look unto Jesus as we run the race faithfully, and until we become like Christ which is what Jesus saved us for and desires us to be.

Written on: 11 July 2019