Sermon Title : Fix Your Eyes
Date : 10th May 2020
Delivered by : Rev. Christopher Pak
Hebrews 12: 1 - 3“Fix your eyes forward on what you can do, not back on what you cannot change.”
The times of believers in Hebrews
- Persecuted church, believers
- Hebrews written to Jewish Christians in face of persecution & discouragement
- Hebrews written remind & strengthen believers to endure hardship for gospel’s sake
- It was a rally point, exhorting Christians to refocus, redirect attention
What we fix our eyes matters
- We live in a noisy world and constant distractions can make focus difficult
- The current pandemic has shut out much of the noises temporarily
- As the nations of the world emerge from lockdowns, the noisiness of life inevitably increases
- We need to cut through the noise and distractions to continue to grow and develop in our faith in Jesus
Fix Our Eyes on JesusThe example of Peter (Matthew 14:22-33)
- Disciples in the lake, strong waves
- Seasoned fishermen, fearful
- Thought they saw a ghost
- Jesus says, “Take courage. It is I”
- Peter responded, if it if you Lord, tell me to come
- Obeyed and started walking on water!
- Eyes on Jesus, walked on water; eyes off, sinks
Fix Our Eyes on the Cross
- We are commanded to carry our cross daily
- What does it means to carry the cross
- Willing to pursue the Father’s will
- Willing to lay down one’s life in order to find it
The Meaning of the Cross
- It was the designated perfect , sinless sacrifice - God’s Only Son
- But God’s Word describes “it is a power (dunamis) of God”
- It requires faith (believe) and one must act upon it (profess)
- And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
- For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Fix Our Eyes on Those Before Us
- Jesus taught His disciples to count the cost
- Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
The Great Cloud of Witnesses
- Men & women of faith before us, throughout the generations
- To inspire us, to learn from them - that we are overcomers
- That we can start and finish the journey!
- That which hinders & entangles
- Throw off sin that so easily entangles
The Great Cloud of Witnesses
- Run with perseverance, hupomeno
- Emphasis: an action which requires effort
- To remain under pressure - pressing to the end in spite of difficulties
- “Race” - a place of contest, conflict
- A race not of our choosing, but marked out for us (by God)
- God’s athletic programmer to hone faith
SPIRITUALITY requires effort and determination.
There is no short cut! It comes through patient
endurance… hupomeno ~ Pastor Christopher Pak