Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay...

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Hebrews 12:1Hebrews 12:1• 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,

• Weight = Hindrance– Not necessarily sinful, but not helpful (1Co.6:12)

“Therefore…let us lay aside every weight…and let us run with

endurance the race that is set before us.”

Lay Aside Every WeightLay Aside Every Weight(Heb.12:1)(Heb.12:1)

1 Corinthians 6:121 Corinthians 6:12• All things are lawful for me, but all

things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 6:121 Corinthians 6:12• All things are lawfullawful for me, butbut all

things are NOT helpfulNOT helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Lawful

Helpful

things are NOT helpfulNOT helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

things are NOT helpfulNOT helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought I will not be brought under the power under the power of anyof any.

• If desire is to finish - shed the weight!

• Key is DESIRE / VALUE (Mt.6:21)

Matthew 6:21Matthew 6:21• For where your treasure is, there your

heart will be also.

• Great in God’s mind or in man’s eyes?– (Mk.10:43-45)(Jo.12:42-43)(Jo.5:44)

“Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant”

DesireDesire For Worldly For Worldly SuccessSuccess

Mark 10:43-45Mark 10:43-45• (43) "Yet it shall not be so among you;

but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

• (44) "And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

• (45) "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

John 12:42-43John 12:42-43• (42) Nevertheless even among the

rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

• (43) for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

• Why is this a “WEIGHT”?– Because you may have to lose “worldly

success” in order to remain faithful to God (Mt.10:22-25) (1Co.4:11-13,16)

Matthew 10:22-25Matthew 10:22-25• (24) "A disciple is not above his teacher,

nor a servant above his master.

• (25) "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

• Why is this a “WEIGHT”?– Because you may have to lose “worldly

success” in order to remain faithful to God (Mt.10:22-25) (1Co.4:11-13,16)

• Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success– God’s priority for the woman - “home keepe

r” or “home manager” (Titus 2:5) (1Tim.5:14)

Titus 2:4-5Titus 2:4-5• (4) that they admonish the young

women to love their husbands, to love their children,

• (5) to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Titus 2:4-5Titus 2:4-5• (4) that they admonish the young

women to love their husbands, to love their children,

• (5) to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

1 Timothy 5:141 Timothy 5:14• Therefore I desire that the younger

widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

1 Timothy 5:141 Timothy 5:14• Therefore I desire that the younger

widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

• Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success– God’s priority for the woman - “home keepe

r” or “home manager” (Titus 2:5) (1Tim.5:14)

– Women were created for this purpose (Gen.2:18) (1Cor.11:9) (1Pet.3:1-6) (Prov.31)

Genesis 2:18Genesis 2:18• And the LORD God said, "It is not good

that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

1 Corinthians 11:91 Corinthians 11:9• (8) For man is not from woman, but

woman from man.

• (9) Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

• Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success– God’s priority for the woman - “home keeper” or

“home manager” (Titus 2:5) (1Tim.5:14)– Women were created for this purpose (Gen.2:18)

(1Cor.11:9) (1Pet.3:1-6) (Prov.31)– “Older women” should be “teaching” this! (Titus 2:3-

“She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Pr.31:27)

Titus 2:3-5Titus 2:3-5• (3) the older womenthe older women likewise, that they be…

teachers of good things--• (4) that they admonish the young womenthat they admonish the young women to

love their husbands, to love their children,• (5) to beto be discreet, chaste, homemakershomemakers,

good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

• Women pressured to follow the world’s standards for success– Priority is determined by the time and effort devoted

to a task

– Women are being “weighed down” and torn apart at the seams trying to be “super-mom” and pursue things that are not their responsibility

“lay aside every weight… and … run with endurance the race that

is set...”

• Pursue job at cost of God? (Jas.4:14)

James 4:14James 4:14• whereas you do not know what will

happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

– Does job regularly cause missed assemblies? (He.10:25)

– “Ox in the ditch”? (Lk.14:5)

Luke 14:5Luke 14:5• Then He answered them, saying,

"Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"

– “Ox in the ditch”? (Lk.14:5)

– “Ox in the ditch”? (Lk.14:5) Get another ox!

“No one can serve two masters… he will be loyal to the one and despise

the other” (Mt.6:24)

– Most believe that there will be “a time” in the future when they will fully devote their lives (Js.4:14) (Lk.12:16-21, 42-47)

Luke 12:15-21Luke 12:15-21• (15) And He said to them, "Take heed

and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

• (16) Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully…

Luke 12:15-21Luke 12:15-21• (18) "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull

down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

• (19) 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'

Luke 12:15-21Luke 12:15-21• (20) "But God said to him, 'Fool! This

night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'

• (21) "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

– Most believe that there will be “a time” in the future when they will fully devote their lives (Js.4:14) (Lk.12:16-21, 42-47)

DesireDesire For Worldly Friends For Worldly Friends

• Friend of the world / Enemy of God (Jas.4:4)

– Dating a non-Christian (1Co.15:33)• Do not be deceived: "Evil company

corrupts good habits."

“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

The insatiable desire for people of the world to approve of us and befriend us

– Dating a non-Christian (Prov.12:26)• The righteous should choose his friends

carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Non-ChristiansNon-Christians149 Total

• 106 Left the Lord • 43 Faithful• 44 Divorced• 26 Converted Mate

MarriageMarriage of Christians To… of Christians To…

“Nor shall you make marriages with them… For they will turn your sons away from following Me” (De.7:3-4)

ChristiansChristians112 Total

• 8 Left the Lord• 104 Faithful• 4 Divorced

71%71%

29%29%

30%30%

18%18%

93%93%

– Dating a non-Christian (2Co.6:14) (1Co.15:33)

• Trying to become like the world (2 Co.6:17)

– Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."

– We should be separate from the world so we can reach the world! (1Pe.3:15)

1 Peter 3:151 Peter 3:15• But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,

and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

– We should be separate from the world so we can reach the world! (1Pe.3:15)

DesireDesire For Pleasure Or Fun For Pleasure Or Fun

• Pleasure is deceitful and can bring one

under bondage (2Ti.3:1-5)

– 11 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

– 22 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

– 33 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

– 44 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

– 55 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

“lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

– Keep kids too busy to learn godliness?

• Self-indulgence of Samson (Judges 14:3)

Judges 14:3Judges 14:3• Then his father and mother said to him, "Is

there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well."

• Self-indulgence of Samson (Jud. 14:3)

• Esau (Heb. 12:16) vs. Moses (Heb. 11:24-26)

Esau:Esau: Hebrews 12:16 Hebrews 12:16• lest there be any fornicator or profane

person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

Moses:Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 Hebrews 11:24-26• 2424 By faith Moses, when he became of

age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

Moses:Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 Hebrews 11:24-26• 2525 choosing rather to suffer affliction with

the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

Moses:Moses: Hebrews 11:24-26 Hebrews 11:24-26• 2626 esteeming the reproach of Christ

greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

• Self-indulgence of Samson (Jud. 14:3)

• Esau (Heb. 12:16) vs. Moses (Heb. 11:24-26)

DesireDesire For Wealth For Wealth

• Wealth is not evil - but the desire for wealth is a tremendous weight– (Pr.23:4) (1Ti.6:9-10) (Lk. 12:15-21)

– Abraham (Ge.24:35) Job (Job 1:21) - rich and faithful

– May restrict path to Heaven (Mt. 19:24)

– May choke out the word (Mk. 4:19)

“Labor not to be rich…for riches certainly make themselves wings.”

• In order to RUN (He.12:1)

– Like our examples (He.11:25-38)

– With endurance (He.12:1)

– Prepared for persecution (2Ti.2:4)

• In order to FINISH

WhyWhy Lay Aside These Lay Aside These Weights?Weights?

• Look to the AUTHOR and FINISHER– His example (He.12:2)

• For the joy that was set before Him• Endured the cross• Despised the shame• Sat down at the right hand of God

– His teaching (Mt.18:8-9; 10:37-39)– His zeal (Mk.3:21)

HowHow Do We Lay Aside These Do We Lay Aside These Weights?Weights?

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

Do You Do You REALLYREALLY Want To Want To Finish?Finish?

“For the joy set before Him”

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay...

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