Hebrews 12:1-2 - Responding to Troubled Times

This week we’re diving into Hebrews 12:1–2 and asking a question many believers wrestle with: How should the church respond to troubled times? In a world marked by disaster, disease, violence, suffering, and the ongoing effects of sin, God’s Word reminds us that these struggles are not new. More importantly, it shows us how we are to respond.

Together we’ll consider four biblical responses found in Hebrews 12: Remember the faithfulness of God throughout history, Repent of the sin that hinders our walk, Redirect our eyes to Jesus, and Rejoice in the hope of the gospel. As we look to Christ—the founder and perfecter of our faith—we are reminded that He reigns sovereignly over all things and that nothing can separate His people from His love.

Transcript

Hebrews 12:1-2 - Responding to Troubled Times

Intro

• Good evening church, please take your Bibles and open with me to Hebrews 12.
  • Tonight we will step into these verses with a question in mind…
  • The question is this…
    • How should the church respond to the troubling times of the day in which we live?
  • All of us, over the last few years, have lived through what many would say are difficult times.
    • We have witnessed disaster, disease, destruction, and death.
      • It comes in the form of natural evil, such as natural disasters…
      • As well as moral evil which is suffering because of the fallen state of man…
    • All of us, without exception, probably have something in mind even as I give those broad categories this evening.
  • If you do not have anything in mind that falls into this category just simply turn on the news and wait for a short time…
    • You will see violence, hate, mass murder, and the worst of humanity on display. 
    • Everywhere we turn we see a broken world wrecked by sin.
• This leads to an interesting question that often arises when a new crisis comes to light.
  • How is the believer and the church to respond?
    • Well that is exactly what we are going to strive to answer tonight…
      • We are not going to look to the newest philosophy of the day, or the most prevailing political solution.
      • Instead we are turning where the only true hope is found, to the Word of God.
• Here is something that you will not hear on the nightly news…
  • That which we are facing today, is not a new problem.
    • It is one that has been around since the fall of man…
    • Though it can look different, the root of every act of wickedness goes back to sin and the effects of it.  
  • Something that we see in the scriptures from the very beginning.
    • By the time we get to Genesis 4 we find a brother murdering another brother.
    • If you were to keep turning you would find Genesis 6 and see that  mankind has become so wicked that God brings about a global catastrophe.
    • In Genesis 11 we find man standing completely opposed to God and His purposes.
    • If you were to keep turning the pages you would find that…
      • The list goes on and on…
  • Throughout this book you will find the worst of man…
    • Murder.
    • Slavery.
    • Rape.
    • Incest. 
    • Prejudice.
    • Cannibalism.
    • Just to name a few…
  • The Bible in no way tries to hide or make light of these harsh realities.
    • I point this out because we need to be reminded from the very beginning this evening…
    • That the problems that we can face are not new problems but have existed ever since the fall.
  • Why must we remember this?
    • Because if we are not careful…
      • We will find ourselves acting as though the problems we are dealing with are somehow new or unique to our time or to our country.  
      • The harsh reality is what we have witnessed and what we will continue to witness is the reminder to us that sin is still present in our world.  
    • Which means that the church needs to know how to respond…
  • Which is why we are found in Hebrews 12, let us read our verses together and open in prayer.

Hebrews 12:1-2

• Anytime we jump into the middle of a book there are certain things we must ask of that book before we really dive into the content…
  • If we can we need to know things like…
    • The author, the audience, the context, and the type of writing.
  • So let’s answer those questions quickly as we step into this text…
    • The human author is unknown, there is great speculation on this, but it would be unfruitful for us to dive into this at this time.  
    • The audience is most likely Jewish Christians.
      • It is written from a strong Jewish perspective and written to a Jewish audience.
      • More than that though we know the audience had witnessed suffering, had experienced struggles, and had felt the effects of sin.
        • At one point the author writes of how they have been mistreated, how their property had been plundered, and in another he speaks of the discipline of the Lord.
      • Here’s what we need to know, the book of Hebrews was written to a people much like us and during a time that could be paralleled to today.
        • It is also the book of Hebrews that reminds us of a very important truth about the Word of God.  
          • Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
      • As we open this book, and as we begin to study this passage we need to remember.
        • That this is the Word of God, and it speaks not just to people and events of 2000 years ago…
        • It speaks to the events and to the people of today
      • In other words it is as relevant today as it has ever been.
    • As far as context is concerned…
      • It’s important for us to remember that the verses we just read immediately follow the contents of Hebrews 11.
        • When we read, “therefore” it points us back to what has just been talked about.
      • Likewise, when we see “witnesses” we can know who is being referenced.
        • In Hebrews 11 we have men and women alike who display their faith…
          • Abel and Enoch, Noah and Abraham…
          • People of the Old Testament who believed God and obeyed God and were used by God.
      • The author of Hebrews doesn’t leave this chapter behind but uses it to catapult us into these verses.  
    • So let us keep that in mind as we begin to answer the question..
  • How should the church respond to the events of the day?
• First we…

Remember

• Look again at verse 1…
  • Vs. 1a - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”
• Stop with me right there…
  • Now we have a tendency to want to jump ahead, we want to get to the second half of this verse and the start of the next.
  • However, if we miss the start of this verse then we miss an important truth that is found in it.  
• The author of Hebrews is calling us to remember that even though sin and suffering, hatred and hostility, has existed, something else has existed as well.
  • Throughout the pages of scripture, and found on the pages of history, we find God working through His people to accomplish His purposes.
  • If you were to look through that list in Hebrews 11 you will not find extraordinary people…
    • Instead you will find people just like you, people just like me…
    • Who God used throughout history to accomplish His purposes.   
• This is important for us to remember because it reminds us that God has not left us to go our own way…
  • Instead we find that He has been working from the very beginning to restore that which has been wrecked by sin.
  • Though He could have chosen to do this any way He wanted, He has always worked through His people.
    • He called Noah to build an Ark to preserve a remnant through the flood…
    • He called Joseph to preserve a nation and to preserve his own people through a famine…
    • He called Moses to lead the people of God out of bondage and through the wildness to the Promised Land…
    • He raised Kings to lead the people, physically and spiritually…
    • He called the Prophets to call the people to repentance when the king turned their hearts away…
    • He raised up leaders who were not prophets and not kings to shepherd his people and lead faithfully…
      • Men like Nehemiah…
  • Let me ask, did this change after Christ came and died?
    • No, in fact we still see God raising up people to carry the message of hope to the nations…
      • Not only the named Apostles but also the unnamed faithful men and women who are only known by God.
  • As we remember how God has worked previously we would be fools to only stop there…
    • We need to recognize that He continues to work through His people even today.  
    • Which means that if we are His people then we have a responsibility to continue to be used by God today.
      • May God keep us from looking at those who have gone before us as examples or heroes to be praised…
      • Without realizing that our God is still in the business of using His people for His Glory today. 
  • Let me remind you this evening, Church…
    • We have a glorious responsibility to God’s representatives to the world.
    • This is the duty of the church…
      • As we are reminded of how God worked through those who have gone before us, let us not fail to see that God is still working through us.
• Let us be reminded but let that lead us to the second observation of these verses, we are called to…

Repent

• Look again with me at Hebrews 12 and now the second half of verse 1.
  • Hebrews 12:1b – “...let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us,”
• Let’s say you are a person who loves to watch people run a race…
  • Let’s say that you more than love it but you are obsessed with it…
    • You’ve read books about it…
    • You’ve learned about the history of it…
    • You know about the intense training it takes to run a successful race…
  • Let’s take it one step further though and say that you know everything there is to know about running races…
    • That is all well and good but it is completely different from training for and being in the race.
•  The author of Hebrews is telling us that if we are in Christ then we are in the race.
  • We cannot just study those who have run the race before us, we must come to understand that we are in the race.
    • Therefore, I tell you now church, do not think for a moment you are outside of this race, for you are a part of it and bear a responsibility in it.  
  • The responsibility, at least in part, is twofold according to this verse…
    • To lay aside the weight holding you back…
    • To repent of your sins and run the race…
  • It really is a very interesting turn here in this verse, he says look to those that have gone before you…
    • And repent and lay aside that which keeps you from running the race.   
      • He calls his readers to reflect on that which is holding them back.
      • To reflect on what is preventing them from running the race that is before them.
    • I love this because this is what we as a people are not very good at doing…
      • We like looking out and considering all these things that are outside of our control.
      • We worry about wars, and natural disasters, and suffering in other parts of the world.
        • Yet here the author does not talk about the government, he doesn’t talk about persecution, he doesn’t talk about economic restrictions…
      • He turns the attention to your sin and that which is hindering your walk with Christ.
    • Church, the greatest struggle we face today is not some external conflict, but it is our inner wrestling with our own sin. 
      • When we witness terrible things unfold on a global scale we are tempted to fixate on the unraveling world around us when it should only cause us to reflect upon our own sin problem.
      • We must realize…
        • That within each of us exists the same sinful potential that we see on a broad scale across our world today.
        • I realize that is an uncomfortable thought but it does capture the battle that exists in each follower of Christ.
      • I think of what Paul wrote in Romans 7…
        • Romans 7:15-19 – “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”
        • If this Apostle, who penned much of the New Testament, could still see this battle in himself certainly we should not be surprised by it as well.
      • May God help us from being ignorant to that which is most detrimental to us…
    • Our own sin.
  • So the author of Hebrews reminds us of the work of God, calls us to repent of our own sins…
• Then urges us to…

Redirect

• Our gaze to Christ, look again with me at Hebrews 12, this time the start of verse 2.
  • Hebrews 12:2a - “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,...”
• It cannot stop with us checking our own hearts. 
  • It must lead to this redirection of our gaze to the One who holds tomorrow.
  • The fact is, we are tempted to look nearly anywhere but to Christ…
    • We look at our world and lament the brokenness, our gaze rests upon the fallen state of it.
      • Should our focus be on that?
    • We look at our own lives and the struggle that we face, maybe even the struggle of our sin…
      • Should we fixate on that?
  • No, we are to fix our eyes on Christ and run with all endurance toward Him.
    • Speaking of running, have you ever tried to run with your eyes to the ground?
      • I do not recommend it, it will most likely not go very well for you, and it is easy to see why that is…
    • Where we direct our gaze is the direction that we will gravitate towards.
  • If you look to Christ, if you fix your eyes on Him, then you will be moving toward your Savior.
    • However, the opposite is also true…
      • If your focus is on the things of this world, or the suffering that you are experiencing, or even the blessings of this life…
        • You will not be moving nearer to the Savior.
      • Then if you have a church that all has their focus elsewhere, what happens?
        • Unity is not possible and division will arise.
    • Yet, if you and I, if this church, looks to Christ, and we fix our eyes upon Him…
      • What is the response…
      • Unity, love, holiness.
    • We remember who holds tomorrow, and that is such an important thing.
• Let us…
  • Remember the work of God before us…
  • Repent of the sin that exists within each of us…
  • Redirect our eyes to Christ…
• And, lastly…

Rejoice

• Look again at Hebrews 12:2, this time let us turn our attention to the second part of the verse…
  • Hebrews 12:2b – “...who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
    • What a verse to consider today.
  • Jesus, with Joy, endured the cross…
    • Though the cross represents intense physical pain, and He experienced the full force of it, I do not believe that was the worst.
    • The cross of Christ represented the full wrath of God because of the sin of man being poured out upon Jesus.
    • Jesus endured ultimate suffering as He stood in our place, as He bore the wrath we all deserve.
  • Do you know that there is nothing that we can suffer that measures up to the suffering Christ endured on the Christ?
    • Yet the author of Hebrews tells us there He endured it with joy.
• Church, if Christ can joyfully endure something so terrible, we can also respond with joy regardless of our circumstances.
  • The reason this is possible is because of where our joy is found…
    • It is found in Christ and His Glorious Gospel…
    • This is the hope of our salvation…
  • Do not miss this, the message of the Gospel is indeed tied up in this verse.
    • Christ endured the wrath of God, He suffered at the hands of man, to pay the debt that we all owe.
    • It was there upon that cross that He died, then was buried, and three days He rose again.
    • Therefore, any who place their faith in Christ and repent of their sins will indeed be saved.
  • If that is you tonight then I want to remind you that you have every reason to face any situation with rejoicing…
    • For you have been saved and that salvation lasts throughout eternity.
    • I cannot help but consider Romans 8 in light of this topic…
      • Would you turn there with me as we close out this final point?
  • Truly, all of Romans 8 is a glorious chapter, a believer could spend years working through the treasures that exist across these verses.
    • I will direct you though toward the end of this chapter, down in verse 31.
      • Romans 8:31-39
        • What a glorious reminder…
        • That nothing can separate us…
        • Not trouble, not suffering, not disaster, not disease, not even death.
      • My prayer and hope is that you know this love, that you have experienced this salvation.
    • My prayer is that if you have not experienced this that the Lord would draw you to Himself and you would know the love of God found in Christ Jesus.
  • We could end here but there is one final part of that verse in Hebrews 12:2 that we must consider…
    • It is where Jesus currently resides, we are told at the end of verse 2 that He…
      • Vs. 2b - “…is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
    • Can I share as a final word on this the comfort that should exist that Christ did not only die on the cross and rise again, but He currently resides Sovereignly overseeing His creation.
      • That there is not one miniscule aspect of your life that He is not intimately aware of.
      • More than that, there is not one thing you will experience this side of Eternity that slipped past His gaze.
      • So, know this…
        • No matter how terrible things can be, no matter what comes in the following weeks and months…
        • Whether disease, disaster, death…
      • Our God reigns forevermore.
    • There is great comfort here, there is great reason to rejoice in this fact.

Close

• Here we will draw to a close…
  • Believer, are you struggling with what you see, are you worried of what may come?
    • Remember those who have gone before you, remember how God worked through them, and how he works through you.
    • Repent of your sins, cast aside anything that is holding you back from running the race before you.
    • Redirect your gaze and place your eyes upon the One who died for you.
    • Rejoice because you know the Savior.
  • Let’s pray.