How many of you are amazing at starting new things? You know how to start a new job well. You are so experienced when it comes to beginning a new exercise routine. You know how to get the perfect clothes to work out in, you’ve researched the perfect shoe based on the arch support you need, and you know exactly how to sign up for the gym’s special offer. Some of you know how to start a dating relationship. Seriously, you have the first 3 dates already dialed in. And I’m guessing all of us know how to kick off a great Bible reading plan. I mean, if you ask us anything about the first 13 chapters of Genesis – we’ve got you. We’re so good at starting things, but not quite as good at staying with things.

How good are you at staying with the things you begin?

Anyone can get married. But to have a thriving marriage for over 20 years – now that takes some staying power. Anyone can bring their best for the first 3 months at a new job. But to bring your best over a 5 or 10 year period of time – that will take a different kind of dedication. Many people start a faith journey with Jesus, but few go the distance.

Would you like to know how to go the distance when it comes to following Jesus?

I’m calling this message, “Staying Power.” As we continue this series called Don’t Shrink Back, I want to show you the obstacles that stand in the way of us staying with our faith so we can finish our race. Then we can look at the solutions to these obstacles. Our main text is only 3 verses today, but I think this short passage can give us everything we need to go the distance.

Hebrews 12:1-3 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Whenever we see the word “therefore” in Scripture, we’re being given a cause and effect relationship. Therefore – in other words, because of what I’ve just said – here are the implications of that. Chapter 11 was full of the faith stories of men and women who went the distance with God. Before we receive encouragement from them, it’s important that we know they faced the same kind of obstacles we will face.

What are the obstacles that stand in the way of you keeping your faith?

We’re given three obstacles or three reasons that could extinguish our faith in Jesus: everything that hinders, sin that so easily entangles, along with things that cause us to grow weary and lose heart.

What is present in your life that could hinder you from keeping your faith?

The writer distinguishes between everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. We’ll get to the sin part next, but this seems to indicate that there are some non-sinful things we could be doing that will keep us from making progress in our faith. We’re told to throw off everything that hinders. Are there distractions present in your life that are hindering your faith? Is it possible your life is so busy that you have no time to grow in your faith? Are there environments you are placing yourself in that are keeping you from making progress in your faith?

Is there a sin you are entangled in?

I want to help all of us use our imagination for a moment. Close your eyes and here’s what I want you to start picturing. Think about the sinful activity or habit or addiction that most has a grip on your life. With your eyes still closed, I want you to start picturing what your life would like without that being present. Just imagine that sin and the effects of that sin no longer holding you back. You can open your eyes. Was that exercise compelling enough for you to do whatever it takes to see that sin removed from your life?

“To make progress in our formation, we must face our sin.” John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way

But the reason we can face our sin is because Jesus has already faced all of our sin. He has defeated it, so we can be done with it too.

Romans 6:11-14 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Dead to sin; alive to God in Christ Jesus. You and I do not have to let sin reign in our bodies nor do we have to obey its desires. Instead, we can offer ourselves to God because Jesus has already died for the sin that is killing us. We do not have to be mastered by it.

Is there anything in your life that is persuading you to give up your faith?

Life is hard. It is full of disappointments. We remember what it was like to have high hopes and so much faith. But the dream didn’t come true. Our prayers weren’t answered, at least not the way we were hoping they would be. We have suffered. We have lost the people who brought the most joy to our lives – either through death or because they walked away from us. It is exhausting living in this world. It’s so easy to become jaded or cynical or bitter. Where can we look for inspiration that will keep us from giving up and losing heart?

We can gain inspiration from this cloud of witnesses. You and I are not the first people on the planet to deal with suffering and hardships. Have you read about all the people in Scripture went through? And this cloud of witnesses isn’t just those who lived 2,000 years ago. There are Christians right now who are in prison and being treated in ways we can’t even imagine. And yet, they have chosen to hold onto their faith in Jesus. They still think He’s worth it. They have kept the faith. They are going the distance.

Also, there are so many people in this Epic community who are able to serve as a present cloud of witnesses for you. The stories circulating through our church right now are nothing short of miraculous – the way people are coming to faith in Jesus, how people are continuing to trust God in spite of enormous challenges. Are you putting yourself in environments full of others who are holding onto their faith regardless of what is coming against them.

And yet the writer tells us that there’s an even greater source for our inspiration. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Consider Him.

Jesus has always had Staying Power.

He endured the cross. He endured such opposition from sinners. He is the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Though he experienced unimaginable suffering, he went the distance and he did so with JOY.

Any practice that helps us fix our eyes on Jesus is a practice that will sustain our faith until the very end.

Scripture. Read the Gospels. Just read his words. Prayer. Worship. Fasting. Silence. Solitude. Going on a prayer walk. Asking a friend to pray or share encouragement with you from Jesus.

I run at least 5 days most weeks, but I don’t run long distances. I run 2 ½ miles. I can do this easily now. But if I tried to go out tomorrow and run a marathon, I’m convinced that I won’t be able to finish. I haven’t built up the kind of staying power needed for that long of a race. I think a lot of us have what we need to run a 2-mile spiritual race. The only problem with this is that our faith journey is more like a marathon.

Will your current spiritual practices give you what you need to go the distance in your faith?

If not, what might you want to start giving more time to? Less time to? More attention to? Less attention to? Our aim is to be able to say this when all is said and done:

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

What’s in the way for you?

How do you, with the Spirit’s help, remove that obstacle?

There’s a race that’s already been marked out for you. Will you run it all the way to the finish line? Will you allow God to form you for the long haul, not just for this season?

Response: While we often talk about faith being a journey, I do believe there are milestones along the way. I actually want to share a couple of these milestones and then ask you to make a commitment to Jesus. If you have been seeking and exploring having faith in Jesus, I want to give you an opportunity to commit your life to Jesus.

I also believe there are people here today who have faith in Jesus, but it’s kind of a back and forth reality. I think it’s time for many here to put a line in the sand and declare, “Wherever Jesus leads me, I’m there – to the very end. Holy Spirit, would you give me the staying power to live this out all of my days?”

Are you on a trajectory where you’ll be able to say, “I finished the race God had marked out for me.”