What an awesome trip through the Old Testament’s Hall of Faith in chapter 11!!  How important persistent faith is for them and for us!  It’s as some massive cloud of heroes surrounding those Jewish-Christians tempted to leave the Christian faith.  It’s as if those heroes are shouting from the pages of the Bible to them and us, “Don’t give up!!  Keep on keeping on!  You’re on the right track!”  And so the author of Hebrews ends his letter with wonderful words of encouragement living that faith!

I love the athletic picture the author vividly uses to urge his readers on.  In the Greek world of the ancient Olympics he uses a Greek word for race from which our English word “agony” comes.  No pain no gain, right?  The author is talking about a contest that involves the pain of getting in shape, the exertion and struggle then in the race, and as I am constantly reminded being an older guy, the pain beyond the contest.  He uses the present tense that means we should keep on running.  This contest of living our faith is life-long and requires perseverance.  It’s not so much a 100-yard-dash as a marathon.

Not only do we need to run with perseverance, the serious racer eliminates all that can hinder him.  Any extra weight, whether of body or clothing, can only slow the runner.  Greek racers ran in the scantiest clothing, some even nude.  And so we need to heed Hebrews and throw off the sin that so easily entangles.  We can only do that through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  I always think of Paul as an academic who enjoyed (rather than participated) in athletics.  Paul understood Hebrew’s picture of the Christian life, though.  Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14, “One thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

But alas, that great cloud of witnesses can only encourage us, but not strengthen us.  For that strength and stamina we need to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”  Again it’s the present tense to remind us that we need to keep on fixing our eyes on Jesus throughout our lives!  He’s the author and perfecter, the One who writes, strengthens and perfects our faith all the way to heaven.  From A to Z he is both the object and the cause of our faith, giving us something to believe in and the faith to do so.

I love Hebrew’s statement of joyous intent regarding Jesus’ lifesaving work for us.  He endured the cross!  As we walk with Jesus this Lententime we feel the pain.  We may give something up for Lent, practicing spiritual discipline that may hurt us a bit.  Maybe, as Hebrews shares, there’s something happening in our lives that God has allowed.  After all, we are His sons and daughters and there’s a lot of teaching our heavenly Father has for us.  It all points us to Jesus who even scorned the cross’ shame and did it all in joy.  Even as he suffered he felt and was motivated by his love for you and me.  What joy he had, despite the pain, in working our forgiveness and empowered lives as Christians!

The unknown author to Hebrews then closes in chapter 13 with encouragement for us to live that very same love and to live it with JOY!  As Jesus love for us is the same yesterday, today and forever, He gives all sorts of practical applications for us to love one another!  In that time of persecution, when everyone was afraid and uncertain of who might be friend and enemy, Hebrews encourages folks to love as brothers and sisters.   (Look at John 13:34, 1 Thes. 4:9, 1 Peter 1:22 & 1 John 3:11.)  So we, too, here the encouragement to love our brothers and sisters in the faith AND strangers as well!

In our so doing, we may even entertain strangers!  During Hebrews time of persecution, many were forced to flee from their towns because of danger.  There were many who also traveled about during these tough times sharing the Good News of Jesus.  Not only would they benefit from hospitality, but the ones who offer it will as well.  Great was Abraham’s benefit in Gen. 18:3 and Lot’s in 19:2 when the strangers they invited into their homes turned out to be angels.

We probably will never entertain angels through our good works for others.  Caution needs to be practiced as we help those we don’t know.  Yet Christian hospitality is the work of those who are Christ-like.  Jesus said in Matt. 25:40, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers/sisters of mine, you did for me.”  May our lives, families, church and country be welcoming to the stranger!

May the author’s blessing for his readers especially be upon us (v.20-21) – May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen