We have come back to conclude the message that we started about two weeks ago: the Look that Sustains.

Hebrews 12:1-3

¹Therefore 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, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

The race that is set before us! Looking unto Jesus is the way we will sustain the faith that the Lord has given to us. Faith is from God. We cannot manufacture, even announce of it. For us to sustain this faith, we have to do four things:

1. Lay aside every weight: that which impedes our spiritual progress.
2. Lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares us: the sin that is favorably positioned or situated, the sin that is favored by time, circumstance, opportunity, object and desire.
3. Run with endurance or with patience – with perseverance
4. Run, looking away from anything that distracts us, looking away from our past victories, looking away from our past failures, unto Jesus the focus.

Where should our focus be? Jesus! Looking away unto Jesus actually. Fixing your gaze on Jesus because the expression ‘looking unto Jesus’, ‘looking’ is a present participle which implies a continuous look, a continuous action. It means to fix your gaze on Jesus. It means you do not take your eyes off of Him. This is the look that sustains.

Practically, what does it mean to fix our gaze on Jesus? Before we answer this question, let us see why Jesus is the One we must fix our gaze on because the scripture gives us His qualifications, His credentials.

1. He is the author of our faith.

He is the Captain, the Leader or the Commander of the faith.

Hebrews 2:10

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The word translated captain is the same word translated author in Hebrews 12:2. As the Author or Commander of the faith He goes ahead of His troops and opens a new way for them.

2. He is also the finisher or Perfecter of our faith.

He is the Perfecter of the faith in the sense that He is the supreme example of our faith. And as such He is the Leader or Captain of the host of all the leaders of all time.

3. He has set us an example of Sacrifice and perseverance.

The Sacrifice, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. Does it imply that joy was an incentive for Jesus to endure the cross? That is the way some of us understand it. Who for the joy that was set before Him. I don’t think so. Who, instead of the joy set before Him, endured the cross. Who, in spite of the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. This speaks of His preincarnate life: the glory He had with the father before the world began, according to Him in John 17:5

⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

This agrees with Philippians 2:5

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus accepted the cross in exchange for the joy set before Him, the glory He had had with the Father in heaven. Having suffered the shame and pain of the cross, He has sat down and remained seated at the right-hand of the throne of God, which means: position of power and authority.

The sacrifice! The perseverance! The sacrifice and the perseverance, the examples Jesus set for us. Perseverance!

Consider Him. Verse 3. In other words, meditate on Him who has endured a terrible hostility from sinners so we do not grow weary and become discouraged in our minds. Your Christian life cannot be sustained if because of difficulties in life, misunderstanding, marital problems and persecutions, you become weary and discouraged.

Fix your gaze on Jesus, my brother. My sister, fix our gaze on Him.

Practically, what does it mean to fix your gaze on Jesus? Keep Jesus constantly in your memory, in your mind. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David. According to my gospel Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:8, Remember Jesus raised out of the dead, of the seed of David, according to my good news. This is literal translation.

Keep Him in your memory, commune with Him. Didn’t He say we should observe the communion in remembrance of Him? He wants us to keep Him in mind, keep Him in memory.

There is a song by a choir in the United States Actualist, Chicago Mass Choir. They said,

No matter what you're going through
I know He'll see you through.
What He's done for others
He'll do the same for you.

Keep your mind stayed on Jesus,
keep your mind stayed on Him;
no matter what you're going through,
I know He's able to see you through,
keep your mind, keep your mind,
keep your mind stayed on Him.

I love that!

Keep Jesus on your mind. That renews your commitment and your strength. When you keep Jesus on your mind that banishes away fear and doubt. When you keep Jesus on your mind that gives inward peace and joy. When you keep Jesus on your mind that fills you with gratitude for all He does for you, especially for saving you.

4. Keep Him constantly in your motive.

When you keep your mind on Jesus He constantly judges and evaluates the motives of your actions. Our actions are acceptable or unacceptable in the eyes of God based on the motives behind them. A good motive is what sustains Christian service. And Paul says that pure motive is what will sustain our labor in Christ unto eternity. Anything short of that will be a wasted effort. That is what is implied in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.

¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

And when you read down to chapter 4 it tells us it is the motive, particularly 1 Corinthians 4:5.

The look that will sustain our Christian life is preoccupation with Jesus, not preoccupation with man or our circumstance. This will distract us, this will lead us to pity ourselves. Fix your gaze on Jesus, friends, this new year. Let us heed to Him that says, Look and Live. There is life for a look at the Crucified One. There is life at this moment for thee.

PRAYER:

Father, we have come to the end of our discussion, the look that sustains. May those who have heard look unto you for salvation and look unto You for sustenance of the faith that You give them now, in Jesus Name. Amen!