Easter: A Time to Strengthen Your Heart
Hebrews 12:3
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Easter calls many to gather in churches for a corporate celebration of new life and new beginnings as we remember Jesus and His victory over death. But did you ever think of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as a time of personal renewal? Well, according to Hebrews 12:1 - 3, that is exactly one of the blessings of Easter. Let me show you what I mean.
The Hall of Faith
Did you know that Hebrews 12 follows Hebrews 11? Of course sequential numbering is obvious, but there is another important reason. Hebrews 11 is considered the Hall of Faith chapter in the Bible. A simple reading will not only give you some truths about faith, but it will also give you real-life examples of faith. You will read about the faith of Abraham, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David, and others. It is both an inspiring chapter in the Bible as well as an encouraging one. It encourages us to live the faith life, trusting Jesus with not only our salvation but also our daily lives.
A Great Cloud of Witnesses
Then we come to Hebrews 12. The cloud of witnesses that is spoken about in Hebrews 12 is a reference to those listed in Hebrews 11. Their faith is a witness to us - a testimony and an example for us to follow as we live the faith life. We are to live a life of courageous faith!
Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
The Ultimate Example
But there is an even greater example for us than the cloud of witnesses - Jesus Himself, the author and the finisher of our faith. According to Hebrews 11, the example for us is what we are to remember so that we “will not grow weary and lose heart.”
…looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Now here is the interesting thing. The example that the author of Hebrews uses to encourage us is not the sinless life of Jesus. It is not the miracles or signs of Jesus. It is not the day Jesus fed the 5000 people that encourages us, nor is it the raising of Jairus’ daughter. It is not the time Jesus walked on the water or healed the blind man. Neither did the author of Hebrews use the teachings of Jesus to encourage us. All of these things are inspiring and encouraging. But the author of Hebrews tells us to remember the cross and the shame that comes with the cross.
“I sin all I want to. I don’t want to.”
One of my spiritual heroes is Dr. Adrian Rogers, the long-time pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. I often remember him talking about the pain, the hurt, and the agony of sin. In fact, I can remember hearing him challenge the Bellevue family with these words regarding sin, “I sin all I want to. I don’t want to.” No, he wasn’t saying he could do anything and sin all he wanted out of freedom. He was saying that sin ensnares us, traps us, and holds us hostage and that he was weary of sin. He didn’t want to sin; he had enough.
It wasn’t a declaration of sinless perfection either. It was simply a reminder: "Sin will take us further than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to say, and cost us more than we want to pay.” I believe he was reminding us to not get caught in the trap and snare of sin. Instead, we are to focus our eyes on Jesus and not grow weary.
Jesus Looked Ahead
Give that some thought for a moment. Jesus wasn’t surprised by the cross; He knew it was coming. The cross and all of the shame that came with our sin was the very reason Jesus came. And the author of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus looked beyond the cross to the joy that was ahead.
We Look to Jesus
I don’t know about you but sometimes I get discouraged, disheartened, and distracted. There are times when my faith needs to be renewed. I encourage you to remember Jesus, the cross He endured, the death He embraced, and the resurrection He attained. This kind of remembrance, looking to Jesus is how Easter draws us to a personal renewal.
Don’t Grow Weary and Lose Heart
Remember the last words of our passage from today:
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:3).
As you prepare your heart for Easter, look unto Jesus to be renewed and refreshed. It is His finished and completed work that gives us the strength to endure and the hope to face the challenges of tomorrow.
Before you go today, remember the words of Because He Lives by Bill and Gloria Gaither.
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!