Bulletins - Open Door Bible Church -m

The Lion And The Lamb
Come Thou Fount
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Heb 12:1-3.
INTRODUCTION: The Cult of Relief vs. The Call to Endurance
We live in a culture that has become expert in the art of the "exit strategy." We are surrounded by a world that prizes relief above almost every other virtue.
Think about the messaging we consume daily: If you’re stressed, disengage. If a relationship is difficult, "protect your peace" by walking away. If a commitment becomes heavy, "set a boundary" and drop it.
Don’t misunderstand, there is a place for rest and there is a place for healthy boundaries.
But we have allowed the "cult of relief" to seep into our spiritual lives.
We are told that if following Christ produces more pressure than comfort, we must be doing something wrong.
And so, when the race gets hard, we don't just slow down—we look for the nearest exit.
That is precisely the situation the author of Hebrews addresses.
The original recipients of this letter were not new converts; they were seasoned believers who had already paid a high price for their faith.
They had seen their property seized; they had been publicly shamed; they had stood in solidarity with those in prison.
But now, time had passed. The initial adrenaline of their conversion had worn off. The social pressure was relentless. They were "growing weary and losing heart."
They weren't planning a dramatic rebellion against God; they were just considering a "quiet withdrawal." They were thinking about drifting away from the race.
Today, as we stand on the threshold of a new year, looking into 2026, we all start thinking about how we can make the new year, better than the last year.
What could we do differently? What areas of my life need to change?
Eat healthier, exercise more, spend less, and the list goes on.
So what do we do? We make promises to ourselves, to those around us, how things will be different.
But what usually happens after about 2 weeks of really trying hard to change those things, we fall off the wagon.
And we give up.
When it comes to looking ahead to the next year, our tendency is to look to the physical temporal realm for what needs to change, which is not a bad thing, but far too often we don’t take time to consider what needs to change in our spiritual lives.
Renew Our Devotion to God’s Word by making Scripture the first and final voice shaping our decisions.
Seek God’s Guidance rather than relying on our own understanding.
Pursue Spiritual Renewal Over Self‑Improvement
How much effort are we willing to put into our inner man?
Walk by Faith, Not Fear
Trusting God for the unknown ahead.
Resist anxiety by anchoring our heart in His unchanging character.
Live with Eternal Perspective
Investing in what lasts: discipleship, evangelism, worship, and kingdom work.
What do we let shape our shape our priorities, eternity or trends and pressures?
What is true with our physical and temporal commitments is also true about our spiritual commitments....
Life is hard.
Scripture describes our life this side of heave as an agōn—an agony, a struggle, a race.
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
If we are going to finish this year well and step into 2026 with momentum, we need a theology of endurance.
Main Point: Christ-focused endurance sustains believers through hardship.
Endurance in Hebrews 12 is not passive waiting but active, patient perseverance—like a marathon runner.
We have to pace ourselves strategically.
This involves preparation for the race through training and proper habits, understanding that spiritual growth takes time rather than occurring instantly, refusing distraction or detours, and maintaining focus on the ultimate goal with purposeful energy expenditure.
But where do we find the strength to keep running when the "relief" of quitting feels so much more attractive?
The author of Hebrews tells us that the fuel for our race isn't found in our own willpower, but in the stadium of history that surrounds us.
OUR MOTIVATION: THE TESTIMONY OF THE CLOUD (v. 1a)
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us...”
The author begins with an incredibly strong Greek conjunction.
In English, we translate it as "Therefore," but it’s more intense than that.
It essentially means: "For this very reason, then, with all this being the case..."
It is a hinge that swings the massive weight of Hebrews 11 into our present reality.
He points us to a "cloud of witnesses".
In the ancient world, "cloud" was a common metaphor for a vast, numberless host.
When we read this, we often imagine ourselves in the center of a Roman Coliseum, with millions of saints looking down at us like spectators.
We imagine them judging our form, checking their stopwatches, and wondering if we’re going to trip.
But that is a misunderstanding of the word witness.
These saints are not spectators of us; they are testifiers to us.
In a court of law, a witness doesn't sit in the stands and watch the trial; a witness takes the stand and tells the truth.
The author of Hebrews is calling the "Hall of Fame" heroes from Chapter 11 to the witness stand of your life. He is saying, "Listen to their testimony!"
When we feel like God has forgotten His promises, Abraham takes the stand.
He reminds us that he waited twenty-five years for Isaac, and God was faithful every single day of those twenty-five years.
When we feel like our past disqualifies us from the race, Rahab takes the stand.
She testifies that God can take a prostitute from Jericho and make her an ancestor of the King of Kings.
When we feel like we are running through a dark valley, Joseph takes the stand.
He reminds you that the pit and the prison were just the path to the palace.
The motivation for our race is not our own willpower.
It is the cumulative evidence of God’s faithfulness throughout history.
They aren't shouting, "Look at how well you are doing!"
They are shouting, "Look at how faithful He is! I ran my leg of the race, I finished my course, and I am telling you—the Prize is worth the pain!"
The "Cloud" gets us to the starting line. Their testimony proves the race can be won. But once you are on the track, the problem isn't the crowd; it’s the weight you’re carrying. You cannot run a marathon in a tuxedo, and you cannot grow in Christ while clinging to the baggage of the past.
OUR PREPARATION: THE RADICAL STRIP-DOWN (v. 1b)
“…let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us...”
Once we are motivated by the cloud, we must be prepared for the track.
In the ancient Greco-Roman games, the runners did something that seems radical to us.
They would enter the stadium in long, flowing, colorful robes.
It was a display of status and beauty.
But as they approached the starting line, they performed a "divestment."
They stripped off those robes.
They didn't just tuck them into a belt; they discarded them.
They ran virtually naked.
Why? Because you cannot run a marathon in a tuxedo.
You cannot win a race while draped in heavy wool.
The author tells us that we run by means of throwing off two distinct categories of things.
1. The Weights
The Greek term for weight here refers to "bulk" or "mass." It’s an encumbrance.
Importantly, it is not necessarily a sin. This is where we often miss the mark.
We ask, "Is this activity a sin? Is this relationship a sin?" And if we decide it isn't, we think we’re fine to keep it.
But a "weight" is anything—otherwise good—that makes your soul "heavy" for the race.
It might be a career ambition that has become an obsession.
It might be a digital habit that isn't "evil," but it's sapping our time and dulling our appetite for the Word.
It might be a level of comfort that has made us spiritually soft.
The question for the runner is not "Is this a sin?" but "Does this help me run?"
We might be able to jog a block carrying a 50-pound backpack, but we will never finish a marathon with it.
What are the “weights" that we have been carrying in 2025 that need to be discarded as we enter 2026?
2. The Entangling Sin
Then there is the second category: "the sin which so easily entangles us."
This is language that speaks not of sudden collapse, but of restricted movement.
The Greek term carries the idea of being wrapped up, tripped, or impeded.
In other words, sin does not usually stop believers by outright rebellion; it hinders them by gradually restricting spiritual progress.
This entangling sin operates on two levels.
On one level, it refers to habitual sin—recurring patterns that become familiar, personalized, and deeply embedded in a believer’s life.
Each of us tends toward certain sins more readily than others, shaped by temperament, history, and desire.
But the phrase also reaches beyond individual struggles to describe sin’s pervasive influence across human nature.
Sin is not merely something we occasionally commit; it is woven into our thoughts, motives, affections, and choices.
What makes sin so dangerous is not only its presence, but its proximity.
It does not attack from outside—it operates from within, gripping the will, shaping desires, and dulling spiritual momentum.
That is why the author commands believers to “lay aside” this sin.
Recognition is not enough.
Sin must be deliberately removed, because anything that entangles the runner will eventually prevent a faithful finish.
Sin entangles easily, and it makes sustained endurance impossible. We cannot run when your feet are bound.
And here is the point we cannot miss: one cannot get out of bed today, decide I want to become a runner, I think I’ll go run the Boston Marathon today...and expect to finish well or at all...running a marathon takes training…
Laying aside weights and sin is not a moment of inspiration; it is a rhythm of discipline.
The runner who finishes is the runner who disciplines themselves to strip down every encumbrance and entanglements every single day.
That is why growth in Christ requires more than good intentions—it requires structured engagement with God’s Word.
And that is why we are putting a specific tool in your hands as we enter this next year together.
In the lobby today, we have the first volume of our Discipleship Journals.
We will be providing a new journal for every sermon series next year.
This journal is not "one more thing to do." It is designed to be a training manual.
Inside, you will find a section called "Engaging the Word."
It is designed for you to use on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—to sit with the text we will be preaching the following Sunday.
It includes a section for "Hearing the Word" during the sermon, and "Living the Word" throughout your week.
Growth in Christ is not a sprint; it’s a marathon...a daily journey...
Pick up a journal today. Don't wait until January 1st. Use the "Engaging the Word" section this week to prepare your heart for our next passage.
We cannot run the race of 2026 in the heavy, entangling robes of 2025. This journal is a tool to help us build that daily rhythm of removing weights and entanglements and running light...
But stripping down isn't enough. We can be standing at the starting line, completely unencumbered, and still never finish the race. Because endurance isn't just about what we leave behind; it’s about where we are looking. If we look at the track, we’ll get discouraged. If we look at the crowd, we’ll get distracted. We have to lock your eyes on the Goal.
OUR POWER: THE STRATEGIC GAZE (v. 2)
“…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…”
Now we get to the core of the message. How do we actually run?
The author tells us: by means of looking.
The word for "fixing our eyes" is a compound word that means "to look away from everything else so you can focus intently on one object."
Think about a professional sprinter.
When they are in the blocks, they aren't looking at the "cloud of witnesses" in the stands. They aren't even looking at the other runners. Their neck is straight, and their eyes are locked on the finish line.
Endurance collapses when our vision drifts.
We start looking at the hill in front of us.
We start looking at our own blistered feet.
We start looking at the runner next to us who seems to be having an easier time.
But the moment we look at the hill, the hill gets bigger. The moment we look at Jesus, the hill gets smaller.
The Author and the Perfecter
We fix our eyes on Jesus because of who He is.
He is the Author (Archēgos): This means He is the Pioneer.
He is the one who blazed the trail through the dark and came out the other side.
He doesn't stand at the finish line with a megaphone shouting directions; He is the one who ran the course first so that we could follow in His footsteps.
He is the Perfecter (Teleiōtēs): He is the one who brings our faith to its intended goal. He is not just the starter of our faith; He is the finisher of it.
The Motivation of Joy
And notice how He ran.
He ran "for the joy set before Him."
This is a revolutionary statement.
It means that Jesus’ endurance on the cross was not a result of grim, teeth-gritting resignation.
It was purposeful perseverance.
He looked past the nails, past the thorns, and past the darkness to the "joy" of our salvation and His exaltation.
He “despised the shame.”
In the first century, shame was a social death sentence.
To be stripped and mocked was to be discarded by humanity.
Jesus "despised" it—not by pretending it didn't hurt, but by labeling it as "insignificant" compared to the Father’s glory.
And finally, He “sat down” at the right hand of God.
The Greek is in the perfect tense: He sat down and He remains seated.
He is not pacing the floor of heaven worrying about whether or not we’re going to make it.
He is seated because the work is finished. The victory is secure.
When we see the Winner seated at the finish line, it changes how you handle the pain of the present mile. It allows you to perform a kind of "spiritual math" that keeps your heart from fainting.
IV. OUR PERSISTENCE: THE "JESUS MATH" (v. 3)
“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
The author now addresses "soul-fatigue" directly.
He knows that his readers are "fainting." The command is simple, but it is demanding: "Consider Him."
The Greek word here for consider is where we get our word "logarithm" or "analogy."
It is a mathematical term. He is saying, "I want you to perform a spiritual audit. I want you to calculate the analogy."
When we feel like the hostility of the world is too much... when we feel like the "race" is unfair... stop and do the math. Compare our struggle to His.
We are facing social pressure; He faced a Roman cross.
We are facing a difficult season in our marriage; He was abandoned by His closest friends.
We are facing financial uncertainty; He had nowhere to lay His head.
As we noted earlier, the word for "race" in verse 1 is the root of our word agony.
If our spiritual life feels like an "agony" right now, you aren't doing it wrong. You are just in the middle of a race where endurance is the primary metric of success.
Illustration: The Perseverance of Bill Broadhurst
I want to tell you about a man named Bill Broadhurst. In 1981, Bill entered a 10,000-meter race in Omaha, Nebraska. Ten years earlier, surgery for a brain aneurysm had left him paralyzed on his left side. But Bill wanted to run.
On the day of the race, the "lithe" runners—the ones in the tuxedo-robes of youth and health—finished the race in 30 minutes. The crowds went home. The officials started packing up the finish line. But far back on the course, Bill Broadhurst was still moving. He had a slow, rhythmic "plop—drag, plop—drag." Every step was a battle of physics. His left ankle was bleeding. His soul was weary.
Two hours and twenty-nine minutes after the race started, Bill Broadhurst reached the finish line. There was no crowd. But waiting there was Bill Rodgers, the world-famous marathoner. Rodgers had already finished, showered, and changed. But he stood there at the line. When Bill Broadhurst crossed, Rodgers took his own gold medal and placed it around Broadhurst’s neck. He said, "Broadhurst, you didn't just run; you persevered."
That is the heart of Hebrews 12. Endurance is not "passive patience." It is an active determination to put one foot in front of the other because you know the Pioneer is waiting at the end.
Life Lesson: Look away from the weight to see the Winner!
The Christian life is not sustained by relief. It is sustained by Christ-centered endurance.
As we come to the end of this year, Hebrews 12 gives us a grace-filled but searching question: How are you still running?
Some of you are finishing 2025 grateful. Others are finishing it discouraged. Some of you are just relieved to have survived. Hebrews does not ask you to pretend you aren't tired. It doesn't say, "Feel stronger." It says, "Do not stop."
Ending the year well does not mean ending it with a burst of energy. It means ending it with a fixed gaze.
1. Listen to the Cloud: Let the testimony of the saints prove to you that God can be trusted.
2. Shed the Weights: Don't carry the bitterness, the distractions, or the entangling sins of 2025 into 2026.
3. Fix Your Eyes: Look away from your failures and look to the Seated King.
Grab your journal in the lobby today. Let this be the year where you don't just "attend" church, but you "engage" the Word. Use it to train your eyes to focus on Jesus every single morning.
If you are weary, this journal is for you. If you are distracted, it is for you. If you want to grow, but you know you can't do it accidentally, this is for you.
We lay aside what hinders. We fix our eyes on Jesus. And we run—together—into a Christ-shaped year.
"He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it." Amen.

Main Point: Christ-focused endurance sustains believers through hardship.

OUR MOTIVATION: THE TESTIMONY OF THE CLOUD (v. 1a)

OUR PREPARATION: THE RADICAL STRIP-DOWN (v. 1b)

1. The Weights

2. The Entangling Sin

OUR POWER: THE STRATEGIC GAZE (v. 2)

The Author and the Perfecter

The Motivation of Joy

IV. OUR PERSISTENCE: THE "JESUS MATH" (v. 3)

Life Lesson: Look away from the weight to see the Winner!