Hebrews 11, Hebrews 12: 1-2

Matt Summerfield

No-one is entirely clear who wrote the book of Hebrews. Theories include Paul, Luke, Barnabus, Apollos, Silas, Philip and even Priscilla. For some reason, the author felt the importance of their message outweighed the need to reveal their identity.

There are many themes explored throughout the book but one of the author's main foci seems to be a concern that Jews who had come to faith in Jesus were struggling and now having second thoughts. They were wondering whether they would make it? Was this a faith worth following? Should they go back to their old life?"

So the writer seeks to challenge and inspire the reader to 'press on', and with this in mind, the author produces one of the most famous passages in the New Testament; Hebrews 11. The roll call of men and women of faith! In 40 verses of scripture the author works their way through Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel - plus a whole host of others whose stories are told and yet their names not given.

These were men and women who had a persevering faith. They were not super-spiritual giants but real people like you and me - experiencing doubt, sin, pride, jealousy and yet, they finished their race, and finished it well.

Some of us look at other Christians and measure ourselves against them. They appear to be so Godly, they know their Bible so well, they seem to pray for hours a day - we feel we'll never be like this so we give up - what's the point?

But the truth is this. None of us are perfect. The writer wants to remind us that the history of planet earth is full of men and women who struggled and doubted their ability to come through for God, but with perseverance, they ran their race and received the great 'well done'.

The history of God's people bears witness to that same truth. Over the years, a movement of ordinary people have achieved some extraordinary things for God - people who were not perfect, but who simply committed themselves to respond to the call of God.

We can take comfort from the story of those who have gone before us. We can take comfort from the fact that they too constantly wrestled with the same doubts that we do at times - they often wondered 'Will I make it?"

...and yet they kept on, they endured - and so will we.

And so, "...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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." Hebrews 12: 1-2