Keeping the Fire Burning (Part 3): Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

I’m not a runner. I never have been. My three children, though, ran cross-country in middle school, and two of them continued in high school. My son also ran on the track team. So, while I don’t know much about running, I’m kind of an expert at watching races. I don’t know if that skill will ever come in handy, but I’ll take any skill I can get.

In this series, we’re discussing how to grow in our relationship with God; how to stay on fire for him. In Hebrews 12:1-2, the writer teaches us how to do that. Here’s the passage:

Therefore, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

These verses center on the call to “let us run,” and the best way to run is to focus on Jesus. We’ve already looked at following faithful examples and ridding ourselves of anything that weighs us down. Now, the third step: fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

The writer creates a scene. We’re in a stadium filled with people who have already run the race. They’re cheering us on, and we look to them as examples. Because they ran the race well, we know we can as well.

But as we run our race, we don’t look up into the crowd. No runner can win a race if he spends his time looking in the stands. If we’re going to run our race well, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. Every runner knows where the finish line is. As we run our race, we keep our eyes on the goal, the finish line. Standing at the finish line is Jesus. He’s our goal.

We can choose to focus on other things, like wealth, success, popularity, or power. God may bless you with all of those. They aren’t necessarily bad in themselves, but none of them should be our focus. We can also choose to focus on our troubles. When we do that, they start to feel bigger than our Savior. It’s never a good thing to take our eyes off Jesus and look at anything else. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Why is this important? First, he’s our greatest example. The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 are great models for us, but our ultimate example is Jesus.

He’s already run his race, and he ran it well. He was completely sinless, yet he suffered for all the sins of the world. He trusted the Father so much that, in total obedience, Jesus accepted the shame and pain of the cross and never allowed its suffering to keep him from his goal. He’s our greatest example of faith, obedience, endurance, and suffering. If Jesus could endure what he did, so can we.

The writer says that Jesus, our example, is the “pioneer and perfector of faith.” The word translated pioneer also means author, originator, or founder. It means one who starts something. A “perfector” makes something perfect, complete. The author tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who, because he finished his race, begins and perfects our faith. He’s in control of our salvation from beginning to end. It’s on him that our faith depends from start to finish.

All because he trusted the Father and obeyed him completely through all his suffering. To run the race of life successfully, stay focused on Jesus and on what He did and how he did it. God the Son, in full faith and obedience, came to earth as a man and suffered and died for each of us. When we face suffering, when our willingness to obey is tested, Jesus is our perfect example.

Jesus is not only our example, he’s also our helper. As we run our race, Jesus is the one who strengthens us along the way. He’s both the goal we run to and the one who runs alongside us. He runs with us, and he waits to greet us when we reach the finish line. Here’s the rest of verse 2:

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus endured the agony of the cross because of the joy he received afterwards. The joy, though, wasn’t just for him. He loves to share his joy with his followers (John 15:11). You were on his mind when he was on the cross, and he could see the joy he’d share with you.

Then, when his work on the cross was completed, he sat down at the right hand of the throne, a symbol of authority and glory and power. No matter what struggle you face, your Savior is bigger than your problem. In his position at the right hand of the Father, he gives us all the strength we need to run the race. No matter what difficulty you’re facing, no matter what sin you struggle with, regardless of whether you feel close to him or far away from him, Jesus is right beside you in all his strength, with his arm around you as you run.

Jesus has finished his race. He’s come down to us, lived with us, suffered and died for us, rose for us, and now reigns over us in absolute power and authority. He’s our ultimate example and our helper. So lock your eyes on him, not on your struggles or challenges, but on him. Fix your eyes on Jesus.