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"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..."

Text: Hebrews 12:1a

ENCOURAGEMENT TO SUCCEED

There is every reason to believe that we can succeed in our faith. The discussion on the subject of faith was meant to encourage the believer to be assured that he too can possess that faith that would please God.

“Therefore 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.”
Hebrews 12:1

1. Therefore also

a) The use of the inferential particles harks back to the previous chapter.

b) If we have truly understood the significance of the discussion on the subject of faith that should certainly affect us powerfully.

2. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses

a) It is incorrect to think that only a few people can succeed in faith.

b) We have “a great cloud of witnesses”- we have a huge number of people who have succeeded in their walk of faith.

c) These bear testimony (“witnesses”) that it is possible to be successful in maintaining a life of faith.

3. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us

a) The author knows that some falter and fail in their faith-life.

b) He notes two things that hinder people from success.

i) There are “weights”.

ii) There is the problem of sin.

c) Weights are things that may be “valid or legitimate”.

i) They could be things like hobbies, interests etc.

ii) But they could prove a dangerous source of distraction for they can rob us of time and energy that could have been better spent in developing our faith!