'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 that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
'Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
'Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
'You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
'Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'' (Hebrews 12, NIV)
In this life we face struggles and hardship, but be encouraged, we are surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses who are cheering us on. These witnesses, through faith, persevered, they are an example to us of what it means to remain faithful to Christ. The Apostle Paul said, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.’ My whole life is a testimony and a witness to the miraculous power of God. But we do not look or pray to the saints of old for help, rather, we fix our eyes on Jesus. Jesus is the perfecter of our faith. He endured the cross, and is now sat down at the right hand of God interceding for us.
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees, (v12). Jesus faced constant opposition and persecution, we also must be prepared to face hardship too: our struggles are not just with persecution, but we fight against our own flesh and evil desires. Not all of our difficulties can be prayed away, some of what we struggle with is actually the Lord disciplining us. God is uses our circumstances to mould and shape us into the people He desires us to be. Discipline produces a harvest of righteousness and peace, therefore under difficulty don’t become weak and discouraged, in the long term, discipline will make us strong.
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord, (v14). As believers, we should make every effort to live at peace with everyone. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places’ (Ephesians 6.12, KJV). Our goal is to ensure that no one misses the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness affects the body of Christ, (v15).
At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain, (v26-27). The Scripture speaks of time when God will shake the heavens and the earth. There are wars, earthquakes, fires, political instability - our world is being shaken - these things have to happen before Christ returns, and when He does, He will rule the world. Let us rejoice, because we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, (v28).