A Bloody Struggle
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
What the?
You’re supposed to do this?
Have you ever shed your own blood for anything? I’m not talking about the time you got a paper cut while paying off your credit card bills. I’m not even talking about cutting yourself on a piece of metal while changing your oil.
I am talking about truly bleeding. Looking down. Realizing you are bleeding. Then continuing on with whatever it is your are so desperately struggling against.
I did this once. I got injured early on in a ball game. Then I kept playing. The whole game!
It was heroic.
We even won.
Nobody even noticed.
I guess that doesn’t really count either does it?
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
What would this look like? I am reminded of the scene in The Boondock Saints when one of the brothers is handcuffed to a toilet. He struggles so violently against his bondage that his wrists and arms start to actually bleed.
Are we supposed to struggle like this against sin?
Yes.
Why?
Because the Bible says to?
Sure.
But really…why?
Because you don’t belong there. You don’t belong in sin. You were not created to live in sin. You were created to walk with God.
In perfect fellowship.
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Read the three verses before this one.
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Beautiful.
What are we supposed to do?
Lay aside sin. Run the race that has been set before us.
Look to Jesus!
Why?
Because the Bible says to?
No!
Because Jesus endured the cross. Jesus took our shame. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God!
Because of Jesus we are free.
Free to live.
Sin has been conquered
So run! You are here for a reason. A race has been set before you. Lay aside sin.
Look to your Savior.
The one who humbly came so many years ago and endured your shame.
Merry Christmas. Thank you Jesus!
What the?
You’re supposed to do this?
Have you ever shed your own blood for anything? I’m not talking about the time you got a paper cut while paying off your credit card bills. I’m not even talking about cutting yourself on a piece of metal while changing your oil.
I am talking about truly bleeding. Looking down. Realizing you are bleeding. Then continuing on with whatever it is your are so desperately struggling against.
I did this once. I got injured early on in a ball game. Then I kept playing. The whole game!
It was heroic.
We even won.
Nobody even noticed.
I guess that doesn’t really count either does it?
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
What would this look like? I am reminded of the scene in The Boondock Saints when one of the brothers is handcuffed to a toilet. He struggles so violently against his bondage that his wrists and arms start to actually bleed.
Are we supposed to struggle like this against sin?
Yes.
Why?
Because the Bible says to?
Sure.
But really…why?
Because you don’t belong there. You don’t belong in sin. You were not created to live in sin. You were created to walk with God.
In perfect fellowship.
Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Read the three verses before this one.
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Beautiful.
What are we supposed to do?
Lay aside sin. Run the race that has been set before us.
Look to Jesus!
Why?
Because the Bible says to?
No!
Because Jesus endured the cross. Jesus took our shame. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God!
Because of Jesus we are free.
Free to live.
Sin has been conquered
So run! You are here for a reason. A race has been set before you. Lay aside sin.
Look to your Savior.
The one who humbly came so many years ago and endured your shame.
Merry Christmas. Thank you Jesus!
posted by Alan Micah at 5:41 PM
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