Day Four: The Resilience of Jesus

By Danny Saavedra

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”—Hebrews 12:1–3 (NASB)

In our discussion of Joseph yesterday, we touched upon this idea found in Hebrews 12:1 about the “cloud of witnesses,” So, what is this cloud of witnesses? What does that mean? Well, in Greek, the expression is nephos (“a multitude, large host, dense crowd, great company”) martyrōn (where we get our word for martyr, “an eye or ear witness”). So, a multitude of martyrs. Where they all “martyred” for their faith? No, not in the traditional sense we always associate with martyrdom. Instead, the dying I am referring to is the one Jesus described in Matthew 16:24–25, where He tells us that those who desire to be His disciples must die to themselves because “whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25 NIV). 

This cloud, this multitude we’re surrounded by, these great testimonies and God stories of the apostles, early Church, and of believers throughout history and around us right now, this holy host of disciples who have died to themselves to live in Christ, they help us run with endurance and develop deeper resilience to sin and seasons of struggle, to trials and tribulations, to false gospels and Pharisaical tendencies. How? Because every individual that makes up this cloud of witnesses are witnesses to and pointing us to the One in whom our faith is founded and finished: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

Jesus is the originator of our faith, the One who births faith in us, and the One who brings that which He began in us to completion (Philippians 1:6). It is to Him we look and keep our eyes fixed. 

We do this not only because He is God in the flesh, the only One worthy of our worship and our affixed gaze, but also because, as the author of Hebrews emphasizes several times, He was also fully man. Hebrews 2:17–18 (NIV) tells us, “He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted,” while Hebrews 4:15 (NIV) reminds us that “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.” Also, Romans 8:3 (NIV) says, “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering,” and 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) proclaims, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 

What do all these verses I just threw at you tell us? That Jesus, even though He was fully God, was also fully one of us, and is thus the great example we can look to in order to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27 NIV), to “stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV), to “rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us” and “and “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV). He understands our struggles, our temptations, our pain, our weaknesses, and by His Spirit and in His name He leads us and helps us and, as Hebrews 13:21 (NIV) says, He will “equip you with all you need for doing his will.” And not only that but He will also “produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.”

Friends, I want to close our devotional time by sharing this beautiful, powerful, amazing, life-changing reminder. Resilient men keep their eyes fixed on Jesus Christ; we keep our hearts and minds focused on Him because He kept His heart focused on us! What do I mean? The rest of our passage in Hebrews 12 tells us that “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.” That joy? It was you! It was knowing that by this act by this sacrifice, by this death, He was to endure, He would grant us access into His kingdom, to be in His presence as He sits in His seat of glory. The joy of sharing in His glory with us (Colossians 3:4) disarmed the sting of His suffering on the cross. This is why the author of Hebrews encourages us to “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,” and remember that He did it all for us, for our salvation and redemption, to bring us into eternity as His people, His children, His beloved, “so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3 NIV). Men, your strength is in Him and Him alone. Your resilience, endurance, compassion, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, your self-control, is all in Christ, so fix your eyes firmly on Him, follow Him, live in a deep relationship with Him!

PAUSE: How does the cloud of witnesses help us focus on Jesus?

PRACTICE: Who has been a good example or witness to you of following Jesus? Thank them this week. Let them know how they’ve helped you in your walk and show your appreciation for the example they’ve set. 

PRAY: Father, I thank You and praise You in Jesus’ name for sending Your Son. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for showing me how to live and walk and be strong. Thank You for giving me everything I need to live a life worthy of the gospel. I pray and ask You today to sustain me, equip me, and work in me to accomplish Your good purposes. Amen.