Have you taken your three glances at Jesus today?

Hebrews 12:1-2: 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, 2 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.

Sovereign Grace Fellowship Pastor Rick Gamache, in a June 29, 2008 sermon on Hebrews 12:1-2, encourages us to take three glances at Jesus:

Every single day we must look back to Jesus on the cross. Every single day we must take a backwards glance to Jesus on the cross. Verse two says that he endured the cross despising the shame, so every day we must let faith's eye look on Jesus crucified, because when we do we will see the eternal Son of God suffering and bleeding and dying in order to pay for our sins and so satisfy the wrath of God against our sin. When we look on Christ crucified, we will see the most wonderful transaction that's ever taken place. We will see our substitute dying in our place, the just for the unjust, the sinless for the sinful. We will see him burying our sins, carrying our transgressions, becoming a curse for us in order to set us free from all guilt and declare us innocent before God. And when we know that we're forgiven, when we know that we're justified, when we know that we are reconciled and accepted by God, the weight of guilt and condemnation is cast off and we run the race with endurance knowing we have peace with God. So we must daily take a backwards glance at Jesus Christ.

Second glance at Jesus that we must take every single day. ... Look up to Him enthroned in heaven. Look back to Him on the cross; look up to him enthroned in heaven. Verse two also says he is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. When we look up to Jesus on the throne, we will see the same savior who died now risen and exalted to the highest place of honor. We will see him serving as our high priest, our intercessor, our advocate before the Father. We will see him presenting our name before the Father and pleading our case. We will see him obtain for us a never-ending supply of grace. We will see him watch over us with eyes that never sleep. He will hear our confession, strengthen us for service, comfort us in trial, make way of escape in temptation, and keep us safe no matter where our marathon takes us. And so when we look up to King Jesus on the throne, we will derive great strength for the race. And so every single day we must take an upward glance at Jesus on the throne.

Finally, in order to run our race with endurance, lay aside every weight and sin, we must look back to Jesus on the cross, look up to Jesus on the throne, and look forward in faith to Jesus coming again. We must do what Jesus did when he set an example for us according to verse two and endured what he endured for the joy to come. When we look ahead to Jesus coming again, we see the eternal Son of God return to Earth with power and glory and every angel of heaven. We see him raise dead saints and transform the living saints in the blink of an eye. We see him punish the wicked and reward the righteous. We see him bind Satan and his demons and cast them in the Lake of Fire forever. We see all evil and sin cast away forever. We see all disease and death and sorrow and racism and wars and poverty and injustice cast out. We see paradise once lost now regained. And so we lay aside the weight of anxiety and we run our race with hope.

So that's how we run together with endurance the race that God sets before us. We daily, daily, daily look back to Jesus on the cross, look up to Jesus on the throne, and look forward to Christ coming on the clouds.

The entire sermon may be listened to or downloaded at the following link: http://www.sovgracemn.org/sermons/sermon/2008-06-29/let-us-run.