Introduction
Today, our series, “Running the Race of Faith,” comes to an end. We began with Hebrews 11 and saw that by faith some escaped the edge of the sword, while others died by the edge of the sword. Faith isn’t about what happens in this life. It’s about trusting God’s promises and acting on them. What matters isn’t how our actions turn out, but whether we are building our lives on what God has promised.
By faith, Abraham left his father’s home. By faith, Noah built the ark. Faith isn’t truly faith unless it motivates us, moves us, and causes us to live differently than we would without it.
This brought us into chapter 12, where we are reminded to run the race of faith with our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is the founder and perfecter of our faith. He is the one who has run this race before us, so if we want to understand what it looks like to finish the marathon, we look to him, for he is both our savior and our example of what it means to be his disciple.
This challenge came with a warning: our God is a consuming fire. When we exchange eternal joy for temporary pleasure, power, prestige, or privilege, we act like Esau, who traded his birthright for a single meal. Our God and his offer of salvation are not to be taken lightly. That warning led us to the end of chapter 12.
We now come to chapter 13, the conclusion of the book of Hebrews, and the end of our series. So far, we’ve discussed broad, theological concepts. Today, we focus on something more practical. What does it look like, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, to run this race step by step, day by day?
Love Inside and Outside the Church
The author begins by saying:
Let brotherly love continue (Heb 13:1).
This love is the love of the Christian community. This love applies generally to all Christians, yes, but especially to the Christians in your local church. The people in this room are your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jesus asked:
“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” (Matt 12:48).
He answered his own question by saying:
“Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (12:49–50).
Jesus was creating a new family that went beyond biological ties. Families do more than just gather for an hour and a half on a Sunday. Being truly a family requires all of us to invest our time in this community, not just in theory. When we have events like our dinners or Gaga Ball and Games Night, it’s not about expecting you to be here so you feel obligated to come. Instead, I want you here because it helps us be a family together.
All of you have something valuable to contribute to this family. We must keep building the brotherly and sisterly love that many of us already experience here at this church, and we need all of you to be involved in that.
So, the author starts by discussing the Christian love for fellow Christians, then shifts to Christian love for others. He writes:
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body (Heb 13:2–3).
Let’s be clear about this. Christian love is one way we know if we are running the race well, but so is love for others. By others, I mean strangers, prisoners, the mistreated, outcasts, and sojourners in our land. The race of faith passes right by the man who was robbed and left half dead in a ditch. And if you are the priest or Levite who walks past him because you’re too busy or because you don’t know him, so he’s not your problem, or because you think he’s probably not in this country legally, you are not walking the path of the Good Samaritan or the path Jesus walked before us. You are walking a different path.
And that’s the other thing I really should say as we bring this series to a close. There is the path of faith that Jesus walked before us, and there are other paths. There’s the path of the American church. There’s the path of Fox News. There’s the path of CNN. There’s the path of MSNBC. There’s the path of pop culture. There’s the path of social media. All these other paths are trying to tell you what it means to be human and how to live your life to the fullest, and none of them is the path that Jesus walked. And what we all have to ask ourselves is how much time we spend walking in those other paths with the TV on, blaring its nonsense at us, or doom scrolling through social media, and how much time we spend with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
The Challenge of Contentment
From love of fellow Christians to love of others, the author turns his attention to sex and money.
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous (Heb 13:4).
It’s remarkable how many people read or hear a verse like that and think about the sexual habits of others before they think about their own.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (13:5–6).
Our entire world is designed to ensure that we are not content. Worldwide companies spend billions of dollars every year making sure that we aren’t content with what we have. But God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” i.e., I am all you will ever need.
The author then turns his attention to a surprising topic, remembering your spiritual leaders, but frankly, there are more important things to talk about than telling anyone to “obey your leaders and submit to them” as he writes in verse 17.
Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today, and Forever
He then writes in verse 8:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8).
Moses said, “I have set before you today life and death. Choose life that you may live” (Deut 30:19). The author of Hebrews, throughout the entire book, has been presenting us with a different choice or, more accurately, the same choice but viewed from a different perspective. He is not asking us to choose life over death; instead, he is urging us to choose what is eternal rather than what is temporary. And I realize this may not be the typical definition of sin found in some theological textbooks, but it’s probably fair to say that most of the time, sin is choosing something temporary over something eternal. If that’s the case, then what is more eternal than someone who is the same yesterday, today, and forever?
Imagine if we could think this way so that during temptation, the choice wasn’t between pleasure and self-denial but between something temporary and Jesus Christ himself. Even if we don’t see it this way in our minds, that’s the real choice. You can choose what is temporary or Christ, and if we choose Christ, then we must walk the same path he walked.
Outside the Camp
And so the author writes:
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come (Heb 13:12–14).
Christians spend too much time building cities and kingdoms that cannot and will not last. Those spaces are not where Jesus is. He’s outside the camp. So let us go to him and bear the reproach he bore, for we seek a city and kingdom that are to come.
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 (Heb 12:1–2).
If we want to be with Jesus, then let us leave behind the kingdoms of this world and follow him outside the camp.
Cross now; joy later.
Choose what is eternal over what will be shaken away on the last great day.
Amen.
Life Group Guide
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather to discuss what it means to run the race of faith, open our hearts to your unchanging truth. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, not on the temporary distractions of this world. Guide our conversation today, Lord, that we might encourage one another to follow the path you’ve set before us. Show us where we’ve been building temporary kingdoms instead of seeking your eternal one. We ask that your Holy Spirit would speak through our discussion and transform our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What’s the longest race or physical challenge you’ve ever completed, and what kept you going when you wanted to quit?
Key Verses
Hebrews 12:1-2
Hebrews 13
Questions
Fr. Michael says, ‘Faith isn’t actually faith unless it spurs us to live differently than we would without it.’ How has your faith changed the way you live your daily life?
What does it mean practically to ‘let brotherly love continue’ within our church family beyond Sunday services?
Fr. Michael mentions showing hospitality to strangers and remembering those in prison. What are some ways we can love those outside our comfortable circles?
How do you distinguish between the path Jesus walked and the other paths (media, politics, culture) that compete for your attention?
Fr. Michael suggests that ‘most times sin is choosing something temporal over something eternal.’ Could you share an example from your own experience?
What does it mean to ‘go to Jesus outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured’? What might this look like in your life?
How much time do you spend ‘building cities and kingdoms that do not and will not last’ versus seeking God’s eternal kingdom?
The sermon ends with ‘Cross now, joy later.’ How does this perspective alter your perspective on current struggles or sacrifices in your faith journey?
Life Application
This week, identify one area where you’ve been investing time, energy, or resources into something temporary rather than eternal. It may be excessive media consumption, the pursuit of material possessions, or a concern with worldly status. Choose one concrete step to redirect that investment toward something eternal—perhaps additional time in prayer or Scripture, serving someone in need, or intentionally building relationships within your church family. Each day, remind yourself of Hebrews 13:8: ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,’ and ask yourself if your choices are aligned with the unchanging path of Christ.
Key Takeaways
Faith must move us to action—it’s not measured by outcomes but by whether we base our lives on God’s promises.
Running the race of faith involves loving fellow Christians deeply and extending hospitality to strangers, prisoners, and those who are marginalized.
We must choose what is eternal (Jesus Christ) over what is temporary (worldly pleasures, power, and possessions).
Jesus is found ‘outside the camp’—we must be willing to leave comfort and security to follow where He leads.
We have no lasting city here; we seek the city that is to come—our focus should be on God’s eternal kingdom.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, you who are the same yesterday, today, and forever, we thank you for the race you’ve set before us. Forgive us for the times we’ve chosen temporary pleasures over eternal joy, for the moments we’ve stayed safely inside the camp rather than following you to the margins. Give us courage to lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely. Help us to invest in what cannot be shaken—your kingdom, your people, your purposes. As we leave this discussion, empower us by your Spirit to run with endurance, our eyes fixed firmly on you, embracing the cross now for the joy that awaits. May our lives reflect the faith that moves mountains and transforms hearts. In your unchanging name we pray, Amen.
Just beautiful Father, thank you as always