From exhausted to enduring: Fill your Bleachers with Hebrews 12 Super Fans
- Thad DeBuhr
- Aug 19, 2025
- 11 min read
Hebrews 12:1-4
The Main Message: The Christian life is a tough race. The good news is, you're not running it alone. You've got to dump anything that's holding you back, and keep your eyes on Jesus—he's the one who finished the race first. And the best part? There's a huge crowd of people who have already finished their race, and they're all cheering you on.
Knowing who's cheering you on matters:
You know, there's a big difference between advice from a weekend warrior and a seasoned pro. Imagine you’re at a local 10K race, and some guy on the sidelines is shouting at you to run faster. He’s never run a mile in his life, and he's holding a hot dog. Now imagine you see a retired Olympian standing at the side of the track, giving you a quiet nod and a thumbs-up. He's been there. He's done the work. He knows what it takes to finish.
That’s what these opening lines to Hebrews 12 are all about. We're not getting shouted at by strangers. We’re surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses—people who have finished the race of faith, people who know the pain, the sacrifice, and the reward. They're not just spectators; they’re mentors. So let's listen to what they've got to say.
Before moving on, pause and read through Hebrews 12:1-4 in a couple of different translations. Choose two from this selection: NIV, NLT, ESV, NASB, NKJV
Setting the Scene: Hebrews 12:1-4
Hebrews 12:1-4 paints a picture of the Christian life as a race. The author starts with, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..." The "therefore" is our cue to look back at the heroes of faith from the last chapter—Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and a whole bunch of others. These aren't just names in a book; they're the pros in the grandstands, cheering us on. N.T. Wright, a guy who knows his stuff, says in his book "Hebrews for Everyone" that these guys and girls aren't just watching—their lives are a testimony to God's faithfulness, and they're urging us to keep going. It's like having your whole family of faith, past and present, yelling for you from the sidelines.
The idea of the "cloud of witnesses" can be confusing. It's not about them sitting on puffy clouds in heaven, watching our lives like a movie and cheering with a megaphone. Instead, think of it as a packed grandstand at a major sporting event. The crowd isn't just full of fans; it's filled with people who have already run the race of faith. Each one—from Abel to Abraham to Rahab—is a witness. Their lives are a testimony to God's faithfulness and a testament that it is possible to endure. When we feel overwhelmed, isolated, or think our situation is unique, we can look up into those bleachers and see the faces of people who have been through it all and didn't give up.
These mentors and role models in our "bleachers" serve as examples of endurance, but they also show us something even more important: they weren't perfect. Many of them messed up, made huge mistakes, and acted like idiots at times. But they always found their way back to God and got back on track to finish the race. This gives us hope when we stumble.
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And there's one more powerful thing about having your bleachers full of mentors: you can lend them out. When you see someone in your community struggling—maybe they don't have their own support team yet—you can introduce them to one of your mentors. You can say, "Hey, I see you're struggling with X. Let me share a story with you about one of my mentors from the Bible who went through something similar." The more biblical mentors and faithful saints you have in your bleachers, the more of an asset you can be to others.
The next thing the writer tells us to do is to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." This isn't just about ditching bad stuff; it's a very specific, practical instruction. The Greek word for "hinders" is ogkon, which literally means "a weight" or "an encumbrance." Think about an ancient athlete getting ready to compete in the Olympics. They would have stripped down to the bare minimum, leaving behind anything that might weigh them down. This weight isn't necessarily a sin, but it's anything that holds us back and slows us down. It could be a good thing, like a hobby that takes up all your free time, a job that burns you out, or even an ambition that distracts you from what really matters. These are things that aren't evil in themselves, but they become weights when they get in the way of our spiritual race. It's the difference between carrying a light tool belt to a job and trying to work with a whole toolbox strapped to your back. The tool belt is helpful, but the toolbox is a hindrance.
The "sin that so easily entangles" is different. Brad Gray from Walking the Text explains this could be a picture of the long, flowing robes worn at the time. A runner would never compete in one of those, because it would get caught under their feet and trip them. This kind of sin isn't just a burden; it's something designed to trip you up completely and take you out of the race. It's a sin that has a specific hold on you—maybe it's pride, fear, or a specific bad habit that you keep falling back into. Think of a worker getting their loose sleeve caught in a machine. It's not just a nuisance; it's a dangerous snare. This sin wraps itself around us and keeps us from moving forward.
Then, the focus shifts to the one who matters most: Jesus. We're told to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." The Greek word for "pioneer" is archēgos, which also means "foreman" or "leader." Jesus isn't just a good example; he’s the one who already did the job. He blazed the trail for us. He is the ultimate role model for finishing strong. The author reminds us that Jesus "for the joy set before him endured the cross." This wasn’t a joy of dodging the cross; it was the joy of what would come after it—our salvation. He knew what he was working for, and that kept him going. As N.T. Wright puts it, this deep, profound joy gave him the strength to face the ultimate suffering. He looked past the pain and shame because he was focused on the glorious result. That's the same kind of perspective we need when we're in the thick of a struggle.
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES DEEPER INTO THIS SECTION OF HEBREWS
See viewer comments and questions on screen at the end of the podcast.
Questions for you to chew on and discuss:
What "weights" or "sins" do you feel are most holding you back in your spiritual race right now?
How can you more intentionally "fix your eyes on Jesus" this week when a challenge comes up?
Who are the mentors or super fans in your bleachers? What bible characters do you turn to for encouragement? Which people in your family or faith community have become examples you look to?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
Share a time in your life when you felt like you were "entangled" by a sin or a bad habit. How did you get free, and how did keeping your focus on Jesus help you through it?
How to Apply These Lessons from Hebrews Today:
Dumping the Weight & Cutting the Snare
The Christian life is a marathon, and you can't run it with a backpack full of rocks or a robe wrapped around your feet. The author of Hebrews gives us two different things to deal with.
The Weight (ogkon): This isn't necessarily a sin, but it's anything that weighs you down and slows you down on your spiritual journey.
Real-Life Scenario: You're a hardworking parent who is a Little League coach, a scout leader, and a PTA member on top of working a demanding job. All these things are good, but they leave you completely exhausted with no time for prayer, Bible study, or serving in a meaningful way at your church. This packed schedule has become a weight that's slowing you down. The application here is to ask yourself, "What can I let go of to make room for what really matters?" It's okay to say "no" to a good thing if it prevents you from doing the best thing.
The Snare (Entangling Sin): This is the dangerous stuff, the sin that trips you up and takes you out of the race.
Real-Life Scenario: You find yourself getting caught up in arguments at work, gossiping with coworkers, or spending hours on social media getting angry at other people's opinions. These are sins that can "entangle" you. You know they're wrong, but they're so easy to fall into. The application is to be ruthless with these things. Just like a runner would cut off a long robe before the race, you need to cut these habits out of your life. This requires honesty, confession, and the help of the Holy Spirit and often a trusted friend.
Filling Your Bleachers with Super Fans
It's easy to feel alone and like your struggles are unique, but when you fill your spiritual bleachers, you gain mentors who have already been there and finished the race. They are the "super fans" who can inspire you to keep going.
Here's how you can do it:
Look to the Past: Read the biographies of faithful Christians who have gone before you. These are the people in the "great cloud of witnesses." Their stories of endurance become a part of your own support system.
Application: Pick up a book about someone like George Müller, who trusted God to provide for thousands of orphans, or Corrie ten Boom, who endured a concentration camp with unwavering faith. Their lives are a powerful testimony that God is faithful even in the hardest times.
Look to the Present: Find a living mentor. This could be an older person in your church, a wise small group leader, or a family member who has walked with God for years.
Application: Ask someone you respect to grab a cup of coffee with you and ask them, "What has helped you get through the tough times in your life?" Listen to their story. Their advice and experience will become a huge part of your cheering squad.
Lend Out a Mentor: Once your bleachers are full, you can share these testimonies with others who are struggling. This is how the "cloud of witnesses" continues to encourage the next generation of runners.
Application: When a friend is going through a tough time at work, you can say, "Hey, I was just reading about Joseph in the Bible, and he went through something similar. Let me tell you about how God was with him even when he felt betrayed." You're not just offering advice; you're lending them one of your "super fans" to cheer them on.
Fixing Your Eyes on Jesus
Dumping the weights and filling your bleachers are great, but they are all about clearing the way and getting motivated to keep your eyes on the main prize. The goal of the race is not just to finish it, it's to finish it with your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Real-Life Scenario: When a major project goes wrong at work, your first instinct might be to panic, blame others, or get angry. Instead, try to fix your eyes on Jesus. How did He respond to hardship and betrayal? He endured the cross for the joy of saving us. Your application is to remember that your work and your struggles have a higher purpose. You are not just working for a paycheck; you are representing the character of Christ. When you feel the pain of a setback, remember the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for you, and let that be your motivation to keep going. Your strength doesn't come from yourself; it comes from the one who has already finished the race.
Join a Journey Group!
You know, running this race alone is a surefire way to get tired and give up. We all need a cheering squad. If your spiritual life is feeling more like a lonely jog than a well-supported race, it might be time to find your team. Don't be like that one guy who tries to run a marathon in flip-flops—you need the right gear and the right support system! Consider joining a Journey Group.
Go here to learn more about Journey Groups, get connected in one, or learn more about starting one: https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/journeygroups
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