Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus: The Source of True Faith

Fixing our eyes on Jesus is not just a comforting phrase—it is a powerful, practical command for every season of life. When we face uncertainty, fear, or loss, the question is not whether our faith is big enough, but whether the object of our faith is worthy. Just as my mother would only board a plane she trusted, our confidence in life’s journey depends on what—or who—we are trusting to carry us. Faith is only as strong as its object. If we place our faith in things that are temporary or unstable—our achievements, health, feelings, relationships, or even our own optimism—we will inevitably be disappointed, because all these things can and do change.

Instead, we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the unchanging, sovereign God who holds all things together. Hebrews 12:2 urges us to look away from distractions and deliberately focus on Him. This is not denial of our problems, but a conscious pivot of our attention from our circumstances to the One who is able to carry us through them. When our faith is rooted in Christ, we can endure hardship, confusion, and even loss without being crushed or destroyed, because He is the only One strong enough to bear the weight of our trust.

This truth became deeply personal for me as my family walked through the loss of eight loved ones, including my mother and mother-in-law. In her final days, my mother’s refrain was simple: “Fix your eyes on Jesus.” Even as she faced death, she had hope and peace, not because her faith was extraordinary, but because her faith was in an extraordinary Savior. Her composure in the face of loss was a testimony to the power of a life anchored in Christ.

So, in whatever you are facing—global uncertainty, personal loss, or daily anxieties—pause and ask yourself: Where is your faith placed? Are you seat-belted into something that can truly carry you? Fix your eyes on Jesus, and you will find the hope and peace that surpasses understanding.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The strength of faith is determined not by its size, but by its object. Placing great faith in something unworthy or unstable will always lead to disappointment, but even a small faith in a great God is enough to sustain us through any storm. [01:59]
• 2. In times of fear, anxiety, or uncertainty, the call is not to muster up more faith, but to re-evaluate where our faith is anchored. Shifting our focus from ourselves and our circumstances to Christ is the key to enduring life’s challenges with confidence. [02:55]
• 3. All earthly objects of faith—achievements, health, relationships, finances—are ultimately too small and too temporary to carry us safely to our destiny. Only Jesus, the eternal and sovereign One, is worthy of our complete trust. [06:55]
• 4. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is an intentional, daily act. It means acknowledging our problems and then deliberately pivoting our attention away from them to Christ, refusing to let distractions or difficulties become our obsession. [08:04]
• 5. True hope and peace, even in the face of death or profound loss, come from a life anchored in Jesus. The testimony of those who have walked through suffering with composure and hope is a powerful reminder of the sufficiency of Christ as the object of our faith. [10:56]
  ** [10:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
• [00:50] - Lois Evans and Small Planes
• [01:27] - Faith and the Object of Faith
• [02:12] - Re-evaluating Where We Place Our Faith
• [03:10] - The Need for a Worthy Carrier
• [03:56] - The Chair Analogy: Faith and Strength
• [04:29] - Shifting Focus from Ourselves
• [04:59] - The Only Trustworthy Object: God
• [05:52] - Hard-Pressed but Not Crushed
• [06:26] - Where Is Your Faith Placed?
• [07:31] - Hebrews 12:2: Fix Your Eyes
• [08:04] - Intentional Focus on Jesus
• [09:40] - Personal Loss and Family Testimony
• [10:56] - Hope and Peace in the Face of Death
• [11:47] - Closing and Blessing

Bible Reading

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV) — > "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."

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV) — > "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;"

Observation Questions

1. According to Hebrews 12:2, what are we commanded to do with our attention and focus?
2. In the sermon, what examples were given of things people often put their faith in that can let them down? ([06:26])
3. What does 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 say about the experience of believers who are going through hard times?
4. What was the repeated phrase that the pastor’s mother said in her final days, and what did it show about her faith? ([10:56])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does the writer of Hebrews tell us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” instead of focusing on our own faith or circumstances? ([07:31])
2. How does the strength of the object of our faith (Jesus) change the way we handle fear, anxiety, or loss? ([01:59])
3. What does it mean to “look away from anything that would distract you and fix your eyes on Jesus,” as mentioned in the sermon? ([08:04])
4. In what ways does the testimony of someone who faces death with hope and peace challenge or encourage our own faith? ([10:56])

Application Questions

1. The sermon asks us to pause and reflect: Where is your faith placed right now? Is it in something or someone that can truly carry you, or is it in something temporary? ([06:26])
2. Are there specific distractions or worries in your life that are keeping you from focusing on Jesus? What would it look like to “pivot your attention” away from them this week? ([08:04])
3. When you face uncertainty or fear, do you tend to try to “muster up more faith,” or do you re-evaluate where your faith is anchored? How could you practice shifting your focus to Jesus in those moments? ([02:55])
4. Think about a recent hardship or loss you’ve experienced. How did you respond? Was your faith shaken, or did you find hope and peace by anchoring yourself in Christ? ([10:56])
5. The pastor’s mother found peace in her final days by fixing her eyes on Jesus. Is there an area of your life where you need to let go of control and trust Jesus more fully? What is one step you can take this week to do that? ([10:56])
6. What practical habits could help you intentionally fix your eyes on Jesus each day (for example, prayer, Scripture, worship, or something else)? ([08:04])
7. If someone asked you why Jesus is the only worthy object of faith, how would you explain it to them based on what you learned from this sermon? ([04:59])