Pastor Richard Way, The Remedy To Weariness and Faint Heartedness, Hebrews 12, Sunday Morning

Hebrews 12 gives the remedy to weariness and faintheartedness: “lay aside every weight,” lay aside the sin that so easily besets, and run with patience by looking unto Jesus. Christ does not leave weary people to carry everything alone. His heart is meek and lowly, and His invitation remains, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Weights are not always sinful things. A weight may be a care, a concern, a distraction, a time waster, or something lawful that simply is not expedient. The world pulls at the heart through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and those things can become so prominent that Christ no longer has the preeminence. If He is first, He ought to be foremost in the mind and life.

Friendships and relationships can become weights when they dull a Christian rather than sharpen him. Jesus remains the greatest Friend a young person, or anybody else, will ever need. Christ can guide His people into friendships that sharpen their countenance and help them become better Christians, but wrong relationships can pull them away from the race God has set before them.

Hobbies, activities, social media, gaming, and sports may all be lawful, but they become weights when they consume time, attention, and affection that belong to God. Social media especially can trap the heart in comparison, discontentment, and distraction. A person can scroll through somebody else’s edited life, become overwhelmed by envy, and forget that he is called to shine as a light in a dark world. Gaming and sports can also become more than recreation when they begin to rule a life, neglect a family, or keep a believer from doing what God has called him to do.

The Holy Ghost knows the particular weights that no sign or illustration can name. Some burdens grow slowly, until what once seemed easy to put down becomes too heavy to carry. The past may become one of the heaviest weights of all. Hurt, betrayal, and painful words can keep a person from moving forward and can allow the devil to use the past to destroy the future.

Christ calls His people to bring those weights to Him, put them off, and run the race with patience. His burden is light, and a burdened spirit can find real rest when it takes what is heavy to the Lord.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Lay aside every spiritual weight Hebrews 12 does not merely warn against obvious sin. It calls believers to examine the things that slow them down, distract their hearts, and drain their strength. A weight may be permissible while still being harmful to a faithful race. Christ deserves more than a place in life; He deserves preeminence. [41:24]
• 2. Jesus remains the greatest Friend Friendships matter because they either sharpen or dull a Christian life. Christ never replaces the need for wise relationships, but no relationship can replace Christ Himself. Those who seek Him first can trust Him to lead them toward companions who strengthen their walk rather than weaken it. [46:32]
• 3. Comparison turns blessings into burdens Social media can make another person’s best-looking moment seem like a whole life of ease. That false comparison produces envy, dissatisfaction, and a distracted mind. A believer cannot shine clearly in a dark world while constantly staring at somebody else’s life. [51:45]
• 4. The past can stop the race Old wounds can become so heavy that a believer quits moving forward for God. Hurt is real, and even God’s people can say and do painful things. Christ calls His people to bring that weight to Him before the devil uses yesterday’s pain to rob tomorrow’s usefulness.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [20:54] - The Comfort of the Holy Ghost
• [28:19] - Telling Others What Jesus Can Do
• [31:52] - Hebrews 12 and Doing the Word
• [33:25] - The Remedy to Weariness
• [34:30] - Bringing Heavy Burdens to Christ
• [40:20] - Lay Aside Every Weight
• [41:24] - Weights That Slow the Race
• [45:42] - Friendships, Hobbies, and Activities
• [48:25] - Social Media as a Weight
• [54:54] - The Danger of Gaming Addiction
• [58:45] - When Sports Become a Weight
• [60:11] - Looking Unto Jesus
• [68:44] - The Heavy Weight of the Past
• [71:32] - Bringing Weights to the Lord
• [77:04] - Take It to Him

Bible Reading

Hebrews 12:1-3
“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. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” [40:26]

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [35:14]

1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” [41:37]

Observation questions

1. In Hebrews 12:1-3, what actions are believers told to take so they will not become weary and fainthearted? [40:26]
2. What kinds of things were identified as “weights,” even when they are not necessarily sinful in themselves? [41:24]
3. According to Matthew 11:28-30, what does Jesus invite weary and heavy-laden people to do, and what does He promise them? [35:14]
4. What dangers of social media were described, especially when people compare their lives with what they see online? [51:59]

Interpretation questions

1. Hebrews 12 names both “weights” and sin. Why is it important for a believer to deal not only with clear sin, but also with lawful things that slow down spiritual growth? [45:42]
2. Jesus calls the weary to come to Him and take His yoke. What does that show about His heart toward someone who feels overwhelmed, ashamed, or too weak to keep going? [35:32]
3. 1 John 2:15-17 warns about loving the world and its desires. How can ordinary cares, possessions, entertainment, or concerns become too prominent in a believer’s heart? [41:37]
4. The past can become a weight that stops someone from moving forward. How can hurtful words, betrayal, or old failures affect a person’s willingness to serve the Lord and stay involved with God’s people? [01:09:06]

Application questions

1. What has been taking more of your time, attention, or affection than it should? It may not be sinful by itself, but is it helping you run your race or slowing you down? [43:33]
2. Are there friendships or relationships in your life that sharpen you spiritually, or do they tend to dull your desire for the Lord? What is one wise step you could take in response? [47:19]
3. How does social media affect your heart: does it lead you toward gratitude and encouragement, or toward comparison, envy, distraction, or discontentment? Is there something you need to limit, unfollow, or put away? [49:45]
4. Is a hobby, game, sport, or activity beginning to control your schedule, affect your family, or keep you from doing what you know God wants you to do? What boundary could help keep it in its proper place? [57:35]
5. Is there a burden from the past—hurt, disappointment, regret, or something someone did to you—that you have continued to carry? What would it look like to bring that weight honestly to Jesus rather than letting it stop your race? [01:10:12]
6. When weariness comes, is your first response usually to carry it alone, distract yourself, or go to Christ? What practical habit could help you come to Him sooner and find His rest? [01:17:36]