Fixing your eyes on Jesus… (Hebrews 12:2) 120108
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Recently, I started to learn driving again. For me, to drive a car is not easy; as it is so much bigger than the motorbike I used to ride. I have difficulty estimating the space I need and often get distracted by this. But my instructor keeps telling me the same thing, over and over again: no matter what, when you are driving on the road, fix your eyes on the road ahead of you. Yes, I may have to pay some attention to the things happening around, to see if there is any car tailgates behind me, to see if there is a motorbike at my blind spot areas? But my primary focus and concern must be the road ahead of me.
And this again reminds me when I was learning riding; I need to clear a “S” course swiftly and safely. I was a thirty over year old man when I was learning riding. In order to clear that “S” course, I need to bend my bike low and maintain the speed of the bike. I always have this fear if I bend to low or am I going too fast. I kept looking at the floor and my speedometer. And I kept failing this “S” course and of course kept falling off the bike. Thanks to all the elbow and knee guards provided by the driving center, if not because of these, I will have plenty of injuries. The instructor taught me a “secret” to clear that “S” course. That is, don’t look at the speed or the floor; just keep my eyes fix on the road which my bike is supposed to go. Look far, look ahead. And surely, after applying these truths, I passed my “S” course and passed my riding test at one sitting! What an achievement for a thirty over year old man.
Likewise, we are on our journey to eternity. There are many temptations, distractions and whatever along the ways that will cause us to be detouring from our course, and may even be preventing us from getting to our destiny. But the author of Hebrews said: Fixing our eyes on Jesus. And the word “fixing” is a participle in Greek, which means it is a mean by which for something else to be accomplished. In this case, the context is the journey towards Christ. This simply implies that the only way we can get to the other side of eternity safely, is by fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the number of hours you spend on bible study. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the success in your career. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the number of A’s you get for your “O” and “A” levels. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the car you drive or the house you stay in. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the achievement of your children. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not the number of sermons you preach and the number of invitations to preach (this is for me). Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on the worries of life. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on your deteriorating health. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on the giants in your life. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on the promotion and the pay increment of your colleague. Fix your eyes on Jesus, not on the economic crisis which is coming. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
How to fix your eyes on Jesus? His Word, His World and His Work. This sounds like a three point sermon. To fix your eyes on Jesus is to fix your eyes on His Word in the Scriptures. I am not referring to exegesis or theological study, but simply reading the Scriptures and letting the Word to dwell in you. Abide in the Word and the World abides in you (to be found in John 15). To fix your eyes on Jesus is to fix your position with His World as in the people He has given you. Your world of people is the World He gives you; stay connected with people in small group, in fellowship and in church. Let them hold you accountable and they too need you to hold them accountable. Accountability can be fulfilled if there is a relationship, and relationship needs to be build within the World Jesus has given to you. To fix your eyes on Jesus is also fix your eyes on His Work, the works of the Holy Spirit. You must always try to remember the work of grace in your life, the prayer that has been answered, and the miracles of God in your life; by simply giving thanks. To be a Christian, is to give thanks.
Fix your eyes on Jesus and you are on your way to eternity. The right way. Fixing your eyes on Jesus.
HHS…
Abel…
