Looking Unto Jesus the Captain of Our Salvation

Job 14-15

Psalm 96

Hebrews 12

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

We just returned from General Conference in Atlanta and wonderful fellowship with all the people that were there.  The theme of the conference is “Pillars and Pathways”.  As we read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews yesterday, we were shown what the pillars of faith from the Old Testament had stood for and with.  The pillars of our faith run back to Abraham who believed God and it was counted for righteousness because of his faith.  As we begin chapter twelve the focus turns to the central theme of the whole Old Testament.  All this faithfulness from the believer in the OT brought us to Christ who is the perfect representative of the Father who formed him and filled him with the holy spirit giving him power to do God’s will.

Look together at the first verses of chapter 12:

Hebrews 12:1-3(NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

The direction of our walk following Christ is a straight path of endurance that we follow as our champion and captain of salvation goes before us showing us the way to walk.  The path he has given us is straight and direct, going to the Father God that has called us to a life of faith and service.

Matthew 6:22(NKJV) The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

What we focus our eyes and our mind on will be the things that come into our thoughts and hearts.  The word “good” in verse Matt 6:22 can also be translated as “simple” or “straight”.  When our eye is looking “straight” at our champion, and we follow him in this race of life our path will be straight and our way direct.  Following Jesus is a simple path, he has shown us the way.  For our lives, families, fellowships and churches the path has been given to us by the pillars of our faith, and Jesus Christ has shown us the path to follow. 

When our eye is simple, following Jesus, our whole life will be filled with the light of God’s presence and fellowship with us.

Psalms 96:1-4(NLT) Sing a new song to the LORD!
Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!
² Sing to the LORD; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
³ Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
⁴ Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!

Psalms 96:11-13(NLT) Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
¹² Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy
¹³ before the LORD, for he is coming!
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with his truth.

All the peoples of the earth will be judged by the Word of God spoken to us by the pillars of our faith, and by our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Reflection Questions

1. What Old Testament pillars of faith do you love to look to for example, encouragement and instruction? Who in your life has been a pillar of faith for you, teaching you the wonderful words of God and what to do with them?
2. What do you love about Jesus? What have you learned from him? How would you describe the path he is setting before you?
3. Would you describe your eyesight as good, simple and straight, following Jesus to the Father? Is anything clouding your vision or is anything in your peripheral vision distracting you from good, simple and straight vision following Jesus? How can you improve your eyesight?

Prayer

Father God, we reach out to follow your champion of faith that is before us.  Make our eyes and hearts straight to follow him.  Give us this day the bread of our need and keep us from turning to the right or left away from You.  We sing Your praises from our hearts of joy that You have given us.  In the name of the champion of our faith, Jesus Christ we pray.