H A L L   O F   F A M E

Hebrews 12:1

What is the largest crowd before which you’ve competed?  Was it nearer one hundred, one thousand or ten thousand?  How did that crowd affect you?  Were you inspired or intimidated by it?  There’s a similar picture in the pages of your Bible.

That picture is in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 1 where it says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  Can you see it?  To me, this looks like a great stadium on the day of competition.

The great cloud of witnesses to which the writer refers is the Hall of Famers from the previous chapter.  This stadium is filled with the great heroes of faith throughout history.  The writer’s intention is that such a crowd of spectators serve to inspire and to encourage us, the competitors in the race.

In a similar way, the great competitors that have preceded you in this game and at this institution should serve to inspire, to motivate and to encourage greatness in you.  The crowd observing today’s competition can be your greatest source of strength and inspiration.  Let your vision of them be like the one we read above.  See the seats as being full of Hall of Fame competitors and that each one of them is there to encourage and to cheer you on to success.  Compete like Hall of Famers today.

Bible Reading Plan:
John 8:48-59
II Peter 3:10-18
Job 7