Focus. Faith.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Focus

Focus: a central point; the point of concentration

Google says this about the point of concentration:

In mindfulness and cognitive training, a point of concentration is a specific object, sensation, or thought used to anchor the mind and prevent it from wandering.

Over this past year, what has your mind been anchored upon?

To give us some understanding of what people’s minds have been anchored upon this past year…according to one source the top trending US searches of 2025 were:

1. Charlie Kirk

2. “KPop Demon Hunters”

3. Labubu

4. iPhone 17

5. One Big Beautiful Bill Act

6. Zohran Mamdani

7. DeepSeek

8. Government shutdown

9. FIFA Club World Cup

10. Tariffs

As Christians, why do we need an anchor for our minds? Because our minds can so easily wander!

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Ephesians 4:14)

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8)

But…

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

It seems clear from these and other verses that our minds need to be anchored upon God and God’s Word. So…

How have you done this past year at keeping your mind anchored? How have you done this past year at keeping your mind from wandering?

Faith

Faith: Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence;

The Bible is the declaration of God’s Word to us.

Do we acknowledge that it is true?

Jesus said…

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

Are we resting our lives on its authority? on its truthfulness?

Jesus said…

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24)

Are we doing all of this without any need of evidence?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

With all of that in mind, consider Hebrews 12:1-2:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses...

Hebrews chapter 11, the great Hall of Faith, is filled with individuals whose lives, although not perfect, exemplified a life of focus.

In Hebrews chapter 11, it is said of Abraham’s focus…

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)

Hebrews chapter 11, the great Hall of Faith, is filled with individuals whose lives, although not perfect, exemplified a life of faith.

One of the individuals, in Hebrews chapter 11, that exemplifies this truth is Noah…

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

Noah, Abraham, and the other individuals in Hebrews chapter 11 are those who have gone on before us.

That “so great a cloud of witnesses,” for us, has grown this past year. And we have remembrances of each of these individuals; we “remember” them for various things.

When the time comes for us to join that “so great a cloud of witness”...

• What will others remember about our focus? about our faith?

• What will our children remember about our focus? about our faith?

• What will our co-workers remember about our focus? about our faith?

• What will those in our church remember about our focus? about our faith?

If it is anything less than what we would like, this next part of Hebrews 12:1, is for us…

…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

As we come to the end of the year and prepare for the new year, it is a wonderful time for us to reevaluate our focus; to reevaluate our faith.

Then we come to Hebrews 12:2:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Charles Spurgeon wrote this:

The Greek word for “looking” is a much fuller word than we can find in the English language. It has a preposition in it that turns the look away from everything else. You are to look from all else to Jesus. Do not fix your gaze on the cloud of witnesses; they will hinder you if they take away your eye from Jesus. Do not look at the weights and the besetting sin—these you have laid aside; look away from them. Do not even look at the racecourse, or the competitors, but look to Jesus and so start in the race.

The challenge for us is simply this..

We are to look away from everything else and fix our focus upon Jesus Christ.