Dick Lucas on Hebrews 11

In the not to distant past Dick Lucas spoke at St. Helens on Hebrews 11 (I say "not to distant past" because he was preaching from the ESV!). You can download them from: http://sthelens.audiop.org.uk/home free of charge. I will leave much of the exegesis for your discovery. What I want to put here is his teaching on the struggles which the Hebrews were facing, he mentions three from the context of chapter 11, all of which were tempting the Hebrews to stop running the Christian race (and they all begin with "S"!!!)

Suffering: "But recall fromer days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated" - Hebrews 10:32-33.

Shame: "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" - Hebrews 12:2.

Sin: "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" - Hebrews 12:1.

Of course Hebrews 11 is about exaples of faith in the Old Testament who we are to learn from and as we learn from them are to bear in suffering, despise the shame (pressing on through it to glory), and throw off our sin. But I will let Dick explain that to you!