经文: 「存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程，仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣；祂因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难。」（希伯来书十二：1下～2）
在竞赛场上，我们定睛于目标，为要得着奖赏；基督徒亦当如此定睛于钉十字架的耶稣，跟随祂的脚踪，效法祂的榜样；在我们一生中，耶稣的背十字架，永远是我们向前的动力，也是引导我们走向宝座，得着荣耀的途径，藉着耶稣身体的裂开受死，祂为我们开了一条又新又活的路，当我们深入探讨，明白耶稣藉着被钉十字架，才得以被高举得荣耀，我们就愿意效法祂的一生，跟随祂的佳美脚踪而行，做一个捨己背十字架的人。
教会所以软弱冷澹，就是太少传讲背十字架的信息。大多数的基督徒以为只要认罪悔改以后就大功告成，仍然可以继续享受世界上的娱乐，竟不知世俗是圣灵的仇敌，若爱世界，爱父的心，就不在他裡面了；他们也不知道要全心全意地认识钉十架的耶稣，真正明白何谓向老我死和向世界死。
因着摆在前面的喜乐——能讨上帝的欢心、荣耀上帝，耶稣就愿意忍受苦难并接受死亡。我们也要有这样的心志，为了讨上帝的喜悦，并赢得人的灵魂，就愿意忍受苦难，背起自己的十字架，把自己模铸成上帝儿子的模样。基督徒若能清楚明白这项有福的真理，就能仰望主耶稣，奔走这条属灵的天路，靠着圣灵得能力，为耶稣赢得更多的人归主，因为耶稣已被钉死在十字架，流下宝血作多人的赎价。
LOOKING UNTO JESUS
Scripture: "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, look?ing unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame."—HEB. xii. 1. 2. R. V.
In running a race the eye and heart are ever set upon the goal and the prize. The Christian is here called to keep his eye fixed on Jesus enduring the cross, as the one object of imitation and desire. In our whole life we are ever to be animated by His Spirit as He bore the cross. This was the way that led to the throne and the glory of God. This is the new and living way which He opened for us through the veil of the flesh. It is as we study and realize that it was for His bearing the cross that God so highly exalted Him, that we shall walk in His footsteps bear?ing our cross after Him with the flesh condemned and crucified.
The impotence of the Church is greatly owing to the fact that this cross-bearing mind of Jesus is so little preached and practised. Most Christians think, that as long as they do not commit actual sin, they are at liberty to possess and enjoy as much of the world as they please. There is so little insight into the deep truth that the world, and the flesh that loves the world, is enmity against God. Hence it comes that many Christians seek and pray for years for conformity to the image of Jesus, and yet fail so en?tirely. They do not know, they do not seek with the whole heart to know, what it is to die to self and the world.
It was for the joy set before Him that Christ endured the cross—the joy of pleasing and glorifying the Father, the joy of loving and winning souls for Himself. We have indeed need of a new crusade with the proclamation: This is the will of God, that as Christ found His highest happiness, and received from the Father the fulness of the Spirit to pour down on His people, through His endurance of the cross, so it is only in our fellowship of the cross that we can really become conformed to the image of God's Son. As believers awake to this blessed truth, and run the race ever looking to the crucified Jesus, they will receive power to win for Christ the souls He has purchased on the cross.
注：中文翻译似乎不是很到位, 有几处没译出来 1）bearing our cross after Him；2)Hence it comes that many Christians seek and pray for years for conformity to the image of Jesus, and yet fail so entirely； 3）win for Christ the souls he has purchased on the cross
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