A Good Name- HEAVEN'S AUDIENCE

When I read this scripture I ask who are the witnesses that it references?  Some theologians will say to look at the previous chapter that mentions people in the past who built a foundation of faith.  In other words, the great cloud of witnesses are those people who lived before the people who were reading this verse.  They were not necessarily rich or famous, just faithful and left a spiritual legacy.  They had a good name.  These are the witnesses some say the scripture is referring to.

Missing from that group in Chapter 11 are all of the Apostles, faithful leaders, teachers and people of faith who have carried the torch since the passage was written.  It stands to reason, based on the subject being referenced, that these faithful Saints would be included as witnesses.  Thousands upon thousands would be included.  There is another group not mentioned, and that would be the angels, for they see much of what we do.  They are witnesses.  Of course the Holy Spirit sees everything we do.  Therefore He must be included in the witness section.  So, it is obvious that Heaven's Audience who is watching our race is pretty large.

There is another witness not mentioned and that is the current witnesses who know us or observe us.  How about our children, spouse, friends, co-workers and even our enemy?  These people are witnesses to our life and the race we are running.  We now see the audience swelling larger than we realized, and even a very large stadium wouldn't contain it.  This means that our faithful labor, although unknown by many around us, is being observed and likely applauded by these witnesses.  It makes me want to pick up speed in my race, realizing that there are so many watching our race?

For you sports-minded guys, I discovered an interesting sports metaphor in this scripture.  Believe it or not, it is the word, "clouds."  Back in the day, the Greeks were very sports minded.  They had amazing stadiums filled with sports enthusiasts.  Like our stadiums, they had seats all over the place.  The highest seat in these stadiums was called in Greek, nephos, which means clouds.  Do you make the connection with what is being said?  We have a bunch of witnesses to our life watching the entirety of our race from start to finish.  Their view is unobstructed.  They have the high view.  They see the big picture of our life.

Like most fans, we are attracted to watching the big name guys on the field.  In a way, they have a "good name" in the sport world even though they might be the poorest example of a moral, selfless, team player.  They get the attention because of that name.  Good or bad, their fans suffer with them and rejoice with them as they play their sport.  These witnesses of their effort are deeply invested in them and they pull for their guy more than anyone in the stadium.  More than once I have heard players like this thank their fans for believing in them.  They know the value of these people in their life.

I think there might be a similar thing going on with you and me.  I think someone, whether he or she is a saint or angel or a regular guy is watching our Christian race and is feeling both our pain and celebrating our victories.  These witnesses deeply care about you and me more than we realize.  I would not be surprised to be introduced to some of those heavenly witnesses one day and they tell me that they have watched and cheered me on all of my life.  I wouldn't doubt that some of those witnesses will refer back to my childhood and tell me hidden points of intervention from that point to now that I have had protection, or a circumstance mysteriously reversed or enhanced because they were involved.  They witnessed my spiritual failures that pulled me into the grasp of evil, and as well, my climb out of the hole of evil to run my life race for Christ.  I have felt their cheers and involvement even though their witness has been silent and hidden.  Even so, it is all around you and me and they are on our side.  That is a good thing to remember.

Why do I bring your attention to the great cloud of witnesses who are observing our life even now?  It is because we often feel our effort to change and to become the man who carries a good name to be a slow, hard grind that no one sees or cares about.  So much is going against us and we sometimes think we should just give up on the battles.  We grow discouraged and ask, "Does anyone care?"  The answer is "Yes!  Absolutely someone cares!"  Therefore, the next time you feel discouraged and ask that question, I want you to pull your head out of your battle and look up.  Peer into the highest seats in the stadium ... the cloud seats.  Listen carefully with your ears of faith and you will hear your name chanted by thousands of witnesses who are exhorting you on.  Ask them if they care.  I've got an idea they would say to you clearly if you could hear it that they are your greatest fans.  One day they will greet you and me into our heavenly home and tell us face to face.  Until that time comes, we've got a race to run.  So let's get up and run it and give it the best we've got.