Hebrews 12:1-13
Hebrews 12:1-13 Sunday Service
Hebrews 12
Recap
Hebrews is all about not giving up in the midst of hardship and difficulty
Hebrews 10 warned of the dangers of doing so, finishing with “the just shall live by faith”
Hebrews 11 then comes in and tells us what faith is and gives us examples from the OT
- Faith is not the notion that God will do what we want
- Faith is the confidence that God will do what is best
He closes ch11 with accounts from the OT where this was true.
- The prophets suffered
- Most never saw the final fulfillment of the promise in their lifetime
- Yet they still trusted God’s will and promises
And this pleased God
We’re told in fact that it’s the ONLY way to please God.
Because that kind of faith is rooted in the fact that God is sovereign and that God is good.
Scripture
Hebrews 12:1-29 (NKJV) 1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (referring to the OT prophets in ch11), 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,
Since we are surrounded by all these OT prophets who are witnesses to God’s faithfulness
Let’s lay aside every weight and sin
We all understand the importance of laying aside our sin to follow Christ.
But he distinguishes weights and sins
What are weights?
Things that don’t benefit the ultimate objective
Areas of our lives not focused on the kingdom or not producing fruit
Weights does not mean bad things
He tells us we’re in an endurance race.
You don’t take things with you that don’t benefit the ultimate objective
1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV) Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain [it.]
He says run like there’s only one spot left in heaven.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) …one thing [I do,] forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul says I let go of anything that draws my attention off the prize
2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
He says it was a fight to finish the race. It was a fight to keep the faith.
Lay aside everything that competes with your heart for Christ.
And run the race that is set before US.
Each of us have our own race to run.
You don’t choose your race. God has set it before us.
He tells us how in v2
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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Then he tells us, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
How do we fight the good fight of faith? We look to Jesus
What is the good fight of faith? Remembering as I go through difficulty and persecution that God is God and God is good.
This doesn’t mean simply looking back in our lives to what Jesus did one time in the past (author of our faith).
It means looking forward also to every circumstance that happens in my life (finisher of our faith).
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
We look to Jesus who saw that God is God, submitting to the will of the Father
And that God is good, trusting Him even when that path led through hostility and persecution
We keep our eyes on Him lest we become weary of the fight and discouraged in our failures.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
He tells them to consider the fact that you are sons of God.
We love to call ourselves sons or daughters of God. We love to highlight our adoption and the benefits that that entails.
But he’s telling us here to consider what it means to be adopted. It means God is my Father and thus has authority over me. Including the authority to discipline me.
But notice he says this is not something to be discouraged about. We should be encouraged if God disciplines us. Because it’s proof we belong to Him.
But he warns, beware if you go without discipline. Beware if you go without pruning. Because it means you don’t belong to Him. You are not a legitimate son/daughter.
But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons
For whom the Lord loves He chastens
Remember this is not just talking about correction of sin, but the removing of weights as well.
Jesus said that every branch that bears fruit, GOD PRUNES… that it might bear more fruit.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected [us,] and we paid [them] respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened [us] as seemed [best] to them, but He for [our] profit, that [we] may be partakers of His holiness.
He draws their attention to our own earthly fathers.
He says we respected them and they disciplined us based on their own flawed understanding.
How much more should we respect our perfect Heavenly Father.
He disciplines us for our profit.
What’s that called? Love, seeking another’s highest good.
That we might be partakers in His holiness.
Notice: partaking in His holiness is the result of being disciplined.
How does all this translate into our understanding of faith with respect to God’s sovereignty and God’s character?
God is sovereign over my circumstances in the sense that He is cutting away dead weight in my life and / or disciplining me to correct my path, or teach me something.
But although it’s painful I know that He is good and is therefore doing it because He loves me and seeks my highest good.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
No one enjoys chastening. No one enjoys being rebuked. But it’s necessary for growth.
Without correction we’d never change. We’d continue in the same cycle of self destruction.
What’s the purpose of chastening? Chastening is focused on training us to be more like Christ.
Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) …He who has begun a good work in you will complete [it] until the day of Jesus Christ;
God is working on us, training us.
Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
How is He conforming us into the image of His Son? Through His chastening and correction?
The intent of correction is the peaceable fruit of righteousness… to those who have been trained by it.
Chastening itself doesn’t yield fruit. It only yields fruit if we’re willing to receive what God is showing us through it.
We have to be trained by it. So we can grow.
Therefore… strengthen those…
Correction often strips us of self. It can leave us defeated. So strengthen each other.
It does not say don’t correct
It says strengthen those when correction leaves them feeling defeated or broken.
Galatians 6:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who [are] spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Make straight your paths so what is lame may not be dislocated.
Keep your paths straight, keep your eyes fixed on Him so that those areas that are weak needing correction don’t leave you lame unable to move forward…
But instead are healed.
Summary:
He tells us to lay aside anything that competes with our heart for Him, because we’re in a race.
Keeping our eyes on Jesus and not clinging to the things God is pruning from our lives
He reminds us that God is a good Father who is chastening us, removing things for our good, so that our lives might yield the fruit of holiness.
So strengthen one another. Lest you become weary and lame in the race.
14 Pursue peace with all [people,] and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Peace is our pursuit.
We can be divisive for many reasons:
- Pride, ego, selfishness
- But also, truth. Every prophet was seen as divisive.
But divisiveness is never our pursuit
He says pursue holiness, without which we will not see the Lord.
The key word in both of these traits is pursue. Why? Because what we pursue demonstrates the direction of our heart.
A heart that genuinely wants to stir up trouble is a rebellious heart toward men. Self focused.
A heart that doesn’t long for holiness is a rebellious heart toward God. Self focused.
Peace and holiness are our pursuits because they indicate I love men and love God.
They demonstrate a heart that has died to self.
That’s why he says without which no one will see the Lord.
Not because he’s giving you a check list of things you need to do to be saved.
He’s telling us if these aren’t our pursuits we haven’t been born again, and thus will not see the Lord.
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God (again looking out for one another); lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Why is looking out for one another mentioned in this context? Because looking out for each other demonstrates my love for you.
Now when he’s talking about bitterness here there are two contexts in which it could be applied:
Bitterness toward God: because He’s bringing me through these circumstances and disciplining me.
Bitterness toward each other: because he’s just said we’re to look out for one another.
Both work, both apply, both forms of bitterness indicate a heart that does not want correction
Of which he told us in v11 that it’s those who are trained by correction that bear fruit of eternal life.
16 lest there [be] any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Fornicator is referring to spiritual fornication or adultery
Exchanging something holy for some short term pleasure
Profane is referring to treating something that is sacred as though it had no value.
Esau was Jacob’s twin brother.
he was the eldest in that he came out first. Thus the birthright afforded to the eldest was his.
But Esau traded something that God had ordained sovereignly to Jacob for a bowl of stew.
Later on when Isaac was dying he went to bless Esau but Jacob disguised himself and took his blessing.
Esau begged his father for the blessing but Isaac had already blessed Jacob.
Now when it says he sought it with tears there are two interpretations:
- He sought the blessing with tears. But Jacob refused him.
- He sought repentance itself with tears but couldn’t find it.
Both work theologically.
I think based on the context he’s referring to the second:
Esau sought repentance with tears but couldn’t find it through his bitterness toward Jacob.
Bitterness hardened his heart and defiled him by preventing him from being able to repent.
Bitterness is self focused. It forces us to relive the wound over and over.
He’s already told us the answer. Look to Jesus.
Jesus said, blessed are you when they say all manner of evil against you falsely for MY NAMESAKE, for great is your reward in heaven.
Regardless of how you interpret this passage what it shows is that there are some decisions which cannot be undone.
Which is what the author of Hebrews has warned them about twice now.
Turning back can have eternal consequences that cannot be undone.
18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard [it] begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight [that] Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
So now he gives an example of the severity of God.
That when he gave the commandments to Moses on mt sinai nothing was allowed to touch the mountain without being killed.
God had made the mount holy and anything that touched it died.
It was so serious that even Moses was afraid.
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn [who are] registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than [that of] Abel.
He says you haven’t come to Mt Sinai where man received Gods commands
But you’ve come to Mt Zion where the Son of God has set up His Kingdom.
His point is that the severity is greater not lesser.
Remember this was his whole case about the earthly tabernacle vs the heavenly tabernacle.
The REAL thing is always more important than the shadow.
25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more [shall we not escape] if we turn away from Him who [speaks] from heaven,
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks… Is that prescriptive or descriptive? Prescriptive, it’s a command
Who’s he talking to here? Christians or non-Christians? Christians, or at least professing Christians
So “Christians” have the ability to refuse Him who speaks.
Then he gives us another comparison:
- The penalty was severe for refusing Him who spoke on earth.
- How much more severe if we turn away from Him who speaks in heaven.
What is the heart posture of refusing or turning away? Is it willful or unintentional? It’s willful, rebellious. It’s a goat not a sheep.
26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
He says: Gods voice shook the earth
But shaking was exactly the point
Shaking indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made
- He says He shook things so that the things of this world (things that are made) might be removed
That the things which cannot be shaken might remain
But we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken
Therefore LET US HAVE GRACE, or it can also be translated, let us be thankful
Let us be thankful that God is shaking our world so that what is temporary might be removed
The warning and encouragement are inseparable:
* Everything built on this world will be shaken and removed.
* Everything rooted in Christ and His kingdom will remain.
* Therefore, we must not cling to temporary things or treat God casually.
* We should live with gratitude, reverence, and complete surrender to the King whose kingdom cannot be shaken.
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