Hebrews 12:14-17

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For the Last 2 Weeks We’ve Focused on the Discipline of God
Not Negative Discipline Specifically
But General Discipline
God Allows Us to Face Suffering for Our Faith in Him…
Because Enduring Suffering Makes Us:
Stronger in Faith
Grow Deeper in Holiness/Righteousness
God’s Discipline is to Help Us Grow into Better Christians
And God Only Disciplines Those Whom He Considers His Beloved Children
So Suffering for the Faith is an Encouraging Experience, Not Discouraging
It Should Draw Us Closer to God, Not Push Us Further Away
Last Time We Looked at Verses 12-13
And We are Going to Continue in with Verse 14 Tonight
Hebrews 12:12–17 (NIV)
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
Hebrews 12:14 (NASB95)
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
The Author Tells These Hebrew Christians to Pursue Peace with All People
Is Peace Something that will Occur Naturally?
If You Put a Bunch of Kids in a Room for a Few Hours…
Will There Be Nothing But Peace, Harmony, and Brotherly Love?
No, There will Be Chaos, Selfishness, and Crying Within the First 5 Minutes
In this Fallen World and with Our Fallen Nature…
Peace is Something that Must Be Constantly Pursued
It Doesn’t Come Natural
One of the Primary Reasons These Hebrew Christians Needed Encouragement…
Was Because They Were Experiencing Disharmony with Their Culture, Jewish Relatives, and Authorities
“If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them” Sounds Better Than “Be Shunned, Mocked, and Mistreated By Them”
But These Hebrew Christians have Already Been Told to Stand Strong
“Don’t Give Up on Jesus Because He hasn’t Given Up on You”
“He’s in Heaven Right Now, Interceding for You Before God at this Very Moment”
Don’t Give Up, But Just Keep Pursuing Peace with All People
They May Not Want Peace with You, But You Have to Pursue it Anyway
Remember What Paul Told the Romans?
Romans 12:14–21 (NASB95)
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.20But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is How We are to React to Our Persecutors
Not By Giving Up and Joining Them
But By Seeking Peace with Them to the Best of Our Ability
Hebrews 12:14 (NASB95)
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
It’s Not Just Peace They Were to Pursue But Sanctification/Holiness as Well
What Does it Mean to Pursue Sanctification?
What Does it Mean to Be Sanctified/Holy?
Sanctification is the Ongoing Process of Conforming to the Image and Character of Jesus
The Process of Becoming More Like Him
The Process of Becoming New Creation/Humanity
This Includes Getting Better and Better at Combating Temptation and Sin
It Includes Getting Better and Better at Doing Good Works for Others
The Process of Becoming More like Jesus is to Be a Christian’s Pursuit
Why is it Important to Become More and More Like Jesus?
Because Without Sanctification, No One will See the Lord
At the Beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Said:
Matthew 5:8 (NASB95)
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Purity of Heart and Action is the Goal of Sanctification
And the Sanctified are Those Who will See God
It’s Important to Remember that Peace and Holiness are the Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Without a Proper Reliance on the Holy Spirit to Help Us in These Endeavors…
We will Struggle and Fail
Hebrews 12:15–16 (NASB95)
15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;16 that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
It is Our Duty as Christian Brothers and Sisters…
To Make Sure Our Siblings Don’t Come Short of God’s Grace
We Have to Watch Out for Each Other so that No One Drifts Away into Apostasy
F.F. Bruce Said it this Way:
“If such holiness is to be pursued, then care must be taken to detect and nip in the bud any tendency that would be inimical to (Obstruct) it. … If some incipient sin manifests itself in their midst, it must be eradicated at once; if it is tolerated, this is a sure way of falling short of God’s grace, for many, if not the whole community, will then be contaminated”
The Older of the First 2 Siblings of Humanity Once Said:
“Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”
Is it My Duty to Watch Over Him, Guard Him, and Protect Him?
Absolutely it is!
That’s Exactly What Our Duty as Siblings is
When Circumstances are Less than Favorable…
Like the Circumstances These Hebrew Christians Were in…
It’s Easy for Roots of Bitterness to Spring Up in Our Hearts
And this Root of Bitterness can Trouble Us to the Point that…
We Give Up/In to Temptation and Sin
This is to Walk Away From God’s Grace
To Give Come Short of God’s Salvation
That’s Why Being Our Brother’s Keeper is So Very Important
This “Bitter Root” Language is Probably Meant to Bring Our Minds to Deuteronomy 29:18-21
Before Entering the Promised Land, Moses Gave Israel this Warning:
Deuteronomy 29:18–21 (CSB)
18 Be sure there is no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Be sure there is no root among you bearing poisonous and bitter fruit. 19 When someone hears the words of this oath, he may consider himself exempt, thinking, ‘I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart.’ This will lead to the destruction of the well-watered land as well as the dry land. 20 The Lord will not be willing to forgive him. Instead, his anger and jealousy will burn against that person, and every curse written in this scroll will descend on him. The Lord will blot out his name under heaven, 21 and single him out for harm from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the law.
Even Under the Old Covenant, the People of God Were to Look Out for Each Other
Bitterness will Lead to Unfaithfulness
And Unfaithfulness will Lead to Lack of Forgiveness From God
And Lack of Forgiveness From God will Lead to Destruction
But When Someone Walks Away From Faithfulness to God…
They Don’t Just Hurt Themselves
They can Bring Hurt to Their Christian Siblings
The Poisonous Roots of Bitterness can Begin to Infect Others
Hebrews 12:15–16 (NASB95)
15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;16 that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
They Were to Make Sure None of Their Siblings…
Became a Sexually Immoral or Worthless Person Like Esau
Esau Looked at the Present and Disregarded the Future
He Sold His Wonderful Blessing of the Birthright for a Bowl of Soup
Hebrews 12:17 (NASB95)
17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
After Jacob had Swindled His Brother Esau Out of Both the Birthright and the Blessing…
Esau Wanted to Get His Blessing Back, But it was Too Late
The Message is a Simple One:
If You Forsake Jesus for an Easier, Suffering-Free, Pleasure-Filled Life Right Now…
You Will Eventually Find that the Blessings God has Promised Through Jesus…
Will No Longer Be Available to You
It will Be Too Late
Living for this World Instead of the Next will Only End in Heart-Ache and Destruction
There will Be No Repenting and Seeking the Blessing
It Doesn’t Matter How Sincere We May Be
We Can’t Give Up on Jesus in the Hard Times…
And Expect to Receive the Benefits of Those Who Remained Devoted to Him

Invitation

Mid-Term Elections were Yesterday
I’ll Announce My Ignorance and Say I Know Practically Nothing About What Happened
I Saw a Few Names I Recognize that Were Elected/Re-Elected
But Overall, I Don’t Know if Our Country will Be Better or Worse Off
1 Timothy 2:1–4 ESV
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Peter 2:13–17 ESV
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
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