Sermon Tone Analysis

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.20 “But 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.’