Commands for the Weary

Chapter 12 is a very practical chapter.

Told to fix our eyes on Jesus and run our race with endurance.

Warned of what happens when the believer stops running the race: we are disciplined.

As we run the race we are going to stumble at times.

The stumbling leads to discipline.

The discipline leads to restoration.

Sometimes when we come out on the other side, we have lost our joy. We are weary. Perhaps not as diligent as we had been in the past.

We still have our faith in the Lord, but we are not what we were. Our passion for Him has faded.

I think that’s the imagery we see in these verses. If you find yourself struggling back to your feet, setting your eyes again on Jesus, but not running at the pace you were before this section has some commands for you.

v. 12 “Lift up your drooping hands”

When a runner gets tired his hands drop.

Studies have shown that not only is the dropping of the arms a sign of runner fatigue but it also affects the run itself. The position of the arms helps to lift the body up. The lower the arms, the more difficult it is to run. Energy is wasted.

If you see a runner with his hands by his side you know he has finished the race or given up.

“Strengthen your weak knees” After the hands drop the legs usually go next. The form is off. The knees bend awkwardly. You may even wobble.

A person running with their arms by their side and their knees wobbly and barely bent is a picture of a person barely in the race.

What do we do when we find ourselves there?

We lift our hands:

In praise

In faith- reaching out to Christ.

We strengthen our weak knees: Don’t drag your feet.

If your feet are dragging and your arms are drooping, it’s easy to trip. Run the race!

Have you ever seen a kid who just got a whipping? They’re not interested in talking. They pout. They have an attitude. They may even plan to run away.

That’s how we get sometimes when the Lord disciplines us.

Don’t hold a grudge against God.

Don’t give up on God’s calling on your life.

Get back in the race!

v. 13 “Make straight paths for your feet”

Make sure our lane is clear of debris. This means we must remove the things in life that trip us up:

Weights

Sins

“so that what is lame” These are weaker believers. If we are not running as we should weaker believers watching us will be weakened even more. They may be “put out of joint” if we run unworthily.

However, if weaker believers see us run the race properly, they will be healed of their weakness. That is, they will mature in the Lord and be strengthened.

There are others about to give up in this race. They need to see us running the race in the right way. We need to encourage them with our lives and our words.

Your race affects your testimony.

Your testimony either strengthens or weakens other believers.

v. 14 “Strive for peace with everyone”

Nothing will wear you out in the Christian life like fighting with other believers. It’s hard enough to run the race! Throw wrestling in and it’s sure hard!

This peace is primarily with those in the church.

Strive for peace. Make it a priority.

This doesn’t mean ignore people. Actively seek peace with brothers and sisters.

We think this means just avoid conflict. That’s not what it means. We are going to have conflict. We’re humans.

When conflict arises be the initiator in the peace process.

A lot of people leave church because they get tired of fighting.

“Everyone” includes the world as well. It’s true that we can’t always have peace with the world because we believe the Bible. But we can do our part to mend relationships.

“Pursue holiness” This refers to the process of sanctification.

Deal with sin.

Grow in Christlikeness.

A life of sin will cause us to abandon the church and abandon the Lord. Abandoning those things prove our salvation was not real.

“without which no one will see the Lord”

Practical righteousness in your life is proof you have been saved. Some people are in the race because God put them there. Others wandered onto the track themselves. Those who wandered onto the track themselves will not have the endurance to make it to the end.

At the end of our race, we see the Lord. He is there to greet us. He is there to welcome us into heaven.

v. 15

Now we are going to see three things we must avoid. Avoiding these things is necessary if we are to finish our race:

1. “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God”

Again, we are warned about false confidence. The question is not:

Did you join a church?

Did you get baptized?

Did you run the race for some time?

The question is, did you obtain the grace of God? The writer returns to the theme of apostasy he has sprinkled throughout the book.

Have you been saved? Has there been a change? A new birth? Does the Spirit of God live in you?

You won’t finish your race if you have not.

2. We are to beware of bitterness.

“root of bitterness”

What does bitterness do?

Springs up

Causes trouble

Defiles many

For that reason, it is a great tool of Satan.

When you are bitter you have determined the Word of God should be applied to others but not yourself.

Someone did something to you. Perhaps it was wrong. Perhaps it was sin. What does God tell you to do?

Go to them in humility.

Pray for them.

Love them.

Forgive them.

When you don’t do those things, you will become bitter. Hidden sin will always reveal itself.

Once the bitterness springs up it will cause trouble. The trouble it causes will spill over into the lives of others. What was contained within you has now contaminated others.

Note: Bitterness starts small. It grows slowly. There is plenty of time to root it out. Once it blooms the damage is done.

Deal with it. Nip it in the bud!

v. 16 “that no one is sexually immoral”

3. Do not be sexually immoral.

Esau is given as an example. He was an unholy person. He took wives of Canaanite descent. He was sexually immoral as well.

He didn’t care about the blessings of his birthright. He practically gave them away. He cared about earthly things and that’s all.

Sexual immorality is inconsistent with Christianity. No matter what form:

Outside marriage

Adultery

Homosexuality

All of it is inconsistent.

You can’t run the race and be sexually immoral. Justify it all you want. You can’t do it.

v. 17 This is an interesting verse. It reminds us that Esau wanted the blessing back but was rejected. He could not receive it. There was no place of repentance for him. Even though he sought it with tears.

There is a simple point being made:

There is a spiritual point of no return. Esau crossed it. People can cross it today. That should scare us to death.

There were Hebrews in the church who were contemplating the decision to return to Judaism. The writer is warning them. This decision could be deadly for them. They could be like Esau.

Don’t think that those who seek the Lord with tears can’t be saved. They can. When an analogy is given in Scripture, we are not to use every single part of the analogy to create a doctrine. There is a basic point being made: Don’t be like Esau who turned his back on God and then thought he could return later and pick up where he left off.

If you are an apostate, you won’t repent.

The Spirit of God will not deal with your heart ever again.

You’ll be free to go into the darkness.

Therefore:

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Keep running the race.

Lay aside the weights and the sins.

Keep your lane clear.

Lift your hands and knees.

Strive for peace.

Beware of bitterness.

Abstain from sexual immorality.

You will grow weary at times. With your eyes on Jesus you will stay in the race. You will cross the finish line. You will meet King Jesus at the end.