"TRAINING TO RUN"

(CHILDREN’S CHURCH) >>>Continuing to focus on “Now Is the Time”.

>>>Title is “Training to Run”

Hebrews 12:12–13 “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

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>>>There is the word “therefore” in v. 12, indicating that this is based on what was previously said (“therefore” can mean “because of this”)

>>>Need to look back at previous section about discipline.

Hebrews 12:11–12 “For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,”

>>>(v.12) This is a continuation of the theme of discipline and training. The motivation for strengthening the hands is born out of the fact that God’s discipline will yield fruit in the believer.

*To “strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble” is to “rebuild what is weakened and what is paralyzed”

>>>This verse is a response believers are supposed to have to the discipline/training/correction of God in their lives.

*God has given an instruction; the believer takes the instruction and applies to whatever area in their life the instruction was intended to help.

WEAK SPIRITUAL GROWTH CREATES WEAK CHRISTIANS.

>>>The first half of the book of Hebrews contains very deep truths.

Hebrews 5:11–14 “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.”

>>>The Hebrew Christians should not just have been understanding these deep truths but teaching. Chapter 6 continues by saying that not growing causes “falling away” (nonchristians/christians).

>>>After this, the book of Hebrews becomes more practical-Hall of Faith and running the race.

>>>What we read a few weeks ago was “run your race”. Now we read “strengthen your knees”. We cannot run a race w/weak knees.

>>>If God is trying to tell us something about what he has for us to do/our spiritual growth/weaknesses in our lives, we should listen and apply it.

*How does “Now is the Time” matter if we choose to remain spiritually weak?

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Hebrews 12:13 “and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

>>>(v.13) This verse says to make a straight path for your feet.

*Feet determine direction.

*To “make straight a path” means “to walk/behave in the right manner”.

>>>(Illust.) I LOVE the doctor!

>>>Started going to the chiropractor (x-ray showed spine wedged in hip).

*Popped a lot first time (felt great!) but have popped less and less as I continued to get adjusted.

>>>Chiropractor said that adjustments put everything back in the right place.

>>>This is what is meant by making straight paths/strengthening weak hands.

PUT YOUR LIFE BACK IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

>>>We as Christians need to adjust (chiropractor) the paths of our lives to where it needs to be.

*Disciplined in the Bible/prayer

*ENGAGED in the church

*Removing distractions/stumbling blocks/sins

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>>>What’s the “why”?

Hebrews 12:13 “and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”

>>>The reason for the call to make straight paths is so what is impaired can be healed.

*“that the limb which is impaired” means “what is lame”.

*“be dislocated” means “turned from”.

>>>What is weak in the life a believer can cause him/her to go astray. Not having a straight path can also cause spiritual injury for the still weakened believer.

STRIVE FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING AND RECOVERY.

>>>Just as a doctor tells us to be careful as we recover from and injury/surgery, we as believers need to always be clearing our paths to prevent our spiritual injuries/weaknesses from worsening.

>>>Being healed on a new path sets us up for a new start in doing what God wants us to do.

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>>>Everything about these verses is our life being healed of what’s broken and being strengthened in what is weak.

EVERY PART OF US NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED AND HEALED TO GLORIFY GOD.

>>>A believer cannot afford to let weakness get control. A weak runner cannot run his race.

>>>If we do not address areas of our lives that are weak, it will always cause us to stumble in our walks and prevent us from doing what God wants us to do.

>>>God is not calling us to just exist.

*Just existing allows us to become weak Christians trapped in the weights we are called to throw off.

>>>Now is the time to actively strengthen our hands/feet, making our paths straights, and see spiritual healing for our lives.