Hebrews 12:12-17__Running to Finish the Race

Introduction |

With the last few chapters in view, the writer of Hebrews moves his audience from knowing to doing.

Last week we were reminded, with the metaphor of running in the background, Heb. 12:11 that “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

This idea guides us into out text today.

MP—Christians, run to finish the race so that your discipline leads to training in holiness that you may see the Lord.

1. Run Disciplined (vv.12-14)

v.12—“lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees”

Right away there is a call to discipline in spite of immediate circumstances.

The writer draws his audience to Is. 35:3 “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”

Here Isaiah encourages the Israelite people to rest in the promises of God, as they longed to return to Zion!

Is. 35:10 “[For] the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

To have drooping hands and weak knees is a sign of discouragement, dispiritedness, and weariness.

Much like an endurance athlete who has lost their will to compete, the author of Hebrews is encouraging his audience to run with discipline in the Lord—run to finish!

“v.13— “make straight paths for your feet”

The recipients of this letter had endured persecution, and in fact, they joyfully accepted the plundering of [their] property, since they knew that they had a better possession and an abiding one. Heb. 10:34).

But, in order to reach the place of better and abiding possessions, they would need to heed the wisdom of Solomon, the call of Isaiah, and the writings of John Bunyan by making their path clear:

Prov. 4:14-15 “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.”

In The Pilgrims Progress, Christian is directed on the way to go by Mr. Goodwill.

Goodwill—Come a little way with me, and I will teach you about the way you must go. Look ahead; do you see this narrow way? That is the way you must go. It was cast up by the Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, and it is as strait as a Rule can make it: This is the Way you must go.

Christian—But, said Christian, are there no turnings or windings, by which a Stranger may lose his way?

Goodwill: Yes, there are many ways; and they are crooked and wide: But you can determine the right from the wrong, the Right is always strait and narrow.

Is. 35.8 “And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.”

The straight path is the way of righteousness and holiness.

v. 13b— “so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather healed.”

If the path is not straight, or cleared, then the many hazards of this life can’t be avoided.

If you are going to run a race efficiently, from point A to point B, then their must be a clear path.

Today, I am not sure if you have noticed, but we live in an area where exercising is popular. So-much-so that they have started shaving the sidewalks to remove any hazards.

You see, if you are injured, weak, or tired even the smallest obstacle can make things much worse.

“out of joint” = to turn aside. When thinking about the Christian life, if you leave obstacles of sin here and there, it will inevitably trip you up, and you will not find healing and will ultimately turn aside from the straight path.

The point of disciplined running is to remain strong and safe until the end.

2. Run Disciplined, But Never Alone (vv.14-17)

It has been said, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.”

This idea is introduced in v.14 when the writer encourages his audience to “Strive for peace with everyone.”

Many Christians today have made the Christian life primarily an individualistic pursuit.

This was never meant to be the case.

Throughout the Scriptures we are taught that the people of God are importantly intertwined.

1 Cor. 12.12“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1 Cor 12:17-20 “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

Covid highlighted the desire for “lone Christians,” but this has been an issue in the making for a long time.

However, Hebrews teaches us that a goal of the Christian life is peace in community as we pursue holiness before God, not self satisfying individualism.

In fact, Jesus taught in Matt 5:23-24 “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Living like this takes work, it takes striving.—It is awkward, so most people don’t do it.

Some of you may have an issue with people in the church, and the last thing on your mind is “striving for peace” with them, but Jesus shows that it is more important for you to seek peace than to sing songs of praise, serve in an area of ministry, or even give of your tithes and offerings.

Who do you need to strive to live at peace with, so that you can be healed?

v.15—To further encourage running together, we read...See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God...

In context, this carries the idea of a person falling behind in a race, and potentially not finishing at all.

As we run the race together, we are looking out for the good of those around us, even when it is hard.

We are all so encouraged by the highlights showing athletes helping another person cross the finish line at their own expense. That is the call here!

In fact, the word translated “see to it” is connected to the word meaning bishop or overseer. So, the charge here is for each member to exercise oversight of each other so that no one fails to enjoy the grace of God!

Some might say, I am not my brothers keeper, but really you are.

V.15b—”[See to it,] that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many are defiled.”

Here the writer is quoting Deut 29.18 to show that a root of bitterness might come from a person who has quit the race, has developed a negative attitude that is so pervasive that it is effecting others.

This can happen while a person is still part of the church. Things they say and do feed negativity, gossip, and ultimately effect others in the same way. This is a root of bitterness that causes trouble and leads to defilement.

This means that if we are committed to one another's progress in the Christian life, we must be willing to address hard issues, hard hearts, and even hard people.

Our church covenant says, “We joyfully commit ourselves to grow into the full likeness of Jesus Christ, to forsake sin…We commit ourselves to work for church harmony and unity…to provide watch care over our fellow members. We agree to these articles of covenant with the help of God and by the witness of the Holy Spirit.”

v.16—[See to it,] that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” .

Here, like Heb. 11, the writer invites us to look back at an example, but Esau is an example of faithlessness.

Simply put, Esau, failed to live by faith, and as a result rejected the sovereign plans of God. Therefore, he is considered unholy.

It is interesting that sexual immorality is mentioned here?

I believe the writer is thinking spiritually, as he has the entire time.

Remember the metaphor of running a spiritual race, lifting spiritual hands, and tired spiritual knees.

In Gen. 25-27 Esau commited spiritual sexual immorality, as it were. He wanted the benefits of blessing without the cost, so he set more value on the world than the plans of God.

Esau did eventually try and get his father to change his mind, but it was too late.

So, does this passage mean that there could be a time when a person may longer repent?

It think, it is important to see that Esau was remorseful, even with tears, but not repentant.

So there is not a time in this life when it is too late to repent (1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) but the warning is given here so that we live as if time could come in our life or the lives of those around us.

In fact it will , when standing before the judgement seat of Christ.

It has been said, that “There will be none there to whom God’s grace has failed, but those who have failed to finish well, by God’s grace.”

This highlights the importance of living in Christian community, as a meaningful member of a local church. It is here that you are encouraged in the race, and here you can encourage others along the way.

So, if you are a regular attender, I want to encourage you to become a member (Class in January).

If you are a member, let me encourage you to engage meaningfully with the Church, the people, God has called you to be sanctified among.

If you have been hurt, are tired, or discouraged, lift up your tired eyes and look to Christ. For he died to secure the salvation of his bride, the Church, of which you are a part!

So, by God’s grace let’s finish the race together, looking to the author and finisher of our faith while looking around to encourage one another!