SS Hebrews 12:4-17

Recap

Hall of faith

Lay aside every weight and sin

Run with endurance

Looking to Christ

Struggle against sin - fighting to resist apostacy

Author addresses their persecution

Tempted to go back to judaism

Experiencing backlash, ostracism, perhaps intimidation & physical threats

Why is that important?

Because Christ resisted to the point of shedding blood. He fought against temptation throughout his whole and resisted sin taht resulted in not only physical death but spiritual wrath

So remember Christs trials as you go through your own

And if that’s not enough… he says “have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons”

Quotes Prov 3

2 Facts

Discipline from God means you are a son

Lack of discipline from God means you are not

Ancient families fathers role was to discipline his sons

Compares earthy father discipline with Gods discipline

Loving discipline

He is our heavenly father

Eternal Discipline

He works throughout all our lives

Good discipline

He is all knowing and is after our greatest good

Calls out the obvious

“seems painful rather than pleasant”

“Therefore”

Transition

Because God disciplines his sons… therefore do this

Exhortation to endurance (similar to previous metaphor)

lift & strengthen

Cited from Isaiah 35:3 “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”

Picture of a tired runner… hands low, knees buckling… crawling along

But like Isaiah 35:4 “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.””

Take heart… this struggle is for you… so run

make straight paths

Proverbs 4:26 “Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”

Idea of level straight ground

Free of stones and debris that may cause you to stumble

As well as a straight path. Don’ swerve off of the path you are running

“So that”

2 things

Protect & Heal

drooping hands, weak knees, crooked paths, will only increase your risk of injury…

But lifted hands, strong knees, and straight paths will help to heal

Author lays out exhortations for us

“strive for peace with everyone”

“strive”= pursue

don’t just be peaceful with those who are peaceful, but strive for peace

Not just Christians, but everyone

Fruit of the spirit

1 Peter 2:21–23 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Apply - people who don’t attempt to be at peace with others

Holiness

“set apart” “consecration” “sanctification”

Personal holiness is very important

2 Timothy 2:19 “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.””

Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

James 2:17 “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

1 Peter 1:15–16 “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

We ought to strive for holiness

We don’t drift into holiness

But it says without which no one will see the Lord

There is a holiness that is necessary to be in God’s presence

Deuteronomy 18:13 “You shall be blameless before the Lord your God,”

Matthew 5:48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Christ is the one who is holy and his holiness is ours

Thats why we can have confidence that we will be with God

And yet we can strive for Christs holiness

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

1 John 3:2–3 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

See to it = episkopeo - episkopos=overseer

Now this isn’t only for overseers but is commanded to the whole church

Who are we on the lookout for?

One who fails to attain Gods grace

2. A “root of bitterness” who defiles others

3. Immoral & profane

Fails to obtain Gods grace

Fails to obtain = falls short, lacks

Similar to Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”

Not saying you can fall out of grace… if you can obtain grace by what you do it isnt grace.

Romans 11:6 “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

We need each other to help us get to the end. A means by which God preserves us is through the body. And we better have our eye out for those around us

Root of bitterness who defiles others

Bitterness here could be toward God for the struggles

Or perhaps towards others

Either way, bitterness is a deadly poison

MANY become defiled

Bitterness leads to resentment & gossip & slander

That no one is sexually immoral or unholy like esau

Sensual & Godless patterns

Sexual immorality when he took multiple pagan wives

Unholy when he traded his birthright for a bowl of stew

Genesis 25:34 “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

covenant relationship with God

We see later Esau is not grieved by his sin but by the consequences of his sin

Lost the birthright and the blessing

Wordly grief vs godly grief

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”