Pursuing God in a Godless World

Introduction

Last week we looked a the word “discipline.” We saw that it means God’s “corrective teaching.” When we come to verse 12 of Hebrews chapter 12 we see what God’s corrective teachings should do for us.

Hebrews 12:12–13 NIV84

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

God’s corrective teaching should strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees. The idea here is that feeble arms are arms that fall at the side of the person. Weak knees are knees that are paralyzed and simple do not work. We are told that we need to strengthen both of these—so spiritually we need to arms that don’t work, and knees that won’t move.

At the same time the author quotes from “Making level paths for your feet,” so that the lame (Greek word ektrepō which means to turn an ankle, or sprain the ankle). The purpose of making the paths level is so that the lame can be healed (Greek—cured, made well, renewed, or restored).

So how do we make paths level? How do we restore our spiritual strength? When we come to verse 14, the author begins to explain.

Hebrews 12:14-

Hebrews 12:14–16 NIV84

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 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.

Pursuing God in a Godless World

Make ever effort to live in peace with all men

To live holy lives

The author wants us to know that without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Now, the author gives us the first of four phrases that being with “See to it” or “See that.”

Hebrews 12:15–17 NIV84

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 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. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

Hebrews 12:15-

See to It

See to It

No one misses God’s grace

Missing God’s grace sounds hard to do, but it isn’t. God desires us to follow Him. God’s desire is for us to follow Him, thus we miss God’s grace when we chase after our plans rather than following Him.

No bitter root grow up

Here’s the thing, missing God’s grace leads to bitterness. The Greek word means resentment, and animosity.

The problem is when bitterness takes hold and begins to grow in a person it causes trouble (causes to suffer) and defiles many (contaminate, stain, make unclean, corrupt).

QUESTION: Is there any root of bitterness in you?

No one is sexually immoral

The Greek word is pornos from which we get our word pornography. It covers ANY sexually immoral activity like: pornography; adultery, homosexuality, etc.

Godless like Esau

Esau was all about immediate gratification. He traded his birthright—his inheritance rights as the oldest son—for a single meal.

Now you know the story. After he did this Esau still wanted the blessing of Isaac. The problem is nothing he tried changed anything.

Hebrews 12:18–24 NIV84

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:18-

The author goes back to Mount Sinai. Remember when the children of Israel came to the mount they become afraid. They saw a burning fire, a dark cloud descended upon the mount. They heard a trumpet blast and a voice that shook the earth so that they begged God to stop speaking to them.

The author goes back to Mount Sinai.

Even his command was to harsh for them, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” Moses even said he was trembling with fear.

The thing is we come to a different mount, Mount Zion. To the heavenly city of Jerusalem which is described as the city of the living God. It is a place with thousands upon thousands of angels come together with joy.

It is a place where the saints that have already left this earth dwell. And it is a place where God, the judge of all men, makes men perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, because He shed His blood. Blood more innocent than the blood of Able.

Hebrews 12:25–27 NIV84

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:25-

Do not refuse Him who speaks

God spoke on Mount Sinai, and now God speaks to us from heaven. The author wants to make sure none of us refuse to listen to God and what He has to say to us.

If those under the Old Covenant did not escape when they refused the God who warned them on Mount Sinai, how much less likely are we to escape if we turn away from God’s warnings coming from Heaven?

God’s voice shook the earth at Mount Sinai, and God promised He would once again shake both heavens (sky) and earth. Here the author quotes .

Hebrews 12:28–29 NIV84

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:28-29

Now we come to the last “see to it.” It comes in the form of “let us. . .” Because we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken we are to:

See to it that we are thankful

No matter what comes our way we are to be thankful. Do you live a life with thanksgiving?

It is only with thankfulness, that we can worship God. Thanksgiving is part of worship. Yet the author states two characteristics of worship: reverence (Greek—devotion, fear) and awe (understanding gravity).

Our Consuming God

The author make reference to a number of passages with this remark: , ; ; ). There are two reasons in pointing out the idea of a consuming fire. First, is to remind us about the judgment of God. Secondly, is to show the power of God.

Not listening to God, not following God will lead to a display of God’s power. And not listening to God, not following God will lead to God’s righteous judgment.

So What

This entire passage is about following God. It’s about living obedient to God. His Word is dependable, trustworthy, and reliable. We must live out His Word!