Hebrews 12 - A Christian's True Life

Finding True Life in Jesus

Several years ago, I was trying to figure out how I could express the purpose that God had placed on my heart for this church. In business they call it the mission statement. It took me awhile to be able to get it into a simple statement. Finally, I was able to get it in to a simple thought, “Finding true life in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit”.

People are starving for truth. Fortunately, it is widely available through the teachings of Jesus and God’s Word -the Bible. Jesus taught us how to interact with the Heavenly Father and one another. Once we learn that having a biblical worldview is all we need to be able to straighten out the lies and confusion of this world, we begin to live our lives in the way that God intended for us – and it begins to make sense.

Of course, Jesus is the central figure of having a Biblical worldview. He deserves all of our attention, worship, and commitment. Fortunately, He has provided His Holy Spirit to enable us to live power filled spiritual lives and be communicators of the True Life of Christianity to others around us.

This should be normal. This should be the way we live.

True Life in Christ

Hebrews 12 gives an exciting yet realistic picture of the true life that we have in Jesus Christ. It encourages us to engage in the both the joys and the struggles. Ultimately, we will be the winners!

Just like in the days that the book of Hebrews was written, we need to understand what we can expect as Christians. Unfortunately, Christians are sadly more confused today than ever. Evidence of that is that in America Christians are described as either practicing or non-practicing Christians. Practicing Christians are, like you, those who agree strongly that faith is very important in their lives and have attended church within the past month. Non-practicing Christians identify as Christians but do not hold strongly to Christian values and do not attend church regularly. In the last 20 years, the numbers have slid from 45% practicing Christians to 25% non-practicing.

More than ever, we need to hear the message of Hebrews 12.

Truly Living as Christians

Hebrews 11 celebrated heroes of the Bible who lived their lives in faith, believing in the promises of God. As we turn the page to chapter 12 it begins with “Therefore”…

As Christians We Should Be Focused

My son-in-law described a message that he heard this past week at SAGU. The speaker came running out into the auditorium to music like you’d hear at a pep rally. He ran around the room and finally ran up onto the stage. Then, he challenged the fastest athlete of the college to a race. But first he read the beginning of Hebrews 12:

Hebrews 12:1–3 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

So, he started handing this strong athlete things that he had to wear while he ran. A backpack that he put on was “unforgiveness”, ankle weights were “vanity and excessive self-awareness”, a helmet was “gossiping and spreading rumors”, and wrist bands were “worldliness”. And then they prepared to race. Of course, the preacher was able to beat him because the athlete was all weighted down and entangled by stuff.

The heroes of Hebrews 11 inspire us, but they cannot strengthen us. As Christians we are called to “throw off”, “run with perseverance”, “fix our eyes”, and “consider Him”. For strengthening we need Jesus. The secret to protect us from growing weary and losing heart is “consider Him”. “Fixing your eyes on Jesus”.

As Christians We Should Expect Loving Discipline

In my brief career as a carpenter our crew’s first job was inside a Pepsi-Cola plant, changing some offices around. For some reason, the owner didn’t want the electricity turned off in the rooms so occasionally the rooms would have minor explosions of sparks, a little smoke, and a confirmation that each of us were still alive. In addition to that there were no clear instructions, so we’d spend a day working on something and then be told it wasn’t right. We got irritated because it seemed a waste of time. We wanted instructions, directions, on what to do.

God has given us directions through His Son, His Spirit, and His Word. When directions exist, the possibility also exists that we can actually follow the directions, partially follow the directions, or ignore them all together. In the last 2 cases it leads to discipline.

Hebrews 12:4–11 NIV

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The Life Application Bible adds this:

As we live for Christ, we will experience troubles because we are trying to be God’s people in a perverse world. Some people say that troubles are the result of sin or lack of faith, but the Bible teaches that they may be a part of God’s plan for believers. Our problems can help us look upward and forward, instead of inward. They can build strong character, and they can provide us with opportunities to comfort others who are also struggling. Your troubles may be an indication that you are taking a stand for Christ.[1]

Sometimes it seems like troubles rise when we are moving forward in God. Faith challenges us to look upward and forward and not cower in fear. God is good, trust Him!

As Christians We Should Be Active

Exercising

Hebrews 12:12 encourages you and me to exercise. Each year we have 2 weeks set apart for “Recalibrating”. These weeks are challenges to remember that we ought to be exercising our spiritual muscles.

Hebrews 12:12–13 NIV

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.

Dallas Willard, in The Spirit of the Disciplines, and Richard Foster, in Celebration of Discipline, have compiled a list of spiritual disciplines and practices they believe were modeled in the life of Christ. These disciplines are typically organized into two categories: the disciplines of abstinence (or “letting go”) and the disciplines of activity.

· Prayer —Talking to and listening to God about your relationship with Him and about the concerns of others. Find time to pray to God without the distraction of people or things. Combine your prayer time with meditation on the Scriptures in order to focus on Christ. (Aug 25)

· Study—Spending time reading the Scriptures and meditating on its meaning and importance to our lives. We are nourished by the Word because it is our source of spiritual strength. Choose a time and a place to feed from the Word of God regularly.

· Solitude—Spending time alone to be with God. Find a quiet place to be alone with God. Use the Bible as a source of companionship with God. Listen to Him. Remain alone and still.

· Fasting—Skipping a meal(s) to find greater nourishment from God. Choose a time to go without food. Drink water and, if necessary, take vitamin supplements. Feel the pain of having an empty stomach and depend on God to fill you with His grace.

“Recalibrate” is not about becoming super-spiritual. It is about becoming authentic. I like Gordon MacDonald’s explanation:

Now mature, in my book does not mean the "churchly," those who have mastered the vocabulary and the litany of church life, who come alive only when the church doors open. Rather, I have in mind those who walk through all the corridors of the larger life—the market-place, the home and community, the playing fields—and do it in such a way that, sooner or later, it is concluded that Jesus' fingerprints are all over them.

Working Towards Unity

Years ago, I learned a lesson on unity that I continue to work on year after year. It is the idea of restoration – really, the idea of unity. I learned that my first response to disunity was to desire restoration.

Hebrews 12:14–15 NIV

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

It is not always easy, and it is not always successful. But it has been a good lesson. Bitterness is a poison, and if not purged out by prayer, confession, and forgiveness, it does great emotional damage and destroys relationships. A little grudge that festers can become a devastating malignancy of the soul”.[2]

It is also important to realize that preference is not right or wrong. Some prefer the beach; others prefer the mountains. It’s okay!

Refuse to Let Sin Creep In

Another area where Christians need to be active is in guarding your treasures.

Hebrews 12:16–17 NIV

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. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

Esau didn’t value his birthright. Some Christians don’t value the relationship that they have with Jesus. They let the world creep in through busy-ness, selfishness, pleasures of this world and more. Ray Stedman makes this strong statement:

Professing Christians who claim to be born again but who live no differently than non-Christians are repeating the godlessness of Esau. Like him they too will find a surprising rejection in the last day. Jesus has them in mind when he says, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Mt 7:23).[3]

Know Where We Are!

Hebrews 12:18–21 NIV

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 to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

This was the mountain where only Moses and Aaron could go up and speak to God. Throughout the book of Hebrews the argument has been made to Christian leaders to stop looking back, to avoid sliding back into rituals and rules, and to stop complaining. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, has offered us a New Covenant through His Blood, cleansed our guilty consciences and much more! Folks we aren’t in Kansas anymore!

Hebrews 12:22–29 NIV

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. 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, to the spirits of the righteous 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. 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. 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.”

On the long running game show, The Price is Right, there was always a puzzle where the contestant had to make a choice between what was behind door #1 or door #2. One door was disappointing, the other door was very valuable.

We all get to make this choice. Door #1 offers the prices of this world which ultimately have no meaning, become corrupted – rust and spoil, and offer only emptiness.

On the other hand, we could choose door #2 – the one that has been provided by Jesus through His blood. It offers salvation, freedom, joy, purpose, relationship, and destiny. What will we choose?

[1]Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Comfort, P. W. (1997). Hebrews(p. 212). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. [2] Robinson, Haddon W. www.preceptaustin.org. Accessed Sept 4, 2021. [3]Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews(Heb 12:14–17). Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.