Let Us Endure: Perseverance of Faith

Review Chapter 11

In chapter 11, provided a tour through the Hall of Faith

He examined the lives of many Old Testament saints, learning from their examples of what faith live-out looks like

He was concerned about Christians who step back from living with eyes for eternity

To inspire his readers to persevere even in the face of trials and persecutions, the writer presented many examples of Old Testament saints who willingly accepted trials and persecution for the opportunity to please the Lord

The Great Race Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Discussion Questions

What is the “therefore” there for?

Explain the phrase “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”. Who are they? Are they watching us?

What is the difference between “weight” and “sin”? What kinds of things could be “weight” and perhaps not “sin”?

What is the race that we are in? What does it mean that this race “is set before us”?

What analogy to the life of faith is offered in 12:1?

In what way is Jesus the “founder” of our faith? How did he live by faith?

In what way is he the “perfecter” or “finisher” of our faith?

A Cloud of Witnesses

In this passage, the context of what we have studied in chapter 11 is very important

It laid the foundation for the writer’s discussion in chapter 12

He encourages his audience with examples of faithful believers

He then challenges them to take to heart the good lessons learned from the Old Testament saints

All those saints from the Old Testament have passed out of this world

But they leave behind a legacy of faith and God’s grace

They are not actually witnessing to us from Heaven, but that is not the point

The main point is that their good examples should encourage us

Their lives demonstrate that it was not impossible to face the trials and adversities in this world and conquer them by faith

Hebrews 11 showed us that they were not perfect but that they were faithful believers who chose to have faith in God even when it wasn’t easy

Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, Samson, and David are all encouraging us to persevere

This “Great Cloud of Witnesses” may also refer to any saints around us today: friends or parents

These saints are not there to watch us “run the race” but for us to see them

They are reminding us that this race is not impossible; it can be finished and we are not alone

We are meant to run this race with God’s people

Lay aside every weight

In preparation and during a race, runners must avoid hindrances

Likewise, spiritual runners need to avoid hindrances

The writer instructs the readers to “lay aside every weight”

The “weight” that he is speaking about is not a sin

It is something that gets in the way of walking in faith

It is something that slows down the believer’s walk of faith

The writer is reminding the readers and us that we should always keep our focus on our goal

Do not allow the things of this world to keep you from the best thing

Do not allow anything to distract you from what you know God wants you to do

It is easy in this busy world to fill our schedules with things that are not the most productive

The writer’s purpose is to remind the readers that they (and we) need to evaluate and consider our activities

And maybe we need to cut some out so that we can be the most productive

Like runners preparing for a race, the writer is urging us to throw off everything that hinders

Removing “anything that hinders one from doing something”, is to remove anything that is a weight, burden or impediment

Additionally, a well-prepared runner should also rid themselves of the “sin that so easily ensnares”

The writer is not speaking about any specific sin, such as apostasy, which would completely disqualify a Christian from the completing the race

Instead, he is referring to sin itself and how sin impedes one’s progress in the race

Sin that is easy to begin to be tolerated in our lives

And before you know it, that sin has entangled you

The point here is that we don’t have to put sin on - it’s already there

Instead, we have to remove it so we “can run” the race

We must remember that we are in a race and our life on earth is short

Our life is meaningless apart from our purpose and goal

Looking to Jesus

The writer continues with the similarity to a physical race

The physical runners need a finish line to focus on

Without a finish line, a runner can lose focus, get distracted, give up

A sure way to not finish a race is to not have a finish line

Now the spiritual runners also need a finish line

We have the greatest finish line imaginable: Jesus waits for us

Jesus is not just a spectator like the other saints, he’s the finish line

Jesus in not just one who has faith, but is the “founder and perfecter of our faith”

We are urged to keep our focus on Jesus “so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted”

So what can we learn from Christ’s example

He ran with great endurance: “endured the cross”

“Endured from sinners such hostility”

The cross was not about the physical pain, but about shame

He ran with a goal: “the joy set before him”

He received the reward: “seated at the right hand of the throne of God”

Jesus is the goal and motivation for our Christian life

The writer is telling the readers to focus on Jesus, the finish line, and don’t take your eyes off him

God’s Loving Discipline Hebrews 12:4-17

Hebrews 12:4–17 ESV

4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 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. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 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.

Discussion Questions

Why does God discipline His sons? What is the purpose? What does this teach us about the nature of discipline?

In what ways might God discipline us? If we suffer trials or hardships, does that mean we are being disciplined? How can we discern whether a specific circumstance is discipline or not?

Can you think of people in the Bible who experienced discipline from the Lord?

How should we respond to discipline?

Understanding God’s Discipline

So the question is, why do we need discipline?

God disciplines in order to correct sin

God disciplines us in order to train/shape us

And we see the writer presenting both types of discipline in this section of chapter 12

Now, what means does God discipline?

The writer presented in chapter 10 the many struggles endured by his audience: persecution, slander, imprisonment, but not to the point of shedding blood

He is showing that discipline involves painful things

But he is not suggesting that all earthly trials are due to discipline (John 9:3) but some are (John 5:14)

Then what is the purpose of God’s discipline

Discipline comforts us because it proves that we are really God’s children

For example, think about how difficult it is to constantly discipline a child, it’s hard work

But you only do this hard work if you love a child

We know that discipline changes us

Discipline is “for our good that we may share his holiness”

Discipline yields “fruit of righteousness”

But unlike imperfect human discipline, we can trust God’s discipline is always for our good because He’s perfect

God wants us to finish the race, so He disciplines you to make you better

Responding to God’s Discipline

Don’t ignore it

Some dismiss God’s discipline

Affliction alone does not produce good results, we need to respond in faith

Don’t quit

Training is hard work that makes one sometimes consider quitting, but we can’t give up

“Lift up your drooping hands, strengthen your weak knees”, is a picture of a weary runner who keeps on going

“make straight paths for your feet”, refers to staying on the path to righteousness and not diverting

Pursue holiness

God disciplines us because holiness is essential to seeing God

Holiness is not the condition of salvation, but the consequence of salvation

The key threat to our holiness is the pursuit of pleasure

when we are suffering under trials, it is tempting to seek physical pleasures

Such pursuits can lead one to apostacy

Tale of Two Mountains Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12:18–29 ESV

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Discussion Questions

What event is described in vv. 18-21?

What was the people’s reaction when God descended onto Mt Sinai? Why were they so afraid?

What does Mt Zion refer to?

Compare and contrast the two covenants?

When will this second shaking take place and what does it refer to?

What are the things that cannot be shaken (vv. 27-28)?

How is God a consuming fire?

Mount Sinai

The writer provides a further reason for his readers to pursue peace and holiness and to guard against apostasy in their midst

In this section, presents a contrast between Israel assembled at Mount Sinai to meet God to receive the old covenant and the new covenant encounter with him that occurs at Mount Zion, the city of the living God

The Old Covenant focused on the visible/earthly

consisting of “what may be touched” (v. 18) an earthly mountain

the Israelites could visually see the mountain and Moses climbed it to meet God

Old Testament worship was also focused on earthly realities

The Old Covenant was terrifying to the Israelites

it emphasized God’s Holiness

it emphasized God’s distance

the Law did not save them, but the focus of the Old Covenant was on the unattainable demands of the law

The writer is making this contrast to help them understand that they are not running in vain, towards an inaccessible and distant God

Mount Zion

The New Covenant focuses on the invisible/heavenly

The race we run is not to an earthly location, but to “heavenly Jerusalem”

this city is not yet visible to us, but it is waiting for us

“In my Father’s house there are many rooms … and I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2)

so our worship is no longer geographically/physically restricted

The city is filled with heavenly inhabitants

This New Covenant is not terrifying but gracious

we have no reason to fear because Jesus is there

the voice on this mountain does not issue threats, but a gracious invitation

in this city there is joy and feasting

Now How to Apply it

The writer tells his readers not to refuse Him

Because God still judges those who reject Him

God’s judgement can be even greater than the Old Testament because now He has revealed Himself as Christ

If the people of the Old Testament were judged for not listening, how much more in the New Testament

Because His voice will “shake” the world again

At the second coming, Christ will remove all earthly, worldly things, leaving behind only that which cannot be shaken

The writer wants his readers to gratefully worship Christ

We are safe, protected by Christ and cannot be shaken

Our response to grace is always gratitude and worship

God is a “consuming fire”

God is still holy

It is just that now we can draw near to Him in Christ

Homework Questions

How is your Christian race going for you? Are you tired or weary?

What are somethings that hinder your “running” that you need to put aside, even if they are not sinful?

How are you encouraged by Jesus’ running? How His example help you run the race better?

How does chapter 12 change your perception of the trials in your life? How does it affect your view of God and His purposes?

How are you responding to God’s discipline in both good and bad ways?

In what ways do you need to be careful about the pursuit of pleasure?

Do you sometimes live your Christian life like you are under the Old Covenant?

What about the heavenly Jerusalem excites you or encourages you? How does knowing about heaven help you better run the race?

How does this chapter change the way you worship?