The Great Race IV
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Today we are going to be covering verses 12-17 of Hebrews chapter 12, continuing on in our study. Last week we talked about God’s discipline. And today we are going to look at some ways we can apply what we learned about discipline and suffering from the previous verses. How do we live out God’s word. You are going to hear me say this again today that everything good in life takes sacrifice, everything good in life takes discipline. Now lets dive in.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
“Therefore” this points us back to the previous verses about suffering and discipline. Because we suffer, because we are disciplined, what do we do well we “lift our drooping hands” and we “strengthen our weak knees”. Lets remember we are talking about running a marathon, and marathon runners have a phrase they use, “hitting the wall”. This is the point in the race where they feel as if they can’t go on, they have run into a wall. This is a common in many physical activities, but it can translate over to other areas of our lives as well, like mental, spiritual. Have you ever felt like you have hit a wall in your spiritual life. Well when this happens how do we get past that point. We are to “lift our drooping hands”. When you run where are your hands, they are moving up and down and working along with your legs. But when we grow weary they hand and flop. The picture is of one who has grown weary to the point of giving up. We are commanded to lift our hands, and we do this through our relationship with Christ, it is not about a pull yourself up by your bootstraps Christianity. It is about focusing on Him, plugging into that power. It is His strength through the power of the Holy Spirit that carries us through, remember Isaiah 40:31. We are to strengthen our “weary knees”. This paints the picture of someone who hits the wall and is ready to give up, to abandon the race when things become to hard. In our race we must use all of our spiritual strength, and plug into Christ to stay charged and focused.
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Literally “make straight tracks for your feet”, this path leaves a track that may be followed, and we are to walk a righteous path. We are to set an example for those coming behind us. Paul says to be “imitators of him” as he is an imitator of Christ 1 Corinthians 11:1. We should be pointing the way to those who are newer in their walk, and we should be looking to those who have gone before us, ultimately looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. The author then mentions lameness, which is different from just being weak or tired. It is a sickness that needs to be healed. Someone who is lame makes very little progress, it is not from outside hindrances, but from within. This internal lameness needs to be healed. Our relationship with Jesus is very private in some aspects, but it is also very closely related to our corporate worship. The devil would love to get you off by yourself, because this is where you are more vulnerable to give into his attacks. We must be plugged into a body of believers, it is essential for our spiritual strength and growth. A few Sundays ago Bro. Bobby preached about focusing on the family, and then last Sunday night at the in home bible study we had a discussion about two of the biggest problems in our world, and as Bro. Bobby mentioned the break down of the family is one of those problems, and i whole heartedly agree, and the second is the breakdown of the church. The church has turned away from God’s word, they are are not strengthening and making straight paths. They are allowing the devil to influence them. They are afraid to stand on the truth. We must stand firm on the truth and be bold in our faith. —World out of control— the church can still effect change.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
We just talked about standing on the truth, being bold in our faith. We must be obedient, “striving for peace”. You may be thinking wait a minute, didn’t you just say to be bold, not afraid to offend people with the truth, and now you are telling us to strive for peace with everyone. Well Yes, that is exactly what we are being commanded to do. Remember the two greatest commandments. The word “strive” carries the understanding of chasing after or pursuing. We must chase after peace. Unbelievers will not be drawn to accept Jesus if the lives of believers do not demonstrate the qualities that God desires, which include peach and holiness. The command of this verse deals first with our relationship to men—peace--, and then with our relationship to God—holiness. It is important to not that this peace is not be sought after at any cost. We do not compromise our holiness to obtain peace. Our lives should be characterized by holiness—set apart.
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;
The author then moves on to another duty of the Christian. we should be deeply concerned for those we come into contact with that they know Jesus, and i mean really know Him. Showing those around us who Christ is through our lives, which remember should be characterized by peace and holiness. He mentions “root of bitterness” you could think of this like leaven, a little bitterness will effect the entire plant not just the root. It is those in the church who are turning away from the Gospel. Polluting the rest of the church —food coloring example—. We should strive to help people grow and not to stumble.
16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
We now see a list of things that corrupt the lives of believers. There are only two listed here, but they can be seen to represent other sins in the fact that the one is seen as a sin of the flesh and the other a sin of the mind. Sexually immoral covers a slue of sins, and is one area that can quickly drag someone away from their holy living, and it can be very difficult to recover from. The example here we see in Esau is that of unholiness, or godlessness. He is an example of those who despised the promises of God. Esau could see only one thing, his physical need of hunger. He could not look past the temporary, which is the issue for a lot of people, believers and unbelievers a like —hunger will come back—. They focus on the situation or the circumstances not on the prize —Jesus— . Esau gave up his birthright, his inheritance for a bowl of stew. For those who only focus on the temporal things and never know Christ they are giving up their inheritance for a bowl of stew., something that only last a short time.
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.
Afterward Esau sought to change his fathers mind. He made a show of repentance with tears, externally he was repenting, but it was not true repentance and he was rejected. Without true repentance one will be rejected. That’s why I use terms like “true saving faith” or a “true saving relationship”. It has to come from the heart— internal not external. It is not about an emotional response, but a true heart response. It is not about going through the motions — you can not make your own salvation. We cannot live in the world and reap the benefits of God’s inheritance. It is impossible to serve two masters, because you will love the one and hate the other. VIDEO.
The Great Race IV
The Great Race IV
God is in total and complete control. Everything is happening according to God’s plan, and on God’s time. Well you may ask why should I do anything. For one we are commanded to. We are the church to be making sure the world know who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. If the church would stand up to the world, our world would be a much better place. We are told to resist and he will flee from you. So, if the church as a whole would stand up and resist, just imagine the difference.