Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsHow do we endure persecutions with faith and hope? By not turning our vision from Jesus, even as these sufferings disciple us for our good
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Look to Jesus - vs.1-3
Look to Jesus - vs.1-3
“Therefore” connects us with the admonitions at the end of chapter 10, with chapter 11 being mostly illustrations of what faithful living look like - Heb 10:35-38
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
The framework passages of chapter 11 tell us about the vital need for faith in our actions
This section of Hebrews is sobering, it is about persecutions that will outweigh those of the former days - Heb 10:32-34; 12:4
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
In the darkest times is when the light (of God) shines the brightest
But, we must lay aside (like a runner who takes off their warm-ups before a race) encumbrances and sin (two things, both distract us from the race that is before us)
We fix(-ate) our eyes on Jesus; look to the Master - Luke 6:40
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Jesus is the author (source) and perfecter (goal/end) of our faith (“starts and ends”)
Had joy set before Him, not that the cross was joy, but what He was seeing beyond the cross; doing so He endured the cross, despised (assigned no value, like Esau) to shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
Value the Discipline of the Lord - vs.4-13
Value the Discipline of the Lord - vs.4-13
They were soon going to see some die for the cause of Christ
Yet, they are supposed to regard this as good for them - Prov 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Enduring suffering has the goal of discipline (becoming trained)
God is the good Father who disciplines us, so that we are legitimate children, so that we can live
Discipline is never joyous at the time, but it yields fruit in times to come
So they were to discipline the weak, to strengthen them for the coming afflictions
Pursue Sanctification - vs.14-17
Pursue Sanctification - vs.14-17
Without it, no one can see the Lord
Watch that no one falls short of God’s grace - through bitterness or immoral or godless (not seeking God) like Esau, who gave up the blessing from God and could not get it back