September 4, 2016
Morning Service

Heb. 12:1-11

 

            Chapter 11 of Hebrews has been a very enlightening, and faith building chapter.  The idea of all of God’s children being made perfect at the same time is very thrilling.  To think that David, and I will be resurrected at the same time, and hear the Lord say “enter in thou good, and faithful servant into the joys the Lord has prepared for you.”  All the great people that has been mentioned in this chapter are so powerful, and should really encourage us to get closer to God, in our walk with Him.

            As we begin the last two chapters of this letter let us remember how the writer has used his arguments to build our faith on the superiority of our N.T. covenant, over the O.T. covenant God had made with the children of Israel upon their departure from Egypt.  Paul said in the Galatian letter, “Gal 3:24-26  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  (25)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  (26)  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

            Just as we have seen in chapter 11 of Hebrews, the importance of faith, without it we cannot please God.  And faith comes from hearing the Word of God.  Rom. 10:17.  We have all these wonderful promises from God, and we accept them by faith, substances of things hoped for, with evidence of things not seen. 

            However, I am assured of these promises by men and women who have suffered terrible deaths, but yet remained faithful to God, and His callings.  I am determined no matter what comes my way to remain faithful, and steadfast to my God and my calling.

 

Let’s begin chapter 12:

 

Heb 12:1-29  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

·        Witnesses that builds our faith in an Almighty God, revealed to us in our Holy Bible.  All the wonderful stories of His power, and majesty.  Stories of healings, deliverances, and victories won in battles,  a Mighty God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Our God.  In Whom Jesus told us to call Him our Heavenly Father.  Think of that.

·        Every weight, and the sin which doth so easily besets us.  Christian, this promise of eternal life to the overcomer, is well worth our best effort to be overcomers, and put out of our lives anything that is unpleasing to our Savior.  The weight, and sin are there, but let’s be overcomers by putting them out of our lives.  He will help us, if we only ask Him, but we must get earnest in prayer, and ask Him for the help.

·        And run with patience the race;;;  For most this is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and we must prepare for it like it was.  Converted in 1969, God opening the doors for me to preach, and teach His Word in 1978, loving to go to church, enjoying helping others, a burning desire to study His Word, and know His will, my race started, and I love every minute of it.  I wouldn’t trade it for most lucrative position in the world.  In all we do we must put God first, and then He will allow you to enjoy the pleasures of this life that makes the journey enjoyable.  However, we should never consider going to church a drudgery, or helping someone a nuisance, or reading our Bible tiresome, and these are the things that we will be doing in our trip of patience. 

 

AND AS WE RUN THIS RACE WE WILL BE,,,

(2)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

·        Are we able to endure any suffering that might come our way, because we see the joy that is set before us?  Is our faith strong enough to see us through difficult times?  Jesus said one time, “will there be faith on the earth when I return?”  We must run our race, building our faith as we go, studying the Word of God, living the life.

(3)  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  (4)  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

·        The writer is saying you have not been through near what your Savior went through.  Have you prayed for victory over sin, till the tears fell like blood from your eyes?  Have you groaned in pain, from the suffering of your flesh, praying for your children, and lost loved ones?  Are we doing enough?  Are we sincere enough?  Are we doing the things to be overcomers?

(5)  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  (6)  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (7)  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  (8)  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 

·        When things aren’t going right in your life, check and see if you are doing the things God wants you to do.  You see, this is one way the Lord chastens us, is by allowing things to come into our lives, to worry us.  The main thing God wants us to do is put Him first.  If you are missing church services for any worldly reason, expect some chastisement from the Lord.  If you quit reading your Bible, expect correction from the Lord.  If you quit giving to the Lord’s work, expect a spanking from the Lord.  If you quit being concerned, and quit loving people, you can expect chastisement from the Lord.

·        James said, “to know to do good and doeth it not is sin.”  This will weigh on your mind.

·        And if, you are not receiving any chastisement, check and see if you have fallen from grace, and need to re-dedicate your life to the Lord.

(9)  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  (10)  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  (11)  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

·         There are so many things going wrong in our world today, but this certainly heads the list.  Parents not correcting their children with spankings.  The Scriptures teach us plainly that if we love our children, we will chastise them, with the rod. 

·         Pro 13:24  He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

·         Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.  Pro 23:13  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.  Pro 23:14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

·         Pro 29:15  The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

HEAVENLY FATHER, HELP US TO ACCEPT YOUR CHASTENING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS FOR OUR OWN GOOD, AND WILL HELP US TO BE MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT US TO BE.   AMEN.