September 16,1012
Lesson Focus:
Looking to Jesus
empowers us to endure
Lesson Scripture:
Hebrews 12:1-11
INTRODUCTION. Christians are called to exhibit faith by steadfast fortitude. The genuineness of our faith will be judged by our response to the hardships and opposition we face by our identification with Christ. When we demonstrate courage under trial, it reflects our union with the One who had the fortitude to carry out His mission on the cross. This week’s lesson teaches us the need for fortitude in our dark times of extreme adversity.This does not come easy for many of us, but it is a core ingredient of a vibrant faith for the Christian.
II. FORTITUDE EXEMPLIFIED (Hebrews 12:1-3)
A.Fortitude demonstrated by previous saints (Hebrews 12:1).After listing the names of some of the Old Testament saints who pleased God by steadfastly persevering in their faith, the author of Hebrews writes “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.”The writer indicates that now we are the ones who need to persevere in faith.The phrase“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” is understood by many to mean that believers today are seen as runners in a race and previous saints, including those in chapter 11, are seen as the “cloud of witnesses” watching us as we run the race. However, Scripture does not support the idea that saints who have gone on before us are watching us from heaven. It is better to understand that we are watching the witnesses and how they endured the trials they faced. We are not witnesses to them; they are God’s witnesses to us. Those saints who have gone on before are witnesses in the sense that their lives testify to God’s faithfulness. What they have accomplished through faith should encourage us as we continue to meet life’s trials. If we are to be faithful to the Scriptures, a better way to understand the phrase “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so cloud of witnesses” is to visualize previous saints enshrined in a museum of faith and believers today are taking a stroll through that museum being inspired by the steadfast faith they have demonstrated. We should also note that the word for “witness” here is taken from the Greek word “martus” from which we get our word “martyr.”This indicates that the previous saints’ witness included dying as martyrs. As we focus on the testimony of those witnesses, the writer exhorts his readers to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” We are told to cast aside two classes of obstacles or anything that slows us down as we run the race of life.
a. The first obstacle, a “weight,” is anything that hinders us. These are things that are not necessarily wrong but can cause us to lose focus on our goal. Using the athletic analogy, we know that different people have different training routines. The things that hinder one athlete may actually help another one. For example, one person may have a hobby that helps them to relax, but to another person that same hobby may become an all consuming passion that takes their eyes off the goal.b. The second obstacle is “sin.” Whereas “weights” could be different for different people, “sins” are the same for all believers. There are behaviors that the Bible recognizes as wrong and are wrong no matter who commits them. These two obstacles---unnecessary hindrances and sinful behavior are to be set aside in order to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” The word “patience” has the idea of endurance and perseverance. Only when we cast off “weights” (unnecessary hindrances) and “sin” (sinful behavior) will we be able to run with patience and endurance. The race that God has marked out for us is a long distance ordeal that demands a single-minded focus.
B. Fortitude demonstrated by Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2-3).
1. (vs.2). While we are privileged to have the example of believers past and present to help with our faith, the author says we should be “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.” The word “Looking” implies looking away from one object toward another object with complete attention. The use of Christ’s human name “Jesus” should remind us that our Saviour, as a man set the example for perseverance for us (see Hebrews 2:14-18). Jesus is identified as both “the author and finisher of our faith.” He is the source or originator of our faith and the one who brings it to completion.This makes Jesus different from all the heroes of faith and therefore He alone deserves our full attention.Focusing on Him will keep us from deviating from the course we are running.As the “Author” of our faith, Jesus was driven to finish His mission because of “the joy that was set before him.”For Jesus, this joy must have consisted of many things, including reunion with the Father. But there was more.When Jesus prayed His high priestly prayer for believers, He prayed that “they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (see John 17:13).Therefore, Jesus’ joy is not only for Himself, but it is to be shared with those for whom He died as sacrifice and lives as high priest. Because of this “joy that was set before him” Jesus willfully “endured the cross.”The word “endured” can be translated as “patience.”The cross didn’t just happen to Jesus, He sought it out on our behalf (see Matthew 20:28; John 10:17-18).Jesus had a course to run and to do so faithfully, He had to keep His focus on the “joy that was set before him.” Jesus was so motivated by joy that He endured the cross, “despising the shame” of it. The word “despising” means “disregarding.” Crucifixion was both excruciating and humiliating, and such a lowly form of death that Roman citizens automatically were exempt from it.But Jesus endured and disregarded the shame of the cross and looked beyond it to His reward which was being exalted to “the right hand of the throne of God.” The writer’s readers were to look to Jesus as a model of patience and perseverance. As we view Christ’s exalted position. We should recall Paul’s words that we have not even begun to think about the things God has prepared for those who love Him (see I Corinthians 2:9).
2. (vs. 3). Just in case these Hebrew readers took Jesus’ sufferings too lightly, the author encouraged them to do more than look to Jesus as an example. He said they were also to “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” To “consider him” means to devote some careful and serious thought to Jesus. The focal point of their consideration was that Jesus “endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.”The word “contradiction” simply means “opposition.” In other words, Jesus had to rub shoulders with sinful humanity, and face severe opposition that eventually resulted in His death.It was most important that the readers meditate on their Lord’s example so that they might not “be wearied and faint in your minds.”In other words, if the Hebrew Christians didn’t consider all the sufferings of Christ, they might grow weary and lose heart. Their race was not a sprint, it was a marathon.If you have ever attempted any serious long distance running you realize that part of successfully completing a marathon is mental.The body can be driven to seemingly impossible limits in athletic endeavors.This same principle holds true in the spiritual realm. When our minds are set on Christ we can endure great physical trials.
III. FORTITUDE CULTIVATED (Hebrews 12:4-11)
A. The need for discipline (Hebrews 12:4). The Hebrew Christians were facing persecution and wavering in their faith. They needed to remember that while they were experiencing persecution they had “not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” They had been ridiculed and deprived of possessions (see Hebrews 10:32-34) but they had yet to die for their faithfulness as had Jesus and others. The word “yet” indicates that these Hebrew believers still could face death in the near future and they needed to be prepared for it. They needed to consider the brave example of Jesus in order to keep from becoming weary and faint or give up.
B. The acceptance of discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6).
1. (vs. 5). These Hebrew believers may have also forgotten something that puts their experiences in persecution in perspective. They needed to understand that God permitted trials in order to discipline His children. Therefore in this verse the writer told them “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.” This exhortation came from Proverbs 3:11-12 where this advice is given by a father to a son: but here it is given as a divine exhortation to the Hebrew Christians. Just in case they had forgotten that God deals with us “as unto children” the writer reminded them to “despise not thou the chastening of the Lord.” The word “despise” means to treat lightly or not to take something seriously. These Hebrew readers seemed not to take the “chastening of the Lord” seriously. The word “chastening” was a term used to describe child training. It means to bring up, train, or instruct. It also has the stricter idea of punishment or disciplining. While discipline may be severe at times, its goal is for the betterment of the child. God urges believers not to think lightly of His disciplinary instruction. They may have viewed their sufferings as not related to God’s dealings with them or were attributing their sufferings to God’s dissatisfaction. In either event, they seemed to fail to recognize that trials were part of their spiritual growth.The writer also warned his readers not to “faint when thou art rebuked of him.” They were not to “faint” or get weak when God “rebuked” them. The word “rebuke” has the idea of calling attention to one’s faults. Experiencing the Lord’s rebuke can be both humiliating and uplifting. Nothing can be more disappointing than failing our Creator and needing His correction. At the same time God’s rebuke should encourage us since it is a token of His love.2. (vs. 6). Still dealing with the idea of discipline, the writer in this verse says “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” The writer wanted to make it clear that the Lord’s discipline is not evidence of God’s displeasure, but it’s an expression of His love as seen in the phrase “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. The Lord’s chastening can be severe as noted by the phrase “and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Even “scourging,” which refers to severe whipping or correction, is evidence that God cares enough for “every son whom he receiveth” to do what’s needed to bring that erring child to his or her senses.
. The implication of discipline (Hebrews 12:7-8).
1. (vs.7). Here the author wrote “ If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” These Hebrew Christians were reminded that the hardships they were enduring had meaning. God was training them for the responsibilities of son-ship. In other words, when we experience God’s chastening it is a sign that we are His children. This is confirmed in the question “for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” It was inconceivable to the writer that fathers would not discipline their sons. Sons and daughters reach their full potential through training or discipline. Even Jesus, who never fell short of His Father’s will learned obedience by the things He suffered (see Hebrews 5:8).
2. (vs. 8). In this verse the author writes “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” In other words, if any believer does not experience God’s chastisement or discipline that all believers experience, then they are “bastards, and not sons.” The word “bastards” refers to illegitimate children. They are not true sons or daughters of God. An illegitimate child has no claim to his father’s name or fortune. As a result the father feels no need to prepare him for family duties. He is allowed to go his own way without discipline. But a true son welcomes the rigors of discipline. He is being groomed for a responsible position and the father cannot afford to leave his preparation to chance.
D. A comparison of discipliners (Hebrews 12:9-10). In verses 9-10 the writer compares the discipline of earthly fathers to our heavenly Father’s discipline.
1. (vs. 9). Here the author says “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?” The phrase “fathers of our flesh” refers to our earthly fathers. They have corrected us and “we gave them reverence” or respect. As children, we understand that our fathers have the authority to discipline us and we must accept it. The point is that if we respected our earthly fathers when disciplined, the writer asked “shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” In other words, if we respected our fathers when disciplined, shouldn’t we be even more respectful and submissive to our “Father of spirits, and live?” The phrase “Father of spirits” referring to our heavenly Father, is contrasted with “fathers of our flesh.” Our earthly fathers give us physical life which will one day end, but God gives us spiritual life which is eternal. One day our flesh will cease to exist and so will our relationship with our earthly fathers. However, since we are spiritual beings, our relationship with our heavenly Father endures forever.
2. (vs. 10). Again the writer gives another contrast between our earthly fathers and our heavenly Father. He wrote “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.” The word “they” refers to our earthly fathers. The writer says that our earthly fathers chasten us for “a few days.” In other words, our earthly fathers’ role as disciplinarian ends with a child’s death or when he or she leaves home. The phrase “chastened us after their own pleasure” means that parents discipline their children in a way that seems good to them. However, parents make mistakes and sometimes what seems good to them is not always best for their children. In their sinful humanity, sometimes our parents discipline arbitrarily or in anger. But on the other hand, the writer says, “he (God) for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” In other words, God’s discipline is for our benefit to make sure we will one day share in His holiness. God disciplines us with a spiritual purpose that has eternal benefits, and He does it without making mistakes unlike our earthly fathers. Our heavenly Father wants to make us holy like Himself (see I Peter 1:15-16) preparing us for eternal fellowship with Him.
E. The results of discipline (Hebrews 12:11). In our final verse, the author of Hebrews forthrightly admitted that “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.” It’s true; while we are experiencing discipline or any rigorous training it really isn’t fun. This is the meaning of the phrase “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous.” However, the writer says, “afterward” or after the chastening or discipline, for those who respond positively to it the reward is great. The author called the reward for accepting God’s discipline as “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.”
IV. Conclusion. This week’s lesson text portrayed the Christian life in terms of a foot race. The fortitude required in the race of faith takes strength of every fiber of our being. Christians are admonished to strip off all hindrances and press on, looking to Jesus as the example. To keep them running a successful race, the Lord disciplines those whom He has accepted as His children. Holding on when God disciplines us takes steadfast fortitude and faith. Discipline is painful, but ultimately rewarding. It perfects us, making us more like Christ. We should always remember that God’s motive in discipline is love. Christians must learn to accept God’s correction.
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