Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 12:4-11 November 6, 1994 Hebrews 12:4-11 Introduction The Jewish believers who were reading the original letter had been going through a great deal of persecution since they started believing in Jesus as their Messiah. Some of them had even been tempted to just give up in trusting in Jesus and go back to Judaism like they were before they were saved. But the writer has over and over again stressed the importance of faith, of trusting and continuing to trust in Jesus. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 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. :4 resisted unto blood unto wounds (wesley), Put to death (PNT) :5 My son, despise not... Quote from Solomon's proverbs: Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth. :5 the chastening of the Lord paideia 1) the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body 2) whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp.by correcting mistakes and curbing passions. 2a) instruction which aims at increasing virtue 2b) chastisement, chastening, (of the evils with which God visits men for their amendment) It's God's spankings - but more than just that, the entire training towards holiness that God wants to incorporate in our lives. For our purposes, we might think of them as the times when God allows hard times in our lives as a means of getting our attention and getting us back on track with Him. Caution: Be careful not to equate all hard times with chastisement. That's what Job's friends did, thinking that the hard times he was going through was a result of sin. Here's what God said to them: Job 42:7-8 And it was [so], that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me [the thing that is] right, as my servant Job [hath]. 8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you [after your] folly, in that ye have not spoken of me [the thing which is] right, like my servant Job. God may allow hard times in our lives to refine us and strengthen us, but not necessarily because there's sin in our lives. Don't be trying to put yourself on a guilt trip every time you encounter difficulty. If the Holy Spirit has been convicting you of sin, then you're under chastisement, but if you're not aware of any special sin in your life, don't try looking for any, let the Holy Spirit do that. It's His job! :5 nor faint when thou are rebuked of him Some of us have a hard time hearing any kind of criticism, even the constructive kind. We're so oversensitive, if someone looks at us crosseyed we burst into tears. But we need to be open to correction, especially the kind that comes from the Lord. Proverbs 15:31-AV The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. Proverbs 15:32-AV He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. Instead of being despondant over being rebuked, we need to take it and grow from it. :6 whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Here's one of the keys to understanding chastisement, God's spankings. We need to keep in mind that it's all because of God's love for us. I need to constantly keep in mind the reason why I discipline my children. If one boy hits another boy, I can get angry and spank the offender, almost out of vengeance sake. Or I can choose to stop and think about what I'm doing, and because I love the offender very much, I might still spank him because I don't want him growing up thinking that it's okay to be hitting other people. God's chastisement in my life is always based on His love for me. That's a hard concept because we're often overwhelmed with guilt at the time, aware of how much we've displeased God. Yet it's because He loves us that we corrects us. It's because He loves us so much He wants us to be more like Him, and so He corrects us. Even to that lukewarm church of Laodicea, Jesus wrote: Revelation 3:19-AV As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. We often think about how the Lord would vomit them out of His mouth, yet in reality, He still loves them. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? :7 If ye endure Present indicative or imperative, no "if". This is not a clause showing the condition of being treated as a son. Simply, "Endure for chastening". These Jewish believers were having a hard time with the difficulties they were going through. They thought that it would be better to take the easy route and get away from the hard times. Endure: hupomeno - to remain under the pressure 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. :8 whereof all are partakers We're all going through tough times. All of us children of God. You aren't alone in what you're going through! We think God has singled us out to pick on us, but He's working on all of us at the same time. :8 then are ye bastards No legitimate children are going to go without spanking. No true Christian is going to be able to say, honestly, that ever since they accepted Christ, they haven't had any problems. If they haven't had any problems, then they are not truly God's children, because God has not been correcting them. 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? :9 we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us The human aspect of correcting children. Can you see God's perspective in these? Proverbs 13:24-AV He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (diligently). God loves us so much, He's not going to let us get away with anything. Proverbs 19:18-AV Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. God must think there's still hope for us if we're being chastened. Proverbs 22:15-AV Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. We too have foolishness in our hearts. There is a maturation process that happens with chastisement. Proverbs 23:13-14 Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. That's God's heart, He's not out to kill us. Psalms 118:18-AV The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. God is out to save us from hell! 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. :10 after their own pleasure Us human fathers don't always have the proper motives involved in disciplining our kids. Sometimes it's out of anger, the kids are bothering us. Sometimes it's out of vengeance, to get back at the kid. Sometimes it's out of pride, I don't want my child to make me look stupid in front of my friends. :10 but he for our profit God's not like human fathers who have problems in learning to always correctly administer correction God's chastisement is always aimed toward producing benefit toward us. Lesson: Parents: Learn to discipline for your children's profit! :10 that we might be partakers of his holiness One of God's goals in our spanking - producing holiness in us. What is holiness? It's being separate from the sinful ways of the world around us. God isn't like the world around us. He's totally pure, totally loving, totally right. God wants to produce those kinds of qualities in us. 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. :11 no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous We're told to rejoice in our trials James 1:2-AV My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 1Peter 1:6-AV Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: But frankly, that's not always our first response to hard times, especially when it's because of chastisement. :11 afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness Another of God's goals for our discipline - peace and righteousness. There's a kind of internal struggle within us when we're not walking in the ways of the Lord. But when we're walking like we should be, there's peace. Psalms 94:12-13 Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. When you're under discipline, look for the end result, God's peace in your life. :11 unto them which are exercised thereby Hebrews 12:11-NIV No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. We need to learn to take advantage of God's correction if we want to see good results in our lives. Illustration: Hind's Feet on High Places - Hannah Hurnand Little "Much Afraid" needed to take a journey to the "high places", where she would be healed by the Great Shepherd. She was given two companions to help her make it to the top of the mountain. Their names were "Sorrow" and "Suffering" It hurt everytime she held their hand. Yet when she let go, she often found herself stumbling and falling, unable to stay on the path. But when she grabbed ahold of her two companions, they helped her stay on the path and make it to the top of the mountain. Take ahold of the discipline God may lay out for you - let God produce His fruit in you!