Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 12:12-17 November 13, 1994 Hebrews 12:12-17 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. There is a danger of not continuing in Jesus, of falling away. Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Last week we were reminded that the experience of God's chastisement is not because God hates us, but because He loves us and is treating us like His own kids. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. :12 lift up the hands which hang down The picture is that of a body that's in pain, a body that's sick and in need of healing. Aaron & Hur with Moses Exodus 17:8-16 Battling Amalek (often seen as a picture of the flesh) Joshua wins as long as Moses' hands are up Aaron and Hur help keep Moses' hands up (and upon the rock) There's times when we need to help get each other's hands in the air. Praise, surrender Lesson: We need to support and encourage each other :13 lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed turned out of the way - dislocated Are we going to dislocate the joints, or bring healing? Some say that the church is the only army in the world who shoots their own wounded. 14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: :14 Follow peace with all men Hebrews 12:14-NIV Make every effort to live in peace with all men Romans 12:18-NIV If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. You can't always be at peace with people, but you should always do whatever you can on your own part. Proverbs 16:7-AV When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Keep your eyes on Jesus, on pleasing Him, and God will make peace for you with your enemies. :14 holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord You won't see the Lord unless there's holiness. Isaiah's vision: Isaiah 6:3-NIV And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6:5-NIV "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:7-NIV With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." We often look upon our hopelessly sinful condition and just give up. Or else we realize that Jesus is our righteousness, but there's not much Yet we're to pursue it. Hebrews 12:14-NRSV Pursue ... holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14-NIV Make every effort ...to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. We're still supposed to do our part and make it our goal. 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled; :15 looking diligently... Lesson: The idea is that we look out for each other If you see another brother falling away from the Lord, you need to go after him. If one hurts, we all hurt. :15 bitterness unforgiveness, don't let it build up 1Corinthians 13:5-AV Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; doesn't take into account a wrong suffered About bitterness: 1) It's a root - it can go deep inside you, it's hard to get out sometimes as a root, if you get rid of it, all the stuff above the surface dies away. 2) it springs up It doesn't just stay below the surface You can try and cover bitterness up, but it will pop out somewhere Like those yucky plants in our front yard 3) trouble you It's going to take a toll on you. No, you can't handle it. 4) many be defiled It's not just going to affect you. It's bound to infect other people, even if they aren't aware of what's going on. Matt.18:21-35 - forgiving seventy times seven Matthew 6:14-15 AV For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. :16 fornicator 4205 pornos {por'-nos} (or, immoral) from pernemi (to sell, akin to the base of 4097); TDNT - 6:579,918; n m AV - fornicator 5, whoremonger 5; 10 1) a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire 2) a male prostitute 3) a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator :16 profane person 952 bebelos {beb'-ay-los} (other transl: godless) from the base of 939 and belos (a threshold); TDNT - 1:604,104; adj AV - profane 4, profane person 1; 5 1) accessible, lawful to be trodden 1a) of places 2) profane 2a) unhallowed, common, public place 2b) of men, ungodly It's kind of the opposite of "holy" - instead of being set apart for a special use, it's something that's open to anyone using it. :16 Esau...sold his birthright Genesis 25:27-34 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob [was] a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of [his] venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he [was] faint: 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red [pottage]; for I [am] faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I [am] at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised [his] birthright. birthright - the right of firstborn: 1) material possessions - twice the portion 2) spiritual blessings 3) messianic lineage. For Esau's family, the idea of the birthright was more than just the material blessings that came from being the firstborn. It involved an entire spiritual heritage, even the lineage of the Messiah. Yet Esau's priorities were on his belly, his physical needs. Philippians 3:18-19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Lesson: Where are my priorities? What drives my life? Is it my physical needs, or my spiritual needs? Matthew 6:33-AV But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. :17 he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance ...tears After also losing the blessing from Isaac... Genesis 27:34-AV And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, [even] me also, O my father. How is it that Esau could be seeking carefully with tears, yet end up being rejected? This sounds pretty cruel. It helps to understand that there are two Greek words used for "repentance" in Scripture: metamellomai 3338 (change concern) 3338 refers to an emotional change 3338 has reference to particulars 3338 signifies nothing but regret even amounting to remorse, metanoeo 3340 (change mind) 3340 to an change of choice, , 3340 to the entire life, 3340 that reversal of moral purpose known as repentance What Esau was experiencing was a sad time, a time of regretting that things didn't work out the way he wanted to. But he didn't have a change of purpose in his heart, just a sadness. Some people go through an emotional time, but it doesn't mean that they've experienced true repentance (metanoeo) Lesson: God isn't looking for a sadness, though sometimes sadness is there. God is looking for a change of direction in your life. The prisons are full of people who are sorry. They are sorry that they got caught. Review: The things we are to do to help prevent bitterness and Esau-like living: 1) Support each other 2) Be at peace with people 3) Pursue holiness 4) Look out for each other