SCRIPTURE: HEBREWS 12
MEMORY VERSE:
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
GOD DISCIPLINES HIS SONS (vs. 1-13)
God had endured opposition from sinful men, died on the cross, scorning its shame but now sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, so that we may not grow weary and lose heart. Instead,
- Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. (v. 1a)
- Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (v. 1b)
- Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (v. 2)
Here is an encouragement from God who addresses us as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (vs. 5-6)
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we all have human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 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. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
WARNING AGAINST REFUSING GOD (vs. 14-28)
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy;’ without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like
Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Later, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them because they could not bear what was commanded. “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (vs. 18-21)
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men make perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (vs. 22-24_
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him, who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised.. Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words “once more” indicate the removal of what can be shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God acceptably with reverence and awe for our “God is a consuming fire.” (vs. 25-28)
THOUGHTS:
Christian life involves hard work. Sometimes it requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God. We have to run a race patiently and struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have to fix our eyes on Jesus so that we will not stumble.
When we face hardship and discouragement, remember that suffering is the training ground for Christian maturity. It develops our patience and makes us able to attain final victory. We should continue to run our race without giving up.
It is not pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God, but his discipline is a sign of his deep love for us. When God corrects you, it is a proof of his love. Learn from what He is going to teach you.
Esau sold his inheritance right for a single meal, so that he was unable to inherit his blessings. It shows us that mistakes and sins sometimes have lasting consequences. Even repentance and forgiveness do not always eliminate sin’s consequences. So beware. Do not make decisions based on what you want now, rather than on what you need in the long run. Evaluate the long-range effects of your decisions and actions.
Christians are citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem because Christ rules our lives and the Holy Spirit is always with us. We must have close fellowship with other believers to enjoy the full and ultimate rewards in heaven.
Eventually, the world will crumble but God’s kingdom will last. We can have confidence that no matter what happens, our future is built on a solid foundation that cannot be destroyed. Let us build our lives on Christ and his unshakable kingdom.