How to
Live a Disciplined Life
Hebrews
12
Jim
Davis
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will
not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)
There is a race marked out for each of us
by those who have gone before us. The preceding chapter speaks of those
who ran their race faithfully. God marked out the course for them to pursue,
and through their faithfulness they have left us a clear trail to follow.
The race marked out before us is a race we
must run for it is a race for life, eternal life.
When you are involved in a race for life,
there is no way you can afford to be hindered. You must calculate so as
to win the race. You must get rid of and avoid all that would be a hindrance
in the race for life. It is easy to get entangled in things that rob us
of a triumphant victory.
The Bible often refers to our salvation as
a race for life.
1 Corinthians 9:23-27
I do all this for the sake
of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that
in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such
a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into
strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do
it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a
man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I
beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (NIV)
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store
for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who
have longed for his appearing. (NIV)
2 Timothy 2:1-5
You then, my son, be strong
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me
say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will
also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good
soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian
affairs-- he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone
competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he
competes according to the rules. (NIV)
There are some essentials we must observe
if we are to win the race for life.
We Must Look to Jesus
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will
not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)
The Hebrews being addressed in this letter
were getting weary and wanting to quit before they finished the race. They
were encouraged to stay in the race to the finish line.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained
all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold
of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider
myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what
is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal
to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
(NIV)
The race for life is a race of endurance because
there are no shortcuts; there must be no looking back and wishing what
might have been. We must keep our eye on the goal, which is Christ.
Sin can easily entangle us and weigh
us down. It is possible to become entangled in personal sin so
as to get tangled up and trip. It is easy to become entangled in sin when
our hearts are unreceptive to the word, as were the Hebrews (5:12-14).
Mark 4:13-20
Then Jesus said to them, "Don't
you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where
the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the
word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear
the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root,
they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because
of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among
thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness
of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word,
making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word,
accept it, and produce a crop-thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what
was sown." (NIV)
"Consider him who endured such opposition
from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." The
only way we can run the race joyfully is to allow the burden of our sin
to fall upon Christ. We must allow the burden of our personal sin to fall
upon Christ. However, we are not just talking about our personal sin, we
are also talking about the sin of those who sin against us. When others
sin against us it is easy to become weighted down with their insults, but
we must never forget that the insults of others fall upon Christ. The only
way we can bear up under such insults is to throw the weight of that burden
upon Christ. Christ said, "The insults of those who insult you have
fallen on me." Christ wants you to cast the burden of sin upon him.
Romans 15:1-4
We who are strong ought to
bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of
us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ
did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those
who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written
in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (NIV)
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)
1 Peter 5:6-9
Humble yourselves, therefore,
under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all
your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone
to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that
your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
(NIV)
Although we have a great cloud of witness
in the preceding chapter, Christ is the perfect one to whom we must look.
1 Peter 2:21-25
To this you were called, because
Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow
in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered,
he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die
to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (NIV)
The Hebrews were beginning to sink spiritually
because their senses had become so dull that they were losing sight of
Jesus Christ. They needed to patiently endure the hardships in order to
build endurance and perseverance.
Christians Should Expect Difficulties
There is no way that we can run the race for
our lives without experiencing God’s discipline. Many of us seek to live
a life sheltered from the difficulties, but it is impossible. In fact,
it is the experience of dealing with problems that builds our spiritual
muscles for a race of endurance. Too often we want to avoid the very things
that will eventually make us spiritually strong.
Hebrews 12:4-11
In your struggle against sin,
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you
have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My
son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart
when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and
he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline;
God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then
you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all
had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. 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. (NIV)
The Christian life has incomparable compensation,
but also makes rigorous demands. If the Christian life presents no difficulties
for us, then we are probably not Christians. Have you ever met anyone who
acts as though they never make mistakes, these people are deceived.
2 Timothy 3:10-16
You, however, know all about
my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
persecutions, sufferings-what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,
Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me
from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life
in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go
from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because
you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
We must "endure hardships as discipline."(12:7)
The
easiest thing to do when hardships comes is to feel deserted by God. However,
endurance is developed as we allow our hardships to discipline us into
a better way of living. When you endure hardships as discipline, God will
help you use your difficulties to become better Christians. Through God’s
wisdom we are enabled to turn our difficulties into opportunities for growth
as we accept them as discipline. You may think that every problem you face
has the potential to destroy you, but problems reveal our potential. Problems
help us develop a proper perspective of life. They give us insight for
living successfully. Don’t ask yourself, "Why do I have this problem?"
Ask yourself, "How can I use this problem to strengthen myself for further
service."
It is impossible to develop such an attitude
without focusing on God’s purpose for your life. When you love God and
seek his will for your life, he works all things out for your good (Romans
8:28). Even our problems become a blessing under the mighty hand of God.
Paul’s thorn in the flesh made him rely upon the strength of God’s grace
to save him. When you develop this perspective on Christian living, you
discover the joy of living for Christ.
It is only because of problems that
we grow mentally and spiritually. Problems help us distinguish
between success and failure. Problems create situations in which we can
grow. The very things we want to avoid in life are the things that nurture
us and shape us into the persons we should be.
A proper response to our problems will bring
healing. "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." (Hebrews 12:12-13 NIV)
Discipline Requires an Attitude of Thankfulness
Being part of Christ's kingdom that cannot
be shaken is the bases for our gratefulness. It is encouraging to know
that God rules our lives in such a way that our troubles cannot shake our
faith when it is rooted in God. This is the greatest thing we have to be
thankful for.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving
a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God
acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (NIV)
We must develop an attitude of gratefulness
to prevent a root of bitterness from springing up and taking control of
our lives. Ingratitude is the leading cause of bitterness. When bitterness
enters our lives it opens the door to all kinds of ungodliness.
Hebrews 12:14-17
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 that 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. Afterward, as you know, 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. (NIV)
When we become grateful for God's work
in our lives we can seek holiness rather than happiness. The Hebrew
writer says, "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 that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows
up to cause trouble and defile many." This
is hard to do in our society, because our world is geared to seek happiness
at the expense of holiness. In our world happiness is the goal of life,
but in the spiritual realm holiness is the thing strive for. Jesus said,
"Blessed
are the pure in heart" (Matthew 5:8). If we try to bypass holiness
in our search for happiness we will miss it all together.
Esau's ungratefulness resulted in ungodliness."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. Afterward, as you know,
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."
(Hebrews 12:16-17 NIV) Esau's bitter tears of regret were the result of
his ungratefulness. His ungratefulness was revealed in his willingness
to sell his inheritance for a bowl of pottage.
Gratefulness allows us to seek solutions for
our problems rather than sympathy. When we seek solutions rather than sympathy
we begin to see our problems in a different light. A woman confined to
a wheelchair all her life, and a friend who was trying to encourage her
said, "You know, afflictions really color life, don't they?" The woman
in the wheelchair replied, "Yeah, but I choose the color." Many people
would solve their problems if they would go for a solution rather than
sympathy.
We can be grateful because we have better
promises and a better hope.
Hebrews 12:18-24
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." 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 made perfect, to Jesus the mediator
of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word
than the blood of Abel. (NIV)
The legal code struck fear in the heart of
Moses and his followers. They dared not touch the mountain on which God
appear for fear of being struck dead. Now we come to the city of living
God who makes the spirits of righteous men perfect. We have a mediator
who has cleansed us from our sins in his own blood. The message now that
we have been cleansed from sin is that God desires to live within each
of us. God is approachable and is a very present help in time of need.
We must not allow problems to shake
our faith in Christ for to do so will bring greater judgment. Our
refusal to accept God's grace gratefully will bring greater judgment. The
next time God shakes this earth in judgment the earth will be destroyed
and only that which cannot be shaken will remain.
Hebrews 12:25-27
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 removing of what can be shaken-- that
is, created things-- so that what cannot be shaken may remain. (NIV)
Have you allowed sin to shake your faith in
Christ?
Hebrews 10:25-29
Let us not give up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--
and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep
on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice
for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging
fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law
of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has
trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing
the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the
Spirit of grace? (NIV)
Conclusion:
The happiest people on earth are not people
without problems. The happiest people on earth are people who have learned
to appreciate the possibilities for growth that problems bring. Such persons
live unshakable lives.
