They Did It, We can Do It. . . IN Christ!

Hebrews Chapter 12; They Did It, We can Do It. . . IN Christ!

Consider all the people from chapter 11 who had Faith. 

God told them something, They obeyed. 

[Heb 12:1 ESV] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

What sort of things do you think are more important than the 5 disciplines?

There are things Jesus did, that we can follow as He demonstrated.  

[Heb 12:2 ESV] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider Him. 

[Heb 12:3 ESV] Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Who was against Jesus?  Every human being.  The “righteous” people, The loser sinners, the popular sinners, the wealthy sinners, the poor sinners.   

Now Consider Your struggle against sin.  

[Heb 12:4 ESV] In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Christians are disciplined by God.  Part of the Sanctification Process. 

This is first speaking of - You chose wrong, “SPANK”!  

However, we can be Trained By Turmoil.  (No Good Deed Goes Unpunished)

[Heb 12:5 ESV] And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.

[Heb 12:6 ESV] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."

[Heb 12:7 ESV] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

No discipline? Then You Are Not A Christian. 

[Heb 12:8 ESV] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

[Heb 12:9 ESV] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

But He disciplines = Position Us. 

[Heb 12:10 ESV] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

[Heb 12:11 ESV] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Reset Your Expectations.  

How do you know when you have arrived at maturity?   When it’s no longer a big deal.

A ministry in the local church.   

Inexperienced View:   I did an event, worked hard, gave gave gave.  

False Expectation:   Appreciation, Thanks, Praise. “Wow, aren’t they great!”

True Expectation:  No one may express appreciation.  As a matter of fact, people may criticize my efforts. 

Also: direct rebellion will lead to the spanky kind of discipline. 

Wrong way!  “whack”

To Slow!  “whack”

Too Fast, your gonna fall.   “Bump”  

Get Strong!  What Is Your Spiritual Workout Routine.  Ministry, Discipleship.

[Heb 12:12 ESV] Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,

[Heb 12:13 ESV] and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

[Heb 12:14 ESV] Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

A chain reaction of sin. 

[Heb 12:15 ESV] See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; (stained with sinned)

[Heb 12:16 ESV] that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

If folks do not experience the Grace of God from Christians, bitter people; say and do bad things, which to more bad things. 

Esau making a chain of wrong choices reached a point of no return.  

[Heb 12:17 ESV] For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

Old Testament Mountain of Fire and Smoke 

[Heb 12:18 ESV] For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest

[Heb 12:19 ESV] and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.

[Heb 12:20 ESV] For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned."

[Heb 12:21 ESV] Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear."

We approach Jesus who Reigns in Heaven as King and is waiting to receive us. 

[Heb 12:22 ESV] But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,

[Heb 12:23 ESV] and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

[Heb 12:24 ESV] and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

To Reject Jesus is far worse than anything the damned experienced in the Old Testament. 

[Heb 12:25 ESV] See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

In the past, God shook the Earth, In the future He will shake the Universe. 

[Heb 12:26 ESV] At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."

[Heb 12:27 ESV] This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.

[Heb 12:28 ESV] Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

[Heb 12:29 ESV] for our God is a consuming fire.

See Power point Here