First Baptist Church
Fairbanks, Alaska
805 Sixth Avenue
(907) 456-4923
|
Fairbanks, Alaska 805 Sixth Avenue (907) 456-4923 |
|
Click above for First Baptist email access.
|
“This is going to hurt me more…” A Study of the Book of Hebrews (Part 15) Hebrews 12 Mark Howdeshell (August 3, 2008) Click on the player below to stop the recording of the sermon. This text will be replaced by the flash music player. Hebrews 12:1 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. Introduction Have you been told……..or ever said to your child……….”This is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you.”? I know that if I was to ask for a show of hands, almost every hand would go into the air. And almost every child would say that it is a bunch of hogwash, and every adult would say that it is indeed true. As a parent, it truly pains me to have to discipline my children, but I will. Prov 23:13-1413 Do not withhold discipline from a child;if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death. There is never a good reason to beat a child. There are numerous reasons that call for discipline. Discipline can come in many forms and as a parent, we have to tailor the discipline to meet the offense and all of the other circumstances such as, the child’s age, the nature of the offense, and motive behind it. It truly is no different than our legal system is supposed to be. Why do we discipline our kids? To make them scared of us? NO To show them whose boss? NO Because we love and want the best for them? YES Different question--- If you see a kid acting up and you don’t know the parents nor the kid and the situation has no direct affect on you, would/could you discipline them? (I know I’ve wanted to……even with mom right there!!!!!!) How well would that discipline work anyway? Do you have any authority or would you end up getting in trouble? What do you think God thinks when He watches us act the fool? This morning I want to look at discipline from God’s perspective and what it means in our lives. The Meat of the Message
i. Systematic instruction given to a disciple ii. The act of instructing a person or group to follow a particular instruction or order of things iii. Academically it is a “body of knowledge” given about a particular topic iv. Methods of enforcing compliance
i. Degrees or levels of hardship depends upon the hardness of hearts ii. Ultimate goal of God’s discipline is to change lives and for His people to repent and be baptized
Heb 12:5-11 5 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." 7 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. 9 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! 10 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. 11 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.
i. Make them fear you ii. To show your authority iii. Because you can iv. Because you love them and want them to learn the right way to do certain things v. To prevent hardships, injury, pain, physical damages, or even death vi. To teach them a lesson that they need to know to live in society
i. We’ve been adopted as His ii. His love results on our discipline
Rev 3:19-20 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline . So be earnest, and repent.
iii. Should be thankful that He disciplines us even though we may not like being disciplined (v.8)
i. Living outside of His will 1. Cuts us off from His blessings 2. Leaves us in turmoil instead of peace 3. Results in unhappiness instead of joy ii. It is impossible for God to commune daily with us if we choose not to commune daily with Him by living by the world’s standard and not His
Gal 5:22-26 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Heb 12:1-4 12:1 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. 2 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. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
i. Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles 1. Remove the temptations/ habits/ situations/ friends from your daily life 2. Replace them with positive, uplifting things ii. Run with perseverance the race marked out for us 1. Seek God’s plan for your life then go for it! 2. Do not give up…it won’t be easy! iii. Fix our eyes on Jesus 1. He knows the way 2. He paid the price 3. He literally “rose” above it 4. Gain strength and courage from Him
Heb 12:22-26 22 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, 23 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, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 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?
The Bottom Line God loves you. This simple statement of fact means that you will undergo discipline by Him. Count it all joy when the Maker of the Universe takes enough interest in you to discipline you. It is not pleasant and may be downright painful………but the rewards have limitless potential. Trust in the God of Love to show you the path to take and accept correction to keep on His path.
Invitation Have you been going through some hardships that you don’t understand? Look beyond the immediate pain and anguish. Look at what God may be telling you about your life and heart. Is it time to get it right with Him? Is it time to walk down the aisle this morning to accept God’s correction? Is it time? |
|
Send mail to
webmaster@firstbaptistfairbanks.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
