Hebrews 12:1-14: Our Race and Our Discipline I. Introduction A. Let us spend some time examining the 12th chapter of the book of Hebrews 1. Hebrews 12:1-14 to begin with 2. Hebrews 12:15-29 perhaps at another time B. The Hebrew author makes many appeals to Christians 1. Run the race before you (vv.1-2) 2. Consider the hostility Jesus received (v. 3) 3. We have not resisted sin to bloodshed (v. 4) 4. We are to regard the discipline of the Lord as good, demonstrating our adoption as sons (vv. 5-11) 5. We should therefore be strengthened and continue (vv. 12-14) C. Let us examine these Scriptures in more detail for our encouragement, instruction, and edification II. Hebrews 12:1-3: The Race and Its Author A. Context 1. Hebrews 12:1 begins with "therefore," a concluding remark based on what was said above 2. Hebrews 11:1-40 is the basis of the conclusion 3. The grand list of the champions of the faith in the Old Testament 4. Establishment of the nature of faith (11:1) and that without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6) 5. Important idea in 11:39-40 a. despite their great works and diligence in the faith, they did not receive the promise b. We have received the promise, so that they may be made complete through us! c. a demonstration of the superiority of our covenant with God through Christ B. Hebrews 12:1 1. The "cloud of witnesses" are to encourage us in our race 2. "Laying aside every weight" a. what kind of weight is under discussion? b. The weight itself is not sin, since the Hebrew author mentions that separately! c. The "weight" represents any distraction from Christianity! d. Concerns over food, drink, clothing, and other basic necessities (Matthew 6:25-34), about worldly things that perish (Colossians 2:20-23, 1 John 2:15-17), and anything else should not distract us in our walk with Christ! e. Did such things hinder Abraham, or Jacob, or Moses? Why should we let them hinder us when we have received the promise? 3. "And the sin which clings so closely" a. "clings so closely:" Greek euperisatos b. the only time that this word is used in the NT, and it refers to the idea of one well standing around or surrounding you-- a competitor! c. This metaphor for sin is appropriate-- it by itself cannot unseat us from the race for Christ, but we can let it hinder us! d. 1 Peter 2:24-- We must die to sin and live to righteousness! e. We can only run the race and win by not being hindered by our opponent of sin! 4. "Let us run with endurance the race set before us" a. a similar metaphor is used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 b. there we are to run the race so as to win, not for a perishable crown, but an imperishable one c. we are to run with aim lest we be disqualified! d. It is important to note that the race is set before us-- the pathway has been established! e. We do not make the path-- we are only called to find the path and travel it! C. Hebrews 12:2 1. "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith" a. Jesus has already run the race! (Hebrews 4:15, 5:8-9) b. Since He has already been made perfect by His sufferings and has been tempted in all ways without sin, we are to look to Him as our chief example! c. cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1 d. "founder and perfector:" Greek archaegos and teleiotes, from archos and teleios, meaning in their most primary form "origin" and "completion" e. the Hebrew author, therefore, demonstrates that within Jesus Christ is the origin and completion of our faith! f. Hence, we must be "in Christ" to have the faith in Christ, and there can be no faith that is acceptable which is outside of that which Christ has demonstrated Himself and through His Apostles (Romans 8:1-2, Galatians 1:6-9) 2. "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross" a. We often look at the garden of Gethsemane, and the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross, and many times lose sight of how Jesus Himself got through it b. He was doing the Father's will, but He was surely aware of the exaltation that awaited Him (Matthew 16:21, Philippians 2:9-11) c. His suffering, He knew, was but temporal, and the reward for His suffering great! d. This is the same for ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)! 3. "despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" a. The cross was very shameful-- Galatians 3:13 b. Yet His shame and reproach has been translated into our redemption and salvation! (1 Peter 2:21-24) c. We know that because of His work on the cross, the Father greatly exalted Him, and He now has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18) d. Since He has the power, let us strive to look toward Him as we run the race! D. Hebrews 12:3 1. The Hebrew author exhorts Christians to remember the sufferings and reproaches of our Savior so that we are not discouraged 2. Many times we will find ourselved discouraged when it seems that people are not interested in the truth and seeking salvation as God has decreed 3. We perhaps are spoken evil of, or criticized for being Christian! 4. We would do well to remember Matthew 10:24-25 a. we are not above our Master, and since He was deemed the master of Beelzebub's house, how shall we be maligned? b. We can see throughout Jesus' life that the Pharisees and scribes and others were hostile to Him, and the hostility of the Jews led to His death c. We have not yet reached that level of persecution, so let us keep hope and endure! d. We can do it! III. Hebrews 12:4-11: The Discipline of the Lord A. Hebrews 12:4 1. We have not resisted to bloodshed in our fight with sin! 2. This was spoken in the immediate context of the Hebrew brethren, who at that time were not facing the persecution leading to torture and/or death that was perhaps going on in other places 3. Is this necessarily a bad thing? It is overall neither positive nor negative, but a statement of fact 4. We also have not resisted to the point of bloodshed-- if it came to that level, would we be prepared? Would we prove to be seed in good soil or seed in rocky soil (Matthew 13:3-9, 19-23)? B. Hebrews 12:5-6 1. The versions are divided as to whether the first statement is a rhetorical question or declarative statement 2. Regardless, the point remains the same: by all appearances, the Hebrew brethren have forgotten the exhortation given to them as sons 3. The Hebrew author cites Proverbs 3:11-12 to demonstrate that the Lord demonstrates His love sometimes through discipline C. Hebrews 12:7-8 1. The Hebrew author continues this same vein of discussion by applying Proverbs 3:11-12 2. It is for discipline that we endure a. Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4 b. The discipline that we receive helps us to grow in our walk with Christ c. The times of persecution have, historically, been some of the best for Christianity! d. Unity, fervency in Spirit, and love prevailed! e. It is when peace and prosperity rule that churches become divided and problems are underfoot! 3. Our discipline demonstrates our adoption as sons of God, and that we are not illegitimate children! a. It ought to be more troublesome to us to not be disciplined, for then we are proven to be illegitimate sons! b. Let us not grumble when we are disciplined, for our discipline demonstrates the love of our Heavenly Father D. Hebrews 12:9-11 1. The Hebrew author compares our discipline from God with the discipline of earthly fathers 2. Our earthly fathers could only discipline us in the way that seemed best to them for our benefit, but God acts only in our benefit! 3. As He is high and mighty, the omnipotent and omnipresent God, His discipline can only help us in our path to holiness 4. The Hebrew author recognizes the temporal pain of discipline, but the good fruit of righteousness comes from it! 5. Can we be good and holy and righteous without discipline? 6. Let us accept the chastening of our Lord IV. Hebrews 12:12-14: Encouragement to be Righteous A. Hebrews 12:12-13 1. The conclusion of the matters of discipline is to be strengthened 2. Demonstration that healing physically can only come with rehabiliation a. this is true in our own lives b. when do our bodies begin to fail? When we use them less! c. If something is broken in our bodies, do we not go through physical rehabilitation? d. Why? So that all will heal properly and function properly 3. This is also true in spiritual terms-- we can only be healed and function properly spiritually when we work on what is out of joint! 4. Inactivity will not lead to salvation! B. Hebrews 12:14 1. "Strive for peace with everyone" a. similar message in Romans 12:18 b. Christians are not to look for fights, either verbal or physical, but should in all things work for peace 2. "and the holiness without which no one shall see the Lord" a. We must strive to be holy people b. To live without sin and be pure in His sight! c. If we desire to see the Lord, we must be without sin and pure! V. Conclusion A. We have seen many things from Hebrews 12:1-14 B. We must lay aside any distractions and competition and run the race of our Lord C. We must look to Him, the origin and completion of our faith, who Himself ran that same race and suffered for the joy that would come as its fruit D. We have not resisted to bloodshed in our fight against sin, and we must not forget that the Lord disciplines those whom He loves, and we must yield to His discipline for our own good and election E. We must work diligently so that we may be deemed righteous and holy, being at peace with men, so that we may be fully whole and operational! F. Do you have the holiness without which no one shall see the Lord? 1. If you have never obeyed Christ, you do not have that holiness! 2. If you do not want to be eternally lost, obey Christ and begin to run the race for Heaven! 3. Have you allowed distractions and/or the competitor of sin to derail you from the race? Affirm for yourself today to look toward Jesus, and/or if you need encouragement, let us help you as we are able as we stand and sing