Faith’s Hall of Fame
Part 6
“Don’t Faint, Give Up, or Walk Away”
Hebrews 12:3-13 “Think of all the hostility he (Jesus) endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, (quoting Proverbs 3:11-12)
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.
9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.”
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The writer’s target audience in these passages is Christians that were under the gun of persecution and hardship.
He encourages them to, instead of viewing all their troubles through a negative eye, see the hand of God’s discipline working through their troubles for the ultimate good.
He’s adjusting the way they should interpret their difficult circumstances.
So, the first thing he points out is that:
I. Our example in suffering is Jesus
LB “3 If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about his (Jesus’s) patience as sinful men did such terrible things to him. 4 After all, you have never yet struggled against sin and temptation until you sweat great drops of blood.”
Jesus endured constant attack from sinful people, ultimately to the point of shedding blood.
His blood was shed in the Garden as he prayed.
It was shed when they thrust the crown of thorns onto his head.
It was shed when they whipped his back
It was shed when they beat his face.
It was shed when they drove the nails into his hands.
It was shed when they drove the nails into his feet.
And it was shed when they pierced his side.
Yet he never faltered, fainted, or forsook His divine purpose!
The Prophet Isaiah wrote the following words of the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus,
“For the Lord God will help Me, therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”
When Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem where he would be crucified, Luke writes: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”—9:51
Luke was alluding to Isaiah’s prophecy here!
A “face like flint” means “unwavering determination.”
NOTHING could move Jesus off His task!
And HE is our example! The writer says, “Consider Him!”
The idea is that, like Jesus did, we are to pursue the path God has laid before us—no matter what the world says.
No matter the opposition from sinners we face.
No matter the ridicule or mockery that may come.
Our Lord Jesus never abandoned any of his God-given plans.
No argument, no scorn, no worldly disapproval ever caused him for a moment to deviate from his course.
He soldiered on to endure the Cross, disregarding the shame.
So Hebrews tells us to gain strength from considering Him!
Why?—“Lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.”
There is a danger of becoming so disheartened and wearied by the opposition of the world, and hard circumstances in life that you put up the white flag and leave your race.
But with the shining example of the One who was never disheartened, you and I can persevere!
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Then secondly, we are to:
II. View our sufferings as God’s loving discipline
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children.”
And here’s the purpose behind all of God’s discipline:
“God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.”—vs. 10
We human beings easily drift away from the Great Shepherd.
But troubles, shake-ups, and hardships have a way of driving us back into the arms of God, into the Word, into prayer, and into a holier life!
David said in the psalms, “I used to wander off until you punished me; now I closely follow all you say.”—119:67
ERV “Before I suffered, I did many wrong things. But now I carefully obey everything you say.”
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In the natural you may see your sufferings in a negative light, but the truth is they are God’s hammer and chisel shaping you into what He’s called you to be!
And as a little aside—this is one way to know for sure if you’re truly saved:
If you never experience God’s chastening—if you’re out there living like the world and never experience His rebuke, His conviction, or His discipline, you’re not saved!
Listen carefully: “If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.”—12:8
But for those that are truly His, God’s discipline is part of the salvation package!
And we must trust Him in it without resentment!
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of holy living for those who are trained by it.”—vs. 11
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The writer closes by saying:
III. Chin up it’s all good!
Since God is in control our trusting response should be, FIRST:
“12 Take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.”
Get a fresh grip on your walk with Jesus.
Get out of the mulligrubs of discouragement.
Stir up the gift of God that’s within you!
Get off the sidelines and back into the game!
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And SECONDLY:
13 “Mark out a straight path for your feet so that what is lame, maimed, and limping will not be turned aside, but will be healed.”
The walk of obedience is a healing walk!
Living right, honoring God in your lifestyle, and obeying His word brings healing to what is lame and broken.
Sinful living brings damage, wounds, and destruction.
But righteous living brings healing and wholeness!