Sermon Audio

This Sunday, we will finish the section of Hebrews 12 we began last week. As chapter 12 began, the author exhorted us to run the race set before us with endurance, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. As we learned last week, v. 4-13 shows us what fixing our eyes on Jesus looks like. We studied v. 4-8 in depth and saw that the suffering Hebrew Christians had forgotten God’s promise of discipline to every one of His children. The author quoted Proverbs 3:11-12 to demonstrate this. Amazingly, the author is saying that their suffering and trials are the disciplining hand of God. We also saw that this discipline is more like what we refer to as training. For the believer, God’s discipline doesn’t come from His wrath or justice for sin. Sin was fully atoned at the cross. Yet, like every good father, the Lord disciplines His children for their growth and benefit. As those united to Christ, adopted by the Father, the author commands us to endure all our trials and hardships for discipline’s sake (v. 7). Even in the hardest and most painful circumstances, we are told "God is treating you as sons." Understanding this, however, doesn’t make enduring God’s discipline any easier. Hebrews also tells us that all discipline is unpleasant as we go through it, but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who are trained by it (v. 11). With our eyes fixed on Jesus, knowing that God is working all things for our good, we need not turn from Christ, disobey His word, or descend into despair when faced with suffering. That is easier said than done, but in this text we are given four principles to apply and to help one another in times of trial. We looked at the first two last week. 

I. Remember God’s Promise of Discipline (v. 4-6)

II. Recognize The Necessity of God’s Discipline (v. 7-8)

This Sunday, we will concentrate our study on the remaining two:

III. Remember The Benefit of God’s Discipline (v. 9-11)

IV.  Respond To God’s Discipline Together (v. 12 -13)

Hebrews 12:4-13 is one of those passages we must read over and over. The more we do so, the more profound and life-altering it becomes. Initially, I intended to preach through the entire section in one sermon, but I just can’t. There is so much here that we must allow to saturate our souls. This Sunday, we will read the whole text but only examine v. 4-8 in depth. Technically, the whole text will be a single sermon, but we will look at two points this Sunday and two next Sunday. Having just exhorted us to run the race set before us with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author shows us that our perspective about trials and suffering in this life needs to change. The author tells his readers they have forgotten what God said about those whom He calls His children. Quoting Proverbs 3:11-12, he shows that all the believer’s sufferings in this life are the discipline of God. Even the persecutions the Hebrew Christians were enduring are to be seen as God’s discipline. When we think of discipline, our minds often jump to "punishment" or "justice." But discipline in this context is not punitive. God’s discipline of His children is redemptive and corrective for our good, to conform us to the image of Jesus and grow us into maturity. Discipline (which is used repeatedly in this section) is what we would call training. It includes instruction and correction as God forces His children to use the muscles of faith in order to grow them. His discipline of His children is never done in wrath, but a loving care for His children’s growth in holiness and faith. Of course, discipline is often painful and difficult, but this kind of discipline doesn’t show God’s abandonment, but rather His love for us. Although every phrase in this text is earth-shakingly profound, verse 7 is the thematic point being driven home. "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?" The NIV actually captures the first sentence more accurately. It is a command. The NIV says, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children." Last week (as we examined v. 1-3), we talked about "training, not trying." But I purposefully didn’t go into any depth about what this training entails, because the author highlights this training in v. 4-13 and it isn’t the training that we do (there is a place for that), but here, it is how God trains (disciplines) us through the trials of this life. The overall exhortation in this section is not for us to do better or train harder - it is for us to change our perspective about the hardships and sufferings of this life. For the Christian, all of them - ALL OF THEM - should be seen as God growing us, conforming us to the image of His Son. "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." Hebrews 12:11.

I. Remember God’s Promise of Discipline (v. 4-6)

II. Recognize The Necessity of God’s Discipline (v. 7-8)

(Points 3 & 4 - will be Sunday Aug. 11)

III. Respond Rightly To God’s Discipline (v. 9-10)

IV. Remember The Benefit of God’s Discipline (v. 11-13)

The Hebrews had become tired of the struggle and striving. In Hebrews 10:32-33, the author told them to recall the former days when they had endured affliction and trial, even doing so with joy. Yet, now they were tempted to turn from Christ because of the continuing struggle. The endless hardship and suffering had worn them down. So much so that the author told them they needed endurance in Hebrews 10:36. After the long list of saints who endured in faith, chapter 12 begins with the reason those Old Testament believers were given as examples. They are a cloud of witnesses testifying to the faithfulness of God, the surety of His promises, and the faith that looks to what it cannot see. Now, the writer calls us to run the race set before us with endurance. Running with endurance is training ourselves to fix our eyes on Jesus as we cast off the weights and sins that hinder us in the race that God has set before us. These hindrances come in many forms and many ways. Yet, as we keep our eyes fixed on the goal (Jesus) rather than the track, the difficulties, or past failures, we can run with endurance and finish well. Just like athletic running, spiritually running with endurance requires training, not trying hard. Sunday we will explore what it means to follow Jesus by faith with endurance.

I. The Encouragements To Run With Endurance (v. 1)

II. The Practice of Running With Endurance (v. 1)

III. The Power To Run With Endurance (v. 2-3)

Subscribe to the Sermon podcast on itunes or search for "jason velotta" in your podcasting app

Visit http://www.jasonvelotta.com/for more audio, video, books, and teaching materials https://www.fbcmulvane.com

https://www.facebook.com/jason.velotta.1

https://twitter.com/jrv773

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvelotta

The Ecuador mission team is leaving on Monday, so this Sunday, in the second service, we will take the opportunity to pray for the team and those with whom they will share the gospel. We will also finish Hebrews 11:32-40. In this section, the author brings his list of faith-filled Old Testament saints to its conclusion. After telling us "the righteous will live by faith," the text began with Abel and systematically walked through the eras of biblical history. As verse 32 continues, the author gives rapid-fire references to the faithful during the time of the Judges, through the Davidic Monarchy, and speaks of the many unnamed believers leading up to the time of Christ. Several issues arise in this final section of chapter 11. The judges listed (Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah) accomplished great victories in the Lord’s name, but much of their stories also included acts of doubt and sin. How could the author include such men in the "hall of fame" of faith? As the author summarizes the great accomplishments, victories, and miracles that God did in the lives of His faithful, delivering them from every conceivable suffering, our hearts rise with the text’s proclamation of God’s power and promises. Yet, in the middle of verse 35, the list turns and speaks of many unnamed saints who were not delivered - they were tortured to death. They lived lives of destitution and lack. These saints (who are just as faithful as those who accomplished victories) endured the worst the world had to offer - by faith. And God commended them for their faith with the same commendation as those who put foreign armies to flight. Yet, in the end, none of these faith-filled people of God received the promise in this life. They did not see God’s salvation in Christ fulfilled while they lived on the earth. By faith, they trusted it from far off. Chapter 12:1-4 gives us the application of this list of the faithful. Since we have such a cloud of witnesses (those who testify to a life of faith) let us lay aside the weight and sin that besets us and run the race with endurance. How? By looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

I. What Faith Accomplishes (v. 32-35a)

II. What Faith Endures (v. 35b-38)

III. What Faith Receives (v. 39-40)

This Sunday, I intended to finish chapter 11 in Hebrews. However, as I studied the Old Testament backgrounds of the three examples of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11:29-31, the faith mentioned in these verses took me by surprise. As we have walked through chapter 11, studied these great examples of faith, and reminded ourselves of the author’s call to hold fast to our faith, some might very well begin to think "faith" is synonymous with "strength." As if Hebrews is saying faith is being strong, capable, and unfaltering in devotion. These are, of course, attributes we should strive for, but "faith" is not strength. In fact, faith often grows "strong" out of weakness. In Hebrews 11:29-31, we find three examples of faith commended by God that are surprising. The text of Hebrews is quite simple and to the point, not going into detail about the events it records because the Hebrew readers knew these accounts like the back of their hands. Yet we may need to remind ourselves of these events. So, this Sunday, we will approach the text a little differently. We will examine not only the text of Hebrews 11:29-31 but also the Old Testament events these verses describe. In doing so, we find that the faith commended here was weak, simple, and sometimes so lacking it had to be stirred up by others. Yet, here they are, commended by God in this list. A "mustard seed" sized faith is still faith, and though God surely grows our faith, it is its presence, not its amount, that the righteous live by.

I. God Commends A Weak Imperfect Faith (Hebrews 11:29; Exodus 14:1-16)

II. God Demonstrates His Power Through Imperfect Faith (Hebrews 11:30; Joshua 6:1-17)

III. God Receives Sinners Through Simple Faith (Hebrews 11:31; Joshua 2:1-24)

Subscribe to the Sermon podcast on itunes or search for "jason velotta" in your podcasting app

Visit http://www.jasonvelotta.com/for more audio, video, books, and teaching materials https://www.fbcmulvane.com

https://www.facebook.com/jason.velotta.1

https://twitter.com/jrv773

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvelotta

The righteous will live by faith. That quote from Habakkuk chapter 2 is quoted three times in the New Testament. (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). As fallen people following Jesus in a fallen world, there is no end to temptation, trial, and suffering in this life. The Hebrew Christians were indeed experiencing this as they suffered persecution for following Christ. At the end of Hebrews 10, we were told how we endure, "the righteous will live by faith." Then chapter 11 begins a description of "living by faith" by reminding the readers of how the Old Testament saints endured by faith. This Sunday, our study focuses on Moses, the mediator of God’s law. To the Hebrews, Abraham and Moses were the most important figures in history. As the Hebrew Christians weighed the possibility of returning to the law and sacrifices, they may have thought they were returning to Moses’ faith. Hebrews 11:23-28 demonstrates that to be untrue. Moses endured temptation and, by faith, chose to follow God despite the hardship. The writer says, "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin" (11:24-25). Then in a statement that would grab the attention of these Hebrews, he says, "He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward" (11:26). Yes, you read that right! Moses bore the reproach of Christ and he himself, knew that Jesus is better. Moses looked to the reward of following God as more valuable than all the wealth, power, and glory of the Egyptian royal family. In this example, the author shows his readers that faith (without which it is impossible to please God - v.6) trusts that Jesus is better than a life without persecution and suffering. Jesus is better than all the wealth and comfort of this world. 

IX. Faith Obeys When it Doesn’t Make Sense (v. 17-19)

X. Faith Submits Our Will To God’s (v. 20)

XI. Faith Endures To The Very End (v. 21-22)

Subscribe to the Sermon podcast on itunes or search for "jason velotta" in your podcasting app

Visit http://www.jasonvelotta.com/for more audio, video, books, and teaching materials https://www.fbcmulvane.com

https://www.facebook.com/jason.velotta.1

https://twitter.com/jrv773

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvelotta