I Will Endure

1 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, 2 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. - Hebrews 12:1-2

Running Our Race

• Verse 1

  • Sin…

  • It’s “The Sin” - Faithlessness

  • Run with endurance

  • Involving effort and struggle, not a passive patience

  • Race set before us

  • Implying that every believer’s duty is to run the race.

• Verse 2

  • Looking to Jesus

  • Avoiding distractions that weaken our faith

  • Founder and perfector

  • Author and finisher

  • Hebrews 6:19-20

• 3 main actions steps…

• Let us throw off

• Let us run

• Let us fix our eyes

Our Example - Jesus

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. - Hebrews 12:3-4

• Verse 3

  • Consider Him…

  • A process of serious thinking where a matter is weighed with the utmost care through comparison, reflection, and conclusion

  • So that you may not…

  • Unlike the heroes and heroines of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, Jesus is able to strengthen his followers to endure because he is the one who sits at the right hand of the throne of God and awaits their cry for help.

• Verse 4

  • There is indeed struggle with sin, we are not immune to that

Children of God and Discipline

5 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. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

• Verses 5-6

  • Proverbs 3:10-11

  • The exhortation not to treat discipline lightly is constantly needed since men have an inborn dislike of discipline and never more so than today

7 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? - Hebrews 12:7

• A father who neglects to discipline a son is deficient in his capacity as father

• A son who escapes all discipline is losing out on his sonship

8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 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? 10 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.

• Verse 8

  • The father does not give the illegitimate son the same rights and privileges, neither does he bother to discipline him. 

• Verse 9

  • By bringing the rod against a child we are not only teaching them discipline and consequences in life, but we are setting them up to know that when God disciplines us, it’s a good thing

  • If a child hasn’t received discipline from a parent, why do we think they will understand discipline from God

• Verse 10

  • He has a specific aim that they may share his holiness.

Fruit of Discipline

11 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

• Yields fruit

• John 15:1-6

• Trained

• In a way, submitted to it

Application

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. - Hebrews 12:12-13

• Verse 12

  • Isaiah 35:3

  • In other words, toughen up, stand up, dust yourself off

  • Before we bring a complaint against God on how bad things are, maybe we should stop, think, have some reverence, and change our attitude

• Verse 13

  • Proverbs 4:26

  • Analogy of clearing a path and making it smooth

    • We are to clear a path and make it smooth so we are not spiritually limping along and injuring ourselves

    Making a straight path means…

  • Accepting the beneficial effects of discipline

  • Pull yourself together 

  • Make progress

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14

• Verse 14

  • Strive

  • a strong word, running to catch up to someone

  • Peace

  • Romans 12:18

  • We are called to pursue peace with everyone, but never at the expense of what is right, doing all we can to maintain peace without compromising holiness.

  • Holiness

  • Drawing near to God

    • Hebrews 10:22

    • I John 3:2

15 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; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

• Verse 15

  • Fails to obtain…

  • Didn’t finish the race or got disqualified

  • Root

  • Infects not just the roots, but goes into the entire plant and also corrupts the soil around it

  • Springs up

  • Actively working it’s way out into the open

  • Trouble

  • To incite someone

  • Defiled

  • Titus 1:15

  • Morally contaminated

• Verse 16

  • Sold birthright

  • Sold his spiritual birthright to satisfy a physical appetite

17 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.

• Verse 17

  • Desired

  • He had a regret for doing what he did and wanted it back, but couldn’t (rejected)

  • Repent

    • Many of us regret what came out of our mouth, but not enough to repent of it

Application Questions

• What is tough right now that might need to be reframed as God discplining me?

• What fruit is being produced while I am enduring through hardship and/disciple? (If none, what needs to change?)

• What weight and sin needs to be let go of so I can keep going, enduring with faith?