"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; 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, 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
The trouble is between the founding moment of our faith…and the perfection moment of our faith…
Now the writer continues
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 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. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 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 12:3-7
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
Discipline may at times be corrective but it’s always instructive
We are being commanded to act like people who are utterly persuaded that we are already adopted through faith, and that our omnipotent Father loves us, and that the most painful adversities of our lives are expressions of his loving discipline and not his hateful vengeance.
That’s what the “therefore” means at the beginning of verse 12: God is ruling over the lives of his people. The persecution and sickness and adversity we endure are part of God’s sovereign design for our good and our holiness.
Therefore – truth to application…if it’s true then do this…
Hebrews 12:12-17
We move from God being the disciplining parent to the demanding track coach.
Multiple commands given in these verses based upon what he had previously said…but one stands out to us because of the unique wording… Notice the terms – strengthen, make straight, pursue, and to see it to it
See to it – overseer… See to it…is the controlling phrase…list for the Christian life
Verse 15 - Fail to obtain the grace of God
This doesn’t mean that we don’t have grace or to miss salvation…the reason we know this is because the context is on the discipline of God in the race of life…this is more so the idea of failing to keep up with the movement of grace in our lives…or the growth of grace in our life…the experience of grace.
hustereo – to be left behind in a race, to lack, to fall back
Comes short – to come too late, to be left out
More grace…falling behind with the movement of divine grace which moves the Christian…fall short of the grace ***Chasing the rabbit
BIG IDEA: WHEN GRACE BECOMES AN IDOL, IT BECOMES A SOURCE OF BITTERNESS INSTEAD OF A PLACE OF BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR LIFE
Grace that is supposed to be this wonderful thing…the greatest of God’s gifts…becomes a burden you must carry…grace doesn’t hinder sin but excuses it, identity is set in our own sufficiency, it cripples our growth, it causes escape instead of endurance, and it doesn’t extend.
That’s what this whole series has been about…grace that is an idol will lead you to bitterness…now what do I mean by that?
This is a quote… In that chapter Moses had again brought before the people the covenant which, nearly forty years before, had been made and ratified “in Horeb”
You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed. And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. Deuteronomy 29:16-19
Gall was the bitterest substance, from a plant, in biblical times. Gall was some bitter poisonous plant, probably the poppy. [took the edge off at crucifixions]
Quotes from OT passage warning the children of Israel not to let idolatry grow among them because it will, like a poisonous weed, infiltrate their whole garden
***You take it…not knowing its poison…The same with idolatry. You have a gift and you exchange it subtly
- Idolatry is subtle but very, very serious. It keeps people from grabbing hold of the grace of God. It’s choking you, it’s spreading to your children, to your friends.
It’s like the group that left Egypt, but came up short of the promise land. They didn’t get to enjoy all that God had for them…why? They idol-chased
The root of bitterness is underground; it is easy to hide and camouflage. Seldom do you find anyone who will admit that they are a bitter person. They will either deny it or disguise it. A bitter person is hypersensitive, ungrateful, insincere, holds grudges, and has mood swings.
What happens it causes 2 things: The Fruit Of Bitterness
- Trouble
- Bitterness will affect you physically, emotionally, and spiritually because the fruit of bitterness is an acid that destroys its container. When your heart is bitter, God will not be real to you be. Why?
- Many will become defiled
- The poison will then pass from you to someone else… The fruit of this sin is usually social. All that people see is the source of their wound and they defile others…It goes beyond the offended party. Its fruits are jealousy/envy, coldness, resentment, unforgiveness, apathy, avoidance or withdrawal, and the ugly verbal trio—gossip, slander, and/or criticism.
- The affect of grace will then be stopped…and other people will be affected…
1. GRACE PROVIDES A PROPER PERSPECTIVE FOR THE JOURNEY
These verses bring a race metaphor…arms help you pull through your stride…drooping arms is the first problem…
Dropping hands – runner begins to fail
Strengthen your weak knees – orthopedic word
The call here is to tough it out, suck it up, gut it out!
The picture is that of a runner nearing the finish line, completely exhausted, wanting to give up, blistered feet, cramping calves, dry mouth, & heavy legs.
Paths (trochia) refers to tracks left by the wheels of a cart or chariot…leave a track behind you that will lead others…
anorthoo – to set the bone, to straighten, to set up, to build anew (Make paths straight)
Fight through the fatigue…
2. GRACE ACTIVELY MOVES US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
diókó – to hunt aggressively, to run against the enemy, to drive away
He says, pursue. Literally, in Greek, it says “persecute,” or “hunt it down.” 2 Like Jason Bourne. Track it. Relentlessly. Growing in holiness is an uphill climb, like riding a bike... You quit peddling, you are going backwards! You have to hunt it.
Peace – we have peace positionally… With Others – peace is a 2-way street…
Toward God – sanctification
Make peace – doesn’t mean that we will have peace with everyone…
Peace is an outcome of the father’s discipline…when you know God is in control you can live with peace…when wounded or hurt…we can respond differently…why? Because God is in control…
Make an easy path for everyone
The image is of the weak runners helping the weaker runners at the end of the race. And it is the strong runners coming back after their race, to help those struggling to finish.
- The call here is to corporate toughness in helping each other to run well.
Pursue Holiness -
“You will never gain holiness by standing still. Nobody ever grew holy without agonizing to be holy. Sin will grow without sowing, but holiness needs cultivation...Follow it; it will not run after you. You must pursue it with determination, with eagerness, with perseverance, as a hunter pursues its prey.” Charles Spurgeon
Harmony is not at the expense of holiness…holiness provides the harmony… Might there be cases in which a stand for holiness might result is a loss of peace
3. GRACE WILL NEVER LEAVE US UNFULFILLED
Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright." Genesis 25:29-34
Esau – trading birth right for a bowl of soup…what does this have to do with sexual immorality. It’s trading the significance for trivial…our inheritance for an appetite…a moment for eternity.
Fornicator – pornos. Profane – godless, irreligious.
- Esau (means hairy, but also called Big Red, from the red lentil stew he sold his birthright for) (msg) Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act & wanted God’s blessing - but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.
Dr. Nettleton said, “We cannot believe that [Esau] was on the point of starvation in his father’s house. The meaning is that he would [give up] no worldly gratification for the sake of spiritual blessings. Life is short, and I am determined to make the most of it… ‘Thus Esau despised his birthright’” (Asahel Nettleton, D.D., Asahel Nettleton: Sermons From the Second Great Awakening, International Outreach, 1995 reprint, p. 404)
- Esau was completely earthbound. All his thoughts were on what he could touch, taste, feel. Instant gratification sums up his life. He was void of spiritual values. He was godless.
“I’ve got the birthright…no need to worry about it now!” “I’ve got grace!”
- we think he is allowing us to starve…he is cheating us…allowing us to starve…what is meant to discipline we see as a disadvantage…what is meant to instruct is depriving us…so we trade our birthright from something trivial and small instead of the wonderful grace of God
Your greatest appetites with always drive your most significant decisions…what do you hunger for? What do you want? You may not want what you get but you will get what you want…
Selling our birthright for a bowl of soup…
There is always an afterward! If this were not true, we would not trouble you about it. Forty-five years “afterward,” when Esau would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected! When he found that he had lost the blessing forever, he cried with an exceedingly bitter cry! But “he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Hebrews 12:17).
The hunger to do is greater than the desire to be
If grace of God sets us the course and moves us forward
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1
Grace as an idol leaves us with a heart of bitterness. Why? Because it tells us that God has failed us…that He has short-changed us…that He has held back things that we desperately need for fulfillment in life. Instead what happens? The grace that is meant to instruct us, will deprive us…the grace meant to discipline us, will seem like a disadvantage…and the one thing considered the greatest gift of all, will become a burden.
Don’t trade the grace of God for cheap imitations.
