Outline:
3-4 Consider Jesus
5-11 Cherish Chastening
Hebrews 12:3-11
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against
Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
4 You
have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
Has
life ever knocked the wind out of your sails?
Left
you weary?
Discouraged?
Wanting
to quit?
You’re
not alone. We’re in the same boat as the folks in Hebrews.
The
answer then, and now, is the same...
Consider
Jesus.
He
too walked this weary trail.
Consider
Jesus.
He
got tired, hungry, sleepy, had emotions, shed tears, was tempted...
Yet
without sin.
Consider
Jesus.
He
endured sinners and resisted sin.
We
have it a bit backwards.
We
resist sinners and endure sin, tolerate, put up with, pacify, turn the other
cheek, become desensitized to sin.
Consider
Jesus.
For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12.
Consider
Jesus, and in so doing:
5-11
Cherish Chastening
As
we read verses 5-11, see if you can see an often repeated word and count how
many times it’s repeated.
5 And you
have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you
endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there
whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without
chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate
and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who
corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much
more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For
they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to
them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers
of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be
joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Did you spot the often
repeated word?
Chasten?
Yes. How many times?
Seven?
Good job. Seven times in
seven verses.
When God repeats a word
it’s not because He has a small vocabulary, it’s for us to sit up and pay
attention.
What do you think when you hear: chasten?
Spanking? Punishment? Correction...?
That’s what I was thinking.
Context is king when interpreting Scripture and this
chapter opens with the spotlight clearly on Jesus, telling us to look to Jesus in
verse two, and consider Jesus in verse three.
However, Jesus never sinned, never needed punishing.
So, in context what exactly is the Bible telling us
about chastening?
Chasten: Παιδεία, Paideia:
discipline,
instruction, training, education.
No, spanking, no punishment, just training, instructing,
educating.
Interesting.
Click here for a short
video depicting chastening.
Now, look again at verse 11 of our text, it adds more color
and context.
11 Now
no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful;
nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.
Trained:
Γυμνάζω,
gumnazó: To train, exercise, intense disciplined workout,
obtaining full agility, skill, endurance, gained only from constant,
rigorous training.
So, when trouble comes (which it will, Jesus promised,
in the world you will have tribulation, John 16:33), view it joyfully,
as an opportunity for obtaining full agility, skill, endurance, yielding the
peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Cherish Chastening.
Gladly receive chastening. If you are without
chastening, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
Do not despise (take lightly, consider worthless) chastening.
To do so calls into question whether we are a child of God.
Hebrews 5:8 tells us, though He was a
Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
1 Peter 4:12. Beloved, do not think it
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent
that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory
is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
James 1:2. My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of
your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect
work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
So, when from out of the blue the world gets wonky, things
go sideways, chastening comes, shout, “Hallelujah! Paideia!
Gumnazó! I made the Chastening Team!
Cherish Chastening
Why do we need Gumnazó? Intense rigorous
training?
What in the world are we training for?
Great question!
If you are indeed a CHRISTian, then, you are indeed a
Child of the King.
If you are a Child of the King, then, you are Royalty
in Training.
Cool! Training for what?
Just your Divine Eternal Purpose and calling, to rule
and reign with Christ.
Take your time, read the following verses, and see
yourself in the future.
Daniel 7:18, 27, Romans 8:17, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, 2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 1:6, 2:26, 3:21, 5:9-10, 20:4, 20:6, 22:5.
Dear Saint, from now on there are no problems to shake
our faith, just chastening to grow it, proof of our Father’s love,
opportunities to be partakers of His holiness, yielding the peaceable fruit of
righteousness.
Let’s pray.
Dear Holy Heavenly Father, help us to look
to You, consider You, and cherish Your chastening, so we will not become weary,
slothful or dull of hearing, but vigilant watchmen, wise stewards, fervent
warriors, in Your Kingdom, now and forever more. Lord we pray that of all those
You’ve given us, none are lost.
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
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Hebrews 12:3-11
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Hebrews 12:3-11
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Seed for you to sow.
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