WITNESSING FOR CHRIST
Hebrews 12:1-13
FOCUSING ON CHRIST
V:1-2. \” Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.\”
A. God has placed before us many examples of men and women of faith who have served God giving up their lives for the sake of the Gospel.
1. We have all the patriots and the prophets who trusted God to guide and protect them in proclamation of God\’s Word as our examples.
2. All of the disciples of Jesus experience hardships and death for the sake of the faith.
B. Sin detracts us from the righteousness of God.
1. All sin is a rebellion against God.
2. Sin hinders us from doing the work of God.
C. Jesus our Lord and Savior is the perfect role model of faith.
1. He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
2. Jesus endured the cross for our sin because of His obedience to the Father.
3. His death on the cross earned Him the position of High Priest, King and
intercessor at the right hand of the Father.
4. The cross was the death chosen for the worst of criminals.
a. Jesus knew no sin, but died for all our sins.
b. Jesus allow sinful men to crucify Him for our eternal life.
5. All believers have to keep their focus on Jesus to run this Christian race.
a. When we take our focus off Jesus, the ways of the world seem more important.
b. When we are not focused on Jesus the lies of Satan become the focus.
THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST
V:3-5. \” For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. A Father\’s Discipline 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, \”MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;\”
A. When we consider that Jesus endure the cross for our sakes. it should give us onfidence that the Lord will enable us to endure whatever we face for His sake.
1. Jesus came down from heaven and took on human flesh, therefore He knows what we face day to day.
2. The Lord will never put more on us than what we can endure.
3. Whatever we encounter for Christ is nothing compared to what Christ experience on the cross.
4. We have not yet offered our lives to defend our faith in the Gospel\’
B. Since we are in the flesh. we will sin from time to time.
1. Because of our sins God will discipline us.
2. We must recognize that the discipline of the Lord is designed to call attention to our sins and to strength our faith.
3. We must see God\’s discipline as a sign of His love for us.
4. Just as our earthly fathers discipline us when we were disobedient, so God does the same.
THE DISCIPLINE OF CHRIST
V:6-8. \” FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.\” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.\”
A. We are adopted sons and daughter of the Father through our faith in Jesus Christ.
1. God\’s loving discipline of us is proof of our sonship.
2. God discipline of us is proof of His love for us.
3. What earthly father does not discipline the child that he loves?
4. If parents don\’t discipline their children, they do not truly love them. Prov 13:24
B. Those who God loves were chosen before the foundation of the earth.
1. Those who God allows to remain in their sin are not His sons.
2. It is because of His grace that we are His chosen.
3. Many are called, but few are chosen. Matt 22:14
OBEDIENCE TO OUR PARENTS
V:9-10. \” Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.\”
A. Most of us learned to be obedient from our mothers and fathers.
1. In the time that I grew up, parents in the community had oversight over the neighbors kids and could discipline them if necessary.
2. In addition the schools had the authority to discipline any student.
B. Our earthly parents and overseers discipline us to teach us right from wrong
and as a way to keep order in society.
1. As we grew up we carried those values into our adult lives.
2. The discipline of our parents ended when we left home.
C. The discipline of our heavenly Father does not comes with belts and words.
1. The discipline of our heavenly Father comes through trials and tribulations.
2. The discipline of the Heavenly Father is designed to strengthen us in areas of weakness.
3. The good and the bad that happens in our lives are designed to work out for our good.
4. The Word of God teaches us about the righteousness of God.
5. We learn the true meaning of God\’s righteousness through our life experiences.
6. God\’s discipline prepares us for His work that gives Him glory.
7. God\’s discipline prepares us to be role models for Christ to others.
8. The discipline of the Lord prepares us for successful living.
THE EFFECT OF GOD\’S DISCIPLINE
V:11. \” All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.\”
A. I remember a story about a beautiful Vase that a women saw on a store room shelf. The woman told the Vase that it was beautiful. The Vase responded that it was not always beautiful. It stared out as an ugly piece of clay. It\’s owner took it through a painful process of molding shaping. The Vase said then I was put into a hot burning fire. It was very painful. Once out of the fire, my owner dressed me in beautiful colors and placed me here for all to see. Because of that process, I am beautiful to the eye.
1. Life with our heavenly Father is a painful process of molding and shaping.
2. It is the trouble that God allows into our lives that molds and shapes us into vessels that He wants us to be.
B. The Lord chastises those that He loves.
1. We must learn to appreciate the Lord\’s chastisement as His way of shaping us into vessels of His righteousness.
2. Instead of complaining about the trouble in our lives, we should learn to be grateful that He loves us enough to trouble us.
3. We all start out as ugly clay that God molds and shapes into beautiful vessels of light.
GROWING IN THE SPIRIT
V:12-13. \” Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.\”
A. Discipleship starts when we study God Word and become obedient.
1. Discipleship continues when we allow the Word to change our minds and attitudes to be more like Christ.
2. Any person in Christ is a new creation.
3. Spiritual growth in the Word never cease.
4. My wife reminds me that getting better never ends.
B. Stewardship is when we put the Word of God in action.
1. Stewardship is when the Word of God is the guide for every decision we make and every action we take.
2. Stewardship is serving others with the primary objective to give God praise and glory.
C. Our job as servants of the Lord is to strengthen others with God\’s words of counsel and encouragement.
1. It is by grace that we are part of God\’s army of disciples.
2. It is to our good to be molded and shaped into vessels of righteousness.
3. Our minds and bodies are strengthen as we faithfully serve God.
THANK GOD FOR CHOOSING US FOR HIS SERVICE
Rev M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway
Houston Texas, 77010
For more lessons, visit my blogs and follow me on facebook
\”www\’revmmitchell.com\”, goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com\”
