August 22/23, 2010 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

August 22/23, 2010, Pentecost 13 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - Hebrews 12:1-13
LIVE YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
I WITH PERSEVERANCE.
II WITH STRUGGLING
III WITH SUBMISSION.
IV WITH ANTICIPATION.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your
feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so
that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
+++++++
LIVE YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE is today’s sermon theme. Thinking of school starting (registration for our school is this week and starting time is next week) let’s first change that theme to LIVE YOUR SCHOOL LIFE and apply the four parts into which I have divided today’s sermon to the school scene.
I - Live your school life WITH PERSEVERANCE. Don’t be a drop-out. Hang in there so that you can reach graduation time. II - Live your school life WITH STRUGGLING. Learning isn’t always easy. Work faithfully to keep your grades up. Struggle against what would distract you, including the many temptations that can come to you not only from the outside but also from your classmates. III - Live your school life WITH SUBMISSION. Schools do have rules. Teachers properly do have authority. Submit and show respect for what is intended for your good. And IV - Live your school life WITH ANTICIPATION. Look forward to what comes after graduation, to a job, to moving on with the rest of your life.
Now let us move on from LIVE YOUR SCHOOL LIFE and return to our sermon theme of LIVE YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE, and hear the message from God’s Word that encourages us to do that with perseverance, struggling, submission, and anticipation.
LIVE YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
I WITH PERSEVERANCE (1-3)
1. We have a cloud of Old Testament witnesses for this (1)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
a) in Hebrews chapter 11, just before our text, we are given the
names of many O.T. people who persevered, such as Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson, Rahab, David
b) these people had to deal with all kinds of difficulties, had to
deal with their own sinfulness, but they persevered - read that
chapter at home, and read about these people in the O.T.
2. Now consider the greatest New Testament witness (2-3a)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, ---.
a) Jesus is more than a witness or example; He is our Savior who
wanted the joy of saving us from the hell we sinners deserve
b) what if Jesus when coming to Thursday evening in
Gethsemane and to Good Friday with its cross would have quit,
would have said that He as the innocent one shouldn’t have to
go through torture and pain and forsakenness by God? - but
Jesus did not do that, did not quit! for us He persevered!
3. May our Christian life show perseverance (1-3)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
a) don’t grow weary, lose heart, be drop-outs after confirmation
b) don’t let opposition from the world and your own sinful nature
make it easy to fall away, to think hearing God’s Word isn’t
important, to feel that worshiping God regularly in church takes
too much time when other things are more appealing to you
c) instead live your Christian life with perseverance
II WITH STRUGGLING (4-6)
1. Struggling might lead to bloodshed (4)
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
a) it had not yet reached this point for the recipients of this letter
to the Hebrews; but the bloody persecution of Christians had
already started (remember that only one of the original disciples
died of old age); and right now in 2010 physical persecution is
taking place from fanatic radicalism in some parts of the world
b) our country’s laws still protect us today; but let’s face it, we
will somehow get persecuted if we stand up for God’s truth
2. Our main struggling may be with God and ourselves (5)
You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses
you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ---."
a) with God: because our natural sinful nature wants to follow sin
and not God, is drawn to the world’s tempting presentations
on the misuse of sex and alcohol and who knows what else
b) with ourselves: because our consciences will bother us if we
are God’s children, and we have to struggle there too
3. But remember God’s part in this (5-6)
You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
a) parents may often say they discipline because they love you
b) that definitely applies to God’s dealings with us; He loves us!
c) so keep on living your Christian lives with struggling to do
God’s will, the will of our God who loves us
III WITH SUBMISSION (7-10)
1. Consider how family and discipline go together (7-8)
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
a) why would I not go to a neighbor’s house and correct the
children for not picking up their toys before bed time?
b) it’s because they are not my children, not my family
2. What is God telling us with His discipline? (7-9)
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
a) God is telling us we are His children, His family, and that He
cares about how we grow up and what the future for us will be
b) how do we feel about parents who really love us, have our
best interests in mind? - that is how we should feel about God
3. Let willing submission be how we live (9-10)
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and
we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the
Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
a) let’s face it, parents don’t always do things as they should
b) but God always does, in all areas; that includes the
commandments He gives us not to keep us from having fun
but to keep us from getting hurt; that includes things like
sickness and disappointments and terrible losses He permits
c) so let us live our Christian lives with submission, knowing
God’s intent is always our good, for us to share in His holiness
IV WITH ANTICIPATION (10b-13,2-3)
1. Anticipation means it still is coming (10b-11)
God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
a) how wonderful already to share in God’s holiness, to know
there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
b) but some of the harvest still needs to be anticipated as we
grow in our knowledge and faith, as we grow in righteous
living, and grow in appreciation of what God’s peace really
means as we travel on the way to complete fulfillment in glory
2. Jesus made possible what is anticipated (2-3)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
a) Jesus endured, persevered for the joy of saving us
b) to Jesus we look as the source and content of our faith, and as
the one who will perfect it, keep us safe until we get to the last
chapter of the book of life, a chapter that includes our names,
the names of all who believe in God’s Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, a chapter about the wonderful heaven we anticipate
3. As we await this, stay in training (11-13)
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on,
however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your
feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so
that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
a) stay in training, be strengthened by the faithful use of God’s
Word that makes level paths, showing us the safe way to go
b) do that out of concern also for others, like fellow members
here in St. Jacobi, who are lame, weak in their faith and need
strengthening, need the support of their fellow believers so that
they can be helped and not become totally disabled and lost
c) in this way let us run the race God has marked out for each of
us, as our text again says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What is ahead of you? Is it going to school? Is it dealing with a problem, a disappointment? Is the race marked out for you a specially difficult one? Whatever it is as we travel on this earth, knowing that you are a child of God, God who proved His love in His Son, LIVE YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE: With Perseverance, not falling away; With Struggling, because sin is always tempting us; With Submission to the will and Word of God who loves us; and With Anticipation of the crown of life when our earthly race is finished.