“Enduring Divine Chastisement”
Text: Hebrews 12:5-11
© 2007, Sterling C. Franklin
Free for your use and encouragement
Context: In the prior passages in Hebrews 11 and 12:1-4 –
(1) Hebrews 11 gives us the ‘Hall of Faith’ – many faithful believers to whom we can look for inspiration. They have walked, so let us walk faithfully just as they have!
(2) Hebrews 12:1-4 is an encouragement to us to keep running the Christian race. It truly is a marathon! We have the ultimate example and inspiration in Jesus Christ, who even gave His life to do the Father’s Will. With His sacrifice, we have hope through belief in His name for Salvation!
(3) Picture in review:
[Picture Resource]
Enduring Divine Chastisement (Hebrews 12:5-11)
Text: Hebrews 12:5-11
12:5 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.
12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
12:7 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?
12:8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
12:9 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?
12:10 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.
12:11 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.
A. Let us endure Divine chastisement since the Lord disciplines His children (5-8).
Transitional Note: The earlier section of Hebrews 12 (verses 1-4) deals heavily with athletic imagery. Now we reach a section in which the imagery is focused on parental discipline.
1. The Lord disciplines those whom He loves (5-6).
a. Quoted in 12:5-6 is Proverbs 3:11-12: wise words from Solomon.
b. Two exhortations: The author again urges us to do two things:
(1) Despise not when chastened
(2) Faint not when rebuked
c. Two truths: The author lets us know two functions:
(1) Chastisement out of love
(2) Scourging out of reception/acceptance: being received as sons
d. Application: Thus we are to keep a good and resolved attitude through the chastening of the Lord, and even through hard times, we are to strive on in the Christian marathon, not growing weary.
Illustration: Job: how did he respond to massive chastisement?
Job 5:17-18
17 Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.
Consider how much Job lost: family, possessions, health – really everything except his life, and yet he states, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15a).
2. If we are disciplined, it is because He is treating us as sons [children] (7).
a. Discipline has a link to sonship, as is also evident from the quote in verse 6.
b. We have been given the right to become God’s children by God Himself:
John 1:12-13
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
c. Challenge: Endure discipline. Result of sonship: To be brought before God! Strive in the Christian marathon to receive that acceptance. Press on in the faith!
3. If we are not disciplined, then we are not Sons (8).
a. Definition: Sons are given a relationship definition in verses 7 and 8 (where verse 8 is the converse of verse 7):
(1) A son is disciplined by his father – cared for.
(2) Those who are not disciplined – not cared for – not sons.
b. Illustration: When I was younger, I always thought, what if I put a book in my pants before my parents tried to spank me? Then I thought about how much more ticked off they would be if I did it! Parents discipline their children, and mine were no exception!
B. Let us endure Divine chastisement since the Father has a purpose in disciplining us (9-11).
[Picture Resource]
Illustration: See above slide/image regarding Discipline.
1. The discipline of earthly fathers (9-10):
Note: Discipline is present in this passage, not abuse. Note that proper discipline and chastisement is only a function of love. Anything else needs to be checked at the door.
a. We respect them (9).
(1) Illustration: At the threat of a spanking or general punishment, a child may reconsider doing something displeasing to his parent’s discretion.
(2) We literally conduct ourselves ‘in trepidation’ of disobeying our earthly parents who discipline us.
b. They disciplined us at their own purposes and interests (10).
(1) They had authority to discipline us as their children, and they generally are looking out for our best interests.
(2) Their authority to discipline us should lead us to respect of that authority (cf. Bruce 358-9).
(3) Application/Transition: We should respect our Heavenly Father so much more, who, as we will see, disciplines us for our sanctifying benefit!
2. The discipline of our Heavenly Father – the Father of Spirits (9-11):
Comparison: The text includes a direct comparison between earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father. “Father of Spirits” is only used here in the New Testament, and it is used as a contrastive term to “Father of our flesh” (Bruce 359-60). Though we see good in the discipline of our earthly fathers, we will see here that our Heavenly Father is so much more out for our benefit.
a. God disciplines us for our own benefit (9).
(1) It is our lot in the Christian marathon to go through suffering:
Philippians 1:29
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.
(2) Thankfully God has a wonderful purpose in sanctifying us through His chastisement (9).
b. God's momentarily-painful discipline will reap a harvest of His righteousness in our lives (11).
(1) Seed sown: Divine chastisement.
(2) Harvest reaped: Divine righteousness in our lives!
(3) Application: The process of chastisement is not fun – it is grievous to go through at the current moment, but it is ultimately beneficial, leading to our continued sanctification.
Transition: So what can we take from this passage as a whole?
Applications, in Review
1. We need to keep a good and resolved attitude through the times when the Lord chastens us, and even through hard times, we are to strive on in the Christian marathon, not growing weary.
2. We should greatly respect our Heavenly Father, who disciplines us for our ultimate best. He consistently molds us and makes us through hard times.
3. Keep in mind that the process of chastisement is not fun – it is grievous to go through at the current moment, but it is ultimately beneficial, leading to our continued sanctification.
4. Call to Response: Running the Christian race is difficult, and so is enduring Divine chastisement. However, running in life without focusing on Jesus will cause us to faint. Do you need Jesus in your life, or do you need to refocus on Him today? Have you relied on Him fully through times of His chastisement in your lives? Let us not leave here today without clean hearts before Him!
Closing Prayer & Invitation
“Lord, thank You for the good times and the bad, the peaceful and the hectic, the calm and the storm. Let us rely on You through times of chastisement, and let us rejoice that You have a Divine purpose in the stretching times in our lives. Help us be salt and light to those around us, even in the darkest hour. Forgive us of our sins, cleanse us of our unrighteousness, and we thankful that You are faithful and just to do so. Lord, we come to You seeking that You purify our hearts and minds before You. We commit our lives to You, we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for us, that we may have peace with God. You are an amazing Lord, and we pray that You help us bless You in grateful response to Your work in our lives. Thank You, Lord, and we commit everything to You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Benediction
Now let us look 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.” Amen.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruce, F.F. The Epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964), Vol. 49.
The Holy Bible. English Standard Version (used). Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. © 2001, all rights reserved.
