“DO NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART” (Outline)
April 5, 2020 - Palm Sunday - HEBREWS 12:1-6
INTRO: God’s Word provides us with very special encouragement for each and every day of during our lives. Two weeks ago God’s Word reminded us to praise him for our living Hope. Last week the Apostle Paul encouraged us to rejoice and be glad with him. Our hope, our joy, and our strength is in and from the Lord. Today. Tomorrow. Always. "But those who wait for the LORD will receive new strength. They will lift up their wings and soar like eagles. They will run and not become weary. They will walk and not become tired” (ISAIAH 40:31). “DO NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART”. I. Learn from the life of our Savior. II. Learn from the love of our Father.
I. LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF OUR SAVIOR
A. Verse 1. The Christian life is compared to a race. In a race the runner practices before entering.
1. The believer runs the Christian race with patient endurance. Believers endure. Patiently.
2. In a race the runner does not want to carry any extra weight. A need to be unrestricted.
a. Cast off the burdens of life. b. Get rid of sin that tries to trap the soul.
B. Verse 2a. Each race has a purpose. A goal. Believers will fix their attention on Jesus.
1. Jesus is the source of faith. Without Christ there is no faith.
2. Jesus is the foundation of faith. Jesus is the one brings the believer to the goal.
C. Verse 2b. Jesus’ goal was to endure the cross. He did this labor of love for the joy of the goal.
1. Jesus cast aside the shame of the cross. His goal of joy was the perfect payment for all sin.
2. Verse 3. Look carefully at Jesus’ life. His suffering. Hatred by the crowds. Shame. Death.
3. Believers’ sufferings paled in comparison. Therefore “do not grow weary and lose heart.”
D. It is a great joy in our lives to examine the life of Jesus in detail. When we look to Jesus we do see the One who suffered death for us. We will all face death. But we will not taste the bitter pangs of death. Christ has conquered death for us. It is always amazing to see Jesus enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The crowds shout with sounds of joy and praise. But by Friday the crowds turn against the Savior. “Crucify! Crucify!” Jesus knew all of this would happen. Still he entered Jerusalem on that Sunday. In order to face betrayal and suffering and death. All this for us. For us. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich” (2 CORINTHIANS 8:9). Eternal life is our wealth.
E. Our race may be short or long. We do not know. But we do know it is a lot easier when we focus on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the foundation of our faith. He is our Cornerstone. Our Rock. During our race we get rid of the burdens of this worrisome world. We lighten our load of undue care and concern. The devil wants us to doubt. The world wants us to worry. Our loving, heavenly Father wants us to “NOT grow weary and lose heart.” We can learn from the example of Peter. "But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid. As he began to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’" (MATTHEW 14:30, 31). Peter saw the wind. Began to sink. Prayed, “Lord, save me!” This is a beautiful prayer that we can use any time. Anywhere. Always. Immediately Jesus saved Peter. Saves us.
F. Our race lies before us. Sometimes we make it more difficult than it really is. We have a tendency to focus too much on the here and now. We run the race with God’s strength. Endurance. The Lord can and does and will give us patience. Like any race we focus on the goal that is set be-fore us. “I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (PHILIPPIANS 3:14). The Lord God of Armies has called each of us upward. Keep looking to Jesus. Into heaven.
“DO NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART” We learn from the life of Jesus to run the race.
II. LEARN FROM THE LOVE OF OUR FATHER
A. We study the life of Jesus. We can never learn too much of how much he gave up for us.
1. The life of Jesus had the goal of suffering and death. Jesus willingly obeyed for us.
2. Verse 4. The believers had resisted temptations. But they had not shed blood. Jesus did.
B. Verse 5a. Here again is the precious truth that believers are the sons and daughters of God.
1. Once enemies and now members of the family of God. Amazing grace. Undeserved love.
2. As God’s children they experienced the perfect love that only a perfect Father could show.
C. Verse 5b. Their heavenly Father showed them his love through correction and discipline.
1. Verse 6. Only a father would discipline and correct because of love for his children.
2. By the Lord’s loving correction believers now walked on a path of righteousness and truth.
D. Divine discipline is unlike human punishment. We wonder if the world today is facing the Lord’s discipline. A good question. The unbelieving world does not care about the Lord’s actions. They simply do not recognize the authority of the Lord God of Armies. We might look at what is happening as the Lord’s discipline. Note that changing one letter in discipline makes it discipling. Profound. Is our loving, heavenly Father discipling us today? Probably yes. But it is not a punishment. Christ paid that price already. What are learning during this virus time? The Lord is still in control. We are not. The Lord loves us. Perfectly. Each one of us is leaning to love the Lord with all our heart and soul and mind. Our trust is in Christ alone. “The LORD appeared to me from a distance, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with mercy" (JEREMIAH 31:3).
E. Our lives have been changed. Changed in ways that we did not imagine a month ago. That is only considering the worldly, human aspect of our lives. You and I know that there is much more to this life than flesh and blood. Our lives have been changed. Dramatically. Drastically. From the moment the Lord made us his we have never been the same. Never will be the same. "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (GALATIANS 2:20). Thank God! The love of our heavenly Father sacrificed his own Son for us. We now live lives of love for him.
F. Our world is looking for solutions to their everyday problems. People in despair are looking for hope. Help. Comfort. God’s Word is living and active and powerful. Scripture makes all the difference in the world for us. We are reminded that we belong to the Lord. We are his children. Once again, amazing grace. Undeserved love. Just as we live lives of love for our Father we also walk in love for others. “Therefore, be imitators of God as his dearly loved children. And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (EPHESIANS 5:1, 2). Jesus is our perfect example of Christian living. Our heavenly Father loves us that we may love others.
CONC.: Child of God focus your attention of the life of Jesus. He gave up everything for us to have eternity. Learn from the perfect love of our heavenly Father. He loves us with an eternal love so that we can live in perfect love eternally. Praise God for your living Hope. Be glad and rejoice with the family of believers. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid” (JOHN 14:27). Let God’s peace rule your hearts and minds. Then you will “…NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.” Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PALM SUNDAY rdgs.: ZECHARIAH 9:9, 10; PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11;
MATTHEW 21:1-11; (PSALM 24)
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