In life, it is easy to drift. A few years ago, Tara Myers and her son Brennan went to the beach and thought it would be fun to take their “swan raft” along for a little ride on the ocean waves off of Ana Maria Island.
Yet, as they were floating on their big inflatable swan having a great time, suddenly they realized that they were drifting off and suddenly she realized that the land was getting farther and farther away.
When she said: “I felt very small, unseen, and almost invisible.” The current took her off shore for miles.
In similar fashion, a 5-year old little girl was playing on her unicorn float and before her parents noticed, she was floating out to sea on the Sea of Corinth. She ended up 1 ½ miles out to sea having a good ole’ time, not noticing that her parents were on shore panicking.
Yet., quickly a ferry boat discovered her and brought her back to shore reuniting her with her parents.
In response, her rescuers said something significant. They said: “Beware of the waves yall.. they often look like they are your friend coming at you to greet you; when in reality, they’re actually pulling you away, drawing you away, drifting away...
Transition:
Hebrews 2:1 says: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”
The phrase “drift away” (pararuomen) is a aorist active subjunctive verb means to slip away and drift on by. The idea is of a boat whose anchor has lost its holding, shifts and drifts out and away.”
This is what was happening with the people the Book of Hebrews is written to. It was written to people who whose faith was slipping. Their confidence in God was waning and their trust in God was drifting away.
From this God was at work in their lives. Because He is a Father, he sought to correct them, draw them back, bring them back to Himself and one of the ways He does this is to discipline us.
Transitional Sentence: In Hebrews 12 we get to see God’s discipline policy. What does God say to us about how He disciplines us? God says:
I. My Discipline is Correction; Not Punishment
Vs. 4-6- “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin, 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; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHO HE RECIEVES
Explanation:
Let me ask you. Do you ever wonder if God is punishing you? If you are a Christian and think God is punishing you; then you are completely wrong. God does not punish His children; He disciplines them.
Do you know the difference between correction and punishment?
Punishment is a penalty for the past, and correction is training for the future. Correction is discipline, not punishment.
When something bad happens, we often think God is punishing us when God is actually just correcting us. How can we know this? Because God doesn’t punish his children. Jesus has already taken all of the punishment for every sin on the cross.
Every sin you have ever committed and will ever commit has already been paid for. So God doesn’t punish you for your sins—but he does correct you. His correction is the evidence of his love, because he doesn’t want you to keep going the wrong direction.
One way God corrects us is through pain. Hebrews 12:8-10 says, “If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness” (NLT).
The word “discipline” is an interesting word. It is the marriage of the word “pais” which means “child” and the rest of the word means: “to train or develop.”
To understand this word the best, you need to understand that this word is used to describe two types of people:
a) Children
b) Athletes
The Bible combines these two ideas when it says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he grows old (matures) he will not depart from it.”
As a child, our father puts us through many things that help train us up to be prepared for adulthood.
As an athlete, our coach puts us through a series of drills to help train us up and prepare us for competitions.
Let me illustrate it this way. Let’s say today you want to become a runner. If you do, you have to start by learning how to run. How to breathe properly as you run. You have learn to stretch prior to running. You have to learn how to pace yourself. Why? So that you will successfully be able to run your race. During this training you will get some aches and pains as your muscles are conditioned to accomplish more and more.
Likewise, as children, you have to be trained up. You have to learn how to treat others. Left to yourself, you will become a globe head. You will think the world revolves around you. You sometimes will be disciplined by your parents. You will be corrected. You will be disciplined with one thing in mind. A parent desires for you to grow up and be a successful adult.
What is interesting is that II Timothy 3:16 uses the same Greek word to describe the Bible as an instruction book as it reads: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
Which of these words do you think is the same word in the Greek language that is used in Hebrews 12 and is translated as the word “discipline?” It is not the word “reproof”-- it is not the word “correction”--- it is the word “instruction.”
Write this down: Discipline is not something God does to you; it’s something He does for you. It is instructional. Like an athlete, sometimes it might involve painful things in our life. Yet, it’s more like the pain an athlete feels when he stresses his body to make it stronger.
Illustration: No pain, no gain
Have you ever heard the phrase, “No pain, no gain?” Do you know who came up with that phrase? Not Chuck Norris. Not the guy that sells the “Total body Workout System.” It was Ben Franklin (You know the guy on the $100 bill) who in 1734 said: “There are not gains without pains.” He wrote it in a book called: “The way to wealth.” Emphasizing that hard work is the key to building a successful business.
It was not until the 1980’s that Jan Fonda was making aerobic exercise videos that it was used to refer to working out.
Application:
Many people are all about wealth and body building. Yet, God is about a different kind of “body building” ---He’s all about spiritually building up the Body of Christ.
He instructs and corrects you and me-- as children of God- because as a Heavenly Father God is in the business of building successful lives.
Today, God will correct you. He will instruct you. He will stretch you. He will pushes you into places and situations that sometimes feel painful. He can even allow suffering in our life to build spiritual muscle in our life.
John Maxwell said: “Adversity is always the partner in progress.”
The writer of Hebrews knows that God allows a lot in our life to build our faith. He took them through some pretty stressful times but said: “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.”vs. 4
He wanted them to reframe their trials and see the goodness of God in them.
Are you a Christian who is struggling? If so, know this: God does not punish or inflict His wrath on His children; you are not being punished, you are being prepared for what’s ahead in your life.
What that might not be easy to digest; it is still a comfort to know.
Transitional Sentence: In Hebrews 12 we get to see God’s discipline policy. What does God say to us about how He disciplines us? God says:
II. My Discipline Should Affirm Your Salvation; Not Make You Doubt it
vs. 7-8-” It is for discipline that you endure, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons
Explanation:
Have you ever been somewhere with your kids and had a stranger try to correct or discipline your kids?
Let me let you in on something: If you try to correct someone’s kids that you do not know, you are inviting a visit from Momma Bear.
Do you know what Momma bears do in the wild? They teach their kids to hunt, fish, and ultimately defend themselves but until they are able to defend themselves; you’d better steer clear. Do you know why? They ain’t your kids!
Do any of you have a “momma bear” for a mom? You know her, if someone threatens her babies, she’s coming for you. She is strong, aggressive, and protective. Again, do you know why? They ain’t your kids!
Let me give you some advice: Don’t mess with Momma Bear!
God’s character and person might be likened to Momma Bear. There’s two sides of God: He is protective of His children. He’s like a shepherd Psalm 23 says. He has a staff -- a tool for beating off the enemy-- and “it comforts me.”
Likewise, God is an instructor, a trainer, and a disciplinarian with His children. When you were “born again” you became part of God’s family; this means you got a protector and a corrector.
If you are protected and corrected; that should give you comfort, knowing that you are a child of God.
God doesn’t correct those who aren’t his children. As a father, I didn’t correct other people’s kids, but I certainly corrected mine. I did it for their good because I loved them. I cared about their next steps in life. I wanted them to have the best life possible.
God wants the same for you if you have chosen to follow him and are his child.
Following Jesus means cooperating when God brings any kind of correction into your life—not because he wants to punish you but because he loves you. When God corrects you, he isn’t mad at you. He’s mad about you!
The Bible says, “Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children” (Hebrews 12:7 TLB).
Illustration: Where’s God?
I read about a couple of boys who were being raised by a single mother who were always getting in trouble.
The mother was getting tired so one day she went over and asked the Pastor next door to their home to have a talk with her boys. He brought in the first one and said: “Son, where’s God in all of this?” He asked the same question over and over. The boy shook in fear.
Then he called in the second boy and said: “Son, where’s God in this?” He asked the same question over and over. The second boy shook in fear.
When the Pastor released the boys they got together and one asked the other: “What was that all about? The other said: I don’t know but evidently God is missing and they are trying to pin it on us.
Application:
Listen: The best person to correct your kids is you; not me! Furthermore, the best person to correct God’s children is God Himself!
God’s correction is like a birthmark on a believer. It provides evidence that you are born again.
In verse 6 the writer quotes Proverbs 3:12 and says: “He scourges every son whom he receives.”
This word is the word “mastigoo” which refers to “spanking” --- or “putting the board of education on the seat of knowledge. ?
Sometimes we do feel like God has taken us to the woodshed; his discipline can be strong and severe. Yet, it truly is for our good. It proves that we are truly His child that He loves and longs to lovingly correct.
Like most parents; God only reproves His own kids.
Transitional Sentence: In Hebrews 12 we get to see God’s discipline policy. What does God say to us about how He disciplines us? God says:
III. My Discipline Makes You More Like Me
vs. 9-11- “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? 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. 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.
Explanation:
As the writer of Hebrews speaks of God’s discipline, he contrasts it to the discipline of our parents.
In verse 9-10 he says that our parents disciplined us for a “short time” and in a way that “seemed best to them.”
God basically in that contrast says:
a) I will discipline you for a lifetime.
b) I will discipline you fairly.
For example: David was a middle aged man, serving as a king when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed. Likewise, it is believed that Jonah was an old man when he was called to preach in Nineveh and ended up in the belly of a great fish.
Btw isn’t it interesting that the fish couldn’t even digest that sinful man; yet on the other hand, man seems to be able to digest every sin that is presented to him.
Nonetheless, the writer of Hebrews notes that if you are a child of God; regardless of your age, God will discipline you.
We discipline our children for a short time; but God disciplines us for a lifetime because He is our Father for eternity.
Second, he disciplines fairly. The writer tells us that our fathers discipline us “as they see fit.”
In other words, they can often get it wrong.
Illustration: Lydia- the drama momma
When I was growing up I had a younger sister that should have been an actress. She could turn on the tears easier than she could turn on a bathroom faucet. She could cry on command. She could boo-hoo like no one’s business. She could sob, weep, and wail better than Laura Ingalls Wilder on “The Little House on the Prairie”-- which is where I thought she learned this behavior.
Therefore, often if I had something she wanted, she would say: “Perry if you don’t give me (whatever I had that she wanted) I’m going to cry and tell Momma you hit me.”
Folks, I can’t tell you how many times I got “whoopin’s” as we called it unjustly.
Yet, the day came. I remember it so well. My sister wanted me to give her one of my toys and she said: “If you don’t give it to me, I am going to cry and tell Momma you hit me.”
Yet, she didn’t know my Mom was right around the corner so I tried on a little drama myself. I said as loud as I could: “”Lydia, you can’t have my toy but please, please, please don’t cry and tell Momma a lie saying that I hit you.”
Sure enough, she turned on the weeping and wailing and that day justice prevailed! I was exonerated and the record was set straight because Momma was now wise to her antics!
But I must say, even then I was destined to be a preacher because the whole time she was being “disciplined” I was shouting Numbers 32:23: “Be sure your sins will find you out!”
Application:
Yet, God sees all. He knows all. He is just. He is holy. He is perfect in every way; including the way he disciplines us.
But why does He discipline us? It produces “fruit” the Bible says; the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
He says that there is something that grows out of discipline. It’s like the fruit that grows on a tree when the right season comes. Apples grow on trees during a season; that season is fall. Peaches grow on trees in the right season; that is early summer.
Often trees have to be pruned so that when the season comes, they will produce fruit.
God’s desire is to produce two things in our life through discipline:
God’s desire is to produce two things in our life through discipline:
a) Peace- This is an inner sense of wholeness; it is the presence of God inside our soul.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace that gives us quietness, joy, and assurance.
b) Righteousness- This is an out-living of holiness; it is presence of God living through
your body. It is the Righteousness of Jesus giving us influence, impact, and an
intentional lifestyle makes Jesus famous in the world, and desirable to those who don’t
know God.
Conclusion:
I was reading this from a guy recently it said:
“When I was a kid, I had a drug problem. It was contagious I guess because my Parents were drugged as well. They drug me out of bed to send me to school. They drugged me to the dinner table for family meals. Yet, when the weekend came, even after they drugged themselves out of bed to go to work five days a week, they got up on Sunday mornings and drugged me to church. I was drugged to Sunday School. I was drugged by my parents all the time. Yet, a day came when they didn’t drug me anymore. Instead, I had to decide what I would do with my life and now I drug myself. Do you know why? I quit the “drugged life” for a while and discovered that while it might give you a momentary high; it doesn’t last. It’s honestly a drag to live without Jesus. It drags you down morally because you’ll do almost anything without Him. It drags you down emotionally, because there’s no peace without Jesus. It drags you down eternally- you could even end up in hell. I thank God for my “drugged life” because it brought me to understand; there’s nothing no “higher life” than the life Jesus offered and to be honest; it’s a joy to be addicted to Him!
Jesus wants us to experience the “peaceful fruit of righteousness.” That’s what He’s offering to you today. He’s ready for you to follow Him. Come on now. Come to Jesus.
