GCF North Sermons & Sunday School

Elders' Talk: The greatest need for our people in the Valley.

Elders' Talk:

Elders' Talk: Home groups, Valley building, deacon’s retreat

Elders' Talk:

Elders' Talk: What will Sunday morning and meeting in home groups look like in the fall?

Due to technical difficulties, the audio quality of the presentation is sub-par. We apologize for the listening inconvenience.

Elders' Talk: Civil disobedience; when, where, why?

We realize this short discussion may not answer all your questions, and may raise a few more. Please talk to one of the pastors or your sphere leader if you have any questions or concerns at all. Due to time constraints, the elders were not able to have a full discussion on the topic of the Lord's Day. Below is a helpful resource from John Piper that may answer some questions.

Why do we meet on Sunday? -John Piper

What's life like for you under quarantine? Has there been any silver lining in the midst of quarantine? Your husbands have been working from home; how has that been for your family? What has God been teaching you?

Due to technical difficulties, there is no audio for this week. Please review the notes below.

The audio for this session is slightly clipped; we apologize for the inconvenience.

Introduction

Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

In endurance sports like running, “hitting the wall” is a condition of sudden fatigue and loss of energy. Here’s how one runner described it:

By now the rigors of having run nearly twenty miles are beginning to tell. My stride has shortened. My legs are tight. My breathing is shallow and fast. My joints are becoming raw and worn. My neck aches from all the jolts that have ricocheted up my spine. Huge blisters sting the soles of my feet. I’m beginning to feel sick and light-headed. I want to stop running. I have “hit the wall.”

In today’s passage the author speaks to a group of Christians who have “hit the wall” spiritually. They’ve experienced one hardship after another. In the marathon that is the Christian life these Christians are discouraged, weary, spiritually fatigued. We too experience hardship. We too have times where we “hit the wall” in our race of faith. So, just like the original readers, we need to hear how to respond. And the author’smessage to fatigued Christians of every age is: Fight! Fight to finish the race! To be clear, we don’t fight in our own strength. We fight by the grace that God provides to his children. Nevertheless, we’re called to action. We’re called to fight to finish the race. In our passage, we’re given three things to fight for; and three things to fight against.

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

1. FightforHope(v.12-13)First, we are told to fight for hope. Look at verses 12-13.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (Heb. 12:12-13)

The picture of “drooping hands and weak knees” are of an exhausted runner. It’s an image of spiritual fatigue. Notice the “therefore.” Previously, the author helps them reinterpret their suffering and hardship. It’s not punishment but God’s discipline. God is treating them as sons. The fact they are sons should encourage and give hope. It’s this hope that enables them to “strengthen their drooping hands and weak knees.” God is for his sons. God cares for his sons. God is near to his sons. God uses hardships for good in his sons. This hope gives them strength.

Verse 13 continues, “...and make straight paths for your feet...” It’s an allusion to Proverbs 4:26, “make level the path of your feet...” Level paths are a picture for God’s way of living. When we’re spiritually fatigued, we’re tempted to take a shortcut. Often, a shortcut is more attractive or seems to make more sense. But the author urges us to stay on God’s path “so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” In their weakened condition the last thing these runners need are potholes and bumps. If they take the shortcut what is weak will become broken.

I like to hike. Stacy and I are always looking for new trails. Rule number one: stay on the trail. According to research, wandering off trail is the number one reason, ahead of injury and bad weather, that adult hikers require search and rescue. There is safety on the trail. It’s similar with the Lord’s level paths. His path provides hope and healing. The only way we finish the race is on the Lord’s path. So, we fight for hope by staying on God’s path.

If we’re going to finish the race, we need to fight for hope. We fight for hope by knowing God is for us and by staying on his path.2. FightforPeace(v.14a)

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

And God’s path is marked by peace and holiness. So, we stay on the path by fighting for each of these.
Verse 14 begins,

Strive for peace with everyone... (Heb. 12:14a)

The word translated “strive” is an aggressive word. It means: Run after. Pursue. Harass. Fight. Fight for peace with everyone. Peace is a state of harmony between persons. The command to fight for peace is grounded in the peace God has made with us. Paul says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the peace we have with God should result in peace with others. At least as far as it depends on us. Jesus identified peacemaking as a hallmark of his followers, he said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matt. 5:9).”

This fight for peace is a repeated command in the NT.

“Maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3)
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Rom. 12:18) “So then let us pursue what makes for peace...” (Rom. 14:19)

The reality is relationships are messy. They’re messy because we still sin. We hurt others and are hurt by others. If you hang out with me long enough, I will fail you and sin against you. Just ask my family. On second thought, don’t! So, this fight for peace turns out to be a full-time job. Especially in our closest relationships. The closer the relationship the greater the blessing – and the greater the challenge. So, fighting for peace with everyone begins in our families and in our church family.

Here’s some ways you can fight for peace in your family and in our church.• Remember that God has made peace with you at great cost to himself.

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

See conflict as an opportunity to demonstrate the love and power of Jesus.

Overlook an offense. Fight for peace by deciding to overlook a minor offense.

Choose not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into bitterness.

Confront an offense. If an offense is too serious to overlook, lovingly confront.

Fight for peace by confronting an offense.

Confess sin. Humble confession is another way to fight for peace.

Ask forgiveness. Not just “I’m sorry,” but “please forgive me.” Peacemakers

ask forgiveness.

Extend forgiveness. Forgiving doesn’t mean there are no consequences. But it

is a significant step in fighting for peace.

Involve others. If you’ve tried to confront or confess, involving a small number

of others is a way to fight for peace.

We know we’re on the Lord’s path when we’re fighting for peace in our relationships. Not perfectly. But we’re growing. So far, we’ve looked at two things to fight for in order to finish the race. Fight for hope. Fight for peace. There’s one more thing to fight for: fight for holiness.

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3. FightforHoliness(v.14b)

Look again at verse 14,

Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

Strive for peace with everyone and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Heb. 12:14b)

Fight for holiness. Run after it. Pursue it. Because without holiness no one will see the Lord. You might ask, aren’t we already holy because of the blood of Jesus? The author of Hebrews says, “We have been sanctified [made holy] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb. 10:10).” Theologians refer to this as “positional” holiness. Cleansed by the blood of Jesus we can now draw near to the holy God. But here’s the thing. The blood of Jesus forgives, cleanses and it also transforms. This means we grow in “practical” holiness. Our “practical” holiness is not the basis of our standing before God. Our practical holiness is never perfect; never without impurities; always is need of greater growth. But we will grow in practical holiness because God is working to grow us in holiness (Heb. 12:10b). And we are called to fight for growth in holiness. It’s not optional. Without growth in practical holiness “no one will see the Lord.”

I confess that for me, holiness sounds about as much fun as an ingrown toenail. It’s definitely a “me” problem. But let’s think about holiness. Holiness basically means “set apart.” God is set apart from us. We tend to think that means that God is not fun and happy and good like we are. But in reality, it’s exactly the opposite. God is set apart in that there is nothing cold, vicious, ugly, dark, or selfish in him. He is different from us. And when we remember that God is three persons in one God, his holiness comes into focus. As one theologian put it, “The holiness of the triune God is the perfection, beauty and absolute purity of love there is between the Father and the Son.” So, holiness is a warm-hearted, joyful, and pure love. Holiness is love for God and love for others.

How do we fight for holiness? Let me mention two ways. First, we fight for holiness by cultivating gratitude for the gospel. In Romans 12:1, Paul says, “I

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God...” In the gospel, I marvel that “in Christ” the Father looks at me and says, “my beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased.” I’m a beloved son! Gratitude for this aspect of the gospel drives a grateful response of obedience to his commands. We fight for holiness by cultivating gratitude for the gospel.

Second, we fight for holiness by faith in God’s promises. For example, Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matt. 5:8).” I heard a pastor share how he drove through a neighborhood where a lady in an immodest bathing suit was washing her car. He thought to himself: “I want to see God. I want to know God. I don’t want to feel distant from him the rest of the day. I know fellowship with God is better than a three-second glance.” He used this promise to fight for holiness.

Our fight for holiness is motivated by the gospel and empowered by the Spirit. But we still put forth effort. God makes us holy. We fight for holiness. Both are true.

One more thing. Kevin DeYoung points out that “God does not expect our good works to be flawless in order for them to be good...” As I mentioned, our practical holiness is never perfect. Yet, “God is pleased through Christ to accept our sincere obedience, although it contains many weaknesses and imperfections... What sort of father looks at his daughter’s homemade birthday card and complains the color scheme is all wrong... For those who...have been adopted into God’s family, many of our righteous deeds are not only not filthy in God’s eyes, they are exceedingly sweet, precious, and pleasing to him.”

We know we’re on God’s path when we’re fighting for peace and holiness. We won’t finish the race without these. But the fight for peace and holiness also involves fighting against certain tendencies in the community of faith.4. FightTogetherAgainstUnbelief(v.15a)

Verse 15 begins,
See to it... (Heb. 12:15a)

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

The word relates back to the main verb in verse 14. The author says “strive for peace and holiness...seeing to it...”

The word translated “see to it” includes the idea of oversight. It’s a derivative of the word for “overseer.” In effect, we are all called to “oversee” one another. I’m called to get in your grill. You’re called to get in mine. We’re called to fight together.

Fight together against certain tendencies in our community of faith.

First, we are called to fight together against unbelief. “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God (Heb. 12:15a).” It’s unbelief that “fails to obtain the grace of God.” Literally, the word is “falling short” of the grace of God. It’s a picture of “falling short” of the finish line. In the end, only unbelief can prevent us from finishing the race because God is eager to give grace to meet our every need.

Grace is God’s attitude of compassion, generosity, goodwill, and love toward his children. As sons of God, we are urged, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).” God is eager to pour out grace to help with your every need. But so often we fail to obtain God’s grace because of unbelief.

In 2008, Heather Dorniden was running the final lap of her 600-meter race when she fell. Hard. As the other racers left her behind, she did something amazing. She got up. And she won the race. Unbelievable. 600-meters is a short race. But more than the win, I marvel that she got up. Here’s the thing. In the race of faith, we all stumble and fall. How do we get up? By God’s grace!

Here’s where we fight together against unbelief. We help each other receive fresh grace so that we get up. We help each other receive fresh grace so that our weak knees can be healed. We help each other receive fresh grace so that we begin to run again.

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

We begin the race by grace. We continue the race by grace. We finish the race by grace. As John Newton put it, “’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God through unbelief.

We often say, let me know if you need something. We need to get more aggressive. Who do you know that has “hit a wall” spiritually? Who do you know with drooping hands and weak knees? Don’t wait for them to let you know. Go after them. That’s one way we can fight together against unbelief.

We also fight together against the tendency of bitterness.

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

5. FightTogetherAgainstBitterness(v.15b)

Look at verse 15 again,

...that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled (Heb. 12:15b)

Bitterness is “anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly.” Bitterness results from unmet expectations, a perceived injustice, a perceived slight. Bitterness demands justice. Now. Bitterness begins as a small seed in the heart. It slowly begins to take root.

And bitterness is never just your own thing. After bitterness takes root, it eventually springs up and causes trouble. It spills out and contaminates others. Bitterness is like a noxious weed. Here’s what Spokane County says about noxious weeds like Spotted Knapweed: “Due to their aggressive growth these species can be highly destructive...or difficult to control. Noxious weeds are everyone’s problem. They can destroy native plant and animal habitat, damage recreational sites, clog waterways, lower land values, and poison humans and livestock.” Noxious weeds destroy, damage, and poison. Bitterness is a noxious weed. Here’s the other thing about noxious weeds. Cutting is not effective for eradication. You have to kill them at the root. Same with bitterness. Bitterness is an extremely toxic and dangerous emotion. Bitterness is a tendency in marriage, family, and the church.

And here’s the other thing. People who allow bitterness to grow are in great danger. Because people who are bitter fall away from Jesus – they don’t finish the race. And most of the time they think they’ll be fine.

How do we fight together against bitterness? Here’s a first step. Ask a few friends if they see bitterness in you. And listen carefully. You can do this in your accountability groups or discipleship groups. Or wherever. But do it.

So, fight together against the tendencies of unbelief and bitterness. Third, fight together against worldliness.

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

6. FightTogetherAgainstWorldliness(v.16-17)

Look at verse 16,

...that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. (Heb. 12:16)

Esau was a worldly guy. He’s described as “pornos” from which we get the word pornography. He’s also described as “unholy” meaning he valued the temporary, fleeting pleasures of the world more than the eternal, enduring blessings of God. Sex and stuff have always been powerful temptations. Not much has changed. Esau’s legacy has been captured this way: “he lived by sight rather than by faith, for today rather than for eternity, for this world rather than the next.”

You may remember the key incident. Esau came home one day so hungry that he literally traded the blessing of his birthright as the first-born son of Isaac for a bowl of stew (Gen. 25:27-34)! Esau only cared about what was right in front of him. Esau finished the stew in a few minutes. He had traded long-term blessing for a few minutes of pleasure. And this wasn’t an isolated incident; it was characteristic of his entire life.

From a distance, Esau’s trade of instant gratification for enduring blessing is obviously foolish. But in the moment, we’re just as susceptible to choose instant gratification as Esau. We live in a culture of instant and YOLO. At root our struggle with instant gratification is a struggle with what we truly love. We love the things of the world more than the things of Christ.

The author finishes with a sober warning. “For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears (Heb. 12:17).”

Here’s the point. By the time Esau realized his mistake, it was too late. Esau’s appetite for the world blinded him to true blessing. And so, he didn’t desire repentance – until it

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Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

was too late. Some of us think that there will be time to repent later. There will be time to follow Jesus later. The author shows that that may not be the case. Our appetite for the world may blind us to the true blessing of Jesus until it’s too late. “Time may run out in receiving the grace of God.”

In order to finish the race, we must fight together against worldliness. None of us is immune. How does this talk of worldliness hit you this morning? Is there a twinge of concern for your soul? That’s a good sign. Grace has brought you safe thus far, and grace will lead you home. Ask God for the grace you need. Is there no twinge of concern – nothing? That’s not a good sign. Time may run out in receiving the grace of God.

So, how can we fight together against worldliness? Here’s a first step. Tell a few friends where you see worldliness in you. And ask them to pray that you will grow in your love for Christ. You can do this in your accountability groups or discipleship groups. Or wherever. But do it.

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Conclusion

Hebrews 12:12-17 Fight to Finish the Race

The Christian life is a marathon. During this race of faith, we can expect struggle and spiritual fatigue. We may even “hit the wall” spiritually from time to time. But there’s unspeakable joy at the finish line! So, we fight to finish the race. Our fight to finish involves a fight for three things: Hope, peace, and holiness. We also fight against certain tendencies in the community of faith. This fight against is a team effort. Christianity is a team sport. So, we fight together against three tendencies in the community of faith. Fight together against unbelief, bitterness, and worldliness. We fight for and against by the grace that God so generously supplies. “‘Tis grace that brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home.”

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The slides for Mormonism Pt 1. may be found here.

Unfortunately, there is no sermon audio or video. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 9:1-7

This week was not recorded due to technical difficulties. The manuscript may be found on Bill’s blog.