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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday January 24, 2016
GOD’S DISCIPLINE PROVES HIS LOVE
(A call to listen to GOD)
Hebrews 12
In Hebrews chapter 12, the author
of GOD gives us a remarkably vivid description and summary of the Christian life, and, shows us the attitude we
should have, as we aspire to obtain our goal of
becoming more like CHRIST. In the Greek, the word used for “discipline” is “paideia” (pahee-di-ah), and it is
“education or training”. It also means “to nurture, instruct,
or chasten”.
The Christian life can be likened
to a relay race. The people of faith, like the ones mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, who have run before us, have
passed on the baton, and now, they anxiously
wait to see how we will carry on in the discipline that Christianity demands. As we run, we can look back and see how
JESUS ran HIS race, and, at one and the same
time, we can also look ahead, and see HIS exaltation at the finish line.
JESUS, is our supreme example,
and, HE is the “Author and Finisher” of our faith (Hebrews
12:1-2). A life that is void of testing from GOD is most likely going to be a
life void of prayer, humility, holiness, and
appreciation of what GOD has done for us. Tests from GOD are not made to make us fail, but rather, are made to
make us better representatives of CHRIST, and
Christianity, here on earth.
Trials are what GOD uses to refine us, and prepare us for a life of eternity with HIM, in HIS
kingdom. It takes a certain amount of discipline to become,
and remain successful in the Christian race. When we take into account how much JESUS endured, we can realize that
suffering and hardship are no excuse for us to
give up and drop out of contention (Hebrews 12:3-15).
If we fail to understand the love
and purpose of GOD’s discipline, we are likely to become bitter, and miss out on GOD’s graceful intent. If we see
our trials and difficulties in the perspective
provided by GOD’s grace, we will be better able to understand and accept HIS discipline in our lives. Remember, Esau,
who saw no value in spiritual things, ended
up selling his birthright to GOD’s covenant promise, for a mere a bowl of stew. If we value only material things as he did,
we too, are in danger of missing our blessings in
the end (Hebrews 12:16-17).
We, as Christians, are not people
who meander along the paths of life in a totally oblivious manner. We are not like tourist, who, each night, return
to the point where we started that previous
morning. The Christian life is about going somewhere, and at the end of each day, we’ll do good to ask ourselves, “Have we gotten any
closer to our goal of being more like CHRIST?” That
should be the aspiration of every Christian, to, each day, become more and more
like CHRIST.
However, the Christian also has
another inspiration. It is the inspiration of the “cloud of witnesses”, who have gone before us, and witnessed their
confession to CHRIST, and now witness our performance
from way on high. They are those people mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11,
who personified faith during their Christian walk here on earth. They are those people like Moses, Abraham, and
Noah, who have already claimed their crowns
of victory.
But, unfortunately, we Christians
also have “a handicap”, and it is “the handicap and weight of our own sins”. It is very difficult to run a race, when you are
carrying excess baggage. If we wish to travel far, it is much
better to travel light. The burden of sin can weigh heavily on a person, who is trying to run the Christian race, or
walk the Christian walk. It is paramount that we
first discard the unnecessary things that hold us back, and what holds man back is sin. If we are to endure the Christian
race to the finish, we must first learn to lighten our
load of “sinful cargo” (behavior), and move away from our carnal desires (sin nature) (Hebrews 12:1).
Our supreme example of faith and
discipline is CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF. HE is also our companion along the way,
and, HE is our goal at the end of the race. Remember, GOD’s kingdom will remain
when the universe itself is shaken, and this old world itself will ultimately disappear. That is when one will truly
appreciate how good it will be to be a citizen in the kingdom of Heaven.
We should also remember that our
trials, can and will, both refine us, and, help prepare us to
dwell in eternity in the presence of THE ALMIGHTY GOD in
Heaven, at the end of our Christian race. The motivation for pursuing holiness
here and now, is the realization that, without it, no one can see GOD, or stand in the presence of GOD in the spiritual
life that follows our stay here on earth. In
other words, Christians must be, and will be, sinless when they see the LORD in Heaven.
A person’s perception of GOD in
this present life is the true measure of his or her holiness.
In order to help us reach the state of holiness we need to
achieve, GOD whips us into condition with his Holy discipline, and testing. When we fail to understand the love and
purpose of GOD’s discipline, we are likely to become bitter towards HIM, and
thereby, miss HIS unfailing grace. However, when we are able to see our trials and difficulties in the
perspective of GOD’s grace, we are better able to accept HIS
chastening.
In Hebrews 12:14-29, the author
calls for a renewed spiritual vitality among GOD’s people. It is a call to listen to GOD with a renewed interest in
how HE wants us to live our lives here on earth. He
also urges us to begin by trying to live in peace with one another, being a good example for those who have not yet
reached your own stage of spiritual awareness, so
that not even one of us will miss out on GOD’s special favor.
We can also help others guard
against going astray by being accountable to one another, making
sure that the bitter root of immorality does not infiltrate the lives of ourselves, and, of those whom we are close
to. Beginning in verse 18, the author of Hebrews gives us a final warning, as
he vividly depicts with his writing, a clear
picture of the situation on Mount Sinai, where the Old Covenant was given to the people in an awesome way that only
GOD could stage.
Here he describes the scene of
that event as a place of flaming fire, darkness and gloom, and a whirlwind, as GOD delivered HIS laws to the
Israelites. And they could hear an awesome trumpet
blast accompanied by a voice with a message so terrible that they begged GOD to stop speaking. Even Moses was
admittedly terrified by this awesome display
of GOD’s power.
However, in verse 22, the writer
reminds the people that, that was then, and this is now. Now we fall under the protection of the New Covenant, which
was ushered in by CHRIST JESUS, and the realities pertained
to in it are even more impressive because they are Heavenly, and not
only is there a Heavenly city, but there is also, both, angels, and, the spirits of those who have been redeemed and
made perfect by the LORD.
Ultimately, all created things
will be removed by GOD. When Moses gave the law at the foot of Mount Sinai, the mountain itself burned with fire, and
the surrounding plains shook uncontrollably. The
fear that was felt by those who were present at that event will be nothing compared to what will be felt by those
who cannot see spiritual realities through faith,
and as a result, fail to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven is all that
will remain after the universe itself is shaken apart, and all of creation disappears. We must see to it that we
obey GOD, the ONE WHO is speaking to us. If the
people of Israel didn’t escape the wrath of GOD when they refused to listen to Moses, GOD’s earthly messenger, then,
how much more terrible it will be for those of
us, in this day, who refuse to listen to CHRIST JESUS, WHO came directly from Heaven to warn us.
And since GOD, through HIS tender mercies, has given us a choice to be redeemed, and spend eternity
with HIM in Heaven, let us be thankful and
begin worshipping HIM in spirit, and, in truth, with holy fear and reverence, because our GOD is truly a consuming
fire.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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