The Weekend Word

Hebrews 12:12-21

¹² Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,

• This follows talking about the chastisement
• The idea is to strengthen ourselves – not our neighbor – not physical frailty.

¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

• Smooth paths – so you don’t trip
• When the emperor would come to town, you would smooth the road – remove all rocks and bumps.
• Isaiah &John the B talk -For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
  ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

¹⁴ Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

• What is a roadblock to striving for peace with everyone?
• It depends on me AND the other guy.
• Are there road blocks in striving for holiness? No, It only depends on me.
• Again, we are not all God’s children – we are all God’s creation
• But to be God’s child you must be born again.

¹⁵ See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

• “no one fails” = no one falls short
• “root of bitterness” = unforgiving.
• An unforgiving Christian is a contradiction of terms – Matt 18 speaks of forgiveness – how many times to forgive 70×7.
• Forgiveness does not equal reconciliation – although it could lead there.
• Forgiveness is not a choice – it’s not a feeling, like I will when I feel like it.
• Forgiveness is for your benefit.

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

• To pursue holiness is obvious.
• I find this fascinating what is comparable – as one sin to another.
• Why was Esau unholy? Selling the birthright – the gift of God.
• This is the will of God that you refrain from sexual immorality.
• But we don’t – we are all sexually immoral at times – if only in our minds and we are all unholy and continually sell our birthright … by the deeds we do.
• This is where we all get stuck in the Romans 7 situation.

¹⁷ 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.

• Was he seeking the repentance or was he seeking the blessing?
• What is the “it”? This is what makes this passage so difficult.
• Gen 27:34 Esau says “bless me – me too, my father”
• Gen 27:36 “haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”
• Surely Esau will get what he wants … won’t he?
• Luke 13:23-24 “And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

Even though there is still another chapter, this is really the concluding thought. The remainder of Ch 12.

¹⁸ For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest

¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.

• Not a temple – but a mountain – an altar.
• Think about this – Not how can a holy, right and just God send people to hell BUT…
• How can a holy, right and just God allow us into heaven?
• Mt Sinai is the place where God tried to keep people at arm’s length.

²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”

• Is our God that terrifying?
• No, our God is a God that comes to us in Grace and Forgiveness – In Jesus Christ!!
• But if you return to Temple Judaism, that is a description of the God you will face.
• If you do not believe, you need a God of salvation or you will face the terrifying God.
• Come with Christ as your mediator or come naked and totally exposed.

²¹ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”

• But this is the God of Mount Sinai
• We want and need the God of Mount Calvary.
• A note to something we should study one day is the purpose of the 3 mounts in the Bible – Sinai – Zion & Calvary.