ASSASSIN
06-20-2008, 07:47 AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR JUNE 22, 2008
TRUSTWORTHY LEADER -
Hebrews 12:1-13
BACKGROUND:
The best way for anyone to gain followers is to show himself worthy of leadership. Look at the lessons so far in this quarter: Jesus has qualified Himself as God’s Son; He has acted to intercede for mankind, and to save mankind from certain destruction. Jesus did all this without being asked by man for anything. Given these prerequisites, is it any wonder that Jesus is worthy of being followed?
The writer of Hebrews takes something of a circuitous route in getting to the message of today’s lesson. Read Hebrews 10:19-39. There you will find the logical connection to the argument continued in Hebrews 12. Of course, the insertion of Chapter eleven is not without merit – it strengthens the argument as a whole. In short, it is not a solo journey that we run; indeed, many others have done the same thing. And what is so important here is the fact that these Old Testament heroes died without receiving “the promise”; that is, they were not at their demise guaranteed Eternal Life. So if they, with no such promise, accomplish what they did, what about us today? After all we have the assurance of the blood of Christ...
PREPARING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12:1, 2)
The writer in these verses uses the metaphor of an athlete preparing to run a race. Just as in real life, the athlete in this illustration has need to “make himself ready” for the race. In truth, there are TWO things he must shed: (1) every “weight”, and (2) sin. What is the difference? In the case of “weight”, it may not necessarily be sin, but just something that would help make a good “runner” ineffective. For example, the Jews of that day continued to try and make Christianity an extension of Judaism. And of course, there are personal things, like old friends, old (supposedly harmless) habits, etc. In other words, things that may not of themselves send you to ****, but will slow your Christian race down to a crawl...
Sin needs little explanation. It is willful wrongdoing. It is knowingly and deliberately transgressing the Will of God – either by thought or action...
There is another issue: it is difficult to run a race with your “eyes” on something other than the goal/finish line. To do anything else would be to indulge distraction. Many in this world will fail to finish the Christian race simply because they permitted themselves to become distracted. A Christian’s “eyes” should never leave Jesus...
TRAINING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12:3-11)
Many today “become Christians” in a kind of heat of passion; a spur-of-the-moment reaction to a single, exciting event. In many cases, such a “commitment” is short-lived. One can hardly make a bigger mistake than that in dealing with Jesus Christ. The “race” here described is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It will last a lifetime. Jesus Himself spoke of the need for one enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22 ). Again, Jesus sets the example of striving against sin – even striving to the death (“unto blood”). In short, Jesus isn’t telling us to “go”; rather, He is inviting us to “come”...
Of course the “down” side of running the Christian race is that God sometimes “chastens” us along the way. But what father would do less for a child that is about to go astray? In truth, many children instinctively understand the chastisement of a good father as a form of love. That is, the father will take sufficient measures to make sure that the child doesn’t suffer a greater hurt at the hands of someone who has no love for him (and be sure the devil has no love for any of us)...
After all, if the son takes punishment from his earthly father and grows to love him more every day, how much more is it possible for us to love God, who (unlike the best of earthly fathers) never makes a mistake in His chastening? Of course, at the time the punishment is being administered, it is often difficult for the recipient to recognize the positive value; but later, when he has become wiser, he will thank God from his heart...
HEALING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12: 12 , 13)
There is great temptation in this life to weary in well-doing. It is easy to become tired of smiling in the midst of frowns, or being loving to those who mistreat us. Enough of that for a long enough period, and our spiritual limbs become weary. But the writer admonishes us to not let our guard down. Lift up those hands! Straighten those knees! The race is far from finished...
There is another consideration: a weary runner may find it difficult to run in a straight line. He may wander off the path purely from fatigue. This is something that, with God’s help, the good Christian may avoid. A straight path is the best route in coming to the end of the race...
A
TRUSTWORTHY LEADER -
Hebrews 12:1-13
BACKGROUND:
The best way for anyone to gain followers is to show himself worthy of leadership. Look at the lessons so far in this quarter: Jesus has qualified Himself as God’s Son; He has acted to intercede for mankind, and to save mankind from certain destruction. Jesus did all this without being asked by man for anything. Given these prerequisites, is it any wonder that Jesus is worthy of being followed?
The writer of Hebrews takes something of a circuitous route in getting to the message of today’s lesson. Read Hebrews 10:19-39. There you will find the logical connection to the argument continued in Hebrews 12. Of course, the insertion of Chapter eleven is not without merit – it strengthens the argument as a whole. In short, it is not a solo journey that we run; indeed, many others have done the same thing. And what is so important here is the fact that these Old Testament heroes died without receiving “the promise”; that is, they were not at their demise guaranteed Eternal Life. So if they, with no such promise, accomplish what they did, what about us today? After all we have the assurance of the blood of Christ...
PREPARING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12:1, 2)
The writer in these verses uses the metaphor of an athlete preparing to run a race. Just as in real life, the athlete in this illustration has need to “make himself ready” for the race. In truth, there are TWO things he must shed: (1) every “weight”, and (2) sin. What is the difference? In the case of “weight”, it may not necessarily be sin, but just something that would help make a good “runner” ineffective. For example, the Jews of that day continued to try and make Christianity an extension of Judaism. And of course, there are personal things, like old friends, old (supposedly harmless) habits, etc. In other words, things that may not of themselves send you to ****, but will slow your Christian race down to a crawl...
Sin needs little explanation. It is willful wrongdoing. It is knowingly and deliberately transgressing the Will of God – either by thought or action...
There is another issue: it is difficult to run a race with your “eyes” on something other than the goal/finish line. To do anything else would be to indulge distraction. Many in this world will fail to finish the Christian race simply because they permitted themselves to become distracted. A Christian’s “eyes” should never leave Jesus...
TRAINING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12:3-11)
Many today “become Christians” in a kind of heat of passion; a spur-of-the-moment reaction to a single, exciting event. In many cases, such a “commitment” is short-lived. One can hardly make a bigger mistake than that in dealing with Jesus Christ. The “race” here described is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It will last a lifetime. Jesus Himself spoke of the need for one enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22 ). Again, Jesus sets the example of striving against sin – even striving to the death (“unto blood”). In short, Jesus isn’t telling us to “go”; rather, He is inviting us to “come”...
Of course the “down” side of running the Christian race is that God sometimes “chastens” us along the way. But what father would do less for a child that is about to go astray? In truth, many children instinctively understand the chastisement of a good father as a form of love. That is, the father will take sufficient measures to make sure that the child doesn’t suffer a greater hurt at the hands of someone who has no love for him (and be sure the devil has no love for any of us)...
After all, if the son takes punishment from his earthly father and grows to love him more every day, how much more is it possible for us to love God, who (unlike the best of earthly fathers) never makes a mistake in His chastening? Of course, at the time the punishment is being administered, it is often difficult for the recipient to recognize the positive value; but later, when he has become wiser, he will thank God from his heart...
HEALING TO RUN WITH JESUS (Hebrews 12: 12 , 13)
There is great temptation in this life to weary in well-doing. It is easy to become tired of smiling in the midst of frowns, or being loving to those who mistreat us. Enough of that for a long enough period, and our spiritual limbs become weary. But the writer admonishes us to not let our guard down. Lift up those hands! Straighten those knees! The race is far from finished...
There is another consideration: a weary runner may find it difficult to run in a straight line. He may wander off the path purely from fatigue. This is something that, with God’s help, the good Christian may avoid. A straight path is the best route in coming to the end of the race...
A