The Discipline of Suffering

Session 11 The Discipline of Suffering Christ s perfect sacrifice calls for His followers to remain faithful regardless. hebrews 12:1-7 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Date of My Bible Study: 111

5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, My son, do not make light of the Lord s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? Observe the let us phrases in verse 1. Take note of what the writer urges his readers to join him in doing. Highlight in verses 5-7 all terms that refer to God s correction of His people. What are ways that people might respond to correction? memory verse Hebrews 12:6 FIRST thoughts In the world of running, there are three key measures. First, how fast can you accelerate? Second, what s your top speed? Third, how long can you endure? The cheetah is recognized as the world s fastest land animal. A motivated cheetah can accelerate from zero to 60 in three seconds. It can hit top speeds of 70-75 miles per hour. However, it can run at that pace for only about 500 yards. Then it has to rest. 112 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

Compared to a cheetah, the fastest human sprinters would be left in the dust. Usain Bolt of Jamaica maxed out at just under 28 miles per hour in his world record-breaking 100-meter dash several years ago. On the other hand, we human beings with training, of course are much better endurance runners than most animals are. According to findmymarathon.com, over 700 marathons were held in the U.S. and Canada in 2013, with over 400,000 finishers. That s more than 10 million miles logged by a tiny fraction of the world s human population all in just one year! If you could choose, which would you prefer, and why: lightning-bolt sprint speed or a marathon champion s endurance? The Scriptures teach us that the Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint. The key measure for us is endurance in faith. The goal is for every believer to finish well. And the prize is to hear the Lord Jesus Christ say, Well done, good and faithful servant! But running the race of faith isn t easy. We must train diligently and practice daily. We must embrace God s discipline. We must keep our focus on Jesus. This was the pep talk of faith that the writer of Hebrews delivered to his first readers. It s also an urgent word of Scripture for us. UNDERSTAND the ConteXT As we ve seen throughout Hebrews, the writer combined explanation and exhortation to persuade his Christian brothers and sisters to cling to Jesus and grow in their faith. God s Son is the final and ultimate Word from God; therefore, salvation in Him must not be neglected (2:4). Jesus is our Great High Priest; so then, we must stop acting like spiritual babies and go on to a mature faith in Him (6:1). Jesus established the new covenant in His shed blood on the cross; therefore, we can draw near to Him in faith, holding to Him in all situations as our true Hope (10:22-23), and encouraging one another in the fellowship of the church (10:24-25). Session 11: The Discipline of Suffering 113

Hebrews 11 is a roll call of Old Testament individuals whose lives defined literally what it means to live by faith. These were God s people who lived under the old covenant, yet they showed through their actions that they believed God one day was going to do something new (11:10,19,26). They looked forward to the fulfillment of God s promise, though they didn t see it in their lifetimes (11:39-40). The readers of Hebrews, however, lived in the age of gospel fulfillment. Jesus Christ had come, had given His life on the cross, and had been raised from the dead to enter God s heavenly sanctuary once and for all. These readers professed faith in Christ, and as believers they needed to realize they were surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, whose lives urged them on in the race of faith (12:1-3). With their focus on Jesus, the readers of Hebrews could run the race and finish it well. They needed to embrace God s perspective on their suffering. God would use their hardships and persecution as training, or discipline. In doing so, God was treating them as His children, not as outcasts. He is a loving Father who deeply wants His children to grow strong in their faith (12:4-13). EXPLore the TEXT ENDURING (Heb. 12:1-3) VERSE 1 Every generation of believers is surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. One way that people sometimes envision this imagery is to picture a stadium packed with cheering fans. The fans are past believers, finishers, who are in heaven and are rooting for the present generation of Christians as they run the race of faith. The clearer way to understand the picture in verse 1, however, is to imagine the readers of Hebrews looking at the host of finishers who ve gone before them. It s a bit like standing in the Faith Hall of Fame and observing the photos and other memorabilia that tell of the victories of past heroes of faith (see Heb. 11). Whose story of faith in the Lord inspires you to keep on trusting Jesus? 114 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

In either understanding, the point was for the readers (and us) to be encouraged in their faith. They were running a long-distance race, not a sprint. They needed to keep going, to endure. Quitting on Jesus wasn t an option, but there were some things they could do to grow stronger in their faith and to keep going toward the finish line. BIBLE SKILL: Identify the imagery in a verse or passage and discover what it communicates. Observe words and phrases in Hebrews 12:1-2 that describe an endurance race. What does each word and phrase communicate to you about following Christ? How is the imagery of endurance in a race like and unlike the endurance of God s correction mentioned in 12:7? To help us endure and finish well in our faith, we as believers need to throw off everything that hinders our trust in Jesus Christ. This could be a burden of fear that somehow God will not be able to help us in a time of sickness, or in the loss of a loved one, or in some other type of personal crisis. Maybe it s the weight of worry or doubt. Or perhaps it could be the threat of hostility toward Christians by the enemies of Christ. Any habit, attitude, or thought that drains our trust in Christ can and must be laid aside. It is the energizing work of the Holy Spirit to help us as believers lay aside these weights (see Phil. 2:13). Believers also falter by falling into sin. Unconfessed sins to the Christian are like lead balls chained to a runner s ankles. Proverbs 28:13 teaches that the one who tries to conceal sin will not prosper, but the one who repents and confesses will receive mercy. First John 1:9 teaches also that if we confess our sins, God will forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Mature Christians are to help a stumbling believer seek restoration in Christ (see Gal. 6:1). Session 11: The Discipline of Suffering 115

VERSE 2 To endure in faith and finish well, we are to lay aside unnecessary burdens and confess our sins. We can endure also by looking to Jesus as the Champion of champions when it comes to living by faith. Even the spiritual heroes whose portraits hang in the Faith Hall of Fame had times of weakness and distraction. But not Jesus. In His time on earth, Jesus exemplified the life of faith from start to finish. He is truly faith s pioneer and perfecter. When runners get distracted during a race, they can lose focus. They get off track or forget their game plan for reaching the finish line. Similarly, Christians who get distracted in life who fail to keep their focus on God s plan for them often get off track spiritually. For this reason, Jesus Christ deserves our complete attention. After all, He means everything to us if we are believers. He is the Original Author of our faith. Moreover, He perfected faith. He completed it. He lived by faith in the Heavenly Father from start to finish. Therefore, we as Christ s followers gain strength for endurance as we keep our eyes fixed on Him. What situations in life might cause believers to become spiritually distracted? How can a believer avoid getting off track? What Jesus endured in obedience to the Father s will was the humiliation and pain of dying on the cross. Jesus endured unthinkable suffering not because of any wrongdoing by Him but as the atoning Sacrifice for our sins. Providing the way of salvation for us was the prize, the joy, that Jesus focused on when He poured out His heart in the garden; when He stood accused and condemned by religious leaders; when mallet blows drove spikes through His hands and feet, pinning Him to the cross; and when with a final breath He cried out, It is finished! (John 19:30). The faith by which Jesus laid down His life on our behalf was a victorious faith. He arose from the dead! He utterly defeated sin and death. And now, as the believer s Great High Priest, He is seated forever at the right hand of God s throne. His victory guarantees the victory of all who run the race of life by faith in Him. 116 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

VERSE 3 The writer of Hebrews urged his readers to think seriously and carefully about Jesus and what He endured for their sake. Were they experiencing hostility, opposition, or hardships because of their confession of Christ? Were they growing weary and fearful? If they focused on Jesus, they would know that He understood the cost of discipleship more than they ever could. They would also realize that all power in heaven and on earth belongs to Him, and that He strengthens His followers so they can endure any hardship or persecution. By considering Jesus, the readers of Hebrews could press on in faith, overcome their weariness, and finish in victory. How would you describe what it takes to finish well in life? DISCIPLINED (Heb. 12:4-7) VERSE 4 Olympic athletes can t wait until the Games to start training. Most of them have trained since childhood, practicing hours a day every day sweating, exercising, studying, focusing, eating right just for the moment they compete on the world stage at the Olympics. Staying focused on training requires discipline. Likewise, discipline is required in our training as champions of Christ. The writer of Hebrews addressed this requirement with his readers. Some of them were faltering in their faith. They were struggling against sin. The writer meant either that his readers were wrestling against their own unconfessed sins (see 12:1), or they were being buffeted by the sins of unbelievers who oppressed them. In any case, none of the readers had yet suffered to the point of martyrdom. That might occur in the future. But if it did, they should remember that Jesus endured the cross, and He holds the crown of life (see Rev. 2:10). What kinds of training do believers need? How does discipline fit in? Session 11: The Discipline of Suffering 117

VERSE 5 The writer turned once again to the Old Testament Scriptures to exhort his readers. They were suffering hardships, but what was their attitude about their suffering? Were they losing heart? Were they growing bitter against God for allowing it? Did they understand the positive value of seeing their situation as divine discipline? The writer used Proverbs 3:11-12 to show that God s discipline even His corrective chastening was evidence that they were God s children. Most of the Book of Proverbs, including chapter 3, is ascribed to King Solomon (see Prov. 1:1). The stated purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to provide God s people especially the inexperienced with training in righteousness (see Prov. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). In Proverbs 3:11-12, Solomon taught his son the reason to value God s corrective discipline. The writer of Hebrews knew that his readers also needed to hear that message. Believers should not disregard God s corrective discipline or take it lightly. Discipline has a positive purpose. It is meant to help us stay on track in our life of faith. Neither should we pout, get mad at God, or decide to quit growing in our faith when He uses adversity to chastise us. God uses discipline as a wise and loving Father. He takes discipline seriously because He wants our faith in Christ to grow stronger. Discipline serves to strengthen us, so that we will love and trust Him more. God uses it to build our spiritual endurance. Key Doctrine: The Father Who Cares God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. How has God been nurturing your faith in Him? What role has adversity played in His nurturing? 118 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

VERSE 6 Children have a tendency to be excellent observers but poor interpreters of what s going on around them. God s children often suffer from a similar tendency. If we re not careful, we can allow ourselves to believe that God has allowed turmoil to overwhelm us because He s spiteful or simply doesn t care what happens to us. We re reminded by this verse, however, that nothing could be farther from the truth. God isn t spiteful; He loves us. He has received us into His family through our faith in Christ. Therefore, He treats us as His children. He prepares us through discipline so that we can endure and overcome adversity, not just simply escape it. He disciplines us because we belong to Him. Life is about doing hard things that you don t want to do because you believe the result of doing those hard things is going to create great joy and great good not only for you and for others, but most of all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. David Jeremiah VERSE 7 Strengthened by the truth that God uses our struggles to discipline us, we demonstrate wisdom when we hold fast to Christ as we deal with hardship. By reminding ourselves that the Lord is working through our difficulties to help us to grow in Him, we ll be ready to face suffering with confidence. We re not His enemies. Neither are we strangers to Him. Quite the contrary, we enjoy an intimate relationship with Him because of Christ. When God saved us, we became His children whom He loves. He is the Heavenly Father who loves His children enough to correct them. With that picture in view, we welcome His discipline. It underscores the depth of His love for us and the authenticity of our faith in Him. How is discipline a source of comfort and encouragement? How does trust in God and His discipline impact your view of difficult situations? Session 11: The Discipline of Suffering 119

IN MY ConteXT Believers are called to live out their faith consistently throughout their lifetimes. Running the race of faith may include physical suffering for the sake of Christ. The believer can find strength in Christ to endure. What entanglements do you need to remove so that you can finish strong? What step can you take this week to remove those entanglements? How is God using a difficulty to shape you and grow your trust in Him? How can you use what you are learning to help another group member? Search the Internet, looking for stories of Christians being persecuted for their faith. Identify ways you can encourage them and learn from them. How can your Bible study group help encourage persecuted believers? Prayer journal 120 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide