Discipline vs
Punishment
Hebrews 12: 4 - 13
Hebrews 12: 4 - 13
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of
shedding your blood. 5And 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,
6because the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.”
(Prov. 3:11,12)
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His
children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
8If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes
discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and
daughters at all.
9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
and we respected them for it. How much more should we
submit to the Father of spirits and live!
10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best;
but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share
in His holiness.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been
trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak
knees.
13 “Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame
may not be disabled, but rather healed”.
Context: v1 - 3
V4 As you struggle with sin...whether sins you did or sins done against
you... Context...
2Fixing our eyes on Jesus... 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.
‘the joy set before Him’ = your freedom and forgiveness from sin
‘He endured’
V 4 ...“you have not yet resisted to the point of
shedding your blood.”
Nigeria a few months ago... Worst areas of persecution
today
5And 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,
6because the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and He chastens everyone He accepts as His
son.”
A father disciplines his children –same the
Father discipline us...
•Do not take His discipline lightly (do not‘think nothing’) of
His discipline
•Do not lose heart –do not become discouraged –when He
rebukes you
•The Lord disciplines those He loves and chastens those He
accepts as His own child
•Ask, “What is the point/lesson of this?”
V5 & 6
?Chastens? For for happen?
“To discipline, correct, or train with the goal of moral and spiritual
improvement –understood as an act of love from God. Can include:
rebukes, instruction, or unpleasant circumstances with the ultimate
purpose of purification and bringing the person to a more humble and
obedient life.”
The aim is NOT to punish but to correct and refine, set spiritual safety
boundaries
End result is a more peaceful and righteous life...restraining a horse –
One commentary calls ‘chasten’ a gift from God.
Boundaries are set to protect us not to punish us...
Sometimes we feel like our ‘wings are clipped’ – can’t fly
•V7 Endure hardships –they are tools to discipline/train us; God is
treating us as His children
•V8 If we are not disciplined by God –we are not legitimate children
•V9 We have all had parents who have disciplined us –when we
mature we respect them for guiding us as we grew
•V10 God disciplines us for our own good
(V12 & 13 written in medical terms)
•V11 It is not pleasant for a while but later discipline produces a
harvest of righteousness and peace for those who were
trained... Sanctification = growing into being holy as He is holy (I
Peter) –growing and becoming righteous...this produces a life of
peace
•V12 Strengthen your weak arms and knees –arms = your ability
to serve and knees = your ability to move on doing what He
wants you to accomplish
(V12 & 13 written in medical terms)
•V13 Make level paths for your feet =
make the path obvious and free from
obstacles...make ruts going the right
way...
•So the lame = those broken & give up
•May not be disabled = blocked from
succeeding
•But be healed = those falling away
will have hope because you have
removed the barriers and obstacles
What do we see?...
•The joy of our salvation was the motivation for Jesus to
endure the beating and ultimately the crucifixcion
•Discipline/training is safety boundaries for our spiritual
growth
•Now, it’s your turn to make growing in Jesus more
walkable for those younger in faith than you
The Bridge Builder
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a raging tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow-pilgrim near, “Your
journey will end with the closing day;
You never again will pass this way.
“Your journey will end with the closing day;
You never again will pass this way.
You’ve crossed this chasm deep and wide.
Why build you this bridge at eventide?”
The builder lifted his old gray head.
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he
said,
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm which has been as naught to
me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for
him.”
You decide...
Bridge Builder Self-centered?
or
