4 questions to clarify and encourage faithful endurance under your Heavenly Father’s discipline
I. What Is the Discipline of the Lord?
A. It is God’s purposeful providence to produce holy character in His children
Hebrews 12:9-11 - Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful…
B. It is corrective discipline that involves consequences for sin and foolishness
Hebrews 12:5-6 - …and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
C. It is instructive, positive training for growth
Hebrews 12:5-6 - …and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
D. It is temporarily painful
Hebrews 12:11 - All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
II. Who Receives the Discipline of the Lord?
A. Only genuine believers = true children of God
Hebrews 12:5-8 - …and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
B. Receiving the Lord’s discipline means willingly submitting yourself to his discipline
Hebrews 12:9-11 - Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful…
III. What Do We Risk When We Reject the Discipline of the Lord?
A. You prove to be an illegitimate son
Hebrews 12:8 - But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
B. You follow in the footsteps of Esau
Hebrews 12:15-17 - See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
C. You won’t see the Lord
Hebrews 12:14 - Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
IV. What Does It Look Like to Be Subject to the Discipline of the Lord?
A. Encourage each other and strengthen each other to endure under discipline
Hebrews 12:12-14 - Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
B. Consider Jesus’ endurance
Hebrews 12:3 - For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
C. It produces holy character and a peaceful fruit of righteousness
Hebrews 12:10-11,14 - For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness … Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
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