Discipline: The Mark of a Legitimate Child


Text: Hebrews 12:1-11 
Hebrews 12:1 Do you see what this means - all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running - and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.
:2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
:3 When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
:4 In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through - all that bloodshed!
:5 So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.
:6 It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.
:7 God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,
:8 the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?
:9 We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?
:10 While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.
:11 At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

Question to Consider:
Q.2: Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
Q.3: Is there any command for me to obey?

Topic: Discipline: The mark of a legitimate child
Having made it clear that we are in a race which some have run successfully to the end, the writer of Hebrews discuss the conditions and requirements of the race into which we have enrolled. What are some of these requirements, as discussed in Vs. 1-2?
When this requirements are met and we are yielded to God's dealing, then we are set on the race as we also trust Him to take us to the end successfully.

God's discipline sometimes may include one form of hardship or the other. What is your reaction to such discipline? We live in an instant world and some churches are unfortunately preaching the wrong message that a Christian must never undergo any form of hardship. But notice what v.6 says God's discipline implies. How does that help you embrace instead of reject or complain about His discipline whether light or heavy? What is the other reason for discipline in v.10? Have you gone through some measure of discipline in recent times? How would you compare your experience with v.11?

Prayer: Lord, please help me to always yield to Your discipline and learn the lesson you are teaching me.

Personal Lessons for me:
Command to obey Vs.1-Let's be careful of the sins that does easily beset us because we have a great cloud of witnesses. These witnesses are not just people in our neighborhood or in our churches but pioneers and veterans of faith who overcame even with much torturing, scourging and mocking. There is no sin that they didn't overcome so we must also follow their examples to overcome sin as well because they will stand to witness against us on the last day if we fail in this regard.

Discipline is not always sweet at the time of receiving it but we get to appreciate every bit of it in the future. Discipline is a mark of love and sonship. It is therefore irresponsible of us to want to run away from discipline. Our parents disciplines us for their own good but God disciplines us for our own good. God's discipline is not to lose us but to train us to become children He can trust with responsibilities and count on at all times.




Post a Comment

0 Comments