Sermon
#86 Hebrews
Notes
Title: Your
Father’s Rod
Text: Hebrews 12:5-11
Subject: Chastisement
Date: Tuesday Evening—
Tape # X-6a
Introduction:
Every wise and good father has a rod by which he
corrects his sons and daughters, by which he disciplines his children and makes
them mind. And our heavenly Father is a wise and good Father. I want to talk to
you tonight about Your Father’s
Rod. You will find my text in Hebrews 12:5-11. While you are
turning to Hebrews 12, I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say.
In this world of sin sorrow is everywhere. All who
live in this world suffer many bitter things, sorrows that are deeply felt,
leaving scars that never quite heal. The fact of human suffering is something
that baffles philosophers and sociologists, politicians and religious leaders,
moralists and educators. Try as they may to eradicate pain and poverty, it only
gets worse.
The glaring fact that men and women in this world
refuse to acknowledge is that all sorrow, all pain, all adversity is the result
of sin. Because we live in a sin-cursed world under the judgment of God,
because our human race is a race under the wrath of the Almighty, our world is
a world of hurt and woe.
When the unbeliever, the man of the world has
to face pain and sorrow, he looks upon his hardships either as a matters of
“luck,” or “fate,” or as things which must be blamed on someone. If his child
is born with a severe handicap, or one of his family is permanently injured by
an accident, it is “bad luck”. In the face of such things he either becomes
bitter and cynical, or he shrugs his shoulders and tries to cope with fate with
as much cheerfulness as he can muster.
For the believer things are different. We trust God
who is almighty, our heavenly Father who “works all things after the counsel
of his own will.” We know that God is love, that he loves us with a
peculiar, distinguishing love. He has adopted us as his sons and daughters. He
is our Father; and we are his children.
We do not feel pain any less than others, but in
some ways more acutely. When a child of God looks into the face of a deformed
baby, or sees his teenage boy or girl maimed by some accident, as he holds the
weak hand of a dying wife, as he thinks about the whole of human suffering and
misery he cries from the depth of his tortured soul, “Why, O Lord, Why?” “Why
do the righteous suffer?”.
Often our sorrows are aggravated by the apparent
indifference of our God, our heavenly Father. How often the heavens seem silent
and empty. We cry out in dispair with the psalmists, “Why dost Thou stand
afar off, Oh Lord? Why dost Thou hide thyself in times of trouble?”
These are questions that need to be answered. But
they can only be answered by God himself. And he has answered them for us in
Hebrews 12:5-11.
I. As he instructs us in this matter of suffering,
urging us to endure of Father’s chastening rod, the Holy Spirit reminds us of A Consoling Fact in verses 5
and 6.
(Hebrews 12:5) "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:"
The opening words of verse 5 are not incorrect. But they could be (and I think should be) translated as a question. Paul is not saying, “You have forgotten,” but “Have you forgotten?” The word “exhortation” would be better translated “consolation.” The opening line of verse 5 would be more accurately translated—“And have ye forgotten the consolation which speaketh unto you as unto children.” This is not intended to be an accusation, but a challenge.
Look at the passage quoted here. You will find it in Proverbs 3:11-12.
(Proverbs 3:11-12) "My son,
despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in
whom he delighteth."
(Deuteronomy 8:5) "Thou
shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the
LORD thy God chasteneth thee."
(Job
(Psalms 94:12) "Blessed is
the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy
law;"
(James 1:2-3) "My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
(James 1:12) "Blessed is
the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."
(Revelation 3:19) "As many
as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
We must never look upon our Father’s chastisements as acts of anger, vengeance, or wrath. He is not punishing us for our sins as a judge executing the sentence of law upon us. Oh, never! That could never be! The Lord God punished our sins to the full satisfaction of his law’s infinite justice and wrath in our Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, because God’s rod is the rod of our Father’s love, not the sword of divine justice, we must take care that we “despise not the chastening of the Lord.”
The Lord God corrects his children in love as our Father. The very word
“chastening” implies instruction. The Lord by chastening us instructs
us.
This is called “the chastening of the Lord” because every
chastening, every afflictive providence, is appointed by God, and is to be seen
by us as his work.
·
Ordained by Him.
·
Governed by Him.
·
Limited by Him.
·
Overruled by Him—For Our Good—For His Glory!
When we understand this, we will not look upon our trials and hardships
as nauseous, loathsome things, but will esteem them as wonders of
mercy—Mysterious? Yes!—But still, wonders of mercy! Whatever my pain is, my
Heavenly Father sent it. If he sent it, he will do me good by it.
William Cowper understood this. That is why he could write the kind of
hymns he wrote, though he was constantly bombarded with afflictive
circumstances.
“God moves in a mysterious
way His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in
the sea And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright
designs And works His siovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh
courage take, The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and
shall break In blessing on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble
sense, But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen
fast, Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter
taste, But sweet will be the flower.”
Look at the next line of verse 5.—“nor faint when thou art
rebuked of him.”—God
has many ways of rebuking, reproving, and convincing.
·
His Spirit
·
His Word
·
His Preachers
·
His Providence
He rebukes us for our sins, convinces us of them, and graciously forces
us to acknowledge them and confess them, not because he is angry with us, but
because he loves us. Afflictions are the black dogs by which God chases the
evil he hates from the people he loves.
Here Paul tells us not to faint under the stroke of our Father’s rod.
In verse 6 he tells us why we shouldn’t.
(Hebrews 12:6)
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth."
·
This is a declaration of distinguishing love.
·
This is an assurance of divine care.
·
This is a promise of God’s acceptance.—David—Peter.
II. Now, let’s look at verses 7-8. Here is a call for humble submission to
our Father’s chastening rod.
(Hebrews 12:7-8)
"If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for
what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
When our Father lays his rod upon our backs,
our only and our wisest course is to bow to him. Snuggle up as close as you
can. The closer you snuggle up to him, the lighter will be the strokes of his
rod.
One of Luther’s friends who was terribly sick, covered
with sores, and bed-ridden, was asked how he felt. Pointing to the ulcers that
covered his body, he said, “These are God’s gems and jewels wherewith he decks
his best friends. To me they are more precious than all the silver and gold in
the world.”
God’s corrections are pledges of our adoption. We should always look upon
them as distinct tokens of his distinct love and favor. God deals with us as
with sons, when he refuses to leave us alone.
(1 Corinthians 11:32) "But
when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world."
Those who are without chastisement are not
sons.
Not all who
suffer are sons, but all sons do suffer. The wicked suffer because of their
impenitence, the righteous for God’s glory and their good.
The word “bastard” refers to one born of an
unfaithful, adulterous wife, or child of fornication. Here it refers to one who
wears God’s name by profession, but without right.
These spring up and choke
the weeds That would else o’erspread the soil.
Trials make the promise
sweet, Trials give new life to prayer,
Trials bring me to His feet,
Lay me low and keep me there.
Did I meet no trials here,
No chastisements by the way,
Might I not with reason fear
I should prove a castaway?
Bastards may escape the rod,
Sunk in earthly, vain delight;
But the true born child of
God Must not, would not, if he might.”
—William
Cowper
III. In verses 9-10 the Lord shows us his wise and gracious purpose in chastening us with
his rod.
(Hebrews 12:9-10)
"Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? "For they verily for a
few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit,
that we might be partakers of his holiness."
Thank God, he is not like us! He never chastens his when there is no
need, without a purpose, or because he is angry!
A. Let me say this one more time—Our Heavenly Father’s rod is a
rod of love, not of anger and wrath. Did he not say, “Fury is not in
me” (Isa. 27:4)?
B. Our Father’s object in our afflictions is that we might grow
in faith and in love, that we might grow in grace. He never strikes
without purpose. His rod is the rod of instruction.—The fact is, we read God’s
Word most clearly when our eyes are wet.
(Psalms 94:12) "Blessed is
the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy
law;"
(Psalms 119:65-72) "Thou
hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. 66 Teach
me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. 67 Before
I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 68 Thou
art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. 69 The proud
have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole
heart. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy
law. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn
thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than
thousands of gold and silver."
C. God’s purpose in all things, and distinctly in the exercise of
his rod, is “that we might live, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”
(Proverbs 6:23) "For the
commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of
instruction are the way of life:"
(Proverbs 15:31) "The ear
that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise."
D. How do our trials make us partakers of God’s holiness?
·
Our holiness before God is altogether his work of grace;--Imputed Righteousness—Imparted
Righteousness.
·
God’s holiness in this place cannot possibly refer to his moral
character or to that holiness which he gives, which we have in Christ by grace.
Here the word simply and only means “separation.”—By the loving exercise of his
rod, our Heavenly Father separates our hearts from the world—wheat from
chaff—the precious from the vile.
IV. In verse 11 the Holy Spirit shows us our Father’s ultimate end in all our temporary
adversities, trials, heartaches, and afflictions.
(Hebrews 12:11) "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."
The more you beat a walnut tree the more fruit it
gives.—The more God chastens his children the more fruitful they are.—His vine
is most productive when it bleeds. He prunes it to make it fruitful.
(Galatians 5:22-23) "But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no
law."
A. If our chastisements didn’t hurt they
wouldn’t be chastisements (1 Pet. 1:3-9).
(1 Peter 1:2-9) "Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us
again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away,
reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye
greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might
be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving
the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
B. Yet, with the blessed assurance of our
Father’s immutable faithfulness and love, we can, even with broken hearts and
weeping eyes, live in peace.
(2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1) "For our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
(Philippians 4:4-7)
"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let
your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace
of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus."
C. Soon, very soon, our Father will use his
rod no more, because it will never be needed!
(Romans 8:16-18) "The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in
us."
(Revelation 7:14-17) "And I
said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any
more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes."
Application:
1. When Job was afflicted he adopted
at first the attitude of self-pity (3:3), his three friends proposed the
attitude of self-accusation; but God demanded the attitude of self-surrender!
Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be;
Oh lead me by Thine own
right hand,
Choose out the path for me.
2. When you are tempted to dispair, and
complain, remember God’s faithfulness (Lam. 3:21-23; Isa. 63:9; 1 Cor.
10:13).
(Isaiah 63:9) "In all their
affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his
love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all
the days of old."
(Lamentations 3:21-33)
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the
LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The
LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The
LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh
him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait
for the salvation of the LORD. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the
yoke in his youth. 28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he
hath borne it upon him. 29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if
so be there may be hope. 30 He giveth his cheek to him that
smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. 31 For the Lord will not
cast off for ever: 32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have
compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doth not
afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men."
(1 Corinthians 10:13) "There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you
to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
3. Let us ever remember, look to, and think
upon Him who was afflicted as no man ever was.—May God give us grace to
both trust him and emulate him.
(Lamentations 1:12) "Is
it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any
sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath
afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger."
(Philippians 1:29) "For
unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but
also to suffer for his sake;"
(1 Peter 2:22-24) "Who did
no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself
to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins
in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."