How Is Faith Assured?

In our text today, the writer of Hebrews wants us to access the memory banks of our minds and cause us to briefly pay close attention to what He suffered: “Consider Him.”

• Consider: analogízomai – to think accurately, to think with thoroughness, and to distinguish Christ apart from anyone else who has suffered. No one suffered both physically, emotionally, and spiritually as Jesus did. He who was in perfect harmonious relationship with God the Father experienced the full cup of God’s wrath on sin. This Greek word implies that we are to consider Christ over and over again.

• Christ’s Suffering: Falsely accused, struck in the face, beard plucked out from the roots; crown of thorns pressed down on His head, stripped naked, He underwent Roman torture to the extent of being whipped with a cat of nine tails, He was forced to carry His cross to His place of execution and fell under the weight of the wooden beam, once there, He was laid down on the wooden beams and His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. And there, Jesus hung on His cross for nearly six hours.

• Jesus’ suffering is the picture God wants us to have as we are undergoing sufferings of life. Look at the rest of verse 3, “so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Christ’s suffering should be a cause for reflection and rejoicing. His example is why many martyrs of the past went to their execution and died singing hymns.

We have a difficult time believing that the infliction of pain from a parent can actually be for our good. Illustration of father who hurt his son.

Is. 53:4-6 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. Verse 10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief.

There is a joy that comes with suffering, but it belongs only to those who have been given an eternal perspective. And the moment you begin feeling sorry for yourself in your sufferings, look at verse 4.

Verse 4 At least I am not going through what others have gone through concerning the faith. And I am definitely not suffering the way Jesus suffered.

In verses 5 and 6, we shift gears, so to speak, not away from suffering, but seeing our suffering under the authority and discipline of a father, specifically, our Heavenly Father.

Verses 5-6 Quoted from Pr. 3:11-12, which comes in context with 1-10. These are general principles that guide and benefit the person who brings themselves under the authority of strong, sound, godly instruction:

• Benefits of remembering the teachings and commands of a father (1-2):

• Benefits of clinging to kindness and truth (3-4):

• Benefits of fully trusting in and acknowledging God is that He will guide us in His will (5-6)

• Benefits of humility and fearing God (7-12) health, prosperity, but also a relationship.

Look back at He. 12:7-10.

• “God deals with you as with sons.” I have never understood the idea behind whipping someone else’s children. I’m not disagreeing with it, but I don’t practice it. And I don’t think God practices it either. Does it seem like the world gets away with sin? You’re not the only one who thinks so:

o Jer. 12:1–2

o Ps. 73:1-5, 13-14

• What can give a Christian comfort is the fact that they are being disciplined by God.

• When we see the word “Discipline” spelled out, what other word do we see? “Disciple!” Verse 7 “It is for discipline that you endure.” Notice the natural relationship and responsibility of a parent to discipline their children. If your parents love you, you’re gonna get disciplined.

• But notice how discipline leads to an affirmation of a relationship with God. The opposite is also true.

• Discipline from the right perspective: verses 9-10. We may have one idea of what discipline looks like (abuse?), but God’s discipline is for our good.

What kind of discipline can we expect from God if we are truly born again into the family of God?

• How are we disciplined here on earth?

o Military: Drop your service weapon.

o Ranges from taking something meaningful away for a period of time.

o Sitting in timeout.

o Corporal punishment

• How does God discipline us? How did God get the attention of believers in the OT? He allowed them to experience the natural consequences of mistrusting God as well as and their sin.