Last time in our study of Hebrews, we looked at the difficult doctrine of discipline. Discipline is neither fun nor pleasurable, but it is necessary, and it does produce wonderful righteousness in our lives.
The writer has made that point, and comes to a "therefore." In other words, because of what I told you about discipline, keeping in mind what you now know about the results of discipline, understanding how discipline effectively trains you to be holy, I now encourage you in the following..."
The author gives two encouragements here. The first is to strengthen weak hands and feeble knees. This sounds like a strange expression, but it is one which is almost as old as mankind. The earliest written book of the Bible quotes Job's friend Eliphaz the Temanite praising Job's life, saying
Job 4:3-4 "Behold you have admonished many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have helped the tottering to stand, and you have strengthened feeble knees.
Like Job, we are called to strengthen people with weak hands and feeble knees - those that are tired of hanging on, those that are losing their grip, those that are about to stop their walk, those that can no longer stand.
How do we strengthen these people? Strength comes from the teaching of - and encouragement in - the Word. In the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabus were...
Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith...
Two of the prophets went to Antioch and
Acts 15:32 ...encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.
Paul sent Timothy the Thessalonica to preach the Word,
1Ths. 3:2 ...to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith
There is also a second exhortation here - not only to strengthen the weak, but to make sure that we are walking straight.
Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
If we're trusting the Lord and walking by faith, we are walking a straight path.
Now, if we don't strengthen the weak, if we don't walk a straight path, all of us will end up dislocating something. The weak will stumble and injure themselves. We will be tripped up on a crooked path.
Now he gives us two more exhortations - two things to pursue. The first is to purse peace with all men.
The simple truth is that if you live this life interacting with anyone at all, you will find yourself having disagreements, divisions, and downfalls with other people. If you follow your instincts, you will lose friends, break ties with family members, and harbor hatred against neighbors. But if you follow the Word of God, you will actively pursue peace.
Jesus said,
Matt. 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
A peacemaker is one who makes peace. How can you make peace?
Prov. 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Responding gently to someone's anger can diffuse a situation and bring peace. But the biggest and best way to bring peace is to follow God's lead and show grace to others. Give them the apology that they don't deserve. Give them the victory when you should get it. Show them favor that they have not earned. Bless them when they shouldn't be blessed. Forgive the unforgivable and love the unlovable. That is what God did for us, how He turned enmity into peace in our relationship with Him.
Pursue peace by showing grace.
Rom. 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
The second thing we are to pursue is sanctification. To be sanctified means to be set apart for God's use. We are supposed to be exclusively His - holy and available.
So how can you pursue sanctification? You do that by living righteously - not giving in to the desires of your flesh.
Rom. 6:19 ...now present your members {as} slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
Rom. 6:22 ...now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification...
1Ths. 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; {that is,} that you abstain from sexual immorality
Is your life set apart for God? Is your body a clean instrument that God can use? Are you pursuing sanctification?
We have seen that we are to be focused on ministering to others, and insuring that our own walk with God is right.
When we don't do this, we fall short of God's grace, we let bitterness creep in and build up, and we ruin ourselves and others.
Esau is a good example of this. You remember him - he was one of two fraternal twins born to Jacob and Rebekah in Genesis 25.
He was a man who followed the desires of his own flesh. One day when he was really hungry,
Gen. 25:29-34 And when Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright." And Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die; so of what {use} then is the birthright to me?" And Jacob said, "First swear to me"; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
This was a man who followed after the desires of his flesh.
He was also a man who let a root of bitterness grow up inside of him. When his brother Jacob stole his father's blessing from him (Genesis 27), he did not seek peace or offer forgiveness. Instead, he became murderously angry and his bitterness consumed him.
Are you in danger of becoming an Esau? Are you following after the desires of your flesh instead of God's desire for you? Today is the day to turn away from that and turn to the Lord.
Have you been wronged or ripped off by someone? How are you dealing with it? Are you pursuing peace by offering grace to that person? Or have you allowed a root of bitterness to grow up inside of you? Today is the day to allow God to pluck that out of your heart.