Refined In Love

0:08Good morning. Please, if you would, open up to the book of Hebrews. We're in chapter twelve this morning, as you see on your bulletin, verses four through thirteen. So we are covering a little bit of a larger section today. And I will particularly ask of the Lord, as he always does, to be gracious to me this morning, as this is not an easy passage to preach, and it's not an easy passage to hear either. So may the Lord be gracious, both in the preached word and the hearing of the word this morning. Has anybody had an injury to their foot? Or maybe a toe? And it's so nagging and painful that it's all you can think about while it's going on? I think we can all say amen to that. On any other day of your life, not being injured, you would carry on with your life not thinking about that toe or that foot or whatever is ailing you. And you wouldn't even care about it. Our passage this morning speaks on God disciplining us and training us through various trials and through various hardships. And this topic of discipline and training through hardships is a topic that on any regular day, uninjured as it were, you would hardly think or care about this. But if you are in the middle of some trial this morning, some hardship, that is, some injury, this concept of discipline and training and righteousness is perhaps all you think about. Maybe you ask questions like, why? For what purpose am I going through this? Is there a purpose? Is there a point? Is there an end? This is perhaps all you think about. So if you are here this morning, experience a season of peace and health, right? Speaking spiritually and physically, don't sit back. Don't sit back too far in your chair or grow complacent or lazy, but rather thank God for your blessing and set up all the more so that you gain wisdom, so that we all gain wisdom and understanding to encourage our brothers and sisters and to be prepared when your trial comes. But if you are here this morning in a season of trial, then may you be greatly encouraged, convicted, and encouraged this morning by God's word when he says to us, for the Lord disciplines the ones he loves, and he chastens every son whom he receives. Because he cares for us, he refines us in love. And that's the theme or the title of our passage this morning, our sermon. Refined in love. Refined in love. And to that end, we have three points. That is the struggle against sin, the discipline of the Father, and finally the purpose of discipline. The struggle against sin, the discipline of the Father, and the purpose of discipline. And that's where we're going this morning. Stand with me, if you would, and let's read our text. Hebrews chapter 12, and we're starting in verse 4. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood? And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the ones he loves and chastens every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but it later yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight the paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. This is the word of the Lord. May you speak now for Christ's sake alone. It is in his name that I pray. Amen. So as we begin this morning, officially, uh I'm going to be honest, and I will perhaps address the elephant in the room right out of the gate. And I want you and I'm asking you, please listen carefully here, and please listen fully here. This starts really through the rest of the sermon. And I say that so as not to think I'm being insensitive. But I'm not going to qualify everything to death so as to this text to lose its passion and to render it void, useless of any real impact or meaning. And to that I say this. We are put through trials. We face discipline. We suffer hardships because we sin. And because of sin. We're put through trials, we face discipline, and we suffer hardships because we sin, and because of sin. And I do mean this morning your specific sins, those which you struggle with and often give in to. And I also mean sin in a more general sense as well. The fall has corrupted everything, you included. And everyone, as a result, we are fallen. And we all sin. We all need to be disciplined. That is, refined back into the state from which we fell. We need to call the enemy for who he is and address the situation for what it is. God is not the enemy here when he disciplines us, when he puts us through trials. The enemy is sin, your sin. The sin of the fallen world, that is the enemy. Because if there was no sin in the world, there would be no struggle. There would be no trial. There would be no hardship. And if there was no sin in you, you would have no need to be disciplined or put through some trial. So if you're taking notes this morning, write this down. Don't be so hasty to write this down. You don't know what I'm going to say yet. I am the problem. Write that down. I am the problem. And you can do what the world does, and you can blame everyone else for your life, for your struggles. You can hold on to that victim mentality that is so prevalent in our world that all your problems exist outside of yourself. And I am speaking generally here, so don't start the, but what about this, right? We can do that. You are put through trials because of your sin. You are put through trials because of your sin. And you are disciplined and refined, not because of everyone else, but because of you. And for the one who still says, yes, but when I'm going through this and that or whatever, I didn't do anything wrong to deserve this. To that I apologize. I didn't realize you had achieved a moral perfection. I didn't realize you were totally without sin and need of any correction whatsoever. And if you think my rhetorical sarcasm is insensitive, hear the words of the Lord to Job, who Job continually questions God because he is supposing that he didn't deserve what he was going through, or that he didn't do anything wrong, or that he had done nothing in and of himself to have this trial put upon him. And the Lord says to Job, Who is it that darkens my counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man. I will question you and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know. Or who stretched the line upon it, or what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, or who shut up the seas with its doors, when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garments, and the thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it, and set bars and doors, and said, Thus far shall you come and no further, and here shall your proud waves be stayed. To that rebuke Job answered and said, Behold, I am of small account. What shall I say to answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer twice, but I will receive, proceed no further. And after being challenged again, and the Lord challenging Job again, really for almost two full chapters, Job finally comes to this conclusion. I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I do not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know. Hear and I will speak. I will question and you make it known to me. I have heard of you by the hearing of your ear, of the ear, but my but now my eyes see you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job there, and certainly us, I can say for us this morning, we have to get real about the problem. As our text says this morning, in your struggle against sin. In your struggle against what? Sin. Whose sin? Your sin. Your sin. I also want to address the sinful response to trials, the sinful response to discipline from the Lord. And that sinful response is self-pity. I don't often quote Charlotte Mason, but in this instance she has some words for us, so I'm going to quote her. Miss Mason says this quote, These are the people who pity themselves. Any cause of pity is sufficient and all-absorbing. They are sorry for themselves because they have a headache, because they have a toothache, because they have not golden hair, because they are lovely but unnoticed, or because they are lanky and unlovely, because they have to get up earlier, because breakfast is not to their mind, because brother or sister has some pleasure which they have not. He continues, the demon of self-pity is an insidious foe. Many people, apparently strong and good, have been induced by him to give up their whole lives to brooding over some real or fancied injury. No tenet of the heart has alienated more friends or done more to banish the joys of life. What is the defense? What is the remedy for self-pity? Considering joy. Considering the blessings, considering the outcome of these trials, which we will talk about this morning. It's considering the end goal of such a fiery sanctification or these unmet expectations, which is what? What is the end goal? It's eternal glory. Consider your life this morning. You have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood, our text says. The end of verse 4. You have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood. You're still alive. You're still here. You still have a calling. You still have a mission. You still have a purpose. You still have breath to serve the living God. Well, take a deep breath. Place your feet once again upon the rock, our anchor Jesus Christ, and enjoy, keep walking. Enjoy, we keep walking. Don't forget that you are a child of God. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons and daughters? Don't forget that you are a child of God. Don't grow weary when reproved by him, because such is appropriate and necessary from the Lord. He says, to consider others and to look to bear their burdens and address their needs, i.e., serve others, quote, be quick to discern their pains and sufferings and be ready to bring them help. We cannot be absorbed into thinking of two things at the same time, and if our minds are occupied with others far and near at home and abroad, we shall have neither time nor inclination to be sorry for ourselves. End quote. We confess our sins. We look to Christ. Starting in verse 6, then. For the Lord disciplines the ones he loved, and he chastens every son whom he receives. So that is a bit of chastisement that we have begun with. Sorry, not sorry, but we'll continue here with some encouragement now. For the Lord loves, so the Lord disciplines those whom he loves. God is love. God is all love. He's perfect love. God is motivated by love. We understand love only in pieces, but God's love is so perfect and so complete that even when he pours out the most unimaginable hardships on us, it comes from this source of love. We have to believe that. I heard recently, you may have heard this, it came up on a little short the other day, but our R.C. Sprohl tells a story about a woman who calls in to TBN because she has just lost her son. I think it was TBN, I don't remember the pastor, but she calls in to she needs some encouragement and some advice because she has just lost her son and she is lamenting. And the pastor on the on this TV show tells her basically that, you know, it's not God's fault. It's just sin and the effects of the world, and you know, don't, you know, just God is weeping with you or something like that. Basically taking God off the hook for all things and everything with respect to this and um belittling God here in that situation. And Sprohl responds after he recounts that by saying that he was yelling at the TV, telling her, telling the TV, the guy, don't tell her that. Because what he says, that you're essentially telling her, is that God is not in control of all things, and that the enemy can just run around and do whatever he wants and take whoever he wants and torment whoever he wants as he wants. It communicates that God is actually so unloving that he would just let evil run wild unchecked, let sin run wild unchecked, and all things are outside, ultimately outside of his control. That is not a loving God. As we read Job there, don't forget that Satan's torment of Job was God's idea. It was ultimately by God's hand. The truth and the encouragement is that God loves his children, and while we never know all the wise, we can be assured of two very important things. He is in control of all things, purposing them for our good. And he is with us no matter what. The word of God to the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 43, fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, and you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you, for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. It is because he loves you that he disciplines you. And because he disciplines you, you must endure. For it is, verse 7, it is for discipline that you have to endure. Because discipline proves that you are his child. For what father lets his children run free on their own, unchecked and undisciplined? It's a father who doesn't really care about his children. A father who's too busy with his own life or his own concerns and lets his kids essentially raise themselves. That's an unloving father. The more loving a father is, he is not more happy. Hands off, but rather more involved, bending low to teach, to encourage, to correct, to rebuke. I'm sure my kids have gotten frustrated when I pick on their behavior too much, or when I seem too harsh with them. But however imperfect I am at it, and however perfect you are at it, we do that because we love them deeply. We want what's best for them. How often have we seen portrayed in movies this absent or apathetic stepfather character? He's one that comes up a lot. The children lament in school or perhaps to a teacher that their stepdad doesn't care about them and doesn't pay any attention to them, and as a result, they just kind of do whatever they want, right? If the lack of discipline communicates a lack of love and care, then we can conclude that a presence of discipline, when done in love, communicates an abundance of love. The Lord disciplines those whom he loves. And as his children, we all participate in discipline. Verse 8, if you are left without discipline, in which we have all participated, then you aren't illegitimate children, not sons. But as his children, then we participate in his discipline, all of us. None of his children will be left outside of his sanctifying discipline and love. Sorry, this is uh this is 1 Peter 1, actually 6 to 7. In this ye rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. James 1. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet various trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and the steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Verse 9. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they discipline us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. But what is the purpose of discipline then? Ultimately, what is the purpose of discipline? I think it would be easy for us to look at discipline and trials and be confused by them. If God's desire for us was to be perfectly happy all the time on this life and to live our best life now, we could rightly say then that this discipline is not good, and this is not making me happy, and surely this is not what is best for me. That is not what God's desire is for us. God's desire is that we share in his holiness. Our good is our transformation into holiness. So with that as the goal, of course, discipline is good. Of course, our trials and our hardships are good. For a moment, this discipline seems painful, it's bothersome, it's unpleasant, but if God is working all things for good, the fruit that such discipline yields is holiness. The peaceful fruit of righteousness is always found on the other side of God's discipline, of his trial. J.I. Packer says this quote, in this world, in this world, we're talking about this world here, royal children have to undergo extra training and discipline, which other children, not royal children, escape in order to fit them for their high destiny. It is the same with the children of the King of Kings. The clue to understanding all his dealings with them is to remember that throughout their lives he is training them for what awaits them and chiseling them into the image of Christ. Sometimes the chiseling process is painful and the discipline irksome. But then the scripture reminds us whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourges, scourgeth every son whom he receives. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons. Now no chastening for the present time seems to be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, after it yields the peaceful fruit righteousness. Church, do you know this morning that you are a royal child of the King of Kings? You are a royal child of the King of Kings. You are royalty. You have been set apart, you have been called to this royal standard that far exceeds anyone not in the family of God. And we can lament this reality, or we can embrace it knowing that in this life we are being chiseled into the very image of Christ. We are being molded and prepped to receive the crown of eternal salvation, the crown of a king, the crown of a queen. So if righteousness and holiness is the goal, and God being perfect in his ways is transforming us into that, then I say, bring it on. Discipline me more than everyone. Turn up the refining fire to ten, to a hundred. Sharpen your chisel as sharp as you can make it, Lord. Strike me with as many blows as it takes, because if you are making me holy and righteous, if you are making me more like you, then I'll take it. Scary but glorifying proposition, isn't it? We're going to conclude then with verses twelve and thirteen. And I'll ask the question, what are we to do? What are we to do in light of this text? Verse 12, lift your drooping hands, strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Lift your drooping hands, strengthen your weak knees. This is borrowed directly from Isaiah 35 that says this strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with recompense of God, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the death unstopped. Then the lame man shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. God is taking what is disjointed. And he is by his grace putting everything back together again. He's making us whole again. Like a divine chiropractor who is adjusting you until you're right again. Lovingly and boldly and with confidence, enter into the office of the great physician, that you may be made right. This tells us two important things. First, if you are not a child of God, if you've never by faith received a salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ, you're not receiving his correction. You're not receiving his discipline, you're not receiving his care. You're not being made whole and holy. You're not being transformed into righteousness. You do not have any hope of freedom from pain. You do not have any hope of being made well truly. Painful as it is, if you have not trusted Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and if you have not turned to Him alone to heal you and make you hope, you are without hope. The pains and the trials for the unbeliever are nothing more than miserable and the bitter results of your sin. We must call them to repent of their sins, to cry out to God to make you a son and a daughter, to convince you of your sin and your misery, to plead with him, to call you effectually to him, that your mind may be enlightened to the knowledge of Christ, that your will may be renewed, and that he would persuade and enable you to embrace Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. The other thing the text tells us is that if you have been justified by faith, if you have accepted Christ as righteous, as your righteousness, and if you have been accepted, then justified as righteous before a holy God, if you have been adopted into his royal family, then Christian, you are being healed. You are being put back together after sin has torn you apart. You are being transformed. So pick your head up. Lift your drooping hands. Don't sulk any longer in your misery. You're on your way to glory. You are marching to victory. It doesn't mean your life is ever easy, or that it won't be painful, often very much so. But it does mean that by his spirit, through his amazing grace, he has enabled us to lift our hands, to lift our heads. By the great and glorious news of the gospel, we can be encouraged this morning. And no matter what we are going through to strengthen our weak knees and to keep going. And he is an enabling. So don't pity yourself. Don't shrink back. You're a child of the king. Being refined in love, on the road to eternal glory and everlasting life. Amen. We thank you that you put us through various trials, Lord, so that our faith can be shown to be genuine. We thank you that you continually make us dependent wholly on you. Lord, if an easy life means I don't depend on you or don't need you, then I don't want it. And if your discipline and if your correction and if your trials and if your your fires, Lord, make me, make us more like you, we ask for it, Lord. Because we know that by your grace you will enable us and sustain us. And you will never leave us, you will never forsake us, but you will walk with us through the valley, Lord, and that we will come out on the other side, holy, righteous, royal sons and daughters, the King of Kings. Help us, Lord. Encourage us to thank you for Christ in Jesus' name.