19, beginning at verse 65 and reading through to verse 80, Psalm 119.
This is God's word.
Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord.
Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.
Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word.
You are good, and what you do is good.
Teach me your decrees.
Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.
Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.
It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees.
The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
Your hands made me and formed me.
Give me understanding to learn your commands.
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your words.
I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
May your unfailing love be my comfort according to your promise to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause, but I will meditate on your precepts.
May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes.
May my heart be blameless towards your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.
Amen.
Hebrews 12 and verse 5 through to verse 8.
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons.
My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.
Endure hardship as discipline.
God is treating you as sons.
For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined, and everyone undergoes discipline,
then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Amen.
It's common experience for us as human beings to need a spoken encouragement to keep us going in challenging situations.
It could be your gym instructor telling you to keep on going,
or he'll give you another set of 10 press-ups to do.
It might be the mountain guide who assures you the top is not so far away.
It could be the rugby fans filling the home stadium so that the fairly mediocre team is able to upset a much better team
because of the encouragement that they're getting.
Think of an athlete receiving their gold medal, or a movie star collecting an Oscar,
and they say, I couldn't have done this without my mom and my dad.
They were always there with the right word of encouragement at the right time.
Well, the book of Hebrews is all about encouragements.
It's a spiritual pep talk for Christians who are wondering whether it's really worth it,
whether perhaps they should return to their Old Testament style of temple worship.
From the end of chapter 10 onwards, it's had a particular focus on endurance.
The Hebrew Christians had suffered many things, we're told in verse 32 of chapter 10,
but you have need of endurance.
They've already been through a lot, but there's more to come,
and they need to keep going.
They're discovering that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life.
The pressure is relentless.
They've been isolated from the temple, from its social life,
perhaps from its economic perks and benefits.
They feel that they're on their own.
They were promised that following Jesus was the way to know God's true blessing.
But now perhaps they're wondering if leaving the temple has brought God's judgment upon them.
Surely God blesses the righteous is a question that's probably in the back of their minds.
And what the writer to the Hebrews has done here in chapter 11
is to locate these Christians in the community of faith throughout all the ages.
Every significant hero in the Old Testament
and many anonymous men and women of faith
have had to face suffering, trusting in God's promises.
In the first few verses of chapter 12, he points them to Jesus Christ.
This is the sinless Messiah.
The Messiah, the Christ who the Jews were all waiting for.
The pinnacle, the climax of Old Testament religion is this man.
And remember how much he suffered.
Sinless, yet crucified.
Suffering because he obeyed God.
Not because he had done something wrong.
Suffering beyond anything we can imagine.
He is an example.
Yes, but he's much more than that.
He's the fountainhead.
He's the source of the faith and the grace
which will keep his people
enduring, persevering.
Having exhorted these Christians to look to Jesus
and to consider Jesus,
the writer now reminds them to listen
to the voice of God.
The voice of God speaking directly to them
through his word.
Verse 5.
Have you forgotten this word of exhortation,
this word of encouragement that speaks to you as sons?
Well, who's speaking to them as sons?
Whose voice is this?
Who's exhorting them here?
Verse 7.
It is God who's treating you as sons.
God is speaking to you.
These are verses quoted from Proverbs 3, verse 11 and 12.
These ancient scriptures, Old Testament scriptures,
are addressing Christians as God's sons.
Yes, they were written by Solomon,
but they were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
So we don't just hear Solomon speaking.
God has so owned these words
that we're to hear his voice in them
speaking to our hearts.
God is addressing you as sons
through his word.
I want us to think then
about the voice of God addressing Christians
in their suffering.
There are three areas I hope we can cover.
The first is the voice of God itself.
Then what does the voice say to us?
And how, thirdly,
how should we respond to the voice of God?
The voice of God itself then,
speaking in the words.
And the first thing to notice
is that the voice of God speaks
into people's sufferings.
Many people have the experience
when they're in pain,
when they're lonely,
they feel deserted.
They believe that God is silent.
But this scripture tells us
that God continues to speak
contrary to our experience.
God continues to speak
in our suffering.
God's word is true
in an absolute sense.
Not just true,
absolutely correct,
but true as in never fading,
never failing.
Always true.
What he said,
he is still saying.
And the ups and downs
of our experience
do not change the status
of scripture.
When we are low,
when we are in pain,
God speaks in scripture.
When we're high
and we're rejoicing,
God speaks in scripture.
What he says
doesn't dissolve
like a will-o'-the-wisp,
just because things are difficult
in your life.
It's at those times
of suffering and pain
that we discover
that God's word
is most secure,
most solid.
We can truly rest on it.
It's reliable.
What a great privilege that is.
Who's speaking to us here?
In our sufferings
as Christians,
we can hear the voice
of the one who created
and sustains all things.
The one who has
sovereign power
to prevent
or allow affliction,
to step in
and provide a way out.
The one who is working
all things together
for good
with omniscient wisdom
and absolute power.
What a privilege
it is to suffer
and in our sufferings
to hear the words
of God
which are living
and active,
life-changing,
sanctifying energy.
These are the words
of eternal life.
Where else should we go
in our sufferings
but to God?
Many people
go through life's challenges
without ever hearing
God speaking
words of comfort
or encouragement.
And that puts
a great responsibility
responsibility on us.
The responsibility
to listen,
to keep reading
our Bibles
when we're in pain
and when we're suffering.
To listen to His voice
regardless
of our condition
and to take
every opportunity
that we can
of bringing
that voice
to those
who are lost
without the word
by bringing
God's word
to them
in their need.
The voice
of God
speaks to us
in our sufferings.
The second thing
about this voice
it is the voice
of a heavenly Father.
When we suffer
we often hear
lots of voices.
We hear
our own voice
bringing out
our neuroses,
our inferiority
complexes
or perhaps
our superiority
complex,
our sense
of entitlement
and pride
and self-pity
and self-preservation.
There's that voice
in me that says
I don't deserve this.
That's my voice.
And then there's
other people.
People like
Job's friends
who are ready
to come in
with all their
worldly wisdom
and quick fixes.
Often the voice
of the devil
is there too
mixed in with it all.
Firing his fiery
darts of doubt.
Accusation,
temptation
to give up.
These voices
frequently tell us
that our suffering
results from our failure.
We're suffering
because we're guilty.
The accusation
is there.
This is a punishment.
But that's not
the voice
that we hear
from God.
This is
a father's voice.
You see,
for a Christian,
Jesus Christ
has taken away
every penal
consequence of sin.
There's no context
now for us
of punishment
in a legal,
judgmental sense.
When we are
suffering,
we are not
in God's law court
to be whipped
and beaten
and sentenced
and condemned
and executed.
As Christians,
when we suffer,
it's as though
we're in God's
living room.
Our father
is there
correcting us.
This is not
a legal punishment.
This is the hand
of a father's
discipline.
I'll show you
how to do it.
You did it wrong.
I want you
to do it
this way.
I'm teaching you.
I'm correcting you.
I'm helping you
to grow.
I'm fitting you
to come home
to heaven.
It's a father's voice.
And that's one
of the most
liberating things
a Christian
can ever realize.
Our faith
is not just
about being forgiven.
Jesus Christ
has accomplished
a full forgiveness
for sins
by his sinless life
and his sacrificial death.
In him,
we are completely
justified.
But that doesn't
make us
islands of righteousness,
isolated.
We're forgiven
in order to be adopted.
Our sins
are taken away.
The debt
that we owe
to Adam
is paid
so that we
might be brought
into the family
of God
and made heirs
of God
and joint heirs
with Christ.
From that point on,
we are not to view
any part
of our experience
as falling
outside
of the relationship
of covenant love.
Everything
we encounter
as Christians,
we encounter
with God
as our Father
and Jesus Christ
as our brother
and the Holy Spirit
within us
testifying
that we are born
into that family
as we cry out,
Abba, Father.
Father.
There's nothing
you go through
as a Christian
on your own.
Everything you face,
you face as a child
of God's.
Whatever comes
your way,
you can face it
knowing that the God
who feeds the birds
and clothes the lilies
is your Father.
Jesus Christ
is sitting
at the right hand
of God,
interceding
by his very presence,
interceding
for you,
securing God's grace
for you
in your sufferings
and he's able
to save
to the uttermost
in every situation
and he is not ashamed
to call you brothers.
I don't want to add
a single word
to scripture
but I think
the context
of Romans 8
is fitting to say
I am sure
that neither death
nor life,
angels nor rulers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
nor powers,
nor height,
nor death,
nor anything else
in all creation
will be able
to separate us
from the fatherly love
of God,
from the paternal love
of God
in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
It's a father's voice.
Thirdly,
this voice
has always been sufficient
to sustain people
in their sufferings.
It's quoted,
isn't it,
from Proverbs 3.
I imagine the saints
listed there
in Hebrews 11
what kept them going
in their suffering,
in their different trials,
clinging on
to God's promises.
What kept them going?
Surely it was
the word of God
speaking to them.
Perhaps they read
this scripture.
Perhaps they knew
Proverbs 3.
Perhaps they knew
some other text
that assured them
of God's care.
Man shall not live
by bread alone,
but by every word
that proceeds
from the mouth
of God.
The Old Testament saints
heard this voice
and it was enough
to sustain them.
The same voice
speaks to us,
the same word
and with the same message.
But can we not say
more than that?
Surely it was
the fatherly voice
of God
that sustained
our Lord Jesus Christ
in his sufferings.
Right before Jesus
went into the wilderness
to suffer
the direct temptation
of the devil,
what happens?
The father speaks
to him,
my son
in whom I am
well pleased.
It's the father's
affirmation
that sets Jesus up
as the Holy Spirit
descends upon him
to go and face
that temptation
in Matthew 16
and 17.
The same voice
speaks on the
Mount of Transfiguration
as Jesus begins
to predict
his sufferings.
Jesus could suffer
as an obedient son
because he heard
the father's voice,
my son.
And then we hear
him speaking
with the reciprocal voice
in Gethsemane
and on the cross.
Jesus Christ
who heard those words,
my son,
was able to pray
in the garden,
Father,
if this cup
can pass,
but not my will
but yours.
Now the one
who heard those words,
my son,
was able to hang
on a cross
and say,
Father,
forgive them.
Father,
into your hands
I commit
my spirit.
Surely the voice
of God
speaking in the word
has been enough
to sustain
the people,
the Christians
of all generations,
the men and women
of faith
and significantly
our Savior himself
in his sufferings.
Before we move on
to ask what this voice
says to us,
I want to point out
two uncomfortable
implications.
I was uncertain
where to place this
in the sermon
and I've decided
to put it here
because I hope
it will increase
the impact
as we listen
to what this voice
says.
Because there's
something going on
here which is
absolutely
counter-cultural
for Western
society.
It's so
counter-cultural
that you might
find it offensive
when we spell
it out.
Even as Christians
we might find
this offensive
if we've been
unconsciously
influenced
by our culture.
See our culture
tells us two things.
It tells us
that the purpose
of our lives
is to maximize
human flourishing.
In other words
to minimize
suffering.
And it also
tells us
that the way
to do that
to maximize
our flourishing
by tapping
into resources
that we have
hidden away
inside ourselves.
ourselves.
But these
scriptures are
telling us
the exact
opposite.
These scriptures
are telling us
that God has
a very different
purpose in mind.
His highest
aim is not
that you would
flourish in
this world
with its
brokenness
and sinfulness.
If you flourish
here and that's
all you have
when life
ends
your flourishing
ends.
God's working
on our
eternal
flourishing.
He's preparing
us for heaven
where we'll be
absolutely
dependent on
him.
Absolutely
in love
with him
forever
in the most
flourishing
relationship
possible.
And because
that's his
goal
he has
ordained
to continue
to allow
us to
suffer
for a
short while
in this
world
that we
might
go to
heaven
where
suffering
will be
wiped
away
forever.
But the
second thing
that this
scripture
tells us
which is
so contrary
to what we
hear from
the world
is that
you do
not have
the resources
that you
need
to flourish
buried
inside
yourself.
God's
purposes
of eternal
flourishing
are not
going to
be achieved
by you
digging
deep
and looking
within
and realizing
your potential
and being
true to
yourself
and following
your heart.
No, this
tells us
that we
can only
achieve
God's
purpose
for our
lives
as he
disciplines
us,
as he
corrects
us.
We're not
basically right
on the inside
and God
knows that.
We only
flourish as
we submit
to his
hand
and to
his
voice.
We don't
have the
resources
inside
ourselves
to make
ourselves
right.
We can't
endure the
correction
process by
listening to
our heart.
Only the
voice of
God is
sufficient.
But I
would add
this, only
the voice
of God
is also
necessary
to sustain
us in
our
suffering.
if God
did not
call us
but just
left us
in the
eerie
silence
of sin,
what
potential
would you
have?
If God
merely left
you to
realize your
own potential
as a
sinner,
we'd all
be damned.
If he
didn't speak
his words
of correction
to us
and of
discipline,
we'd be
like spiritual
tombs.
We could
rest in
peace and
realize the
potential of
those who
are dead
to
disintegrate
and to
decay.
Implicit
in Hebrews
12 here
is a
message of
absolute
sovereign
grace.
A person
is only
brought to
heaven as
God the
Father works
his salvation
in us
from outside.
Only as we
look out
to a
suffering
saviour,
only as we
listen to a
voice that
speaks to us
from heaven,
only as we
receive the
gift of
the Holy
Spirit who
brings life
and grace
imparts it
to us.
Thank God
that he
doesn't leave
us to
realize our
potential as
sinners.
The world
is bad
enough.
Imagine a
world where
every sinner
was left
unrestrained
to fulfill
their potential
for evil.
this voice
then, the
voice of
God that
speaks, tells
us we
can't save
ourselves.
And as
Christians we
need to
realize that
we cannot
fit ourselves
for heaven,
but we must
be in God's
crucible.
We need him
to work on
us, and that
is more
precious than
anything that
this world
can offer.
What then
does the
voice of
God say?
What does
the voice of
God say to
people when
they're suffering?
suffering?
We know there
are people
here who are
suffering,
obviously, and
there are others
who are perhaps
suffering in
ways that we
don't know
about.
Some of you
may be
suffering because
of injustice
you've
experienced as
a direct result
of your faith.
Because you
are a
Christian, that
opportunity didn't
come to you, or
you were isolated
and excluded.
But some of
you are suffering
an illness,
maybe bereavement,
maybe the loss
of a child, maybe
various kinds of
failure and
disappointment and
depression and
other forms of
mental illness,
the psychological
and physical
consequences of
rape or
domestic abuse
or injustice
or humiliation.
I don't know
what you're
suffering.
These things
are not the
direct result of
your faith, but
they raise the
same troubled
question for you
as Christians.
Why am I
suffering?
Where is
God?
what's he
doing to
me?
Why do
sinful people
seem to
have it so
easily?
And I'm
concerned that
this doesn't
remain abstract
or theoretical.
Scripture takes
these questions
seriously.
Nowhere does
God tell us
that these
things are
good.
They'll have
no place in
the perfections
of heaven.
Nowhere does
God tell you
to pull up
your socks
and start
your upper
lip.
big sections
of Scripture
talk about
how to deal
with the
painful trials
and temptations
of living in
a broken
sinful world.
These things
are evil.
what is good?
All of that
is evil.
The suffering
is wrong
and is bad
but what is
good is that
God continues
to speak
in the midst
of it all.
So I'm not
asking what
does God
say in a
philosophical
way or what
does God say
to Christians
in general
but what
does God
say to
you
in your
sufferance
and this
is what
he says
verse 5
my son
do not
make light
of the
Lord's
discipline
don't lose
heart when
he rebukes
you.
My son
don't get
discouraged
don't give
in to
doubt
don't give
in to
dismay
don't get
downcast
distressed
don't be
overly
distressed
by this
and don't
believe the
lie that
you deserted
and whatever
you do
don't desert
me
keep going
stick with
it
persevere
like the
saints
endure
like your
savior
it's too
soon to
quit
I know
how much
you can
take
and I
won't allow
this to
continue
beyond the
grace I
supply to
sustain
you
what else
does the
lord say
because the
lord disciplines
those he
loves he
disciplines
my son
I never
cause my
children a
needless
tear
you can't
see it
yet but
there's a
purpose in
this
I'm using
this to
shape you
it's only a
temporary means
it'll pass
away you'll
get beyond
this this
is just
passing
trouble
it's not
your end
I'm using
it to
purify your
faith
I'm using
this to
make you
more like
Jesus
I'm using
this to
develop your
spiritual
character
you ask me
to sanctify
you
this is the
way I do
it
I'm not
just preparing
you for
greater service
and usefulness
in this
world
I'm preparing
you for
service in
heaven
and in
glory
I'm
only ever
going to
take from
you what
you'll have
to give
up anyway
you can't
hold on to
these things
forever
you want to
come and be
with me in
heaven
you have to
let go of
this world's
possessions
one day you'll
have to leave
your friends and
your family
behind
your honor
and your
respect and
your reputation
it'll all be
gone
even your
health and
your life
you have to
let go of
those things
because one
day Christ
will come and
transform your
lowly body
to be like
his glorious
body
I'm only going
to take from
you what you
have to leave
behind anyway
this is
discipline
this is
correction
this is
training
I'm teaching
you to let
go of this
world now
so that you
won't stumble
and fall
when you come
to cross
the waters
of death
I'm teaching
you to loosen
your grip on
things you
can't keep
so that you
can keep
those
gain those
treasures
you'll never
lose
what else
does the
voice of God
say to us
in our
suffering
because the
Lord disciplines
those he
loves
and chastises
punishes
everyone he
accepts as a
son
my son
I love
you
I love
you now
I love
you in
your suffering
I don't
treat everyone
like this
many people
have rejected
my love
and rejected
my son
but you've
received my
son as the
manifestation of
my infinite
love to you
and now I
ask you to
receive this
suffering
as the work
of my love
in your life
I love you
the Lord only
disciplines those
he loves
I'm doing
this because
you're part
of my
family
I only
do this
to those
who are
in my
family
I don't
take delight
in or
pleasure
in afflicting
you
my heart
is not
in it
but I do
delight in
what you
will become
through this
be assured
then that I
love you
and that
my love
for you
determines
my methods
and my goals
even if you
can't understand
that now
what else
does God's
voice say
to us
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're
left without
discipline
in which
all have
participated
then you
are illegitimate
children and
not sons
my son
this is a
mark of the
reality of
your faith
don't listen
to the devil
don't listen
to Job's
friends
don't listen
to the
accusations
you're not
suffering
because you're
a religious
fraud
you're not
suffering
because your
holiness is
superficial and
fake
you're suffering
because I
can see
your heart
and your
faith is
authentic
there's
something here
I can
strengthen
and purify
and I
will do
that through
suffering
so stick
with it
go through
the whole
lesson
the more
you endure
the more
you will
gain from
this discipline
and what
you will
gain
you'll never
lose
you are not
of those who
shrink back
and are
destroyed
but of those
who have
faith
and preserve
their souls
God speaks
here as well
to those
who are not
in his
family
if you're
not
disciplined
then you're
illegitimate
children
and not
true
sons
there's a
warning here
don't be
satisfied with
merely the
outward appearance
of a
Christian
hanging out
in church
visiting God's
family without
becoming a
part of God's
family
you can go
through all
kinds of
religious motions
Christian
activities
but you can
do it
without ever
hearing the
voice of
God speak
to you as
his son
there's a
warning here
if you're
not a
Christian
then the
aroma of
sin and
death is
still all
over your
suffering
I don't
mean to
sound harsh
I don't
mean that
you're
suffering as
a direct
kind of
a guilt
punishment
but there's
a warning
here
if you're
not hearing
God speak
to you as
father in
your sufferings
one day
you'll hear
him speak
to you as
judge
we would
be cruel
people
if we
showed you
care in
your immediate
suffering
didn't warn
you of the
danger for
those who
die outside
of God's
love in
Jesus
Christ
in your
sufferings
hear the
voice of
God
as a
warning
but in
that
warning
hear a
veiled
invitation
of his
grace
those who
receive God's
warnings
really have
to wait
long before
they hear his
voice of
mercy
here's your
suffering
let it
drive you
to Christ
let it
drive you
back to
God's
why are
you suffering
on your
own in
isolation
when there
is a
God of
love
who would
speak to
you in
his word
if you
would just
turn from
your sin
and trust
him
finally and
I've gone
over time
how should
suffering
Christians
respond to
the voice
of God
he tells us
that he's
disciplined
us he's got
a purpose
it's out of
love
is out
of his
care
how do
we respond
to that
as
Christians
three
things
receive
by faith
what that
voice
imparts
it does
not promise
you immediate
release from
your suffering
but it does
tell you that
there's purpose
and privilege
that there's
hope
and there's
assurance
to be had
whilst you
suffer
resign
yourself
to God's
contrary
providence
I recognize
that this is a
father who's
infinitely more
wise than
you are
and he knows
what he's
doing
and rest
in that fact
the way
as you did
as a child
when you didn't
know what mum
and dad were
on about
but you knew
they were mum
and dad
and they loved
you
and so you
went along
resign yourself
the hymn writer
said the bud
may have a
bitter taste
but sweet
will be the
flower
there's something
to thank God
for in the
hardest trials
and even if you
can't see what
it is
you can thank
him for the
loving purpose
which is assured
in his word
receive by faith
then what his
voice imparts
secondly
answer the
voice
which calls
you sons
follow Jesus
example
when
God the
father spoke
to our
Lord and
said my
son
he answered
back
father
to follow
his example
in this
is to bring
us into
fellowship
with every
person in
the blessed
trinity
because we
look at the
son and we
see him
crying father
forgive them
and that's
for us
and then we
listen to the
word and we
heard hear the
voice of God
saying my
son don't
grow weary
he's speaking
to us
and then the
spirit adds
his internal
testimony in
our hearts
assures us
that this
this
encouragement
my son
is spoken
in us
and as
sons we
answer that
voice and
cry out
Abba
father
and we
find ourselves
in the midst
of our
sufferings
communing
with God
himself
our
father son
and holy
spirit
thirdly
finally
close here
obey the
voice
obey the
voice
I don't
know what
you're
suffering
I don't
know what
temptation
you face
I don't
know what
doubt
or bitterness
of mind
you're struggling
with as
we speak
but take up
that position
of fellowship
with God
a trust in
the provision
of grace
that he
promises
and obey
we
persevere
we
Christians
persevere
we
Christians
endure
we're not
the people
who give
up
you're not
the person
who gives
up
we don't
give in
we don't
turn back
we don't
tune out
we don't
turn off
we don't
grow weary
we don't
pull back
we don't
slack off
we have
Jesus as
our saviour
God the
father
as our
heavenly
father
the promised
holy spirit
within us
and a
glorious future
ahead
we are not
the ones
who draw
back
but those
who press
on in
faith
and obediently
serve
our God
in faith
amen
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 one
he loves
and chastises
every son
whom he
receives
it is for
discipline
that you
have to
endure
God is
treating
you
as
sons
amen