The Chastisement of the Lord

Brian Andrews
08/21/06 - Knoxville TV

The Chastisement of the LORD

Hebrews 12:3-13

1                    Introduction

[1]               From a question brought up during a Hebrews class

[2]               Amazing the details you might overlook but when studying with someone different insights and angles are seen

2                    What is the chastisement of the Lord?

[1]               Basis of Hebrews passage: Proverbs 3:11-12

[2]               Chastisement:

[a]               Webster’s 1828: 1.  Correcting; afflicting for correction.  
2.  Correction; punishment for the purpose of reclaiming

[b]               Strong’s: tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction

[c]               KJV translated as “chastening, chastisement, nurture, instruction”

3                    What is the chastisement of the Lord like?

[1]               Hebrews 12:3-11

[a]               Look at the verses leading up to the quote from Proverbs

[i]                 v.4: “…not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

[ii]               v.3: “…consider him who endured such hostility from sinners…”

[b]               Clear to me that striving against sin (the world and its influence) is part of the chastening of the Lord that even Christ endured and learned from!

[2]               An analogy is drawn to an earthly father disciplining his own son v.6b-10

[a]               Why do earthly fathers chastise their sons?  What is the purpose?  How is this chastisement done?  

[i]                 Ephesians 6:1-4 – Purpose

[ii]               Proverbs 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15,17 – Method and Why

[iii]             II Timothy 1:5 – Timothy is an example of a well raised child

[b]               Is it pleasant?

[i]                 Proverbs 23:13-14

[ii]               Even logic tells you it would not be pleasant, why would a child stop an action that brings about a joyful response from their parents?

4                    Why does the Lord chastise his people?

[1]               Revelation 3:19 – whom the Lord loves he chastens

[2]               John 15:1-6

[a]               Christ used examples everyone would understand

[b]               This is one of the reasons I think experience in the garden has been very helpful to me

[c]               Grapes grow ONLY on first years growth

[d]               You must prune them to get produce

[i]                 So you can have first years growth

[ii]               To let the sun in

[e]               Must get rid of diseased braches or they will spread

[f]                 Compare this analogy to your life now

5                    What are the results of the chastisement of the Lord?

[1]               Is it pleasant? – Hebrews 12:11a

[a]               Consider pruning and the sap

[b]               Consider the analogy of the parent and the child’s discipline with the rod

[2]               Results?

[a]               Hebrews 12:11b

[b]               Respect – Hebrews 12:9

6                    What is our response to the chastisement of the Lord?

[1]               Pertinence and Indulgences?

[a]               Notice these quotes from Catholic sources:

·                     "In Confession the eternal punishment (hell) is taken away, but all of the temporal punishment due to your sins is not always taken away. "Temporal punishment" means that, even though all your sins are forgiven through the Sacrament of Penance, God still demands that you be punished for your sins, either in this life or in purgatory...One of the ways by which you can make up for your sins is gaining indulgences." (A Catechism For Adults, p. 87)
 

·                     "What is an indulgence? An indulgence is the taking away of all or part of the temporal punishment still due to sin. How many kinds of indulgences are there? Two kinds: plenary and partial. What is a plenary indulgence? One that takes away all the temporal punishment. Examples: saying the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament, making the Way of the Cross, attending Forty Hours Devotion. What is a partial indulgence? One that takes away only part of the temporal punishment. Examples: using holy water, medals or statues that have been blessed, reciting the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, reading the New Testament at least fifteen minutes a day." (A Catechism For Adults, p. 90-91)
 

[2]               Hebrews 12:12-13 reread with v.11

[a]               To get the peaceable fruit of righteousness we must strengthen ourselves!

[i]                 James 4:10

[ii]               Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

[3]               How do we strengthen ourselves?

[a]               Using the tools God Gave us

[b]               Ephesians 6:10-18

[c]               Through prayer

[i]                 Luke 18:1-8a

[ii]               I Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”

[iii]             Romans 8:26:  PRAY!

7                    Conclusion

[1]               While may not have clear exactly what is and what is not the chastisement of the Lord it has been made clear how we are to react to it

[2]               We know that the Lord WILL chasten those who are his

[3]               We know it will not be pleasant

[4]               We know we are supposed to GROW from it

[5]               So why not treat every adverse thing in our life as chastisement from the Lord!

[6]               Imagine who much we would grow!

[7]               Now this lesson may be hard to hear if you are not familiar with God and his loving-kindness

[8]               Consider Matthew 11:28-30

[a]               How we become one of his to be chastened

[b]               Yet there is still rest!