Sermon Tone Analysis

There is something that we need to be reminded of when it comes to our walk with the Lord.

Our walk with the Lord is not an experience we had, it isn’t a refreshment where we fill up every year at Christmas time or Easter time.

Our walk with the Lord isn’t even the weekly gathering that we have here each Sunday.

Our relationship with God is a daily thing that continues just like our heart continues to beat and just like we continue to breathe in and out endlessly throughout our lives.

If you remember the last time we were together in Hebrews chapter 12 we were talking about how we are motivated by those who have gone in the faith before us and that they are an inspiration to us, and, that there are things that Christians go through, disciplines—if you will—that remind us that those disciplines come not from a vengeful angry God but from a loving father who disciplines us for our own good.

But those disciplines can weigh us down if we don’t remember that God can very well be behind them teaching us and loving us.

So the writer of Hebrews continues encouraging his or her audience with verse 12-17

Hebrews 12:12-17

We face many troubles every day.

We all deal with trouble and remember that just because we have trouble does not mean that God has abandoned us, or that we did something wrong.

It could mean that, we could be suffering from consequences from sin but that isn’t what I am talking about today.

But the writer says that Christians have duties to preform in encouraging one another.

We talk about how these Hebrews wanted to give up, but that they should not give up, they shouldn’t want to “go back to Egypt” where even though they were slaves, at least they ate.

So they are encouraged to have faith and to help one another out.

Verse 14 talks about striving for peace and for holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Peace is one of those things that can be difficult to figure out.

It is two things actually:

Peace is as William Barclay puts it, “everything which makes for a persons highest good found only in obedience to God.

It doesn’t always mean the best things are happening in your life, it means that in complete obedience of God will you find the highest happiness.”

And so peace is a contentment that comes from living a life that is committed to holiness and pleasing to the Lord.

The other part of peace is the right relationship between people.

Do you find that there is a difference when you are spending time with people you really get along with verses people that you don’t really get along with?

You know what that feels like right?

Especially with the Holiday season that we are in right now; some of you probably spent some time with folks who you don’t necessarily share a peaceful relationship with.

That makes it hard.

And people don’t thrive when they are forced to be with people that they don’t share peace with.

So when we look at the church, this gathering of Christ followers we understand how important peace is and the writer of Hebrews comes right out and talks about it.

Pursue peace!

Strive for it.

Look for ways to cultivate peace.

The word in that verse is dioko and it means to move rapidly and decisively toward something.

There is a saying keeping the peace.

The problem is that you don’t just try and keep it, it sounds like trying to keep all those plates spinning on those sticks.

No, this word means to go after it, strive for it, work for it.

Too many of us don’t realize that making peace is an effort.

It is supposed to be an effort.

Many times when people don’t get along they don’t want to get along.

Pride gets in the way and we don’t want to get along.

But Christ followers are required to pursue peace.

They are called to go after it, to strive for it.

Because peace does not come naturally, it just doesn’t.

As a matter of fact, especially when it comes to Christians peace can be really difficult.

Even though we are reminded over and over about how important peace between Christians is so important.

The devil, our enemy wants to disrupt our peace, he is a roaring lion and doesn’t want peace between us as Christians.

How do we make peace?

How do we pursue peace?

And it seems like it is important because the second part of that verse says that if we don’t strive for it along with holiness that we won’t see the Lord.

Living in Peace is part of what it means to be a Christian.

It isn’t something that is given to us but it is something that we make happen.

We don’t always get our way and we have to live with that.

We have to understand that there are times when our focus has to be on others instead of ourselves.

When we put others above ourselves peace is the result.

And listen, this isn’t just for church leadership, this isn’t just for pastors and people up front.

It is the responsibility for every Christian to have some responsibility for their brothers and sisters in Jesus.

It isn’t just my job to bring this peace by discouraging behavior that isn’t Christ like.

That can be the job of every Christian, should be the job of every Christian.

It is the responsibility of every Christian to lovingly, to warmly encourage those who are not doing what they are supposed to.

To bring peace, to pray for, to provide support and fellowship.

To show loving encouragement along with loving correction.

Because if people in the congregation do not live in peace then the root of bitterness has a chance to grow to cause trouble like the rest of verse 15 talks about.

Last winter I was in the basement and for some reason I happened to look up and see a plant growing in the rafters of my basement.

I was amazed since we have no plants in our basement.

I started looking around and noticed that there was a vince that was growing from the outside of my house, growing along the siding and finally in between the sill plate of the foundation.

I was amazed.

I couldn’t believe that this vine was able to get into my house.

It wasn’t like there were any holes or anything.

I wormed its way into the basement.

How do we pursue peace?

We don’t always get our way and we have to live with that.

We have to understand that there is

I yanked on it and pulled it out from the outside and even tried to pull up on it from the ground to get it out.

I remember getting a pretty good chunk of the root but couldn’t believe that this thing was able to get in the house.

Rachel told me, you better get a shovel and get that thing out of there.

I promptly grabbed my gloves and figured that I could pull that thing up.

After all, I could just get the vine at the base and pull it up and the root would come with it.

Halfway through the summer I noticed it again, there it was, growing along the side of the house again.

So I tried to pull it out again and I know that I got some root that was underground.

No such luck.

Halfway through the summer I noticed it again, there it was, growing up through the roses again.

So I tried to pull it out again and I know that I got some root that was underground.

In the fall, I noticed that stinking wild vine still growing up.

I ended up having to get a shovel and dig that thing out all the way to the root.

The root was thick and strong and it went deep.

Even though I was able to break the plant off even below the surface that root would continue to produce more vines.

If there aren’t pursuers, strivers for peace then there is a root that has a chance to take hold and grow it’s branches up to hinder the people in the church.

If peace isn’t obtained, then the root of bitterness can destroy a church.

It can destroy a group of people.

And that root can be one person who was never encouraged in love to do the right thing.

That root could be that one person who was never told the truth about a particular behavior or was told that maybe they were being selfish and that they need to be part of pursuing peace.

And so the writer backs this up with the story of Esau in Genesis.

Again, every Jew would have been very familiar with this story from their history.

The story comes from There were twins, Jacob and Esau.

Esau was born first which meant that he would have been the elder and would have received the inheritance of a first son which would have been a double portion.

Esau did something very foolish and is looked at as one who only goes after what he wants at the moment.

Esau was a hunter and went out to hunt game.

Apparently he didn’t do so well with the hunt and came back and found his brother cooking a meal for which he wanted for himself.

He asked Jacob, the younger twin for his meal.

Jacob responds.

Genesis 25:31-

Esau is looked at by the Jews as one who cares only for base needs.