Jesus' Example

Faith and Faithfulness Are Better Than Refusing and Rejecting (11:1-13:25)

This is one of the great themes of the New Covenant—shifting believers from following laws and rules to following the Person of Jesus Christ.

Follow Jesus' Example of Concentrating on Fulfillment (1-2)

The author admonished his audience to lay aside the sin that so easily entrapped—unbelief—and to endure as Jesus endured, concentrating on the joy He experienced when He finally inherited His promises. The secret to endurance is found in Jesus’ example: set your heart on the joy you will experience at fulfillment (1-2).

Follow Jesus' Example of Perspective on Discipline (3-6)

The author called on us to consider how Jesus was treated: He was executed. The author wanted his audience to get a bit of perspective, for no one had had to endure anything like Jesus did, and all for the sins of others (3-4). He then quoted Proverbs 3:11-12 and told readers to see all trials like Jesus saw them—as a sign of God’s love and a means for Him to mature His followers as sons and daughters (5-6).

Follow Jesus' Example of Receiving Discipline as Being Fathered by God (7-11)

The author, for just a moment, contrasted earthly parents' discipline with that of God’s, observing that an earthly father who disciplined did so because of his love for his son (7), and his discipline demonstrated the legitimacy of their relationship (8). Earthly fathers discipline for what they hope would end up being best for their sons. The Father of all mankind disciplines us so we may not become too attached to this world of lust, but share in His holy nature, being at peace and prospering because of the godly, righteous character He is forming in our lives (9-11).

Follow Jesus’ Example of Renewing Hope (12-13)

The author called them, as Jesus did, to renew their hope regarding tough times, receiving them as moments of discipline to mature us into God’s intended purpose. As we grasp the benefits of trials and see them as God’s discipline/training, then we find our walk strong and straight and our perspective healed and filled with hope for our future (12-13).

Follow Jesus’ Example of Not Sinning (15-17)

We come now to the seventh warning, where the author bid the audience not to allow tough times to lead them into one of three, or all three, sins in the way of Esau. When Esau encountered tough times, instead of allowing them to mature him, he allowed them to make him even more sinful. He failed to obtain grace but rather became bitter, sexually immoral, and greedy (selling his birthright for a meal). His rejection of grace and embracing of unbelief led Esau to sell out for sin; when he tried to repent and return, he was rejected, having despised the blessing and loving his appetite more (Genesis 25) (15-17). This is the question of the ages: will we exchange future blessing for temporary relief from distress?

Follow Jesus’ Example of Living Before Zion (18-24)

To reject the grace of God is not merely to relieve pain through the comfort of sins. To reject grace is to reject the complete Kingdom of grace invisible yet surrounding us. The New Covenant reign of Christ is nothing like life under the Old Covenant. We have not come to a mountain burning with fire (18) (Deuteronomy 4:11-15), but to Zion, a city of:

• Heaven descent

• Heavenly Jerusalem

• Innumerable angels

• Festival gathering

• Assembly of the firstborn

• Heaven citizens

• God the Judge

• Righteous men’s spirits now made complete

• Jesus the Mediator

• Sprinkled blood (19-24)

These 10 descriptions of what we have come to and what is descending upon us out of God’s world are to strengthen our weak knees and make our paths straight (12-13) so we will not be put out of joint by easing our pain with Esau’s type of sin (15-16). In essence, the author was saying that Christ’s followers were surrounded by grace (22-24). To endure the trials of life, we are to picture, as Jesus did, the momentary trials as loving discipline from a Father who loves us and has surrounded us with a mountain of grace and support.

Follow Jesus’ Example of Worship (25-29)

We come now to the eighth and final warning, not to refuse the One who was speaking now—Jesus. Israel did not escape, and neither will we if we reject the Voice coming from Heaven (25). The writer then gave us insight into the future when God would once again bring us fully into the New Covenant reality by shaking the earth and the heavens; the veil between the two would be removed so the New Heaven and New Earth could become what they were originally designed to be—one (26-27). He called on readers in the meantime, while waiting, to offer to God worship with reverence and awe (28), treating Him like the purifying Father He was (29).