HE ENDURED SUCH CONTRADICTION OF SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF
HEBREWS 12:1-4
Key verse: v. 3, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
Introduction:
When you become faint and discouraged by persecution and difficulties, CONSIDER what Christ SUFFERED from sinners.
UNDERSTANDING THE LORD JESUS is the KEY to the our whole problem.
Understand Jesus is the CURE for our doubt and hesitation.
CONSIDER Jesus by way of comparison with yourselves. We need to ATTENTIVELY REFLECT ON HIS EXAMPLE, that we may be ABLE to bear up to our trials in a manner pleasing to the Father.
I. CONSIDER HOW SINNERS SPOKE AGAINST HIS PERSON
A. They DENIED his DEITY, Acts 3:13, “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.”
1. Isn’t this the CARPENTER? Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”
2. The Jews REJECTED Him, John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
II. CONSIDER HOW SINNERS SPOKE AGAINST HIS OFFICES
A. They spoke against his sonship, Matthew 26:63, “But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.”
B. They MOCKED him as a King, Matthew 27:29, “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”
C. They DERIDED him as a prophet, John 7:52, “They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”
D. They treated him with the utmost CONTEMPT and DISHONOR, John 5:22-23, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”
1. As a Priest, Hebrews 5:10, “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.”
2. As a Savior, Acts 5:30-31, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
III. CONSIDER HOW SINNERS SPOKE AGAINST HIS ACTIONS
A. Against His WORKS OF MERCY to the bodies of men, WHEN it was DONE on the SABBATH, John 5:16, “And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.”
B. Against His EATING and CONVERSING with SINNERS for the good of their souls, AS IF he was an ENCOURAGER of them in SIN, Luke 15:1, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”
C. Against His MIRACLES, as if they were done by the help of the devil, Matthew 12:24, “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.”
IV. CONSIDER JESUS’ DETERMINATION TO DO THE FATHER’S WILL
A. It was PROPHESIED that Jesus came to do the God’s will, Psalms 40:7-8, “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
B. Jesus dedicated Himself to do the Father’s will, John 5:30, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
1. Doing the FATHER’S WILL was FOOD for His soul, John 4:31-34, “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
2. Doing the Father’s will was the delight of His heart, Psalms 40:8, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
CONCLUSION
Understanding what the Lord went through to accomplish God’s will and to redeem us from our sins enables us to live how He lived. Without that understanding no Christian will be motivated to endure the difficulties of serving the Lord that died in our place on the Cross.
It can be our joy and it was His, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set dow at the right hannd of the throne of God.”