Do you want to see Jesus? – Hebrews 12:14-17

As Christians, we observe that it is God’s will for us to live at peace with all men, which is an indication of whether or not we are at peace with God.

 

I. Our Pursuit: “Follow Peace”

 

A) Definition of Peace:

1. Peace is never a negative word; it always is an intensely positive word.
2. It is more than just freedom from trouble or adversity.
   1. It contains everything which makes for man’s highest good – highest welfare that a man could enjoy or a statement of contentment.
   2. It also means a right relationship (this is for a Christian) – it is a state in which hatred is banished and when each person seeks nothing but his neighbour’s highest good – it means the bond of love, forgiveness and service which ought to bind men together.

 B) The Affects of Peace:

1. Peace is more than just the absence of dissension and quarrelling in the body of Christ or amongst other people.
2. Peace involves the security of the dedicated and cleansed life.
3. Peace involves surrendering of the heart to God.
4. Peace affects the world in which it rests in.
5. Peace filters down throughout society and changes the world in which we live.
6. Peace involves loving God and loving your neighbour (seeking the other person’s highest good).
7. Peace involves living above sin
8. Peace involves keeping God’s commandments

C) A Desire for Peace:

1. “Follow” – literally to “pursue”; “to make every effort”
2. This pursuit of peace also indicates that a person will go far to obtain it.
3.  “Follow” – (present active imperative, pl) this is not a suggestion that God is giving, but a command to presently follow peace with all men.

D) Peace with “all men”

1. Anything should be sacrificed for peace! è The Christian seeks peace with all alike, but he seeks holiness also, and this cannot be sacrificed.
2. With your enemies:
   1. The context of the call to “follow peace” is specifically referring to our enemies.
   2. Historical Note: During this time, the Jewish Christians were suffering heavily from persecutions.  It is from this that we see that the command to “follow or pursue peace” is primarily dealing with our relationships with our enemies.
   3. Illustration: Joram sent a rider ahead to meet Jehu with a question “Is it peace.”  The rider approached and asked the question, but was told simply to join the army.  Then the king rode out and asked the question again and got his reply: “How can we be at peace when you are ruling” and he died.
   4. Illustration: Peace is better than war, because in peace the sons bury their fathers, but in war the fathers bury their sons.
   5. Our enemies today – we are not being persecuted like the Hebrews were – but are we “pursuing peace with those people who do not like us?”  God didn’t just say “pursue peace with those who like you,” but with all men.
3. With your Family:
   1. Illustration: Joseph and His brothers
   2. God commands peace in the families – He urges wives to be submissive their husbands; husbands to love their wives; children to obey their parents.
4. With your Friends/Church
   1. Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
   2. “lest any fail from the grace of God” (v.15)
5. With God

 

E) Things that hamper peace:

1. Often the little things in life cause a great hindrance to peace.
2. Illustration: “In matters of taste swim with the current; in matters of principle stand like a rock” (Thomas Jefferson)
3. Unconfessed Sin prevents peace – a disruption in a relationship can be because there is unconfessed sin in one of the individual’s hearts.
4. Hatred hampers peace – Matthew 5:22
5. Unforgiveness prevents peace – Jacob and Esau – all over some soup

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God!”

 

II. Our Pursuit: “and holiness”

 

A) The Object of our Pursuit:

1.      Instead of seeking revenge on someone – our aim should be to be holy (to be at peace with men and God)

2.      The greatest purpose in a believer’s life should be to be holy.

3.      Holiness is the means by which we can live at peace with “all men” è Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

4.      Holiness is that life of purity and detachment from the world and all its lusts, without “which no man shall see the Lord.”

5.      What are some elements that are involved in holiness?

a.    Living above sin – no sin will enter heaven! = Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

b.    Walking in the light – if we are refusing to obey God and his word we will not enter heaven! = 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

c.    Surrender – we must allow God to guide us and respond to His course corrections in our lives.

 

B) The Reason for our Pursuit:

1. “To see the Lord” – is to enjoy Him – and without holiness this is impossible.
2. To see the Lord has been interpreted in three ways:
   1. To see God now (to experience His fullness and nearness)
   2. To worship God acceptably  (to experience His smile of approval)
   3. To stand uncondemned at the Second Coming
   4. In a real sense all three can be applied in the Christian’s life pursuit of holiness and peace.
3. We are pursing peace with all men and holiness because we have the goal of heaven in view.
4. Illustration: In the east, none but favourites are admitted in to see the King (2 Samuel 14:24 – Absalom) – Remember Queen Esther!
5. Application: Just as the kings of old, required that no filth should contaminate their throne room, so God has requirements of His followers – Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

 C) The Accomplishment of this Pursuit: (Hebrews 12:1-13)

1. Laying aside hindrances – “especially the sin which so easily ensnares us.” (v.1)
   1. Some of these things that hamper us may be legitimate practices, but if the hamper our Christian race – we must cast them off.
   2. In order to pursue holiness (and peace) – we must be living a careful Christian life (there is no such thing as a careless Christian – or at least their shouldn’t be!)
2. Allowing God to chasten us – “for whom the Lord loveth, he chaseneth” (corrects)

 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God!”

 

III. Our Purpose: “For peace and Holiness”

 

A) The Manner of our Peace and Holiness:

1. “Looking diligently” – lit. watching carefully; looking over and over again, being constantly on your guard.
2. This phrase also suggests that it is not just an individual’s response, but a community endeavour to “look diligently” – looking out for each other.
3. The reason for looking diligently is that we live in a fallen world.

 

B) The Reason for following peace and Holiness:

1. Three reasons are given in v.15-17 for making every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy.
2. “Lest any man fail of the grace of God” –We follow peace with all men and holiness – so that we don’t miss the grace of God or fail in our relationship with Him.
3. “Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you”
   1. Bitterness – the origin of this word is associated with poison. (Deut. 29:18)
   2. This warning about why we should follow peace with all men and holiness – is important because if we stumble and allow bitterness to get a hold of us – it will affect those around us – “lest many be defiled.”
   3. “Springing up” – suggests quick germination – bitterness destroys lives.
   4. Bitterness results when we are not following peace with all men (and obviously not holiness either).
4. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person”
   1. “Fornication” – religious infidelity; a spiritual lapse from the truth of God.
   2. “Profane” – godless – the opposite of being holy.
   3. Illustration: Esau should this lack in treating so lightly his birth right with its religious importance and disregarding his parents.
   4. “Rejected” – he was disqualified
   5. We are urged to follow peace with all men and holiness, lest we become indifferent to the Gospel, after which we would be rejected by God.

 

Let’s be determined to “follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”