Lift up the Hands that Hang Down
Hebrews 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”
This has to do with the race we are called to finish for the Lord.
God never intends that we go through life miserable.
It is true that we are in a battle with sin, self, and the Adversary, but it should always be a path of Light.
In this part of Hebrews, the writer has just told of heroes of faith (Hebrews 11).
Not just how they had faith….but how they used their faith.
And he calls all who have faith now, to:
Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
In every race, it is those who lay aside every weight, who will win.
You can not be weighed down, and run well.
This race is not a sprint….but a long distance race; it is the race that compasses our lives.
Weights are those things which we carry, which are unnecessary to our walk with the Lord. In fact, they hinder it.
These can be habits we have picked up, which need to be put aside;
or acquaintance which we have let get an advantage over us;
or ideas from the world which sound right, but are not.
These weights interfere with our race; and hinder our faith’s growth.
We can still run; but with difficulty….and perhaps a fall.
So, the writer says, you need to “lay aside” these; and run with patience the race that is set before us, by the Lord.
A good way to start this is:
Hebrews 12: 2-3 “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 down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him that endured such contradictions of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
We are to look to Jesus: look at His example, and look at the reason He went to the cross.
Jesus Christ our Lord came from His glory, into humiliation for us; that we might have His life and peace.
We are His joy, and satisfaction.
(Isaiah 53:11 “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.”)
It was not just His suffering in death, but the “contradiction of sinners”.
That was in the unbelief of the people he came to;
the anger of the chief priests and Pharisees, who refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority;…..
…..and in the face of so many proofs, rejected Him and sought to make others refuse Him as well.
Yet Christ Jesus went to the cross to die and save all who would come unto Him.
He ran the race His Father placed before Him, that He might have us with Him for all eternity. Again, we are His joy.
The writer also goes on to say that we should be prepared to be corrected, if you wander from the path of life.
Your Heavenly Father loves you, and seeks to keep you safe.
The further you are from Jesus; the further out of His Light and Love you go; the more in the dark we are.
This is not what Jesus has for us.
Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
“Them that are exercised thereby” are the people who really want to learn.
(A group of people are all training for a big game.
The trainer is working hard with all of them, in order for them to win.
But he will take extra time with those who get bruises, or sore feet, or are failures at first; and still get up and want more of the training, so they can get it right. These are those that are “exercised thereby”.)
When we have seen the value of the life the Lord gives us, and we come to the place where we need correcting (and we all do)…..yet if we go on with Jesus, and learn; we will bare the fruit of righteousness within ourselves….because we stayed with Him.
So in Spiritual Life:
Our Trainer is the Holy Spirit He is come to us to guide us in the Lord’s Way, in grace.
But we are often slow learners; or frightened; or we want to do it another way.
But the Holy Spirit does not give up on us; but rather seeks to point us to Christ; and keeps working in us. (Philippians 2:13)
He tells us: don’t give up, do not get discouraged; but go on with Him.
Hebrew 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”
Lift up the hands which hang down in fear or tiredness.
Strengthen the knees which want to just sit down, and forget it.
Make your paths straight, by:
Trusting in the Lord.
Listening to Him.
And holding on to His love.
He is always with us, let us stay with Him.
Ask for these to be shown to you; and be prepared to be strengthened by His Holy Spirit, in peace and joy.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 