Hebrews 12 - The Runners Discipline

Group Discussion: Why is perseverance usually not at the top of the list of the qualities we most admire in people?

Personal Reflection: What are your faith-race goals?


Questions:

1. What hinderances and entanglements get in the way of your Christian faith race (verse 1)? Why?
2. Up to this point in the letter, how has the writer encouraged perseverance by pointing to Jesus.
3. What value is it to keep your eyes on Jesus (vv. 2-3)
4. What discipline of the Hebrews do you think the writer alludes to (vv. 3-4, 7; 11:35-38)?
5. How do the values of God's discipline cited here help us to respond positively to discipline (vv. 10-12)
6. How have you been able to "strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees" when under discipline (v. 12)?
7. Identify the writer's specific instrucitons in verses 14-17/
8. How could you identify a "bitter root" or a godless Esau" in your life. ( vv. 15-16)
9. What encouragement do you find in verses 18-24 to run the faith race with perseverance?
10. We've all been tempted to drop our of the race. Whay would the warning of 25-29 cause us to reconsider?
11. In what way does your worship reflect ( or fail to reflect) the fact that God is a "consuming fire". (v.29)