How God Sanctifies Us (Hebrews 12:3-11, Jeff Kliewer)

The Battle Between the World’s Lie and God’s Truth

All of the things that God has done, we are new creations. One of the threads that I'd like to use at the beginning here is the battle that's going on between the world's message and truth. We're inundated continually with a message from the world that would have us believe a lie, but we know that God has given us the truth and we know that God gives us the grace and we know that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can discern truth from lie.

It says in John 1, verse 4, in him was life and the life was the light of men. Christ came ordained from before the foundation of the world because before the foundation of the world, God knew that man would need redemption.

He came and he came as that life, which we also desperately need, but in his coming, he also gives us light. Light is that thing that allows us to see and to perceive the world, is inundating us and leaving us in darkness, but in Christ is life and life is the light of the world.

During the week, we encounter God in many different ways. We might spend time in the scripture and in prayer, but the intent is to intentionally put ourselves in the light and we come here together this morning to worship and to hear God's word proclaimed and I pray that within our very hearts, we're surrendering to who he is because we need his light.

We need him to show us. So we're gathering together to learn about him and to develop in our relationship with him. So I'd like us to take just a moment in the quiet of our own hearts, bow your heads and ask, Lord God, show me your truth.

I need your light. I want to see you this morning. Let's just pray. Lord, your truth is so precious, your grace on us and the power of your Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of our hearts this very morning, we pray in Jesus name, amen.

Baptism, Love Life, Prayer, and Upcoming Ministries

So activities that are going on, September has been a powerful month, October is going to continue. I just want to highlight a couple of things to put on your radar screen. For various reasons, the baptism, which we had hoped for back in September, is now moved into later October.

If you have a desire towards baptism, we would love to talk to you and help you be prepared to be part of this baptism celebration. If this is something that is of interest to you, please talk to Pastor Jeff, talk to myself, one of the elders, and we'd like to work with you and help you as you desire to be baptized.

That will be late October. The second Saturday of October, we will continue with our Love Life ministry. We were given an insight on how this Love Life ministry is so impactful. There are children who are not yet born, who may never see the light of day because of the evils of abortion.

So we go to the Cherry Hill Women's Center and we stand and we pray for those people. Come to be part of it. What time does it start? 9 o 'clock and meeting at the Cherry Hill Women's Center. If you have interest and want more information on it, you can see Jeff, myself, or Jonathan Leonard and we'll give you insights on that.

Come back this evening at 6 o 'clock for our time of prayer and also there are multitudes of opportunities to hear God's word, to grow in God's word, to be discipled in God's word. Women's studies, men's studies, small group studies, please take part in them.

You can go on to our website or Pastor Jeff's weekly Pastorgram also highlights those various schedules. Looking a little bit out in the future, the men are planning a retreat in November. It will be the second weekend.

It's a Friday to Sunday, the 12th to the 14th. It's up in the Poconos. Pocono Mountain Bible Camp is where it's at. It's a great time of growth. Signing up is an important thing and quite frankly, the earlier you sign up, the less the fee is for signing up as time progresses.

John Detoli is the best point of contact, but again, if you're interested and you can't find Jeff, contact either Jeff or myself. So let's turn to prayer. Father, as we're together this morning, we know that your truth sets us free.

We know that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and this very, very message of good news has come to proclaim to us and we know that your Holy Spirit teaches us and guides us.

Lord, we continue to hold up those in our midst who are grieving recent loss. Help us, Lord, to minister to them and many in our congregation who are still suffering for their continued healing. Lord, we pray for this woke versus woke free dialogue that's going on in our churches.

I pray, Lord, for pastors who will stand firm on the truth of God. We hold your word and we desire your word. We desire your truth. This morning, Lord, as Pastor Jeff opens Hebrews chapter 12, we understand the discipline of God and who he loves, who he loves, he disciplines and we need, Lord, to be cleansed of those things that are holding us captive.

We pray, Lord, in all these things. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.

The King of Glory and the Hope of Christ’s Return

This is Psalm 24. Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts. He is the King of glory. Pray for the day, Lord God, when you will return in glory, Lord God, when the stars in the sky will be dimmed and your glory will be the only glory that will touch down on the Mount of Olives and it will split to the north and the south and create a valley of decision, Lord God, and you will cross the Kidron Valley and you will enter.

And it says that all the hills will be brought low around Jerusalem and Jerusalem will be lifted up as a plane. Everyone looking at the city will look up to Jerusalem. We just look forward to that day when we are with you.

Who is this King of glory that pursues me with his love and haunts me with each of his softly spoken words? My conscience a reminder. Who is this King who offers it to me? Who is this King of glory? Oh, bless the prince of peace of heaven and all its mystery.

For his grace in which to stand. Who is this King of glory? Son of God and Son of the Lord. Precious Jesus. King of strength and gracious King.

Grace, Mercy, and the Need for Spiritual Meat

Your sins, they were many. Your mercy is more. We thank you so much for the mercy you have given us. We recognize that we are beggars with empty hands. We brought nothing to you. And yet you gave us salvation.

It is all of grace. Not by work so that no one may boast. We thank you, Father, for the salvation we have in Christ. And we confess this morning. It is all by mercy and not by anything in us. Nothing that we deserve.

We pray, Lord, as we look into your word this morning. That you would train us in godliness. Father, in Hebrews 5, there is a rebuke. To those who are living on milk only. And never able to receive the meat of the word.

Lord, this morning we pray that you would help us. With meat from your word. Help us to chew and digest and receive. Things that require effort and require attention. Help us to be sharpened in our thinking.

Let your spirit work in us. As the word is spoken to us. That we would comprehend. And that we would be sharpened by it. And strengthened. And even disciplined by your word. We thank you for your word.

For it is truth. We stand upon your word in Jesus' name. Amen. Karl Marx promoted a need-based theory of justice. He taught that justice was based upon human need. Not based upon what is earned. And so Karl Marx taught that we should take from the private property and the private person.

Of a population. Each from their own ability. And give to each according to need. That view of justice presumes that all people are entitled. It presumes that God owes to people. Of course in the atheistic communist system there is no God.

But the view of humanity is that people are owed and entitled many things. The view of justice that Marx held is resonant and consistent with what's being promoted by our government this week. There is a proposition by the government to take another 3 .5 trillion dollars.

From the taxpayer. And redistribute that money. According not to what people have earned. But according to what they need. It is a need-based theory of justice. Which they entitle redistributive justice.

Have you heard the term redistributive justice? The idea of taking forcibly from some. And redistributing that to others. They consider to be justice. Because they think justice is meeting needs. Rather than giving to people what they have earned or what belongs to them.

Inherently from God. Two very different views of justice. Turn with me to begin the sermon today. Just briefly in Romans chapter 3. Because contra the opinions of man. God tells us what is actually so.

Amen. In Romans 3. 23 to 26. We see God's view of justice. Romans 3 .23. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's the starting point. Humanity not as meritorious but in sin. And short of God's glory.

God owes humanity exactly this much. Nothing. Zero. God owes us nothing. All of us are the sinners. Who stand guilty before a holy God. Continuing on. And are justified by his grace. As a gift. So according to God.

Justice and a gift. Are two very different things. Salvation here is pictured not as something meritorious. Something that God owes us because we need it. How many people living on planet earth. Are without a need of salvation.

None. All of us need salvation. But it cannot be demanded of God. If God gives salvation to any. Which he does. It is by grace. And that word there in verse 24. Is very important. It's the opposite of something that you merit.

It is unmerited favor. It is as we see a gift. Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God put forward as a propitiation. It's a big theological word. By his blood. But a propitiation is a turning away of wrath.

So God justly. As a holy God. Has wrath towards sinners. But a propitiation is a sacrifice that God himself makes. Which satisfies that wrath. And of course this means that Christ has stepped into our place.

And died the death that we deserve. I was on a flight to Florida. On Thursday. To go see my parents. It was their 50th anniversary. So I was just down there for a day. But I got to talking to the lady next to me.

And she was Roman Catholic. But she didn't have an understanding of the gospel. And so I asked her. Well what does it mean. That Jesus died for our sins. And she said well for us. I said well what does it mean that he died for our sins.

And she didn't know. And so because of the Holy Spirit opening the door. I had the chance to tell her. What does it mean that he died for our sins. That brothers and sisters. Is the gospel. And the answer.

Is that he died as a propitiation. Meaning. He stepped into our place. And died the death that we deserve. He took into his body the wrath of the father. As a payment for our sins. The son interposed.

He stepped in. And he died the death that we deserve. That's what it means. He took the wrath of God. In our place. He died for our sins. As a substitute sacrifice. All we like sheep have gone astray.

But the Lord has laid on him. The iniquity of us all. Our sin was placed on him. And he died the death that we deserve. That's the meaning of the gospel itself. But read on. To be received by faith. Only those who believe.

This gospel. Are actually atoned for. This was to show. God's righteousness. Because in his divine forbearance. He had passed over former sins. Now look at verse 26. This is God's view of justice. It was to show his righteousness.

At the present time. So that. Which is a clause that gives us. Understanding of why. These things are happening. So that. He might be. Just. And the justifier. Of the one who has faith in Jesus. In other words.

If God had not propitiated our sin. If he just winked at our sin. If he just overlooked it. And pretended that it didn't happen. He would not be a just God. A just and holy God. Must punish sin. But we're sinners.

So that means he must punish us. He must. Kill us. And send us to hell. Because turn with me to Romans 6 .23. For the wages. Of sin is. Death. But the free gift. Of God. Is eternal life. In Christ Jesus.

Our Lord. So God is just. And he is the justifier. Of those who have faith. In the son of God. He's just because he does punish sin. He gives the sinner. What is owed to him. Only we now have a substitute.

Who took that for us. And God still punished sin. Only it fell on the shoulders of his only son. He is just. And we are justified. When we are united with him. Because see this is how it works. Through union with Christ.

The death he dies is on our behalf. And rising from the dead. We are justified. Being united with Christ. The punishment put on Christ. Counts for us. And. His resurrection life. Is our justification.

A lot of theology here. But it's actually simple gospel isn't it. Justice. Had to be served. If it hadn't been. God wouldn't be just. He gives to people what they have earned. And what do you earn if you work.

All day in the field. Wages. What is the wages of sin. Death. Justice is giving people. What they have earned. And that justice. Is very different from charity. Charity is grace. It's not something that you have earned.

It just comes from the unmerited favor. Of God toward us. Grace is very different from justice. Now. In our culture. These two categories. Of justice and grace. Have been conflated. And that has worked.

All manner of mischief in the land. Politically. We have a misunderstanding. Of what is just. People are owed. According to their need. Which of course requires taking. From others to give to them. And that of course is injustice.

And the conflating of these categories. Has not stayed out there. In the realm of politics. It's even crept in. To evangelical churches. So consider the words. Of Timothy Keller. Who I quote here. Unfavorably.

He says this. The haves have what they have. To a great degree. Because of unjust. Distributions. Of opportunities and resources. At birth. Who is the primary. Determiner of a person's. Opportunity and resource.

At birth. The country you're born in. The time in which you live. Who your parents are. All of these things are determined by God. And if Keller's theory is right. Then God himself. Is unjust. Continue on.

If we have the world's goods. They are ultimately a gift. If we were born in other circumstances. We could easily be very poor. Through no fault of our own. Certainly there's truth in that. But listen to this.

To fail to share. What you have. Is not just uncompassionate. But unfair. Unjust. Keller's making the argument. That people are owed. Or entitled. To have their needs met. And for someone not to do that.

Is an injustice. Towards them. He even says. If you do not actively. And generously share your resources. With the poor. You are a robber. Strong words. You are unjust. You see the error here. In Keller's thinking.

Is that justice and compassion. Overlap and conflate. To become essentially the same thing. And that is very dangerous. For the gospel itself. Because justice. Is giving people. What they have earned.

And compassion. Comes from the heart. It is charity. It is very different. From the category of justice. If you were to bring this thinking. Into the Christian life. You would assume. That God owes you.

Everything that you need. The truth is. God owes us. Nothing. The truth of the matter. Is that. We live in a culture. Which I would describe as an. Entitlement culture. Everybody is owed. But the bible doesn't present us that way.

Nor does it present the world in which we live. As being. Something to which. People are entitled. Their needs being met. In this culture. The health and wealth gospel. Has come into the church. And it certainly fills the stadiums.

Doesn't it? But it tells people. That God will only meet your needs. You can expect from God. Sunshine and roses. Remember the old song? It was written by Stan Vincent. Ooh child. Things are going to get easier.

Ooh child. Things will get brighter. As Christians we understand. There is coming a day. And Phil spoke of it this morning. As he was leading worship. There is coming a day in the eschaton. Where things will be easier.

Things will be brighter. But is that really the promise. For the Christian life here and now? Far from it. We should not expect. All sunshine and roses. We should expect. In this life there will be suffering.

But Christian. Hasn't. All of your sin. Been paid for on the cross. Haven't the demands of justice been met? Romans 8 .1. Says therefore. There is now. No condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus.

Now follow me here this is where it all comes together. Condemnation. Has to do with. Justice. The. Just desserts of our sin. The wages of our sin is death. That was fully paid for. On the cross. So Christian.

You should expect. No condemnation from God. There is no more wrath against your sin. There is no more anger towards you. All of that was paid for. In full on the cross. So why then do we suffer? The answer to that.

Is that discipline. Is different from. Condemnation. Most Christians don't get this. And because of that they're very confused. When suffering comes into their lives. When suffering. Comes into your life.

God is not punishing you. There is no condemnation for you. In Christ Jesus. It's fully paid for. But he is disciplining you. So we turn now to. Hebrews chapter 12. Where this teaching becomes explicit.

And it's understandable now. If we see the biblical world view. That all justice for our sin. Has been satisfied in Christ. And yet we suffer. Not for justice. But because of grace. Because we have. A loving father.

This is a passage about discipline. God as a loving father. Disciplining the children that. He loves. So let's read it. This is Hebrews 12 verses 3 to 11. If we understand this. We'll grow. There is generally a lack of maturity.

In the church. In America. And this is a piece of the puzzle. That's missing for most Christians. And it can stunt your growth as a Christian. Because what ends up happening is. When a bad thing happens.

A circumstance in life goes wrong. You begin to wonder if God even loves you. You begin to wonder. If God is punishing you. And some Christians. Turn hard towards God. And they stop growing. When in fact it's the love of the father.

That is bringing discipline into your life. In many cases. Let's read it. Hebrews 12. 3 through 11. Consider him who endured from sinners. Such hostility against himself. So that you may not grow weary.

Or faint hearted. In your struggle against sin. You have not yet resisted. To the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten. The exhortation that addresses you. As sons. My son. Do not regard lightly.

The discipline. Of the Lord. Nor be weary. When reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines. The one he loves. And chastises. Every son. Whom he receives. It is for discipline. That you have to endure. God is treating you as sons.

For what son is there. Whom his father does not discipline. If you are left without discipline. In which all have participated. Then you are illegitimate children. And not sons. Besides this. We have had earthly fathers.

Who disciplined us. And we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject. To the father of spirits. And live. For they disciplined us for a short time. As it seemed best to them. But he disciplines us for our good.

That we may share his holiness. For the moment. All discipline seems painful. Rather than pleasant. But later it yields. The peaceful fruit of righteousness. To those who have been trained. By it. The word of God here is given to us.

For our training. We are being trained this morning. Toward holiness. Toward righteousness. The time and the word that we are spending. Will make us more like God. This process of. Becoming like Christ.

Is called. Sanctification. And theologically. We need to understand. That it is very different from. Justification. Justification. Is a legal term. In Romans 3 through 6. We learn about justification.

By faith. Justification. Has to do with. Justice. That a sinner. Must be punished for his sin. And in Christ. Our punishment has been satisfied. And so God is satisfied. With us. Justification therefore.

Is final and finished. In the cross of Jesus Christ. It is finished. Justification is a legal declaration. God declares you innocent. You the sinner. Are already declared innocent. Through faith in Christ.

It is once and for all. That declaration. Has already been made. Therefore. There is now. No condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8. Justification is finished. Sanctification. Is a process.

It begins when you are born again. The spirit of God. Comes to live inside of you. You are given a new nature. The old things are gone. The new things have come. But there still remains in you. A sin nature.

A desire for things that are unpleasing to God. And habits. That you had from your former life. And we fall. And we sin. This process of sanctification. Is being conformed. In practice. To the likeness of God.

There fortunately. Is an end to this process. It comes. At the rapture of the church. Or at. The individual death of each Christian. In that moment you will be glorified. So glorification. Is when your sin nature itself.

Is taken away. And you are like him. In sinlessness for all eternity. You are no longer a sinner in heaven. So we have justification. Sanctification which is a legal declaration. Sanctification which is being made into the likeness of God.

And then finally glorification. When you no longer sin. This passage here is about. Sanctification. That's what we need to understand. Look at verses 3 and 4. This is the first key. To being sanctified.

How do we get sanctified? How does God sanctify. People like us. The first thing. He sanctifies. By our looking. At Jesus. It's kind of counterintuitive. You wouldn't have expected that right. You get sanctified by looking.

It says. In 2nd Corinthians 3. 18. We all with unveiled faces. Beholding. Beholding means looking. The glory of the Lord. Are being transformed. Into the same image. From one degree of glory. To another.

This comes from the Lord who is the spirit. So by looking at Jesus. You start to look like Jesus. I was at a soccer game yesterday. And. My look alike showed up. Somebody who looked a lot like me. And people were marveling.

They look exactly like. They even put sunglasses on me. To look like his sunglasses. And we took a picture together. It was a lot of fun. I kind of felt bad for him. That he was being told. That he looks just like me.

No just kidding. But we enjoyed the moment. It was funny. But no matter how much I look at him. If I just stared him in the eyes. And he stared at me. We would no more become. More and more look alikes.

Than we already were right. Looking at somebody. Doesn't make you look like them. But supernaturally. In the spiritual world. You need to understand this. The degree to which you look at Jesus. Is the degree to which you become like him.

Looking at him. Makes you look like him. Let's see this. Verses 3 and 4. And remember we already talked about this last week. Verse 2. Looking to Jesus. The author and finisher of our faith. This is the key to the Christian life.

Is staying Jesus centered in everything. Now we're told. Consider him. Well how do I look at someone. Who's invisible. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father. And we're being sanctified by looking at him.

But to us now he's invisible. Not fully so. The word was made flesh. And dwelt among us. And now we have the written word. Which reveals the son. It shows us what he's like. So how do you consider him.

By reading. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And you see him on those pages. And when you're done reading Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You know what you do. You read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John again. And the rest of the scriptures.

And you see Christ on every page. Of this book. From Genesis. To Revelation. He's there. You keep seeing him. You consider him. What does it mean to consider. It's not just a passing thought. You train your mind.

You discipline your mind. To think about him. And in what way do we think of him. In verses 3 and 4. Who endured from sinners. Such hostility against himself. You think about him. Crucified. You think about him.

Rejected. So that you may not grow weary. Or faint hearted. You see in the Christian walk. As soon as bad things start happening. Which eventually they will. Many Christians grow. Weary and faint hearted.

That's the natural response. You were not told to walk. The race. In verse 2 you were told to. Run. Verse 1. Let us run with endurance. Anybody here a runner? Before you. Finish your run. Your legs start getting heavy.

Your lungs are heaving. It starts to hurt. The race of life is not a walk in the park. It is a run. And it includes pain. And so you become weary. And faint hearted. And many people have given up in the race.

Because it is hard. But what we are being told here. As you look at Jesus. He supernaturally strengthens you. In your struggle against sin. You have not yet resisted. To the point of shedding your blood.

Look at Jesus. He did. He was tempted in the garden. The devil came. And tried to convince him. To not go the way of the cross. Try to find another way. But resisting that temptation. He set his heart and his mind.

To do the father's will. And to drink the cup in full. And so in the garden. Struggling against temptation. In love for us. He began to sweat. And not just beads. That I feel sweat on my forehead. As I preach.

Jesus. As he served us. Began to sweat. In sweat. Drops of blood. The capillaries in his skin. Began to burst. As his heart pounded. In the anxiety of what was happening to him. Lay on his shoulders. And yet he did not stop.

He suffered in our place. And then going forward. He took the cross on his shoulders. And he died the death that we deserve. As we think about this. As we daily remember. What Christ has done on the cross.

We become like him. That's the first thing. There's two more. Keep following along. Verses five through eight. The second thing. Not only do we have to look at the son. We need to understand that God treats us.

As sons. Have you forgotten the exhortation. That addresses you. As sons. My son. Quoting from Proverbs three. Eleven and twelve. Do not regard lightly. The discipline of the Lord. To regard lightly. Means to not think much about it.

It means to not really. Have thought about it at all. Maybe coming in this morning. You've wondered why do. Painful things come into my life. Why is it so hard. To be a Christian. Don't regard lightly.

The reason that we have here. Nor be weary when. Reproved by him. Of course the answer here is that. God is disciplining us. It says for the Lord disciplines. The one he loves and chastises. Every son whom he receives.

Because God loves you. He disciplines you. It is for discipline. That you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there. Whom his father does not discipline. If you're left without discipline.

In which all have participated. Meaning all of us who are Christians. We all endure these things. Then you are illegitimate children. And not sons. Consider the life of King David. Did God love David?

He called him a man. After his own heart. There was a special connection. Between God and David. In fact in the entire of the Old Testament. You see a special affection. Toward David. From God. So the answer to that question is obvious.

Does God love David? Yes he loved David. But David. As he grew older. And he saw his kingdom expand. And the military was strong. And they conquered every foe. And he remembered how he killed Goliath.

And took his sword. And chopped the giant's head off. And he remembered how he ran from Saul. But eventually took the throne. Guess what happened to David. In his flesh. He started to puff up a little bit.

He grew proud. He became somewhat arrogant. And that arrogance. Began to grow like that sin. We see in Hebrews 1. I mean 12. The sin that so easily entangles. I don't think David even saw it coming. It was just kind of creeping up his legs.

And body. Before long he was puffed up and prideful. So what does a loving father do. When he sees the sin of pride. In his son. He sends a prophet to him. And he makes him choose. Between three very painful options.

Not wanting to fall into the hands of the enemy. Or into any human hand. David chooses. Discipline. And that discipline. That he was offered. Was a plague that comes over Israel. And David suffered mightily.

Seeing people that he cared about. Begin to get sick. And before long. 70 ,000 Israelites. Were dead. And David. Was on his face before God. Pleading with God. No longer puffed up. In pride. But saying Lord.

They're not the ones that sin. The sheep are not the ones that sin. Lord put the punishment on me. Punish me Lord. And now. David began to look like the son of God. A good shepherd to the sheep. Willing to lay down his life.

For the sheep. Now David looked like Jesus. And God was pleased. In his son. David. You see. Discipline. Does not mean that God is angry at you. It means he loves you. And if you continue with the story.

Many people miss this. Because it goes on to the next book. But I think the theme continues. From 2 Samuel 24. Into 1 Kings chapter 1. Go with me here. Just for 6 verses. 1 Kings chapter 1. We've just seen the discipline of God.

Over David's life. But I find these first few verses fascinating. About David as a father. We were just told in Hebrews. We've all had human fathers. Who discipline us. We respect them for it. Let's see David as a father.

1 Kings 1. 1 to 6. Now King David was old. And advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes. He could not get warm. Therefore his servant said to him. Let a young woman be sought. For my lord the king.

And let her wait on the king. And be in his service. Let her lie in your arms. That my lord the king may be warm. So they sought a beautiful young woman. Throughout all the territory of Israel. And found Abishag the Shunamite.

Because of her profession. At this moment. This is why I call her Abishag the heating pad. They brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful. And she was of service to the king. And attended to him.

But the king knew her not. So this is not sexual. There's no immorality here. She's just there to warm him up in the bed. Notice what it says though. The king is about to die. He's gotten very old. Abishag the heating pad is taking care of him.

But where is his son? Not praying for his dad. Look at what his son is doing. Verse 5. Adonijah the son of Haggith. That's the mom. Exalted himself saying. I will be king. And he prepared for himself.

Chariots and horsemen. And 50 men to run before him. Now look at this comment in verse 6. This is where I'm going. His father. Had never. At any time. Displeased him by asking. Why have you done thus and so?

He was also a very handsome man. And he was born next. After Absalom. Why was Adonijah. Such a selfish man. So entitled. All he wanted was the throne. No concern for his father. No selflessness. No prayer.

No intercession. What went wrong? In Adonijah's life. The answer is in verse 6. His father had never at any time. Displeased him by asking him. Why have you done thus and so? This was an undisciplined son.

David had not been a good father to him. He had spared the rod and. Spoiled. The child. And this kid grew up entitled. And lived it out. In that way. Besides he was a handsome man. Which some of you have that struggle.

That it just kind of goes to your head. He was a handsome man. And born next after Absalom. So he was after the throne. Absalom had kind of disqualified himself. And now Adonijah. I think he was dead at this point.

But Adonijah was looking for the throne. That brings us back to Hebrews 12. And it all ties together. Let's go. Discipline. Discipline. You don't have a father like King David. King David had too many wives.