Sermon Notes from "Discipline for Our Good: The Father's Love for His Children." Sermon by Mitch Chase.

[Sunday before last, my family visited Kosmosdale Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. Here are my notes from the sermon that morning.]

Hebrews 12:4-13.

I. Observation (v. 4)
A. "You're not dead yet."
B. The "sin" mentioned is apostacy.
C. We are called to endure.

II. Quotation (vv. 5-6 xref. Prov 3:1-12)
A. Remembrance is crucial for endurance.
B. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." - Tertullian, 2nd c.
C. Rom 8:28.
D. God is not the Father of everyone (in the sense of covenantal love).

III. Interpretation (vv. 7-11)
A. "God is the perfect Father."
B. We should value God's fatherly favor above all else.
C. God's fatherly discipline lasts all our lives.
D. "God has never experienced any fatherly regret."
E. We must trust God is acting for our good, for our holiness.

IV. Application (vv. 12-13)
A. The "straight paths for [our] feet" will include great joy, but they may also include great suffering.
B. "The race is won or lost inwardly."