026 Valuable Sanctifiers: Fellowship

Hebrews 12:12-17

October 19, 2025

I want us tonight to continue looking at

The value of fellowship as it relates to sanctification.

Why this is a valuable tool, and even how to practically use it.

Again we are reminded of:

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

· The chief means of sanctification is anything that allows us to behold the glory

of Christ.

· As we do that, the Spirit of God then transforms us into His image from glory to

glory.

And fellowship is another tool that is very effective in that.

But perhaps it will help us to understand fellowship in TWO REALMS.

ONE REALM is the fellowship we spoke of this morning which is no doubt FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.

· As we partake in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper we commune with Christ and fellowship with Him.

· We gaze upon Him and even examine ourselves and thus we see how effective such an ordinance can be for our sanctification.

We could also consider our fellowship with Christ in passages like:

Philippians 3:10-11 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul spoke of a fellowship with Christ in suffering.

We discussed that a little when we looked at providence,

Understanding that in our suffering we look to Christ’s suffering

And there behold His glory.

So certainly an aspect of fellowship is an actual fellowship with Christ.

ANOTHER REALM is the fellowship we share WITH CHRIST’S BRIDE, the church.

This is also a very effective tool in regard to sanctification.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church that we enjoy the ordinances like baptism or the Lord’s Supper.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church that we enjoy preaching, the public reading of Scripture, discipleship, ministry, fellowship groups, etc.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church where corporate prayer occurs along with corporate singing and worship.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church where we enjoy and benefit from the Spirit’s gifting of fellow believers which is for our edification.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church that we submit to godly leadership called overseers who “keep watch over our souls as those who give an account”.

CERTAINLY it is in the context of the local church that we are subject to confrontation and discipline when we stray.

There are many areas which we can focus on

In order to see the fellowship of the local church

As a tremendous tool for our sanctification.

We could perhaps have a sermon on each of those categories,

But I simply list them for you here

As an encouragement that YOU NEED the fellowship of the body.

We would think it bizarre for someone to say they long for sanctification,

But they never read their bible.

We would think it bizarre for someone to say they long for sanctification,

But they never pray.

We would think it bizarre for someone to say they are being sanctified,

But they cannot recognize God’s discipline in their lives to that end at all.

And equally it is strange for someone to say they long for sanctification,

But they have no connection or commitment to fellowship in the body.

THAT IS BIZARRE.

Fellowship is a tremendous tool for our sanctification.

AND TONIGHT I want us to consider that as we return to Hebrews 12.

We looked at the first 11 verses of this chapter a couple of weeks ago

When discussing providence.

I trust that it is still relatively fresh on your mind.

· How we are disciplined from the hand of a Father who loves us.

· He ordains such discipline in our lives that we might share in His holiness.

Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

We certainly are called to understand that.

That is the theological.

That is good doctrine.

BUT TONIGHT we pick up in verse 12

Where we see HOW such truth is practically APPLIED in the church.

We see what the church is supposed to do with

The truths laid out for us in the first 11 verses.

The church is supposed to take the truth from Hebrews 12:1-11

And use it to help their brothers find sanctification in their suffering.

· We are to live intertwined lives.

· We are to be present.

· We are to be involved.

· And we do so in order that we might together pursue sanctification.

THE THEME OF THE CHAPTER has been suffering or discipline, and that doesn’t change here.

· We notice verse 12 there are those with “weak” hands and “feeble” knees.

· We notice in verse 13 there are those with “lame” limbs.

· We notice in verse 14 that “sanctification” is spoken of as that which has yet to be obtained.

· We notice in verse 15 that our brothers and sisters may be vulnerable to “bitterness” and defilement.

AND THAT IS ALWAYS TRUE IN ANY CONGREGATION.

When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians he said:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

That is just a good cross section of a congregation.

· At any given time there are almost always those who are being “unruly”,

· There are almost always those who are “fainthearted”,

· There are almost always those who are “weak”,

· There are almost always those who require patience,

· There are almost always those who are strong who need to deal correctly with each group.

That is just called being in a congregation of people.

There will never be a time in your life when you will come to church

And not encounter at least someone who is somewhere on that list.

There is much sanctifying work to be done here in the congregation.

AND TONIGHT, IN HEBREWS 12

We consider those who are being sanctified through discipline,

AND WE CONSIDER HOW TO HELP THEM.

I want to show you tonight from this text

4 things that the church provides in the middle of providential discipline.

· You may be on the receiving end of discipline and need these 4 things.

· You may witness a brother in discipline and need to give these 4 things,

But either way these remind us of the importance of fellowship

As it relates to our sanctification.

4 things the fellowship provides in regard to sanctification.

#1 POISE

Hebrews 12:12

The writer of Hebrews finishes explaining

The very real presence of sanctifying discipline in the lives of believers

And then he turns to the responsibility of the body.

He says, “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.”

Some great words there that really paint a picture for us.

“weak” is the word (par-REE-ay-me)

It means “to relax, to loose, to let go”

“feeble” is the word (par-ar-LOO-o)

It’s where we get our word for “paralyzed”

So we have a brother or sister here whose “knees” are paralyzed

And whose “hands” are just hanging at their side.

· They are seemingly done.

· They can’t get up.

· They can’t move forward.

· They are discouraged.

· They are disheartened.

· They are exhausted.

They have been running the race with endurance

But the race has seemingly beaten them.

They have no more strength.

Their arms and their legs are gone.

Life has a way of doing that to us.

· Suffering has a way of doing that to us.

· We can at times rather quickly come to the end of our rope.

It is then that we desperately need the fellowship of the church.

The writer of Hebrews says that it is the job of the fellowship to “strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.”

“strengthen” is (an-are-THA-o)

It means “to make erect” or “to set up”

Luke 13:11-13 “And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God.”

This is what the church is called to do

For those who are defeated and discouraged.

· We help them stand back up.

· We go to them on the track with their jelly legs and pick them up.

· We set them back on their feet.

· We don’t let them quit.

We supply POISE to those who are defeated.

This was Paul’s ambition for the churches.

So many of the churches he planted immediately endured very great persecution, but he did not abandon them.

Acts 15:36, 41 “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are….Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

He wanted to pick them up

And give them the poise they needed to carry on.

This is what the writer of Hebrews did for us previously in the chapter.

Look back up to verses 3-6

Hebrews 12:3-6 “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

Remember he told us to

· Focus on Christ’s Example

· The Father’s Exhortation

· Discipline’s Effect

That was his way of strengthen our weak hands and feeble knees.

· He desired to pick us up.

· He desires to prop us up.

THAT IS WHAT THE CHURCH DOES.

We see those who are suffering and we encourage them not to quit.

The job of the fellowship is to provide poise

To those who are exhausted and crumbling and want to quit.

The fellowship makes sure that discipline turns into sanctification.

Poise

#2 PATTERN

Hebrews 12:13

First the writer encourages us to strengthen those around us with weak hands and feeble knees.

But when we come to verse 13 there is a call for us to watch OUR step.

He says, “make straight paths for your feet”

The word for “paths” there is literally the word for “rut”

He is talking about tracks.

He’s telling us to leave good tracks.

WHY?

“so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.”

So you’re hiking in the mountains and someone sprains an ankle.

They are lame.

THEY WANTED TO QUIT, they were disheartened, but you stood them up and gave them some poise.

But what do you do now to help them navigate the rugged terrain?

You walk in front of them, testing each step,

And telling them where to step.

You are testing every rock, every branch, every grade.

And it is their calling to follow you and step where you step.

You are leaving a pattern for them to follow.

It is the epitome of what Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

THIS IS WHAT THE WRITER IS TALKING ABOUT HERE.

And this is the value of the fellowship.

Have you ever suffered, but been encouraged by the way someone suffered before you?

Has your faith ever been strengthened by watching someone else walk a path that you now walk?

What happens now when someone in the church gets a cancer diagnosis?

· Those who have battle cancer in the past run to encourage and tell them how to walk.

What happens when someone struggles in a familiar sin?

· Those who have overcome step up beside to encourage.

As we run this race for sanctification we understand that

The church is full of people who’ve already run the path before us.

· They have tested the terrain.

· They have walked the road.

· And they can tell us where to step.

· They lead by example.

A great illustration of this comes from the Old Testament.

You remember that famous story of the showdown on Mt. Carmel

When Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal.

Here is what Elijah said to the crowd.

1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.”

In the Septuagint, which is the Greek Old Testament (the one Jesus read),

That word “hesitate” is the same word as “lame” in verse 13.

How long will you limp around lame without any direction in life?

He calls them to follow his lead, to do what he does,

Go where he goes, believe what he believes.

He puts himself forth as an example of where to step and how to walk.

THAT IS WHAT THE CHURCH DOES

And it is so beneficial to our sanctification.

We prop each other up and strengthen them when they want to quit Then we guide them step by step how to walk through the trial.

Or, sometimes it is us who suffers,

And someone else in the church does the same for us.

All for the goal of making the most of our trial.

The fellowship provides poise and pattern

#3 PURPOSE

Hebrews 12:14

It is the church that reminds us WHAT we are running for

And WHERE we are headed.

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”

YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SCENE.

You’re in the middle of your race and one of your teammates tweaks an ankle.

· You get them up.

· They are following you.

BUT because their race is difficult they are complaining like crazy behind you.

· Why are we in this stupid race?

· Why do we have to keep going?

· Why are you pushing me so hard?

And when they question why they have to keep going what do you remind them of?

There is a prize awaiting.

There is a goal to achieve.

We are pursuing sanctification.

And even your painful ankle is aiding you in achieving that.

This is a marathon.

Parts of it will be difficult.

But we are pursuing the sanctification that is required if we are to see the Lord.

YOU HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF IT ALL.

That’s what the writer did for us earlier in the chapter.

Hebrews 12:7-11 “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

· When we whined and complained.

· When we grumbled and wanted to stop.

· WHAT DID HE DO?

He reminded us why we are running.

He reminded us why we keep going.

He reminded us that there was a purpose to the pain.

THE FELLOWSHIP IS TO KEEP US PURSUING THE PRIZE.

“Pursue” is the word (dee-O-ko)

Most of the time it is translated “persecute”

The idea there is of a relentless pursuit.

· You push them to run and not grow weary.

· You push them to run and not faint.

· You push them to the prize.

· To pursue it without stopping.

You help them see that their sanctification is necessary

And that this is helping them obtain it.

And we need the fellowship for this.

The world isn’t going to give you such encouragement.

The world will only try to point you to a way to stop the pain

Or give you an excuse for quitting.

But the church helps you gain perspective.

The church reminds you of the prize before you.

· The church helps you understand the purpose of God to bring sanctification and holiness into your life.

You need the fellowship for this.

#4 PUSH

Hebrews 12:15-17

Sometimes they lead, sometimes they push.

It is good old fashion prompting and prodding.

The writer says:

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God…”

If you’re familiar with the book of Hebrews, this has been the issue.

The concern of the writer is that

Because of the hardship these people are facing

That they might reject Christ and thus come short of grace.

He wrote back in:

Hebrews 3:12-13 “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

He quoted Psalm 95 about those who angered God in the wilderness

And then he warned his congregation not to be like them.

And for the congregation to “encourage one another”

Again:

Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

The call was to push each other on.

The NIV says “spur one another on” which is a great picture.

To refuse to let your brother miss the prize.

To refuse to let your brother quit.

Hebrews 6:4-6 “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”

He warned not to be one of those guys.

Hebrews 10:35-39 “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

He is writing like a man who is unwilling to surrender them to failure.

He is running beside them spurring them on.

And that is what the writer CALLS US TO DO.

“SEE TO IT”

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God”

No man left behind.

Romans 15:1-6 “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 6:1-2 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

You see the point don’t you?

There is a push that you get from the fellowship.

This may be the main reason you need the fellowship

And the fellowship needs you.

Your flesh loves it when you get out of the habit of going to church.

There’s no friction there. There’s no push there.

Your flesh loves the solitude

Of not being a part of the body or bearing accountability.

The flesh likes it when no one questions.

The flesh likes it when no one pushes.

But this is what the church does

And it is so beneficial to our sanctification.

THEY WON’T LET US QUIT.

And we love this passage because the writer goes on to give us AN EXAMPLE of what we are NOT TO ALLOW to happen.

He says, “that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;”

SO FIRST its a rough path and a bum knee,

NOW there’s an obstacle.

· We’ve got a root that threatens to trip up the runner and cause them to quit.

This is why you’re walking ahead of them.

This is why you’re guiding their steps.

This is why you’re pushing them on.

You don’t want them to trip over that root.

He calls it a “root of bitterness”.

That makes sense.

· How many grow angry and bitter at God during their trials?

· How many are prompted to blame Him instead of trusting Him?

· How many refuse to see the sanctification that is occurring?

The fellowship protects you from that root.

And it’s not just to protect from that root for their sake,

BUT FOR EVERYONE’S SAKE.

He says, “that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;”

It’s the danger of a disillusioned and angry and bitter member.

· They grow angry.

· They grow bitter.

· And they seek to throw that bitterness everywhere.

Deuteronomy 29:18-20 “so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood. “It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry.’ “The Lord shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven.”

Moses referenced those who turn away from the Lord

And set off a bomb in the congregation.

The church is called to “see to it” that no one falls away

Not only for the benefit of the person running,

But also for those watching.

It is defiling to the body when one falls away.

When one member suffers all the other members suffer with it.

The church is called to not let you grow bitter and fall away.

· They are called to help you fix your eyes on Jesus.

· They are called to help you stay the course.

· They are called to help you walk the walk of sanctification.

THEY KEEP YOU FROM FALLING AWAY.

And then the writer gives yet ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION.

(16-17) “that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”

I love this analogy.

When we studied through Genesis we often talked about how Moses told us the story of the gospel through people.

· In Adam we learn of sin.

· In Noah we learn of judgment.

· In Abraham we learn of justification by grace through faith

· In Jacob we learn of what? Sanctification

· In Joseph we learn of providence.

Jacob gives us a picture of sanctification.

He is a strong-willed, self-reliant young man when he leaves Canaan.

But God sanctifies him through suffering.

God sends Jacob to Laban university.

Ultimately God breaks Jacob’s hip.

Jacob was sanctified.

His twin brother is the exact opposite.

Jacob persevered through trials for the purpose of sanctification, Esau succumbed to his trials and never achieved anything.

Remember the story?

Genesis 25:27-34 “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

· Don’t give me all that “Jacob tricked him” nonsense.

· Moses is clear as to what happened, “Esau despised his birthright”

· Esau sold out.

· Esau gave up the prize to obtain comfort.

The writer calls him “godless”

That word is (beb-AY-los)

The word literally means “to go over the threshold”

And it was used even of a loose woman who was very accessible.

Esau was easy.

He had no fight.

He was readily available to quit if it meant comfort.

The writer goes on to say:

(17) “For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”

Even when Esau was living in the full consequences of his failure to trust God, even then he refused to repent.

Oh, he wanted the blessing.

· He sought for it with tears.

· But he was unwilling to repent of the way he despised his birthright.

Do we not see such warnings in Scripture?

Matthew 8:11-12 “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Those are all Esaus.

· They give up the goal for a quick fix and a temporary comfort

· And later find themselves weeping over what they lost.

THE CALL TO THE CHURCH IS TO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN.

So listen now tonight, as we bring this all together.

When you face struggles and trials and discipline in this life

You need the fellowship of the church

To ensure that you respond to it rightly.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUFFER ALONE.

One of the worst decisions you can make in your suffering

Is to distance yourself from the fellowship.

You need the fellowship to help you walk the right path and to ensure that sanctification is what you achieve.

· You need the poise the church will give you.

· You need the pattern the church will set for you.

· You need the purpose the church will remind you of.

· You need the push the church will supply so you don’t fall away.

And if you aren’t suffering, this is what you need to do for those who are.

· You need to give poise and stand up those who have fallen.

· You need to be a pattern and show them how to walk this road.

· You need to be give them purpose and remind them of sanctification.

· You need to give them a push and refuse to let them quit.

THE CHURCH IS SO VALUABLE IN REGARD TO SANCTIFICATION.

Not just preaching and teaching.

Not just praying and singing.

But the fellowship of the church matters.

That is a great tool, don’t abandon the fellowship.

You need it and it needs you.

This is one of the tools the Spirit of God uses

To produce sanctification in us.