023 Valuable Sanctifiers: Providence

Hebrews 12:1-11

October 5, 2025

This morning we continue our study on “The Necessity of Sanctification”

We are currently looking at: THE DYNAMICS OF SANCTIFICATION,

Or how sanctification practically works in our lives.

And in that we are examining Valuable Sanctifiers.

We certainly make that distinction

· Because as Paul taught us in Colossians 2

· There are certainly things that are useless in regard to sanctification.

· Things like legalism, mysticism, and asceticism.

· Those things look good, they will puff you up, but they will not purify you.

For sanctification to occur we need valuable sanctifiers.

We need those tools which will reveal to us the glory of Christ.

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.”

We use the tools through which

The Holy Spirit shows us the glory of Christ

As we behold the glory of Christ we are transformed into His image

This is how sanctification works.

We have already looked at 2

1. Scripture

2. Prayer

And both of those we could have spent a lot more time on,

But I really think that those two are probably obvious to you.

If you woke up with a desire to be sanctified, it was probably obvious to you

That prayer and Scripture reading would be a part of that.

So THIS MORNING we’re going to move forward

To a third valuable sanctifier and that is: PROVIDENCE

Providence is simply God’s work through the circumstances of life.

Providence is really quite a remarkable thing.

In some ways it is even more remarkable than miraculous power.

That God can create a universe, even a world, fill it with living people,

Give them the capacity to make decisions according to their own will,

And yet somehow through all the possibilities and contingencies

Work all things after the counsel of His own will.

The best verse on this has always been when Peter spoke of the crucifixion at Pentecost:

Acts 2:23 “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”

· The Jews and the Romans did exactly what their evil minds and fallen will wanted to do.

· They committed a heinous act of deceit and murder.

· They participated in the greatest rebellion ever seen on earth.

· And only ended up doing exactly what God had ordained.

His wisdom is unfathomable.

He sits in providential control of all things.

It is providence which David alluded to in Psalms 139 Sunday night.

After speaking of God’s omniscience and omnipresence,

David went on to speak of God’s providence.

Psalms 139:13-16 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”

David recognized God as the One who designed him, created him,

And ordained his days before him.

Paul told the Athenians about God’s providence saying:

Acts 17:26 “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,”

God did not just start this globe spinning

And then sit back to see how it turns out.

God has ordained exactly how this whole thing will play out.

He is in total providential control.

That is true on a global, universal, eternal scale.

But it is also true on a personal scale.

God is providentially in control of your life as well.

He is controlling circumstances to ultimately fulfill His purposes.

THE GREATEST EXAMPLE of this comes to us in the story of Joseph

· Who was hated and sold by his brothers,

· Afflicted by Potiphar,

· And forgotten by the cup bearer.

· Eventually he was liberated from prison and exalted to leadership.

All of that was providence.

When Joseph finally confronted his brothers he said:

Genesis 45:4-8 “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

· Those brothers did exactly what they wanted to do when they sold Joseph.

· Potiphar’s wife did exactly what she wanted to do when she had Joseph arrested.

· The cup-bearer did exactly what he wanted to do when he forgot Joseph.

· Pharaoh did exactly what he wanted to do when he exalted Joseph.

And yet each of them perfectly fulfilled the providential plan of God.

All of Joseph’s rejections, sufferings, and hardship had a purpose

And that purpose was the deliverance of his family.

Ultimately it was the preservation of the Messianic line of Judah

Because through Judah would come Jesus who would save us all.

God’s providence, even in our individual lives is remarkable.

Now, I would NOT PRESUME to have even a small understanding

Of all that God is doing in your life providentially.

If you ask my why certain things have occurred in your life,

I won’t have any more insight than you.

But I do know this in a general sense.

The main thing we see God use providence for in our lives today

IS SANCTIFICATION.

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

· The providence is clear: “God causes all things”

· The general direction is clear: “to work together for good”

· The determined good is clear: “to become conformed to the image of His

Son”

The things God providentially brings into your life

Are to make you more like Christ.

SO HOW DOES GOD PROVIDENTIALLY WORK?

What are examples of God’s providence?

Honestly, that is God’s prerogative.

· We see God employing all sorts of means to accomplish His desired ends.

Sometimes he raises a person up and exalts them.

· Do you remember the story of Esther and how she became queen “for such a time as this”? (Esther 4:13-14)

· Do you remember Cyrus of Persia who was made ruler that he might issue a decree to send Israel home to their land? (Isaiah 44:28)

Sometimes he crushes and lays low.

· Do you remember Pharaoh who was both exalted and crushed for the glory of God among His people? (Romans 9:17)

Sometimes He comforts, like He did Paul in 2 Corinthians 1

Sometimes He afflicts, like He did during the exile to cause His people to seek Him.

IT REALLY IS UP TO GOD.

But it is always for the good and sanctification of His people.

AND THIS MORNING WE EXAMINE HEBREWS 12

It is clearly written to a people who are suffering, discouraged, afraid, disheartened, and who are even thinking about giving up.

The writer of Hebrews wants them to see

The providence of God in their suffering

And to lay hold of the higher purpose.

From the first time I considered a sermon series on sanctification,

This is the first passage that came to my mind.

I am well-aware of the season we are in here in our church.

I’ve been here 22 years and I do not remember a time when more of our members were suffering such intense hardships.

· Old age, disease, injury, financial hardship, etc.

· I won’t go down the list, but it is obvious that many in our congregation are in a

place of suffering and hardship.

And from the start it has been my hope to help each of you

See God’s providential hand for your sanctification in that suffering.

And this morning we finally make it there.

And to get started I want to address first HOW WE USE PROVIDENCE.

Obviously providence is not something we can pursue

Like bible reading or prayer.

I suppose we could pursue suffering or pain,

· But we learned that asceticism is not a useful sanctifier.

· Intentionally putting yourself in pain won’t accomplish the effect you think.

Providence is something God does, not something we do,

So how do we employ it as a tool in pursuing sanctification?

And the answer is: BY YOUR RESPONSE

James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

The trial itself will not automatically sanctify you.

There is plenty of suffering in our world

That never produces an ounce of sanctification.

But our response to that trial is very beneficial to our sanctification.

BUT honestly we see that things like “counting it all joy”

Or “exulting in our tribulations” as really difficult responses.

And so our flesh is not typically prone

To want to use providence as a means of sanctification.

What we need is a perspective change.

TONIGHT we’re going to look at Psalms 119:65-72, specifically:

Psalms 119:71 “It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”

David found a perspective that actually allowed him to say

That his affliction was a good thing.

I WANT US TO FIND THAT PERSPECTIVE THIS MORNING.

We are going to take a look at the first 11 verses of Hebrews 12.

· Like most texts we are looking at in this series we have examined them much

more thoroughly in other places, and at other times.

· Our goal here is to be as practical as possible and that includes covering an

entire chunk and hitting the high points.

But this morning I simply want you to see 3 things to consider

That will help you turn your suffering into sanctification.

FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

To rightly understand the text you need to understand the suffering of the audience.

For their confession of Christ they had paid a very high price.

· They had lost property,

· They had been imprisoned,

· They had lost access to the temple,

· They were social outcasts.

It left them wondering if Christ was worth it.

And they contemplated leaving Christ and returning to Judaism.

In Hebrews 10 the writer threw down the gauntlet.

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.”

The calling is distinct and clear.

· If you stop now you will never achieve the sanctification required.

· If you stop now you will never be pleasing to the Father.

In Hebrews 11 the writer encouraged them with history.

· He carried his audience on a tour through the halls of history to remind them of all those who went before and endured to the end by faith.

· Hebrews 11 is like traveling through the faith hall of fame and witnessing story after story of those who endured.

And then we come to Hebrews 12

Where preacher (who is also serving as the tour guide)

Hands a baton to his congregation

And tells them to take it and go run their leg.

(12:1) “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”

Others have run their leg, now it’s your turn.

· You are the Esther here, placed here for such a time is this.

· You are the Joseph here, placed here for the good of your brothers.

God did not choose the wrong participant or the wrong course.

YOU were created and designed to run THIS exact segment of the race.

So look at your brothers and sisters who ran before you:

· Noah had to build a boat and endure a flood

· Abraham had to live in a foreign land

· Moses had to leave Pharaoh and shepherd an Exodus

· Gideon had to fight the Moabites

· Samson the Philistines

· David a lion, a bear, a giant, a king, a nation, and a son

Everyone’s leg was different; they were all hard in their own way.

And now they have handed the baton to you, go run your race!

Your segment may be difficult, but it is YOUR segment.

Things we have noted before.

To run you must “lay aside every encumbrance”.

· It may mean sacrifice if you are to run well.

To run you must “lay aside...the sin which so easily entangles”

· You must compete according to the rules.

And then you must “run with endurance the race that is set before us”

“race” there is AGON

It is where we get our word for “agony”

This is a grueling cross-country race.

This is a marathon.

You were designed, created, and appointed by the providence of God to run this part, so go run it.

Now all of that is quite inspirational.

BUT there have been many an athlete who were inspired by their coach to come hard out of the blocks…

Only to find the side stitch or the dead legs or the difficulty of the course to quickly zap their enthusiasm.

The question before us is not

Where to find the motivation to start the race,

But where to find the strength to finish it,

And how to make the most of it.

And that is what the writer of Hebrews here gives us.

He gives us 3 things to focus on in suffering to help you find sanctification.

#1 CHRIST’S EXAMPLE

Hebrews 12:2-3

It is quite possible to be inspired by others

Who are running the race around you.

I’ve told you a few times now how inspired I am by the walkers and wheel chairs that go up and down our halls on Sunday.

· Such devotion to attend amid such hardship is an inspiration.

· And not just that, but the smiles on the faces of those who are suffering.

· What an inspiration!

You can find inspiration from other runners.

You can be encouraged by the running of others.

We’ll talk more about that when we get into FELLOWSHIP.

But ultimately in your race there is one you need to look at.

You are trailing Him, and He is setting the perfect course.

THAT IS JESUS.

(2) “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This is how the Holy Spirit uses providence

To show you the glory of Christ.

In your suffering you are meant to look to the suffering of Jesus.

I still remember driving to the mountains one year

And listening to “The Hiding Place” on an audio book.

· It is the story of Cory Ten Boom during WWII and the suffering of she and her sister Betsy as they were arrested by the Germans for hiding Jews and placed into concentration camps.

I want to read one segment, as it illustrates this perfectly:

Fridays--the recurrent humiliation of medical inspection. The hospital corridor in which we waited was unheated, and a fall chill had settled into the walls, still we were forbidden, even to wrap ourselves in our own arms, but had to maintain our erect, hands-at-sides position as we filed slowly past a phalanx of grinning guards. How there could have been pleasure in the sight of these stick-thin legs and hunger-bloated stomachs I could not imagine. Surely there is no more wretched sight than the human body unloved and uncared for. Nor could I see the necessity for the complete undressing: when we finally reached the examination room a doctor looked down each throat, another--a dentist presumably--at our teeth, a third, in between each finger. And that was all. We trooped again down the long, cold corridor and picked up our X-marked dresses at the door.

But it was one of these mornings while we were waiting, shivering, in the corridor, that yet another page in the Bible leapt into life for me.

He hung naked on the cross.

I had not known--I had not thought ... the paintings, the carved crucifixes showed at the least a scrap of cloth. But this, I suddenly knew, was the respect and reverence of the artist. But oh--at the time itself, on that other Friday morning--there had been no reverence. No more than I saw in the faces around us now.

I leaned toward Betsie, ahead of me in the line. Her shoulder blades stood out sharp and thin beneath her blue-mottled skin.

'Betsie, they took HIS clothes too.'

Ahead of me I heard a little gasp. 'Oh Corrie. And I never thanked Him...' "

https://kathryncurrier.blogspot.com/2015/09/an-excerpt-from-hiding-place-by-corrie.html

At a moment of the most humiliating and intense suffering

Those two women saw the glory of Christ.

(3) “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

In Philippians 3 Paul called it “the fellowship of His sufferings”.

It is very simply the ability to gaze upon Christ more clearly

And with much more admiration

When you gaze from a similar vantage point.

The nakedness of Christ on the cross receiving the sneers and snickers of the crowd may mean little to us until we also face the same.

But when we see Him through the eyes of suffering

The marvelous glory of Christ who willingly endured that for us

Becomes so clear and majestic.

THAT IS THE WRITER’S POINT HERE.

In your suffering, gaze on Christ’s suffering.

· Are you stripped naked and humiliated? So was He

· Are you mocked and scorned? So was He

· Are you beaten and bruised? So was He

· Are you young and facing this too early? So was He

· Are you undeserving? So was He

· Are you abandoned? So was He

The difference was that you have no choice, but He did.

What He endured He did so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest.

What He endured He did as training to know how to better intercede for you.

The writer says, “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame”

That word “despising” is an important word.

(ka-ta-fra-NAY-o) and it means “to think little of”

When I suffer it is the biggest thing going on in the world at that time.

When I am in pain it is front page news.

But Jesus thought little of His suffering.

He was so focused on “the joy set before Him”

That the momentary affliction was a little thing.

Paul offered that same perspective to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

We are called to do the same.

When you suffer look at Christ.

· You can behold Him there.

· You can examine Him there.

· You can see His glory.

And the Holy Spirit will use that to transform you

Into the same image from glory to glory to glory to glory to glory.

So fix your eyes on Him.

Focus on Christ’s Example

#2 THE FATHER’S EXHORTATION

Hebrews 12:4-6

Sometimes when we run we find encouragement from those running around us.

· Certainly the One running ahead is the ultimate encouragement.

But we also take encouragement from the coach

Who is yelling from the side of the course.

I have been to enough cross-country races in the last 10 years

To know what a good coach looks like.

The good ones do more running during a race

Than their athletes ever thought about doing.

They are all over that course encouraging the runners.

· “Get up with that pack”

· “Hold that pace”

· “Lengthen that stride”

· “Fight through”

· “Make yourself uncomfortable”

· “You’re not pushing hard enough”

· “You’re not fighting”

WELL, WE HAVE A COACH TOO.

And He has some encouragement for us.

THE FIRST is to remind us that we are not the first to suffer,

And THEN that our suffering isn’t even the worst.

(4) “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;”

He DOESN’T mean that your suffering hasn’t caused any bleeding.

It may very well have.

He’s talking about death.

You haven’t died yet.

It could be worse.

But also notice what this race is about.

He says “in your striving against sin.”

· You AREN’T racing other people.

· You AREN’T even really running the course.

· YOU ARE COMPETING AGAINST YOURSELF.

In this providential race you are fighting against your flesh.

YOU are the obstacle.

The whole point of this race is to sanctify you.

The whole point of this race is to give you victory over the flesh.

The whole point is to throw off your sin.

GOD IS REMINDING OF THAT.

Your suffering isn’t necessarily about punishment.

Your suffering is about making you holy.

Even though your suffering may be intense.

Even though your suffering may be worse than anyone else you know.

IT HAS NOT YET RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF YOUR LIFE.

Christ is still ahead of you.

He gave His life.

You are called to run with some perspective.

But that is ONLY PART of the motivation.

This coach also calls you back to the speech

He gave before your race started.

It is a speech which God says you may have forgotten.

(5-6) “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.”

He wants to know if you forgot the speech He gave?

WHAT SPEECH?

Proverbs 3:11-12 “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof, For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”

DID WE FORGET THAT ONE?

Another couple of IMPORTANT WORDS there.

He says “do not regard lightly”

That is the same word used about Jesus earlier

When it says He was “despising the shame”.

(ka-ta-fra-NAY-o)

Don’t think about this suffering as an insignificant thing.

That is to say, “Don’t miss the point of it.”

This is not accidental.

This is not random.

This is intentional.

He also says, “nor faint when you are reproved”

“faint” is the word (ek-LOO-o)

It means “to loose”

You saw it up in verse 3 when we were told to “lay aside every encumbrance”

In verse 5 it speaks of “loose legs”

And those ready to faint and collapse under the strain.

The writer says DON’T.

Don’t give up, don’t go down.

WHY?

(6) “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

God is not trying to destroy you, He is saving you.

God is not trying to ruin you, He is sanctifying you.

He does not hate you, He loves you.

He is giving you what you need even if it’s not what you want.

Have you forgotten that?

So in your suffering, not only do you behold the glory of Christ,

But you also are reminded of the Father’s love.

Proverbs 13:24 “He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”

I have seen this reality come full circle even in our family.

No child of mine was more opposed to corporal punishment than Zech.

· He used to plead, beg, defend, debate; anything to get out of it.

· He thought discipline was the worst thing imaginable.

But talk to him now. He sees it as the only way to raise a child.

· He has actually lost relationships over that very reality.

· He is a believer.

At the time he could not see a father’s love, but he can now.

DON’T FORGET THAT.

Your suffering is a testimony to God’s love for you.

· He is saving you from sin.

· He is sanctifying you.

So focus on Christ’s Example.

Focus on The Father’s Exhortation

#3 DISCIPLINE’S EFFECT

Hebrews 12:7-11

Here is where we look past the pain of the race

To the joy and reward of the finish line.

It is where we answer the questions,

· “Why am I running?”

· What am I striving for?

· Why am I enduring this?

The writer continues for a moment on the realities of discipline.

And he reminds us that discipline has a purpose.

(7-10) “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.”

We certainly see that discipline is a natural part of growth and maturity.

· All good and loving fathers incorporate discipline as a tool.

· We’re not perfect at it.

· There are times our discipline is wrong.

· But we still employ it because we love our children

· Because we want to extract the foolishness from their lives.

And the point is this:

Our discipline is necessary even though it is flawed.

You don’t remove it just because we may get it wrong sometimes.

But God’s discipline is never flawed.

(10) “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.”

THERE’S THE POINT!

This is not about harming you, it is about sanctifying you.

MIGHT IT HURT? Yes

· Discipline sometimes does.

MIGHT IT LAST? Yes

· Discipline sometimes does.

But God is good and He loves you and He is pushing to an end.

And here is the great verse of the segment:

(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.”

This race can be a painful one, but look at that great cloud of witnesses.

· Look at Noah standing outside the ark having survived the flood.

· Look at Abraham holding Isaac examining the land of promise.

· Look at Joseph standing before his brothers have saved them.

· Look at Esther rejoicing after her people were delivered.

· Look at Christ, now seated in the heavenlies have saved His bride.

Don’t ignore the effect that this discipline is having in your life.

This is the providential hand of God and

It is not to steal your prize, it is to secure it.

Look to the end!

James 5:10-11 “As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”

God is producing righteousness in you.

· It is the very righteousness that you will need to stand before Him.

· So submit to it and use it well.

1. In your suffering gaze upon Christ in His suffering.

2. In your suffering listen to your Father who loves you.

3. In your suffering look to the finish line where you will stand in glory.

Don’t faint. Don’t stop. Run

This is the race appointed for you.

“Master, Thou callest, I gladly obey. Only direct me, and I’ll find Thy way. Teach me the mission appointed for me. What is my labor and where it shall be.”

Gaze upon Christ.

Listen to the Father.

And run for the prize.

God is providentially making you like Jesus.