Jump Start # 1021

Hebrews 12:4 “You have not resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.”

  This passage speaks of a dedicated effort. The athlete will push and push himself, even when he is tired, hurting and doesn’t feel like doing any more, because he wants to win. His drive is strong. The goal is clear in his mind. Those who start their own business will pour hours and hours into the new endeavor. They will sacrifice a paycheck to keep the thing going. They will spend more hours at the business than they do at home. They want the business to take off and succeed. They are dedicated to seeing that done. A college student will do the same. They are driven to graduate on time. They will stay up all hours studying. They will write papers on a Saturday morning. They will work and work at learning because they want that diploma. They are driven.

The drive that our verse is talking about is resisting sin. Earlier in the chapter, the readers were told to lay aside the sin which so easily entangles them. Now this verse. This verse seems to be a reply to those who might want to throw in the towel. This verse may be a response to complaints that it is so hard and that they can’t do it. You have not resisted to the point of shedding blood…

Jesus shed His blood to forgive us of our sins. We can’t get far away from that thought. He shed. Have we? Have we resisted so much that we have shed blood?

It’s hard to know exactly what the writer had in mind. Some of the Hebrew Christians had been persecuted. They had their property seized. They were made public spectacles. Some were imprisoned. They remained confident and joyful. It seems that some were growing weary of all this. Some were quitting. Some were thinking about quitting. This may be the point. You have resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

There may be a bigger picture here. It may touch all of us and our fight against sin. Resist. Resist the devil, James said, and he will flee from you. Resist hard. Resist to the point of shedding blood. There was a desire and drive to strive against sin. Hold on. Hold out. Fight sin.

Sin is a choice that begins in the mind. It is a battle for the mind. Our hearts tell us yes. Our hearts find reasons, excuses and ways to engage in sin. Our hearts only see the moment. Our hearts are blind to consequences. Our hearts are interested in fun and being happy. Our hearts forget to run these things by God. Our minds know what God says. Our minds have studied the Bible. So, it’s a struggle between the heart and the mind, or simply, the head and the heart. The heart says, “yes.” The mind says, “No.” The heart tries to convince the mind. The heart says “one time. Just one time.” The heart says, “others are doing worse.” The heart says, “You deserve it.” The heart says, “Have some fun.” The mind says “No.” No. No. No. Head and heart. That’s where temptation knocks the loudest. That’s where the battle is won or lost. Which ever one we listen to, the head or the heart, will determine if we resist sin or give in to sin.

Resist. Resist hard. Resist to the point of shedding blood.

Consider some “shedding blood”  resistance:

1. If every time you are with a certain friend, you find yourself thinking wrong, talking wrong and doing wrong, isn’t time to part company. What if this has been a life long friend? Shedding blood. What if this is someone you have been dating? What if this person got you your job? What if this person helped you out financially? Resist sin to the point of shedding blood.

Shedding blood doesn’t sound very easy to me. This isn’t pricking your finger. This is shedding. This is pouring. This is putting your all into it. How serious are you about resisting? So serious, that you’ll end relationships that seem to be taking you away from God?

2. If your work environment makes you ungodly and is pulling you away from all that is right, then shedding blood may mean, leaving that job. Shedding blood may mean that you have to take a lesser paying job. It may mean you have to move. It may mean that you suffer, but doesn’t the shedding of blood cause one to suffer. There isn’t a nice way to shed blood. There isn’t a painless way to shed blood. Quitting your job is radical—but so is resisting sin to the point of shedding blood.

3. Shedding blood may lead you to getting some professional help to break addictions such as alcohol, porn, gambling or even anger. Some sins can get a hold of us and control us. Cutting free is hard. Some can do it. Others need help. Seeking help admits you have a problem. Seeking help often costs and others find out about your sin. Hiding things is the natural way. Believing things will get better on their own is only a lie that allows us to continue with the addiction. Finding someone to talk to…going to a counselor…checking yourself into a rehab or addiction program is shedding blood. It’s serious. How serious are you about your fight against sin?

The battle against sin must be serious and fought courageously. That is the only way victory is possible in Jesus. He is there to help you. He is your strength. He has the answers. He provides the tools. However, we must engage in the battle our self. We must roll up our sleeves and get in there. If we quit at the first sight of blood, then Satan will win. He knows that we are weaklings and won’t put up much of a fight. However, if Satan sees that there is no limit to what we are willing to do to go to Heaven, then he’s in for a battle. John reminds us that “greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world.” The wisdom literature tells us that if a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up. He will keep getting up.

Do you remember the first Rocky movie? It seems like a long time ago now. Rocky was going down. Bloodied. Eye swollen shut. It looked like Rocky was done. His trainer slit open his eyelid. Radical. Gross. The background music changed, Rocky found some momentum and got back in there swinging. He looked like a champ. He gave it his all. That’s us. Bloodied. Eyes swollen. Looking like a mess. Satan dances because he thinks he has conquered yet another Christian. We get up. Tired. Sore. We face that ugly opponent again. We swing with all that we have. We resist. We refuse to quit. We refuse to compromise. Blood splattering with every hit, we fight and fight until Satan leaves. We resist. We refuse to let sin conquer us. We refuse to simply play church.

How hard are you trying? Do you let the easiest thing mess up your attitude? Do you open the door to Satan at the first knock on the door?  Do you recognize sin? Do you turn shows off because they are not decent? Do you flip channels when immodesty  shows up on a commercial? Do you walk away from profane jokes? Do you refuse to take God’s name in vain? Do you defend God and His word? Do you resist? How hard are you resisting?

Shedding of blood…that’s serious.  That’s all we have. Put your all into it.

Roger