Greater - Sermon 4

GREATER

SERMON 3

THE BENEFITS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY

INTRODUCTION:

WE ARE CONTINUING IN OUR SERIES ON THE WARNING PASSAGES IN HEBREWS ENTITLED “GREATER” THIS MORNING.

WE WILL FINISH THIS SERIES NEXT SUNDAY, BUT THIS MORNING, I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE BENEFITS OF THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

SO LET ME INVITE YOU TO TURN WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, CHAPTER 10.

WE WILL TAKE VERSES 19 THROUGH 25 AS OUR TEXT FOR THIS MORNING.

SO LET’S READ THIS PASSAGE TOGETHER.

READ – PRAY

LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF REMINDER OF THE OVER-ARCHING THEME IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.

THIS LETTER, OR SERMON, WAS GIVEN TO JEWISH BELIEVERS IN ROME WHO, DUE TO INCREASING PERSECUTION, WERE TEMPTED TO TURN THEIR BACKS ON THEIR FAITH AND LEAVE THE CHURCH.

IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF US IN THIS VERY ROOM HAVE FELT THE WAY SOME OF THESE BELIEVERS FELT.

AND THE PASTOR, THE WRITER OF HEBREWS, TAKES THE ENTIRE SPAN OF THE BOOK ENCOURAGING THESE BELIEVERS TO PERSEVERE IN THEIR FAITH, AND TO REMAIN FAITHFUL, EVEN IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTY AND PERSECUTION.

AND IN THE PASSAGE WE JUST READ, HE NOT ONLY ISSUES A WARNING, ACTUALLY, THE WARNING IS GIVEN IN VERSES 26 AND FOLLOWING, BUT IN OUR TEXT, HE REMINDS THEM OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SPIRITUAL FAMILY MEMBERS.

I AM SURE THAT MOST OF YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT I DO ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY.

WE OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE MAKE COMMENTS LIKE, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT MY FAMILY,” OR “THANK GOD FOR MY FAMILY.”

FAMILY IS IMPORTANT, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO HERE AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IS REMIND BELIEVERS THAT THEY ARE PART OF A SPIRITUAL FAMILY, WITH TIES THAT ARE JUST AS STRONG AS THE BIOLOGICAL TIES THAT CONNECT US TO OUR PHYSICAL FAMILIES.

SO LET’S SPEND OUR TIME THIS MORNING LOOKING AT THE BENEFITS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

1. THE BENEFIT OF THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

a. ACCEPTANCE BY GOD…THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

i. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BOLDLY APPROACHING THE THRONE OF GOD.

ii. WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RIGHT OF ENTRY INTO THE HOLY PLACE BY THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.

iii. WE DON’T HAVE TO “SLINK” INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

iv. BECAUSE THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WAS SHED FOR US – THE PERFECT, SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD – WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT GOD ACCEPTS US.

v. HE DOES, BASED ON THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.

vi. JUST LIKE A CHILD SHOULD HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO KNOW THAT HE IS ACCEPTED BY HIS FATHER…

vii. WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE TO KNOW THAT GOD ACCEPTS US – NOT BASED ON THE WORK WE HAVE DONE, BUT BASED ON THE WORK THAT CHRIST HAS DONE ON OUR BEHALF

viii. PROVIDED YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST BY FAITH…

ix. SO WE ARE ACCEPTED BY GOD…

b. BUT WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO GOD…THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS.

i. ONE OF THE MOST VIVID IMAGES SURROUNDING THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THAT OF THE TEMPLE VEIL BE TORN IN TWO, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, AT THE DEATH OF JESUS.

ii. THAT’S THE IMAGERY REFERRED TO HERE.

iii. CHRIST OPENED THE WAY OF ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH HIS FLESH THAT HE OFFERED ON CALVARY.

iv. SO WE HAVE A “NEW AND LIVING WAY” OF ACCESS TO GOD RATHER THAN THE “OLD AND DEAD WAY” OF RITUALISTIC TEMPLE WORSHIP.

v. WE ARE GRANTED ACCESS TO THE FATHER AS A RESULT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SON…

c. AND THEN WE HAVE ATONEMENT BEFORE GOD…THROUGH OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

i. THE PRIESTS PRIMARY FUNCTION WAS TO OFFER SACRIFICES TO ATONE FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.

ii. WHEN JESUS GAVE HIMSELF AS A RANSOM FOR THE SINS OF MAN, HE BECAME OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, IN THAT HE PROVIDED ATONEMENT ONCE AND FOR ALL…

iii. ONE SACRIFICE…THAT WAS SUFFICIENT TO ATONE FOR THE SINS OF EVERY MAN, WOMAN, BOY AND GIRL…ONCE AND FOR ALL.

iv. AND IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, ALL YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED RIGHT STANDING IN THE EYES OF GOD…

v. NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST, WHICH IS IMPUTED TO BELIEVERS…

d. SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME BENEFITS IN BEING A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD…THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

i. WE CAN CONFIDENTLY COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, DUE TO THE PERFECT, ATONING SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

ii. BUT WITH THOSE BENEFITS COME SOME RESPONSIBILITIES…

iii. LET’S LOOK AT THEM.

2. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

a. LET US DRAW NEAR.

i. ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE PERSEVERE IN OUR FAITH IS BY DRAWING NEAR TO GOD.

ii. WHAT IS INTERESTING HERE IS THAT THE WRITER MENTIONS THE THREE FACETS OF A PERSON, HIS SPIRIT, HIS SOUL, AND HIS BODY.

1. WE SHOULD DRAW NEAR WITH A REDEEMED HEART.

a. A HEART THAT HAS BEEN RENEWED BY THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.

2. WE SHOULD DRAW NEAR WITH REDEMPTIVE ATTITUDES.

a. OUR ATTITUDES SHOULD BE IN LINE WITH GOD’S WILL FOR OUR LIVES.

3. WE SHOULD DRAW NEAR WITH REDEMPTIVE ACTIONS.

a. OUR OUTWARD ACTIONS SHOULD REFLECT THIS INWARD CHANGE.

b. THOSE WHO CLAIM THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD CONTINUALLY DRAW NEAR TO HIM.

c. NEXT, HE SAYS LET US HOLD ON.

i. AND HE GIVES US THE WAY TO HOLD ON.

1. WITHOUT WAVERING.

2. MANY OF US CAN REMEMBER THE OLD SUPER GLUE COMMERCIAL WHERE THE MAN IN THE HARDHAT IS HANGING FROM A STEEL BEAM, HELD THERE ONLY BY SUPER GLUE.

3. NOW WE HAVE NEW PRODUCTS LIKE LIQUID NAILS, GORILLA GLUE, LOCTITE, AND PERMA-BOND.

4. AND THE CLAIM TO FAME FOR EACH OF THESE PRODUCTS IS THEIR ABILITY TO SECURE AND TO KEEP ON SECURING.

5. THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOLD ON.

ii. THE ENCOURAGEMENT HERE IS FOR BELIEVERS TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING.

1. TO HOLD ON AND TO KEEP ON HOLDING ON.

2. WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT WE KNOW.

3. AND WE SHOULD NEVER WAVER IN OUR FAITH.

iii. AND HE GIVES US THE REASON TO HOLD ON.

1. BECAUSE CHRIST IS FAITHFUL.

a. WE CAN HOLD ON TO HIM, BECAUSE HE IS HOLDING ON TO US.

b. THE APOSTLE PAUL SPOKE OF PRESSING ON TOWARD THE GOAL – PERSEVERING – BECAUSE CHRIST HAD MADE HIM HIS OWN.

iv. BECAUSE CHRIST IS HOLDING ON TO OUR SALVATION, WE CAN HOLD ON TO HIM, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL AND PERSECUTION.

d. SO WE MUST HOLD ON.

e. THEN HE SAYS, LET US CONSIDER HOW.

i. TO STIR UP EACH OTHER TO LOVE AND GOOD WORKS.

1. MUCH OF THE TIME, ANY “STIRRING UP” THAT HAPPENS IN THE CHURCH HAPPENS IN A NEGATIVE SENSE.

2. AND SHAME ON US IF WE ENJOY “CAUSING A STIR” IN THE CHURCH.

3. NOTHING COULD BE MORE UNSCRIPTURAL THAN A BELIEVER CONSTANTLY CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR THE BODY.

ii. THE WRITER OF HEBREWS ENCOURAGES HIS AUDIENCE TO STIR UP EACH OTHER TO LOVE AND GOOD WORKS.

1. AND HE GIVES THEM THE METHOD FOR STIRRING UP GOOD WORKS.

a. STEP ONE IS FELLOWSHIP.

i. HE SAYS, “DON’T MISS CHURCH.”

b. STEP TWO IS ENCOURAGEMENT.

i. HE SAYS, “BUILD UP, DON’T TEAR DOWN.”

ii. I WAS WATCHING MODERN MARVELS THE OTHER DAY, AND THE EPISODE WAS ON SUPERSIZED FOOD.

iii. AND THEY HIGHLIGHTED A STUDY DONE AT A UNIVERSITY WHERE THEY TOOK TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND ASKED THEM TO EAT AS MANY CHICKEN WINGS AS THE COULD WITHIN A PRESCRIBED AMOUNT OF TIME.

iv. ONE GROUP WAS IN A ROOM BY THEMSELVES, WHILE THE OTHER GROUP WAS IN A ROOM FILLED WITH ENCOURAGERS… CHEERLEADERS.

v. THE GROUP THAT WAS IN THE ROOM FILLED WITH ENCOURAGERS ATE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN THOSE WHO WERE NOT ENCOURAGED.

vi. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT WE CAN DO MUCH GREATER THINGS WHEN WE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER.

c. STEP THREE IS URGENCY.

i. THAT PHRASE ALL THE MORE MEANS WITH INCREASED INTENSITY, WITH GREATER URGENCY.

ii. THE TRUTH IS THAT PEOPLE AROUND US ARE LOST AND ON THEIR WAY TO HELL ALL AROUND US.

iii. AND GOD HAS CHOSEN US TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE AND PEACE TO A WORLD THAT NEEDS TO HEAR THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL.

SO SCRIPTURE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THERE ARE SOME TREMENDOUS BENEFITS TO BEING A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD.

WE CAN CONFIDENTLY COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, DUE TO THE PERFECT, ATONING SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

AND BECAUSE OF THESE GREAT BENEFITS, THERE ARE SOME RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE MUST TAKE SERIOUSLY.

WE ARE TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD BECAUSE CHRIST IS FAITHFUL.

WE ARE TO HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE IN CHRIST.

WE ARE CONSIDER HOW WE CAN STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS AMONG OURSELVES.

CONCLUSION:

SO MAYBE THIS MORNING, YOU ARE HERE AND YOU NEED TO RESPOND TO THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR OWN HEART.

MAYBE YOU HAVE BEEN DULL OF HEARING, AND YOU WOULD SAY THIS MORNING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO GO DEEPER IN YOUR UNDERSTAND OF BIBLICAL TRUTH.

AND YOU NEED TO RESPOND TO THE MESSAGE.

YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO RESPOND IN REPENTANCE AND RENEW YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD DURING THE INVITATION.

OR MAYBE YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU HAVE NEVER RECEIVED CHRIST BY FAITH AND COMMITTED YOUR LIFE TO HIM.

CHRIST WENT TO THE CROSS AND TOOK YOUR SINS UPON HIMSELF SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE REDEEMED FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN AND RECONCILED TO GOD.

AND HE WILL SAVE YOU TODAY, IF YOU WILL RESPOND TO HIS INVITATION.

IF YOU NEED TO BE SAVED THIS MORNING, OR IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY BEEN SAVED AND YOU NEED TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC, I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD DURING THE INVITATION.

MAYBE YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU SENSE IN YOUR SPIRIT THAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE YOU TO UNITE WITH THIS BODY OF BELIEVERS. WE BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THE IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP HERE AND WE ACCEPT MEMBERS THROUGH SALVATION AND BAPTISM, THROUGH TRANSFER OF LETTER FROM ANOTHER SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH, OR THROUGH STATEMENT OF FAITH, PROVIDED YOU HAVE BEEN SCRIPTURALLY BAPTIZED.

MAYBE THIS MORNING, THIS IS WHAT GOD IS CALLING YOU TO DO. IF SO, I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD DURING THE INVITATION.

OR YOU MAY BE HERE AND YOU FEEL THAT GOD IS CALLING YOU TO A SPECIFIC PLACE OF SERVICE. WE WANT TO WALK THROUGH THIS DECISION WITH YOU AND CELEBRATE GOD’S MOVING IN YOUR LIFE.

IF THIS IS YOU, I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD DURING THE INVITATION.