The Christian Ethos: Radically Different From The World's (Hebrews 13:1-6)

amen All right. Well, I can't say it enough glad to be here. I'm going to put on my little recorder here or a sermon audio and all the rest. So just a little patience their appreciate that but some we are in the book of Hebrews on Sunday mornings. We've been going verse by verse and we've arrived at the last chapter and typically we go through 13 chapters of the book and I say wife in a really long time. But so we kind of sped through this when we did take a little bit of a break but we kind of sped through this if you think about it. So Hebrews chapter 13, just the first 6 verses this morning. And the way the end of this I'm thinking about some of my favorite television commercials Geico. They they put out some of the of the best commercials as far as I'm concerned. I was thinking about one where that this fella is a he I guess he's a spy or secret agent or something. He's on top of a building in there helicopters in gunfire and he's fighting people. You know, he's like a a James Bond character trying to get out of Harm's Way and a cell phone rings and he you know answers it and it's his mom calling and she's just sitting in her sunroom, you know, and she's kind of flipping through a magazine. She looks all comfortable in the sun is shining and she's like how you doing, you know, dad found a squirrel make you know, she goes on about the squirrel right and this relationship, but Dad has with the squirrel now and he's like another course the announcer comes on. Says if you're a mom you you always call at the wrong time. That's what you do. I mean, that's what moms do and so I appreciate those commercials. They're kind of funny yet. I'm reminded of this so long this will be right up Ryan God see Sally. I'm reminded of the the one where they're out on the golf course and it's a professional tournament is a couple of guys down by the water and they're trying to set up their approach to the green and all of a sudden this Hydra this go see monster comes out of the water and it's got all of the arms and it's massive and and it grabs the two golfers that are standing there in a sort of slinging them around and the announcers are like it looks like there's a Hydra in the water. It's a hazard right there. I think he's chosen up a 9-iron but I'm not sure he's going to be to get the shot off. What do you think? Of course the announcer comes on and he says if you were golf announcer you whisper, that's what you do. And so these things aren't hilarious but they're kind of funny my favorite one just the last one. I promise because we have more important things to get too, but I can't resist and my wife will tell you this is my favorite one for a lot of reasons, but they're at a high school class reunions 1965 and all the folk are there and all the sudden this is Peter Pan flies in just a young fellow. He's like 12 or 13 years old and he's the perfect actress kind of obnoxious to know he likes you know and feels like oh hi Peter, you know that kind of thing and then he looks that fake somebody to give him a high-five and Sikes I'm out and I'm not going to do that to just playing with him and he's like a jewel is that you you don't look a day over seventy. Am I right? You know like this is a cop. Comment or something and course. My very favorite part is at the end. He's like singing this song You Make Me Feel So Young, you know you make me feel as though spring has sprung and he's doing it in this little boy voice cuz he's a little boy course the announcer says when your Peter Pan you stay young forever. That's what you do. And so these commercials, you know the whole bit about that's what you do that stuff that's striking into me and they're pretty funny but I think about who we are as Christians I think about who we are as men and women and boys and girls who named the name of Christ. What do we do? What are you doing? I think when you think of our culture when you think of the world the world use Christians in a lot of different ways and they do so for a lot of different reason, sometimes we're not who we need to be sometimes we're not to who we would want to be in sometimes there are those who who profess Christ but they don't really know the Lord Jesus Christ and on we could go the world has a lot of Different views of Christians for a lot of different reasons but genuine Christian's people who know the Lord we have been changed that is a reality. It's not that we turned over a new Leaf. It's not that we've become religious. It's not that we've gotten religion or decided, you know to be responsible citizens. Now that we're out of college, it's that the Lord Jesus indeed has gotten hold of our hearts. He's transformed us. We have an alien power living within us. That is the holy spirit. We have an alien righteousness is not a righteousness of our own. It's the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and we stumble we fail we fall but in the inner persons that we are we hate our sin and we vow to do better and we do better over time because God has changed their hearts. That's what real Christians are and that's what real Christians are about if I could put it this way when we think of our mindset when we think of our lifestyles we think of our Outlook We have a different ethos. You know that Greek word think of the word ethic. We have a different ethos as it were than the rest of the world. It's not because we're better. Lots of folks think we think we're better. We don't but nevertheless we have a different ethox know me to find this word rather formally if I can't exactly using it today. Ethan's the distinguishing characters sentiment moral nature or guiding beliefs of a person group or institution. And so having a Christian ethos. We're putting this topic or this question on the table this morning. If you're a Christian, it's what you do. Well, obviously, that's the topic. So the question from the topic is well, what is it that we do if we're Christians if we name the name of Christ if we have a Christian ethos, what is it that we do? I mean we can go to 1st John 4 example. And you got this statement over there. It's a very simple statement do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in them and so we can think to ourselves. Alright. Well when I got to love the world is it mean we don't love people doesn't mean we don't love Sinners and want to cry but it means that we don't love the world don't love the world system. We don't we don't Luv Sinha but we hates it and we love righteousness, even though we do soon as I said a moment ago. I do not love the world. We could sum it up that way recently. My son and I were invited over to the house the homeless some friends and they were having a little get-together we drop by and I was rather late if I could put it that way on the floor having a good time. And I'm I'm I'm not against having a good time and enjoy having a good time. But as we were reflecting on it, my son said to me since it was a lot of the world. There was a lot of the world there. We love the folk, but they're not like we are calling is not again that we're any more righteous on her own than anyone else. I don't want to be self-righteous, but my heart's been changed. I think differently than I used to think and that's because of the grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we're reminded of it from time to time Christians are different and we come to Hebrew step 13th, and that's the point. Blonde talking about this Hebrews chapter 13, it flows from the rest of the book. Obviously where the author has been laboring to tell the that the Hebrews there and us as well that the Lord Jesus is better than anything else Lord Jesus the way of Salvation And I saved by works your saved by grace through faith in Christ don't walk away from Christ and he's been supporting that argument for 12 chapters and now he gets to some concluding exhortation, but they flow from that which is already said they flow from the fact that those who truly know Christ again have been changed by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a list of rules that we're looking at in these first few verses you're going to see some commands and all of that but it's not a list of rules. It's not a code that we just follow because we've out or taken a pledge, you know to live by this code. These things are reflection of the reality of Who We Are Salt and Light if I could put it that way. You know where flavorful in the culture least we should be we we preserve good things in the culture spiritually speaking. At least we should and if we don't they were good for nothing but to be thrown on the ground and trampled upon by me.

And I wonder sometimes if the church is a trampled upon because we failed to be Salt and Light but we long to be that and we are that if we're focused on the Lord if we are submitted to him and following him and it's not a matter of following rules. It's a matter of Love writes a matter of passion for the Lord Jesus. It's a matter of worship and all the rest. The reality of who we are and honoring God and these things that we see in the first few versus year of chapter 13 of the book of Hebrews. It's really how we live to find joy. You know, we we see the world having a good time and maybe from a distance but don't think too much about it and we have a good time and maybe we don't think too much about it. Then when I get up-close-and-personal, I realize that there's no real joy in the way that the world operates There's real joy and being who we are not because we're better again, but because we've been graced if I could put it that way Lord has had mercy honest and Hebrews 13 is about finding Joy. It's about glorifying God. That's where I Joy is isn't it glorifying God. So we just read these vs. And then we'll try to make some application in the time that we have left this morning again verse one. If I let me just read the first verse he says this the author let Brotherly Love continue to write their there's a command that again, it's not just the rule the presupposition there is is that we have love for God we have left. Pictures because he says let it continue. So it's already there. We're already displaying it and then a zoo couraging us let Brotherly Love continue. So again, let me remind you. We're talkin about the Christian ethos and we're talking about the fact that it is radically different from the worlds. Radically different from the world's to we are what we do in the first thing on the table is very simple. What do we do? What's our Christian? He thought we love one another that's the issue. It's not because we decided to love one another it's not because we never have real feelings about other people. So I because we just decide it is a good thing is so sick. It's it's the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts. We love one another and that's why I would manage here to let Brotherly Love continue now when you think about brotherly love we going to ask a question or what what is that exactly? Where's the sense in which I think we could say couple of things is suspension which you know, the author is writing to the to the Hebrews hear the Jewish individuals who are in danger of walking away from Christ. Nothing you can lose your salvation, but maybe they never were saved and so he's just finishing them as we said over and over again. But there are a number of juice have not embraced the Lord Jesus as Messiah that they've not embraced the Christ. They're they're not saved. And there's a sense in which the office and let Brotherly Love continue love the brethren. We could put it that way is a sense in which you could be referring to those Jews who are not say those Jews have not embraced their Messiah as of yet. In fact, if you were to go to Romans chapter 9 verse 3. Listen to what Paul says, he said sure I could wish that I myself workers from Christ for my brethren. There's the word for my brethren will who are his brother and he defines it this way my countrymen according to the flesh. He's talking to the Israelites. He said I could wish that our occurs for the sake of those Jews or not yet. That's what he's getting at. So maybe by way of application let Brotherly Love continue. Maybe we could think about family members that we have who don't know Christ. We need a love them or maybe we could think about to our fellow Americans this we say and if you're from a different part of the world that wherever you're from, you know, those that have the same nationality is you you you could have love for them love for her for four members of the church in for whatever the reason don't know Christ now the Bible affirms they regenerate church membership and yet a lot of folks somehow someway find their names on the rolls. And it might be that they're deceived and it might be that we just don't get it. It might be that some Churches. So just never clean up their roles. What are the case maybe but maybe maybe it's lost church members that we need to love. Maybe we need to love them into the kingdom. Only God can save but we are his Messengers right? Where is ambassadors or maybe if we get a little bit closer to the context to make the application maybe maybe we need to be reminded to love those individuals who called themselves Christians may be there in denominations quasi or pseudo Christian denominations that don't believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. But yet they they they worship and imaginary Christ and maybe we could love them as it were whoever it might be. We can love them by representing Christ. Well, We can love them by praying for them. Obviously we can love them by serving them as we have opportunity.

But ultimately, obviously when you look at an admonition like this let Brotherly Love continue were talking about those who are saved those who are in the body though those who've been born again, but the fact that you and I are Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have the special spiritual familial relationship and we love one another I think about the One anothering commands right throughout the New Testament. We we talked about those a lot and I I like staying here and give you a complete list, but it would take too long. But let me just give you a few let me be devoted to one another that's what it says honor one another above yourselves. This is what love means. I'm done. I'm defining love. I'm defining it in a 1st Corinthians 13 way using the one another's live in harmony with one another build up one another be like minded towards one another except one another admonish one another care for one another serve one another. I mean we could go on there so many be patient with one another be kind submit bear with teeth comfort and courage stir up one another to love and good works. And again we could go on so let Brotherly Love continue. That's the admonition there. Here's a question. Are there any conditional Clauses in this admonition? I mean, you know, there's any qualifiers, I don't see any. Does it say let Brotherly Love continue unless someone makes you mad right? Is it say let Brotherly Love continue unless someone hurts your feelings. It just says let Brotherly Love continue didn't say let it continue unless someone does you wrong right? That's the hard part the world loves Revenge. I mean, what about that saying revenge is a dish best served cold, right? The world loves our flesh loves that I may just be honest. You don't have to say it out loud. I'll say I love it. Okay, I do but I shouldn't and the new man that I am the inner man my flesh loves it but in the inside, I hate it, right cuz I'm told that that's the way of the world and we we we we have to let Brotherly Love continue regardless. You see the world blow me you think about the love that I'm talking about. I'm talking about biblical love. I'm talking about a love that comes from God. It's different from the world's love the world's love lot of the time. It's based on how another person makes you feel, right? I look at Michael Jackson. You make me feel so good. Or maybe it's I can't remember the phrase but you get the idea. It's it's a ton of the person makes you feel and you define that as love but you just like the way they make you feel.

Or the world loves people who are loyal to them and that's the only people they love Jesus said this even the tax collectors love those who love them. And of course Tax Collectors work sort of a repulsive bunch in the New Testament. They had sold the Israelites out. They they've been bought off by the Roman State and all the rest that they were they were evil. They were outside of the Covenant is it were the old Covenant and they love each other they love those who love them. But Christian love is based on something very different, isn't it? Christian love is based on God's character. Bible says God is love that's part of the essence of who he is. Not just that he's decided. Okay, I'm going to love instead of hate hate. He is love that part and parcel of who God is and so we love with the Holy Spirit and we're called to love no matter what not easy when when we're wrestling with our flesh. I get that you get that but nevertheless this is the calling doesn't mean we never looks thin either to love someone. In fact, we don't overlook send we we seek to to admonish seek to restore seek to to Proclaim Christ. If they need to be saved in All the Rest full of looks like a lot of different things. In fact, I think they're a couple of important. Concepts and 2nd Thessalonians 3 list of this talk about love if anyone does not obey our word in this letter. and it is listed some things that sort of remarks of Christians just like the author to the Hebrews is doing is it mean when on the bay this word note that person will see this and do not keep company with him so that he may be ashamed now watch the next verse ready for this yet. Do not count him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother. He's talking about an individual in the church is not honoring God and he saying okay, let's have a little bit of withdrawal not because we're being ugly not because we're done not because we're we're we're just wanted to take a pound of Flesh or anything like that. We withdraw so that he'll be ashamed so that the convicting work of the spirit will be made manifest in the more powerful way and it's hard to and when not to treat him as an enemy because he's not wear with a treat him as a brother. That's the issue. Let Brotherly Love continue. That's what the author to the Hebrews says

so a good definition of love. And we can say a lot of things couldn't be but I think Paul kind of sums it up to the Philippians. He says look out for the interest of others. That's a definition. I think that's workable. I think it's it a good definition certainly comes from the scripture. So it ought to be good obviously. So look out for the interests of others. I think that's why you come to the to the book of Hebrews in chapter 12, just before this particular passage. We talked about God's chastening of his children. And what does it say? It says he chastens Those whom he loves

And so this issue of love, what does it mean? It means that we look out for the interests of others. That means that so often it's a matter of encouragement. Sometimes it's a matter of strengthening. Sometimes it's a matter of comforting sometimes a matter of serving and sometimes it's a matter of rebuking if necessary. So that's what I'm trying to get at. God is not cruel. God is holy God is unique and God is love and God does whatever it takes to make sure that you make it safely home to be with him. He sanctifies you he makes you fit for his presence. That's what he's doing. He'll do whatever it takes and sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's difficult, but that's what he's doing and he tells us to do the same let Brotherly Love continue.

And I ran into a friend of mine from my college days. Hadn't seen him in a number of years. And I was reminded just about him and his you know, personality and all that and one of his favorite. Well just say Iraq groups back to The Troggs and some of you might not have heard of The Troggs but you have probably heard their most famous song actually had several famous songs, but the one I'm thinking of cuz it's his favorite song was called. Wow. Yeah, and we don't go too far down that road, but wild thing he says in the song I Think. I Love You But I want to know for sure. So come on and hold me tight and then he says I love you write what's up? Probably lost OK or something close to it, but it's not love. We're talkin about something completely different. We're talkin about a love that comes from God. I love that reflects the reality of God. I love that serves others for their best interest. And so when we think about the car, Funny thoughts. We have to think it's radically different from the world just not like The Troggs radically different from the world 2-2. We are it's what we do. We love one another but there's something else a deep by the way. I'm just giving you some descriptors and end. These are not exhausted the representative, but we love one another and secondly we engage in Hospitality. I don't really think about that too often. We think about the Christian ethos, but it's right here was right there and Romans 12. I read that a little bit earlier this morning, but it's right here in Hebrews 13. Let Brotherly Love continue verse to do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Wow, that's an interesting verse. So entertaining strangers were talking about hospitality. And the truth is that's really how hospitality is primarily defined in the the New Testament. It's not just a matter of yeah, you know having a bunch of meals with a with a bunch of church members. There's nothing wrong with that. That's a good thing and you got to have a little bit of hospitality in order to do that. But biblical Hospitality in the first century didn't have a lot of nice hotels. You couldn't just call up the Marriott, you know and check out how many rewards points you have you you know, you kind of took your chances and most of the ends that they had to work very safe weren't very hospitable to put it that way and so good. Would often take strangers in and Christians were, you know, given to hospitality that's one of the things that they were known for they would put up stranger. They put up friends of course, but they put up strangers and feed them and send. I'm on their way.

So again, you see this Christian ethos this focus on the stranger. This focus on someone in need. That's what we're talkin about. We see the same principle at work when James tells us to to think about the widows and orphans. That's true religion pure and undefiled we take care of the widows and orphans it the same principle that underlines this issue of hospitality. How many think about salvation. We're strangers were aliens and we're in need in the Lord. Jesus Takes Us in and so again, all of these things are rooted in the reality of God. They're rooted in the character of God.

maybe you need to have somebody you know that single maybe need to have them over for Thanksgiving that be a good way to make an application here. I remember I used to travel with a professor of the preaching and evangelism and he had an Evangelistic Ministry and I used to travel with him and I carry his bags and all that and I was just along for the ride was learning and praying and all the rest and we stay in a hotel once in awhile. But neither one of us had a lot of money in those days and I remember staying in some home across the country folk were so hospitable to put us up. In fact, I remember when I was in seminary and I wasn't pastoring just Jedi preaching all over the place and my wife and I we we hardly had anything in those days. And so every time we preach somebody invites to dinner and I guess they could just look at us until I don't know. I wasn't trying to look poor. You know what I mean? My kids for dress decently or so. I thought you know and so they were hospitable and it was awesome. I never forget one occasion. My mom. I love my mom bless her heart. She's with the Lord now. She's a fantastic cook, but what if they she cook when I was young? I did not like I'm sorry. I don't know why I guess it was a was in a pot roast. Is that what you call it marriage and pot roast and this thing I mean people loved it, you know, the family by Justin language is so Bland, you know what I mean? Just so Bland I like interesting stuff then. Anyway weird weird. I don't go to church preaching in Louisiana and we get invited over to lunch and I'm excited. I love meeting people. I love a good meal and turns out the ladies cook pot roast. I'm thinking goodness. I can't get away from it. But I'm going to be you know kind and I'm going to you know act like it's the best thing I've ever had any way puts it on my plate. I take the first bite and there's something different about this pot roast. And I and I mean this sincerely it is one of the best things I've ever tasted. I found out later. This is how the Cajuns do it this loaded with garlic. It's loaded with spices. I mean, they like the spice it up is Rhett and Link say they really do. I mean it is awesome. And now and you talk about Hospitality they gave the recipe to my wife. Who's who's a good cook my mom never did really comply. But Mary praise be to God the hospitality goes on and on and on you come have a roast at our house. It is primo and it's all because of the Cajun so we give God praise this gift. That's right. They amen. Amen this gift and this practice of hospitality. That's what we're talking about here. Do not forget to entertain strangers. That's that's the admonition and I think that there's a sense in which obviously we're going to do that strangers. For example, Let's have a little bit of gospel intentionality. Right? I wrote an article one time about this but you know, sometimes I forget it and I told you that we got invited to the visit with some friends and Jay and I went over there and I was just going over to be nice. You know, I mean, that's what you do right Christian would not ask a good thing or nice. Jaylene's. Is it really nice if we could share the gospel with somebody over here and I'm thinking yeah would why didn't I think of that but anyway, you know, that's the issue so you can turn that around have people over to your place maybe develop that relationship be nice, but share Christ. Defensive William in the gospels of Vincent, but you can be wise and you can be gentle and all the rest and see what the Lord does that's what we're talkin about here. What about this business of angels? I mean, what does he say? He says do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some of unwittingly entertained angels and obviously it's a true statement right there in the Bible. And I have no doubt that that angels are real don't think it's normative to see them popping in and out. You know, it's not normal for our time think it wasn't even normative in the first century just happened a couple of times right? Well, maybe more than a couple but you get the idea. Was it all the time? What is a reference to a couple of folks in the Old Testament of which were aware? I just give you enter Abraham three men came and visit him one time turned out to be Angels what I'm trying out of the Angel of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

And who knows whether or not you've entertained angels but I don't even know that Entertaining Angels per se is really the point. I think when you look at the reference there and what's going on there. I'm sure it's part of the point, but I think really the point is you need to honor the Lord yet. You need to honor Christ and all that you do you need to be hospitable you need to to engage in this as it were because whatever you do you do in the Name of Christ. You never know who You're going to be serving. You never know who whether it's an angel the Lord Jesus himself or a perfect stranger or a friend or just someone in need the ideas that when we give a cup of water we do so in Jesus name. And Jesus said in as much as you've given it to the least of these you get her done to me when you visit the the prison or you you you visited me when I was in prison Lord. When do we visit you in prison? If you've done it to the least of these you've done it unto me, that's the idea. And that's the Christian ethos. Radically different from the world's to we are what we do. We love one another when Gage and hospitality and we share and suffering. There's a third thing. We bear one another's burdens if I could put it that way we share and suffering verse 3. Remember the prisoner speaking of prisoners. Remember the prisoners and how do we remember them as if chain with them? You see that? That's the Christian ethos remove the prisoners as if chained with them. Those were mistreated since you your cells are in the body also. To remember the prisoners remember those who are sick remember those who are suffering and whatever way they're suffering. That's the application. He says right here remember those who are mistreated. You know remember them is if you're chained with them. Maybe you're like me and I know some of you are cuz I heard someone or someone mentioned it to me earlier this morning. I cannot get Austin Somerville out of my head. It's the young man that had the diving accident a week or so ago and he's essentially paralyzed right now from the neck down. He's got some movement in his arms and we're praying for the rest. He's been accepted into a rehab center in Atlanta and we're just praying praying for me. I can't get him out of my head. I mean just a 17 year old young man. Someone mention of this morning. They saw the news report that they did on him a couple nights ago. I saw that too and it was just stuff. It it it it made it all the more real to see him on television laying in that hospital bed, but here's the thing. He was talking about the Lord Jesus. And what a comfort he been to him. And he was being a witness for the Lord Jesus. but I'm just making the point at the moment that that we need to put ourselves in their shoes in our minds. I can't get Ben Vaughn out of my head. Sometimes I can't get joint Meadows out of my head. Sometimes you know what I'm talkin about.

And that's what we're admonished to be and it's it's not a it. It's a rule as I've said, it's just who we are what we do. It's the power of the spirit at work in US. You yourselves are in the body also. Think about being in the body think about the word picture in as some of you know back in 06. I had to have back surgery in excruciating pain and I couldn't walk myself for a little while and all the rest of them go into a bar. Obviously. When when your your your back is out like that and then then the nerve bundle going down to your legs affect than all the rest of the effects, you know the rest of your body and I mean I had pain from head to toe is unbelievable. Then I won't go into those details and you can understand that but see right now, I don't have that but I do have a shoulder issue now compared to that. It is nothing. It's so minor and fact I didn't even ask God to to to to take it away from me over the last few days has been praying for Austin summer least nothing compared to what he's going through you understand what I'm saying?

But at the same time it's it's it's it's a it's a torn rotator cuff and you know, there's a little bit of pain from my arm of the wrong way. I I can't do this. I can't do that have to sleep on it a certain way. You know, I wake up pray for five times and not the point of making is even with something that's nothing even with something that's minor. It affects the rest of my body.

And no matter what's going on within the body. Could be a major situation whether it's Financial weathers healthwise. weather to brother who has cancer what weather something minor may may may be just a temporary layoff and they've got funds to cover it for a little while or just a little shoulder deal like me doesn't matter what it is. It affects all of us and that's the point here put yourself in their shoes. When one part of the body hurts the whole body hurts in a sense. Ask yourself. What what what do they need? Obviously, they need prayer. I don't change the way you pray you think about what they need. They might need to visit. They might not everybody's different. I don't always like a visit when I'm sick that most of time I don't I don't want people to see my hair all messed. It will wait a minute. They said that way everyday everyday of the week. But other than that. I can't do anything with it. My wife asked me every day and then nothing to do. So, I mean I try.

praise God God loves all his children. even those with weird hair But I always like to visit I went Hospital one time James Johnson will tell you the story later cuz I called her up cuz some stuff was going on and I was having some chest pains and shortness of breath and my arm was hurting and he was like Jane could just be a heart attack and then just talk and anyway, she taught me through some things make sure I got to the hospital all that turns out blood pressure. You know that can be bad. I mean some of you have have a real struggle I get that but in my case a little bit of medication help but I went in the house. I didn't tell anybody I didn't I didn't want to bother you but I didn't want to be bothered. I don't mean that ugly. I just, you know, just I just didn't want anybody to visit me. But you know what when I had that back issue when I was laying there and so much pain and just thinking all kinds of weird thoughts on the situation. I was in whenever somebody would come in that door and visit me all what a joy And so maybe you got to think what is this person needs a person to be left alone. This person need a phone calls a person need to visit. What kind of this as long as it sometimes they're ready for that. Maybe sometimes they just won't know you're there you pop your head and you probably formed you leave. All I'm saying is we going to put ourselves in their shoes and we got to ask. Ourselves what it is, that would be the best for them. Do they need advocacy? Do they need money? What do they need? That's what we're talkin about here. We share we fellowship and suffering. That's the issue. That's part of the Christian ethos. It's part and parcel of who we are and what we do. It's radically different from the world. We love one another when Gage and Hospitality we share and suffering and we also take marriage seriously not being exhausted. Just hitting some highlights. Converse for marriage is Honorable among all and the bed undefiled before Decatur's and adulterers. God will judge. Well, that's a serious statement. So we better take marriage seriously, right?

Our culture has a low view of marriage. You know, most people think that's not really necessary to get married. We just live together or we can just you know, hop around as it were. a lot of people see marriage of the financial arrangement Lot of people think that, you know, just cereal marriage is so, you know, not someone who's who who's made a mistake not someone who's who sin again get forgiveness or not someone you notice something's happen to them and it wouldn't even their fault at least per say they weren't for but you just Pee Wee's have the mindset. Hey, you know, I marry this individual when it doesn't work, I'll marry somebody else. Will that didn't work. I marry somebody else that's the view of the world. the view of the world

Of course the world doesn't define marriage biblically and all the rest. I've been watching think I met you this last week. I've been watching this Michael Jordan special the Chicago Bulls in their 6 championships gold the Last Dance Bulls players. Obviously, one of the key principles in their second three-peat was Dennis Rodman this guy feel sorry for him and what a tremendous player but he is messed up if I could put it that way. I'm not being ugly spiritually speaking, but you remember back in the day. He married himself remember this was all over television. Put on the white wedding dress and the lipstick the whole bitty married himself and the people described it this way. I mean it he has an icon of self-expression as if it's a good thing and then and they said he was ahead of his time and then certainly he was but obviously they think it's a good thing that this is a a redefining obviously a marriage God is the one who defines marriage it isn't it? Find it that way you understand that.

Marriage is Honorable the Bible says and it's honorable among on a part of what that means is it's a common Grace is not just for Christians. God has given marriage for for all people. That's not that everyone's called to be married. But but but it's a common Grace. It's what we call it. It's it's not just for safe people alone. And of course when he says that marriage is Honorable among all and the bed undefiled or what he means is that marriage is the only proper context for sexual relations and you understand that as well.

So the marriage bed is undefiled it it it it is honored and it should be honored. It is undefiled and it should be undefiled another words. You shouldn't engage in fornication that is sex outside of marriage. You should engage in adultery. That's that sex with someone else is not your partner. You understand these terms just making sure

That what is he say, he says right here fornicators and adulterers. God will judge that is a serious issue.

I am here to say to you. That was a gospel Minister that if you'll come to Christ if you'll bring your sin to Christ his forgiveness, that's the gospel. That's the good news. We've all messed up one way or another none of us deserves to be say none of us deserves to be forgiven. But Christ is going to the cross and he's paid for since he's paying for the sins of his people if you come to him and humble repentance confession He will forgive he will save.

This is part of the Christian ethos. You know when we honor our our marriage when we on our marriage itself, we're being Salt and Light we're being different from the world will have to be we should give me ugly those who disagree we can we can certainly talk to them about it. As long as we're Wisin humble and loving and all the rest we should but I'm just saying if we honor our spouses it's part of what it means to be Salt and Light.

Yeah, I went to a reunions of sorts one time some time back and the spell was telling me about his second wife is third wife's fourth wife just listening to all of this and he asked me and I said, well, you might remember you you've met my wife and we've been married thirty plus years now. We're we're going on 35 now, but this is a few years ago, and now wasn't trying to You don't make him feel bad or anything it just you know, I've been been married to to my wife for over 30 years by the grace of God and dumb. You know, it's it's it's an opportunity that .22 to say why it's not because I'm the best guy in the whole world. It's it's because of Christ. It's because of Grace and it's an opportunity to point others to the Lord Jesus Christ and and and and you have an opportunity to to to put this Christian ethos is Christian ethic the Lord Jesus on display when when you've been faithful in marriage all those you and you know what, let's say you're divorced. Essays a Biblical divorce and now you're remarried or aight what is Susan unbiblical divorce, but you're repentant and let's say you're now remarried. Guess what you still have an opportunity to put Christ on display because you honor marriage now you may have in the past who knows what your circumstances are fish. Forget. This sin is no different than the other sent but here's the issue. You're married to honor the marriage now what an opportunity for witness. I was talking to my wife this morning about her brother asked if I could just share she said sure. Her brother's little bit older than her and his first wife. They weren't say when they got married and had two kids and one day she just abandoned and left the kids on the front porch that see you later. Front porch of my mother-in-law then he got married again and that was a huge mistake and it wasn't very long as a bit longer than what's the young lady Britney Spears and whoever she married for a day, but it wasn't long at all. They had it annulled then he married another woman and he thought this woman was the right one. This is third wife ever made for 27 years before she left and she been committing adultery for a long long time and finally just walked out on him. So he's at 3. And after that the Lord got hold of him and he came to No One Love the Lord Jesus Christ. He was real radically transformed. He didn't know what marriage is all about before the course. He couldn't control the fact that you know to at least just walked out on them. I guess maybe the middle when did to he can control that but he still didn't know what it was all about. But you know what, he's married again, and he's married to a Christian woman and her husband abandoned her and they have dedicated their lives to honoring the Lord in their marriage and a telling others about the perils and about the good times that they have now in about the Lord Jesus and all the rest. These things are not rules per say these things are true. Christians are the Christian ethos. We love one another we engage and Hospitality we share in suffering. We take marriage seriously when summer gets hold of us, right? And then there's one more thing. We rest in Providence. Providence for our lives God's in control of everything. Look at what he says beginning of verse 5 let your conduct I said ethic that said ethos as it were. Let your conduct be without covetousness this a heart center. This is what Paul said he thought he was obeying the law off until they realize that the loss of down shall not covet in all kinds of covetousness in his heart. Let your conduct be without covetousness be content with such things. So there's the admonition resting in God's promise be content with such things as you have. For he himself said this is God talking. I will never leave you nor forsake you. What the Lord says so we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what can man do to me.