Are you missing lettuce
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Intro and Frame Sermon
Intro and Frame Sermon
Been going through Hebrews | Fixing our Eyes on Jesus | Stepping into God’s Presence - Going all in | Bible said GREATEST NEED is the PRESENCE OF GOD | RIGHT, GOOD, BEAUTIFUL is in the presence of GOD
We have explored Rest is stepping into God’s Presence | Week 2 we spoke about full assurance of Hope, and what might prevent us from stepping into God’s presence = Pride.
But what happens when you have the Head Knowledge | You have the Heart | But you just can’t endure | What happens when you stumble | What happens when the Enemy just doesn’t seem to stop screaming? How then, do you stay, fixing your eyes on Jesus.
**Dubbla Video**
Some things just go together - Speghetti and Meatballs | Cheese and Crackers | Mac and Cheese | Me and Emma | Men and Fishing |
The title of today’s message: Are you missing Lettuce - We are better together
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
Ok, where are we? We are in Hebrews 10 - | Context of Hebrews |
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Confidence = Transition here to talk to a congregation
Confidence = Boldness and Assurance | Blood of Jesus = When we approach God in Prayer do we say “I am not coming in my own righteousness”.
If you are “How can God Forgive me?” “How can I be used?” “Why should I be up here using my gifts” = Work of the Enemy - That is not FULL ASSURANCE. We must FIX OUR EYES on Jesus.
If you are not confident and bold with your walk with God - You’re probably focusing on the wrong things.
GOD | PEOPLE | ME
Peter prayed for? Boldness.
Living Way
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Jesus still is asking for a Sacrifice, it’s not a bull, and it’s not a goat - it’s YOU. He is the priest, still asking for a sacrifice, but that sacrifice is you.
Greek = living means…ALIVE
Let’s choose…LIFE
Lettuce
Lettuce
Since we have all that… A living Way, what does the author Say we should do?
Switch to Clear Instruction.
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Some things go better together, but how then, do we stay bold…without eachother.
*Emphasise us* Not talking to a Person anymore.
1st one > True Heart in Full Assurance
The world looks at you from the outside in, GOD looks at the inside out. He transforms from the inside out.
Hold Fast our Confession
Hold fast the conession of our hope = Act in a Godly way. = Read, we act, we step into rest, we stay there, we don’t waver.
Let us Consider
Consider = Katanoomen = Concentrated throught - There is intention behind it.
Stir up to love and good works = Not just going to happen, and there is an outward outcome that is undeniable.
Episynagoge - Meet together = In a corporate gathering.
Not just a nice iidea, it’s an absolute neccesity for the encouragement of Christian living. We need one another.
We need to encourage one another - we need each other.
Why?
A divided World needs a united Church - That is why here, we are crazy about community - we are crazy about meeting together.
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
The Word of God is calling for UNITY not UNIFORMITY.
Ephesians 4:3 (ESV)
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- In a time right now, where there is massive divide | If you’re not with me, you’re against me, if you don’t agree with me your wrong - If you don’t support me, you hate me - in a Body of Christ - it’s just not true - We are called, to embrace each other.
What are we united on?
> God the Father, Jesus the Son, The Spirit is 3 in one > Jesus is the Saviour of the World> Died and 3 days later came back > Jesus is seated at the right hand of Father > Alpha and Omega > beginning and the end > he wil come back...
Best sayings: Help me understand
>>Differences expand perspective
It’s great to do life with people that are similar than you, but it’s even better when you do it with people that are different than you | You gain perspective from people that look, live and act differently to you | From different generations - We can disagree on things of this world, and gain perspecte from differences from walks - I encourage you to change it up - and you can’t do that if you’re not coming |
**Connect Group illustration**
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Why is your life not working the way it should? Do you feel disconnected? Trapped? Hopeless? What’s missing from your life? Maybe it’s Church and maybe Church is missing you.
The world wants you to worry, doubt, fear, freak out, stay isolated, the enemy loves it.
Isolation amplifies negative attitudes and the Enemies Lies
Meeting together reinforces the promises of God
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
God blesses the church when it lives and meets in unity.
Transition > What does Church mean?
First time Church is mentioned in the Bible
First time Church is mentioned in the Bible
We don’t just go to Church, if you Go to Church, then you can Leave a church, Church is not a building where we go, it’s who we are - it’s an identity and we exist for the world.
First time Jesus mentions Church in the bible
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
He doesn’t say...
The first time Jesus mentions church he makes it very clear that we are in a WAR - What’s missing from your life? Maybe you’re not engaged in the war, making a difference, getting involved, pushing back to kingdom of darkness. As you have been called and created by God to do so within his CHURCH.
There is an enemy who’s mission is to steal, kill and destroy - we are in a war and it’s not FLESH - We are called to be a force of LIFE.
What is missing in your life? Maybe it’s the CHURCH. Encourage you, beg you, plead with you to ENGAGE IN THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.
IRON SHARPENS IRON. WE CANNOT FIGHT ALONE.
Every part of the body of Christ is important!! As you use your gifts to make a difference, you become fulfilled.
When you wake up, wake up with a “Search and Rescue” mentality, we are CALLED to bring people to Christ.
Who are we as the church?
As a church we will be irrationally generous because we geniunly feel as though it’s more blessed to give than to recieve.
We will fear God above Man
The local church is the hope of the world We are crazy about community because - We are better together than we are alone!
We will not insult God with small dreams or anything less then bet the farm thinking
We will be AWARE of the NEEDS of the people within our CHURCH
We are not spiritual consumers but we are spiritual contributors
We are faith filled, spirit lead, truth seeking warriors of God.
And it’s hard out there, that is why the author of Hebrews is begging, he is pleading, DO NOT neglect meeting with one another. Encourage one another - you are here…to encourage someone today. It’s our time to get filled up, corporately, before we go back out there, during the week, and we can text, we cna call and we can CONNECT in this community.
When we meet together though, something happens, when we feel down, something happens, Hebrews says that we are here to encourage each other.
Hebrews Warning
Hebrews Warning
Listen, The Author gives us a warning about not meeting together he goes onto to say:
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
**Explain context = Roman Prison**
If you are hurting, you need to come to church,
Spiritually dull = Come to Church
Guilty = Come to Church
Big Sin, Little Sin, Shame, Pride, Hurt someone,
Religion draws lines, Jesus crossed lines, and we will do anything short of sin to bring people in
Conclusion
Conclusion
*Get people to Stand* Get kids out of kids church
What are we? We are the Church and we are united against one enemy
We are united around one mission: To lead people to be fully devoted followers of Christ.
We are united around everyone in this room, and in this region feeling the Love of Christ through our word and our action
We will be committed to understanding, to learning to gaining new perspective off each other
We are united around building a community where we truly understand the needs of people in this room
We are known for what we are FOR and not for what we are AGAINST.
We are the Church and we exist for the world and we are committed to meeting together.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Why do we get so blessed by coming together? because the Word says we are a shadow of what happens in heaven? What happens in heaven?
Standing around Praising God - We get to Praise God Together.
Have you ever been to a party by yourself? Boring = We are FREE = you are FREE - You have been set FREE and that is worth celebrating.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.
For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.
Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!