Untitled Sermon (2)

Text: Hebrews 13:7-

Our resources in a world of opposition.

We find in verse three that there are believers in bondage. We have seen in multiple times that the saints of the represented churches were under opposition. This church is suffering for the cause of Christ.

The Church does not fit into this world.

We don’t fit morally

Our world has lost its moral footing. They live a Hedonistic life. Hedonism is the doctrine that says that the end of man is the happiness of man. Live this life up and get all you can from it because that is the measure of whether or not you did it right.

They swap sexual partners as easy as they change shoes.

They steal with no regard for the victim

They burn cities to the ground

They murder babies in the womb

They will end your career because you didn’t comply. (Yes this is a moral issue)

We don’t fit religiously

Verse 3 tells us that there were Christians in bonds. This is because of the religion of the day. The Roman government believed in paganism. Which is to say they allowed the worship of any God. You could make up your own God and worship him. You could follow any new idea you wanted. There were just two rules.

1. Don’t speak against any God.

2. Caesar is god also.

As you can imagine the Christians said, “NO” Jesus is God alone and we have no room for any other God.

Doesn’t that sound like today. The world doesn’t mind if you like Jesus. Even love Jesus you just can’t say their god’s are less. In the eyes of our culture all gods are equal, and the only crime is being intolerant of anyone else’s god.

We don’t fit ethically

Can I tell you it is not just important what you do but it is equally impoartant how and why you do it. It is important that our worship isn’t just for looks. Or for an advantage.

They have no problem if you want to go to church because that is where all your business associates go. They love for you to choose your church based on whether or not that is where the politicians, or wealthy people go.

Serving Christs doesn’t have to be a central point of your life just tack him onto any other thing you have going on. Christ is more interested in a pure worship. A worship that is in Spirit and Truth.

We don’t fit physically

We don’t fit this worlds agenda physically. Our bodies are not our own. We don’t look at them the same way. What we bring in has to pass our conscience. And the idea that someone can tell us what to do with our bodies that violates our conscience is anti-Christian. I remind you that the Believers are so interested in this that we know we won’t take the mark of the beast.

Hebrews 13:13

This world is not my home,

I’m just passing through.

My treasures are laid up

Somewhere beyond the blue.

So the question then lands how do we avoid the folly of the world. Do we have a resource that keeps us from sliding into the world the same way the believing Jews were sliding back into the old religion.

The answer is yes.

The LORD is my helper (6)

The grace of leadership (7)

Christ’s Immutability (8)

The Truth (9)

Calvary (10-12)

A future Promise (14)

Results a life lived that pleases God

1. Praise

2. Do good

3. Communicate