Jesus has earned heaven 4 U & 4 me (CC)
0 (0 Likes / 0 Dislikes)
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US IN THE LETTER
TO THE HEBREWS
WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 3:
[HEBREWS 3:1-6]
THEREFORE, HOLY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS, WHO SHARE IN
THE HEAVENLY CALLING, FIX YOUR
THOUGHTS ON
JESUS, WHOM WE ACKNOWLEDGE AS
OUR APOSTLE AND
HIGH PRIEST. HE WAS FAITHFUL
TO THE ONE WHO APPOINTED HIM,
JUST AS MOSES WAS FAITHFUL IN
ALL GOD'S HOUSE.
JESUS HAS BEEN FOUND WORTHY OF
GREATER HONOR THAN MOSES, JUST
AS THE BUILDER OF A HOUSE HAS
GREATER HONOR THAN THE HOUSE
ITSELF. FOR EVERY HOUSE IS
BUILT BY SOMEONE,
BUT GOD IS THE BUILDER OF
EVERYTHING.
"MOSES WAS FAITHFUL AS A
SERVANT IN ALL GOD'S HOUSE,"
BEARING WITNESS TO WHAT WOULD
BE SPOKEN BY GOD
IN THE FUTURE. BUT CHRIST IS
FAITHFUL AS THE SON OVER GOD'S
HOUSE.
AND WE ARE HIS HOUSE, IF
INDEED WE
HOLD FIRMLY TO OUR CONFIDENCE
AND THE HOPE IN WHICH WE GLORY.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD,
MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND
THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE
AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST:
IT HAS BEEN SAID
THAT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN
AMERICA
HAS A VERY ROMANTICIZED OR
IDEALIZED PICTURE OF CHRISTIAN
MARTYRDOM.
WE LOOK BACK ON THOSE
SAINTS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
WHO HAVE FACED
THE BITTERNESS OF TRIALS IN
THEIR LIFE
CULMINATING THEM IN GIVING
THEIR
OWN DEATH, RATHER THAN DENY
THEIR FAITH.
RATHER THAN DENY THAT JESUS
CHRIST IS
THE LORD AND SAVIOR OF ALL
THEY WILLINGLY SUBMITTED
TO DEATH. AND I THINK WE,
AS MODERN-DAY CHRISTIANS, LIKE
THAT PICTURE - SOME REASON -
FOR SOME REASON. WE LIKE THAT
IDEA
IN OUR HEAD WHEN WE SING:
ONWARD
CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS. WE'RE ALL
READY TO PICK UP
OUR SWORD AND TO GO FORWARD
WITH
THE TRUTH OF GOD.
BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN SAID
THAT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN
AMERICA
HAS NOT BEEN SILENCED BY
MARTYRDOM,
BUT BY THE FEAR OF BEING
CALLED
UNLOVING.
UNLOVING.
BUT IT HAS SILENCED
THOSE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST TO
NO LONGER DEFEND THEIR FAITH.
TO NO LONGER STAND UP
FOR NOT WHAT WE THINK BUT
WHAT GOD'S WORD STATES AND
WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS.
BECAUSE THE WORST THING THAT
COULD HAPPEN TO US
IS THAT SOMEONE WOULD LOOK AT
US AND SAY:
YOU ARE UNLOVING. YOU ARE
HATEFUL.
YOU ARE FILLED WITH HATE. YOU
ARE
UNCARING. AND WE, AS THE
MODERN-DAY SOLDIERS OF CHRIST,
WILLINGLY FADE
INTO THE BACKGROUND.
DO WE WANT
TO FIGHT?
DO WE WANT TO HOLD TO THE
TRUTH?
OR DO WE JUST WANT TO GIVE IT
AWAY?
I MEAN IT IS A QUESTION THAT
WE
NEED TO SERIOUSLY ASK
OURSELVES.
AND LOOK AT IN OUR OWN VERY
LIVES.
TO SAY: WHAT REALLY IS OUR
GOAL?
IS IT OUR GOAL IN THIS LIFE TO
SAY: JESUS IS
MY LORD AND SAVIOR AND JUST
SNEAK BY UNDER THE WIRE
UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN I GET TO
GO TO HEAVEN BECAUSE THAT'S
A GREAT AND WONDERFUL THING.
OR ARE WE AS THE HOUSE OF GOD,
MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY,
TO STAND AS THOSE
WHO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH? AS
THOSE WHO
HOLD OUT THE HOPE TO THE
WORLD! AS THOSE WHO
HAVE THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION
AND WE ARE THE ONES
TO PROCLAIM IT. AND IT'S NOT
ALWAYS
AN EASY MESSAGE.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
SEE IT AS UNLOVING.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE
HATEFUL.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE
OPPOSED TO EVERYTHING.
LOOK AT OUR GOSPEL LESSON FOR
A MOMENT.
GO BACK TO JESUS AND THAT MAN
WHO CAME TO HIM WHO
WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE MUST
DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE.
JESUS SAID:
YOU KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS.
KEEP THEM.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO DO.
DO IT.
AND THAT MAN RESPONDED WITH:
THESE I HAVE DONE.
I'VE KEPT THEM.
AND THEN JESUS, IN LOVE,
IN LOVE, SAID TO HIM:
TAKE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE
SELL IT AND
GIVE IT TO THE POOR.
THAT WAS A LOVING
STATEMENT
BECAUSE JESUS IS GETTING TO
THE POINT
OF THAT MAN'S HEART.
HE WENT AWAY DEJECTED
HE WENT AWAY SAD
BECAUSE HIS WEALTH WAS MORE
IMPORTANT
TO HIM. AND BEFORE WE ALL SAY:
WELL THANK GOD, I'M NOT RICH.
THANK GOD I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE
WEALTHY PEOPLE WHO'S GOT
SO MUCH MONEY THAT THAT'S ALL
I TRUST IN.
HEAR JESUS SAY THAT SAME
PHRASE TO YOU
THIS MORNING. TAKE EVERYTHING
YOU HAVE
AND SELL IT.
GIVE IT TO THE POOR.
GIVE IT TO THE POOR.
GIVE IT TO THE POOR.
THINK THAT WOULD BE HARD?
THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
THAT YOU'RE
GONNA RUN OUT OF CHURCH TODAY
AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO.
OR YOU'RE GONNA FIND ALL KINDS
OF REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T.
I'LL DO IT NEXT MONTH. LISTEN,
AFTER I GET MY CHECK FOR THE
WEEK I'LL HAVE MORE MONEY TO
GIVE TO GOD AND GIVE TO THE
POOR. OR I'M GONNA HAVE TO
REALLY RESEARCH WHICH POOR
DESERVE MY HARD-EARNED MONEY.
YOU EXPECT ME TO GET RID OF
EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE WORKED
HARD FOR ALL OF MY
LIFE AND SAVED FOR ALL OF MY
LIFE TO TAKE
CARE OF ME?
IT'S A LOVING REMINDER
FROM JESUS TO THAT MAN,
AND TO US,
IS TO FIX OUR EYES ON HIM.
TO TRUST
HIM IN THIS LIFE.
TO PUT ALL OF OUR FAITH AND
ALL OF OUR TRUST
IN GOD'S SON WHO CAME INTO
THIS WORLD
TO SAVE US. WHEN LOVE CAME IN
TO TAKE CARE OF OUR GREATEST
NEED.
AND THAT WAS THE NEED THAT WE
COULDN'T SAVE OURSELVES.
BECAUSE JUST LIKE THAT MAN, WE
KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS. WE KNOW
WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.
DON'T COMMIT MURDER. DON'T
COMMIT SEXUAL [ADULTERY].
IDOLATRY. DON'T STEAL.
DON'T BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
DON'T COVET.
GOD SAYS: DO IT.
DO IT PERFECTLY.
AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T.
IN OUR HEARTS,
WE HARBOR HATE SOMETIMES
FOR WHAT OUR PARENTS MIGHT
HAVE DONE. OR NOT DONE FOR US.
WE CAN BE SO ANGRY WITH
SOMEONE ELSE
THAT WE WISH THEM HARM.
WE HAVEN'T LED PURE LIVES AND
THOUGHTS
ABOUT EACH OTHER.
WE'VE TAKEN THINGS THAT AREN'T
OURS.
THINKING: OH, NO ONE'S GONNA
NOTICE.
WE HAVEN'T PUT EVERYONE'S
GOOD NAME
FIRST AND FOREMOST IN OUR
MIND.
AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS
THAT WE WANT THAT
WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO GET.
AND THAT MEANS - THAT WE'RE
CONDEMNED TO HELL
BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT!
WE CAN'T KEEP
THAT LAW BUT GOD
SENT HIS SON TO DO IT.
GOD SENT HIS SON TO BUILD THE
HOUSE ON THE BACK OF
JESUS CHRIST; THAT HE IS THE
CORNERSTONE OF THE CHURCH FOR
HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVES THE
MEMBERS FROM ETERNAL
DAMNATION. HE IS THE ONE
WHO CAME AND KEPT THAT LAW
PERFECTLY.
WHILE HE CONTINUES TO TEACH
PEOPLE
AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND REACH
OUT IN LOVE TO THEM
WITH THE MESSAGE THAT THEY
NEEDED TO HEAR.
A MESSAGE TO PUT CHRIST
FIRST!
A MESSAGE TO STAY FOCUSED
ON THE MESSIAH; ON THE SAVIOR!
TO REALIZE THAT HE IS THE ONE
WHO
IS THE LORD OF THEIR LIFE;
AND HE IS
THE LORD OF OUR LIFE. BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS
IN THIS LIFE THAT VIE FOR OUR
ATTENTION.
AND BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THIS
WORLD, WE THINK
THAT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS
THAT WE HAVE TO DO
BEFORE WE GET AROUND TO DOING
THE THINGS THAT GOD
WANTS US TO DO. WE MAKE
TO-DO LISTS OF THINGS THAT
NEED TO GET DONE.
TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T FORGET
ANYTHING.
AND I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES WE
PUT
GOD ON THAT LIST.
KEEPING HIS WILL. STUDYING HIS
WORD.
GOING TO CHURCH. DOING
CHARITY WORK. IS OUR TO-DO
LIST,
ONCE AGAIN,
ALL ABOUT ME?
WE'VE LOST TRACK SOMETIMES
OF PUTTING CHRIST FIRST
AS THE LORD OF OUR LIFE. AS
THE ONE
WHO LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE
GAVE
HIS LIFE FOR US UNTO A
HORRIBLE DEATH.
ROSE AGAIN SO THAT WE WOULD BE
ABLE
TO LIVE WITH HIM FOR ALL
ETERNITY.
TO SHARE THAT JOY AND THAT
GLORY WITH HIM.
THAT HE GIVES US SO FREELY.
WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON
WHAT
IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS CHRIST
WHO IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE
WHO GIVES US
THE HOPE. HE'S THE ONE WHO
GIVES US THE CONFIDENCE
OF LIVING IN THIS WORLD THAT
IS NOT
FRIENDLY TO GOD'S PEOPLE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE
ARE DOING
GOD'S WILL.
BUT THINK FOR A MOMENT EVEN AT
OUR OLD TESTAMENT LESSON.
AMOS CAME TO GOD'S PEOPLE WITH
A VERY
STRONG MESSAGE: YOU ARE NOT
DOING WHAT GOD HAS ASKED
OF YOU. YOU'RE CHEATING
THE POOR. YOU'RE LYING.
YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR
JUSTICE IN THE COURT.
RETURN TO GOD.
SEEK HIM. FIX YOUR EYES
ON HIM.
BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR BIG
HOUSES
THAT YOU HAVE BUILT, BUT GOD
HAS SAID
YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIVE IN 'EM.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT BIG LUSH
VINEYARD
IN YOUR BACKYARD FILLED WITH
ALL OF THOSE
GRAPES JUST RIPENING IN THE
SUN
AND GOD SAYS: YOU'RE NOT
GONNA DRINK IT
BECAUSE YOU HAVE ABANDONED
THE LORD.
YOU'VE NOT GOTTEN YOUR
PRIORITIES
RIGHT. PUT YOUR CONFIDENCE
IN GOD. PUT YOUR STRENGTH
IN HIM. PUT YOUR HOPE
IN HIM.
STAY FOCUSED ON HIM!
THE LORD IS
SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS
FROM YOU IN YOUR LIFE.
HE IS SERIOUS THAT HE WANTS
YOU TO CONFESS YOUR
FAITH AND IT IS GOING TO
BRING YOU
RIDICULE. IT'S GOING TO BRING
YOU DIFFICULTIES.
AND IT IS GOING TO PUT
ANGRY PEOPLE
IN YOUR FACE.
BUT IT IS THE LORD WHO GIVES
US
THE STRENGTH
AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT
STRUGGLE.
DO YOU THINK HE DOESN'T?
DO YOU THINK THAT JESUS
CHRIST, YOUR
LORD AND SAVIOR, DOES NOT
UNDERSTAND
WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
SPEAK AGAINST THE TRUTH?
LOOK AT HIS LIFE!
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, PEOPLE
CAME TO HIM
TO DO WHAT? TO TRIP HIM UP!
TO CATCH HIM IN SAYING
SOMETHING WRONG. TO TRY TO
TRICK HIM TO GET SOMETHING
ON HIM. HE UNDERSTANDS
THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN
THE LIVES OF
HIS FOLLOWERS.
YOU THINK HE KNOWS WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO BE MOCKED?
TO BE RIDICULED?
SPIT ON?
HAVING HIS BEARD PULLED OUT?
BEING WHIPPED?
FLOGGED?
TREATED HORRIBLY!
HE UNDERSTANDS
THAT THOSE WHO STAND UP TO
THE TRUTH,
ARE GOING TO SUFFER.
BUT OUR STRENGTH IS IN HIM.
WHO ENDURED ALL OF THAT
BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR US.
IN WANTING TO SAVE US FROM
OUR SINS.
OUR PROCLAIMING THE TRUTH
IS NOT TO BE STANDING OUT
THERE SAYING:
WE'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE WRONG.
WE'RE NOT THE ONES SAYING:
I'M GOING TO HEAVEN.
YOU'RE GOING TO HELL. BUT
WE'RE THE ONES
PROCLAIMING THE LOVE OF
CHRIST.
HE DIED FOR SINNERS.
I AM A SINNER AND
CHRIST DIED FOR ME.
YOU ARE A SINNER.
AND CHRIST DIED FOR YOU.
HE'S GIVEN ME HEAVEN.
HEAVEN IS THERE FOR YOU AS
WELL
AND THAT IS THE LOVING
MESSAGE.
THAT'S THE TRUTH OF
SCRIPTURE. AND OUR STRENGTH
TO PROCLAIM IT COMES FROM
KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS IN OUR LIFE, HEAVEN
IS OURS.
NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE CALL
ME,
I CALL MYSELF A REDEEMED
CHILD OF GOD.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH PEOPLE
WANNA SAY
THAT I AM FILLED WITH HATE
I KNOW THAT I HAVE THE LOVE
OF GOD
COURSING THROUGH MY VEINS.
AND I STAND WITH HIM.
I STAND IN THAT HOUSEHOLD
OF GOD
STRONG IN KNOWING THE TRUTH,
STRONG IN KNOWING THAT GOD
WILL KEEP ME AND PROTECT ME
AND IF IT IS BY CHANCE THAT
I DIE IN THIS LIFE
AS A MARTYR FOR THE TRUTH,
HEAVEN IS STILL MINE.
NOT BECAUSE OF ME.
NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE
DONE.
BUT BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST.
AND THEREFORE, I FIX MY EYES
ON HIM.
I REMEMBER THE TRUTH.
I LOOK TO THE GOAL.
I KNOW WHERE I'M HEADED.
AND I HAVE MY PRIORITIES
STRAIGHT.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH IN
THIS WORLD THAT WANTS TO
TAKE US OFF THAT TRACK.
TO SILENCE US.
TO SHAKE US. TO RATTLE US.
AND WHEN THOSE TIMES COME
IN YOUR LIFE,
HEAR THESE WORDS. REMEMBER
THESE THOUGHTS THAT STAND
FOR THE CHURCH OF ALL TIME.
FIX YOUR EYES
ON JESUS.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD
WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS
AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY
YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE
FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING.
AMEN.