[0:00] How many of you enjoy a snow day? Would you raise your hand? You just really, all the teachers' hands went up real fast in here. I really love a snow day. I don't think we're going to have one this week or maybe this month, but hopefully this winter.
[0:13] And for me, it's not so much about the snow outside because I hate being cold. But I just love everything around the snow day. The anticipation where people are checking the weather or they're trying to see if school is going to be let out.
[0:24] I really love my favorite part is probably running to the grocery store, getting all the things for French bread, bread, milk, and eggs, you know, or for French toast, you know, those three ingredients.
[0:36] But I pass that aisle. I don't need that. If I'm going to be stuck at home with my children, I need Oreos and Pizzaro's and Doritos. You know, that's my diet. It ends with O, all right? And those are those things that I'm looking for.
[0:48] And it wouldn't make sense on a normal day, but for some reason, everybody acts like a kid when it's going to be a snow day. And I like talking to people at the grocery store, but typically they don't talk back to me.
[0:59] But when it's a snow day, everybody's just excited about it. It just seems that it touches your work schedule. It touches what you're going to do at home. It just permeates every aspect of our life.
[1:09] And it makes things new. And the freshness on the ground, I just really find it to be a lot of fun. And as it touches every aspect of our life and our day, I consider and I'm constantly reminded, gratefully, from you and others, God's Word, most importantly, that the greatest influence in the life of my kids has to do with my heart.
[1:31] Now, what happens inside of my heart as a dad has a tremendous influence, not just upon one day, a snow day, but every day of their lives. Occasionally, Stephanie will lovingly correct me when I'll say, well, I'm willing to go and do this with the kids.
[1:47] Sure, I'll go to the park with them, but I don't want to. And she would say, well, you should just stay at home. And I'm like, that's what I was thinking. No. She says, no, because they need you to be present. They need you to be there.
[1:59] They need their dad not just there, but having the right heart. And I want to. I really do. But I don't feel that I'm alone when I say there's many areas of life that I just feel like I'm not enough.
[2:11] I need help. I would really like to be better at just about everything that I do. But if you gave me one opportunity to just snap my finger and be better at anything, I'd want to be a better dad.
[2:23] You can put that with a list of things that you'll never hear anybody say on Facebook. Because I just wish I was a better dad. And it wouldn't be advisable. We've started First Thessalonians.
[2:33] I've enjoyed it so much, Pastor Bo. And on Thursday, we looked at that responsibility when other people are influenced by you. You know, we said you can put a bumper sticker on your car. People know you're a Christian, but you can take that off.
[2:44] But everybody should know that you're a Christian and you have influence. And you can't get rid of that. You ever been to a point where you just don't want to be an adult anymore? You don't want to be a parent anymore? You just want to go back and be a kid and do something?
[2:55] You want to go and hide and hide out? But we have incredible influence that God has given us. And it wouldn't be advisable for us to spend time together if God hadn't told us that hope and healing happens in the context of a community.
[3:12] It wouldn't be good for us to just go off the grid and disappear and start our own little plantations, farms by ourselves, and be close to nobody else. We need each other.
[3:23] I need you in my life helping me. So this is why I want to encourage you today out of Hebrews chapter number 10. I encourage myself. I preach this to myself, and you're welcome to listen as I do it.
[3:35] I preach it to Graham and Olivia and those that are expecting a child. And as I think about those that are expecting and how it's even more important that this place will be a happy, holy, and healthy place to raise children.
[3:50] As I think about some of them that are now going to have that opportunity. So I want us to commit here today to this. Let's not raise our family in the shadows of a dead religion.
[4:02] Let's not raise our family in the shadow of a dead religion. Hebrews chapter number 10, verse number 1. It's a shadow.
[4:26] Let's take a trip together. Exodus chapter number 19. We're going to head to a mountain, Mount Sinai. There at this mountain, we're going to find that God is going to make a covenant with his people.
[4:37] He's going to meet with them on Mount Sinai to inaugurate or to consecrate a covenant with them. And I hope you'll follow along there with the Bible you have with you or on the screen.
[4:48] And I just wanted to highlight some of these verses. So we're going to walk through Exodus 19. I want to take us back to the image and the thoughts that Hebrews would have taken us to. Hebrews being a sermon and we don't know exactly who wrote it.
[5:03] We're not exactly sure who the audience was. But we know that the person speaking, teaching, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is writing a sermon that was to an audience of people that had a good understanding of the Bible.
[5:15] So I want to make sure that we're not missing out what it's speaking about and to remind you of some things that you probably have read in the Old Testament. Exodus chapter number 19, verse 3 and 5. God made a wonderful covenant.
[5:55] Not based upon merit, based upon his goodness with these people. And he establishes that there on this mountain. And look at the conditions he gives. In verse number 10 and 11 it says, Go unto the people and sanctify them this day and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes.
[6:10] And that's what it was told to do. Go and wash your clothes. Well that sounds easy enough. And all the people responsible for washing clothes says it's not as easy as you think it is. Alright? First thing they had to do was they had to do their laundry.
[6:21] And some of you were like, I'm out. Alright? If that's what I have to get done, I'm not going to be able to make it. And so they said, you need to go and wash your clothes and wash yourself. Seems easy enough. The first condition, quite easy it seems.
[6:33] Verses 12 through 14. It says, Well things have quite escalated, haven't it?
[6:54] From going from wash your clothes to now there's going to be a boundary that's set. And let's add to the picture, verse number 16. That there was thunder and there was lightning and there was a thick cloud. And all the people that were in the camp, they trembled.
[7:08] Verse number 18. And the Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. God is meeting with his people and they are trembling.
[7:22] We do not address the God of heaven casually. The next chapter, the Ten Commandments are going to come. And in verse number 19, Moses will speak. They'll say, Moses, speak thou with us.
[7:33] And they're going to say, Moses, you do all the talking. You talk to him. We don't want to go forward. But let not God speak to us because if he does, we will die. And at the same time, they're looking for an alternative.
[7:45] Aaron's down there and they're melting their golden things because they just say, we cannot encounter an holy God. This is too much for us. And that's where we get to in the first part of our journey here on this Mount Sinai.
[7:58] Fear and trembling, smoke and lightning and thunder and a reverence for a holy God. Turn over here with me to chapter number 25.
[8:09] And now there's a promise. And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them according to all that I show them after the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of the instruments thereof, even so ye make it.
[8:25] So we go from this picture of encountering God, this holy fear and trembling, and then he says, I'm going to come and I'm going to dwell among you. I want you to build a tabernacle. The ladies in here that are on that Bible reading journey together around middle of February, you're going to read from Exodus 25 through 31, and you're going to see all these details about a tabernacle that is being built just by the specifications in which God had given them.
[8:52] And it's there that he is going to dwell. And so there's an outer court. I'm grateful today that there's new believers in here. I'm grateful today there's many of you reading through the Bible for the first time. I'm also grateful there's people in here that can tell this story better than I can.
[9:07] But I want to make sure you know that there was an outer court that would be represented like where you're sitting out there. And then there's an inner court. And then there's this place that's called the holy place. And so the average family is coming, you and I.
[9:18] That would be, we would come and we would meet and we would meet the priest. And the priest would receive the animal that's going to be sacrificed. And he would be able to go in some place. Each place had a more limited access.
[9:30] Only a certain group could come. Only a certain group could go to the next place. And the farther they went. And so then you get into this holy place where the priest would come. But then you have behind here the holy of holies.
[9:42] That's why we build our church like this. No, I'm just kidding. You have the holy of holies. When I was a little kid, Brother Joe, I thought, I remember the pastor, he had a bald head and he would get so bright red when he preached.
[9:54] And just being a little kid, when he went to his office, I thought he was going into heaven. All right? And I say this all the time, that kids learn by watching more than listening. So we've got to be careful the way that we're living.
[10:05] And so I thought for sure, till one day, I don't know how old I would have been, 17 or 18. No, I'm just kidding. Five or six years old, I followed in behind the pastor's office. I went in there and I'm like, this is not what I was expecting.
[10:16] All right? It was just an office. But there's a place to go to. This place, this holy of holies. And there's this curtain that would have been dividing. And say it would be about two inches thick. And it's a large curtain that is going to be dividing the two.
[10:29] And inside of the place, in this holy of holies, this place that we would not see into, that there's instructions we would read about. There's incredible things that would represent the presence of God.
[10:39] This ark, not like Noah's ark, but like a chest that was there. And the law. And on top of them were these sculptures of angels. And it's just representing, going into the presence of God.
[10:52] Not just representing, but there, the high priest could go before the presence of God and make a sacrifice on that day of atonement, that Yom Kippur, that one day a year, once a year, by one person, representing that people.
[11:09] So limited in access that was there. But here, verse 22 of Exodus 25, And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat. There in that place I will commune with you.
[11:22] And God's going to assign some people to go as go-betweens. Give some instructions to them. Sinful man before a holy God, that's a frightening thing. In Exodus 19, God gives some instructions. What Moses is giving here, God's going to call out priests.
[11:36] These go-betweens between sinful man and a holy God. Exodus chapter number 28, a few pages over. That he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
[11:47] And as a side note here, Aaron and Nadab and some of those people that were set aside here, by Leviticus chapter number 10, they're not going to follow the instructions. They're going to do something that they shouldn't.
[11:58] And they're going to be consumed by fire for not following God's instructions about the way that they come and worship him. You know, Brett Johnson, he would often work at a racetrack. And sometimes his job was when they were fueling the car, he would stand by them with a fire extinguisher.
[12:13] And I just said, I don't want to ever have a job that requires a person standing beside me with a fire extinguisher. All right? That is a very dangerous job. These people had a job that was very holy and very reverent that was given.
[12:28] And these two men did not follow the instructions. But there's people assigned to it to do it the way God said that. And he assigns this day of atonement, this Yom Kippur, for an atonement, a reconciled to something.
[12:39] That's what atonement means, or at-one-ment, to be made at one with here. Leviticus 16, verse 29. And this shall be a statute forever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and to do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country or a stranger sojourneth among you.
[12:56] Everybody stop what you're doing. For on that day shall a priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you, that you may cleanse from all your sins before the Lord. A high priest entering once a year. Tradition tells us that when they would enter into that place, they would have a rope around them and bells at the bottom there of what they were wearing.
[13:13] So that if they were the fall dead, nobody would go in there to get them. They would hear it, and they would pull them out. Blood would be sprinkled there on the mercy seat. A substitutionary death, just like we've seen from the very beginning.
[13:27] In the presence of sin, Garden of Adam and Eve, there had to be death. And what happened there, we saw an animal that was killed, and there was a sacrifice that was made. And so now God is going to look down upon the broken law, and instead of seeing the broken law, he's going to see the blood as a substitute and a sacrifice, and the sins of the people are atoned.
[13:47] And here's the problem. Constantly needed repeating, and it was not sufficient. It was only a shadow. Hebrews 10, 11, our passage for the day. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sin.
[14:04] It served as a constant reminder of sin, a constant reminder that they needed a Savior. That was the purpose of the picture. This life in the shadow of the old covenant was incomplete and ultimately ineffective.
[14:17] Afraid to go to God because of their awareness of their uncleanness, asking other people to go into the presence of God for them. Constant repetition of reminding ourselves that we are sinners.
[14:29] Even though I never lived underneath that covenant, these things I often live in the shadow, and I often act like this. As a person that needs other people to go before God, before me, I can't go for myself.
[14:42] Constant awareness of my sin, not receiving that complete forgiveness that is there. But there's a new covenant. There's a new way of life. That's what we underlined earlier. There is a new and there is a living way.
[14:56] Hebrews 10.19, after all that picture that we just saw, this congregation of people knowing about access to God based upon that old covenant, when it says in Hebrews 10.19, it says, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say his flesh.
[15:22] They had to consider the ramifications on their lives. It was going to just change everything. It was going to change everything about the way they could access God, about the advocate they would have, and it would change the way in which they could raise their family.
[15:34] The old way said, stay back in fear, but the new and living way says, draw near in faith. Unless you think that I just got sidetracked and spoke about something from the Old Testament that doesn't have relevance to you, I want to say this understanding of this new and living way has so much relevance to the way in which we raise our children, and so much relevance to what we do in our children's and kids' ministry, so much relevance to the way that we can encourage and provoke one another.
[16:00] Any of you in here obsessed with updating your phone or any kind of electronic? As soon as a notification comes on, it just says, do you want to update? And you're like, no matter what you're doing? I mean, I could be on the side of the road at 285 changing a tire, using my phone as a flashlight, and it says, there's a new update.
[16:16] I'm like, oh yeah, I want that. Click. Now my phone's not used for the next five or six minutes. I just love to update things. I just think, if there's a newer version that's free for me, I want it, all right?
[16:26] That's why it's never good when I go through the drive-thru at Hardee's. They're like, this is the new burger, and I'm like, I want it, okay? No matter what it is. The new and the latest and the greatest that is there. I'm obsessed with it. Why would I not want what God has provided for me in this new covenant?
[16:40] Why would I not want what's available to me and come unto God in the access that is provided for me? Why do I live as a person who cannot go before the presence of God and pray for my children?
[16:51] Why cannot go before God and say, my sins have been completely forgiven, and Father, I need you to work in my life? There's a contrast here. And I'm not just making it. The Hebrews has made it, and I'm just trying to highlight it today.
[17:04] Look at Hebrews chapter number 12, verses 18 through 20. Based upon what I reminded you in the Old Testament, think about these things as I read. Verse 18. For you are not coming to the mount that might be touched, that might be burned with fire, nor in the blackness and darkness and tempest, the sound of a trumpet, the voice of the words, which voice that they heard and treated, that the words should not be spoken unto them anymore.
[17:25] For they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, and it shall be stoned and thrust through with the dart, you did not come into that mount. Verse 21. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.
[17:40] Verse 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of a living God, and to heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable company of angels.
[17:51] Mount Sinai, where Jerusalem, where the cross is at. I come to God now based upon that cross. I have access to Him. Can there be any other truth in life that ought to have more influence upon my way that I would raise my family, and the way that we would equip the next generation?
[18:09] It's better than a snow day. It's the greatest truth of all, that we have access to God. And how did this happen? Verse 20. Which have consecrated for us, this is back to Hebrews 10, He has consecrated in us an inauguration, just like we saw in the book of Exodus.
[18:27] And this covenant here, that it may be established, Hebrews 10, 9, that you may establish the second. The second thing that is given here. The second one is that one we're talking about. Not coming to Mount Sinai with this fear and trembling, but coming to Mount Zion here, the second one here.
[18:43] And Jesus, our high priest now, allows us into the heavenly sanctuary, having a high priest over the house of God. Verse 24 of Hebrews 9. For Christ has not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but in the heaven itself, now appear in the presence of God for Himself.
[19:00] When you're reading in mid-February, through that Exodus, and you're reading about all those details, remember that that is a picture of something that exists in the heavens. It's incredible that you are getting a picture of something that exists in heaven.
[19:14] And then Matthew chapter 27, verse 51, that literally, as Jesus was upon the cross, the veil of the temple that separated this place that we weren't able to enter into, from that place which we had no hope of going into, it was torn from the top to the bottom.
[19:32] Not from the bottom to the top, we didn't do it, but the God of heaven opened it up, and He gave us access, and He tore it. He didn't roll it up to be used on another day, but it was torn, and there was access.
[19:45] And I just imagine, what would that have been like in that day, that people would be able to enter in there, Jew and Gentile, and all people would have gathered. You know what it would look like? People, Jew and Gentile, and different people all gathering now, and having access to God, and complete forgiveness of their sins, because of death to Jesus, and how we come together, and we think, what are the ramifications of this, that we have access to God, and we have an advocate, what are we going to do?
[20:08] You know what is a beautiful picture of that happening? It's the church. That's what we're doing. We come together, and we remind one another, you have access to the throne of God.
[20:19] You have an advocate, that this truth should be of greater weight, than all other truths in your life. All those things that have discouraged you, all those things where you know you're not enough, all that repetition of knowing that you're not enough, that sin's ever before you, we're reminding each other, there is complete forgiveness.
[20:36] We can have a clean heart. Our conscience have been made clean. We have access, and we have an advocate. Hebrews 7.25, seeing that he, Jesus, liveth to make intercession for them.
[20:50] And so this brings us to a moment of rejoicing. There's things to worry about, college prep classes, kids who play football, home repairs.
[21:01] I can't name which kids, because I have to pay them money, I won't be saying, all right? I can name all these things, that I have to worry about, and the life of my children. And those are the easy things, in my own life. But for a moment, I just want to rejoice in this fact with you, is that it said, that constant repeating, and doing over and over, that Jesus Christ, in that single sacrifice, went up to that place, and he sat down.
[21:24] He sat down, and he says, it's complete. And Trent, I'm not going to ask you, to do this for your family. You cannot pay for their sins. I have done it for you, and it is completely done.
[21:38] And so I can sit down, and I can rest in that. Parents, it doesn't feel like, there's a whole lot of rest in our lives. It seems like, constantly, motion, repeating, over and over. But the sins of our children, being paid for, has been done by Jesus Christ.
[21:52] And so we rejoice in that news. So we see the will of God, and what he wants in verse 9, and then we see, the work of Christ, that he goes in, he makes the sacrifice, and then we see the witness, of the spirit, that is there.
[22:04] Listen to the witness, of the spirit. Hebrews 10 verse 15, whereof the Holy Ghost, also is a witness to us, for he has said before, this is what, these are the words, of the Holy Spirit. In your Bible, the words of Christ, may be in red.
[22:16] What color are the words, of the Holy Spirit? Trick question, they're in black, alright, and in red, alright, the whole book, are the words of the Holy Spirit. But here, in this testimony, of the Holy Spirit, it says, this is the covenant, that I will make with them, after those days, saith the Lord.
[22:30] I will put my laws, in their hearts, and in their minds, will I write them, and their sins, and iniquities, will I remember, no more. Your sins, are gone. Your sins, are gone.
[22:43] Like some of you, grew up singing, G-O-N-E, gone. They're underneath, the blood, of the cross, of Calvary. One of the ways, that we know, that this truth, is so important, and it's worth, fighting for, is because, this is the area, in which Satan, the accuser, of the brother, wants to influence, your life.
[23:06] Does he care, how you feel? Is he extra, is he very involved, in how you feel? No, but he cares, very much, about how you think, and how you act. And so, if he can accuse you, and get you to live, as if you're underneath, the shadow, of a dead religion, then he will change, your behavior.
[23:23] He will affect, your family. You're not worthy, to be in his presence. Are you serious? Are you really, going to try, to start family devotions, for the 20th time? Your kids know, how this is going to end.
[23:35] Your marriage, is hopeless. You better, give up. That is not, the testimony, of the spirit. That is the testimony, of the accuser, of the brother, who wants you to forget, that the veil has been torn, and that you can go, to the God, of heaven.
[23:51] We are not, without an incredible provision. In the gospel, we discover, that Christ is ready, to pour out the resources, that shed blood on you, and every single thing, you walk through, and every single difficulty, you face, and every single trial, you face, Jesus is ready, to pour himself, on your behalf.
[24:08] He lives, to intercede, for you. I'm not enough, and I don't have enough, is not true today, because of what Jesus Christ, has done, on my behalf.
[24:19] So here's some practical, implications for us. Having therefore, brethren, all of us in here, as believers, boldness, that's been given, to us, we want to continue, in this way of thinking.
[24:30] My friend Mike Lister, when he was teaching, on this passage, he told a story, of a harbor, in Italy, and he told that, in that harbor, that when people, would come in, it was a very narrow passage, and that when people, would come in, that they, there was rocks, on every side, and what the people, in the city did, was that, in that little town, is that they set out, three lights, on a high post, and so that when you, were coming through the harbor, if you look forward, and you could see, two different lights, or you could see, three different lights, then you weren't lined up, and what you needed to do, was you needed to line yourself up, so that when you were coming in, all three of these things, were perfectly lined, with you, obviously, they wouldn't be moving the lights, they'd be moving the boat, or it wouldn't work that way, right, but you would navigate your boat, so that they were all lined up, in a line, and here we have, I want that new, and living way in my life, it is available to me, Jesus Christ has made it available, by the cross, but I often, as a believer, forfeit, what is available to me, as a Christian, so with my time left here, and a little bit of time, that I don't normally have, let me tell you, these three things here, from Hebrews chapter number 10, has some implications, of the truth that is there, for us today, they are this, draw near, hold fast, consider one another, you want to be involved, in family ministry, inside this church, remember these three things, here with us, that we and we get together, we encourage one another, this is what I want to do, for all of my friends in here, and what I'm asking for you, is to hold fast, or to draw near, hold fast, and consider one another, alright, the quicker you get this, the quicker you get to go home, alright, first one here, oh yeah,
[26:13] I want to stick around, so glad to hear it, alright, first one here, draw near, hold fast, consider one another, just briefly, let me help you see that, this is an implication, of the truth that was given, Hebrews is incredible, about summarizing, the whole Old Testament, and in verse chapter number 10, verses 1 through 18, is a summary of those first 10 chapters, so built in, of all that you've been studying, in the Bible, and what you know about the gospel, and about this new, and living way, we now have the opportunity, to draw near, hold fast, and to consider, one another, and this is a group project, in school, if you hear that there's a group project, there's two thoughts, okay, you think, oh wow, there's a group project, I'm going to have to, I don't have to do as much work on this, how many of you felt like that, okay, alright, one of you is honest, thank you, and others, you thought, oh man, a group project, I'm going to have to do more work, than everybody else, how many of you nerds are in here, okay, today, alright, and so you think, oh there's going to be more work, or less work, this is a group project, Hebrews 10, 22, 25 says, let us, our hearts, let us, let us, our faith, our bodies, manner of some, assembling of ourselves, one another, all these ways of saying, you're going to do this, in community, and then another clue, in verse 21, over having a high priest, over the house of God, and so who is it, this house of God,
[27:33] Hebrews 3, 6 gives us the answer, but Christ our son, over his own house, whose houses are we, if we hold fast, the confidence, and the rejoicing, of the hope, firm unto the end, we are the house, of God, not just the building, which you know that, but not just the services, but we as God's people, as a church here, that have been called, I've said before, you see, see you next Sunday, is not New Testament Christianity, that we are more than a service, we are more than a building, but we together, are to live out the truth, of this gospel, and to help one another, and you expect for me, to say this to you, you need to be in church, and your kids need to be in church, because you need, church, you've probably heard that before, it's a good message, I may preach it someday, but what I want to say, to you right now is, you need to be in church, because I need you, you need to be in church, because I need you, I need you to help provoke me, and to stir me up, to good works, I need you to help me, see a picture of somebody, drawing near, and the holding fast, that is the privilege, and responsibility, that we have, to one another, and then chiefly, among our families, it ought to be seen,
[28:44] Hebrews 3.12, it says, departing from the living God, I don't want that, to be said of me, I want my kids, and I want your kids, to know that we serve, a living God, so first of all, we're going to draw near, how, with a sincere heart, a true heart, and full assurance, our kids don't need, examples of hypocrites, there's plenty of those, so don't, why don't we provide for them, an example of what it is, to be sincere in heart, a friend of mine, was going to be introduced, to speak at a conference, and the guy, that was going to introduce him, talked to his grown son, and he said, what can I say about your dad, to introduce him, to this group of people, and he could say, you could tell them, that my dad, is a growing Christian, and after pastoring, for many years, and writing different books, that man said, I cannot think, of a better compliment, than my kids could give me, I am a growing Christian, I want that to be said, of me, Ritz Carlton, it's if you, if you were to stay there, I read about it, haven't stayed there, but I read about it, and it says that, the saying that they have, is that we are ladies, and gentlemen, serving ladies, and gentlemen, parents in here, could our mottos be, we are going to be, growing Christians, leading a family, of growing Christians, best thing, that your kids, could say about you, is that my mom, and my dad, is that they were, a grown Christian, full confidence, full assurance, confidence that you, belong there, even when you fail,
[30:10] David Burkhart, the black sheep, of that family, the day he sung, when you walk, sometimes you fall, and fall to Jesus, get up, and go to him, with confidence, that you're allowed, to enter now, into his presence, dads, God has given us, a privilege, and a responsibility, to lead our home, spiritually, yes you sinned, and you need to report, you need to repent, but we cannot negate, our responsibility, regardless of how many times, we need to get back up, and recognize, we have access, to the father, with clean hearts here, a clear conscience, and clean lives, that are there, now holding fast, as it says, the profession, of our faith, the family, is certainly, under attack, but it's worth, fighting for, verse 32, or verse 33, it says, made a gazing stock, both by reproaches, and afflictions, a spectacular, spectacle, is what the people were, these people, trying to raise, Christian homes, in that community, were made, as a gazing stock, like put in the theater, like Christians, have been put in the theater, made mock of, and the Colosseum, and all that, that imagination, that we are made, a spectacle, when you come, to this place, we ought to know, that this is a place, that gets it, in family ministry, the world may think, that we are a gazing stock, they may think, the way that we want to raise, our children is crazy, but you ought to be able, to walk in this place, with other people, that say,
[31:27] I get it, I see why you want to make, much of the things, of God, we live in a world, where we're no longer, tolerated, and we're under attack, and why is the home, under attack, because it's in the home, where the definitions, of the most important words, are given, love, and grace, and forgiveness, it's in the home, where a small child, five, six years old, will look to their mom, and dad, and they will hear them pray, to the God of heaven, and that kid, that little human, that eternal soul, will learn, how they can approach, the God of heaven, you're teaching your kids, every day, and it's wonderful, hold fast, to these promises, Satan's main weapon, is to create doubt, and we need to hold fast, what is so wonderful, there in that parenthesis, how do we hold fast, because he is faithful, that promised it, before most people, become unfaithful, to the things of God, they believe the lie, that God is no longer, faithful, to his promises, we pray that our children, would remain in church, and they'll serve him, all their days, and we have no guarantee, and no promise, of their faithfulness, but they should know, when they leave our house, that our God is faithful, and when we sin, we are sinning, against the loving, and a faithful God, and then closing here, consider one another, so much more, than the services in mind, but we gather, with one another regularly, and we encourage, one another continually, we gather regularly, but we can encourage, one another continually, consider one another, provoking the love, and the good works, not forsaking, the assembly of ourselves, together, as the manner of some, but exhorting one another, so much more, as the day, you see the day, approaching, we need that encouragement, we need that getting together, the more and more, as the day approaches, of his return, so here's the implication, of the truth, twofold here, there is a new, and living way, that we can lead our families, that is provided, by a single sufficient, sacrifice of Christ, decide the day, that you want to help, bring your family, and other families, out of the shadow, into that new, and living way, no more afraid, to go to God, because of the awareness, of our uncleanness, no more asking others, to go in the presence of God, on our behalf, no more constantly reminding, that we are sinners, but knowing, that we have been forgiven, and we have access to God, and here's another implication, fix your focus on others, consider how you can help them, be more loving, how to help them do good deeds, how to spur them on, towards others, this new and living way, creates a community, in which we belong, to each other, it is infinitely good, to belong to Christ, but it is also infinitely good, to belong, to each other, as a church family, that's been changed, that's been given access to them, could we help each other, in the days to come, be people, that draw near, and that hold fast, and that consider one another, one another in this room, one another in this community, drawing near to God, is a community project, holding fast to God, is a community project, we need each other, to help us draw near to God, we need each other, to help us hold fast to God, we need each other, that's the whole picture, to motivate one another, to love, would you pray with me, with every head bowed, and every eye closed, and I know it's much later, than normal, and I appreciate your willingness, to listen, to this passage here today,
[34:51] I just want to encourage you, in here, if you feel like, you're just not enough, there's not enough resources, I believe you, I want you to know, that you can speak, to somebody that hears, the God of heaven, allows you access, no more fear, and trembling, at the bottom of a mountain, but now, you can go boldly, before the throne of heaven, and you can pray for your kids, not only praying for your kids, but you can go there, and receive the forgiveness, that he offers to you, the guiltiness of conscience, that you're not enough, you can go before him, and receive, complete forgiveness, and have boldness, because you have access, and you have an advocate, with the father, and you can receive, complete forgiveness, forgiveness, Christian in here, parent in here, as you speak to the Lord today, and thank him, for that new and living way, make a commitment in here, that's how I want to raise my family, that's just a testimony in here, how many of you in here, parents in here say, that's what I want, I don't want my kids, to be raised in the shadow, of a dead religion, I want them to be living, in that new way, would you raise your hand, with me in here,
[35:54] I have my hands raised, and the rest of you in here, would you make a commitment, and say, I want to do all that I can, to be an encouragement, to those families, I want to encourage them in that, in that holding fast, and provoking them, unto that good works, if you're in here today, and you do not know Jesus, I want you to know, the gospel is the story, that goes beyond, any other story in your life, there is hope, and there is forgiveness, found today, for you, and we would love to introduce you, to Jesus, he welcomes you, into his presence, he will forgive you, of your sins, you can pray to him today, acknowledging your sins, and asking for forgiveness, and you would receive that, family father, I thank you for the families, that make up this church, I thank you for how they do, consider one another, and provoke us, under the good works, but the battle is not over, Lord, we live in a world, that sees us as a gazing stock, that sees us as people, that they don't understand, Lord, and I thank you, for the fellowship, among believers in here, that raise children, that will draw near to you, and that will hold fast,
[36:55] Lord, may this always be, a church family, that considers one another, and provokes one another, the good works, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.