WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.419 But I am so thankful to be here today. 00:00:02.500 --> 00:00:08.300 I'm thankful for all that God is doing in this church, in this community, 00:00:08.300 --> 00:00:10.679 and I'm thankful that we get to worship Him. 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:16.580 Today we will be starting the last chapter of the book of Hebrews. 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:18.980 To me, it's been a fun journey. 00:00:19.100 --> 00:00:23.320 I hope you feel the same as we've looked through the book of Hebrews. 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:25.140 It's been encouraging. 00:00:25.660 --> 00:00:27.560 It's been challenging at times. 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:31.299 We have tackled some pretty deep topics of the Christian faith. 00:00:31.919 --> 00:00:35.339 And this final week, or actually this final chapter, 00:00:35.339 --> 00:00:37.079 I was hoping it was going to be the final week, 00:00:37.140 --> 00:00:39.640 but we're going to be here for one more week after this. 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:42.219 But this final chapter is no exception. 00:00:43.140 --> 00:00:49.299 Chapter 13 is filled with many exhortations that will be sure to challenge us, 00:00:49.480 --> 00:00:54.700 encourage us, and honestly probably offend us at some point along the way. 00:00:55.140 --> 00:00:55.980 But that's okay. 00:00:55.979 --> 00:01:02.259 It's all right for the Bible to rub up against some of our preconceived notions, 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.979 some of the things that the world tells us to believe. 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:08.479 You see, if the Bible doesn't offend us at some point, 00:01:08.620 --> 00:01:11.640 then it's probably because we're not reading all of it. 00:01:12.019 --> 00:01:15.879 It's probably because we're picking and choosing the parts that we want to read 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:17.519 and not taking it as a whole. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.640 We're reading it as Thomas Jefferson did, 00:01:19.699 --> 00:01:21.239 reading the parts that he wanted to read, 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.599 and then cut out everything else that he didn't want to read, 00:01:24.739 --> 00:01:25.939 that he didn't agree with. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.579 And so I want us to come to Scripture, 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.899 all of Scripture, this passage included, 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:35.259 and I want us to come understanding that we need to have open hearts, 00:01:35.379 --> 00:01:38.280 open minds to what God has to say for us. 00:01:38.819 --> 00:01:43.259 The author has explained over and over again through the book of Hebrews 00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:44.980 that Jesus is better. 00:01:45.540 --> 00:01:49.040 He's better than anything and everything in this world. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.939 His ways are better than our ways. 00:01:52.380 --> 00:01:56.340 And so let us come to this passage trusting that fact, 00:01:56.580 --> 00:01:59.060 that Jesus is better, that he is greater, 00:01:59.160 --> 00:02:00.320 that his ways are better. 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:06.620 And from that, be willing and ready to not only hear what he has to say to us, 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:09.860 but also to apply his word to our lives. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.980 There's been times throughout this week and this morning, 00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:15.560 especially just going over this, 00:02:15.819 --> 00:02:18.360 that God has already been speaking to my heart 00:02:18.360 --> 00:02:21.460 and convicting me of different areas of my life. 00:02:21.980 --> 00:02:24.680 And so in this last chapter, chapter 13, 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:26.300 there's a lot of statements 00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:30.060 that it can almost feel like it jumps around a little bit. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:33.800 It almost feels like there's bullet points that the author's going through. 00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:36.240 They're saying, hey, here's some other things you need to remember. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:38.939 Remember this, remember this, remember this, do this, 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:40.620 make sure that you look out for these people, 00:02:40.700 --> 00:02:41.620 make sure you do this. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.300 And it almost feels like he's jumping around from place to place 00:02:45.300 --> 00:02:47.060 as we're looking through this. 00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:49.580 So much so that some people have said, 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:51.480 well, is this even part of Hebrews? 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:55.320 And it absolutely is, because it ties in really well. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.879 One of the things that I would say is a little unfortunate 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:03.700 is the chapter break that is placed here 00:03:03.699 --> 00:03:06.939 in chapter 13 from chapter 12. 00:03:07.359 --> 00:03:10.199 Many of us realize that the chapters and verses 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:12.179 were not a part of the original manuscripts. 00:03:12.619 --> 00:03:14.319 Those were added much later, 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:15.899 and they're incredibly helpful. 00:03:16.299 --> 00:03:17.579 I'm grateful for them. 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:20.239 It helps us to be able to reference different places. 00:03:20.399 --> 00:03:22.359 It helps us to understand things. 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:25.719 And in many ways, it is a benefit to us. 00:03:25.939 --> 00:03:29.519 But there's some places where it kind of puts in a division, 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:31.920 where there doesn't need to be a division. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:33.680 And I think the end of chapter 12, 00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:36.939 beginning of chapter 13, is one of those places. 00:03:37.380 --> 00:03:40.280 And I think it's really helpful for us to understand 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:44.080 how this next section ties in really well to chapter 12, 00:03:44.200 --> 00:03:47.520 but especially going back to 1228. 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:49.800 Now, remember in chapter 12, 00:03:49.900 --> 00:03:53.719 we were focusing on the fact that we serve a holy and just God. 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:59.139 And His holiness and His justice prevents us as sinful people 00:03:59.139 --> 00:04:01.580 from being able to come into His presence. 00:04:01.860 --> 00:04:05.300 It prevents us from being able to be in His presence 00:04:05.300 --> 00:04:09.599 because He is holy, He is just, and we are not. 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:12.939 But Jesus makes a way. 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:15.079 And because He makes a way, 00:04:15.180 --> 00:04:18.540 the author tells us that we begin to worship Him 00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:20.079 with thankful hearts. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.339 And so in verse 28, it says, 00:04:22.339 --> 00:04:26.959 Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.000 that cannot be shaking, 00:04:29.179 --> 00:04:31.859 and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship 00:04:31.859 --> 00:04:34.079 with reverence and all, 00:04:34.159 --> 00:04:36.919 for our God is a consuming fire. 00:04:37.479 --> 00:04:41.159 And so our response to a God who makes a way, 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.219 who is perfect in His justice, 00:04:43.500 --> 00:04:45.839 perfect in who He is, 00:04:46.059 --> 00:04:49.679 He makes a way for us to be able to have a relationship with Him. 00:04:49.679 --> 00:04:52.239 And so our life is to be an act of worship. 00:04:52.339 --> 00:04:54.599 We began talking about this last week, 00:04:54.599 --> 00:04:59.000 and the fact that worship is not just what we do when we come into this room. 00:04:59.119 --> 00:05:00.979 It's not just singing songs, 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:03.619 but worship is all of our life. 00:05:04.099 --> 00:05:05.519 And so now the author, 00:05:05.899 --> 00:05:08.419 as we get to chapter 13, 00:05:08.539 --> 00:05:10.519 begins to flesh that out for us. 00:05:10.799 --> 00:05:15.779 He begins to show us how our life is to be an act of worship. 00:05:15.779 --> 00:05:17.599 And so as we look at this final chapter, 00:05:17.599 --> 00:05:18.899 we begin to see this. 00:05:19.299 --> 00:05:21.559 The author begins to show us some examples 00:05:21.559 --> 00:05:25.279 of what a life that is focused on Jesus, 00:05:25.599 --> 00:05:27.679 that is seeking to worship Him, 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:30.039 what that life actually looks like. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:33.399 Now this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, 00:05:33.599 --> 00:05:37.519 but rather a great starting point to look at our lives. 00:05:38.159 --> 00:05:40.019 And so as we look at this final chapter, 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:43.219 the main thing that the author is getting at 00:05:43.219 --> 00:05:46.319 is for us to see a number of marks, 00:05:46.419 --> 00:05:50.000 a number of characteristics of a healthy church. 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:53.599 And so the main thing that I want us to see this morning, 00:05:53.979 --> 00:05:55.019 as we have this time, 00:05:55.060 --> 00:05:56.299 the main idea of this sermon 00:05:56.299 --> 00:05:58.439 is for us to see these marks 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:00.839 and not only examine our lives, 00:06:01.159 --> 00:06:02.719 but examine our church. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:06.440 to see if these marks are a characteristic of our life 00:06:06.440 --> 00:06:09.780 and to see if they're characteristic of this church. 00:06:10.440 --> 00:06:11.740 And so from this passage, 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:14.620 we're going to bring our attention 00:06:14.620 --> 00:06:16.620 to seven different characteristics. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.280 Now don't worry, we're not doing them all this week. 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:20.900 It's going to be this week and next week. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:23.920 Although I was going to try to get them all in this week, 00:06:23.940 --> 00:06:25.360 but it just was not possible. 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:28.280 But we're going to be looking over the next couple of weeks 00:06:28.280 --> 00:06:29.780 at these seven characteristics 00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:33.379 that we see very clearly presented in this passage. 00:06:33.559 --> 00:06:36.079 Today, we're going to take a look at three of them, 00:06:36.539 --> 00:06:38.779 but we're going to be looking at 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:40.799 how believers and churches, 00:06:41.479 --> 00:06:42.799 with a focus on Jesus, 00:06:42.919 --> 00:06:44.859 what their lives will look like. 00:06:45.259 --> 00:06:46.319 So to begin with, 00:06:46.500 --> 00:06:49.119 believers and churches with a focus on Jesus 00:06:49.119 --> 00:06:51.739 will love each other well. 00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:54.139 We'll love each other well. 00:06:54.219 --> 00:06:56.719 We'll do a good job at loving one another. 00:06:56.919 --> 00:06:59.759 Verses one through three of Hebrews 13 says this, 00:06:59.779 --> 00:07:02.399 Let brotherly love continue. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:06.139 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:09.299 for thereby some have entertained angels unaware. 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:12.339 Remember those who are in prison 00:07:12.339 --> 00:07:15.139 as though in prison with them, 00:07:15.419 --> 00:07:16.919 and those who are mistreated 00:07:16.919 --> 00:07:19.579 since you also are in the body. 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:22.199 Now what a great place for us to start 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:24.819 when it comes to seeing our lives 00:07:24.819 --> 00:07:26.779 and seeing our church as an act of worship. 00:07:26.779 --> 00:07:29.759 What better place to start than with love? 00:07:29.779 --> 00:07:33.159 And it talks about this love in several different ways. 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:34.459 To begin with, 00:07:34.539 --> 00:07:37.399 we are to love our spiritual family well. 00:07:38.039 --> 00:07:39.839 Let brotherly love continue. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.239 This Greek combines two words 00:07:42.239 --> 00:07:43.379 to give us brotherly love. 00:07:43.539 --> 00:07:44.699 Phileo meaning love, 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:46.979 and adelphos meaning brother. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:48.079 Put them together, 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:50.339 you get the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. 00:07:50.919 --> 00:07:54.679 And so this is where we get this idea of brotherly love, 00:07:54.819 --> 00:07:57.039 loving our family well. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.939 The NIV gets to the heart of the meaning of this 00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:00.439 when it says, 00:08:00.900 --> 00:08:04.460 keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:07.000 Remembering that, 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:10.060 and reminding us that because of Jesus, 00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:12.580 we are part of God's family. 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:15.420 If we have God as our father, 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:19.900 then that means we have many brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:21.420 and we are to love them well. 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:23.140 But next it says, 00:08:23.280 --> 00:08:24.980 we are to love strangers well. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.560 We love those within the family, 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:28.680 the community well, 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:30.780 but we also love strangers well. 00:08:31.280 --> 00:08:31.460 It says, 00:08:31.580 --> 00:08:34.840 do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:38.480 for thereby some have entertained angels unaware. 00:08:39.800 --> 00:08:41.100 Hospitality is something 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:43.920 that should be characteristic of all believers. 00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:47.659 It should be something that is characteristic of our lives, 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:48.779 is hospitality. 00:08:48.779 --> 00:08:53.159 Now it's true for some that it just comes naturally and easy, 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:58.539 but it should be something that is characteristic of all believers. 00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:00.319 In doing this, 00:09:00.379 --> 00:09:00.679 it says, 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:03.559 some have entertained angels unaware. 00:09:04.299 --> 00:09:05.339 Now what does this mean? 00:09:06.220 --> 00:09:07.319 I'm going to be honest with you. 00:09:07.319 --> 00:09:08.860 I don't exactly know what this means, 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:11.199 that we have entertained angels unaware. 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:13.959 Looking through different commentaries, 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:17.639 many commentators just skipped this section completely, 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:19.659 and just talked about loving strangers well, 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:21.419 which means that they don't know either. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.439 Others have said that it is actual angels 00:09:24.439 --> 00:09:27.740 that we are entertaining that have come into our paths. 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:31.080 Others talk about it as the early church missionaries 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.279 that were going around from place to place. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.639 You didn't have email, 00:09:34.779 --> 00:09:35.439 you didn't have phones, 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:37.840 you didn't have pictures with cards of them out there 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:40.620 that you can know who were missionaries that were coming around. 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:43.860 So some of these missionary travels that Paul was on, 00:09:43.940 --> 00:09:44.679 that Titus was on, 00:09:44.779 --> 00:09:45.039 Timothy, 00:09:45.500 --> 00:09:45.899 Luke, 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.580 all of these people as they're traveling from place to place, 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.759 they didn't know who they were coming in. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:52.720 So some believe that it could have been 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.039 that they were entertaining these missionaries 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:56.679 who were coming from place to place. 00:09:57.060 --> 00:09:58.659 We don't exactly know. 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:00.980 But I think what does need to be addressed 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:03.740 is the fact that we don't confuse 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:08.240 biblical hospitality with simply entertaining. 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:14.000 Hospitality and entertaining are not the same thing. 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:18.420 Hospitality is not just about hosting dinner parties, 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:20.539 inviting your friends over to have a good time. 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:23.620 It's more others focused than this. 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:26.300 Oftentimes when we invite our friends over, 00:10:26.379 --> 00:10:27.639 we do so for our benefit. 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:30.879 We invite people that we enjoy being around 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:31.659 and who might, 00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:33.220 in our hopes, 00:10:33.319 --> 00:10:34.580 return the favor one day. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.159 And there's nothing wrong with this. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:36.600 In fact, 00:10:36.679 --> 00:10:39.720 I would say that we should do life with other believers 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:42.100 that we enjoy being around. 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:44.980 That will be there for us. 00:10:45.019 --> 00:10:48.199 That will be there when times get difficult. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:51.899 But I'm not sure that that's what this passage is getting at. 00:10:52.500 --> 00:10:53.559 One commentator noted, 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:53.879 he says, 00:10:53.980 --> 00:10:56.000 this is welcoming strangers, 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:58.600 inviting people for meals 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:00.039 or to stay with us 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:01.679 with no expectation 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:04.379 that they will or even can reciprocate. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.139 This kind of hospitality 00:11:06.139 --> 00:11:08.820 can be inconvenient and hard. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.899 It requires a whole different level of focus 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:13.580 and effort to welcome into your home 00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:17.019 those who are not already part of your social circle. 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:21.240 This concept of hospitality 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:24.320 recalibrates the way that we open up our homes. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:26.160 It makes us think differently 00:11:26.160 --> 00:11:28.240 about the motive behind 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.379 why we open up our homes. 00:11:29.460 --> 00:11:31.980 It's no longer just for our own pleasure, 00:11:32.260 --> 00:11:36.200 but rather in order to advance the kingdom of God. 00:11:36.420 --> 00:11:37.580 We're opening up our homes. 00:11:37.700 --> 00:11:38.820 We're showing hospitality. 00:11:39.140 --> 00:11:42.420 We're doing this with purpose behind it. 00:11:42.820 --> 00:11:45.640 This hospitality is intentional. 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:47.160 And finally, 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:49.080 it says we are to love prisoners. 00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:49.820 Now, 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:51.280 I think it's really helpful 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.679 for us to understand the historical context 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:55.079 that this is being written. 00:11:55.699 --> 00:11:56.419 At this time, 00:11:56.500 --> 00:11:57.579 there were many Christians 00:11:57.579 --> 00:11:59.459 who were being imprisoned 00:11:59.459 --> 00:12:01.199 because of their faith. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.579 Not because they did something actually wrong, 00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:05.480 but because of their faith 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:07.019 that they were being imprisoned. 00:12:07.579 --> 00:12:07.839 Now, 00:12:07.939 --> 00:12:08.399 does this, 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:09.839 how does this apply to us today? 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:11.799 Should we go to prisons 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:14.659 and should we meet people there 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:16.079 and show hospitality 00:12:16.079 --> 00:12:17.199 and love them well? 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.220 Absolutely we should. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.420 But the heart of this 00:12:21.420 --> 00:12:24.080 is talking about those people, 00:12:24.220 --> 00:12:26.379 those brothers and sisters in Christ 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:28.220 who are being persecuted 00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:29.400 because of their faith. 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:31.160 A lot of times, 00:12:31.280 --> 00:12:34.060 we live in a bubble around us now 00:12:34.060 --> 00:12:36.100 where we don't really think about 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:36.840 what's going on 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:37.940 in other places in the world. 00:12:38.300 --> 00:12:40.640 We receive some persecution 00:12:40.640 --> 00:12:41.680 from time to time. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:41.920 Yes, 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:43.420 some inconveniences in our life, 00:12:43.780 --> 00:12:44.980 but we must recognize 00:12:44.980 --> 00:12:46.720 that there are brothers and sisters in Christ 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:47.519 all over the world 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.340 who are still being persecuted 00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:50.340 for their faith, 00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:51.920 who are still being imprisoned 00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:53.120 for their faith. 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:55.080 What this means is that as believers, 00:12:55.300 --> 00:12:56.540 we have a responsibility 00:12:56.540 --> 00:12:59.660 to love our brothers and sisters 00:12:59.660 --> 00:13:00.920 all over the world 00:13:00.920 --> 00:13:03.379 that are experiencing persecution 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:05.139 for their faith. 00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:07.160 It's really easy for us 00:13:07.160 --> 00:13:08.100 to forget about this, 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:09.040 but in doing so, 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:09.879 we're failing 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:12.019 at what God has called us to do 00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:14.019 in loving the prisoner here. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:14.720 And so, 00:13:14.820 --> 00:13:16.560 how do we love our family? 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:18.080 How do we love strangers? 00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:19.680 How do we love prisoners well? 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:20.519 Well, 00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:22.639 let me give you a few helpful things 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:23.500 to think about. 00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:25.580 Loving well 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:28.500 means stepping into needs 00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.840 and not ignoring them. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:31.600 Loving well 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.940 means that we step into needs 00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:35.660 and don't ignore them. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:37.120 Sometimes, 00:13:37.680 --> 00:13:39.660 love has to get in the weeds. 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:40.820 Sometimes, 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.480 love gets messy. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:43.420 Sometimes, 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:45.519 love is challenging. 00:13:46.459 --> 00:13:47.959 A couple of years ago, 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:50.139 Ressie had a few friends over 00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:52.259 for a party that she was having, 00:13:52.319 --> 00:13:53.439 a few friends from school, 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:54.079 and they were over. 00:13:54.339 --> 00:13:55.159 And one of the things 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:56.120 that they wanted to do 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:57.939 was they wanted to have a bake-off. 00:13:58.019 --> 00:14:00.519 They wanted to have two groups 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:01.339 that were making cakes 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:03.899 and then to see which cake, 00:14:03.959 --> 00:14:05.259 and Catherine and I had to judge them 00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:06.899 and see which cake was better. 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:07.500 And so, 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:08.980 they spent all of this time 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:11.639 making a pretty good-sized mess 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:13.200 and making these cakes, 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:14.539 and they put them on these plates, 00:14:14.779 --> 00:14:16.440 and you're looking at the cakes, 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.200 and they're beautiful. 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:17.440 I mean, 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:19.420 they are covered with icing, 00:14:19.899 --> 00:14:21.560 completely covered with icing. 00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:23.740 They have sprinkles all over them, 00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:24.560 all over the counter, 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:25.120 everywhere. 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:26.159 Sprinkles are everywhere. 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:27.779 And one of them, 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:28.019 you know, 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.039 the layer was a little bit lopsided 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.120 on the top of it, 00:14:32.300 --> 00:14:34.159 but they were presenting these cakes, 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:35.120 and one of the things 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.179 that they were going to do 00:14:37.179 --> 00:14:39.539 was to tell us about their cake, 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:41.860 and so that why their cake 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:43.200 should be the winning cake. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:44.200 And I remember, 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:45.620 I think this was back 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:47.240 when I was in third grade or so, 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.700 and this little third grade girl, 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:50.179 one of her friends that came over, 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:51.460 she said, 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:54.259 this cake is like love. 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:55.279 She says, 00:14:55.299 --> 00:14:56.179 this cake is like love. 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.679 It's messy and amazing 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.539 all at the same time. 00:15:00.940 --> 00:15:01.879 And I thought, 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:03.539 you're in third grade. 00:15:03.539 --> 00:15:04.719 How many Hallmark movies 00:15:04.719 --> 00:15:06.379 have you watched in your life? 00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:07.980 But she says, 00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:09.679 it's messy and it's amazing 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:11.240 all at the same time. 00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:14.179 But she's not completely wrong with that. 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:17.419 Love that is more than pleasantries 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.199 will be messy at times. 00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:21.959 It will require us 00:15:21.959 --> 00:15:23.599 to get close to the hurting, 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:25.500 to meet people where they are, 00:15:25.579 --> 00:15:26.759 but the truth is, 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:29.179 we all need this type of love 00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:30.519 shown to us at times. 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:32.279 We all need people 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.079 who will love us this way. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:35.679 When times get hard, 00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.539 when it's inconvenient, 00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:37.759 we need people 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:39.079 that are going to love us this way. 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:41.220 And we need to be the type of people 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:43.399 that will step into those situations 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:45.600 to get messy when it's required. 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:47.319 Also, loving well means 00:15:47.319 --> 00:15:49.579 building up and not tearing down. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:51.879 James 3, 9 through 12 00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:53.240 is very convicting with this. 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:54.839 This is James talking about 00:15:54.839 --> 00:15:55.740 the tongues 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:57.079 and controlling the tongue. 00:15:57.139 --> 00:15:57.579 And he says, 00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:59.120 With it we bless 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.440 our Lord and Father 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:02.060 and with it we curse people 00:16:02.060 --> 00:16:03.160 who are made 00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:04.560 in the likeness of God. 00:16:05.180 --> 00:16:06.360 From the same mouth 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:08.340 come blessing and cursing. 00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:09.480 My brothers, 00:16:09.680 --> 00:16:11.740 these things ought not to be so. 00:16:12.280 --> 00:16:13.320 Does a spring 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:14.940 pour from the same opening 00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:17.200 both fresh and salt water? 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.160 Can a fig tree, my brothers, 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.080 bear olives 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.580 or a grapevine produce figs? 00:16:23.560 --> 00:16:25.580 Neither can a salt pond 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:27.160 yield fresh water. 00:16:27.820 --> 00:16:30.160 Our words are powerful. 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:31.700 And one of the ways 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:33.900 that we love our family, 00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:35.020 one of the ways 00:16:35.020 --> 00:16:36.360 that we love strangers, 00:16:36.540 --> 00:16:36.980 one of the ways 00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:38.460 that we love those in prison 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:39.800 are that we're careful 00:16:39.800 --> 00:16:41.740 in how we use our words. 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.759 On the one hand, 00:16:43.940 --> 00:16:45.139 there's basically two ways 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:46.180 that we can use words. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:46.840 On the one hand, 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:47.360 with our tongues, 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:48.820 we can praise God. 00:16:49.020 --> 00:16:50.300 It tells us that as believers 00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:51.379 we praise God, 00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:52.860 which is the highest 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.700 and best way 00:16:53.700 --> 00:16:54.840 to use our speech. 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:56.180 What greater way 00:16:56.180 --> 00:16:57.420 can we use our tongues 00:16:57.420 --> 00:16:59.200 and use our speech 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.340 than to praise God? 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:02.139 We use our speech 00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:03.300 to worship 00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:04.360 and point others 00:17:04.360 --> 00:17:05.500 to the source of our hope. 00:17:05.700 --> 00:17:06.960 With our speech, 00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:08.160 with the things that we say, 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:10.019 we praise God with. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.640 And I think 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:11.860 that as believers, 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.819 at least some of the time, 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:15.360 we all get this right. 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:17.019 At least some of the time, 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:18.299 we all get this right. 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:20.059 But James 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:21.940 calls for consistency. 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:24.220 He calls for this 00:17:24.220 --> 00:17:25.059 to be consistent. 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:26.620 He's saying 00:17:26.620 --> 00:17:27.700 you can't have it both. 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:29.259 You can't praise God 00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:30.779 and put people down 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.720 at the same time. 00:17:32.580 --> 00:17:33.880 You can't claim 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:34.940 to be followers of Christ 00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:36.600 and praise God 00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.680 and then constantly 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.880 be talking bad 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:39.400 about people 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:40.440 either in front of them 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:41.519 or behind them. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:42.519 James is saying 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:43.920 this should not be 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:44.680 the case. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.640 But unfortunately, 00:17:46.080 --> 00:17:47.160 we as believers 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:48.380 do this all the time. 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.460 Sometimes in the same hour. 00:17:51.040 --> 00:17:52.260 Sometimes in the same minute. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:54.220 Sometimes in the same conversation. 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:55.400 We praise God 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:56.800 and we put other people down. 00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:59.540 This ought not to be the case. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.840 It doesn't work with plants. 00:18:02.020 --> 00:18:02.540 A fig tree 00:18:02.540 --> 00:18:03.900 is never going to produce olives. 00:18:04.520 --> 00:18:05.980 We get to go 00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:07.380 with a small group. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:07.760 Well, actually, 00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:08.400 it wasn't a small group. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.800 It was three busloads 00:18:09.800 --> 00:18:10.540 of senior adults 00:18:10.540 --> 00:18:12.000 to Long Creek, South Carolina 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.240 this past Friday. 00:18:13.300 --> 00:18:14.140 And we went out to eat. 00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:15.140 And Long Creek 00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:16.260 is known for its apples. 00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:18.339 Well, Long Creek community 00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:19.279 is not going to just 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.960 come together this year 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:21.240 and say, 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:21.720 you know what? 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:23.339 Let's don't do apples this year. 00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:24.819 Let's tell all of our trees 00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:25.740 to produce oranges. 00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.500 It's not going to happen. 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.480 It doesn't work that way. 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:30.900 As believers, 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:32.220 we praise God 00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:32.779 with our mouths 00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:34.180 and we've got to be careful 00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:35.579 that we don't use them 00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:37.599 to put other people down. 00:18:38.220 --> 00:18:40.259 Sometimes we do this 00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.460 and it's not necessarily 00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:42.539 the words that we say 00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:43.359 but the tone 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:45.539 in which we say them. 00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:47.119 This is true for us 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:47.559 as parents. 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:49.539 Many times the correcting words 00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.940 need to be said. 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:52.599 They need to be said 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:53.539 but the tone 00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:55.299 in which we say them 00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:57.220 does far more harm 00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.960 than the words do good. 00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:00.680 And so sometimes 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:01.720 we need to make sure 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:02.579 that we are careful 00:19:02.579 --> 00:19:03.680 in our tone. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.980 Sometimes it is gossip 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:07.779 that comes in the form 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:09.339 of prayer requests. 00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.220 We try to disguise it. 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:10.960 Well, you need to be praying 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.519 for this person. 00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:12.240 You're not going to believe 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:12.940 what they did. 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.259 You need to be praying 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:14.700 for them. 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:15.799 You're not going to believe 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:17.579 what happened to them. 00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.740 And oftentimes 00:19:18.740 --> 00:19:20.240 we try to disguise it. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:21.799 And sometimes 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:22.440 we don't even try 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.319 to disguise it. 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:25.099 We just get a kick 00:19:25.099 --> 00:19:26.379 out of somehow 00:19:26.379 --> 00:19:27.240 trying to put 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:28.539 other people down 00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:29.140 in order to make 00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:30.259 ourselves feel better. 00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.819 Why do we do this? 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:34.440 Why do we do this? 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:36.000 And so as we think 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:36.660 about this, 00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:38.059 maybe instead of 00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:39.200 looking at other people 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:39.700 and thinking 00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:41.079 what they have going on, 00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:41.759 maybe we need to take 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.339 a look in the mirror 00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:43.000 and say, you know what, 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.579 there's some things 00:19:43.579 --> 00:19:44.419 that need to change 00:19:44.419 --> 00:19:45.379 about me. 00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.759 Why is it that I need 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:48.019 to put somebody else down 00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:48.980 in order to make 00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:50.599 myself feel better? 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:52.659 But also loving well 00:19:52.659 --> 00:19:53.399 means pointing 00:19:53.399 --> 00:19:54.679 to Jesus 00:19:54.679 --> 00:19:56.079 and not dragging 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:57.099 them further away. 00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.819 A really great way 00:19:58.819 --> 00:19:59.720 to look at our actions 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:00.539 to see if they are 00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.439 loving or not 00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.679 is to ask, 00:20:03.159 --> 00:20:04.299 are my actions 00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:05.659 helping people see 00:20:05.659 --> 00:20:06.679 the heart of Christ 00:20:06.679 --> 00:20:07.099 better? 00:20:07.899 --> 00:20:08.879 Are my actions, 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:10.019 the way that I'm living, 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.559 the way that I'm loving 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:12.259 other people? 00:20:12.419 --> 00:20:13.819 Am I pointing them 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:14.460 to Christ? 00:20:14.539 --> 00:20:15.559 Are they able to see 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.139 his heart better 00:20:17.139 --> 00:20:18.819 by the way that I am 00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.500 treating them, 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.359 by the way that I'm 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:21.579 loving them? 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.399 Are they making, 00:20:23.639 --> 00:20:24.559 or are they making 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:25.700 the water more cloudy 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:26.779 and more difficult 00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:27.599 to see Jesus? 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:29.319 Next, 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.619 as we move in 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:31.139 through this, 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.740 believers and churches 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:34.179 with a focus on Jesus 00:20:34.179 --> 00:20:36.879 will hold marriage 00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:37.539 in honor. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:40.079 Believers and churches 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.439 with a focus on Jesus 00:20:42.439 --> 00:20:44.000 will hold marriage 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:44.579 in honor. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.159 Now, 00:20:45.199 --> 00:20:45.960 I understand that it 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:46.500 feels like we're 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:47.079 jumping around. 00:20:47.179 --> 00:20:47.740 This is the part 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.399 where I'm talking about 00:20:48.399 --> 00:20:49.659 it feels like bullet 00:20:49.659 --> 00:20:50.679 points that the author 00:20:50.679 --> 00:20:51.259 is going through, 00:20:51.379 --> 00:20:52.279 but I think they all 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:53.819 connect and to help 00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.799 us understand what 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:56.059 it means to live a life 00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:57.720 that is worshipful to God. 00:20:58.059 --> 00:20:58.899 Listen to the words 00:20:58.899 --> 00:20:59.639 in verse 13, 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:01.139 for let marriage 00:21:01.139 --> 00:21:02.379 be held in honor 00:21:02.379 --> 00:21:03.379 among all 00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:05.040 and let the marriage 00:21:05.040 --> 00:21:06.860 bed be undefiled 00:21:06.860 --> 00:21:08.120 for God will judge 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:09.520 the sexually immoral 00:21:09.520 --> 00:21:10.880 and adulterous. 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:12.220 You see, 00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:13.440 marriage has always 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:14.820 been God's plan 00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:15.800 for the family. 00:21:16.280 --> 00:21:17.360 It's always been 00:21:17.360 --> 00:21:18.200 His plan for the family. 00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:18.860 In Genesis 2, 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.140 it says, 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:19.440 therefore, 00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:20.460 a man shall leave 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:21.800 his father and mother 00:21:21.800 --> 00:21:23.200 and hold fast 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.080 to his wife. 00:21:24.540 --> 00:21:24.700 Well, 00:21:24.800 --> 00:21:25.620 Genesis 2 00:21:25.620 --> 00:21:26.700 comes before 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.860 sin has entered 00:21:27.860 --> 00:21:28.580 into the world. 00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:29.520 Genesis 2 00:21:29.520 --> 00:21:30.800 comes before the fall. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.059 So, 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:33.720 marriage has always 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.859 been God's plan 00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:35.619 for the family 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:36.940 and not only does 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.720 He say it there 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.399 before the fall, 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.279 but He continues 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.220 to say it 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:41.200 after the fall 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:42.339 repeating Himself 00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.099 that, 00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:44.119 therefore, 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:44.899 a man shall leave 00:21:44.899 --> 00:21:45.539 his father and mother 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.159 and hold fast 00:21:46.159 --> 00:21:46.680 to his wife 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:46.960 and they shall 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:47.819 become one flesh. 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:49.079 He repeats this 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:49.839 multiple times 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.480 throughout Scripture 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:52.000 reminding us 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.200 that marriage 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:54.240 is God's plan 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:54.819 for the family 00:21:54.819 --> 00:21:55.639 before the fall 00:21:55.639 --> 00:21:56.940 and it still 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:58.339 is God's plan 00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:59.720 for the family today. 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:00.480 And so, 00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:01.059 we must keep 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:01.980 a high view 00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:02.680 of marriage 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:03.740 if we claim 00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:04.519 to be people 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.160 in churches 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:07.019 that have their eyes 00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:08.299 fixed on Jesus. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.160 In a culture 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:11.620 that looks everywhere 00:22:11.620 --> 00:22:13.380 else to define marriage 00:22:13.380 --> 00:22:15.400 and seeks to remove 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:17.400 God-ordained parameters 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:18.480 on marriage, 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:20.700 let us be different. 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:22.400 Let us look 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.000 to the one 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.339 who instituted 00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.700 and created marriage 00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:26.940 to be the one 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.860 to tell us 00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:28.940 how it is best 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:30.080 to be enjoyed. 00:22:30.820 --> 00:22:31.559 The passage 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.320 goes on to say, 00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:32.559 he says, 00:22:32.840 --> 00:22:34.140 let the marriage bed 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:35.420 be undefiled 00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:36.539 for God will judge 00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.660 the sexually immoral 00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.640 and adulterous. 00:22:39.360 --> 00:22:40.900 It may seem repetitive 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:41.340 to say 00:22:41.340 --> 00:22:42.019 He'll judge 00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:43.039 the sexually immoral 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:44.400 and the adulterous 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:45.940 but what he's getting at 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:46.500 is the author 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.120 is getting at 00:22:47.120 --> 00:22:48.759 the immorality 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.700 within the marriage 00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:50.400 and also 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:51.519 before marriage 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.900 or outside the marriage. 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:55.059 We must not look 00:22:55.059 --> 00:22:55.619 to the world 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:56.460 to tell us 00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:58.179 how to enjoy sex 00:22:58.179 --> 00:23:00.099 and who to enjoy it with. 00:23:00.679 --> 00:23:01.679 There will always be 00:23:01.679 --> 00:23:02.460 those who are ready 00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.740 to lead us astray 00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.399 in this matter. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.919 There will always be 00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:07.039 plenty of scholars today 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.819 who will attempt 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:09.159 to redefine 00:23:09.159 --> 00:23:09.879 the parameters 00:23:09.879 --> 00:23:10.980 that God has given 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:12.539 us in Scripture. 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.759 This isn't something 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.339 that's new. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:15.619 It is something 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:16.740 that is prevalent today 00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:17.819 but it's not something 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.500 that is new. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.899 This has been the case 00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:22.019 for a long, long time. 00:23:22.139 --> 00:23:22.419 In fact, 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.159 Billy Graham 00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:24.819 talks about these teachings 00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:25.539 from these scholars 00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:26.240 who are attempting 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.939 to redefine marriage 00:23:27.939 --> 00:23:28.720 and redefine 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.279 the parameters 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:31.599 in which we see marriage. 00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.579 He talked about 00:23:32.579 --> 00:23:33.299 their teachings 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:34.279 as drippings 00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:36.319 from a sewer drain, 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.119 drippings from a broken sewer. 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:39.519 Now, having seen 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:39.980 the drippings 00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:40.899 from a broken sewer 00:23:40.899 --> 00:23:41.379 in the basement 00:23:41.379 --> 00:23:42.039 of this church 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.899 not too long ago, 00:23:43.099 --> 00:23:43.879 you don't want anything 00:23:43.879 --> 00:23:44.599 to do with that. 00:23:44.939 --> 00:23:45.399 You don't want 00:23:45.399 --> 00:23:46.579 any part of that. 00:23:47.419 --> 00:23:48.179 And so we've got 00:23:48.179 --> 00:23:48.939 to be careful 00:23:48.939 --> 00:23:50.779 but at the same time, 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:52.359 I don't want us 00:23:52.359 --> 00:23:53.859 to view all sex 00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:55.039 as bad and wrong. 00:23:56.139 --> 00:23:57.579 It is a gift from God 00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.639 to be enjoyed 00:23:58.639 --> 00:24:00.000 within the covenant 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:00.919 of marriage. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.779 John MacArthur, 00:24:02.899 --> 00:24:03.639 I love how he says, 00:24:03.719 --> 00:24:04.119 he says, 00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.439 within marriage, 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:06.719 sex is beautiful. 00:24:07.199 --> 00:24:08.139 It's fulfilling. 00:24:08.919 --> 00:24:10.019 It's creative. 00:24:11.399 --> 00:24:12.199 Thought I might get 00:24:12.199 --> 00:24:12.979 an amen there. 00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.899 But outside of marriage, 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:15.959 he says this. 00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:17.179 He says, 00:24:17.179 --> 00:24:18.319 outside of marriage, 00:24:18.419 --> 00:24:19.059 it is ugly. 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:20.039 It's destructive 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:21.059 and it's damning. 00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:21.899 You see, 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:23.059 sex is a good gift 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.980 from a good God 00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:24.899 to be enjoyed 00:24:24.899 --> 00:24:26.119 and explored 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:27.460 within the good gift 00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.700 of covenant marriage. 00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:31.000 It is a beautiful thing. 00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.899 God honored marriage 00:24:32.899 --> 00:24:34.119 by establishing it. 00:24:34.399 --> 00:24:34.940 God the Father 00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:35.940 honored marriage 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.960 by establishing it. 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:38.299 Jesus honored marriage 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:38.859 by performing 00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.839 his first miracle 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:40.440 at a wedding. 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:41.859 The Holy Spirit 00:24:41.859 --> 00:24:42.579 honored marriage 00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:43.480 by using it 00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:45.019 to picture the church 00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:46.019 in the New Testament. 00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.659 The whole Trinity 00:24:47.659 --> 00:24:48.639 testifies 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:49.940 that marriage 00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:51.259 is honorable. 00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:53.420 May we as believers 00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.380 have our eyes 00:24:54.380 --> 00:24:55.480 fixed on Jesus. 00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:57.500 May we do the same thing. 00:24:58.300 --> 00:24:58.860 Finally, 00:24:59.060 --> 00:25:00.020 in this passage 00:25:00.020 --> 00:25:01.160 from our time this week, 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:02.800 believers and churches 00:25:02.800 --> 00:25:03.780 with a focus 00:25:03.780 --> 00:25:04.980 on Jesus 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:06.300 will be content 00:25:06.300 --> 00:25:07.820 and generous. 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:09.680 We'll be content 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:11.080 and we'll be generous. 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:12.940 Verses 5 and 6, 00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.360 it says, 00:25:13.780 --> 00:25:14.860 keep your life 00:25:14.860 --> 00:25:15.940 free from the love 00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.420 of money 00:25:16.420 --> 00:25:17.500 and be content 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:19.200 with what you have. 00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.920 For he has said, 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.240 I will never leave you 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.380 nor forsake you. 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:25.100 So we can confidently say, 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:27.160 the Lord is my helper. 00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:28.539 I will not fear 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.460 what can man 00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:31.060 do to me. 00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:32.320 You see, 00:25:32.340 --> 00:25:33.120 the love of money 00:25:33.120 --> 00:25:34.320 is a major, 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.700 major pitfall 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.840 in the Christian life. 00:25:37.600 --> 00:25:38.600 There's a reason 00:25:38.600 --> 00:25:39.779 that Jesus says 00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:41.160 how difficult it is 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:42.759 for those who have wealth 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.980 to enter the kingdom 00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.660 of God. 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:46.559 For it is easier 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.299 for a camel 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:47.819 to go through 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:48.799 the eye of a needle 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.059 than for a rich person 00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:51.539 to enter the kingdom 00:25:51.539 --> 00:25:52.480 of God. 00:25:53.819 --> 00:25:55.640 The reason this is 00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:56.380 is because money 00:25:56.380 --> 00:25:56.860 can give us 00:25:56.860 --> 00:25:57.519 a false sense 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.160 of security. 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.360 Money is something 00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:01.279 that can make us 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:01.980 feel secure 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.740 without actually 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.660 being secure 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:04.740 at all. 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:06.500 Money is something 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.720 that can cloud 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.279 our judgment. 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:09.299 It's hard to see 00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:10.519 our dependence on God 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:10.860 to meet 00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:12.479 all of our needs 00:26:12.479 --> 00:26:14.279 when our bank 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.240 accounts are full. 00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.500 This oftentimes 00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:18.799 translates to 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:20.139 having difficulty 00:26:20.139 --> 00:26:21.219 seeing our greatest 00:26:21.219 --> 00:26:21.740 need, 00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:22.639 salvation. 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:24.119 We get so used 00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:24.819 to doing things 00:26:24.819 --> 00:26:25.219 on our own, 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.339 having pantries 00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:27.240 filled with food, 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:28.199 never having to wonder 00:26:28.199 --> 00:26:28.959 where our next meal 00:26:28.959 --> 00:26:29.579 comes from. 00:26:29.699 --> 00:26:30.819 If we want something 00:26:30.819 --> 00:26:31.639 or we need something 00:26:31.639 --> 00:26:32.759 then we just go out 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:33.500 and get it. 00:26:33.699 --> 00:26:34.939 It's hard to live 00:26:34.939 --> 00:26:36.279 this life of abundance 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:37.839 and then realize 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:38.740 that there's something 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:40.299 that money can't buy. 00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:41.879 There's an area 00:26:41.879 --> 00:26:42.619 of our life 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:43.959 where that does us 00:26:43.959 --> 00:26:45.679 no good whatsoever. 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:47.839 In fact, 00:26:47.919 --> 00:26:48.519 the only way 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:49.819 to understand 00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:50.279 the gospel 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:51.479 and to receive it 00:26:51.479 --> 00:26:52.500 is to realize 00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:53.519 that this is something 00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.399 that we can't do 00:26:54.399 --> 00:26:55.259 on our own. 00:26:55.919 --> 00:26:56.899 The author of Hebrews 00:26:56.899 --> 00:26:57.619 has said this 00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:58.719 over and over again. 00:26:58.979 --> 00:26:59.619 He's made it 00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:00.779 abundantly clear 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.979 that we have this 00:27:01.979 --> 00:27:03.719 incredibly great need 00:27:03.719 --> 00:27:04.859 and that we've been 00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:06.339 trying for a long time 00:27:06.339 --> 00:27:07.039 to do something 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.740 about this need 00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:08.279 on our own 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:09.079 but ultimately 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:10.399 we can't fix 00:27:10.399 --> 00:27:11.299 this problem 00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:12.079 that we have. 00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.039 There's not enough 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.939 money to buy it. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.619 There's not enough 00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:15.980 things that we can do 00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:16.919 to earn it. 00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:18.720 We have this problem. 00:27:18.939 --> 00:27:19.879 It's called sin. 00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:20.779 It's destroyed 00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:21.539 our relationship 00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:22.199 with God 00:27:22.199 --> 00:27:23.039 and there's nothing 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:24.299 we can do about it. 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:27.460 And money sometimes, 00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:28.939 money can fix 00:27:28.939 --> 00:27:30.559 a lot of things. 00:27:30.619 --> 00:27:30.960 It can cause 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:31.679 a lot of problems 00:27:31.679 --> 00:27:33.000 but it can make you 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.399 where you're not 00:27:33.399 --> 00:27:34.199 worried about food. 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.179 It can make you 00:27:35.179 --> 00:27:36.359 where you feel like 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:36.979 you can do 00:27:36.979 --> 00:27:38.439 things on your own. 00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:39.740 You can just get 00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.439 something else 00:27:40.439 --> 00:27:41.059 and it'll fix 00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:41.759 whatever it is 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.500 that you're going on 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:43.479 in your life. 00:27:43.719 --> 00:27:44.519 It can give you 00:27:44.519 --> 00:27:45.359 a false sense 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:46.019 of security. 00:27:47.679 --> 00:27:48.639 But the passage 00:27:48.639 --> 00:27:49.819 is reminding us 00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:51.839 to guard ourself 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:52.379 with that. 00:27:53.159 --> 00:27:54.279 To make sure 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:54.839 that we're not 00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:55.500 putting too much 00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:55.979 of an emphasis 00:27:55.979 --> 00:27:56.539 on that 00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:58.119 because we'll do so 00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:59.139 at the expense 00:27:59.139 --> 00:28:00.099 of seeing 00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:01.659 our greatest need. 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:02.559 You see, 00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:03.419 Jesus starts 00:28:03.419 --> 00:28:04.359 the Sermon on the Mount 00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:05.000 with this. 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:06.459 Blessed are the 00:28:06.459 --> 00:28:07.659 poor in spirit. 00:28:08.479 --> 00:28:09.279 When you look 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:09.839 at this, 00:28:10.179 --> 00:28:10.899 especially in the Greek, 00:28:10.959 --> 00:28:11.399 you'll begin 00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:12.859 to see and understand 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:14.419 what Jesus is getting at. 00:28:14.479 --> 00:28:15.039 Blessed are the 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:16.399 poor in spirit. 00:28:16.939 --> 00:28:17.539 What he's ultimately 00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:18.319 saying is blessed 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:19.619 are the beggarly 00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.259 in spirit. 00:28:20.979 --> 00:28:21.939 Blessed are those 00:28:21.939 --> 00:28:23.679 who are coming 00:28:23.679 --> 00:28:24.459 before God 00:28:24.459 --> 00:28:25.759 with nothing 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.579 begging 00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:27.519 to receive 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.179 his mercy. 00:28:29.139 --> 00:28:29.959 Realizing that 00:28:29.959 --> 00:28:30.679 they have nothing 00:28:30.679 --> 00:28:31.740 to offer this. 00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:32.240 Well, 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:33.199 they're only there 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:34.120 just asking 00:28:34.120 --> 00:28:35.340 to receive 00:28:35.340 --> 00:28:35.900 from God. 00:28:36.100 --> 00:28:37.420 Blessed are those 00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.360 for theirs 00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:39.039 is the kingdom. 00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.259 Blessed are those 00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:41.259 who understand 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:42.519 their need 00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.519 that they can't 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:44.019 do anything 00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:44.600 about it 00:28:44.600 --> 00:28:45.220 and that they 00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:46.460 must be dependent 00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.059 on God 00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:48.259 to meet their need. 00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:49.519 So we must 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:50.279 for the sake 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.200 of our souls, 00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:52.480 the souls of our 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.360 children and those 00:28:53.360 --> 00:28:53.960 around us, 00:28:54.279 --> 00:28:55.340 we must keep 00:28:55.340 --> 00:28:56.140 our lives 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:56.740 free 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:58.019 from the love 00:28:58.019 --> 00:28:58.759 of money. 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:00.920 Augustine wrote 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:01.740 a book that 00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.519 some of you 00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:02.980 may have heard 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.339 of before 00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:03.779 called the 00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:04.539 City of God. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:06.539 It's a little 00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.140 background. 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:08.440 Before coming 00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:09.200 to faith in 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:09.720 Christ, 00:29:09.900 --> 00:29:10.579 Augustine 00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:12.599 lived a very 00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:13.859 sexually promiscuous 00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:14.339 life. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.140 We won't go 00:29:15.140 --> 00:29:15.839 into the details 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.460 there but just 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.779 understand that 00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:18.940 he lived a very 00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:20.180 sexually promiscuous 00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:20.700 life. 00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:22.019 And in this work 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:22.640 he notes the 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:24.240 contrast of the 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:24.900 life of that 00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:25.559 of believers 00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:27.539 and of unbelievers 00:29:27.539 --> 00:29:28.359 in this world. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.640 He said this, 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:29.980 he says, 00:29:30.140 --> 00:29:31.140 people in the 00:29:31.140 --> 00:29:32.339 world are 00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:33.559 promiscuous with 00:29:33.559 --> 00:29:34.279 their beds 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:35.579 and stingy 00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.240 with their money. 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.440 People in the 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:37.900 world are 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.740 promiscuous with 00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.180 their beds 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:40.160 and stingy 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:41.160 with their money. 00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:42.579 Christians, 00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:43.059 on the other 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:43.440 hand, 00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:44.920 are stingy 00:29:44.920 --> 00:29:45.900 with their beds 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:47.220 but promiscuous 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:47.880 with their money. 00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:49.900 Christians, 00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:50.720 on the other 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:50.920 hand, 00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:51.759 as opposed 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:52.259 to this world 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.980 are stingy 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.559 with their beds 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:55.519 but promiscuous 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.079 with their money. 00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.160 The world 00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:57.900 is generous 00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:58.519 with sex 00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.039 and guarded 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:05.159 with money. Believers are guarded with sex and generous with money. This is going to set us at 00:30:05.159 --> 00:30:10.899 odds with the world. But if we do this well and clearly show to the world that Christ is our 00:30:10.899 --> 00:30:16.399 greatest treasure, then doors will be open for the gospel. We'll see lives change and this will 00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:23.139 be a part of what it means to live a life that is worshipful to God. Being intentional and generous 00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:30.259 with the way that we spend our resources is also a great way to direct our lives to worship. 00:30:30.780 --> 00:30:36.680 It's a great way to point our lives to worship. One of the most fruitful and challenging verses for me 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:43.240 to apply in my life over and over again is Matthew 6 21. It says, for where your treasure is there your 00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:50.860 heart will be also. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. And so what it's 00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:58.719 telling us is looking at our treasure is a great indicator of where our heart is. It's a great way 00:30:58.719 --> 00:31:06.939 to show us what we love, what we are affectionate for. But Jesus also takes it another step. He says, 00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:14.179 where your treasure is there your heart will be also. And so what we realize is how we use our finances, 00:31:14.179 --> 00:31:20.159 how we use what God has given us is a great way to direct our heart towards worship. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:26.519 If we want our heart to be in something and not somewhere else, then let's start investing our 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:33.300 resources in this and not somewhere else. It's a great way to direct our hearts. And just before 00:31:33.300 --> 00:31:40.080 this verse, Jesus says, do not lay up for yourselves treasures here on earth. Why? Because moth and rust, 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:45.800 they'll destroy them. This world is temporary. Don't lay up your treasures here. Rather lay up your 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:51.399 treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can destroy them, where nothing will be able to 00:31:51.399 --> 00:31:56.159 destroy them. Think of it like this. Has anybody in here ever gone to a different country where you 00:31:56.159 --> 00:32:01.200 had to exchange currency before you went? Where you had to change some? A lot of us have done that. 00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:06.240 You know, it's pretty simple. You can go to the bank and ask them and tell them, hey, I'm traveling 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:12.659 to this place. Can you order some currency for me as I get ready to go? But I want you to think 00:32:12.660 --> 00:32:18.680 about the craziness of the situation. If you were into that bank and say, hey, I'm getting ready to go 00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:25.279 to Europe for a week. And so I need to get some euros. So here's what I want you to do. I want to 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:30.320 be there for a week. So I want you to empty my bank account. I want you to pull all of my savings, 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:36.160 everything that I have in my checking account, all the CDs, cash, all of those things out. I want you to 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:42.460 pull all of that together and give me as many euros as you can possibly give me because I'm going to 00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:49.059 Europe for a week. The teller would probably look at you like you're crazy. But why would you take 00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:56.700 everything for something that is so temporary? Why would you use all of your resources for something 00:32:56.700 --> 00:33:05.579 that is only going to be for a week? That'll be over like that. This is what the Bible tells us 00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:13.599 over and over again as well. Why would we use all of our resources on ourselves in this life 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:23.240 for something that's just a vapor, that's here today, gone tomorrow. Instead, we must use them well. 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:30.299 For us, accumulating vast earthly treasure without kingdom-minded generosity and in light of all of 00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:37.539 eternity is equivalent to stockpiling a foreign currency for a short-term visit. It's not just 00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:45.500 wrong, but it's crazy. And so if we want to see our lives as an act of worship, and I think this passage 00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:51.819 is a great starting point of examining our lives, then we must recognize how this applies to us 00:33:51.819 --> 00:33:58.779 personally could look different for every single person in here. How this applies, now the meaning and 00:33:58.779 --> 00:34:04.319 the explanation of the text is going to be the same for us, the meanings there, but how this applies 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:12.480 to us is and probably will be very different for each and every one of us. So I want to close this 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:18.739 message out a little differently today. There are so many things that this passage hits on. There's a 00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:25.699 real good chance that one of these things is something that speaks to you. I know that it has spoken to my 00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:32.419 heart this week and this morning and thinking through it. That maybe God is convicting you 00:34:32.419 --> 00:34:39.099 of something that you just need to talk with him about. And you can absolutely, of course, talk to 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:44.739 God right where you are. In just a moment when we stand and we sing together, you can just stay seated 00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:50.500 and you can pray and you can talk to God there as well as you can anywhere. But maybe today, 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:54.739 you want to take a step out and say, you know what, I want to take this serious. 00:34:55.760 --> 00:35:00.579 And I know there's nothing special about the front of this stage. I know there's nothing special about 00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:05.480 stepping out there, but maybe it's a way of saying, you know what, God, I'm serious about this. 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:09.440 This is something that I need to talk to you about. This is something I need to pray about. 00:35:09.659 --> 00:35:15.039 And this step out is going to be kind of that first step in moving in a different direction 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:20.679 of reorienting my life to worship you with everything that I have. Maybe you want to come 00:35:20.679 --> 00:35:25.159 pray with me. You don't have to come down here and start confessing. You can just say, hey, Brett, 00:35:25.300 --> 00:35:31.880 would you pray with me? I'll pray with you. I know a lot of times we see this time as a time where 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:37.380 people join the church and there's a good chance that may happen today. But this is also a time of 00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:46.579 response. And so I'm much more concerned that you do respond to God's word than where or how. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:53.180 But I do want you to respond in a way that is obedient and honoring to the Lord. So let's go 00:35:53.180 --> 00:35:59.760 to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you so very much for who you are. We thank you for what you do 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:06.619 for us. Lord, we thank you for the book of Hebrews that Lord is coming to a close in some difficult, 00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:14.480 passages that are challenging to us, that speak to our hearts, that pull us closer to you. And so, 00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:23.380 Lord, I pray that as we seek to honor you, that as we seek to live lives that are worshipful to you, 00:36:23.659 --> 00:36:30.219 to give our lives over to you, Lord, that you would open our eyes, open our hearts to your word, 00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:36.359 and not just seeing it on a page, but applying it to our life. And so, Lord, I pray that you give us 00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:42.940 the boldness and the courage to respond in a way that brings your name, honor, and glory. And we ask 00:36:42.940 --> 00:36:48.320 all this in Jesus' name. Amen. I want to invite you to stand. We're going to sing a song of invitation. 00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:51.780 The Lord is speaking to you. Won't you respond as we stand together and sing?