R761 Profile of a Christian

God has an encouraging word for you would be today. The Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton profiles. Today's message profile of a Christian from Dr. Don Wilton will "write chapter 12 in just a moment know that were before you. 866-899-WORD will connect you are online@theencouragingword.org dive and Donald not friends.

I'm going off like Bibles this morning and turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12 we have been studying this remarkable book. God laid the book of Hebrews on Mohawk a long time ago. I think in a book like this deals with the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ finds its focus on the precious Lamb of God that you and I could spend a lifetime trying to understand the incredible depth of the riches of God's grace through all that God has to say to us through the letter to the Hebrews now friends I want to submit to you today that the subject and the passage that rear-ended the is extremely difficult to understand. I would venture to suggest to you that if we were to take 100 wonderful Christian man and woman lost him to read this passage from verse 14 through the end of the passage, I would not be surprised. Goal is 90/100 people would comment something like this I would say you know I rarely don't understand what that was all about going to say to you that I've had to wrestle over these this passage. These words but I believe that God is very clear at what is going on here that folks sharing Hebrews chapter 12 and beginning of verse 14.

I believe with all my heart that there is a strange and yet significant shift in view. Up until this point the writer to the Hebrews has been speaking to the Jewish people. He continues to do so, but I do believe that he addresses his remarks more specifically to those Jewish people in this context actually have come to trust Jesus Christ as their personal savior.how do I know that when I go to verse 22.

For example, which I believe is a key verse in understanding this passage and he addresses a group of people and he says, but you have come to Mount Zion we going to discover something in a moment because Mount Zion on is all about the grace of God in Christ Jesus juxtaposed and contrasted with that is Mount Sinai. We all know about Mount Sinai back in the Old Testament. Incredible place that was the place that Moses climbed up. God gave to Moses what what God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Somebody don't the 10 Commandments what we call the 10 Commandments, the Lord right okay now going to come back to all of this in just a moment I want you to listen carefully.

The 10 Commandments.

Let's just take a little. I would like somebody in this century. If you can say to me today. Foster. I am not only capable but I actually am able to hold to the letter of every one of the 10 Commandments every day of my life.

I never file them on never violate them.

I'd like you to please stand because our entire congregation needs to meet you very quickly. Folks, this God gave to Moses and to the Jewish people. The Lord by what means are we saved to the we come to know Jesus Christ by the law by keeping the 10 Commandments but do we come to know Jesus Christ today because of Mount Sinai. Note how do we come to know Jesus Christ as we come to know Jesus Christ died because of Mount Zion. What is Mount Zion.

It is the place where God has made his habitation.

It is Jerusalem. I'm going to talk about and Jerusalem represents the grace of God I am not saved by law.

I'm saved by the grace of God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 26. At that time, his voice shook clear God on Mount Sinai pretty shook clear but now he has promised one small I will not only cite the but I will shake the heavens, the words once more indicate the removing of that which can't be shaken that is created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain there for since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and all because God is a consuming fire, boy, that's a powerful passage, the profile of a Christian, what we look like well I'm just going to do this to try and help us to get a grip on this passage. There are three profiles here folks very clear in Scripture number one I Christian scribes for it. I Christian scribes for now. That's in verse 414. There's a little phrase. They talking to the Christian Jews. God by his spirit. He says Mike every effort now. Why do you suppose he says Mike every effort I'm going to just tell you why because we are sinners. Cite by the grace of God I have to make every effort a mark of my relationship with Jesus Christ lies into efforts number one my effort to live at peace with all men and number two my effort to be holy as God is holy and what God's side.

Is that what sets me apart is not the fact that I may soon but the fact that I was soon assigned by the grace of God that I strive to be at peace with all men and I constantly day, moment by moment I'm always trying to be holy to live a holy life according to the standards of God, you show me a man or woman whose contentious and who couldn't care less about holy and righteous living or not doesn't matter how many churches they belong to. It doesn't matter how many times they been baptized.

Doesn't matter how much money they get to the poor.

It doesn't matter how much they serve the social and civic club. According to the Scripture if my life is not marked by continual effort to be at peace with all men and to live a holy life, not have a relationship with God.

In fact, I cannot because the Bible says, for without it, I cannot see the Lord now folks let me tell you something about being a Christian. If you're Christian you are going to see the Lord Jesus face to face. If you're not, you will never see him face-to-face.

Paul writes about that in first Corinthians 13, which we love to quote the great love chapter, but then face to face. You say to me today will pasta. How does that profile me as a Christian elaborate auspice off the deep and abiding question.

Am I making every effort to live at peace with old man.

That's why you know we go to Deacon election coming up in all the Deacon nominees. They must be about 80 of them this year they come and meet with me and the chairman of deacons and all we knew for that seminars we go through what the word of God says it's mandatory. No man in this church can serve as a Deacon and Lacey goes through that seminar. Why because we try to be cute about because we've got understand what the Bible teaches. What is the Bible say about being a deacon or an elder or bishop or minister. What is the Bible site a lot of things but one thing the Bible says is that a spiritual leader cannot be contentious. You might say to me today what disqualifies a man from being a deacon in the church of these contentious you are contentious spirit erotica get nominated but because this church decided that God you see my friends what God is saying here is that believers are mocked by a striving to be at peace with all men can't be at peace with people. If you contentious at the same time you made a real rabble-rouser. I know you rub shoulders with them at school and work and play people going around always making divisions, criticizing, breaking down, gossiping, tearing people apart looking for problems says what singings I Christian is his continuing effort to be at peace with old man and to lead a holy life number two, number two, second aspect of the profile of Christian Christian modern he strives for it but a Christian sees to it that that's an interesting thing in verse 15 he says he has seen to it. The word they see to it literally means be on the lookout on the lookout and my wife just chuckles at me when I'm on vacation because I love to fish so I'm constantly on the lookout. So we rented this condo down at the beach where in this condo on the balcony and I'm there with my binoculars on. By the way, my wife gave me these binoculars on our honeymoon, they are 28 years old.

I called in my moon glosses and I'm up there on the balcony and I'm looking. She knows that some people think I'm trying to check people out. Maybe some people combine think I'm looking at the girls not happening. I tell you what I'm doing folks on looking at the fishing boats then you know what I'm looking at him, looking at the sea. She grew up with the sea folks. I grew up on the Indian Ocean. I'm not an expert but over the years I've learned to read the sea. I watched the wind. I watch the baitfish I see what's running not check out for the seagulls and the pelicans.

I called them B-52s. I watch what's going on the activity and be in the middle of the Diane I got my moon glosses on and I'm looking out then I suddenly say hello. I put it down. I run with my fishing rod I get my fishing rod down the steps on the beach fishing rod everything sit down out amongst all the jellyfish cyclones sting me all you want to hoist that line out there and I try my best to catch all the fish I possibly can. Folks on look.

You know something God's word says a Christian is someone who's on the lookout there are three things you are on the lookout for you see to it number one number one I Christian sees to it that no one misses the grace of God. Christian 20 says see to it that no one misses the grace of God. Does anybody have a problem understanding that means that the passion of Christian's heart is the kind of thing John Knox said when he stood at the gates of Scotland and he said oh God, give me Scotland or I for God's talking Christian sees to it that no one misses the grace of God is what I love about First Baptist Church. We try to keep the main thing the mind like it's about seeing to it that no one misses the grace of God we don't want anybody to miss out. That's what he is talking about you see to it that no one misses the grace of God. The second one is rather interesting. See to it that no one harbors bitterness.

God's word says the that is the business of a Christian is the business of a Christian to be on the lookout for people who are showing the beginning signs of bitterness. I just see a person or doesn't know Jesus would not be bothered by the you know, one of the greatest sentences and tragedies is to allow a person to cultivate a rutabagas tennis in their heart. Now let me tell you what happens. The Bible tells us what happens if someone has a root of this bitterness and it goes unchecked. What happens here. The Bible says it grows up to maturity and it the files. Many you know that's why I'm so grateful for First Baptist Church that we don't put up.

We don't have junk going on. We don't allowed in the church folks we want to love one another. I tell you I have not met. I person in this church continue. I'll tell you the first year I was in this church.

There were several bitter people in this church and they lived. God did a great work and I make no apology. God tell you something, my friend. There are many churches and many being torn apart because the root of bitterness has grown up. It is mature and when I put the Bible says it many Bible says the Christians passion on the lookout for anybody has a root of Britain's got up and went to Frank about the gun put their arms around them, listen to them, love them folks, but this can come in your family because you being cheated on, because you been violated. Bitterness can come in your office at 10, what it can come free of charge, something the preacher said something the Sunday school teacher Christian sees to it that no one harbors bitterness number three Christian sees to it that no one throws away the blessings that's incredible thing, watch this verse 16. See that no one is sexually immoral is God disliking so approximate cost of very deep soul searching question. Is it possible for somebody to throw away all the blessings God has given you today's very good friend of mine are calling Joe limit Israel with me. I knew him well. We were good friends serve the church in northern Alabama's wife gave birth to two little twin sons about this big just like Jack and Christina clean bombing. Two little buttonholes you know one day word came to us the Joe's messing around with another lady hadn't done anything physical just unwise. I'm sad to say he was posture of the church for Buster Nguyen well got in the motorcar and we went to visit and I'll never forget that meeting, 15, 18 years ago we sat down because we loved. I remember looking at Joe and signed him. Joe, let me tell you what you're about to do your about to throw away your wife, your children, your grandchildren, your reputation, your character, your friends, your community, your trust, your integrity you're about to throw away every blessing that you got the line in the sand get to grips with painting. What happened God do something about it for the sake of a few moments pleasure that man's school what we did.

I storm this year for a brief time in Indianapolis no longer a minister of the gospel, but with amoxicillin all over his face looks like an old man sitting Joe what you doing a lot of work for this little company down here in Alabama how you children doing well. I haven't seen them in nine years.

Twin boys, he turned to me and he said to me Don he said I'm begging God to do something for me but I just cannot decide what to do all lost everything and what the Bible says see to it that no one is sexually immoral God disliking Esau for a single meal.

So these inheritance rights, and off to it is you know when he wanted to inherit this blessing. He was rejected.

He could bring about no change of mind even though he saw the blessing with who's a Christian, Christian is someone who strives for Christian is someone who seems to it. Number three. A Christian is someone who comes to folks I love verse 22. Here it is. It is a remarkable remarkable verse of Scripture. But you have come to Mount Zion. I will guarantee you folks there are people now within the sound of my voice you are ready to give up. There is somebody our church is ready to give up there somebody here with a broken heart. There is somebody who is saying it's over.

I want to point you to Mount Zion. It's not. I'm going to show you something very interesting here folks, the Jews had a great fear of the Lord and of God's judgment. The old covenant was a symbol of the law of legalism in order to demonstrate how impossible it was for sinful man to approach in a righteous and a holy God. God gave us Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 tells us about all the prohibitions concerning sign-up you anywhere near sign.

I do wash clothes abstain from any kind of sexual relationship. Even animals would be stunned if I went near sign. Nobody could go there out of Sinai came fired doctors and school symbols of the judgment of God. But in verse 2022. The Bible says you have come to Mount Zion. It's incredible what sign ˝ sign. I was there for two reasons. Folks number one to establish God's righteousness, and number two to establish man's sinfulness. These converted Jews had come to Mount Zion. Remember Mount Zion was the place where the ark of the covenant was placed. The spiritual dwelling place of God on earth, hundred and 32 says that the Lord has chosen Zion and decided for his habitation when under Solomon.

The temple was moved to Mount Moriah Zion included Mount Moriah and the Bible says that Zion became Jerusalem and the book of Revelation says that at the end of the page. The new city, the new Jerusalem is going to come down out of heaven, and it is going to land upon the wet God is going to make his dwelling place among men. Yahoo chalets, what's the difference between Sinai and Zion where his Sinai was not touchable. Zion is touchable you can touch the hem of God's garment because of his grace where his Sinai was the Lord Zion, my friends, is grace where his Sinai was for breathing and terrified Zion is inviting and gracious where his Sinai was close to all Zion is open to all the little confronts us with monuments and judgment and condemnation, but God's grace presents to us in Christ Jesus. Forgiveness, atonement, and salvation. Somebody say a man we not on the Lord.

We are under grace. What an incredible God was. It's unbelievable folks and as if to add to all of this. I wish I had time to really get into this, but I need to just give it to surface level from verse 22 through verse 24 God even gives to us the salmon blessings of knowing Christ can't help but think the number seven gives to us the salmon blessings he tells this Jewish congregation. He said listen when you come to Mount Zion when you receive the grace of God.

When you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ who is the Messiah. These are the salmon blessings you receive number one you receive the city of the living God.

We know from Hebrews chapter 11 verse 10 the city of the living God is heaven. Those who have come to Mount Zion.

Number two, you become a participant in the general assembly look at that verse that you have come to thousands upon thousands of angels and joyful assembly folks that word that literally means I gathering for a public festival around the throne of God according to the book of Daniel, the Bible says those who come to Mount Zion again to be included in the general assembly number three you become a participant in the church of the firstborn. What if we go to the book of Romans in chapter 8 and verse 17 and following the Bible tells us that as believers we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, who is the firstborn among many brethren. That's why when we are born again when we come to Zion, to the grace of God we become participants in the church of the firstborn number four we receive all that God, the judge of all has for us because the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 40 the Bible tells us my friends that God is silent. He is life, and there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. All these Jews could think about was judgment Fonda lightning number five. The fourth blessing is that we receive the spirits of righteous men made perfect rallies talking about the Old Testament prophets. The Old Testament man like Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob. Hebrews 1114 tells us that they, too, like us will receive their inheritance will become part of the church of the firstborn because of the dispensation of grace by faith. Number six, the six blessing of knowing Christ is Jesus Christ himself. The Bible tells us they in verse 24 to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.

This is the one who would save people from their sins. Number seven.

We received the sprinkled blood of the Lamb. The atoning blood of the Lamb who, according to Hebrews 11 and verse for his status free. No wonder the writer says you've come to Mount Zion folks. What is a Christian. What is a Christian Christian is one who strives for strives to live at peace and be holy. A Christian is one who sees tutors on the lookout that no one misses the grace of God. No one harbors bitterness that no one throws away. They blessings what is a Christian. A Christian is one who comes to it comes to Mount Zion comes to the city of God comes to the Fountainhead of the blood of the Lamb, which was shed from before the foundation of the world.

So what can we say or about well from verse 25 through the end of the chapters. The invitation and it's twofold.

Number one. Therefore, do not refuse what he says in verse 20 5C. You do not refuse it. That's pretty straight is don't refuse the grace of God, don't. It's not worth you can send away your day of grace you we human beings we love to say one day when I'm ready.

That one day may never come. You might get all sounds like President Reagan lived the last 10 years of your life not knowing who you are, you might die suddenly you might be killed. You might just get to the point at which Lackey so doesn't matter how much you weep and cry God's goodness. I am sorry through what your basic what's the bottom line and refuse number two. Be thankful for. I love that.

Be thankful for.

He says right there, he says let us in verse 28.

Let us be thankful and how do we express our gratitude folks there to worship God acceptably go back to Romans chapter 12 12. Learn about acceptable worship. Worship God acceptably. Garrett is in what manner with reference with all why do we worship God with reverence and with all out of gratitude because we know that our God is a consuming fire. What exactly means you can't play games with God means God means what he does. God's who he says he is here.

It is not refuse, don't refuse number to be thankful for. Can you imagine can you imagine that God loves somebody like you to know what throws my heart is that the loss God has just allowed me to present, not on the loan. Thank God always connected online@theencouragingword.org and this phone number 8668998668999673 and tomorrow's edition of The Encouraging Word message… Call the seven blessings of