Practical Christianity

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer understating the gospel fills you with the wonder and worship that makes you want to obey God as you come to know the more his gospel, but that you will be advised of these things that you commanded he was 13. Come natural to immerse yourself deeper in the gospel because that's where the power to do these things don't. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits so just like an electric lamp needs to be plugged into an outlet to give light we can't sign for Jesus unless we are plugged into the right power source and what is that power source.

The gospel, but what does it look like on a practical level to be plugged into the gospel to change the way that we live in our jobs are marriages or relationships.

That's our topic today as pastor Judy Greer nears the end of our study in Hebrews called Christ is better if you miss any of our previous messages always catch up online@jdgreer.com.

Let's get started yesterday of this message practical Christianity. We are on our study of the book of buildable disappointed about but I know that you're crying in your heart but beyond that Hebrews 13. The final chapter of the book of Hebrews is a laundry list of things that the writer wants us to do.

As a result of reading the book of Hebrews. It's really, honestly, it's very practical, down-to-earth advice, which sometimes you don't like the book of Hebrews is cut out of the cloud somewhere know what was actually look like day-to-day. That's what Hebrews 13 is about one important thing you notice for jump into it is how Hebrews chapter 12 in because he was well set up. He was virtually the last verses of Hebrews 12 is this one.

Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and all now in the original writing of this there was no chapter break that supplement was added later to chapter 13 for right out of that statement so that the instructions that he's given you in Hebrews 13 or how we worship, with reverence at all. You see, this is all supposed to be a responsive worship in Christian living is always a response to something you worship something. When you're amazed by your overwhelmed by little Gabby Douglas because her perfect forward sleep you want to stand up and cheer at the mild form of worship wasn't something that you were forced to do by command something you wanted to do it just grew out of your heart will understating the gospel, but he's explained to you for 12 chapters fills you with a sense of wonder and worship that makes you want to obey God as you come to know the glorious gospel that is been given that you will find that these things that he's had a command Hebrews 13 come naturally. Immerse yourself deeper in the gospel because that's where the power to do these things come from.

Here's the first one he brings up practice hospitality practice hospitality start verse one. Let brotherly love continue and do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers about grief. There is a play on words that you might miss in your English versions. There it says literally this a Greek let Philadelphia continue brotherly love and do not neglect to fellow Sabia show love to strangers. So he is talking about a love that starts among the brotherhood and just spills out into the streets. You show me a place for the gospel is really at work and I will show you a place that is characterized by such graciousness by such patient by such generosity that it starts with people in the inside pages load all the streets of the community goes on for. Thereby you see some have entertained angels unawares. Now that's a great statement. It but what is that me so the writer was the writers not trying to tell you this happens all the time you not try to tell you that I guy you talk to at Starbucks this morning was probably Jesus or an angel.

But as you say you never know you never know if Bill Lane. The New Testament scholar says this is really important billings is of the authors real point here is that showing hospitality is a kind of sacrament, meaning that by doing it with others. You are doing it directly to Jesus. Jesus said Matthew 25 you remember this on the last day for Jesus to look at the church to say to different members of the church when I was naked and you clothed me when I was hungry you fed me when I was in prison he visited me and the people he's talking to her to be surprised like really I don't remember you sort of about house asking for a spicy chicken sandwich and a Diet Coke. I thought if you showed up. I would remember that Jesus is bit as much as you did it to the least of these my brethren, you actually did it to me that's the same point as me and reinforce their verse two showing hospitality is a way of responding directly to Jesus. Verse three remember those who are in prison brothers and sisters. He's talking about in Christ were there because of their faith like you were in prison with them. Notice he's not talking about a charity will you give money to him or you take their pain upon yourself like you were in prison with them and those he says who are mistreated since you also are in the body to feel the pain of those who are mistreated in Christ name as if it were happening to your old body. Did you know that you know that last year 200 million Christians were persecuted and 131 of the world hundred 93 countries persecution being defined as being denied the most basic human rights hundred and 76,000 were killed in the name of Christ. Last year in 2010.

80% of all religious violence in the world was carried out against Christians so yes the first time you ever heard that and I'm not sure if you're not familiar with this. I'm not sure you can really say you're fulfilling what he's talking about their verse two and three that prayer we are connected like a body to people and places all over the world that have never heard the gospel people suffered and died for their faith. You cannot really call yourself a part of the body of Christ apart a follower of Jesus, and not be intimately connected to what God is doing at some of these places that do not have the freedom to you what I have church.

Here's the thing. Listen to me. Our belief in the gospel is demonstrated by our hospitality because you see our salvation was in a sense, think about it. It was God's hospitality to us that when God saved Israel.

This is what God said. Deuteronomy 1017 God I execute justice for the fatherless and the widow. I love the stranger providing him with food and clothing. Therefore, you must love the stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You were you are the fatherless you are the widow, metaphorically speaking, I took you in, when I purchased you with my blood. So of course we spend our resources on the outsider. Of course we turn strangers into guests and friends and ultimately brothers and sisters because that's the whole basis of our salvation in us doing that with those around the outside as a way of saying thank you to Jesus directly practice hospitality or sermon number two. This is avoid immorality.

Avoid immorality. Verse four.

Let marriage be held in honor among all the marriage bed be undefiled because God will judge the sexually immoral, and the adulterous. Now some of you think, sexually immoral and adulterous. Sounds redundant but adulterous means to be married and have sex outside of that marriage covenant sexually immoral is the Greek word for Naya and it means to not be married and have sex outside of the marriage covenant that you will have yet okay and he says God will judge, because God does not take that lightly. Here's what I want you to notice because I will have a long time spent on this. I want you to notice that in the first four verses the top two things he brings up. Are Christians loving the poor and sexual purity because those are the two things that make the church distinctive from the world that lives in St. Augustine said 1500 years ago. The book of the city of God. He said the things that set the church apart from the world is how the church relates to the two things that are most important to the world, money, and sex. He said people in the world are promiscuous with their beds and stingy with their money.

Christians are stingy with their beds but promiscuous with their money given out everywhere country like nothing the world has exactly the opposite relationship with those two things, there are some Christians you love the poor, but don't seem to care about sexual purity. There other Christians who love family values but don't seem to care about the poor but true followers of Jesus always care about both at another pastor, local pastor told me recently that our church's teaching on sexual morality church's teaching on sexual morality was placed an obstacle to people in our city coming to Christ.

This is making people mad and you should, instead of preaching to get sexual immorality.

You should just be serving the poor, I said amen we should be serving the poor teaching on sexuality makes people mad at me were sales up in long, but John the Baptist had his head cut off by Harriet Pritchett against open marriage. Jesus didn't say John you totally blew that one if you just got the love and peace of the evils of corporate greed, the need for racial reconciliation and recycling probably would've won a rare tart. Noah called John the greatest prophet to ever have lived the father. Jesus means that you will preach against sexual sin and you will love and you will serve the poor. Not to mention the sexual sin is the greatest contributor to poverty and are nearing the end of this life and will return to her teaching in just a moment to be sure to tell you about our featured resource Hebrews has been telling us over and over in this series that were supposed to keep fighting for our faith, never give that we'd like to get you a copy of this newest Bible study that follows along with her teaching right now will learn that Jesus is greater than every other hero, our prophet, priest, our king, request the Christ is better Bible study with your gift to the ministry right now by giving us a call at 866-335-5224. You can get online@jidecareer.com. Now let's return for more practical instruction pastor Jane will be an ignorant 21st century American who thinks that you're the first people ever to be offended by something in the Bible we will all know educated our global now we going to do about Opera now we know that all these things are archaic.

Get over yourself, but I was benefiting the people in every generation in every country of the world since it was written usually in different places you in the south and in the 19th century than what the Bible taught about racial equality and equality such as offended you. If you're in an Islamic country, then what it teaches about forgiving the adulterer offends you, because you like you forgive the adulterer the whole fabric of society is gonna unravel were offended by what it teaches about sexual peer for the Bible is an equal opportunity offender. I different places different times but at some point you gotta decide whether or not you're gonna take your cues from the cultural ethos you're living in or from the word of God to make that decision because of the Bible is not contradicting you and making you mad and you are definitely right because there are some things that are about us as people in our culture always prioritize a few of them.

You gotta say God's word is what's true I don't care what the rest of the society around me is like love the poor. Avoid immorality number three fleet third sermon flee materialism flee materialism. Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have because he is that I will never leave you nor forsake you. So, we can confidently say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me. There are two things in there but you want to kind a circle. One is contentment. The other is in verse six confidence. Those are the commands be content and be confidence but notice that these things again listen or in response to something they are in response to the gospel. Verse five. I will never leave you be content because Jesus has said, I never leave you nor forsake you. By the way that your Greek New Testament you'll notice the Greek literally says right there look at it I will.

Marie is an Englishman will transliterated from the Greek, I will never ever leave you nor will I never, never, never forsake you. In Greek in that sentence. There are five negatives which is bad grammar and great in its bad grammar and English, but it makes a point that is like Brian Regan. He said that you what is the rule for when you should ask the woman if she's pregnant. If you suspect it, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never do that. They say Jesus will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, ever leave you or forsake you, and what he is presenting that with this if you listen this if you have God. If you have God been is there really anything else you could ever be deprived of that would devastate you know you want to nod your head, Satan ended up as if you think about that. If you have God.

Is there anything else you could ever be deprived of that would devastate you the one who has God and nothing else on earth doesn't really have that much less than the one who has God and everything else and a lack of contentment shows that you will put proper weight on the value would Jesus do you not contend the answer is not just make a resolve make a resolution be more content. The answers come to know the treasure that is Jesus Christ and provide one him and you will be content if you understand timber sectors of the second part of this because the Lord is my helper, the God who loves you so much that he would not even let death or torture crawl stand in the way of him rescuing you that God walks with you now that God lives inside you that God promises to provide your knee is back on you when you are crucified like he will neglect you now just a few weeks ago to you on Charles Spurgeon listen to the voice of the Lord speak I will help you. It's a small thing from your God to help you consider what I've already done what not help you I bought you with my blood. What not help you I die for you to suck on the greater would I not also be the lesser things for you. God has proven once and for all his willingness to help us at the cross and he showed us that we can be content and we can be confident because he the God of the universe is universe or universes, but on their other universe promises to never leave us or forsake us, and always help us in our hour of need. So here's just a little calibration here just as Shelby's questions are you content. Are you content was a Vista poll in 2011 revealed that 84% of Americans say they are content where they are usually that way that you should say no. A Gallup poll taken the same year were people get this Gallup poll taken in the same euro bill, but the number one concern Americans have is they don't think they have enough money semi-kindly put this together for me.

84% of Americans think they are content with the same group of people think that the number one concern is they don't have enough money. I want to do a new poll is you think you understand the workings and the means contentment for us is always about six months out. Is it not also closely. I'm so close. I don't call myself there. I'm content but I'm going to be content. When I have about $10,000 if I would ask most of you as most of you, and I would say okay you content. I would bet most of you will generate your answer yet that person doesn't have any of you if your salary got raised by 15% next year all your financial problems would be over by razor had again it's always about six months away from us. So you're thinking.

I am almost as soon as soon as I get married as soon as we have children as soon as they get out of the house as soon as soon and my fourth child is out of diapers. My life is going to be set please God let it come today. I it's always about six months away. When I graduate. Then I'll be happy when I get a real job and I'll be happy by to date and I'll be happy. Contentment grows out of a proper understanding of the gospel because contentment is understanding that in Christ you can be satisfied with exactly what you have is in Christ you have all that you need are you content her said when are you confidence are you confident are you of those people who goes up and down based on what is happening to you at the moment are you a drama queen. Are you sitting next to a drama queen.

Nod your head on. I went right or what I do, however diverse it is a drama King or whatever, prints on but are you are you are you the kind of person is. It's awesome. I love them like terrible� Now that your up-and-down all the time, shows you understand the unchanging nature of Jesus because when you understand the never changing love and presence of Jesus and his promise your walk with him is steady when you don't understand there's things it's less like a walk with Jesus more like a pogo stick ride with him is also the author of this because life is going up and down and you're going up and down with when you understand that Jesus never changes but he never ever leave that he is your helper like may go up and down. You will because you're not hooked to the circumstances of your life. Your Jesus Christ never changes.

Were not confident special. You guys I know a lot of guys want to have a job were constantly worried about what you're missing out on so for example Saturday morning you kick a soccer game but you also know the goal that the bosses did not. You guys go play golf you I want to get soccer game or should I go play golf in the bath boss because you this might be my chance to get his good graces were arrays will connect with the client and I and then everything should happen to you live in this kind of fear. What you're missing out on to that shows that you understand that Jesus is your helper.

I am confident that Jesus is my sufficiency. My helper I go to my kids day and not be thinking about what I'm not doing try to figure out a way to have my kids day. Make sure they save you and run over to the template allows not hold a golf because I know the going my kids day pleases Jesus, and he'll make sure that I've taken care off confident so I'm doing what Jesus wants me to do is my helper on the word about what I'm missing out on the weeds in the care of the rest of you college students are completely freaking out about what happen next year whom there is no job is your helper.lost confidence in your decision-making ability and the garden to be at that point is like the chosen analogy for you in the analogy of sheep. I bet knew she pretty, it's good news to shepherds awesome in his sheep get to where they need to go. It's not because of their skill and acumen sheep. It's because of the wisdom and the compassion of the shepherd. These are helper is to help you in that time to go where you need to go see what worried about it. You will confidently because he never changes that he promises that help you sermon number four Wasserman honor the church on the church. What follows, because I know we've been hearing Anglicanism because of the board. What follows in these verses were subtle ways that you should relates to your church.

Several report card for church, but to give you. By the way for the boys appeared at the church always asked Marcella for the church. These things that he's about to give you.

What are important in the church of each of the things you should be looking for this of the church's report card so quickly. I was number one verse seven. Remember your leaders that you spoke the word of God.

Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Number one. Observe the life of your leaders and imitate their faith. Hopefully you are attending the church for the pastors are examples of integrity. Sacrifice and faith is the kind of church that values pastoral care receipt.

One of things we know at this church. Is that effective discipleship is not just hearing somebody teach matter how good that person is effective discipleship only happens by observing somebody's life up close. There are certain things that can only be done. Life on like no matter how a podcast. He was into her house. When the preacher is there is only a certain level but you can get from this angle measures you now to use our church. What I'm doing here right now is like air war never studied any kind of battle strategy modern warfare air war never wins a battle totally working we can the defenses of the people who hold the ground but the big candidate going to cave so you can we get up there defenses to air war. But then you gotta send in the ground troops to go in and actually secure the area so what I'm doing here. I'm just doing air when you're bringing your friends on this part abominable from loads up their lives forever to changes because you are going into the caves of their lives. Metaphorically swinging you were showing them. This is how the gospel addresses the situation of the early church and the mark of a spirit filled church regeneration. Since then you're listening to some it life. The Bible teaching ministry of Pastor JD Greer if you miss any part of today's message. You can hear it again online JD Greer.com JD, can you tell us about our newest resource that were actually offering completely free of charge. She'd only get up in the morning. I thought the first thing you can use if you're like me, some encouragement from God's word about his promises, his faithfulness and how when you feel overwhelmed and you feel defeated. He never feels that way and that he's only secure the victory. And so we have a new daily email devotional that will align with what your your learning and hearing here on on the program summit life. It will just reinforce on the concepts gives you some Scriptures to to begin your day meditating on what great way to start the day. I don't like access email but when somebody's going to put in front of God's Word and God's promises.

That's a great way to start the day. So I'd love for you to go to JD Greer.com and sign up for this daily devotional great weight up to to catalyze that daily quiet time so again set up for this free resource.

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