Practical Christianity, Part 2

Today on Summit life with JD Greer Meza Jesus, but all the things that we should be doing for God will come naturally because Jesus is the center you worship Jesus you become what you want you to be so I would encourage you evaluate any church you go to buy the centrality of that message. The message that is not about what you do but about what Jesus has done the same. Evaluate the church for the centrality that message like after author religion. JD Greer, as always, I'm your host Molly.

That event today. Pastor Jenny concludes our powerful study in the book of Hebrews called Christ is better although we come to the end of this series.

Always listen again or share with others. When you visit us online. JD Greer.com. Today's message is titled practical Christianity. We are looking at how the power of the gospel connects to real life in our work marriage is our finances in our church. Let's join Pastor JD as he steers us into Hebrews chapter 13 jump into it is how you shop at 1212 13.

The last verse is a verse 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, 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 does 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. It was something you wanted to do it just grew out of your heart so it is as you come to know the glorious gospel that is been given that you will find that these things that he's a command in Hebrews 13 come naturally. 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. 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 me inside pages load all the streets of the community church.

Here's the thing.

Listen to me. Our belief in the gospel is demonstrated by our hospitality instrument 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.

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 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 that you want to cut a circle. One is contentment.

The other is number six confidence. Those are the commands be content and be confidence sermon number four Wasserman honor the church onto the church. What follows, because I know we've been hearing on this is an important follows in these verses were subtle ways that you should relates to your church.

Several report card for church but give you bodily for the boys appeared at the church always asked Marcella for the church. These things that he's about to give you are what are important in the church of each of the things you should be looking for. This is 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 received 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 life.

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. Here's the knowledge we 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 then again going to cave so you can we get up there defenses through air war. But then you gotta sit in the ground troops to go in and actually secure the area so what I'm doing here on the weekends is I'm just doing air what you bring your friends on this carpet bombing from below and set up but if their lives forever to changes because you are going into the octaves of their lives. Metaphorically speaking, and you were showing them.

This is how the gospel addresses this particular situation.

The church has to bow you discipleship and be up close to leaders so that you can observe their life and imitate their faith is number two. Verse eight Jesus Christ said yesterday today and forever. Verse nine do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods which have not benefited those devoted to them. Number two evaluate the church's message by the gospel evaluate the church's message by the gospel. The author says there's been one primary message one for all of Christian history one. Jesus and Jesus never changes in the message about Jesus is not even about the stuff that you do for him the message about Jesus was what he accomplished 2000 years ago, which doesn't need editing or updating fads change all the time never notice that different churches get different fads that are no new church is all about spiritual gifts spiritual gifts comfort is all about, you know discovering that your potential in your inner champion near how to become better at who you are comfortable about rules. Yes, I know you look like this you do that some churches are all about your actually likely to be relevant. We need messages that are relevant some upwards of five ways to be good husband and three ways to be generous and for ways to get along with annoying people or whatever you like is a constant stream like relevant life application lessons, churches are fixed on some slant of theology is all the young reform movements all about Calvinism. The pastors only preach on a first second third John John Piper John Calvin John MacArthur is the only thing ever preach out of. For some it's all about relevant music summits about social justice and racial reconciliation. Many of those things are great they really are. But the center of the Christian message is Jesus who is the same yesterday today and forever, and not a new agenda about what was needed before him, but the timeless message we've done for us all those other things, whether spiritual gifts are relevant stops racial reconciliation. These are things that flow of the gospel, not the gospel. The gospel is the news that Christ did for us what we could do for ourselves by saving us the gospel is not a new list of things we do for him what we do for him flows out of what he's done for us so that there is one thing I pray will always be true about our message and our ministry and that it is primarily about the glory of Jesus who he is and what he has done that we would be in love with Jesus that we would stand amazed at Jesus because he never changes and we are amazed at Jesus and all the things that we should be doing for God will come naturally because Jesus is the center when you worship Jesus you become what Jesus wants you to be so I would encourage you evaluate any church you go to including this one.

Evaluate any church you go to buy the centrality of that message. The message that it's not about what you do but about what Jesus has done to change the church of the centrality of that message in the church is the central message of the Bible to reverse whatever story of the Bible is about, and you should evaluate any teaching any teaching based on the centrality of the gospel. Does this leave me boring and hungry for Jesus verse 12 so Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

Therefore let us go to him outside to Camembert the reproach he endured for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come to implications. Therefore, church, number three, just because the church is sharply criticized by the community that means doing something wrong because Jesus was outside the camp.

He was so unpopular among the religious and the secular people that he didn't have any role the city they just threw him out to where churches grow now that it means doing something wrong about not being ostracized by the religious establishment by the secular establishment that means that on that. Much like you will get back to her teaching in just a moment but first let me tell you about her latest resource created asked lucidly for arsenic listeners just like God has always been there for the giants of the day helping them thrive despite hardships and persecution. Our new study that is meant to help you do the same. This study includes 10 short sessions to help you flesh out my brain through what you're learning here on the program and in your personal study, you can complete the study on your own like to deal with your small group or family. Reserve your copy today by calling 866-3352 20 or visit us online@jeanniegreer.com. Now let's get back to the final moments of our teaching today with again. Here's Pastor Jamie there's the other patient number four is your church going outside the camp to the lost son, Melissa, Jesus had one mission, one politics is mission was to seek and save the lost, and I never never want to be a part of the church were that is not paramount. Never I got criticize or church recently, angry about this, and I'm pretty angry, but this is like just a big mega church is consumed with numbers. My answer is always people here in the gospel and the respondent what he wants to do this to turn away. Well, you shouldn't count the numbers/mother would you County offering in your church. Yes, I said why would you County offering and not the people does money matter more to your church than people.

We, yes, there is an idolatrous way the numbers work all about pride is all about you, but Jesus was such a meticulous number telling Sheppard that he knew immediately when one of his hundred sheep gone missing. I know that you get off on this altogether, but I'm just telling you that what drives this church is the understanding that Jesus came to seek and save the lost were his followers were to exist, to seek and save the lost. Which is why we keep pushing ourselves the plant churches to grow able trade secret. This church at $2000.20 big for me. When the church at 600 was too big for my wife is on electors of the bales I want to meet with you to doubt everything I wanted to church with their 2000 you want to know why we keep pushing ourselves because ultimately thought about what I want is not about what you want. It's about following Jesus gave everything so that he could bring people on the outside in. That's why we keep focusing on ministering to and loving our city. I never got helpless want this to become a comfortable country club to be a ministry dispatch for the most broken parts of our city Heights. Why love the words of missionary to China CT stud. Some people want to live in the sound chapel bales.

I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. So people come up to me tell me don't preferred this or that, if there tell me that because they think that we can more effectively reach people doing something different.

I'm all ears. But when they got there spiritual passing out like that.

No passive listening.

I'm not my head on the listen at all because this does exist to pacify you will choose things based on what makes us comfortable. We choose things as followers of Jesus that send this out to retrieve people that he died for you want to across that point there should be no question about whether or not this is about our preferences any longer. I'm not angry at, so we just ask you, are you engaged with the poor. You know, lost people you died tomorrow, and we will get your funeral will church people did you really call yourself a friend of sinners like they said about Jesus you want to mission trips government on a mission trip you pray for missionaries. Could we look at your life and say this is what it means to spend alive going outside the camp. If not, no offense but you're not a follower of Jesus you're the cultural Christian. I guess that is offensive, but is not mean offensive its friendly offensive okay it should be offensive are you a follower of Jesus used a cultural Christian to come to get you got fixed I hang on a Christian country club.

This is a dispatch I dart from the gates of hell. Verse 15 through him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. That is the fruit of our lips that acknowledge his name is usually sacrifice twice in these verses never sacrifice that was like a core part of Hebrew worship. You come to worship there be a go to be sacrifice or something we don't do it that anymore. When I enter service for sacrifice Macau okay God but sacrifice is a work or to an experience together and are two things that he hitches the sacrifices in the church.

The first one is worship that is centered on the gospel worship that is centered on the gospel acknowledge his name means that you acknowledge the centrality of who he is and what he's done.

This should not need to be said, but worship is about God and he said that people are.

I hate those sappy worship songs are all about how I feel about you as well save you a crystal Dale love song to Jesus or his buddy born after 1984 did not connect without reference like Colby Kiley like singing songs like the one she writes did that's not what worship is. I'd rather settle our worship on God's beauty than my feelings. I'd rather rejoice, and how God feels about us and what he says about us Naval days of my feelings about him much more exciting to me. By the way church is not about discovering your potential for unleashing the champion and you you potential to generate an image of God, but you also write that so badly that you were condemned to hell of Jesus with the ultimate potential with the real champion who came for your help for you, no offense, but rather think about him but be excited about you and I want to leave your adoring him that we are excited all potential is when you see the glory really is that you become what he intended you to be second sacrifice verse 660. Don't neglect to do good to share what you have. The sacrifices are pleasing to God. Generosity number six from inside and outside the church should be a big deal because anytime you express the gospel. You become a generous person. Some listening. That's why most talking about your money because I know it is impossible for you to be a follower of Jesus not be a generous person impossible and that's why tell you this without an ounce of this ingenuity and what I'm about to say this all the time is so important. This is so central in your walk with Christ that if you are one of those people who feels like every time I talk about this. This is a ploy to get your money out about your wallet in my hands but I tell you this, with full sincerity if that really is how you feel that I want you to give it somewhere else because it is more important for me for you to learn to be a generous person, then it is to somehow figure how to meet the budget of our church. There are enough people here believe in the mission of the church and trust us enough to give and let this be the conduit for how their giving generously. If you're going out is that you got burned you got burned by somebody else that I can't trust you. Five maybe one day I hope you will learn to trust us, but until then it is more important for me for you to learn to become a generous person.

That is to meet some budget requirement. So that's an obstacle for you when you hear me talking about it, you got good certain preacher.

I will give someone else that I don't trust you. That's okay really is is more important to me that you become a generous person response. The gospel is number seven obey your leaders and submit to them as they are keeping watch over your souls, as you will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not groaning because I will be of no advantage to you just create sermons like this one. Bert number seven obey your church leaders and submit to them not hang with me on this one right. God has ordained the church so that it's his instrument on earth. That means love upper but God has put his Spirit in the church and the leaders that he is employed at your church be the conduit which he speaks and guides and directs and councils. First you want to good works. Many proud gotchas in the Old Testament to speak God let Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey old and New Testament show me that if I will be the vehicle for Jesus. I'm not that much about the paygrade of a donkey so Megan proud of that.

I'm just understanding God has begun to work through his church and if you were disconnected from the church. That means were disconnected from those races now.

Something like obey the writer of Hebrews say that we not talk about your leader showed up your house and say quit your job in your car never tried that.

Okay, but he's not talking about me showing him saying that you talk about matters of spiritual direction is telling you. The God ordained leaders in your life, and this is the church is led you to should consider that leadership except in matters whether clearly in violation of Scripture.

He's telling you the other give them the benefit of the doubt as a cardinal rule by the way in all of my relationships give them the benefit of the doubt, assume they are intelligent and they have good motives until they prove to you that they are neither. But until they prove you. They are neither. Then I'm going to give a somebody the benefit of the doubt and what their safety said extend that to your leaders trust should be assumed in the church until it is violated now if you know they're in violation of Scripture. Or, you know you can't follow with a good conscience, then by all means you should withdraw from under their leadership and go somewhere else. You should always obey God rather than man what you should not do is stay in that search I just gossip I received is demonstrated a think by my father, my father, it was EI as a high school to the worst things about pastors and leaders in the church I grew up in my dad saying that's the man got appointed leader church and I like to speak against them until I know he's in violation of Scripture is God's gotta give an account.

I'm going to respect the position God gave him about him to give him the benefit of the doubt until Hebrews and the undeserving you.

I will this pretty self-interested pastor for you Sadie, thanks.

It's in the Bible to be faithful to Scripture, not least tell you what it says what it means you obey God rather than men. But if God has led you to this church. He's put you in here that he's also given pastors and leaders that are listening to God trying their best, rather than their fallible, but she give him the benefit of the doubt because they are God's instrument even other dog. Verse 18, pray for us as we surely have a clear conscious desire not gone with all things are right, the pastoral team should be humble enough to know they need God's help, I am not the dictator to search on the authority of the board of elders was only the authority of your congregation at large and are all kind of mistakes we make. So I will repeat this admonition to you, pray for us as we are trying our best to hear from God and take steps way to take, but I know that at the end of the day I'm just a fallible human being on the shepherd, yes, but I'm still sheet we need to pray for me that God will will will speak in the God will guide despite our frailties are false. I know that we can be wrong which is why we need your prayer, which is number nine pray for your pastoral team pray for them and then he concludes verse 20 now may the God of peace who brought you again from the dead, brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. To him be glory forever and ever.

Amen.

I have killed you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation five written to you briefly.

Verse 23, you should know that our brother Timothy is been released with I shall see you soon read all your leaders and all the saints. Those you governmentally send you greetings Grace be with you all.

A man without my friends being in our study of the book of humorous learning and for you. You ready to cross the line of faith. You are listening to Senate life with pastor Arthur and theologian JD clear and with that we conclude our teaching series in the book of Hebrews, JD, today as we reached the conclusion of this series there. Hebrews called Christ is better.

It seems to me like the point. The main message of Hebrews is don't cancel my that is exactly right is what the book of Hebrews we see that this is a book of the Bible that is written, the people whose faith in Jesus was was lagging right some of that was at the difficulty of their surroundings, wondering why God wasn't delivering them more quickly, or just walking to pain or sometimes just the time when it seems like you know God almost feels absent at say that many of us today struggle some of the same feelings and that we find it harder and harder to maintain this robust faith in God that he is active but is working and that his goodness is flowing into our lives to help us as we daily seek, what with God without a Bible study to drive home that Jesus and Jesus alone is worthy of our trust in our devotion. We want every chapter of the book of Hebrews to challenge and to encourage you and so this study is designed to take you deeper into the chapter so that your hearing, the Bible taught in your also been able to examine it for yourself. Let the Holy Spirit give you additional insight and help apply the concepts in your learning suit your life like changes JD grid.com and get a hold study today is the final day. It's available. Suggested giving level is $35 or more and remember every penny you donate to the gospel ministry gift today and ask for copy of Christ is better 335 20 even easier to get on our website clear.com I'm even events join us today and remember tenant tomorrow know God personally part of a brand-new series, here on