Here are 6 things I want to share with you today:
1. The veil’s been torn, you can ROLL RIGHT IN. See Hebrews 10:19-20. I don’t think we understand just how GOOD we have it! I have three kids. I will do just about ANYTHING to ensure they get to have and experience the VERY BEST! I don’t care what it is, I’ll fight for it. This is what God did for us the moment He put on an earth suit and lived among us. He forever changed the course of history. Freaking calendars are based on his presence here on earth, HELLO! When Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn. The barrier, the obstacle that separated us from the presence of God, that kept us out of the holy of holies (Scripture or Pulp Fiction…hmmm?), was made obsolete. Because of God’s gift, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now go straight to the man. It’s the same as if we could simply roll into the White House to see the president or any Fortune 500 company to see the CEO…only is exponentially BETTER!
2. The stain of Christ’s blood is one you can’t wash out…it washes YOU. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a blood stain, but they are one tough mess to clean up. Living in West Virginia these past few years I’ve seen my share of mangled deer spread across the roads. It’s gross. It’s disgusting. The stain remains for days, weeks, months. I’d mention the smell, but I’m failing to find a connection. Here’s the thing, our sin, the very nature of our being, is messier, more disgusting, and IMPOSSIBLE to clean out…on our own. Please read Hebrews 10:22. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross blots out the stain of our sin, replacing it with HIS MARK, his blood. His death, his sacrifice, was essential for our forgiveness. This is why in Christ we are made NEW.
3. Hold TIGHT. Life sucks sometimes. Seriously! Let’s name some of the things we are currently facing: joblessness, homelessness, abuse, addiction, cancer, AIDS, war, death. We ALL have a sob story to tell. We ALL have a struggle to share. We CANNOT allow the suckiness of life determine WHO we are and HOW we live. Read Hebrews 10:23. Where’s your trust today?
4. Nobody walks away from the Church, away from the Body of Christ, and grows CLOSER TO HIM. It’s possible to walk away from the Church, from your faith in Jesus, and have a decent life. You might make some money. You might get the stuff, the material possessions, you’ve always wanted. You might have kids that grow up and seem to do well. You might even have a marriage that appears to be healthy. In the end, what’s it all matter when you wake up in hell? Did you ever really know Jesus to begin with? I cannot answer this for you.
5. Community is ESSENTIAL. Read Hebrews 10:24-25. It’s when we step away, it’s when we try to simply live life by our own standards, it’s when we try and wrestle back control that we find ourselves simply doing the same ol’thing. Do you have someone that’s willing to not only encourage you, but speak truth into your life? A REAL friend doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, but what you NEED to hear.
6. Accountability is a NO-BRAINER. This brings us to the last and final thought today. Check out 2 Timothy 4:3, it’s good. Without community, accountability remains elusive. You find yourself drinking again, looking at pornography, sleeping with a co-worker, gossiping, beating your kids…and you JUSTIFY it! Who’s speaking into your life right now? Are you surrounded by enablers or friends? If you’re going to grow, if we as a church are going to grow and make a difference in this world, we’ve gotta invest in deep, meaningful relationships with one another.
1. The veil’s been torn, you can ROLL RIGHT IN. See Hebrews 10:19-20. I don’t think we understand just how GOOD we have it! I have three kids. I will do just about ANYTHING to ensure they get to have and experience the VERY BEST! I don’t care what it is, I’ll fight for it. This is what God did for us the moment He put on an earth suit and lived among us. He forever changed the course of history. Freaking calendars are based on his presence here on earth, HELLO! When Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn. The barrier, the obstacle that separated us from the presence of God, that kept us out of the holy of holies (Scripture or Pulp Fiction…hmmm?), was made obsolete. Because of God’s gift, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now go straight to the man. It’s the same as if we could simply roll into the White House to see the president or any Fortune 500 company to see the CEO…only is exponentially BETTER!
2. The stain of Christ’s blood is one you can’t wash out…it washes YOU. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a blood stain, but they are one tough mess to clean up. Living in West Virginia these past few years I’ve seen my share of mangled deer spread across the roads. It’s gross. It’s disgusting. The stain remains for days, weeks, months. I’d mention the smell, but I’m failing to find a connection. Here’s the thing, our sin, the very nature of our being, is messier, more disgusting, and IMPOSSIBLE to clean out…on our own. Please read Hebrews 10:22. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross blots out the stain of our sin, replacing it with HIS MARK, his blood. His death, his sacrifice, was essential for our forgiveness. This is why in Christ we are made NEW.
3. Hold TIGHT. Life sucks sometimes. Seriously! Let’s name some of the things we are currently facing: joblessness, homelessness, abuse, addiction, cancer, AIDS, war, death. We ALL have a sob story to tell. We ALL have a struggle to share. We CANNOT allow the suckiness of life determine WHO we are and HOW we live. Read Hebrews 10:23. Where’s your trust today?
4. Nobody walks away from the Church, away from the Body of Christ, and grows CLOSER TO HIM. It’s possible to walk away from the Church, from your faith in Jesus, and have a decent life. You might make some money. You might get the stuff, the material possessions, you’ve always wanted. You might have kids that grow up and seem to do well. You might even have a marriage that appears to be healthy. In the end, what’s it all matter when you wake up in hell? Did you ever really know Jesus to begin with? I cannot answer this for you.
5. Community is ESSENTIAL. Read Hebrews 10:24-25. It’s when we step away, it’s when we try to simply live life by our own standards, it’s when we try and wrestle back control that we find ourselves simply doing the same ol’thing. Do you have someone that’s willing to not only encourage you, but speak truth into your life? A REAL friend doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, but what you NEED to hear.
6. Accountability is a NO-BRAINER. This brings us to the last and final thought today. Check out 2 Timothy 4:3, it’s good. Without community, accountability remains elusive. You find yourself drinking again, looking at pornography, sleeping with a co-worker, gossiping, beating your kids…and you JUSTIFY it! Who’s speaking into your life right now? Are you surrounded by enablers or friends? If you’re going to grow, if we as a church are going to grow and make a difference in this world, we’ve gotta invest in deep, meaningful relationships with one another.
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