Holy Suitcases, Things Christians Carry With Them

Holy Suitcases

Things Christians Carry With Them

Hebrews 6:9-12

Intro: Ray Stevens, a country singer who is also known for his comedy, had a hit song back in 1992. The name of the song was the Mississippi Squirrel. In the song he told the story of him carrying a squirrel to church. He had the squirrel in a box and when he tried to show his “good buddy Hugh” the squirrel, he jumped out of the box. The squirrel wreaked havoc in the church and his description of this escapade is very funny. As I thought of this I remembered back to the times when I was a little boy and would bring things to church with me. I also thought about our children here at the “Creek” and I am almost certain that you parents could tell me stories about things your children either have brought to church or were caught trying to bring into church. I look out and especially think of you parents or grandparents who have little boys. There just seems to be something about little boys and things that they put in their pockets. I’ll let you share with me after the service this morning.

. While children may carry things with them as they leave home, Christians should carry things with them as they go through life.

. When we leave church on Sunday morning, we should carry things with us that accompany our Salvation.

. I call these things our spiritual baggage.

. Things that should be in our Holy Suitcases as we go out into the world.

. As Christians, there is a way of life that we are taught through God’s word. There are characteristics or things that accompany our salvation.

. The writer of Hebrews lays out the things that should accompany those that are saved.

. Our scripture is Hebrews 6:9-12

. 9Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.

10For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

11Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.

12Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

. Verse 9 is talking about the previous 5 verses that talked about hearing and experiencing the Gospel but not really receiving it. People that just tasted Christianity. We called them taste testers in our study two weeks ago.

. 9Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.

. The writer states that even though he was laying out what these people were like, he didn’t believe that the readers of the letter were like that. He believed that they carried their holy baggage with them as Christians are supposed to do.

. He writes here that there are things that accompany our Salvation.

. The writer lists four things that accompany our Salvation.

. The first one is Assurance.

. We can carry an air and attitude of assurance that God is watching what we do and we should try to please Him.

. Look at verses 10&11 again:

10For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

11Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.

. The writer says that we can be assured that God is watching what we are doing for him and others. When we stand before God one day, as we all will, He will remember the things we do for Him and our fellow man.

. Our society today is in full assault on this principle.

. How many have heard the saying “no good deed goes unpunished”.

. Instead of feeling good about ourselves and our service to God through others, we are told that if we do good, we will be punished.

. Feb. 26, two weeks ago, a nurse in the Glenwood Gardens assisted living home refused to give CPR to a dying woman.

. We have heard the communication between the ambulance dispatcher and the Nurse. The nurse called for an ambulance because the woman was not breathing and needed CPR to live.