Living Honorably For Jesus Series

SIMPLY JESUS

LIVING HONORABLY FOR JESUS

HEBREWS 13:1-4

INTRODUCTION

-There are some downright crazy people in our world.

-This last week in the news we had…

-A band of atheists from New Jersey who were offended by a 10 commandments monument outside of a Court House in Florida.

-They sued to get the display taken down and told they were allowed to set up their own monument.

-What kind of monument would an atheist put on display?

-A bench. We aren’t sure who the monument is dedicated to, since they don’t believe in any god.

-There were 200 people showed up at the dedication ceremony including one protester with a sign which read “go home Yankees”

-There are a lot of crazy people in our world. They think crazy things, do crazy things, and say crazy things.

-The thing that makes us different as Christians is that we believe in being crazy together! And they think we’re crazy.

-Our Lord Jesus didn’t just save us. He made us into a body; we are connected in a spiritual way because of our common faith.

-He made us into a family; we look after each other and take care of each other because we are brothers and sisters.

-He made us into a winning team; we are working together to defeat a common enemy.

-He made us into an army; we are advancing on the gates of Hades battering down gates and setting prisoners free.

-Jesus placed a great emphasis on his followers living, working, worshipping, and serving together for a common purpose.

-And the first part of Hebrews 13 this morning gives us some insights as to how that looks practically.

-We aren’t just “together in spirit”! Christ actually intended for us to do life together!

LIVE WITH CHRIST’S PEOPLE IN MIND (1-4)

-American Xianity has so emphasized our personal relationship w/Jesus that we sometimes forget Christ’s emphasis on others.

-The world says look out for number 1!

-Jesus said love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

-The world says it all about me, what makes me happy.

-Jesus said it’s not about you; it’s about serving those around you.

-The world says only do what you are obligated to do for others.

-Jesus said go the extra mile for other people.

-The world teaches the “me first” attitude.

-Jesus said in his Kingdom the first shall be last, & the last first.

-Living with other people in mind is the principle here.

-But our text names a few examples of what that looks like.

13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.

-KEEP LOVING EACH OTHER. (VS 1)

-That sounds basic right? Love each other as brother & sisters in…

-In the church family there should be love between us.

-We’ve talked about the different words used for love in Scripture

-Surprisingly, the word that’s used here is not agape love.

-It’s “phileo” which is the family or brotherly love.

-Keep on showing each other…brotherly and sisterly love.

-But Erik, My brother is a total loser.

-Erik, I successfully avoid my sister 364 days a year.

-You want me to love my fellow Christian w/a family kind of love?

-Some of you are thinking, “I come from a dysfunctional family!”

-Then you’ll fit right into the church!

-Some pastors/teachers act like somehow our individual relationships with Christ will totally eliminate our trouble with one another.

-They act like Christians are supposed to be above controversy, beyond the temptation to fight, that everything is always supposed to be puppies and sunshine in the church.

-I would respectfully disagree with those people. Sound nice.

-Hebrews 12 tells us that we’ll be free from the drama and the nonsense one day in heaven.

-But we’re not in heaven just yet. And here on earth we still struggle with sin, and bitterness, and turmoil.

-The absence of conflict isn’t what makes us the church.

-The absence of trouble between believers is not what proves our faith in Jesus Christ.

-It’s our determination to love one another that reveals the quality of our faith.

-Our determination to work through problems with each other is what should make us different than the people in the world.

-In John 13:35 Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

-We shouldn’t be fighting, dividing, slandering, and being petty.

-We ought to have a stubborn determination to keep on loving one another.

-We ought be known as people who refuse to let sin divide us.

-If we are going to be known as people who follow Jesus, then we have to be people who love.

-And he says, “we have to keep on loving.”

-Is almost like our author anticipated that we would get downright sick and tired of each other and want to quit loving!