Steve Gentry
[0:00] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Hebrews chapter 10. [0:03] Hebrews chapter 10. [0:04] If you’ve been with us, we’re returning to that chapter this week to close out [0:09] our series called Life, What Life Looks Like When It’s Risen Through the Resurrection of Jesus. [0:16] And if you haven’t heard, next week things are going to be a little different, [0:23] a little more epic than maybe you’re used to.
[0:28] We’re going to kick it up from 100% to 110%. [0:33] My goal is higher, but I’m trying to be realistic here. [0:38] That 110% epic is what we’re looking at for the 67th annual [0:43] National Celebration of Life Festival of America in the year of our Lord, 2014.
[0:51] Now, if you have not been a part of the previous 66 of these, [0:57] man, you have missed out. [1:00] And so my hope and prayer is that you will not miss out on number 67, [1:05] because the stories of old, when previous generations have done these events, [1:11] have lasted throughout the years. [1:14] And grandpappy and great grandpappy used to sit me on their knee
[1:18] and tell me all about the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and so on. [1:24] Annual Celebration of Life Festivals of America in the year of our Lord, [1:28] way back then in the 1900s. [1:31] We actually did experience an entire century called the 1900s. [1:36] Well, we’re bringing it into the 2000s. [1:38] And what this is going to be is this is going to be our opportunity as a church
[1:42] to celebrate all that God has done through us in the past year. [1:46] This is something that we do every June. [1:48] And it is a way for us to come together and just have some fun, relax, [1:54] and just enjoy one another’s fellowship, to enjoy a good meal together, [1:59] to let our kids play in the large field in the back. [2:02] We’ll have bounce houses and slides and water games for them.
[2:06] So if you want to bring a change of clothes for your kids, that might be a good idea. [2:10] And you may want to bring a change of clothes for yourself, [2:12] because you know how epic events go.
[2:17] But we’re going to have a good time next Sunday. [2:19] So what that means is we will not be in here next Sunday morning. [2:23] Instead, we will all gather at 1030 next Sunday morning out in the field [2:29] for a great time together as we have some fun as a church. [2:34] So be sure not to miss it. [2:36] And some of you, you may be from out of town and you may need to come back.
[2:41] I mean, it’s that great that it will be worth you returning [2:45] to just have some fun with us, because we love to celebrate with one another. [2:51] So please be sure to be here next Sunday at 1030. [2:54] If you show up for the nine o’clock service, you’ll just help us set up. [2:58] So that’s not a bad idea. [3:00] But we will not be meeting in here next Sunday morning.
[3:03] So we look forward to that. [3:06] This is week 10 of our series on what real life actually looks like. [3:11] Through following Jesus, the life that he desires to build for us [3:17] in the life of being a disciple of Jesus. [3:20] So we’ve taken a look at all of the effects [3:22] that trusting in the resurrection for new life has on us.
[3:26] We’ve taken a look at real life. [3:28] We’ve taken a look at a forgiven life, a discipled life, surrendered, [3:32] missional, praying, empowered, generous. [3:35] And last week we took a look at a subversive life. [3:39] The question that we want to answer this morning is, [3:41] what do all of these things have in common?
[3:44] Because there’s a way of looking at all of them [3:46] and seeing them as somewhat these disconnected things [3:49] that maybe I’ll focus on this part this year, this part next year. [3:53] But what I want in my hope this morning for you to see [3:55] is that all of these things combined to give us an anchored life. [4:01] All of these things, when we focus on following Jesus,
[4:05] they will give us a real life. [4:08] And when you begin to look at these things, [4:11] what you begin to see is that they all combine to show [4:15] what the gospel does to those who trust in Jesus and have faith in Jesus. [4:21] And in every area of your life, all of these things will happen [4:24] if you’re following Jesus.
[4:27] And you’ll grow in different areas at different times, [4:30] but they will always be present because these are the things [4:34] that Jesus is going to constantly draw us to, [4:37] through the power of his Holy Spirit in following him. [4:41] To follow Jesus anchors us to what really is true life. [4:47] And what he creates through faith in our lives is a framework
[4:50] that God builds with his authority, with his identity, [4:55] and with his mission in our lives. [4:58] And when a life is saturated with these 10 environments [5:01] that you walk into intentionally, [5:04] and there will be intentionality in the life of faith, [5:07] none of this is going to happen by accident.
[5:10] None of you will just naturally drift towards discipleship. [5:14] You won’t drift towards submitting to God. [5:17] So you must intentionally say, through faith, [5:20] because of what I believe about Jesus, [5:23] this is the path that I’m going to walk in my life, [5:26] because this is the path that God has laid out for me in his word.
[5:31] And so we’re anchored down into Jesus [5:34] by entering into these different environments, [5:37] but sin will tempt us to wander. [5:42] When we’re not intentional, [5:43] we’ll be wooed to believe that there’s something better [5:46] and more satisfying outside of Jesus and his purpose for our lives.
[5:51] So when we’re not anchored, we will begin to just drift [5:54] and we will begin to take a look at all that is outside of Jesus, [5:58] at all of those things that just naturally woo us in everyday life, [6:03] our default mode, if you will. [6:06] And we will drift, but we’ll drift like a boat [6:11] that’s not anchored to the bottom of the water.
[6:15] We’ll drift out to sea. [6:18] And after a while, faith will seem like a memory to us. [6:22] And it will be harder and harder to repent, [6:25] harder and harder to return, [6:27] the further and further we drift towards living, [6:31] just like people who do not have faith in Jesus.
[6:36] But to combat it, we must spend our lives [6:39] delving further and further into what is the life of Jesus, [6:44] into the environments that he has laid out, [6:46] into the intentionality that he has spelled out through the cross, [6:50] through the resurrection, through his teachings, [6:53] and through his monumental grace in which we’re not doing it under our own power,
[6:59] but rather he is actually empowering us through the power that he’s given us [7:03] by putting his life into our own so that we actually have the ability [7:08] and the privilege and the opportunity day in and day out to obey God. [7:15] And so right now I want to take a look at how all of these things combine [7:21] for us to every day intentionally walk in lives of faith. [7:26] And so to do that, I want to return to Hebrews chapter 10,
[7:30] because within those verses that we went over for a three week span of this series, [7:36] there’s a section that I left a little bit out of so that I could return to it [7:40] and show us how exactly we are to anchor our lives in the gospel. [7:46] So look at Hebrews chapter 10 verse 23.
[7:50] The author tells us, let us hold fast the confession [7:54] of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. [8:02] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.
[8:10] My focus this morning will be on two words, and I want to tease it out from there. [8:17] My focus is on the words hold fast. [8:20] And what that means and why those two words are vitally important in following Jesus [8:26] day in and day out when it gets difficult, when temptation rises, those two words are [8:34] monumental in the life of following Jesus. And those two words, when they’re combined [8:39] with that word confession, he says, hold fast to your confession.
[8:44] What he’s saying is that we are anchored, number one, this morning to our faith [8:48] through the gospel of Jesus. Know that he doesn’t say hold fast to your ability, [8:55] hold fast to your obedience, hold fast to who you are, hold fast to all that you have done. [9:01] He says, hold fast to a confession of something that’s absolutely true, [9:05] something that’s unwavering, something that’s unshakable, something that’s unchanging. [9:10] And that is the gospel. That everything that we have in our lives is from Jesus.
[9:17] It’s not from us. The gospel is not something that builds within you and then comes out [9:23] through obedience. The gospel is something that comes into your life from outside, [9:27] and you can only hold fast to something that’s steady.
[9:31] And if you know anything about yourself like I know about myself, you know that your life [9:36] does not naturally just hold steady. You are not a solid rock. You are not a confession [9:42] worthy of taking yourself through life because you are so easily swayed. You are so easily shaken. [9:52] And that in your hardest day, if all that you have is yourself and your own ability, [9:59] can you honestly tell me that you will withstand faith?
[10:06] I believe that everything I know about life tells me that I won’t. [10:09] And so I need a greater power, a power that I don’t have within myself, [10:13] a power that’s only available as scripture spells out through Jesus, [10:18] because Jesus saves and keeps us as we follow. The term hold fast means to keep, to possess, [10:27] or to restrain. That final word that I used there is not one that’s going to be very, [10:35] it’s not going to fill you with the warm fuzzies, this restraint.
[10:41] But that’s the term that God uses for what the gospel is going to do when we hold on to it. [10:47] It will restrain us, but restrain us to what? It will restrain us to that which we were designed [10:54] for. It will restrain us to that which gives life. It will restrain us to the thing that gives you [11:02] hope, to the thing that will build your life under God’s authority, under God’s identity, [11:07] and under God’s mission. And it is only when we are restrained by God Himself [11:15] that we have a life worth living. Because too often, when we look at our lives,
[11:22] we do not want to be anchored, but rather we want to just simply say, I want to be free. [11:27] But what if your definition of freedom is wrong? What if your definition of freedom is actually [11:34] slavery, and you’re just deceived into believing it’s free? Because each and every one of us are [11:39] anchored to something. Each and every one of us are restrained to something. And through what Jesus [11:45] has done on the cross, by paying for the penalty for our sins, by raising to a brand new life, [11:50] what He’s doing is He’s actually freeing us from a restraint that condemns us, and then restraining
[11:55] us to that which actually is freedom. Freedom brings joy, happiness, love, real life. And it’s [12:06] only in the gospel that you have that type of freedom. See, the type of restraint that the [12:12] gospel brings into your life is the type of restraint that’s loving. It’s the type of restraint [12:17] that would stop a child from hurting him or herself. It’s the type of restraint that would [12:22] stop someone from running in front of a train when they don’t know it’s coming. And that’s what [12:26] the gospel does for us. It restrains us from running headlong into a condemning prison forever.
[12:35] Yet we still struggle to believe that’s where we need to stay. Yet we still dabble [12:43] in the realm of slavery for our lives under the restraint that condemns. We look at all the gospel [12:51] has to offer and we say, yes, I will give a part of my life to that, but do not ask me to go headlong [12:58] into it. Do not ask me to give my life fully over to it because I desire to continue to hold on to [13:04] the chain over here while I’m holding the chain of the gospel. But you cannot do that.
[13:11] We saw in the generous life that you cannot serve two masters because you will end up hating one. [13:19] And our natural drift towards sin
[13:26] will begin to bind us over and over and we will eventually let go of that chain of the gospel. [13:32] If we are not watching ourselves, we will reveal to ourselves that we never believed in the first [13:37] place. Because when you are not restrained by the gospel in your life, you don’t believe it.
[13:46] Because you see, if you believe that you can both hold on to the truth of the gospel as well as [13:51] hold on to the old life that was condemned, what you’re actually doing is you’re under your own [13:57] authority, you’re under your old identity and you’re still living for your mission and you’re [14:01] simply redefining the gospel to fit you. That’s not faith. That’s not trust. Because the gospel [14:08] saves. When the gospel saves, it saves completely. When Jesus finished the work on the cross, [14:15] he promised to reward us with himself for eternity. And when we look into the eyes of
[14:21] Christ, when we look at the actions that he took on the cross, the fact that he became a human [14:26] to save those who were rebellious against him, we see a God that’s worth following. [14:34] We see a love that’s worth having. And when you do not look to him as your great reward, [14:42] friends, you do not believe the gospel. The gospel is far more than just saving you from [14:49] the pain of hell. The gospel reconciles your relationship with God. And if that is not the [14:57] most beautiful part of the gospel, then you’ve not understood the gospel. You’ve understood
[15:03] something that’s going to keep you from losing everything you already have rather than something [15:07] that’s going to replace it with something that’s better. In Philippians chapter two,
[15:17] the author shows us, as we saw in the empowered life, that all that God requires of us, [15:23] he will actually empower us to do. Paul says, Therefore, my beloved, as you’ve always obeyed,
[15:32] so now not only is in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your salvation [15:37] with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good [15:45] pleasure. So you’ve got these two things. He’s talking about being anchored in that if you [15:51] trust Christ, you will work it out in your every day. Your actions will begin to change and you [15:58] will begin to grow and you’ll work it out with what? With fear and trembling. Why? Because God [16:07] is far greater than we are. Sometimes the reason that my children obey me is because I’m much
[16:15] larger than they are and they know they wouldn’t win. There needs to be a healthy understanding [16:26] in your life of who you are in comparison to who God is. You cannot speak anything into existence, [16:33] even though many of you try. I will not get sick. I will not get sick. You’re sick.
[16:43] God can do that. And so he says, this salvation is not some small, feeble thing. It’s from the God [16:53] who’s all powerful. Work it out in an understanding of who he is. And that in love, he would save. [17:02] But the note what he says next, he says, it’s God who works in you.
[17:11] As you follow Jesus, you begin to see things and you begin to understand that you have capabilities [17:17] that far outreach what you think you can do. I could never obey. And then in love, [17:24] you follow Jesus and you begin to see yourself obeying. And you’re like, what in the world? [17:29] That is the grace of God. That is him empowering you. He does not give any command that he also [17:38] does not empower you to see happen. And so even our obedience when we do the intentional thing, [17:46] when we take responsibility, even that is peppered with the grace of God that he gives us the power
[17:52] to do it. And so we see in that that Jesus not only saves us, but he also keeps us.
[18:01] And that his salvation is not a one time event that happened back then. And now you’re on your [18:08] own, but rather the same gospel that saves you is the gospel that keeps you.
[18:14] And you never outgrow it. And you must always anchor yourself down into it. Day in and day [18:21] out, you must anchor yourself to the message of what Jesus has done over and over and over. [18:27] Because if you’re honest, you are quick to forget it. You are easily tempted by false gods. [18:35] You are easily tempted by false saviors. You are easily tempted. The magazine rack to see [18:42] these hopes that aren’t real, that if I just had that body, everything would be better. If I just [18:49] had that house, if I just had that car, if I just had that career, if I just had that, I would be
[18:57] saved from this hell that I’m living in. You’re easily swayed. But when we remind ourselves of [19:07] who really is God, when we remind ourselves of that confession, that we’re anchored down, that [19:14] we’re holding fast to, that we are restrained to, when we hold fast, we will persevere in the face [19:21] of false hope because it’s all around us. And when you’re not preaching this message to yourself [19:29] day in and day out, you will be swayed. Even if just for a moment, but sometimes those moments [19:37] last for days, weeks, months. And after a while, you don’t even recognize the faith that you claim
[19:43] saved you. Hold fast to the gospel. In Galatians chapter 5 verse 25, that empowerment of God is [19:55] identified as the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And he says, if we live by the Spirit, let us also [20:03] keep in step with the Spirit. See, do you see when he says living by the Spirit, God filling you, [20:11] giving you life, but then note what he also says, keep in step with it. So there’s this tension that [20:17] he gives us in our life where we’re completely dependent. We will never be independent from God’s [20:22] power. We will always need his grace. We will always need his strength. And so that’s what living
[20:27] by the Spirit looks like. It’s an honesty with yourself that you need him. But then he also says, [20:33] but in intentionality, keep in step.
[20:39] It’s the vision for me that’s helpful is the boot camp instructor while they’re on those long [20:47] marches, making sure that everyone’s step is in unity with everyone else. And this is the vision [20:54] that Paul is giving. He’s saying you must keep in step with the Spirit. You must always keep your [21:00] focus on that confession. You must always hold fast to it because when you’re united with the [21:05] Spirit, you will have the life that God has given you. But you must take responsibility [21:12] for your obedience. It won’t happen by accident. Some of you are waiting for God to do a work
[21:21] in your life when he’s revealed all of the work through the gospel. And you say, well, when you [21:26] do this or when you show me this, I will follow. I will follow. And God says, look at the cross. [21:32] Keep in step. God has shown us more than we ever need. And then he says, because of that follow, [21:44] keep in step with the Spirit. That is a commitment to the mission that God has given us. [21:53] Because whatever our faith really is in will show out through what we commit to in our lives. [22:01] And we’re keeping in step with the Spirit. We will commit to that above all things because the Spirit
[22:06] is far more authoritative than anyone else in your life, any other authority in your life, [22:10] any other message in your life. So I want to ask you a question.
[22:19] If money is on the line, will you work for it? Usually. I mean, let’s be honest. You offer me [22:28] enough money, I might do just about anything. And the higher the sum goes, the more those things [22:34] that you never thought you’d be capable of, you’re like, well, maybe. Well, for that much.
[22:43] If you get an email that’s connected to your job, and it’s this urgent part of what you do [22:54] for a living, of how you support your family, of how frankly you’re building wealth, you will [23:01] respond very quickly, will you not? If you get a call in the office and you see it’s the CEO, [23:07] or if you see it’s the manager, you don’t just ignore it. You don’t just ignore it. [23:11] You don’t let it go to voicemail. You pick it up, you answer it, and you respond in kind as to how [23:18] urgent and how much your job depends on the request. And we will leverage things in order
[23:26] to build our wealth. When it comes to faith, though, more often than not, we’re timid. [23:34] We will hesitate to commit so that we can ensure that it’s not interfering with any other part of [23:42] our lives. Because if this interferes with this other part of my life, well, my faith will just [23:47] have to wait for that level of commitment. But that reveals what your faith is really in. Because [23:54] true faith understands the urgency of the gospel. It understands the fear and trembling of who God [24:00] is in comparison to who we are. So when God calls, faith answers. Faith commits.
[24:13] It isn’t this timid attitude that treats God like the part-time job while your full-time job gets [24:21] everything else. Anchor your life in the gospel. Keep in step with the spirit.
[24:33] When you anchor yourself to the gospel, you redefine who you are by who Jesus is. [24:40] You do not redefine Jesus by who you are. And we’re anchored to that spirit through faith. [24:46] But here’s the question. Where do we find all of the calls of God and what he’s called us to do? [24:53] What has he called us to commit to? How do I know? Is it a mystic thing that I wait for, [24:59] that I throw a fleece out if you know that story? And just wait. And when God wants me to move, [25:06] he’ll make it crystal clear. I don’t believe that. So where do we find the arsenal
[25:12] to direct the paths of our decisions, direct the paths of our commitments? [25:17] Second, this morning we’re anchored to our faith through the Bible.
[25:22] I believe it’s far simpler than many of us make it because if we made it that simple, [25:26] then maybe we would have to do something.
[25:29] So we would rather treat it as this mystic reality that the call has not come yet, [25:35] but the call came thousands of years ago. And the Spirit says, step.
[25:43] How do I know that? Well, in verse 24 of Hebrews 10, he tells us to stir one another up to good [25:52] works. And there’s two realities I want to unpack in that. And they’re sort of reminders, [25:56] but I know how forgetful we all are. So I want to bring you back into those environments [26:01] for your life. And the first one is the Bible. And I want to show how Jesus viewed the Bible [26:07] so that we cannot just take them as suggestions, but understand that the God of the universe takes [26:13] it very seriously. In John chapter 14, starting in verse 16, Jesus tells his followers, he says,
[26:22] I’m leaving and I’m going to ask the father and he’ll give you another helper to be with you [26:28] forever. And then 10 verses later down in verse 26, Jesus says, but the helper who is that the [26:37] Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to you. [26:45] Remember, it’s all that I have said to you. So there’s this promise from Jesus. He says, [26:51] I’m going to send one who’s going to be the one who’s going to draw you back to me. He’s [26:57] never going to leave you. He’s going to be with you forever. He’s going to live inside of you,
[27:01] the empowered life. But then what will he do? He will always draw you back to everything that Jesus [27:07] has taught us, everything that he has said. So we’re like, okay, so the Spirit, Jesus, [27:15] and so it’s just going to be this mystical thing. You still don’t have my attention yet. [27:18] Okay. Well, in Luke chapter, well, excuse me, rather in John chapter one, before Jesus ever [27:24] said any of this, what does he describe as he’s described as the word in the beginning was the [27:28] word Jesus. And I believe there’s a very important reason that John uses that definition for Jesus,
[27:35] because what that word means is that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of who God is. If you desire [27:43] to know God, you will look at how he revealed himself through the word. Before Jesus came, [27:50] God had for thousands of years previously spoken through other words from the prophets,
[28:00] then through Jesus, and then he would continue that through the apostles [28:06] in the Bible. You say, you still don’t have me. Luke chapter 24, starting in verse 25, [28:13] after Jesus had risen from the dead, he has a conversation with two men who don’t recognize [28:19] him about who Jesus was. How stupid would you feel if you’re one of those two guys, [28:27] and you’re like, man, who was that guy? I’m hearing all sorts of rumors. And then there’s [28:30] this third guy over here. It’s Jesus. And you’re too stupid to know that. That’s a little embarrassing.
[28:38] So Jesus then presents himself to them and shows them through what? Through the Bible, [28:44] that it is all a story that leads to his resurrection. In verse 25, he begins it by [28:51] saying to them, oh, foolish ones, you don’t want the God of the universe saying that to you. [29:00] And slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
[29:07] And the next two verses, it goes on to say that Jesus then began with the books of Moses, [29:15] and he took them through the entire Old Testament to show who he was. Where did [29:21] Jesus himself refer to, to bring to people’s memory who he is? The Bible.
[29:29] So where will the Holy Spirit take you to know what your mission for Jesus is? The Bible. [29:35] Because it’s exactly where Jesus took everyone. Jesus used scriptures in more places than just [29:42] that as authoritative and as something that his mission was submitted to fulfilling. Jesus [29:49] even showed that while he was on earth, he was in full submission to the scriptures.
[29:57] In second Timothy, chapter three, verses 16 and 17, the apostle Paul [30:01] writes that the scriptures were breathed out by God, profitable for teaching, for reproof, [30:07] for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every [30:14] good work. How do you stir one another up to good works? The Bible. You say, well, that’s the Old [30:21] Testament. Well, if you look throughout the New Testament, I don’t have enough time today, [30:24] but you see that Peter and Paul both refer to one another’s writings as the words of God.
[30:30] So this was not a book that was put together in the third century. It was a book that was [30:35] understood for thousands, excuse me, for hundreds of years previously in the first century churches [30:39] being absolutely authoritative. God has not left us on a path of simple credulity to figure out [30:50] his mission. He has made it clear to us through the scriptures. If you have any hope of following [30:56] Jesus, it will be in the Bible. You will submit your life to the Bible. The entire Bible is our [31:03] anchor. It defines our authority, our identity and our mission. The Bible is completely authoritative
[31:09] in your life. Every word. I believe that. Faith says that since God drives us to it, [31:19] I will fill my life with it no matter what.
[31:26] Too often we look to the words of scripture and we begin to say things that I don’t think we mean [31:36] in the way that they sound, but we say, oh, it’s it’s very hard to read. And I’m with you. Some parts [31:43] are say, oh, man, those lists of names. I fell asleep. Oh, my goodness. [31:55] But what we sometimes lose is that it is all one story, not disconnected, but completely connected. [32:01] And what the history in scripture unfolds, even the birth certificate sections, what they unfold to [32:08] us are the historical validity of what God is revealing to us in those words. What faith says
[32:15] is that even in those moments when it is hard to understand, I will go to it because God has told me [32:24] I will fill my life with it no matter what.
[32:29] Because here’s the reality. Many of us miss out on moments of mission. [32:36] We miss them because the Bible teaches us that we’re to fill our lives with it. [32:42] And then in the moments in life when we need it, it will be there. We will know it because why? [32:48] The Holy Spirit will make us remember it. God has not designed us so that something that’s not in here [32:55] will just pop in under a normal basis. That can happen, but that’s the outlier. The way that God [33:01] has designed us is that we fill our minds and our hearts, and then when we need it, we remember.
[33:11] Then we begin to say things like, well, I have no moments of mission in my life. [33:17] I have no moments where I see clear that God wants me to go. And I tell you, the reason for [33:22] that is that you’re missing them because you do not have the teachings of Jesus throughout the whole [33:27] scripture in your mind for the spirit to remind you of. You can’t have memory of something you [33:33] never knew. How can you stir up good works as verse 24 in Hebrews 10 tells us if you don’t know what [33:42] they are? You can’t. You say that sounds hard. It’s a big book. I know.
[33:57] You trust me. I need this just as much as you do. I’ve read some of the Old Testament. Actually, [34:02] I’ve read the whole thing, but you hope I have, don’t you? But to this day, I get in certain sections [34:12] and it’s like, man, this is harder than Philippians. Let me just go back to Philippians. [34:19] That one makes me feel good. That one has words like, I thank my God in all remembrance of you. [34:24] It’s not a story of a priest throwing a javelin through another priest. That one didn’t help.
[34:33] And we can be honest about that. But in faith, we must look past our inability to see the [34:43] large picture to God’s ability to draw one in our lives in his authority. We submit not in ours. [34:51] We don’t look to God as critics and say you could have made it a little clearer. [34:55] We look to God in submission and say, I give my life over. Use it as you will.
[35:02] Don’t allow false hopes to drive you away from God’s word. Anchor your mind in the Bible. [35:09] It will prevent you from being led astray, as sin will constantly do. [35:15] It will prevent you from falling to false teaching, as will constantly come into your life. [35:22] It will prevent you from falling into sins that you don’t know about. When sin tempts you, [35:29] fight it with the word. When people attempt to twist the words of scripture to redefine life [35:36] according to the whims of culture around us, fight it with knowing scripture. Every cultural
[35:42] attack on faith and the direction that we need to submit to in our lives has with it an under [35:48] girding movement to attempt to undermine the authority of scripture in your life. Have you [35:54] ever noticed that? That as soon as they bring a false teaching, they will then undergird it with [35:59] there’s something better than the Bible. Because when your life is staked on this as authoritative [36:04] in your life, you cannot fall for those attacks.
[36:12] Truth will be preserved in your life through the Bible.
[36:19] So where do we go to learn how to read it? You’re not left alone. Thirdly, this morning, [36:26] we are anchored to our faith through the church. We are anchored to our faith through the church. [36:33] In verses 23 and 24 of the book of Hebrews, what we have in there is this great reminder that this [36:40] confession, it holds fast because he who promised is faithful. And then he says, through that, [36:48] stir one another up to good works. One thing that we always ask when we’re looking in the New [36:54] Testament, we’re looking at the church, okay, who are those one another’s? Because you are not just
[37:00] by yourself a one another. You’re one. You still need another. You find that in the church. [37:09] You find that in relationships that lead you to discipleship. And Jesus’s mission is to build [37:16] his church. Next question, why are Christians different, friends? Now, sure, there are some [37:23] outlying examples that make us all cringe at the way some people that claim to be Christians are [37:29] different because they’re different for all the wrong reasons. That’s not what my focus is on. My [37:35] question to you is that if you have an anchored real faith in Jesus, you will be different than
[37:43] those who do not have that type of faith. If your life is driven because you believe that God died, [37:50] rose to give you a new life, that will change you. If you believe God empowers you through his spirit [37:59] to take a message of salvation to the world around you, that tends to make you a little bit [38:05] different, maybe even subversive. You see, the gospel drives us to be different, not for the [38:15] sake of being weird, but for the sake of saving lives. And you are given a different mission. [38:24] You’re called to build a different level of mission in the church. And that’s why we’re different.
[38:33] You see, a new identity, a new authority, a new mission changes absolutely everything. [38:41] Just as a quick exercise in Colossians 3 verse 17, I think we have a very important reminder. [38:48] Paul tells us, whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, [38:53] giving thanks to God the Father through him. Here’s how we want to read that verse.
[39:02] And whatever you want to do
[39:05] in word or deed, do it through Jesus. It’s not what it says. You see, we read that and then we [39:14] just ho hum, try to apply it to whatever it is we got going on. It was, I’m going to do it for the [39:21] glory of God. The question is, okay, you got to understand something. This is three chapters [39:27] into Colossians. So I’m thinking whatever this verse was built on may be the whatever you do. [39:35] I think there may be a prerequisite to whatever you do because it’s not whatever you want to do. [39:41] The first three chapters, especially the first two and then the beginning of chapter three,
[39:46] lay out the authority, the identity, and the mission of Jesus.
[39:55] And so the whatever you do in this text is already defined by it’s for him and it’s to build [40:02] whatever he wants to build. And what does Jesus desire to build in our lives? Jesus wants to build [40:12] church. In Ephesians chapter four, the one and others are spelled out so abundantly clear [40:19] that I cannot talk about the church without going to it.
[40:23] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and the teachers [40:27] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up what? The body of Christ.
[40:35] Just as an aside here, here’s what I want you to understand. When he lays out those different [40:41] offices, what he’s doing is he’s saying that I have given abilities and offices and structures [40:47] into the church so that everyone that’s a part of the church can be equipped for the work of ministry. [40:55] So frequently we’re out doing whatever we want to do and we say, okay, the apostles, the prophets, [41:03] those guys, they’re going to do the work of ministry. That’s what we pay them for, right?
[41:10] No.
[41:13] Scriptures build the reality that those in those offices equip you for the work of ministry.
[41:25] And then every day you are out there building the church through your life. [41:31] He goes on, until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, [41:39] to what? To mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ [41:44] so that we may no longer be children. Note this, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about [41:52] by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. What keeps you [41:59] from being tossed to and fro and anchor? Rather, speaking the truth in love, we’re to grow up in
[42:10] every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together [42:16] by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow [42:22] so that it builds itself up in love. I love the aspect where it says, [42:29] we grow up into the head that is Christ. And so that begs the question, [42:34] well, what is growing up into the head? Well, the body of Christ. Well, what is the body of Christ? [42:39] Well, three chapters previously, he says that Christ fills his body, the church.
[42:47] And so when we call you into the body, when we call you into relationships here, [42:56] when we call you to get to know one another, when we call you to commit here, [43:00] when we call you to serve here, when we call you to be discipled here, [43:04] when we call you to sacrifice so that you can build the church, [43:07] it is not some arbitrary call because I want to have more people. [43:12] It is the very word of God that drives us there.
[43:17] Because God himself says you cannot mature without the church. You can’t do it. [43:25] You are not a lone ranger out there growing in your faith by yourself under your own authority, [43:32] building an identity, building your own mission. You’re called to build the church and be the [43:39] church. He says that is what’s going to keep you anchored. That is what’s going to keep you from [43:45] false teaching. That is what’s going to grow you up so that you can have a life that’s to [43:50] mature manhood. Do not fall for the lie that you can do whatever you want in this life and still
[43:57] grow into faith in Christ. You can’t. And God tells us that right here.
[44:06] Hebrews 10, 24, he says, stir one another up to good works, and that’s how we do it.
[44:20] When we follow God, what we’re going to see [44:25] is two forces in our life. [44:30] When we talk about the mission of Jesus, we’re constantly saying I’m sending you out on mission. [44:37] I’m sending you to everywhere you’re going in your life on mission. [44:41] And so it’s this pushing force that sends us out. And then when I tell you I’m anchoring you in, [44:47] you’re like, what’s the deal, bro? You’re giving me two messages. I’m really not. And here’s why.
[44:54] As we’re sent out on mission for Jesus, that is what’s called in science. I hear [45:01] I’m very good at it. It’s called a centrifugal force. It’s one that pushes you out. [45:08] But here’s how we sway back and forth for different waves of doctrine, for different [45:14] temptations to sin is that as a centrifugal force pulls us, excuse me, pushes us and it sends us out, [45:21] there’s this temptation that says, oh, well, I like it out there, so I’ll just stay.
[45:30] But the Bible, the gospel, Jesus and his church act as a centripetal force
[45:41] that forces us out into this world that keeps us anchored into himself.
[45:49] And the church functions as both of those things. We’re both ascending agent, [45:56] but I’ll tell you what I know myself enough to know that if I head out into a blizzard [46:01] and I don’t tie a rope to the front door, I’ll never find my way home.
[46:10] And all of the anchors that God has given us in a world that’s filled with hurt, [46:14] a world that’s filled with pain, a world that’s filled with sin, [46:17] a world that’s filled with temptation, they’re the rope so we can always find our way home.
[46:27] So when you’re building a real life, never, ever forget your anger [46:37] because that is what saves you because his name’s Jesus. As the band comes up,
[46:50] I know that for some of you,
[46:56] that you’re being forced to really think through and take inventory of what you’re living for. [47:01] And here’s the thing, don’t be ashamed of that, that’s good.
[47:07] Don’t think that that’s bad because it’s wonderful
[47:11] because that’s what living like the spirit looks like. [47:14] He just wells up inside of us this inventory of what we’re doing and he’s just, he coaxes us into [47:21] growth. It doesn’t all happen overnight. It’s one step at a time, one chain link at a time for that [47:31] anchor. The hope is that no matter where you are in your life, the confession of the gospel holds [47:39] true. Why? Because he who promised is faithful. This morning, I want you to find deep comfort in [47:48] those words that Jesus is always faithful, but he’s always calling us to follow him so that we can
[47:57] stay close to he who is faithful. And so this morning, as we reflect on the truth of the gospel, [48:05] the shed blood that’s in the cup, the broken body that’s on the plate, the juice, the bread that [48:13] represent the gospel of what Jesus poured his life out to for us. When we take that in, it represents [48:21] that we desire the life of Christ to be in our lives over our lives leading our lives.
[48:29] And this morning, if you don’t know Christ, I want to call you to know him.
[48:36] Because I know where you are. You’re drifting. You’re on the water. You’re looking for [48:46] satisfaction. You’re looking for hope. You’re looking for joy and you’re following something, [48:51] but it’s just leading you nowhere. Jesus wants you to come to him so that he can give you life, [49:01] not because you’re faithful, but because he is. Trust him today. Give him your life.
[49:10] He’ll always be with you. For those of you that do know him and you followed him, [49:18] I want you for a moment just to take inventory and say, where do I need more of an anchor in my life?
[49:25] Where can I follow him more closely? Where can I know him more fully? [49:32] And what part of my life can I give him right now? His friends, he’s good. And he’s worth it.
[49:44] When you’re ready, come.