Sunday’s Sermons

Text: Hebrews 12:12-17                                                     3/2/08 PM

Thesis: We must strive for Christ or fall into apostasy.

 

Intro: If you’ve ever tried to raise a vegetable garden or grow flowers in your front yard you know there are really two different approaches.

There is the laissez-faire approach where you deliberately do as little as possible.  You may till up the ground and throw out some seeds but that’s pretty much it.

Laissez-faire means literally to let people do as they choose (Merriam-Webster dictionary)

Some plants will make it and a few will flourish but the majority will either be eaten by birds, choked by weeds, or never make it into the soil.

There is also the deliberate approach.  Here the gardener will purposefully take care of the weeds, till the garden, plant the seeds appropriately, monitor the amount of water, weed the garden, use fertilizers, and do everything possible to ensure the most productive growth.

Here there will be minimal loss and maximum growth.

What I want us to see tonight is that a laissez-faire approach to the church is not found in the bible and if we want to flourish as a church we must be deliberate.

Hebrews 12:12-17 gives us some very specific avenues by which we are to be involved in each other’s lives.

And we do this, we are involved in each other’s lives and deliberate in all that we do, because eternity is at stake.

 

Read Hebrews 12:12-17

 

There are two principles from our text tonight; one is negative and the other is positive.

Principle one is if the church is going to flourish we cannot give up. Principle two is if the church is going to flourish we must deliberately pursue peace and holiness.

I) For the church to flourish we cannot give up

Read verses 12 and 13

a)      In order to not give up you must seek strength from others when you feel beaten down

i)        The idea of drooping hands and weak knees comes from Isaiah 35:3

ii)      Read Isaiah 35

iii)    The worst thing a boxer can do when he is tired to is let his hands fall down.  No longer is there a defense and his opponent will pound his face.

iv)    There are two dynamics playing out here.  On the one side is the call to individuals to lift up their own hands and strengthen their own weak knees.

v)      The other side is that the household of God must lift up the limp hands and strengthen the lame knees of each other.

vi)    Think of a pecan tree. One pecan tree by itself can make it and produce some fruit. But the reason pecan trees are put together in an orchard is because there is great benefit to being surrounded by other pecan trees.

vii)  There is cross pollination that is so helpful.  There is an environment where trees do not compete for nutrients with other plants.

viii)            That plot of ground is all about raising the most productive pecan trees as possible.

ix)    For the church to flourish we must be about raising the most productive Christians as possible.

x)      That means we need to be constantly on the watch for those who are in a season of weakness.

xi)    It also means we must be open to the help of others when we are in a season of weakness.

xii)  James 5:16 says plainly, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

xiii)            A healthy church is not a church where there is no weakness in response to sin or the Lord’s discipline.

xiv)            A healthy church is a church that gracefully and with a Christ-centered approach works to strengthen the weakness in it’s midst.

xv)  Do not give up and do not give up on each other. Set your eyes on Jesus, pursue Him, and take others with you.

b)      That means we must always follow the straightest path to Christ

i)        Make straight paths for your feet. Don’t roam around without purpose or direction.

ii)      Don’t let go and let God. There is a great danger to not being deliberate as a Christian.

iii)    Turn to Proverbs 4:23-27

iv)    Guard your heart and weigh your desires against the commands of Christ.

v)      Guard your lips and only speak words that build up.

vi)    Set your gaze on Christ. Make seeing Christ and being like Christ the goal of your existence.

vii)  We’re not on a Sunday drive in the Christian life; living to be living and going anywhere we desire.

viii)            We must set an intentional course to know Christ and be involved in ministry.

ix)    What does it look like to make straight paths for your self and for your brothers and sisters in Christ?

x)      The simplest way to put it is found in Ephesians 6 where we are told to put on the full armor of God.

xi)    Pursue truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

xii)  It’s being alert in prayer and diligent to seek God’s strength.

xiii)            Seek the power and benefit of the church. Be involved for the good of others.

xiv)            Otherwise face paralysis. What is translated “put out of joint” in Hebrews 12:13 is the Greek word from which we get our English word paralysis.

xv)  When I was in college I was playing knock-out with a bunch of youth and the basketball rolled off the driveway and into the yard.

xvi)            I took off running full speed after it and in the process stepped in a hole and severely sprained my ankle.

xvii)          I had to get x-rays and was on crutches for a while. The holes in the yard did not bring me a win but a loss.

xviii)        If we are nonchalant about holiness and spreading the gospel it will lead to problems.

xix)            And unresolved problems lead to paralysis. Instead of healing there will come dislocation.

xx)  We need to pursue the potholes in the yards of our lives and we need to be open to others pursuing the potholes in our lives as well.

xxi)            Like in your physical yard at home you’ve grown accustomed to where the holes are and you just avoid them instead of fixing them.

xxii)          When someone else comes along they don’t know where they are and they fall into them.

xxiii)        We as a church must be open to others as they help to fix the potholes of weakness in our lives.

xxiv)        These are not individual commands but corporate duties of the church.

xxv)          Those are some big pictures items now we need to get a little more specific.

II) The church must pursue peace and holiness

Read Hebrews 12:14

a)      Pursue peace and do not settle for a lack of unity

i)        There are two different words dealing with how intentional we must be in our pursuit of Christ.

ii)      One word is often translated as “seek”. It carries the idea of purposefully looking for something.

iii)    We should think of a child’s game of hide and seek. There is a purpose and there is good to be gained but there is not a great deal at stake.

iv)    Then there is the word strive.  This is a step above seek.

v)      Think of the woman who has lost her coin and she turns her house upside down and sweeps the floor looking intently until she finds that coin.

vi)    Think of the shepherd who has lost one of his sheep and he goes on a mission to find that one lamb.

vii)  This must be our mentality and dedication as we pursue peace at Mambrino Baptist Church.

viii)            Dave Ramsey says, “the only way to true financial peace is by walking daily with the Prince of Peace.”

ix)    That’s a true statement for peace in every area of our lives.

x)      Walking daily with the Prince of Peace means we are searching for sin and repentance so that we can be more like Christ.

xi)    We’re searching for ways to serve so we can be more like Christ.

xii)  We’re looking for opportunities to tell others how to be saved by Christ and we’re looking for ways to encourage those that are weak.

xiii)            Peace is never achieved by looking to what I want. Peace is only achieved by setting your eyes on Christ and bringing Him to bear on every circumstance in our lives.

xiv)            And this must be a peace with everyone. Peace with God, peace with church members, and peace with the lost world.

xv)  Peace and holiness go hand in hand

b)      We must demand holiness because heaven is only attained by the holy.

i)        We are to work hard for peace and we are to work hard for holiness.

ii)      This is so practical.  You will not realize the holiness of Christ in your life by doing nothing.

iii)    In the same way that a garden won’t be productive if you just dumped everything in a pile.

iv)    You’ve got to work the garden. And we’ve got to strive for holiness.

v)      Being holy takes effort.  God declares us righteous through faith in Christ and then we workout that salvation.

vi)    Many people are uncomfortable with the Philippians 2:12 command to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling because they are comfortable with their sin.

vii)  This is so important because if you do not strive for holiness then you won’t see God.

viii)            Stop waiting for God to do something amazing in your life. He’s already done something amazing.

ix)    There is nothing more life changing and soul shaking then what God did for you through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

x)      Here’s where our individual Christian lives striving for holiness connects to others.

c)      We must get involved in people lives and be concerned about the salvation of other church members

i)        See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God

ii)      Stick your nose in other people’s salvation business.

iii)    Look carefully says the NKJV. Look diligently says the KJV.

iv)    It is the Holy Spirit’s command, it is God’s command, that you investigate the salvation of fellow members.

v)      One of the most loving questions you can ask someone who sits in the pew across from you is, “When you stand before God and He asks you why He should let you into heaven what will you say?”

vi)    When you care enough to ask that question it will reveal areas of weakness. The response will show you if their hands or knees are weak.

vii)  God will show you how to minister to them.

viii)            Or, you may find yourself encouraged by their faith. A strong joyous answer of faith in Christ will spur you on to love and good works.

ix)    For the health of the church see to it that no one in your Sunday School class and no one on the church roll fails to obtain the grace of God. 

d)     And see to it that no one is bitter

i)        Turn to Deuteronomy 29:16-22

ii)      There was a stubbornness about the people when they left Egypt.  They didn’t like Moses, they didn’t like the wilderness, they didn’t like the manna, they didn’t like the size of the people in Canaan, and they didn’t like the fortified cities. They didn’t like everything.

iii)    They would rather be back where they were.

iv)    It’s the heart that says, “I shall be safe, thought I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.”

v)      I won’t work for the good of others, I won’t pursue peace, I won’t pursue holiness, I’ll complain about everything, and God will be okay with that.

vi)    Guess what? God’s not okay with that.

vii)  One bitter root can spring up in a church and cause trouble and defile many.

viii)            Be on guard about what you say about this church. You may have a justified concern but if you complain about it instead of dealing with the person involved it will cause problems.

ix)    Many a church has been defiled by whiners and complainers and many a church has flourished because people had joyful faith in the God who promised to work all things for good.

x)      There was a “we can’t do that” attitude in the people of God and in response God killed them in the wilderness.

xi)    Then there was a “we can do that” attitude in the people of God and they conquered the Promised Land.

xii)  When someone starts to complain you need to graciously smile at them and say, “hope in God.”

xiii)            If it is an honest concern then take them to the person involved and through faith in Christ see to it that no root of bitterness springs up and defiles many.

xiv)            Faith in Christ and a commitment to pursuing peace are the herbicides for the root of bitterness.

xv)  Vow today that you will serve God by refusing to let yourself and your spouse and your family and your friends become bitter.

e)      And see to it that no one acts like Esau

i)        Read verses 16&17

ii)      Esau rejected the promises of God for a bowl of soup.

iii)    Esau married against God’s command thus committing sexual immorality.

iv)    And Esau cared little for his birthright which was God’s blessing on the firstborn.

v)      How is it that we are to see that no one is like Esau because in Esau’s case what was done was done and there was not going back?

vi)    Esau couldn’t change what had happened though he tried to do so with tears.

vii)  Often what happens with this text is we get caught up either trying to identify people we know who could be Esau’s or we get wrapped up thinking that we are Esau’s.

viii)            The worst thing we as a church could do in relation to this command to see to it that no one is like Esau is to do nothing.

ix)    The greatest sin we commit as a church is the sin of doing nothing.

x)      So what does it look like to be an Esau?

xi)    Esau’s don’t care about Christ they only care for themselves.

xii)  Esau is the stereotype for worldly sorrow that leads to death instead of godly sorrow that produces repentance leading to salvation (2 Cor 7:10).

xiii)            Worldly sorrow is what can be classified as the poor-pitifuls.  I’ve had it hard. I deserve better.

xiv)            It’s a commitment to attaining the things of the world to the neglect of attaining the things of God.

xv)  Godly sorrow realizes I have sinned against God. Esau made no confession of sin against God he just wanted the stuff.

xvi)            We must warn people who begin to show the signs of being an Esau.

xvii)          Here are some of those signs: they stop coming to church. Hebrews 10:25 says they forsake the assembling of the brethren; they neglect meeting together because they have better things to do.

xviii)        For a single meal Esau gave up the things of God. That is despicable.

xix)            So in response we must be a people who are always quick to repentant.

xx)  We must be a people who care for each other’s salvation not wanting any to be like Esau.

xxi)            We must dedicate ourselves to praying for each other. I would encourage you to join me in praying through the church role.

xxii)          Take a page a day or two pages a day and pray for each member by name.

xxiii)        Pray specifically for his/her strength in weakness, healing, peace, and holiness.

xxiv)        Pray he/she will not become bitter but have joy in Christ. Pray he/she will not trade the marvelous riches of grace for the empty things of the world.

xxv)          And get involved in people’s lives. Honestly care about people and I promise you we will see this church explode.

xxvi)        It’s time to get off the side lines of stubbornness and get into the game of Christianity.