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Gospel Gratitude

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church!

Last week we finished our series on Freedom in Christ’

• If you missed it – Please check out the series on YouTube channel
  • Also NWC interviewed us last week on this series
  • Got to talk about our church and how what freedom means to us
  • Check that out… should air over 2 episodes – Starts November 7th
• Always awesome to connect with other organizations
  • Who want to see us succeed and we want to see them as well
• So this morning is sorta an open sermon for me which is full
  • But I want to continue down the same river
  • As I think God is flowing in a specific way

Morning going to book of Hebrews

Heb. 12:12-13

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.

–      Translation: God has…

• Somewhere for us to go
• Something for us to do… so its time to move!

 

And make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Heb. 12:14-17

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which, no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the Grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

[PRAY] – Meet us today… show us your goodness today

 

Story

Can we talk for moment about society’s obsession w/ what’s new

–      Anyone remember fidget spinners – Anyone glad we forgot them

• Its crazy how quickly they came… and then left
• Now we all have like 15 of these lying around our houses
  • FOR MONTHS: LOOK AT MY NEW FIGET SPINNER!
  • I DON’T WANT TO ANYMORE
    • And why would you need more than one
    • They all do the same thing

 

–      I honestly tried to get it – Joey got his first one

• I’m trying to figure out something cool to do with it
• Besides just spin the darn thing… what else does it do
  • Dad – Can you do this??? (One finger) – YES
  • Dad – Can you do this??? (Twist arm) – YES
    • You’re pretty good… no I’m not… balances itself

Next came the slime stuff – Anyone else

• That’s real winner – Especially when daughter rubs it in hair
  • And YouTube will even show you how to make it yourself
  • I hate slime with a passion
  • I want to outlaw it… I want to be a slime free zone

–      Why can’t we go back to things like silly putty

• • It bounced
  • It stretched
  • It copied newspaper

–      Kids will probably tell me after service how old I am… I don’t care

• • Down with slime!!!
  • Down with fidget spinners!!!

Always wondering what gonna be next new thing obsess over

• Like App Store – What’s new stupid simple addictive game
  • See those ads on Social media
  • They literally say – OMG… I can’t stop playing this game
    • So naturally I have to try it to see if its true
    • It being right at our fingertips – Impossible not to

Regardless of what it is: We love NEW STUFF

• Ever heard the saying “Oh… THIS OLD THING”?

• • Comment on someone’s shirt: Response “I’ve had that for years”
  • W/O knowing it we are alluding a human condition
  • That we prefer/value things that are new

 

• I have a closet full of shirts I don’t care about
  • But if I gave you one of those shirts – Be new to you
  • And you would be like… well maybe don’t like this one
  • Think I look like a priest – IT IS EUROPEAN

• But if I gave you one you liked
• • For a period of time u would value that shirt more than I do
  • Why…Because its new to you

If not careful – Take desire for new things into relationship w/ Jesus

• Whether knowingly or not it can be super unhealthy
  • In this letter written again to Jewish believers of Jesus
  • They’re under a lot of persecution
  • Life difficult specifically b/c of public faith in Jesus
    • Writer is saying to them

 

Heb. 12:15

See to it that no one fails to obtain (forgets the value) the grace of God.

Writer NOT saying – Make sure people don’t miss out on Jesus

• Remember audience is already believers in Jesus
• The audience has already received God’s Grace

 

–      Reason he had to write this: Because the way we value things

• Grace starts out as fun/fresh/new… but then things get hard…
• The newness of this life starts to fade
• … make sure no one fails to obtain God’s grace

2 Cor. 5:21

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

• Grace is became and become
  • HE became so that YOU could become
• Not based off what you can do
  • Not based off what your family looks like
  • If you will just accept His gift – IT. YOURS.

Writer saying in context – We often times take for granted what we have

• B/C it can become easy to grow careless with what we have
  • Overtime we are prone to start looking for something new
    • John 3:16 – I’ve heard that
    • 8 – Sure I know that one too
    • Jesus? He’s great… been there, done that
    • I’ve been to Grand Canyon/know about Jesus samesies

–      This is how things were turning for these ancient Hebrews

• They had received the free gift of grace
• Had right standing with God
• But over time they got use to it – That’s where we get careless

–      Because we hear the stories of Jesus

• The sacrifice and rescue from our sins
• How its not about what we do but what Jesus did
  • And now the question… what’s next???
  • When do we get to the new stuff

And there it is – the way we are somehow wired… lets move on

• Jesus loves me this I know for Bible tells me so
  • Okay: Check/Period/Got it – What’s next???
    • How about: Jesus loves US this WE know for Bible tells US so
    • No no no – What’s next
    • Well that is it…. Forever

Heb. 12:15

See to it that NO ONE STOPS RECEIVING the grace of God

–      Writer is telling us something about our relationship to Jesus

• That over time we can take it for granted
• Think there must be more – something else to attain
• We take for granted greatest gift in human history
  • Because we want to THE NEXT EXCITING THING

2 Pt 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

–      We must keep growing in our knowledge of what Jesus did for us

• The premise of our church – We are bound to message of Gospel
• Bound to the Good news of what Jesus has done for us

–      Writer saying: Some among you have stopped… and that’s not ok

• And its not that they forgot what they have in Jesus
• They just want more than Jesus
• But what Jesus has done isn’t something to move on from
  • It is all there ever is or will be
  • There is not a next level

–      Bible: Make sure that you are always growing in grace of God

• Practically: Remember/Rehearse/Recall what Jesus does
  • On a regular basis
  • B/C it’s not supposed to get old

 

Tag: Writer continues his thought in verse 15 with this

Heb. 12:15

…that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many

become defiled.

Root of Bitterness

I say root of bitterness – What do you automatically think

• Think of uncle/aunt that never has forgiven you or ur family
  • Ever had someone declare that: I’ll NEVER forgive you
  • Automatically we think – “Root of Bitterness”
    • Growing up in church this is a popular phrase

–      Actually Root of Bitterness here not just someone who’s hurt you

• It’s far MORE toxic than that – “MANY” will be defiled

–      1st says make sure none one misses out on the growing grace of God

• 2nd make sure you look out for toxic perspectives of God

Wanna know how toxic perspectives of God start to grow in our minds

• We minimize/set aside/compromise true gift/story of Jesus
  • Over time grace of God becomes something I did
    • Writer says: Root of bitterness begins to grow
    • This perspective of God will effect ur human experience

–      Writer follows this up with story of Famous Hebrew man

• Also one of the dumbest decisions/expensive meals in all the Bible
• Guys name is Esau – Name has great meaning: HAIRY

Heb. 12:15-17

That no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled, that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected.

–      So writer of Hebrews writing to people going through persecution

• Saying: Don’t give up – You’re gonna make it
• By the way: Keep growing in the grace of God
• Keep talking to each other about the gift of God
• B/C if you don’t: You’ll get a toxic view of God
  • You will turn God into an accessory
    • Eventually will make dumb daily decisions like Esau
    • And later this will come back to get you

–      Wait… so this passage really relates to ALL OF US

• Who is Esau – All of us are
• Simple question… ever made a dumb decision u regretted later
  • Wake up next morning thinking
  • What in the world did I just do???

–      If you go back and follow ur tracks that led to that dumb decision

• Bible says for those of us who follow Jesus
• Reason you make REALLY BAD DECISIONS
  • Not the result you want
  • Not the way you want to live
  • Not what you want long germ

• Reason we make short term/low level decisions
  • We HAVE A GOSPEL PROBLEM

Writer brakes down why we make bad decisions

Make bad decisions b/c we get careless with greatest gift of all time

• What was Esau’s problem???
  • Esau is hairy / Jacob is not
    • Jacob is mama’s favorite
    • Esau is dad’s boy
      • Esau likes to hunt/Jacob likes to hunt for deals in mall

• Esau as the older brother so he has birthright
  • Birthright would define your lifetime
  • Birthright meant
    • Always the richest
    • Always the most powerful
    • Always the leader – All because he is the 1st born

–      Fast forward to an average afternoon

• Esau’s been out hunting – Smells like He’s been hunting
  • Jacob has been cooking up an amazing stew
  • Esau comes home and smells something amazing

• Esau asks his brother Jacob for some…
  • Jacob says okay… but lets make a trade
  • Esau says fine what do you want to trade
    • Jacob says: Your Birthright
    • … Seriously?!?!

–      All Esau can think is: I’m STARVING!!!!

• Actually isn’t – Just being dramatic
• Says these words: What does birthright matter to me if I’m dead
  • Esau says fine
  • Jacob gives him bread and bowl of lentil soup (Love lentils)

Gen. 25:34

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

–      Means he shrugged it off – Not a big deal – I don’t care

• Of course he was haunted by it

If u read on in Heb. 12 – Do u know what we are called as believers???

• We are called the firstborn of God
  • Now because of Jesus – We have 1st born rights forever
  • Jesus is now the 1st born of many
    • He took our place – so now we receive

–      Part of the inheritance through the grace of God in Jesus

• It’s the birthright – Right to inherit as the first born
• Esau is a picture of how we often relate to that right…
  • To grace of God/person of Jesus

But what happens is life – Not on a Sunday morning/no music/preaching

• No body is holding your hand – cheering you on
  • It’s an average afternoon and ur hungry/tired/agitated
  • All of the sudden life escalates
    • Things are blown way out of proportion
    • All you can think is: I’M DYING HERE GOD!!!

–      And we hear an echo of our guy Esau

• Not so much – What is a birthright good for me now
• It’s – What good is Jesus to me in this moment
  • Because I’m about to die

–      And we have a decision to make – And we have to make it

• I’d like it way more if God made it for us
• Funny – Everyone wants free will until you have it
  • Then u just want God to make decision for us
  • He’s like… nope that’s not gonna happen
  • Make a decision

And we get careless with Jesus

You know most sin is an act of ungratefulness

• Do you know what adulatory is: act of ungratefulness to spouse
  • You forgot what you have
  • And usually someone else can see what you forgot u have
  • You just can’t see it anymore
    • Think oh that’s just my wife
    • It’s NEVER JUST my wife… never forget – THAT’S MY WIFE!!!

THE POWER OF GRATEFULNESS – When u say “Thank you Jesus”

• To You it’s just a warm fuzzy moment w/ God – MUCH MORE!!!
  • It’s the moment that will give u strength when times get tough
  • To remind you WHY you are grateful
  • So you can make the right decision
    • Why – Because I have a birthright in Jesus

–      Sometimes you have to even say it out loud

• This is who I am
• That is not the man/woman that I am
  • Yes I am very hungry
  • I want that bowl of soup
    • But I realize what have in my birthright
    • I WILL NOT SELL MYSELF SHORT

I know for sure I can relate to Esau

• I have been there far too many times
  • I know it’s not right decision – But I’m tired
  • I know I should go there – But it’s been a long day
  • I know I have a higher standard – But I’m so stressed out
    • God’s grace… great – Never been more hungry than now
    • Come on God – I guess I’ll just do it on my own

TAG: And we forget inheritance (walk away from a palace to eat w/ pigs)

Writer seems to link Bitterness/Birthright

It’s as if they are the same attitude

• Root of Bitterness so similar to Esau’s attitude towards birthright
  • Almost an indifference (don’t really care)
    • Oh you’re spiritual – that’s fine
    • Oh you don’t believe in church – cool
    • Oh you follow all religions – whatever works

–      If not careful – Jesus will be improvement plan to round out resume

• Jesus isn’t a life improver
• Jesus is a life transformer

–      I can totally feel for Esau – He was hungry

• And a birthright… it’s sorta elusive
  • He gave up something he couldn’t hold for what he could
  • He gave up the future for the now
  • He gave up a long term fix for a short term band-aide

Shoot – I guess there are lots of times I’m Esau

• B/C God has all these promises for my future… but what about now?
  • What about when I’m not sure how to buy groceries
  • What about when I go to bed lonely every night
  • What about when I see people who don’t deserve it… get it

Know one of hardest verses in the Bible: 1 day is like 1000 years to God 

• Translation: His time scale stinks sometimes in my mind
  • B/C that hour can look pretty devastating right???
  • Especially if you’re going through a tough day
  • 1 day = 1000 years (What does it even mean)
    • Means: God goes by his own pace
    • … BUT DO YOU TRUST HIM???

–      Maybe you do… hard part is trusting yourself

• Yes, that’s why you need to be around other believers
• That’s why you need to join a life group
• That’s why you need to come up and get prayer

QUESTION: WHO IS JESUS TO YOU

Is Jesus vehicle by which we will be transferred into our destiny

• Is Jesus the Fairy Godfather to give us lots of stuff
  • Is Jesus the good times bus on continual spiritual high
    • Lots of you have experienced those things
    • But when times get hard – Now I don’t even know who he is
    • Who is Jesus to you – Be careful what you wish for

In this Hebrew community – Jesus was best b/c Christianity was safe

• There was an extended period of peace for the church
  • But what happened when things turned south
  • When they saw people killed for calling on Jesus
  • They weren’t quite sure what they should do

–      Writer says – Make sure you don’t end up like Esau

• … but what if I want to be
• I get it – because there are times that it is hard
  • At first you get a job
  • Things seem great
  • Soaking up scripture like a sponge
  • Every week sermon is catapulting u to new level

–      But then opposition comes

• Maybe a couple of things don’t fall your way
• Times seem to get cold
• Just not clicking with wife/kids
  • Start to wonder if this Jesus thing will pan out
  • Oh… wow… well I’ve been there too

Staring at my Bible – Answering this question writer is asking me too 

• Who is Jesus to me?
  • One who took a stuttering kid that couldn’t read a full sentence
    • Told him He would share Jesus for a living
    • He’s my restorer

–      Who is Jesus to me?

• One who called me at 14 year old kid on missions trip in Mexico
• Before I knew it I was on the ground
  • 7 or 8 pastors praying over me
  • God told me my life would be dedicated to teaching of Jesus
    • He’s my purpose

–      Who is Jesus to me?

• One who walked me through my dad fighting for life in cancer
• And then walked me through it again with my mom
  • He’s my comformt

–      Who is Jesus to me?

• Who respond when I prayed “I’m going to mailbox at 11pm”
• If this beautiful girl there – I’ll ask her on a date
  • Then convinced my wife to say yes
  • And then helped me not totally blow that date
    • He’s the fulfiller of my dreams

–      Who is Jesus to me?

• He’s the one who gave wife desire to schedule early c-section
• Doctor’s usually want u to try and have baby nautically first
  • Michelle wanted to schedule early
  • When Lyla was delivered
  • Discovered umbilical cord wrapped in knot around neck
    • Doctor (not believer) said: “Someone looking our for u”
    • He’s my families protector

Who is Jesus – He is everything – Through the darkest times to the best

• He isn’t just my ticket to good times
  • He is my constant through every time
  • He’s my protector/teacher/strength/comfort/friend

–      And maybe that’s not your story – But you have one too

• And the point of all of it…
• It’s that I choose Him
• I trust Him

–      He is…

• The reason – not the means
• The treasure of the ages
• What your soul longs for – Your advocate

And I pray that who Jesus is to you – Not just a life improvement idea

• Would go beyond a church service on Sunday mornings
  • It would become our King of Kings/Lord of Lords
  • That he would become everything to us
  • Jesus is EVERYTHING – He can be your everything…

 

[PRAY]