Living as God's Family: Faith, Trust, and Community

Devotional

Day 1: Equal Access to God Through Christ

In the family of God, we are all brothers and sisters, equal at the foot of the cross. This equality is not based on our own merit but is a gift granted through Jesus' sacrifice. Hebrews chapter 10 reminds us that we have been given direct access to the most holy place, a privilege that was once unavailable. This access calls us to live out our faith in community, bringing a piece of Heaven to a world often filled with darkness and challenges. As we embrace this identity, we are encouraged to reflect on how we can bring light to those around us, living as a testament to the grace we have received. [03:44]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: How can you actively bring a piece of Heaven to your community today, reflecting the equality and grace you have received through Christ?

Day 2: Personal Responsibility in Faith

Each believer is called to take personal responsibility for their faith journey. This involves engaging in personal prayer and study, cultivating a relationship with God that is both intimate and transformative. While personal growth is essential, it is also crucial for the health of the community, as it allows us to come together and encourage one another. By sharing our stories of triumph and struggle, we support each other in our spiritual growth, creating a vibrant and nurturing community of faith. [08:07]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your personal relationship with God, and how can you share this journey with your community to encourage others?

Day 3: Trusting in God's Faithfulness

Trust in God is likened to the trust we place in a chair when we sit down, confident that it will hold us. This trust is built on the foundation of God's proven faithfulness throughout history. By holding tightly to the hope we affirm, we acknowledge that God's promises are unwavering and sure. This assurance allows us to navigate life's uncertainties with confidence, knowing that we are supported by a faithful and loving God. [11:02]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you struggle to trust God fully. What steps can you take today to surrender this area to His faithfulness?

Day 4: Encouraging Acts of Love and Good Works

As members of the family of God, we are called to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Our presence and participation in the community matter, as gathering together is not just about fulfilling a religious obligation but about engaging in meaningful relationships that spur us on in our faith. By encouraging each other, we create an environment where love and good works flourish, reflecting the heart of God to the world around us. [16:49]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Who in your community can you encourage today to engage in acts of love and good works, and how can you support them in this endeavor?

Day 5: The Healing Power of Confession

Confession is a powerful tool for healing and growth within the community of faith. As priests in God's kingdom, we are called to confess our sins to one another, allowing for vulnerability and support in our journey toward Christlikeness. This openness fosters a community where we can be honest about our struggles and find the encouragement we need to grow spiritually. By embracing the power of confession, we create a safe space for healing and transformation. [25:33]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: Is there a burden or sin you need to confess to a trusted friend or mentor today? How can this act of vulnerability lead to healing and growth in your spiritual journey?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound implications of being part of the family of God, as outlined in Hebrews chapter 10. We delved into the concept of being brothers and sisters in Christ, emphasizing that through Jesus' sacrifice, we have been granted direct access to the most holy place, a privilege that was once unavailable. This access is not based on our merit but solely on Jesus' work, making us all equal at the foot of the cross. As a community, we are called to live out this reality by bringing a piece of Heaven to our world, which is often filled with darkness and challenges.

We discussed the importance of individual responsibility in our faith journey. Each of us must cultivate our relationship with God, engaging in personal prayer and study, while also coming together as a community to encourage and motivate one another. This communal aspect is vital, as it allows us to share our stories, both of triumph and struggle, and to support each other in our spiritual growth.

The sermon also highlighted the significance of trust in God, likening it to the trust we place in a chair when we sit down. Just as we trust the chair to hold us, we can trust God, who has proven Himself faithful time and again. This trust enables us to hold tightly to the hope we affirm, knowing that God is unwavering and His promises are sure.

Furthermore, we are encouraged to motivate one another to acts of love and good works, understanding that our presence and participation in the community matter. Gathering together is not just about fulfilling a religious obligation but about engaging in meaningful relationships that spur us on in our faith.

Finally, we are reminded of the power of confession and the healing it brings. As priests in God's kingdom, we are called to confess our sins to one another, allowing for healing and growth. This openness fosters a community where we can be vulnerable and find support in our journey toward Christlikeness.

Key Takeaways

1. Family of God: We are brothers and sisters in Christ, equal at the foot of the cross, with direct access to God through Jesus' sacrifice. This access is a privilege that calls us to live out our faith in community, bringing light to a world in darkness. [03:44]
2. Individual Responsibility: Each believer must take personal responsibility for their faith, engaging in prayer and study. This personal growth is essential for the health of the community, as it allows us to come together and encourage one another. [08:07]
3. Trust in God: Just as we trust a chair to hold us, we can trust God, who has proven Himself faithful. This trust enables us to hold tightly to the hope we affirm, knowing that God's promises are unwavering and sure. [11:02]
4. Motivating One Another: We are called to motivate each other to acts of love and good works, understanding that our presence in the community matters. Gathering together is about engaging in meaningful relationships that spur us on in our faith. [16:49]
5. Power of Confession: Confessing our sins to one another brings healing and growth. As priests in God's kingdom, we are called to be open and vulnerable, fostering a community where we can support each other in our journey toward Christlikeness. [25:33]
** [25:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction to Misso Dei Series
[00:24] - Shift from Revelation to Hebrews
[01:10] - Bringing Heaven to Earth
[02:13] - Understanding Hebrews Chapter 10
[03:31] - Family of God: Brothers and Sisters
[04:22] - The Holy of Holies and Jesus' Sacrifice
[05:37] - New Way to Worship
[07:01] - Markers of a Healthy Church
[08:29] - Individual Responsibility in Faith
[09:08] - Trusting God Fully
[11:27] - Motivating One Another
[13:38] - Encouragement and Fellowship
[16:49] - Importance of Gathering Together
[25:33] - Power of Confession and Healing
[30:16] - Dancing for the King of Kings

Sermon Clips

And so dear brothers and sisters so so already we got family language brothers and sisters I grew up in in a place in a church tradition where everybody called each other brother and sister and it always kind of took me back like what I'm not your brother and your sister um but as I began to understand what that meant is that hey we're a part of the family of God. [00:02:56]

Together in Christ we are brothers and sisters and E extra family and then this actually theologically the scripture talks about in Christ because we've said yes to Jesus and his salvation for us through what he did on the cross we're actually now a brother of his and so that in many ways we're equal with him in the family of God. [00:03:29]

And so now dear brothers and sisters we can boldly enter into the most holy Place why not because of anything we've done but totally because of Jesus's work and his sacrifice not ours and here's the interesting thing too is that means all of us are equal and because none of us are deserving hear me everyone is equal in the sight of God everyone is equal at the foot of the cross. [00:06:11]

Individually you begin to understand that you have your own individual responsibility for your faith it's not Pastor Chris's Faith it's your faith and you need to grow in it and you need to enter into the holy of holies you need to have your own prayer life you need to have your own your own study life and that when we gather here together we encourage each other. [00:08:06]

Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere Hearts fully trusting him here's the interesting thing this sincere heart is a heart that's changed all of our behaviors come from our heart and the Antiquities mind and heart kind of meant the same thing and so when you think thoughts and do things that's coming from a heart because it's your heart is your will and your character that moves you and motivates you. [00:09:02]

So when you came into this building today and you sat down on that chair how many of you thought oh my gosh I hope it doesn't break this time none of you everyone came in you have your assigned seats I know that so you've already had built trust in your assigned seat that you've sat there before over and over and over again because I've seen some of you come in and someone's in your seat. [00:10:12]

Over and over and over again God has made promises and he always keeps them and fulfills them to a te so then therefore let's go into the presence of God with sincere Hearts because we can fully trust him because he's always been a promisee keeper and so what can we trust for that our guilty consciences have been washed away by the blood that our bodies have been made pure and right. [00:11:02]

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works that one of the key things that we do together when we come together we share our stories of what God's doing in our heart in our heart and our life that that we're like excited to tell about but we also tell about the things where there's some pain and suffering and we're like God are you even there. [00:12:46]

Presence matters in church is that we share life we don't just share duts and coffee we share life and so as we get together and we expose scripture and how scripture exposes us we talk about how God's been changing us and transforming us and my my before Jesus and what Jesus is doing in now and what I hope that he's doing for the future that all of this motivates us. [00:15:12]

Confess your sins we're each priests now right so as priests we sit down together with our friends in Christ as priests and you confess your sins to each other because you have to have some people that you can trust that know you and love you that you can continually sit down and they've been promisekeepers with you and they can sit down with you and they can know you and still love you. [00:25:33]

When we confess our sins a lot of those sins come out of that and that's the source of it and so whenever we confess it someone knows it you go to a doctor and the doctor prays and the doctor prays to the Healer the Rafa who's Jesus that's God that's one of his characteristics in name he brings healing and so it's that idea of it has to be the Good Shepherd. [00:26:20]

Light brings healing a de disease cannot be healed healed if it's not acknowledged so listen we're on Mission y'all know it we've talked about it for a while our Cross Point mission is what one more for Jesus right we're pointing people to Jesus so let's be known as followers of Jesus that love our neighbors well let us motivate one another to acts of kindness and of good works and of love. [00:27:24]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?