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Hebrews 10:24-25 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Hebrews chapter 10, I'll begin reading in verse 19.
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Let's pray together.
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Father God, we thank you for your visible church.
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I thank you that you are at work amongst us,
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and that a great display of Christ's work sits in this room together today.
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And I pray, Father, because of your great love for your church,
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you will add your blessing to the study of your word this morning,
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for your glory and our good.
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And we pray this in the precious name of Christ.
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Amen.
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So please grab a seat.
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As I do the same, I'm going to dispel some notions that you may have about me.
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And I recognize that these might be very deep-rooted beliefs that you have about who I am as a person,
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really right down in the midst of you.
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And I just apologize.
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I'm going to shake you up a little bit this morning,
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because I have to tell you that I'm not the strongest guy you know.
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I know many of you think that, and it's just not true.
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Wes and I took a group of students from Truett McConnell caving and rock climbing this weekend,
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and I am in so much pain right now,
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which is why I'm sitting down, not because I'm cool and preach from a stool,
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but because I hurt.
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I don't think I can stand for 30 minutes.
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The second notion you may have about me is that I'm the smartest guy you know,
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which is also not true at all,
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because I took a bunch of young people caving and climbing
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and thought I could hang with them in that act.
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So I'm not the strongest or smartest person you know,
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which is evidenced not just in this morning, but in a number of things.
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So we've been working our way through this text that I read to you this morning,
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in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19 through 25,
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and we came to it with the intended purpose of talking about the vision of Christ's family church.
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How is it that Christ's family church,
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which we believe exists to experience, proclaim, and display the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things,
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does that?
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How is it that we experience, proclaim, and display the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things?
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And I've told you that we kind of like to use an analogy of ministry about the activity of a church,
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and we use this picture of a tree that we're to have roots that are firmly and deeply founded in the word of the living God
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and branches that exalt Christ in our congregational worship and prayers together,
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and fruit that the action of loving one another and the world through service and through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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And so I kind of began in this process of wanting to kind of preach a little series, so to speak,
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and God brought me to this text, which contains all of these truths and not quite as neat a format.
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But we've been working our way through it, and this will be the last sermon in this text.
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Verse 24 and 25 will be our focus this morning.
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So let me read just those two verses to you again to kind of bring us in a bit on what we're going to focus on today.
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The writer of Hebrews says,
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And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
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not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
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but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
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And we saw, beginning in verse 19, we saw these privileges, two privileges here.
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Certainly there are some beyond that, but two privileges here that have been bought for us
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are granted to us by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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And they were, number one, unlimited accessibility to God.
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And we see that in verses 19 and 20, that because Christ, because of his sacrifice on our behalf,
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the sacrifice once and for all for our sins, we now have full access, easy access,
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not once a year access like the Jews had one guy one time a year to enter in the presence of God,
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but we have full, unhindered accessibility to God.
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And number two, the second great privilege was great advocacy with God,
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because Jesus is now our great high priest.
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And even now, as I speak at the right hand of the Father,
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interceding for me and the preaching this morning,
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and interceding for you and your hearing of preaching this morning.
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And so we have these great privileges granted to us by the gospel.
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And the writer of Hebrews goes on, as a result of that, to give us three exhortations,
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three encouragements to us in light of these two privileges.
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And these exhortations, these encouragements,
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were called by the Puritans, ways of improving upon these privileges.
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Not that we make the privileges greater,
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but our practicing of them is an improvement upon these privileges.
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And the first two that we saw, number one was,
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let us draw near to God.
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Christian worship, the act of coming together,
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let us as a congregation come together with hearts and minds engaged upon who God is.
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And number two, we are to hold fast, verse 23,
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the confession of our hope, or the one who is our hope, without wavering.
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This morning we're going to talk about the third way we're exhorted to improve upon these privileges,
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which is there in verse 24 and 25.
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So, he begins by saying,
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let us consider how to stir up one another.
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And you may have a different translation of that.
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That Greek word has been translated a number of different ways.
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Stimulate, spur on.
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But I think my favorite is incite.
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Let us consider how to incite one another to love and good works.
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Colin Round, who is probably the most renowned contemporary linguist,
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has translated this word affectionate incitement.
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So, it's not just the strong word of let us figure out how to command one another to love and good works.
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Let us affectionately incite one another to love and good works,
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which are authentic displays of Christianity.
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So, if we're to incite each other to something,
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stir up each other to something,
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authentic displays of Christianity,
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which the writer of Hebrews simply says,
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love and good works.
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Love, which is affection,
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which desires the greatest good of its object.
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And good works,
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which is just the tangible outworking of that affection.
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Is it not?
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So, love and good works
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is what we're to incite one another to.
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And we could easily call this
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the ministry of affectionate incitement.
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And I want to give you
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four points to that end.
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The ministry of affectionate incitement.
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Number one
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is the responsibility
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of all of us.
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The ministry of affectionate incitement
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is the responsibility
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of all of us.
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And I pointed out to you before,
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I'm going to do so again,
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the pattern
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the writer of Hebrews is using here.
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In verse 19,
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we see plural pronouns.
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We have confidence.
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Verse 20,
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open for us.
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Verse 21,
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we have a great priest.
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Verse 22,
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let us draw near.
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Our hearts sprinkled clean.
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Our bodies washed.
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Verse 23,
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let us hold fast.
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Verse 24,
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let us consider.
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Right?
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The ministry of affectionate incitement
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is the responsibility
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of all of us.
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If you are in Christ,
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this ministry
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has been given to you.
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I would say,
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not only is it a privilege,
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but it is a duty
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to serve
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in this way.
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1 Peter 1,
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22 and 23.
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Peter writes,
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having purified your souls
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by your obedience
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to the truth
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for a sincere
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brotherly love,
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love one another
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earnestly
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from a pure heart.
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Why?
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The beginning of verse 23,
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since you have
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been born again.
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Love one another
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because
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of who
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you
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are.
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You are children
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of the Most High God.
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Therefore,
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love one another
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will be another way
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of saying that.
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1 John 4,
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10 and 11.
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John wrote,
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in this
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is love.
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Not that we have loved God,
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but that He loved us
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and sent His Son
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to be the propitiation
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for our sins.
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Right?
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He's talking to the church.
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Right?
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In this is love
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that Christ has died
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for us.
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Then He says,
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Beloved,
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if God so loved us,
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we also
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ought to love
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one another.
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It's a response
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to who
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we are
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because Christ
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has purchased us.
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John 13,
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35,
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Jesus says,
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By this,
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all people will know
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that you are
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my disciples.
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By what?
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By Sunday morning
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participation?
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By the t-shirts
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that we wear?
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By the things
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we claim to hate
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and be against?
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Mm-mm.
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If you have love
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for one another.
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This is the
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defining characteristic.
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Are there other things
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that you characterize
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as followers of Christ?
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Absolutely.
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But if we had to say
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one that trumps them all,
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this is the one.
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Our love
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for
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one
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another.
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So this is a ministry
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that belongs
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to all of us.
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There aren't
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people
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specifically called
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to be
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inciders of
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love and good works.
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This is something
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that is responsibility
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laid on all
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our shoulders.
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Number two,
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the ministry of affection
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and incitement
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is the fruit
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of intention.
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It is the fruit
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of intention.
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Verse 24 begins,
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let us
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consider.
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And as
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has been the pattern
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over these past
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couple of weeks,
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the let us
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is not actually
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found in Greek,
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but it's implied
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in the Greek word.
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So it's actually
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one word here.
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Let us
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consider
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is one Greek word,
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plural,
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present active.
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It's a very strong word,
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this word consider.
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it means to
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consider
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attentively,
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to fix
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one's mind
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and gaze
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upon.
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It's the very
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same word
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used in Hebrews
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chapter 3,
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verse 1,
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where the writer
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says,
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fix your eyes
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upon Jesus.
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The idea there
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is not that you
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glance
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at Christ,
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but that you
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fully set
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your gaze
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on Christ,
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right?
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intently
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staring at
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who Christ
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is,
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his person
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and his work.
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The same
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word used
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there,
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very strong
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word,
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consider
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attentively,
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fix your
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mind
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upon this.
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It's not
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going to happen
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just because.
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This is something
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we're going to
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have to work
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at.
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Not everyone
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here needs
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to be
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incited
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in the same
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way.
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We all have
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different
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experience.
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We're all
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going through
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something
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differently
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today.
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All of us
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have different
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home situations.
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All of us
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have struggled
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with various
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sins in the
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past and
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in the
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present.
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If we
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are to
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be about
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the ministry
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of incitement,
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it's going
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to take
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intention
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on our
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part.
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We're going
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to have to
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pay attention
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to those
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around us
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and their
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needs.
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We're going
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to have to
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get to
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know each
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other a
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little bit,
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aren't we?
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It's also
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regular and
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ongoing.
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I mentioned
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that it's
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present active
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tense.
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This is not
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something that
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you do
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one time.
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It's not a
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checkbox on
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your list of
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Christian duty
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for the week
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and you
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check it off
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once and
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you say,
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incited,
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I'm done,
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it's good.
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This is a
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constant,
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engaged
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activity that
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we are to
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be about.
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Leads us
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to number
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three.
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The ministry
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of affectionate
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incitement
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necessitates
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consistent
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togetherness.
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Necessitates
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consistent
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togetherness.
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We see
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that in
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verse 25.
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Now,
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I don't
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know how
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your translation
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may render
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verse 24 and
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25,
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but upon
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an initial
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reading,
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it seems
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as if
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verse 25
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is a
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fourth
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exhortation.
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That it's
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yet another
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thing we
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should do
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in light of
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what Christ
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has done
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for us.
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However,
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really it
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could be
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read,
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verse 24,
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and let us
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consider how
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to stir up
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one another
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to love
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and good
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works,
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verse 25,
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by not
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neglecting
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to meet
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together.
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So,
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let us
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consider how
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to do
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this by
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meeting
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together.
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He says
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it in the
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negative
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first,
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not
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neglecting
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to meet
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together,
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as is
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the habit
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of some,
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but the
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implication is
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meeting together
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and encouraging
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one another.
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And all
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the more,
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as you say,
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this day
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drawing near,
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probably this
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book was
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written just
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prior to
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70 AD,
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we don't
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know exactly
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when,
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but probably
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so.
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It was rather
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early in the
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Christian church,
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and it would
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seem that
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already,
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Christians had
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gotten out of
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the habit
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meeting together
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had already
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become a
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challenge in
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the church.
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This book
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written to
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Jewish believers
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in Rome
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had already
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began to
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drift apart
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and neglect
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their gathering
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together.
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We don't see
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in this text
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why.
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He doesn't
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get to that,
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but we know
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historically there
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are documents
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outside of
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Scripture that
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talk about what
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was going on
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and the
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varying reasons
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that people
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were potentially
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not meeting
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together.
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Fear of
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persecution
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from the
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Romans,
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embarrassed by
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the size of
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their small
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congregation
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compared to
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the large
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gathering at
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the Jewish
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synagogues,
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business
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possibly.
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Until the
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fourth century,
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this was a
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day of work,
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the first day
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of the week.
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The Lord's
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Day was a
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day of work,
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and they
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met in the
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evenings,
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early Christians
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did,
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on the first
15:30
day of the
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week.
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So that's
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potentially
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spiritual
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laziness.
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Not really
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another way to
15:37
put that,
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just spiritual
15:39
laziness
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would have
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caused them
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to neglect
15:41
to meet
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together.
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As I said,
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none of these
15:43
things are in
15:44
the text,
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but the
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reason for
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that, I
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believe,
15:47
is that none
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of them
15:48
really matter.
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It doesn't
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give us a
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way to
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wiggle out
15:53
of this.
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If we have
15:55
a ministry
15:56
that we've
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all been
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called to,
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that's going
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to take
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intention,
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we ought
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to meet
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together.
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We ought
16:05
not
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neglect
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meeting
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together.
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Some people
16:11
will say,
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you don't
16:13
have to go
16:14
to church
16:14
to be a
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Christian.
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Many of you
16:17
may know
16:17
people like
16:18
that.
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You may
16:18
be one
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of the
16:20
people that
16:20
would say
16:20
that,
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whether
16:21
you'd say
16:21
it out
16:22
loud or
16:22
not.
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You don't
16:23
have to
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go to
16:23
church
16:24
to be a
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Christian.
16:24
And I
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agree with
16:25
you.
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You also
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don't have
16:27
to go
16:28
home to
16:28
be married.
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But if
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that's the
16:31
attitude that
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you cherish
16:32
in your
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heart,
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there's
16:33
something
16:34
seriously
16:34
wrong in
16:35
both cases.
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Because of
16:39
the privileges
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bought for
16:41
us by
16:41
Christ,
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we ought
16:42
to want
16:43
to be
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together.
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I'm not
16:48
being
16:48
legalistic.
16:50
There are
16:51
things that
16:51
take us
16:52
away,
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and that's
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okay.
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I wouldn't
16:55
begin to
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say I
16:56
expect you
16:57
all to
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be here
16:57
every single
16:58
time we
16:59
gather
16:59
together.
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There are
17:01
circumstances
17:01
that take
17:02
us apart.
17:04
Next week,
17:04
I won't be
17:05
here.
17:06
I'm taking
17:06
a forced
17:07
vacation.
17:08
Chris has
17:08
told me that
17:09
I have to
17:09
take a week
17:10
off this
17:10
fall before
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I die.
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And so I'm
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doing that
17:14
next week,
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and I won't
17:16
be here next
17:17
Sunday.
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However,
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if I don't
17:20
long to be
17:21
here next
17:21
Sunday,
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if it's not
17:23
the place I
17:23
would ultimately
17:24
love to be,
17:26
there's
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something wrong
17:27
with my
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heart.
17:29
I will
17:30
miss you
17:30
guys next
17:31
Sunday.
17:32
I know
17:32
that for a
17:33
fact.
17:33
Sam and
17:34
I are
17:34
going to
17:34
go spend
17:35
the Lord's
17:35
Day with
17:36
her family.
17:37
Her father
17:37
is a
17:37
pastor,
17:38
and we're
17:38
going to
17:38
visit his
17:38
church.
17:40
I've only
17:41
been there
17:41
once,
17:42
and all
17:42
the time
17:42
I've been
17:42
married to
17:43
Sam,
17:43
so we're
17:43
going to
17:43
go do
17:44
that.
17:44
But I'm
17:45
going to
17:45
sit there
17:45
the entire
17:46
time wishing
17:46
!
17:46
I was with
17:47
you,
17:48
because you
17:49
are my
17:50
church,
17:50
and that
17:50
ought to be
17:51
the attitude
17:52
of our
17:53
hearts.
17:53
So,
17:54
don't
17:54
mischear me,
17:55
I'm not
17:55
being legalistic.
17:56
I'm talking
17:57
about your
17:57
heart,
17:58
not the
17:58
activity so
17:59
much,
17:59
but where
18:00
do you
18:00
long to
18:01
be?
18:02
Young
18:02
people,
18:03
when you're
18:03
up here
18:03
for school,
18:05
come and
18:05
be with
18:06
us.
18:06
When you
18:06
go home
18:06
for the
18:07
summer,
18:07
I hope
18:07
you miss
18:08
us.
18:08
I hope
18:08
you can't
18:09
wait until
18:10
school starts
18:10
back in
18:11
the fall.
18:14
So it
18:14
necessitates
18:15
consistent
18:17
togetherness.
18:18
How are we
18:18
going to know
18:19
one another
18:19
if we don't
18:20
spend time
18:21
together?
18:23
Inciting
18:23
one another
18:24
to love
18:24
and good
18:24
works,
18:25
encouraging
18:26
one another
18:27
as the
18:28
day draws
18:28
near,
18:29
is not
18:30
something you
18:31
can do
18:31
if you're
18:31
a church
18:32
hopper.
18:34
How will
18:34
you possibly
18:35
know how
18:36
to encourage
18:37
a person
18:37
if you
18:37
don't know
18:38
anybody
18:39
at the
18:40
churches
18:40
you go
18:40
to?
18:41
Speaking
18:42
particularly
18:42
to you
18:43
young
18:43
people,
18:44
pick a
18:45
group of
18:45
people.
18:46
No church
18:47
has it
18:47
all right.
18:49
We're all
18:49
a mess
18:50
because we're
18:51
made of
18:51
people.
18:53
Go to a
18:54
church and
18:55
get involved
18:55
and love
18:56
the people.
18:57
Fall in
18:57
love with
18:57
people,
18:58
not
18:58
programs.
19:00
Certainly
19:01
there are
19:01
attributes that
19:02
make a
19:03
godly church.
19:04
We can
19:05
talk about
19:05
those later.
19:07
But just
19:08
be sure
19:08
you're not
19:09
worshipping a
19:09
show,
19:10
serving your
19:11
ends,
19:12
but you're
19:12
going to
19:13
serve a
19:13
group of
19:14
people.
19:14
number
19:16
four.
19:19
The
19:19
ministry
19:19
of
19:21
incitement
19:21
expresses
19:22
itself
19:23
in
19:24
encouragement.
19:25
It
19:26
expresses
19:26
itself
19:27
in
19:27
encouragement.
19:28
This
19:28
is how
19:28
we
19:29
incite
19:30
one
19:30
another
19:30
to
19:31
love
19:31
and
19:32
good
19:32
works.
19:33
He
19:33
concludes
19:34
verse
19:34
25 by
19:35
saying,
19:36
as you
19:36
see the
19:37
day
19:37
drawing
19:38
near,
19:39
and this
19:39
is my
19:40
belief,
19:40
this is
19:41
my
19:41
presumption
19:42
that he
19:42
includes
19:43
that because
19:43
he believes
19:44
that things
19:44
are going
19:45
to get
19:45
tougher
19:45
for these
19:46
people.
19:48
Things are
19:49
going to
19:49
be more
19:50
difficult for
19:50
them.
19:51
We see at
19:51
the end of
19:51
chapter 10
19:52
that they've
19:52
already endured
19:53
suffering.
19:55
He knows
19:56
that more
19:56
is coming.
19:57
As the
19:58
final day
19:58
of judgment
19:59
comes,
19:59
persecution
20:00
will rise
20:01
in the
20:01
world,
20:01
and they'll
20:02
need this
20:03
even more
20:04
than they
20:04
need it
20:04
now.
20:06
This
20:06
encouragement,
20:07
this word,
20:08
this Greek
20:08
word,
20:10
encouraging,
20:11
is a
20:12
very elastic
20:13
word.
20:14
It can
20:14
mean lots
20:15
of things.
20:16
It can
20:16
mean to
20:17
exhort,
20:18
to comfort,
20:19
to help,
20:20
to urge,
20:21
to appeal
20:22
to,
20:23
to admonish,
20:24
to strengthen.
20:26
It can
20:26
mean all
20:26
these things.
20:27
There are
20:28
a number
20:28
of others
20:29
that it
20:29
can also
20:30
mean.
20:31
But its
20:32
emphasis,
20:33
the word
20:34
of emphasis,
20:35
is verbal.
20:38
Emphasis is
20:39
verbal.
20:39
So this
20:41
kind of
20:41
encouragement
20:42
can come
20:42
in the
20:43
form of
20:44
a sermon,
20:46
can come
20:47
in the
20:47
form of
20:47
a piece
20:48
of music
20:48
performed,
20:51
or led,
20:53
can come
20:53
in the
20:53
form of
20:54
a letter.
20:54
Actually,
20:55
at the
20:55
end of
20:55
Hebrews,
20:56
the writer
20:56
calls his
20:57
letter words
20:58
of exhortation
20:59
or words
21:00
of encouragement.
21:00
Same word
21:01
there.
21:02
Words of
21:03
encouragement.
21:04
But since
21:05
this ministry
21:06
has been
21:06
given to
21:07
all of
21:08
us,
21:09
it also
21:10
must express
21:11
itself
21:12
one-to-one.
21:14
On a
21:15
one-on-one
21:16
basis.
21:17
It must,
21:17
right?
21:18
I can't be
21:19
the only one
21:19
this morning
21:20
that's going
21:20
to be an
21:21
encourager.
21:23
But we
21:23
must be
21:24
expressing
21:24
this one-to-one.
21:28
Have you ever
21:29
considered that
21:29
the part you
21:30
play in us
21:32
coming together
21:32
is to come
21:35
and encourage
21:35
somebody else?
21:36
Have you ever
21:37
thought about
21:37
that?
21:38
We might
21:39
show up
21:39
before 1030
21:41
if we
21:42
realize that.
21:44
We might
21:44
come looking
21:45
for an
21:45
opportunity
21:46
to encourage
21:48
somebody
21:48
in our
21:49
setting.
21:51
We might
21:52
stick around
21:53
a little bit
21:53
beyond our
21:55
formal gatherings
21:55
together.
21:56
We might
21:57
look for
21:57
opportunities
21:58
beyond the
21:59
organized times
22:00
we meet
22:01
together to
22:02
get with
22:02
members of
22:03
the church.
22:04
church.
22:07
Have you
22:07
considered that?
22:08
You play
22:09
an important
22:10
part in our
22:11
meeting together.
22:12
You're not
22:12
merely a
22:14
spectator.
22:17
You might
22:18
ask me,
22:18
how do I
22:19
do this?
22:19
How do I
22:19
encourage?
22:20
I don't
22:20
find myself
22:20
to be a
22:21
particularly
22:21
encouraging
22:22
person.
22:22
I don't
22:23
really feel
22:23
that I'm
22:24
equipped to
22:25
counsel
22:26
somebody or
22:27
minister to
22:28
them in
22:29
any way
22:29
whatsoever.
22:30
I'm not a
22:30
very knowledgeable
22:31
person.
22:32
I feel
22:32
theologically
22:33
weak.
22:33
I feel
22:34
like I
22:34
fail so
22:35
much in
22:35
my own
22:36
sin and
22:36
I just
22:37
don't have
22:37
a lot to
22:38
offer to
22:38
anybody to
22:39
think through
22:40
processes.
22:41
How is it
22:42
that I'm
22:42
meant to
22:43
encourage the
22:45
church?
22:46
Let me
22:47
tell you how
22:47
you can
22:48
encourage me.
22:50
Talk about
22:51
Jesus Christ.
22:54
Talk about
22:54
the great
22:55
work He is
22:56
doing in
22:56
your life.
22:59
And that
22:59
will move
23:00
me to do
23:01
the same to
23:02
you.
23:02
this
23:03
becomes a
23:04
cyclical
23:05
ministry
23:05
in the
23:06
church.
23:07
You
23:07
encourage
23:08
somebody
23:08
with a
23:08
great
23:09
work of
23:09
the
23:09
gospel
23:10
in your
23:10
life
23:10
and it's
23:11
going to
23:11
motivate them
23:12
to do
23:12
the same.
23:13
Love and
23:13
good works.
23:14
It begins
23:14
to build
23:15
like a
23:15
snowball
23:16
amongst us.
23:18
That is
23:18
the way
23:19
you minister
23:20
to those
23:20
around you.
23:23
Somebody
23:23
here may
23:24
have a
23:25
wayward
23:25
father.
23:27
Feels
23:27
a lack
23:28
in their
23:28
life.
23:28
life.
23:29
And you
23:30
may not
23:30
have ever
23:31
experienced
23:31
that.
23:33
There is
23:33
no way
23:34
I'll ever
23:35
have all
23:35
of the
23:35
life
23:36
experiences
23:36
shared in
23:37
this room.
23:38
Praise God,
23:38
that would
23:38
be a lot
23:39
of a mess,
23:40
wouldn't it,
23:40
for me?
23:41
handle.
23:42
But the
23:43
gospel of
23:43
Jesus Christ
23:44
ministers to
23:45
all of
23:45
those
23:46
situations.
23:48
So
23:48
minister to
23:49
one another
23:49
with the
23:50
gospel.
23:50
Encourage
23:51
one another
23:51
with what
23:52
God is
23:52
doing in
23:54
your life.
23:56
I hope
23:57
and pray
23:58
that God
23:58
is doing
23:59
something in
24:00
your life
24:00
worth sharing
24:01
this week.
24:04
If not,
24:05
let's get
24:06
busy.
24:07
Right?
24:07
Let's
24:11
imagine if
24:15
all of us,
24:15
the few of us
24:16
that there are
24:16
here, but if
24:17
all of us
24:17
came this
24:18
morning with
24:19
a thought in
24:20
mind, I'm
24:20
not coming
24:20
here to
24:21
serve myself,
24:22
I'm coming
24:22
to corporate
24:23
worship to
24:23
praise God
24:24
and to
24:24
encourage the
24:26
church.
24:27
That's what
24:28
you had.
24:28
You got up
24:29
this morning
24:29
with that on
24:30
your mind
24:31
and prepared
24:31
yourself for
24:32
it.
24:32
All of us
24:33
came together
24:34
for that
24:35
activity.
24:37
Can you
24:37
imagine what
24:37
a different
24:38
group of
24:39
people we
24:39
would be?
24:41
I do
24:42
not want
24:43
Christ Family
24:44
Church to
24:44
be known
24:45
for the
24:45
distinctives on
24:46
our website.
24:47
Those are
24:48
good things.
24:48
Those are
24:48
important
24:49
things.
24:49
We're
24:50
reformed,
24:50
Southern
24:51
Baptist,
24:51
missional,
24:52
family
24:52
integrated,
24:53
good things.
24:55
I don't
24:55
want to be
24:55
known for
24:56
those things.
24:56
If that's
24:57
all we're
24:57
known for,
24:57
we're just
24:58
another
24:58
flavor.
25:01
We're just
25:02
another type
25:03
of church.
25:05
I want
25:06
people to
25:06
know us
25:07
for our
25:08
love for
25:09
one another.
25:11
I want
25:12
somebody to
25:12
say to
25:13
you,
25:13
someday,
25:14
I want
25:14
them to
25:14
say,
25:15
what church
25:16
do you
25:17
go to?
25:18
You say,
25:19
oh,
25:19
Christ Family
25:20
Church,
25:20
and in
25:20
their minds
25:21
they go,
25:21
of course,
25:22
those people
25:23
really love
25:23
each other.
25:26
That's the
25:26
kind of thing
25:27
we should be
25:27
known for.
25:28
Not buildings
25:29
and signs
25:30
and programs,
25:31
but how much
25:32
we love
25:33
one another.
25:34
Can you
25:34
imagine
25:35
what that
25:36
would look
25:37
like?
25:39
Briefly,
25:40
I want to
25:41
talk about
25:41
four things
25:42
that hinder
25:42
this kind
25:44
of ministry
25:44
amongst us.
25:46
Four things,
25:47
quickly.
25:49
Number one,
25:51
self-sufficiency.
25:53
Self-sufficiency.
25:55
You were
25:57
not saved
25:58
simply for
25:59
yourself.
26:01
In the
26:01
70s,
26:02
I've harped
26:02
on this a
26:02
couple of
26:03
times in the
26:03
past,
26:03
in the
26:04
70s,
26:04
a little
26:05
bit of
26:05
language
26:06
entered
26:06
into
26:07
Christendom.
26:08
That phrase,
26:10
personal
26:11
relationship
26:11
with Jesus
26:12
Christ,
26:13
and I
26:13
think it
26:13
was birthed
26:14
out of
26:14
good
26:15
motivation,
26:16
but why
26:17
we think
26:17
that when
26:18
we mess
26:18
with
26:18
biblical
26:19
language,
26:19
it won't
26:20
have some
26:20
negative
26:20
side effect
26:21
is beyond
26:21
me.
26:23
Gospel
26:23
presentation
26:24
should be
26:25
repentant
26:25
belief,
26:26
not personal
26:27
relationship
26:27
with Jesus
26:29
Christ.
26:30
God saves
26:31
individuals,
26:32
but he saves
26:33
them to
26:33
the church.
26:37
You are
26:38
not self
26:39
sufficient.
26:40
You were
26:40
saved to a
26:41
community of
26:42
believers.
26:43
God's
26:44
graces
26:44
come
26:45
through the
26:46
church.
26:48
John
26:48
Wesley
26:48
once said
26:50
there's
26:50
nothing more
26:51
unchristian
26:52
than a
26:53
solitary
26:53
Christian.
26:55
There is
26:56
nothing more
26:56
unchristian
26:57
than a
26:58
solitary
26:58
Christian.
27:00
Number two,
27:01
formality.
27:02
formality.
27:04
Having
27:04
certain
27:05
expectations
27:06
of our
27:06
time
27:06
together,
27:07
our
27:07
liturgy
27:08
together,
27:09
and a
27:10
belief that
27:11
our time
27:11
together does
27:11
not extend
27:12
beyond our
27:14
organized time
27:15
together.
27:16
That coming,
27:17
walking in the
27:18
back door,
27:18
sitting down,
27:19
going through
27:20
the motions,
27:20
getting up and
27:21
walking out,
27:21
is the extent of
27:22
your Christian
27:22
participation.
27:25
Formality will
27:26
get in the way
27:27
of the
27:28
ministry of
27:28
incitement.
27:29
number three,
27:32
bitterness.
27:35
As I've
27:35
said before,
27:36
we are an
27:37
imperfect group
27:37
of people.
27:39
I won't
27:40
always say
27:41
the kind
27:41
words you
27:42
need to
27:42
hear.
27:43
I pray
27:44
that I
27:44
always do,
27:45
but I
27:45
won't.
27:46
I won't
27:47
always walk
27:48
in here with
27:48
the best
27:48
attitude.
27:50
I won't
27:51
always call
27:52
you when
27:53
you feel
27:53
you need
27:54
a call.
27:54
don't let
27:58
a root of
27:58
bitterness
27:58
form in
27:59
you toward
28:00
members of
28:00
the church.
28:02
We are
28:02
all imperfect.
28:04
We are
28:05
all on a
28:06
progression
28:06
towards
28:07
perfection,
28:08
but we
28:09
fail a lot.
28:11
Don't make
28:12
being here
28:13
about you.
28:15
Think about
28:15
serving others.
28:17
Don't let
28:17
bitterness get
28:18
in the way.
28:20
And number
28:20
four,
28:21
elitism.
28:22
Elitism is
28:24
the creation
28:25
of cliques
28:26
based on
28:27
exclusiveness.
28:31
J.I.
28:32
Packard
28:32
called
28:32
elitism
28:33
a satanic
28:35
counterfeit
28:35
of true
28:36
fellowship.
28:38
A satanic
28:39
counterfeit
28:40
of true
28:41
fellowship.
28:42
The ministry
28:42
of incitement
28:43
involves you
28:44
getting involved
28:45
in people's
28:46
lives of
28:46
varying
28:47
backgrounds
28:48
and
28:49
demographics
28:50
from you.
28:51
don't allow
28:52
yourself to
28:53
become a
28:53
clique that
28:54
excludes
28:55
others from
28:56
your group.
28:56
You never
28:57
know who
28:57
may need
28:58
to be
28:58
in your
28:59
group both
28:59
for their
29:00
benefit and
29:01
for ours.
29:04
It's worth
29:04
noting that if
29:05
we have a
29:05
love like
29:06
this that
29:07
expresses itself
29:08
properly,
29:09
this love
29:09
and good
29:09
works,
29:11
that this
29:12
kind of
29:12
affection,
29:13
us being
29:15
known for
29:15
our love
29:15
for one
29:16
another,
29:16
this kind
29:16
of affection
29:17
is going
29:17
to spill
29:18
outside of
29:18
our borders.
29:19
I believe
29:20
that if
29:21
I'm
29:21
encouraged
29:21
the way
29:22
I should
29:22
be
29:22
encouraged
29:22
in this
29:23
meeting,
29:24
the
29:24
encouragement
29:25
I can
29:25
give back,
29:27
I'll have
29:28
too much
29:28
of it.
29:28
I won't
29:29
be able
29:29
to give
29:29
it away.
29:31
And it's
29:31
going to
29:31
spill
29:32
outside of
29:32
the borders
29:33
of this
29:34
meeting time
29:35
to our
29:36
communities,
29:36
places we
29:37
live and
29:37
work and
29:39
play,
29:40
that ultimately
29:40
there will
29:41
be not just
29:42
fruit of love
29:43
within our
29:44
church,
29:44
but fruit of
29:44
love to the
29:45
world.
29:45
We won't
29:46
be able to
29:46
contain the
29:47
goodness of
29:49
Christ,
29:50
which is
29:50
experienced
29:51
here amongst
29:52
us.
29:54
And it's
29:54
my deep
29:55
prayer,
29:56
and I
29:56
realized as I
29:57
was looking
29:57
over my
29:57
notes this
29:58
morning that
29:58
I'm not
30:00
shy to try
30:00
to coin
30:01
phrases.
30:02
And I say
30:03
try because
30:04
if you
30:05
actually coin
30:05
a phrase,
30:06
people begin
30:06
to use it,
30:07
exchange it
30:09
as currency.
30:10
They actually
30:10
understand what
30:11
it means.
30:11
And I tend
30:12
to say things
30:13
and just
30:13
continue to
30:13
say them and
30:14
nobody has a
30:14
clue what I'm
30:15
talking about.
30:15
So let me
30:16
tell you when
30:17
I say it's
30:17
my deep
30:18
prayer.
30:20
Deep prayers
30:20
for me come
30:21
out of deep
30:21
conviction.
30:23
An understanding
30:23
of what church
30:24
should look
30:24
like is not
30:25
just something
30:25
that God's
30:25
put in my
30:26
head,
30:27
but it
30:27
kind of
30:28
is sitting
30:29
down here
30:29
in my
30:29
gut.
30:30
I long
30:31
for our
30:32
church to
30:33
look like
30:33
this.
30:34
I desire
30:34
not just
30:36
a small
30:37
group of
30:37
people that
30:37
understand and
30:38
engage in
30:39
what community,
30:40
what church
30:40
is actually
30:41
meant to be
30:41
about,
30:42
but a large
30:43
group of
30:43
people that
30:44
get this.
30:45
that put
30:46
down the
30:46
consumerism of
30:47
American
30:48
Christianity,
30:48
understand that
30:49
Christianity is
30:51
relational.
30:52
It's a
30:53
fellowship.
30:54
First,
30:55
vertical,
30:55
and second,
30:56
horizontal.
30:58
It makes me
31:00
hurt to think
31:01
about how bad I
31:02
want to see this
31:02
happen.
31:04
And that's what I
31:04
mean when I
31:05
say it's my
31:05
deep prayer.
31:08
Christ Family
31:09
Church will be a
31:10
church that so
31:11
greatly appreciates the
31:13
privileges bought for
31:13
us by Christ,
31:15
understands them,
31:17
really knows what's
31:19
been granted to us
31:20
by Christ,
31:21
this unlimited
31:21
accessibility to
31:22
God and our
31:23
great advocacy
31:24
with God,
31:27
that will actively
31:28
and continually be
31:29
about the work of
31:30
improving upon
31:32
these privileges,
31:33
and that will do
31:34
so by drawing near
31:35
to God and God
31:36
centered,
31:37
frequent,
31:38
corporate worship
31:39
that will hold
31:42
fast to the one
31:43
in whom we have
31:44
hope through a
31:46
deep understanding
31:46
of His redemptive
31:47
work,
31:48
and that fixing
31:50
our gaze on
31:51
mutually encouraging
31:52
one another
31:53
will be known
31:55
for love and
31:57
good works.
31:58
I hope that
32:00
the analogy of
32:02
the tree now
32:02
has become
32:03
glaringly,
32:05
abundantly
32:06
clear to all
32:08
view,
32:09
roots,
32:09
branches,
32:10
and fruit.