Worship Service 10/7 Faith in Action

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Faith In Action V
Hears and Soaks in God’s Reality
Hebrews 2:1-13

† I.H.S. †

May the grace of God, the love, mercy and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ so overwhelm you that you can never ignore it.  AMEN!

 Overlooking the Treasure given

It was sitting in a garage, next to an old doublewide trailer in a small high desert town.  Covered with some canvas tarps, realtor after realtor overlooked it.  After all, the doublewide trailer was old, and while kept nicely, needed a lot of restoration.

In fact, our agent suggested removing it and just putting a brand new on in its place.  The value was the property, with its beautiful trees, and the redwood decking, and the 3 car garage with a playroom

So, curious what was next to the 1940’s pickup, under all the tarps, I lifted the tarp.  And there, underneath was a car. And oh… what a car.

A 1965 Shelby Cobra, a car worth more than the double-wide, the garage, the acre of land.  It looked like it was in mint shape, just simply forgotten about.

Unfortunately, it didn’t come with the house.  Yeah – I asked if the old vehicles on the property came with the property.

The son who inherited the house, and was trying to sell the property, had not forgotten what his dad had treasured.  But he had neglected it over the years, and so instead of being driven, it had sat, with tarps piled upon it.

What a waste!

Even more of a waste is those who live as if they didn’t know Jesus, as if they didn’t know He loved us, as if they didn’t realize the mercy and forgiveness that would bring healing to our souls, the souls so shattered by sin and its companions, the pain-filled and shame, and grieving over our brokenness.

This is the strongest challenge to the idea of faith in Action, for we need to hear about God’s reality, and really let it soak in and heal our souls, even as we help others heal.

We need to hear, and soak in God’s reality, for that is what faith in Actions does.

Every Violation, Every Act of Disobedience

I want to read the first two verses of our reading again,

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. ² For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.

If we don’t remember God’s truth, it is too easy to drift away, to be swept away in the rapids of life.  For that is what sin does, it picks us up, and takes us for a ride, until we are so far from where we should be.

God is serious about this, every violation of the law, every one of them is punished.  As is every act of disobedience.

No excuses, no negotiations, every violation, every act of disobedience. No exceptions, no mulligans.

Every time we have been jealous or envious,

Every time we’ve gossiped, sharing rumors or even the truth with the intent of hurting someone’s reputation.

Every time we steal, or take advantage of someone, not giving them what the items is worth.

Shall I go on, and expand on adultery or murder in thought word and deed, or how we disrespect our parents or those in authority?  How we don’t treasure the time God would have us rest and relax and heal in His peace or do I need to mention our disobedience as we fail to pray, calling on His name as He urges us to do?

Every sin, every violation of the law committed or by failing to act in love, every moment lived in disobedience, punished.

Do we hear that?

I am not sure we do.

Jesus tasted death for everyone

What I think we hear is,

² For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience will be punished.

and what is actually written is

² For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.

 there is a big difference between will be and was.

And that is the truth, the gospel that we can’t neglect.

It is said in a different way toward the end of the passage,

and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.

Past tense, suffered, past tense, tasted, past tense, was punished.

We need to hear this, we need to celebrate it, we need to understand and cling to the hope tightly that Jesus paid for every violation of the law, every act of disobedience, and therefore we are free from the guilt, the shame, the eternal consequences of our sin.  Because Jesus suffered death for us, because he tasted death, fully embraced it for everyone.

That changes everything.

We realize it, our lives should resound with praise, with gratitude, with living life in an incredible way…

Not ashamed is He!

And then this of this…

¹¹ So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.

You and I, all those who trust in Him, or will come to trust in Him.  Who live life, trusting in Him, depending on Him for this work He does, making us Holy.  He sets us apart for a life with God, a life where we relate to Him as His children, where we are Christ’s brothers and sisters.

This changes everything, far more than finding a quarter of a million-dollar sports car under some tarps.

This is life. so don’t neglect, it, rather explore the love of God who does this for us, bringing us into our salvation, this amazing wonderful life, free from guilt a shame, a life that will last enterally, with our incredible Father.

AMEN!