Orange Juice & the Glory of God

 

After pouring out a significant amount of ink on his rebuke and warning, the author of Hebrews turns to bring significant encouragement to his audience. As we walk through this passage, we can come to a great confidence in what Christ has done for those of us who are trusting in His name!

Watch the sermon here.

Hebrews 6:9-20

Speaking to the Saved

The shift is distinct and obvious - he's now speaking to believers in using the term, "beloved." Additionally, he's speaking from a point of being convinced because of the characteristics people are showing that "belong to salvation."

He Sees Real Fruit

There are two elements here:

1. You're all about the Glory of God

2. You serve other Christians. 

Drinking Orange Juice for the Glory of God

This article, written by a pastor years ago, frames out a pattern for glorifying God in every detail of your daily life. 

1. I will affirm, joyfully, from the word of God, that the color yellow is a gift of God. The sweet taste is a gift of God. The nourishment and the way my body uses it is a gift of God. The sun and the rain that grew the oranges is a gift of God. The trucking and the grocery chain that brought it to me is a gift of God. And the list could go on and on. I will gladly, joyfully, say that out loud. I will feel that.

2. I will lift my heart and voice in prayer, thanking God. And I will do this often so that others can know where all this came from, and how wise and strong and good God is.

3. I will remind myself that I do not deserve this juice. I deserve to be in hell today. And so, I will give thanks that my sins are forgiven and that this pleasure is, in fact, bought for me. This orange-juice pleasure is a blood-bought gift for this child of God on the way to heaven.

4. I will remind myself that this particular pleasure, this taste, this coolness on my tongue, this nourishment, reveals something of God to my senses and my soul that could not be known any other way. That’s why the world was created, because all of it is like a prism, giving us some new sight of the glory of God.

5. Then, I will share this juice, in love, with others at the table; I won’t horde it all.

6. And finally, I will use the strength that it gives me to live for the glory of God.

Whatever you do, you can take this framework and apply it.

Driving to work

Making dinner for the family

Mowing your lawn

Studying your Bible

Changing a diaper

From the most mundane work task

To the most exciting life event

You can glorify Him. 

You love the glory of His name. 

This is head, heart, & hand in one sentence

Ministering to others: CHALLENGE: Be intentional to minister to someone in some way every day this week. 

Do Something specific.

Maybe pray for them (ask how can I…)

Maybe you know of a need they have

Maybe you encourage them intentionally

Maybe do something to relieve pressure

Mow their lawn

Give them a Chick-fil-A gift card

Take them to lunch - buy them coffee

Watch their kids for an evening

Send them a Scripture passage text

Maybe sign up to help in preschool

Maybe offer to teach in SS

Join the choir

Serve in Trail Life

Pray for our students at Camp daily

There are 1,000 other things you can to to minister to someone in the body this week. 

Decide to do something daily!!

Capturing and Clinging to Confidence

Biblical discipleship leads to assurance of salvation. Serving others leads to assurance.

Read 2 Peter 1:5-13 and Titus 2:2-13. One of the central elements of the Christian life is to be involved in a biblical, Titus 2 model of discipleship.

God designed the church with the intent that we would be helping one another follow Jesus better. 

Contractual Obligation

Abraham was promised that his spiritual children would be as numerous as the stars

That’s us!!
And what an incredible promise it was and is.

God made the promise - and He guaranteed it with the authority and solid assurance of His name. 

It doesn’t get better than that.

Two Unchangeable Things

Jesus Christ is our Anchor

His virgin birth

sinless life

miraculous Scripture fulfilling ministry

substitutionary death

victorious resurrection

And the fact that He suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you to God

Is the anchor that will keep you from being tossed and back and forth in the storms of life.

Jesus is the forerunner

He enters now for us - so that when the

Time comes - we’ll be ushered in. He is seated at the right hand of God ready to bring us into heaven andante the Father's presence.

Reject being dull of hearing

Reject thorns and thistles

Press on to maturity

And you can enter into a deep confidence in Christ

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob