Stepping Out for Jesus / Message #1 (Part #1)

October 7, 2012
Series: "Hitting the Reset button on God's Church"
Message #1: Stepping OUT for Jesus (Part #1)
Hebrews 13:11-14
Scott Howard

Question #1 for the Church:

• "Will we die in our Religion, or die in our Devotion?

"The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.  And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.  Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.  For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come."   ---Hebrews 13:11-14

The new Christian Church in this time in Hebrews were living as Jews still, in the "camp" of Judaism, while trying to live the Christian life. 

Two problems:

• They were driven by Formalism.  They were so engrossed in their formal religious rituals of worship that they had forgotten Who they worshipped.  So much style with no substance.
• They were paralyzed by Fear.  Fear of others, fear they would be expelled from the "camp" of Judaism. 

So, there are two Options:

• Retreat from the mission. 
• Risk everything for the mission.

What's the mission?  Acts 1:8 ---  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  The mission is to bring the message of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus our Savior, to everyone in all the earth.

The Isrealites had a history of Retreating from teh mission, (whatever mission God gave them at the time).

1. Standing at the edge of the Promised Land, the Israelites grumbled, complained, and rebelled against God's mission for them.  (See Numbers 13:30-33-->14:1-4, 14:20-24) God forgave them, but did not allow them (that generation) to see the Promised Land. 
2. The next generations who were still fighting the remaining Canaanites were told by God to destroy the altars of the false gods of the Canaanites.  But they didn't.  So God told them that even though they broke the covenent with Him, He would not banish them from Canaan, but that the gods of the Canaanites would ensnare them.  (See Judges 2:1-3, 2:10-15)
3. Still, later on, the Isrealites reject God as their King, as they ask for an earthly king just like the other nations had.  They were warned how earthly kings would be, but they still insisted.  (See 1 Samuel 8:6-9, 8:19-22)

God will not force us to obey Him.  He wants our true devotion.  Let's not Retreat from the mission as we (the church) have done.  God will forgive, but He will allow us to wander in our "religion" (the hollow and meaningless style with no substance).  Let's Risk everything for the mission, for the sakes of our family members, friends, and neighbors who do not know the saving power of Jesus Christ, and who are on their way to Hell. 

The worst that could happen?  Rejection from people.  The best that could happen?  Receiving the promises of Almighty God!