Main Point and Overview:
Worship is a lifestyle. It is developed as your appetites are adjusted away from the world and to the Savior. For the 1st century church, they were facing a ton of pressure from all angles. The writer of Hebrews understood this, so he gave these young believers an intentional blueprint for success. He wanted them to realize that they should never go back to their past lifestyles and beliefs. For these Jewish believers, this meant rejecting the Mosaic sacrificial system as a means to salvation. The time for animal sacrifices was over as Jesus had become the “once-and-for-all” sacrifice. There will always be pressure in life to “go back to comfortable!” We must always reject this temptation as we prove our profession. He also wanted them to realize that they were to invest sacrificially in one another. Our motivation as a church member should never be consumed with me-centric; instead, it should be to help someone take another step forward on his or her “journey of faith.” Finally, he challenged the Jewish believers to make fellowship around the Word of God a priority. Did you know that one of the greatest ways that you can encourage one another is simply by “showing up” in his or her life? In Discover Emmanuel, we teach that “worship” is a lifestyle that is lived out in presence, purpose, precepts, and passion. We choose to elevate God as we invest in one another. We come together to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with longing hearts for his triumphant return! Our Christian values are meant to “rub off” on one another, but how will that be possible if we are “absent?” The church in Acts gives a clear example of boldness, sacrifice, and community. Let’s become true worshippers, because it is then that we’ll live consistently for Jesus Christ!
Worship is a lifestyle. It is developed as your appetites are adjusted away from the world and to the Savior. For the 1st century church, they were facing a ton of pressure from all angles. The writer of Hebrews understood this, so he gave these young believers an intentional blueprint for success. He wanted them to realize that they should never go back to their past lifestyles and beliefs. For these Jewish believers, this meant rejecting the Mosaic sacrificial system as a means to salvation. The time for animal sacrifices was over as Jesus had become the “once-and-for-all” sacrifice. There will always be pressure in life to “go back to comfortable!” We must always reject this temptation as we prove our profession. He also wanted them to realize that they were to invest sacrificially in one another. Our motivation as a church member should never be consumed with me-centric; instead, it should be to help someone take another step forward on his or her “journey of faith.” Finally, he challenged the Jewish believers to make fellowship around the Word of God a priority. Did you know that one of the greatest ways that you can encourage one another is simply by “showing up” in his or her life? In Discover Emmanuel, we teach that “worship” is a lifestyle that is lived out in presence, purpose, precepts, and passion. We choose to elevate God as we invest in one another. We come together to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with longing hearts for his triumphant return! Our Christian values are meant to “rub off” on one another, but how will that be possible if we are “absent?” The church in Acts gives a clear example of boldness, sacrifice, and community. Let’s become true worshippers, because it is then that we’ll live consistently for Jesus Christ!
Posted in Devotional