Tag: Hebrews 10

Build Each Other Up: MT e40

While driving to the church building a couple of weeks ago I noticed a new structure being built on one of the nearby farms.  It is easy to admire watching the progress as the building goes up.

Last week though, something was noticeable that I have not seen before.  Here is a picture of the structure and outside there are supports holding the frame in place.

What immediately came to mind is the church congregation.  The framing of this building is a visual reminder of what the church is. 

The writer of Hebrews says this:

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

This is a support passage.  All of those 2x4s all around the building are supporting the frame so it can be built up.

The Hebrews text is teaching, when you gather as a body, you are a support for each other.  This is vital.  This can’t be skipped.  When you meet you are keeping each other from potentially falling down.

Do you see your time with your church family like this?  I have heard people say, “My church is nature.” This video is too short to address how silly that is and I don’t want to get too preachy.

The point is, we are to be, in the family of God, like this.  A support.  A strength.  A stability.  All of us working together in Christ Jesus.  It is a beautiful thing.

SDG

Duck Sanctification: MT episode 9

There was an artist who lived in Virginia whose name was Herbert G. Phipps.  Part of his art was sculpting and his work was exquisite. 

Someone asked him once how he made such beautiful sculptures.  He said, “It’s easy.  If I am trying to sculpt a duck out of a piece of wood, I look at the wood and I remove all the parts that do not look like a duck.”

Oh if it were that easy, right?

In our last visit together, we considered how as believers we are perfect.  It does not come by our personal performance but our perfection is being in Christ and his perfection becomes our perfection. 

But there is this thing called sanctification.

What is sanctification? It is being set aside for holy use.  For the believer it both instant and ongoing. 

1 Corinthians 6 shows that sanctification is instant in that as soon as you are a believer, you are sanctified and justified.

It is also an ongoing thing and this truth is all through Scripture but specifically in Hebrews 10:14  it says Christ has perfected us for all time and we are being sanctified.

What does this mean?  Like Herbert Phipps, we are being shaped.  Shaped into the image of Christ.  Becoming like Him.  As we grow in Christ, the things that do not look like Christ are removed.  We work this out as God works in us. 

So, yes, on our own we are not perfect, but we are both perfect and being perfected. 

S.D.G