back to index3.15 Sunday 11:15am Service
00:00:21.720 |
♪ Lead me to the cross where you left what I had ♪ 00:00:29.460 |
♪ Bring me to my knees, Lord, I'll lay me down ♪ 00:01:23.920 |
♪ Lead me to the cross where you left what I had ♪ 00:01:28.920 |
♪ Bring me to my knees, Lord, I'll lay me down ♪ 00:01:49.640 |
♪ Lead me, lead me to the cross where you left what I had ♪ 00:01:54.640 |
♪ Bring me to my knees, Lord, I'll lay me down ♪ 00:02:53.720 |
♪ There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled ♪ 00:03:05.060 |
♪ Grace that will pardon and cleanse within ♪ 00:03:51.560 |
♪ Grace that will pardon and cleanse within ♪ 00:04:37.440 |
♪ Grace that will pardon and cleanse within ♪ 00:05:35.100 |
♪ Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord ♪ 00:05:43.800 |
♪ Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord ♪ 00:06:42.720 |
♪ Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord ♪ 00:06:51.480 |
♪ Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord ♪ 00:08:14.040 |
If you want, you could spread out a little bit more 00:08:22.160 |
So with that, let's go ahead and pray together. 00:08:24.840 |
Father, we thank you that we have a hope in Christ. 00:08:31.480 |
We thank you, Lord, that we have an inheritance 00:08:39.520 |
Lord, in these trying times, in these interesting times, 00:08:58.000 |
help us, Lord, be grounded in who we know, and that is you. 00:09:10.780 |
Help us, Lord God, in the gathering of the body of Christ 00:09:16.040 |
to exalt you, for you are worthy of praise and adoration. 00:10:04.560 |
and that your name may be extolled through the songs, 00:10:08.200 |
that we may glean much wisdom, encouragement, 00:10:25.480 |
and you may be pleased with the worship we bring, 00:10:33.080 |
and that it may be worship in spirit and in truth. 00:10:36.880 |
We thank you for this time, it's in Christ's name we pray. 00:14:17.960 |
♪ The galaxies can't help but shout His words ♪ 00:14:34.680 |
♪ My soul must sing, oh, let the heavens ring ♪ 00:15:09.880 |
♪ The light of life was crushed for our rebellion ♪ 00:15:14.880 |
♪ He died a death that rose up from the grave ♪ 00:15:32.560 |
♪ My soul must sing, oh, let the heavens ring ♪ 00:16:12.760 |
♪ And in an instant faith will turn to song ♪ 00:16:30.880 |
♪ My soul must sing, oh, let the heavens ring ♪ 00:16:53.560 |
♪ My soul must sing, oh, let the heavens ring ♪ 00:17:22.040 |
this song kinda, I was reflecting on this song. 00:19:59.100 |
♪ My song, Lord, my song when enemies surround me ♪ 00:20:15.100 |
♪ My sorrow rise, my joy when trials are abounding ♪ 00:20:20.100 |
♪ Your faithfulness, my refuge in the night ♪ 00:21:00.100 |
♪ My guilt and cross laid on your shoulders ♪ 00:22:02.600 |
- Before I have you have a seat and greet one another, 00:22:15.100 |
you can either do a wave, head nod, or a salute. 00:22:19.100 |
So before you have a seat, why don't we greet each other? 00:22:47.100 |
For those of you who are joining us for the very first time, 00:22:56.100 |
and our welcome team members would love to greet you, 00:23:01.100 |
and I'll tell you just more about our church. 00:23:13.100 |
there are things that have been postponed definitively, 00:23:17.100 |
and then there are a lot of things that are tentative. 00:23:19.100 |
And so I'll be going over some of those things. 00:23:28.100 |
whether it be the distance, the washing of hands, 00:23:30.100 |
there are sanitizer bottles right at the entrance. 00:23:33.100 |
Today for offering time, we're going to be having 00:23:36.100 |
two ways that you could be doing your offering. 00:23:43.100 |
and we have various ways that you can do that. 00:23:48.100 |
at the end of the service when the service is done. 00:23:50.100 |
We have two boxes at the front for those of you 00:23:55.100 |
there are the account information for both Venmo, 00:24:01.100 |
And so again, please refer to those things, okay? 00:24:17.100 |
so I'm going to be recording the actual Bible study 00:24:19.100 |
with various questions and preparing a handout 00:24:32.100 |
But the whole idea is just to continue the efforts 00:24:35.100 |
to make sure we're going through Scripture together, 00:24:39.100 |
and just our reflections of application as well. 00:24:49.100 |
to again move our Bible study on to the online, okay? 00:24:57.100 |
who showed up yesterday to sanitize the church, 00:25:05.100 |
But we're going to be doing a cleaning next Saturday 00:25:08.100 |
and we're going to do a second round of that. 00:25:12.100 |
there is supposed to be a baptism info session 00:25:22.100 |
that is also being postponed until further notice. 00:25:29.100 |
so that you can know what events are happening. 00:25:53.100 |
Lord, we need to hear your wisdom, your guidance, 00:26:09.100 |
and to focus our hearts and minds on you and you alone. 00:26:34.100 |
I want to give you some background information 00:26:41.100 |
just to kind of let you know our thinking process 00:27:07.100 |
for whatever the reason, I ask you to get it. 00:27:14.100 |
But if you do, I mean, obviously, if you don't have it, 00:27:19.100 |
It's different stuff that we can use to communicate with you. 00:27:25.100 |
And this is the reasoning behind what we're doing. 00:27:31.100 |
And again, let me tell you where this is from. 00:27:43.100 |
And so he was in the context of not only dealing 00:27:50.100 |
was a lot more deadly than what's going on right now, 00:28:05.100 |
The first stage was, "There's no cases in my community," 00:28:11.100 |
The second stage is, "There are cases in my community, 00:28:13.100 |
"but cases are all imported from another area 00:28:19.100 |
which means that somebody from the outside who had it 00:28:52.100 |
that they can't trace from outside was found Thursday. 00:29:03.100 |
most likely this is going to grow exponentially 00:29:07.100 |
So we're not naive to think that this is not going to happen, 00:29:22.100 |
that we're going to try to go online as much as possible 00:29:31.100 |
And then if by chance that this does progress, 00:29:47.100 |
why didn't we just completely go online to begin with? 00:29:50.100 |
Why didn't we go from stage one to stage five 00:30:04.100 |
not what's going on in Wuhan and Italy and even San Francisco, 00:30:08.100 |
but according to Orange County Health Organization, 00:30:12.100 |
they say that our risk at this time today is pretty low. 00:30:18.100 |
versus the number of people who live in Orange County 00:30:26.100 |
So we need to be careful that we are not panicking, 00:30:29.100 |
that we highly value the gathering of the people, 00:30:32.100 |
that we are not just reacting to the information that we are hearing, 00:30:43.100 |
and that we're kind of treating it like it's nothing." 00:30:47.100 |
Our believers are in communication as often as we can, 00:30:55.100 |
every article that is sent to us, we read it thoroughly, 00:31:00.100 |
how do we balance between the high call of the gathering of the believers 00:31:06.100 |
Again, as it progresses, we will let you know. 00:31:10.100 |
But those of you who are sitting in these seats, 00:31:19.100 |
One of the requirements were that the aisles needed to be a certain size, 00:31:26.100 |
and every seat in the sanctuary had to have a certain distance 00:31:31.100 |
So they had all these rules that we had to follow. 00:31:40.100 |
wouldn't it be easier if the chairs didn't interlock, 00:31:42.100 |
and we're able to immediately move it, and everybody can run?" 00:31:46.100 |
And he said, "That's exactly the reason why they need to interlock, 00:31:55.100 |
And when they panic, they don't act irrationally. 00:32:01.100 |
They're not going to get in a neat line and then march their way outside. 00:32:04.100 |
So they're going to be pushing themselves and trying to get over the chairs. 00:32:10.100 |
is all the chairs that fall down, and it blocks the entrances, 00:32:13.100 |
and more people die from the stampede than they do from the fire itself. 00:32:25.100 |
that we are not reacting to all the information that we are hearing. 00:32:31.100 |
that it's still a low risk that's most likely going to move to a higher risk. 00:32:50.100 |
but we didn't want to overreact and go from level 2 to level 5 00:32:56.100 |
because we wanted to make sure that we highly value 00:33:01.100 |
So we made it an option to have the families with small children 00:33:05.100 |
go to the park, and we wanted to make sure that they were safe. 00:33:33.100 |
And all the stuff that we can't even do that, 00:33:37.100 |
We don't know how long this is going to take. 00:33:39.100 |
It might take a month. It might take two months. 00:33:42.100 |
But my guess is in about a month, we will be much worse off than we are today. 00:33:46.100 |
So our concern is if we go too quickly to the end part, 00:33:50.100 |
we're going to be at that point from possibly two months, three months, four months, and on. 00:33:55.100 |
And so we want to be careful that we are taking proper steps, 00:33:58.100 |
that we are not reacting to what's going on around us. 00:34:01.100 |
There is tremendous pressure on all of us in the leadership to follow the herd and go. 00:34:08.100 |
But we want to make sure that we are communicating properly. 00:34:12.100 |
I want to start off by looking at this text in Mark 4, 35-41. 00:34:19.100 |
I'm going to be giving an overview of the book of Hebrews. 00:34:27.100 |
But I'm not sure if I'm going to be getting to the Melchizedek next week. 00:34:31.100 |
And the reason why is because there are many people at home with their children having service together. 00:34:36.100 |
And my guess is they have no idea who Melchizedek is, right? 00:34:44.100 |
and they want to know the intricacies of the Trinity and Melchizedek, like, right away. 00:34:49.100 |
But my guess is most of your children will not be. 00:34:52.100 |
So because we want to be sensitive to the families at our home watching the videos together, 00:34:57.100 |
that hopefully our services will be, you know, like, it'll be relevant to them as well. 00:35:04.100 |
No guarantee. We could still be jumping into Melchizedek. 00:35:07.100 |
But again, we might just wait a few more weeks, and we'll see how things go. 00:35:15.100 |
This is the scene where the disciples and Jesus are on the Sea of Galilee. 00:35:21.100 |
And Jesus is so fatigued and tired that he falls asleep on this boat. 00:35:25.100 |
And while he is on the boat, a tremendous storm comes, and they freak out, right? 00:35:55.100 |
Before we jump to conclusion that these disciples are weak and that they were fearful, 00:36:01.100 |
you have to realize that this is happening at the Sea of Galilee. 00:36:05.100 |
The Sea of Galilee is where Paul, John, Andrew, you know, those four brothers, 00:36:15.100 |
And at that time, professional fishermen usually were inherited. 00:36:19.100 |
Their job was usually inherited by their parents, probably maybe their grandparents. 00:36:28.100 |
And the Sea of Galilee is where they did most of their work. 00:36:33.100 |
So the fact that the storm came in and that they were afraid because the water was coming into the boat, 00:36:39.100 |
it is understandable that they are freaking out. 00:36:43.100 |
Because if anybody would know if this storm was going to lead to death or not, 00:36:49.100 |
So the fact that they were freaking out and they were scared, 00:36:52.100 |
and they looked to Jesus, who happens to be sleeping at the end, at the stern. 00:36:59.100 |
The stern is basically at the end of the boat. 00:37:03.100 |
And most likely in a small boat, that's where the rudder was. 00:37:07.100 |
The boat, traditionally at that time, they said it's about probably about 30 feet and about 7 1/2 feet wide. 00:37:13.100 |
So it wasn't a huge boat, just enough to fit the disciples and Jesus. 00:37:16.100 |
And Jesus, in the midst of the storm, is sitting back there, and he's sleeping. 00:37:21.100 |
And they're freaking out, and they go to Jesus, "Jesus, how can you do this?" 00:37:26.100 |
Again, verse 38, "Jesus himself was in the stern, asleep in the cushion. 00:37:30.100 |
And they woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?'" 00:37:41.100 |
So they're asking their leader, "How can you be sleeping while we might die?" 00:37:46.100 |
But the other reason is Jesus is at the stern. 00:37:55.100 |
But when Jesus wakes up from this, I mean, there isn't a meeting. 00:38:05.100 |
Verse 39, "He rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea, 'Hush, be still.' 00:38:09.100 |
And the wind died down, and it became perfectly calm." 00:38:16.100 |
All Jesus did was, done! Instantaneously gone. 00:38:21.100 |
Instead of apologizing to the disciples, "Oh, I was so tired." 00:38:26.100 |
I mean, imagine how tired Jesus was that in the midst of a storm that may cause him to drown, 00:38:33.100 |
and everybody else is freaking out, and Jesus is tired. 00:38:43.100 |
But instead of apologizing, he turns the table around, and he says, "Why are you afraid? 00:38:52.100 |
Now again, humanly speaking, who wouldn't be afraid? 00:38:58.100 |
I mean, these are professional fishermen in the Sea of Galilee, in their own boat. 00:39:05.100 |
They know what they can handle, what they cannot handle. 00:39:08.100 |
Clearly, this was a danger that they needed to deal with. 00:39:13.100 |
But instead, Jesus says, "Why are you afraid?" 00:39:19.100 |
Verse 41 says, "They became very much afraid and said to one another, 00:39:23.100 |
'Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?'" 00:39:28.100 |
See, what we see here, and the reason why he turns it around and says to them, 00:39:36.100 |
and rebukes them, "Why were you afraid? Do you not have faith?" 00:39:40.100 |
What he was asking was, "Do you not recognize who is at the rudder?" 00:39:46.100 |
The problem was not the storm. The problem was not them. The problem was not the boat. 00:39:51.100 |
This was no ordinary storm. This was no ordinary leader sitting at the rudder. 00:39:56.100 |
So what they were questioning, and what he was asking was, 00:39:59.100 |
"In the midst of all of this, do you not know who I am?" 00:40:05.100 |
The difference between this storm, the difference between this danger, 00:40:12.100 |
And that's why he turned the tables and he rebuked them. 00:40:17.100 |
Now, you know, when we're living in a time of peace, 00:40:21.100 |
you know, we can imagine, right? But the world is freaking out right now. 00:40:26.100 |
I mean, there's all kinds of news. I mean, obviously, we have two very extreme responses, 00:40:33.100 |
and less and less people are responding on one end. 00:40:35.100 |
We have one end that if we change anything, we're foolish. 00:40:39.100 |
And I think less and less people feel that way. 00:40:41.100 |
But we have a growing number of people that think that we're in the midst of Armageddon. 00:40:47.100 |
That if we don't stockpile seven years of toilet paper, 00:40:50.100 |
that you don't get enough Purell for the rest of your life, 00:40:54.100 |
that you're never going to survive. We have that end. 00:41:01.100 |
We have to be careful that in the midst, especially in the midst of turmoil, 00:41:05.100 |
that we don't react like the rest of the world. 00:41:09.100 |
Because our greatest fear should not be catching this disease. 00:41:15.100 |
Our greatest fear should not be if you caught it, that you're going to die from it. 00:41:21.100 |
If you notice that when Jesus wakes up and he calms the storm, 00:41:24.100 |
the tremendous fear that they had of this storm turned into fear of who? 00:41:35.100 |
And the Bible says that beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. 00:41:48.100 |
We want to take what's happening around the world. 00:41:51.100 |
But we want to be wise in making sure that the fear of the Lord 00:41:55.100 |
is the foundation upon which we are building and which we are making decisions. 00:42:01.100 |
The book of Hebrews is written to a group of people who are in dire situation. 00:42:11.100 |
Some of you guys who know Roman history know that the Christian persecution 00:42:16.100 |
All those things that you see on movies where Christians are taken to Colosseum 00:42:23.100 |
This happened during that period, 65 to 69 AD. 00:42:27.100 |
If you were with us in the study of the book of Romans, 00:42:29.100 |
you know that Paul was captured in Jerusalem in AD 59. 00:42:34.100 |
He was in Jerusalem for two years, and then he was taken to Rome as a prisoner 00:42:43.100 |
Meaning for that period of time, the Romans were the ones who were guarding Paul. 00:42:51.100 |
Paul came into Jerusalem to preach the gospel, and the Jews were so angered 00:42:57.100 |
It was the Roman guards that came in to protect him. 00:43:01.100 |
And under their protection, he was under house arrest, 00:43:07.100 |
He was writing letters, and he was preaching the gospel. 00:43:10.100 |
Do you remember as he was writing the book of Philippians, 00:43:13.100 |
he says, "This has turned out for the spreading of the gospel." 00:43:16.100 |
Other people are more emboldened because of his chains. 00:43:25.100 |
What these believers are experiencing now was much different. 00:43:31.100 |
In fact, when the persecution initially came, they were very strong, 00:43:39.100 |
They were more emboldened to preach the gospel because the Romans were actually protecting them. 00:43:43.100 |
But by the time Paul writes 2 Timothy, the atmosphere has changed. 00:43:52.100 |
And that's the background behind the writing of the book of Hebrews. 00:43:56.100 |
In fact, Tacitus--if you can put up the next section--Tacitus, who is a Roman official, 00:44:03.100 |
and he's one of the most revered Roman historians, who was not a Christian. 00:44:11.100 |
and he was writing his observation of what was going on with the Christians. 00:44:15.100 |
And this gives us insight as to the intensity of the persecution 00:44:18.100 |
that these Roman Christians were experiencing at this time. 00:44:22.100 |
He says, "Yet no human effort, no princely largesse, nor offerings of the gods 00:44:28.100 |
could make that infamous rumor disappear that Nero had somehow ordered the fire." 00:44:33.100 |
There was a big fire that broke out in Rome, and in order to escape blame, 00:44:39.100 |
And so Tacitus already was suspecting that maybe Nero did it himself. 00:44:44.100 |
Therefore, in order to abolish that rumor, Nero falsely accused and executed 00:44:48.100 |
with the most exquisite punishment those people called Christians, 00:44:55.100 |
The originator of the name, Christ, was executed as a criminal 00:44:58.100 |
by procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. 00:45:02.100 |
And though repressed, this destructive superstition erupted again, 00:45:06.100 |
not only through Judea, which was the origin of this evil, 00:45:10.100 |
but also through the city of Rome, to which all that is horrible 00:45:13.100 |
and shameful floods together and is celebrated. 00:45:16.100 |
In other words, Tacitus is already saying that if any horrible things 00:45:20.100 |
are going to happen, it would happen in Rome, because they have a reputation for this. 00:45:24.100 |
Therefore, first, those were seized who admitted their faith. 00:45:31.100 |
He's describing the persecution, and he said the first group of people 00:45:34.100 |
were people who are openly sharing their faith. 00:45:41.100 |
If you stay quiet, stay in your house, and you're not outside doing God's work, 00:45:48.100 |
So the first group of people were most likely missionaries 00:45:51.100 |
who were outside sharing their faith, and he says they were the ones 00:45:55.100 |
who were first seized, and then using the information they provided, 00:46:04.100 |
So right now, all the missionaries out in China who's been there 00:46:07.100 |
for five to ten years, they're the ones who are in greatest danger, 00:46:11.100 |
and they are being protected because once they get in and they get interrogated, 00:46:15.100 |
they're concerned that they're going to end up finding other people 00:46:22.100 |
That's what's going on in China and different parts of the world. 00:46:25.100 |
And he says the first intense persecution happened the same way. 00:46:29.100 |
It was through the people who are openly admitting their faith. 00:46:32.100 |
They used the information they provided, and they went after the people 00:46:37.100 |
Not so much for the crime of burning the city, but for hatred of human race. 00:46:43.100 |
And perishing, they were additionally made into sports. 00:46:47.100 |
Their persecution was made an entertainment to the Romans. 00:46:52.100 |
They were killed by dogs by having the hides of beasts attached to them, 00:46:56.100 |
or they were nailed to crosses or set aflame. 00:47:00.100 |
And when the daylight passed away, they were used as nighttime lamps. 00:47:07.100 |
They made the persecution an entertainment for the Roman citizens. 00:47:11.100 |
They would crucify them, allow dogs and beasts to tear them apart, 00:47:15.100 |
and people would pay money to come and see this. 00:47:18.100 |
And then when they were crucified, they would set them aflame, 00:47:24.100 |
Nero decided that he was going to light his garden 00:47:33.100 |
This is the background behind the Letter or Book of Hebrews. 00:47:36.100 |
And when the daylight passed away, they were used as nighttime lamps. 00:47:40.100 |
Nero gave his own gardens for his spectacle and performed a circus game. 00:47:44.100 |
In the habit of charioteer, mixing with the plebes or driving about the race course. 00:47:50.100 |
Even though they were clearly guilty and merited being made 00:47:53.100 |
the most recent example of consequences of crime, 00:47:59.100 |
Part of the reason why revival broke out in the first century 00:48:02.100 |
is because the sentiment toward the Christians began to change 00:48:05.100 |
because the Romans were so cruel to the Christians. 00:48:10.100 |
Because they were consumed not for public good, 00:48:17.100 |
That gives us a background behind what was historically being observed 00:48:23.100 |
That's the background behind the Book of Hebrews. 00:48:27.100 |
So when he tells them, the author of Hebrews tells them, 00:48:36.100 |
Now, our present circumstance is not the same. 00:48:41.100 |
Because the churches are not shutting down for that reason. 00:48:46.100 |
It's for safety reasons, making sure that the virus does not spread. 00:48:49.100 |
But we want to make sure that whatever decision that we make, 00:48:55.100 |
that we place the high value of gathering together 00:49:02.100 |
That we want to make sure that when it is necessary, 00:49:04.100 |
which it seems like we are headed toward that direction, 00:49:07.100 |
that when that decision is made, that there is no confusion, 00:49:14.100 |
Because even the government has the warning that they gave was 00:49:23.100 |
And we consider the gathering of the believers essential. 00:49:27.100 |
That the closing of Disneyland should not equate to what we are doing. 00:49:36.100 |
And maybe as early as this week, we may have to do so. 00:49:39.100 |
Because we want to abide by the government and what is happening around us. 00:49:47.100 |
We don't want people to go to supermarkets and buy stuff 00:49:53.100 |
We want to make sure that we are being prayerful, 00:49:58.100 |
that at the end of all of this, whether it's two months, three months, 00:50:01.100 |
or five months from now, that our values are going to stay intact. 00:50:15.100 |
the letter itself describes them, Hebrews 10.32, 00:50:19.100 |
"But remember the former days when after being enlightened, 00:50:24.100 |
partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, 00:50:28.100 |
and partly by becoming shares with those who were so treated. 00:50:31.100 |
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully 00:50:37.100 |
If this was written by Paul, he may be referring to them coming 00:50:40.100 |
and visiting Paul, giving him stuff, giving gifts. 00:50:43.100 |
Even if it wasn't written by Paul, Paul says that this group 00:50:49.100 |
They were committed Christians, but when the heat got turned up, 00:50:57.100 |
So he is reminding them, the whole letter is reminding them, 00:51:05.100 |
to make sure that you are anchored in Christ. 00:51:10.100 |
We need to be anchored in Christ in every situation, 00:51:13.100 |
whether it is in peace, whether it's in turmoil, 00:51:15.100 |
but especially in times when we are surrounded by people 00:51:27.100 |
that our security doesn't come from having a stockpile of Purell 00:51:33.100 |
that if we just keep the distance from everybody, 00:51:35.100 |
if we just don't get the coronavirus, we are safe. 00:51:46.100 |
We need to do everything that we should do as good citizens, 00:51:50.100 |
as good neighbors, to love the people around us, 00:52:00.100 |
If there's any time where that needs to be emphasized, it is now. 00:52:15.100 |
Are we anchored in Christ in the way we treat our neighbors? 00:52:20.100 |
While it is our natural instinct to be concerned over ourselves and our children, 00:52:26.100 |
is the anchoring of Christ causing us to act differently than the world? 00:52:31.100 |
The author constantly encourages us all throughout the book of Hebrews 00:52:37.100 |
Hebrews 2, verse 1, "For this reason, we must pay much closer attention 00:52:48.100 |
Because of the persecution, because of the threat of death. 00:52:52.100 |
So you were paying attention, but now you must pay much closer attention. 00:53:02.100 |
The gospel was always precious, but much more now. 00:53:06.100 |
He says, "Much more now, pay much closer attention to what you have heard 00:53:16.100 |
How are the values that we profess, the heaven that we talk about 00:53:20.100 |
that we're going to go to, that we're eagerly waiting for? 00:53:23.100 |
Out of all of that information that we profess, 00:53:26.100 |
how does it affect the way that we make decisions? 00:53:29.100 |
The way we treat our neighbors, what we do in the midst of all of this? 00:53:36.100 |
Hebrews 2, 3, "How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" 00:53:45.100 |
One, simply by doing nothing, just sit on the boat 00:53:50.100 |
But another way that we end up drifting is by making small compromises. 00:53:55.100 |
In this particular situation, just, "Is that really that important? 00:53:59.100 |
Do we really need to do that? What about this?" 00:54:02.100 |
And we have a tendency to rationalize disobedience if we're not careful. 00:54:06.100 |
And so when he says, "Make sure that we are not neglecting, 00:54:11.100 |
that compromising and justification isn't happening in our mind 00:54:20.100 |
Hebrews 3, 12, "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you 00:54:24.100 |
an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God." 00:54:28.100 |
Over and over again, he says, "Do not neglect, do not neglect, do not neglect. 00:54:37.100 |
Being anchored in Christ doesn't mean that you have to show up at church. 00:54:41.100 |
I think it's a great opportunity, especially for those of you families 00:54:44.100 |
who are at home with your children, to share the gospel with your kids. 00:54:47.100 |
So talk about the worship. Talk about the songs. 00:54:50.100 |
It's a great opportunity to establish that if that wasn't there. 00:54:56.100 |
Disciple your children. It's a great opportunity. 00:54:59.100 |
But it's Christ at the center of all of this. 00:55:02.100 |
When we tend to neglect our salvation and we allow ourselves to drift, 00:55:06.100 |
the first place where that shows is the way that we treat our neighbors. 00:55:13.100 |
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. 00:55:17.100 |
For by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." 00:55:23.100 |
"And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." 00:55:31.100 |
Remember what he said about this church previously. 00:55:44.100 |
But they're telling them, "Don't neglect it now, 00:55:52.100 |
While our natural inclination is to be in our shell, 00:55:59.100 |
And that's why he's telling them in that context, 00:56:02.100 |
"Do not neglect to show hospitality towards strangers." 00:56:06.100 |
The most vulnerable people in our society right now are the elderly. 00:56:10.100 |
Because if you look at the chart of people who contracted 00:56:13.100 |
and who are getting seriously ill and possibly even dying, 00:56:16.100 |
the chart goes from almost negligible to young people 00:56:25.100 |
People who are 70 and older in our society don't usually use internet. 00:56:30.100 |
In fact, I know some people in their 50s that don't use it. 00:56:33.100 |
But people in their 70s and 80s usually don't know. 00:56:37.100 |
They're hearing it through the grapevine or through television. 00:56:39.100 |
And we are hearing more and more stories of the elderly 00:56:42.100 |
who are showing up to supermarkets with nothing. 00:56:52.100 |
To love our neighbors shouldn't just be to isolate ourselves. 00:56:59.100 |
We need to do what we need to do to take care of our families, 00:57:03.100 |
But loving our neighbors in the context of struggle 00:57:10.100 |
It's a great opportunity to practice this agape love. 00:57:17.100 |
God may be calling the church to run to danger in certain contexts 00:57:24.100 |
Those of you who have seven years of toilet paper, 00:57:31.100 |
If these senior homes that are around us are running out, 00:57:36.100 |
if you have enough Purell to last until Jesus comes, 00:57:41.100 |
Maybe there are neighbors who don't have any. 00:57:48.100 |
that if this virus goes for another 10 years, you're safe, 00:57:54.100 |
if there are some people who don't have access to this, 00:57:57.100 |
that this is the perfect time to use the resources that we have 00:58:03.100 |
That's what he is saying, that in the context of all of this, 00:58:05.100 |
do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 00:58:11.100 |
do not neglect the very core of our identity, 00:58:14.100 |
be put in the back burner because we are concerned about our own safety. 00:58:23.100 |
We're talking about the agape love, the end result of all of this. 00:58:27.100 |
In fact, Chapter 13 ends with, if you believe this, 00:58:31.100 |
and you practice faith, and you look upon Christ, 00:58:36.100 |
Chapter 13 ends with, therefore, practice this agape love. 00:58:40.100 |
If there's any time where that needs to come to the forefront of our lives, 00:58:49.100 |
We have our outreach team who has been working hard to set up the gospel night, 00:58:53.100 |
and I know that many are disappointed because they've been praying, 00:58:55.100 |
they've been preparing, they've been going out in the streets. 00:58:58.100 |
As much as we have been preparing to share the gospel, 00:59:01.100 |
and Easter is coming up, and timing, humanly speaking, may be really bad 00:59:05.100 |
because Easter typically is the most attended Sunday service, 00:59:10.100 |
Many people come to Christ as a result of all of this. 00:59:13.100 |
But know that as much as we have been preparing to bring the gospel to the world, 00:59:20.100 |
God has been preparing behind the scene from the moment Adam and Eve fell. 00:59:25.100 |
That even in this, God may be doing something to prepare the preaching of the gospel. 00:59:32.100 |
We have a greater platform than we would have ever had 00:59:39.100 |
We have a greater platform to preach the gospel. 00:59:41.100 |
We have a greater platform to show the glory of God. 00:59:44.100 |
We have a greater platform to demonstrate what agape love looks like 00:59:48.100 |
in the context where everybody else is bunkering down in their shelters. 00:59:53.100 |
Let us not neglect showing hospitality and doing good to those around us. 00:59:59.100 |
The broad outline of the book of Hebrews, he begins by saying in chapter 1, 01:00:05.100 |
And the point of that is, "Therefore pay attention to him." 01:00:10.100 |
Right now we're online, and I'm online almost daily, hourly, 01:00:13.100 |
looking at the news, making sure, and we're online chatting with the leaders. 01:00:17.100 |
What are we practicing? What do we do? We need to communicate. 01:00:20.100 |
But in the midst of all of this, the point of why it begins by saying, 01:00:25.100 |
"Jesus is greater than the angels," he says, "Therefore you must pay close attention to him." 01:00:32.100 |
First and foremost, that we need to be careful that in the midst of all these information 01:00:37.100 |
that's being disseminated through all these social medias, 01:00:44.100 |
Is the paradigm in which we look at the world and how we make decisions, 01:00:47.100 |
is that founded upon the gospel that you and I profess? 01:00:51.100 |
So first and foremost, are we paying attention to Christ 01:00:54.100 |
before we pay attention to the media and whatever it is that we're paying attention to? 01:00:58.100 |
So that whatever we do in response to the information that we're getting, 01:01:01.100 |
we're founded upon the paradigm that is created by Christ. 01:01:06.100 |
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind 01:01:10.100 |
so that you may be able to test the perfect will of God. 01:01:15.100 |
Is the word of God first and foremost before anything else? 01:01:19.100 |
Second of all, chapter 3, Jesus is greater than Moses. 01:01:25.100 |
In times like this, our natural instinct is to look to leaders for guidance. 01:01:30.100 |
What is President Trump saying? What is the governor saying? 01:01:36.100 |
And we have been bombarded with emails and texts and social medias. 01:01:44.100 |
And it's understandable because our natural instinct is to look to leadership. 01:01:48.100 |
Moses was their greatest leader, but he reminds them, 01:01:52.100 |
as great as Moses was, he was just a servant. 01:01:58.100 |
And the point of all of this is, if you're going to look for any leader, 01:02:06.100 |
they pack up and they leave because they have to protect themselves. 01:02:09.100 |
But the good shepherd, Christ Jesus, he lays down his life for his sheep. 01:02:15.100 |
So if there's anybody that we're going to look to, we're going to look to Christ first. 01:02:19.100 |
That he's in our boat. He's the one who's in charge. 01:02:22.100 |
And the moment that we forget that is when panic happens, 01:02:29.100 |
Thirdly, chapter 4, he is greater than Joshua. 01:02:33.100 |
Chapter 4 leads us into Joshua because Joshua is the one who led them into rest. 01:02:42.100 |
If Joshua was able to lead them into rest, that would have been it. 01:02:46.100 |
But he says, no, all of that was pointing to the true rest that Jesus comes, 01:02:52.100 |
And he says, so therefore, let us fear that we do not enter this, 01:03:01.100 |
Our comfort is not found in maybe some of you guys were diligent 01:03:06.100 |
and went to the market way ahead of time, and you have plenty of toilet paper, 01:03:09.100 |
plenty of Purell, you got enough food if Armageddon happens. 01:03:16.100 |
We're not waiting for President Trump to say everything is good. 01:03:22.100 |
If our local leaders say, you know what, there's no danger, 01:03:25.100 |
now go out and live like the way that everybody else is living. 01:03:37.100 |
Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden. 01:03:42.100 |
Are you looking for leadership? Are you looking for guidance? 01:03:58.100 |
And this is a peace that the world does not know. 01:04:05.100 |
And then finally, chapter 5 through 7, the true mediator. 01:04:10.100 |
And we started in chapter 5, and then he takes a break in chapter 6, 01:04:13.100 |
says he's our true mediator, but if Christ is not your mediator, 01:04:16.100 |
and you begin to drift away to the world, there is no other salvation. 01:04:22.100 |
And he reminds us that, how important this is, 01:04:25.100 |
and then he moves on to chapter 7, which we will be jumping into at some point. 01:04:31.100 |
And then chapter 8, 9, and 10 leads us into the covenant. 01:04:38.100 |
And then he leads us to chapter 11, that this is the examples of these men 01:04:42.100 |
who had genuine faith in God, and this is what their life looked like, 01:04:48.100 |
"Therefore, fix your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." 01:04:54.100 |
And the greatest application of that, chapter 13, is this agape love. 01:05:00.100 |
But the point of all of this is not simply to get our minds to think about Jesus, 01:05:07.100 |
The reason why we need to think about Jesus is so that thinking about Jesus, 01:05:10.100 |
that we would apply what it means to be anchored in Christ. 01:05:14.100 |
And that's exactly--there is more "let us" statements in the book of Hebrews 01:05:19.100 |
Because the point of this isn't simply Christology. 01:05:22.100 |
That if you know who Jesus is compared to angels and Moses and the prophets 01:05:27.100 |
and Melchizedek, and you got that all down, but that's where it ends, 01:05:31.100 |
you missed the whole point, because the whole point of the book of Hebrews is "therefore." 01:05:34.100 |
If you know who that Jesus is, our anchor, if you know that Jesus is our hope, 01:05:38.100 |
He's our peace, He's our leader, He's the one that we need to pay attention to, 01:05:47.100 |
So I want to highlight a few of these as I wrap up. 01:05:50.100 |
In chapter 4, verse 1, "Therefore let us fear while promise remains of entering His rest." 01:05:57.100 |
The first thing that he tells us, the beginning of wisdom. 01:06:04.100 |
The world is praying for--even non-Christians are praying and hoping for wisdom. 01:06:11.100 |
When should we open? What is okay to do? What is not okay to do? 01:06:14.100 |
Everybody is seeking wisdom. The Bible says the beginning of wisdom is what? 01:06:21.100 |
And so we want to be prayerful as leadership, 01:06:25.100 |
that whatever decision is being made, that it is first founded upon our reverence for Him. 01:06:35.100 |
Whether you are having worship at home, whether you are having worship here, 01:06:40.100 |
wherever you are, our first and foremost is to check our own hearts. 01:06:48.100 |
In Matthew 10, 28-31, "Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul. 01:06:54.100 |
But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 01:06:59.100 |
Are not two sparrows sold for a cent, and yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father? 01:07:04.100 |
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." 01:07:12.100 |
But the reason why we ought to fear the Lord is because He loves us. 01:07:16.100 |
The reason why that needs to be the foundation upon which we stand 01:07:20.100 |
is because all other men are fleeing for safety. 01:07:25.100 |
But the only one who can actually protect us, 01:07:30.100 |
the only one who knows what's coming tomorrow, 01:07:33.100 |
the only one who knows where it's going, only God knows. 01:07:37.100 |
And that sovereign God that we fear, He counts every hair on our head. 01:07:42.100 |
So do not fear. You are more valuable than the sparrows. 01:07:47.100 |
And that's why we need to, especially at this time, ask ourselves, 01:07:52.100 |
"Is the fear of the Lord in which I stand today? 01:08:00.100 |
Our greatest fear should not be catching this virus. 01:08:04.100 |
Our greatest fear is if we catch this virus, that am I going to die? 01:08:09.100 |
That shouldn't be our greatest fear, even though it's our natural human response. 01:08:14.100 |
Our greatest fear is to be separated from God. 01:08:17.100 |
Our greatest fear is that our loved ones would pass without knowing Him. 01:08:26.100 |
Ultimately, death is a release from this broken body, 01:08:32.100 |
To be absent in the flesh is to be with the Lord. 01:08:35.100 |
Is the fear of the Lord foundation upon which we are doing and making all decisions? 01:08:39.100 |
Hebrews 4.14, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest 01:08:42.100 |
who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, 01:08:52.100 |
and just kind of hunker down until this passes over. 01:08:58.100 |
Let us practice our faith in confidence and in courage. 01:09:03.100 |
This is a great opportunity to magnify Christ. 01:09:07.100 |
My prayer is that revival will break out because of this, 01:09:11.100 |
because of the way the Christians are responding to this. 01:09:15.100 |
Hebrews 10.24, "And let us consider how to stimulate one another 01:09:21.100 |
To consider carefully, to think and calculate. 01:09:27.100 |
We talked about this text, to consider how to provoke one another. 01:09:34.100 |
but now I think that our emotional state is a lot more fertile to receive this word. 01:09:42.100 |
Consider carefully not just your family, not just are you safe, 01:09:56.100 |
watch for people who couldn't get what they needed to get. 01:10:02.100 |
Maybe you have neighbors who are not connected to the Internet. 01:10:08.100 |
Maybe there's an elderly home filled with dozens, 01:10:15.100 |
who do not have the ability to run to the supermarket 01:10:21.100 |
To consider carefully how to stimulate, provoke one another 01:10:26.100 |
not forsaking our own assembly together as is a habit of some. 01:10:41.100 |
In fact, many are doing this so that it doesn't spread faster than it needs to. 01:10:48.100 |
but the principle behind it is to place a high value 01:10:55.100 |
When it is time, when it is the wisest thing to do, 01:11:01.100 |
But we don't want to knock over the chairs in that process. 01:11:08.100 |
and we want to make sure that whether we are out 01:11:11.100 |
or whether we are home, we are responding and not reacting. 01:11:19.100 |
Let's be careful to realize what we have been given. 01:11:27.100 |
We've been praying for people to come to Christ. 01:11:33.100 |
We are praying for opportunities to share the gospel. 01:11:39.100 |
We're praying for opportunities to show agape love. 01:11:45.100 |
Let's stay sober and redeem the opportunity that God has given us 01:11:53.100 |
Hebrews 12, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, 01:11:57.100 |
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and sin which so easily entangles." 01:12:03.100 |
There are certain things that we have to put down, 01:12:06.100 |
our temporary Bible study going online, meeting together, fellowship, 01:12:09.100 |
the gospel night, all of this at some point will be picked back up when this passes. 01:12:14.100 |
But there are also things that we cannot do right now 01:12:17.100 |
that maybe we should put down and not pick up. 01:12:23.100 |
So when these things happen, it forces us to examine what we value, 01:12:28.100 |
Anything that is not essential has been shut down. 01:12:33.100 |
Some of these things probably should not be picked up. 01:12:36.100 |
What are these things that we need to carefully consider? 01:12:41.100 |
Chapter 13, verse 3, "So let us go out to him outside the camp bearing his reproach." 01:12:48.100 |
Since Jesus was crucified outside the camp, meaning that's where anybody who is shunned by the society, 01:12:55.100 |
that they will be taken outside the camp to be stoned. 01:12:58.100 |
If you were a leper, you were sent outside the camp. 01:13:00.100 |
So when he says, "Let us go outside the camp with Christ," 01:13:03.100 |
he means let's leave behind the comforts of this world. 01:13:16.100 |
That we are aliens and strangers just passing through. 01:13:19.100 |
That maybe this virus is a reminder to us that all who are united with Christ 01:13:24.100 |
is united with Christ already outside the camp. 01:13:28.100 |
So maybe this is a good opportunity for us to reflect and examine our lives 01:13:35.100 |
And then finally, chapter 13, verse 15, "Through him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God." 01:13:50.100 |
Some of them may have seen their friends crucified. 01:13:54.100 |
Maybe their brother, their child, their mother, their uncle, grandparents. 01:13:59.100 |
They may have already seen them in the Colosseum being torn apart by wild animals. 01:14:06.100 |
He's talking to people who may have even smelled the flesh of their own loved ones burning 01:14:17.100 |
"In the midst of that, through him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God." 01:14:29.100 |
There is a kind of worship that we give to God in time of peace, 01:14:33.100 |
and even then it is sweet, even then it is necessary. 01:14:39.100 |
But sometimes there are circumstances in our lives, whether it is private or whether it is public, 01:14:49.100 |
there are certain periods of our life where the worship of our Savior becomes that much sweeter. 01:14:57.100 |
Our greatest witness to the world is to declare the glory of God in the midst of this darkness 01:15:06.100 |
because the light shines much brighter when the world does not see light. 01:15:12.100 |
So let us not neglect the opportunity that God has given us and be anchored in Christ. 01:15:18.100 |
So just as an--again, just we're asking you that things are rapidly changing, 01:15:25.100 |
and the Orange County Health Offices are telling us that at least as of now it is still low, 01:15:32.100 |
and that may change overnight, you know, with more testing that are coming. 01:15:36.100 |
So we are not being naive, and we are being pressed on both sides. 01:15:40.100 |
We have "Don't ever close your door," and those people are slowly dissipating, 01:15:45.100 |
and then more and more of "We should have closed it three months ago," you know, 01:15:49.100 |
and we are under tremendous pressure, and the easiest thing that we could do is just shut it, you know, 01:15:55.100 |
and go online, which we may end up doing even as early as this week. 01:16:00.100 |
But we want to make sure that whatever we do that we are not reacting, 01:16:05.100 |
that we are responding, and we are responding carefully, wisely, prayerfully, firmly anchored in Christ. 01:16:13.100 |
So that is our request for you to do the same. 01:16:16.100 |
Watch, listen, pray, and I hope that the message this morning, 01:16:21.100 |
a reminder of the overview of the book of Hebrews, 01:16:24.100 |
will serve as a foundation upon everything that we do going forward. 01:16:27.100 |
Let me pray for us, and then I'm going to ask you guys to take some time to pray. 01:16:30.100 |
And as we said, we're not going to have an official offering time for the sake of sanitation. 01:16:36.100 |
So when you are done, when the service is over, if you are planning to physically bring the offering, 01:16:41.100 |
then it will be in those two houses, okay, that's prepared in the front. 01:17:03.100 |
But more than anything else, we pray for soberness. 01:17:09.100 |
Help us, Lord, to open our eyes to see the opportunities that have been created because of this situation. 01:17:19.100 |
There are people in our lives that we've been praying for, 01:17:23.100 |
that they would soften their hearts to hear you. 01:17:29.100 |
And I pray, Father, that this would cause them to think of you. 01:17:33.100 |
I pray that the whole world would come to the knowledge 01:17:37.100 |
that we are just a mist that comes and disappears, 01:17:41.100 |
that as fear of this virus and fear of death grips the world, 01:17:47.100 |
I pray that you would allow Christians to rise up 01:17:51.100 |
and to be able to point to you that there is hope, 01:17:56.100 |
that things are not hopeless, that this is the very reason why Christ came. 01:18:01.100 |
So we pray that you would give courage to the Christian leaders. 01:18:05.100 |
We pray for much wisdom, Lord God, to when to do what and when not to do what. 01:18:10.100 |
But above all, may Christ and what he has done 01:18:14.100 |
be magnified beyond what we can possibly muster up with our own strength, 01:18:19.100 |
and that what you are doing may be clearly seen, Father God, through all of this. 01:18:31.100 |
I pray, Lord God, that the church may be strengthened through all of it. 01:18:37.100 |
As our worship team comes up to lead us, let's take some time to pray. 01:18:41.100 |
And then afterwards we'll sing our final song. 01:18:47.100 |
Because this is our second service, we are going to shut down the church sooner than later. 01:18:52.100 |
So we're going to ask you, as soon as the service is over, 01:18:55.100 |
try to--if you're going to congregate, to do it outside, 01:18:58.100 |
so that the people who need to lock up, they can lock up. 01:19:00.100 |
And then if you're going to visit, you can do it outside. 01:19:02.100 |
So you're not going to freeze to death out there. 01:19:05.100 |
So if you guys can help us to do that as soon as the service is over. 01:21:16.260 |
- Church family, I'm gonna ask you to rise with us 01:26:04.760 |
And I especially pray for the most vulnerable 01:26:09.340 |
the elderly, Lord God, that you would watch over them. 01:26:15.340 |
And I pray that, again, that it's a great reminder, Lord God, 01:26:25.340 |
I pray that you would give them courage, Lord, 01:26:29.340 |
that in their work that you would protect them. 01:26:34.340 |
that the aroma of Christ may be clearly evident, Lord God, 01:26:40.340 |
We pray that you would guide and protect our children. 01:26:50.340 |
Pray for mothers, Lord, who need to spend extra time 01:26:55.340 |
Give them the energy that they need, Lord God, 01:26:57.340 |
that they would make the most of the opportunity. 01:26:59.340 |
We pray for wisdom for our leadership, Lord God, 01:27:12.920 |
that we would do wisely according to your word. 01:27:15.920 |
We pray for our congregation as we go our own way. 01:27:18.920 |
And we don't know how long you may have ordained this, 01:27:25.920 |
be redeemed for the sake of your gospel and your glory. 01:27:35.920 |
that is under control and influence of the God of this age. 01:27:39.920 |
That it be a time for the church to open our eyes to see 01:27:48.920 |
I pray, Father, that you would first bring revival 01:28:06.920 |
consume our thoughts, our will, our emotions, and our life.