Sermon Notes – May 5, 2019

This past Sunday our pastor talked about Hebrews chapter 7.

He mentioned that when Jesus started His ministry the Jews believed they were in good standing with God because they carefully followed the law, had a royal priesthood, gave proper animal sacrifices, ate the prescribed Jewish diet, and gave the exact amount of tithes the law called for.

They were doing all the right outward things God’s law had said to do and assumed they were therefore okay.

Then Jesus Christ came along and told them they were wrong because they were doing all the right and “clean” things on the outside – BUT – they hadn’t changed on the inside.

Instead of being humble before the Lord and following the law as an acknowledgement of God’s greatness and their position below Him, they were puffed up with pride at how well they were following the law and  presumed they were therefore of great importance.

They were being legalistic and giving external conformity without inner surrender, conformity, or submission.

In short, they had changed on the outside but not the inside.

When Christ was here on earth He, being fully man yet fully God, looked like everyone else on the outside – BUT – on the inside He was different than those around Him.

God asks the same of us.

God calls us to be different on the inside.

God calls for inner conformity, obedience, submission, honesty, integrity, and humility. Not because we are that great, but because Christ is and as Christians we are to model ourselves after Him.

1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

It is this inner part of us we are to pay attention to and work to bring in to obedience to Christ.

Yes, we are to dress modestly (more on that in another post!), but it’s not about what’s on the outside – it’s about what’s in your heart and who you are on the inside.

After explaining all of this the pastor asked these questions:

-Are you trying to earn God’s approval by staying in His good graces?

-Are you obeying Him out of fear of what will happen if you don’t?

-Are you trying not to make God mad so nothing bad happens?

If you answered yes to any of these questions be aware you might be working on the outward appearances without working on the inner changes. This may also mean you are trying to earn your salvation. That can’t be done.

Salvation is a gift from God. It’s free. You can’t earn it. All you can do is accept it.

You cannot make God love you any more than He already does. There is absolutely nothing you can do to change it, increase it, or decrease it.

God loves you with an everlasting, steadfast love that is so deep it is indescribable.

You can’t earn something you already have!

Instead of trying to earn God’s love, just accept that He already does love you and receive that love. Then, follow His will and do good to show the Lord you love Him and care about Him and others.

Do it out of love, not to gain favor from God or any man.

Then go to Christ on a regular basis and humbly ask Him these questions,

“What’s wrong with me? What in me would you like to change? What can we work on together to mold and shape me to look and be more like you, Jesus?”

Then, prayerfully listen.

He’ll show you things you need to change, improve, or let go of.

When He shows you what they are, immediately act on them.

It will be excruciatingly painful at times as you see yourself for who you really are, but it will also be exhilarating at times, knowing that as you work on improving these issues the God of the Universe will be there, walking beside you, helping you with every step, and doing the work through you that you cannot do for yourself. Molding you, growing you, stretching you into the person God designed you to be.

It is this molding, growing, and stretching that will cause you to grow from the inside out as you grow in His love. This is the growth only a true relationship with Jesus can provide.

 

Have you gone to the Lord in prayer recently to ask Him what it is about your life He would like you to change or work on? If not, what’s stopping you? If you have, share in the comments what God is doing in your life.