Faithful: Keeping A Firm Grip On My Faith

WE WANT OUR THEME TO PROVIDE EACH

CROSSINGS MEMBER WITH…

1. An INTERNAL OBLIGATION - “Let us firmly hold…”

“I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭63‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Now what is our response to be? Shall we sin to our heart’s content and see how far we can exploit the grace of God? What a ghastly thought! We, who have died to sin—how could we live in sin a moment longer? Have you forgotten that all of us who were baptised into Jesus Christ were, by that very action, sharing in his death? We were dead and buried with him in baptism, so that just as he was raised from the dead by that splendid Revelation of the Father’s power so we too might rise to life on a new plane altogether. If we have, as it were, shared his death, let us rise and live our new lives with him! Let us never forget that our old selves died with him on the cross that the tyranny of sin over us might be broken..”

Romans 6:1-3 PHILLIPS

2. An EXTERNAL AFFIRMATION - “the confession of our faith..”

“Jesus, the Son of God, helps us as God's most important priest. He is our great priest who has gone up into heaven. We say that we believe in him. So we must continue to show people that we trust him.” Hebrews 4:14 EASY

• An affirmation of Jesus’ lordship with my LIPS.

• An affirmation of Jesus’ lordship with my LIFE.

“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Simply calling Me “Lord” will not be enough. Only those who do the will of My Father who is in heaven will join Me in heaven.”

Matthew 7:11 VOICE

3. ETERNAL MOTIVATION - “for he who promised is faithful”

“I looked up and saw that heaven had opened. Suddenly, a white horse appeared. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with righteousness He exercises judgment and wages war.”

Revelation 19:11 VOICE

TWO RECOLLECTIONS THAT WILL HELP ME KEEP A FIRM GRIP ON MY FAITH:

1. I need to remember that JESUS CHRIST IS SUPREME!

• I need to remember that He is superior to THE PROPHETS.

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”

Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

• I need to remember that Jesus is superior to ANGELS.

“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. 6 And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.” Regarding the angels, he says, “He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.” But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.”

Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

• I need to remember that Jesus is superior to MOSES or JOSHUA.

• I need to remember that Jesus is superior to all of the PRIESTS

• What in my life threatens the supremacy of Christ?

1. I need to recall that the price for NOT “paying attention” IS SEVERE.

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

• The gospels say to the potential follower, “COUNT THE COST.”

• Hebrews says to the forgetful follower, REMEMBER THE FIGURES.

2. I need to address two prominent threats that keep me from paying attention.

• COMPLACENCY causes me not to pay careful attention, and I DRIFT away.

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

• CONTEMPT causes me not to pay careful attention, and I IGNORE GOD’s word.

“how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?...”

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬