Sermons

Introduction:

Today, we begin a new worship series called "Hebrews Summer"--a summer study of the New Testament book of Hebrews. So, what does that mean? What are we learning together? (See screen...)

Well, it may seem odd to say, but too much religion is a bad thing!
"¢ We can't get too much of God.
"¢ We can't get too much of faith & obedience.
"¢ And we can't get too much of love and worship.
But, religion--the well-intentioned efforts we make to "˜get it all together' for God--can very well get in the way of what God is doing for us. Our main focus is everywhere and always what God has done, is doing, and will do for us. Jesus is the revelation of that action. And our main task, as Christians, is to live in responsively and obediently to God's act of love in Christ...

Too often, however, we become impatient and self-important along the way. And we decide to take matters into our own hands. We add on ... we supplement ... we embellish. But instead of improving on Jesus, we tend to dilute who he really is. We become fussily religious, or anxiously religious. Bottom line? We get in the way... And that's when it's time to read and pray our way through Hebrews again, written for "˜too-religious' Christians or "˜Jesus-and' Christians. (You know, Jesus-and-politics, Jesus-and-education, etc.) The letter called Hebrews deletes the hyphens and the add-ons. It brings us back to God ... and his gift to us in his Son, Jesus. We are freed once more to act in faith, the one human action in which we don't get in the way ... but are instead on the Way. Folks, welcome to a Hebrews Summer!