Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Be Rid of Your Victimization (This Sunday at Redeemer)


I'm preaching at Redeemer this Sunday out of Hebrews 12:14-17. I printed these verses out and am carrying them with me.

What a great text this is!


  • Make every effort (this is the "race" motif in Hebrews) to live at peace with everyone.
  • Make every effort to be holy (hagiasmos, "set apart" for God's kingdom).
  • Without set-apartness for God you won't see God.
  • See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God.
  • Get rid of any roots of bitterness; rebuke a spirit of victimization - this will harm you and cause others to miss out on God's grace. Your bitterness defiles the Jesus-community (and mine too, of course).
  • Make sure you and your brothers and sisters are porn-free (pornos; "immoral").
  • Reject all godlessness that would exchange everlasting unseen things for short term, seen pleasures.

A holy life is about our character, in Christ. This is precious and perilous. N. T. Wright writes:

Human character and reputation is like a tree; it takes decades to grow, 
but it can be cut down or burnt to a cinder in a matter of minutes.

N.T. Wright, Hebrews for Everyone, p. 155