Hebrews 13:9-16 {Lesson 13/Day 7}

Not too long ago a young lady asked me what my church was like. She hadn’t attended church in several years but was thinking that she might go back. “I stopped going because there were so many hypocrites there. What’s your church like?” I could tell that my response really caught her off guard: “We have a ton of those at our church too – you know, hypocrites.” She didn’t quite know what to say and she thought I was joking. I wasn’t...well, I was a little. But I was trying to be a bit provocative so I could help her see that her priorities in church searching were never going to get her what she was looking for. “Our church is full of humans.” I said. “I’m afraid that if you’re looking for a church with no hypocrites, fakes, people with issues or personality problems, you’re going to have to just give up now.” She giggled a little uncomfortably and I added, “What you will find at our church is real people who love Jesus. I’m not sure what they were like before I started attending, but when I arrived, they definitely had a hypocrite attending – me. I’m inconsistent, annoying, self-centered, and hypocritical. I don’t always do the things I ought to do, and I’m even paid to be a teacher of the Bible! What I do have is a love of God and a thankfulness for what God has done for me. I don’t mess around with thoughts that I’m better than anyone else. I’m really probably a lot than others. I’m just so ridiculously thankful that I have a church where I can go and be among people who get that. I’d say, we’re just really real at our church. At least we try to be. Do you still want to come?” I could tell that she was still pretty shocked by my response, so I added: “Here’s how I think about it, church is centered on Jesus and unlike me, he’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our church is where you’ll find truth in Jesus – not in people who will eventually let you down. Now, how does that sound?” “That sounds like exactly the sort of church I could get into.” Yep. Me too. I pray that as you conclude today’s study you’re seeing the same priorities. We are here to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God.” And what is that praise? It’s the “fruit of lips that acknowledge His name!” We exist to “share what we have” – our money? Our time? Our perfect lives? – no. Christ. We have Christ. If I can bless someone with money and time I’ll thank God for that as well, but above all else, I share the best of what I have and that is Jesus Christ.