Jesus, Our Lord

How many of you know the gathering of believers should be defined by an atmosphere of love? And the author of Hebrews is assuming that when you guys are together, there should be love for one another. This should be a non-issue. This should be assumed. But notice the author says, “Let it continue.” Continue to love your brothers and sisters. So there should be this atmosphere of love within the church body.

Love has to be chosen

But how many of you know that atmosphere doesn’t happen by accident? It must be chosen. It has to be chosen. Here’s the thing — this is something that was taught to me when I was going through premarital counseling with my wife. I would definitely encourage premarital counseling if you are going to be getting married, and the reason is because you work out some things before you get into it. You don’t wait until you get into it, because it gets a little hot. All right — not like that.

So we were in this premarital counseling, and one of the things that stuck with me is he said, “You’ve probably heard it said that in any relationship it’s a 50/50 thing.” This person gets 50 percent, this person gets 50 percent, and then there’s no gap. But how many of you know we never operate at full levels? Really, the goal should be: you give 100 percent, I give 100 percent. And if there are days where you can only give 70 percent, that gap is still covered. There’s no lack. But if I’m only bringing 50/50, and I’m holding you to 50, and I’m having a rough day and I’m bringing 10 percent, now there’s a deficiency.

So really, when we gather together, it has to be chosen: I am going to bring something, even when I’m feeling a little weak, even when I’m feeling a little bit tired, or I’m just not feeling like I want to be here on a Sunday, or it’s a little earlier — we just had the time change last week, and I know some of you had a hard time with that. I’m going to come, and I’m going to bring my part. I’m going to bring what the Lord has given me, and I’m going to love others. We must choose it. We must choose it, in light of the love that Jesus demonstrated for me: I’m going to love like that.

And I believe this is something that we should reflect on regularly. Am I loving others the way that Jesus loved me? Am I willing to be inconvenienced for other people? Am I willing to go out of my way? Am I willing to demonstrate that kind of love to my brothers and sisters?

Entertaining angels

And we see in the next verse there’s almost a sense of adventure when we do this. This is one of those verses — verse 2 — when you read it, I read through it and I’m like, wait, hold up. What did that just say? Look at verse 2. It says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Now, if that doesn’t blow your mind, or bring some level of curiosity or fascination, I’m not sure what would. It’s a wild thought that God, in some manner or in some way, would place angelic beings in our lives to see how we will treat them. Isn’t that interesting? This is not some CBS prime-time evening drama series like Touched by an Angel, or whatever it’s called. This is the Bible. And apparently there are these moments where we are on earth and we have these unwitting angelic encounters, and the Lord will look at that and observe: how did you treat them? Interesting.

Now, I know many of us understand and believe that there is an earthly realm and there’s a spirit realm, and that there are angels all around, and that there is protection. But it is just fascinating to me that God would set up these moments to see, how will you treat them? Interesting.

Let brotherly love continue. Say, “Let it continue.” So what is Scripture saying? Scripture is saying that God cares about how you treat other people. How are you doing at loving people? Do you only love those that are within your group, within your clique? Are you only loving those that you’re comfortable with? Or are you willing to go outside of yourself and choose brotherly and sisterly love? Amen.

Remember the prisoners

Look at verse 3. It says, “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them — those who are mistreated — since you yourselves are in the body also.” So it’s continuing in this theme of brotherly love.

It was funny, because a couple of weeks ago my wife asked me, “Have you ever considered doing prison ministry?” You guys know what that is — where you go into the prison and preach the gospel, and you have basically a prison small group or church-type setting. And that is incredibly valid, and incredibly needed, and it should be celebrated. But that’s actually not what this is referring to. This is referring to those brothers and sisters who had been imprisoned for the preaching of the gospel, for the sake of the gospel. And he’s saying, “Listen, don’t forget about them. Don’t lose sight of that sacrifice. They are in chains, and you need to behave and love as though it was you yourself who was put into chains.”

I think sometimes we really take for granted the environment and the culture around us. How many of you are thankful that we can come together and worship freely? But that’s not really the case everywhere else. And the reality is we can take it for granted, not recognizing that persecution can come at any time. Don’t assume that just because there’s this freedom of religion, and there’s not really a heightened level of persecution in our country, that it can’t quickly happen, or that it doesn’t happen at all. It can be labeled as many things. It can be labeled as terrorism. It can be labeled as intolerance. It can be labeled as many things. But don’t assume that persecution can’t happen. And what the author is saying is, no, pray for them, because this could happen to you, and you could find yourself in this situation.

Sometimes when we’re going through difficult times, we feel like the world’s literally collapsing, as though the world revolves around us. But when other people are going through difficult times, we just say, “Oh, I’ll pray for you, brother,” and we just leave it at that. Are we willing to actually go the extra mile? Are we willing to really pray for people?

I looked up some examples of believers who are in prison right now. Can I just read a couple? There’s Pastor Wang Yi in China. He’s the leader of the Early Rain Covenant Church. He was arrested in December 2018 during a raid on his unregistered church. He was convicted in 2019 of inciting subversion of state power, and he was sentenced to nine years in prison. His preaching and leadership of an underground church, which refused to comply with state-controlled religious regulations, were central to his arrest. As of reports from organizations, news about Pastor Wang has been scarce since his imprisonment, suggesting he remains incarcerated to this day.

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, from Iran — forgive me if I don’t say this well. He was a Christian convert from Islam. He was arrested in 2016 for participating in a house church, which often involves sharing the gospel. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for acting against national security. Reports say that he is still in prison, and he is currently on a hunger strike since mid-February 2025, protesting his detention. His health is a growing concern.

Joseph Shahbazian — oh man, wow — from Iran, another Christian convert. Joseph was arrested alongside Nasser on February 6, 2025, in Tehran. Previously detained in 2020 for leading a house church, he served over a year before release. His rearrest is tied to his ongoing Christian activities, including preaching to fellow converts. There are more.

How many of you know we should be praying for our brothers and sisters? It reminds me of 1 Timothy 2:1, where it says: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” In other words, pray for peace in your nation. Pray for peace in the world — not just so you can be comfortable, but so that you can continue to be blameless and holy to God, giving Him praise, giving Him glory, and for the preaching of the gospel. Did you know peace isn’t meant so that you can just kick back and say, “All right, all is good, hands off the wheel”? No, it’s so that you can press in more. Amen.

Marriage is honorable

Now we go to verse 4, and the author doesn’t just speak of brotherly love; he speaks of marital love. Verse 4 says, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

I believe the covenant of marriage has been attacked in our society, and it is demonic to the core. It is the full intention to divide homes, to break families, to take that system that was intended to be stewarded, to be blessed, and to break it apart. And it has caused issues in society. It has caused issues and damage for generations. But I want us to notice that the covenant of marriage is sacred and holy to God. In fact, it was given to us by God Himself. It was designed by God, something that was intended for us to steward, and He wants to bring blessing to marriages. Amen.

Marriages and families have been attacked. Fathers are being ostracized for being too strong. Wives are being told that it’s okay not to honor their husbands. Children are being told that honoring and obeying their parents is not normal. Marriages are being preemptively attacked, because the world says, before you’re married, give yourself away freely — not recognizing that Scripture actually says those intimate relationships are two becoming one flesh. How can you give yourself to your spouse if you’ve already given yourself away and are one flesh with many? Do you see how the world will minimize and trivialize in order to break apart, to cause damage, to cause trust issues, to cause whatever?

But I want us to recognize that when we do things according to God’s Word, when we do it God’s way, He’s able to pour out blessing. Amen. We have to understand this. My marriage and my life, my family, is blessed because I decided at a young age that I’m going to do this God’s way. And if we really believe His Word — we may not even fully understand the implications, but how many of you know that’s the walk of faith? It’s trusting God even when you don’t fully understand or you don’t have all the answers. But when we do it God’s way, He’s able to pour out blessing. He’s able to do things in our lives.

Now, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have times of difficulty. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t arguments in my home. I’m not saying that by any means. But it’s always covered by the blood of Jesus. And even in the midst of disagreements or difficulties, there is peace in my home, because I prioritize God’s way above my own. That means I choose not to watch things that other people watch. It means I choose not to do things that other people do, because I’m taking this seriously — that there must be implications, damage to my heart, damage to my spirit, things happening that maybe I don’t see or understand. But because God says it, I’m going to do it His way.

So as believers, how many of you know we should place a high value on having a good marriage and doing it God’s way? Notice it says, “Marriage is honorable among all.” It’s almost as though God said, “No, this is a good thing. This is a holy thing. But it’s yours, and you have to choose to steward it. Are you going to do it my way, or are you going to do it the world’s way?” But notice it says, “And the bed undefiled.” It’s a holy place. It’s a holy space. And what you allow into your home, what you allow into your room, matters. “But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

Full of grace and truth

We should place a high value on this. I think sometimes we run away with this concept that because Jesus is loving, because He’s good, because He’s gracious and merciful, I can just sin and live however I want, and as long as I ask for His forgiveness, then I’m good. And how many of you know He is good? He is forgiving. When you confess your sin, He will wash it. He’s that good. But not only is He gracious — did you know that Jesus is also the judge? He’s full of grace and truth.

I don’t even know that we can fully wrap our heads around who He is. We can’t. Because when we see Him in Scripture — we talked about this last week — He’s surrounded by power and thundering and lightning, and yet He’s full of humility, so much so that I believe we’re going to be as blown away by His humility and meekness as we are by His authority and power. In the same way, when you see Him, not only will you be blown away by His grace and mercy, but you will be blown away by the authority that has been given to Him. He is the judge of all.

And it says here fornicators will be judged by God. Meaning you can be forgiven, but that does not mean that your sin is without consequence. You are doing damage to yourself. You are doing damage to your spirit. You’re doing damage to your family, to generations. Do not do it. Do not entertain it. Do it God’s way. Why? Because He’s the Lord of my life. I’m not going to live according to the lust of my flesh. I’m not going to do the things that I just want to do. I’m going to do it His way. And in His goodness, because we live yielded and submitted and humble to Him, He pours out blessing.

Listen, God’s not trying to make it difficult, but He’s a holy God. Do you understand? And you have been washed by the blood of Jesus. If you are a believer, you have been washed. You have been cleansed. And some of you might be hearing this and you’re like, “Man, I’ve already done things. I’ve already messed things up.” Bring it to Jesus. Allow Him to break those strongholds, those bondages. This is a big deal, and our culture has belittled it.

When I talk to my children about marriage, about the future, about their future wife or their future husband, I teach them: “Listen, if you actually love them, you will protect them, and you will honor them by doing it God’s way. Because you love them, you don’t want to give the adversary an inch in your relationship. You don’t want the complications of broken trust. You don’t want the complications of hurts and wounds of the past. You don’t want those things. So do it God’s way, and live in the peace and the blessing that only He can bring.” Do you see? I teach them, “You want your marriage to be blessed. One of the worst things you can have is a marriage of turmoil. You want your marriage to be blessed, and God wants to bless your marriage.” Amen.

And the major reason my marriage has been blessed, personally, is because I choose to do it God’s way. It’s not perfect. But when it’s difficult, what do I do? “Jesus, we need you right now. We need a little help.” And He comes in. Do you see? Your marriage and your family matter to God. Don’t let the world tarnish the precious gift that He has given. Amen.

Content with such things as you have

We’re going to keep going. Verse 5 says, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”

This, of course, is speaking to materialism, to the constant desire for more outside of God. I think sometimes in the church we put emphasis on one thing that God says, but we kind of let off on some of the other things that God says. How many of you know this is a big deal to God too? Just as big of a deal. And yet in our society, in our culture, it’s encouraged. We always need more. We always want more. And it’s like this hamster wheel where we’re just trying to get enough financial security to be comfortable. We’re trying to work hard to get into that home so that we can finally have space. And it’s not that God doesn’t want to bring those things. But when we put those things above God, how many of you know that’s where we get out of alignment — when we make the material things, when we make everything else, a big deal besides God?

So God wants us to have contentment, and how many of you know contentment is something that no amount of money can buy? Are you guys getting this? Is this okay? This is probably not what I would consider our normal teaching, but this is the Bible. God wants you to have contentment, something that no one can buy. Listen, all the wealth in the world is meaningless without contentment, and He is our contentment.

How can you be content with what you have, no matter how little is in your account? Notice: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” In other words, when you have Jesus, you have everything you need. You can have all the riches, you can have all the fame, you can have all the success, but if you don’t have Jesus, you’re missing it. But with Him, you have everything.

Now, the Lord knows there are practical needs. He knows that you need a place to live. He knows that you need clothes to wear. He knows that you need food to eat. Jesus Himself said your Father knows that you have need of all these things. He takes care of the birds of the air. He clothes the lilies of the field. Will He not take care of you?

But we have a hard time saying, “Jesus, you are the Lord of my life,” which means not only am I going to do it your way, but, “Lord, I’m going to trust that you give me everything that I need. You’re my provider.” That’s why, even when there are just a few dollars left in your account, you can give that money with a cheerful heart — because you know, “My provision doesn’t come from the world. My contentment doesn’t come from the world. It doesn’t come from having more. It comes from Him and Him alone.” True life is not found in the wealth that you can amass. True life is found in Jesus. And if the Lord has blessed you with many resources, praise God — use it for His glory. But if you’re like, “I don’t have much” — listen, when you give it to Him with your whole heart, you have everything you need. You have everything you need. Amen.

When the answer becomes an idol

Verse 7 says, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.” I love this. This reminds me of Malachi 3, where it says, “Try Me now in this, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven.” When you bring your tithes and offerings, will I not bring increase to your life? Will I not bless you? It’s like God is saying, test it, try it. In the same way, that’s what’s being said here. This is speaking to the fact that there are those who have gone before you, who have been found faithful, who have done it God’s way. Did I not come through for them?

Sometimes we’re like, “Well, this sounds good, but I don’t know that God’s going to actually come through for me.” How many of you know if He’s come through for me, He’ll come through for you? Amen. There are those who, through faith and through endurance, stayed the course. And it’s as though God is saying, “Did I not bless those who lived not according to the world, but according to my Word?” Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” It’s as though God is saying, “Listen, when you do it my way, will I not come through for you? Will I not provide for you? Will I not bless your home? Will I not bless your marriage?”

The hardest things to give to the Lord are the things that He gave to you in the first place. Some of you have prayed for things, and the Lord has answered your prayer, and that answer to prayer has become an idol in your life. How many of you know that’s exactly what the story of Abraham and Isaac is?

Here is a man who was beyond the age — it was impossible for him to have a child — and yet there was this promise of God in his life that he would be the father of many nations. He finally has a son, and it’s like, “Oh, thank you, Lord. This promise is finally coming to pass.” And what does God say? “I want you to take your son, and I want you to lay him on the altar and sacrifice him to me.” Well, that sounds intense. “God, I prayed for this, and you promised this.” You see, God was not after just the answered prayer. God was after Abraham’s heart.

And Abraham took Isaac and brought him up to the mountain, Mount Moriah, and laid him on the altar — which is a type of Jesus. This is exactly what God did for us when He gave His Son, His only Son. Abraham lays Isaac on the altar, and God says, “What are you doing? Stop.” But there was this test of obedience that Abraham went through where the idol in Abraham’s life was broken.

So often we say, “Well, I can’t do that. God wouldn’t have brought me here if I couldn’t do it my way.” But how many of you know we must always live a life that is yielded to God, lest the answer to your prayer becomes the idol of your life? And there is no place for idols. There should be nothing above Him, ever, anytime. That means your husband, your wife, your kids, your family, your career — all of it is negotiable to the Lord. My calling, my ministry — Lord, you called me to pastor this church. Every time I walk up these stairs, I say, “Lord, this is all yours.” Every time. Because as soon as I hold on, what is going on? My ministry has become the lord of my life, not the Lord Jesus.

Tethered to the Master

Do you want to know what the picture of master, of Lord, is in Scripture? When people were slaves, they would take their ear and pierce it into the doorpost. They were tethered to that owner. When you say, “Jesus, you are the Lord of my life, you are the Master of my life,” we are literally tethering ourselves to the Lord Jesus Himself. Whatever you say goes. Whatever you want, Lord, it’s yours.

That means, “I did a good job saving up, and oh, Lord, I finally have $1,000 in my savings account” — what would happen if the Lord says, “I want you to give that to me”? Or, “I finally got the career that I wanted. I felt called to this career, to be a doctor” — and then what would happen if the Lord said, “I want you to give that up, and I want you to become a missionary”? Can you do it? This is what it means when we make Him the Lord of our life. Everything is His. We’re going to do it at one point or another, whether it’s on earth or in heaven. But trust me, the reward and the blessing are so much greater when we choose to do it here. This life is the only time you can make sacrifice to the Lord Jesus. How will you use it?

In heaven, we get this picture where the elders had these crowns. Those crowns were the accomplishments of everything good that they had accomplished in their life. But when they came to Jesus, they took them and cast them at the feet of Jesus. Why? Because they’re saying, “It all pales in comparison to you.” Don’t wait till heaven to cast your crown. Come to the feet of Jesus now. Amen.

If there are idols in your life, I would encourage you: you need to break those. How do you break them? You repent. You confess. You say, “Lord, that has become an idol in my life.” And I’m going to be honest — 90 percent of the time — no, I shouldn’t say that; it just seems like a lot — it’s tied to money. It’s tied to relationships. It’s tied to fame and success, to title. And the Lord may not be saying, “I want you to quit. I want you to give. I want you to do these things.” But He might. It doesn’t matter. Are you willing to have a heart that says, “Whatever you say, I will do. I will give it. I’m going to live according to your Scriptures”?

This is what it means to make Jesus the Lord of your life. We think He’s just a genie in our back pocket. No, this is Almighty God, the Creator of the universe. We were created by Him, for Him, and through His Word all things are held together. The reason you can breathe is because of Jesus. The reason you can move is because of Jesus. The reason you’re here today is because of Jesus. The reason you have an eternity is because of Jesus. The reason you have a future and a hope is because of Jesus. Do we not see He’s everything? Amen.

Let’s stand together. I’m going to pray. Can we just lift our hands to the Lord and begin to thank Him for His grace and for His mercy?

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your grace. Lord, we thank you for your Word. Lord, right now we bring these things to you. Lord, for those times where we go astray in our heart — where we make the promise bigger than who you are, where we take the place in our heart that was only meant for you and we give it to others — Lord, we repent of that, and we break, Lord, the bondage that comes from that. We don’t want to be found in anyone but you, Lord Jesus.

Lord, there is no satisfaction in this world. There is no other way, Lord, that will satisfy. There’s nothing we can do or conjure up within ourselves. But Lord Jesus, it is your way, and it is who you are. And Lord, really, you’re not just giving us rules. No, all of that is secondary to what you’ve already accomplished on the cross at Calvary — that you gave it all so that we could be with you.

And so Lord, I pray that you would do a work in our hearts — that we would choose you, that we would choose to walk with you every day. Lord, as we go through this week, that we would give you the first of our time. Lord, that we would give you the first of our increase. Lord, that we would give you our families, knowing that you take care of our families better than we can take care of them. Lord, we lay it all at your feet, and we say, Jesus, you are the Lord of our lives. You are the one that we follow. You are the one that we long for. You are the one that we need.

And so, Lord, we reject the world. The world says many, many things, but Lord, your Word is true. Lord, give us faith. Lord, give us the strength to follow, even if we don’t fully understand. Lord, that we would know your Word is true. Your Word is forever. It’s not outdated. Jesus, you said your Word is forever. It does not end. It will endure from everlasting to everlasting. And the very next verse says, Jesus, you are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Lord, would you do a work in our hearts where we would see you rightly, that we would respond to your love, and that we would trust, Lord, that because of your great love, you will keep us in your way.

Pour out your blessing, Lord, on every single person. Can we just lift our hands? I’m going to pray a blessing over you right now. Lord Jesus, I pray that you would bless homes right now, in Jesus’ name. Lord, we thank you that as we leave this place, we don’t leave you here, but you are with us. Lord, that you would fill every home with your Spirit — that every home would be marked by your peace, by your joy, by your love, by gentleness, by kindness. Not because of what we can do, but because of the work that you have done in us, Lord Jesus, because of who you are.

Lord, let your will be done. Let your kingdom come, Lord, in every relationship. Lord, we lay every opportunity at your feet, every decision at your feet, Lord Jesus, because we can know — Lord, you said you know the plans that you have for us, and they are good plans, plans to prosper us, written in your book before the world began. Lord, you knew us. You formed us. Lord, you have a plan. So Lord, would you come and do it? We give you praise, and we give you glory.

Just say: Lord, come. Jesus, come into my life. Fill every space. Fill every part. Fill our homes, Lord Jesus, with your peace. Lord, let your angels on assignment be released to cover those homes and to bring protection. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Transcribed from the message recording and lightly edited for reading.