Introduction

• Acts 26:1-3 – We want people to be patient with us!
• Ephesians 4:2
• Colossians 3:12

Makrothymia – patience, longsuffering

God is patient with us!

• Romans 2:4
• I Peter 3:18-20
• II Peter 3:6-15 – God is absolutely just and trying to get all to come to repentance.
• Paul: I Timothy 1:16; II Timothy 3:10

Now it’s our turn to be patient with others.

• I Corinthians 13:4
• II Corinthians 6:3-6
• I Thessalonians 5:14 – Be patient with everyone!
• II Timothy 4:2 – Preach the word with patience.
• James 5:7-11 – Farmers understand patience. They don’t have any choice! We need to slowly be developing patience and other virtues in ourselves over time.

Introduction

• Psalm 119:11
• We should treasure God’s word!
• Forrest Fenn
  • He left a 24-line poem to direct seekers to a treasure chest hidden in the Rocky Mountains.

Hunting for treasure

• Matthew 13:44-46 – Spiritual things are the priority!
• Matthew 6:19-21 – Your heart goes with what you treasure.
• Finding Fenn’s treasure became a hobby for some, but an obsession for others.

A community of treasure hunters

• II Peter 1:1 – There is a common faith that binds us.
• Acts 15:7-11 – The gospel heals differences from the past and brings people together.
• In searching for Fenn’s treasure, people started banding together. They like to talk about the treasure and support each other.
• Acts 2:41-42, 9-11 – People from all over the world came to share in seeking the same spiritual treasure.
• Romans 1:11-12
• Hebrews 10:24-25 – Community is important for Christians!
• Am I engaged with the brethren?

Hunting the right treasure

• Luke 18:18-23 – This man had earthly treasure but not spiritual treasure.
• Luke 16:13-15 – We must make a choice!
• I Timothy 6:17-19
• Fenn’s treasure was finally found.
• Hebrews 11:24-27
• The treasure we seek is worth it!

• Hebrews 13:7-9 – Jesus is eternal and unchanging, so remember the words of your leaders. If they were true to Jesus’ teaching then, they are still true now. Don’t allow strange new teachings to carry you away from Jesus because His teaching has not changed.
• Hebrews 13:10 – We worship at the altar of the New Covenant. This verse alone refutes the AD 70 doctrine. Serving under Old Covenant law is clearly no longer acceptable.
• Hebrews 13:11-13 – Jesus offered His blood outside the camp – outside the Old Covenant. We must also go outside the camp of Judaism and serve Him according to the New Covenant.
• Hebrews 13:14-16 – We are looking forward to the city that is to come – Heaven. We are to continually offer praise to God, although this isn’t particularly speaking about singing. We are to do good for others and share what we have, which is also pleasing to God.
• Hebrews 13:17 – The elders serve the congregation – not the other way around. We should respect our leaders and obey their rule because they are watching out for our souls. If we don’t follow their rule, it will not be profitable for us.
• Hebrews 13:18-21 – The writer offers a final reminder that God through Jesus has equipped them for all good things.
• Hebrews 13:22-25 – Final greetings from the writer.

Introduction

• Ephesians 6:10-16 – We are in a war with Satan!

Preach it, but don’t live it

• Matthew 23:2-3, 13-15 – Their hypocrisy not only kept them from heaven – it kept others from going to heaven also!
• What impression do we leave with people from our behavior?
• II Samuel 12:13-14 – David gave the enemies of God a reason to blaspheme, so God punished him.
• I John 1:6-10 – What’s the difference between a Christian and a hypocrite? The Christian admits his sin and repents.

Look down on certain people

• Luke 7:34-39
• Luke 5:29-32
• Luke 15:1-2
• Luke 19:5-7
• Jesus was constantly criticized for associating with sinners.
• Do I look down on people who have obvious sins?
• This problem is still happening today!
• Luke 18:13
• Luke 7:40-50 – The greater the sin, the greater the forgiveness and love! Everyone is worth our time. Jesus died for all of us. How can I dare look down on someone?

Support sin

• I Corinthians 5:1-7 – The Corinthians had accepted sin in the church and were arrogant about it!

Introduction

• Philippians 4:6-9
• John 14:17
• Matthew 10:34

Eirene – peace

Peace with God

• What is peace with God and how do we achieve it?
  • Ephesians 2:11-22 – Peace with God is reconciliation to Him.
  • Acts 10:34-43 – Spiritual peace comes only through Jesus.
  • Romans 5:1 – We have peace with God because we have been justified by faith.
• Peace with God is the restored relationship we have with God and we achieve it through forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ.
• Sin separates us from God. Forgiveness through Christ means we can reestablish peace with God. This allows us to have peace with self and others (hopefully).

Peace with self (clean conscience)

• I Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8 and I Timothy 1:15?
• II Timothy 4:6-8
• Acts 9:4, 9, 17-20; 26:24-26
• Jeremiah 6:13-15
• I John 1:3-6

Peace with people

• Romans 12:18
• Colossians 3:12-15
• Our peace with God is the basis for our peace with others.
• John 16:32-33