Notes
…I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
Matthew 16:18b
The Church was God’s idea. It exists for His glory, our good, and to bring the hope of Jesus to a hurting world. We want Valorous Church to be a family you belong to, a family made up of people who have been called out of the darkness, who are walking in the light of Jesus, and who love, encourage, and challenge each other.
But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.
Hebrews 3:6
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
Hebrews 12:1-4
Hebrews was written to a group of people who had begun to follow Jesus, but were facing persecution. The writer wanted them to remember to not give up on Jesus or His plan. The journey may not be easy, but it is what’s best.
At Valorous Church, we do our best to create environments to nurture each other’s faith, so that we can stay faithful throughout our journey:
1) Create Environments Where People Can Strip Off the Weight of Sin
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1
Get with a group of people who will hold you accountable to growing in your faith, people who will not just tell you it’s okay to stay living in your sin, but who will come alongside you and help you grow into who God created you to be. Getting connected with a life group is a great way to find a safe group of people to do life with and talk through challenges.
2) Create Environments Where People Can Develop Their Endurance
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Romans 12:11
Endurance is built with time, consistency, and resistance. A great way to develop endurance is to join a ministry team, because these teams develop us while we work together to make change happen. Find your gift, the things you bring to the Church, and join a ministry team.
3) Create Environments Where People Can Stay Focused on Running the Race
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
Hebrews 12:2-3
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:3-4
We are a church that will always be focused on building our faith in Jesus, together, amidst the struggles. Keep Jesus in your focus; when you feel like you’re not developing, check what your attention is on. Let’s do life together by encouraging, loving, and challenging one another.
Group Questions
- What does it mean to belong to a local church?
- How does being a part of a life group help you strip off the weight of sin and grow in your faith?
- Are you a part of a ministry team? If so, how has it helped your endurance? If not, what types of teams are you interested in joining?
- What steps can you take to help create environments in our church that encourage us to do life together?
Prayer
Thank you for the gift of our church family. Help us to keep our courage and confidence in our hope in Christ, even amidst the challenges we face. May our church be a place where people can strip off the weight of their sin, develop endurance, and stay focused on Jesus.