Can you work your way into heaven? Of course not. We must humble ourselves before God and by faith trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Hurting people are looking in all the wrong places for the truth that will set them free. We need to point them to Jesus. We need to point them to hope.
What breaks your heart? Our hearts should break over the things that break the heart of God. He uses people with broken hearts to reach the broken.
We need each other to fulfill the purpose that God has for His church. We must work togther, leader and laity, for the sake of the gospel.
God has always raised up leaders whose hearts were devoted to Him. These are the men that God chooses to lead the church. Deacons are leading servants under the authority of Christ in His church.
This issue for pastors is not leadership skills, but being a faithful example of a Christ follower. A pastor must answer the question, "What would happen if the church imitated me?"
We need to be reminded that church leadership affects every follower of Christ. There is too much at stake, not only for own lives, but for the life of the church.
The church is required to endure, but we can only do so because of the work Christ has already accomplished. This letter reminds us that Christ has welcomed believers through a doorway that no one can close and will give rewards that no one can take away.
Jesus gives the disciples some instructions in Luke 10 that help us understand how far we must go to tell others about the Kingdom of God and it's resurrected King.