Saraland Sermons - saralandchristians.com

Samuel lived during one of the darkest seasons in Israel's history, yet he remained faithful when so many others turned away from God. In this episode, we trace Samuel's remarkable life—from the boy who answered God's call in the tabernacle to the prophet who challenged kings and called a nation back to the Lord. More importantly, we discover that Samuel's story ultimately points beyond itself to Jesus Christ, the true King who perfectly hears and obeys the Father. If you've ever wondered whether you're really listening to God, this study offers both encouragement and challenge as we learn from one of Scripture's greatest servants.

What does God actually want our relationships to look like? In a world filled with broken families, fractured friendships, division, loneliness, and constant conflict, Scripture paints a radically different picture. Romans 12 shows us that healthy relationships don't begin with better communication techniques or personality tests—they begin with transformed hearts. This sermon launches our new series, #RelationshipGoals, where we'll discover God's design for relationships in every area of life: family, friendships, marriage, the church, neighbors, and even our enemies. In this message you'll discover: Why every relationship begins with a transformed mind. What genuine love actually looks like. How humility changes the way we treat others. Why the church should model relationships the world longs to experience. Practical ways to live out the gospel in everyday relationships. Scripture: Romans 12:9–21 (with emphasis on Romans 12)

What happens when we are bold with the wrong people and weak with the right ones? In this sermon, we walk through the story of Eli in 1 Samuel and see a sobering picture of failed confrontation. Eli was quick to accuse Hannah when she was innocent and broken, but slow and weak to restrain his own sons when they were openly dishonoring God. His story exposes a danger that still faces us today: we often confront what makes us uncomfortable while ignoring what truly dishonors the Lord. This sermon challenges us to think carefully about discernment, courage, parenting, leadership, and the fear of God. It calls us to stop honoring people above God, stop tolerating sin that should be confronted, and learn to handle confrontation with righteousness, humility, and conviction. Most of all, this message points us to Jesus, our faithful Priest and Judge, who never condemned the innocent, never ignored rebellion, and never failed to deal rightly with sin. In this sermon: Eli’s wrong confrontation of Hannah Eli’s failure to restrain Hophni and Phinehas The danger of honoring men above God Why tolerated sin spreads How Jesus shows us what faithful confrontation looks like

"How Far Will God Go?," explores the depth of God's love through the lens of Jesus' final days in the book of Luke. The central message is that God's pursuit of humanity is persistent, costly, and ultimately revealed through the suffering of the cross.

This lesson explores the teachings of Luke 16, warning against the danger of prioritizing money, comfort, and self-justification over God. It emphasizes that believers are stewards of God’s possessions—not owners—and must prioritize an eternal perspective over earthly gain.1 Managing God's Possessions: Jesus uses the parable of the dishonest manager to teach that everything we have—money, time, influence, and health—belongs to God. The lesson clarifies that one cannot serve both God and money, urging readers to use temporary worldly wealth as a tool for eternal purposes rather than as an idol.1 Failing to Serve God: The Pharisees are highlighted as "lovers of money" who ridiculed Jesus because His teaching threatened their desire for status and self-justification. Jesus warns that using God's law to justify selfish behavior is not serving God, but serving the self.1 Justice and the Heart: Through the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the lesson demonstrates the consequences of a life characterized by self-indulgence and indifference toward those suffering nearby. It underscores that the fundamental issue is the heart—specifically a refusal to listen to God’s word—rather than a lack of information.1 The Hope of the Gospel: The conclusion offers hope, noting that Jesus actively pursues those whom this chapter exposes: the self-justifying, the comfort-seekers, and the "bad stewards". The lesson encourages repentance, asserting that Jesus died to forgive these sins and grant new hearts to those who trust in Him.1

What do you do when life leaves you empty? In this sermon on Ruth, we walk through Naomi’s story and discover how God brings healing, redemption, and hope to those who return to Him. Naomi went from fullness to famine, from family to funeral, from hope to bitterness. But the Book of Ruth shows that even when life falls apart, God is still working through His providence, faithful people, and redeeming grace. This message explores powerful Bible themes like bitterness, grief, faithfulness, redemption, God’s providence, and the refuge we find under His wings. Through Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, we see how God can restore what feels ruined and how this beautiful story ultimately points us to Jesus Christ, our greater Redeemer. If you have ever felt broken, disappointed, spiritually empty, or far from God, this sermon will encourage you to return to Him and trust His faithful love. #Ruth #BookOfRuth #Naomi #Boaz #BibleSermon #ChristianSermon #OldTestament #JesusChrist #Redemption #GodsProvidence #Faithfulness #Bitterness #HopeInGod #BibleStudy #ChristianEncouragement #Healing #SermonOnRuth #WingsOfGod #Redeemer #SaralandChristians

What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son really teach? Most people focus on the younger son who runs away—but Jesus tells this story to confront something deeper: the heart of the older brother and the heart of God. In this sermon on Luke 15:11–32, we explore the powerful truth that there are two lost sons—one lost in rebellion and one lost in self-righteousness. While one son wastes his life in sin, the other stands outside the celebration, unable to rejoice when grace is given. This message answers important questions like: What is true repentance? What does God feel toward sinners who come home? Why do religious people struggle with grace? How can we have the heart of the Father? You’ll see a beautiful picture of God as a Father who watches, waits, runs, and restores—and who even pleads with the proud to come inside. If you’ve ever felt far from God, struggled with guilt, or wrestled with bitterness toward others, this sermon will challenge and encourage you to come home and to share in the joy of grace. #ProdigalSon #Luke15 #ParableOfTheProdigalSon #BibleSermon #ChristianSermon #GraceOfGod #Repentance #GodsLove #Forgiveness #JesusTeaching #ChurchOfChrist #Faith #BibleStudy

In this sermon on Judges 17–18, we explore the strange and sobering story of Micah, the Levite priest, and the tribe of Dan. This passage shows what happens when people create a self-made religion instead of obeying God’s word. Micah wanted blessing, a priest, and spiritual security, but he wanted it on his own terms. Dan wanted an easier path instead of trusting God. Together, this story reveals the danger of false worship, idolatry, and doing what is right in our own eyes. This Bible sermon examines questions many people still need to ask today: What is self-made religion? What does the Bible say about idolatry? Can people be religious and still be far from God? How do we know if we are following God’s will or just creating a faith that fits our preferences? Judges 17–18 is a powerful warning that religion without obedience leads to spiritual confusion, corruption, and destruction. You’ll see how this story connects to the bigger message of the Book of Judges, the repeated theme that “everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” and the need for a true King and true Priest. Most importantly, this message shows how Jesus Christ is better than self-made religion. Micah had a priest for hire, but Jesus is the perfect High Priest. Micah had idols made by human hands, but Jesus is the true Son of God. Micah’s religion fell apart, but Jesus gives a kingdom that cannot be shaken. If you are studying Judges 17 and 18, the Micah idol story, the tribe of Dan, false religion in the Bible, idolatry in Scripture, or how the Old Testament points to Jesus, this sermon will help you understand the text and apply it to your life today. #Judges17 #Judges18 #Micah #LevitePriest #TribeOfDan #SelfMadeReligion #FalseWorship #Idolatry #BookOfJudges #BibleSermon #OldTestament #JesusChrist #HighPriest #ChristInJudges #ChristianTeaching

In Luke 15:1–10, Jesus shows us the heart of God for the lost. While the Pharisees and scribes complained that Jesus welcomed sinners, tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to hear Him. Why? Because Jesus is the kind of Savior broken people are not afraid to approach. In this sermon, we explore why sinners felt comfortable near Jesus, why religious people despised that mercy, and how the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin reveal God’s love, God’s pursuit, and heaven’s joy over one sinner who repents. This message digs into powerful questions like: Why did sinners feel safe around Jesus? Why did the Pharisees hate that Jesus received sinners? What do the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin teach us about the love of God? How does God pursue the lost? What does Luke 15 teach about repentance, grace, and the joy of heaven? You’ll see that God does not look at lost people with disgust or indifference. He seeks them until He finds them. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and this sermon helps us see that every lost soul matters to God. If you have ever wondered whether God still wants sinners to come near, whether Jesus really welcomes the broken, or what the Bible teaches about God’s pursuit of the lost, this sermon will encourage and challenge you. Luke 15 reminds us that while religious hearts may grumble, heaven rejoices when sinners repent. #Luke15 #LostSheep #LostCoin #JesusReceivesSinners #GodPursuesUs #GodsLove #Repentance #Grace #Sermon #BibleSermon #ChristianSermon #JesusSeeksTheLost #ParableOfTheLostSheep #ParableOfTheLostCoin #Gospel #BibleTeaching #ChristianEncouragement #SermonOnLuke15 #HeartOfGod #HeavenRejoices

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Strong Man, Weak Heart (Judges 13-16) Casey Gray Download Strength impresses us. We admire people who seem powerful—the athlete who dominates the field, the leader who commands a room, the person who appears confident, gifted, and spiritually capable. Strength tends to earn our respect because it makes people look secure. When someone appears strong, we assume they are stable. We assume they are safe. But the story of Samson forces us to question that assumption. Samson is remembered as the strongest man in the Bible. His feats sound almost unbelievable. At one point he tears a lion apart with his bare hands. In another moment he defeats an entire army. Later he kills a thousand men with nothing but the jawbone of a donkey. In another scene he lifts the massive gates of a city and carries them up a hill. Yet the story of Samson is not really about strength. It is about weakness. More specifically, it is about the danger of having great power while living with an undisciplined heart. Samson is strong in body but weak in character. He wins every fight with his enemies, but he loses the war inside himself. If we listen carefully, his story becomes more than an ancient tragedy. It becomes a warning. It becomes a mirror. And ultimately, it becomes a sign pointing us to the kind of deliverer we truly need. A Promised Child with a Holy Calling Samson’s story begins with hope. Judges tells us that Israel had once again done what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and because of that the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. The nation is under oppression. Their enemies dominate them. The cycle of Judges continues. But this time, the people don’t cry out to God. God intervenes with a promise. The angel of the Lord appears to a barren woman, the wife of a man named Manoah. She has never been able to have children, yet the messenger announces that she will conceive and bear a son. This child will not be ordinary. He will be set apart to God from the womb. The angel explains that the child will be a Nazirite. That meant his life would carry visible signs of consecration. He was not to drink wine or strong drink, and a razor was never to touch his head. His life would symbolize separation and devotion to the Lord. Then the angel says something very important: “He shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” Before Samson ever performs a miracle of strength, before he ever fights a battle, his identity is defined by one word—consecrated. His strength was never supposed to define him. His devotion to God was. The chapter ends by telling us that the child grew, the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him. Everything about Samson’s beginning is filled with promise. But a good beginning does not guarantee a faithful life. This reminds us of something important: calling does not replace character. A person can be chosen by God and still drift. A person can be gifted and still careless. Samson was set apart by God, but he still had to live faithfully within that calling. A Strong Body with Unchecked Appetite The first adult decision we see Samson make immediately reveals the direction of his life. Samson travels down to the Philistine town of Timnah and sees a woman there. When he returns home, he tells his parents, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” That phrase should sound familiar. Later in Judges we read that “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Samson, the man who was supposed to deliver Israel, is already beginning to look like the rest of the nation. Instead of asking what is right in God’s eyes, he follows what feels right in his own. From that point forward the story unfolds with a strange mixture of power and compromise. On the way to Timnah, a young lion attacks Samson. The Spirit of the Lord rushes upon him, and he tears the lion apart with his bare hands. Later he returns to the carcass and finds bees and honey inside it. He scoops out the honey, eats it, and even gives some to his parents without telling them where it came from. Even in small details the story reveals Samson’s character. He crosses boundaries and then hides what he has done. He moves through life following appetite and protecting himself with secrecy. His wedding soon becomes another disaster. Samson turns the celebration into a riddle contest. When the Philistines threaten his bride to force her to betray him, she presses him until he reveals the answer. When Samson discovers what has happened, his anger explodes and he kills thirty men to settle the bet. From there the conflict escalates quickly. Fields are burned, families are killed, and armies gather. At one point the Philistines come looking for Samson, and the men of Judah do something shocking. Instead of standing with Samson, they bind him with ropes and hand him over. They say to him, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us?” Israel has become comfortable living under oppression. They would rather keep the peace than confront their enemies. But when the Philistines approach, the Spirit of the Lord rushes upon Samson again. The ropes fall from his arms like burned threads. He grabs the jawbone of a donkey and defeats a thousand men. Samson keeps winning battles. Yet every victory hides a deeper problem. He is strong enough to defeat armies, but not strong enough to restrain his desires. This is the danger of power without discipline. Samson wins every external conflict, but he cannot control the appetites inside his own heart. The Night He Didn’t Know By the time we reach Judges 16, Samson’s weakness has become painfully clear. He travels to Gaza and spends the night with a prostitute. Later he falls in love with a woman named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines approach her with a large sum of money and ask her to discover the secret of Samson’s strength. Three times Delilah asks him about it. Three times Samson lies. Three times she tests his answer while Philistines wait nearby in ambush. Anyone watching the story can see the danger. But Samson continues to play with it. Eventually Delilah presses him so persistently that he finally reveals the truth. A razor has never touched his head because he has been set apart to God from birth. If his hair is shaved, his strength will leave him. That night Delilah cuts his hair while he sleeps. When Samson wakes up, he says to himself, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” Then the text tells us something terrifying: “He did not know that the LORD had left him.” Samson had grown so accustomed to strength that he assumed it would always be there. He believed he could simply wake up and keep living the way he always had. But the presence of God was gone. The Philistines seize him, gouge out his eyes, and force him to grind grain in prison. The man who once tore lions apart is now blind and helpless. His physical blindness mirrors the spiritual blindness that had already taken hold of his heart. This is one of the most sobering warnings in Scripture. Sin rarely announces itself loudly. Instead, it dulls the heart slowly. It convinces us that everything is fine. It allows us to keep functioning, keep working, and even keep appearing successful. Then one day we discover that the presence of God is no longer with us the way it once was. The Final Prayer Eventually the Philistines gather in the temple of their god Dagon to celebrate. They believe their god has defeated Samson and delivered their enemy into their hands. They bring Samson out to entertain the crowd. Imagine the scene. The once-feared warrior is now a spectacle. Blind. Weak. Humiliated. But something quiet has begun to change. The text mentions that Samson’s hair had begun to grow again. As the crowd celebrates, Samson asks the young boy guiding him to place his hands on the pillars that support the temple. Then Samson does something we have rarely seen him do throughout the story. He prays. “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once.” For the first time in a long while, Samson acknowledges the true source of his strength. God answers his prayer. Samson braces himself against the pillars and pushes with all his might. The temple collapses, killing the rulers of the Philistines and many others gathered there. The text says that the number Samson killed in his death was greater than the number he killed during his life. Even through Samson’s broken life, God demonstrates His power and defends His glory against the idols of the Philistines. The Deliverer We Really Need Samson’s story leaves us with complicated feelings. He is a man chosen by God, empowered by the Spirit, and capable of extraordinary strength. Yet he is also reckless, impulsive, and driven by desire. Samson begins the deliverance of Israel, but he does not complete it. His story leaves us longing for a better deliverer. The Bible eventually introduces that deliverer in Jesus Christ. Like Samson, Jesus’ birth was announced before He was conceived. Like Samson, He was set apart for God’s purposes from the beginning. Like Samson, He was betrayed and handed over to His enemies. But the similarities end there. Where Samson was ruled by desire, Jesus resisted every temptation. Where Samson acted out of anger and revenge, Jesus gave Himself out of love. Where Samson needed strength from God one last time, Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father and rose in resurrection power. Samson points forward by contrast. The strongest man in Israel could not save himself. But the Son of God came to save the world. Conclusion Samson’s life warns us about a deeply dangerous reality. It is possible to experience God’s power and still drift away from His presence. A person can serve, lead, speak, and accomplish impressive things while slowly allowing compromise to dull their heart. The most frightening moment in Samson’s life was not when his eyes were gouged out. It was the moment he woke up and did not realize that the Lord had left him. Strength without consecration eventually collapses. But weakness that turns to God can still find mercy. The question Samson’s story leaves us with is simple: where does your strength really come from? Because the difference between Samson and Jesus is this: Samson trusted his strength, but Jesus trusted His Father. And that makes all the difference.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > God Fills His House (Luke 14:1-24) Casey Gray Download Have you ever walked into a room and immediately realized something was wrong? Everyone looks up. The conversation stops. You can tell that you do not really belong there. Or perhaps it is the opposite. Everyone in the room seems comfortable doing something that you know is wrong, and suddenly you feel out of place. In Luke 14, Jesus walks into a room like that. It is a dinner party, but something about the table is deeply corrupt. The Table of Corruption (14:1–6) In Luke 14, Jesus enters the house of a Pharisee on the Sabbath. But we quickly learn that this is not a friendly invitation. Luke 14:1–6 (ESV)One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things. The Pharisees and lawyers did not invite Jesus because they wanted to learn from Him. They invited Him because they wanted to condemn Him. They placed a suffering man directly in front of Him, a man with dropsy, not because they cared about him, but because they wanted to trap Jesus. Think about how cruel this is. The only reason this man is allowed into the room is because of his disease. He is being used as bait. But Jesus is not trapped. Before He heals the man, He asks a question that exposes their hypocrisy: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” They remain silent. Notice how Jesus approaches the moment. He does not shout or accuse. Instead, He asks a question that reveals the truth. “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” The question is simple. If your child fell into a well, you would not leave him there because it was the Sabbath. If your animal fell in, you would rescue it immediately. If mercy is acceptable for animals and property, why not for a suffering man? They cannot answer Him—not because the question is difficult, but because the answer exposes them. Jesus heals the man and sends him away. You can almost imagine the relief of that man leaving the room. His joy over being healed would have been overshadowed by the cold hostility of everyone else at the table. The healed man leaves the room, but the sickness in the room remains. The table is still filled with pride, ambition, and manipulation, and Jesus begins to expose it. Reversing the Status (14:7–14) Appropriate Actions of Those Invited (7–11) Luke 14:7–11 (ESV)Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus noticed something happening at the dinner table. The guests were scrambling for the seats of honor. In that culture, where you sat at a banquet communicated your importance. The closer you sat to the host, the greater your honor. Everyone wanted the best seat. Jesus tells them a parable. When you are invited to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor. Someone more distinguished may arrive, and the host may ask you to give up your seat. Then you will be forced, in shame, to take the lowest place. But if you take the lowest place first, the host may come and say, “Friend, move up higher.” Then you will be honored in the presence of everyone. Pride always assumes more honor than it deserves. Jesus summarizes the lesson with a principle that runs throughout Scripture: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” This is not merely social advice; it reflects how God governs His kingdom. God brings down the proud and lifts up the humble. Yet how many people today are still trying to elevate themselves? How many push for greater recognition, greater influence, and greater control? Jesus teaches us to do the opposite. Seek the lower place and let God be the one who exalts. Appropriate Actions of Those Hosting (12–14) Jesus then turns to the host. Luke 14:12–14 (ESV)He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” The host had carefully chosen his guest list. He invited the upper echelon—the people who mattered, the people who could benefit him. Jesus tells him he should have invited the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Why? Because they cannot repay you. What the host had done looked like generosity, but it was really strategy. It was not generosity; it was networking. It appeared to be kindness, but it was actually manipulation—inviting people who could increase your status. Jesus teaches that true generosity expects nothing in return. God Himself will repay those who give without expecting repayment. At this point, Jesus has effectively offended everyone at the dinner party. The guests have been exposed for their pride, and the host has been exposed for his manipulation. The room grows quiet. God’s Invitation (14:15–24) In the awkward silence, someone tries to rescue the moment with a safe religious statement. Luke 14:15 (ESV)“Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” The statement is true. It will be a great blessing to eat bread in the kingdom of God. However, the man likely assumed that everyone sitting at that table would be there. Jesus responds with a parable. Luke 14:16–24 (ESV) 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ” The feast is prepared, and everything is ready. The invitation goes out, but the invited guests begin making excuses. One has purchased a field and needs to inspect it. Another has bought oxen and must test them. Another has just gotten married. Notice something important. None of these excuses are sinful. Buying land is not sinful. Working with oxen is not sinful. Marriage is not sinful. The problem is not immorality. The problem is preference. They simply want something else more than they want the banquet. They are polite, but they are rejecting the host. He had prepared everything for them, yet they undervalued the invitation. When the servant reports this, the master responds by sending his servant into the streets to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. When there is still room, the servant is sent farther—to the highways and hedges—to invite everyone he can find. The master says, “Go out and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” But the parable ends with a warning: “None of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.” Those who had the first opportunity will miss it entirely. Presuming on Kindness The purpose of this parable is to expose the danger of presumption. The people listening to Jesus assumed they would eat bread in the kingdom of God. They believed they had first rights to the table. Jesus warns them that being invited does not guarantee participation, and refusing the invitation has consequences. Those who rejected the call had reasons and priorities, but they valued other things more than the banquet itself. Those who elevate their own priorities above God’s invitation will not enter the kingdom. Yet those who appear unworthy—the outsiders, the poor, and the forgotten—will be welcomed. God delights in exalting the lowly and humbling the proud. God Fills His House When we look closely at this parable, we learn something powerful about God. Look at the determination of the master. He sends his servants out quickly. He tells them to bring people in. When there is still room, he sends them farther out. This host refuses to leave seats empty. This is what God is like. God wants His house filled. He sends His servants into the streets and then into the highways and hedges. He searches for those who seem least likely to attend the banquet. Some people think God is reluctant to accept them, believing they must clean themselves up before they can come to Him. But the picture in this parable shows the opposite. God is searching the streets and highways, looking for people to bring in. If you are here today thinking that God would never accept you, look at this parable and be persuaded. God will accept anyone who humbles themselves and comes to Him. Jesus was surrounded by people who would never have invited you into their homes, but Jesus invites you into His Father’s house. The feast is ready. Do not disregard this opportunity. Do not prioritize things that do not matter. Jesus calls this opportunity a treasure worth selling everything to obtain. Receive it. And if you have accepted the invitation, you are not just a guest. You are a servant of the Host. The master said, “Go out and bring them in.” God still wants His house full, so go and invite someone.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Manipulating God (Judges 10-11) Casey Gray Download God’s relationship with Israel is descending into complete apostasy. Since God has allowed the people of the land to remain within the country, Israel has taken up worshipping any god they can find. Eventually, God sells them into the hand of an evil nation. They feel the weight of disobedience. Then, they cry out for help, and God sends a judge to deliver them. We have been seeing this cycle on repeat for weeks. Now, it’s time for things to change a little. Increased Sin, Increased Suffering (10:1-18) Judges 10:6–7 (ESV) — 6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. 7 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, We have the same set up, but notice this time that Israel has chosen all the gods. They are opening themselves up to every god in the surrounding nations. This makes God angry enough to sell them into the hands of two nations: The Philistines from the west and the Ammonites from the east. If they were going to increase their rebellion, God would increase their oppression. The next stage in the cycle is also different. They cry out to God. He says, “No.” God never says that. He always raises up a deliverer, fills him with the Spirit and defeats their enemies. But this time He lets them rely on their fake gods to save them. This is the point in the story where we say, “Ha! Serves them right!” But as the Philistines and Ammonites start to oppress Israel, it would become a very sad scene. The people respond to God’s rejection by relying on God more. They put away all the foreign gods. They submit themselves to whatever God wills. They say, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” God’s heart was affected by their turn and he grew impatient watching them suffer for their sin. The Man Nobody Wanted (11:1-11) The solution to this oppression was not to give up. They would fight back. The problem is that the Ammonites were coming in and posing some major issues and they needed someone to lead them. Additionally, they seemed to struggle finding someone who would be willing and able to lead the fight. This is where Jephthah the Gileadite comes into the picture. Jephthah was described as a mighty warrior, but also the son of a prostitute who was rejected by his own family. Apparently, Jephthah’s brothers chased him off. He surrounded himself with worthless men and was probably known for raiding. The elders of Gilead decided that Jephthah was their only hope. So, they called for him to be their leader in the fight. But Jephthah doesn’t immediately jump on the opportunity. First, he questions them, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” He sounds hurt by the rejection. But notice that these words aren’t a refusal, but a negotiation tactic. The result is that they swear an oath to the Lord that he will be their head if he was successful against the Ammonites. They agree. The Negotiator (11:12-28) Jephthah’s approach to handling the Ammonites started with asking a simple question, “What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” Notice the self focus. The king of the Ammonites claimed that Israel had taken the land from Ammon when they came up out of Egypt. This resulted in some discussion where Jephthah proves that he knows Israel’s history and the Ammonites are liars. However, Jephthah also reveals some twisted thinking about how gods work. He claims that Ammon’s god should be able to provide them with their land like Israel’s God. When the king of Ammon doesn’t give up his pursuit, Jephthah declares that he is in the right and they are wrong. Then, he calls for the Lord to decide the fate. The Manipulator (20-31) In verse 29, we read that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah. Up to this point, he was just selected by the people. Now, God has clearly chosen to strengthen him and give him success. When he comes to the Ammonite army, though, something comes over him. He decides to make a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” When we read this vow, the whole story shifts. Why would Jephthah offer what comes out of his house as a burnt offering? Does he let the sheep and goats live in his house? It’s a bizarre vow to have after claiming to believe God would judge the Ammonites through him. He looks at God as though He must be persuaded and blessings must be purchased. As though God needs something from us that we can provide. He thinks that offering a sacrifice will force God’s hand. We do this too. We say, “God, if you will help me, I promise…” We don’t trust His grace. Instead, we try to manage the outcome by gaining spiritual leverage. The Cost of Trying To Control God (32-40) Jephthah wins the battle. When he gets home we could just imagine his only daughter’s excitement. She comes running out of the door first to wrap her arms around her father. But Jephthah is not happy. His mouth was his greatest weapon, but now he has hurt himself with it. Jephthah’s daughter takes it better than she should have. She doesn’t try to negotiate or manipulate. All she asks for is two months to mourn for the fact that she wasn’t able to have children. This is Jephthah’s only child, so this would result in the end of Jephthah’s line. Verses 39 tells us that he did with her according to his vow that he had made. Some try to claim that he didn’t really kill his daughter and offer her up to be a burnt sacrifice. The remaining a virgin could indicate that she was just devoted to the Lord and unable to have children for that reason, but the text says he did according to his vow. What Do We Learn? You know, Jephthah would go on to fight again against Israelites. He ends up killing 42,000 from the tribe of Ephraim because they were mad at him for going up against the Ammonites without them. Jephthah is not a good guy. Offering your child as a burnt sacrifice seemed like a devoted and righteous thing to do in the sight of the people of his day, but it was an abomination to the Lord Deuteronomy 12:31 (ESV) — 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. But God is able to use him to save his people, and God even has him listed among the men of faith in Hebrews 11 along with Gideon and Samson. So, what do we learn from this man’s life? We Don’t Need To Bargain When I read the story of Jephthah it strikes me that the Spirit of the Lord is given to him before he makes the vow. After he makes the vow and all the way through the rest of the story of Jephthah, we read nothing from God. His silence speaks volumes. Think of Abraham. In Abraham’s story, God told him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham didn’t bargain with God or try to manipulate. He just submitted to whatever God wanted. Then, when he was raising the knife, God spoke and stopped him. This did not happen for Jephthah. He is the opposite of Abraham in this foolish act. He decides to vow this because he wants to control the outcome. When we do the same thing, we are trying to bargain with God. We don’t need to do that. Instead, we need to trust him. When I think I must control things I’m showing God I don’t trust him. He was going to deliver the Ammonites without the vow. God Pays The Price, Not Us There is one other father who chooses to sacrifice his only child. Think for a moment about Jesus. He doesn’t make a vow or bargain for his life in Gethsemane. He submits his will freely. He doesn’t offer up someone else. He offers himself up. Jephthah says, “If you will give me victory, I will sacrifice.” Jesus says, “Your will be done.” Jephthah’s vow leaves people grieving. Jesus’ submission brings great joy. This is a reminder that we don’t save ourselves. Trying to bargain with God is foolishness. We don’t have to promise him enough, earn enough, or control the outcomes enough because He has already given us what we need. Before we were born he decided to love people like us. People who humble themselves and submit their will like Jesus has. Conclusion So, stop negotiating with God. Stop saying, “If you do this, I will follow,” or “Once things feel safe, I’ll surrender.” Faith is not about controlling God. It’s not about manipulating him to make our lives better. Don’t let your fear lead your faith. Trust God and find hope in his goodness and strength. The question is not what you will offer to secure a place in heaven with God. The question is whether you will trust that He has done what you cannot do and offered you salvation freely.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The God Who Stops (Luke 10:25-37) Casey Gray Download Today, we will begin to look at parables. If you are not familiar with the parables of Jesus, they are stories intended to teach a lesson to the hearers. The purpose of parables is to simultaneously conceal the point from those who refuse to investigate further and reveal truth on a deeper level to those who pay attention. Luke 8:10 (ESV) — “He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that “seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.”’” When people hear these teachings, they cannot remain neutral. Parables are not bedtime stories, they are invitations and confrontations. They either draw a person in to seek deeper understanding or push them away in resistance. The parable presses the listener to respond. But we aren’t going to study the parables merely to understand what parables are. I am choosing these specific parables because they give us insight into the mind of God. I believe that a clearer understanding of God will help us become who we are supposed to be. In this series, I want us to understand the purpose of the parable and then take some time to consider how this teaching reflects God’s character. Today, we will look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Lawyer Tests Jesus “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “Behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’” (Luke 10:25) To inherit something is to receive what belongs to the family. So this man is asking, “How do I make sure I belong in God’s family when the age to come arrives?” When the lawyer asked this question, Luke tells us it was a test. The lawyer already has an idea, but he wants to see if Jesus teaches the truth. In response, Jesus turns the tables and says, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” Notice that Jesus’ question is twofold. First, He asks this expert to recount what the Law says, what is written, after dedicating his life to studying it. Then He asks him to give his interpretation, how he reads it. The lawyer responds, “Love the Lord,” and “Love your neighbor.” Jesus agrees with him. So, all one must do to inherit eternal life is love the Lord and love their neighbor. That sounds simple enough. But is it? What does it mean to love God? What does it mean to love your neighbor? The question beneath the question This is what the lawyer starts to wrestle with, because the text tells us his follow-up question was an attempt to justify himself. He asks, “And who is my neighbor?” Have you ever sought the answer to a question, only to realize your original question didn’t go deep enough? The answer didn’t satisfy the curiosity within you. But can we handle the deeper truth? We all struggle with accepting the truth. It’s like a barrier we have to break through. I truly appreciate the weight of the question he asks, even if his motives are wrong. Are we willing to ask deeper questions? May we all have that level of scrutiny. It would be commendable for the lawyer to go deeper, if we didn’t already know his motive. He knows these commands are not simple. So he seeks to justify himself and continues testing Jesus. The most dangerous people in the room are not always the openly rebellious. Often, they are the ones trying to justify themselves. Everything they say becomes an attempt to shift blame and avoid fault. The lawyer isn’t seeking clarity, he’s seeking boundaries. He wants to know how far his obligation goes, and where it can safely stop. The road of exposure In response, Jesus tells him a story, a parable, that paints a picture for everyone listening. There was a Jewish man traveling down a dangerous road, and he was attacked by robbers. He was beaten half to death and left alone on the side of the road. But, as it happened, a Levite was traveling the same way. Surely this Levite would stop to help. No, he passed by on the other side of the road. Then a priest came down the same path. He also passed by on the other side. Both of these men went about their business. They did not take the time to care for the man who had been beaten nearly to death. They saw him. They distanced themselves. They ignored him. Then another man came down the same road. He saw the man who had been beaten half to death, and he came up to help. When he understood how badly the Jewish man was hurt, he treated his wounds and lifted him onto his own animal. He took the injured man to an inn and paid for him to be cared for, even promising more payment when he returned. The twist is that this third man was a Samaritan. When Jesus said, “a Samaritan,” the air in the room would have changed. That would be like telling this story and saying the hero was the person you least expect, the one you’ve been taught not to trust. In the eyes of many Jews, Samaritans were religious outsiders, people with compromised worship and a history of conflict with Israel. They were viewed with suspicion and hostility, not as faithful participants in the promises of God. This Samaritan touched blood. He risked ambush. He paid. He promised more. Now Jesus drives the point home, asking, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” Instead of simply asking, “Who loved their neighbor?” Jesus asks, “Who proved to be a neighbor?” The emphasis is clear. Pay careful attention to the response. The lawyer doesn’t even say the word “Samaritan.” He says, “The one who showed him mercy.” To admit it was a Samaritan would be to concede the whole point, and he can barely bring himself to do it. Jesus tells him to go and be like that man… the Samaritan. Will you become a neighbor? This parable is so memorable that we’ve turned it into a phrase: “Good Samaritan.” It refers to someone who does an act of kindness for someone in need. But in our society, we even created laws to protect the “Good Samaritan.” In emergency situations, people have tried to help after a wreck, and then the person being helped sued the person who tried to save them. But do we feel comfortable helping someone who appears to be in serious need? I’m not talking about someone who ran out of gas. I’m talking about someone who is badly hurt. In recent years, there have been public incidents where someone was stabbed and people did nothing but stare, act like nothing was happening, and keep their distance. The worst part is that we have video. People will pull out a phone to record, but they won’t step in to help or even call an ambulance. You can watch a crowd pretend they don’t see what’s happening. They don’t rush over. They don’t call for help. They just mind their own business, or record the events so they can benefit from the recording. This parable teaches us what God desires from us. He wants us to reach out and show love for others the way we would want someone to love us. It is not okay to pass by on the other side and act like you don’t see someone in severe need. If someone is half-dead, there is no world where it is acceptable to cross the road and keep walking. Imagine it’s you lying on the side of a road, bleeding. You hear footsteps. You want to lift your head, but you can’t. Someone sees you. And then… keeps walking. How would it feel to be left like that by someone who was supposed to be your fellow countryman? The Greater Samaritan So how would the man who asked Jesus the question hear this, and what should he learn? The fact that the men are described as a Levite, a priest, and a Samaritan matters. The Levite and priest know and claim to follow the Law, just like the lawyer. They are supposed to be righteous, but they revealed themselves to be hypocrites. Would that be true of the lawyer? Will he be like them, or will he choose to be like the Samaritan and show mercy to the one in need? If we look closely, there is a direct parallel to us. We can resemble the lawyer more than the Samaritan. We can be so focused on learning the truth and protecting ourselves, and so comfortable in our own righteousness, that we overlook those who need help. The Samaritan, whom many would have suspected to be spiritually inferior, proved more righteous than the religious men everyone assumed were closest to God. Jesus wants this man to grasp that he has not met the requirements for inheriting eternal life. He was trying to justify himself, but Jesus makes it clear that he cannot. He, a Jew, would not naturally care for a hurt Samaritan like this. His prejudice won’t allow it. And we fall into the same problem. Somewhere, at some time, we have deemed someone unworthy of our love, maybe because of the color of their skin, the way they talk or dress, their background, or our own selfish desires. There is not a person here who can honestly say they have loved God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and loved their neighbor as themselves. We can try to justify ourselves, but Jesus’ parable shows we have failed to prove ourselves worthy of such an inheritance. Thankfully, this parable isn’t only about us. As I said at the beginning, it is also about God. This parable reveals God’s heart. And Jesus fulfills it. He is not saying, “I am the Samaritan,” but when you read the Gospels you can’t miss the point: This is what fulfilling the law looks like. He is the one who came near. He is the one who touched the unclean. He is the one who paid the full cost. God saw us in our spiritually dead state and chose not to pass by on the other side. He stopped. He bound up our wounds. He brought healing. He paid what we could not pay. If God stopped for you… If that’s who God is, what does this mean for you and me? When we are treated unfairly, when we are beaten down by the world, when sin and selfish passions leave us for dead, God is there. He doesn’t act like we don’t exist. He comes near. He binds up wounds. He heals brokenness. How? At times, through the hands of others who have been changed by Him. The Word of God, the gospel of our salvation also heals us. God uses many means at His disposal. His grace and mercy are abundant, and able to heal completely. The point of this study is for us to understand who God is so that we will change. We must let what God and Jesus have done for us reshape us. Or will we keep becoming the same self-preserving, unloving people the world urges us to be? Don’t listen to them. The story commands us to love like this. But the cross shows us God loved us like this first. So become like God in His pursuit of the wounded and needy. Our God stops to help us. See that. Choose to stop what you’re doing, even in your busy life, to move toward those who are hurting and in need of spiritual guidance. Pay it forward. To do that, we have to keep our eyes open to the desperate spiritual needs of the people around us. See the hurt, and don’t cross the road to the other side.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Not A King (Judges 9) Casey Gray Download In the book of Judges, we repeatedly see God show compassion to deeply stubborn people. Israel turns to idols again and again—not because they lack evidence, but because they lack trust. They follow the nations around them. They chase what they can see. They prefer superstition to submission. God rescues them anyway. Last time we studied Gideon. God reduced his army to 300 men so Israel would know who won the battle. One hundred and thirty-five thousand Midianites fell—not because of Gideon’s brilliance, but because of God’s power. But when the dust settled, it was Gideon who received the praise. The people asked him to be king. Gideon said the right thing: “The LORD will rule over you.” But his actions told a different story. Gideon’s Quiet Drift Gideon punished fellow Israelites who refused to help him. He executed captured kings and tried to have his son perform the execution, something royal heirs did in that culture. He fashioned a golden ephod that became a shrine. He took many wives. He had seventy sons. Those are not the actions of a reluctant servant. Those are the signs of royalty without the title. Judges tells us the ephod became a snare to Gideon and his family. Chapter 9 shows us exactly how. Abimelech’s Rise (Judges 9:1–6) Names matter in this story. Gideon’s father’s name, Joash, means “The LORD gives.” Gideon’s name likely means “one who cuts down.” God gives. Gideon cuts down. That was the pattern. Then comes Abimelech. His name means “My father is king.” Let that settle. Gideon refused the crown, but named his son like royalty. Abimelech grew up watching his father live like a king. He wanted the status. But he was the son of a concubine. He would never inherit leadership naturally. So he created it. He went to Shechem, his mother’s hometown, and asked: “Is it better that seventy rule over you, or one?” It’s a clever manipulation. The seventy sons weren’t ruling. But fear is persuasive. The leaders went into the temple of Baal-berith, “Baal of the covenant,” and funded him with silver. Idolatry financed murder. Abimelech hired mercenaries and slaughtered his brothers on one stone. Only one escaped: Jotham. His name means “The LORD is upright.” We can be sure that contrast is intentional. Jotham’s Parable (Judges 9:7–21) From Mount Gerizim, Jotham calls out to Shechem. He tells a story of trees trying to establish a ruler over them. The olive tree refused kingship because it was fruitful.The fig tree refused because it was sweet.The vine refused because it produced wine. Finally, they asked the bramble. The bramble produces nothing. It offers no shade. It has no fruit. Yet it accepts the throne. And it promises protection or fire. To make this more odd, the trees are the cedars of Lebanon. Why would towering cedars of Lebanon seek a thornbush to rule them? This is ridiculous and that is the point. Jotham condemns them. He declares that fire will come from Abimelech and from Shechem, and they will consume each other. Then he leaves, and God begins to act. The Downfall of Abimelech (9:22-55) Abimelech ruled for three years. Unlike the judges before him, God did not clothe him with His Spirit. God did not raise him up as a deliverer. Instead, the text says that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. God allowed their alliance to fracture. He let suspicion and betrayal take root. Shechem turned against Abimelech. Abimelech retaliated. He destroyed the city. He sowed it with salt. He burned a thousand people alive in a tower. The bramble produced fire exactly as Jotham warned. Then Abimelech went to Thebez. The text does not tell us why, but the pattern is clear. Tyrants never feel secure. Violence becomes their only method of control. He attacked another city and drove the people into a tower again, intending to burn it as he had done before. But this time, a woman dropped an upper millstone from the tower, and it crushed his skull. The man who killed his brothers on one stone was brought down by another. In his final moments, he called to his armor-bearer and begged to be killed so that no one would say a woman struck him down. Even in death, he was concerned with image. And yet Scripture records the detail forever. The chapter ends with clarity: “God returned the evil of Abimelech.” There was no deliverer raised up. There was no heroic judge. God simply allowed evil to consume itself. That is the theological anchor of the story. From Self-Exaltation To Devastation When we place Gideon and Abimelech together, we see the devastation of self-exaltation. The snare begins when we lift men into the place that belongs to God. Israel could not live with invisible kingship. They wanted someone they could see. They preferred efficiency over faith. They empowered a bramble. And this is not just ancient Israel. We still look for visible rulers to solve our problems. We exalt personalities. We rally around strength and charisma. We think it would be easier if someone else would just take control and make the decisions. It feels safer to let someone rule so we do not have to wrestle with trust and responsibility. But bramble leadership always burns. When men are lifted beyond their place, pride grows. When pride grows, destruction follows. Judges 9 creates longing. Abimelech seized power through bloodshed. Jesus refused to seize power and shed His own blood instead. Abimelech killed his brothers. Jesus calls us brothers. Abimelech burned towers. Jesus builds His church. Abimelech ruled through fear and image management. Jesus rules through humility and sacrifice. Israel struggled to see God as their King, so God gave us a King we could see — one who does not consume His people, but redeems them. Israel struggled to see God as their King, so God gave us a King we could see — one who does not consume His people, but redeems them. Cedars of Lebanon And this is where Jotham’s parable turns from warning into identity. Why would cedars of Lebanon seek a bramble to rule them? Cedars are not weak plants scrambling for shade. Cedars tower. Cedars endure storms. Cedars provide shelter. Throughout Scripture, the cedar of Lebanon represents strength, stability, dignity, and beauty planted by God Himself. God’s people were never meant to live like frightened shrubs looking for someone to hide under. They were meant to stand tall because God Himself was their King. Through Christ, that is exactly who you are. You have been planted by God. You have been rooted in grace. You have been forgiven, adopted, and brought into His kingdom. You are not scrambling for security. You are secure. You are not searching for identity. You have one. Cedars provide shade. When you walk in Christ, your life becomes a place of refuge for others. Your steadiness becomes someone else’s comfort. Your faithfulness becomes someone else’s courage. Your fruitfulness becomes nourishment for someone still growing. You do not need a bramble to give you shade, because you have been strengthened to give shade. And we rule — not by seizing control, but by reigning with Christ. Scripture teaches that those who belong to Him share in His reign. Not through domination. Not through fear. Not through burning towers. We rule by serving. We reign by loving. We exercise authority by laying down our lives. The only crown we wear is the one placed on us by grace. That is completely different from Abimelech. Abimelech grasped and destroyed. Christ surrendered and saved. Conclusion You do not need a bramble to rule you. You are not weak shrubs looking to rule. You are cedars planted by God. He is your King. Jesus is your King. Elders shepherd under Him. Preachers serve under Him. We do not replace Him. We point to Him. There is nothing to fear. The same God who returned the evil of Abimelech still governs today. His reign does not scorch His people. It sustains them.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Before The Cross Casey Gray Download To finish our study on prayer, I want us to look at one of the most powerful prayers in all of scriptures. Before the arrest.Before the trial.Before the cross.There was a prayer. Jesus is the most important Biblical figure for us to learn prayer from. His prayer habits should instruct us and mold our prayers. What does He do? How does He think when He prays? These are the questions we will seek to answer in our study this morning. This may be the most instructive moment. He is about to drink the cup. In Scripture, the cup is not just suffering. It is judgment. It is wrath. Jeremiah says the nations must drink the cup of God’s fury (Jer 25). Isaiah speaks of the cup of staggering (Isa 51). He can see what is about to take place. He knows what’s coming, and he chooses to pray in front of his closest disciples. He wants them to see what He does when the weight is unbearable. He wants them to understand what obedience is costing Him personally so they can share it with us. His prayer is unconventional. What I mean by that is, He doesn’t pray like we typically pray. In this prayer, we see three patterns that shaped Jesus’ life:He prays from relationship.He prays for alignment.He prays with dependence. Praying From Relationship In the three accounts of the prayer, Jesus always starts with “Father.” But notice the words in Matthew and Mark. Matthew 26:39 (ESV) — 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Mark 14:36 (ESV) — 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” In Matthew, Jesus says, “My Father.” In Mark, he says “Abba, Father.” These words indicate warmth, familiarity, and intimacy. They are deeply personal and this is a loving way to refer to your Father. Jesus is addressing God in a close relational sense. He does not approach God as a soldier reporting for duty. He approaches Him as a Son speaking to His Father. Jesus knows that his Father wants Him to do something impossibly difficult to do. He asks God to remove it from him, but He still loves Him and calls out to God with an intimate relationship. Sometimes our prayers become mechanical. We repeat phrases without thinking. We perform instead of commune. But Jesus is not performing a ritual in Gethsemane. He is speaking to His Father. Throughout Jesus’ life, He has always spoken about God as His Father and He makes it clear that His purpose is to do the Father’s will like a good, obedient Son. In the Garden, he turns to God. Not out of obligation. Not just to get what He wanted from God. He turns to God because He belongs to Him. At this moment, no one understands the weight He is carrying — but His Father does. So, the first pattern we see is Jesus praying in relationship with God. I know that some of us learned to pray with “Thee,” “Thou,” etc. We feel a need to be formal or reverent towards the sovereign, creator of the universe. I don’t want to bash those who do that. That’s who God is, but I want to open us up to a different way. A way that Jesus prayed. A way that Jesus taught us to pray. As children of God, we can rely on that relationship we have with God and speak out of it. The King might expect His subjects to revere Him, but His children call Him Abba. Praying In Alignment I’ve mentioned this multiple times in this sermon series, but it bears repeating. Jesus put God’s will ahead of His own. These words need to be heard on repeat, “Not my will, but yours be done.” He cares about God’s will. Jesus is not looking to escape obedience. His words indicate a willingness to do whatever God has in mind. Also, notice that Jesus doesn’t hold back His feelings on the matter. He is not denying His desires, suppressing them, or pretending that they don’t exist. He is human. He has feelings on this matter and would rather not go through the painful scenario. But He trusts in God enough to do something that goes against every fiber of His being. The cup represents wrath (Jer 25, Isa 51). This is not just pain. This is judgment that resembles the judgement God gives to his enemies. He names the desire honestly — “Let this cup pass.” Then He surrenders it completely — “Not my will.” Where have we drawn lines and said, “God, you can have this… but not that”? That is not surrender. That is negotiation. When we do that, we are showing a lack of trust in His wisdom. He can take away everything. He can allow the absolute worst thing to happen to us, and use it for the good of all who love Him. That’s what Jesus shows us in His prayer. Trust God enough to share your feelings completely. Then, trust Him enough to obey and do the exact opposite of what you want to do. Believe, like Abraham, that God will provide. Align your will to His will. Dependence The third part of Jesus’ prayer I want to focus on is related to the first two. Jesus depended on God to do this. I find it interesting to trace Peter’s events beside Jesus’. Jesus tells the disciples, in Matt 16:21, that He must suffer, be crucified, and raised from the dead. Peter boldly proclaims in 26:35, “If I must die with you, I will not forsake you.” Then, Jesus goes to God in prayer over these events and tells Peter to pray with Him so that he won’t fail when tempted. He tells him, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”What happens next? Jesus goes to the cross and Peter denies knowing Jesus. The message is clear. Jesus went to God in prayer. Peter didn’t. Jesus could do what He said He would do. Peter could not. Prayer is about dependence. Jesus was human, like us. But in His humanity, He chose to rely on the Father every step of the way. Sometimes, I feel like we have a superhero mentality. We want all the glory and fame. We want to do it ourselves. That’s not the way Jesus lived. He relied on God and His prayer life showed that dependence. Notice in Matthew and Mark’s accounts that Jesus goes to God in prayer three times. He asks the same thing three times. But notice what Luke records. Luke 22:42–44 (ESV) — 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. In this case, Jesus pours himself out to God, asking for God to remove this cup. In response, God sends an angel to strengthen Him. What do you think that means to Jesus? The cup might not be removed, but God can provide him with the strength to face it. His agony increased and He prayed more earnestly. There were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Everything inside of him was struggling to accept this reality. He wasn’t ready. He needed more strength so He prayed again. When we pray, we aren’t trying to impress God with our greatness. He knows how weak we really are. Maybe we put on a show of greatness before others, but we aren’t fooling Him. The best thing we can do when we pray to God is open up and be real. John said in 1 John that those who walk in fellowship with God must walk in the light. They have to be open and honest about their sin and failures. We must see how weak we are and call out for God to help us, strengthen us, to obey. Finding Strength and Reward When He finishes praying, Judas comes. In John’s gospel, we read that He goes out to meet His betrayer and the soldiers. He speaks to those coming to betray Him and says, “Whom do you seek?” His words are so powerful that the men fall back. Something is different about Jesus as he approaches these men. He tells them that He is the one they are seeking. There’s no fear or timidity in His voice. The anguish of prayer becomes the resolve of obedience. When Peter pulls out a sword and attempts to kill one of the servants of the high priest, cutting off his ear, Jesus heals the man. Then tells Peter, “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” The prayer of Jesus had not taken away the cup of suffering and punishment Jesus was to receive. But it had given Jesus what he needed to face it. Application Think for a moment about how this prayer and its effects should alter our prayer lives. We pray to control outcomes. We hope to escape the difficulties, and convince God to fix the bad situations we are facing as we could imagine him doing. Jesus prayed to surrender outcomes. When things are going bad for us, we avoid prayer because we think we are strong enough on our own to face it. When the moment comes, we resort to sin instead of having faith and remaining focused on God’s will. Jesus turns to God knowing the most likely outcome Praying like Christ means we pray to commune with the one who is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present. We shouldn’t be seeking to manipulate him. That’s not the relationship He wants to have with His child. Instead, trust that whatever His will is will be good. Pour out your desires and feelings, but trust Him and do what is right even at great cost. He will give you the strength to do the right thing. Before the nails pierced His hands, prayer surrendered His will. If we want strength for obedience, we must first kneel in surrender.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > When God Wins (Judges 6-8) Casey Gray Download Have you been afraid of something you know you shouldn’t be afraid of? Are you currently afraid of something you know you shouldn’t be afraid of? Maybe you are scared of the dark, scared of financial ruin, scared of negative opinions about you, or scared of something bad happening. Where do these fearful thoughts come from and how can we overcome them? This is a continual problem in Israel. Their oppressors instill fear in them when they really have nothing to be afraid of. If God is on their side, they cannot lose. But really the problem is that God is often not on their side. They repeatedly break covenant with God and chase after other gods. Their fear shouldn’t be directed toward their oppressors. It should be directed toward God who brought the oppressor. The Plague of Midian (6:1-10) The people of the land experienced rest after God’s victory with Deborah, Barak, and Jael. Rest for forty years. Forty years is a long time. But it did not last. The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites, were like a plague of locusts on the people of Israel. They would come from the east and the west as uninvited guests and eat up all of the produce of the land along with their livestock. They just moved right in and would fight with any Israelites who tried to stop them. So, the people saw their failure and called out to the Lord for help. In response, God sent a prophet. Judges 6:8–10 (ESV) — 8 the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.” God reveals to his people that they have failed by fearing the gods of the Amorites and failing to obey God’s voice. These men of Israel believe that the false gods of the land are powerful and they have been worshipping and offering sacrifices to those gods. The Unlikely Judge (6:11-8:27) Like with Deborah, God sent a prophet who told the people their error, but he did not abandon them. This time, he will raise up a man to defeat the Midianites, and it’s not a man who has an army already. He chooses Gideon, a man who is secretly beating out the wheat in his father’s winepress cowering in fear of the Midianites. The angel of the Lord calls out to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”This is a joke, right? The man who is hiding in the wine press to keep Midianites from knowing about his wheat is a mighty man of valor? Gideon picks up on the phrase, “The Lord is with you” and wonders if it’s true. He respectfully asks, “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” He thinks that God has forsaken them because he brought the Midianites in to oppress Israel. The text tells us, “The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do I not send you?’” But Gideon replies incredulously, “Please, Lord, How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” God doesn’t care about that. God has chosen to be with Gideon and that is all that matters. Hearing that, Gideon goes and makes an offering. The Lord extends his staff and consumes it with fire. At the sight, Gideon knows who He is, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” Tearing Down Baal (6:25-32) God wants Gideon to start at home. He commands Gideon to cut down the idolatrous altars that his own father has and build an altar at the site. He did it that night and when the men of the town saw it, they were upset. They knew it was Gideon and wanted him to die. But Joash, his father said, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself.” They then renamed Gideon from “Cuts down” to “Let Baal contend against him.” God Shrinks the Army (7:1-8) After this event, the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon and he gathered the men of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to prepare for battle. But Gideon was still unsure. He asked God for two signs. The first was that He make the fleece wet and all the ground dry early in the morning. The second was that He make the fleece dry and the ground wet early in the morning. He wanted to test to see whether God would truly do the impossible and save Israel through him. God meets his request, and then he strips down his army two times. The first time Gideon commands everyone who is scared to leave. The second time he commands everyone who doesn’t lick up water like a dog to leave. This results in the army going from 22,000 men to 300. For God wanted it to be known that this victory was God’s and not Israel’s. Baal cannot contend for himself, but the Lord God can. God Wins The Battle (7:9-25) The 300 men gathered near the swarm of Midianites and Amalekites, 135,000 of them. Once again Gideon was terrified. God told him to go down into the camp and defeat them because God had given it into his hand. Can you imagine that? 300 men defeating 135,000? God just tells him to do it like it is no big deal. But God said, “If you are afraid, go down to the camp with your servant and see what they are saying.” He does and he finds that they have had a dream about him coming and destroying them. So, Gideon divided the men up, giving them empty jars with torches inside and trumpets. At his command they would blow the trumpets, smash the jars, and shout, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” When they did this, their enemies started to flee, but many were killing each other. The 300 men pursued them and killed many. Then, other men from the surrounding tribes also came down and helped with the slaughter. Cracks Appear (8:1-27) On the way, Gideon and his men were hungry and they tried to receive assistance from men of Succoth and Penuel, but they would not help. So, after they defeated the Midianites and Amalakites, they came back and killed the men and elders of those towns. Then, the men of Israel wanted to make Gideon a king, but he refused. He wisely said, “The Lord will rule over you.” But then, he foolishly asked them to give him their earrings and purple garments so he could use them to make a golden ephod and put it in his city. All Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. Desperation &amp; Success Foolish idolatry brought suffering to Israel because idols can’t do anything. But God brought peace and prosperity. We could see the contrast in God who defeats his enemies with .002% of the men and idols who cannot save themselves.. God can defeat through floods, through hailstones, through fire from heaven, or he could even defeat them through blowing trumpets, breaking jars, and shouting. There is nothing God cannot do. If all 135,000 of the men would have risen up against Gideon and his 300, God would still have defeated them. But the lesson I want us to focus on tonight is the contrast from the beginning of this story to the end. In the beginning we see Gideon as the least of the weakest clan. He’s a nobody who is hiding in the windpress so the Midianites don’t steal his wheat. In this time of desperation, Gideon was willing to trust in the Lord and rely on him for success. God proved himself to Gideon and he worshipped God on multiple occasions. Then, he defeated the enemies and became hungry for glory. His vindictive actions and the golden ephod show that something is wrong. Fear can lead to panic and cowardice or faith and prayer. In times of desperation, are we clinging to false security that cannot help us? Like Gideon, we may doubt that God would be with us. We might even have hard feelings toward him. But when we put our faith in Him, He is able to bring us out of the mire. He can save us from any situation. When we experience success, what will we do with it? Will we have gratitude? If we choose vain glory, we will suffer the consequences. Gideon honored God, but he also sought to honor himself and his children paid the price, as we will learn about next week. God can give victory, but only a rightly ordered heart can receive it well. Choose God’s Glory Tonight, some of us are living in a winepress—hiding, anxious, tired, trying to protect what little we think we have. And God is not coming to shame you. He’s coming to call you out of it. He tells us what He said to Gideon: “I will be with you.” So we can bring our fears into the light. Tear down whatever competes with God. Gideon teaches us that victory doesn’t test our strength. It tests our heart. Jesus shows us what a heart looks like that can receive God’s victory without being ruined by it: a heart that loves the Father, trusts Him fully, and worships Him alone. Jesus has risen up to deliver us from the lowliest of towns. He stood, not with 300 but, alone against our greatest foe to save us from the oppression of sin. He is not satisfied with man’s honor. He seeks God’s glory. The lessons of Gideon should be our own. Nothing on earth can save us. No god we create. No strength we can muster. Our victory comes through the Lord. He came to earth to show us the truth about God. He’s not found in statues or golden Ephods. He’s seen in the image of Jesus our Messiah and king. Will we make Jesus our king? If God gives you victory (if He gives you relief, provision, momentum, influence) then worship Him harder. Hold success with open hands. Refuse vain glory. Don’t build an ephod. Don’t create a “religious substitute” that steals your trust. Don’t seek your own exaltation. Because the LORD can save by many or by few. And the safest place in the world is not the absence of enemies. It’s the presence of God.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Pray Bigger Casey Gray Download We have studied for weeks about prayer. How has that affected your prayer life? Are you praying more often? Is the quality of your prayers developing? If you are like me, you don’t struggle with whether prayer works or focusing on the right ideas in prayer. I haven’t taught you anything I didn’t already know. I know that I should pray through tears. I know that I should pray after failure. I know that I should keep praying when God says, “No.” I know to pray for the needs of others and for God’s kingdom. I pray for opportunities and choose to bear some of the burden. If we are honest, some of those prayers feel costly. They require humility, patience, and surrender. But I know deep down inside that there is more that I can grow in this subject. Today, I want us to study about a hesitation that might linger inside of us. Not a hesitation rooted in disbelief. But because somewhere deep down, we wonder how far we should go with our prayers. When is it presumptuous or prideful to ask for something big? Who am I to bring something like that before God? What I want us to see this morning is simple: We can pray big and bold prayers. Do you know that? If you do, are you praying that way, or do you think too little of yourself to pray big and bold prayers? I want us to see that we can pray big and bold prayers, not because of who we are, but because of who God is and what Christ has done. Here are three reasons why we can pray Bigger. 1. Pray Big Because God’s Your Father (Luke 11, Matt 18, Rom 8) The first reason we can pray big and bold prayers to God is the fact that Jesus tells us to call God our “Heavenly Father” in Luke 11. Jesus compares Jesus to an imperfect earthly father to say that we can trust Him to give us good things. This is an important comparison because it reveals to us the willingness of God. Do we pray small because we are unsure of God’s heart toward us? We don’t want to bother Him. We don’t want to ask too much. We don’t want to be disappointed when He says, “No.” We all have a perception of what an earthly father looks like, but what is a Heavenly Father like? Compare this statement about God from Luke 11 to a statement about us in Matthew 18. Matthew 18:1–4 (ESV) — 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Ultimately, I believe we don’t pray big because we aren’t childlike. My younger children don’t have a problem asking for things. They ask all the time. Jenna and I receive hundreds of requests every day from our three children and it wears us out. We say, “No” to 75% of the requests, but they keep on asking. They are relentless and persistent. If we don’t answer, they ask again and again. Jesus tells us that the greatest in the kingdom are like this. They are humbling themselves like children. The thoughts, “I don’t want to bother Him. I don’t want to ask too much. I don’t want to be disappointed when He says, ‘No,’” are all too mature and proud. They show self-reliance and a resistance to depending on God. That kind of prayer reflects the same self-reliance Jesus constantly confronted, and it’s not what God desires from His children. He wants more. The idea that God is inviting His children to ask, seek, and knock must change our attitudes. Paul says something similar in Romans 8. Romans 8:15 (ESV) — 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The contrast in this text is an older, “I have to do everything myself” mindset, and a childlike, “Dad! I need your help” mindset. My children, especially Phoebe, ask for things because she literally cannot do them. She cannot make her own breakfast or drink. She’s learning how to, and doing really well at it, but she recognizes what she needs and cannot provide herself, so she has to ask for help. But Paul says, we aren’t just children, we are adopted, we are chosen and greatly loved by our Heavenly Father. We can pray bigger and bolder prayers because God wants to hear them. Asking for more isn’t burdensome or annoying for God. It honors Him. Unlike me and other earthly fathers, God listens carefully to all of our requests at all times. He knows what we need even before we ask. He doesn’t turn away or silence us when we ask for something inappropriate. Don’t assume that boldness is unwelcome. 2. We Can Pray Big Because Jesus Opened The Way (Heb 10) But God didn’t just invite us to pray. He made a way for us to come near without fear. I’m convinced that the book of Hebrews is written to change the way we pray. The writer of this book wants us to see what Jesus has done for us and draw near with confidence. Drawing near to God is not a small thing. Those who know who God is, understand how unworthy we are to draw near to a holy God. In the Old Testament, God set up the Tabernacle and Temple as a representation of how God’s people are to steer clear of God. Only the Levites could enter the temple area and handle the holy objects. Only the priests could enter the holy place. Only the High Priest can enter the most holy place. Drawing near to God happened with sacrifice, but even sacrifices could only get you so close. Jesus, on the other hand, offered a sacrifice for us that makes us holy enough to enter the true holy places by His blood. Hebrews 10:11–14 (ESV) — 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:19–22 (ESV) — 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Confidence doesn’t come from personality, spiritual consistency, or having a good week. It comes from understanding the access Jesus gives to God’s people. Through His sacrifice, the curtain was torn in two, signifying we have unprecedented access to God. The throne we approach is not a throne of judgment, but a throne of grace. We don’t come hoping He won’t kill us. We come knowing He loves us because of what we have in Christ. That ought to change everything. Our prayers are bold. Not because we believe in ourselves. They are bold because we believe that Jesus really did what scriptures tell us He did. We boldly approach God’s throne, unashamed, because we aren’t trespassing. We were invited there by the Son of God. He paid the price for our access. God is the one who sent Him. So the real question is why wouldn’t we pray? 3. We Can Pray Big Because God Can Do More Than We Ask or Think (Eph 3) The final reason I want us to pray big is because of the words of Paul in Ephesians. These are words that need to sit with us for a while until they are absorbed into our brains. Ephesians 3:14–21 (ESV) — 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. These words are not a promise that God will give us everything we want. They are a promise that God is not limited by what we can envision. It’s a call for God to strengthen us from within to believe that God’s love for us is unlimited and His power toward us is unimaginable. If you were to go throughout OT history and look at God’s miracles for the first time, they would blow you away. Would you build a big boat in the desert? Who brings a sling to fight a giant? Who would have thought to sing praises to the Lord or bash your pottery with torches inside to scare an enemy into killing itself? God can do things that we could never imagine. This is why our prayers stink. We pray for what feels realistic, manageable, and reasonable. But God operates outside of what is physically possible. Paul says God’s power goes beyond our imagination. He can create a scenario that we would never plan or design. Conclusion So, when we pray, we need to understand that God wants to hear us pray. He wants us to be children who bring our every care before Him constantly. We need to understand that there is nothing about us that disqualifies us, no barrier between us and God, because of what Jesus has done. He asks us to come right into his throne room. We must believe that God’s power has no ceiling. The problem we face is not on God’s end. It’s our own. I know it sounds childish and foolish to say this, but open yourself up to God completely. Talk to him about what is on your heart and in your mind. Use the understanding we have gone through in the past five weeks to mold prayers that are pleasing to God, but don’t feel like you have to do everything right to be heard. This is not about you. It’s primarily about needing God and wanting Him to help you. Philippians 4:6 (NET) — 6 Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Under The Palm Tree (Judges 4-5) Casey Gray Download Imagine a world where you are so oppressed by evil people that you cannot step outside your town without the fear of being killed for sport. You don’t go outside your home at night because you don’t know what might be waiting for you. You live under an evil ruler with weapons powerful enough to crush you, and you have been completely disarmed. Nine Hundred Chariots This was the reality for Israel for twenty years. Jabin, king of Canaan, had been given complete control after Israel once again chose to worship the gods of the land. God sold Israel into slavery, much like He did in Egypt. This was the promised curse for covenant unfaithfulness—but this situation appears more dire than ever before. Their enemies had chariots of iron—nine hundred of them. They had the swords. They had the arrows. Israel was spread out, afraid, divided, and powerless to respond. And yet, the people cried out to God for help. They had been given multiple chances, and they continued in disobedience. They refused to learn the lesson. It would not have been unjust for God to let them live this way for another hundred years after such betrayal. But He doesn’t. He will save them. God’s Intervention Typically, in the book of Judges, we read about God raising up a savior, a deliverer, a judge. This man is usually mighty, able to rally the troops and defeat Israel’s enemies. But that is not what we find in Judges 4. The text tells us that Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. Instead of preparing troops for battle, she is sitting under a palm tree in Ephraim, giving judgments to the people of Israel, settling disputes and speaking for God. The first thing that stands out is that she is a woman. Women are occasionally given leadership roles throughout Scripture. Miriam was the first prophetess. But no woman is given as much independent authority as Deborah. She is both a prophetess and a judge. She is more teacher and preacher than warrior. And yet, one thing becomes clear: she is Israel’s deliverer. The text also tells us that she is the wife of Lappidoth. She is not presented as rejecting God’s order or operating outside of it. God has given her the spiritual gift of speaking for Him, making her a leader among Israel, and yet she is also presented as a wife within God’s design. This naturally raises a question: Why would God make Deborah a judge? Is it to prove that women are just as capable as men? Or is it because the men of Israel were failing to step into the leadership roles God had given them? Perhaps God is intentionally prodding them—exposing their weakness and calling them to step up. Whatever the reason, Deborah is Israel’s judge. And she summons Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh-Naphtali. She says to him: “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” Deborah’s words are rhetorical. She speaks as though Barak already knows this is his calling. He simply has not committed himself to it. Her words also reveal something about Barak: he has the influence to command ten thousand men—but he is unwilling to act. There is something about Sisera that terrifies him. Deborah’s message from God should be met with courage and resolve. It should be answered with a war cry. But it isn’t. Barak responds: “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” He is unwilling to fulfill God’s command without God’s prophet beside him. There is humility in that response—but there is also fear. He is afraid of making the wrong move. Afraid of acting without visible assurance. Deborah agrees to go. But she tells him that his hesitation will cost him the honor God intended to give him. The glory will belong to a woman. This answers the earlier question. God wants us to see the weakness of Israel’s men. He is exposing their fear and calling them to lead, to step forward as warriors for what is right. The Battle and the Unexpected Victory Barak gathers his men at Mount Tabor, and they descend to meet the Canaanite army that God has drawn out for battle. Israel may have planned an ambush—coming down from the mountains and trapping Sisera near the river. But God has different plans. Judges 5 tells us what chapter 4 only hints at: dark clouds rush in, and rain pours down so violently that the ground floods. Sisera’s chariots become useless. The army is swept westward. Barak and his men pursue and destroy those who survive. But Sisera escapes—fleeing east on foot. He comes to the tent of a Canaanite sympathizer, a Kenite named Heber. Heber is away, but his wife, Jael, is there. She welcomes Sisera and appears to offer him safety. When he asks for water, she gives him milk. She promises to stand watch. And as he falls asleep from exhaustion, Jael takes a tent peg and a hammer and drives it through his head. When Barak arrives, she is waiting for him. She tells him to come and see the man he was seeking. Just as Deborah prophesied, a woman receives the glory. The Song of the Delivered These events stand out in Judges because of how unusual they are. A woman leads. A prophet speaks. A foreign woman delivers the final blow. And then comes the song. Judges is a tragic book. Israel repeatedly fails to keep covenant with God. So this song is meant to slow us down and force us to reflect. The song teaches us that God deserves the glory. When Israel’s leaders failed, God did not. He was the lightning. He was the thunder. He was the flood and the earthquake. Without God, Israel would have remained oppressed—just as they were in Egypt. This deliverance is meant to remind us of Egypt. Chariots swept away by water. An enemy undone by God’s power over creation. At any moment, God can intervene and remove the strongest force on earth. He alone is all-powerful. The song also reveals the condition of Israel. They were terrified. Isolated. Disarmed. Only some tribes volunteered to fight. Naphtali, Zebulun, Ephraim, Benjamin, and parts of Manasseh stepped forward. Reuben, Gad, and others debated and stayed behind—busy with work, fishing, and shepherding. The song praises those who trusted the LORD and shames those who stayed home. It calls God’s people to remember His work and honor those who stepped forward in faith. Jael is even called “most blessed among women” for what she did. Our Fears and Our Faith When we read this story and the following song, we get a picture of fear, oppression, and the temptation we may have to do nothing when things are dangerous. The song in Judges 5 is not just celebrating a victory—it is teaching Israel how to think about fear and faith. If you listen closely, one idea rises above everything else: Fear paralyzes God’s people, but faith steps forward trusting that God will act. Fear Paralyzes God’s People The song tells us that roads were abandoned and people hid in villages. Life got smaller. Movement stopped. Risk disappeared. The song names tribes that showed up and tribes that stayed home. And the way it describes the ones who stayed home is almost painful: they aren’t portrayed as wicked men celebrating evil. They’re portrayed as men hesitating… weighing options… staying near what feels safe. That’s what fear does. It turns obedience into a debate. It doesn’t always make us run—it makes us retreat into what feels safe. We stop doing what God has called us to do, not because we hate Him, but because we’re trying to protect ourselves. Fear keeps us quiet when we should speak. Fear keeps us home when we should step out. Fear keeps us deliberating when God has already spoken. Israel wasn’t defeated because they lacked numbers. They were defeated because fear trained them to live carefully under oppression. The danger in this story is not only Sisera’s chariots. The danger is Israel learning how to live under oppression—how to adapt, how to cope, how to survive spiritually with the smallest amount of risk possible. Everything in the song turns on that contrast. Faith Steps Forward Without Guarantees The song praises those who volunteered. Not the strongest. Not the most confident. The ones who showed up. Faith in this story is not bold talk—it’s movement. It’s obedience without control. It’s trusting that God will act when you cannot. That’s why the victory belongs to God. The storm comes from Him. The flood comes from Him. The deliverance comes from Him. God does not ask His people to be fearless. He asks them to trust Him enough to move. God’s Power Exposes What We Trust Sisera’s chariots look unstoppable, until God turns them into dead weight. The song reminds Israel that the greatest threat to faith is trusting in what looks secure. And we have our own chariots. Threats of discomfort, instability, chaos, shattered reputation, and insecurity drive us away from the fight. God is kind enough to remind His people, again and again, that none of those things rule the world. He does. Why This Story Leads Us to Jesus Judges shows us a pattern: God’s people are fearful, divided, and hesitant—and God still delivers. That pattern points forward to Christ. Because the greatest oppression was not Canaan. It was sin and death. And God did not defeat that enemy with force, but with faithfulness. Jesus didn’t arrive with chariots. He arrived in weakness. And just like this story, the victory didn’t look like victory at first. But God acted. So the call of this text is not to be brave. It is to trust the God who still fights for His people. Fear asks, “What if I lose?” Faith asks, “What has God promised?” And the song of Deborah invites us to choose which voice we will live by.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Asking For An Opportunity (Neh 1-2) Casey Gray Download On occasion, we face events in our lives where we have to choose what we are going to do. There may be two roads we can go down. One road might be easier than the other, but we feel a burden to go down the difficult road. What will we do? There are many events in our lives that change our course. Doors close, and another door opens to reveal something unexpected. Many of us are guided by opportunities that show up along the way. We went to schools and surrounded ourselves with friends primarily because of the decisions of our parents. We took jobs because someone we knew recommended them, or we moved to an area because a house we wanted came up for sale. It’s interesting to think about the trail of our path and how we ended up where we are. Our study today is about the importance of considering God and spending time in prayer in our decision-making. We will look at a very important decision made by a man named Nehemiah. A Burdened Heart (1:1–11) When Nehemiah hears the report from Jerusalem, the city has been in ruins for about 140 years. The temple has been rebuilt. Worship has resumed. God has already shown His faithfulness. And yet Jerusalem remains exposed, humiliated, and vulnerable. For many, this had become normal. But it was not normal to Nehemiah. He is living far away in Susa, serving as the king’s cupbearer—the most trusted position in the palace and one of the most dangerous. His life quite literally depends on the king’s pleasure. And yet, when he hears about the condition of Jerusalem, something breaks inside him. This is not curiosity. This is not a political concern. This is a burden. Nehemiah mourns. He fasts. He prays—not for minutes or days, but for months. He does not rush to action. He goes first to God. And when he prays, he does not demand. He confesses. He does not argue his worth. He appeals to God’s word. He reminds God of a promise spoken through Moses over a thousand years earlier—that if God’s people returned to Him, He would gather them again. Nehemiah is not asking God to invent something new. He is asking God to be faithful to what He has already said. And then he prays something dangerous: “Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Nehemiah knows where this prayer may lead. Choosing to Meet the Moment with Faith (2:1-3) When the moment comes for Nehemiah to be the king’s cupbearer, he chooses a dangerous course. Instead of simply making his request known to the king, Nehemiah risks everything by allowing his face to show sadness. The king notices and asks him why his face is sad. The text tells us that Nehemiah was “very much afraid.” Pause and consider this. Nehemiah had presumably been serving the king for months after receiving this news. He had poured himself out in prayer to God, wept, and refused to eat or indulge in pleasures. Then he would walk into the king’s throne room with a smile on his face, wearing a mask of joy and contentment. Imagine enduring that suffering day after day. But one day, he lets his true feelings show—and it is startling enough for the king to recognize it. What would the king think? Is his trusted cupbearer being blackmailed or forced to provide poisoned wine to him and his queen? Nehemiah is terrified at the king’s words because his life hangs in the balance. He has no control over the situation, and this one small act has entered him into a world of uncertainty and anxiety. Did he regret it for a moment? Did he wonder whether God would really help him through this? We learn from this that God’s opportunities often come wrapped in fear and uncertainty. We have no idea what the future holds when we step out in faith to do what we believe God wants us to do. Fear is a normal part of it. We must believe that God has heard our prayers and that He stands with us if we are going to push through our fears and participate in His work, just as Nehemiah did. Faith Is Rewarded Nehemiah speaks carefully, respectfully, and clearly. He does not manipulate. He does not demand. He asks—and the king listens. Permission is granted. Time is given. Resources are supplied. Nehemiah receives everything he needs, not because of his cleverness, but because, as he says, the good hand of God was upon him. Nehemiah was trusting in God, and God delivered. This was not merely a reward for faith; it was an entrustment. Nehemiah was not satisfied with an easy life. He asked for a meaningful one. And God opened the door for him—along with opposition, responsibility, and cost. This is the main point of the story. God wants to give us lives full of meaning and value. He wants to shape us into people who labor for the building up of His people and the establishment of His glory for generations to come. God Is in Control When we look at this story, we gain a greater understanding of how God works providentially. Nehemiah believes in God’s providential working. He sees what no one else does, and he chooses to trust the One who is in control. Too often, we fail to see God’s work in the world we live in. I like the imagery given in a book I’ve read recently about God’s work in our world. The author begins by quoting an anonymous poet and tells us exactly what we need to hear: “Oh, where is the sea?” the fishes cried, As they swam the Atlantic waters through; “We’ve heard of the sea and the ocean tide, And we long to gaze on its waters blue.” These words remind us that we are so saturated in God’s working that we often fail to recognize it. God has power beyond our understanding, and He directs it through those in positions of power and authority. He raises up those who bend to His will and brings down those who refuse. Yet we are often blind to it. I cannot imagine what we would see if God opened our eyes to the spiritual reality that exists all around us. From Prayer to Calling When we reflect on this event and Nehemiah’s prayer, it is easy to observe what happened and leave it in the past. But Nehemiah’s prayer was pointing to something much bigger. When Nehemiah prays, he is not inventing a new hope. He is standing within a promise God had been repeating for generations. By Nehemiah’s day, that promise had already grown larger than a return from exile or the rebuilding of walls. Today, that promise has been most fully realized in Christ. The prophets made it clear that God’s gathering would not stop with Israel. Through Isaiah and Ezekiel, God promised that His restored mountain would become a place of worldwide invitation: “In the latter days the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains… and all the nations shall flow to it” (Isaiah 2:2). “God Himself would search for His scattered sheep and bring them back” (Ezekiel 34:11–16). “God would multiply them until the land was filled ‘like a flock’” (Ezekiel 36:37–38). “And God would place over them one shepherd who would feed them and lead them” (Ezekiel 34:23). That last promise is crucial. The gathering of God’s people was never meant to be only political or geographic—it was messianic. So when Nehemiah prays for God to regather His people to His mountain and restore the community, he is participating in a promise that stretches far beyond his own lifetime. His work in Jerusalem is real and necessary, but it is also partial. It is one step in a much larger movement of God. The New Testament shows us where that promise ultimately lands. Jesus presents Himself as: the true dwelling place of God, the shepherd who gathers scattered sheep, and the One through whom people come from east and west into God’s kingdom. What Isaiah saw as nations streaming to God’s mountain, and what Ezekiel saw as a growing flock under one shepherd, Scripture reveals as being fulfilled in Christ and His church—not by relocating people to Jerusalem, but by bringing people into Him. We should not expect God to restore a nation, rebuild a city, or expand physical borders. But we should expect God to remain faithful to the promise Nehemiah trusted: to gather people to Himself, to increase His people through the gospel, to remove shame through forgiveness and holiness, and to use faithful servants in strategic moments to advance His work. So the question we must ask ourselves is this: What role do I play in the gathering and increasing of God’s people? When we see an opportunity to act, we pray for God to work. We take on the burden. We ask Him to let us participate in the gathering He has already promised to accomplish. Just as Nehemiah prayed toward a moment when God would open a door before a king, we pray toward moments when God opens doors before neighbors, bosses, family members, friends, and coworkers—trusting that the same God who helped Nehemiah will help us, and expecting Him to gather His people under one Shepherd, for His glory.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Standing In The Breach (Daniel 9) Casey Gray Download In this series on prayer, I’m ambitiously trying to push us past what’s normal. We’ve learned from Hannah what it looks like to pray through tears with faith that God hears. We’ve learned from David how to pray with humility when we’ve blown it. And last week we talked about praying when God says “No”—not quitting, not going cold, but continuing to trust Him. And I challenged us to start shifting the center of our prayers. Not just “Lord, fix my day,” but “Lord, grow Your kingdom in me… and through me.” I wanted our voices to unite around the will and glory of God. I don’t know how God will fulfill those prayers, but I trust Him to do it. Now let me ask you something. When you pray, how often is the prayer about what’s happening inside your house—your needs, your problems, your fears—and how often is it about what’s happening inside somebody else’s? Most of us don’t mean to be selfish. We’re just overwhelmed. But one of the marks of spiritual maturity is when prayer stops being only an emergency button and becomes love—love that carries other people. Today we’re going to look at Daniel 9. Daniel shows us what it looks like to pray for a mess you didn’t make, and to pray with humility for people who desperately need God’s mercy. The Choice To Pray For Others (1-19) Daniel’s life is one of the most instructive stories in Scripture. He was taken from Jerusalem as a young man and carried into Babylon. He lived in a pagan empire, served under pagan kings, and yet remained faithful to God. The world tried to reshape him, rename him, and re-train him, but it couldn’t take his God from him. While Daniel is doing well in Babylon, he has position and stability, his people back home are devastated. Jerusalem is ruined. The temple is destroyed. The heart of the nation has been crushed. Daniel is safe, but his people are not. Then Daniel does something that shows the kind of man he is: he opens the Scriptures. Daniel 9 tells us he was reading Jeremiah and realized the time of exile was coming to an end. God had foretold seventy years, and Daniel sees God working as Babylon is taken over by the Medes and Persians. So Daniel turns to God in prayer. But he doesn’t pray like a man demanding benefits. He prays like a man who has been humbled by God’s holiness and haunted by his people’s sin. And what strikes me when I read Daniel 9 is the language. Daniel doesn’t say “they.” He says “we.” He doesn’t stand above the people and critique them. He stands with the people and pleads for mercy. There are at least three things Daniel understands in this prayer. First, he understands God’s justice. He does not call God unfair. He does not treat judgment like a mistake. He agrees with God about sin and its consequences. Second, he understands God’s mercy. Daniel confesses, openly and honestly, not just the nation’s sin, but the sin of “us.” That is humility. It’s the posture that says, “Lord, I’m not above the people I’m praying for. I’m made of the same stuff. I need mercy too.” Third, he understands God’s promises. Daniel isn’t trying to manipulate God. He’s praying according to what God has already said—calling on God to remain true to His word and to exalt His name by restoring His people. Stepping Into The Gap When we read this prayer, it should strike us how Daniel is trying to call on God to intervene in Israel’s future according to what He has already said He would do. How many of us would do the same if we were in Daniel’s position? Would we think that this is a wasted effort? That God will do what He wants to do with or without my help? Would we be willing to let go of our bitterness towards God for ruining our perfect life and taking us away from our families? Would we understand how we too are sinful, in spite of our best efforts to live faithfully? Would we study God’s word to see the promises and call for God to fulfill them for his own glory? The words of Daniel’s prayer are impressive because his mind and spirit are focused on the mess that other people are primarily responsible for and dealing with hundreds of miles away from him. He could just be content and comfortable in Babylon, but instead, he chooses to pour himself out to God on behalf of the nation of Israel. He calls for God to do something that has no real benefit to him since he is already over 80 and unlikely to make the trip. What Daniel has done in this prayer is called, “Stepping into the gap.” Stepping into the gap is what love looks like when it prays. It’s refusing to watch people spiritually collapse from a distance. If you could imagine a breach in a wall and the need to fill in the breach so that the enemy cannot come in and destroy the city. Ezekiel 22:29–31 (ESV) — 29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. 30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. 31 Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.” God tried to continue in his patience with Jerusalem and Judah, but he could not find anyone to “stand in the gap.” No one was able to build up the wall and strengthen the people spiritually. Their hearts could not be turned, and they could not be saved from judgment. Daniel is stepping into the gap and attempting to build the relationship between God and His people through appeal and petition. This is what great men like Abraham did for Sodom and Gamorrah, Moses for the golden calf incident, and Job for His friends. They all spoke up on behalf of the wicked people who made a mess. Do we have that mindset? Are we men and women of faith who would be willing to pray for the people who are around us? Do we have minds that are willing to dwell on the spiritual destruction others have created, and hearts that appeal to God on their behalf? The Goodness of God (20-23) Daniel’s prayer is not met with silence. God swiftly sends his angel, Gabriel, the very same angel who would reveal the coming of Christ to Mary. This angel speaks to Daniel and explains God’s plans for the future. Daniel 9:20–23 (ESV) — 20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. “At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out… for you are greatly loved.” Think about that. Daniel is not twisting God’s arm. Daniel is not performing for God. Daniel is coming low—honest, humble, and hopeful—and God answers with this sentence: “You are greatly loved.” First, notice that Daniel’s humble prayer was heard by God. This is a consistent theme throughout scriptures. When the faithful humble themselves before God, he takes notice. He pays careful attention to the humble prayer and he responds. In this case, while Daniel was speaking this prayer God was already sending Gabriel to him. This reality of God’s swift response, shows us something else. God moves faster than we expect. It’s not like God has to mull it over for a period of time and decide on something. He is not cold. He is not annoyed by repentance. He does not look at broken people and say, “Prove yourself first.” The text tells us that God was moving while Daniel was speaking the words. He knew what answer he would have ready for Daniel. Don’t think of God as reluctant or uncaring. He loves and cares about each of his children. Third, we see that God’s mercy will fix the mess that Daniel is praying for God to fix. Daniel’s prayer was basically, “We don’t deserve it, but You are more merciful than we can comprehend. So please be merciful toward us.” God doesn’t turn around and say, “Pray to me one hundred more times” or “Offer me 10,000 sacrifices.” The answer is not, “Try harder.” God responds by revealing his coming grace and providing additional understanding and insight for Daniel. For someone who wants to know, additional insight and understanding is the key to removing anxiety and fear. Finally, God tells Daniel that He will provide what His people need most of all, but He provides it in His way at the time He has designed. God tells Daniel, in effect, “I’m not only rebuilding walls. I’m dealing with what broke the world.” Daniel 9:24 (ESV) — 24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Gabriel’s message stretches beyond Daniel’s immediate hopes. Daniel is thinking, “Rebuild now.” God is saying, “I’m going deeper than that. I’m dealing with sin itself. I’m bringing a salvation bigger than a city.” Lessons For Us So what do we learn from Daniel’s prayer? Daniel prayed facing Jerusalem, longing for the temple to be restored. But we have something Daniel only saw from a distance. We have the Messiah. We have the true sacrifice. We have access—not into a building in Jerusalem—but into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus. Hebrews says we have confidence to enter the holy places through Christ. If Daniel could see that, I think his heart would burst with awe. And I also think he would look at the freedoms and blessings we have—and the spiritual apathy that can creep in—and he would do what he always did. He would pray. Not with bitterness. Not with superiority. With humility. With tears. With hope. And that’s exactly what the Holy Spirit calls the church to do: 1 Timothy 2:1–4 (ESV) — 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Notice: this kind of praying is not a burden God lays on you to crush you. It is an invitation to join His heart. God desires people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. When you pray for others, you’re not dragging God toward mercy—you’re stepping into the stream of mercy that is already flowing from Him. Here is what I want you to do this week: pray like Daniel prayed, humble, honest, and hopeful. Ask God for mercy. Ask God for growth. Ask God for open doors. And as you pray, remember this: God heard Daniel at the beginning of his pleas for mercy. He hears His people. He moves. And He delights to answer with grace. Aren’t you glad we have such a compassionate and merciful God?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The Saviors (Judges 1-3) Casey Gray Download Have you ever noticed how easy it is to drift? Nobody wakes up one morning and says, “Today I’m going to forget about God.” Nobody plans to disobey. Nobody puts it on the calendar: Start worshiping idols. Stop praying. Stop caring. Stop listening. That’s not how it happens. It happens slowly. Quietly. You miss one opportunity to obey. You ignore one conviction. You let one habit hang around. You start making peace with something God told you to kill. And before you know it, you’re still religious, still busy, still showing up—but your heart isn’t clinging to the Lord anymore. That’s exactly where Israel is when the book of Judges opens. God brought them into the land. He gave them victories they never could’ve earned. And Joshua’s last words weren’t a celebration speech. They were a warning. He told them to cling to the Lord, love Him, obey Him, and never mix their hearts with the nations and their gods. But Judges begins by showing us what happens when people stop clinging. They don’t usually sprint away from God. They settle. They stop short. They do enough to feel faithful, but not enough to actually be faithful. And partial obedience is dangerous because it gives you the illusion that everything is fine while your soul is sliding. So tonight, I want to show you three things from Judges 3, through the stories of Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar: What happens when God’s people drift How God sends saviors anyways Why those rescues point us straight to Jesus Because the big truth of Judges is this: If you won’t cling to God, you’ll end up chained to something else—but God still sends a Savior. The Warning God brought Israel into the land. He gave victories they couldn’t have earned. And Joshua’s final words were not a victory speech, they were a warning. He told them: cling to the LORD, love Him, obey Him, and do not mix your heart with the nations and their gods (Joshua 23–24). He said, in essence, “If you treat the covenant lightly, the land will become heavy.” But Judges opens by showing us they stopped short. They fought some battles, won some ground, but they did not finish what God commanded. They settled into partial obedience, and partial obedience is always more dangerous than open rebellion because it lets you feel faithful while you’re drifting. Judges 2 explains what God does next. The angel of the LORD announces: “You have not obeyed my voice… I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you” (Judges 2:1–3). And Israel weeps, not because their hearts are transformed but, because they realize the cost. And it doesn’t take long for the snare to tighten. The nations remain in the land, Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, and Israel begins to blend. They intermarry. They adopt the worship practices. They stop teaching the next generation who God is. And the book is not subtle about what’s happening: Israel is forgetting the LORD. And God had already told them what that would mean. Deuteronomy was clear: faithfulness brings blessing, rebellion brings discipline, and foreign oppression would be part of that discipline. Judges is Deuteronomy playing out in real time. So what’s surprising in Judges is not that Israel sins. The surprising thing is that God doesn’t erase them. He disciplines them, yes, but He also keeps rescuing them. The Cycle After Joshua’s generation dies, the book shows a repeating cycle: Israel sins → God hands them over → Israel cries out → God raises a deliverer → the land has rest → and then they drift again. The judges are not primarily “heroes.” They are deliverers, saviors in the sense that God raises them up to rescue His people from oppression. And as the book goes on, the deliverers become more complicated, and Israel becomes more corrupt. The point is not, “Look at these great people.” The point is, “Look at this great God, and look at how deep the human problem goes.” So tonight we start with two early deliverers: Othniel and Ehud. The Saviors The Judges are really just saviors. They are men and women whom God raises up to lead the people against an oppressive enemy. As we read through the book of Judges, we notice that these saviors come from many different tribes. They are not “heroes” in the way we might view heroes. There are fifteen judges, if we count Eli and Samuel in 1 Samuel. Some we have a lot of information about, some a small amount. But one thing becomes obvious as we read about them. They are becoming worse and worse over time. It is obvious that they lack an understanding of God’s word, until we get to Samuel. Today, we are going to look closely at all of the lesser known judges, and in future lessons we will look at those we know more about, individually. Othniel and the Arameans Judges 3 tells us plainly what happens: “The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.” (Judges 3:7) They didn’t just sin. They replaced God. So: “Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim… and the people of Israel served him eight years.” (Judges 3:8) God sold them. This isn’t God being weak. This is God being faithful to His covenant warnings. Israel wants life without Him, and God lets them feel the chains that come with that choice. But then: “When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer… Othniel.” (Judges 3:9) And the center of the story is not Othniel’s skill, it’s God’s power: “The Spirit of the LORD was upon him… and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim… into his hand.” (Judges 3:10) And the result: “So the land had rest forty years.” (Judges 3:11) Othniel’s story is clean, almost simple. It’s the “best-case” version of Judges. And it sets you up to hope: maybe the people learned. But then the next words hit: “And the people of Israel again did what was evil…” (Judges 3:12) Again. That’s the ache. Rest didn’t cure the heart. Ehud This time, the text says something that makes modern people uneasy: “And the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel.” (Judges 3:12) God strengthens the oppressor, not because oppression is righteous but, because discipline is necessary. God refuses to let covenant rebellion drift without consequence. For eighteen years, Moab dominates Israel. Tribute is collected. Israel labors, and a foreign king grows fat on their work. And again Israel cries out. And again God raises a deliverer: Ehud, a left-handed man from Benjamin. Ehud brings tribute with a sword attached to his right thigh, hidden under his cloak. He tells Eglon he has a secret message, then Ehud assassinates him when his servants are out of the room. The story is graphic. It’s humiliating. It’s not the kind of scene you describe in detail in this setting. So what do we do with that? First, we don’t pretend it isn’t there. Judges doesn’t sanitize reality. Second, we don’t turn Ehud into a moral model for how to handle problems. And third, we recognize what Judges is showing us: God is rescuing His people in a dark time, through a deliverer who fits the darkness of the time. The method is not the point. The deliverance is. And after Ehud escapes, Israel rallies, and the LORD gives victory: “So Moab was subdued that day… And the land had rest for eighty years.” (Judges 3:30) But again, rest is temporary. The cycle will return. After Ehud comes Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Abimilech, Tola, Jair, Jephtha, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson, Eli, and Samuel. God uses all of these men and women to save his people. Lessons So here we are, staring at the cycle. Israel sins → God hands them over → Israel cries out → God raises a deliverer → the land has rest → and then they drift again. Our Future And if we’re honest, that cycle isn’t just Israel’s history. It’s a picture of the human heart. Some of us know exactly what it is to drift. Not in a dramatic way. Not in a headline way. But in a slow way. We still believe. We still come to church services. We still know the right answers. But we’ve stopped clinging to God. And here’s what Judges teaches us: if you don’t cling to God, you won’t stay free. You will be mastered by something (lust, anger, bitterness, fear, comfort, money, control, our own pride) And the scary part is, it doesn’t feel like chains at first. It feels like freedom. But sin always starts as a choice and ends as a master. Judges doesn’t exist to make you say, “Wow, Israel was awful.” God Sends A Savior Judges exists to make you say, “God is unbelievably merciful.” Because even when they forgot Him, He didn’t erase them. He disciplined them, yes—but when they cried out, He raised up a savior (Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar). They are temporary saviors providing temporary peace because the deeper problem still lives inside them. And that’s where Jesus steps in, not as the next judge in the cycle, but as the Savior who ends the cycle. Jesus doesn’t sneak into a palace with a sword. He walks up a hill with a cross. He doesn’t kill the king of Moab. He defeats the real tyrant, sin and death. He doesn’t give you forty years of rest. He gives you peace with God. And He doesn’t just rescue you from consequences. He rescues you from the heart that keeps returning to the chains. That’s why the new covenant promise is so beautiful: Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV) — 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” God doesn’t just call you back, He changes you. So tonight the question is “Are you clinging to the Lord?” Because we have all forgotten God. We’ve ended up chained to something else, but God still sent a Savior. And His name is Jesus. So don’t settle into partial obedience. Don’t live close to God but not with God. Don’t drift until the snare tightens. Cry out to Him. Come back to Him. Trust Him. Obey Him. And let the Savior do what only the Savior can do: break the cycle.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > <div class="sqs-audio-embed" data-design-style="minimal" data-show-download="true" data-file-location="" data-url="" data-asset-url="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6509d39f71b9b30d25a659e3/t/69ca917724a19b21fd622510/1774883297887/26.01.18a.mp3" data-title="When God Says, "No"" data-author="Casey Gray" data-length-in-milli-seconds="1990000" data-no-file="No File" data-untitled="Untitled"> When God Says, "No" Casey Gray <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6509d39f71b9b30d25a659e3/t/69ca917724a19b21fd622510/1774883297887/26.01.18a.mp3" download="When God Says, "No"" class="download" target="_blank">Download At the start of the year, I told you that prayer is something I’ve struggled with at times. I’ve spent hours praying while driving long commutes, pouring out my heart to God. But I’ve also reduced prayer to habit—motions without expectation. When prayers are answered quickly, prayer feels powerful. When they aren’t, prayer feels pointless. And if we’re honest, that’s where many of us begin to drift. But how should we think about God when He doesn’t answer or when he answers, “No?” We can think about many things. We can think that He is evil and mean. We can think that He just doesn’t care about us or that we don’t matter. We can think that He has something in mind that we don’t know about. But we can also think that there is something wrong with us or what we are asking. Maybe we just don’t have enough faith. We struggle to pray because we don’t like the idea that God will tell us “No” to something we really think needs to happen. Today, we are going to see that when God doesn’t give us any response or when He seems to be saying “No,” He is not absent. He is revealing His wisdom, His purposes, and our hearts in the silence. After we understand that, we will see why we need to keep praying through the doubts, fears, and periods of suffering. Ten different reasons God says “No” When we look throughout History, there are multiple occasions when God says, “No.” Moses - Consequences and Finality (Deut 3:23-27) The first instance is when Moses was in the wilderness with Israel, he had failed to honor God by following His command to speak to the rock. Consequently, God told him he would die in the wilderness. But he prayed for God to let him go in and to let his eyes see the land. God said, “No” and He told Moses to stop asking. We aren’t really told why God wouldn’t change His mind on this, but it seems to make it clear that it was time for Moses to die. Sometimes, it’s about consequences and sometimes it’s just time for someone to die. Sometimes God says no not because He hasn’t considered the request, but because He has. We have to recognize God’s wisdom and knowledge in every situation. God did not change His mind, not because He was unkind but, because the judgment had already been considered fully and finally. David - Discipline and God’s Holiness (2 Sam 12:15-23) The second instance is right after the events we learned about last week. David’s adultery and murder of Uriah. Though God forgave David, He promised that He would bring evil upon David’s house. This started with the child that Bathsheba had born to him. The boy fell deathly ill when he was still young. Can you imagine having a child sick like that and knowing it was a consequence of your sin? David fasted, prayed, and did not move for seven days. He was constantly calling out to God for mercy for the child, and no one could budge him. Again, God said, “No.” The boy died. But what’s most interesting about this story is the part afterward. As soon as David found out that the boy had died, he got up, washed himself, and went to the temple to offer worship to God. David didn’t hate God or wallow in self-pity. He said, “I will go to him, he will not come back to me.” David didn’t stop believing when God said no. He stopped bargaining—and started worshiping. No bitterness. No accusations. No collapse of faith. David understood something we often forget: God’s holiness had not disappeared just because David’s heart was breaking. Habakkuk - Judgment and Trust (Hab 1-3) In Habakkuk, we read about a prophet who is told about the destruction of Judah before it happens. He prays for God to not do this, to fix Israel in some other way. But God tells Habakkuk, “No.” Again, the response is full of faith. Habakkuk says, “Even though everything around me is falling apart, I will praise you and rejoice in your greatness, believing that you will be with me and help me rise above my tribulation.” God said no to Habakkuk’s request, and yet Habakkuk ends his prayer with praise. Even if everything collapses, even if the fields produce nothing, even if life falls apart—he will rejoice in God. Why? Because his faith was anchored in who God is, not in what God allows. Paul - Formation and Humility (2 Cor 12:7-10) As we come into the New Testament, we can see that Christians don’t fare any better. Paul reveals that he had gone to God on multiple occasions asking God to remove a constant pain in him, but God told him, “No, my grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” It turns out that in this case, the thorn in Paul’s side was keeping him from being conceited. There was an underlying function of the pain Paul wanted removed. Again, Paul doesn’t let this answer make him bitter. He instead continues in his efforts and glorifies God in his weakness, knowing that it is for his good. The very thing Paul wanted removed was shaping him into the man God was using. And Paul learned to rejoice—not in comfort, but in grace. Jesus - Redemption and Submission (Matt 26:36-46) And, of course, we know that God the Son, himself did not get what he wanted. Jesus went to God in Gethsemane and prayed for the cup to pass, but God said, “No.” It is interesting, in this case, that Jesus says, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done” in Matthew 26. This phrase is important. It indicates that Jesus leaves room for the wisdom and foreknowledge of God. That was trust. Jesus trusted the wisdom of the Father more than His own desire to avoid pain. And because of that “No,” salvation was accomplished. Why Does God Say, “No” To Me So, God does say, “No.” But why is He telling me no? When God says “No,” our minds race. Maybe He’s cruel.Maybe He doesn’t care.Maybe I don’t matter.Maybe I don’t have enough faith.Maybe something is wrong with me. And our culture has not helped us here. We live in a world that has turned prayer into a transaction. Push the right buttons. Say the right words. Have enough confidence. And if the miracle doesn’t happen, someone must be at fault. That kind of thinking has hurt people deeply. Because it teaches us to believe that unanswered prayer means failed faith. But Scripture tells a very different story. These examples are supposed to show us that faithful men are told “No” by God. Maybe there is a punishment like in the case with David. Maybe it’s just not a part of God’s overall plan, like in the cases of Moses, Habakkuk, and Jesus. Or maybe what I’m asking for is not truly what is best for me like in the case of Paul. I really don’t know which it is. But there are some things we can know. The Truth About Prayer Sometimes “No” is “Not Yet” (Luke 11:5-10, 18:1-8) The first thing we can know is that “No” might be “Not Yet.” Are there times in your life when you have prayed for something only to find it comes true years later, after you have stopped praying? Luke 11:5–10 (ESV) — 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. When we read in Luke 11 about the man who doesn’t want to get out of bed and give bread to the neighbor, what are we supposed to notice? The main point seems to be the willingness of the man to grant a request due to the persistence of his neighbor. We connect this to the context and see that God will get up and open the door for us if we persist. He will give us what we ask of Him as we persist in prayer. He might tell us, “No” at first, but that “No” can turn into a “Yes.” But I believe there is more to this story than that. Jesus is not teaching us how to wear God down. He is teaching us who God is. If a tired, annoyed neighbor will eventually respond, how much more will a loving Father respond to His children? The issue is not whether God hears. The issue is whether we trust Him enough to wait and keep asking—even when the door stays closed longer than we expect. Is It Because I Sinned? (Luke 18:9-13) Also, notice that this story tells us that the neighbor says “Yes” to someone who is asking for things they should already have and He gives things when it’s not convenient for him to give. He rearranges the world to accommodate those who ask. Have you ever thought, “I shouldn’t pray because I’m a sinner and God doesn’t listen to sinners?” or “God’s got other things to worry about.” Everyone is a sinner. In Luke 18:13, we read that the sinner who knew he was a sinner was heard over a religious and seemingly righteous man. Why? It’s not that God doesn’t listen to sinners. We read that He is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The proud are selfish and ask of God wrongly, with a focus on themselves and their own pleasures (James 4:3). So, it’s possible that there is something wrong with your heart and that’s why God is not providing what you are seeking. He is opposing you because of your pride. Repentance doesn’t force God’s hand—it corrects our posture and aligns our hearts. But I bet many of you aren’t receiving a “No” for that reason. It could be true of you, and if it is, you need to repent. But I bet the “No” is a “Not yet” or something else. God’s Kingdom Matters Most Of All (Luke 11) One core reason why I believe God tells us, “No” is because we aren’t focused on the right things. Notice what Jesus puts first in his model prayer. Jesus taught us to pray, “Hallowed be YOUR name; YOUR kingdom come.” Then, Jesus demonstrated this humility in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked God to take away His suffering, but then He recognized that it wasn’t about Him and His desire to avoid pain. It was about the kingdom and redemption of mankind. Do you put God’s kingdom above your request for daily bread? Is God’s kingdom more important to you? When we look at all of these examples of men who are told, “No.” Those who accepted it and worshiped God afterward did so because they valued their relationship with God, His glory, and His kingdom more than they valued the life of their child, the pain and suffering they were going through, or their own wellbeing. Maybe God is telling you “No” because your request is completely self-absorbed and self-centered. Remember Hannah’s surrender? She recognized that it’s not about her. Hannah did not ask God to serve her story. She asked God to use her story for His glory. It can’t be about me. It has to be about God and His glory. That’s our purpose in life so that should be our purpose in every request. I want the job, child, spouse, etc. so I can glorify God in them. Ask With Faith Now, think about what was repeatedly asked for in Luke 11, bread. In the model prayer, he asks for daily bread, not a storehouse full of bread. In the story the neighbor was asking for bread. In the end, he says fathers know how to give bread. The picture is that if you ask, seek, and knock for what you actually need to survive, believe that God will give that to you. He is a good heavenly Father for you. We simply need to keep asking and keep believing that is true. One might say, “I need this thorn out of my side,” “I need my child to live,” or “I need to avoid hanging on the cross.” These are all true statements to us, but why do you need those things? Is it not just because you want a comfortable life? What about the good that God can accomplish by allowing you to endure the loss of comfort? Do you need them for God’s glory? Let God’s will be done in my job hunt. Let God's will be done with having children or acquiring a spouse. May God’s will be done with buying a house or anything else my heart desires. If I start with God’s will as my focus and the exaltation of God’s kingdom as my focus, I will find that all things have worked together for my good because I loved the Lord more than myself. Some might hear that and say, “I shouldn’t even ask because I know He’ll say no.” But if you, like Hannah, have His glory in mind for the house, for the children, for the spouse, for the job, for the removal of pain or suffering, you should not only ask, but expect God to move in a way that benefits everyone. Believe that God always cares I’m not spouting out health and wealth doctrine. I’m not telling you God is your genie in the bottle. But I am telling you that we would all do well to think more positively about our God after He responds negatively to our prayers. Don’t assume the worst and don’t give up on Him. In light of all the no’s we read about in scripture and all the no’s we might face in our lives, it’s important for us to remember that praying to God is still worth the effort. Remember, God doesn’t say “No” because He doesn’t care about us. Peter tells us plainly to “cast your cares on Him because He cares for you.” If He tells us “No” it’s got to be because He does care. He is a good father who gives good gifts to His children. The problem is not with God. The problem is often with us, with what we are asking for, or with some larger scheme that God knows about and we do not. Conclusion: Pray Through The “No” Yes, it is true that faithful servants of God pray and do not receive what they ask for. I’d like to take a few moments and consider what might happen in this congregation if we took up a consistent routine of deep, passionate prayer for God’s kingdom in this place? What if we all spent fifteen minutes every day this week praying for God’s name to be exalted through us? Fifteen minutes of prayer before I get on social media. Fifteen minutes of prayer after I study my Bible. Fifteen minutes to start my day or to end it. But in those fifteen minutes I do not focus on myself or my family. I focus on God’s kingdom and His glory being exalted through me. What if we made our foremost joy in life the spread and exaltation of God’s kingdom on earth? Just think about how our congregation would be affected by all of us praying like this. We can pray for those who are weak to become strong, those who are lost to be found, those who are broken to be mended, and those who are enslaved to sin to be set free. The fullness of our prayers would become centralized on God being magnified through us. If we don’t believe God will reward us when we go to Him in faith filled prayer, we won’t pray and He won’t do it. If God is truly a good Father, then even His “No” is an act of love—and that means prayer is never wasted, never ignored, and never pointless.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > It's Not Worth It (Joshua 7) Casey Gray Download The God of Israel has shown Himself faithful to His promises. He delivered Jericho—the first major city in the promised land—into the hands of Joshua and His people. All they had to do was obey Him and trust His power. They watched as the walls of a fortified city collapsed without a single battering ram. Jericho was not won by Israel’s strength or strategy. Jericho was handed over by the LORD. But before they entered the city, God gave them one clear instruction. Joshua 6:17–21 (ESV) — And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction… all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord. Jericho wasn’t just a victory—it was devoted. Everything living in the city was placed under God’s judgment, and the metals were declared holy to the LORD. They were not Israel’s to keep. They belonged to God. Jericho was the firstfruits of the land, the first proof that God was fighting for His people, and God claimed it for Himself. If God gives the victory, God sets the terms. This makes sense when you consider what lies ahead. God is about to give Israel the whole land the same way He gave them Jericho. The victories east of the Jordan were only a preview. Rahab already told them the people of the land were melting in fear. No one could stand against them when God went before them. So the first major victory inside the land was devoted entirely to Him—because He is worthy of it. Unfortunate Events After Jericho, Israel’s confidence rises quickly. They feel unstoppable. Just up the hill sits a smaller city—Ai. Joshua sends spies, and they return full of confidence. “We don’t need many men for this.” So Joshua sends about three thousand soldiers. Instead of an easy victory, Israel is routed. Thirty-six men are killed. Thirty-six may not sound like many, but remember this: when God fights for Israel, no one falls. That’s what makes this loss so alarming. This isn’t just a military setback—it feels like God has withdrawn. Joshua and the elders tear their clothes and fall on their faces before the LORD. Joshua cries out, “Why bring us over the Jordan just to be defeated? Now the people of the land will hear of it and destroy us.” And the text tells us the hearts of the people melted and became like water. The fear that once gripped Canaan is now creeping into Israel. God responds, not with comfort, but with clarity. Joshua 7:10–12 (ESV) — “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned… therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies… I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.” God doesn’t tell Joshua to adjust his strategy. He tells him something is wrong in the camp. Someone has taken what was devoted to the LORD. God piles up the language: they took, they stole, they lied, they hid it among their belongings. This wasn’t an accident. It was deliberate. God’s presence is not optional. What makes this unsettling is that God speaks as if the whole nation is accountable. These are more than a million people—how could they possibly keep God in their midst if sin exists among them? But God is not demanding sinless perfection. He is exposing a specific kind of sin: covenant treachery—stealing what was holy and hiding it as if God cannot see. Can you imagine how foolish you must be to steal from the God who just tore down walls in front of you? That isn’t weakness. That is defiance. The Searchlight Falls Joshua rises early and brings Israel forward tribe by tribe. Judah is taken. Then the Zerahites. Then Zabdi. Household by household, man by man, the circle tightens until the lot finally falls on Achan. Joshua 7:19–21 (ESV) — “My son, give glory to the Lord… tell me what you have done.” And Achan answered, “Truly I have sinned… when I saw… then I coveted… and took… and hid them.” Achan’s confession gives us the anatomy of temptation: I saw. I coveted. I took. I hid. That is how sin grows when it is left alone. It moves from the eyes, to the desires, to the hands, and finally into the dark. Now imagine standing there as the lot narrows—tribe, clan, household, man—knowing you’re the only one who did this. And here’s what makes it even heavier: thirty-six men are dead because of what Achan buried under his tent floor. Achan is not remembered for courage. He is remembered for a secret he thought God wouldn’t see. He valued the treasure of a condemned city over the greatest treasure Israel had been given—the presence of the living God. Judgment That Offends Us The judgment is severe. Achan is stoned and burned, and his household is included. That is difficult for us to read, especially when children are mentioned. But the narrative is teaching something essential about life with a holy God in the midst of His people. Jericho was not ordinary spoil. It was devoted. The devoted things were holy to the LORD. Achan didn’t just break a rule—he violated something sacred and hid it in the center of his home, right in the middle of the camp. God is making something unmistakably clear: when I dwell among you, I will not be treated as small. You cannot host holiness and hide rebellion under the same roof. Israel raises a pile of stones over Achan, and the place is called the Valley of Achor—Trouble. And then we read the line that explains everything: “Then the LORD turned from his burning anger.” Restoration Immediately, Joshua 8 shows the restoration. God tells Joshua not to fear. He gives them a plan. Israel ambushes Ai and destroys the city. This time, God allows them to take the plunder for themselves. Jericho was unique. Jericho was firstfruits. Jericho belonged to God. After the victory, Joshua builds an altar on Mount Ebal. Burnt offerings and peace offerings are made. The law is written and read aloud so that everyone hears it—men, women, children, and sojourners alike. The covenant is renewed. The message could not be clearer: if Israel wants God in their midst, they must take His word seriously. When Sin Is in the Camp Sin in the camp is never just personal. Sometimes it is hidden carefully. Someone refuses to bring it into the light. They don’t want repentance; they want privacy. Over time, the whole congregation weakens. Trust erodes. Courage fades. Fear replaces faith. There are moments when a church must remove someone who has chosen stubborn rebellion—not because the church is harsh, but because God is holy and His name matters. The New Testament speaks with this same seriousness. Hebrews 10:26–31 warns about deliberate sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth—treating Christ’s sacrifice as something to step over rather than submit to. The writer calls it trampling the Son of God underfoot, profaning the blood of the covenant, and outraging the Spirit of grace. God is not going to be mocked. And notice this: the consequences of sin never stop with the sinner. Israel could not move forward until the devoted thing was removed. And churches cannot move forward while hidden rebellion is quietly protected. The elephant in the room must be addressed before God’s people can walk in strength again. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul tells the Christians to address the sinning brother who persists in sin. When we go through the process of rebuking and exhorting someone who is fully engaged in sin, we must be willing to withdraw and remove the bad leaven from the lump. Overcoming Achan’s Sin Achan is a picture of what we deserve. Every one of us knows what it is to see something we wanted, to crave it, to justify it, and to hide it. And once we get it, we realize it didn’t heal us—it only made us guilty. So what do we do? Jesus did what we could not do. He resisted temptation. He gave glory to God. And then He endured the judgment we deserved. We are the criminals. We are the rebels. And Jesus went to the cross so we would not bear the full weight of that judgment. The answer to sin is not silence. God knows. God sees. God judges secret things. So it is better to bring sin into the light, confess it, turn from it, and pursue a holy life that honors God. Grace is not permission to keep idols. When we accept the sacrifice of Christ, we put away the devoted things. We hide nothing. We walk in the light. And then we enter the spiritual battle with confidence—not because we are strong, but because God is with us. And where God is with His people, no enemy can stand.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Praying When You've Blown It (Psalm 51) Casey Gray Download Most people don’t plan to ruin their lives. They don’t wake up one morning intending to cross a line they can’t uncross. It usually starts smaller than that. A desire goes unmet. A wound goes unhealed. A restlessness sets in. And we tell ourselves we’re just trying to feel whole again. We’re desperate people. We’re trying to quiet the ache. We’re trying to feel alive. We’re trying to fix what feels broken inside of us. And for a moment, it feels like it works. Until it doesn’t. That’s when guilt shows up. Guilt has a way of pressing in on us. It tells us we’ve gone too far. It tells us we can’t undo what we’ve done. It tells us we’ve damaged something—maybe our integrity, maybe our family, maybe our relationship with God. And once that weight settles in, every person faces the same question: What do you do when you’ve blown it? Some people bury the guilt and keep going. Others try to outrun it with distraction or religion. But a few people do something different. They stop hiding. They come clean. They go to God. Psalm 51 is the prayer of a man who has done serious damage and knows it. Luke 11 reminds us why a sinner like that can still pray at all. Together, they show us that God is not repelled by honest repentance—He is waiting for it. Today, we’re going to walk with a man who crossed a line he never thought he would cross, felt the crushing weight of guilt, and discovered that God’s mercy is deeper than his failure. The Greatest Sin (2 Samuel 11–12) David is one of the most prominent people in Scripture. He is not a nobody. He is not ignorant. He is not unacquainted with God. God has been with him for a decade while he has struggled against Saul. Now, he’s the king of Israel and no foe can stand against him. And that’s part of what makes his collapse so sobering. While his army is away at war, David is at home. He sees a woman bathing and decides to take her—knowing she is Uriah’s wife. Then comes the panic. She becomes pregnant. David tries to cover his sin with more sin, and before long he’s arranging the death of a loyal man and pretending it’s just the fog of war. His one choice becomes a chain. Lust becomes deception. Deception becomes manipulation. Manipulation becomes bloodguilt. And for a moment it looks like he got away with it. Life keeps moving. The palace keeps functioning. The rumors quiet down. The marriage happens. The future seems manageable. Then God sends a prophet. Nathan approaches David, not with an accusation first, but with a story. A rich man has a visitor. Instead of taking from his own flock, he steals the one treasured lamb of a poor man—the little lamb that ate from his hand and lay in his arms and was like a daughter to him. The rich man snatches it, kills it, and serves it. David is enraged. Something in him still knows right from wrong. He thunders with judgment. “That man deserves to die.” And then Nathan turns the blade with five words that can stop a heart: “You are the man.” 2 Samuel 12:7–12 (ESV) — Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul… Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? … For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” Notice what the Lord says through Nathan. God doesn’t start with what David did. God starts with what He gave. “I anointed you. I delivered you. I gave you. I would have given you more.” David’s sin is not merely that he broke a rule. He despised the word of the Lord. He treated God’s generosity as if it were nothing. He reached for what was forbidden as if God had starved him. And God makes something else clear. David did it secretly, but God saw it openly. God watched the whole chain unfold—the look, the desire, the decision, the coverup, the letter, the death. David may have hidden it from the nation, but he never hid it from the Lord. That is a terrifying thought when you’re living in sin. And it is a merciful thought when you’re ready to come clean. Because it means you can stop pretending. You can stop performing. You can stop acting like God needs to be informed. He already knows. The question is whether you will agree with Him about what you’ve done. When you have blown it, what did you think was happening? Did you think God wouldn’t see? Did you think you could manage the consequences? Did you think your private life wouldn’t touch your public life? David teaches us something we don’t like to learn: sin never stays contained, and God never loses track. God’s judgment on David is severe, and it is warranted. David’s sin shattered trust, abused power, and spilled innocent blood. The consequences will reach into his home for years. And then David finally speaks with the only sentence a guilty person can say without lying. “I have sinned against the Lord.” That sentence is the hinge of this entire sermon. God’s Desire: A Broken, Contrite Spirit (Psalm 51) When you read Psalm 51, you are listening in on what happens after “You are the man.” This is what repentance sounds like when it’s real. David isn’t bargaining. He isn’t spinning. He is collapsing before God. He begins exactly where Jesus teaches us to begin: with who God is. “Have mercy on me… according to your steadfast love… according to your abundant mercy.” David is not asking God to be something God is not. He is appealing to what God has revealed Himself to be. Mercy. Steadfast love. Abundant compassion. And then the verbs pour out of him like a man scrubbing blood from his hands: Wash me.Cleanse me.Purge me.Blot out my transgressions.Let me hear joy again.Cast me not away from your presence.Take not your Holy Spirit from me.Uphold me with a willing spirit.Create in me a clean heart. That list matters because it shows what David understands. He doesn’t just need a second chance. He needs cleansing. He doesn’t just need consequences reduced. He needs his heart remade. He doesn’t just need God to overlook him. He needs God to hold him up. And David says the sentence that explains why his sacrifice won’t fix this: “You will not delight in sacrifice… The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” That is not David rejecting God’s instructions about worship. That is David rejecting the idea that worship can be used to cover sin. He knows you can sing while lying. You can give while hiding. You can offer a sacrifice and still be proud. You can keep your schedule full of “religion” and still refuse to repent. David says, “God, I don’t have an offering big enough to buy my way back. But I can give You what You actually want—truth in the inward being. A crushed heart. No deceit.” And that is where Luke 11 becomes so precious. Because the moment you become broken and contrite, you start to wonder: will God reject me anyway? Jesus answers that fear. He says when you pray, you say, “Father.” And then He teaches persistence—ask, seek, knock—because God is not irritated by repentant people who keep coming. He is not sitting in heaven saying, “If you were really sorry, you’d stop bothering me.” Jesus says the opposite. If a reluctant neighbor can be moved by persistence, how much more will your Father respond? And then Jesus lands the plane with a promise that sounds like it was written to sit beside Psalm 51: “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” David prays, “Take not your Holy Spirit from me… uphold me.” Jesus says, “Ask your Father. He gives the Spirit.” In other words: when you’ve blown it, you don’t come to a clenched fist. You come to a Father who gives what is good—especially what is necessary for a changed life. Here is the mindset Psalm 51 teaches, stated plainly. David knows what he has done.David knows the seriousness of sin before God.David admits the problem is deeper than one mistake.David knows he cannot pay God back with religious effort.David asks God to do what only God can do: cleanse him and remake him.David trusts that God does not despise the broken.And David believes restoration will result in worship and witness—“Then I will teach transgressors your ways.” That last piece matters. True repentance isn’t only sorrow; it’s reorientation. It’s a man being turned back toward God so that his life becomes useful again. So the question becomes personal. When you blew it—when you crossed the line you never thought you’d cross—did you hide? Did you justify? Did you minimize? Did you keep offering God religious activity while refusing Him honesty? Or are you ready to be broken and truthful before Him? Because God isn’t asking you to impress Him. He is asking you to come clean. The Joy of Undeserved Forgiveness (Psalm 32) Psalm 51 is the cry of repentance. Psalm 32 is the song of the forgiven. David’s consequences were painful and lasting. His sin damaged people. It damaged his home. It damaged his credibility. And in terms of what he deserved, the truth is simple: David deserved death. But God let him live. And God forgave him. Listen to the joy that comes out of a man who has been pulled up from drowning. Psalm 32:1–5 (ESV) — “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven… For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away… day and night your hand was heavy upon me… I acknowledged my sin to you… I said, ‘I will confess…’ and you forgave…” David says silence was killing him. Hiding was a slow death. Not because God was cruel, but because guilt is a kind of internal collapse when you refuse the truth. His strength dried up. His bones wasted away. He lived with God’s hand heavy upon him. But then confession happens. Not performance. Not spin. Confession. And forgiveness comes. And the way David describes God is one of the sweetest lines in all the Psalms: “You are a hiding place for me.” Think about that. The God you sinned against becomes the refuge you run to. The Judge you deserve to fear becomes the shelter you are safe in—when you stop lying and start confessing. That is what God wants for you. He wants you surrounded with steadfast love. He wants your groaning replaced with deliverance. He wants joy to return. Not cheap joy. Not “I got away with it” joy. The joy of being clean. And this is exactly what Jesus came to accomplish. Not merely to give advice, but to open a way for sinners to come home to the Father. He pours Himself out to make forgiveness possible, and He gives the Spirit to sustain a life that no longer has to chase sin for comfort. Acquiring joy: a sinner at Jesus’ feet (Luke 7) The New Testament gives a scene that feels like Psalm 51 in living color. A sinful woman walks into a dinner where Jesus is present. She doesn’t come to defend herself. She doesn’t come to negotiate. She doesn’t come to prove she’s worthy to be in the room. She comes broken. She weeps. She clings. Her shame is public. Her repentance is not quiet. And Jesus does not crush her. He exposes the coldness of the self-righteous and welcomes the one who knows she needs mercy. He speaks forgiveness over her, and He sends her away in peace. That story is a New Testament picture of what Psalm 51 has been teaching all along. God does not despise the broken and contrite. God is not impressed by the polished and proud. She didn’t fix herself first and then come to Jesus. She came because she needed to be fixed. And that’s the invitation for you. Closing call: what do you do with the weight? If you’ve blown it, you have two options. You can keep silent and let your bones waste away. You can keep covering, keep justifying, keep pretending, keep reaching for sin to numb the ache that Ecclesiastes says will never be satisfied under the sun. You can do that. And it will hollow you out. Or you can do what David did. You can come to the Father the way Jesus taught you. You can ask. You can seek. You can knock. You can confess with no deceit. You can pray Psalm 51 with your whole heart and trust the promise of Luke 11 that your Father is good, and He gives what you need—cleansing, restoration, and His Spirit to uphold you. Just because you’ve blown it does not mean it’s over. But you must stop covering it. Bring it into the light. Confess it. Turn from it. Ask your Father for mercy. And then receive the joy of forgiveness—the kind of joy that doesn’t come from getting what you want, but from being brought back to God.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Turning To The Lord (Joshua 2, 6) Casey Gray Download Forty years have passed since Egypt was decimated by God’s mighty hand. News came in and spread that Israel has a God who fights for them. The plagues and defeat of Pharaoh’s army is known. For the last forty years the people in the land of Canaan have known that Israel lives in the wilderness to their south. But they have giants and fortresses no one can defeat. But recently, word has come that Israel was able to defeat the great nations just east of the river Jordan, Midianites, Moabites, Amalekites, and Amorites have all fallen in a crushing defeat. It wasn’t even close. Their God still fights for them. Fear and terror starts to grip the citizens of Canaan land. How will they defeat an enemy with such a powerful God fighting for them? The citizens of a fortress town of Jericho don’t have to worry just yet. The Jordan river keeps them away. Among the Israelites, a change of leadership has just taken place. Joshua has stood tall and courageous to lead the people. He sends out two spies to go throughout the land and get a sense of it. When they make it into Jericho, they stay with a prostitute named Rahab. There were lots of evil and immoral people in the land. Women were treated as a commodity and sold for financial gain. No doubt Rahab was one of those and she suffered through it. For some reason unknown to us, she shows hospitality to the Israelite spies. Then, at some point the news gets out that they are spies. Rahab learns of it about the same time as the king of Jericho. He sends soldiers to capture them. But Rahab does something odd. Imagine having soldiers coming to your house to arrest the guests who you are showing hospitality to. Imagine finding out these men are Israelite spies. Wouldn’t that be terrifying? Fear of them and their God has spread everywhere and you were housing them. Now there is a fear of your own people’s soldiers coming to capture them. But Rahab doesn’t cower in fear. She quickly takes the men onto the roof and hides them in stalks of flax that she arranged in an orderly way. Then she tells the soldiers that the spies left just before dark through the gate. This is such a fascinating decision. In that moment she chose to change her loyalty from her own wicked people to these spies, but it wasn’t really to them. Joshua 2:8–14 (ESV) — 8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” After this interaction, Rahab tied together a scarlet cloth to let them down the side of the wall, through a window in her home. Rahab then instructed the men on how to escape, asking only for salvation when Israel destroys her home city. She completely swaps sides. She is a traitor in every sense of the word, but she betrays the dark in order to step into the light. She knows judgment is deserved for her people, and she confesses her belief that the God of the Israelites is the one true God of heaven and earth. The men agree to her terms and promise her safety. Her scarlett cloth would let the people of Israel know that they should “passover” her house. She will be saved. But can they do that? Mercy &amp; Judgment What I find interesting in this whole interchange is the fact that the spies make a deal with someone, a prostitute, in the promised land. They aren’t supposed to do that according to the law. Deuteronomy 7:1–5 (ESV) — 1 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, 2 and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. Deuteronomy 20:16–18 (ESV) — 16 But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, 17 but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded, 18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God. Moses made it clear that they are to exterminate the people of the land. There are no second chances. Everyone is to be killed for their sins. If they let them live, they will corrupt the Israelites and God would turn on them to destroy them. This just happened with the Midianites and Moabites. They started mixing with wicked people and idolatry led to their destruction. There is something inherently evil about these people and they must be destroyed. If that is true, why do these spies let Rahab live? Throughout the conquest of the promised land, Joshua and the people of Israel are not cruel and hateful in their task. They aren’t cold and calloused towards the Canaanites. They understand one very important issue that separates them from everyone else. They trust in the one true God and seek to do His will.Everyone who does likewise is to be saved from judgment. Elsewhere throughout the Old Testament, we read some important information. Exodus 12:48–49 (ESV) — 48 If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” Leviticus 19:33–34 (ESV) — 33 “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. God did not have a hatred of the people. His hatred was of their sin. Rahab had turned from that sin and decided to put her trust in the Lord. She chose to exalt God instead of fighting against Him. This is what makes her different from everyone else and able to receive mercy. As remarkable as it sounds, not many in Canaan would submit themselves to that same fate. Some would cower in fear, some would rise up in rebellion, but almost none would submit to the will of God. They loved their sin too much, and this is why they received judgment instead of mercy. Rahab is calling for God to extend His hesed, His faithful love, to her and her family as she extends hers to Him. God accepts the offer and shows tremendous love and compassion to an immoral woman who wants to change. Not only does he accept her, he makes her a part of his special family. Rahab would marry an Israelite. From her would come Boaz, David, and the many kings of Israel. Eventually, the king of kings. Why? Because God wants His message to ring through the ages. He doesn’t want to judge and destroy. He wants to forgive. Embrace Mercy, Escape Judgment The picture of Rahab and her family cuddled up in her house, listening to the trumpets sound and the walls crumble around them is frightening. Her little scarlet cloth hanging on the window was not forgotten. God upheld the promise of the spies. She would be saved from the judgment that destroyed everyone she knew outside of her own family. We are not unlike her. When we hear her story, we should feel drawn to it because every aspect resembles our own. Like Rahab, we were terrible sinners lost in the dark and sinful world around us. Like Rahab, people came into our lives telling us “judgment is coming” Like Rahab, we have a choice to make. Will we betray those who are still in darkness, those who fight and rage against the God of Israel? Or will we change our allegiance and surrender to the will of God? In the book of James, Rahab is mentioned. She didn’t just believe that God was all powerful. She responded with faith and faithfulness. She wanted God’s faithfulness so she pledged her own and put her own life on the line to show how serious she was. She ignored the false news that God would destroy her anyways. She didn’t cave into her fear and trepidation. She boldly brought her family in and withstood the storm of living in a dark world until the light came and set her free. What is your decision? Will you embrace God’s mercy and escape judgment? Jesus is our Joshua. He is coming to defeat the wicked people around us and set us free from persecution and suffering. We must only choose to be faithful to our words and submit our lives to Him. God will not tolerate idolaters and corrupt people among his own. But he will bless those who turn and remain faithful. Is that you?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Praying Through Tears (1 Samuel 1-2) Casey Gray Download Why don’t we pray? Why do we so often fail to pray at all? We believe in prayer. We talk about prayer. We tell others they should pray. Yet when pressure mounts, when disappointment lingers, when life feels heavy or confusing, prayer is often what we neglect rather than the first place we turn. That raises an uncomfortable question: what is going on in our hearts and minds that keeps us from speaking to God? When Jesus walked the earth, prayer was not an occasional discipline for Him; it was the rhythm of His life. The Gospels repeatedly show Him withdrawing from crowds, stepping away from demands, and separating Himself even from His closest companions so that He could pray. Sometimes He prayed early in the morning. Sometimes He prayed late into the night. Sometimes He prayed all night long. Prayer was not something Jesus fit into His schedule—it was the source of His strength and direction. Eventually, the disciples noticed. They saw how prayer shaped Him, steadied Him, and sustained Him. And in Luke 11, one of them finally speaks up. “Teach Us To Pray” (Luke 11:1–13) “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” That request is more revealing than it first appears. They do not ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, as if they simply needed better words or a better structure. They ask Him to teach them to pray. They want what Jesus has. They recognize that prayer is not merely a technique—it is a posture, a relationship, a way of living before God. Something about Jesus’ prayer life stood out to them. Perhaps it was the consistency of it. Perhaps it was the confidence with which He prayed. Perhaps it was the way prayer seemed to shape every decision He made. Whatever it was, they knew this was not empty religious speech. This was communion with God. Jesus responds by giving what we often call “The Lord’s Prayer.” But He does not give it as a formula to be recited mindlessly. He gives it as a framework for thinking rightly about God and ourselves. God is holy. God’s kingdom comes first. We are dependent creatures who need daily provision, daily forgiveness, and daily guidance. Prayer begins with humility and trust, not performance. That mindset would have been foreign to many who heard it, especially in a religious culture where prayer was often public, performative, and aimed at impressing others rather than communing with God. Jesus then presses the lesson further. He tells a parable about a neighbor who keeps knocking in the middle of the night. He follows that with the picture of a father who gives good gifts to his children. And He draws a clear conclusion: prayer requires persistence because it is rooted in confidence, not desperation. Ask, seek, knock—not because God is reluctant, but because God is good. This is the mindset Jesus wants His disciples to have toward prayer. God is not annoyed by our requests. He is not distant from our needs. He is a Father who delights to give what is good, ultimately giving His own Spirit to those who ask. Praying Through Tears (1 Samuel 1:1–2:10) To see what this kind of prayer looks like in real life, we turn to the story of Hannah. Hannah’s life is marked by quiet suffering. She is one of two wives of Elkanah, and like Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel before her, she is barren. She is deeply loved by her husband, but her pain is made worse by Peninnah, who mocks her relentlessly. Hannah lives every day with a grief she cannot fix and a humiliation she cannot escape. Each year, the family travels to Shiloh to worship. What should have been a joyful celebration becomes an annual reminder of Hannah’s sorrow. Surrounded by children she does not have, pitied by a husband who cannot heal her pain, and provoked by a rival who delights in her suffering, Hannah reaches a breaking point. One year, she cannot eat. She cannot pretend. She excuses herself and goes to the entrance of the tabernacle, and there she does something important. She brings God into her suffering. She weeps bitterly. She prays silently. She pours out her soul before the Lord and asks Him to see her, to remember her, and to act. She even makes a vow, promising that if God gives her a son, she will give him back to the Lord for all his days. Even then, misunderstanding follows. Eli the priest assumes she is drunk. But Hannah does not lash out or withdraw. She humbly explains that she is not intoxicated—she is devastated. She is pouring out her heart to God. Eli blesses her, and something remarkable happens next. She leaves. She eats. She is no longer sad. Nothing has changed yet, but her faith has. She believes God has heard her. In time, God answers. Hannah gives birth to a son and names him Samuel—“God has heard.” And when the time comes, she keeps her vow. She gives her son back to the Lord, trusting that the God who gave him is worthy to receive him. Her prayer turns into praise, and her sorrow gives way to joy. Lessons Learned Now, let’s connect these two texts together to see what we can learn about prayer. There’s something here to help us pray more. See the Power of Prayer Hannah’s story shows us exactly what Jesus was teaching in Luke 11. Hannah did not assume God was distant. She did not believe her pain was too small. She did not conclude that her suffering was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. She believed that the God who rules the world also sees His servants personally. Too often, we believe God can do anything—but quietly doubt that He will do anything for us. We trust His power in theory, but we question His personal concern in practice. We imagine God focused on the “big picture” while our daily griefs remain unnoticed. Hannah refused to live independently from God. She brought Him into the place that hurt the most. Her faith is visible at every stage of the story—when she prays, when she waits, when she believes, when she gives, and when she praises. Prayer was not a transaction for Hannah; it was a relationship grounded in trust. Believe in the “Yes” God has absolute power. He raises up and brings low. He gives life and takes it away. There is nothing beyond His ability. But with all that power, He is not distant from His people. He sees you. He hears you. He knows your trials and your tears. Jesus teaches us to pray believing that God wants to answer. That does not mean God always says “Yes.” Scripture is honest about that. Paul hears “No” about his thorn. Moses hears “No” about entering the Promised Land. But Jesus tells us to keep asking until God says no. So ask. Ask for healing. Ask for relief. Ask for wisdom. Ask for restoration. Ask believing that God is good and that He knows how to give good gifts to His children. We ask rightly when our prayers are shaped by God’s kingdom and God’s glory. That was Hannah’s heart. She trusted God not only with the gift, but with what she would do if He gave it. Do Not Leave God Out Do not leave God on the margins of your life. Do not suffer silently when God invites you to speak. If God loved you enough to send His Son to die for your sins, He cares about your pain now. Prayer is not a burden God tolerates—it is an invitation He extends. The reason we do not pray is often not because we doubt God’s power, but because we doubt His goodness toward us. Jesus calls us to reject that doubt and to come to God with confidence, persistence, and trust. So pray more. Pray honestly. Pray persistently. Pray believing that your Father hears you. And watch what God does when His children finally knock on the door. Conclusion So why don’t we pray? It is rarely because we doubt that God can answer. More often, it is because we quietly doubt that He will—at least for us, at least in this situation, at least this time. Somewhere along the way, we begin to live as though our burdens are either too small to matter or too complicated to bring before Him. And when that happens, prayer slowly fades from a relationship into a last resort. But Jesus tells us to ask, to seek, and to knock—not as a test of persistence, but as an expression of trust. He wants His people to believe that God is not irritated by their prayers, not distant from their pain, and not indifferent to their needs. He wants us to pray like children who know their Father listens. Hannah teaches us the same lesson. She did not clean up her grief before praying. She did not wait until she had the right words. She brought her broken heart into the presence of God and trusted Him to hear. And whether God answered immediately or asked her to wait, she refused to leave Him out of her suffering. That is the invitation before us today. Do not carry what you were never meant to carry alone. Do not assume silence means indifference. Do not stop asking simply because the answer has not yet come. Pray—because God is powerful.Pray—because God is good.Pray—because your Father hears you. And if you will believe that, if you will take Jesus at His word and bring your life to God in prayer, you may find that the greatest change is not in your circumstances, but in your confidence that you are never unseen, unheard, or forgotten by the God who loves you.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Making Room For Outsiders (Romans 15-16) Casey Gray Download I have a friend who moved to a city in California after learning to preach and teach the Bible. He hoped he could reach lost people there—and he was right. Many in that town were open to the gospel. Gang members, addicts, sexually immoral men and women heard the good news and committed their lives to Christ. But that blessing created pressure. The number of outsiders grew beyond the number of well-trained church members. They grew too big too quickly. And suddenly the church had to face questions that made them uncomfortable—questions that forced change. Not because the gospel failed… but because it succeeded. That story isn’t just a modern story. It’s a Bible story. The Scriptures are full of people who were pushed to the edges. Joseph was rejected by his brothers. Rahab was an outsider who aided Israel. Ruth was a Moabite. Hannah was barren and mocked. David was the overlooked shepherd. God’s people became exiles in Babylon—far from home, far from comfort, and easy to dismiss. Yet God chose to love them deeply. And when you open the New Testament, Jesus mirrors that same heart. He launches His ministry in Galilee, a region scorned by elites. He calls fishermen and tax collectors. He eats with sinners and outcasts. Jesus doesn’t avoid outsiders—He moves toward them. So here’s the challenge I want to lay on us today: embrace that mindset intentionally. Who are the outcasts around you—maybe the lonely neighbor, the struggling coworker, or the immigrant family? What would it look like for you to show them the care of God? That’s exactly where Romans takes us. We’re studying the closing chapters of Romans, and Paul is showing us God’s unchanging desire: to include the excluded through the gospel. From the beginning of the letter—where Paul announces the power of the gospel—to the end—where he calls for harmony—Paul’s whole vision is a church that is strong enough and united enough to welcome outsiders. Because let’s be honest: when visitors walk into a church where people are fussing and fighting, they feel it. They don’t feel drawn in. They feel like they walked into a family argument. But harmony creates an environment where outsiders can breathe, listen, and stay. So today we’re going to look at three key ideas from Romans 15–16: God’s Plan Paul’s Role Our Role God’s Plan (15:8–13) Romans 15:8–13 (ESV) — 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Jesus came first to Israel—not to reject them, but to fulfill every promise God had ever made. Their rejection of Him was not a failure of God’s plan. It was a refusal to believe what God had plainly revealed. And even in that rejection, God’s mercy overflowed beyond Israel. Paul proves that this was always the plan by quoting Scripture—Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah. These are not obscure lines. God repeatedly said the nations would rejoice, praise, hope, and be welcomed. This wasn’t Plan B. God has always intended to gather people from every background into one family. The real issue was expectation. Many were looking for a Messiah who would restore political power and reinforce cultural superiority. But God was doing something bigger. In Christ, outsiders weren’t just tolerated—they were given hope. That’s why Paul ends this section with a prayer: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…” (Romans 15:13) Hope belongs to people who once had none. Outsiders are not second-class citizens in God’s kingdom. They are forgiven, transformed, and united in Christ. Superiority has no place here. In Christ, there is one people, one family, one hope. Paul’s Role (15:14–29) Paul is living proof that God can change anyone. He was once a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” fiercely loyal to tradition and deeply hostile toward Gentiles. But Jesus met him on the Damascus road and redirected his life toward the very people he once despised. So when Paul looks at the Roman Christians—mostly Gentiles—he doesn’t see a problem. He sees a family. Romans 15:14–16 (ESV) — 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Paul’s mission is not just conversion; it is transformation. He wants outsiders to grow into mature, Christlike believers. It is not enough for people to say they follow Jesus. They must be shaped by Him. And Paul is careful to take no credit for this work. He credits Christ for his success: Romans 15:17–19 (ESV) — 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; That humility is striking. Paul works hard, travels endlessly, suffers deeply—and yet he sees himself as a tool in God’s hands. Not a hero. Not a celebrity. A servant. And that’s where this hits us, isn’t it? How often do we do good things and then quietly admire ourselves for them? How often are we more concerned with how we look than whether Christ is seen? We aren’t here to be admired. We are here to serve and be used for God’s glory. I am a tool for God to use—and I’m happy to be one. That posture is what fuels Paul’s ambition: Romans 15:20–21 (ESV) — 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” Paul pioneers like the tip of a spear, bringing the gospel to places where people have never heard. His ambition matches God’s heart: bring outsiders in. Listen to those words again: “Those who have never been told… those who have never heard…” Paul understands that reaching outsiders is not a side project in God’s plan. It is central to who God is and what God does. And because it is central to God, Paul makes it central to himself. Our Role (15:30–16:27) Most of us are not Paul. We will not travel across empires or write Scripture. But Paul makes it clear that the mission depends on ordinary believers. First, we pray. Romans 15:30–33 (ESV) — 30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Paul begs the Romans to strive with him in prayer. He believes their prayers matter. They strengthen workers. They shape outcomes. Prayer is not passive support—it is participation. If we care about outsiders coming to Christ, we have to pray like it matters. Second, we watch out. Romans 16:17–20 (ESV) — 17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Paul warns that division creates obstacles. And obstacles don’t just harm insiders—they keep outsiders out. When churches obsess over preferences, minor grievances, and unclear disputes, outsiders feel it immediately. Fussing and fighting does not create a welcoming environment. Unity does. Guard against dividers who prioritize petty differences—legalistic rules, cultural barriers, ego, control—over the mission. Satan loves a distracted church. But Paul says God will deal with the enemy. Our job is obedience, wisdom, and focus. Conclusion (16:25–27) Romans 16:25–27 (ESV) — 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Paul ends where he began: with the gospel. God strengthens His people through the message of Jesus Christ. That gospel is the foundation for every hard thing we’re called to do. It sustained Paul. It will sustain us. If we lose sight of it, we will turn inward. But if we stay rooted in it, we will always look outward. So let me ask you again: who are the outsiders around you? The lonely neighbor. The struggling coworker. The family that feels out of place. Take them seriously. Sit with them. Listen to them. Pray for them. Make God’s kingdom your ambition. We are not here to be admired. We are here to be used. The church exists for the people who aren’t here yet. And there is no greater privilege than being a tool in the hands of a God who loves outsiders enough to bring them home.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The Battle Belongs To The Lord (Joshua) Casey Gray Download Standing at the Edge of Promise The people of Israel are finally standing on the edge of the promised land. For forty years they have wandered—living in tents, burying loved ones, and learning the hard way what unbelief costs. This generation knows what went wrong. They know what God desires from them now. But one question still hangs heavy in the air: who will lead them? Moses is gone. But before he died, Moses laid his hands on Joshua, and Scripture tells us that Joshua became full of the spirit of wisdom. Joshua is not new to leadership. He has been near Moses since the early days. He fought battles in the wilderness. He watched what leadership costs when pressure mounts—because even Moses cracked under the weight of it. Taking Moses’ place is not just stepping into a role; it is stepping into a burden. God’s Call to Courage (1:1-9) That is why the opening of the book of Joshua is so kind. God does not hand Joshua a strategy or a pep talk. God gives Joshua Himself. The Lord makes Joshua the same core promises He once made to Moses. He promises the land. He promises His presence. And He anchors everything in obedience to His word. Then three times God says it: “Be strong and courageous.” That repetition tells us something important. Joshua needs courage—not because God is uncertain, but because the calling is heavy. Courage in Joshua is not self-confidence. It is an obedient faith rooted in the presence of God and the word of God. Joshua is told that if he meditates on the Law day and night, if he does what God has said, then he will succeed. Strength and courage are not emotional traits here; they are covenant faithfulness under pressure. Crossing into God’s Work (3-6) The conquest begins in a way that makes the point immediately clear. God is not asking Joshua to invent power; He is asking him to trust God’s presence. The priests carry the ark into the Jordan River, and the moment their feet touch the water, the river stops. Israel crosses on dry ground again. God tells them this is not merely a crossing; it is a confirmation. The people are meant to know that God is with Joshua just as He was with Moses. From there they move to Jericho, a fortress city. Israel is not told to build siege weapons or develop tactics. They are told to march. Quietly. Day after day. On the seventh day they circle the city seven times, blow the trumpets, and shout—and God brings the walls down. The victory is unmistakable. It is not Israel’s brilliance. It is God’s power. When Courage Is Tested (7-9) But immediately after this triumph, Israel learns a hard lesson. God’s power cannot be celebrated while sin is hidden in the camp. A man named Achan takes what was devoted to the Lord, and the next battle—against the small city of Ai—ends in humiliating defeat. One hidden sin drains the courage of thousands. Israel learns what all of God’s people must learn: without God’s help, they stand no chance, and with God’s help, they cannot continue in rebellion. Judgment follows, the camp is cleansed, and Joshua gathers the people to read the Law aloud—men, women, children, and even the foreigner among them—so that the nation is rebuilt around obedience to God’s word. Then comes another test, one that feels painfully familiar. The Gibeonites arrive with a convincing story. They look worn. They claim to be from far away. They ask for a treaty. It seems reasonable. It seems merciful. Joshua agrees. And Scripture tells us the problem in one simple line: they did not ask counsel from the Lord. The Gibeonites were neighbors, not travelers. They lied, and Joshua was deceived. Here Israel learns that not every failure comes through open rebellion. Some come through prayerless decisions that seem sensible at the time. Joshua refuses to break the covenant, and the Gibeonites become servants under Israel’s protection. The Lord Fights for His People (10-11) Soon after, five kings rise up against Gibeon, and Israel goes to defend them. God makes His power unmistakably clear once again. Scripture says the Lord kills more enemies with hailstones than Israel kills with the sword. God even extends the day so the victory is complete. Later, kings from the north unite, believing numbers will succeed where obedience failed. God hardens them in their rebellion, and after years of conflict, Scripture says the land finally has rest from war. The message is consistent throughout: the Lord fights for His people exactly as He promised. Remembering Who Gave the Victory (13-21; 23:1-11) Some cities remain unconquered, but the people now possess land, rest, and inheritance—everything God promised Abraham long ago. Joshua knows what comes next if they are not careful. When the fighting stops, forgetting begins. So Joshua gathers the people and reminds them of the truth they must never lose. It was the Lord who drove out great and strong nations. It was the Lord who fought for them. Therefore, Joshua says, “Be very careful to love the Lord your God.” He does not merely call them to rule-keeping. He calls them to love—and to be careful to love—because love does not die in a moment. It leaks. It cools. It is crowded out by comfort. A Final Warning and a Clear Choice (23:12-16, 24:1-28) Then Joshua speaks some of the most sobering words in the Old Testament. Every good promise God made has been fulfilled. Not one has failed. And the same faithful God who kept His promises will also bring covenant judgment if Israel serves other gods. Joshua sees the future clearly because he understands the human heart. The exile is centuries away, but the drift begins immediately. So he presses them to a decision. Remove the idols. Stop pretending you can serve the Lord while clinging to powerless gods. Choose. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The Commander Who Goes Before Us (5:13-15) The book of Joshua is meant to encourage God’s people—but not with shallow optimism. Joshua is not a superhero. He is a servant shaped by obedience, sustained by God’s presence, and carried by God’s faithfulness. And if there is one scene that interprets the entire book, it happens before Jericho ever falls. Joshua is near the city when he sees a man standing with a drawn sword. Joshua asks the question we all ask: “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” The answer comes back: “No.” Not because the man standing with the sword is neutral, but because Joshua is asking the wrong question. “I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” Joshua falls on his face and worships, and the commander tells him to remove his sandals because the ground is holy. That moment tells us everything. God does not join our side. We are called to submit to His. God is not a mascot or a power source for our plans. He is the King we bow before. Be Strong and Courageous When we read that scene as Christians, we cannot miss the shape of Christ. Jesus is the true commander who goes before His people. He is the one we worship. He is the one who leads the real conquest—not of cities and nations, but of sin, death, and darkness. His army is not just made up of men, but also angels. Hebrews 1:14 (ESV) — 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? So what battle are you facing? Maybe it is sin that has entrenched itself like a fortress. Maybe it is fear that keeps you silent about Christ. Maybe it is the slow drift where your love for God is cooling and you can feel it. Joshua tells us what we need—not swagger, not confidence in ourselves, but strength and courage rooted in God’s presence and God’s word. Jesus tells us what God has promised His people: a kingdom, comfort, mercy, inheritance, and an identity that holds when the world pushes back. We are called to be salt when it would be easier to blend in and light when it would be easier to hide. Because the same God who kept every promise to Joshua has not changed, and the same Lord who calls us to obey is the One who goes before us. So the decision lands exactly where Joshua landed it—not tomorrow, not when it is convenient.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Embracing The Differences (Romans 14:1-15:7) Casey Gray Download What breaks harmony in a local church? Wouldn’t it be something if we could identify the root cause of division and stop it before it spreads? If churches could stop tearing themselves apart, they could actually begin to look like the body of Christ Paul describes. Is the problem that we are too different? Too sinful? Too foolish? Paul’s answer, if we’re honest, is yes to all three. We are different. We have been sinful and foolish. And yet, Paul still believes that harmony is not only possible—but expected—among the people of God. So, in today’s text, Paul wants to get specific in order to address this obstacle head on. As Christians living in the twenty-first century, we must consider this text as a first century example of what harmony looks like in real life, and learn from it. What Does Harmony Look Like In Real Life? In Romans 14, Paul mentions one who is weak in faith and one who is strong in faith. Romans 14:1–9 (ESV) — 1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. When we hear the words weak in faith and strong in faith, they may not compute. To put it simply, the person who is weak in faith believes that God wants us to abstain from unclean food or work on the Sabbath day. The weak are not emotionally fragile. They sincerely believe God requires this because it has been ingrained in them since childhood. They seek to honor God in their obedience, and their conscience would be compromised if they did anything else. The person who has a “weak faith” believes that God would be displeased with them if they ate meat that could be unclean or dedicated to idols. They are afraid that the food they eat might defile them and make them sinful before God. Their minds are focused on obedience in what is perhaps an unhealthy way and their consciences are sensitive to these actions. The strong in faith honors God by thanking Him for every food or drink and by living for Him every day of the week. These beliefs have developed over time and led them to understand what God really wants. He calls them strong because they have faith that it’s okay to stop keeping the Old Testament laws. Isn’t that fascinating? The person who has a “strong faith” knows that what we eat has no impact on our relationship with God. What matters is the intentions of the heart. They are called strong in faith because they trust God to save them even though they eat foods others view as sinful. Both are spiritually minded. The weakness is not devotion—it is misunderstanding. And the strength is not arrogance—it is trust in the sufficiency of Christ. Harmony Means We Welcome Others Paul doesn’t tell us to create different denominations or sects based on every opinion that men might create and which side we fall on. Paul says that the strong brother should welcome the weak, and not to quarrel with them. They are both brothers and they don’t have to have the same opinion about everything. It’s clear that there is nothing wrong in eating the food or ignoring the day because he calls the strong brother a brother. In the same way, there is nothing wrong with holding on to that conviction that unclean foods should be avoided and the Sabbath must be honored. Both are in a saved position because God has chosen to accept them both. Christ has died for each of them. In order for us to apply this to ourselves,we must consider what is an opinion and what is a core doctrine. Some teachings are core doctrine, that means that they cannot be subject to one’s own opinion. Others are dependent or subject to one’s beliefs or opinions. Don’t read this section and believe that all truths are matters of opinion. Paul is warning us against two errors that are extremes: 1. making opinions into doctrines and 2. ignoring opinions altogether. (There is a third error discussed elsewhere by Paul and the other apostles: making doctrines into opinions) But here he says that those with different opinions should be welcomed and not harshly treated. Harmony Means We Maintain A Clear Conscience Paul continues in these examples by telling us not to be judging or despising our brethren. Romans 14:13–23 (ESV) — 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. In this section, Paul tells us to be careful when dealing with someone who has a different opinion. If we are right about the issue, we can still be wrong in how we handle it. He wants us to see that our goal is not uniformity. We aren’t trying to make everyone have all the same opinions about everything. If we try to do that, we will be creating obedience by coercion and compromising their consciences. This is not loving, but selfish. Paul even says that the one who forces a brother to do something they believe to be wrong is destroying the one for whom Christ died. This is a serious evil. He tells us that we are valuing food and drink more than the work of God and the kingdom. These things aren’t as important to God as we make them out to be. Our opinions aren’t either. The person who interprets a text differently about how to please God is not an enemy of God. They are striving to please Him. The real danger is not misunderstanding—it is acting against what you believe God requires. When a person does what they believe is sinful, they are no longer acting in faith. They are choosing self over submission. That is why Paul says the one who doubts and eats is condemned. Not because the food is sinful, but because the heart is rebelling against God as it understands Him. So, the person who eats the food offered to idols or neglects the Sabbath while believing they should observe it is doing something that will sear their conscience and lead to them falling away from the Lord if they continue in it. It is so important for us to do whatever we do with a firm conviction and confidence that God desires us to do it. But it is also important for us to recognize that people around us are trying to do the same thing. How can we possibly account for that? The truth is that it’s impossible to avoid offending everyone. Some people have very sensitive consciences and very strong opinions. Our goal is to see where we have done something others believe is sinful and carefully back away from the issue like it’s a grenade. Paul even says that the one who forces a brother to do something they believe to be wrong is destroying the one for whom Christ died. That is not emotional harm—that is spiritual danger. Pressuring someone to violate conscience trains them to override faith with self-authorization. If continued, that path hardens the heart and leads away from the Lord. Paul does not exaggerate this danger. He confronts it. Each of us must study for ourselves to turn the weak faith into a strong one. People cannot force us to do this, but we can do this through study and effort. Peter and Paul had to do this and so can we. Harmony Means We Follow Christ The goal of every Christian is to keep Christ in view. Consider how he lived on earth with a perfect understanding of what God really wanted and what God didn’t care about. How many times did He challenge men and how many times did He let it go to prevent people from stumbling? Romans 15:1–7 (ESV) — 1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Jesus accepted the criticism that men had against God. Jesus knew perfectly what pleased the Father and what did not. And yet, He often endured misunderstanding, criticism, and false accusations rather than crushing people who were wrong. He did not please Himself. He absorbed reproach so that others might be built up. That does not mean Jesus affirmed error. It means He prioritized redemption over self-vindication. So, if you are one with a strong faith, Paul is calling for you to bear with those who are judging you without despising them. This is very difficult. Someone who believes that everyone must agree with them on the head covering or dress a certain way to please God might condemn you. I’ve known people who believe that a pitch pipe is a musical instrument and therefore “unscriptural.” There is no end to the opinions we can come up with. Paul is encouraging us to bear patiently with them and live in harmony with them as much as possible. Our goal is not to tear them down, but to build them up and glorify God alongside them in one voice. If you have a strong opinion about something, believe that God can make everyone who disagrees with you stand. Have faith in that grace and mercy which forgave a sinner like you. Will You Harmonize or Destroy? The last words in this section go back to the idea of welcoming one another, but they give us an image. Paul says, “As Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Jesus doesn’t welcome us with extreme prejudice. He doesn’t take us through a checklist and make sure we believe all the right things before we can be a part of his people. He knows that we will need time to mature and develop an understanding of what is true. We will get there, but we aren’t going to be there when he accepts us and saves us. Are you someone who has strong convictions about something you have studied about? Do you feel like you know what God wants us all to do? That’s great, but what will you do with that information? That is the more important question. 1 Corinthians 13:2 (ESV) — 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. I’ve spoken to militant people who have no concept of this. They are blind and callous. They don’t care about anyone else or what anyone else has studied. They simply want to exalt their understanding, crushing people in the process. Paul is telling us that it’s possible to be right about truth and wrong about how we treat people who oppose it. He is also telling us that it’s possible to be wrong about some things and still be accepted by Christ. So, the real question is, “How are you going to treat people who oppose you?” Are they all false teachers? Apparently not. Some are false teachers. They promote a form of Christianity that is fundamentally opposed to (anti) Christ. Others are just immature. God calls us to love them and bear their criticisms and judgments. He calls for us to join them in praising God. Conclusion Imagine how difficult it must have been for Jews and Gentiles to worship together in the first century. Their instincts, backgrounds, and convictions could not have been more different. And yet God demanded that they become one body, praising Him with one voice. The question for us is simple and uncomfortable: Will we welcome the people Christ welcomes? Will we build up those who are still growing? Or will we tear down the work of God over matters that do not define the kingdom? This congregation will not remain uniform. New people will come. Some will not know what is “proper.” Some will misunderstand Scripture. Some will have sensitive consciences. The question is not whether that will happen. The question is whether we will harmonize—or destroy. Christ welcomed us while we were still growing. He bore our weakness. He did not wait for perfect understanding before calling us His own. Let us welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us—for the glory of God.

A Different Spirit (Caleb) Casey Gray Download I entitled this series of sermons, “Echoes of Faith.” As we have studied these different Bible characters, many have demonstrated great faith. But many have shown their imperfection. They have failed to have a heart that is wholly devoted to the Lord. Today, we will hear of a man who has no blemish. I’m sure there were sins and failures, but none are listed. He is truly a hero of faith, a man men like David would look up to. His name is Caleb. Caleb’s faith wasn’t temporary, based on the momentary high of seeing God’s power. Caleb’s faith remembered what God had done and he clung to God in an amazing way. He is the prototypical example of what God is looking for in us. Standing Out (Numbers 13-14) Caleb was a man who experienced the rescue from Egypt. He was a slave who became free through ten plagues and the miraculous walk across the Red Sea. But he appears to look at those events differently than everyone else. They are a clear sign to Him that the God they are worshipping and following can do anything. Caleb is chosen from the largest tribe, Judah, to go with the spies into the promised land. The Israelites have been in the wilderness for a year and are now at the edge of the land of Canaan. They sent twelve spies to go throughout the land and see what it is like. Did it have trees, food, water, armies? Israel was curious about how good and how bad the land would be. Imagine moving through the region and seeing the wickedness in every city. They murdered children to worship their gods. They committed all kinds of sexual immorality. They were cruel and harsh, unjust and vile. These men and women in the land were selfish and would gladly betray one another. They were not good people. God was planning to use Israel to wipe them off the face of the earth. Caleb saw all this. He also saw how lush the ground was. He saw how fruit would grow wild, and might have helped to carry some of the pomegranates or the huge cluster of grapes back to his people. They spent forty days in the promised land surveying all that it had to offer and all the obstacles they would face. When they returned the people were excited to hear about God’s promised land. Unfortunately, ten of the spies brought back a bad report, “Sure the land is lush and beautiful. There is plenty of food for us all and it’s a beautiful landscape. But there are fortresses and giants we could never defeat. These ten men speak loud and feed the fear of the people. Their conclusion was, “We are not able to go in so let’s go back to Egypt.” Caleb steps out into this crowd with Joshua, the other spy who believes in God and contradicts the popular opinion. He says what no one wants to hear, “Let us go up. This land is exceedingly good and God has said he will give it to us. Don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t fear the people of the land. They are bread for us. They have no protection and the Lord is with us!” His words were full of faith and wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. The people heard them, but refused to listen. They decided to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb, but God filled the tent of meeting with his glory, letting everyone know that God has a say about this. He wants to disinherit them and destroy them, but Moses intercedes. Still God will not allow anyone over the age of 20 to enter the promised land with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. Every other person over the age of 20 will die in the wilderness over the next forty years. Enduring Wilderness Life Imagine that. If you were Caleb, every other Israelite you know over 20 is going to die. Imagine living through that. You see every rebellion. You witness all of these people dying as a consequence of their faithlessness. Everyone is living to help the next generation make it. They have no other purpose than that, and they do help. In their failures, they teach them what not to do. Listen to what God says about Caleb. Numbers 14:21–24 (ESV) — 21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. He has a different spirit. Moses reiterates this to the next generation forty years later. Caleb becomes the ultimate example of faithfulness. Deuteronomy 1:35–36 (ESV) — 35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!’ He stands out because his heart is completely devoted to the Lord. He doesn’t seek his own will or his own way. He seeks God’s will and God’s way. He doesn’t partially follow God and partially follow his own way. He wants God to be glorified through him. Not only that. Caleb remained faithful throughout the forty years of waiting. He was willing to endure suffering as a consequence of sinful people who did not trust God like he did. This was a man who submitted his life to God and loved Him more than anything. He didn’t grumble or complain, that we know of. He didn’t question God’s leadership or God’s plans. He trusted in the promises while suffering. What an example for us. Taking God’s Gift Caleb was there with the Israelites through everything. He saw all of the miracles and helped Israel finally cross the Jordan river on dry ground and enter into the promised land. He was there as they conquered every city with Joshua as their leader. In Joshua 14, we read that the people had conquered most of the land and were dividing up the inheritance. Caleb was 85 years old, but he wasn’t satisfied with the land they had already conquered. He had waited 45 years for the land that he knew God would give him and his family. He wasn’t just going to take anything. He wanted the hill country. He wanted to defeat and take over a fortress. We read that he was just as youthful and able to fight at 85 as he was at 40. He went out against the giants and the great fortified city of Hebron. God was with him and his men and they defeated them, taking what God had promised. He took it because he believed God could give it and he “wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. We have to be amazed at Caleb’s boldness and trust in the Lord. He didn’t shy away from the battle. He fully believed that God could give what he promised. So he went out in battle with faith. Isn’t it amazing that God provided him with everything He promised to give him? God saw Caleb’s faith, trust, and patience. God saw how Caleb believed God could give him more than he could earn on his own. He went after more, not out of selfishness, but out of faith. He wanted to show everyone what was possible if only they would believe. Nothing can stop their God. Not giants, fortresses, or old age. What do we believe? God had made us similar promises as He made to Caleb and the Israelites. We have to decide what type of person we are going to be. The beauty of Caleb’s story is that his childlike faith was rewarded. I imagine people made fun of him and didn’t believe like he did. He stood out. People didn’t last in the wilderness when things got tough. He endured. People settled for what was easy. He boldly took what God offered with faith. Hebrews 3:12–4:3 (ESV) — 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. 1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Consider your own life. Does your spirit stand out like his or are you one to cower in fear at the enemy? God has made you promises. Do you believe them? Are you willing to go out and conquer your enemies? Are you willing to put your trust in God, and do what you are not able to do on your own? This is the message of Caleb that inspires us to stand out, endure the wilderness, and receive the promised inheritance. We need to wholly follow the Lord with the kind of faith we see in Caleb. Faith that takes over strongholds and works with everything he has. How? But, we might ask, “How can we do what Caleb has done?” Caleb’s motivation was the ten plagues. His motivation was what he saw at Mount Sinai and how God was constantly taking care of him and his family. We have one greater than Moses who has set us free from slavery. We have one who has performed greater miracles, the greatest of all being resurrection from the dead. Caleb was protected from death, but we are told we will rise from it, through Jesus our Lord. Jesus promises us an eternal inheritance. He promises to stay with us as we conquer our spiritual enemies with love and grace. He also leads us with wholehearted obedience and faith. He pioneers the way for us to follow. What we see in Caleb is multiplied when we look at Jesus, and Jesus is the ultimate one we ought to be following. Do we really believe in the promises, and will we really choose to follow our Lord and savior into the greater promised land. Will we pursue the greatest fortress and fight the largest giants with faith that our God fights on our side? Do not turn back in fear and join others who lack faith Do not grumble and rebel as you endure the wilderness of life Do not settle for safety when God has promised you more Follow Him fully and wholeheartedly. Love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. He will see it and reward the faithful.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Resonating Harmony (Romans 13) Casey Gray Download Have you ever noticed how easy harmony feels in this room? Here we are different, having different upbringings, different talents, different opportunities, different opinions. But we are the same. We are striving to be good for Jesus’ sake. We believe the same and love the same person. We are striving for righteousness based on the same text. But then Monday comes. And suddenly we’re not in a choir anymore. We’re in traffic. We’re at work. We’re dealing with bosses, officials, leaders, neighbors, and strangers who don’t care about our song. Harmony in here feels like singing. Harmony out there feels a lot more like walking into a corral with wild mustangs. You don’t tame a mustang by yelling at it. You don’t win it with threats or force. You earn its trust with patience, steadiness, and a calm hand. You stay gentle when it kicks. You stay present when it bolts. And little by little, that wild heart starts to match your rhythm. That’s the picture I want you to have in mind as we open Romans 13. Last week we looked at harmony inside the body of Christ in Romans 12. We saw how we’re called to live in peace with one another, to outdo one another in showing honor, to overcome evil with good. That’s the music we make in here. Today, Paul shows us that harmony inside the church is just the beginning. The beauty of the harmony we create here is that it strengthens us to go outside these walls and spread Christ to the world around us. The church learns harmony here so we can sing Christ’s song out there—through submission, love, and holiness. We don’t go out to dominate, to crush, or to force people to bow to our way of life. We go out to sing a different song. A song of humble submission, costly love, and holy living in a dark world. And Paul starts with the place most of us least want to sing: our relationship with the governing authorities. Harmony That Resonates (13:1-7) After telling us not to retaliate against those who wrong us in Chapter 12, Paul tells us to submit to the governing authorities in Chapter 13. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV) — 1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Consider what this means. These Christians, living in Rome, are supposed to submit themselves to the wicked, corrupt, powers that be. Their lives are supposed to be lived in harmony with the authorities. They aren’t there to overthrow them by rebelling against them. God wants them to give respect and honor, even when leaders show themselves unworthy of it. They are not to retaliate against a brother or sister in Christ, nor should they retaliate against someone who is outside of the body of Christ. Paul wants them to let the worldly powers rule over them because God rules over those powers. Doesn’t that sound weak and pathetic? We live in a culture that rebels against unjust rulers. We said, “No taxation without representation.” That notion is engrained in our society. But in these seven verses, we read that those who are in authority over us are being controlled by God. He is the one who puts them in their position. His purpose is for them to keep order and justice. So, our choice to rebel against them is tantamount to rebelling against God. When a president comes to power who is against our Christian viewpoint, we honor him. When congressmen, governors, mayors, or employers come to power and take away our freedoms or promote ungodly behaviors (crude words, spite, malice, rage, self-exaltation, etc), we do not blindly follow in obedience. We do not stay silent in injustice. But we calmly, respectfully refuse to imitate worldly rage. We submit to their commands as much as is possible while obeying God’s will. This is the more difficult harmony. We have to play by the rules even when no one else does. Being in harmony with the authorities sets the example of righteousness for everyone to see. The government is meant to be a terror to those who do evil. If they are a terror to those who do good, they break the system. But Paul tells us that God will give them what they are owed. This harmonious way of life might seem weak to those who are truly weak. But it takes more strength to sacrifice yourself for a greater cause than to selfishly resist the government’s laws. Think of Jesus. Think of how this one act of submitting to the governing authorities can sink into the minds and hearts of those in power. It makes a statement. When the innocent have faith in God’s working while they suffer, everyone considers. That harmony with Christ resonates. Love Is The Key (8-10) Verses 1-7 start something important. They tell us to give to those who are in authority what is due. Give them money, respect, and honor where it is due. This is not always easy. Imagine having Nero as your emperor. Imagine vile, hateful, corrupt politicians who are power hungry throwing you in prison and holding you there to make people happy. You miss out on years of your life because of their wickedness. Are you supposed to just go down without a fight? No. But your fight is spiritual. The weapons of our warfare are not physical. We win that fight by remaining faithful. That’s what Paul is saying. How are we going to do this? What words can Paul give us to help us pursue harmony in a society that is wicked and selfish? The next words from Paul hit deeper. He wants us to think about every relationship we have with people outside these walls and inside them. Our goal is not to take from them what we can take from them, but to give them something only we can give: our hearts. Romans 13:8–10 (ESV) — 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Those who follow Christ, those who have received the bountiful grace they do not deserve, are supposed to be men and women who give love to those who do not deserve it. We fulfill the purpose of the Old Testament Law even though we have been set free from it. We do not lust, seeking sexual gratification. We do not murder, seeking vengeance and self-exaltation. We do not steal or even covet because God has given us everything we could ever desire in the spiritual realm. Instead of taking, we choose to turn and serve others with love, and, in doing so, we fulfill the purpose of the law from the beginning. It will be difficult, but we are called upon to give love and never wrong our neighbor. We go above and beyond to serve them with love. This is in harmony with Christ. We do not become like those who are around us. We stand out. Everything they seek is meaningless and temporary. We have a higher calling. Wake Up (11-14) When we learn the gospel, we don’t yet understand who or what we are supposed to become. We know that Jesus is greater than we could imagine. He has done something amazing on our behalf. We have received it, but what are we supposed to become? We submit our lives to Him, and we wish to pay Him back. We will never be able to, but this is how we show our love for Him. This is not just a good idea, or an ideal thought. This is our higher calling. You and I were saved for this purpose. We aren’t here to serve ourselves and enjoy the wealth of a wealthy nation. We aren’t here to eat, drink, and be merry all the live long day. We are here to rise up and shine a light for all to see. Romans 13:11–14 (ESV) — 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. What is Paul talking about here? “You know the time,” he says. “The hour has come for you to wake from sleep.” He’s talking about spiritual apathy and drowsiness. He’s talking about Christians that are ignoring the spiritual realities. Christians everywhere are asleep at the wheel. They aren’t doing anything other than enjoying the comforts and pleasures of this world. This figurative language tells us this is not a time to relax and enjoy the rest God has promised us. We have rest coming. Notice the words, “Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” He is not talking about salvation from sin, but salvation from this vain life with all its pain and suffering. Salvation from this mortal body and the weakness of the flesh. Every day we live after obeying the truth is a day closer to our eternal reward. Now is not the time to sleep. It is the time to act with all our might. He says the night is far gone so we need to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. All of the difficult actions he has been discussing in this chapter are not just possible, they are expected of us. We have everything we need at our disposal to overcome sin and resonate the glorious harmony of Jesus Christ. We put Him on like a suit of armor that projects light, and we live a life that resembles his. The words of this passage are a battle cry. Paul is telling us to go to war with the spiritual forces of darkness. We don’t do that by playing the games of war that men play, deceiving, killing, stealing, and preserving our own vain glory. We stand in truth, refusing to yield to sin, loving our enemies, and honoring those who might slaughter us. Conclusion Paul has just painted a picture of a very different kind of life. We live under authorities we don’t always like, and we submit anyway because we trust the God who stands over them. We walk into a selfish world, and instead of taking, we choose to love. We feel the pull of comfort and pleasure, and instead of going back to sleep, we wake up, cast off the darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is harmony that doesn’t stay trapped in a church building. That’s harmony that spills out into neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and governments. That’s the song of Christ. Think again about those two images. In here, we sound like a choir. We stand together and sing. We hear each other’s voices. We’re reminded we’re not alone. This is rehearsal. Out there, it’s not a choir loft. It’s a dusty corral. The world around us is like a wild mustang—wounded, scared, suspicious, kicking at anything that gets too close. If we storm in with force, yanking and jerking, we only prove their fears right. But Christ sends us out with a calm hand and a steady heart. We harmonize with a wild, wicked world not by agreeing with its sin, but by submitting where we can, loving when it hurts, and walking in the light when everyone else prefers the dark. We show respect when others spew contempt. We pay what we owe. We refuse to wrong our neighbor. We wake up and live as people who know the day is coming. Over time, that kind of life starts to do something. It stands out. It exposes what’s false. It makes people wonder. It softens hard hearts. It tames what once seemed untamable—not by our power, but by the power of Christ living in us. And here’s the thing: that is exactly what God saved us for. We were not rescued by Jesus so we could blend in, chase comfort, and sing only when we’re in the building. We were saved to present our whole lives to God as an offering, to be transformed in how we think and live, so that the world can hear, in us, a different kind of music. Listen to how Paul already said it: Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Jealous For God (Numbers 25) Casey Gray Download “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.” (Ecc 8:11) Have you ever seen this happen? I have. I was at a church with weak and practically non-existent leadership that refuses to address an issue when it comes up. Someone was in an adulterous situation. It was one of the leading man’s brothers. That sin is bad enough. But it’s made worse when no one does a thing to address it. Everyone knows, but they act like it doesn’t exist. When this happens, it does something to everyone. Slowly, it eats away at their zeal. It’s like we start thinking, “What’s the point? This is all a ruse. We aren’t serious.” We die inside. Today, we will be learning about an event like this which happens in Israel. But I want us to see that it relates closely with us. We are told in the New Testament that the events which happened to Israel were written down for us to learn their lessons and make the right choices (1 Cor 10) Israel’s Unfaithfulness (Num 25:1-3) At the time of these events, God has already saved his people from Egypt. He has brought them to the mountain and spoken His ten commandments. He has also brought them to the promised land, but they refused to go in. So, he has let them wander for 40 years in the wilderness, allowing everyone over the age of 20 to die off. All the while, he has provided for them with manna, quail, and water from a rock. Their shoes haven’t worn out. They have had everything they needed the whole time. Recently, God has given Israel great victories in battles outside of the promised land. He has helped them defeat the Amorites and the Amalakites, and everyone is terrified of this huge hoard of people in the wilderness. Moab’s king was so scared he tried to hire a prophet to curse the people. Instead all he could do was bless the people and we get a sense of how much God loves them and how much He will provide for them. They are beautiful in God’s eyes, “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel.” Each prophecy is like a love song God wrote for them to hear. God has great plans for them to rise above all the nations and be to the praise of His glory. The faithfulness of God stands out in stark contrast to what we read about Israel in Numbers 25. Numbers 25:1–3 (ESV) — 1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. Israel began to whore. This is a crude term that we don’t use, but it shows us how vile and evil Israel’s actions are. This indicates that Israel prostituted itself out and became adulterous. They left God for Moab’s gods, something God commanded them not to do. It’s interesting that when we teach our children about the commands of God, we tend to overemphasize the need to not murder, steal, or lie. However, in God’s commandments to the people, He emphasizes staying away from idolatry. He doesn’t want them to marry people of the land because they will turn their hearts away from God. The people of the land don’t recognize how much greater the God of Israel is than their made up idols. So God wants Israel to stay away from them, lest they be deceived. That’s what has happened here. “Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.” We learn elsewhere that this is how Balaam, the wicked prophet, got his money from Balak. He told him that God would not curse Israel unless they rebelled against Him. They were totally protected from outside. The only problem they had to worry about was within. And he was right. God’s Judgment (Num 25:4-5) Now, God speaks to Moses about how to address this issue, and He says something that seems really harsh. Numbers 25:4 (ESV) — 4 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” He commands Moses to take the chiefs, and hang them in the sun. That most likely means they should break their hands and feet, then impale them on a stick for all Israel to see. This is a cruel and harsh judgment from God. Why would he say that? Notice that Moses thinks it is cruel. He disobeys and does what he thinks is just. Numbers 25:5 (ESV) — 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” He tells the men who have been assigned as judges to give the death penalty to all of those who are engaging in this idolatry. That is, after all, exactly what God had commanded earlier. Finding someone engaged in idolatry was supposed to carry the death penalty. So, I imagine they started going throughout the camp and looking for people engaged in idolatry to kill them. But the camp got wise. They hid what they were doing. Then, after a while the judges slacked off. They didn’t want to kill people for idolatry. It seemed like such a small thing to them. Consequences (Num 25:6-9) But it wasn’t a small thing to God. He sent a plague upon the Israelites. A sickness that started taking the lives of thousands of people. Everyone was dying. All Israel gathered at the tent of meeting to weep and pray for God to have mercy and heal them of the sickness. While they are there weeping, one of the chiefs of the people walks by. His tent is close to the center because he is a head of the people of Simeon. Following behind him was a woman of Midian (the group that joined with Moab to overthrow Israel). This chief was bringing a foreign, idolatrous woman, a princess of the Midianite people, in to meet his family while all of Israel was suffering the consequences of this unfaithfulness. Imagine yourself in the crowd that witnesses this happen. Everyone looks around to see if anyone will respond. They look to Moses and Aaron. They look to the other chiefs. No one does anything. They have made the chiefs of the people untouchable even though God said to hang them for all to see. Numbers 25:6–9 (ESV) — 6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. The grandson of Aaron doesn’t stand around feeling paralyzed. He gets up, walks over to the tent, and steps inside. He walks into the tent with his spear, walks right up to this chief and his bride and impales them both with one thrust. “Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.” I imagine that they went through all the chief camps and did the same. They finally decided to obey God’s commands in God’s way. The blood of the leaders was required. They were at the heart of the problem, and they were the ones God held accountable. What Happened Next After Phinehas did what God had commanded him to do, God spoke to Moses and revealed that Phinehas turned back God’s wrath by being jealous with God’s jealousy. Numbers 25:10–13 (ESV) — 10 And the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’ ” God then rewards Phinehas by giving him God’s “covenant of peace.” This covenant is one of the great covenants of the Bible, although it is hardly recognized. It resembles David’s covenant for an eternal king. This is about a perpetual priesthood. His descendents would always serve as the high priest. What Does This Mean? As we learn this story, we might wonder at the fact that God commanded Moses to hang these men up on a pole, that Moses tried to do it differently, and that God rewarded Phinehas for killing two people for idolatry. These are all uncomfortable truths we find in the Bible. But what does all of this mean? Is God rewarding some random person taking justice into his own hands and killing someone who didn’t deserve it? Comfortable With Idolatry What we see in this story is that the people have become lukewarm to the idea of idolatry. They engage in it without considering what it really means. Their God has saved them from slavery and saved them from enemies. He provides what they enjoy. Yet, they want to honor and worship a piece of wood or a piece of metal? Is God really supposed to let that go? When we see how much God has revealed about himself and given to His people, it becomes obvious that they have committed the greatest crime of all. These are commands number one, two, and three. They have broken God’s heart and rebelled against Him in a way that is very evil. He has shown himself to be full of mercy and compassion, but also unwilling to clear the guilty. The first lesson we learn is that God wants to be in the primary place in our lives and in our hearts. Nothing comes close. Don’t pursue any good thing as the ultimate thing. Keep God in His rightful place. Idolatry is making good things the ultimate thing. Attributing god-like attributes to people, tools, pleasures, or anything in this world. God is a jealous God. He does not tolerate our worship of other gods. Failed Leadership Another aspect of this story is the failed leadership of Moses and the chiefs of the people. Their failure to make God their ultimate spread throughout the people and they were the ones who God held responsible. The chiefs had “whored after” these foreign women. They fell to the temptations of the world and drug Israel down with them. Moses failed to see the importance of making an example of these men. He failed to be jealous with God’s jealousy. He tried to find another way to address the problem. Why? We are told that he was married to a Midianite woman back in Exodus. She was a worshipper of God, but this made him sympathetic to the Midianite people who were just as idolatrous as the Moabites. Jealous Zeal When we look at Phineas, we see a young man who could see through the bias and compromises that the leaders were making. But he wasn’t just any young man. He was a young man of the high priestly line. The responsibility would fall on him after Moses because Aaron had passed away. Phineas was the high priest at this time. His actions weren’t just judgment. God says Phineas has made atonement for the sins of the people. This is fascinating because it connects the death of the chief and his wife with the death of Jesus. I see typology in the chief and Midianite. Like Jesus, this chief was pierced and hung on a pole. His death atoned for the sins of the people. I also find it interesting that all people are represented, the Jew and the Gentile, in the chief and the Midianite princess. I also see typology in Phineas. Like Jesus, he was making atonement for the people and stopping death through the plague of sin. His actions resulted in a covenant of peace, but Jesus’ actions gave that covenant of peace to all the people. Phineas’ zeal and jealousy for God’s glory and honor also serve as a type for us. We are all part of a royal priesthood, we are supposed to be renewed in our hearts and minds so that we have a heart for God and a desire to honor him. This jealous zeal should motivate us to remove sin from the camp. God wants a people who are holy and righteous. He wants a people who love Him more than this world. I don’t recommend getting a spear and stabbing people. But I do recommend following the pattern in the New Testament for dealing with those engaged in blatant and rebellious sin. In 1 Corinthians 5, we read… 1 Corinthians 5:9–13 (ESV) — 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” Will we learn from Israel’s mistakes? Will we purge the evil from among us, regardless of what is politically correct? Will we be jealous for God’s glory and remove evil from our own lives?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Harmonize With One Another (Romans 12) Casey Gray Download You’re sitting across the table from someone, and they choose to open up. They’re vulnerable. They trust you with something deep. A pregnancy announcement—while you’re begging God for a child. A cancer diagnosis—while you don’t even know what to say. A job promotion—while you’re wondering how to pay next month’s bills. How do you respond in those moments? We would all like to think we know. But real life exposes us. Our emotions don’t always cooperate. Sometimes joy feels out of reach when someone else is celebrating. Sometimes grief feels too heavy to enter. Sometimes our pride whispers, “Why them? Why not me?” Paul knows this tension well. For eleven chapters in Romans he laid out the power of the gospel—how God rescues broken people, unites Jews and Gentiles, breaks down centuries of hostility, and creates one family out of strangers. And then he says in Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with one another.” Right before it, a phrase you could stitch on a pillow—but much harder to practice: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” So today we’re answering two questions: What does it mean to live in harmony? How do we actually do it? What Does Harmony Mean? A definition I’ve come to appreciate: Harmony is choosing to enter someone else’s emotional world— even when it costs you something. It’s choosing to be in sync with the lives around you. It’s choosing to care when caring is inconvenient. It’s choosing connection over comfort. A Picture From Worship If you grew up in congregational singing, you already know harmony is more than hitting the right notes. I remember the first time I ever visited a church of Christ as a teenager. The whole room lifted their voices—no instruments, no production—just people. And behind me stood a sister who had the voice of an opera singer. I’d never heard anything like it. It took me a while to learn that what I was hearing wasn’t just singing—it was parts blending together. Sopranos soaring. Basses anchoring. Altos weaving inside. Tenors carrying the melody. No one person made that sound beautiful. It was the togetherness that made it powerful. Singing the Same Song Harmony happens when everyone is working from the same sheet of music—same lyrics, tempo, key, and direction. If even one part drifts into a different song, everything sounds off. That’s the picture Paul is painting for the church. A congregation lives in harmony when its people are walking the same road—same convictions, same mission, same desire to please Christ. When someone gets off-tempo, we adjust. When someone stumbles, we slow down. When someone lifts their voice in praise, we lift with them. Paul isn’t calling us to uniformity. The beauty of four-part harmony is that we’re singing different notes. Different strengths. Different perspectives. Different experiences. But all serving the same song. Harmony means: I don’t need to be you. You don’t need to be me. But we both need to aim our lives at Christ. When we do, heaven sees a community singing the gospel—not with music—but with their lives. This is how God’s glory is exploding with praise before the spiritual beings who are all around us. Not just when we live a God-focused life in the good times and the bad times, but when we do that together. This harmony is like singing a song in harmony with our actions. How Do We Live In Harmony? Paul gives three practical steps in Romans 12 that make harmony possible. Without them, the church sounds like everyone warming up at once—noise instead of praise. A. Lay Down Self-Exaltation (12:3, 16) Nothing breaks harmony like someone singing louder than everyone else. Romans 12:3 reminds us to stop thinking too highly of ourselves. We all come to the cross the same way—empty-handed. There is no “first soprano” in the kingdom. No divas. No soloists demanding the spotlight. Then Paul says in verse 16: “Do not be haughty… Never be wise in your own sight.” Self-exaltation destroys relationships because it kills our ability to blend with others. It makes us stiff, impossible to correct, quick to judge, and slow to understand. And when one person elevates themselves, others instinctively rise to defend their place: “Who does she think she is?” “I’m just as important as he is.” Suddenly the song has become a competition, not a chorus. But harmony returns the moment we decide: I will exalt Christ, not myself. I will seek your good, not my glory. When everyone is working to honor someone else, the beauty of the body comes alive. B. Use Your Gifts (12:4-8) Harmony is only possible when we use our gifts. Romans 12:4–8 (ESV) — 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Consider the parallel to people singing out. If you refuse to sing, you aren’t in harmony with anyone. If you refuse to sing, you will create a silence that is heard, a silence that spreads. No one wants to sing when no one is singing around them. The louder we sing, the louder we sing. If we don’t do what we can to build up the body, the body won’t be built up and we are the reason why. When I first got here, I tried to do everything. I’m not sure if it was COVID or just my own immaturity, but I saw things that needed to happen and that no one was doing it. So I did it. I was trying to do everything, but I did nothing well. I finally realized this and stepped back so some of you can step forward and use your gifts. You have. You are stepping up and doing what is needed for this body to grow stronger. But we need more of you to use your gifts and honor God with your bodies as “living sacrifices” (Rom 12:1-2) C. Listen Before Speaking (12:9–13, 15) “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” We cannot do that from a distance. We cannot do that while distracted. We cannot do that without caring. Harmony begins long before you speak—it begins when you listen. Paul’s commands leading to verse 16 all push us deeper into each other’s lives: Genuine love Brotherly affection Showing honor Contributing to needs Hospitality We cannot do those things if we’re skimming the surface of someone’s story. You know what I struggle with? When someone is hurting, my first instinct is to fix it. Offer advice. Provide solutions. Patch the wound. But Paul doesn’t say, “Fix with those who are broken.” He says, weep with them. That means I slow down long enough to feel it. To enter their world. To let their grief touch me. And rejoicing? That’s hard too—especially when someone receives the blessing you’ve been praying for. Someone else’s engagement. Someone else’s promotion. Someone else’s answered prayer. Harmony means I celebrate even when my season is different. Because in Christ, their win is our win. The body moves together. D. Refuse Retaliation (12:14, 17–21) Nothing destroys harmony faster than payback. Paul says: “Bless those who persecute you.” “Repay no one evil for evil.” “Never avenge yourselves.” “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” You can’t sing harmony with someone you secretly want to see fail. You can’t rejoice with someone you resent. You can’t weep with someone you’ve written off. Retaliation fractures the church into adversaries instead of family. Paul’s remedy? Let God be the Judge. Lay down the weapons. Stop rehearsing the hurt. Treat your enemy like someone worth feeding and serving. This is not weakness. This is Christlikeness. And it is the only way a fractured church becomes a harmonious one. Conclusion At the end of the day, harmony is simply imitation. We harmonize with each other because we are learning to harmonize with Jesus. He never exalted Himself. He used His gifts to fulfill His purpose He listened to the broken. He wept at gravesides. He rejoiced in repentance. He refused retaliation—choosing the cross instead. His life is the melody. We’re learning the parts. So this week, when someone shares their joy or sorrow with you, ask: What note is Christ singing here—and how can I match it? This is our story. This is our song. Let’s sing it together.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Were You Predestined (Romans) Casey Gray Download What does it mean for God to foreknow or predestine? How does God predestine or preselect a destination for those people whom He foreknows? Calvinism is the most popular way to understand these ideas. It says that God foreknows and predestines or chooses every individual who is saved and who is lost. Their claim is that God is sovereign over all and must be in total control of this because we are totally depraved and cannot make the decision to be saved on our own. So, we are “elected” unconditionally, meaning there is nothing we can say or do that will make us a part of God’s elect. It is 100% Him and 0% us. I don’t believe this is correct. It is close to correct, but not completely correct. Perhaps you don’t really care about this. Maybe you just want to move on to something else. This is important. Believing that God foreknows and elects individuals is, perhaps, the most popular view historically, and adopting that view will have consequences. So today we will understand “those whom he foreknew he also predestined” by asking three questions: 1. What was God’s plan? 2. Who is predestined? 3. How do we have faith? Each question takes us down to a deeper level of understanding. What Was God’s Plan? Romans 8:28–30 (ESV) — 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This text in Romans is supposed to provide assurance that the Romans are a part of God’s special people, His family, when they chose to love God. Those who love God have God on their side, working all things together for their good. But there’s more to this text. We also see that they have become a part of God’s purpose because they were called according to it. God had a plan to save mankind through the gospel call. The words “foreknew” and “predestined” mean that something was planned out and determined before it took place. In this case, God knew and determined that He was going to take those who love God and have them conform to the image of Jesus. God's plan for you is that you would be like Him. Now, verse 30. What is that verse saying? This verse describes a sequence of events. It starts with God’s predestination and ends with our glorification. It is saying that everyone who loves God, loves Him because God predestined, called, justified, and glorified them. That’s what it says. Notice the emphasis of this text is on God, God planned to call us, justify us, and glorify us. Notice the conclusion is stated in verse 31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We should not deny the fact that God is the reason we are saved. Do you know that your love for God was a part of God’s plan? Do you know that He has worked in your life to call or draw you to Himself? God wanted you to love Him so He called you. You might say, “Wait a minute, Casey, I’m the one who heard the call and decided to follow Christ.” This is true. We’ll talk about that decision soon. But for now, understand that God is the focus of this text. God has always worked to save a group of people who would love Him and whom He would love. He knew that He was going to bring Christ and create the gospel call. Listen to His words 600 years earlier. Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV) — 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” So God fore-knew that He would have a covenant people in Christ and predestined that whole group to adoption and glory. God has predestined that group to bring Him glory and praise by keeping God’s law. He puts it in them, writing it on their hearts. They belong to Him and He belongs to them. This covenant people won’t be born into the covenant and taught the laws they ought to obey. They will “know the Lord” because He will have forgiven their sins. Foreknew doesn’t mean God simply saw the future and picked favorites. It means He set His love on a people before time began — a people who would come to Him through faith. You see, God had always planned to send Jesus, reveal Himself as the definition of love, forgive the sins of the poor in spirit, and change the hearts of a people who would belong to Him. God did this. Who is Predestined? We know that God foreknew and predestined a people to be like Christ, to be called, to be justified, and to be glorified. This much we can all agree on. But does that mean He selects these people unconditionally? In other words, does that mean we are elected whether we want to or not, or that we are rejected regardless of what we do? Unconditional means there is not one condition one must meet to be saved or rejected. What about the person who says, “I decided to follow Jesus?” Is it true that salvation is a choice which depends on our acceptance? What we see as we study Romans is that In Romans 9, we read that God did not predestine everyone born an Israelite to be saved. In other words, God did not create the condition, “If you are an Israelite, you will be saved.” We also read that salvation is not a matter of human will or exertion. God did not create the condition, “If you do everything right according to the Law or if you try really hard to be righteous, you will be saved.” We see in this chapter all the way through chapter 11 that God rejects people who pursue God by Old Covenant status and works of law. He rejects those who are proud and boastful. In the first century, he hardened Israelites who rejected the gospel and saved the Gentiles who accepted it, choosing to pursue God by faith. Paul is clear that the predestined, foreknown, later he will call them “elect” people of God are those who believe. He is emphatic that “Everyone who believes,” “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This is a condition. To say there is no condition is to ignore the conditions described. So, this answers the question, “Does God choose who to draw to Him and who to harden without considering anything they have done or what they have failed to do?” No. If they choose to have faith in Christ, they have accepted God’s call and will be saved. Salvation is not unconditional. It is conditioned on faith. The context doesn’t allow for any other interpretation. So, when we look at passages that mention God’s predestination, it’s important for us to see that God has not predetermined who will be saved individually. He has predetermined to have a group of saved people who have chosen to love Him in response to the gospel call. Those who would receive His love by faith, being justified and glorified because they are in Christ. How Do We Get Faith? But, wait one minute. We need to take this one more level deeper. As counterintuitive as it is, there are some who claim that faith is not something we choose to have. Faith, they say, is a gift from God. Let’s evaluate this. Election is based on faith, but how does one get faith? Is faith something we can develop on our own, or is it something given to us by God? One might look at Romans 5-7 and say, “Casey, you are claiming that man must do what man is unable to do. Don’t you know that Paul says we were dead in the trespasses and sins in which we walked? Dead people can’t do anything. Even the very act of having faith in Christ is a gift that God gives you, not a decision you make.” If you have ever heard someone say this, it sounds reasonable. The argument is: If faith were something we ultimately generate or contribute, it is a work and worthy of boasting. Faith must be a gift from God because anything you do is a work. They claim that faith is the gift of God. We are so totally depraved and dead in our sins that we couldn’t even choose to believe without God’s help. Salvation is 100% God and 0% you. Furthermore, if you do one thing then you are creating a works based system of salvation. This is a falsehood wrapped in truth. Think about it. Were you a horrible sinner unable to save yourself? Yes. Would you have ever decided to believe in God without Him providentially working in your life? Would you have ever believed in Christ without God’s word showing you the way? No way. There is no denying that “faith comes from hearing the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17). Without the word of Christ, we would still be dead. But we choose whether we hear the word or not. Plus, John 6 tells us that God must draw us to Christ for us to come to Him. But, the fact that God has to draw us does not mean we have to listen. We need to be thoughtful when answering the question, “How do we get faith?” First, we need to understand that faith or believing and trusting in God is an act we are doing. These are verbs. Second, we can go back to chapter 4 and see how Abraham chose to believe and it was credited to him as righteousness. In those texts, he contrasts the faith Abraham has and works of Jews according to the Law. Think about this. If faith is a gift from God, then it can’t count for anything. It’s not his faith. But Romans 4 specifically says that he considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb and he still chose to put his confidence in God. Third, even in the difficult chapter 9, we see that the Jews were “pursuing righteousness as though it can be obtained through law keeping.” It says, “they did not pursue it (righteousness) by faith, but as if it were based on works.” When we pursue righteousness by faith, we find it, and that is not works based righteousness. Believing, having faith, calling on the name of the Lord, is not about me. It’s about accepting what God has done for me. Think about what is happening at the moment one believes. There is an internal shift that happens. They go from living for themselves and pursuing empty things that never satisfy, to humbly accepting the gospel message of Grace. Did you do that or did God do that? The answer is, “Yes!” Don’t create a false dichotomy. They are both true. God is ultimately one one responsible, but we have to choose to accept this for ourselves. The seed and the soil were good and the Spirit was able to create new life through a spiritual resurrection you submitted to. Implications What you believe about this topic has big implications. What are they? If you believe that God predestines people to be saved or to be condemned, how do you know His will for you? If salvation depends on God’s random choice, assurance disappears — but if salvation depends on God’s unchanging promise to save all who believe, then assurance is anchored forever. They don’t believe the common refrain throughout scripture that “everyone who believes will be saved.” Really, it’s everyone He chooses to make believe will be saved. On the other hand, viewing God as urging people and letting them reject Him shows the level of love He carries toward His enemies. This means that God is providentially working in everyone’s life. In every instance, the hearer is being drawn by God. In some cases, God’s word pierces a heart of stone, or tenderizes it so it is receptive to the message (Ezek 36). In other cases, it doesn’t because those who hear reject the message. The greatest assurance comes in knowing that God will be faithful to you and will desire your salvation like a father longing for his prodigal son. When we choose to believe in His grace, surrendering our lives to Him, we have full assurance that we are one of the elect. Upon being baptized God circumcises our hearts (Col 2). As we look at Jesus, our inner selves are being transformed in His likeness (2 Cor 3:18). So we know that God is working all things together for our good, so long as we love Him. Conclusion What about you? Have you let God’s word penetrate your heart? If you have chosen to love God and give your life to Him, be baptized into Christ, receive His grace, and become a part of God’s special people. He wants you to be His child. Do you want to be His son or daughter?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The Wrong Reasons (Numbers 22-24) Casey Gray Download Have you ever done all the right things for the wrong reasons? Today, we are going to look at a story of two men and a nation which will help us understand how our desires and our requests from God can be totally wrong. Balak’s Fear Israel is on a role in Numbers 21. They are near the end of their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and all the surrounding nations are starting to get uncomfortable as they consider Israel. Canaanites and Amorites think that they can come out in battle against Israel and defeat them, but they find out that God is fighting for them. Israel took all their cities and defeated their kings. One nation that became really nervous about Israel was Moab with their king, Balak. Balak had been defeated by the Amorites and now Israel had defeated the Amorites. They knew Israel was a huge nation capable of wiping Moab off the map. So, Balak got together with the elders of Midian and convinced them to seek out help from a man named Balaam. Balaam was called many things: a “soothsayer,” a “diviner,” and a “seer.” He was a man well known for his ability to communicate with the gods and pronounce curses on people. It seems that whoever Balaam cursed was cursed and whoever Balaam blessed was blessed. This terminology is interesting because that appears to be God’s promise to Abraham, “whoever curses you, I will curse” and “whoever blesses you I will bless.” Anyway, the plan was accepted by the Midianites and they sent word to Balaam with the typical fees of divination.Balaam hears their request and tells them to rest while he goes and tries to communicate with Yahweh. It is interesting that he goes to Yahweh and God speaks to him. They talk about who has come to Balaam, and he lays out their request. But God refuses, telling Balaam that the people they want to curse are blessed by God. Balak, the king, is upset about this response from Balaam. He needs these people cursed so he will stand a chance at defeating them. So he sends more princes and more money to entice Balaam to come. Now, this is where the story takes an interesting turn. Balak says, “Don’t let anything hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come curse this people for me.” (22:17) Balak is going to pull out all the stops. He wants Balaam really badly. Balaam’s answer is honorable. He says the right thing, “If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.” Then, he speaks to God again that night and God says, “Go with them, but only do what I tell you.” Balaam’s Odd Situation Now, this is very odd. Balaam appears to be fully devoted to God’s message. God has blessed these people and Balaam cannot curse them, but he’s going to see Balak anyway. Why? Is God going to change His mind and curse Israel? It gets even more interesting. As Balaam was on his way, God became angry with Balaam for going. He sent the angel of the Lord with a sword because Balaam was “an adversary.” This is a startling turn of events. God has told Balaam to go, but now He will kill him for going. Is God two faced? No. God didn’t change, Balaam did. The prospect of having a lot of money changed him internally. God knew that Balaam wanted to go see Balak and receive the reward. God knew about the plan that Balaam was cooking up in his mind, and He was ready to kill Balaam for those evil thoughts. Of course we know that Balaam is not killed by the angel. God decides instead to give Balaam a lesson on humility. He allowed Balaam’s donkey to see the angel with its sword drawn, but only the donkey could see it. Imagine being Balaam, riding along and conspiring how you can give Balak what he wants and receive what you want. Then, all of a sudden, your old trusty donkey starts veering off the road and he heads out into a vineyard. You have a stick so you start beating the donkey, bringing him back into the road where the angel is. The donkey sees the angel again and immediately veers to the side, but this time there is no where he can go. In his fear he squishes Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beats the donkey again. When the donkey saw that there was no way to avoid the angel, he laid down. At this point, Balaam is irate! He’s beating the donkey, but the donkey looks up at him and starts speaking. God gives the donkey the ability to see the angel and the ability to speak. He uses this ability to ask a question. He says, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day?” The donkey is so confused by all this. He is trying to save the man, but Balaam says, “I wish I had a sword so I could kill you because you have made a fool of me.” After this interchange God opened Balaam’s eyes to see the angel. The angel has a sword and tells Balaam, “I would have killed you if it had not been for your donkey.” Balaam was saved by his donkey who he rejected and hated for making him look like a fool when he actually was being a fool. God tells Balaam once again, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” In other words, stop conspiring and coming up with ways to get money and honor for yourself. Be my mouthpiece and nothing else. Israel’s Irrevocable Blessing When Balaam arrives at Balak’s city, the king comes out to meet him and starts laying it on thick. “Balaam, Balaam, Balaam, what kept you? You know I’m going to take care of you and treat you with honor.” Balak is laying it on thick. But Balaam seems ready to speak only what God has said. In chapters 23-24, we read about Balak taking Balaam up to a high place, Kiriath-huzoth, where they would worship God or their pagan gods. Balak offers up an ox and a sheep. The next day, they go to a high place that only shows part of the people called “Bamoth-baal.” Balak offered up seven bulls and seven rams, hoping to make God happy with him, so happy that he would grant him his wish of cursing Israel and blessing him. Balaam went and talked to God, but when he came back he said, “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” He goes on to talk about how innumerable Israel is and how he wishes his end could be like Israel’s end. Balak was not too happy about this. “What have you done! I told you to curse them and you blessed them!” Balaam responded, “I can only say what God tells me to say.” So, they moved to the next mountain and offered up seven more bulls and rams as they looked at another section of Israel. This time Balaam says, “God is not man that He would lie, or the son of man that He should change His mind. He will do what He has said and fulfill His promise. The Lord, their God is with them.” God makes it totally clear to Balak that this aint working. Israel was brought out of Egypt by their God and their king, and He is for them. He will make them devour their prey. This is not going at all as Balak had planned. So, he takes Balaam to one more high place. Once again, Balaam tells Balak to offer seven bulls and seven rams. But Balaam did not go look for omens. He looked upon all of Israel and the Spirit of God came upon him so that he prophesied a third time in favor of Israel. Balak becomes angry and strikes his hands together. “I called for you to curse my enemies and you have blessed them three times! Get out of here! God has kept you from receiving silver or gold today.” To this, Balaam responds with another prophesy. This time his words are greater than before. He tells Balak that “a star shall come from Jacob and a scepter from Israel that will crush the forehead of Moab.” Then, he foretells the destruction of all the nations through this star of Jacob who rules over all. What Do We Learn? The story is hilarious, but also very informative. It’s hilarious because the men in the story are so oblivious to who Israel is and what God has done for Israel. They are failing to see what is going on at every part of the story, and they keep doing the same thing expecting a different outcome. God tells them no, but they just keep trying. It’s informative because it shows us that God has determined to bless Israel, and He will not betray that promise he made to Abraham. He will raise one up to “crush the forehead of Moab.” It also shows us how dumb we can be. We resemble king Balak, wanting something that is totally opposite of what God is trying to do. We think we can buy God’s favor by offering sacrifices and make God change His mind for our lives. But what we really need to do is move over to His side and start wanting what he is wanting. We also resemble Balaam, trying to manipulate our situation so we can have our cake and eat it too. Balaam ends up conspiring a way to get his riches from Balak. We learn that he told Balak to corrupt Israel and make them curse themselves. God would protect them from outside, but Israel ended up cursing themselves by being lured away to temptations. The most important lesson we should learn from these characters is that we can do all the right things for the wrong reasons and find ourselves on the opposite side of the battle from God. Balak offered tons of sacrifices. Balaam only spoke what God told him to (until he didn’t obviously). God is after our hearts. Always has been. Always will be. James 4:2–6 (ESV) — 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Conclusion Thankfully, this story shows us a God who desires us, and is willing to protect us against the forces of evil that seek to destroy us. He has sent his star to crush the head of our greatest enemy, and the only things we have to fear are the lustful desires of this world which pull us away from God. Like Israel, we have received an eternal love, even though we are oblivious, gullible, and undeserving of it.God loves us because He is so good. Will we love Him in return? Will we choose to do the right things for the right reasons?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Pride & Envy (Numbers 12) Casey Gray Download I think many of us want to be leaders at one point in our lives. It starts in school where we all want to be the line leader. Then, it carries over into sports where everyone wants to be the captain. Eventually, we grow up and want to be the boss. This desire for prominence and exaltation is not something everyone experiences, but those who do want to lead need to recognize that the rewards are offset by the responsibilities. It’s interesting to me that the people who don’t typically want to be leaders make the best ones. They have a good understanding of the responsibilities and work is not about them. On the other hand, the people who want to be leaders tend to have the wrong attitude about it. That’s why it’s so important for us to be raising young men and women who have the right heart and attitude. It’s not enough for them to be capable. They also need to possess the right heart and desires. Today we learn about Miriam, a brave young girl, who became a zealous leader, the first recorded prophetess, and, eventually, a horrible sinner like everyone else. The Life of Miriam MIriam’s story begins in Egypt, like so many we have looked at recently. She too was subject to a very hard childhood of slavery and injustice. I wonder how many brothers, cousins, or friends were killed due to the wicked laws of Egypt. “Throw your baby boys in the Nile!” they would command the Israelite women. Can you imagine women being forced to do that? Jochabed obeyed the command with her son, but she put the boy in a little boat that would stay afloat among the reeds. Asking a Bold Question (Exo 2) Imagine being Miriam. Maybe she’s seven or eight. She’s hiding in some bushes and watching her little brother float in the water to see what will happen to him. The princess of Egypt approaches the water and her servant retrieves the boy. Now, consider how risky it is to go up to the princess of Egypt. Who would be willing to go up and speak to her? Maybe she was just one of those kids who just spoke to anyone. Maybe she didn’t recognize that this was the princess of the land, but her question is still bold. She saw or heard the sympathy the princess had and asks, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” This created the perfect opportunity for Moses to be raised by his own mother for a brief time, but it ultimately saved his life. Leading the Women (Exo 15) We don’t see too much of Miriam after this event, but I imagine she was there all along. The next time she is talked about is after they cross the Red Sea. We read about how God allowed them to walk through the Red Sea on dry ground. Again, imagine it: the terror of realizing that Egyptian soldiers were coming for you, the wonder of walking on dry ground that was once under water, the elation of watching the waters fall and crush your enemy as they ruthlessly pursue you. That whole event would bring a flood of emotions. After it happens, Moses writes a song and all Israel sings in praise to their God (Exo 15). Exodus 15:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” Here she is described as a prophetess. This means that she is a woman of faith who speaks on behalf of God like Aaron does. Many people believe that she took on a leadership role among the women in the camp and assisted her brothers in this way. But notice her zeal. She watches what God does and breaks out in her own song. She leads the women in playing a tambourine, dancing, and singing over God’s great work of salvation. By all accounts, she appears to be a very righteous and devoted person. The Tongue (Num 12) But devoted and righteous people make mistakes. They aren’t perfect, and the one area where that often shows up is with their tongues. The tongue really hurts us, especially when everyone around us is misusing it. In Numbers 11, we learn that all the people had started complaining. None of them were happy with the leadership because they longed to eat good food again. God solved this problem by spreading His Spirit to seventy elders. Then, in Chapter 12, Miriam and Aaron started talking about Moses, saying things like, “I can’t believe he married a Cushite woman. A Cushite! I wonder what makes him so special that he gets to tell everyone what to do. God speaks to us too. We could probably do a better job than Him.” Numbers 12:1–3 (ESV) — 1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. Miriam is listed first, indicating that she is an instigator in this. Aaron really seems susceptible to a persuasion. Notice that Miriam is upset with Moses because he married a Cushite woman. There is rivalry between her and her sister-in-law. She is jealous and envious of her and of Moses’ extremely important role. Her goal is to use Aaron to help overthrow Moses. Moses is portrayed in this text as being extremely meek. In other words, he would never say anything like what Miriam and Aaron are saying. Meekness is about being humble and lowly. It’s not about weakness. It’s about willingly holding back your strength in love for others. So Moses wouldn’t do anything to stand up to them. Moses is the opposite of Miriam. Miriam is forceful and pushy. She makes demands and wants to get her way. So, she is proud, thinking much of her own way and her own thoughts. God’s Responds God hears this proud and jealous talk against Moses, and He decides to speak up. Numbers 12:4–9 (ESV) — 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. God does what Moses wouldn’t do. He makes it clear that Aaron and Miriam are nothing like Moses. God, effectively, puts them in their place, exalting Moses and lowering Miriam in the process. But that’s not all. Numbers 12:10–16 (ESV) — 10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran. Can you imagine the fear of being leprous when God’s cloud left? God sentenced her to the life of an outcast for being proud and jealous. For speaking against and desiring to overthrow Moses. Moses wouldn’t have done anything against her, but God made it clear that this attitude is not allowed in the camp. Can you imagine the embarrassment of having all Israel wait for you to suffer shame for what you’ve done? Nearly 2 million people are going to hear about this little incident, and you are a leader among them. Women look to you for guidance, but you failed to remain righteous. Application So Miriam was a great example of a brave and righteous prophetess, but she was also an example of selfish ambition and a loose tongue. Her good work was overshadowed by her foolishness, much like her brother Aaron. Self-Exaltation This error of Miriam is one of the most common errors throughout the Bible, self-exaltation. We could go back to Cain or go forward to Absalom or the Pharisees in the New Testament. The primary issue here is self-exaltation. When we open our mouths, hoping to cut down someone else and complain about an innocent man, we are selfishly ambitious. When we push our own agenda and our own way instead of working diligently in the role we are given, we are proud and jealous. Is God okay with that? Obviously not. This story really provides a contrast between Moses and Miriam. Moses is the meekest man on the earth at that time. He’s not wanting to be exalted. His goal is to serve God and help people get to the promised land. It’s not about him. Miriam is upset because she thinks that she needs to be on the same level as Moses. This text is showing us that God values and exalts the humble, those who are not self-seeking. This is exactly what Jesus taught while he was on the earth. He wanted to create a whole nation of people who were humble and lowly. Blessed are the “poor in spirit.” We have a similar situation to this in the New Testament. Mark 10:35–45 (ESV) — 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” James and John wanted to be better than everyone else. They were seeking to exalt themselves, but Jesus said his kingdom will not be like the common kingdoms of the land. Those who desire to be great among you must be slave of all. That’s the example that Jesus, himself provided for all of us. He did not come to be served, but to serve. He even washed the disciples feet. Outdo One Another In Showing Honor Our goal in the church is not to be exalted to a position of authority or honor among the group. Our goal is to exalt others and serve them so that God is glorified. We must stay focused and committed to helping one another be as faithful and honored as they can be. When we speak out with complaints or in a way that belittles our elders or leaders, we are being envious and proud like Miriam and attempting to overthrow those who are over you. It’s one thing if they are actually sinning against someone, but it’s something entirely different if it comes from a selfish and self-exalting heart. Conclusion The thing I love most about the story of Miriam is the quick response of Aaron and Moses. There was no hesitation in forgiving them and calling for God’s mercy. Perhaps it is because she was their sister, but I think it is primarily because they loved their sister. There wasn’t a spiteful or vengeful bone inside of Moses. He didn’t even want her to suffer any punishment for going against him. But God knew that consequences were needed in this case. She needed discipline through shame. We, like Miriam, might experience the same consequences when we become proud and selfishly ambitious. I know I have. Being saved doesn’t mean we are beyond reproach. Faithfulness can be undermined by pride, envy, or discontent with one’s God-given role.But we have a mediator like Moses who loves us and wants us to suffer little. He wants us to be redeemed and restored. That’s who Jesus is.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Suffering & Glory (Romans 5-8) Casey Gray Download Some of the brethren here are going through hard times. There seems to be a slew of difficult days that they keep being bombarded with. So today I want us to look at some passages that have been on my mind about suffering. Ecclesiastes 11:0-12:1 - 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. 1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; Solomon gives advice at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes to enjoy your youth and make the most of those early years because they will soon pass away and “evil days come” when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.” The longer we live the more likely it is that we will go through suffering. As we get older, it is important for us to have the right understanding and attitude about suffering. Job was a great man because he knew to remain faithful to God in the suffering, but as the trials lingered he was missing a key understanding that we have been given. He didn’t know why God lets the righteous suffer. We do. We have Jesus. So today, I want us to look at a few passages that Christians ought to know which will prepare them for suffering and glory. Romans 8:18 (ESV) — 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Why do we suffer in this present time? Paul wrote this to Christians in Rome who faced hard times. They dealt with beatings, unfair arrests, and constant criticism from people who didn't believe. Paul knew this firsthand. He had been whipped five times with thirty-nine lashes, beaten with rods three times, stoned once, and shipwrecked (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). But he still said that our current pain is small compared to the glory God will show us one day. Sources of Suffering When we study the Bible, we see many different occasions that lead to suffering. It can come from our own wrong choices, like when King Saul disobeyed God and lost his kingdom (1 Samuel 15). It can happen because we're around sinful people, like when David had to run from his son Absalom during a family betrayal (2 Samuel 15). God might allow it to teach us and bring us back to him, as he did with Israel in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 14). It can be God's way to keep us humble, like Paul's "thorn in the flesh" that he described in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Sometimes it's just the result of living in a broken world, what Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 calls time and chance. We might choose it for a good reason, like training hard as an athlete does (1 Corinthians 9:27). Or we accept it to help others or honor God, just as Jesus did on the cross (Hebrews 12:2). It's natural to ask, "Why is this happening to me?" We often think first, "Is God punishing me for something?" But that's not always the case. Remember John 9, where Jesus heals a man blind from birth? The disciples asked whose sin caused it—his or his parents'? Jesus said it was neither. It happened so God could show his power through that man (verse 3). Suffering often doesn't have a clear reason we can see, but it always has a purpose God can use. Responding To Suffering Most of the time, we won't know exactly why we suffer. A better question to ask is, "How can I grow through this?" Not every hardship has an obvious explanation, but we can always find ways to make it count. I understand if that sounds hard to accept. What good comes from losing a brother or sister? Or a parent when you're young? Or a spouse or child? What about ongoing pain, losing a job, or fights at work? Those things hurt deeply, and it's okay to feel that. But Paul teaches us to see suffering differently. He says it can lead to good things. Listen to Romans 5:3-5. Romans 5:3–5 (ESV) — 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. When we go through trials and periods of suffering, we learn to endure. The pain of suffering can do one of two things. First, it can build us up. It helps us learn to keep going—that's what Paul calls endurance. And endurance builds character. Character builds hope. Think of it like this: In tough times, we try to find comfort in other things first—maybe distractions or anger. Those don't last. Eventually, we turn to God, and that's when we grow. We get stronger against hard situations. We trust God's promises more. Peter said trials test our faith to make sure it's real, like fire tests gold (1 Peter 1:6-7). After the difficulty passes, we see the change in ourselves. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: Discipline feels painful at first, but later it brings peace and righteousness to those who learn from it (Hebrews 12:11). Second, suffering can make us bitter if we let it. If we expect God to make life easy all the time, we'll get angry when he doesn't. That kind of faith is weak—it falls apart under pressure. The book of Hebrews warns us not to ignore God's discipline or get tired of his correction. If we do, bitterness can grow and hurt us and others (Hebrews 12:12-15). So when suffering comes, we have to decide: Will it make our faith stronger, or show us where it's weak? We choose to trust God and his Word. That way, the pain helps us stand firmer. What Helps Us Suffer Well? Finally, I want us to think about what it would look like to suffer well. Some suffering comes from our mistakes or from God teaching us. But there is also suffering we choose on purpose. Why would we do that?Look at the disciples in the New Testament. At first, when Jesus was arrested, they ran away to avoid trouble. But later, in the book of Acts, they faced arrest and beatings without backing down. What changed them? They saw Jesus rise from the dead. That gave them confidence in the future God promised. It made them willing to suffer for others. Looking Ahead To Glory That's why Paul could write in Romans 8:18 that our sufferings now are nothing compared to the glory we'll see. No matter how much pain you've had—or will have—it won't seem important when you experience what God has ready for you. Those early Christians didn't worry about saving money for retirement. They weren't stressed about the best schools for their kids or sports teams. They didn't care if they missed a promotion at work. Their main focus was the hope of heaven. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (ESV) — 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. They accepted suffering because they knew it prepared them for something much better. When we keep our eyes on that future, today's problems feel smaller. Focusing On The Mission Finally, we suffer well when we are so focused on the mission God has given us that we become fanatical about it. This is what we see in the disciples in the first century. They walk willingly into a hostile environment because they are so focused on saving lost souls. They have prepared themselves thoroughly and they want to make a difference so badly that they don’t care if they suffer. They see the mission of Christ and they see the lost souls with hearts wide open. 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) — 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, I have noticed this about myself. When I become fanatical about something, I really get a lot of work done on it. My problem is that I jump from one fanatic thing to another. Have you ever noticed that in yourself? Maybe you are all about photography, then all about videography, then all about web design, or all about Alabama football, then all about 3d printing, then all about reading, or all about coaching soccer, then all about dieting, then all about budgeting, and it just goes on and on and on. The disciples were all about Christ and the spread of His kingdom. If they were fanatical about something else, it served the purpose of spreading the seed of Christ’s salvation to as many people as possible. If you want to suffer well, suffer with this purpose. John Piper wrote a book entitled, “Don’t waste your cancer.” Don’t waste your suffering. Use it to reach the lost and you will suffer well. Remembering God’s Presence One of the most comforting truths in Romans is that God doesn't leave us alone in suffering—He chooses to be right there with us. Paul makes this clear in chapter 8. He says that nothing can separate us from God's love: not trouble or hardship, not persecution or famine, not danger or sword (Romans 8:35). In fact, Paul quotes Psalm 44 to remind us that we might feel like sheep for the slaughter, but in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:36-37). What does this mean for us? God isn't distant, watching from afar while we hurt. His Spirit knows our thoughts and feelings and intercedes for us. And in Romans 8:28, Paul promises that for those who love God, all things, even the worst sufferings, work together for good, because God loves us and considers us to be His children. God is a God of comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction (2 Cor 1:3-7). He works through us to comfort one another. Think of times when, in the middle of pain, you've sensed God's comfort through a friend, a verse, or a quiet assurance. That's Him staying. This changes how we face the dark: We're not abandoned; we're accompanied. God walks the road with us, just as He did with Israel in the wilderness or with Jesus in Gethsemane. Conclusion Next time suffering hits, remember Paul's words, “The suffering of this present time is not worth comparing to the glory to be revealed.” Don't rejoice in the pain itself, but in what it can produce: endurance, character, and hope. Keep looking to the glory God promises. And hold tight to this: God stays with you, turning even the hardest moments for good. Love God and others well. What hard thing in your life right now could you start seeing as a chance to grow closer to God? Let's pray about that, and then go live it out. Amen.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The Mind of God (Romans 11:16-36) Casey Gray Download In our job, sometimes we justify doing what we wanna do when the boss isn’t around. It can be easy for us to do what we wanna do when God‘s not around or when we don’t feel his presence. Have you ever caught yourself saying, "God wouldn't mind if we…”? Perhaps you have looked around at other congregations and thought that changing up our worship would create a spark of excitement and help everyone to come alive emotionally. There are many congregations that use music to really get the crowd amped up. We don’t do that. Why not? Today, we are looking at a story about two men who made a mistake. They thought God wouldn’t mind, but they were wrong. We all make assumptions about God's will—based on Scripture's commands, examples, and implications. But when does a reasonable assumption cross into presumption? That's overconfidence, taking liberties that dishonor God's boundaries. Today, our central takeaway: Draw near to God with reverence, not presumption—honoring His holiness in worship starts with a humble heart. We'll see this through the shocking story of priests who got too casual about worship. Then, we'll apply it to our lives under the cross. Let's turn to Leviticus 10. The Fire That Fell Picture the scene. The Israelites, about 2 million strong, have been set free from Egypt so they could come to Mount Sinai to worship their God before He brings them into the promised land. A Feast At The Mountain (Exo 19-24) When they gathered at the foot of the mountain, Moses was told by God to bring the people out close to hear God speak to them His law. But He warned Moses that they must be washed and sanctified. Further, God said multiple times not to let anyone or any animal come near to the mountain to touch it. Because, if they did, they would die (Exo 19:21-25). These warnings were joined with a terrifying reality. From that mountain, God brought His glory down and spoke to them with lightning and thunder continuously flashing and rumbling. The people were so terrified at God’s voice that they called for Moses to listen to God and speak on their behalf. Then, something amazing happens. Moses goes up on the mountain with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and elders of the people and they have a covenant feast with God where it says they saw God (24:9-10). Can you imagine receiving an opportunity like this? Can you imagine getting to see God? Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron, whom God will make the first high priest. They were to serve as priests, and one of them would become high priest after he died. One of them would have become high priest if they had not died first. Glory In The Tabernacle About a year later, God had told them to build a Tabernacle, a portable holy place, most holy place, and a courtyard where worship would be conducted for all Israel. In Leviticus, we learn about all of the sacrifices that the priests were to conduct for the people. At this time, the priesthood consisted of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu. These three men were responsible for following all of the rules that Moses had been given by God. In Leviticus 8, Moses took them to consecrate them and prepare them to offer worship. He gathered all the people and told them that everything he was about to do would prepare these three priests to offer up worship on behalf of the people. He put special clothes on them and had them put their hands on the head of a bull and two rams to ordain them for the service of priesthood. This meant that they would serve as mediators between the people and God. They would draw near to God on behalf of the people and offer up sacrifices to God on their behalf. After the sacrifices have been offered they had to wait there for seven days in order to complete their ordination. On the eighth day, Moses called the people together again so that Aaron and his sons could be accepted with a burnt offering to the Lord. They were offering sacrifices first on their own behalf. A sin offering, a burnt offering, a grain offering, and a peace offering were given in worship to the Lord. They did everything exactly as God had commanded them. God told them the purpose of this sacrifice in verse 6, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” How amazing and magnificent! When they had completed everything they were supposed to do, fire came out from heaven and consumed the burnt offering! The people all shout and fall on their faces in reverence. But, in the excitement of the moment, Nadab and Abihu took their censers (metal sticks that hold flammable materials) and they created a form of worship that God did not command. The fire they offered to God was called, “Unauthorized” or “Strange” fire. So God sent fire from heaven to kill them. Failing To Sanctify What do you think about when you hear that God sent fire to consume His priests for offering the wrong kind of incense at the wrong time? Does that sound hasty or harsh to you?Listen to Moses’ response in verse 3. Leviticus 10:3 (ESV) — 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace. The point of this story is to help the people see that God expects people who draw near to Him to set Him apart as different from man-made gods of the nations. This is not a god who will tolerate being treated as common. He expects those who draw near to Him to honor Him and respect what He has commanded them to do. The failure of Nadab and Abihu was presumption. They presumed that God would enjoy the same insense that other gods enjoy, incense that they concocted. Think about that. In their minds, they have worshipped gods like Yahweh. They just want to give Him what they have given to other gods, gods men have created. The problem is that this is not one of those gods. They would have been better off sticking to the commands of Moses. Would God be okay with that today? Does He want us to treat Him like a god we create for ourselves and worship Him how we desire or in a way that resembles what we see in the world? The Consistent Theme of Presumption Throughout the Old Testament, we can find this sin of presumption repeatedly. Korah’s rebellion, the sons of Eli, Saul becoming impatient, and refusing to wait for Samuel to offer a sacrifice. Later King Uzziah entered the holy place and was made leperous. Who could forget the sins of King Jeroboam and all of the northern kings of Israel set up worship to golden calves and drew the people to worship away from Jerusalem. God was never pleased when men worship in a presumptive way, ignoring what he had outlined for them to set up their own worship. On the other hand, those who seek to restore the principles of worship are always praised as having tremendous faith. David, Hezekiah, and Josiah stand out in this regard. You see, it’s not enough to be fired up for worshipping God. They are fired up for worshipping God in accordance with what His word reveals. The word worship means to adore or pay divine honor as to deity. We do this in every aspect of our lives, but especially when we gather together as God’s people on the first day of the week. Application So how do we apply this in a world without a physical tabernacle or corresponding priesthood? The New Testament isn’t about fearing every little thing we do might be displeasing to God. It’s about honoring God and avoiding the presumptive attitude which shows a corrupted heart. In Spirit and Truth The first text to consider is John 4, where Jesus said, “The true worshippers will worship in spirit and truth.” These words of Jesus tell us that God wants everyone to worship him. He’s not focused on establishing the Samaritan worship practices or the Jewish worship practices. He focused on the spirit of the individual being engaged in worship with a true heart and desire to honor God’s will. This idea is at the core of all New Testament teachings on worship. In Mark, Jesus condemns the religious leaders of his day for honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from God (Mark 7:1-13). The New Testament reveals less about the order of our worship service and more about the condition of our hearts. When we read through the New Testament, there is a pattern we can follow, but God doesn’t focus on the pattern as much as he focuses on the heart. We don’t have a Leviticus to follow. Instead, we have a constant reminder of the importance of worshipping God with our hearts. In Acts 5, we see Ananias and Safira offering up a lot of money to God in worship, but they lied about it. God wasn’t interested in their worship. They, like Nadab and Abihu died. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that I could give all I have to the poor, I could offer myself up to be burned, but if I don’t have love, my worship is meaningless and profits me nothing. Drawing Near With Faith So, why are we here this morning? Are we here to worship, or to go through the motions? Think about it. How easy is it to become complacent or treat what we are doing as a common thing? Hebrews 10:19–25 (ESV) — 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. When we worship, we have access to the true holy place through the blood of Jesus! We get to draw near, not because we look the part, but because of what’s inside of us. Do we have true hearts, a full assurance of faith, clean hearts, consciences, and bodies. Are we drawn near with a strong confidence in God’s promises and an eagerness and devotion to build up the church. We have the opportunity to draw near so let’s not make this a place of entertainment and self-service. Don’t be distracted by the cares of this world. We aren’t here just to enjoy one another’s company. We don’t need the bands or the baptismal slides. (You can bet that they didn’t use those in the first century.) This is all about God, not us. We do what we do here to honor him, not to make ourselves feel good. What we do here matters. Don’t treat it as common. Don’t be presumptive about how we worship. Remember, “Among those who are near me, I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.”

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > God Won't Mind (Leviticus 9-10) Casey Gray Download Romans 11:33–36 (ESV) — 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Paul asks at the end of this chapter, “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” Does anyone here think that they know what God is thinking? There has been a movement in our day where people claim to know God’s plans for them. This movement is largely based upon Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) — 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. This is a passage where God states that He has plans for the remnant of Israel, plans to bring them a good life in Babylon. People want that to be true of them in our day, but has God made the same promise to you and I? Perhaps God has different plans for us? Maybe he intends for us to suffer for Christ’s name to be promoted. In Romans 11, Paul is explaining God’s plans for the Jews and Gentiles in the first century. People like to take the words of Paul in Romans 11 to be prophetic. They assume that he’s talking about God bringing all the Jews into the church at the end of time. But this is really about the spread of the gospel in the first 30+ years of the church’s existence. God had a plan in place to bring the Gentiles into Israel, and Paul talks about that here as a great mystery that has been revealed for them to understand. Temporary Hardening Saves Gentiles (11-15) In verses 11-15, Paul helps everyone understand that God has not rejected the Jews. He has simply allowed them to stumble and be hardened so that the Gentiles can become a part of the remnant who are saved. Romans 11:11–15 (ESV) — 11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? Notice here that the impact of the Jews hardening helps mankind in two ways. First, it brings in the Gentiles. Second, it helps bring the Jews down a notch. You see the Gentiles are going to receive all the promises that the Jews were promised and that will make the Jews jealous. Notice in verse 14, he says “and thus save some of them.” The Israelites who have chosen not to believe will be faced with another decision. Do I enjoy what the Gentiles have accepted and humble myself to say I was wrong, or do I harden myself further? Paul points out that some will humble themselves and their reconciliation will bring glory to Christ. Connecting To Christ (16-24) The next section takes this explanation further by providing an analogy of an olive tree. Romans 11:16–24 (ESV) — 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. In this analogy, we see what God is doing further explained. God has created an olive tree with a holy root. This root is known throughout Isaiah and other prophets to be the Messiah, Jesus. He’s called the shoot of Jesse. Those who are attached to Him by faith are made holy. This analogy is simple. Gentiles are a “wild olive shoot” that can be grafted into the tree and made holy. So, he tells them not to be arrogant toward the “natural branches,” the Jews. In this analogy, we have a picture of God’s kindness. He is willing to add anyone who humbly believes into the olive tree. We also see His severity. He will cut off those who disbelieve and not spare those who become arrogant. The choice to believe is still available for the disobedient Jews, and the choice to become arrogant is still possible for the Gentiles. Now, I want you to consider what this means because this has direct application to us today. If Paul is saying that a Gentile can become arrogant and be cut off after they were made holy, he is teaching that it is possible to fall away. He is teaching that those who stop believing in Christ and start putting stock in themselves, thinking they are better than others, will be cut off from the Olive Tree’s Root. Branches will not live without the nourishment that comes from the root. This illustration is, to me, the most clear picture of the falsehood of “once saved always saved.”The kindness of God says that you can be grafted back in if you repent and humble yourself. So, I don’t want us to miss that either. God is kind and severe. He is willing to forgive and willing to hold accountable. But He bases what He will do on our decision. The Jews chose to disbelieve (23). The Gentiles chose to believe (9:30). The Mystery Revealed (25-32) All of this talk about the olive tree is pointing to the fact that God has a strong desire to save all of mankind through Jesus. Romans 11:25–32 (ESV) — 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. In this section, Paul repeats what he has said earlier in this chapter and in this letter. God has partially hardened Israel so that he could do three things. 1. Bring the Gentiles in 2. Make some Jews jealous enough to believe 3. Thus save all who are truly Israel. Paul’s words in verse 26, “In this way all Israel will be saved” cannot contradict his previous statement, “Not all Israel is Israel.” (9:6, 8) If you see people claiming that the physical nation of Israel is God’s chosen people, don’t listen to them. The remnant of Israel is every Jew and Gentile who connects themselves to Jesus. God wanted to save the Jews in 30-69 AD, but then He destroyed their city and destroyed their temple with no promises to bring them back. This is a confusing text to a lot of people, but I hope you can see that this is the mind of God. He made plans in the first century to harden the Jews for the purpose of bringing in the Gentiles. He made plans to make the Jews jealous to bring some of them in after they were hardened. But most of all, verse 32 says, He made plans to “consign all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” This is the mystery Paul wants Christians in Rome to understand. It’s the same mystery God reveals in Ephesians 3.God made plans to save all mankind. Everyone who would believe the gospel Paul preaches and submit their lives to Christ can be saved. Will We Believe? As we read this text, two things should become obvious. 1. Christ is the only root we can attach to in order to be made holy. We have to make the choice to believe in the gospel to be saved, and we must not become arrogant in our salvation. The only reason why we have hope of being made holy and righteous is because God was willing to send His son to sacrifice Himself for us. We must recognize our own insufficiency and need for God’s mercy and grace. If I become proud and arrogant, I’m like those Jews who disbelieve and I, like Paul says in Galatians, nullify the grace of God by thinking I am good enough without Christ. Remember, Christ is the root. Don’t become arrogant or fail to see the purpose of His sacrifice to save the lost. 2. We have no clue what God’s plan is for us here in Saraland church of Christ. His plan in Jeremiah’s time was for the remnant to set up long term living in Babylon. They were going to be there for 70 years. They didn’t think that would happen. In the first century, everyone believed that the Messiah would gather all the Jews to himself, but Paul reveals that God also wanted to gather the nations to himself. He wanted to use the Jewish rejection of the Messiah to bring the Gentiles in. No one saw that coming. We don’t know what God is doing here. I’ve heard that this congregation was at one time around 150 people. Why did it have that many? Why does it now have 60 on Sunday morning and 30 who show up on Wednesday night for Bible class? Why have so many people moved away? We don’t know why we are going through what we are going through. God may intend for us to rise up out of this with the greatest evangelistic effort this congregation has ever seen. What we do know from this text is that God’s plan is all always about saving the lost. He saved the remnant in Babylon because He wanted to bring the Messiah through their descendants. He hardened the Jews to save the Gentiles. He made the Jews jealous to save some of them who He had previously hardened. Paul is telling the Gentiles this because he wants them to be open minded and loving toward the rebellious Jews. God is always working to bring about the salvation of men, and we have to choose to be a part of that plan. Do we want to be a part of His plan to save disobedient people, or do we want to be one of the disobedient who need saving?

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > A Hardened Heart (Exodus 4-14) Casey Gray Download Have you ever had things going really well in your life and been scared to lose it? Imagine being the sole ruler of the greatest civilization on earth. The Nile river provides abundant resources, the wealth of the nations have poured into your economy as a result of a famine, and you have at your disposal the largest slave labor force in history (Over 600k able bodied men). Life is good if you are Pharaoh, but this prosperity is fragile. You have to keep the slaves in their place so that they don’t rise up against you. In Exodus, we read that there was a Pharaoh in power who tried to suppress the Hebrew people by killing off their male children. Then, we read about slavery and oppression that was constantly going on. It seems as though the Egyptians have been playing psychological games with the Hebrews to completely break their spirits so they wouldn’t want to change the way things have become. When we studied through the life of Moses, we could see that Israel was convinced that they had it good in Egypt. Nevermind the whips, the working from dawn to dusk, and the lack of financial prosperity. Hebrews were not treated fairly in any way. God Hears About Pharaoh (Exo 3:7-22) In the wilderness, Moses is told to go to Pharaoh and command him to let God’s people go. Exodus 3:7–10 (ESV) — 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Imagine God hearing the cry of every Israelite. They were so tired and wishing for relief and wishing for God to deliver the promises he made to Abraham. They want to be free, but they don’t know how to become free. The response of God was to send Moses to Egypt, knowing how stubborn Pharaoh can be. Exodus 3:18–22 (ESV) — 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” God points out that He knows the king of Egypt. He is not going to be easily persuaded to let go of his free labor force. Losing the Hebrews will bring major discomfort on the Egyptians. Has anyone ever come to you and told you about a sin you were committing? Did you enjoy that? How many thoughts went through your head at that moment? Did you feel everything inside of you resisting? Did you run through all the scenarios and catastrophize about what changing might mean? Perhaps the sin you are committing is how you have always lived and all you’ve ever known. Or maybe you have put everything into this sin and you fear what will happen to your life if you give it up. In business they call that a sunk cost, meaning you would rather go down with the ship than sell a bad purchase. Now, you are being called upon to give that up. After Moses agrees to go to Egypt and do what God asks him, God gives Moses a little bit of information about His plans. Exodus 4:21–23 (ESV) — 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ” This is a brief summary of all the events that follow in Chapters 5-14. Increasing The Hardness? (Exo 7-14) Moses will go to Egypt and speak to Pharaoh, but Pharaoh will refuse to listen to Moses and refuse to obey God. Instead of listening, he will increase the workload of the people and make life even harder. He hopes to pressure all of the people into being afraid to speak out. It seems to work. All of Israel is mad at Moses and Aaron for getting them into trouble. But God doesn’t stop. He’s not going to let Pharaoh win. He sends Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh, but he once again tells them of His plan to harden Pharaoh’s heart. Exodus 7:1–5 (ESV) — 1 And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” Then, God has Moses demonstrate miraculous signs, but Pharaoh won’t believe. After that, he begins to bring plague after plague upon Egypt and Pharaoh. The king’s response is nothing short of insanity. Listen to what one commentator said. There is a kind of madness to Pharaoh’s actions. Calamity after calamity is inflicted on Egypt, but he refuses to submit. At one point his officials beg him to relent (10:7)—but he keeps on inviting more suffering on his country. He cannot concede because his pride is at stake. It’s insane. Chester, T. (2016). Exodus for You (p. 69; C. Laferton, Ed.). The Good Book Company. Any reasonable person would have tapped out when the whole place is covered in frogs or when hailstones are falling out of the sky, killing people and animals everywhere. The number of tragic events that happen after Moses calls for them should have been a clue that God was really behind this. But Pharaoh isn’t acting purely based on reason. He has been pushed to the point of insanity by God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. He says he will let Israel leave, then he doesn’t. He tells them to leave their wives and children behind, all their cattle behind, and to worship in the land, but they refuse and he refuses to let them go. In the end, Pharaoh lets Israel go because God kills his first born son along with all of the first born of the land of Egypt. But even after letting the people go, he cannot stand his decision. He changes his mind and sends out an army of 600 chariots to round them up and bring them back. This is when God tells Moses the following. Exodus 14:16–18 (ESV) — 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” The result of the hard hearted Egyptians was catastrophe for them, but also glory for God over them. Hardening A Wicked Heart Now, there are many people out there who read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and they get the wrong ideas in their heads. Some look at this and think that God hardening a man’s heart is in some way forcing them to do evil and compromising their free will. But, if you pay attention to the story of Pharaoh, it’s easy to see that Pharaoh is already evil. All God does is remove any restraint. When it comes to rulers being established in kingdoms, God sets up certain people for certain purposes. Some are set up to take people captive like Nebuchadnezzar, others are to set people free like Cyrus. God has a purpose in everything he does, and He controls the kingdoms of men. But notice that this is not an instance where God took a good man and made him evil. This was already an evil and oppressive ruler who was selfishly ambitious. God has the power, authority, and right to give someone like that over to his passions and evil desires (Romans 1). He does it with a plan to have glory among the nations. Glory in His power to save and in His power to defeat all who stand against Him. This whole story of hardening Pharaoh’s heart amplified the message and revealed how great his power is. Consider that God had every right to kill Pharaoh and all the Egyptian people with the snap of his finger. Instead he uses them to help people understand who He is so they might turn and worship Him. In The NT This same thing happens throughout the Bible and even in the New Testament. Consider that Jesus recognized that the people weren’t really believing in Him. So what did He do? He started speaking to them in parables, and he refused to entrust himself to them. He called for them to think harder and listen more closely, but his actions actually led them to separate themselves more and stop following Him. John 12:37–43 (ESV) — 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. This text provides a powerful explanation of what is really going on in the minds and hearts of the Jews. God seems to harden them after they made their choice. He pushes them deeper into the foolish and darkened mind which ultimately led to Christ being crucified. Only for them to later be awakened by a powerful message at Pentecost. This leads us to the critical points of all of this. 1. God doesn’t harden the righteous or those who are trusting in Him. 2. God doesn’t always harden men to destroy them. He does that sometimes, but other times he hardens them with hope that they will be ashamed. Will We Honor God? So, the question we have to ask ourselves as we look at Pharaoh is how are we going to respond when God calls for us to do something we don’t like? He’s not going to ask us to “Let My people go!” But he will ask us to let go of something we are holding onto, something we don’t want to give up.Throughout this, there is certainly a sense in which God is the one hardening Pharaoh’s heart, but it started with Pharaoh hardening his own heart. God knew Pharaoh would do that, but Pharaoh is the one who made that decision. The same can happen to us. Hebrews 3:7–14 (ESV) — 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. God told Moses, “I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.” What will it take for you to hear God’s message for you and to let go of the sin you are holding on to? Why are you being so stubborn!?!? Does it scare you to know that if you persist in this God might harden your heart and use you as an example of what not to do to your shame? He has every right to do so. Feel ashamed and cut to the heart over your passions and desires. Jesus said to, “Cut off your right hand” if it causes you to sin. LET IT GO! Jesus said it like this, “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Do you have an evil and unbelieving heart that is unwilling to submit to God? Jesus died for you to be saved, but those who refuse to trust in Him have no hope. God wants to give you a new heart and a new spirit that resembles Christ’s humble and obedient one. Please come forward and let Him do that for you.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Those Who Stumble (Romans 10:18-11:15) Casey Gray Download You pray for someone year after year. You share the gospel with tears in your eyes. They shrug it off. Maybe even laugh at it. At some point you sit in your car afterward and ask, “What is the point?” or, “Why am I doing this?” That ache Paul felt for Israel is the same ache you feel for that friend, that child, that sibling. Paul says he would give anything to see them come home to God. You have felt that too. So, how should he feel toward his people after they have refused to believe? Should he shake off the dust of his shoes and forget about them? Is that what God has done? Today we see that God is not done with them. Nor is He done with you. God is faithful, even when people are stubborn and slow to believe. Israel Has Rejected God In Chapters 9 and 10, we have seen how Israel has refused to believe in Jesus. They have chosen to reject the savior and pursued righteousness through law keeping. It will never get them to the point of salvation. God has made it easy for them, but they refuse to believe what they have heard and have understood. Romans 10:18–21 (ESV) — 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” These questions and answers are fascinating because they point out that everyone has heard and everyone has understood, but the Jews will need some additional nudging. Even the Gentiles have heard and understood the message. They have found salvation and they weren’t even looking for it. So, it is not as though Israel was unable to understand it. The problem is that Israel is disobedient and contrary. They have “stumbled over the stumbling stone.” God Wants To Save He furthers his point in Chapter 11 by asking the question, “Has God rejected His people?” This is a powerful question. One that Paul has been hinting at throughout the book. Has God rejected His people? God had never totally rejected His people. Even after Judah had completely abandoned Him and worshipped all kinds of idols, God saved a remnant. Romans 11:1–6 (ESV) — 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. To explain this, Paul gives us two examples to chew on. Paul The first example is himself. He says, “I am an Israelite and I am saved.” Think about that. Paul was a stubborn and rebellious Israelite. He persecuted Christians. He did not deserve mercy, but God chose to have mercy on him. 1 Timothy 1:12–17 (ESV) — 12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Paul was not saved because he accepted the truth the first time he heard it. He rejected the truth to the point of destroying the lives of people who believed. God wanted to make him an example for all to see how merciful Jesus can be. God is not the one rejecting His people. They have rejected Him and He is still working to save them and showing them mercy through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, I wonder if we see how gracious God wants to be toward everyone. He was willing to save Paul and to make him an example of the perfect patience of Jesus. I think I would have really struggled to do that if I had known Paul before his conversion. God give us eyes to see what you see! Elijah The second example goes further by pointing to Elijah. Elijah was a prophet who really loved the Lord and hated how evil Israel had become. He prayed that it would not rain so that Israel could be punished for their sins. Then, he prayed for it to rain and won a great contest by demonstrating God’s power on Mount Carmel. Elijah was sure that the contest would result in Israel putting away their Baals and worshipping God again, but instead Jezebel turned Ahab against Elijah and sent men to kill him along with all the prophets of the Lord. This is the context of God’s word to Elijah. He was distraught thinking that he was the only one left who was faithful to God. But God responded with a revelation that there were still 7000 who had not bowed a knee to Baal. What does this example say about God rejecting Israel? Paul uses this example to say that we don’t know how many Jews are out there who are sincerely confused about the gospel. There are many who will be taught the truth because God is gracious and merciful and willing to patiently wait for them to hear it. Like Elijah, it looks bad right now, but we have no idea how many are still on the fence and about to be converted. Application: As we think about this, I think it’s important for us to carry the same attitude that Paul is bringing to this conversation. Maybe there are people around us who deny Christ and refuse to submit to the will of God. Don’t let that get you down. Don’t think, like Elijah, “No one else believes and no one ever will.” God doesn’t think that way. He sees those who are still struggling with the truth, and he has plans to help them come to the light. God’s message for Elijah was, essentially, “Get back to work.” That’s our message as well. Stop being distracted with worry and fear for those who seem hostile, and keep shining a light for all to see. Let God handle the growth. The Mind of God (7-15) If God hasn’t fully rejected His people, what has happened? What is going on in the mind of God, and how should the Christians in Rome view the hostility of the Jews towards them? The next section gives us a glimpse. Romans 11:7–15 (ESV) — 7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.” 11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? He reiterates that Israel has failed to obtain what they were seeking. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. They rejected the truth of the gospel and refused to believe. Then, notice what God did. He hardened them. They refused to accept His grace, and he didn’t just write them off. He gave them over to their sins and let them become extremely foolish. I want to point out something briefly right here that I plan to explain further tonight. God doesn’t harden them to destroy them. He hardens them with hope that they will see their error, become jealous of the Gentiles, and submit to God’s will. He doesn’t harden them against their will. He hardens them in accordance with their will. This is the same thing we see God say He was doing in Chapter 1. The point of what Paul is saying is that God never gives up on those who stumble. Paul doesn’t see the Jewish people as beyond hope. They have stumbled, not fallen, and God can use that to bring the Gentiles in. But God can also use the Gentiles coming in to make the Jews jealous. If you or I were living in that time, we would have no concept of this. The Jewish hostility would be so confusing to us. We would ask, “Why do your own people reject you, God?” How quickly do we write off people who reject the gospel and move on. But Paul is telling the Gentiles and Jews in Rome to trust that God is still working on the hearts of the rebellious to turn them back to Him. That’s who He is and what He does. The gospel is for every disobedient soul. Conclusion The words in this section reassure us that God is the one who knows and gets to decide who will be saved, but also that God wants everyone to be saved. Do you? There have been times in my life where I have taken rebellion and a refusal to hear the message as a sign that someone is done. They just aren’t going to listen. They made fun of me, cussed me out, or laughed in my face, and I decided not to throw my pearls before swine. I thought that once their heart is hardened, there’s no coming back from that. But Paul doesn’t have that attitude at all. He believes God can bring the Jews back. In the book of Acts, Paul makes it clear that he will preach to the Jews one more time even if they kill him and they nearly do. He keeps going back because his love drives him to do so. We started this section with Paul stating that he greatly desires Israel to be saved, and now we see God does too. Someone is on your mind right now. You love them. You fear for them. You have prayed and waited. Take courage. God has not walked away. He is patient beyond what we can imagine. He kept reaching for Israel. He kept reaching for Paul. He kept seven thousand for Himself when Elijah saw no one. He may be closer to reaching your loved one than you think. Don’t give up on them. Don’t write them off. Don’t be Elijah in the cave thinking that there is no hope. God says to Elijah, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Get back to work and don’t give up because God hasn’t. There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save. Perhaps they have just stumbled and not fallen.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Calling on the Name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-15) Casey Gray Download There are words I hear a lot in my house, “Daddy, please help me.” Those words get old sometimes, and I expect the kids to use them less and less as they get older. But I love the words because they mean that I am relied on. There may come a time in my life where my kids become self-reliant and don’t call me for help when they need to. That will make me sad. Everyone believes in and relies on something. Perhaps it’s family members, friends, your own hard work, luck, or a sports team. We tattoo our loyalties, chase our securities, but when the real storm hits, these people and things we put our trust in will struggle to help us, if they try at all. Only one name has the power to answer: the name above all names. That's the heartbeat of Romans 10:9-15. He's describing the cry of a soul turning to Jesus for help, not as a distant fan but as a desperate sinner willing to surrender all. How Can We Be Saved? To unpack this, let’s turn to one of the Bible's most used passages: Romans 10:9–13. Paul describes a beautiful, intertwined response to Jesus: inward belief that spills out in confession and calling on his name. Romans 10:9–13 (ESV) — 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It's not about mustering superhuman strength or checking off a list—it's about trusting God to handle what we can't, a far cry from the exhausting grind of trying to earn righteousness through the law every single day. This path saves us from the wrath our sins deserve (Romans 5:9), open to anyone, anywhere. Believing In Your Heart Let’s take a look at belief in this text. Believe is a verb, an inward action. It is something we choose to do or to not do. Faith is something you have or don’t have. It’s a noun. You have faith when you choose to believe what you hear. Here we find the explanation of faith when he says, “Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.” He repeats for emphasis, “With the heart one believes and is justified.” The word faith is sometimes a confusing word to people. Some think having faith simply means you believe that something is true. But faith is deeper than mental agreement. James tells us that even the demons believe and shudder, but they don’t have faith. This text shows us that saving faith is rooted in the heart. It’s about being so convinced something is true that you bet your life on it. In this case, the truth is that Jesus is who he claimed to be because God raised Him from the dead. If you want to be justified and stand as righteous before God, you must believe in your heart that Jesus has been resurrected from the dead. If you believe this, then it should follow that the rest is true: Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Believing in your heart is the first and most critical step. It is the point where one is counted as righteous and experiences justification. Abraham believed and was counted as righteous for that belief. Paul will go on to say that this is the critical issue with the Jews. They refuse to believe this in their hearts. The book of John is full of people who believe, but not in their hearts. The great thing about this is that it’s something everyone old enough to understand can choose to do. But we will see next how Paul doesn’t only say believe and you will be saved. He tells us to do something else. Faith is the first and most critical step, but there is another. Confessing Jesus is the Lord The first thing he mentioned is, “Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.” Belief obviously comes before confession. If you confess something you don’t believe, it’s of no value. But what does he mean here? Do we just say these words, “Jesus I believe you are the Lord of my life” and, abracadabra, we are saved? Some might read this in that way. But that’s not the point of what Paul is saying at all. Much like belief is given the qualifier, “In your heart.” This confession is more than merely saying words. In Matthew 7, Jesus says, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord! Lord! Did we not cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name?’ And I will pronounce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.’” Jesus is not going to be impressed by people who say certain phrases or call Him Lord. So what is this about? Calling someone Lord is about submitting to their rule and authority, not just recognizing it. Everyone will recognize that “All power in heaven and on earth” has been given to Jesus on judgment day, “every knee will bow.” (Phil 2:9-11) So Paul isn’t just telling us to recognize Jesus is the Lord in order to be saved. It’s about accepting Jesus as Lord over all areas of our lives. We see more about this when we keep reading. What saves? Pause for a second and think about some ideas in this text. He says those who believe will be justified. Then, he says that confessing Jesus is Lord saves you. Then, he says everyone who calls on the name of the Lord is saved. These are different ideas, but they are all linked. They are talking about the same events. Let me explain. Imagine a person who goes to the doctor and finds out they have cancer. They are going to die if nothing is done. But there’s good news. The doctor knows where the cancer is and it can be easily removed. Now, we come to the first choice. Do you thank the doctor for finding this and having a plan to solve it or do you argue with him in disbelief? That act of complimenting the doctor is faith and belief that you have a problem and that he can solve it for you. Rejecting him would show the doctor that you are stubborn and defiant. He has all the facts on his side. He knows what this is and how to treat it. Then, we have the second choice. Will you allow the doctor to surgically remove the cancer or will you go home and forget it ever happened? After you recognize that you have cancer and believe that the doctor can fix it, you have to call for him to do it. You call on his name or call on his authority to cut away your cancer and make you healthy. This is what we must do once we believe in our hearts that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God and Lord of Lords. We must call on the name, the authority of the Lord to forgive our sins. We must humble ourselves and submit to the surgery with faith that He can cut away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. Is that what you’ve done? Making The Choice It’s important for us to see salvation as a process. Paul describes it this way. Romans 10:14–15 (ESV) — 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” It begins with someone being sent to preach. Those being sent must preach. Then the hearers must listen and believe the message in their heart. Once they believe the message, they have to call on His name, call for Jesus to save them and be the Lord of their lives. Notice that this simple process does not include becoming a really good person. Jesus doesn’t hold back salvation until we have our lives figured out. He’s not creating hoops for us to jump through. But the act of calling on the name of the Lord does imply a willingness to change and submit to His Lordship. The surgery we actually need is a heart transplant. If you are going to surrender yourself to Jesus, you need to surrender everything. Jesus has to become the Lord of your mind, your thoughts, and your desires. His thoughts have to become your thoughts. His ethics and values must become your own. Everything we think and do must be subject to His will and desire. When we go to work, when we speak to family or friends, when we spend our time pursuing fun things or doing work for Him, it has to be about Him. He isn’t saving us so we can go on living with a get out of jail free card. He is saving us so we can serve His purpose and bring others who are lost into the fold. Making the choice to receive salvation is making the choice to follow Jesus, repenting of all your sins and working for His glory and praise. If we make that choice, we will find that His way is better. His thoughts are higher than ours, and his blessings are more valuable than anything we could ever earn without Him. Peter calls it an imperishable and unfading inheritance. Have You Called On His Name? Some of you might already believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and be working to make Him the Lord of your life. You have taken the first step on the path to salvation. Did you call on His name? You might say, "Yes, I said a prayer" or "I confessed my belief." That is good. That is what David seemed to do when he was told by Nathan that he had sinned. We can read his prayer in Psalm 51. But in the New Testament, we are told that baptism is how we “call on the name of the Lord.” When we baptize someone we say, “I baptize you ‘in the name of’ the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” or “in the name of Jesus.” Both are examples we find in the book of Acts. Both indicate we are calling on his name when we baptize. In baptism, we are appealing to God for a clean conscience (1 Peter 3:21), asking Him to wash our sins away. In Colossians, Paul speaks about baptism being a surgery made without hands, a spiritual circumcision where God cuts away the flesh and we are raised from spiritual death to spiritual life. In baptism, Paul says we are putting our faith in the powerful working of God. Similarly, Ananias told Paul in Acts 22:16, “Why do you wait, rise and be baptized, washing away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” If you believe, why are you waiting? Call on His name and receive the gift of the renewal that is promised in scripture. Crucify yourself and be renewed by God’s Spirit today. Have faith in Jesus and make Him the Lord of your life. If you have already put on Christ in baptism, are you living for Him? Is there some part of your life that you haven't submitted to Him? Tell us what you need so we can help you and pray for you.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Beset With Weakness (The Life of Aaron) Casey Gray Download Have you ever known someone whose life seems eclipsed by one colossal mistake? Think of Bobby Petrino's scandalous motorcycle crash with his mistress, or Richard Nixon's Watergate unraveling. These stories haunt us, don't they? We reduce people to their failures. Tonight, we meet Aaron—a man forever linked to a golden calf. But let's look deeper: his story isn't defined by idolatry. It's a testament to God's relentless grace for the weak. The Call of Aaron (Exodus 4–12) Aaron and Moses grew up in the same brutal era under Pharaoh's whip. Unlike Moses, adopted into Egyptian luxury, Aaron endured the Hebrews' slavery—immersed in their cries, their compromises, their sin. The life of Aaron is a complicated one. After Moses was selected to be the leader of the people, he refused due to his inability to speak eloquently. God knew that Aaron would serve Moses well in this regard. Exodus 4:10–16 (ESV) — 10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. God made it to where Aaron would be with Moses all the time. He saw everything that God did through Moses and became like a prophet with Moses being like God. Aaron would play a significant role in the redemption of God’s people. He was there for every plague and walked across the dry ground. But Aaron wasn’t Moses. Don’t you wonder what that would have been like? He was like the puppet in the ventriloquist act. In some ways Aaron appears superior to his brother. He was three years older. It seems like Aaron had Moses beat in his ability to speak, but God chose Moses to lead the people. What would that feel like? Have you ever been in a position where you are forced to follow someone who is younger than you? The Fall (Exodus 32) After the people are saved from Egypt and make it to Sinai, Aaron stays beside Moses and works with him to lead the people. He even would go up on the mountain with Moses to hear the commandments from God. He was there with the seventy elders when they had the feast that ratified the covenant they were in, along with his two sons. After that covenant was ratified, we learn that God wanted Moses to go up on the mountain alone. He leaves Aaron and Hur in charge. Moses is being shown heavenly realities and all of God’s plans for Aaron and his sons as high priest. Aaron takes center stage and appears to be the one whom God chooses to off sacrifices and stand as an intermediary for the people, offering the sacrifice and working in the tabernacle. But as Moses is being told about all of this, Aaron is convinced by the people that Moses is not coming back. So, he does something awful. Exodus 32:1–6 (ESV) — 1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Aaron appears to be easily led and persuaded by the people. He seems to value their opinion and be more faithful to them than he is to God. He believes that this hunk of metal is the Lord. Exodus 32:21–25 (ESV) — 21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), Aaron’s response to Moses shows that he was weak. Aaron wasn’t a strong and faithful leader for Israel. He was not trustworthy and could not be left in charge of anything. His own words appear to be deceptive and do not match what is said about him earlier. He put up no fight against the people and willingly engraved the calf, telling them to worship it. So, as we read the story of Aaron, we have to understand that he is beset in weakness. He is overly sympathetic for the people and values their approval to the point of ignoring the commands of God. But his words to Moses show that he has reverence and fear toward God. Notice that God does not destroy Aaron. He sends a plague to destroy many, but not Aaron or his family. Later, Aaron will make another mistake by challenging Moses’ authority along with Mariam. It seems like he has no longer been allowed to enter God’s presence and he’s upset about that, but God sets him straight. Restoration (Numbers 16) In spite of all these failures of Aaron, we see God being compassionate and merciful toward him. Moses even says in Deuteronomy 9:20 that he had to intercede for Aaron. But Aaron was selected to be the high priest, and God stuck to that decision. He made Aaron the high priest and selected his sons to be priests for all time. On one occasion, the sons of Korah stood up and said, “You’ve gone too far, Moses and Aaron!” They were rebelling against God’s decision and so God destroyed them. Then leaders of the Israelites came up after that and tried grumbled about so many people dying, but God made Aaron’s staff bud and flower. After this event, shortly after destroying the sons of Korah, God sent another plague throughout the wilderness camp killing thousands. But Aaron grabbed a metal torch and ran out to save the people who had sinned against him and rebelled against the Lord. We see Aaron being proven by God as His choice for High Priest. God selected Him and no one was going to overthrow God’s selection. But we also see Aaron taking on that role of intercession, affirming his calling as High Priest. Lessons As we read the story of Aaron, we learn about a man who was weak and sinful being chosen for a high position in God’s kingdom. He saw the works of God, but he still failed to be faithful like Moses was faithful. The main thing for us to notice in his story is that his failure did not define him. Moses interceded for him and God was willing to place him in the same position of high priest. God also defeated those who tried to remove him from that position. This teaches us that God is able to put us in a high position even though we are flawed and we fail. Have you ever looked at yourself and thought, “I could never teach, shepherd, lead others.” Are you sensitive to your weaknesses enough to notice that you are a flawed individual? That’s called being poor in spirit. We need that kind of heart. But God can take the weak and sinful and lift them up out of their failures, and establish them as powerful examples for all of God’s people. We must learn not to be persuaded by the people around us and to stop falling to sin. But we must also learn that when we do fall, God is there for us. Jesus is able to intercede for us, and God will make us into an example of His mercy and grace. What’s important is that we learn form those mistakes and become more faithful. We must carry the censer and love those who have hated us like Aaron and ultimately like Christ. What Do We Learn About Christ? In this example we have a contrast to Christ and a comparison. Aaron was a weak high priest. He had to offer a sacrifice for himself before offering an atoning sacrifice for us. Christ is so much better than Aaron. Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV) — 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 7:22–25 (ESV) — 22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 8:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > God's Open Hand (Romans 10:5-24) Casey Gray Download Imagine offering a gift to someone you love, only to have them push it away. That’s what God experiences with His people. In Romans 10:21, Paul writes, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” God extends His grace to Israel, yet they reject it. Today, we’ll explore Romans 10:5-21 to understand why Paul makes this statement about Israel. How have they rejected God’s open hand and what does this mean for us? Look at Moses (5-10) Romans 10:5–10 (ESV) — 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Paul first quotes Leviticus 18:5, which says that keeping God’s law perfectly brings life. Imagine trying to climb a mountain with no mistakes—one slip, and you fall. That’s the law: perfect obedience is required, but no one can achieve it. Then, Paul cites Deuteronomy 30:11-14, where Moses urges Israel to obey God from the heart as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy, God predicts Israel’s failure: they’ll obey for a time, then rebel and face exile. Yet, later God promises mercy. When Israel turns back to Him with all their heart, He will transform them—giving them a new heart to love and obey Him. Paul’s point is clear: righteousness doesn’t come from perfect law-keeping but from faith in Christ. Some say, “God’s law is too hard!” That’s not faith—it’s defiance. Faith says, “God has made His grace accessible through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. I believe, and I confess Jesus as Lord.” Through faith, God forgives us and transforms our hearts, enabling us to live for Him. Everyone Who Believes (11-13) Not only has God held out His hand for Israel, Paul wants to make it clear that His hand is held out for everyone. Romans 10:11–13 (ESV) — 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Notice the repetition in this text. “Everyone,” “all,” and “Jew and Greek” are intended to clarify that the words of Moses are for all who will turn to God, believe in His mercy, and call out to Him for grace through Jesus. You know, sometimes I wonder if we recognize the beauty of this truth. God’s hand is not just held out for Israel. It has been extended for us as well. There is no one God’s hand cannot reach. He makes his grace available to all. Only those who accept it will be saved, but He does not discriminate. God wants to “bestow his riches on all who call on him.” The Gospel’s Power To Save (14-20) Paul explains how salvation works in Romans 10:14-15: Romans 10:14–15 (ESV) — 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” The process is simple: God sends messengers to preach the gospel. People hear it, believe it, and call on Jesus for salvation. We will look more closely at this next week, but for now, notice how easy that is compared to keeping the law. Do you see how it could be said that God has his hand open? Do you also see the main point of this letter, that the gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes? Yet, Paul says, Israel heard but didn’t believe. Romans 10:16–20 (ESV) — 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” 19But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” In Romans 10:16-20, he quotes Isaiah and Moses to show that Israel’s rejection was foretold. They heard the message, but their hearts were hardened, choosing disobedience over faith. Application Israel had the chance to accept God’s grace but rejected it, just as they hesitated to enter the Promised Land. What about you? God’s hand is open, offering forgiveness and a transformed life through Jesus. Have you accepted it, or are you resisting? Faith isn’t just agreeing with facts. It’s trusting that Jesus’ sacrifice makes righteousness possible. It’s saying, “God, I see Your grace, and I want it.” It’s living obediently, not to earn salvation, but to honor the God who saved a sinner like you. God wants a people who recognize their failure, believe in His greatness and mercy, call out to Jesus for salvation, and stop living disobedient and contrary lives. Is that what you have done? You know, some of us can be very stubborn just like Israel. Someone tells us that we need to do something, but we resist. We think the truth doesn’t apply to us. We refuse to listen and suffer the consequences. Everyone is that way. The question is, “Will you continue to be that way or will you become poor in spirit and receive God’s grace?” Israel rejected God’s open hand. Will you? God is calling for you to come. All are welcome.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Rejected By His Own (Numbers) Casey Gray Download Moses had devoted his life to God and to his people. He gave up the palace for the desert. He gave up the comfort for a calling. He faced down Pharaoh, led Israel through the sea, and met with God on Sinai until his face glowed. He wasn’t perfect, but he was faithful. He carried the burden of a nation on his shoulders — a people who never seemed to understand the cost of what he was doing for them. And in the end, the people he loved most rejected him. 1. The Season of Obedience (1-10) For nearly a year, everything looked right in Israel’s camp. Every morning, the people woke to find the ground dusted with manna—soft, white flakes like dew from heaven. The children would run out laughing, scooping it up like snow. Every evening, quail descended, filling the camp. When they were thirsty, Moses struck the rock and water gushed out. Life was steady. Predictable. Peaceful. When the cloud of God rose, they marched. When it stopped, they rested. At night, they could see the glow of fire over the tabernacle—proof that God Himself was in the middle of their camp. Imagine the comfort of that! You could tuck your kids in at night, glance toward the flickering light of God’s glory, and whisper, “He’s with us.” For eleven months, they lived in step with God. Whenever it was time to leave, they still had God leading them. The ark would set out and Moses would raise his voice over the camp: “Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered!” And when it rested, he’d say, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” 2. The Cracks Begin to Show But their hearts grew restless as they suffered some discomfort. Soon the complaints began. There were whispers in the dark that turned into open grumbling. Traveling with two million people was no small task. Tempers flared. The food bored them. The routine wore thin. “We remember the fish in Egypt,” they said. “The cucumbers, the melons, the garlic…” They were willing to be enslaved again to enjoy some seasoning on their food. Moses heard the crying from every tent — a low, rising roar of dissatisfaction. He’d led them out of slavery, but he couldn’t seem to lead them into gratitude. The pressure broke him. Listen to his words: “Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth? Where am I supposed to get meat for them? I can’t carry them anymore, Lord. The burden is too heavy. If this is how it’s going to be, just kill me now.” That’s not a man giving up — that’s a man collapsing under weight no one else could carry. God answered — not by killing him, but by sharing the load. Seventy elders were filled with His Spirit to help. And to the people craving meat, He sent so much quail that it piled knee-deep around the camp — until their greed became their judgment. They engorged themselves, and God struck them with a plague. The wilderness had exposed their hearts. 3. Betrayal from Within Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ own sister and brother, started murmuring behind his back. “He married a Cushite woman,” they said. “Does God only speak through Moses? Doesn’t He speak through us too?” It wasn’t about his wife—it was about his authority. Moses said nothing. The text says, “He was the meekest man on the earth.” He had every reason to defend himself—but he didn’t. So God defended him. A cloud descended, and the Lord said, “When I speak to a prophet, I speak in dreams and visions. But not so with My servant Moses. With him I speak face to face. Why then were you not afraid to speak against him?” When the cloud lifted, Miriam was covered in leprosy. White as snow. Aaron panicked, begging Moses to forgive them. And the man they wounded prayed for their healing. “Lord, please heal her.” That’s meekness, compassion, and love. It’s hard enough to be rejected by strangers. But when it’s family, people who should have your back, it cuts deeper. 4. When No One Listens Eventually, they arrived at the edge of the Promised Land. The spies returned, carrying fruit so large two men had to carry it on a pole. The land was everything God promised. But there were giants. That night, the people wailed. “We’re going to die! Our children will be taken as slaves! Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!” Moses and Aaron fell facedown in the dirt, speechless. God’s anger burned. He said, “I will wipe them out and start over with you, Moses.” But once again, Moses stood in the gap: “Lord, if You destroy them, the nations will say You failed. Show mercy—not because they deserve it, but because Your steadfast love is great.” And God relented. He spared the nation—but not without consequence. Everyone over twenty years old would die in the wilderness. Now pause for a moment. Let that sink in. That’s roughly two million people. That means for forty years, about fifty thousand people died every year. Every tent saw death. Every family buried loved ones. Every sunrise was a reminder of what rebellion costs. 5. Rebellion Without End Even after all that, the rebellion didn’t stop. Some tried to enter the land anyway and were crushed by their enemies.- Korah’s family rose up to seize control, and the earth swallowed them whole.- The people complained again, and God sent fiery serpents into the camp.- They gave in to Moab’s idols and immorality, and God struck them down again. It’s a downward spiral—sin, judgment, mercy, repeat. The people wouldn’t submit to God from the heart. And eventually, even Moses himself reached a breaking point—he struck the rock in frustration instead of speaking to it as God commanded. That one act cost him entry into the Promised Land. The Rejected Servant By the end of his life, Moses stood on a mountain overlooking the land he’d longed for. He could see it—but he could not enter it. He had carried those people for forty years, prayed for them, fought for them, loved them—and they rejected him. It’s one of the saddest and most beautiful moments in Scripture. Because Moses’ story points to someone greater. Like Moses, Jesus came to deliver His people.Like Moses, He interceded for those who sinned.Like Moses, He was rejected by His own.But unlike Moses, He never faltered. He bore the rebellion of men, and through His rejection, brought redemption to us who accept Him. What This Means for Us Gratitude must replace grumbling.We must learn from the failure of the Israelites. God’s people are not meant to complain about what they lack. They ought to rejoice in what He provides. Our wilderness reveals what’s in our hearts. Israel’s unbelief cost them forty years of wandering and countless lives. Failing to trust in God and pursuing shortcuts always leads to death. Believe in God’s promises and walk by faith, not by sight. Meekness is stronger than pride.Moses teaches us that silence under attack often speaks louder than defense. The meek will inherit the earth—not the loud. I love how Moses remained quiet and God spoke up for him. We are told in the NT to do good for our enemies because God will give them the judgment they deserve if they don’t repent (Romans 12:19-21) Christ is the greater Moses.Moses is one of the greatest men to ever live, but he could only do so much to help the people of Israel draw near to God. He was able to enter God’s presence and his face shone, but Israel was outside. Consider how much greater Jesus is. Jesus brings us in. He intercedes even now for those who once rejected Him and makes a way for them to enter God’s presence.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Who Will Be Saved (Romans 9:14-10:4) Casey Gray Download Who will be saved? That’s the question every soul eventually faces. You can ignore it for a while, you can debate it endlessly, but at the end of the day, everything comes down to that one question. Last week, we heard Paul’s heart break for his people. He said he would trade his own salvation if it meant Israel could be saved. He loved them deeply—but love doesn’t rewrite God’s plan. Paul reminds us that God’s mercy doesn’t follow our family lines or our moral résumés. He chose Isaac, not Ishmael. Jacob, not Esau. Before they were even born, before they could do good or evil, God made His choice. Why? Because God’s choice of who to save is not about us. It’s about God and His willingness to show mercy. That truth can be unsettling. It shakes our sense of control. But in today’s text, Paul shows us who God has chosen to have mercy on and who ends up hardened. It’s no mystery, in fact it has been true throughout history. He explains this by walking us through some Old Testament moments that reveal God’s heart. Mercy Toward the Rebels Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Pharaoh are all events in the OT that prove God has the power to save who He wants to save. Starting in verse 14, he brings in a quote from Moses. Romans 9:14–15 (ESV) — 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Do you know where that comes from? “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Exodus 33:19) Israel has just built a golden calf. They’ve betrayed the very God who rescued them from Egypt. God could have wiped them out. But Moses pleads on the basis of God’s reputation, and God responds by judging some and having mercy on others. Then, Moses asks God to reveal His glory, His very nature. And what does His glory look like? Mercy. Compassion toward the undeserving. That’s why Paul quotes this passage—to show that God is not unjust to choose mercy. Mercy, by definition, is undeserved. The rebels, people like Aaron, people like us, receive mercy not because they’ve earned it, but because God is glorified when He gives it. So, who will be saved? Not necessarily the best of the bad. Not the ones who sinned less. But those who receive God’s mercy. Resisting God’s Will Second, notice the OT allusion from Isaiah. Romans 9:19–21 (ESV) — 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Paul knows what people are thinking: “If God’s in control, how can He blame anyone?”That question comes straight out of human pride. The person who asks this question is essentially claiming, “If we are all bad, it’s your fault because you created us this way!” His words here resemble what he said earlier in Romans 3:5-8, where they might say, “God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us.” That’s not a question of curiosity—it’s a question of rebellion. It’s the same tone Israel had in Isaiah 29:16, when they tried to turn the tables and shape God into their image. They treated the Potter like He was the clay. You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? (Isaiah 29:16, ESV) Paul’s answer? “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” When we accuse God of being unfair, we reveal how little we understand His holiness. Justice would destroy us all. Mercy saves some. Who will be saved?Whoever God wants to save. We have no say in the matter. Not My People Are My People The third, fourth, and fifth OT texts tell us very similar things to the previous two. Romans 9:24–29 (ESV) — 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” Paul then turns to Hosea, that heartbreaking story of mercy. Hosea’s wife betrayed him again and again, yet God told him to go love her. Why? Because that’s what God does. He loves the unfaithful. He calls “Not My People”—His people. Then Paul quotes Isaiah: even though Israel’s numbers were vast, only a remnant would be saved. The pattern is consistent: God’s only option is to save from the pool of rebels and rejects.He turns the rejected into the redeemed.He welcomes the outsiders, Jew or Gentile alike, because salvation was never about pedigree or worthiness. Stumbling In Pursuit of Righteousness (9:30-10:4) The last section we will look at today unveils a very important text to understand who God will save. This text and all of the words around it explain who God will save and who He will reject. Romans 9:30–10:4 (ESV) — 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Paul now comes to the heart of it. “The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it… but Israel, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed.” (Romans 9:30–31) Imagine two runners. One has trained his whole life, following every rule. The other is unhealthy and hasn’t run unless a bear was chasing him. The trained runner got to the race early and started as soon as he could. He has been running for longer and pushing himself as hard as he can, but he can’t seem to find the finish line. The other shows up late, takes one step and he’s arrived at the finish. That trained runner was going the wrong way. That’s Israel’s tragedy. They had zeal, but not understanding. They worked tirelessly to prove themselves righteous, never realizing that righteousness was standing right in front of them, Christ Himself. God put a big rock to help them see which way to go, but they stumbled over the very stone God placed to save them. Those who believed, who rested their hope not on their performance, but on His promise, were lifted up. “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” Conclusion Who will be saved? Note we have the answer to our question. Not everyone who works hardest.Not everyone who prays the longest.Not everyone born into the right family or the right nation. Everyone who believes in Jesus as the foundation of their righteousness. The Israelites stumbled because they trusted in themselves. But they have never been able to maintain righteousness. They didn’t last forty days in the wilderness. The Gentiles were made righteous because they trusted in Christ. The difference is faith. So today, you stand at that same crossroads. Will you stumble over the stone—or will you build your life on Jesus Christ? God’s mercy isn’t limited to a select few. It’s offered to all. But few will accept it. If you believe, if you’re ready to put your trust in Him, the invitation is open: Turn from self-reliance. Be baptized into Christ. Let Him be your righteousness. Let Him make you into His child forever.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Lawgiver & Priest (Exodus 16-Leviticus) Casey Gray Download When we look at the life of Moses, it can be broken up into three forty year periods. The first forty year period is when he was in Egypt living in Pharaoh’s palace. The second forty year period was after he murdered an Egyptian and escaped to the wilderness, living as a shepherd. In the third period we have seen God empower Moses to save the people of Israel from Egyptian captivity. Today, we will look at what happens next, Moses’ leadership on the way to Sinai and what happened when he got there. Next week, we will finish with a look at what happened after Sinai. Picture yourself as Moses' aide, dusty from the march, heart pounding as Pharaoh's chariots vanish behind you. Leading To Sinai (15-17) Three days out from the Sea, no water in sight. Imagine over a million souls—men, women, kids, elders—stumbling across the Sinai peninsula. Throats raw, regrets bubbling. They hit Marah, but the water's bitter as gall. "What are we gonna drink?" they lash out at Moses. You feel the heat and wonder, “What are we going to do?” Moses cries out, and God hands him a log to toss in, and it turns sweet. Then comes the promise: Obey me, and I'll be your healer, not your curse. To seal it, they camp at Elim: twelve springs, seventy palms shading the weary. But the cycle spins again. Bellies growl because there is no food in this waste. "At least Egypt had pots of meat!.” God tells Moses, "Watch this." Manna rains each dawn like coriander seed—bread from heaven. Quail flutter in at dusk, plump and ready. Gather only what you need; learn dependence, day by day. Again, think about the craziness of these events. First, people grumble because they are running out of tasty food, then God brings food from the dew every morning! Can you imagine witnessing all of this? Then they moved deeper into the wilderness and didn’t have water again! So they complain again, but this time they are ready to stone Moses to death! Instead, God tells Moses to strike a rock and water comes streaming out of the rock for all the people. God is obviously able to take care of the more than one million people, but they get in trouble and blame Moses for their pain. Moses is going through a lot at this time, and he never seems to call for God to destroy them or retaliate against them. But there is even more stress going on than what it seems. As they were approaching the mountain where Moses had seen the burning bush, his father-in-law came out to meet him with his wife and sons. Over a meal, Jethro sizes up the strain: Moses is juggling prophetic duties (teaching God's ways), priestly mediation (pleading with God), and endless judging (settling squabbles for a million). "You're burning out," Jethro warns. "Delegate—appoint godly men for the small stuff. You handle the big: God's word to the people." Smart counsel. It frees Moses to focus as prophet and budding priest. All this happened on the way to Sinai. Arriving at Sinai (18-24) When they got to Sinai, they came there to offer a sacrifice to God, but first, God wanted to offer them an opportunity to be in a special relationship with Him. If they would keep a covenant agreement with God, He would protect them like He did in Egypt. He would make them his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (19:4-6). The people all agreed to this so God wanted to meet with them. That’s an amazing idea, isn’t it. God wanted to be clear about this covenant. He is not an imaginary god of the nations. This is the one, true, and living God. Up to this point, Moses has met with God, but no one else has entered into HIs presence. God tells Moses to prepare the people for this. They need to wash themselves and be completely set apart for the Lord’s presence to come down on the mountain. The language surrounding this event give us the impression that God takes His holiness very seriously. Exodus 19:21–25 (ESV) — 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. 22 Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” 23 And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” 24 And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them. Imagine a dark cloud descending on the mountain with flashes of lighting and the sound of a trumpet. The mountain starts smoking and a voice comes out speaking, thunderously booming, the ten commandments. You shall love and serve no one and nothing more than me.You shall not make any images to worship.You shall not take my name in vainYou shall remember the Sabbath day and keep it holyYou shall honor your father and your motherYou shall not murderYou shall not commit adulteryYou shall not stealYou shall not bear false witness against your neighborYou shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighborThis causes the people to tremble and ask for Moses to speak to God for them and let God speak to Moses so they do not die. They are terrified of the voice of God. Moses tells them not to fear, but to understand the seriousness of this covenant they are entering into with God. Then, Moses walked upon the mountain’s thick darkness to speak to God and receive other commands. When he came down, all the people agreed to the covenant and chose to serve God and receive His blessings. Worship and Sacrifice (Exo 25-Leviticus) After the covenant was confirmed in Chapter 24, we read about God commanding Moses to build a Sanctuary or Tabernacle where He could meet with His people and they could offer their worship. He gave specific instructions to Moses by showing him a pattern in heaven itself. This place would resemble God’s home on earth and it could become the central focus of the nation. God told them every detail about how to make the Tabernacle and He even inspired some men so that they could create intricate artwork that would resemble the heavenly realities. As God was explaining all of this to Moses and showing it to him over the course of 30 days on the mountain, the people became impatient. They decided that Moses must be dead. There is no way he could have survived going up on that mountain and being there for 30 days.. So they exalted Aaron and Aaron had them give all their jewelry to sacrifice it to God. This is totally made up off of the top of Aaron’s head, by the way. They threw the gold into the fire and the melted metal resembled a golden calf so they started worshipping it like they had worshipped Egyptian gods. All they had to do was wait! But they failed to wait and they worshipped an image, the very thing they had agreed not to do. God told Moses what they were doing and Moses had to intercede for the people to prevent their destruction. What they had done showed that they weren’t going to be able to keep a covenant relationship with God. After Moses interceded for the people, the Lord relented and didn’t kill them all. But he did send a plague as he said he would when they disobeyed Him. From this point on, Moses would receive instruction at a tent of meeting where the people could see him every day. He would enter, God’s glory would fill the tent and speak to Him, then he would leave with a veil over his face because he was shining. God renewed His covenant with the people and promised to bless them after Moses interceded for them. Then, we read about them finally establishing the Tabernacle and priesthood so they can offer their sacrifice to God as He had commanded them. They did all of the construction to the exact specification that God commanded. Of course, the actual sacrifice takes place in Leviticus and it didn’t go perfectly. Fire came out and consumed the sacrifice to everyone’s delight, but priests disobeyed God and fire came out and consumed them. But they offered their sacrifice and now they were ready to go to the promised land. Application &amp; Conclusion When we see Moses lead the people to Sinai and witness what unfolds there we notice that Moses has a special relationship with God. He has the proper respect and awe, but he also draws near with faith. Moses is constantly providing for the needs of the people. He goes to God and ensures that their needs are met. He intercedes for them when they have greatly sinned against God. He even gets stuck trying to judge between them when they sin against one another, but he finds his way out of that, thanks to his father-in-law. As we see this part of the story unfold, Moses becomes a true leader of the people. When they look at them, they understand how great and loved by God he is. They hear his words and want to obey the Lord and uphold the covenant. It’s really only when he goes away that they devolve into chaos. His meekness and faithfulness to the people made him a great servant leader, even though the people were very evil and unappreciative of the Lord’s blessings. What do we learn from this part of the story of Moses? We see in this that greatness is not found in dominating others. Greatness is found in bringing people to God and bringing God to the people. He sets a great example for us to follow in that. But we also learn that God is holy and He is worthy of reverence and awe. We learn that He wants people to be his treasured possession. He wants His kingdom of priests. Moses, unfortunately, couldn’t make that happen. God’s work to save them from Egypt did not convince the people to be faithful and Israel will not ultimately become what God envisioned them to be. Do you know that all of this is a shadow for us? The Hebrew writer tells us that we have a greater Moses who provides more for us than Moses did. Hebrews 3:1–6 (ESV) — 1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. He will go on to say that Jesus has entered into the true presence of God to offer himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. He makes us a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9-10). Israel resembles us in the story and Moses resembles Christ. The question, then, becomes will we hold true to our covenant? We have a new law, the law of Christ. Will we submit to it? Will we seek to honor God and His Messiah with our faithful obedience? There is one more text I want us to consider. Hebrews 12:18–25 (ESV) — 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. Will we appreciate the mountain we are approaching in worship? Will we offer our worship with reverence and awe? This is a much greater mountain than Sinai. This is Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Take it seriously.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > A Heart For The Lost (Romans 9:1-24) Casey Gray Download How much time do you lose sleep over the lost souls around you? Do their names echo in your prayers like a relentless ache? When we first grasp the truth of salvation, it ignites a fire: we share it boldly, only to feel the sting of rejection. Our joy in Christ clashes with heartache for those blind to it—their coming judgment weighs heavy, unchangeable. Doesn't that shatter you? We might tempt ourselves to soften the edges: "They're good people; surely God will bend the rules." But today's text in Romans 9 shatters that illusion. It reveals a God whose mercy is not a matter of partiality or sentimentality. It’s not swayed by man’s will or desire. It is based firmly on God’s desire. Paul’s Desire Romans 9:1–5 (ESV) — 1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. Have you ever felt that? We wish that our friends and relatives would believe the truth, but consider Paul’s situation. He was brought up around people who were diligently studying scriptures and sacrificial serving God. They knew the promises of God and were hoping for God's deliverance. You will struggle to find a group of religious people more zealous than they were. But, after they spent all that time looking for the Messiah, He came and they killed Him. Then, He offered them salvation anyway and they refused to believe it. The situation with the Jewish people in the first century is one of the most tragic of all. Paul says, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” He even wishes that he could somehow give up his own salvation so that his kinsmen could be saved. He has just gone through this detailed explanation of how great our salvation is. He has made it clear that we now have been adopted as children of God and God is on our side. Now, he says, “I would sacrifice that wonderful blessing if I could change the hearts of the Jews.” Is this the type of heart you have? In this Paul is aware of how evil they have been. He knows that they deserve judgment, but so did he. If they would just open their hearts and believe in Christ, they could receive all the things they are longing for. But imagine the glory if they'd repent: God's wisdom on display, mercy cascading to the world. Instead, rejection breeds chaos and sin. Is your heart this tender? Paul's zeal wasn't naive; it mirrored God's own longing, even amid human hardness. Not of the Flesh (6-24) Israel's unbelief can rattle us: "If God couldn't save them—with all their heritage—how can He save anyone?" Paul anticipates this, echoing chapter 3: "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?" No. God's Word stands firm. Romans 9:6–9 (ESV) — 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” Paul is pointing out that God has never given His blessing based on man’s desire. Abraham and Sarah chose to have Ishmael through Hagar, and tried to make him the promised child. God did not go with their plan. He chose Isaac over Ishmael and the next section tells us he also chose Jacob over Esau. Romans 9:10–13 (ESV) — 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” “God chose Jacob before he was born.” Now, this has been taken to mean that God makes choices arbitrarily. Notice that’s not the point of Paul’s argument. His point is that the blessing doesn’t come as men would expect or desire. In the story of Isaac and Rebekah, Isaac wants Esau to receive the blessing because he is the first born. But God, knowing how men might choose, created Jacob soft and tender and chose to make him the son of promise. it’s obvious God gives it to whoever He wishes. We cannot dictate who receives His promise. It Depends on God (14-24) We cannot say, “I give up my salvation for my family to be saved.” No, salvation is about the graciousness of God toward mankind based on HIS SELECTION CRITERIA. We cannot assume that God will save based on what we want or that He will make exceptions to what He has promised. God has to dictate the terms because it’s His salvation to give. Romans 9:14–18 (ESV) — 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. The most powerful man on the earth, Pharaoh, could not overturn God’s decision. He points to the Exodus and says, “I raised up Egypt and Pharaoh for the purpose of demonstrating my power and ability to save the children of promise.” God can give mercy to whoever He wants and He can overpower whoever He wants. It’s all for His glory. In this instance, we see that God has a greater purpose behind His choosing. Throughout the OT, we learn that God ties His reputation among the nations to Israel. He wants them to see His ability to save an ungodly and rebellious people and bring them to the promised land. He can do whatever He wants and no one can stop Him. Romans 9:19–24 (ESV) — 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? This last part really summarizes the right God has to do as He wills. He has the right to judge and to provide mercy. We should all be grateful that He chooses to show mercy. I love verses 22-23, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory…” He depicts God as the one who is in complete control, but chooses to show mercy to people who deserve wrath. This is what God is doing. Israel has rebelled against His Messiah and God is holding back wrath, just like He always has, in hopes that they will repent. Those who do repent, even among the Gentiles are being saved. But those who refuse to repent and trust in Jesus will be judged. What Is Your Desire? What do we learn from this section of Romans? When we have feelings of heartache and pain over the lost state of someone else, we are getting a taste of what God feels. But God will not bend the rules to save those who remain rebellious. He will only save those who submit to Him, turn from their sins, and put their faith in Jesus. He shows no partiality. It doesn’t matter if you have been brought up in a good home or if you were brought up in a crack house. God will accept all who repent and reject all who refuse. How does this information affect you? Are you like Paul, longing so deeply for the salvation of someone you love that you would give up your salvation to save them? I’m sorry to tell you, but that’s not possible. Forgiveness of sins is not ours to give. We cannot make someone repent. We cannot make God forgive someone who refuses to repent. Nor should we claim someone is forgiven who never gives their life to God. When we raise our children, it is critical for us to impress upon them their own responsibility for their faith and their salvation. At some point they will get old enough to understand what sin is and what Christ has done for them. They will have to choose to accept or reject the truth. You cannot save them, but you can prepare them. This is why we don’t baptize infants. They aren’t aware enough to repent of anything and to submit their lives to Christ. We aren’t saving anyone by forcing them to be baptized. Baptism means nothing without faith and repentance. When we interact with people in our family, our spouse, cousins, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, etc. We cannot do anything to force them to believe the truth. They have to make that decision on their own. I have known many people put pressure on their family members to be baptized as though that will do anything without that person’s submission, repentance, and faith. But, what can we do? We can impress upon them the importance of truly giving God their heart. We can talk about spiritual things often enough that it gets them thinking about things differently than they ever have before. We can invite them over and over and over again to show them that what we do in this building and in smaller group Bible studies is valuable to us. The same goes with friends and coworkers. Be the person who is outspoken about your faith. Be the person who encourages others to trust in Jesus. If you really love them, if you heart breaks to think of them in a lost state, open up to them about the truth of the Bible in a loving way and try to encourage them to join you in Bible study. God will not save them because you are faithful and you really like them. He will not save them even if you offer your own salvation as a sacrifice. That’s not the basis of salvation. We will see this more next time, but understand this right now. Romans 9:30 (ESV) — 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; The only way to be saved is for them to put their trust in Jesus and receive His salvation. The same goes for you. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9; ESV)

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > Submit To One Another (Ephesians 5:21) Casey Gray Download Today, we are looking at a command that might get a lot of funny looks. Ephesians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Paul tells us all to submit to one another. Jesus and Peter tell us the same thing in different ways. Do you struggle to submit to someone else? Is the thought of submission cringe to you? For years our culture today has been trying to create a generation of rebellious dictators who submit to no one. That doesn’t mean all young people have taken the bait. In fact that is changing rapidly, but many have no clue what submission is about because no one talks about it or emphasizes it. It’s taboo and not politically correct. People who value submission are called archaic and old school or some derogatory term. Why is that? Because submission was given a bad reputation. Today, I hope to clarify and correct this with four brief points. We will look at what submission is, why it’s hard to submit, who should submit, and why. What is submission? To many this word assumes inferiority and superiority. Submission is not about value, but about order and fulfilling roles within God’s design. Everyone in every position is taught to submit to someone else. No one is above submitting, from the ruler to the slave. In the book of Daniel, we read about the great king Nebuchadnezzar considering himself to be over all and submitting to no one, but his pride led him to suffer until he recognized that God is over all and submitted to Him. Submission is seen as a measure of greatness or weakness. It’s a picture of one dominating the other. But is that the order that God has established on the earth? Christianity is not about the weak being dominated by the strong, but about the strong serving and exalting the weak. Following Christ is about submitting to God and one another “out of reverence for” what Christ has done on our behalf. Consider, God is over all, but he is most often portrayed as a loving God who alters His will for the betterment of those who submit to Him. He listens to them and provides them with what they ask for and need. Submission, then, can look totally different than a powerful domination of one person over another. God always has the ability to dominate, but it’s not His desire. He gave His Son in hopes that He could convince everyone to submit willingly. So, if you believe submission is about domineering and leading by force, you are dead wrong. God avoids that system of rule in favor of steadfast love. Jesus exemplifies it. Philippians 2:1–11 (ESV) — 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He calls for us to set aside selfish ambition or conceit and lift up those around us with humility. He calls for us to look out for the best interest of one another. This is what Christ did. He could have forced mankind to bow down to Him. He deserved submission, but He sacrificially gave Himself for those who rebelled against His rule. We don’t submit to governments, elders, husbands, parents, or masters because we are weaker than them or inferior to them. We submit to them because our God calls us to. We submit to them because Jesus was submissive even though He was greater than everyone he came into contact with. Why Don’t We Submit? Have you ever been in a situation where you did not want to submit? Maybe your boss at work was unjust and showed favoritism to another employee. He put a heavy burden on you for some reason, and you wanted to ruin his reputation. You wanted to bring him down a notch. Or maybe it was your husband who was acting foolishly, and you wanted to set him in his place. The elders made a decision you disagreed with. The government failed to pass a law, or passed something wicked. Or maybe it’s just a brother out sister in Christ who is acting ungodly. In this same text, he points out some obstacles we have to overcome: Selfish ambition, vain conceit, pride, complacency, and a failure to trust in God’s timing. Do you see that going on within yourself? Do you know that raging against those who are placed over you is raging against the order that God has set for your life? 1 Peter 2:18–21 (ESV) — 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. When we are defiant and rebellious against God’s established order and we suffer for it. That’s to be expected. But Peter says, when we overcome our selfish ambition, conceit, and pride, choosing to submit and honor those in authority, we are acting as Christ acted on this earth. We are starting to know the suffering of Christ more fully. But he also says, “This is a gracious thing.” Notice that the greater is being gracious towards the inferior. Your position does not indicate inferiority. Rebelling against those who are in authority over us is common. Psalm 2:1–3 (ESV) — 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” This is the opposite of submission. Men try to dominate God. They rebel against His authority and order. We struggle to submit because submission means I don’t get to do what I want to do. Choosing to submit means humbly denying yourself and relinquishing control or power that you have for the good of someone else. Submission can be about humbling yourself and exalting the will of someone lesser than you just because they are in a position of authority over you. When we think that submission indicates weakness, we are missing out on the more beautiful form of submission that exists. Let’s be clear here. We aren’t talking about merely complying with commands and giving in to the will of someone who has proven themselves stronger than us out of fear of them. We are not talking about begrudging giving up our will. Those who submit with a heart to merely avoid punishment will rebel when they no longer fear punishment. We give up our will and our desires to serve a greater cause, to demonstrate love toward God and love toward the one we submit to. Who should submit to whom? Submitting happens when people have authority over other people, but the one in authority must submit to the one higher up than they are. We all submit to someone.This means that in our society, submission should be happening across the board. Wait, who is supposed to submit to whom? Who is the submitter and who is the submittee and how would their submission look? Examples To help us understand this better, I want us to look at the examples that Paul uses in our text. He speaks about submitting as husbands and wives, children and parents, a slaves and masters. These are all examples for us to use to grasp the concept of submission. The first one is husbands and wives. Ephesians 5:22–33 (ESV) — 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. In this text, we see the dual nature of submission. Wives Wives are supposed to submit to their husbands, as to the Lord. Remember, it’s not a matter of the lesser serves the greater. Paul compares their type of submission to the church’s submission to Christ. There is obviously a greatness difference there, but that’s not the point. Christ is in the headship role in the church. He is the one who leads the house of God, and we are the bride of Christ whose role is to submit. Can you imagine a church where we collectively tell Christ what He’s supposed to be doing? Where we collectively decide that loving and serving others is optional, that we can operate like a country club, or that we should worship God in an idolatrous way? The church should strive to discern the will of God. Wives also are supposed to recognize the authority God gives the man in the family, submit their own desires and will, and to support the leadership of the man. Wives, I’m not saying you simply comply without questioning. I’m not saying you stay silent and let the husband lead you to an early grave or financial ruin. That wouldn’t be submission or honoring him in the right sense. That’s submitting without care or concern for the wellbeing of our husbands or our family. This submission relinquishes final control and authority to the husband’s will but works to influence that will in a positive way. This might appear to be over the top in our society. For years egotistical male domination in the home has made our society fearful of men leading the home. But this is God’s design. If men lead well, the home is a better place for everyone. Women have to encourage them to lead and submit to their role, not because men are necessarily going to be good at it, but because God calls them to it. Ladies, don’t you want a man who provides, protects, cares and leads for you and your children? No woman wants a dead beat for a husband. Husbands Husbands, do you see yourselves needing to submit to anything in this context? I hope so. Husbands are compared to Christ. What did Christ submit for His bride? He submitted His life. The one who is the more authoritative role, has the greater burden and responsibility to serve others. Jesus lived His own words where He said, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” He washes feet! He submits his desires, comfort, time, attention, and everything he enjoys to the service of his people. Husbands, in your leadership do you submit to God and listen to the needs of your wife? This is your command, that you love her as Christ has loved the body. Now, that doesn’t mean you are a “Yes Man.” There are requests and needs that you might see as detrimental to your spouse at the time. But men, we are supposed to be laying our lives down for our family. That means, I don’t buy video games, TV screens, new tech devices, enjoy boys night, or even a round of golf while our finances are in chaos. I don’t push my wife with more responsibility than any human could handle while I take it easy on the recliner. We submit ourselves to making her holy and honored. We are commanded to listen to our wives and to speak the truth to them in a loving way. We need to spend some time thinking about how our role as leaders has been affected by our society. What do we expect of our wives? Do we lead them to greater holiness and love? Do we provide for them? This is what it means to submit to them. It’s not about relinquishing control, but it’s about humbling yourself to seek their best interest over your own. Children and Parents Now, take all that we have just understood how husbands and wives submit, let’s apply it across the board. Paul points to children and parents. Children are supposed to obey their parents. This is the same as the wife submitting her will to her husband. Children, your parents will tell you to do things that you won’t agree with. Sometimes they will be wrong. Again, it’s not about who is right or who is stronger, smarter, or better. But God calls for you to submit to their authority. That’s your role in the family. Parents, your responsibility is to lead with submission to God, providing what the child’s needs. This is why Paul says in verse 4, “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger.” Our desire is not to give them everything they want, nor is it to use them to make ourselves happy. We don’t burden them beyond what they are able to bear. We lead them with love and tenderness, but with children we also have commands to discipline and instruct because of their youthfulness. We train them in the way of the Lord. Members and Elders Members are supposed to submit to elders in the same way as wives submit to husbands (Heb 13:17). There should be respect and honor given, but also there should be a willingness to follow their leadership. We must learn the difference between our preferences and God’s clear commands. If elders are failing to lead in a way we like, we need to clarify our needs and relinquish control. Elders, your responsibility is not to give us everything we want, but to give us what we need to fulfill our purpose and glorify God. Good elders are watching out for our souls (Heb 13:17). To do this, you have to listen and understand the needs, put yourself last and lift others up. Message We could go through example after example, but the point remains the same. It’s not a matter of greatness, but a matter of humbling yourself towards others. If you find yourself in a position of authority, be careful to submit to the needs of those in your care. If you are under authority, which all of us are in some sense, be careful not to be self-promoting or rebellious against that authority. Why? To close today’s lesson out, I want to talk about why we would choose to live this way. Maybe you are reluctant to submit. Where should we draw the line on submission? You know of situations where submitting to those in authority would put you at odds with your submission to God. That’s an obvious situation where we must obey God rather than man. There are other situations where we see Christians avoiding capture by authorities. It’s not that we are called to suffer needlessly. But there are situations where disciples submit to authorities for the opportunity to preach the gospel. There is something that drives us more than survival or self preservation. We submit to one another because Jesus submitted everything to us. He deserved recognition as the greatest, but he absorbed malicious hate and violence so we could have what we ultimately need, forgiveness of sins. This is why Paul tells us to submit to one another in all of our situations. Ephesians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Make the decision today to stop living a stubborn, selfish, self-exalting life. Stop promoting your way, and submit to God’s way. His way is better.

<a tabindex="0" role="button" class="previous" aria-label="Previous Slide" > <a tabindex="0" role="button" class="next" aria-label="Next Slide" > The Savior (Exodus 1-15) Casey Gray Download The Opportunity and Failure of Moses (1-2) After the death of Joseph and all his brothers the people of Israel, (Hebrews), multiplied greatly in number. God was making them, in a short amount of time, into a great nation. They keep having babies to the point where the Egyptians start getting nervous. So, Pharaoh commanded all the midwives to kill all the babies that are boys. As soon as the sons are born, he orders them to be put to death in a seemingly discreet way. But the midwives rebel and refuse to kill the boys, saying, “These Israelite women have their sons before we get there. We cannot do it like you want.” Afterwards, Pharaoh decided to be more obvious. He commanded all of the Hebrew sons to be cast into the Nile. Can you imagine living in that kind of society? We think our days are bad. Every young Hebrew mother was forced to kill their newborn sons. How corrupt and immoral can you be to enforce or abide by a law like that? This is murder! But one day, a man named Amram and a woman named Jochebed chose to disobey. They put their third child, Moses, into the Nile but they put him in a little floating basket and kept him among the reeds. This would still be dangerous since the current of the Nile could increase at any time. Also, crocodiles could come and find him. But in one of the greatest ironies in scripture the baby was found by the daughter of Pharaoh and would end up being nursed by his own mother. So Moses started out sentenced to death as the son of a slave and ended up the grandson of Pharaoh, growing up in the palace with all of the benefits of an Egyptian. Can you imagine living in the palace of the wealthiest king in the world? Hebrews 11 tells us that he would reject the passing pleasures of Egypt and choose to join in the suffering of his people. He knew the Egyptians were treating his people unjustly. So one day, he went down to where the Hebrews were working, he saw an Egyptian man beating up a Hebrew, and he decided to murder the man for his cruelty. He saw himself as a justice warrior and savior. He hoped that this act would unite the Hebrews with him, but instead they bickered with one another and rejected him as a leader because they knew he had killed a man. Finding out that his murder was well known, he fled to the wilderness to escape punishment. While in the wilderness, he chose to protect some young shepherdesses as they were watering their father’s flocks. This act of kindness resulted in Moses being given a home, becoming a husband, a son-in-law to a priest, and a role as a shepherd for forty years. Isn’t it interesting how one act of kindness set Moses up while he was on the run? God took care of him. God’s Calling and Encouragement (3-4) God was not finished with Moses. While in the wilderness, he noticed a fire up on Mount Horeb. It kept burning and didn’t go out. He had no idea where the fire came from or why it was continuing so he went up to investigate. When he got close, he heard the sound of God calling out to him, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” To which God told him not to come near and to take his sandals off of his feet because he is standing on holy ground. Then, God told him who he was, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and that God had seen the affliction of His people and that he wanted to give the promised blessing to them in the land of Canaan, and that he wanted Moses to lead them out. This is great news! God is going to work to save His people! He heard their cries and witnessed the sufferings they have gone through. He has not abandoned them. However, Moses is meek and lowly at this point. He once thought that he was in a position where he could help the people, but now? Who is he to save anyone? We see that he has given up those foolish and childish dreams. He is content to live out his days in the wilderness tending sheep. But God has a mission for him to fulfill, and his humility makes him the perfect candidate. This is one of the more interesting conversations in all the Bible. Moses is told what God wants him to do, but he is reluctant to do it. He doesn’t seem to doubt that God can do this, but he doesn’t consider himself worthy or able to accomplish this. He says, “I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” (4:10). He sees himself as broken and worries about messing things up. So, God allows Moses’ brother Aaron to help him in this and he promises to demonstrate miraculous power to solidify his words to Pharaoh and the people. But, what is more interesting, is the fact that God tells Moses Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you because God will harden his heart. So this is not going to be an easy mission, but God wants Moses to do it anyway. Pause a moment. Do you know that God calls all of us to do something scary? He calls us to be salt and light in a dark world. Consider how Moses responds with humility and still God pushes him to do what he cannot do on his own. Understand that God always expects us to fulfill that opportunity with faith. Delivering A Beaten Down People (5-14) By the time Moses returns to Egypt all of those who had previously sought to capture him and imprison him have died. So he and Aaron go to the people, perform signs, and convince the people that the Lord was going to save them. They bowed and worshiped God in response. But after Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and commanded him to let the people go, things took a sharp turn in the wrong direction. Pharaoh did not like the idea of letting his free slave force go anywhere. Moses did signs in front of him, like turning his stick into a snake and then picking it up again, but Pharaoh wasn’t persuaded. His magicians could do the same. So Pharaoh accused the people of Israel of being lazy and called for heavier loads to be placed on their backs. The people heard this and were dismayed. They blamed Moses and Aaron for their suffering and thought they were going to die at the hands of the Egyptians. Moses, himself, asked God why He had ever sent him to this place. All it has done is brought pain and suffering. How often do we give up too early on a work that we feel like we can do? We fault the Israelites and Moses for giving up and not waiting, but do we do the same? But all they really needed to do was wait and trust in God. God reinforced His promise to Moses. He told him to get ready because he is about to do something that has never been done before. He is about to redeem them, save them, and bring them into the land He has promised them. The people refused to listen because they had a broken spirit due to the harsh slavery they had been in. So God told Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and show him miracles. But Pharaoh would not listen. He had his magicians perform similar signs. So God turned from miracles to plagues, and still Pharaoh would not listen. So the plagues increased in severity. Moses would continually go before Pharaoh and announce the plague before it happened. But every time, Pharaoh refused to listen. Moses would come back after the plague had taken place, listen to the begging of Pharaoh, and plead for the plague to stop after Pharaoh promised to let the people go. But Pharaoh always went back on his word. This repeated nine times, but on the tenth time, God killed all the firstborn children and firstborn livestock in the land. He passed over the Israelites who obeyed and put blood on their doorposts, but killed the Egyptians. Once that happened, they were free to go. Everyone was giving them all of their riches and telling them to get out. So they quickly left Egypt. But God had one more twist up his sleeve. He had Moses lead them toward the Red Sea instead of down the road toward the promised land, knowing that Pharaoh would once again harden his heart. When the army of Pharaoh came to capture the Israelites and bring them back, the people panicked: “We would rather serve them than die out here!” God brought a fog to confuse them. He had Moses lift his staff and God brought a strong wind to blow the sea to the side so He could lead his people across the Red Sea on dry ground. Then, when Pharaoh’s army tried to pursue them, he brought the sea crashing down on them, killing them all. Connecting Moses to Jesus: The Greater Deliverer Moses’ story points to Jesus, the true Savior (Hebrews 3:1–6). Like Moses, Jesus escaped a king’s infanticide (Matthew 2:13–16), frees from slavery to sin (John 8:34–36), and intercedes for God’s people (Hebrews 7:25). The Passover lamb spared Israel; Jesus, the Lamb of God, spares us from death (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29). Where Moses faltered, Jesus obeys perfectly. Scripture exalts Him: “The law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). The salvation from Egyptian bondage is a major marker in all of history that our God reigns over the universe. But Jesus’ death and resurrection is the most important event ever, signifying a defeat of all mankind’s greatest enemy—death. Application: Trusting God to Save As we look at Moses in the first part of his story, it’s important for us to see that he was an ordinary man who was given a great opportunity. But it turned out that things didn’t go how he thought they would. Have you ever had that happen in your life? Have you ever believed that something was going to work out one way in your head, just to find out that it wouldn’t. But notice how God brought it about in a totally different way. He used a broken and humble Moses instead of the proud and powerful Moses. In a world that is growing increasingly oppressive, violent, proud, and immoral, we might be inclined to dominate those around us. But God didn’t operate like that in the New Testament. Jesus could have dominated everyone around Him, but he sought to help them. He loved, forgave, taught, and lifted them up. He made a way for them to be saved at great pain to himself. It’s not about how strong we are. It’s about how strong our faith in God is. God calls us to trust His deliverance. Like Moses, you might feel unqualified, but He chooses to work through the weak and unqualified. Paul said, “Who is qualified to teach these things?” (2 Cor 3:4-6) When seas block your path, stand firm and watch for Him to make a way.