Sermons from First Evangelical Free Church in Sioux City, IA

119:49-53 Remembering leads to comfort. God’s word gives hope to his people because when we remember it, we remember the very words and promises of our trustworthy God. This gives us comfort and helps us to remain steadfast when we go through the hardships of life because it causes us to keep our eyes (and our minds) fixed on what is true: the ways and laws of the Lord. 119:54-56 Comfort leads to (further) remembering. Note how the comfort that the Lord provides leads to further remembering of Him and His ways. The response to the Lord giving us what we need, exactly when we need it, is nothing less than worship. The Point: Delight and steadfastness in the faith come from remembering and believing what our Lord has done and promised. Prayer: Father, thank you for being a God who both makes and keeps His promises. Thank you for Jesus, the fulfillment of your promises, who gives life and hope to all who trust in Him. Help us to rely on Christ, trusting your words, as we navigate this life. Give us hope, that we would be found faithful as we await our King. Application: Pray and ask the Lord to help you remember what He has said. Ask Him for Holy Spirit-given boldness, that you would cling to His promises rather than being distracted or discouraged by a world that cares little for God’s words.

119:41-43 What God promises. The psalmist highlights three ways in which God’s word gives us strength and encouragement: promises, trust, and hope. When we call on our Lord in faith, when we take His words seriously, treasuring all that He has said for us, then we grow in the faith and are able to navigate life with Christian maturity. 119:44-48 How the faithful respond. God’s words aren’t meant simply to inform us, however; rather, they are a call to faith-filled living. Because God has promised, therefore we can hold to His words and ways with confidence. What’s more, the psalmist’s example in these verses is a challenge for us: do we believe and live in these ways? If not, the call is for us to pray and trust the Lord to provide what we lack! The Point: God’s certain promises call for us to respond faithfully. We need to see – repeatedly – until we believe whole-heartedly. We’ll know that we believe when we begin to increasingly act in ways that look like walking by faith. Prayer: Lord, make us to be “rememberers” of your words. Help us to know what you have said so that we would believe, and believe to such an extent that we respond in how we live and think and hope. Thank you for giving us the scriptures so that we would better know you! Application: What’s your plan for seeing and remembering God’s laws? When will you spend time in prayer asking Him to continue the work in you that He’s already begun?

119:33-35 Request. The psalmist asks for the Lord to provide not only knowledge, but also understanding and leading as well. The result is not just a better grasp on God’s law, but also a more faithful embracing and following of it. 119:36-37 Contrast. Part of learning to savor God’s ways is to call on Him to develop a taste for what He says in contrast with the tastes promoted by our world. It’s that we would see and desire Jesus more than anyone or anything else. 119:38-39 Purpose. The reasons behind the psalmist’s request are highlighted in these verses – the point isn’t simply knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but instead a response of trusting in and enjoying the Lord. 119:40 Heart. In some ways, we find here a summary of the entire stanza – a longing for the Lord by treasuring His words. The Point: The psalmist asks the Lord to work in him that he would not just know and understand, but also delight in the Lord by treasuring God’s words. Prayer: Lord, would you give us such a heart for you that we treasure each and every word you give us. Make us to love your ways and laws to such an extent that they become our delight and joy as we live them out before others. Application: ask the Lord to develop these kinds of longings in you, that you would call on Him to build within you a delight in all that He says. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

119:25-27 Ask for life and hope… What we need most when life is hard is for the hope that only the Lord can give. The psalmist asks for this in prayer, listening closely and attentively to the words and ways of the Lord. 119:28-30 Ask for strength… Faithfulness comes not from our own strength, but from the Lord doing the work in us and through us. When we have no strength worth looking to, trusting the Lord, desiring what He desires, is the way forward. We trust Jesus to provide all that He has promised. 119:31-32 Ask for the Lord’s work in you… Our goal is to so delight in the words of our King that we “run” in their patterns, that we would have a heart ever-more formed to love our King and joyously follow His ways. The Point: The psalmist prays that the Lord would work in him and conform him to the very ways that are prized in God’s word. Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to see ourselves rightly – as people who desperately need You for everything! And also help us to see You rightly – as our Heavenly Father who delights to provide all we need for faithfulness. Train us to love You as we treasure all that You have told us. Application: How do your prayers reflect these needs? Will you trust God to hear and to answer? Ask Him for life and hope, trust Him for strength in the proper measure and time, and call on Him to continue His work in you. Here is how I will apply these truths:

119:17-19 Blessing in God’s will. The psalmist challenges us to seek blessing not for ourselves, but instead God’s blessing in order to do God’s will: a heartfelt desire to please God, first and foremost, instead of our own selves. 119:20-22 Blessing instead of judgment. The one who pursues the Lord, who treasures what God has said rather than what God’s enemies have said, is the one who will enjoy His blessing – and not His judgment – forever. 119:23-24 Blessing instead of despair. God’s blessing matters not just for the future, but even in the present. The way to delight is found not in focusing on those who oppose the Lord, not in how they seek to harm the ones who follow God’s words, but instead: we focus on what our Lord has said. The Point: True blessing comes from treasuring what the Lord says matters most. We see this perfectly lived out in Jesus, and His joy in the Lord is given to we who trust in Him. Prayer: Lord, let us not seek your blessing instead of You, but rather: give us hearts and minds that want You most of all – and who delight in how your word tells us of who you are. Form us, mold and re-make us, to be a people who passionately pursue knowing and doing all that You have said. Application: What needs to change in your life so that you would delight in God’s word? How will you fill your mind and heart with what God has said so that you’d delight in Jesus even when life is hard and faith isn’t easy? Here is how I will apply these truths:

119:9-11 A pure way. The picture is of a life that is transformed through devotion to God’s word. What does that look like? All throughout this stanza, a number of action words paint the way. Here: guard, seek, and store up. 119:12-14 A delightful way. The call of Psalm 119 isn’t only a call to read the scriptures. It’s more! It’s a call to delight in God’s word given to God’s people. What does that delight look like and how can we have it? The psalmist answers: teach me, declare, and delight. 119:15-16 A remembering way. Four more actions complete the picture of how we can be transformed by God’s word: we meditate, fix, delight, and not forget all that the Lord has given to us. The Point: Delighting in God’s word is knowing it and memorizing it, yes, but doing so with the aim of delighting in and treasuring our good God. Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus – our perfect King whose delight in your word led to the kind of obedience that brings us salvation and joy forevermore. Help us to respond with gladness to His gospel in how we, too, get to treasure and be transformed by all that you have told us. Application: How will you make time to, and be intentional about, delighting in God’s word this week? Who can you help to do the same? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

119:1-3 The person God blesses. True blessing – the blessing of knowing God and being known by Him – comes from delighting in His law, His word, and all that He has said. 119:4-6 The blessing you can have. Far from being unattainable, you and I can have this blessing because Jesus has won it for us – He perfectly keeps all God’s words, He has fulfilled the law. Because of Jesus, because every Christian has the Holy Spirit, we too can follow the pattern of treasuring God’s words in how we live and respond. 119:7-8 The delight in God’s blessing. Delighting in the Lord leads to confidence of His care. The way to confident faith isn’t just “wishing” for it, but instead it is to hope and live and act in ways that He calls us to. The Point: Far from being something stale, boring, or even oppressive, God’s law is for the blessing of His people. As we treasure His words, we learn to treasure and delight in God! Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that your ways are best and that you have revealed them to us! We praise you that the way of delight, the way of blessing, isn’t a mystery, but instead is clear – and that Jesus has won that blessing for us. Help us to delight in your ways as we follow our Savior. Application: How will you treasure the Lord’s words this week? Will you seek Him by reading and hearing and thinking on what He has said? Will you live – alongside the rest of First E-Free – in the way that He says is best? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

6:21-22 People matter. It’s easy for us to overlook, so let’s thank the Lord for these verses which show us how relationships are crucial for God’s people. Our relationship with Jesus is what brings us hope – and on that basis, our relationships with one another matter as reflections of our King, too. Notice how Paul cares for the Ephesians on a personal level, and they for him. 6:23-24 Grace matters. The very kinds of things that Paul prayed for at the beginning of the letter are what he continues to hope for and point them to here at the end. Because of Christ’s work, Paul can confidently offer a blessing to God’s people in the pattern of the very things that our Savior has won for us. These are what we should embrace, treasure, and point one another toward. The Point: Encouragement is crucial for the church to be what we are called to be. We need to prioritize relationships as part of what it means for us to follow Jesus together. Prayer: Our King, because you cared to relate to us, our relationships with others take on new importance. Help us to love as we have first been loved, use us to encourage so that we would each be built up in Jesus and serve Him together. Application: Ask the Lord to help you see healthy Christian relationships as not just a “nice to have” in the church, but as foundational to what it means to gather together and grow together as God’s people. How will you be a part of that? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

6:14-18a The imagery. Paul uses the picture of a Roman soldier’s armor to show a vital truth about how God provides for us to become the very people that He has called us to in Christ: the armor is provided for us, all we need to do is embrace the life that Jesus has called us to in Him.6:18b-20 The practice. Practically, “armoring up” looks like, among other things, treasuring the words of our King (the scriptures) and calling on Him in prayer for each other and for the spread of the gospel.The Point: Every Christian has been provided with what we need to stand firm and faithful in this life. That armor comes not from our own strength or knowledge, but instead from our King. When we trust and follow King Jesus, He will see us through this life.Prayer: Lord, you are so kind to provide all that we need for faithfulness – to give us the very armor that we need, that we can trust in you, following and calling on you, to faithfully navigate this life. Help us, both as individuals and as a church, to treasure Jesus in our lives and words and thoughts this day and each day, until He comes.Application: Make hearing from the Lord in the scriptures and calling on Him in prayer your regular habit. Ask Him to grow your faith, that you would be a faithful witness of who He is and what He is doing – and will complete! – in you.Here is how I will apply these truths: _______

5:15-17 Walk wisely. Paul gives three contrasts in our passage for today, two of them are found here. Both point to one reality: be imitators of God and walk as children of the light (5:1, 8). That starts with prizing new life in Jesus: not being unwise, but wise; not living foolishly, but pursuing what the Lord wills. 5:18-21 Filled with the Spirit. Ultimately, the way of life that Paul envisions is found in this third contrast: our aim as Christians is not to live in the world’s ways of debauchery, but instead it is to live Spirit-filled lives. Three pictures are given of what this looks like: melody to the Lord in how you live, thankfulness to Him in all things, and submission to one another in the pattern that Jesus Himself has exampled. The Point: The Spirit-filled life is what we are called to and what the Lord offers to us. We are to earnestly call on Him to build our desire for what He offers to His people. Prayer: Lord, we ask for you to do what is humanly impossible when you save us; now we ask that you continue that miraculous work in our heart and mind: make us to earnestly desire all that you have said is best so that we would experience the joy of being filled with your Spirit! Application: Pray and ask the Lord to build in your heart and mind the desire for the life described here. Ask the Lord to give what He offers so that you would have this kind of Spirit-given joy in how you follow Him and love others. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

28:1-4 Fear. There is so much that we fear in this life, and the first disciples had even more reasons: their Master had been killed in the most brutal and public way possible. As Mary and Mary come to the tomb, they also are confronted with fear: the fear of the miraculous! 28:5-7 Life. The good news is this: what Jesus had repeatedly taught is exactly what had happened. He was no longer dead in the tomb, but had risen. Jesus was alive! The mission for the women was simple: they were to look in, see for themselves that Jesus wasn’t there, and then take this wonderous news to the rest of the disciples. 28:8-10 Joy. On their way, the ladies meet Jesus Himself! Their fear is rapidly turning into joy! They respond with worship, and are then told to take the message of Christ’s life to the disciples who will see Him in Galilee. The Point: Jesus Christ has risen from the grave, defanging death, and proving to those who follow Him that the life He taught about is a promise that He will deliver on. Prayer: Father, thank you so much for giving us joy that we don’t deserve. Thank you for the cross; thank you for the empty tomb! Thank you that our King lives! Change our hearts to respond in worship and to live in joy. Application: Trust Jesus Christ as your Risen King! Respond to Him with worship, with joy. Look for a way to spread that joy in Jesus to somebody else in the week ahead.

26:36-38 Let us pray… Following the events of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and the disciples head to a hill overlooking town to spend time in prayer; they need to call on the Lord for spiritual strength to be faithful with what will soon come. 26:39-41 Any other way? Christ’s first prayer asks the heart-searching question: is there any other way to save God’s people than to die a brutal death on the cross? Yet, Jesus focuses on the Father’s will more than His own. The disciples, for their part, fall asleep – they give in to temptation instead of preparing themselves. 26:42-43 Your will be done. Christ’s second prayer mirrors the first, if anything intensifying Jesus’ desire to do the Father’s will. The disciples once more are found asleep. 26:44-46 The hour has come. Christ’s third prayer is much the same as the first two. This time, upon His return, we learn that the time for preparation has drawn to a close. Jesus is ready, even if the disciples were not. The Point: Christ’s perfect obedience will bring about our salvation. Prayer: Lord, thank you for doing what we could not. Thank you for being obedient where we have not. Thank you for giving so great a salvation to we who don’t deserve it! Application: See your King being faithful – and respond with worship and with thankfulness!

4:17-19 What we were… Paul’s goal is to call the Ephesians – and us! – to see that there is, and must be, a radical difference between somebody who isn’t a Christian and somebody who is. Those who aren’t Christian live for the sorts of things that are the direct opposite of what will be valued in Christ’s kingdom. 4:20-24 Who we now are… Those who are Christian are called to daily embrace the gift that Jesus has given to us: we are to put off the old self and to embrace the new. Jesus has done the work, and we are to receive it. Christians should, in every way that treasures Jesus and values His words, look different from our world. The Point: In Christ, every Christian has been given a new identity, a new life. We don’t earn it, but we are called to receive it and live in it each and every day. Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach us more and more of our Savior – of all that He has done for us, of what we have in Him, and of what we will inherit in Him. In doing so, make us to see and to treasure all that He calls us to so that we would walk in His ways today and each day. Application: How will you be intentional about putting off the old self this year? What thoughts and habits need to be cast aside because they are incompatible with Christ’s kingdom? How will you embrace Christ’s new identity given to you? What will treasuring Jesus look like in your life this year? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:11-12 What we were. Prior to Jesus, Gentiles (i.e. non-Jews) were ridiculed and thought to have no hope for salvation. But that wasn’t God’s plan! Instead, His work was to bless all people through the Jews: most directly, through Jesus Christ! 2:13-18 What we are. Because of Christ’s work, not only can we have salvation because of a right relationship with God, but we also can enjoy the unity that the gospel produces: no longer would the world be divided between Jews and Gentiles. Each is succeeded by one new people of God, unified in their worship of Him. 2:19-22 What we are becoming. This radical change means that Christ’s church is a part of what He has planned since before there was time: God’s truth, Old and New Testament, has Jesus Christ as its cornerstone, and the people that result are Christ’s church, indwelt by God Himself. The Point: The gospel changes everything both individually and corporately so that Jesus Christ would be glorified in us. Prayer: Lord, so often our picture of Your work is too small. Too individual. Or too abstract. Thank you for changing us and calling us to be Christ’s church. Work in us that our unity and love would reflect our Savior to a world who needs the hope that only He can provide – and does provide! Application: Spend time marveling at – and worshipping the Lord for – a gospel that is even bigger than we think! Good news for all the world that changes everyone and everything! Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:8-9 Saved by God’s grace. Paul makes clear that our salvation is – from start to finish – entirely by God’s grace, received through faith. We contribute nothing; He accomplishes everything. Our salvation is not something we ever earn or deserve, but is a gift, given to us by our loving God. We dare not boast. Instead, we dare to respond with worship and by living as testimonies to our wonderful Savior. 2:10 Saved for God’s purpose. This means that our salvation isn’t simply a self-improvement project for our own sake, as if Christians can now do whatever they want. No, we have far more value than that: our salvation has a purpose, a goal. We are to walk in the works that God has provided for us, that which He planned from before there was time! The Point: Works do not save – only God does! Works, instead, are how we now respond to God saving us; they are a part of our worship. Prayer: Father, we are so tempted to think that our own efforts are part of our salvation. When we think that way, we miss Your amazing grace and we get both You and the gospel wrong. Instead, help us to receive Your grace fully and joyfully, and then to see our works as part of Your gracious and perfect calling for our lives. Application: When is the last time you thanked the Lord for saving you? How should your thoughts, actions, attitudes, and goals reflect the salvation that you have been gifted?

2:1-3 From death… Paul describes us as we were without Jesus: dead. Not just sick or needing a bit of help, but dead. We had given in to the ways of the sinful world, we were followers of the devil in our rebellion, and we repeatedly chose our own sinful passions over anything faithful, true, or good. This is what total depravity looks like: everything tainted by our sin, by our fallenness. And we had no way to rescue ourselves. 2:4-7 …to life! But here’s the great news: God rescued us! Through no merit of our own, without deserving it even a little bit, the Lord shows His love for us by giving us mercy and grace in Jesus Christ. Our salvation – and our new life – is wrapped up in Him. His resurrection is ours, His eternal life is ours, too! In Jesus, we have life, now and forevermore. The Point: Only by recognizing how dead we were can we truly enjoy and respond to the life we now have in Christ. Prayer: Lord, thank you for saving us! Thank you even for this picture of how hopeless we were – it’s your love that shows us how much we need Jesus, just as it’s your love that brings us from death to life through the sacrifice and resurrection of our Savior and King. Give us joy in what Christ has done! Application: Do you trust Jesus Christ to give you life? He is our only hope – not ourselves, not anything we can do. Do you agree with Jesus that you need a Rescuer, a Savior, and that He is the One who has done all the work for you? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

1:15-17 Why Paul praises. What an encouragement that we have Paul’s prayer recorded for us: he praises God for His work in the Ephesians to make them both faithful in the Lord and also loving toward one another. 1:18-19 What Paul prays for. Because of the Lord’s work in the Ephesians, Paul prays that they would gain a deeper and wider understanding of all that they already have in Jesus: He has already done the work; they (and we!) get the opportunity to more fully realize what all it means to be saved in Jesus and to have life in Him. 1:20-23 Christ over all. Christ’s work is a blessing rooted in eternity past, and it’s what we will enjoy forever. Yet, it’s also what we have right now, in this life – and we need it! Christ’s rule and authority are our blessing and guarantee that He will see us safely from this day through to our heavenly home. The Point: In Christ, we are more blessed that we realize. Prayer: Lord, give us a deeper understanding, and a more joyful response to, all that You have planned and will accomplish and are – right now – at work to bring about in Your church. Give us encouragement by seeing the bigger picture of Your grace given to us and working in us. Application: In this case, simply knowing is how we respond. Know and believe and cherish the Lord who cares for His church past, present, and future. Trust Him all the more and rejoice in Him that His plans are for our blessing forever! Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

1:11-12 We have an inheritance. In Christ, we have been predestined to obtain an inheritance. All our blessing is found in Jesus and He is everything that we need. God’s plan is being accomplished through Jesus to take people who are sinful yet chosen and to turn them into living examples and testimonies to God’s glory. 1:13-14 We have the Spirit. What is our proof of such a blessing, of such an inheritance? It is the Holy Spirit – the downpayment, the promise, that all of God’s plans not only are true, but also that they will hold and never fail. Everyone who hears of Jesus and responds to Him in genuine belief has the promised Holy Spirit. The Point: When we realize, embrace, and rehearse the fact that all our blessings are in and by Jesus (and only found in Jesus!), then we respond with the praise that God deserves and that we were made to give. God is glorified in us as we take joy in Him. Prayer: Father, transform our thinking and our desires so that we would realize the amazing inheritance that we have been given in Christ. Have that eternal blessing drive us toward faithful praise and worship in this life so that all around us would see – and by grace, respond to – your glory. Application: Keep your eyes fixed upon your Savior: keep praising Him, trusting Him, and waiting for your inheritance in Him. Jesus is where all our blessing and purpose are found. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

1:1-2 Grace and peace. Paul’s letter begins with a theme that will unfold throughout the coming chapters: God’s grace and peace for His people. 1:3-6 Past blessing. The Lord’s sovereign decisions, His predestining of us, is not something to fear or to see as restrictive. Instead, it is His blessing! It is because He chose us that we enjoy Christ today. It is because He chose us that we have purpose and meaning for our identity. 1:7-10 Present blessing. The blessings of the Lord matter every bit as much today: God gives to us all the grace we could need and tells us of what is amazingly true: we are a part of what Jesus will do to unite all things in Himself! The Point: God’s love for His people didn’t just start the day that you or I trusted Him. Instead, Paul writes that God has loved us since before the foundation of the world, and that love led to Him choosing us, bringing us to salvation in Jesus, so that we would live in the joy of Christ now and forever. Prayer: Lord, what an amazing reality – that we have been blessed, just as we are right now blessed, in Jesus! Thank you for your sovereign grace, for choosing us, for loving us. Thank you that, right now, your care is for us and your promises sustain us as we await the return of our King! Application: Believe and respond in worship to the God who is described in these verses. Not the God re-defined by critics or skeptics. Trust the living God and enjoy His blessing. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:1-3 In those days. Luke tells us the historical details of the setting for Christ’s birth: Caesar had ordered a tax census that required folks to go to their hometowns in order to register. 2:4-5 In David’s line. Yet, Caesar is not the center of this story! Instead, we rapidly switch to Joseph and Mary who were heading to Bethlehem. Why? Because Joseph was of the line of David. Luke reminds us that Mary was with child (1:26-38), which is crucial to the story. 2:6-7 In a manger. While in Bethlehem, Mary gives birth to Jesus in the humblest of circumstances. The prophesied Messiah has come – but not in earthly power or wealth! The Point: God’s promised Messiah came exactly as He had said, and in a way that uniquely displays both God’s sovereignty and Christ’s humility. Prayer: Lord – we usually give our attention to whatever seems most flashy, loudest, or most lavish. What a challenge to us that our Savior was brought into this world through very “ordinary” circumstances, each a miracle worked by you! Teach us to trust you in all things and to believe that your will and plans are perfect and for the joy of your people forever. Application: trust the Lord who is in charge of all things, large and small – from government decrees to genealogies! Believe and share with others how this wonder-working God has done the miracle of saving us from our sins, and that all came into focus with the life of Jesus, starting here with His birth. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:41-42 Faithful worship. Just as we have consistently seen from Joseph and Mary, Jesus, too, is faithful to the Lord. 2:43-45 Where’s Jesus? After celebrating the Passover, Jesus’ parents head back to Nazareth. Yet, on the way, they discover that Jesus isn’t with them. Where had He gone? 2:46-47 Here He is! After an extensive search, Jesus is located in the temple. He’s not there simply to listen, but is actually the one asking the questions and giving wise responses! 2:48-51 Did you not know? When asked why He had stayed behind, Christ’s response is to say that He had to be in His Father’s house – which means that Jesus is the Son of God! 2:52 Favored. Just as we’ve seen before (2:40), and had parallel examples of in the Old Testament, Jesus grew. He is fully God, yet He is also – amazingly – fully human! The Point: Jesus is God in the flesh; He is the Son of God. Prayer: Heavenly Father, how jaw-droppingly amazed we are to read that Your Son is our Savior! As many questions as we have, in all of our lack of understanding, work in our hearts and minds to believe what is true: that Jesus is God with us. Application: Believe that Jesus is God – and respond with joy and worship. Be willing to trust the Lord to help your own doubts and questions as you wait on Him. Keep looking to Jesus in faith – and keep enjoying the adventure of knowing Him more each day. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:36-37 Her past. Anna’s words are recorded by Luke as coming from somebody with integrity and uprightness. She had a difficult life, yet her response was continual worship. She spent her time not in complaining or bitterness, but instead in fasting and calling on the Lord in prayer. 2:38 Her hope. At exactly the right time, Anna comes onto the scene when Jesus and his parents are at the temple. Anna’s response is to give thanks to God. Why? Because she recognizes Jesus as the One whom everyone had been waiting for: He would redeem His people! 2:39-40 His growth. Anna’s story completes what we’ve seen from Joseph and Mary at the temple with Jesus. Their own faithfulness matters, it honors the Lord. And we find Jesus growing and having the favor of God. The Point: God’s blessing in Jesus matters more than our circumstances – it gives us joy now and forever. Prayer: Lord, it is tempting to measure our lives by what we see and experience here and now. Or by comparison to others. Or by the things we do or don’t have. Thank you for Anna’s example of faithfulness and worship instead. Use her testimony to cause us to have great joy in Jesus, our Savior! Application: Doggedly choose to have joy in the Lord – look to Jesus instead of your circumstances. Who in your circles needs the encouragement of Jesus today? How will you be intentional about sharing the hope of Christ with them? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

10:1-2 Purpose. The plagues have a meaning that differs depending upon whether a person was an Egyptian rebelling against God or whether a person was a Hebrew in need of God’s rescue. God’s rescue of the Hebrews would end up being the origin story that gave identity and purpose to the people of Israel. 10:3-11 Hardness. Yet, that same rescue and blessing from God looked like – and ended up as – judgment for Pharaoh and Egypt. His absolute unwillingness to let God’s people go, his refusal to bend the knee and obey God, continues. 10:12-20 Repeat. What comes is exactly what God had warned Pharaoh against: utter devastation of the nation’s crops. Pharaoh made a half-hearted and deceitful effort at claiming to be repentant, but he would not truly turn from his sinful ways. The Point: The God we trust is the God who uses all things for the good of His people – events which may be seen as hardships, even plagues, upon those who will not trust Him. Prayer: Lord, so often we don’t know the answers to our questions. So often, we ask “why?” In our asking and wondering, let us not trust our own ideas, our own selves, more than Jesus. Instead, work in us to trust Him most of all. Application: The temptations of Egypt are with us today. Is your life marked by obedience to what God has said and joy in Christ? Or by a pattern of life leading to God’s judgment? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

9:13-21 None like Him. The Lord pulls back the curtain, revealing His own mercy in being patient with Pharaoh and Egypt, even warning them of the coming plague of hail. Yet, Pharaoh’s heart is also revealed: heavy and rebellious toward the Lord, unwilling to even protect his own people and livestock. 9:22-26 Protecting His people. Once the plague of hail arrives, the Lord’s power is shown in that He protects all who trust Him – the Hebrews in Goshen specifically, but also any Egyptians who listened to His warning (v20). 9:27-35 That all may know. Pharaoh wants the hail to stop and will say anything to get to that point, but his heart isn’t genuinely repentant. Pharaoh will not bend to the Lord, just as God had told Moses beforehand. The Point: The sovereign God of the all the Universe is the only one who can rescue and save from sins. He alone is to be rightly feared and worshipped – no other. Prayer: Father, it is so easy for us to place our trust elsewhere – in ourselves, our skills, our money or technology. Anywhere else but you. But you are the only one who saves, you are the only one who can rescue us. Give us soft hearts, not heavy ones: hearts that delight in Christ alone. Application: Who do you trust? If anyone or anything other than the one true God, you are setting yourself up for devastating loss. Trust in the Lord, call upon Him in faith.

9:1-7 Death arrives. The reality is that sin leads to death (Romans 6:23), and that truth is held out as a warning to Pharaoh in these verses. Sadly, even when the judgment is carried out upon the livestock of Egypt – even when Pharaoh has undeniable proof that the God of Israel has the power to both bring plagues and distinguish between His people and the Egyptians – Pharaoh continues to rebel against God. 9:8-12 Sickness comes. For the first time in the plagues, sickness comes and affects the Egyptians. Even Pharaoh’s magicians are afflicted by this plague and are unable to counter it in any way. Yet, Pharaoh continues in his rebellion. His hardness of heart has become such that he is unwilling to let the Hebrews free; he has become enslaved to his sin. The Point: Sin leads to death. There is no getting around this simple fact – and it would be the end that every one of us receives had it not been for the Lord’s grace and mercy, offered to us through trusting Jesus Christ for salvation. Prayer: Lord, thank you for rescuing us from ourselves. Teach us to trust you even as we suffer at the hands of those who embrace sin. Give us a faith and a hope that is larger than our circumstances, knowing and believing that you are the God who saves His people. Application: Our world denies that sin leads to death, yet the God of the Universe says that it most definitely does. Who will you believe? Who will you trust and follow? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

8:16-19 Unique acts. Unlike the previous two plagues, we find that this one cannot be duplicated by Pharaoh’s magicians. The Lord is showing His unique power over and above Pharoah because He alone is the God of the universe. 8:20-24 Unique words. As the plagues progress, a further distinction appears: God’s people will not always suffer on account of Pharaoh’s rebellion and wickedness. The Lord has the power to distinguish between His people and the Egyptians and to limit and direct the effects of the plague. 8:25-32 Common hardness. Ultimately, despite clear and undeniable signs of God’s power which is greater than Pharaoh’s, the king of Egypt remains in his sin, he and his nation suffering on account of his rebellion. The Point: But for the grace of God, each of us is every bit as sinful as Pharaoh and every bit as in need of the Savior. Praise God that Jesus Christ has given His heart in place of our sin-hardened one! Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus – thank you for His heart toward sinners like us, rescuing us from ourselves and from the sinful world around us. Form us so that we would treasure Jesus and respond to Him in ongoing faith from this day until the wonderful day when He returns. Application: Sin is worse than we think, yet God is better than we think. Do you trust Jesus? How will you live in response to Him? Who will you tell of this Savior? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

8:1-7 Again. On the one hand, almost everything seen in these verses follows the pattern that we’ve already come across with Pharaoh in chapter 7. Yet, as is common throughout the Bible, repetition helps us to see points that we may have missed the first time around. It also helps us to see when something does not match the pattern, which will be the case here. 8:8-15 Harder. Pharaoh seeks relief from the plague. The Lord, in his grace, does exactly as Pharaoh asks, and yet Pharaoh breaks his word and refuses to let God’s people go. His heart is hard even when God works a miracle for him! The Point: God’s authority and power will, in fact, prevail over the hard heart of Pharaoh – and every heart that opposes him. Prayer: Heavenly Father, too often our own hearts are hard toward you. We think of ourselves as on the throne rather than wanting to see your Son rule over everyone and everything – including us! Change our hard hearts by your grace that we would enjoy and yearn for Christ’s rule. Help us to hope in him as we serve and suffer and wait for his return. Application: Do you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior-King? There is no other way to enjoy eternity. And if you do embrace Jesus, how will you tell of his good plans to somebody else this week? How can you encourage a fellow Christian as they endure hardship for following after Jesus? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

Noah Dziurawiec delivers the second sermon in a two-part series.

Overseer Noah Dziurawiec shares the first of a two-sermon series.

Undivided > Ephesians 3:20-21 3:20 The power of God. Paul has taken the past three chapters to show that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings reconciliation – both between sinful humans and their creator, but also with one another, which reflects the power of Christ to save. The Lord is at work building and unifying a people for Himself, for His own glory. 3:21 The worship He deserves. Because of the marvelous grace of the Lord and on account of His mercy to sinners in reconciling us and working in us through the Holy Spirit, we – in turn – glorify Him, both by how we act as a church and how we respond to and worship Jesus Christ. The Point: The gospel is not only a message of how to “get saved,” but also about what salvation really means. Reconciliation with our God has been achieved by Jesus Christ. We, in turn, display, enjoy, and testify to that reconciliation in the church through our unity as we worship the King together. Prayer: Heavenly Father, what an amazing reality we see here! Your grace and mercy to us in Christ transforms us, both as individuals and as a church. It accomplishes this transformation across every dividing line, testifying to Your great power and wisdom, which is why we praise You. Application: Unity is a big deal to Jesus – is it a big deal to you? How are the ways that you act and speak and care for others displaying the unity brought about by Christ’s gospel? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

That All May Know > Exodus 7:1-13 7:1-7 What, will, and why. The time for the big showdown with Pharaoh has come: Moses and Aaron are sent to proclaim what God will do, what he has promised all along: that he would rescue his people from out of Egypt. In so doing, all of Egypt would come to know that he is the Lord, the one true God. 7:8-13 Just as God said. The prelude to the plagues unfolds exactly as the Lord had said: Pharaoh isn’t open to the Lord’s command to let his people go. Instead, Pharaoh tries to dismiss God’s power through Moses and Aaron by having his own wise men use their wicked and counterfeit ways. Rapidly, the Lord will show Pharaoh and all of Egypt that nobody is as powerful as the living God! The Point: God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and completely sovereign. Pharaoh and all who oppose him will receive only judgment. But those who trust this God, who hope in him, shall have the Lord’s blessing forever. Prayer: Father, make us to see your greatness rather than our own. Keep us from giving our allegiance to any other. Instead, make us proclaimers of you and your glorious plan to save many from their sins. Thank you for rescuing us! Application: If you are not yet a Christian then it’s time to admit, believe, and confess that God is God and you are not. If you are a Christian, rejoice! Our God is King and all his promises are “yes” and “amen” in Jesus Christ! Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

How We Live > Acts 2:46-47 2:46 Attending. Luke summarizes the practice of the early church in two words. First, they “attended” – that is, they regularly worshipped together and shared time in their homes with one another. The people of God weren’t isolated, but instead, lived in community and gave thanks to the Lord for all that He was doing and providing. 2:47 Praising. Second, God’s people focused on the Lord, praising Him as the God who had brought Good News (=the gospel) to His people. This changed their entire way of life (v42-45), which was then noticed by the people around them. These Christians witnessed to Jesus by their very way of life. The Point: The growth of Christ’s church is the blessing that God gives as His people respond to His gospel by faith in Jesus. When we prize Gospel proclamation, Christ-centered fellowship, and intentional and sacrificial care for one another, we enjoy the blessing of being a church used by God to spread – and live in the enjoyment of – His gospel. Prayer: Lord, you are so good to us. Your gospel gives us hope that we could never earn, but that You have given anyway. A hope in Jesus that transforms how we live now, how we care for others now, because of our trust in what Jesus will bring to completion when He comes back. Thank you! Application: How will you prize the Christian life in your own schedule and routine this week? Who around you needs to see (and hear!) from you genuine, lasting, hope in Jesus? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

Gospel transformation leads to Christ-centered change in every area of life. The Jerusalem church gave of their possessions not because they were rich, nor because they were forced to. Instead, they gave as an expression of the forgiveness and life that Jesus had first given to them.

Let Us Pray > Acts 2:42d 2:42a And they devoted themselves… A reminder that for each of the four elements in this verse, Luke is describing what the early church intentionally pursued together as God’s people. 2:42d …to the prayers. God’s people gave themselves to prayer as a priority. Not just when it was convenient or could be worked in to other ministries, but as its own important practice. Theirs was a church driven by calling on the Lord for direction rather than by trusting in their own strategies, personalities, or emotions to determine what they should do. The Point: When we pray together, we call on God to do in and through us what only he can do. Prayer is an act of trust, an expression of faith: we rely on the Lord for guidance and direction, and we believe that his ways are infinitely better than what we would come up with ourselves. Prayer: Father, would you stoke up in us a desire to pray? To make us see all too clearly our own limits so that we would have to (and get to!) joyfully trust you as the Lord who has no limits. Teach us to lean not on our own understanding, but to seek you and trust you in all things, from salvation to the return of our King. Application: How will you prioritize praying together here at First E-Free? What will you say “no” to in order to free up time to regularly call on the Lord in faith? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

2:42a And they devoted themselves… Remember where this verse started: these are the practices of Christians in the first church. This is how they did life together and followed Jesus side-by-side. 2:42c …to the breaking of bread. The breaking of bread describes both the regular meals of these early Christians (eating together, sharing life together) and also the Lord’s Supper, which would have been remembered as part of those meals (see 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 and 11:17-34). The goal was that even in their eating, these first Christians wanted to follow Christ together and prize the gospel in their lives. The Point: When we prioritize sharing meals together, we emphasize and remember Christ’s transformative work in our lives. This is then displayed in our care and hospitality for each other and in how we remember Christ’s own care for us as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Prayer: Lord, we lived hurried lives where it is hard to give attention to one another much less gather together! Yet, your ways are best. Work in us to prioritize sharing meals together as a way of focusing our fellowship and our joy on what Christ has done for us. Sharpen us and build us up as we learn to example Christ’s grace to one another. Application: How will you make sharing meals with others at FEFC a priority? How will you be intentional about fellowship and the gospel during those times? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

Why One-another? > Acts 2:42b 2:42b What is meant by “fellowship”? Pictured here is the community life of the early church – a life where Christians gathered together because they had Christ in common with one another. 2:42b Why does fellowship matter? This gathering together is important because it testified to the God these early Christians believed in, it gave them a training ground and place of encouragement for following Jesus, and it provided them with a foretaste of their own union with Christ. 2:42b How do we grow in fellowship? We grow together when we spend time with one another, intentionally seeking to worship together and to serve as Christ has first served us. Our fellowship is to be intentional about loving one another. The Point: Fellowship isn’t just an optional “add on” in the Christian life; instead, it’s essential to faithfully following after our Savior! This is how we grow in Jesus. Prayer: Heavenly Father, what an amazing blessing that you call us to, that we would have fellowship with our King for eternity. As we await that day, give us hearts that desire good for one another, to encourage each other, so that – together – we would grow in and faithfully follow after Jesus Christ. Application: How will you look to encourage somebody else in our congregation this week? How will you make fellowship a priority for yourself and with your calendar? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

Why the Bible? > Acts 2:42a 2:42a They devoted themselves… A snapshot of Christian living from the early church: those who trust Christ devote themselves (give their attention to, prioritize) to four practices as a congregation. They respond to God by dedicating themselves to his pattern of faith and life. 2:42a …to God’s teaching. The first priority of Christ’s church is that it is focused upon, formed by, and gives its attention to God’s word. The apostles taught the good news of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The church must believe, respond to, live by, and tell of this message to others. The Point: God’s people are formed by God’s word. We dedicate ourselves to learning and living in response to what God has said and done through our Savior. Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to listen to everyone else before we listen to you. Give us a hunger for your truth. Form us into a congregation who wants to hear from you through your word, so that we would faithfully trust The Word, Jesus Christ. Enable us to treasure our Savior by hearing all that you have said and done and will accomplish, and then give us the opportunity to live out and to share what you have said. Application: What are you devoting yourself to? Christians devote themselves to what God has said matters most. How will you devote yourself to respond to the teaching of God’s word? How will you uphold God’s word in our congregation? Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________

Suffering with Jesus > Mark 8:22-9:1 8:22-26 Seeing but not seeing. Just as the blind man sees only partially at first, but later fully, so will the disciples begin to see more clearly who Jesus the Messiah is and what that means for him and for them. 8:27-30 Seeing Christ. Jesus challenges the disciples to decide for themselves who he is. Peter, speaking for the group, answers correctly: Jesus is the Christ. 8:31-33 Seeing but not seeing (again). Yet, even though Peter’s answer is right, his understanding of what that means is wrong – completely opposite of what Christ means, in fact! 8:34-9:1 Following Christ. Rather than dreams of power and wealth, Jesus teaches that just as the Messiah must suffer, so too will those who follow him. Yet the cost will be more than worth it: what is gained in following Christ is more than this world could ever offer. The Point: Disciples are those who trust Jesus and show that trust through following him by faith – committing to him even though it is costly in terms of this life. Prayer: Lord, make us as those who both see Jesus clearly and respond to him faithfully. Teach us to value what you say is most valuable: not this life, but the gospel; not gain in the here and now, but gain in Jesus for our eternal soul. Application: Trust Jesus as he is, not as you want him to be. Count following him as worth your all. Here is how I will apply these truths: ___________________ __________________________________________________