God's Word with Pastor Tom Smith

The world tells us how to find a woman’s worth. But it can only offer counterfeit solutions to people's real needs. We examine the counterfeits and then reveal God’s truth about the value of women.

Babylon has been revealed as attractive yet corrupted and in league with the Beast. The Beast is now shown to be aligned with worldly political systems, rulers, and powers who are coming together to fight the Lamb. Yet the Lamb conquers because He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

The ascension is the precursor to Christ’s reign and the sending of the Holy Spirit. How should we respond to the reality of the Risen King and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit?

After restoring and teaching his disciples, Jesus commissions them to take the Gospel to the world. Discover what the Great Commission meant for the first disciples and what it means for us.

Chapter 17 takes us back for a closer look at Babylon. What is she? Why is she being judged so severely? This chapter also will set up a deliberate contrast between two women (cities): Babylon, the Prostitute and New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ. We peel back the outward appearance of Babylon to see that appearances can be very deceiving.

Jesus has restored his broken disciples, but to prepare them to take his message to the world, Jesus must teach them. His teaching transformed the disciples and it should transform us.

As we complete Revelation Chapter 16, we study the 6th Bowl judgment which prepares the way for the united earthly powers to face God and the terrible consequences of the 7th Bowl. Amazingly, people still do not repent. The divide between those who worship the Beast and those who worship the Lamb has never been greater than what we see in these judgments.

Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples after the resurrection. He used this time for more than proving he was alive. In today’s text, Jesus restores his broken disciples.

Chapter 6 begins the bowl judgments, the complete outpouring of God's wrath on the evil world. Tonight, we cover the first five judgments and hear confirmation that God is just and righteous in judging evil.

The resurrection of Jesus is the center of Easter. An empty tomb is not the end of the story. The presence of the living Christ is what resurrection provides. We don’t have to believe in the resurrection through blind faith; the evidence points to its truth.

This week, slowly read the story of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection in the Gospel of Luke. Imagine the movement of the story, walk with Christ, see what He died for.Suggested passages:  • The Last Supper – Luke 22:14–23  • Gethsemane – Luke 22:39–46  • The Trial of Jesus – Luke 22:63–71  • The Crucifixion – Luke 23:32–49  • The Burial – Luke 23:50–56  • The Resurrection – Luke 24:1–12As you look upon the cross realize:  The cross reveals the seriousness of sin    – Jesus did not die for small mistakes or minor failures    – He died for the real bondage of sin that enslaves humanityThe cross reveals the depth of God’s love    – Christ willingly bore our sin    – He took the judgment we deserved so that we could receive forgivenessThe resurrection reveals the victory of God    – Sin is forgiven    – The power of sin is broken    – Death is defeated through the resurrectionRespond personally as you read the Passion narrative.Repent honestly    – Bring any sin into the light before God    – Confess without hiding or minimizing Trust the finished work of Christ    – Forgiveness is not earned    – Jesus’ sacrifice is complete Receive the freedom Christ offers    – The same cross that forgives sin also breaks its bondage    – Followers of Jesus are invited to walk in new life Live a Cruciform LifeThe cross does not only save us — it shapes how we live.Following Jesus means taking up our cross – A life marked by humility, sacrifice, and love.The resurrection empowers new life – Because Christ lives, we are free to live differently.

John 12 provides details on the triumphal entry that help us understand the glory of Christ being displayed in that moment.

As we move toward Palm Sunday, Lent invites us to contemplate what kind of King we are receiving in Jesus. Is he the True King that directs your life, or a king of your own making?Receiving the True King reshapes the heart in several ways: It exposes our expectations. It calls us to surrender control. It deepens our trust in God's kingdom. In the time and space that Lent allows this week, practice one of the following:Spend time in prayerful contemplation, reflecting on how you relate to Jesus. Where might you be expecting Jesus to serve your agenda rather than submitting to his? Are there teachings of Jesus that you admire but resist obeying? What area of your life have you not fully surrendered to his authority?Read the Triumphal Entry passages slowly.Matthew 21:1-11Mark 11:1-11Luke 19:28-44John 12:12-19Notice how the crowd responds and what they expect. Notice how Jesus presents himself. How are you responding to Jesus that might be different than the king that he shows himself to be?Practice surrender. Identify one area of life where Jesus' teaching challenges personal preferences. Consciously choose obedience in that area this week.Prayer practice. Spend time acknowledging Jesus as king. Ask God to reshape desires so they align with Christ's kingdom.

1 Peter 5 calls for humility and dependence on God’s grace to endure the suffering in this world and promises glory in Christ.

After the interlude of chapters 12-14, Chapter 15 returns to the cycles of recapitulated judgments. But instead of being shown the judgments taking place, John gets a vision that prepares us to understand the judgments as ordered, directed by God, righteous, and just.

This week shifts outward: following Jesus leads to serving others. Serving and generosity are not simply good deeds — they are practices that shape the heart. The Christian life moves from receiving God's grace to expressing that grace to others. This week, choose one outward expression through serving or generosity to allow God to form Christlikeness in youBiblical Foundation Jesus’ model of service - Mark 10:45  Jesus defines greatness through service.  The Son of Man came to serve and give his life.  Disciples imitate the posture of their King.The generosity of the early church - Acts 2:44–45  Shared possessions.  Needs met through sacrificial generosity.  The gospel changed how they viewed ownership.Giving as an act of trust - 2 Corinthians 9:6–8  Generosity tied to faith in God’s provision.  God supplies what his people need.  Generosity becomes an expression of dependence on God.Serving and generosity shape the heart in several ways:  They weaken self-centeredness Serving trains attention toward others.  Moves disciples away from an inward focus.  They develop trust in God Giving resources requires faith.  Releasing control reinforces dependence on God’s provision.  They align the heart with Christ Jesus’ life was marked by sacrificial love.  Practicing generosity forms Christlike character.  Lent uses sacrifice to reshape desires.Practical Suggestions:  Serving Help someone in a tangible way.  Offer time or labor to meet a need.  Volunteer or assist someone who is struggling.Generosity  Give financially beyond normal habits.  Support someone in need.  Give toward ministry or charitable work.Time generosity  Invest time in someone who needs encouragement or presence.Hidden service  Serve quietly without recognition.  Connect to Jesus’ teaching about serving without seeking attention.Serving and generosity are not peripheral to discipleship. They train the heart to trust God and love others. Sacrificial practices reveal where our security actually lies. This week, identify one concrete opportunity to serve or give during the week and do it intentionally as an act of discipleship.

1 Peter 4 provides important information for understanding suffering for Christ.

As chapter 14 closes, we get two pictures of God's final judgment. This is both a warning to remain faithful and promised vindication for the persecuted saints.

The focus this week is on active obedience. Obedience is expected of followers of Jesus (John 14:15; Matthew 7:24-27; John 6:38). Faithful obedience will form you spiritually as you actively follow Jesus' footsteps and commands. Small acts of obedience are how faith is grown.This week, choose one command of Jesus and be intentional in obediently following.Forgiveness: Matthew 18:21-22Identify someone you need to forgive.Release the offense in prayer.Choose not to rehash the grievance.Generosity: Luke 6:38Give intentionally this week.Support someone in need.Give time, encouragement, or resources.Loving Enemies: Matthew 5:44Pray for someone difficult.Speak well of them.Refuse to return to hostility.Show them hospitality.Abiding in Christ: John 15:4-5Set aside daily time with Jesus.Read a short passage.Remain in His presence.Fasting: Matthew 6:16-18Skip a meal or fast for 24 hours.Let hunger remind you to pray and spend time in God's Word.This is in addition to your Lent practice.

Peter tells us that the underlying issue in suffering is lordship. What rules our hearts will control how we react.

We move from the image of the victorious Lamb to proclamations. There are three angelic proclamations that intensify the coming judgment and an encouragement from heaven for believers to endure.

As we near the mid-point of Lent, we are focusing on listening prayer this week. Use the time and space your Lent fasting provides to spend time listening to God. Guardrails: Don't go into this time with specific expectations. Don't judge how it went. Simply place yourself before God and practice listening to Him. We recommend four practices: Reflective Prayer - Spend 10 minutes reading one short gospel passage. Ask God to reveal what the passage says about Jesus, yourself, and how He wants you to respond. Ask the question and sit in silence listening for God.Listening Prayer - Spend 10 minutes of silence before God. No distraction. No repetitive talk from you. Just, "Lord, I'm listening."Scripture-Guided Prayer - Pray through a Psalm. Ask God to reveal where this applies in your life and turn the verse into a personal prayer.Examen (End of Day Reflection) - Where did I sense God today? Where did I resist him? What am I grateful for? What do I need to surrender?

After the call to be witnesses to the world, Peter walks us through four spheres of relationships. We are told to submit and endure, to take the same path that Jesus walked, to display Him to the world.

After the apparent victory of the beast in chapter 13, the perspective of John's vision shifts from an earthly one to a heavenly one. And the first thing John sees is the victorious Lamb standing at the center of God's kingdom surrounded by all the saints. We also dive into the question of whether the vision's that John sees translate into actual seen acts on earth.

In week 2, we suggest you use your time in the "wilderness" to focus on repentance and dependence. Ask yourself, "What am I relying on that isn't from God?" Repent of any sinful habits or addictions and turn to God's Word. We suggest reading and meditating on Matthew 4:1-11; Psalm 51; Deuteronomy 8; Luke 15; Hebrews 12:1-11; John 15:1-11; and/or James 4:6-10.

1 Peter 2:1-12 builds on what God has done through Jesus Christ and the call to holy living. But before we read how to live a holy life, who we are told who we are in Christ. Identity comes before mission.

The Beast from the sea commands an idol to be built to the first beast, demands worship under the penalty of death, and uses allegiance as seen in our actions and thoughts (a "mark" upon our hand or forehead) to apply economic pressure.

Tom and Max discuss the origins of Lent and the purpose behind this practice. We invite everyone to join us in this season of preparation for Easter.

1 Peter 1 tells us what God has done through Christ and calls us to be grateful for and live in our salvation by being holy, as God is holy.

We reveiw the beast from the sea who represents empire and find there's a second beast, this one from the earth, who the dragon will use to persecute the people of God through ideological, cultural, and political pressure to worship the first beast. We must be vigilant and discerning, but not paranoid, about the dangers of this second beast.

Acts 2:42 describes the normal rhythms of church life. We must be intentional in these practices at our church and take personal responsibility to move us toward being a devoted church.

The dragon is raging against God's people. Chapter 13 shows us that he does not wage war directly, but conscripts a "beast," the world's empires and political systems, to persecute the people of God.

Revelation 12 has shown us that the struggle is cosmic. We see the defeat of the dragon at the cross of Jesus as the reason behind his rage. Now, in this final section, we see a recapitulation of the first six verses where the viewpoint moves from cosmic, to earthly consequences. We see why persecution is so fierce after the cross and God's promise to sustain his people.

Revelation 12 provides the cosmic perspective behind earthly persecution. The Messiah has come, he has defeated Satan, and is reigning. Satan is thrown down from heaven and is raging against the people of God.

Prayer is placed alongside the other practices as a core activity of the church. Prayer is what confesses and lives out our dependence on God for everything.

A reveiw of the basis for Studying Revelation, chapters 1-11, and a preview of this semester's study.

Acts 2:42 shows us that fellowship is much deeper than social, it is a shared life centered around the cross, which the Lord’s Supper repeatedly brings us back to.

Acts 2:42 gives us the Spirit-formed practices that were the priority of the early church. We seek to understand these practices to give us the why behind what we do, starting with being devoted to the apostles’ teaching.

How do we live a faithful life in between Sundays, in between the highs and lows of life, and in between Jesus’ advent and his return?

Matthew 2 presents three responses to Jesus’ kingship. These aren’t just historical reactions but reveal how the human heart responds to Jesus.

Luke 2 provides the royal announcement that God has moved and the promised King has come. Our response to this news is joyfully receiving it in humility, experiencing the peace, and proclaiming the news because of what God has done through Christ.

Peace is the theme of the 2nd week of Advent. We see in the story of Mary how an interruption of her life plans could have destroyed her peace, but her surrender led to peace. And through her surrender, God was preparing to send the King to the world.

Advent invites us to look back at God’s fulfilled promises, which give us hope as we look forward to his promises to be fulfilled.

Jonah is a story of self-centered desires and hearts not aligned with God’s mercy and mission.

The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal isn’t about spectacle but God calling his people back from divided worship to himself.

Daniel and the lions’ den is a story of faithfulness and vindication that points us toward the gospel of Jesus Christ.

David & Goliath provides more than good morals and needed encouragement in our struggles. It points us to Christ and his victory, the reason we can trust God's presence and power in our trials.

The exodus is both an echo of creation and a foreshadowing of salvation in Christ where God’s people are transformed and set free. How do we walk in that freedom for God’s purposes?

The story of Joseph points us toward Jesus and shows how God can use for his good purposes what man meant for evil.

Noah's Ark - The truth behind this familiar narrative is God’s judgment on sin and his mercy and grace seen within that judgment. The deeper story is how the ark points toward Jesus and his offer of saving grace.