Scott LaPierre Ministries

One of the most important lessons in Luke 24:22–27 is how the Old Testament points to Jesus. On the road to Emmaus, two discouraged disciples had the evidence of the resurrection, but they still lacked understanding. They knew the tomb was empty. They knew the women had reported that angels said Jesus was alive. They knew others had gone to the tomb and confirmed the women’s report. Yet they still did not believe. https://youtu.be/h47NFMhmSbU Table of contentsThe Disciples Had Evidence but Still Did Not BelieveBelief Is Not Primarily About EvidenceJesus Rebuked Them for Being Slow of HeartTrue Faith Believes All That God Has SpokenBelief Is Primarily a Heart IssueThe Christ Had to Suffer Before Entering GloryThe Old Testament Is About JesusJesus Reveals Himself Through ScriptureJesus Wants Us to Find Him in ScriptureRead the Bible Looking for Christ The Disciples Had Evidence but Still Did Not Believe Luke 24:22–24 says: “Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” This is a stunning admission. Up to this point, we might assume the two disciples were discouraged simply because all they knew was that Jesus had been crucified. But now we learn they knew much more than that. They knew the tomb was empty. They knew the women’s testimony. They knew angels had declared Jesus to be alive. They knew others had gone to the tomb and confirmed the women’s report. That is a remarkable amount of evidence. Yet still, they did not believe. This raises an important question: why didn’t they believe after all that evidence? The answer is one of the most important truths we can learn about faith and unbelief. Belief Is Not Primarily About Evidence Belief is not primarily about evidence. Evidence matters. God has given us reasonable grounds for our faith. The Christian faith is not irrational or blind. The resurrection occurred in history, and Luke presents eyewitness testimony to show that it truly happened. But if belief were strictly a matter of evidence, then everyone who heard the gospel would be saved, and everyone exposed to Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection would believe. Yet that is not what we see in Scripture or in our own experience. Two people can hear the same sermon, read the same passage, listen to the same testimony, and be presented with the same evidence, yet walk away with very different responses. Why? Because people have different hearts. This is one of the main points of the parable of the sower. The same seed is scattered, but it falls on different soils. The seed is the same, but the responses differ because the hearts differ. Sometimes we think, “If only I had one more sign,” or “If only God made things clearer,” or “If only I saw one more confirmation.” But often the deeper issue is not a shortage of evidence. It is a heart slow to submit to what God has already said. Unbelief is not chiefly about evidence. The deeper issue is the human heart's slowness to trust God’s Word. That is why Jesus rebuked them. Jesus Rebuked Them for Being Slow of Heart Luke 24:25 says: “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” Jesus does not say, “O uninformed ones.” He does not say, “O people who lacked enough evidence.” He says they were foolish and slow of heart. There is a difference between ignorance and foolishness. Ignorance means you do not know. Foolishness means you knew better but did not act on what you knew. That is why Jesus calls these disciples foolish. They were not ignorant. They had been told. They had heard the reports. More importantly, they had the Scriptures. Jesus says they were “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Their problem was not that God had failed to speak clearly. Their problem was that they had failed to believe all that God had already spoken. True Faith Believes All That God Has Spoken The word “all” in Luke 24:25 is significant. These disciples were willing to believe some of what the prophets had spoken. They were happy to embrace promises of glory, deliverance, kingdom, and redemption. But they struggled to believe the parts about suffering, rejection, humiliation, and death. That is still a danger for us. We love the Scriptures about God’s love, grace, mercy, and blessing. But we can struggle to embrace the Scriptures about suffering, trials, judgment, repentance, discipline, and self-denial. True faith believes all that God has spoken, not only the parts that fit our preferred narrative. The disciples were profoundly confused by the cross. They probably thought the crucifixion meant Jesus could not be the Messiah. But in reality, the cross proved He was the Messiah because it fulfilled what the prophets had spoken. What they viewed as a contradiction was actually confirmation. Belief Is Primarily a Heart Issue Jesus says they were “slow of heart.” That is no small detail. We tend to think of belief as something that takes place mainly in the mind. But Scripture repeatedly identifies the heart as the true source of belief and unbelief. Romans 10:9–10 says: “Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified.” When people reject Christ, they often present their unbelief as purely intellectual. They may use philosophical arguments or speak as though the problem is a lack of information. But Jesus shows us the deeper issue: belief is primarily a matter of the heart. This should humble us and free us in evangelism. It humbles us because no amount of clever arguing can replace what only God can do in a heart. It frees us because our calling is not to win every argument. Our calling is to pray, speak the truth, present Christ faithfully, and trust God to do what only He can do beneath the surface. The Christ Had to Suffer Before Entering Glory Luke 24:26 says: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” The word “necessary” is important. Jesus’s suffering was not accidental. The cross was not an unfortunate derailment of God’s plan. It was not a tragedy that ruined the mission. It was divinely ordained. Jesus had already spoken this way earlier in Luke. Luke 24:7 says: “That the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” The word “must” shows divine necessity. Jesus was following His Father’s perfect plan. When Jesus was twelve years old, He said in Luke 2:49: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” When He spoke of His coming death in Jerusalem, He said in Luke 13:33: “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following.” When He met Zacchaeus, He said in Luke 19:5: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” When He spoke of His crucifixion, He said in Luke 22:37: “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me.” Jesus lived under the divine necessity of His Father’s will. Everything He did fulfilled Scripture and accomplished redemption. So when Jesus asks, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” He is teaching that the cross was not a defeat. It was the mission. The order matters: suffering first, glory afterward. Cross first, crown afterward. Humiliation first, exaltation afterward. The Old Testament Is About Jesus Luke 24:27 says: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” This is one of the most important verses in the Bible for understanding the Bible. Jesus teaches us that the Old Testament is Christ-centered. From Moses to the Prophets, from Genesis onward, the Scriptures point to Him. The Gospels had not yet been written. The New Testament had not yet been completed. So when Jesus wanted to reveal Himself to these disciples, He opened the Old Testament and showed them “the things concerning Himself.” That does not mean every verse in the Old Testament mentions Jesus explicitly. But it does mean the Old Testament, in its promises, types, shadows, sacrifices, covenants, offices, patterns, and prophecies, finds its fulfillment in Him. Jesus is the promised seed of the woman who crushes the serpent. He is the true Passover Lamb. He is the greater Moses, the greater Joshua, and the greater David. He is the righteous sufferer of the Psalms, the suffering servant of Isaiah, and the true Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the One to whom all the Scriptures point. Jesus Reveals Himself Through Scripture It is worth considering what Jesus did not do on the road to Emmaus. He did not immediately say, “Look at My face.” He did not say, “See My hands.” He did not say, “Look at the scars in My feet.” After His resurrection, Jesus could have revealed Himself in many ways. He could have performed miracles. He could have simply shown them His physical appearance. But instead, He chose to reveal Himself through Scripture. This is especially important when we compare these disciples with Thomas. In John 20, Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw the marks of the nails and placed his hand into Jesus’s side. When Jesus appeared, He graciously allowed Thomas to see. Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God!” But Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas believed after seeing, and Jesus was gracious to him....

The road to Emmaus account in Luke 24 shows us two disciples who saw the physical facts clearly but missed the spiritual reality entirely. They knew Jesus had been crucified. They had heard reports about the empty tomb. They even knew it was the third day. But despite having the facts, they did not understand what God was doing through Christ's death and resurrection. These two disciples were not enemies of Jesus. They were not Pharisees mocking Him. They were not Roman soldiers who had crucified Him. They were followers of Jesus who had loved Him, listened to Him, and hoped in Him. Yet they were discouraged because they interpreted their circumstances physically instead of spiritually. That makes this passage deeply pastoral. Every Christian knows what it is like to look at difficult circumstances and struggle to understand what God is doing. We expected one thing, but God ordained another. We expected relief, but the burden became heavier. We expected clarity, but everything seemed more confusing. We expected joy, but sorrow remained. Luke 24 reminds us that discouraged believers do not merely need better circumstances. They need Christ to open the Scriptures. https://youtu.be/s6F0mJI_WmY Table of contentsWe Can See the Physical Clearly While Missing the Spiritual RealityEven Great Men Can Struggle to See SpirituallyJesus Was Nearer Than They RealizedWe Know Christ Through Scripture, Not SightJesus Draws Out Their DiscouragementThey Understood Some Truth About Jesus, But Not EnoughWe Must Not Misunderstand the Redemption Jesus Came to ProvideLooking at Life Physically Instead of Spiritually Leads to DiscouragementConclusion: Christ Opens Our Eyes Through His Word We Can See the Physical Clearly While Missing the Spiritual Reality In the previous sermon, we considered spiritual blindness, and that lays the foundation for this passage. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were spiritually blind in a very real sense. They were not blind to the facts. They knew Jesus had been crucified. They knew reports had come about the empty tomb. They knew extraordinary things had happened. But even with all of that, they still did not understand what God was doing. This is one of the great lessons of Scripture: we can see the physical clearly while completely missing the spiritual reality. This problem appears throughout the Bible. People hear spiritual truth, but they interpret it physically. People see God’s work, but they interpret it outwardly. People expect visible, earthly, temporal fulfillment, while God is accomplishing something deeper, greater, and spiritual. We see this even in the ministry of John the Baptist. Luke 3 says John came to prepare the way for the Messiah. The valleys would be lifted up, the mountains and hills brought low, and the crooked places made straight. That sounds physical, but John was not moving dirt or changing the landscape of Judea. He was preparing hearts through repentance. John was not doing anything physical, but he was doing a great deal spiritually. We see the same pattern in Jesus’ ministry. In Matthew 16, when Jesus warned the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, they thought He was speaking about literal bread. He was speaking about corrupt teaching. In John 2, when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” people thought He meant the physical temple. He was speaking about the temple of His body. In John 3, Nicodemus thought Jesus meant physical birth when Jesus told him he must be born again. Jesus meant spiritual rebirth. In John 4, the Samaritan woman thought Jesus meant literal water, but He was speaking of spiritual satisfaction. Again and again, people interpreted Jesus physically when He was speaking spiritually. Even Great Men Can Struggle to See Spiritually We might think this only happens to immature people or unbelievers, but Scripture shows that even great men can struggle to see spiritually. John the Baptist himself struggled at one point. Matthew 11:3 says he sent messengers to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” That is remarkable. If anyone knew Jesus was the Messiah, it was John. He leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary approached. He baptized Jesus. He saw the Spirit descend like a dove. He heard the Father’s voice from heaven. He declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” So why would John later ask whether Jesus was the Coming One? John was in prison. He knew the prophecies about the Messiah bringing liberty to captives, and he may have wondered, “If Jesus is the Messiah, why am I still here?” He was wrestling with the difference between physical expectation and spiritual fulfillment. Jesus had not come primarily to deliver people from physical prisons. He came to deliver people from a far worse bondage: slavery to sin, death, and condemnation. Samuel made a similar mistake when he saw Eliab, Jesse’s impressive son, and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Samuel looked physically. God looked spiritually. Elisha’s servant also struggled with this. When he saw the Syrian army surrounding them, he panicked. Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. The servant could see the visible danger. He could not see the invisible reality until the Lord opened his eyes. That is what we need too. We need the Lord to open our eyes so we can see beyond the physical to the spiritual. Jesus Was Nearer Than They Realized Luke 24:13 says, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.” This happened on the very first Resurrection Sunday. The women had come to the tomb. The stone had been rolled away. The angels had announced the resurrection. Peter had run to the tomb. The greatest event in history had already taken place. But these two disciples were not rejoicing. They were walking away from Jerusalem, discouraged. Luke 24:14-16 says, “And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Jesus was walking with them, but they did not know it. That is a tremendous comfort, because one of the great temptations in discouragement is to think the Lord is absent. Discouraged believers often feel abandoned. They may wonder, “Where is the Lord in this? Why does He seem so distant?” But this passage reminds us that Christ may be nearer than we realize. These disciples were walking in sorrow, and Jesus was with them. They did not recognize Him, but the risen Christ had already drawn near. We Know Christ Through Scripture, Not Sight Luke does not merely say they failed to recognize Jesus. He says, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” This was supernatural. God withheld recognition for a time. That raises a question: Why would Jesus disguise Himself at first if He intended to reveal Himself later? Perhaps before they could recognize Jesus physically, they needed to recognize Him spiritually. Before they could identify Him with their eyes, they needed to understand Him through the Scriptures. In other words, before their sight was corrected, their hearts had to be corrected. This is important for us too. We do not know Christ rightly by physical sight. We do not know Christ rightly by feelings. We do not know Christ rightly by reading our circumstances apart from the Word. We know Christ through Scripture. That is where He reveals Himself truly and savingly. The disciples had facts, but they did not yet have understanding. They needed Jesus to open the Scriptures. Jesus Draws Out Their Discouragement Luke 24:17 says, “And he said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad.” Jesus knew what they were discussing, but He asked anyway. He often did this in the Gospels. He asked questions not because He lacked information, but because He was drawing out what was in people’s hearts. He wanted these disciples to verbalize their grief before He corrected them. He wanted them to express their sorrow before He comforted them. He wanted them to speak their confusion before He helped them understand. This is similar to prayer. We do not tell God anything He does not already know, but He still invites us to open our hearts before Him. Cleopas responds: Luke 24:18, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” There is irony here. Cleopas thinks Jesus is the only one who does not understand what has happened. In reality, Jesus is the only one who fully understands what has happened. Cleopas thinks Jesus is uninformed. But Cleopas is the one who is confused. They Understood Some Truth About Jesus, But Not Enough Jesus asks, “What things?” They answer: Luke 24:19, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.” There is truth in what they say, but it is incomplete. Jesus is a man. Jesus is a prophet. Jesus is mighty in deed and word. But He is far more than that. He is the Christ, the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord. This resembles the blind man in John 9. At first, he called Jesus “the man called Jesus.” Then he recognized Him as a prophet. Then he understood that Jesus had been sent from God. Finally, when Jesus revealed Himself more fully,...

Young men overcome the evil one not by willpower alone, but by spiritual strength, self-control, and the Word of God abiding in them. That is exactly what John teaches in 1 John 2:13–14, and it is a message young men desperately need in a culture that seems designed to weaken, distract, and tempt them. There is only audio for this message, so you can listen to the teaching below through the podcast player. Table of contentsSpiritual maturity has stages1. Young men overcome the evil one by being spiritually strong2. Young men overcome the evil one by being in God’s Word3. Young men overcome the evil one by being self-controlled4. Young men overcome the evil one by not taking the first stepThe answer is not mere effort, but ChristA word to fathers and older menFinal encouragement Let me begin with an illustration from the Army. At the brigade level, there are thousands of soldiers. Brigades are made up of battalions, battalions are made up of companies, companies are made up of platoons, and platoons are made up of squads. A squad may have only around 10 soldiers, but those squads are the building blocks of the Army. And who fills those squads? Young men. When a beach must be stormed, a hill taken, or the enemy confronted at the front line, young men are sent. They exert the greatest effort, endure the greatest hardship, and often make the greatest sacrifices. They are expected to be strong. John says something similar spiritually: “I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one... I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:13–14). Twice, John says that young men “have overcome the evil one.” That repetition matters. It shows that young men are in a serious spiritual battle. They are on the front lines. They face real temptations, real opposition, and real danger. But Scripture does not speak to them as victims. It speaks to them as warriors who, by God’s grace, can overcome. Spiritual maturity has stages In 1 John 2:12–14, John addresses three groups: children, fathers, and young men. Children are told that their sins are forgiven and that they know the Father. These are precious truths, but they are also the basics of the Christian life. Children in the faith know the gospel’s foundational realities. Fathers are told twice that they “know him who is from the beginning.” This points to spiritual depth and maturity. The most mature believers are not defined by flashy experiences or dramatic gifts, but by a deep, seasoned knowledge of God. Young men stand between those two stages. They know more than children, but they have not yet reached the maturity of fathers. What especially marks them is this: they are overcoming the evil one. This suggests that one of the clearest signs of growth from spiritual childhood into spiritual manhood is victory over sin. Not sinless perfection, because no believer achieves that in this life, but real progress. Real resistance. Real self-control. Real refusal to let sin dominate. A spiritually immature person may remain trapped in patterns of temptation and defeat. But young men, in the biblical sense, are learning to fight. They are learning to say no to the flesh, yes to God, and to walk in growing victory. 1. Young men overcome the evil one by being spiritually strong John says to young men, “You are strong.” Because he is speaking about young men, we might first think of physical strength. There is nothing wrong with that. Youth often comes with energy, vigor, and capacity. Those are gifts from God. But the greater emphasis in 1 John 2 is spiritual strength. Young men do not overcome the evil one because they are naturally tough, confident, or disciplined. They overcome because God strengthens them. Their strength is not merely masculine energy. It is spiritual power rooted in truth. This matters because many young men are strong in body while weak in soul. They may be able to lift weights, endure hardship, or work long hours, but they are defenseless against lust, pride, compromise, and the fear of man. Scripture calls young men to a greater strength than that. It calls them to strength of character, conviction, and holiness. This is the kind of strength needed to resist temptation when no one is watching. The kind of strength needed to shut off the screen, leave the conversation, walk away from compromise, and endure mockery for obeying Christ. The kind of strength needed to choose purity over pleasure and faithfulness over impulse. 2. Young men overcome the evil one by being in God’s Word John explains the source of that strength: “the word of God abides in you.” That is the key. God’s Word is the source of spiritual strength. Young men do not become strong by trying harder in their own wisdom. They become strong when Scripture lives in them, shapes them, corrects them, and governs them. Psalm 119 speaks directly to this: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). Then the psalmist continues: “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:10–11). This is not casual Bible exposure. This is not hearing a sermon once in a while. This is the Word abiding in someone. Remaining in someone. Dwelling richly in someone. Young men need God’s Word for at least four reasons. First, it moves them from spiritual childhood toward maturity. Second, it makes them spiritually strong. Third, it equips them to resist temptation and pursue purity. Fourth, it enables them to overcome the evil one. And there is another reason worth emphasizing: whatever God calls a young man to do later in life, he will need the Word of God for it. Young men often wonder what they should do with their lives. Should they go to college? Enter a trade? Pursue ministry? Marry? Lead a family? Serve the church in some particular way? Those are good questions. But before many of those answers become clear, there is one thing every young man needs: God’s Word abiding in him. The years of youth are a strategic season. Responsibilities may increase later. Marriage, children, work, ministry, and many other duties may fill life with greater complexity. That makes youth a precious time to build habits of Bible reading, meditation, memorization, and obedience that will strengthen a man for decades to come. 3. Young men overcome the evil one by being self-controlled Titus 2 reinforces this truth in a striking way. Paul gives instructions to older men, older women, young women, and young men. Older men are told several things. Older women are told several things. Young women are given a substantial list as well. But when Paul comes to young men, he says: “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled” (Titus 2:6). That is it. One main command. Why? Because self-control is indispensable for young men. They face powerful desires, strong impulses, and serious temptations. If they are going to overcome the evil one, they must learn to rule their appetites instead of being ruled by them. Self-control matters in every area of life: speech, entertainment, ambition, anger, money, leisure, relationships, and sexual purity. But it is especially urgent where lust and sensual temptation are concerned. Our culture does not encourage restraint. It celebrates indulgence. It tells young men to follow their desires, gratify their cravings, and treat self-denial as weakness. Scripture says the opposite. Biblical manhood is not the absence of desire. It is the Spirit-enabled ability to govern desire under the lordship of Christ. 4. Young men overcome the evil one by not taking the first step One of the most practical lessons for young men is this: many devastating sins do not happen all at once. They happen step by step. Some sins erupt suddenly. A person is provoked and becomes angry. A person is embarrassed and lies. A person sees something and immediately covets it. Those sins are serious, but they can happen with little warning. Other sins develop differently. They require movement in a sinful direction. They involve planning, drifting, rationalizing, and putting oneself in the path of temptation. That is what we see in David’s adultery with Bathsheba. David’s first look may have been accidental, but he took a step when he inquired about her. He took another when he ignored the warning that she was another man’s wife. Then he took more steps until he committed the sin that brought immense devastation. The lesson is painfully clear: the final fall may look sudden, but usually it is not. By the time someone commits the outward sin that ruins a ministry, damages a marriage, enslaves him to pornography, or scars future relationships, he has often already taken many earlier steps. That is why young men must learn not merely to resist sin at the last possible moment, but to refuse the first step. That means controlling thoughts before they become fantasies. Turning the eyes away before a glance becomes a gaze. Ending the conversation before it becomes an emotional compromise. Leaving the place of temptation before desire gains momentum. Refusing to browse, search, scroll, or click when wisdom says danger is near. Proverbs says: “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on” (Proverbs 4:14–15). And again: “Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house” (Proverbs 5:8). That is wisdom. It is easier to avoid temptation than to resist it after we have willingly moved toward it. For young men today, this applies especially to screens. There are times when a device is harmless and useful,...

Spiritual blindness and spiritual sight are at the heart of Mark 8 and John 9. In these passages, Jesus shows that people can have functioning physical eyes yet remain blind to spiritual truth. One blind man sees dimly before seeing clearly, while another grows step by step in his understanding of Christ until he finally worships Him. At the same time, the Pharisees reveal the danger of self-righteousness, because though they claim to see, they remain blind to the truth standing right in front of them. https://youtu.be/qw532eOfigA Table of contentsBlindness Often Pictures Spiritual IgnoranceSpiritual Sight Grows Clearer Over TimeJohn 9 Shows a Man Growing in Spiritual SightSome People Choose to Remain Spiritually BlindSpiritually Blind People Are Blind to Their Own BlindnessThese Passages Give Both Encouragement and WarningHow This Prepares Us for Luke 24Conclusion When I was in high school, Magic Eye pictures became very popular. Maybe you remember them. At first, they looked like meaningless patterns, but if you stared at them long enough, a hidden three-dimensional image would suddenly appear. And once you saw it, you could not unsee it. You even wondered why you could not see it earlier. That provides a helpful picture of what we are considering in this sermon. Spiritually, people can look at something and not really see it at first. They can hear the truth and not really understand it at first. That is what we see in two passages. In Mark 8, a blind man sees dimly and then clearly. In John 9, a blind man’s spiritual understanding of Jesus progressively improves until he finally worships Him as Lord. These passages also prepare us for Luke 24, where two disciples on the road to Emmaus will walk with the risen Christ without recognizing Him until their eyes are opened. One of the Lord’s recurring works is to move people from partial sight to fuller sight. He brings us from seeing dimly to seeing clearly. Blindness Often Pictures Spiritual Ignorance Throughout Scripture, blindness is not only a physical problem but also a fitting metaphor for spiritual ignorance. A person can have healthy eyes and still be blind to what matters most. He can see the world around him, yet fails to see the truth about God, himself, and Christ. The Old Testament makes this point repeatedly. Isaiah 44:18 says, “They do not know nor understand; for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see.” Jeremiah 5:21 says, “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not.” Ezekiel 12:2 says the people had eyes to see physically, but could not see spiritually. Isaiah 6:9 says, “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.” That final verse sets up the passages we are considering. Jesus quoted Isaiah 6 when He was asked why He spoke in parables. Parables were physical stories that illustrated spiritual truths. In that sense, they acted like tests of spiritual sight. People’s inability to understand parables revealed their blindness, while people’s ability to understand them revealed that God had opened their eyes. In Matthew 13, Jesus explained that some people see physically but not spiritually, and hear physically but not spiritually. Their problem is not a lack of ears or eyes. Their problem is a lack of spiritual understanding. That is why blindness becomes such a powerful biblical metaphor for the human condition apart from God’s grace. Spiritual Sight Grows Clearer Over Time One encouraging truth in these passages is that spiritual sight often grows clearer over time. We do not always go from complete blindness to complete clarity all at once. Sometimes the Lord opens our eyes progressively. That is exactly what we see in Mark 8. This is one of the most unique miracles in Scripture because Jesus heals a blind man in two stages. After the first touch, the man can see, but not clearly. He says that people look like trees walking. Then Jesus touches him again, and his sight is fully restored. He sees everything clearly. Of course, Jesus could have healed him instantly. He had the power to do that. But the two-stage healing appears to portray an important spiritual reality. There is such a thing as partial sight. There is such a thing as beginning to see, but not yet seeing clearly. That is true in the Christian life. Sometimes people genuinely begin to understand the truth, but their understanding is still blurred. They know something of Christ, but not yet as much as they will come to know. They have light, but not yet full clarity. Many believers can testify to this. They believed the gospel, but their spiritual understanding matured over time as they continued in God’s Word. This should encourage us. The Lord is patient with His people. He does not abandon us because our sight is still developing. He continues opening our eyes. He continues bringing us from dim sight to clear sight. John 9 Shows a Man Growing in Spiritual Sight If Mark 8 gives us a picture of gradual sight, John 9 gives us a full narrative of progressive spiritual understanding. This chapter is one of the clearest in Scripture on both spiritual blindness and spiritual sight. The formerly blind man grows in his understanding of Jesus, while the religious leaders remain blind. At first, the man knows very little about Jesus. In John 9:11, he refers to Him simply as “the man called Jesus.” That is where his understanding begins. But as the chapter unfolds, his sight deepens, and his faith strengthens. Later, he calls Jesus a prophet. Then he says that if Jesus were not from God, He could do nothing. Finally, after Jesus seeks him out and reveals Himself, the man says, “Lord, I believe,” and worships Him. That progression is beautiful. He does not begin with full clarity, but he does not remain where he started. He moves from limited understanding to faith and worship. That is what spiritual sight does. It leads us to Christ. It leads us to confession. It leads us to worship. His testimony is also wonderfully simple. Pressed by the Pharisees, he says, “Though I was blind, now I see.” We often think testimony must be long and elaborate, but this man shows otherwise. His testimony was short, clear, and powerful. In many ways, it is the testimony of every Christian. We were blind, and Christ gave us sight. Some People Choose to Remain Spiritually Blind As the formerly blind man grows in understanding, the Pharisees reveal the ugliness of deliberate spiritual blindness. They do not want to see the truth because the truth would make them accountable. If they admit that Jesus healed a man born blind, they would have to reckon with what that says about Jesus. And they do not want to do that. So instead of humbly responding to the miracle, they resist. They question the man repeatedly. They question his parents. They try to explain away what happened. They pressure witnesses and cling to their conclusions. Their problem is not a lack of evidence. Their problem is an unwillingness to believe. This still happens today. Some people prefer darkness because light exposes them. Knowledge means accountability, and some people do not want that accountability. They would rather remain in the dark than come into the light and bow before Christ. The Pharisees show us that spiritual blindness is not always passive. Sometimes it is stubborn. Sometimes it is chosen. Sometimes people work very hard not to see what is right in front of them. Spiritually Blind People Are Blind to Their Own Blindness The climax of John 9 comes when Jesus exposes the deepest problem of all. Spiritually blind people are often blind to their own blindness. The Pharisees ask, “Are we blind also?” The tragic answer is yes. They are so blind that they cannot even recognize their blindness. Jesus says in John 9:41, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains.” His point is not that some people are actually spiritually healthy. His point is that some imagine themselves to be healthy. Some imagine themselves to see clearly. Because they think they are fine, they feel no need for Christ. This is similar to Jesus’ earlier words in Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31: those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Christ did not mean that some people are spiritually well. He meant that some think they are. Because they think they are healthy, they never come to the Great Physician. That is the tragedy of self-righteousness. It convinces sinners that they do not need saving. It convinces the blind that they can already see. Proverbs 30:12 captures this perfectly: “There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness.” The only people shut out from healing are those who refuse to admit they need it. The only people who remain in darkness are those who insist they are already in the light. These Passages Give Both Encouragement and Warning Mark 8 and John 9 leave us with both encouragement and warning. The encouragement is that the Lord is patient with people whose sight is still developing. In Mark 8, the blind man does not see clearly at first, but Jesus is not finished with him. In John 9, the blind man does not begin with full understanding, but his spiritual sight grows until he confesses Christ and worships Him. That is good news for every believer. If your understanding feels incomplete, if there are truths you are still learning, if there are areas where your vision still feels dim, do not lose heart. Keep coming to Christ. Keep opening God’s Word. Keep asking the Lord to help you see. He is gracious, patient, and faithful to continue His work in you. But there is also a warning. It is possible to hear the truth, discuss the truth, and be surrounded by the truth, yet remain blind. The Pharisees are the perfect example....

Why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? In Part 1, we saw that the seventh-day Sabbath belonged to the Old Covenant mediated by Moses and given to Israel. In Part 2, we move from the covenantal foundation to the New Testament evidence. The resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week, the worship pattern of the early church, and the fulfillment of the Sabbath in Christ all help explain why Christians gather on Sunday rather than Saturday. Table of contentsThe resurrection made the first day central for the New Covenant people of GodThe early church gathered on the first day of the week1 Corinthians 16:2 confirms the first-day patternThe Sabbath is de-emphasized in the New Testament after the GospelsColossians 2:16–17 says Sabbaths were shadows fulfilled in ChristRomans 14:5–6 shows that observance of days is not a binding church commandSunday is rightly called the Lord’s DayThe true and greater Sabbath is found in ChristConclusion The resurrection made the first day central for the New Covenant people of God Why did the first day become so important? Because that is the day Jesus rose from the dead. The phrase “first day of the week” occurs eight times in the New Testament, and six of those occurrences refer directly to Christ’s resurrection. Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, and John 20:19 all draw attention to the first day in connection with the risen Christ. That is not accidental. The New Testament repeatedly highlights the first day as the day of resurrection. This is important because the resurrection is not a minor event added onto the Christian faith. It is the triumph of Christ over sin, death, and the grave. If the Old Covenant was associated with the seventh day, it should not surprise us that the New Covenant would be marked by the day on which Christ rose and inaugurated the new creation reality His people now live in. Sunday became the fitting day for New Covenant worship because it is the day of resurrection. The early church gathered on the first day of the week The importance of the first day extends beyond the resurrection accounts. The book of Acts shows the early church gathering on that day. Acts 20:7 says, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them.” This gives us a clear picture of the gathered church meeting on Sunday. The reference to breaking bread is most naturally understood as communion in the context of corporate worship. Acts 2:42 supports this understanding by distinguishing fellowship from “the breaking of bread,” suggesting that it is more than an ordinary meal. This makes excellent theological sense. Communion looks back to Christ’s death and forward to His return, as 1 Corinthians 11:26 teaches. Since Christ rose on the first day of the week, it is fitting that the church gathered on that day to worship and remember Him. 1 Corinthians 16:2 confirms the first-day pattern Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up.” The most natural explanation is that Paul instructed believers to do this on the day they gathered together. This fits well with Acts 20:7 and reinforces the pattern of first-day worship in the early church. So the evidence is not only that Jesus rose on the first day. It is also that the early church assembled on the first day. That pattern is exactly what we would expect if the day of Christ’s resurrection had become the fitting day for New Covenant worship. The Sabbath is de-emphasized in the New Testament after the Gospels There is also an important contrast in emphasis. As your notes point out, the phrase “first day of the week” occurs eight times in the New Testament, but “seventh day of the week” never occurs. After the Gospels, the Sabbath is no longer emphasized as a binding Christian obligation. Why is the Sabbath mentioned so often in the Gospels? Because during Jesus’s earthly ministry, the Old Covenant order was still in place. Christ had not yet died and risen. The New Covenant had not yet been instituted. The transition had not yet occurred. But after Christ’s death and resurrection, the emphasis changes. When the Sabbath appears in Acts, it is associated with Jewish practice rather than with the church's gathered worship. That is a very important distinction. Colossians 2:16–17 says Sabbaths were shadows fulfilled in Christ One of the clearest passages on this subject is Colossians 2:16–17: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” This passage makes two truths unmistakably clear. First, believers are not to let anyone judge them regarding the Sabbaths. If seventh-day Sabbath observance were a binding New Covenant command for the church, that would be a very strange statement. Second, Paul says Sabbaths were a shadow. A shadow is not the final reality. It points forward to something greater. The substance, the fulfillment, belongs to Christ. That means the Sabbath had a temporary and typological role under the Old Covenant. It pointed beyond itself to Jesus. Once the reality has come, God’s people must understand the shadow in light of Him. Romans 14:5–6 shows that observance of days is not a binding church command Romans 14:5–6 says, “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.” Paul treats the observance of days as a matter of liberty, not law. That would be impossible if the church were required to keep the seventh-day Sabbath as a continuing covenant obligation. This fits perfectly with Colossians 2. The Sabbath is not treated as a moral command binding the church in the same way as commands against adultery, lying, or idolatry. The New Testament does not speak about Sabbath observance as a universal covenant requirement for believers under Christ. Sunday is rightly called the Lord’s Day Revelation 1:10 says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” This most likely refers to Sunday, the first day of the week, which came to be known by that title because it is the day of the Lord’s resurrection. That title is fitting. The Sabbath was the sign day under the Old Covenant. The Lord’s Day is the resurrection day under the New Covenant. Sunday is not arbitrary. It is rooted in the finished work of Christ, the day He rose, and the worship pattern of the early church. The true and greater Sabbath is found in Christ This is where the lesson reaches its deepest theological point. Hebrews 4:9–10 says there remains a rest for the people of God. That rest is ultimately found in Christ. The Sabbath under the Old Covenant was a picture, a shadow, and a type. The reality is Jesus Himself. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28–30, “Come to me… and I will give you rest.” Christians do not say that there is no Sabbath principle at all. Rather, we say the true and greater Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ. We rest in His finished work. We stop striving to earn salvation. We trust Him. And we enjoy that rest not merely one day each week, but every day in Him. That gives a strong answer when someone asks, “Why don’t you keep the Sabbath?” A helpful response is this: “I keep the true and greater Sabbath by resting in Christ, and I gather with the church on Sunday because Jesus rose on the first day of the week.” That captures both the fulfillment of the Sabbath and the reason Christians worship on Sunday. Conclusion So why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Because the seventh-day Sabbath belonged to the Old Covenant mediated by Moses and given to Israel. Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood. Hebrews 7:12 explains that when the priesthood changed, the law-covenant order changed as well. Christ rose on the first day of the week, and the early church gathered on that day. Colossians says Sabbaths were shadows fulfilled in Christ, Romans says the observance of days is not a binding law for the church, and Hebrews says the true rest is found in Jesus. So the Old Covenant is associated with Moses and the seventh day. The New Covenant is associated with Jesus and the first day. That is why Christians worship on Sunday.

This post is Part 1 of a two-part Sunday school series on why Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday. In this first article, we will lay the covenantal foundation by looking at the Old Covenant, the New Covenant, and the Sabbath. Table of contentsThe Sabbath belonged to the Old Covenant given to Israel through MosesJesus instituted the New Covenant in His bloodEach covenant had its own lawGalatians teaches freedom from the Mosaic Law, not freedom from obedienceHebrews 7:12 explains why covenantal change affects the lawWhy this prepares us for Sunday worshipConclusion The Sabbath belonged to the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses The first thing to establish is that the Sabbath was a sign of the Mosaic Covenant given specifically to Israel. Exodus 31:13 says, “You shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations.” Then Exodus 31:17 says, “It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel.” That is very important. The Sabbath was not presented as a covenant sign between God and the church. It was a sign between God and Israel under the Old Covenant, which was mediated by Moses. So if someone asks, “What covenant is the seventh-day Sabbath associated with?” the answer is clear: the Old Covenant, mediated by Moses, given to Israel. That point matters because it keeps us from treating the Sabbath as though it were detached from the covenantal framework in which God gave it. The Sabbath was not a free-floating universal covenant sign for all peoples in all covenant administrations. It belonged to a specific covenant God made with Israel through Moses. Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood Exodus 24 contains the institution of the Old Covenant. The people agreed to the covenant’s terms, promising to obey all that the Lord had spoken. But the covenant was not formally inaugurated until blood was shed. Exodus 24:6-8 repeatedly emphasizes blood, culminating in Moses saying, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” As your notes rightly emphasize, there is no instituting a covenant without blood. Hebrews 9:18 confirms this: “Not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.” That Old Testament scene prepares us to understand Luke 22. At the Last Supper, Jesus took the cup and said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” The parallel is striking. Moses instituted the Old Covenant with blood. Jesus instituted the New Covenant with blood. But the New Covenant is greater because it was not inaugurated with the blood of animals. It was inaugurated with the blood of Christ Himself. This means there is a real covenantal transition: Moses mediated the Old Covenant. Jesus mediates the New Covenant. And this is foundational for understanding why Christian worship is centered on Sunday rather than Saturday. We are not dealing with a minor adjustment in religious custom. We are dealing with the transition from one covenant to another, from one mediator to another. Each covenant had its own law The New Testament also makes clear that each covenant had its own law. In 1 Corinthians 9:20, Paul said, “To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.” In context, those under the law are Jews who had not embraced Christ. Paul’s point is that he could temporarily live as one under the Mosaic Law for evangelistic reasons, but he himself was no longer under that law. Then in the next verse, Paul speaks about Gentiles: “To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.” Paul was careful to explain that being outside the Mosaic Law did not mean living lawlessly. He was still under authority, but that authority was now described as the law of Christ. So there is a clear distinction between the two laws and the two covenantal administrations: The Mosaic Law is associated with the Old Covenant and its mediator, Moses. The law of Christ is associated with the New Covenant and its Mediator, Jesus. That distinction matters greatly for the subject of worship. Christians are not lawless, but neither are we under the Mosaic Covenant. We belong to Christ and live under His covenant. Galatians teaches freedom from the Mosaic Law, not freedom from obedience As your notes so well say, Galatians is like our Declaration of Independence from the Mosaic Law. If there is one New Testament book that makes plain that believers are not under the Mosaic system as a covenant, it is Galatians. But even there, Paul still says in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” That is important. Freedom from the Mosaic Law does not mean freedom from obedience. It means freedom from the old covenantal administration and from any attempt to be justified by law-keeping. Christians are still called to holiness, love, and obedience, but our obedience is now tied to Christ and the New Covenant He mediates. Hebrews 7:12 explains why covenantal change affects the law Now we come to the verse that helps explain why this transition could take place at all. Hebrews 7:12 says, “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” This verse gives the theological explanation for the transition. Jesus did not come merely to continue the Mosaic system. He came to fulfill it and establish a better covenant with a better priesthood. Under the Old Covenant, the priesthood was Levitical. Under the New Covenant, Jesus is our great High Priest. Since the priesthood changed, the law-covenant order connected to that priesthood also changed. That means we should expect changes in how God’s people relate to covenant signs and worship. The Old Covenant was associated with the seventh day. The New Covenant is associated with Christ’s resurrection on the first day of the week. Hebrews 7:12 does not merely tell us that something changed. It tells us why change was necessary. Once the priesthood changed from Levi to Christ, the covenantal order tied to that priesthood could not remain exactly the same. Why this prepares us for Sunday worship At this point, we are in a much better position to answer the question, Why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Part 1 does not yet trace every New Testament first-day text, but it lays the necessary theological foundation. The seventh-day Sabbath belonged to the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses. Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood. Paul distinguished between the Mosaic Law and the law of Christ. Hebrews 7:12 explains that when the priesthood changed, the law-covenant order changed as well. So the move from Saturday to Sunday is not arbitrary. It is tied to the movement from Moses to Christ, from the old covenantal order to the new, and from shadow to fulfillment. In Part 2, we can look more directly at how the New Testament connects the first day of the week with Christ’s resurrection and the worship of God’s people. Conclusion Why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Because Christ brought a covenantal transition that changed how God’s people relate to the law, the priesthood, and covenant signs. The Sabbath was a sign of the Old Covenant between God and Israel. Jesus came as the Mediator of the New Covenant and instituted it in His own blood. And Hebrews 7:12 explains that when the priesthood changed, the law changed as well. This is why the discussion is much bigger than personal preference or church tradition. It is about understanding redemptive history rightly. It is about seeing that the Old Covenant was associated with the seventh day, while the New Covenant is associated with Christ’s resurrection and the first day of the week. That is the foundation, and in Part 2, we can build on it further: we will look more directly at Christ’s resurrection on the first day of the week, the early church’s pattern of gathering, and why Sunday is rightly called the Lord’s Day.

Responding to the resurrection is not merely about celebrating Easter once a year. It is about how we interpret the empty tomb, how we respond to Christ’s promises, and how we live in light of Jesus' resurrection. In Luke 24:7–12, we see that the resurrection calls for more than admiration. It calls for remembrance, faith, witness, and wonder. One of the great comforts in the Christian life is knowing that our faith does not rest on vague feelings, religious sentiment, or wishful thinking. It rests on what God has said and done in history. That is especially important when we come to the resurrection. Jesus did not merely rise unexpectedly after a tragic death. He rose exactly as He said He would. https://youtu.be/BLwpyG_dTlg Table of contentsJesus followed the Father’s divine planGod is directing our steps, tooRemembering the Lord’s words strengthens faithThose who believe the good news should share the good newsThe resurrection account bears the marks of truthMarvel at the risen ChristConclusion Jesus followed the Father’s divine plan Before the women remembered Christ’s words, the angels reminded them of something crucial: The Son of Man must be delivered. He must be crucified. He must rise on the third day. That word must matters. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus repeatedly described His life and ministry in terms of divine necessity. He was not being swept along by events outside His control. He was carrying out the Father’s sovereign plan. From His youth, Jesus said He must be in His Father’s house. In His ministry, He said He must preach the kingdom to other towns. As He looked ahead to the cross, He said the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised. Even His meeting with Zacchaeus was described as something He must do. When we come to Luke 24, that same pattern continues. The crucifixion was not a derailment. The resurrection was not a recovery. Everything took place according to God’s perfect will. This should encourage us deeply. Christ’s death was not a defeat. It was the accomplishment of redemption. And Christ’s resurrection was not an emergency reversal. It was the triumphant fulfillment of God’s saving purpose. God is directing our steps, too Of course, Jesus is unique. He is the eternal Son of God in the flesh. His life, death, and resurrection stand alone in redemptive history. None of us can compare ourselves to Him in that sense. But there is still tremendous comfort here for believers. The same sovereign God who directed every step of Christ’s earthly ministry is also directing our lives. Scripture teaches this repeatedly. Proverbs says that a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Jeremiah confesses that it is not in man to direct his own steps. Ephesians says that believers are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. That does not excuse sin or rebellion. God’s sovereignty never authorizes disobedience. But it does mean that the Christian can rest in this truth: your life is not random. Many of us know what it is like to look back and realize that God was wise in withholding what we wanted and wise in giving what we would never have chosen. Sometimes His providence becomes clearer over time. Other times it remains mysterious. But in both situations, faith says the same thing: the Lord knows what He is doing. This is why the resurrection strengthens us so much. If the Father directed every step of Christ’s suffering all the way to the empty tomb, then we can trust Him with our own confusing paths as well. Remembering the Lord’s words strengthens faith Luke 24:8 says, “And they remembered his words.” That simple statement marks a turning point. The women were standing at an empty tomb, grieving, confused, and overwhelmed. But when they remembered what Jesus had said, everything began to make sense. They did not need a new revelation. They did not need a new experience. They did not need a dramatic emotional breakthrough. They needed to remember the words Christ had already spoken. That is still true for us. When life is perplexing, we need to remember the Lord’s words. When suffering is heavy, we need to remember the Lord’s words. When God’s plan is difficult to understand, we need to remember the Lord’s words. Our circumstances often confuse us. Our emotions can mislead us. Our fears can cloud our thinking. But God’s Word steadies us. Psalm 119:50 says, “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” The psalmist’s comfort did not come from affliction being removed. It came from God’s promise sustaining him in the middle of it. How often do we struggle because we have forgotten what Christ has said? We forget that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We forget that He works all things together for good. We forget that His grace is sufficient. We forget that because He lives, we also will live. When we forget His words, we become unstable. We fear, panic, doubt, and despair. But when we remember His words, faith is strengthened, and our vision clears. Those who believe the good news should share the good news After the women remembered Christ’s words, they did not keep the news to themselves. Luke says they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. That is a fitting pattern for every believer. Those who believe the good news should share it. Saving faith is personal, but it is never meant to be private. The resurrection is too glorious to hoard. If Christ is truly risen, then others need to hear that news. We see this pattern throughout Scripture. Philip found Nathanael and told him he had found the One Moses and the prophets wrote about. Peter and John declared that they could not help but speak of what they had seen and heard. The gospel creates this kind of holy compulsion. A famous line often attributed to D. T. Niles says that evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. That captures the spirit of Luke 24 well. The women found the empty tomb, remembered Christ’s words, and ran to tell others. That is what we should do too: We should tell our children. We should tell our friends. We should tell our neighbors. We should tell fellow sinners where forgiveness and life can be found. If we believe Christ is risen, then we should want others to hear about the risen Savior. The resurrection account bears the marks of truth Luke names the women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them. He is grounding the resurrection in real history and real eyewitness testimony. This is one of the many reasons Luke’s account is so compelling. It includes details that do not read like polished propaganda. The apostles did not immediately believe. They thought the women’s report sounded like nonsense. If someone were inventing this account, he would probably portray the apostles as perceptive, confident, and full of faith from the beginning. But Luke tells the truth, even when it makes the apostles look slow and skeptical. Likewise, women were the first human witnesses of the resurrection. In that culture, women’s testimony was often undervalued. If someone were fabricating a story to gain credibility in the eyes of society, he would not likely choose women as the first witnesses. But God did. These details do not feel contrived. They feel true. The resurrection account does not read like a carefully engineered myth. It reads like history. Marvel at the risen Christ Finally, Peter ran to the tomb. He stooped, looked in, saw the linen cloths by themselves, and went home, marveling at what had happened. That is a fitting response for us as well. Marvel that Jesus said He would rise, and He did. Marvel that the grave could not hold Him. Marvel that death had its moment, but not its victory. Marvel that because Christ lives, all who trust in Him will live also. The resurrection is not only a doctrine to defend. It is a glory to behold. It should fill our hearts with reverent wonder. Conclusion Luke 24:7–12 teaches us how to respond to the empty tomb. First, remember the Lord’s words. The women’s confusion began to lift when they remembered what Jesus had told them. The same is true for us. Christ’s words bring clarity, stability, and comfort. Second, share the good news. The women returned from the tomb and told others. If we believe Christ is risen, we should want others to know. Third, marvel at the risen Christ. Peter went away amazed, and so should we. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. Death has been defeated. And for anyone who has never trusted in Christ, do not respond as the apostles did at first. Do not dismiss the truth as an idle tale. Repent of your sins. Believe in the risen Savior. Come to the One who was delivered, crucified, and raised on the third day, just as He said. Because the tomb is empty. Christ is risen. And that truth demands a response from every one of us.

The empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus stand at the center of the Christian faith. Luke 24:1-6 brings us to the greatest event in human history: Jesus Christ, who was crucified for sinners, did not remain in the grave. He rose again. After all the teaching, miracles, compassion, confrontations, betrayal, suffering, and burial, Luke’s Gospel reaches its glorious climax here. Jesus was not merely born to be an example, perform miracles, or teach moral truths. He came to die for sinners and rise again so that all who repent and believe might have eternal life. https://youtu.be/NYWLSN52JfU Table of contentsThe darkness of Christ’s death gives way to the light of the resurrectionAfter the resurrection, Jesus is revealed as the LordDo not seek life among the deadHe is not here, but has risenConclusion If Christ had remained in the tomb, Christianity would be empty. Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But because Jesus rose, everything changes. Sin has been paid for. Death has been conquered. Salvation has been accomplished. Eternal life is offered to all who trust in Him. Luke’s careful account shows us not only that the tomb was empty, but what that empty tomb means. The darkness of Christ’s death gives way to the light of the resurrection Before Luke tells us about the resurrection morning, he wants us to remember what took place at the crucifixion. In Luke 23:44-45, darkness covered the land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour. This was no ordinary event. It was a supernatural sign accompanying Christ's death. Luke says, “the sun’s light failed,” language that seems meant to draw attention not only to physical darkness but also to spiritual symbolism. Jesus had said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). As He gave His life, the light failed. The Light of the World was being extinguished in death. That makes the opening of Luke 24 all the more powerful. The women come to the tomb “on the first day of the week, at early dawn” (Luke 24:1). The timing is deeply significant. The resurrection is announced at daybreak. The darkness of Good Friday gives way to the light of Sunday morning. When Christ died, darkness covered the land. When Christ rose, a new day began. These women came with spices they had prepared before the Sabbath. Their actions reveal love, devotion, and faithfulness. They had followed Jesus from Galilee. They had remained near Him at the crucifixion. They had seen where His body was laid. While many others scattered, they stayed. Now they return at the earliest possible moment after the Sabbath, not expecting resurrection, but expecting to honor a dead body. That detail matters. They did not come anticipating a celebration. They came anticipating sorrow. They did not expect life. They expected death. Yet when they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away. This did not mean Jesus needed help getting out. The stone was rolled away so the women, and later the apostles, could see the evidence that He had already risen. God opened the tomb, not to free Jesus, but to reveal that death could not hold Him. After the resurrection, Jesus is revealed as the Lord Luke 24:3 says something remarkable: “but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” This wording is striking. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus most commonly refers to Himself as the Son of Man. That title emphasizes His humanity, His humiliation, His service, His suffering, and His mission to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). It fits Christ's earthly ministry as the One who came to serve and suffer. But here in Luke 24, at the empty tomb, Luke uses the title “the Lord Jesus.” That is significant because, after the resurrection, the New Testament increasingly emphasizes Jesus as Lord. In Acts and the epistles, believers preach the Lord Jesus, trust in the Lord Jesus, are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and testify of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection serves as the bridge between Christ’s humiliation and His exaltation. This does not mean Jesus was not Lord before the resurrection. He always was. But now His resurrection openly reveals and confirms His identity in power. The crucified Son of Man is the risen Lord Jesus. The One rejected by men is exalted over all. The One who came in humility is now proclaimed in majesty. That is why the resurrection cannot be reduced to an inspiring ending or a moving miracle. It is the public declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord. The empty tomb is not merely evidence that a body is gone. It is evidence that the crucified Messiah has conquered death and reigns in victory. Do not seek life among the dead When the women found the tomb empty, they were confused. Luke says they were perplexed. Then two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. These were angels appearing in human form, and their question is one of the most profound in all of Scripture: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). At one level, this question gently rebukes the women. They should have remembered what Jesus had taught them. He had already told His followers that He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day. They had come looking for a dead Savior when they should have remembered they served a risen Lord. But that question reaches far beyond the women at the tomb. It speaks to every generation. It exposes the tragedy of seeking life where life cannot be found. Many people seek life in a dead religion. They trust rituals, ceremonies, traditions, or external forms of godliness. Yet Scripture warns of those “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). Religion without Christ cannot save. It may make a person appear spiritual, but it cannot make a dead sinner alive. Others seek life in dead works. They think they can do enough, improve enough, or serve enough to make themselves right with God. But salvation is “not a result of works” (Ephesians 2:9), and “by works of the law no human being will be justified” (Romans 3:20). Dead people cannot raise themselves. Sinners do not need mere self-improvement; they need resurrection life through faith in Christ. Still others seek life in dead idols. They give their hearts to things that cannot speak, save, or satisfy. Psalm 115 describes idols as having mouths but not speaking, eyes but not seeing, and ears but not hearing. Jeremiah 2:13 describes the tragedy perfectly: people forsake the fountain of living waters and dig broken cisterns that can hold no water. That is what idolatry always does. It turns from the living God to empty substitutes. Some even seek life in a dead faith. James 2:17 says, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” It is possible to profess faith without possessing saving faith. A person can know biblical language, attend church, and say the right things while remaining spiritually dead. Only living faith in the risen Christ saves. And of course, many seek life in money, pleasure, success, morality, or relationships. Yet none of these can give peace with God. None of them can remove guilt. None of them can conquer death. Jesus asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25). The world cannot give life to a soul dead in sin. Life is found only in Christ. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Jesus Himself declared, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The empty tomb proclaims not only that Jesus is alive, but that He alone is the source of life for all who come to Him in faith. He is not here, but has risen The angels then announce the message of Easter in its simplest and most triumphant form: “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:6). They do not merely say the tomb is empty. They interpret the empty tomb for us. Christ is risen. That is the heart of the Christian message. The resurrection is not an emotional symbol of hope. It is not merely the disciples carrying on Jesus’ memory. It is not a poetic way of saying His influence lives on. It is the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is why Christians do not focus on venerating the grave of Jesus the way followers of other religions honor the burial places of their founders. Jesus’ tomb is not the center of Christian devotion because Jesus is not in the tomb. Whatever uncertainty may exist regarding the exact burial location today, the message remains unchanged: the grave could not hold Him. The Lord Jesus is risen. Christianity stands or falls on this truth. If Christ is not raised, our faith is futile. But if Christ is raised, then every promise of the gospel is true. The resurrection means the Father accepted the Son’s sacrifice. It means sin has been paid for. It means death has been defeated. It means all who belong to Christ will also live. Conclusion Luke 24:1-6 leaves us with one glorious truth: the tomb is empty because Jesus Christ is alive. The darkness of the cross has given way to the light of the resurrection. The suffering Son of Man is revealed as the risen Lord Jesus. And the angels’ question still searches our hearts: Why do you seek the living among the dead? So, where are you seeking life? Are you looking for it in religion, works, success, pleasure, money, relationships, or morality? None of those things can save. None of them can give eternal life. None of them can conquer death. Only the risen Christ can. The good news of Easter is that Jesus, who was crucified for sinners, is not in the tomb. He is risen. He has defeated sin, conquered death, and offers eternal life to everyone who repents and believes. Do not merely admire the resurrection....

We live in a world overflowing with information but lacking wisdom, which is why we desperately need God’s wisdom. People have endless access to opinions, advice, and content, yet lives are still marked by confusion, bad decisions, and foolishness. The problem is not that we need more knowledge. The problem is that we need the wisdom that comes from the Lord. Job asked this same question when he grew weary of his friends’ clichés and empty platitudes. He wanted real wisdom, so he asked where wisdom could be found. That is still the right question for us today. And the good news is that Scripture does not leave us guessing. James 1:5 gives tremendous hope: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” God is not stingy with wisdom. He does not give it begrudgingly. He gives it generously to those who ask. https://youtu.be/LgA58i5HxQQ Table of contentsLesson One: God Wants to Give Us WisdomLesson Two: Fools Don’t Apply KnowledgeLesson Three: Wisdom Calls for RepentanceLesson Four: Rejecting Wisdom Brings Severe ConsequencesLesson Five: Acquiring Wisdom Requires EffortLesson Six: Wisdom Must Be Our Daily PursuitConclusion Lesson One: God Wants to Give Us Wisdom James 1:5 is one of the clearest New Testament verses on this subject, but Proverbs makes the same truth abundantly clear: God wants to give us wisdom. Wisdom is not hidden from those who seek the Lord. It is not reserved for spiritual elites. It is available. Proverbs 1 presents wisdom as a woman crying aloud in the street, raising her voice in the markets, and speaking at the city gates. That imagery is meant to show how near wisdom is to us. Wisdom is not whispering from some remote location. She is calling out in the busiest places of life, making herself known right where people live, work, and make decisions. This is encouraging. If you want wisdom, God is not playing hide-and-seek with you. He is not reluctant to guide you. He wants you to hear His voice through His Word. But there is also a warning here. Proverbs says wisdom cries out in the “noisy streets.” That reminds us that many competing voices are trying to drown out wisdom. Social media, entertainment, news, shallow conversations, and foolish influences can all make it harder to hear what God is saying. This means we should each ask ourselves: What is drowning out wisdom in my life? What distractions are keeping me from hearing God’s voice clearly? Lesson Two: Fools Don’t Apply Knowledge Proverbs 1:22 identifies three groups: the simple, the scoffers, and the fools. Each one reveals something about the human heart apart from wisdom. The simple are gullible. They do not know what to believe. Proverbs contrasts them with the prudent, who think carefully and consider their steps. The simple are easily led astray because they lack discernment. The scoffers are different. They are not merely uninformed; they are arrogant. They smirk at the correction. They mock wisdom because they think they already know better. Then there are fools. Proverbs says fools hate knowledge. That sounds surprising at first, because many fools are actually knowledgeable. They may know the truth. They may have heard sermons, read Scripture, and received counsel. But they do not apply what they know. That is what makes them fools. Wisdom is not merely possessing information. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. A wise person does what is morally and spiritually right with what he knows. A fool may know the right thing to do and still refuse to do it. That is why James 4:17 is so important: “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Fools live in that dangerous place of knowing better while choosing disobedience anyway. This is deeply convicting because it moves the conversation from intellect to obedience. The issue is not simply whether we know the truth, but whether we will submit to it. Lesson Three: Wisdom Calls for Repentance Proverbs 1:23 says, “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.” The call to turn is a call to repent. Why does wisdom begin there? Because wisdom exposes our foolishness and sin. If we are going to grow in wisdom, we must first be willing to repent of the ways we have rejected God’s truth. This is what happens whenever we read Scripture honestly. God’s Word confronts us. It reveals where we are wrong. It exposes sinful habits, prideful attitudes, and foolish patterns. If we humble ourselves and turn, we grow in wisdom. If we scoff, excuse ourselves, or refuse correction, we remain fools. There is also a beautiful promise here. Wisdom says that if we turn, she will pour out her spirit and make her words known. This points us to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who illuminates Scripture and gives understanding. Ephesians 1:17 speaks of “the Spirit of wisdom,” reminding us that true wisdom is not merely academic. It is spiritual. God Himself helps His people understand His truth. Lesson Four: Rejecting Wisdom Brings Severe Consequences Proverbs 1 takes a sobering turn when wisdom says that because people refused to listen, ignored counsel, and rejected reproof, calamity and distress would come upon them. The language is intentionally severe. It is meant to warn us. This can sound harsh at first, but it is actually merciful. Warnings are loving. When God shows us where foolishness leads, He is being gracious. He is urging us to turn before we reap the consequences of sin. Still, the warning is real. There comes a point when those who repeatedly reject wisdom are left to suffer the fruit of their choices. Proverbs says they will eat the fruit of their own way. That is one of the most frightening forms of judgment in Scripture: God turns people over to what they have chosen. Jeremiah 2:19 teaches the same truth: “Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you.” Sin carries its own penalties. Our foolish decisions often produce their own pain. God does not always need to add further judgment because the consequences of sin can be punishing enough on their own. This should cause us to take wisdom seriously. Foolishness is not harmless. It is destructive. Rejecting wisdom is not a small matter. Lesson Five: Acquiring Wisdom Requires Effort If wisdom is so available, why do so many people remain foolish? Proverbs 2 answers that question by showing that although wisdom is available, it is not automatic. We must pursue it. The father in Proverbs 2 tells his son to receive his words, treasure his commandments, make his ear attentive, incline his heart, call out for insight, raise his voice for understanding, seek wisdom like silver, and search for it as hidden treasure. These are action words. They show that wisdom requires deliberate effort. No one becomes wise by accident. Wise people become wise because they value wisdom enough to pursue it consistently. Just as people work hard for money, promotions, and success, believers must be willing to work diligently for spiritual riches. This also reveals something about the heart. We pursue what we value. If we truly saw the worth of wisdom, we would chase after it more earnestly than we chase after earthly gain. Lesson Six: Wisdom Must Be Our Daily Pursuit Proverbs 2 does not describe wisdom as a one-time event. The verbs are ongoing. Receive. Treasure. Listen. Seek. Search. These are not occasional hobbies. They are the daily disciplines of a lifetime. This is much like physical training. People do not become strong because of one workout, one meal, or one good week. Growth comes through consistency over time. The same is true spiritually. Wise believers usually cannot point to a single sermon, devotional, or Bible study that made them wise. Instead, wisdom develops through years of hearing God’s Word, receiving correction, and walking in obedience. That is encouraging because it means ordinary faithfulness matters. Each day you read Scripture, sit under preaching, seek counsel, pray for discernment, and obey what God shows you, you are growing in wisdom. Conclusion Wisdom is available, but it is not automatic. God wants to give us wisdom generously, and He makes it available through His Word, godly counsel, and the work of the Holy Spirit. But we must still humble ourselves, repent where needed, and pursue wisdom diligently. We should ask ourselves two questions. What is drowning out wisdom in my life? And what do I already know is right, but have failed to do? There is a price to gaining wisdom: time, humility, and effort. But there is a far greater price to rejecting it: the pain and consequences of foolishness. So let us seek the Lord now and pursue wisdom daily, because the one who gains wisdom gains a treasure far greater than anything this world can offer.

In Luke 23:50-56, Joseph of Arimathea and the women who faithfully honored Jesus show us what true discipleship looks like when following Christ is costly, quiet, and seemingly unrewarded. Jesus had been abandoned by His closest followers, condemned by the religious leaders, and executed by Rome. But in that dark moment, God still preserved faithful disciples who stayed near Christ and honored Him. https://youtu.be/PlAKLqOodfw Table of contentsThe Shepherd Was Struck and the Sheep ScatteredGod Preserves Faithful Disciples Even in the Darkest TimesJoseph Shows True Disciples Remain Faithful When There Is No Personal AdvantageJesus’ Burial Fulfilled ProphecyThe Women Show That True Disciples Honor Christ With Persevering DevotionWhat This Passage Teaches Us About FaithfulnessFinal Thoughts The Shepherd Was Struck and the Sheep Scattered This passage becomes even more powerful when we read it in light of Old Testament prophecy. Zechariah 13:7 says, “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” Jesus applied this verse directly to His disciples on the night of His arrest in Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27. When Jesus was taken, the disciples fled. When He was condemned and crucified, they were nowhere to be found. Even Peter, who had confidently declared he would die with Christ, denied three times that he even knew Him. That is one of the painful realities surrounding the crucifixion. Jesus was not only rejected by the world but also abandoned by His own followers. Yet Luke 23 does not leave us with only that sorrowful picture. After the sheep are scattered, God shows that He still has faithful people. Joseph of Arimathea and the women from Galilee do what the disciples should have done. They step forward when others step back. They identify with Christ when others distance themselves from Him. God Preserves Faithful Disciples Even in the Darkest Times Luke introduces Joseph in a striking way: “Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God” (Luke 23:50-51). Joseph was from Arimathea and, more surprisingly, a member of the council. He belonged to the Sanhedrin, the very body responsible for condemning Jesus. Yet Luke distinguishes him from the rest. He was “a good and righteous man,” not because he was sinless, but because he feared God and lived with integrity. Most importantly, he was “looking for the kingdom of God.” That final description explains everything. Joseph acted differently because his heart was set on the Lord. This is deeply encouraging. Even in corrupt and hostile places, God preserves His people. Among the religious leaders who wanted Jesus dead, there was one man who had not consented. God had not lost all witnesses, and He never does. This theme runs throughout Scripture. Elijah once believed he was alone, telling the Lord in 1 Kings 19:10 and 14, “I, even I only, am left.” But God corrected him in 1 Kings 19:18: “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal.” Elijah thought the remnant had disappeared, but God had preserved one. The same is true here. If we looked only at the Sanhedrin, we might assume every one of them had given himself over completely to darkness. But God had Joseph there. He had a faithful man in an unlikely place. The Lord always preserves a remnant. This should strengthen us when we look at our culture, churches, institutions, or communities and feel discouraged. God still has His people. There are still faithful men and women who have not bowed the knee. Joseph Shows True Disciples Remain Faithful When There Is No Personal Advantage “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus” (Luke 23:52). That single verse reveals remarkable courage. Jesus was dead. He had been publicly condemned, shamefully executed, and abandoned by nearly everyone. There was no earthly advantage in being associated with Him at this point. No crowds were cheering. No miracles were drawing admiration. No influence could be gained by identifying with Christ now. It is one thing to follow Jesus when the crowds are large, the excitement is high, and the blessings seem obvious. It is another thing entirely to identify with Him when obedience appears costly and public loyalty seems to bring only loss. Joseph did not attach himself to Jesus for personal gain. He was not seeking advancement, recognition, or approval. He honored Christ when doing so likely damaged his future with the religious establishment. While Scripture does not tell us exactly what Joseph lost, it is difficult to imagine that his actions were well received by the council that had demanded Jesus’ death. That is what makes his example so compelling. True discipleship is revealed when following Christ brings no worldly benefit. It is tested when obedience costs something. This lesson presses on us today. Will we remain faithful when honoring Christ is unpopular? Will we obey Him when doing so costs friendships, comfort, reputation, opportunities, or income? Will we speak the truth in love when silence would be easier? Will we remain morally pure in a culture that mocks holiness? Will we forgive when bitterness feels more justified? These are the moments when real devotion becomes visible. Joseph shows that true disciples remain faithful when there is no personal advantage. Jesus’ Burial Fulfilled Prophecy “Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid” (Luke 23:53). It is striking how much detail the Gospels give to Jesus’ burial. The crucifixion itself is often described with stunning brevity. But here we are told how Joseph took down Jesus’ body, wrapped it carefully, and laid it in a new tomb. That detail matters because Jesus’ burial was not incidental. It fulfilled prophecy and confirmed the reality of His death. Paul included the burial as part of the gospel itself in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” Jesus did not merely appear to die. He truly died, and He was truly buried. His burial confirms the reality of His sacrifice and prepares the way for the glory of the resurrection. But more than that, the manner of His burial fulfilled Isaiah 53:9: “They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death.” That prophecy is astonishing in its precision. Wicked men intended for Jesus to be treated like a criminal in death, just as He had been treated like one in life. He was crucified between criminals, and His enemies would have gladly consigned His body to further humiliation. But the Father had other plans. Though men intended disgrace, God ordained honor. Joseph, a wealthy man, buried Jesus in his own new tomb. John 19 also tells us that Nicodemus brought an extravagant amount of myrrh and aloes for Jesus’ body. In this way, Jesus was buried not only with a rich man, but by rich men, exactly as Isaiah had foretold centuries earlier. This should encourage us deeply. If there were ever a moment when it might appear that God had lost control, it would be the murder of His Son. Yet even here, in the burial of Jesus, every detail is governed by divine sovereignty. The death of Christ was not a tragic accident. It was the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan exactly as Scripture had said. And that means the same God who governed the details of His Son’s burial governs the details of our lives as well. Nothing is random. Nothing is outside His control. The Women Show That True Disciples Honor Christ With Persevering Devotion Luke then turns our attention to the women: “It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment” (Luke 23:54-56). These women had followed Jesus from Galilee during His ministry. They remained present at the crucifixion, and now they continued following Him after His death. That may sound simple, but in context, it is profound. Others had fled. Others had disappeared. But these women stayed near Christ in their grief. Their devotion was not loud or dramatic. It was quiet, tender, and persevering. They watched carefully where His body was laid. They prepared spices and ointments to honor Him. They rested on the Sabbath according to God’s commandment. In other words, they did not abandon either Christ or God’s Word in their sorrow. They could not stop the crucifixion. They could not undo Jesus’ death. They could not change the grief of the moment. But they could still love Him. They could still follow Him. They could still serve Him in the small ways available to them. That kind of devotion matters greatly. Most acts of faithfulness are not performed in front of crowds. They happen quietly, in grief, in obscurity, and without recognition. These women remind us that true disciples honor Christ with persevering devotion even when the future is unclear. They did not yet know resurrection morning was coming. All they knew was that Jesus was dead. Yet their love for Him remained. That is the kind of steadfast love the Lord delights in: a love that continues in sorrow, obeys in silence, and serves without applause. What This Passage Teaches Us About Faithfulness Joseph and the women together provide a beautiful picture of genuine discipleship. Joseph honored Christ publicly when it was costly. The women honored Christ quietly when no one was looking. Joseph reminds us that faithfulness may require courage in the face of opposition

Why Jesus’ body is called the veil is one of the most beautiful truths in Hebrews 10:19–20, because it explains how sinners like us can enter God’s presence with confidence through the torn flesh and shed blood of Christ. For centuries, the Old Testament taught distance, separation, and holy fear. But in Jesus, the barrier has been removed, and the way to the Father has been opened. If you read the Old Testament carefully, you see a repeated message: sinful people cannot approach a holy God casually. Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire. The men of Beth Shemesh were judged for treating the ark irreverently. Uzzah died when he touched the ark. At Mount Sinai, the people were warned not to come near lest they perish. Then, in the tabernacle and temple, room after room and curtain after curtain reinforced the same lesson: stay back. But Hebrews 10 announces something shocking. Instead of staying back, believers are told to draw near. Instead of trembling outside, we are invited to enter with confidence. That dramatic change is possible because Jesus Christ has done what the old sacrifices, priests, and covenant could never accomplish. https://youtu.be/WgfVQlm-15k Table of contentsJesus Is Better Than the Old Testament SacrificesThe Holy Place and the Most Holy PlaceWhy This Truth Is Easy to Take for GrantedEsther Helps Us Feel the Weight of This PrivilegeWhy Jesus’ Body Is Called the Veil1. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Provide the Way to God’s Presence2. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Hide and Reveal the Father3. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Join Deity and Humanity4. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Obstacles While Whole5. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Torn Once6. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Torn by God the FatherThe Barrier Has Been RemovedTwo Responses to This Truth Jesus Is Better Than the Old Testament Sacrifices To understand Hebrews 10:19–20, we need the surrounding context. Hebrews 10:4 says it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The old sacrifices were never meant to remove sin permanently. They covered sin temporarily until Christ came. That is why John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” The old sacrifices were good in their appointed place, but Jesus is better. They covered sin. He takes sin away. Hebrews 10:11 also says that the priests stood daily, offering the same sacrifices repeatedly. Their work was never finished. The repetition proved the system's insufficiency. But Hebrews 10:12 says that when Christ had offered a single sacrifice for sins for all time, He sat down at the right hand of God. Unlike the old priests, Jesus sat down because His work was complete. Then Hebrews 10:18 adds, “Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Once sin has truly been forgiven, no further sacrifice is needed. Christ accomplished fully and forever what the old covenant only pictured. The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place The temple contained two main rooms. The first was the Holy Place, where only the priests could enter. Beyond that was the Most Holy Place, where the ark of the covenant was located and where God’s presence was uniquely associated. Only the high priest could enter there, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. That arrangement preached a clear message. God is holy. Man is sinful. Access is restricted. So when Hebrews 10:19 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,” the language is astonishing. The “holy places” refer to the true presence of God. The writer is not telling believers to physically enter a temple structure. He is telling us that through Christ, we now have spiritual access to God Himself. The reason is simple and glorious: the sin that kept people out of God’s presence has been dealt with by Jesus. Why This Truth Is Easy to Take for Granted One danger for believers is familiarity. We hear about prayer, grace, and access to God so often that we can stop being amazed by them. We forget how extraordinary this privilege really is. Old Testament saints lived with visible reminders that God’s presence was not to be approached casually. Boundaries existed everywhere. But in Christ, the believer has a privilege that would have sounded astonishing under the old covenant: confident access to the living God. That should humble us, comfort us, and fill us with gratitude. Esther Helps Us Feel the Weight of This Privilege One helpful illustration comes from the book of Esther. Esther had to approach the king on behalf of her people, even though doing so uninvited could cost her life. She said, “I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Even though she was queen, she still approached with fear and reverence. And if that was true of entering the presence of an earthly king, how much more serious should it be to enter the presence of God? Yet Hebrews 10:19 says believers have confidence to enter. That is the wonder of the gospel. Because of Jesus, we can come to the King not with presumption, but with humble boldness. Why Jesus’ Body Is Called the Veil Hebrews 10:20 says that Jesus opened for us “the new and living way… through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.” This is the heart of the passage. The curtain, or veil, is presented as a picture of Christ’s body. This does not mean Jesus was literally the veil. It means the veil was a type, a foreshadowing, of Him. Just as many Old Testament realities pointed forward to Christ, so the temple veil pointed forward to His flesh and His saving work. The rest of the passage becomes richer when we see the parallels. 1. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Provide the Way to God’s Presence Hebrews 10:20 calls this a “new and living way.” That language should immediately remind us of John 14:6, where Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In the early church, Christianity was even called “the Way.” That title reflects the truth that Jesus is not merely one guide among many. He is the only path to the Father. This way is “new” because it belongs to the new covenant and is superior to the old covenant system. It is also “living” because it is bound up with a risen Savior. Christ was slain, yet He lives. His death opened the way, and His resurrection guarantees that the way remains open. 2. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Hide and Reveal the Father The veil both concealed and revealed. On the one hand, it hid the Most Holy Place from ordinary sight and blocked free access to God’s presence. On the other hand, it was the very boundary through which the high priest passed in order to enter that presence. Jesus does the same. He says in John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” That means He is the exclusive access point. No one bypasses Him. Yet Jesus also reveals the Father. He said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Colossians 1:15 says He is the image of the invisible God. So just like the veil, Christ both conceals and reveals. He blocks every false way to God while opening the only true way. 3. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Join Deity and Humanity On one side of the veil was the symbolic place of God’s presence. On the other side stood humanity in all its need. In that sense, the veil marked the meeting point between divine holiness and human need. That makes it a striking picture of the incarnation. In Christ, deity and humanity are joined in one person. He is fully God and fully man. He is not part God and part man, but truly both. Perhaps no Old Testament type makes this point more vividly. The veil stood where God’s holy presence and man’s desperate need met. Jesus is the true and greater fulfillment of that picture. 4. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Obstacles While Whole Hebrews 10:19 says we enter by the blood of Jesus. That is important. It does not say we enter by the example of Jesus, the teaching of Jesus, or merely the life of Jesus. We enter by His blood. That does not diminish His perfect life. His sinless life qualified Him to be the spotless Lamb. But it was His sacrificial death that opened access to God. In this sense, as long as the veil remained whole, it was a barrier. Likewise, as long as Christ’s flesh had not been given up in death, the way had not yet been opened in its fullness. But when His body was torn at the cross, the barrier was removed. That means two errors must be rejected. First, no one should say, “I am too sinful to come to God,” if he comes through Christ in repentance and faith. Second, no one should say, “I can come to God because I am good.” Our access rests entirely on the blood of Jesus. 5. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Torn Once When the high priest passed through the veil on the Day of Atonement, the opening was temporary. The veil closed again. The message remained the same: the way is still not open. But when the temple veil was torn at Christ’s death, it was torn once for all. The barrier was not simply moved aside for a moment. It was decisively opened. Hebrews 9 says Christ appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He was once offered to bear the sins of many. Just as the veil did not need to be torn repeatedly, Christ does not need to be crucified repeatedly. His sacrifice is final, complete, and sufficient forever. 6. Jesus’ Body and the Veil Were Torn by God the Father Matthew 27:51 says the veil was torn from top to bottom. That detail matters. It shows that God did it. This was not ultimately man’s work but heaven’s declaration. And the same is true at the cross. Isaiah 53 says Christ was smitten by God and that it was the will of the Lord to crush Him. Acts 2 says Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. ...

Why was the temple veil torn in Matthew 27:51 and Luke 23:45? It is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. When the curtain in the temple was torn in two, God was showing that Christ’s sacrifice opened access to Him for sinners who could never come near on their own. https://youtu.be/EhfEFVtAZqY Table of contentsAccess to God was limited under the Old CovenantGod created boundaries between Himself and His peopleThe veil represented the barrier between God and manJesus’ sacrifice tore down the barrierFrom separation to reconciliationWhat the torn veil means for believersConclusion When I was a kid, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark was one of those movies I watched more times than I can count. At the end of the film, Indiana Jones and Marion are captured and forced to watch as the Nazis open the Ark of the Covenant. At first, it seems harmless. Then everything changes. Supernatural power breaks out, and the people who look upon the ark are destroyed. Indiana tells Marion to keep her eyes shut, and that warning saves them. Even as a non-Christian kid, I remember understanding something important from that scene: approaching God is dangerous. That is not merely a movie idea. That is the Old Testament reality. God is holy, and sinful people cannot enter His presence casually. The tearing of the temple veil in Luke 23:45 shows that something monumental changed through Jesus’ death. Access to God was limited under the Old Covenant Under the Old Covenant, access to God was restricted. People could not approach Him whenever and however they wanted. God established boundaries, warnings, and consequences for anyone who treated holy things lightly. Scripture gives repeated examples of this reality. Uzzah touched the ark and was struck dead. Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire and were consumed. King Uzziah entered the temple presumptuously and was judged with leprosy. Even the men of Beth-shemesh were struck when they looked into the ark. These accounts all communicate the same truth: sinful people could not come near a holy God on their own terms. This reality is especially clear at Mount Sinai. After God delivered Israel from Egypt through the plagues, the Passover, and the parting of the Red Sea, we might expect a warm, inviting meeting between God and His people. Instead, Sinai was marked by blazing fire, darkness, gloom, tempest, trumpet blasts, and a voice so terrifying that the people begged not to hear it any longer. Hebrews 12 describes the scene in unforgettable terms. The people were warned that even an animal touching the mountain must be stoned. Even Moses trembled with fear. God was not being unloving. He was displaying His holiness before sinful people who could not survive unrestricted access to His presence. If I had to summarize the Old Testament in one word, it would be separation. That theme runs throughout the entire Old Covenant system. God created boundaries between Himself and His people Because God is holy and His people were sinful, He created boundaries between Himself and them. When Israel traveled through the wilderness, God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle. This movable tent was the place where God would dwell among His people, but even then, access remained tightly controlled. Hebrews 9 explains that the tabernacle was divided into two rooms. The first was the Holy Place, where only priests could minister. Beyond that was the Most Holy Place, separated by a veil. This inner room contained the ark of the covenant, the place associated with God’s presence. That veil preached a message all by itself: stay back. The same pattern continued later in the temple. Courtyards kept people at a distance. Curtains restricted entry. Furnishings such as the altar and laver reminded worshipers of sin and impurity. Even the names Holy Place and Most Holy Place emphasized God’s separateness. Only one man could enter the Most Holy Place: the high priest. And he could do so only once each year, on the Day of Atonement, and never without blood. Think about the layers of restriction: Only Israel had the tabernacle. Only the tribe of Levi could serve there. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place. He could do so only once per year. This was not casual fellowship. It was careful, limited, fearful access under strict conditions. The veil represented the barrier between God and man The veil was not decorative. It symbolized separation. It stood between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, between ordinary priestly ministry and the place of God’s manifested presence. It reminded everyone that sin had created a barrier between God and man. For the overwhelming majority of the year, the Most Holy Place sat in silence and darkness, untouched by human presence. The veil remained intact, testifying that the way into God’s presence was not yet open. Millions of sacrifices were offered throughout the Old Testament, yet the veil remained hanging. Those sacrifices could not ultimately remove sin or provide true access to God. They pointed forward to a better sacrifice still to come. Jesus’ sacrifice tore down the barrier Luke 23:44–45 records two miracles surrounding Christ’s death. Darkness covered the land, and the sun’s light failed. Then the temple curtain was torn in two. This miracle was not random. Like every divine sign, it communicated a spiritual truth. At the very moment Jesus’ body was being torn on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn as well. God was preaching His own sermon illustration. The meaning is clear: Jesus’ sacrifice tore down the barrier between holy God and sinful man. Matthew’s Gospel tells us the veil was torn from top to bottom, emphasizing that this was God’s work, not man’s. God Himself opened the way. The point is not that God became less holy. Holiness still matters. The point is that Christ paid the price necessary to bring sinners near. What once kept people out had now been dealt with through the cross. Paul explains this beautifully in Ephesians 2:13–14, where he says that those who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The dividing wall of hostility has been broken down in His flesh. That is what the torn veil means. From separation to reconciliation If one word summarizes the Old Testament, it is separation. If one word summarizes the New Testament, it is reconciliation. Under the Old Covenant, the message was essentially: stay back. Under the New Covenant, the message is: draw near. The darkness of judgment fell on Christ so that fellowship with God could be restored to us. The cross does not merely forgive sin in an abstract sense. It restores access. It brings believers back into fellowship with the God from whom sin had separated them. In that sense, what was lost in Genesis 3 begins to be restored in Luke 23. Through Christ, the guarded way back to God is opened. What the torn veil means for believers The torn veil has two important implications. First, believers should not live as though they are still far away from God. Too many Christians still pray as if they are outside the courtyard. They carry guilt as though the veil is still hanging. They relate to God as though the door remains shut. But the curtain has not been repaired. It has been torn. If you are in Christ, the way into God’s presence is open. You do not approach God through your own goodness, but through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Second, unbelievers must not miss the invitation. The torn veil does not mean everyone is automatically reconciled to God. It means the only way has been provided. Access comes only through Jesus. The barrier is gone, but only for those who come by faith in the Son of God. You do not come through sincerity, effort, or religious performance. You come through blood, not the blood of animals, but the blood of Christ. Conclusion When the veil tore, God declared that Jesus had done what the old sacrificial system could never do. For centuries, sacrifice after sacrifice was offered, yet the veil remained in place. Then Christ, the true and better sacrifice, died, and the barrier came down immediately. That is why the temple veil was torn. It was God’s declaration that through Jesus’ death, access to Him had been opened. Sinners who were once far off can now draw near. The way is no longer blocked. The price has been paid. The invitation has been given. The question is whether we will come. Will you remain at a distance, or will you draw near to God through His Son?

If people claim to be sent by God, how would you know whether they really were? Scripture teaches that miracles function as God’s public endorsement—His witness that a messenger truly is from Him. And nowhere is that clearer than in the miracles at Jesus’ death, when the Father surrounded the crucifixion with signs that testified that Christ is the One He sent. https://youtu.be/OmsxbrahPI0 Table of contentsMiracles authenticate those truly sent by GodThe Father surrounded the cross with supernatural testimonyLesson 1: The darkness reveals the evil of Jesus’ deathLesson 2: The darkness also reveals God’s judgmentLesson 3: The failing light points to the Light of the World being extinguishedJesus died in controlThe Father pressed Jesus’ innocence on everyone watchingLesson 4: The cross should produce repentance Miracles authenticate those truly sent by God The Greek word apostle means “one who is sent.” The apostles claimed to be sent by God—and the Lord confirmed that claim with signs. Scripture is explicit: 2 Corinthians 12:12 — “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you…with signs and wonders and mighty works.” Hebrews 2:4 — “God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit…” Miracles are not religious entertainment. They are God’s testimony. Now consider this: Hebrews 3:1 calls Jesus “the apostle.” Jesus is the ultimate One sent from the Father. And if God authenticated the lesser apostles with signs, how much more would He testify to the true and greater Apostle—His own Son? As we come to Luke 23 and stand at the foot of the cross, we see the Father doing exactly that. The Father surrounded the cross with supernatural testimony Luke records miracles at the crucifixion that were impossible to miss: Darkness over the land The sun’s light failing The temple curtain tearing The earthquake Tombs opening and saints raising from the dead God the Father did not leave the world to wonder whether this was just another execution. He surrounded the death of His Son with signs that revealed the identity of the One being crucified. Luke begins with the first miracle: “It was now about the sixth hour… and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour…” (Luke 23:44) From noon until three in the afternoon—the brightest part of the day—darkness covered the land. This was not weather. It was a sign. Lesson 1: The darkness reveals the evil of Jesus’ death Scripture repeatedly uses light and darkness as moral and spiritual metaphors—good and evil, righteousness and wickedness. Even earlier in Luke, Jesus rebuked the leaders who came to arrest Him at night: “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:53) Their actions were physically done at night, but Jesus exposed the spiritual reality behind them: darkness—evil—was at work. Now at the crucifixion, what had been spiritual becomes physical. Literal darkness covers the land to display the evil of what is happening: the sinless Son of God is being murdered. Lesson 2: The darkness also reveals God’s judgment Darkness in Scripture doesn’t only picture evil; it also often accompanies judgment. So the question is: on whom is judgment falling? Not on the criminals—though they deserved it. Not on the mocking crowd—though they deserved it. Not on the Romans—though they deserved it. Instead, judgment falls on Jesus. The innocent One is treated as guilty. The One who knew no sin is made sin for us. This is substitutionary atonement—our sin imputed to Christ, His righteousness imputed to us: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The darkness is God’s testimony: sin is being judged—and Christ is bearing that judgment in the place of His people. Lesson 3: The failing light points to the Light of the World being extinguished Luke adds another detail: “…while the sun’s light failed…” (Luke 23:45) Luke already told us it was dark. So why add that the light “failed”? Because Luke is not describing an ordinary dimming. He is describing a sign—language that echoes who Jesus is. Jesus is the Light of the World: “I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12) So when Luke says “the light failed,” it’s hard not to hear the theological echo: the Light of the World is being extinguished. But this does not mean Jesus failed. “No one takes My life from Me… I lay it down of My own accord.” (John 10:18) The light did not “fail” because Christ was overpowered. The light “failed” because Christ willingly stepped into the darkness we deserved. He entered judgment to deliver His people from judgment. Jesus died in control Luke records Jesus’ final words: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” (Luke 23:46) Crucifixion made speaking agonizing. Yet Luke tells us Jesus cried out with a loud voice. This reveals something crucial: He was not a helpless victim. He died when He chose to lay down His life. The Father pressed Jesus’ innocence on everyone watching Luke then records the centurion’s response: “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Luke 23:47) All through Luke 23, Jesus’ innocence is repeated. It is as though the Father insisted the world hear it while His Son was being killed: Jesus is innocent. Lesson 4: The cross should produce repentance Luke says the crowds went home “beating their breasts” (Luke 23:48). That phrase matters because Luke uses it elsewhere: The tax collector “beat his breast” and cried, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). In Luke, beating the breast is not casual emotion. It is brokenness over sin. It is repentance. God did not surround the death of His Son with signs so people would walk away impressed. He surrounded the cross with signs so people would walk away convicted. The darkness tells us sin is real and judgment is real. The cross tells us that grace is real and that forgiveness is available. The question is not whether the signs were powerful. The question is what we will do with the One they point to. Will we respond like the hardened scoffer—or like the tax collector, the convicted crowd, and the centurion—owning our sin, confessing Christ, and pleading for mercy? If we come to Jesus in faith—confessing our sin and trusting His substitution—we will never have to fear the darkness of judgment, because the Light of the world stepped into it for us, so we could walk in the light of life.

“Paradise” is one of those Bible words that feels instantly comforting—until you slow down and ask, What exactly does it mean? Paradise in the New Testament appears only three times, and when you line those passages up, they raise a question many believers have wondered about: Where was Jesus between His death and resurrection? Table of contentsWhere “paradise” appears in the New TestamentParadise in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and the three heavens Paul describesParadise in Revelation 2:7 and the tree of lifeParadise in Luke 23:43 and the thief on the crossWhy this gets complicatedSheol and HadesTwo possibilities for Luke 23:43Possibility 1: Paradise refers to heaven (Jesus went spiritually, later bodily)Possibility 2: Paradise refers to the place of comfort within HadesBelievers were removed from Hades at Jesus’ ascensionWhen unbelievers leave HadesClosing encouragement Where “paradise” appears in the New Testament The word paradise occurs only three times in the New Testament: Luke 23:43 “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 2 Corinthians 12:3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ If those were the only details we had, we might assume “paradise” always means “heaven.” In fact, that’s exactly what the first two passages strongly suggest. Paradise in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and the three heavens Paul describes In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul describes a man (very likely speaking of himself) who was “caught up to the third heaven,” and then immediately says he was “caught up into paradise,” connecting the third heaven and paradise. In Scripture, “heaven” can be described in different ways: The first heaven: the atmosphere/sky (where clouds and rain are) The second heaven: outer space (sun, moon, stars) The third heaven: the place where God dwells So in 2 Corinthians 12, paradise is presented as up, above—where God dwells. Paradise in Revelation 2:7 and the tree of life The second occurrence is in Revelation 2:7, where Jesus promises the overcomer will eat from “the tree of life…in the paradise of God.” That matters because Revelation later places the tree of life in the eternal state—the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 22:1–2). So again, paradise is tied to God’s presence and eternal life. Paradise in Luke 23:43 and the thief on the cross The third occurrence is Luke 23:43 when Jesus addresses the repentant criminal. Based on 2 Corinthians and Revelation, it sounds like Jesus is saying, “Today you’ll be with Me in heaven.” But Jesus did not ascend to heaven until His ascension. Why this gets complicated After the resurrection, Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus and reaches toward Him. Jesus says: John 20:17 — “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father…” In other words, after rising from the dead, Jesus could still say, “I have not yet ascended.” So how do we reconcile that with “today you will be with Me in paradise”? Another important statement from Jesus: Matthew 12:40 — “So will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Jesus was in Hades, not heaven, between His death and resurrection. Sheol and Hades A crucial foundation is understanding the biblical terms: Sheol is the Hebrew term. Hades is the Greek term. In this discussion, they refer to the same reality (the realm of the dead). Scripture depicts both righteous and unrighteous going to Sheol/Hades, because it is described as a temporary abode of the dead rather than the final destination of eternal reward or punishment Two possibilities for Luke 23:43 There are two main interpretive options for what Jesus meant... Possibility 1: Paradise refers to heaven (Jesus went spiritually, later bodily) In this view, “paradise” in Luke 23:43 still means heaven (consistent with 2 Corinthians and Revelation). Jesus’ body would remain in the tomb, but His spirit would go to the Father. A verse supporting this view: Luke 23:46 — “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Under this interpretation, Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12, and Revelation 2 all use “paradise” in the same way. Possibility 2: Paradise refers to the place of comfort within Hades Hades included two compartments in the New Testament era—one of comfort (associated with Abraham’s bosom) and one of torment—and the place of comfort could be called “paradise.” The weakness is that this makes “paradise” mean something different in Luke than in 2 Corinthians and Revelation Believers were removed from Hades at Jesus’ ascension What changed after Jesus’ work was completed: Ephesians 4:8 — “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives…” When Jesus ascended, He brought with Him those who had been “captive” in the place of comfort—unable to enter heaven before Christ’s atoning work was finished. Ephesians 4:9 says He also “descended into the lower regions, the earth,” understood here as a descent into Hades. Old Testament believers could not be in heaven prior to Christ: Hebrews 10:4 — animal sacrifices could not take away sin Matthew 27:51 — the veil tearing pictured access opened through Christ In short, before Christ, there was separation; in the New Covenant, there is reconciliation. When unbelievers leave Hades Hades is temporary. Revelation 20 describes the Great White Throne judgment where death and Hades give up the dead, and the final judgment follows. This matters because it reminds us that questions like “Where is paradise?” aren’t just theological puzzles. They are meant to press us toward the most important question: Am I reconciled to God through Jesus Christ? Closing encouragement “Paradise” is not ultimately about winning an argument over terms. It is about God keeping His promises: Christ truly saves, death truly will be defeated, and eternal life with God is real. If you belong to Christ, your hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s anchored in a risen Savior, and it ends where Revelation places the tree of life: in the paradise of God.

The account of the two thieves on the cross is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of how identical circumstances can produce opposite responses to Jesus. Side-by-side, they saw the same Savior, heard the same words, endured the same suffering, and faced the same urgency—yet one hardened his heart while the other repented and believed. Their final moments preach a timeless message: what ultimately separates people is not their situation, but their response to Christ. https://youtu.be/6MqIINxLMqA Table of contentsLesson 1: Jesus’ parables teach that identical circumstances can produce opposite responsesThe parable of the two buildersThe parable of the sowerThe parable of the two sonsThe parable of the ten virginsThe parable of the talents (and minas)The wedding feast, the two debtors, and moreLesson 2: The two criminals are a living illustration of Jesus’ parablesLesson 3: Each person is responsible for their response to ChristHe believes in life after deathHe believes Jesus has a kingdom beyond deathHe believes salvation is mercy, not meritHe believes Jesus will receive himJesus’ response: assurance, immediacy, and fellowshipCertaintyImmediacyPersonal fellowshipThe gospel in living colorThe “deathbed conversion” question—and Matthew 20Lesson 4: God’s grace to others can expose envy in our heartsDon’t presume on tomorrowConclusion Lesson 1: Jesus’ parables teach that identical circumstances can produce opposite responses Jesus regularly taught in a way that removes that excuse. He often described people who shared identical circumstances—and yet experienced opposite outcomes. Once you notice this pattern, you start seeing it everywhere in Jesus’ teaching. The parable of the two builders Both men heard the same teaching: “Everyone who hears these words of mine…” (Matthew 7:24) “Everyone who hears these words of mine…” (Matthew 7:26) Both men built a house. Both faced the same storm: “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house…” (Matthew 7:25) “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house…” (Matthew 7:27) Same teaching. Same project. Same storm. Completely different results. The parable of the sower There is one Sower. The seed is good. The seed is distributed broadly. Same Sower. Same seed. Same method. Yet radically different responses. The parable of the two sons Same father. Same command: “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” (Matthew 21:28) Completely different responses. The parable of the ten virgins Same wedding. Same role. Same expectation: wait for the bridegroom. But two very different endings. The parable of the talents (and minas) Same master. Same stewardship principle. Same assignment: be faithful with what you’ve been entrusted. But again: different responses—and different outcomes. The wedding feast, the two debtors, and more Same King. Same invitation. Same mercy. Same opportunity. Yet not everyone responds the same. And if we’ll allow Jesus’ parables to do their work, they press us toward a sobering conclusion: the decisive issue is not the sameness of circumstances, but the posture of the heart. That prepares us for what happens at the cross. Lesson 2: The two criminals are a living illustration of Jesus’ parables In recent sermons, we’ve been noticing living illustrations in Scripture: Barabbas as a living illustration of substitutionary atonement (Jesus takes the punishment another deserved). Simon of Cyrene is a living illustration of cross-bearing discipleship (he literally picks up the cross and follows). Now we come to another living illustration—one of the clearest in all the Gospels. The two criminals crucified next to Jesus face nearly identical circumstances, yet they respond in opposite ways. Here’s how similar their situations are: Same guilt and sentence: both are criminals being executed by Rome—publicly shamed and justly condemned. Same suffering and helplessness: neither can come down, fix their life, or perform works to “make up for it.” Same proximity to Jesus: both are close enough to see Him, hear Him, and observe His restraint and mercy. Same evidence: they watch the same mocking crowd, the same religious scorn, the same soldiers, the same injustice. Same limited time: there is no future. No long discipleship process. Eternity is immediate. Same social pressure: the whole atmosphere pushes them toward scoffing and unbelief. Same claims about Christ: they hear “He is the Christ,” and they see the inscription, “King of the Jews.” Same setting. Same opportunity. Same Savior. But two radically different responses. Lesson 3: Each person is responsible for their response to Christ Luke records the first man’s response: “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” (Luke 23:39) His response is hardened unbelief: He blends in with the mockers. He shows no fear of God. He makes no confession of sin. He wants to use Jesus for relief from consequences—not rescue from sin. Then Luke shows us the other criminal: “But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’” (Luke 23:40–41) In that statement, the second criminal does multiple commendable things: He rebukes blasphemy because he is offended for Christ. He demonstrates the fear of God. He confesses guilt and acknowledges deserved judgment. He proclaims Jesus’ innocence—even while everyone else is mocking Him. And then we arrive at one of the simplest—and most effective—prayers in the Bible: “And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” (Luke 23:42) So much is packed into this one sentence. He believes in life after death That might sound obvious to modern ears, but it wasn’t universal in Jesus’ day. The Sadducees—prominent religious leaders—denied the resurrection. He believes Jesus has a kingdom beyond death He says, “Your kingdom.” At the moment when Jesus appears weakest—bleeding, mocked, dying—this man believes Christ will reign. He believes salvation is mercy, not merit He doesn’t bargain. He doesn’t promise to “try harder.” He doesn’t talk about making up for his sins. He simply casts himself on Jesus. He believes Jesus will receive him He asks because he believes Jesus is gracious. One man suffers and uses it as an excuse to curse Christ. The other man suffers and allows it to produce repentance and faith. Same cross-shaped suffering. Different heart posture. And the two criminals become representative of every person who has ever lived: we will respond to Jesus with hardened unbelief—or repentant faith. Jesus’ response: assurance, immediacy, and fellowship Now look at how Jesus answers him: “And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43) Several details matter. Certainty Jesus begins with emphasis: “Truly, I say to you…” This is Jesus underlining: This is sure. Immediacy “Today…” No delay. No purgatory. No working off sin. Personal fellowship “You will be with me…” This is what makes heaven heaven: being with Jesus. Philippians 1:23 — “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” John 14:3 — “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Revelation 21:3 — “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” The gospel in living color This is Romans 10:13 made visible: Romans 10:13 — “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” The thief called. He was saved. And Jesus’ promise harmonizes perfectly with His other words: John 6:37 — “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” He came to Christ. Christ did not cast him out. The “deathbed conversion” question—and Matthew 20 When I became a Christian, I was raised in a works-based religion, and I had a nagging question: “What about people who live wickedly and then believe right before they die? Do they get to go to heaven like everyone else?” That question is common—especially among critics of Christianity. And the thief on the cross is the clearest biblical example: saved at the end of life, with no time left to prove anything, fix anything, or repay anything. Interestingly, Jesus also tells a parable that addresses our instinctive complaint about “fairness”: the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16). Some labor all day. Others work one hour. Yet the master pays them the same. The early workers complain—not because they were cheated, but because the master was generous. Jesus’ point is not that rewards are identical (Scripture teaches differing rewards), but that salvation is entirely grace—unearned favor. That parable exposes what can be hiding in our hearts: Lesson 4: God’s grace to others can expose envy in our hearts The vineyard workers weren’t angry about what they received. They received exactly what they agreed to receive. They were angry about what someone else received. In other words, grace offended their pride. As one commentary notes, Jesus describes this as an “evil eye”—a jealous, envious spirit that resents goodness shown to others. It’s the same issue in the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son: “But he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat,...

When we think of the crucifixion, we usually picture the physical suffering—nails, blood, scourging, and agony. But the Gospels repeatedly draw our attention to something else, too: the cruelty of words. Jesus didn’t only endure pain in His body; He endured humiliation, rejection, and hatred poured out through mockery. Even the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” collapses under the weight of Scripture. The Bible says words can cut like blades and burn like fire: Proverbs 12:18 says, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…” Psalm 57:4 describes enemies whose “tongues [are] sharp swords.” Psalm 64:3 says they “aim bitter words like arrows.” James 3:5–6 warns that the tongue can be like a fire that sets an entire forest ablaze. That’s why the insults hurled at Christ on the cross matter so much. They reveal what people wanted from Jesus—and what Jesus refused to do in order to save us. https://youtu.be/IMc48egK2pk Table of contentsJesus Mocked: “Save Yourself”Lesson One: Jesus Didn’t Save Himself So He Could Save UsLesson Two: Jesus Is God’s King, Not Man’sTwo Criminals, Two ResponsesLesson Three: Saving Faith Shows ItselfDid both thieves mock Jesus—or did one believe?Lesson Four: God’s Kindness Leads Us to RepentanceWhy God’s Kindness Produces RepentanceConclusion: Don’t Only Focus on Your Sin—Focus on Christ Jesus Mocked: “Save Yourself” Luke records a chilling scene: people watching, leaders scoffing, soldiers ridiculing, and one criminal joining the chorus. In verse 35, the rulers said, “He saved others; let him save himself.” In verse 37, the soldiers said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” And in verse 39, one of the criminals even said: “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” The rulers said, “He saved others,” which is an unintended admission: they could not deny His miracles—healings, deliverance, even raising the dead. So they twisted the truth into a challenge: “If He has saving power, let Him use it on Himself.” The soldiers added their own mockery, offering sour wine not as mercy but as humiliation—dangling relief in front of a suffering Man they despised. And beneath all of it is a familiar temptation Jesus faced repeatedly: “Prove Yourself.” Matthew 12:38 — “Some of the scribes and Pharisees” (“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”) Matthew 16:1 — “The Pharisees and Sadducees” (asked Him “to show them a sign from heaven.”) John 2:18 — “The Jews” (after the temple cleansing: “What sign do you show us…?”) John 6:30 — The crowd (after the feeding of the 5,000: “What sign do you do, that we may see and believe you?”) From the wilderness to His public ministry to the cross, the demand remained: “Show us. Prove it. Save Yourself.” Lesson One: Jesus Didn’t Save Himself So He Could Save Us Here is the heart of the passage: Jesus refused to save Himself because He came to save sinners. If Christ had stepped down from the cross, our debt would remain unpaid. On that cross, He was bearing wrath, accomplishing redemption, fulfilling prophecy, and completing the sacrifice. His staying was not weakness—it was obedience and love. Jesus could have ended it instantly. He could have silenced every mouth. But He stayed: to obey the Father to save those the Father had given Him And even the mockery itself fulfilled Scripture: In Isaiah 53:3–6 God says about His Son that He would be “despised and rejected.” In Psalm 22:7–8 Jesus says through David, “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads… ‘He trusts in the LORD; let Him deliver him.’” They mocked Him because they didn’t believe He was the Messiah—yet their very mockery unwittingly testified that He is. Lesson Two: Jesus Is God’s King, Not Man’s Luke includes another irony: Luke 23:38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” In Roman crucifixion, the inscription announced the “crime” and warned the crowd: This is what happens when you defy Rome. It was meant to shame the victim and intimidate observers. But over Jesus, the sign that was meant as ridicule proclaimed the truth: “This is the King of the Jews.” Watch the flow: Leaders: “Save Yourself.” Soldiers: “If You are the King… save Yourself.” Then God’s providential declaration above His head: This is the King. All along, people staged a wicked parody of royalty—robe, crown, scepter, mock homage—yet none of it changed reality. The cross, in one sense, became His throne, because the King was accomplishing His victory through suffering. Two Criminals, Two Responses Luke shows two men suffering the same sentence, seeing the same Jesus, responding in opposite ways. Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” The first criminal wanted relief, not mercy: “Save yourself and us.” No confession. No fear of God. No concern for righteousness—just an urgent demand for comfort. The second criminal is different. He rebukes the first, fears God, admits guilt, and defends Christ’s innocence. And that leads us to a crucial clarification many people miss when they talk about the thief on the cross. Lesson Three: Saving Faith Shows Itself Yes, we are saved by grace through faith apart from works: Ephesians 2:8–9 By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness. Romans 3:28 we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. But the faith that saves is never alone. Scripture also teaches: James 2:17 Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…26 faith apart from works is dead. So while the thief had no opportunity for baptism, restitution, church membership, or long-term discipleship, there is still real evidence of repentance and faith: He rebuked the other thief instead of joining the mockery. He feared God (“Do you not fear God…?”). He confessed sin without excuses. He acknowledged judgment as deserved (“due reward”). He defended Christ’s innocence when nearly everyone else reviled Him. His hands were nailed, but something deeper happened first: his pride was crucified. Did both thieves mock Jesus—or did one believe? Matthew and Mark say the thieves reviled Jesus: Matthew 27:44 The robbers who were crucified with [Jesus]also reviled him in the same way. Mark 15:31 The chief priests with the scribes mocked [Jesus]…32 “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. Luke says one thief rebuked the other and defended Jesus. The answer is simple: both mocked Jesus at first, and then one repented. The Gospels aren’t contradicting each other; they’re showing the change that happened on the cross. Lesson Four: God’s Kindness Leads Us to Repentance So what changed the thief? Not miracles. Not signs from heaven. Not a spectacle of power. Luke records one early word from Jesus that the criminals would have heard: Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” While others mocked, tested, and dared Him to “prove Himself,” Jesus prayed for His enemies: “Father, forgive them.” That contrast—hatred answered with mercy—broke a hard heart. And Scripture tells us exactly how this works: Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Why God’s Kindness Produces Repentance God’s kindness gives sinners hope that repentance won’t be met with rejection—but with mercy. The prodigal son is a perfect picture of this: the son remembers his father’s goodness and that kindness gives him the courage to go home and confess. Luke 15:17 “When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. It also explains why many people remain trapped in fear: they believe their past is too filthy, their sins too many, their record too shameful. What do they need to see? Not first their sin—but God’s kindness in Christ. God’s kindness does not excuse sin; it invites confession. It doesn’t minimize guilt; it creates hope for forgiveness. Conclusion: Don’t Only Focus on Your Sin—Focus on Christ On the cross, the thief didn’t get a miracle. He didn’t receive a sign. He heard something better: a Savior praying mercy over enemies. So if you ever doubt God’s willingness to forgive you, don’t only stare at your failures—look at Christ and remember His heart. Fear God. Stop making excuses. Confess your sin. Look to Jesus for mercy—because the same kindness that saved the thief is the kindness that can save anyone.

Jesus’ compassion is never more stunning than when He is suffering. In Luke 23:27–34, on the way to the cross, Jesus speaks words we could never manufacture in our flesh: “Father, forgive them.” While the crowd mocked, while soldiers carried out their cruelty, while His strength was failing, our Savior’s heart was still turned outward—toward sinners. This passage shows us not only what Jesus endured, but what He desired: mercy for the very people who were putting Him to death. https://youtu.be/eTfFgscNmNY Table of contentsSuffering and self-focusLesson one: Even at the end of Jesus’ life, He remained compassionateLesson two: Suffering can reverse blessingsReversal #1: “Blessed are the barren…”Reversal #2: “Fall on us… cover us…”The proverb: Green wood and dry woodLesson three: Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixionPart one: Jesus poured out His life for usPart two: Jesus was numbered with transgressorsPart three: Jesus interceded for transgressorsPart four: Jesus was our High Priest and sacrificeLesson four: Ignorance minimizes accountabilityWe are not ignorant, so we are accountable Suffering and self-focus I think suffering and concern for others are often inversely related: The less we suffer, the less we focus on ourselves, and the more we can focus on others. The more we suffer, the more we focus on ourselves, and the less we can focus on others. When pain is intense enough, it’s hard to speak graciously, hard to think straight, and hard to care about anyone else. We understand that. And because we understand it, we often make allowances for people who are suffering. That is what makes Jesus’ journey to the cross so surprising. If anyone ever had the “right” to be focused on Himself, it was Jesus. He had been falsely accused, beaten, and scourged. He was so exhausted and near death that the Romans compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry His cross. Yet even at the end of His life, Jesus was still concerned about others. Lesson one: Even at the end of Jesus’ life, He remained compassionate Luke writes: Luke 23:27 — A great multitude followed Him, including women mourning and lamenting. We don’t have to pin down exactly who these women were—faithful followers, outraged observers, or emotionally overwhelmed witnesses—because Luke emphasizes something more important: what Jesus said to them. Luke 23:28 — “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” The verse begins with a contrast (“but”). Jesus does not respond the way we would expect. We would expect Him to affirm their grief—after all, His suffering is undeserved. Instead, He redirects their weeping from Himself to the suffering that would come upon them and their children. Even in His lowest moment, Jesus is not self-absorbed. He is still compassionate. And Jesus' compassion includes a warning: He is referring to the coming destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70—something He had already foretold earlier in Luke: Luke 19:41–44 — Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and foretells its destruction. Luke 21:20–24 — Jesus describes the siege of Jerusalem that the people will experience and how terrible it will be for them. Lesson two: Suffering can reverse blessings Jesus describes a time of such horrific judgment that people will speak in shocking reversals. Reversal #1: “Blessed are the barren…” Luke 23:29 — “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” That sounds almost unthinkable—because Scripture consistently presents children as blessings (Psalm 127:3–5, Exodus 23:26, Deuteronomy 7:14). And barrenness is often portrayed as grievous—sometimes even as judgment (Genesis 20:18, Hosea 9:14). So why would Jesus describe barrenness as “blessed”? Because intense suffering can invert what is normally good. In the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, pregnancy and parenthood would mean added vulnerability: more mouths to feed, more fear, more suffering to endure, more heartbreak to witness. Paul expressed a similar idea about marriage: marriage is a gift, but in extreme distress it can add weight to an already crushing situation: 1 Corinthians 7:26 I think that in view of the present distress (referring to the persecution the Corinthians were experiencing) it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. Reversal #2: “Fall on us… cover us…” Luke 23:30 — People will say to the mountains, “Fall on us,” and to the hills, “Cover us.” This language appears as a repeated pattern in Scripture—judgment so terrifying that death feels like an escape (Hosea 10:8, Revelation 6:16). When judgment is severe enough, people don’t ask for comfort—they ask for concealment. They don’t ask for relief—they beg to be crushed. That is the horror Jesus is warning about. The proverb: Green wood and dry wood Luke 23:31 — “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Green wood doesn’t burn easily. Dry wood burns easily. Green wood points to Jesus: innocent, undeserving of judgment. Dry wood points to sinners: guilty, deserving of judgment. It is as though Jesus says, “If Rome will do this to Me—the innocent One—what will they do to those who reject their Messiah?” And there’s a sobering layer to the image: Jerusalem and the temple were, quite literally, burned. Lesson three: Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion Luke 23:32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Luke’s language emphasizes that these men are criminals, and Jesus is placed right in the middle of them. In doing so, Luke is showing us the unfolding of Isaiah 53:12. Part one: Jesus poured out His life for us Isaiah 53:12 says He “poured out His soul to death.” That phrasing evokes the imagery of a drink offering—poured out completely. Jesus did not give part of Himself. He gave Himself entirely. This language also echoes Jesus’ words about His blood in Matthew 26:28: "this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Part two: Jesus was numbered with transgressors Isaiah 53:12 says He was “numbered with the transgressors.” The leaders wanted Jesus treated like the worst of the worst. In doing so, they fulfilled prophecy written centuries earlier. Jesus was not crucified because He was guilty. He was crucified as if He were guilty—for those who actually are. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. Part three: Jesus interceded for transgressors Luke 23:34 — Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” While soldiers gamble for His clothes—fulfilling Psalm 22:18—Jesus prays. And these are His first words from the cross. We might expect, “Judge them,” or “Destroy them,” or “Prove Me innocent.” Instead: “Father, forgive them.” Jesus is doing two things at once: He is practicing what He taught in Luke 6:27–28 He is fulfilling what Isaiah foretold in Isaiah 53:12 This is a window into Jesus’ disposition. Forgiveness is difficult for us; it does not come naturally. But Jesus’ posture is merciful. He does not delight in condemnation—He delights in saving. And there is something deeply convicting here: Jesus is interceding in real time—while the sin is happening. Part four: Jesus was our High Priest and sacrifice Priests did two primary things: They interceded for sinners. They offered sacrifices for sinners. On the cross, Jesus does both—simultaneously. He is the High Priest making intercession while also being the sacrifice poured out. Two verses shine even brighter in the light of Luke 23: Romans 5:8 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus was literally dying for sinners sinning against Him. It’s like another living illustration for us. Hebrews 7:25 He always lives to make intercession for His people Jesus lives to intercede, but on the cross He interceded while dying. Lesson four: Ignorance minimizes accountability Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This does not mean the people involved were automatically forgiven of every sin they ever committed. Forgiveness for all sins is received through repentance and faith. But Scripture does emphasize that their ignorance minimized their accountability for this particular act. 1 Corinthians 2:8 If they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Peter says something striking to the Jews in Jerusalem: Acts 3:17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. Paul also describes his former persecution of Christ as something he did ignorantly in unbelief: 1 Timothy 1:13 Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, Ignorance does not make sin “good,” but it can lessen culpability. We are not ignorant, so we are accountable They were ignorant. They did not grasp that Jesus was the Son of God. They heard Him speak without recognizing they were hearing God’s words. They watched Him die without understanding for whom He was dying. But we are not ignorant. We have the Scriptures. We have the testimony of the resurrection. We have centuries of the gospel proclaimed. We know the identity of the One who hung on that cross. So the question is not, “Did we know?” The question is: What will we do with what we know? Jesus remained compassionate while suffering. He interceded while being sinned against. He prayed, “Father,...

When most people think about the crucifixion, they think about Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary. But in Luke 23:26, another man steps into the story—Simon of Cyrene. He didn’t volunteer. He wasn’t looking for attention. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time… or more accurately, the right place at the right time under God’s perfect providence. Simon was forced to carry the cross behind Jesus, and in doing so he became a powerful picture of discipleship. Jesus had already told His followers, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Simon didn’t just hear those words—he lived them. His moment of suffering, inconvenience, and humiliation teaches us what it really means to follow Christ when obedience is costly. In this message, we’ll look at why Simon was chosen, what his cross-bearing reveals about Jesus, and how this brief encounter challenges every believer to embrace the path of self-denial, surrender, and faithful discipleship. https://youtu.be/u1sd0r_TnF0 Table of contentsWhy Following Jesus Is DifferentJesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the CrossLesson 1: We Choose to Follow ChristLesson 2: Christ Also Chooses UsSimon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind JesusWe Don’t Always Choose the Cross We CarryLesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross MattersFive Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly)1) Submission vs. Resistance2) Faith vs. Unbelief3) Humility vs. Pride4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away5) Obedience vs. ExcusesLesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a PrivilegeConclusion: Look to Jesus Why Following Jesus Is Different Most people want the blessings of Christianity: Forgiveness of sins Eternal life Heaven Glorified bodies But when people learn that following Christ also involves self-denial and suffering, many decide they don’t want the cost. They want the crown—without the cross. And that’s why Jesus repeatedly gave strong, sobering words about discipleship. Jesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the Cross Jesus didn’t hide what it meant to follow Him: Luke 9:23 — “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 14:27 — “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” When crowds followed Him, Jesus didn’t try to entertain them. He challenged them—because He wanted true disciples, not casual spectators. Lesson 1: We Choose to Follow Christ In one sense, discipleship is a choice. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me…” That means we must respond. Following Christ means this: There is a cross for Jesus And there is a cross for every disciple If He suffered, we must be willing to suffer too A student is not above his teacher Jesus doesn’t promise comfort. He promises Himself—and He calls us to follow Him wherever that leads. Lesson 2: Christ Also Chooses Us Here’s what’s fascinating: while we must choose to follow Christ, Scripture also shows that Christ chooses His disciples. Think about the Twelve. They didn’t wake up one day and decide to become Jesus’ disciples. Jesus came to them. Matthew 4:19 — Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Follow Me.” Matthew 9:9 — Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow Me.” John 1:43 — Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow Me.” Luke 6:12–13 — Jesus prayed all night and then chose the twelve. John 15:16 — “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” So do we choose to follow Jesus, or does Jesus choose us? Yes. God is sovereign, and we are responsible. We willingly follow Christ, yet we do so only because He first chose and called us. Simon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind Jesus Now we come to Simon. Luke 23:26 says: “As they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene… and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.” Simon didn’t volunteer. He didn’t step forward to make a bold statement. He wasn’t trying to be heroic. He was seized. He was forced. He was drafted into a burden he never expected. Mark’s Gospel adds more detail: Simon was a “passerby” He was “coming in from the country” He was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21) Simon woke up expecting an ordinary day—but God had written him into the most extraordinary moment in human history. And that’s often how cross-bearing works. We Don’t Always Choose the Cross We Carry Simon pictures something important: discipleship often includes crosses we didn’t ask for. Many people think following Jesus means choosing a difficult life on purpose—like signing up for something painful. But often, discipleship looks like this: A burden is laid on your shoulders A trial shows up without warning You didn’t choose it But now you must carry it faithfully In other words, carrying the cross usually isn’t about choosing your suffering—it’s about accepting what God assigns and honoring Christ in it. Lesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross Matters Luke 23:26 says Simon carried the cross behind Jesus. That matters. Because the real question is not only what we carry, but how we carry it. Everyone suffers in this world—believers and unbelievers. Burdens don’t automatically produce spiritual growth. Some people are made better by suffering. Others are made bitter. So how do we carry our cross in a way that honors Christ? Five Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly) Two people can carry the same burden very differently. The cross reveals what’s happening in the heart. Here are five contrasts that show the difference between carrying the cross well and carrying it poorly: 1) Submission vs. Resistance “Lord, I don’t understand this, but I trust You,” instead of, “God, I’m not putting up with this.” 2) Faith vs. Unbelief “This wasn’t my plan, but it’s Your plan for me,” instead of, “God has lost control.” 3) Humility vs. Pride “Lord, I need Your help,” instead of, “I can handle this on my own.” 4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away Continuing to pray, worship, and stay in the Word, instead of withdrawing and growing cold toward God. 5) Obedience vs. Excuses Remaining faithful in hardship, instead of saying, “Because life is hard, I’m allowed to sin.” Carrying the cross well doesn’t mean the burden feels light. It means we carry it with Christ, not away from Him. Lesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a Privilege Simon didn’t want to do this—but it became the greatest privilege of his life. He served Christ in the final moments before the crucifixion. And Scripture teaches something that challenges us: suffering for Christ is an honor. Here are a few verses that make that unmistakably clear: Philippians 1:29 — “It has been granted to you… not only to believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.” Philippians 3:10 — Paul longed to share Christ’s sufferings. 1 Peter 4:13 — “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.” 2 Timothy 2:3 — “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:17 — We are heirs with Christ “provided we suffer with Him.” Suffering isn’t enjoyable—but it can be meaningful. Because when we suffer for Christ, we are walking the road our Savior walked. Acts 5 shows this clearly. After the apostles were beaten and warned not to preach, Scripture says: They left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41) Not rejoicing in pain—but rejoicing in the privilege of belonging to Jesus. Conclusion: Look to Jesus No matter what cross we carry, it will never compare to the cross Christ carried for us. Our burdens may be heavy—but His was crushing. He suffered as the sinless Son of God, carrying the weight of our guilt and shame so we could be forgiven and declared righteous. That’s why Scripture tells us where to fix our eyes: Hebrews 12:2–3 — “Looking to Jesus… who for the joy set before Him endured the cross… Consider Him… so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” So: When your cross feels too heavy, look to Jesus When it feels unfair, consider Him When you’re tempted to quit, fix your eyes on the Savior And because Christ carried His cross for us, we can carry ours behind Him—not with grumbling, but with faith. One day soon, the cross-bearing will end… and we will see the One who carried the cross in our place—face to face.

Crowds vs disciples is one of the most important contrasts in the Gospels. Jesus drew people everywhere He went, and you can hardly read a chapter without seeing a “great crowd” or a “multitude” gathering around Him. Crowds look impressive. They can feel like spiritual momentum. But Scripture repeatedly shows something sobering: people can be close to Jesus physically while remaining far from Him spiritually. That’s why this sermon begins with two questions we need to keep in front of us: What’s the difference between being part of the crowd and being a disciple? What’s the difference between being near Jesus and belonging to Jesus? Jesus didn’t leave these questions up to our imagination. He defined discipleship clearly—and His definition is simple, shocking, and demanding. https://youtu.be/8Fc3Byw3WbA Table of contentsCrowds Are Common, Disciples Are RareJesus’ Shocking Definition of DiscipleshipWhy Jesus Thinned the CrowdsWhat the Cross Meant Then and What It Means NowCrucifixion Was About SubmissionScripture Gives Living Illustrations of God’s CommandsSimon of Cyrene: A Living Illustration of DiscipleshipDiscipleship Is Not a Spectator SportFinal Call: From the Crowd to Following Christ Crowds Are Common, Disciples Are Rare The Gospels contain a constant stream of crowds. That should not surprise us: Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, taught with authority, confronted hypocrisy, and displayed power no one had ever seen. Wherever He went, people came. But the sobering reality is that crowds are not the same as disciples. Crowds can be curious without being committed. Crowds can be moved without being transformed. Crowds can be excited about what Jesus gives while resisting what Jesus demands. Crowds can be near Jesus and yet remain unchanged by Jesus. So the question in the Gospels is not whether Jesus can attract crowds—He can, and He did. The question is whether anyone in those crowds will become His disciple. Jesus’ Shocking Definition of Discipleship Jesus defined discipleship in a way that immediately separates spectators from followers. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” He spoke those words to His disciples so they would understand what it meant to truly follow Him. And the disciples’ own story proves how serious this is. Judas betrayed Jesus, and the other disciples abandoned Him in His darkest hour. Only John stayed near the cross. But after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered them to do what they could not do in their own strength: follow Christ faithfully, even when it cost them. Discipleship is not merely believing facts about Jesus. It is following Jesus as Lord. Why Jesus Thinned the Crowds Luke 14:25 begins like this: “Now great crowds accompanied him…” If Jesus could miraculously feed massive crowds (and He did), then “great crowds” likely means thousands. Imagine what many popular religious leaders would do at that moment: “This is amazing—look how many people are following me.” “I need to keep them happy so they don’t leave.” “What can I say that will encourage them to stay?” But Jesus often did the opposite. When the crowds grew, He would say something that forced a decision. Think about John 6. After Jesus fed the 5,000, the crowd swelled. People wanted more miracles and more food. Jesus confronted them with the truth they did not want to hear, and many left. And in Luke 14, Jesus does it again. He says: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children… yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus wasn’t trying to build a fanbase. He was calling disciples. What the Cross Meant Then and What It Means Now Here is one of the biggest dangers for modern Christians: we are so familiar with the cross that we can miss how shocking Jesus’ words would have sounded. Today, crosses are often symbols of beauty, love, and comfort: crosses in churches crosses on jewelry crosses in logos and décor crosses hanging from rearview mirrors But in Jesus’ day, the cross was not inspirational—it was horrifying. It was a brutal instrument of suffering, shame, and public humiliation. It was Rome’s terror weapon. People did not decorate their homes with cross imagery any more than we would decorate our homes with an electric chair, a noose, or a guillotine. So when Jesus said, “Take up your cross,” He was not speaking in sentimental terms. He was describing a path of suffering, self-denial, and surrender. Crucifixion Was About Submission Rome could have executed people in many ways more quickly. They chose crucifixion for at least two reasons: the suffering it inflicted the submission it displayed And that second reason matters for understanding Jesus’ words. Rome didn’t just crucify people; they paraded them. They made the condemned carry the cross through public streets with crowds lining the way. It was Rome’s message: “This person is under our authority.” Jesus uses that same imagery to teach discipleship. To take up your cross is to say, in effect, “I am no longer my own. I am under the authority of Christ. I submit to Him.” That’s why Luke 14:27 is such a premier discipleship verse: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Scripture Gives Living Illustrations of God’s Commands God doesn’t only give commands; He often gives narratives that show what obedience looks like. “Flee sexual immorality” is illustrated by Joseph fleeing Potiphar’s wife. “Rebuke and forgive” is illustrated by Joseph forgiving his brothers. “Repay no one evil for evil” is illustrated by David refusing to kill Saul. “Do not fear—trust God” is illustrated by David's confrontation with Goliath. “Give generously and sacrificially” is illustrated by the widow of Zarephath providing for Elijah. “Do all things without grumbling” is illustrated negatively by Israel’s complaining in the wilderness. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled” is illustrated by Adonijah exalting himself and being brought low. These narratives are not random history. They are God’s living pictures of obedience and disobedience. And with that in mind, we should not be surprised to find that Jesus’ discipleship command—“take up your cross and follow Me”—also has a living illustration. Simon of Cyrene: A Living Illustration of Discipleship Luke 23:26 says: “And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene… and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.” There is so much packed into that verse. First, Jesus is being “led away”—the language of execution. He is being treated like a criminal headed to His death. He isn’t simply “going” somewhere; He is being marched to His sentence. Second, those condemned to crucifixion often carried the crossbeam rather than the entire cross. Either way, it was heavy. And Jesus had been beaten and scourged. He was weak, exhausted, and physically unable to carry it any farther. That’s where Simon comes in. Simon was from Cyrene (in modern-day Libya) and likely came to Jerusalem for Passover. One moment, he is simply arriving; the next moment, the soldiers seize him, lay the cross on him, and force him to walk behind Jesus. And it is hard to miss the picture: on the road to Calvary, Jesus gives a living illustration of what He has been teaching all along—someone carrying a cross and following behind Him. Discipleship Is Not a Spectator Sport Immediately after Simon is introduced, Luke says: “And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.” The scene is crowded. Public. Emotional. Loud. People are watching, reacting, grieving, following in the sense of walking behind the procession. But only one man is singled out as actually bearing the cross. That contrast is the point: crowds can watch Jesus and feel something about Jesus while remaining unchanged by Jesus. Discipleship is not standing on the sidelines. It’s not blending into the crowd. It’s not only being near Jesus, hearing about Him, or having strong opinions about Him. Disciples take up the cross and follow. And this is not only a “then” problem. It can happen in the church today. You can attend, nod along, recognize the hymns, know the language, and still remain a spectator. Discipleship shows itself in obedience—often costly obedience. To be clear, we are not saved by works. We do not earn our standing with God through service. But we also cannot redefine discipleship into something Jesus did not teach. If Jesus says His disciples take up the cross, then a life consistently lived on the sidelines should concern us. If you claim to be Jesus’ disciple but you cannot remember the last time you did anything for Jesus—anything that cost you time, comfort, money, or convenience—then you should soberly evaluate your spiritual condition. Not because serving saves, but because saved people bear fruit. Final Call: From the Crowd to Following Christ Crowds are common in the Gospels, but disciples are not. Jesus is never short on interest or popularity. What He seeks is not spectatorship, but discipleship. Luke 23:26 is piercing because it places a great multitude on one side and one man carrying a cross on the other. And it forces the question: Are you in the crowd, or are you following Christ? Are you near Jesus, or do you belong to Him? This is not a call to earn salvation. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. But the grace that saves does not leave us unchanged. And if you feel the weight of Jesus’ call and think

Have you ever wished you could rewind the final hours of Jesus’ life and watch them unfold from a different angle—almost like “behind-the-scenes” before the Gospels record it? Choosing Barabbas over Jesus is one of the most shocking moments in Scripture, and because we’ve heard it so many times, it can start to feel familiar. Most of us know the storyline. Judas betrays Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The money ends up connected to a potter. Pilate tries to release Jesus. And the crowd stuns everyone by demanding Barabbas instead. But what if God had already given His people a prophetic preview of those very moments—not merely with a few scattered predictions, but through a living drama acted out in history? That’s what we find in Zechariah 11. Zechariah doesn’t only speak prophecy—he performs it. He steps into one role, then shifts and plays another. And in doing so, he portrays two shepherds: a true shepherd who is rejected, and a foolish shepherd who is embraced. In other words, Zechariah gives us the meaning beneath the event—while Luke shows us the event itself. Together, they expose the tragedy of choosing the wrong shepherd… and they also magnify the grace of the gospel. https://youtu.be/jv38x2g2lOU Table of contentsKey ScripturesZechariah 11 and the True Shepherd RejectedThirty pieces of silver: what God’s people thought their Shepherd was worthThrown into the temple: blood money returnedThe potter and the field: where rejected vessels end upJudas and the field: a horrifying picture of judgmentAn encouraging truth: the Potter remakes broken vesselsThe staff is broken: rejection brings judgmentThe foolish shepherd: the one the people wantLuke 23: Choosing the wrong shepherd in real timeBarabbas: the kind of man you don’t set freeThe shocking cry: “Release to us Barabbas!”The hypocrisy: accuse Jesus of rebellion, then choose a rebel“We have no king but Caesar”Why crucifixion?The gospel in one scene: we are BarabbasA warning: don’t enjoy the benefits while rejecting the SaviorWhat will you do with Jesus?Application questions (personal or group use) Key Scriptures Zechariah 11:12–17 Matthew 27:3–10 Acts 1:18–19 Luke 23:18–25 Jeremiah 18:1–6 Romans 9:20–21 Deuteronomy 21:23 Galatians 3:13 Zechariah 11 and the True Shepherd Rejected Zechariah 11 is startling because it reads like a summary of the final hours of Jesus’ life—centuries before they occurred. Thirty pieces of silver: what God’s people thought their Shepherd was worth In the acted drama, Zechariah plays the part of the shepherd and asks for wages, because shepherds deserve to be paid: Zechariah records, “Give me my wages… So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.” That amount matters. Exodus tells us that thirty pieces of silver were the price paid for a slave killed by an ox—hardly a “generous” amount. In the drama, the payment is not a reward; it’s an insult. It’s the people’s way of saying, “This is what you’re worth to us.” And that is exactly what Judas’ betrayal price communicates: not only treachery, but contempt. Thrown into the temple: blood money returned Zechariah continues with another detail that feels almost too precise: The Lord tells Zechariah to throw the money into “the house of the LORD.” That is exactly what Judas later does. Overwhelmed with guilt, he returns the silver and throws it into the temple before going away and taking his own life. God is showing us that the betrayal was wicked—but it was not random. Even the “where” of the silver ends up under the sovereignty of God. The potter and the field: where rejected vessels end up Zechariah adds, “Throw it to the potter.” In Jesus’ day, Judas never met a potter. But the chief priests—refusing to put “blood money” into the treasury—use it to buy a potter’s field, turning it into a burial place. A potter’s field was associated with what was rejected—broken clay, discarded vessels, things that didn’t turn out as intended. The irony is staggering: the price paid for rejecting the Shepherd buys the very place where the rejected are collected. Judas and the field: a horrifying picture of judgment The New Testament describes Judas’ death in graphic terms: after hanging himself, he falls, and his body bursts open. It’s a dreadful image—yet it fits the theme of rejection and ruin. Judas is like a vessel marred beyond repair, thrown into the field of broken things. But that darkness sets the stage for something unexpectedly hopeful. An encouraging truth: the Potter remakes broken vessels Jeremiah 18 gives us a beautiful picture: God is the Potter, and we are the clay. When a vessel is marred, the potter doesn’t have to discard the clay—he can remake it. Paul carries that truth forward when he says the Potter has authority to shape vessels for honorable purposes. This is why the potter’s field detail is so striking: in a sense, Jesus purchases the place where broken, rejected vessels lie. And that’s what He does with sinners like us. Christ redeems broken people—but He does not leave them broken. When we are humble, repentant, and pliable in His hands, He reforms us into vessels of honor for His glory. The staff is broken: rejection brings judgment Zechariah then breaks his shepherd's staff—an acted sign that judgment will come because the Shepherd has been rejected. When a people refuse the true Shepherd, they do not drift into neutrality. They drift into ruin. And then Zechariah shifts roles. The foolish shepherd: the one the people want The Lord tells Zechariah to take the tools of a “foolish shepherd.” In Scripture, “foolish” is not mainly unintelligent—it’s morally corrupt. This shepherd is the kind of leader people choose when they reject God’s Shepherd. And that brings us to Luke, where the crowd stands in front of Pilate and makes one of the most tragic choices in history. Luke 23: Choosing the wrong shepherd in real time By the time we reach Luke 23:18–25, Jesus has been dragged through trials and accusations. Pilate can see the religious leaders’ motives and tell that Jesus is innocent. But Pilate is also boxed in. The crowd is swelling. Pressure is rising. And then he reaches for what seems like an escape hatch: a customary prisoner release. So Pilate offers a choice. Not just any choice—he offers the crowd a contrast. Barabbas: the kind of man you don’t set free Barabbas was not a petty criminal. The Gospels describe him as tied to insurrection, violence, and murder—an influential rebel. He is exactly the kind of man people are relieved to know is behind bars. Pilate’s logic seems simple: “Surely they won’t pick him.” But he misjudges their hatred. The shocking cry: “Release to us Barabbas!” Luke tells us “they all cried out together” for Barabbas. This isn’t merely irrational—it’s spiritual. When hearts harden against Christ, they will embrace almost anyone else. And it gets worse. The hypocrisy: accuse Jesus of rebellion, then choose a rebel The leaders accuse Jesus of stirring up the people and challenging Rome. But Barabbas actually did those things. They condemn Jesus with accusations they ignore in the man they demand. Hatred makes people inconsistent, and sin makes people hypocritical. “We have no king but Caesar” John’s Gospel adds another chilling line: the chief priests say, “We have no king but Caesar.” The tragedy isn’t only that they reject Jesus—it’s what they choose instead. They would rather submit to a pagan ruler than bow to their true King. Why crucifixion? The crowd’s repeated demand is crucifixion—an execution the Jews regarded as shameful and cursed. Deuteronomy says the one who hangs on a tree is under God’s curse. And yet, in God’s mysterious goodness, that is exactly what Jesus came to do: to bear the curse His people deserved. Galatians says Christ “became a curse for us” to redeem us. The crowd intended crucifixion as ultimate rejection. God intended the cross as the ultimate act of redemption. The gospel in one scene: we are Barabbas Here is one of the most piercing applications of this passage: Put yourself in Barabbas’ place. Imagine the guards opening the cell. Imagine the chains coming off. Imagine hearing, “You’re going free.” Why? Because Jesus of Nazareth will die in your place. Barabbas didn’t earn his release. He didn’t bargain for it. He didn’t deserve it. He contributed nothing. He walked free because another man took his spot. That is the gospel in living color. We often say, “Jesus died in my place,” and that is true eternally and spiritually. But with Barabbas, God gives us a rare, literal picture of substitution: The guilty is released. The innocent is condemned. The rebel goes free. The righteous is delivered over. And that’s us. We are the guilty ones. We are the rebels. We are the ones who deserve judgment. Yet Christ is willing to take our place. A warning: don’t enjoy the benefits while rejecting the Savior There is a sobering detail: Scripture never tells us Barabbas repented. He may have received deliverance from Rome, but still missed deliverance from sin. And that warns us: it is possible to like the idea of Jesus “dying for me,” and yet remain unchanged—unrepentant, unconverted, unwilling to bow to His lordship. Pilate tried to wash his hands as if neutrality were an option. But no one escapes the question. What will you do with Jesus? What will you do with Jesus? Barabbas is a mirror held up to every heart. We cannot save ourselves any more than a prisoner can earn his own pardon. Dead men do not raise themselves. Slaves do not free themselves. Sinners do not cleanse themselves. But here is the good news: Just as willingly as Jesus took Barabbas’ place,...

Jesus the Passover Lamb stands at the center of Holy Week. Imagine Jerusalem 2,000 years ago during Passover—the city packed with pilgrims, families rehearsing the Exodus story, and lambs being selected and examined for sacrifice. Into that deliverance-soaked week, Jesus arrives, and everything the first Passover foreshadowed begins to find its fulfillment in Him. And then—into that Passover-soaked city—Jesus arrives. To understand Luke’s account of Jesus standing before Pilate, we have to begin where the Bible begins: Jesus the Passover Lamb. Once we see Him that way, everything else becomes clearer and heavier with meaning. https://youtu.be/vdg-G3GEejo Table of contentsJesus Is the True and Greater Passover LambExodus 12 Preaches Christ Before Luke Ever DoesThe Lamb Had to Be Without BlemishNisan 10–14 Prefigures Holy WeekThe Blood Had to Be Applied PersonallyThe Lamb Was ConsumedPassover Was Deliverance—and Communion Is Our MemorialThe Passover Lamb’s Examination Prefigures Christ’s ExaminationThe Examination Intensifies in Luke 20Pilate Unknowingly Inspected the Lamb and Declared Him Innocent“I Will Therefore Punish and Release Him”: The Gospel in One Unjust SentenceConclusion: Are You Under the Blood? Jesus Is the True and Greater Passover Lamb When John the Baptist first identified Jesus publicly, he didn’t begin with titles like “King of Kings” or “Son of God.” He began with the sacrifice: John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” 1 Corinthians 5:7 — “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” Revelation 5:6, 8, 12–13 — In the throne room of heaven, Jesus is repeatedly called the Lamb, and worship rises to Him because He was slain. Every Passover lamb that was ever sacrificed—millions across the centuries—was a shadow and type pointing forward to Christ. Exodus 12 Preaches Christ Before Luke Ever Does Before we return to Luke, Exodus 12 gives us the categories that make Holy Week and the cross come alive. The Lamb Had to Be Without Blemish Exodus 12:5 — “Your lamb shall be without blemish…” God required a spotless sacrifice. And although this reminds us God deserves our best, it more importantly reveals what God was willing to do for us: He gave His best—His Firstborn Son. Nisan 10–14 Prefigures Holy Week Exodus 12:3 — The lamb is selected on the 10th day. Exodus 12:6 — The lamb is killed on the 14th day. Those five days (Nisan 10–14) correspond to the final week of Jesus’ earthly life: Nisan 10 foreshadows Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (the Triumphal Entry). Nisan 14 foreshadows the crucifixion. Just as the lamb lived with the family, Jesus lived in Jerusalem during those final days—present, seen, and examined. The Blood Had to Be Applied Personally Exodus 12:7 — Blood placed on the doorposts and lintel. It wasn’t enough for a lamb to die somewhere in Egypt. The lamb's blood had to be applied to that house. In the same way, it isn’t enough to know Jesus died on a cross. His blood must be personally applied through repentance and faith. The Lamb Was Consumed Exodus 12:8 — They ate the lamb. John 6:53 — Jesus speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood (receiving Him by faith). Passover Was Deliverance—and Communion Is Our Memorial Passover remembered deliverance from Egypt. God repeatedly told Israel not to forget that redemption. Exodus 12:14 — “This day shall be for you a memorial day…” 1 Corinthians 11:23–25 — Communion is the memorial of our greater deliverance in Christ. The Passover Lamb’s Examination Prefigures Christ’s Examination Here’s a sobering thought: if you were a Hebrew in Egypt and the only thing keeping the Destroyer out of your home was the blood of a spotless lamb, how carefully would you examine that lamb? You would scrutinize it relentlessly. And that is exactly what happened to Jesus after He entered Jerusalem. He was examined by the chief priests, scribes, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees—and then by Roman authorities. The Examination Intensifies in Luke 20 Luke 20:1–2 — “By what authority do you do these things?” Luke 20:21–22 — “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” Luke 20:33 — A trap question about the resurrection. They tried again and again—and failed. Eventually, the leaders stopped trying to trap Him and moved to arrest and kill Him. The questions turned into trials—more intense examinations. Pilate Unknowingly Inspected the Lamb and Declared Him Innocent Luke brings us to the climactic public inspection: Luke 23:13 — Pilate gathers the chief priests, rulers, and the people—this is public, formal, judicial. Luke 23:14 — “After examining him… I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges…” Luke 23:15 — “Neither did Herod… Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.” In other words: the Lamb is inspected, and even hostile authorities can’t find a blemish. And that’s part of what makes their testimony so powerful. If Jesus’ disciples testified to His innocence, skeptics would dismiss it as bias. But Pilate and Herod are not sympathetic witnesses. They have no love for Jesus, no devotion to Him, and every motive to end this problem quickly. Yet after examination, they still cannot condemn Him. That’s why Peter later writes: 1 Peter 1:18–19 — We were ransomed “with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” “I Will Therefore Punish and Release Him”: The Gospel in One Unjust Sentence Here is one of the most troubling lines in the account: Luke 23:16 — “I will therefore punish and release him.” It makes no sense if justice matters. If Jesus is innocent, He should not be punished at all. But that unjust sentence accidentally acts out the heart of redemption: The innocent is treated as guilty. The righteous suffers for the unrighteous. The spotless One is punished so the guilty can go free. 1 Peter 3:18 — “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous…” That is substitutionary atonement: God’s wrath fell on Christ so it would not fall on us. And if you’re thinking, “Where is the guilty one who goes free?” Luke answers immediately: Luke 23:18 — “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas…” Before Jesus ever reached the cross, He was already stepping into the role of Substitute. Conclusion: Are You Under the Blood? Let me end with a sobering reality. Pilate affirmed Jesus’ innocence, yet Pilate was still lost. He is like someone in Egypt who agreed judgment was coming, agreed the lamb was spotless, but never applied the blood to the doorposts. Pilate is a picture of many people today. They respect Jesus. They admire His character. They feel sympathy for His suffering. They might even say, “What happened to Jesus was wrong.” But none of that saves. It is possible to: acknowledge Jesus’ innocence, affirm His righteousness, feel sorrow for His suffering, and still reject Him as Savior and King. Salvation does not come from recognizing that the Lamb is innocent. Salvation comes from being under the Lamb’s blood—through repentance and faith. So the question that matters is not, “Do you respect Jesus?”It’s not, “Do you agree He was innocent?”It’s not, “Do you feel bad about what happened to Him?” It’s this: Are you under the blood? “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

The Humility of Christ is one of the most profound and misunderstood truths in all of Scripture. Few illustrations help us grasp it better than the contrast we see in Undercover Boss—a television show where a CEO disguises himself, puts on the clothes of an ordinary worker, and enters the world of his employees unnoticed. He changes his appearance, puts on the clothes of a worker, and enters their world unnoticed. The people around him don’t realize that the one serving them—cleaning floors or stocking shelves—is actually the person with all the authority. What makes the show compelling is the contrast. The boss hasn’t lost his power or position—he has simply laid aside the visible symbols of it for a time so he can identify with his employees and understand their lives. Your mind might already be going to the Incarnation, but as helpful as this illustration is, it barely scratches the surface of what Scripture describes. No CEO stops being rich or powerful when he goes undercover. But when Jesus Christ came into the world, the eternal Son of God did something infinitely greater. The One worshiped by angels was born as a baby, laid in a manger, and raised in obscurity. That is what we celebrate at Christmas—not merely a birth, but the humility of Christ. Jesus did not cling to the visible display of His glory. He willingly laid it aside to live among us and serve us. Before we can appreciate Christ’s humility, we need to understand what humility actually is, because it is one of the most misunderstood virtues in the Christian life. https://youtu.be/mjYWTBON2xQ Table of contentsLesson One: Humility Isn’t Thinking Less of Ourselves—It’s Thinking of Ourselves LessLesson Two: Everything About Jesus’ Birth Revealed His HumilityLesson Three: Jesus Remained King Even When His Glory Was Laid AsideLesson Four: The King Who Humbled Himself Is Worthy of Our Worship Lesson One: Humility Isn’t Thinking Less of Ourselves—It’s Thinking of Ourselves Less Many people assume humility means thinking poorly of yourself—viewing yourself as insignificant or worthless. But that isn’t humility, because even self-loathing is still self-focused. The person who constantly thinks about how bad they are is still thinking about themselves. True humility is better described as self-forgetfulness. Instead of thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less—and thinking of others more. Scripture defines humility this way. It’s helpful to associate chapters of the Bible with themes: 1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter Isaiah 53 is the chapter on substitutionary atonement Romans 4 is the chapter on justification by faith Philippians 2 is the humility chapter Paul writes: Philippians 2:3 — “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Humility is defined both negatively and positively: Negatively: stop acting from selfish ambition and conceit. Positively: intentionally elevate others in your thinking and priorities. Paul reinforces this in the next verse: Philippians 2:4 — “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Immediately after defining humility, Paul gives us the perfect example: Philippians 2:5 — “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” If humility is thinking of ourselves less and others more, no one has ever embodied it more perfectly than Jesus Christ. Lesson Two: Everything About Jesus’ Birth Revealed His Humility When we think of Christ’s humility, our minds often go to the cross—and rightly so. Paul writes: Philippians 2:8 — “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” But Paul begins earlier—with the Incarnation. Philippians 2:6 — “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Jesus did not begin to exist at Bethlehem. He existed eternally with the Father: John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The word form (Greek morphē) refers to essence, not appearance. Jesus possessed the very nature of God. He never surrendered His deity. Instead, He did not cling to the privileges of His divine position. The humility of Christ is seen not only in that He became man, but how He became man. He was born into poverty (Luke 2:24; Leviticus 12:8). He was born in obscurity—in Bethlehem, laid in a manger. His birth was announced to shepherds, not royalty. His mother endured public shame and lifelong accusations of illegitimacy (John 8:41). He was raised in Nazareth, a town so insignificant people said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Paul summarizes it this way: Philippians 2:7 — “He emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” The phrase “emptied himself” comes from a single Greek word—kenoō—from which we get the term kenosis. Jesus emptied Himself: Of visible heavenly glory (John 17:5) Of unrestricted omniscience (Luke 2:52; Luke 8:45; Matthew 8:10) Of eternal riches (2 Corinthians 8:9) Of honor and praise (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11) Yet He never stopped being God. Lesson Three: Jesus Remained King Even When His Glory Was Laid Aside To understand this, Scripture gives us a powerful Old Testament picture. When David brought the ark into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6), he removed his royal robes and wore a linen ephod—the garment of a priest. He laid aside visible symbols of kingship without surrendering authority. Was David still king? Absolutely. In that moment, David foreshadowed Christ: A king who veiled glory without losing authority A ruler who identified with his people A priest who offered sacrifice David’s humility offended Michal because he didn’t look like a king. Christ’s humility offended the world for the same reason: Isaiah 53:2–3 — “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him… He was despised and rejected by men.” Lesson Four: The King Who Humbled Himself Is Worthy of Our Worship Jesus didn’t arrive looking like a king—and He didn’t leave the world looking like one either. Matthew 27:28–31 — He was given a robe to mock Him, a crown to hurt Him, a scepter to beat Him, and a cross for a throne. Yet He never stopped being King. The sign above His head declared the truth: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The King of kings came in a manger and left on a cross. He lived a perfect life, died as our substitute, and rose again so sinners like us could be forgiven and reconciled to God. The baby who didn’t look like a king is the only King who can save.

I can’t remember exactly when it was—probably in my late teens or early college years—that I watched The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese. I don’t recall a single scene from it, which tells you how little lasting value it had. The movie opens with a disclaimer: “This film is not based on the Gospels, but upon a fictional exploration of the eternal spiritual conflict.” In other words, it is openly blasphemous. When Herod met Jesus, he displayed the same kind of shallow fascination—interest without repentance, curiosity without commitment. I mention this because it illustrates something that has been happening for 2,000 years: people are fascinated with Jesus. • Martin Scorsese made the movie because he was fascinated with Jesus• The novel it’s based on—even more fictional—was written by Nikos Kazantzakis, who was fascinated with Jesus• The film succeeded at the box office because the public is fascinated with Jesus But this fascination is superficial. These individuals have one thing in common: they want Jesus only for curiosity, amusement, or entertainment—not to bow before Him as Lord. If they did, they wouldn’t create or consume something that blasphemes Him. This shallow fascination is nothing new. Table of contentsThe Biblical Context of Luke 23:6–12Herod’s Long-Standing Curiosity About JesusLesson One: Curiosity Is Not CommitmentLesson Two: The Silence of Christ Is JudgmentMockery, Contempt, and Tragic IronyLesson Three: Our Expectations Shape Our ExperienceLesson Four: Jesus Is Missed by Those Looking for the Wrong ThingsConclusion: What Will We Do With Jesus? Watch or listen to the full sermon below. https://youtu.be/Gg9b016x9J8 The Biblical Context of Luke 23:6–12 As we work through Luke’s Gospel verse by verse, we encounter another example of fascination without faith: Herod Antipas. Herod had:• Heard the reports about Jesus• Seen how people flocked to Him• Known that the name “Jesus of Nazareth” stirred excitement, interest, and even fear Luke tells us that Herod had wanted to see Jesus for a long time—but not to repent, believe, or obey. He wanted to see a miracle and be entertained. Before Jesus’s crucifixion, He endured six trials—three Jewish and three Roman. After being examined by Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate. Although Pilate repeatedly declared Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4, 14–15, 22), he lacked the courage to release Him. Looking for a way out, Pilate discovered Jesus was from Galilee and sent Him to Herod Antipas, who had jurisdiction there and happened to be in Jerusalem for Passover. Herod’s Long-Standing Curiosity About Jesus This wasn’t a sudden interest. Luke 9:9 tells us: “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see Him. That statement occurred two to three years earlier. Herod had been waiting a long time for this moment. When Jesus finally stood before him, Luke writes: “When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see Him… and he was hoping to see some sign done by Him” (Luke 23:8). Herod was exceedingly glad—but for the wrong reason. He wanted a miracle on demand. Lesson One: Curiosity Is Not Commitment Herod represents those who seek entertainment rather than encounter Jesus. He wasn’t spiritually hungry; he wanted a spectacle. He treated Jesus like a court jester rather than the Judge of all the earth—like a street magician rather than the King of kings. Herod didn’t want:• Salvation• Conviction• Repentance• Submission• Worship This passage teaches an essential truth: Curiosity about Jesus is not the same as commitment to Jesus. There are people like Herod in every generation:• They enjoy church but avoid repentance• They admire Jesus’ teachings but resist His lordship• They appreciate Christian culture but reject Christian obedience This is especially evident in ultra-charismatic movements where the hunger is not for Scripture, but for the next miracle, prophecy, or emotional high. It’s just another way of wanting a Jesus who performs. Lesson Two: The Silence of Christ Is Judgment Luke 23:9 says: “He questioned Him at some length, but He made no answer.” Jesus spoke to Pilate.Jesus spoke to the Sanhedrin.Jesus spoke to sinners and seekers. But before Herod, He was silent. This silence wasn’t weakness—it was judgment. Herod had rejected John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Having rejected the messenger, he now faced the Messiah—and Christ refused to play along. When people repeatedly ignore God’s voice:• Consciences become numb• Scripture loses its force• Hearts grow calloused If God’s Word convicts you, respond. His voice is mercy. His silence is judgment. Mockery, Contempt, and Tragic Irony Luke 23:11 records Herod’s response: “Herod with his soldiers treated Him with contempt and mocked Him. Then, arraying Him in splendid clothing, he sent Him back to Pilate.” Their mockery fulfilled prophecy (Psalm 22:7). Their ridicule ironically proclaimed Christ’s kingship. Just as Caiaphas unknowingly summarized the gospel (John 11:50) and Pilate unknowingly announced Christ’s reign (John 19:19), Herod clothed Jesus in royal robes to mock Him—yet declared the truth: Jesus is King. Herod didn’t condemn Jesus, but he didn’t release Him either. He dismissed Him. Indifference is another form of rejection. Lesson Three: Our Expectations Shape Our Experience Herod’s excitement vanished when Jesus refused to perform. People who come to Christ wanting:• Entertainment instead of salvation• A performer instead of a Lord• Blessings without repentance Often, they grow bored, skeptical, disillusioned, or drift away. What gets you in the door is what keeps you in the door. If people come for entertainment, the church must keep entertaining them. But if they come hungry for God’s Word, they remain because they are being fed. Lesson Four: Jesus Is Missed by Those Looking for the Wrong Things Luke 23:12 records something chilling: “Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day.” The rejection of Christ united former enemies. John 1:10–11 explains it perfectly: “He was in the world… yet the world did not know Him.” Herod stood face-to-face with Jesus and missed Him completely. Like commuters rushing past Joshua Bell playing a $3.5 million Stradivarius, Herod failed to recognize greatness—not because it wasn’t there, but because he wasn’t listening. Conclusion: What Will We Do With Jesus? Herod’s shallow curiosity cost him eternal life. He was physically close to Jesus but spiritually blind. He warns us:• Don’t seek Jesus for entertainment• Don’t approach Him only for curiosity• Don’t look for experiences without obedience Jesus is not a spectacle to observe—He is a King to obey. One day:• Herod will bow before Christ• Pilate will stand before Christ• Christ will judge the religious leaders And so will we. The question is not whether we are curious about Jesus, but whether we have surrendered to Him.

In 1996, during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell spotted a suspicious backpack beneath a stadium bench. He immediately began evacuating the area, rightly suspecting it was a bomb, and because of his quick actions, lives were saved when the device exploded. For a brief window of time, he was hailed a hero. But almost overnight, everything changed. The media needed a villain, the FBI needed a suspect, and despite a lack of evidence, Richard Jewell became the target. His name was slandered, his life scrutinized, and though eventually proven innocent, the damage could never be undone. Why begin here? Because Jewell’s story exposes something unsettling about the human heart: When sin dominates, truth becomes expendable — and the innocent can be condemned if it suits someone’s agenda. If this can happen in modern America—with due process, lawyers, cameras, and judges—how much more easily could it happen in ancient Israel? And that is exactly what unfolds in Luke 23:1–5, where Jesus Christ endures the greatest miscarriage of justice in history. Table of contentsThe Road to Pilate: A Chain of Unjust TrialsThe Leaders Change Their Accusations (Luke 23:2)Lesson One: Trust in God Produces Composure in TrialsApplicationLesson Two: The Innocent One Suffered for the GuiltyLesson Three: Jesus Isn’t on Trial — We AreConclusion https://youtu.be/8Q4gF_iWcX4 The Road to Pilate: A Chain of Unjust Trials Jesus had already endured three Jewish trials—illegal, contradictory, and fueled by hatred rather than truth. The Sanhedrin wanted to condemn Him for blasphemy, but they lacked the authority to execute Him. Rome alone could issue a death sentence. So the religious leaders marched Jesus to Pilate (Luke 23:1), shifting Him from a religious courtroom to a political one. Luke emphasizes that “the whole company of them” went together — Pharisees, Sadducees, elders, scribes — groups who could agree on almost nothing except this: They wanted Jesus dead. Hatred unites people who otherwise disagree. Even today, individuals who cannot get along suddenly find common ground when they share a common enemy. The Leaders Change Their Accusations (Luke 23:2) Instead of accusing Jesus of blasphemy — the charge they used in His Jewish trials — they bring three political accusations to Pilate: “He misleads our nation.” “He forbids us to pay taxes to Caesar.” “He claims to be Christ, a king.” Why this shift? Because Pilate doesn’t care about Jewish theology. He does care about threats to Caesar. They mix a little truth (Jesus is the Christ) with lies (that He opposed taxes or stirred rebellion). This is how deception works most effectively — truth twisted into a weapon. Pilate ignores the first two accusations and asks the only political question that matters: “Are You the King of the Jews?” (Luke 23:3) Jesus answers with sovereign calm: “You have said so.” Lesson One: Trust in God Produces Composure in Trials During gas chamber training in the military, you’re handed your gas mask, shown how to fit it securely, and then you stand in a long line leading to a small brick building filled with CS gas, which is super-strong tear gas. While waiting, you see other soldiers leaving the back of the building without masks, coughing, choking, and struggling to see. When you first step inside, you feel the gas burning exposed parts of your body, like the back of your neck and wrists, but you can breathe normally. Everyone knows what’s coming—that they'll have to take off their gas masks—and everyone believes the same lie: “I will just hold my breath as long as I can so I don’t breathe in much of the gas.” When it’s your turn, you stand in front of the soldier who instructs you to remove your mask. You take a deep breath, remove the mask, and then the gas begins burning your eyes and entering your mouth and nostrils. You try to hold your breath, but the soldier asks questions, and as you answer, you inhale the gas, triggering coughing and more inhalation, which leads to even more coughing. Once the soldier is convinced you’ve inhaled enough gas, you are allowed to leave out the back of the building. This training is very effective and meant to teach one important lesson: you can trust your equipment. If you're in battle and a cloud of poisonous gas surrounds you, you’ll be able to breathe without fear. Without this training, facing gas in the chaos of battle might cause you to panic—and perhaps die. A similar thing happens with firefighters. They can walk into the chaos of a burning building and remain composed, not because danger is absent, but because they trust their equipment. Likewise, Jesus walks into the furnace of injustice with supernatural calm. Though beaten, mocked, blindfolded, and falsely accused, He answers with measured confidence. Why? “He continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.” — 1 Peter 2:23 Jesus didn’t panic. He didn’t retaliate. He didn’t defend Himself. Because He trusted the Father — and that trust produced peace even as the darkness closed in. Application When we are falsely accused, we do not need to panic. When we are mistreated, we don’t need to retaliate. When the flames rise around us, trust in the Father enables composure. What’s in the cup comes out when it’s shaken. Trials reveal our trust in God more than anything else. Lesson Two: The Innocent One Suffered for the Guilty Pilate examines Jesus and declares: “I find no guilt in this man.” — Luke 23:4 But this is only the first of several declarations of Christ’s innocence: Pilate again: “I did not find this man guilty.” (23:14) Herod: “Nothing deserving death has been done by Him.” (23:15) Pilate a third time: “I have found in Him no guilt.” (23:22) The repentant thief: “This man has done nothing wrong.” (23:41) The centurion: “Certainly this man was innocent!” (23:47) God is making something unmistakably clear: Jesus is perfectly innocent — the only One qualified to die for the guilty. If He had sin of His own, He could not take ours. Only a spotless Lamb can bear the sins of the world. Christ’s innocence is not a footnote — it is the foundation of the Gospel. Lesson Three: Jesus Isn’t on Trial — We Are A man in Paris hosted a friend from the countryside. Wanting to show his friend the city’s splendor, he took him to the Louvre to see some of the world’s greatest art, then to a symphony hall to hear a professional orchestra. At the end of the day, the friend shrugged and told his host he didn’t care much for either the paintings or the music. His host quietly replied, “They’re not on trial—you are. The world has already judged the brilliance of that art and that music. By rejecting them, you haven’t judged them; you’ve only condemned yourself.” This is the reality of Jesus’ trials. Pilate, the religious leaders, and the crowds think they are evaluating Jesus.But in reality… Their verdict does not define Him. It exposes them. The same is true for us. Jesus will not stand before us in final judgment. We will stand before Him. Our response to Christ reveals our hearts and determines our eternity. Conclusion Jesus stood before Pilate as the spotless, innocent Savior — falsely accused, unjustly tried, and yet perfectly composed because He entrusted Himself to the Father. He suffered not for His own sins, but for ours. So the question remains: What will we do with Jesus? Our eternity hangs on that answer.

When Jesus was on trial before the religious leaders as the innocent Son of God, they rejected, abused, and condemned Him. Luke highlights both the depth of human depravity and the innocence of Christ, the One who endured injustice to bring sinners to God. https://youtu.be/pNbDTkUHUSA Table of contentsJesus on Trial: The Larger Context of His Six TrialsThe First Jewish Trial — Before Annas (John 18:12–24)The Second Jewish Trial — Before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65)Jesus on Trial Before the Temple Guards (Luke 22:63–65)Continuous and Increasing AbuseBlindfolded and TauntedAccusing God of BlasphemyJesus on Trial Before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66–71)A Verdict Already DecidedJesus Declares His Heavenly AuthorityLesson One: Human Depravity Revealed When Jesus Is on Trial1. Depravity in Their Violence2. Depravity in Their Willful Unbelief3. Depravity in Their Rejection of Jesus’s Authority4. Depravity in Their Eagerness to CondemnLesson Two: Jesus Submitted to Abuse to Save UsLesson Three: Jesus on Trial and the Logic of the TrilemmaUnderstanding LogicC.S. Lewis and the “Liar, Lunatic, or Lord” ArgumentNo Neutrality When Jesus Is on TrialConclusion: Responding to Jesus on Trial1. The Depravity of the Religious Leaders2. The Submission of Christ When people hear the phrase “Jesus on Trial,” they often think of the Roman governor Pilate. But before Jesus ever stood before Pilate, He endured a series of corrupt Jewish trials that revealed both the depths of human depravity and the beauty of the gospel. In Luke 22:63-71, we see the sinless Son of God—who fulfilled every prophecy, healed the sick, opened blind eyes, raised the dead, cast out demons, fed multitudes, and brought the kingdom of God near—mocked, blindfolded, beaten, and condemned by the very religious leaders who claimed to long for the Messiah. These verses expose the frightening callousness of the human heart when it resists the truth. But even more, they reveal the heart of the gospel: Christ willingly enduring abuse so that guilty sinners can receive mercy. My prayer is that as we study Jesus on trial before the Jewish leaders, we won’t just understand what happened—we’ll deepen our love for the Innocent Son of God who suffered silently in our place. Jesus on Trial: The Larger Context of His Six Trials To appreciate what’s happening in Luke 22, it helps to see the full picture. Think of Jesus’s arrest in Gethsemane and His crucifixion as bookends. Between them, Jesus endured six trials: Three Jewish trials before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin Three Roman trials before Pilate, Herod, then Pilate again These proceedings were filled with illegal procedures, false witnesses, political pressure, and profound injustice. The First Jewish Trial — Before Annas (John 18:12–24) Jesus was first taken to Annas, the former high priest who still held significant influence. There were no formal charges. Annas interrogated Jesus, hoping to trap Him. Jesus called out the illegality of questioning Him without witnesses, and one of the officers struck Him. The Second Jewish Trial — Before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65) Next, Jesus was sent to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. This trial took place at night, which made it illegal according to Jewish law. Jesus was charged with blasphemy. False witnesses contradicted each other. They couldn’t condemn Jesus until He clearly affirmed that He was the Messiah. The high priest tore his robes and declared Jesus guilty. Peter’s denials took place in the courtyard outside. Luke 22:63–71 picks up with the abuse during this nighttime trial and then moves into the formal daytime trial that “legitimized,” in their minds, the verdict they already wanted. Jesus on Trial Before the Temple Guards (Luke 22:63–65) Luke 22:63 – “Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him.” We might expect brutal treatment from pagan Roman soldiers, but Jesus wasn’t with the Romans yet. These were Jewish temple guards—men who served in the temple, not criminals from the streets. The very people entrusted with maintaining holiness in God’s house abused the Holy One of God. Continuous and Increasing Abuse The Greek word for “beat” indicates continuous action. This wasn’t one blow; it was repeated, ongoing violence. Jesus was struck, slapped, spat upon, and insulted again and again. In doing so, they fulfilled multiple prophecies of the Innocent Sufferer: Isaiah 50:6 – “I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.” Isaiah 53:3 – “He was despised and rejected by men.” Psalm 22:7–8 – “All who see me mock me…” Blindfolded and Taunted Luke 22:64 – “They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?’” Blindfolding Jesus intensified the cruelty—He could not brace for the blows. Their mockery implied, “If You’re really a prophet, prove it.” It echoes the wilderness temptations: “If You are who You claim to be…” Ironically, the One who was blindfolded saw everything, while those with uncovered eyes were utterly blind to who He was. Accusing God of Blasphemy Luke 22:65 – “They said many other things against him, blaspheming him.” Here is the tragic reversal at the heart of Jesus on trial:God in the flesh is accused of blaspheming God. Jesus on Trial Before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66–71) Jewish law prohibited trials at night, so the council reconvened at daybreak to give an appearance of legality. Luke 22:66 – “When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes…” This was the Sanhedrin, Israel’s ruling council of seventy-one men—chief priests (mostly Sadducees), elders, and scribes (mostly Pharisees). They disagreed about many theological issues, but they were united in their hatred of Jesus. A Verdict Already Decided Luke 22:67 – “If you are the Christ, tell us.” Compare this with: Luke 22:2 – “The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.” They weren’t sincerely seeking truth; they were seeking grounds to justify the death sentence they already wanted. Jesus exposed their unbelief: Luke 22:67–68 – “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer.” Their problem was not lack of information; it was hardened hearts. Jesus Declares His Heavenly Authority Despite their unbelief, Jesus clearly revealed His identity: Luke 22:69 – “But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” This is one of the most important Christological statements in the New Testament. It combines two major Old Testament Messianic passages: Daniel 7:13–14 – The Son of ManThe “Son of Man” receives everlasting dominion, authority, and glory from the Ancient of Days. Psalm 110:1 – The Lord at God’s Right Hand“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” This is the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. By using these texts together, Jesus is effectively saying: “I am the Son of Man of Daniel 7, the One you are rejecting and abusing. I am the Lord of Psalm 110 who will sit in the position of divine authority, ruling the universe after defeating My enemies.” To any reasonable person, this should have been terrifying. But the leaders were not reasonable—they were hardened. Luke 22:70–71 – “So they all said, ‘Are you the Son of God, then?’ And he said to them, ‘You say that I am.’ Then they said, ‘What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.’” They finally had what they wanted: words they could use to charge Jesus with blasphemy. Under Jewish law, blasphemy was punishable by death. But since Rome controlled executions, they now needed to involve Pilate. The Roman phase of Jesus on trial would soon begin. Lesson One: Human Depravity Revealed When Jesus Is on Trial Scripture describes the human heart this way: Ecclesiastes 9:3 – “The hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live…” In this passage, the cruelty shown to Jesus vividly displays human depravity in at least four ways. 1. Depravity in Their Violence Their cruelty was deliberate and enjoyed.No restraint. No fear of God. They struck and mocked Christ for their own pleasure. 2. Depravity in Their Willful Unbelief They asked, “If You are the Christ, tell us,” but Jesus said, “If I tell you, you will not believe.” Their problem wasn’t confusion; it was refusal. They pretended to seek truth, but truth threatened their power, exposed their sin, and demanded repentance. The sinful heart hates truth when truth requires humility. 3. Depravity in Their Rejection of Jesus’s Authority Jesus said, “From now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” He claimed to be Messiah, Judge, and King—and they responded with rage. The natural heart does not want a sovereign Christ; it wants a manageable Jesus instead of the real One. 4. Depravity in Their Eagerness to Condemn “Why do we need any more testimony?” basically means, “We don’t want more evidence; we just want Him dead.” Before formal charges were presented, the guards were already beating and blaspheming Him. This was not justice—it was hatred dressed up as religion. Lesson Two: Jesus Submitted to Abuse to Save Us If we think about extreme wickedness, we might think of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who opposed both, is often quoted as saying: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil… Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” In general, that’s true. But in this scene of Jesus on trial, Christ chose a very different path....

Shimei is one of the most overlooked—but most instructive—figures in the Old Testament. His story appears briefly in 2 Samuel 16–19, and Shime's false repentance reveals one of Scripture’s most sobering truths: confession is not the same as repentance. When King David fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion, Shimei came out cursing, throwing stones, kicking up dust, and accusing David of every evil under the sun. He called David a “man of blood” and a “worthless man.” His words were harsh, hateful, and rooted in decades of bitterness toward the house of David. But after Absalom died and David returned to the throne, everything changed. Suddenly, Shimei fell on his face, declared “I have sinned,” and begged for mercy. He said all the right words—but for all the wrong reasons. In 2 Samuel 16–19, we see: why Shimei misjudged David how bitterness grows like a root and destroys the heart the danger of making accusations without hearing the whole truth the difference between confession and true repentance why God calls us to sincere, wholehearted repentance Shimei’s life is a warning many believers need today. His story teaches us that hurt people hurt people, that bitterness blinds us to the truth, and that confession without repentance leaves the heart unchanged. Most importantly, it points us toward the hope found in Jesus Christ, who offers forgiveness and transformation to all who truly repent. https://youtu.be/Ug8KYnqMGnA Table of contentsThe Context For Shime’s False RepentanceSuffering Tempts Us To Mistreat OthersBitterness Can Cause Us to Misjudge PeopleShimei’s False AccusationsFollow Scripture When Forming ConclusionsBitterness Can Grow for DecadesFear Can Produce Confessions That Lack True RepentanceShimei’s False Repentance Is a Sobering Warning When I taught elementary school, I would receive my class roster a few weeks before the new school year. I always asked the teachers from the grade below for insights into the students and to learn about them. Only once do I remember feeling anxious about a particular student being on my list—and it happened during my very first year of teaching. A fourth-grade teacher looked over my roster and said, “Uh oh. You have Victoria.” He didn’t mean she was a troublemaker. He meant she was the kind of girl who posed a threat to male teachers. I was in my early twenties, single, and determined to keep her as far away from me as possible. I always assigned seats—separating talkative students and placing those who struggled near the front. I put Victoria in the back corner of the room by herself, not even in a row with other students. At the end of each day, I offered my students one of the “three H’s”: a handshake, a high-five, or a hug. Most students who start the year choosing handshakes and high-fives end up wanting hugs by the end of the year. But I doubt I ever even let Victoria touch my hand. I told my friends how concerned I was about having her in my class. One of them visited my classroom and naturally wanted to see “the dangerous girl.” I pointed to the back corner and said, “That’s her.” My friend looked and said, “That’s her? She looks fine.” I probably replied, “That’s how they all seem.” Fast-forward about five or six months. I ran into the same teacher who warned me about Victoria, but he asked, “How’s it going with Amy?”I said, “Fine. Why?”He replied, “Because I warned you about her.”I said, “I thought you warned me about Victoria.”He said, “No, Victoria’s a sweetheart. What about Amy?”I said, “I have her right in the front. She’s been fine.” Even now, the memory saddens me. I completely misjudged Victoria—and when we misjudge someone, we usually end up treating them poorly too. I share that because it’s precisely what happened with a man named Shimei. He completely misjudged David, and as a result, treated him terribly. The Context For Shime’s False Repentance David experienced many low points in his life, but I believe the passage we’re about to study records one of the lowest. David has lost the throne—bad enough on its own—but the one who seized it was his own wicked son, Absalom. Much of the nation David loved and served turned against him and aligned with Absalom, including the elders of the land and David’s close friend and advisor, Ahithophel. David was forced to flee Jerusalem to escape Absalom’s attempt to murder him. He had fled from Jerusalem before becoming king because of Saul, and now he fled again after becoming king—but this time from his own son. It’s hard to imagine many moments in David’s life that could rival the grief he was experiencing. And just when it seemed things couldn’t get worse, David encountered Shimei: 2 Samuel 16:5 When King David came to Bahurim (which is a town just outside Jerusalem), there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. 6 And he threw stones at David (as if cursing wasn’t enough) and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. I’m not sure how many hands Shimei had, but it seems he had about 20 to throw that many rocks: he threw them at David, the people with David, and even David’s mighty men. If there’s anyone in the Old Testament you don’t throw stones at, it’s them, but that’s how angry Shimei was. 2 Samuel 16:7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out (he means get out of this area where Shimei lived), you man of blood, you worthless man! 8 The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.” The Hebrew word for worthless man is bᵊlîyaʿal, which was so foul a title that it became a name for the devil in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 6:15). So Shimei isn’t holding anything back. He calls David a devil because he wants to be as offensive as possible. Shimei is so upset because he’s “a man of the family of the house of Saul.” Suffering Tempts Us To Mistreat Others There were strong tribal loyalties: people from the tribe of Benjamin wanted someone from their tribe on the throne. The only thing stronger than tribal loyalties was household loyalties. Shimei wasn’t just from the tribe of Benjamin; he was part of Saul’s family. We don’t know his exact relationship to Saul, but it is probably something like a cousin. Shimei used to be part of the royal family when Saul was king. Now he’s part of a disgraced family, and he thinks it’s all David’s fault. When I read about Shimei, it reminds me of the saying, “Hurt people hurt people.” James 1 is about trials: James 1:20 The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Trials can make us angry, which leads us to mistreat others. James 4:1 What causes quarrels and fights among you?...2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. When we don’t get what we want, we get angry, and it causes quarrels and fights. That’s what’s going on with Shimei. We have this funny story in our family about Johnny when he was young. Katie and I were sitting on a bench watching our children play in a park. Johnny fell off a swing, quickly sprang up, and angrily looked at the people around him. Although nobody had done anything to him, he was hurting, so he was looking for someone to hurt. When Katie and I were going over the sermon, she said, “I stub my toe and I’m looking around to see which kids aren’t working.” I appreciate my wife’s humility in sharing this, because I have definitely seen her act like this, and I’m glad she recognizes it. But we can all be like this: “I’m mad and I want someone to blame. I’m suffering and I want someone to suffer with me.” A Woman Who Slandered Me When Her Life Was Falling Apart A few years ago, a woman on the other side of the country—someone I had never met—wrote a review of one of my books on her website and then shared it on social media. Another woman who disliked me saw the review, contacted the reviewer, and began criticizing me on Facebook Messenger. I know this because the reviewer reached out to me and sent screenshots of the conversation. When I looked at the screenshots, they included the woman’s name and profile photo so that I could find her on Facebook. But I still didn’t recognize her. I showed the profile to Katie, who said she knew her. Months later, I was at an event up north and noticed a woman who I thought might be the same person. I discreetly took a couple of pictures to send to Katie and asked, “Is this her?” Katie replied, “Yes, that’s her.” At the end of the event, as the crowd was leaving—maybe a hundred people around me—I turned, and she happened to be right beside me. I said hello, and she responded using my name, which caught me off guard. We began talking, and to my surprise, she was very friendly. Since tact isn’t always my strongest quality, I asked, “Have I done something to offend you?” She shared that she was offended at me because someone had talked negatively about me to her. Then it got interesting, and sad: She had several children and began crying as she described how difficult her marriage was and the struggles they were having at home. Before speaking to her, I was frustrated with her, but as she talked, I felt really bad for her. I’m not excusing gossip, slander, or mistreatment. But suffering often tempts people to mistreat others. And when we are mistreated, it may have more to do with that person’s pain than anything we’ve done. In other words, suffering tempts people to mistreat others, and we don’t always need to take it so personally. Bitterness Can Cause Us to Misjudge People Because his accusations are so wildly inaccurate, some commentators assume he must have been irrational to believe them....

King Saul’s life in 1 Samuel 22–26 reveals how unrepentant sin can destroy the mind and heart. Saul’s jealousy of David grew into paranoia, self-pity, and ultimately madness. Yet David, who walked closely with God, displayed peace and wisdom. Learn that true wisdom—and true mental and spiritual stability—come only from walking with God. https://youtu.be/lWwGBiHE5nA Table of contentsSin Can Cause Mental IllnessSaul's Violent OutburstsSaul’s ParanoiaSaul’s First Mental BreakdownMy Friend’s Bipolar DisorderSaul’s Bipolar Disorder or Unrepentance?The Wisdom From Walking with GodSaul’s Change of Heart?Saul’s Second Mental BreakdownOutward Sorrow Is not Evidence of RepentanceJimmy Swaggart’s Outward SorrowNoah’s And David’s RepentanceGain Wisdom from walking with God The first mission trip I went on was with my previous church, Grace Baptist. We traveled with World Impact to Los Angeles, primarily for a work trip to assist them with repairs to one of their buildings. However, we also conducted some evangelism in Central City East, which is more commonly referred to as Skid Row. It contains one of the largest populations of homeless people in the United States. You can see that many of the homeless people are mentally ill. Now, let me be clear: I believe some of these individuals are mentally ill through no fault of their own. Their mental illness is no more their fault than other illnesses or diseases are anyone's fault. However, just as some illnesses and diseases are caused by sin, mental illness can also result from sin. Sin Can Cause Mental Illness Saul is one of the most vivid portrayals of mental illness in Scripture. We can watch his mental decline throughout 1 Samuel. Saul's Violent Outbursts I believe his sickness began with his insane jealousy of David: 1 Samuel 18:7 The women sang…“Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on. Soon after this, there are three recorded instances of Saul trying to pin David to the wall with his spear. When Saul started to believe his son, Jonathan, was with David, he also began trying to kill him. These violent outbursts show him unraveling mentally. Saul’s Paranoia David knew he was no longer safe in Jerusalem, so he fled and began hiding in the Judean wilderness. Saul went after him: 1 Samuel 22:6 Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. Saul is sitting under a tree in the shade while all his servants are standing around him. When Saul has his spear in his hand, you try to fade into the background and hope he doesn’t notice you. Now Saul begins scolding his men: 1 Samuel 22:7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin, and David is from the tribe of Judah; therefore, Saul appeals to their tribal loyalties to persuade them to support him instead of David. But, knowing that’s not enough, he also tries to bribe them, letting them know that since he’s king, he’s the one who can give them land and promotions: “David is a fugitive. He’s in exile. He can’t give you anything. He has nothing to offer. Don’t support him. But I can give you whatever you want, so you should support me.” He’s like a corrupt politician 1 Samuel 22:8 that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse (referring to David; Saul won’t even use his name). None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant (referring to David) against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” Notice the repetition of the words' me' and 'my,' and picture Saul saying this in a whiny voice. It must have been miserable serving Saul. This has to be the worst pity party in all of Scripture. It’s almost hard to imagine a grown man talking this way, say nothing about the king of Israel. He even said, “None of you is sorry for me.” He really thinks he’s the victim, even though he’s trying to murder David. Paranoia is one of the other hallmarks of mental illness, and Saul thinks everyone is against him: first, David, his most loyal general, then his son, Jonathan, whom he suspected of turning David against him, and now he thinks all of his men are conspiring against him. And it gets even worse. Much worse. The rest of this chapter is one of the darkest in the Old Testament. Saul becomes convinced that a town of priests is against him, so he has all of them murdered. Saul’s First Mental Breakdown There were up to 3,500 caves and underground chambers in the Judean wilderness, and David and his men were hiding in them. You would think there’s almost no chance of Saul being able to find David, but in a dramatic example of God’s providence, Saul had to go to the bathroom, and he chose the cave where David and his men were hiding. Before Saul went to the bathroom, he took off his robe, set it on the ground, and David was able to cut off a corner of it without Saul knowing. Then, when they left the cave, David called out to Saul, told him he could have killed him, showed him the corner of the robe as evidence, and, wanting to convince Saul that he meant him no harm, he humbly compared himself to a dead dog and a flea that Saul didn’t need to worry about: 1 Samuel 24:16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Picture what this looked like: Saul has been trying to kill David. Now he’s crying in front of all of his men and calling David his son. My Friend’s Bipolar Disorder I have a good friend, and if it wasn’t for him, I might doubt that bipolar disorder is a real mental illness, suspecting that it is just one more worldly explanation to excuse people’s poor behavior. But I still remember the first time my friend called me about 15 years ago during one of his manic episodes. He was a completely different, unrecognizable, and unreasonable person. Over the years, there have been more phone calls, sometimes when he’s manic and other times when he’s depressed. During these episodes, he swings back and forth between mania and depression, sometimes over the course of days or even hours. He will call me and be the happiest person in the world, only to call the next day and be so depressed that he says he wants his life to end. Saul’s Bipolar Disorder or Unrepentance? Now, let’s connect this to Saul: he’s unbalanced and losing his mind, and if he were alive today and visited a psychiatrist, I don’t think it would take long before he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He would be told he had some hormone imbalance, a thyroid disorder, neurotransmitter issues, nutritional deficiencies, an overactive or underactive gland, or maybe some environmental issue like mold in the palace, or trauma from his past that caused his illness. But here’s the truth: While these issues might contribute to other people’s illnesses, Saul didn’t have any of these problems. His problem was unrepentance. He was a proud man who often felt sorry for himself, repeatedly played the victim, and wouldn’t turn from his sins when confronted, and it drove him crazy. 1 Samuel 14:35 Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord. I read this and think, “Are you kidding me? This was the first altar Saul had ever built!” How could he grow up in Israel, become a man with a family, and have never built an altar? But it reveals how little of a relationship he had with God. When Saul didn’t slaughter all of the Amalekites, Samuel confronted him, and Saul kept referring to God as “Your God.” Saul never had a relationship with the Lord. The Wisdom From Walking with God There is a wisdom that comes from walking with God, and Saul didn’t have it. Proverbs is the book of wisdom, and this is one of the main themes. There are many verses I could share with you, but here are just two… Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Wisdom begins with a relationship with the Lord. So, people who don’t know the Lord lack wisdom. They look foolish and confused. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. When we walk with the Lord, we are guided along straight paths in life. On the other hand, those who don’t walk with the Lord will lack straight paths and may face instability at best, or chaos at worst. It is one of God’s graces when we’re able to meet people who have walked with the Lord for a long time. Their lives are not absent from trials, but they are still characterized by peace and harmony. The other side of this is that if wisdom and peace come from knowing and walking with the Lord, then those who reject God, like Saul did for years, often lack these qualities. Their lives are frequently marked by turmoil and confusion, just like Saul’s. Saul’s Change of Heart? Speaking of Saul’s confused life, look at his response, and notice it sounds like an incredible change of heart: 1 Samuel 24:17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands....

There’s something uniquely difficult about physical suffering. Pain, weakness, and aging can leave us discouraged. Satan understood this well. After taking everything from Job—his possessions and children—he still believed he hadn’t touched the area that mattered most. “Stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face” (Job 2:4-5). And yet, Job didn’t curse God. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that while “our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” This is behind an eternal perspective on suffering: even as our bodies grow weaker, our faith grows stronger. https://youtu.be/YSep0tx71cc Table of contentsWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Our Spirit Is StrengthenedThe Two Ways We Grow SpirituallyTake Advantage of Meetings with Senior Saints Finishing WellWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Every Trial Is Only A “Light Momentary Affliction” In Light Of EternityWe Don’t Lose Heart Because Of Our Heavenly BlessingsWe Don’t Lose Heart If We Look Forward To Our Heavenly HomeLot and Abraham: Two Men Looking for CitiesWe Don’t Lose Heart Because We’ll Be Raised With ChristLosses Throughout Our Lives, but Always Having Our Bodies, Right?We Don’t Lose Heart If We Praise God During TrialsThe Eternal Perspective on Suffering Suffering takes many forms: mental, emotional, spiritual, but few trials compare to the slow decline of our bodies. Think about everything Satan did to Job. First, he took all his possessions—the oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and servants. In the second attack, Satan took Job's sons and daughters. If you weren’t familiar with Job, what would you expect to be the most likely reason for Job to curse God? I would guess it would be the loss of his children. But after Job lost all his children and still hadn’t cursed God, Satan turned to Job’s health. Consider what he said to God: Job 2:4 Satan [said to] the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” Satan believed that if he could afflict Job’s body, he would curse God. Satan knows how difficult it is when we suffer physically. I think that’s why Paul says what he says: 2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. The ESV refers to the "outer self," but other translations use terms such as "outward man" or "outer person." It’s referring to our physical bodies, which are “wasting away.” The NKJV says they are "perishing," and the NASB describes them as "decaying." All of these capture how we feel as we age and our bodies break down. When we endure physical suffering, or when our bodies begin to waste away, it is tempting, as the verse states, to lose heart. There are many kinds of suffering, but there is something unique about physical suffering and watching our bodies decline. We realize that each day, we worsen and move closer to our death. It can be discouraging to think, “I’m not getting any better. I feel worse today than I did yesterday. Everything is breaking down. Tomorrow I might feel worse than I do today.” This is why the verse mentions losing heart. But, ironically, says the opposite of what we would expect: “We do not lose heart.” So, why don’t we lose heart even as our physical bodies are wasting away? Here are six reasons! We Don’t Lose Heart Because Our Spirit Is Strengthened In verse 16, notice the beautiful contrast Paul makes: while “our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” We don’t like that our physical bodies age and break down, but while they do, our spirits are renewed or strengthened day by day. It’s like Paul says: “What does it matter if our body wastes away as long as our spirit gets stronger?” The Two Ways We Grow Spiritually Why does our spirit grow while our body deteriorates? The wasting away of our bodies is a trial, and trials are one of the two primary ways that we grow spiritually. I wish that we grew from being blessed, but while blessings are wonderful, there’s nothing in Scripture to say they help us grow. Instead, we grow from God’s Word: John 17:17 Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them (or grow them) in the truth; your word is truth.” Ephesians 5:26 states that Christ sanctifies and cleanses His bride, the church, through the washing of water with the word. And the other way we grow is from trials: James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. And few trials are tougher than watching our bodies waste away. But while the outward is fading, the inward is being strengthened and renewed. I have seen this happen many times over the years. Beautiful saints approach graduation, and we might expect them to struggle with their faith and perhaps question God. However, it seems their faith actually grows stronger as their bodies weaken. Take Advantage of Meetings with Senior Saints Finishing Well There are meetings that people would never miss. If they received an invitation from the President or the Queen of England, they would move heaven and earth to attend. But I would say that when you have the chance to meet with a senior saint nearing the end of their life, that is a meeting you should never miss. In fact, I don’t think it’s too much to say that you probably will never have any meetings in your life that offer you as much as these do, or that you will remember as vividly. I don’t know how many meetings I’ve had over the last 15 years here. I did the math yesterday, and if it’s five meetings per week, which is quite conservative, that’s 4000 meetings. I can’t remember 99% of those meetings, but I bet I can remember every sacred meeting I’ve had with saints approaching the finish line. When Katie and I returned from visiting Charlie and Peggy yesterday, we walked in, and one of the kids asked, “How was it?” Katie replied, “I’ll never forget it." That captures how you feel when you have the privilege of being with senior saints as they near the end of their race. We Don’t Lose Heart Because Every Trial Is Only A “Light Momentary Affliction” In Light Of Eternity 2 Corinthians 4:17 For (or because) 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. Katie and I really like Brian Regan. He has a joke about doctors. He says they can be very rude. They walk in and ask the first question, “What seems to be the problem?” as if there is nothing wrong, just as it seems to you. The question dismisses your suffering. This joke comes to mind when I read this verse. Paul says we are experiencing a “light momentary affliction.” It’s not that bad; no big deal. Could you imagine encouraging someone with this? “Hey, I know you’re going through this trial, and it seems terrible and maybe even excruciating, but I want to let you know it is only a light, momentary affliction.” If we were teaching people to counsel others, we would tell them not to say this. But it’s not some insensitive, oblivious, ignorant counselor saying it. It’s God saying it through Paul! So you say, “Well, maybe this is only about trials that are light and momentary versus ones that are terribly painful and difficult?” No, this is about trials that are terrible, painful, and difficult: 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are afflicted in every way (suffering every way you can imagine), but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for jesus' sake (living on the verge of death), so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us (so close to death they say it is at work in them), but life in you. Paul uses the word "we" because he’s also talking about his traveling companions. Being with Paul meant suffering greatly. So, how could Paul say they were experiencing light, momentary afflictions? He had an eternal perspective. It wasn’t so much about how he viewed his suffering as it was about how he saw his future. Let me say that again: It wasn’t so much about how he viewed his suffering but how he saw his future. He knew that someday all his suffering would end, and he would enjoy eternity, and this belief helped him see every trial as a light, momentary affliction. And he wants us to adopt this eternal perspective as well. Notice the repetition of the word "eternal": 2 Corinthians 4:17 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. Without an eternal, heavenly perspective, all we see is an earthly, temporary one, so we view only the trials that are present. This makes every trial feel heavy and difficult, rather than light and fleeting. However, with an eternal perspective, even the worst trials become light and temporary afflictions. That may sound hard to believe, especially when you're in the middle of a tough trial, but it’s true. And if there’s one specific trial that can give us an eternal outlook, it's the wasting away of our bodies. We are constantly reminded of our own mortality and the fleeting nature of time....

Saul’s confession in 1 Samuel 15 sounded spiritual—but it wasn’t repentance. Learn how fearing people replaces fearing God, why obedience is better than sacrifice, and how true confession brings mercy. https://youtu.be/wCw0Fmarhk0 Table of contentsThe Background to Saul’s Hollow ConfessionA Confession With An Excuse Is An ExcuseWe Obey What We FearReject God and Be Rejected By GodWe Should Submit To God’s DisciplineSaul’s Ongoing RebellionSaul’s Second Hollow ConfessionSaul’s Concern with AppearancesWe Shouldn’t Confess To Get SomethingWhy David Was Not “Better” Than SaulDavid Was Better Than Saul Because He RepentedDavid Was Better Than Saul Because He Knew God Maybe you’ve noticed that when public figures or large corporations apologize, their apologies sound, let’s say, strange. They say things like, “Mistakes were made,” or “If anyone was offended, we’re sorry.” It’s the kind of apology that sounds good at first, until you realize nobody’s actually taking responsibility for anything. It’s carefully worded to protect image and reputation. The goal isn’t ownership of fault; instead, it’s damage control. There’s an appearance of humility without actually being humble. They want forgiveness without admitting guilt. We might roll our eyes at these kinds of hollow apologies, but, if we’re honest, we can do the same thing spiritually. We say, “I’m sorry, Lord,” but what we really mean is, “I don’t like the consequences.” This is precisely what happened with Saul. When he said, “I have sinned,” he didn’t mean, “I am broken over my sin.” He meant, “I’ve been caught, and I want to look good in front of the people.” His confession wasn’t repentance; it was reputation management. The Background to Saul’s Hollow Confession God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them. He defeated the Amalekites, but allowed some to live and kept some of their valuable stuff. One of Saul’s most significant problems is that he didn’t understand that partial obedience is disobedience, and if I had more room in the sermon, I would have made that a lesson. God sent the prophet Samuel to confront Saul: 1 Samuel 15:12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” This is unbelievable: Saul was in the midst of disobeying God, yet he set up a monument for himself. Hopefully, I don’t have to tell you that even when we obey God, it is a bad idea to set up a monument for ourselves. Clearly, Saul is feeling pretty good about himself: 1 Samuel 15:13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” I don’t know whether Saul thought he obeyed the Lord or if he was just trying to convince Samuel that he obeyed. He seems to me like the kid who’s sent to clean his room, and when his parents walk in, he exclaims, “Look, I cleaned my room!” hoping to convince the parents he actually did. It didn’t work with Samuel: 1 Samuel 15:14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Let’s think the best and imagine that Saul really believed that he obeyed God. But when Samuel said this to him, it’s obvious he didn’t, so this is when he should have confessed and repented. Instead, he made excuses, shifted blame, and even argued: 1 Samuel 15:15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” Saul blamed the people for everything that was spared and took credit for everything destroyed: Samuel wouldn’t put up with Saul’s excuses, so he interrupted him. Samuel didn’t really need Saul’s permission to speak. It reminds me of children telling their parents, “Continue,” after the parents have told the children to be quiet and listen. 1 Samuel 15:17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” Now Samuel reminded Saul how good God had been to him, and clearly told him he had disobeyed: 1 Samuel 15:20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” Saul still didn’t confess. He argued with Samuel and again blamed the people and took credit for anything good: 1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. Saul said they kept the animals to sacrifice them, so Samuel says, “God doesn’t want sacrifices. What he really wants is obedience.” 1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” I can’t say for sure that if Saul had repented earlier, he would have been able to remain king, but I can say Samuel didn’t tell Saul he was rejected as king until after all the excuses and arguing. 1 Samuel 15:24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” After learning he’s lost the throne, Saul said, “I have sinned,” without repenting. A Confession With An Excuse Is An Excuse Saul said he disobeyed because he feared the people. He was an excuse-making machine. His first failure occurred in 1 Samuel 13, when Samuel told him to wait seven days before he would come and offer the sacrifice, but Saul offered it himself. Samuel confronted Saul, and he said: 1 Samuel 13:11 And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering. Saul blamed the people, Samuel, and the Philistines, and concluded with, “I didn’t want to do it, but I had to!” He’s no better in this chapter, but interestingly, he told the truth in his confession: “I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” We Obey What We Fear Saul wasn’t afraid of dying. They weren’t going to kill him because he didn’t let them keep the plunder. Instead, he’s afraid of upsetting them. He fears being unpopular. And because of that, he obeyed them. Consider these examples showing we obey what we fear. Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac, and when the Angel stopped him: Genesis 22:12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” Abraham obeyed God because he feared Him. The Hebrew midwives were commanded to murder the baby boys: Exodus 1:17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. The Hebrew midwives must have feared disobeying Pharaoh, but they feared God more, so they obeyed Him. Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Hebrews go. We might assume it’s because he’s an evil man who was willing to enslave an entire group of people for his own pleasure, but: Exodus 9:29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the Lord's. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” The point is, we obey what we fear: Abraham and the Hebrew midwives obeyed God because they feared Him Pharaoh disobeyed God because he didn’t fear Him And Saul admitted that he obeyed the people because he feared them, which really means he didn’t fear God, or at least didn’t fear God as much as he feared the people. At least he was honest about this. Reject God and Be Rejected By God 1 Samuel 15:26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” I think Samuel wouldn’t go with Saul because he was God’s representative and if God rejected Saul, then he thought he should reject him too. The word "rejected" is repeated in these verses. It occurs: Twice in the second half of verse 23: “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Twice in verse 26: “For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” The simple application is that if we keep rejecting the Word of the Lord, there can come a point when the Lord rejects us. It’s as though God says, “You won’t listen to Me. Fine. I’m done with you.” This is known as reprobation: Romans 1:23 [They] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images…24 The

Have you ever thought you could keep a sin hidden—something no one would ever find out about? That’s exactly what Achan believed in Joshua 7. He took what God had forbidden, buried it beneath his tent, and assumed it would remain secret. But what Achan tried to hide ended up destroying his family, weakening his nation, and separating him from God. The story of Achan’s hidden sin reveals a sobering truth: there is no such thing as private disobedience. Every hidden sin eventually comes to light, and the cost is always greater than we expect. Yet, this passage also reminds us of God’s mercy for those who confess and forsake their sin before it’s too late. https://youtu.be/GhLgEMyzmLo Table of contentsThe Background: Israel’s Victory and WarningHidden Sin and Defeat at AiUnrepentant Sin Prevents ProsperityAchan’s Opportunity to RepentThe Pattern of Sin: Seeing, Coveting, TakingSin Often Begins with the EyesConfess Sin Before It’s ExposedDon’t Test God to Expose Your SinSin Always Affects More Than Just the SinnerThe Tragedy and the WarningConclusion: Confess Early, Repent Fully, Walk Freely🔑 Key Takeaway Have you ever thought you could do something in private that wouldn’t affect anyone else? Maybe you told yourself, “Nobody will know, and nobody will get hurt.” That’s what Achan thought. His story in Joshua 7 is one of the most sobering in the Bible—a reminder that sin is never private, and that confession is always better than concealment. Achan’s hidden sin didn’t just destroy him; it brought defeat to his nation and death to his family. The Background: Israel’s Victory and Warning After Israel conquered Jericho—the most fortified city in Canaan—Joshua gave a clear command: Joshua 6:18“But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.” The wealth of Jericho was to be dedicated to God. But Achan disobeyed. Joshua 7:1“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan… took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.” Achan took what belonged to God and hid it under his tent. He thought no one would know—but his private rebellion brought public disaster. Hidden Sin and Defeat at Ai After their victory at Jericho, Israel attacked the small city of Ai, confident of another easy win. But instead, they were defeated—36 men died, and Israel’s courage melted away. Joshua cried out to God, asking why. The Lord answered: Joshua 7:11“Israel has sinned… They have stolen and lied and put [the devoted things] among their own belongings.” Notice: God didn’t say Achan sinned—He said Israel sinned.This shows that the sin of one person can bring suffering to many. Unrepentant Sin Prevents Prosperity God told Joshua that Israel would continue to lose until the sin was removed. This truth still applies today: unrepentant sin hinders God’s blessing. Proverbs 28:13“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Psalm 66:18“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Isaiah 59:2“Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God…” Sin cuts off our fellowship with God. Like Israel, we lose spiritual strength until the sin is confessed and removed. Unconfessed sin affects every area of life—our marriages, families, finances, work, and spiritual growth. Achan’s Opportunity to Repent God revealed the guilty man through a process—tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family—until Achan was singled out. He had multiple opportunities to repent. When Joshua commanded Israel to consecrate themselves (set themselves apart from sin), Achan should have confessed. But he stayed silent. Finally, Joshua said: Joshua 7:19“My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Confession glorifies God. Hiding sin dishonors Him. The Pattern of Sin: Seeing, Coveting, Taking When Achan finally spoke, he said: Joshua 7:20–21“I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak… and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold… then I coveted them and took them.” Notice the sequence: He saw, He coveted, He took. This pattern echoes throughout Scripture. Sin Often Begins with the Eyes Eve: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food…” (Genesis 3:6) Samson: “He saw a prostitute and went in to her.” (Judges 16:1) David: “He saw a woman bathing.” (2 Samuel 11:2) 1 John 2:16“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes—is not from the Father.” That’s why Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1).If we don’t guard what we look at, temptation will grow into sin. Confess Sin Before It’s Exposed Achan confessed only when he had no choice. This teaches us a vital truth: the best time to confess sin is before it’s exposed. God’s grace sometimes allows us to be caught, but forced confessions carry less weight. When we confess early, we protect trust and relationships—with our spouse, children, or church family. Don’t Test God to Expose Your Sin Scripture warns us not to test God (Deuteronomy 6:16). Yet when we hide sin and force God to expose it, we are doing exactly that. Numbers 32:23“Be sure your sin will find you out.” Jeremiah 16:17“My eyes are on all their ways; their iniquity is not concealed from my eyes.” If we refuse to confess, God may make our sin public, and the consequences will be far worse—just as they were for David when Nathan confronted him (2 Samuel 12:11–12). Sin Always Affects More Than Just the Sinner One of the hardest parts of Achan’s story is its apparent unfairness. Because of his hidden sin: 36 soldiers died, Israel was defeated, and Achan’s family was executed. But the lesson is clear: sin always affects others.Our secret disobedience harms our homes, our churches, and our communities. The lie we tell ourselves is, “This won’t hurt anyone.”But Joshua 7 stands as eternal proof—it always does. The Tragedy and the Warning Achan’s story is tragic not simply because he sinned—but because he waited too long to confess. He saw, coveted, took, and hid. But his sin found him out, just as God warned. The account of Achan’s hidden sin is recorded for our sake—so we will confess early and repent fully. Proverbs 28:13“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Conclusion: Confess Early, Repent Fully, Walk Freely Achan’s hidden sin reminds us that secret disobedience always destroys—first spiritually, then relationally, and finally publicly. Let’s be people who confess quickly, repent sincerely, and walk in the freedom and mercy that God offers. Because confession doesn’t just bring forgiveness—it brings restoration, peace, and renewed fellowship with the Lord. 🔑 Key Takeaway Sin is never private. Confession glorifies God. Repentance restores our relationship with Him.

In Numbers 22, Balaam said, “I have sinned,” but he never truly repented. His story is one of the clearest examples in Scripture of a person who sounded spiritual while living in disobedience. Discover how Balaam’s words expose the danger of empty confession and reveal God’s call to genuine repentance and obedience through Christ. 🎥 Watch the Sermon: https://youtu.be/9uql1s1Se-o Table of contentsBalak’s Fear and Balaam’s TemptationAsking God to Approve SinRationalizing DisobedienceLeaving the Door Open to TemptationWhen Temptation Appeals to PrideWhen Words Sound Spiritual but Hearts Are DisobedientActions Must Match WordsWhen God Allows What We DemandGod’s Perfect vs. Permissive WillA Prophet Rebuked by His DonkeyWhen Balaam Said, “I Have Sinned”The Hebrew Meaning of “Turn Back” (šûḇ)True Repentance Means Real ChangeBalaam’s False Confession vs. Jesus’ True CompassionMean It When You Say “I Have Sinned” Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m sorry,” but you knew they didn’t mean it? Maybe they were only sorry they got caught, not truly sorry for what they did. Sadly, the same thing happens spiritually. Many people say to God, “I have sinned,” but their hearts never change. Their words sound right, but their repentance isn’t real. That’s what we’ve been studying—people in Scripture who said, “I have sinned,” but never repented. We’ve already looked at Judas and Pharaoh. Today we’ll look at Balaam, a man who shows us how easy it is to sound spiritual while walking in disobedience. His story reminds us that repentance is not just what we say to God—it’s what we do in response to Him. Balak’s Fear and Balaam’s Temptation Numbers 22 introduces two main figures: Balak, king of Moab, who feared Israel after seeing their victories. Balaam, a prophet believed to have power to bless or curse. Since Balak couldn’t defeat Israel militarily, he turned to spiritual warfare—hoping Balaam could curse them. Balak represents Satan’s strategy: when he can’t destroy God’s people through force, he tempts them through compromise. Asking God to Approve Sin When Balak’s messengers offered Balaam money to curse Israel, Balaam should have refused immediately. Instead, he entertained the offer: “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” – Numbers 22:8 He asked God a question he already knew the answer to. “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.” – Genesis 12:3 Rationalizing Disobedience Balaam’s mistake is one we often repeat—asking God to bless what He’s already forbidden.We might rationalize our disobedience with questions like: “I wonder if God wants me to marry this unbeliever.” “Maybe it’s fine if I live with this person before marriage.” “Perhaps I can repay this person for what they did to me.” When we ask for permission instead of obedience, we’re not seeking God’s will—we’re resisting it. Leaving the Door Open to Temptation After God clearly said no, Balaam told the messengers: “The Lord has refused to let me go with you.” – Numbers 22:13 Notice the difference between “I won’t go” and “God won’t let me go.” One reveals conviction; the other reveals compromise. When we leave temptation unresolved, it returns stronger. Balak sent even more prestigious princes, offering greater honor and wealth. That’s how sin works—what we refuse once returns with greater appeal the next time. “Give no place to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:27“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7 If we don’t resist completely, temptation won’t flee—it will persist. When Temptation Appeals to Pride Balak’s message flattered Balaam: “I will greatly honor you and do whatever you say.” It appealed to his pride. Temptation often does. “I came out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.” – Proverbs 7:15 Flattery blinds us to danger. Balaam’s pride made him believe he was indispensable—so he entertained sin again, inviting the messengers to stay the night. “You, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” – Numbers 22:19 When God has already spoken, asking again doesn’t show faith—it shows rebellion. When Words Sound Spiritual but Hearts Are Disobedient Throughout the passage, Balaam sounds pious: “I could not go beyond the command of the Lord.”“I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” Actions Must Match Words His actions betrayed his words. Instead of sending the men away, he negotiated with temptation. This warns us that we can sound spiritual while living in sin.We might say, “I’ll pray about it,” or “I’ll see what God wants me to do,” when we already know what He’s said in His Word. When God Allows What We Demand Finally, God said, “Go with them.” But this was not approval—it was permission. Sometimes God lets us have what we insist on, not because it’s good for us, but because He allows us to experience the consequences. “God’s anger was kindled because he went.” – Numbers 22:22 God’s Perfect vs. Permissive Will Balaam moved from God’s perfect will into His permissive will, and it led to destruction. “God is not man, that He should change His mind.” – Numbers 23:19 God didn’t change His mind—He let Balaam go his own way, and it brought harm. When we push after God says no, He may let us have what we want—to our own detriment. A Prophet Rebuked by His Donkey God sent the Angel of the Lord to oppose Balaam. Ironically, the “seer” couldn’t see what his donkey saw. Three times the donkey turned aside, saving Balaam’s life, and three times Balaam struck her. Then the donkey spoke, rebuking him. It’s one of the most humbling moments in Scripture: a prophet corrected by his animal.When we persist in sin, God can use even the least expected means to confront us. When Balaam Said, “I Have Sinned” “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me.” – Numbers 22:34 This is the turning point—and the keyword of this message: Balaam I have sinned. Balaam’s confession sounded humble but was hollow. He said, “I will turn back,” yet kept going. The Hebrew Meaning of “Turn Back” (šûḇ) The Hebrew word šûḇ means “repent.” Balaam used the right word, but not the right heart. “Repent and turn away from your idols.” – Ezekiel 14:6 His repentance was driven by fear, not sorrow for sin. True Repentance Means Real Change True repentance isn’t about words—it’s about direction. Balaam confessed, but kept walking toward sin. We do the same when we say: “I’m sorry for what I said,” but plan to say it again. “I shouldn’t have looked at that,” but keep the same habits. “I’ll do better,” without any change in heart. Saying “I have sinned” only matters when we mean it enough to turn from sin. Balaam’s False Confession vs. Jesus’ True Compassion Balaam said, “I have sinned,” but never changed.Jesus took those same words upon Himself—for us. “Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9 Balaam’s greed led to judgment; Christ’s humility led to salvation.Balaam’s confession was empty; Christ’s sacrifice was full. Through Jesus, we find what Balaam never did: forgiveness, freedom, and transformation. Mean It When You Say “I Have Sinned” Saying “I have sinned” is easy. Living differently afterward proves that repentance is real. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” – Acts 3:19 Let’s not be like Balaam—confessing without changing. Instead, may we turn from sin and experience the grace and power of a God who not only forgives, but transforms.

When Pharaoh’s false repentance is compared with Abraham’s obedience, the midwives’ courage, and Moses’ intercession, we learn what genuine fear of God looks like—and why it produces obedience. We should examine ourselves because repeated unrepentance can lead to a hardened heart, just as it did with Pharaoh. https://youtu.be/a-ue7H8kTz8 Table of Contents Introduction: History and Pharaoh Judas, Pharaoh, and the Pattern of False Repentance Abraham and the Fear of God The Hebrew Midwives: Fear That Produces Obedience Pharaoh’s False Repentance: Exodus 9–10 Lessons from Pharaoh’s Repentance Fear of God Produces Obedience Practical Takeaways Introduction: History and Pharaoh In 1938, Europe stood on the brink of war. Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, a German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia. Britain had promised to defend its ally, but Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain changed his mind. Instead of supporting Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain appeased Hitler, hoping to avoid war. The Munich Agreement allowed Hitler to take the Sudetenland. Chamberlain returned to Britain declaring “peace for our time,” but the victory was hollow. Within months, Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, and a year later, Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II. Pharaoh in Exodus provides a striking biblical example of changing one’s mind wrongly. Pharaoh changed his mind 11 times—10 during the plagues and once afterward—and it ended tragically when he and his army were swallowed in the Red Sea. Judas, Pharaoh, and the Pattern of False Repentance Last week, we studied Judas’ betrayal, who said: “I have sinned,” —Matthew 27:3-5 without truly repenting. Pharaoh’s account illustrates false repentance, where words are spoken but the heart does not turn. Abraham and the Fear of God Consider Abraham in Genesis 22. God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac, yet an angel stopped him at the last moment: “Do not lay your hand on the boy…for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” —Genesis 22:12 Abraham’s obedience was rooted in his fear of God, which outweighed even his love for Isaac. James 2:23 calls Abraham a friend of God. The Hebrew Midwives: Fear That Produces Obedience In Exodus 1, Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill newborn boys: “When you serve as midwife…if it is a son, you shall kill him…But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them.” —Exodus 1:16-17 The midwives demonstrate that fear of God can outweigh fear of man, producing obedience even under life-threatening circumstances. Application Today Share the gospel despite fear of rejection. Stand against gossip or immorality even when peers oppose us. Make decisions based on God’s will, not societal pressure. Pharaoh’s False Repentance: Exodus 9–10 After seven plagues, Pharaoh finally said: “This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.” —Exodus 9:27 Pharaoh’s repentance was shallow. He wanted only the hail to stop: “Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” —Exodus 9:28 Moses immediately recognized the problem: “But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” —Exodus 9:30 Pharaoh repeated this pattern with each plague. He confessed, pleaded, even asked for forgiveness—but once relief came, he hardened his heart again (Exodus 10:20). This is a clear example of false repentance: confession motivated by fear of consequences rather than genuine sorrow. Lessons from Pharaoh’s Repentance Repenting without fear of God is temporary. Avoid minimizing your sin. Pharaoh often implied his sin was minor or isolated. Desperation alone is not true repentance. Confession must come from genuine sorrow and commitment to change. Fear of God Produces Obedience The contrast between Pharaoh and the midwives highlights a biblical truth: fear of God leads to obedience, and disobedience leads to judgment. Moses told Israel at Sinai that the fear of God prevents sin (Exodus 20:20). Deuteronomy 8:6 and Psalm 128:1 connect fearing God with keeping His commandments. Jeremiah 2:19 and 32:40 show that a lack of fear leads to idolatry and rebellion. Ecclesiastes 12:13 sums it up: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Practical Takeaways Whatever we fear most shapes our lives: Fear of man leads to compromise. Fear of God aligns our hearts and actions with His will. Pharaoh’s account serves as a warning: Avoid false repentance motivated by fear of consequences. Cultivate a healthy fear of God that produces obedience. Guard your heart against repeated disobedience that can lead to hardening, as with Pharaoh. “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else.”—Oswald Chambers

Peter wept, Judas died—but what made the difference between repentance and regret? Explore the powerful contrast between Peter and Judas, understanding how godly grief leads to repentance and salvation, while worldly grief leads to death. When Peter wept bitterly, his sorrow led him back to Christ, but when Judas experienced regret, his grief without repentance ultimately led him to destruction. Understanding the difference between repentance and regret is essential for every believer. https://youtu.be/GhpkEye1qS0 Table of contentsAn X-Ray Machine for the Heart Would Be Needed for Peter and JudasTwo Kinds of Faith and GriefPeter’s Godly Grief Produced RepentanceWorldly Grief (Unrepentance) Can Produce Multiple DeathsJudas’s Worldly Grief Produced His DeathWe Underestimate the Consequences of SinWhen Peter Pleased the LordExperiencing Regret Isn’t RepentanceWhat Made Peter Repentant But Judas Unrepentant? Earlier this year, Charis was playing in her very first and last softball game. She was running around the bases, and when she slid into home, the catcher fell on the lower half of her leg. She screamed, “I broke my leg.” Turns out she was right. One of the most common conflicts in our marriage concerns how hurt our children truly are. Katie says I always say two words: “They’re fine.” I feel like she always thinks they’re about to die. Maybe other marriages experience the same. The X-ray machine was invented on November 8, 1895. Thank God Katie and I were not married before that, because I can only imagine the arguments we would have about whether our children’s bones were broken or not. Before the advent of the X-ray machine, doctors had to rely on observation, palpation, and patient symptoms to diagnose broken bones. Can you imagine having a broken bone and the doctor wants to diagnose it by pushing on the area to see if he can find the break? An X-Ray Machine for the Heart Would Be Needed for Peter and Judas Imagine there was an X-ray machine that allowed us to look into people, not to see their bones, but to see their hearts, and in particular, whether they are repentant: Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. If I can push this analogy a little further, imagine that instead of seeing whether people had broken bones, we could see whether they had broken hearts. Without this, we are like doctors before the X-ray machine: we are forced to guess. The difficulty is that people may appear outwardly repentant without being truly repentant inwardly. Let me illustrate this by asking who I’m describing below: A well-known man received one of the most unique opportunities in all of history when Jesus asked him to become one of the twelve disciples. In accepting the invitation, he was able to be with the Son of God day and night. He became a student of the world’s greatest Teacher. When Jesus’ enemies tried to trap Him with penetrating questions, he heard Jesus’ profound theological answers. He saw miracles that showed Jesus’s authority over death, nature, demons, and disease. Jesus gave him some of the same divine power to cast out demons and perform miracles that Jesus Himself used. This man witnessed Jesus’ love, grace, and mercy firsthand. But after experiencing all this, only hours before Jesus’s crucifixion, he betrayed Jesus in a strong, convincing way. Then he felt great sorrow. If you say Judas, you are right. If you say Peter, you are right. Judas betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders for money. Peter denied knowing Jesus to save himself. Is there much difference between betraying Jesus and denying Him? Not really! And they were both really grieved about it later. In fact, I would argue that Judas looked even more grieved than Peter. So here’s the critical question: how could a man be as grieved as Judas, yet remain unrepentant? The answer is in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10: 2 Corinthians 7:8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter (referring to Paul’s previous letter that we know as 1 Corinthians), I do not regret itthough I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. First Corinthians is essentially a corrective letter, which is why it would grieve them. Paul’s words seem contradictory: he says he does not regret his letter, even though he did regret his letter. If you’re a parent, you understand this. We love our children, so when we correct them, we regret it because it’s unpleasant or even painful for us. Think of the classic line: “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” But we don’t regret it because we know it’s best for them and will help them grow. 2 Corinthians 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. Paul is rejoicing, not because he grieved them, but because that grief produced repentance. Two Kinds of Faith and Grief Understanding God’s word often involves seeing things differently than the world sees them. For example, James 2:14-26 discusses two kinds of faith. Without this passage, I’d probably think there’s only one kind of faith: you either believe or you don’t. But this passage teaches there is living faith and dead faith, and there are examples for each: Abraham and Rahab’s faith was shown to be living by their works: Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, and Rahab was willing to hide the spies. They wouldn’t have done these things if their faith was dead. Individuals with dead faith are demons. James 2:19 says, “demons believe and shudder.” They have faith, but no works, demonstrating that their faith is dead. Similarly, just as there are two types of faith, there are also two types of grief. If I didn’t know this passage in 2 Corinthians 7, I would think there’s just one kind of grief. Something bad happens, you grieve, and that’s it. But look at the next verse to see the two types of grief: 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. Just like living faith and dead faith couldn’t be more opposite of each other, godly grief and worldly grief couldn’t be more opposite of each other: Peter’s Godly Grief Produced Repentance Godly grief is grief over the sin that’s committed. It’s grief from recognizing that our sin was against God. As David said: Psalm 51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Even when we sin against others, godly grief knows that our sin was ultimately against God. When we experience godly grief, we confess our sin rather than hide it or make excuses for it. We desire victory, and as the verse says, all of this leads to repentance. And this is the grief Peter experienced: Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation because true repentance always means turning from our sin to the Lord. Think about the prodigal son, one of the premier examples of repentance in Scripture, and where he turned when he repented: Luke 15:17 “When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Peter wept bitterly when Jesus made eye contact with him after he denied Him three times. We know Peter experienced godly grief because we know the rest of the story: he preaches an incredible sermon on Pentecost, becomes a pillar in the early church, and writes the letters bearing his name. However, if we didn’t know anything other than that Peter wept, we can’t say whether his grief was godly or worldly. In other words, we can’t say if he turned to the Lord or not. But the next time Peter sees Jesus, we are given a beautiful description of Peter turning toward Him. Peter is fishing, he realizes Jesus is on the shore, and we read: John 21:7 That disciple whom Jesus loved (this is John; apparently, when you write your own gospel, you can refer to yourself however you want, and John wanted to sound like Jesus’s favorite) therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. Talk about turning to the Lord: Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. He left the other disciples to bring in the boat and a net full of fish, which was over 100 yards away. This is what godly grief produces: repentance that turns toward the Lord. It’s easy to see why Paul says this grief is never regretted: we don’t regret the salvation it produces, the forgiveness it produces, or the changed life it produces. Nobody ever experiences godly grief, repents, then looks back and says, “You know, I really miss when I was caught up in that sin that was ruining my life, marriage, family, or job.” Worldly Grief (Unrepentance) Can Produce Multiple Deaths Worldly grief is grief over the consequences of one's actions. This is the grief when: the verdict is read, and the defendant starts sobbing people lose their jobs or get a speeding ticket children learn they are going to be spanked or grounded If you’re a parent, you know you're always trying to figure out which grief you’re seeing from your children: is it godly grief over their sin, or worldly grief over the consequences? It’s difficult to tell because they look so similar. Because worldly grief does not produce repentance, there’s no redemptive or salvific value. In other words, there’s no spiritual benefit. John MacArthur wrote, “It is nothing more than wounded pride of getting caught in a sin and having one’s lu

Peter wept bitterly because God turned his failure into repentance. Explore why Peter wept bitterly (Luke 22:61–62). A single, providential look from Jesus pierced his heart, and brokenness became the path to restoration (Psalm 51:17; John 21). If you’ve failed publicly or privately, there is hope: the same Savior who saw Peter sees you. Peter wept bitterly—and grace met him there. https://youtu.be/RgcgFxbg4AM Table of contentsWe're All Unrecognizable At TimesWhen Peter Was UnrecognizableGod Works Providentially in Our Lives to Produce RepentanceTwo Examples of God’s Providence in ScripturePeter Wept Bitterly Because of God’s ProvidenceWhen Peter Wept Bitterly, God Was Pleased With His Broken and Contrite HeartOur Greatest Ministry Might Be After Our Greatest FailureTwo Encouragements from When Peter Bitterly I know some people can’t watch scary movies. Whenever there’s a scary part, they look away or put their hands over their eyes. My father-in-law, Rick, has a similar problem, but with movies with awkward scenes. When people are embarrassing themselves really badly, he can’t watch. I learned this years ago when we were watching Mrs. Doubtfire at his house in Northern California, where Katie and I grew up. In the movie, Robin Williams loses custody of his children. Desperate to spend more time with them, he disguises himself as an elderly British nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire so he can be hired to care for them. At one moment in the movie, his prosthetic mask slips off, revealing his identity to his ex-wife and children. It’s humiliating, and when I looked over at my father-in-law on the couch, he had his hands over his face and said he couldn’t watch. There’s a moment from David’s life that my father-in-law wouldn’t be able to watch because it’s so embarrassing. David was fleeing from Saul. No place in Israel felt safe, so he chose to hide in enemy territory with the Philistines, where he knew Saul wouldn’t chase after him: 1 Samuel 21:10 David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” Gath is one of the Philistines’ principal cities, where Goliath was from. This was the song they sang about David, and the ten thousands he defeated were Philistines. So it didn’t take long for them to recognize him. 1 Samuel 21:12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. David is understandably afraid they’re going to kill him. This is the moment my father-in-law has to look away. He started clawing at the doors of the gates, acting like a madman, letting drool run down his beard. In Scripture, there are examples of people suffering or being punished, but in terms of sheer embarrassment, I don’t think anything beats this account. We're All Unrecognizable At Times A few chapters later, Nabal, the fool, cut the beards of David’s men. David was so angry that he went to kill him. You say, “Wow, he wanted to kill someone for cutting his men’s beards?” In the ancient Middle East, a man’s strength and dignity were often associated with his beard. Drooling in one’s beard was considered a horrible indignity, but that’s how desperate David was. It worked: 1 Samuel 21:14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” It was taboo to afflict crazy people because others believed God had already afflicted the person, and man shouldn’t intervene in God’s judgment. David was so convincing that Achish sent him away. How do you think David knew how to imitate a madman so well? From watching Saul’s incoherent ramblings and demonically tormented behavior. One of the ironies of this account is that David is fleeing from Saul, but at this moment, there’s nobody in the whole world he looks as much like as Saul. Now, I almost feel like I need to remind you: David was the man after God’s own heart, one of the greatest titles ever given to anyone; he was the man who killed Goliath; he was the leader of the greatest soldiers in Scripture. They’re called David’s Mighty Men; he was the best king in the Old Testament, who all other kings were compared to: they were said to be good if they were like David and bad if they were unlike David, and he was the man the Messiah was named after: the Son of David. But right now he’s clawing on a door, pushing a bunch of spit out of his mouth into his beard. We’re all unrecognizable at times. When Peter Was Unrecognizable Peter denied Christ three times. The first two denials were to servant girls. The second denial involved an oath. The third denial, Peter started swearing and invoking curses on himself if he were lying. Peter looked unrecognizable. It would have been hard to watch. My father-in-law would’ve had to put his hands over his face. But there’s more to the story. Here’s the context. Jesus was arrested in the garden, and then his trials began: three Jewish ones followed by three Roman ones. Peter’s denials occurred during Jesus’s second trial before Caiaphas, the high priest. While Jesus was inside Caiaphas’s house being spat on and beaten, Peter was outside in the courtyard denying Jesus. Let’s pick up at Luke 22:60 with Peter’s third denial for context: Luke 22:60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. God Works Providentially in Our Lives to Produce Repentance Let’s ensure we understand the concept of providence, or what I mean when I say God works providentially, as people often confuse this with miracles or the supernatural. A miracle is when something supernatural occurs, or when the natural order is disrupted. For example: Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone from heaven The plagues are unleashed on Egypt Daniel survives in the fiery furnace Jesus turns water into wine, walks on water, and calms the storm Tongues of flame appear above people’s heads on Pentecost Eutychus falls from a window, and Paul raises him to life These are miracles, but they’re not God’s providence. Providence is when God works through the natural. Here are a few examples of what it could look like: Someone calls us at just the right time, or we feel burdened to call someone, we do, and they say we called them at just the right time We are struggling, we read God’s Word, and receive the encouragement we need We need wisdom, we pray, and God directs our steps Maybe you’ve heard Pastor Nathan tell the story of the time the check in the mail came right when they needed it We didn’t get the job or house we wanted, but we look back later and recognize God gave us the house or job we’re supposed to have These are not miracles, but they can be ways God works providentially in our lives. Two Examples of God’s Providence in Scripture We finished reading the book of Acts as a family and started reading Ezra. God wanted the temple rebuilt in the Promised Land, and He stirred up people to accomplish that. He stirred up Cyrus, king of Persia, to send the Jews back to their land, and He stirred up the Jews to do the rebuilding: Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing…5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. There’s nothing miraculous about God’s this, but it does demonstrate His providence. Earlier, I mentioned the first time David fled to the Philistines. Believe it or not, David actually fled to the Philistines a second time in 1 Samuel 27, and I think it contains a good example of God’s providence and David’s life. David pretended to join the Philistines, so when they were about to go to battle against Israel, they expected him to be one of their top generals. Since David was anointed to become the next king of Israel, he couldn’t fight against his own people, but he also couldn’t reveal to the Philistines that he had been deceiving them without risking his life and his men's. So, what should he do? I don’t think there was anything David could do, but God providentially intervened. One of the Philistine generals said, “We can’t bring David out to battle with us, because he might turn against us and join the Israelites.” So they sent him home. This wasn’t a miracle, but it looks like God’s providence. When our children get caught sinning, we want them to see it as an example of God’s providence. We tell them, “God loves you so much He wouldn’t let you get away with this. He made sure you got caught so you would repent and grow from this.” I don’t know what will bring repentance into someone’s life, but I know God does. So, when I pray for people’s repentance, I often ask God to providentially bring into their lives whatever is necessary to lead to repentance. And I mentioned all this, because we see a dramatic example of God providentially working in Peter’s life to produce his repe

When Peter denies Christ, Scripture exposes a sober path from pride to prayerlessness, to rash self-confidence, and finally to denial. Learn how Peter's three denials of Christ become a gracious warning for every disciple—so we “watch and pray” instead of falling. Drawing from the text and historical context, we can trace sin's downward spiral. https://youtu.be/cerQpiF4JGI Table of contentsThe Groundwork Is Laid Before The Sin Is Committed.Four Ways the Groundwork for Peter’s Denials Was LaidFirst, Peter Denies Christ Because He Ignored Jesus’s Warning.Second, Peter Denies Christ Because He Was ProudThird, Peter Denies Christ Because He Failed To Pray.Fourth, Peter Denies Christ Because He Acted RecklesslyThe Context for Peter’s DenialsSin Often Begets Worse SinPeter’s Example Should Make Us Sober, Not ProudFour Ways to Learn from PeterFirst, Peter didn’t listen to Jesus.Second, Peter was proud.Third, Peter was self-deceived.Fourth, Peter was unprepared. Soon after I became a Christian, I started reading the Bible regularly. The approach I took was to read a book in the Old Testament and then a book in the New Testament: Genesis, Matthew, Exodus, Mark, Leviticus, Luke. But then something happened: my friend Elwyn said, “Have you read about David?” I didn’t even know where to look for information about David. He told me I had to read 1 and 2 Samuel. I trusted Elwyn, so I interrupted my Bible reading plan and began these two books. I reached 2 Samuel 11 when David committed adultery and murder, and I didn’t think I was reading about David anymore. I wondered who the imposter was. David hadn’t been perfect up to that point, but I sure didn’t think he was capable of these horrible sins. As I reread accounts of David over the years, I saw the groundwork for his adultery. By the time David saw Bathsheba, he already had about twenty wives and concubines. There was no way this sort of compromise wouldn’t catch up to him. He was so used to taking women that didn’t belong to him that by the time he saw Bathsheba, she was just one more woman in that long list. David's practice of taking multiple wives demonstrated a lack of restraint and an indulgence of his passions. Staying home from the battle just provided the opportunity for David’s indulgence to reveal itself. The Groundwork Is Laid Before The Sin Is Committed. Was there any groundwork for David’s sin of murder? No. I would say it was the opposite. David repeatedly resisted the urge to murder Saul, even when it seemed he should. When Saul was in the cave: 1 Samuel 24:4 [David’s men] said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” And it did seem that God had delivered Saul into David’s hands. But David restrained himself. When David snuck into Saul’s camp: 1 Samuel 26:8 Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” Again, it seemed that God had delivered Saul into David’s hands. But David restrained Abishai. So, how do we explain David murdering Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah? David didn’t murder Uriah because he was a bloodthirsty man who couldn’t control himself, despite what Shimei said when he was throwing rocks and insults at David (2 Samuel 16:5-13). Instead, David murdered Uriah because Bathsheba was pregnant and he wanted to hide his adultery. His sin had gotten so far out of hand that he didn’t want to turn back. The groundwork for David’s sin of murder was laid when he was committing adultery. Here’s another example with the foolish young man who committed adultery with the harlot: Proverbs 7:8 [the foolish young man] passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. 10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. You can’t miss the groundwork. First, he went to her corner, then he took the road to her house, and he did this at night when he thought nobody would see him. Four Ways the Groundwork for Peter’s Denials Was Laid And Peter’s denials are similar to David's in two ways. First, we can see the groundwork for Peter’s sin just like we could see the groundwork for David’s sin. Second, Peter’s sin got so far out of hand that he didn’t want to turn back. He started with a simple denial, but then began swearing oaths and cursing himself. I’m stressing this because it isn’t only important to know that Peter denied Jesus. It is also essential to understand how it happened. First, Peter Denies Christ Because He Ignored Jesus’s Warning. Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew Peter was about to be tested, so He graciously warned him. He even reverted to using Peter’s former name, “Simon,” to remind him of his old nature and repeated it. But Peter didn’t take Jesus’s warning seriously: Luke 21:33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Not the humble response we would hope for. Instead of acknowledging his weakness and expressing gratitude toward Jesus for warning him and praying on his behalf, he makes this declaration. Second, Peter Denies Christ Because He Was Proud Luke 21:34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” It isn’t recorded in Luke’s gospel, but consider how Peter responded to Jesus telling him he would deny Him: Matthew 26:34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” Talk about pride, he disagreed with Jesus. Jesus says, “You will deny me three times.” Peter says, “No. That will never happen. You’re wrong.” There was no talking to Peter. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. Peter had good intentions, but good intentions are not the same as actions. He was boastful, but boasting is not the same as being bold. Peter’s pride proved only to be folly, not faithfulness. His devotion to Christ that he boasted about was little more than sheer emotion. It reminds me of people being fired up at a religious event, declaring they're going to spend the rest of their lives serving Christ, only to return to their previous lives weeks later when the emotion wears off. Third, Peter Denies Christ Because He Failed To Pray. Jesus brought Peter, James, and John with him into the garden of Gethsemane to pray. However, because Peter was so overconfident, he fell asleep instead. Consider the way it’s worded in the parallel account in Matthew’s gospel: Matthew 26:40 [Jesus] came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Jesus singled out Peter, perhaps because he was the leader of the group, or maybe because he had more reason to pray than anyone else: he’s the one Jesus said Satan wanted to sift like wheat. Whatever the case, it was worse when Peter fell asleep, and this happened three times. Jesus and Peter both faced trials: Jesus' trial was the cross, and Peter’s trial was the temptation to deny Christ. But consider how oppositely they approached their trials: Jesus prayed throughout the night with such intensity that blood vessels burst in His forehead and He sweated drops of blood. Peter fell asleep, was rebuked for sleeping, fell asleep again, was rebuked for sleeping again, and fell asleep again. Fourth, Peter Denies Christ Because He Acted Recklessly How many times had Jesus been able to evade being arrested when that wasn’t what He wanted? People repeatedly tried to lay hands on Him, but He was always able to escape. Second, how many times had Jesus told the disciples that He had to be arrested and even killed? At least three recorded times just in Luke’s gospel. In fact, the strongest rebuke Jesus gave any of the disciples was given to Peter after Jesus said He must be killed, but Peter decided to rebuke Him: Matthew 16:21 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” If Peter had shown some humility and patience, he could have reflected on the rebuke he received earlier and all the teachings from Jesus that He was supposed to be arrested and killed. But instead, the mob comes to arrest Jesus, and: Luke 22:49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” Without even waiting for an answer from Jesus, Peter leapt forward and used his sword. Why do you think Peter behaved in this manner? His pride! It is no wonder he wouldn’t wait for an answer from the Lord. It was impulsive and reckless. Wisdom dictates that the only right thing to do is follow Christ’s lead, but Peter will do what he thinks is best. There’s been a string of blunders from Peter leading up to his denials, and it all begins with his pride. It should actually be more surprising if Peter did not deny Jesus, given the groundwork we see. The Context for Peter’s Denials ...

Jesus faced the power of darkness at Gethsemane—Judas’s betrayal, the arrest, and the cosmic clash of light vs. darkness—while showing that the power of darkness is limited to an “hour” under God’s sovereign plan. https://youtu.be/6cCpZlgUQIg Table of contentsLight and Darkness Are Metaphors for Good and EvilJudas Went Out When “It Was Night”Jesus Knew the Hour of Darkness Was ComingA High Priest Who Sympathizes with BetrayalJesus’s Kindness to His BetrayerChoosing the Physical Over the SpiritualActing Hastily Often Causes ProblemsMisdirected Zeal with Peter, Josiah, and Maybe UsJesus’s ComposureJesus’s Rebuke to the Religious LeadersThe Power of Darkness Is When Satan “Bruises Jesus’s Heel”The Power of Darkness Is Limited to One Hour Growing up, I read The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. If you asked most people about popular fiction books with Christian themes, they would likely point to these stories. They are classic tales of good versus evil. One thing I appreciate about them is that good always looks good, and evil always looks evil. You never have to guess who the good guys and bad guys are. Even when a good character like Boromir, in a moment of weakness, tries to take the ring from Frodo, or when Edmund denies Narnia’s existence to Peter and Susan to hide his relationship with the White Witch, their actions seem wrong. But I don’t think most media portrays this well, with sins like fornication and violence often being celebrated. When Judas betrayed Jesus, there was no mistaking the distinction between good and evil. Ultimately, Jesus describes the people’s actions as "the power of darkness.” Light and Darkness Are Metaphors for Good and Evil Many verses in the Bible teach that light and darkness are metaphors for good and evil. Here are a few examples: Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness! Darkness is associated with evil, while light is associated with good. John 3:19 The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. People don’t reject Jesus because they don’t believe in Him. They reject Him, the light of the world, because they love darkness, referring to their sins, more than Him. Acts 26:18 Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.’ Paul associated salvation with turning from darkness to light. Romans 13:12 Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Again, darkness is used as a metaphor for evil, and light is employed as a metaphor for righteousness.1 I could provide more examples, but you get the picture. Judas Went Out When “It Was Night” This is the Last Supper, just hours before Jesus' arrest. There’s a detail that’s only found in John’s Gospel: John 13:27 Then after he (referring to Judas) had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”...30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he (Judas) immediately went out. And it was night. There are seven instances of demon possession in the Gospels, but this is the only instance of Satan entering someone. The phrase “It was night” isn’t just a description of when this happened physically. It is a description of what is happened spiritually: darkness has come. Many commentaries make this point. Here are a few: The Moody Bible Commentary: “Darkness had descended both literally and symbolically.”2 John MacArthur: “It was the hour for Judas to be handed over completely to the power of darkness.”3 The Berean Study Bible: “The mention of 'night' is not merely a time indicator but carries deep symbolic meaning…night represents spiritual darkness and evil. Judas's departure into the night underscores his alignment with darkness.” Before Judas left the Last Supper, he had already agreed with the chief priests to turn Jesus over to them for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus Knew the Hour of Darkness Was Coming Jesus has been praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, but as we know from the last sermon, the three disciples He brought with Him—Peter, James, and John—kept falling asleep: Luke 22:45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Jesus was not talking about a literal hour. The hour represents the time from Jesus’s betrayal through His crucifixion, when literal darkness, representing spiritual darkness, covered the land: Luke 23:44 There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, This hour of darkness has been a recurring theme in the Gospels: John 7:30 They were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. John 8:20 He taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. Mark 14:35 [Jesus] fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him…41 [Jesus] said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.4 In Luke’s gospel, Jesus prayed the cup would pass from Him, but Mark emphasized the hour. A High Priest Who Sympathizes with Betrayal The hour had finally come, and Jesus said it began when Judas betrayed Him: Luke 22:47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, Judas “was leading them.” Betrayal is the most painful when it comes from someone close to us, and that’s what Jesus experienced. We all experience betrayal on this side of heaven, and we can be encouraged to bring our hurt to our Great High Priest because He can sympathize with us. Luke 22:48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” It isn’t recorded in Luke’s gospel, but from Matthew and Mark we know Judas used this kiss as a sign to the crowd to identify Jesus: Matthew 26:48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” Why did Judas have to identify Jesus, even though He was famous? First, this shows how much He looked like an ordinary Jewish man, unlike all the pictures we see of Him. Second, it was late at night, and in the darkness, it would have taken someone close to Jesus to distinguish Him from the others. Judas’s kiss was the most hypocritical act in human history. In that culture, a kiss was a sign of respect and affection, but Judas perverted it into an instrument of treachery and betrayal. Even Jesus drew attention to Judas’s evil by pointing out that he was betraying Him with a kiss. Also, we would expect Jesus to say, “Judas, would you betray Me with a kiss?” But He said, “The Son of Man.” I can’t say for sure why Jesus did this, but I suspect that He wanted to communicate to Judas the seriousness of his wickedness. The Son of Man is one of the strongest messianic titles: Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man (referring to Jesus), and he came to the Ancient of Days (referring to God the Father)…14 And to [the Son of Man] was given dominion and glory and a kingdom…which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. These verses reveal Jesus’s divine power and authority. It’s like Jesus said, “You’re betraying the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who has a kingdom that will never end. Horrible idea.” Jesus’s Kindness to His Betrayer Does Jesus’s statement seem harsh or kind? Considering Judas is committing the evilest act in all of human history against Jesus, I think He spoke kindly to him. And it wasn’t just Jesus’s kindness to Judas at this moment: John 6:64 Jesus knew from the beginning…who it was who would betray him. Jesus always knew Judas would betray Him. Luke 22:22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this. We would expect the disciples to point to Judas. The disciples didn’t think Judas was the betrayer for two reasons: first, because of Judas’s ability to conceal his wickedness. But also because of how Jesus must have treated him. Jesus must have shown Judas the same love, kindness, and attention that he showed the other eleven disciples. That is incredibly convicting to me! Can we be so kind to people who mistreat or betray us? Choosing the Physical Over the Spiritual The rest of the disciples didn’t want to respond as kindly as Jesus: Luke 22:49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” The disciples remembered, but misunderstood Jesus' words from earlier when He told them they would need swords: Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.” So now they ask if it’s the time to use their two swords. But Jesus was telling them to prepare for spiritual warfare, not physical combat. They were not willing to pray earlier when they should have, but now they’re eager to resort to violence. They reveal the common human tendency to prefer physical solutions over spiritual ones. We want to rely on ourselves instead of relying on God....

Jesus as the Last Adam is one of the most powerful truths in Scripture, as Christ came to save us from the consequences of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden. Unpack Jesus as the Last Adam from 1 Corinthians 15:45, Romans 5:12-20, and Luke 22:42–43, learning how the obedience of Christ brought redemption where the first Adam brought sin and death. https://youtu.be/Tyi-1PlNKgE Table of contentsJesus Is the Last AdamThe Last Adam Had to Resist the DevilGod’s Wrath Builds Up Against UsThe Last Adam’s Agony in the Garden of GethsemaneThe Last Adam Had to Consume God’s WrathThe Last Adam Wanted Us to Know There’s No Other Way for Man to Be SavedJesus Drinks the Cup of God's Wrath for Us or We Drink It We forget things, so it’s good to be reminded. That’s why, throughout the New Testament, we are reminded of spiritual truths. Here are two examples of many I could give you: 1 Corinthians 15:1 I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand. Paul wanted to remind us of the gospel, which I don’t think we could be reminded of too many times. 2 Peter 1:12 I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. Peter’s referring to the qualities he mentioned earlier: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Then he says: 2 Peter 1:13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder. As long as Peter’s alive, he’s going to keep reminding believers. So, when I preach, I like reminding people of truths that they’ve heard many times before. It is a joy for me to be reminded of truths in my studying, and then to remind people of them when I preach. But I also hope to help people see new things they haven’t seen before. This is one of my other joys when studying. Helping people see new things in the Gospels can be difficult because they are the most familiar area of Scripture. And beyond that, Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is one of the most familiar accounts in the Gospels. But there is something deep and powerful in this account that I hope prevents people from reading this account the same way. It requires looking past Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane to the first Adam in the garden of Eden. That’s where this account truly begins. Jesus Is the Last Adam Jesus has over 200 names in Scripture. We know Him as the Son of God, Son of Man, Lamb of God, and Prince of Peace. But a lesser-known title is the Last Adam: 1 Corinthians 15:45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam (referring to Jesus) became a life-giving spirit…47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man (referring to Jesus) is from heaven. The clearest passage contrasting Jesus and Adam is in Romans 5: Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Adam is a type of Jesus. For something to serve as a type of Christ, it must look like Christ. You might be quick to say, “Then how could Adam serve as a type of Christ because Adam looks like the opposite of Christ?” But there are many ways Adam serves as a dramatic type of Christ: Adam and Jesus were the only two people in all of human history created without a sinful nature; they are the only ones to enter the world sinlessly. Adam is the head of all humanity, and Jesus, as the head of the church, is the head of all redeemed humanity. They both affected humanity more than everyone else – past, present, and future – combined: Adam brought death into the world for all people descended from him, and Jesus brought eternal life into the world for all people who believe in Him. Jesus's salvation is contrasted with Adam's sin: Romans 5:15 But the free gift (Jesus’s free gift of salvation) is not like the trespass (Adam’s sin). For if many died through one man's trespass (Adam’s sin), much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift (eternal salvation) is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass (Adam’s sin) brought condemnation, but the free gift (of salvation) following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass (Adam’s sin), death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. The word free was repeated five times, revealing another similarity between Adam and Jesus: Adam gave us death for free (when you get to heaven, you can thank him for it), and Jesus gives us salvation for free. Romans 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners (this refers to the sin natures we received from Adam… something else you can thank him for), so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Adam and Jesus both imputed something to us: Adam’s sin nature is imputed to us, and Jesus’s righteousness can be imputed to us by grace through faith Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, The phrase all the more reveals one of the most important themes in these verses: Jesus did more than Adam. Because Adam had such an effect on the human race, we might be tempted to see him as Jesus’s equal. But Paul wants us to know that what Jesus did was much greater, which is repeated throughout the account: Romans 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation…15 If many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many…17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. So, yes, Adam affected mankind, but Jesus affected mankind in an even greater way. It’s not minimizing what Adam did; it maximizes what Jesus accomplished. The Last Adam Had to Resist the Devil Jesus isn’t called the Last Adam only because Adam serves as a type of Him. Instead, Jesus is called the Last Adam because He came to save us from the consequences of the first Adam's trespass. To do that, Jesus had to be victorious where the first Adam failed. Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. Before Jesus did anything else, He went right from being baptized to going out into the wilderness to take on the devil. And Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness resembles Adam’s temptation in the Garden: 1 John 2:16 All that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. This verse looks back to Adam’s temptation: Genesis 3:6 the tree was good for food (the desires of the flesh), and that it was a delight to the eyes (the desires of the eyes), and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life), This is how Jesus was tempted, too: Satan said, “Command this stone to become bread,” the desires of the flesh; they were both tempted to eat what they shouldn’t. Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world: the desires of the eyes Satan told Jesus to throw Himself down, and the angels would catch Him: the pride of life But although their temptations are similar, there are also differences. Adam was tempted once and gave in, but Jesus was tempted and resisted for 40 days. Adam’s temptation occurred in the most ideal circumstances imaginable, but Jesus’ temptation took place under the most unpleasant conditions: Adam was in a Garden called Paradise: beautiful, perfect, and untouched by The Fall. It’s almost hard to believe Adam could desire anything else, but Jesus was in a barren, desolate wilderness. Genesis 3:8 describes the Garden having a nice, cool breeze, but the Judean desert averages one inch of rain per year and reaches temperatures of 120-125 degrees. Adam was with his wife, but Jesus was utterly alone. Sort of. Mark 1:13 says, “[Jesus] was with the wild animals.” This is another contrast, because Adam was surrounded by animals that weren’t wild since they hadn’t yet been affected by The Fall. Adam had all the other trees in the Garden to eat from, so he was satisfied and healthy, but Jesus went without food for 40 days and was utterly exhausted, close to death. But Jesus triumphed despite all these differences that made His temptations far worse than Adam’s. God’s Wrath Builds Up Against Us Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. God’s wrath is against all sin. Romans 5:12 sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. ...

Spiritual warfare is not just a concept—it’s a daily reality for every believer. Unpack why Jesus instructed His disciples to carry swords, revealing deep biblical truths about preparing for spiritual warfare in a hostile world. Through Luke 22:37-38, we learn that spiritual warfare requires discernment, courage, and readiness—not physical weapons, but the armor of God. Spiritual warfare is not about attacking people but standing firm against the enemy’s schemes with the right weapons, such as prayer, God’s Word, and fellowship. https://youtu.be/DBkrSarLOck Table of contentsThe Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareNew Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament ContextJesus’s Followers Must Expect To Be Treated Like HimJesus’s Listeners Often Mistook The Spiritual For The PhysicalThe Disciples Mistook Spiritual Preparation for Physical PreparationThe Disciples' Problems Caused by Misunderstanding Jesus’s Words about Spiritual WarfareThe Irony with Peter and UsJesus Wants His Disciples To Prepare For Spiritual Warfare.Two Questions We Should Ask Ourselves The saying, “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight,” originated in the American West during the late 19th century, when people carried guns for protection, and disputes were often settled with duels. Today, the phrase has become a figure of speech to describe someone being ill-equipped or unprepared to handle a difficult challenge or task. We could adapt the saying for the disciples: “Don’t bring a physical sword to a spiritual fight.” They misunderstood Jesus’s words. He wanted them to prepare for spiritual warfare, but they thought He wanted them to prepare for physical combat. The Context for Jesus’s Words about Spiritual Warfare Jesus just celebrated the Last Supper with the disciples. He’s about to leave the upper room and head to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will pray and be arrested, and He wants them to know that after that happens, things will change for them dramatically: Luke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” This refers to when Jesus earlier sent out the disciples to preach the kingdom of God when Jesus was at the height of His popularity. The disciples were His royal ambassadors preaching the kingdom for the King of Kings. Everyone loved them because everyone loved Jesus. Things were going to go so well for the disciples that they didn’t need to bring a moneybag, knapsack, or sandals. They could rely on people’s generosity and hospitality. But after the cross, things were going to be very different: Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. This is a radical shift. The kindness and generosity the disciples knew would be replaced with cold looks, opposition, and persecution. They were previously welcomed into people’s homes, but now they would be pilgrims traveling in a hostile world. The obvious question is, why such a dramatic change in the disciples’ treatment? Jesus tells us in the following verse: Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” This is a quote from Isaiah 53:12. New Testament Authors Don’t Ignore Old Testament Context There is a tendency to think that when an Old Testament verse is quoted in the New Testament, the context doesn’t matter. The New Testament author quoted the Old Testament verse simply because it captured what he was trying to say. The problem with this is that it would mean the New Testament author is violating one of the primary rules of Bible interpretation: consider the context. The truth is that God quotes Old Testament verses because of their context. So, why would Jesus quote Isaiah 53:12 to the disciples at this moment? We can answer this by thinking of the context for Isaiah 53:12. The chapter is primarily about the Messiah’s rejection and suffering: Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Verses 4-6 are about His substitutionary atonement. Then we read: Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. There are verses in Isaiah 53 about God the Father afflicting Jesus, but this verse is about Him being afflicted by man; specifically, His trials are in view. And here’s the part that Jesus quoted: Isaiah 53:12b He [referring to Himself] was numbered with the transgressors; Why did Jesus choose this specific phrase? The answer is contained in the word transgressors. Jesus was viewed as a criminal, so much so that He experienced criminals’ trials, a criminal's death – crucifixion - and He was murdered between two notorious criminals. There’s no way He could look more like a criminal. Jesus’s Followers Must Expect To Be Treated Like Him If Jesus is viewed as a criminal, who else will be viewed as criminals? The disciples. Criminals have accomplices, and the disciples will be viewed as Jesus’s accomplices. It’s like Jesus said, “If they arrest Me, they will arrest you too. If they treat me like a common criminal, they will treat you like a common criminal.” We’ve been reading through Acts as a family, and it's pretty much a record of the apostles being treated like criminals. Consider these times Jesus told His disciples to expect to be treated like Him: Matthew 10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. “If they say I’m the devil, how do you expect them to treat those following Me?” John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” “You don’t get to be treated better than Me. Expect the world to treat you like it treated Me.” Jesus’s Listeners Often Mistook The Spiritual For The Physical Before reading the disciples’ response, I want to set you up to interpret it correctly because it’s one of the most misinterpreted verses in the Gospels. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that Jesus was probably the most misunderstood Person in all of human history. And the most common way He was misunderstood is that He was speaking spiritually, but people thought He was speaking physically. Consider just a few examples from John’s Gospel: John 2:18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Jesus was referring to His resurrection on the third day, but because they interpreted His words physically instead of spiritually, they thought He was referring to the temple. John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus was talking about spiritual birth, but Nicodemus thought he was talking about physical birth. John 4:13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” Jesus was talking about spiritual water that leads to eternal life, but the Samaritan woman thought He was referring to physical water from the well, which satisfies physical thirst. John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus was referring to people consuming Him spiritually, but because they interpreted His words physically, they thought He wanted them to become cannibals. The Disciples Mistook Spiritual Preparation for Physical Preparation Jesus was often speaking spiritually, but He was interpreted physically, and that’s precisely what happened in Luke 22:38: Luke 22:38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.” Because they misunderstood Him, they took a private inventory of what they had available and said, “Here you go. We’ve got two swords.” Consider these commentaries’ explanations: The Pulpit Commentary explains the verse: “Of course, the advice as to the sword was not meant to be taken literally. It was one of those metaphors the Lord used so often in his teaching.” Warren Wiersbe wrote, “[The disciples’] words, ‘here are two swords!’ Must have grieved the Lord, for they indicated that the disciples had missed the meaning of His words....

Unpack some of Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples to live as pilgrims in hostile environments. As the world grows increasingly resistant to the Gospel, Christians today must understand their true citizenship and mission. From being royal ambassadors during Christ’s ministry to becoming pilgrims in hostile environments after His crucifixion, the disciples’ journey mirrors our own. https://youtu.be/WDss9AeVwik Table of contentsFrom Genesis to Malachi, the Gospel was, “The Messiah is coming!”From Matthew to John, the Gospel was, “The Kingdom has come!”From Matthew to John, Jesus’ Disciples Were Royal Ambassadors In Welcoming EnvironmentsFrom Acts on the Gospel is Christ CrucifiedFrom Acts On Jesus’ Disciples Are Pilgrims In Hostile EnvironmentsOur Heavenly CitizenshipWhat Is Commendable About the Faith of Those in Hebrews 11?We Must Be Born Again When I was growing up, my parents made me feel thankful to be an American. It usually took place at the dinner table when they wanted me to finish my food. They would encourage me to eat by telling me how children in other countries didn’t have the same blessings, and I guess at that moment, the blessings I was supposed to be thankful for were peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus. There are few people who, if asked where they would want to live, would say a country other than the United States. But no matter how good American citizenship is, we will see in some of Jesus’s last words to His disciples that He didn’t want any of His followers to see themselves as citizens of any earthly country. Instead, we’re to see ourselves as pilgrims. To fully understand some of Jesus’s final words to the disciples, we must understand the mission of God’s people throughout human history. From Genesis to Malachi, the Gospel was, “The Messiah is coming!” Sometimes people mistakenly believe the Gospel is a New Testament invention; something Paul invented during the Church Age. The even worse situation is when people think man was saved differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. But man has always been saved the same: by grace through faith. In the Old Testament, people were saved by believing God would send a Messiah. People looked forward in faith to the Messiah coming, like we look backward in faith, believing the Messiah has come: Galatians 3:8 God…preached the gospel…to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” This shows that the gospel was preached in the Old Testament, as it was preached to Abraham. But it begs the question: How could the words “in you shall all the nations be blessed” be a gospel presentation? This is a prophecy that the Messiah will come as a descendant of Abraham. That’s how all the nations would be blessed in or through Abraham. As people believed this prophecy that the Messiah would come, they would be saved. That’s what happened with Abraham, the father of faith: Genesis 15:6 [Abraham] believed the Lord, and [the Lord] counted it to [Abraham] as righteousness. This is justification: Abraham believed and was justified, or declared righteous, by his faith. (NKJV) Hebrews 4:2 The gospel was preached to…[the Israelites in the wilderness]. We aren’t told exactly what this Gospel presentation looked like, but there was some way for the Israelites to look forward in faith to Jesus so they could be saved. I think they could look forward to Christ in faith through the fantastic types and shadows in the wilderness: They saw Christ through the Bronze Serpent: John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” They saw Christ through the manna: John 6:32-33 “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (referring to Himself). For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 1 Corinthians 10:4 says Jesus was the rock in the wilderness that provided Israel with water, so they definitely saw Christ through the Rock. When Israel saw these types and shadows of Christ, they were able to believe in Him. So this was the Gospel message in the Old Testament: the Messiah is coming. But what did they preach when He came? From Matthew to John, the Gospel was, “The Kingdom has come!” God became a Man in the Person of Jesus Christ, came from heaven to earth, and brought the Kingdom of God with Him. This was the primary message in the Gospels. People were invited to enter this kingdom by grace through faith in the King of this kingdom. John the Baptist came on the scene and said: Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He knew Jesus was bringing the kingdom of God with Him. When Jesus’s public ministry began, His first words: Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The ESV and NKJV translate this as "at hand," but they include footnotes indicating that it could also be rendered as "the kingdom of God has come near," which is how the NIV translates this verse. I like has come near for two reasons. First, it is in the past tense: it says 'has come' because Jesus brought it with Him. Second, it says 'come near' because Jesus was on earth and people could see Him, hear Him, and even touch Him. To be near Jesus was to be near the kingdom. This is the first time the phrase Kingdom of God occurs in Luke, and it’s very fitting. Luke 4:42 the people sought [Jesus] and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” People were trying to keep Jesus from leaving them, but He told them he had to go so he could preach the kingdom. He went so far as to say this was his purpose. Think of the way Jesus began much of his teaching: “The kingdom of God is like…” He spent most of His earthly ministry helping people understand this kingdom. Luke 8:1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, Although the verse says “good news,” it’s the word for gospel, because that’s what the gospel is: good news. So, Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, because that was the gospel during Jesus' earthly ministry: “the kingdom has come.” After Jesus had taught the twelve enough about the kingdom of God, He commissioned them to preach it as well: Luke 9:1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal...6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Verse 2 states that they preached the kingdom of God, and verse 6 indicates that they preached the gospel, because preaching the kingdom of God was preaching the gospel. From Matthew to John, Jesus’ Disciples Were Royal Ambassadors In Welcoming Environments Unfortunately, in Luke 9:2, some translations, such as the NKJV and KJV, use the term 'preach' instead of 'proclaim', whereas most other translations, including the NIV, NASB, and ESV, use 'proclaim'. The word "proclaim" is better because it conveys kingdom imagery. It depicts a herald arriving and making an announcement to the King. The Twelve Apostles announced that the King had arrived. Royal ambassadors are treated well. People love them. People love to receive them. People want to have them in their homes because it’s like having a famous person with them. To see how well royal ambassadors fare: Luke 9:3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” This sounds pretty good. They didn’t have to take anything with them: no staff, bag, change of clothes, or even food or money. Whenever they reached a house, they would be welcomed; if not, they could move on to the next. The disciples were in a favorable position because Jesus was so popular. The disciples were associated with Jesus, so they were popular, too. Luke 9:11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. Jesus attracted huge crowds, and He preached the kingdom to them. I could show you many other verses, but you get the idea that the Kingdom of God was preached during Jesus' earthly ministry. From Acts on the Gospel is Christ Crucified Because preaching the kingdom of God was such a prominent theme in the Gospels, when the Book of Acts begins, we would expect to continue reading about the Kingdom of God being preached. But there’s nothing like that, and why is that? The King of the Kingdom was rejected. So you can’t keep preaching that message. Instead, they had to preach a new message: the King has been crucified. 1 Corinthians 1:23 we preach Christ crucified. The 'we' refers to church-age believers or everyone after the cross. The new message that began being preached in Acts and continues to be preached throughout our lifetimes is the message of Christ crucified. Let me show you a few examples. Peter is preaching on Pentecost: Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men…36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Peter in Solomon’s Portico: Acts 3:15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead....

Naaman’s pride nearly cost him everything – don’t let it happen to you! In 2 Kings 5:1–14, we witness a powerful story of how Naaman’s pride nearly prevented him from receiving God’s healing and salvation. We, too, can be blinded by our own expectations. The story of Naaman’s pride is a warning for all of us: don’t let ego or expectations block the work God wants to do in your life. Recognize the signs of pride and discover how obedience and humility lead to transformation. https://youtu.be/sIs9T1l8crA Table of contentsNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because It Seemed Foolish to HimNaaman Almost Missed Out on Salvation Because It’s Not How He Wanted to Be SavedNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because It Wasn’t Glamorous Enough for HimNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because He Wasn’t Required to Do EnoughNaaman Almost Missed Out On Salvation Because of His PrideNew Humility ShownWhat the People of Nazareth Could Learn from a Gentile Consider this familiar story: A storm descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church porch, surrounded by water. One of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe.“Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast.""No," says the preacher. "I have faith the Lord will save me."Still, the waters rise. Now the preacher is up on the balcony, when another guy arrives in a motorboat."Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here."Once again, the preacher is unmoved. "I shall remain. The Lord will see me through."After a while the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is clinging to the cross when a helicopter descends out of the clouds, and a state trooper calls down to him through a megaphone."Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance."Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will save him.Predictably, he drowns, but goes to heaven. He asks God, "Why didn't you save me?"God says, “ I sent you two boats and a helicopter." The story is about a man who misses out on the ways God provided for him to be saved. I want to replace it with the better one found in God’s Word. God provided a way for Naaman to be saved, but he almost missed out on it, like the fictional preacher who drowned. The reasons Naaman almost missed out on being cleansed of physical leprosy are the same reasons we miss out on being cleansed of spiritual leprosy, or sin. 2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. He probably wore an impressive, well-decorated uniform, but beneath that uniform was a body being consumed by leprosy. This is one of the most impressive descriptions of an individual in Scripture. He’s the commander of the Syrian army. He’s called a mighty man of valor, a title given to only four other people in Scripture, including men like Gideon and David. However, it’s unique here because Naaman is a Gentile. His master, referring to the king of Syria, holds him in high regard. God has used him to secure military victories for Syria. But we also read something that nullifies everything else: he’s a leper. He probably wore an impressive, well-decorated uniform, but beneath that uniform was a body being consumed by leprosy. But God graciously put someone in Naaman’s life who was going to help him in ways he never imagined: 2 Kings 5:2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids (against Israel) had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. 3 She (the young Israelite girl) said to her mistress (Naaman’s wife), "Would that my lord (referring to Naaman) were with the prophet (Elisha) who is in Samaria! He (Elisha) would cure him of his leprosy." During one of Syria’s victories over the Israelites, they took an Israelite girl captive, and she became Naaman’s wife’s servant. Elisha is famous because of his miracles. By this time, he has performed nine miracles recorded in Scripture and possibly others that aren’t recorded. Being from Israel, the young girl has heard about Elisha, and she tells Naaman’s wife that Elisha can help Naaman. But she is wrong about one thing you need to notice: she thought Elisha was in Samaria. Samaria is the capital of Israel, and Israel is apostate. The only prophets in Samaria are false prophets. Israel’s king is Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel. One of the reasons there are no prophets of Yahweh in Samaria is that Jezebel murdered all of them. If Elisha were near Samaria, he would have to be afraid for his life. But because the servant girl told Naaman’s wife that Elisha was in Samaria, that’s where they’re going to look for him: 2 Kings 5:4 So Naaman went in and told his lord (the king of Syria), "Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel." 5:5 And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he (Naaman) went, taking with him ten talents of silver (750 pounds of silver), six thousand shekels of gold (150 pounds of gold), and ten changes of clothing. Sometimes we joke about women taking a lot of things when they travel. Naaman makes them look like light packers. Naaman brought all this wealth because he thought he would have to pay a lot for Elisha’s help. Consider how fascinating this is. Throughout Israel’s history, certain nations were recognized as its enemies. In David’s time, it was the Philistines. During Isaiah’s era, it was the Assyrians. In Jeremiah’s period, it was the Babylonians. And in Elisha’s time, it’s the Syrians. Verse one mentions the victories God gave Naaman, and he achieved many of those victories against Israel to discipline the Israelites because of their apostasy. Israel’s king, Jehoram, is the son of Ahab, who the Syrians killed! So think about this: The Syrians are Israel’s biggest enemy, but the king of Syria is so desperate to see his great commander helped that he’s willing to reach out to Jehoram, the king of Israel. And making it even more dramatic, he’s going to ask Jehoram to help his general, the general who’s been beating up Israel. Look what happened when the king of Israel received the letter from the king of Syria: 2 Kings 5:6 And he [Naaman] brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy." 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me." Because the king of Syria thought Elisha was in Samaria, he probably thought the king of Israel would simply summon Elisha to cleanse Naaman. But because Elisha is not in Samaria, the king of Israel thinks the king of Syria wants him to cleanse Naaman: “that you may cure him of his leprosy.” Knowing he can’t do that, he didn’t think the king of Syria was genuinely asking him to do this. Instead, he thought he was trying to pick a fight with him. Kings didn’t generally tear their clothes, so this shows how upset Jehoram was at the thought of going to war with Syria. Syria has had many victories over Israel, and he’s afraid they’re about to have another one. Notice the phrase, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive?” The king of Israel was an apostate, but even he knew that only God could make a dead person alive. And this is when we can begin to view the account spiritually, rather than physically: Ephesians 2:4 God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. Naaman will be cleansed of leprosy, but more than that, he’ll be made alive: he’ll move from spiritual death to spiritual life. Elisha heard what happened and wanted to help: 2 Kings 5:8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel (Jehoram) had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him (Naaman) come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." We don’t know how Elisha heard this news, but as a prophet, God might have told him: Amos 3:7 God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. Elisha’s words have a dual meaning. First, this is Elisha’s way of rebuking the King of Israel for the false prophets in Israel. It’s like he says, “Let’s let Naaman know there’s a true prophet in Israel!” Second, Elisha wanted Naaman to come to know the God of Israel. And that will happen, but not at first: 2 Kings 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house. I want you to picture this, because it would’ve been incredible to see. Naaman is thee commander of the Syrian army. He’s powerful and respected. He’s used to being treated like a big deal. When he walks into a room, people jump to attention. He has a personal letter from the king commanding another king to help him! He travels with horses, chariots, 900 pounds of money, and 10 changes of clothing. Later, we’ll see he has servants, too. But when he shows up at Elisha’s door: 2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean." 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Prophets were not the most glamorous individuals. Naaman was probably already frustrated about having to leave the palace and go to Elisha’s house....

What truly led to the fall of Gehazi? Dive into 2 Kings 5:15-27, unveiling the deeper spiritual truths behind Gehazi’s fall and how his actions became a tragic example of hypocrisy, greed, and divine judgment. Just like leprosy spreads through the body, Gehazi’s sin spread from the heart, leading to devastating consequences. Discover how Gehazi’s fall also serves as a poignant illustration of the dangers of spiritual compromise and the urgent need for repentance. Read this material from Being Content God’s Way or watch the accompanying sermon to learn from Gehazi's tragic example. https://youtu.be/zbC01GX3EUc Table of contentsGehazi Was a Religious HypocriteGod Faithfully WarnsWhen God Warned DavidGod Faithfully Warns UsWe Escape and EndureGehazi’s DeceptionsSin Often Leads to More SinElisha Saw What Gehazi Did as God Sees What We DoElisha Had a Heart for Elisha as God Has a Heart for UsGehazi Already Had Spiritual LeprosyWe Must Be Cleansed of Our Spiritual LeprosyGehazi Ruined a Picture of the GospelLeprosy Must Be Cleansed On the fifteenth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, the record industry honored him as the best-selling singer of all time. He seemed to have many of the most common things people seek: wealth, fame, and success. But on August 16, 1977, at only forty-two years old, his fiancée, Ginger Alden, found him unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his Graceland mansion. Attempts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead. Photos and videos of him at the end of his life show a bloated man with distorted features. Most people will say the years of drug use and careless living took their toll. But I would say the biggest cause of his death was covetousness.  Here’s what I mean: even as his health deteriorated, he continued to tour intensively because he desired even more fame and success. In 1973, only a few years before his death, he had his busiest schedule with 168 concerts.1 The day he died, he was scheduled to fly out of Memphis to Portland, Maine, to begin another tour. No matter how successful and famous he became, he always wanted more. We would be hard-pressed to find someone whose health was damaged by covetousness more than Elvis's. But we do with Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. His covetousness caused him to get leprosy! Here’s the background to the account. The prophet Elisha told the Syrian general, Naaman, how to be cleansed of leprosy. After Naaman was cleansed: 2 Kings 5:15 Then [Naaman] returned to the man of God (Elisha), he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” Naaman was incredibly grateful and tried to repay Elisha: 2 Kings 5:16 But [Elisha]  said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.  Naaman attributed his cleansing to God, and Elisha wanted to keep it that way, so he refused the gift.  2 Kings 5:19 [Elisha] said to [Naaman], “Go in peace.” But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” Gehazi was Elisha’s servant, and he knew that Naaman had tons of wealth. Briefly look back at 2 Kings 5:5: 2 Kings 5:5 And the king of Syria said [to Naaman], “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So [Naaman] went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Naaman travels with more changes of clothing than most of us. When Gehazi watches Naaman walk off without giving anything, he thinks he’s missing out on a fortune. Gehazi Was a Religious Hypocrite Gehazi said, “As the Lord lives.” He likely heard his master, Elisha, use this phrase frequently. This is a classic illustration of religious hypocrisy. Gehazi spoke the right words, but the spiritual reality was far from his heart. He would have feared God if he thought He was alive. Why did Gehazi mention God? He couldn’t just say, “I want all Naaman’s money,” so he brought the Lord into it to legitimize his actions. He wanted to sound spiritual and justify his disobedience.  Sometimes, we put on religious fronts for the same reason. We do something we should not be doing, and someone confronts us about it, so we say something like, “God knows my heart,” “God opened this door for me,” or “God told me to do this.” Then nobody can argue with us because they would be arguing with God. But if we bring God into our plans when it isn’t His will, that’s blasphemy. There didn’t seem to be many sins in the Old Testament that upset God more than using His name to act as if something was His will when it wasn’t. God Faithfully Warns When Naaman saw Gehazi: 2 Kings 5:21 “So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”  Naaman knew Gehazi was Elisha’s servant, who might want something or have a message for him, so he responded inquisitively. Gehazi is about to sin.  He reaches the chariot, and Naaman climbs down, stands before him, looks him in the face, and says, “Is everything okay?” This seems like a faithful warning that should’ve turned Gehazi back from what he was planning to do. He should have thought, “No, everything is not okay. I am about to do something terrible.” When God Warned David Think about the moments before David committed adultery with Bathsheba. Even though David gave in to temptation, we can see “the way of escape” that God provided:  2 Samuel 11:3 “David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’” It is as though the servant warned, “David, this is a married woman. Her husband, Uriah, and her father, Eliam, are two of your mighty men. Eliam is the son of Ahithophel, your advisor and close friend. Bathsheba is off limits.” David was given ample warning. God Faithfully Warns Us God also faithfully warns us. Imagine you are going to do something foolish, such as watch a movie you should not watch, buy something you should not buy, see someone you should not see, or go somewhere you should not go. You get a text message, receive a phone call, or run into a friend and are asked, “How are you doing?”  It would be best if you said, “I am not doing well. I was thinking of doing something foolish, but God faithfully used you to warn me. Thank you!” Then turn around, go home, and praise God that He loved you enough to provide a way of escape, as Paul said God does: 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. The words “beyond [our] ability” mean we have limits when it comes to temptation. There is a point at which everyone gives in when tempted strongly enough. But this verse states that there are two things God graciously does for us: First, He knows the threshold for each of us and does not let us experience temptation “beyond [our] ability to resist it.” This means when we experience temptation, we call God a liar if we say, “This is too difficult. I cannot resist.” Second, “[God] will also provide the way of escape,” so we can avoid sinning. And this means when we experience temptation, we call God a liar if we say, “There was no way to avoid sinning.” We Escape and Endure But 1 Corinthians 10:13 sounds contradictory. It says, “Provide the way of escape” versus “You may be able to endure it.” Which is it? Do we escape temptation or endure it? Yes! This is resolved by understanding the struggle against temptation. No, we don’t need to sin, but resisting is hard. God doesn’t remove the temptation, but He gives us the grace to endure it. We can escape from sinning, but we cannot escape from having to resist the temptation. Consider a weightlifting analogy. We have the strength to lift the weight, but we must still lift it. With temptation, God gives us the strength to resist, but we must still exercise that strength. He does not lift the weight for us. It’s heavy, but it’s never too heavy. God does not allow too much weight on the bar. The question is whether we want to lift the bar or set it down. Gehazi’s Deceptions Gehazi chose to set the weight down: 2 Kings 5:22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” A talent is 75 pounds, so Gehazi didn’t hold back in his request. He could have said, “You offered a gift for your cleansing, and I came to get it.” But he concocted two lies instead. First, he said Eisha sent him, which made Naaman believe he was obeying Elisha by giving the gift. Second, he said two young prophets unexpectedly visited Elisha, and he needed money and clothing for them. This made the request seem benevolent and urgent: “These two prophets just showed up, and we were unprepared. They need money and clothing, which you brought with you. Elisha did not need your gift before, but now he does to care for them.” It was very manipulative. Naaman responded as we’d expect: 2 Kings 5:23“‘Be pleased to accept two talents.’ And [Naaman] urged [Gehazi] and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.” Naaman was so trusting that he gave Gehazi more than he had requested, wrapped it neatly,...

Perseverance of the saints is not just a theological idea—it’s a powerful reminder that true saving faith always endures. Learn what it means to persevere as a believer, even in the face of trials and failures. The perseverance of the saints is a work of Christ in us. Though we may stumble, true believers rise again and walk in repentance, proving the genuineness of their faith. https://youtu.be/6iMawZ59C7o Table of contentsJesus Is the Founder and Perfecter of Our FaithJesus Already Prayed for Our PerseveranceEncouraged When We DoubtJesus Doesn’t Pray Exactly Like UsA Saint’s Faith PerseveresEternal Security and Once Saved Always SavedTrials Reveal the Genuineness of Our FaithJob Is the Premier Example of a Persevering SaintPeter and Job Demonstrate That Perseverance Does Not Require PerfectionPeter and Job Demonstrate That Perseverance Does Involve Repentance A long-time friend of mine shared a testimony with me. He was one of my closest friends when we were in California, and I knew him to be a committed Christian. Around 2015, he relocated to Los Angeles and began working for a large, well-known company. He didn’t want me to mention the company’s name. I knew this friend as a responsible and hard worker, so I wasn’t surprised when he told me that he had advanced to upper management in the company. He said he regularly worked 12 to 20-hour days. When I asked how you work 20-hour days consistently, he said, and I quote, “That’s what I want to talk to you about. A select group of senior-level management chose to use cocaine, and I started using it too, and became addicted. I would use it throughout the day to keep going, and when I returned home, I would drink half a gallon of whiskey and take sleeping pills to come off the cocaine so I could fall asleep. Then I would wake up four or five hours later and use more cocaine to have the energy to make it through the day. This went on for years. I knew I was going to kill myself and leave my wife and children without a husband and father, so one night, God heavily convicted me, and I called a Christian rehab facility and said they had to come pick me up. My wife knew something was wrong with me, but she didn’t know what it was. She never gave up praying for me or loving me, and before I left the house, I confessed to her what was happening and informed her that she wouldn’t be able to communicate with me while I was in the facility. I also told her where she could find the stashes of cocaine around the house, because I didn’t want to stumble upon them when I returned home. When I left the facility, I went to work one more time, and that was to quit. I didn’t give them two weeks' notice because I didn’t want to create further temptation. I have been sober since then. I moved my family to Wyoming, where we found healing, and the Lord redeemed our family. We experienced this victory because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The cross can help us defeat anything.” End quote. It blessed me to hear this because I’m sure there were many sacrifices and much suffering on his part to see the positive changes in his life and family. Most of you know our familiarity with addiction: my brother died of a drug overdose, my dad was an alcoholic, and Katie’s mother died of alcoholism. Sadly, there are not many success stories in the addiction world. Some of you know this firsthand. But instead of looking at what he had done, he looked at what Christ had done for him. I don’t think my friend became a Christian during this time. I knew him from 2005 through 2010, and I was confident in his salvation. I believe Christ was with him through this season, praying for him and strengthening his faith, just as He described doing for Peter: Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus said He would pray for Peter’s faith so that it would not fail. Just as He did so with Peter, I believe He did so with my friend, and He does so for us. Jesus Is the Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith in the ESV, or in the NKJV, the author and finisher of our faith. Regardless of the translation you’re using the point is the same: our faith begins with Christ and is maintained by Him. This brings up an obvious question: Jesus said He prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail. So, when other people’s faith fails, does that mean Jesus didn’t pray for them, or would their faith have survived if He had prayed a little more? No, that’s not it at all. Jesus prays for believers’ faith because believers have faith. That’s why He can pray for it. Unbelievers don’t have faith. Jesus can’t pray for, or strengthen faith that people don’t have. The point is that if you are a believer, Jesus prays for and maintains your faith. If you are not a believer, Jesus does not pray for and maintain your faith, because you don’t have any. Jesus Already Prayed for Our Perseverance Jesus said, “I have prayed.” It is past tense. Peter’s faith hadn’t even been tested yet. It wouldn’t be tested until the servant girl says Peter was with Jesus. But Jesus had already prayed for it. Jesus is praying for our faith, too. This is one of His primary ministries as our great high priest: Romans 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who diedmore than that, who was raisedwho is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Hebrews 7:24 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. 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. As believers, Jesus is interceding on our behalf at the right hand of the Father. We experience the same grace that Peter experienced. Encouraged When We Doubt Every believer experiences doubt. Unbelievers experience unbelief, but believers experience doubt. Sin has affected every area of our Christian lives, including our faith. No part of us is perfect, not even our faith. When we experience doubt, I hope we can be encouraged that Jesus is praying for our faith not to fail, or, as was the case with Peter, Jesus had already prayed that our faith would not fail. Jesus Doesn’t Pray Exactly Like Us Jesus is the God man: fully God and fully man. As a man, there are ways He is like us. But the danger is believing He is like us in every respect. He is also God in the flesh, and He didn’t pray for Peter the way we pray for people. We pray for people and wonder what will happen. We wonder if they will be saved, healed, get that job, or repent. But Jesus never prayed like this. He didn’t wonder if His prayers would be answered. He didn’t pray for Peter and think, “Is Peter going to make it or not. I sure hope so.” Instead, Jesus told Peter that even though his faith would falter, it would not fail because Jesus prayed for him. And the same is true for us: we falter. We will betray Christ at times; if not verbally, as Peter did, we will betray Him through our actions. But if we are believers, our faith will not fail because Jesus maintains it for us. This is known as the perseverance of the saints. A Saint’s Faith Perseveres John 10:28 I give [My sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. This emphasizes our security in Christ, and we can only be secure in Christ, if our faith in Christ is maintained: John 3:16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. It couldn’t be called eternal life if we could lose it. Then it would be called possible life. Jesus wouldn’t say His sheep will never perish if we could later perish. Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Paul couldn’t write this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit if we could lose our salvation. That would mean God could start working in our lives, but then stop. 1 Peter 1:5 [Believers] who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. This describes God’s protective power over us as believers, ensuring our salvation is secure. For us to lose our salvation, we would mean we overcame God’s protective power. We might be wretched sinners, but we are not big enough sinners that we can overcome God’s power. As Romans 5:20 says, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Eternal Security and Once Saved Always Saved When you’re saved you can’t be unsaved. If you could be unsaved it couldn’t be said that you were saved. The possibility of being unsaved would prevent you from ever being called saved. When you’re born again, you can’t be unborn. Just as you can’t be unborn physically, you can’t be unborn spiritually. The Holy Spirit indwells us, regenerates us, and then seals us. We can’t be un-regenerated and unsealed. Revelation 13:10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. I like the ESV, but it uses the word steadfast. Most translations, such as the NIV and NKJV, read perseverance. This is the Greek word hypomonē, which is also translated as patience or endurance. In other words, this is referring to the perseverance of the saints. The context of this verse is the Great Tribulation: a time of intense persecution. The antichrist will be murdering everyone who doesn’t pledge their loyalty to him by receiving the mark of the beast. Most believers will be,...

Work itself is not sinful—our relationship to work can become sinful when we make it an idol. Like other addictions, workaholism is characterized by an unhealthy obsession that crowds out relationships, rest, and spiritual life. Read or listen to this material from Work and Rest God’s Way to learn the best Bible verses for workaholics. Table of contentsThe Workaholic's Relationship to Work Becomes Sinful“Physician, Heal Thyself!”The Consequences for WorkaholicsPhysical ConsequencesEmotional ConsequencesRelationship ConsequencesPerformance ConsequencesSpiritual ConsequencesThe Danger of Burnout for WorkaholicsA Great Leader Who Was Also a WorkaholicWorkaholics Should Expect Negative ResponsesWorkaholics Should Repent The Workaholic's Relationship to Work Becomes Sinful Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made (Isaiah 2:8). The people in Isaiah’s day worshiped their work, and we can worship our work too. Just as we can rest too much (laziness), we can work too much (workaholism). Work is moral. When we commit the sin of workaholism, work didn’t suddenly become immoral and sinful. Instead, our relationship to work became sinful. Workaholics have the same relationship to their work that addicts have to alcohol, drugs, or pornography. Everything else in their lives—family, friends, church, health, and rest—takes a backseat to their jobs. Time and energy committed to anyone and anything else are always rushed or neglected. In the past, people couldn’t begin working before the sun came up, and they stopped working when the sun went down. Now, electricity allows us to have our lights, computers, and cell phones on at any time. Our twenty-four-hour days seem restrictive because it’s harder to fit in everything we think we need to do. Since society promotes “bigger and better,” we feel the pressure to keep up, and we find ourselves busier than ever. Covetousness has never been a stronger temptation. The only solution seems to be more work. We can become like machines, moving from one task to the next. We end up overworked, under-rested, and spiritually undernourished. It’s not wise, kind, humble, or impressive when we take on more than we can handle. It demonstrates a lack of wisdom due to the problems it causes. We recognize that our relationship with work has become sinful when it overshadows the areas of our lives that the Lord wants us to prioritize, such as our spouse, parents, children, friends, and church. Answer these questions honestly to help determine whether you struggle with workaholism: When you’re supposed to be resting, does your mind return to work? Can you detach from your job, or do you bring your work home with you? Do you obsess about your job when you’re not working, thereby removing the distinction between work and rest? If you’re home, can you focus on your loved ones, or are you still preoccupied with your job? Can you name any of your hobbies, or are you unable to because work is your hobby? If you want honest answers to these questions, consider asking your spouse or children what they think you should answer! “Physician, Heal Thyself!” I have difficulty sitting around. Even when I’m tired, I still feel the need to be productive. Katie has asked me many times: “Why do you always have to be working?” On the spectrum with workaholism on one side and laziness on the other, you can probably guess where I land. In the last two weeks, I had an unexpected break from preaching. Whenever I don’t have a sermon to prepare, my workload is considerably lighter. I wanted to use the extra time to finish Work and Rest God's Way. While writing this (talk about God expecting me to walk the talk), Katie said, “You’ve been using so much of your free time to work on your book. I know you want to finish it, but why don’t I make lunch for you and the kids, and you can go down to the lake to spend time with them?” The workaholic in me wanted to say, “I only have a few days left. Everything picks up again next week.” The justifier in me wanted to say, “I can make up the time with the kids in the future. They’ll understand.” The spiritual hypocrite in me wanted to say, “I’m doing this for God. He wants me to get it done so I can help others and further His kingdom!” I took my kids to the lake and had a wonderful time with them, but sadly, these are the excuses I wanted to make. For me, pleasing God means resisting the temptation to put a book ahead of them. If we genuinely want to please the Lord, we must have our priorities in order. The Consequences for Workaholics Just as there are negative consequences to laziness, there are negative consequences to workaholism. Physical Consequences The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published “Stress…At Work,” and found that overworking increases the wear and tear on our bodies and contributes to headaches, back pain, and muscle pain. There’s an increase in blood pressure and the release of the hormone cortisol, which is hard on the heart and raises the risk for stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. A 2010 study, “Overtime Is Bad for the Heart,” published in the European Heart Journal, found that working ten or more hours per day resulted in a 60 percent increase in cardiovascular issues. Many people have suffered heart attacks trying to climb the corporate ladder of success. Emotional Consequences A 2012 study, “Working Too Hard? Job Stress Doubles Depression Risk,” suggests that those working long hours are twice as likely to experience a major depressive episode. Another study, “Overtime Work as a Predictor of Major Depressive Episode,” found that people working eleven hours per day are over five times more likely to battle depression than those working seven to eight hours per day. Dr. Marianna Virtanen of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health said, “Although occasionally working overtime may have benefits, it is important to recognize that working excessive hours is associated with an increased risk of major depression.” Relationship Consequences Workaholics often fail to invest an appropriate amount of time and energy in their family and friends. Spouses, children, parents, and friends suffer because they recognize the workaholic’s job is more important than a relationship with them. This can cause loved ones to become bitter and resentful. Many people have sacrificed their marriages and children for the next raise or promotion. The fatigue and anxiety workaholics experience cause them to become irritable and impatient. Even when workaholics try to make time for others, the relationships still suffer because of their sour moods. Obsession with work affects not only the workaholic but also those close to them. Performance Consequences According to a 2014 study, “The Productivity of Working Hours,” published by The Institute for the Study of Labor, people working seventy hours per week didn’t accomplish more than their peers who worked fifty-six hours per week. Why? The productivity of workaholics suffers. When people are unrefreshed, their minds aren’t as sharp, and they’re more prone to make mistakes. Workaholism typically yields many mediocre results versus a few excellent ones. Workaholics might strive to assist others by taking on more of the load, but they often end up doing more harm than good due to their ineffective handling of responsibilities. This tends to frustrate the very people they’re trying to help. Spiritual Consequences When we overwork, the only thing easier than neglecting our sleep, health, and family is neglecting our relationships with the Lord. We’re too busy to be active in the local church. Our involvement might be a little more than irregular Sunday morning attendance. When the church offers events or opportunities to serve, we tell ourselves our work doesn’t permit us to go. We don’t practice the spiritual disciplines. Prayer, time in the Word, and Scripture memorization take a backseat to our jobs. If we’re workaholics, we probably can’t remember the last time we sat down to pray or read the Bible for any length of time. When we reach the end of our lives, how much regret will we experience because of the time we invested in our jobs while neglecting God’s kingdom? The devil loves little more than distorting God’s commands for us to work. He makes work so central to our lives that we become like hamsters on a wheel, and our relationship with the Lord is minimized, if not nonexistent. When Jesus taught the parable of the soils, He said, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Could there be a better picture of workaholism and its consequences? Workaholism is an obsession with the cares of this world. Workaholics are deceived into thinking riches are more important than their families and God. The spiritual is choked out, so they produce no fruit. The Danger of Burnout for Workaholics Burnout is an exhaustion that can be physical, emotional, social, spiritual, or any combination of these. People burn out when they’re under tremendous stress and overwhelming demands without adequate rest. Burnout can cause people to lose interest in relationships, hobbies, and even life in general. There is nothing honorable about burning out for Jesus or anyone else. Sometimes, burnout isn’t the fault of a job or other people. It results when individuals work in one of the following ways: They exhaust themselves caring for others while failing to care for themselves. They neglect their needs in various ways, such as sacrificing sleep, overextending their schedules, or failing to nourish themselves physically and spiritually. ...

Have you ever felt spiritually confident, only to be blindsided by weakness? Pastor Scott LaPierre unpacks the biblical warning in 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” This is a wake-up call for every believer, illustrating how spiritual pride and overconfidence can render us vulnerable to temptation, as seen in Peter's case in Luke 22:31-34, who denied Jesus despite his bold declarations. https://youtu.be/A9BnHpeBV2I Table of contentsSpiritual Injuries Occur Like Weightlifting InjuriesTake Heed Lest You Fall, Peter!We Can’t Trust OurselvesWe Need New HeartsThe Way Godly Men Describe Disqualified LeadersTake Heed Lest You Fall, Because We Fail Regarding Our StrengthsWe Must Be Warned About Our StrengthsMany Men Failed Regarding Their StrengthsNoah Was UnrighteousAbraham Lacked FaithMoses Was ProudSolomon Was FoolishRepent and Then Help OthersTake Heed Lest You Fall I want to discuss weightlifting injuries. First, I will tell you how I wish they occurred. And then I will tell you how they occur. I wish they occurred very slowly, so you knew they were coming. I wish you were bench pressing and your rotator cuff said, “This is too heavy. I’m about to tear.” Or you’re squatting in your 20s and your lower back says, “You better not do this. You’re going to have lots of problems in your 40s.” Instead, weightlifting injuries take place in one of two ways: first, and most obviously, when you’re working out. If you’re interested, you can go to YouTube and search for videos of people tearing their biceps and chest muscles. I decided against showing you any videos because they are gruesome to watch. But here’s what you’ll see: a man bench pressing and he lowers the weight, probably a weight he’s lifted many times before. Suddenly, a large gap develops around his armpit where his chest muscle detached from his shoulder. Or someone is bent over a preacher bench curling, they lower the weight, and suddenly their biceps tears and rolls up their arm. The second way weightlifting injuries occur is when people are not working out. You shut the car door or drop something and quickly reach for it, and your shoulder tears. There’s only one time my lower back went out at the gym. Every other time I was at home, feeling fine, and I bent over or threw a kid in the air, and then suddenly felt the shoting pain. What you notice with these injuries is that there’s no warning sign. Instead, we feel strong. We are confident nothing bad will happen. We are doing something that we have done many times before. Next thing you know, we are severely injured. Spiritual Injuries Occur Like Weightlifting Injuries I think sin often occurs in this manner, too. There’s no warning sign that we are going to have trouble. We feel strong. We are confident about this particular area of our Christian lives. But then we fail. We are, spiritually speaking, severely injured. That’s what happened with Peter. He felt confident. He thought he was strong. So strong, in fact, he told Jesus he would die for him. But then he failed. Here’s the context. Jesus is celebrating the Last Supper with the disciples. The evening began with Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. You would think this would produce some humility in the disciples. But it didn’t. At least three recorded times earlier, Jesus told the disciples that He would die, but when He instituted the Lord's Supper, He told them that He would die for them. You would think that would produce some humility. But it didn’t. Then Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. You would think they would respond, “That is horrible. We can’t believe this. What can we do to help? Please tell us what to do.” Instead, they started arguing about who’s the greatest. Jesus rebuked them, and you would think that would produce some humility. But it didn’t, at least not with Peter, who we will see demonstrate serious pride. That catches us up: Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, Jesus knew Peter’s faith was about to be tested, so He graciously warned him. He let him know that a spiritual battle was raging for his very soul. Jesus even reverted to using Peter’s former name, “Simon,” to remind him of his old nature, and He repeated it to ensure he was listening. Jesus continues: Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Take Heed Lest You Fall, Peter! Think about all Jesus has graciously said to Peter. You would think it would it would sober him to the danger he was in and cause him to be on guard and less self-assured. But it didn’t: Luke 22:33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Not the humble response we would hope for. Instead of acknowledging his weakness and expressing gratitude toward Jesus for warning him and praying on his behalf, he makes this declaration. He was overconfident in his ability to remain faithful and oblivious to the spiritual battle he was in. This would have been a prideful statement to make at any time, but it was particularly bad now because he was telling Jesus He was wrong. Jesus says, “You’re going to stumble.” Peter says, “No, that will never happen. I would die for you.” He’s like that man on the bench press who thinks he will lift the weight like he has so many times before, unaware he’s about to tear his chest muscle, or he’s like that forty year old pastor who thinks he can train legs like he used to, unaware he’s about to spend a month limping around like an old man. So, Jesus tells Peter exactly what will happen: Luke 22:34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” We Can’t Trust Ourselves We can say something untrue without lying. Lying is deliberately misleading people. However, sometimes we believe something is true, only to find out we are wrong. For example: You tell someone you will meet them somewhere, but something prevents you from honoring your commitment. You weren’t lying. You thought you would meet the person, but you ended up being wrong. You said something in a discussion that you thought was true, only to find out later that some of the details were wrong. You weren’t lying. You thought you were telling the truth. But you ended up being wrong. That’s how I view the situation with Peter. We are tempted to be overly harsh in our judgment and say that we can’t believe he said this and then betrayed Christ. But I think Peter genuinely believed he would go to prison with Jesus and even die for Him. So, here’s the question: Why did Peter believe he would go to prison or even die for Jesus…when he wouldn’t even acknowledge knowing Jesus to a servant girl? Because Peter didn’t know himself. And we don’t either. Consider this familiar verse: Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? The Hebrew word for deceitful is `aqob. It’s closely related to Jacob’s name: yaʿăqōḇ. Just like Jacob deceived people, our hearts deceive us: Our hearts deceive us into trusting ourselves versus trusting God They deceive us into thinking we can sin and get away with it They deceive us into thinking we will do something we wouldn’t do…such as go to prison for Christ or even die for Him. Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m just following my heart” or “This is what my heart is telling me to do”? I don’t want to sound harsh, but I want to be honest: When people say this, you know you’re listening to people who don’t know the Bible, because the Bible would tell them their heart is the last thing they should listen to. We Need New Hearts If our hearts were so great or trustworthy, God wouldn’t have to give us new ones! Jeremiah 31:31-34 contains the prophecy about the New Covenant that Jesus instituted at the Last Supper. It is about God giving us new hearts. Elsewhere: Ezekiel 11:19 (Amplified) I will give them [a new heart]…I will take from them the heart of stone, and will give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart…I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Our hearts are so evil that God doesn’t even talk about fixing them. He says we need new ones. Picture this: you take your vehicle to the mechanic to be fixed, but instead of fixing it, he says, “It’s so bad, you should just get a new one.” That’s the situation with our hearts! Jeremiah 17:9 is a familiar verse. I have listened to people quote it throughout my Christian life. But I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anyone share the next verse, which is where we learn the solution to our deceitful hearts: Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” We can’t search our hearts or test our minds, which is to say we can’t know ourselves. But these are things the Lord can do. He does know us. Hebrews 4:12 says He discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. David knew that he couldn’t know his own heart, so he wrote: Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! David prayed for God to search him and test him, revealing if there was any wickedness in him, because he knew he couldn’t see all of it for himself. Then he wanted God to lead him in the way of everlasting, which is to say, put him on the path of righteousness…because he knew his heart would put him on the path of unrighteousness. The Way Godly Men Describe Disqualified Leaders I want to share something I’ve been reflecting on for the last couple of weeks that will connect to these verses in a mom

Are you working too much and still feeling spiritually empty? Discover what the Bible says about working too much and why God calls us to rest. Pastor Scott LaPierre explores how overworking can lead to spiritual burnout, strained relationships, and a failure to honor God’s rhythms of grace and Sabbath. The Bible doesn’t just warn against laziness—it also warns against working too much. God designed a balance, and this message dives deep into how you can realign your life with His perfect plan for work and rest. https://youtu.be/IVGmu3TEt_M Table of contentsWhen We Turn Blessings Into IdolsDo You Work Too Much?The Twelve Apostles Knew the Solution Isn’t Always Working HarderThree Lessons to Learn from the ApostlesGod Modeled Rest for UsShould We Rest on Saturday or Sunday?Our Need to Rest Should Remind Us to Depend on the LordPhysically Resting Is Often a Spiritual MatterWe Are Often Kept Awake for Spiritual ReasonsRepent of Working Too Much By Finding BalanceRepenting of Working Too Much Is Repenting Of Idolatry Imagine a young father named Mike, whose parents made him work hard during his upbringing. Although he didn’t like it at the time, now that he has a family of his own, he appreciates the way his parents raised him. To provide for his family, he’s been putting in more hours than ever before. Over time, he begins to prioritize his job over his family. What his boss thinks is more important than what his wife, children, or God think. He regularly feels exhausted, and his health is suffering. But he doesn’t slow down. He pursues every work message, project, deal, sale, and offer so he can continue to advance in the company. Church attendance has become infrequent because he’s convinced his paycheck can care for him better than God can. He invests the same passion in his job that he once invested in his relationship with Christ. He turned a good thing into a god thing. Work is a blessing, but, like Mike, we have the potential to ruin even the blessings God gives us because of our flesh. When We Turn Blessings Into Idols Consider this account from Israel’s history to illustrate what can happen. When Israel was in the wilderness, they complained, and as a judgment, God sent poisonous serpents into the camp that started biting the people: Numbers 21:7 The people [said] to Moses, “We have sinned…Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. When people looked at this bronze serpent, they were spared from the snakebites. But, tragically, over time, people began to worship the bronze serpent. When Hezekiah reformed the nation and destroyed the idolatry, he had to include the bronze serpent, which by then had developed its own name: 2 Kings 18:4 [Hezekiah] removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.” The object that brought miraculous healing became an idol. Nehushtan serves as a reminder that we must be vigilant against taking any of God’s blessings—whether it’s marriage, children, homes, relationships, money, or jobs—and allowing them to become idols. Mike’s work, and our work, is no more sinful than the bronze serpent, but work becomes Nehushtan if it’s ever more important than God. When I returned from Africa, I preached a sermon on laziness because I believe the culture there breeds it. But what do you think the culture in America breeds? I think our competitive American culture can breed working too much, as Africa can breed laziness. Because our motto is “bigger and better,” we feel the pressure to keep up and find ourselves busier than ever. Covetousness has never been a stronger temptation. The only solution appears to be working harder. We can end up overworked, under-rested, and spiritually undernourished. In the past, people couldn’t begin working until the sun rose, and they stopped working when the sun set. Now electricity allows us to have our lights, computers, and cell phones on all the time. Consider this verse: Isaiah 2:8 Their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. The people in Isaiah’s day worshiped their work, and we can worship our work too. When we work too much, work doesn’t suddenly become sinful or unrighteous. Instead, our relationship to work became sinful or unrighteous. Workaholics can have the same relationship to their work that addicts have to alcohol, drugs, or pornography. Everything else in their lives—family, friends, church, health, and rest—can take a backseat to their jobs. We should recognize that our relationship with work has become sinful when it overshadows the areas of our lives that the Lord wants us to prioritize, such as our relationship with Him and our family members. Do You Work Too Much? Answer these questions honestly to help determine whether you struggle with working too much: When you’re supposed to be resting, does your mind return to work? Do you obsess about your job when you’re not working, thereby removing the distinction between work and rest? If you’re home, can you focus on your loved ones, or are you still preoccupied with your job? Do you find ways to avoid other responsibilities in your life so that you can get more work done for your job? If you want honest answers to these questions, consider asking your spouse or children what they think you should answer! The Twelve Apostles Knew the Solution Isn’t Always Working Harder Let’s consider an example from Scripture of individuals who had too much to do to see how they handled it: Acts 6:1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. The Hellenist or Greek widows said they weren’t receiving a share of food, and this seemed to be a legitimate complaint. The early church was growing exponentially: In Acts 2:41, 3,000 joined the church In Acts 4:4, 5,000 when the church John MacArthur said there could’ve been over 20,000 men and women.1 This was just too many people for the 12 apostles to shepherd effectively. Throughout the Old Testament, God commanded care for orphans and widows. This continues into the New Testament: James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Paul instructed Timothy, “Honor widows” (1 Timothy 5:3) and “care for widows” (1 Timothy 5:16). The apostles recognized caring for widows as a significant matter. So, what would we expect them to say? “We’ll work harder! We need to make sure no widows fall through the cracks. If we all put in a few more hours, we can get this under control.” Instead: Acts 6:2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. This has nothing to do with serving food or cleaning up after a meal. Instead, the word “tables” refers to tables for financial transactions. Think of Jesus turning over the moneychangers’ tables. In Luke 19:23, the same word is translated as “bank.” This doesn’t mean the Twelve didn’t want to handle the administrative duties, such as distributing funds, or that they were lazy or thought it was beneath them. Instead, they wisely recognized that they couldn’t “serve tables” and fulfill the other responsibilities that God had given them. Instead, what they decided: Acts 6:3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” This is when the office of deacon was established. Three Lessons to Learn from the Apostles First, it’s not wise, kind, humble, or impressive when we take on more than we can handle. It demonstrates a lack of wisdom due to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual problems it causes. Second, sharing responsibilities with others is not a sign of laziness or thinking something is beneath us. Instead, we have limited amounts of time and energy, and we recognize the load is too much for us. Third, we sometimes recognize that our time and energy are better spent elsewhere. The apostles understood that taking care of widows was important, but they recognized that it wasn’t more important than preaching the Word and prayer. God Modeled Rest for Us God was the first worker. We see Him work from the very first verse of the Bible, when He creates the heavens and the earth. Then, at the beginning of Genesis 2: Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Three times in two verses, we are told about His work. But God is also the first rest-er. Two times in these verses, we are told that God rested. God introduced the concept of work and rest at creation. God didn’t need to work for six days. He could have created everything in a single day or moment. He worked for six days because He was establishing a pattern for us. Similarly, God didn’t need to rest on the seventh day. He wasn’t tired. Instead, He was establishing a pattern for us to follow. ...

Are you struggling with procrastination, lack of motivation, or a sluggish spiritual walk? Discover what the Bible really says about laziness and how to overcome it biblically. Proverbs 6:6-11 and other scriptures provide a biblical warning against laziness, and how it impacts our work, witness, and walk with Christ. Whether you’re looking for bible verses about laziness, searching for answers on how to stop being lazy as a Christian, or seeking a solid Bible study on laziness in Proverbs, this sermon delivers the truth with love, clarity, and conviction. https://youtu.be/NCsbmBNQycw Table of contentsGod’s Work Brings Him GloryOur Work Should Bring God GloryFour Important Points About Serving Christ In Our JobsLaziness Is a Bad TestimonyAvoid laziness By Learning from the AntAvoid Laziness by Avoiding Oversleeping.Avoid Laziness By Avoiding ExcusesAvoid Laziness by Avoiding Lazy PeopleGiving to the Lazy Does More Harm than GoodLaziness Leads to Other SinsLaziness and BusybodiesThe Solution to Laziness In April 2025, approximately 7.2 million people in the United States were unemployed, representing a 4.2% unemployment rate. Additionally, nearly 20% of prime-age adults (25-54) were not working, with the vast majority (around 21 million) not seeking work. What could help these people? I think the Bible’s teaching on laziness, because it is incredibly convicting. God’s Work Brings Him Glory Let’s begin by understanding a little more about God’s work: Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows the work of His hands. God created the heavens and the earth, and they bring Him glory. Isaiah 6 contains the incredible vision of God sitting on His throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Angels fly around Him giving Him praise: Isaiah 6:3 One cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” Of all the things the angels could say to praise God, they mention His holiness and the earth, His workmanship, giving Him glory. Think of it like this: We see a beautiful painting and praise the painter. We see an impressive building and praise the architect. Similarly, when we see creation, we should praise the Creator. The greatness of creation reveals the greatness of the Creator. The greatness of creation reveals the greatness of the Creator so well that people are condemned when they refuse to worship the Creator: Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. God reveals Himself to the world through His creation because work says something about the worker. Work reveals character, motivation, and skills. God’s work is of the highest quality because it expresses His character and majesty. Our Work Should Bring God Glory Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him. God created us in His image; we should work because He works. Ephesians 5:1 commands us to “be imitators of God.” We imitate God by bringing Him glory through our work, as He does with His work. We might tend to think that only certain things bring God glory, such as praying, singing, worshiping, and serving, but anything we do can bring God glory if it honors Him: 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. This includes our work. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” While we’re working, we aren’t even really serving man. We’re serving Christ. Ephesians 6:5-9 discusses bondservants or slaves obeying their earthly masters. This is more like an employee-employer relationship than what we think of as slavery. With that in mind, here are the verses: Ephesians 6:5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters (or bosses) with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, Paul says three times that we serve Christ as we serve our bosses. In the end, he even says we aren’t serving man. Four Important Points About Serving Christ In Our Jobs First, we may not like our boss, but we can tell ourselves that we are not primarily working for this person. Instead, we are working for Christ. How much easier is it to do a job when we are doing it for the Lord versus a boss we might dislike? Second, we might feel like we are doing something menial. I doubt anyone can say that every aspect of their job feels fulfilling and valuable. But if we find ourselves doing something that seems insignificant, we can tell ourselves that we are doing it for Christ, which makes it very significant. Anything becomes significant when it’s being done for the Lord. Third, because our work is being done for Christ, we should view our jobs as ministries. We like to say, “He’s a pastor, so he’s in ministry.” But Ephesians 4:12 says I’m supposed to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. If you’re a Christian, you’re in ministry. You should see your workplace as your mission field, whether an office building, school, or home. Fourth, our work is one of our most important testimonies because we are working for Christ. The quality of our work should help reveal that we are Christians. We strive for excellence, not because we want to bring glory to ourselves, but to bring glory to Christ. Laziness Is a Bad Testimony When we think of the “worst” sins, lying, adultery, and murder come to mind, but laziness might not. Some people might not even recognize that laziness is a sin. This is unfortunate because: As righteous as work is, laziness is equally unrighteous As beneficial as work is, laziness is equally detrimental As positively as Scripture presents work, laziness is presented equally negatively Ronald Sailler and David Wyrtzen wrote, “Laziness could run a competitive race for the most underrated sin. Quietly it anesthetizes its victim into a lifeless stupor that ends in hunger, bondage, and death.”1 Laziness has no place in a Christian's life, but like pride, it is a sin that all of us can identify with to some extent. While some struggle with it more than others, nobody can say they escape its temptation completely. So let’s consider a few ways God uses Scripture to help us avoid laziness. Avoid laziness By Learning from the Ant Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. Two things make the ant a good example. First, the ant works without anyone watching over it. We, too, should work without having someone standing over our shoulders. If you’re a parent, you know the blessing it is when your children work without constantly telling them what to do. Second, the ant plans and saves. The ant rebukes lazy people who think only about the moment. Avoid Laziness by Avoiding Oversleeping. Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to remain in motion, and an object at rest tends to remain at rest. This law can also apply to individuals. Some people work hard, and they tend to stay in motion. Other people are lazy, and they tend to stay at rest: Proverbs 6:9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, Oversleeping is often seen as a sign of laziness. The three-fold repetition of “a little” shows that the lazy person prefers “a little” more sleep than work. This captures the temptation of saying, “Let me hit the snooze button a few more times.” Asking “how long” implies this has been going on too long, and something bad will happen. For example: Exodus 10:3 Moses [said] to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.’”” The longer Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go, the worse things became for him. The longer the sluggard sleeps, the worse things become for him. And something bad is about to happen to him: Proverbs 6:11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. This is the first mention of a truth that is repeated throughout Proverbs: Laziness results in poverty. Proverbs 20:13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty.Proverbs 24:34 Poverty will come upon [the sluggard].Proverbs 28:19 He who follows frivolity will have poverty enough. The poverty that befalls lazy people is aptly compared to two things. First, a robber. Robbers silently creep in and surprise people, like poverty comes upon lazy people: silently and surprisingly. Second, an armed man. He forcibly imposes his will. Sluggards are overpowered by poverty, the way an armed man overpowers others. Avoid Laziness By Avoiding Excuses Lazy people are good at one thing: making excuses. Proverbs 22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!” Proverbs 26:13 records an almost identical verse. God wants us to know sluggards are good at excuses. People who are good at making excuses are rarely good at much else. Billy Sunday said an excuse is “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”2 Lazy people are filled with excuses, even if they’re absurd. This would be like a person in our day saying, “A piano might fall on my head, so I'd better not go to work,” or “The building I’m working in might explode,...

What does the bible say about work? This sermon explores a biblical view on labor, sharing insights from my recent mission trip to Malawi and Uganda. Through firsthand stories, scriptural analysis, and spiritual reflection, the message unpacks what the Bible says about work, the spiritual causes of poverty, and how God created us to work as a form of worship and obedience. From Genesis to Ecclesiastes, we see that work is not a curse, but a God-given gift. The sermon contrasts the productivity seen in Scripture with the cultural issues faced in parts of Africa, highlighting how laziness, unbiblical marriage roles, and entitlement contribute to poverty. Most importantly, this sermon is a wake-up call to view work as a spiritual calling and a platform for Gospel witness. Whether you're asking “What does the Bible say about work?” or wondering how to find purpose and fulfillment in your labor, this message will challenge and equip you with biblical truth. https://youtu.be/Tc1kco1Spxw Table of contentsThe Poverty Problem Is Spiritual Versus PhysicalThree Consequences of Disobeying the BibleUgandans Are Poor Because They Disobey What the Bible Says About WorkFirst, people have no concept of saving or planning for the futureSecond, socialism is destroying the countryThird, there’s no shame about not workingWhat Does the Bible Say About Work?The Bible Says God Is a WorkerThe Bible Says God Created Us to WorkOur Motivations with WorkThe Fall Brought a Curse on WorkWe Work After the Curse Is RemovedThe Bible Says Enjoying Our Work Is Good and Fitting I was a business major in college. I’ve always enjoyed finance and economics. In 2024, I took a mission trip to Malawi, Africa, to teach at a Bible College and a Pastor's Conference. In 2025, I went to Malawi and Uganda to put on marriage conferences. I was very interested in the countries' economies on both trips, particularly why they are so poor. This is Afghanistan. Out of almost 200 countries, Afghanistan is the 10th poorest, and Malawi is 20th. There are two reasons Afghanistan is poor. First, all the military conflicts that have occurred within their borders. Second, as you can tell from the picture, nothing grows there. There’s little farmable land. Malawi is a beautiful and lush country. We ate well there because of the bananas and the largest avocados I’ve ever seen. We broke down in front of this restaurant in Malawi. I have been trying to get Katie to come to Africa with me. She kept refusing, so I sent her this picture and told her I would make us reservations if she would come with me. She’s still thinking about it. What surprised me about Malawi and Uganda is how similar they are in terms of beliefs, marriage problems, environments, and economies. This is a picture of the Nile I took from our hotel in Uganda. Again, you see how lush and green it is. This furniture store is right outside our hotel and might reveal part of Uganda's economic problems. It was raining incredibly hard at times, but the store owner kept the tarp over his bricks but left his couches exposed to the weather. When Ricky, Johnny, and I visited Robert Wafula, our missionary, in Uganda, we had to take a ferry back and forth among the islands. This is a picture from when we approached the port. Again, you can see how lush and beautiful it is. Can you see why I wondered why Malawi and Uganda are so poor? I am not going to say that either country has the resources to be wealthy, but I believe they have the resources to be in much better situations than they are in. The Poverty Problem Is Spiritual Versus Physical The more I traveled and spoke with people, the more convinced I became that poverty seems like a physical problem. However, while some physical factors exist, the problem is primarily spiritual. Much of Africa's poverty can be attributed to disobeying God’s word. That’s why the best way to help the people in Uganda and Malawi is to help them spiritually rather than physically or financially. If the spiritual condition of the countries improved, the physical and financial conditions would improve. https://youtu.be/8-oQ-gehWGc This short clip shows us driving through a Ugandan village with Robert and two team members. Notice that the homes are of lower quality than the homes in Malawi. They are not even made of brick; they are made of mud. Toward the end of the video, you can see a few men fishing and a woman in the water. I would guess she was about seven or eight months pregnant. I asked Robert about her, and he said she would have the baby in the village. I don’t think she could do anything if she had any problems. After delivering, she would probably go right back to work. This identifies one of the main spiritual problems in both countries. The women work very hard, but the men do not. During one of my marriage conferences, one of the men raised his hand and said, “When I come home, I sit down, put my feet up, my wife goes to the other room to get a bowl of water, and then she returns and washes my feet.” Three Consequences of Disobeying the Bible When you drive down the road, men ride on bikes, scooters, or motorcycles. Women walk with huge loads on their heads and shoulders, often carrying babies on their backs. Why is it this way? When a man marries a woman, he pays the dowry or bride price for her. This is unbiblical, and whenever we go against Scripture, there are consequences, and here are three of them. Wives are often viewed as possessions. They were purchased and are owned by the men who bought them. Men don’t feel like they need to work. They already did their part. They earned their lives of ease because they saved money to buy their wives. Women must then work hard to pay back the dowry or bride price. If you visit any nursery in Africa, it is filled with male babies. Nobody gives up female babies because they will make a family money, and they are the workhorses. But males are worthless and useless. Instead of working, men play Bao. We broke down multiple times. Once, when we broke down, I took Ricky and Johnny to walk around a local village with me. That’s my thing: if we’re broke down, let’s mingle. They watched people playing Bao, probably the most popular game in the country because it requires little more than a board and some rocks. When you drive through the areas of Malawi that have businesses and shops, you’ll see the men sitting in front playing Bao for hours while their wives are working. This is one reason for the poverty in Uganda and Malawi. Hopefully, you see how the problem looks physical or financial, but it’s spiritual. There is an unbiblical view of marriage and work. If even these two things could be fixed, I can’t imagine how much better these countries would be. Here’s a picture from when Ricky, Johnny, and I spent the day with Robert Wafula and saw his ministry in Uganda. Robert is next to me in the light blue shirt. Ronnie, in the purple shirt, is on the other end. He is the family pastor for SHIM, and his position is very important because of the poor biblical understanding of marriage and family. I told Ronnie how thankful I am for what he’s doing, and I only wish his voice could be magnified for the whole country. Ugandans Are Poor Because They Disobey What the Bible Says About Work Let’s be honest: we don’t enjoy talking with everyone. There are some people we enjoy talking with more than others. Ronnie was one of those people I thoroughly enjoyed talking with. I felt like I could have listened to him all day. At the beginning of the sermon, I told you that I like finance and economics, and that’s what he’s studying. I was very impressed with him. Like Robert, he is articulate and intelligent. I said, “Tell me why you think the people in Uganda are so poor.” His answer described people’s disobedience to biblical financial principles. Here are three highlights of what he said. First, people have no concept of saving or planning for the future As soon as they get money, they spend it. In their minds, it’s like, “I get money for one reason: to spend it. I’ll do that as soon as I can.” But you could also argue that when you have so little money, you must spend it to survive. So, I don’t want to sound insensitive to their positions or act like I think it would be easy to save. Second, socialism is destroying the country As you can imagine, most family members don’t move away from each other. Villages are filled with generations that have lived together. One of the worst causes of laziness is a family member receiving money. Then, the rest of the family feels no obligation to work because they feel entitled to that money. There’s a strong sense of entitlement. You see it with the youngest children. They will approach you and say, “Give me money.” In America, a capitalistic country, the idea is, “I want money, so I better work hard.” You might not view America that way, but if you spend little time in Africa, you will notice the different mentalities. In Africa, the idea is, “You have money, so you should give it to me.” Third, there’s no shame about not working In America, it's shameful not to work, but in Malawi and Uganda, it is the norm. This contributes to the purposelessness that characterizes many people’s lives. People wander around with little to do, and many of them spend their time being incredibly unproductive. This is why time has no value. Nobody shows up on time. Nothing starts when it’s supposed to start. And nobody thinks anything about it. Every day, when my marriage conferences were supposed to begin, only a fraction of the people were there. Then, everyone trickled in over the following two hours. At the end of the first day of my marriage conference in Malawi, the man organizing the conference told the group, “We will start at 8 AM tomorrow.” Then,...

Learn how Jesus redefines greatness through humility and service in this sermon on Luke 22:24–30. Explore the surprising moment when the disciples begin to argue over who is the greatest only moments after Jesus washed their feet and revealed His betrayal and coming death. Instead of rebuking them harshly, Jesus offers a life-changing teaching on true greatness, humility, and servant leadership. Instead of rebuking them harshly, Jesus offers a life-changing teaching on true greatness, humility, and servant leadership. https://youtu.be/uyI4wm01DZQ Table of contentsThe Importance of Foot WashingJesus’s Passover PreparationsJesus Washes the Disciples’ FeetJesus Was Teaching Service and HumilityThe Disciples Wouldn’t Wash Each Other’s Feet Because of PrideHumility Is Thinking of Ourselves Less Versus Less of OurselvesPhilippians 2: The Humility ChapterThe Disciples’ Sad Response to Jesus’s Statement About His Betrayal and DeathThree Things Making the Disciples’ Argument Even WorseHow Could This Argument Happen?Jesus Used the Moment to Teach The Disciples About LeadershipLeaders Should Be HumbleLeaders Should Be ServantsThe Greatest Are ServantsPursue Rewards in God’s Kingdom The Top Tens lists the top 10 of many things, such as songs, movies, albums, cell phones, workout programs, and mountain bikes. Here’s their list of the Top 10 Greatest People of All Time: Jesus Martin Luther King Jr. Albert Einstein Muhammad Buddha Gandhi Abraham Lincoln Moses Nelson Mandela Isaac Newton If the disciples read this list, they would be upset because they thought they should be on it! They argued about who was the greatest, not once but at least twice, first in Luke 9 and again in Luke 22. These are just the recorded instances; maybe it happened more than this! Context is always important, but sometimes it is especially important, and this is one of those instances. We will never fully appreciate this account without considering what occurred before it: Jesus washed their feet! The Importance of Foot Washing To understand Jesus washing the disciples' feet, let’s first look at a few verses in Luke 7. Beginning at Luke 7:36, we have the account of Jesus going to eat at the home of one of the Pharisees. During the meal, a woman, probably a prostitute, approached Jesus, wept, and washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Then she anointed His feet with ointment. This would’ve been a dramatic and moving scene to witness. Unless you are the Pharisee, in which case it makes you mad: Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” The Pharisee only thought this to himself, but you must be careful around Jesus because He can read people’s thoughts. He rebukes the Pharisee and contrasts the woman’s actions toward Him after entering the Pharisee’s home with the Pharisee’s actions when Jesus entered his home. Consider what He said about the situation: Luke 7:44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Jesus commended the women for washing His feet and rebuked the Pharisees for failing to do so. This reveals how big of a deal it was in Jesus’s day to wash your feet before meals because dust, mud, and other filth accumulated on people’s feet as they walked on unpaved roads. Jesus’s Passover Preparations Notice Jesus’s attention to detail as He tells Peter and John how to prepare for the Last Supper: Luke 22:8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” Jesus went to great lengths to ensure everything was perfect for the most important meal in human history: His Last Supper with His disciples. But despite all Jesus’s preparation, one important detail is missing: someone to wash everyone’s feet. For a formal meal like this in a hired banquet room, you don’t just provide water and a bucket for people. Instead, you provide an attendant to wash everyone’s feet. Overlooking this detail was considered a gross discourtesy. Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet Picture the disciples entering the room and looking for someone to wash their feet. The servant isn’t there, so they take their seats. John 21:20 tells us John rested his head on Jesus’ chest, helping us picture how the meal was observed: they reclined with their feet toward the middle. So, they would have to eat with each other’s dirty feet in their faces. Considering how well Jesus prepared for this meal, and considering He’s God in the flesh and doesn’t make mistakes, He planned for the servant to be absent, because He had something else in mind that nobody expected: John 13:4 [Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. This served as a subtle rebuke to the disciples. They all had to watch their Lord on His hands and knees doing something they all thought was beneath them. He expects all His disciples, including us, to follow His example: John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Jesus begins verse 16 with the phrase, “Truly, truly.” This is like behold, or verily, verily. Everything Jesus said was important, but there are those special times He wants to ensure we pay special attention, and this is one of those times. There are two lessons to take away from Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Jesus Was Teaching Service and Humility First, Jesus served the disciples, and as He said in verse 15, He was giving us an example, so we should also serve others. Second, think briefly about why the disciples wouldn’t wash each other’s feet. Is it because they were being lazy? Did it require so much work that they didn’t want to? Not at all. The disciples had weaknesses, but laziness wasn’t one of them. Jesus rebuked the disciples for many things, but unless I am missing something, I don’t think He ever rebuked them for laziness. We don’t know all of their professions, but we know the most common profession was fishing. People fish in our day for fun, which I don’t understand, but I digress. Being a fisherman in Jesus’s day wasn’t like fishing in our day. It was an exhausting profession, throwing out the net, bringing it back in, gathering the fish, and repeating this for hours. In other words, the disciples were used to working hard. The Disciples Wouldn’t Wash Each Other’s Feet Because of Pride So what was the reason they wouldn’t wash each other’s feet? Pride. They lacked humility. Typically, the lowest servant, or slave, washed everyone’s feet. None of the disciples were going to take that role. It would have been an admission of inferiority. It would have communicated, “I am your servant and lower than you. You are superior or greater than me.” Essentially, they would rather eat their food with filthy feet in their face than act like one of the disciples is better than them. Humility Is Thinking of Ourselves Less Versus Less of Ourselves Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus predicted His death multiple times, at least three times recorded in Luke’s gospel. But now Jesus told the disciples why He would die: for them. This is why Jesus is the premier example of humility. Because humility means thinking of ourselves less and others more, there is no better example than Jesus, who said, “I will die for you.” Being willing to die for others is as humble as you can get. Some people think humility is thinking poorly of yourself. I don’t want to sound crass, but these people think humility is thinking you’re a big loser. Two points about this. First, I’m not discounting the importance of self-examination or recognizing our weaknesses, but sometimes, when people say things like, “I’m so horrible,” it is manipulative. They are trying to get others to feel sorry for them or praise them. For example, imagine a school classroom, and a student says, “My picture is so bad.” Of course, the student says this very loudly so other students hear and respond, “No, no, your picture is great.” When I was a school teacher and students would say this, I would say, “Then you better keep working on it!” You could see the student’s disgust: “You’re my teacher. You’re not supposed to say that. You’re supposed to tell me how great my picture is.” I would not tell them their picture was good because maybe it wasn’t, and I didn’t want to be a liar. But more importantly, I didn’t want to feed that manipulative attitude. I didn’t want to encourage them to go through life feeling sorry for themselves

Discover how God uses even betrayal for His glory. What do Ahithophel and Judas have in common? Both were trusted companions—both committed heartbreaking betrayals—and both served a purpose in God’s sovereign plan. Walk through the betrayal of King David by Ahithophel and how it foreshadows the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot. See God’s sovereignty over their betrayals and be encouraged God is sovereign over our betrayals. https://youtu.be/iQB0t3lO6W4 Table of contentsDavid Is a Type of ChristAhithophel Is a Type of JudasFirst, Ahithophel betrayed David, just as Judas betrayed Jesus.Second, Ahithophel plotted David’s death to Absalom, just as Judas plotted Jesus's death to the religious leaders.Third, Ahithophel hanged himself, just as Judas hanged himselfDavid wrote about Ahithophel’s Betrayal in the PsalmsIs This Old Testament Verse a Prophecy?Jesus’s Two Shocking StatementsGod Is Sovereign Over BetrayalIs Judas Still Responsible?God’s Sovereignty Over Our BetrayalThree Points About the Disciples Questioning ThemselvesTwo Reasons the Disciples Didn’t Know It Was JudasGod Uses Betrayal for GoodGod Uses Joseph’s Betrayal for GoodJesus Could Say Joseph’s Words Even Better The Sound of Music tells the story of the von Trapp family escaping the Nazi takeover of Austria before World War II. A young Austrian named Rolf, who had been pursuing the oldest von Trapp daughter, joined the Nazis. When the von Trapps were hiding from the Nazis, Rolf found them. While holding the family at gunpoint, he demanded that they surrender. Captain von Trapp, the father of the family, confronted Rolf, and gave him a choice: join the von Trapps while they flee to Switzerland or remain with the Nazis. Even though Rolf was conflicted, he chose to betray the von Trapps to the Nazis. At the Last Supper, Jesus declared that He would be betrayed by one of the disciples. We know Jesus was speaking of Judas. We might wonder if Judas was conflicted because he tried to return the money and then committed suicide. But he was an evil man, and we shouldn’t make any excuses for his actions. David Is a Type of Christ Jesus’s betrayal is so significant that God prefigured it or foreshadowed it in the Old Testament through another man’s betrayal, and that’s David’s. As far as types and shadows of Christ go, David is one of the most dramatic: David and Jesus were both born in Bethlehem David was a shepherd, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd David was anointed, and Jesus is the Messiah or Anointed One David was a king, and Jesus is the King of Kings David defeated Goliath, the greatest enemy in his day, and Jesus defeated the devil, the greatest enemy in our day: 1 Corinthians 15:57 Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The list could go on, but you get the idea. Another way David is a picture or type of Christ is that they both experienced horrible betrayals. If I were David, I would have felt betrayed by my family when they left me out in the field to watch the sheep, rather than inviting me to the anointing of the next king of Israel. Think of how Saul betrayed David. David killed Goliath, something Saul should’ve done. David comforted Saul with music when the demonic spirit tormented him. Then, David faithfully served Saul as his greatest general. After all that, Saul spent 10 to 15 years trying to murder David, forcing him to flee from his friends and family and live in caves in the wilderness. David saved the city of Keilah from the Philistines, but then the people he saved were willing to turn him over to Saul. David’s son, Absalom, betrayed him, taking his wives, the throne, and the hearts of the people of Israel. At the end of David’s life, his son, Adonijah, betrayed him like Absalom did. Making the betrayal worse, Joab, David’s nephew and great general, and Abiathar the priest, David’s longtime friend, betrayed David and joined Adonijah in his rebellion. But, believe it or not, none of these betrayals might have been the worst! I say that because it seems like only one betrayal bothered David so much that he wrote about it in the Psalms. And it’s the only betrayal, out of all the betrayals in the Old Testament, that prefigures or foreshadows Judas betraying Jesus. Ahithophel Is a Type of Judas David had a close friend and trusted advisor named Ahithophel. I’ll spell out three ways he is a type of Judas. First, Ahithophel betrayed David, just as Judas betrayed Jesus. Consider this verse about Ahithophel’s wisdom: 2 Samuel 16:23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. Ahithophel was so wise that when people sought counsel from him, they felt they were hearing from God. Ahithophel is also Bathsheba’s grandfather. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah murdered, Ahithophel began to despise David. When David’s son Absalom rebelled against him, Ahithophel knew it was his opportunity to get back at David, so, tragically, this once loyal, close friend and advisor of David joined Absalom in his rebellion. Second, Ahithophel plotted David’s death to Absalom, just as Judas plotted Jesus's death to the religious leaders. This is when David learned that Ahithophel joined Absalom: 2 Samuel 15:31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” David knew how wise Ahithophel was and how dangerous his advice would be in the hands of someone like his evil son Absalom, so he prayed God would prevent Absalom from listening to him, and God answered David’s prayer. Third, Ahithophel hanged himself, just as Judas hanged himself Here’s Ahithophel’s response when he learned Absalom ignored his counsel: 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. Ahithophel knew Absalom was going to fail, so just like Judas, he was consumed with despair and ended up taking his own life. David wrote about Ahithophel’s Betrayal in the Psalms Even though David ended up victorious, Ahithophel’s betrayal was still incredibly painful. He wrote about it in the Psalms, as he did with many traumatic events in his life: Psalm 55:12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. The level of intimacy or friendship determines the level of betrayal. If someone you’ve never met, such as a cashier at the store, mistreats you, it may bother you a little, but you wouldn’t describe it as betrayal. Why? That mistreatment came from someone with whom you had no relationship. But when the person is, as David said, a “companion [and] familiar friend,” the betrayal is all the more heartbreaking. And here’s the important point: When Ahithophel betrayed David, it was never primarily about David and Ahithophel. It was secondarily about them and primarily about Judas and Jesus. So, we can read these words and look past David and Ahithophel to see Jesus and Judas. David described someone he had sweet fellowship with. The ESV says sweet counsel, but most other translations say sweet fellowship. Just as Jesus had sweet fellowship with Judas. David talked about walking to God’s house, or the temple with this person for worship, just as Jesus did with Judas on many occasions. David described Ahithophel again: Psalm 41:9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. This brings us back to the Last Supper, when Jesus instituted communion with the disciples, and Judas ate the bread Jesus gave him. Is This Old Testament Verse a Prophecy? When we read Old Testament verses, sometimes we wonder if they are prophecies. The way to know for sure is the New Testament quotes the Old Testament verse, identifying it as a prophecy. That’s the case with this verse, which Jesus quoted to reveal it as a prophecy of His betrayal: John 13:8 [Jesus said], “I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ So, here’s the point: When Ahithophel betrayed David, it foreshadowed the betrayal of the true and greater Son of David, Jesus. Jesus’s Two Shocking Statements The Last Supper should have been a time of celebration, but it was marred by two shocking moments that dampened the mood. First, Jesus told the disciples He was going to die: Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus predicted His death multiple times—at least three recorded times in Luke’s gospel. But now Jesus told the disciples why He would die: for them. It wouldn’t be hard for the disciples to figure out how Jesus would be killed: the religious leaders. They knew they hated Him. If Jesus is killed, they will be responsible. But then Jesus followed up the announcement of His death with another statement that might have been even more shocking than saying He would die for them: He would be betrayed by one of the disciples: Luke 22:21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. We know that Judas betrayed Jesus,...

Betrayed by someone you trusted? You're not alone. You do something for someone only to be met with ingratitude, thanklessness, or betrayal. Study David's example in 1 Samuel 23:1-13 when the citizens of Keilah betrayed him to Saul after he saved them from the Philistines. Learn how to respond to betrayal with faith, grace, and Christlike humility—no matter the hurt. https://youtu.be/6jqTSSKwedA Table of contentsWhen the People of Keilah Reached out to David for HelpDavid Heard from God Through the Urim and ThummimDavid Saved the People of KeilahRespond Well to Betrayal By Remembering the Lord Didn’t Promise Us GratefulnessRespond Well to Betrayal By Remembering We Were Doing It for the LordPractical Examples of Dealing with BetrayalWhen We Dealt with BetrayalRespond Well to Betrayal By Remembering the Lord Stands By Us John Anthony Walker was an American naval officer who spied for the Soviet Union from 1967 to 1985 during the Cold War. Motivated by financial gain, he sold highly classified information to which he had access as a communications specialist. The information Walker provided to the Soviet Union included details of the Navy's communication systems, jeopardizing the security of U.S. military operations and risking countless lives. How was Walker caught? After he and his wife divorced, she reported him to the FBI when he stopped providing her financial support. So she didn’t mind him serving as a spy, but when he wouldn’t give her money, that was going too far. Most betrayals aren’t this dramatic. They take place on much smaller scales. We do something for someone only to be met with ingratitude, thanklessness, or betrayal. In this morning’s passage, we’ll learn how to respond in these situations by studying David’s example. When the People of Keilah Reached out to David for Help Here’s the context: David became extremely popular among the people, which made Saul paranoid and jealous. Despite David’s loyalty and service, Saul began trying to murder him. David had to flee Jerusalem and spend years as a fugitive in the Judean wilderness. While David had plenty of his problems to worry about, such as staying alive and keeping his men alive, he received news of a city that needed his help: 1 Samuel 23:1 Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” Keilah is located in the western foothills of Judah, about 18 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The threshing floors are where wheat is separated from the chaff. This is the final stage at which the harvest is prepared before becoming food. Looting the threshing floors meant the Israelites invested months of effort, while the Philistines waited until all the work was complete, then stole the crop. This is why Boaz slept at the threshing floor in the book of Ruth to protect his harvest! Stealing the people’s food was not the same as it would be in our day. The Israelites couldn’t drive to the local grocery store for more. For them, this meant starvation. Where would you expect the people of Keilah to go for help at this desperate moment? In the ancient world, where did you go for justice? You went to the king! It’s pretty unbelievable that David was informed about this instead of Saul. Saul is the one who should have been protecting his people from the Philistines, but he’s too busy mobilizing the nation’s army to murder David. Because the people knew they couldn’t count on Saul, they turned to David for help, even while he was a fugitive. Do you think it would have been very easy for David to justify not helping the people of Keilah? Yes: “I can barely keep myself and my men alive without keeping a city alive.” But he sought the Lord about it anyway: 1 Samuel 23:2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David's men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” David was a man of great faith. He already fought against Goliath. So, when God tells him to fight the Philistines, he’s ready to go, but his men object. They think, “We already have Saul and his men against us in Judah. Why would we go to Keilah and take on the Philistines, too?” Plus, they’re trying to remain unnoticed. That’s why they are living in caves. They know that fighting against the Philistines will bring them out into the open, where Saul will learn of their location and come after them. And that’s exactly what is going to happen. So, they say, “David, let’s just sit this one out.” Interestingly, David responded to his men’s objections by asking again: 1 Samuel 23:4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” We know David is a great leader and man of faith, so we might expect him to tell his men, “We are going, and that’s the end of it.” However, great leaders recognize that they don’t know everything. When I was in the military, I remember being told the worst leaders are those who don’t listen to others. The Bible encourages us to listen others’ counsel: Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established. So, David considered his men’s counsel and asked God again. Again, God told David to go to Keilah: 1 Samuel 23:5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” This literally reads, “two doors and a bar.” There were two doors, side by side, with a horizontal bar across them, indicating that the city had only one entrance and exit. Saul knows David is trapped. Saul is a stark contrast to David: David hears from God throughout this passage, but Saul is so out of tune with God that he believes God has delivered David into his hands. So, he summoned his men for battle, not against the Philistines, Amalekites, or Edomites, but against the man after God’s own heart. David Heard from God Through the Urim and Thummim We can see what was happening when it looks like God was speaking audibly to David: 1 Samuel 23:8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” In the previous chapter, Saul destroyed the city of Nob when he thought the priest helped David, so David asked if he would do the same to Keilah. Abiathar escaped Nob and joined David, bringing with him the ephod Abiathar had with him, which is how God communicated with David. The ephod contained two special objects called the Urim, meaning “lights,” and Thummim,  meaning “perfection.” When David asked God a question, even though it appears God had a lengthy reply, it’s better to understand that David asked a yes-or-no question and received a yes-or-no answer, which the author expounded upon. For example: David asks, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?” He receives a “yes,” which means, “Yes, go attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” Or David asks, “Will Saul come down?” He receives a “yes,” which means, “Yes, Saul will come down to attack you.” Regarding the Urim and Thummim, people are divided into two groups. One group says, “This sounds like an Old Testament Magic 8 Ball. I’d want nothing to do with it.” The other group says, “This sounds like an Old Testament Magic 8 Ball. I wish I had one to make decisions.” What exactly are the Urim and Thummim? After consulting numerous commentaries, it is beyond a doubt that everyone agrees we have no idea. We’re not told to prevent us from reproducing them. Every New Age shop would guarantee you could buy one to learn God’s will. Today, we have the Holy Spirit and God’s Word to direct us. David Saved the People of Keilah It doesn’t say that David helped, supported, or assisted the people of Keilah. It says he saved them. That is saying something. We have all been helped, supported, or assisted by others. But has anyone ever saved you? Aside from being saved spiritually by Jesus Christ, I don’t think I can recall a time when someone else ever saved me. My point is that David did something great for these people. On November 21, 2010, during the war in Afghanistan, Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter was manning the rooftop of a small compound, constantly under threat from enemy fighters. A grenade was thrown onto the rooftop near Carpenter and the other soldier with him. Carpenter threw himself on the grenade, using his body to shield the other soldier from the explosion. When the grenade detonated, his body absorbed the brunt of the blast, severely wounding him. His jaw and right arm were shattered, and he lost his right eye and most of his teeth. On June 19, 2014, Kyle Carpenter received the Medal of Honor at the White House for his courageous actions. ...