Forward Church Cambridge Sermons: Recent Episodes
Forward Church
Welcome to Forward Church Cambridge's weekly sermon podcast. Join us every week for new Sunday morning teaching from the Word of God on a whole variety of topics. New episodes are posted on Sundays.
Big Idea: Jesus shapes His followers by sending them to participate in His mission.
Overview: Jesus gives the twelve disciples authority over demons and diseases and sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. For the first time, the disciples step into the ministry they have been watching Jesus perform. Yet Jesus intentionally sends them out with minimal provisions, forcing them to depend on God rather than their own resources. In doing so, He begins shaping them into people who trust God’s provision and participate in His mission. Disciples are not merely spectators to the work of Jesus; we are sent to be participants in it.
For the opening message of this series, we’re aiming to establish Jesus’ own claim that the entire Old Testament ultimately testifies about Him. The goal is to reframe how we read Scripture—not as disconnected moral stories, but as one unified story that finds its meaning and fulfillment in Jesus. This sermon sets the theological and interpretive foundation for everything that will follow in this series.
The only prayer found in the book of Proverbs, this prayer teaches us to pray for God’s provision and blessing in such a way that we never forget that the blesser is of much greater importance and value than his blessings.
Jesus prays for His disciples—and for us. His prayer reveals His heart for unity, sanctification, and mission. To know how Jesus prays for us is to understand how we are to live.
Hannah’s prayer teaches us that God hears the cries of the afflicted. Her response of worship reminds us to surrender our deepest burdens and praise Him even before the answer comes.
Even in times of fear, loss, and uncertainty, God’s goodness is not absent—it is our anchor. David declares confidence in God’s goodness not after deliverance, but while still waiting. This Psalm calls us to a faith that sees God’s goodness through the fog of hardship, not just in hindsight.
When Jesus departed the earth to return to the Father he gave tasked His disciples with a mission: “make disciples.” Accomplishing this task would require a few things:
1. It would require going, in fact it would require going to the whole world. Disciple making couldn’t be accomplished through passivity it would require initiative and activity. They would need to go out into the world to invite others to follow Jesus.
2. Once people had received the invitation to follow Jesus it would require initiation. A physical washing that would represent the way that through Jesus, His followers have already been washed and made clean.
3. It would require instruction, specifically it would require them teaching to others everything Jesus had taught to them. This teaching was more than just theoretical instruction, it was a call to imitation, a call to step by step learn what it means to walk in the way of Jesus.
4. Finally, it would require the power and presence of Jesus. Jesus knew the task He was leaving them with would only be possible with his help and so He reminded them that His help would be more than enough to accomplish the mission and that His help would always be available to them until the mission was accomplished. The mission He gave His first disciples continues to be our mission today and the promise He made to them continues forward to all those who call themselves His disciples. Application:Have you made choice to follow Jesus?If you are a disciple, have you been baptized?If you’re a baptized disciple, where do you most need to grow this year in walking in the way of Jesus?Are you a disciple who is making disciples?
The first marker of Christlike maturity that Paul identifies in Ephesians 4 is humility. To grow in Christ is to grow in your understanding of just how far short of the goal of Christlikeness you fall and how incapable you are of achieving that goal on your own you are. As you grow in humility it leads you to be gentler and more forgiving with others. As you grow in your awareness of how patient God is with you, it makes you more patient towards others more able to bear with others, which makes unity with other fallible and faltering followers of Jesus more attainable.
Have you ever noticed that children seem born with a sense of what is “fair?” That’s because one of the ways we reflect God as His image bearers is in our desire for justice. God is just. In fact, in Deuteronomy 32:4 God’s Word tells us that “all His ways are just.” Justice is not simply something God desires it is core to who He is. He is the measure of justice and the one who ultimately metes out justice. God’s justice is ultimately seen most clearly on the cross. Because God is just, sin must be paid for, there is no other option. The only option is whether we accept the payment Christ made or whether we pay the price ourselves.
In Luke 1:37 Mary responds to the news that she will give birth to Jesus as a virgin by saying “with God nothing is impossible.” In five words Mary articulates the essence of what we mean when we say God is omnipotent. All creation obeys Him because He is not only it’s creator but sustainer. There is no task that strains His abilities, His power is universal and He is able to exercise power over the entire universe. God’s power is not limited by natural law or human imagination but only by His nature and character. The power of God should build our faith. As Paul says in Romans 8:31: “If God is for us who can be against us.” It should also cause fear in the hearts of those who oppose God because if we are against God, it does not matter who is for us.
The power of prayer is twofold. One, it changes us. 1 John 5:14 lets us know that it is part of the process by which God causes our will to be brought into line with his will. Prayer not only changes us though, it also changes things. 1 John 5:15 lets us know that God hears and answers our prayers. Throughout scripture we see people healed, wisdom granted, enemies defeated, by God’s power in response to His people’s prayers.
Paul writes in Colossians 4:2 that we need to be devoted to prayer. Why is prayer so critical? This passage offers us two reasons: First because if God calls us to pray, we should obey him. Second, as Paul makes clear in the verses that follow, our mission and the salvation of lost people depends on it. Prayer is a constant reminder of our dependence on God and a constant confession of His ability.
Paul’s final exhortation to the Corinthians in vs. 13 and 14 act as a summary and bookened to all that Paul has had to say to the Corinthians: “Be Watchful, Stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong, let all that you do be done in love.” Paul reminds them again of the importance of discernment, he encourages them to hold fast to the faith, to be brave and strong, but undergirding all of this most be a Spirit of love and unity.
This small section points out that it’s good and valuable to plan. Ministry often requires us to think ahead, to plan, to strategize. But, we must always recognize that our plans are secondary to God’s plans. Make your plans, but then place your plans in God’s hands.
Paul’s instruction for giving in this section provide some principles for our giving today. First ,giving should be a priority (on the first day of the week). Second, giving is for everyone, everyone should bring something. Third ought to be proportional. Although everyone can give something, depending on what God has blessed us with we may have much more to give then another. Finally, giving should be purposeful, we need to plan to give. Like all spiritual disciplines giving is very unlikely to happen by accident.
These are 9 of the most encouraging verses in scripture. Jesus has defeated sin and death. If we are in Christ death no longer needs to hold any fear for us. Because Jesus has defeated death, no matter what this mortal life may bring, we can be “steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work because we know that our labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
If we have received the forgiveness that has come through Christ death on the cross one day, we will also receive a new and imperishable body like Jesus did at his resurrection. The hope of the Christian is not a disembodied existence in the clouds, instead is a new, imperishable, physical body enjoying eternity with God in a new heaven and new earth.
There’s a lot going on in this passage, but the big picture concern of Paul is that when the church comes together for worship God is the focus. What seems to have been happening in Corinth was that many people were wanting to place themselves front and center, making themselves the stars of the show. When the church meets to worship God should get the glory, gifts should be used in the service of others and God’s people should be built up and strengthened in the faith.
Although you’ll need to deal with what Paul is talking about here as he deals with the issue of tongues and prophecy, Paul’s primary concern here is not about answering all our questions about tongues and prophecy and instead is about the benefits of each of those gifts. In short Paul’s argument is that prophecy is a more desirable gift because it benefits the hearer while tongues benefit only the one speaking in tongues. We learn a few things from this: 1. The word of God is incredibly important for the building up of the church. 2. The purpose of corporate worship services should be the building up of all believers not merely self-fulfillment. If you are preaching this message make sure to speak to the other person scheduled to preach this Sunday so we make sure we are delivering a consistent message on this topic.
Although this text is most commonly associated with weddings Paul’s instruction here is not limited to how husbands and wives ought to love one another. In this chapter Paul is laying out a definition of love that is meant to be applied not only to how believers relate to their spouses but in all their relationships. Sermon Notes:
* A More Excellent Way
* “...if it alone is kept, it is sufficient.”
* Eloquence without love is nothing
* Prophecy knowledge and faith without love are nothing
* Altruism and sacrifice without love is nothing
* The measure of true spirituality is never the gifts of the Spirit. The true measure of spirituality is the fruit of the Spirit.
* “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
* Love Never Fails
* You are fully known
* Love is the Greatest
Despite the different gifts Christians may have, despite the different ministries we may be called to all those gifts and ministries are given with one mission in mind that name of Jesus would be lifted high and that he would be proclaimed as Lord and that his church would be strengthened. Every Christian has been given a gift and those gifts have been given by God and distributed according this His will.
Sermon Notes:
- If you are a disciple of Jesus, being part of the body is normal, not optional. (vs. 12-13)
- The body is made to have unity in diversity. (vs. 12-20)
- If God has led you here, then you belong here. (vs. 18)
- The body needs the people nobody wants and the people nobody sees (vs. 21-25)
- The body of Christ is designed to be a caring community. (vs. 25-26)
- The body is the hands and feet of Jesus for a hurting and broken world. (vs. 27-31)
Despite the different gifts Christians may have, despite the different ministries we may be called to all those gifts and ministries are given with one mission in mind that name of Jesus would be lifted high and that he would be proclaimed as Lord and that his church would be strengthened. Every Christian has been given a gift and those gifts have been given by God and distributed according this His will.
Partaking in the Lord’s supper together is an essential part of Christian worship and community. It is a regular reminder of the foundation of our faith, the forgiveness and grace we have received through Christ’s death for us. In taking it we confess our communion together as a church family and our communion with God through Christ. In light of this, before partaking in the Lord’s supper, we should always take time to examine ourselves making sure that we are in right relationship with God and with each other.
This may be one of the most difficult and controversial passages in all of the bible. There is a lot of debate and a lot of disagreement over what Paul is saying here and even more so about how relevant what Paul is saying to the Corinthians is to us in Canada in 2023. I think at least a few things are clear from this passage:
1) As both image bearers of God and followers of Jesus our actions can bring either shame or honour to our saviour and our God.
2) While both men and women are image-bearers we bear that image in distinct ways. Contrary to our culture there are distinctions between the sexes. Contrary to Roman/Greek culture there is no distinction in our value.
3) We need to figure out what it looks like in Canada in 2023 to bring honour to God as his image-bearers, both male and female, through the way we worship.
Imagine a community of people that all functioned with this phrase as their motto: “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” Imagine how radically different that type of community would look in a world that trumpets “do what makes you happy.” Community isn’t easy, we are different people coming together with different backgrounds, different personalities, different perspectives. The only way we are ever going to be the church community that God desires us to be is by living lives that have as their goal God’s glory and our neighbours good.
Sermon Notes: You shape the health of the communities you are part of. (vs. 23-24) * You seek the good of others when you live in Christian freedom rather than fear. (vs. 25-27) * You seek the good of others when you care enough to talk to them about the health of their soul. (vs. 28) * “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings him back from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20) * “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:5-6) * You seek the good of others when you love them more than you love your freedom. (vs. 28-29) * Living for the good of the other person is ultimately about living as a disciple of Jesus. (vs. 31 – 11:1)*
Paul continues the theme of rights. Last week we looked at the fact that our rights and freedoms need to be constrained by our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. This week Paul demonstrates through his example and his instruction that as Christians we ought to be willing to set aside our rights for the sake of the gospel. Out of love for Christ and love for the lost we, like Paul, must choose to put aside our rights, preferences, and comfort to reach and rescue as many people as possible with the gospel. Our rights and freedoms are not the ultimate prizes, the souls of people and the glory of God are.
Underlying all Paul’s writing in this chapter about marriage and singleness is this concern, that as God’s people we would live lives of undivided devotion to him. The issue for each one of us isn’t ultimately our marital status, the issue is that God our ultimate loyalty would be to God above anyone and anything else
Sermon Notes: You can live a life of purpose and contentment no matter your current circumstance. * Satisfaction is ultimately found in living for the one who saved us not in our living situation. * Satisfaction is found in knowing the Saviour who satisfied all of God’s requirements and living for Him. * The key to contentment isn’t changing our circumstances, it’s understanding our calling. * Satisfaction is found in serving Christ and you can serve Christ no matter your circumstances. * Stop living “if only” lives, start living lives of undivided devotion to Jesus.*
Both singleness and marriage are good gifts from God, they both come with their own benefits and their own responsibilities. Marriage brings with it the good gift of sex, but that gift also comes with restrictions and responsibilities. Singleness grants to the single person a level of freedom that those who are married do not have, but that freedom comes with the reality that sex is reserved for those who are married. We need to thank God for whatever gift he has given to us and trust that the restrictions each of those gifts come with are for our good and His glory.
Sermon Notes: Whether you are single or married God has given you a gift that comes with both blessings and requirements. (vs.7) * Marriage is a gift. * Marriage blesses us with the opportunity to model the love of Christ. (Ephesians 5:22-33) * Singleness is a gift. * Singleness blesses us with the freedom to serve the cause of Christ. (1 Corinthians 7:32-34) * The requirement of Christian singleness is celibacy. (1 Corinthians 6:18) * The requirement of Christian marriage is lifelong commitment. (1 Corinthians 7:10-16) * Whether you are single or married satisfaction is ultimately found in the giver rather than the gift.*
The popular view in culture is that sex is merely a physical act and that our sex lives are no bodies business but our own. Paul contradicts both these assumptions with his teaching in this section. First he makes it clear that not only is sex a physical act, it’s also a spiritual one. Second he makes it clear that our sex lives matter to God because, as Christian, our bodies are a part of His body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and were purchased by the blood of Christ.
As Christians we celebrate Easter because Easter changes everything. The belief that Jesus truly died, was buried, and then rose again on the first Easter Sunday is the cornerstone of our faith. As Paul says, if Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then we would be the most pitiable people of all. But because he did rise, we can have confidence that those who place their trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins will also be resurrected to new life. This truth makes Easter a celebration of unparalleled joy and significance.
One of the main reasons Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians was their apparent lack of concern for sexual immorality within the church. Paul emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue and administering church discipline out of love for Jesus and love for the brother or sister who is engaging in sin. This sermon provides an opportunity to explore the importance of holiness and the necessity of church discipline. It also offers a counterpoint both to those who argue that "Christians shouldn't judge others" and to those who tend to overlook the sins of those within the church while judging the sins of those outside of it.
In this chapter, Paul asks the Corinthians, "What do you have that you did not receive?" This question encapsulates Paul's theology of grace, which holds that everything we have is a gift from God. In order to encourage the Corinthians to live a life shaped by God's grace, and the sacrifice and surrender the cross calls us to, Paul employs a combination of irony, sarcasm, and tender love to guide them. However, he recognizes that mere teachings are not enough; the Corinthians need an embodied example to follow. As such, he sends them Timothy, a living embodiment of humility and grace, to model for them what it means to live a life in accordance with the gospel.
Sermon Notes:
* How we view influence matters.
* Who is influencing you?
* Is scripture your standard?
* Gospel centred influencers don’t reach for power.
* Instead gospel-centred influencers humbly serve.
* Gospel centred influencers don’t strike back.
* Instead, gospel centred influencers surrender.
* Gospel centred influencers doesn’t shame.
* Instead gospel centred influence care.
* Are we are following whose lives reflect the way of Jesus?
"Despite their self-perception as wise, mature, and sophisticated, Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians that they still have much growing to do. Their tendency towards quarrelling and jealousy is a sign of their immaturity. There is no place for such behavior in the body of Christ. When we allow ourselves to be divided by boasting, factions, or allegiance to specific leaders or teachers, it demonstrates that we have not fully understood the core principles of the gospel. When we view other churches as competition rather than as fellow laborers, we risk dividing the body of Christ and facing God's judgement and punishment in our own lives."
Sermon Notes:* God is even more serious about the place He dwells in than you are about your home. (vs. 16-17) * Division, rivalry, and conflict damage God’s dwelling place. (vs. 1-4) * “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21) * You will build God’s temple when you live like other Christians are coworkers in the same mission. (vs. 5-9) * You will build God’s temple when Jesus is your life. You are hurting God’s temple when Jesus is secondary. (vs. 10-15) * Self deception is the root problem we all need to be rescued from. (vs. 18-23)
As Paul has previously stated, wisdom is the understanding of the gospel message of Christ's death and resurrection. Those who are mature in their faith are those who have fully embraced this message. It is only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can come to a true understanding of this wisdom. Logical arguments or persuasion will never be enough to fully convince others to believe the gospel; it is a message that must be revealed to us by the Spirit. In addition to belief in Christ, this wisdom also encompasses the practical implications of that belief and how we should live as a community of believers, following in the footsteps of a crucified Christ. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit grants us the wisdom not only to come to a knowledge of salvation, but also to live as those who have been saved.
Sermon Notes:* Gospel wisdom differs from worldly wisdom. (vs.6) * Walking in wisdom will require you trusting God more than you trust yourself. (vs. 7-9) * The source of God’s wisdom is God’s Spirit. (vs.10) * James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” * Wisdom from the Spirit is in line with God’s Word. (Titus 1:2) * Wisdom from the Spirit will display God’s character. (Galatians 5:22-3) * Wisdom = “What does Jesus want me to do in this situation?” (vs. 16)
2000 years ago, God in the ultimate act of love he ultimate act of love, became a human and lived among us. Born to an unwed peasant mother and raised by her carpenter husband, Jesus lived a perfect life, teaching about the kingdom of God and proclaiming his own divinity. Despite his innocence, he was arrested and sentenced to death by crucifixion at the hands of the religious and political leaders of the time. But Jesus didn't stay dead. Three days after his burial, he rose again, victorious over sin and death. Now, he sits at the right hand of God, ruling over all things in heaven and preparing to return to earth one day to renew and restore the world and bring judgement upon all people. This may sound unbelievable, but it is the truth, and it is the only message that holds the power to save us from our sins.
Sermon Notes:
* The story of Jesus is the one story that can give your life meaning and purpose that lasts forever.
* The story of Jesus is good news – not good advice. (vs. 1 & 2)
* “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12
* “Nero fastened the guilt … on a class hated for their abomination, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilate.” Tacitus
* “About this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. He was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.” Josephus
* Jesus is not only the answer for your eternal life; He is the answer for your daily life. (vs. 3-5)
The gospel message may seem foolish or weak to those who hear it, but that's how God often chooses to build his movement. Rather than seeking out the powerful or influential, he calls the weak, powerless, and foolish to proclaim the good news. In fact, the gospel was just as foolish to the people of Corinth as it may seem to those in Southern Ontario today. But despite its apparent foolishness, the gospel is just as powerful to save now as it was 2000 years ago. And he continues to spread His message and build His movement through unlikely individuals today. If we hope to faithfully proclaim the gospel, we must be willing to embrace this reality and not be discouraged by others' perceived foolishness of our message.
The problems of division, factions, and idolizing church leaders are not unique to our time. From the earliest days of Christianity, believers have struggled with maintaining unity and avoiding the temptation to put leaders on pedestals. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul seeks to address these issues by reminding them that the church belongs solely to Jesus. It is through Jesus' death and resurrection that we are saved, it’s his name we are baptized into, and it is only through his power that the church can thrive and move forward.
Paul begins his letter to the Corinthian church by expressing gratitude for the grace of God that has been bestowed upon them through Jesus. Similarly, we have much to be thankful for in the Corinthian church, as it serves as a reminder that if God can work through a community as flawed and in need of grace as the Corinthians, then there is hope for us as well. This Sunday, we will delve into the context and significance of Paul's greeting to the Corinthian church, exploring both the city of Corinth and the motivations behind Paul's writing of this influential and relevant letter.
The world is an unsteady place. Our lives can be turned upside down in a moment. One event, one phone call, one diagnosis can shake us or shatter us. Sometimes God allows this shaking to reveal to us our own fragility and the fragility of the things we have built our lives upon. There are a few things we need to know when we are feeling shaken. First, while God may shake us God himself is is never shaken. Second, when God shakes the world, he does so with a plan and purpose in mind. Third, God’s shaking is ultimately done with the purpose of restoration and justice, God is working out a plan of redemption through Jesus that is our sure foundation.
What do we think of when we think of a blessed life? Maybe it’s a spouse, two kids and a house that we own, maybe it’s a secure retirement or a fulfilling career. Whatever the word blessed conjures up for you, it almost certainly is tied in to our view of success. In God’s kingdom success is measured not in dollars, degrees or the applause of people, it’s measured in obedience, faithfulness and holiness. Complete holiness and full obedience are the requirements to truly experience the blessing of God in our lives. Partial holiness is no holiness at all, good actions do not compensate for bad actions. To experience the fullness of God’s blessing in our lives we need to experience the holiness that only Jesus can provide.
Disappointment is the gap between our expectations and our reality. Disappointment is an inevitable reality in a broken world. Through Haggai God speaks a message of encouragement to a disappointed people. First, and most importantly he promises that He is with them. Second, He promises that despite how things may appear, He will use the temple they have reconstructed to make his glory known to the whole world. Third, God promises that He will provide the resources to complete the task to which he has called them. And finally he promises them a better future where reality won’t just meet their expectations it will exceed them.
Haggai was a post-exilic prophet sent by God to exhort the small community of Jewish people who had resettled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity and exile. The community that had returned, returned to a city in ruins and a temple that had been destroyed. Their initial excitement and joy at returning quickly turned into a struggle just to get by. In the grind of trying to rebuild their lives and eke out a living the worship of God and the rebuilding of his temple quickly fell off the radar. Yet, the harder they worked the harder things seemed to get. In the midst of this God speaks to the people through Haggai to tell them that their dissatisfied lives were a direct result of disordered priorities and that in order to experience the lives of flourishing they had hoped for they needed to start by putting God first. The message God’s people then is the same as his message to his people today. Disordered priorities inevitably lead to dissatisfied lives but a satisfied heart starts with centering ourselves on God.
We will be walking through John 11 & 12 and the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus and his resurrection. Looking at the various ways they said yes to Jesus and challenging us to make the coming year a time when we will live to say yes to whatever Jesus is saying.
All of us have a deep need to be loved. We’re also terrified that we’ll be rejected. For many of us our search for love and our fear of rejection are the driving forces behind the story of our lives. One of the most incredible truths we find in scripture is that there is a God who both loves us fully and knows us completely. The good news for those who are searching for love is that love came searching for all of us.
We often go searching for joy and settle for happiness instead. Happiness is a product of the present, it’s a result of my current circumstances. Joy however is rooted in both the past and the future. In order to find lasting joy and not just momentary happiness we have to root ourselves in the faithfulness of God in the past and the certainty of what he has promised to us in the future. We can find joy by reminding ourselves that just as God was faithful in fulfilling his promise to provide a rescuer and redeemer he will also be faithful in fulfilling his promise to one day come again to renew and restore all that sin has broken.
Just the word is like a balm to our restless and weary souls. In a world filled with conflict and constant busyness many of us are desperate to find a little peace. At the birth of Christ, the angels came proclaiming “peace on earth,” and yet the earth seems anything but peaceful. However, just before his death Jesus doubles down on this promise of peace. In John 14:27 and 16:33 he promises that despite the troubles and tribulations of this world there is a peace available to us that transcends our current circumstances, a peace that can calm our fears, answer our anxieties, and steady our souls. A peace that only he can bring.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote: “To live without hope is to cease to live.” As human beings we need hope, and yet so often what we end up placing our hope in disappoints us and lets us down. In a world filled with politicians, products, and people that don’t live up to the promises they make to us. In a time where the hope of perpetual progress seems to have been dashed; where can we find the hope we need? In Romans 15:1-13 Paul shows us how the hope we’ve been searching for is ultimately found in Christ. In him we can find a hope that will never fail, never disappoint, a can transform our lives and overflow out of us to bring transformation to the world around us.
As we near the close of the book of Acts Paul is in Jerusalem defending himself once again, this time to King Agrippa. In giving his defense he boldly stands before Agrippa and shares his testimony. He shares his life before Christ, his credentials as a Pharisee and his own disbelief of Jesus and his participation in the church’s persecution. Then he shares his conversion, his encounter with the risen Jesus and how that encounter changed everything. Even as he stares down the possibility of imprisonment or even death, Paul is less concerned with his physical life and more concerned with the spiritual life of those around him. When Agrippa asks Paul “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul shares the heart that motivates the entirety of his life: “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but that all who hear me this day might become such as I am – except for these chains.” What motivates Paul to share his testimony, no matter the opposition or the cost, is that he shares the heart of God “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)
As Paul says a tearful goodbye to the elders of the church in Ephesus we see two things about his ministry and calling. First, we see that wherever God placed Paul for however long He placed him there Paul was fully present and invested. His life, lived out daily, gave testimony to the message he proclaimed. The second thing we see is that Paul didn’t hesitate to go when God had a new assignment for him, even when that assignment was likely to lead to his suffering and even his death. For most of us it's easy to become slaves of either the future or slaves to our comfort. We’re either too busy thinking about what God might have for us later that we don’t invest where He has placed us now or we get so comfortable with where we are now that we aren’t obedient to Him when He calls us someplace new. We need to be a people who are fully invested in the mission of God wherever He has placed us now and fully ready to obey the call of God wherever it may take us in the future.
Paul’s engagement with the people of Athens gives us some very helpful principles for how to engage people with the gospel. One of the key skills we need to learn if we are going to be effective witnesses for Christ is that we have to meet people where they are. Paul contextualized his message to the people he was dealing with and the questions they were asking. In Acts 17:2 we see Paul addressing Jews by appealing to scripture. Here, in dealing with Greek Philosophers who had a different source of authority and different questions they were asking, he changes his approach while keeping his message. As we engage with people who don’t know Jesus we, like Paul, ought to be grieved by their lostness, look for points of agreement, expose the weakness of their answers/solutions, proclaim God’s greatness and point them to Jesus and His resurrection.
It’s one thing to confess that salvation comes through Christ alone, but it’s another to truly believe it and live it out. With Gentiles now being included into what had previously been a Jewish-only church the idea that Jesus alone saves began to be put to the test. What about circumcision? What about the Jewish dietary laws? Doesn’t being a Christian also require one to follow the law of Moses? Even today it can be a struggle for us to believe that Jesus alone is enough to save. Can you be saved and not baptized? Doesn’t being a Christian also require giving to the church? Serving in the Church? Reading your Bible? While all of those are good things, maybe even obvious fruit of someone who has truly been saved, what the council of Jerusalem proclaimed and what God makes clear in scripture, is that salvation = Jesus + nothing.
These two chapters mark a pivotal moment in the history of the church. Here God makes it clear to Peter and through Peter to the rest of the church community that the gospel is not just good news for Jews, it is good news for gentiles as well. In fact what we see throughout the pages of the New Testament is that when it comes to the gospel barriers and partitions that divide and exclude are broken down and destroyed. As Paul says in his latter to the church in Galatia: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This means all our old prejudices need to be put to death and all our previous identities are made secondary because of the supernatural unity we are given through Jesus.
If you were a member of the early Christian community the last person in the world you would have expected to become a key individual in God’s plan to grow and expand His church would have been Saul of Tarsus. In Acts 8:3 Luke describes Saul as “ravaging the church” going from house to house dragging off men and women who were Christians and sending them to prison, yet by the time we come to Acts 9:20 that same Saul is “proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues saying, “He is the Son of God.” The story of Saul is a reminder that God works in unexpected ways through unexpected people and is proof that no matter their past, no one is beyond the transforming power of God’s grace.
As the church grew it’s systems and structures needed to grow as well to make sure that the mission of the church could continue to move forward. This meant the identifying and installation of new leaders. These leaders were chosen first and foremost based on their character and faith, but also based on the changing needs and nature of the growing community. If we are going to be a multiplying church we also need to be a church that multiplies leaders.
leadership
In Acts 4:2 Luke writes that the Sadducees were “greatly annoyed” with Peter and John “because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” When we function as Christ’s witnesses in this world, sooner or later (and likely sooner rather than later), we will end up saying things that greatly annoy the people and the culture that we find ourselves in. We should expect opposition and even persecution. That opposition and persecution shouldn’t cause us any worry or fear though, instead, we can speak with boldness like Peter and John did because we are convinced of the truth of what we have believed, seen and experienced and because God is in control and sovereign over all things.
When Christ gave the mission of being His witnesses to the world it was accompanied by a promise: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” In chapter 2 of Acts, we see the promise of Jesus fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. It was on that day that the church was born. Without the person of the Holy Spirit there is no power in the church, we have no ability to accomplish the mission God has tasked us with, but with the power of the Holy Spirit a fisherman who fled Jesus in His hour of need can preach boldly and see thousands repent and come to Christ, language barriers can be stripped away so that the gospel can be understood, a community of radical connection and generosity can be formed amongst people who may share nothing else in common, and God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
In the book of Acts, Luke continues his writing to Theophilus, moving from an account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus to an account of the birth of the church and its growth from a group of 120 Jewish followers of Jesus in Jerusalem to a multi-racial movement that spread across the entire Roman world. A movement rooted in a mission given by Jesus to His followers just before He ascended to heaven: “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The mission Jesus gave to His original disciples remains the mission of the church until Christ returns.
We might also think of this filter as the thankfulness filter. This filter is quite similar to the Honour filter, expect that the object here is God rather than people. Are we a people that are constantly in awe of God and all that He has done for us? Are we focused on the beauty of the grace He has shown to us through Christ? Yes, but also the common grace of a great meal, a beautiful sunset, a stunning vista? How would it change our entire disposition if we were rejoicing always and giving thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). What if we recognized that every good thing, every gift we received was actually a gift from God (James 1:17)? What if we cultivated a prayer life that was less focused on all that we lack and more focused on all that God has provided?
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to focus on the things that happen to us that seem unfair? Unjust? Many people get trapped in a prison of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness because they can’t let go of injustice. Instead of focusing on slights and injustices God calls us to focus on what is just. This means both focusing on the fact that God is just and we can trust Him to do what is just on our behalf (Romans 12:19, Psalm 37:28), and it means focusing on how we can be part of seeing the justice of God done in a world, filled with injustice. (Isaiah 1:17, Micah 6:8, Jeremiah 22:3)
Have you ever noticed how quick we are to criticize and tear down and how slow many of us are to encourage and honour others? God wants His people to be people who are focused on looking for the things in others, that are commendable and worthy of honour. He wants us to be the type of people who encourage others and build up one another. Here’s a short list of some of the people and things we are called to honor: Parents (Deut. 5:16), other Christians (Romans 12:10), marriage (Hebrews 13:4), elders in the church (1 Timothy 5:17), rulers (1 Peter 2:17). What would it look like if we trained ourselves to be on the look out for opportunities to honour and commend rather than to criticize and find fault?
We live in a world where it can feel impossible to determine what is true. As Christians, we determine truth by starting with Scripture. Jesus reminds us in John 17:17 that, God’s word is true and in John 16:13, we’re reminded that every Christian has the Holy Spirit living in them who is also referred to as the Spirit of Truth. In contrast to that, we face an enemy in Satan, who is a liar (John 8:44) and he uses lies to attack us. If we are to not only survive but thrive as followers of Jesus, we need to commit ourselves to being people who filter every word and thought through the truth of God’s word.
God is honoured and worshipped through our generosity. In Exodus 35, the people of God responded out of hearts of generosity bringing their gold, silver, bronze, onyx, precious jewels, acacia wood, fine linens and all the other materials needed to build the Tabernacle. In fact, they brought so much that they had to be commanded not to bring anymore. In the same way, God stirs in the hearts of the people and those who He had blessed with gifting and skills to offer their service in the building of the Tabernacle. It is by means of the generosity of God’s people that the place of God’s dwelling comes to be.
As we look at the last chapter and these two chapters, we see the fundamental dilemma we face as human beings. God is holy, and because of His Holiness, we cannot enter His presence. His glory is too much for us. Yet, at the same time, life apart from His presence is no life. A life, even one where we receive all the blessings of God, but do not have God Himself is hollow and empty. Moses and the people of Israel recognize that the promised land without the One who promised it, is not worth living in. A Holy God can only live amongst a sinful people by grace, and by that grace, God’s glory shines even brighter.
In Exodus 31:3, Bezalel who is filled with the Spirit of God with regards to wisdom, insight and knowledge in order that he might worship and serve God through overseeing the construction of the tabernacle and all its articles and elements. He would oversee a team of skilled artisans and craftsman all using their work for God’s worship. Work is a good thing, it’s meant to be a God honouring thing. Human beings were created for work, but God’s people are also called to rest. God has commanded that we rest and He’s serious about it. A failure to rest marks a failure to trust and a failure to obey. As the people of God, we work from our rest not for our rest.
Here, we see the principles laid out in the ten commandments fleshed out. One of the things that becomes obvious is that, for God’s people, the covenant they are making with God will impact every aspect and area of their life. One of the questions this passage should raise for us is, what it means to recognize the Lordship of Christ over every area of our lives.
Here we find one of the most famous sections of Scripture in the whole Bible. The 10 commandments, which are better referred to as the ten words, form the foundation of the covenant which God is making with His people. Each commandment is not merely a law but comprises a moral principle which reveals to us the character of God and what He expects from His people. The first 4 principles deal with concerning the relationship between people and God, the next 6 deal primarily with the horizontal relationships we have with others. What becomes painfully obvious as we walk through all 10 of the commandments is that, each of us fall short of keeping not only some of them but of failing to keep all of them. Ultimately, the commandments not only lay a moral framework that shows us the character of God and creates a foundation for a just and moral society but it also shows us our need for the forgiveness and redemption that comes through Christ alone.
By the time the people of Israel exited out of Egypt and into the wilderness, they numbered in the millions. Where would food and water be found for so many people? As the people recognized their precarious situation, they began to grumble against God, despite all He had done for them. Still, when Moses cried out to God, God in his goodness, provided everything that they needed. In fact, not only did He provide for their physical needs through food and water, He promised that if they would only trust Him, He would also provide for their rest.
Mere humans (genealogy of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 6:14-30)
When reading the Bible, we can fall into the trap of thinking of people like Aaron and Moses as biblical “heroes.” This section of scripture is inserted to make it clear to the readers that Moses and Aaron weren’t heroes they were just men because there is only one hero in the Bible, God. God’s choosing of Moses had nothing to do with natural ability or bloodline. His calling and election were a gift of grace and not based on the rights and privileges of birth or any innate talent or ability on his part.
Nothing can cause us to doubt God quite like a broken spirit. The difficulties of life can drain our faith in the promises of God. That’s exactly what happened to the people of Israel. Thank God that he doesn’t give up on us even if the difficulties of life have caused us to give up on Him and that His faithfulness to fulfill the promises He has made is not dependent on our faithfulness to Him.
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