Refuge Audio Podcast: Recent Episodes

Refuge - A Calvary Chapel Church

It's our desire at Refuge to equip the saints for the work of the ministry as we study God's word together. Join Pastor Dominic Dinger of Refuge in St. Cloud, Minnesota, for a weekly in-depth study of the Bible, chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse. For more information about Refuge, visit www.refuge.mn

There are quite a few troubling words in Matthew 26. Words like crucified, buried, betrayed, broken body, blood shed, strike the shepherd, sheep scattered, stumble, and denial. These are all troubling words that speak of troubling times. But there is hope. Is your heart troubled today? Perhaps over your own sin and failings? Over others' sin and failings? Maybe your heart is troubled over something in the past, or something that might be in the future. There is hope. And thankfully, Jesus will tell us about the comfort only He can provide for our troubled hearts.

In Matthew 25, Jesus continues teaching His disciples about His return. At that time, Jesus describes three ways people will be separated. First, the wise will be separated from the foolish. Second, the faithful will be separated from the unfaithful. And third, the sheep will be separated from the goats. Through these examples, Jesus shows how true believers will be found busy about their master's business as they anticipate His imminent return. Watch our study of Matthew 25 as we consider the hope that we can have now to be ready for His return at any moment.

We live at a point in history that the Bible speaks of more than any other time in human history. It may be that many prophecies find their fulfillment in this current generation. While it might seem like science fiction, God’s word has a clear track record of complete accuracy. All of God’s promises have a purpose, even those that are difficult to comprehend. Watch our study of Matthew 24 as we consider Jesus’ prophecy of the time of great tribulation—a specific, defined season of suffering. Though this time will be worse than anything the world has ever seen, He offers us hope and refuge in Him.

We all have a past—whether it’s painful, complicated, challenging, or sinful-and we all wish we could wipe our past clean and make it disappear permanently. Whether your past is burdened by your sin or by sin committed against you, we must learn how to deal with it. The good news is that our past is under the blood of Jesus. In Christ, your sin has been judged—past, present, and future. Special guest Pastor Ed Taylor helps us see how we can let go of our past to move beyond regret, hurt, and resentment through Jesus alone.

Near the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples were impressed by the temple in Jerusalem. And who could blame them? Many of them were from the small communities in Galilee. These were really impressive buildings built with white marble and gold. Sitting high on Mount Moriah, they would have been visible for miles. But Jesus knew what was coming. As impressive as these stone buildings were, He knew that physical and spiritual destruction was coming. That destruction was weighing on Jesus’ mind when His disciples observed these structures. He wanted to warn them about what was to come.

God chose to pour new wine into new wineskins. He decided to pour the person and power of the Holy Spirit into the most unlikely of vessels. But why? So that no one could boast and God alone would get all the glory. In this way, the adventure of the Great Commission could be available to anyone that Jesus would call to follow Him—even if that person is considered lower than low, like a tax collector named Levi. Jesus came to introduce something new, not to patch up something old.

Jesus’ words & actions confounded the religious leaders around Him. After all, Jesus was eating with sinners, ministering to sinners, forgiving sinners, healing sinners, and (worst of all) calling sinners to be His followers. The religious leaders thought they were already righteous. They could not comprehend in their self-righteous hearts how the Messiah would come for sinners and not for them. So, the only conclusion they could make was that Jesus must not be the Messiah. But they had failed to see Jesus had come for them, too. It’s just that something needed to happen in their hearts first.

There are storms in life. Whether external or internal, there are moments where we feel hopeless to do anything about the circumstances we face. But Jesus has authority over the storms, whether from without or within. Sometimes He rebukes the storm, sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He does neither. Yet through it all, we learn that Jesus is Lord.

There is a stark contrast between someone hired to say something and a good shepherd—someone who has something to say because they live in awe and wonder about the God they love, serve, and believe in. They speak with authenticity, authority, and simplicity as they serve others with what they have learned and long to give away. The people of Capernaum had this experience when Jesus began His earthly ministry by teaching and preaching in their synagogue.

What is your part in the body of Christ? What is it that God has given you so you can build up others and love your neighbor in this fellowship? Only you and the Lord can answer that question. But whatever it is, it is essential that you “take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it.” (Colossians 4:17)

On the first Sunday of the year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge to answer these questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like? We turn to the Bible to find the answers to those important questions so we can understand God's vision for His church.

At the end of Matthew 9, Jesus saw the crowds around Him and had compassion on them “because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36). It’s this compassion that led Him to encourage His disciples to ask God to send more workers to share the Good News. In the very next chapter, Jesus sent His disciples as those workers. But He doesn’t send them in their strength. He gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. We, too, have been sent by Jesus with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Like the disciples, we must pray before we begin this work.

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God…” (Mark 1:1) As 21st Century Gentiles, it's difficult for us to grasp just how dangerous, subversive & controversial it would be to write these important words. But when you consider the backstory of the man God used to write them, you can see why he had the courage, the passion & the urgency to publish something so revolutionary.

The birth story of Jesus in the Gospel of John isn’t easy to find. There’s no list of names like in Matthew. There’s no heavenly host addressing shepherds as in Luke. But it’s still there! Because John highlighted how Jesus is God, we need to rethink what a birth story for God would look like.

The world has a common saying: “I’ll believe it when I see it.” But is this always the best way to see? Must we always insist on seeing something before we’re willing to believe it has happened? Or is there a better way? Jesus met a man of faith who believed without needing to see. This man exemplified faith, love, and trust. He understood authority and the power of God. But he wasn’t a religious professional—he was a gentile, a Roman Centurion who caused Jesus to marvel.

As Jesus descended from the mountain where He delivered His sermon, He interacted with a leper. In the parallel passage in Luke 5, we read of another interaction Jesus had with a different man named Peter. While the leper struggled with his external condition, Peter struggled with his internal condition. However, there are similarities in their struggle—and there are similarities in the answer to their struggle. His name is Jesus.

Jesus wasn’t just a self-help guru sharing practical advice on how to get through life. Those who heard Jesus sensed the Holy Spirit stirring up their spirits as the ministry of the word happened. Something significant and important occurs when the Spirit of God works through the Word of God in the hearts of the People of God.

You can’t just declare yourself a Christian. You must be born again. If you have been truly born again, there will be a transformation—you will become a new creation. There will be evidence of a genuine conversion that Jesus calls ‘fruit.’ In last week’s study, we considered Simon in Acts 8. Whether Simon was a genuine believer has been debated for centuries. Some see Simon as a new believer struggling with sin. Others view him as a false prophet who made a false profession of faith. And yet, it’s an opportunity for us to reflect on. Do you really want the genuine of your conversion to be debatable?

Near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives His disciples three dire warnings concerning false prophets, false professions, and faulty foundations. In our last study, we thoughtfully considered those who present themselves as sheep but are inwardly ravenous wolves. We see an example of a false prophet and a false profession in Simon the magician in Acts 8.

Jesus warned His disciples about false prophets who would look like them but were not His. They are not sheep but ravenous wolves. Jesus wasn’t using poetic language to make a point. There are some who look like Christians, talk like Christians, and walk like Christians, but are not Christians and intentionally prey upon Christians. So how do we know who these ravenous wolves are? Thankfully Jesus tells us—“by their fruits you will know them.”

Being a dedicated disciple of Jesus is impossible in our strength and with our resources. Even with all of the effort and human willpower we can muster, we will find ourselves lacking what’s required to do what God calls us to do. That’s why we need to cry out to God for His help continually. We must continually ask. We must continually seek. And we must continually knock, knowing that He is a good Father who knows how to give good gifts.

Jesus's words about judging are some of the most quoted, but they are also some of the most misunderstood. Jesus then talks about pieces of wood in peoples’ eyes, jewelry, and animals, which may explain the misunderstandings. But as we press into what Jesus says, we hear His heart around this important issue and things start to make sense.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the proper motivations for everyday activities. As He teaches about the right motivations for prayer, He provides a primer on prayer—an elementary introduction to the construction of our communication with God. In what’s commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus provides topics of conversation for His disciples as they constantly converse with their Heavenly Father. These conversations aren’t just vain repetitions, but real and honest that further our fellowship with God.

Jesus tells us that our motivation for ministry in everyday activities is important. If we’re motivated by what we get from giving, praying, or fasting, then what we get is all we’ll get. There will be no eternal reward if getting is our motivation. But even more important than the motivation for eternal rewards is fellowship with God. There is nothing greater or more valuable than fellowship with our Heavenly Father.

As we work through the Sermon on the Mount, we discover the attitudes, actions, and attributes we must have to continue to be Jesus’ disciples. These are not unattainable ideals but the basic expectations for the disciples of Jesus. Jesus expects His followers to be honest, to have grit, and to be more than conquerors.

Forgiveness and reconciliation are two different things. Forgiveness can happen in a moment. Reconciliation is often a process. Forgiveness releases someone else from your “right” to retaliate. Reconciliation is restoring the relationship to the intimacy that was once present. There is no way to reconcile a relationship without genuine humility and repentance. Jesus clarifies this in the Sermon on the Mount as He addresses contemptuous anger.

The people listening to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount weren’t “religious professionals”. They were common, everyday, ordinary people—all of them sinners. And yet, He told them, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Just how were these ordinary people supposed to exceed the righteous “religious professionals” who centered their entire lives around following the law—especially if Jesus wasn’t going to abolish the law? There must be another way!

Philip was one of seven men who were appointed by the apostles to serve physical food so that the apostles could continue to serve spiritual food. While Philip served, God was teaching, training, and forming him in preparation for what was next. Philip didn’t know it, but God was training him not only to be the first great missionary in the church but also to be the first great evangelist in the church.

The letter of 1 Peter is the Apostle Peter at his best. This fisherman-turned-fisher-of-men wrote to other believers of Jesus struggling amid persecution. Near the end of his letter, Peter encourages them to conduct themselves courageously for the sake of Christ. Watch our study from Sunday as Guest Speaker and good friend of the fellowship Pastor Bill Welsh led our time in 1 Peter 5 and reminded us of the place we have at the table with Jesus through communion.

God purifies us as we follow Him. He works in our lives to remove the things that contaminate us and then refines us with what He gives us. Through His refining work in our lives, we start to see Him—just as Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8). Watch our study as we continue to work through the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew 5, we read the message Jesus spoke to His disciples on a mountain in Galilee. This sermon begins with the beatitudes—the attitudes of the citizens of His kingdom. Jesus is not just another earthly ruler. He is the king of the kingdom of heaven. And so, these attitudes run counter to the culture and kingdoms of men. Like the first beatitude—recognizing your spiritual poverty.

In the Gospels, we read of all sorts of reasons people would follow Jesus. But one interesting aspect of the life & ministry of Jesus was that He often avoided large gatherings. Jesus was more concerned with making disciples. He was focused on individuals who would desire to learn from Him and choose to follow Him for the right reasons. To these individuals, He was constantly teaching about how His kingdom would look like and what it would mean to serve alongside Him. In these moments, He would draw His disciples in, explaining the cost of true discipleship.

The news of Jesus’ body absent from the tomb didn’t bring immediate relief to His followers. They initially thought that someone had taken Jesus’ body. Their confusion slowly gave way to belief as He revealed Himself to them right where they were.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus preached and taught, warned and discipled—all according to the working of the Holy Spirit. And it all started in the unlikeliest of places—Nazareth and Galilee. In the eyes of the religious elite of the day, these were not destinations to travel to or places to be proud of. And yet, these places were just right for Jesus to begin His public ministry and recruit His followers—for God uses the foolish, the forsaken, and the forgotten things to shame the strong and bring glory to Himself.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted. In many ways, His temptations were much, much worse—and yet, He did not sin. But that does not mean He was unaffected by the human experience. His trial of temptation has a profound effect on His life and ministry.

John the Baptist’s whole life & ministry was in preparation for the public ministry of Jesus. With each passing day, John knew that Jesus would be coming at any moment. So he faithfully prepared the people to be prepared for the Lord’s arrival. And then…that day came, when the Uncreated Creator not only visited humanity in the frailty of humanity, but also began His earthly ministry.

In Matthew 3, two of the most influential men & ministers in history came to a crossroads. John's ministry was coming to an end and Jesus' earthly ministry was just beginning. In order to understand all that was happening, we have to go back to a time before Jesus and John were born—to the ancient prophecies that foretold their arrival.

In Matthew 3, we read about one man in the wilderness with one singular purpose—to prepare the way of The Lord. His name was John, and at first glance, he might seem like an odd man. After all, he wore camel’s hair and ate honey and locust. But he had an important message to fulfill his purpose. What was his message to prepare us for The King of The Kingdom that was at hand? What was the message that would prepare us to receive Jesus? “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

After speaking to His people through the prophet Malachi, God was silent for 400 years. The last thing He told them was that He would send a man who would help them prepare for the coming Messiah by turning their hearts to the things of the Lord.

That man was John the Baptist—the last of the Old Covenant prophets, even though his life and ministry is recorded in the New Testament. John had a word from the Lord, the first word spoken by God to His people in 400 years.

What was that first word after centuries of silence? Repent! But what does repent mean? And why is repentance important to the Lord? We considered these questions as we studied the first two verses of Matthew 3.

In his letter to the Ephesian church, the Apostle Paul wrote that we are to put off our our old nature, which is continually corrupted by its deceitful desires. We considered this as we continue to learn about Herod in our study in Matthew. What would this mean for the heart of Herod after he rejected the Lord? His heart would be continually corrupted and rotted by its deceitful desires. But this isn’t just true for Herod—it applies for all who reject God. This is why Jesus came—to save us from our old self, to give us an opportunity to be born again, and to give us a brand new heart and a new spiritual nature. All of this is available to anyone who comes to Him—even to the worst of sinners. Even sinners as vile and violent like Herod.

What is the church’s responsibility for willful, continual, habitual, unrepentant sin in the life of someone who claims to be a Christian? As a pastor, church discipline was part and parcel of Paul’s calling. Since he was a faithful steward, he couldn’t shy away from his duty. The situation in the Corinthian church had come to a point where Paul needed to address the sin and not allow it to continue. Listen to our study of 1 Corinthians 5 as we considered the difficult, yet important purpose of church discipline.

The Corinthian church was puffed up with pride in their knowledge about God. Eventually that process led to internal spiritual rot. They were seeking to one-up each other in their knowledge about God instead of seeking to be known by God and seeing themselves as stewards of God. So in his letter to them, Pastor Paul addressed these issues, encouraging them to purge out the old leaven—that which was causing them to be puffed up.

In the book of Hebrews, we're encouraged to “consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” On Good Friday, we took time to consider Jesus and all that He went through before and on the cross in our place so that we could have peace with God forever.

On the first Sunday of every year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge so that we can confidently answer these questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like? We turn to the Bible to find the answers to those important questions so we can understand God’s vision for His church.

Because God chooses to be merciful, there are times when He chooses not to be merciful. That should terrify us and incentivize us to figure out why and when and with whom God make these choices. We should want to learn how we can be in His good graces and how we can be in the middle of His merciful choices.

In Romans 9, the Apostle Paul writes about his desire for his fellow Israelites to be saved from an eternity of paying the just penalty for their sin. But they are missing the key component—Jesus The Messiah. While Paul acknowledges their zeal and enthusiasm to honor God, it falls short when it is in an effort to earn self-righteousness by following the law. The only source of salvation offered to all of humanity is found in a flawless, sinless, substitutionary sacrifice who can take our place—Jesus, The Messiah.

The Jewish people have so much evidence of God’s existence. No other people group has maintained their national identity, religion, culture, cuisine & language for as long as the Jewish people have. Woven in within this heritage is the evidence of Jesus being the long-awaited Messiah, for all of what is entrusted to the Jewish people points to Him.

Romans 8 ends on top of a mountain of truth…and in the next sentence, Paul immediately brings us into his deep valley of grief and sorrow. But how could the assurance of nothing ever separating us from God’s love lead Paul to confess the “great sorrow and continual grief” in his heart? It was his realization of the future that awaits those who aren’t in Christ. We discovered how we share that sorrow and grief, and—most importantly—what our response should be!

In the last portion of Romans 8, the Apostle Paul asks a lot of questions. Not because he’s curious—he wants us to draw the inevitable conclusion of the clear and compelling, layered and logical argument he has been making since the beginning of his letter—God is for us and nothing can separate us from His love!

There are a finite number of days left until we are with Jesus in Heaven—forever! Until then, we lift up our heads and stand on our toes looking for and eagerly awaiting what is to come. And yet…this time of waiting can seem unbearable and difficult, can’t it? We have the hope, but is there help? YES—from the Holy Spirit who freely helps us in our weaknesses.

There is a longing & hoping among believers in Jesus as we wait for the person & the place for which we were made. And yet, it's so disorienting and frustrating that we find ourselves groaning for Him and His Kingdom. This isn’t by accident—creation was subjected to frustration by God in hopes that we would long and look forward to Jesus and Heaven.

In previous studies, we’ve learned how we can become a part of God’s family by grace through faith. So what does it mean that we “suffer with Him”? Must we experience persecution in order to belong to His family? Or is there more to suffering than meets the eye?

One small seed sown can, in time, produce thousands more seeds. This principle has spiritual applications. The content we consume is seed. If that seed feeds our flesh, then we sow to the flesh. If it is seed that feeds our spirit, then we sow to the Spirit. But there is a delay between sowing and reaping. The Apostle Paul knew this, and encourages us to not grow weary of sowing to the spirit for in due season we will reap if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

As we have been studying what it means to follow the Spirit, it’s helpful to look to the many examples of followers of Jesus in the past who have kept in step with the Spirit that we can learn from. We considered one of those examples in the life of Philip in Acts 8. In this passage, we see what it looks like to have our mind set on the things of the Spirit.

The flesh & the Spirit are in constant conflict for the mind—the place where we make decisions & take action. We can influence this conflict by being careful of the content we consume in our mind. Just like planing a seed, our thoughts will yield a harvest. God’s word makes it clear—if we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption. But if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap eternal life.

Romans 8 begins with no condemnation (verse 1) and ends with no separation (verses 38-39). In between is a description of our victory through life in the Holy Spirit. But why do we struggle with receiving this reality in our lives? What keeps us from believing and enjoying this truth? And who can help us to accept God's honest assessments of our current condition in Christ that have to do with His character and His grace?

Romans 8:1 is one of the most magnificent statements and important truths in all of the Bible. In order to appreciate this truth to the fullest, we need to consider it in its context—which will also help us appropriate the truth we find there.

We often know the right thing to do, but do the wrong thing anyway. Paul experienced this too and asked, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Paul provides the answer in the very next sentence: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” and then describes the newness of the Spirit available in Christ: no condemnation, no separation, more than conquerers. In this study, we considered the newness of the Spirit made possible to us through Christ as an introduction to one of the greatest chapters in all of scripture—Romans 8.

We've gotten to know the Holy Spirit—who the Holy Spirit is, what the Holy Spirit does, and the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. In light of this, what should our response be? What must we do? It’s a common question…with an uncommon answer.

God gives us good gifts through the Holy Spirit. Identifying these gifts is important, but understanding how we are to use them and why God has given them to us is essential.

When we look at the Bible like a self-help book, we err in thinking that all we have to do is try harder. But trying harder and attempting to control ourselves doesn’t work—only a reliance on the Holy Spirit that comes naturally though a daily relationship does!

Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” But what does it mean to “walk in the Spirit?” It's an important question to ask—and answer. Before we start this walk, we took time on Sunday to get to know the Holy Spirit.

There are two extremes in reaction to God’s grace. On one side there is license, which says, “Since we are saved by grace, we are free to live however we please.” On the other side, there is legalism, which says, “We must please God by living according to the law to sanctify ourselves through our own efforts to be good.” But God has something for us that is completely separate from this entire spectrum.

In Romans 6, the Apostle Paul poses two questions. One question speaks of living in sin continually or habitually. The other question speaks of falling in to sin episodically. And yet, the answer each and every time is remember and asserting our identity in Christ. The Son has truly set you free from sin—you do not have to live continually in sin any longer AND you do not have to fall into sin ever again.

Should we keep sinning so God’s grace can increase? It’s an important question that the Apostle Paul asks in Romans 6. His answer isn’t legalism or license, nor is it an exhortation to love God more. The answer, Paul tells us, is found in remembering who we are in Christ—and then simply be who we already are.

You are not worthless! You are loved by God, who invites you to be transformed from His creation to one of His children.

Join us Sunday at 10am (central) as we worship the Lord. We gather in-person, online, and on the radio at 96.1 FM (in the St. Cloud area).

Adam’s act of disobedience caused a reign of death and sin—a reign that all of mankind has lived through. But Jesus’ act of obedience caused a reign of grace through righteousness to eternal life through Him!

Before Jesus, we are anxious, alone, lost, and rejected. But once we yield to Him, we are changed—found, accepted, and restored. The Apostle Paul points out these disparities—the difference between a life without the hope of the gospel, and a life that’s forever changed by Jesus—in Romans 5:6-11.

Through faith in Christ, we have peace with God AND access God’s throne of grace—where we will receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need!

If the life of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John were like any normal biography, everything would end in John 19 with the death and burial of Jesus. But the Gospel of John is not any normal biography. It is a record of the greatest true story every told.

On Good Friday, we consider Jesus. We consider Him, who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself so that we won’t grow weary and give up. For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross so that we could enjoy unhindered fellowship with Him forever!

One week before His resurrection and a few days before His crucifixion, Jesus knew what was going to come. And yet, He deliberately put Himself on the path that would lead to trouble. He was not concerned about Himself or with His own well-being, but rather about us, our eternal well-being, and the things that make for our peace.

God’s righteousness, redemption, and salvation is received by trusting, not by trying. In fact, all of God’s gifts are received by simply and merely trusting and believing, not by trying harder. The futility of trying harder versus trusting God was something the Apostle Paul understood. Before Paul met Jesus, he endeavored to earn right standing with God through his own good works, religious rites, and religious rules. But once he encountered Christ, Paul realized that salvation comes by simply and merely believing God and receiving from God by faith.

John Phillips said, “Under a system of works, everything depends on the sinner. Under grace everything depends on the Savior. Under the first, God gives a fair trial. But under the second God gives a free pardon.” Either everything depends on you & your works, or everything depends on God & His grace.

As the Apostle Paul continues his ordered and logical argument for God’s grace in his letter to the Romans, he looks back in history for an example of righteousness to which he can point. In his search, he looks beyond the prophets, beyond the kings of Israel and Judah, and beyond Moses. He finds the example he’s looking for in Abraham—the father of the faith.

What does it mean to be reconciled with God? Why is it important? And how does reconciliation happen between God and mankind? Those were some of the questions we considered 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 with Guest Speaker Pastor Nate Van Vooren.

The Roman Road is a selection of Scriptures from the book of Romans that clearly communicates the core components of the gospel—the free gift of God’s righteousness by faith. These scriptures act as mile markers—key verses that leads us through this good news. In this study, we’ll take a closer look at the second verse on the Roman Road—Romans 3:23.

The central theme of the book of Romans is Grace—God’s Righteousness At Christ’s Expense. This grace is given as a gift freely to anyone and everyone who believes. It’s a gift—we can’t take credit for it. We can’t earn it by being good enough because no one is good enough. We have all sinned. Our religious efforts to earn God’s favor will never be enough to make us right with Him.

In our study of Romans 1 last week, we considered the overtly immoral—those who have turned away & are walking away from God. This week, we turned our attention to the intentionally moral and the really religious—those who think they they are righteous—and therefore, do not see their need for repentance. We reflected again on the parable of the prodigal and considered the Father’s other son, whose self-righteous judgmental attitude needed to be addressed by his Father.

In order to believe & receive the good news, we need to understand & acknowledge the bad news: we all have sinned & fallen short of God’s glorious standard of righteousness. Paul demonstrates this reality in three different categories of people. In this study, we considered the overtly immoral—those who have rejected God and are running the other way on purpose.

We might be tempted to alter or edit God’s word to make it more palatable or acceptable, but we must resist and deliver God’s word unedited and unaltered! It is only God’s unedited and unaltered word that has the power to save souls. There is nothing dishonorable, improper, or ridiculous about the Gospel. We can have compassion, courage, and holy confidence to deliver God’s word unedited and unaltered.

In the opening of his letter to the Romans, Paul expresses his desire to go to Rome. He is eager to build up Roman believers and tell everyone in that city that they are not only loved by God, but that they are the beloved of God, and this same God is calling them out of the darkness into the light to be set apart for a good good work.

There was once a man named Mephibosheth. He became crippled because of a fall and lived a life of isolation because he misunderstood the character of the king. One day, this king sent for him—not to kill him, but to show him kindness because of a covenant. On the surface, this is a beautiful story, but when we consider the context, there is even more in the life of this man named Mephibosheth.

In his letter to the Roman church, the Apostle Paul describes himself as a bondservant of Christ—a servant of Jesus under his own choice rather than compulsion—and called to be an apostle, set apart for a specific purpose. It’s Paul’s calling we considered in this study—along with our own calling. For we too have been called. Now, what do you think that we have been called to be wholly set apart for?

Are we taking our walk with God seriously, or are we slacking off and incrementally fading away from the closer walk with Him? Letting your love for the Lord and your love for your neighbor grow cold can have life-altering consequences in every category of your life. Why does that happen? And what’s the solution? The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3 & 4.

On the first Sunday of every year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge so that we can confidently answer these questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like? We turn to the Bible to find the answers to those important questions so we can understand God’s vision for His church.

Scripture is full of unlikely heroes—people who simply offer up what they have to the Lord’s service rather than using what they don’t have as an excuse for inaction. At the end of the Gospel of Mark, we meet some unlikely ones. These were people whose hearts were reached by Jesus, whose lives were changed by His ministry, and whose examples show us what courageous faithfulness looks like.

A Child was born. A Son was given. Though He would be born of a virgin, He would still be born into a family. In Matthew 1, we find what seems to be the earthly genealogy of Jesus. In this family tree, we see several sinners and dysfunctional people—the kind of people Jesus came to save.

In Hebrews 12:3, we are invited to “consider Him”. Jesus—the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). As we encounter the cross in Mark 15, we consider Him—we wonder together what (or who) that joy is that empowered Jesus to endure the cross.

In our previous study in the Gospel of Mark, Peter and the other apostles made a bold declaration to Jesus that they didn’t live up to. No one felt this failure more than Peter. His failure taught him some important lessons—lessons we can learn so that we don’t repeat his mistakes.

Imagine what it would be like to have been in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. Then to see and hear Him teach and preach as a man on the Judea hillsides. Picture what it would have been like to witness His crucifixion and death just outside of Jerusalem—and wonder what it all meant.

In the final hours leading up to His death, Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. For them, what was coming would give rise to fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. For Jesus, the crushing emotional weight of what was about to happen caused His soul to be exceedingly sorrowful. Nevertheless…Jesus was obedient to the will of God. He looked beyond the shame and suffering of the cross to a greater joy that allowed Him to endure it all.

Join us Sunday at 10am as we worship the Lord and continue our study in the Gospel of Mark. We gather in-person at 912 W. St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN; online at https://live.refuge.mn; and on the radio at http://refuge.fm or 96.1 FM (in the St. Cloud area).

Herod’s Temple was massive and brilliant—it’s white marble and gold exterior could have been seen for miles. But Jesus cares more about the temple of the Holy Spirit (our hearts) than He does about any temple made with human hands. He is coming soon—and He wants us to be ready!

The religious rulers of Jesus’ day didn’t always get along, but they all had the same enemy—Jesus. They found a common purpose in discrediting Jesus in the eyes of the public. In Mark 12 we see their bold and brazen attempts to disgrace Jesus and vilify Him. But Jesus was well aware of all of their tactics. In His wisdom, He turned these traps into opportunities to teach and to address both the heart of the matter and the heart of the person asking the question.

Scripture quoted out of context can become a pretext for whatever you’d like it to say. That’s why it’s so important to consider what comes before and after a passage. Context was especially helpful in this study as we encountered several scenes that may have left us scratching our heads if considered one-by-one. But when read and study together, we have a clearer understanding of what is going on and what God is saying.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” This is something we say and even sing to ourselves and to each other to remind us that God is still on His throne. He made this day, He saw this day approaching, and He prepared for this day from before the foundations of the world. It’s more than a verse from a song—it’s scripture! This declaration of providence is from Psalm 118 and describes the coming of the Messiah on a very specific and special day.

Every one of us will stand before the Lord and give an account for every single deed every single word and every single thought. For unbelievers, that Day should be something to fear—and should be motivation to turn to Jesus for salvation. For believers, that Day should factor in every choice we make. It will be an accounting—not for punishment or sin, but for authentically motivated service for Jesus.

It’s important to invite people to repent of their sin and receive Jesus as Lord. And it’s just as important to fully explain the gravity and seriousness of that decision. That’s why great grace and tough truths are so important in evangelism and discipleship. We see both in the life and ministry of Jesus during his exchange with a rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-23.

There is a vast difference between religious rulership and servant-leadership. If anyone had the right to be a religious ruler, it was Jesus. But He came to serve, not to be served; not to save His life, but to lay it down as a ransom for many. Jesus’ example shows us what servant-leadership looks like—not just in the church, but especially in the home.

What does it mean to be greatly used of God? How does Jesus view and define greatness? How does someone become great in His kingdom? These are questions we all want answered. And when we don’t know the answers, we tend to argue about it—just like the disciples. But we don’t need to quarrel and squabble—Jesus answers these questions for us.

There is a cosmic battle taking place in the heavenly realm. It is the battle for the hearts and minds of men, women, and children. It’s a battle for cities and nations. And ultimately, it’s a battle for the right to rule this planet. Even though this battle is not physical, we can fight by faith for the kingdom of God. Watch or listen to our study as guest speaker Peter Warren explains the weapons of our warfare, the tactics of the enemy, and the victory we have in Jesus.

Our only hope for lasting change in our lives, in our families, in our community, and in our country is a fresh move of the Holy Spirit. The answer does not lie in our own intellect, ability, strategy, or will—but only in Jesus. Our only aim is bringing people to Him and watching Him pour out His power in love by His Spirit.

Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God. It was at the cross where Christ was exalted. Philippians 2:5-9 helps us understand what Christ was thinking as He came to serve, suffer, and save.

James, John, and Peter have a mountaintop experience. In their time with Jesus, they receive amazing clarity concerning who He truly is. We can also have mountaintop experiences in our regular times of solitude with Jesus. But these times are intended to be temporary. We receive clarity about Jesus so that we can come down the mountain and minister to people who are suffering in the dark.

Jesus didn’t come to save us from our circumstances. He came to save us from our sins. Once we are saved, He wants us to and calls us to participate and co-operate with Him in what He is doing. Like Jesus, we must be willing to live a life similar to His—a life of serving, suffering, and sacrifice—not to add to anyone’s salvation, but to lead others to salvation. This is where the life that is truly life is found—in being a disciple of Jesus, The Messiah.

Jesus walked on water not long after He fed over 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. But the apostle’s hearts were hardened and they were not fully accepting of the fact that Jesus is God and there is nothing too difficult for Him. What about us? Have we learned the lesson of the loaves yet? It’s important that we understand and believe that Jesus is God, that He loves us, and that there is nothing too difficult for Him.

God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit & power, and Jesus went around doing good & healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). Who could find fault with Jesus for going around doing good? The Pharisees could—and did. These religious leaders were devoted to preserving the culture of Judaism instead of Scripture. So when they called Jesus out on not honoring the customs of the culture, Jesus brought them back to scripture to show them (and us) the error of legalism.

Nothing is too difficult for God. Jesus makes this clear through His life and ministry. But like the disciples, we can forget this eternal truth and are surprised when He does something that He promised He would do. Jesus doesn’t condemn us for this doubt, but continually calls us to Himself in order to make us into His disciples.

Jesus is gracious when others are gruff. But He’s also serious at making disciples who would make disciples. The closer Jesus gets to the cross, the more serious He is about making disciples. So Jesus stretches the apostles and challenges their capacity to be His servants.

We’re living in a society that not only questions the existence of objective truth, but punishes those who proclaim it. There will be significant consequences for retaining loyalty to God and what His word says—especially concerning sin. To endure the coming difficulty, you’ll need a thorough, working understanding of God through a thorough, working understanding of His word. With this understanding, you’ll be able to know what’s coming, but more importantly the God who is able to see you through.

John the Baptist was faithful to his calling & faithful to the One who called him. But at the end of his ministry, he was in Roman prison wondering if he got things right. Could it be that Jesus wasn’t who John was hoping He would be? Like John, we can ask God honest and difficult questions when things just don’t make sense.

There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with completion. “The end of a thing is better than its beginning…” (Ecclesiastes 7:8). God enjoys finishing what He starts, too. But unlike us, He is always faithful to finish what He begins. Since God always finishes what He starts, we know that there is intentionality in everything He does. We aren’t some project drawn up with haphazard plans and then quickly abandoned when some more pressing task or exciting endeavor presents itself. That’s not how God works. As we look for God’s intention in everything that we go through, we can find agreement with His purpose.

Jesus has a unique way of training, developing, and maturing those who freely choose to follow Him. Consider the disciples. Initially, they simply watched Jesus serve. Then Jesus invited them to serve with Him. They were able to see up close how Jesus served. Before they knew it, Jesus was helping them serve—and soon He was watching them serve. Now it was time for them to serve without Him present. But before sending them out, Jesus gave them practical and applicable principles—principles we can apply as we follow and serve Jesus today.

In John 1:46, Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” He wasn’t alone. Nazareth was looked down on as an insignificant backwoods community. But it’s where Jesus grew up and worked and lived for a majority of His life on Earth. So when He returns home after performing miracles and teaching about the Kingdom of God, you might think that this carpenter-turned-rabbi would be welcomed with enthusiasm. But sadly, many in Nazareth were offended at Jesus because of their odd and unhealthy familiarity with Him.

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve tried every option until there is nothing left but to cry out to Jesus? We all encounter experiences that exhaust our strength and resources until there is nothing left to do but cry out to Jesus. Thankfully, He is willing to be our last resort. In Mark 5:21-43, we encounter two daughters and a father who were desperate for Jesus to help them. Through their experiences, we learn how Jesus’ character should cause us to call out to Him as our first choice instead of our last resort.

In Mark 4 and 5, Jesus encounters two different storms. They were different from one another (one was an external storm, and the other was internal), and different from the typical storm clouds and thunderclaps. These two storms were satanic. The first was a storm that directly threatened Jesus and His disciples. The second was a tempest that had tormented a man to the point of unimaginable suffering. Jesus confronts the dark force behind each storm to bring peace.

Not everyone who follows after Jesus follows Him for the right reasons. Some look for His miracles—their interest isn’t in Him, His teaching, or the Word of God, but in what He could do for them. When they hear the Word of God clearly, they are accountable to it. That’s why Jesus said to “Take heed what you hear.” It’s great when people are attracted to Jesus—but if their focus is on what He can do for them instead of Who He is, they will not follow Him for long.

Join us Sundays at 10am as we worship the Lord and continue our study in the Gospel of Mark. We gather in person at 912 W. St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN; online at https://live.refuge.mn; or on the radio at 96.1 FM (St. Cloud) and https://refuge.fm.

Jesus wants to be with us. So much so that He has appointed us to be with Him forever. Everything else is out of the overflow of that fellowship with Jesus—everything else becomes secondary. God didn’t save us so we could just do amazing things for Him. He saved us so that we could enjoy fellowship with Him—forever! Our identity, purpose, and worth in every season of life comes from this fact—Jesus wants to be with us and He has appointed us first and foremost to simply be with Him.

During His ministry on earth, Jesus regularly withdrew from the busyness of life and ministry to ask His Father what He should do. Fellowship with His Father was so essential to Jesus that He prioritized His time so He could just be with His Heavenly Father. If Jesus needed to do this, how much more so us?

The Herodians, the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Saducees…there were many groups who saw Jesus as their enemy. In Mark 2:18-3:6, we observe three interactions Jesus had with some of these people, who weren’t really enemies from Jesus’ point of view. Although they came at Him in the craziest and pettiest of ways, Jesus didn’t consider them His enemies. To Him, they were hurting people who hadn’t yet found the courage to confront what was really going on in their hearts. Jesus didn’t take it personally. Instead, He gently led them again and again to God’s word and to God’s work.

Jesus once said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” This statement confounded and upset the religious leaders of His day. They thought they were already righteous and that the Messiah would come for them, not sinners. They failed to see that Jesus really had come for them too—but something needed to happen in their hearts first. They weren’t really righteous—they only thought they were.

We often look at the week between Palm Sunday and Good Friday from the perspective of the Son and rarely from the perspective of the Father—and almost never from the perspective of both. But don’t forget that the Son and the Father—the two of them—went together. To truly appreciate this perspective, we turned to Genesis 22 to understand what God the Son and God the Father did together.

Palm Sunday is the day we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. A day foretold by prophets, a day for celebration, and day for weeping. It was a day that Jesus was concerned—not for Himself, but about us. In this study, we considered what Jesus was doing and what was happening one week before His resurrection and a few days before His crucifixion.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul writes about the right motives for ministry. He wrote so well about this topic because his motives were often scrutinized. There was a number of ways Paul could have handled this criticism, but he chose the most direct way—by addressing it head on in such a way that helped this church—and us—see the right motives for life and ministry.

Grace, authority, power. These are the qualities of Jesus we’ve observed so far in the Gospel of Mark. In Nazareth, people marveled at His gracious words. In Capernaum, people were astonished at how Jesus taught with authority. And He demonstrated His power when He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. He is able to do everything with all power and authority. And He is also willing to do it with all grace. Not just for those in Nazareth and Capernaum. He is willing to heal YOU and cleanse YOU of the debilitating, disfiguring, and disgusting effects of sin. All He has to do is say the word and you will be clean. And yet, as we see in our study, He is willing to do so much more.

The life that Jesus invites us into is a life of asking—for anything and everything! Nothing is too small or too big to ask God for. Once we understand that we can (and should) ask Him anything (and to keep asking until something changes), we find joy in a life of asking, obedience and love.

There is a stark contrast between someone who is hired to say something and someone who really has something to say. They can use the same words and language, but those who really have something to say speak with authenticity, authority, and simplicity as they serve others with what they have learned. In Mark 1:21-39, the people of Capernaum hear Jesus speak with authority and authenticity as He begins His earthly ministry of teaching and preaching in their synagogue.

In Mark 1:16-20, we read of one of times Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last time Jesus called these fishermen. In fact, we considered at least four different times Jesus called these men to be His disciples. But why would Jesus have to say, "Follow Me," to them so many times? Why would they hesitate? It's a question we asked and considered our own hesitations in following Jesus. And yet, despite their hesitations and our own, Jesus continues to call.

There is often an initial romance after God calls you and sends you. But after the romance of that initial calling, there is the reality of a time of testing. This testing is so severe, it tempts you to question your calling and His love for you. And yet, God is just as much in control in that time of testing as He was when He first called you. You don’t have to thrive during this time of testing—you just have to survive. God does this often throughout the scripture. We even see God do this in the live and ministry of His Son—Jesus.

Centuries of significant prophecies are fulfilled in the first eleven verses of the Gospel of Mark. Two of the most influential men cross paths. Two influential ministries come to a crossroads. One man's ministry was ending. The other man's earthly ministry was just beginning. And to truly appreciate all that was happening in these few verses, we went back to the beginning—the time when these two men were just babies in the womb.

The Gospel of Mark begins with one of the most subversive, controversial, influential, and important sentences written: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark 1:1)

It is difficult for us as 21st century Gentiles to fully grasp just how dangerous and revolutionary it would be to write these words. It's only when we consider the context of the culture that this was written that we can fully appreciate how subversive this sentence truly is.

Life for the 1st century Christian was full of government overreach, persecution, and financial uncertainty. It was a time when the world needed hope—hope from a leader other than Caesar. Hope from a servant-leader who was not of this world. Hope from someone who had every right to be Ruler, but who chose to be a servant.

He came. He led. He served. And He saved. His name is Jesus.

The whole Gospel of Mark revolves around a singular verse: "For even the Son of Man did not come to serve, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45). This Gospel shows us how Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and to lay down His life to set people free.

As we study this book and look closely and carefully at Jesus, we will hopefully become more like Him. Not that we would die on a cross for anyone's sin, but that we would be willing to lay down our preferences and our pride so that others can be set free.

The Gospel according to Mark was written in a time of incredible political and societal upheaval. A time when people were concerned about their children’s future. A time when quitting and running away was a tempting prospect.

Mark wrote this book for a specific purpose. He didn’t just want people to know about Jesus—he wanted them to know the grace of Jesus. How the grace of Jesus is sufficient to sustain anyone though any difficulty. How this amazing grace floods a heart with the love of God and renders fear powerless. How this grace is only given to failures and sinners.

Mark knew about this grace so well because he had failed. He had endured struggle after struggle that made him cherish the grace of Jesus more and more. But how did Mark come to know of this grace and who strengthened him with the grace of Jesus that inspired Mark to write a book about it?

Watch a replay or listen to our study as we considered this man Mark and the influence that the grace of Jesus had on his life.

Life for the prophet Habakkuk was confounding. His homeland—Judah—was filled violence and injustice. He was troubled at what he saw and God’s apparent lack of intervention. So he let God know what he thought. And God answered by telling him judgment was on the way—but at the hands of the Babylonians, who were even more wicked than the people of Judah.

The book of Habakkuk captures the dialogue between an honest man and a sovereign God. Through this short book of three chapters, we see what it looks like to be honest with the Lord and how to wait for His timing.

Even though troubling and terrible times were still coming for Judah, Habakkuk was determined to praise his God—no matter what. Watch the live stream replay or listen to the audio recording of our study from Sunday.

On the first Sunday of every year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge so that we can confidently answer these questions:

What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like?

Year after year, this study hasn’t really changed—but we sure have! As we behold the glory of God in the face of Christ, the Spirit of God transforms us from the inside out. That’s a promise God makes and fulfills through His Word.

And so we turn again to His Word to find the answers to those important questions—what are we doing? Why are we doing it? And what does it look like?

Watch or listen to our study from Sunday as we reviewed God’s vision for God’s church.

The final chapters of the books in the New Testament are interesting to study—since they are so rarely read. Many of these books were originally letters written to a specific person or group of people. We naturally start reading letters at the beginning—but even with the best of intentions, the end of the letters are not as often read as the beginning.

Like any letter, many of these final remarks are personal in nature. Some may seem unrelated or disjointed from one another, like a rapid-fire list of parting thoughts. It’s almost as if the writer has finished the majority of his persuasive argument and ends the letter with a list of practical ways to live out the faith.

We see this in Hebrews 13—and while these final remarks might seem disconnected at first read, they actually weave a rich and significant conclusion to this important letter to the Hebrews. Watch or listen to our final study of Hebrews and be encouraged by the great grace of our amazing God!

“And it came to pass in those days…”

So begins the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It's interesting to observe the simplicity that Luke uses to describe the most amazing miracle that would ever take place—God becoming man. And it's interesting to consider the world at the time when Jesus was about to be born. In fact, if you listen closely to the second chapter of Luke, you'll hear the narrative of a young woman observe and consider, preserve and ponder what was happening—not only to her, but to the whole world.

When we give in to discouragement, we tend to get sloppy with our relationships—horizontally as well as vertically. We care less about peace with one another and less about holiness with the Lord. Which is why He encourages us to strengthen our weak knees and renew our grip with our tired hands (Hebrews 12:12-13) before He gives us a new direction: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…” (Hebrews 12:14).

In this verse, the Lord boils things down to such simplicity. He handles the horizontal relationships and our vertical relationship in one simple sentence. We are to pursue peace with all people and holiness with God.

It isn’t always easy—in fact, it can be pretty intense. But God has always been faithful. He has always gotten us through. Pursuing peace and our personal holiness is part of helping others to run the race marked out for them.

Listen to our study of Hebrews 12:14-29 as we learned from the Lord how we can renew our grip.

“No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does this for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)

At times, running the race that is set before us is wearisome and discouraging. The difficulties we experience along the way may tempt us to slow down, to draw back, or maybe even turn our backs against any forward progression.

But as we’ve learned in previous studies, turning back isn’t an option for followers of Jesus. If we are disciples of Jesus, we need to be disciplined by Jesus. His discipline is not punishment but training, preparation for the work He has for us to do. When we allow ourselves to be trained by what the Lord allows in our lives, knowing every circumstance is filtered through His love and used for our good, the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness in our lives.

God acknowledges the difficulties involved with following Him. He understands the hardships we face. But He doesn’t just passively observe them—He actively trains us so that we can endure the hardships to come. He is always bringing about His glorious purposes in and through us. Watch a replay of our live stream or listen to the audio of our study of Hebrews 12:4-13 as we gain perspective that allows us to endure the pain.

Join us online at Refuge.mn at 9:45am (CST) on Sunday, December 13th as we worship the Lord through prayer, the singing of songs, the study of His Word, the giving of our tithes and offerings, and fellowship with one another. Our service begins at 10am—have your Bible ready as we continue our study in the book of Hebrews.

What does it look like to live by faith? The answer to that question will help us understand what the writer of Hebrews meant when he wrote, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Understanding this question begins just before and just after Hebrews 11. When we consider the context of this chapter (often referred to as the Hall of Faith), we gain a better understanding of what it means for the just to walk by faith.   What we find just before Hebrews 11 is an encouragement to not “cast away your confidence…” (Hebrews 10:35) followed by an exhortation to endure and believe (10:36-39). Likewise, just after Hebrews 11, we are encouraged to “run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1)

And in Hebrews 11, we read of men and women who clung to their confidence in the Lord and ran the race in the faith they received as a gift. Running as we should run—looking to Jesus and living in faith and by faith. Their examples of endurance give us encouragement as we “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

When we began our study in Hebrews, we said this book would be full of worship and warnings. Worship that encourages us to behold the glory of God in the face of Christ. Worship that results in us being transformed by His Holy Spirit. This book has certainly encouraged us to view Jesus and the glory of God in Jesus in a way that we aren’t used to.

But it is also a book of warnings. We need those warnings because there is no middle ground in following God–there is either hot or cold. Throughout the book so far, we have read a series of warnings that caution us against falling short of God’s best for us. The first warning we read in Hebrews 2:1-3 is repeated in various ways and intensity throughout the book—but none with more intensity than the warning we considered this past Sunday.

As we continue our study in the book of Hebrews, we need to remember that this text was a letter to the Hebrews. The writer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was writing to Hebrew Christians—those who grew up under the rules and rituals of the Old Covenant. At some point, these individuals were born again—saved by grace through faith.

But when the ropes of religion were removed, only grace was left. This was scary for some of them, who chose to retreat back into the ritual of religion under the Old Covenant. Out of fear and uncertainty, they were turning their backs on the New Covenant (and even on Christ Himself). So the writer of Hebrews is addressing them and calling them back to Christ. He does this by constantly comparing the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

The value of a model, no matter how detailed or how intricate, can ever reach the value of the genuine article. That is the point the writer of Hebrews makes in chapter 9. The Old Covenant—specifically the tabernacle—was merely a model of the real tabernacle of the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant tabernacle was meaningful and valuable because it was given by God in incredible detail. But its purpose was to point to the real tabernacle that God was going to give one day. So now that we have the genuine article—the real deal—why would we continue to meddle with the model?

Under the Old Covenant, over 300 High Priests serve in succession, offering millions of sacrifices over and over and over—the same sacrifices again and again and again which could never cleanse the sinner, but only cover their sin.

Until…one High Priest under a New Covenant offered one sacrifice—Himself. This sacrifice was unlike any other before—perfect, sufficient, and substitutionary. And then…He sat down, because it was finished.

And now, this High Priest sits and serves as High Priest forever. “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

If you’ve been studying the book of Hebrews with us, you know by now that this High Priest is Jesus.

In our previous study in the book of Hebrews, we considered the man Melchizedek. First introduced in Genesis 14, the writer of Hebrews references him as he points to Jesus. But why? What comparisons exist between this mysterious man and the Messiah? Plenty!

We know that this mystery man is named Melchizedek and called the King of Salem. His name means “King of Righteousness” and his title means “King of Peace”. Jesus is the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. In the cross of Jesus Christ, the righteous judgment for sin was dealt out—which brought peace & reconciliation between sinful man and Holy God.

But there was something more about this man that we learn about in Hebrews—he was priest of the Most High God (Hebrews 7:1). Melchizedek was not only a king, but also a priest. Those were two roles that no mortal man could have at the same time…unless he was more than just a man. Like Jesus—both God and man, both King of kings and the Great High Priest.

There is a message in this man Melchizedek and Jesus is the key to understanding this message—because Jesus is the message!

Hebrews 7 opens with the writer mentioning Melchizedek. It’s not the first time this name has come up in this first century letter written over 2,000 years ago. Before that, he was mentioned 3,000 years ago in the book of Psalms (Psalm 110), and 4,000 years ago in the book of Genesis.

So what about this mysterious man did the writer of Hebrews want us to know? Who was he? Why does it matter? And why is any of it important for us today?

To answer these questions, we need to go all the way back to Genesis 14 and meet this man for the first time with Abram—who was tired and bruised from a battle that was his fault. That’s when we meet Melchizedek—a man that seems like more than just a man. The King of Righteousness (that is what his name means) and the King of Salem (Peace)—that was his title. A King…and a priest.

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul…” (Hebrews 6:19)

In the open sea, an anchor is essential for stability and security. Without it, the ship is adrift—rocking to and fro, moved by the whim of the wind and waves. It’s the same in life. When we find ourselves in the storms of life, it is vital to stay grounded, stable, and immovable.

In Hebrews 6, we’re told we have such an anchor—an anchor for our soul. We have a source of stability that will keep us unmoved by the wind and the waves. And yet, this passage tells us that we have far more than that! This chapter is full of incredible encouragement, timeless truths, and strong words—words like immutable, strong consolation, steadfast, refuge, and hope. Hope that we hold on to as we wait out the storm. Hope that is only found in God—in His word, His promises, and His testimony.

Letters…emails…texts—communication means a lot when its initiated by someone who cares about us. We can easily discard and disregard junk mail and spam that fill our mailboxes and inboxes. But to receive word from someone we know and who knows us…those are the messages we give priority to!

Jesus had something to say to seven of the churches in the first century. He had important things to tell them and told John to write down record His message. By studying these seven letters, we learn more about the Author of these letters—Jesus. We get to know His character, His heart for us, and how we can fulfill His purpose for His church here and now.

Our previous study ended looking at John exiled on the island of Patmos. One Sunday, many years ago, he was in the spirit, when he heard a voice behind him—a voice like a trumpet!

In our study last week, we saw a particular component of the Old and New Covenants compared and contrasted—the ministry of the High Priest. In our study this past Sunday, the writer of Hebrews wanted to carry that comparison further, but he didn’t. He wrote that it was difficult to explain—not because of the subject matter, but because the original readers had become “dull of hearing.” Even though they had found life and salvation in Jesus—they had grown and matured in the Lord—now, for various reasons, they had stopped advancing, stopped growing, and stopped maturing. They started to slide back.

While the letter of Hebrews was originally written to Hebrew believers, we know that the Word of God is living and active. So when we come to a portion like this, we pause and ask ourselves, “Is it I?—Am I moving forward in my faith, or am I sliding back? Are there things God wants to share with me but can’t because I’m dull of hearing?”

In our previous study, we continued our study of the book of Revelation. The more we study this book, the more we see aspects of the nature and character of Jesus that we might be familiar with.

Just consider the way Jesus is described in Revelation 1:5. He is… the faithful witness… the firstborn from the dead, and… the ruler over the kings of earth.

The word that is translated to ’witness’ is ‘martus’, where we get the word ‘martyr’. But this word doesn’t just mean dying for your faith. It means living out your faith in such an unstoppable way that even death is not a deterrent.

That’s just what Jesus did—not even death could stop Him. Because Jesus conquered death, He is the firstborn from the dead. And since Jesus has victory over sin and death, He is King of all. And He is coming soon to rule and to reign here on earth!

As Christians, we know Jesus was appointed by God to be the mediator between God and man. We know of His compassionate ministry. And we know that He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sins.

But what we might not appreciate is the fact that these are the aspects of the ministry of a high priest. To a Hebrew, certain questions would come up with claims of a new high priest. Questions like:

When was he appointed by God? How can he have compassion on those to who he ministers? What sacrifice does he offer to God on your behalf?

In the letter of Hebrews to the Hebrews, the writer understood these questions and how Jesus uniquely fulfilled the qualifications of the High Priest. So beginning in chapter 5, we see proof from the Scriptures that Jesus is not only a high priest, but the Great High Priest with a ministry superior and preferable to the ministry of the high priest under the Old Covenant.

As we work though the book of Hebrews, the writer continues to contrast the Old and New Covenants for us. In chapters 3 and 4, he specifically looks at the leaders that God chose to lead His people to rest. Moses in the Old Covenant and Jesus in the New Covenant.

In our comparison of these two leaders, we see quite a few differences: Moses was a servant in God’s house. Jesus is a Son over God’s house. Moses was a butler in God’s house. Jesus is the Builder of God’s house. Moses was unable to enter God’s rest because of disbelief and disobedience. But Jesus extends an invitation to those in the New Covenant to come to Him, to learn of Him, and to find rest for their souls.

If we hold fast to the confidence of our confession and come boldly to the throne of grace, we will find that rest and we will obtain mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.

"Therefore…"

That's how chapter 3 of the book of Hebrews begins. And if you've been studying the Bible with us, you know that when we come to a "therefore" in our study, it is important to find out wherefore the "therefore" is there for!

Which is something we could do a lot of in the book of Hebrews, given that there are 28 "therefore's" in this book. That's significant, since the Bible often builds upon what was previously written. In order to understand a particular idea, we can simply read what was written before.

That's exactly what we did as we began our study of Hebrews 3…and only studied the first verse - but what a verse it is!

The book of Hebrews is filled with warnings and with wonder. Warnings against neglecting so great a salvation. And wonder that encourages us to consider how great our Savior is.

Warning and wonder are coupled together throughout this book. And that’s not by accident. We need to heed these warnings as we continue to look at Jesus with wonder so that we don’t fall or fail on the battlefield of faith. The more careful attention we give to our salvation and our Savior, the more confident we will be in knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord.

Heeding the warning and enjoying the wonder, we continued our study in the book of Hebrews.

The book of Hebrews is a letter written to the Hebrew followers of Jesus—believers who were born and raised under the old covenant. They once related to God through rules, regulations, and rituals until the new covenant—the better covenant—was made when the Lamb of God came to take away the sin of the whole world.

These previously religious people experienced the joy, strength, and freedom that came with this new relationship with God through Jesus. Religion—with its rules, repetition, and ritual—might seem safe, but as we’ll see throughout the book of Hebrews—Jesus is better.

What makes Him better? And what is He better than? It’s something we considered as we continued our study in Hebrews.

In the past, God spoke through the prophets many times and in various ways. He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah using vocal preaching. He spoke through the prophet Ezekiel using visual preaching. He spoke through the prophet Jonah using a human experience. He spoke through the prophet Hosea using a human relationship.

But in these last days, God has spoken to us! Our God—the same God that spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, to Ezekiel, to Jonah, to Hosea, and to many more—has chosen to speak to us, not through just a prophet, but through His Son Jesus.

This same Jesus wants to speak to you. This same Jesus wants to be with you. He not only wants to give you rest, He wants you to enter into that rest—that deep and abiding rest that settles your very soul. This Jesus wants to go on holiday—a holy day—with you.

David vs. Goliath. A fight for the ages. The heavy favorite: a blasphemous Philistine giant. The unlikely underdog: a faith-filled Israeli shepherd boy. But in this battle, weaponry had little to do with the outcome. There was something more behind the stone in the sling of that shepherd boy that day. “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…” (1 Samuel 17:45).

The secret to David’s victory is no secret. It wasn’t in the stones he picked or the sling he swung. David fought in faith. He faced Goliath in faith. He didn’t measure the giant by himself or his ability. David was able to stand strong and fight in faith because He measured Goliath by God.

This kind faith is far too underutilized. And so, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the author of Hebrews picked up his quill to encourage believers to stand, and to walk, and to fight in faith.

So many times, we fight in our own strength and measure our Goliaths against our ability. But faith looks at our Goliaths and measures them against God. It gives us the grit and determination to run forward to fight, knowing and proclaiming that the battle belongs to the Lord.

So how do you increase in faith so you can fight by faith? It’s what we considered as we began our study of the book of Hebrews and learned to lift our eyes off of the obstacles before us and look to the Lord.

In our previous study, we talked about the new heaven and the new earth. We imagined what our resurrected bodies would be like as we walked through gates made of single pearls and walked on streets made of pure gold.  As awesome as all of that will be, what will we be doing for all of eternity? This Sunday, we continued the description that the Bible provides of what our resurrected lives will look like.

There’s a lie that’s been circulating for quite some time. It’s a lie that hinders the gospel and makes God appear unjust. It’s a lie that seems innocent and many believe, but when held against the truth of God’s word, it quickly unravels.

This lie says that humankind is basically good.

But in His word, God makes it clear: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

We all like to think that if we were Adam or Eve, we would make the right decision. But we have enough proof in our past that we really wouldn’t. And so, something has to be done with our sin, for God is a righteous judge. One day we will all stand alone before Him and give an account for every sinful thought, word, and deed—without any excuses.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” –Matthew 6:10

These were some of the things Jesus told His disciples to pray for when they asked Him how to pray. We experience a portion of that prayer on a daily basis, but there will come a day when that promise is fully realized. The kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, and deliverance from evil.

As we continued our study of Revelation this past Sunday, we see that God will one day answer this prayer. In Revelation 20, we read about the future reign of Christ on earth and the imprisonment of the devil during the same time.

Our study of prophecy should always lead to a deeper walk with Jesus and help us grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus—for prophecy is all about Him! Since the goal of prophecy is to worship God, we must beware of turning prophecy into a search for special knowledge that no one else has or to find a demon behind every bush. If anything else becomes the focus of our study of prophecy, something’s wrong.

So as we continue our study this book of prophecy, our understanding of Jesus deepens as we receive the full counsel of God’s word concerning Christ’s character. Remember—Jesus is not only the Suffering Servant; He will return as the Avenger of Blood. His first coming was the Lamb slain; His second coming will be the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Think of the few times in the Gospels when Jesus was truly angry. You know, those times when He flipped over tables and swung a whip around.

Jesus never got angry in response to a personal insult. No, His righteous anger was aroused when He saw corrupt religious leadership profiting from religious roadblocks that prevented people from worshipping God. Roadblocks that were never commanded by God, but enforced by the religious rulers to extort loyalty and money from people who just wanted to worship.

And Jesus hated this! He got angry—angry enough to call out the religious leadership of the day (see Matthew 23:15 and Luke 11:46). Angry enough to do something about it (see Mark 11:15-17).

It still angers Jesus when religious corruption takes advantage of people and keeps them from worshipping God. And, as we read in Revelation 18, it will continue to anger Jesus in the future. He will someday flip over more than tables—He’ll flip over Mystery Babylon and put an end to this wicked religious system once and for all.

We often think of the compassionate kindness, gracious gentleness, and everlasting love of God as our Heavenly Father. But like any good Father, He gets extremely upset when His kids or those He loves are harmed or harassed.

Just consider what you might do if someone attempted to harm the people you love. Or how you’d respond if someone was deliberately deceiving your loved ones—tricking them in to believing you didn’t love them, or making them think they were in right relationship with you when they really weren’t.

Because of your great love for them, you would feel strong feelings and take righteous action against those bent on destruction and deception. Just like our Heavenly Father. In these (hopefully) hypothetical scenarios, we identify just a bit with what God experiences.

People can be stubborn. Perhaps you have noticed. Sometimes stubborn people need incentive to turn away from their sin, to repent, and to turn towards the Lord. And sometimes, the Lord (in His grace and His mercy) gives people this incentive.

One day, God will give humanity all the incentive we could ever ask for. He will pull out all the stops and pour out all of His wrath for the purpose of producing repentance so that humanity might receive the greatest gift of all: eternal salvation.

This time is described in great detail in Revelation 16. It is the final opportunity God gives people to repent from sin and to receive salvation. And we shouldn’t be surprised to read how intense this time will be when it happens. God, in His great mercy, endeavors to produce repentance because He loves those who will be left at the end of the tribulation. He doesn’t want any of them to perish, but all of them to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.” – Revelation 15:1

In the Scriptures, we often see an overview of an event followed by a supplemental account to fill in specific details. As we start in Revelation 15, we take a step back to better understand what was just written in Revelation 14—which ended with a high overview of the Battle of Armageddon.

So far in the book of Revelation, we’ve seen the destruction that will occur with the Trumpet Judgments. We’ve witnessed the devastation of the Seal Judgements. And now, we will preview the deadly Bowl Judgements—seven plagues poured out on the earth.

The wrath of God has come up many times during our study of Revelation. Our study of chapter 14 was no exception. In it, we read of the promised judgement, the coming fire and brimstone, and by the end of the chapter, the harvest for the winepress of the wrath of God.

Yes, the wrath of God is real and serious. But so is His mercy. In this same chapter, we read of God mixing His wrath with mercy in one last effort to plead with mankind to turn away from their sin—one final chance to turn toward Him before imminent judgement.

Will mankind repent and relent from the pursuit of sin? More importantly—have you repented? Have you relented from your pursuit of sin? God is extending Him mercy to you right now! Do not wait until it is too late! Turn to Him now and enjoy the peace and security of His mercy.

In Revelation 13, we find prophecies concerning a coming one world ruler, one world government, one world religion, and one world currency. While these things are yet to come, they seem plausible right now. With each new world crisis, we’re moving toward these four realities as individual rights and liberties erode.

But we aren’t looking for these signs or waiting for the beast (the antichrist). We are looking and waiting for Jesus Christ! He is on the throne and nothing can thwart His plan or His return. While we look up and wait for His glorious appearing, we need to look around and invite others into the same spiritual security we enjoy through a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

It’s been said that the story of the Bible can be summarize in 6 words: Kill the dragon. Get the girl.

But who kills the dragon? Who saves the girl? And who is the hero of this true story?

As we peer ahead into the future as described in Revelation, we also look back to fully appreciate what is being written about. Even though Revelation is the last book of the New Testament, it is a very Old Testament book in the imagery described and references made.

This past Sunday, we flipped through many pages of our Bibles in our study of Revelation 12 to understand this description of a dragon and a woman…and what it means for us today.

The book of Revelation is truly unique. It’s the only book in the New Testament that focuses primarily on prophetic events–things yet to come to pass. We are able to read it because the Apostle John was faithful to the Lord’s command: “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (Revelation 1:19)

And so, John recorded what he saw so we can see it too (at least, in our mind’s eye). We see the events which will take place as they transpire…on earth and in heaven—and sometimes the lines between these places blur. Like in Revelation 10, as an angel stands on earth. And in chapter 11, we begin with an introduction to two faithful witnesses who will stand for the Lord in Jerusalem, and we end with the seventh trumpet sounding from heaven. Through it all, we see how God has been, is, and will be supreme over all of creation.

An earthquake is a terrible event. When the first tremor strikes, there’s nothing you can do but drop, cover, and hold on until it’s over. And when the ground is finally done shaking, you quickly discover what structures still have integrity and which ones had a poor foundation.

In Revelation 8 and 9, we discover what material and philosophical foundations will remain as God shakes what can be shaken in the trumpet judgements. This shaking isn’t just limited to the earth. As we read in Hebrews 12, heaven will also be shook, giving mankind an even greater incentive to repent. Unfortunately, some will still refuse. But what remains after this shaking will be a kingdom which can never be shaken.

Listen to our study of Revelation 8 and 9 and wonder at God’s ability to shake what can be shaken.

As we continue our study in Revelation, we’ve been considering the wrath of God—its power, purpose, and place in history and the future. The prophet Habakkuk asked God to remember mercy when He poured out wrath (Habakkuk 3:2). We see both the wrath of God and the mercy of God in the book of Revelation—sometimes in ways we wouldn’t have imagined. In His infinite wisdom, God administers His wrath with the included purpose of bringing people to eternal repentance.

In our previous study, we discussed the question asked in Revelation 6:17: who is able to stand on the great day of God’s wrath? In this study, we were introduced to two groups who will be able to stand on that great day—a numbered multitude and an innumerable multitude.

Listen to Sunday’s study of Revelation 7 as we discovered the identities of these two groups and how they will be able to stand.

In Revelation 6, we considered what will happen when the Holy Spirit is removed and sin is allowed to fully saturate society. We looked into the future with John as the next two seals were opened—and it isn’t pretty. As bad as things are today, it pales in comparison with a world saturated with sin. It will be the worst time in human history—even Jesus warned about how dark this time would be (see Matthew 24).

But take heart! There is a way to be delivered from God’s wrath. Listen to our study from Revelation 6:9-17 and learn how to be able to stand before God.

What is wrath? What is the wrath of God? And what does it look like when God pours out His wrath? These were all questions we asked and sought to answer in our study of Revelation 6:1-8 this past Sunday.

Wrath—extreme anger—is something that God uses at times for the purpose of repentance. Sometimes, we can think that God is hindering us from enjoying sin because He is some kind of cosmic control freak. And so we try to shake off His “shackles” in order to enjoy sin unhindered, undiluted, and unrestrained. But sin always takes more than it gives—sin steals, kills, and destroys. In His wrath and in His wisdom, God sometimes simply lets stubborn unrepentant sinners experience sin without hindrance so that they might come to a realization that sin does indeed steal, kill, and destroy.

Contrary to today’s headlines and breaking news, we have never fully seen an unrestrained sin saturated society. But one day, mankind will—the Day of God’s Wrath or the Time of Tribulation. On that day, The Restrainer—who is currently holding sin back from fully saturating a society—will be removed and the world will plunge into a rotten awful darkness.

So who is this Restrainer? When will this day come? And what does it have to do with the first 4 seals on the scroll in Heaven we first saw last week? Listen to our study of Revelation 6:1-8 and learn about this Restrainer and the results of His removal.

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” This is the question that hangs in the air around the throne of Heaven as John continues to describe the scene around the throne in Heaven in Revelation 5.

Worthiness is something we considered last Sunday. At the end of chapter 4, the 24 elders fell down before the throne and said, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

The subject of worthiness is still our focus in Revelation 5—but not in relation to the act of creation. We considered it in the form of the question asked above—a question concerning the redemption of creation. So what’s the answer? Listen to our study of Revelation 5 to find out!

This past Sunday, we studied Revelation 4—the beginning of…well…the end (that is, the end of time as we know it on the earth as we know it). If you remember some of our first studies of Revelation, we looked at the outline God gave us for the whole book: “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (Revelation 1:19)

The first section (things which you have seen) described what John had seen from his perspective—his vision and interaction with Jesus in all of His glory (Revelation 1). The second section (the things which are) were the seven letters Jesus wrote to the seven churches (Revelation 2 and 3). The third section (the things which will take place after this) are future events that have yet to occur and are described for us in the remainder of the book of Revelation (chapters 4-22).

Revelation 4 opens this exciting third section with a simple, yet significant saying: “After these things…” But what are these things? And why is this order important in light of eternity? Listen to our study of Revelation 4 to find out!

The church of Laodicea thought too highly of themselves. They thought they were rich, but they were really poor. They thought they were covered, but they were really exposed. They thought they could see, but they were really blind. They took pride in who they appeared to be from the outside, but had no presence of Christ within. In fact, Jesus is no where to be found in this church—He’s on the outside, knocking and hoping someone would open the door.

Where did things go wrong for this “church”? How did they end up with Jesus outside? And what can we learn from their example? Listen to our study of Revelation 3:14-22 as Jesus warns us about churches becoming Christian country clubs for nice people.

The church in Philadelphia probably thought they were the worst, the most foolish, and the most faithless of all the seven churches that Jesus wrote. And yet, they couldn’t be more wrong! Why? Because they were using worldly ways of determining success or failure.

It’s so important to see yourself as God sees you—not as others see you, not even as you see you! The Lord will bring into the light of day all that is presently hidden in darkness, exposing the secret motives of people’s hearts. Then God will give each person a share of His praise (see 1 Corinthians 4:3-5).

This church probably didn’t even think that Jesus would write to them. But He did—and they were the only church that Jesus didn’t correct. Though they were feeble, they were faithful. And so Jesus encouraged them through His letter.

The church in Sardis had a great reputation for being alive, but their inward reality was…different. This church was dead. They had an outward reputation of thriving, but they lacked the inward reality of being alive.

The seven letters at the beginning of Revelation have multiple layers of meaning. They speak to the actual churches of that day, individual churches of today, a personal application for us, and a correlation with church history. This letter corresponds to the period of church history known as the Protestant Reformation—which had name outwardly, but over time lost their inward reality.

But it didn’t begin this way for the church in Sardis, for the churches that call themselves Protestant, or for the churches and people to whom this applies today.

What’s in a name? Plenty! Just ask anyone named Ichabod. There was a child in Israel’s history that was given this name. He was born right after the Ark was taken out of Israel by Israel’s enemies (1 Samuel 4:19-22). Which makes sense—Ichabod means “the glory of God has departed.”

This Sunday, we continued our study of the seven letters to seven churches in the book of Revelation. The next two churches were on the verge of being called Ichabod. Thyatira and Sardis were dying and almost dead. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t rename them Ichabod—His glory hadn’t completely departed. However, He cries out to them to repent and fan into flame the smoldering spark of faith still found in their hearts.

Though it was the smallest of the seven churches, Thyatira received the longest letter—but not for the best of reasons.

The book of Revelation begins with seven letters to seven churches—letters that are applicable to every church and every individual in every age—but also specific to periods of church history.

The first letter, to Ephesus, speaks of the first century church. Followers of Jesus became so busy working for the King that they had no time to just be with the King—the very thing He saved them for.

The second letter, to Smyrna, speaks of the second chapter of church history. During this time, Satan tried to defeat the church with suffering and persecution.

This past Sunday, we studied the letter to Pergamos, the third age of church history. Suffering and persecution did not destroy the church, but instead helped it grow. In response, Satan switched his strategy and sought to destroy the church from within. For the church at Pergamos, this looked like combining spiritual authority with Roman and pagan idolatry.

Jesus had some straightforward words of correction (as well as some words of commendation) for this church that struggled with Satan’s strategy of corruption through an unholy union.

Have you ever had a week that was stressful? Or maybe a day that was difficult? Or an hour that overwhelmed you? Life is hard, but God is good. Even through those difficult times, we can know that He is with us. That puts things into perspective.

We gained some of that perspective this past Sunday as we studied Jesus’ letter to the church in Smyrna. Jesus knew of their current affliction and of their coming persecution. His message to this fellowship is one that we can benefit from in our current suffering and suffering to come.

In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul writes to pastor Timothy, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching.” We can understand the importance of preaching and we can appreciate the value of teaching, but sometimes we neglect the importance and value of publicly reading God’s word out loud.

Think about it…for many people over the centuries, the public reading of God’s word may have been their only interaction with scripture. We know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). This promise is especially relevant as we study the book of Revelation.

Why? Because we receive another promise in Revelation 1:3! There is a special blessing for those who read, for those who hear, and for those who obey what is written. All three of theses blessings are accessible to each and everyone of us—and hopefully we will all experience these blessings as we all read, hear, and obey God’s word.

The book of Revelation is an exciting book! It's essentially the recorded communication from God the Father to Jesus concerning the end of time. Which is why it can also be a confusing book—beasts and battles, seals and saints. Just what in the world is going on!!

On Sunday, we began our study of this great book with an introduction and overview. And we found that this book is quite orderly. In fact, the entire book is outlined in Revelation 1:19—“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." This may sound simplistic, but it is very significant for a number of reasons.

From Genesis to Revelation…from eternity past to eternity future. That’s quite a leap from the beginning of summer (when we finished our Genesis study) to now (as we begin our study of Revelation). But there are some benefits to studying these two books back to back.

Genesis is the book of beginnings…and questions. Revelation is the book of completion…and culmination.

Genesis begins in paradise, but when paradise is lost, the question arises…will paradise be restored? Revelation answers that questions, but not before outlining the world’s time of tribulation—the transition to a new paradise. It’s a specific time called the Day of the Lord…and 19 other names throughout the Old and New Testaments.

Since the Bible speaks of this time frequently and the warning attached to it has great urgency, we’re left asking, “What does any of this have to do with me?”

Plenty!

Revelation is relevant! Not only are we duty-bound to study, understand, and appreciate the gravity of the content contained in this book, the events described in this book are way closer than you might realize.

In his letter to believers in Thessalonica, Paul writes, “I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

These believers believed in a God who had defied and defeated death. While they would still grieve when a loved one died, they would not grieve as those “who have no hope.”

And for us, this is important to remember. It is completely normal, acceptable, and even godly to grieve…but we are not to grieve as those who have no hope—because we have hope…a living hope!

Just like those believers in Thessalonica, we believe in a living God who defied & defeated death by laying down His own life—then taking up His own life again by rising from the dead. We grieve…but we also believe.

So what does grieving and believing have to do with Genesis 50? Quite a bit, since we encounter three different burials that involve both grieving and believing.

In Genesis 49, we read the last words of the unlikely man that God chose to be the patriarch of His chosen people—Israel. Aware that his time on earth was coming to an end, he begins the difficult business of putting his house in order—saying what must be said to his sons‚ the patriarchs of the tribes that would come from their families.

What Israel must say must be said because these prophecies come from God. In fact, what Israel says are the first recorded prophecies spoken by a person in the Bible. Some of the things Israel must say aren’t all that great—but Israel is faithful to the task because he knows they are God’s words, not his.

Why weren’t these prophecies always wonderful? Because sin has consequences—and Israel’s sons were no strangers to sin. Unfortunately for some of Israel’s sons, their sin would be dealt with on their father’s death bed. Even though sin can be forgiven and relationships can be fully restored, if hidden sin hasn’t been confessed, forsaken, and forgiven it will fester and it will eventually find you out.

“This is the history of Jacob…”

That’s how Genesis 37 began, just before our focus shifted to Joseph. As much as we have marveled at the life of Joseph over these 11 chapters, it is the life and history of Jacob that is the overarching focus of these last few chapters in Genesis.

Jacob—who would be Israel—a man who wrestled with God…a man who would eventually be governed by God. But it would take him a lifetime to get there. From his birth, he had a reputation for trickery and treachery—trying to be the first born by grabbing his brother’s heel, then buying his brother’s birthright with a bowl of stew, then stealing his brother’s blessing through fraud. He lived up to his namesake—heel catcher.

That is…until God met him and wrestled him and gave him a new name—Israel, which means wrestles or governed by God. Slowly, this new identity began to work its way out in his life—an identity that determined Jacob’s behavior. From a lying thief to the patriarch of the people of God—“This is the history of Jacob…”

Good movies end with a nice resolution—a happy ending to a pressing problem, or a relationship restored, or a quest completed. The music flourishes, the credits roll, and you leave the theater. But faithful fans know that the credits are not always the end of the story. There’s often a small part shared after the credits are finished.

If the life of Joseph were a movie, it could have ended quite nicely after chapter 46—reconciled with his brothers, Joseph sends them to get their father, Jacob. There would be a final sweeping and emotional scene of Joseph and Jacob embracing in Egypt. The music swells. The screen fades to black. And the credits roll. But…this is not the end of the story for Joesph or Jacob. God is still setting the stage for the most intricate, interwoven, and undeniable backstory to His story the world has ever seen. In Genesis 47 to 50, we have a “post-credit” sequence that gives clues about God’s grand plan of redemption that will continue.

In Genesis 45 & 46, the loose ends of Joseph’s story come together. Over the past 8 chapters, we’ve seen twists and turns, ups and downs—but every detail was woven within the grand plan of redemption. God is setting the stage with the most intricate, interwoven, and undeniable backstory that the world has ever seen! And it comes to an exciting climax as Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers—the same brothers who despised him and sold him into slavery…after wanting to kill him.

In many ways, the life of Joseph would mirror the life of Jesus hundreds of years in the future. God would send His one and only Son to save life by a great deliverance. Joseph would tell his brothers, “And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” (Genesis 45:7)

Through His sacrifice, Jesus would communicate something very similar to us: “Come near to Me—do not be grieved or angry. God has sent Me to lay down My life in order to save life by THE great deliverance.” As we turn the pages of our Bibles, we see that the Great Deliverer is on page after page of this book.

In life, there are many different kinds of tests…true & false, multiple choice, essay. But there are also tests of our faith—tests that don’t require pencil and paper.

1 Peter 1 talks about these kinds of important tests: “…though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ… (1 Peter 1:6-7). These are the types of tests that Joseph took throughout his life.

But there were also tests that Joseph gave. He gave them to his brothers to draw them towards confession and repentance. It looks like Joseph was conspiring…and he was—not against his brothers, but for their ultimate benefit. His brothers needed to have their collective consciences revived and awoken to be sensitive to sin once again.

In Genesis 44, Joseph presents the final test to his brothers, waiting to see if they have really truly have had a change of heart, or if they were just playing a part to buy some grain.

Some passages of scripture seem like standalone sermons—with and introduction, an application, and a conclusion. Other passages of scripture can seem like puzzle pieces—with little rhyme or reason to how it fits in to the overall picture.

Genesis 43 is one of those puzzle pieces—it doesn’t seem to fit in from the outset…but, as we see in our study, it still has a purpose in God’s grand plan of redemption.

Life is often full of those puzzle pieces, isn’t it? With little information available, we make an inaccurate assessment of our earthly circumstances. Or, we wonder what the bigger picture is supposed to look like. How and where will this piece fit in with everything else?

Though these puzzle pieces might be confounding, we can still be grateful for them. While we might not always see how these pieces fit in as life unfolds, we can trust that God will bring them to the forefront eventually. From time to time, He gives us a peek behind the curtain, a glimpse of His glory, and we see the bigger picture.

If you aren’t careful, committing and concealing sin can deaden your conscience at times—so much so that apart from a gracious work of God to awaken your conscience, you would just life the rest of your life in the awfulness of unconfessed sin.

That’s exactly where Joseph’s brother have been for over 20 years. They learned to live with the wilting awfulness of unconfessed sin. They may have had times of awkward glances, each knowing exactly what the other was thinking—memories of what they did to and with Joseph. But they never confessed their sin.

You see, the suffering of concealing sin only happens for those who have a sensitive conscience. And now, as these 10 brother kneel before who they think is just an Egyptian official, God was beginning to soften their hearts and bring a sensitivity to their consciences. And Joseph, that Egyptian official, was an instrument in God’s hands to bring his brothers to confession and repentance so that they could enjoy unhindered fellowship with their brother and their God once again.

For two years, Joseph was forgotten and forsaken in an Egyptian prison for a crime he didn’t commit. That was after serving as a slave for eleven years. And that was after being sold into slavery by his brothers (who were planning on killing him).

With all that Joseph has gone through up to this point, the temptation to feel forgotten and forsaken would be strong. But God didn’t forsake or forget about Joseph. He was using the twists and turns and ups and downs in Joseph’s life to prepare him for what would come next.

God knew Joseph–and God knows us. He knows that “…tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-5). Like Joseph, we need to be willing to endure the greatness of God’s plan of preparation. Because, just like Joseph, we don’t know what God has around the next twist and turn. And when you look back and see pain and misery, your mind can wander to wondering if you have been forgotten and forsaken.

Instead, we can look ahead full of faith to endure the seasons of preparation God knows we need for what’s coming next. He is preparing us for something so much great that what’s about to happen to Joseph.

As we’ve been studying the life of Joseph, the word picture that keeps coming up to illustrate the journey God had for Joseph is that of a roller coaster. The ups, the downs, the twists, the turns—Joseph went through it all!

Joseph started out as his father’s favorite with a coat of many colors. But this dreamer was despised by his brothers, who plotted to kill him but made a profit by selling him into slavery. As he served in his master’s house, Joseph was tempted by his master’s wife, then falsely accused of a crime and thrown into prison.

Nevertheless, he chose to honor God. He continued to obey God. He resolved to serve God—because he personally knew the Architect of the roller coaster. No matter what, no matter where, Joseph trusted God.

As we studied Genesis 40 this past Sunday, we saw even more twists and turns in the life of Joseph. But that doesn’t mean that all the ups and downs are over. The Architect of the roller coaster hadn’t forgotten about him. He hasn’t forgotten about you.

Fight or flight? In a split second, our bodies undergo an amazing series of responses when a sudden stress places us in potential harm. In that split second, we have a choice—do we stay and fight or do we run away? And what’s the right answer?

Fighting seems like the most courageous choice—and in certain circumstances it might be. But when it comes to temptation, fighting is not the wisest thing to do. It’s also not the courageous to do.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?” asked the psalmist in Psalm 119:9. The answer…”By living according to Your word.”

What does God’s word say about sin and temptation? Avoid the initial sinful action altogether by running away! Flee sexual immorality. Flee from idolatry. Flee also youthful lusts.

This is what we see in the life of Joseph in Genesis 39. He was a young man, who kept his way pure by living according to God’s word. Not just by fleeing sin and temptation, but also by “pursuing righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

God has a wonderful plan for your life…even though life is full of suffering and sorrow at times. It’s just that suffering and sorrow is not the end of the story.

You see, the story—the epic poem—that God is writing with your life includes high highs and low lows.

The question is, are you going to trust God and obey God through the lowest lows and the highest highs…just like Joseph?

Our study in Genesis now turns to this young man. His life is a practical and productive study with real life application for our lives with God here and now—and so much more.

Have you ever felt like God was done with you? Maybe you feel that you’ve sinned too many times. Or you feel that you’re too old or not relevant.

If you are in Jesus, that feeling isn’t based on fact. It’s not true. God is not done with you! Feelings, although real and tangible, aren’t always the greatest communicators of truth. Sometimes, feelings just straight up lie to you.

So where can we go when we have those fleeting feelings that God is done with us? To the place where God speaks. Where He dwells. We can go to the scriptures and see God interact with people like Jacob. A man with many sins and many years…and yet, God still speaks to him. God still uses him.

In Genesis 35, God tells Jacob to go back to the beginning…back to the place where He began speaking to Jacob. Back to Bethel. Back to the “House of God”. There, God gave Jacob a gift of grace…a gift Jacob didn’t deserve and could never earn.

It’s the same gift God longs to give to you. He is not done with you!

When Dinah was raped, her father Jacob acted indifferently. When her brothers heard about what happened, they were more concerned with revenge than her welfare. And when the dust had settled from the aftermath of even more darkness and brokenness, it seems like Dinah was an afterthought.

But not to God.

He saw her and what happened to her. He cared about and for her. Even though Dinah’s earthly father wasn’t involved, her Heavenly Father was. Even though Dinah’s older brothers schemed revenge, her eldest Brother (Jesus) was advocating for her.

The darkness and brokenness that surrounds us is not God’s best for us. God Himself is the goodness He longs to give us. He is the best Father—who cares about the brokenness in our lives. He is the best Brother—who shines brightly to destroy the darkness—not to expand it.

Home can be a difficult place at times, can’t it? Especially if you’re coming home to a mess that you have made. Like Jacob coming home 20 years after he left his family in the middle of a mess of his making—lying to his father, cheating and stealing his brother’s blessing…and then running away to avoid revenge.

Now 20 years later, God gave Jacob 2 things to help him make the difficult decision to make the difficult journey home—an aggravating father-in-law, and a promise. But he still had no idea what would happen when he got there. He hadn’t heard from his family this entire time he’s been gone.

It’s unfortunate that in this life, home is not always a safe place. Thank God that our Heavenly Home will be one of eternal safety and security, free from strife and stress. But as for Jacob in Genesis 32, we see the stress play out as he leads his family and pleads with his God—then a thrilling reunion with his brother in Genesis 33.

If you are wondering why God is not speaking to you now, it might be that you are right where He wants you to be.

God spoke to Jacob when he was not where God wanted him to be and when it was time for him to move—there is nothing recorded in-between those times.

Think of it this way…children might ask their mother if they can play outside. “Yes,” the mother would say, “but only where I can see you in the yard.” When the children would go outside to play, the mother would have not reason to speak to them unless they were moving in a direction that she does not want them to go—like in the street. Then she would speak to them and call them back to the yard.

If you have a hard time hearing God lately, it may be that He has not been speaking. It may have nothing to do with you or your sin. It may just be that you are exactly where He wants you to be.

Life is messy, and yet God is gracious. Life is messy, and yet God is good. Life is messy, and yet God is real.

“In the midst of our mess” has become a familiar phrase as we’ve been working though the book of Genesis. We’ve seen sweeping landscapes of creation, redemption, history, poetry, prophecy…and odd personalities that mirror our own. Personalities like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Real men from real messed up families.

And yet, in the midst of their mess, God is gracious, good, and real. And we find encouragement in that. If God was good, gracious, and real in the midst of their mess, then God will be (and is) good, gracious, and real in the midst of our messes—for God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

God can and will reach into any messed up family and, by His grace, bless and help and lead and guide and heal and strengthen and sovereignly accomplish His purpose—just as we saw in our study of Genesis 29 & 30 this past Sunday.

Here’s a story of a really messed up family led by a man who was messed up more than most. And yet in the midst of this mess—this crazy mess—God enters in by His grace and blesses the mess Jacob found himself in.

“Behold, I am with you…” –Genesis 28:15

There it is! That glorious phase, that glorious gift when God says, “I am with you.”

”I am with you…” in the midst of your mess, Jacob…heal catcher…schemer…sinner.

”I am with you. I never left you and I will never leave you. I will fulfill my promises to you. I will complete the work—the good work that I began in you.”

Isn’t God good? Isn’t God gracious when He meets with us in the midst of our mess and says the same to us? That glorious and gracious promise—“I am with you and I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”

God’s presence in your life is not based upon your performance. It is based upon His promise. He is with you always…even to the end of the age.

In our last study in Genesis, we left off with God speaking to Isaac directly—“Don’t be afraid, Isaac. I am with you. I will bless you and I will multiply your descendants for my servant Abraham’s sake.” (Genesis 26:24).

Isaac—a man of faith called by God to walk in courageous faithfulness and lead his family in courageous faithfulness. And he did, but just for a season. Isaac honored his history and heritage as a man of faith, as the son of promise, living in the land of promise as a pilgrim and a worshipper. He enjoyed a season of such spiritual significance that even old unbelieving enemies took notice. Enemies like Abimelech who came to Isaac and said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you.” (Genesis 26:28).

And then, something changes in the next chapter of Isaac’s life. God and the things of God grow strangely dim to Isaac—and it affects not only him, but also infects his entire family.

Have you enjoyed a season of spiritual significance like Isaac? Maybe you’re still in that season—if so, stay diligent! Keep digging up the old wells of prayer and fasting and faith, and the Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit—these are sources of refreshment for you to draw from, not just once but continually.

Maybe your season of spiritual significance is in the past. What’s happened? Have you suddenly slipped or was it a slow slide? Perhaps you were once defined by courageous faithfulness and sacrificial service our of the overflow of your fellowship with God…but then something happened. God and the things of God grew strangely dim, just like in the eyes of Isaac in Genesis 27.

It’s a difficult chapter to study. It’s never pleasant to see a family once full of faith fall apart because of their own earthly appetites. But there are valuable lessons we can learn from a careful and cautious examination of this family. Even still, God is willing and wanting to reach down into the midst of your mess, open up those wells for you, and bring to into a new season of spiritual significance

We were reminded in Genesis 20 that the Lord is merciful and gracious. Sometimes He gives us a symbol to remind us that He is merciful and gracious.

But He is also mysterious—His ways are not our ways. Sometimes His ways confound us. Sometimes, His ways seem to contradict His character. He has His own purposes. The Lord gives…and then takes away—sometimes without any explanation. Still, sometimes we wonder, “God, how could You be good and allow this to happen?”

In those moments, at those times, our faith and trust and belief that God is good and worthy to be obeyed is tested.

Will you still trust Him? Will you still love Him? Will you still obey Him…even if you don’t understand Him?

Abraham, who has failed in trusting God…in loving God…in obeying God…will encounter another test in Genesis 21. What is it that God is going to ask of Abraham? What is the significance? And why would it tempt Abraham to question the character of God?