Seaside Church Sermons & Media: Recent Episodes
Seaside Church
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. [Judges 17:6, ESV]
Bound by [to]…
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Self-rule (There was no king in Israel… even though God was their King!)
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Self-righteousness (Everyone did as they saw fit… even though God had clearly told them what to do)
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Self-Interest (They use God to get what they want… instead of being used by God for what God wants)
“The purpose of Micah’s religious efforts is to get access to God so that he can get what he wants. The goal of true faith is to give God access to your heart heart so that he can get you to do what He wants. Religions true purpose is to get God to serve you; gospel faith’s purpose is to get your heart to serve Him.” -Tim Keller
How to neglect God:
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Make yourself the center of your life
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Ignore Gods purpose for your life
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Take matters in your own hands
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Avoid conflict at all costs
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Forget that good things come from God
-Dangerous Incongruence #1: Faith with conditions (Goal: Faith without conditions)
-Dangerous Incongruence #2: Saint in name alone (Goal: Saint in all of life)
-Dangerous Incongruence #3: Passive participant in God’s plan (Goal: Active participant in God's plan)
1.A warning about persisting in sin
2.A warning about negotiating with God
Overview of Judges:
+Judges Chapters 1-2 (Part 1) – the beginning of unfaithfulness (Establishment of the cycle )
+Judges Chapters 3-16 (Part 2) – the downward spiral of unfaithfulness
•Major judges - Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson
•Minor judges – Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon
+Judges Chapters 17-21 (Part 3) – the depths of the unfaithfulness
•Civil war and absolute godlessness
The way Gideon ends his story leads us to consider three things to be cautious of:
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The toxicity of revenge
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The toxicity of success
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The toxicity of power
Our belief that our idol is essential + Fraility of idols= Fear that our idol will fail us
Instead of trusting God:
-We trust in things/ stuff: “political programs, economic theories, career options, philosophies, lifestyle options, entertainment programs…”
-We trust others: In their power, security, promises, charisma, etc.
-We trust ourselves: In our own ability, strength, knowledge, etc.
Why can we trust God? Because he won’t fail us!
-God is gracious
-God is powerful
-God is with us
Outline of Judges:
-Chapters 1-2 (Part 1)
-Chapters 3-16 (Part 2)
-Chapters 17-21 (Part 3)
Key Takeaways
•God disciplines those He loves
•God uses evil for good purposes
•God rescues us from our sin
•God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve
•God gives us His Spirit to serve Him and others
•God gives us eternal peace and rest
As we continue our introduction to this sermon series, Pastor Jon offers three reasons why this book is good to read (even though it is hard to read):
This book is valuable for us because:
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God is the hero of these stories
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It is honest about the good, the bad, and the ugly.
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It reinforces the only way forward
The main question we are faced with in this introduction and throughout Judges: Will we join God in continual renewal or will we remain in perpetual decline?
Heart conditions in the parable of the Sower
-Hard (Footpath)
-Shallow (Rocks)
-Weedy (Thorns)
-Fertile (Good Soil)
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Our fruitfulness for God depends on our heart
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Our heart is the center of who we are – the driving force in our life
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We need to put the right things in our heart
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We need to guard it with all vigilance
The Purpose of God’s Word: Fruitfulness
How can we be fruitful?
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By listening to God’s word
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By letting God’s word sink into our hearts
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By persisting in God’s word
The perils of an earthly perspective
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the peril of living for pleasure
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the peril of living for riches
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the peril of living for the cares of the world
The promises of a heavenly perspective
Prepare for times of testing…
-By acknowledging the reality of suffering and difficulty
-By rethinking how we respond to suffering and difficulty
-By establishing deep roots in Jesus
We must remember God’s work in the past, find refuge in God in the present, and rest in God’s promises for the future.
The Parable of the Sower and the Soils:
-The reality of what is…
-A warning of what could be…
-Encouragement to be a student of Jesus
Takeaways from the seed along the path
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The devil is a clear and present danger
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Jesus empowers his disciples to trample the trampler
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We all have the same Master
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Obey and serve others "as to the Lord"
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Obey and serve other "from the Heart"
Ephesians 6:1–4 (MSG): Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, “so you will live well and have a long life.”
Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.
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Obedient Kid-o-lesence 101
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Conscientious Parenting 101
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Our Father in Heaven
Biblical Submission: elevating what God wants and what others need above what I want or need.
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Submit to each other
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Love each other
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Relentlessly pursue unity with each other
...therefore
1.What should we do? WALK WORTHY
2.How should we walk? IN UNITY
3.How do we get unified? UNITY = 7x1
Check out the Bible Project video at the link above, and you can view Pastor Rob's sermon on Jacob mentioned today at this link: https://subsplash.com/seasidechurch/lb/mi/+5skn9h8
Pastor Rob shared some of his experiences and some of his takeaways from his recent trip to Israel, and ended with some Q&A's. We watched the video playlist made by one of Pastor Rob's trip mates, linked here, to help give some context of what the trip was like. The video also starts with Pastor Rob talking about a school, which is also linked here.
In our passage this morning we'll see two amazing stories that put on full display how the power of the gospel frees those in spiritual bondage, upends human oppression, and disrupts social division.
Paul is now on his second missionary road trip. Our passage for today contains two amazing "God Stories" that happen along the way. What we'll see as we read them is the truth that no matter what we’re going through… God is with us and God is ahead of us.
Lameck Ochieng, Pastor of Grace Reformed Church in Kenya, shares an update with Pastor Jon for 2022 Church Planting Sunday. This is the complete uncut version of the video.
Lameck Ochieng, Pastor of Grace Reformed Church in Kenya, shares an update with Pastor Jon for 2022 Church Planting Sunday. This is the trimmed version for the Church Planting Sunday Gatherings.
This week we'll look at Acts chapter 14, which completes the account of Paul's first missionary journey. On this journey many people put their faith in Christ and churches are established. There is also opposition to the gospel, and Paul is nearly murdered for preaching. We will see that we can and should trust in the Holy Spirit; we should remain faithful to God even in hard times; and we should share our "God Stories" with one another.
The Apostle Paul was sent out with the message of salvation. In our passage this morning we observe him preach this message and minister among Jews and Gentiles in the Mediterranean world. Through observing this scene, we'll learn some things about salvation which we can apply to our lives.
In our passage this morning we see an example of how the first missions team was sent out. As we read this account, we can also consider what it looks like for us to send out people from Seaside to spread the gospel in Bremerton, Kitsap, and beyond..
There's no question, that with all that has happened and continues to happen in our day... things can seem hopeless. One of the gifts of the book of Acts is seeing how the early church dealt with their own moments of hopelessness. Today's message will give us some practical tools as we continue to trust in Jesus through everything we're facing.
This week is part two of how the gospel moved from the Jewish community out to the Gentiles. From these stories we learn how we too can be a part of the gospel going global.
In Genesis 12, God promises that he will bless the nations through Abraham's descendants. Though there are glimpses of this promise being fulfilled throughout the Old Testament, our passage this morning is really the beginning of it's fulfillment as the gospel goes to the Gentiles. This is a key text in the book of Acts and an important one for us as we seek to apply the gospel to the racial division and tension we face in our day.
Last Sunday we left off in the book of Acts with a time of peace and growth for the early church. In this setting we will now see the interactions that the Apostle Peter had with two blossoming Christian communities to the west of Jerusalem. In one town Peter healed a paralyzed man, and witnesses of this miracle turned to Jesus. In the next town Peter raised a woman from the dead, and more people turned to the Lord. As we think about these miracles, we will see that when the church is consumed with the mission of Jesus, the world will see glimpses of God’s Kingdom here on earth, and the result for many people will be repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
This morning we'll read the amazing account of how a murdering persecuting pharisee was transformed into the apostle of love. If Acts was a Netflix series, this would be an episode you would not want to miss!
In today's passage, we'll read about one of the most interesting men to join the new Jesus community, an Ethiopian Eunuch. And through this story we'll continue to learn about what gospel ministry looks like in the early church and make connections to gospel ministry in our day.
Our passage today shows us what happened after the persecution began in Jerusalem. The believers are scattered and begin sharing the gospel outside of their “home church.” This week and next week we will follow Philip as he shares the good news in Samaria and in Judea. In this story we will learn several things about gospel ministry that we can apply to our own mission here in Bremerton and Kitsap County.
The time had finally come. Though the first believers had remained in Jerusalem, meeting in the temple and demonstrating how Jesus was the Messiah, the existing Jewish leaders had had enough. So, they killed Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. This pushed the believers out to begin sharing the good news outside of Jerusalem. It’s the tipping point for the Jesus movement! In this long section of verses there's much to consider. Enjoy!
Leadership is challenging. The early church leaders didn’t always do well with the challenges they faced, but our passage this morning is an example of a time when they did! Not only did they deal with a challenging situation well, but their leadership led to growth. So as we head into 2022, I give you this text as a kind of vision for your leadership and for our church. Happy New Year Seaside Fam!
This week we will be jumping back into our series through the book of Acts, continuing through chapter 5. The Apostles are once again in trouble with the Temple officials, but with the help of an angel and a Pharisee (how surprising!) they are able to continue with their mission. We will see that we as followers of Jesus are priests in the new temple, we are lights in a dark world, and we point others to Jesus, the Savior!
This week's passages help us to understand the nature of God's coming. In other words, God doesn’t do what we expect him to do. There’s a theme here of reversal. Also, in these verses there's a challenge and an invitation to look to Jesus alone for our peace.
Advent is about waiting for God. So far in our series, we've talked about how he's coming and how to be prepared for his coming. But today's texts help us get a vision for what he's coming to do. He's coming to restore. And this restoration isn't something only for the future, but it's something we can participate in now. Seaside, God is in the business of restoring, I pray you’ll get in on it today!
Advent is about waiting for Jesus' second coming as we recall his first. But what should we do while we wait? How do we prepare? Our text this morning give us four ways to prepare. May these give us direction as we practice waiting and preparing this Advent!
This morning is the first Sunday in Advent. Advent is a season in the church calendar where we're encouraged to wait and prepare for Jesus' second coming as we reflect back on his birth. This morning's message will give us a theology of "coming." Our God is a God who comes to us and He will come again!
In our journey through Acts so far we've seen some of the challenges facing the church from the outside. Our passage this morning shows us a threat from the inside. Not all the believers had pure motives as they participated in the life of the community. Some wanted to have a little Jesus, but still do them. This passage will show us that, "You can't have it both ways." It's an invitation and a warning for us to see that there's nothing better than living generously in unity with God's people.
This morning is the third and final message in our three-part series around the healing of a lame man. This healing has now brought the disciples into a collision of power with the temple authorities. This passage gives us a unique window into how the power of Jesus is at work in our world. We'll also be challenged by how radically different the early believers respond to threats facing them.
There have been many preachers who have said that, "Our God is a God of Second Chances." You could say that our text for today contains the greatest "second chance," of all time. Either way, I pray that you'll be moved by this rich story and sermon from the Apostle Peter as he offers a "second chance" to his people.
This week we are going to take a break from our Acts Series and look at Psalm 8, a Psalm of David that reminds us to pause and consider God’s majesty. We will also see how this song from Israel’s prayer book was pointing to Jesus and encourages us to trust in His power and finished work.
In chapter two of Acts we saw that the first believers devoted themselves to “the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”. We also saw that many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. In this week’s passage we see an example of these wonders- the healing of a lame beggar at the temple. We will see that God was shaking things up in Israel- a new paradigm for the temple was being established. And, we will be encouraged to be humble worshippers who are sensitive to the Spirit’s leading.
In our passage this morning we see what the church did after the incredible moment of Pentecost. We see how they gathered together around a set of practices that shaped them spiritually and sustained for the mission ahead! These same practices will shape and sustain us as well.
Pentecost is the moment when everything changed for the church. But what does it mean? And what should we do in response to this out pouring of the Holy Spirit? The Apostle Peter will be our teacher this morning as he answers these questions for the crowds of his day and for us as well!
We need 16 vehicles to decorate their trunk! If you would like to decorate a trunk, email info@seasidechurch.com
Our passage this morning describes a period of waiting between the time when Jesus gave his mission to the disciples and the Spirit empowerment that was coming. It seems like an odd text for Luke to include on page 1 of Acts, but there are some key lessons for us in our own moment of waiting. This passage may surprise you with all the truths it contains. It surprised me!
One of the greatest things we can experience is the sense that we are doing exactly what God wants us to do. When we know and live his will there is freedom, joy, and purpose even in the midst of difficulty. It’s equally one of the worst things when we aren’t doing what God wants us to do. When we don’t know his purpose we’re lost, vulnerable to false visions for our lives, and susceptible to being drowned by the world’s drama. The same thing is true for the church. We’re living through a time when there is much drama in the world and many false visions for the church. But in the book of Acts we are given the exact mission Jesus appoints us to do and how he’ll empower us to do it. And when we live this out, there’s clarity, freedom, and joy to face anything. Seaside Fam, it’s time for a mission alignment. Our text and sermon this morning begins it!
This week our Summer series through the book of Colossians is coming to an end. We will look at an illustrated review of our series (I apologize in advance for my poor artwork), then we will look into the final passage in Paul’s letter. We will see Paul’s love and concern for specific friends, and close with some final thoughts on what we can take away from this series. -John Corrigan
We’ve seen that Paul instructed the Colossians regarding living out of the new life given to them by Christ. This week we’ll see that he then turned the attention to those outside the church. In this passage Paul calls these believers to pray for those who need Christ and to look for open doors for the gospel to reach the lost. We will be encouraged to be steadfast in prayer and to be wise in how we seek to share the gospel with others.
This week our passage closes out chapter two and gives us more details about the false teachings that were threatening the church. We will see that although our “Adversary” tries to rob us and bring us into the darkness, Jesus is always calling us back into His light and abundance.
This week as we continue in chapter 2 in our Colossians series Paul reminds us of how a person can possess a new life of freedom; Our great and powerful God grants it to us. We will see that like the Colossians, if we have put our faith in Jesus, we have gone from dead and in debt to alive and debt free!
We are now entering the main body of Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Up to this point Paul had talked about how the Colossians had received Christ and what that meant. Now, as Paul gets into the main section of the letter, the focus shifts to telling the Colossians to continue to live their lives for Jesus, whom they had received. In our passage this week Paul contrasts the gospel tradition handed down from Jesus with “human tradition”, which does not originate from God. We will look at a couple aspects of this gospel tradition and see why the gospel is better than anything the world could offer us.
As we begin looking at chapter two of Colossians we see that Paul turns his attention to issues of the human heart and mind, not wanting these believers to be deceived by words that sound “good”. He reminds the Colossians that the treasure God offers them is far better than anything the world may tempt them with, so they should pursue Jesus with all their hearts. Join us as we look at this passage, and let God stir your heart and mind to desire more of the treasures He is offering to you.
Pastor Jon shares an update about how our Sunday Gatherings are changing as the state reopens.
This Sunday we begin our summer series through the book of Colossians. Paul wrote this letter from prison to believers in Colossae in order to encourage them to keep growing in Christ despite false teachings that were threatening the faith of some in their church. Paul reminded these believers that Jesus is the supreme ruler who is more than worthy of their faith and devotion. All praise, honor, and glory belong to Jesus! As we look at the first 8 verses of this letter, we will see that the gospel works through hope, and it always bears fruit! Join us as we jump into Colossians!
Pastor Rob shares, "This morning is the last Sunday before my sabbatical. Again, thank you for this incredible gift of rest, renewal, and recalibration. Before leaving, I want to give you a brief pastoral charge on the centrality of love. Please receive this vision for our church and our lives from God's word."
During our Celebration Sunday gathering, 5 people shared about what God has done in their lives over the past year. This includes music between the stories. Skip to the following point to hear specific stories: Tammy & Dave Rasmussen: 1:03 Courtney Saint: 17:07 Jessica & George Bundy: 22:38
Jonah Pouts (4:1-11): In our final message in the book of Jonah we see God dealing patiently with a pouting prophet. Jonah was pouting because God showed his mercy to Nineveh. In this sermon, we'll take time to understand the unique way this book ends and several lessons we can apply to our lives as well.
Jonah Preaches (3:1-10). This morning is our third message in the Jonah series and it's kind of like a restart. God gives Jonah the same command the book begins with and this time instead of rebelling Jonah obeys. He goes to Nineveh and preaches the world's shortest sermon. Amazingly the people repent. In the sermon we'll look at several truths we can connect to our lives and we'll close with another reflection on how to read this unique book.
Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes (announcements) were lost. The rest of the gathering is complete.
Jonah Repents (1:17-2:10). Last week we covered Jonah's rebellion. This week we'll look at Jonah's repentance. Jonah ran from God, but when he hit rock bottom he called out to God and God heard his prayer. There are rich spiritual truths we can learn from his prayer. Along with those, this message will cover how Jonah's story points to Jesus as well as the historicity question of the book of Jonah.
Creatives, help us help you look fly this summer. Our pre-summer T-Shirt Design contest is open (now through May 15)! Find instructions/ parameters at the link below.
Jonah Rebels (1:1-16). This morning we begin a new series in the book of Jonah. This story is about what happens in the heart of a man who is called by God to serve his enemies. Though many have thought of Jonah as simply a fun story about a fish swallowing a man, it's much deeper than that. There are many lessons for us to learn from this amazing book. I pray you will enjoy it and grow as a result of this study!
There's no question that in almost every area of life, we are going through a lot of change right now. In this message, Pastor Rob takes some time to talk through some of the changes he sees in his life, in our church, and in our culture. Though these can seem daunting, God hasn't left us alone. He's got us! And as we see all he's done for us we can, "Bless the LORD O my soul." The message will conclude with a reflection on Psalm 103. May this be a textual lens to view our current time of change and future opportunity for mission in our day!
As our series comes to an end, we see a fourth visitation from God: the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ ascension into heaven may have seemed to some like a loss; the Messiah was gone! But when Jesus left He promised that the Holy Spirit would indwell God’s people and fill them with power to be His witnesses. This morning we will see that God has given us power for our mission, and that the harvest is plentiful; we’re surrounded by people who Jesus is going to save.
For this week's message we get to read one of the coolest passages in the Bible. This is the story of Jesus visiting two of his followers on the road after his resurrection. And as he visits with them, we'll see two ways in which he visits us today!
Our God is a visiting God. Perhaps there was no greater visit to humanity than Jesus' visit from the tomb. Talk about a surprise visit! This morning we'll consider this incredible account and how the resurrection of Jesus makes a difference in our lives today!
It's Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of the last week of Jesus' life. And in Luke's account, he gives 5 stories that shape our understanding of what happened when Jesus came into Jerusalem on his way to the cross. This was more than an event where the crowds waived palms around. It was a moment of inclusion into the kingdom, judgement for Jerusalem, and ultimately a moment where the lordship of Jesus was on display.
What does it mean to believe in "the holy catholic church? "What does it mean to participate in "the communion of the saints?" These questions will be explored in this message.
The Holy Spirit has sometimes been called "the forgotten God." But the writers of the creed saw fit to include a statement of faith in the Spirit. Who is the Spirit? How is the Spirit at work today? Though one sermon can barely do justice to the Spirit, may this be a starting point for anyone beginning to understand what it means to believe in the Holy Spirit.
The center of the creed is focused on the work of Christ. His death, descent, resurrection, ascension, and return. We often drill down on Jesus' death and resurrection, but these other aspects of his work are also an important part of all he's done for us. The goal of this message is to help us see that salvation is a work of God from start to finish. There is nothing that we can add to what Jesus has done for us.
A good movie trailer makes us want to watch the movie. These previews give us just enough information to make us curious about the whole story. For the ancient Israelites who anticipated God’s deliverance the scriptures were similar to today’s movie trailers. God’s people were given bits and pieces of information about a coming savior, yet much of the story remained a mystery - until Jesus came. In our message this week we will see how this “movie” plays out, and we’ll see that we are part of the story.
We are canceling our Sunday gatherings (in-person & online) tomorrow morning due to snow. Instead, we will be joining together at 10am for an all church prayer meeting on zoom. Join the meeting at 10am via the zoom link.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth? The Scriptures teach us that he is both divine and human. But how do these two natures work together? What does it mean for Jesus to be the God-Man? These questions will be considered in our message.
What does it mean for God to be our father? Sometimes this can be difficult for us because of our own relationships with our earthy dads. But scripture helps us to see this amazing yet familiar truth that we confess in the first line of the Apostles Creed.
Sunday's sermon is focused on the first phrase of the Apostles Creed, "I believe." What does it mean "to believe?" This message will outline 7 statements on faith to help us understand our foundational response to God.
For questions email: leslie@seasidechurch.com To volunteer email: sarah@seasidechurch.com
Why should we take a few months as a church to study the Apostles Creed? What's the value of saying the ancient creeds today in our churches? These and other questions will be answered in this introduction to our new series through the Apostles Creed.
Quick video with several Seasiders sharing about Bible Groups and why you should consider joining one. Women: email kristi@seasidechurch.com for more info Men: email jon@seasidechurch.com for more info
This passage helps us to reflect on what's most important in our lives. In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul shares some of his story in becoming a follower of Jesus. In particular, there were some things he gave up in order to gain Jesus. There were things he lived for that compared to Jesus were like trash. As we begin a new year, let’s examine some of the lesser things we too need to give up and make Jesus our One Thing as we head into 2021.
We have begun a new year! One of the greatest joys of belonging to Jesus’ church is the shared life we have with God and one another. John talks about this fellowship in his first letter. This Sunday as we look at 1 John 1:5-10, we will see that God is light, who illuminates our path, and forgives and cleanses us from sin. Join us as we start this year out with some good news!
This is the fourth word from Isaiah on the coming of Jesus. Its focus is on bringing comfort to the returning exiles. However, it's also picked up by all the gospel writers and other places in the New Testament. In this passage there are three "voices" each emphasizing a different aspect of the comfort Jesus brings. I pray you will experience his comfort today! - Pastor Rob
Pastor Jon shares a quick update to our 2021 plan for the two small houses on the new property we own next to our church building.
In our third Sunday in Advent, we'll consider how the coming of Jesus moves us from sorrow to song. Isaiah gives a word of hope about the coming King to Israel. But he doesn't end with just a call to believe the truth, but rather he ends with a call to sing the truth. This morning's passage takes us into rich truths about Jesus and the need to cement those truths in our hearts with song.
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"But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish..." This is how our passage for today begins. Isaiah ministered during a dark time in the nation of Judah. Yet into the midst of that darkness comes light. It's kind of God's thing to bring us from darkness into light, from sorrow into joy, and from bondage into freedom. He does this through the coming of the child King who will reign with justice and righteousness forevermore. Once again Isaiah helps us understand the advent of our Lord.
What do you fear? It's probably safe to say that all of us are dealing with some form of fear right now. As we go into the Advent Season, the prophet Isaiah is calling us to look up from fear and to put our trust and faith in God. He knows we are weak, so he’s even given us a sign. I pray this message from Isaiah 7:1-14 will help move you from fear to faith!
As we near the Advent Season and remember God's gift coming down to us, we know that the baby born in Bethlehem was Lord and King at His birth! This Sunday we looked at Colossians 1:15-23 and saw that this King Jesus is the Lord of creation as well as the Lord of reconciliation. Because of this, all of creation will be restored and those in Christ will be part of a new creation who will worship their King forever!
Here's a video update from Pastor Rob on the new COVID guidelines and how that will impact our church. A lot of important information in here, so please watch the whole video.
This is the last sermon in the Joseph series and in the Genesis series. This section covers the death and burial of Jacob as well as Joseph's final words to his brothers. All the main themes of the Joseph story appear in this section (Guilt, Power, Providence, and Hope). We'll see how these themes operate in this text and then make connections to our own lives. Perhaps most important, remember that Genesis ends with the hope that God is coming! And in Christ Jesus he has come and will come again!
Our journey through the life of Joseph is almost finished. All the drama and tension has been resolved. Now we find ourselves invited to the bedside of dying man. Jacob's days are numbered. In his final moments he speaks to Joseph and his sons. While looking back on his life he also looks forward. He gives them hope of a future coming king. Our passage this morning will help us reflect on the mechanics of hope and ultimately the hope we have in Jesus.
Last week we looked at Joseph's final test of his brothers, followed by the revealing of his identity to them and pardon from guilt for what they had done to him many years prior. This week we are going to read about Joseph's brother's journey back to Canaan to share some very complicated news to their father Jacob, as well as inform him that the entire family will be relocating to Egypt. We will also see Joseph's wise leadership during the famine, as well as think about how God's sovereignty helps us to forgive others, and to trust Him with our present circumstances and future destiny.
[Correction from Pastor Rob: I made a mistake in my sermon. While referencing a passage from Deuteronomy 25, I said something that the passage does NOT say. I always want to correct any mistake I make especially when referring to scripture. I realized this and did not make the same mistake in the second service. So first I apologize for making this error. Second, here is the correction for those of you in the first service or watching online. When we came to the section with Tamar and the three sons of Judah, the practice of Levirate marriage was brought up. This is when the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. So at this point I referenced Deuteronomy 25:5-9. In that passage when the brother refuses to marry his deceased brothers wife, the text tells us that she is to go to the elders of the city and attempt to get them to convince him otherwise. If they fail she is to take his sandal and then spit in his face. The custom of taking his sandal is a practice from the Ancient Near East that represented a transaction had been made (See Ruth 4:7). During the first service I took this further than what the text says. I mentioned that she would also slap him in the face with his sandal. Which is is comedic, but the text does NOT say that! For some reason I embellished this point and took it too far. So again, I apologize for that comment. It’s not that big of a deal in the overall meaning of the text, but I always want to be exact with God’s words so I needed to make this correction.]