1 Timothy 3–The Mystery of Godliness
When Jesus was on the earth the first time, the religious leaders knew many of the right answers. They had studied the Scriptures. Memorized them. Taught them to the people. But there was a huge problem. Jesus said, Matthew 23:2–4 CSB The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads…
1 Timothy 1 The King Eternal
Sunday, May 14, 2023 1 Timothy 1: The King Eternal Letter writing in our electronic age is quite uncommon, isn’t it? I was never a great letter writer before texting and emailing, but it’s been years, it seems, since I’ve written a letter, and especially a letter with pen and paper. In the Bible, we have in our hands two letters written by a man named Paul to his protégé. His disciple in the faith, named Timothy. Timothy was like…
What Does Jesus Say About Human Sexuality?
Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 19. When I talk with my non-Christian friends about my job as a Bible teacher, I often describe my task as something like that of a historian. My job is to understand and to teach what the church has taught about this book since the beginning of the church and for the last 2000 years. My job is not to find some exciting new understanding that has been hidden throughout the ages,…
Revelation 22 – The Time is Near!
Please open your Bible with me to Revelation chapter 22. Today our Revelation series comes to a close. What a great Spring it has been walking through this book with you all. I’ve appreciated the feedback, the questions, the conversations, the encouragement, the little bit of debate, and you know, even the tiny bit of criticism here and there. I trust that as we’ve walked through and made this book more clear over the past 16 weeks that its been…
Revelation 20: The Final Judgment
Revelation 19:17–21 (CSB) 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military commanders, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.” 19 Then…
Revelation 19: The Victory of the Lamb over the Beasts
Please turn with me to Revelation chapter 19. Today is Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, and it might seem a little strange that our text for the morning is Revelation 19. But we made the decision not to take time out of this important series for this week, but rather, we worked to schedule the series so that chapter 19 fell on this morning, because in our chapter today, we get to see a powerful image of the risen Jesus, and…
Revelation 17 & 18: Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!
Please open your Bibles to Revelation chapter 17. We are now down the home stretch of this great book. We’re on week 12 of 16 of this series. And it has been a wild ride! Last week we Brad taught through chapters 15 and 16—the seven bowls of judgement, which depict the final pouring out of God’s wrath on an unbelieving world on judgement day. Where John goes next in this book is sort of a zoom-out, with a series…
Revelation 15 & 16: Seven Bowls of Wrath
In Revelation 15 and 16, we are drawing near to the end of this world as we know it. Our holy, just God has been patient with this darkened, sinful world for centuries, even sending his own Son to redeem those under wrath. But a day is coming when his patience ends and his wrath is poured out. This serves as a warning to all those who have rejected him, but it strengthens his followers, for his pure and perfect justice will be revealed.
Revelation 14: The Lamb’s Book of Life and the 144,000
Last week we read a startling passage about two beasts who make war on God’s people. We learned that “the whole world” worship the beast, that is, all those “whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb…” This week we will study Revelation Chapter 14 where we get to learn who these people are, and be encouraged that as we maintain our faith in Christ, that we will find the courage and endurance to follow him, wherever He goes, even in the face of beastly opposition.
Revelation 13: The False Trinity Part 2: The Beasts
Last week, we studied Revelation 12 where John introduces the enemy of God’s people: The Dragon, Satan. This week we will study Revelation 13 where we are introduced to the other two members of “The False Trinity”: The Sea Beast and the Land Beast, traditionally considered The Antichrist and The False Prophet. In chapter 12, the dragon is described as “making war on the offspring of the woman” — in Chapter 13, we see how he does that: through the beasts.
Revelation 12: The False Trinity, Part 1: The Dragon
This week, John introduces us to the true enemy of the church: The Devil. Characterized as a Red Red Dragon who makes war on the offspring (The church) of the woman (Israel). Next week, we will finish this section by being introduced to the other two members of the false trinity, two beasts empowered by satan to spread a false message and to enforce adherence to the false message. Through it we will see God’s promise that though we are under attack, we will be ultimately protected, and the dragon and his beasts are doomed, and have no real lasting power.
Revelation 10 & 11: No More Delay
This week we reach the center point of the book of Revelation, an interlude between the 6th and seventh trumpets. John sees a vision of a huge, mighty angel who commissions him to prophesy against many peoples, nations, languages, and kings, and then he hears a strange combination of things about temples, altars, and martyrs, and finally the seventh trumpet sounds, announcing Christ’s final triumph. Join us as we discuss the meaning of these strange details, and find great encouragement in their relevance for our daily life!
Revelation 8 & 9: The Trumpets of Judgment
In Week 5 of our series on the mysteriously remarkable book of Revelation, we read in chapters 8 & 9 of the seven trumpets of judgment. We will notice two crucial aspects of God’s nature that impact all of us. First, the Lord notices injustices on the earth and he will someday soon act with perfect and final justice. Second, even in his wrath we see hints of his offer of mercy, though people still refuse to repent and receive that mercy.
Revelation 6 & 7: The Seven Seals
Pastor Dave explores the Seven Seals from Revelation 6 and 7.
Revelation 4 & 5: Jesus Is Worthy!
This week we get to follow John up into the Throne Room of Heaven and see a vivid depiction of our glorious, triune God. We will join in a heavenly worship service as we see that Jesus, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, the slaughtered lamb who is alive and reigns over heaven and earth, is the only one in all creation worthy to unseal God’s book and oversee the course of history.
Chapter 2 & 3: Let Him Who Has Ears Hear
In Week 2 of our series through the mysteriously remarkable book of Revelation, we discover Jesus, the glorious head of all the churches as he directly speaks to his people who are engaged in holy war. He calls them to pay attention, walk with him, and place their hope in the glories of eternal life. In letters he wrote to seven Asian churches, we will find some words to challenge and strengthen us as individuals and as a church.
Chapter 1: Jesus’s Revelation
This week we kick off our 16 week walkthrough of one of the most enigmatic and evocative books in the whole Bible. Revelation. Join us as we begin to explore a book that was written to bless, strengthen, and encourage the first century church, as well as every church and every believer through ages, including us today, and every church to come (possibly for ages more!), until Christ finally returns just as He promises. Our hope is that you’ll be able to approach this book with fresh eyes to see what is clearly in it. This is “The Revelation of Jesus”, encouraging weary saints by showing us our Victorious Savior!
The Prince of Peace
The wonderful prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah 9 declares that He is our “wonderful counselor” and our “prince of peace.” This week, we will discuss how Christ promises to bring us peace through prayer. This promise can feel hard to believe sometimes, but as we look at Christ’s example, we can find the encouragement and grace we need as we strive for peace in our souls.
The Resistance Against Loneliness
The story of Christ coming to earth and taking on human nature—the Incarnation—impacts us more than we may realize. That momentous event shouts to us of the nearness of God by the prophetic name given to Christ—Immanuel, meaning God with us. God is with us. Heaven has come to earth. God is now very near. We are never alone. On those days we sense loneliness even in a crowd of people, we can be assured of the tender presence of our God to be to us all we need and long for.