Storyline of Joshua

In this audio recording for children Joelee Chamberlain summarizes the storyline of Joshua.

Storyline of Leviticus Through Deuteronomy

In this audio recording Joelee Chamberlain summarizes the storyline of Leviticus through Deuteronomy.

The Pleasure of the Father in Crushing the Son

Isaiah 53:10: But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

Faith and Creation

This week we will only cover one verse; a verse over which most commentators and teachers skip very quickly.

Before speaking of the cloud of witnesses (those who lived by faith), our author reminds us “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

The subject of creation has been controversial both in the world and in the church. Why is this issue so important? How can we know the truth about the origin of matter and life?

Can people know God through observing nature? Can we harmonize the scientific data with the biblical account of creation? How should a Christian look upon the relationship between science and Scripture? Can we through argumentation and evidence convince an evolutionist that he is wrong?

The Certainty of Faith

We have come to one of the most famous and wonderful chapters in the Word of God: Hebrews 11. Some have called this chapter the “Hall of Faith”, or “The Westminster Abbey of Scripture.” My appreciation of Hebrews 11 has reached new heights because we arrived there via Hebrews 1-10. The original readers were struggling to endure, so our author sets forth a “cloud of witnesses” to exhort them to press on to the end.

Our first message will focus on the author’s general description of faith. This is important because religious faith is under attack both from modernism (which denies the supernatural) and postmodernism (which denies absolute truth and certainty). Also, religious people have all kinds of false ideas about faith (i.e. faith is a blind irrational leap, or faith is a power we exercise to get what we want). In addition to defining the essence of true faith, we will seek to show why many popular ideas about “faith” are opposed by Scripture.

The Antidote to Apostasy

Hebrews 10:32-39: You may remember that last time (10:26-31) we considered a stern warning against apostasy. Chrysostem said, “The best physicians, after they have made a deep incision, soothe the one that has been made with gentle remedies.” This week our author offers encouragement and comfort to his suffering readers as he encourages them to stand firm against apostasy by looking back (to what God has done through you in the past) and looking forward (to God’s promises when Christ returns). I hope you will find this passage as encouraging as I have.

Satisfaction for the Thirsty

Spurgeon called Isaiah 55 a chapter of gospel invitation. He preached from this passage at least eighteen times.

Isaiah 55 pleads with the lost to abandon their worthless idols. The Lord offers abundant pardon and rich kingdom blessings to those who turn to Him.

Isaiah 55 also speaks to believers who sometimes waste their time and money seeking to find joy and satisfaction in worldly things instead of finding their fulfillment in Christ.

Isaiah 55 also points to Christ who offers Himself as our spiritual food and drink.

Liberty and Love

Are you strong?

Last week Paul began his discussion of the issues over which Christians differ by encouraging all of us to accept one another without judging in these difficult matters.

In this week’s text Paul focuses upon those who consider themselves strong - because they believe they have liberty to do things in which the weak cannot participate without violating his conscience.
Rather than looking down on the weak, the strong should forego the use of his freedom for the sake of those who don’t enjoy the same sense of freedom.
In so doing he is living out the gospel by imitating Christ who gave up His rights for us.