In Genesis 12, the Lord called Abram to leave his home, his relatives and his father's house and journey to a land the Lord would show him. The promise of God was to make Abram a great nation; to make his name great; to bless the nations of the earth through his seed.
By faith Abram stepped out, leaving it all behind; with one notable exception. Abram took with with him Lot, the son of his late brother, Haran. Many have commented on the wisdom of this decision, and that is still a topic of much discussion.
But in Genesis 14, we see Lot now in a situation requiring rescue. The kings around the Salt Sea rebelled against their oppressors whom they had served for 12 years. This included Sodom where Lot had taken up residence. And when the dust settled, Sodom was again defeated and Lot now a prisoner.
Upon hearing of his capture, Abram musters his forces and mounts a rescue mission. As we enter into the events of Genesis 14, we get a picture of another, greater, rescue mission. Surely Lot's choices put him into his predicament and as such did not deserve rescue. Likewise, we in our sin, by our own decisions have been led captive by a much greater enemy. But God in His mercy launched a rescue mission, sending His own Son to seek and to save that which was lost.
May you be blessed through God's Word.
Thank you for listening.
As we continue our journey through Isaiah 53, sometimes referred to as the Gospel according to Isaiah.
In verses 4 thru 6, we are now in the third of five stanzas of this "Song of the Servant". This stanza is central to the entire song. It is in this stanza we see the cross, and Jesus substitution for the sinner, clearly on display.
At the cross, Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. At the cross he was pierced, crushed, chastised, and scourged for our transgressions and iniquities. And though we like sheep had gone astray, God caused the iniquity of us all to fall upon Him.
May you be blessed by the opening of God's Word.
Thank you for listening.
Isaiah 53 is a portion of the Old Testament that is sometimes referred to as the Gospel according to Isaiah. Last time, we saw the Exalted Servant; the servant exalted because of His suffering, but it is this suffering that will cleanse the nations.
Today, we see the Rejection of the Servant. Isaiah 53 is written from the perspective of Israel looking back upon their long awaited Messiah, asking the question, "Who has believed our message?" In other words, "How did we miss this?" The answer is in the description of the servant, a "tender shoot...a root out of parched ground." The Exalted Servant appears on the scene not as a stately king, but as a carpenter's son; not in royal robes, but wrapped in swaddling cloths in a manger.
But what does the rejection of the servant mean for us today? May you be blessed as you listen to today's lesson.
Thank you for listening.
Next to the Psalms, the book of Isaiah is the most referenced Old Testament book in the Old Testament. Many of Isaiah's prophecies find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
As Isaiah 52 closes, we are met with a call to, "behold my servant." A direct reference to Messiah, the Lord says of His servant that He, "will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted." But what is shocking is the means through which Messiah will be exalted. For we will learn that He will be marred beyond recognition such that many will be shocked and repulsed by his appearance.
But how can the servant both suffer such anguish and yet be considered exalted and lifted up? In today's lesson we are reminded again of the things that had to be according to God's plan of redemption for His creation.
May you be blesses as you listen to today's teaching.
After forty years of wandering in the wilderness God now prepared the children of Israel to enter and begin the conquest of the land of Canaan. Jericho, the first obstacle they faced, seemed insurmountable, if considered from merely human perspectives. But as the two spies sent to get the lay of the land, their encounter with Rahab taught them three important lessons which are still relevant for us today.
- People are condemned before a Holy God and have no excuse.
- Just as people have no excuse, they also have opportunity to be saved.
- God's promise is absolute and cannot be broken.
May God's word bless you as you listen to today's lesson.
As some states and localities begin to open up following the peak in COVID-19 infections, the world seeks for answers. In today's lesson, we consider how we can look upon this time from a Christian, Biblical perspective.
We will see:
- The unity and importance of the local church
- That personal relationships are important
- Physical touch is necessary
- The Sovereignty of God
May you be blessed as you listen to today's lesson.
In a world under constant change and constant struggle, it is difficult not to worry. There are concerns about our health, exacerbated by the spread of Corona Virus. There are concerns with money as retirement looms for some; or the expense of raising children or paying for college. All these are real world issues, but are they cause for us to worry?
This begs the question, what does it mean to worry? And why is worry so counter to a Christian faith?
In today's lesson, we look at an eternal perspective to the cares of this world. As Jesus teaches His disciples, we see that as believers in Jesus, God is our Father. And when we look at how he cares for the rest of His creation, the birds of the air, or the flowers of the field, we see we have no need to worry; for as much as He cares for the rest of creation, how much more does He care for us?
May the Lord bless you as you listen to today's lesson. Thank you for listening.
Every one hopes in something; where are you placing your hope?
In his first epistle, Peter writes to a church that is enduring intense suffering because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Believers in the first century church in Asia faced beatings, imprisonment, execution and more because of their faith. Into such an existence, Peter speaks hope. But unlike the wishful hope the world offers, Peter speaks of a certain hope; a hope based upon the work of Christ.
As we look into Peter's letter to the church in Asia, we are faced with three questions:
- Why to we need a living hope?
- What is this living hope?
- How do I acquire this living hope?
May the Lord bless you as you listen to today's lesson.
God's redemptive plan is seen throughout all of Scripture. From the very beginning in Genesis 3, when God promises the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent's head, the Bible is a history of God redeeming fallen man.
In today's lesson, we see how the life of Abraham fits into God's plan. From Genesis 12 and the call of Abram, we will see the sovereign will of God, the faithful response of Abraham and God's marvelous grace on display as Abram stumbles on his faith journey.
