Tag: Discipleship

Reflections on Exodus 23-24

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God continues to give the people of Israel some specific applications of the 10 Commandments, and then confirms his covenant with them.

  • No other gods – Israel is to drive out the inhabitants and their gods from the land lest their gods become a snare leading Israel astray.  What gods in our land have become a snare to you?  What gods tempt you to serve them, to trust them, to put them before the one true God?
  • God’s covenant confirmed – The people agree to obey God’s laws, and then offer sacrifices to God.  Moses takes some of the blood from the sacrifices and throws it on the people, declaring, “Behold, the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you.”  Many years later, before offering himself as a sacrifice, Jesus will pass the cup, saying: “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).  The Lord’s Supper is a regular confirmation of God’s new covenant with us through Jesus Christ.  As such, it is a reminder of what God has done for us, and our commitment to live for him.  Do you approach the table this way?
  • Seeing God – Moses and a select number have the privilege of seeing the beauty of God, and even get to eat in his presence!  In the Lord’s Supper, we have the privilege of seeing a glimpse of God as we remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and even get to eat in his presence!  Have you approached the table this way?

Sermon Songs: Missions

On By BrianIn Sermon Songs

MusicNotes

We follow our Savior’s command
Jesus Christ to proclaim
Planting His church in ev’ry land
That all may know His name
Enabled for this ministry
By God’s powerful grace
Many from sin will be set free
Their Savior ever praise

Now together the church partners
With those God calls to go
Our gifts to them the church offers
That they the seed might sow
And for a harvest we will pray
Outpourings of His grace
Faithful until that glor’ous day
We all will see His face

 (To the tune of “We Sing The Greatness Of Our God”)

Reflections on Exodus 21-22

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God gives the people of Israel some specific applications of the 10 Commandments.  Consider:

  • God’s Love – Law after law shows God’s concern for people as he limits retribution to fit the crime, and protects the vulnerable (the poor, sojourners, widows, orphans) from mistreatment.  Do you have this same heart for people?  How does it show in your life?
  • God’s Justice – Closely related to his love is his justice.  God’s laws are designed to create a just society for the nation of Israel.  People are to treat each other fairly and rightly.  How well does that describe your interactions with the people in your life?
  • God’s Authority – Finally, these laws remind us of God’s authority.  God has the right as Israel’s Redeemer and God to command them.  And God has the right as our Savior and God to command us.  Do you recognize his authority in your life?  Are you walking in obedience to His Word?

 

 

Exodus 21-24: Obedience and the Covenant

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(21-23) How do these laws relate to the 10 Commandments?

(21-23) Jesus said the sum of the law was loving God and loving people.  How are these laws of love?

(21-23) What do these laws tell us about God?

(21-23) Several of the laws carried the death penalty if broken (21:12-17, 22:18-20).  God is serious about these things!  How would you summarize these laws?

How seriously do you take these things?

(23) What was Israel to do toward the inhabitants as they entered the Promised Land?  Why?

In what ways are the gods of our land a snare to us and our families?  How might we minimize their affect?

(24) How did the people respond to God’s laws?  Describe the process of confirming the covenant.

How does Jesus re-apply this “blood of the covenant” ceremony to Himself and the New Covenant (see Matthew 26:26-28)?  What does this suggest about our celebration of the Lord’s Supper?

What did the elders do when they saw God?  How might this be a picture of the Lord’s Supper?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

The Character of the Christian: Family Leaders – Tim Challies
From beginning to end the Bible places upon every parent the responsibility to teach and train children and in that way to exercise kind, caring, loving oversight of them.

The Unappreciated Blessing of Busyness – David Qaoud (GR)
See, there’s a difference between busy and hurry. Busy is when you have a lot on your plate. Hurry is when you have too much on your plate.

What is grumbling? The seditious sin of grumbling pt 1
Contagion of Complaint: The seditious sin of grumbling pt 2
Can griping be godly? The seditious sin of grumbling pt 3
– Clint Archer (Cripplegate)
To God, our complaining about a situation he has allowed into our life is offensive. Because of Jesus’ death, we are in a relationship with God, he is our Father, we are his children, he loves us and he provides for us. To complain about what he has handed to us is to slap away the gracious hand of providence….  Are Christians just always supposed to suck it up? No. You can respond without sinful grumbling and disputing, just bear these five principles in mind…

5 Distinguishing Marks of a Fruitful Church – Jared Wilson
Do the people of the church speak more highly of Jesus than simply doing good or knowing the right doctrine? Do the pastors exhibit high esteem of Jesus? Are they Jesusy people?

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Not Offended

On By BrianIn Identity

Have you noticed that everyone seems to be offended?  Even outraged!  Several weeks ago a school decided not to have a Valentine’s party lest someone be offended.  But of course their decision offended other people.  Facebook is full of the rants and ravings of offended people.  What are we to make of this?  Here’s my theory.

Somehow we have come to base our identity on what others think and do.  So if someone thinks or does something that I like, it validates my thoughts and actions, and so validates my identity.  On the flip side, if someone disagrees with me about something or does something I don’t like, it opposes my thoughts and my actions, and so threatens my identity.  And I get offended, or even outraged.

And so suddenly having or not having a Valentine’s party threatens someone’s identity.  Opposing or supporting same-sex marriage, or gun-control, or abortion, or practically anything threatens someone’s identity.  We can no longer have a rational conversation about anything, because our identity is at stake.  And so we quickly get offended or even outraged.

Even many Christians, who should know better, seem to have based their identity on what the rest of world thinks and does.  The majority of our country used to agree with us on moral issues, but now it doesn’t, and so our identity is somehow threatened.  And so we act like the rest of the world – offended, outraged, ranting and raving.

But our identity as Christians is not based on the opinions or actions of others.  Our identity is found in Christ who loved us and died for us and made us children of God.  We are in Christ.  He is our identity.  And so we need not be so easily offended.  We need not be outraged at every little thing that happens.

Now let me be clear – we may not like what others think or do.  We may hate the sin that we see in our culture and the harm that it brings to people.  Sin should bother us.  Sin is offensive.  But we need not be offended or outraged by the thoughts and behaviors of others as if it somehow threatens our identity.  We ought not live in a constant state of offense and outrage.

Our identity is found in Christ and not in what others think or do.  So let’s live as Christians and not be so easily offended.