Podcasts about god's son

During the week leading up to Jesus crucifixion, He was asked by His disciples, What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? (Matt. 24:3). As you are already aware, Jesus warned that before His coming there would be false christs claiming to be Him, wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdoms rising against kingdoms, famines, and earthquakes in various places. Jesus said these things would be the beginning of birth pains leading up to the end (Matt. 24:18). After describing the abomination of desolation, which I believe was fulfilled in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Jesus then looked beyond those days to the Day of His coming: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt. 24:29-31) What Jesus describes in Matthew 24 is the same basic pattern Revelation shows us through the seals, trumpets, and bowls. These judgment cycles are not three unrelated timelines. They recapitulate the same period from different angles, each cycle intensifying until we arrive at what Scripture calls the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is the day when God steps into history to judge the wicked, vindicate His people, and reveal that every kingdom of the world belongs to Him. This phrase appears throughout the Bible, and one of the clearest Old Testament passages behind Revelation 6 is Isaiah 2:1019, where the proud hide in the rocks from the terror of the Lord when He rises to shake the earth: Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty. The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted it will be humbled.... So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will vanish completely. Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth. That is exactly the kind of imagery John sees when the Lamb opens the sixth seal. The proud are humbled. The mighty are terrified. The earth is shaken. Every false refuge collapses. And the question at the end of Revelation 6 is not, How powerful are the kings of the earth? or How secure are the kingdoms of this world? The question is:Who is able to stand? Before each major judgment cycle in Revelation, John is shown a heavenly throne-room scene marked by storm imagery. And just as birth pains grow stronger as the birth draws near, the storm imagery intensifies as Revelation moves toward the final judgment. You can see this intensification in the way Revelation describes the storm coming from the throne: Revelation 4:5 Revelation 8:5 Revelation 11:19 Revelation 16:18, 21 Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God; Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder and sounds, and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since mankind came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.... 21 And huge hailstones, weighing about a talent each, came down from heaven upon people; and people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because the hailstone plague was extremely severe. We will look at each of these passages as we encounter them throughout this series. For now, all I want you to see is that each cycle of judgment describes a series of judgments that intensify the closer we come to what the Bible calls the Day of the Lord. History is not spinning out of control. There are no rogue molecules. Kings and rulers may strive after whatever they desire, but at the end of the day, Proverbs 21:1 is still true: The kings heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases (BSB). The same kings and rulers who seem so powerful now will one day cry out for the mountains and rocks to hide them from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb (Rev. 6:1516). Listen to me. Last week, when we looked at the opening of the fifth seal, we saw those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had maintained. They cried out, How long, O Lord? But they were not questioning Gods character. Their question was not aboutifGod would judge, butwhenHe would judge. And when the sixth seal is opened, John sees the answer. Jesus breaks the sixth seal, as He has with the previous five, serving as another reminder that all that has happened and will happen is under His sovereign will. Jesus second coming will be cosmic, comprehensive, and conclusive. The Day of the Lord will be Cosmic (vv. 12-14) When the Lamb opens the sixth seal, creation shakes. John sees a great earthquake, the sun blackened, the moon turning like blood, the stars falling to the earth, the sky rolling up like a scroll, and every mountain and island moved from its place. If we count the mountains and islands separately, John gives us a sevenfold picture of cosmic upheaval: earthquake, sun, moon, stars, sky, mountains, and islands. In a book where the number seven repeatedly signifies fullness, the point is clear: nothing in the cosmos will remain unmoved on the Day of the Lord. John is not giving us a scientific report of future astronomical events. He is using apocalyptic language to describe the severity of the judgment that will come when Jesus returns, especially the wrath that cities, nations, and empires will face when the true King of kings and Lord of lords comes to claim what belongs to Him. When Babylon fell, Isaiah spoke of the stars of heaven not giving their light, the sun being darkened, the moon not shining, the heavens trembling, and the earth being shaken out of its place (Isa. 13:913). When Egypt was judged, Ezekiel spoke of the heavens being covered, the stars being darkened, the sun being covered with a cloud, and the moon not giving its light (Ezek. 32:78). This does not mean there will be no supernatural, cataclysmic events that affect the cosmos at Jesus coming. It simply means Johns main point is not to satisfy our curiosity about the mechanics of the end, but to show us the severity of the judgment. John joins Isaiah and Jesus in using apocalyptic language to describe what is coming, but his words point to more than mere symbolism. The language used to describe the judgment of Egypt, Babylon, Jerusalem, and Rome pointed to very real and very severe judgments in history. But what John describes in the sixth seal points beyond those temporal judgments to the great and final Day of the Lord, when God will judge the wicked, vindicate His people, and reveal that every kingdom of the world belongs to Him. On the Day of the Lord, the world mankind trusted in, built upon, exploited, and worshiped will not shelter him from the One who made it all. Richard Phillips is right to describe verses 1214 as a kind of de-creation.[1] The old world, corrupted by Adams sin and condemned for rejecting Gods Son, will be shaken so that the new creation promised by God may come. John sees that everything that once seemed fixed, permanent, immutable, and dependable is shaken before the presence of God. When the Lamb breaks the sixth seal, creation comes undone. The Day of the Lord will be Comprehensive (vv. 15-16) If verses 1214 give us a sevenfold picture of creation being shaken, verses 1516 give us a sevenfold picture of humanity being exposed. The point is unmistakable: from kings to slaves, from the powerful to the powerless, from the highest throne to the lowest status in life, no one is exempt. The Day of the Lord will be comprehensive. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? All classes of society are mentioned in these verses. All are judged not by their status in the world but by their standing before the One on the throne and by whether they have been covered by the blood of the Lamb. Salvation cannot be found in wealth. It does not come from what one has accomplished in life. Nor is salvation automatically given to the poor, the slave, or the homeless simply because they had little or nothing on earth. The problem of mankind is a problem of the soul and the heart. All are born in sin, all are in rebellion, all are unrighteous, all are spiritually dead, and all enter this world as children of wrath. What we discover in each cycle of judgment is the hardening of the human heart. As the seals are broken, a fourth of the earth is given over to death, yet mankind does not run to the Lamb for salvation but hides from Him (Rev. 6:16). As the trumpets sound, judgment intensifies to one-third, yet mankind does not heed the warning but continues in idolatry, murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft (Rev. 9:2021). As the bowls of wrath are poured out, judgment comes in full measure, yet mankind does not repent but blasphemes the God who judges them (Rev. 16:11, 21). With each cycle of judgment leading up to the Day of the Lord, the human heart is increasingly hardened against God: they hide, refuse to repent, and blaspheme. Now, this matters because Revelation 6 does not say mankind hides only from Him who sits on the throne, but also from the wrath of the Lamb. Therefore, do not make the mistake of thinking of the Father as angry and the Son as merciful, as though the mercy of Christ stands against the wrath of the Father. As John Piper points out, It would be a distortion if we thought of God pouring out wrath and his Son mercifully keeping us from the Fathers wrath. It would be a serious mistake to put the mercy of the Son against the wrath of the Father in this wayas if God were the just punisher and Christ the merciful rescuer.[2] This is the human condition, is it not? After Adam and Eve sinned, they fled the presence of God and hid themselves among the trees of the garden (Gen. 3:8). What the sixth seal reveals at the end is what H. B. Swete observed: What sinners dread most is not death, but the revealed Presence of God.[3] The same Jesus who was slain to save sinners will come in wrath against those who reject His mercy. The Lamb who opens the seals is the Lamb from whom the kings of the earth beg to be hidden. For this reason, Revelation begins with these words: Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him (Rev. 1:7). The Day of the Lord will be Conclusive (v. 17) Christians have discussed the second coming of Christ ever since the apostles heard it from Jesus own lips. The apostles and the first-century church expected the Day of the Lord to be imminent. Every generation of believers lived with the expectation of the imminent return of Jesus. Yet even in Peters day, some mocked the promise of His coming, assuming that because judgment had not yet come, it never would. But Peter reminds us that God has judged the world before, and by that same word, the present heavens and earth are being kept for the day of judgment: But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. (2 Pet. 3:810) Here is what we know: Jesus is coming back. He is coming suddenly. He is coming in a way that will surprise the world. And my fear is that when He comes, He will surprise many who call themselves Christian. The sixth seal ends with a very important question, perhaps the most important question you can ask yourself: Who can stand? When Jesus comes and the Day of the Lord becomes the experience and reality of our world. When the prophetic word that the Day is coming becomes a part of human history, there will be no escaping it. The answer to Who can stand? is simple: No one will be able to stand. Not kings. Not generals. Not the rich. Not the powerful. Not the slave. Not the free. Not the religious. Not the moral. Not the successful. Not the suffering. Not the person who had everything in this life, and not the person who had nothing. The question is not whether Jesus is coming. He is. The question is not whether the Day of the Lord will come. It will. The question before each of us this morning is this: When that day comes, will you be able to stand? When Jesus comes, will He recognize you as belonging to Him? What will you hear from His lips on that Day? Jesus spoke of a time that is coming: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matt. 7:21-23) Revelation 7 answers the question, Who can stand? Only those sealed by God will be able to stand. Only those washed in the blood of the Lamb will be able to stand. But today is the day of salvation! Today there is no need to hide. The gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to something far better: Do not hide from the Lamb. Run to the Lamb for salvation. The only safe place from the wrath of the Lamb is in the mercy of the Lamb. So, the question is not whether Jesus is coming. He is. The question is not whether the Day of the Lord will come. It will. The question is this: when that day comes, will you be able to stand? [1] Richard D. Phillips,Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 230233. [2] John Piper,Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ(Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 109. [3] Henry Barclay Swete,The Apocalypse of St. John: The Greek Text with Introduction, Notes and Indices, 3rd ed. (London: Macmillan, 1911; repr., Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1977), 9495.

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John Ervine - Sun 22nd March 2026John Ervine - Hebrews 1false00:40:2311The Supremacy of Gods Sonfull

Complementary New Testament Passage:Matthew 2:1-6 Sermon Outline: The Messiah would come from the house of David The Messiah would come with humility The Messiah would come from eternity past The Messiah would shepherd His people to God from the ends of the earth Family Discussion Questions: What city was king David from? What was Davids job before becoming a king? Why were Davids family surprised when David was chosen? When Jesus was born, was he born into a rich family or poor one? At Christmas we celebrate that Gods Son became a man, but why is it important that he lived forever before he became a man? Where will Jesus people come from? What did Jesus do to give us peace with God? How do the multiple location prophecies for the Messiah increase our confidence in the identity of Jesus? Why was it necessary for us that Jesus came in humility? What does it mean that Jesus came to be our servant? Why was it necessary that God would become a man to save us? What is the meaning of the name Bethlehem and how does that help to remind us of who Jesus is?

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The story of Noah and the flood is not for little children. The story of the flood is horrific, frightening, and tragic. The flood is the justifiable holocaust of an entire generation with the exception of one solitary family. Had any of the children that day survived the flood and been asked to draw on paper what they had experienced, I do not believe you would have seen anything close to what we see in our churches today like the image below: Instead, what you would have seen is something like the pictures some of the children who survived the tsunami of 2004 that killed over 200,000 people drew to illustrate their experience: After Cain murdered Abel and was driven away from his family to be a wanderer with his wife, we are told that the hearts of his descendants grew increasingly evil. Cains great, great, great grandson Lamech was much more violent than Cain and became known for twisting the institution of marriage by taking two wives instead of one (see Gen. 4:24-24). After Seth was born, we learn that people began to call upon the name of the God of Adam and Eve (4:26). Through Seth, another bloodline was started to counter the bloodline of Cain. Cains line represents evil, while Seths line represents the line through which the promised Deliverer would come. Cains line grew to be both secular and violent, while Seths line represented godliness in a world when calling upon the name of the Lord was rare and unpopular. The Wickedness on the Earth Became Great Through Seth, God would fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve, but there were dark powers that would seek and strive to keep the Descendant of Eve from ever being born! It is to that part of the story we now turn our attention: Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4) Three groups of people are named in Genesis 6:1-4. There are the sons of God, the daughters of mankind, and the Nephilim. There are also three main views that have served to explain who these three sets of people were, I will share the three ways theologians throughout the ages have understood who these people are in Genesis and then I will offer a fourth possible way of understanding these verses: The sons of God represent the line of Seth, and the daughters of men represent the line of Cain. The intermingling of Seths descendants with Cains line blurred the distinction between those devoted to God and those who had turned away. This union led to a moral collapse that hastened humanitys corruption and ultimately brought about Gods judgment through the flood. One widely held perspective is that the sons of God (a phrase frequently referring to angels)[1] were fallen angels who took on human appearance and engaged in relationships with human women, referred to as the daughters of men. According to this interpretation, these unions resulted in the birth of the Nephilimfigures described as formidable, possibly giant warriors who were both feared and renowned. This view has been prominent throughout Jewish and Christian tradition. Another interpretation suggests that the sons of God were regional kings who were exalted as divine figures by the people they governed. Much like Lamech, these rulers acted with unchecked authority, taking as many wives from among the daughters of men (ordinary women) as they desired, often practicing extensive polygamy. The offspring of these unions became influential princes, celebrated as mighty men of old, men of renown. I used to hold to the first view, but have since rejected it, and I have always struggled with the second view for the simple fact that angels are spiritual beings (Heb. 1:14) who do not share our DNA and therefore make it impossible to impregnate human women. However, I do believe that fallen angels (sons of God) possessed the sons of god (regional rulers/kings) who took the daughters of men as wives for themselves. The reason why I believe this is because of what Jude and Peter wrote about concerning Genesis 6:1-4.[2] According to Jude and Peter, what happened in Genesis 6 was a demonic overstepping so severe that they were judged immediately before the rest of the demons who will eventually be cast into the lake of fire. Let me share with you where I land on what is happening in Genesis 6:1-4 that seems to best fit the context and progression of sin from Cain to the flooding of the earth. Here is the way I see it: By the time we get to Genesis 6, the culture of humankind has grown exceedingly promiscuous and violent. Cain killed Abel. Lamech killed a man and a child and took two wives for himself, and then one generation later we are introduced to the sons of god taking the daughters of men to have children known as the Nephilim. There was little regard for the sanctity of life and Gods design for sex within the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. When we come to Genesis 6, we are told, The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually (v. 5). In light of what we know about the religious practices of the ancient East and that fallen angels are capable of demonic possession of humans (see Mark 5:1-20), It is possible that the sons of God (fallen angels) possessed regional kings who were so wicked that they welcomed the possession of demons they may have worshiped as gods (see Deut. 32:15-17; 1 Cor. 10:20). It is possible that the regional kings, while under the influence of those fallen angels, took on a harem of women (the daughters of men). The regional kings of Genesis 6 opened themselves up to being demonized, and that fallen angles used their bodies to further pervert the sanctity of marriage as an institution created and sanctioned by God. We will certainly see this when we get to the book of Revelation in January, but for now what you should know is that the institution of marriage was always designed to function as a portrait of Christs relationship to the Church; the apostle Paul goes as far as to state the original design of the institution of marriage in Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:18-25, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Eph. 5:3133). It was because of the violence against the image of God and the perversion of the sanctity of marriage that we are told in the following verses: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them. (Gen. 6:5-7). Gods Infinite Goodness Overcomes the Deepest Wickedness It was only because the wickedness of Noahs generation was so great, pervasive, and unrelenting that He chose to flood the earth. Yet, even in the midst of great evil and wickedness, God chose to spare a man and his family to start over, and he did it through Noahs family (v. 8). So, God instructed Noah, The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch (Gen. 6:13-14). Only Noah, his family, and two of every animal according to their kind were spared, as God intended to begin anew through them (notice that God specified "kind," not "species"). To Noah, God declared, But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the arkyou, your sons, your wife, and your sons wives with you. Of every living creature of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female (vv. 18-19). So, Noah and his family entered the ark, and then the floodwaters came, resulting in the destruction of thousands under the judgment of a holy God. Although God could have rightly destroyed every living creature, He chose to spare Noah and his family. Through Noah, his family, and a chosen group of animals, protected in an ark made from wood, God demonstrated mercy. God then assured Noah with a promise: Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you.... I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth (vv. 8-9, 11). What would be the sign of the covenant made with Noah? Here is what God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (Gen. 9:12-13). The rainbow stands as a powerful reminderto us and to Godthat He has set aside His warriors bow, placing it in the sky as a sign of peace. The flood cleansed the blood stained soil of the earth caused by the wickedness of humanity and washed away the rampant perversion that became a part of the culture. Gods promise to Adam and Eve that a deliverer would comethe hope they saw in Seth and his descendantswas kept through Noah, who remained righteous in a corrupt world. God overcame human wickedness with the flood, but in His goodness, He also provided a way for the coming of Christ. Not long after Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of God, we are reminded that no flood can remedy the problem of the human heart. In Genesis 9:20-29, we learn that Noah got drunk and passed out naked and his son Ham looked upon his fathers nakedness in a way that was shameful and disrespectful. Ham was cursed to become a servant of the descendants of his older brothers, while Shem would carry on the bloodline that would eventually lead to the birth of Jesus Christ. The sins of Adam, Cain, Lamech, Noah, and Ham are our struggles too. We all have a heart problem that only Christ can fix. The trees provided the gopher wood that saved Noah and his family from the flood of Gods wrath, and yet it was also a treethe crosswhere Jesus, the descendant of Adam, Seth, Noah, and Shem, was nailed to bear the curse we deserved. Although Noah was considered righteous in Gods sight, he still struggled with the same sin-problem that plagued every generation before him. In contrast, Jesus was perfectly righteous, as Scripture declares: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18a). Conclusion Please listen closely to what I am about to share. The rainbow, given by God as a sign of His covenant with Noah, was never meant to be used as a justification to redefine, distort, or undermine the institution of marriage or the sacredness of sex within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. God did not create the sun to shine and its light to form the beautiful arc of colors in the sky through rain, so that anyone might feel free to alter the biological nature with which they were created and choose an identity apart from His design. The rainbow is a powerful reminder that God takes all sin seriouslyincluding heterosexual sins such as sex before marriage and any form of sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse. It calls us to recognize that Gods standard for purity and faithfulness within marriage apply to everyone and serves as a visible sign of both His justice and His mercy.[3] The rainbow serves as a vivid reminder of Gods undeserved mercy, highlighting the justice that, by all rights, should fall upon us. When we see a rainbow stretched across the sky, its not a testament to our worthiness and rights, but instead displays Gods compassion that permits us to behold it. We must understand that, according to Gods perfect justice, we deserve not only death but eternal separation from Him. Yet, by His mercy alone, we are given the blessing of another daynot so we can pursue our own desires, but so we may be drawn to the cross where Gods Son was slaughtered for our sins. Ultimately, it is only through the cross of Christ that we can be saved from Gods just wrath. Jesus alone is qualified and able to bear the judgment our sins deserve, offering us true hope and redemption. The tree that Christ was cursed upon in our place is not permission to run to our sin, but the demand to run from our sin to the One who bore all of it, for our salvation from the floods of Gods wrath that we each deserve.Man [1] The term sons of God refers to angels in several Old Testament passages, specifically inJob 1:6,2:1,38:7, andPsalms 29:1and 89:6. [2] Jude 67. And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 2 Peter 2:4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, held for judgment... [3] Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. (Heb. 13:4)

The story of Noah and the flood is not for little children. The story of the flood is horrific, frightening, and tragic. The flood is the justifiable holocaust of an entire generation with the exception of one solitary family. Had any of the children that day survived the flood and been asked to draw on paper what they had experienced, I do not believe you would have seen anything close to what we see in our churches today like the image below: Instead, what you would have seen is something like the pictures some of the children who survived the tsunami of 2004 that killed over 200,000 people drew to illustrate their experience: After Cain murdered Abel and was driven away from his family to be a wanderer with his wife, we are told that the hearts of his descendants grew increasingly evil. Cains great, great, great grandson Lamech was much more violent than Cain and became known for twisting the institution of marriage by taking two wives instead of one (see Gen. 4:24-24). After Seth was born, we learn that people began to call upon the name of the God of Adam and Eve (4:26). Through Seth, another bloodline was started to counter the bloodline of Cain. Cains line represents evil, while Seths line represents the line through which the promised Deliverer would come. Cains line grew to be both secular and violent, while Seths line represented godliness in a world when calling upon the name of the Lord was rare and unpopular. The Wickedness on the Earth Became Great Through Seth, God would fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve, but there were dark powers that would seek and strive to keep the Descendant of Eve from ever being born! It is to that part of the story we now turn our attention: Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4) Three groups of people are named in Genesis 6:1-4. There are the sons of God, the daughters of mankind, and the Nephilim. There are also three main views that have served to explain who these three sets of people were, I will share the three ways theologians throughout the ages have understood who these people are in Genesis and then I will offer a fourth possible way of understanding these verses: The sons of God represent the line of Seth, and the daughters of men represent the line of Cain. The intermingling of Seths descendants with Cains line blurred the distinction between those devoted to God and those who had turned away. This union led to a moral collapse that hastened humanitys corruption and ultimately brought about Gods judgment through the flood. One widely held perspective is that the sons of God (a phrase frequently referring to angels)[1] were fallen angels who took on human appearance and engaged in relationships with human women, referred to as the daughters of men. According to this interpretation, these unions resulted in the birth of the Nephilimfigures described as formidable, possibly giant warriors who were both feared and renowned. This view has been prominent throughout Jewish and Christian tradition. Another interpretation suggests that the sons of God were regional kings who were exalted as divine figures by the people they governed. Much like Lamech, these rulers acted with unchecked authority, taking as many wives from among the daughters of men (ordinary women) as they desired, often practicing extensive polygamy. The offspring of these unions became influential princes, celebrated as mighty men of old, men of renown. I used to hold to the first view, but have since rejected it, and I have always struggled with the second view for the simple fact that angels are spiritual beings (Heb. 1:14) who do not share our DNA and therefore make it impossible to impregnate human women. However, I do believe that fallen angels (sons of God) possessed the sons of god (regional rulers/kings) who took the daughters of men as wives for themselves. The reason why I believe this is because of what Jude and Peter wrote about concerning Genesis 6:1-4.[2] According to Jude and Peter, what happened in Genesis 6 was a demonic overstepping so severe that they were judged immediately before the rest of the demons who will eventually be cast into the lake of fire. Let me share with you where I land on what is happening in Genesis 6:1-4 that seems to best fit the context and progression of sin from Cain to the flooding of the earth. Here is the way I see it: By the time we get to Genesis 6, the culture of humankind has grown exceedingly promiscuous and violent. Cain killed Abel. Lamech killed a man and a child and took two wives for himself, and then one generation later we are introduced to the sons of god taking the daughters of men to have children known as the Nephilim. There was little regard for the sanctity of life and Gods design for sex within the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. When we come to Genesis 6, we are told, The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually (v. 5). In light of what we know about the religious practices of the ancient East and that fallen angels are capable of demonic possession of humans (see Mark 5:1-20), It is possible that the sons of God (fallen angels) possessed regional kings who were so wicked that they welcomed the possession of demons they may have worshiped as gods (see Deut. 32:15-17; 1 Cor. 10:20). It is possible that the regional kings, while under the influence of those fallen angels, took on a harem of women (the daughters of men). The regional kings of Genesis 6 opened themselves up to being demonized, and that fallen angles used their bodies to further pervert the sanctity of marriage as an institution created and sanctioned by God. We will certainly see this when we get to the book of Revelation in January, but for now what you should know is that the institution of marriage was always designed to function as a portrait of Christs relationship to the Church; the apostle Paul goes as far as to state the original design of the institution of marriage in Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:18-25, Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Eph. 5:3133). It was because of the violence against the image of God and the perversion of the sanctity of marriage that we are told in the following verses: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them. (Gen. 6:5-7). Gods Infinite Goodness Overcomes the Deepest Wickedness It was only because the wickedness of Noahs generation was so great, pervasive, and unrelenting that He chose to flood the earth. Yet, even in the midst of great evil and wickedness, God chose to spare a man and his family to start over, and he did it through Noahs family (v. 8). So, God instructed Noah, The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch (Gen. 6:13-14). Only Noah, his family, and two of every animal according to their kind were spared, as God intended to begin anew through them (notice that God specified "kind," not "species"). To Noah, God declared, But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the arkyou, your sons, your wife, and your sons wives with you. Of every living creature of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female (vv. 18-19). So, Noah and his family entered the ark, and then the floodwaters came, resulting in the destruction of thousands under the judgment of a holy God. Although God could have rightly destroyed every living creature, He chose to spare Noah and his family. Through Noah, his family, and a chosen group of animals, protected in an ark made from wood, God demonstrated mercy. God then assured Noah with a promise: Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you.... I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth (vv. 8-9, 11). What would be the sign of the covenant made with Noah? Here is what God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth (Gen. 9:12-13). The rainbow stands as a powerful reminderto us and to Godthat He has set aside His warriors bow, placing it in the sky as a sign of peace. The flood cleansed the blood stained soil of the earth caused by the wickedness of humanity and washed away the rampant perversion that became a part of the culture. Gods promise to Adam and Eve that a deliverer would comethe hope they saw in Seth and his descendantswas kept through Noah, who remained righteous in a corrupt world. God overcame human wickedness with the flood, but in His goodness, He also provided a way for the coming of Christ. Not long after Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of God, we are reminded that no flood can remedy the problem of the human heart. In Genesis 9:20-29, we learn that Noah got drunk and passed out naked and his son Ham looked upon his fathers nakedness in a way that was shameful and disrespectful. Ham was cursed to become a servant of the descendants of his older brothers, while Shem would carry on the bloodline that would eventually lead to the birth of Jesus Christ. The sins of Adam, Cain, Lamech, Noah, and Ham are our struggles too. We all have a heart problem that only Christ can fix. The trees provided the gopher wood that saved Noah and his family from the flood of Gods wrath, and yet it was also a treethe crosswhere Jesus, the descendant of Adam, Seth, Noah, and Shem, was nailed to bear the curse we deserved. Although Noah was considered righteous in Gods sight, he still struggled with the same sin-problem that plagued every generation before him. In contrast, Jesus was perfectly righteous, as Scripture declares: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18a). Conclusion Please listen closely to what I am about to share. The rainbow, given by God as a sign of His covenant with Noah, was never meant to be used as a justification to redefine, distort, or undermine the institution of marriage or the sacredness of sex within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. God did not create the sun to shine and its light to form the beautiful arc of colors in the sky through rain, so that anyone might feel free to alter the biological nature with which they were created and choose an identity apart from His design. The rainbow is a powerful reminder that God takes all sin seriouslyincluding heterosexual sins such as sex before marriage and any form of sexual relations with anyone other than your spouse. It calls us to recognize that Gods standard for purity and faithfulness within marriage apply to everyone and serves as a visible sign of both His justice and His mercy.[3] The rainbow serves as a vivid reminder of Gods undeserved mercy, highlighting the justice that, by all rights, should fall upon us. When we see a rainbow stretched across the sky, its not a testament to our worthiness and rights, but instead displays Gods compassion that permits us to behold it. We must understand that, according to Gods perfect justice, we deserve not only death but eternal separation from Him. Yet, by His mercy alone, we are given the blessing of another daynot so we can pursue our own desires, but so we may be drawn to the cross where Gods Son was slaughtered for our sins. Ultimately, it is only through the cross of Christ that we can be saved from Gods just wrath. Jesus alone is qualified and able to bear the judgment our sins deserve, offering us true hope and redemption. The tree that Christ was cursed upon in our place is not permission to run to our sin, but the demand to run from our sin to the One who bore all of it, for our salvation from the floods of Gods wrath that we each deserve.Man [1] The term sons of God refers to angels in several Old Testament passages, specifically inJob 1:6,2:1,38:7, andPsalms 29:1and 89:6. [2] Jude 67. And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 2 Peter 2:4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, held for judgment... [3] Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. (Heb. 13:4)

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What does it really mean to listen to Jesus? From radiant mountaintops to real-world challenges, this sermon unpacks hope, transformation, and bold faith. Tune in and be consider how you can live it out. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Scripture Readings Exodus 34:2935 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lords presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord. Luke 9:2836 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three sheltersone for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. This is the word of the Lord.Thanks be to God. It is wonderful to be able to join you so soon after November as Sean, Lina, Emily, and Siena have been baptized. Together with Sam, who has confirmed the promises made on his behalf, they are confirming those promises now in my presence as Bishop (representing the wider church). They are publicly saying yes to Jesus call to follow him on our journey through life and publicly declaring, I want to belong to the church. I want to stand up for what I believe, representing Jesus Christ in the world. This is because were Christs ambassadors, Gods co-workers in the world. We also receive Lindell and Heidi as they publicly commit to living out their baptismal promises now at Saint Philips Deep Creek Anglican Church as part of the Anglican Church. Our reading this morning is Lukes account of what is known as the Transfiguration. Its a great reading for today because I was thinkingas I heard your different testimonieshow much it resonated with that account and what we can take from it. Were reminded of the word that came from the cloud on that day in Galilee: This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. As you have said yes today to following Jesus, lets be asking ourselves: What did it mean for Jesus to hear those words? What did it mean for his disciples? What does it mean for us? Firstly, what did it mean for Jesus to hear those words? This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. Verse 28 says that about eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. (About eight days after Jesus said thiswhat had he said?) Verse 22: The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and he must be killed, and on the third day be raised to life. And verse 23: If anyone would come after me, they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. So the events on the mountain that we call the Transfiguration has the cross in view. Jesus went up the mountain to pray, knowing he was facing the cross, knowing he had asked his disciples to take up their cross daily. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Jesus was transfiguredstrengthened (as was mentioned in the testimony)enabled with a glimpse of his future resurrected life (the life your mother is experiencing) to face the cross and all that entailed. Its why we often choose to celebrate the Transfiguration (as Meagan has chosen for you) before the beginning of Lent. When I was last here, I encouraged you to take part in Hope 25: Hope in an Uncertain World, an intentional season for Anglican churches from Easter Day to Pentecostto be sharing the hope we have in Jesus in whatever way is best for you, being ambassadors for Christ together. In other words, as we look to share the hope of Jesus in an uncertain world, lets remember that at its heart hope is about choosing to hold on to a vision of the future. And what a vision for the future todays reading gives us to hold on to: two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor talking with Jesus. Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus about his departure, which he was going to fulfill at Jerusalem. (The Greek word for departure is exodus.) The Gospel writer Luke means us to understand that in several senses. It can mean, like the Exodus in the Old Testament, a departure or going away. It can also serve as a useful euphemism for deathlike when someone says, When Im no longer here when I have died. But the reason Luke chose this word (not least in connection with Moses)and to be honest, I dont think it hurt that we had the two readings, because the first reading was part of Gods work in preparing a vision (through the building of the temple, which helped the Israelites of that day hold on to the vision)is that in his death Jesus will enact an event just like the great Exodus departure from Egypt, only more so. In the first Exodus, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and home to the Promised Land. In the new Exodus, Jesus will lead all Gods people out of slavery to sin and death and home to our promised inheritance. So here in Luke 9, Jesus experiences all that happens on the mountaintop, knowing that it was preparing him to follow where the Law and the Prophets (represented by Moses and Elijah) had pointeddown into the valley to the place of despair and death, the place where the Son of Man would be betrayed into the hands of the Gentiles. Thats what it meant for Jesus to hear those words. What does it mean for the disciples to hear those words? This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. The disciples were overwhelmed by what took place on the mountain. Seeing Moses and Elijah together with Jesus transfigured, they blurted out things that they didnt mean: Master, its good for us to be here. Lets put up tentsone for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (He doesnt know what hes saying, does Peter?) Maybe its another version of Moses veilmaybe a way of saying, Lets hold on to the moment, keep you here forever. But things dont work like that. The disciples were unable to understand how it was that the glory glimpsed on the mountainthe glory of Gods chosen Son, the servant carrying in himself the promise of redemptionwould finally be unveiled in the cross, essentially in a rubbish dump outside Jerusalem. Verse 34 says that while Peter was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son whom I have chosen. Listen to him. What does it mean for us to listen to Gods Son, Gods chosen one? The Transfiguration gives us a glimpse of what that meanswhat it means to be transformed, what we are being transformed for. As disciples today, we look to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Yet all the Gospel writers follow the Transfiguration with the story of a boy who is desperately illso sick that the disciples (Jesus followers) havent been able to cure him. They seem to be telling us that the two go together: the mountaintop experience and the pain of the world. Were not to try and stay on the mountaintop. The mountaintop experiencewhether thats today or a camp you talked aboutwere not to try and stay there. Great worship, a profound time of prayer, Bible study, an amazing conference, camp or retreatwhenever it is that God has seemed close and powerfulthese experiences are not given for their own sake as an end in themselves. Theyre given to equip us, strengthen us, and resource us, so that God can use us, you and I, within the worlda world that is so needy, a world that can be so hard and so challenging. Each week, the people of God gather to encounter God. Each week, the people of Godyou and Iare sent out to love and serve the Lord, to share the hope of Jesus in an uncertain world, not just in the Easter season of 2025, but beyond. Hope is a choice. Its actually a very practical habita decision to focus on a vision for good and embrace it, no matter what uncertainties or challenges are thrown at you. Emily, Siena, Sam, Sean, Lina, Lyndall, and Heidi you are making that choice today, as you stand to say (you promise to live out your baptismal promises): I turn to Christ. I repent of my sins, selfish living, and all that is false and unjust. Renouncing Satan and all that is evil. Thats what you are promising. You continue to make that choice as you look for ways to share the hope you have in Jesus. You continue to make that choice as youand together with all of uslove God and love our neighbor as we would ourselves, with all our heart, mind, and strength, serving others and working for good. The fact is, like the disciples, we often find it very bewildering to understand all that God is doing and saying, both in our times of great joy and closeness to God and in our times of great sadness, hardship, and challenge. It can sometimes seem much better just to be on the plateau of, frankly, the level groundundramatic and unexciting. But the word that comes to us, leading us to follow Jesus even when we havent a clue as to what is going on (think of what it would really have been like for Peter, James, and John), is the word that came from the cloud on that day in Galilee: This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. As we come to this season of Lent, as we all, together with those baptized, confirmed, and received today, continue to follow Jesus, his is the voice we listen to as we gather, and we are to be listening both here and as we go out in his name. This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him.Let me promise you: Jesus will speak to you.

What does it really mean to listen to Jesus? From radiant mountaintops to real-world challenges, this sermon unpacks hope, transformation, and bold faith. Tune in and be consider how you can live it out. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Scripture Readings Exodus 34:2935 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lords presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord. Luke 9:2836 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three sheltersone for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. This is the word of the Lord.Thanks be to God. It is wonderful to be able to join you so soon after November as Sean, Lina, Emily, and Siena have been baptized. Together with Sam, who has confirmed the promises made on his behalf, they are confirming those promises now in my presence as Bishop (representing the wider church). They are publicly saying yes to Jesus call to follow him on our journey through life and publicly declaring, I want to belong to the church. I want to stand up for what I believe, representing Jesus Christ in the world. This is because were Christs ambassadors, Gods co-workers in the world. We also receive Lindell and Heidi as they publicly commit to living out their baptismal promises now at Saint Philips Deep Creek Anglican Church as part of the Anglican Church. Our reading this morning is Lukes account of what is known as the Transfiguration. Its a great reading for today because I was thinkingas I heard your different testimonieshow much it resonated with that account and what we can take from it. Were reminded of the word that came from the cloud on that day in Galilee: This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. As you have said yes today to following Jesus, lets be asking ourselves: What did it mean for Jesus to hear those words? What did it mean for his disciples? What does it mean for us? Firstly, what did it mean for Jesus to hear those words? This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. Verse 28 says that about eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. (About eight days after Jesus said thiswhat had he said?) Verse 22: The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and he must be killed, and on the third day be raised to life. And verse 23: If anyone would come after me, they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. So the events on the mountain that we call the Transfiguration has the cross in view. Jesus went up the mountain to pray, knowing he was facing the cross, knowing he had asked his disciples to take up their cross daily. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Jesus was transfiguredstrengthened (as was mentioned in the testimony)enabled with a glimpse of his future resurrected life (the life your mother is experiencing) to face the cross and all that entailed. Its why we often choose to celebrate the Transfiguration (as Meagan has chosen for you) before the beginning of Lent. When I was last here, I encouraged you to take part in Hope 25: Hope in an Uncertain World, an intentional season for Anglican churches from Easter Day to Pentecostto be sharing the hope we have in Jesus in whatever way is best for you, being ambassadors for Christ together. In other words, as we look to share the hope of Jesus in an uncertain world, lets remember that at its heart hope is about choosing to hold on to a vision of the future. And what a vision for the future todays reading gives us to hold on to: two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor talking with Jesus. Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus about his departure, which he was going to fulfill at Jerusalem. (The Greek word for departure is exodus.) The Gospel writer Luke means us to understand that in several senses. It can mean, like the Exodus in the Old Testament, a departure or going away. It can also serve as a useful euphemism for deathlike when someone says, When Im no longer here when I have died. But the reason Luke chose this word (not least in connection with Moses)and to be honest, I dont think it hurt that we had the two readings, because the first reading was part of Gods work in preparing a vision (through the building of the temple, which helped the Israelites of that day hold on to the vision)is that in his death Jesus will enact an event just like the great Exodus departure from Egypt, only more so. In the first Exodus, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and home to the Promised Land. In the new Exodus, Jesus will lead all Gods people out of slavery to sin and death and home to our promised inheritance. So here in Luke 9, Jesus experiences all that happens on the mountaintop, knowing that it was preparing him to follow where the Law and the Prophets (represented by Moses and Elijah) had pointeddown into the valley to the place of despair and death, the place where the Son of Man would be betrayed into the hands of the Gentiles. Thats what it meant for Jesus to hear those words. What does it mean for the disciples to hear those words? This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. The disciples were overwhelmed by what took place on the mountain. Seeing Moses and Elijah together with Jesus transfigured, they blurted out things that they didnt mean: Master, its good for us to be here. Lets put up tentsone for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (He doesnt know what hes saying, does Peter?) Maybe its another version of Moses veilmaybe a way of saying, Lets hold on to the moment, keep you here forever. But things dont work like that. The disciples were unable to understand how it was that the glory glimpsed on the mountainthe glory of Gods chosen Son, the servant carrying in himself the promise of redemptionwould finally be unveiled in the cross, essentially in a rubbish dump outside Jerusalem. Verse 34 says that while Peter was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son whom I have chosen. Listen to him. What does it mean for us to listen to Gods Son, Gods chosen one? The Transfiguration gives us a glimpse of what that meanswhat it means to be transformed, what we are being transformed for. As disciples today, we look to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Yet all the Gospel writers follow the Transfiguration with the story of a boy who is desperately illso sick that the disciples (Jesus followers) havent been able to cure him. They seem to be telling us that the two go together: the mountaintop experience and the pain of the world. Were not to try and stay on the mountaintop. The mountaintop experiencewhether thats today or a camp you talked aboutwere not to try and stay there. Great worship, a profound time of prayer, Bible study, an amazing conference, camp or retreatwhenever it is that God has seemed close and powerfulthese experiences are not given for their own sake as an end in themselves. Theyre given to equip us, strengthen us, and resource us, so that God can use us, you and I, within the worlda world that is so needy, a world that can be so hard and so challenging. Each week, the people of God gather to encounter God. Each week, the people of Godyou and Iare sent out to love and serve the Lord, to share the hope of Jesus in an uncertain world, not just in the Easter season of 2025, but beyond. Hope is a choice. Its actually a very practical habita decision to focus on a vision for good and embrace it, no matter what uncertainties or challenges are thrown at you. Emily, Siena, Sam, Sean, Lina, Lyndall, and Heidi you are making that choice today, as you stand to say (you promise to live out your baptismal promises): I turn to Christ. I repent of my sins, selfish living, and all that is false and unjust. Renouncing Satan and all that is evil. Thats what you are promising. You continue to make that choice as you look for ways to share the hope you have in Jesus. You continue to make that choice as youand together with all of uslove God and love our neighbor as we would ourselves, with all our heart, mind, and strength, serving others and working for good. The fact is, like the disciples, we often find it very bewildering to understand all that God is doing and saying, both in our times of great joy and closeness to God and in our times of great sadness, hardship, and challenge. It can sometimes seem much better just to be on the plateau of, frankly, the level groundundramatic and unexciting. But the word that comes to us, leading us to follow Jesus even when we havent a clue as to what is going on (think of what it would really have been like for Peter, James, and John), is the word that came from the cloud on that day in Galilee: This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him. As we come to this season of Lent, as we all, together with those baptized, confirmed, and received today, continue to follow Jesus, his is the voice we listen to as we gather, and we are to be listening both here and as we go out in his name. This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him.Let me promise you: Jesus will speak to you.

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Thank you for joining us for Christian Faith Center's Sermon of the week. This message is from our Nampa Location. Pastor Jordan continues his series BEHOLD. The incarnation! God becoming flesh! Such a central and powerful part of our doctrine and beliefs!Today we conclude our series Behold….. With a profound topic I cannot wait to explore! Origin stories!Origin Stories! Everyone has an origin story! It's the story of your beginning! Where you came from. What you went through!Here's a few origin stories you might find interesting:Growing up so poor her family literally made her clothes from potato sacks. She was shuffled around to rural farms and boardinghomes and suffered abuse and teen pregnancy. You might know about her? Her name is Oprah Winfrey.Growing up in a government housing projects watching his father spiral into what he describes as a “broken man” from a hard life.This man says he carry's this weight of his impoverished childhood with him every day. His name is Howard Shultz and he's theCEO of Starbucks.Dropping out of school at age 10 to become an indentured servant to a print maker, this man was 1 of 17 children in his family. Hewould go on to be one of the greatest inventors in history for the era and be known as a founding father of our nation. His name isBenjamin Franklin.Born in a one-roomed weavers cottage in Dunfermline, Scotland. This man emigrated to America with his family when he was 13because of their extreme poverty. His first job in Pennsylvania was as a bobbin boy for $1.20 a week. But, he went on to dominate theUS steel industry, amassing a personal fortune. By his death, he had given away $4.8 billion. Andrew Carnegie (1835 – 1919)This man grew up in the Great Depression of the 1930s, he had to milk the family cow and do numerous odd jobs to help his familysurvive. After the war, he took out a loan to buy a small grocery store. He went on to build this into the giant Walmart supermarketchain, amassing a fortune of over $23 billion. Samuel Walton (1918 – 1992)I love hearing origin stories! But none of these compare to the origin story we are celebrating this week!Christmas is the Origin story of Jesus Christ, The Son of God.His origin story is not at all what we would expect the origin story of Gods Son to be like! But there is much we can glean from it!

In this gospel message, youll hear two stories of Jesus drawing near to sinners to meet their needs. We all need salvation because of our sins, and the Bible points us to Gods Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners. The post Two Stories of Jesus appeared first on Preachers Corner.

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In this gospel preaching, you will hear about Gods Son, Jesus Christ. Firstly, you will hear about His majesty and glory; secondly, you will hear about His loneliness that took Him to Calvarys cross. It is at the cross where the Lord Jesus suffered and died for your sins, that you might be saved from the coming judgment. The post The person of the Lord Jesus appeared first on Preachers Corner.

John 11:1-44 1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, Lord, the one you love is sick. 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for Gods glory so that Gods Son may be glorified through it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, Let us go back to Judea. 8 But Rabbi, they said, a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this worlds light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light. 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up. 12 His disciples replied, Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better. 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him. 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. 23 Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? 27 Yes, Lord, she replied, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. The Teacher is here, she said, and is asking for you. 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 Where have you laid him? he asked. Come and see, Lord, they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, See how he loved him! 37 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 Take away the stone, he said. But, Lord, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. 40 Then Jesus said, Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, Take off the grave clothes and let him go.

God is holy and righteous. Each one of us has fallen short of His glory because of our sins, but the wonderful news of the Gospel is that God has provided a Savior. Who is this Savior? The Bible points to the Lord Jesus Christ, Gods Son, who came into this world to save sinners. The post Holy, holy, holy is the Lord appeared first on Preachers Corner.

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Those who deny the deity of Jesus often go to a few common passages, typically when read in isolation these verses appear to contradict with the doctrine of the Trinity.  Today we deep dive into one of those passages and explore whether or not Jesus is truly divine. To find more "Uncensored Christian" content including Video versions of the podcast, Social Media links, and more use the Link down below!https://lnk.bio/dantewIf you would like to support this podcast financially you can give online by clicking here https://paypal.me/uchristianpod?locale.x=en_US . Your gift helps this podcast reach more people around the world!If you have questions or would like to reach out, email uchristianpod@gmail.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/dantebwill/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UChristianPodcastSupport the show

Heads up it's a bit of a rant..yes I'm a bit worked up, and for good reason..tune in..dont miss this broadcast.. In these broadcasts your getting a middle age man's struggles with balancing a real time relationship with Gods Son and the chaos that we call life..and doing this as an anointed servant minister of Jesus.. It's crazy and super hard at times to be a good man, when you've been called out of the world, into Gods work!! If this interests you then by all means tune in to this one especially!! Shalom Rev.ddt --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniel-tilton/support

Today we meet a man called Nicodemus, who comes to Jesus to learn what God says. He doesnt understand that he is called to put his faith and trust in Jesus who is Gods Son. But Jesus patiently and lovingly teaches him, and Nicodemus will go on a journey towards faith, finally coming to faith as he witnesses Jesus on the cross. Faith and witnessing to Jesus can be a journey for each of us. Jesus is with us and for us. [Lent 2]

For centuries people have been reciting The Apostles' Creed. They have repeated it, sang lines of it in songs, and even memorized it. But what does it all mean and who was it actually written for? Over the next several weeks we will be talking through The Apostles' Creed line by line, checking its historical accuracy, looking at what it means, both for our lives today and the eternity to come. Today Pastor Jeff is talking about the importance of Jesus being Gods Son, our Savior and Lord. You won't want to miss it. 

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For if you cry out for understanding, if you lift your voice for insight, if you seek her like silver and search her out like treasure, then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and the knowledge of God you will find (Proverbs 2:3-5). Stay blessed family!

Sermon Outline:1. Those with faith in Christ share in His Sonship of God.2. The robe of Christs identify and righteousness is the possession of even the newest believer.3. Differences in believers do not alter the kind of heir they are.4. You inherit the promises which God promised to Abrahams Offspring if you have faith in Christ. Family discussion questions:1. What rights and gifts does Jesus enjoy as Gods Son that believers enjoy even now before He returns?2. What is the phrase which explains how we can enjoy Christs relationship with God even though we are not Christ and have not done what he did?3. Does water baptism save you?4. Spirit baptism actually unites you and clothes you with Christ - when does that happen? Where would you look in the previous chapter to show that?5. Why would Paul switch to say Greek instead of Gentile in his list of comparisons?6. How does this passage serve to forbid ethnic segregation in churches?7. Why would Paul say and in between male and female when the others are separated by the word nor? Is he saying that the distinctions of male and female no longer exist?

Copyright Statement: Tracks on Radio Zero are not intended to infringe any copyright laws in any way. This is for sole purpose of entertainment; no profit is gained from this. It is the copyrighted property of its respective owner(s). #BMIRegistered183 THE GODS SON EPISODESegment 1 - MofoHari - RnBMofoHari - Worth Fighting For Love Keyyz - WhoaTwicy - HopeDJ Hard Hitta ft Angelo Dorsey - Your World ILY Truly/Death Rose Records Prod Chuck Platinum - Baby IMofoHari - FallinB Ankha - Never ChangeInstrumentals:DJ Quik West Coast G Funk Type Beat 2019 - PerfectionSegment 2 - FyvieNas - It Ain't Hard To TellNas - You Know My StyleNas - Made You LookNas - Doo RagsNas - One MicNas - RewindNas - If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)Nas - Bridging The GapNas - One More DanceNas - EverythingInstrumentals:Nas - One LoveNas - The MessageSegment 3 - MofoHari - Indie Releases + ClassicsWell Made Choice - Summertime Juxx Diamondz - Tha Truth Butta Go Garder - Level UpKool Taj The Gr8/Prod by Tone Spliff - Grafitti Language (On The Wall Remix)Recognize Ali/Tone Spliff - Knowledge Wisdom UnderstandingMandy Tee/Warfare Production Entertainment - WGWChuck Platinum - The RealityRayne Storm - Verzuz (Run This Shit)Rockwelz - Blessings Nas and AZ - Life's A Bitch (Villain Remix)Shabaam Sahdeeq ft UG + DV alias Khryst Mouth - Watch Ya MouthInfra Redd ft Nathaniel The Great - SuperstarTermanology x Amadeus 360 ft Sheek Louch + Lil Fame - Black Mask Pt 2KingCharlie Prince - Loyalty Is RoyaltyNas - King's Disease Nas ft Eminem + EPMD - EPMD 2 Nas ft Charlie Wilson - No Phony Love Scrilla Gambino - 4 The Love Chuck Platinum - On Your Mark Announcements/OutroInstrumentals:Nas - RewindNas - Smokin'Nas - No Ideas Original

The Supremacy of God's Son - Hebrews 1:1-14Welcome!I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.John 15:5Thank you for listening!May the grace of God continue with you!SisterGGlenda CokerEmail: glendagrateful@gmail.com

In this podcast, I look at Hebrews chapters 1 and 2 and look at how much greater Jesus is than everything else. In all my podcasts, I try to apply scriptures to real-life experiences. And I expound on what I believe the scriptures are trying to convey to us. We need to dig deep into God's Word to find out what life is all about, and how to live like God wants us to do and how to do it.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://learningfromgodsword.wordpress.com/2021/07/15/let-us-rejoice-in-jesus-gods-son-let-us-rejoice-in-jesus-our-saviour/

Preacher: Pastor Aaron Michaud

Psalm 2

Jesus is glorious, he is the one that all things were created through and for. He is the glorious Christ! This passage records an amazing event (the transfiguration), when three blessed disciples were able to see Jesus' glory like never before. After seeing his glory, God the Father tells them to listen to him, to listen to his Son. For all who see Jesus' glory must listen to him.