Podcasts about mighty fortress is our god

This Sunday's Inspirational Message is: One Body, Many Parts You are not in the body of Christ by accident. God has placed you exactly where He wants you, with gifts and abilities uniquely suited for your role. Maybe you're a teacher, a prayer warrior, an encourager, or someone who serves quietly behind the scenes. Whatever your role, it matters deeply. Without you, the church is missing something vital. It also means we need to celebrate our unity. Unity doesn't mean we all look or act the same—it means we're moving in the same direction, guided by the Spirit, to accomplish God's purpose. It's about valuing others' contributions and recognizing that we're better together than we could ever be on our own. Finally, it means committing to serve. Being part of the body of Christ isn't a spectator sport. It's an active calling to use the gifts God has given us for His glory and the good of His people. If you've been holding back or doubting your role, today is the day to step forward in faith. Trust that God has designed you for this moment, and commit to playing your part * * * * * Once again, thanks for joining us in our time of worshiping the Lord through His Word! If you enjoyed this episode and want to help support this ministry, please share it with others and post about it on social media. “Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. The music "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "O For A Thousand Tongues We Sing" arranged and played by Don Wigton. Used by Permission. 

This is a special musical presentation of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God with the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.

Our fourth season was the best year yet for our downloads. Thank you for your listenership! And we still welcome your listener "moments" of Bach as ideas for future episodes.  For this season closer, we invite Reverend Eric Clausen, a Lutheran pastor, to help us unpack the background of BWV 80 (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God). The bold and powerful text of the source hymn comes directly from Martin Luther. Bach's cantata incorporates the four hymn stanzas plus poetry by Salomon Franck. Two aMoB listeners suggested moments from BWV 80; we discuss the specific moment requested for the second movement.  PATREON for A Moment of Bach - always optional, always appreciated. Huge thanks as always to the Netherlands Bach Society for allowing us to use their audio examples on our podcast. BWV 80 Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, as performed by Netherlands Bach Society under the leadership of Shunske Sato, Artistic Director

What is your image of God? How do you picture him in your mind and heart? Is God a bookkeeper watching your actions very closely? Or is he like the picture that once surprised me of the laughing christ. Old Testament: Ezekiel 1: 25-28 New Testament: John 14:6-11 Piano: 'A Mighty Fortress Is Our God' arranged by Mark HayesRev. Raymond G. CoffmanPodcast HostZachary SmithPianist Audio Engineer Clark CoffmanLog Cabin Community ChurchVinings Georgia

James and Jonathan spend time reflecting on Psalm 46 today. Martin Luther claimed this was “his psalm,” it is the basis for one of our most well-known hymns, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” This beautiful psalm starts with the comforting words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Written for all of us who will at some point face troubles that seem to shake the ground beneath us, Psalm 46 has been a source of strength and comfort to countless people through the ages by focusing our attention on heaven.  We need to train our minds and train our hearts to be attentive to heaven precisely because that's the anchor for our souls in many respects when we face these times of great troubles. – Jonathan Master “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Be encouraged by this reflection of Psalm 46, a balm for our souls.  Enter here for the opportunity to win a copy of Learning to Love the Psalms by Robert Godfrey, generously provided by Ligonier Ministries. 

Pastor Baker discusses theological distinctions between Law & Gospel. Today's topic of discussion is Sunday's Hymn of the Day for Series B, LSB 656/657 "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" with guest Rev. Mark Smith. Law and Gospel is independently produced by Pastor Tom Baker. Views and opinions expressed on this program may not represent the official position of the management or ownership of KFUO Radio, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. To contact Pastor Tom Baker, email tombaker@brick.net.

The internet, and the plethora of access it provides, is influencing young people's engagement with music, specifically with choir and corporate singing. Find out how you can contribute your thoughts on the evolution of choir music and the seeming disinterest among today's church generation. We also delve into the pressing issue of an apparent lack of new and innovative music specifically for choirs. The round-up of this segment is highlighted by our hymn of the week, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, a timeless piece by Martin Luther.Join us as we unravel this conundrum in an engaging conversation with a globally renowned modern hymn writer. Keith Getty's songs have traversed continents and continue to inspire choirs and congregations worldwide. We're undeniably excited to share Keith Getty's journey into music with you, a narrative punctuated by profound insights into hymn writing and the importance of creating great hymns for the church. The power of singing - it's truly transformative, both as a spiritual tool and an expression of community. We share experiences from our times in Times Square NYC and at the Sing an Irish Christmas concert at Carnegie Hall, moments that underscored the beauty and power of communal singing. Our discussion traverses different musical styles and how they uniquely influence choir sound. We emphasize singing's role in scripture, the impact of the internet on choir communities, and of course, the importance of congregational singing. So plug in, share your experiences, and let's collectively rediscover the wonder and joy of singing together.www.gettymusic.comhttps://www.instagram.com/gettymusic/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpe110ZiUikhttps://thechoirroom.buzzsprout.comPerpetuating and Promoting the Christian and Positive Idea Through the Medium of Music and Other Arts.

"Adversity assails us with hurricane force," has been attributed to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. That was true for him, and it was true for an earlier Dr. Martin Luther who wrote, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." A fortress will outlast a hurricane. So where do you turn when adversity assails you? For millennia, God's people have turned to the inspired words of Psalm 121. We're glad you're with us today to find in it our mighty fortress.   All rights reserved. Music used by permission under CCLI #1600166, OneLicense #A-709447, and Worshipflow.com. Pre-service music all rights reserved by Koine (koinemusic.com) & Michael Schroeder. Video used by permission from Sermonspice.

Martin Luther was facing giants. What did he do for courage? He wrote the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” with the timely words, "Christ Jesus...must win the battle." Has God ever encouraged your heart with a special worship song at just the right time? Ron Maxwell, Founder of the Christian Music Preservation Project, shares how Christian music supports your mental health. That's why they are working to preserve your favorite worship songs for future generations.

Pastor Baker discusses theological distinctions between Law & Gospel. Today's topic of discussion is Sunday's Hymn of the Day for Series A, LSB 656/657 "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" with guest Rev. Mark Smith. This is a rebroadcast from October 25, 2016. Law and Gospel is independently produced by Pastor Tom Baker. Views and opinions expressed on this program may not represent the official position of the management or ownership of KFUO Radio, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. To contact Pastor Tom Baker, email tombaker@brick.net.

We confront and crucify our temptation to fear, which causes us to avoid suffering and thereby hinders our courageous confession of Christ and Him crucified. Suffering aided the early church's evangelism efforts, and it will improve ours as we suffer minor annoyances or even martyrdom. Robert Lockett encourages us to drive to the truth in a new segment on the show, demonstrating that Christians don't give up when mocked for Christ, and that you don't have to be a pastor to be in the fray. Oh, and Kirk Cameron sings A Mighty Fortress Is Our God!   Resources mentioned in this episode: Evangelism in the Early Church: https://bookshop.org/a/94255/9780802827685  Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents: https://bookshop.org/a/94255/9780593541807  Robert Lockett: Driving to the Truth: https://stmarksferndale.com/drivingtothetruth/  Host Rev. Tyrel Bramwell, St. Mark Lutheran Church in Ferndale, California, and author of the book Come in, We are Closed, talks about curious topics to excite the imagination, equip the mind, and comfort the soul with God's ordering of the world in the Law and Gospel. Send him your questions at stmarksferndale.com. You can find his videos at youtube.com/c/tyrelbramwell.

July 8, 2023Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 6: Psalm 91:2, 9-10; antiphon Psalm 91:1Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 22:22-28:12, John 18:15-40He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. (Psalm 91:1–2 ESV)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You live in occupied territory. You live behind enemy lines. You are a citizen of a great kingdom, but you live in a place that does not recognize you or  your king. You live in a place that seems to be permanently at war with your king. Things are not as they appear. The great battle is over, the war is won, you king now rules over all but the victory parade has not yet reached you. This is the reality of being a Christian. You live in the now and the not yet. Jesus is king  now, eternal life is yours now but His reign and your place in it  has not yet fully manifested itself. The world you live in continues on a day to day basis as if Jesus does not reign, as if the battle was still going on. Even worse it is engaged in an active disinformation campaign telling all who would listen that there is no kingdom and no king.  In the face of the constant onslaught of the already defeated sin, death, and the devil you have a place to take refuge in. God himself is your fortress. Your local congregation gives you sanctuary from the forces arrayed against you and God himself is present there with His gifts that give a glimpse of what will be at the full coming of His kingdom. This is what the Word and Sacrament ministry of the church is. Every time the Gospel is proclaimed it is a declaration of God's victory. Every Baptism is a little more new creation taking over the old. Every celebration of the Lord's Supper is a foretaste of the feast to come. Every worship service is a manifestation of the kingdom that is coming, a kingdom that you already belong to, a kingdom that this world cannot and will not stop. The very king who is coming is the very king who is your fortress and your refuge. He is here now and He will guard you and keep you until the full coming of His kingdom.   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.A mighty fortress is our God, A sword and shield victorious; He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod And wins salvation glorious. The old satanic foe Has sworn to work us woe. With craft and dreadful might He arms himself to fight. On earth he has no equal.( A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, LSB 657:1) -Pastor Grant Knepper is Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Modesto, California.Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

We struggle in this world. It is a world that is darkened and filled with turmoil. Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther struggled similarly. The world was dark and filled with turmoil at that time as well. In the midst of all that, Luther composed a hymn based on Psalm 46 that has become a […] The post A Mighty Fortress Is Our God appeared first on Rockpointe Community Church.

We struggle in this world. It is a world that is darkened and filled with turmoil. Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther struggled similarly. The world was dark and filled with turmoil at that time as well. In the midst of all that, Luther composed a hymn based on Psalm 46 that has become a […] The post A Mighty Fortress Is Our God appeared first on Rockpointe Community Church.

Psalm 46 “A Mighty Fortress is our God” 1. God is a refuge for us during disasters in Creation (1-3) 2. God of Jacob is a fortress during combat with enemies (4-7) 3. God of Jacob is a fortress and gives us VICTORY! (8-11)

In this episode of Hear the Voice and Prayer, Elyse discusses her research into hymn writing and the role of music during the 16th century, specifically related to the Protestant Reformation and the bold songs of Martin Luther. The role of melody and lyrics are analyzed as Dr. Robinson and Elyse survey songs that were contemporaries of Luther's famous A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. They also discuss the varied uses of these hymns, the role of the printing press in distributing these hymns, and how hymns themselves were assertions of Protestant rebellion against Catholicism. 

A new MP3 sermon from Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Subtitle: Devotional Speaker: Larry Phillips Broadcaster: Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 1/3/2023 Bible: Psalm 91:2 Length: 14 min.

Hey, do you know that great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"? Do you know where Martin Luther gained his inspiration? From Psalm 46! This Psalm is a magnificent song shouting out how powerful and protective is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some of you may even know this verse, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." What with pestilences, plagues, and ginormous locust swarms hitting the earth along with political and economic turmoil, we absolutely NEED to memorize this Psalm for comfort and confidence. Take a listen to the Truth Barista and Amazing Larry talk about Psalm 46 and what it means.This creative Podcast uses an imaginary coffeehouse as the setting to talk about the issues facing our day. The Truth Barista is Pastor Jay Christianson, who is fluent in the Hebrew Traditions of the Bible and uses his knowledge to bring clear insights to bear upon the issues that define our day. The Podcast is humorous yet clearly instructive as The Truth Barista tackles tough issues facing Christians today.Visit The Truth Barista

“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” arranged by Valerie Stephenson. Presented as our worship service Prelude by the First UMC Celebration Ringers with accompianment by April Zink on trumpet.

One of the earliest protestant songs in history, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was recently updated by the Gettys and Tommy Bailey. Tyler and Colin review this song lyric by lyric. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/worship-review/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/worship-review/support

We just finished singing Martin Luther's most famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. During communion we will sing another of Luther's hymns, also very appropriate for Reformation Day: Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word. In this hymn we ask God, “Curb those who by deceit or sword would wrest the…

We just finished singing Martin Luther's most famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. During communion we will sing another of Luther's hymns, also very appropriate for Reformation Day: Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word. In this hymn we ask God, “Curb those who by deceit or sword would wrest the…

In the midst of a world where evidence of sin surrounds us and we experience all sorts of problems, perils and pains, our Heavenly Father proves to be a mighty fortress for us with Jesus' death and resurrection.

Included Music: Since Jesus Came into My Heart, Because of Your Love, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Cares Chorus, Who Can Satisfy My Soul, Goodness of God, and Be Thou My Vision  Message Title: The Idol of Fear   Text: Numbers 13:26-33   Take Home Point: What you focus on gets bigger. Either your faith in God will crowd out your fear, or your fear will crowd out God.  

It seemed fitting to include the final hymn in this recording, Luther's great hymn -A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.-

Have you ever had a time in your life that you would call “a crisis”? Some in this room might be in a time of crisis right now.I suspect that most of us — if we've lived long enough — can look back on some moment in our lives, some time, some season (if not many!) that we would identify as a crisis. We might say that it felt like the very ground beneath our feet was shaking. We might describe it as our world being turned upside down. We reach for catastrophic language, as Psalm 46 does (in verses 2–3), to put words, and concrete images, to the tumult in our own souls.It could be a national crisis. That can indeed whip up our anxieties. It may have been a national crisis that inspired Psalm 46. But a national crisis in the modern world — playing out far away, in the news and on our screens — can be a far cry from a personal crisis.Psalm 46 was composed in a time of crisis, and preserved for us today for our crises. This psalm gives us a crisis-ready vision of God. The particular crisis that gave rise to these verses is left unidentified. Which may not satisfy our curiosities, but it does show us the timelessness of our God. These words were not written for only one crisis, but many. And they are readymade for our crises today.Psalm 46 casts the crisis in two life-or-death threats: the first and perhaps original threat is hostile nations, threatening Jerusalem: -verse 6: the nations rage, the kingdoms totter-verse 9, we hear of war, bows, spears, and war chariots — or perhaps carts for making siegeworks against the city.The second threat is nature. The earth and mountains, typically images of stability, are shifting. Verses 2–3:-the earth gives way, -the mountains [are] moved into the heart of the sea [and] its waters roar and foam, -the mountains tremble at [the sea's] swelling.The stable, secure earth and mountains are being overtaken by the restless, raging, unstable, dangerous sea. It's a picture natural cataclysm, perhaps even end-times catastrophe.And into this particular chaos, this crisis, this life-or-death threat to the city of Jerusalem, verse 2 says, amazingly, “we will not fear.” That's how God means to help us with this psalm. To displace fear, with confidence. To give us stable ground under our feet, even in crisis. If God's people can be without panic when the ground shifts, and the seas rage, and the nations rage, then we can face any crisis with confidence.Whatever trouble comes, Psalm 46 tells us, with its first word, where to turn. Not to a change in circumstances. Not to our best efforts to fix the problem. Not to our anxious strategies to avoid pain and loss. But rather, to God.God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.The psalm rings with the name of God. Verse 4, “the city of God.” Verse 5: “God is in her midst.” Verse 5: “God will help.” Verses 7 and 11: the “God of Jacob.” And his covenant name, the Lord (verses 7, 8, 11). And verse 10: “Be still and know that I am God.” That's where we're headed: Stop raging and scurrying and plotting. Cease your frantic efforts. Be still, and bow to God. But don't just bow; know. Know him. Know for the first time, or know again, learn afresh, that he is God, and that as Jacob had him as his covenant God, so do we, and all the more, in Christ.If God can handle the world's ultimate undoing, and the nations raging against his own chosen people, he can handle your crisis, he can help in your trouble, however catastrophic it seems. This psalm will always be ready, because our God is always ready — which leads to what specifically this psalm tell us about our God. The power in this psalm is in its vision of God. It gives us God, so that we might not fear, but have real peace of soul in crisis by knowing him.Three main pillars uphold this vision of God in Psalm 46.1) He is infinitely strong.One of the overwhelming effects of Psalm 46, perhaps the chief effect of the psalm, is that it communicates to our souls: your God is strong, with infinite strength. Some call this a “psalm of confidence.” By rehearsing God's strength, his people displace their fears, based on lies, with confidence in him, based on remembering who he is.Which is why Martin Luther loved this psalm, and took this psalm as the inspiration for his great “battle hymn” of the Reformation, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” In the face of proverbial raging seas, and literal raging enemies outside the gates, God's people have Strength himself on our side, however quick we can be to forget that.If you were to try depict God's infinite strength and power to a weary soul, how would you do it? It's one thing to say “God is strong”; it's another to show it, to make it concrete and tangible. How do you quantify divine strength? How do you provide glimpses of infinite power? I see at least four here.The first two are verse 1: “God is our refuge and strength.” That is, he both protects and empowers his people. “Refuge” is defensive, a place of protection and safety. Like Helm's Deep in The Two Towers, a refuge is a place to flee to for protection when an enemy is approaching. “Strength,” then, is God's providing his people with the inner power to keep going. Energy and hope to keep breathing, keep walking, keep fighting. So “refuge and strength,” are outward and inward, defensive and offensive, the first two depictions of God's strength, to help his people.Third, then, is the last part of verse 6: “He utters his voice, the earth melts.” God doesn't need fire to melt the earth. He doesn't even need hands and arms. He doesn't need a tool or laser. He only needs his voice. He only says the word, and the earth melts. The power of our God is seen in the power of his word. All he has to do is say it and it happens. Just as he spoke the world into being, and then into order, so he can dissolve it into chaos and out of existence, simply with his voice, if he so chooses. And with his voice, with his word, he can dispel fear from the hearts of his people and give them confidence in him.Fourth, and related, is verse 9: “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” In other words, God defeats the enemies of his people. No matter how fierce and strong and weaponized and terrible the army, when he's ready, he says, “Enough.” And in the end, even as he now endures war and evil with patience, war will cease. There will be a full and enduring final peace. God, in his infinite strength, will see to it — and do it with his word.So the first pillar that upholds this crisis-ready vision of God is his strength.2) He is attentively present.Which is amazing, given his strength. That is, amazing if you're on his side, if he's your God — and it is horrifying if you're against him.This is the second part of verse 1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He is not only strong, with infinite strength, but he's present to help in trouble. And not just present, but “very present,” attentively present. In other words, he is ready and eager to help. He is not only able to help, when he chooses; he is eager to help. And he's near, he's present, he's accessible. Verses 4–5 expand for us what it means that God is “a very present help”:There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.The river in verse 4 is not the first mention of water in Psalm 46. What was the other water? The sea — the restless, raging, unstable, dangerous sea. The sea is threatening water. But now we have very different water: a river. That is, water that is predictable and life-giving. Water that keeps a city alive when cut off from the outside by the siege of a foreign army. This river, in the city of God, while it's in crisis, is so precious that it doesn't just keep the city alive, it “makes [the people] glad.” Even in the midst of crisis, there is gladness. There is joy, even in pain and threat. Because this life-giving river, who is God himself, is present with his people to sustain them in their crisis. Our God, as our refuge and strength, doesn't only get us through crisis, but even gives us joy in crisis.But this river and city raises an important question: where? This is a particular city which God makes glad with the water of life and the river of his presence. This is not any city. It's Zion, the city of Jerusalem. The place God chose, to “be in the midst of her,” so that she shall not be moved. Which is significant for us reading Psalm 46 as Christians. No longer is there a particular physical place where God has pledged his special favor and presence. Now, there is a particular person, God's own Son. Christians do not rally to a particular city; we rally to a particular person for refuge, strength, and very present help in trouble. And we do so together — to form a people. Which means the church is a critical context for finding joy in crisis. And this place, where God chooses to be present, in all his strength — once in ancient Jerusalem, and now in Jesus Christ, and his body — verse 5 says “shall not be moved.” Verse 2 spoke of mountains being moved into the sea. Verse 6 speaks of kingdoms tottering, that is, literally, being moved. Nature is moved, nations are moved, and verse 5 says God's people, then in his chosen city, and now in his beloved Son, by faith, “shall not be moved."Which doesn't mean that God's people never enter into any trouble. This psalm, with all its confidence in the strength and nearness and eagerness of God, never promises that we will be spared crisis. In fact, it assumes crisis. It readies us for crisis. And in the crisis, it promises God's help but not on our timetable. Verse 5: “God will help her when morning dawns.”When Morning DawnsIn Exodus 14, as God's people seek to escape from slavery in Egypt, with their backs against the Red Sea (!), and the Egyptians bearing down on them with “six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt” (14:7), the people panic. This is a crisis indeed, with no walled city, and no river of fresh water. And into this crisis, Moses, prompted by God, speaks these words his people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today” (14:13). Then he lifts his staff, the sea parts, and God's people walk through on dry land. The Egyptians follow, and so, at God's command, “Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27).For every crisis we face in Christ, and all its darkness, God has a dawn designed. He will help when morning dawns. Your dawn will come. God's help does not mean that his people are kept from crisis, but that he keeps us through crisis. In his perfect timing, when the appointed morning dawns, he rescues his people from their trouble, having preserved them through the long night.Which leads to a third and final pillar of this passage.3) He will be exalted.Which might be surprising. If God's infinitely strong, and attentively present and ready to help, isn't that enough? What does God's being exalted have to do with the help we need in crisis? Why, at the very height of Psalm 46, in verse 10, the climactic verse — the famous “be still and know” verse —why does God say here, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”? How does God's own declaration that he himself will be exalted feed our confidence?To answer that, let's get verse 10 in context. Verse 8 issues an invitation to the raging nations, those setting themselves up as enemies against God and his people. It's almost a taunt. And also an invitation to any among God's people who might be fearful. Verse 8:Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.Remember, all God has to do is say the word. As we saw in verse 9, when he chooses, in his perfect timing, he makes wars cease, breaks bows, shatters shields, burns chariots and siege works with fire. In other words, it is a lost cause to set yourself against the living God.Verse 10, then, issues another word of invitation, again both to raging nations and God's fearful people, and this is the climactic statement of the psalm. Raging nations, fearful people, “Be still, and know that I am God.”Did you catch that change of voice? The first invitation, verse 8, is from the psalmist: “Come, behold the works of the Lord.” But now, in verse 10, God himself speaks. He issues the invitation. He utters his voice, to the raging nations and tottering kingdoms — and oh do we still know tottering kingdoms and raging nations.And he speaks into the chaos, into the raging and tottering, Be still. Lay down your weapons. Cease your warring and deconstruction. Cease your rage and disorder. Be still. Which is first a rebuke to the raging nations, to our turbulent world.However, it is also a word to God's people, who hear him say it to their foes, and read it in their Bibles. Be still, church. You need not be anxious. You need not fear. You don't need to go into a frenzy to help yourself and save your family and take your country back to the 1950s. Be still, and look to me. Rest from all your horizontal diversions and distractions and discouragement, and look up. Be still, and in that stillness, own that you are not God, and can be happy about it. You are not infinitely strong. You are not attentively present. You dare not be self-exalting. But know that I am God.And then follows the two great declarations from the mouth of God himself, of his own certain exaltation. As surely as he is God, “I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth!”For God's covenant people in Israel back then, and for his covenant people today in Christ, our God's exaltation is our salvation. His exaltation is our refuge and strength — and very present help in trouble The surety of his exaltation is precious beyond words and gives us a place to stand when all around us seems unsure. The certainty that he will exalted is granite under our feet. It is the guarantee of our help. It is our fortress.Psalm 46 ends with a powerful word. The word “fortress” in verse 7, and in the refrain in verse 11, the final word on which the psalm ends is an even stronger image of security that “refuse” in verse 1. This “fortress” is a picture of inaccessible height. Helm's Deep is a refuge. Heaven in a fortress. Not just a strong bulwark but one never failing.The refrain is beautiful in verse 7, but it comes with added force in verse 11, on the heels of God's promise that he will be exalted. Not only is he infinitely strong, and attentively present, but he will be exalted. As surely as he is God, he will be exalted. And for his people, we have in this God, and his exaltation, an impenetrable fortress, come what may.Stillness at the TableAs we come to the Table, we remember that Psalm 46 is not the last time the voice of the Lord uttered, “Be still.” God himself, in human flesh, slept in the middle of a raging storm. His disciples panicked. This seemed to be a life-or-death crisis. And when they woke him, Jesus was not frantic but spoke stillness into the crisis: “Peace. Be still.” And so the calm of his own spirit settled over the raging sea: “the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).In Jesus Christ, we know the God of Psalm 46. And in him come together the saving strength and presence and exaltation of the one to whom we turn in crisis, and who speaks, “Peace, be still” into the raging storm of our soul.

Title: Be Humble and Be Vigilant Text: I Peter 5:5b-11 FCF: We often struggle believing the Lord will do as He says He will. Prop: Because God exalts the humble and opposes the proud, we must humbly stand firm in Him. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Peter 5. We are quickly approaching the end of Peter's first letter to the chosen exiles in what is now Turkey. Next week we will, Lord willing, finish up this letter and even review a little to close it out. But today, we are still very much in the meat. Indeed, some of the last things Peter says before he gives the greetings and final exhortations, are stunningly profound and amazingly challenging. To a group of Christians who are being absolutely thrashed for what they believe- Peter's closing words of exhortation present such a paradox that if he had started with it, they may have just tossed the letter. But here, we see the groundwork of all he has written culminate into two final commands before closing it all out. I am in I Peter 5. I'll begin reading in verse 5. I am reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1367 or in whatever version you prefer. Transition: Some really cool things here that I can't wait to show you. Let's dive in. I.) Because God exalts the humble and opposes the proud, we must be humble and cast our cares on God. (5b-7) a. [Slide 2] 5b – And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. i. We looked at this portion of verse 5 in conjunction with the roles of both Elders and the congregation. ii. That in order to lead without lording, the Elders would need to be humble. iii. In order to submit to the authority and responsibility of the Elders, the congregation would need to be humble. iv. The reason that Peter should expect that from them, is because of the truism he mentions here from Proverbs 3:34. God's grace is continually given to those who are humble. But those who are continually proud will receive God's resolute opposition. v. Only the poor in spirit will be given the kingdom of God. vi. Only the mourners will be comforted. vii. Only the meek will inherit the earth. viii. So, if you are united to Christ by true faith, you will be humble. ix. Nevertheless, to suffering Christians ostracized by their debauched society, demonized by demon worshippers, accused of lawlessness by the lawless, it may seem only a trite phrase pulled from an ancient scroll. x. Ok, yes God will give grace if I am humble. But I am humble… where is the grace? Where is God's opposition of my enemies? xi. In some ways you see the tension between the Proverbs of Solomon and the Ecclesiastes of Solomon. The world should be that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble – but by all appearances it seems that God opposes the humble and gives favor to the proud. xii. What is a Christian to do with the problem of evil in the world if this statement is true? b. [Slide 3] 6 – And God will exalt you in due time, i. Stop hoping in this world. That is Peter's basic message. ii. Stop looking for justice, mercy, peace, and love to reign here. iii. That doesn't mean we stop practicing justice, mercy, peace and love… because as citizens of His Kingdom this is what we do. iv. However, to begin to think that the ship will right eventually or from our efforts, is foolishness. v. God will exalt His people in due time. There is an end to the madness that is this world. vi. What do we do with the problem of evil? How do we harmonize evil's existence with a God who is all powerful, and all good? Recognize that this world is but a pit stop on the way to the eternal world that is to come. The problem of pain and evil is a temporary problem with an eternal purpose and solution. vii. God will one day make it all right. viii. And how do we know that we will be exalted in that time? c. [Slide 4] if you humble yourselves under His mighty hand 7 – by casting all your cares on Him i. God's people are a humble people. ii. God's people recognize that all that they have is given. iii. That they are nothing without Christ. iv. That they are the fruit on the vine and without the vine they are nothing. v. That all of our salvation is God's work. That nothing we do or say contributes in any way to our justification. And that even the fruit of our faith, while it is us working out that fruit, it is wholly empowered and completely motivated by the grace of God. vi. He gives and sustains our faith. He is its author and the finisher. vii. So, we humble ourselves and believe that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. viii. That this is not some trite promise that we quote when times are hard – but with firm faith we grasp hold of such a teaching and depend on its truth even while we suffer. ix. To the extent that we seek His Kingdom and righteousness first with total dependance on Him for all our cares. x. Why should we do this? Why should we place every care, every concern, every earthly need, every sorrow, every pain, every injustice, every heartache, every loss, every hurt, every longing, every insult, every rejection, every bad thing in our lives – why are they cast upon HIM? d. [Slide 5] Because He cares for you. i. My friends. ii. The doctrine of God's sovereignty does not deal only with salvation. iii. The doctrine of God's sovereignty does not lie in theological discussions floating high in the lofty clouds of academia. iv. If God is not sovereign than our pain and suffering is inevitable and explainable but the command to cast our care on Him is an incredibly risky one. If there are areas God doesn't control, any at all, casting our care on Him could mean He won't be able to help us. v. If God is not sovereign than the promise that He cares for us is of so little value – because though He may care for us – He cannot stop what is happening to us, nor is He in any position to affect any meaningful change. vi. Therefore, putting these two together, if God is not sovereign, the command to cast our cares on Him BECAUSE He cares for us… is stupid, foolish, and even unwise. vii. But if God is sovereign and only if God is sovereign, can we identify our cares as those given by a God who is working things out for our good and His glory. viii. If and only if God is sovereign can we cast all our cares on Him knowing He cares for us. ix. God being in absolute control, exercising total dominion over His creation is the only way that casting our cares on Him and Him caring for us in the midst of those cares, gives us any comfort or peace. e. [Slide 6] Passage Truth: So, Peter reminds his audience that God exalts the humble and opposes the proud. It is those, specifically, who humble themselves before His mighty hand that God does care for and exalt. f. [Slide 7] Passage Application: So, his audience must be humble by casting all their cares on God. g. [Slide 8] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out of this text we see that God exalts the humble throughout the scriptures. When Ahab, after sinning so wickedly did express remorse for his sin, God granted a stay of His judgment until after his death. When David repented for his sin, although God did not spare Him of the consequence, not only did God not turn His face away from David, He continued to keep His promises to David for his dynastic line. The proverbs testify that humility is exalted by God. Conversely, we see God oppose the proud. Unfortunately, these examples are far more common. Pick a Northern Kingdom King… any one of them... and you will see this demonstrated. h. [Slide 9] Broader Biblical Application: So, because God exalts the humble CBC, we must be humble. And how does Peter specifically express that act of humility toward God? Casting all our cares on Him. Dependance on Him. Faith in Him. Trust in Him. How is this an act of humility? Well in order to understand how this is an act of humility we must take every word in full. “Casting (throwing upon or dump on) all (every) cares (troubles and worries) upon (committed to) Him (God the triune).” How is this an act of humility? When we cast our cares on Him it is because we have come to realize several truths. i. First, God is sovereignly in charge of all that befalls us. Therefore, we in humility do not cast off our care as if to not worry about it, rather we put our cares back at the source from which they came. ii. Second, we recognize that we cannot do anything to affect our own anxieties and fears. And so, we hand them to Him who is able to relieve them or at least sustain us through them. iii. Third, we do this, not with a few, not just the big worries, not just the big sufferings, but with all our worries and fears, recognizing that even though we may see them as small – we are still ill equipped to handle them. iv. Finally, God's power is made perfect in weakness. Have you ever thought about what that phrase means. It does not mean that when we exhaust ourselves and squeeze every ounce out that God makes up for the rest. Instead, it means that God's strength is strongest when it is unpolluted by our added strength. Be humble and cast your cares on Him. Because His grace is sufficient for you. Transition: [Slide 10(blank)] Casting all our cares on God is challenging. But it is only half the equation. Let us not stop at this step lest we miss another important facet of enduring in a world against us. II.) Because God exalts the humble and opposes the proud, we must be alert and resist the devil in steadfast faith. (8-11) a. [Slide 11] 8 – Be sober and alert i. Humility does not mean passivity my friends. ii. Casting our cares on Him does not lead to inaction. iii. It is not let go and let God. iv. It is not Jesus take the wheel. v. These sentiments communicate some truth. Truly God being sovereign means we should cast all our cares on Him. vi. But it does not remove our responsibility to act. vii. Though depending on God to care for us in our suffering – we ought to remain vigilant. viii. We ought to remain alert. We ought to be watchful. ix. Our resting in the Lord ought not to descend into sleep. x. Rather from a position of resting in the Lord we are free to be alert for the dangers around us. xi. Like what? b. [Slide 12] Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. i. The nature of a prowling and a roaring lion communicates both the hunger of the lion and the terror inflicted upon its prey. ii. In this case, the bride of Christ. iii. [Slide 13] Some look at this text and compare it to James 4 where he says something similar. However, there are key contextual differences between what Peter and James are trying to say. 1. James mentions nothing of the nature of the devil. Only that in resisting he will flee. 2. James clearly intends a resistance from temptation to sin. 3. But turning to I Peter, Peter seems to have a different situation in mind. Let me expand on that. iv. [Slide 14] What does it mean to devour? v. To devour means to drink down. It means to consume. It means to gulp. vi. Unlike in James where the Devil is simply a tempter – Peter has something far more sinister, far more diabolical than mere temptation. vii. Eusebius, in a letter written in the early church, thought that swallowed or devoured by the devil meant apostasy or when a Christian denies Christ. viii. Therefore, we are not talking about a tempter who is actively seeking someone to succumb to sin, although that is certainly part of it. ix. Instead, this is talking about the destruction of the faith of the Christian. Apostasy is his goal. x. [Slide 15] Rather than comparing the language of Peter to James, I think it is better to compare it to the language of Job. 1. In response to the question of God “Where have you come from?” The Adversary or Satan which is a title or description of this being not its name. Satan responds “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” This is a military expression. It means to execute reconnaissance or to investigate for weaknesses. 2. In I Peter, The Slanderer or the devil, again a description not a name, is characterized as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. How do lions hunt? They employ two methods, one is to stalk their prey but another is to scare their prey into a chase, isolate the weakest and face it against the strongest male lion in one on one combat. 3. In Job, God asks Satan if he has considered Job, who is righteous? 4. [Slide 16] Question. Why did Satan not consider Job? 5. He says that it is because God was protecting him. Job wasn't weak. 6. Another question for you. In the entire exchange in Job, what is Satan's objective? Is it the death of Job? 7. No. It is Job's abandonment of God. He is trying to get Job to curse God. Even speaking through the lips of his wife those very words. 8. Likewise, the language of devouring seems less to do with death, pain, oppression, suffering, and more to do with apostasy. 9. In other words, the threat of death and even the reality of pain, oppression, and suffering are not an end in themselves. Rather their goal is to produce the effect of abandoning and cursing God. xi. Satan's goal then, is not simply to distract or to neutralize. His goal is to kill… Spiritually. c. [Slide 17] 9 – Resist him, strong in your faith i. This word means to stand against, oppose, or to resist. ii. We are not running and hiding but rather fighting. iii. To fight… a lion? Running and hiding seems preferred than to stand and fight. Afterall, if you have made it to a one-on-one fight – the pride leader (pun intended) with the weak (simultaneously justified yet still a sinner), you are probably going to be lunch. iv. But notice it is not fighting in our own strength, but rather in the strength of our God. v. His strength is made perfect in what? Our weakness. vi. This perfectly marries the two aspects of humbly casting our cares on the Lord but remaining vigilant. We fight from the position of rest. We fight from the position of weakness and in His strength. His arms are wrapped around us as we resist and oppose our enemy. vii. We are clothed in Christ and His righteousness, surrounded by the grace of God. viii. Indeed, this is the only way we CAN oppose our great enemy. By faith. ix. Why must we resist strong in faith? d. [Slide 18] Because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. i. Listen very closely ok. ii. Resisting Satan does not equal alleviation of his assault. iii. Contrary to many name-it-claim-it, Pentecostal preachers – Peter does not say that we must resist in faith so that his assault will end. iv. This is why it doesn't do us good to compare Peter's words to James'. James says that if we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee. In regard to temptation, this is true. v. [Slide 19] But did Satan flee when Job resisted the urge to apostatize? No. Instead, after taking all Job held dear, he told God that without his health, Job would curse Him to His face. In other words, Satan wanted to take more from Job. He pressed him harder. He did not flee. vi. The reason we continue to resist the devil's oppression, pain, suffering, and pull to get us to abandon God is not because it will force Him to stop. Rather it is because his efforts are not centered only on you and I. vii. [Slide 20] It is a global effort on Satan's part to roam the earth seeking the weakest of God's people to eat. To devour. To lead into apostasy. To curse God and die. viii. In short… we must continue to resist in the strength of our God because… WE. ARE. AT. WAR. ix. And though the battle belongs to the Lord. Though the victory is won. Though claim to the universe is reaffirmed to be only our God's… God is still executing the eviction notices of the former despots, and we are still preaching immigration policy to former darkness dwellers that have seen a great light! x. Therefore, we oppose in God's strength! xi. Will that be a hard fight? Oh yes. xii. For those who are united to Christ by true faith, it will amount to great pain and suffering for His name and possibly even our physical death. xiii. But for those who only had fake faith... the cost will be even greater. For they will be devoured. Resorbed back into darkness. xiv. So, what is our hope? e. [Slide 21] 10 – And, after you have suffered for a little while, i. Again, the insistence that this world is but a pit stop ii. It is only a brief vapor. A fog that is chased away by the sun. f. [Slide 22] the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. i. Peter started this letter with our identity being all of God. He concludes the letter with the same idea. God is the one who has made us what we are. ii. Question. After we suffer for a little while… Where did your and my effort go? Where went our resisting? Where is the roaring lion? iii. Absent. iv. Here like in Romans 8, Peter gives an unbreakable chain. The God of all grace, from whence all grace comes, who has called us to share in His eternal glory in Christ, will also without any uncertainty, restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us. v. Remember in chapter 4, where Peter says that God's people will endure the fire of God's judgement first? What points did we make there? vi. The testing of God on this earth, his judgment process includes the fire of refinement for His people. Not just to eliminate sin and make them look more like Christ – but also to peel away all whose faith is fake. vii. The same fire which purifies the precious metal, burns up the wood, hay and stubble. viii. [Slide 23] Did you notice how God did not take anything away from Job. He merely allowed Satan to do this. To corner him. To attack him. To hunt him. ix. Why was God so sure that Job would not curse Him? x. [Slide 24] The answer is in chapter 1. God said ““Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.” xi. These are statements of identity… not performance. xii. [Slide 25] God told Satan – I have called Job to eternal glory in His Redeemer, and I will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish him. And I will do that after he has suffered for a little while under your hand. xiii. God knew that Job would not curse Him, because God knew what Job was made of. Why? Because God gave it to him. xiv. How could we possibly escape being devoured by such an enemy… even if we were to resist? xv. Because we trust God. Because we trust Him with all our cares. Because we trust that if He has called us to Christ's glory… then we will have it. xvi. God will use… even Satan himself… to refine His people and PROVE the faith that He has given them. xvii. That is why Peter says… g. [Slide 26] 11 – To Him belongs the power forever. Amen. i. All power belongs to God. ii. This word for power, understood in this context, must mean dominion. iii. It is a word that communicates the absolute authority and power of God. iv. There is nothing God doesn't control. Even Satan… v. And that doctrine gives us great hope. vi. Not only that in suffering we can know that He has given it to us for our good, but we can also know that in suffering, as Jesus said, God will not allow one of His sheep to be lost. h. [Slide 27] Passage Truth: Peter once again reminds his audience of the truth of Proverbs 3:34. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. He does so with an illustration. The illustration is the one who is the epitome of pride not being able to rip away those who are God's from Him. i. [Slide 28] Passage Application: And even though God will rescue His people from this enemy, it doesn't mean they are passive. Instead, they must resist in firm faith. They must trust in the strength of God to oppose such an enemy. One they could never defeat on their own, but one who if faced in faith, cannot spiritually harm them. In fact, he will only purify their faith more with his assault. j. [Slide 29] Broader Biblical Truth: A long confessed truth, held by the church in a broad context is that once a person is truly saved, they are secure in Christ forever. They will not, and cannot be lost. There is disagreement over emphasis on who does the sealing and holding. But here in our text we see that God holds forever those He loves. He will not lose any. But that is not a passive process for those united to Christ by true faith. Rather, though pursued by Satan himself, though tested by fire, though tried – they endure. As the Puritan Thomas Watson said “Christianity is not the removal of suffering, but the addition of grace to endure suffering triumphantly.” k. [Slide 30] Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, not only must we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. But we must also resist the enemy by faith. We must oppose him by actively clinging to our God and the promise that those whom He, the God of all grace, has called to share in the glory of Christ, He Himself will establish, confirm, restore, and save forevermore. My friends… His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His grace is sufficient for us to oppose the enemy. Conclusion: [Slide 31] So CBC, having seen that God exalts the humble and opposes the proud, what are we to do, particularly in a world where that doesn't seem to be the case. What are we to do when we are ostracized, marginalized, ridiculed, silenced, or falsely accused of bigotry, racism, and other vile things? What are we to do with a world where the humble are stomped on and the proud hold power? What are we to do when we face such a fierce and powerful enemy who is the epitome of pride? Will we still believe that God opposes the proud and exalts the humble? Will we still believe that God uses these fiery trials to refine and prove our faith? Peter gives us all we need to wage this war. We must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. How? We must cast every care on Him. Why? Because He cares for us. Let me just say that we do not do that well do we? In my own heart and in others I have seen us fail on both sides of this. Either we carry on through life handling everything that comes our way until we meet our match and in desperation cry out to Him. Or, we do the opposite and are fine praying for all kinds of little things, but when something big happens we trust only ourselves or experts to figure it out. The scriptures say that not only that God holds the universe in His hands, but also that He feeds the sparrow. There is not one atom too small to escape His dominion and there is not one galaxy so large that He would be unable to effortlessly alter it. Is He not worthy of all of our cares? All our anxieties? All our fears? Is He not ultimately responsible for us experiencing them? Could it be that the very reason He gives them to us, is to get us to give them back to Him? My friends – our burden is heavy – but our God's hand is MIGHTY. His strength is made perfect when we are weak. Be weak… and trust His sufficient grace! Be weak but do not check out. Do not be passive. Rest in His grace but do not fall asleep! Be alert for the enemy is searching for weak faith. He roars with suffering, oppression, pain, even the threat of death. And our hearts run. Those who have weak faith will be pursued and consumed. So don't have weak faith! Well, that is a fine thing to say – but how do I increase my faith? We might wander into ways to believe harder or some sort of human focused effort. Might I suggest to you that our faith's strength is only as strong as the object of our faith. In other words, a deep, humble, broad, healthy spiritual knowledge of who God is, His holiness, His love for us, His majesty, His grace… this strengthens our faith. The larger the rock, the more firm the anchor holds. My friends, as we face this world, with devils filled, who threaten to undo us. We tremble not for them why? Because God has willed for His truth to triumph through us. The right man is on our side. The man of God's own choosing. You ask – who is it? Christ Jesus our Lord. And He will win the battle. Let us sing together – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. #656

# Introduction The first time I read the following argument was in the fall of 1993 by a man named Erasmus. He wrote that some parts of the Bible are too difficult to understand, are likely to cause confusion, maybe even will lead to heretical teaching, and should therefore be untouched, certainly by untrained men and probably even by the academic theologians. Then I read Martin Luther's response, which could be summed up as: Who do you think you are to know better what *God* Himself should or should not say? How arrogant does a man have to be to edit God and claim it's for God's own good? Of course, God can, and does take care of Himself, no thanks to us. Whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, whether the Prince of Darkness and the earthly powers rage against it, “God's truth abideth still,” so we sing with Luther in “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” And it is truth, as revealed in God's Word, that is above all those earthly powers. We should respect it, and receive it, not redact any of it. We use neither scissors of black Sharpies on our Bibles. We open the Book, read the Word, and pray that God would open our eyes to behold wondrous things in it. That doesn't mean that we immediately, easily, or necessarily ever fully understand it, not while in these mortal bodies. History, even *church* history, is littered with false teachers, with those who deliberately misunderstand and misrepresent God's revelation. The apostle Peter, writing by the Holy Spirit's guidance, wrote that some of Paul's writings were “hard to understand,” and that “the ignorant and unstable twist (them) to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). These are “lawless people” (verse 17) in their behavior even if they claim to be teachers of the law (see 1 Timothy 1:7). There are some hot takes so bad only a religious person could make them. I say all that to introduce the next paragraph in Romans 3 where Paul acknowledges some willful accusations against his teaching about the relationship between God's sovereignty and God's righteousness. In these verses we have less explanation, but a great example and great *encouragement* for those with an ear to hear. Any problems we find do not lie with God's Word. We've been confronted with the need for the gospel since Romans 1:18. God's wrath is revealed on those who despise His revelation. His glory is seen and magnified as He judges those who exchange the truth for a lie, who know God's decree and who do the debased things anyway. We also saw that those who have enough moral conscience to condemn others are storing up wrath for themselves as they do the same things. And then we've seen Paul keep poking at Jewish pride since 2:17, those who boasted in the externals of religion rather than believing in their hearts. The case of the Jews is especially important for Paul, not only because he was one, but also because they are a people with unique privilege, a people who had been chosen by God according to God's sovereign grace, a people who had a covenant with God, many of whom rejected the Messiah, rejected God's righteousness by faith, and were in danger of God's wrath. How could *this* nation who had the law and the oracles and the circumcision be so unfaithful? Even more, is God sovereign over that unfaithfulness? And if He is, is it righteous for Him to hold men responsible for it? Those are questions that have been making men squirmy and squirrelly long before our current effeminate Evangelicalism. Erasmus tried to get God off the hook for what he took as a bad look in the 16th century, Pelagius tried in the 5th century, and at least some were doing it in the 1st century. These sorts were always the first in line to talk to Paul after his sessions at the regional conference. He provides the Roman readers with the problem and the right perspective. # Fair Judgment? (verses 5-6) There are five questions in four verses. Four of the questions seem to be criticisms and one of the questions is actually an answer. That answer comes at the end of the first issue. > **But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?** (Romans 3:5–6) This is really important. There is no reason to ask the second question if the content of the first question isn't *true*. We could state it as a declarative rather than an interrogative: “our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God.” I emphasized in chapter 1 that God has set up the world in such a way as to show His glory, including when He glorifies His righteous judgment. Unthankful rebels provide Him the platform to display His excellent wrath. The only reason to bother asking if this is *fair* is if it's *true*. What is wrong is any implied application that God is wrong, not man. One option is that we could say: “God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us” since He gets what He wants. There are two problems with that answer. First, this is only the human perspective: “(I speak in a human way.)” This line of questions comes from man's defensiveness, from man's bias toward self-justification, and also from his limitations. Paul almost doesn't even want to say it on behalf of the objector; it's an example of conceited complaining about what one doesn't comprehend (Calvin). Second, it is impossible. “May it never be!” for the second time in chapter 3. God cannot be anything other than faithful (verse 3), and He cannot be anything other than righteous. It is a fallacy by divine rule. Paul's follow up is, “For then how could God judge the world?” There is no argument to prove that there is a God or that He is a judge or that He will judge the world. The assumed foundation is in the question. He's going to do it so of course He must do it rightly. > Rise up, O judge of the earth; > repay to the proud what they deserve! > (Psalm 94:2) God's righteousness *is*. He is “holy, holy, holy.” Righteousness, an attribute of always acting according to the standard, is an unmistakeable and inseparable attribute of His. He can't not be righteous. He determined His plan in righteousness, He is working out His plan in righteousness, and the goal will be righteous all the way to the final judgment. All things are from Him and through Him and to Him; at no point is there a missing gap of righteousness. The Jews' rejection of Jesus, and the judgment on them for doing so, *is* part of God's plan AND part of His righteousness, and there is a lot more about this in chapters 9-11 which concludes with a doxology to God's wisdom (11:33-36). # Fair Condemnation? (verses 7-8) The next two questions are steps across the same bridge, just a little more brazen. Paul's response is also more blunt. > **But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.** (Romans 3:7–8) Obviously something is wrong here since Paul calls it slander. But what is the problem? As in verses 5-6, two things are happening, and the objectors distort the truth by only allowing for one. God's truth *aboundeth* still, even when a sinner lies AND the liar is condemned as a liar. God is sovereign all the way through, not just after the fact in His response, and a man is responsible. No man is outside of God's omniscient exercise of His omnipotence, and no man can claim he's innocent. It's the same with the good and evil question. Good *has* come from evil, more on that in a moment. The problem is that the objector, the slanderer, wants to use that as a cover to indulge himself. He wants to blame his sinful desires on God's system. It may seem bold to say that good has come from evil, but it would be biblically blind to say otherwise. The nation of Israel was spared because Joseph's brothers hated him and sold him. Joseph summarized it, “you meant it for evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive” (Genesis 50:20). If no evil, then no nation. No nation would have kept some of them from becoming religious hypocrites, but God preserved them even through sinful agents. The promise in Romans 8:28 either includes evil or it is a false promise. “All things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Why is this valuable? Because we currently suffer the effects of evil, on creation and in our interactions with evil accusers and persecutors. Who questions if all *good* things work together for good? This includes the fact that we Gentiles are here because the Jews rejected Jesus, “through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11). Most of all, we have no salvation apart from the gospel that came out of the evil. > this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (Acts 2:23) > truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Acts 4:27–28) The most evil act *ever* was predestined by God, presided over in every detail by God (Luke 24:44-46), and yet performed by wicked men whose judgment will be worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. The just condemnation deserved by those Paul references here was due to their sinful slander of God, as if God *delights* in evil, and their sin. They were “right” in terms of God's sovereignty but wrong in terms of how His sovereignty works. # Conclusion You may find a couple categories to be useful when trying to hold these truths together in your mind: God's *revealed will* and God's *ordained will*. The two are not in contradiction, but they are not visible at the same time in the same way. His revealed will is in His Word, the law, commandments and prohibitions. Anyone who transgresses or who fails to live up to them is guilty of sin (Romans 3:23). Also, God is God and ordains all things, including the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1) and Pharaohs (Exodus 4:21) and Pharisees, sinners and satan himself. In the story, everything is under the Author's dominion, and He does whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3). This is why we don't have to fear what man can do to us, although man has no excuse. God's ordained-from-before-the-foundation-of-the-world-will will and is happening, and He is always righteous. While we receive these truths we also remember God's character. It's His kindness that is meant to lead to repentance. Remember His generosity, giving good to the ungrateful in creation and in His special communication. Remember that He is steadfast love. He is wiser and truer than we have capacity to grasp. He is more righteous and more loving than we will ever fully know. While we work at increasing our understanding of Him, our limited perspective is no hindrance to trusting Him. Trust Him. Look to the cross. There is no greater picture of righteousness on display, putting the judgment we deserved onto His perfect Son through the evil of men's hating hearts and murderous hands. Righteousness shined out of that dark scene, and God's truth aboundeth still. ---------- ## Charge Truth is not only sometimes stranger than fiction, the truth is, truth is more glorious than fiction. So you ought to speak the truth. You ought to evangelize, not because you feel guilty about *not* doing it, but because you feel the weight of how *great* the truth is. Our God overcomes evil with good. Our God's truth aboundeth still. Just don't lie and you'll really have something to say. ## Benediction: > Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. (2 John 1:3, ESV)

Host Lois Matson explores the difference between a guide and a guard, and the Battle at Helm's Deep. Is God our guide or our guard? She contemplates Martin Luther's fight hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and Jesus the Fortress to Whom we flee.Please send your comments, suggestions, and ideas for future shows to diceystuffpodcast@gmail.com. Do you have an idea for a Dicey Bible Story? Send it on in! Intro and outro vocals created with the voices from LOVO @ www.lovo.ai.

We think of Martin Luther as a great reformed, Bible translator, political leader, fiery preacher, and theologian. But he was also a musician, having been born in an area of Germany known for its music. Luther's most famous hymn is “Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott,”—“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The resources used for the podcast include, but not limited to; “How Great Thou Art” written by Robert J. Morgan and Hymnary.org

Dahil sa ang mga anak na tinutukoy niya ay tao, naging tao rin si Jesus at tulad nila'y may laman at dugo. Ginawa niya ito upang sa pamamagitan ng kanyang kamatayan ay mawasak niya ang diyablo na siyang may kapangyarihan sa kamatayan. Sa pamamagitan din ng kanyang kamatayan ay pinalaya niya ang lahat ng tao na buong buhay nila'y inalipin ng takot sa kamatayan. Hebreo 2:14–15 Naging tao si Jesus dahil kailangan ng kamatayan ng isang taong higit pa sa tao. Ang pagkakatawang-tao Niya ay ang pagkukulong ng Diyos sa Kanyang sarili sa death row. Hindi nakipagsapalaran sa kamatayan si Jesus. Pinili Niya ito. Niyakap. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit Siya dumating: “Hindi upang paglingkuran kundi upang maglingkod at upang mag-alay ng kanyang buhay para sa ikatutubos ng marami” (Marcos 10:45). Kaya naman pala sinubukan ni Satanas na ilayo si Jesus sa krus — sa ilang (Mateo 4:1–11) at sa bibig ni Pedro (Mateo 16:21–23)! Ang krus ang pagkawasak ni Satanas. Paano siya winasak ni Jesus? Sinasabi sa Hebreo 2:14 na si Satanas ay “may kapangyarihan sa kamatayan.” Ibig sabihin, may kakayahan si Satanas na gawing nakakatakot ang kamatayan. “Kapangyarihan sa kamatayan” ang kapangyarihan na umaalipin sa tao sa pamamagitan ng takot sa kamatayan. Ito ang kapangyarihang ikulong ang tao sa kasalanan upang maging nakakakilabot ang kamatayan. Ngunit tinanggalan ni Jesus ng kapangyarihang ito ni Satanas. Tinanggalan Niya ito ng sandata. Humubog Siya ng baluti ng katuwiran para sa atin upang hindi tayo tablan ng paninisi ng Diyablo. Paano Niya ginawa ito? Sa Kanyang kamatayan, binura ni Jesus ang lahat ng ating mga kasalanan. At ang isang taong walang kasalanan ay hindi maaaaring hatulan ni Satanas. Dahil tayo'y napatawad na, hindi tayo mawawasak. Ang plano ni Satanas ay wasakin ang kautusan ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng paninisi sa mga tagasunod Niya sa korte mismo ng Diyos. Ngunit ngayon, kay Cristo, wala nang kahatulang pagsumpa. Naudlot ang pagtataksil ni Satanas. Ang kanyang planong pandaraya ay napigilan. “Magpapatuloy ang kanyang galit, dahil, aba, sigurado na ang kanyang kapalaran.”[1] Sinaksak na siya ng krus. At di magtatagal ay malalagutan na siya ng hininga. Si Cristo ay para sa kalayaan — kalayaan mula sa takot sa kamatayan. Nagkatawang-tao si Jesus sa Bethlehem upang mamatay sa nakalaang kamatayan para sa atin sa Jerusalem — upang tayo'y mawalan ng takot kung saan tayo ngayon. Oo, walang takot, dahil kung ang pinakamalaking banta sa ating kagalakan ay wala na, bakit pa tayo matatakot sa mas maliliit na banta? Paano natin masasabi nang totoo, “Hindi ako takot mamatay pero takot akong mawalan ng trabaho”? Hindi. Hindi. Mag-isip kayo! Kung ang kamatayan (sinasabi ko, kamatayan! — walang pulso, malamig, wala na!) ay hindi na kinatatakutan, tayo'y malaya na talaga. Malaya na tayong makipagsapalaran para kay Cristo at para sa pag-ibig. Hindi na tayo magiging alipin sa takot. Kung pinalaya ka na ng Anak, ika'y tunay na ngang malaya! [1] Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” 1527–1529.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, conveys another eloquent and convicting message from his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. Before her many missionary trips and travels, she would, of course, need to pack—and then unpack afterward. But now she is going on a journey that requires no packing. Jobje writes, “This time, I find myself unpacking for the greatest journey of my life—for my eternal home. In church this Sunday we sang one of the greatest hymns of our faith. ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.' One verse hit me anew: ‘Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also.' It was a very sobering thought because that is exactly what I am doing. I'm letting my goods go even as in time I will have to let my kindred go. As I was packing my boxes for a Christian thrift store, I was struck with the thought for the first time that I would not need to pack a suitcase. I would not have to pack boxes ever again for my journey heavenward. Just me. Just me with my soul flying toward heaven at the moment of death, unencumbered by the things of this world—not even encumbered by my body. My body to be placed into the cold ground waiting the resurrection. That body can't even accompany me on this particular journey. But this I know—that a special white robe of His righteousness will clothe me. Even my earthly name will be changed to a new one. ‘Nothing in my hand I bring'—no suitcase, no boxes—‘simply to Thy cross I cling.' ‘Naked come to Thee for dress; helpless, I look to thee for grace.' Yes, Lord, my Savior, the ensured ‘cloak of salvation' is all I need to adorn me in Your home. I look forward to that.”

In this episode of Hymns Illustrated,  we'll finish looking closer at "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"  -- our November Hymn of the Month -- and explore possible interpretations of that "one little word" referred to in stanzas three and four -- the word  that Luther says will fell Satan. - KristenMentioned Resources:Sign up for the Hymn of the Month Newsletter here.Support the podcast by shopping Hymns Illustrated Resources.***Intro and outro music: Josh Snodgrass (used with permission)Support the show

Using the recent celebrations of Reformation Day and All Saints Day, I discuss why the church (especially the Protestant evangelical church) needs to be more attuned to its history and cultural patrimony.  This includes things like the great English language hymns, but also simply a greater awareness of the incredible legacy of faithfulness and sacrifice that previous generations made to bring us into being and enable us to be Christians today.Links:American Reformer: Evangelicalism's Second-Class Status in Conservatism - https://americanreformer.org/evangelicalisms-second-class-status-in-conservatism/A Mighty Fortress Is Our God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9uGNb8ZficFor All the Saints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPjCQ_SRGqMThe Lion King: "You Don't Even Know Who You Are" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmWKvvXzlyg

You're listening to the Hymns Illustrated Podcast where hymns are explored, appreciated and illustrated through stories, testimonies and conversation.In this episode of Hymns Illustrated, you'll hear five more reasons why hymns are so important to God's people, continuing last week's topic. Also, our Hymn of the Month for November is A Mighty Fortress Is Our God and I share not just the hymn story with you but the "rest of the story."- KristenMentioned Resources:Sign up for the Hymn of the Month Newsletter here.Support the podcast by shopping Hymns Illustrated Resources.***Intro and outro music: Josh Snodgrass (used with permission)Support the show

Luther was opposed by Prince and Pope. He was resisted by Church and Culture. And yet, he fully recognized the true enemies of conscience. In the battle cry of the Reformation Luther penned the now famous words contained in --A Mighty Fortress Is Our God---...--As we now see the Reformation repeating itself in our times, we too would do well to recognize the true combatants of our conscience.

Jon and Justin talk about adoption--how God has brought us into his own family through the blood of his Son. We now call God, "Father." The guys also get into some law/gospel stuff and a biblical understanding of God's holiness. Giveaway: "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes Scripture References: John 2:13-17 Mark 2:23-27 Luke 6:6-11 Luke 13:1-5 Mark 7:1-23 Luke 18:18-27 Luke 15 Matthew 9:12-13 Matthew 11:28-30 Matthew 12:18-21 John 10:14-18 John 14:1-3 John 17:24 Luke 12:32 Luke 7:36-50 Romans 8:15 1 John 3:1 https://youtu.be/mrW_BEPI1Fw Semper Reformanda Transcripts Justin Perdue: Welcome to the Semper Reformanda podcast. I know we were being funny with the title For God So Hated the World, but that is so often how it comes across. "God is just really angry and reluctantly at best is saving sinners. But really, I don't even know if He wants to do that. If it didn't bring in glory, He surely wouldn't do it because He has no interest in our wellbeing." That's just so far from the biblical picture. He is holy, He is righteous, He is just, and He is gracious, merciful, tender, and delights to save sinners, and that's why He is so worthy of worship. Here we are to talk about that more. I'm mindful of Luke 12:32, about how Jesus says, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's delight to give you the kingdom." That's a wonderful thought here, too. But where I'd love to pivot this conversation to is like a Romans 8 idea, along with other passages, of how we have been adopted into God's family. Like 1 John: we're now sons and daughters of God. And how we've not been given a spirit of fear, but we have been given the spirit of adoption through which we cry, "Abba, Father," and God is no longer our judge. God is no longer scary. I'm preaching to myself here. He's no longer scary, He's no longer threatening, He no longer condemns us, He's not our judge anymore—He is our Father. We don't have to do anything to climb up into our Father's arms to be held by Him and to be loved by Him. That's already been given. Jon Moffitt: He picks you up. John 20, Jesus comes out of the tomb and Mary realizes that Jesus is not the gardener, but is Jesus. The King James mistranslated it and it was very confusing. It says, "Don't touch me." Justin Perdue: Don't you criticize the King James version. Jon Moffitt: Oh my. I got myself in trouble with that. She grabs him—I'm imagining that she's holding him around the legs as if she's saying, "I'm not letting you go." Jesus gives her motivation to let go. This is what he says: "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.'" I love it. It's like he's saying, "We're brothers. We're family. Your Father and my Father." Why can Jesus proclaim the inclusion that he makes? Because he gave the right to adoption to sinners. His blood is the ink on the page that says you belong. It's amazing. Justin Perdue: Thinking about adoption, JI Packer's book Knowing God is a Christian classic. I think the best chapter in that book is the chapter on adoption. Packer makes the argument—and this was written in the 1970s—that it is one of the most neglected doctrines in the Scriptures. Like you said, the ink is literally the blood of the son of God. Our adoption is secure and our status as adopted children is going nowhere. Just to think about God's love for us and how He did these things for us. If we thought more about it, we would be greatly helped—and I think he's right. Martin Luther famously wrote the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. And there's that line, I think, at the end of the third verse (at least the way we sing it at CBC) where he's talking about the devil. That song is about God being our fortress and how the devil and spiritual warfare is real, but we're safe and secure in the Lord, and in particular in Christ and what he's done for us. But at the end of that one verse, Martin Luther writes that one little word that will fell the devil. Luther was cited as saying that that one little word, as he had it in mind when he wrote the hymn, was Abba and how us being able to call God "Father" is what ultimately undoes the devil in all of his work and power. That's a remarkable thought: God being our Father and us being able to call him that and being able to, with confidence, approach the throne of grace because of God's fatherly, gentle disposition toward us is the undoing of the evil one. What a blessed thought. Jon Moffitt: You said a couple of things. When you are dealing with someone who says, "Yeah, but I think you guys are deemphasizing the holiness of God. And because of that, if you continue to present this position of Jesus, then people will not see it necessary to be holy." Your response to that is? Justin Perdue: A number of thoughts. One of them is what I said in the regular show that I think that when we rightly present the totality of God's nature, rightly emphasizing His holiness, justice, righteousness, and His love and grace and mercy, and help us understand that the holy God is the one who delights to save sinners, what is actually produced by that whole accurate presentation is reverence and awe before the Lord. I am amazed that this God loves me and has saved me and sent His Son to live, suffer, bleed, and die for me to the extent that I am moved to worship and my desire is to love and serve and obey this God. So that's one of my responses. Yes, we uphold the holiness of the Lord and His righteousness so that we can accurately represent Him in His grace and mercy. That is most obviously seen in the work and in the cross of Christ, which I think is the most moving, gripping, epic message in the universe and would produce awe and reverence before the Lord. It would do anything but produce licentiousness, looseness, and apathy towards the things of God. I think, if anything, the message where holiness is overemphasized and it's all about righteousness and wrath and the like, what that ends up producing is either hatred of God or it produces a fear of God, like I said before, where the last thing in the world we want to do is be near Him. And it's like He's not really worthy of worship, except for the fact that like a dictator, I feel like I have to or I'm going to die. In the other position, my heart's cry is that I love God because of what He has done for me. I don't deserve it—I'm a wretch and He loves me. He is incredible and awesome. Praise be to His name and I will delight to live in His presence forever with the other redeemed saints. It's a disconnect for me. I think my other response is a basic law and gospel response. I was having this conversation the other day with the guy who was on staff with me here at the church, and we were on our way to a meeting with some people from our church. We got into just talking about some other churches in our area that we know of and some things that have been brought to our attention lately. Just talking about how there is such a lack of law and gospel preaching, and how if I or the guy on our staff were ever invited to a church like this particular church, our sermon is a law and gospel sermon. We just begin with what the Lord requires. The 10 Commandments are great, but let's just even simplify it more than that and let's take it straight from the lips of Christ himself: we're to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and we're to love our neighbors as ourselves. How are you doing with that? We preach the law of God in all of its holiness, because the irony is many of the people that scream about wrath and scream about God's holiness else are over there relativizing the law. They are telling people to live a certain way, and they can, in one sense, please God. Or they take a scalpel to the law or a machete to the law and say, "I'm just going to cut some parts out and leave in other parts. I'm going to emphasize this and throw this over here." Whereas, I think what we need to do is preach the law in all of its holiness and frankly, in all of its terror apart from Christ because we are ruined and crushed by that. Then, having preached the law to people who cannot keep it and then showing us that we can't keep it, then we preach Christ and his work and what he came to do in his own words, that he, "did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it." And then you begin to see that this is what the Lord has been doing all along. This is why he gave the law in the first place. This is what the sacrificial system, the priesthood, the day of atonement, the Passover, and all the feasts and all these things were about. This was about what God would accomplish through Christ, and we preach that message. That's my response. I agree with you that we need to emphasize holiness, and we need to do it in such a way where we are astonished at the grace of God and the fact that He loves sinners and actually celebrates when we come to faith and repent—which is His work anyway, but He celebrates that. And then preach the law and preach the gospel. I don't think anybody's going to get it twisted that we don't think God's holy. Jon Moffitt: As you were speaking, these are the thoughts that came to my mind: mercy, rightly taught, creates merciful, Christians. And grace, rightly taught, creates gracious Christians. But what ended up being taught in the modern Calvingelical legalistic context is law, and it creates legalistic Christians. Justin Perdue: Self-righteous Christians. Jon Moffitt: Right. Legalistic, self-righteous Christians. When I think about the woman at the feet of Jesus in Luke 7, what did Jesus constitute to her disposition? Much forgiveness. When I see people in my congregation who see that their sins have been massively forgiven, they tend to have a mass amount of mercy and patience and grace. When Paul says in Ephesians 4 to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called," and immediately points to graciousness, mercy, and longsuffering, God has been merciful and patient and long suffering towards us. He says, "Look, I will not forgive you if you are unwilling to forgive." The response of a Christian should be mercy and grace, and yet what I hear is legalism and law and self-righteousness. Justin Perdue: It's not surprising. I'm picking up on your idea and I think you're exactly right. I just jotted this down as you were talking. I think when the law is mishandled, which is what you're saying, 1 Timothy 1:8, we uphold the law when it's used lawfully, but when the law is not used lawfully and is used irresponsibly, damage occurs. And in particular, what often happens is the law is preached to Christians and it's confused. In our churches, Jon, you and I mean to do two things in preaching to the redeemed. We do mean to preach the first use of the law every week to continue to remind us all that we can't keep it and we need Christ for that and that he's done it. So we do that. But then we also preach the third use of the law as the guide for our lives, but we do that in a way that is gentle and not threatening and not condemnatory because the law can no longer condemn us in Christ. It doesn't mean that we don't love it and that we don't want to follow it—of course we do—but we're not afraid of the law anymore. But what happens often is that the third use of the law, in the minds of many Calvingelical preachers, the guide part is actually preached with this threatening tone like it's the first use. Then what occurs is when people are being told effectively to live better, it's done with this edgy and threatening tone, which then produces people that are edgy and threatening in how they interact with everybody else when it comes to obedience. It's always about doing something or else. That's how we interact with each other. It's not shocking. The tone and tenor of the preaching in how the law and the gospel are understood then affects the tone and tenor of all the relationships in the church. Jon Moffitt: Justin and I could do this all day—we'd go off each other. But as you're talking, what I hear is that preaching that should be relieving people of their burden and giving them hope for their burden, like in Galatians 2, bearing one another's burden, instead, we are putting a burden on top of them and we're exhausting Christians with the law inappropriately preached with the first use. And Jesus is saying, "No, no, no. My burden is light. The yoke that comes with me is a relief." Justin Perdue: Why is that? Because he's done. Jon Moffitt: That's right. So when I or any preacher of the gospel or even you who are sharing Jesus with your friends, neighbors, and your congregation, and you're building each other up, it should be the relief of the burden off of them. You weren't adding to the burden, but you're carrying that burden. Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." What gets me upset is there are people preaching Jesus and they give more burden. Paul says you preach Jesus and carry burdens; you don't put more burdens on people. Justin Perdue: Suffice it to say that Jesus is gentle, lowly, and compassionate toward those who know that they need him. He is always that way: he is not scary, he is not threatening, he is not disappointed. He welcomes us in love, he invites us to come to him, he reminds us that in him are found peace and rest and life, and we can approach him for those things. And he wants us to be with him. If anything, for me, one of the takeaways is that God so loves us that He rejoices to save us. That is a reminder that I don't think we can hear enough. Grace and peace to you saints who are listening to this podcast. We hope sincerely that you've been encouraged in Christ and in the love of your heavenly Father today. We have been as we've talked about it. Keep pressing on, keep trusting Christ, keep loving each other in your local communities. We pray that things continue to develop with SR and the app and the groups and all that good stuff so that even more community and encouragement can ensue. So pray for us. Please continue to support this ministry. We're very grateful for you and your partnership. We look forward to more of this and more rest in Christ and more joy in him and all that stuff, should the Lord tarry in the months and years to come. Jon Moffitt: Join some groups. If you're not in a group, join an online group or a local group. Let's get this thing rolling. Justin Perdue: Jon's condemning all of you who haven't joined the group yet now that we're done with the gospel part. Jon Moffitt: I'm encouraging you, not condemning. Justin Perdue: Jon's encouraging you. He is your kind adviser. Anyway, before this goes off the cliff, we're going to say goodbye. We will talk with you guys again next week on SR. Peace.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We are in a series looking at the Psalms, and this week, we'll be spending some time in Psalm 46. This incredible psalm has inspired many different songs over the years, including "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It's been a source of hope and confidence for believers over the last few millennia, and we're looking at it once again to stir up our faith.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We are in a series looking at the Psalms, and this week, we'll be spending some time in Psalm 46. This incredible psalm has inspired many different songs over the years, including "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It's been a source of hope and confidence for believers over the last few millennia, and we're looking at it once again to stir up our faith.

Psalm 46 is a reminder that God is our refuge and strength.  Martin Luther's great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was inspired by this Psalm.  God is our "Mighty Fortress" despite our circumstances and even when we do not feel him near!

As we adapt to a new normal, while hopefully coming to the end of Covid-19, we are facing yet another challenge, a new form of social anxiety. Over the past year and a half, we were forced to physically distance from family and friends, and many of us spent most of that time in our homes, with video calls and Zoom events becoming the primary means of socializing.  Consequently, many now feel anxious and have a degree of social unease after living through this global pandemic.  Therapist, Leslie Adams, writes, “Dealing with long periods of isolation can increase social anxiety. Even those who would consider themselves naturally more extroverted could be struggling. Being outside our bubble will feel overwhelming because it is a drastic change.  We will notice all the subtle things that we don't see or hear on video calls. We will feel like we are struggling, like our senses are on overdrive, because they are.”  As my friend, Bill Uetricht, says, “This pandemic has been one of the most anxious times in recent memory for all of us, and anxiety has a way of lingering, affecting our behavior and our interactions with others.  This happens even if it is not fully rational.”  You see, throughout this pandemic, we have placed boundaries around ourselves and around the way we function.  We have imposed artificial boundaries with the intent purpose of staying away from others. The anxiety some people now face is very real, and it is rooted in a newly developed fear of being with or encountering others.  Anxieties over crossing boundaries and encountering others are nothing new in human history.  In fact, such anxiety was very real in Jesus' lifetime.  In Biblical times, the Sea of Galilee was a well-defined geographical boundary.  The Jewish people were on one side of the sea, and on the other side you would find those despicable, contemptable Gentiles in the country of the Gerasenes, those vile “others” with whom the Jewish people did not want to connect.  As we move through Mark's gospel, we find many of the recorded events that begin in chapter four take place on alternate sides of the Sea of Galilee.  And, the most direct route from one side to the other was across the sea.  In today's reading, when we hear Jesus say to the disciples, “Let us go across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee,” he is indicating more than just a change of venue.  This is Jesus' first venture in Mark's gospel to what would be considered a dangerous, even inappropriate, destination because that is where the Gentiles resided.  Good Jewish people did not go there.  The rabbis did not go there.  Remember, the people on the other side were considered “other.”  Yet, today, early on in Mark's gospel, we see Jesus deliberately demonstrate his claim that his mission extends beyond the Jews.  And, by carrying his ministry into Gentile territory, Jesus reaches out to strangers, those despised “others,” those who were considered enemies of the house of Israel. On the way to the “other side,” a place and experience which created great anxiety within them because they would have to encounter those considered “other,” their boat struggles with a great windstorm.  Now, the storm itself is not an unusual occurrence on the Sea of Galilee.  And, the disciples who are accompanying Jesus in the boat, are accustomed to the unpredictable nature of the sea.  After all, several of them were experienced fishermen.  But, the disciples become afraid and, in their fear and desperation, they wake Jesus and cry out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”  Jesus then speaks saying, “Peace!  Be still!” as he rebukes the wind and the waves.  God's Word, embodied in Jesus, speaks to the chaos and the storm is stilled.  The very Lord who, in our first lesson, told Job that God is the one who conquers the power of the sea, is the same One Jesus embodies as he speaks, and the storm is stilled. Friends, for the past several years we have been experiencing a raging storm in our culture and, over the past year and a half, a raging storm throughout the world because of this pandemic.  There have been times when it has felt as though we are in a small boat on a stormy sea.  We have seen acts of violence and oppression in this country – political violence, racial violence, and rising gun violence in our communities as the number of mass shootings just seems to escalate.  The evils of systemic racism and white supremacy are plaguing our country. These challenges, in addition to the global pandemic, have at times left us feeling helpless as we attempt to navigate this storm. Yes, we have experienced and are experiencing an intense storm.  And, quite frankly, this storm will intensify as we face mounting threats from climate change. There has been and is much chaos, and I believe many of us have been and are scared.  And, in the depth of the storms we face, the pain and suffering we see causes us to cry out, “God, do you not care that we are perishing?”  I say this honestly – there is a feeling of betrayal as we cry out amid these experiences in the face of what often seems to be the silence of God. When looking at this gospel story, it is important to note that Jesus never says, “There is nothing to be afraid of.”  He asks, “Why are you afraid?” Jesus' question is very different from simply saying, “There is nothing to be afraid of.” The storm the disciples faced was fierce, as are the wind and the waves of chaos that threaten us. Jesus' question does not deny the chaos that is present.  Instead, Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”  And, it is interesting that time and time again, we hear the words of scripture say to us, “Do not be afraid.”  You see, the hard truth is that fearsome things are very real, things like pain, illness, rejection, failure, violence, meaninglessness, losing one's job, money problems, and death.  As we grow in faith and name such fearsome things as real, we also discover they do not have the last word.  They do not have ultimate power over us, because reigning over this world of fearsome things is a God who is mightier than they.  Time and again in scripture, the word given us is, “Do not be afraid.”  In fact, you might say it is the first and last word of the gospel.  It is the word spoken to a young girl named Mary, it is the word spoken to Joseph, it is spoken to the shepherds, and it is the word spoken to the women when they discover an empty tomb.  “Do not be afraid.”  Not because there are no fearsome things on the sea of our day and our lives, not because there are no storms, fierce winds, or waves, but rather because God is with us!  Like a mother comforting her child, God speaks to us and says, “Don't be afraid, because you are not alone.  I am with you.” In times like these, it is easy to forget that God's all-powerful Word is still spoken amid the noise and chaos of our lives and world.  Like the disciples and like Paul in our second reading, we articulate and list the challenges we face as we look to rediscover our faith in the promise of God's powerful Word.  And, like Jesus' word of peace spoken over the raging storm, God's word still can calm our deepest fears.  As Martin Luther wrote in his great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” one little word above all earthly powers can fell whatever darkness threatens to undo us.  Friends, we cannot navigate the storm alone, but that living Word is with us and in us and God is calling us to live that incarnated Word in our present context.  We may feel fear, but the incarnational Word of God is present in the Body of Christ.  And, the Church – the Body of Christ in this world – is also called to rebuke the storm. Friends, the deepest truth in life as we live these days – as we again encounter others, as we encounter all those we consider “other,” as we regather, and as we face the storms of life – is a truth that only faith in a God who raised Jesus from the grave can teach us.  It is this:  even though there are real and fearsome things in this life, they need not paralyze us; they need not have dominion over us; they need not own us; they need not have the last word, because we are not alone in the boat!  Present to us in the boat is the One who, with gentle authority, speaks and rebukes that which threatens life. And, that Word gifts us with what we need the most, with what is called for – peace that passes all understanding.

June 16, 2021Psalms SeriesPsalm 46 – Radical TrustEpisode 59This is the Psalm that inspired the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.Now, the emphasis in this Psalm is on God and how God alone is our refuge and our help in times of trouble.  Many people think that they will only be secure in this life if they have enough money.  Obviously money is a huge help in times of need, but during the times of real struggle money is not the answer.   Others depend upon their education, or upon their skills, or depend upon their connections (you've heard the saying -- it's not what you know, but who you know).  God is our refuge  Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)  1  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Our ultimate security is found in God.  God is our strength  Psalm 46:1 (NIV)  1  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Sometimes God shields us from troubles like a fortress or a refuge.  But sometimes He doesn't.  And it is during those times that God gives us strength to get through the difficulty, rather than taking us out of the difficulty.  He enables us to get through the storms of life. How can we apply this to our lives? Be still. CeasePsalm 46:10 (NIV)  10  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  Sometimes God shields us from troubles like a fortress or a refuge.  But sometimes He doesn't.  And it is during those times that God gives us strength to get through the difficulty, rather than taking us out of the difficulty.  He enables us to get through the storms of life. Know that God is God  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)  10  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  Often times the Hebrew word for ‘know' means to experience.  In other words, we can and will experience God at work in our life if we will be still, if we will wait for God to show up.   

Selected Scriptures Series: Our Worship #5 # Introduction I get the impression that most professing Christians in the United States make their decision about which church they prefer based on the style of songs sung during corporate services. The number of things we could pick at in such a practice would be like picking a long road rash scab; where do you want to start? We probably ought to sympathize a bit more with our Christian brothers, and sisters, in such a mindset. Remember that most worship services offer very few ways for Christians to participate, and *feel* like or be convinced that it's true, other than singing. Even in those churches where worship isn't defined as the singing compared to any other part of the service, singing still bears most of the burden for an attendees active contribution. So it makes sense that in light of the longing to worship, if worship means singing, then the singing parts are the more crucial parts for a Christian deciding where to worship. This certainly can include a more consumer-like attitude more than intent for consecration. There is also a heavy performance, concert-like mentality which in some ways makes style even more significant. This also may allow an attendee to hide a bit, and not just because the lights are low, but because the volume through the speakers is so high. His neighbor in the pew might have a hard time knowing whether his heart is engaged or not. There are also churches with minimal liturgy for the assembly that emphasize preaching so much that, even without explicitly saying so, the Really Mature (RM) in the congregation know that singing is just for the weak who can't get their minds into fifth-learning gear without at least some strumming on a guitar. As usual, there are about as many ways to mess up worship in song as there are chorus repeats in a Chris Tomlin song, which means, a lot. What is really a reason to praise the Lord at TEC is that you need very little rebuke. In fact, by God's grace, you are to be commended for your interest and eagerness and understanding and skillfulness in our worship in song. As a church we have matured in our grasp of the battering ram of corporate singing, and we have strengthened our affections for singing and by singing together. Nine years ago I preached a message titled "Sing and Shout" to a different group of people. Some of the people have the same names and faces, but not the same hearts and minds, and ears. At that time we had begun to expand our arsenal of songs by trying to recover some of the older volumes in the library, and I mean older than early 90's music from the Maranatha catalog. I mean psalms and hymns, as in actual and full Psalms from the inspired 150 as well as various hymns produced in church history, especially during and since the 16th century Reformation. We moved, on purpose, away from the more sentimental, away from the more folksy, away from the more effeminate, away from only unison, toward more of the militantly celebratory, masculine, melody with harmony. We maintained an interest lyrical orthodoxy, but we attempted to develop an interest in lyrical history and musicality. Nine years ago we lost a few families who were not impressed with the direction. Here we are nine years later and, if we listened to the loudest minority today, we might hear that we've still not made it far enough down the road since we've not yet decided to sing *nothing but* Psalms. Still and overall, we have much thanks to give to God. And because our songs are part of a Christ-honoring liturgy that belongs with a Christ-honoring culture, it's worth reminding ourselves of what we're aiming for when it comes to our worship in song. You know, right, that there is *no command to sing* in the New Testament. There is no command to sing as a disciple, there is no command to sing as an assembly. The music 'lovahs' usually get sharp about this assertion, but their actual arguments from the NT text fall flat. There *are*, though, examples of singing, and there is a condition that, if met, should be followed by singing, and we certainly see singing as an inescapable consequence of obedience to two commands. So, in terms of the NT, failure to sing is a failure to obey, but not because singing itself is an explicit command. As for **examples**, Jesus and His disciples sang (Matthew 26:30). The apostles, especially when imprisoned, sang (Acts 16:25). The angels in heaven never cease their singing (Revelation 4:8). These are descriptive realities that demonstrate singing as typical behavior of those who believe that God is worthy to be trusted and praised. The one **condition** is found in a group of three conditions in James 5. > Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him. (James 5:13-14) "Pray" and "sing praise" and "call" the elders are all imperatives, but they are third person imperatives, unlike our typical second person commands: "(You) pray." These instructions from James are a sequence: if this then that. The command "let him sing praise" is one Greek word, *psalleto*, which while connected to the word "psalm" is used enough times that it can't be limited to one from the one-hundred fifty. But, are you in good spirits? Then sing. The singing **consequences** of obedience to other commands are most interesting, and the context of each does really set an expected tone. The passages are both written by the apostle Paul, and they are clearly parallel in his mind, coming at a similar point in his letters to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. > Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:18-20) > Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17) There is **singing** in both, and the *-ing* ending is important. The command in Ephesians is **be (being filled) with the Spirit**. That is the *only* grammatical command in these verses, the remaining verbs are participles, and the participles show what will be the inevitable result of obeying the command, here, being Spirit-filled. When the Spirit controls a person, it isn't banal barroom songs (from a drunkard), but it's still singing. The command in Colossians is **let the word of Christ dwell richly**, and likewise, it is the *only* grammatical command in the two verses. The ESV translation for verse 17 seems like "do everything" is a command, but that is a translation decision because the "do" is not in the Greek; it could better be understood (though more clunky) as "and everything which any should do, doing in the name of the Lord Jesus." Regardless, verse 16 has one imperative and three participles of consequence, including singing. In both passages the individual's obedience, to be filled and indwelt, results in *one-another* edification, and that is a *lyrical* edification. Of course this could be in a text message, or a private conversation, but there is a corporate context. The part about singing in Colossians comes in a paragraph full of assembled behavior. Bear with one another, forgive each other, put on love which brings harmony, let peace be the sovereign of the one body. We're talking about the body's behavior, not merely a believer's. And especially note the tone of *thankfulness*. Verse 15 ends with the command: "Be thankful." Verse 16 says that our singing should be "with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Verse 17 has "giving thanks to God the Father through [Christ]." From my perspective as a churchman, and as one of many under-shepherds, there is bitter irony in how often Christian singing is the most individually considered, externally concerned, creator of complaint and judgment and division, among all the liturgical elements. Our singing, which belongs with edifying our fellow members, becomes a self-fulfilling, strife-causing fracas. Our singing, which ought to express a melody of heart gladness (Ephesians 5:19), becomes a source of heart grumpiness. Our singing, which ought to unite an assembly with one voice to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Romans 15:5), becomes a measuring stick of strong and weak against one another and a platform for the “spiritual” to refuse to participate. If we are called, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, to bear with one another and forgive those who are sinning against us, shouldn't we also bear with others who are singing differently than us? Let there be *thanks* in the content of our songs and let there be thankfulness in our hearts and in our singing. > Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; > make melody to our God on the lyre! > (Psalm 147:7) Thankfulness overflows into singing. Being Spirit-filled overflows into singing. Being Word-indwelt overflows into singing. No singing, or weak singing, is a sign of hard or half hearts. So if we've got all this singing to do, what sorts of weapons do we have to choose from? **Different types of songs**. In both Ephesians and Colossians Paul lists three sorts: "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." There is apparently an argument that these three categories of songs are actually three categories of Psalms proper. As in, you can find all three of these kinds of songs in the OT book of Psalms, and usually those who embrace that understanding say that a church should *only* sing Psalms. That has going for it that the Psalms are inspired, as in, God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). It also has going for it that many are explicitly identified for Israel's choirmaster to arrange and lead for *group* singing. What that position does *not* have going for it is that, if binding, then no Christian could ever sing a song on the Lord's Day about Jesus, by name, or about His incarnation, or about His death on a cross, or about His resurrection from the grave. Christians could get *close*, but not explicit. This means Christians could always and only sing about the shadows that pointed toward the gospel, even if they read back into the shadows what they've come to learn from the NT. Such a position still requires more effort to argue for the right translation, and the right arrangement, since we don't know Hebrew or how quickly the tambourine should be shaken or what dance moves went with it (see Psalm 150:4), I mean, if we're being "biblical." This position also doesn't seem to acknowledge the fact that when John heard the angels singing in heaven, none of them were singing Psalms. It also really begs the question about why the word "psalms" is used in Psalms, but the words "hymns and spiritual songs" are *not*, and it seems like an awful lot liturgical pressure without exegetical proof. Did Paul have "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" in mind when he wrote? Of course he did, sort of. And someday, when you're in prison for Christ's name, you're not *not* going to get a crown because you sang "In Christ Alone." **Different persons of songs**. In too much contemporary Christian music there is a sense of "Jesus is my boyfriend" misty-eyed sentimentality, the kind of song where you can't really tell if it's a vertical or horizontal love song. There is a lot of focus on the first person singular, "I," the "me," the "my." "I love you Lord, and I lift my voice." And that is a real concern. But it's more than the grammatical person. "Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, yes, Lord" is all about Him, except for how it isn't. Also, it takes all the way until Psalm 3 for the "my" and the "I" and the "me" to be used. Be careful to not be more mature than the Psalms. I remember thinking a Chris Tomlin song started with the wrong reference point. "Not to us, but to Your name, give glory." I mean, was giving glory to us really an option? And then one day I read Psalm 115:1, > Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name, give glory. Or others: > Whom have I in heaven but you? > And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. > My flesh and my heart may fail, > but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. > (Psalm 73:25–26) > Bless the LORD, O my soul, > and all that is within me, > bless his holy name! > (Psalm 103:1) **Different instruments for songs**. I mentioned the tambourine earlier from Psalm 150. It was preceded by the trumpet, lute, and harp, and followed with "sounding cymbals." Then, "praise him with loud clashing symbols!" (verse 5). If you can't imagine someone walking away after that saying "The drummer was way too loud today," then you probably are someone who leaves too fast after the service. There are numerous things we learn in the Psalms that seem to allow for a measure of freedom and opportunity to praise the Lord with thankful hearts. # Conclusion One of the main problems that moved Paul to write 1 Corinthians was the division among them, especially as they divided over their preferred preacher of the scandalous word of the cross. Paul basically responded in three ways. One, he said it was wrong. Two, he said what really matters is how powerful God is in the word of the cross that isn't about exalting the wisdom of men. Three, he said "all are yours." The only qualifiers he gave were the opposite of limitations. "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's and Christ is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21-22). Paul was not promoting unity by abandonment of standard. He did not include false teachers or woman teachers; he had a context. But still he promoted unity by broadening of thankfulness. Our appetites for singing have increased and have matured. It is a great temptation of the mature to be cynical, to be picky, to be proud. What our singing should promote is faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and His triumph over all His enemies, it should promote a peace that seeks the building up of one another in the body, and it should promote a fire of heart-thanks that cannot keep quiet but overflows in the assembly's worship in song. ---------- ## Charge Drunkenness has tells. Some of you know the tells from experience, seeing a relative or friend under its control from close up. Solomon wrote, "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine" (Proverbs 23:29-30). Just as there are tells of being consumed by alcohol, there are tells of being quickened by and controlled by God's Spirit. Go out with song, go out with thanks. ## Benediction: > And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18–21, ESV)

Five hundred years ago Martin Luther knew that he needed the strong fortress of God. He struggled and studied and prayed, but still the security he sought eluded him. Finally he realized that God had made it very simple. Our salvation is won for us by Jesus Christ. God has made a strong and eternal fortress for us. Nothing can knock down the walls of the strong fortress God has built around us in Christ Jesus. The first hymn is LSB 657, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. The second and third hymn is LSB 578, “Thy Strong Word”, and fourth hymn is LSB 657, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

Click Here to Listen to the other parts in the seriesHe is the Stability of Our Times (Part 1) - Keeping Your FocusHe is the Stability of Our Times (Part 2) - Teaching Your Kids to Handle LossHe is the Stability of Our Times (Part 3) - The Unchanging ChristFamilyLife Today® Radio Transcript  References to conferences, resources, or other special promotions may be obsolete. Teaching Your Kids to Handle Loss Guests:                      Dennis and Barbara Rainey           From the series:       Unshaken: He Is the Stability of Our Times (Day 2 of 3)Air date:                     October 18, 2016  Bob: As a parent, do you want your children to grow up full of faith and courage?  Then, your children need to see a mom and a dad who are full of faith and are courageous. Here's Barbara Rainey.  Barbara: I think that that's our call as parents—is to model a relationship with Jesus Christ that's authentic, and strong, and rooted in the Rock. That's what our kids will notice, and they will follow that. That's what we want—we want our children to grow a faith too, but we have to remember that we are modeling that in what we say and in what we do because our kids are paying attention.  Bob: This is FamilyLife Today for Tuesday, October 18th. Our host is the President of FamilyLife®, Dennis Rainey, and I'm Bob Lepine. In times of instability, are you modeling for your children what it looks like to walk by faith and be full of courage?  We'll talk more about that today. Stay with us.  1:00 And welcome to FamilyLife Today. Thanks for joining us on the Tuesday edition. I have some counsel for those who might be trying to decide on a church home. If you should show up at a local church and the worship pastor says, “Let's sing the great hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, and let's sing verses one, two, and four,” you should leave that church immediately; and you should never consider joining that church.  Now, there are some hymns—first of all, I just— Dennis: The one, two, and four—counsel of Bob Lepine. [Laughter] You heard it first here on FamilyLife Today.  Bob: There are some hymns where it's fine to skip a verse if you want to; okay?  I don't prefer it—I like to sing all of the verses of all of the hymns— Barbara: I do too. I agree Bob: —but I'm also aware that Charles Wesley did write some hymns that had 20 verses to them. So, I get narrowing it down to the best ones. But when it comes to Martin Luther's A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, this is based on Psalm 46.  2:00 You can't go from verse two to verse four without skipping a big, important part in the middle. Barbara: A big chunk of Psalm 46.  Bob: Exactly right. And Psalm 46 is that Psalm that says, “God is our Rock, our fortress, our ever present help in time of need.”  I was thinking about the hymn and thinking about that Psalm—with what we've been talking about this week—because a fortress is a place that you go into to feel safe from an enemy that might be attacking you. And there are times in our culture today, where we look around and go, “It feels like I need a fortress just to rest for a little bit.”    Dennis: And fortunately, I'm married to a great woman who recognizes that, not only do we need a fortress—and reminds me of that in our marriage / in our family— 3:00 —but also pinned both Bob and me underneath her foot and said, “I've got to go into the studio and share with our listeners the need for stability today.”  [Laughter]  Bob: Let me just say—it was not a hostile takeover.  Dennis: It wasn't.  Barbara: Thank you.  Bob: We were very happy.  Barbara: Thank you.  Dennis: Semi—semi-hostile. [Laughter]  But she is all about a new plaque that she has developed. Interestingly, when she created it, she said, “You know, we haven't even talked about it on FamilyLife Today, and these things are flying out of the warehouse,” —it is Isaiah 33:6: “And He shall be the stability of your times.”  Share why you have created this, Sweetheart.  Barbara: Well, I think everyone is aware that we live in a very uncertain world, and it's not just in America; but it's all around the world. People are feeling the sand underneath their feet shifting, and people don't know quite what to do with economic changes. They don't know what to do with political changes. They don't know how to respond to changes in their family.  4:00 Life is an uncertain adventure. And when uncertainty comes or when instability is felt, we need to know what to do—we need to know how to respond and what to do next.  The idea of putting this verse on a plaque—in a really pretty frame too—is so that we can be reminded every day in our homes that Jesus is our stability: He is the One who never changes; He is the One who is the Rock; He is the One who is our fortress. So, no matter what's happening personally or no matter what's happening in our world around us, He will never change; and that's what gives me my security.  Dennis: Uncertain adventures demand leadership. What Barbara's talking about demands leadership of men and women in all walks of life—whether you live in an apartment, inner city, suburban America, smaller towns across the country. These are days when individual followers of Christ need to know who they are and why they are here.  5:00 Barbara and I were talking about just the whole need for leadership in the family in the midst of uncertain times. I was reminded of a story that I told in my book, Stepping Up. It's a story about Sir Ernest Shackleton who, at the age of 40, recruited men to go with him to the South Pole, the Antarctic. He took 27 men on December 5, 1914. After 45 days at sea, ran into what was called heavy pack ice that trapped his ship in the pack ice and they couldn't get loose. They tried for three weeks—couldn't get out of the pack ice. I want to read you what leadership sounds like in uncertain times.  This was written by the ship surgeon, Alexander Macklin, in his diary.  6:00 He said this about Shackleton: “Shackleton, at this time, showed one of his sparks of real greatness. He did not rage at all or show outwardly the slightest sign of disappointment. He told us simply and calmly that we must winter in the pack, explained its dangers and possibilities, never lost his optimism, and prepared for winter.”   I think that's a picture, Bob, of the family today.  Bob: Do you think we are headed into a long winter season where— Dennis: I think we are in the winter—I feel it. We're no longer the majority / no longer feel welcome, necessarily, in the market place with our opinions as we have in the past. So, therefore, what are we going to do?  How are we going to view ourselves in the midst of this?  I think we were put here for such a time as this.  Bob: Let me just recite through, if I can, the lyrics to A Mighty Fortress because I think it's instructive— 7:00 Barbara: Okay. Bob: —in the day in which we live. Here's Luther, who was living in a turbulent time, and he wrote:  A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: No matter what's going on, God is going to prevail above that flood of mortal ills. For still our ancient foe—and that's the devil—doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth, is not his equal.  You get there, and that's kind of depressing.  Dennis: That's why you've got to sing the rest of the hymn.  Bob: That's right.  Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;   In other words, if we thought, “I'll take care of this,”—our striving would be losing; Were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing: Dost ask who that may be?  Christ Jesus, it is He;  Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same, 8:00 And He must win the battle.  So, you don't fight this on your own; right?   Barbara: Right.  Bob: And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,One little word—I love that—One little word— Barbara: I know.  Bob: —shall fell him. And what's the word?  Well—That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth:  Then, it says—you come to the end here.   Let goods and kindred go,—don't hang onto your stuff. Don't even hang onto people if they're keeping you from Him; right?— 9:00 —this mortal life also;  Dennis: Death to self.  Bob: The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever.  I mean, I get chills just reading it. When I'm in unstable times—when I'm thinking, “Okay; where do you find help and hope?—Psalm 46 / that's the Psalm that this was built around—that hymn is a great reminder of where our stability / where our anchor is.  Barbara: I think it's a great reminder that, throughout the ages, what has been the Rock for Christians in the past is the Rock for us today. And that Rock is Jesus Christ. Luther taught us in that hymn that that is where our dependence needs to be—not on people—but only on God and on His Word.  Bob: How do we help kids get a sense of that—not just get it up here / just in their heads— 10:00 —but how do we teach our kids how to be anxious for nothing and how not to fear?  What do we do?   Barbara: We have—as moms and dads, we have to have lots of conversations with our kids about these things because they are going to encounter difficulties in school, and with neighborhood kids, and in their life as they grow up, regardless of what's happening in the world around them. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble.”  And moms and dads who aren't teaching their children how to handle trouble are setting their kids up for great disappointment, because those kids are going to trust in their circumstances and not trust in Christ.  Dennis: And I just want to insert here—Barbara and I give each other permission to be sad about circumstances / to be grieved about what's happening— Barbara: Right.  Dennis: —to spill out, maybe, discouragement around what we're seeing, as individuals, both in our marriage but also in our family.  11:00 I think something that's really healthy here is to give your kids permission to articulate what they're feeling and experiencing, too, because it's real. If the family is a safe place for kids to go: “You know, I'm kind of scared. This is kind of unsettling to me as a boy,”—I think those are great moments in that young man's life or a young lady's life, where you can come in and say: “Thanks for sharing that. Loss is real.”  We need to talk about how we are grieving certain losses in our lives, but we need to move from that loss back to stability and how God is our refuge.  Bob: During times of war or conflict, kids can often be afraid, wondering how close the war is— Barbara: Yes.  Bob: —to where they live. And in some cases, there's reason to be alert to danger; but there is a difference between being alert to danger and being full of fear; isn't there?   Barbara: Yes, and being overtaken by it. I think that's the job of parents— 12:00 —is to listen to your kids' fears, talk to them about them, pray with them, hug them, love them, comfort them, and try to help correct the situations that they find themselves in. Parents are supposed to be protectors. We're supposed to take care of our kids, but there will come points in which Mom and Dad can't fix everything. And even in the midst of the things that we can, the hope is always to point our children back to Jesus.  And it reminds me of a story that I read, probably, 20 years ago. I read a little tiny piece of an article that was about the Armenian genocide that happened in the early 1900s—1914 and ‘15. It was the story of what one mother said to her daughters in the midst of that. I—just a few years ago, I found the book that was written by this same family that told the details of that story. I felt like—when I ordered it, and found it, and it came in the mail, I felt like I had this treasure chest of pearls.  13:00 It just felt like this exquisite gift that I had just gotten.  It was a used copy / paperback copy of this book, but it was written by the woman who was the little girl at the time. She tells the story of how her family was a Christian family. They had great friendships in their community, and they did things together. She grew up singing all these Christian songs and playing safely in their backyard, climbing trees, and doing all the things that normal children do.  And then, one day—she was about 11—and World War I broke out. When the war began, things changed in their country.  Armenia is a portion of the country of Turkey. The political and governmental climate in the country of Turkey changed dramatically. All of a sudden, her Christian family was not safe anymore. Her mom and dad were not safe anymore, and neither were the other Christian families that they were friends with either. Her parents were talking to her and her little sister.  14:00 They were also preparing them that: “This might not turn out well for us; but no matter what, we're going to believe in Jesus. I want you to remember that.”   One day, the soldiers came to the village. Soldiers arrested her father and took him away. She watched—as the oldest of the two children, she watched where they took her dad. She ran over there later in the evening and found where he was. He had been beaten badly, and he was tied up and chained. She got down on the ground and put her little head next to his and started talking to him.  This is what her daddy said to her—he said: “Elizabeth, never give up Christ no matter how much suffering might come. Christ died for us, and we can be as brave as His name.”  That was the last time she ever saw her father.  I was so struck by the fact that that father had the presence of mind to tell his little girl— 15:00 —whom he wanted to protect, whom he wanted to rescue, whom he wanted to save from all that was coming, and he couldn't do it. So, he did the next best thing—really, the very best thing—but he put her hand in the hand of Jesus. He took her heart and turned it toward God who was over all.  Then, the story goes on to say that not long after—I can't remember now if it was months or a year later—she, and her little sister, and her mother were rounded up again by the soldiers. They were all shipped off to another part of the country. There, they—all three of them—began to work for different families as a way to survive and a way to hopefully endure throughout the war.  One day, her mother managed to get away. She found Elizabeth, who was still 11 or, maybe, 12 by then at the time. She said: “My time of suffering has come. Tomorrow, they are taking everyone who does not renounce Christ and claim allegiance to Mohammed—they are taking all of us away.”   16:00 And this is what she said—so, the mother, now, had her moment with her daughter.  She said, “I cannot give up Christ no matter how much you girls will need me.”  When I read that, as a mom, it just broke my heart; because the last thing a mom wants to do is to let her kids be taken / to let her kids suffer. We would rather be killed than watch our children suffer. Yet, she clung to Christ. She said, “I cannot give up Christ no matter how much you girls will need me.”  She said, “I cannot give Him up. I know that He will watch over both of you.”  “After crying together,”—Elizabeth writes—“my mother ran back to her Turkish home. The next day, the soldiers came and took all the adults and marched them away into exile, and they all died.”   So, now, Elizabeth is an orphan—she and her sister. The rest of the book goes on to tell how God did, indeed, rescue the two of them and kept them safe through the end of the war.  17:00 At the end of the war, they were able to immigrate to the United States, and they both lived normal lives from then on.  I just couldn't get over the depth of faith of these two parents—of this mom and this dad—who, when they wanted with every fiber of their being to take care of their two precious girls that they loved dearly, clung to Christ and trusted that God was big enough to take care of them. I wondered, when I read that 20 years ago—I thought: “Could I do that?  Could I trust God with my children?”  And yet, it's the question that I think all parents have to look to—we all have to answer that question: “Is God big enough to take care of my children?”   As we look at the uncertain times that we're living in—it's nothing like that—but we feel that same anxiety. We feel that same instability. We feel that same fear, and the answer is still the same: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still on His throne.  18:00 “He can still be trusted. He can still take care of us.”  That's the message we need to teach our children so that they will grow up and they will be able to do the same—they will be able to put their faith in Christ and trust in Him.  Bob: You tell that story that you've shared with us today in a book you wrote, Growing Together in Truth. It's a collection of stories designed to be read, as a family, to help encourage and strengthen faith. I think the main thing—as I heard you telling the story—the main thing that came home to me is: “If our kids are anxious and fearful, they are probably picking it up from us. And if our kids are going to be full of faith— Barbara: They are picking it up from us.  Bob: They really do take their cues— Barbara: Absolutely.  Bob: —from how they see us responding to human events.  Barbara: And that's what is so stunning to me about this story—is that this mother and this father portrayed a really strong faith to those girls, and those girls picked up on that.  19:00 And I think that that's the real question for moms and dads: “Do you really believe that God is big enough, and will you grow your faith so that you can pass on that kind of faith to your children?”   Dennis: As Barbara was reading that story, I thought: “As parents, we have two assignments. One, we are to be spiritual commentators on the times. A commentator is providing context for what is taking place. As a parent, we need to be providing spiritual commentary. We need to be talking about it from the Bible—looking at life / talking about: ‘What's happening here?  What's going on?'  These are days that are ripe with opportunity.  “A second aspect of being a parent, that we dare not miss is—parents are to be spiritual priests. They are to direct faith. They are not to be ashamed of what they believe.  20:00 “As you just said, Bob, they need to have a faith / be living it out, but directing their children at knowing how to process this.”   In a time of crisis like this father was facing, as he was dying, he was just doing what he had always done naturally. He was placing his faith in Christ. As he took his daughter's hand and put it in the hand of Christ—as you said, Barbara—he was just doing what he'd always done with his little girl. In a time of crisis, you don't do something extraordinary if you haven't been doing it before.  Barbara: And he was modeling for her what authentic faith looks like. I think that that's our call as parents—is to model a relationship with Jesus Christ that's authentic, and strong, and rooted in the Rock. That's what our kids will notice, and they will follow that. That's what we want. We want our children to grow a faith, too; but we have to remember that we are modeling that in what we say and in what we do, because our kids are paying attention.  21:00 Bob: I know you have been involved in helping to put together the devotions that we have created—a series of ten devotions for families to read through / interact around—all related to this issue of how we cultivate stability in our lives / where our security comes from.  If you've got the FamilyLife app on your smartphone or your device, you can pull it up and hit where it says, “Help and Hope.” You can get these ten devotions available so you can use them with your family at a meal time—or just together as a couple—go through these devotions. If you don't have the FamilyLife app, it's available from your app store. Just look for it and download it so that you have access to more of our content and access to this daily radio program as well.  You can also download the ten devotions when you go to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com; and that's where you can see the Isaiah 33:6 stability plaque that Barbara has created that is available for order.  22:00 You can order it online so it can hang in your home, or you can call 1-800-FL-TODAY to order the plaque. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com; and our toll-free number to order is 1-800-358-6329. That's 1-800-“F” as in family, “L” as in life, and then the word, “TODAY.”   You know, our goal, here at FamilyLife, is to see every home become a godly home. We think that ultimately the solution for what ails us, as a nation / in our world, is that there would be a return to a biblical understanding of what it means to live in harmony in your home. It starts with your marriage; and then, it continues as you raise children who know and love Christ. The mission of this ministry is to effectively develop godly marriages and families who change the world one home at a time.  23:00 In a very real sense, when you invest in the ministry of FamilyLife Today, the funds that you're entrusting to us are being used to help grow stronger, healthier, more biblically-anchored marriages and families. We just want to say, “Thank you,” to those of you who partner with us in this endeavor. You're helping cover the cost of producing and syndicating this radio program, articles that are being written and distributed online, our events, and our resources. It's all because folks, like you, care about marriages and families in our country and in our world.  If you are able to help with a donation today, we'd love to say, “Thank you,” by sending you a banner that reminds you that your home is an embassy for the kingdom of heaven. It's a banner Barbara has created. You can request yours when you make a donation to FamilyLife Today online at FamilyLifeToday.com; or when you call 1-800-FL-TODAY and donate over the phone; or you can request the banner and mail your donation to FamilyLife Today at PO Box 7111, Little Rock, AR; our zip code is 72223.  24:00 Now, tomorrow, we want to talk more about how we can cultivate in our own heart a sense of peace and a sense of stability even when the 24-hour news channels are telling us that our world is in trouble and that there is no hope. We'll talk more about that tomorrow. I hope you can be with us for that.  I want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, along with our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine. We will see you back next time for another edition of FamilyLife Today.  FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.  Copyright © FamilyLife. All rights reserved. www.FamilyLife.com    

Revelation 12:1-6 Series: Just Conquer #33 # Introduction Who wants to be left behind? If you don't know, _Left Behind_ is a series of (16!) rapture fiction books, some of which became bestsellers. They were roundly mocked by serious literature people, as well as by those with different eschatology. But my question is not about what you want to read, it's about how you want to be perceived. Do you want other people to think that you are loving? You *should* (John 13:35). Do you want other people to think that you are hopeful? You *should* (1 Peter 3:15). Do you want other people to think that you are reasonable? You *should* (Philippians 4:5), even as “the Lord is at hand.” But do you also want them to think that you are on always on edge, that you act like you are in an invisible war, that you believe there are spiritual forces at work, that have been at work, that conspire together in a way to remake, and ruin, humanity? All of the above is what Bible believing Christians know, even if we prefer not to think, or talk too much about it because we're afraid others will call us unstable, or loony, or irrelevant. We might as well be with the Left Behind guys. In Revelation 12 we've not gone off the edge of the map, but here there be monsters. We look toward the second half of the Apocalypse, and this chapter is not only in the center of the book, it relates to the central conflict of all time. Here is the deep source of universal bitterness and strife. Here is a story in three sections, that answers why all of this trouble is happening. There is an underlying conflict for all the problems God's people endured in the OT, for the persecution of God's Messiah, and also for a coming generation of believers. We may hesitate to attribute too much to the devil. People who are always talking about the devil are often a bit sensational/dramatic, Charismatic, conspiratic. But our modern "maturity" and worldview that rejects angels and demons and gods and devils, comes from *unbelief*, not belief. As Martin Luther wrote in "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," we have an ancient foe who seeks to work us woe. He is named and described and portrayed in Revelation 12 as a "great red dragon," the devil, the accuser of the brethren. He has been seeking to devour for a long time and he is, and will be, *furious* (his *wrath* in verse 12, *furious* in verse 17), even though the end of his story has already been written. Revelation 12 reminds us that we are in a long battle that we didn't enlist in, but that we cannot escape from. There has been a long animosity against God and His people. Part of the purpose of the chapter is to help “Christian readers perceive that behind their earthly persecutors stand forces of spiritual evil, led by the devil himself.” But our troubles happen “not because Satan is too powerful for them but because he has been decisively overthrown” (Beale). We have reason to conquer, because who wants to compromise with the loser? In verses 1-6 we're introduced to the main characters of the vision, verses 7-12 describe a war between angelic forces, and 13-17 tell us more about persecution. # More Than a Woman (verses 1-2) Two "signs" appear in this paragraph. The word **sign** is an interpretive clue. Of course not every author needs to be so obvious and point out his analogies, illustrations, and symbols. But repeatedly in Revelation that's exactly what John does, as here. Those who take Revelation as dominated by symbols put themselves in a corner where these comments about signs are as superfluous as trying to make something more white by pouring bleach on snow. This **great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars**. Does this remind you of anything you've heard before? It's an image from someone else's dream, that of Joseph in Genesis 37:9. The Lord showed Joseph a vision of his dad, Israel, as the sun, his mom, Rachel as the moon, and his eleven brothers as stars. With him added as the twelfth, the woman that John sees is not individual female, but God's chosen people, the twelve tribes of Israel. The **sign** is of a woman as a community. As a community, Israel longed for the promised child. **She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains, and the agony of giving birth.** The Roman Catholic interpretation takes this as a reference to Mary, but the symbolism of verse 1 doesn't match. More significantly, the upcoming time in the wilderness and escape from the dragon is too cosmic to describe Egypt, let alone fleeing after the child has ascended to God (verse 4). Here is one example from the OT where Israel is compared to a pregnant woman: > Now why do you cry aloud? > Is there no king in you? > Has your counselor perished, > that pain seized you like a woman in labor? > Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion, > like a woman in labor, > for now you shall go out from the city > and dwell in the open country; > you shall go to Babylon. > There you shall be rescued; > there the LORD will redeem you > from the hand of your enemies. > (Micah 4:9–10) “The Christian community could hardly be the mother of Jesus” (Thomas). The Jewish people longed for their a child, a son, who would be the Prince of Peace, who would rule on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7). They suffered in many ways, due to their own sin, yes, and also due to their sworn enemy, whom we're about to meet. # Heads and Tail (verses 3-4) We are only introduced to this character in these verses; there is much more to come. The first sign was great, this is not a great sign but a sign of a **great dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.** This is more of a dragon than Bilbo or Eustace encountered. Many ancient cultures had dragon stories (Greek, Hittite, Egyptian, Phoenician, etc.)(Osborne). Daniel described this as a beast out of the sea (Daniel 13:1), and the heads, horns, and diadems will be explained in Revelation 17:9-10. A fun word fact: the Greek word for dragon is *drakon*, from which our English word "draconian" comes. There was a 7th century BC Athenian (Greek) man named Draco who wrote laws that were excessively harsh, but his name is from this word referring to a monster with power who devours. (Such draconian measures of the state are on display around us today.) The woman was actually a group. The dragon could also be taken as a group, except for the further descriptions of him in the following paragraphs. This dragon is “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” He is “the accuser of our brothers” (verse 10). He is the serpent who tempted the first woman, Eve, in Genesis 3. That he is **red** probably has less to do with the fires of hell and more to do with the blood of his murderous work. Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews, “your father, the devil…was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44), referring to the devil's work through Cain. The dragon's **seven heads** are usually understood as seven kingdoms, the **ten horns** being kings (Revelation 17:12), and the **diadems** as symbols of his wanna-be power and majesty. Satan uses these dominions, as he used Egypt, Babylon, and Rome. There are two pieces of his conduct in verse 4. **His tail swept down a third of the stars in heaven and cast them to earth**. Most take this as the ancient battle where Satan convinced a third of the angels to rebel with him. In verse 7 he does have angels, “the dragon and his angels.” Previously in Revelation stars have been angels, and stars have been stars, and even in verse 1 stars were a symbol of human sons. It is more than merely astrological display in the sky, and while disagreement is fine, the context of war, devouring, fits with angelic hostilities. This stage in the conflict appears to happen before the birth of the child. The dragon is also antagonistic toward a child. **And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it**. From Genesis 3 there has been bad blood between the dragon and the woman and the woman's offspring. The serpent was told that the birth of a son would be his doom (Genesis 3:15). Abel, whom Satan incited Cain to kill, turned out not to be that child. To whatever degree Satan paid attention to God's Word, he had been anticipating an opportunity to kill his prophesied killer. The order from Herod to kill all the male children (Matthew 2:16-18), the conspiracies of the Jewish leaders (e.g., Mark 3:6) and up to the crucifixion, the dragon has aimed to win against God's people. It turns out that he didn't know what he was doing (see 1 Corinthians 2:8), though that just makes him more angry. # Born to Rule (verses 5-6) The dragon could not outmaneuver God's plan. The woman, again as a reference to the community of Israel, not just Mary, **gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron**. Psalm 2 has been referenced multiple times in Revelation, and this is another clear connection. The child was God's Son, the Lord's anointed, the seed of the woman. He will rule not just a one-world people, but over many distinct **nations**. **But her child was caught up to God and to his throne**. This skips some key parts, like the crucifixion and resurrection, as it goes from birth to ascension (though some in the East counted one's birthday as the day of one's anointing). Regardless, the child lives, and rules with God. The woman becomes the point of attack. **And the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.** I've come to appreciate a greater connection between "the people of God" as in the chosen and saved, Old and New Testament saints, Jews and Gentiles. They have always been justified by faith the same way, they share one mediator, the Man Jesus Christ. They both are branches with one root (Romans 11:17-18). But the Gentiles are not the *mother* community in this sign, and they can't be brought in now after the child is born. It's the same "woman." The woman who flees during this 3 1/2 years is not the church, it is the chosen Israelites, the 144k from the twelve tribes, and it occurs during the time of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:1-3). I believe that this describes a Jewish group of believers during the Great Tribulation, but that has application for all Christians. # Conclusion The dragon is real, in the character of Satan in the kings and kingdoms he rules through. The dragon is in ongoing conflict with the woman, Eve, and her offspring, believers in Jesus Christ the son of Abraham, the son of Israel, the son of Judah, the son of David. The dragon has been outdone. His is a losing character in a well-known narrative arc, one in which his anger continues to fight and seek to devour all those associated with the child. The best he can do is copy, as he attempts with crowns and healing and a mark; he has no creativity of his own. He can only pervert and destroy. He will be conquered. > And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:11) --- ## Charge Jesus was anointed by God to rule the nations, which is what made the dragon mad. Jesus also promises a share in His reign to those who conquer. Remember His words to Thyatira: "Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my words until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations...even as I have received authority from my Father" (Revelation 2:25-27). Should you be surprised if the dragon is angry at your privilege? ## Benediction: > Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12–13, ESV)

It is comforting to know that when difficult circumstances come our way they have a beginning and thankfully an ending. Today we look at the Genesis passage and the words, "In the beginning, God." We remind ourselves that God has been walking on life's journey with us since the very beginning.Documentary: When We Left EarthJune 2008Discovery ChannelPoem: Endings and BeginningsEdna Champion Rev. Raymond G. CoffmanPastorZachary SmithMusic DirectorPiano: 'A Mighty Fortress Is Our God'Arr. Mark HayesAudio Engineer Clark CoffmanLog Cabin Community ChurchVinings GA

Hey, do you know that great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"? Do you know where Martin Luther gained his inspiration? From Psalm 46! This Psalm is a magnificent song shouting out how powerful and protective is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some of you may even know this verse, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." What with pestilences, plagues, and ginormous locust swarms hitting the earth along with political and economic turmoil, we absolutely NEED to memorize this Psalm for comfort and confidence. Take a listen to Jay the Truth Barista as he and Larry talk about Psalm 46 and what it means to them.Visit High Beam Ministry, The Truth Barista

What does "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" say about who God is? Listen in to find out. 

This episode will help to realize that there is no other book like the Bible. The Bible is an amazing miracle!A. How did the Bible come into being?It was written on three continents and in three languages over a period of about 1500 years, by more than 40 years, yet the Bible as a whole forms a wonderful unit. The Bible did not just simply drop from the sky, but it came into being through a fascinating, but complicated process.To best understand the process we need to be aware of:The Two TraditionsThe LanguagesThe Three CouncilsB. The Overview of the BiblePre-historyPatriarchs and Slavery Exodus and ConquestJudges The United Kingdom The Divided Kingdom and Exile In Exile Return from Exile400 "Silent" Years The New TestamentC. Types of LiteratureThe Bible is a treasure of types of literature. God's message of love is written in different types of literature (Prose and Poetry). A Mighty Fortress Is Our God from HymnaginationVisit our website, thebiblegps.com for more information or sign up for free at our Online Bible School.Support the show

I. By Faith Alone Luther’s translation & the Reformation slogan “sola fide” A few moments ago, we sang the wonderful Protestant Reformation hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," written by Martin Luther, the German reformer. And our God is a mighty fortress, and from that mighty fortress, has come a great salvation. And the bull work of the Reformation, the doctrine that Luther and the other reformers taught, rested on three great pillars: By faith alone, by grace alone, by Scripture alone, those three. By faith alone, we are justified. We stand right before God, because of our faith alone, apart from our works. And our salvation, in its entirety, comes to us by grace alone, as a gift from God. And the authority, the right we have to say these kinds of things, comes from Scripture alone. Those three pillars. Now, I have a goal this morning... Actually, two goals. And my goal is that you may know the greatness of your salvation. And specifically, that you may know how humbling your salvation is to you personally, in that all boasting is excluded. And secondly, that you may know what kind of security comes to you, because it is excluded, that there's not a thread of your own self-effort, that's woven into the garment which will cover you on Judgment Day. And therefore, you don't have to be on the treadmill of good works, day after day, trying to work it out, and earn your salvation, trying to just do enough good works to cover your sin. You're free. If the Son will make you free, you'll be truly free, free from that. "My yoke is easy," said Jesus, "And my burden is light." That's my desire: Humility and security for you. For both of these come out of the doctrine of justification by faith alone, apart from works. Listen to Romans 3:27-31, "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from observing the law. Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all. Rather, we uphold the law." Now, it's amazing how much turns on proper translation of Scripture. None of us speaks Greek, and Hebrew, and Aramaic, so we rely on translators, don't we? You have various translations in front of you. I may be wrong, there may be a Greek scholar in our midst, who looked down to the Greek text when I was just reading, but most of us don't have access to that, and so we rely on translations. For most of the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Scripture was the Latin Vulgate, and it was a translation. It was a Latin translation. And it's amazing how much can turn on a proper, or, perhaps, improper translation. Because back in the Middle Ages, when somebody like Martin Luther felt convicted of their sin, felt guilty before God, they would go to a priest and the priest would tell them what to do. And the priest, going back, himself, to the Scripture, looked to a specific Scripture, Matthew 4:17, in particular, in which Jesus began His preaching ministry, and said, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." This is very important. The beginning of Jesus' preaching ministry: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The problem was with the translation. The translation literally said, "Do penance, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Is there a difference between "repent" and "do penance"? Well, there was in the Catholic system, because what that meant is, you needed to get busy. If you felt guilty, if you felt that God disapproved of you, if you felt evil, and sinful, and unclean before God, and you were afraid, and in fear of your mortal soul, you needed to get busy. You needed to start praying. You needed to go on a pilgrimage. You needed to start giving more of your money to the church. You needed to get busy. And Martin Luther was on that treadmill, working on it, working on it, working on it, but he couldn't get rid of the guilt, until he started studying, and realized the New Testament was written, not in Latin, but in Greek. And the Greek actually said, "Change your mind. Change your thinking. Repent." And he wrote to his father confessor, and he said, "I think it's much safer to understand the change of mind and heart in the Greek, rather than the action and the doing of the Latin." And that began the Reformation, the understanding of, "By faith alone." Now, Luther made some mistakes in this life, and he made a mistake right here in this passage. For when he came to Verse 28 and translated it into the German, he said... I'll translate it into the English... It says, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith alone, apart from observing the law." What do you notice, as you look down at the Bible? The word 'alone' isn't there, but Luther put it in there. Now, he was right doctrinally, but wrong procedurally. You should never mess with the Word of God. Don't even add a single word, even if it's right. If it's not in the original, don't put it in there. But he was right, for we are justified by faith alone, apart from works. Now, where did he get that 'alone' that he put in there? Where did it come from? Well, it comes from this text, verse 28, and also Romans 4:5, "However, to the man who does not work, but trusts God, who justifies the wicked, his faith will be credited to him as righteousness." It's a right doctrine, "By faith alone," and he wanted to teach it, and it was the foundation of his doctrine. Now, let's get our bearings, as we try to understand where we are. This passage that we're looking at this morning, is a transitional paragraph from the great doctrinal things we've been talking about recently, on into chapter 4. Now, as you remember, Romans 1, 2, and 3, are written to convince us of our need for a Savior, to convince us that we need salvation. Do we naturally need that kind of convincing? Well, of course, we do. We think we're just fine. We think we're acceptable before God, and so we need to be convicted of our sin. And so God's Word does precisely that. And so, in Romans chapter 1, he talks about Gentiles who exchanged the glory of God for an idol, something they make with their own hands. They do not give thanks to God. They don't glorify Him as God, though evidence of His existence is around them every day. And so they make idols. They exchange the glory of God. They take the sun out of the center of the solar system, and moved it away, and put a planet, something that was meant to go around that sun, back in the center, and everything flew apart. That was the Gentiles. Then in chapter 2, he takes on the Jews, who did the same thing. They exchanged the glory of God for something else. And they demonstrated it, by the fact that they did not obey the law. They dishonored God by disobeying the law. And so Paul sums it all up in Romans 3, when he says, "All of us, Jews and Gentiles alike, have sinned and lack the glory of God." We don't have the glory of God; we lack it, and so we need a Savior. The last three sermons, we talked about the cross of Jesus Christ, and how it provides an answer to the great problems that we saw. For in Romans chapter 3, it says, "There is no one righteous. No, not one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away. They have, together, become worthless. There is no one who does good. No, not one." That's all of us. We all need a Savior. And so, what I call the glowing center of the Gospel, Romans 3:21-26, we see erected the cross of Jesus Christ, and how it answers our deepest needs. We took three weeks to look at it. We had justification. That, God, by the cross, by the blood of Jesus, declares us righteous, free forever from the guilt of our sin. He cancels that written code against us. He cancels our sin, and so we're free. We're guiltless before God, by faith in the cross of Jesus Christ. And then the second sermon, the second week, we talked about propitiation. The way that Jesus had absorbed the wrath of God, as our substitute. He drank the cup of our wrath. Remember, that God is a passionate being and He loves passionately, but He also is passionately against evil. He's angry about it and creates wrath. And so we who are sinners, are under the wrath of God naturally. Jesus drank the cup of our wrath to the bottom. Propitiation. He's our substitute, a sacrifice that takes away the wrath of God. And then, in the most recent sermon we talked about demonstration, how God demonstrated His justice in Christ. How can it be that any of us sinners... If you really know yourself, you know yourself to be a sinner... That we have any claim to go to that beautiful, that pristine place called Heaven? Are you hoping to go there when you die? Do you know what kind of place that is? It's a kind of place where the seraphs are crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, Almighty." It's a holy place, a righteous place. And we are not holy, neither are we righteous. How could it be just to allow people like us into Heaven? We declared that last time: God demonstrated justice in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. By faith in Him, it is just for us to be saved. Now, our access to this, as we've been saying, is by faith. We already saw it very clearly in verse 21, "But now, a righteousness for God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ." By faith, we are justified. And He is our propitiation by faith. And He is a demonstration for those who are justified by faith. It's faith. That's the connection here. Now, in all of chapter 4, he's going to talk about faith. What kind of faith is it that saves? It's Abraham's faith. Abraham's faith. And so we have a transitional paragraph here from chapter 3, the cross of Jesus Christ, on into Abraham's faith. Faith will be contrasted here, in our passage with works of the law. And then, in 4:1-8 w­ith Abraham and David, and their works. Just works in general at that point, not works of the law. And then faith is contrasted with circumcision in 4:9-12. And then faith is contrasted with law in general, verses 13-16. And then faith is contrasted with sight or an earthly existence in verses 17-22. And that's where we are heading. This is the transition between those two. And so we can see characteristics of this great salvation. We already see that there's a display and a demonstration of the love of God, the love of God, and Jesus Christ dead on the cross for us. Now, we'll get more on that theme in Romans 5:8, where "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we're still sinners, Christ died for us." We saw, as we talked about the justice of God last week, but now, there's three other aspects, I think will give a more complete picture of this great salvation. We're going to see them this morning. First of all, this great salvation excludes all boasting. Justification by faith alone excludes all boasting. Secondly, it includes Gentiles and Jews alike. And third, it establishes the law. II. Faith Alone Excludes Boasting Let's look at the first of these three: Faith alone excludes boasting. Look at verses 27-28, "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from observing the law." Can I say to you, in all love, that America is a boastful nation? We are a nation of boasters and it's getting worse. Have you ever watched an athletic contest of pro sports, without some evidence of boasting or self-promotion? Every time an athlete runs across the touchdown, the goal line, there's some kind of self-gratifying display. Every time a basketball player makes a basket, we're supposed to honor and worship him for what he's done. He's just doing his job. I remember hearing a story about a football coach. It was Paul Brown, a great coach, and Bob Trumpy was a rookie, and he crossed the line, and started to celebrate, and spike the ball, and all kinds of things. And Paul Brown came over to him, and said, "Mr Trumpy, if you ever cross the touchdown line again in this league, please act as though you've been there before." I don't know what Paul Brown would think of the kind of displays and boasting arrogance that we see these days, but it's everywhere, self-worshipping athletes. And afterwards, they'll tell you about it, won't they? They'll tell you all the things they did. They'll boast on themselves. It's ugly. Self-promotion. Also talk show hosts, they feed on arrogance and boastfulness, don't they? The quick put-down, the one-liner, and then they flick the switch, and the caller's cut off. We see it in bumper stickers as well: "I may be slow, but I'm ahead of you." Have you seen that one? Well, that's a reverse kind of boasting, but at least some humility in it. But I mean, you read most of these bumper stickers, our pride is at the root. Boasting is at the root. And then self-promoting politicians, you can't get elected unless you promote yourself these days. It's not enough for you to just talk about what your plans are, and have your record speak for yourself, you've got to promote yourself, and you've got to have an ad agency that'll come and do it. We are a boastful nation and boasting is woven into who we are. Now, Paul has a tremendous concern about boasting. He's concerned about it. He actually spoke of the concept over 55 times. I counted 55. That's a big issue for Paul. The root idea of boasting is to glory in something, or to put your reliance on something, to glory in it, to talk about it, to speak words of praise. Now, there is some boasting in Scripture that is good. First Corinthians 1:31, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." You know what that points out to me? We were created to boast. I actually think we were. We've got a mechanism within us to honor, and to be amazed at something, and to marvel, and to speak words of praise. We're made that way, aren't we? But it's not meant to be self-focused. It's meant to be focused on God and on His glory, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." Or how about this one? Galatians 6:14, Paul says, "May I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." "I will boast about the cross," he says, "And what it's done in my life." In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talked there about his thorn in the flesh, some kind of physical problem he was having, and God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." And, therefore, Paul says, "I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses. I will boast about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." God's grace moves out when we acknowledge weakness, but when we are boastful, full of ourselves, there is no grace. It does not come. It comes to those who are poor in spirit, spiritual beggars. There are things to boast in, but not in ourselves. Now, Paul knew all about boasting, in reference to himself. He was the ultimate spiritual ladder climber. He was a careerist. He was putting a career together and his boasting fueled the whole thing. He was able to say, "I was trained under Gamaliel. I was getting the best Jewish training there was, and as I moved on up the ladder, I could rightly say that there was no one who did Judaism as well as I did." Well, that's boasting. Paul knew all about that. We get a little sample of it in Philippians 3:4-6, "If anyone else thinks he has reasons for boasting in the flesh, I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. In regard to the law, a Pharisee. As for zeal, persecuting the church. As for legalistic righteousness, faultless." That's quite a resume, Paul. "Yes, and I'll tell you more, if you've got time." He's boasting, well, it's self-promotion. And Paul says, "I came to count that rubbish. It's nothing. Because I can't have that boasting and have Jesus too. Can't have it both. I want Jesus, and so I turn away from myself. I turn away from my boasting and I turn to Jesus." Now, why does God hate boasting? Well, let's understand the root of our problem. Our problem is sin. Well, what's the root of sin? Where does it come from? I told you, it's exchanging the glory of God for something else. What is the most popular thing that's put in God's place? As we remove the glory of God from the center of our life, what do we tend to put in its place? Is it not self? Isn't that what we put in its place? And isn't pride a form of self-worship, a form of idolatry? And that tends to be the root of all evil, the root of all sin. I think that was Satan's sin. I think that's where it all started. If you look at Ezekiel 28:17, it speaks there, I believe of Satan, and says, "Of him, your heart became proud, on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom, because of your splendor." Now, God has taken His splendor, and His glory, and moved it out throughout creation. And He had given a good measure to Satan, and Satan was a glorious being, and Satan got his eyes off of God, whose glory far outstrips any glory you find anywhere else. He got his eyes off, and started looking at himself, and said, "Hey, what about me? I'm pretty good over here. I'm pretty glorious too," and his heart became proud. He became self-focused and he corrupted his wisdom, because of his own splendor. We get another indication of this in 1 Timothy 3:6. Speaking of elders, requirement for elders, it says, "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited, and fall under the same judgment as the devil." So there in 1 Timothy 3:6, the judgment of the devil comes from his conceit, his pride, his self-worship. And I think that's where it came, and then came into the human race through our own sin as well. Eve saw that the fruit was good for making her wise, and for improving her own situation. It was a self-focus, ultimately, that corrupted the whole human race. Isaiah 2:10 and following talks about this, the idolatry of our pride, "The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day and the idols will totally disappear." Now, do you understand where we're at now? In order for us to be saved, we must be saved in such a way that there is no boasting left for us. Do you see that? Because if there's still something in which we can boast about ourselves, we have not been saved from sin. If there's anything in your salvation you can boast about, in reference to yourself, "Well, at least, I did this and the other person didn't do that," if there's anything like that, then you've not been saved. The salvation must be away from self to God, so that God alone gets the glory. He speaks about the constitution of the Corinthian church, who the people were, he said, "Look at yourselves. Not many were wise, or powerful, or noble, or well-educated. But God chose the lowly things of the world, and the despised things, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Jesus." That's powerful. There's nothing to boast about. It's because of Him that you are in Jesus. He's left us no room for boasting. Now, here in this text, he tells us that boasting is excluded. Excluded how? Not by works of the law. No, not that way. But by faith alone is boasting excluded. Faith alone excludes boasting. If you are justified by works, don't you have a ground for boasting? Won't you say, "Well, I did this and I did that. I did these good deeds. I gave this money to this charity. I helped this poor person. I prayed regularly. I fasted two times a week." You can boast about yourself. Law leads to that, and therefore, law leads to condemnation and to death. It does not lead to freedom from pride and boasting. But faith alone does, because faith is nothing to boast about. There's nothing to boast about, regarding faith. I look on faith as essentially passive, that we look to God and say, "Give, oh, Lord, what you have to give to me, by the Word of your promise. Give it to me, God. I'm a spiritual beggar. Just give to me what you have promised." It's a conduit, a pipe, in which the blessings of God come to us, and it itself, that very pipe of faith, is established as a gift of God's grace. Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." So we're freed from boasting, by faith alone, if we understand faith properly. Luther put it this way, "Faith is not a work. The accomplishment of the fact that you believe, it's not a work." Can anyone be found so foolish, as to regard a promise he has received or an inheritance he has been given, as a good work on his part? "What a good person I am. I just got a million dollars from my aunt, who died." No, it glorifies the aunt who gave the money, not the person who received it as a gift. And faith is that way. There's no glory and no boasting in faith. It's just a conduit established from Heaven to Earth, that we may receive His blessings. Faith alone excludes boasting. III. Faith Alone Includes Jews and Gentiles Secondly, faith alone includes Jews and Gentiles. Verse 29-30, "Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too. Since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith." Justification by law excludes Gentiles. And since most of us are Gentiles, that means we would have no business being here today, to worship God. We were left out. We were excluded under the Old Covenant. Circumcision did that. The dietary laws, the fact that you could only eat certain things, and not other things, the fact of worship rules, and that you couldn't come into the Holy of Holies, the fact that you couldn't even come into the place where the Jews could come, there were walls and boundaries set up that excluded us. There was a dividing wall between us and the Jews, and therefore, there was no salvation available for us in the law. Now, John Piper points out that the Old Testament, the old covenant was basically a come and see religion. Now, stop and think about that. There was a temple set up, wasn't there? In Jerusalem. Three times a year, all the Jews had to come and worship at that temple. Furthermore, similar to the days of King Solomon, you remember? The queen of the south came from the ends of the earth to come and see Solomon's wisdom, to come and see the effect of Solomon's reign. And when she did, she praised the God of Israel, who had given such a wise king to Israel. It's a come and see religion. There were things set up that you could come and observe. But the new covenant, the New Testament is a go and tell religion, isn't it? It's go and tell. It's got to be portable. The religion has to be portable. The recent convert who talked to us earlier, came to faith in Christ. If he were to go back to his home, or go to anywhere with the Gospel of the Old Covenant, it's no Gospel at all, for the Gentiles are excluded. They must become Jews. They must be circumcised. Can you imagine going to, let's say, a Stone Age tribe in Irian Jaya with the Gospel? And the circumcision battle had been lost in Acts 15… and so you do need to become a Jew, in order to be saved? And so through translators, you begin to explain about Jesus Christ, and all those things, and then you get around to the regulations. And you say to this tribesman, the chieftain, "Explain all these regulations." And he says, "You want me to do what?" "Is that Gospel portable? Is that for the Gentiles too? And I have to travel three times a year to Jerusalem, and I have to not eat this, and I have to do that? No, thank you." No. In the New Covenant there is freedom. There's freedom. Freedom from the law, freedom from its regulations. They had a purpose, but that purpose is gone. Our faith is a portable faith. It's a worldwide faith that travels around the world. God is the God of the Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who justifies the circumcised by faith, uncircumcised by the same faith. It's just a simple trust and faith in the Gospel messages you hear. Praise God to them, that that battle was won. Now, the Jews knew that there was only one God. "Hear, oh, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." And they knew that the religion of the Gentiles, with paganism, polytheism, different gods... A different hill had its own God. Every river and stream had its own God. Every country had a God... They knew that that was all falsehood. But what they forgot, is that the same God who had made them, also made the Gentiles, and desired their salvation as well. God is the God of the entire world, and so He has set up a Gospel message, which is true for everybody, and we all hear it. Now, look around today. As you look around today, in America, especially, I see a rising paganism, polytheism growing more and more. There's my God, and then there's your God. And you have your way to your God, and I have my way to my God. Isn't this polytheism? Isn't there only one God? And hasn't He spoken through one way of salvation, Jesus Christ? We have to be very careful about this, as Baptists, as Christians. You remember, recently, the International Mission Board published some prayer guides. And the guides urged us to pray for Hindus, that they come to faith in Christ, that they convert, that we pray for Jews, that they come to faith in Christ, that they convert, for Buddhists. This is so offensive these days. And why? Because we don't believe this anymore, that there is only one God and only one way to God. And the Scripture testifies that it's true. You know Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India? You know what he said? He said, "I am a Hindu. I am a Muslim. I am a Buddhist. I am a Christian." Pure syncretism. It doesn't make any sense. He ejected, the moment he said, "I'm a Hindu. I'm a Muslim." That was it right there. Hindus worship many, many Gods. Islam, which I believe is a Christian cult that twisted the true Gospel, because it came 600 years after the Gospel was preached, believes in only one God. It's impossible to be both. But we've put our minds aside and we say, "Well, everyone's way to God is equally valid. There is one mountain, and a glorious view at the top of that mountain, and there are many paths up that one mountain. Just choose whatever path you want, and the view is as glorious at the top for everybody." That is not the Christian Gospel and it is not true. For Peter said, "Salvation is found in no one else. For there is no other name under Heaven, given to men, by which we must be saved, than Jesus Christ." This gospel of justification by faith alone is for the whole world. It's for everybody. It's not just for one category of people. And it travels well. It travels lightly. Simply believe, turn away from your own works, and trust in what Jesus has done for you. People listening to this Gospel message say, "Well, you're destroying the law. If that's all it is, 'Just believe,' then you can live anyway you want." People have always said that about the true Gospel. VI. Faith Alone Establishes the Law And so our third point is, that faith alone establishes law. Paul says, "Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all, rather we uphold or establish the law." Now, it seems to me, as you read through, it may seem that Paul is constantly attacking the law. He's constantly saying, "You don't need the law. The law is useless. The law is worthless." Nothing could be further from the truth. What he does say, is that the justification, us standing before God, free of our sins, does not come that way. The other day, I was trying to explain this point to my children, and I said, "I want you to understand how the law works." An idea came to me, and we went out to our basketball court, and I had in my hand a basketball and a football. And I said, "I'm going to give you a law. I'm going to give you a rule. You need to start up here, and if you want to make progress toward the basket, you have to take the ball, and bounce it on the ground repeatedly, and that way, you can move your feet. It's called dribbling." That's a law, isn't it? Isn't it a rule? And then I handed the football to my son, and I said, "Go ahead." And so he began to dribble the... Have you ever tried to dribble a football? What happens when you dribble a football? Well, you may get away with one dribble, if you hit right on the center, right in the middle, the fat part, right in the center. But anywhere else, it's going to jump away from you. Is there something wrong? Is there something wrong with the rule? No, there's something wrong with the ball. There's nothing wrong with the rule, but it's not going to lead to righteousness and it's not going to lead to straight dribbling. Jesus Christ is the only perfectly round person that's ever lived. He upheld the law perfectly. Moment by moment, the bounce was true. Moment by moment, He obeyed everything God called Him to do. And so our Gospel, the Christian Gospel, is the only message on Earth that truly upholds the law of God, because the rest of us were all sinners. We're all crooked like that football and we cannot obey that law, can we? No justification comes to us that way. Jesus upheld the law and He did it moment by moment, through perfect submission to the will of His Father. The Lord Jesus Christ was the only perfect man that ever lived, and He was born of a virgin, born under the law, in order that he might save those who are under the law. And He lived under the law, moment by moment. And furthermore, He died under the law, didn't He? Wasn't it the law that put Him to death? Wasn't it God's holy law that put Jesus to death, because we had transgressed His law, and He absorbed the righteous requirements of that law, the penalty, by dying on a cross? Jesus upheld the law and He said, "Do not think that I've come to abolish the law. I've not come to abolish it, but to fulfill it." And He did fulfill it, perfectly, by His death on the cross. But here's the beauty of it, here's the beauty of it. Jesus then works within a believer to fulfill the law inside us. That's why Paul says, "Not at all, rather, we uphold the law." He's going to explain this more fully in Romans 6, 7, and 8, but I can't wait to get there. I want to tell you what God is going to do in you, if you're a believer in Christ. He's going to take you and transform you from a football to a basketball. He's going to change you little by little, so that your bounce will be truer and truer, as you walk with Jesus Christ. Can God do that kind of thing in you? Can He transform you from within, so that you fulfill and obey the perfect law? Not that ceremonial law, that excluded Gentiles, about circumcision, and eating, and all that, but the true law. "Hear, oh, Israel, the Lord, our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." And then the second law, which is like it, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Are we to fulfill that law? Yeah, it's going to come later in Romans 13. Paul says it here, "He who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law." The commandments, "Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law." He will fulfill the law in us, for He says" in Romans 8:1-4, That Jesus came and died on the cross to fulfill the requirements of the law, in order that... Listen to this, "In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature, but according to the Spirit." When the Spirit comes in you, little by little, He enables you and transforms you, so that you can obey the law. That's called sanctification, and little by little, He works within you. We sang, earlier, the wonderful hymn by Charles Wesley, and in one of those lines, it says, "He breaks the power of canceled sin. He sets the prisoner free." Do you realize what kind of theology is wrapped up in that sentence? "He breaks the power of canceled sin." When did He cancel your sin? When you came to faith in Christ. When you were justified, your sin was canceled, wiped away. But there's still power of sin, isn't there, in your life? You feel it, don't you? You feel the pull of sin. "He breaks the power of canceled sin, sets the prisoner free." Little by little, you're transformed to be more and more perfect, in the image of your Creator. Our Gospel upholds the law and does it within us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. V. Summary and Application What are we seeing today? First of all, that this paragraph is a transition from the glorious Gospel, the cross of Jesus Christ, which declares our justification, propitiation, demonstration of God's justice, all of it by faith alone, by faith alone. Chapter 4, we're going to learn what that faith is. What kind of faith is it that justifies? And this explains three aspects of the Gospel. Faith alone excludes boasting. Boasting's gone forever. You don't boast about your works. You don't boast about your faith. You don't boast about anything, because it's all a gift. Faith alone includes Gentiles and Jews together. And thirdly, faith alone upholds the law. Now, what kind of application can we take from this? Well, I'll go back to the beginning of my sermon. I want you to have two things from your salvation, two things from the Gospel. I want you to feed at them; they're good for you. Those two things are humility and security. Humility, in that there is nothing that you have contributed to your salvation, to your justification, but the sin which required it. That's what we contributed, our sin. Humility, our works mean nothing toward our justification, but however humbling that is... And it's good to be humbled before God... However humbling that is, we have total security in His love, for He has determined to save us in Christ and He will. And if you are a child of God today, someday, you're going to see Him in Heaven. And you have security, not because you're holding onto Him so tightly, with your little hands of faith, but because He is saving you, and working in you, giving you total security before Him. I guess I would suggest to you that you learn how to boast. Take boasting lessons from Paul, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." "May I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Don't care anymore about those things. And I'll boast gladly in my weaknesses, for when I'm weak, then I'm strong." Learn how to boast. Boast in those things. Second of all, be exclusively inclusive. What do I mean by that? First of all, let's reject polytheism. There's only one God. There's not many ways to God. But that one God has a salvation plan for the whole world. No one is forgotten. There's no people, or tribe, or language, or nation, that will not be represented at that great throne. When you hear your friends saying, "Well, I think there's many ways to God, and it's just as long as you follow your own way," speak up. Tell him the truth, Jesus Christ and Him alone is the way to salvation. Salvation is found in no one else, but there's no other name under Heaven, given to men, by which we must be saved. And then, finally, uphold the law spiritually. I told you how the Gospel upholds the law. Is it going on in your life? Do you see the transformation from within? Do you see yourself loving the law more and more, wanting to do what pleases God? Wanting to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Wanting to love your neighbors yourself? Grieving over it, if God convicts you, that you have not been loving? Then the Spirit is within you, doing a transforming work. So uphold the law spiritually and walk according to it. Let's close in prayer.