Podcasts about redeemer god

This week, we continue our study of the minor prophets in the book of Joel. The book of Joel shows us that our Creator and Redeemer God is a God of judgment but also a God of mercy who stands ready to restore His people when they come before Him in repentance. This book also points to a time when the Spirit of God would be present in all God's people.Main Points:1. The Day of the Lord is a Day of JudgmentJoel 1–2:11A locust plague devastates the land.This is a covenant curse (Deuteronomy 28:38).It is a foreshadowing of an even greater judgment (Babylonian invasion).Israel is being treated like Egypt for covenant unfaithfulness.

By Job 19, Job thinks he's at death's door and yet, he has total hope in his coming Redeemer who is God. Join us for a special excursus study in one of the Key Verses in the Entire Old Testament! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    In verse 25, when Job says that he “knows” his Redeemer lives, what does this word “know” indicate about the depth of Job's certainty regarding this? Where do you think this kind of conviction comes from? How are you pursuing this kind of conviction in your own life?  2.    In verse 25, what is a “redeemer”? How does Galatians 4:4-5 help us understand this concept more?  3.    According to Colossians 1:13-14, what has Christ's redemption accomplished?  4.    The podcast explained that the word for “redemption” in verse 25 is a specific word “ga'al” which is used when the two people (the redeemER and the redeemED) who were related to each other. What does this tell us about the nature of Jesus? How does this tie back to the Lord's promise in Genesis 3:15?  5.    In verse 25, Job says that his redeemer “lives”. Given that Job was written well over 1,000 years before Christ, why is this a startling pronouncement?  6.    What event is Job talking about in verse 26? What is Job saying that he believes?  7.    Look up Isaiah 26:29, Ezekiel 37:12-14 and Daniel 12:2. What do these passages tell us about the resurrection?  8.    According to the podcast, how is the word “see” that's used in verse 27 a different word than the word “see” that's used in verse 26? What might this difference indicate about the kind of sight we will have after the resurrection?  9.    When you reflect on how early this book was written, how does this passage increase your own confidence in the certainty of these truths?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

The story of Ruth is usually viewed through a Hallmark-tinted lens: girl suffers hardship, girl overcomes hardship, boy meets girl, they fall in love, and then everyone lives happily ever after. But there's so much more to Ruth's story!In her new six-week Bible study, Redeemer: God's Lovingkindness in the Book of Ruth, (in)courage contributor Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young invites us to view the book of Ruth through a different lens—one that helps us recognize how this story proclaims God's heart for the vulnerable, including widows, orphans, immigrants, refugees, and the poor.Order your copy of Redeemer: God's Lovingkindness in the Book of Ruth, and leave a comment on the featured excerpt shared earlier this week for a chance to WIN a copy: https://incourage.me/?p=250961The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.Connect with (in)courage: Facebook & Instagram for daily encouragement, videos, and more! Website for the (in)courage library, to meet our contributors, and to access the archives. Email us at incourage@dayspring.com. Leave a podcast review on Apple!

Joe explores discipleship and suffering through Job's story and Jesus' resurrection. Discipleship mirrors apprenticeship: being with, becoming like, and doing what Jesus did. Job's suffering shows the importance of honesty with God and rejecting the idea that suffering reflects failure. Like Job, we can trust our Redeemer—God himself—to vindicate us. Jesus' resurrection demonstrates that we, like him, will be raised bodily, scars and all. Suffering, though painful, can bear fruit, reframed in eternity as part of God's redemptive plan. Our hope lies in a risen Christ who transforms pain into glory and promises ultimate restoration.

Everything physical is a picture of something spiritual…   Genesis 1:26-27 Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.   So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.   In the creation of physical life, there is one who initiates, gives…and one who receives…   In the creation of spiritual life, there is one who gives (grace)...and one who receives (new life)...   Our physical bodies point to God's design for relationship and redemption!   When sin corrupts God's design, our physical bodies point to the coming Redeemer - God institutes physical circumcision, the cutting away of the male flesh to point to the Messiah, who is the Good Seed (semen)   The spiritual reality that corresponds to this physical picture is the idea that as the receivers of God's grace, our hearts are circumcised and new life is created.   T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website. Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Basic Bible Study | Ezekiel 24-29 & Jeremiah 21, 31-34, 39-40 (Part 4) This is part 4 of 7 In today's podcast, join Amy and Robyn as they continue their discussion in Ezekiel 24-29 & Jeremiah 21, 31-34, 39-40. Here is a breakdown of what was discussed: - Jeremiah's Prayer - In this prayer, Jeremiah confirmed God is the creator of heaven & earth, the Wise Judge & our Redeemer - God heals, restores, cleanses & forgives “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT Opening a Bible for the first time can be intimidating. Join Amy & Robyn in an easy-to-follow discussion. This Basic Bible Study is perfect for beginners & those who have never read the Bible. Look for new podcasts every Tuesday & Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIBLE RESOURCES https://biblehub.com/ https://www.bible.com/ http://betterdaysarecoming.com/bible/pronunciation.html https://biblespeak.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/mybasicbiblestudy WEBSITE http://www.mybasicbiblestudy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can contact us through e-mail or regular old snail-mail: Basic Bible Study 7797 N. 1st St. #34 Fresno, CA 93720 basicbiblestudy19@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Jesus on Every Page – Chapter 7 – “Christ's Planet: Discovering Jesus in the Creation”Key verse:▪ Colossians 1:16▪ Things created have the purposes in Christ [Jesus created his own teaching aids – camels, birds, sheep, etc.]Good to begin with considering who the opening chapters of Genesis original audience was▪ Written originally for Israel, a redeemed people in a fallen world▪ Written by Moses primarily to teach the newly redeemed people of Israel about their Redeemer God and to look to Him for an even greater Redeemer and redemption – a Redeemer greater than Moses and a redemption greaterthan a physical deliverance from Egyptian slavery▪ Think John 1:1-3 and Hebrews 1:1-3There was a plan of redemption before there was a creation:▪ Ephesians 1:4▪ Revelation 13:8▪ 1 Peter 1:20If you want, we can go through any of the following: advance of redemption (48-49); advantages of redemption (50);apex of redemption (50-51); author of redemption (51-52); or application of redemption (52-53)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 8:00am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on 94.1 The Voice in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA. If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them. There is only one rule: Be Kind! Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website: https://941thevoice.com/podcasts/gospel-for-life/

By Job 19, Job thinks he's at death's door and yet, he has total hope in his coming Redeemer who is God. Join us for a special excursus study in one of the Key Verses in the Entire Old Testament! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    In verse 25, when Job says that he “knows” his Redeemer lives, what does this word “know” indicate about the depth of Job's certainty regarding this? Where do you think this kind of conviction comes from? How are you pursuing this kind of conviction in your own life?  2.    In verse 25, what is a “redeemer”? How does Galatians 4:4-5 help us understand this concept more?  3.    According to Colossians 1:13-14, what has Christ's redemption accomplished?  4.    The podcast explained that the word for “redemption” in verse 25 is a specific word “ga'al” which is used when the two people (the redeemER and the redeemED) who were related to each other. What does this tell us about the nature of Jesus? How does this tie back to the Lord's promise in Genesis 3:15?  5.    In verse 25, Job says that his redeemer “lives”. Given that Job was written well over 1,000 years before Christ, why is this a startling pronouncement?  6.    What event is Job talking about in verse 26? What is Job saying that he believes?  7.    Look up Isaiah 26:29, Ezekiel 37:12-14 and Daniel 12:2. What do these passages tell us about the resurrection?  8.    According to the podcast, how is the word “see” that's used in verse 27 a different word than the word “see” that's used in verse 26? What might this difference indicate about the kind of sight we will have after the resurrection?  9.    When you reflect on how early this book was written, how does this passage increase your own confidence in the certainty of these truths?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

John kicks off our series on the book of Ruth by looking at the sovereignty and kindness of God in challenging seasons.

There is a museum by the Dachau Concentration Camp that serves to remind its visitors of the horrors suffered under Hitler and the Nazi party. There is a sign posted for all visitors to see as they leave with a quote by Winston Churchill that reads: Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes.[1] Judes little epistle serves to remind us of a history, that if ignored, we too might be doomed to repeat. The people Jude warns us of remind me of the morning my brother and I were late to the bus stop for school, I believe we missed the bus that day. On our way to the bus stop, a nice stranger invited us to get into the car so that he could take us to wherever we needed to go. My brother was tempted, and I was afraid to get into the car, so when it became apparent that we would not get into the car, the stranger drove off. False teachers are like the nice stranger who offers a child candy to get that child to get into the car, to take that child to a place that will forever impact that childs future. The candy often comes in the form of something that sounds good, such as the offer to gain a better understanding of the Bible, to grow closer to the true God through some hidden secret knowledge, or the offer of some key to unlocking the secrets of the Bible and reality. Permit me to push the stranger illustration a bit further. The reason my brother and I were able to sense danger when we were offered a ride from the person in the car was because our parents warned us of such people and informed us of a history involving such people, and the best way to resist them. The reason Jude saturated his little letter with examples from Israels past is because there is nothing new under the sun; the only thing that has changed is the dress. Since the birth of the Church, many have snuck into churches to introduce false doctrines that are labeled in the Bible as, doctrines of demons. Listen to the warning the apostle Paul gave to a young pastor named Timothy: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:12). The reason Jude emphasizes the need to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3), and that the Christians everywhere must build on the, most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21) is because the Devil is really good at using the ignorance of Gods people to harm them. John Wycliff said it best when he wrote the following warning: To be ignorant of the Scripture is the same thing as to be ignorant of Christ.[2] Listen, if you are ignorant of the Great Shepherd, you will be gullible enough to buy into the lies of a stranger who seeks your harm and not your good. These are the people we are warned about in Jude: In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions (v. 18). Daniel Akin wrote concerning false teachers: Disciples of Jesus must never let their spiritual guard down. They must be spiritually discerning, testing every teaching by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Eloquent speech is not the issue. Faithfulness to the Bible is.[3] The Scoffers When will the scoffers come? Jude says, In the last time. What is the last time? It is the time between Jesus ascension into heaven and his return to earth; the last time is the time we find ourselves in today and it is the time Christians have found themselves in since the birth of the Church that we read about in the book of Acts during the first century. The scoffers are the same people who have crept into the church, but not only those who snuck in. To scoff is to mock, but it can also include an attitude that is dismissive due to a self-assured arrogance[4] that following their, own ungodly passions is the best way to walk. In fact, it is their arrogance and ungodly passions that serve as their moral and theological compass. In 2 Peter 3:4, these scoffers question the legitimacy of Jesus promised return to judge the living and the dead. In Jude, these scoffers do not revere or respect the holiness of God. In the wake of their walking these scoffers are divisive, worldly, and devoid of the Spirit (v. 19). Jude informs us that the reason these people teach the things that they teach and live the way that they live is because they are, devoid of the Spirit. What this means is that these scoffers are spiritually lost even though they say that they know Jesus, they really do not know Him. Paul wrote in Romans 8:9, Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. In Titus 1:16, we are told that such people, profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. Jesus said of such people: every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (Matt. 7:1520). One of the many false teachings the Church encountered in the past confronted head on during the Protestant Reformation is what is known as Antinomianism. Antinomianism, which still exists today under a different dress, teaches that Christians are freed from all obligation to obey Gods Moral Law. There are dozens of examples from the Bible that such teaching does not represent the teachings of the Bible; what Jesus said in Matthew 7 and what Jude wrote in verse 19 is proof enough that true genuine faith in the resurrected Jesus as Master and Lord over your life does not give you a license to sin, but instead will affect you in such a way that you will want to live a life that falls in line with Gods Moral Law. The lifestyle of the false teachers, according to Jude, is proof enough that although they say that they belong to Jesus, they really do not and are in fact, devoid of the Spirit. What is possible to notice in these verses, is the way Jude contrasts the scoffers with the beloved. The Beloved So, who is the beloved? You remember from the very first verse in Jude that the beloved is the person who has been called by God, unconditionally loved by the Father, and kept for and by Jesus. According to the second verse in Jude, the one who is kept for Jesus because he is loved by the Father, will only know the mercy, peace, and love of the One who called him. Yet, in the first two verses, Jude gives us the reason why we must avoid the false teachers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord (v. 4), Jude offers us a strategy to not only avoid the trap of the scoffers, but a formula that will only deepen our relationship with the God who saved us. There is an imperative (command) that Jude anchors three participles to. The imperative is the word, keep. The three participles are found in verses 20-21 (the participles are italicized): Building yourselves in your most holy faith Praying in the Holy Spirit Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus The way the NIV translates the Greek I believe is helpful in seeing how these three participles are connected to the word, kept: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in Gods love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 2021). How does one remain in Gods love? You do so by building your life upon His word, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for Jesus Christ. Build yourselves upon the Word of God Another way you can say this is, Grow in your understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures. What he means by this is what he already admonished his readers to do in verse 3, contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. The apostle Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 2:20, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:1920). The Cornerstone of our faith is Jesus and the gospel, as it is fleshed out from Genesis through Revelation, is our foundation. Our understanding of Jesus, as our Cornerstone, will shape our understanding of who God is. If we get Jesus wrong, we will get God wrong; if we get Jesus right, we will get God right. This is why Jesus said to anyone who would follow Him: Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matt. 7:2427) In their commentary on Jude, Jim Shaddix and D.L. Akin observe: As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest Gods Word and its truth.[5] Pray in the Holy Spirit Praying in the Holy Spirit is the second participle anchored to the word kept. What Jude means here is not that we pray in some angelic or heavenly language, but that we depend upon the Holy Spirit. What kind of praying does Jude have in mind? It is the kind of praying described in Ephesians 6:18, where we are, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. It is the kind of praying that seeks Gods will for our lives above our own desires and dreams for life. The Holy Spirit is not some force or a type of impersonal power, the Holy Spirit is a He, and that He is a Person, and that Person is the Helper and Counselor promised to the Christian (see John 16:4-15), and the Helper is God the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who seals and secures all who belong to God: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:1314). It is the Holy Spirit that the false teachers are devoid of, and it is what sets the true Christian apart from those who do not have eternal life, so we depend upon Him in knowing and that helps us in our weakness: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26). Wait for the Savior As we build our lives in obedience upon the Word of God with Jesus as our Cornerstone, while we depend upon Gods Holy Spirit to help, lead, and direct we wait and long for our Redeemer: God the Son. Waiting is another way of saying, watching. Why are we waiting and watching for Jesus? Because we know that because the tomb is empty, his promise to return is imminently sure! It is Jesus who the Psalmist promised in Psalm 24:7-8, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle (Psalm 24:78)! The mercy Jude says the true Christian is watching is the, blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) that every Christian anticipates. Or as Jim Shaddix so eloquently describes: The Christians heart and eyes are fixed heavenward, looking for a rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and True, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and on his head are many crowns. We are looking for one whose robe is dipped in blood, and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:1116). Until then we will grow in his Word, pray by his Spirit, and watch for his coming.[6] Oh, dont you see what Jude is doing in these verses? He is showing us that the key to keeping in the Love of God is found in a relationship with a God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We are to set our eyes heavenward on the God who called us. We are to watch for Jesus out of a longing for our Groom as His Bride. We are to desperately depend upon the Holy Spirit who has sealed us for the Day of our redemption and powerfully Helps us to persevere until the end. This is what the false teachers want to deconstruct and pervert, but it is the key to remaining in the love of God that is foreign to anyone who has not been called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ (v. 3). Conclusion (vv. 22-23) As men and women with our eyes set on God, our hearts fixed on Jesus, and our dependance resting in the Holy Spirit, how are we to respond to the those who have crept in? What is our posture to be towards those who deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their words and with their lives? Well, in verse 22, we are introduced to next the imperative, and that is: have mercy. We are to exercise the same mercy we have received in three different ways: We are to have mercy on those who doubt. We are to show mercy by seeking to rescue those caught up into false teaching from hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to have mercy on those who doubt. The Christian is a conduit of Gods mercy and grace. We must have mercy on those caught up in false teaching and responsible for the false teaching because the God who called the Christian is merciful (Psalm 116:5). There is no sin so great that Gods mercy and His grace cannot overcome; we Christians ought to be very aware of this because we have experienced it ourselves. We are to seek to rescue those caught up in false teaching from hell. God uses those He has redeemed through the blood of His Son to tell unredeemed sinners where to find redemption. As one commentator wrote: Too much is at stake for believers not to take decisive action to rescue others from the destruction awaiting the false teachers.[7] One of my favorite quotes is from a missionary by the name of C.T. Studd who said, Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to show the scoffers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord mercy, but a mercy laced with a fear of being drawn into the same kind of sinful deception. What is true of the one who has been called, beloved, and kept by God is a hatred of sin. This does not mean that we are free from sinning, but it does mean that our affections have changed and continue to change where we long more and more to please the One who rescued us from hell. We are a walking example of the kind of change God can bring upon a person; what is true of the Christian is offered even to the false teacher: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isaiah 1:18). [1] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 323). Crossway Books. [2] John Wycliffe (Source unknown) [3] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (pp. 141-42). Holman Reference. [4] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary: Jude (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018); p. 519. [5] Shaddix, J., Akin, D. L. (2018). Exalting jesus in 2 peter, jude (Jud 20). Holman Reference. [6] Ibid. [7] Matthew S. Harmon. ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018), P. 520

There is a museum by the Dachau Concentration Camp that serves to remind its visitors of the horrors suffered under Hitler and the Nazi party. There is a sign posted for all visitors to see as they leave with a quote by Winston Churchill that reads: Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes.[1] Judes little epistle serves to remind us of a history, that if ignored, we too might be doomed to repeat. The people Jude warns us of remind me of the morning my brother and I were late to the bus stop for school, I believe we missed the bus that day. On our way to the bus stop, a nice stranger invited us to get into the car so that he could take us to wherever we needed to go. My brother was tempted, and I was afraid to get into the car, so when it became apparent that we would not get into the car, the stranger drove off. False teachers are like the nice stranger who offers a child candy to get that child to get into the car, to take that child to a place that will forever impact that childs future. The candy often comes in the form of something that sounds good, such as the offer to gain a better understanding of the Bible, to grow closer to the true God through some hidden secret knowledge, or the offer of some key to unlocking the secrets of the Bible and reality. Permit me to push the stranger illustration a bit further. The reason my brother and I were able to sense danger when we were offered a ride from the person in the car was because our parents warned us of such people and informed us of a history involving such people, and the best way to resist them. The reason Jude saturated his little letter with examples from Israels past is because there is nothing new under the sun; the only thing that has changed is the dress. Since the birth of the Church, many have snuck into churches to introduce false doctrines that are labeled in the Bible as, doctrines of demons. Listen to the warning the apostle Paul gave to a young pastor named Timothy: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:12). The reason Jude emphasizes the need to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3), and that the Christians everywhere must build on the, most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21) is because the Devil is really good at using the ignorance of Gods people to harm them. John Wycliff said it best when he wrote the following warning: To be ignorant of the Scripture is the same thing as to be ignorant of Christ.[2] Listen, if you are ignorant of the Great Shepherd, you will be gullible enough to buy into the lies of a stranger who seeks your harm and not your good. These are the people we are warned about in Jude: In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions (v. 18). Daniel Akin wrote concerning false teachers: Disciples of Jesus must never let their spiritual guard down. They must be spiritually discerning, testing every teaching by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Eloquent speech is not the issue. Faithfulness to the Bible is.[3] The Scoffers When will the scoffers come? Jude says, In the last time. What is the last time? It is the time between Jesus ascension into heaven and his return to earth; the last time is the time we find ourselves in today and it is the time Christians have found themselves in since the birth of the Church that we read about in the book of Acts during the first century. The scoffers are the same people who have crept into the church, but not only those who snuck in. To scoff is to mock, but it can also include an attitude that is dismissive due to a self-assured arrogance[4] that following their, own ungodly passions is the best way to walk. In fact, it is their arrogance and ungodly passions that serve as their moral and theological compass. In 2 Peter 3:4, these scoffers question the legitimacy of Jesus promised return to judge the living and the dead. In Jude, these scoffers do not revere or respect the holiness of God. In the wake of their walking these scoffers are divisive, worldly, and devoid of the Spirit (v. 19). Jude informs us that the reason these people teach the things that they teach and live the way that they live is because they are, devoid of the Spirit. What this means is that these scoffers are spiritually lost even though they say that they know Jesus, they really do not know Him. Paul wrote in Romans 8:9, Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. In Titus 1:16, we are told that such people, profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. Jesus said of such people: every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (Matt. 7:1520). One of the many false teachings the Church encountered in the past confronted head on during the Protestant Reformation is what is known as Antinomianism. Antinomianism, which still exists today under a different dress, teaches that Christians are freed from all obligation to obey Gods Moral Law. There are dozens of examples from the Bible that such teaching does not represent the teachings of the Bible; what Jesus said in Matthew 7 and what Jude wrote in verse 19 is proof enough that true genuine faith in the resurrected Jesus as Master and Lord over your life does not give you a license to sin, but instead will affect you in such a way that you will want to live a life that falls in line with Gods Moral Law. The lifestyle of the false teachers, according to Jude, is proof enough that although they say that they belong to Jesus, they really do not and are in fact, devoid of the Spirit. What is possible to notice in these verses, is the way Jude contrasts the scoffers with the beloved. The Beloved So, who is the beloved? You remember from the very first verse in Jude that the beloved is the person who has been called by God, unconditionally loved by the Father, and kept for and by Jesus. According to the second verse in Jude, the one who is kept for Jesus because he is loved by the Father, will only know the mercy, peace, and love of the One who called him. Yet, in the first two verses, Jude gives us the reason why we must avoid the false teachers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord (v. 4), Jude offers us a strategy to not only avoid the trap of the scoffers, but a formula that will only deepen our relationship with the God who saved us. There is an imperative (command) that Jude anchors three participles to. The imperative is the word, keep. The three participles are found in verses 20-21 (the participles are italicized): Building yourselves in your most holy faith Praying in the Holy Spirit Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus The way the NIV translates the Greek I believe is helpful in seeing how these three participles are connected to the word, kept: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in Gods love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 2021). How does one remain in Gods love? You do so by building your life upon His word, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for Jesus Christ. Build yourselves upon the Word of God Another way you can say this is, Grow in your understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures. What he means by this is what he already admonished his readers to do in verse 3, contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. The apostle Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 2:20, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:1920). The Cornerstone of our faith is Jesus and the gospel, as it is fleshed out from Genesis through Revelation, is our foundation. Our understanding of Jesus, as our Cornerstone, will shape our understanding of who God is. If we get Jesus wrong, we will get God wrong; if we get Jesus right, we will get God right. This is why Jesus said to anyone who would follow Him: Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matt. 7:2427) In their commentary on Jude, Jim Shaddix and D.L. Akin observe: As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest Gods Word and its truth.[5] Pray in the Holy Spirit Praying in the Holy Spirit is the second participle anchored to the word kept. What Jude means here is not that we pray in some angelic or heavenly language, but that we depend upon the Holy Spirit. What kind of praying does Jude have in mind? It is the kind of praying described in Ephesians 6:18, where we are, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. It is the kind of praying that seeks Gods will for our lives above our own desires and dreams for life. The Holy Spirit is not some force or a type of impersonal power, the Holy Spirit is a He, and that He is a Person, and that Person is the Helper and Counselor promised to the Christian (see John 16:4-15), and the Helper is God the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who seals and secures all who belong to God: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:1314). It is the Holy Spirit that the false teachers are devoid of, and it is what sets the true Christian apart from those who do not have eternal life, so we depend upon Him in knowing and that helps us in our weakness: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26). Wait for the Savior As we build our lives in obedience upon the Word of God with Jesus as our Cornerstone, while we depend upon Gods Holy Spirit to help, lead, and direct we wait and long for our Redeemer: God the Son. Waiting is another way of saying, watching. Why are we waiting and watching for Jesus? Because we know that because the tomb is empty, his promise to return is imminently sure! It is Jesus who the Psalmist promised in Psalm 24:7-8, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle (Psalm 24:78)! The mercy Jude says the true Christian is watching is the, blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) that every Christian anticipates. Or as Jim Shaddix so eloquently describes: The Christians heart and eyes are fixed heavenward, looking for a rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and True, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and on his head are many crowns. We are looking for one whose robe is dipped in blood, and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:1116). Until then we will grow in his Word, pray by his Spirit, and watch for his coming.[6] Oh, dont you see what Jude is doing in these verses? He is showing us that the key to keeping in the Love of God is found in a relationship with a God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We are to set our eyes heavenward on the God who called us. We are to watch for Jesus out of a longing for our Groom as His Bride. We are to desperately depend upon the Holy Spirit who has sealed us for the Day of our redemption and powerfully Helps us to persevere until the end. This is what the false teachers want to deconstruct and pervert, but it is the key to remaining in the love of God that is foreign to anyone who has not been called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ (v. 3). Conclusion (vv. 22-23) As men and women with our eyes set on God, our hearts fixed on Jesus, and our dependance resting in the Holy Spirit, how are we to respond to the those who have crept in? What is our posture to be towards those who deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their words and with their lives? Well, in verse 22, we are introduced to next the imperative, and that is: have mercy. We are to exercise the same mercy we have received in three different ways: We are to have mercy on those who doubt. We are to show mercy by seeking to rescue those caught up into false teaching from hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to have mercy on those who doubt. The Christian is a conduit of Gods mercy and grace. We must have mercy on those caught up in false teaching and responsible for the false teaching because the God who called the Christian is merciful (Psalm 116:5). There is no sin so great that Gods mercy and His grace cannot overcome; we Christians ought to be very aware of this because we have experienced it ourselves. We are to seek to rescue those caught up in false teaching from hell. God uses those He has redeemed through the blood of His Son to tell unredeemed sinners where to find redemption. As one commentator wrote: Too much is at stake for believers not to take decisive action to rescue others from the destruction awaiting the false teachers.[7] One of my favorite quotes is from a missionary by the name of C.T. Studd who said, Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to show the scoffers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord mercy, but a mercy laced with a fear of being drawn into the same kind of sinful deception. What is true of the one who has been called, beloved, and kept by God is a hatred of sin. This does not mean that we are free from sinning, but it does mean that our affections have changed and continue to change where we long more and more to please the One who rescued us from hell. We are a walking example of the kind of change God can bring upon a person; what is true of the Christian is offered even to the false teacher: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isaiah 1:18). [1] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 323). Crossway Books. [2] John Wycliffe (Source unknown) [3] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (pp. 141-42). Holman Reference. [4] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary: Jude (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018); p. 519. [5] Shaddix, J., Akin, D. L. (2018). Exalting jesus in 2 peter, jude (Jud 20). Holman Reference. [6] Ibid. [7] Matthew S. Harmon. ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018), P. 520

By Job 19, Job thinks he's at death's door and yet, he has total hope in his coming Redeemer who is God. Join us for a special excursus study in one of the Key Verses in the Entire Old Testament! 1.    In verse 25, when Job says that he “knows” his Redeemer lives, what does this word “know” indicate about the depth of Job's certainty regarding this? Where do you think this kind of conviction comes from? How are you pursuing this kind of conviction in your own life?  2.    In verse 25, what is a “redeemer”? How does Galatians 4:4-5 help us understand this concept more?  3.    According to Colossians 1:13-14, what has Christ's redemption accomplished?  4.    The podcast explained that the word for “redemption” in verse 25 is a specific word “ga'al” which is used when the two people (the redeemER and the redeemED) who were related to each other. What does this tell us about the nature of Jesus? How does this tie back to the Lord's promise in Genesis 3:15?  5.    In verse 25, Job says that his redeemer “lives”. Given that Job was written well over 1,000 years before Christ, why is this a startling pronouncement?  6.    What event is Job talking about in verse 26? What is Job saying that he believes?  7.    Look up Isaiah 26:29, Ezekiel 37:12-14 and Daniel 12:2. What do these passages tell us about the resurrection?  8.    According to the podcast, how is the word “see” that's used in verse 27 a different word than the word “see” that's used in verse 26? What might this difference indicate about the kind of sight we will have after the resurrection?  9.    When you reflect on how early this book was written, how does this passage increase your own confidence in the certainty of these truths?    Check out our new Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Devotional Prayer by Be Inspired by His word © Song by Fred Hammond Bread of life sent down from glory Many things you were on earth A Holy King, a carpenter You are the Living Word Awesome ruler (Awesome ruler), gentle Redeemer (gentle Redeemer) (God with us) God with us the Living Truth And what a friend we have in you You are the Living Word Jesus, Jesus! (That's what we call you) That's what we call you (You were born in a Manger) Manger born, but on a tree You died to save humanity You are the Living Word I am the bread that gives life. John 6:48 ERV Prayer Eternal rock of ages I magnify your holy name and worship your majesty King of kings thank you for this awesome opportunity to be called your child Lord thank you for the forgiveness of sin and your blood shed for my salvation Ancient of days thank you for your love that is forever sufficient for me Lord thank you for divine provision even when I have lost hope Lord thank you for revealing yourself to me each and everyday Lord thank you for not allowing my story to end the way the enemy planned it Lord thank you for making ways for me where there was no way Lord thank you for divine intervention and restoration in all aspects of life Lord thank you for making me new and refreshing my soul with your dew from heaven Lord thank you for the life of the vessel used for this daily prayers all impacted by it and our household for giving us victory in all aspects of life *Personal Prayer* Thank you ancient of days for answered prayers in Jesus name *Confess Daily: Sin shall not have dominion over me I am operating in the power of the word of God. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus by faith as Jesus is so am I in this world. I can't lack in life because the bread of life is my father. JIREH is my provider, my source and my sustainer. God is my shield, my buckler and ever present help. Hallelujah!* Today's Prayer by Be Inspired (by His word) © 15th April 2023 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/be-inspired-by-his-word/message

Passage: Exodus 17:1-7 Present In Patience Present In Punishment The post Exodus: Meet Your Redeemer | God with Us first appeared on Redeemer Bible Church.

My Redeemer LivesOur sermon text is the book of Job, chapter 19. You can find on page 505 in the church Bibles under the seat in front of you. Don't stand yet, but our practice is to stand for our sermon text in reverence of God's Word. The reason we do this comes from Nehemiah chapter 8. That was when the prophet Ezra opened the Scriptures. It had been years since God's Word had been read. He had the people stand to give their attention to and honor of God's Word.We read from the Bible multiple times in our service. It would be a lot of up and down if we stood every time, so we stand for our sermon reading as representative of the Scripture readings in the service. Please stand.God has given us his very Word. It's written for his Glory and our good – so that we may know him and the power of his resurrection. Hear now God's inspired Word from Job 19Job 19PrayerIntroductionWhen something difficult happens to us, our natural tendency is to want to know why. Why me, Lord? What have I done to deserve this? Did I sin? Is this a judgment on me? Actions have consequences – that's the way of life. And so when a painful situation happens like the diagnosis of a disease, or sickness or the loss of a friend or family member, we cry out to God for answers… and for reasons.These last couple of years have been extremely hard with the pandemic. We have lost loved ones or know of friends who have lost loved ones. It has been painful and difficult. And we want to know why. Why am I suffering? …or why is he or she suffering?Understanding what the Bible teaches about suffering is important. It impacts how we live. It affects our view of God and our counsel to others. And if we misunderstand suffering, it will lead to even further hurt and pain. When suffering comes, we'll be disoriented and depressed and left to question God.But on the other hand, if we can believe in God and his answer to suffering, our lives will be changed. We will have a foundation on which we can hope and rest. Underlying the days of sadness and grief will be a firm foundation of hope. We won't be questioning anymore what we did to deserve such pain. No, because we'll have the promises of God, and we will believe in what God will do.You're probably thinking, “what kind of Easter message is this?” Well, it's the kind of Easter message that intersects the reality of suffering with the resurrection. That's because the resurrection of Jesus is that foundation. Our hope through suffering comes through the risen Savior.And if you were to ask, where in Scripture does God teach us about suffering and hope and Jesus resurrection? Well, I would say one of the clearest testimonies is the book of Job.The book of Job is a book of contrasts. • It's a book of right and wrong. • Of wisdom and foolishness. • Of God and Satan. • Of heath and sickness. • Of prosperity and desolation. • Of joy and pain. And through those contrasts, the book gives us clear guidance on suffering and who God is. Later in the book of Job, God speaks – he sets his very character and nature in front of Job.Maybe one day we can work through the book of Job on Sunday mornings.But this morning, this Easter morning, I hope to provide some insights into this man, Job, into his suffering and discouragement, what his friends thought, but then focus in on where he lands, answering some of the hard questions and pointing us to his redeemer.Job's SituationLet me ask you to picture in your mind the ancient world – no modern buildings or machines or roads. A countryside with farms and animals, of vast land, and vegetation. Communities near waterways. Well worn paths that traversed the land. Workers served masters, who owned the land, who produced crops and raised animals. Trade involved commodities like wool and food, and other goods. Large families flourished with grand celebrations – like Job and his family.Some have suggested that the book of Job is the earliest book written in the Bible. That Job lived before Abraham. I think that analysis is likely true.We're told that Job was a righteous man. As it says in chapter 1, “blameless and upright, who feared God and turned away from evil.” He was a wealthy man – when we think of wealth today, we often think of it in a consumer setting, but no, Job wasn't a consumer, he was a producer. He produced jobs, a stable environment for the town and his workers - cared for them and his family. And he was known for his wisdom.And all was good…That is, until Satan came along! And in the devil's interaction with God, he accused Job of a righteousness based only on God's material and relational blessing. “Of course, he's faithful. Of course, he's upright and righteous. Of course, he's follows you. That's because you have given him much - family and possessions. But if you take that all away – he will curse your name.”We didn't read all that happened to Job, but we did see how God allowed Satan to have his way with Job and his family. And all the pain that Satan caused.His possessions and servants destroyed. His children killed. Fire and enemies and wind taking the lives of his beloved. It was tragic. He felt intense grief… some of you know that grief well. The sudden loss of a family member – a brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, wife – or the loss of a dear dear friend. The physiological and emotional reaction – the shock. And for Job, the grief kept coming as story after story of death, compounded. And Job fell to the ground.And what do we expect? For him to yell and pound the ground and curse God. But no, instead he blessed God. He acknowledged God, his creator.And this wasn't even the end of the suffering that Job would go through. Satan next sought permission to afflict Job's body. And Job breaks out in painful sores all over. It was so painful that Job would take a piece of clay pottery and scrape the blistering sores.And Job's wife, also in grief, watching. She saw the pain Job was in, and she had had enough. “Job, how can you hold so fast to your integrity?” she asked. And then in her distress and anger, she said to him, “Curse God and die.” She was saying to him, “reject your creator. Look at the pain he has caused. Why do you worship him? Don't sit any longer wallowing in your suffering… take your life.”“No! heaven forbid.” Job said, “how can we receive good from God and not evil!” And we're told in chapter 2 that he did not sin.What a man! In the face of deep personal suffering, he held fast to what he believed - trusting in and fearing God. Oh, that we would each grasp hold of those same promises that grounded his faith.It's not that Job didn't struggle, nor that he didn't express his sadness and confusion. No, we'll come to that in a minute. But in the darkest days, he was able to stand firm trusting in the God who created him.Job's FriendsIn the book overall, we're next introduced to three friends. They had come to him in his time of lament. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Their desire was to help Job; to come alongside of him and help him process all that has happened. At first, they just sat with him; they were present with him. And it would have been better if they never opened their mouths.Because here's one of the contrasts in the book. The wisdom of Job when he sought out God and worshipped him versus the foolishness of his friends.Let me summarize their message to Job: you are suffering because you did something to deserved it. This was their false Gospel. And they went on and on. For example:• The innocent prosper. That was a lie in multiple ways. I mean, Job's friends believed it, but it is a false belief.• Or… God is disciplining you because you need disciplining. That's why you have been experiencing this torment from God. Well, there is some truth in that statement. God does discipline those he loves. But this was a misdirected belief for Job's situation. They were calling Job to repent for something he did so that God would stop disciplining him.• Overall, their message connected actions with consequences. They assumed a connection between Job's experiences of sickness and the death of his children with his sin. • To be sure, sin has natural consequences – that's true. • And also true, the sin condition of the word – it's fallenness – is the source of suffering. In this particular case, it was the devil whom God allowed to afflict Job.• But Job's friends presumed that some specific sin caused God to inflict suffering on him. When suffering comes, it's so easy to think and feel that we did something wrong and God is acting out against us. But that is not the message of Job. No, that is seeing our suffering through the eyes of Job's friends and their grave misunderstandings about the broader impact of sin and the nature of redemption.From chapter 3 through chapter 28, Job went back and forth with his friends. It's tiring stuff as you work your way through this intense dialogue.Job's Lament And throughout this back and forth, Job was honest. He lamented. He even lamented his own birth. The mental and emotional anguish was overwhelming to him. Many of the Psalms are songs of lament. The Lord desires us to come to him in our sorrow and in our grief.In the middle of these chapters, we come across chapter 19. In it, we hear Job's pain. And we sense his anger at his friends “How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?” Verse 2. He then accused them of exalting themselves and beating him down.The torment from his friends only compounded the pain that he was already suffering.And then Job pours out his heart. Verses 8 and following. We sense the weight of all his anguish. He cried out to God…• …He has walled up my way… Darkness is on my path… (verse 8)• …He has stripped from me my glory… (verse 9)• …my hope he has pulled up like a tree… (verse 10)• …my brothers are wholly estranged from me… (verse 13)• …He called himself a “stranger” and a “foreigner” in his own house… (verse 15)• …young children despise me… (verse 18)• …my intimate friends hate me… (verse 19)• No one wants to be near Job… they think he's cursed and no longer want to associate to him• Then Job said in verse 20…my bones stick to my skin… we get the sense here of his ongoing condition. Frail, weak, emaciated.• And then Job cried out to his friends, verses 20-21. “have mercy on me… why do you, like God pursue me…”Job is lonely, isolated, rejected, distraught, and overwhelmed. Perhaps we don't feel all of these emotions at the same time as Job does, but we can relate to each one of these feelings at different points in our lives. And in our times of despair and grief, they compound as they did for Job in his lament.Job's HopeBut the beautiful and wonderful thing is where Job lands. It's where he stakes his hope. It's centered around, of course, verse 25, “I know,” he says, “that my redeemer lives.” But the leadup in verses 23 and 24 teach us just how much weight Job puts into his belief. “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!” I've always thought how ironic that was. Little did Job know at the time that the words he penned would indeed be inscribed forever. Inspired by the Holy Spirit. Encapsulated in the Holy Scriptures. Billions of people have read and reflected on Job's words, have considered his life and suffering, have been built up and encouraged, and have been pointed to the Redeemer.The words in verses 25 and 26 are words for each of us to reflect on.If you have your Bible in front of you, read verses 25 and 26 with me. Believe it as you say it. Here we go… “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God”There it is. There is the answer… the key.There's so much here for us to take hold of in our suffering. And I would say, we can grasp even more than Job understood! To be sure, God gave Job a supernatural sense that He would redeem Job and restore him eternally.But we have an even deeper realization of what his words meant …• Job lived before the covenant promises were given to Abraham and David• Job didn't have the Gospel pictures that the other Old Testament saints had like the Passover and Exodus. Like the temple and the sacrificial system.• And of course, Job didn't have the blessings of the revealed Messiah – Jesus, the Son of God, who came in the flesh. Who died and was risen.But yet, God gave Job a depth of trusting in what was to come and what it meant for him in his misery and anguish.And it centers around his Redeemer. A redeemer to Job was someone who would restore him. Someone who had the ability and the authority to reinstate what was right and to avenge wrongs. Job didn't know who or how that redemption would come, but he did know the redeemer would be God himself. At the end of verse 26, Job says, “I shall see God.” Here Job is directly connecting his Redeemer to God himself. He lives… he shall be the last to stand on the earth… I shall see him, God.A Redeemer God… who we know is Jesus. Jesus is the one who Redeemed Job. Jesus would redeem Job in 2 ways. First, yes, Job was an upright man – he lived righteously. But that did not mean he wasn't a sinner and there did not need redemption from his sin and reconciliation with God. No, Job needed that… we need that. Redemption from sin.But second, Job needed redemption from suffering and death. He needed redemption for both his sin and his suffering.Even though Jesus came a couple thousand years after Job…yet he looked to his Redeemer.For us here, this is the redemption that we each need. Redemption from our sin and redemption from our suffering. And it's the cross of Christ and his resurrection through which God brought about that redemption. And Jesus had both the ability and authority to redeem… as the son of God and in human flesh. Jesus is our Redeemer.And notice how Job captures his own faith. He calls him “my redeemer.” There's a personal assurance that Job has of his redeemer. He knows that his redeemer will restore him. He believes in his redeemer.And in order for someone to be a redeemer, they had to be alive. And Job says, “my redeemer lives”It's not, “he will live” or “he has lived” But “he lives.” Meaning he is alive now.• And the second half of verse 25, “He will be the last one to stand upon the earth” – meaning he's going to be alive a long time! When the heavens and earth pass away – this redeemer, Jesus, will be there. He will be calling those he redeems to a new heavens and earth.• And Job has this assurance that he will be in this redeemer's presence. Twice in verses 26 and 27… Job uses the word “see” … and related to that, the word “behold”. Job will “see” him…. After Job's life from this earth is gone. After his flesh is destroyed (verse 26 as it says, then Job will see his redeemer God! He will be in his presence. Did you notice that Job says, “in my flesh, I shall see God.” But he said that will happen “after his skin has been thus destroyed.” In other word, Job himself will be resurrected. He will physically be in the presence of his redeemer.Through all his suffering and trials and grief and pain…. Job hoped in his redeemer NOT for an immediate restoration and reconciliation, BUT rather an eternal restoration and reconciliation. This redemption from our suffering and sin will be fully realized when Jesus, the redeemer, returns. • The Bible does not promise health here and now. We can pray for healing, and we should. And the Lord hears those prayers and he may answer them the way we ask, but it's not an earthly promise.• The Bible also does not promise a deliverance from evil in our life on earth. We can pray for deliverance from evil, and we should – The Lord's prayer calls us to pray for that and God may deliver us from evil. But ultimately that deliverance will be fulfilled in eternity. • To say it in a different way, the redemption that God promises us is spiritual (redemption from our sin) and is physical (redemption from our suffering). But those redemption promises will be fully realized in eternity – in heaven with him in his presence. And although Job didn't know how this redeemer would come, and how he would accomplish his redemption… Job did know that this redemption would involves a living redeemer whom Job would see in the flesh because he would also be resurrected.And of course, we know how this redeemer lives. And we know how we will see him in the flesh one day.It is because he was resurrected - the Lord Jesus. He lives. Now. He is reigning. Now. His resurrection makes way to our resurrection one day.That is where our hope comes from in our physical and emotional suffering. A risen savior, who lives, and who will one day restore us fully.In your difficult days, like the days of Job, when suffering and grief is pressing in on your life… seemingly from every side, you can fix our eyes on your redeemer who lives. And even in your crying out and lament like Job did, you can see your redeemer.I think about it this way - My eye glasses are the kind that gradually change from helping me see far in the distance, to helping me see things a little closer to me, and also really close up… the lower part even magnifies for reading. The prescription gradually changes from far to near. It took some time to get used to, but what I really like about them is that things are clear far away (I can see you in the back row), it's clear for things several feet away, clear for close-up, and clear for reading.… and it's clear all at the same time!Being able to say like Job “my redeemer lives, and I will see him in the flesh” is like putting on these kind of glasses. Where you can see and believe clearly in the distance that you will be with Christ in eternity in his presence, resurrected with him. You can also see and believe that day when Christ will return and will be the last to stand upon the earth. And you can see and believe clearly now, in the depth of your anguish and pain, that you have a living Redeemer, who will do all those things. Seeing and believing now with lasting eternal hope.And it's a contrast to the foolishness of Job's friends, who say that our suffering is a result of our personal and particular sin – not the sin condition of the world. They are trapped, in a sense, in a short-term view, without the eternal redemption that our redeemer will give us.What we need to do is we need to take that question “what did I do to deserve this suffering?” and change it to “what did I do to deserve this redemption, this eternal redemption?” It's a heart and it's mind change that comes from seeing Jesus as your redeemer who lives now because he has been raised.If you don't know this redeemer. If you can't yet call him “my redeemer.” Then come to him. Because he lives.

(Message date: April 3, 2022) The meeting at the Bethlehem gate (Ruth 4:1-12) is a scene that powerfully shows us the Gospel of Jesus. It's a high-stakes negotiation that narrowly succeeds. Here, Boaz shows us — by contrast to the other guy: Chad — the sort of redeemer he is, and ultimately, the sort of Redeemer God is. Just as they weighed the costs and risks of redeeming Ruth and the land, God weighed the implications to redeem us, and said: “Yes”.

My mother shared with me how she chose not to attend college so she could marry my father in the 1960s, but she always held on to her dream of becoming a home economics teacher. Three children later, though she never received a college degree, she did become a nutritionist aide for the state of Louisiana’s health system. She cooked meals to demonstrate healthier meal choices—much like a home economics teacher. As she shared her dream with me after recounting the events of her life, she proclaimed that God had indeed heard her prayers and given her the desires of her heart. Life can be like that for us. Our plans point one way but reality goes another way. But with God, our time and lives can be turned into beautiful displays of His compassion, love, and restoration. God told the people of Judah (Joel 2:21) that He would “repay” them for their lost or destroyed years—brought about by a “locust swarm” (V. 25). He also works to help us in the challenges and unfulfilled dreams we face. For we serve a Redeemer God who honors and rewards our sacrifices for Him (Matthew 19:29). Whether we’re facing a devastating challenge or a time of unrealized dreams, may we call out to the God who restores and give Him praise.

How wonderful our Father is! Salvation abounds in His presence. There is no rejection in His arms. Redeemer God!

God's covenant people must keep His covenant. Remember you receive the law of the LORD as His redeemed. Live for your Redeemer Lord. Learn from the God Who redeemed you. Listen to your Redeemer God. Listen, Learn, and Live for your LORD.

In today's Bible-based meditation, we meditate on God as our redeemer through Jesus' sacrifice and Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV. Join my free 5-day Exploring Christian Yoga Workshop at hesedheart.com/workshop

Deacon Genesis Vega

The Kinsman Redeemer - God With Us (06dec2020) by Northshore Christian Church

Season 1 Episode 6 When I was eighteen years old I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father in a personal way. I knew I had a personal relationship to the Creator God and the Redeemer God because of answers to prayer that only God and I knew about. The Navigator Ministry in those days had a packet of five verses to memorize for the new believer. Each verse was an assurance of some aspect of truth about God. The five verses I memorized then have been the bread and butter time and again in my journey with God in this life. Here are the five assurance verses. # 1 Assurance of Salvation 1 John 5:11-13 # 2 Assurance of Forgiveness of Sins 1 John 1:9 # 3 Assurance of Overcoming Temptation 1 Corinthians 10:13 # 4 Assurance of Answers to Prayer John 16:24 # 5 Assurance of Guidance Proverbs 3:5,6 I would encourage you to memorize these verses as a family so that each member of your family can have the assurance and reality of the truth in each one constantly manifested in your lives in practical tangible ways. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-cook/message

Only your Creator and Redeemer God deserves the throne of your heart. Give Him what He rightly deserves. Let your desire for Him be all-absorbing and all-consuming! Desire Him above everything else! This message was delivered by Guna Shekar on 30 January, 2020, Thursday. For more details, please contact: Guna Shekar Phone: +91 8095483180 Email: gunashekar.mmi@gmail.com You can also visit: The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BIJD1sB0crL9nbF06M_bHjJ ನಮ್ಮ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯ ಪುನಾದಿ | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BKEFm_ekc7F7h_HzulTskmG हमारे विश्वास की नींव | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJhC-nENcxaKnhUcpgK7Hzb మా విశ్వాసం యొక్క పునాది | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJZwNmIwtGLhKlKpBF6Fi-i നമ്മുടെ വിശ്വാസത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനം | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJqgzDeaxQtWvsHLdogoDkE YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFIXZvUyt8VMG82n9aHqKg Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christ-for-All-Mysuru-Karnataka-457784918292012/ [ನೀವು ದೇವರ ವಾಕ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆತ್ಮೀಕ ಜೀವಿತಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳು ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಕರವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ನೀವು ಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಕೇಳಬೇಕೆಂದು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನನ್ನು ಅರಿಯದಿರುವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರು ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನ ಮೂಲಕ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಹೊಂದುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸಹೋದರ ಸಹೋದರಿಯರಾಗಿರುವವರು ಅತ್ಮೀಕವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುವಂತೆ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಕರ್ತನ ಹೆಸರು ಮಾತ್ರ ಮೆಹಿಮೆ ಹೊಂದಲಿ! Please listen to these messages completely so that you may be able to understand God's Word clearly and so that these messages may benefit your spiritual life. Moreover, please share these messages with your friends who don't know Christ that they may find salvation in Him and also with your brothers and sisters in Christ that they may be spiritually edified. May the name of God alone be glorified!]

Only your Creator and Redeemer God deserves the throne of your heart. Give Him what He rightly deserves. Let your desire for Him be all-absorbing and all-consuming! Desire Him above everything else! This message was delivered by Guna Shekar on 25 January, 2020, Saturday. For more details, please contact: Guna Shekar Phone: +91 8095483180 Email: gunashekar.mmi@gmail.com You can also visit: The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BIJD1sB0crL9nbF06M_bHjJ ನಮ್ಮ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯ ಪುನಾದಿ | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BKEFm_ekc7F7h_HzulTskmG हमारे विश्वास की नींव | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJhC-nENcxaKnhUcpgK7Hzb మా విశ్వాసం యొక్క పునాది | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJZwNmIwtGLhKlKpBF6Fi-i നമ്മുടെ വിശ്വാസത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനം | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJqgzDeaxQtWvsHLdogoDkE YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFIXZvUyt8VMG82n9aHqKg Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christ-for-All-Mysuru-Karnataka-457784918292012/ [ನೀವು ದೇವರ ವಾಕ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆತ್ಮೀಕ ಜೀವಿತಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳು ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಕರವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ನೀವು ಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಕೇಳಬೇಕೆಂದು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನನ್ನು ಅರಿಯದಿರುವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರು ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನ ಮೂಲಕ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಹೊಂದುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸಹೋದರ ಸಹೋದರಿಯರಾಗಿರುವವರು ಅತ್ಮೀಕವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುವಂತೆ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಕರ್ತನ ಹೆಸರು ಮಾತ್ರ ಮೆಹಿಮೆ ಹೊಂದಲಿ! Please listen to these messages completely so that you may be able to understand God's Word clearly and so that these messages may benefit your spiritual life. Moreover, please share these messages with your friends who don't know Christ that they may find salvation in Him and also with your brothers and sisters in Christ that they may be spiritually edified. May the name of God alone be glorified!]

Only your Creator and Redeemer God deserves the throne of your heart. Give Him what He rightly deserves. Let your desire for Him be all-absorbing and all-consuming! Desire Him above everything else! This message was delivered by Guna Shekar on 3 January, 2020, Friday. For more details, please contact: Guna Shekar Phone: +91 8095483180 Email: gunashekar.mmi@gmail.com You can also visit: The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BIJD1sB0crL9nbF06M_bHjJ ನಮ್ಮ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯ ಪುನಾದಿ | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BKEFm_ekc7F7h_HzulTskmG हमारे विश्वास की नींव | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJhC-nENcxaKnhUcpgK7Hzb మా విశ్వాసం యొక్క పునాది | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJZwNmIwtGLhKlKpBF6Fi-i നമ്മുടെ വിശ്വാസത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനം | The Foundation of Our Faith - Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL57mfRzHh4BJqgzDeaxQtWvsHLdogoDkE YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFIXZvUyt8VMG82n9aHqKg Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christ-for-All-Mysuru-Karnataka-457784918292012/ [ನೀವು ದೇವರ ವಾಕ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆತ್ಮೀಕ ಜೀವಿತಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳು ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಕರವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ನೀವು ಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಕೇಳಬೇಕೆಂದು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನನ್ನು ಅರಿಯದಿರುವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರು ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನ ಮೂಲಕ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಹೊಂದುವಂತೆ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸಹೋದರ ಸಹೋದರಿಯರಾಗಿರುವವರು ಅತ್ಮೀಕವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುವಂತೆ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೂ ಈ ಸಂದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿರಿ. ಕರ್ತನ ಹೆಸರು ಮಾತ್ರ ಮೆಹಿಮೆ ಹೊಂದಲಿ! Please listen to these messages completely so that you may be able to understand God's Word clearly and so that these messages may benefit your spiritual life. Moreover, please share these messages with your friends who don't know Christ that they may find salvation in Him and also with your brothers and sisters in Christ that they may be spiritually edified. May the name of God alone be glorified!]

Isaiah Series

Isaiah Series

Kingsway Community Church

Kingsway Community Church

Kingsway Community Church

Pastor Tim Davis at Christ The King Church in Canby, Oregon 3/18/2018

Pastor Tim Davis @ CTK Canby 3/11/2018

Pastor Tim Davis @ Christ The King Church in Canby, OR 3/4/2018

Speaker: Pastor Martin Chang TEXT: Psalm 146 INTRO: A world in rebellion to God reverberates with hunger, distress, and oppression. But Creator God is also Redeemer God, upholding the cause to restore the broken. Today as we round out our Summer in the Psalms, we turn our praise to our God in Christ, and look to participate in upholding His cause.

Pastor Tim Davis @ CTK Church in Canby, Oregon 2/25/2018

Pastor Tim Davis @ CTK Canby 2/11/2018

Pastor Tim Davis @ CTK Canby 1/28/2018

Stephen continues his little history lesson, attempting to provide his audience with some insights into their not-so-stellar past that reveal that their spirit of rejection and resistance was inherited. They were fruit that had not fallen far from the family tree. But Stephen’s goal in all of this was to get them to realize that they were worse off than their ancestors because they were resisting their Messiah, the very one promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and who alone, could make them acceptable before God. They had killed Him, but He had returned. He had risen from the dead and, upon returning to heaven, sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower His disciples. And in rejecting them, the high priest, the Sanhedrin and the Jewish nation, were really rejecting Jesus, their Messiah. Jesus had come to bring release to those held captive by sin and death. He had come to open the eyes of the spiritually blind and to provide a means for the spiritually lame to walk in the ways of God. He was active in their midst, in the form of the signs and wonders performed by the hands of the apostles. He was in the miraculous conversions of thousands of Jews who had come to believe the apostles’ message of redemption made possible through His death and resurrection. And Stephen is trying to get his jaded, highly prejudiced audience to understand that all their adherence to the law of Moses, their love for the Temple and their pride in their Hebrew heritage meant nothing if they continued to reject the Redeemer God had sent to them.

Consider that the one Revelation is revealed to is John. Christian tradition is that most agree it is the same John who wrote the Gospel of John. The primary author is Jesus – God himself speaks this reality. John is a mediator and functions as a prophet. He writes down what he saw and heard. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Some believe Revelation was written before the destruction of the temple in the late 60’s AD. In Revelation 11: 1-2 there is a reference to the temple. In 64 AD there was Christian persecution under Nero. The According to the Apostolic Fathers, persecution was under Domitian in the 90’s AD. In Revelation, Babylon is referenced and most believe it refers to Rome. In 586-87 BC Babylon destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. The context of Revelation is an actual time the Christians were suffering persecution. According to Revelation, a church was lukewarm due to an easy life. Revelation judges churches that are too comfortable and speaks comfort to those suffering. Rome is a problem for Christians due to the rapid spread of Emperor worship. Christians were called atheists because they did not have an idol. Explore that the nature of challenges and temptations facing the churches indicates a much larger battle than with Rome. God who has, is, and will fight for His people is the Creator God and Redeemer God.

Consider that the one Revelation is revealed to is John. Christian tradition is that most agree it is the same John who wrote the Gospel of John. The primary author is Jesus – God himself speaks this reality. John is a mediator and functions as a prophet. He writes down what he saw and heard. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Some believe Revelation was written before the destruction of the temple in the late 60’s AD. In Revelation 11: 1-2 there is a reference to the temple. In 64 AD there was Christian persecution under Nero. The According to the Apostolic Fathers, persecution was under Domitian in the 90’s AD. In Revelation, Babylon is referenced and most believe it refers to Rome. In 586-87 BC Babylon destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. The context of Revelation is an actual time the Christians were suffering persecution. According to Revelation, a church was lukewarm due to an easy life. Revelation judges churches that are too comfortable and speaks comfort to those suffering. Rome is a problem for Christians due to the rapid spread of Emperor worship. Christians were called atheists because they did not have an idol. Explore that the nature of challenges and temptations facing the churches indicates a much larger battle than with Rome. God who has, is, and will fight for His people is the Creator God and Redeemer God.

Speaker or Performer: Pr. Mark D. Lovett Scripture Passage(s): Matthew 26 - 27 (The Passion of the Christ) Date of Delivery: April 13, 2014 In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; righteous and having salvation is He. He comes humbly, not with loud fanfare and pomp, but in simple word and a shared meal; shared by God with men.Ceremony is important. Ritual even more so. Ceremony is the clothing of ritual. Ceremony brings attention to and honors the ritual. Ceremony is standing for the national anthem at a ball game, ritual is reciting the pledge of allegiance. Ceremony is having everything just so for Thanksgiving Dinner; ritual is beginning the meal with prayer and thanksgiving. Ceremony is ritual’s herald; the voice that cries out that something important, something marvelous, even something extravagant and powerful is going to happen. Ritual without ceremony is like pop without fizz, flat and uninteresting.Not that ceremony makes the ritual. It doesn’t. The ritual stands alone, and sometimes ceremony and ritual are so closely linked that they seem indistinguishable. Take church, for example. Ceremony is processing in with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” Ceremony is good organ music and candles and vestments. Ceremony is dressing up for church and proper decorum while in the house of God. All of this serves the rituals of singing hymns and hearing the Scriptures read and expounded upon. All the ceremony serves to highlight the ritual of giving our firstfruits to our Redeemer God who showers us with gifts untold. All the ceremony helps to teach our children and young children that something significant is happening; that something worthy of our attention is happening; that something powerful and majestic is about to transpire among us. Ceremony is mightily important.Even so, ritual is more so. If ceremony points you to and prepares you for what is happening, ritual involves you in it. It is ritual to kneel and receive the blessed Body and Blood of Jesus. It is ritual to stand at the reading of our Lord’s words and passion. It is ritual to recite the ancient creeds and to bow the head at the holy name of Jesus. These rituals are more than the ceremony that prepares us for them. They are our participation in what is happening. Anyone can watch and appreciate the ceremony that surrounds the ritual, but unless one partakes ritualistically, he is only an observer, a by-stander. He is not a participant.There was ceremony when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey. Jesus riding, the crowds shouting “Hosanna!” and strewing palm branches before Him; all ceremony. Impromptu, maybe; but all the same, it was ceremonial. Then there was ceremony when Jesus was arrested and tried. There was ceremony when He was crucified.But He was participating in the ritual.The ritual was sacrifice. The ritual was offering to God an unblemished sacrifice. The ritual was Him pouring out His blood and giving His body over to death. The ritual was the Lord of Glory laying down His life that He might take it up again and give life and immortality to all mankind. That was the ritual; and it has profound meaning.It means that you don’t pay for your sins. It means that God isn’t out to get you; He doesn’t have you in His sights to harm you. Rather, He has you in His sights to do you good; to save you; to rescue you from sin, death, and the accusatory power of the devil. The beast is de-fanged and now all he can do is holler and yell after you; but you are set free from his clutches. Death holds no fear for you, for the Son of Man conquered death and sin in the ritual of crucifixion.Palm Sunday is about ceremony: highlighting the profundity of our Lord’s ritual. Every Sunday is ceremony highlighting in different ways, each Sunday unique, the profundity of our Lord’s ritual in conquering death and bringing life and immortality to you and all mankind.But though it is ceremony that surrounds us – good and godly ceremony – it is not for the ceremony that we are here. It is for ritual; our Lord’s ritual. Not the ritual He performed on the cross, for Christ suffered once for sins (1 Peter 3:18). We have come to participate in the ritual instituted by our Lord on the night in which He was betrayed, that we might know Him and be known by Him. We have come to hear His word of promise and life, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” We have come to eat His thanksgiving meal – His Eucharist – not that we may keep some ceremony, but that we might join the ritual of life by participating in the Passion of the Christ, who is Himself the Life of the World.+ In Nomine Iesu +

Ruth, the Moabite widow, has come to find refuge under the wings of the Almighty, promise-keeping God of Israel. This refuge has come in the form of great generosity on the part of Boaz, a godly landowner. But God has much more in store for faithful Ruth. In this chapter, made up of 3 important conversations, we see the blending of the theological themes of refuge and redemption with the temporal experience of marriage. Perhaps in no other place in the Bible do we come to understand so well the significant role marriage plays in God’s extension of redeeming love to us. The story of Ruth and Boaz also forces us to learn about the roots of “redemption” as the buying back of something that was previously owned and then lost. On the surface of the story it is land that is to be redeemed. But once again this is only meant to illustrate the redemption of lives that is accomplished by our great Redeemer God. Specifically, we will see the lives of both Ruth and Naomi “bought back” from tragedy to triumph.

Job 19:25-27

A vision of the redeemer God Series: Visions from Heaven Preacher: Mark Jackson Date: 26th October 2008 Time: 10:30