The book of Ephesians tells us that for those of us in Christ the dividing wall of hostility between races has been broken down. Yet, today in our country, in our state, even in our county the walls of hostility between the races persist. How should our identity in Christ and the eternal truth that in Christ we are one—cause us to engage in this complex issue? Does it have to be complicated?
“And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me.” So sang Harry Chapin in the 1974 hit folk song, Cat’s in the Cradle. We tend to grow to be like our parents—good or bad—whether we like it or not. How strange! How revealing! Succeeding generations can’t seem to live with each other, or without each other. Complicated? Yes! Hopeless? No! Why? We have Christ and His Church!
Relationships can be complicated. We regularly interact with people of a different gender, age group, political persuasion and race. Often times these interactions occur through technology which can add even more complexity. We need God’s Word to help us think Biblically and relate carefully in all our relationships because, as we know . . . “it’s complicated."
God designed men and woman to mutually reflect His image. Men and woman are by design different--making relating well, complicated. Yet, in Christ our differences are for the good of our families, our churches, and our world. It’s complicated yet different is needed and purity is required.
In this fast changing culture, the issues we face seem to be more and more complicated. Today, we lay the foundation for the series, examining some guiding principles that give wisdom regarding these topics or any issue in your life where relating well is a challenge.
There are times in our life that we are overwhelmed by life situations. We receive news we were not expecting or we have an unexpected loss of a job or loved one. Where do we go when we just can’t take it anymore? Can we stand to be overwhelmed by one more thing that will overwhelm everything else in life?
Jesus Christ is The Way to God—no one comes to the Father except by Him. Jesus Christ is The Truth about God—more than just teaching the truth, Jesus embodied the truth. In this episode Jesus Christ is also The Life of God—the best news of the good news is that the life Jesus lived then, He wants to live now, in us.
Jesus said He is “The Way, The Truth and The Life” (Jn 14:6), the only way to the Father. That way had been blocked completely by sin. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection from the dead opened the way. In this episode, The Way to God is also The Truth about God—Living Truth, the Whole Truth and nothing but The Truth.
The Remnant is limping along in Jerusalem. The Rest are establishing synagogues in their exile. Israel’s palpable sense of diminishment heightened their sense of anticipation. But over 400 years have passed and nothing much has changed . . . until now.
In exile for 70 years, left for dead, Israel suddenly got a pulse. Persian King Cyrus decreed Jerusalem be rebuilt, and Jews would rebuild it. Although alive from the dead, Israel was still on life support. Only a small remnant of Jews returned. They remained a subject people. And only with great difficulty did they complete a scaled-back version of the Temple and city walls. That was Season 3, Episode 4, of The One Story. But what about The Rest—the majority of Jews who didn’t return? They take...
Israel as a nation was divided in two and the people exiled across the ancient world. The prophets were God’s spokesmen, sent to warn and woo His people. Then The Remnant returned and Israel had a pulse. Temple and walls rebuilt, The Law reinstated, and the Jews worshipping the LORD again in a restored Jerusalem. Is all right again in The One Story? Let’s find out.
One day Israel was a great nation, the next a divided nation, then 10 tribes . . . gone, soon the remaining 2 tribes . . . gone. During this devastating time the Prophets are the mouthpiece of God’s displeasure with, and hope for, His people. Return and repent was their message. Would the people listen? Will we?
Season 3 offered great promise, but opened with great disappointment. Instead of thanking God for His grace that made Israel great, Israel started taking God for granted by seeking to make themselves great. Instead of being an example of godliness to the nations, Israel started to worship the gods of the nations. Instead of valuing their national unity, Israel undermined unity by waging bitter tribal warfare. We left Episode 1 with Israel torn in two. Today in Episode 2 the tear frays, the frayi...
At the end of Season 1, when prospects for the human race appeared hopeless, God did the unexpected—promised to bless the world in Abraham, first making from him a great nation. God grew that nation throughout Season 2. With the kingdom under David and Solomon, God delivered on His Promise! Is now the time the entire world will be blessed? We’ll get our answer early in this opening episode of Season 3.
On Easter, Christians all around the world celebrated the resurrected Jesus. But where do we go from there? What difference does that make in our lives? Jesus instructed us to tell that good news to others—extending the gospel right here and around the globe—to those who are near and to those who are far off.
Recently, Christians all around the world celebrated the resurrected Jesus. Where do we go from here? What difference does that make in our lives? Jesus instructed us to tell that good news to others—extending the gospel right here and around the globe—to those who are near and to those who are far off.
Last week, Christians all around the world celebrated the resurrected Jesus. Where do we go from here? What difference does that make in our lives? Jesus instructed us to tell that good news to others—extending the gospel right here and around the globe—to those who are near and to those who are far off.
We always ask “why?” . . . from curious toddlers discovering the fascinations of their small world to learned astronomers exploring the mysteries of outer space. In fact, the question “why” has two layers. We want to know the cause AND the significance, particularly for ourselves. Today, we may just discover those answers to the most important “why” question of all.
What good is a great nation, if it’s not also a godly nation? Israel’s greatness—promised by God to Abraham—was not ultimately in its wealth, but in its wisdom. Wisdom is godliness—the practical and consistent application of God’s Word to life. Peace and prosperity during the reigns of David and Solomon gave God’s people the opportunity to grow their faith. Israel had The Promise and The Law. Now they needed to live out God’s Word individually and nationally. For this, God gave the Wisdom Books—...
David succeeded as king where Saul failed. David was “a man after God’s own heart”—humble, trusting, obedient, and repentant. David got it. Israel thrived under King David—victorious in battle, righteous in his judgments. In response to David’s faithful heart, God expanded The Promise by designating David’s an eternal throne from which the future King of kings will come. Do we have a great nation yet? We’re almost there.
Israel wanted a king like all the other nations so God gave them what they wanted. Enter King Saul — tall and handsome. He started well, but soon it all went to his head. Abandoning God’s will for his own, Saul became the king that had no closeness to God. God saw through him, and soon everyone saw what God had always seen. Having suffered with the king they wanted, Israel is now ready for the king of God’s choosing.
The days of the Judges . . . when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. The nation slogged through 3 centuries of recurring failure—disobedience, disaster, repentance, rescue. Then the ugly cycle kept recycling. Gross idolatry and gross immorality darkened the landscape with only a few bright spots sprinkled in between! Turning to Judges 22-25 (a.k.a. Ruth 1-4), God cast His light forward to show the way out . . . to someone named David . . . but first we meet Samuel and Saul.
Joshua ended on a high note—God leading His people to victory after victory and His people declaring their trust in God again and again. But then we turn the pages of history to Judges and a time when, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” It was a time much like our own. Will He judge His people again? Will The One Story come to a screeching halt? Who still trusts God? The answer may just surprise you.
With Episode 7 of Season 2 we take yet another turn in The One Story, a good turn for a change. Having spent 40 years mired in the wilderness because of unbelief and rebellion, a new generation of Israelites is prepared to trust the LORD and enter the Promised Land. Across the Jordan River awaits the land flowing with milk and honey . . . and walls and warriors. God gave the land to them, but they must take it.
The people have a leader, a God-given culture and they’re headed for The Promised Land. At the start of this episode the nation is about an 11-day journey from the Promised Land. They are on the verge of living out the promise made to Abraham long ago. What could possible go wrong?
God gave His great nation 2 holy-days—days forever to remember, days that formed Israel’s identity—The Passover (when Israel was saved from death) and The Exodus (when Israel was given new life). The people had a leader, they’re headed to The Promised Land but first they need a God- given culture.
Israel got the leader it so desperately needed—God-selected, God-trained and God-led. God rescued Moses from certain death and nurtured him in Pharaoh’s household, all providentially, in order to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Moses will lead Israel by speaking God’s Word and backing it up with God’s validating miracles. Lead on, Moses!
In Season 2 of The One Story, God begins to answer some of questions that arose in Season 1. God's plan to bless the whole world begins with building a great nation. Certainly not how we'd do it! From our vantage point in Genesis 12 it's far from clear how building a great nation fits into God's larger plan to bless the world. That it does, and will eventually be wonderful, is not in doubt. It's ours now to see how God will do it. Hold on to your hats. It's a wild ride.
Where do great nations begin? With Founding Fathers! What do the Founding Fathers of the nation God promised need to be? Faithful to God, in order to be examples of faith to all who follow after all! The great nation, to be great, must live by faith. In Episode 1, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob laid the foundation. Let’s see how God began to build on it.
In Season 2 of The One Story, God begins to answer some of questions that arose in Season 1. God's plan to bless the whole world begins with building a great nation. Certainly not how we'd do it! From our vantage point in Genesis 12 it's far from clear how building a great nation fits into God's larger plan to bless the world. That it does, and will eventually be wonderful, is not in doubt. It's ours now to see how God will do it. Hold on to your hats. It's a wild ride.
