Right on the heels of their miraculous crossing of the sea, the Israelites are grumbling. Why? They don't trust God because they don't know God. Yet God responds in grace, teaching them the posture of dependence. He is leading them to full life. Ultimately, full life is found in Jesus, the bread of heaven who brings life to the world.
As Pharoah's army approached the people have an identity crisis. But God fights in their silence and reminds them who they truly are. and the follow him into the Red Sea - a place of simultaneous judgment and salvation. The ultimate place of deliverance and judgment is the cross of Christ where God makes an unexpected way to new creation and new identity. And our only response is worship.
The final plague that God brings on Egypt is stunning. The death of the firstborn throughout the land. A better understanding of Sin, family, and judgment can help us situate this plague contextually. And God provides another option for all who listen - a substitutionary sacrificial meal could mark the family instead. This would be the very meal that Jesus redefined around himself, embodying God's ultimate Passover. * Our apologies, the very beginning of the talk was cut off....
The story of the plagues God brings on Egypt is well known. But why do they come? Exodus gives us two reasons. First the reality of the hardness of heart. Second, so that the power of God might be on display. Temporary chaos brings creation order out of the ongoing chaos of the world. The people of god belong to him, not to Pharaoh.
The difference between God and Pharaoh is deep and consequential. To put it simply, it is the difference between work and worship. Which one is our identity? Pharaoh and all the proverbial pharaohs since enslave us, while God offers a freedom that restores us to our original created identity.
Moses has lots of reasons why he shouldn't embrace God's call. But his real issue was that his focus was on himself and the task, not on God and his call. This would not be accomplished by the power of Moses, but by the power of God. And even in his frustration, God shows his persistent graciousness toward Moses (and us) as he wrestles with the call.
In the famous story of the burning bush, we see a God willing to come down from his mountain in order to initiative a dramatic rescue of his people. If we look a little closer, we also see the imagery of God working to reverse the curses of the Fall. This would lead to the great Exodus and allow the people to once again dwell with God. Of course, this ultimately points to a far greater exodus, initiated when God came to earth in the person of Jesus. Like Moses, God is calling us to be agents of ...
In the midst of pain and oppression, God begins his rescue with a new kind of ark. This vessel not only preserves Moses, but allows the patient goodness of God to be injected into the very court of Pharaoh and we see the plans of Pharaoh undone. This though is only a microcosm of what is to come. By the middle of the chapter, Moses chooses into his Hebrew identity and by the end of the chapter the people are ready for God's rescue.
In Exodus 1, we find the people of God enslaved and in trouble. But the author wants us as readers to know that despite their troubling circumstances, God cannot be stopped from fulfilling His promise to multiply and grow them. And, He will not be stopped from liberating them to worship Him in their own land.
Joseph was not just the earthly father of Jesus. He was an incredible example of humility. His care for Mary, obedience to God, and embrace of Jesus show us what love looks like. Jesus, though, is the ultimate embodiment of humility and love in his journey to the cross for our protection. And he is the rightful king that neither Joseph, nor any of us, could ever be.
Zerubbabel was the leader of the first group of Israelites to return from exile. He led the people to rebuild the temple in the midst of persecution and enemies. But this temple, and Zerubbabel himself were actually signs pointing forward toward something greater. Jesus would lead the ultimate return from exile and rebuild the temple in his death and resurrection.
Solomon was the son of David who presided as king over a time of great peace and prosperity in Israel. Though he was famous for his wisdom and discernment, pride and power got the best of him and led to total corruption. What about God's promise for a son of David to sit on the throne forever? His ultimate answer is Jesus, the better Solomon. His kingdom is forever and brings the true peace and justice that we long for.
Though an unexpected choice, David was empowered by the Spirit and killed the giant. God promised him an eternal throne and reign of peace and prosperity. David's story is not just triumph though, its equal parts prideful tragedy. For their to be an eternal reign of peace, Israel would need a new David. Jesus is the ultimate David who killed the ultimate giant and brings peace once and for all.
The story of Ruth and Boaz is a story of unexpected kindness. Kindness that lays down one's life for another to protect and preserve them. In all, this kindness finds its source in God himself who is providentially meeting his people. And Jesus is the ultimate Boaz who not only lays down his life for us, but marries us into the family of God.
As two spies blow their cover, they are surprisingly protected by a Canaanite woman named Rahab. Why? Because she had experienced a transformation and her faith was now in the God of Israel. As a result, her house would be marked by God and she wold be preserved. Rahab appears in the genealogy of Jesus because he is the ultimate fulfillment of this story. We find refuge in Jesus and are marked by God and welcomed into this family.
Why include such a horrible story in the genealogy of Jesus? Matthew does so to remind us of the destructive power of sin and the redemptive power of grace. Grace is greater than sin. And he shows that Jesus came right into the mess of this world in order to rescue it.
Isaac arrived as an unexpected joy to his parents and the world. But at the climax of his story, in faith he willingly laid down his life. God supernaturally intervened to provide a sacrifice. Isaac story foretells the story of Jesus - an unexpected to joy to his parents and the world who willingly laid down his life and was supernaturally raised from the dead. Jesus is the ultimate Isaac.
God gave Abraham an outrageous call. He was to leave home for a foreign land where he would become a great nation to bless the world. Abraham's faithful response is amazing, but it is also faulty. But ultimately Jesus would fulfill this great call and covenant to launch a family that blesses the world. And we get to be part of it!
God’s gifts are meant to be shared. With this in mind, our aim at Hope is to see people come to embrace Jesus and grow, while investing themselves to make this happen in others as well. In the same way, we want to see our ministries and even our church reproduced. We have a multiplication mindset.
Too much in life is artificial! At Hope, our desire is to see people make a real connection to God and real connections to each other. We also want to help people connect to their unique, God-given calling so they can pursue it.
At Hope we believe it should not be hard to meet Jesus, but it is hard to stay with him. So, we are guided by a key priority we call casual depth. That means we want to create environments were everyone is welcome without expectation. But when we gather, we also intend to to go deep in the gospel and in relationships to find the true life that Jesus offers.
At Hope we value gospel saturation. Everything we do is saturated with the gospel because it is our true message and the only way we can bear fruit. The gospel is not just an entrance into faith, it is the ongoing basis of faith.
At Hope, we are defined by the statement Simply Jesus. Jesus is first. Everything else is second. It's that simple. The story of the transfiguration helps remind us that our role is to point people to Jesus only and avoid the common pitfalls and traps of religion.
Everyone has a shepherd. In Psalm 23, David is telling us that God is the best shepherd. Why? He lead us to true contentment. He nourishes our soul and gives it true rest. He directs us toward God, even through dark seasons. And he is a covenant companion with us.
The psalmist says that one day in God's presence is better than a thousand elsewhere. Why? Because in God's presence we find strength. The presence of God is our true home where we experience his genuine care, are restored by his grace and are redirected to worship. In God's presence we are immersed in his goodness and even the valleys of weeping become blessings.
The psalmists love to remind us that God is our refuge. That amidst the darkness of the night and terror of the day, God is our shield and protector. However, this is not simply a call to hide in fear, but rather an assurance to keep moving forward. And as we engage the world around us, we do so with God as our refuge when we trust, love and call on him.
When David says that God is compassionate, he is reminding his forgetful soul of what God has done and who God is - his character and his covenant. This is the God who forgives and restores us. The God who redeems and rescues us. The God who crowns us with his love and adorns us with his goodness. This is a God to be feared and praised.
In the course of life, just like David, we run into fears, pain, loneliness, guilt and uncertainty. Often beneath these feelings are deep questions in our soul. David asked those same questions. Will I be ashamed? Can I trust God? Is God good? But he knew the Lord was good because he had experienced his guidance, his forgiveness, his protection and his comfort.
The holiness of God represented by the ark of the covenant was an anchor for the people of God. No matter their circumstances or the powers that threatened them, the holiness of God meant that his just and equitable reign not only existed but would prevail. How do we live in a broken, unjust and inequitable world today? The resurrection of Jesus is our anchor, a fulfillment of the ark's promise of God's presence and victory.
