A Book of Honest Poetry I. An OVERVIEW of LAMENTATIONS. (Lam. 1-5)A. A POETIC response to DEVASTATION. (Lam. 1-5)B. An ATTEMPT to bring ORDER to CHAOS. (Lam. 1-4)C. An END
Read moreTag: Lent
Lent is for Listening – Part 4 | Jeremiah 40-43
Is Anybody Listening? I. Two Stories of FAILING to LISTEN (Jer. 40-43)A. This is Why We CAN’T Have NICE THINGS! (Jer. 40:7-41:10) 1. A small (but PROMISING) new BEGINNING (Jer. 40:7-12) 2.
Read moreLent is for Listening – Part 3 | Jeremiah 37-39
Losing a Kingdom I. SETTING the SCENEA. Jeremiah: UNPOPULAR PROPHET (Jer. 20:1-2,10; 37:11-16; 38:4-6)B. Zedekiah: VACILLATING VASSAL (Jer. 34:8-22; ch. 37-39)C. Conflicting INTERESTS make for an Interesting CONFLICT Jeremiah continues
Read moreLent is for Listening – Part 2 | Jeremiah 36:1-32
How will we respond? I. Once AGAIN, Jeremiah LISTENS to God. (v.1-8)A. God says, “WRITE it all DOWN.” (v.1-2)B. Why? A HOPEFUL invitation to LISTEN. (v.3,7)C. The word is WRITTEN
Read moreLent is for Listening – Part 1 | Jeremiah 35:1-19
Throwing a Party for the Recabites I. God WORKS in MYSTERIOUS ways. (v.1-11)A. Jeremiah THROWS a PARTY. (v.1-5)B. The IMPORTANCE of LOCATION. (v.2,4)C. A TRAP or a DEMONSTRATION? (v.5)D. The
Read moreLent 2024 – Four Post-Exilic People – Part 5 | Haggai 1-2
If You Build it… I. The Temple Lies in Ruins (Haggai 1:1-11)A. A Decision about God’s Will… (1:2)B. … becomes a Question of Priorities (1:4)C. The Forgotten Art of Considering
Read moreLent 2024 – Four Post-Exilic People – Part 4 | Selections from Nehemiah 8-13
Nehemiah: The Wall Builder (Part 2) I. A STORY of spiritual RENEWAL. (Neh. 8-12)A. Humbly LISTENING to the WORD of God. (Neh. 8)B. RESPONDING and REMEMBERING. (Neh. 8-9)C. The PROMISES
Read moreLent 2024 – Four Post-Exilic People – Part 3 | Selections from Nehemiah 1-7
Nehemiah: The Wall Builder (Part 1) I. Nehemiah: PASSIONATE for a CAUSE. (Neh. 1-2)A. The GENERATIVE power of DIFFICULTY and PAIN. (1:1-4)B. Our PRAYERS shape us over TIME. (1:5-2:9)C. Nehemiah
Read moreLent 2024 – Four Post-Exilic People – Part 2 | Selections from Ezra 7-10
Ezra: The Teacher of the Law I. A CONTEXT grounded in “THREES”. (Ezra and Nehemiah)A. ZERUBBABEL, EZRA, and NEHEMIAH.B. The TEMPLE, the LAW, the JERUSALEM wall.C. A KING, some CONTROVERSY,
Read moreLent 2024 – Four Post-Exilic People – Part 1 | Selections from Ezra 1-6
Zerubbabel: The Temple Building Governor I. The JOY of coming HOME. (Ez. 1-3)A. The FULFILLMENT of the PROPHECY . (1:2-4; Jer. 25:12; Is. 45:13)B. It’s the EXODUS all over AGAIN.
Read moreResurrection Sunday (Easter) 2023 | Matthew 28:1-10
He is not here, He is risen, just as He said I. The tomb: A PLACE of IMPOSSIBILITY. (v.1-6)A. The INTERSECTION of two REALMS, (v.2-3)B. The “POWERFUL” are rendered POWERLESS.
Read moreSixth Sunday of Lent – Palm Sunday 2023 | Matthew 26:17-30
Stopping at a Table on the way to the Cross I. From TRIUMPHAL ENTRY to a TABLE. (Mt. 21-26)A. NOT your usual “APANTESIS”. (Mt. 21:1-11; I Thes. 4:17)B. Jesus CONTROLS
Read moreFifth Sunday of Lent 2023 | Isaiah 61:1-11
Meeting Jesus in Lent I. LESSONS of the LENTEN journey.A. Our TENDENCY to look ELSEWHERE. (Is. 30)B. God’s RESPONSE to HUMBLE need. (Is. 37)C. The FUTILITY of IDOLS. (Is. 44)D.
Read moreFourth Sunday of Lent 2023 | Isaiah 58 & Matthew 6
The Fasting God has Chosen I. The Trap of Religion (Is. 58:1-5; Mt. 6:1-21)A. It becomes an Act (Mt. 6:2,5,16; Amos 5:21-23)B. It becomes a Transaction (Is. 58:3; Mt. 6:2,5,16;
Read moreThird Sunday of Lent 2023 | Isaiah 44:1-28
Watch What You Worship I. FOLLOWING the FLOW of the text. (v.1-28)A. A PROMISE filled with HOPE. (v.1-5)B. One KING over EVERYTHING. (v.6-8)C. Idols: A PRACTICE of FUTILITY. (v.9-20)D. REMEMBERING
Read moreSecond Sunday of Lent 2023 | Isaiah 37:1-38
Hezekiah: Praying under Pressure I. The King RESPONDS to the THREAT. (Is. 36; 37:1-13)A. Acts of REPENTANCE and HUMILITY. (v.1)B. A TURNING toward GOD. (v.1-4)C. God’s COMFORTING words in RESPONSE.
Read moreFirst Sunday of Lent 2023 | Isaiah 30:1-31:1
Running toward Egypt I. The WORLD Isaiah is SPEAKING into. (Is. 36-37)A. Israel is AFRAID of ASSYRIA. (Is. 28-31) B. They are LOOKING for a DEFENDER. (30:1-7)C. And UNWILLING to LISTEN.
Read moreLent 2022 – Longing for Justice – Part 5 | Joel
The Day of Justice Will Come I. PAIN that brings PERSPECTIVE. (Chapter 1-2) A WORLD that has been DECIMATED. (1:1-12) Loss makes SPACE for REPENTANCE. (1:13-20) SEEING a larger PATTERN.
Read moreLent 2022 – Longing for Justice – Part 4 | Zephaniah
Transformed by God’s Justice I. The DAY of the LORD… AGAIN (1:2-3; 14-18; 3:8)A. The REVERSAL of CREATION (1:2-3)B. The PRIDE that Comes Before the FALL (1:12; 2:10,15; 3:2,11) 1. A
Read moreLent 2022 – Longing for Justice – Part 3 | The Book of Amos
The Target of God’s Justice I. God has set His SIGHTS on ISRAEL (Amos 1-2)A. A List of the USUAL SUSPECTS (Amos 1:3-2:3)B. Chosenness doesn’t mean EXEMPTION, but EXPECTATION (Amos
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