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WELCOME TO RESOUND MEDIA AT the Peace church women's conference! Join Our Newsletter Become A Contributor FAITHFUL. FRUITFUL. PRACTICAL. Faithful and Fruitful are key words for us. We want to see the church remain faithful to God’s Word and we want to see the church bear fruit by making healthy disciples of Jesus. Our contribution to this goal is to provide resources for Christians and church leaders in the form of blogs, podcasts, and videos. These resources include content about good theology, healthy Christian living, and practical ministry leadership. We pray that these resources help Christians and whole churches remain both faithful and fruitful. What We Believe FEATURED RESOURCES Join our newsletter Newsletter Sign Up First name* Last name* Email* What content are you interested in? Theology Ministry Christian Life Podcast About Mom Guilt What one topic would you love to learn more about in a blog, podcast, or video? Submit become a contributor If you are interested in equipping other Christians and church leaders with great resources, we would love to hear from you. Take a look at our beliefs page to see how we align and please send us a message by completing the form below. First Name Last Name Email Message Submit Thanks for submitting! Become A Contributor

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Community Group Questions Live Your Truth Sunday, September 8, 2024 Community Group Questions Punishment or Paradise Sunday, August 25, 2024 Community Group Questions Who is the Greatest? Sunday, July 28, 2024 Community Group Questions The Lord is Mine Sunday, September 1, 2024 Community Group Questions Jesus: Lion, Lamb and Temple Sunday, August 11, 2024 Community Group Questions Who Needs a Doctor? Sunday, July 21, 2024 Community Group Questions 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 ... 5

Feminine Glory In Marriage Women's Session | 2024 Marriage Conference Video Teaching Ryan & Selena Fredrick Glorification Jon Delger What Is Faith? Jon Delger Holy Week In 3 Minutes Jon Delger One Marriage Skill To Rule Them All Ryan & Selena Fredrick Sanctification Jon Delger The Good News Jon Delger Feminine Glory In Marriage Ryan & Selena Fredrick The Magnificence Of Marriage Ryan & Selena Fredrick Justification Jon Delger The Bad News Jon Delger Fierce Marriage Q & A Ryan & Selena Fredrick Does God Change His Mind? Jon Delger

Is God Able To Forgive Sin Without The Cross? Exploring the Necessity of Christ's Sacrifice Theology Mitchell Leach Community Pastor Peace Church Published On: January 10, 2024 Could God the Father have forgiven sin without Jesus dying on the cross? Would it have been possible for God to do this? Whenever we ask questions like these, our knee-jerk reaction is to think, “God can do whatever he wants.” But the implications of this question will show us a lot about what we believe about God. If God could On one side if God can forgive sin without Jesus dying on the cross, then what we see happen to Jesus at the end of the gospels is totally unnecessary. To say that God could forgive sin without the cross makes what happens at the end of the gospels a worthless act of torture towards his own son. If God cannot On the other side, it seems like saying God cannot do something is putting a rule or law on God that supersedes his power as if there were a higher authority that he had to submit to. If God can’t why can’t he? So which is it? Imagine you invited me and my family over for dinner, and after dinner, it is revealed that my youngest child has broken a window in your house. Not just any window but your big beautiful bay window that faces the road. In that situation, you have two options. You can demand that I pay to fix it. This would be just. My child broke a window, I should pay to make it right. Or you can forgive me. But in that situation, someone still has to pay, but rather than it being the offending party (me), the cost is shifted to the offended party (you). It’s not like this is something you can leave broken. Similarly, God cannot simply blink at sin and allow it to disappear magically. There is always a cost involved. The Bible is clear about the reality that we are sinful people (Genesis 3:6–7; Isaiah 59:1–2; Psalm 51:4). And the Bible states that there must be a penalty paid to make what was wrong, right again. God’s Justice God is just (Gen 18:25; Deut 32:4). Isaiah 5:16 says, “But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.” [1] Wayne Grudem, the Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary defines what it means that God is just in his profound book Systematic Theology, “God’s righteousness means that God always acts in accordance with what is right and is himself the final moral standard of what is right.” [2] God is Who He is God’s justice or righteousness is a very part of who God is. So rather than thinking that God not being able to forgive sin must be him submitting to a higher authority, think about it as God not being able to go against his very nature. This is also called the doctrine of simplicity. “God’s simplicity entails that his essence and existence are identical, signifying that there is no composition or division within the divine nature.” [3] This means that God is what describes him. The way we describe God doesn’t divide up his essence but is who he is and how he acts together. God tells us this in Exodus 3:14, when, “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God therefore cannot “throw off” his justice for a moment to forgive universal sin. To do this would make him cease to be God, as his justice is part of his “Godness.” God’s Wrath Because God is perfectly righteous, he has a perfect hate for sin itself. “It is his indignation at sin, his revulsion to evil and all that opposes him, his displeasure at it and the venting of that displeasure. It is his passionate resistance to every will that is set against him.” [4] This is what we call God’s wrath. J.I. Packer, who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential theologians of the 20th Century, connects God’s holiness to his disdain of sin when he says, “Every facet of God’s nature and every aspect of his character may properly be spoken of as holy, just because it is his. The core of the concept, however, is God’s purity, which cannot tolerate any form of sin (Hab. 1:13) and thus calls sinners to constant self-abasement in his presence (Isa. 6:5).” [5] God’s wrath is something that we can feel uncomfortable with. The idea that God hates not only sin, but even certain people is unsettling to us in the global west. In recent years liberal theologians have argued that this idea is false and paints God as a vindictive deity. What this essentially boils down to is whether God can be both good and just at the same time. But this objection isn’t an enlightened response to this doctrine. This has been a point of contention since 300 AD. [6] But this — like the idea of God’s justice — is part of God’s character and nature, and it is beautiful. God’s wrath (or deep hatred of evil) has always been a part of his character. God’s holiness has been — throughout history — something that sinful man has had to deal with when encountering the living God. System to Cover Sin This is why understanding the whole Old Testament is so important. As Christians, it is easy to focus our attention on the New Testament because it seems like that’s where the best parts happen. As someone who loves theology, the New Testament is easy because it almost reads like a Western theological work. Yet neglecting to understand the essential ways that God worked throughout the Old Testament will leave us to make major errors in our theology. One main area this happens today is around the idea of atonement. Mankind’s problem — since the fall — has been that we cannot interact with a holy God. So, back in Leviticus, God lays out a system to atone for sin through the sacrifice of a goat on Yom Kippur (or the day of atonement). This goat would — ceremonially — take the place of the people, and would die for their sin. The reason for this is that the blood of an animal symbolizes its life. Something’s blood is needed to take the rightful place of our own. One life needed to be substituted for our own. This system was a foreshadowing of what was to be fully realized in the New Testament by the death of Jesus. Because while this was the system God set up for Israel, the blood of bulls and goats couldn’t satisfy God’s wrath against our sin. We needed someone to come to take on our sin so that we could be made right with God. We needed, not an animal, but a human to die to make right what man had made wrong. The Good News of the Gospel When Jesus went to the cross he took the full wrath from God the Father for sin on himself. Jesus would die for all those whom God had chosen to be his children. Romans 3:22–25 says “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” [7] The important word to focus on is the word propitiation. It’s an uncommon word in our vocabulary. It means to appease the wrath of a God. This passage is saying that Jesus (on the cross) was the thing that satisfied the wrath of God for sinners. In other words, Jesus traded places with me on the cross, because he received what I should have received. He got the full measure of God’s wrath for my sin. And in return, I get to be treated like Jesus should have been treated. This means (among many things) I can have oneness with the Father, freedom from sin, eternal life, and favor in the eyes of God the Father. It’s like our analogy earlier. On a cosmic scale, there are two options for us. We can either receive justice for our sin. This is what Hell is. It is us paying the price for our sin, which requires an eternal death because our debt is against an eternal God. Or we can receive forgiveness because Jesus took Hell on himself. He paid, in full, the penalty for our sin. Theologically this doctrine is called penal substitutionary atonement. This is a fancy way to say, “Jesus traded places with me on the cross (substitute), paid my penalty, and has atoned for my sins.” This is the core message of the Christian faith and the reason we worship God. He paid for my sin and took my place. This is a kind of love that is unbelievable. It is the kind of love that propels us to worship and sing Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace: Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me, Savior, or I die. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 5:16. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 203. Brandon Smith, “God’s Simplicity,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018). Tony Lane, “God’s Wrath,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018). J. I. Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1993), 43. Origen, “De Principiis,” in Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Part Fourth; Minucius Felix; Commodian; Origen, Parts First and Second, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, trans. Frederick Crombie, vol. 4, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 278. “Now, since this consideration has weight with some, that the leaders of that heresy (of which we have been speaking) think they have established a kind of division, according to which they have declared that justice is one thing and goodness another, and have applied this division even to divine things, maintaining that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed a good God, but not a just one, whereas the God of the law and the prophets is just, but not good” Origen refutes a heresy that distinguishes between a good God (Father of Jesus Christ) and a just but not good God (God of the Old Testament). He argues that this view misinterprets God's nature, as it fails to recognize that divine justice and goodness are not mutually exclusive but are harmoniously unified in God. He challenges the heretics' understanding of justice and goodness, illustrating through scriptural examples that God's actions, whether seemingly harsh or compassionate, are always just and good. Origen emphasizes that God's justice is not merely punitive but aims at correction and improvement, revealing a deeper, harmonious nature of divine justice and goodness. Origen concludes that the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament is the same, both just and good, rewarding and punishing appropriately. He encourages a deeper understanding of the Scriptures to appreciate the unity of God's nature, rejecting the dualistic view that separates God's justice from His goodness. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 3:22–25. More Blogs You'll Like Teaching or Concealing? An exploration of the complexity in Jesus’ parables and His reasons behind them. Read More Beyond the Heart The Significance of Making a Profession of Faith Read More Why Do We Baptize Babies? Exploring the Rich Theology and Covenantal Roots Behind Baptizing Babies Read More

Sermon Discussion Questions 1 Title Sunday, April 14, 2024 The Church Never Preaches On... Matthew 7:1-5 Christians Judging Others 2 Overview Main Idea: ​ Sermon Outline: 1. More than a command against passing judgment, this is a caution against self-condemnation. 2. More than a forgoing moral standard, this is a caution against self-assurance. 3. More than a protection from rebuke, this is a call for self-reflection. 3 Pre-Questions 1. How would you define "judgment?" 2. What would it look like if you were judged based on every time you've said "you should..." Would you be able to uphold your own standard? 4 Questions 1. What would you say to someone who says "You should be able to do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else." 2. How does Revelation 20:11–15 help us understand (eternal) judgment? Is judgment wrong? Who is the ultimate judge? 3. There are two (unhealthy) heart postures. One that is judgmental, and one that never judges. How does Matthew 7 correct both of these heart postures? 4. Read Galatians 6:1-2 & James 5:19-20. How should we judge others?

PODCAST That's a Good Question Unveiling the Unseen: Exploring Spiritual Warfare March 18, 2024 Jon Delger & Nate Harney Listen to this Episode Jon Oh hey, everyone, welcome to That's a Good Question, a podcast of Peace Church and a part of Resound Media. You can find more great content for the Christian life and church leaders at resoundmedia.cc . That's a Good Question is a place where we answer questions about the Christian faith in plain language. I'm Jon. I serve as a pastor at Peace Church, and I am here with Pastor Nate. Nate Hey, happy to be here. Jon And I'm also here with, as always, Mitchell, producer. Mitchell Hey. Jon And today we get to answer some exciting questions about spiritual warfare. So at Peace Church, we've been doing a series over the last several weeks, I think it was five weeks, called "Withstand," talking about spiritual warfare, talking about the armor of God. And so we've had a stream of questions come in about spiritual warfare, and so we've saved them up, and now we get to talk about it. Mitchell Yeah, here we go. Here's our first question. I've been in dark places sometimes helping my adult children. On occasion, I see the enemy in another human mocking me. What is the best response to this, and am I not alone in this type of experience? Jon It's a scary situation to be in. So let's break it down a little bit. What do you guys think about what they're describing? Have you ever had that experience or talked with somebody who's had that experience where you feel like you see an evil spiritual force in another person? That's what I hear them saying in the question, right? Nate Yeah, I can't say I've had that exact experience. But I've been in places and environments where I felt not even, you know, it's kind of a unique mix of something that feels mildly physical but mostly just like a darkness. I'll be honest, I've been in some cities, even in some areas of cities, where you just go, "Oh," and then you find out later, "Oh yeah, that area is heavily involved in the occult." Even I think of a time, certain areas I've been around New Orleans, there's a city, Santa Cruz in California, where I spent a lot of time, where I found out later, it's considered a capital for Satanism in America. So like I've definitely, I think you can have those feelings, and I don't know exactly about them seeing it in another person, you know, a demon possession. I haven't had tons of experience with that. But I will say, you know, one of the things we've been talking about as a church is that the spiritual realm is real. This stuff is not to be kind of fluffed off as something that isn't real or isn't something that we deal with in Western society. But right away, the first thing, I always think of two things. The power of the word, that's Jesus' main weapon against the enemy when he's face-to-face with Satan himself. I always go back to the temptation in the desert and Jesus going back over and over again to his word, so relying on his word. I've had people who, when you have those times, it's so scary and you feel so paralyzed, you don't even know. I'm trying to remember Bible verses. I can't even – nothing's coming. I always encourage people, just the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus, so if you can't say anything else, just cry out to Jesus. And I've had the one or two times where I felt really scared because there's just darkness, and in a unique environment where I just found myself going, "Jesus, Jesus," like just relying on not as some magic charm or spell, but that's the name of our Lord and Savior, and I think there's power there even when you can't think of anything else. Jon Yeah, and in the gospel accounts, we see the demons run from Jesus. I mean, Jesus's name and presence have special power, obviously against them. It's the enemy. So like you, I haven't directly experienced something like what the person is describing. I don't feel like I've seen physically a demon, especially like in another person, like it be manifested, but I've had some interesting experiences. I've had times, for a long period of time, when I was preaching, I would have a really strong sense of just like a demonic presence. I used to have, at the church where I was at the time, a very high ceiling, and I used to sort of have this sense of like I'm preaching, and there's almost like this big, dark, black cloud out in front of me, kind of in the back of the room, in the ceiling, kind of manifested there. I always had this sense of like I'm preaching, and this dark cloud is just swallowing up what I'm saying, and nobody can actually hear it, which I feel like was just kind of a visualization of what the enemy does, right? He tries to snatch up the word so it can't go deep and bear fruit in people's hearts. So that's kind of one experience. I've had experiences where I've woken up in the middle of the night, and I can think of one specific where I woke up in the middle of the night and just went bolt upright and just started shouting because I was convinced that there was a man at the end of the bed. I think it was just kind of a dark, shadowy figure of some kind, and it woke up my wife and everything; it was just kind of a crazy ordeal. So that's the closest I've come. I do have a relative who has experienced something kind of similar to what's being described here and has talked to me about interacting with another person who they felt like was either possessed or under serious attack by demonic forces at the time, and just their eyes and the words that they were saying did not seem like that person, and it was just evil, bad, unhealthy stuff coming out of them. Nate Yeah, if that's you asking, or if you've had similar experiences, I know one practical thing: seeking out a pastor or a small group leader or an elder in your church. I've had so many times where I've had different people come up to me and share an experience. And just sharing with somebody you trust and who knows God's Word well and who cares about you, having them pray with you, pray over you, I don't think you can go wrong with prayer in that circumstance either. And then if it continues and it's really intense, that will – you'll have already had the conversation open to saying, like, what are some next steps here if you feel like it's becoming repetitive and a pattern, I'd say. Jon Yeah, one of the things we've emphasized in the sermon series is what the text says in Ephesians 6, that our war is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces. So even if you feel like the enemy is manifesting himself through another person, you have to remember that person is not the enemy. The enemy might be working through that person in some way or might be attacking or oppressing them in some way, and they're actually a victim, and you've been given a glimpse into that and are seeing that happen in some kind of way, which I can only imagine would be terrifying. But yeah, like you said, Pastor Nate, praying, calling out in the name of Jesus, "in the name of Jesus, be gone," those are the things in those moments. Mitchell I think also making sure that you are truly following Christ. There's a story in Acts where there are people trying to cast out an evil spirit, and the evil spirit says, "I know of Jesus, but I've never heard of you." Jon I've heard of Jesus, I've heard of Paul, but I have not heard of you. And they get their butts kicked. So, making sure that we're people that would be a threat to the dark forces of the spiritual world. Jon That's actually really, I wasn't even thinking in that direction, but you make a really good point. That if you're asking these questions, hopefully, you're a Christian. If you're not, we'd love to talk to you about the gospel. But yeah, if you're not a Christian and you're engaging with demonic forces, that's a whole different category of things, and you're in trouble, and you need Jesus. Mitchell Yeah. Well, let's jump into this next question. I've heard from a pastor, not from Peace, so you guys are off the hook, say before, "If Satan is on your back, that means that he's not on mine, because he's not everywhere like God is." Are we still vulnerable at all times to Satan's schemes, regardless if someone else is feeling the heat, so to speak? Nate That's getting into an interesting thing. I mean, we do believe based on God's word that Satan – some people think of, I think in popular culture, God and Satan as equals, that one's good, one's bad, and that's not the case at all. We see, as it's clearly laid out in the Bible, God is all-powerful, Satan is not. You see time and time again – think of the story of Job, where Satan has to come to God and ask for permission for something, and that opens up a whole other discussion we're not getting into today. And you even see times where Satan, the enemy, the evil one, is isolated in time and space. So, I think what that pastor is maybe trying to teach is a theological point about how Satan's not as powerful as we sometimes give him credit for. But I would say we believe in not just Satan, but in his demonic powers. Like you referenced in Ephesians 6, it talks about all the powers and authorities. So I would say the real question isn't "can Satan be around," But like his plans and his workers are doing their work all over all the time. I think the bigger question is, like, kind of the last one we asked, what do I do to combat that? I don't think you need to worry too much about is this Satan, is this a sub-demon. It could also just be your own flesh, your own sin, and so your own desire to do something that's ungodly. So I think it's an interesting thing to think and talk about, but I don't know if it's the most profitable thing to try to figure out. Jon: Well, I laughed a little bit as you read the question, because I assumed it was a joke that, ha ha, you know, if Satan's against you, if Satan's getting you, at least he can't get me. I hope that was a joke. Yeah, like you said, Pastor Nate. So yeah, we do believe Satan is restricted to one place at one time. He's not God, he's not omnipresent, but he has a large army. Mitchell: Yeah, and I think we have to also acknowledge the reality of the forces that are demonic that are associated with him. Not everything is Satan. So if we're feeling spiritual warfare, an attack, that doesn't mean it's Satan. So if, you know, they say if someone else is feeling the heat, you might still be feeling some sort of spiritual attack. And it might not. It's probably not Satan. It could be. Jon: But it could be his army. Yeah. Yeah. His forces are many. Nate: Yeah. And I think it does. I mean, this isn't what the person's asking necessarily, but I think we, John, I'm sure you have too, we've encountered times where somebody's doing something that's clearly not Satan or demonic forces, but just either their own decisions or some brokenness in the world where they're saying, you know, you know what, I was doing this sinful thing, and let's say I was drinking and driving and I crashed my car. Man, Satan's really working overtime against me right now. Nate: You go, you know, I don't think you need to attribute that to spiritual warfare. I think we know pretty clearly what's going on. You did something sinful, broke laws, made unwise decisions, and now there are consequences. So yeah, I think it's important. Yeah, there's Satan, there's all of his demonic forces, but there's also other things in the equation when you're talking about hard stuff happening in your life. Jon: Yeah, if you find yourself saying, "The devil made me do it," you may be on the wrong track. Mitchell: Yeah. I've always said a glass cannot spill what it doesn't contain. It has to. No one can make you do something that wasn't already inside you. So the devil can't make you do something you didn't want to do anyways. I don't know if I used the devil negatively. Jon: Now you're making me think of many other questions. I just like that. Nate: Isn't that a "Me Without You" lyric? Mitchell: It is a "Me Without You" lyric. Nate: Okay, so why do you say "I've always said give credit," Mitch? Mitchell: Well, I've also – sorry, I was just going through my lyrical encyclopedia. Nate: I didn't have that in my head. Jon: Yeah, the glass can only spill what it contains. Nate: Yeah, that's a good one. Jon: I said it with a double negative. All right. Mitchell: Our last question. Do you think Satan has the ability to cause sickness to prevent someone from going to church? Example: only on weekends. Wait, are you asking me if he can only cause sickness on the weekends? No, I think the example is that they would get sick only on the weekends. So they can't go to church, right? Jon: Well, I think we've got evidence in Scripture that he can cause sickness under God's supervision. In the book of Job, Satan comes and asks God permission to attack Job's body, and he does, and that happens. So, yeah, I would say that's totally possible. I've thought of that myself sometimes. I feel like in my own life, when it just seems too clear that my sickness schedule seems to line up with the schedule of other important things that are happening in the church. We'll be right back after this break. Elizabeth: Hi, I'm Elizabeth, one of the co-hosts of MomGuilt, a podcast with new episodes every Monday. MomGuilt is a podcast about the daily struggles of motherhood. Stephanie and I share real experiences of MomGuilt and how we have found freedom from that guilt through the gospel. Listen to us on resoundmedia.cc or wherever you find podcasts. Nate: Yeah, it makes me think of a bigger question that I always have when it comes to this topic. I think you generally fall into one of two camps when it comes to spiritual warfare. You either have a tendency to err on the side of underestimating what Satan and all of his forces can do, or maybe you err on the side of over-dramatizing, maybe, and always seeing everything as spiritual warfare and everything. So I would say, you know, let's say you see a pattern of, "I feel like I get sick every Sunday morning." Don't fall prey to just going, "Hey, I'm sure that's just a coincidence, that's just my biological clock." There might be something spiritual there, and I'd say, pray against that. Say, "God, I ask you to help me deliver me from this weekend sickness I'm getting. Lord, if there's any sort of demonic involvement, I pray that you would free me and that you would heal me," and make that prayer. But then also, don't get so in your own head that, let's say, the next weekend comes and you feel a little bug and you go, "Oh, we're at it again," and you get so involved in that that you don't just get your clothes on and go to church. You know, I think there's a fine line between that, and it's tough because, I mean, I think what's also helpful is to know kind of your own tendency. I have the tendency to underestimate the spiritual forces of the world. When I get sick, my first thought isn't, "Oh, is this spiritual warfare?" My first thought is, "Oh, was I too close to that sick kid at church?" That's probably me. Was I recently with John Belger? No, but I actually think it's a good challenge for me to think more through that lens of spiritual warfare. I think for some people, if that's the first thing you think of every time something hard happens, it might be more something to go, "Hey, you might be giving too much credence to this," and maybe there's a little something to just resting in the peace of Christ to know that Jesus wins in the end. He has ultimate power and authority and nothing's happening outside of his watch and even outside of his rule and his sovereignty. But, I don't know, Jon, you've dealt more with, I think, some of the sickness stuff. I mean, has that been – with your health stuff, has that been something that you've thought about and you've kind of wrestled through? Jon: Yeah, I feel like I've just kind of always viewed it as it's probably some combination of all of the above. I've always just kind of thought, "All right, I've got some just physical health issues that I have," and so there's physical factors at work. I've got – you know, there's stress factors that come into play, and then there are spiritual forces at work. I guess I just always kind of imagine, yeah, it's probably roll the dice, it's likely there's a combination of one or two or three of those factors all at play at the same time. And I just pray accordingly that the Lord would heal me from physical sickness, that he'd not let stress impact my ability to function, that he'd cast away any spiritual attack. So I think that's kind of how I approach it, just sharing a vision. Nate: Yeah, you know, it's interesting. Just listening to you talk about that, it reminded me of the time where this has come up a couple times with me directly. I haven't had as much physical health issues, but this is an especially prevalent topic when it comes to mental health challenges, because you can read the New Testament and see that a lot of those things that look to manifest as mental health issues definitely have spiritual roots. And I've had people ask me, "Do you think this is more of a spiritual thing, more than a mental or psychological thing?" And I'm a little bit more in the not A, B, but probably C, all of the above camp, is that those things can't be fully separated from each other anyway. And so my practice, along with some very tangible things I do to try to get out myself, prayer and asking God to deliver me and asking God to help me, is always a part of that equation no matter what. Jon: Yeah, I think that's exactly it. That's exactly, I think, the Christian worldview. We know all these things are at play. We don't know how much of which one at any given time, but we know they all are at play, and we know that the real answer is always God's help. And so that's what we cry out for. Mitchell: Yeah. If you're getting sick every week, it might be good to get a new toothbrush. Nate: That's very practical. I mean, the bright bright of oral health is important. Well, it's like you're sick and you use the same toothbrush. Mitchell: You can get sick over and over. Jon: It's good. Nate: That's true. Mitchell: Yeah. Get a new toothbrush. Jon: You know, I don't know. I've heard that's helpful. Yeah. Well, along those lines, I've heard guys say they've had young people around them coming to them and being like, "Oh man, I'm dealing with this and it's spiritual warfare." And then they just sort of ask, "How much sleep have you gotten this week? How many meals did you eat in the last couple of days? When was the last time you exercised?" So we're physical, mental, and spiritual beings all at the same time, all the time. So all those things can come into play. I have a curious question for you all that I think is related. Do you think a Christian can be possessed by a demon? Mitchell: No. No, I don't think so. Jon: Why not? Mitchell: Because I think in order for Satan to do anything he has to ask for God's permission. I think God sealing his elect with the Holy Spirit forbids that. Nate: Yeah, there's only room for one spirit to live in you, and if the Holy Spirit's in there, no vacancy for demons. Jon: Nice, I like that. The Westminster says he's infinite, eternal. That's pretty big. He takes up all the space. Nate: What do you think? Jon: Yeah, that's what I think too. Mitchell: I think Christians can come under demonic oppression, where they're being oppressed by demons but not possessed. Jon: Right. If the Holy Spirit's in you, he's in you. No vacancy – I like that. That's a good way to say it. Alright, I've got a couple more that either I've thought of or just from talking to a few people, other questions that came in on this topic. We can go for days, but we'll just take a couple of these. Here's one: If Satan knows God is going to win in the end, why does he even bother to fight? Nate: I've thought about that question a lot, and I think in one sense it seems like if you know you're going to lose, why would you even do anything towards it? And whoever asked that question, which it sounds like it was maybe you, John. But when I asked that question of myself, I asked, "Hey, if sin leads to bad consequences, why do I ever sin?" You know, if I know talking to my wife this way will lead to a fight, why do I even do it in the first place? I think that's giving a lot of credit to the logic of our minds when evil doesn't often operate in logical ways. Jon: That's a very good point. I also think Satan is just fundamentally opposed to God. It's like having a big brother who you know you're going to get walloped if you fight him, but sometimes you're so angry you don't care. I think maybe that's the mindset of Satan: he just hates what God is doing and has to fight against him. Nate: And he's evil and perverse enough that even if he knows how it will end, there's a part of him that will enjoy the process even if he knows how it ends. I think I go back to Taco Bell sometimes even though I know this isn't gonna be great for me later in life, but the experience is great for the moment. For a little while it seems worth it, and it never is. Jon: I'm told often by my wife that this is pretty much how I play board games, the way she imagines Satan plays the game of life. Nate: Your wife says, "You know you're going to lose? Why do you even play?" Jon: Stephanie with some top-tier trash talk. No, it's just that I have a kind of reputation: if I start to lose, I just want to cause as much damage to everybody else as I possibly can. Scorched earth. You're going down with me. We like to play Settlers of Catan. It's kind of a long game. And so if I, in the early stage of the game, start realizing there's like no way I can win, then I'm just out to hurt everybody. Mitchell: And sometimes it's not just everybody, but one specific person. Jon: If we've got time for one more, how should Christians, or should Christians, try to interact with angels? I think "should" is such a hard word right there at the beginning of that question. But I personally think my – what I see in the biblical examples – if angels want to talk to you, they'll start things off. Nate: They'll start off with a little "do not fear" and then they'll give you a message. But it seems like those unique situations in church history and biblical history are not the norm, but are exceptions to the norm. And yeah, every time I see the angel initiating, unless I'm not thinking of something. Can you think of a time where? Jon: No, you're right. Someone else initiated the scenario. I was thinking about a lot. Daniel 10, right? Is it Daniel 10 when Daniel's praying? So he's – he doesn't really – he's not praying to an angel or anything, but he's praying to God. And then the Lord sends him an answer through an angel. And we've got that crazy scene where the angel is trying to get to Daniel, but he gets stopped by a demon and another angel has to come and help him in the fight, and then he can go to Daniel and sort of give that quick story before he gives Daniel the answer. It's a wild thing to realize all that's going on in another realm that we can't see. So that was the only other example that I was thinking about, but Daniel isn't asking an angel to come to him. He's praying to God, and God decides to use an angel to bring the answer to him. Mitchell: I think that's exactly it. We shouldn't try to seek out angels. They'll find us. Jon: Right. It's a realm in which we know is there, and stuff is happening, and God is at work, and yet we don't have an instruction about that we're supposed to engage with it in any specific sort of way. Mitchell: Yeah. Jon: I think there's a lot that happens behind the scenes. I think one day we'll be able to look back and see God sending messengers or God sending his angels to bless or be over something that we will never have seen. And there's been some books. I don't know if you guys have read – I'm trying to think of some of the names of these books – but I've read a couple of older books of guys trying to fictionally... Or "This Present Darkness" by Frank. That's what I was thinking of, yeah. Nate: Thank you. I read that when I was young, and this question made me think of that too, because again, this is a little bit about over-dramatizing. It's a work of fiction, but I remember thinking, "Oh, I wonder if there are angels right now fighting around." Yeah, and who knows? It's a spiritual realm, so we're not gonna see it right now with our eyes and experience it with our senses. But I do think that – I know for a lot of people, there's comfort in knowing if Satan has his demons, God has his armies too, and they outnumber and outpower anything – all the armies of evil – so we can rest assured to know that our God wins. Jon: Yeah, I think the comfort is God's given us what we need to know in his word, and everything else that he doesn't reveal to us, we're not supposed to know. Mitchell: That's okay. Jon: Jesus is on the throne. Well, thanks for the conversation, guys. Great stuff. Thanks, everybody, for the questions. Great questions. You can always submit more questions to peacechurch.cc/questions . Jon: Have an awesome week! You can find That's a Good Question at resoundmedia.cc or wherever you listen to podcasts.

God's Perspective on the Temptation You Can't Avoid Navigating Life's Temptations with Faith: Trusting God's Guidance and Deliverance Christian Life Shannon Popkin Author & Podcast Host Live Like It's True Podcast Published On: January 18, 2024 A young woman once asked me, “If I surrender my marriage to God, will He keep my husband from having another affair?” Her eyes searched mine in desperation, and though I wanted to give her comfort, the particular assurance she longed for—a future free of sin’s pain—wasn’t mine to give. I have no idea what the future holds, of course, since I’m not God. And while I know God can keep our husbands and adult children and sisters and friends from affairs—or any number of other sinful traps, when I survey the world I live in, there are people falling to temptation left and right. What then, is our hope? I couldn’t look into the eyes of this young wife and say, “God never puts his children in painful situations.” Or, “Husbands don’t fall for the second time.” But here’s what I could say. Trying to walk life’s path without God would be far more painful and treacherous than walking with Him. Lead Us . . . “Lead us not into temptation,” Jesus offered as the sixth petition in his model prayer ( Matt. 6:13 ). For a long bit, I’ve read this verse with a little mental sketch of a fork in the road with two signs pointing in opposite directions. One path is marked, “Temptation,” and the other, “Right Living.” And I, as a Christian, am asking God to help me pick the correct path: the one that avoids temptation. But this is a false representation of this verse—and life. There is no path that leads away from temptation. Throughout the maze of life, we should assume that there will be slimy pits of temptation alongside every micro turn. Even a Christian who has lived faithfully for decades should not be surprised when she is tempted by sin. It’s been that way from the very beginning. With the juice of the forbidden fruit still on Adam and Eve’s lips, sin fell like a dark, sticky curtain over every square inch of creation. There is no slit (apart from going to heaven) by which we can escape temptation. Our world is completely pitted with traps. Even today, I’m guessing you came across slimy pits of greed, deceit, or lust. Traps abound. People everywhere are falling in. And what is our response? We are taught to pray for ourselves and others, “Lead us not into temptation.” That is, As I walk through this valley with its shadows of evil and doubt, don’t let me slide in. Help me find the sure footing of obedience. To not ask for help from God would be quite presumptuous, don’t you think? We need daily help from our Father. We need him to walk beside us, hold our hands, and keep us steady. Our loved ones, our children, our church leaders, and our friends all need help from the Father. There is not coming a day when, as God-following people, we suddenly look around and realize we’ve arrived, that God has finally led us past all temptation. That place or chapter of life—here on earth at least—simply doesn’t exist. When There’s Zero Chance Pope Francis recently changed the wording of the “Our Father” (or the Lord’s Prayer), which is read in Catholic masses everywhere, to read, “Do not let us fall into temptation,” instead of, “Lead us not into temptation.” And I can see why he wanted to change it. It’s uncomfortable to think of a Father who leads His children right into a place where we could fall, isn’t it? Yet even God’s own Son “was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil” ( Luke 4:1–2 ). Notice that Jesus didn’t wander off the path into Satan’s territory. He was led to a place where He, like Eve, went toe to toe with the Devil. We should not be surprised, then, when we are also led into situations where we must take our stand against the evil one ( 1 Peter 4:12 , Eph. 6:11 ). To be clear, God tempts no one, and He, Himself, cannot be tempted ( James 1:13 ). And this, my friend, is our anchor. If there is zero chance of God being tempted, and there is also zero chance of Him giving even the slightest nudge toward one of temptation’s pits, no wonder He is not threatened by the Devil breathing into the face of one of His children. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we don’t feel threatened by it. Not in the least! We can and should pray, “Lead us not into temptation! Please God, deliver us!” But we pray this because we are aligning ourselves with God’s perspective, not because we’re trying to get Him to see things from ours. Jesus, who saw things both from God’s viewpoint and ours, looked straight into the pit of evil and didn’t fall in. He was tempted, but He did not sin ( Heb. 4:15 ). Rather than falling into temptation, Jesus reversed the curse of sin and put a new storyline into play: one where human beings are tempted, but do not fall prey to sin. Is this the storyline you long for? Do you long for the day when your husband, child, sister, or friend stands against some past temptation? Do you crave this for yourself? This desire for a new storyline is echoed in each of our prayers when we cry out to the Father, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil!” Yes, God Can John Piper recently responded to questions pouring in about a prominent leader who has “de-converted.” Some are asking, “If he could fall away, could I, too?” The short answer Piper gave is yes. Any of us could fall. Not one of us can keep ourselves from falling into temptation. But here’s what gives us hope: God can. Every day, God answers our prayers. He causes drug-addicted prodigals to come home. He causes little girls who were abused to grow into godly women of faith. He causes the eyes of doubting agnostics to awaken to the light of truth. Yes, God can. But the question I struggle with is: will He? I’m guessing that your heart today, like mine, is deeply troubled by the many pitfalls of temptation into sin. Perhaps you have a sister in an abusive marriage. A friend slipping into despondency because her husband was killed in a crash. A son addicted to pornography. A friend’s child who has chosen to transition to the opposite gender. It is good and right for you and me to bundle each of these burdens up and spill them out before the Father. To not do so would be to suggest that He is not able, that He is not God. But demanding that He move in the way that I want is to make the same suggestion. Here’s the truth: He is God, and I am not. But if Not . . . Remember the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when Nebuchadnezzar demanded they bow to his statue or be thrown into the fiery furnace? They said, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us . . . But if not , be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” ( Dan. 3:17–18 , emphasis added). They knew that God could deliver them from evil in this situation. But they didn’t demand that God would. In other words, they let God be God. There was a great temptation for these men to bow. And they deeply desired for God to deliver them from this evil king. But rather than asking God to take their viewpoint, they humbled themselves and deferred to His. And Jesus met them in the middle of the fire ( Dan. 3:25 ). Friends, God does not offer us a sunny path that is completely void of temptation. You can search the world over, and it will not be found. But our Lord will lead us, He will deliver us, and He will be with us in the fire. More Blogs You'll Like Nurturing Faith Balancing Discipleship and Trusting God with Our Children’s Salvation Read More Beyond Bluey Navigating the traps of comparison in parenting with wisdom from Scripture. Read More When Mother’s Day Hurts To the Grieving Mom on Mother’s Day Read More

Sermon Discussion Questions 1 Title Sunday, September 8, 2024 Calling Out Cultural Lies John 8:31-38 Live Your Truth 2 Overview Main Idea: Truth is not fabricated, truth is found Sermon Outline: Truth is found in the teachings of Jesus Christ Truth is found in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Truth is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ 3 Pre-Questions What context have you heard "live your truth?" What from this passage/sermon surprized you? 4 Questions How have you heard vs 32 used before? How has this passage/sermon changed your understanding? How does sin bring slavery? Rather than demonizing those who may have used this phrase, in what ways might we - subconsciously - believe this as well? How can we break free from bondage of sin? How does the message of "live your truth" and the desire to run from the TRUTH show our sin nature?

Kevin Harney Kevin G. Harney, pastor, author, and global speaker, passionately inspires believers to deepen their love for God and share Jesus's life-changing message. He holds degrees from Azusa Pacific University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Western Theological Seminary, and leads Shoreline Church in Monterey, CA. His impactful writing includes the Organic Outreach series, 'No is a Beautiful Word,' and 'The U-Turn Church,' alongside numerous small group study guides with renowned authors. Alongside his wife, Sherry, Kevin offers insights on ministry, marriage, and effective church outreach. Celebrating almost four decades of marriage, they cherish their three sons and grandchildren. Beyond his impactful ministry, Kevin enjoys golfing in summer and snowboarding in winter. Most Recent Content from Kevin Harney Faith & Fruit Well, when you say certain names, things come to people's minds and hearts. And there's people in my life that if somebody were to say... Watch Sermon Marriages You may not notice it and recognize it at any given moment, but you'll see the results of it There's a spiritual battle going on There's... Watch Sermon Myrrh; Jesus is Savior Well, I'm pretty sure you've recognized by now that this is a time where a lot of gifts are given and gifts are received It seems like... Watch Sermon

A Faith That Is Passed On Sermon Series: A Faith that Endures Ryan Kimmel Lead Pastor Peace Church Main Passage: 2 Kings 2:9-15 Transcript Today is the day that the Lord has made. So let us rejoice and be glad in it. And everyone said, amen and amen. One thing I can tell you about growing up in the 80s and the 90s like I did, was that we had the best music back then. Unlike this junk, they're producing today. And we had the best movies. So when you have a time when you have the best music and the best movies, put them together and you get the best soundtracks too. Now I know some of you are going to be like, what about The Greatest Showman? Yeah, well what about Young Guns Part 2? Young Guns Part 2, you guys know that movie, that old western, I guess it's old, from the 1990s, about Billy the Kid? John Bon Jovi wrote the soundtrack to it and had that awesome song, Blaze of Glory. I tell you what, as a middle school kid, my life's dream was to go out in a blaze of glory. You know that song, I'm going out in a blaze of glory, take me now but know the truth, I'm going down in a blaze of glory. I remember singing that song as a middle schooler thinking that when my time comes, I want to go out in a blaze of glory, don't think about outlaws dying in a gunfight. I'm going to point you to the prophet Elijah. That man went out in the greatest blaze of glory I think is probably imaginable. And today we're going to close up a series looking at that prophet, the prophet Elijah. He had one of the most dramatic endings of all time. But I'm going to tell you today, I think part of what makes his ending so amazing is not just that he went out, as we'll see, in a blaze of glory, but what happens afterward. So let's take a moment, let's read about it. Would you please turn to 2 Kings, chapter 2? We're going to look at verses 9 to 15 today. We are closing up a series, we've seen Elijah's faith endure so much, and that's really what we've been looking at. How do we have a faith that endures? When it seems like the world is going in such the wrong direction, how do we have faith that endures? We've been looking at Elijah for a case study on how to do this. We see Elijah's faith lasted through drought, years in exile, his life is threatened, and his feeling desperately alone in this world. We see Elijah take a courageous stand in front of the nation and in front of his enemies. His life lasted through wicked kings who hated him. And what we're gonna see is that even though his life here on this planet may have ended, his faith did not. Elijah's faith and mission didn't end with him going to heaven. It was passed on to his disciple, Elisha. Because a faith that endures doesn't just last our entire life. Hear me on this. This is the great left hook of this entire series. A faith that endures isn't just a faith that lasts your entire life. It's a faith that is passed on to the next generation. That's a faith that endures. And I tell you what, Elisha shows us how to do this. He trains up Elisha. And we see for years he pours into this man. And when it comes time for Elijah to be taken away, he knows this is gonna happen. And so as they're walking together, he tries to leave Elisha behind, but Elisha won't leave his side. And that's just a great testament between a teacher and his disciple. Just that love that was there. Elisha would not leave Elijah's side. And so they walked together. And it's about time for Elijah to leave. And we're going to pick up our story right after they both crossed the Jordan River together. And so, with that, would you hear the word of the Lord? 2 Kings chapter 2, verses 9 to 15. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, ask what I shall do for you before I'm taken from you. And Elisha said, please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me. And he said, you have asked a hard thing. Yet if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you. But if you do not see me, it shall not be so. And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen. And he saw him no more. Then Elisha, then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and he struck the water saying where is the Lord the God of Elijah? and when he had struck the water the water was parted to the one side and to the other and Elisha went over Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. Amen. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord remains forever. Amen. Let's pray. We'll continue. Let's pray together. Father in heaven, Lord, you are the most high and you are the most faithful. You are faithful to us even as our faith wanes. And so we look to you, we look to you for our hope and our salvation. We do not and cannot look to ourselves, but we look to you, our great God, our faithful Savior, our comforting spirit. Would you help us here and now by the power and presence of your Holy Spirit to hear the truth of these words, the truth of your scriptures, that they would not just encourage us, but shape us and mold us into the image of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ. It's in his name we pray these things. And all God's people said, amen and amen. So Elijah had a faith that not just endured his life, his entire life, but it was passed on. And in this blaze of glory, we see the faith passed on. And for me, that's what helps make it a blaze of glory. And as we get going, here's the main point for us here this morning. A faith that endures is a faith that is passed on to the next generation. Again, that's been the whole lens for this series, how do we have a faith that endures in a world of such opposition? And the last thing we're going to learn is that a faith that endures is a faith that's passed on to the next generation. So already, you faithful Christians in the house, you need to be thinking, who from the next generation are you pouring into? Who from the next generation are you passing the torch to that their faith might blossom and your faith might endure? A faith that endures is a faith that's passed on to or we could put it like this, if your faith dies with you, can we really say it's a faith that endures? So as we look at our passage today, we're gonna pick up three things from the prophet Elijah, three things that he shows us about passing on the faith. To pass on the faith to the next generation, Elijah models that we must show them a faith that they want more of. Show the next generation a faith that they want more of Teach them a faith that relies on God for the answers, We must leave them a faith that the Spirit personally empowers. All right, the first thing Elijah shows us, is that we must show the next generation a faith they want more of. Verse 9, is a super powerful, super popular verse in all the scriptures. You can underline it if you do that in your Bibles. Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me. This is really simple, people. Elijah asked Elisha, what can I do for you before I'm gone? And Elisha's request is simple. Whatever it is that you have, I want twice that. That is powerful. That is beautiful. Church, who are you showing faith that they would want more of? Church, are you showing people, your kids, your coworkers, your community, your family, your spouse, you show faith that they would not just want, but want more of? A faith they would not just want, but want more of. Because here's my concern. We're showing the next generation faith, not just what they want, but what they want none of. What I'm not preaching right now, I'm asking you. This isn't a pulpit between us, this is a coffee table, and I'm asking you a question that I want you to answer in your heart right now. What is your heart's desire for the next generation? Listen to me. If it is not firstly for them to know the love of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ as they walk in the power of the Spirit. If that's not first, we're in trouble. We're in major trouble. Did you know that the vision statement for this church is all about this? Our vision statement for Peace Church is to see the gospel embraced and then passed on for generations of kingdom impact. Church, we need to have a heart-to-heart for here, right now for a moment. In 1970, 90% of Americans said they were Christian. They've watched trends and they projected out a hundred years from 1970, from 1970 to 2070, a hundred years later, at best 50% will say they're a Christian. But it's more likely probably around 35% will say they're Christians. So my question for you in the house is really simple. What are you willing to do to reverse those trends? Or let me put it this way, what are you willing to give up to see those numbers going in the other direction? Listen, let me just say a few things. Number one, we will not sacrifice the truth. We will not dilute our theology, and we won't compromise on our morals. But we need to have an honest discussion about what preferences and prerogatives we are willing to let go of. Because the model is very simple. Show them a true faith in God that they want more of. If they can't tell that you love Jesus more than your political party, we're in trouble. If you're teaching them that church isn't church unless we're singing the hymns, we're in trouble. If you're showing them that a citizen of heaven equals a citizen of America, we're in trouble. If we're only talking about what we're against and never what we're for, we're in trouble. If you're showing them that you believe politics is more powerful than the Holy Spirit, we're in trouble. I dare you, I dare you to ask this question to someone in your life who's part of the next generation. Ask them this question. What does my faith show you about following Jesus? And would you want not just the faith I have, but more of it? I dare you to ask someone from the next generation who you are investing in, who you know, and ask them that question. And you know what, I'm gonna be nice for a moment. I'm gonna leave it up there. You can snap a picture, you can write it down because I am challenging every person who calls Peace Church home to ask someone from the next generation that specific question and then listen to their answer without judgment. Because the judgment's on you. What does my faith show you about following Jesus? And would you want not just the faith I have, but more of it? because Elijah basically asked Elisha that very question and Elisha said, I want twice what you have. Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me. Church, what this means is that we are to pick our battles wisely. The next generation is watching. So I ask you again, what is your true heart's desire for the next generation? We need to pick our battles wisely. for the next generation. We need to pick our battles wisely. And listen to me, if you know me, you know, what's going on in this world sickens me to my core, and don't you think I don't have a bunch of loaded opinions about it, but I know that the next generation is watching, and I would rather win the heart of the next generation for Jesus and lose the culture battle than the other way around. Thank you, me and you, sister. I'm gonna say that again. I would rather win the heart of the next generation for Jesus and lose the culture battle than the other way around. And until that becomes our heart's focus and our mission, I think we're on a trajectory to lose the next generation, which is sad. This is sad because what we have is not just true but what we have is better. And it's better for them. We are the ones who know what truth is. Truth beyond the American context. We are the ones who know what love is. Love beyond romantic relationship. We know what truth in love is. So don't let our opinions outshine our truth and love. Because that's what we are to show. Because to pass on the faith to the next generation, we must show them a faith they want more of. And I know what you're thinking, or at least I know what some of you are thinking, because I know exactly what I'm thinking when I hear things like this. What are you saying, pastor, so we can't make a stand? We can't take a Brother or sister, I say this into the mirror first, but with all due respect, have you even been listening to this entire sermon series? Elijah was only just taking stands. That's literally all he was doing. Every single story we've looked at from Elijah, it's him taking a stand, but hear me and be clear on this. His stand was for the Lord. He was taking a stand for the Lord and his heart's desire was so that the heart of the people would turn towards God, not so that they would know the truth about what's really going on in this world. He wanted the people to return to God. His heart was to take a stand for God, for Yahweh. He was willing as a man to say God's name because that's how much he loved God. How many men in here are willing to take a stand for the name Jesus and actually say it on the job site? We are to take a stand for truth and love in this world. And Elisha shows us this. And our Lord Jesus, He gave us the mission. We are to make disciples. We are to go and make disciples of our neighbors and the next generation a faith that relies on God for answers. Look at verse 10. And Elijah said you have asked a hard thing. Yet if you see me as I'm being taken from you, it shall be so for you. But if you do not see me, it shall not be so. All right, so reminder of what's happening here. Elijah says, I want more of what you have. And so Elijah responds, Elijah, a man so powerful in the spirit, he says, that's not up to me. You need to look to God for that answer. Not me. If God lets you see this happen, there's your answer. And before we go on, I just want to take a moment. I want to point out something else here for a second. I want to point something out to you here. Something special between these two different generations of Elijah and Elisha. In this passage, this is the passage where we see the torch being passed between these two giants of faith. And after Elijah says, look to God for the answer, look what happens in this next verse. Okay, follow me. Look to God for the answer. And then the Bible says, they still went on and talked. Now, listen, I know for many people in the house, that's like a throwaway phrase. That's just a filler, but for me, that's an incredibly insightful and powerful statement. They still went on and talked. If you wonder why the handoff of faith was so powerful, it's because they spent time together. They walked, they talked together, they prayed, they still went on and talked. That's friendship, that's mentorship, that's discipleship. And then look what happens. And as they still went on and talked, behold chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elijah was literally taken away in a blaze of glory. This man of such incredible faith, this man of the highest highs and this man of the lowest lows, this man who stood against kings and met with God, he was escorted up to heaven with wind and fire. And Elisha, who loved him like a father, got the answer he was looking for. Elisha saw all this happen and look at his response. Look at how much Elisha loved Elijah. And Elisha saw it and he cried, my father, my father. Stop for a second. Stop for a second. Think about what Elisha just saw. Horses and chariots of fire descend from heaven and Elisha's first concern is for Elijah. My father, my father. That's love. That's love. Elijah loved Elisha so much. How could Elisha not love him back as much? He saw this miracle happen and he first cries out to Elijah, My father, my father. The chariots of Israel and its horsemen. And then he saw him no more. Then Elisha took hold of his own clothes and he tore them into two pieces. Because he was sad. He was lamenting. And here's the thing, church, if we do this right, the next generation will be sad to see us go. They won't sit there and think, good riddance, boomers. They'll be sad. They'll be sad to see us go. So don't underestimate the power of love when we disciple and minister to others. Don't underestimate the power of love when we disciple and minister to others. So let's go back to our point. Elisha wanted to be a prophet with twice the spirit of Elijah. You gotta follow what's going on here because it's so awesome. Elijah still tells Elisha he's to look to God for the answer. But if you know your Bibles, you know that Elijah knew that Elisha was going to take his place back in first Kings 19 The Lord said to Elijah you shall anoint Elisha to be a prophet in your place early on Elijah knew what he was doing with Elisha was training up his own replacements and So when he was asked a question that he knew the answer to he still told Elisha to look to God for the answers because we are to train the next generation to look to God for the answers Elijah said if you see if God lets you see me go you have your answer, but you need to look to God That's part of what we do when we train the next generation is we teach them to look to God for the answers to search the scriptures to pray And to be patient on the Lord I'll say it again, to search the scriptures, to pray, to pray and to be patient on the Lord because that reminds them the next generation that we work on God's timeline, not vice versa. Because to pass on the faith to the next generation, Elijah models that we must teach them a faith that relies on God for the answers. And lastly, last thing we see, is that we are to leave the next generation a faith that the Spirit personally empowers. All right, follow what's going on. This is a phenomenal passage here. After Elijah is taken away, go to your Bible, look at verse 13. And Elisha took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him. You catch what's going on right there. I cannot overstate the power of verse 13. If this was a movie, this would be like cue the slow-mo dramatic sequence here. We see the torch being passed. Elijah took up the cloak of Elijah. The Padawan picks up his Jedi Master's lightsaber. That's what's happening here. The torch is being passed. The faith is continuing. We are sitting here today worshiping the same God because Elisha picked up that cloak. When we minister and disciple the next generation, we're doing our part to see the faith continue. Verse 13, And Elisha took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he struck the water, saying, Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?' And when he struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other. And Elisha went over and look at verse 15. "'Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.'" Let me clarify something here. They did not mean Elijah's ghost is now possessing the body of Elisha. What they're saying is the spirit of Elijah is to mean that the spirit that led Elijah, which is the Holy Spirit, we are to show the next generation what it means to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Do you know what that means, Christians in the house? We are to show the world love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control because that's the fruit of the Spirit. Do you want to know if someone has the Holy Spirit within them? The first thing you look for is the fruit of the Spirit. I know we want to go right to the gifts, but the first thing is the fruit we are to look for. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity and I fully believe and I know you do too, that the same Spirit that rested on Elijah and Elisha, the same Spirit was the one who was there at creation, who was at Jesus' baptism, the same Spirit who rose Jesus from the dead, the Holy Spirit is the one who dwells within believers and the church. When people walk in, do they see a congregation going through the motions, or do they see a congregation filled with the Holy Spirit? The Spirit dwells with each of us personally as He empowers our faith, and He dwells with us as a church, guarding us, and making sure that we're preaching the truth in love. And if Christians do anything in this world, Christians are to be the ones who walk and step with the Holy Spirit. And when we think about Elijah, I know that we're quick to go right to the miracles or the fact that he stood against tyrants. But do you know what I think the most meaningful part, the most meaningful thing about Elijah, especially as we've gone through this series and I was reminded of the story, was that for day in and day out, with every breath, this man stood faithful to God. Whether he was alone for three years in exile, or he was standing before the nation, Elijah stood faithful to God. Now that is a testament to the power of the Spirit in someone's life. Are they gonna be a Christian when no one's looking? In the Bible, I think we do see the highlight reel of Elijah's faith. But we also see this all stemmed from a faith that was enduring against every opposition. We see a faith that was enduring through the highs, through the lows, through accolades, and through loneliness. We see a faith that endured to the next generation because it was personally empowered by the Holy Spirit. Church, in your faith, is the Spirit the one leading you. I mean, men, in that heated moment at home, who's leading? In those trying times, who's leading your faith? It must always be the Holy Spirit personally empowering us because the same Spirit who dwells in us is the same spirit who empowers the church that raised Jesus from the dead church. Check this out. When Elisha returns, what was the first thing people saw? The first thing that people saw was that he had the Holy Spirit. What was the first thing that people saw when Elisha returned? That he had the Holy Spirit. The first thing that people saw when Elisha returned was that he had the Holy Spirit. Here's what concerns me. In our world today, you know what the first thing people see? Is whatever you post on social media. That's the first thing they're seeing. So I'm wondering, is it pointing to God? Is it demonstrating that you're walking in the power of the spirits? What is the first thing that people are noticing? It should be that we are operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. Is it? Or is it that we're full of opinions? Opinions that honestly make the next generation roll their eyes. Are you showing them a faith that they want more of? For many of us, I'm not sure that we are. And it's no wonder the next generation is not building upon the faith that we have, but they're beginning to deconstruct it. So let me remind us of what we already know. Church, we worship the King of all creation. We worship the one who not just wrote the laws of physics, but who constantly upholds them as he holds the universe in his hand. Church, do you believe this? We are the ones who know what true and eternal love is. We believe that the gospel is truly the most important thing that people need to hear. Do you believe that? Church, be with me today. Do you believe this or not? Well, I wonder, does the next generation see us putting our money where our mouth is? Church, we know the one who's writing history. We know the one who is writing history. So why are you worried about the next election? And why are we showing the world that we're worried about it? Do you think any of this is a surprise to God? Where do you find your hope and your comfort? When we are to walk, we are to walk not by sight, but by faith in the joy of the Lord. And yet, we become so disheartened by everything we see on the news and social media. I'm telling you right now, faith, joy, and love, that's what should be marking our faith. That's what the people should see when they look at the church. So where is your faith placed? Because here's the reality. You don't need to answer that. Your life shows that. Where is your faith placed? You don't need to answer me, we just need to look at your life. And we need to be showing the next generation a faith that they not just want, but want more of because that's a faith that will endure. Because if we are truly Christians, then we are to want and desire a faith that endures. And a faith that endures is a faith that's passed on to the next generation. Can I get an amen? is a faith that's passed on to the next generation. is a faith that's passed on to the next generation. Can I get an amen?

Sermon Discussion Questions 1 Title Sunday, July 7, 2024 It Had To Be Said Mark 8:31-38 Take Up Your Cross 2 Overview Main Idea: Jesus' disciples follow the way of the cross, not the way of the world Sermon Outline: 1. Save It vs Lose It (vv34-35) 2. The World vs Your Soul (vv36-37) 3. Shame before God vs Shame before People (v38) 3 Pre-Questions Can you share a moment in your life when you had to make a difficult decision that went against popular opinion or societal norms? What was the outcome? 4 Questions 1. Read Mark 8:31-38. What did Jesus predict about His own future in verse 31? How did this differ from the common expectations of the Messiah at the time? 2. How does Peter’s reaction in verses 32-33 highlight a common misunderstanding about the nature of Jesus’ mission? 3. In what ways does Jesus’ call to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me” (v. 34) challenge contemporary values of self-fulfillment and personal success? 4. What does it mean to “gain the whole world but forfeit your soul” (v. 36)? Can you think of examples where this principle is evident in today’s society? 5. Reflect on a time when following Jesus required you to deny yourself or make a sacrifice. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? 6. What are some “crosses” you might be called to bear in your daily life? How can you find strength and encouragement in these challenges?