Adventure in the Ascent

Sermon Notes & Applications Guide

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Sermon Notes & Application Guide

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Sermon Notes & Applications Guide

Comment here

Sermon Notes & Application Guide

Comment here

Sermon Notes & Application Guide 

Scripture References

• Primary Passages:
  • Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
  • Exodus 14:13: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.”
• Supporting Passages:
  • Psalm 3:8: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.”
  • Isaiah 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid.”
  • Exodus 6:7: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.”
  • Isaiah 53:5: “He was wounded for our transgressions… crushed for our iniquities.”
  • Ezekiel 36:26-27: Promise of a new heart and God’s Spirit within us.
  • Jeremiah 31:31-34: The New Covenant: forgiveness of sin and a new relationship with God.
  • Malachi 4:2: “The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.”
  • Matthew 1:21: “You shall call his name Jesus (Yeshua), for he will save his people from their sins.”
• Man’s Greatest Need
  • Our deepest need is not money, health, or freedom — it is to be rescued from sin and fully reconciled to God.
  • The Old Testament repeatedly shows us this truth: no matter how many times God delivered Israel from external enemies, the root problem of sin always remained.
• Why Jesus Came Jesus came
  • “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
  • His primary mission was a rescue mission for sinners.
• Biblical Definition of Salvation
  • Salvation means deliverance from danger, peril, or suffering — rescue into safety, victory, freedom, and life. It includes both temporal and eternal deliverance, with the ultimate focus on spiritual salvation from sin.
• Salvation Is God’s Work Alone
  • Salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8). We cannot earn it.
  • Like Israel at the Red Sea, our role is to “stand still” in faith and trust God to save us (Exodus 14:13).
• Old Testament Picture of Salvation
  • The Old Testament shows God repeatedly rescuing His people from physical danger (especially in the Exodus).
  • These stories serve as powerful types and shadows pointing to our greater spiritual deliverance from sin.
• The Hebrew Connection – Yeshua
  • The Hebrew word for salvation is yeshuah (from the root yasha = “to save/deliver”).
  • Jesus’ Hebrew name Yeshua means “Yahweh saves.” He is literally “Salvation” in human form (Matthew 1:21).
• Old Testament Hope Through the Prophets
  • Judges and kings could only give temporary rescue because sin remained.
  • The prophets pointed forward to ultimate salvation: a Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), a new heart and God’s Spirit (Ezekiel 36), and a New Covenant with full forgiveness (Jeremiah 31).
• Fulfillment in Christ
  • Old Testament salvation was like the sunrise — real but partial.
  • In Jesus, the full sun has risen. He is the “Sun of Righteousness” with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2).
  • The long-awaited Yeshuah has come!

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Scripture References

• Primary Passages:
  • 2 Samuel 9 (entire chapter: David's kindness to Mephibosheth)
• Supporting Passages:
  • 2 Samuel 4:4: Mephibosheth becomes lame while fleeing in fear
  • 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"
  • Matthew 6: Warning against anxious worry
  • Matthew 14: Peter begins to sink when fear takes his eyes off Jesus
  • 1 Samuel 15: Saul's fear of the people leads to disobedience
  • Matthew 26 (Gethsemane): Jesus faces real fear but submits to the Father's will
  • Romans 5:8, 10: God shows love while we were still sinners and enemies
  • Ephesians 2: Kindness and grace for Jesus' sake (salvation not by works)

Key Points of the Sermon

• Fear's Destructive Power
  • Mephibosheth became lame in both feet because his nanny fled with him out of fear when Saul and Jonathan died (2 Samuel 4:4).
  • Operating from fear (instead of faith) leads to hurt, sin, paralysis, missed blessings, and can cripple future generations. Examples include Saul (1 Samuel 15), Peter sinking (Matthew 14), and anxious worry (Matthew 6). God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
• Lo-debar– The Spiritual Wilderness
  • Mephibosheth hid in Lo-debar ("no pasture" / barren place of no provision, abundance, or word). This represents our fallen state: spiritual barrenness, isolation, shame, silence from God due to sin, and hiding.
  • Lent is our intentional 40-day spiritual wilderness—mirroring Jesus' desert time—to confront these "dry places" through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-examination.
• God's Unmerited Grace & Initiative
  • David actively sought Mephibosheth (not the other way around), restored his land, and seated him permanently at the king's table "for Jonathan's sake."
  • This foreshadows the Gospel: God seeks us while we are still sinners and enemies (Romans 5:8, 10), showing kindness for Jesus' sake (Ephesians 2). We don't earn a place at God's table—we receive it through Christ's covenant faithfulness.
• Shame Swept Away & Transformation
  • Mephibosheth's name means "dispeller of shame" or "shame is swept away." Lent calls us to confront shame, guilt, and unworthiness.
  • Jesus bore our shame on the cross. God carries us from Lo-debar (desolation) to the palace (restoration and belonging), inviting us to feast as adopted sons and daughters.
• At the King's Table
  • Even though Mephibosheth remained lame, when seated at the table, his feet (weakness/defect) were hidden. His focus shifted to the King. During Lent, we die to fear-driven living so we can rise with Christ in Easter joy. Fix your eyes on Jesus (the One who went to the cross for you), not your issues.
• Call to Action
  • Come out of fear and the desert. Repent, confess, fast, and refocus on Christ. If still in the "lameness of sin" and far from God, come to the King today. You have a permanent place at the table of the King! Come to salvation!

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• Lent is a 40-Day Journey of Preparation
  • Lent (meaning "spring" originally) is a season of reflection, fasting, repentance, and renewal leading to Easter—mirroring Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness after His baptism.
  • It's not just "giving up" things for discomfort but creating space for God amid noise, busyness, and self-reliance, leading to freedom and anticipation of resurrection joy.
• The Wilderness Reveals Our True Hunger (vs. 3–4)
  • In vulnerability and weakness, temptation strikes with quick fixes (stones to bread).
  • Jesus responds with God's Word, teaching dependence on the Father rather than instant gratification.
  • Fasting exposes false "breads" (comforts, achievements) and redirects our appetite to the true Bread of Life (John 6:35).
  • Practice: Fast something and replace it with time in Scripture, prayer, or worship.
• The Wilderness Exposes Our Idols (vs. 5–10)
  • Temptations attack trust in God (testing Him) and allegiance (power, control, shortcuts to glory).
  • Jesus rejects them by quoting Scripture, choosing obedience even to the cross.
  • Idols are anything we trust more than God (security, approval, success).
  • Lent invites tearing down idols through honest self-examination ("What do I fear losing most? What do I turn to for comfort?"), heartfelt repentance (Joel 2:12–13), confession, and resting in God's grace and mercy.
• The Wilderness Prepares Us for Resurrection
  • Jesus emerged from the desert in the power of the Spirit, equipped for His mission and ultimate victory at the cross and empty tomb.
  • Lent mirrors this: We enter with ashes (death to self), journey through dying to sin/idols, and arrive at Easter's joy (new life in Christ).
  • It's "bright sadness"—grief over sin mixed with hope in redemption. Small "deaths" this season open us to Christ's risen life flowing in us personally ("Christ is risen in me!").

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• Growing in Knowledge of God (Epignosis)
  • The core of the message: True spiritual growth in 2026 hinges on increasing in epignosis—not mere head knowledge, but intimate, experiential, first-hand knowledge of God gained through personal communion.
  • It’s deliberate, whole-hearted seeking—like mining for silver or hunting hidden treasure (Proverbs 2:1-5).
  • God promises to reward diligent seekers (Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 29:13). He’s actively looking for hearts He can trust with deeper revelation.
• Benefits of This Knowledge
  • Grace and peace multiplied (2 Peter 1:2): In a striving, anxious world, true peace isn’t found in retreats or vacations—it’s a byproduct of knowing Him more deeply.
  • All things that pertain to life and godliness (v. 3): Everything needed for body, soul, and righteous living is already provided through Christ’s divine power—accessed via this knowledge.
  • Exceedingly great and precious promises (v. 4): Promises of salvation, wholeness, the Second Coming, and more become “Yes and Amen” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). These aren’t distant hopes but present realities we lay hold of through relationship.
• Partakers of the Divine Nature- The ultimate purpose of these promises is transformation
  • God’s own characteristics begin to mark our lives (through ongoing fellowship): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23—the fruit of the Spirit).
  • Result: We escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4). Temptation loses its grip as we become more enamored with Jesus than with sin.
• Call to Action: Diligently Seek with Your Whole Heart- moving beyond surface level “devotion”
  • Spend intentional, unhurried time in the Secret Place—daily interaction with God through His Word (which is a lamp to your feet, Psalm 119:105).
  • This pursuit isn’t selfish: Revelation received belongs “to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29)—generational blessing flows from it.
• Protection & Maturity for the Body of Christ- Growing in this knowledge isn’t just personal—it’s vital for the church
  • It protects against false teaching, apostasy, and being “tossed about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Peter wrote this letter to counter sensuous, denying false teachers—his answer was steadfast growth in knowing the Lord.
  • It brings maturity: No longer spiritual infants drinking milk, but growing into the full stature of Christ (Eph. 4:13-15).
  • It equips the whole body to function properly—fitted together, building itself up in love as every part does its work (Eph. 4:16).

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• The Invitation to Soul Rest
  • Jesus extends a personal invitation to the weary and burdened: "Come to me" for true rest, contrasting busyness (Martha) with sitting at His feet (Mary). This rest is a gift found only in Him.
• Modern Need for Slowing Down
  • In a distracted, high-paced world (constant phone use, shortened attention spans), we risk a "mediocre" faith. Slowing down—sitting in silence, disconnecting—revives our wonder in God's presence.
• What Soul Rest Is
  • Not just physical sleep, but deep, renewing refreshment: calm expectation, relief from burdens, inner peace.
  • Internal and eternal; rooted in God's unconditional love and presence in the "Secret Place."
  • Rest amid trials (not from them), as seen in John Paton's experience of peace while hiding from danger.
• How to Find Soul Rest (Jesus' Two Invitations)
  • Come to Me: Consciously turn to Him in prayer, Scripture, obedience; run to Christ amid fear, grief, weariness; physically create space (sit quietly without distractions).
  • Take My Yoke and Learn from Me: Exchange heavy burdens (legalism, sin, anxiety, self-striving) for Jesus' easy yoke—surrender control, walk in step with Him as He bears the load, empowers by grace, and teaches a Spirit-led life.
• The Promise
  • Yoked to Jesus brings deep soul-rest: freedom from sin's burden, shared strength, joyful obedience, and lasting peace—even in hardship. In 2026, choose the "good part" by pausing to rest in Him.

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• Original Design & Restoration
  • God created us for unhindered communion and intimacy (Eden). Through Jesus' death and the torn veil, we are invited back into that intimate relationship with the Father.
• Identity in the Secret Place
  • In closeness with God (Secret Place, beyond the veil), we discover our true identity as beloved children resting in Him before any tasks or callings.
• Two Narratives
  • We live either in our default self-reliant story or in God's better narrative/path. God invites and woos us into His story through time in the Secret Place.
• Dependence vs. Independence
  • Cultural independence contrasts with biblical dependence on God. True fruitfulness and direction come only from abiding in Christ (John 15:5).
• God's Promises of Guidance (Psalm 32:8)
  • Instruct – Practical insight and wisdom for the path.
  • Teach – Formal instruction (root of Torah), fulfilled by the Holy Spirit.
  • Guide with His eye – Intimate counsel from close relationship; sensitive to His slightest direction.
• Alternative to Yielding
  • Stubbornness (like horse/mule needing bit and bridle) leads to forced correction. Self-reliant paths seem right but end in death (Prov 14:12).
• Call to Action for 2026
  • Choose life in God's presence and path. Spend time in the Secret Place to hear His voice ("This is the way"), receive deliverance from fear (“spirit” of fear)/self-sufficiency, and walk the narrow, fruitful road He has for us – for our good, our children, and others we are called to reach.

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