Jesus died at the time of the Passover, not on the day of Atonement. God knew even at creation that the people he created would sin and that would require the suffering and death of His Son. And the Father knew what Adam and Eve’s sin would cost Him. What kind of love did the Father have that he would allow his son to die on a cross to redeem the same people who had rebelled against Him?

God demonstrated His love for humans by dying for them. In John 15:9-17 Jesus says there is no greater love than for a person to lay down his life for another person, and certainly there is no greater example of love than the Father sending His Son. This is the ultimate sacrifice.

Exodus 12:1-30 records the Lord’s instructions to Moses about how to observe the first Passover. A lamb was slain and a bundle of hyssop branches was dipped in the blood and brushed across the top and sides of the doorframes of their homes. The houses with blood applied did not lose a single person, but the oldest son in every house with no blood applied died. In other words, the death angel passed over the homes with blood applied.

Also, Israel was redeemed or delivered at the time of this original Passover. They were freed from bondage. This teaches us that Jesus’ death and resurrection established a new kingdom: a nation of slaves had been rescued and redeemed from bondage to the most powerful nation of the ancient world and now would launch a new kingdom.

As we celebrate Communion, we understand that we are in this new kingdom – not totally perfected as it will be in the new Jerusalem, but as a bit of a foretaste. When Jesus told people that the kingdom was the pearl of great price and that people should be willing to sacrifice everything in order to obtain it, He wasn’t talking about some distant future time, but about a freedom from death and sin and Satan that comes to those who choose to follow Him.

We understand that we are unworthy and do not deserve God’s love, but this is what God chooses to do. Romans 5:6-10 says that God loved us when we were unlovely. That’s when Christ died for us.

Even as God has loved us, we are called to love others. This is our mission, our calling. And just as God’s love is demonstrated to us in the sacrifice of His Son, our love for others is demonstrated in our deeds of love. God’s love for us is based in his nature, in who he is. Those who have been redeemed by Christ possess the nature of God and are freed to love others as they have been loved by God.

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The difficult truth of Psalm 23 is that to experience the goodness of God, we need to accept his authority and shepherding.

Moses struggled to accept God’s call because he focused too much on his own inadequacies and fears.

In spite of having Aaron as a mouthpiece, Moses experienced many setbacks in Egypt because they were actually part of God’s plan.

For us, God’s call can include service opportunities, relationship challenges, confession, seeking help, or remaining faithful in a difficult role.

We should remember the Shepherd sometimes asks us to do difficult things, there is a cost to saying no to God, setbacks are typical of God’s plans, and our focus should be on “who am I with?” rather than “who am I?”

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Two years have passed since the chief butler left the prison. Joseph has been waiting hopefully for a release from prison on the chief butler’s promise that he would remember him to Pharaoh. The butler forgot Joseph until Pharaoh had a dream which could not be interpreted. Then the chief butler remembered and told Pharaoh about Joseph, the man who could interpret dreams.

Joseph, a young man of 30 years, was sent for. He was a humble man; he told Pharaoh that only God can interpret dreams, not me.

Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and he was also able to give direction on how to deal with the 7 years of prosperity and then the 7 years of famine. Pharaoh liked Joseph’s plan and gave him a promotion. He went from being an imprisoned servant to being second in command in Egypt under Pharaoh.

We need to remember that God’s timing is perfect. Joseph would have preferred to get out of prison much sooner but God had a timetable for him. Waiting on God is hard because we do not know what his plans are for us.

We must have humility. Any gifts and talents that we have come from God. God hates pride. Joseph was fruitful in Egypt even though he had no plans to ever go there.

If we would have been Joseph while he was in prison, what would we be thinking as we waited on the butler to remember? What do we do with the things that are not working for us? Can we rest in the fact that God is at work even though we can’t see it? Can we trust Him?

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We each have to choose if we want to follow Jesus. We’re not born into God’s kingdom—we must decide for ourselves to become part of His family. Being part of the church is not something we inherit from our parents. It’s a decision we make when we hear God’s call and say yes to Him.

God’s kingdom is not the same as the world around us. We don’t try to control or fix the world by force. Our job is to live as wheat in a field full of tares, showing love, truth, and grace. The church is meant to be separate from the world, a family of people who have chosen to follow Christ. We are called to care about each other, correct each other with love, and help each other stay faithful.

We don’t want to treat our faith like a rule book. Instead, we want to see it as a relationship with our Father—our Abba. When we know we are God’s children, we stop asking, “What can I get away with?” and start asking, “How can I honor my Father?”

Our identity isn’t something we’re stuck with. We get to choose to follow Jesus, to be part of His family, and to live with purpose and joy. We are not just servants—we are heirs of God’s kingdom.

This is part of a series of sermons preached by Nathan Zook around the theme Is your identity determined at birth or a flexible choice?

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Our true citizenship is not in any country on earth—it’s in the kingdom of God. We may be born in one nation and hold a passport from it, but we are not born into God’s kingdom. That takes a choice. When we follow Jesus, we are choosing a new identity, one that doesn’t depend on politics, race, class, or the flag we pledge to.

We live in a world full of strong opinions and political fights. It’s easy to get caught up in who should be in charge or what laws should be made. But Jesus says His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, His followers would fight—but He calls us to something higher. He calls us to peace, humility, and trust in His leadership.

Sometimes we’re tempted to speak for God, to say what we think He wants politically. But when we act out of impatience, we risk speaking wrongly. Whether it’s from the left or right, trying to force God’s hand through protests or political power doesn’t reflect His heart. We are called to live in a different way, to be people of quiet strength and deep trust.

Our job isn’t to change the world through power, but to reflect God’s love in how we live. We choose His kingdom, and we wait on Him to act in His time.

This is part of a series of sermons preached by Nathan Zook around the theme Is your identity determined at birth or a flexible choice?

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In God’s kingdom, money, power, and status don’t define who we are. The world may divide people into rich or poor, high or low, but God looks at the heart. Whether we have a lot or a little, each of us is loved and valued the same. God knows what we need and promises to take care of us.

Chasing after wealth can leave us tired, anxious, and empty. True peace comes when we trust God, live simply, and care for others. We don’t need to show off or prove anything—our Father owns everything, and we belong to Him. If we have more than we need, we’re called to bless others and not just store things up for ourselves.

The church can be a place where everyone is treated with love and respect, no matter how much they have. We don’t want to judge based on clothes, income, or background. Instead, we want to be a family that welcomes everyone, shares what we have, and helps those in need. This is how we live out God’s heart in a world that often gets it wrong.

This is part of a series of sermons preached by Nathan Zook around the theme Is your identity determined at birth or a flexible choice?

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We are all part of one human family. The Bible tells us we come from Adam and Eve, and later from Noah’s sons—but nowhere does it divide people by race. That idea comes from people, not God. Over time, society creates categories like “race” to separate and rank people, but that’s not how God sees us.

The world has used race to justify slavery, unfair treatment, and discrimination—even by people claiming to follow Jesus. But God never curses people by skin color, and He never tells us to treat others as less than human. Instead, we are called to be a blessing to others, no matter where they’re from or what they look like.

We see throughout history—and even today—how unfairness still exists. Some people are treated better simply because of how they look. But in God’s family, we are all equal. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. God invites all people, from every background, into His kingdom.

So we choose to be part of a different kind of community—a church family where we treat each other with love and respect. We don’t ignore our differences, but we don’t let them divide us. God made each of us, and we want to reflect His love to everyone.

This is part of a series of sermons preached by Nathan Zook around the theme Is your identity determined at birth or a flexible choice?

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We’re reminded that God creates us with purpose, including our gender. He makes us male and female, and both are equally valuable in His eyes. Our world says we can choose our identity, but God calls us to embrace the identity He gave us. Being a man or woman isn’t about liking certain hobbies or wearing certain clothes—it’s about living out the roles God designed with joy and honor.

Even though culture tries to blur the lines between genders, we see in Scripture that God wants there to be a clear difference. Men and women are created to complement each other, not compete. We each have unique roles, but that doesn’t mean one is better than the other. It just means we’re different on purpose.

God calls men to take responsibility, to lead with love, and to protect. He calls women to support, nurture, and manage the home with strength and wisdom. But we all are called to follow Jesus, show love, and live out our calling faithfully.

We want to accept the identity God gave us, not fight against it. He made each of us on purpose, and when we live according to His design, we find peace and joy.

This is part of a series of sermons preached by Nathan Zook around the theme Is your identity determined at birth or a flexible choice?

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Prayer is critical to any mission, as exemplified by Jesus and the early church.

Jesus’ Prayer Examples in Luke:

Early Church Prayer Examples in Acts:

The Common Theme: Mission, Prayer, Power

Application Thoughts

Investing in prayer can “cost” us in terms of time and energy, but neglecting prayer carries a much greater cost.

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Joseph is in prison along with the chief cupbearer and chief baker. He has been put in charge of everything that goes on there as well as in charge of the prisoners. When Joseph saw that the cupbearer and baker both looked dejected he asked them why they were sad. They each had dreams that they couldn’t understand. Joseph was able to interpret the dreams. He asked them to please remember him when they are released from prison. Neither one of them remembered and Joseph’s interpretation of their dreams was fulfilled. This encounter with Joseph was not by chance. God had it orchestrated.

God knows our future. We are in exile in a country that is not our home. We are looking forward to our heavenly home. Can we believe in God even if we have a hard path? Impurities come out by tests and trials.

God was in control of the cupbearer, baker, Joseph and Pharaoh. Joseph spent years in prison before he was released. Joseph spoke truth to them. We need to speak the truth even if it is hard.

The cupbearer and baker forgot Joseph but God will never forget us. What is God’s purpose in our circumstances? God is committed to us, He will never leave us or forsake us. God is always working in our waiting. We want to reflect the Father to others around us.

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