Caleb Drahosh \\ God's strength does not fail, it does not run out. Will His strength fail when He sets out to deliver, redeem, and comfort His people? God commands His people to put on His strength and to rejoice because their deliverance is near. God is preparing to bring them out of their captivity back to their home.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Israel abandoned their God in their sin and their sin became the reason they were carried off into exile; they preferred their sin over God. But God did not put them away. God comes for His people by sending His servant who would deliver Israel through His suffering. Jesus Christ is the suffering servant sent by God to deliver God’s people and give them ears so that He may be heard and obeyed.

Blaze Culliton \\ In the second servant song of Isaiah, the Lord reveals attributes of His Chosen Servant Jesus Christ. The Chosen Servant will be made as a light for the nations that His salvation may reach to the end of the earth and comfort & compassion for His people. While the response of God’s people is unbelief and questioning, His response is assured by the truth of His word as Savior and Redeemer.

Caleb Drahosh \\ God's unwavering commitment to His people, despite their waywardness, serves as proof that He is the true God. God is gracious and patient toward His children for the sake of His name. He is the true God because His actions aren't contingent on human action, they are aimed at His glory and that always results in the good of His people.

Caleb Drahosh \\ As the gospel made its way to the ends of the earth, Paul writes to Timothy, who is pastoring in Ephesus, about the correct approach to implementing a deacon ministry. He tells him to look for individuals who are exemplary servants, but even more than that, who model godly character and doctrinal fidelity.

Caleb Drahosh \\ As the gospel took hold and the church in Jerusalem continued to grow, a challenge presented itself. The newly-converted Gentiles made it known that the widows weren't being properly taken care of. The Apostles knew that the charge given to them was to focus on the word and prayer. And so they had the Gentiles choose seven qualified men to take care of the practical needs. These seven were the first deacons of the church.

Philip Reeves \\ The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not reactionary events to the deceitful plots of men. Matthew’s Gospel demonstrates that God is in perfect control over everything that leads to Jesus’ crucifixion. Those who have placed their faith in Christ can trust that God’s redemptive purposes cannot and will not fail.

Caleb Drahosh \\ In the garden, sin opened the door to death. Death spread to all men. Death ruled unopposed. Death swallowed up everyone, but Christ swallowed up death according to the promise in Isaiah. The undefeated was defeated. In these things, Jesus brings His people out of darkness and neutralizes their greatest enemy. All who are in Christ walk through death into eternal life.

John Baumgartner \\ God's people in exile are going to be tempted to believe that the gods of Babylon–Bel, Nebo, and others–are mightier than the Lord. The Lord reminds His people that unlike the idols of the nations that must be carried about by their worshippers, He has carried them like a father. Just as He carried them out of slavery and put Egypt to shame, so shall the Lord now carry them out of exile and put Babylon to shame.

Kalen Heller \\ The people of God don’t simply need things patched up, they need a complete overhaul. Their exile has left them in desperate straits. But God is in control of their situation and He will, even through the most unexpected means, bring them into abundant life.