In Mark 3:7–35, Jesus demonstrated that whoever does the will of God is part of the family of God. This is not referring to a works-based salvation — doing the will of God means we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus. This leads to works that confirm that we have been saved by grace alone through faith alone.

Seek the Messiah and Not Just Miracles

In verses 7–12, the crowd was desperate to get near Jesus, but they didn’t actually know who He was. They were close to Him physically but very far from Him spiritually. Is this you? You can attend church regularly and be part of the crowd without actually being a genuine disciple.

These people wanted their wishes granted, not a Lord they had to obey. They desired salvation from their sickness, not their sinfulness. They didn’t realize that Jesus Himself is the ultimate prize.

Share His Mission by Walking With Jesus

If you want to do great things for God, you need to be with Jesus. Spend time walking with Him and investing in the relationship you have with Him.

In verses 13–19, Jesus called His disciples to Himself. He did this so that they would first “be with Him,” and so that after this, “He might send them out.” These men did not look like promising people, but God was going to use them to accomplish amazing things. If He could use them, He can use you, too. All of us are fallen, broken people. Let’s go be with Jesus so we, too, can be sent out by Him to do great things for Him!

Stand With Jesus Even When Others Reject Him

In verses 20–30, the people rejected Jesus, saying that He was crazy and that He was partnering with the devil to cast out demons. Blasphemy is a willful, belligerent denial of Christ. Don’t be like those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. When you mess up, don’t think He doesn’t have enough grace for you. If you repent, He is faithful to forgive you and cleanse you. So, when you sin, run to the Father. Stand with Him, even when everybody else is denying Him.

Submit to His Will and Belong to His Family

In verses 31–35, Jesus said that His mother and brothers are those who are in His inner family, doing the will of God, rather than those who are on the outside, rejecting Him.

On the outside stood the crowds, who sought miracles and not the Messiah. On the outside stood His earthly relatives, who thought He was crazy. On the outside stood the religious leaders, who questioned His identity and allegiance.

On the inside stood the disciples: a group of unlikely people who believed in Jesus and learned to walk with Him through faith. On the inside stand those who do the will of God, practicing an obedience that demonstrates true faith.

In Genesis 17, God gives Abraham a covenant promise. God tells Abraham that this is a permanent covenant, and that many amazing blessings are in store. He then invites Abraham to walk with Him as He brings these blessings to fruition.

The Covenant of Circumcision

God tells Abraham to walk with Him through circumcision. This is a permanent mark and a step of faith, demonstrating belief that God will do what He said He would do. Abraham responds with immediate obedience. That very day, he circumcises himself and everyone in his household.

The New Covenant

Today, we have a new covenant — not a covenant of circumcision, but a covenant through the blood of Christ. Just like the old one, we step into the new covenant by taking a step of faith. In doing that, we find Christ’s redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. We have everlasting life that will mark us for eternity.

What Matters is a New Creation

We walk in this covenant by remembering three things. The first is from Galatians 6:15, which explains that what matters is not circumcision or uncircumcision, but becoming a new creation. The important thing is not what happens to the outside of your body, but what happens to the inside. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are not your old self but a new person. This is a permanent marker of who you are in the new covenant.

What Matters is Faith Working through Love

The second thing to remember is from Galatians 5:6, which says that what matters is faith expressing itself through love. As a new creation, we will still mess up, but God’s new life in Christ is not so weak that we could get rid of it. Even when we struggle, we will never lose our new life. We are called to confess our sins and keep pressing forward, progressively being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

What Matters is Keeping God’s Commands

The third thing to remember is from 1 Corinthians 7:19, which says that what matters is keeping God’s commands. If you have received new life, your actions should reflect that. You will not be perfect, since we fight a daily battle against sin. However, you should be walking in a way that pleases God —not just because you feel like you have to, but because you love Him. Your works should reflect the care you have for your relationship with God.

Walk with Jesus

We have the new covenant of Jesus, and He has called us to take steps of faith and obedience to Him. As we do this, we will find that just like Abraham, we are walking with Christ in the light that He gives.

Living Righteously in a Wicked World

Today in chapel, SGA chaplain Ethan Foster continued his series through Genesis by exploring the story of Noah in Genesis 6–8. His message centered on a challenging truth: that in view of God’s judgment and grace, we must live righteously in a wicked world.

Foster began by describing Noah’s world — one marked by deep moral decay and violence. Yet in the middle of this brokenness, Noah stood out. He sought to walk with God when few others did. Ethan emphasized that Noah’s righteousness was not about personal strength or moral superiority but about responding to God’s undeserved grace. Even in the darkest environment, God was still at work, extending mercy to those who would trust Him.

Bringing the story forward to today, Foster reminded us that we also live in a world that often rejects God’s truth and celebrates self-centeredness. Like Noah, we’ve been shown grace — not through an ark but through the saving work of Christ. Because of that grace, we are called to live differently, even when it feels uncomfortable or unpopular.

Foster also spoke about how we must have an absurd obedience — the kind of faith that doesn’t always make sense to the culture around us. Just as Noah’s decision to build the ark must have looked foolish to his neighbors, our commitment to integrity, humility, and holiness might look strange in a world driven by pride and compromise. But that very difference is what displays God’s glory.

Foster reminded us that our perspective changes when we remember the end of the story. We know that God’s justice will prevail, so we must continue walking faithfully and living righteously in a wicked and corrupt world.

He closed with a challenge to live as Noah did — with steady, countercultural obedience rooted in grace. Because when we live righteously in a wicked world, our lives become living testimonies of God’s enduring mercy and global mission.

Trusting God’s Plans Through Storms and Grief

In chapel today, Dr. Craig Williford reminded us of the power of saying “yes” to God, drawing from his personal testimony and the biblical stories of Mary and Genesis’ account of Joseph. Mary’s simple yet profound response to God’s call — her willingness to say yes — shows us the heart of faithful obedience. Joseph, too, amid danger and turmoil, said yes to God. Their examples teach us that when God asks, our best response is to trust and obey.

Dr. Williford also reminded us that God’s plans far exceed our own, and saying yes to Him is the only way to navigate faithfully through life’s storms. Even when circumstances are confusing or painful, God’s presence is our refuge.

Dr. Williford also spoke about grief, reminding us that as believers we grieve differently —not as those without hope but as those whose hope is rooted in Christ. Trusting God through seasons of loss allows us to carry both sorrow and hope together.

The call to us is clear: when God speaks, when He leads, when He asks — say yes. Trust that His plans are good and, in both joy and grief, hold fast to the hope we have in Him.

This morning in chapel, Grace Norman, paralympic gold medalist and 2025 Young Alumna of the Year at Cedarville, shared the powerful testimony of God’s work in her life as He taught her how to surrender her plans to Him.

Norman was born with only one foot. From the time she was young, she had a competitive spirit and never let her disability stop her. After watching the paralympic trials for track and field before the 2012 London Paralympic Games, she decided she wanted to compete one day. She completed her first triathlon at age 12. By age 18, she had won her first gold medal in the Rio Paralympic Games.

After her time at Cedarville, she competed in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic games, but she was unable to defend her gold medal, winning silver instead. This was not what she had set out to do, and she was very disappointed. As a result, she began to put her athletic excellence on a pedestal.

Norman brought this mindset into the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, feeling strong and confident as she made a perfect plan for the year. Then, a cascade of physical issues began to impact her training and racing. She tried to push on, but eventually she reached a breaking point. Crushed and frustrated, she wanted to quit. She asked God why He had stripped away everything that gave her confidence as an athlete.

As she sat in her disappointment, she began to realize that God was asking her to release her own plans. He wanted her to trust His timing and plan instead. She realized that God never leaves us alone to face trials; He gives us community. The people you invest in become the people who surround you when you need them most.

Norman chose to focus on the little things. She couldn’t bike or run, but she swam twice a day. She let go of the gold medal in her mind. Her coach told her that anything is possible with God.

Slowly, God gave Norman the strength and healing to be ready to race. By the time she made it to the start line in Paris, she knew she had already won — not the gold medal, but an indescribable peace. Norman said, “I made it a point to race with joy, not for my glory but for His.”

At the finish line, Norman reclaimed gold. She was overwhelmed with emotion upon finishing. After the race, she was asked if she was happy with her performance. All she could say was, “It was all God.”

Life is not easy. You will face moments when you want to quit. But trials are not meant to destroy your faith; they strengthen and refine it. So give God control, lean on the community He gives you, and discover the joy of being fully surrendered to Him.

“The gold medal wasn’t the greatest gift,” Norman said. “The greatest gift was learning to depend fully on God and experiencing His joy that surpassed any expectation that I had.”

The Christian Life: Direction Over Perfection

Today in chapel, Nate Davenport took us through the story of David, revealing the powerful truth that “the Christian life is not about perfection; it’s about direction.” These words remind us that faith is not about flawless living but about continually moving toward Christ. Davenport reiterated that our identity is not built on achievements or failures — it is held securely in Him.

Davenport shared that difficulties are inevitable. Scripture reminds us that God walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. He does not abandon us in hardship; instead, He uses the valleys to reveal His glory in our lives. In moments when life feels unfair or overwhelming, keeping Christ at the center provides the strength to endure.

Davenport also reminded us that we can take comfort in God’s providence, which is unrivaled. Over the course of our lives, God is shaping us, molding us, and changing us more into the likeness of Christ. Even when we cannot see the outcome, His hand is steady and His plan sure.

And through it all, we rest in the truth that God’s goodness is undefeated. The same Christ who calms waters can bring peace to the turbulence in our hearts. He is faithful, unchanging, and near.

When we run the race of faith, endurance matters more than speed. Setbacks, struggles, and seasons of doubt will come, but direction is key. As long as our eyes remain fixed on Jesus, He will lead us forward. As Davenport reminded, the Christian life is not about striving for perfection — it is about trusting the One who is perfect and pressing on in His grace.

In chapel this morning, the Cedarville community was blessed to hear from our own Jim Leightenheimer, retired Associate Professor of Communication at the University. Leightenheimer shared memories, advice, and testimonies of God’s faithfulness throughout his time at Cedarville University.

One piece of wisdom he shared was to “lean into relationships.” God gives us different kinds of people: those who encourage us, those who inspire us, and those who challenge us by caring enough about us to share hard truths. Leightenheimer shared stories of some of the amazing people who encouraged, inspired, and challenged him by being thoughtful, modeling excellent teaching, and using difficult truths to push him to grow.

Leightenheimer also talked about the student radio station he founded and faithfully influenced. As a student, he was blessed to work at a different radio station, but he noticed that his fellow classmates needed a place where they, too, could practice what they were learning in the classroom. So he used his senior project to do a feasibility study for starting a radio station at Cedarville. It didn’t go anywhere at the time, but he was charged with starting one when he came back to the University to teach. In spring 1990, they were able to go on the air with the student radio network WSRN. From there, it grew. Since then, Resound Radio has been a launching point for huge careers for students.

Leightenheimer talked about students he had mentored and impacted during his time as a professor, many of whom have gone on to do incredible things. He said, “God sent us the kind of people where it was easy to see how they could make an impact.” Now, they are content creators, podcasters, and professors. They work at film studios, in the journalistic field, and at the executive level. Some speak to audiences of millions. They have had a huge impact on influencing people for Christ.

Leightenheimer expressed, “I’m blessed by what God has done with people. He is so good, and I’m blessed to have just a little part in that.”

Leightenheimer also shared the things that have brought him the most joy at Cedarville. He said, “The biggest thing that brings joy is the moment when the light goes on for a student, when God delivers to them a vision for the thing that He wants to do with them.” He also said that great joy comes from seeing them succeed in church, at home, in the workplace, and in leadership positions.

“We give God the glory for all of those things,” Leightenheimer said. “He did it. We haven’t accomplished anything that He didn’t enable us to do. We don’t have anything He didn’t give us.”

The Bible teaches that pride goes before destruction and that an arrogant heart is an abomination to the Lord. We are called to submit humbly and joyfully to Christ. Exodus 7–11 demonstrates that there is a God, and His name is Yahweh. If we try to fight against Him, we will fail, and His purposes will stand.

God Fulfills His Promises

In these chapters, God delivered nine plagues to Egypt because Pharoah refused to let the Israelites go. Through these plagues, He showed that He remembers His promises and will be faithful to fulfill them. Way back in Genesis, God promised to give Abraham a land. By the time of the Exodus, this was about to come true. God also promised a nation of many people, and the Israelites were already seeing the fulfillment of this promise. From Israel was going to come the fulfillment of God’s greatest promise: a Man who would crush the head of Satan, the serpent.

God Proclaims His Name

God has a heart for the nations. His design was for Israel to be a light to the world, to draw all the peoples to Himself. He used the plagues to spread His name throughout the whole world. Exodus 7:5 says, “The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”

These plagues not only revealed God’s identity and presence to Egypt, but also to Israel. News of God didn’t even stop there. It also went to all the nations, so that by the time the Israelites came to Jericho, the residents’ hearts had melted because of the things they had heard about Yahweh.

Amazingly, there’s still more. Since the plagues and God’s rescue of His people, even you today have heard of God’s deliverance.

God’s Purposes Will Stand

When Pharoah said he did not know God, he was not simply expressing ignorance; he was acting out of arrogance and rebellion, demonstrating his hardened heart. He viewed himself as a god and elevated himself to Yahweh’s status. Time and time again, after each plague, he consistently refused to submit to the King of Kings. To understand him, we can go to Romans 1, which talks about how people suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The Bible says that such people are without excuse, and God’s righteous wrath will fall on them.

God was on a mission, and there was no way this human ruler was going to stand in His way. He had a purpose, and it was going to be accomplished. The story of the plagues is a powerful reminder that the stiff-necked will not stand. May we not be recipients of God’s wrath because of our hard hearts or stiff necks. Let us humble ourselves under His mighty hand today, remembering the words of Psalm 147:11, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.”

God’s Glory Going Global: Genesis 4

Today in chapel, SGA Chaplain Ethan Foster led us through Genesis 4, focusing on the story of Cain and Abel. Foster reminded us of the past chapters of Genesis in this series, referring to the creation account in Genesis 2 and the fall in Genesis 3. He reminded us of the ideas that we are made in God’s image to reflect Him, yet sin disrupts that design. In Jesus, we are invited to walk in victory rather than defeat.

Foster then explained how understanding the author’s intent is a good interpretive tool. He encouraged us not to obsess over the details of Cain and Abel’s sacrifices in Genesis 4 since the author’s intent was for readers to see themselves within the story of sin’s progression in Genesis’ accounts. In Eve’s choice, we see a warning, her contemplation, and then sin. With Cain, the pattern shifts: God issues a warning, but Cain ignores it and acts without thinking it through. By the time of Lamech, sin has proliferated, and Lamech engages in unrepentant, boastful sin. Foster then warned, “When people live away from the presence of the Lord, they no longer receive the warning of God.”

Our response to the stories of Genesis, he said, must be to heed God’s warnings as gifts. When we fail, confession and repentance will open the way back to God. He emphasized the importance of godly sorrow — the kind that acknowledges where we’ve ignored God’s voice and turns us back toward Him.

Foster then lifted up Abel’s example, pointing to Hebrews 11:4. Abel’s faithful sacrifice continues to speak across generations, showing us that true worship is costly. As Christians, we are called to be living sacrifices, willing to give all for the sake of God’s mission.

In closing, Foster challenged us: if God’s glory is to go global, it will be through believers who, like Abel, live and even die in faithful sacrifice. So, he says, “Let’s live a life of sacrifice so that one day, though we are dead, we will still speak as a sacrifice pointing to Christ.”