Chapel at Cedarville

Chapel Recap: A Faith That Endures in Chaos

Today in chapel, Junior Class Chaplain Jack Armstrong taught from Habakkuk 3, challenging everyone to develop a faith that endures — a faith that remembers God’s character and holds firm when life feels uncertain.

Armstrong began by reminding us of the main theme that runs through Habakkuk’s message: “The righteous will live by their faith.” Drawing from Habakkuk 3:3–7, he described how God’s power and presence appear in awe-inspiring ways. The prophet Habakkuk pictures God marching through creation in both mercy and wrath — a God whose justice and compassion are never in conflict but work together to accomplish His purpose.

Armstrong centered his message on the idea that God’s mercy and wrath prompt a faith that lasts. He unpacked this truth through three timeless principles:

1. God is powerfully righteous. Armstrong emphasized that God deserves our praise as the eternal, righteous, and all-powerful Creator.
2. God has been faithful before. Throughout history, God has shown mercy to His people and brought judgment on evil. Remembering this faithfulness strengthens our belief that He will not fail us now.
3. God will be faithful again. Just as Habakkuk trusted God’s past faithfulness, we too can look ahead with confidence, knowing that God’s character never changes.

Habakkuk’s personal response in verses 17–19 gives us an excellent example of faith that endures chaos: Even when everything around him failed — crops dying, livestock gone, hope fading — he still rejoiced in God. “Habakkuk trusts in God regardless of the situation,” Armstrong noted, “because he knows God has been faithful before and will be faithful again.”

Armstrong then closed with a challenge for us to have faith, which means facing life’s problems with the knowledge of who God is and what He has done. He also encouraged us to look to Christ, the ultimate display of God’s saving mercy, when we feel hopeless and to have confidence in chaos, making God our ultimate strength when everything else feels unstable.

Mark 4:1–34 is all about listening and hearing. It explains that the Kingdom multiplies through hearts that receptively hear and faithfully sow.

Hear the Word

In verses 1–20, Jesus describes how four different types of hearts respond to hearing the Word. When the Word is sown in a hard heart, the person denies the Gospel because evil things snatch the Word away. The hard heart is represented by a seed that is dropped on a path and is snatched away by the birds.

When the Word is sown in a shallow heart, the person initially seems to be on fire for God, but they have no real root, so their faith soon dies out. The shallow heart is represented by a seed that grows at first, but withers away when the sun rises.

When the Word is sown in a crowded heart, it is choked out by the cares of the world. Examples are social media, pressure to excel academically, and fear of missing out. These are not necessarily entirely bad things, but they become so when they choke out our faith. The Word is also choked out by the deceitfulness of riches. Money is morally neutral, but if we aren’t careful, we can become enslaved to it and buy into wealth’s lies. The crowded heart is represented by a seed who is choked out by thorns.

Finally, the receptive heart accepts the Word when it is sown, and the person bears fruit. It is represented by a seed that falls into good soil and produces grain.

Share the Word

In verses 21–25, Jesus talks about letting our light shine rather than hiding it, so that others may give glory to God. We share the Word not only with our words but also with our lives as we generously invest in our families and churches.

Trust in the Word

In verses 26–29, Jesus talks about Gospel ministry. As we share the Word with others, it takes root in some hearts and not others. We don’t understand why, but God does, and we need to trust His Word to work. It’s our job to sow; we don’t have to worry about the growth.

Hope in the Word

In verses 30–34, Jesus explains that the Kingdom started small, with a little baby born in Bethlehem. This small seed planted will grow. It is so strong that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. It will go to the ends of the earth, and one day every nation will bow down and confess Jesus is Lord.

Application

We must fight to avoid the shallow heart and the crowded heart. We can do this by listening to the Word, meditating on the Word, memorizing the Word, and fasting from our distractions.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Lord is saying to him!

Chapel Recap: Do You Want To Be Healed?

Today in chapel, Dr. Trevin Wax led us through John 5:1–9, where Jesus encounters a man who had been struggling with his health for 38 years. Jesus asks a simple but piercing question: “Do you want to be healed?” Dr. Wax reminded us that this question is not just for the man by the pool — it’s for us too.

In a world where we often “find identity in our illness and solace in our sickness,” Jesus invites us to something deeper. Dr. Wax emphasized that faith means trusting Jesus in three transformative ways:

1. Trust that Jesus moves not away from but toward you in your suffering.

Even when we feel forgotten, Jesus draws near to our pain with compassion and purpose. Although it was a dark and cold place in the pools of Bethesda, Jesus willingly came to offer hope to those lost in their suffering.

2. Trust that Jesus will expose, not excuse, your self-pity.

We are often tempted to define ourselves by our wounds, believing the false truth that Dr. Wax highlights: “Because we’ve been wronged, we must be in the right.” But Jesus’ healing confronts this mindset. He’s not coming just for our health; He’s coming for our hearts.

3. Trust that Jesus shows compassion not through coddling but through commanding.

When Jesus tells the man, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk,” He transforms the very symbol of sorrow into an emblem of victory.

Dr. Wax then reminded us that the call to faith is a call to the Savior who not only heals but gives us a new self. True healing means letting Jesus redefine our identity — not as victims of circumstance but as renewed people walking in His power.

Our modern world promotes the false idea that freedom means determining who we are and what our purpose is. In John 8:31–36, Jesus offers a different and better vision.

A Freedom through Following

In verses 31–32, Jesus teaches that true freedom comes from not only hearing and accepting His Word but also living in light of it. As we walk in His ways, we come to know the truth experientially and discover that this is the freest way of life imaginable.

Being a follower means you have a leader, implying obedience; freedom comes through subjection. If you want to be free to live a healthy life, there are certain constraints you must accept: you cannot be free to eat whatever you want. If you want to enter freely into deep friendships, you cannot be free to neglect those relationships and constantly put yourself first. In the same way, following Jesus will constrain your choices. But this is the way to true freedom: not forging your own path but following His way.

A Freedom from Sin and Self

In verses 33–34, Jesus teaches that true freedom is freedom from sin and self. This is the biggest problem we need freedom from. In culture today, people blame their bondage on their society, their family, their church, or other outside influences getting in the way. But the biggest threat to our freedom actually comes from the inside: slavery to sin.

Sin is selfishness. Satan uses this inward selfishness to enslave us, keeping us in rebellion against God. It may be thrilling at first, but it turns into despair. Sin also strangles love. This is why our God of love must destroy it. He will not bless your sin because He will not bless your slavery.

A Freedom for the Family of God

In verse 35, God calls us His children. A lot of people view the Christian life as doing enough good things to pay God off or make sure our afterlife is secured. But God is not a taskmaster; He’s a Father. When we are saved, we are adopted into His family.

However, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do good. True freedom is not just freedom from, it’s freedom for. In Exodus, God said, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” True freedom isn’t about doing whatever we want; it’s about wanting what’s good, orienting our lives in that direction, and choosing the right constraints as we walk in the freedom Jesus supplied.

Free Indeed

In verse 36, Jesus says that if the Son sets us free, we will be free indeed. The way Jesus supplied our freedom was through setting aside His own rights — being bound and nailed to a cross. We are completely unworthy of this love! Jesus accepted shackles so that He might break ours. Through His cross, we have the freedom to become who He made us to be. Let’s embrace that freedom today!

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.”