Sermon by Mike Shields - Acts 8.26-40

God sends a letter to the Jews in exile in Babylon through the hand of Jeremiah to show that He still cares for them and has a plan for His people.  We need to be very careful to not take this Biblical Text (or any) out of context and claim these promises as our own.  However, God has promises true Followers of Jesus so much. 

Ezekiel prophesies about a new covenant where God's Spirit washes His people clean and makes them a "new person (heart)".  Jesus uses this text in His conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. 

The prophet Ezekiel is spiritually transported from exile in Baylon to witness the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple from a spiritual perspective. 

The prophet Isaiah predicts with great detail the suffering and victory of the Messiah in his forth servant song.

Looking at a familiar passage of scripture in a different way can show God's lovingkindness even more

During the reign of a faithless king, Elijah heads south to flee for his life, ending up at a familiar mountain and experiencing a unique encounter with the LORD.

The divine name of the one true God is revealed to Moses on a holy mountain through a bush on fire.

Everything changes regarding humanity's conncection to God as Adam and Eve given in to the temptation of the "Nachish" in Eden. 

God creates the universe, the earth and all of its inhabitants, including humans in His own image.  And gives them a very good place to be - a garden in the region of Eden with everything they need - including two trees.