Grace Point Church Irmo - Sermons

When we think of the judgment of God, rarely do we think of it taking the form of an abundance of what we asked for. Yet, in Numbers 10-11 we learn that Israel desired to eat meat, and God gave them so much quail to eat that it would come out of their nostrils (Num 11:20). This week well learn about the destructive nature of grumbling, yet see God's gracious hand of provision for Moses and Israel.

As Israel continues its journey in the book of Numbers, chapter 9 brings together two powerful scenes that shape their identity as Gods people. First, the nation is called to celebrate the Passover, a reminder that redemption defines who they are and why they belong to the Lord. Then the focus shifts to the cloud of Gods presence, which rests over the tabernacle and directs every movement of the camp. Whether the cloud stayed for a day or for a long season, the people were to respond with patient trust and willing obedience. These moments reveal a community learning to live by Gods timing and Gods leading. Join us this Sunday as we explore howNumbers 9invites us to become a people who follow the Lord wherever and whenever he calls.

As we progress through the book of Numbers, we come to a section filled with deliberate repetition.Numbers 7-8repeats nearly identical wording for the gifts of all twelve of the tribes of Israel and then shifts to the setting apart of the Levites for their unique role. These repeated offerings supplied what was needed for the work of the tabernacle, but the redundancy itself communicates something. And the contrast betweenallIsrael bringing gifts and thespecificcalling of the Levites raises important questions about the nature of worship. Join us this Sunday as we explore how these chapters reveal God forming a people whose very identity is to worship him.

This Sunday, well continue our series on spiritual disciplines by taking a closer look at worship. As the old hymn says, prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.Even something as central and essential to the Christian life as worship must be shaped by discipline, since our hearts are prone to wander toward false loves and false gods. Join us as we readIsaiah 6:1-7and catch a glimpse of the holy God we worship.

To begin the New Year, we will spend the next three weeks looking at spiritual disciplines. The notion of discipline in our lives often gets unfair treatment. When we are supposed to or required to do something, it seems to rob it of its enjoyment. So when we speak of spiritual disciplines, we can easily view them as obligatory and miserable. Yet, the times when we don't feel the presence of God are precisely the times that we need spiritual disciplines in our lives. Join us on Sunday as we look atJob 23:8-14 and how Job treasured God's word in times like these.

We all want to be known as humble people. But what does true humility actually look like? This Sunday, well examinePhilippians 2:5-11for an answer to that very question. In doing so, well see not only how Christ displays this for us, but also why and how to apply that to our own lives.

The star shining in the east, shepherds, wise men, angelsand the slaughter of the innocents. One of these does not seem to belong in our Christmas celebrations. Why does Herod appear in the Christmas story? Why does God allow such seemingly senseless tragedy?This Sunday, we will studyMatthew 2:123and take a closer look at the life of Herod. As we consider his actionsand the actions of all who oppose the purposes of Godwe will see how even the darkness of this story causes us to long for the righteous justice of our Lord.

There is only one Mary and Joseph. No one else is called the mother and earthly father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because they have such a unique role in the story of redemption, it is easy to set them apart as holding a special place within humanity. However, though both Mary and Joseph had an active and living faith, they were also simply people who were in need of the grace of God every day of their lives. This Sunday, well continue our series on various characters of the Christmas narrative by taking a deeper look inMatthew 1:18-25andLuke 2:15-21and having our faith challenged by the lives of Mary and Joseph.

Waiting is never easy. As kids, we wait for Christmas to finally come. As teenagers, we wait until we are old enough to drive. As young adults, we wait to hear back about that first job out of college. And as the years go by, we realize that waiting is the normal state of life. Actually, it's embedded in the normal state of following Jesus as well. Throughout Scripture, we see God's people waiting for him to bring salvation and redemption. In Luke 2:22-38, we see both Anna and Simeon waiting to see God's work of redemption. Even better, "it had been revealed to [Simeon] by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ." How great would that be to know for certain that you would see the fulfillment of your waiting before you leave this earth? Join us on Sunday as we wrestle with waiting and how it accompanies the life of faith.

This Sunday will mark the last week in our study of James as we look atJames 5:13-20. In this passage, we will see James' emphasis on prayer, which is a perfect conclusion to his letter. He has already written about God giving wisdom to those who lack it (James 1:5), every good gift coming from above (James 1:17), and us receiving God's word that he has implanted in us (James 1:21). These are all the result of God doing for us what we were unable to do for ourselves. Prayer is simply the action that recognizes that all of life is lived before the Lord and under his sovereign care. So if anyone is suffering or cheerful or sick, let him pray and call others to pray for him. James tells us to "pray for one another, that you may be healed." In this passage of Scripture we see God's call to prayer for us individually and for us as the Body of Christ.