Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

Life is full of many seasons. Some of these seasons are difficult, making us feel weary and under pressure. In those seasons, the author of Hebrews urges us to hear God’s voice and resist the temptation to drift away from our faith, returning to what’s comfortable and forgetting all God has done for us. Together, we’ll study the author’s warning to the early Christians, then discover how history and community can help us hear God’s voice, keep us securely anchored in our faith when we’re tempted to drift, and find God’s promised Sabbath rest. 

Hebrews begins by showing us Jesus is God’s final word, fully divine and fully human. Written to Jewish Christians in the early church, Hebrews addressed their discouragement in the face of persecution. It warned them against drifting away from their faith, because it was in Jesus and his gospel that they had life. Today, we continue to discover the comfort and encouragement that Hebrews offers weary believers and learn to trust the Son who reveals God and comes near to help us.

We all experience the reality of death. Far too often, it is the painful loss of a loved one. Our age or a medical diagnosis might also cause us to face the inevitability of our own death. These emotionally heavy times leave us longing for comfort and asking big questions. What happens after we die? Is there an afterlife? Where do our souls go while we’re waiting for Jesus to return? Together, let’s study what the Bible teaches about life after death and receive the deep comfort God’s Word provides. 

We’re all familiar with the concept of heaven as a place people go after they die. Many Christian hymns and songs talk about heaven. Faithful believers talk about longing to go to heaven. Movies, books, cartoons, and other art forms attempt to visualize heaven. But what is heaven according to the Bible? Where is it? What does it look like? Let’s explore scripture to discover what the Bible does, and does not, teach us about heaven. 

As we study the closing chapters of 1 Samuel, we read about David’s encounter with Nabal and Abigail, Saul’s desperate decision to visit a medium, and finally, Saul’s tragic death. In these accounts, we see both Saul's and David’s imperfections, yet a striking difference in their attitudes toward God. These final chapters reaffirm what the whole book of 1 Samuel has shown us: God is willing and able to work through flawed people, but the condition of our hearts matters greatly. 

God anointed Saul as the first King of Israel. Yet, his leadership of Israel was inconsistent. In 1 Samuel, he waffled back and forth between loving and hating David, the leader of his armies, and unbeknownst to him, the one God chose to be Israel’s next king. In the ups and downs in Saul’s life, we witness firsthand the broken shalom that results when the deadly sin of envy grips our hearts. We also see God’s sovereignty and how he continues to work in the lives of his people even in difficult circumstances. 

As humans, we are drawn to strong, confident leaders. In 1 Samuel, God assures us that he’s not looking at appearances. As we study the accounts of David’s anointing and his battle with Goliath, we’ll learn what God looks for in the heart of a leader. We’ll see how God prepares the people he calls, and discuss what that means for us when he calls us to partner with him in his work in the world today.

We want a lot of things in life. Some of those are good for us; some aren’t. Some align with God's will for us, and some don't. Does God ever allow us to receive what we want, even though we will regret it one day? When we study the account of Israel’s first king, Saul, we see what happens when God grants Israel’s request to be like other nations and discover how God is faithful and sovereign, working behind the scenes even when his people make choices that don’t align with his will.

When we feel vulnerable, we naturally seek reassurance. We want to hold onto something tangible for comfort. Throughout the Bible, God promises to be with his people, and many of us find his presence extremely comforting. But what happens when we think of God’s presence as something we can manipulate to accomplish what we want? The next few chapters in our study of 1 Samuel recount the loss of the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence with Israel, the pride of the Philistines turning to panic, and Samuel’s call for Israel to repent and return to worshipping the Lord. These chapters offer us a warning not to cherish outward symbols of faith without also maintaining our inward, faithful obedience to the Lord. They also invite us to return to the Lord and surrender our hearts to him. 

When corruption and darkness seem to be in control, we may find it hard to hear and see God. Together, we can learn where to look for God and discover hope even when life's situations seem hopelessly unjust and bleak, as in the stories of Israel, the high priest Eli, Eli’s corrupt sons, and Samuel.