Regardless of the era, Israel has been hated and warred against. History shows this during the biblical era of the Philistines, the Canaanites, the Midianites and the Amalekites. In modern times, anger against the Jewish nation has been fueled by the rampant spreading of antisemitism through entities such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Turkey, or Islam. Did you know more resolutions against Israel have come before the United Nations than any other nation in the world? Did you know that the vast majority of the world's nations are regularly voting against Israel? This is a nation only the size of New Jersey, yet they've been despised and warred against throughout all of human history. Under such international pressure, it's truly a miracle that Israel has survived. Why all the hatred? Why have all these forces been unable to destroy Israel? The answer lies in the fact that this is not a battle of flesh and blood, but this is a spiritual battle that has ensued from the beginning ...

Sermon Points: 1) The world excels in hatred toward God's Word, but the faithful excel in love for it (vv 161-162) 2) Lying serves only Satan, truth is the basis for praising the Lord (vv 163-164) 3) A holy peace is found by keeping God's Word (vv 165-168)

In Matthew 26:17–30, Jesus gathers with His disciples for the Passover, knowing that betrayal, denial, suffering, and the cross are near. At the same table, two hearts are revealed: Judas displays the betrayal of hate, while Jesus displays the loyalty of love. Judas takes, calculates, hides, and sells. Jesus gives, serves, reveals grace, and offers Himself for sinners. Even as hatred plots against Him, Christ remains sovereign. Nothing is outside His control. His hour is appointed, His sacrifice is willing, and His love is steadfast. The sermon calls us first to trust Christ's sovereignty and obey Him in the next faithful step, even when life feels uncertain. It also urges us to ask, "Is it I, Lord?" allowing Jesus to search our hearts before hidden sin hardens us. At the Lord's Table, Jesus shows the meaning of His death. The bread points to His body given, and the cup to His blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Our hope does not rest in our performance, but in His finished work. The guilty may come, the wounded may come, the weary may come, and the repentant will find mercy. Finally, Jesus sings before entering Gethsemane because He knows the kingdom is coming. Suffering will not have the final word. The cross leads to resurrection, sorrow to joy, and the present table to the future feast. Come to Christ. His love is stronger than betrayal, His grace is greater than sin, and His loyal love will have the final word.

Proverbs 26 to exposes the folly of pride, laziness, and deceit, emphasizing that wisdom is found in humility, diligence, and truthfulness, while foolishness is revealed in self-deception, idle excuses, and malicious speech. It warns against engaging with the fool on his terms, as doing so risks becoming like him, yet also calls for confronting foolishness with clarity to prevent self-justification. Through vivid metaphors—such as a fool with a rod, a bird building a nest, or a dog seized by the ears—the message underscores that inappropriate actions and attitudes lead to self-inflicted consequences. The passage highlights the destructive power of gossip, flattery, and hidden hatred, contrasting them with the integrity of honest rebuke and the inevitability of divine justice. Ultimately, the passage calls believers to live with discernment, integrity, and reliance on God's wisdom, recognizing that true honor comes not from self-promotion but from faithful obedience.

"The Church is the Pillar of the Truth" – 2 Tim. 3:15 I. The pillar and support of the truth (Jn. 17:17) II. The God of truth (Ps. 31:5; Ps. 86:15; Jn. 1:14, 17; Jn. 14:6; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 14:16-17; Jn. 16:13) III. The church's love of the truth (Jn. 4:23-24; Jn. 8:31-32; Col. 1:3-6; Jn. 17:17; 1 Cor. 13:6; Eph. 6:14; 1 Jn. 1:6, 8; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 4:5-6; 2 Jn. 1:1-2; 3 Jn. 1:3-4) III. The world's hatred of the truth (Rom. 1:18; Jn. 8:43-47; 2 Thes. 2:8-12; 2 Tim. 4:3-4) V. The truth test 1. The omission test: What isn't being talked about? What isn't being said? What isn't being condemned? What battles are not being fought? 2. The ecclesiology test: Is doctrinal truth asserted in soteriology while being denied in ecclesiology? *2 Cor. 13:8

This sermon continues the study of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Jesus' teaching that true righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees by achieving spiritual perfection through faith in Christ. The preacher explains how Jesus raises the standard for the Sixth and Seventh Commandments, moving beyond external actions to address internal attitudes like anger, hatred, and lust. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of immediate reconciliation with others before approaching God in worship, highlighting that unresolved conflict hinders true communion with Him. The text also interprets hyperbolic language about plucking out eyes or cutting off hands as a call to decisively remove any sin or temptation from one's life. Ultimately, the message urges believers to pursue holistic holiness, recognizing that direct access to God requires a heart purified from both outward violations and inward desires.

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 15 Article 2 How we can help victims of abuse who have experienced tragedies? This sermon, rooted in the Westminster Confession of Faith and illuminated by the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar in 2 Samuel 13, presents a profound exploration of true repentance as a turning away from sin and toward God, driven by a deep awareness of sin's filthiness and God's holy beauty. It emphasizes that genuine repentance is not merely remorse but a transformative change of direction, requiring both hatred of sin and a passionate pursuit of Christ, as the absence of this turning leads to spiritual decay and moral collapse. The harrowing narrative of sexual abuse within David's household serves as a sobering illustration of how unrepentant sin, especially when left unaddressed by leaders, creates generational devastation, revealing the destructive consequences of moral failure and the tragic cycle of sin that echoes through families. The preacher calls the church to grieve with hope, affirming that while wounds from sin may leave lasting scars, identity and healing are found not in human restoration but in the redemptive work of Christ, who makes the broken whole and the defiled pure. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to confront sin with both holy revulsion and compassionate hope, grounded in the truth that God's grace is sufficient to heal even the deepest wounds.

Followers of Christ should expect to be hated by this world.