Heritage Baptist Church of Frankfort IL

This sermon was from our Easter Sonrise Service. It challenges us with the thoughts if Christ is not risen and then the realities since Christ is risen.

The story of the 12 spies has been sung often in children's church. However, this is a serious event. The nation is about to receive the good of the Promised Land. However, they decided to ignore God's goodness and command and question God's mercy. This story once again brings in statements of God's glory and character from Exodus 34-6-7. God displays his long-suffering in his 40-year judgment on Israel, but still displays mercy in taking care of them the whole time. The children suffer because of the parent's sin, but yet enjoy the gracious compassion of God in eventually receiving the Promised Land.

The first sermon of the church was given by Peter at Pentecost. It was a sermon that started by clearing up for the people what was going on with the Holy Spirit's baptism. However, the core of the sermon was Peter lifting up Christ. Surprisingly, the sermon had very little to say about the ministry and crucifixion of Christ. However, Peter spent much time on the resurrection. He felt the Old Testament prophesied much about this event and that it was important in identifying the Jesus as Lord and Messiah.

Exodus 32-34 covers one of the worst times in Israel's history. They violate God's 2nd commandment just over 5 weeks after they covenanted with God to be His people. God responds in mercy and judgment. Moses, the leader of these rebellious people, desire confirmation that God is still with him and the people. He asks for a display of God's glory. Moses received a verbal display of God's glory. God especially magnifies His goodness and faithfulness to His people in the compact statement found in Exodus 34-6-7

Paul gives prayer requests for his upcoming ministry. It was expected that the church would unite to pray for ministry to be accomplished around the globe. The wonderful aspect of these prayer requests is that we can find in Acts that all of them were answered. God expects us in our generation to hold up others ministries and ministers in prayer that God would accomplish His will.

Ezekiel is a book surrounded in mystery. Many of the details require some serious thought. However, one should not let themselves stop looking into the book due to some hard passages. This book is about the glory of the LORD. Ezekiel lived in the time of the captivity when it seemed like God had failed. Yet his book proclaims that Israel has the glory of God that has left them due to idolatry, but in the end of the story the glory will return to Israel. Ultimately, this glory will be seen in His first and second coming. Sorry about the sound quality.

Jeremiah gives this book that shows great sorrow over the destruction of God's people and city. It magnifies the fact that God's people have sorrow and at time will express it greatly. The book is a fantastic set of poetry. Even in sorrow, Jeremiah's emotions are laid out in orderly fashion. The book's center passage is the core idea that God's faithfulness is great no matter the circumstances.

This prophet Jeremiah served during a time of great judgment in Judah. Several times in his lifetime people of Jerusalem are hauled away into captivity. The emphasis of Jeremiah's message is the Judgment of the LORD.

Isaiah starts a section of our Bible known as the Prophets. This book was one that was oft quoted in the NT. The emphasis of this book is on the Servant of the Lord.

This is probably the hardest book of the Wisdom Books to interpret. It is not because the material is theologically deep, but because of the topic. This book about married love. Many have tried to come up with unique interpretations instead of dealing with this book as a series of poems about love that should be the ideal for married life.