Sermon #3 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor John Mury from Revelation 2:8-11

With Abraham as a model, Paul exhorts us to have a faith that never wavers. It seems like an almost impossible example to follow until we remember that Abraham's journey took several detours and that Abraham once even laughed at the idea of God's promise! So what exactly is our faith supposed to look like?

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It is clear from Paul's example of Abraham that God grants life forever based on our willingness to trust God's promises, not on the basis of our obedience to God's Law. Then what is the purpose of God's Law? Could it be that life forever is granted solely on the basis of faith but obedience to God's instructions enables us to live life to the full, even now?

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Daily Devo | The Father of All Who Believe (Romans 4:9-12)

Abraham was right with God through faith for 13 or more years before any signs of obeying the later law of Moses. He is thus the forebear of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. Abraham knew little but what little he did know about God led him to put his trust in God. But does that idea open the door for faith to show up in other places as well?

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In demonstrating the truth of what he says, Paul appeals to Abraham as the father of the Jewish nation -- but Abraham also started out as a Gentile! There was no nation of Israel and God would not give them the Law for over 400 years. Since Abraham's relationship with God was based on faith (Gen 15:6), he serves as a demonstration that we all come to God through faith rather than obedience to the Law.

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Apart from faith, Paul spoke of the Law as having such limited power that it can only make us aware of our own guilt. But through faith in Christ, the Law can be fulfilled and we can be cleansed of all guilt. But how? There are many ways to unpack the answer to thist question, but they all start with Christ's goodness. Through faith, the Law can finally produce goodness in us by driving us to Christ, the source of all goodness.

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Having established the bad news, Paul finally begins to lay out the good news. No one comes to God through perfect obedience to the divine law, rather, we all come to God through God's mercy and grace! Not only is this truth fully revealed in Jesus but the clues were always there, even in the earliest writings of Moses. We all come to God as equals -- equally in need of God's grace!

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Sermon #2 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor Meghan DeJong from Revelation 2:12-17

Paul concludes that God's Law is good. However, the Law's goodness does not have the power to transform us and give us life. Rather, its goodness shows us how far we have to go and how powerless we are to make that journey on our own power. We are helpless -- that is the bad news -- but the good news is coming!

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As Paul begins to wrap-up his discussion of the bad news, he begins to address some final objections and potential loopholes. For instance, if knowing all about God and being part of a community of such people does not make us good enough, then why bother? Paul is clear -- such things have great value! But they are a trust given to us to share with others, not something that makes us better than anyone else.

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