Highway Sermons

What do the actions of the Israelites at Jericho show us about what it means to obey in faith? Join us as we discuss what it means to worship in the midst of our obstacles, and the importance of showing up.

Hebrews 11:24-28

Downward mobility, as demonstrated by Moses, is countercultural. It involves sacrifice, humility, and emptying of self. Yet, humility and self-emptying is vital to following in the way of Jesus.

Jesus is the one who, being fully God, didn’t consider privilege something to be used to his advantage (cf. Phil. 2:3-8). He came as a man, rather than an angel cf. (Heb 2:9), which allowed him to provide humanity the ultimate sacrifice — and the ultimate example of how to live.

What does it mean to step out in faith? Join us as we study the example Abraham sets for us by leaving, and by looking forward, as acts of faith in the Christian life.

This week we continue our series rooted in Hebrews, as we explore what made Abel’s offering pleasing to the Lord, and what that shows about what it means to give by faith.

In tht series kick off, we’ll receive the truths of the Hebrews sermon as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the ultimate priest and sacrifice who is God’s better and final word, and brings ultimate rest. And, we’ll receive the exhortation of the Hebrews sermon to mature in our faith (cf. Heb. 5:12-14) which is not blind but informed — based on the foretold, encountered, and eternal truths of Jesus and the Kingdom.

Faith sits at the fulcrum of remembering and foreshadowing as what’s known from the past and hoped of the future is brought into the present. God’s purposes and presence transcends time in Jesus and, by faith, in us"

And at the core of the great promise that ends Psalm 23 is a very interesting word. The Hebrew word translated as “follow” is used more than 150 times in the Old Testament. Most commonly, it’s translated as “pursued,” or “chased,” or “hunted,” because it’s most often used to refer to being hunted or chased by an animal.

And so the image is more intense that what we might ordinarily think of when we hear the word “follow.” David’s image is of God pursuing us. Chasing us. Hunting us. And beautifully, it’s God’s goodness and love that are relentlessly and inexhaustibly chasing us.

The journey that David has been charting for us culminates in the house of the Lord, which in the Old Testament, refers to the place where God dwells among his people– which in the wilderness was the tabernacle, and then later, the Temple. But it’s representative of God’s presence.

God’s goodness and love chase us down and return us to his presence, which, every time we come to it, comforts us and gives us hope.

As we come to Psalm 23:5, we see that the migratory journey culminates at a table that the Lord our shepherd has prepared for us. In addition to covering us with his protective presence, God also covers us with hospitality in the form of anointing oil (used for honoring guests), and an overflowing cup (an abundance of provision).

How do we pull up a chair and experience God’s protective presence, and the abundant hospitality that he provides?

How do we face dark times in our spiritual journey? We examine three metaphorical images David gives us in Psalm 23:4—the valley, the rod, and the staff—to look at the darkness we can expect, and the guidance and protection we can be comforted by in our dark valleys.

The Lord our Shepherd guides us for his name’s sake. We are created in God’s image to representatives of his name on earth with our lives. God guides us along the right paths so that his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness gentleness, mercy, grace, and compassion can be seen through us. But in order to be guided, we must follow.

Psalm 23 is a journey — one that mirrors the migratory journey of a shepherd moving from place to place in search of good pasture for the flock during the changing seasons. As we take this journey, may we encounter the Lord — our Shepherd and host — who satisfies, refreshes, guides, guards, covers, and pursues us.