Iowa Falls Evangelical Free Church Sermon Podcast

Please Note: Audio begins about 2 minutes into the sermon.

As toddlers, we want to do everything ourselves. As teenagers we want to be like everyone else. We grow up but there is a part of us that never really grows out of these impulses. But what is good for toddlers and teenagers is good for all of us: We need to live under a good King.

In our journey through the major Old Testament covenants, we'll pull over at 2 Samuel 7 to see God's promise to David of a Forever King. We'll skim through the 1000 years of anticipation that followed the promise until we get to Jesus, the Forever King. How was Jesus the fulfillment of God's covenant with David and what difference does that make for us?

We were created to live in right relationship with God and others. It is pretty evident that we have failed.

As we continue our walk through the major covenants of the Old Testament, we stop today to look at God's covenant with Israel through Moses at Mt. Sinai. As God's people have multiplied and prepare to enter the promised land, how are they supposed to live in right relationship with God and one another so that they can be a blessing to all peoples? Can they do it? Can we?

Most of us took some time in the past week to pause and give thanks to God, acknowledging that He has blessed us in so many ways. We are indeed a blessed people but, if we're honest, we're also still a mess. We trust God's promise for a blessed future in His presence but while we wait, we can't help but wonder how this will all work out.

Today, we continue our series through the Old Testament covenants by looking at God's covenant with Abraham and rejoicing together in God's blessing extended to His people in Christ.

Headlines alerting us to bad news abound. Evidence of the fall and depravity of humanity is all around us. Evil is pervasive. We long for justice and we need God's mercy. Today, we continue our Covenant sermon series by looking at God's covenant with Noah in Genesis 6-9. How does God's response to evil in Noah's day help us long for Jesus?

What are you doing to get ready for Christmas? Each year, we spend some time in the Old Testament as a church to get us ready for a celebration of the first coming of Jesus in anticipation of the 2nd coming. This year, we'll be working our way through 6 major Old Testament covenants, starting this week at the very beginning of the Bible.

What am I doing here? Why did God put me here? How long should I stay here? Maybe you think of these kinds of questions often. Maybe not. In today's passage, we travel with Paul on the final leg of his 2nd missionary journey. We will take note of the skills God gives him and the ways God provides for him in order that he can stay as long as God wills before eventually going for the good of others and the advancement of the gospel.

Do you enjoy people watching? How can God use that for His purposes?

In Acts 17, Paul does a great job of watching the people of Athens. In doing so, he notices what they worship, tells them about the God worth worshiping, and calls them to repent. In part, it seems that the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to include this account as a model for believers like us who are trying to do the work of evangelism in our culture in our day.

Our church has built a reputation as people who have the Scriptures as our foundation. We are Bible people. We desire to become increasingly molded by God's Word. Today as we continue our series in Acts, Paul and his team make important stops in 2 cities. We will see that God establishes and builds up His church as the Bible is taught, received, examined, and believed.

There are many ways to display power and sometimes power can be used for good. In a fallen world, though, many displays of power results in great harm to others.

As we continue in Acts 16, we will see all kinds of power on display. Most importantly, we will see the superior, saving power of Jesus on display.

The God who saves us is both merciful and mighty, strong and kind. The great Lord calls Himself gentle and lowly. God's power used to bring about salvation brings about great rejoicing!

Unity in the church is good and pleasant. But the church is made up of sinners so disagreements and conflicts are sure to come. When they do, will the church keep on going and keep on growing?

Today, we finish up Acts 15 and look at the first 15 verses of Acts 16 where we will see that, even when there is conflict, believers keep going as God leads them in church-strengthening, lost-saving mission.