Missio Dei Fellowship

In this psalm, David faces betrayal from a man he counted as his dearest friend. Through the depths of agony and the threat of death, you see a man who pours out his heart to God. In the midst of his affliction, David learns five key lessons, but most of all, he learns that God is a refuge and strength to him even in the midst of betrayal of the worst sort.

Philip goes out with the fleeing church and finds himself in Samaria. It is there that he begins to preach the gospel and in doing so we see the power of the gospel in bringing life, joy and deliverance to a people who lived in great darkness. But what we really see is how the gospel is for the world, every tongue, tribe and people.

In this psalm, David's own life is being threatened as Saul pursues him, and his own countrymen betray him. Yet rather than wallow in despair, David recollects who God has revealed Himself to be in His Word, and forms his prayer in light of this. What this psalm portrays for us is a rich portrait of who God is in His attributes. God is our Advocate who saves us; God is our Helper, who sustains us; and God is the righteous Judge, who delivers us. It is in light of who God is then that we are called to trust in the name of the Lord all the days of our life.

Persecution at times is isolated but often it begins with a flashpoint and then spreads through mob rule. This is what our passage before us describes. The death of Stephen is the beginning of intense persecution for the Church in Jerusalem. But that is not the real story. The real story is that as the people fled this persecution, they fled with the gospel on their lips. This passage shows us that the way the gospel truly advances is not through gimmicks or power-events but through faithful men and women who believe that the gospel is the only means of salvation and life and they therefore say that to those they evangelize.

In a man's own eyes, he may be considered a fairly decent person. He can look among his peers, and comparatively, even be considered "good." However, this is not how God sees humanity in their natural condition. At best, they are wayward fools, bound under the power and dominion of sin, haters of God and His people, and mockers of God's promises. Yet despite how bleak the human condition naturally is, God has made a way of salvation - even for fools.

In this sermon we are exhorted as we enter into the unknown of the new-year to be found faithful as believers. The world is actively at war against the Church after many-years of relative peace in America. But that has changed and with it comes many temptations on-how to respond. This is a pastoral plea to the people of Missio Dei to be found faithful in both-the big and little things, especially the Gospel.

In this sermon we are exhorted as we enter into the unknown of the new year to be found faithful as believers. The world is actively at war against the Church after many years of relative peace in America. But that has changed and with it comes many temptations on how to respond. This is a pastoral plea to the people of Missio Dei to be found faithful in both the big and little things, especially the Gospel.

In Psalm 53, David begins with a proclamation- the fool in his heart says, -There is no God.- His point is a relatively simple one- one's rejection of God is the wellspring from which all else flows. But this rejection of God is not merely an intellectual rejection of God's existence- it involves the practical atheist, who lives without reference to their Creator. No matter what -flavor- of unbelief someone subscribes to, the reality is the same- biblically, they are a fool. As we explore the Scriptures in search of why, the answer becomes abundantly clear. God has revealed Himself plainly to all, so that all are without excuse on the coming Day of Judgment.