This video is a livestream. It includes some worship with Rob Petrie, announcements and a message from Pastor Dave from Isaiah 41:10. The message begins at 18:30

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Needing some encouragement in the midst of this challenging time? Listen to this message on the Psalm that encouraged Martin Luther to write the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”

A Mighty Fortress is our God

Reflections from Psalm 46

Mosaic Rockford – Dave Spooner – March 22nd, 2020

Intro:

Because of fastly changing and challenging times we are in, I am putting a “pause” on our series in Mark for a time so we can gain perspective and comfort from the word to strengthen, comfort and equip us in reflecting Christ in times of crisis. The passage that came to my mind when I was praying and thinking about you and this Sunday is Psalm 46. Go ahead and open your Bible to it if you have not done so already. This is the psalm that inspired the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God” written by the leader of the protestant reformation Martin Luther when he was facing great difficulty and upheaval in the 1520’s.  The opening line goes like this: 

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.”  

God is indeed a mighty fortress, a bulwark never failing, our helper in mortal ills prevailing. My hope is that from our time together in the word, your mind will be focused, your fear will be lessened, and your faith and resolve will be strengthened.  

The provision of God 

Ps 46:1-3 ESV God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 

God is our refuge – in Him we find our shelter from danger.  God is our strength – in Him we find our strength to move forward. God is very present – in Him we find our companionship for our journey. God is a help in trouble – in Him we find help when we are in difficulty and trouble. Trust in God because He in our “safe place.” Trust in God because He is strong. Trust in God because He is present. Trust in God because He will help when you are in trouble. Therefore, because of who He is and His provision for us, we will not fear. Even though the earth gives way, the mountains be moved, the waters roar and foam and at their flooding the mountains tremble. Even though all the things that we count on, all of the things that we think are unchanging and unmovable, are shaking and shifting, trembling and travailing, we don’t have to be afraid! Why? Because God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Put your trust in what is true about Him. Put your trust in the character of God, not in the condition of the world. There is no reason to fear even if the world is in chaos. The world will change, but God will never change. In this world, be wise and do not be overcome with fear. Let the strength and presence of God fill your life so that you can be strong and courageous (not contagious) in the mist of the storm. Next, the psalmist shifts to another perfective that puts in our mind the power and sovereignty of God. 

The power of God 

Ps 46:4-7 ESV There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 

The scene shifts from the things of earth to the things of heaven, from a place that is always shifting to a place that shall not be moved. In this city there is a river whose streams make glad the city; this is the river of life that we seen in the book of Revelation. This is a place that is the “holy habitation” of the “Most High” God. This is the place where God dwells, and because God dwells there, it will not be shaken. This is the place where you are a citizen if you are in Christ.  This is your real

Jeremiah 33:1-3

The audio is the message only. Please view the video to also hear an update from Philadelphia Ministries Hope for the Nations.

The Gospel of Mark – Part 29 

You are the Christ – Mark 8:27-3o

Mosaic Rockford – Dave Spooner – March 8th, 2020

Intro:

In our passage for today Jesus asks a very important question of each one of us: “Who do you say that I am?” Your answer to this question says a lot about your understanding and spiritual condition. And there is so much riding on this question.  At this point in His ministry, Jesus had displayed so much of who He was by what He had taught and done. There seemed nothing too difficult for Him. In His teaching and in His actions, He was fulfilling Old Testament Scriptures while authoritatively teaching from them. Everyone was forming an opinion about Him, and He had become the person that everyone was curious and coversing about. There were several men He had called to be His disciples. They spent the most time with Jesus and had an up close and personal relationship with Him. Jesus had even given them authority to teach, heal and cast out demons! They were amazed what they were able to do, and they were amazed at what Jesus taught and did.  And now the question, “Who do you say that I am?”  After Jesus healed the blind man in a two-step process, building his faith and communicating what was to come in the “opening of the eyes” of the disciples, this is what comes next:

Mark 8:27a ESVAnd Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples,

They were at the town of Bethsaida, the hometown of Peter, Philip and Andrew and they headed up north around 25 miles with an ascent of around 2,000 feet in elevation. They were directionally heading north and physically heading up (this was true of what was happening spiritually as well). They were going to a town and region that was a center of idolatry and pagan religion. It was there that Herod the Great had built a temple in honor of Caesar. His son Philip had made the temple more elaborate and it became a spectacle that was known far beyond the region. All of this was done to encourage the worship of Caesar as a god.It was not by accident that this is the road that Jesus asked His disciples directly who they and others thought that He was. They were physically heading up, and spiritually heading up. They were going to the place where Caesar was worshiped as god. It is along this way where Jesus asked those who were with Him who they thought that He was.  May powerful things happen “along the way” both in the life of the disciples then and in the lives of the disciples now. The destination is of first importance, and the process of getting there is also important as well. It was on this way that Jesus first asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” 

Mark 8:27b-28 ESV“Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

Who do people say that I am? 

There were a lot of differing opinions around the identity of Jesus at that time. The common opinion was that he was indeed a religious figure, but who?  Some thought he was John the Baptist come back to life with greater powers, authority, etc. Others thought that he was Elijah, the one that was to come before the messiah appeared on the scene (Mal. 4:5), whereas others thought that he was a new prophet that had come along the lines of the prophets of old (it had been at least 400 years since the last prophet was ministering). There was consensus that Jesus was indeed a religious figure, but the people in large and perhaps none at all, held the opinion that Jesus was the messiah (even though the demons knew who He was and tried to make it known [Mark 1:24, 3:11, 5:7]).  Even now, in our day, there are many opinions about who Jesus is.  People think he was a man, that he was a fraud, that he was a messenger, that he was myth, that he was an enlightened teacher, that he was the Christ. Some have not even heard about him.This is the society that they lived in, and this is