Salt + Light Fort Worth

Anna was a widow who spent years in the temple praying and fasting and waiting for the arrival of the Messiah. Her life of worship & trust through waiting is a model for us – knowing that when things seem bleak, God’s promises are still true

Peter calls God’s NT people ‘elect exiles’...even though most of God’s people remain in their home culture. In this, there’s a shift in the coming weeks as we think about this concept: Christians aren’t physically exiled from our homes today, but rather feel displaced in our homes.

Principle: God calls his NT people to counter cultural lives, displaying & declaring a better God than that of our culture… and (perhaps harder than doing so in a foreign land) we often do so in our own homes

God’s people are called to be a witness of a better king, in the midst of any nation, rule, government, or leadership. Our response to leaders – like Daniel’s – is part of that witness.

This sermon draws from David's life in exile and his response of worship amidst idolatry (Psalm 59). It’s common to find ourselves invited to worship MANY people / themes / ideas / philosophies. AND, we’re often taught that we have to have it all together — even in a confusing, broken world. But “God desires for us to draw near to him with our whole hearts and to pour out whatever is in our hearts.” So we cut through the distraction & worship/trust the one true God.

Scripture encourages believers to see themselves as exiled people in a world that often contradicts the teachings of Jesus. Through the stories of Moses and Jesus, we see two people who chose exile despite it being costly to them. Moses' identifed with his oppressed Hebrew people despite his privileged upbringing, and Jesus' identified with mankind in leaving the presence of the Father in heaven and being born into a broken world to experience suffering and death on a cross to free us from the oppressive power of sin and death. Followers of Jesus are called to find their true identity in Christ and remain faithful in a hostile world, even when it means choosing exile, as we anticipate the ultimate restoration of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. 

The word "exile" isn’t new, but it’s often misunderstood. Exiles are people barred from their true homeland, sent to a different land, and thus find themselves living differently than that foreign culture.  Throughout the Bible, God uses the term “exiles” to refer to his people – and the theme is also true of God’s people throughout history. 

Ben Fort teaches about Jesus' compassion and John the Baptist in Matthew 14. 

Bethany Fort teaches on Mary and Elizabeth in Luke 1.