Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

Sermon Outline

• Three Lenten invitations from Exodus 24—
  • to remember our covenant with God (vv1–8)
  • to renew our communion in God (vv9–11)
  • to return to the cloud of God's presence (v12–18)

Sermon Questions

1. What is the difference between a contract and a covenant?
2. Can there be such a thing as "conditional love"?
3. What does it mean to be God's priestly people? (Compare Exodus 24:7 and 1 Peter 2:9).
4. In your gut, are you comforted or startled by God's scandalous welcome in verses 9–11?
5. Have you ever, or are you now, experiencing "divine darkness"? Turn off your screen and ask a Christian friend to pray for you, that you might experience a sense of God's nearness and unconditional welcome and love.
6. For personal reflection: meditate on these words from St. Gregory of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs: "The Bride is encompassed by a divine night, during which her Spouse approaches, but does not reveal Himself. But how can that which is invisible reveal itself in the night? By the fact that He gives the soul some sense of His presence, even while He eludes her clear apprehension, concealed as He is by the invisibility of His nature."

Resources Consulted

• Thomas Joseph White, Exodus
• Brevard Childs, Exodus: A Commentary
• Amy Peeler, "Desiring God: The Blood Of The Covenant In Exodus 24," BBR 23.2 (2013), 187–205
• J.B. Torrance, "The Unconditional Freeness of Grace"
• Michael Hundley, Yahweh among the Gods: The Divine in Genesis, Exodus, and the Ancient Near East
• Andrew Louth,The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition: From Plato to Denys (pp.78–94)
• To dig deeper, check out the two-part discussion on The Naked Bible Podcast.

Questions?

Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker (

h).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

Sermon Notes

Intro

• Law can feel like an awkward piece of furniture in the Christian life
• Some overemphasize it, others throw it out
• Scripture and the Church's wisdom shows Law has a proper place

Categories of OT Law

• Ceremonial (sacrifices/food laws) → fulfilled in Christ
• Civil (Israel’s national laws) → instructive, not binding
• Moral (God’s character) → still applies (esp. 10 Commandments)

Big Idea: The 10 Commandments are…

1) 

A Mirror

• Reveals sin and exposes our hearts
• Jesus deepens the Law (lust = adultery, hatred = murder)
• Law shows our need for a Savior
• Law reveals but cannot heal → drives us to Christ

2) 

A Muzzle

• Restrains evil in society
• Produces fear of consequences / justice
• Doesn’t change hearts, but limits harm

3) 

A Map

• After salvation, guides believers in discipleship
• Shows what faithful living and flourishing look like
• Helps define love rightly

Conclusion: Law leads to Love

• John 14:21 — obedience flows from love
• Mirror: God loves us enough to tell the truth
• Muzzle: God loves the world enough to restrain evil
• Map: God loves us enough to guide us
• Commandments 1–4: love God; 5–10: love neighbor

Discussion Questions

1. What is your gut-level reaction to Law in the Christian life? Where does that originate?

2. How have past church experiences, family-of-origin, or other faith communities influenced the way you approach the Ten Commandments and other moral laws?

3. Are you convicted by any of the Ten Commandments? If so, how do you respond to that conviction?

4. Give an example of how one of the Ten Commandments helped you better understand what it meant to love.

5. In Rom 6:14, Paul writes, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are 

not under law

 but under grace.” (Romans 6:14 ESV).  In 1 Cor 9:21, he writes: “To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God 

but under the law of Christ

) that I might win those outside the law.” (1 Corinthians 9:21 ESV).  What does Paul mean by these two statements - not under law, but under the law of Christ? Are they contradictions? How would you define the law of Christ?

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

.

Sermon Notes

1. Grace

 – God saves first

• “I bore you on eagles’ wings” (v.4)
• Relationship begins with rescue, not achievement

2. Obedience

 – God shapes our lives

• Not cheap grace, not legalism
• God’s commands lead to flourishing
• Empowered by the Spirit

3. Vocation

 – God sends us

• “A kingdom of priests” (v.6)
• Represent God to the world & the world to God

Discussion Questions

1) Does every human being need to be rescued in order to enjoy God's love?

2) Are you more tempted by cheap grace or legalism?

3) Why is the Holy Spirit critical for obedience?

4) Define the priestly vocation.  Give an example of how you live out your priestly vocation.

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

.

Sermon Notes

Overview

• Israel is attacked by the Amalekites (Exod. 17:8).
• Moses raises the staff; Joshua fights below.
• When Moses grows tired, Aaron and Hur hold up his hands.
• Israel wins.
• Moses builds an altar: “The Lord is my banner.”

Lesson 1 – God Calls Us to Act in Faith

• At the Red Sea, God fought alone.
• Here, God works through His people.

We pray → we trust → we act.

God often gives us responsibility in:

• Spiritual growth
• Decision-making
• Serving others

Don’t wait for perfect clarity.Take wise steps of faith.

Lesson 2 – We Need One Another

• Moses needed Aaron and Hur.
• Faith is not a solo journey.

“Two are better than one…” (Eccl. 4:9)

We are called to:

• Let others support us
• Support others in return

Conclusion

The wilderness is God’s classroom.There we learn:

• Trust
• Courage
• Dependence on God
• Dependence on one another

You are not alone. God is with you.

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define a "wilderness" season? Can you share an example from your own life? What did God teach you there?

2. How do you make significant decisions in your own life?

3. Compare Exodus 17:-16 (our passage) with Numbers 20:10-13. Why is God upset with Moses and Aaron in the latter story? How can we discern the difference between stepping out in faith and confidence vs. getting ahead of the Lord or even disobeying him?

4. What might it look like to "build an altar to the Lord" in the wilderness (see Ex 17:15)?

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

Passage Outline

• Tasting Bitter Waters (Exodus 15:22–27)
• Manna and Quail in the Wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16:1–36)
• "As at Meribah, as on the Day at Massah" (Exodus 17:1–7)

Sermon Questions

1. Reread Exodus 16:13–18.
   1. The omer is a unit of measurement describing what is sufficient for each person — in effect, a cap on what the Israelites are to gather. In modern terms, we call this a "lifestyle cap." (Recall Sam's story about John Wesley and the chambermaid.) Have you ever set a lifestyle cap?
2. Reread Exodus 16:19–21.
   1. Moses forbids the Israelites to hoard the manna. In modern terms, hoarding is using our resources to untether ourselves from relationships. What opportunities is God giving you to use your resources to lean into relationships?
3. Reread Exodus 16:22–30.
   1. Do you practice a Sabbath — a "day of ceasing"? What's getting in the way?
4. Reread Exodus 16:31–35
   1. God commanded Israel to commemorate His provision by reserving manna, doubtless in part to steady their confidence in God's provision over their desert sojourn. Are you confident that God is your provider? If not, how have you commemorated His provision? Where are you "looking" to steady your confidence in your Lord and Master?

Resources Consulted

• Christopher Wordsworth, Notes on Genesis and Exodus (Oxford, 1875)
• Leon Kass, Founding God's Nation: Reading Exodus (Yale, 2021)
• Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and Eternity (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2003)
• For further resources
  • Explore Randy Alcorn's ministry, Eternal Perspective Ministries.
  • Register for The Ridley Institute's Spring 2026 course, "Practicing Simplicity in the Way of Jesus."

Questions?

Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

.

Sermon Notes

I. Introduction: The Word We All Need

• “Please” is a magic word — but there is a deeper one.
• An ancient word written into the fabric of the universe.
• Without it, we wither; with it, we flourish.
• Spoken by the Father, received through the Son.

II. Jesus at the Jordan

• Jesus comes to John for baptism.
• John resists; Jesus insists — “to fulfill all righteousness.”
• Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry.

III. Why Jesus Was Baptized

1. Identification — Jesus stands with sinners.
2. Initiation — Baptism becomes Spirit-filled and ongoing.
3. Inauguration — God’s Kingdom is breaking in.

IV. Heaven Responds

• Heavens opened — God reveals who Jesus is.
• Spirit descends like a dove — humility, new creation.
• Voice from heaven — the climax.
• “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

V. The Magic Word: Beloved

• Spoken publicly by the Father.
• Defines Jesus’ identity before his work begins.
• From all eternity, the Son is beloved.

VI. Beloved — And Us

• We all long to hear this word.
• Human love is good, but not enough.
• In Christ, the Father now speaks it over us.
• Not earned. Not lost. Not performance-based.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 — Jesus gives us his righteousness.

VII. Invitation

• • Have you received this word?
  • Through faith in Christ, you are God’s beloved.
  • Feelings may lag — the truth remains.
  • Receive it. Rest in it. Live from it.

Discussion Questions

1. When does Jesus baptize us "with the Holy Spirit"? When we are baptized? When we place our faith in Jesus? At a later time, when we receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit?

2. Can one have assurance in being beloved by God apart from faith in Christ and what he has done? Why or why not?

3. What difference does it make to a person's identity to live as God's beloved?

4. In what ways do you personally experience the reality of being beloved? What gets in the way of it for you?

Bonus

- Watch this music video:

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).

Guest Preacher: Joanne Ellison

Joanne Ellison, a long-time member of St. Andrew’s, is the founder of

through which women are equipped to draw near to God and experience the power of a life-changing community. She has reached tens of thousands of women through Christian radio, television, blogging, weekly Bible teachings, speaking events, books, and more.

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

Questions?

Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email us (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Psalm 96; John 1:1-18.

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

.

Sermon Notes

• Story: Moving to Vancouver and longing for sunlight

• Darkness isn’t always extreme—sometimes it’s overcast

• Isaiah speaks to a light-starved people

The Darkness (Isaiah’s World and Ours)

• Israel threatened, fearful, chasing false security

• Blaming God, losing hope

• Today: not pitch black, but distracted, dissatisfied, light-deficient

God’s Promise

• “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isa. 9:2)

• The night will end; the clouds will break

How the Light Is Experienced

1. Joy Increased

• Rejoicing “before Him” (v.3)

• Joy flows from relationship, not circumstances

• God himself is the source of joy

2. Burdens Lifted

• Echo of the Exodus

• God breaks what weighs us down

• Jesus: “My yoke is easy, my burden is light”

3. Hostilities Ended

• Weapons burned; war finished

• From global conflict to personal hostility

• Light brings peace, reconciliation, forgiveness

The Source of the Light

• A child will be born (Isa. 9:6)

• The government on His shoulders

• King from David’s line, reigning forever

• A kingdom of peace, justice, and righteousness

Christmas Connection

• Christmas = God’s reign breaking into the world

• Announced by Isaiah, Gabriel, and the angels

• This child is born to reign

Conclusion

• We may grow accustomed to the clouds

• Christ’s reign brings joy, lightness, and peace

• “And He shall reign forevermore”

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).

Bible Study

Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon:

.

Sermon Notes:

1. A New Beginning That Looks Scandalous (v. 18)

• “Birth” = genesis → a new creation is beginning.

• Conceived by the Holy Spirit, not human effort.

• From God’s view: glorious.From human view: confusing and shameful.

2. Joseph: Righteous and Compassionate (vv. 18–19)

• Betrothal = legally binding marriage.

• Joseph assumes unfaithfulness, yet:

  • Chooses a quiet divorce

  • Willing to absorb personal cost to spare Mary shame.

• A just man who shows mercy.

• Foreshadows the grace and truth we later see in Jesus.

3. God Speaks Into Fear (v. 20)

• An angel appears while Joseph is considering his options.

• “Do not fear” — a repeated Christmas command.

• God’s saving work confronts and overturns human fear.

4. The Grand Miracle: God With Us (vv. 20–23)

• The child is conceived by the Holy Spirit.

• The Virgin Birth makes the Incarnation possible.

• Jesus is:

  • Fully God

  • Fully human

• Christmas is holy ground.

5. Faith That Obeys (vv. 24–25a)

• Joseph believes God’s word and acts.

• Takes Mary as his wife.

• Exercises sexual self-control until after Jesus’ birth.

• Honors the sacred work of the Holy Spirit.

• A model of obedience, reverence, and self-control.

6. The Name: Jesus — Yahweh Saves (v. 21)

• God chooses the name.

• Yeshua = “Yahweh saves.”

• His mission:

  • Not primarily political or social

  • To save his people from their sins

• Mary and Joseph were the first humans to speak his name.

7. The Name: Immanuel — God With Us (vv. 22–23)

• • Fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

  • Jesus is God with us:

    • In temptation

    • In suffering

    • In sin (as our substitute)

    • In prayer

    • In Scripture

    • In mission

    • By the Holy Spirit

  • Matthew begins and ends with this truth (1:23; 28:20).

Discussion Questions:

• What's your favorite part of the Christmas story?
• What are some qualities you admire in Joseph?
• Does Christianity still work without the Virgin Birth - why or why not?
• In what ways does a human being need to be saved? How did Jesus accomplish that salvation?
• Where do you need to be assured that God is with you right now?

Questions?

Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (

).