October 8, 2023 - “For the Life of the World” - John 10:1-18

With the knowledge of God as our Heavenly Father, we can trust that He is working all things for our good. With this knowledge, our scripture calls us to submit to the Lord through the hardships of life as discipline. We can do this by knowing hardships come from His Fatherly hand, trusting His purposes, and living according to His purposes.

The Big Idea: The Christian life is a race — not a quick sprint, but a long, grueling marathon. Because of this, we often grown weary and lose heart and are tempted to quit. The writer to the Hebrews urges us not to do that, but to press on with endurance, running the race that is set before us. He tells us how to run and gives us motivations to stay in the race and finally cross the finish line with joy.

The Big Idea: The lives of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph illustrate for us what genuine saving faith in Jesus Christ looks like. They show us that obedience to God doesn’t come from our own efforts or will power, but from believing God’s promises and relying on His character, even in the face of life’s most difficult challenges.