The Hallows Church

The Bible describes the heart as the inner-most part of the self. The heart is not only a physical organ but the inward part of us that desires, loves, carries burdens, and longs for an eternal satisfaction. Who then, can really know our heart? In our passage this week, we discover a powerful reality with Pastor Mark Smith: we can only see the external, but the Lord sees the heart. The living, active God who sees the hearts of people sees everything a person’s heart contains; the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, the surprise 1 Samuel 16 shares is when God sees the human heart, filled with all its burdens, assumptions, and faults, he moves toward them in grace by sharing his heart for Israel. Contained in the story of a shepherd-boy’s anointing is the pursuit of a God whose heart is after his people that would come to be fully realized in Christ; the Son of David, the King of Kings.

Today we are studying John 6 with our church planter in residence, Stephen Searles, in a stand-alone, yet thematically-connected, passage.

In today's teaching portion, we see that Jesus and his disciples are exhausted from being constantly followed by crowds looking for miracles. After preaching all day, Jesus sees the crowds are hungry and tired as well so, moved with compassion, He performs a miracle to feed them. However, this miracle is so much more than just food–it is a sign for things to come. The next day the crowds again find Jesus demanding more from Him to satisfy their physical needs, but Jesus declares their one true need is to believe in Him because He is the bread of life.

As we worship through studying John 6 together, we will have an opportunity to consider how often we learn something about God that is hard to understand and maybe even question whether we can continue to follow him. How often do we lean into our own calculations and understanding to see how God could possibly do anything–let alone much–with what we see as so little?

King Saul is the Walter White of the Old Testament. Walter White is a character from the television series titled Breaking Bad, which chronicles the moral decline of a modest family man. A series of small compromises soon reaps major consequences. The show illustrates well the attractive, deceptive, and destructive nature of sin.

In 1 Samuel, Saul is first presented as a modest young man who served his family well (9:1-3). After being anointed as king, Saul begins to make a series of small compromises that reap major consequences. He “breaks bad” so to speak. In chapter 15, his brokenness is on full display when the Lord formally rejects Him as king.

Israel will now need a new king, one who would obey the Lord’s command and lead God’s people well. The next king, David, would be good, but he would not be good enough to help God’s people overcome what ails them most. The consequences of sin can only be overcome through repentance and faith in the perfect and sacrificial obedience of King Jesus. Join Pastor Andrew Arthur in studying this Old Testament passage, the nature of sin, and the hope of the gospel.

Our culture is obsessed with heroes and villains. All the major movie franchise accentuates heroes and villains battling it out for either the deliverance or domination of others. Often, tensions arises when ambiguity between who the true heroes and villains are is created. For example, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight ends with Batman being treated like a villain.

As we walk through today's passage with Pastor Andrew Arthur, we will see a similar dynamic at work in 1 Samuel 14:23b-52. The one Israel chose to be their hero—King Saul acts more like a villain. But, King Saul’s son, Jonathan, acts like a hero but is treated like a villain. There is where we shall find echoes of the gospel story centering on the true and better Son–the true and better Jonathan—the ultimate hero who was treated like a villain to become our hero.

The Bible is filled with stories of strength and weakness, faith and unbelief, overwhelming obstacles and unimaginable victories. We witness stories of people whose weaknesses never hinder God’s plans; in fact, weaknesses seem to emphasize God’s strength and power all the more.

Join Pastor Mark Smith in studying the next chapter in our Old Testament study of 1 Samuel. As we do, may you be encouraged and challenged seeing the dynamic power of faithful confidence and camaraderie in the Lord.

Waiting is hard to do. Being at the mercy of others and circumstances makes us feel too vulnerable. So, we grow impatient. Can you relate?

Today we move on to the next story in 1 Samuel 13, which illustrates the tragic outcome of impatience with the Lord. It’s a story where King Saul fails to exercise a patient faith. As a result, he forfeits not only his future but the legacy of his lineage and puts Israel’s future in jeopardy too. His lack of trust that God is sovereign–not his circumstances or fears–leads to a trial becoming a tragedy. But, by God’s grace, the Lord had another king ready to take Saul's place who would prove to be a man after His own heart. Pastor Andrew Arthur helps us see how, thankfully, God is still patiently at work and faithful even when we are not.

Additional Sermon Scripture References:

1 Samuel 12:25; 1 Samuel 8:20; 1 Samuel 9:16; Genesis 22:17; 1 Samuel 10:8; Psalm 37:7; Psalm 14:1

One day Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. A man named John called out, “Look, the Lamb of God!” A couple of his disciples then started to follow Jesus down the road. He turned to them and asked, “What are you looking for?”

It’s such a simple, yet significant, question. It's a fundamental question.

It’s a heart probing question, because we look for that which we want. Or, to put it another way, what we do is driven by what we desire.

These two disciples wanted to be a part of the Kingdom of God, so they moved towards Jesus. As we move through this life, we move towards what we want. So, asking and attempting to answer the question, “What are you looking for?” helps us discover what governs our hearts in a given moment or even over the course of a lifetime. The human heart is not made to be autonomous. It needs and desires to be ruled by a king. The question is will it be ruled by a king that will be swept away? Whatever it is that you are looking for–whatever it is that you desire–you can find it by fixing the eyes of your faith on King Jesus and submitting to His rule.

He will never exploit you. He will never humiliate you. He will never abandon you. He is the King that death itself could not sweep away. Take a listen to this sermon by Pastor Andrew Arthur in our continued study of 1 Samuel 12 in light of Easter Sunday.

The good news of the gospel is not heard in Jesus’s words alone. It’s not found in following Jesus’s example. The good news of the gospel is found in Jesus’s work–specifically the work He does on Good Friday. Join Pastor Andrew Arthur in considering the life and death of Jesus, particularly the last week of His life leading to the cross and tomb.

#Jesus #gospel #goodfriday

As we near closer to Easter Sunday, we look forward to celebrating the Risen Savior! This Sunday, in light of Palm Sunday, we worship Christ as our King who has delivered His people from sin and death. However, the everlasting deliverance we experience through Jesus is accompanied by many momentary deliverances in the Old Testament. Our scripture focus continues our series in 1 Samuel, where God equips Saul to deliver His people from an evil tyrant. 1 Samuel chapter 11 encourages us to remember God alone is the deliverer of His people, whereby events of momentary deliverance are a foretaste of the everlasting deliverance we have in Christ.

Today, our study of 1 Samuel 10 leads us to consider the age-old question, "How can this guy save us?" Our Church Planter in Residence, Stephen Searles, guides us through the question asked of those God provided to lead His people and eventually of King Jesus himself. May your heart be stirred and encouraged as we consider together the answer to "How can Jesus save us?"