The Victory Podcast

As the work continues, Nehemiah finds out that God’s people have been corrupted from the inside. They are neglecting the poor and charging unnecessary interest. Nehemiah knows they can’t go forward with God’s plans on the Temple walls if God’s people are unwilling to examine and repair the “temples” of their own lives.

Vision, hard work, and perseverance are necessary in doing the work to build God’s kingdom. But they’re not the only parts of the project. Each one of us at Victory has the opportunity to reflect on and repent of our sins to help move the mission forward and reach people with the Gospel. Inward repentance and renewal must precede outward projects and goals.

Scriptures: Nehemiah 5

Nothing is quite as easy as it seems. Once Sanballat and Tobiah hear about Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild the temple, they do everything they can to sabotage God’s work. But Nehemiah is undeterred. He expected opposition and struggle. So, he makes a plan to trust in God and prepare for conflict while continuing the work.

Any time we have a God-sized vision like the one we have at Victory, we should expect conflict. From technology difficulties to the busyness of life to the post-Christian culture we live in, we know we’ll face opposition that will make it a challenge to work at our mission. But the work can’t stop when it gets difficult. With God’s guidance, the Victory Community will move forward with the work, no matter what.

Scriptures: Nehemiah 4

God’s people are moved by the vision Nehemiah shares to rebuild the temple. But they don’t stop there. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, they decide to unite and get to work on the temple for the glory of God.

It’s a blessing to dream and talk about the future here at Victory. We need to start any work we do with prayer and planning. But then, after we have a clear vision and plan, we need to get to work. Each of us can play a role in the mission at Victory through serving and participating in groups, which helps us grow closer to God and one another.

Scriptures: Nehemiah 2:17-18, Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah hears and sees the problem: the walls around the Temple are still broken down. The house of God is vulnerable to attack and dishonor. He fervently prays a prayer of repentance on behalf of himself and the people. He then meets with the leaders and clearly proclaims a vision of a better future for God’s people… with God’s help.

At Victory, we pray for God’s guidance in reaching today’s people with Christ’s victory. We ask Him to help us recognize the opportunities He places in front of us through community involvement and a hybrid ministry model. By first grasping the problem, viewing the solution, and planning to seize the opportunity, all of us in the Victory community will be blessed to do the work that leads to a God-sized vision.

Scriptures: Nehemiah 1-2

David’s at the end of his life. He’s got limited time to impart his wisdom to his family and kingdom. He uses his time to honor and praise God. Through these final words of David in 2 Samuel 23, we see that David has learned the importance of ruling his kingdom in the fear of the Lord. Because of God’s goodness, David’s family line will produce Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Time is fleeting. Life is full but the years go by fast. We all eventually find ourselves wondering what legacy we will leave when we’re gone. David teaches us the value and importance of passing on blessings from God so the children who come after you can succeed better than you.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 23

Despite being a witness to God’s goodness and blessings, David’s pride overtakes him, and he orders his leaders to take a census of his fighting men to see how many people are in his army. As a result, God sends a plague to Israel as the punishment for David’s sin. David feels guilt, repents of his sin, and offers sacrifices to God. God hears his prayers and stops the plague.

Pride is the root cause of our sins. When we let pride get the best of us, we take credit for what God is doing in our lives. God gives us a conscience to help us realize what we’ve done and feel the guilt that leads us to repentance. When we repent, we fall into the hands of God.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 24

David fathered dozens of children. Unfortunately, he missed the mark on disciplining many of them. The consequences of David’s parenting failures resulted in his son Absalom killing his brother and attempting to steal the kingdom from his father. David flees Jerusalem and must deal with how his failures impact his family and the entire kingdom of Israel.

Part of the role of a parent is to discipline children, teaching them right from wrong and leading them to grow in faith. Just like God disciplines each of us for our eternal good, parents discipline their children with their best interests in mind. God doesn’t hold parents responsible for their children’s actions, but he does hold them responsible for what they teach their children.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 15 (Romans 8:1,3b; Hebrews 12:5)

David’s eyes wander, a good man dies, and now there are consequences for David pursuing a relationship with Bathsheba. The Lord is displeased with David, who seems to have no knowledge of his sin. In His mercy, God sends Nathan, who guides David to take an honest look at what he’s done and repent of his sin.

The Bible is honest; we see the good, the bad, and the ugly in God’s people. Through these stories, God teaches us to be careful in choosing the paths we take. God uses Christian people in our lives to help us recognize our sin and repent. God desires mercy, not sacrifice.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 11 & 12 (also Psalm 51:17)

David is ready to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, his city. But he wants to do things his way, and the consequences are severe. David becomes angry with God and refuses to move the Ark any further, afraid that more might die in trying. Eventually, David comes to understand he had nothing to fear if he follows God’s directions. Through this situation, David learns to both revere God in holy fear and worship the Lord in exuberate joy.

In the chaos of life, we need God more than we understand. Catastrophe and crisis show our weaknesses and flaws because we often want to blame God rather than relying on Him through our struggles. Misunderstanding who God is will affect how you relate to Him. God is not into being manipulated or managed. He is with you always.

Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 6

Fathers often feel ill-equipped to lead their households, struggling with the burdens they feel to provide for their families. However, like mothers, fathers play unique and important roles in their families. God has called fathers to train and instruct their children to fear the Lord and share Him with their world.

Sermon text: Ephesians 6:4