Veritas Columbus Sermons

A sermon by Aaron Lockhart based on Ruth 1, preached on August 6, 2017 at Veritas East as part of the sermon series on Fear.

A sermon by Joe Byler based on Ruth 1, preached on August 6, 2017 at Veritas Short North as part of the sermon series on Fear.

Discussion Questions:

This sermon series on fear and anxiety has often brought us back to the ideas of God's goodness and love, as well as God's sovereignty, control, and power. When things get difficult in your life, or it seems like sin is winning, which is first to go in your mind, the belief in God's goodness or in God's sovereignty? Describe why you think that is, or how that gets displayed in your life during those hard times.

Naomi judges God because of her circumstances, experiences, and expectations. How are we prone to do the same at times? ... What are some expectations have we put on God for our lives? Where did we come up with those expectations?

Naomi's honesty with God is refreshing in some ways... How do we feel about being honest with God? Why are we timid about this?

Our weakness and lack of control reveal our humanness, our finiteness. How does the truth of the gospel bring hope into the most fearful and anxious situations?

How can we as a community grow in encouraging each other to the hope of the gospel in the midst of chaos and confusion? What are some things that have been helpful to you in your pursuit of God in the midst of pain, suffering, hurt, and frustration?

A sermon preached by Brad Snyder on July 30, 2017 at Veritas Tri-Village as part of the sermon series on Fear.

DISCUSSION & REFLECTION:

Hey everyone! Here are some things to think about/discuss as families and community groups this week:

“How can people who confess an orthodox creed week after week so easily and completely lose track of the implications of that theology whenever problems emerge in daily life?” Iain Duguid

1. Last week, Esther had decided to confront King Ahasuerus in order to save God’s people (“If I perish, I perish…”). In chapter 5 of our passage this week we see her putting together a plan in order to convince the King. We see that Esther is wise and discerning in her plan. She doesn’t just rush in to confront the King, but puts a plan in place that will best enable her success. Brad said “stepping out in faith is not a license for foolishness.”

How can we balance the realities of trusting God with the details of our lives while also making choices and decisions in our day to day lives?

What is a situation in your life currently that requires Godly wisdom and whimsy?

Read Ephesians 2:10. What does it mean to walk in “good works” that God has prepared “in advance”? How does it make you feel knowing that God holds everything in his hand, under his watchful eye, yet you are also responsible for your actions, thoughts, decisions, etc.? Worried? Scared? Hopeful? Safe?

2. Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the LORD.”

Take some time as a group to point out and talk about the seemingly random details that unfolded throughout this story in order for God’s purposes to be accomplished. (As Brad mentioned, it “just so happened” that Haman cast lots that landed on a date a year away, it just so happened the King was drunk and summoned Vashti, etc.)

What does the fact that these intricate details were woven together in such a way teach us about God (who isn’t even mentioned throughout the entire narrative)?

Does the reality that the God of Esther is the same God you worship give you hope for whatever is going on in your life? How?

“All these tragic coincidences that seem to be unraveling God’s plan are actually the thread God uses to knit it together! … precisely at the moment in the story when it seems like God was absent… he was present. When it seemed like he lost control... he was totally in control. When it seemed like sin was reigning and evil was winning… God was on his throne, carrying out his victory!“-Brad, from the sermon

3. Consider the clothing worn by Mordecai from the beginning of our passage to the end. He goes from wearing sackcloth and ashes, the clothing of someone who is mourning, to royal robes of the King. It’s quite a transformation!

How does this external change for Mordecai remind us of the good news of the Gospel? (Hint: check out Isaiah 1:18, Philippians 3:21, Luke 9:30)

Brad spoke about the “great reversal” of the Gospel of which this narrative reminds us. Just as Mordecai is honored above all and Haman is hanged on the gallows, on the Cross the only sinless man to ever live was crucified in order that a host of sinners might live.

How does this “great reversal” that we’ve experienced in the Gospel change the way we approach the world, how we do our jobs during the week, how we love our neighbor, etc. ? (Read Romans 8, specifically verses 1, 14-18, 28-39)

3. In chapter 4, Mordecai hinted the salvation would come for God’s people “from another place.” It is not clear that he himself knew exactly how God would save them (he just had faith that God would!). In the chapters from this week’s passage, we see this great deliverance come for the Jews that Mordecai was praying for.

Today, as Christians, how do we have assurance that God has saved us and will deliver us in the end? How is it different from the salvation/deliverance for Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews in our passage for this week?

4. How does the story of Esther help you to celebrate “Mondays”, or the plodding, everyday, mundane aspects of your?

How does the fact that God cares about the small details of your life draw you into a greater worship of Christ?

How do the truths taught to us by Esther give us joy and strength to continue on even when life is sad, boring, or otherwise forgettable?

“God’s Word dispels despair. It gives us a sure foundation for a hope for our future freedom. We look forward to a final abolition of death, tears, and pain (Rev. 21:4). Christ’s resurrection is the pattern for our resurrection. And, according to Romans 8:21, our resurrection is the pattern for the liberation of creation. Thus Christ is at the center, both for us and for creation... Since He is Creator, He is also Savior and Lord who redeems the entire cosmos from ‘futility’ (Col. 1:18–20)...Redemption reverses the effects of the Fall.” -Vern Poythress

A sermon by Wes Thompson based on Esther 5-10, preached on July 30, 2017 at Veritas West as part of the sermon series on Fear.

A sermon by Aaron Lockhart based on Esther 5-10, preached on July 30, 2017 at Veritas East as part of the sermon series on Fear.

A sermon by Joe Byler based on Esther 5-10, preached on July 30, 2017 at Veritas Short North as part of the sermon series on Fear.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you haven't shared much with your community group yet, what are some of your biggest fears in life right now? What is causing you anxiety? How do these fears and anxieties affect you? How consuming or prevalent are these fears and anxieties in your life right now?

2. Joe talked a lot about pride and humility in this weeks sermon. How is pride a major contributor to our fear and anxiety? How would a heart of humility, a posture of humility towards God, change your tendency to fear or anxiety in whatever situation you are in?

3. The desire for significance is not wrong at all, but where we seek that significance and acceptance from often is. Who or what do we often look to to affirm our significance and acceptance?... How do we grow in finding our significance from God? .. How does this impact our fears and anxieties?

4. Joe said, "To know and believe that Jesus had to die for us, humbles us.To know and believe that Jesus chose to die for us, affirms us infinitely"... What does it mean to look or to fix our eyes on Christ? How does this lead us to grow in humility, and how could this relieve our fear and anxiety?

5. Lacking belief in God's sovereignty and goodness often leads us to fear and anxiety... Throughout your life, how have you grown, or what has been helpful in growing your trust in God's goodness and sovereignty? .. Have you been able to see the impact this has had on fear and anxiety in your life?

A sermon by Wes Thompson preached on July 23, 2017 at Veritas West as part of the sermon series on Fear.

A sermon preached by Brad Snyder on July 23, 2017 at Veritas Tri-Village as part of the sermon series on Fear.

Discussion Questions:

Here are some thoughts and questions to consider on our passage from Esther 1-4 this week:

“Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.”-John Piper, “A Sweet and Bitter Providence”

1.When our fears are big and God seems small:
One of the most prominent features of the book of Esther is that God is not mentioned anywhere in the book. In fact, it is often evident that the author is extremely careful not to mention God, even when it would make sense to (such as when Mordecai is mourning in 4:1 or when Esther asks the people to fast for her in 4:16). This is one of the reasons why many in church history have sought to exclude Esther from the whole of Scripture. Brad discussed in his sermon why the author’s plan to not mention God is actually helpful in a unique way because it shows us a picture of how all of us often live our lives.

Brad also repeatedly referred to our “what if” fears that each of us face, consider, struggle through on a daily basis. He said that Esther and Mordecai were “people just like us, trying to handle their fear as they face their worst nightmares…people trying and sometimes failing to trust and follow God in their fear and worry.”

-What lies do we tend to believe about God when we are anxious and fearful? Where do these lies come from?

-What are the big “what ifs” that lay heavy on your mind? Do you have worries that keep you up at night? Have you ever felt that your circumstances are too big for God to handle?

-What helps you recognize when you are not seeing God in the midst of these circumstances?

-What does the apparent absence of God in this book teach us about our own lives and how we can rely on God even when we feel like he isn’t there? (check out Hebrews 11:27, 1 Tim 6:16, Job 23:8)

2. The Mighty King Ahasuerus:
In chapter 1, we see a picture of a king who seems to be extremely self-conscience, prideful, arrogant, and rude. He has to throw big, elaborate, parties to remind himself of his earthly power. Brad pointed out that the name “Ahasuerus” is either mentioned or alluded to around 46 times (!!!) in chapter 1 alone.

-What do you make of the almost comical depiction of this incredibly powerful king that is obsessed with what people think of him?

-How often do we get caught up in defending/promoting our own “kingdoms” opposed to the Kingdom of Heaven? As powerful and influential as we may view ourselves, does the account of Ahasuerus teach us something about what we value, protect, and defend?

-How would your life look different if you lived, not according to the fleeting pleasures of this life, but instead sought to live a life that is pleasing to God, focused on heavenly/eternal things? (Colossians 3:1-5) (Sometimes “faith” looks like “losing”; laying your life down for the sake of others as you follow Christ! John 15:13)

3. How our fears drive our decisions:

When Esther was taken to the king’s palace Mordecai essentially ordered her to abandon her Jewish identity, probably out of fear for her safety (2:10-11). On the surface, this might have seemed like a smart strategy for self-preservation, but in reality it was an abandonment of their faith. As Brad said, fear can lead us to believe we have no other options.

-Think about a time in your life, perhaps recently, where an easier choice required you to hide, disguise, or compromise your faith in Christ.

- How does God remain faithful to you despite these choices? (consider: 2 Tim 2:12-13 “…If we disown him he will also disown us; if we are faithless he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself”)

-How have you seen God’s hand in your life even when you were not faithful?
Up to this point, Esther and Mordecai were not exactly “heroes”. They had made a lot of mistakes, and were even hiding their faith. Yet, they both make famous statements of faith in chapter 4 (verses 14-16).Some things to consider:

-Does faithlessness at one point in someone’s life disqualify them from faithfulness at a later time? What does that tell us about God?
-What does God's choice of Esther and Mordecai teach us about God's character? (God didn’t use the person with flawless faith that never made mistakes or compromises, he used two people, kind of like us…) (consider Ephesians 2:10, Esther and Mordecai still had to make bold proclamations of faith with their lives!)

4. God is in control and he cares.

-In what ways/at what times do you struggle with believing God is in control of your life?

Mordecai responded to the king’s edict with a traditional Jewish form or mourning and repentance- donning sackcloth and ashes (4:1-3). He turned his heart towards God and his faith was fortified such that he had confidence God would deliver them from this death sentence (4:14). As Brad said, we have “big God full of Big Grace.”

-What helps strengthen your faith in times of uncertainty?

-Are there any habits you have cultivated to draw yourself closer to God in times of difficulty?

-How has your faith been affected by drawing near to God in trust verses withdrawing in fear and anxiety?

In verse 16 Esther says “If I perish for my people, then I perish”. Compare her to Jesus who doesn’t just say “if I perish, I perish” but rather says “WHEN I perish, I will perish” in order to save my people. (in fact, as Brad pointed out, Jesus says “When I perish, you will live”(John 10:15-18)). Take a few minutes and reflect upon the ways in which Jesus is a “true and better” Esther by laying down his life to save a multitude of sinners. Why is that important to us? Don’t just assume the fact that this happened, think about how your life is different because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us!

“What if it hasn’t just been a random chaos of tragedy and struggle? What if there is a caring hand that has been in control this whole time? The narrator is committed not to name God, but what Mordecai is saying here is what if God is who we’ve heard he is from all the stories? What if he is Sovereign and Loving? What if he really is in control and he cares? What if your little story is wrapped up in something bigger, something eternal, something glorious? What if your story has a purpose wrapped up in His story? What if its all for such a time as this?-Brad, from the sermon

A sermon by Aaron Lockhart based on Esther 1-4, preached on July 23, 2017 at Veritas East as part of the sermon series on Fear.

A sermon by Joe Byler based on Esther 1-4, preached on July 23, 2017 at Veritas Short North as part of the sermon series on Fear.

Discussion Questions:

1. Esther is in the middle of a terrible circumstance. What hardship in her story stands out the most to you. What would you find hardest to deal with if you were her?

2. We are given great detail about King Ahasuerus’ wealth and power but, as pastor Joe pointed out, God is not mentioned once in Esther. What is communicated by this?

3. On the surface it seems like God is absent from this story. By taking a closer look, where can you see God in this story? Can you see Jesus?

4. When have you felt like God is absent? What lies are you tempted to believe when God seems absent? How can we fight those temptations?

5. What are things to remember so that we we can be confident that God is always with us and in control?

6. Are there any ways that you see God’s working, through times where he seems hidden, as good and even beautiful?