Faith in Action

Sermon by: Jonathan Hetterly
Date: May 29, 2016
Text: James 2:14-26
Sermon Audio (link)

Life's Trainwrecks

Sermon by: Jim Hinton
Date: May 15, 2016
Text: James 1:1-19
Sermon Audio (link)

==GOD AS... IN THE PENTATEUCH==

"God As..." in the Pentateuch (2016)
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church
April 10 - May 08, 2016

Kathy Larson preaches these five sermons exploring the character of God as revealed in the first five books of the Bible.

• April 10 - Genesis: God as Creator (Genesis 1:1-2,26-31; Romans 1:18-25)
• April 17 - Exodus: God as Redeemer (Exodus 6:1-8; Galatians 5:1,13-16)
• April 24 - Leviticus: God as Holy One (Leviticus 11)
• May 01 - Numbers: God as Provider (Numbers 20-21)
• May 08 - Deuteronomy: God as Law-Giver (Deuteronomy 10:12-21; 30:6,15-20)

Deuteronomy: God as Law Giver

Sermon by: Kathy Larson
Date: May 8, 2016
Text: Deuteronomy 10:12-21 & 30:6, 15-20
Sermon Audio (link)

The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, c. 1511-1512, public domain

below is the handout referenced in the sermon: 

God As Law-Giver

Oh, how I love Your law!... sweeter than honey to my mouth. Psalm 119:97,103

Structure: 2^nd Millennium BC ANE Suzerain/Vassal Covenant
(also Exod 20; Josh 24)

1.       Preamble, introducing the suzerain (1:1-5)

2.       Historical prologue, previous relations of the parties (1:6-4:49)

3.       Stipulations: basic, then detailed (5-26)

4.       Curses and Blessings (27-30)

5.       Witnesses to the covenant (31:28)

6.       Document clause: where it will be stored, when it will be read (31-34)

Deuteronomy 10 & 30:

·         What does God ask of you? Why?

·         How can we keep God’s law? What will it do for us?

·         What does the law tell us about who God is?

Why Did God Give Us The Law?

·         To show the world how great God is: Deut 4:1-8; Psalm 19; 119; 2 Sam 7

·         To show us we can’t keep the law: Deut 28-29; Rom 3:19-20; 5:12-21; 8:1-4; James 2:10-11; Gal 3-5; Psalm 119; Matt 5; Rom 9:30-32

·         To lead us to Christ: Deut 30:6; Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:22-32; Gal 3-5; Matt 5

Jesus Summarizes the Law: Matthew 22

·         Love God & Love Others: Deut 6; Exod 20; Matt 5; 22; Lev 19; Gal 5; Rom 13:8-10; Gal 5:14; Rom 9:30-32

·         What does this tell us about God?  What does it tell us about our relationship to God?

Why Love?

·         Love fulfills the Law: Rom 8:3-4; 13:8-10; Gal 5:13-15; John 3:16; James 2

·         Love is the Fruit of the Spirit: Gal 5:22-26; 1 Cor 13; Col 3:12-17

·         Love is how we reflect God: 1 John 4:7-20; James 2:1-13; John 13:34-35

Me as Law-Follower:

·         He is the Lord; I am the Vassal: Deut 10:12-22; Hosea 2; Eph 5:22-33

·         I belong to God: Deut 4; 10; 1 Cor 6; 1 Pet 2:9; Titus 2:14; Col 1:21-22; Eph 5

·         If I belong to God, I will obey His commands: John 14:15-21; Psalm 103:18; 1 John 2:3-5; 3:22-24; 2 John 6

·         If I belong to God, I will love: 1 John 4:7-20; James 2:1-13; John 13:34-35; Gal 5:22-26; 1 Cor 13; Col 3:12-17

Daily Devotion Follow Up

Monday: Read Psalm 119:9-16 & 73-80

·         How can people stay pure?

·         What does it mean to hide God’s word in your heart? Have you done that? Do you do that?

·         Why does the Psalmist say we should love and follow God’s law?

·         Do you feel this way about God’s law? Why or why not?  

·         How can you learn to love God’s Word? Consider asking someone who does have a passion for the Word how/why they do.

Tuesday: Read Galatians 3:15-25

·         Who is the ‘seed’ promised to Abraham?

·         How are we saved?

·         Then why was the law given? What is our relationship to the law now?

·         What parts of God’s law do you have a hard time understanding? What parts do you have a hard time following? Why?

Wednesday: Read Deuteronomy 10:12-22

·         What does God require of us? Why can He expect that of you?

·         How can we keep His law and love Him?

·         How does this passage describe God? Does any of this description surprise you? Why or why not?

·         How would you describe God? His commands? His love?

Thursday: Read Romans 8:1-8

·         Why is there no condemnation for those who are in Christ?

·         Why was the law powerless? How did Christ fulfill it?

·         What is the difference between living by the spirit and by the flesh?

·         How can we live according to the flesh?

Friday: Read 1 John 4:7-20

·         How did God show His love for us?

·         Why should we love one another?  

·         How can we love one another and the world?

·         Are there people in your life who are hard for you to love? How can you love them like God does?

Saturday: Read 1 Corinthians 13

·         How important is love? What are our ‘deeds’ without it?

·         Look over that list of character traits of love. Pray over that list. Which ones come naturally for you? Which ones are a struggle? How can you love ‘better’ in those areas?

·         What does it mean you to that God is all of those things for you?

·         How can you show love to a neighbor, friend, family member, co-worker, enemy, or stranger today?

The video referenced in the sermon is from The Bible Project.

"God As..." 

links to all of the sermons in this series: 

Genesis: God as Creator

Exodus: God as Redeemer

Leviticus: God as Holy One

Numbers: God as Provider

Deuteronomy: God as Law Giver

Numbers: God as Provider

Sermon by: Kathy Larson
Date: May 1, 2016
Text: Numbers 20-21
Sermon Audio (link)

The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, c. 1511-1512, public domain

below is the handout referred to in the sermon: 

God As Provider
They who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. Psalm 34:10b

THE MARRIAGE METAPHOR
Promise to Abraham (Gen 15)	Betrothal
Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 1-15)	Wedding
Numbers
Conquest (Joshua – Samuel)	Marriage
Exile (Prophets)	Divorce
New Covenant (Prophets - New Testament)	Remarriage

What does God Provide?

·         Sustenance for all His Creation: Psalm 104; 65; 147; Jer 10; Matt 5:43-45

·         Supernatural water, bread, meat – for His chosen people and the not-chosen: Num 11; Gen 21; Exod 15-16; 1 Kings 17; John 6

·         Physical healing/miracles: Num 12; 21; Gen 20; 1 Kings 13; 17; 2 Kings 4; 5; 13; Job 42; all over the Gospels and Acts

·         Protection and victory: Num 21; 31; 2 Kings 6; Joshua-Kings; Eph 6

·         A substitute for our death: Num 21 || John 3; Gen 22

·         A way of escape from temptation: Numbers || 1 Cor 10:6-13  

Numbers 11: (also Num 12, 14, 16, 20, 21; Exod 14, 15, 16, 17):

·         Why did the people grumble? How did God respond?

·         What does this tell us about God?  What does it tell us about our relationship to God?

Me as The Provided For:

·         He is the Husband; I am the Wife: Deut 10:12-22; Hosea 2; Eph 5:22-33

·         I belong to God: 1 Cor 6:19-20; 1 Pet 2:9; Titus 2:14; Col 1:21-22; Eph 5:27

·         I don’t have to worry: Matt 6:25-34; Phil 4:6-13; 1 Tim 5:3-8; Rom 8:28  

·         I can trust Him to provide all that I need: same as above

·         And more: Eph 3:20-21

Ephesians 3:14-21

·         What does Paul pray for God to grant the Ephesians? 

·         What should our prayers to God our Provider be like? 

Daily Devotion Follow Up

Monday: Read Psalm 103:1-12

·         What are all the things this Psalm says God has provided/done for us?

·         Why has God not dealt with us according to our sins? If He were to do that, what would He have to do?

·         Why has God removed our transgressions from us?

·         Are you thankful for it? Do you show Him through the way you live?

Tuesday: Read Psalm 104:1, 10-17, 24

·         How does the Lord provide for all that He created?

·         Where you get your food? Why don’t we always remember this food actually comes from God? Do you believe that everything you have comes from God, even the basics?

·         Why does God provide more materially for some people than for others? Does this make Him unfair? This Psalm says that God can provide you with everything you could ever want. Why doesn’t He?

Wednesday: Read 1 Kings 17:1-6

·         Why would YHWH cause a drought during Ahab’s reign (see 16:33)?

·         Why did God provide for Elijah and the widow during the drought? Does this prove God will always provide for those who follow Him?

·         Do you trust that God will provide for you even if there is a ‘drought’ in your life? How might a drought bring you closer to Him?

Thursday: Read Numbers 21:6-9; John 3:14-16

·         Why did God send fiery serpents upon the Israelites (see v. 5)? Did they know they deserved it (v. 7)?

·         Why did they humble themselves? Out of love or fear?

·         Who does John compare this serpent to? Did you accept Jesus out of love or fear? What about now?

Friday: Read Genesis 22

·         Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son when later in the law, He would say that child sacrifice was a sin?

·         Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice the child of promise?

·         Could you have the faith to do that? In what ways is God calling you to trust Him, even if it sounds crazy?

Saturday: Read 1 Corinthians 10:6-13

·         Why is it important that we study how the Israelites reacted to God’s providing for them in the wilderness?

·         Why is it easy to crave evil things, act immorally, test God or grumble and complain in difficult times in our lives? How would believing that God is your Provider change how you acted in those times?

·         Why does God let us go through difficult times? What should we look for when we are tempted? 

The video referenced in the sermon is from The Bible Project.

"God As..." 

links to all of the sermons in this series: 

Genesis: God as Creator

Exodus: God as Redeemer

Leviticus: God as Holy One

Numbers: God as Provider

Deuteronomy: God as Law Giver