“Who Is the True Israel?” (Romans 9:6–9)

“Who Is the True Israel?” (Romans 9:6–9)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, June 3, 2018
Romans 9:6–9 (NIV) 6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”  8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” 
1. An unexpected turn of events: Gentiles are being saved, but most Jews are rejecting their Messiah.
2. The problem of God's faithfulness: has God reneged on his Word?
3. The solution to the perceived problem of God’s faithfulness is a proper understanding of God's ways of grace: not all who are Israel are Israel.
4. The historical illustration of God's ways of grace: the promised seed is through Isaac not Ishmael. There are physical descendants who are not spiritual children.

"Curse Me; Save Them!" (Romans 9:1-5)

“Curse Me; Save Them!” (Romans 9:1–5)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, May 27, 2018
Romans 9:1–5 (NIV) 9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen.
1. Paul has a personal concern for the Israelite people.
a. Paul’s personal concern is accompanied by intense emotion.b. Paul’s personal concern is accompanied by a willingness to engage the greatest sacrifice.c. Paul’s personal concern is rooted in his kinship with the Jewish people.
2. Paul has a historical concern for the Israelite people.
a. The Jewish people have a long history of relationship with the one true God.b. The Jewish people have been the beneficiaries of God’s unconditional grace and blessings.
i. The adoption to sonshipii. The divine gloryiii. The covenantsiv. The receiving of the Lawv. The temple worshipvi. The promisesvii. The patriarchsviii. The genealogical lineage of the Messiah
3. Paul has a theological concern for the Israelite people.
a. These blessings were a gift of God’s sovereign grace, has he abandoned his grace toward Israel?b. Can God renege on his electing grace, his covenantal oath, or his promises?c. What are the advantages of having these privileges if they can still ultimately be lost?d. Paul’s theological concern is also Christological: this Messiah, Jesus, who can trace his ancestry through the Jewish people, is also himself God.
4. Paul has a soteriological concern for the Israelite people.
a. Paul’s overriding concern throughout Romans 9–11 is salvation, specifically, the salvation of the Jewish people, the descendants of Abraham.b. Paul was willing to be cursed for his own people that they might be saved, but…c. There is one who has already been cursed for the salvation of God’s people…
i. Isaac could not be sacrificed for Abraham.ii. Moses could not sacrifice himself for the Jewish people.iii. Paul could not sacrifice himself for the Jewish people.iv. There is only one sacrifice for the Jewish people and for all the peoples of the world: Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Son of God.
Main Idea: Paul’s intense concern for the salvation of the Israelite people is rooted in his love for them and in his desire for the magnification of the glory of God. Those concerns are exactly what should motivate us to have intense concern for the salvation of the lost: our love for them as human beings, as our own people, our own family, our friends, but even more importantly the magnification of the glory of God.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 4: The Ideal Jerusalem, Lost and Found (Isaiah 2:1–4:6)

The Ideal Jerusalem, Lost and Found (Isaiah 2:1–4:6)1
1. The Heading (2:1)
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: (Isaiah 2:1, NIV)
2. The Ideal Jerusalem: The Great ‘Might Have Been’ (2:2–4)
2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (Isaiah 2:2–4, NIV)
a. The Lord’s Temple (v. 2)2
b. The Lord’s People and His Word (v. 3)
c. The Lord’s Peace (v. 4) 
3. The Actual Jerusalem: The House of Jacob Forsaken (2:5–4:1)3
a. Trusting in Mankind (2:5–22)
i. Full, but Empty (2:5–11)
5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. 6 You, Lord, have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and embrace pagan customs. 7 Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. 8 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. 9 So people will be brought low and everyone humbled— do not forgive them. 10 Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty! 11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:5–11, NIV)
ii. High, but Low (2:12–18)
12 The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled), 13 for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and all the oaks of Bashan, 14 for all the towering mountains and all the high hills, 15 for every lofty tower and every fortified wall, 16 for every trading ship and every stately vessel. 17 The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, 18 and the idols will totally disappear. (Isaiah 2:12–18, NIV)
iii. Reduced to the Caves (2:19–22)
19 People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. 20 In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. 21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. 22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem? (Isaiah 2:19–22, NIV)
b. The Folly of Human Dependence (3:1–4:1)
i. Boys for Men (3:1–7)
1 See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, 2 the hero and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, 3 the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter. 4 “I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them.” 5 People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the nobody against the honored. 6 A man will seize one of his brothers in his father’s house, and say, “You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!” 7 But in that day he will cry out, “I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.” (Isaiah 3:1–7, NIV)
ii. Plunderers for Leaders (3:8–15)
8 Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. 9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. 10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. 12 Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path. 13 The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. 14 The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: “It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. (Isaiah 3:8–15, NIV)
iii. Shame for Beauty: The Humiliation of the Haughty Daughters of Jerusalem4 (3:16–4:1)
16 The Lord says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. 17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald.” 18 In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20 the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings, 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls. 24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding. 25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle. 26 The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground. 1 In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!” (Isaiah 3:16–4:1, NIV)
4. The New Jerusalem: The Greatness that Is ‘Yet to Be’ (4:2–6)
2 In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:2–6, NIV)
a. The Branch (v. 2)5 
b. The Lord’s Cleansing and Protection (vv. 3–6)
Notes:1 The main structure of this outline is derived from J. Alec Motyer’s two commentaries on Isaiah.2 See Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah for these subpoints.3 See. John N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT) for point 3 and subpoints.4NIV Zondervan Study Bible.5 See Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah for these subpoints.

“Believing, Loving, Working, Persevering” (2 Thessalonians 1:3–12)

“Believing, Loving, Working, Persevering” (2 Thessalonians 1:3–12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, May 20, 2018 (Senior Saints Day and Honoring Graduates)
2 Thessalonians 1:3–12 (NIV)      3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.      5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.      11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.1. Believing (vv. 3–4)
a. Cause for thanksgiving (v. 3)b. Evident to all (v. 3)c. Growing more and more (v. 3)d. Worthy of imitation (v. 4)
2. Loving (v. 3)
a. Love for one another rooted in faith (v. 3)b. Increasing love for one another (v. 3)
3. Working (vv. 11–12)
a. Living worthy of God’s calling by his grace (v. 11)b. God may bring to fruition by his power: (v. 11)
i. Your every desire for goodnessii. Your every deed prompted by faith.
c. For the glory of the name of Jesus (v. 12)d. So that you may be glorified in him (v. 12)e. All Christian work is through faith and accomplished by the grace of God (v. 12).
4. Persevering (vv. 3–10)
a. Growing faith is tested through trial but perseveres (vv. 3–4).b. Growing faith produces love for one another that endures through trials (vv. 3–4).c. Growing faith continues to do good works in the face of persecution and trial (vv. 11–12).d. Growing faith trusts God to make all things right on the last day (vv. 5–10):
i. To reward his children with his eternal kingdom (v. 5).ii. To comfort and give relief to his suffering children (v. 7)iii. To justly dispense justice to wrongdoers (v. 5–6, 8–9)iv. This will all happen on the day of Christ’s return, so we must continue to endure in faith, love, and good deeds—even in the face of intense persecution and trials.
Main Idea: This is Paul’s prayer, and it is mine for us today as well: that we would be the people of Christ characterized by growing faith, increasing love, good desires and deeds, and enduring perseverance in trial. These are the marks of Christ’s people; may they be evident in us.

"The Sabbath in the New Testament" (Exodus 20:8-11)

“The Sabbath in the New Testament” (Exodus 20:8–11)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, May 6, 2018
Exodus 20:8–11 (NIV)
8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
1. What did the Sabbath command mean for an OT Israelite?
a. The 7th day (and uniquely the 7th day) was holy, because it was the day on which the Lord rested after Creation.b. The 7th day was a day for rest from all ordinary work and labor – from the head of society down to the lowliest animal of burden.c. The 7th day was a day of worship and community praise and sacrifice to the LORD.d. The 7th day rest was an opportunity to trust God and remember that they were ultimately dependent on him not on their own labors.e. The 7th day was a gift from God for the good of his people.f. The 7th day rest was to be shared with everyone in the land, even those not born as Israelites.g. The 7th day Sabbath was a special covenant sign given to the Nation of Israel, to specially remind them of God’s unique covenant with them separate from all the other nations on earth. As the rainbow was given to Noah and as circumcision was given to Abraham, the Sabbath was given to Israel at Sinai as a covenant sign.
2. What does the Sabbath command mean for a NT Christian?
a. When Jesus came, he rescued the Sabbath from its legalistic distortion and restored its original gracious purpose.b. When Jesus came, he was the fulfillment of the Law of Moses given at Sinai.
17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17–18, NIV)
"The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. (Luke 16:16, NET)
Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4, NIV)
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. (Romans 10:4, NLT)
c. What do the apostles/NT writers say about Sabbath?
On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. (Acts 20:7, NIV)
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. (1 Corinthians 16:2, NIV)
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17, NIV)
1Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. 5One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:1–6, NIV)
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9-10, NIV)
3. What are the principles of the Sabbath that can still be applied today?
⦁ God is Lord of Time. The Lord is sovereign over our time.⦁ Man is to be a working people. Human beings have a responsibility to work and to use time wisely and industriously. ⦁ A time of rest is a gift of God to human beings, and regular rest should be taken (the principle of 1 day in 7 is set forth in Creation).⦁ All time should be set aside as holy to God. When Romans 14 talks about “a person regards every day alike” – this does not mean that every day is regular or profane, but rather that every day is holy for the worship of God.⦁ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)⦁ Sabbath teaches us to express our dependence on God and not on our self-sufficiency. This is still true today. We ultimately depend on God for our needs. Jesus, the fulfillment of the Sabbath, reminds us that we cannot depend on our works to get us to God, but rather we must rest/rely on Christ and trust his provision.

"The Security of the Believer" (Romans 8:38-39)

"The Security of the Believer" (Romans 8:38-39)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, May 6, 2018Romans 8:38–39 (NIV)38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:9-11 ... And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Romans 8:14-17 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
 

“God’s Unfailing Love” (Romans 8:35–39)

“God’s Unfailing Love” (Romans 8:35–39)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, April 29, 2018
Romans 8:35–39 (NIV) 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1. There is no difficulty in this life that can separate us from God’s love.
2. There is no persecution that we can face for the cause of Christ that can separate us from God’s love.
3. The greatest enemy that we can face, death itself, cannot separate us from God’s love.
4. There is no higher, supernatural power that can separate us from God’s love.
5. There is nothing in our past, present, or in our future that can separate us from God’s love.
6. In case I left anything out, there is nothing in all of God’s creation (and that’s everything) that can separate us from God’s love.
Main Idea: If you are in Christ, God loves you, and he will always love you. His love is unfailing, and nothing in the universe can separate you from God.

“Sabbath Rest” (Exodus 20:8–11)

“Sabbath Rest” (Exodus 20:8–11)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, April 22, 2018
Exodus 20:8–11 (NIV)
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
1. The Sabbath’s Significance: What does the Sabbath mean and where did it come from?
a. Sabbath – derived from the verb šbt שׁבת – to cease/stop; be completed; to rest/celebrate.
b. Modeled in creation by God’s ceasing/resting from his creative work
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:1–3, NIV)
c. Prefigured in Passover
““This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.” (Exodus 12:14–17, NIV)
d. Granted by Redemption
“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15, NIV)
e. Practiced in the Gathering of Manna
“He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’ ” So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” So the people rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:23–30, NIV)
f. A sign of God’s special covenant with Israel
““Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. “ ‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ”” (Exodus 31:13–17, NIV)
2. The Sabbath’s Consecration: What does it mean to consecrate the Sabbath Day?
a. Set it apart as holy: separate, distinct, not treated as another normal day.
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." (Exodus 20:8, NIV)
"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:11, NIV)
"Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 2:3, NIV)
"There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the LORD." (Leviticus 23:3, NIV)
b. The consequences for desecrating the Lord’s Sabbath demonstrate its holiness.
““ ‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people.” (Exodus 31:14, NIV)
“For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”” (Exodus 35:2–3, NIV)
“While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses.” (Numbers 15:32–36, NIV)
c. Special Sabbaths in addition to the weekly Sabbath on the 7th day.
i. Passover (first and last days)ii. Day of Atonement
““This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.” (Leviticus 16:29–31, NIV)
iii. Festival of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24–25)iv. Festival of Tabernacles (first and last days; Lev. 23:34–36)v. Sabbath years (7th year) and Jubilee year (50th year) (Lev. 25).
d. Sabbaths Reclaimed by Exile: The Lord will not be robbed of his honor by having his Sabbaths used for dishonorable and selfish purposes.
“He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.” (2 Chronicles 36:17–21, NIV)
3. The Sabbath’s Remembrance: How does one remember the Sabbath?
a. By resting and doing no work – Sabbath is the day when a person suspends or ceases his normal routine of labor.
b. By refraining from buying/selling/trading with merchants on the Sabbath.
"When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts." (Nehemiah 10:31, NIV; cf. Neh. 13)
c. By extending this rest to everyone, slave and free, even to the animals of burden. This demonstrates the social justice and mercy concerns embedded in this fourth command.d. By observing the Lord’s special festivals/feasts.e. By worshiping the Lord through the giving of weekly Sabbath sacrifices.
““ ‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.” (Numbers 28:9–10, NIV)
f. By worshiping the Lord in gathering together to sing his praises.
“A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.” (Psalm 92:title–4, NIV)
g. By not treating the Sabbath as an empty day of religious ritualism.
“Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.” (Isaiah 1:13–14, NIV)
h. By not looking forward to the end of Sabbath so that more money can be made through commerce and work.
“Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.” (Amos 8:4–7, NIV)
i. By taking joy in the Lord in true worship and celebration (not perfunctory or empty ritualism).
““If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13–14, NIV)
The main idea of the Fourth Commandment: Celebrate God as the Creator-Redeemer on the Sabbath through rest.

“Not Guilty!” (Romans 8:33–34)

“Not Guilty!” (Romans 8:33–34)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, April 22, 2018
Romans 8:33-34, NIV33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
1. There is no accusation that God will accept against his chosen ones…
Because God has justified them.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?" 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." 5 Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. (Zechariah 3:1-5, NIV)
2. There is no one who can condemn God’s chosen ones…
Because Jesus died for them, rose again for them, and is now interceding for them.
7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! 9 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. (Isaiah 50:7-9, NIV)

“Hallowed Be Thy Name” (Exodus 20:7)

“Hallowed Be Thy Name” (Exodus 20:7)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, April 15, 2018
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7, NIV)
1. What’s in a Name?
2. What does it mean to “take” the name of the LORD?
3. How is the name of God taken in vain or misused?
4. What are the consequences of misusing the Name of God?
5. How should we obey this command as a NT believer?
We should live our whole lives in order to treat with honor the name of God as Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.”

“God for Us” (Romans 8:31–32)

“God for Us” (Romans 8:31–32)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, April 15, 2018
Romans 8:31-32, NIV31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
1. If you are God’s child…
2. God is for us, not against us.
3. No living being or powerful force or created thing stands a chance against us.
4. God has already given us the greatest gift he could ever give.
5. So, to give us eternal life, resurrection bodies, a restored creation, and the honor of ruling over that creation with Christ…is no big thing.

“The Invisible God” (Exodus 20:4–6)

“The Invisible God” (Exodus 20:4–6)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, April 8, 2018
Exodus 20:4–6 (NIV) 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
1. The Command: You shall not make or worship images/idols
2. The Reason: For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.
3. The Consequences for Disobedience
4. The Blessings for Obedience
5. How Should Christians obey the 2nd commandment?
a. Why Idolatry is wrong:
i. An idol is a physical representation of God or a god. ii. Making an idol of worship destroys the Creator/Creature distinction. iii. Worshiping an idol reverses the order of the created realm. iv. When we worship an idol, we treat with contempt the incarnation of Christ. v. When we worship an idol, we are lifting up something as worthy of worship that we ourselves have made.
b. How does a NT Christian obey the second commandment?
Main Idea: God’s people must worship their one, true God in the way that he has required, without the aid of visual objects of worship or aids to worship, because He is the Invisible God who is Jealous for our exclusive love and devotion.

“God’s Unshakable Purpose” (Romans 8:29–30)

“God’s Unshakable Purpose” (Romans 8:29–30)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, April 8, 2018
Romans 8:29-30, NIV29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
1. God loved his children before the creation of the world.
2. God determined from eternity past to glorify his children in the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
3. At a point in time, God graciously and effectually called his children to salvation.
4. God’s gracious and effectual calling awakened faith in his children justifying them before God on the basis of Christ’s redemption.
5. Every beloved, predestined, called, and justified child of God will infallibly be glorified.

“No God but the LORD” (Exodus 20:1–3)

“No God but the LORD” (Exodus 20:1–3) Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, March 18, 2018
1 And God spoke all these words: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 "You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:1-3, NIV)
1. The LORD speaks with authority (v. 1).
2. The LORD redeems his people (v. 2).
3. The LORD is worthy of exclusive worship (v. 3).

“All Things for Good” (Romans 8:28)

“All Things for Good” (Romans 8:28)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 18, 2018
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, NIV)
1. Who is this promise for?
a. There is a limitation in this passage, not generally applicable to everyone. b. This promise is spoken:
i. To those who love God. ii. To those who are called according to God’s purpose.
1. Called2. God’s Purpose
11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad-- in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls-- she was told, "The older will serve the younger." (Romans 9:11-12, NIV)
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:11, NIV)
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:10-11, NIV)
He has saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, (2 Timothy 1:9, NIV)
a. Originates with him – his own purposeb. Eternal, unchangeablec. Predestined, settledd. All-encompassing, universale. Operates by grace not works/meritf. Works in concert with election/selectiong. Issues in a gracious, effectual calling
2. What does this promise say?
a. Various translations
i. All things work together for goodii. God works all things together for goodiii. In all things God works for the good
b. “All things”c. “Work together”d. “For good”
3. Do you believe this promise?
a. “We know that…”
4. How should you respond to this promise?
a. Love God. b. Trust God.

“The Lord of the Mountain” (Exodus 19:16–25)

“The Lord of the Mountain” (Exodus 19:16–25)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, March 11, 2018
Exodus 19:16–25 (NIV)
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
1. The Lord manifests his holy presence in power (16–19).
a. The Lord’s presence comes on the third day in accordance with his word.b. The Lord’s presence is marked by displays of power and authority from his created worldc. The Lord’s presence is met with appropriate fear and awe.
2. The holy Lord must descend (condescend) to meet with his people (19b–20).
a. The Lord condescends to listen to the voice of a man and respond (19b).b. The Lord descends on the mountain to meet with a man (20).
3. The Lord delays the giving of the covenant in order to further instruct his people to honor his holy presence (21–25).
a. The Lord delays the giving of the covenant to reinforce his holiness (21).b. The Lord: Warn the people again (21–22).c. Moses: The people have already been told (23).d. The Lord: Tell them again and bring Aaron with you next time (24).e. Moses: He goes down to get Aaron and warn the people and priests again (25).
Main Idea: The Lord is so holy that his creation cannot help but respond to his presence, and his people must be ever mindful of the perfect holiness of their God and not presume to think that they are worthy in and of themselves to approach his holy presence.

“The Holy Spirit, Our Helper” (Romans 8:26–27)

“The Holy Spirit, Our Helper” (Romans 8:26–27)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 11, 2018
Romans 8:26–27 (NIV) 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
1. The Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak (26).
2. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what we should pray for (26).
3. The Holy Spirit prays for us in accordance with God’s will (27).
Several applications:1. We are not alone in our times of weakness and suffering. God is not only all around us and ever-present, but in a very special sense, God is within us through his Holy Spirit.
2. We have an advocate in prayer, who intercedes for us and prays for us. But the implication is that to fully avail ourselves of this precious ministry of the Spirit, we must pray.
3. We don’t have to be overly anxious about whether we are asking God the right thing or are praying the right words to God. The Spirit is praying for us. He is praying for us in line with the will of God.
4. This ministry of the Holy Spirit is a further ground of our assurance that we are children of God. Just as the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children, so too his inner intercessory ministry is a gift given only to those who are God’s in Christ.
Main Idea: God has not left us alone. He has given us his indwelling Spirit to help us and to pray for us in our sufferings, weaknesses, and limitations.

“Preparing to Meet God” (Exodus 19:9–15)

“Preparing to Meet God” (Exodus 19:9–15)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, March 4, 2018
Exodus 19:9–15 (NIV)
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
1. God is coming (9).
a. God is going to come. b. God is coming in power.c. God is coming to speak.d. God is coming to validate.
2. Prepare yourselves for the presence of God (10–11, 14–15).
a. Be consecrated.b. Be clean.c. Be celibate.
3. Worship God with fear and awe (12–13).
a. God’s presence is holy.b. God’s presence is terrifying.c. God’s presence is inviting.
Main Idea: Those who approach God must prepare and consecrate themselves and worship him with reverence and awe.

“Our Future Glory” (Romans 8:18–25)

“Our Future Glory” (Romans 8:18–25)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, March 4, 2018
 
Romans 8:18–25 (NIV)
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
 
1. Our present suffering magnifies our hope for the future (18).
2. The future for Christ’s people is so glorious, that all of creation longs for it (19–22).
3. Like the rest of creation, we as Christ’s people should long with great expectation for our future hope (23–25).
Main Idea: The troubles and sorrows that we face now can be viewed through the lens of hope instead of despair because we, along with all of creation, have the hope of a glorious future.

“On Eagle’s Wings” (Exodus 19:1–8)

“On Eagle’s Wings” (Exodus 19:1–8)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, February 25, 2018
Exodus 19:1–8 (NIV)
19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
I. The Mountain of God (1–3)II. On Eagle’s Wings (4)III. My Treasured Possession (5)IV. A Kingdom of Priests (6)V. A Holy Nation (6)VI. A Covenant Accepted (7–8)
Main Idea: God rescued his people and brought them into his presence in order to make them his precious treasure, his mediators of righteousness to the world, and a society modeled after his holy character for the sake of his own glory and praise.