Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 5: The Lord's Vineyard (Isaiah 5)

“The Lord’s Vineyard”Isaiah 5:1–30
1. A Song about a Vineyard (5:1-7)
a. The song’s characters
1) The singer: Isaiah, the Prophet2) The vineyard owner: the Lord3) The vineyard: Israel/Judah
b. The Song’s Meaning
1) The Lord created and owns the vineyard (Israel/Judah) (v. 1)
Isaiah 5:1 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
2) The Lord expended great care and effort in planting the vineyard (Israel/Judah) (v. 2)
Isaiah 5:2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
3) The Lord intended to reap a harvest of good fruit (righteousness and justice) from the vineyard (Israel/Judah) (vv. 3–4, 7)
Isaiah 5:3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. Isaiah 5:4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Isaiah 5:7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
4) Instead, he received only bitter fruit (distress, bloodshed) from his vineyard (Israel/Judah). (4, 7)5) The Lord will leave his vineyard (Israel/Judah) to be devastated by the elements (enemies) (vv. 5-6)
Isaiah 5:5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. Isaiah 5:6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”
2. The Vineyard’s Harvest of Bitter Fruit (5:8-24)
a. Oppressive Landowners (8-10)1
Isaiah 5:8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. Isaiah 5:9 The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. Isaiah 5:10 A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine; a homer of seed will yield only an ephah of grain.”
b. Pursuers of Drunken Revelry (11-12)
Isaiah 5:11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. Isaiah 5:12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands.
c. God Testers (18-19)
Isaiah 5:18 Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, Isaiah 5:19 to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel— let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.”
d. The Morally Twisted (20)
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
e. The Self-Exalted (21)
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
f. The Immoral Opportunists (22-23)
Isaiah 5:22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, Isaiah 5:23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
3. The Destruction of the Vineyard (13-17, 24-30)
a. Appropriate judgment: loss of land, hunger, thirst (13)
Isaiah 5:13 Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; those of high rank will die of hunger and the common people will be parched with thirst.
b. Total judgment in divine action: death, humbling, ruination (14–17)
Isaiah 5:14 Therefore Death expands its jaws, opening wide its mouth; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. Isaiah 5:15 So people will be brought low and everyone humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. Isaiah 5:16 But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. Isaiah 5:17 Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich.
c. Appropriate judgment: speedy disaster (24a) repays the call for the Lord to hasten (19); acquiescing in sin (18, 20) issues in helpless collapse into judgment (24bcd)
Isaiah 5:24 Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
d. Total judgment: The Lord summons the invincible foe (Assyria) (25–30)
Isaiah 5:25 Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. Isaiah 5:26 He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily! Isaiah 5:27 Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, not one slumbers or sleeps; not a belt is loosened at the waist, not a sandal strap is broken. Isaiah 5:28 Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses’ hooves seem like flint, their chariot wheels like a whirlwind. Isaiah 5:29 Their roar is like that of the lion, they roar like young lions; they growl as they seize their prey and carry it off with no one to rescue. Isaiah 5:30 In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, there is only darkness and distress; even the sun will be darkened by clouds.
 
1 The subpoints for verses 8-23 come from Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah.

“No Stone Left Unturned” (1 Samuel 7:1–14)

“No Stone Left Unturned” (1 Samuel 7:1–14)Venlon Bradford (Pastor of Old Union Baptist Church, Bear Creek, AL)Sunday PM, June 10, 2018Ebenezer – A Stone of Help
1 Samuel 7:1–14 (KJV)
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Main Idea: When it comes to the spiritual welfare of his people, God leaves no stone unturned.1.    A Cleaning Up (vv. 1–6).2.    A Looking Up (vv. 7–8).3.    An Offering Up (vv. 9–11).4.    A Setting Up (v. 12).5.    The Outcome of It All (vv. 13–14).
 

"The Perfect Work of a Perfect Savior" (Philippians 1:6)

"The Perfect Work of a Perfect Savior" (Philippians 1:6)Venlon Bradford (Pastor of Old Union Baptist Church, Bear Creek, AL)Sunday AM, June 10, 2018
1. Commencement: The Work of Grace Commenced
KJV Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
2. Continuation: The Work of Grace Continued
KJV Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
3. Completion: The Work of Grace Completed
KJV Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

“Honoring Authority” (Exodus 20:12)

“Honoring Authority” (Exodus 20:12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchJune 3, 2018 Sunday PM
Exodus 20:12
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
1. Who is this command addressed to?
2. What does this command mean?
3. What is the promise associated with this command?
4. What does the NT say about this command?
5. How should we apply this command?
Main Idea: “As Christians, we must honor God by honoring the authorities he has providentially placed in our lives.”

“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 Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 3: Chapter 1: The Failure of God’s People

Isaiah Chapter 1: The Failure of God’s People
Title (1:1)
1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Isaiah 1:1, NIV)
Isaiah’s Opening Words to God’s People (1:2–31)**
1) God’s Witnesses against the People (1:2–3)
2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” (Isaiah 1:2–3, NIV)
2) God’s Description of the People (1:4–9)
a) The People (1:4–6)
4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. 5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil. (Isaiah 1:4–6, NIV)
b) The Land (1:7–9)
7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. 8 Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege. 9 Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:7–9, NIV)
3) God’s Indictment of the People (1:10–15)
a) The Situation (1:10–14)
10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 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 1:10–14, NIV)
b) The Result (1:15)
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! (Isaiah 1:15, NIV)
4) God’s Solution for the People (1:16–20)
a) God’s Commands (1:16–17)
16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16–17, NIV)
b) God’s Promises (1:18–20)
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18–20, NIV)
5) God’s Lament over the People (1:21–26)
a) Jerusalem’s Sinful Condition (1:21–23)
21 See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers! 22 Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. 23 Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them. (Isaiah 1:21–23, NIV)
b) Jerusalem’s Coming Purge (1:24–26)
24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. 25 I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. 26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.” (Isaiah 1:24–26, NIV)
6) God’s Promise to His People (1:27–31)
a) Blessing to the Repentant (1:27)
27 Zion will be delivered with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness. (Isaiah 1:27, NIV)
b) Judgment to Transgressors (1:28–31)
28 But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish. 29 “You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. 30 You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water. 31 The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.” (Isaiah 1:28–31, NIV)
** The outline for this lesson is from Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah: A Historical and Theological Survey, Encountering the Bible Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007).

“The Genesis of Motherhood” (Selections from Genesis 1–4)

“The Genesis of Motherhood” (Selections from Genesis 1–4)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, May 13, 2018
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:26–28, NIV)
1. The grand purpose of motherhood in God’s world.
2. The great pain of motherhood in a sin-cursed world.
16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16, NIV)
3. The gracious privilege of motherhood in a sin-cursed world.
20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:20–21, NIV)
1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. (Genesis 4:1–2, NIV)
25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord. (Genesis 4:25–26, NIV)
4. God’s gospel plan for motherhood to rescue a sin-cursed world.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, NIV)
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1–3, NIV)
4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (Genesis 17:4–7, NIV)
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Genesis 17:15–16, NIV)
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Galatians 4:4–5, NIV)

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 2: Structure and Themes

The Prophecy of Isaiah
Lesson 2: The Book’s Structure and Main Themes
Structure of the Book of Isaiah
Importance of chapters 36-39Form a historical interlude between chapters 1-35 and 40-66.
Chs. 36-37: the defeat of Assyria, which is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies in chs. 1-35.
Chs. 38-39 predict the Babylonian captivity, which is the dominant theme of chs. 40-66.
Chapters 1-35Chs. 1-6: Opening Messages and the Call of Isaiah
Chs. 7-12: The Rule of Assyria and the Messiah
Chs. 13-23: Oracles against the Nations
Chs. 24-27: The Apocalypse
Chs. 28-35: Book of Woes and Restoration
Chapters 36-39: Historical InterludeChs. 36-37: The Fall of Assyria
Chs. 38-39: The Rise of Babylon and Prediction of the Babylonian Captivity
Chapters 40-66Chs. 40-48: Deliverance from Babylon
Chs. 49-57: The Ministry of the Servant of the Lord
Chs. 58-66: Ultimate Blessing for God’s People
Isaiah’s Main Themes
Standard pre-exilic message:You’ve broken the covenant (through idolatry, social injustice, religious ritualism) so repent!
No repentance? Then judgment! Judgment will also come for the nations.
Yet there is hope beyond the judgment for a glorious future restoration both for Judah/Israel and the nations.
Remnant
Recurring theme word (šeʾār, šeʾērît)
“Remainder,” “rest,” or “residue.”
Theologically it refers to the faithful remainder of people that God has chosen, people who are looking to God to work his will in and through them.
They return to the Lord and experience the fullness of salvation when others don’t.
The Sovereignty of God
God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, and as Sovereign, he is actively at work in the world, guiding all history in accordance with his grand purpose.
“The Lord has spoken” – when the ruler speaks, the matter is settled.
God’s sovereignty does not end at the borders of Israel or Judah. He is the Lord of all nations, whether they know him or not.
Even though Isaiah ministered primarily to Judah, he understood the universal sovereignty of God.
Many people from many nations will recognize God’s sovereignty one day, while others never will, but God nonetheless remains sovereign (10:5–7; 37:24–26).
The Servant
“Servant” (ʿebed) occurs 39 times in Isaiah.
Servants are slaves to their master. Their duty consists totally of doing their master’s will.
In Isaiah, the term “servant” occasionally describes God’s people as a group (41:8; 54:17) but usually denotes individuals who fully follow God’s will and serve his people faithfully (22:20; 42:1; 52:13).
Serving their master faithfully fulfills God’s will for their lives.
The NT makes much use of this “servant” concept, using the Greek equivalent (doulos) 122 times.
The OT “servant of the Lord” becomes “servant of Christ” in the NT.
Paul argued that slavery to God brought people true freedom—freedom to become all God has created them to be.
The Holy One of Israel
“Holy One of Israel” occurs 31 times in the OT, and 25 of those are in Isaiah.
The words of the seraphim, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty . . .” (Is 6:3), profoundly affected Isaiah’s thinking and theology.
God stood utterly apart from his creation, including his people.
His holy nature clashed with his people’s sin. Yet he loved them, desired fellowship with them, and called to them through the law of Moses, as well as through Isaiah and other prophets.
The expression “Holy One of Israel” occurs in both judgmental and redemptive contexts.
The Holy One of Israel has experienced rejection from his people, who have resisted his sovereign purposes (Is 1:4; 5:19, 24).
He also will judge nations who oppose him (37:23).
But the Holy One of Israel also stands as Israel’s Savior (43:3) and Redeemer (43:14), who delivers them from exile and establishes his kingdom.
The Messiah
The word “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew māšîaḥ, which means “anointed one.”
Kings, priests, and prophets all experienced God’s anointing, which symbolized God setting them apart for special service. 
The term māšîaḥ and the corresponding verbal form māšaḥ occur only twice in Isaiah (45:1; 61:1 respectively).
One of the most interesting usages appears in 45:1, where Cyrus, king of Persia, is so designated. 
We do not know to what extent Cyrus understood his mandate from the Lord (Ezr 1:1), but the Bible is clear that God set him apart for a special work: to bring his people back to their land. 
The Messiah is God’s chosen instrument to bring about his kingdom.
Even though the word does not occur regularly in Isaiah, the concept of messiah lies beneath the surface of many prophetic utterances (9:6–7; 11:1–10; 32:1–4; 42:1–4; 52:13–53:12).
God’s chosen instrument works faithfully to bring about God’s earthly and heavenly kingdoms. 
Though many prophets, priests, and kings carried the title māšîaḥ in Old Testament times, the New Testament points to Jesus, God’s Son, as the ultimate Messiah (Gk. Christos).
As we will see, many of Isaiah’s prophetic utterances point to this Jesus.
Resources used for this lesson:
Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah
J. Daniel Hays, The Message of the Prophets
Herbert M. Wolf, Interpreting Isaiah
 

"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.
 

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 1: Introduction

Isaiah: Lesson 1
Introduction to Isaiah*
Isaiah the Man
Isaiah’s Times
Authorship and Date of the Book
Date of Isaiah’s Ministry
Isaiah’s Message
Isaiah the Man
His Name“Yahweh Saves”
His FamilySon of Amoz
Royal lineage
His DeathMartyr’s death
Isaiah’s Times
1The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Isaiah 1:1)
Uzziah2 Kings 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 26:1-23
792-740 B.C.
Also known as Azariah
Characterized as a good king
King at age 16 and reigned 52 yrs.
Pride – died a leper
Jotham2 Kings 15:32–38; 2 Chron. 27:1–9
750–732 B.C.
Good king
Co-reigned with father for 11 yrs.
Pressure from Israel/Syria alliance
Ahaz2 Kings 16:1–20; 2 Chron. 28:1–27
732–715 B.C.
Evil and idolatrous king
Forced to choose between Israel/Syria and trusting God.
He chose to ally with Assyria and faced the consequences.
Hezekiah2 Kings 18:1–20:21; 2 Chron. 29:1–32:33
729–686 B.C.
Good king; cleansed the temple
N. Kingdom fell to Assyria in 722
Lord delivered him from his foolish choice to rebel against Assyria.
Manasseh2 Kings 21:1–18; 2 Chron. 33:1–20
696–642 B.C.
Evil and idolatrous
Tradition has him putting the prophet Isaiah to death.
Spiritual damage was irreversible after Manasseh’s reign.
Author and Date
Traditional ViewIsaiah – one author
8th century B.C.
Critical ViewMultiple authors
Others finished the book after Isaiah died.
Dates of Isaiah’s Ministry
Most scholars believe Isaiah 6:1-8 describes his divine call to become a prophet of God.
Isaiah 6:1–8 (NIV)
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Began ministry around 740 B.C., the year of King Uzziah’s death.
Possibly put to death during early part of Manasseh’s reign.
Possible dates of 740-690 B.C. for Isaiah’s ministry.
Isaiah’s Message
Forthtelling
Foretelling
Focus on Judah
Global in Scope
 
*Two primary sources were used for this lesson: Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah, and Richard J. Schultz, “How Many Isaiahs Were There and What Does It Matter?”

“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.

Introduction to Isaiah

Introduction to Isaiah
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
 
“The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” (Isaiah 1:1, NIV)
 
 
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1, NIV)
 
 
2 Chronicles 26:1–23 (NIV)
26 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 2 He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.
3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
6 He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.
9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.
16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”
19 Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy  broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.
21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house —leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
22 The other events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, “He had leprosy.” And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.
 

“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.