Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

"Why Believe in Jesus?" - Chapter 3 of Know Why You Believe

Know Why You BelieveBy K. Scott Oliphint
Why Believe in Jesus? – Chapter 3
Introduction
⦁ What makes someone worthy of worship?
⦁ Teaching?⦁ Miracles?⦁ Creator of a movement?⦁ Sacrificing for others?
⦁ Many have done these things, so why worship Jesus? What makes Jesus worthy of worship?
Where Do We Begin?
⦁ Will we start with a search for a “historical” Jesus where only the natural is allowable?⦁ Beginning with this premise, the conclusion is already predetermined. Jesus can be nothing more than an influential teacher who started a movement. ⦁ If we start with our own assumed authority, rather than the Bible’s authority, we wind up with teachings and ideas that have no more authority than our own basic prejudices.⦁ We cannot begin with our own prejudices based on our own authority. ⦁ Why believe in Jesus?
⦁ The Bible gives us the answer. The Jesus we are to believe in must be the Christ of the Bible. The Jesus we create with our own ideas is not the real Jesus.
The Jesus of the New Testament
“In simple fact, Jesus’ career was not that of an ordinary man: and the dilemma is inevitable that He was either something more than a normal man or something less. We, like His contemporaries—and His contemporaries like us—have only the alternatives: either supernatural or subnormal, either Divine or else `out of His mind.’” Benjamin Warfield
⦁ The Bible’s claims are too extraordinary for Jesus to be just an ordinary man:
⦁ Jesus is both God and man.
⦁ John tells us that Jesus Christ is the one who was in the beginning, who created all things, who is, as fully God, with God and who took on human flesh in order to live among us. (John 1:1-3, 14)
⦁ From the very beginning, Jesus’ life was supernatural; nothing was ordinary.
⦁ From his virgin conception and birth to his death, resurrection, and ascension, nothing was ordinary.⦁ His birth marks the center of world history.
⦁ Jesus’ mission was to rescue sinners and end the reign of sin and its devastating effects.⦁ The eternal divine Word took on human nature and lived among us. He did not remain distant and aloof. He lived among the people and exposed himself to the hardships, ridicule, and persecution.⦁ Jesus engaged in a public ministry, healing the physically afflicted, liberating the demon possessed, and encouraging the downtrodden.⦁ The claims that Jesus made about himself do not allow us to think of him as a normal teacher:
⦁ Authority to forgive sin⦁ Existed before Abraham as the “I Am”⦁ Identified himself as the Son of Man (Messiah) and Son of God⦁ Predicted that he would rise from the dead on the third day after his death
The Jesus of the Old Testament
⦁ The revelation of who Jesus is does not start in the NT; the biblical picture of Jesus begins immediately after the entrance of sin in humanity.
⦁ He is the eternal Word and Creator.⦁ He is the “seed of the woman.”⦁ He is the Angel of the Lord.⦁ He is the “Man” who appeared to Abraham.⦁ He is the fire in the burning bush appearing to Moses.⦁ He is the Captain of the Lord’s army who appears to Joshua.⦁ He is the “fourth man” in the fire in Daniel 3.⦁ Ultimately, he is the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, born of the virgin Mary.⦁ The Son of God is the “revealer” of God from the beginning.⦁ The NT writers routinely apply to Jesus texts that speak of Yahweh.⦁ After his resurrection, Jesus taught his disciples how all of Scripture pointed to him.
⦁ All of Scripture reveals to us who Jesus, the Son of God, is—not just the New Testament.⦁ The same Son who permanently took on a human nature and came to earth was the one who had been coming to all of the saints ever since sin entered the hearts of people.
Jesus and the End of History
⦁ Jesus ascended to heaven to reign as King over the earth with all authority.⦁ One day he will return to judge the earth.⦁ John’s record of his vision in Revelation points to the reign of Christ over all the kingdoms of men.⦁ The lordship of Jesus is moving toward a specific goal: the return of Christ as judge over every human being and the consummation of history.⦁ This final judgment will seal the fate of every human being who has ever lived:
⦁ The unbelieving (the default condition of everyone) will be eternally condemned.⦁ The believing (by God’s grace) will live eternally in a new creation.
Why Believe in Jesus?
⦁ Son of God, Messiah, and Savior?
⦁ Hundreds of years of prophecy fulfilled⦁ A supernatural birth⦁ A ministry of authoritative, clear teaching⦁ Healing the ill and disabled, liberating the demon possessed, raising the dead to life, controlling nature⦁ Predicting his own death and resurrection⦁ Voluntarily laying his own innocent life down in sacrifice for the sins of others⦁ Rising from the dead the third day⦁ Ascending to heaven 40 days after his resurrection⦁ All of his ministry, death, and resurrection testified to by hundreds of eyewitnesses.⦁ The radical transformation of lives, including Saul of Tarsus.⦁ The endurance of his church and disciples for 2,000 years.⦁ The abundant written manuscript records of his life, ministry, and impact.⦁ Starting a movement that served as the foundation for all of western civilization.⦁ The current and ongoing transformation of lives, families, and societies.⦁ The powerful and divine testimony of Holy Scripture.⦁ The living and active testimony of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people.

“A God Worthy of Praise” (Exodus 18:1–12)

“A God Worthy of Praise” (Exodus 18:1–12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, February 11, 2018
Exodus 18:1–12 (NIV)
18 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer,  for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.
9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
Setting: A Family Reunion
1. The one true and living God is worthy of proclamation (1–8).
2. The one true and living God is worthy of praise (by all peoples) (9–12).

“The Spirit Who Gives Life” (Romans 8:9–11)

“The Spirit Who Gives Life” (Romans 8:9–11)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, February 11, 2018
Romans 8:9–11 (NIV) 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 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. 11 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.
1. Every true believer in Jesus Christ is in union with Christ.
a. Belong to Christ (v. 9)b. Christ in you (v. 10) and you in Christ (5:12–21)
2. Everyone who is in union with Christ has the indwelling Holy Spirit.
a. If you belong to Christ (v. 9), you have the Spirit of Christ.b. The Spirit of Christ = The Spirit of God = The Holy Spirit.c. Every believer/every true Christian has the indwelling Holy Spirit.
i. From conversionii. In totalityiii. Permanently (lives, dwells v. 9)
3. Everyone who has the indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ is no longer “in the flesh” but is “in the Spirit.”
a. If the Spirit of God lives in you, then you are not in the realm of the flesh but in the realm of the Spirit (v. 9).b. Positional – transfer from one realm to the other. – True of all believers. A Christian cannot rightly be said to be “in the flesh” in this sense.
4. Everyone who has the indwelling Holy Spirit has been granted new spiritual life because of the righteousness of Christ (v. 10).
a. Your physical body is still subject to decay and death, but you have been made spiritually alive through the life-giving Spirit based on the work of Christ (his righteousness imputed to you).
5. Everyone who has been made spiritually alive by the Spirit will also one day be made physically alive at the resurrection (v. 11).
a. God raised Jesus from the dead.b. If his Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is in you then you too will be raised from the dead physically and transformed into and immortal existence at the resurrection.
Main Idea: Every true believer in Christ has the indwelling Holy Spirit, who has transferred us from the realm of spiritual death in the flesh to the realm of spiritual life in the Spirit, and one day he will also grant new resurrection life to our physical bodies that grow old and die.

"Why Believe in God?" - Chapter 2 of Know Why You Believe

Know Why You BelieveBy K. Scott Oliphant
“Why Believe in God?” – Chapter 2
The New Atheism
Recent ResurgenceRichard Dawkins
Christopher Hitchens
Sam Harris
Daniel Dennett
Hostile and “Evangelistic”
Religion is “Destructive.”
Reasons
Reasons to Not BelieveReligious Abuses and EvilsWorst possible caricatures
Argument is not about religion per se but about the adherents of that religion.
Must distinguish between what Christianity is and what Christians do.
A skewed view of God based on a distorted reading of Scripture.Reflects more the bias of the reader than a legitimate, fair reading of the Bible.
All the things that are wrong and all the suffering in the world.If all the wrong in the world proves that everything is random and meaningless, then why is it so evil to believe in God?
Reasons to Believe“Agreement of the People” argument75% of people believe in a god.
Has been the dominant belief of people through the centuries
Not a sufficient proof, but does point to something deeper.
“Internal” ReasonsThere is a reason why most people throughout time have believed in deity.
There is in every person a “sense of deity.”
“since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” Rom 1:19
We know God through general revelation.
Our sin is direct rebellion against our Creator, because we know him.
Because of this knowledge, we are without excuse.
This knowledge is continually suppressed by sinful humanity.
These truths help to explain why there is a general agreement of the people
regarding the existence of deity.
The false deities that people have worshiped are evidence of the suppression and distortion of the basic knowledge of God available to us in conscience and nature.
“External” ReasonsGod’s revelation in and through creation is always and everywhere both “internal” and “external.”“Internal” revelation is that which God “implants” in us that speaks to our consciences.
“External” revelation is that which God is showing us through the world that we experience every day.
God’s revelation is in all creation, inside of us and outside of us.
This general revelation gives strength to so-called “proofs” for God’s existence.Cosmological argument – argument from cause and effect.The world is the “effect,” and God is the eternal “first cause.”
An atheist will not make the connection between this argument and the general revelation of God, because they have suppressed that knowledge.
It is easier and “more free” to believe in an uncaused universe than to believe in an uncaused God to whom we are accountable.
Ontological Argument – argument of necessary beingOur existence is limited and dependent, so there must be a being who is infinite and independent.
Teleological Argument – argument of design and purposeThe intricate design of the universe points to a master designer.
All of these “external” reasons for God testify of his existence. They ought to be obvious to everyone.
But sin clouds, distorts, and hides the obvious. Sinners distort and suppress the knowledge of God and reasonable arguments for his being.
How can the blind see?
Digging Deeper
What is the root cause of the denial of God and a rejection of reasonable arguments for his existence?
The atheist opts for a blind faith in an uncaused universe rather than a reasonable faith in a personal Creator God because the atheist does not want there to be a God.
The “internal” and “external” reasons for God will not alone change the mind of an atheist because deep down they don’t want there to be a God.
They have libertarian reasons for rejecting the existence of God that are stronger than any compelling arguments.
Responses
So what do we do if the problem is in what people want rather than what they think?
Atheistic arguments are inherently contradictory. They argue that religion poisons everything because it tries to influence everyone. But aren’t atheists trying to influence others?
If everything that exists is by chance and meaningless, how do we determine good and bad?
Why is it a bad thing for Christians to seek to evangelize others? By what standard?
Why is opposition to evolution bad? Their strong defense of evolution proves that things do have meaning, which undercuts their belief in a meaningless universe.
What makes evolution “better” than religion and creationism if everything is morally indifferent and neutral?
Conclusion
No matter how articulate and educated the denial of God is, the diagnosis is always the same.
The unbeliever lives as if there is no God, and deep down they don’t want there to be a God.
Unbelief is not due to a lack of evidence but to an inward rebellion.
The only thing powerful enough to change the rebellion of the human heart, which itself is enslaved to sin, is the truth of God in the gospel.
The sinful chains that bind the heart must be broken. Only the gospel can do that.
We make our appeal to unbelievers based on the shared truth that all humanity has access to in conscience and in nature.
We show how Christianity helps us to see everything else more clearly. It illumines the world and provides it meaning and purpose.

“The Lord Is My Banner” (Exodus 17:8–16)

“The Lord Is My Banner” (Exodus 17:8–16)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, February 4, 2018
Exodus 17:8–16 (NIV)
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
 
The journey for God’s people will be difficult and dangerous (v. 8).
20 Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. (John 15:20-21, NIV)
"All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.  2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.  3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.  4  I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. (John 16:1-4, NIV)
 
God’s people have a moral right to use legitimate means to defend themselves against unjust attack (vv. 9–10).
35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.  36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.  (Luke 22:35-36, NIV)
 
Every challenge and difficulty that God’s people go through provides an opportunity for God to display his glory.
God will defend his people, and he has a long memory and will seek justice for their oppression.
 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven."  15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.  16 He said, "Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the LORD, the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:14-16, NIV)
20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: "Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction." (Numbers 24:20, NIV)
17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt.  18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.  19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!  (Deuteronomy 25:17-19, NIV)
2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.  3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"  (1 Samuel 15:2-3, NIV)
 
Main Idea: The faithful Lord is among his people to defend them.

“Life in the Flesh vs. Life in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b–8)

“Life in the Flesh vs. Life in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b–8)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, February 4, 2018
Romans 8:1–8, NIV      1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
     5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
1. A different sphere of existence/domain
a. In the fleshb. In the Spirit
2. A different mind-set
a. Minds set on what the flesh desiresb. Minds set on what the Spirit desires
3. A different way of life
a. Living according to the flesh
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21, NIV)
b. Living according to the Spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24, NIV)
4. A different orientation toward God
a. Hostile toward Godb. At peace and reconciled with God
5. A different moral capability
a. Does not submit to God’s law, and can’t submit to God’s law, cannot please God.b. Freedom from slavery to sin and become slaves of righteousness.
6. A different destiny
a. Death
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21, NIV)
b. Life and Peace
Main Idea: Believers in Christ are now in the Spirit, not in the flesh. This means that they have a fundamentally different way of thinking and living—one that is oriented toward God and not toward the self. This new way of life leads ultimately to eternal life.

"Why Believe in the Bible?" - Chapter 1 of Know Why You Believe

Know Why You BelieveBy K. Scott Oliphint
Why Believe in the Bible? – Chapter 1
Introduction
Especially in our current cultural climate, people generally approach the Bible with a skeptical mindset.How credible are the Bible’s claims?
Are there really people who believe it?
Can it be proved?
What about its contradictions?
Reasons
There are two kinds of reasons or types of evidences for believing the Bible:External Reasons – evidence or reasons that come from outside of the Bible.
Internal Reasons – evidence or reasons that come from inside the Bible.
External Reasons
There are several types of external reasons:Historical Reliability Historical Records
Archaeological Evidence
Transmission ReliabilityHow can we be sure the manuscripts are accurate?
Abundant manuscript testimony in agreement.
Canon ReliabilityHow can we be sure the books we have are the right books?
No councils met to decide on which books to include or exclude because it was never a matter of serious disagreement in the early church.
On the whole, the churches were in harmony on recognizing the authoritative books.
Internal Reasons
External evidence is inconclusive. It can never produce certainty, only probability or plausibility.
The Bible’s truthfulness runs deeper than just external historical testimony. It begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Belief in the Bible is personal and relational.
Belief in the Bible is like a marriage. You cannot experience what marriage is really like without the commitment of marriage.
Only a personal commitment to Jesus Christ brings to light what Christianity really is.
The best reasons for believing the Bible come from the Bible itself:Its unity in diversityThe Bible was written by dozens of writers over a period of 1500 years.
This diversity results in a collection of books that is amazingly unified in its message.
“the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof.”--Westminster Confession of Faith—
In order to discover the internal reasons, one must sit down and read what the Bible says. It requires a familiarity with the content of Scripture.
But even more than external and internal reasons are needed to bring us to a point of believing the Scriptures.
Divine Reasons
“Yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.”--Westminster Confession of Faith
The only way that one can be fully persuaded and assured of the “infallible truth and divine authority” of Holy Scripture is when the Holy Spirit himself testifies of the truth of Scripture in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit does not do the internal work by himself. He works “by and with the Word in our hearts.”
We must expose ourselves to what Scripture says. Only then can we hope to see its heavenliness.
Without that exposure, the best answer to the why question is little more than a historical probability, and the power of what the Scripture says can never be known.
Responses
Isn’t this reasoning in a circle? Beginning with the Bible to prove the Bible?This is a misperception of the Christian understanding of the Bible.
Can you prove that your senses are a reliable guide to experiencing the world without using your senses?
There are no external sources that establish the reliability of the use of your senses.
So it is with the Bible, no outside authority can ultimately prove the reliability of the Bible. It’s authority and reliability are axiomatic.
Because the Bible is the ultimate authority for Christians, then there can be no other authority that can establish its authority.
If another authority were to establish the Bible’s authority, then the Bible would get its authority from something else and, by definition, would not be the final authority.
What about all the contradictions in the Bible?It all depends on your starting presupposition.
Does a doctor detect a problem in the body and assume that the Bible is a collection of parts that don’t work together? No, he begins with the assumption that body is mean to harmoniously work together.
The only way to diagnose perceived problems in Scripture is to study Scripture.
When Scripture is studied with the commitment that the parts will be coherent because God is the primary author from beginning to end, contradictions disappear.
But when Scripture is studied apart from that commitment, one encounters contradictions and problems because one begins with the premise that the Bible is full of contradictions.
So, the starting presupposition matters.
Conclusion
The only way someone can acquire a “full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority” of Scripture is, as in marriage, by first making a commitment to Christ himself.
This commitment/belief can only come through reading the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit opening our hearts to believe it as God’s Word.
By believing Christ, we are able properly to see everything else.
Unless we recognize the truths about the Bible, we will not be able to understand why we believe anything else about Christianity.
In trusting Christ and believing his Word, we begin to see the world and everything else in its proper light.

“Water from the Rock” (Exodus 17:1–7)

“Water from the Rock” (Exodus 17:1–7)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, January 28, 2018
Exodus 17:1–7 (NIV)17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
1. The Lord tests his people again (vv.1–3).
a. The Lord leads his people into the test (v. 1).b. The Lord tests his people by leading them to a place of need and dependency (v. 1).c. The Lord’s people failed the test, because they failed to trust their God to provide.d. When the Lord tests his people and they respond with unbelief, they are in reality sinfully testing the Lord (v. 2).
2. The Lord provides for his people again (vv. 4–7).
a. The Lord’s provision begins with intercessory prayer (v. 4).b. The Lord responds to the prayers of his people and supplies their need (vv. 5–6).

“The Righteousness of the Law Fulfilled in Us” (Romans 8:1–4)

“The Righteousness of the Law Fulfilled in Us” (Romans 8:1–4)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, January 28, 2018
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4, NIV)
Summary of vv. 1–2:
1. Believers in Christ are not condemned and will not be condemned.2. Believers in Christ are free—free from the penalty of sin and free from the power of sin because of the work of Christ and the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God.
Verses 3–4 are meant to address the question of how verses 1–2 are possible:
1. The good and righteous Law was hampered by the inability of our flesh to perform it (3a).
2. God accomplished our salvation for us by sending His Son Jesus Christ to be our representative in life and death (3b).
3. Jesus Christ won the victory over sin and death and fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law for us (3c–4a).
4. As beneficiaries of this grace of God, believers in Christ Jesus now live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and not under the pull of our sinful flesh (4b).
Main Idea: We can’t keep the Law, so Christ fulfilled it for us in his life and death, so that we might now live without condemnation in the realm of the Holy Spirit.

"Know Why You Believe": Introduction

Know Why You BelieveBy K. Scott Oliphant
Introduction
What is this study about?
In this study we are essentially doing “Apologetics.”
Apologetics – “a defense”
An example would be Paul’s defense before the Jews in Acts 22.
We are defending what we believe and offering reasons why others should believe as well.
1 Peter 3:15-16
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
“Always be prepared to give an answer”
More literally “be ready always with an “apology.”
Apology – not in our standard usage of saying “sorry,” but a defense, a reasoned answer for our Christian hope.
Peter’s audience was a group of scattered and persecuted Christians, probably living during the time of the reign of Caesar Nero (A.D. 62-64)
They needed to know in their hearts why they believed and were willing to die, but they also needed to be ready to explain that hope to others.
“In your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.”
The emphasis in the statement is on the “Lord.”
Peter wanted his readers to be firm in their conviction of the absolute lordship of Christ.
“Always be prepared to give an answer.”
Ready always with “an apologetic” (a defense).
Addressed to all Christians
What do we need to be prepared?
The Bible is the primary tool used to defend our faith and give reasons to others for our hope in Christ.
“To anyone who asks for a reason”
“Reason” is the Greek word logos (λόγος) or “word.” It is also where we get our English word “logic” from. In this context we are to be ready to give “a reasoned word” or “a logical, reasoned response” for our Christian hope.
Our ultimate “reason” is the reality of the Triune God. Christianity’s “logic” begins with the reality of God.
Without God and his Word, we really can’t understand anything in his universe.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." (C. S. Lewis)
As we give our reasons, we draw them from Scripture.
Scripture alone has the power of God to change hearts and minds.
It ultimately does not depend on our speaking ability, intelligence, or logical persuasion. It depends on God’s Spirit through his Word.
“With gentleness and respect”
Even to those who persecute and mock and slander, our reasoned apologetic from Scripture should be clear but gentle and respectful.
Order of the Study
We begin with Scripture, because it is God’s Word and by it we know him and his will.
We then will discuss why we believe in the Triune God of the Bible.
All the topics are important, but the first two (God and the Bible) are foundational.
Two Final Thoughts
One concession: There is no amount of evidence, or discussion, or argument that will, by itself, change anyone’s mind to a belief in Christianity. Christianity is only properly understood by knowing and trusting Jesus Christ. It is ultimately a work of grace.
One challenge: While reading the book, there may be things you simply cannot believe. If so, ask yourself this question: “What am I trusting in that will not allow me to believe this?” We all trust in something—or in some things.
Do I believe this? Why or why not?

"Bread from Heaven" (Exodus 16:1-36)

“Bread from Heaven” (Exodus 16:1–36)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, January 21, 2018
Exodus 16:1–36 (NIV)
16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’ ”
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer  for each person you have in your tent.’ ”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 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.’ ”
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 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.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.  It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’ ”
33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
36 (An omer is one-tenth of an ephah.)
1. Rebellion against the Lord indicates a lack of faith (1–8).
⦁ They doubted the Lord’s power.⦁ They doubted the Lord’s goodness.⦁ They doubted the Lord’s faithfulness to his word. ⦁ They distorted reality.
⦁ They overemphasized the helplessness of their current situation. ⦁ They overidealized their past condition.
2. Receive the Lord’s gracious provision with an awakened faith (9–20).
⦁ The Lord awakened their faith by revealing his glory to them (v. 10).⦁ The Lord awakened their faith by providing abundantly for their needs.⦁ The Lord awakened their faith by providing for them daily (and only daily).
3. Rest in the Lord’s provision as an exercise in faith (21–30).
4. Remember the Lord’s provision to rekindle faith (31–36).
Main Idea: Our God is powerful, good, and faithful, who provides and guides. We need to receive his provision, rest in that provision, and remember that provision, so that we do not rebel against him in a lack of faith.

"The Case for Life"

“The Case for Life”Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, January 21, 2018
1. Human life is precious because human beings are a special creation of God, the giver of life.
7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7, NIV)
2. Human life is precious because human beings were made in the image of God and are afforded dignity and worth.
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. (Genesis 1:26-27, NIV)
5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. 6 "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. (Genesis 9:5-6, NIV)
3. Human life is precious because human beings were chosen by God to rule over the world and nurture and cultivate civilization for the glory of God.
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." (Genesis 1:26, NIV)
4. All human life is precious, including the lives of the unborn, who are the most vulnerable and helpless.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psa 139:13-16 NIV)
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jer 1:4-5 NIV)
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. (Luk 1:14-16 NIV)
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luk 1:39-41 NIV)
22 "If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (Exo 21:22-25 NIV)

"No Condemnation" (Romans 8:1-2)

“No Condemnation” (Romans 8:1–2) Pastor Cameron Jungels Eastside Baptist Church Sunday AM, January 14, 2018Romans 8:1–2 (NIV) 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Greatest Chapter in the Bible?Therefore…(Romans 5:1, NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,(Romans 5:9-10, NIV) Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!(Romans 5:18-21, NIV) Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. 20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.1.    Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are not condemned!2.    The Holy Spirit (through Christ) has set us free from the power/reign of sin and death.
a.    Free from the penalty of sin = death (justification). b.    Free from the power of sin (sanctification).
(Romans 6:1-2, NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?(Romans 6:6-7, NIV) For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.Implications: a.    We are viewed judicially by God as not condemned. b.    Because we have been set free from the power of sin, we are now empowered to live a new life. Main Idea: As believers in Christ, we are not going to be condemned by sin, and in the present we don’t have to live in sin. We have been forgiven, and we have been set free.

"God, Where Are You?" (Psalm 10)

“God, Where Are You?” (Psalm 10)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, January 10, 2018
Psalm 10:1–18 (NIV)
1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”
7 His mouth is full of lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.
8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
9 like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees.”
12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
1. God, where are you when evil is running rampant? (1–11)
2. God, please arise and act on behalf of the oppressed! (12–15)
3. God, I believe you are the just and righteous King who defends the oppressed (16–18).

"Water in the Wilderness" (Exodus 15:22-27)

“Water in the Wilderness” (Exodus 15:22–27)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, January 7, 2018
Exodus 15:22–27 (NIV)
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. ) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
1. The Lord tests his redeemed people (22–23).
2. The Lord graciously hears the cries of his redeemed people and provides (24–25).
3. The Lord expects the obedience of his redeemed people (25–26).
4. The Lord refreshes and restores his redeemed people (27).
Main Idea: God tests us through troubles and trials so that we might learn that God is ‘the LORD who heals you.’ This growing faith fuels obedience to our Redeeming God.

"Not under Law, but under Grace" (Romans 7:13-25)

“Not under Law, but under Grace” (Romans 7:13–25)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, January 7, 2018
Romans 7:13–25 (NIV)
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
1. In Romans 7:13–25, Paul is describing the frustrating experience of a God-fearing Jew seeking to obey God’s Law in the power of the flesh.
2. But Christians are no longer under the Law, but under Grace. Therefore, we do not seek to obey God in the power of the flesh but in the power of the Spirit (6:14; 7:4–6).
3. So, what is the New Covenant Christian’s relationship to the Law of Moses then?
a. All of Scripture, including the Law of Moses, is God’s Word and is useful for the instruction of the believer (2 Tim 3:16–17).b. Our relationship to the Law, however, is different under the New Covenant. Something has changed. This is a new era.c. The primary authority for Christians in this age is not the Law of Moses, but it is the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.d. This does not mean that Christians have no written revelation to guide our moral decisions. The NT and the “law of Christ” provide certain commands that Christians are to obey.e. What do we do with OT commands?
i. It is not as simple as dividing up the Law of Moses into moral, ceremonial, and civic laws. The OT never makes this distinction. The Law is viewed as a unity.ii. The Law of Moses also included the penalties and judgments for breaking the written laws.iii. The primary lens through which to view the Law of Moses and the entire Old Testament is through the Lens of Christ and the Gospel.
1. Anything having to do with the tabernacle/temple; priesthood; sacrifices has been fulfilled in Christ’s cross work.2. Anything intended to keep the Israelites set apart from the nations as a distinct people has been set aside because the Gospel is inclusive of all peoples, and we are all one in Christ.3. Anything specifically reaffirmed in the New Testament from the Old is still binding on the Christian’s conscience (such as most of the 10 commandments).4. Specific Laws that have been set aside in the NT (such as circumcision or the food laws) are no longer binding on the Christian’s conscience.5. Other laws that are not specifically addressed in the NT are to be read through the lens of Christ’s cross work and the inclusion of all peoples into one people of God.
iv. The Old Testament is still of great profit to the Christian.
1. It provides the foundation for understanding the New Testament.2. It serves as a prophetic witness to the coming of Christ and his fulfillment of the Old Testament (Matt 5:17).3. Many of the specific Old Testament laws can serve as case studies in how to apply New Covenant morality.
a. For example, the laws regarding personal injury in Exodus 21, provide useful guidance on how to continue to apply the law of love of neighbor.b. For example, the specific laws regarding sexual immorality in the OT fill out the NT’s general prescriptions against sexual immorality.
 

"God and His Word in Times of Trouble" (Psalm 119:121-128)

“God and His Word in Times of Trouble” (Psalm 119:121–128)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, December 31, 2017
Psalm 119:121–128, NIV121 I have done what is righteous and just;           do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Ensure your servant's well-being;           do not let the arrogant oppress me. 123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,           looking for your righteous promise. 124 Deal with your servant according to your love           and teach me your decrees. 125 I am your servant; give me discernment           that I may understand your statutes. 126 It is time for you to act, LORD;           your law is being broken. 127 Because I love your commands           more than gold, more than pure gold, 128 and because I consider all your precepts right,           I hate every wrong path.
 
1. We are reminded in times of trouble, that we can put our hope in God to do what is just and right (v. 121-22).
2. We are reminded in times of trouble, that God's timing is not always the timing that we would want (vv. 123, 126).
3. We are reminded in times of trouble, that we belong to God and can trust in his unfailing love (v. 124).
4. We are reminded in times of trouble, that God's word (his commands) must maintain a central place of importance in our lives (vv. 124c, 125, 126).
5. We are reminded in times of trouble, that God's word must remain the guide of our lives for every decision we make (v. 128).

“The Good News of the Messiah” (Isaiah 61:1–3)

“The Good News of the Messiah” (Isaiah 61:1–3)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, December 24, 2017
 
Isaiah 61:1–3 (NIV)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
 
 
The Messiah’s Authority.
 
The Messiah’s Proclamation.
 
The Messiah’s Mission.

“Pierced for Our Transgressions” (Isaiah 53:4–6)

“Pierced for Our Transgressions” (Isaiah 53:4–6)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday PM, December 24, 2017
 
Isaiah 53 (NIV)
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
 
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
 
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
 
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
 

“Song by the Sea” (Exodus 15:1–21)

“Song by the Sea” (Exodus 15:1–21)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday PM, December 17, 2017
 
Exodus 15:1–21 (NIV)
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.
 
2 “The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep waters have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.
6 Your right hand, Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
shattered the enemy.
 
7 “In the greatness of your majesty
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;
it consumed them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils
the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy boasted,
‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 Who among the gods
is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?
 
12 “You stretch out your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.
13 In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
14 The nations will hear and tremble;
anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,
the people of Canaan will melt away;
16  terror and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone—
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought  pass by.
17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,
the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.
 
18 “The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.”
 
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.”
 
 
The Lord is worthy of our praise in song (1–5) …
 
…Because he has redeemed his people (6–11) …
 
…And provided a dwelling place for them in his presence (12–18).
 
Main Idea: The Lord is worthy of our praise, because he has redeemed us and provided a dwelling place for us in his presence.