February Newsletter
In Search of the King – a new sermon series in 1 Samuel
It sure feels these days like everything is political. We live in a time and place where politics dominates the news, political leaders get all the attention, and where every word and action is seen as a political statement. One of the clear and present dangers for Christians in all this is that we fall into the temptation of trusting and living for human government rather than God. We need, therefore, the Word of God to correct us and shape us so that we more fully become those who love and live for the honor and glory of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
This month we begin a new five-month sermon series in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel. One of the challenges and beauties of 1 Samuel is that it does not hide from us the catastrophic results of what happens to the people of God when they turn their back on him and his ways – says God, “they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). And yet even in that catastrophic rejection we also see a glimmer of the gospel hope; that even as his own people reject him, God begins to pave the way for the coming of King Jesus. In that sense, 1 Samuel exposes for us both the horrors and hope of life in this broken world.
1 Samuel also helps us to better understand some of the major storylines that run through the Bible. For example, if you have ever wondered how the Israelite monarchy came into being or how Jerusalem became the focal point for worship or just why King David receives so much attention even in the New Testament, 1 Samuel is instructive for us. But, most critically, 1 Samuel draws us to Jesus who is the focal point of all the Scriptures – helping us to see his beauty and glory, and helping us to fit into his story.
I look forward to sitting under God’s Word with you in these upcoming months.
Joyfully yours,
Keith
View the rest of the February newsletter HERE.
View the 1 Samuel sermon schedule HERE.