The Davidic Covenant | A Sermon on 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Introduction
One of the things I love about Dalton is being able to look east and see Fort Mountain pointing toward the sky.  You can clearly see it even though it’s 20 miles away.  Driving there takes about 30 minutes because there’s a lot of twists and turns on the way.  Though you can clearly see the mountain peak, there’s a lot you can’t see between us and the mountain.

That’s the way God’s story in the Bible is too.  There are mountain peak moments that are easy to see, but then there’s a lot of twists and turns in between.  The five covenants of God we’ve been studying highlight the mountain peaks of Scripture.

I challenge you to memorize these five covenants.  In the beginning of the story, Adam and Eve disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit, which caused them to fall out of relationship with God.  And the fall inflicted deep and deadly spiritual wounds upon them and all creation, corrupting the nature of everything that God started as perfect.  But God didn't give up on us.  Over the course of thousands of years, God set about rescuing humanity and creation from sin.  The five covenants are the main steps of that process.  Starting with Noah, God sent a flood to wash away the world and start over.  Then, God called Abraham to leave his homeland and go to the promised land where God would multiply his discendents into a great nation and make Abraham a blessing to all the world.  Then, in the Mosaic covenant, God gave His rules for living to a chosen people to the Israeltes so they would serve as God's representatives so the whole world would know Him.  Today, we will learn about the Davidic Covenant. and next week we will study the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.

2 Samuel 7:1-2
¹ When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, ² the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

What is David talking about here?  You may remember that when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt they became nomads wandering in the dessert, God chose to live in a tent too.  He instructed the Israelites to build Him a sacred tent called the Tabernacle where they could meet God and worship Him.  But by David's time, the people lived in cities with houses.  But God still lived in a tent.  So David thought, "That's not right.  God needs a house."

But something else may have been going on too.  David was worried about his legacy.  And when he looked around at the kings of the surrounding territories--Egypt and Mesopotamia--these royal families built great monuments and temples.  David was trying to secure his legacy by doing the same thing.  S David says, "I will build my God a temple too."

2 Samuel 7:3-17
³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,

⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? ⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

What’s Really Going On?
Just on the surface of things, this is already a fascinating Word from the Lord.  David wants to build God a house.  That’s no small thing!  How do you build a “house” for the infinite, almighty God of the universe.  Issaiah 66:1 says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.  Where is the house you will build for me?”  God doesn’t need a house.  But we often want a house where we can put Him and keep Him and meet with Him (and maybe then walk away and keep somethings separate from Him for a little while).

God Humbles David
On the surface, God humbles David.  God reminds David of his humble beginnings as a shepherd. God took David from the fields and appointed him as the leader of His people.  David’s royal position is not of his own making but a result of God’s divine choice and guidance. Every one of David’s victories is a testament to God’s power.  God grounds David in humility, teaching him to rely on God rather than his own abilities or ambitions, and reinforcing that God is the true architect of Israel’s future.  (Don’t we all need to be reminded to be humble from time to time—to remember that our success—or failure—isn’t totally up to us.  Success comes for the faithful from God and God should receive the glory.)

God Establishes David’s Dynasty
But though this rebuke, God also establishes David’s dynasty.  God is gracious and, through some ironic wordplay, God basically says, “You’re not going to build me a house.  No, I’m going to build you a house!”  When David said house, he meant a temple but when God said house he meant would build David’s dynasty.

Verses 11-13 say, “[I] will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name.”  And we know that is exactly what happened, just as God said.  David’s heir, Solomon, was the one who would build God’s Temple in Jerusalem.  But’s that’s just what’s happening on the surface.  Something deeper is also happening.

God Promises the Messiah
God is not just talking about David’s literal son Solomon here.  God is also talking about a “son” who will come from David’s royal lineage—the Messiah.  In verse 14, God says, “I will be his father, and he will be my son.”  Who is God’s son?  Jesus!

And in verse 13, God said, “And I will secure his royal throne forever.”  Who rules on the throne forever?  Jesus!

So on the surface, God is telling David that his son, Solomon, will build God’s Temple—which he did.  But on a deeper level, God is telling David (and everyone), another man will come out of David’s royal line whose Kingdom will last forever who will build God’s eternal Temple.  Jesus referred to this in the New Testament when His detractors demanded a sign and He said:  “Tear down this Temple and in three days I will rebuild it.  They thought He mean the physical Temple in Jerusalem and that he was crazy because the Temple took decades to build.  But Jesus was talking about His body.  And remember, that’s what happened:  they tore down Jesus’ body (the True Temple) and in three days, God raised it again. 

Will God Be Faithful?
This is quite a covenant promise!  Now, it is one thing to make a promise.  It is quite another to see it through.  Will God keep His covenant promise?  Let’s look at the history to see.

Things start out well.  David remains on the throne until his death from old age.  His son Solomon ascends to the throne, has a long peaceful and prosperous rule and also died of old age.  (Always a good thing for a king to die of old age and not after a rebellion or a enemy attack).  And, Solomon builds God’s Temple in Jerusalem.  Then, after Solomon, Israel has a civil war, but despite lots of struggles, a descendent of David’s royal line remains on the throne in Jerusalem (the southern Kingdom) for four centuries until the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem & the Temple in 586 BC and they dragged the Jews into exile.

“But, I thought God said David’s royal line would last forever.”  Yes.  That is God’s promise.  According to the Word of God, the Bible, the royal line of David did not end after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem.  Through the miraculous power of God, the line of David’s royal descendants
survived the exile of the Jews in Babylon and continued through the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments right down until Jesus was born. Jesus, the Messiah, was born of the virgin Mary, who was the last descendent of King David.  Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, was also a descendent of David.  And fulfilling God’s covenant promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:14 when God said, “I will be his father, and he will be my son”, Jesus is the Son of God, conceived through the Holy Spirit.

That’s Quite a Story. Is it True?
That’s quite a story.  But is it true? [pause]
Well, that’s what you have to decide.  That is where faith comes in.  Do you believe it or not?

Some do not believe it.  Some think this is all just a myth, too incredible to be true.  Carl Marx said, “Religion is the opium of the people.”  In other words, Christianity is just a drug we use to dull the pain of suffering in an injustice world.  But I say, look at the transformative power of genuine faith in Christ. Rather than being a drug to dull the pain, Christianity addresses the root causes of human suffering—sin, brokenness, and alienation from God—and it offers hope, purpose, and redemption.

Looking back over the last 2,000 years since Christ was born, died on the cross, and rose again, we see the power of faith in His Eternal Kingdom.  It inspired Christians from Polycarp in 2^nd century Smyrna to Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1945 Nazi Germany to Martin Luther King, Jr in 1968 America to live by faith and stand up against tyranny and injustice and work to bring God’s Kingdom on Earth.  Against all odds, they stood up for truth and justice, grace and redemption, and they won!  Even in death, they won!  And faith in Christ has helped countless others boldly face the struggles like loneliness, the death of loved ones, illnesses like cancer and addiction, all in hopes of Christ’s eternal Kingdom to come.  And people who should be defeated and destroyed are victoriously renewed against all odds.  So yes!  I believe!

But, each person must decide.  Is it true?  Has God been faithful? 
Did He fulfill His covenant with David in Jesus?  Is Christ the Messiah? 
Is Jesus really Lord of all?  Is He really worthy of all the glory we give Him?

I believe it’s true.  It’s changed my life and is changing my life. 
I know I will spend eternity with God in the Kingdom of God forever.
I know I will see my friends and loved ones who died in Christ.
I know all that is wrong in our world will be made right.  We are already working on it.
And I know that those who reject Lord Jesus will spend eternity separated from God,
for only those who accept Him as Lord can enter into the Kingdom of God.

But that’s my faith.  What is yours?
Won’t you put your faith in Jesus today?  I pray you will.

The Mosaic Covenant, Passover, and Communion | A Sermon on Exodus 19:5-6

Introduction
In the Bible, God made 5 covenants with humanity.  I challenge you to memorize them because it will help you remember a simple outline of the Bible and God's plan to rescue humanity.  The 5 covenants are the covenants of:  1) Noah, 2) Abraham, 3) Moses, 4) David, and 5) Jesus.

Today we will explore God’s covenant with Israel through Moses, but first let's do a pop quiz as an overview of the biblical story leading up to the Mosaic covenant  You'll find the answers in the pictures at the end of this blog.
Abraham’s son was:  A. Tom  B. David  C. Isaac  D.  Israel

Isaac’s Son Was:  A. Jack  B. Harold  C. Jacob  D. Israel

How Many Sons Did Jacob (aka Israel) have?  A. Three B. Seven  C. Ten  D. Twelve

What was the name of Jacob’s Son Who Was Sold Into Slavery?  
A. Joseph  B. Judah  C. Benjamin  D. Joshua

How Long Were the Israelites in Slavery in Egypt?

A. 40 Years  B. 400 Years  C. 100 Years  D. 1000 Years

Who Did God Use to Deliver the Israelites from Slavery?

A. Jesus  B. Joseph  C. Moses  D. Jacob

How Many Plagues Did God Send on the Egyptians?

A. Three  B. Seven  C. Ten  D. Twelve

What Special Meal Did God Give the Israelites to Remember His Deliverance?

A. Thanksgiving  B. Hannukah  C. Yom Kippor  D. Passover

Now, let's read about the day God instructed the Israelites to remember His covenant with them by celebrating the Passover.

Exodus 12:17, 24-27
¹⁷ “Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation.

²⁴ “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. ²⁵ When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. ²⁶ Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ ²⁷ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.

God’s Covenant with Moses
As we remember the 5 covenants God made with people as part of His grand rescue plan to save the world from sin, we come to the covenant God made with Israel through Moses.  This should be a familiar story.  God saved Israel through a series of 10 plagues, culminating in the death of every first-born son in Egypt that was not sheltered in a house whose doorpost was painted with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. 

Afterward, God commanded Israel to observe the Passover feast every year to remember their deliverance from Egypt establishing them as His chosen people.  The Passover was both a celebration of freedom and a reminder of Israel’s covenant relationship with God—a commitment that would require obedience, holiness, and faithfulness.

The Passover is rich with covenant elements that point to God’s commitment and Israel’s role as His chosen people.  There are promises and obligations: God promised to delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt (and He did) and His promised to bless them, protect them, and provide for them.  If Israel was faithful, God would take care of them in every way.  Israel’s obligation was to obey God, live righteously, and worship Him alone.  The people of Israel were to be God’s holy priests—representing God to the whole world.

The celebration of Passover every year was one of the signs of God’s covenant.  The blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts was a sign that distinguished Israel from Egypt, marking them as God’s protected people.  And every year Israel celebrated the Passover meal, it reminded them of their covenant with God as well witnessing to their non-Israelites neighbors.

Additionally, the many unique and (to us) odd ritual laws God gave Israel testified to non-Israelites that Israel was different.  No pork (in a world of subsistence farming…) Circumcision…

Israel’s covenant included blessings and curses.  If Israel was obedient, God would bless them.  If they neglected their call, they would be cut off from God’s favor and protection.

A summary of the covenant between God and Israel was written down on two stone tablets (the ten Commandments).  The tablets were kept in the Ark of the Covenant—which represented God’s throne on earth. The Ark, with the tablets inside, were kept in the most holy place—first in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple in Jerusalem.  The full covenant was written down in the Torah scrolls (the Law of Moses).  The full covenant was read publicly at least every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This practice reminded the people of God’s laws and renewed their commitment to the covenant.

Israel’s Role as God’s Royal Priests
God said of Israel, “...you will be my treasured possession...a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6).  God didn’t just save Israel for Israel’s sake—He called them to be a light to the nations, a witness to His power, faithfulness, and love.  Their covenant relationship came with a mission: they were chosen, not to be exclusive, but to represent God’s holiness, justice, and mercy to the world. 

Some Foreigners God Included as His Chosen People
And we find again and again, God welcomed foreign people into the Kingdom of Israel as long as they were willing to give up their false God’s and worship the God of Israel alone.  Among these were Ruth (a Moabite), Rahab (a Canaanite prostitute), Uriah (a Hittite), Caleb (a Kenezzite), and Naaman (an Aramean).  There was even Egyptians who left Egypt with the Israeltes, adopting the practices of Israel and living among them as God’s chosen people (Exodus 12:38). 

The Church – The New Kingdom of God
God’s plan has always been for the whole world, but He started with one people—the Israelites.  As Christians, we recognize that the ancient covenant with Israel points toward the church’s mission today. While modern Israel is a nation with its own history and politics, it is not the same as biblical Israel. The Church now serves as God’s chosen people in a spiritual sense, called to be a “royal priesthood” and a “holy nation”.Listen to 1 Peter 2:9 – Speaking to Christians, Peter said, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

Christians are not confined to just one country.  We are spread throughout the whole world.  There are Christians in America and in Pakistan, Africa, Guatemala, North & South Korea, China, Russia and Ukraine.  And like yeast in a loaf of dough, Christians are sometimes hidden or seem insignificant, but we make all the difference when we are faithful to our covenant to follow Christ and live as salt and light in a dark and unsavory world.

Just as ancient Israel was set apart, the Church is called to live in a way that honors God and draws others to Him, embodying the love, forgiveness, and justice that Christ demonstrated.

Choosing to Remember and Live in Covenant
The Passover was a reminder that Israel’s identity was grounded in God’s deliverance, not in their own efforts or accomplishments. Each year, they remembered the cost of their freedom and God’s ongoing commitment.

When Jesus gathered His disciples for the Last Supper, He celebrated Passover, but He gave it new meaning. He presented Himself as the Passover lamb, whose blood would bring deliverance—not just from physical slavery but from sin and death.  This New Covenant, sealed by Jesus’ sacrifice, fulfills and surpasses the covenant through Moses.  For Christians, Communion becomes the sign of this covenant, replacing Passover as our way of remembering God’s deliverance.

For Christians, remembering our identity in Christ helps us stay grounded. We are called to live in a way that reflects the reality of our deliverance from sin and death, continually reminding us that we belong to God.

Holy Communion
As we come to the Lord’s table today, we remember that we are part of a covenant sealed by Christ’s blood. Communion isn’t just a ritual; it’s a reminder that Christians have been delivered, chosen, and called to live as God’s people in this world.

In Communion, we remember Christ’s sacrifice and the deliverance He brings, committing ourselves once again to live as His covenant people—a people who love, serve, and witness to His goodness.

Just as God called Israel to remember their deliverance from Egypt, He calls us to remember our deliverance in Christ. As we celebrate Communion, we declare that we belong to God, saved by His grace, called to live in holiness and love.  And we also remember our commitment to follow Jesus—to be His royal ambassadors, to share His love with the world, to call people to repent of their sin, and to offer the Good News of Christ’s forgiveness and salvation to all who do.

So, let us come with grateful hearts today, remembering that God has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Through the New Covenant in Christ, we are His holy, chosen people.

 

Abraham's Covenant | A Sermon on Genesis 12:1-3

Introduction
As I write this, we just "fell back" one hour on our clocks for daylight savings time.  Have you ever wondered why there are twelve numbers on a clock face?  Why not ten?  The reason goes back over 4,000 years to the Sumerian Empire.  The Sumerians counted to twelve on their fingers.  Yes, they had 10 fingers just like us, but they counted the knuckles on their fingers instead of the fingers themselves.  If you look at your hand, you will see the fingers (excluding the thumb) has three knuckles (or creases) on each finger.  If you use your thumb to point to and count each crease, you will count to twelve on each hand.  So, the based their number system on twelve instead of ten like us.  And

by their reckoning, there were twelve hours of daylight (one hand) and twelve ours of night (the other hand).  And that is why today, we still have the tradition of twelve hours of day and night adding up to 24 hours.  It is also the reason there are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour (60 is divisible by 12).  And it is also the reason we have 12 months in a year.

The Sumerian empire was the cradle of civilization nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.  It is near where the Biblical Garden of Eden is described to have been

located.  We have a lot for which to thank the Sumerians.  They invented the wheel, cities, writing, and the rule of law to govern civilization.  

The reason I mention all this is because a man three major world religions revere was from the ancient city of Ur in the Sumerian empire.  We call him Father Abraham, though he was called Abram before God changed his name to Abraham.

Genesis 12:1-3
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

God’s Rescue Plan
We are studying the five great covenants in the Bible that reveal God’s plan to rescue humanity from the brokenness of sin. Last week, we learned when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, they "fell" from grace.  They became spiritually broken (along with all humanity and all creation).  We used the analogy of a of a mountain climber who fell 100 feet in a climbing accident.  He is severely injured, but still alive.  His rescue and recovery will be long and arduous, recurring a life flight rescue, ICU treatment and a long stay in a hospital with multiple emergency surgeries.  Then, even if he survives all that, there will be a long healing process with lots of physical therapy before the injured climber can return to a normal life.  

Similarly, God's rescue plan for humanity is a long and difficult process that has taken thousands of years and many different steps, which we can corelate to the different covenants in the Bible.

Today, we look at God’s covenant with Abraham.  In a covenant, there are promises and there are responsibilities.  God’s promises to Abraham:  I will make you into a great nation.  I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.  These are promises that are appealing to Abraham and that tells us some about Abraham's character: he wanted to be a blessing to others.  

Most people are self centered.  We would find God's promises to bless Abraham and make him a great nation appealing.  But not everyone would be as enticed by the promises to use us to be a blessing to others.  But Abraham did want to be a blessing to others and God made a covenant with him.

God’s ask for Abraham was: “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.”  Now, the reason I started by telling you how great Sumeria was is because I wanted you to understand something about what God was asking Abraham to give up.  Leaving his relatives and his father's family would be difficult.  But Abraham would also be walking away from the greatest, most advanced civilization on earth at the time.  Abraham would be giving it all up for the unknown.  God didn't even tell Abraham where he was going.  He just said for a land He would show him.  

Let’s think about why God would ask Abraham to leave his home in the wealthy Sumerian empire and go to the unknown land of Canaan to receive His blessings. These reasons matter for our own journeys of faith, too.

1. It Requires Faith in God
Leaving behind the comforts, security, and success of Ur meant Abraham had to rely completely on God. This journey wasn’t easy; it was an act of trust and obedience. Abraham showed he was willing to put his faith in God above any human security.

Like Abraham, sometimes God asks us to leave behind our “comfort zones” and trust Him fully. Maybe that means stepping into a new role, forgiving someone, or starting a project we’re unsure of. Faith means trusting that God is with us, even when we don’t have all the answers. 

2. It Forms a New Identity
God wasn’t just calling Abraham to a new place; He was calling him to a new life and purpose as the father of a chosen people. Leaving Ur meant letting go of its influences and forming a new identity based on worshiping the one true God.

When we follow God, we’re called to live differently, letting go of influences that pull us away from Him. Our faith should shape our actions, relationships, and even our purpose. Who we are in Christ becomes our true identity, guiding us in every part of our lives.  This may be extremely important for us all to remember this week during the presidential election.  Let’s remember that our true identity isn’t found in a political party, a leader, or even our nation.  Our identity as Christian is in Christ alone. No matter the outcome, we belong to Him, and our hope rests securely in His unchanging love and purpose for us.

3. It Set Abraham Apart for a Divine Mission
Moving to Canaan separated Abraham from a society filled with idols and complex politics. In this simpler place, Abraham and his descendants could focus on their relationship with God, staying faithful to His covenant without the distractions of a worldy empire.

God calls us to be “set apart” too, living in a way that honors Him even when it’s different from the world around us. Staying true to God’s mission for us means choosing His ways over what culture might tell us to value. This means focusing more on love, humility, dependence on God, and service than status or success.

4. It Kept Abraham Humble
Canaan wasn’t powerful or prosperous like Ur. God brought Abraham to Canaan to keep him humble and grounded. God wanted Abraham to rely on Him, not on wealth or status, as He blessed and built Abraham’s family.

God sometimes places us in humbling situations so we can learn to rely on Him. It can be easy to think we’re strong on our own, but true blessing and growth come from depending on God’s strength, not our own. Humility reminds us to stay close to God, especially when He blesses us.

5. Israel as the Center of the World
The Promised Land, Canaan, what would eventually become Israel, sits at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe--where three continents come together. This location made it central to major empires for thousands of years. Moving Abraham here set the stage for God’s salvation plan for the whole world, as Abraham’s descendants would grow into a nation that shines God’s light to all.

Just as God placed Israel at a crossroads, He places each of us in unique places to influence those around us. Whether it’s at work, school, home, or church, God has a purpose for where we are right now, using us to reflect His love and truth to others.

Saints Among Us
I am who I am today because of so many people of faith who influenced me.  I originally thought I might share a touching story about someone who , because of their faith in God and gracious love, helped shape me.  But then I thought, who would a name.  There have been so many!  Would I tell of my mom or me grandma?  Or what about my karate instructor or a pastor or Sunday school teacher.  There were even people who didn't know me well, but who said an encouraging word that made all the difference.  And then, there have been so many anonymous people who have helped that I'm not even aware of.  If I tried to name them all, it would take too long and I would certainly leave someone out.  But the point is, I have been shaped by many saints in my life.  And you have too.  And we are called to be saints to others as well.  Like Abraham, God has blessed us to be a blessing to others.  But we have to have the faith to follow Jesus and god where God sends us.  Sometimes, we even have to have the faith to walk away from something we've known and trusted in order to trust God more and enter the Promised Land He has for us.

All Saints Celebration
As we close today, we have the privilege to remember and honor the saints who have gone before us.  In our tradition, “saints” refers to all persons who were saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  In other words, all Christians. 

Hebrews 12:1 says, “we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith…”  They are cheering us on as we run our race of faith.  And we recognize and honor them today.

Instructions:
First, we will read the names of two saints who passed away over the last year who were members of our church.  We will say their name and ring a bell as people stand in their memory.

Then, we will allow you to name any person who has passed that you would like to remember and honor as a saint.  We will ring the bell as you stand in their memory.

Finally, we will remember that all who repent of their sins and follow Jesus as Lord are saints.
But first, let us pray:

“Lord, we gather in gratitude today, remembering the saints who have walked before us and the faithful among us today. May their lives of faith inspire and strengthen us as we carry on the work You have given to each of us.”

Members:

Helen Gross
Feb 13, 1932  -  Feb 10, 2024

Lorene Smith
Mar 8, 1942 - Sept 24, 2024

Others:
At this time, we invite you to stand and name a person who has passed that you would like to remember and honor as a saint.  We will ring the bell as you stand in their memory.

All:
Today, I would also like to honor each of you, the living saints who carry the faith and hope of the gospel into our world. You are the church, God’s people, called and loved, bearing witness to His love and grace.  Therefore, please stand, all of you (if you are able).

“May the light of Christ guide you and may the faith of all saints inspire you. Live as the beloved community, serving, loving, and carrying the hope of Christ into a world that needs His light. Amen.”  

Living in Covenant with God | A Sermon on Noah from Genesis 9:8-17

Introduction
Kids sometimes say to each other: “Cross my heart and hope to die.  Stick a needle in my eye.”  It’s a way of saying: “You can trust me.  I’m telling the truth” or “I will keep my word.”  We all want to be able to trust others are telling the truth or will keep their word, but we’ve learned from experience:  not everyone does.

For thousands of years, people used covenants to make important promises to each other.  Sometimes covenants were between equal partners.  One king might say to another king:  “If your enemy attacks you, I’ll come help you.  If my enemy attacks me, you come help me.  And if I break our covenant, may I suffer divine curses!”  Sometimes covenants were made between powerful emperors and their vassals: “If you serve me as a faithful subject, I’ll protect you and treat you fair. 
But if you rebel against me, I will destroy you and everything you love!”

In the Bible, God made covenants with people to build, repair, and strengthen His relationship with them. These agreements show that He wants to be close to people, even though they make mistakes and do wrong things. Covenants also give people guidance on how to live in peace with God and each other.

God’s Rescue Plan
I once heard the true story of two men who went rock climbing together out in the wilderness.  One man held the safety rope for his partner while he climbed up the side of a cliff.  But something went wrong and the safety rope failed and one man fell a hundred feet.  He was broken and severely injured, but still alive.  His partner called for help, but the rescue mission was very difficult.  A rescue team had to hike in to retrieve the injured man.  A helicopter had to life flight him to a hospital and an ICU team had to work with him for weeks to get him stabilized, perform multiple emergency surgeries to repair shattered bones and ruptured organs.  Even then, the rescue wasn't complete.  it took months for the injured climber to heal and years of physical therapy before he could walk again and begin to return to a normal life.  Today, thanks to God's healing and so many people who contributed to his rescue, that injured climber is able to work again and carry on a normal life with his family and friends.

Bible scholar and teacher, Sandra Richter, compares the way God rescued humanity from the brokenness of sin to the rescue of an injured climber--it is a long, difficult, and very costly process.  We call the original sin of Adam and Eve "the fall".  It's an apt description because after the fall, humanity (and all creation) were broken physically, mentally, and spiritually and we were unable to rescue ourselves.  We need God to save us.   

There are five covenants God made with humanity in the Bible as art of His rescue plan.  First, God made a covenant with all living creatures in the story of Noah and the flood.  Then, God made a covenant with one man, Abraham to bless his family line.  Next, God made a covenant with a people though Moses to make the Israelites His own people.  Then, God made a covenant with the Kingdom of Israel through David.  Finally, God made a new covenant to save the world from sin through Jesus.  We will go through all these covenants over the next few weeks.  But today, let’s start with Noah.

God’s Rescue Plan Starts with Noah
In Genesis 6:5, it tells us “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”  Humanity was so broken, the best thing our good, companionate, merciful, and patient God could was to start all over with creation--to wash the world clean with a flood.  God decides to start over with one man, Noah.  God instructs Noah to build an ark to save his family and pairs of all the animals.  Then God sends a great flood that destroys the earth and every living thing not in the ark.  Afterward, God makes a covenant with Noah and all creation.  Let's read it.

Genesis 9:8-17
⁸ Then God told Noah and his sons, ⁹ “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, ¹⁰ and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. ¹¹ Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”

¹² Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. ¹³ I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. ¹⁴ When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, ¹⁵ and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. ¹⁶ When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” ¹⁷ Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

God made a covenant with Noah
This is an important moment in our relationship with God. It might be understandable if God decided to give Up on humanity. We rebelled against Him for no good reason. But despite our treachery, God did not give up in us. He looks over the disgusting mess we made of His world, and God decides to save what He can. And starting with Noah, God begins to rescue the world. And He starts with a covenant. 

Components of a Covenant
A typical covenant in the Bible and the ancient world usually included these components:

1. The Parties Involved – the parties in the 1^st covenant are God and Noah & all living creatures.

2. Promises – what each party commits to.  In this 1^st covenant, God will not destroy the earth with a flood verse 11.  People will not murder and will be fruitful and multiply and repopulate the earth (verses 5-7)

3. Consequences – Specifies the blessings for obedience and the penalties for breaking the covenant.  God says He “will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life.” (verse 5)

4. A Sign – to serve as a tangible reminder of the agreement.  What was the sign of God’s covenant with Noah?  The rainbow.  In the ancient world, it was common to carve a picture into a stone monument as a sign of a covenant between a conquering king and the people he conquered…

5. Witnesses – In the first covenant, God and all living things are witnesses to the promise.

What God’s Covenant with Noah Teaches Us
God’s covenant with Noah teaches us something important:  God is faithful, even when the world around us is not.  God kept His promise to Noah, and He continues to keep His promises to us today.  But this covenant also challenges us to live as people who reflect that same faithfulness.  In a world where broken promises are common—where commitments are often abandoned when things get hard—we are to be true to our word.

Think about the promises you’ve made. Maybe it’s to your spouse, your kids, or a friend.  Maybe it’s a promise you made to God—something you committed to in prayer or during a tough time. These promises matter.  Just as God’s word never fails, He calls us to be people who keep our word.

The truth is, being faithful isn’t always easy. There will be times when it’s tempting to walk away from commitments—when relationships feel too hard, when life gets overwhelming, or when sticking to your word feels inconvenient. But it’s in those moments that faithfulness becomes a powerful witness. When you keep your promises, even when it’s hard, you show the world a glimpse of God’s character.  You reflect His truth and reliability in a world that desperately needs both.

So, how can you live out faithfulness today?  Maybe it means forgiving someone you’ve been holding a grudge against because you promised to love as Jesus loves.  Maybe it means staying committed to a relationship that’s difficult right now.  Or maybe it’s about showing up and following through on the small promises you’ve made, even when no one else notices.

Faithfulness in small things adds up to a life that points others to God.  When we are faithful with what we say and do, we become part of God’s ongoing story of redemption—reflecting His goodness and reliability to those around us.

As we leave today, I challenge you to ask: What promises have I made that I need to keep? How can I be more faithful in my relationships and commitments? Remember, we serve a God who never breaks His promises—and He calls us to live with that same kind of faithfulness.

Rainbow Ceremony
As we close today, I want to invite you to come to the altar while the praise band sings.  The are pens and slips of paper on the altar.  Each paper has a rainbow on it and it says:  Write down one promise to God you intend to always keep.

I invite each of you to come to the altar and pray for a moment about the promises you’ve made.
And then I invite you to write down one promise to God you intend to always keep.  Then, take the slip of paper with you and put it someone where it will always remind you of your promise, just like the rainbow in the sky reminds us of God’s promise.

Free Will - Reflections from Eden | A Sermon on Genesis 3

Introduction
Last Sunday, we learned God designed us to be good stewards of His creation and all that He entrusts to our care.  Everyone in church last Sunday received a $5 bill and was asked to pray about how they could use the $5 to bless someone.  How did you use your $5 “talent” to be a blessing?  Don’t forget to place your stewardship survey on the altar today.  I look forward to reading how everyone used their talent.

Today, we are going to read about free will in Genesis 3.  God wants us to be able to love Him and love cannot be coerced.  It must be freely given.  So, God created us with free will, the ability to make choices freely, without being forced, allowing people to decide between right and wrong.  Of course, the freedom to love and obey God also comes with the possibility people will choose to hate and disobey Him.  All this plays out with tragic consequences in Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:1-7
¹ The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

² “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. ³ “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

⁴ “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. ⁵ “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

⁶ The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. ⁷ At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

The Temptation
Our reflection from Eden takes a pivotal turn in chapter 3. The serpent, described as the shrewdest of all the wild animals, slithers onto the scene with a deceptive question: "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" (Genesis 3:1). This was no innocent question. It was designed to introduce doubt into Eve’s mind—doubt about God’s words, intentions, and authority.

Notice the serpent’s strategy: he doesn't outright deny God's command. Instead, he twists it, planting the idea that God may be holding something back from Adam and Eve. The serpent tells her in verse 5, "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." The suggestion is subtle but powerful: What if God isn’t as good as He seems? What if He’s keeping something wonderful from you?

This is the same tactic the enemy uses on us today. How often are we tempted by the thought that God’s way is too restrictive, or we’re missing out if we follow His commands? Temptation often comes disguised as something good—a chance to get ahead, pleasure, or fulfillment—convincing us that what we want is better than what God offers.

Eve was faced with a choice. She could trust God’s command, believing He knew what was best, or she could trust her own desire. In verse 6, we see the tragic moment unfold: “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it too.”

And I want to point out verse 6 says Adam was with her when all this happened.  Adam is just as guilty as Eve.  He stayed silent while Eve listened to the serpent and chose to disobey God.  And then Adam also actively disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit when Eve offered it to him.  Martin Luther King, Jr. once remarked, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”  Sometimes, our sin is not in what we say or do, but in what we don’t say or do.  Adam was silent when Eve trusted Satan and disobeyed God.  Then Adam disobeyed God and ate the fruit too.

Adam and Eve had free will and they chose disobedience. That’s the challenge with free will—it requires us to trust God’s wisdom and love Him, even when we don’t fully understand His reasons.

Genesis 3:8-24
⁸ When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. ⁹ Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

¹¹ “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”

¹² The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

¹⁴ Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this, you are cursed
    more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
    groveling in the dust as long as you live.
¹⁵ And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

¹⁶ Then he said to the woman,

“I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,
    and in pain you will give birth.
And you will desire to control your husband,
    but he will rule over you.”

¹⁷ And to the man he said,

“Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree
    whose fruit I commanded you not to eat,
the ground is cursed because of you.
    All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
¹⁸ It will grow thorns and thistles for you,
    though you will eat of its grains.
¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow
    will you have food to eat
until you return to the ground
    from which you were made.
For you were made from dust,
    and to dust you will return.”

²⁰ Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. ²¹ And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

²² Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” ²³ So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. ²⁴ After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

The Consequences
After Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, everything changed in an instant. Genesis 3:7 says, "At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves." What was once a state of innocence was replaced by guilt and shame. They become painfully aware of their vulnerability and tried to hide it.  But you can’t hide anything from God.

This is what sin does. It distorts our relationship with God, with others, and even with ourselves. Where there was once openness and trust, now there was shame, fear, and hiding. Adam and Eve’s choice broke their connection with God and corrupted everything else about the world.

And isn’t that how sin works in our own lives? When we make wrong choices, it creates distance—between us and God, between us and others, and even turmoil within our own hearts. We try to cover up our mistakes, hoping no one will notice, but deep down we know things aren’t right.

But even in the midst of this brokenness, God doesn't abandon Adam and Eve. Though they face consequences, God still cares for them.  He gives them clothing made from animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This act foreshadows the ultimate hope we have in Jesus, who would come to cover our sin and restore our broken relationship with God.  God’s grace is always at work, offering hope and restoration. The question for us is: Will we continue hiding, or will we come to God for healing?

A Touching Story
I want to end with a touching story in the Gospel Mark (5:25-34) about a woman who suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding.  Can you imagine?  I had a nose bleed once that wouldn’t stop bleeding for about 15 minutes.  Imaging bleeding for 12 years!  Not only would it be embarrassing, it would make you feel awful to constantly lose blood.  And in Jesus day, given the Jewish ceremonial laws, bleeding would make this woman an unclean outcast from society.  I’m sure she would do everything she could to hide her embarrassing problem.  But then she heard about Jesus—a man they said could heal any sickness.  A man full of love and compassion.  A man with the power and authority of God.  And the woman was faced with a choice:  keep hiding her shame or come to Jesus for healing.  She decided to seek healing from Jesus.

I’m sure this poor woman would have preferred to come see Jesus privately and ask for healing.  But Jesus was constantly surrounded by crowds so it had to be done in front of everyone.  One day, she thought If I could just touch the hem of His robe, it would heal me.  So she got on the hands and knees and crawled through the crowd and reached out and touched the hem of his robe.  And as she did, she was immediately healed. 

Jesus said to the whole crowd, “Who touched my robe?”

Mark 5:33-34 – ³³ Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

We have a choice too.  We may not be bleeding like the woman in the story, but we all have sinned.  And our sin makes us feel ashamed.  We don’t want anyone to know.  We keep our dark deeds hidden away.  But we know in our hearts we are broken.  And when we hear about Jesus, a man who can heal our sin and makes us whole and restore our relationship with God, we have a choice.  Do we keep hiding in shame or do we come to Jesus and seek healing?

Today, you have a choice.  Are you going to be like Adam and Eve who sinned and realized they were naked and then tried to hide from God?  Or are you going to be like the women who set aside her pride and crawled through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe?

We all have a choice.  God created us with free will.  How will you use your freedom today?