Act 5 Scene 3 – Our Place in the Story

We are the actors and actresses of the 5th Act. We are to live our lives within direct continuity of the previous Acts. God has not changed the Story, but is working among His people as He has always done.

Jesus told us that we are no longer servants, but friends. And as friends, He has “made known” to us everything He has learned from the Father (John 15:15).

Accordingly, we are to walk out our lives knowing that the promises of Leviticus 26:11-12 and Ezekial 37:27 will be manifested once and for all:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”  Revelation 21:3

Audio File: Act 5 Scene 3

Sermon notes can be found on Pastor Josh’s blog.

Act 5 Scene 2 Church History

"...ask for the ancient paths..."

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” -Jeremiah 6:16

We are not alone on this journey. There have been many followers of Jesus who have walked this path before us.

Accordingly, the challenges facing the Church today are not new. Studying history and reading the testimonies of old can help us navigate rough waters before us.

Think of history as a larger version of Hebrews 11 which outlines the challenges the “ancients” overcame by faith in the Lord Almighty.

“The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.” -George Santayana

2012-01-22 Act 5 Scene 2 Church History_web

Full sermon text can be found on Pastor Josh’s personal website, “Requisite Danger.”

Act 5 Scene 1 An End-Time Community

Jesus’ life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension combined with Pentecost to usher in the Age To Come into this Present Evil Age.

Followers of Jesus are called to live in the tension of the ages – to live according to the new age while still in the old age.

Paul talks about this tension in Romans 7:22-25:

Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 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.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Listen to the whole sermon here:  Act 5 Scene 1 An End Time Community_web

Act 4 Scene 2 A New Age Begins

The Jewish people had different ideas about how the Kingdom of God would come. The Essenes (an ascetic Jewish group that flourished in Palestine and Syria from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Its members, consisting only of men, shared property, practiced celibacy, and observed the Sabbath.) thought the Kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom ruled by a spiritual God. As such, they withdrew from society into the deserts.

The Sadducees were the religious leaders and aristocrats who were content with the status quo and didn’t want anything to change. The Pharisees, on the other hand, saw the Kingdom of God as being a physical kingdom ruled by God through the Jewish people. In an effort to hasten the Day of Lord, they placed strict rules on the common people.

Jesus disapproved of all these ways; instead, He offered forgiveness outside of the current system to all the wrong people. It would not be those who kept the Law correctly who would enter into the Kingdom of God, but those who would repent and follow Him.

Those were the words that could get a man killed……..

Audio File:Act 4 Scene 2 A New Age Begins

Invasion of God

The Christmas Story

Everything changes with the birth of Jesus. It is an invasion of history and everything that ever existed. It is the climax in the story of God. In order to understand the significance of the birth of Jesus, we have to understand how fits within the flow of what the Bible has been leading up to – from Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to King David, and now to Jesus. He is not just a baby in a manger.

Audio File:  12-25-11 Invasion of God_web

The Intertestiment Period

As we’ve been journeying through the Bible we have been studying how all the Old Testament stories are tied together. Suddenly there is a gap. It jumps from the book of Malachi and suddenly into the New Testament, starting with Matthew. So, what happened in between?

There was a period of 400 years that some believe is a period known as the “silent years”, that God wasn’t at work during that time. But, as we take a closer look, we can see that history was being made and the foundation was being placed for the coming Messiah. We have the history of the Jews during that period and books written by Josephus and we have the Apocrypha.

Remember, our God is not the God of absence. He is ever present, just as He said, “I AM THAT I AM”.

Audio File: 12-18-11 Intertestiment Peroid

Act 3 Scene 8b – Malachi

After 70 years of Exile in Babylon, God moved on the heart of the Persian Emperor and allowed the Israliets to return to Jerusalem

The first group to return was led by Zerubbabel of the house of David and focused on rebuilding the temple. Remember that God had recently reminded the Israelites that He was bigger than the temple. He would continue to watch over them and continue on His mission to the world with or without the temple.

However, to the people of Israel, the temple was a powerful symbol of their love for God. Just like the first time, He allowed and helped them build it the second time.

The Second Jewisish Temple in Jerusalem

Malachi was the last recorded prophet in the Old Testament. He called Judah back from spiritual apathy and foretold the coming Messiah who would set all things right.

Audio File:  Act 3 Scene 8b Malach

Act 3 Scene 8a – The Exile

After numerous warnings, the Lord uses the nation of Assyria to conquer the northern ten tribes of Israel. Unfortunately, the southern nation of Judah did not heed the warning so, God sent the Babylonian Empire to destroy both the nation and the temple in Jerusalem.

The Hebrew people were carried off to Babylon where the Lord told them to buy houses and settle down (Jeremiah 29:4-9)

God was still on a mission and He wanted the Israelites to impact the nations for His sake. The books of Daniel and Esther tell us that the Hebrew people did just that.

Babylonian Capture by Ferdinand von Oliver (1785-1841)

At the same time, the book of Ezekiel gave the people hope as the Lord promised to restore their nation and temple and place His Spirit inside their hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Audio File: Act 3 Scene 8a The Exile 2011-12-4

Thanksgiving

For me, two events really marked my Thanksgiving Holiday. One was a Thanksgiving Eve service at my in-laws’ church. Everyone was handed a candle when they came in the door and it was a great time of singing and praising God. Then, we all gathered around in a circle, with our candles, and began telling what we were thankful for. As each individual spoke they lit their candle in the darkness. The second event was on Friday evening when we viewed the “Courageous” movie. The theme of the movie was Fatherhood – moving from just an OK father, to being that father that calls out their children to be followers of God. It also highlighted absentee fathers and the effects that it can have on children.

I saw two sides of the coin – one of just talking about having a walk with God, and the other actually walking it out. So, I have to ask the question – Which one means more? The talk or the action? Thanksgiving is truly a time of reflection and a time to thank God for all His provision……. and maybe some things that He hasn’t. As we reflect and reconnect with our families and with God, we can begin to walk it out.

The First Thanksgiving

Audio File:  11-27-11 Thanksgiving

Review of the Asia Summit – Overview of Jonah

Pastor Josh was privileged to attend a Vineyard missions conference recently. The attached audio file includes his testimony of what he experienced as the power of God swept throughout the people attending the conference. There were 15 plus countries represented at the Vineyard Asia Summit, gathered in Cebu, Philippines. Being part of the Vineyard, we are part of a movement that is much bigger than just the United States. Pastor Josh was able to see how these people embrace God and His Kingdom. Each one of us has been asked to drink from a different cup, finding the peace of God through drinking from that cup. Whether it’s from gladness or bitterness, Jesus is there walking us through it.  As we bow our knees to Jesus, remember that He wants all of us.

Tying this all in to Jonah we see how he became comfortable with his circumstances and his relationship with God as one of His prophets. But God called Jonah to reach out to a people living in what was known as a brutal place with pyramids of human bones. The storm of life forced Jonah to go to Ninevah to preach the word of God. His mission is to reach all people for His Kingdom. There is a cost to pay for following God and we have to rearrange our lives to see what God does. It may be messy, but we must be willing to walk with Him to a deeper level.

Audio File: 11-20-2011 Josh’s trip overview and Jonah