Sunday, February 7, 2021 ~ Theme: BEHOLD OUR GOD s~ Series: The Long Road To Jerusalem ~ Message: The Long Road To Jerusalem-Part 1 ~ Scripture: Zechariah 12 ESV ~ Speaker: Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer. ~ And ~ Sunday, February 7, 2021 ~ Biblical Response To Fear ~ Message: When Faith Meets Fear ~ Scripture: Genesis 32 ESV ~ Pastor Michael Best
Image: The City of Jerusalem
WELCOME
Sunday, February 7, 2021
Theme: BEHOLD OUR GOD
Series: The Long Road To Jerusalem
Message: The Long Road To Jerusalem-Part 1
Scripture: Zechariah 12 ESV
Speaker: Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer
Biblical Response To Fear
Message: When Faith Meets Fear
Scripture: Genesis 32 ESV
Pastor Michael Best
Scripture Reading Psalm 99 ESV
The Lord Our God Is Holy
99 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2
The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
3
Let them praise your great and awesome name!
Holy is he!
4
The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
5
Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!
Holy is he!
6
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
7
In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies
and the statute that he gave them.
8
O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9
Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy!
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The Lord Will Give Salvation
12 The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him:2 “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. 3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. 4 On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the Lord of hosts, their God.’
6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.
7 “And the Lord will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah. 8 On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them. 9 And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Him Whom They Have Pierced
10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.
Scripture: Zechariah 12 ESV
Theme: BEHOLD OUR GOD
Series: The Long Road To Jerusalem
Message: The Long Road To Jerusalem-Part 1
Scripture: Zechariah 12 ESV
Speaker: Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer
Message: The Long Road To Jerusalem-Part 1
Sunday, February 7, 2021
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“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” 1826 Reginald Heber
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 1855 Joseph M. Scriven
“Be Still, My Soul” 1752 Kathrina von Schlege
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My Soul Waits for God Alone
62 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
3
How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
5
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
Psalm 62 ESV and Audio
Scripture Reading Psalm 62 ESV
Biblical Response To Fear
Message: When Faith Meets Fear
Scripture: Genesis 32 ESV
Pastor Michael Best
Message: When Faith Meets Fear
Sunday, February 7, 2021
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Michael Best
Assistant Pastor
Sermon Notes
Sunday, February 7, 2021
Biblical Response To Fear
Message: When Faith Meets Fear
Scripture: Genesis 32 ESV
Pastor Michael Best
Three Biblical Responses To Fear
Fear is a regular emotion in our lives. When God often leads us into fearful situations, and we feel overwhelmed, how should we respond?
In this story from Genesis 32 about Jacob and Esau, we see three biblical ways we are to respond to fear.
Three responses to fear
Rely on God (vs. 9–12)
1) Rely on God: In the midst of our fear, don’t forget that God is faithful. The test of our dependance on God is seen our practice of prayer.
9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
Realign your perspective (vs. 13–21)
2) Realign Your Perspective: Our natural tendency towards self-preservation builds walls between ourselves and other. Instead of self-preservation, the gospel calls us to self-denial.
13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease himwith the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
Respond to His voice (vs. 22–32)
3) Respond to His Voice: Are we listening to our own voice, the voice of the world, or are we listening to the voice of God and living out of the inner transformation that he has done in our lives?
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Image: Jacob Seeking the Forgiveness of Esau, 1652 by Jan Victors
Scripture: Genesis 32 ESV
Genesis 32 ESV and Audio
Jacob Fears Esau
32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God's camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”
9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”
13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease himwith the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.
Patience is the course and school is in session. Apparently we’ve been enrolled, whether we like it or not. This is one of the hardest classes we’ve ever taken. But the Professor is a subject matter expert. And His students go on to change the world. Maybe this is an opportunity in disguise?
Our family is waiting on a lot right now: a home, a sense of normalcy, a vaccine, a full Sanctuary, warmer days, an end to this awful pandemic, and more. I know you’re waiting on a lot as well. We’re all waiting.
I wonder because patience comes at a price. I don’t get what I want, what I prefer, or what I think is best—at least not on my timetable. Patience means waiting. Patience requires release. Patience demands surrender. “Not my will but yours be done.”
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit after all. Which means it is the very heart and likeness of God. God is patient. And I’ve found His goodness and beauty are always worth imitating in the end. Maybe patience is worth it?
But what if patience is actually worth it?
Patience is a virtue that cannot be rushed. The old joke is that you should never, ever, under any circumstances, pray for patience. The assumption is, of course, that God will answer—and, it is also assumed, you won’t like it one bit.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12
Image: Jacob Wrestling With God, 1659 by Rembrandt
Jacob Wrestles with God
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.
PASTOR TO PEOPLE
Groaning with you in the waiting,
Pastor Philip