Esther, by resigning herself to death and being rewarded with new life and a kingdom on the third day, established the pattern for the coming Messiah and informs us of what awaits those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake.
Brian Guinto is our former Summer Intern (2014). He was back in town and we invited him to bring God's word to us, which he kindly did.
God's glory is demonstrated in his power and his exaltation, but also in his willingness to descend in weakness in order to save those he loves.
Comfort comes to sinners, not when they hide their sins, but when the confess them to God and turn to him in faith, seeking mercy and grace.
True faith expresses itself in the face of death—confident that deliverance awaits the friends of the Lord on the other side.
God’s justice is retributive—it deals with sin as sin deserves—it is this reality that both terrifies the unrepentant and comforts the humble.
Yahweh comforts his oppressed and plundered people with a vision of what lies ahead—a judgment that doesn’t just bring deliverance, but restoration to glory as well.
We will see that as David meditates upon his own experience, where God humbled and restored him, he is driven, not just to praise, but to invite others to do the same.
God gives his people hope, in the midst of their grief, by directing their eyes to Mount Zion from where their hope comes and to assure them that they will one day feast in his presence.
In this section we see that God comforts his afflicted people with a promise that he will judge those who mistreat his people.
God gives and removes temporal blessings in order to teach Jonah to value the gifts he gives out of his free and loving grace.
The baptism of Jesus was intended to teach us why he came—to suffer wrath and curse (in order that we might be saved).
Jonah confesses that he is frustrated with God’s unchanging mercy and compassion, but it is that mercy that is his only hope.
But, as we will see in our passage this morning, God is a God of second chances who delights in showing compassion and is pleased when we confess that we have nothing to offer him.
In the sacrifice of Isaac, the promised son, we see God’s plan for his own Son and the depth of love for us that would be required in sending his Son to earth.
By enduring the curse of the Law, God removes its sting and transforms deadly curses into something life-giving and beautiful.
The Lord offers a sacrifice for our salvation and we are transformed into those who offer ourselves in worship and life back to Him.
God hurls a storm at Jonah in order to draw others to faith in him.
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