Judges 19.22-30

Judges 19 exposes how far the human heart can fall when it rejects God’s rule, and how our sin wounds others along the way. Yet the story also creates a longing for a righteous King. Unlike the Levite who sacrificed his bride to save himself, Jesus gave Himself so that His bride could live. In Him, sinners receive new hearts, sufferers are seen, and God promises to make all things new.

Judges 19:22-30

This story vividly reveals humanity’s depravity when there is no king, or more importantly, no God in their hearts, and everyone does what is right in their own eyes. It exposes human sin, not God’s character, and confronts us with the realities of sexual assault, murder, injustice, and evil. Praise Jesus, who did not give us over to the enemy but gave Himself up for us. He offered His own body in our place, bearing the judgment we deserved.

Judges 19.22-30

This week, we sit with one of the darkest stories in Scripture: a woman needlessly violated and dismembered. We won’t rush past that. But we won’t stay there either. Because when we encounter awful stories like this - in Scripture and in our lives - our hearts cry out: “God, what are you doing about this evil and suffering?” And the answer takes us into the dark mystery of the cross, where God took on a body to suffer on our behalf, so that evil would not have the final word. This is a hard story. But it is also, in the end, one of hope.

Ezekiel 4:1-17

The prophet Ezekiel was called to live out God’s message to Israel. He compassionately suffered for their sake, while being a persistent presence in their lives as a reminder of what the Lord was going to do in Jerusalem. Our call as Christians today is the same, we are called to live out the Gospel compassionately and persistently because of our care for the Lost. While the method might look differently our motivation and mission are the same.

Ezekiel 4:1-17

The weird & bizarre things that God asked Ezekiel to do demonstrated not only the seriousness of sin and disobedience and its consequences, but also the incredible mercy of the one who would bear the punishment of sin, giving hope for an eternal future in the New Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 4:4-17

Why would God tell a prophet to lie on his side for over a year, ration his food, or bake bread over dung? This morning we will see that Ezekiel's strange actions weren't random, but were powerful images revealing the devastating reality of sin. Through these unforgettable (and weird) signs, we see that sin carries a weight we cannot bear and it ultimately leads to judgment. But Ezekiel's story doesn't end with judgment, it points us to Jesus. Ezekiel could only symbolize humanity's problem, Jesus became the solution. He bore the weight of our sin, becoming the true Bread of Life, that takes on the judgment we deserved so that we could receive His grace.

Acts 17:24-27

Whether it be for significance, fulfillment, fame or love, everybody is searching for something. In Acts 17, Paul presents the God of the Bible as the Creator of all, a God who is both powerful and personal, and who longs for all people to find Him. It is only as we find God through His Son Jesus, that we can be truly satisfied.

Numbers 22:22-35

Some texts in Scripture are confusing, others troubling, and some just seem silly. A talking donkey? That falls in the latter category. But the message is serious: God uses messengers of His choosing – vessels that the world may label as foolish, weak, and despised – to speak His words, and His words only – words of blessing. This blessing, ultimately found in Christ, has been given to His people now – the church – to continue the blessing of Abraham to all nations.