What did we learn from The Feast?
- Family is complicated. It’s MESSY.
- There are relational issues that run deep–deeper than any other earthly relationship
- It takes effort to work out issues. A LOT of effort.
- It can be easy sometimes to be tempted to just walk away and live in a cave and eat cheese all day.
- But working out our issues with each other it’s worth it! It’s SO worth it!
- Reconciliation is a beautiful thing
- E.g. the Dwarf family at the feast – so happy, so weird…
In our first session, we learned…
- We dwell in God. he is our dwelling place in all generations
- The world He mas made
- We are governed and limited by many things
- But one of them is time
- But God dwells outside of time, in eternity
In our second session, we learned…
- That God has the power of eternal self-existence, as evidenced by His holy covenant name
- God has always been and will always be supremely happy in Himself
- He wasn’t bored or lonely, and His glory was already perfect
- And we talked about why God created the world, namely
- Because it pleased him to do so;
- Because he is an artist,
- And because he loves us.
- ENCOURAGEMENT: Worship God! Worship means giving praise to that whjic is woirthy of praise. And Who is greater or more amazing than God?
- Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
- Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary;
In our third session, we learned…
- That the past is set in stone and can never be changed
- But it is an essential source of wisdom for us
- We need to look to the past
- We did a giant flashback from creation all the way through to the time of Jesus and saw that everything that God has done in all of Biblical history points to Jesus as the NEW Adam who saves us from our sins
- ENCOURAGEMENT: Learn from the past!
- Learn from the successes and mistakes of the people…
- in the Bible
- In your life
- From YOUR mistakes
- “Give ear, O my people!”
In our fourth session, we learned…
- About PROPHECY. We talked about how only God knows the end from the beginning, so only He is able to predict the future
- God has everything planned out, so he is not guessing, but MAKES it come to be
- It MUST be this way
- We talked about how God’s prophecies are different from false human prophecies, which are hippy dippy baloney
- Example: Miciah and the false prophets (including Zedekiah)
- God;s prophecies are so sure that they are delivered sometimes in PAST TENSE
- (because they’re so sure to be fulfilled that time is inconsequential)
- ENCOURAGEMENT: God is in total control, and His promises and plans for your life cannot be stopped by anyone. Not even you!
- So when you mess up, thank God that He is not surprised
- Trust that He can bring good out of your evil
- And turn to Him with all your heart as you see His great love!
In our fifth session, we learned…
- It’s NOW now
- Now is the only moment we can change
- 2 Corinthians 6:2: “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
- Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
- God provides for us day by day, not all at once
- Our strength is renewed day by day (as our days, so shall our strength be)
- Mana from heaven
- Give us this day our daily bread
- We trust in God to give us GRACE for each day
- “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
- We live in the days of Already by Not Yet
- ENCOURAGEMENT: Don’t live your life in the rear-view mirror!
- Strain toward what lies ahead
- Baseball analogy. Home run’s been hit, we just need to run the bases!
In our Sixth session, we learned…
- We looked at the book of Revelation
- We saw what awaits us in the future, and talked about how those words are trustworthy and true
- A beautiful picture of joy for Christians
- Water of life
- Tree of life (healing and life)
- We will see His face
- His name on our foreheads
- No night there
- We will reign forever and ever
- A scary picture for those who are not in Christ
- Appear before the throne
- Judged according to what we’ve done
- Those without perfect records are thrown into the lake of fire
- A glorious picture of the WEDDING FEAST
- We are the Bride
- Deeper oneness than is possible here on earth
- But Satan is going to try to win our hearts and get us to marry him
- ENCOURAGEMENT: Wait for jesus as a faithful fiancee!
- Don’t settle for a lesser love. Wait faithfully!!!
- Keep your eyes on the prize just like Paul did!
FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT:
- God is glorious
- God is sovereign (in control)
- God is good
- Every chapter of your life will have an ultimate payoff in heaven
- God’s story is so much bigger!
- Walk with Him and trust that he will conclude His story with not just a happy ending, but a happy NEW BEGINNING of a new heavens and a new earth of perfect bliss that will never end!
- Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
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